Energy/Automotive News Nov. 30, 2023| WTI Crude $79.08/bbl, Brent $84.34/bbl, Opec $83.89/bbl
London, 30 November, 2023, (Oilandgaspress): – 2023 will go down in the record books as the hottest year ever, the UN said on Thursday, demanding urgent action to curb global warming. The UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warned that 2023 had shattered a whole host of climate records, with extreme weather leaving “a trail of devastation and despair”.The WMO published its provisional 2023 State of the Global Climate report as world leaders gathered in Dubai for the UN COP28 climate conference.The WMO warned that the warming El Nino weather phenomenon, which emerged mid-year, was “likely to further fuel the heat in 2024”.
Cars designed to last for longer! A future electric Renault 5 in camouflage is driving along a bumpy road, sending up clouds of dust. After a few minutes, it comes to a ford, where it is immersed in 24 cm of water, through 6 cm holes. Next, it takes on a stretch of cobbles with a range of obstacles, including potholes and manhole covers that are not quite flush with the road. Over the next hour, the route followed by the future Renault 5 takes it up a small, winding mountain road and along a rough track in the middle of a forest. With such dynamic tests, Renault Group is able to simulate the ageing of its cars in accelerated mode. But where are we? Argentina? Andalusia? South-East Asia? The Alps? No, we’re actually in Aubevoye, Normandy, at the top-secret technical centre where Renault Group develops its future models. The Aubevoye technical centre (CTA) has 35 tracks covering a distance of over 60 km and more than 600 hectares of woodland on a site that is closed to the public and well protected from prying eyes. Alongside the dynamic test environment described above, Renault Group also relies on state-of-the-art equipment, including test benches, wind tunnels, corrosion chambers and anechoic chambers[1]. Test engineers also have access to a host of other facilities for misusing vehicles under development, at the technical centre in Lardy. In this way, the Group can test its future cars and compare them with those of its competitors, both in normal conditions of use and in extreme accelerated conditions. By conducting five months of static and dynamic tests, Renault Group is able to simulate five years of ageing on a given vehicle. Read full article
Nissan is celebrating 90 yearsof passion and innovation. Since 1933, we’ve dared to do what others don’t as we strive to enrich people’s lives. Creating the future requires pushing the boundaries of imagination. That’s what happens in Nissan’s design bases at six locations worldwide. The Global Design Center, located on a sprawling green campus in Atsugi, Japan, serves as the central hub for Nissan’s global design activities.With its studio founded 40 years ago in San Diego, Nissan Design America’s groundbreaking models have made it a leader in cutting-edge technology and design. Read full article
Electric vehicles continue to grapple with poor reliability due to charging and battery issues. This year’s survey data show that hybrids continue to be among the most reliable vehicle type: Hybrids have 26 percent fewer problems than conventional models, even though they have both a conventional powertrain and an electric motor and therefore more potential problem spots than conventional cars.Hybrids also are not typically loaded with high-tech features like multiple customizable displays that can be problem-prone, which is why Fisher says they are great options for drivers who are more interested in getting ideal fuel mileage than they are in bells and whistles. “These vehicles are not necessarily a tour de force of technology, so there’s just less that can go wrong with them,” he says.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which have both a battery for short-range electric driving and an internal combustion engine for long-range driving, are the least reliable category—146 percent more problems than conventional cars. Read full article
Set for launch in 2024, Renault 5 E-Tech electric puts a modern, electric spin on the iconic Renault 5, taking it into the future. Ahead of the official reveal, Renault is lifting a corner of the veil, giving us a glimpse of several details in the production model’s exterior design that are a clear nod to its predecessor. Renault will be staging the world premiere of Renault 5 E-Tech electric on 26 February at the Geneva International Motor Show.
Renault 5 E-Tech electric will sell with two battery options, including one with a capacity of 52 kWh, for a range of up to 400 km WLTP.
Next month, a teaser campaign targeting the general public will reveal a few of the design details of Renault 5 E-Tech electric.
