On Energydesk this week
Q&A: What is Gazprom doing in the Arctic?
As Greenpeace activists are detained in the Russian Arctic we ask what Gazprom is doing there.
Coal India over-states reserves to investors
Research by Greenpeace has found that the world’s largest coal producer, Coal India, is misleading investors by failing to update them on the true level of its extractable coal reserves.
Five things we've learned from the IPCC on climate change
Scientists are now 95% certain that humans are causing global warming and avoiding the worst impacts is looking harder and harder.
And two stories you may want to catch up on:
Infographic: How your energy bill breaks down
Fracking in the UK, will it lower bills?
Key stories from around the world
1) IPCC climate report: humans 'dominant cause' of warming
A landmark report says scientists are 95% certain that humans are the "dominant cause" of global warming since the 1950s.
The report by the UN's climate panel details the physical evidence behind climate change.
On the ground, in the air, in the oceans, global warming is "unequivocal", it claimed.
It adds that a pause in warming over the past 15 years is too short to reflect long-term trends.
"Our assessment of the science finds that the atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amount of snow and ice has diminished, the global mean sea level has risen and that concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased," said Qin Dahe, co-chair of IPCC working group one, who produced the report.
Here is a handy roundup of the expert reaction.
2) Labour's Ed Miliband sparks fight on energy prices
The Labour party leader used his conference speech to announce that, if he won, he would enforce a freeze on energy bills.
The Guardian claimed the policy was not against EU law and would be workable. The plans, which won the backing of consumer groups, also include the end of Ofgem and the break up the energy companies's retail and supply arms,
They have, however, been hammered in much of the rest of the press. Industry and commentators have warned the plans could lead to bankruptcy (if gas prices rise) and/or blackouts
The Telegraph argues that price caps have enjoyed only limited success in other countries, the FT warns experts have criticised the plan whilst Robert Peston at the BBC said energy bosses have told him it will force them to put their investment plans on hold.
All of that said, it hasn't stopped the energy companies rolling out pricing offers to consumers which appear to do exactly what Ed Miliband was suggesting. The BBC have done a detailed analysis of where your energy bill is spent.
Perhaps most interestingly the move has seen $4.3bn knocked off the value of the UK's big six energy companies - according to Reuters.
3) Greenpeace arctic activists held in Russia amidst piracy claims
Thirty Greenpeace crew from the ship the Arctic Sunrise have been jailed in the Northern Russian city of Murmansk amidst reports they are to be charged with Piracy.
The ship was in the Arctic to protest at Gazprom's drilling in the region.
And in other news...
Merkel looks to SDP support for Energiewende
Reuters reports that Angela Merkel's best hope of saving her bold energy revolution may lie in a coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD).
UK renewable generation rises - but projections cut by 10%
Renewable generation grew by 56 per cent in the second quarter of 2013, but Government expectations for UK renewable energy generation output in 2020 has fallen nearly ten per cent from last year. Lower demand, however, means the share of power use will be only marginally down.
French to tax nuclear profits to fund renewables
France is to use profits from nuclear power plants along with a new carbon tax to help fund growth in renewable power and energy efficiency, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayraut said Saturday.
European MEPs call for lower prices for energy intensive industry
"We have to concentrate on high energy prices," said Gyurk, who is the lead negotiator for the parliament's report on the European Commission's action plan for a competitive and sustainable steel industry in Europe, unveiled in June.
Centrica gives up on gas storage
In a move sure to further anger those who already think the UK's energy companies are failing, Centrica announced it is to abandon plans to expand the UK's gas storage.
Caroline Lucas charged over fracking protest
The Green party MP, Caroline Lucas, defended her right to peacefully protest on Wednesday after it was announced she faced criminal charges over her part in an anti-fracking demonstration in Sussex
Annual solar installs beat wind
A fall in wind investment last year and a rise in solar installations mean that more solar capacity will be added to global grids than wind capacity for tor the first time.
US coal gets CCS loophole
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not require existing coal plants to install carbon capture equipment to limit emissions.
UK fracking investor in £1.5bn share offering
Riverstone, the co-owner of UK fracking firm Cuadrilla, is to list on the London Stock exchange. The firm, headed up by ex BP chief executive, Lord Browne, hopes to raise up to £1.5bn from the sale which will allow it to operate over longer time horizons than typically offered by private equity investors.
Giant unsubsidised solar farm to be built in Chile
Total SA (FP), Europe’s third-biggest energy company, is planning the world’s largest solar farm that won’t rely on subsidies in Chile’s Atacama desert with developers Etrion Corp. (ETX) andSolventus Energias Renovables.
Poland criticised for coal climate summit
Poland is due to host an 'international coal and climate' summit alongside the annual UN COP climate change talks in Warsaw later this year. The move has been criticised by EU green MPs and comes after German firm RWE said it would not be making further renewable investments in Poland until it was clearer on government policy.
Offshore wind farms need higher subsidies - CCC
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has written to Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, to warn that "required investment is at risk under current proposals".
