DOE-backed report: U.S. data centers' power consumption could triple by 2028
According to a Department of Energy report, the U.S. power consumption for data centers could triple within three years and account for 12% of all electricity consumed in the United States. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's report is due to be released this Friday. It comes as the U.S. government and power industry are trying to figure out how the sudden increase in data center demand by Big Tech will impact electrical grids…
Prices rise on increased demand for electricity and uncertainty about Russian flows
Dutch and British wholesale prices for gas rose on Friday, as a result of a surge in demand from power plants and a decrease in wind speed. There is also uncertainty over Russian gas supplies to Europe due to the imminent end of the Ukraine transit agreement. The benchmark contract for the Dutch TTF hub rose by 0.30 euros to 43.58 euro per megawatt-hour (MWh), which is $13.68/mmBtu by 0955 GMT. Meanwhile, the contract for the next day was up 0.75 euros at 43.40 euro/MWh.
Japan Gas Lobby urges stronger diplomatic efforts to drop LNG Destination Clauses
The head of Japan Gas Association urged on Friday the government to intensify diplomatic efforts in order to eliminate destination clauses from long-term contracts for liquefied gas. This would allow the government more flexibility in reselling LNG in response to changing demand. The Japan's Industry Ministry unveiled on Tuesday a draft version of its revised basic policy for energy…
MUFG Americas CEO: AI data centres will boost renewable energy demand, even under Trump
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, the largest Japanese banking group, has said that the U.S.'s shift to renewable energy will continue under Donald Trump. Kevin Cronin, chief executive officer of MUFG Americas, said in an interview that the anti-renewables rhetoric of President-elect Trump has not led to a change in MUFG Americas' strategy. Cronin stated that the new administration…
Israel strikes port, energy targets in Yemen
Israel launched strikes against ports and energy infrastructure in Houthi-held parts of Yemen on Thursday and threatened more attacks against the Iran-aligned militant group, which has launched hundreds of missiles at Israel over the past year.As Israeli jets were in the air, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile headed towards central Israel which destroyed a school…
Spain's demand for electricity is increasing as renewables set records
According to Red Electrica's estimates, the amount of electricity consumed in Spain increased this year, after two years of decline. A record 56% came from renewable sources, such as solar and wind. The Spanish renewable energy industry has warned about the dangers of future investment in this sector due to the lack of demand for electricity. The preliminary figures indicate that demand increased by 1%…
AI's hunger for energy fuels geothermal startup but rivalry over natgas clouds the future
The number of geothermal energy startups is on the rise, as Big Tech companies look to power their AI data centers with natural gas. However, long-term investment remains uncertain because oil majors are doubling down on natural gases. Meta and Alphabet’s Google are two of the tech companies that have partnered with startups to create geothermal energy to power their data centres.
The spot price rises on the drop in wind and nuclear demand, as well as higher French demand
European power prices rose Thursday as the main wind producer Germany was expected to experience a sharp drop in wind production output, and French nuclear availability fell sharply. LSEG's analysis painted a positive picture. It noted that the demand for electric heating in France was increasing as temperatures dropped. The French day-ahead baseload electricity gained 45.5% since the close of trade, reaching 80 euros ($83.34 per megawatt-hour) by 0945 GMT.
North Dakota oil plants slow to return online after wildfires in October
The state's Industrial Commission reported on Wednesday that oil operators in North Dakota are still working to bring some of their facilities online after wildfires in October swept through counties with significant oil production. According to Justin Kringstad of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, the outages were limited to isolated production sites such as well pads that experienced local equipment damage, or a loss in electricity due to damaged electrical lines.
Qcells claims that a new technology could reduce the space required for solar panels
Hanwha Corp.'s Qcells announced on Wednesday that it had made a significant breakthrough in a new solar technology. This has the potential of reducing the space needed by panels to generate electricity from the sun's light. The solar industry is facing a number of pressing challenges, including the need for more space. In some areas of the United States, large-scale projects that occupy vast tracts of land are being met with opposition.
