China seeks direct talks with OPEC

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - China wants to start direct negotiations with OPEC to secure a stable oil supply and an equitable share of the oil market, a top official said here Monday, in comments that underline the Chinese economy's rapidly growing energy needs.

Zhai Jun, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs, told conference participants in Dubai that his country was trying to develop "a negotiating mechanism with OPEC."

"Only through this can we maintain security and stability of our oil imports," Zhai said in a speech to the Arab Strategy Forum here.

Is Peak Oil Pessimism a Generation of Men Coming to Realise How Useless They Are?

One of the main impacts of the Age of Cheap Oil, the great Petroleum Party so rapidly drawing to a close, has been the monumental deskilling that has gone on during that time. A friend of mine recently told me of a friend of his 14 year old son, who had grown up eating sliced bread, and was unable to actually cut a slice of bread from a loaf! How many people now know how to cook, garden, build, repair, mend, pickle, prune or scythe? In the space of two generations, we have lost so much basic knowledge and skills that previous generations learnt by osmosis without even thinking about it.

Sustainability Champion

The reality of our time was captured long ago by H.G. wells’ observation that we are in a race between education and catastrophe.

On the Road Again: How the world got addicted to oil, and where biofuels will take us

How to value a grandchild: First, choose your discount rate

Good to the Last Drop

I have recently been alerted to what many people term "peak oil." I don't know how to characterize my feelings regarding this subject. Obsession might be a good term. I feel that I need to prepare. What do you think? Is "peak oil" another Y2K?

Renewable Resources: An Investment Hedge Against Peak Oil

The long-term trend of resource depletion - manifested today in the "peak oil" phenomenon - poses a severe challenge to an investor. Where do you find lasting value in a scenario where rising energy costs impact every industry and business, inflate all currencies, and make location value unpredictable as transport patterns reorganize?

Albania finds power in global market

The Albanian power corporation said Tuesday it had reached agreement with three international companies to secure electricity supply for three months. In the meantime, it has instituted power cuts as supply from local hydropower has been reduced because of a lack of rain.

New Alberta Premier: No Plans to Slow Energy Development

Alberta Premier-Designate Ed Stelmach, the new de facto leader of the province, said Monday that he has no plans to slow down the development of Alberta's oil and gas resources.

However, he does plan to seek changes to the province's oil and gas royalty regime, and in particular will look to encourage heavy crude producers to process their output in Alberta.

OPEC chief estimates oil oversupply at one million bpd

ABU DHABI - OPEC president and Nigerian Oil Minister Edmund Daukoru said there was an oversupply of oil of some one million barrels daily on world markets, the official Emirati WAM news agency reported.

Oil, gas, production in Russia over 11 months grows

MOSCOW(Itar-Tass) - The oil production in Russia over 11 months amounted to 439 million tonnes, which is 9.7 million tonnes more than a year ago, the economic news agency PRIME-TASS reports with reference to the Central Control Department of the fuel and energy complex.

The export of Russian oil amounted to 225.85 million tonnes, which is 4.687 million tonnes more than in January-November of 2005.

Australia's energy future more costly

Angola to peak in 2011

Qatar, Japan's energy white knight

TOKYO - Qatar is expected to emerge as a country that holds the key to Japan's future energy security as it becomes the country's biggest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) around 2010.

Oil firms say Norway needs more offshore exploration

OSLO, NORWAY — Norway needs to open up new offshore oil exploration areas and step up the search in existing zones if it is to remain a key oil exporter, a national oil industry association report said Monday.

“We have no time to lose,” it said. “Exploration activity must be intensified and its results must be improved.”

Malaysia calls for sustainable expansion of palm oil plantations

J-Power Aims to Raise Overseas Profits; Shares Jump

J-Power, Japan's biggest coal-power generator, is stepping up investment abroad to capture rising demand in China, Vietnam and Thailand, where economic growth is increasing electricity use. Utilities are building coal power stations after crude oil prices more than doubled since 2003, and J-Power aims to use its expertise in plants that cut pollution from burning the fuel.

Raymond J. Learsy: An Energy Agenda for a Newly Energized Congress (Part III)- Curbing Oil's Influence

The current influence of the oil industry on our government, the executive branch, Congress, and friendly court jurisdictions has permitted the oil industry to call the shots on regulation, royalty payments, access to public lands and on. Our government has become so wedded to oil's purported needs at the expense of the national interest that it is well past time that steps be taken to right this gross imbalance.

Expert: Careful on biofuel subsidies

MUNCIE, Ind. -- A recent study states that government subsidies for the ethanol industry need to be more critically evaluated, but ethanol supporters say the billions of dollars government funding has helped the industry grow.

$800M will benefit renewable energy

More than 600 renewable energy projects are being funded by $800 million from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

The money is being allocated in the form of Clean Renewable Energy tax credit bonds that replace interest payments in tax-free form. Applicants are in the process of being notified by the IRS.

Switchgrass Research Aims to Create Ethanol to Power Vehicles for $1 Per Gallon

African solar farms to solve energy crisis?

Satellite-based studies cited in the report show that deploying relatively simple concentrated solar power (CSP) systems over just 0.3 percent of the deserts in the Middle East and North Africa would provide enough power to meet current and future demands from the EU, the Middle East and North Africa.