The UK has teamed up with a US laser lab, hoping to develop clean energy from nuclear fusion The new technology uses lasers to compress hydrogen atoms together until they fuse, releasing large amounts of energy. Experiments at The National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the US have been promising, producing huge bursts of energy.
Marubeni invests £200m in UK windfarm
Marubeni Corp has become the first Asian company to invest in UK renewable energy. The Japanese conglomerate has invested £200m for a 49.9% share in a UK wind farm owned by Danish renewable firm Dong Energy. Marubeni‘s investment is in the Gunfleet Sands wind farm, located off the Essex coast. The wind farm began full operation last year and produces … Read More
Libyan oil production already on the increase
Libyan rebel leaders have already called workers back into oil refineries and said pre-conflict levels of production could be reached as early as next year. The country’s Transitional National Council (TNC), recently recognised by the United States as the nation’s legitimate governing body, said damage to its oil infrastructure is not as bad as previously feared. The Libyan TNC stated … Read More
BHP Billiton invests in shale gas
The world largest mining company has invested £7.5bn into shale gas technology. BHP Billiton has agreed to purchase American shale gas company Petrohawk Energy in a £7.5bn deal, its biggest acquisition to date. It is the company’s second major investment into shale gas technology in the year, as BHP also purchased a gas field from Chesapeake Energy in February.
RWE looking at sale of Npower
German utility giant RWE is reportedly assessing the sale of British energy firm Npower RWE, parent company of Npower, is assessing the sale of the UK company in a rethink of strategy. This comes after German parliament last week backed a withdrawal from nuclear power by 2022, following Japan’s nuclear crisis.
Oil price down after IEA open reserves
The price of oil has dropped by $6 per barrel today after The International Energy Agency (IEA) opened up oil reserves. The IEA are to release an extra 60m barrels from emergency crude supplies. The UK is contributing 3m barrels, and half of it is coming from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Oil price up after OPEC stalls production
The price of oil has jumped up to over $118 per barrel as OPEC is so far failing to agree on an increase in production Most of the members of the oil cartel voted against upping production levels, in an unusual show of disagreement between the nations. There are tensions within the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), with two … Read More
Centrica close Morecambe Bay gas field
Centrica have taken the decision to leave Britain’s largest gas field shut. The Morecambe Bay gas field in the North Sea, owned by British Gas parent company Centrica, is to remain closed. Centrica blamed the new taxes on profit gained from North Sea production as the reason for the closure.
Germany to phase out nuclear by 2022
German chancellor Angela Merkel has ordered all of the country’s nuclear power plants to be shut down by 2022. Merkel’s coalition government has performed a complete reversal of policy regarding nuclear power. There have been many anti-nuclear protests in Germany following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Germany is the largest industrialised nation to go anti-nuclear for 25 years. The country is … Read More
New EU stress tests for nuclear plants
EU Nuclear watchdogs have finalised continent-wide stress tests for all nuclear reactors following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan All 143 of Europe’s nuclear reactors will undergo new stress tests devised by European nuclear watchdogs covering both natural and man made hazards. From 1 June, nuclear power plants will be tested for resilience to natural disasters like the earthquake and … Read More