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☆ How the U.S. Became the World’s Biggest Gas Supplier
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Brad Plumer | Nadja Popovich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Became the World’s Biggest Gas SupplierTop exporters of liquefied natural gas 12 billion cubic feet per day U.S. Qatar 10 Australia 8 6 Russia 4 Malaysia 2 2014 2023 12 billion cubic feet per day United States Qatar Australia 10 8 6 Russia 4 Malaysia 2 2014 2023 Source: S&P Global Note: Data reflects annual average liquefied natural gas exports by country. But climate activists worry that soaring exports of liquefied natural gas could make global warming worse. In the early 2000s, natural gas was relatively scarce at home, and companies were spending billions of dollars to build terminals to import gas from places like Qatar and Australia. In the mid-2000s, U.S. drillers perfected methods to unlock vast reserves of cheap natural gas from shale rock. The process of making and shipping liquefied natural gas adds complexity and cost, but if the difference between U.S. natural gas prices and overseas prices is big enough, it is profitable.

Persons: Biden, Fracking, ”, Kenneth Medlock, —, Ben Cahill Organizations: U.S, drillers, Cheniere Energy, Center for Energy Studies, Rice University, “, Asia, Department of Energy, Energy Department, . Energy, Energy Information Administration, Clearview Energy Partners, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: U.S, Qatar, Australia, Russia, Malaysia, United States Qatar Australia, United States, Japan, Europe, Asia, Ukraine, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Texas , Louisiana, Maryland, Georgia, Mexico

☆ Southeast Asia looks to renewable power for energy security
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Audrey Wan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

As energy demand grows, the region is turning to renewable energy to safeguard its energy security. Most, if not all, Southeast Asian markets have taken strides to announce renewable energy targets and formulate their low-carbon energy transition plans, said Thoo. Other planned developments include an integrated renewable energy zone, five centralized large-scale solar parks and three green hydrogen production plants. These projects will leverage Malaysia's estimated 290 gigawatts of technical renewable energy potential to create a more resilient, low-carbon power system, said the ministry. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are projected to account for at least 31% of national energy needs by 2030, the government said, according to Reuters.

Persons: EDPR, Bryan van der Beek, Zulfikar Yurnaidi, David Thoo, Zulfikar Organizations: EDPR Sunseap, Energias de Portugal SA, Bloomberg, Getty, Energy, International Energy Agency, ASEAN Center for Energy, BMI Fitch Solutions, Zulfikar Yurnaidi ASEAN Center for Energy, Indonesia Malaysia Malaysia, Ministry, Reuters Locations: Energias, Woodlands, Singapore, Asia, Southeast Asia, Ukraine, Israel, Europe, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam

☆ South China Sea: Philippines accuses Chinese maritime militia of destroying coral reefs near Palawan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Philippine Coast Guard/FacebookTarriela said between August 9 and September 11, the coast guard monitored 33 Chinese vessels within the vicinity of Rozul Reef and around 15 Chinese ships near Escoda Shoal. The UP Marine Science Institute found vibrant corals in the Rozul (Iroquios) Reef in the South China Sea in May 2021. At least two foreign ambassadors in Manila have expressed alarm over reports of destruction of marine resources in the South China Sea. The grounded Philippine navy ship Sierra Madre, which Manila uses to stake its territorial claims at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea, as pictured on April 23, 2023. Under current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the country’s National Security Team began to publicize its findings about what was actually happening in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea more regularly, Powell said.

Persons: Jay Tarriela, ” Tarriela, Facebook Tarriela, Tarriela, Mao Ning, “, ”, Gerry Arances, Arances, Ray Powell, SeaLight, Powell, Philippines MaryKay Carlson, Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Rodrigo Duterte, Shoal, Ted Aljibe, Thomas Shoal, Ferdinand Marcos Jr Organizations: CNN, Philippine Coast Guard, Chinese Maritime Militia, Facebook, Philippine, Spratly Islands, Philippine coastguard, University of, Philippines Marine Science Institute, country’s National Security Council, Scientific, UP Marine Science Institute, Marine Science, CNN Philippines, Center for Energy, coastguard, National Security, Stanford University, The, United, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Asia, Transparency Initiative, BRP, BRP Sierra Madre, National Security Team, West Philippine, South China Locations: South, Philippines, China, Sabina, South China, Palawan, Beijing, Philippine, Rozul, Escoda Shoal, ” Beijing, China’s, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, The Hague, West Philippine, United States, Indonesia, Vietnam, The Philippines, Manila, Sierra, Spratly, AFP, BRP Sierra, Sierra Madre, West