Ahead of the reveal, Renault 5 fans and enthusiasts will be able to join R5 R Pass, an exclusive skip-the-line programme available in seven European countries. Members will be able to place their orders before everyone else and be among the first to take delivery of their new car. Read full article
New York City Football Club revealed extensive sustainability plans at a local community board meeting in Queens for the Club’s proposed new soccer stadium in Willets Point. The 25,000-seat stadium would become the first fully electric stadium in Major League Soccer, in addition to being the first fully electric professional sports stadium in New York City.
Details of NYCFC’s sustainability plan come as the stadium, which is part of the Willets Point Phase 2 project, formally enters the Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP) this week.
In addition to a fully electric stadium which will be privately financed, the Willets Point development project would also deliver a total of 2,500 units of 100% affordable housing at the site, as well as a 650-seat public school, 40,000 square feet of new public open space, retail space and a 250-key hotel.The stadium will be all-electric, with an array of solar panels installed on the stadium roof, which will maximize energy generation. Built-in efficiency will ensure that intelligent systems eliminate energy waste.
An emergency backup generator will be provided and only operate during a utility power outage or when code required testing is performed. Read full article
Centrica Business Solutions has started construction on the 7,000 solar panel array, across the roofs of three buildings at the manufacturing site in Yatton, near Bristol. The 2.94MW installation is the result of a long -term lease agreement between Smart and Centrica Business Solutions, which will see Centrica lease the roof space, finance the project and agree a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Smart for the green electricity produced on site.
This gives Smart price certainty and access to green electricity without any capital outlay, simultaneously it will reduce operational CO2 emissions by 588 tonnes every year. The deal provides Smart with 2.7GWh of green, reliable energy every year for the next 25 years, meaning 20% of the site’s current energy requirements will be fulfilled by the array. The mounting for each of the 7,084 solar panels (each 415W) will be fabricated on site. Construction has begun on site with the project set to be completed in spring 2024 as the business aims for carbon neutrality across its operations. Read full article
Centrica plc announced the appointment of Jo Harlow and Sue Whalley as Non-Executive Directors of the Company with effect from 1 December 2023, whereupon Jo and Sue will also become members of the Company’s Remuneration Committee and Nominations Committee. Scott Wheway, Chair of Centrica, said: “I look forward to welcoming Jo and Sue to the Board as Non-Executive Directors. Jo will bring extensive knowledge on the use of technology and data to enhance product development and drive growth in consumer businesses. Sue brings a blend of experience in people and cultural transformation, and strategic, technological, and operational evolution in large, complex organisations. Their valuable experience will be of great benefit to Centrica.” Read full article
Repsol has formed a new alliance with Pontegadea, one of the world’s leading private investment groups, incorporating it as a partner, with a 49% stake, in a portfolio of 618 MW of renewable assets for €363 million. The transaction values the total portfolio at €740 million.
This agreement, the third time Pontegadea takes a stake in Repsol’s renewable assets, consolidates the alliance between the two companies and reinforces Repsol’s strategy of bringing in partners or investors in businesses to accelerate the achievement of objectives and maximize the return on the group’s operations. This portfolio of assets is made up of twelve wind farms located in Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel (the region of Aragon), and Valladolid (Castile and Leon), with a total installed capacity of 398 MW, as well as two PV solar plants, located in Albacete (Castile-La Mancha) and Cadiz (Andalusia), with 220 MW. In addition, the portfolio includes projects with hybridization potential, which would add an additional 279.2 MW. Together, the power generated by these assets will avoid the emission of around 714,450 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
Pontegadea has previously partnered with Repsol, taking minority stakes (49%), in two other renewable assets: the Delta wind farms (Zaragoza, Aragon), in November 2021, for €245 million, and the Kappa photovoltaic complex (Manzanares, Castile-La Mancha) in July 2022, for €27 million.
