|
News |
 |
Oil’s fast jump stirs talk of $ 200 a barrel this yearLong list of fatcors keeps prices rising; releasing reserves? Oil’s history ascent from $ 100 to nearly $ 150 a barrel in just six months is lending weight to a far grimmer prediction; crude could reach $ 200 a barrel by the end of the year. Oil at that price would wreak deeper havoc on the world’s airlines and automobile industries. In Europe, it would stir more political unrest and increase the clamor to cut the continent’s stiff petrol taxes. In the U.S., $ 200 crude would push the price of gasoline to well over $ 6 a gallon, causing commuters to alter their driving habits more sharply than they have already, while putting extreme strains on large sectors of the U.S. economy. In Asia, governments would be under pressure to cut fuel subsidies and risk a popular backlash. The list of forces shoving prices upward is long: a weak dollar driving hot money into commodities; jitters over a possible military conflict with Iran; soaring costs and chronic project delays in the world’s oil patch; concerns over scarce supplies and long-term production declines; and continued robust demand growth in much of the developing world. Oil ministers and top petroleum executives also have added to the alarm. Paolo Scaroni, head of Italy’s biggest oil-and-gas company, Eni SpA, Told an Italian newspaper last week that he could see prices hitting $ 200 a barrel this year. Source:The Wall Street Journal, 7th July 2008 First Heat Pump Conference of EHPA (European Heat Pump Association) in ParisOn 4.th of May 2007 the first Heat Pump Conference of the EHPA was held. 33 experts from 13 nations attended this symposium, which was organised by Strategy Committee of EHPA and opened by Karl Ochsner (Chairman). Within eight presentations the situation of the heat pump markets in France, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Estonia, Russia, Ukraina, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary was demonstrated. A significant increase in sales was registered in all countries in 2006. The question, what heat source is used most frequently, strongly depends on geographical conditions in each country. Furthermore the status quo of the various European projects like ThERRA, EU-CERT, SHERPHA, Ground Reach was presented. In addition Dr. Brigitte Bach from Arsenal Research Institute in Vienna and Vice Chairman of EHPA spoke about the integration of the D-A-C-H quality seal into EHPA. Three Presentations were made about the diverse communication- and sales activities in favour of heat pumps. Chloé Bénâtre from the consulting office KREAB in Brussels spoke about the recent achievements of the information- and monitoring program initiated by EHPA. Dr. Lutz from BWP Austria (Bundesverband WärmePumpe Österreich) presented the „Austrian Heat Pump Action Plan“. Due to this plan heat pumps will be integrated in the upcoming national „energy efficiency guideline“ in Austria. The status quo of the European Heat Pump Action Plan was shown by DI Thomas Nowak, communication officer of EHPA. Dr. Hengstenberg from CO2- Online in Berlin gave a survey about the possibility to promote heat pumps via the internet. Altogether the first Heat Pump Conference was an informative and well organised initiative of EHPA.