☆ Green energy’s tailwinds blow the other way
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Peter Thal Larsen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Falling costs, cheap capital and supportive politicians helped propel a headlong rush into renewable power. As relations with China deteriorate, the United States and Europe are increasingly concerned about the country’s grip on parts of the green energy supply chain. In recent roundtable discussions moderated by Breakingviews on both sides of the Atlantic, participants expressed optimism about the momentum of investment in green energy. The IRA has unleashed a green energy boom. The world can ill afford to relax its embrace of green power.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, –, Joe Biden’s, Jared Cohen, Goldman Sachs, Breakingviews, carmaker Ford, Rishi Sunak’s, Pennsylvania’s Penn, George Hay, Sharon Lam, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: Britain's, Downing, Reuters, Global, International Energy Agency, International Renewable Energy Agency, Energy, Commission, Applied Innovation, Goldman, Amperex Technology, Companies, British, MIT’s Center for Energy, Environmental, Research, University, Pennsylvania’s, Thomson Locations: London, Ukraine, U.S, China, United States, Europe, People’s Republic, Vietnam, Mexico

Lawmakers backing the bill say a large number of companies in the state already disclose some of their own emissions. California’s climate disclosure bill would be different because of all the indirect emissions companies would have to report. But the California bill would go beyond that, by mandating that both public and private companies report their direct and indirect emissions. Companies would have to report indirect emissions including those released by transporting products and disposing waste. Companies would have to begin publicly disclosing their direct emissions annually in 2026 and start annually reporting their indirect emissions starting in 2027.

Persons: Chris Ward, Christiana Figueres, Gavin Newsom, Newsom, Sen, Scott Wiener, “, ”, Brady Van Engelen, Danny Cullenward, Cullenward, it’s, Mary Creasman, ___ Sophie Austin, Austin @sophieadanna Organizations: —, Democratic, Apple, United Nations, Democratic Gov, Lawmakers, administration’s Department of Finance, San, San Francisco Democrat, National Conference of State Legislatures, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Companies, California Chamber of Commerce, Western States Petroleum Association, California Hospital Association, University of Pennsylvania’s, Center for Energy Policy, California Environmental Voters, California Air Resources Board, Wiener, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California, Patagonia, Christiana, Paris, San Francisco, Ceres, ”

☆ Yes, cold weather affects EV batteries. Here's why they drain faster.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

EV car batteries drain much quicker in cold conditions, significantly affecting their performance. Charging EV batteries in cold weatherCharging can also be an issue in cold conditions. The Idaho National Laboratory reported that EV batteries can take up to three times as long to charge in cold temperatures. But some startups are seeking to make cold weather issues a thing of the past. There are a few ways that drivers of electric vehicles can prolong their cars' battery lives in cold weather.

Persons: Tesla, Venkat Srinivasan, Insider's Tim Levin, Anna Stefanopoulou, Stefanopoulou, EVs, Domenick Nati Organizations: EV, Reuters, South, Korea Fair Trade Commission, Center for Energy Storage Science, University of Michigan's Energy Institute, Wired, Idaho National Laboratory, Bay Technology, Bloomberg Locations: Argonne, Idaho, Bay, British

☆ Power shutoffs: Sweltering Americans have fewer protections this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Despite the growing concern of heat-related illnesses and climate change, people have far fewer protections from power shutoffs during the summer than they do in the winter. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, has about $6 billion in funds for fiscal 2023, which runs through September. The association is calling on Congress to provide an additional $3 billion for cooling assistance this summer, which would help about 6 million households. And it is asking utilities to voluntarily suspend shutoffs this summer for those behind on their bills. Florida Power & Light, for instance, has a longstanding policy that it won’t disconnect customers if it’s 95 degrees or higher.

Persons: David Konisky, ”, Konisky, Mark Wolfe, That’s, Wolfe, it’s, Bianca Soriano, Soriano Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Weather Service, Center for Energy, National Energy Assistance, Association, Energy, Indiana University, Centers for Disease Control, Income, Energy Assistance, Lawmakers, US Energy Information Administration, Louisiana —, Florida, Customers Locations: New York, United States, Washington, DC, Delaware, Nevada, Colorado , Missouri, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Florida

☆ RPT ANALYSIS For EV batteries, lithium iron phosphate narrows the gap with nickel, cobalt
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Tesla Model 3 vehicles are seen for sale at a Tesla facility in Fremont, California, U.S., May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File PhotoDETROIT, June 23 (Reuters) - As the auto industry scrambles to produce more affordable electric vehicles, whose most expensive components are the batteries, lithium iron phosphate is gaining traction as the EV battery material of choice. But technological advances have also reduced the performance gap with more widely used materials such as nickel and cobalt. Ford Motor (F.N) aims to open a $3.5 billion LFP cell manufacturing plant in western Michigan, leveraging technology licensed from China’s CATL (300750.SZ), the world’s largest EV battery maker. The rapidly increasing adoption of LFP by EV manufacturers including Tesla and Hyundai suggests those companies “are not ready to decouple from China," Meng said.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Tesla, ”, Stanley Whittingham, Mujeeb Ijaz, “ We’ve, China’s, Jim Farley, Shirley Meng, Meng, Lukasz Bednarski, Bednarski, LFP, Whittingham, “, Paul Lienert, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Tesla, REUTERS, DETROIT, EV, Toyota, Hyundai, U.S, Binghamton University, Ford, University of Chicago, Argonne, Laboratory’s, Center for Energy Storage Science, New Energy, Thomson Locations: Fremont , California, U.S, North America, New York, Michigan, Van Buren, China, United States, Norway, Israel, South Korea, EVs, Detroit