Sweden's North frets about financial risks as the green boom stumbles
Sweden's local governments, frightened by Northvolt's struggle for survival and its potential impact on taxpayers, have asked the central government to increase financial support for Sweden's transition towards green industry. Last month, Europe's leading electric vehicle battery manufacturer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States with $5.8 billion of debts. The EU's energy transformation is failing…
Denmark Issues Offshore Wind Permit
The Danish Energy Agency has granted a construction permit for 240-megawatt (MW) Jammerland Bugt offshore wind farm, which is expected to start operating in 2029, developer European Energy said on Tuesday.The project is located in the Bay of Jammerland, on the western side of the island of Zealand.The offshore wind farm is expected to produce power equating the electricity consumption of around 240…
Spot prices fall on forecast of strong wind supply
The European spot electricity prices fell on Wednesday as the wind supply is expected to increase throughout the region and demand to fall in France due to warmer temperatures. LSEG data show that the German baseload day-ahead power dropped 38.2% at 0923 GMT to 57.75 Euros per Megawatt Hour (MWh). LSEG data shows that the equivalent French contract is down by 40.5%, at 59.5 Euro/MWh.
Tauron, a Polish company, aims to restart dividends with a new 10-year strategic plan
Tauron, Poland's largest energy utility, plans to pay dividends again from 2029, under a 10-year strategy that runs until 2035. The group stopped paying dividends in 2015, based on the profit of 2014. It then focused on investing. The company said it now plans to pay out a dividend per share of 0.5 zlotys from the profit in 2028 and increase it by 6% per year until 2035 when it will reach 0.7 zlotys.
Japan aims to reach 40-50% of its power needs from renewable sources by 2040
According to a draft version of the revised basic energy policy of Japan, it wants nuclear power to make up 20% of its mix of electricity by 2040, while renewable energy will account for 50%. This is part of a push to promote clean energy and meet rising demand. Japan's basic energy plans, as the second largest importer of natural gas liquefied in the world and a major buyer of Middle Eastern oil are attracting global attention from producers of oil, gas, and coal.
Nuclear roadblock to EU's new renewable energy target
On Monday, pro-nuclear countries expressed their opposition to the European Union's plans for a renewable energy goal. They said they would not support a goal which excluded atomic energy. Nuclear power is a controversial energy source that has caused political disagreements among the 27 EU member states. These disputes have delayed recent EU initiatives to reduce energy prices and to drive Europe's shift to low-carbon sources of energy.
Romania allocates 1.5 GW of renewable energy projects
The Energy Ministry announced in a Monday statement that Romania had allocated 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy project funding through an EU-funded contract for difference scheme. The long-awaited low carbon energy support scheme fixes the price of electricity to providers at a level agreed for 15 years. The Ministry selected 10 projects for onshore wind worth 1.09 GW and 11 projects with a total capacity of 432 MW.
Government body calls for support of offshore wind in Sweden
The development of offshore wind projects off the coasts of Sweden is not commercially feasible, according to a government panel tasked with speeding up and reviewing the process for authorising new wind farms. The head of the commission, however, said that an analysis showed this would not guarantee the construction of more wind parks. Magnus Hermansson, a reporter, said that there…
German wind energy forecast to increase sharply on Monday
On Friday, European prompt power prices were untraded for Monday on the expectation of an increase in wind power supplies throughout the region. In Germany, levels are expected to be nine times higher. LSEG data shows that the German and French baseload contracts for Monday were not traded at 1034 GMT. LSEG data indicated that the German wind power output is expected to increase by 42.2 gigawatts on Monday, to 47.8 GW.
Sweden and Norway consider early termination of green subsidies
They said that on Friday, Sweden and Norway had asked their respective energy regulators for options to end a joint certificate scheme earlier than the current target date of 2035. The joint electricity certificate scheme was introduced in 2012, and the last reform occurred in 2020. Its aim was to help build up 46.4 terawatt-hours (TWh), of renewable energy by 2030. This target had already been met in 2021.
