Energy Bills News

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal claims that the assessment by 74% of poll respondents in election swing states who believe inflation moved in the wrong direction last year is incorrect. The piece went on to state that the respondents’ perceptions were “contradicted by hard economic data”.Like many of us, I just love “hard data”, especially when it’s “economic”.One great aspect of “hard data” is that we must assume it’s correct; otherwise, how could it be “hard”? In fact…

Australia's plan to control domestic natural gas prices, which producers say will deter the development of new supply, is expected to boost the prospects for proposed LNG import terminals but potentially defeat the government's aim to cut energy bills.Parliament is set to pass legislation on Thursday to cap gas prices at A$12 per gigajoule (GJ) for a year and then require a "reasonable price" for domestic sales after the cap expires.Industry players say the plan, which surprised producers…

The region of Tuscany has asked for hundreds of millions of euros in investments in exchange for allowing a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Tuscan port of Piombino, the Italian region said.In a statement on Monday, the region's administration said it had approved the new terminal, adding it was sending a list of requests to the national government.In June Italian state-controlled gas grid operator Snam bought a new floating storage and regasification unit (FRSU) in an effort to boost the country's energy security in the face of dwindling Russian gas supplies.Tuscany President E

Belgium's transmission operator, Elia, has presented its draft plans for what is expected to be the world’s first artificial energy island. The energy island, called the Princess Elisabeth Island, will be located almost 45 km off the Belgian coast and will serve as the link between the offshore wind farms in the second offshore wind zone (which will have a maximum capacity of 3.5 GW) and its onshore high-voltage grid. Elia, which presented the plans in the presence of federal ministers Tinne Van der Straeten (Energy) and Vincent Van Quickenborne (North Sea)…

Britain's P&O Ferries made 800 staff redundant with immediate effect and suspended crossings for the next few days, sparking a backlash from politicians and unions over reports it would hire cheaper agency workers instead.The shock move caused delays around Britain's busiest port, Dover, and drew threats of a standoff as trade unions urged their members to defy any instructions to leave P&O ships.Owned by Dubai ports firm DP World, P&O is recovering from two years of disruption when COVID-19 prevented tourists from travelling on its routes between Britain…

The global ship repair, conversion and fabrication specialist A&P Group is now using 100% renewable energy across all three of its facilities as it aims to improve its green credentials and meet Government targets.The UK-based A&P Group with three shipyards located in Hebburn, Middlesbrough and Falmouth said it is committed to improving the sustainability of its services and reducing carbon emissions to ensure it meets UK Government’s legal requirement of bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.A&P Group’s decision to buy its energy from Haven Power, a company which only supplies energy from a renewable source, is the latest measure to help achieve this goal…

Energy regulator Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has been "unable to approve" plans for two huge subsea cables to take energy from the Scottish islands to the mainland.The transmission links from Shetland and the Western Isles were proposed by Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) to connect planned new wind farms on the islands to the national grid.In March 2019 Ofgem said it was minded to approve the estimated £709 million link.The proposal from SSEN for a 600MW transmission link was based on the largest planned project, Viking Energy Wind Farm, securing subsidies through the UK Government’s Autumn Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction.The award of these subsidies would have provided confidence that the wind farm is likely to progress…

A U.S. House committee will kick off debate next week on three new bills aimed at boosting offshore wind energy leases in federal waters.The House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold a hearing on Tuesday on three bipartisan offshore wind proposals.One proposal would require the Interior Department to develop a leasing plan or schedule for federal offshore leases, a second would create a federal grant for educational or career programs for the offshore industry…

We are on the brink of an extraordinary revolution that will change our world forever. In this new world everyone, everything and everywhere will be connected in real time. We call this the Networked Society, and it will fundamentally change the way we innovate, collaborate, produce, govern and sustain. The development of integrated fast on-line computer technologies, new satellite link capabilities, and efficient cloud storage capabilities of information have resulted in huge opportunities for utilizing vast amounts of data for optimizing all kinds of operations.

The US Coast Guard and the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) have temporarily suspended their review of the proposed Port Ambrose deep-water LNG import terminal. Liberty Natural Gas’s application to build the Port Ambrose deep-water port to receive LNG in the New York/New Jersey harbour has been delayed by the MARAD after it received more than 100,000 public comments about the project’s final environmental impact study. “The purpose of the suspension is to allow the U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration time to assess public comments and get them into the final Environmental Impact Study,” said Curtis Borland, legal counsel for the U.S.C.G.

Egypt's state-owned gas company EGAS has tendered to buy at least 48 cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for delivery in 2015/16, three traders said. A senior official at EGAS confirmed that there was a tender for multiple LNG cargoes during Egypt's 2015/16 financial year, which runs from July 2015 to June 2016, but declined to say how many cargoes. The official told Reuters that the result of the tender was due by the end of this month and that seven companies had bid, adding that the contract would be split among multiple companies. Egypt finalised a long-delayed deal last month with Norway's Hoegh LNG for a floating storage and regasification unit that will allow the country to begin importing LNG.

Egypt will launch a tender for a second liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in the coming weeks, which could help address the country's ongoing energy crisis, a source at the state gas board said on Tuesday. High consumption, along with foreign firms' reluctance to invest in the sector until the government pays billions of dollars it owes, have turned the country from a net energy exporter into a net importer over the last few years. Egypt can export LNG, which is natural gas chilled to minus 162 degrees Celsius into a liquid state, but it cannot import it without installing regasification and storage terminals. The country finalised a long-delayed deal last month with Norway's Hoegh LNG for a floating storage and regasification unit that will allow it to begin LNG imports.

