Energy News

Russia starts sending gas to east Ukraine rebel zone

Moscow - Russia's Gazprom on Thursday started supplying gas directly to the rebel-controlled area in east Ukraine after pro-Moscow separatist leaders said Kiev had cut supplies, the company's chief said.

Putin visits his EU friend, Hungary's Orban, amid Ukraine tension

Budapest - Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a controversial visit to Budapest on Tuesday, showing the world he still has a friend in Europe in Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban despite East-West tension over Ukraine.

No bird brains, birds are adept at energy conservation

By using special Global Positioning System trackers, scientists have demonstrated the energy-saving flight strategy adopted by migratory birds.

Can Brazil president survive growing Petrobras scandal?

Bras - Mounting allegations that her party received hundreds of millions of dollars in a kickbacks scandal engulfing oil giant Petrobras have sent Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's poll ratings tumbling and could fatally undermine her.

Obama clash looms after Senate passes Keystone

Washington - The US Senate on Thursday approved a bill authorizing construction of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the United States, a Republican priority that faces a presidential veto.

Extraordinary bacteria use energy in its purest form (video)

Bacteria to survive on a variety of energy sources. Nonetheless, scientists were surprised recently to discover new species of bacteria that can survive and function on electricity alone.

Ukraine secures cheap Russian coal and power supplies

Kiev - Moscow promised on Saturday to resume shipping coal and provide electricity to Ukraine for the first time in three years despite Kiev's failure to guarantee energy supplies to Russian-occupied Crimea.

Gas leak kills three at S. Korea nuclear plant

Seoul - Three people were killed in a gas leak Friday at an under-construction atomic reactor in South Korea, but the national nuclear operator ruled out any connection to a cyber-attack that targeted the plant last week.

Sweden to test wireless charging of buses on city roads in 2016

The Swedish city of Södertälje is to begin testing of a new wirelessly charged electric-hybrid city bus system on its roads in 2016 as part of efforts to reduce fuel consumption and pollution in the country.

Bangladeshis use sponges to clean oil spill threatening dolphins

Dhaka - Bangladeshi villagers using sponges, shovels and even spoons worked Friday to clean up a huge oil spill in a protected area that is home to rare dolphins, after environmentalists warned of an ecological "catastrophe".

Sanctions-hit Putin seals energy deals in India

New Delhi - Russia will build 10 more nuclear reactors in energy-starved India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday, after talks with President Vladimir Putin aimed at shoring up ties between the long-time allies.

Ukraine receives first Russian gas since June cut

Kiev - Ukraine said on Tuesday it had received the first deliveries of Russian natural gas since a politically charged price dispute saw Moscow cut off shipments to its Westward-leaning neighbour in June.

New technique offers spray-on solar power

A team has created a new way to harvest solar power by spraying solar cells onto flexible surfaces, representing a step towards easy and cheap solar electricity by simply spraying a surface.

US Supreme Court rejects BP challenge to Gulf settlement

Washington - The US Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear energy giant BP's challenge to a settlement ordering it to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses hurt by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Russia is 'strategic problem' for EU, says Juncker

Brussels - Russia is now a "strategic problem" for the EU amid the crisis in Ukraine, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday, but he insisted Brussels would not be blackmailed by the cancellation of a huge gas pipeline.

Op-Ed: More facilities install energy monitors amid tight budgets

More public facilities are looking for ways to cut energy costs amid a constrained budgetary environment, and many are installing energy monitors and smart meters to optimize their electricity consumption.

Putin scraps South Stream gas pipeline on Turkey visit

Ankara - President Vladimir Putin on Monday unexpectedly announced Russia was shelving the multi-billion dollar South Stream pipeline project to deliver Russian gas to the Europe, blaming the EU for throwing obstacles in its path.

Putin meets Erdogan to strengthen Russia-Turkey ties

Ankara - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday held talks in Ankara with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin aimed at boosting trade and strengthening relations, despite sharp differences over the crises in Syria and Ukraine.

Fire causes shutdown at Belgian nuclear reactor

Brussels - A fire caused the shutdown of a nuclear reactor in eastern Belgium on Sunday, media reports said, making it the fourth reactor to go offline in the country.

Putin, Erdogan turn blind eye to Russia-Turkey differences

Istanbul - Shrugging off disputes that could have wrecked other relationships, the strongmen leaders of Russia and Turkey are pursuing a tight alliance at a time of chilly relations with the West.

U.S. oil prices open $4.40 lower following OPEC meeting

New York - U.S. oil prices sank more than $4 in opening trade Friday, a day after OPEC decided to not cut production in response to lower prices.Near 1400 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in January stood at $69.

Oil plunges to new multi-year lows on OPEC decision

New York - Global oil prices plunged Friday to new multi-year lows after the OPEC oil-producing cartel decided to maintain crude output in an oversupplied market.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in January closed at $66.

U.S. Senate rejects Keystone pipeline in close vote

Washington - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday narrowly rejected a bill that would have approved construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to bring crude oil to Gulf coast refineries from Canada's controversial tar sands.

Japan governor approves first reactor restart

Toukyo - The final obstacle to restarting two nuclear reactors in Japan was removed Friday when local politicians granted approval for a plant to go back online, more than three years after the Fukushima disaster.

EU, Russia, Ukraine seal breakthrough gas accord

Brussels - Russia agreed to resume gas deliveries to war-torn Ukraine through the winter in an EU-brokered, multi-billion dollar deal signed by the three parties in Brussels on Thursday.

Ukraine-Russia gas talks resume with hopes of breakthrough

Brussels - Hopes of a breakthrough rose Thursday as the EU opened the latest round of talks aimed at persuading Russia to resume gas deliveries to war-torn Ukraine in time for winter.

Germany calls for end to Azerbaijan-Armenia bloodshed

Baku - Germany's foreign minister Thursday urged an end to the festering conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia amid a fresh international drive for peace.

EU leaders struggle for 'difficult' climate deal

Brussels - European Union leaders warned it would be tough to seal a high-stakes climate change deal as they began talks Thursday on a pact aimed at making Brussels a global trailblazer for decades to come.

Putin calls on Europe to help Ukraine pay gas debts

Milan - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called on Europe to help Kiev cover its gas debts with Russia following talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko.

Government-backed smart meters put GB homeowners in control

Starting next year, the Government’s smart meter programme will be rolling out smart gas and electricity meters to all GB homes and small businesses before 2020.