Renewable Energy

The Dutch and British wholesale prices of gas were mostly stable on Wednesday, as the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Europe and Russia, where Russian drones invaded NATO member Poland's airspace failed to counterbalance a market that was balanced. LSEG data shows that the benchmark Dutch front-month contract was 32.75 euros per Megawatt Hour (MWh) or $11.23/mmBtu at 0820 GMT. This is a decrease of 0.03 euros. The Dutch day-ahead contracts was down by 0.30 euros to 32.60 euros/MWh. The British gas front-month price fell by 0.25 pence, to 80.38 p/therm. However, the day-ahead contract rose 0.85 pence and...

The European spot power price dropped on Tuesday, as gains were expected to be made in the wind power supply in many countries in central-western Europe. Germany is an exception, where it is expected that wind power will continue to fall. LSEG data shows that German day-ahead electricity fell by 3.6%, to 134 Euros ($157.60), per megawatt hour, at 0908 GMT. The equivalent French contract, however, dropped by 55.8%, to 22.75 Euros/MWh. According to LSEG analyst Naser Hachemi, the residual load in Germany is increasing, but it's decreasing elsewhere. Germany will be a net exporter for the entire day. LSEG...

Investors pour billions of dollars in Japan's new electricity storage market, as the demand for power is increasing after a long period of decline. However, changes to the grid to improve the flow of energy and lower prices could limit returns. Japan relies heavily on fossil fuels, around 70%, for its electricity. To improve its energy security, it has expanded renewable sources, but its fragmented grid system has led to frequent power cuts, particularly in Tohoku in the north and Kyushu south. This is creating a surge in interest in battery-based energy storage systems (BESS), to smooth out mismatches between...

The wholesale gas prices in the Netherlands and Britain fell slightly on Thursday morning, as a result of a strong supply and increasing gas stocks. LSEG data shows that the benchmark Dutch front-month contract was 31.94 euros per Megawatt Hour (MWh) at the TTF Hub, or $10.91/mmBtu at 0803 GMT. The Dutch day-ahead contracts was down by 0.23 euros at 31 Euro/MWh. The British gas day-ahead price fell 0.70 pence to 77.10 pence a therm. The market is calm as Europe managed to fill its storages during the summer. Despite maintenance work in Norway, supply concerns remain low. Gas Infrastructure...

Malaysian palm futures were up on Thursday as traders anticipated robust export demand to key destinations. They also awaited demand and supply statistics from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board for additional cues. At the midday break, the benchmark palm oil contract on Bursa Derivatives Exchange for November delivery gained 38 ringgit or 0.86% to 4,480 Ringgit ($1,065.40), a metric tonne. The contract dropped 0.76% during the previous session. The Malaysian stock exchange will be closed Friday due to a public holiday. The price of crude palm oil futures rose as traders expect the demand for exports to remain strong in...

According to a Wednesday court filing, the Trump administration has decided to reconsider federal approval for Avangrid’s proposed New England Wind Project off the coasts of Massachusetts. This legal maneuver is just the latest attempt by U.S. authorities in order to stymie offshore wind energy development, which Trump has described as ugly, expensive, and unreliable. The administration announced last week that it would reconsider its approval of SouthCoast Wind - another Massachusetts project. The Department of Justice announced that they will move to revoke the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approval of New England Wind's construction and operation plan...

German baseload day-ahead power prices increased compared to last Monday, as the renewable energy supply is expected fall and demand to rise. The French contract dropped due to higher wind power production. LSEG data shows that the German baseload electricity contract for Tuesday is 113.90 Euros per megawatt-hour, as at 0832 GMT. The equivalent French contract is 29 euros/MWh. The Friday contracts for both Mondays were not traded. Last Monday, the German contract closed for 89.10 euro/MWh and the French contract closed for 75.90 euro/MWh. Marcus Eriksson, LSEG analyst, says that residual load in Germany is expected to increase on...

On Thursday, prompt electricity prices in Europe's wholesale market fell amid forecasts of increased renewable energy generation and a softer demand. "The signal for Germany is bearish, driven by a decrease in consumption and a noticeable rise in wind- and solar-supply," said LSEG Analyst Xiulan She. By 0800 GMT, the German baseload day-ahead power had fallen 20% to 96.0 Euros ($112.39) per megawatt hour. The French equivalent baseload contract for Friday delivery was down 38.4%, at 38.5 Euros/MWh. LSEG data indicated that the German wind power production was expected to increase from 5.8 gigawatts to 9.3 GW on Friday, while...

