Europe still contends with China for the title of top buyer of Gazprom PJSC’s pipeline gas, more than two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine slashed its western energy sales. This situation reflects both the Kremlin’s successes and failures. Even after many rounds of international sanctions, Russia still supplies substantial …
Read More »What does Von der Leyen’s Re-Election Mean for Europe’s Future?
The European Parliament’s endorsement on July 18 of German Ursula von der Leyen for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission marks a bid for continuity in the EU’s executive branch with a seasoned politician whose European tenure has been inextricably bound to the fortunes of the …
Read More »Turkey Ready to Expand Gas Exports to EU but Wants Demand Guarantee
Turkey is prepared to increase its natural gas exports to the European Union, provided the EU offers long-term commitments to justify the necessary infrastructure investments, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Tuesday. The EU is striving to secure alternative gas sources to replace Russian supplies that transit through …
Read More »Raw Material Shortages Weigh on EU Ammunition Production
The European Union’s capacity to produce 155 mm artillery ammunition may be less than half as large as public estimates by senior EU officials indicate, affecting the bloc’s ability to keep promises about supplies to Ukraine, Schemes and its partners in a journalistic investigation have found. The finding is a …
Read More »European Reliance on Russian Gas Persists despite Sanctions
A British business that trades in Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by operating an “unusual ship”, has not been breaching the sanctions put in place after the Russian invasion into Ukraine. An investigation by Sky News revealed that one of the largest owner-operators of liquefied gas vessels, Seapeak, has its …
Read More »Shell to Temporarily Halt European Biofuels Project
Shell will pause on-site construction work at a biofuels plant in Rotterdam amid weak market conditions, the supermajor said on Tuesday, as international oil firms continue to re-evaluate their low-carbon energy projects. Shell’s subsidiary Shell Nederland Raffinaderij will temporarily pause on-site construction work at its 820,000 tons-a-year biofuels facility at …
Read More »Europe’s Top Airline to Introduce Surcharge to Cover Cost of Clean Fuel
The Lufthansa Group, the biggest airline group in Europe, is introducing a so-called Environmental Cost Surcharge of up to $77.20 (72 euros) per flight to cover part of the costs for using additional volumes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the Germany-based airline said on Tuesday. The surcharge of between $1.07 …
Read More »Europe Aims to Reduce Reliance on China for Critical Minerals
Europe has been looking for ways to accelerate its rare earth metals production to diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on China as its main supplier. Several minerals will be crucial for the development of the global renewable energy industry, helping energy companies to produce batteries, solar and wind …
Read More »Europe’s Shift from Russian Gas to Pricey LNG
When the EU bombarded Russia with sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine back in 2022, gas was in the spotlight. Russia was the continent’s biggest supplier, and it was about to stop being that. At the time, the dominant mood in Europe was confidence—that even if Russia were to turn …
Read More »U.S. and Europe Race to Reduce Dependence on China for Lithium Supplies
Dubbed “white gold,” lithium is immense valuable in the modern world. Though lithium prices dropped dramatically from the highs achieved in late 2022, China still dominates the lithium supply chain. This continues to spur on multiple countries looking to lay their hands on this valuable metal. Lithium is a critical …
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