South Korea's Lee appoints Koo Yun Cheol as finance minister and makes other choices
His office announced on Sunday that South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung had appointed a former Vice Finance Minister, Koo Yun Cheol, as his new Finance Minister. Kang Hoon Sik, Lee's chief-of-staff, said that Koo was a well-known policy expert who has held various positions in the government. He is also an author of books about South Korea's growth and innovation, including a recent book on artificial intelligence. Kim Jung-kwan was named as the industry minister among other positions.
US to sell Gulf of Mexico oil and Gas Leases in December
According to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Trump administration proposes to sell oil and gas drilling on 80 million acres of the Gulf of Mexico by December 10. Donald Trump has changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This sale is the first in a five-year drilling program, launched by Biden during the period of the auction. BOEM, an Interior Department division, said that the administration planned to offer approximately 15…
HPCL invests $231 Million to build 24 compressed Biogas Plants in India
A company official revealed on Friday that the Indian state fuel retailer Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd. (HPCL) plans to invest around 20 billion rupees (about $231.04 million) over the next two or three years in order to build 24 compressed biogas plants (CBG). India, one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, is looking at the use of organic materials to make cleaner fuels, as part of efforts to reduce emissions of carbon and reach its net-zero goal of 2070.
World Bank will end nuclear energy ban, but still debate upstream gas
Ajay Banaga, president of the World Bank, said that its board had agreed to lift a ban on financing nuclear energy projects for developing countries. This is part of an effort to meet the growing demand for electricity. Banga sent an email outlining the bank's new energy strategy to its staff following what he described as a constructive meeting with the board. Banga said that the board had not reached a consensus on whether or not the bank should be involved in upstream natural-gas projects.
Polish utility Enea expects to increase its core profit in Q1
Enea, a Polish utility company, posted a 3.4% increase in its core profit for the first quarter of this year on Tuesday night. This was largely due to higher revenues from its distribution division at a time that it is looking to expand its renewables energy offerings. Enea's preliminary estimate of EBITDA was 1.94 billion zlotys (518.2 millions). Enea, Poland’s third largest power utility in terms of market value, faces pressure due to falling profits from its coal-fired generation fleet…
Indian gas firm GAIL seeks 26% stake in US LNG
GAIL India Ltd. issued a tender Friday for a maximum 26% stake in an American liquefied gas project, along with a 15 year gas import agreement. This will help New Delhi to reduce its trade surplus. India is racing to be the first country to sign a deal with the United States after President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs. This has led to a trade conflict with China, and other countries are now trying to negotiate. Trump has made it clear that he views U.S. gasoline as a bargaining tool.
Finland's final active coal-fired heat and power plant closes
The last coal-fired heat and power plant in Finland will be permanently shut down on Tuesday. This will allow the Helsinki energy group Helen, which is based in Helsinki, to reduce its emissions, and end rising energy prices for its customers. The capacity of Finland to produce renewable energy and heat, including wind and solar power, has grown rapidly over the last few years. This has led to a dramatic decline in coal use after the previous government passed a coal ban law in 2019.
UK replaces windfall oil tax with consultation on clean energy future
Britain announced that it will end the windfall taxes on North Sea oil producers by 2030, and replace them with a new mechanism for responding to price increases. It is pushing ahead with its plan to turn the North Sea into an energy hub. On Wednesday, the government held two consultations. One was on how to transform the North Sea into a clean-energy area, while another focused on how taxes would be applied when energy prices were high. This will give producers more certainty about future tax rates.
Aurora increases its European battery capacity 2050 forecasts by 30%
Aurora Energy Research increased its forecast of 2050 battery storage in Europe by nearly 30%, to 128 gigawatts. It highlighted Italy as the most appealing market for investors. The demand for battery storage is driven by the desire to counter the intermittent nature that wind and solar have taken on, which now makes up about a third or more of Europe's total energy mix. As countries strive to reduce emissions and achieve climate targets, the share of renewable energy is expected to increase.
South Korea plans to build two large nuclear reactors and increase the use of renewable energy in its energy mix
The South Korean industry ministry announced that the country finalised a new plan for its energy mix on Friday. It envisages building two large nuclear power plants as well as one small reactor, by the year 2038. In a statement, the ministry stated that it also aims to ensure renewable energy of an average 7 gigawatts per year. South Korea's nuclear power production is expected to increase from 180.5 Terawatt-hours (TWh), in 2023, to 248.3 in 2038.