The French spot electricity prices dropped on Wednesday as a result of predictions for higher wind power production in Europe. Weaker consumption in Germany also added to the downward pressure. However, the German day-ahead contract was not changed early. LSEG's analysis mentioned that a stronger German thermal power generation capacity and a higher availability of French nuclear energy were also factors affecting prices. The price of French baseload electricity for Thursday was 39 euros ($45.41 per megawatt-hour) at 0745 GMT. This is 31.6% less than the previous night's closing price. The German equivalent contract has not been traded for the...

The market for Malaysian palm oils futures closed lower on Thursday. This was due to concerns about rising inventories, production and weak export demand. At the close, the benchmark palm oil contract on Bursa Derivatives Exchange for October delivery fell 26 ringgit or 0.61% to 4,241 Ringgit ($1,002.60). David Ng said that the price of crude palm oil futures fell on concerns about rising production and stockpiles in the coming week. He is a proprietary trader with Kuala Lumpur based trading firm Iceberg X Sdn. Bhd. The recent weakness in export demand has also been seen to weigh down on...

Ofgem, the British energy regulator, announced on Wednesday a review of how costs are allocated throughout the energy system. This includes alternative pricing models for consumers, in order to better adapt to a more renewable energy supply. The UK has set a goal to decarbonise the power sector in its entirety by 2030. This will require a reduction of its dependence on gas-fired plants, and accelerated growth in renewable energy capacity. Ofgem stated that a less reliance on gas prices will reduce the variable costs in the energy system. Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem's chief executive, said that fixed costs could increase,...

The French power price increased on Tuesday as a result of a tighter supply and reduced availability of wind and solar power in Europe, while Germany's position was untraded but bid higher. Riccardo Paraviero, LSEG analyst, said: "Tomorrow, the outlook is bullish to sideways, with a main signal coming from falling solar power supplies." The French baseload contract for Wednesday had risen by 2.9% to 45 euros ($52.03), while the German equivalent was offered at 79 euros/MWh after closing at 77.3 euros. The French nuclear capacity has decreased by two percentage points in the last week, to 78%. The Goesgen...

Malaysian palm futures were little changed on Tuesday, as edible oils traded in Dalian and Chicago sideways. Market participants also awaited the Malaysian Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) data that was due the following day for clues about inventories and demand. By midday, the benchmark palm oil contract on Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives exchange for delivery in November gained 1 ringgit or 0.02% to 4,489 Ringgit ($1,067.28) per metric ton. A survey shows that Malaysian palm oil inventories will rise for the sixth consecutive month in august, as production continues outpacing exports, despite an improvement in demand. Darren Lim is a commodities...

The price of Malaysian palm oils futures ended a three-week rally Friday due to the weakness of rival edible oils. Traders also closed their positions before a long weekend. At the close, the benchmark palm oil contract on Bursa Derivatives Exchange for November delivery fell 72 ringgit (1.62%) to 4,377 Ringgit ($1,040.90). The contract dropped 3.36% in the past week. A Kuala Lumpur based trader reported that overnight weakness in rival oilseeds had spilled over into palm oil futures. Some market participants may have closed positions before the long weekend. On Monday, the Malaysian Bourse and Chicago Board of Trade...

Malaysian palm futures ended lower on Thursday after four sessions of gains. Investors booked profits while an Indonesian industry group reportedly lobbied the government to postpone the B50 biofuel mandate. The benchmark contract for palm oil delivery in October on the Bursa Derivatives exchange lost 30 ringgit or 0.68% to 4,405 Ringgit ($1,046.32) per metric ton. A local news website quoted Eddy Martono, the chairman of the palm oil industry GAPKI as saying that the plan could lead to a decrease in palm oil exports. GAPKI was told that it did not submit a written request, but a government official...

Imports of seaborne coal from Asia increased in July, but this increase was mainly driven by developed economies in North Asia rather than the heavyweights China or India. According to Kpler, the total seaborne imports for fuel used to generate electricity grew by 12% in July from June's figure of 63.02 millions tons. The increase in July imports coincides with a weakening trend for Asia's seaborne shipments of thermal coal, as the top buyers China & India reduced purchases due to abundant domestic supplies and increasing generation from renewables. Kpler data shows that Asia's imports in the first seven month...

