Forum: Energie » Diverse energie items

voda 13 mei 2014 15:44

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E.ON's winst aangetast door gesubsidieerde energie

FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--E.ON se (EOAN.XE) heeft zijn nettowinst met 65% zien dalen, omdat zwaar gesubsidieerde hernieuwbare energie de conventionele activiteiten van het bedrijf aantast.

In aanvulling daarop zorgde het zeer milde weer in geheel Europa aan het begin van het jaar voor een lagere vraag naar energie en dit droeg bij aan de winstdaling.

Duitslands grootste nutsbedrijf op basis van marktwaarde heeft in het eerste kwartaal een nettowinst gerealiseerd van EUR762 miljoen, versus EUR2,17 miljard in diezelfde periode een jaar eerder. De onderliggende winst ging met nagenoeg 14% omlaag en kwam uit op EUR1,22 miljard van EUR1,41 miljard. Het bedrijfsresultaat, de EBITDA, daalde met 12% tot EUR3,16 miljard, terwijl de omzet met 11% afnam tot EUR31,82 miljard.

Ondanks de slechte start van het jaar houdt E.ON vast aan zijn winstverwachtingen voor het volledige jaar. Het bedrijf verwacht nog steeds een EBITDA van tussen de EUR8 miljard en EUR8,6 miljard en een onderliggende winst van EUR1,5 miljard tot EUR1,9 miljard. De outlook houdt in dat de EBITDA en de onderliggende winst na belastingen kunnen dalen met respectievelijk 14% en 23% in vergelijking tot 2013.

E.ON is niet de enige die in de komende jaren met kelderende winsten te maken heeft. Veel van zijn Europese soortgenoten, waaronder energiegiganten zoals het Italiaanse Enel spa en Duitse rivaal RWE ag, worstelen met de toegenomen volumes aan 'groene' wind- en zonne-energie. Veel regeringen in Europa hebben duurzame energie gesubsidieerd, als onderdeel van ambitieuze klimaatdoelstellingen.

Na tientallen jaren van dominantie op de Europese energiemarkten, worden nutsbedrijven als E.ON steeds verder van de markt gestoten door hernieuwbare energie die onverminderd groeit en geresulteerd heeft in een capaciteitsovervloed dat de prijzen heeft uitgehold.

E.ON en zijn rivalen hebben gereageerd met het stilleggen of sluiten van verliesgevende centrales, het schrappen van duizenden banen, verkopen van bezittingen en het verminderen van de investeringen.

Door Jan Hromadko. Vertaald en bewerkt door Ellen Proper; Dow Jones Nieuwsdienst: +31-20-5715200; ellen.proper@wsj.com

voda 14 mei 2014 21:03

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Gaat de kolencentrale in Eemshaven ooit open? Opening weer half jaar vertraagd

De opening van de steenkolencentrale die Essent bouwt in het Groningse Eemshaven is met een half jaar vertraagd.

Dat meldde het Duitse moederbedrijf RWE woensdagmiddag op een persconferentie in Essen.

Volgens de financieel directeur van RWE, Bernhard Günther is de oorzaak van de vertraging schade aan een ketel, meldt Handelsblatt. Hoe dat komt, wordt onderzocht.

Natuurorganisaties Greenpeace en Natuur & Milieu dreigen bovendien de nieuwe centrale in Eemshaven stil te laten leggen door de rechter, schreef de Volkskrant in april. Dat zeiden ze in reactie op de uitspraak van de Raad van State, die de natuurvergunning heeft afgewezen.

Volgens de uitspraak kan de centrale mogelijk later wel in gebruik genomen worden, als de betrokken partijen binnen een half jaar alsnog onderzoek doen naar het effect van de uitstoot van stikstof en kwik van de centrale. De organisaties willen daar niet op wachten.

Meer centrales stilgelegd

Tijdens de presentatie van de kwartaalcijfers had RWE woensdag nog meer slechte berichten voor de aandeelhouders. Doordat het op één na grootste energiebedrijf van Duitsland voorrang moet verlenen aan duurzame energie, worden conventionele centrales zo inefficiënt gebruikt dat ze steeds minder rendabel zijn.

Volgens financieel directeur Günther komt daar bovenop nog de lage prijzen op de energiemarkt. RWE wil daarom meer centrales stilleggen dan bekend was. Het bedrijf, waar de Nederlander Peter Terium aan het roer staat, wil voor 7,4 gigawatt van het net halen. Oorspronkelijk ging het om 6,6 gigawatt. Het gaat vooral om gascentrales die duurder in gebruik zijn dan kolencentrales.

Duitse Energiewende

In 2022 moet Duitsland het stellen zonder kernenergie. Na de kernramp uit 2011 in de Japanse stad Fukushima koos Duitsland voor een radicale koerswijziging: een Energiewende moest ervoor zorgen dat duurzame bronnen de plaats van kernenergie zouden innemen.

Sindsdien wordt in Duitsland verwoed gebouwd aan nieuw installaties van windmolens en worden zoveel mogelijk daken voorzien van zonnepanelen.

Bertus Bouwman is chef redactie van Duitslandnieuws.nl, de site met dagelijkse duiding van Duits nieuws voor Nederland. Blijf op de hoogte van politiek en economisch nieuws uit Duitsland.

Lees ook op Duitslandnieuws

In Berlijn komt de eerste verpakkingsloze supermarkt

Bayer-topman Marijn Dekkers bouwt zijn concern geruisloos om

www.z24.nl/ondernemen/gaat-de-kolence...

voda 15 mei 2014 20:27

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NS-treinen in 2018 volledig over op groene stroom

De Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) stappen in 2018 volledig over op groene stroom. Het spoorbedrijf heeft hiervoor een contract gesloten met energieleverancier Eneco. Dat maakten de bedrijven vandaag bekend. Het contract omhelst een jaarlijks verbruik van 1,4 TWh (terawattuur), ofwel 1,4 miljard kilowattuur. Dat is vergelijkbaar met het stroomgebruik van alle huishoudens van Amsterdam.

