(EnergyAsia, March 12, Thursday) — Indonesia will continue supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan under a 10-year extension of their existing deal. Officials last month signed a preliminary agreement on the extension in Osaka, Japan that calls for the supply of a total of 25 million tonnes to six Japanese buyers from 2011 to 2020....
(EnergyAsia, March 12, Thursday) – Hydropower has the potential to supply more than 10% of the Philippines’ electricity demand, according to the government.The country has ample hydropower resources that have yet to be exploited, said the Department of Energy.With the new Renewable Energy Law in place, local and provincial governments as well as businesses are...
(EnergyAsia, March 12, Thursday) — Singapore’s Falcon Energy Group Ltd (FEG) has reported a 98.4% rise in net profit to US$36.1 million over a 15-month period to December 31 2008. The unusual 15-month period was due to its change of fiscal year from September 30 to December 31.The company’s net profit for FY2007 was US$18.2...
(EnergyAsia, March 12, Thursday) — Solar cell manufacturer China Sunergy said it has signed a solar cell sales agreement with asola Advanced and Automotive Solar System GmbH, a German solar module manufacturing company.China Sunergy said it will supply a total volume of between 10MW and 30MW of solar cells to asola from February to December...
(EnergyAsia, March 12, Thursday) — US-based Navajo Wind Energy Corp said it has begun negotiations for a joint venture partnership with China’s Mingchuang Energy Manufacturing Co Ltd to manufacture wind turbines for the export markets. They have also signed an agreement for Mingchuan to deliver 80 wind turbines to Navajo’s Xinjiang wind farm project soon....
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — US production of biofuels could reach 90 billion gallons by 2030, far exceeding the government’s goal for the nation to produce 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be blended into gasoline by 2022. But it is unlikely to be competitive unless gasoline prices rise sharply, said researchers at the...
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — Sri Lanka’s Dialog Telekom plans to install 10 solar- and wind-powered base stations to operate its mobile telecommunication networks. The pilot project will include five off-grid base stations which, until now, have been primarily powered by generators running on diesel fuel. Dialog sees renewable power as part of its long-term...
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — Environmental organisations have criticised the Indonesian government’s plan to create more palm oil plantations out of natural peatlands. The groups, including Greenpeace Southeast Asia, charge that the plan runs counter to earlier pledges by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to cut emissions from the forestry sector in half by 2009....
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — The Indian government is promoting the use of solar-powered cookers throughout the country, in particular in villages and rural areas where energy supply is scarce and costly. The country’s ministry of new and renewable energy plans to deploy 25,000 solar cookers in Indian villages this year. The Village Energy Security...
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — Nagpur, a major city in India’s Maharashtra state, aims to become the country’s first “solar city.” Nagpur aims to derive up to 10% of its power requirements from solar and other renewable energy sources by 2012. According to long-term plans set by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE),...
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), the Middle East’s largest independent commercial product tanker operator, said it has taken delivery of the first out of six new vessels scheduled for delivery this year from Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD), one of the world’s largest ship builders. Named Gulf Muttrah, the IMO II-N2...
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — eSolar, a producer of modular, scalable solar thermal power plants, said it has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with the ACME Group, a leader in the field of energy, environmental and telecommunications infrastructure solutions in India, to build up to 1,000 MW of solar thermal power plants over the next...
(EnergyAsia, March 11, Wednesday) — The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering (CAAE) and Environmental and Energy Development Consulting Ltd (EED) have released a REEEP-funded report “National Action Plan for Rural Biomass Renewable Energy Development in China”, which provides detailed measures to enable China to achieve its biomass development target in the medium and long term....
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — Political and business leaders from China and the US met in Seattle in the north-western US state of Washington last month to enhance cooperation on clean energy projects. The two countries are the world’s largest energy consumers. The talks focused on developing and implementing clean energy technology, increasing energy efficiency...
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — Global port operator Dubai Ports World (DPW) is aiming to cut emissions generated at its Jebel Ali port by 35%. The reduction would be achieved by installing new equipment, engines and cranes, officials said. As one measure, the company recently ordered high efficiency diesel engines. DPW is working to increase...
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Co is planning to build a solar power plant in California. The proposed 1,000MW plant could come onstream as early as 2010 if everything goes to plan. Tokyo Electric, one of Japan’s largest power producers, plans to implement the project through its subsidiary, Eurus Energy Holdings....
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — The Malaysian government insists its biodiesel blending scheme will help renewable fuels producers even though it is facing a lack of progress in implementing the project. Officials said that for a start, the government will mandate that its vehicles will run on biodiesel from mid-2010. Vehicles operated by the Defence...
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — Singapore-listed Asia Power Corp, which operates power plants in China, said its 2008 net profit plunged by 35.6% to S$7.9 million from S$12.3 million the previous year. The company attributed the lower numbers to increased taxes, rising operating expenses and losses at unnamed associated companies. Its revenue rose by about...
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — Australia’s Origin Energy said its Quarantine Power Station (QPS) helped meet the increased demand on South Australia state’s electricity supply caused by recent extreme temperatures. Andrew Stock, an Origin executive general manager, said: “The power station has now synchronised with the grid, run at full output and if required, is...
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — French major Total said it has signed an upstream agreement with Azerbaijan’s state-owned Socar to explore, develop and produce oil and gas in the Absheron offshore block. This block is located in the Caspian Sea, 100 km from Baku, in a water depth of around 500 meters. Total will be...
(EnergyAsia, March 10, Tuesday) — Swiber Holdings, a Singapore-based offshore oil and gas service provider, has reported a net loss of US$11.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. The company blamed the loss on rising costs, and the delayed deliveries of the pipelay barge, Swiber Concorde, and the dive-support work barge, Swiber Supporter. (US$1=S$1.55)....
(EnergyAsia, March 9, Monday) — Russia’s Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd said it has signed a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan’s Osaka Gas. Sakhalin Energy will supply approximately 200,000 tonnes per year (t/y) of LNG over a period of more than 20 years. As the second largest...
(EnergyAsia, March 9, Monday) — Singapore-listed Penguin International Ltd recently announced a set of record-breaking financial results for FY2008, with operating profit soaring 36.9% year-on-year to S$11.3 million from its construction, sale and operation of offshore support vessels. (US$1=S$1.55). Revenues experienced strong growth, rising 21.1% year-on-year to S$98.4 million boosted by its shipbuilding and chartering...
(EnergyAsia, March 9, Monday) — Contact Energy Limited, one of New Zealand’s largest publicly listed companies, said it is seeking to raise NZ$300 million through a retail bond offer, with the ability to accept unlimited oversubscriptions. (US$1=NZ$1.65). The offer opened last week and will close on March 31 2009. The bonds offer investors an interest...
(EnergyAsia, March 9, Monday) — Australia’s Origin Energy said its underlying profit rose 38% to A$277 million for the six months to December 31 2008. (US$1=A$1.55). Revenue was up by about 10% to A$4.216 billion compared with the same period last year. The comapny said it significantly strengthened its balance sheet through the establishment of...