Feature
Carbon Capture - Going underground
Carbon capture and storage has been put forward as a viable option for keeping coal-fired power firmly on the energy agenda. Pauline McCallion finds out what stands in the way of this part of the climate change solution
All Clear?
Despite a recent large increase in volumes, clearing for commodities remains a contentious issue, with little agreement on what the best business model should be, and insufficient standardisation, say market participants. Rachel Morison investigates
Solar Power - Dark times for solar power
This year looks tough for solar power, with Spain, the largest market in 2008, capping new production. Finding private financing is harder, making clear feed-in tariff policies essential, finds Vanya Dragomanovich
Give us credit
Credit is widely seen as the biggest challenge facing energy risk managers in 2009, with many believing a radical overhaul of existing risk practices is due. Pauline McCallion investigates
A barren landscape
The credit crunch has changed the investment landscape for major energy infrastructure projects, as companies review capex plans and finance drains away. Roderick Bruce examines the implications
Managing credit risk - Escaping credit risk
Managing credit risk is now one of the most pressing issues in energy trading. Britta Berlinghof, senior credit officer at Nuon, looks at implications of the 2008 crisis, and suggests some best practices in managing credit risk
To be or not to be in 2009?
Commodity hedge funds performed particularly badly last year, losing over $200 billion collectively, with 15% of energy funds now closing shop. Michael Laznicka of Gardner Finance asks whether commodity funds will reappear and recover in 2009
Choppy outlook
Dry freight rates begin the year at levels far below the start of 2008 on plummeting demand. Peter Norfolk at SSY discusses the outlook for 2009
LNG buyer, beware
LNG aggregators are becoming increasingly active in LNG markets but buyers need to be aware of key issues during purchase negotiations with them, write Susan Farmer and Ben Smith of Fulbright & Jaworski
One stop shop
The world’s biggest commodity exchanges continue to expand the range of products they offer, often into diverse commodity classes. Rachel Morison looks at the benefits and drawbacks for traders as commodity exchanges branch out beyond their traditional…
Clean and transparent
The process of approving CDM projects, though generally much quicker than it used to be, is still not as transparent as people would like, finds Katie Holliday
European energy outlook
2008 was a rollercoaster year for Europe's energy markets. Roderick Bruce interviews trading CEOs and other senior executives to see how they envisage Europe's gas & power markets developing in the year ahead
From Russia with hub
Ambitious plans to turn Baumgarten into Europe's most liquid gas hub face many challenges, but if successful could radically change the continent's gas trading landscape. Roderick Bruce reports
Ready for takeoff?
With aviation joining the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in 2012, Alex Meredith of Hunton & Williams asks whether the aviation sector is ready and looks at the potential impact on the carbon market
Oil change
George W. Bush ruled that the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve was to be released in significant amounts only in a national emergency. But incoming US president Barack Obama could change that, finds Susan Arterian
Ready for any weather
Roderick Bruce looks back at the highlights of the Weather Risk e-symposium, a live online conference hosted by Energy Risk in late November
Adapting to change
The buoyant commodity job market of the last four years is changing as the financial crisis pares down trading opportunities across all asset classes. This new employment landscape will require both commodity firms and traders to learn new strategies to…
The three flavours of VaR
Each of the three methods of calculating value-at-risk has its pros and cons. Brian Shydlo of Sirius Solutions examines them
Garth Edward
GARTH EDWARD, head of emission markets at Citi, talks to Rachel Morison about delivering both finanical and social results, and the prospect of a global carbon emissions scheme