Recycling Renewables and Sustainable Business 34

Friday, May 8, 2020

Recycling Renewables and Sustainable Business 34

1          Green hydrogen’s time has come, say advocates eying post-pandemic world
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronarivus-hydrogen-analysis-idUSKBN22K0MJ
Green hydrogen was pushed to the fore last week when Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, said the technology was “ready for the big time” and urged governments to channel investments into the fuel.

Some countries, including the Netherlands, Australia and Portugal, have already begun investing in the technology. Now investors, politicians and businesses are pushing the European Union and others to use its post-crisis recovery plan to support hydrogen in areas like trucking and heavy industry.

2          Australia backs BP’s study to produce hydrogen from wind, solar
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bp-hydrogen-australia-idUSKBN22K0IC
BP Plc has won Australian government backing for a feasibility study into producing hydrogen using wind and solar power to split water and converting the hydrogen to ammonia in Western Australia.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency said on Friday it would provide A$1.7 million ($1.1 million) toward the A$4.4 million feasibility study, part of a push by the government to make the country a major producer of hydrogen by 2030.

3          HydroWing, Tocardo converting tides into hydrogen
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/hydrowing-tocardo-converting-tides-into-hydrogen/
Tidal Hydrogen production, Storage and Offtake (THyPSO) is a floating platform, housing one – six conventional bi-directional tidal turbines that convert tidal flows into electrical energy, directing it through an integrated hydrogen production unit to convert the surrounding seawater into hydrogen.

The THyPSO project will also demonstrate streamlined implementation of tidal energy projects with a view to upscaling and rolling out larger projects in line with growing demand for green sourced hydrogen.

4          Scale-up of Solar and Wind Puts Existing Coal, Gas at Risk
https://about.bnef.com/blog/scale-up-of-solar-and-wind-puts-existing-coal-gas-at-risk/
Solar PV and onshore wind are now the cheapest sources of new-build generation for at least two-thirds of the global population. Those two-thirds live in locations that comprise 71% of gross domestic product and 85% of energy generation. Battery storage is now the cheapest new-build technology for peaking purposes (up to two-hours of discharge duration) in gas-importing regions, like Europe, China or Japan.

5          Huawei to ramp up artificial intelligence to improve solar inverters
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/05/07/huawei-to-ramp-up-artificial-intelligence-to-improve-solar-inverters/

The Chinese conglomerate has revealed how it will further integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in its string devices this year. The approach includes the transformation of inverters into smart PV controllers, the development of AI inference modules and the creation of an AI training and inference platform. Machine learning will also be incorporated into operations and maintenance, grid management and PV plant design.

6          Eastman Discusses Reusable Sport Bottles Consumer Study; Sustainability Aspects : Plastics Technology
https://www.ptonline.com/news/eastman-discusses-reusable-sport-bottles-consumer-study-sustainability-aspects

Eastman Chemical recently conducted consumer research that is especially interesting in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. The research appears to show that the primary method U.S. consumers use to wash their reusable sports bottles is handwashing and air drying, which can reportedly lead to contamination.

Brad Moncla, marketing segment manager for durables at Eastman, said that 60% of consumers wash and air dry their sports bottles and food storage. It’s been reported that washing and air dry could potentially spread contaminants that are eliminated when a dishwasher is used.

7          Seven Challenges Covid-19 Raises For The Climate Agenda
https://www.woodmac.com/news/opinion/seven-challenges-covid-19-raises-for-the-climate-agenda/
The Covid-19 pandemic has handed us a global lesson on the prudence of being prepared for a ‘grey rhino’ event – high impact incidents that are likely to happen but are commonly overlooked. But even with this first-hand experience, will this translate into proactivity on the other obvious global risk parallel: climate change?

Below, we examine seven ways Covid-19 has complicated the global climate agenda

8          Renewable Energy Shows Its Strength In The Coronavirus Crisis
https://www.woodmac.com/news/opinion/renewable-energy-shows-its-strength-in-the-coronavirus-crisis/
As Wood Mackenzie experts discussed in a recent webinar, some new energy businesses are suffering in the downturn. Consumer-facing industries including electric vehicles and residential solar are seeing sharp declines. Slower growth in demand for power in and restricted access to credit in emerging economies could put a brake on investment in renewables. Renewable energy technologies that compete against hydrocarbons are under pressure from bargain basement oil and gas prices. Supply chain disruptions and restrictions on construction work are slowing investment in wind power.

9          ‘Promiscuous treatment of nature’ will lead to more pandemics
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/07/promiscuous-treatment-of-nature-will-lead-to-more-pandemics-scientists

Humanity’s “promiscuous treatment of nature” needs to change or there will be more deadly pandemics such as Covid-19, warn scientists who have analysed the link between viruses, wildlife and habitat destruction.

Deforestation and other forms of land conversion are driving exotic species out of their evolutionary niches and into manmade environments, where they interact and breed new strains of disease, the experts say.

10        Mexico’s President Is Betting Big Against Renewables
https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Mexicos-President-Is-Betting-Big-Against-Renewables.html

It sounds like a news report out of yet another dystopian novel: Mexico is halting grid connection for new solar and wind power projects. In a world rushing to produce clean energy, Mexico has suddenly stood out like a sore thumb. But, as usual, there’s more to the story.

The country’s National Energy Control Center, or Cenace, announced it would suspend grid connections of new solar and wind farms until further notice earlier this week. The motivation behind the decision was the intermittency of solar and wind power generation, which, according to the state-owned power market operator, could compromise Mexico’s energy security in difficult times.

11        US Solar Sector Expects to Lose 120,000 Jobs As COVID-19 Impacts the Green Energy Industry
https://www.energytrend.com/news/20200508-17471.html
The stay-at-home order and lockdown policy implemented in accordance with the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the frequency of land transportation and air traffic, as well as the demand for petroleum; although this has helped clear up the sky and led to a new record of power generation for solar plants, the outcome has been rather gloomy for the relevant industry. US trade organizations anticipate that there will be 120,000 jobs lost in the solar energy sector, and 35,000 in the wind energy sector.

12        French solar equipment supplier touts fully automated production line
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/05/08/french-solar-equipment-supplier-touts-fully-automated-production-line/

The Covid-19 health crisis has highlighted a number of weaknesses in European industry including the solar sector, which is heavily dependent on solar cells and panels made in Asia.

But Claude Jacquot and Arnaud Goy, thefounders of French solar production equipment startup Solean, claim that their fully automated production lines can bring solar manufacturing back to its European roots – for small producers. at least.

13        Aircraft Powered By Electricity Coming Sooner Than You Think
https://cleantechnica.com/2020/05/07/this-aircraft-is-powered-with-electricity-it-is-already-heading-for-the-skies/

First up in the airborne electricity area is a newly unveiled family of low carbon aircraft called Cassio, from the startup VoltAero. The plan is to introduce Cassio (pictured above) in 4-, 6-, and 10-seat variations that meet EASA CS23 certification in the single-engine, general aviation category. However, there is a lot more going on under the hood than “single” would suggest.

14        ‘Packaging with a Future’ Platform Founded by Engel and Austrian Packaging Companies
https://www.plasticstoday.com/packaging/packaging-future-platform-founded-engel-and-austrian-packaging-companies/64994642662987

Injection molding machine manufacturer Engel, headquartered in Schwertberg, Austria, has announced the founding of the Verpackung mit Zukunft (Packaging with a Future) platform in collaboration with six other companies from the Austrian packaging industry. The aim of the initiative is to improve public awareness in the meaningful use of packaging. The companies are taking an active role in the development of a global circular economy for plastic packaging.

15        Braskem and Biomaterials Collaborate on Sustainable Mask Straps in Coronavirus Response
https://www.ptonline.com/news/braskem-and-biomaterials-collaborate-on-sustainable-mask-straps-in-coronavirus-response

The Netherlands-based Biopromotions, a company that custom injection molds or thermoforms products made from natural raw materials that are renewable or bio-degradable, such as polymers based on corn, potato, and thermoplastic starch, had developed straps for masks that are made of I’m Green biobased PE from Braskem(U.S. office in Philadelphia.  The company said its development was a direct result of wanting to come up with an innovative and supportive approach to assist in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic not only for the healthcare segment but also for anyone who uses a mask in their daily routine. The innovation lies in the adding of a mask strap that supports the rubber band of the mask, removing excess pressure from the ears, making the mask more comfortable to wear.

16        Tesla Energy Storage Demand “Far Outpacing” Production Capacity
https://cleantechnica.com/2020/05/07/tesla-energy-storage-demand-far-outpacing-production-capacity/
As usual, press coverage of Tesla’s recent earnings report has focused on sales of the company’s vehicles (and, unfortunately, on Elon Musk’s immoderate statements about lockdowns and Tesla’s stock price). However, every quarter, those who take the time to read the whole report will find numerous nuggets of information that provide clues to future areas of growth.

17        Addressing climate change post-coronavirus
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability/our-insights/addressing-climate-change-in-a-post-pandemic-world

A ferocious pandemic is sweeping the globe, threatening lives and livelihoods at an alarming rate. As infection and death rates continue to rise, resident movement is restricted, economic activity is curtailed, governments resort to extraordinary measures, and individuals and corporations scramble to adjust. In the blink of an eye, the coronavirus has upended the world’s operating assumptions. Now, all attention is focused on countering this new and extreme threat, and on blunting the force of the major recession that is likely to follow.

18        Ask an expert: Will The Natural Resources Sector Recover From Covid-19?
https://www.woodmac.com/news/editorial/ask-an-expert-coronavirus-the-oil-price-crash-and-energy-and-natural-resources/

The impact of lockdowns has been immediate and severe. Governments are beginning to ease lockdown rules, driving a modest uptick in economic activity.

However, we expect restrictions to remain in place into the fourth quarter of 2020 in many countries, particularly in Asia and Europe – possibly even extending into 2021.

Business Intelligence and Analytics 63

Friday, May 8, 2020

Business Intelligence and Analytics 63

1          Your Business Is Too Complex to Be Digital
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/your-business-is-too-complex-to-be-digital/
Business leaders are starting to rethink their strategies to take advantage of digital technologies. They envision omnichannel customer interfaces, ecosystems of tightly connected partners, and novel customer solutions leveraging newly accessible data.

This is smart. Digital technologies are already shifting industry boundaries and competitive landscapes (think of relatively new industry types: information dissemination, entertainment streaming, personal mobility). Ongoing industry disruption means that business leaders absolutely must articulate strategies that are inspired by the capabilities of digital technologies.

An inspired digital strategy, however, is barely enough to get started.

2          Leading Through COVID-19
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/leading-through-covid-19/
There are two overarching takeaways from our work. The first is that while an initial crisis may not have been preventable, the secondary crisis of a bungled response is avoidable. The second is that every incident has narratives with victims, villains, and heroes. We are still early enough in the story of COVID-19 that executives and organizations can shape the role they will play. Rising to the part of hero requires intentional choices to put some measure of self-interest aside in order to contribute to a greater good. This is a situation where the stakeholder-centric intentions of the Business Roundtable’s famous 2019 letter redefining corporate purpose are put to the test.

3          COVID-19 and reskilling the workforce
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/to-emerge-stronger-from-the-covid-19-crisis-companies-should-start-reskilling-their-workforces-now

Imagine a crisis that forces your company’s employees to change the way they work almost overnight. Despite initial fears that the pressure would be too great, you discover that this new way of working could be a blueprint for the long term. That’s what leaders of many companies around the globe are finding as they respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

4          Alphabet’s Dream of a Smart City in Toronto Is Over
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-07/alphabet-s-dream-of-a-smart-city-in-toronto-is-over

Alphabet Inc.’s ambitious dream to create a city of the future on Toronto’s waterfront is over. Millions of dollars and years of lobbying weren’t enough, and the tech giant’s urban planning unit, Sidewalk Labs, officially shuttered the project on Thursday.

The stated reason was the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on real estate prices. Without the ability to profitably sell office space and homes in the development, the project wasn’t viable, Sidewalk Labs Chief Executive Officer Dan Doctoroff said in a blog post.

