Feature
Pioneers
Today's vibrant and dynamic energy markets are a far cry from the illiquid, opaque trading that existed 25 years ago, yet they owe much to the visionary pioneers who started those early markets. Here, Energy Risk honours some of those early pioneers, as…
2005 in review
The energy markets were a dynamic place to be in 2005, with high volatility and an explosion of new players hitting the scene. Inevitably, though, it wasn't all smooth sailing. Energy Risk looks back over the highs and lows of 2005, from the launch of…
To build or not to build
Europe needs more power. But a lack of clear pricing signals and the unknown impact of new environmental legislation is making risk forecasting difficult, and could hinder new plant construction
Industrial users - Taming the flame
Industrial users of natural gas in North America are investing in physical hedges while gradually returning to the financial markets
Europe - An uncertain future
European natural gas demand is expected to rise in the next three decades. But, as Anouk Honore finds, the overall picture is not easy to predict, and depends on what happens in individual countries - particularly Italy and Spain
Prepay agreements - The ten-year pitch
Standard & Poor's recently passed the $1 billion mark in terms of natural gas prepayment deals it has rated since 2003. Joe Marsh looks at how these work and why municipal utilities might want to consider them
Coal turns a corner
Asian coal-trading is still proving a tough nut to crack. But the underlying market is developing, and a growing need for better risk management suggests it is only a matter of time before a paper market takes off
Counting on coal
NRG Energy's move to buy Texas Genco seems a wise one for a company with strong dark-spread exposure, but it has its risks, despite the target company being backed by an active hedging programme. Joe Marsh reports
Papering over the cracks
High energy prices are forcing pulp-and-paper makers to take action against falling profits, yet most companies are still shying away from energy price hedging. But that situation may be slowly changing. Joe Marsh reports
Top tips and dirty tricks
You don't have to be a genius to work as a quant - though it helps - but you do have to know a few tricks of the trade. So where should aspiring energy quants start? Neil Palmer offers some suggestions
Off to a flying start
Aviation is one of the fastest growing sectors in terms of carbon emissions, but a move by the European Commission to include airlines in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme has alarmed some in the industry
Credit in the limelight
Today's business climate is pushing credit risk higher up the risk management agenda, as our Energy Credit Risk conference in New York showed. Stella Farrington reviews the event