De reiziger gaat volgens de NS niets extra's betalen voor de duurdere groene stroom. © anp.
Volgend jaar moet de helft van de treinen al op groene stroom rijden. Volgens de NS en Eneco gaat het om - voor zover bekend - het grootste 'groene contract' ooit gesloten in Nederland. Ze wilden geen financiële details vrijgeven.

De NS liet eind 2012 al weten een onderzoek begonnen te zijn naar de haalbaarheid van de overstap naar stroom opgewekt uit wind, zon, water en biomassa. Eneco kwam uiteindelijk naar boven als winnaar uit een aanbesteding voor het nieuwe stroomcontract voor het totale elektrische treinverkeer voor de periode 2015-2025.

Windparken
De NS heeft het contract afgesloten namens alle vervoerders op het spoor en is met een verbruik van 1,2 TWh verreweg de grootste afnemer. De reiziger gaat volgens de NS niets extra's betalen voor de duurdere groene stroom. Dat komt doordat de treinen zuiniger zijn gaan rijden en minder stroom verbruiken.

De stroom die de vervoerders gaan gebruiken komt van nieuwe windparken die stapsgewijs in gebruik worden genomen in Nederland, Noorwegen, Zweden en België. De helft van de stroom komt uit Nederland en de andere helft uit het buitenland.

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voda 16 mei 2014 21:30

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Saudi Arabia needs to spend SAR 800 billion on water and power in next decade - Mr Al-Awaji

Mr Saleh Al-Awaji, the deputy electricity minister, said that Saudi Arabia needs to spend 800 billion over the next 10 years to meet soaring domestic demand for water and electricity.

Demand for power and water in the desert kingdom has grown significantly in recent years as an increasingly wealthy population consumes more to support affluent lifestyles and escape the searing summer heat.

Mr Al-Awaji said that “The water and power sectors are among those whose demand is rising at very high rates, to challenging levels.”

He said that “We need investments in water and power sectors in the ten coming years worth around 800 billion riyals and we expect the private sector investment to be 30% either in power or water.”

He added that in April peak power demand during summer is approaching the total installed capacity of around 60,000 MW.

The SAR 800 billion figure is higher than previous official estimates that the Kingdom would need to spend SR500 billion until 2020. The latter estimate though was made before the country announced major infrastructure and housing projects.

Mr Ziyad Alshiha CEO of SEC said that Saudi Electricity Company plans to spend SAR 622 billion between now and 2023, adding 40,000 megawatts of installed generating capacity and expanding transmission and distribution networks.

Source - www.arabnews.com

voda 21 mei 2014 16:46

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China en Rusland sluiten lang verwachte gasdeal

AMSTERDAM (Dow Jones)--Beijing en Moskou hebben een lang verwacht contract getekend, waarbij Rusland aan China voor miljarden dollars aardgas gaat leveren. Dit hebben een groot Chinees staatsolieconcern en diverse Russische media woensdag gemeld.

Hoeveel China aan Rusland exact betaalt, is niet helemaal duidelijk. De twee landen onderhandelden jarenlang over de deal, waarbij de prijs vaak een struikelblok vormde.

Chief executive Alexei Miller van Gazprom (GAZP.RS) verklaarde woensdag echter aan Russische media dat de twee partijen een contract voor dertig jaar hebben getekend ter waarde van in totaal $400 miljard. "Dit is grootste contract voor Gazprom ooit. Met geen ander bedrijf hebben we zo'n contract."

Gazprom wordt verantwoordelijk voor het ontwikkelen van gasvoorraden in Oost-Siberie volgens olieconcern China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), dat vervolgens zelf het transport verzorgt naar de opslagfaciliteiten binnen de Chinese grenzen.

Volgens Russische media gaat Rusland per jaar 38 miljard kubieke meter gas aan China leveren. Gebaseerd op de prijs van $400 miljard die Miller heeft genoemd, zou dit betekenen dat Gazprom per duizend kubieke meter $350 rekent, en dit is aan de lage kant in verhouding tot de prijzen die het Russische staatsgasbedrijf momenteel rekent aan buitenlandse klanten.

Het Chinese staatspersbureau Xinhua weet woensdag te melden dat de documenten die de gasdeal bekrachtigen zijn ondertekend door de Chinese president Xi Jinping en zijn Russische ambtsgenoot Vladimir Poetin. Voor laatstgenoemde was het sluiten van de deal een prioriteit tijdens zijn tweedaagse bezoek deze week.

Met de deal kan Gazprom een strategische verschuiving maken naar Azie, nu de Europese Unie (EU) minder afhankelijk wil worden van Russische energie, vanwege de sancties op Moskou door de crisis in Oekraine. Gazprom levert momenteel 30% van het totaal aan aardgas voor de EU en een groot deel daarvan wordt getransporteerd via pijplijnen in Oekraine.

Door Vanessa Mock, Brian Spegele en Wayne Ma, met bijdragen van Selina Williams en Alexander Kolyandr; vertaald en bewerkt door Marleen Groen; Dow Jones Nieuwsdienst; +31 20 5715 200; marleen.groen@wsj.com

voda 26 mei 2014 20:16

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Koning breekt lans voor duurzame energie

onder energie staat alles stil. De toegang tot betrouwbare, betaalbare en duurzame energiebronnen is nu en in de toekomst een topprioriteit. Nederland en Duitsland hebben elkaar daarbij hard nodig. Dat heeft koning Willem-Alexander vandaag gezegd aan het begin van een tweedaags werkbezoek aan de Duitse deelstaten Nedersaksen en Noordrijn-Westfalen

© ANP.
Doel van het bezoek van de koning en koningin is het bevorderen van de handelsrelaties en de samenwerking tussen Nederland en Duitsland op het gebied van duurzame energie, onderwijs, creatieve industrie, arbeidsmarkt en innovatie.

Volgens de koning is het zonnestroomvermogen dat nu al in Duitsland draait per inwoner twintig keer zo groot als in Nederland. Een kwart van de totale elektriciteitsvoorziening in Duitsland is duurzaam. Windmolens en zonnepanelen zijn in Duitsland een veelvoorkomend verschijnsel en Nedersaksen is een van de koplopers in Duitsland.