Egypt finalized a deal with Norway's Hoegh LNG for a long-delayed liquefied natural gas import terminal on Monday that will eventually help the power-hungry country resolve a chronic energy shortage. However, the expected launch date for the floating storage and regasification unit was pushed back to the end of March, the latest in a series of delays over the past two years. Liquefied natural gas shipper Hoegh signed a five-year contract with Egypt's EGAS in Cairo at an event that included Egypt's oil minister and the Norwegian ambassador. The firm was initially looking to start up operations by the third quarter of 2014 but the project was delayed earlier this year. In September, the oil ministry said the terminal would be up and running by December.

FortisBC – a subsidiary of Fortis Inc. has officially started construction of its $400 million Tilbury LNG Facility expansion project today. The company is adding 1.1 million gigajoules of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to storage and 34,000 gigajoules per day of liquefaction capacity. FortisBC marked the occasion with a ground-breaking ceremony attended by The Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia; Delta Mayor Lois Jackson; as well as Scott Hamilton, MLA North Delta; and Vicki Huntington, MLA South Delta. FortisBC Energy Inc. operates the only two LNG facilities in Western Canada. The existing Tilbury LNG Facility opened in 1971 and has safely operated in Delta, B.C. for the last 43 years.

IEA report sees energy efficiency finance becoming established market segment in its own right ... The global energy efficiency market is worth at least $310 billion a year and growing, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency that confirms the position of energy efficiency as the world’s “first fuel”. The report also finds that energy efficiency finance is becoming an established market segment, with innovative new products and standards helping to overcome risks and bringing stability and confidence to the market.

The world’s biggest tidal array is to be built in North Scotland bringing jobs and energy security to the Pentland Firth region, informs a UK Government news release. The Government has provided £10 million worth of grant funding to the Meygen project, which will provide enough electricity to power 175,000 homes and provide up to 100 jobs when fully completed. Other funders include the Scottish Government, and The Crown Estate. The £51m scheme could inspire further projects in the Pentland Firth - helping to provide clean, sustainable and secure energy and jobs for the local community for decades to come. “The project also shows what can be done when the UK and Scottish Governments work together to provide a lasting benefit for the people of Scotland.

Following on from the formal call of May 21, 2013 to the European Council, Gérard Mestrallet CEO of GDF SUEZ and Paolo Scaroni CEO of ENI appeared before a European Parliament hearing. The event was jointly organized with Amalia Sartori (Chair of the EU Parliament’s Energy Committee) and took place in the presence of the European Commissioner for Energy, Günther Oettinger. The hearing was aimed at highlighting the risks of the EU’s present energy policy. Indeed, the efforts made…

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 2231, the 'Offshore Energy and Jobs Act'. The legislation would open new offshore areas to exploration by requiring the Obama Administration to create a new five year leasing plan for the United States’ offshore energy resources in areas containing the most oil and gas potential. Additionally, it would create a fair and equitable offshore revenue sharing program for coastal states like Alaska. “Once again the House of Representatives continues to lead the way when it comes to increasing domestic energy production. Today’s legislation would expand American offshore energy development, including more leasing in Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas,” Alaskan Rep. Congressman Don Young said.

Det Norske Vertias (USA) Inc., earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection. Commercial buildings and industrial plants that rate in the top 25 percent of facilities in the nation for energy efficiency may qualify for the ENERGY STAR. Det Norske Vertias (USA) Inc., is pleased to accept EPA's ENERGY STAR in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts," said Peter Bjerager…

“With the passage of HR 1231, the Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act, the House of Representatives showed they are listening to the American people. Average working Americans know that our long term energy solution includes increased exploration for oil and natural gas off our shores and this bill would expedite increased exploration and the setting of production goals  from those offshore areas. “Every step we make today in assuring the United States is willing to compete with other countries, such as Cuba and Brazil,  by providing opportunities to develop our own offshore oil and natural gas resources consistently and safely has an immediate effect in calming the international oil market.

"Aker Solutions now employ more than 3000 people across the UK and recently announced 500 new jobs in Aberdeen. Their expansion here is testament to the increasing depth and strength of our partnership with Norway across the spectrum of energy issues which helps to ensure that we keep household energy bills as affordable as possible for families across the country," adds Prime Minister Cameron. Aker Solutions provides oilfield products, systems and services for customers in the oil and gas industry, and is listed on the Oslo stock exchange. The company, which employs more than 3000 people in the UK, opened a new office in Chiswick Park, West London, last year. The start-up phase has been highly successful.

As the 2009 state legislative session gets underway, Greater New Orleans, Inc. said it will be active in targeted areas of Energy, Trade, Creative Media, and Tax Competitiveness. The Energy policy platform is branded as REEL - Renewed Energy Economy of Louisiana. The energy package includes legislation to incentivize deep gas exploration and enhanced oil recovery. The energy legislation will be led by Rep. Nickie Monica from the River Parishes and Senator Blade Morrish from Southwest Louisiana. A recent study conducted by economist Dr. Jim Richardson projects that the combined impact of passing the energy bills would increase state revenues by $25 billion dollars over the next 30 years through increased oil and gas production, especially in south Louisiana.

Rising oil prices will not help the tanker sector, according to the latest Tanker Forecaster from Drewry Shipping Consultants. “The economic turbulence and the subsequent impact on oil prices have dealt a double blow for this sector,” said the editor of the quarterly report, Parul Bhambri. “Oil demand has fallen for a fifth consecutive quarter. Job losses and mounting credit woes mean that people are travelling less and trying to cut their energy bills. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA April 09), upstream investments in the oil industry could be reduced by 15-20% in 2009, which would lead mature field output to decline by a sharper 9.4%. So in addition to deferred expansion plans, current output would also decline at a higher rate than previously envisaged.