5          Why You Should Prioritize Data Transformation Above Other Digital Tran
https://datafloq.com/read/why-you-should-prioritize-data-transformation-above-other-digital-transformation-initiatives/8323

Chance are you’re aiming to invest in a BI and analytics program to capitalize on the big data your company has been acquiring over the years. But before you spend millions on opting for expensive BI programs, take a step back and ask yourself three questions:

Do I have data I can trust?

Do I understand my data?

Do I have a data transformation & data quality framework in place?

6          Forecasting Stories 3: Each Time-series Component Sings a Different Song
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2020/05/forecasting-stories-time-series-component-different-song.html
A rich diagnostic tool is decomposing a dataset into its components, i.e. Trend, Seasonality, Cyclical and Irregular/Random

Specially, if a forecast is not behaving as per the set expectations, debugging if one of the components and their percentage contribution has changed, can help. In R or Python, a one liner code such as plot(decompose(time_series)) or decompose(time_series, type=’multiplicative’) does the job. Now, why is it important and how could we interpret the results?

7          5 Concepts You Should Know About Gradient Descent and Cost Function
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2020/05/5-concepts-gradient-descent-cost-function.html
Gradient descent is an iterative optimization algorithm used in machine learning to minimize a loss function. The loss function describes how well the model will perform given the current set of parameters (weights and biases), and gradient descent is used to find the best set of parameters. We use gradient descent to update the parameters of our model. For example, parameters refer to coefficients in Linear Regression and weights in neural networks. In this article, I’ll explain 5 major concepts of gradient descent and cost function, including:

8          Data Transformation for Machine Learning
https://insidebigdata.com/2020/05/07/data-transformation-for-machine-learning/
Industry experts, competitors, and even your customers are talking about machine learning.  Machine learning is the process of building and training models to process data. In this capacity, your models are learning from your data to make better predictions. In this way, machine learning allows computer systems to learn from data and make decisions without being explicitly programmed to do so.

9          Demonstrating Leadership or managing response in times of Crisis
https://datafloq.com/read/demonstrating-leadership-managing-response-times-crisis/8310
In the present scenario, the Coronavirus crisis is unfolding over an arc of time with a beginning, middle and end. The actions of executives and their teams now, in the midst of this crisis, will significantly determine their destiny.

For nearly two decades, it is observed that public and private-sector executives are in high-stakes, high-pressure situations. The crises are most often under-led and over managed. The best leaders navigate jagged waters deftly, energizing organizations, saving lives, and inspiring communities. However, it is discovered that many leaders fall into one or more of the following leadership traps:

10        From Apocalypse to Supernova: How the Pandemic Is Changing U.S. Retail
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/apocalypse-supernova-pandemic-changing-u-s-retail/
Total retail sales in March dropped 8.7% from the previous month, a steep decline not seen since 1992, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The apparel sector witnessed the most precipitous plunge, with sales of clothing and accessories falling by more than 50%. The numbers for April have not yet been released, but experts expect those figures to be even worse because of widespread closures, stay-at-home orders and crushing job losses that kept many Americans from buying anything beyond essentials.

11        The Post-crisis World: What Changes Are Coming?
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/post-crisis-world-changes-coming/
How will the world look post-COVID-19? The question is as broad as the destruction brought by the virus, but Wharton’s Tarnopol Dean’s Lecture held on April 30 provided some insights through the lens of three sectors — health care, finance and technology. The virtual event, hosted and moderated by Dean Geoffrey Garrett, included a panel of three Wharton alums: Alex Gorsky, chairman and CEO of pharmaceuticals and medical devices company Johnson & Johnson; Marc Rowan, co-founder and senior managing director of private equity firm Apollo Global Management; and Andy Rachleff, founder of Benchmark Capital, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, and Wealthfront, an online investment management firm. Wharton management professor Lori Rosenkopf facilitated by curating audience questions for the speakers.

Energy Petrochemicals and Plastics 62

Friday, May 1, 2020

Energy Petrochemicals and Plastics 62

1          Oil Price Fundamental Daily Forecast – Slight Rise Suggests Optimism as OPEC+ Output Cuts Begin
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/oil-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-slight-rise-suggests-optimism-as-opec-output-cuts-begin-646929

U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international-benchmark Brent crude oil futures are up for a third straight session on Friday as major producers began output cuts to offset a slump in fuel demand triggered by the coronavirus pandemic while data showed U.S. crude inventories grew less than expected. Futures are now within striking distance of the close on April 20 which is the day before the steep plunge that saw nearby May futures plunging into negative territory for the first time in history.

2          Natural Gas Price Fundamental Daily Forecast – Upside Momentum is Builiding; $1.828
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/natural-gas-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-upside-momentum-is-builiding-1-828-1-786-key-support-646927

The natural gas market continued to confound traders with another unexpected rally on Thursday after a government report showed a lower-than-expected storage build.

“Despite the low gas price environment, erratic price moves have been prevalent given all of the uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus and the oil market downturn. There are some positive drivers for natural gas, with Lower 48 production well off late-November highs and more cuts ahead,” Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI) said late Thursday.

3          Weekly Resin Report: Eroding Demand and Epic Plunge in Oil Prices May Lead to Rationing of Resin Production
https://www.plasticstoday.com/resin-pricing/weekly-resin-report-eroding-demand-and-epic-plunge-oil-prices-may-lead-rationing-resin-production/51681784162921

Prices for all commodity grade resins continued to slide and most polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) materials peeled off another penny. The beginning of May will mark the first instances of states re-opening their economies and we are all optimistic that we can quickly get back to business as usual and move past this disruptive world event, said the PlasticsExchange. Until then, the reseller community as a whole will continue to grind this out and try to move its high-cost inventory with minimal loss. It is a delicate dance in this very competitive arena, as fresh railcar offers are well-discounted, while material for immediate shipment maintains an eroding premium.

4          Wood Mac: European olefins production could recover in 2020 despite coronavirus
https://www.britishplastics.co.uk/materials/wood-mac-reports-european-olefins-production-could-recover-i/

Where Europe saw a 20-year low in olefins production in 2019, market research analyst, Wood Mackenzie, says 2020 could show a recovery, despite Coronavirus.

This, it says, is primarily due to lighter turnaround schedules and competitive naphtha prices making Europe’s steam cracker fleet more competitive.

5          A trillion dollars! This is by how much global E&P revenues will fall in 2020 due to Covid-19
https://www.rystadenergy.com/newsevents/news/press-releases/a-trillion-dollars-this-is-by-how-much-global-ep-revenues-will-fall-in-2020-due-to-covid-19/

The devastating effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on global oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) companies is better understood by looking at the industry’s expected total annual revenues for 2020. A Rystad Energy analysis shows that global E&P revenues are now forecasted to fall by about $1 trillion in 2020, a drop of 40% to $1.47 trillion from last year’s $2.47 trillion.

6          Coronavirus lockdowns depress fuel demand worldwide
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-demand-fuels-factbox-idUSKBN22D5CT
Countries around the world have reported steep falls in fuel demand as lockdowns to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus limit the movement of more than 4 billion people.

7          Oil rises towards $27 as OPEC+ begins record cut
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-idUSKBN22D43L
Oil rose towards $27 a barrel on Friday as OPEC and its allies began a record output cut to tackle a supply glut weighing on the market due to the coronavirus crisis.

8          The Wave Of Shale Well Closures Has Finally Begun
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/The-Wave-Of-Shale-Well-Closures-Has-Finally-Begun.html
U.S. shale oil producers have so far held up admirably, hanging on for dear life amidst the biggest oil demand collapse in history. American producers continued to pump at record highs in March, even after dozens of drillers laid out blueprints to limit production.

But with U.S. storage about to hit tank tops in a matter of weeks and the world deep in the throes of the biggest pandemic in modern history, the inevitable has begun to unfold: The arduous and costly process of well shut-ins.

9          Opec+ alliance to reduce output by 9.7mn b/d
https://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=2101627&menu=yes

Opec and its partners are today embarking on the most ambitious co-ordinated production cut in history.

The first phase of the three-stage deal targeting market rebalance calls for the 23-country Opec+ alliance to reduce output by 9.7mn b/d this month and next, largely from an October 2018 baseline. Iran, Venezuela and Libya remain exempt.

10        Oil Up as Cuts Start
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/oil_up_as_cuts_start-01-may-2020-161948-article/
Oil headed for its first weekly gain in a month as global production cuts began to take effect, while early signs the coronavirus-driven plunge in demand might be starting to bottom out also aided sentiment.

Futures in New York edged above $19 a barrel and are up around 13% so far this week. The OPEC+ bloc’s 10 million barrels a day of output reductions officially start from Friday, while other producers — including Norway and ConocoPhillips — have also said they’re cutting back.

11        LNG tankers build up around virus-hit Europe as crisis abates in Asia – Energy & Oil
https://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL8N2CI9K4
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes are piling up off the shores of Europe as the coronavirus pandemic severely disrupts gas demand, leading to delays in tanker discharges and a rise in the number of vessels used as floating storage, analysts said.

12        Dow Chemical idles polyethylene plant in Argentina
https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/petrochemicals/043020-dow-chemical-idles-polyethylene-plant-in-argentina

To balance production to current demand, Dow said it is idling three PE and two elastomers production units in the Americas for at least 30 days. The company did not say when the plants would be idled.

“The plants have an aggregate annualized capacity of approximately 2 million lb and are located on the US Gulf Coast and in Argentina,” CEO Jim Fitterling said during the company’s first-quarter 2020 earnings call Thursday.

13        BASF cuts investment plans as crisis consumes car industry
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-basf-results-idUSKBN22C0N7
BASF (BASFn.DE) scaled back its investment budget on Thursday and said it could not rule out a second quarter operating loss as the coronavirus crisis hit automakers, who are the chemicals giant’s largest customers.

Profits in the chemicals industry react strongly to a downturn because of its exposure to cyclical sectors such as carmakers, while massive overheads prevent swift cost cutting.

14        BASF Starts Hand Sanitizer Production In Canada
https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/industrynews/2020/basf-starts-hand-sanitizer-production-in-canada/
With the goal of helping overcome current and future bottlenecks for hand sanitizer resulting from a significant increase in demand, BASF starts production of hand sanitizers in Canada. The sanitizing product manufactured at BASF’s Windsor facility will be donated to hospitals, care facilities and other institutions in areas of high need, identified in collaboration with the provincial governments of Quebec, Ontario and Alberta.

15        Shell cuts dividend for first time since World War Two
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-shell-results-idUSKBN22C0TK
Royal Dutch Shell RDSa. cut its dividend for the first time since World War Two on Thursday in a drastic step to preserve cash as it prepares for a protracted slump in demand for oil because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Anglo-Dutch energy company also suspended share buybacks and said it would reduce oil and gas output by about a quarter after its net profit almost halved in the first three months of 2020 to $2.9 billion.

16        Special Report: Trump told Saudis: Cut oil supply or lose U.S. military support
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-trump-saudi-specialreport-idUSKBN22C1V4
In an April 2 phone call, Trump told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that unless the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) started cutting oil production, he would be powerless to stop lawmakers from passing legislation to withdraw U.S. troops from the kingdom, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

17        Plastics Get More Respect Amid COVID-19
https://www.rigzone.com/news/plastics_get_more_respect_amid_covid19-01-may-2020-161941-article/
In a world grappling with COVID-19, however, the proverbial spotlight appears to have shifted to the beneficial applications of plastics – such as ExxonMobil’s role in developing reusable personal protective equipment for health care workers.

Rigzone recently interviewed a panel of petrochemicals industry pros to obtain their insights on how COVID-19 has influenced views about plastics and trends they see going forward. Keep reading for their perspectives.

18        Pulse Survey Reveals Business Impact of COVID-19 Measures on Mold Makers
https://www.plasticstoday.com/injection-molding/pulse-survey-reveals-business-impact-covid-19-measures-on-mold-makers/99248513962945

The American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) has launched periodic Pulse Surveys to give business leaders insight into the state of the mold building industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The short, one-minute survey asks participants eight questions over a two-day period. More than 130 mold builders participated in the first collection period.