Call for urgent global action to prevent catastropheOnly urgent international action to cut emissions can prevent climate-related catastrophe, scientists warned yesterday. Achim Steiner, director-general of the UN Environmental Programme, said: ‘The word unequivocal [applied to the evidence that human activity was causing climate change] is the key message in this report. We’re looking for an unequivocal commitment [to emmissions reduction] from policymakers, business leaders and civic society leaders.’ For businesses or goverments to continue to resist taking action on emissions was ‘irresponsible’. Yvo de Boer, secretary-general of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, added: ‘The findings, which governments have agreed upon, leave no doubt as to the dangers mankind is facing and must be acted upon without delay. Any notion that we do not know enough to move decisively against climate change has been clearly dispelled.’ He called for work to begin on forging a successor to the Kyoto protocol on climate change, which requires developed countries to reduce their emissions by 5 per cent by 2012. Such an agreement would also involve developing countries, which at present are not obliged to cut their emissions under treaty. Poor countries would be likely to be given incentives to reduce their emissions rather than face sanctions for failing to cut them, as rich countries would under such a system. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said the group’s report showed that human activity caused global warming with 90 per cent certainty, which was as much certainty as was ever possible in science. Business should find this easy to understand: ’You can never be 100 per cent sure. But Lord John Browne of BP has said that we in business are used to taking decisions with uncertainty.’ However, finding agreement on a successor to Kyoto will be difficult. Philip Jones, of the University of East Anglia and a lead author of the IPCC report, said that the Chinese Government had attempted to insist during the negotiations on the wording of the report that ‘some statements should be watered down’. The US, by contrast, had been ‘fairly neutral’ but China, which sent 17 scientists to the panel, the biggest delegation of any country, had been ‘obstructive’. The Indian government, which has also been hostile to suggestions it should reduce emissions, had sent only one scientist to the meeting, he said. As well as taking action to reduce emissions, says the report, governments and businesses will have to adapt to the consequences, as some further warming will take place even if emissions are reduced sharply and immediately. This is because of a ‘time lag’ in the climate system, as carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for up to a century after it is emitted, continuing its warming effect. Source: Financial Times, 3-4.2.2007
Global-Warming Report Gets U.S. EmphasisU.S. government scientists said on 2.2.07 the long-termin outlook for global warming may be more dire than suggested by this week’s United Nations’ report, which they say doesn’t fully address the impact of clouds and melting glaciers. Glaciers are among the largest sources of fresh water in the world and are contributing to rising ocean levels. Rising sea levels could expose population centers bordering the ocean to more storm damage and could require evacuation in some areas. But the computer models used for the IPCC report based their predictions only on the results of heating of the existing water in the world’s oceans, causing the oceans to expand and sea levels to rise. A second area of continuing uncertainty has to do with the impact of clouds on climate change. Warming the ocean sends more water vapor into the air, and the resulting clouds accelerate global warming by trapping more of the sun’s heat in the atmosphere and further warm the ocean. But so far, the supercomputers the agency uses to model the effect on the earth’s climate – which were also used or the IPCC report – aren’t detailed or fast enough to predict how much clouds are accelerating the problem. Further complicating the issue are layers of haze containing pollutants from human activitiy. Such pollutants, including sulfates, soot, dust and nitrates, tend to make the atmosphere brighter, reflecting more of the sun’s heat back into space. The IPCC has found that the net effect of the added pollution is to cool the atmosphere. A.R. Ravishankara, an atmospheric chemist for NOOA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), said this raises a problem for governments attempting to clean the air by removing pollutants. ‘If you take away this cooling effect, then the heating effect would be exacerbated. It’s a highly complex problem.’ Source: The Wall Street Journal, 3-4.2.2007
Remarkable success for the 1 st klima:aktiv „Heat Pump Day“!More than 200 participants from all over Austria took part in the “Heat Pump Day” – organised by the programme management of klima:aktiv “wärmepumpe”. On the 25th of January, architects, planners, energy advisors and installers read up on different topics regarding new heat pump technology and used the event for active networking, too. Promoting renewable energy in the Tyrol Mr. Bodner, responsible for environmental as well as economic issues, pointed out in his speech: “We do have to focus on renewable energy sources. Heatpumps should be used for heating and hot water production”. The TIWAG, the energy utility in the Tyrol, and the Energie Tirol, a consulting company, are going to cooperate for achieving their common purpose: Increase in heat pump sales in the Tyrol!
tended to present our participants wide spread information and an interesting mix of different topics”, tells Martina Höller, who is responsible for the programme management of klima:aktiv wärmepumpe.
