Coal
US power generation: will gas snatch market share from coal?
As the US takes further steps towards developing a low-carbon economy, Pauline McCallion examines the potential implications for power generation and whether gas is set to gain significant market share from coal
Powering up
Utility companies in Japan and South Korea are changing the way they purchase coal after being hit by volatile price swings in coal during the past three years. And their efforts to improve risk management are helping the development of both coal indexes…
Carbon trading to be highly regulated under Senate energy bill
US senators have published a climate change bill establishing a cap-and-trade system for power plants and industrials that permits only exchange-traded and cleared transactions.
US coal states rally against EPA’s greenhouse gases plan
US senator John Rockefeller of West Virginia introduced legislation today to suspend potential Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation of greenhouse gases from stationary sources for two years.
JP Morgan and RBS Sempra Commodities agree $1.7bn deal
RBS Sempra Commodities has sold its global oil, global metals, and European power and gas assets to JP Morgan for $1.7 billion.
FirstEnergy and Allegheny announce $8.5bn merger
FirstEnergy and Allegheny Energy have announced an $8.5 billion stock-for-stock merger transaction that would create a diversified generation portfolio including 2,200 megawatts (MW) of renewables.
Citi names new global commodities head
Stuart Staley has taken over as Citigroup’s global head of commodities, as the bank aims to boost the business by 30-40% over the next three years.
Commodity Rankings: Reclaiming the top spot
The 2010 Risk/Energy Risk Commodity Rankings reveal which companies have been able to prosper despite the difficult conditions of 2009. Lianna Brinded analyses the results and talks to key market participants about their views
Deals of the Year: Essent Trading
Essent Trading in bio-coal deal with Stramproy Green
Standardised US coal contracts could boost liquidity
A drive to standardise OTC contracts in the US coal trading sector could boost liquidity in a market hit hard by recent unfavourable supply and demand fundamentals. Pauline McCallion reports
Spectron opens coal desk
UK energy broker Spectron Group has opened a coal trading desk in London, staffed with two ex-TFS brokers.
The fuel of the future?
Natural Gas
US coal trading picks up steam
While the coal market awaits pricing indexes to reinvigorate trading, emissions trading is getting a boost from increased coal burning. Catherine Lacoursière reports
Seam shifts in central Europe
Gordon Feller looks at the changing coal economies of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovenia and the effect of electricity sector moves in the region
Coal on the rocks
Faced with liquidity problems, falling volumes and uncertainty over the accuracy of price data, coal trading has had many of the same difficulties as the natural gas and power sectors over the past year. How can it get back on its feet, asks Kevin Foster