alternative energy

December 16 2008

Bolivia: Farmers Protest Biased, Bolivia Gov

The government of Bolivia said a march by eastern farmers was politically tainted and unwarranted to protest the diesel shortage and export restrictions.

Rural Development Minister Carlos Romero says the march organized by Confederacion de Agropecuarios del Oriente (CONFEAGRO) is uncalled for since Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) normally supplies Santa Cruz.

Bolivia: Empresarios protestan con tractores en Bolivia

Agricultural Employers took to the streets on Tuesday with their tractors and trucks in Santa Cruz, the country's economic capital, in protest of agricultural policies of President Evo Morales and the disruption of fuel.

Kenya: Major fuel shortage hits towns

A shortage of fuel has hit parts of the country just days before the start of the busy Christmas and New Year holidays.

Shortages were reported in Nairobi, central Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western provinces.

Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) said they were pumping enough petrol from Mombasa to Nairobi and other hinterland areas but dealers had not raised their orders.

Nepal: Locals Detain NEA Official in Sindhupalchowk

Locals of Barhabise on Tuesday detained head of the Nepal Electricity Authority, citing excessive load-shedding in the area. Bikram Amatya, head of the NEA Sunkoshi branch, was confined to his Barhabise based office from 11:30 am for about eight and half hours. Seven other NEA staffers were locked in the sub-branch office, along with Amatya. They were released after Amatya assured the locals that there would be no load-shedding for the next 15 days and talks would be held with the centre to completely stop power-cuts in the area, said police inspector Suresh Shah.

Pakistan: Textile sector losing Rs2b annually

All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Chairman Tariq Mehmood has said that textile industry in the country is suffering a loss of around Rs 2 billion annually due to eight-hour electricity loadshedding and gas supply disconnection to the industrial units.
Addressing a press conference here at APTMA office Mr Tariq observed that textile industry is being subjected to four to eight hours electricity loadshedding daily. He said that winter has not even set in but gas-fuelled industry has been facing closure for nearly 21 on account of gas disconnections.

Senegal: Senegal introduces energy saving measures to address electricity shortage

The Senegalese government has resolved to universalise the use of low consumption lamps "as soon as possible" to overcome the ongoing energy crisis, official sources told APA.

The announcement was made here Monday, after an inter-ministerial council chaired by Prime Minister Hadjibou Soumare, who spoke of the "immediate universal" use of low consumption lamps.

The Council also resolved to set up an industrial unit to produce such lamps.

Sri Lanka: Fuel shortage in Sri Lanka

Soon after the Supreme Court ordered to make a new formula for Sri Lankan oil prices a widespread oil shortage has taken place in the country.

Sources at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said that most of the gas station owners have cancelled their orders as they are expecting further price reductions in the near future.

Uganda: Uganda turns to hot springs for power production

Plagued by the notoriety of the current power shortage, Uganda is turning to geothermal energy with the hope that the unfamiliar form of power production could provide answers.

The Ministry of energy has committed $45 million (Shs89.5 billion) towards exploration of sites with geothermal power potential. Geothermal energy is mainly produced by trapping steam released by hot rocks with water reservoirs deep in the earth and using it to power turbines.

Vietnam: Sunbathing in Vietnam, kind of

With the sharp population increase, Ho Chi Minh City, now home to about 10 million, is facing an apparent energy crisis. According to HCM City Power Company, the city's power demand is now in excess of 1,000 to 2,500 megawatts every day.

To battle this, the city has turned to a source of energy that it has a lot of: the sun. Since July, it has been developing a program to support businesses that produce and sell solar-powered appliances, including water heater and lighting systems.

July 14 2008

China: Unlike 2004, China oil demand unmoved by power woes

This year, it's coal availability and price -- not a lack of generating capacity -- that have curbed supplies, forcing more than a dozen provinces to ration electricity amid a deficit now totaling as much as 27 gigawatts (GW), about 4 percent of total capacity in the world's second-biggest power user.

China: Guizhou suffers power shortage due to lack of coal

Southwestern China's Guizhou province, a major power provider to coastal Guangdong, is suffering electricity shortages due to a lack of coal, joining a series of others facing power woes ahead of China's hosting of the Olympics.

