of a major manufacturing facility in Wuxi City in China. The new facility will be used exclusively to manufacture high precision rolled rings and other critical components for use in the wind power industry. The new plant, measuring 107,639 square feet, was initially completed in August 2007. The facility is highly automated with state-of-the-art heat...
(EnergyAsia, December 11, Tuesday) — Brazil’s energy giant Petrobras has signed a Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) with Korea’s Samsung to study the feasibility of developing and producing ethanol for the South Korean market. Officials of both companies witnessed the signing ceremony at Petrobras’ main office building in Rio de Janeiro. The signatories were Petrobras’ downstream...
production capacity over the next three years. (US$1=Rs40). MSPL, a unit within the Baldota group of companies, expects to boost its current 191MW capacity to 400 megawatt (MW) by 2010. The bulk of its existing capacity is located in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka states. The company’s biggest wind farms are in Harpanahalli (46.25 MW), Chitradurga...
3.4%, in Singapore’s commodities trader and supplier Olam International Limited. The company, which operates in many developing countries, is alleged to have failed to meet IFC’s environmental sustainability standards and practices. IFC said it “is committed to good international practices in environmental sustainability” and that its decision is driven by policy considerations, not the company’s...
(EnergyAsia, December 11, Tuesday) — Russia, the world’s largest holder, producer and exporter of natural gas, is playing a significant role in development of the world natural gas markets. According to the International Gas Union and Gazprom, Russia has natural gas reserves of 47.8 trillion cubic metres, which makes up 26.6% of the world’s total...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — Pegasus Consultancy will be organising the Pakistan Oil, Gas & Energy Exhibition and Conference (POGEE) at the Karachi Expo Centre, Pakistan on May 21-24. Pakistan’s oil, gas and energy industry has been growing rapidly over the last few years on the back of the country’s economic expansion. Last year, its...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — French engineering giant Technip said it has been awarded by Aker-Kvaerner two contracts, worth a total of 270 million Euro, for the flexible pipelines for an oil field located off the eastern coast of India, at a water depth of 1,400 meters. (US$1=0.68 Euro). The contracts cover the engineering, procurement...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — Australia’s AGL Energy Limited (AGL) said it has signed a heads of agreement with Meridian Energy to explore the potential joint development of Australia’s largest wind farm at Macarthur in south west Victoria state. AGL managing director Michael Fraser said: “The wind farm at Macarthur will potentially be the largest...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — Sakhalin Energy said it produced 1.68 million tonnes of crude oil from the Molikpaq platform in 2007,exceeding last year’s production by 100,000 tonnes. For this year’s production season, it delivered a total of 19 cargoes of Vityaz crude to Japan, Korea and US. Since production began in 1999, the company...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — China’s Trina Solar Limited, a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells for the assembly of PV modules, said it has signed a strategic development agreement with the Lianyungang Municipality in China’s Jiangsu province. The agreement includes government support in respect...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — Suzlon Energy Limited (SEL), the world’s fifth leading and India’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, recently won two supply contracts from Australian companies. Subsidiary Suzlon Energy Australia Pty Ltd (SEA) signed the contracts, totaling over 200 MW of capacity, with Sydney-based Renewable Power Ventures (RPV) and utility AGL Energy. Dan Kofoed...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) – KTL Global Limited, a supplier of rigging equipment and services to the offshore oil, gas and marine industries, has launched its initial public offering (IPO) for 40 million new shares at S$0.28 each as part of its listing on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd (SGX). (US$1=S$1.45). It plans to...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — Rising costs are threatening to slow down the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) boom, said a senior Exxon Mobil Corp executive. Tom Cordano, president of the company’s LNG unit, said that despite the rosy outlook on world demand, producers may not be able to develop all their projects on time...
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — BP is venturing into the Canadian oil sands by acquiring a half-share in the Sunrise field in Alberta operated by Husky Energy. At the same time Husky will acquire a half share in BP’s Toledo oil refinery in Ohio, US, between them forming an integrated North American oil sands business....
(EnergyAsia, December 10, Monday) — Two Australian agencies, the Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre and CSIRO‘s Marine and Atmospheric Research have jointly established a new centre to focus their weather and climate research efforts. The new Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research will provide a coordinated approach on weather and climate research in the...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — The use of wood energy can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can contribute to poverty reduction, said the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).But the agency warned that the use of wood for fuel can result in deforestation or forest degradation if sustainable forest management is not effectively practiced....
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — Saudi Arabia, buoyed by record-high oil prices, is enjoying solid growth and low inflation, a trend that is expected to continue over the medium term, said the International Monetary Fund (IMF).Growth for 2007 is projected at 4.1% despite an expected contraction in oil production and is supported by strong activity...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — Hit by declining production and a lack of new discoveries, the UK’s exports of Brent North Sea crude oil could fall by as much as 17% next year.Shipments from Scotland’s Sullom Voe terminal alone could fall to 108 cargoes of 600,000 barrels in 2008, compared with the 130 cargoes in...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — The Indian government is encouraging the development of biomass-based off-grid small power projects to meet the growing demand of electricity in the country’s large rural areas.Some of its key initiatives include the Village Energy Security Programme (VESP), Remote Village Electrification Programme (RVEP) and Biomass Gasifier programme, said Vilas Muttemwar, Minister...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — The Malaysian government has set up a committee to review changes to its costly fuel subsidy programme, with all signs pointing to a significant rise in fuel and power prices next year.The government is under increasing pressure to pare down its subsidy costs now estimated at around RM35 billion a...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — LDK Solar Co Ltd, a leading manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers, said it has begun construction of its polysilicon plant in China.The company added that it has secured an additional 312 metric tons in polysilicon supplies for 2008.Last week, LDK Solar held the first milestone ceremony to commemorate the completion...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — The Indian government has given a boost to the development of solar energy by making solar water heating systems compulsory for building units larger than 600 square feet in size. This includes all residential and industrial units, hospitals, nursing homes and hotels.The government has also mandated the use of compact...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — GT Solar Incorporated, a leading provider of manufacturing equipment and turnkey manufacturing solutions to the photovoltaic (PV) industry, said it has signed a $56 million contract with NYSE-listed Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited.Yingli, a leading vertically integrated PV product manufacturer in China, will use GT Solar’s next generation of...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — India expects to import more liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from Qatar’s Rasgas, already one of its largest LNG suppliers.India’s petroleum minister Murli Deora is in talks with his Qatari counterparts for increased supplies.Under a 25-year deal with Rasgas starting 2004, Petronet India Ltd is importing 7.5 million tonnes of...
(EnergyAsia, December 7, Friday) — Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Corporation Limited, celebrated its fifth year with a strong net orderbook of over S$13 billion, including more than S$7 billion of new contracts secured this year. (US$1=S$1.45).The company was established in 2002 following the restructuring and integration of...