Chief Scientist & Professor of Exploration Geoscience, Heriot-Watt University
Assistant Professor, Durham University
Chair of Urban & Regional Planning and Director of Canberra Urban & Regional Futures, University of Canberra, Visiting Professor, University of Warwick
Associate Professor in Biophysics, University of Pretoria
Production
Portugal fuel crisis continues as talks fail
Portuguese fuel-tanker drivers say they will maintain their strike after a meeting with the Socialist government failed to find an agreement. The 10-hour meeting took place after the drivers said they would suspend the six-day-old strike and hold talks over pay and conditions with their employers’ association, Antram. The authorities are keen to end disruption […]
Transmission
Major UK power cut puts interconnectors in spotlight
The UK should impose limits on the construction of new wind and solar projects to cut blackout risks, according to a former National Grid director, while the use of European interconnectors is also in the spotlight. Colin Gibson, who was power network chief for the UK’s electrical network, said existing turbines and solar panels may […]
Storage
Norway firm plans Nordic battery network
A Norwegian startup, Freyr, says it is planning to build one of Europe’s first battery giga-factories in Norway with plans for a wider “Nordic battery belt”. The firm is still funding its US$4.5-billion project in northern Norway and aims to build four more factories in the country. Copious supplies of renewable energy across the region […]
Consumption
Book Review: Leviathan and the State of ‘Israel’s Mediterranean Gas’
Anyone visiting the Mediterranean in the summer goes for the sea, food, and the unique palette of colors. Purples, pinks, greens, and whites compete for our attention, but blue is the predominant hue. Now, natural gas, the “blue” fuel, is dominating the economic hopes of smaller eastern Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon and Cyprus. Larger […]
Policy
US angered as Gibraltar frees Iranian tanker
An Iranian oil tanker held in Gibraltar since July 4 has been officially released by the authorities in the UK-run enclave but it still faces a US application to seize the vessel. British Royal Marines based in Gibraltar seized the Grace 1 oil tanker on suspicion it was delivering oil to Syria in violation of […]
Environment
World’s largest tidal turbine to be built in Scotland
The main manufacturing contract for what has been described as the world’s most powerful tidal turbine has been awarded to the Aberdeen-based Texo Group. Orbital Marine Power said the award of the contract marked the start of “major construction” on the Orbital O2 tidal stream turbine. Texo’s work would start this year at its quayside […]
Industry
RWE reveals half-year profits boost
RWE, Germany’s biggest energy supplier, said its core profit increased by 20 per cent in the first six months of this year, boosted by an impressive performance at its energy-trading branch. RWE said the first-half figures adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) rose by a fifth to €1.37 billion. Group revenue rose […]
Opinion
Book Review: Leviathan and the State of ‘Israel’s Mediterranean Gas’
Anyone visiting the Mediterranean in the summer goes for the sea, food, and the unique palette of colors. Purples, pinks, greens, and whites compete for our attention, but blue is the predominant hue. Now, natural gas, the “blue” fuel, is dominating the economic hopes of smaller eastern Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon and Cyprus. Larger […]
Bottlenecks, Batteries, and the Battle for Scottish Wind
Over the past 150 years, one cost has vexed the oil and gas industry more than any other: transport. The usually vast distances between producing fields and consuming markets made transportation the highest cost for consuming them. This conundrum is proving just as vexing for renewables in some ways, the most recent case being onshore […]