Environmental Report Names Top Polluters

Ten power plants in the Northeast last year produced a third of the region’s carbon dioxide emissions, considered a major contributor to global warming, according to a report released Tuesday by a coalition of environmental groups.

Brayton Point Station, a predominantly coal-fired plant in Somerset, was the top carbon dioxide emitter, the report said.

The report said Brayton Point released 5.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the air in 2004, representing nearly 5 percent of the total released in the nine-state region.

Yahoo

Iran Needs Foreign Firms to Stop Oil Depletion

IranDaily Times (Pakistan)

To Market, To Market

“There is no intrinsic reason that fresh produce should only be sold in air-conditioned buildings under fluorescent lights. Open air markets should provide good selection, quality and price in order to attract a wide range of customers,” he said. Along with the concept of free markets, Johnson said it is important to develop a local […]

Regional Power Grid Operator Reports Largest-Ever Peak Load

Regional power grid operator PJM Interconnection LLC said it set a world record Tuesday afternoon with a peak load of about 135,000 megawatts – enough to power 108 million homes under normal conditions. “It was the largest load ever dispatched,” said PJM spokesman Ray Dotter. PJM coordinates the movement of electricity between 13 states ranging […]

Cost of Electricity Rising Like Summer Heat

The higher cost is not a good sign for the economy. Paying for the extra kilowatt hours will hit consumer pocketbooks later this summer or early in the fall – one of the peak retail periods, when many families could be wandering the aisles for back-to-school purchases. And the cost of beating the heat is […]

Britons ‘cannot afford holiday’

As many as 30% of Britons will not be taking a holiday [vacation] this year, it has been revealed. Of those doing without a break, more than two in five said they just could not afford a holiday, the survey from the More Than company found. And of those who are getting away, 13% plan […]

Why travel at all?

Forget llama-kayaking on the Limpopo, stuff carving pogo-sticks in Patagonia – and as for Greek ferries, don’t even start. Lucy Mangan doesn’t do holidays abroad. Why travel at all when home is all you need?

.. if you are lucky enough, as I am, to be what I call self-confident and others call bloody-minded, have a home and a job that you like and require nothing more for contentment in your life than to be left alone to live it your way, then why in the name of Thomas Cook would you want to leave it?

The Guardian

But Russia is Even Colder than Britain!

Russia has become almost as large a producer of oil as Saudi Arabia (and may have passed it in the odd month over the past year). Their exports play a significant part in the overall world supply so that any fluctuations in production, particularly since they lie outside OPEC can have a significant impact. Interfax gives the numbers from this January to May:

Oil exports from Russia in January-May 2005 increased 2% year-on-year to 103.8 million tonnes, the Federal State Statistics Service said, quoting Federal Customs Service figures.

According to the statistics, which include figures for Belarus, oil exports in May amounted to 22.7 million tonnes – up 11.6% from May 2004.

Oil production, not including condensate, in Russia in May 2005 amounted to 9.19 million barrels per day, in April – 8.9 million bpd, and in March – 9.21 bpd. For comparison, oil production in Saudi Arabia in these months amounted to 9.507 bpd, 9.438 bpd, and 9.322 bpd respectively.

The figure comparison with Saudi Arabia are worth looking at, given that the EIA table is showing that Saudi Arabia has been producing at 9.5 to 9.6 mbd in that time frame.

The comparison is explored in even more depth after the jump at The Oil Drum.

Worldwide Demand for Uranium Places Utah in Mining Mix

In western Colorado and eastern Utah, where salt wash deposits and sandstone hold uranium ore, there’s a scramble on for mining claims, a demand for processing facilities and a clamor for miners. The latest race for uranium yellowcake, spurred by plans for increased nuclear power across the globe, follows years when claim activity was nearly […]

N.S. needs new energy strategy due to falling gas reserves – policy group. (Cana

 Nova Scotia needs a new energy strategy now that assumptions of plentiful natural gas are proving vastly over-optimistic, says a report prepared by a Halifax-based think-tank. The study, released late Monday, notes that gas-reserve estimates off Sable Island have been reduced by almost 60 per cent in recent years. “Offshore activities continue to decline,” writes […]

Looming Energy Crunch Fuels International Conflict and Instability

Expanding oil production to meet demand is not a solution, and would only ease the shortfall temporarily: reserves are being depleted three times faster than new oil sources are being discovered, and most older, more easily exploited fields have passed their peak output.

Climate change inevitable: Minister

AUSTRALIANS should expect higher temperatures, more droughts, severe cyclones and storm surges as a result of inevitable climate change, a new study has found.The Climate Change, Risk and Vulnerability report findings could be considered alarming but the changes would take place over time, Environment Minister Ian Campbell said.

UK power industry backs future role for nuclear

Britain’s biggest energy suppliers on Monday backed the future use of nuclear power in the UK and urged the government to reduce obstacles to the construction of new reactors. The Association of Electricity Producers (AEP), whose members include EDF, E.ON, RWE and Scottish and Southern Energy, said a new fleet of reactors would benefit Britain […]

Horizon oilsands project on time and on budget, Canadian Natural Resources says

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.’s Horizon oilsands project in Northern Alberta is being developed on time and on budget, the big Calgary energy company said Tuesday. In its latest regular quarterly update on the Horizon project, Canadian Natural said the company continued detailed engineering and infrastructure development at the oilsands operation and increased its project management […]

Oil Prices Move Higher on Strong Demand

Oil prices rose Tuesday on expectations of continued strong demand and in anticipation that weekly data from the U.S. government will show a decline in crude oil inventories. “Following the trend of recent weeks, the high rate of refinery utilization should result in a dip in crude inventories, which will help tighten the market,” said […]

England’s Weather Is Not As Warm As Ours…

At a time when a secure source of energy is starting to get more attention with national governments, it is not at all evident that there has been as much planning as needed to cover the rising problems. Consider, for example, the concerns that are now being expressed in England over the possible shortage of gas this winter. Just as was the case in the United States back in 1977 (see last Tuesday’s post below the fold) the UK seems to be heading toward a real possible shortage of fuel this winter. There are two problems…

More after the jump at The Oil Drum.

