Feature
Dark markets
New CFTC commodity regulations will close the Enron Loophole withtrading controls of ‘dark market’ trading, reports Daven Voorhies
Suppliers fight for green
A shortage of green power in the US has left some states struggling to meet mandatory renewables supply targets. Long-term supply contracts could help producers build new plants, but utilities and competitive suppliers are feuding over who gets to sign…
Germany's new dawn
For years a liquid, transparent and competitive gas market has failed to appear in Germany. Now there are signs of progress as dominant incumbents, pushed by domestic and international pressure, move slowly towards a market model, writes Roderick Bruce
EEX - An exchange of ideas
The European Energy Exchange is positioning itself as the key trading hub for Europe's energy and emissions markets. Roderick Bruce meets Tim Greenwood, head of UK operations at EEX, and Oliver Maibaum, sales and business development director, to discuss…
Picking up the pace
Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Sri Lanka's state-run oil supplier and refinery, is keen to increase its use of derivatives for hedging. But that's no simple matter for a government-owned company in an emerging market
The big freeze
The US subprime crisis has shown how market illiquidity can affect trading. Yet liquidity risk is a fact of life for commodity firms. William Rhode looks at how to mitigate it
Essent Trading - Scaling barriers
In a frank appraisal of the state of energy trading in Europe, Essent Trading CEO Paymon Aliabadi tells Roderick Bruce about Essent's attempts to overcome the issues that still confront traders, and his vision for an integrated European market
Flight to quality
As volumes grow and investor sophistication increases, the US voluntarycarbon markets are demanding higher quality products and greaterregulatory oversight. David Watkins reports
Build it and they will come
The Energy Data Hub, an initiative to improve data distribution andprice transparency in the US gas and power markets, is due to go livenext month, with wide-ranging implications for energy trading, writesSandy Fielden
Copula modelling
Using copulas and Monte Carlo simulations to model price dependencein energy markets, Vincent Grégoire, Christian Genest and MichelGendron show how forecasts for crude oil and natural gas prices can beimproved by modelling the dependence between them
Turbulent times
Recent oil market turbulence has provided a tough test for airlineslooking to hedge their exposure to rising fuel costs as profits headinto a tailspin. David Watkins reports
Awakening a JI-ant?
Recent policy changes in Russia may finally pave the way for effectivejoint-implementation (JI) projects. Roderick Bruce discovers Russia’scarbon credit potential
Software survey 2008
Energy Risk’s 2008 software survey reveals which systems people prefer, and what advances they want to see next. By Stella Farrington and Andrew Holt
Swing contracts part 2: risks and hedging
John Breslin, Les Clewlow, Chris Strickland and Daniel van der Zee ofLacima Group continue their Masterclass series with a further look atswing contracts. Here they discuss risk and hedging techniques for swingcontracts with take-or-pay, make-up and…
Swing contracts part 2: risks and hedging
John Breslin, Les Clewlow, Chris Strickland and Daniel van der Zee ofLacima Group continue their Masterclass series with a further look atswing contracts. Here they discuss risk and hedging techniques for swingcontracts with take-or-pay, make-up and…
A changing carbon market climate
The EU Emissions Trading Scheme is stepping up a notch with a batch of new measures for its Third Phase. Andrew Holt finds out what carbon market participants think of the new proposals
The prepay delay
Municipal natural gas prepayment deals withered in the second half of 2007 as a result of the credit crisis. While this year has seen a trickle of new deals, greater problems may be lurking. David Watkins reports
Waiting in the wings
The long-mooted inclusion of the aviation sector in the European Union's emissions trading scheme is finally on the radar screen. Roderick Bruce discovers whether stakeholders are ready for take off
FFAs: rocking the boat?
The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) plumbed the depths in early 2008, sinking from record highs in late 2007. Some have blamed derivatives market activity for the sharp fall. Roderick Bruce casts a beady eye over the BDI and asks where prices are heading next
Powerful fusions
Europe’s power exchanges arebecoming increasingly connected asnational transmission grids link up.Roderick Bruce looks at the effect thiswill have on electricity trading
Swing contracts – take it or leave it?
Gas swing contracts are well established, but it is only recently thattechniques have been developed to measure and capture the value intheir flexibility. John Breslin, Les Clewlow, Chris Strickland and Daniel vander Zee of Lacima Group discuss these…
Out of Africa
Nigeria, Libya and Algeria between them produce around 7% of theworld’s oil, a figure that is only expected to grow. With global oil suppliestight, what happens in these, sometimes unstable, oil-producing countrieswill impact heavily on global oil…
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency is fast becoming a resource and a business in its ownright. This month’s special report takes an in-depth look at some of theadvances, challenges and opposition to this growing market