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A huge and potentially lucrative market beckons, if Iceland can find a way to transmit electricity across 1,000 miles of frigid sea.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan met with president of Russia's oil producer Rosneft, pledging to boost energy cooperation between the two countries.

Chinese VP Wang Qishan met with Igor Sechin, the president of Russia's state-owned oil producer Rosneft, pledging to boost energy cooperation between the two countries.

The aviation industry supports balanced and thoughtful regulation of chemicals—with a goal of across-the-board public safety. As the Competitiveness  Council meets today, with Europe’s REACH regulations on the agenda, the industry hopes it will keep in mind that balanced approach. The EU REACH (short for review, evaluation, and authorization of chemicals) regulation came into force in 2005. The aviation sector supports its overall goals, but it has some concerns about potential bans on substances that have critical use in aerospace often with safety implications. Chemicals, like chromates for example, prevent corrosion and wear on aircraft fuselages and components. Many of these products are essential to aviation safety—indeed, their use is necessary for airlines and aerospace firms to certify compliance with the safety agencies’ requirements. In some cases, these products have no viable near-term replacement. Boeing and other industry partners are engaged in intense research to find next-generation agents, but there is currently no single product that can replace the full usefulness of these chemicals. And even if a replacement were to become available soon, it would need to be fully tested and certified for safety and phased in slowly in order to be compatible with aircraft already in service. It will be important therefore that the Commission and the Competitiveness Council consider the specific situation of aerospace in the REACH process. These chemicals are absolutely necessary for safety, and more coordination and dialogue with industry and the safety authorities are necessary to prevent deeply adverse effects on the competitiveness of European airlines and aerospace firms.  A balanced approach to chemical safety will take the bigger picture into consideration.

At a special press briefing organized by The International Press Association in Brussels two weeks ago, EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger confirmed that he will be bringing forward proposals for post-2020 policy, before the current term of the Commission ends, which is 31 October 2014. He said that the Council would talk about binding targets in an orientation debate and that he favoured binding targets. He also said that the targets will be “pragmatic” and “sensitive”. For 2020, the EU has committed to cutting its emissions to 20% below 1990 levels, as well as renewable energy and energy efficiency targets. A binding renewable energy target for 2030 would provide much needed confidence for the renewables industry, as well as secure commitment to tackle climate change from EU member states. Oettinger was asked about the implications of the recently agreed EU budget for 2014-2020 on energy. He said “in the past, we developed energy policy without funding”…“In the past MFF, there was zero for infrastructure”. Now, the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework has proposed €5bn for co-financing of projects of cross-European interests, such as electricity interconnectors, instead of the €9bn proposed by the Commission. Even so, this will result in a “complete pan-European infrastructure”, said the Commissioner. With the new Multi-Annual Framework budget  “we have the financial resources to contribute and be a fair partner”. Oettinger also emphasised the need for private investment in EU energy projects, and smart instruments being devised by the European Investment Bank with the Commission with which “we can get much more than €5bn”. Read more on the EWEA blog.

The 2013 “State of the Union Address” devotes 12 lines to climate change. These express a firm determination to “do more to combat climate change”. Visibly, Obama has learned the lessons from his first mandate when he got lost in frustrating battles with the Republican majority in the Congress that failed to understand the reality and long- term threats of climate change for the American children and future, to which the President specifically refers. “If Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will, before it is too late. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with solutions we can take, now and in the future”. By implicitly referring to the powerful role of the Environment Protection Agency he has thrown the gauntlet to conservatives in Congress: either you cooperate or the Administration will do without you. Instead of trying once again to introduce a cap and trade emission system comparable to that of the EU, the Administration is more likely to follow its successful practice of fixing energy efficiency standards for the main polluting sectors, above all electrical power. Coal-fired power plants continue to be the main source of C02 emissions. It may direct the power industry to reduce its green house gas emissions by, say 50 per cent until 2030 (over 2010),which would be a substantial achievement. By doing so the power industry would be free to choose the cheapest means of achieving such targets, e.g. replacing coal by gas, wind or solar. It could also decide launch a comprehensive energy efficiency programme for federal buildings, in the line of the cautious 2012 EU programme. During the Obama Administration the USA has for the first time seen its green house gas emissions decline, due to the revolutionary transition from coal to gas. By 2020 total emissions should have declined by 17 per cent over 2005, thanks to gas fired power plants and the doubling of fuel efficiency of cars. Few people would have expected this performance. But to set global standards the US climate policy must address the excessively high per capita energy consumption and emissions. No major country on earth can afford to emit more than 14 tons of C02 annually, as each US citizen does. Tackling waste in heating and cooling by much better insulation of buildings should be the major objective of the next 20 years, both for new and existing buildings. A huge thermal refitting programme would help the climate, energy independence and the labour market. By finally addressing climate change at home, the USA will be able to assume global leadership, which has desperately lacked during the past 20 years. This is timely when China begins to wake up to its huge environment and climate challenges and when the international community prepares for a global climate compact by 2015. The EU should respond to these positive developments in Washington. The most urgent for both parties is to agree on how most effectively take forward the talks at the international level which should be be concluded in the next 20 months. Combined USA and EU account for only about one third of global green house gas emissions with their shares going down as emerging countries become more important emitters. It will therefore be crucial to get other parties on board, first of all, of course, China, by far the single biggest polluter. The other joint priority should be to achieve more harmonisation of energy standards and technologies in areas like transport, power generation and transmission or insulation in view of achieving economies of scale in the perspective of the comprehensive free trade agreement to be negotiated in the next few years. In conclusion, President Obama has opened a window of opportunities for a more effective climate policy that the EU and other major partners should seize without hesitation. Rendezvous in two years from now to see what will have happened. Brussels 14.02.2013 Eberhard Rhein

