Damian's energy dispatch

A summary of today's news...

UK
 
Regulator to warn over blackouts
The electricity regulator Ofgem is going to publish new analysis in weeks warning of blackouts because gas plants are being taken offline. The warning may prompt fears of 'scarcity pricing' pushing up power prices during the winter. 

Shale gas won't be fast-tracked
Utility Week reports that shale gas extraction won't be fast-tracked by new planning regulations, meaning decisions will likely be taken at a local council level. 

Nuclear decommissioning more expensive (again)
Nuclear commissioning is more expensive than we thought, according to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The price in 2010 was £49bn, in 2011 £53bn and in 2012 it is expected to rise to £55bn. 

WORLD
 
Obama to introduce emissions limits
President Obama is due to unveil his climate plan in a speech tomorrow. The plans are likely to include the first limits on emissions from existing power plants an idea currently being proposed as an amendment to the UK's energy reforms. The speach comes as the IEA warns that US emissions reductions are heavily linked to the gas price and could easily reverse. 

Fracking pollution in doubt
The only finding by U.S. regulators of water contamination from fracking, may not stand up. The federal government has halted its investigation and handed the probe over to the State of Wyoming.

Shale gas estimates ignore economics
The Guardian's Nafeez Ahmed points to research by geologist David Hughes who claims recent estimates of recoverable shale gas mislead by ignoring the cost of extraction. 

US shale oil production may have peaked 
The FT's John Dizard argues that a decline in railroad shipments, and reluctance to build new pipelines suggest that economic shale oil extraction may already have peaked. 

Someone finds shale in Poland
Wisent oil and gas says it will drill further after promising initial finds at it's unconventional oil and gas wells in Poland. It'll be good news for the somewhat beleaguered Polish shale gas industry which has recently seen a glut of high profile exits.

Norway pushes further into the Arctic
The Norwegian is offering rights to drill further north than ever before. All but 2 of the 24 licenses issued in its 22nd licensing round were north of the Arctic circle.

Statoil and Rosneft to look for shale oil in Russia
Shale oil mania comes to Russia as Noway's statoil and Russia's Rosneft team up to go hunting for the black stuff trapped in rocks.

US Solar challenges utilities
US solar producers and established power utilities are meeting one another in court to decide whether solar producers can sell their power in regions where utilities have exclusive rights. 

Boost for electric cars 
The Nissan Leaf is the second biggest selling car... in Norway, In April and Renault releases an electric car someone who isn't Norwegian might want to own.