Thermax, a leading energy and environmental service firm in India, is partnering with Reykjavik Geothermal to develop power plants in India. A 3 MW pilot project in Ladakh has been planned. This deal is in alignment with similar deals Thermal has executed on in the recent past, seeking to strengthen its position as a supplier […]
Geothermal’s resurgence
The Wall Street Journal published today a good review of geothermal energy, which, “spurred by new technology and government funds, is enjoying a resurgence.”
China is the New Energy Dragon
It’s official. China is the world’s largest consumer of energy. This happened a lot sooner — at least five years — than projected thanks to the disproportionate impact of the Great Recession on the U.S. relative to China. More significantly, this is an inexorable phenomenon as the IEA announcement notes: Since 2000, China’s energy demand […]
If China is the “green giant,” how far behind can India be?
If China is the “green giant,” how far behind can India be? A recent story documents how companies are trying to develop technologies, plants, and businesses that convert rice husk into power, recycle electronic waste, commission green data centers, consolidate wind and solar power, and mass produce electric cars. Unlike China where its government is […]
Growth or dividends: Investing in oil
The Wall Street Journal today presented an interesting framework to think about investing in oil. The article takes a rather conservative perspective and suggests that investors should look at oil not for growth but for dividends. So they consider the super majors a better bet than the independents. While several points in the article are […]
Shell’s growing bet on biofuels
Shell’s $1.6 billion investment http:in Brazil’s Cosan to create a $12 billion joint venture indicates the company’s growing comfort with the economics of biofuels. Of course, sugarcane-based ethanol has always been far more viable economically than the U.S. focus on corn ethanol. Nevertheless, creating a separate JV integrating a variety of biofuels routes with an […]
India’s policy on oil and gas exploration and production
I have just published an op-ed article on India’s oil and gas exploration and production policy. It appeared in Business Line, India’s leading business newspaper. The main argument is: That India does not fit ‘Big Oil’s’ strategy need not be disappointing. As the country’s economy grows, ‘Big Oil’ will have to find new business models […]
ConocoPhillips: An unfair rap?
So ConocoPhillips has not done well on the stock market in recent times. It also did not help when Warren Buffett described his super-investment in the company as a “dumb” mistake. Conventional analysis has held ConocoPhillips’ $35.6-billion acquisition of Burlington Resources responsible for its recent woes. We are not convinced. For example, ExxonMobil’s $41-billion acquisition […]
Us vs. them: Information and climate change
It is unlikely that the debate will ever be settled but this is a cool graphic depicting key issues among the climate change deniers and believers.
Shell may sell its refineries to Essar
Shell is discussing the sale of its three European refineries to Essar, as discussed in a previous post, at $4,000 to $5,000 per barrel of capacity. While valuation will depend on the three refineries’ individual configurations and complexity, the transaction is at a significant discount from the industry’s Golden Age. The three refineries with more […]