19        Best Practices in Processing with Recycled Material: Plastics Technology
https://www.ptonline.com/blog/post/best-practices-in-post-consumer-recycling
Welcome to Plastics Technology’s Recycling Supplement. We put this publication together with one overriding thought: You’re going to be using more post-consumer scrap in the future as you formulate your products. This will almost certainly be the case in the packaging market, but is just as likely to spill over into other end markets as well. We’re going green, make no mistake.

20        Olin swings to $80 million Q1 loss as COVID-19 saps chlorine demand
https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/petrochemicals/043020-olin-swings-to-80-million-q1-loss-as-covid-19-saps-chlorine-demand

Sharp declines in demand for chlorine and related products pushed Olin, the world’s largest chlor-alkali producer, into an $80 million loss in the first quarter this year, the company said. “During the second half of March and into April, Olin began to experience reduced demand across our chemical portfolio,” CEO John Fischer said during the company’s first-quarter earnings call Thursday. The quarterly loss compared to a $41.7 million profit in the first three months of 2019.

21        Video: how masks are produced by Sinopec
https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/petrochemicals/01052020/video-how-masks-are-produced-by-sinopec/

A close-up video of production lines at the Sinopec Yanshan Factory was recorded and released on the social account of a British vlogger, named Stuart, who lives in China.

The video below showcases how disposable facial masks and N95 masks are made from polypropylene grain.

With a daily production capacity of 12 t, Sinopec Yanshan Factory can provide key raw materials for 12 million medical masks on a daily basis.

22        Woodside expects low oil and gas prices into 2021
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/woodside-expects-low-oil-and-gas-prices-into-2021/
Australia’s largest LNG player Woodside expects low oil and gas prices to continue for the rest of 2020 and into next year due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

23        Saudis’ 43MMbbl oil flotilla will clog more than U.S. storage tanks
https://www.worldoil.com/news/2020/4/30/saudis-43mmbbl-oil-flotilla-will-clog-more-than-us-storage-tanks

A fleet of supertankers carrying Saudi oil will add to the growing congestion at U.S. ports in coming weeks at the same time producers are shutting in output as they run out of space to store unwanted supplies.

A total of 43 million barrels of Saudi oil is set to arrive on the U.S. Gulf and West coasts by May 24, according to Rystad Energy. The flotilla — comprising 28 tankers, including 14 very large crude carriers, or VLCCs — will join a queue of 76 tankers waiting to unload in U.S. ports as the greatest oil glut in history plays out.

24        TC Energy sells Ontario natural gas-fired power plants for $2.8B
https://www.bicmagazine.com/industry/natgas-lng/tc-energy-sells-ontario-natural-gas-fired-power-plants-for-2/

TC Energy Corporation has completed the sale of its interests in three Ontario natural gas-fired power plants to a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation Inc. for $2.8 billion prior to post-closing adjustments.

The facilities include the 683-megawatt Halton Hills power plant, the 900-megawatt Napanee generating station and TC Energy’s 50 percent interest in the 550-megawatt Portlands Energy Center.

25        Permian Bankruptcies Could Fuel A Buying Spree For Big Oil
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Permian-Bankruptcies-Could-Fuel-A-Buying-Spree-For-Big-Oil.html
The United States shale revolution is over. Production in the Permian Basin, which spreads across West Texas and Southeast New Mexico, has been slowing for months, but the novel coronavirus took things from bad to much, much worse for U.S. shale. The oil price shock that followed the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with a massive global oil glut spurred by a spat between with learning OPEC+ member countries of Russia and Saudi Arabia, drove West Texas Intermediate oil prices down to a previously unthinkable -$37.63 a barrel earlier this month.  While shale prices have since moderately rebounded, the Permian Basin is still in bad shape.

26        The Death Of U.S. Oil
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/The-Death-Of-US-Oil.html
It’s game-over for most of the U.S. oil industry.

Prices have collapsed and storage is nearly full. The only option for many producers is to shut in their wells. That means no income. Most have considerable debt so bankruptcy is next.

Peggy Noonan wrote in her column recently that “this is a never-before-seen level of national economic calamity; history doesn’t get bigger than this.” That is the superficial view.

27        Russian Oil Production Set For First Annual Drop Since 2008
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Russian-Oil-Production-Set-For-First-Annual-Drop-Since-2008.html
Due to the OPEC+ production cut deal, Russia’s oil production could decline by 15 percent annually in 2020, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told news agency Interfax in an interview published on Wednesday.

This year, Russia’s production of crude oil and condensate could be between 480 million tons and 500 million tons – or between 9.6 million bpd and 10 million bpd, in case of 100-percent compliance with the new OPEC+ agreement, Novak told Interfax.

Recycling Renewables and Sustainable Business 33

Friday, May 1, 2020

Recycling Renewables and Sustainable Business 33

1          Clean air in Europe during lockdown ‘leads to 11,000 fewer deaths’
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/30/clean-air-in-europe-during-lockdown-leads-to-11000-fewer-deaths

The improvement in air quality over the past month of the coronavirus lockdown has led to 11,000 fewer deaths from pollution in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, a study has revealed.

Sharp falls in road traffic and industrial emissions have also resulted in 1.3m fewer days of work absence, 6,000 fewer children developing asthma, 1,900 avoided emergency room visits and 600 fewer preterm births, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

2          Solar can drive down levelized cost of desalinated water
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/04/29/solar-can-drive-down-levelized-cost-of-desalinated-water/
The global average levelized cost of drinking water (LCOW) from desalinationplants could decline from around €2.40/m3 in 2015 to €1.05 by 2050 if solar, storage systems and other renewable energies are used to decarbonize the sector.

3          Falling LCOE of Solar Puts Existing Coal, Gas at Risk
https://solarindustrymag.com/falling-lcoe-of-solar-puts-existing-coal-gas-at-risk/
Solar PV and onshore wind are now the cheapest sources of new-build generation for at least two-thirds of the global population. Those two-thirds live in locations that comprise 71% of gross domestic product and 85% of energy generation. Battery storage is now the cheapest new-build technology for peaking purposes (up to two-hours of discharge duration) in gas-importing regions, like Europe, China and Japan.

4          Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on the Renewable Energy Industry
https://www.altenergymag.com/article/2020/04/understanding-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-renewable-energy-industry/33008

COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on every person and every industry on the planet, and at LevelTen, we are truly heartened to see our global community collaborate, improvise, and sacrifice during this unprecedented global crisis. To understand the effects the crisis could have on the renewable energy market, we conducted a survey of project developers, analyzed data from the LevelTen Marketplace, and talked to our customers. Here are five key takeaways.

5          Tesla installed 260MWh of energy storage in Q1 2020
https://www.energy-storage.news/news/tesla-installed-260mwh-of-energy-storage-in-q1-2020
Tesla has kept financial losses at bay in the first quarter of the year, posting strong group-wide EBITDA and revenue numbers amid high hopes for its solar roof line in the longer term.

Releasing a financial update on Wednesday, the Silicon Valley firm claimed its US$16 million in positive GAAP net income this quarter marks the first time the indicator is on the black in its Q1 series, a milestone achieved even as the COVID-19 crisis forced it to shutter factories.

6          Is The $110 Trillion Renewable Revolution Feasible?
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Is-The-110-Trillion-Renewable-Revolution-Feasible.html
A new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) show that, to save the planet, a massive transformation of the world’s energy system will need to occur, in which a large-scale shift to renewables and new carbon-free fuels is accompanied by a precipitous decline of hydrocarbons. The report gives solid numbers on what the world will look like in 2050 if the goals of the Paris Climate Accord are achieved.

7          CO2 Emissions Expected To Fall To 8-Year Lows
https://oilprice.com/The-Environment/Global-Warming/CO2-Emissions-Expected-To-Fall-To-8-Year-Lows.html

The International Energy Agency expects carbon dioxide emissions to decline by 8 percent this year due to the devastation the coronavirus wreaked on energy demand.

The agency said in the new edition of it Global Energy Review that the annual drop in oil demand this year could reach 9 percent, which translates into a loss of 9 million bpd. This would make 2020 oil demand equal to the average levels in 2012.

8          How global business could mitigate climate change
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability/our-insights/climate-math-what-a-1-point-5-degree-pathway-would-take

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, everyone is rightly focused on protecting lives and livelihoods. Can we simultaneously strive to avoid the next crisis? The answer is yes—if we make greater environmental resilience core to our planning for the recovery ahead, by focusing on the economic and employment opportunities associated with investing in both climate-resilient infrastructure and the transition to a lower-carbon future.

9          Australian grid could derive 75% of electricity from renewables by 2025
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/05/01/australian-grid-could-derive-75-of-electricity-from-renewables-by-2025/

Australia’s main electricity grid could safely derive up to 75% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by as soon as 2025, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) said in a new study this week. However, this will only be possible if market conditions and the regulatory environment are modified.

10        Revealed: US fossil fuel companies handed at least $50m in coronavirus aid
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/01/fossil-fuel-firms-coronavirus-package-aid
US fossil fuel companies have taken at least $50m in taxpayer money they likely won’t have to pay back, according to a review of coronavirus aid meant for struggling small businesses by the investigative research group Documented and the Guardian.

A total of $28m is going to three coal mining companies, including two with ties to Trump officials, bolstering a dying American industry and a fuel that scientists insist world leaders must shift away from to avoid the worst of the climate crisis.

11        Expanding ‘Circularity’ through Advanced Recycling Technologies
https://www.ptonline.com/articles/expanding-circularity-through-advanced-recycling-technologies
Sustainability … What once was a niche business philosophy is now the driving force for businesses growth and development across all sectors. This could not be truer for the plastics industry, which is facing unprecedented scrutiny for mounting plastic pollution problems around the globe. For this reason, recycling and achieving circularity for materials is at the core of the plastics industry’s evolving sustainable business model.

12        The toxic chemicals in our homes could increase Covid-19 threat
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/29/coronavirus-toxic-chemicals-pfas-bpa
During the rare moments you’ve ventured outside these days, you’ve probably noticed clearer skies and the benefits of reductions in air pollution.

Long-term exposure to air pollution increases the danger associated with four of the biggest Covid-19 mortality risks: diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and asthma. It also can make the immune system overreact, exaggerating the inflammatory response to common pathogens.

But there are other common contaminants in our homes that are also likely to be hacking our immune systems, which have had less attention.

13        New Low-emissions Plant Will Power One Million More Homes In New York State
https://www.energytrend.com/news/20200430-17292.html
One million additional homes in New York state will receive low-carbon, affordable, safe and reliable power from the newly completed Cricket Valley Energy Center, which was built by Bechtel. The 1,100-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle plant in Dover, New York, will use advanced emissions-control technology to ensure it operates as one of the most efficient power-generation facilities in the U.S.

14        Hitachi to Bankroll UK Chain of Solar-Powered Supercharging Stations
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/hitachi-to-bankroll-u.k-chain-of-solar-powered-superchargers

Hitachi Capital is scaling up its financial support for a network of electric vehicle superchargers U.K. in partnership with Gridserve

Gridserve’s model is to develop subsidy-free solar-plus-storage plants alongside a network of EV infrastructure. The first such solar site was connected to the grid in December last year: a 34.7-megawatt solar system paired with a 30 megawatt-hour Samsung battery, and run on an entirely merchant basis. The first of its ‘Electric Forecourt’ filling stations is currently under construction and expected to open in the coming months.

15        Microgrids for EV charging are a ‘low carbon, resilient, economically viable opportunity’
https://www.energy-storage.news/news/microgrids-for-ev-charging-are-a-low-carbon-resilient-economically-viable-o

Moving from today’s gas stations to their electrified equivalent can present a challenge so “dramatic” that in some cases, microgrids may be the only viable solution, a representative of Schneider Electric has said.

16        Total to examine if O&G platforms can run on renewable energy
https://www.offshorewind.biz/?p=100181418
French energy major Total has joined a project to explore the potential of powering offshore oil and gas platforms with floating wind and wave energy.

The O/G Decarb innovation project will examine the possibility of using a combined wind and wave technology on a floating foundation to store energy that can convert electricity into hydrogen via electrolysis.