During his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Obama doubled down on his vision for renewable energy, but in Texas, the Legislature is less enthusiastic.

As revenues from gasoline taxes fail to keep pace with the costs of transportation infrastructure, governments are seeking new solutions.

As chief of the large Russian energy company, Mr. Vyakhirev resisted efforts by Russian reformers to break up and privatize it.

UK Only Article:  standard article Issue:  The missing $20 trillion Fly Title:  Fracking in the West Rubric:  California tries to decide if it wants to join the shale revolution Location:  SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA SHALE exploitation in North Dakota has lifted incomes and brought unemployment down to 3.2% of the workforce, the lowest level in the country. Californians are rarely found looking longingly towards the Midwest. But the revelation that their state, with unemployment at 9.8% and America’s highest poverty rate, may be sitting on the largest deposit of shale oil in the continental United States has led some to wonder if their salvation lies 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) beneath them. California has been an oil state since 1865. Thanks largely to reserves that can still be tapped by conventional means, it remains the third-largest producer in the country. Output has lately been declining by 2-3% a year, according to the state’s Energy Commission. But in 2011 the federal Energy ...

Exploring how President Obama can move from rhetoric to real-world action on energy and climate.

Starting tomorrow, air traffic management (ATM) professionals, policy makers, and thought leaders from around the world will gather in Madrid for the first annual World ATM Congress, a new joint meeting of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) and the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA). CANSO and ATCA together combine the private companies and government entities that provide and oversee ATM in various countries, along with ATM professionals and the individuals and firms that support them. This first-ever joint congress comes at a critical moment for the ATM industry. In the United States, the “NextGen” process—an ATM modernization effort that includes operational efficiency efforts to maximize US airspace for safety, efficiency, capacity, while focusing to minimize environmental impacts—has been hampered by fiscal challenges and an excessively partisan atmosphere in the U.S. Congress. In the European Union, member states have been slow to move on the ambitious second phase of the Single European Sky project, which includes efforts to establish uniform performance regulations for Europe’s air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and consolidate the regional “functional airspace blocks” that simplify navigation dramatically, compared to the country-by-country ATM that used to prevail. Given these challenges, what should you watch for in the discussions in Madrid? Look for:

• Announcements of policy developments in the U.S. and EU. On Tuesday, key policymakers—Matthew Baldwin from the European Commission and Michael Huerta of the Federal Aviation Administration—will offer their perspectives in back-to-back talks. Pay attention for any news on SES II or NextGen.
• Discussion of what the ATM sector can learn from the last major worldwide breakthrough in aviation: ETOPS, the extended operations framework that allowed the revolutionary development of long-range, twin-engine jet aircraft. On Tuesday, several experts will review ETOPS’ lessons for how to shepherd a technological innovation through regulatory and safety challenges.
• Pros, cons, and dynamics of introducing greater private-sector competition into the ATM sector. In many countries, ATM has been privatized or commercialized such that a private company serves as the ANSP while a government agency regulates its provision of services. Representatives from CANSO and local ANSPs will address how best to structure competition in the sector.

You can view the full conference agenda here. What do you think are the greatest challenges to air traffic management in Europe? What should be on the agenda at World ATM Congress that isn’t? Offer your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned for updates on the conference as it progresses.  

The strongest argument for a major government response to climate change is the obvious argument: climate change.

An energy economist explores how American policies and open markets, not just technology and geology, lie behind the surprising shale oil and gas boom.

Duke Energy, the nation’s largest electricity company, said on Tuesday that it would permanently close its Crystal River Nuclear Plant, which has been shut since 2009 after botched repairs.