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Tim Watkins

UK Government too fixated on Brexit

Brexit

The UK government is losing sight of the economy, according to Szu Ping Chan and Lauren Davidson in the Telegraph: “The Government is ‘losing sight of the economy’ and using the EU referendum as an excuse for policy inaction, according to Europe’s biggest accountancy body.   In a letter to the …

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Trump appoints pro-fracking/anti-environment energy advisor

Donald Trump

Republican presidential contender Donald Trump has asked one of America’s most ardent drilling advocates and climate change skeptics to help him draft his energy policy, according to Valerie Volcovici at Reuters: “U.S. Republican Congressman Kevin Cramer of North Dakota – a major oil drilling state – is writing a white …

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Third Energy fracking plan to be approved

Kirby Misperton

Third Energy’s application to hydraulically fracture an existing gas well at Kirby Misperton in north Yorkshire looks set to be given the go-ahead according to Nina Chestney at Reuters: “[A] report by the head of planning at North Yorkshire County Council was prepared ahead of a meeting of councillors due …

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UK Energy Act fails to win favour with industry

UK Parliament

The Energy Act 2016 was passed into law yesterday.  The Act – which is seen as an attack on renewable energy – is designed to promote further development offshore and onshore oil and gas in an attempt to arrest the sharp fall in output from the North Sea fields.  Secretary of …

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Is the UK ready for an energy transition?

Renewables

Faced with an uncertain energy future, Britain’s businesses are voting with their feet.  As we have reported on this site in recent days, supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is planning to generate all of its own energy from biogas, while confectionery manufacturer, Mars aims to operate all 12 of its UK plants …

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Pension funds exercise their energy muscle

Exxon Protest

Pension funds are putting pressure on ExxonMobil to start telling its shareholders how climate change will affect the oil giant’s business, according to Ben Walsh at the Huffington Post: “The California public employee pension fund and the New York City pension fund, which together manage $433 billion in investments, told …

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Energy firms are abandoning the Arctic

Backbone Campaign

Low oil prices and uncertainty over climate change policy is making an impact on energy companies in the Arctic, according to Helle Abelvik-Lawson at Greenpeace: “Shell, Eni, ConocoPhillips and Iona Energy have surrendered a total of 350 oil drilling leases covering more than 2 million acres of the Arctic Ocean.  …

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UK electricity grid crashed on Monday

Candle

British energy supplies fell below critical levels on Monday night as several UK power stations broke down, according to Kiran Stacey in the Financial Times: “Power prices jumped to £1,250 per megawatt hour at one point as the company that runs the UK’s electricity network rushed to make sure there …

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France discusses shale gas import ban

LNG Tanker

Following accusations of hypocrisy in the French media, energy minister, Segolene Royal is discussing with French parliament a potential ban on the import of U.S. shale gas. France has banned shale gas exploration using hydraulic fracking for environmental reasons.  However, this has not prevented French energy companies importing liquid natural …

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