The Commission proposes an integrated energy and climate change package to cut CO2 emissionsOn the 1.10.2007 the European Commission proposed a comprehensive package of measures to establish a new Energy Policy for Europe to combat climate change. These proposals set a series of ambitious targets on greenhouse gas emissions and on renewable energies: till 2020 the greenhouse gas emissions should be cut by at least 20%. Well known politicians made their comments concerning this issue. Commission President Josè Manuel Barroso pointed out the importance of renewable energy in the fight against increasing dependence and higher energy prices. Stavros Dimas, Commissioner for the Environment, stated that “Climate change is one of the gravest threats to our planet”. In the proposed package he sees ambitious, but realistic targets, which will support global efforts to contain climate change and its most dire consequences. Andris Piebalgs, Commissioner for Energy Policy, said that these consequences can be contained only through the development of a “low carbon economy”. Thanks to the information- and monitoring program of the EHPA in Brussels, the European Commission has mentioned heat pumps in the published documents: In the proposal “An Energy Policy for Europe” as well as in the “Renewable Energy Roadmap” heat pumps are seen as technologies, which use renewable energy. Please find more detailed information on the following pages:
USA: Wood- Fired Boilers Cause ConcernResearch indicating wood- fired boiler heaters spew carcinogens and lung-clogging matter has raised concern across the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering guidelines for states to regulate wood-fired boilers, The New York Times has recently reported. Dozens of local governments have already taken such steps. Proponents say the boilers save owners thousands of dollars on heating bills per year, while reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil. But the New York attorney general`s office maintains the boilers generate as much pollution per hour as 45 cars or two heavy-duty diesel trucks, the Times said. The fast-growing alternative outdoors energy source was designed to heat farmhouses. Roughly 150.000 units- a number double that of two years ago- are in use say scientists who are studying the boilers` environmental impact. Please use the following link to find more detailed information concerning this issue: New York Times EU begins countdown to fresh Russia gas crunchRussia is planning to turn off gas supplies to EU transit state Belarus on New Year's day after price talks broke down on Tuesday (26 December), but says EU energy flows will be safe this winter no matter what happens. Experts are divided on how a Belarus gas shutdown could hit the EU, with Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza citing analysts who say the Russian-owned Yamal pipeline would keep flowing, leaving just Riga and Vilnius in the cold. But Polish daily Rzeczpospolita writes that when Russia shut down supplies to Beltransgaz for one day in 2004, Belarus began using EU transit gas and caused a crunch that forced several Polish companies to halt work. Source: http://euobserver.com/9/23173, 27.12.2006 OPEC ponders higher oil price to counter weaker dollarOPEC may seek higher oil prices because of the dollar’s decline against the euro, the pound and the yen, signaling growing support for a cut in crude production when members meet next week. The Organization of petroleum Exporting countries, the supplier of 40% of the world’s oil, prices and sells its output in dollars. The group should reduce sales for a second time when it meets in Nigeria on Dec. 14, officals from Iran and Venezuela said Sunday. The dollar has fallen 11% against the euro this year and by 3,8% in the past two weeks to end at $ 1,3336 per euro on Monday, the lowest in 20 months. ‘Gulf oil producers may seek higher prices to compensate for the rising cost of importing non-dollar goods and services, which make up about two-thirds of imports,’ Simon Williams , an economist for HSBC Holdings, said in a phone interview from Dubai. Source: USA TODAY, November 2006 Prestigious inauguration of the Renewable Energy House – Europe’s Headquarter for renewable energy
European renewable energy industry sends out a strong signal to the EU summit: Renewables are the key solution for European energy supply Today, the Renewable Energy House hosting for the first time all major European renewable energy associations in the heart of the European area in Brussels was inaugurated by HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, Commission President José Manuel Barroso together with four European Commissioners (Andris Piebalgs, Stavros Dimas, Margot Wallström, Louis Michel) and Prof. Arthouros Zervos, President of EREC, the European Renewable Energy Council. "The fact that more than 250 high-level decision makers followed our invitation to the Renewable Engergy House inauguration is a great sign on how renewables are gaining importance in the international debate. This sends a strong signal about the importance of renewables for increasing the security of energy supply of the European Union. The leaders at the EU summit now should act and set ambitious targets for renewables beyond 2010", said Prof. Arthouros Zervos, President of the European Renewable Energy Council. The Renewable Energy House is heated by an OCHSNER Heat Pump Model GMSW 38 HK. Source: News Release, EREC_ European Renewable Energy Council, March 22, 2006 For more information, please refer to the complete News Release and to the abstract of EREC Publication for inauguration of REH.
Opec warns of Russian oil export slowdownA recently filed lawsuit against Yukos, once one of Russia's biggest energy companies, is threatening to slow further the growth rate of oil exports from the world's second largest producer, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries warned yesterday. Russia's oil supply, much of which is consumed internally, is expected to average 9,6m barrels a day in 2006, about 11 per cent of the world's total demand. Until two years ago, Russia's high production growth matched the surging demand from China. But Moscow's campaign against Yukos, its icy stance towards investment by foreign energy companies, higher export taxes and ageing fields in bad need of new technology and better management, have stalled the growth of Russia's oil industry. Source: Financial Times Europe, Saturday/Sunday, March 18-19,2006 Oil groups shun Iran over fears of embargoN-row hits European plans for energy projects International oil companies are putting multibillion-dollar projects in Iran on hold, concerned about the diplomatic standoff over the country’s nuclear programme. Talks by several European companies on oil and gas projects have largely ground to a standstill amid fears that the nuclear dispute, now before the UN Security Council, could lead to fresh sanctions against Iran. US companies are already barred from investing in Iran. But fears of fresh sanctions now threaten Iran’s access to virtal oil and gas technology from non-US sources. BG, the UK-based gas companyx, held preliminary talks last year with Iran over participation in a liquefied natural gas project, but has since abandoned the effort. South Africa’s Sasol, which was talking to Iran about building as gas-to liquids plant, has also dropped it plans. European companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, the Anglo-Dutch energy group, and Total of France, are still ostensibly in discussions with Iran over Large LNG investments. But the companies are unlikely to commit the huge sums needed as long as the political tension continues. An official from a company that has decided to put its plans on hold said:” Obviously, regarding political considerations, geopolitical conerns, it hasn’t been taken forwared because you can’t make a firm commercial decision on things.” Iran badly needs foreign technology and expertise to maintian oil production and develop its natural gas reserves, the second-largest in the world. The country has ambitious plans to build four LNG projects with partners including Total, Shell, Repsol of Spain and perhaps Gaz de France. Source: Financial Times Europe, Saturday/Sunday, March 18-19,2006 Kuwaits's biggest field starts to run out of oilKUWAIT: It was an incredible revelation last week that the second largest oil field in the world is exhausted and past its peak output. Yet that is what the Kuwait Oil Company revealed about its Burgan field. The peak output of the Burgan oil field will now be around 1.7 million barrels per day, and not the two million barrels per day forecast for the rest of the field's 30 to 40 years of life, Chairman Farouk Al-Zanki told Bloomberg. He said that engineers had tried to maintain 1.9 million barrels per day but that 1.7 million is the optimum rate. Kuwait will now spend some $3 million a year for the next year to boost output and exports from other fields. However, it is surely a landmark moment when the world's second largest oil field begins to run dry. For Burgan has been pumping oil for almost 60 years and accounts for more than half of Kuwait's proven oil reserves. This is also not what forecasters are currently assuming. Source: www.kuwaittimes.net, January 18,2006 Gas Supply Affected by Conflict Between Russia and the UkraineEven the EU notes a pressure decline in the gas pipelines from Russia
No matter if there are production downtimes, speculations on the financial market, or like in this case political motivations, we have to accept powerlessly the trend of the energy prices as long as we do not reduce our dependence on fossil energy sources and their producing countries. A heat pump is exactly such a possibility to heat independent from fossil fuels! Secure, lowest operating costs and environmental friendly. Saudis Take Urgent Action To Meet World Oil Demand"We don't want any (oil) price that has a clear negative impact on economic growth, particularly in developing countries." - Ali Naimi, Saudi oil minister
PARIS - Saudi Arabia, facing mounting pressure from the U.S. and others to step up output of oil and gas amid a surge in prices, is more than doubling its investment in energy development to some $50 billion over the next five years from the previous five-year period. Saudi Arabia had been producing 9.5 million barrels a day for some time now.
Yesterday, benchmark light, sweet crude closed at $54.20 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, up 17 cents. In London, European benchmark Brent crude rose 23 cents to $54.01. The NYMEX benchmark closed at a record $58.28 on April 4. The International Energy Agency has warned that the world needs a vast increase in spending on new oil if the industry is to meet demand, projected to hit 120 million barrels a day in 2030, up from 84 million barrels a day now .Source: The Wall Street Journal Europe, Friday/Saturday/Sunday, April 22-24, 2005
The new heat pump AIR-STATION sets the standard in efficiency and reliability. Environmental warmth from the surrounding air. 26.04.2005 Technical Advantage Based on over 25 years
of experience with air heat source and hydronic heating systems
and a professional development program, the compact unit AIR-STATION
sets new standards. High coefficients of performance lead to low
operation costs using air as heat source.
IEA seeks emergency oil plan
· Agency to warn of need for damand restraint · Proposals to target transport · Prices rise as Goldman report talks of $105 super spike 01.04.2005: Oil importing countries should implement emergency oil-saving policies if supplies fall by as little as 1m-2m barrels a day, the International Energy Agency will warn next month. It comes as oil is trading at more than $55 a barrel and highlights the agency's concern about the possibility of a supply shock, the economic impact of high oil prices and the need to focus on conserving energy rather than simply encouraging higher production. A draft of the report circulated to governments and seen by Expansión, the Financial Times' Spanish partner, suggests dramatic measures such as reducing motorway speed limits by 25 per cent, shortening the working week, imposing driving bans on certain days, providing free public transport and promoting carpooling schemes. Such measures are being adopted in the Philippines, where civil servants will today start a compressed working week of four days, in a desperate attempt by the Manila government to cut its oil bill in the next two months. Energy prices rose yesterday, with US petrol and heating oil hitting all-time highs. US crude oil for May delivery closed at $55.40, up $1.41. The rise was propelled by a Goldman Sachs report that said oil prices "may have entered the early stages of a super-spike period", which could lead to prices of $105.
Source: Financial Times, Friday April 1 2005
Ending the Energy Stalemate 14.02.2005: The "Energy Commission" - a panel of high ranking experts from industry, government, labor, academia, environmental and consumer groups provided in its report "Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America's Energy Challenges," an overall strategy for addressing major long-term U.S. energy challenges.
The central aims, among others, are strengthening federal fuel economy standards for automobile, mandatory limits for emission of greenhouse gases, and support for renewable energy technologies. The experts recommend concrete subsidy and investment programs costing some 36 billion dollars. Last but not least, the commission proposes a stronger role for the government in climate protection. According the commission's recommendation, as of 2010 the USA should participate in an international CO 2 deal seeking to reduce the so-called greenhouse gas intensity (tons of emissions per dollar of GDP) 2.4% annually.
Noticeably higher heating costs for renters in 200526.01.2005: "The rise in oil price since May 2004 and the previously acknowledged rise in gas prices will drastically affect the heating costs in the year 2005," fears the Renters Association President. According to her assessment, renters may face additional costs of up to 30 percent. How expensive the winter 2004/05 (or 2004 fiscal period) will actually be for renters may vary. For example, a deciding factor for oil-fired central-heating systems is when the oil tanks were filled in 2004. In the beginning of 2004, oil could be purchased for 20 percent less than in the previous year. By May the price was 20 percent higher, in autumn 40 percent higher, than in the previous year.
"Energy prices are threatening to get out of hand," remarked Anke Fuchs. As recently as in the year 2000, the federal government gave a one-time subsidy for heating costs in the amount of 5 DM per square meter to disadvantaged families as a result of drastically rising prices. Since then, prices have escalated approximately 20 to 30 percent.
"As a consequence of these numbers, the reduction of heating energy demand must be at the top of our agenda," comments Anke Fuchs. Modernization which leads to effective reduction in energy demand is important. In addition to protection of the environment and financial incentives for owners and land lords, transparency of the overall energy balance for apartments and buildings should be achieved. The energy costs and the heating energy demands of a building should be a determining factor for assessment in the purchase, sale, or leasing of a property."
Geothermal Exhibit in Kastellaun30.09.2004: Another OCHSNER Geothermal Exhibit was opened near Koblenz in the Rhineland. Great public interest was shown at the opening on the Zimmer firm's grounds. The festive opening included a traditional brass band and a special exhibit. The Geothermal Exhibit is a permanent display on the Zimmer firm's grounds and can be viewed daily around the clock. For further geothermal exhibits and information, go to www.erdwaerme-lehrpfad.com .
