US judge overturns Trump's policy on wind and solar tax breaks
According to court documents, a U.S. Judge vacated the Trump Administration policy that was implemented last year and made it more difficult for wind and solar energy projects to receive federal tax subsidies. The ruling is the latest legal blow for U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to slow down development of clean energy technology, which he claims are unreliable. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled on Saturday that the Treasury Department’s Internal Revenue Service failed to?give an adequate reason for removing a long-standing definition of what it meant for a project to be deemed under construction.
Woodside Energy's delayed Browse Liquefied Natural Gas project is expected to cost 35 billion dollars
Woodside Energy has commissioned a report that estimates the cost of its long-delayed Browse project to be A$48.7billion ($35.2billion). The proposal to develop Australia's biggest?untapped gas resources was submitted to?regulators? in 2018. It was estimated at A$27.3billion in 2019 but in 2023, a major component of carbon capture and storing (CCS) was added to the plan. Environmental approvals and negotiations over a processing contract have slowed down the Browse project. Deloitte's economic impact analysis, commissioned by the Woodside company and released on Monday, revealed that the total capital expenditure for this project would be A$48.7billion.
Officials say that the EU will remove leather from its anti-deforestation laws after pressure from industry.
EU officials have confirmed that the European Commission will exclude leather imports from its anti-deforestation laws. This follows a campaign led by industry groups who argued that leather production did not incentivise cattle farming, which fuels forest destruction. The exemption will?remove?leather, hides, and skins?from the law that, from December, requires companies to prove they are not deforestation-causing when selling products like soy, beef, palm oil, and coffee into the EU. Un spokesperson for the Commission declined to comment. Anyone who breaks the rules could face heavy fines or even be banned from accessing the EU's market.
Argentina adopts mining reform to encourage investment near glaciers
On Thursday, Argentina's lawmakers approved a government reform that promotes mining investment in glacier areas. Environmentalists and scientists said this would weaken environmental protections and endanger water resources. The reform was passed by the Chamber of Deputies 137-111 with 3 abstentions. Once published in the official Gazette, the law becomes effective. The reform, pushed by the libertarian government of President Javier Milei, sparked controversy because it allowed provinces to determine their own standards for protecting periglacial areas and glaciers.
Oil Sales from California’s Santa Ynez Pipeline Begin
Sable Offshore said on Monday it has begun selling oil from its Santa Ynez Pipeline System offshore California to Chevron, after resuming crude transportation earlier this month.Shares were up more than 3% in premarket trading.The pipeline system, which runs along California's Gaviota Coast, had been shut since a 2015 oil spill that polluted miles of coastline, killed wildlife and damaged local fisheries.Sable's effort to restart the system has since become the subject of a long-running dispute with California regulators and environmental groups, which have filed lawsuits challenging the reopening.The restart follows a directive from the Trump administration under th
Trump EPA will weaken the rule limiting harmful air toxins and mercury from coal plants
The Trump administration announced Friday that it would roll back clean air regulations that limit mercury and hazardous toxic pollutants from power plants. Public health groups warned it would harm America's most disadvantaged. The Environmental Protection Agency of President Donald Trump has stated that easing pollution standards would?alleviate the costs for utilities who run older coal-fired plants, at a moment when the demand for electricity is on the rise due to the expansion data centers for artificial intelligence. Environmental groups claim that lowering standards for air toxics such as mercury…
Trump EPA will weaken the rule limiting harmful air toxics and mercury from coal plants
The Trump administration announced Friday that it would roll back air regulations for power plant?limiting mercury, and hazardous air toxin at an?event? in Kentucky. It says this will boost baseload electricity but public health groups claim it will harm the health of America's most vulnerable populations. The EPA of President Donald Trump has stated that lowering the pollution standards for older coal plants will reduce costs for utilities who run them at a moment when the demand for electricity is soaring due to the expansion?data centres used for artificial intelligent.
Environmental groups protest Trump's decision to repeal US climate regulations
On Wednesday, a coalition of environmental and health groups sued the Trump administration over its decision?to revoke?the scientific findings that form?the basis of?U.S. Climate regulations. The lawsuit filed before the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia challenges also the Environmental Protection Agency decision, announced last week, to repeal the tailpipe regulations that limit greenhouse gas emission from cars and trucks. The groups suing include the Center for Biological Diversity, ?American?Lung Association,?American Public Health Association,?Union of Concerned Scientists, Natural Resources Defense Council, Public Citizen and ?Sierra Club.
Politico reports that Trump has slammed the energy deal between California, Britain and Trump
Reports from Politico indicate that President Donald Trump denounced the clean energy agreement signed between California Governor Gavin Newsom and the United Kingdom on Monday. In an interview, Trump stated that it was "inappropriate for Britain" to deal with the Democratic Governor. Trump, who is Republican, called Newsom, "a loser", saying that "his state had gone to hell and his environmental work was a disaster." Newsom, an outspoken Trump opponent, has considered running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. Newsom and British Energy Minister Ed Miliband signed an energy agreement on Monday that pledged to cooperate on clean energy technologies…
Trump ends US vehicle emission standards, revokes climate regulations
On Thursday, the administration of President Donald Trump announced that it had repealed a scientific conclusion that greenhouse gasses endanger human life and removed federal tailpipe emission standards for cars and trucks. The administration has rolled back its climate change policies in the most dramatic way possible, following a series of regulatory changes and other actions designed to promote fossil fuels and to impede the development of "clean energy". Trump stated that the EPA had just finished a process to 'terminate the endangerment findings…
Deep-sea Mining Company seeks international permit in accordance with new Trump rules
The Metals Co became the first deep sea miner on Thursday to apply for Washington's permission?to mine?the international oceanbed, under a new streamlined permit process that was introduced this week. Deep-sea mines have the potential to produce large quantities of minerals for electric vehicles and energy transition. However, the debate about the possible environmental damage has been dragging on for decades and has prevented licenses from being issued. On 'Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that it would consolidate licensing and permitting into a single and shorter review.