17        Britain Hits Three Weeks Coal-Free Record
https://www.forbes.com/sites/emanuelabarbiroglio/2020/04/30/britain-hits-three-weeks-coal-free-record/
Britain’s electricity system has not used energy provided by coal-fired plants over the past three weeks. National Grid ESO data shows that continuous time without coal has now been 20 days and 12 hours at the time of writing.

This is the longest period without coal energy since the Industrial Revolution, precisely after a public grid had been established in 1882. The first time Britain ran without coal was on May 9, 2016. The previous record of 18 continuous days was set last year on June 4.

18        Let’s Invest In An Energy Future That Preserves The Economy
https://www.forbes.com/sites/margooge/2020/04/30/lets-invest-in-an-energy-future-that-preserves-the-economy–and-life-on-this-planet/

It’s becoming evident the COVID-19 will disrupt the lives of the world’s 7.8 billion human inhabitants for much longer than we could have imagined. Already, millions are infected and hundreds of thousands dead, while the global economy could contract 3% this year in the worst downturn since the Great Depression.

Policymakers are responding by injecting trillions of dollars to help the sputtering economy. But for economic and environmental reasons, one sector should not receive a taxpayer bailout – the oil and gas industry.

19        Coronavirus will trigger biggest ever plunge in energy demand, emissions: IEA
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iea-energy-coronavirus-idUSKBN22C0HL
Economic lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic look set to cut global energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions by record amounts, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday.

Business Intelligence and Analytics 62

Friday, May 1, 2020

Business Intelligence and Analytics 62

1          Ten reasons why a ‘Greater Depression’ for the 2020s is inevitable
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/29/ten-reasons-why-greater-depression-for-the-2020s-is-inevitable-covid

After the 2007-09 financial crisis, the imbalances and risks pervading the global economy were exacerbated by policy mistakes. So, rather than address the structural problems that the financial collapse and ensuing recession revealed, governments mostly kicked the can down the road, creating major downside risksthat made another crisis inevitable. And now that it has arrived, the risks are growing even more acute. Unfortunately, even if the Greater Recession leads to a lacklustre U-shaped recovery this year, an L-shaped “Greater Depression” will follow later in this decade, owing to 10 ominous and risky trends.

2          The next wave of coronavirus disruption? Automation
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/30/coronavirus-disruption-automation
It’s funny how quickly the strange and unfamiliar become routine. After weeks of awkwardness at the supermarket checkout, suddenly the choreography is getting easier: I’ve almost mastered the new rhythm of packing, waiting decorously for the cashier to move their hand away before swooping on whatever they’ve passed across the scanner. Even the sight of conveyor belts being doused with disinfectant after every customer seems almost normal now, although it shouldn’t.

3          5 Ways AI Can Improve Your Supply Chain
https://medium.com/@industrystar/5-ways-ai-can-improve-your-supply-chain-85934bdc7a19
Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to work its way into numerous industries, supply chain being one of them. This technology is on track to have a revolutionary impact on the future. The way a supply chain operates today will differ drastically once AI is fully implemented. Below are five areas of supply chain where AI is starting to have this drastic impact.

4          How to demonstrate calm and optimism in a crisis
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/how-to-demonstrate-calm-and-optimism-in-a-crisis

The coronavirus outbreak is posing profound challenges to the way we live and work. A crisis of this scale has left many fearful that disruption—personal, financial, societal—is going to be a way of life for some time.

When the path ahead is uncertain, people turn to leaders to help them gain clarity and a grounded hope for a better future. They want someone with a positive vision, who is confident about tackling the problems we all face yet courageous enough to confront uncomfortable truths and admit what they do not know.

5          As eurozone records 3.8% slump ECB chief warns of worse to come
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/30/eurozone-suffers-record-slump-as-coronavirus-lockdown-reverses-growth

The head of the European Central Bank has warned that the eurozone could be on course for a 15% collapse in output in the second quarter as evidence of the economic toll caused by Covid-19 pandemic started to emerge, with France and Italy falling into recession.

6          Top 10 ways to utilise AI in smart manufacturing
https://medium.com/manufacturing-global/top-10-ways-to-utilise-ai-in-smart-manufacturing-9d23fc2c0b11
One of the largest use cases — Predictive Maintenance. In 2018 the technology made up over 24% of the total market. Predictive maintenance harnesses advanced analytics and machine learning to determine the condition of both a single or entire set of assets, to determine the remaining useful life of an asset.

7          How European business can recover from the coronavirus
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/how-european-businesses-can-position-themselves-for-recovery

For tens of millions of Europeans, the coronavirus pandemic will be a life-changing event. Even if they are untouched by the disease itself, the upheaval caused by the virus will have a profound effect on many people’s livelihoods and life circumstances. Never before, except in wartime, have whole industries shut down and consumer demand dropped so far so fast.

8          China Spends $600 Billion To Trump America’s Economy
https://www.forbes.com/sites/williampesek/2020/05/01/china-spends-600-billion-to-trump-americas-economy/

Ten years from now, when economists mull the exact moment the U.S. ceded the future to China this week’s events are sure to top the list of time-stamp candidates.

This was the week, after all, when Chinese President Xi Jinping tossed another 4 trillion yuan, or $565 billion, at an economy taking devastating coronavirus blows. The 4 trillion-yuan figure will sound familiar to students of 2008 and 2009, back when Beijing threw exactly that amount at plunging demand amid the “Lehman stock.”

9          9 Things to Expect from Life After COVID
https://www.business2community.com/workplace-culture/9-things-to-expect-from-life-after-covid-02306371

Whether we accept it or not, researchers predict we may be in lockdown for longer than planned. Others are saying social distancing could become a fact of life for, not months, but years.

A new world, they say, is on the other side of all this change. But, practically speaking, what can we expect?

10        Surviving the Economic Downturn Caused by the Coronavirus
https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/surviving-the-economic-downturn-caused-by-the-coronavirus/
As the world struggles to contain the COVID-19 coronavirus, most businesses are struggling as well. They’re struggling with ensuring the health of their employees, store closures mandated by the government, unanticipated drops in sales due to pullbacks in consumer spending, fulfilling orders from distribution centers, and identifying how to replace lost sales from brick-and-mortar stores.

11        10 Ways To Serve, Support, and Connect With Remote Employees
https://www.business2community.com/workplace-culture/10-ways-to-serve-support-and-connect-with-remote-employees-02306347

The coronavirus pandemic and ensuring lockdowns have taken the remote workrevolution from a mere spark to a roaring fire.

As a result, many organizations, faced with the prospect of letting their employees work remotely are facing challenges in connecting and supporting their remote workers through this challenging time.

In this article, I list 10 ways you can serve, support and keep in touch with your remote employees in a way that builds morale and boosts productivity and loyalty.

12        Python — the programming language of Machine Learning
https://justinsrv.xyz/_DEV_SPACE/synapse-motion-site/2020/04/25/python-the-programming-language-of-machine-learning/

Python is the de facto programming language used is machine learning. This is owed to it’s simplicity and readability, which allows users to focus on the algorithms and results, rather than wasting time on structuring code efficiently and keeping it manageable.

Python is also consistent across projects. People use mostly the same flagship modules (keras, scikit-learn, numpy) unlike in other languages such as Javascript which have a multitude of libraries and patterns, or like Java which has many data structures.

13        Natural Language Processing Recipes: Best Practices and Examples
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2020/05/natural-language-processing-recipes-best-practices-examples.html
We at KDnuggets have been doing our best to highlight some quality natural language processing (NLP) resources in the recent past, most notably The Big Bad NLP Database and The Super Duper NLP Repo, a pair of initiatives managed by Quantum Stat. The first of these is a curated repository of NLP datasets neatly organized around tasks, while the second is a collection of Google Colab notebooks demonstrating implementations of numerous of these tasks.

14        The Role of the Board Chair During a Crisis
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-role-of-the-board-chair-during-a-crisis/
Experienced chairpersons know that their success depends on how they walk the tightrope of being too involved or too remote in the company’s strategy execution. Yet when a crisis such as COVID-19 hits and the CEO transforms into Chief Crisis Officer, the chairperson may become increasingly unsure how to strike this balance.

Energy Petrochemicals and Plastics 61

Friday, April 24, 2020

Energy Petrochemicals and Plastics 61

1          Oil Price Fundamental Daily Forecast – Light Short-Covering Ahead of Weekend
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/oil-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-light-short-covering-ahead-of-weekend-645813

U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international-benchmark Brent crude oil futures are edging higher shortly after the regular session opening. Helping to underpin prices on Friday is the news that some producers like Kuwait said they would move to cut output swiftly to try to counter the demand destruction for fuels caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

2          Natural Gas Price Fundamental Daily Forecast
https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/natural-gas-price-fundamental-daily-forecast-demand-destruction-still-painting-bearish-picture-645806

Natural gas futures are inching lower on Friday, following the previous session’s steep plunge. Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI) said yesterday, “Major moves along the natural gas futures curve continued Thursday, with early selling intensifying once traders had time to digest the latest storage data.“

There was very little movement in spot gas prices, however, with little change in weather patterns seen for the end of the week. NGI’s Spot Gas National Average fell a half-cent to $1.705.

3          Weekly Resin Report: Historically Low Resin Prices Fail to Ignite Sales
https://www.plasticstoday.com/resin-pricing/weekly-resin-report-historically-low-resin-prices-fail-ignite-sales/207933889962870

It was a challenging week for spot resin trading, reports the PlasticsExchange in its Market Update. The flow of resin requests diminished and those opportunities that did arise were still difficult to complete. Resellers continued to de-stock, generally limiting purchases to when they had back-to-back sales. Spot commodity resin prices slid further, as buyers were scarce and supplies accumulated.

4          Oil heads for steep weekly slide after coronavirus turmoil
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-idUSKCN22605I
Oil prices rose on Friday but headed for their third weekly loss as production shutdowns failed to keep pace with sliding demand due to the coronavirus crisis. Prices are heading for their eighth weekly loss in the last nine, with Brent on course for a 22% drop this week and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) set for a fall of more than 6%.

5          COVID-19 demand update: Oil seen down 10.4%, jet fuel down 31%, road fuel down 10.5% in 2020
https://www.rystadenergy.com/newsevents/news/press-releases/covid-19-demand-update-oil-seen-down-10point4-jet-fuel-down-31-road-fuel-down-10point5-in-2020/

In another consecutive revision of our weekly estimates, our newest forecast for oil demand now projects a decrease of 10.4% for 2020, or 10.3 million barrels per day (bpd) year-over-year. Our estimates show that total oil demand in 2019 was approximately 99.5 million bpd, which is now projected to decline to 89.2 million bpd in 2020. To put the number into context, last week we projected a decrease to 90.3 million bpd.

6          Gasoline, the refiner’s favorite child, is the key fuel behind the global oil demand doom
https://www.rystadenergy.com/newsevents/news/press-releases/gasoline-the-refiners-favorite-child-is-the-key-fuel-behind-the-global-oil-demand-doom/

As the global population puts the breaks on ground transportation thanks to lockdowns, road fuels – which make up about half of the world’s oil demand – has become the segment most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Among road fuels, gasoline is hardest hit. As it is the most-refined fuel, its decrease will in itself cut global oil demand by 3.63 million barrels per day (bpd) or 3.6% in 2020, according to Rystad Energy estimates.

7          Russia slashes May oil exports from sea ports before OPEC+ cuts: schedule
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-oil-exports-idUSKCN2261EF
Russian oil companies will cut their crude oil loadings from Baltic ports and Black Sea’s Novorossiisk in May to 5.42 million tonnes, the lowest level in 20 years, the preliminary loading schedule seen by Reuters showed on Friday.

Russia, which has joined an OPEC+ pact to curb oil supplies, has agreed to cut its output by 8.5 million bpd starting on May 1, from a baseline of 11 million bpd.

8          Are We Nearing Peak Oil Supply?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/woodmackenzie/2020/04/24/are-we-nearing-peak-oil-supply/
Are we now deep in the abyss? Up to our necks in it, if the oil price is any guide. Brent has now tested sub-U.S.$20 a barrel in this downturn and WTI sub-zero, albeit briefly and in somewhat freakish circumstances. Where are the signs of stress across the oil value chain? And what are the prospects of finding an exit route to recovery? I talked it through with Ann-Louise Hittle of our Macro Oils team.

