Saturday, April 26, 2025

Technologies News

Baker Hughes' first-quarter profits beat expectations on the back of strong demand for natural Gas Technology

Baker Hughes, a U.S. oilfield technologies firm, beat Wall Street expectations for the first-quarter profits on Tuesday thanks to a robust demand for natural Gas technology. The positive results are coming as oilfield service firms prepare for the impact of the tariffs introduced by the President Trump. These are expected to increase costs and disrupt sourcing of materials that are used in equipment such as drill pipes and artificial lifting systems.

Bhutan's economy is powered by 'green' cryptocurrency

Chief executive of Bhutan's sovereign wealth fund, Mr. Parminder Singh Dhugyal, said that Bhutan is looking at ways to harness green cryptocurrency using hydropower in order to boost the economy and create employment to reduce brain-drain and to boost its economy. Green cryptocurrencies is a term used to describe digital currencies that are mined with clean energy sources such as solar, wind or hydro power.

Elliott builds $1.5-billion stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise

A person with knowledge of the matter confirmed on Tuesday that hedge fund Elliott Investment Management had built up a stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise worth more than $1.5 Billion. Elliott, one the world's largest activist investors, is now among the biggest investors in the company and plans to engage the management, according to the person who wasn't allowed to discuss the campaign publically.

SLB and ChampionX may accept the remedial measures proposed by UK watchdog

The British competition regulator announced on Thursday that it may accept the measures proposed by the oilfield services company SLB and its smaller rival ChampionX in order to address concerns about antitrust regarding the two companies’ proposed $8 billion merger. The two companies will be relieved by the announcement, as last month the competition watchdog warned that SLB's purchase…

Maxeon Solar will establish alternative supply chains in the face of tariff turmoil

Maxeon Solar Technologies, a renewable energy company, announced on Friday that it would create alternative supply and manufacturing chains in response to the tariffs levied by U.S. president Donald Trump. After the bell, shares of the company rose 4.6%. The move comes in the midst of a global trade war that is intensifying after Trump on Thursday imposed a baseline 10% tariff on all U.S. imported goods, as well as higher duties on dozens other countries.

Octopus Energy, a British company, has bought a stake in the East Anglia One windfarm

Octopus Energy, a British company, announced on Thursday that its Octopus Energy Generation division had purchased a 10% share in the East Anglia One Wind Farm, which is one of the largest operating wind farms in the world, supplying electricity to around 700,000 households a year. The unit's fourth investment in an offshore wind farm in Britain and seventh in Europe, the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

GE Vernova will supply turbines for a planned natgas plant in Pennsylvania by 2026

GE Vernova is helping to transform Homer City Generating Station, a coal-powered power plant in Pennsylvania, into a campus of natural gas powered data centers by providing seven turbines that will produce almost 4.5 gigawatts. The project should begin generating power in 2027. It will be the largest natural-gas power plant in the U.S. once it is completed. This surpasses Florida Power & Light West County Energy Center's capacity of almost 3.8 GW.

Sources say that the Energy Department may cut funding for US carbon removal hubs.

Three sources familiar with this matter have confirmed that the U.S. Department of Energy has been considering cutting hundreds of millions of dollar in grants for two projects in Texas or Louisiana, which are aimed at demonstrating commercial-scale technology to capture CO2 from the air. Direct Air Capture hubs were developed by the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations as part of the former president Joe Biden’s efforts to reduce U.S. greenhouse gases emissions.

Jain and Boersma: US LNG exporters may run into a methane problem in Europe

New methane regulations may be a hindrance to the Trump administration's goal of "energy dominance", which is the United States' largest export market. The EU's President Ursula von der Leyen indicated that they may be willing import more U.S. LNG, in part to lower the EU's trade deficit. However, the process of making this happen can become complicated. Many utilities in the EU hesitate…

The prize is worth billions of dollars, but winning it is the key: Russell

Decarbonising steel is one of the biggest challenges to meeting climate goals. However, it could be extremely profitable for those companies and governments willing to take on the risk. Steel value chain is responsible for 7 to 9% global carbon emissions. It is the biggest industrial contributor, and therefore a primary target for many countries' and companies' goals for net-zero in 2050. About 80% of the steel emissions are caused by one single process.