Norway awards 57 drilling licenses in offshore oil and gas exploration round
Norway's Energy Minister told an industry conference that the country awarded shares in 57 offshore oil exploration licenses to 19 companies as part of its annual licensing round. The number of permits awarded to oil and gas companies has decreased from 20. Norway's plan to extend oil and gas production in Norway for decades is centrally based on the?annual predefined areas (APA) round of new offshore exploration acres. However, activity will?decrease in the next few years. Norway is Europe's largest energy supplier, but production will begin to fall in a few short years. We need to develop new projects which can slow down the decline and increase production.
Italy's offshore-wind push is stagnant, putting climate targets at risk
Analysts say that Italian plans to harness the offshore wind power are coming to a grinding halt. This puts the country's goals for climate change at risk and hits firms who have invested in this sector. A government decree from 2024 offered incentives for 3.8 gigawatts of?capacity?by 2028. However, the contracts were never awarded due to bureaucratic and regulation hurdles. This has prevented billions of euro in potential investments. The August 2013 decree approved by the Italian government targeted renewable technologies like floating platforms that are suitable for deep Mediterranean water.
Document shows that Shell has been approved as the majority partner of PetroSA in the block offshore South Africa.
A document obtained by revealed that South Africa's national oil company PetroSA has approved the deal for Shell Offshore to receive a 60% share in Block 2C off its west coast. The agreement, if it is successfully concluded, will increase Shell's exposure in the Orange Basin. This area has been dubbed one of the most sought-after exploration zones around the globe after the major oil discoveries made in Namibia. In a short note, PetroSA's priority programs stated that the company approved the farm-in agreement to allow Shell Offshore a…
Virginia data centers to replace coal where coal once reigned
Entrepreneurs are now looking at the rural area with the ambitious vision to rebuild its economic by converting the old mines into data centers and solar power systems that could help feed the growing power demand of the artificial-intelligence boom. A non-profit group called Energy DELTA Lab (Discovery, Education, Learning & Technology Accelerator), which is aiming to develop energy resources on approximately 65,000 acres in southwest Virginia, is currently working on such a project. Will Clear and Will Payne who manage Energy DELTA Lab say that they envision building a massive Data Center Ridge of 450 acres on top of the old mining lands.
Environmentalists sue Gulf of Mexico Oil Auction to Stop it
On Tuesday, environmental groups sued the Trump Administration for its decision to proceed with the planned December 10, offshore oil and natural gas lease sale that covered 80 million acres (32 millions hectares) of the Gulf of Mexico. Why it's Important The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenges a large sale that is aligned with President Donald Trump’s policy of maximising domestic oil and natural gas development. This is just the latest of a series of recent lawsuits over offshore drilling which have resulted in victories for environmentalists. Irene Gutierrez is the senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Norway loses an appeal over oilfield development
The Norwegian Court of Appeal ruled against the government and in favor of environmentalists on Friday, confirming the lower court's ruling that the approval by the Energy Ministry of three offshore oil-and-gas fields was invalid. The court said that production from the oilfields affected would not stop, but the government could correct any deficiencies in the original approvals. Greenpeace Norway, Young Friends of the Earth Norway, and other environmental groups will file a lawsuit in 2023 regarding the approval of Equinor’s Breidablikk field and Aker BP’s Tyrving and Yggdrasil.
Amapa Governor: Brazil's Petrobras is studying a logistics base for Amapa
Clecio Liu, the governor of the Amazonian State of Amapa told reporters that Brazil's Petrobras had authorized studies to build a logistics centre in the state. Last week, the state-run oil company began exploring a promising offshore area. Luis explained that the company's Transpetro logistics subsidiary would do the studies. He added that the center will support Petrobras in the event of an important discovery. Petrobras did not give any further details. Magda Chabriard, Petrobras' Chief Executive, had previously said that the oil company could begin production within seven years if a significant find is made.
SNB divests from extractive industries with new divestment.
Swiss National Bank sold its stake in Anglo Australian miner Rio Tinto, adding to a recent series of divestments by companies in the extractive industries. LSEG data show. Unsere (Our) SNB is a group of 200 SNB shareholders that includes environmental groups. They claim the Rio Tinto divestment represents the entire stake in the SNB and values it at $227 millions. The SNB sold the 3.8 millions shares between June 2 to July 21. Rio Tinto and SNB declined comment. According to an analysis of LSEG company filings based on data, the SNB sold oil and gas stocks worth more than twice what it invested in the sector since 2024.
South African court cancels Eskom's permission to build new gas-powered plant
A top court in South Africa on Wednesday revoked a government permit that allowed state utility Eskom build a large natural gas-burning power plant, claiming there was not a proper consultation with the public. The government is planning to build a 3,000-megawatt plant on the east coast in the port city of Richards Bay as part of its plans to boost the country's power generation capacity following years of blackouts, and move away from coal. The Supreme Court of Appeal's judgment stated that "the effect of this order was to nullify the authorisation". Eskom will need to submit a new application for authorization once the public participation is complete.