9          Maersk Drilling Loses Contracts
https://www.rigzone.com/news/maersk_drilling_loses_contracts-24-apr-2020-161877-article/
Shell and Aker BP Cancel Maersk Drilling Contracts

Maersk Drilling received notice of early termination of two drilling contracts, one with a Shell subsidiary and another with Aker BP. The company said it expects to receive compensation in the form of early termination fees for both contracts.

10        Eni slashes 2020 capex budget by more than £2bn due to Covid-19 and oil price crisis
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/237193/eni-slashes-2020-capex-budget-by-more-than-2bn-due-to-covid-19-and-oil-price-crisis/

Italian oil and gas exploration firm Eni has announced that it will slash its capital expenditure (CAPEX) budget for 2020 by more than £2 billion.

The reduction, which Eni said it due to current crisis scenario, has seen the firm make a 30% reduction in 2020 and review its industrial plan for the year to preserve the robustness of its balance sheet.

11        Buyers cancel US LNG cargo loadings
https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/24042020/buyers-cancel-us-lng-cargo-loadings/
According to the latest Reuters report, Asian and European LNG buyers have cancelled approximately 20 LNG cargoes due to be loaded in the US in June.

These cancellations are the result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic dampening global gas demand and causing prices to fall to record lows.

12        Oil Steadies as Attention Turns to Cuts
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/oil_steadies_as_attention_turns_to_cuts-24-apr-2020-161874-article/

After a dramatic week that saw prices plunge below zero for the first time in history, oil continued to claw back losses as attention turned to output cuts in response to the demand hit from coronavirus lockdowns.

New York futures for June delivery rose for a fourth day toward $17 a barrel after the May contract fell as low as -$40.32 on Monday before expiring the next day. U.S. operators have already started to shut in old wells and halt new drilling, actions that could reduce output by 20%, while Kuwait and Algeria said they are reducing production earlier than required to under the OPEC+ deal.

13        Withdrawals from natural gas storage this winter were lowest since 2015–16
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=43475
Working natural gas in storage in the Lower 48 states as of March 31, 2020, totaled 2,008 billion cubic feet (Bcf), 19% more than the previous five-year (2015–19) average for the end of the heating season, according to EIA’s Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report. The 2019–20 heating season, which ran from November 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020, ended with the most working natural gas in storage since the 2016–17 winter, with 1,718 Bcf in net withdrawals, the least in four winters. Continued growth in natural gas production and relatively mild winter temperatures accounted for relatively higher inventory levels.

14        The Oil Market Crash Is Far From Over
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/The-Oil-Market-Crash-Is-Far-From-Over.html
WTI prices may have steadied somewhat after a wild couple of days, but the physical market for crude is still collapsing.

Energy stocks posted sharp gains on Thursday as WTI prices “surged” nearly 30 percent to…$17 per barrel. The nascent rebound in oil prices has eased the immediate crisis, but before Monday, WTI in the teens would have been considered catastrophic; now it seems downright reasonable. Amazing what negative $37 WTI will do to perceptions.

15        In Rare Development, Oil Majors Are Forced To Cut Output Under OPEC Deal
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/In-Rare-Development-Oil-Majors-Are-Forced-To-Cut-Output-Under-OPEC-Deal.html

A British Petroleum-led project in Azerbaijan will have to cut production in May for the first time as Azerbaijan will need to take drastic measures to meet its new quota under the OPEC production cut deal, three sources told Reuters on Thursday.

This is rare for Big Oil, who is typically exempt from such production restrictions because countries need these big oil players in their backyards to develop oil resources. Big Oil has never seen a mandatory production cut in Azerbaijan.

16        US Fracking Set for Biggest Ever Monthly Drop
https://www.rigzone.com/news/us_fracking_set_for_biggest_ever_monthly_drop-24-apr-2020-161876-article/

Rystad estimates that the total number of started frac operations will end up below 300 wells in April, comprising close to 200 in the Permian and less than 50 wells each in Bakken and Eagle Ford. This translates into a 60 percent decline in started frac operations between the peak level seen in January-February and April 2020, Rystad outlined.

17        Saudi Arabia To Take On Billions In Debt To Survive The Oil Price Crisis
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Saudi-Arabia-To-Take-On-Billions-In-Debt-To-Survive-The-Oil-Price-Crisis.html

Saudi Arabia may have to borrow as much as $58 billion this year to cover a budget shortfall caused by the oil price slump, Bloomberg reports, citing Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan.

Al-Jadaan told media this week that the Kingdom might issue bonds worth $26.57 billion (100 billion riyals) this year in addition to an earlier issue of $31.88 billion (120 billion riyals) worth of debt.

18        World Bank slashes outlook for oil, metals as coronavirus crushes demand
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-worldbank-idUSKCN2252EC
The World Bank slashed its outlook for oil and metals prices on Thursday due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and said the commodity market shock could hit developing countries hardest.

Crude oil prices are expected to average $35 a barrel this year, down 43% from the average in 2019, the World Bank said, marking a sharp downward revision from its October forecast.

19        Petrochemical companies work to overcome imbalances caused by Covid-19
https://www.bicmagazine.com/industry/refining-petchem/pu-petrochemical-companies-work-to-overcome-imbalances-cause/

Before Covid-19 petrochemical plants could depend on co-production of multiple chemical intermediates with predictable demand for each but producers now struggle to find new balances, executives participating on a Petrochemical Updatewebinar on April 16, 2020 said.

Covid-19 has created imbalances and forced petrochemical companies to intensify demand management and reconfigure production to meet a new, rapidly changing and uncertain environment.

20        Coronavirus, oil price crash – impact on chemicals
https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2020/04/23/10462108/topic-page-coronavirus-oil-price-crash-impact-on-chemicals

Petrochemical shares in Asia were mostly higher on Thursday, tracking the overnight rally on Wall Street which also fueled the rebound in oil prices. At 03:12 GMT, Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals was up 1.52%, South Korea’s LG Chem rose by 0.28% and Hong Kong-listed Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co was up almost 2%.

21        TechnipFMC books $3.25B loss; cuts execs pay and dividend
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/technipfmc-books-3-25b-loss-cuts-execs-pay-and-dividend/
TechnipFMC has reported first-quarter 2020 loss of $3.25 billion or $7.28 per diluted share against $21 million profit same time last year.

The services major has seen the results affected by after-tax charges and credits totaling $7.17 per share, primarily driven by non-cash impairment charges.

TechnipFMC warned the market on impairment impact prior to releasing its earnings results.

22        Bankruptcy looms over U.S. energy industry, from oil fields to pipelines
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-usa-restructuring-idUSKCN2250FQ
U.S. shale producers, refiners and pipeline companies are scrambling for cash and face likely restructuring as they struggle under heavy debt loads and a dual supply/demand shock in the worst crisis the oil industry has faced.

23        Oil Plunges Below Zero for First Time Ever
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/oil_plunges_below_zero_for_first_time_ever-20-apr-2020-161821-article/

Oil futures collapsed to below zero for the first time ever as the deepening economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus crisis left traders desperate to avoid taking delivery of physical crude.

In an unprecedented day of trading, the price for the May contracts wiped out all value, breaking every low for oil prices since 1946. The exchange where WTI futures trade said the contract would be allowed to price below zero. The extreme move showed just how oversupplied the U.S. oil market has become with industrial and economic activity grinding to a halt as governments around the globe extend shutdowns due to the swift spread of the coronavirus. An unprecedented output deal by OPEC and allied members a week ago to curb supply is proving too little too late in the face a one-third collapse in global demand.

24        Coronavirus: Tracking The Impact On European Gas, Power And Chemicals
https://www.woodmac.com/news/opinion/coronavirus-tracking-the-impact-on-european-gas-power-and-chemicals/

Coronavirus has altered the picture. Amongst its effects are three near-term demand boosts. First, widespread stockpiling of packaged items such as cleaning products and bottled water. And while the stockpiling is abating, the increased use of delivery services is providing a secondary boost – again, particularly to packaging. Medical and hygiene products are providing a third uplift, as global communities fight the spread of the virus.

Recycling Renewables and Sustainable Business 32

Friday, April 24, 2020

Recycling Renewables and Sustainable Business 32

1          Why Plastic Waste Is a C-Suite Issue
https://hbr.org/2020/04/why-plastic-waste-is-a-c-suite-issue?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hbr

Since its invention and widespread introduction into the economy some 70 years ago, plastic has become a valuable part of business and daily life. So much so, in fact, that we have created more than 8.3 billion metric tons of it around the world. If we were able to take all of that plastic and turn it into a single grocery bag, it could hold the entire planet. If business continues as usual, 30 years from now projections say we will have produced enough plastic waste to double-bag the Earth.

2          Coca-Cola and Pepsi falling short on pledges over plastic
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/22/coca-cola-pepsi-falling-short-pledges-over-plastic-tearfund-report

Coca-Cola and Pepsi are not doing enough to reduce their plastic waste footprint globally, according to a report.

The charity Tearfund has compiled a league table of how the companies, and Unilever and Nestlé, are faring in their commitments set against a three-point plan.

3          Earth Day 2020: How Chemical Recycling Is Building Sustainable Solutions
https://www.plasticstoday.com/recycling/earth-day-2020-how-chemical-recycling-building-sustainable-solutions/67150771162866

Chemical recycling, aka “advanced recycling,” provides a way to rid the world of difficult-to-recycle plastics and produce many valuable end products. According to information supplied by Eastman Chemical (Kingsport, TN), chemical recycling alters the physical form of used plastics, either by dissolving the plastics with chemicals or using heat to break down polymers into their original components (monomers), resulting in a purified form of plastic or chemical products and feedstocks used to create new plastics, fuels, or other products.

4          New study examines impacts of sourcing metals for EV batteries and renewables
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/new-study-examines-impacts-of-sourcing-metals-for-ev-batteries-and-renewables/

The study commissioned by DeepGreen examines how we can source the massive amount of mineral resources required for a wholesale move away from fossil fuels with the least amount of damage to the planet.

As calls for a transition to renewable energy and electric transport grow louder in the face of increasing global climate chaos, demand for certain EV battery metals is projected to increase by 11 times the current level by 2050, according to the World Bank, and shortages in nickel, cobalt and copper have been predicted to emerge as soon as 2025.

5          BlackRock says sustainability reports might slide during pandemic
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-blackrock-idUSKCN2241JP
Top asset manager BlackRock Inc, which has vowed to put more focus on climate issues, said that companies might give a lower priority to sustainability reports as they struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a stewardship document provided by a BlackRock (BLK.N) spokesman late on Tuesday, the firm suggested it would tolerate the change. BlackRock also took a neutral stance on the question of whether companies should continue to pay dividends or buy back shares, and said it expected companies to provide shareholders the chance for “meaningful participation” when they move annual meetings to cyberspace.

6          New Study Reveals Just How Much Cleaner EVs Are
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/New-Study-Reveals-Just-How-Much-Cleaner-EVs-Are.html
Amid a global transport industry crisis brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, a study from clean energy nonprofit Transport and Environment has added strength to the argument that EVs emit far less CO2 than internal combustion engine vehicles do over their lifetimes.

The UK nonprofit said in its report that it had taken into account all relevant factors, including the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the production of the electricity that feeds an EV as well as the emissions that accompany the extraction of mineral resources that go into EV batteries. They even factored in the costs of building a power plant.

7          EV charging: how will US power grids manage the demand?
https://blogs.platts.com/2020/04/24/ev-charging-power-grid-demand/
Depending on the region, S&P Global Platts Analytics forecasts plug-in electric vehicles to reach total cost of ownership parity with internal combustion engine vehicles over the next 10 years.

Market fundamentals will begin to drive plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales to a greater degree as consumers become aware of the savings associated with reduced operational costs.

8          Could Microsoft’s climate crisis ‘moonshot’ plan really work?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/23/microsoft-climate-crisis-moonshot-plan
Microsoft drew widespread praise in January this year after Brad Smith, the company’s president, announced their climate “moonshot”.

While other corporate giants, such as Amazon and Walmart, were pledging to go carbon neutral, Microsoft vowed to go carbon negative by 2030, meaning they would be removing more carbon from the atmosphere than they produced.