Nigeria’s Refining Revolution is Reshaping West Africa’s Energy Landscape

Image courtesy GAC

The launch of the Dangote Refinery near the Port of Lagos presents an exciting opportunity to transform the energy and shipping markets in West Africa. And it stands to boost Nigeria’s role as an influential player in the global oil industry, fostering economic growth and regional development.Nigeria’s standing in the global energy landscape is getting a boost with domestic refining capacity expanding in 2025.

Trafigura cancels plans to build a $471 million hydrogen facility in South Australia

Trafigura, the global trading company for commodities, has canceled plans to build a green hydrogen plant worth A$750m ($471.2m) at its Port Pirie Lead Smelter in South Australia. A spokesperson said this on Tuesday. Trafigura, a Swiss company, had commissioned a design study, funded jointly by the South Australian government and Trafigura, in order to reduce the carbon emissions of the plant.

Chinese copper smelters are struggling with margin collapse

Industry insiders say that major copper smelters in China, the world's largest consumer, have started equipment maintenance during March, traditionally peak demand season, to try and stem the losses caused by a worsening shortage of feedstock, which is hurting margins. The fact that plants are being shut down during one of the busiest periods of the year shows how much refiners suffer from the lack of copper concentrate.

Wood Mackenzie: LNG for Power Generation Emits 'Significantly' Less Than Coal

Wood Mackenzie’s new report reveals the lifecycle emissions of U.S. LNG are typically around 48% of the coal equivalent. Credit: Wood Mackenzie

Wood Mackenzie has published a new report comparing the life cycle emissions of LNG with those of coal for power generation, finding the combustion of coal is related to significantly higher emissions.Wood Mackenzie’s analysis in the report titled 'Shining a light on the ‘coal versus LNG emissions’ debate' reveals the lifecycle emissions of U.S. LNG are typically around 48% of the coal equivalent.

Equinor, Norway's largest oil company, scales back its climate ambitions due to wind change

Equinor, the Norwegian energy company, has weakened its plan for energy transition as it struggles with delivering on promises to invest in renewable energy technologies and low-carbon technology. It cited practical difficulties and shifts in political priorities. In 2022, the oil and gas producer laid out short and medium term steps to achieve net zero emission, including those from using its products, by 2050.

Indian firms look to Dutch Royal IHC in order to explore deep sea mineral deposits

Two sources have confirmed that Indian mining and cement firms approached Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC to ask for assistance in preparing bids for deep sea mineral blocks. India held its first auction of 13 deep-sea offshore mineral blocks in November. These included three construction sand and lime mud blocks as well as seven polymetallic blocks. The blocks are rich in minerals such as cobalt and copper.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners closes third offshore wind project with Taiwan

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, a clean energy fund manager, announced on Wednesday that it had reached financial closure on its 495 Megawatt (MW), Fengmiao I Wind Project, located off the coast Taichung in Taiwan. CIP announced that Fengmiao 1, its third offshore wind farm in Taiwan, would be built by local and international suppliers with proven track records. CIP reports that…

The head of Trump's Energy Loan Office departs this week

The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Tuesday that the head of the U.S. Government's Energy Loans Office, which has provided funding to projects ranging from nuclear power and a sustainable aviation fuel facility supported by one of Donald Trump's Republican colleagues, will leave the agency in the coming week. John Sneed was reappointed to the position of LPO (Loan Programs Office) on January 20…

Nigeria launches $500 Million Fund for Solar Energy

Nigeria launched a $500-million fund on Thursday to attract private investment in order to increase solar energy and supplement the country's aging power grid. At the Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum held in Barbados, it was announced that DRE Nigeria Fund - which stands for Distributed Renewable Energy or electricity generated from renewable sources - would be launched. The goal is to attract local currency funding by Nigerian pension funds and insurance companies.

Due to Germany's increased solar output and weak demand, the price is slightly lower.

The European spot price for electricity was slightly lower on Friday as the main market Germany experienced higher solar intensity, a weaker demand and decreased gas-burning supply. This overrode anticipated gains in France. Guromarie Wyller of LSEG, an analyst, said that the fundamental situation in Germany will loosen slightly tomorrow due to increased solar power output and decreased demand.

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