(EnergyAsia, April 9) — Norwegian energy firm KF Gruppen (KFG) has signed an agreement with Indonesia’s state electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) to build two hydro power plants in South Sulawesi over the next three years. Costing a total of US$300 million, the two plants will have a total capacity of 133...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — Two Japanese companies have teamed up with a Swiss firm to build and operate a 10 billion yen wind-powered electricity plant in Poland by July 2008. (US$1=117 yen). Mitsui & Co Ltd and Electric Power Development Co, or J-Power, will each have a 45% stake in the joint venture while...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — India’s contract manufacturer Moser Baer said it will invest $250 million in building a new solar fabrication facility over the next three years. The plant is to be located in Greater Noida near New Delhi, with Applied Materials Inc supplying the thin-film technology. Chairman Deepak Puri said he plans to...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — The production and storage of renewable energy will be the fastest growing sector in the world’s energy market over the next 20 years, according to recent study by Switzerland-based Helmut Kaiser Consultancy (HKC). Spurred on by climate change concerns, HKC predicts that the value of world demand for renewable energy...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — The Philippine government has decided to slowdown the pace and scope of its nationwide biofuels rollout plan. The Department of Energy (DoE) said it will proceed to produce diesel with a 1% coco methyl ester (CME) content from May 6, but will not make it available at all retail fuel...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — Australia’s Mission Biofuels Limited said institutional and professional investors have bought 38,461,538 unlisted and unsecured convertible notes with a face value of A$1.30 each to raise A$50 million. (US$1=A1.2). The capital raised will finance the construction of a 250,000 tonnes/year biodiesel production facility in Malaysia and provide capital to expand...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — Nasdaq-lised consultant ICF International said the US power industry must consider the significant impacts of potential carbon dioxide regulations in investment plans, especially when planning new generation capacity. With at least six carbon dioxide legislative initiatives announced in the new democratically controlled Congress since the start of the year, and...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — A joint venture set up by the Singapore-based Van Der Horst group and a research institute of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is looking to build two biodiesel plants over the next two years. The joint venture, Van Der Horst Biodiesel (VDH), plans to invest US$40 million in the first...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — The Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc (Phesi) and a California-based wind company are jointly building a wind-powered 20MW power station in Puerto Galera town in Mindoro province. When completed next year, the plant will not only serve the power needs of the island province, 250 km south of Manila, but...
(EnergyAsia, April 9) — Indian Oil Corporation Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian government committing to undertake upstream oil and gas projects as well as plant crops to support its biodiesel initiatives for the current financial year to March 31 2008. IndianOil said its entry into the upstream and...
Due to a public holiday today, there is no publication....
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — In anticipation of future operations and increased demand for electricity, JSX Energy said it has launched a preliminary feasibility study to assess the economic viability of a full scale solar energy project on one of its petroleum concessions in northwest Thailand. The area is amongst the driest in the country while...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) said it has found high amount of natural gas in Zawtika-2 at M9 in Myanmar. The company is preparing to drill more 4-5 appraisal wells to confirm the primary data of M9 Block petroleum reserves and to boost its development plan to...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — Arun Balakrishnan has taken over as chairman and managing director at state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) following the retirement of M.B. Lal on March 31. Mr Balakrishnan was previously human resources director....
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it will help fund the expansion and upgrade of the Colombo Port with a $300 million loan. “Colombo Port is a natural transshipment hub for South Asia,” said Prodyut Dutt, a senior transport specialist with ADB’s South Asia Department. “In recent years, Colombo Port...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — Greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand’s electricity system can be cut by 40% within seven years, said Contact Energy chief executive David Baldwin. Mr Baldwin said that in developing Contact’s submission on the government’s draft New Zealand Energy Strategy, it had become clear that reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — The Indian government is funding the construction of projects worth a total of Rs5.66 billion to help provide electricity to Afghanistan. (US$1=Rs44). Indian Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the projects include a 220 KV double circuit transmission line of 202 km from Pul-e-Khumri to Kabul, a 220/110/20 KV sub-station, also...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — Cargotec, the world’s leading provider of cargo handling solutions, has acquired a controlling 90% stake in Singapore-based Plimsoll Corporation Pte Ltd, as part of the expansion of its MacGREGOR unit into the offshore industry. The remaining 10% will be held by Plimsoll employees. Established in 1974, Plimsoll is a leading...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — Trina Solar Limited, a leading vertically integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products, said it has launched its newly installed solar PV cell line. The 50MW cell line had been under testing in the first quarter of 2007, and came into commercial production on April 2 with average cell efficiencies of...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — Vancouver, Canada-based Core Resources Ltd said it is in negotiations with its Chinese partners to acquire controlling interest in up to three biodiesel projects in China. Core Resources said the projects involve the development, manufacturing and distribution of biodiesel fuel and specialty chemical products made from renewable resources. China’s biofuel...
(EnergyAsia, April 5) — A shortage in grain supply has prompted China’s national planning agency to focus on developing more biomass-based ethanol investment projects. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said that with insufficient corn output, it will emphasise the use of alternatives such as straw, chaff and stalk for future ethanol projects....
(EnergyAsia, April 4) — Governments must stop subsidising the use of fossil fuels as an essential step to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Washington DC-based Earth Policy Institute urged. Fossil fuels receive innumerable subsidies or tax exemptions in countries around the world, the institute said. In Iran, for example, the government sets domestic...
(EnergyAsia, April 4) — Audco India Limited (AIL) has won the prestigious ‘National Award for Research and Development Efforts in Industry’ for 2006, awarded by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) in India’s Ministry of Science and Technology. AIL is a joint venture of US-based Flowserve Corporation, a global provider of fluid...
(EnergyAsia, April 4) — The Chinese government is considering imposing taxes on oil and other natural resources to reduce wasteful use and help achieve its energy savings targets. China accounted for 5.5% of world economic output last year, but was responsible for 15% of energy use and 30% of steel consumption Ma Kai,...
(EnergyAsia, April 4) — China Clean Energy Inc, a producer of biodiesel fuel and environmentally friendly specialty chemical products from renewable resources, said it has completed the upgrade of its biodiesel fuel plant. The plant’s capacity has been raised from 4,800 tons per year to 10,000 tons per year, 3 million gallons per year. ...