9          US offshore wind will make major contribution to economic recovery say speakers in IPF Virtual Conference
https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/wind/us-offshore-wind-will-make-major-contribution-20200424

Attendees from across the globe, including Europe, China, Mexico, Canada, and the US, heard 30 expert speakers and provided feedback on time-sensitive information affecting the offshore wind industry.

The Network’s IPF Virtual (also known as the International Partnering Forum), featured leading government regulators seeking input from the industry. Jim Bennett, chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) told participants that the overall demand for offshore wind energy is high and growing, and that the industry is mostly on course to maintain its rapid development.

10        COVID Shows Need For Clean Air And Cheap Energy. Utilities Can Get Both Via “All-Source Procurement.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2020/04/23/covid-shows-need-for-clean-air-and-cheap-energy-utilities-can-get-both-via-all-source-procurement/

COVID-19 has reminded Americans of the importance of cheap electricity and clean air – consumers and businesses are looking for ways to save money, and people who breathe dirty air suffer higher mortality rates from the virus. One of the quickest ways to overcome both challenges, at least in the U.S. power sector, has been replacing fossil fuel generation with renewable energy.

11        Earth Day at 50: A look to the past offers hope for the planet’s future
https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/environment-and-safety/earth-day-at-50-a-look-to-the-past-offers-hope-for-the-planets-future-251731/

Fifty years ago, on April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets in cities and towns across the United States, giving voice to an emerging consciousness of humanity’s impact on Earth. Protesters shut down 5th Avenue in New York City, students in Boston staged a “die-in” at Logan airport and demonstrators in Chicago called for an end to the internal combustion engine.

12        Insect numbers down 25% since 1990, global study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/23/insect-numbers-down-25-since-1990-global-study-finds

The biggest assessment of global insect abundances to date shows a worrying drop of almost 25% in the last 30 years, with accelerating declines in Europe that shocked scientists.

The analysis combined 166 long-term surveys from almost 1,700 sites and found that some species were bucking the overall downward trend. In particular, freshwater insects have been increasing by 11% each decade following action to clean up polluted rivers and lakes. However, this group represent only about 10% of insect species and do not pollinate crops.

13        Sweden becomes third European country to complete coal plant phaseout
https://ieefa.org/sweden-becomes-third-european-country-to-complete-coal-plant-phaseout/
Sweden has become the third European country to complete its phase out of coal power, after last week confirming the closure of Stockholm Exergi AB’s Värtaverket plant.

The news came in the same week as Austria shuttered its last coal plant and sees the two countries join Belgium in having completely removed coal power from their grids.

14        Wind, solar help push grid emissions to record low, prices to four year low
https://reneweconomy.com.au/wind-solar-help-push-grid-emissions-to-record-low-prices-to-four-year-low-61945/

The Australian Energy Market Operator – in its latest Quarterly Energy Dynamics report – describes a volatile first quarter of 2020 for the main grid, which experienced days of huge demand and volatility, record temperatures, bushfires, several transmission failures that caused separations of state grids, then a spate of unusually mild weather that caused record demand lows, and finally the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, including a crash in the international oil market.

15        ‘It’ll cause a water war’: divisions run deep as filling of Nile dam nears
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/apr/23/itll-cause-a-water-war-divisions-run-deep-as-filling-of-nile-dam-nears

From his office in central Khartoum, Ahmed al-Mufti prepares every day for what he believes is the water war to come.

This conviction led Mufti, a prominent human rights lawyer and water expert, to quit the Sudanese delegation that is negotiating Nile water issues with Egypt and Ethiopia.

16        Impact of Covid-19 on the global energy sector – pv magazine International
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/04/24/impact-of-covid-19-on-the-global-energy-sector/
The energy sector has already felt the impact of Covid-19. The outbreak has contributed to a dampened demand for oil, resulting in plummeting prices and declining production, especially in the wake of the Russia-OPEC price war. According to the IEA Oil Market Report – April 2020, global oil demand is expected to fall by a record 9.3 mb/d year-on-year in 2020. Demand in April is estimated to be 29 mb/d lower than a year ago, down to a level last seen in 1995. Covid-19 has also accelerated the continued drop of gas prices.

17        How Working From Home Will Impact Oil Demand Forever
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/How-Working-From-Home-Will-Impact-Oil-Demand-Forever.html
It’s day 33 for me. I leave the house to walk the dog and occasionally swing by the corner store. But that’s about it. I haven’t ridden in a car since March 20th, nor a bus or any form of transportation other than my bicycle. I’m sure I’m not alone, and it’s got me thinking. How exactly has this lockdown impacted oil demand? And perhaps more importantly, will this way of life become somewhat of a new normal?

18        Siemens Gamesa Turbines Begin Transatlantic Journey
https://www.offshorewind.biz/2020/04/22/siemens-gamesa-turbines-begin-transatlantic-journey/
The turbine components for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project have begun their journey from Denmark to North America.

The components for the two 6 MW Siemens Gamesa turbines were loaded in Esbjerg, before the vessel embarked in mid-April on the approximately two-week transatlantic journey to Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada.

19        Cross currents: Big oil and the energy transition
https://blogs.platts.com/2020/04/21/big-oil-energy-transition-power-plays/
Well before the oil price rout caused by the coronavirus pandemic, commentators and shareholders were calling on Big Oil to make step-out energy transition acquisitions.

Now, with economies in lockdown and corporates fighting to survive, the oil sector’s incremental move into new energy looks over-cautious.

Business Intelligence and Analytics 61

Friday, April 24, 2020

Business Intelligence and Analytics 61

1          Global CEOs see U-shaped recession due to coronavirus: survey
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-business-survey-idUSKCN22403M
Global business leaders are preparing for a drawn-out U-shaped recession due to the impact of coronavirus and many fear their companies won’t survive the pandemic, a survey of thousands of chief executives showed on Wednesday.

2          IHS slashes 2020 global light vehicle sales outlook on coronavirus hit
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ihs-auto-sales-idUSKCN2232CS
Data firm IHS Markit sharply lowered its 2020 forecast for global light vehicle sales on Tuesday and warned that the United States will take the biggest hit from the coronavirus pandemic.

IHS, which closely tracks automotive sales and production trends, said it expects global light vehicle sales to fall 22% to 70.3 million units in 2020, from prior estimates of a more than 12% drop.

3          Supply chain threatened with collapse, Woodmac warns
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/237028/supply-chain-threatened-with-collapse-woodmac-warns/
The upstream supply chain “faces the very real threat of collapse”, a new report from Wood Mackenzie has warned, setting the industry on the path of another crisis as demand recovers.

Suppliers and equipment providers are still in the process of recovering the last downturn, from 2014-16. Operators have taken steps amid the current crisis to cut hard and fast, securing their own survival but putting new pressures on the supply chain.

4          How Swarm Intelligence Blends Global and Local Insight
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-swarm-intelligence-blends-global-and-local-insight/
Traders deciding on the next big market bet. A navigation app quickly mapping out a less-explored area. Fashion brands choosing the hottest color of the season. An airport managing flight delays.

What do these scenarios have in common? In each one, swarm intelligence blends global and local insight to improve how businesses make decisions.

5          Analytics, Risk and Managing the 21st Century Supply Chain
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/analytics-risk-21st-century-supply-chain/
The business of moving goods from their point of origin to their destination anywhere on Earth is no small task, and the risks seem to be growing. As the COVID-19 pandemic is making painfully clear, in this time of crisis, several challenges are associated with providing caregivers with basic tools and remedies, which we all take for granted.

6          Robots, AI, and the road to a fully autonomous construction industry
https://venturebeat.com/2020/04/23/robots-ai-and-the-road-to-a-fully-autonomous-construction-industry/

Built Robotics executives are fond of saying that their autonomous system for construction equipment, like dozers and excavators, might be further along than many autonomous vehicles. In fact, CEO Noah Ready-Campbell insists you’ll see autonomous vehicles in controlled industrial environments — like construction sites — before you see level 5 driverless cars on public roads. That may be in part because autonomous construction equipment often operates on privately owned land, while public roads face increased regulatory scrutiny.

7          Emerging Strategy Lessons from COVID-19
https://bcghendersoninstitute.com/emerging-strategy-lessons-from-covid-19-c1e5f9a7ba83
The COVID-19 crisis has posed a number of severe challenges for businesses, from reacting to the outbreak, preparing for a potential recession, anticipating an eventual rebound in demand and placing bets against the post-crisis landscape. But it also provides an opportunity for organizations to step back and assess their approach to strategy and their strategic capabilities. As the context in which businesses operate becomes more dynamic and unpredictable, driven by the pace of technological change and a high degree of interconnectedness, we should expect other shocks of a similar nature moving forward, whether the trigger comes from biological pathogens, cyberattacks, market crashes, or another sources. Some will be exogenous to the business world, but some will be endogenous.

8          Coronavirus: Industrial IoT in challenging times
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/advanced-electronics/our-insights/coronavirus-industrial-iot-in-challenging-times

Industrial companies expected 2020 to bring economic pressure from ongoing trade disputes, the aftermath of Brexit, automotive-industry challenges, and slowing demand in China. But none anticipated that the COVID-19 pandemic would throw the global economy, and their own operations, into an unprecedented crisis. As the coronavirus continues to spread, governments, healthcare authorities, and business leaders are focused on preserving lives and containing the pandemic. In parallel, they want to lessen the humanitarian toll by protecting the livelihoods of millions of workers who are now furloughed, unemployed, or in danger of losing their jobs.

9          Managing manufacturing organizations during coronavirus
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/managing-a-manufacturing-plant-through-the-coronavirus-crisis

Frontline manufacturing staff can’t take their work to the relative safety of their homes. Plant leaders are therefore looking for ways to operate through the immediate crisis—all while preparing for a potentially much longer period of heightened uncertainty regarding demand and supply, and a lasting need to maintain enhanced hygiene and physical distancing.

10        Here’s why you can’t find frozen fries, while U.S. farmers are sitting on tons of potatoes
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-french-fries-analy-idUSKCN2261AU
Shopper Lexie Mayewski is having a hard time finding frozen french fries in Washington, D.C.-area supermarkets in the wake of coronavirus-fueled stockpiling.

On the other side of the country, Washington state farmer Mike Pink is weighing whether to plow under 30 tons of potatoes worth millions of dollars that would have been turned into french fries for fast-food chains like McDonald’s Corp, Wendy’s Co and Chick-fil-A.

11        Coronavirus stockpiling drives best Nestle sales growth in years
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nestle-results-idUSKCN2260K7
Swiss food giant Nestle (NESN.S) reported its best quarterly sales growth in nearly five years on Friday as consumers stockpiled everything from Purina pet food to Nescafe coffee to frozen meals to prepare for coronavirus lockdowns.

Sales in North America and Europe were particularly strong in March, helping to drive an overall rise of 4.3% in the first three months of the year, the fastest quarterly growth in nearly five years and above analyst expectations for a 3% increase.

12        Plastic Really Is Fantastic, and So Are the People Working in this Industry
https://www.plasticstoday.com/medical/plastic-really-fantastic-and-so-are-people-working-industry/90050551362894

During the last few weeks, we have received a deluge of press releases from plastic processors telling us about the time and resources — both human and material — they are devoting to making PPEs and other plastic products for those on the front lines of this pandemic, as well as medical devices for patients. The stories you’ve sent us are overwhelming; unfortunately, we can’t report on each initiative, but we do want to thank each and every one of you for your generous efforts to aid this country.

13        A Customer Churn Analysis Checklist
https://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/a-customer-churn-analysis-checklist-02304399

It is critical to manage churn especially in this time of uncertainty As topline growth may be stagnant due to the crisis, it’s even more important to protect your core base and reduce churn.

Customer churn analysis can provide you and your teams with valuable insight into what drives your current churn rate and potential improvements. You need to understand what outcome / value your customers are trying to achieve from your products and services. You also need to measure them and track how you are doing against delivering on the outcome. If you don’t, they will churn.