Overschot
Stroomgebruikers worden steeds meer stroomproductenten, aldus Willem-Alexander. Maar het is nog niet duidelijk wat er moet gebeuren met bijvoorbeeld een overschot aan zonnestroom op zomerse dagen. Of met een tekort aan energie op windstille dagen. Nederland en Duitsland moeten elk hun sterke punten inzetten voor een toekomst waarin netbeheer en energieopslag zo slim in elkaar zitten dat er overal altijd betaalbare stroom is, vindt de koning.

Willem-Alexander en Máxima bezoeken maandag nog meer duurzame technologische centra. Morgen beginnen zij in Noordrijn-Westfalen met een bezoek aan het Centrum voor Nederlandstudies aan de universiteit van Münster. Via Dortmund en Essen reizen zij naar Bedburg-Hau in de regio Kleef, waar zij hun bezoek afsluiten met een bijeenkomst van Nederlandse en Duitse ondernemers in de maakindustrie.

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voda 28 mei 2014 16:24

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POSCO Green Gas Tech established to generate clean energy

The first SNG plant in Korea will start operations in 2015 for commercial purposes, expected to have an effect of KRW 200 billion worth of import substitution each year

POSCO Green Gas Tech, a subsidiary designed to operate the country's first SNG (Synthetic Natural Gas) plant, held its founding ceremony on April 2.

Mr Sanghong Lee president of POSCO Green Gas, Mr Seunggwan Baek head of Gwangyang Steelworks, Mr Gyuseong Yeon executive director of POSCO Engineering and Construction Company Limited and Mr Yonghui Cho director of POSCO Energy were in attendance at the ceremony in Gwangyang.

POSCO Green Gas Tech will handle everything related to SNG, from the purchase of coal through the production and sale of Synthetic Natural Gas.

In June 2011, POSCO began construction of an SNG plant with an annual production capacity of 500,000 tons, and since then, has kept a zero injury record with thorough construction management. Once construction is completed this August, POSCO will make a trial run and begin commercial production in January 2015.

SNG is produced by converting low-cost coal into gas at high temperature and pressure, which is then refined and goes through a synthesis process, and can be a direct substitute for Liquid Natural Gas as both have the same components.

As part of the government's New Growth Smart Project promoted for low carbon green growth in September 2009, it is expected that SNG will substitute for LNG, production of which has been dependent on imports, and create a 200 billion won import substitution effect, once the SNG plant is brought into full operation. This project represents much to the POSCO Family in the sense that it takes the initiative as the first SNG project in Korea.

Mr Sanghong Lee said that “By running the SNG plant in a stable and efficient manner, we will make contributions to the energy security of Korea and large-scale job creation while invigorating the industries involved. We will secure core technologies in partnership with small and medium-sized businesses, localize overseas originated technologies and thus, pave the way into the global market.”

Moreover, POSCO Green Gas Tech plans to install a state of the art enclosed silo for coal storage and advanced refinement facilities to run the plant in an environmentally friendlier fashion, with pollutants like dust, Sulfur Oxides (SOx) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) kept to a minimum, while working to ensure the goal of achieving a surplus in the first year.

Meanwhile, POSCO is pushing forward with its clean energy development project in Mongolia in addition to the Gwangyang SNG plant. POSCO, in partnership with MCS, the largest private company in Mongolia, is now working on a Coal to Liquid (CTL ) fuel development project, which produces synthetic gas made from hydrogen and carbon monoxide using low-quality coal and in doing so, eliminating pollutants. It plans to complete financing by the end of this year and complete plant construction by 2018.

Source – Steel Group

voda 3 juni 2014 16:30

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IEA: fors meer investeringen in energie nodig

DINSDAG 3 JUNI 2014, 10:13 uur | 163 keer gelezen

PARIJS (AFN) - De investeringen in energie moeten de komende jaren flink omhoog. Dat stelde het Internationaal Energie Agentschap dinsdag (IEA) in een rapport. Tot 2035 is een bedrag nodig van ruim 48 biljoen dollar om aan de groeiende vraag te kunnen blijven voldoen, zo heeft de organisatie becijferd.
Momenteel liggen de jaarlijkse investeringen in de energietoevoer op 1,6 biljoen dollar per jaar. Dat moet gaan oplopen richting de 2 biljoen dollar. De investeringen om het energieverbruik terug te dringen, moeten worden opgevoerd van de huidige 130 miljard dollar per jaar naar meer dan 550 miljard dollar per jaar in 2035, aldus het IEA.

“De betrouwbaarheid en duurzaamheid van ons toekomstige energiesysteem zijn afhankelijk van onze investering”, zei IEA-directeur Maria van der Hoeven. Daarvoor is een geloofwaardig energiebeleid nodig en stabiele toegang tot financiering voor de lange termijn. Die komen er niet vanzelf, waarschuwde Van der Hoeven.

Investeringen verdubbeld

De jaarlijkse investeringen in nieuwe productie van brandstof en elektriciteit zijn sinds 2000 verdubbeld. De uitgaven aan de productie van energie uit hernieuwbare bronnen zijn zelfs verviervoudigd, mede dankzij overheidssubsidies. Toch vloeit het leeuwendeel van de investeringen nog steeds naar de productie en distributie van fossiele brandstoffen.

Het IEA tekent daarbij aan dat bij een investeringsdoel van 48 biljoen dollar, internationale klimaatdoelstellingen niet zullen worden gehaald. Om de temperatuurstijging op aarde zoals afgesproken te beperken tot 2 graden, zal 5 biljoen dollar extra moeten worden gestoken in vermindering van de uitstoot van het broeikasgas koolstofdioxide (CO2).

voda 3 juni 2014 20:57

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Europe Moves to Phase Out Renewable Subsidies

New rules adopted by the European Commission (EC) in April will gradually phase out renewable energy subsidies that currently bolster the European Union’s (EU’s) €48-billion-a-year clean energy industry.

The rules stem from an investigation into Germany’s renewable energy subsidies, which have sent renewables’ share of the country’s power portfolio soaring but led to market distortions. As it issued the rules, the EC called on Europe to meet ambitious 2020 climate targets at the least possible cost for taxpayers and without undue distortions of competition in the single market.

