Latest news with #energyProjects
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
B.C. Premier Eby says he's not opposed to privately backed oil pipeline to north coast
As Alberta Premier Danielle Smith pushes for a crude oil pipeline to British Columbia's north coast, B.C. Premier David Eby says he's not simply saying no. Instead, Eby said he's against the public funding of such a pipeline. "What I don't support is tens of billions of dollars in federal subsidy going to build this new pipeline when we already own a pipeline that empties into British Columbia and has significant additional capacity — 200,000 barrels," Eby said on Sunday, referring to the Trans Mountain pipeline. He added there's no company currently advocating for Smith's pipeline proposal. "There's no money for it," Eby told CBC's chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton. Smith has been advocating for the bitumen pipeline to B.C.'s northern tidewaters and said she is actively searching for interested private sector companies. She has suggested the pipeline's end point be in Prince Rupert, B.C., avoiding the cancelled Northern Gateway pipeline's proposed terminus in another northern B.C. port, Kitimat. But Eby said he wants to prioritize projects that are "shovel-ready." "We have major projects with private proponents, cash on the table, ready to go to hire people and build — let's focus on those," he said. Eby listed B.C. energy projects including the LNG Canada project in Kitimat and the Ksi Lisims LNG project north of Prince Rupert, as well as major hydroelectric projects, mining projects in the northwest, and various wind and solar projects that he said will be interconnected with the Yukon and also highlighted the fact that he recently signed onto a memorandum of understanding with western premiers around a trade corridor that could include major energy projects such as heavy oil. But he noted there are major issues with a proposal for a pipeline, particularly the federal tanker ban on the north coast. The ban prohibits oil tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tons of crude oil, or persistent oil products, from stopping, loading, or unloading at ports in a restricted area covering nearly the entire north has said she will convince Eby of the pipeline's merits, which she said could include billions in revenue. "It's Team Canada or not," she said on Rosemary Barton Live earlier this month. "I would hope that what would happen is that we would identify whatever legitimate concerns that a province might have and then work through them," Smith added. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said while he wants to speed up "nation-building" infrastructure projects, he wants to build consensus between governments. "We will not impose a project on a province," Carney said at a press conference earlier this month. Eby said he would be happy to sit down with Albertan officials if a private proponent came to the table without public money. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Eby said.
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
From funding to vision: Enabling Africa's just energy transition
Africa's energy challenge is not just about generation or grid access—it's about how we finance, structure and scale solutions that are sustainable, inclusive and future-ready. Meeting this challenge requires a new kind of financial engagement: one that goes beyond capital provision to long-term partnership, local insight and ecosystem thinking. This calls for a holistic approach from market participants—particularly capital providers—who must evolve into strategic partners capable of shaping the entire energy value chain. It's a role that demands more than financial acumen. It requires deep sector expertise, policy engagement, local presence, and the vision to support emerging market structures that may not even exist yet. A continental energy market in transition There are few countries where this shift is more evident than South Africa. Regulatory reforms, including the removal of licensing thresholds and liberalised grids together with the move to a multi-market model, have catalysed private-sector participation. The rise of corporate PPAs, embedded generation and trading platforms marks a turning point in how energy is generated, sold and consumed. Since regulatory reforms began taking effect, financial institutions have negotiated the launch of a growing number of energy projects across Africa. These include utility-scale developments under programmes like REIPPPP and RMIPPPP in South Africa, along with distributed generation and battery storage initiatives, often backed by private offtakers and emerging trading intermediaries. From reactive lending to long-term partnership The story of these successful deals is not merely about deploying capital. It begins with planning, a strategic vision and focus. Energy projects rarely start with a funding request. They begin with a pain point such as unreliable supply, tariff instability, or rising ESG pressure, and a business or government entity trying to solve it. Many of the projects funded in recent years were initiated five to seven years ago. They began with conversations around business models, changing environments, technologies and regulatory feasibility. These long-term engagements, once viewed as premature or overly complex, have helped lay the foundation for some of Africa's more established energy initiatives—incorporating approaches that are increasingly recognised for their innovation and relevance beyond the continent. Local presence and knowledge matters Of course, while Africa's energy opportunity is immense, it remains highly context specific. Regulatory regimes and execution risks vary across borders and navigating this environment requires more than capital; it requires strong relationships. The ability to navigate local utility frameworks, engage with national regulators and structure deals in-country remains a key enabler of project success. The greater a bank's footprint across Africa, the more impactful its local presence becomes—a key factor in closing complex deals in countries like Zambia, Namibia, Kenya and Eswatini. These deals need not be high-volume or off-the-shelf to make a lasting impact; what matters is that they are carefully structured, often first-of-their-kind partnerships between aligned public and private stakeholders. Aggregation: a flexible model for a complex market One of the most transformative developments now taking shape across Africa is the emergence of aggregation in the power sector. This model allows multiple independent power producers to supply electricity to multiple offtakers, creating scale, flexibility and levels of access that single-asset deals often would not be able to. Aggregation enables corporate users—particularly those without the scale or capital to fund their own generation—to access clean energy more affordably. It also broadens the base of offtakers, improving bankability and spreading risk, providing flexibility. In a country like South Africa, where grid constraints and regulatory fragmentation are persistent obstacles, this kind of market mechanism is not just innovative, it is essential. To this end, financial institutions like Standard Bank are working with aggregators and traders to build the financial structures required to make these models viable. This work draws on early engagement with policy developments, internal strategic planning, and an understanding of evolving client needs. A commitment to enabling sustainable growth Alignment between commercial objectives and developmental outcomes is vital. Energy finance must support industrial growth, economic resilience and climate goals. It is not just about ESG compliance. It is about enabling African economies to grow sustainably, with power systems that are secure, affordable and compatible with long-term decarbonisation efforts. As the market evolves, so must its financial institutions. This means stepping beyond transactional models and adopting long-term, sector-led strategies. Banks must be present, informed and involved from early planning to final deal execution and implementation. Those that take this path will remain relevant and help define Africa's energy future.