14        5 Tips for Practicing Employee Engagement Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.business2community.com/human-resources/5-tips-for-practicing-employee-engagement-amidst-the-covid-19-pandemic-02300396

The prevailing COVID-19 pandemic has bought the entire world to its knees. Not even a single country which also includes some of the world’s most powerful nations are able to cope up to this crisis. And with the present-day health-care system falling apart in our fight against this unseen adversary. The only option to safeguard human lives is now depended on maintaining proper hygiene and practising social distancing.

15        Complaining is Bad for Your Company, According to Science
https://www.business2community.com/strategy/complaining-is-bad-for-your-company-according-to-science-02304061

We’re all guilty of complaining from time-to-time. And, in some situations, that’s not a bad thing.

“Complaining allows us to achieve desired outcomes such as sympathy and attention,” says Robin Kowalski, a psychology professor at Clemson University. “The truth is, everybody does it.”

But, the constant complaining. No one wants to hear it. And, more importantly, it can damage you personally and professionally.

16        Training, support duties stand out in marketing technologists’ list of responsibilities
https://martechtoday.com/training-support-duties-stand-out-in-marketing-technologists-list-of-responsibilities-240605

If you asked more than 200 marketing technologists to list their primary responsibilities, you’d think “operating marketing technology products” would be a more popular response over “training staff.” But, that doesn’t appear to be the case according to our 2020 Career Survey findings.

According to the more than 250 marketing technologists we surveyed, 82 percent listed “training and supporting marketing staff on martech products” as part of their responsibilities, compared to the 77% who listed operating marketing tech products.

17        Free High-Quality Machine Learning & Data Science Books & Courses: Quarantine Edition
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2020/04/machine-learning-data-science-books-courses-quarantine.html
Do you have the luxury of being stuck at home right now? Due to COVID-19, many of us are relegated to being locked down, quarantined, sheltered in place, or the like for the time being. If you find yourself in this situation and are looking for free learning materials in the way of books and courses in order to take advantage and sharpen your data science and machine learning skills, this collection of articles I have previously written curating such things is for you. Altogether, you will find links to smaller collections of just such materials, totalling more than 100 high quality books and courses.

18        American quandary: how to secure weapons-grade minerals without China
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-rareearths-insight-idUSKCN2241KF
The United States wants to curb its reliance on China for specialized minerals used to make weapons and high-tech equipment, but it faces a Catch-22.

It only has one rare earths mine – and government scientists have been told not to work with it because of its Chinese ties.

19        Batteries: Powering The Fight Against Climate Change
https://www.woodmac.com/news/opinion/batteries-powering-the-fight-against-climate-change/
It’s been four years since the Paris Agreement was negotiated, yet global emissions have continued to rise each year. To achieve the agreed 2°C goal, global emissions need to peak as soon as possible and trend towards net-zero by 2070.

Major cities around the world have seen significant falls in greenhouse gasses in recent weeks as the coronavirus affects work, travel and industrial activity. As a consequence, many countries will unintentionally experience lower emissions this year.

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 60

Friday, April 17, 2020

Energy, Petrochemicals and Plastics 60

1          Oil Set for Weekly Loss on Feeble Demand
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/oil_set_for_weekly_loss_on_feeble_demand-17-apr-2020-161799-article/

Oil was stuck near $20 a barrel and set for a second weekly loss after a wave of gloomy demand forecasts outweighed optimism that a deal from the world’s biggest producers would alleviate virus-led demand losses.

OPEC expects demand for its crude to fall to the lowest in three decades as the coronavirus outbreak freezes the global economy, the group said Thursday. That followed a prediction from the International Energy Agency that 2020 could be the worst year in the history of the oil market. Futures slumped to an 18-year low this week, even after a historic agreement to curb supply.

2          Higher Natural Gas Prices Are On The Horizon
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Higher-Natural-Gas-Prices-Are-On-The-Horizon.html
The oil price crash has attracted all the media attention to the dire state of the U.S. crude oil-producing sector with cash-strapped drillers struggling to make any money at $20 oil. The collapse of the price of oil, however, could be the first step toward higher U.S. natural gas prices as early as next winter, helping the gas-oriented shale firms who survive the next few months to have their gas selling for more than double the current rates.

3          Weekly Resin Report: Prices Slip, but Don’t Crater, in Spot PE Market
https://www.plasticstoday.com/resin-pricing/weekly-resin-report-prices-slip-don-t-crater-spot-pe-market/124589085562827

Spot polyethylene (PE) prices were steady to a penny lower last week, while polypropylene (PP) prices firmed a cent based on higher propylene monomer costs, reports the PlasticsExchange in its Market Update.

4          Setback or shock: when will plastics demand bounce back from coronavirus?
https://www.britishplastics.co.uk/blogs/guest-blog/setback-or-shock-when-will-plastics-demand-bounce-back-from-/

The immediate challenge revolves around supply chain disruptions. Given the global and complex nature of sourcing, many industry participants have had significant challenges accessing and delivering material. Border controls have tightened, leading to lengthy logistics delays.

These difficulties have had an immediate impact. As the coronavirus spread in China, we saw a sudden surge in both producer and trader polyethylene inventories.

5          Single-use plastic turns out to be an unlikely hero in corona battle
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/single-use-plastic-turns-out-to-be-an-unlikely-hero-in-corona-battle-11586723058100.html

Single-use plastic (SUP), which is considered an environmental hazard, is now redeeming itself in an uncanny way by protecting doctors and other health workers from the deadly virus.

The threat of a ban loomed large over SUP till a few months ago. However, the demand for the product, which is used in making personal protective equipment (PPE), has nearly doubled since the virus outbreak.

6          Rethinking the value chain | Hydrocarbon Engineering
https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/special-reports/14042020/rethinking-the-value-chain/
Downstream organisations with exposure to logistics and marketing (including retail marketing) have typically seen higher earnings than pure independent/merchant refiners. The importance of vertical integration was clearly seen in 2015 – 2016 when oil prices fell to multi-year lows. Vertically integrated downstream companies – those with marketing channels, as well as midstream operations – fared better during this downturn than the pure-play merchant refiner selling at the rack. Marketers saw strong margin uplift through their branded channels and midstream operations provided ratable income.

7          Western Canadian Select Falls Below $5
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Western-Canadian-Select-Falls-Below-5.html
Canadian oil is struggling. And I mean really, really having a tough time. Alberta’s benchmark, Western Canadian Select, is now cheaper than a pint of beer. Sitting at $4.71 at the time of writing, WCS is facing a nightmare scenario.

8          Oil Demand Won’t Bounce Back Anytime Soon
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Oil-Demand-Wont-Bounce-Back-Any-Time-Soon.html
Oil demand is expected to be down by nearly 30 million barrels per day (mb/d) in April and down by almost 10 mb/d for the entire year, according to the latest estimates. But some forecasts still optimistically assume that demand bounces back in the second half of the year, a scenario that may not come to pass.

9          US shale oil output set to drop in 2020 as cuts forecast to reach more than 2 million bpd in last quarter
https://www.rystadenergy.com/newsevents/news/press-releases/us-shale-oil-output-set-to-drop-in-2020-as-cuts-forecast-to-reach-more-than-2-million-bpd-in-last-quarter/

Due to the combined effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and the low oil prices, US shale operators are reducing spending, production and overall activity in 2020. Although the country’s oil production was previously poised for annual growth of 8.1%, based solely on interpretation of operators’ guidance, Rystad Energy is projecting a decline of at least 2.7% year-on-year (US Lower 48 excl. Gulf of Mexico).

10        Coronavirus Has Wiped Out A Decade Of Oil Demand Growth
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Coronavirus-Has-Wiped-Out-A-Decade-Of-Oil-Demand-Growth.html
But the destruction in oil demand is both larger and much more immediate. April demand is expected to be down by 29 mb/d, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Oddly, so many forecasts from investment banks have predicted a V-shaped recovery for the global economy, but that scenario appears increasingly optimistic.

11        Saudis and Russia Hint at Further Action
https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/saudis_and_russia_hint_at_further_action-17-apr-2020-161801-article/

Saudi Arabia and Russia signaled they may be open to further output cuts after the latest OPEC+ deal to curb global oil supplies failed to stem crude’s downward spiral.

The two nations will “continue to closely monitor the oil market and are prepared to take further measures jointly with OPEC+ and other producers if these are deemed necessary,” Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said in a joint statement published after a phone call.

12        Coronavirus chaos could lead to new order for LNG markets
https://blogs.platts.com/2020/04/16/coronavirus-new-order-lng-markets/
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the ephemeral nature of energy markets makes it difficult to offer certainty regarding our mainstays of forecasting: supply, demand, inventory, or price.

How much the new normal will be different from the old normal will not be revealed anytime soon, but in the case of global gas and LNG markets, it’s constructive to focus on structural problems that existed well before anyone ever heard of “social distancing.”

13        U.S. natural gas slips as exports decline, coronavirus demand destruction worries
https://www.bicmagazine.com/industry/natgas-lng/u-s-natural-gas-slips-as-exports-decline-coronavirus-demand-/

U.S. natural gas futures slipped for a fifth day in a row on Wednesday as pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports declined and on long-term forecasts government steps to slow the spread of coronavirus will cut demand in coming months, as reported by Reuters.

Traders noted those price decline came despite a slowdown in output and short-term forecasts for cooler weather and higher heating use over the next two weeks than earlier expected.

14        Oil Price Crash Is Upending The Petrochemicals Industry
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Oil-Price-Crash-Is-Upending-The-Petrochemicals-Industry.html
While the U.S. shale production decline is the immediate outcome of the price collapse, low crude oil prices have triggered a chain of events in the energy markets that will inevitably impact the supply chain of the petrochemicals industry, analysts say.

There could be trouble brewing in the petrochemicals supply chain because of the oil price collapse, IHS Markit said in a recent analysis.

15        COVID-19: 3m b/d oil demand at risk if travel habits change
https://blogs.platts.com/2020/04/17/coronavirus-oil-demand-risk-travel/
Global air, road and rail travel have been massively reduced as governments attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus, taking a heavy toll on short-term oil demand.

Clearly, the mandated restrictions will lift when the pandemic eases and low oil prices will further aid in stimulating oil demand. However, it is possible that consumer behavior could be altered structurally, with impacts that persist even once the pandemic has ended.

16        Automotive-linked petrochemicals brace for deeper car industry slump
https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2020/04/17/10497155/automotive-linked-petrochemicals-brace-for-deeper-car-industry-slump

Petrochemicals extensively used in the automotive sector are bracing for a deeper industry downturn as consumer priorities change amid a pandemic-induced global recession.

Synthetic rubbers, polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polystyrene (PS), among others will witness an unprecedented slump in demand.

17        Shell greenlights $6.4 billion Australia natural gas project
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-shell-petrochina-australia-idUSKBN21Z08C
Royal Dutch Shell said on Friday it had taken a final investment decision to develop the first phase of Australia’s biggest coal seam gas resource in Queensland state.

18        Why Mexico is the winner in OPEC+ deal, Rystad explains
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/why-mexico-is-the-winner-in-opec-deal-rystad-explains/
Following a historic OPEC+ deal to reduce global oil output in an effort to save the oil industry, Mexico came out as an unlikely winner since it was able to negotiate a production cut of only 100,000 barrels per day. Rystad Energy estimates that this will in effect be at a 50,000 bpd reduction at most.

19        Mexico Pacific hires financial advisor as it looks towards LNG FID
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/mexico-pacific-hires-financial-advisor-as-it-looks-towards-lng-fid/
Japan’s MUFG is one of the world’s largest publicly traded financial institutions and Mexico Pacific believes that this move would largely help the developer in advancing its Pacific Coast LNG export project.

“With its breadth of knowledge and experience and strong relationships with leading lenders and investors globally, MUFG’s appointment represents another important milestone in Mexico Pacific’s aggressive advancement to FID”, said chief executive Douglas Shanda.

20        Petrobras to shut down 62 offshore platforms in Brazil
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/petrobras-to-shut-down-62-offshore-platforms-in-brazil/
In an update on Wednesday, Petrobras said it would shut down 62 platforms in shallow water fields in the Campos, Sergipe, Potiguar, and Ceará basins.