“Many renewables sources have reached a scale and a level of maturity that allows them to compete with more commensurable sources,” EU Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia told reporters on April 9. “It is time for renewables to join the market. The new guidelines provide a framework for designing more efficient public support measures that reflect market conditions, in a gradual and pragmatic way.”

The new Energy and Environmental State Aid Guidelines, which will be valid from July 1, 2014, until the end of 2020, foresee the gradual introduction of competitive bidding processes for allocating public support but offer the bloc’s 28 member states flexibility to take account of national circumstances. In 2015 and 2016, a pilot phase will be launched to test competitive bidding procedures in a small share of new renewable power capacity. Small installations (less than 6 MW of wind power or 1 MW of other renewables such as solar or biomass) will be initially exempted, but tender processes will be obligatory for all new installations as of 2017.

The guidelines also call for the gradual replacement of feed-in tariffs with more market-based types of aids such as feed-in premiums. The premiums will not apply when prices on the market are negative, which means generators will have no incentive to generate electricity under negative prices. Small installations will still benefit from a special program, however, and the rules do not affect installations that are already in place (Figure 1).

1. A subsidy ceiling. New renewable projects installed in the European Union after July 1, 2014, will be subject to new rules that will gradually phase out renewable subsidies. This image shows WIRSOL’s 8.1-MW crystalline solar plant on the 11-hectare roofs of pfenning logistics GmbH’s distribution center in Heddesheim, southern Germany. Completed in August 2013, it is one of Europe’s largest rooftop solar projects. Courtesy: WIRSOL

Significantly, the rules also seek to alleviate the “very high burden” of charges levied for the funding of renewables for 68 energy-intensive companies. But that measure was criticized by energy-intensive sectors as well as by renewable energy advocates, who cautioned that it would shift the costs for the transition to cleaner energy disproportionately onto private consumers and small businesses. The European Aluminum Association said more would need to be done to restore Europe’s industrial competitiveness, calling for more compensation measures for costs related to climate and energy policies.

The rules also back cross-border energy infrastructure in support of a single European energy market, and they permit aid to secure adequate generation when there is a real risk of a reliability lapse. That means aid for so-called “capacity mechanisms” is possible if a state demonstrates that adequate capacity cannot be delivered without state intervention.

—Sonal Patel, associate editor (@POWERmagazine, @sonalcpatel)

Bijlage:

voda 8 juni 2014 15:41

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World needs USD 48 trillion investment to meet energy demand

Business Recorder reported that the world requires USD 48 trillion in investment till 2035 in order to meet the growing need for energy.

According to a report released by IEA, a Paris-based energy policy group, , countries must invest USD 40 trillion in energy supplies and USD 8 trillion in energy efficiency over the next 21 years. Economic growth and rising living standards have been fueling the global energy demand, forcing governments to find ways and money to increase supplies.

The agency said that global energy demand is predicted to grow by one-third by 2035, of which 90 % will come from emerging countries.

The world has invested USD 1.6 trillion in 2013 for energy supply, more than double the amount in 2000. Until 2035, the annual investment figure is expected to reach USD 2 trillion.

It said that of the USD 40 trillion energy supply investment, USD 23 trillion needs to be invested in fossil fuel extraction, transport and oil refining.

Source – Business Recorder

voda 12 juni 2014 16:55

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TATA Power reaches 1170 MW renewable energy capacity

TATA Power, the country's biggest electricity generator in the private sector, said that its renewable energy capacity has risen to 1,170MW with the commissioning of its 28.8MW solar plant at Palaswadi in Maharashtra.

The company has an operating capacity of 460.6MW from wind farms and 54 MW of solar generation.

TATA Power has been working in different areas of renewable power generation, both grid connected and distributed generation.

Mr Anil Sardana, MD of TATA Power, said that "TATA Power is committed to reduce its carbon footprint through 'clean and renewable energy' generation and further diversify its energy portfolio to reduce fuel price risk. The company has aggressive plans of additional generating capacity by 2022 and would target 20% to 25% contribution from clean and green energy sources.

TATA Power is one of the biggest wind energy generators in the country. Its 460.6 MW of installed capacity is spread across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

It is also one of the leading solar power generators in India with an operational capacity of 54 MW. Besides Palaswadi, the company has solar plants at Mithapur in Gujarat (25MW), Mulshi in Maharashtra (3MW) and some rooftop solar installations.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 18 juni 2014 15:50

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Tennet door kabinet aangewezen als enige netbeheerder op zee

AMSTERDAM (Dow Jones)--Elektriciteitstransporteur Tennet Holding bv is door het Nederlands kabinet aangewezen als enige netbeheerder op zee, blijkt woensdag uit een brief van minister Henk Kamp van Economische Zaken aan de Tweede Kamer.

De keuze voor Tennet als de enige netbeheerder op zee levert een kostenbesparing van drie miljard euro in vijftien jaar op, zo motiveert Kamp zijn besluit.

Tennet, waarin de Nederlandse Staat de enige aandeelhouder is, stelt in een separaat persbericht het besluit te verwelkomen.

"Een gecoordineerde aansluiting van windparken op zee leidt tot lagere maatschappelijke kosten en een kleinere impact op de leefomgeving", aldus Tennet CEO Mel Kroon in het begeleidend persbericht.

"De gekozen, gestructureerde aanpak is op vele fronten beter dan het realiseren van individuele aansluitingen. Door de investeringen in offshore infrastructuur bij Tennet te bundelen, ontstaan synergievoordelen, zoals voordelige financiering, inkoopvoordeel, standaardisatievoordeel en voordeel door kennisontwikkeling. Tennet zal daarbij samenwerken met alle relevante partijen, onder andere natuurlijk de windparkontwikkelaars."

- Door Patrick Buis; Dow Jones Nieuwsdienst; +31 20 571 52 00; patrick.buis@wsj.com

voda 18 juni 2014 16:21

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Global coal consumption reaches 44 year high - Report

It is reported that as world leaders try to generate momentum for an international agreement on and solution to climate change, large amounts of coal continue to be produced and burned. In fact, coal consumption now accounts for more than 30% of the world's energy market, its highest share in 44 years.