In addition to Pontegadea, Repsol has incorporated The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG) in the Valdesolar photovoltaic complex (Badajoz) and has forged an alliance with Credit Agricole Assurances and EIP in the company’s renewable generation business to boost its growth. Read More
The Corporate Coalition for Innovation & Technology toward Net Zero (CCITNZ), a cross-sector business alliance dedicated to helping countries meet decarbonization and climate change goals through innovation and technology, is proud to welcome the addition of four new members: Baker Hughes, Boeing, Carrier and United. Announced last year at COP27, these companies join founding members Bechtel, GE, GM, Invenergy, Honeywell and Johnson Controls. Read More
GE Vernova’s Hydro Power business has been selected by Tacoma Power to refurbish two 27 MW/33 MVA turbine and generator units at the Cushman II hydropower plant, out of the three units installed at the site. The scope of work includes the design, manufacturing, refurbishment, installation and commissioning of two new generator stators and refurbishment of generator rotor poles, shaft thrust bearing, as well as two new turbine distributors and refurbishment of turbine runner and draft tube. Located in Mason County, Washington, USA, the 81 MW Cushman II hydropower plant was commissioned in 1930, and can deliver enough renewable energy for about 40,500 homes in the Northwest. The upgrade is expected to be completed in 2026. The refurbishment/upgrade of the units will help increase availability and reliability for the power plant and deliver more renewable energy to the grid for another 100 years. Read More
Siemens Smart Infrastructure has today announced its collaboration with Copperleaf, a Canadian-based provider of asset investment planning software, growing its existing ecosystem of grid software partners. The strategic partnership aims to optimize investment and technical grid planning for customers, including transmission system operators (TSOs) and distribution system operators (DSOs), by combining the companies’ expertise. The shift to a decarbonized energy future requires these organizations to adopt a holistic approach to planning and optimization through strategic and operational considerations. The partnership is part of the Siemens Xcelerator ever-expanding ecosystem of partners. Siemens Xcelerator is an open digital business platform that enables customers to accelerate their digital transformation easier, faster and at scale
Siemens and Copperleaf recognize the need for a comprehensive solution that encompasses the entire energy value chain. Copperleaf provides decision analytics software solutions to companies managing critical infrastructure. Its value-based approach to decision making helps clients manage risk, deliver on their performance expectations, achieve their strategy and ESG goals, and maximize capital efficiency. The company works with many of the world’s largest and most respected utilities worldwide, managing more than $2.9 trillion assets. Siemens is a leading provider of grid planning, operations and maintenance software and brings extensive power systems and grid control domain expertise to the partnership. Read More
European Locomotive Leasing Group (ELL), based in Vienna and Munich, and Siemens Mobility signed a framework agreement for the delivery of up to 200 further Vectron locomotives. Specifically, the locomotives will be provided in various power system variants for use in both passenger and freight service. Sixty locomotives were initially ordered and will be delivered successively beginning in 2025. This fourth framework agreement between ELL and Siemens Mobility further reinforces the long-standing and strong partnership between the two companies. By 2027, ELL will have at least 301 Siemens Vectron locomotives in service and thus operate Europe’s largest Vectron fleet. Over the medium term, the new agreement offers ELL the possibility of increasing its Vectron fleet to over 400 locomotives. Read More
The incoming COP28 president, Sultan al-Jaber, opened this year’s U.N. climate summit on Thursday by urging countries and fossil fuel companies to work together to meet global climate goals. Governments are preparing for marathon negotiations on whether to agree, for the first time, to phase out the world’s use of CO2-emitting coal, oil and gas, the main source of warming emissions.
Jaber, who is also the CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ national oil company ADNOC, aimed to strike a conciliatory tone following months of criticism over his appointment at the head of COP28. Read More
In a new report released ahead of COP28 in Dubai, the professional services firm noted that only less than $2 trillion each year is invested into the transition, which is far short of the funding needed to help put the world on course to meet climate goals. To dramatically bring down emissions or achieve net-zero targets by 2050, Deloitte noted that the world needs to invest between $5 trillion and $7 trillion in the energy sector every year. Deloitte’s report highlights the need for governments, financial institutions and investors to jointly develop mechanisms to help mitigate risk from green projects. It suggests developing “blended, low-cost finance solutions” to stimulate private investment, especially in emerging economies. Read More
| Oil and Gas Blends | Units | Oil Price US$/bbl | Change |
| Crude Oil (WTI) | USD/bbl | $79.08 | Up |
| Crude Oil (Brent) | USD/bbl | $84.32 | Up |
| Bonny Light | USD/bbl | $81.80 | Up |
| Saharan Blend | USD/bbl | $82.53 | Up |
| Natural Gas | USD/MMBtu | $2.84 | Up |
| OPEC basket 29/11/23 | USD/bbl | $83.89 | Up |
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