Pakistan claims rooftop solar production will exceed grid demand at some hubs in the next few years
Next year, rooftop solar power generation in Pakistan will surpass the electrical grid's daytime demand for the first-time ever in major industrial areas. This was revealed by a senior government representative. The outlook reflects the record growth in solar panel installations that occurred in the last few years. This boom has resulted in lower emissions, and for some, reduced electricity bills. However it has also caused financial problems for utilities with high debts due to the prolonged decline in grid-based electricty demand.
Pakistan claims rooftop solar production will exceed grid demand at some hubs in the next few years
Next year, rooftop solar power generation in Pakistan will surpass the electrical grid's daytime demand for the first ever time. This will be the case in major industrial areas. The outlook reflects the record growth in solar panel installations that occurred in recent years. This boom has resulted in lower emissions, and for some, reduced electricity bills. However it has also caused financial problems for utilities with high debts due to the prolonged decline in grid-based electricty demand.
Are renewables prepared for the COP30 discussion on fossil fuels?
At the climate summit, it may be premature to declare the end to the fossil fuel age. But up to 80 nations are calling for a concrete plan that will move us away from polluting energy. The 195 countries at the COP30, including the oil producers, will have to agree on a plan to reduce oil and gas consumption. There are also practical challenges to overcome, as the demand for electricity is expected to rise due to the increase in artificial intelligence, and the population growth.
Executives say that Japanese utilities could find a replacement for Sakhalin-2 in the event of LNG supply interruption.
Executives said that Japanese utilities JERA, Tohoku Electric Power Co and Sakhalin-2 can find alternative sources of gas if the flow is interrupted. This comes amid U.S. demands to stop energy imports from Russia. This month, the U.S. urged Japan and other Russian energy consumers to stop imports as they push the Kremlin toward ending the Ukraine war. Japan's contracts with Sakhalin-2, which are long-term agreements, cover 9% of its imports of LNG. JERA receives about 2 million tonnes of LNG each year under two contracts that expire in 2026 or 2029. JERA is a major LNG trader.
Orsted Shares Drop as US Halts Offshore Rhode Island Wind Farm
Shares in Orsted plunged 17% on Monday after the U.S. halted the Danish company's Revolution Wind project off Rhode Island amid President Donald Trump's pushback on renewable energy investments.Orsted, the world's biggest offshore wind farm developer, has already faced mounting challenges, including rising costs, higher interest rates, and supply chain disruptions, leading to delays and cancellations in the U.S. and other markets. The company's market value has plummeted 87% since its January 2021 peak.The U.S.
Maguire: US gas-heavy pipeline to fuel tensions with LNG exporters
U.S. energy firms are building the largest gas-fired generation capacity in the world, cementing the position of the United States as the world's biggest natural gas consumer and the gas-fired producer. The growing dependence on natural gas in the domestic power sector will also exacerbate tensions between the rapidly expanding LNG export sector and the domestic power industry, as the latter is relying on cheap natural gas and abundant supplies to expand. The increasing competition between power companies and LNG exporters for U.S. Natural Gas could also increase natural gas prices.
Maguire: US gas-heavy pipeline to fuel tensions with LNG exporters
U.S. energy firms are building the largest gas-fired generation capacity in the world, cementing the position of the United States as the world's biggest natural gas consumer and the gas-fired producer. The growing dependence on natural gas in the domestic power sector will also exacerbate tensions between the rapidly expanding LNG export sector and the domestic power industry, as the latter is relying on cheap natural gas and abundant supplies to expand. The increasing competition between power companies and LNG exporters for U.S. Natural Gas could also increase natural gas prices.
Iraqis are turning to solar power on farmland and rooftops as the country's electricity grid fails
Abdallah al-Ali, a wheat farmer in Iraq, is one of many farmers who have switched to solar panels for their irrigation systems to run during the scorching heat of summer. Iraq, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and one of the largest oil producers in the world, has struggled with providing energy to its citizens since the 2003 U.S. invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein. The national grid has been unable to meet demand due to mismanagement and underinvestment.
Albanese, an Australian company, has pledged A$2.3 billion in order to assist homeowners with solar batteries
The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged A$2.3billion ($1.39billion) on Sunday to help homeowners purchase batteries to store solar energy and reduce their energy costs. This is a key issue for the 3 May general election. Albanese’s center-left Labor is neck-and-neck with the Liberal-National Opposition led by Peter Dutton in opinion polls. Dutton has been campaigning on a plan for lower electricity bills by forcing LNG producers to divert some of their exports to domestic use.
UK invests $260 Million on solar panels for hospitals and schools
GB Energy, a state-owned firm, will be leading a 200 million pound ($260) solar panel project to benefit hospitals and schools in Britain, the country announced on Friday. This is the first investment made by the company since its establishment last year, with the goal of lowering electricity bills. GB Energy, a key component of the Labour Government's plan to improve the public services in Britain as well as to help revive the British economy, was created in October in order to encourage investment in renewable energy.
Trump's tariffs against Canada could increase US electricity bills
According to grid operators and energy experts, the rising U.S. electricity prices could rise even more in certain parts of the nation if the 10% tariffs on energy imposed this week by the Trump Administration hit Canadian supplies and triggered retaliation. According to government statistics, the U.S. imports only 1% of all its power, but New York State and other regions, such as New England, rely on Canadian electricity much more. This could mean that utility bills will soon increase for customers.
Romanian government extends the energy price cap
Marcel Ciolacu, Romania's Prime Minister, announced on Thursday that the coalition government would extend the price cap for electricity to households and businesses up until June, and for gas, for one year. This is in order to protect consumers from recent increases in energy prices. Since November 2021, Romania caps gas and electricity bills for households, small business, hospitals, schools, and public institutions at certain monthly consumption levels, and compensates suppliers for any difference. The scheme was modified several times, and it was set to expire by the end of march.
Israel urges the public to install solar panels on their roofs in order to generate electricity
Solar panels are being installed on roofs in Israel to harness the sun's power and help Israel meet its growing demand for electricity. Around 15% of Israel's electric production comes from renewable sources, while about 70% of it is natural gas. The Energy Ministry set a 30% target by 2030, which will increase dramatically by 2050, when the goal of net zero emissions becomes a reality. Ron Eifer is the head of the sustainable energy division at the Ministry. Several households produce their own energy and sell the remainder to the national grid.
Centrica: Britain's gas reserves are "concerningly small"
Centrica, the operator of Britain's largest storage facility, stated on Friday that Britain's gas levels were "concerningly" low, with less than one week's worth of gas left to be consumed following a recent cold snap. Britain relies heavily on gas to heat its homes and generate electricity. As of 9th January 2025, UK stockpiles are 26% less than the inventory of last year at the same date, and they're only half full. Centrica stated that the UK had less than one week's worth of gas in stock.
Biden Team wraps up expanded Clean Energy Credit Guidance
The Biden Administration released Tuesday guidance to assist companies in securing clean energy tax credits as part of the 2022 Inflation reduction Act. This program finalized a program that extends subsidies previously available for solar and wind to other low-carbon sources. This move is a part of the actions taken by outgoing president Joe Biden to support his administration's efforts to combat climate change. The move could be vulnerable when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in the coming weeks on a platform that emphasizes cutting spending and maximising fossil fuel production.
Pennsylvania Governor complains about PJM power market rules to regulator
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has filed a complaint against PJM Interconnection with a federal energy regulatory agency on Monday. He argues that the U.S.'s largest power grid operator, PJM Interconnection, must change their market rules to avoid escalating electricity prices. PJM Interconnection has been under increased scrutiny since July when it announced that its annual capacity auction will result in record-high payment to power plants within its system. In a complaint filed to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission…
DOE-backed report: U.S. data centers' power consumption could triple by 2028
According to a Department of Energy report, the U.S. power consumption for data centers could triple within three years and account for 12% of all electricity consumed in the United States. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's report is due to be released this Friday. It comes as the U.S. government and power industry are trying to figure out how the sudden increase in data center demand by Big Tech will impact electrical grids, electricity bills, and climate change. According to a Berkeley Lab report…
Greece announces new round of subsidies on household electricity bills
Greece announced on Friday a new round in subsidizing electricity bills to assist households struggling with the rising costs of electricity in December. Greece spent almost 10 billion euros ($10.58billion) on power bill subsidies to households and businesses between 2021 and 23. This is the largest amount of subsidies that an EU country had ever paid as a percentage of its GDP. In November, wholesale power prices in Europe reached their highest level in more than a year. Greece's economy…
US regulators reject amended agreement on interconnect for Amazon Data Center
A filing on Friday showed that U.S. Energy regulators had rejected an amended agreement to interconnect an Amazon datacenter directly with a nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission members said that the agreement to increase capacity of the Talen Energy Susquehanna nuclear generating plant's data center could affect grid reliability and raise electricity bills for consumers. As Big Tech race to expand its data centers to support technologies such as generative artificial Intelligence…
Greek Quest to Save on Energy Bills Spurs Island-owned Renewables
Even with his 35-room beach-front hotel on the Greek island of Tilos close to fully booked, owner Michalis Kipraios worries his business might not "survive" sky-rocketing electricity bills, as the war in Ukraine drives up energy prices around the world.Tilos, 360 km (224 miles) southeast of Athens, is affected even though in 2019 it became one of the Mediterranean’s first islands to generate enough wind and solar power to meet most of its needs, including hosting thousands of tourists each summer.Tilos went the extra mile to go green by welcoming a private renewable power project…