Power generation in the mountainous region has trailed demand by about 0.9 gigawatts (GW) so far this month as coal shortages have forced the closure of 20 per cent of generating capacity -- about 20 GW -- that is connected to the provincial grid, a local source said on Monday.

China: China Zinc, Lead Smelters to Reduce Output by 10% (Update1)

Zinc and lead smelters in China, the world's largest producer of the metals, agreed to cut output by 10 percent from July to September to reduce costs and help ease a power shortage, a trade association said.

The 27 producers who met on Saturday also suggested that the government buy the metals when prices are close to cost and store as the country's strategic reserves, the Shanghai Nonferrous Metals Trade Association said in a statement today. The cuts were also to ensure sufficient electricity for the Beijing Olympics next month, it said.

India: Loadshedding enforced in State

The power shortage assumed crisis proportions in the State on Monday. Depletion of storage at hydel resources and technical snag at a generating unit at the Raichur Thermal Power Station have aggravated the problem.

The power utilities resorted to unscheduled loadshedding throughout the State, including Bangalore. Many areas in Bangalore faced loadshedding from 90 minutes to two hours while it was for longer time in the rest of the State.

Indonesia: Indonesia issues decree for factories to work weekends

Indonesia issued a joint ministerial decree on Monday which will force manufacturers to shift production to weekends once a month in a bid to stave off an electricity crisis, the industry minister said.

Southeast Asia's largest economy suffers from power shortages as demand has steadily risen while there has been little new investment in power-related infrastructure.

Indonesia: VP optimistic no more blackouts in Java in 2009

Vice President Jusuf Kalla expressed optimism that there will be no more scheduled rotating blackouts in Java Island in 2009 if the construction of three coal-fired power plants (PLTUs) can be completed as scheduled.

The three power plants, namely PLTU Labuan, unit 2, PLTU Indramayu, unit 1, and PLTU Rembang are part the 10,000 megawatts (MW) project.

Iraq: Iraq's electricity -starved capital turns to solar

In a city with constant electricity shortages but no lack of sunshine, the new buzz is solar energy.

Teams of engineers have appeared along major Baghdad roadways, bolting panels and bulbs to rows of towering steel poles to make solar-powered streetlights.

The workers who turned up recently in the upscale Karada district approached the task with near-religious fervor.

Pakistan: Power cuts turning Pakistanis ‘green’

Homeowners in electricity-starved Pakistan are turning to wind and solar power in a bid to overcome a crippling power shortage that is causing deep dissatisfaction with the country’s civilian government.

Companies selling alternative energy devices say business is taking off as Pakistanis struggle to cope with blackouts of at least six hours a day and the soaring cost of fuel needed for generators.

Paraguay: Taxistas también se ven afectados por escasez del gasoil

In addition to truck drivers and agricultural workers, another area badly affected by the shortage of diesel are taxi drivers. Arístides Morales, the association Paraguayan Taxi drivers, said today that as early as this afternoon about 30% of vehicles (taxis) would have problems due to shortages.

Paraguay: Escasez del combustible se evidenció en servicentros

In a tour made last night by reporters from this newspaper they were able to show that at various points of sale of diesel in downtown Asuncion were seen missing fuel.

UAE: Diesel shortage hits Abu Dhabi

A diesel shortage affected many sectors in Abu Dhabi on Monday, with trucks stuck in massive queues waiting to refuel.

Households and restaurants suffered due to a lack of a supply of essential items. The transportation of labourers from worksites to their accommodation was also affected.

Diesel vehicles have had to queue at fuel stations in Mussaffah since Sunday morning, as the sale of diesel was stopped in Abu Dhabi City.

Zambia: Zambia starts fuel imports after refinery shutdown

Zambia's oil marketing companies have started importing refined petroleum products after the shutdown last week of the country's sole oil refinery, energy officials said on Monday.

The Indeni Oil Refinery was shut down after it ran out of crude oil following delays in agreeing a long term financing deal for crude oil imports by Zambian authorities and the Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZNCB).

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