Electricity

European Commission regulators and the U.K. government are close to an agreement on a 1.5 billion-pound ($2.7 billion) state bailout for British Energy Plc, the country's biggest power generator, people familiar with the situation said.

NEW YORK — Coal supplies at U.S. power plants are at their lowest levels in more than three years, sparking concern of possible blackouts this summer when demand is heavy for electricity to power air conditioners.

The biomass power generation market could close its doors to wood recyclers if something is not done to address their misperceptions, an expert has said.

Says products could pay for forest thinning

An interesting email discussion between Richard Duncan and Richard Heinberg concerning Duncan's Olduvai Theory of industrial collapse.

Two groups of researchers have independently brought forward evidence of intrinsic weaknesses in the North American power grid. Their analyses both conclude that massive power blackouts such as the one that took out New York last summer are likely to happen again.

New Zealand - News Roundup: Dramatic electricity price rises are on the horizon for homes and businesses this year.

Producers currently discover about one barrel of "new oil" for every four barrels that are consumed worldwide, and there have been no large oil or gas discoveries in recent years. Anywhere. It gets worse. The world's largest oilfields have been producing for many decades and now require heroic measures (such as pumping in seawater or steam) to coax the oil from the ground.