These measures are part of Petrobras plan communicated to the market on 26 March and is part of a series of actions to preserve jobs and the company’s sustainability in what is the worst crisis in the oil industry in a hundred years.

21        New setback for Keystone XL oil pipeline as U.S. court rules against new permit
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/keystone-xl-montana-ruling-1.5533863
A U.S. court on Wednesday ruled against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ use of a permit that allows new energy pipelines to cross water bodies, in the latest setback to TC Energy Corp.’s plans to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Keystone XL, which would carry 830,000 barrels per day of crude from Alberta to the U.S. Midwest, has been delayed for more than a decade by opposition from landowners, environmental groups and tribes, but construction was finally supposed to start this spring following a major investment by the Alberta government.

22        Medical Tubing Demand for Ventilators Soars amid COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.plasticstoday.com/medical/medical-tubing-demand-ventilators-soars-amid-covid-19-pandemic/11766089662839

The urgent need for medical products stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some companies to enter uncharted territory. Carmakers from Ford Motor Co. to Mercedes suddenly are tasked with producing respirators and 3D printing medical components. Lego has retooled some of its injection molding lines to make visors for medical personnel. The list goes on. For companies with a medical manufacturing pedigree, the issue is not the learning curve, but suddenly ramping up production to meet soaring demand. That is the case for extruders of medical tubing, many of which are looking to add capacity, according to Graham Engineering Corp. Headquartered in York, PA, the company offers medical extrusion systems through its American Kuhne product line.

23        Borealis Completes Acquisition of Nova’s 50% Ownership Share in Novealis
https://www.ptonline.com/news/borealis-completes-acquisition-of-novas-50-ownership-share-in-novealis
Borealis AG (U.S. office in Houston, Texas) and Nova Chemicals Corp. (U.S. office in Pittsburgh) have announced that Borealis has complete the acquisition of Nova’s 50% ownership interest in Novealis Holdings LLC.

Formed in 2018, Novealis is the joint venture between affiliates of Borealis and Nova Chemicals, which subsequently formed a 50/50 joint venture with an affiliate of Total S.A (U.S. office in Houston, Texas) to launch Bayport Polymers LLC (“Baystar”) in Houston.

24        PEMEX expects its oil hedges to generate $311 million this year
http://www.worldoil.com/news/2020/4/15/pemex-expects-its-oil-hedges-to-generate-311-million-this-year

Mexico’s Petroleos Mexicanos expects to receive some relief from its oil hedge this year as producers grapple with a record slump in demand.

“The Finance Ministry has full coverage, and in the case of Pemex it is a part of our production,” said Pemex Chief Executive Officer Octavio Romero at a press conference in Mexico City, attended by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

25        U.S. crude stocks jump by a record 19 million barrels as refiners cut back: EIA
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-oil-eia-idUSKCN21X280
U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose by 19 million barrels last week, the biggest one-week increase in history, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said, as refiners throttled back activity due to slumping demand as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

26        Plastic Film Market Outlook Remains Positive Despite Short-Term Impact of COVID-19
https://www.plasticstoday.com/packaging/plastic-film-market-outlook-remains-positive-despite-short-term-impact-covid-19/36796064662834

Plastic film is getting a lot of attention, as awareness grows of the need for safety in packaging. The U.S. stretch and film market, like the manufacturing sector overall, is seeing a major short-term impact, both in terms of sales and production during the ongoing pandemic, said the Freedonia Group’s latest study on the stretch and shrink film market.

27        Soaring mask demand raises Chinese polypropylene prices; China announces quality, price controls
https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/petrochemicals/041520-soaring-mask-demand-raises-chinese-pp-prices-china-announces-quality-price-controls

Chinese polypropylene prices surged 35% on the week at Yuan 8,600/mt ex-works for raffia grade Monday on reduced raffia supply and stronger fiber-grade demand for making masks. The prices corrected Yuan 350/mt day on day at Yuan 8,250/mt ex-works Tuesday after the government announced strict quality and price controls amid rising demand.

28        China Plans To Copy Mexico’s Mega Oil Hedge
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/China-Plans-To-Copy-Mexicos-Mega-Oil-Hedge.html
This weekend, OPEC and its partners managed to agree on a historic oil production cut to the tune of 9.7 million bpd. The initial number the cartel eyed was 10 million bpd, some 300,000 bpd higher than what it managed to agree upon.

Most global oil producers were happy to cut output in the face of the greatest glut in history, but one nation wasn’t keen on participating.

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 31

Friday, April 17, 2020

Recycling, Renewables and Sustainable Business 31

1          EV Sales Could Crash By 43% This Year
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/EV-Sales-Could-Crash-By-43-This-Year.html
Sales of electric vehicles, which in 2019 topped 2.2 million, could plunge 43% this year, Wood Mackenzie said in a recent report. The reason: the travel bans in response to the coronavirus and a looming recession, which has dampened people’s appetite for new purchases, especially costly ones such as a new car. The economic situation, the Wood Mac analysts also noted, is also likely to increase people’s aversion to new technology adoption.

2          Scientists set new solar power efficiency record at almost 50 per cent
https://reneweconomy.com.au/scientists-set-new-solar-power-efficiency-record-at-almost-50-per-cent-71555/

Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the US have set a new world record solar energy conversion efficiency, producing an innovative solar cell that converts light into electricity with almost 50 per cent efficiency.

The new solar efficiency world record was set by NREL researchers using a “six-junction” solar cell, that used 140 layers of semiconductor materials to achieve a conversion rate of 47.1 per cent.

3          The Oil Price Crash Could Trigger A Geothermal Energy Boom
https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Geothermal-Energy/The-Oil-Price-Crash-Could-Trigger-A-Geothermal-Energy-Boom.html

‘Geothermal is America’s untapped energy giant,’ the U.S. Department of Energy said in a report last year, highlighting in its analysis that this kind of “always-on” flexible renewable energy resource could grow 26-fold to generate 8.5 percent of U.S. electricity by 2050.

Unlike wind and solar, geothermal energy is a 24/7 energy resource, but the technologies to explore and drill for resources and build facilities make geothermal energy more expensive than other renewables.

4          Shell unveils plans to become net-zero carbon company by 2050
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/16/shell-unveils-plans-to-become-net-zero-carbon-company-by-2050

Royal Dutch Shell plans to become a net zero-carbon company by 2050 or sooner by selling more green energy to help reduce the carbon intensity of its business.

Ben van Beurden, Shell’s chief executive, said the company must focus on the long-term “even at this time of immediate challenge” caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

5          What’s Holding The Renewable Revolution Back?
https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Whats-Holding-The-Renewable-Revolution-Back.html

For at least the last decade, renewable energy seems to have been accelerating at a ferocious pace. Every other day you can read about a new technological breakthrough or another incredible milestone being achieved. And yet… overall energy consumption continues to be dominated by fossil fuels.  Source: Our World In Data

While the achievements made in the renewable energy space, some of which are listed below, are undoubtedly impressive, there is a long way to go before a full energy transition can take place.

6          Tracking global energy transition in turbulent times
https://blogs.platts.com/2020/04/15/tracking-global-energy-transition-solar-coal/

The global power capacity mix has already been shifting toward renewables. S&P Global Platts Analytics estimates that solar photovoltaic, wind and hydro made up almost 67% of total power capacity additions over the past year. The question is whether renewables investments will accelerate, but so far we do not see major signs that this could happen soon.

7          Three pathways to decarbonization of shipping
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/three-pathways-to-decarbonization-of-shipping/
There are three potential fuel pathways toward developing zero-emission vessels and decarbonizing the future of shipping, according to ABS.

The US-based classification society just released the 2020 Setting the Course to Low-Carbon Shipping — Pathways to Sustainable Shipping outlook, which maps out the path toward decarbonization goals of the global fleet.

The three fuel pathways are: (i) light gas, (ii) heavy gas-alcohol, and (iii) biofuel or synthetic fuels.

8          Spain’s Iberdrola targets Denmark’s Ørsted for top spot in U.S. offshore wind market
https://ieefa.org/spains-iberdrola-targets-denmarks-orsted-for-top-spot-in-u-s-offshore-wind-market/
Spanish utility group Iberdrola wants to be the biggest player in the U.S. offshore wind market, but it will need to go through early market front-runner Ørsted to get there.

Iberdrola, among the world’s largest wind power generators, plans to steamroll its way through the coronavirus crisis, with CEO Ignacio Galán announcing plans this month to increase investment in renewables projects and continue adding jobs as soon as the public health crisis is over. Up to a quarter of the €10 billion ($11 billion) the company plans to invest this year will go toward offshore wind.

9          Europe Is Sinking Billions into Beating Asia on Energy Storage. Will It Pay Off?
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/europe-sinks-billions-into-research-to-beat-asia-on-batteries

Europe is sinking billions of dollars into research in an attempt to overturn Asia’s dominance of the battery market, but analysts believe it could be in vain.

Along with various national initiatives, the European Union has put half a billion euros ($550 million) into battery projects within its Horizon 2020 global competitiveness program, which had a total budget of €80 billion ($88 billion) from 2014 to 2020.

10        ‘Coronavirus profiteers’ condemned as polluters gain bailout billions
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/17/coronavirus-profiteers-condemned-as-polluters-gain-bailout-billions

Polluting industries around the world are using the coronavirus pandemic to gain billions of dollars in bailouts and to weaken and delay environmental protections.

The moves by the fossil fuel, motor, aviation, farming, plastic and timber sectorsare described as dangerous and irresponsible by senior figures. Environmental campaigners describe some participants in these industries as “coronavirus profiteers”.

11        The Western U.S. Has Some Of America’s Strongest Clean Energy Goals. It Needs More Grid Flexibility To Achieve Them.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2020/04/15/the-western-us-has-some-of-americas-strongest-clean-energy-goals-it-needs-more-grid-flexibility-to-achieve-them/

Western states like California, Colorado, and Nevada have enacted some of the country’s most ambitious climate laws, with at least five aiming for more than 50% clean energy within the decade.

This quilt of climate goals targets 33% and 64% clean energy across the region by 2026 and 2035, according to research prepared for the Western Interstate Energy Board, which finds the West could meet or exceed these targets – but only by boosting electric grid flexibility.

12        Clean energy transition plans imperiled by oil’s crash
http://www.worldoil.com/news/2020/4/15/clean-energy-transition-plans-imperiled-by-oil-s-crash
The pain felt by Big Oil from the coronavirus-led plunge in demand may derail global efforts to cut pollution, the International Energy Agency said.

The slowdown and falling prices “undermines the ability of the oil industry to develop some of the technologies needed for clean energy transitions around the world,” said the Paris-based agency that advises nations on energy policy.

13        Canada’s emissions count jumped 15M tonnes in 2018: report
https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/environment-and-safety/canadas-emissions-count-jumped-15m-tonnes-in-2018-report-251172/

A new federal report on Canada’s greenhouse-gas emissions shows they soared 15 million tonnes in 2018.

Canada’s latest report shows in 2018 Canada’s total emissions count was 729 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and its equivalents.

14        Australia renewables hit 50% of main grid’s net demand on Easter Saturday
https://reneweconomy.com.au/australia-renewables-hit-50-of-main-grids-net-demand-on-easter-saturday-91084/

Renewable energy hit what may be a record level of renewable energy on grid demand in the early afternoon on Easter Saturday, when the combined output of rooftop solar, large scale wind and solar and hydro power accounted for 50.4 per cent of net load.

The 50 per cent share of renewables – which even the federal Coalition government now conceded will be an “annual average” by 2030, rather than a figure reached during a point in time – was attained just after noon on Easter Saturday, traditionally a time of low demand, and perhaps more so given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

15        Olive oil industry under increasing threat from ‘olive leprosy’
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/olive-oil-industry-under-increasing-threat-from-olive-leprosy

One of southern Europe’s most important staples, olive oil, is under pressure from a potentially deadly disease that new research shows could infect nearly all of the productive areas of Italy, Greece and Spain.

Economic losses could be as high as €5bn over the next 50 years for Italy, where at least 1m trees have already died, if nothing is done to halt the spread of the disease and olive groves are not replanted, the study found. In Spain, losses could total €17bn over the same period, and Greece could suffer to the tune of about €2bn.