Friday, March 27, 2026

Federal Government News

Market operator: Australia gas supply crunch will be delayed until 2030

The feared gas shortage in Australia's east has been delayed by one year, to 2030. This is due to the coal power extension, falling consumption, and rapid battery uptake. "Practical actions make a difference." "More renewables, batteries and sensible gas policies improve energy security and put Australia in a better position," said Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen in a press release. The federal government, citing a shortage of gas…

India's ethanol manufacturers feel the pinch

Singh claimed that despite contractual obligations, government oil companies did not purchase enough ethanol. This forced him to stop operations at his factory where he employs 600 workers. India's plan for reducing emissions and reducing oil imports is based on ethanol, a fuel produced from sugarcane or maize. State-run oil companies blend ethanol and petrol under the Ethanol Blending Programme of the Indian government. India achieved its goal of blending 20% of ethanol in petrol (known as E20 fuel) five years earlier than expected.

Australia announces $1.4 billion in support for Rio's Boyne Aluminium Smelter

Australia announced a?A$2 Billion ($1.40 Billion) over ten years to support Rio Tinto's Boyne Smelters, the country's second largest aluminium smelter. Federal Industry Minister Tim Ayres stated that the investment will be equally funded by both the federal government and Queensland's state governments. Rio Tinto will underwrite investment in energy assets. Rio Tinto announced in a separate press release that the initiative will help the Anglo Australian miner reduce emissions and maintain its competitiveness amid rising fossil fuel prices.

Indian LPG Sales Trickle Due to Hormuz Shipping Disruptions

© Akhtar Ansari - stock.adobe.com

Indian state fuel retailers' sale of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) slowed in the first half of March, preliminary data showed, as the country reels from its worst LPG crisis in decades due to shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.India buys about 90% of its imports of LPG - mainly used for cooking - from the Middle East and its supplies have been disrupted after traffic through the strait ground to a near standstill in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.State fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp IOC.NS, Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petr

India warns its consumers to conserve energy and not panic about gas shortages

India, the second largest importer of LPG in the world, asked its consumers to conserve energy and not panic over gas supplies. The 'federal government' has used emergency powers to order refiners that they increase production of LPG, and reduce sales to industry in order to prevent a shortage. Sujata sharma, joint secretary at the federal oil minister, stated that government measures had increased LPG production locally by 25%. Restaurants, hotels and other industries are feeling the pressure from a tightening supply of LPG.

Maguire: Maguire, China's renewables boom has boosted it to a rare clean-capacity club.

In 2025, the world's largest polluter will have crossed a crucial energy transition threshold by installing more clean power than fossil fuel production capacity for the first. Global Energy Monitor data shows that China will have 1,494 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy generation capacity operating in 2025. This compares to 1,420 GW?of fossil fuel-fueled capacity. China now draws 51% of its energy from clean sources, surpassing Brazil, France, and Germany, as the major economies that are primarily fueled by clean energy sources.

Maguire: Maguire, China's renewables boom has boosted it to a rare clean-capacity club.

In 2025, the world's largest polluter will have crossed an important energy transition threshold by installing more clean power generation capacity than fossil fuel generation capacity. Global Energy Monitor data shows that China will have 1,494 gigawatts (GW) of clean power generation in operation by 2025. This compares to the?1,420-GW capacity powered by coal, gas, and other fossil fuels. China has now a 51% share of its energy fleet that is derived from clean sources.

California's top air regulator: Trump opposes tax credits and EV regulations, but California is accelerating work on them.

California's top air regulator announced that officials will meet with Detroit automakers to discuss the next phase in greenhouse gas regulations for vehicles and trucks. California is fighting President Donald Trump in the U.S. Congress and in?the court against his efforts to dismantle federal vehicle emission standards. Lauren Sanchez, Chair of the California Air Resources Board and Governor Gavin Newsom, said in an interview that Newsom will announce next week details of a $200 million "electric" vehicle incentive program.

Australian state approves Kimberley fracking plan, drawing anger

The state's environmental protection agency approved a controversial fracking proposal in Western Australia's remote, ecologically sensitive Kimberley region on Tuesday. This angered environmental campaigners. Bennett Resources, an American-based private subsidiary, Black Mountain Energy, presented its Valhalla Plan in 2021 for fracking?upto?20 wells. Later, it increased the amount water needed per well from 40 to 100 millions litres. A report…

New York Sues Trump Administration Over Halt on Two Offshore Wind Projects

Source: Empire Wind

New York's Attorney General sued the Trump Administration on Friday for suspending the construction of two major offshore wind project that the state says it needs to power a million homes and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.Letitia J. James, New York's Attorney General, has filed two lawsuits asking a Washington federal court to stop President Donald Trump from freezing federal offshore leases owned by Equinor of Norway and Orsted of Denmark on December 22…

Australia announces rescue bid for Rio Tinto Tomago Aluminium Smelter

The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, announced on Friday that a "rescue" effort would be launched to keep Australia's biggest aluminium smelter open, the struggling Tomago plant majority owned by Rio Tinto after its current energy contract expires 2028. The announcement comes after the company had warned in October of a possible closure for Tomago Aluminium. It employs more than 1,000 employees and 200 contractors. Albanese stated that aluminium was becoming a "vital product", making it vital to keep Tomago operating.