The Indonesian mining ministry has compiled a list with 18 projects totaling $38,6 billion for the development of natural resources in Indonesia. It handed it to Danantara Indonesia, a sovereign wealth fund on Tuesday to be considered for investment. Danantara, launched earlier this year by Indonesian President Prabowo Subito, is his main vehicle for achieving his 8% target of economic growth by 2029. It does so by managing the shares of all state-owned companies and reinvesting dividends into commercial projects. Prabowo's economic agenda includes the development and acceleration Indonesia's processing industries. Energy and Mineral Resources minister Bahlil lahadalia stated that...

An analysis of the most recent market data revealed that Singapore increased the share of renewables to a new record in May. The country accelerated its local solar power production and imported more renewable energy. Data from the National Electricity Market of Singapore revealed that domestic solar generation rose in May at its fastest rate since March 2024, and renewable imports increased for a third consecutive month, reaching their highest level in over two years. This boosted the share of renewables to 2,58% in the power mix of the city-state. The cross-border trade of power is seen as a key...

India has allocated record volumes of rice for ethanol production, as it battles with unprecedented inventories. These are expected to grow further when the new crop arrives. This is a turnaround from the earlier shortages which led to export restrictions. The conversion of more rice into ethanol helps reduce the rice stock in the world’s largest producer and exporter. It also keeps India’s ambitious ethanol blend programme on track, despite the drop in sugar cane supplies. India lifted the last of two years' worth of export restrictions in March. The poor rains had curtailed rice production. The abundant monsoon rainfall...

Malaysian palm oils futures closed higher on Friday. This was the sixth weekly gain in a row, despite a weak demand for palm oil in major markets. The benchmark contract for palm oil delivery in September on Bursa Derivatives Malaysia Exchange increased 11 ringgit or 0.27% to 4,115 Ringgit ($968.24), the highest closing rate since April 15. This week, the contract increased by 4.79%. Paramalingam Supramaniam said that trading volumes were relatively low and prices had been largely accounted for by most internal and external factors. "For the trend to continue, it will be necessary for more bullish news." Demand...

The companies announced in a Monday statement that they will invest $1 billion into a 100 megawatt data center in Thailand. Southeast Asia and its neighbours are becoming a popular destination for tech companies looking to invest in data centres and digital infrastructure. They want new clean energy sources to meet the soaring demand of artificial intelligence. The announcement on Monday was the latest of a series by tech giants to invest in Thailand. Bytedance Tiktok will invest $8.8 billion in five years, and Alphabet Inc.'s Google is also planning an $1 billion facility. The Thai Investment Board approved in...

Malaysian palm futures continued to fall on Thursday as investors booked profits, and the prices of competing edible oils dropped. The benchmark contract for palm oil delivery in August on the Bursa Derivatives exchange fell 44 ringgit or 1.11% to 3,904 Ringgit ($923.59) per metric ton. Anilkumar bagani, the head of research for Mumbai-based Sunvin Group, said that palm oil futures had been trading lower due to profit taking, low energy prices, and weakness in other vegetable oil markets, such as those in China and the U.S. Dalian's palm oil contract, which is the most active contract, fell by 0.37%...

The Malaysian data centre company Equinix announced on Wednesday that it was looking into alternative sources of energy, as it anticipates an increase in domestic electricity rates to raise its costs. The Malaysian government announced previously that it would increase electricity rates by 14.2% this July. Equinix Malaysia's managing director Cheam Tat Inn said that the company was looking into a variety of renewable energy service providers during a tour of the completed second phase of their data center in Cyberjaya. Cheam didn't specify the renewable sources used or a time frame. Equinix Malaysia operates two data centers, Cyberjaya, and...

Due to high tariffs, China's exports of used cooking oil to the United States - its biggest buyer - are expected to plummet in the coming months. Sellers will be forced to divert shipments elsewhere or to Europe, according to industry players. The Trump administration has imposed a 125% tariff on Chinese UCO imports starting this month. Three UCO traders in China said that the U.S. shipments, which were worth $1.1 billion last fiscal year, have been falling. The last cargoes are expected to arrive around the end of March or early April, before the trade grinds to an abrupt...