According to a report, the "BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2014," coal consumption grew three% in 2013 more than any other energy source.

That's a dip from coal's ten year average; consumption of the fuel has grown nearly 4% per year over the last decade.

It's bad news for those who had hoped alternative and renewable energy sources would cut into the dominance of dirtier, more traditional sources like coal. Although renewables continue to grow, especially wind and solar, they can't keep up with cheaper and more popular competitors like coal.

Americans, who sit on the largest coal reserves in the world are using less coal, thanks to the abundance of cheaper shale gas. But the US is still producing and exporting the fuel to Europe and Asia in huge amounts, chiefly China and India.

Though China's energy consumption growth rate declined slightly, BP report authors pointed out that "the country still accounted for 67% of global growth."

Economists at BP wrote "India experienced its second largest volumetric increase on record and accounted for 21% of global growth."

However, coal is now challenging oil for the tile of world's most popular energy source. Though oil still accounts for the largest slice of the world's energy pie, at 33%, its the least popular its been in years.

Source - United Press International

voda 26 juni 2014 16:35

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Power Ministry asks Mr Goyal's help to supply coal for 9940 MW plants

PTI reported that with Coal Ministry rejecting the Power Ministry's request to provide fuel to 9940 MW plants of companies like Essar Power, GMR and Power, the latter has sought intervention of Mr Piyush Goyal, Coal and Power Minister into the matter.

According to an official document, a list of similarly placed projects of 4095 MW was sent to the coal ministry for supply of coal. Further 5845 MW has coal blocks, but mining is delayed by 1 to 2 years. Hence tapering linkages needs to be given for 1 to 2 years, but Ministry of Coal has rejected it on the ground that they have coal blocks.

It said that the Cabinet had in June, last year decided that coal may be supplied to similarly placed projects without affecting 78,000 MW of power projects. The criteria for similarly placed, among other things, state that the plants should be commissioned before March, 2015 and Power Purchase Agreements should be signed.

It added that “The 4 units for 4095 MW include, GMR's Raikheda TPP in Chhattisgarh and Monnet's Malibrahmani TPP in Odisha. The six units of 5845 MW under the category of similarly placed power plants expected to be commissioned by March, next year that require tapering linkage include Essar Power's Mahan TPP and GVK Power's Govindawal Sahib, among others.”

Tapering Linkage is the short term linkage provided to those coal consumers who have been allocated captive coal blocks for meeting the fossil fuel requirements of their end use plants but where coal production has not begun.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had in June last year asked Coal India to sign fuel supply agreements for a total capacity of 78,000 MW, including cases of tapering linkage, which are likely to be commissioned by March 31st 2015.

Source - PTI

voda 2 juli 2014 20:33

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RWE’s Thomas Birr on Corporate Strategy in a Changing German Electricity Ecosystem

07/01/2014 | Bentham Paulos

RWE AG is Europe’s third-largest electricity and fifth-largest gas marketer, with holdings in upstream oil and gas production, power grids, and energy trading. Its German power subsidiary has been the utility poster child for the effects of the Energiewende, the transformation of the Germany power system away from nuclear and coal toward renewable energy and energy efficiency. Faced with mounting losses in its conventional generation line, RWE is trying a rapid switch to become a 21st-century “integrated energy manager.” Head of Group Strategy & Corporate Development Thomas Birr spoke about the company’s current challenges and strategy changes.

Q: RWE posted its first loss last year since it was founded. What happened?

Birr: We are in an extremely difficult phase right now. The fact you mentioned, that for the first time since the Federal Republic of Germany was established, in other words, in more than 60 years, we have posted a loss again, is enough to show how serious the situation is: Our net income for fiscal 2013 was minus €2.8 billion.

One reason is impairment losses totaling €4.8 billion. These are essentially due to the crisis in the conventional power generation segment. More than anything, they are a reflection of the greatly worsened earnings prospects in the continental European power station sector. We are making less and less money with our conventional power stations, especially those based on gas and coal. This trend will continue in the next few years, and it is irreversible.

Q: Dr. Bernhard Günther, the CFO of RWE, has said there is a “crisis in conventional power generation” in Germany. What is causing that crisis? And how is RWE responding to it?

Birr: First, the conventional power stations are not being used to their full capacity, because they are being driven out by photovoltaics, especially during peak load hours. Second, the huge expansion of renewables has pushed wholesale prices for electricity down even further. At the current market price, it is virtually impossible to operate conventional power stations economically. Third, in 2013 the EU member countries abolished the free allocation of CO2 emission allowances for electricity generation [under the European Trading Scheme]. The consequence for us has been substantial financial burdens. In specific terms, 20% to 30% of our power stations currently cannot even cover their operating costs. It goes without saying that this cannot be left to continue. This is why we decided to remove about 4,400 megawatts of power station capacity from the market, at least temporarily.

In view of our difficult economic situation, we are continuing to do all we can to bolster our financial strength. By now we completed savings of €1 billion during 2013, which was much faster than we expected. Second, we are fairly confident that we can accomplish our savings goal for 2017—a total of at least €1.5 billion—a year earlier than originally planned. The Conventional Power Generation Division will contribute about half of this figure. And divestments also form part of our package of measures. At the end of March 2013, we sold the Czech gas transmission system operator NET4GAS for €1.6 billion. In addition, we will gradually bring our investments down to about €2 billion a year by 2016.

Q: There is a lot of talk in the U.S. about the need for a new business model for utilities. What does the new business model look like for RWE?

Birr: The decentralized energy world needs an “integrated energy manager.” In other words, someone to coordinate the many activities of the individual market players, someone to look after networking the various individual initiatives involved in the transformation of the energy system at a technical and economic level—to bring them all together as a single, integrated unit. We are taking care of this. We are joining all the little pieces to form the bigger picture. We have the necessary expertise to achieve all this.