E&E News
28-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Trump axes Biden-era climate guidance in NEPA reviews
The Trump administration said Wednesday it will further truncate environmental reviews by eliminating Biden-era guidance to consider greenhouse gas emissions and climate change when weighing new energy projects. The White House's Council on Environmental Quality issued a notice in the Federal Register that it would end interim guidance first issued in 2023, which had directed agencies to consider environmental justice and climate policies in National Environmental Policy Act reviews. The move marks the latest step in President Donald Trump's push to dramatically speed up the environmental review process and approval of energy projects. Advertisement The Interior Department in April outlined a NEPA process that would allow some reviews to be completed in 14 to 28 days, a vast reduction from a process that typically takes up to two years. Last week it completed a NEPA review for an underground uranium mine in Utah in just 11 days.
The Guardian
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
From Send to cycle lanes, how Reform may try to change English councils
Nigel Farage's Reform UK is now in charge of a number of councils across England, including 10 where it has overall control. Its haul of 677 council seats also means it is on the brink of power in at least four others where it emerged as the largest party. It also has two regional mayoralties – Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire – with budgets and powers. But the coming to power of the rightwing populist party also means, for the first time, that its promises to radically reshape Britain will be tested and felt by communities. Here are some of the areas where there could be change: Major solar and wind energy projects face threats from Reform-controlled councils whose members are instinctively hostile to net zero policies. 'We will attack, we will hinder, we will delay, we will obstruct, we will put every hurdle in your way,' said the party's deputy leader, Richard Tice, of such projects. A solar farm in Romney Marsh, Kent, which could power 20% of homes in the county, is in the crosshairs of party, which controls the council. In Staffordshire, a proposed windfarm in the county's moorlands area and a solar farm in Cheadle will be opposed. But Reform's plans will also meet hostility from within communities. In Greater Lincolnshire alone, net zero industries contribute about £980m to the local economy, accounting for 12,209 jobs, according to analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU). Legally, the picture is also unclear. Reform could try to block pylons and large solar farms through the judicial review process, though the new planning and infrastructure bill aims to make the challenges harder. Farage's unsubstantiated claims that doctors are 'massively over-diagnosing' children with mental illness and special educational needs has sparked fears that Reform UK councils could further restrict or make dramatic cuts to special educational needs and disabilities provision (Send). The 10 councils where Reform have overall control are projected to have a combined deficit by March next year of £489m. It is as much as £95m in the case of Kent and £71m in Derbyshire. Reform councils could call for changes to the law to reduce access to education, health and care plans, which are much sought after by families of some children after years of state underinvestment in education. However, any moves to push for cuts or reshaping of policy also potentially risks sparking a backlash from both its own voters and splits within the party. Andrea Jenkyns, the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, has spoken about her son having ADHD and appeared to contradict Farage. James McMurdock, a Reform MP in Essex, also cast himself as a champion of parents struggling to get Send support for children. Reform councils who unlawfully try to restrict access to Send support will face the prospect of being challenged at tribunals by families. In an echo of the axe taken by the Trump administration in the US, Farage has already warned: 'If you are working in DEI or climate change then perhaps alternative employment is where you should be looking.' The party's hostility to 'gender ideology' could have repercussions for councils working with charities such as Positive Health, which runs sexual health promotion, education and HIV training for Lincolnshire. Any savings from cuts to supposed DEI-related schemes are likely to be minimal. Derbyshire and Lincolnshire have each pointed out they don't have DEI schemes. Farage has said that Reform-controlled councils will 'resist' accepting any more asylum seekers, pitting then on a potential collision course with Westminster. Zia Yusuf, the party's chair, has also said its legal team is examining planning law mechanisms to challenge the use of hotels for asylum accommodation. The moves would have consequences in places such as Kent, where the county council has been at the forefront of handling provision for unaccompanied minors. But again the law would not be on the side of councils. The responsibility falls to the Home Office, which selects the hotels and contractors for the scheme. Reform has said only the St George and union flag will be flown at council property, although it backtracked when it came to the question of county flags. The policy appeared to be aimed at the flying of rainbow flags in solidarity with LGBT+ people and to celebrate Pride. It would also spell the end of councils flying Ukrainian flags, serving as a reminder that Farage has frequently been accused by Labour of 'fawning' over Vladimir Putin. Other potential culture wars could arise over council funding of museums or galleries with exhibitions that are deemed to denigrate Britain's history or the empire. Opposition to 15-minute cities – an urban planning concept that has become a lightning rod for conspiracy theorists – and support for 'pro-motorist' policies have long been red meat to Reform. Farage lashed out in the local election campaign at 'cycle lanes that no one uses' while Reform's likely leader of Worcestershire county council, Alan Amos, claimed: 'All the other parties have bent over backwards to please a small minority.' At the same time, Amos was eager to emphasise that Reform was eager to support bus travel, a hot issue in a number of counties where Reform's voter base has tended to be older. When it comes to cycling, existing policies at many councils are already advanced while there is strong public support for cycling schemes.
