Political tensions in the Middle East once again remind us of the fragile dependency of the Western nations on imported petroleum, which have driven the price of a barrel of…
During an average week, I will see a few ideas that at first glance appear to be a little crazy. On second glance, some of them still seem crazy, but…
The investment required to meet the UK’s 2020 renewable energy targets is likely to be below £40 billion ($65 billion), not the “intimidatingly large” £200 billion often cited, according to…
There is no happier corner of the fixed income universe, which has been soaring like a bat out of hell for the past two years. Average yields for the bond…
Steve Kopits, Managing Director of Douglas-Westood consulting firm, made a presentation called “Oil, the Economy, and Policy” to the US House of Representatives Energy Subcommittee recently that I thought was…
How should stainless consumers plan their product design and view material purchasing options strategically in the face of such a strong nickel price? It is no secret that during the…
Civil war in Libya. A regime change in Egypt. Growing unrest in Bahrain and Yemen. Protests in Iran. And growing anxiety over the contagion of civil uprising in places like…
China is still the most attractive market for renewables investment, despite facing significant supply chain challenges, while continued economic pressure has put the wider global renewables market “in a state…
Deep sea mining is a relatively new mineral retrieval process that takes place on the ocean floor. Ocean mining sites are usually around large areas of polymetallic nodules or active…
The scramble for alternatives is on. High oil prices, growing concerns over energy security, and the threat of climate change have all stimulated investment in the development of alternatives to…
You would think that with oil crisis levitating over $100/barrel and gasoline continuing its relentless march towards $5/gallon, farmers would be wringing their hands, wondering how they can afford the…
While there’s considerable focus on silver regarding what returns it can gain as an investment asset and as a hedging tool – both valid applications, amidst sovereign debt risks and…
Construction work started at a site close to the UAE border with Saudi Arabia last December, and the first reactor is scheduled to go online in 2017, despite expected delays.…
Investment management giant BlackRock has launched a new renewable power investment group, led by the CEO of Irish utility NTR – marking its first foray into renewable energy infrastructure investing.…
Authoritarian regimes across the Middle East and North Africa are falling apart one by one. Even oil-rich states like Libya, Bahrain, and Oman are not immune to the unrest. But…
As the US enters deflation, and gold rockets up, it’s time to ask what happens when the USD loses its haven status. The leading candidates to compete with the USD…
It must be Groundhog Day. Events in Libya have pushed world oil prices over $100 a barrel yet again. Retail gasoline prices, usually low this time of year, are at…
Butanol may be used as a fuel in an internal combustion engine. Because its longer hydrocarbon chain causes it to be fairly non-polar, it is more similar to gasoline than…
Elizabeth S. Heidrich at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom is leading a team that gives new meaning to the adage, “waste not, want not.” These scientists are reporting via…
A confidential report from the Pentagon just made public says that the 2008 financial crisis was the result of targeted attacks by terrorists groups. A ramp up of oil prices…