Monday, November 11, 2024

Belgium News

The Colombian Ministry of Energy says nine companies are interested in the offshore wind project

The Colombian energy ministry announced on Tuesday that seven foreign companies and two local ones had expressed interest in a project to build offshore wind farms and expected to receive formal bids by the first half of 2025. According to the ministry, these companies include Colombian state oil company Ecopetrol, power firm Celsia and Spain's BlueFloat Energy. They also include Denmark's Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and DEME from Belgium…

Drill, baby, drill in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale lands!

Argentina's new, market-friendly government, and concerns about oil supplies from the Middle East, and elsewhere, are driving a boom in drilling and production in the Patagonian South, which is home to the giant Vaca Muerta shale, Spanish for "Dead Cow". In the flat, arid terrain, the production of shale oil and gas is surging. Fracking wells have been drilled in record numbers, and pipelines…

PPA Platform reports that European renewable energy prices dropped in Q3, PPA platform.

The price of European power purchase agreements for green electricity dropped by 12.4% during the third quarter, compared to the same period in 2023. This was revealed on Thursday by the price tracking platform LevelTen. The report cited several factors, including the decline in inflation as well as the volatility of markets following COVID-19 and a 2022 energy shortage. The variety of PPA offtake opportunities is perhaps greater than ever before.

EU Energy Ministers Discuss Ukraine Energy Crisis and Russian LNG

Officials said that EU energy ministers met on Tuesday in Luxembourg to discuss the rising Russian LNG imports into the EU, Ukraine's energy shortages before winter and how to equalize energy prices among member states. In June, the EU approved a 14th set of sanctions including a ban of transhipments of Russian Gas as of March of next year. However, it did not impose a complete ban. Belgium and the Netherlands saw a dramatic increase in imports since then.

EU Energy Ministers Discuss Ukraine Energy Crisis and Russian LNG

Officials said that EU energy ministers met on Tuesday in Luxembourg to discuss the rising Russian LNG imports and Ukraine's energy shortages before winter, as well as how to balance energy costs across member states. In June, the EU approved a 14th set of sanctions including a ban of transhipments of Russian Gas as of March of next year. However, it did not impose a complete ban. Belgium and the Netherlands saw a dramatic increase in imports since then.

Document shows EU countries want more transparency about Russian gas imports

In a letter to the European Commission on Monday, a group of EU member states including France and the Baltic States asked for tighter reporting requirements across the EU on Russian LNG imports. In June, the EU approved a 14th set of sanctions that included a prohibition on the trans-shipment of Russian LNG in its ports. Moscow has used European ports for transshipment onto other vessels bound for Asia. Imports of Russian LNG were not banned.

Sweco will design one of Europe’s largest battery-based energy storage systems in Belgium

Sweco, a Swedish engineering consultancy, announced that it will design Green Turtle in Belgium, one of Europe's biggest battery energy storage systems. Sweco designed the battery park for the company GIGA Storage Belgium. Sweco stated that the park will make a significant contribution towards the grid, by storing renewable energy in times of low solar or wind energy production. This will reduce Belgium's dependence on gas-fired power plants.

Grid operator: Dutch gas reserves must be 90% full before 25/26 winter.

The Netherlands must have its gas storages at 90% capacity by the beginning of winter 2025/2026 to avoid shortages in the event of a severe cold snap, Dutch national grid operator GTS announced on Monday. Why is it important? Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Netherlands are now heavily dependent on imported gas due to the permanent closure of Groningen's major gas field. A disruption in supply could cause shortages both in the Netherlands as well as abroad.

Spot prices are at a multi-month high on a drop in supply and rising demand

European spot electricity prices reached multi-month highs Monday, driven by a decline in regional wind power and an expected increase in demand. By 8:10 AM GMT, the price of German baseload electricity for Tuesday had risen by 24.8% compared to Friday's price for Monday's delivery. The contract reached its highest level since June 25, at 133.75 euro. LSEG data revealed that the equivalent French contract had reached 109 euros/MWh.

Denmark's North Sea Energy Island is again delayed by high costs

A government minister announced on Wednesday that Denmark would delay construction by at least three years of the planned North Sea Energy Island to provide renewable energy to three million European homes. The delay is due to rising costs and interest rates. Energy Minister Lars Aagaard said that the projected investment exceeded 200 billion Danish crowns (29.81 billion dollars) and required about 50 billion crowns of state support.

MTR100: For USVs and AUVs, is it a Hydrogen Future?

