Good morning. Last day of the week but the energy news mill stubbornly keeps turning. We thought of having a lie in, but no, here is your morning digest.
If you only read three stories:
1) Nuclear deal to be announced in two weeks
A deal to build Britain’s first new nuclear power station in almost 20 years will be announced by ministers “within the next two weeks”, senior Government sources have told The Independent.
2) Cuadrilla pulls out of Lancashire site
Shale gas company Cuadrilla has pulled out of one of its potential fracking sites in Lancashire.Cuadrilla's chief executive Francis Egan said the decision was because of "technical constraints related to wintering birds".
3) Nuclear shut-down pushes up Japan emissions
Japan’s greenhouse-gas emissions climbed to their second-highest level on record in the last fiscal year, mainly because the country used more fossil fuels to make up for the loss of power produced by nuclear plants, all of which are now offline.
However the country has installed 3.7GW of renewable energy since new incentive schemes were introduced in July and has plans to install a further 23GW - equivalent to 5-6 Nuclear plants if both ran at their expected capacity.
UK
Energy firms fix prices
EDF has just unveiled a new fixed price tariff of £1,340 per annum that extends out to 2017 while First Utility has promised to keep its variable tariff unchanged at its current level until March of next year.
"Today we have already bought the energy we need across the winter but if there was a cold weather snap like there was in March 2013 then we might have to make up for that by adjusting prices in the spring." said Iain Mcaig from First Utility.
Osborne and Davey to fight again over climate targets
The UK's independent climate advisors have written to the government saying there is no legal basis for reviewing it's statutory carbon targets. The FT reports the news is likely to lead to a fresh clash between the Lib Dem energy secretary, Ed Davey, who supports the current targets and the chancellor, George Osborne, who is believed to be in favour of a review.
Labour looks to create new city based energy co-ops
The Labour party will encourage 10 cities to set up their own energy companies with customers holding shares - reports the Independent.
SNP split over price freeze
Energy minister slams pledge as unworkable after other colleagues suggested the party should research the idea.
New tariffs could prompt fuel poverty
Vulnerable people already struggling with household finances could be hit hard by changes to gas and electricity bills, a charity in Wales has warned. From next week, energy firms are starting to introduce new tariffs supposed to make fuel costs clearer.But it also means most bills will include a new standing charge, costing up to £400 a year.
International
Consensus reached on aviation deal
The United Nations civil aviation body reached consensus on a roadmap on Thursday to create what would be a market-based scheme to help curb carbon emissions from a major industry by 2020, but rejected a European proposal that would have let it apply its own market scheme to foreign airlines in the interim.
“Frackademia” has become the preferred term to describe the new partnerships forming between academia and the fracking industry - reports the Times Higher Education Supplement.
Coal India looks to buy coal from Australia
Coal India Limited is preparing to buy assets in Australia to secure India’s coal-powered future, while it faces questions about its corporate character.
Gazprom faces possible $15bn fine for price fixing
The European Union's top antitrust official today announced the start of a legal process that could leave the Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom facing a $15bn fine for alleged pricing and supply violations across Eastern Europe.
Indian solar plant to sell power at record low
A new 4GW solar farm in india will sell power at around £55 per MW/h less than the global average and a record low for the country. It means Indian solar power will sell for just 18% less than the country's existing coal stations.
What the IPCC says about sea level rise
Scientists' best guess on sea level rise this century has increased considerably on its last projections in 2007. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) now estimates seas will rise between 26 and 82 centimetres.
