Thursday, September 18, 2025

Electricity Use News

China import surge increases seaborne thermal coal price: Russell

The price recovery is due to a rebound in China's seaborne thermal coal imports, but this boost will only last a short time as the recent surge in coal-fired power generation has slowed. According to commodity analysts Kpler, China is the world's largest coal producer and consumer. It is expected to import 27,41 million metric tonnes of seaborne thermal coke in September. The strength of August's arrivals…

French price increases prompt but strike has little impact

The wholesale European power prices increased on Thursday, as a result of a strike in France that removed some nuclear power from the market. However, a decrease in German wind energy generation was more significant. The signal for Germany is positive. In a day-ahead outlook, LSEG analyst Xiulan He noted that wind supply was on the decline, with its lowest point occurring around hour 17. He also mentioned other expectations for decreased coal and gas availability.

China import surge increases seaborne thermal coal price: Russell

The price recovery is due to a rebound in China's seaborne thermal coal imports, but this boost will only last a short time as the recent surge in coal-fired power generation has slowed. According to commodity analysts Kpler, China is the world's largest coal producer and consumer. It is expected to import 27,41 million metric tonnes of seaborne thermal coke in September. The strength of August's arrivals…

New Fortress Energy signs $4 billion LNG contract in Puerto Rico

In a social media post posted on Tuesday, Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez announced that Puerto Rico had negotiated a $4 Billion liquefied gas contract with New Fortress Energy. The contract, which was signed after the talks on a larger contract in July broke down, has a term of seven years instead of 15 years, with an option to extend it for three more years. It also eliminates exclusivity clauses.

Prices rise sharply due to less wind and nuclear supply

The wholesale European power prices surged Tuesday, as French nuclear power generation dropped and wind power production in the region is expected to be lower on the day ahead. A market that is under-supplied can be identified by the weaker scenario of electricity supply and the higher demand projections. By 815 GMT on Wednesday, the price of French baseload electricity for delivery was 59 euros ($69.57 per megawatt-hour (MWh), up 165.2% over the previous close.

Australia delays its first offshore wind auction due to global investment retreat

Victoria, Australia, has delayed its first auction of offshore wind farm financing, citing global investments hurdles. This is a blow to an industry that's deemed crucial to Australia's transition away from coal-fired energy to renewables. The state government announced on Tuesday it will delay the auction, originally scheduled for this month. A revised schedule is expected to be released by year's end.

China renewable auction signals challenges for solar developers

Analysts said that the solar power prices at China's first province-level auction under its new renewable price mechanism are so low, they may discourage investors from launching new projects. The auction held in Shandong last week, which is seen as an indicator for future auctions nationwide, indicates that prices will be lower in the future than they were under the old system, although perhaps not as low as those in Shandong where solar investment drove prices down.

India launches its first national policy on geothermal power

India launched Monday its first national policy for geothermal power, joining the growing list of countries that are relying on underground heat to drive their clean energy transitions. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in India said that the policy is designed to unlock India's geothermal potential, which has been untapped. This will be done through incentives and regulations.

Alaskans fear higher energy prices as Trump drills

Alaskans spend nearly two times as much on electricity as the national average. Matt Goodnow, financial counselor at a hospital located in Homer, Alaska, a fishing village on the Kenai Peninsula, said that higher energy costs would be detrimental to the community. The Trump administration is not only planning to eliminate federal funding for renewable energy projects and to remove tax breaks…

Germany is planning to stop using fixed-term contracts for renewable energy installations

According to the Economy Ministry, Germany will no longer use long-term fixed-price contracts for buying power from new renewable energies installations. However, it will continue to support this sector. The critics of fixed feed-in rates say that they are too expensive for the government and energy consumers, and that renewable industries have been established enough to be subjected to market forces.

China renewable auction signals challenges for solar developers

Analysts said that the solar power prices at China's first province-level auction under its new renewable price mechanism are so low, they may discourage investors from launching new projects. The auction held in Shandong last week, which is seen as an indicator for future auctions nationwide, indicates that prices will be lower in the future than they were under the old system, although perhaps not as low as those in Shandong where solar investment drove prices down.