This involves products such as RWE SmartHome, a convenient system to manage domestic energy use. Until now, the heating component has been limited to adjusting heater controls. Now we are bringing smart power down to the basement. In the future it will be possible to directly control Internet-capable condensing boilers. A second example is “RWE SmartCompany,” a product that makes it easy for small and medium-sized enterprises to record their consumption data at different locations, and to reduce their costs by up to 20%.

voda 2 juli 2014 20:34

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part 2:

Also, electric vehicles are a core element in the transformation of the energy system. Not only are they CO2-free, they can also serve as decentralized energy storage units, which is a key element in stabilizing the distribution network. We are pressing ahead with the concept of electric mobility in cooperation with Schneider Electric, the global specialist in power management and system solutions for electric mobility. In the future, RWE and Schneider will bundle their expertise to provide innovative charging infrastructure solutions for electric vehicles.

We also need to continue the task of integrating renewables swiftly and reliably. We are therefore driving forward technologies that will combine the “electricity” and “heat” sectors. We call this “Power to Heat.”

In the future, we intend to focus even more on innovation in our activities. This is why we have created a new unit within our CEO’s department that will deal specifically with this subject. One example is our cooperation with Nest—the company that is now owned by Google. RWE npower is the only utility in the UK to sell the Nest Learning Thermostat. And we are looking to do even more with Nest: We are confident that the thermostat is the right product not only for the UK but also for our other markets in Europe.

Besides products such as the ones just mentioned, the further expansion of renewables remains a strategic growth area for us. We are focusing on wind energy in our core European markets. We are, however, moving away from quantitative targets. Instead, our expansion goals in the area of renewables are focused much more strongly on the potential for adding value to the Group.

And finally, we are working on new models for partnerships with potential investors. Getting investors on board enables us to recycle existing invested capital, to a certain extent, and turn our project pipeline into reality despite the limited financial resources. New financing models permit further growth for renewables and make it possible to spread the investment risk.

—Bentham Paulos, a freelance writer specializing in energy issues, conducted this interview in Berlin for POWER.

voda 2 juli 2014 20:52

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Shifting Sands: The Middle East’s Thrust for Sustainability

Economic and population booms forecast for several countries in the oil- and gas-rich Middle East are forcing a reassessment of those countries’ historic reliance on fossil fuels and a new focus on securing sustainable electricity and water supplies.

The Middle East is a region of extremes. While some countries enjoy opulent wealth, others are some of the poorest in the world. While it is the center of global oil and gas production, it is also a primary center of oil demand, driven ever higher by soaring peak power demand. And, already one of the driest and most water-scarce areas of the world, the region is expected to double its population in the next 40 years.

In response to expected soaring growth in power demand, and with some countries already afflicted by crippling power shortages, governments in the 14 countries across the region (Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates [UAE], and Yemen), and specifically the Islamic monarchies that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Oman—are embarking on ambitious plans to expand power capacity.

But compared to countries with soaring needs like China, Brazil, and India, this region’s efforts are distinguished by a shift toward diversification and away from dependence on indigenously sourced fossil fuels. Conservation of fossil fuels is being pursued not only because the hydrocarbon resources are finite but also because it makes sound financial sense.

The Middle East, for example, uses oil for 33% of power generation—compared to the world average of just 4%—especially during the sultry summer months. But at international prices of $100 per barrel, burning oil (at highly subsidized prices) in low-efficiency thermal power stations that characterize the region poses a financial drain and diminishes prospects for oil exports.

Natural gas has been the replacement of choice, given the region’s large gas resource base—though, as experts point out, the region suffers a moderately underdeveloped transmission and distribution network that puts countries at risk of shortages. In Iraq, for instance, gas shortages have currently stalled operations at four power plants that were completed in the country last year, and in Saudi Arabia, gas shortages have forced generators to turn to burning heavy fuel oil or crude oil directly. (For more on the use of heavy fuel oil, see “Blurring the Line Between Temporary and Permanent Power” in this issue.) The uncertain supply of natural gas has in some cases even impelled countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain to consider building coal-fired capacity.

And beyond volatile prices and tightening supplies, Middle Eastern oil-producing nations are also wary of the diminishing competitive advantage for hydrocarbons posed by global climate change policies, prompting them to look to renewables, which provide obvious sustainability advantages. Others, still, are considering nuclear.

The Challenges

According to experts, long-term sustainable growth in the Gulf Arab states particularly will depend on how well they introduce energy efficiency measures, invest in low-carbon energy supplies, improve water efficiency, and expand water desalination capacity.

Bijlage:

voda 2 juli 2014 20:55

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Part 2:

The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), a global policy research network, and the International Renewable Energy Agency concur that progress is happening rapidly. One factor spurring a dynamic shift in the policy landscape across the region is the establishment or expansion of regional cooperation and institutional activities related to enhancing energy and water supply sustainability.

Recent years, for example, have seen the founding of the Masdar renewable energy development and investment cluster in Abu Dhabi and the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, at least 12 of the 14 Middle Eastern countries, both net oil-exporting and net oil-importing, have renewable energy targets

Some are staggering: Saudi Arabia alone is looking to add 54 GW of renewables by 2032 to replace an estimated 23% to 30% share in total primary energy supply (see sidebar “Saudi Arabia’s Planned Transformation”). Several countries also have net metering in place or capital subsidies and tax or production credits or reductions, and most rely on either direct or indirect public funding or public competitive bidding processes for fixed quantities of renewable energy.

Saudi Arabia’s Planned TransformationThe region’s energy supply woes and future trends are perhaps best characterized by Saudi Arabia, the world’s 13th-largest country that is mostly a harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes. It is the world’s largest country without a river. The kingdom also takes the distinction of being the world’s largest oil producer, exporter, and holder of proved oil reserves.

But during the summer, when temperatures can soar to 128F, the country sees sharp upward swings in oil demand, primarily driven by power sector consumption—and specifically, from its largest utility, Saudi Electric Co. (SEC).

