Damian's energy dispatch

Coming up:

IEA reports on energy and climate. Energydesk reports on Turkey.

UK

British gas to get fracking
British gas owner Centrica is reportedly (in almost every paper) looking at buying a stake in the US/Hong Kong owned shale gas explorer Cuadrilla. It's unknown whether Centrica would buy the firm outright though it seems unlikely that Riverstone holdings, headed up by Lord Brown (of BP fame) would want to quit it's shareholding completely. 

SSE warns energy bill won't work
Energy supplier SSE has warned that the energy bill will be very expensive and still fail to deliver clean power in a cost effective way. The company says the complex technology neutral and market based system leaves investors with no clear idea of what the government wants - so delaying investments and driving up the cost. 

Tim Yeo defends himself against 'coaching' claims 
Tory MP and chair of the common's energy and climate change committee, Tim Yeo, has rejected claims he used his position to help a private company influence parliament. 

MP's slam tidal barrage scheme
And Mr Yeo's parliamentary commission have ripped apart at least one renewable energy project - the £25bn plan for a tidal barrage across the Severn. MPs said the project was unlikely to be competitive with other low-carbon technologies and the RSPB raised concerns about the impact on bird life. The news comes as a rival - and far smaller - project to build a tidal lagoon in Swansea bay launches a £2m share offering. 

Only 200 households sign up to Green Deal
The green deal continues it's journey into ignominious failure territory as the BBC's you and yours reported that just 200 people had signed up. We've tried - and we're not getting very far. 

World

China considers tariffs on BMWs
As the trade war between the EU and China over solar panel imports continues, the FT reports that EU luxury cars could be the latest collaterol damage. The  EU has imposed a temporary 12% tariff on Chinese solar panel imports. China has already retaliated by starting an investigation into EU wine (hurt the French) its now reportedly looking at EU luxury cars (that'll be for Berlin).

What is behind Delhi's constant blackouts?
As usual for the time of year India's capital Delhi is beset by near constant power cuts. It's coal industry is facing bankruptcy and, despite 350 sunny days a year, it has almost no framework to allow solar power. 

China's CNOOC to search for Arctic oil
A Chinese state oil company is joining up with Icelandic firm Eykon energy to bid for oil extraction licenses on the North East coast of the country. Iceland recently became the first European country to sign a free trade deal with China. 

Piracy threat increases off Nigeria
As Piracy off the Somali coast appears to come under (some) control there has been an "extreme rise in attacks" off the Nigerian coast. Piracy in the region already affects oil tankers and potentially threaten growing numbers of LNG shipments.

Polish investors don't like shale law
Investors in Poland's embattled shale-gas sector have warned that a new law - which gives the government the right to take stakes in shale gas firms - could be the final nail in the industry's coffin. 

Economist: US wind doing well
But it still depends on variable and short term subsidies. The magazine (yes, it is) reported that 6,700 turbines were installed last year with $25bn of private investment generating enough electricity for 15 million homes (3.5% of US total power) but investment follows booms and busts as the subsidies come and go. Still, the economist reports "Concerns about the intermittent supply of energy from wind are dying down," because the wind is always blowing somewhere (well, nearly).

US gas prices rise on shale hiatus
It also turns out that if something becomes very cheap, people no longer want to drill for it and the price rises. The price of gas in the US has doubled since April 2012, according the Wall Street Journal. The reason? A lull in drilling due to the low price.