Glencore asks government for help after claiming that the copper smelter in Australia is unviable
Glencore said that its Mount Isa copper-smelter is unviable, and it's waiting for the response to its requests from the state and federal governments in order to keep this facility open despite tough global conditions. The UK-listed company has been alarming local media regarding its Mount Isa Smelting Business in Queensland State as its mining operations will close next month. The company will have to purchase copper concentrates to process once global processing costs are at historic lows due to excess global smelting capacities.
EIA: Developers will add 18.7 GW natural gas-fired power by 2028
The Energy Information Administration announced on Wednesday that developers plan to add 18,7 gigawatts of combined-cycle power to the U.S. grid by 2028. This follows minimal additions the year before. According to the EIA, 4.3 GW of power is currently under construction. The majority of natural gas-fired power generation in the country is generated by combined-cycle gas generators (CCGTs), flexible and efficient power producers. The EIA stated that 1.6 GW of new CCGT capacity is planned for 2025.
What is in the Republican tax plan and spending plan
The Republican-led House of Representatives passed a comprehensive budget package which would meet many of the priorities of President Donald Trump. The Republican-led Senate will now consider the package, and it is likely that significant changes will be made. The Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation have provided cost estimates for the main elements of the package. CBO estimates that the bill will add $2.4 trillion over ten years to the $36.2 trillion debt…
Wind opponents sue Trump Administration to block New York wind projects
Fishing companies, as well as offshore wind opponents, filed a suit on Tuesday to challenge the Trump administration’s decision to reverse its course and allow construction on Empire Wind to resume. Empire Wind is a $5 billion project for a wind farm off New York’s coast. Protect Our Coast New Jersey and Clean Ocean Action along with ACK for Whales, 12 fishing industry participants, filed a lawsuit in Trenton federal court, New Jersey to reinstate a stop-work order Interior Secretary Doug Burgum had issued in April…
Trump's budget cuts threaten U.S. jobs in renewable energy
By Carey L. Labor leaders claim that federal tax credits under the former president Joe Biden for green energy production and construction have created an influx of new jobs - inspiring young workers to participate in the U.S. transition towards energy in a rapidly aging sector. "We were slammed, pretty much full employment. Everyone was making plenty money," said Kilton webb, an electrician from Maine who saw his job opportunities skyrocket following a 2022 legislation that created the incentives.
Australia approves Woodside's North West Shelf LNG Plant to operate until 2070
Australia approved Woodside Energy’s request on Wednesday to extend the lifespan of its North West Shelf Gas Plant until 2070. This follows a six-year process that was plagued by delays, complaints and criticism from environmental groups. North West Shelf, located in Western Australia on the Burrup Peninsula, is Australia's largest and oldest liquefied gas plant. It also serves as a major supplier of LNG to Asian markets. In a press release…
What is in the Republican tax plan and spending plan
Republicans in Congress are advancing a sweeping package of budget cuts and spending reductions that would meet President Donald Trump's demands. However, details need to be worked out. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) and the Congressional Budget Office have estimated the impact of this plan on the budget for the next ten years. (Cost: $2.2 trillion) Makes permanent lower income tax rates that were set to expire in Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Increases the alternative minimum tax exemption.
Wood Mackenzie warns that Australia will not meet its renewable energy target.
Wood Mackenzie, a consultancy, said that Australia will fall well short of its target to generate 82% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, due to state-level rollbacks and grid connection delays, as well as inadequate investment. Australia is one of the most polluting countries in the world per capita because it produces coal-powered electricity. It has plans to close all coal-fired power stations by 2038. The center-left Labor Government…
What is in the Republican tax plan and spending plan?
Republicans in Congress have proposed a sweeping package of budget cuts and spending reductions that would meet President Donald Trump's demands. However, details are still to be worked out. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) and Congressional Budget Office have estimated the major components of the package as well as the impact on budgets over the next ten years. The list excludes smaller elements from each section. (Cost: $2.2 trillion) Makes permanent lower income tax rates that were set to expire in Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
What is in the Republican health and tax plan and what's not?
Republicans in Congress released the first drafts of a sweeping package to reduce taxes and spend less, which would satisfy President Donald Trump’s call to do so. However, many details need to be worked out. Here's a summary on what they've proposed so far and what has been left out. Budget estimates for the next 10 year period are provided by both the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) and the Congressional Budget Office. What's in the Taxes? Permanently extends the lower tax rates that Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 will expire in 2025.