In 2012, the kingdom’s power fuel mix was 39% natural gas (down from 52% in 2007), 35% crude oil, 20% diesel, and 6% fuel oil. Despite calls for more gas-fired generation to free up more crude oil for exports, an increasing preference for oil-fired generation over gas generation is being bolstered by highly subsidized prices for oil paid by power producers. In 2012, for example, generators paid $0.73/MMBtu for crude oil (the corresponding international price was $19.26/MMBtu) and $0.75/MMBtu for natural gas (compared to an international price of $9.04/MMBtu). However, observers also note that Saudi Arabia lacks adequate infrastructure to pipe natural gas from the production and processing centers in the eastern region to the oil-rich western and southern regions.

One of the kingdom’s newest gas plants, shown at the top of this story, is Dhuruma Electricity Co.’s (DEC) Riyadh PP11 plant, a 1.7-GW independent power project situated about 125 kilometers west of Riyadh, which was completed in March 2013 after three years of construction. Hyundai Heavy Industries was the project’s engineering, procurement, and construction contractor. GE supplied the seven high-efficiency gas turbines and two steam turbines.

Experts posit that Saudi Arabia’s key challenge lies in a low energy pricing policy. Despite gradual reform recently embarked on by the government, and a revision of tariffs in 2010, the policy caps power prices in the kingdom at 1.3 cents to 6.9 cents/kWh and encourages “wasteful” consumption, notes Bassam Fattouh, director of Oxford’s Institute of Energy Studies and head of the research center’s Oil and the Middle East Programme.

“Between 2003 and 2012, electricity sold (a proxy for electricity demand) increased from 128,629 million kWh to 240,288 million kWh, an increase of 78%. During the same period, the peak load increased from 23,938 MW to 51,939 MW, an increase of 117%,” he says. Fattouh also points out that 50% of the kingdom’s total generated power is consumed by the residential sector—and nearly three-quarters of that is used for air conditioning. Industry uses 17%, commercial entities 16%, and governmental agencies 13%.

Because Saudi Arabia has a regionally unique 60-Hz grid frequency that severely limits the potential for grid interconnections, the country has embarked on plans to increase its generating capacity from 55 GW in 2013 to 120 GW by 2020 to meet soaring future demand and support expanded water desalination efforts. But beyond its short-term options to use fuel oil and diesel instead of crude oil—which often has to be imported during summer demand swings—and reluctant to undertake the political wrangling required to raise prices of fossil fuels to reflect true costs, Saudi Arabia plans to press ahead with improving power sector efficiency by phasing out old power plants and introducing more efficient ones (thus gaining 37 GW of capacity), reducing consumer demand, and changing its power mix.

Among its diversification ambitions is building up to 18 GW of nuclear capacity over the next two decades, at a cost of nearly $7 billion for each of the 16 planned reactors. The country has signed key nuclear cooperation agreements with Japan, France, and Jordan, and hopes to call in preliminary bids for its first reactor this year. Construction could then commence in 2017, with completion slated for 2022. Meanwhile, the kingdom has also unveiled formidable renewable energy capacity targets: 25 GW of concentrated solar power, 16 GW of solar photovoltaic, 9 GW of wind, 3 GW of waste-to-energy, and 1 GW of geothermal by 2032.

Combined, Saudi Arabia’s plans effectively call for nuclear and renewables to make up 50% of produced electricity by 2032—though, as experts point out, the kingdom has not matched its targets with a dedicated national policy framework or energy strategy.

voda 2 juli 2014 20:56

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Part 3:

REN21 reports that investment trends in the region are healthy, despite a global downturn. New investment in renewables in the Middle East and North Africa combined totaled $2.9 billion in 2012, an increase of almost 40% over 2011, and a 6.5-fold increase from 2004. Yet, that progress could be hindered by a number of challenges, it warns, including the region’s susceptibility to political unrest, financial uncertainty, and policy risk.

Nuclear Possibilities

Considering those risks, it is significant that several countries in the Middle East—among them, the UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and to a lesser extent, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain—are actively considering starting nuclear programs for power and water supply.

In a 2008 independently published comprehensive policy on nuclear energy, the gas-rich UAE dismissed coal as an option to meet projected escalating power demand because of its environmental and energy security implications. In an explanation that has since been echoed by the region’s other countries, the UAE said nuclear emerged as a “proven, environmentally promising and commercially competitive option.”

Today, after accepting a $20 billion bid from a South Korean consortium to build four nuclear reactors—a total of 5.6 GW—two are already under construction at UAE’s Barakah site in Abu Dhabi (Figure 1). The UAE hopes to have all four 1.4-GW APR-1400 units producing power by 2020 and plans to export power to Gulf neighbors via the regional power grid. Uniquely, the UAE offset delays to a construction start by offering joint-venture agreements to foreign investors for the construction and operation of future nuclear plants, and it plans to manage its nuclear power program based on contractor services, rather than indigenous expertise. It also concluded long-term agreements for the supply of nuclear fuel. The plants will, for the most part, be financed by the state and Korean equity partners.

1. Nuclear option. In August 2012, the United Arab Emirates became the world’s first “newcomer” in 27 years to start nuclear power plant construction when it began work on Barakah 1. Today, two of four planned APR-1400 reactors are under construction there, slated to come online by 2020. Courtesy: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp.

The Barakah reactors won’t be the first in the region. That honor goes to Iran’s controversial Bushehr reactor. Construction was suspended in 1979, resumed in 1994, and the plant began commercial operation in late 2013, reconfigured as a VVER-1000 by Russia’s Atomstroyexport.

And beyond Saudi Arabia’s lofty call for 18 GW of new nuclear capacity, Qatar is also looking into the viability of nuclear power to support soaring electricity demand and expanded desalination capacity. The country signed a nuclear cooperation agreement in 2010 with Russia’s Rosatom. Oman, meanwhile, has expressed interest in investing in a neighboring country’s nuclear plant. In 2010, Kuwait announced an intention to build four 1-GW nuclear reactors by 2022, but in mid-2011 said it would not proceed with those plans.

Finally, Jordan, which must import more than 95% of its energy needs at a cost of nearly one-fourth its GDP and which also has a substantial “water deficit,” in October 2013 selected Atomstroyexport as the supplier of two AES-92 nuclear units. The country will make its final decision on the new builds in late 2015. Russia is expected to contribute about half of the project’s total $10 billion cost for the build-own-operate project.

