Regulation
Power companies to be hit by US financial reforms: expert
Senate financial reform bill could leave power companies facing major collateral problems
Shell Energy chief: US financial reform bill could dislocate energy prices
The newly approved US financial reform bill will have unintended consequences, which include a dislocation between supply/demand fundamentals and energy prices in the longer term, says Mark Quartermain, president of Shell Energy North America (US)
FERC inquiry to tackle price distortions
The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has launched an inquiry into spot market price caps in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC)
Kyoto suspension will disadvantage Bulgarian compliance companies
Bulgaria's emissions trading suspension set to impact companies trading on EU ETS
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.
BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill to affect EU shale gas projects
BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill will lead to approval and production delays in the European shale gas industry as governments crack down on environmental safety regulations.
Industrials to be granted OTC derivative exemptions
While the EC considers exempting non-financial energy users from clearing obligations, Katie Holliday speaks to industry experts about what impacts they think this move may have
New regulation could open up French power market
A slow response to the EU’s liberalisation directive has left the French power market lagging behind some European markets in terms of liquidity, but recent regulatory proposals are set to open up the market and may spell the end of regulated tariffs…
US power market concern over FERC credit reforms
The US FERC’s recent move to standardise credit policies across the US power market has led some participants to question the application of a ‘one size fits all’ approach across the organised wholesale markets. Pauline McCallion reports
CBI: Quarter of UK power plants face closure
Independent business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned the latest draft of the European Union Directive for Industrial Emissions could force at least a quarter of the UK’s power plants to close, which would raise a major…
CFTC pushes on with regulatory sweep
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) moved to increase oversight of several unregulated energy contracts today, even though broader financial reform from Congress could negate the action.
OTC reform could strengthen support for energy position limits
The debate over derivatives regulation could provide momentum for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to impose position limits on energy trading proposed in January.
Reform bill passes Ag Committee before full Senate debate
The US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry has approved the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act, containing some of the strongest derivatives reforms proposed since the financial crisis.
Chinese CDM project approval drops
The Chinese government's approval rate for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects has dropped by over a third since December 2009, amid continued fears that Chinese CDM-generated Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) credits will not be allowed to be…
Tories plan to phase out UK Renewables Obligation
The Conservative Party has responded to rumours it is preparing to overhaul the UK's renewable energy policy by confirming that, if elected, it will phase out the government's Renewables Obligation scheme.
Clearing exemption too close to call
Exempting commercial hedgers from mandatory clearing could create a loophole for the institutional investors often blamed for driving up commodity prices, according to the chief lawyer for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Focus on India: Power market regulation
Despite a growing will to liberalise power markets in India, progress has been slow so far. However, regulatory changes are finally moving the market towards better transparency and competition, finds Katie Holliday
UNFCCC official: public and private sectors must work together on CDMs
The relationship between the public and private sector needs to be strengthened at a quicker pace to ensure the future of project-based mechanisms such as clean development mechanism (CDM) and joint implementation (JI) projects, says a United Nations…
Power market must act on clearing to avoid mandatory limits, says EEX CEO
Individual participants in the European power markets need to be proactive on clearing if they are to avoid enforced mandatory limits, according to chief executive officer of the European Energy Exchange (EEX) Hans-Bernd Menzel.
CFTC and Ferc continue turf war over transmission rights
Wholesale electricity market participants yesterday called for an exemption for energy end-users from legislation that could see the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) increase its jurisdictional powers over the sector.
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.
UN seeks alternatives to CDM
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects will not ultimately deliver, so the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) CDM Executive Board is looking at alternative mechanisms to implement beyond 2012, said Martin Hession, who is…
Yvo de Boer: Cop 16 won’t produce binding agreement
Countries such as China and India will not enter a legally binding agreement at the next United Nations Climate Change conference (Cop16) in Cancun, Mexico at the end of 2010, predicts Yvo de Boer, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework…