Free Top Stories

TEHRAN BLOG: Will Biden bet on a quick return to the Iran nuclear deal?

19 January 2021

Saudis and Israelis on edge as incoming US president looks set to restore Barack Obama’s signature foreign policy achievement. The Iranians are playing it cool. But they dearly desire an end to those crushing sanctions.

Africa’s electricity unlikely to go green this decade

15 January 2021

Research from the University of Oxford predicts that total electricity generation across the African continent will double by 2030, with fossil fuels continuing to dominate the energy mix.

Ukrainian government will cap natural gas price for households in a move that endangers its IMF deal

14 January 2021

Ukrainian government will cap natural gas price for households in a move that may further jeopardise the country’s co-operation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Iran’s navy conducts missile drill while analyst argues Trump even capable of nuclear strike in final days

13 January 2021

"Desperate” US president “may try to ‘wag the dog’ by ordering a strike – perhaps with a tactical nuclear warhead – on Iran’s main nuclear facility in Natanz” says former White House economic council senior adviser.

German state creates foundation to circumvent US sanctions on Nord Stream 2

10 January 2021

German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern seeks to create foundation to execute purchases of necessary materials for completion of Nord Stream 2, thus avoiding imminent further US sanctions.

Russia, Kazakhstan pushing for oil production increases on the back of coronavirus vaccine-fuelled oil price optimism

8 January 2021

Russia and Kazakhstan won a concession from OPEC to increase production in the coming months at the expense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which remains concerned that the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic will depress demand in 2021.

Korea deploys destroyer as Iran seizes tanker and enters war of words with Israel

5 January 2021

Tehran vows “decisive response” to any Israeli action against its scaled up nuclear programme. New worries surface that Donald Trump plans to spark conflict with Iranians.

Vast tide of floating waste threatens Balkan hydropower plants

5 January 2021

Tens of thousands of cubic meters of waste are floating on the Drina river and its tributaries as the countries in the river basin — Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia — have failed for years to upgrade their waste management systems.

Lower hydropower generation dragged down Slovenia’s electricity output down in November

5 January 2021

Electricity generation by hydropower plants slumped in November forcing Slovenia to turn to thermal power generation and pushing up fuel consumption.

Renewables assets change hands in Romania as energy companies look to green future

4 January 2021

Demand for wind and solar parks is growing in Romania, where Hidroelectrica and Engie Romania snapped up local renewables assets in December.

Russian petrochemical giant Sibur closes $11bn joint venture deal to build Amur Gas Chemical plant with China’s Sinopec

29 December 2020

Russia’s leading petrochemicals company, Sibur Holding, and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) have closed an $11bn joint venture deal to build the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (Amur GCC).

Bosnia wins procedural step in Tuzla TPP case

28 December 2020

Energy Community secretariat launched a procedure against Bosnia over the guarantee for a €614mn Chinese loan to finance the expansion of the Tuzla thermal power plant.

Ukrainian utility DTEK launches new green strategy

25 December 2020

Ukraine’s leading utility DTEK announced a new corporate strategy on December 22 that will dramatically increase the share of green energy it produces and puts ESG principles at the core of its business

Kirill Shamalov and the $100 Sibur stake

24 December 2020

Senior executive Kirill Shamalov reportedly received a 3.8% stake in petrochemical giant Sibur for $100 after he reportedly married Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughter, but the details are more complicated.