☆ Analysis: For EV batteries, lithium iron phosphate narrows the gap with nickel, cobalt
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Tesla Model 3 vehicles are seen for sale at a Tesla facility in Fremont, California, U.S., May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File PhotoDETROIT, June 22 (Reuters) - As the auto industry scrambles to produce more affordable electric vehicles, whose most expensive components are the batteries, lithium iron phosphate is gaining traction as the EV battery material of choice. But technological advances have also reduced the performance gap with more widely used materials such as nickel and cobalt. Ford Motor (F.N) aims to open a $3.5 billion LFP cell manufacturing plant in western Michigan, leveraging technology licensed from China’s CATL (300750.SZ), the world’s largest EV battery maker. The rapidly increasing adoption of LFP by EV manufacturers including Tesla and Hyundai suggests those companies “are not ready to decouple from China," Meng said.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Tesla, ”, Stanley Whittingham, Mujeeb Ijaz, “ We’ve, China’s, Jim Farley, Shirley Meng, Meng, Lukasz Bednarski, Bednarski, LFP, Whittingham, “, Paul Lienert, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Tesla, REUTERS, DETROIT, EV, Toyota, Hyundai, U.S, Binghamton University, Ford, University of Chicago, Argonne, Laboratory’s, Center for Energy Storage Science, New Energy, General Motors, Battery, Thomson Locations: Fremont , California, U.S, North America, New York, Michigan, Van Buren, China, United States, Norway, Israel, South Korea, EVs, Detroit

[1/2] A man watches television while cooling himself with an electric ventilator as temperatures rise during an unusual heat wave, in Monterrey, Mexico June 15, 2023. On Wednesday, daily demand was projected to peak even higher at 51,782 megawatts per hour, according to Cenace data. Meanwhile, neighboring Texas urged power conservation after the grid operator on Tuesday evening issued a warning for "projected reserve capacity shortage". In Michoacan state, one town had been without electricity for several days, after an energy transmitter exploded. The heat wave in Mexico is forecast to continue for several more days.

Persons: Daniel Becerril, Cenace, Jorge Musalem, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Isabel Woodford, Adriana Barrera, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, National Center for Energy Control, Twitter, Local, CFE, Thomson Locations: Monterrey, Mexico, MEXICO, Texas, Michoacan

☆ Premarket stocks: How oil and gas companies think about their shareholders
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Two days later, a report found that the soaring energy prices could push 141 million people worldwide into extreme poverty. High prices have swelled profits for energy companies, leaving them flush with cash. Commitment to shareholders has certainly helped bolster stock prices — the S&P 500 ended 2022 down nearly 20%, while the energy sector grew by about 60%. And how do companies navigate appeasing shareholders who want immediate profit while also thinking about ways to invest in sustainable energy? GDP, inflation and retail earnings: What investors are watching this week▸ Investors have a busy week of new data readings ahead of them.

☆ It took 50 years and $11 billion to complete a train station beneath NYC's Grand Central Terminal. It shows how hard it is to build things in the US.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

New commuter rail service to New York City's Grand Central Terminal began last week. The new station cost more than three times its initial budget and faced significant delays. The new rail service, which began limited operations last week, delivers riders to a gleaming new station some 15 stories beneath the soaring limestone facade of Grand Central Terminal. Train platforms at Grand Central Madison are well over 100 feet underground. Mary Altaffer/APPeople walk past a mural in the new Grand Central Madison last week.

☆ Trinidad offers to pay for Venezuelan gas with humanitarian supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Curtis Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday issued a license allowing Trinidad to co-develop the Dragon gas field, which holds 4.2 trillion cubic feet of reserves on the Venezuelan side of the maritime border with Trinidad. The project would have Trinidad import the gas and turn it into exportable liquefied natural gas (LNG). So we buy the gas and we pay for it in a variety of ways," Rowley told journalists late on Tuesday. Venezuela has resorted to swaps to make its economy work amid stiff U.S. sanctions prohibiting financial transactions or the use of dollars to pay Venezuela or the country's state companies. Shell (SHEL.L), which operates the neighboring Hibiscus field in Trinidad, ideally could become the operator, said Trinidad's Rowley.

WASHINGTON — The lobster featured on the menu of Thursday’s state dinner comes with caviar, squash ravioli — and a heaping side of controversy. Maine officials would typically be thrilled to have their state’s most famous export featured at such a high-profile White House event. Maine lobstermen have long prided themselves on sustainability and argue the concern about right whales is misplaced. “I am glad President Biden and his State Dinner guests had the opportunity to enjoy Maine lobster,” Democratic Maine Gov. “The administration should make their policy consistent with their culinary preferences.”The Office of the First Lady, which oversees the state dinner preparations, did not respond to a request for comment.

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