Tuesday will continue to see high wind energy supply

The European spot baseload electricity prices continued to be low on Monday due to the high wind energy supply in the region. This is a continuation of the growth that has been occurring since last Thursday. As of 816 GMT on Tuesday, German baseload electricity was not traded at a price of 22 euros per megawatt-hour, down from the Friday closing price of 21 euro. LSEG data revealed that the equivalent French contract was 20 euros/MWh.

China's fossil-fueled power generation in August rose to its highest level in decades

Data and records from the Statistics Bureau showed that China's fossil-fuelled electricity generation in August rose to its highest since at least 1998. This was to compensate for a fall in hydropower production to meet summer demands, according to data. The rise in demand was a result of China's most extreme summer ever, which increased air conditioning use. This shows the country's dependence on fossil fuels for the spikes in demand caused by extreme weather…

Italy to Help Sardinia Phase Out Coal with New LNG Plants

© Adobe Stock/Yellow Boat

Italy plans to send two new units for the regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Sardinia to help the island phase out coal, a government decree seen by Reuters showed.Sardinia currently relies on two coal-fired power plants for its electricity needs and is slowly developing renewable energy capacity.The government has mandated Italy's gas grid operator Snam to set up a new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in the port of Oristano, on the centre-w

German spot price Monday is impacted by higher wind supply

On Monday, a surge in wind energy generation in Germany will offset a reduction in solar output to drive down baseload electricity prices. LSEG data shows that the German and French baseload power contracts TRDEBD3,TRFRBD3 had not been traded by 825 GMT Friday. LSEG data revealed that the day-ahead contracts were closed at 57 euros/MWh on Thursday and 16.4 euro/MWh on Friday. Marcus Eriksson…

Spain increases the cap on grid investments through 2030

Sara Aagesen, Energy Minister of Spain, said that the Spanish government intends to raise a limit on how much investment companies can make in electricity grids until 2030. She expects trunk network investments to be worth 15,94 billion euros (13.59 billion euro). The massive blackout in Spain and Portugal that occurred on April 28, has reignited the debate over investment requirements for power networks.

IEA reduces 2030 low-emission hydrogen production forecast by almost a quarter

The International Energy Agency reported on Friday that a wave of cancellations as well as cost pressures and policy uncertainties have reduced the projected 2030 development by almost a quarter. The IEA's Global Hydrogen Review states that the IEA expects to produce 37 million metric tonnes of low-carbon fuel per year by 2030. This is down from 49 millions a year ago as developers have shelved plans or delayed them.

GASTECH-Japan’s JERA looks at Alaska and Qatari Liquefied Natural Gas to meet demand and diversify supply

JERA, Japan's largest power generator, is increasing its interest in U.S. LNG, especially from Alaska. It is also in talks with QatarEnergy about securing faster and more efficient routes for supply to Japan. JERA, the company's Chief Low-Carbon Fuel Officer, told reporters that it is exploring other LNG suppliers than its traditional ones to meet Japan’s increasing energy needs. AI-driven data centers are driving up demand for electricity.

Octopus Energy, a British company, partners with a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer

Octopus Energy, Britain's biggest electricity supplier, has signed a contract with Chinese wind turbine maker Ming Yang Smart Energy. This could lead to the installation of the first Chinese-made turbines in Britain. The UK is trying to increase its renewable energy to meet climate targets, but it is also struggling with rising project costs as well as high electricity prices. The…

Bangladesh increases its power purchase from India and reduces its fuel oil consumption as the demand for electricity rises

Industry officials and analysts report that Bangladesh is increasing power imports from India as well as the output of fuel oil-fired plants to try and meet its rising electricity demand. The country faces a shortage of gas and maintenance costs for coal power plants. Government data revealed that power imports from eastern India's Adani Power coal-fired plants rose by 70% during the seven-month period ending in July, and they helped to meet most of the growing demand.