US House passes bill regarding Trump's Gulf of America
The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to formally change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, following President Donald Trump's executive order, though the measure is unlikely to succeed in the Senate. The House voted to change the name for the body of water which borders five states in the southeastern U.S. and a large swath Mexico, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea.
House committee makes changes to increase US oil and coal production on federal land
This week, a House of Representatives committee will examine sweeping changes in the nation's drilling programs for oil and gas, including the requirement of dozens of leases sales in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and other areas. These changes could be included in upcoming budget bills. The proposal is intended to support President Donald Trump's desire to increase U.S. production of fossil fuels by making it cheaper and easier to drill for oil, gas and coal on federally owned lands and water. What's Next?
Sources say that more than 2,600 US Energy Dept employees accepted a second resignation offer.
Two sources confirmed on Thursday that more than 2,600 U.S. Department of Energy employees have accepted the second round of resignations offered by the Trump administration. The hardest hit offices were those dealing with power grid stability, and those who provide loans for high-tech projects. According to a document reviewed by, the number of staffers who took up the offer in the first round is now more than twice the original 1,217. One source said that the number of staffers could increase significantly in the coming weeks…
Glencore asks Australian Government to bail out local copper assets
Anglo-Swiss commodities company Glencore has said it has spoken to both Queensland and the Federal Government of Australia regarding the future of the Mount Isa Copper Smelter and Townville Copper Refinery assets. Glencore announced in October 2023 that its Mount Isa underground copper mines would be closed by the second half 2025. They cited studies and reviews which stated it was impossible to extend the mine's life. Sam Strohmayr said in…
Gas giants claim that Australia's opposition plan to reserve supplies may worsen the shortage
Gas giants around the world said that a proposal made by Australia's coalition of opposition to force producers to divert more gas from exports into the domestic market in an attempt to win votes would discourage investment and not solve the looming gas shortages. The conservative Liberal-National Coalition has pledged to lower power bills by implementing a gas reservations scheme. The center-left Labor government led by Prime Minister Anthony…
Shell warns that Australia's gas reservations plan could worsen shortages
Shell warned Tuesday that Australia's proposal to force more gas from export onto the domestic market would end up discouraging investment and worsening shortages. Energy has become a major issue in the campaign ahead of Australia's general election on May 3. The conservative Liberal-National Coalition pledged to lower power bills and avoid a shortage on the East Coast through a reservation scheme. Shell Australia Chair Cecile wake said that export controls are not the best solution.
US considers cutting funding to four of seven hydrogen hubs
According to a source familiar with the issue, the U.S. Department of Energy has considered cutting funding to four of seven hubs for hydrogen that were chosen under a $7-billion federal program. The hubs are part of the effort by former President Joe Biden to decarbonize U.S. economics. They aim to boost the production of clean hydrogen and the infrastructure required to deliver it to industrial users such as steelmakers and Cement plants. Since Trump's inauguration in January, the federal government has provided funding for clean energy projects.
Petronas still in talks with Sarawak about gas aggregator role
Malaysia's state-owned energy company Petronas announced on Saturday that it will continue discussions with multiple stakeholders after a report claiming that negotiations with Petros over the role of gas aggregator had reached a standstill. Petronas (or Petroliam Nasional) has been installed in negotiations with Petros, Sarawak’s state-run oil and gas company, since last January. The impasse raised concerns over the possible impact on Petronas revenues, which are a major source for income for the federal governments.
US Supreme Court dismisses state climate lawsuits against oil companies
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid from 19 Republican-led state led by Alabama, to stop five Democratic-led state from pursuing lawsuits against major oil companies for deceiving public about the role that fossil fuels played in climate change. The justices refused to hear a case filed directly at the Supreme Court by Republican attorneys general. This case targeted cases filed against Exxon Mobil and other companies such as Chevron, ConocoPhillips Shell, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips.
Reliance Industries, India seeks to extend the setup of EV battery plants
The Mukesh Ambani conglomerate, Reliance Industries, said that its electric vehicle battery unit had asked for additional time from the federal government to build its plant. This was part of an incentive program based on production. The conglomerate failed to specify the duration of the requested extension or the reasons for the delay. Reliance received incentives from the government under its production-linked incentive scheme (PLI) in March 2022 to set up 5 gigawatts of local manufacturing for advanced chemistry cell (ACC) capacity.