The Maxlimer hydrogen configuration.  Image courtesy SEA-KIT International

Hydrogen has been making big headlines in the energy world. It’s one of the potential routes to deliver high density energy to transport and heavy industry – but also to marine applications, as well as a way to move and store renewable energy. Various uncrewed surface vessel (USV) developers, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) builders and even subsea power delivery system providers are…

U.S. LNG Exports to Europe on Track to Surpass Biden Promise

Copyright Wirestock/AdobeStock

When U.S. President Joe Biden promised European leaders in March that he would help secure new supplies of liquefied natural gas to offset shortages from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his pledge was greeted with skepticism.After all, the U.S. LNG industry was already hitting its export limits and the global market is dominated by long-term contracts that can dictate where exported gas would go for 20years at a time.It turns out…

Miros Wavex Tapped to Support Saint Brieuc Offshore Wind Project

Image courtesy MIROS

Miros’ dry-mounted Wavex was selected by EQUANS to collect operation-critical wave and current data on the offshore substation for the Saint-Brieuc Offshore Wind Farm, Iberdrola's first large-scale and flagship offshore wind power project in Brittany, France. Once it becomes operational in 2023, the windfarm will have a total installed capacity of 496 megawatts (MW), capable of generating enough clean energy for 835…

The Port Logistics Challenges of Offshore Wind

Photo: Elaine Maslin

Some equations just don’t add up. For example, storing 500 offshore wind turbine blades at a site with only space for 400 (and that’s only if you don’t store the other key elements required to build a full turbine). Elaine Maslin visited Siemens Gamesa’s blade manufacturing facility in Hull, UK, to find out more.Storage space is becoming a major challenge that’s looming for ports involved in the fast-evolving offshore wind industry.

Two Gasoline Tankers Divert from Nigeria

Copyright KALADA/AdobeStock

Two tankers carrying gasoline loaded in Antwerp, Belgium, have turned back to their load-port after initially being destined for Lagos in Nigeria, Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking and sources said on Friday.The two tankers, STI Symphony and Velos Diamantis, turned back in last week. The U-turns happened after Nigeria rejected other gasoline cargoes loaded in Antwerp for containing too much…

Offshore Wind Market Set to Accelerate in North America

The Newbuild Market: “Global SOV numbers in the next 10 to 15 years will be more than 60 vessels,” said Galinski, “and I think the U.S. will probably take just under a third of that, if all of the projects in the pipeline are realized. I estimate between four and six Jones Act installation vessels will need to be built in the U.S. to the end of the decade.” Photo by Twixter/AdobeStock

While many challenges remain to deliver the full promise of U.S. offshore wind, so too do opportunities. Robert Galinski, DNV’s Offshore Wind Director, Americas discusses the pace and direction of the U.S. offshore wind market from the perspective of class.While Robert Galinski has served as DNV’s Offshore Wind Director, Americas, for just about one year, he is well-versed and long-tenured in the offshore wind sector in Europe and the U.S.

INEOS to Invest $2.3B in Green Hydrogen Plants

Credit: Corona Borealis/Adobestock

- INEOS, Europe's largest Hydrogen producer, said on Monday it would invest more than 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) on electrolysis plants to make zero-carbon green hydrogen across Europe.The first plants will be built in Norway, Germany and Belgium over the next 10 years, with others planned in the UK and France, the company said in a statement that did not specify the total duration of the investment.It said it intended to work closely with governments within the European Union

Steelwind Monopile Foundations for Parkwind's Baltic Sea Wind Farm

Image Credit: Parkwind

German construction company Steelwind will build monopile foundations for Parkwind's the Arcadis Ost 1 offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea, offshore Germany.Under the contract, signed earlier this month, Steelwind will deliver 27 WTG and one OSS next-generation XXL-Monopile units.Arcadis Ost 1 Project Manager, Clément Helbig de Balzac from Parkwind commented: “We believe the signature of this agreement sends a strong positive message during a difficult COVID-19 context.

Amprion Sets Out North Sea Offshore Wind Grid Vision

Illustration; Image by Tim HvW - AdobeStock

German power grid company Amprion on Wednesday unveiled long-term plans for joint European offshore wind links in the North Sea and announced a trebling of spending in the next 10 years.Amprion, with 11,000 kilometers of high voltage transmission lines in western Germany, is the second biggest of four regulated operators of grids criss-crossing the country and offshore, which fund themselves via consumer fees."If we want to have a climate-neutral energy system by 2050…

BP to Sell Petrochemicals Business to Ineos for $5B

Image Credit: BP

British oil major BP will sell its global petrochemicals business to Ineos for $5 billion, a transaction delivering BP's divestments target a year earlier than originally scheduled.Brian Gilvary, BP’s chief financial officer, said: “With today’s announcement we have met our $15 billion target for agreed divestments a full year ahead of schedule, demonstrating the range and quality of options…