The tides are an enormous and consistent renewable energy resource, but taking advantage of them has proven frustrating. Newfangled minimal-impact in-stream devices have been slow to demonstrate their commercial viability; earlier “barrage” projects – dams on estuaries, essentially – have delivered energy as promised, but at the cost of degraded ecosystems. Now a potential solution… Keep reading →
Since 2004, the year of the first major revision of Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG), the country has added at least 35 gigawatts (GW) of solar and 35 GW of wind to its electric grid – enough to offset upwards of 35 coal plants. What’s more impressive is during the first half of 2014, close to 29 percent of Germany’s… Keep reading →
Christophe de Margerie, CEO of major French oil company Total, was killed Monday night when his corporate jet crashed into a snow removal vehicle on the runway of an airport near Moscow. The company reportedly has no succession plant in place, but has strong corporate governance led by a long-standing board of directors. “Barclays France… Keep reading →
WASHINGTON — Marking another milestone in the Administration’s support of clean energy technologies that will diversify our energy portfolio and help transition the U.S. toward a low-carbon future, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will deliver remarks today at the grand opening of Abengoa’s second-generation cellulosic ethanol plant in Hugoton, Kansas as part of Energy Action Month.… Keep reading →
The Northern Plan will focus on the integrated and coherent development of the area covered by the Northern Plan which includes all of Québec located north of the 49th degree of north latitude and north of the St. Lawrence River and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. There are several mining exploration projects and major mining projects at various stages of development in the north, some of which require significant access to infrastructures. The Government of Quebec intends to take steps to facilitate the implementation of mining and other projects in the area. With confirmation by the Government of Québec of its intention to relaunch the Northern Plan by introducing Bill 11, An Act respecting the Société du Plan Nord, on September 30, 2014, the implementation of the Northern Plan continues. Bill 11 reiterates the majority of the elements included in the former Bill 27, An Act respecting the Société du Plan Nord, introduced in 2011, which was examined by a parliamentary committee. However, Bill 11 contains new elements and incorporates differences when compared to the previous version as outlined in “Relaunching the Northern Plan: Introduction of the Bill to establish the Société du Plan Nord” [Link]. Mr. Couillard’s government seems determined to proceed with the implementation of all mechanisms required for the orderly deployment of the Northern Plan while the mining sector and international business community continue to demonstrate interest in this major plan.
Russian, Ukrainian and EU leadership meet tomorrow with the goal of finalizing a natural gas supply agreement as cold winter weather looms. Russia suspended gas shipments to Ukraine in June due to disagreements over price going forward and over $5 billion of unpaid bills for gas already delivered. Ukraine’s state gas company faces financial challenges… Keep reading →
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In September, India’s new environmental minister, Prakash Javadekar, caught world leaders off-guard at the UN Climate Summit when he told The New York Times that his country’s carbon-dioxide emissions were expected to continue to rise for the next 30 years. Considering India’s energy needs today, and how it hopes to develop in the coming decades,… Keep reading →
The DOE has issued a final rule establishing standards for green building rating systems that provide certification for federal buildings. On October 10, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final rule establishing standards for green building certification systems to strengthen federal buildings’ energy management through enhanced energy use measurement and energy efficient design.… Keep reading →
US natural gas prices have trended lower since the summer, but homeowners will likely pay slightly more for the heating fuel than last winter. “For consumers, prices will be about 6.8% higher than last winter, as gas utilities sell more expensive fuel they bought in the spring and summer, according to the U.S. Energy Information… Keep reading →