Documents show that Alberta oil regulators stopped enforcing gas flare limits after government pressure.

Documents seen by have revealed that the regulator responsible for environmental enforcement in Canada’s largest oil-producing province, bowed to pressure from both the provincial government and major oil companies in order to remove a limitation on natural gas flare ups as Canadian oil production increased. Alberta's decision to remove its 20-year old flaring limit, after companies exceeded the limit twice in a row with no objections by the…

Sources say that India is considering raising the sugar floor price and ethanol rates in order to support mills.

Sources in government and the industry said that India was considering raising the price floor for sugar sold on the domestic market. This is part of an effort to assist mills with surplus stocks. Sources said that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could also increase the price at which oil firms buy ethanol from mills to mix with petrol. These moves will help mills to avoid losses, and increase their ability to pay millions of sugar cane growers the fixed prices set by government.

Can West Virginia be green when Trump supports coal mining?

He is a member of Economic Development Greater East, an initiative that promotes projects in a region devastated by the decline in coal production. He said he was a fourth-generation coal miner who had moved from one mining job to another in the past. He met EDGE's founder Jason Tart when he returned to Berwind and with their support, he opened a chicken business. Startups and non-profits, like EDGE, have taken on projects aimed at clean energy and land reclamation.

White House hosts oil and biofuel discussions as Trump administration closes to a decision on refinery exemptions

Four sources familiar with these discussions say that the White House held separate meetings this week with oil refiners as well as biofuel producers to try to resolve an ongoing dispute about billions of gallons in biofuel blending requirements waived by the U.S. for small refineries. Discussions indicate that the Trump administration will soon make a final decision about whether or not larger refiners are required to compensate for the waived gallons.

At COP30, California Governor Newsom blasts Trump for 'dumb' US climate policy

California Governor Gavin Newsom told an audience at the COP30 Climate Summit in Brazil that California would continue to prioritize the use of green technology while criticizing U.S. president Donald Trump's decision to reverse federal government policy on climate change. He lamented, at a meeting with Germany's Vice Minister for Climate and other state officials, that the Trump administration was censuring the clean energy market to China. Newsom, in his first of many scheduled appearances in Brazil's Amazonian city of Belem at the U.N.

Oil Prices Rise as US Shutdown Talks Advance, Oversupply Concerns Remain

© Adobe Stock/Grispb

Oil prices edged higher on Monday as investors assessed moves aimed at ending the U.S. government shutdown while concerns around oversupply in the crude market persisted.Brent crude futures rose 43 cents, or around 0.7%, to $64.06 a barrel by 1409 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $60.18 a barrel, also up about 43 cents or 0.7%.The U.S. Senate on Sunday moved forward on a measure aimed at reopening the federal government and ending a now 40-day shutdown that has sidelined federal workers…

Schedule for US Energy Data in the week of Nov. 9

The Veterans Day federal holiday, which falls on Tuesday 11 November, will impact the schedule for the release of major energy data during the week beginning November 9. The schedule below shows the weekly release of the U.S. Petroleum, Oil and Natural Gas Supply and Inventory. API's Weekly Petroleum Stocks Report will be delayed until Wednesday, November 12 at 4:30 pm EST (2130 GMT). Reports are normally released every Tuesday. The EIA will delay its weekly report on crude oil…

Amapa Governor: Brazil's Petrobras is studying a logistics base for Amapa

Clecio Liu, the governor of the Amazonian State of Amapa told reporters that Brazil's Petrobras had authorized studies to build a logistics centre in the state. Last week, the state-run oil company began exploring a promising offshore area. Luis explained that the company's Transpetro logistics subsidiary would do the studies. He added that the center will support Petrobras in the event of an important discovery. Petrobras did not give any further details.

Millions of dollars in heating assistance for Americans who are at risk because of the shutdown

The government shutdown could cause millions of Americans to have difficulty accessing funding for their home heating as early as next month, said lawmakers and non-profit groups on Wednesday. In its 29th day of shutdown, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could deny states $3.6 billion in funding under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). These funds are used to pay for winter heating bills and summer cooling costs. About 80% of the funds is spent in winter.