theangle.org

Power Station, Victoria. Credit: Damian Baker.

by Bill Hudson:

From Australian Energy Review for week ending 21 January 2010

The Australian Energy Market Operator reports that the spot price for wholesale South Australian Electricity hit $1692.17/MWh on the 15^th of January due to  planned outages at two SA generators (15 January 2010)

China and India will outstrip the US in energy consumption by 2015, according to David Tow from the Future Planet Research Centre.  (16 January 2010)

New York based Terra Energy & Resources has announced a doubling of its Tasmanian oil and gas exploration program in conjunction with Australian based Terralina P/L  (17 January 2010)

Water Sanity has reproduced a full text of Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott’s address on the environment to the Sydney Institute  (18 January 2010)

Bloomberg reports that global oil shortages are expected to push up prices in 2011  (18 January 2010)

Your Oil and Gas News has reported that Chevron has awarded a $20 million LNG contract for geotechnical investigations associated with the Wheatstone LNG project to Golder Associates  (18 January 2010)

Scoop NZ reports that the commissioning of Mighty River Power’s Nga Awa Purua geothermal power station near Taupo will add 132 MW of power to the NZ grid  (18 January 2010)

TVNZ reports on the new joint US/NZ US$11 million wind generation facility at Scott Base in Antarctica. Similar reports from mercopress, the Green News Journal, Business Green and Reuters UK (18 January 2010)

Bloomberg reports that Merrill Lynch claim that delays and cancellations to Australia-Pacific LNG projects could have a downward pressure on prices with an increased number of other supply options coming online for Asian based buyers. (18 January 2010)

ABC reports that the Carnegie Corporation has begun construction on a pilot 5MW wave energy plant at Perth’s Garden. The project is expected to be a precursor to Australia’s first commercial wave-powered generation project. Explanatory report in the Sunday Times and state government involvement explained at Business News (18 January 2010)

Fairfax media reports that Australia’s major renewable energy producers are calling on the Rudd government to remove solar hot water systems from the renewable Energy Target because of the downward pressure they are having on the price of Renewable Energy Certificates. (18 January 2010)

The Climate Group released its annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions report, showing a drop of 1.8 percent in Australia’s emissions. The drop was put down to Australia’s sluggish economy and a mild winter. (18 January 2010)

The Jakarta Post reports that Indonesian electricity prices may rise, according to an analyst from Standard Chartered bank (18 January 2010)

AAP reports that Xstrata employees at the Bulga open-cut coal mine in the Hunter Valley took industrial action over the weekend of 16-17 January. This prompted Xstrata to order a lockout of employees on Tuesday January 19. Reuters adds that the strike will affect production, but not exports. (18 January 2010)

The Mt Druitt Standard reports that Waste Services NSW has opened the seventh of what will eventually be eight methane-powered generators at its Eastern Creek facility in Western Sydney. When complete the project is expected to be able to supply power to 8,000 houses on the national electricity grid.  (18 January 2010)

The Australian Financial Review reports that AGL and Origin Energy have been named as leading bidders for NSW electricity assets in the upcoming privatisation. (18 January 2009)

AAP reports that generator Energex expects demand for electricity in southeast Queensland to rise over the coming week due to rising temperatures. (18 January 2010)

The Australian reports that NSW coal exports jumped 20 percent in 2009. (18 January 2010)

The New York Times reports that Micronesia is mounting a legal challenge to the extension of a Czech coal fired power station due to the impact of its greenhouse gas emissions. (19 January 2010)

ABC Southeast Victoria reports that Acciona Energy‘s proposed Mortlake wind-farm has moved closer to reality after receiving approval from three regulatory agencies. (19 January 2010)

AAP reports that the Victorian government is funding a mapping project of potential geothermal sites in western Victoria  (19 January 2010)

The Taranaki Daily News reports a price freeze by Opunake Hydro. (19 January 2010)

WA Business News reports that Perth based Pacific Energy has won a contract to build own and maintain the power station at the Duketon gold project (19 January 2010)

Tendersinfo reports that New Zealand’s production of crude oil jumped nearly 20 percent in the quarter ending September, largely due to the Maari field reaching full production  (19 January 2010)

The National Business Review (NZ) reports that Horizon Energy is mulling a take over of the Eastern Bay Energy Trust. (19 January 2010)

NZnewsUK reports that Infratil has sold its stake in renewable energy generator Aust Energy Developments for A$140 M (19 January 2010.

Electricity Spot Market Price by Region for week ending January 18 2010

NOTE: All prices reported are exclusive of GST.

Source AEMO
–
Bill Hudson
Australian Energy Review
australian.energy.review@gmail.com

Australian Energy Review and its republishers takes no responsibility for investment decisions made on the basis of information supplied. Readers should conduct their own independent due diligence before investing. All dollar figures quoted are Australian Dollars unless otherwise noted.

(c) in this format is held. All rights, including reproduction, reserved. Reproduction inquiries welcomed.