Offshore oil field workers could be living in some fancy new digs by 2015, as Norwegian ship builder Salt Ship Design puts the finishing touches on a new vessel that generates its own waves, counteracting those occurring naturally at sea, to keep the vessel stable. The technology would allow workers to stay on a ship… Keep reading →
Spanish technology firm Abengoa, which operates renewables projects worldwide, has listed its shares on the NASDAQ stock exchange as part of a push effort to raise its profile in the US. Abengoa has singled out the US as a priority market, both for fundraising and for the ongoing growth of its business. “The US market… Keep reading →
The energy finance community has been eagerly anticipating the introduction of solar asset-backed securities – “solar securitization,” – for at least three years, and may be waiting for another year or more. But sooner or later, securitization is coming to solar finance, and when it does, it will have a profound impact on the pace… Keep reading →
In its latest report on the energy trilemma of security, equitable access and sustainability, the World Energy Council and its project partner Oliver Wyman polled dozens of policymakers and regulators to find out what they think stakeholders should do to help policy meet the global energy challenge. “It is time to cut through the present… Keep reading →
“The Christian Coalition believes that energy efficiency is a family value issue,” writes the group’s CEO in an op-ed. Whether or not you follow the logic, it will be interesting to see whether this helps advance efficiency legislation in Congress. [The Hill] Germany is finding out that its efforts to shift toward cleaner energy – while cutting… Keep reading →
The US energy landscape today compared with 10 years ago is virtually unrecognizable, as the script with regard to import-dependent demand has been flipped to a potential export story. The seemingly moribund US natural gas industry characterized by decreasing reserves and production is now the apple of the world’s eye, with governments and private companies… Keep reading →
Sometimes technology revolutions require a surprising amount of the human touch. While the industry discussions and recommendations around smart grid interoperability take place at the highest level of expertise on subjects of great complexity, in the end a great deal of information is still exchanged the old fashioned way: in face-to-face meetings and on the… Keep reading →
Ever tried to find out who is in charge when it comes to energy policy? With literally hundreds of agencies and regulators at everything from the local level through state and regions to DC-based policy-makers and even the President, the level of complexity when it comes to understanding energy policy isn’t just frustrating, it is… Keep reading →
The US military’s efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels may help to advance emerging energy technologies by providing them with coveted assets, such as financial backing and testing opportunities. But there is no guarantee that these technologies, as applied to military-specific conditions, will be commercial successes in a civilian context. The Department of Defense holds an… Keep reading →
The first visible chink in the oil and gas sector’s stance on the Keystone XL pipeline project’s inevitability turned up this week in that house journal of capitalism, the Wall Street Journal. In his provocatively titled article, “U.S. Refiners Don’t Care if Keystone Gets Built,” Ben Lefebvre lists the host of ways that the sector… Keep reading →
