(EnergyAsia, March 14) — The Abu Dhabi government within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is embarking on a green energy initiative. Criticised for its high per capita energy use, Abu Dhabi is also keen to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.   The government has teamed up with the US Massachusetts Institute of Technology to...

(EnergyAsia, March 14) — Australia’s largest natural resources company, BHP Billiton, said it has merged its iron ore, manganese and metallurgical coal businesses.   The new unit will report to Dave Murray, former president of metallurgical coal, who now becomes head of the coal unit with responsibility for both the metallurgical coal and energy coal...

(EnergyAsia, March 14) — The US Department of Energy (DOE) said it will invest a total of US$553 million in cellulosic ethanol and solar energy projects through the rest of the decade.   The bulk, or US$385 million, will be invested in six biorefineries over the next four years as part of President Bush’s plan...

(EnergyAsia, March 14) — Petrosetco, a subsidiary of PetroVietnam, and Japan’s Itochu Corp, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a joint venture to build Vietnam’s first bioethanol plant. The proposed $100 million plant will produce 99.8%-pure ethanol to be mixed with gasoline to create biofuel.   The 100 million-litre-per-year plant, to be...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — Engineering giant Halliburton Company has announced it will move its corporate headquarters office from the US to Dubai in the UAE. The company said chairman, president and CEO Dave Lesar will also move to Dubai to lead the company’s efforts in growing Halliburton’s business in the Eastern Hemisphere, an important market for...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — NZ Windfarms Ltd today said it has purchased a 16% stake in Windpower Maungatua Ltd, which holds the development rights to a wind farm site in Otago.   The Maungatua site is NZ Windfarms’ second wind farm investment and follows the Te Rere Hau wind farm established by the company on...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — Engineering giant Foster Wheeler Ltd said a subsidiary has won a contract from Korea’s Hanwha International Corporation for the design and supply of three circulating fluidised-bed (CFB) steam generators for a chemical facility located in South Korea’s Yeosu area. Hanwha International Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hanwha Chemical Corporation,...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — Nasdaq-listed FuelCell Energy Inc, a leading manufacturer of efficient, ultra-clean power generation plants for commercial and industrial customers, has signed an expanded agreement with its Korean strategic distribution partner, POSCO.   POSCO’s subsidiary, POSCO Power, Korea’s largest independent power producer (IPP), will become a provider of FuelCell Energy’s Direct FuelCell (DFC)...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) —- Brazilian state oil company Petrobras said that by 2011 it could be exporting up to three billion litres of ethanol a year to Japan under a biofuels trade agreement signed with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) last week. JBIC is looking into financing biofuel projects jointly developed by Petrobras...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — India’s windpower equipment maker Suzlon Energy Ltd said it is considering venturing into the solar and biodiesel business by the end of the decade.   Chairman and managing director Tulsi Tanti told reporters the move to diversify into solar and biodiesel would expand the company’s renewable energy portfolio. Unused land in...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — Australia’s Origin Energy Limited said it has agreed to sell Rockgas, New Zealand’s largest LPG distributor, to Contact Energy Limited for NZ$156 million. (US$1=NZ$1.5).   The transaction is scheduled for completion the next quarter.   Origin’s chief operating officer, Karen Moses, said: “This sale is consistent with Origin’s stated strategy of...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — Malaysia LNG Sdn Bhd (MLNG), a subsidiary of Malaysia’s state energy company Petronas, has signed a new sale and purchase agreement to supply Japan’s Saibu Gas Co Ltd up to 390,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 15 years beginning October 2013. The agreement is an extension...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — State-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) is deepening its biofuels reach with an agreement with the Shandong provincial government to jointly develop biomass energy and fuel ethanol. China’s largest oil producing company said it plans to build plants in the province to produce as much as 200,000 tons of fuel ethanol...

(EnergyAsia, March 13) — China’s Solarfun Power Holdings Co Ltd said its net income increased 635.1% to RMB105.9 million for 2006, or RMB4.76 per share. (US$1=RMB7.73). Net revenue increased 279.7% to RMB630.9 million, said the Nasdaq-listed manufacturer of both PV cells and PV modules in China.   The company said its PV cell production capacity...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Malaysian state energy company Petronas has signed two gas sales agreements with subsidiary Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd and US upstream company Murphy Oil for the supply of gas from the fields in Blocks SK309 and SK311 and the Kikeh field off the coast of East Malaysia.   Murphy Oil and Carigali...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Rayong Purifier said it is holding off building a new 3 billion baht oil and petrochemical complex in Thailand’s Map Ta Phut industrial zone for now, pending the outcome of a study on pollution concerns in the area. (US$1=35 baht).   The Thai government has ordered a freeze on new projects...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Philippine biodiesel supplier Chemrez Technologies Inc said it will invest 691 million peso in building infrastructure and facilities to help meet the country’s demand for the fuel, which is expected to be boosted by the recently enacted Biofuels Act. (US$1=47 peso).   Chemrez said it expects to meet the mandated 1%...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Caltex Australia said has welcomed a release by the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Malcolm Turnbull of a study by Orbital Australia on the suitability of ethanol gasoline blends for use in motor vehicles.   “The Orbital study confirms that advice being provided to motorists by the Federal Chamber...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Solar Semiconductor, with offices in California, US and Hyderabad, India has signed a contract with Italy based, P-Energy, for the purchase of a state of the art module manufacturing line with an annual capacity of 50MW. Solar Semiconductor said it has an option to double the capacity with an additional line...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Malaysian conglomerate Genting Berhad said it plans to invest up to US$3 billion in biofuels projects in neighbouring Indonesia. The company has set up a Singapore subsidiary, Genting Biofuels Asia Pte Ltd, to undertake the project in Indonesia’ eastern Papua region.   Another Malaysian firm, Multi Vest Corp Bhd, said it...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) —- Australia’s power and natural gas firms have publicly voiced their support of a national emissions trading system.   Represented by the Energy Supply Association (ESAA), the firms wants Canberra to put in place a trading system that would put a price on emissions, saying that this is the best way to...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Malaysia will focus on expanding its hydropower capacity in its effort to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, said Energy, Water and Communications Minister Lim Keng Yaik. He also ruled out nuclear power as Malaysia has ample hydro resources that are untapped.   Malaysia’s growing dependence on natural gas as an energy...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — The Sri Lankan government is planning to set a new electricity tariff system to encourage the development of small renewable energy projects under 10MW in capacity.   Small renewable hydro producers could be the first to benefit as they are likely to be offered higher tariff rates in the early years...

(EnergyAsia, March 12) — Australia’s Origin Energy Limited said it has rejected a proposal by AGL Energy Limited (AGL) for a nil premium merger of equals.   Origin chairman Kevin McCann said: “The board has focused its assessment of a nil premium merger of equals on its impact on the value of shareholders’ investment in...

(EnergyAsia, March 9) — In its latest report titled ‘Outlook for Supply in 2007: Non OPEC Increases to Continue’, consultant Wood Mackenzie presents a global project-by-project build-up of the oil supply picture for this year.   The strong upward momentum for non-OPEC supply, seen in the fourth quarter of 2006 is expected to be maintained...