Exxon to build large-scale gas projects in Guyana, a country dominated by oil
Exxon Mobil, the U.S. oil giant, announced a massive project on Wednesday to increase natural-gas production and supply in Guyana. This follows the government's request for more gas as fuel to power onshore projects and petrochemical ones. Alistair Routledge of Exxon Guyana, the head of Exxon in Guyana, outlined a "Wales Gas Vision" that will provide gas to produce fertilizers via a pipeline worth $1 billion completed last year.
Equinor will continue with the Rosebank oil and Gas Project in Britain
The UK manager of Equinor, the Norwegian oil and natural gas producer, said Wednesday at a conference on energy in New Delhi that the company will continue to develop its Rosebank oil field. Equinor, along with its partner Ithaca Energy, wants to develop the Rosebank Oil and Gas Field. However the plans to develop one of Britain's final major oil reservoirs have been a lightning-rod for climate activists who are calling for an end to fossil fuel production.
EEX gains new members with the addition of more OTC trading
The European Energy Exchange EEX is expecting a strong volume increase in 2025, as more market players join the exchange to hedge renewables or use the clearing functions. This was stated by its CEO at the E-World trade show. Peter Reitz, CEO of the exchange, said that in a recent interview, it had seen a 37% increase in its European power futures volumes in January. These have grown by 63% over 2024. Reitz stated that there are two main drivers for the growth of the exchange: new members…
ADNOC signs 5-year LNG deal with India's BPCL.
Sources with knowledge of the deal said that Bharat Petroleum Corporation in India will receive 2.5 million tons (LNG) of liquefied gas under a five-year contract. Sources said that the Indian state refiner would receive 40 cargoes of LNG per year under the five-year contract, with deliveries starting in April. One source said that the supply would be lower in the first two years and then gradually increase. Sources said that ADNOC and BPCL will sign a deal during the India Energy Week, a four-day conference.
Indian oil companies are in talks with U.S. LNG suppliers to purchase their supplies
Pankaj Jain, the Oil Secretary of India, said that Indian oil companies were looking to purchase U.S. LNG. This was boosted by Trump's administration lifting its ban on new export permits. India, the world's fourth-largest LNG importer, aims to increase its gas share in its energy mix from 6.2% to 15% by 2030. Jain stated that Indian oil companies were in talks with U.S. firms to source additional LNG. Among these companies, he said, were GAIL (India) Ltd., Indian Oil Corp. and Bharat Petrol Corp.
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.
Indonesia's plans for renewable energy may endanger forests
Indonesia, which is heavily dependent on coal for electricity, needs to move away from fossil fuels. It aims to generate 75 gigawatts from renewable sources over the next fifteen years. This compares with the 13 gigawatts it produces today. This push will be based on the use of biofuels that burn cleaner, i.e. organic material converted into liquid fuel. The government claims that biofuels will reduce Indonesia's dependence on costly fuel imports and greenhouse gases, while increasing palm oil production.
Net zero target needs $3.5 trillion in annual green energy investment, Wood Mackenzie says
Wood Mackenzie's report on Tuesday said that the investment in green energy must double every year to $3.5 trillion if we are to reach the Paris Agreement goal of net zero emissions by the year 2050. The consultancy's report said that, in addition to the investment gap, global efforts to switch to cleaner energy are under pressure due to concerns about energy security and tariffs and barriers to trade, which are stunting the electrification of growth globally.
Spanish renewables warns against threats to investment
Renewables lobby APPA warned that the mismatch between an increasing supply of renewable energy and electricity demand, which is struggling to grow in tandem with low wholesale power prices threatens future investment in the sector. He said that, in terms of pricing, "By 2024 we expect to have about 10% of our hours at zero, or even negative, power prices." April was the lowest month of the entire historical series. The warning…
Saudi Aramco CEO calls on a reset in energy policies for developing countries
The head of Saudi Aramco, who called for a reset to policies in developing countries, said that progress in Asia's energy transition is slower, less equitable, and more complex than many had expected. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said that even with the transition as economies expand and standards of living rise, the Global South will likely see significant growth in the oil demand for a very long time. While this growth will eventually stop, it is likely that a plateau is to follow.