High Oil Prices: Gas also to become more expensive in Winter
Source: OÖ-Nachrichten: Higher oil prices will also lead to increased costs of heating with gas this winter. When suppliers will raise the prices is not yet known. "The question is not really whether we raise the price. Above all it is the question of when which we are still discussing," stated Klaus Dorninger, Chief Executive of Erdgas Oberösterreich. The past week brought significantly higher oil prices as expected. And even if prices retreat some, they will not be sustainable. The increase will be passed along to customers, commented Dorninger. The affect of changes in oil prices on gas prices tends to take about four to six months to emerge.
EU Demands Energy Efficient Buildings Guidelines for evaluation in effect, renewable energy obligatory.
20.09.2004 The EU-Guideline "Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings, EPBD" has been in effect since January 2003 and must be set into national law by January 2006. The reduction of energy demand and of Carbon Dioxide emissions is the focus.
The EPBD sets criteria for the assessment of complete buildings. Taken into account are the heating, insulation, hot water preparation and supply, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. The goals of the guidelines exceed the specifications set previously by the Energy Conservation Law (Energieeinsparverordnung, EnEV). The implementation of heat pumps helps significantly to fulfill the new specifications.
With the EPBD, the issuing of an "energy identification" form for existing buildings will become a requirement in Germany. This requires confirmation of the working efficiency of large boilers and air conditioners as well as the consideration of the requirement for renewable energy usage in building with more than a thousand square meters of floor space.
Green energy18.06.2004: Heat pumps can make a crucial contribution to the reduction of the CO2-Emission levels in heating and cooling of buildings. Heat pumps work absolutely emission-free. If the electricity used for operating the heat pump is also produced emission-free, then the complete heating process is absolutely CO2-free. It can help the country to meet the Kyoto goals. Heat pump technology uses pollution-free and free of charge environmental energy from groundwater, ground or open air. There is a significant contribution to emissions reduction, even using the current electricity mix. Absolute emission free in the global sense (heat pump and elecricity) can be achieved by using green electricity with your heat pump. For this reason OCHSNER has decided to use green emission free electricity for the company headquarters in Linz and the factory in Hague in the future.
Heat Pumps for Australia
Pentagon warns of a climate desaster15.03.2004: A Pentagon study warns, global warming could stop the Gulf Stream and cause a new ice age. The climatic collapse presents more severe risks than terrorism, according to the author Andrew Mars, one of the "fathers" of the star Wars program. The Bush administration has not taken this position so far, because it is afraid of possible pressure by industry. Scandinavia would be transformed into an ice desert, countries close to the ocean like Holland and Bangladesh would be flooded. Millions of hungry inhabitants would flee. 26 years of dependable service
The Climate-Heat Pump. Heating and cooling28.02.2004: Due to climate-change the temperatures are becoming unbearable during summertime at many locations in Europe. By the end of August there were up to 49 days with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius. The answer to the heat wave is the installation of OCHSNER climate-Heat Pumps. Active cooling: The Heat Pump cycle is reversed and works in the summer as a cooling unit. Sufficient cooling capacity: Also during long lasting hot periods the OCHSNER active cooling provides enough cooling capacity. Pleasant and healthy cooling: This is achieved by using the existing floor and wall heating system to cool the rooms. Result: No headaches, spannings or rheumatism. In addition this air conditioning system operates completely noise free. And another advantage is that the operating cost, as well as the investment cost, is considerably lower compared to conventional air-conditioners. With its over 10 years of experience OCHSNER is No. 1 for heating + cooling with the reversible Heat Pumps!
Oil price keep rising15.02.2004: London. Sinking oil reserves of the USA and the continuous violence in the Middle East keep oil prices high. Oil costs as much as just before the war in Iraq.
A Shocker at Shell Oil10.01.2004: London. The Shell oil company overrated its oil-reserves badly. This confession of the Dutch-British company results in its shares going down by six percent at the London stock exchange. |
