With global LNG demand projected to exceed supply by a wide margin, the prospects for North American exports of liquefied natural gas are exceptionally strong. But an unexpected development has raised a question about Canadian participation in this emerging export opportunity.
The question is: Will the Canadian government decide to block any of the pending acquisitions of its E&P players by foreign energy majors? Keep reading →
Quick take: We’ve told you about the slow, gradual uptick in the home energy management market in recent stories about OG&E’s successful smart grid program, why Reliant Energy is piloting in-home displays and why Tendril may be positioned for growth. Now a report from Mercom Capital reveals one trend — an increase in VC investments into smart grid — that also shows another. Peel back the covers to see just what VCs are spending their money on reveals several home security and home automation firms. That’s because — after years of dipping their toes — home security and home automation firms are now adding home energy management to the things they offer to homeowners. (A similar phenomenon is taking place on the commercial side, by the way, where the vendors of building management systems now routinely offer energy management and demand response too.)
And that’s the key, in our view — making home energy part of a mix of offerings. It’s hard to cost-justify a new in-house device just for energy management. But if that device does many other things too — security and home automation, for instance — then the math starts to work. – Jesse Berst Keep reading →
Energy venture capital is a challenging business in the best of times, but greater competition from large non-traditional players and lingering economic weakness in many of the world’s largest economies mean that, more than ever, finding and doing successful deals requires a disciplined, yet open minded approach.
The entrance of large companies into the energy venture capital space, the US elections’ impact on investment cycles, identifying opportunities and dominant sector trends were just a few of the topics Breaking Energy recently discussed with Dr. Wal Van Lierop, CEO of Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital. Keep reading →
Even in stagnant times some companies thrive. Our annual list of high achievers is a guide to the most vibrant part of corporate America and beyond.
Green energy startups are feeling the sting of rejection by investors concerned about falling energy prices and the future of government support.
No-one could accuse AMEE of having modest goals.
Since 2007, the East London-based clean-technology company has been accumulating energy and environmental information from governments, companies and non-governmental organizations around the world with the goal of becoming the leading global source of data that can be used to calculate corporate carbon footprints or supply-chain energy consumption. Keep reading →
Large corporations are steadily replacing governments and banks in financing renewable energy transport fuels and technologies, helping a popular sector for venture capital and private equity early stage funding cross the infamous development “valley of death” in search of scale.
The renewable energy transportation sector has reached a pivot point in which the needs and criteria of investors is changing ahead of a new race to scale up transformational technologies, a panel of bankers, lawyers and project developers said at the Renewable Energy Transport Forum in Washington, DC this week. The event was hosted by the American Council on Renewable Energy (and this author spoke on one of the conference panels). Keep reading →
The idea of powering energy intensive facilities with inexpensive methane from on-site rigs is gaining traction in the Marcellus Shale region. And one of the reasons for the interest is the intensifying focus by exploration and production companies on natural gas liquids.
NGLs, which include propane, hexane, butane, and pentanes, are produced by fractionation after well-gas is processed to separate them from methane and ethane (which can only be liquefied through cryogenic treatment). Keep reading →
As US natural gas producers note the benefits of existing infrastructure while seeking ways of stimulating demand for newly abundant shale gas, questions continue to swirl about the total cost of conversion.
Beyond the potential of natural gas for the long-haul trucking industry, as championed by Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, gas advocates say private cars are a clear target market, since gas as an auto fuel is currently roughly less than half the cost of gasoline, while at the same time emitting much lower levels of greenhouse gases. Keep reading →
Energy storage technologies – notorious for falling into the infamous financing “valley of death” – are set to get a stronger bridge across the abyss from lab to market in California.
CalCharge, a consortium based in San Francisco’s Bay Area, launched May 29. Keep reading →
