Issue Drill Down: Feature Articles
BG Group: planned acquisition of Origin Energy has potential problems
UK natural gas producer BG Group has signaled its interest in Australia's Origin Energy through a A$12.9 billion (GBP6.2 billion) takeover offer. However, Origin's asset mix differs significantly from that of BG Group and selling on Origin's core activities following the acquisition in order to align their respective operations could prove to be a headache for the UK energy giant.
8 May 2008
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Systeme U making a U-turn on E85
Systeme U is to stop selling E85 bioethanol at its filling stations, while other fuel retailers have demonstrated a reluctance to install E85 pumps. Plans to stop selling the fuel are being driven by a lack of consumer demand, perhaps because the French government has not yet developed a taxation system that offers sufficient incentives for motorists to purchase E85 vehicles.
6 May 2008
Coal use set to increase in the global energy mix
A combination of strong demand, record oil and gas prices, concerns over energy security and a reluctance to recommit to nuclear energy, has seen a renaissance of coal in the European energy mix. This is a trend closely mirrored in the US and Asia. However, while coal might help to fill growing energy security gaps, it raises some profound environmental questions.
1 May 2008
Offshore wind in Germany likely to see increased M&A activity
The German government has proposed a reform of the federal Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) which provides for increased feed-in tariffs. However, the draft amendments are more likely to boost offshore wind M&A activity in Germany than they are to facilitate the government's target of expanding offshore wind generation capacity through new build development projects.
1 May 2008
Forecourt retailing: bottled water is liquid gold for service stations
In Norway, the NRK Brennpunkt documentary program has highlighted the extent to which sales of bottled water have become highly lucrative for a number of retail channels, including petrol stations. However, as large stocks of bottled water can take up a significant proportion of shops' display space, fuel retailers need to think of ways in which they can best utilize the room at their disposal.
29 Apr 2008
EU ETS under fire from carbon-intensive industries
Several carbon-intensive industries have claimed that plans to make companies pay for carbon permits previously distributed for free under the EU's carbon trading system could hurt the energy industry. Although in reality many of these industries will be well placed to adapt to and even benefit from the ETS in the longer term, competition concerns are growing among Member States.
24 Apr 2008
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