19.12.2009

Strategies are sets of policies under the control of a government and other decision makers involved in making decisions about the supply of electricity or energy policy in general. These include decisions about the capacity of new generating plants and the types of fuel to be consumed; decisions about investments in supporting energy infrastructure, such as pipelines and LNG terminals; levels of mandated reserve generating capacity; rules setting minimum or maximum shares of generating capacity by fuel used; dispatch order of electricity generation; administrative controls on land use; policies to control GHG-emission levels; policies regarding electricity pricing by segments; policies regarding subsidies offered; regarding desired offsets or trade-offs between security of supply, price and emission levels. The important issue is for decision makers to understand what the trade-offs are and what drives the differences between strategies, so that in the final analysis policy course will result from political processes and discourses and political trade-offs. A decision about priorities among different criteria, such as cost versus the depletion of indigenous natural gas supplies (namely where domestic depletion or cost is less of a concern. If cost is less of a concern then Israel can focus more on LNG)

18.12.2009

In October 2009, Siemens sealed a deal to acquire Solel Solar Systems paying $418 million for the Beit Shemesh-based solarthermal energy systems manufacturer. Solel Solar is one of the world’s two leading suppliers of solar receivers – key components of parabolic trough power plants.

Market conditions can vary vastly over the life time of a gas sales contract, especially as many of these contracts are long term (even up to 25 years). It is therefore often desirable to have a means of modifying the price formula over time. The advantage of such clauses is that it allows the parties to adjust the pricing provisions over time and protects both sides against the risk of losing money in the long term. Price reviews are potentially good for a natural gas buyer if he believes that fuel prices are going to increase.

The disadvantage is that such clauses are extremely difficult to draft and that it somewhat negates the concept of a long term contract since if the parties fail to agree to the new terms of the contract, it could become invalid. It also complicates achieving FC. Price reviews are also problematic because it in fact means that the parties are not committed beyond the date of the next preview and one party may find itself out of the GSA contract (seller having invested and has no client and consumer with a power station and no gas) if no agreement can be reached.

PENRA was created & authorized to be the sole national authority responsible for managing the Palestinian energy sector, including but not limited to policy formulation, development, restructuring, & coordination. The Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority has the following objectives: Ensure that the electricity supply is delivered to citizens through developing and rehabilitating internal electricity networks and main electricity lines; Completing the Rural Electricity Project to provide electricity to all citizens; Rehabilitating the Gaza electricity generation station; Nationalization the high voltage transmission sector by creating the Palestine Electric Transmission Ltd (PEATL); Privatization of the distribution sector by creating several distribution companies in the Gaza Strip & the West Bank; Reduce the cost of electricity consumption through setting plans for interconnectivity with Arab regional electricity and gas networks and for procuring petroleum; Continuing work towards effective exploitation of the Gaza gas field off the Gaza coastline and using natural gas to generate electricity. Developing alternative energy sources, including renewable energy; improving the financial performance of the electricity sector by applying the Electricity Law, incorporating distribution companies, reducing net lending, and curbing illegal consumption.

Oil or gas field that has estimated in excess of 1 billion barrels of oil which can be extracted or the gas equivalent thereof.

Namely peak oil when maximum production level is achieved, when world oil production reaches a maximum and production starts declining.

Alexander’s Gas & Oil Connections site provides an extensive gathering of news on the global gas, oil and energy developments.

16.12.2009
14.12.2009

Award given to the country esteemed to have the worst input in negotiations during United Nations climate change negotiations