The Bush Dilemma – The Iraq Gamble Simply Cannot Fail

Do not expect the Bush Administration, or any Democratic administration that replaces it to pull out of Iraq. To do so in the face of Peak Oil would be to pull the plug from America’s economy, which would be like removing the drain plug from the oil pan of your favorite SUV and driving it […]

US Energy Bill Backs Ethanol, Not Oil Savings Plan

To stretch America’s gasoline supplies, a joint Senate-House conference committee racing to finish a U.S. energy bill voted late on Monday to almost double production of the motor fuel additive ethanol to 7.5 billion gallons a year by 2012. However, the full panel rejected a proposal to reduce U.S. oil consumption by 1 million barrels […]

Siberian oil far from politics

Here at the base camp of the Salym oilfield a rare visitor is greeted by a “what to do if you encounter a bear” poster and strong advice to use as much mosquito repellent as possible.

The place seems barely touched by the millions of petrodollars that gush from Russia’s pipelines every year

Standing on the western Siberian taiga (or forest) 500 kilometres from the nearest airport, the world oil markets might as well be another planet.

This unpromising spot is at the sharp end of Russia’s swashbuckling brand of capitalism – but is curiously untouched by the tumults that have shaken the oil business in the past few years.

BBC

Strong oil demand lifts BP profit

Oil giant BP has unveiled record first half profits for 2005 on the back of rising world demand for oil.

The UK firm made record first-half replacement cost profits of $10.47bn (

US negotiators finish work on energy bill

House of Representatives and Senate negotiators finished work on Tuesday on energy legislation that aims to boost traditional oil, natural gas and electricity supplies and would double production of the gasoline additive ethanol.

The panel of lawmakers rejected a proposal to reduce U.S. oil consumption by 1 million barrels per day and also turned down a plan to require utilities to generate more electricity from renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.

Reuters

Looking Back to the Peak: A Letter from the Future

The following is a letter written in 2024 to a writer seeking information on the unfolding energy crisis from a newly appointed U. S. member of the hastily formed International Committee on the Energy Emergency. Dear Robert, Your question about how the world reached such a crisis in energy is both easy and difficult to […]

I Cannot Yet Skin A Deer

Rare is the opportunity to use authentic, down ‘n’ dirty rural survival skills in the city. It’s true. You don’t need to know, for example, how to skin a deer or pickle your own asparagus or nurture an understanding of which kind of deadwood is best for cookin’ pig snouts over the fire pit, or […]

Conflicts’ Costs May Exceed $700 Billion

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have already cost taxpayers $314 billion, and the Congressional Budget Office projects additional expenses of perhaps $450 billion over the next 10 years. That could make the combined campaigns, especially the war in Iraq, the most expensive military effort in the last 60 years, causing even some conservative experts […]

OPEC Jul Output +600,000 B/D on Mo on UAE

UAE output rose sharply in July to 2.5 million b/d from 2.15 million b/d the previous month as field maintenance ended, Petrologistics head Conrad Gerber told Dow Jones Newswires. Iraq also increased supplies by 150,000 b/d to 1.95 million b/d in July as engineers managed to pump some Kirkuk crude for export through the pipeline […]

Science of Oil Rigs: Surviving Gulf Storms

Just a day before hurricane Emily pounded into the Mexican coastline, BP’s recovery team finished righting Thunder Horse, the world’s newest and biggest oil and gas platform, located 150 miles southeast of New Orleans in the Gulf of Mexico. It had partially collapsed during hurricane Dennis – just four months after US Interior Secretary Gale […]

Bush Urges Agencies to Assess Possible Coal Shortage

U.S. President George Bush has asked agencies like the Board of Public Utilities to help evaluate a nationwide coal shortage. On Friday, the North American Electric Reliability Council sent a letter to utility managers about a team being assembled by the U.S. Department of Energy to study reduced coal deliveries because of “limitations established by […]

Indian stocks reach historic high

Shares at India’s benchmark Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) have hit a record high on the back of falling oil prices and strong corporate performances.

The Bombay sensitive index (Sensex) breached the 7,500 mark for the first time in its 130-year history.

Gains were led by oil, gas and steel companies and the sensex closed the day at 7,505.60 points.

BBC

Saving the Rainforest with Eco-Porn

A young Norwegian couple think they have found the way to save the world’s rainforests. What better way to raise money to help the environment, than by starting a pornography Web site? With $120,000 banked in just seven months, eco-porn may be about to change the world.

Der Spiegel English Site

Growth Undaunted by Record Energy Prices: U.S. Economy Preview

The U.S. economy skipped hardly a beat in the second quarter as consumers bought more cars and clothing even while paying record gasoline prices, a report this week may show. Gross domestic product, the sum of all goods and services produced in the U.S., probably rose at a 3.5 percent annual rate from April through […]

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