Energy & Oil

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 08:17 UTC

  Blackouts in Cuba if companies don’t comply with restrictions

  

  The Cuban government has threatened with cutting power to companies and entities that do not comply with the “exceptional measures” which become effective Monday to save fuel and help the rapidly deteriorating island’s economy, aggravated by the current global financial crisis.

• Friday, May 29th 2009 - 11:38 UTC

  Boreal summer and OPEC push oil to new six-month high

  

  Oil surged past 65 US dollars a barrel on Thursday to a fresh six-month high after OPEC decided to keep output unchanged and data showed a steep drop in US crude inventories.

• Friday, May 29th 2009 - 08:43 UTC

  Itaipú is a “political problem”, says Lula da Silva’s main advisor

  

  Differences between Brazil and Paraguay over the world’s largest operational hydroelectric dam, Itaipú, are a “political problem” and not an energy issue according to Marco Aurelio García, international affairs advisor to the Brazilian Executive.

• Friday, May 29th 2009 - 05:04 UTC

  Brazil discovers the benefits of efficient cook stoves.

  

  Woodland in Brazil is being cut down, day after day. The local people say they need it to make a living. This is not the Amazon rainforest deforestation, but the woody landscape of Caatinga in the North Eastern corner of Brazil. Caatinga’s inhabitants are cutting wood for cooking.

• Thursday, May 28th 2009 - 12:24 UTC

  Uruguay inaugurates second wind farm with 10 MW capacity

  

  Uruguay officially inaugurated on Wednesday a 10 MW capacity wind turbine park financed and equipped by Spain. The park belonging to Uruguay’s power company UTE is one of the many different efforts to broaden and diversify energy generation in the country.

• Wednesday, May 27th 2009 - 06:32 UTC

  Oil prices climb to six-month high as US consumer confidence jumps

  

  Oil prices climbed on Tuesday to a new six-month high as traders viewed a jump in US consumer confidence as a signal for an economic rebound and increased energy demand. The rise comes ahead of OPEC’s meeting later this week in Vienna.

• Tuesday, May 26th 2009 - 12:05 UTC

  Government tells Cubans: austerity or blackouts

  

  The Cuban government reduced from 6 to 2% the projected growth of the economy for 2009. The announcement was made by Cabinet vice president and Economy Minister Marino Murillo during a meeting at which “exceptional measures” were announced starting June first to reduce energy consumption, the official daily Juventud Rebelde said Saturday.

• Tuesday, May 26th 2009 - 11:40 UTC

  Brazilian industry to openly debate Itaipu power plant controversy

  

  The world’s largest operational hydroelectric dam and how the energy produced should be distributed and traded will be at the heart of a debate Wednesday between Brazil’s main industrial organization, FIESP, and Paraguayan authorities, the two countries who share the giant power station.

• Tuesday, May 26th 2009 - 05:55 UTC

  Saudis warn of another oil price spike within “two-to-three years”

  

  The world could face within “two-to-three years” another oil price spike similar to that witnessed in 2008, Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said on Monday. Al-Naimi warned a meeting of Group of Eight ministers in Rome that the high-price scenario was likely unless investments in “new capacity expansion projects are made”.

• Monday, May 25th 2009 - 17:36 UTC

  Energy efficiency cooperation agreement signed in Rome

  

  Countries accounting for 80% of energy supply and demand worldwide, including Brazil and Mexico, signed Sunday in Rome, in the framework of the G8 Energy summit, an international partnership energy efficiency cooperation agreement, IPEEC.