Power Trading

Emerging solutions to address potential energy shortfalls in the region include the establishment of cross-border interconnections and power trading. While most countries have had long-existing interconnections with neighboring countries, some are considering transcontinental imports, including hydro from the Nile Basin, the Congo, and Central Asia and Pakistan. The most prominent interconnection program is the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority’s (GCCIA’s) partly commissioned 400-kV “supergrid,” which links GCC countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

That $1.2 billion project entails three phases (the first two were completed by 2011), including a high-voltage direct current back-to-back 1,200-MW installation between a 50-Hz, 400-kV system and a 60-Hz, 380-kV system. Developers highlight the line’s success, saying it has provided instantaneous transfer of power to state networks to avoid full or partial interruptions during major incidents—thus avoiding significant economic losses caused by outages. A 2013-released GCCIA report claims it has saved GCC countries $3 billion in investments as well as $330 million in operating costs and fuel.

voda 2 juli 2014 20:58

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Part 4:

The interconnection authority is now reportedly eyeing the introduction of an energy market management system, a bidding platform that would replace time-consuming bilateral negotiations and contracts and allow countries to request bulk electricity and advertise spare capacity at the same time. The GCCIA ultimately wants to establish a wholesale and spot-priced market in the GCC and beyond, though GCCIA Chief Operating Officer Ahmed Ali Al-Ebrahim acknowledges several hurdles must first be overcome.

Perhaps its greatest challenge, though: The GCC must orchestrate a policy shift away from electricity subsidies in the region. Subsidies on power and natural gas produced obstruct a proper electricity market from forming in the GCC, because true prices of both are unknown. Until GCC countries can address the political and economic issues that inhibit price-reflective electricity markets, the full potential of the GCC interconnection grid will be left untapped, he said.

Water Woes

For the drought-prone Middle East, where average rainfall ranges between 20 and 40 cm per year (compared to 72 cm globally), water scarcity is a paramount concern. The region hosts about 5% of the world’s population but only 1% of its renewable water resources, most of which is in transboundary basins such as the Euphrates and Tigris River Basins (shared by Syria, Iraq, and Iran) and the Jordan River Basin System (Jordan, Palestine, and Israel). As a result, almost all of the region’s water resources are overexploited and severely polluted, leading to saltwater intrusion in the aquifers and subsequent lowering of water tables. Meanwhile, population and economic growth are expected to further catapult water demand—which, compounded by adverse climate change effects, could set the stage for conflict.

Some initiatives entail regional collaboration on water and electricity. The oil-rich countries on the Arabian Peninsula, specifically, are tackling the problem with large desalination schemes to help alleviate water stress. Desalination is costly and energy intensive, with energy costs accounting for up to 50% of operation costs. According to the Pacific Institute, desalination plants generally require 15 MWh for every million gallons of freshwater produced. Still, the process has been practiced for more than 50 years in the region (Figure 2) and emerged as the most feasible solution for some countries.

2. Rendering water. The desalination facility at Kuwait’s 300-MW gas-fired Shuwaikh power plant in the Arabian Gulf region went into operation in the 1950s. The plant’s efficiency was recently improved by up to 15% with the overhaul of three blocks. The country’s population hit three million in 2010 and is expected to be 5.5 million in 2025. While its only renewable water comes from wells, per capita water consumption is 110 gallons per day, almost double the international rate. Courtesy: Bilfinger Engineering and Services

The International Desalination Association (IDA) reports that more than half of the world’s capacity growth between 2001 and 2011—276%, rising to 6.7 billion cubic meters a day (m3/d)—took place in the Middle East. The region’s desalination efforts are characterized by three main methods differing in terms of energy consumption and cost, and whether they can be used for seawater or brackish water treatment. Multistage flash and multi-effect distillation are distillation-based methods that are generally preferred because they support cogeneration of water and power. The third, more energy-efficient method—reverse osmosis (RO)—uses membranes to separate salts from water. But though membrane technology and energy recovery have improved markedly since the 1960s, and RO today makes up the bulk of worldwide desalination capacity, energy consumption still accounts for about 40% of operation costs.

The region’s recent shift to promote sustainability encapsulates the water and energy nexus (see also “The Water-Energy Nexus Takes Center Stage” in this issue). Experts posit that Saudi Arabia’s water use is seven times its sustainable level, while the UAE uses 15 times its sustainable level, and Kuwait more than 20. Meanwhile, several leaders are actively backing projects that shift from fueling desalination efforts with oil (and, less frequently, natural gas) and toward concentrated solar power and other renewables—even though some experts are unconvinced renewables can match the high-energy footprint needed for desalination.

As the largest desalination producer in the world, Saudi Arabia’s efforts to produce more than 4 million m3/d (representing 18% of global production), for example, require roughly 300,000 barrels of oil per day. The kingdom in December announced it would build the world’s largest solar-powered desalination plant in Al-Khafji Governorate on the Arabian Gulf Coast that will have the capacity to produce 30,000 m3/d and 2.5 GW of power via ultra-high concentrator photovoltaic cells when completed. That RO project is only the first phase of the King Abdullah Initiative for Solar Water Desalination that requires all seawater desalination in the kingdom to be powered completely by solar by 2020. The second phase entails a 300,000 m3/d solar-powered desalination plant; a third phase implements the initiative throughout the kingdom.

Finally, with 120 desalination plants operating in the region and more water required to fuel the energy boom and vice versa, some experts express trepidation about the possible environmental consequences from release of so much brine back into the oceans. Then there are concerns about greenhouse gas emissions from the intense amount of energy required for the process.

But the solutions here too are standard. Two levels of actions require urgent attention to achieve a lower energy footprint, says Middle East expert and former IDA President Dr. Corrado Sommariva. “The first one is the creation of policies that encourage energy efficiency, providing a realistic price for energy even in oil-rich countries and rewarding energy efficiency. On the technical level, it is necessary to educate managers and plant operators on how to operate plants in a much more energy efficient manner with relatively few changes.” ¦

— Sonal Patel is a POWER associate editor (@POWERmagazine, @sonalcpatel).

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