Category: News

August 10 2017

Oaktree Is Said to Mull Sale of Spanish Renewable Firm Eolia

The owners of Spanish wind-power firm Eolia Renovables de Inversiones SCR SA are exploring a sale amid bids from other energy providers, people familiar with the matter said. A sale could value the company, which is majority owned by U.S. buyout firm Oaktree Capital Group LLC, at more than 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion), the […]

August 10 2017

Glencore Slashes Debt as It Positions for M&A in Commodities

Glencore Plc built a war chest in the first half of the year, continuing to cut debt as the world’s largest commodities trading house prepares to ramp up acquisitions. While profits improved during the first half, Glencore kept its dividend unchanged and used the extra cash to pay down borrowings. Net debt was $13.9 billion […]

August 10 2017

Next Generation Batteries Could Power Space Projects

Researchers in Japan are closing in on a safer generation of batteries that could weather extreme temperatures in outer space. At least that’s what Hitachi Zosen Corp. is betting on. The Osaka-based company, better known for building plants that convert waste to energy, is developing a new strain of solid-state lithium-ion battery that’s been capturing […]

August 9 2017

The Eclipse Will Give Us a Glimpse of the Future of Natural Gas

By Chris Martin, Mark Chediak and Naureen S. Malik Natural gas is about to get a glimpse of its future role in the U.S. power mix as solar energy’s backup. During the upcoming Aug. 21 eclipse, operators of giant solar fields from California to the Carolinas will rely on power from fast-start natural gas generators as […]

August 9 2017

Gas Sellers Warn Hard-Bargaining Buyers: Market Is Turning

By Naureen S. Malik A worldwide glut of natural gas has buyers of the fuel driving hard bargains and pushing for shorter supply contracts. The only problem with that, according to their sellers: The market’s about to turn against them. Gas buyers have become too focused on the short-term, turning away from long-term contracts, said […]

August 9 2017

Glencore’s Aussie Coal Quest May Drag On as Funding Challenged

By Perry Williams Glencore Plc’s quest for a piece of Rio Tinto Group’s Australian coal business may not be over yet. The Swiss commodity giant’s planned partner to manage the assets, Yancoal Australia Ltd., faces a challenge from a minority shareholder concerned that its stake will be diluted by the $2.5 billion equity raising needed to fund […]

August 9 2017

Elon Musk Inspires World’s Top Miner to Target Electric Vehicle Boom

By David Stringer Observations by Tesla Inc.’s Elon Musk on the key role nickel plays in the electric vehicle boom helped inspire the world’s top miner BHP Billiton Ltd. to invest in new capacity to target rising demand. Amid efforts to improve performance at its nickel operations in Australia, Eduard Haegel, asset president of BHP’s Nickel West […]

August 9 2017

Sweltering Taiwan’s Power Squeeze Risks First Rationing Since 2002

By Samson Ellis and Chinmei Sung A late-summer heat wave, storm-damaged power lines and closed nuclear plants may force Taiwan to ration power for the first time in 15 years. State-owned Taiwan Power Co. has issued a red alert as electricity consumption hit an all-time high Tuesday and the operating reserve margin, the difference between […]

August 9 2017

Nissan Selling Battery Business to GSR for $1 Billion

By Jonathan Browning and Jie Ma Nissan Motor Co. is selling its battery business to Chinese private equity firm GSR Capital for about $1 billion, a person with knowledge of the matter said, as the Japanese carmaker seeks ways to improve competitiveness of its Leaf electric cars while reining in costs. The deal covers Nissan’s battery […]

August 8 2017

Oklahoma’s $100 Electric Car Fee Challenged by Sierra Club

By Ryan Beene and Dana Hull Oklahoma’s bid to help close a budget shortfall with a new $100 fee on electric vehicles drew a court challenge from the Sierra Club, which argues the state didn’t follow the correct procedures for enacting a tax or properly measure the benefits of having those cars on the road. […]