Gold mining output in South Africa fell 16.5 percent in January from the same period last year because of power cuts, the national statistics agency said Thursday.
“Gold production decreased by 16.5 percent for the month of January 2008 compared with January 2007,” Statistics South Africa said in a statement.
And overall, “the reported electricity supply shortages [...]

Thailand and Cambodia plan to set up Joint Development Areas (JDA) covering 26,000 square kilometres of overlapping border areas to facilitate the exploration of natural gas and crude oil, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said yesterday. Mr Noppadon said the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministries will hold talks on the establishment of the JDA to [...]

Origin Energy Ltd, Australia’s second biggest electricity and gas retailer, has forecast a stronger second half after delivering a 43.5 per cent increase in interim profit.
The power retailer delivered a half year profit of $334.7 million for the six months to December 31, 2007, compared to $233.1 million in the previous corresponding period.
“Based on current [...]

Origin Energy said on Thursday it expects a strong second half after delivering a fall in underlying profit for first half results, propelling the shares in the gas and electricity retailer as much as 8.6% higher.
Shares in ORG ended a five-day losing streak, climbing 63 cents or 7.9% to finish at $8.55.
The Sydney-based company posted [...]

The biggest German power company, EON, plans to sell its high-voltage network in anticipation of new European Union rules, press reports said on Thursday.
Plans to split off distribution networks worth more than one billion euros (1.5 billion dollars) were “well advanced” and EON chief executive Wulf Bernotat had already informed German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the [...]

The long-awaited National Oil and Gas Policy which has been lying in Cabinet for over a year has finally been approved.
The draft policy which went to Cabinet about two years ago was delayed because of the need for further consultation with all stakeholders, in order to resolve all outstanding issues.
The policy provides for the administration, [...]

The New Zealand Wind Energy Association said Contact Energy’s announcement that it intends to build a wind farm in the Waikato will help the Government reach its goal of 90% renewable electricity without building new gas-fired power plants. The farm is expected to generate up to 650 MW of electricity for Waikato and Auckland consumers.
Wind [...]

Egypt’s Orascom Construction Industries signed an EGP 604 million (US$ 109 million) contract with the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), a subsidiary of the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity, for the construction of new 62MW Integrated Solar Combined Cycle Power (ISCC) Plant in Kuraymat, Egypt.
The scope of work under the contract includes all civil work [...]

Solar MW Energy Inc. and affiliate Ecosystem Solar Electric Corp. has commenced the development of another “jewel” near Barstow’s Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County, Southern California. A nominal in the aggregate of 59.4 megawatt (MW) solar thermal electric hybrid, utility-scale merchant power plant, to be sited on green field land parcel, privately owned by the [...]

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Kuwait will host on Monday the World Energy and Chemicals Exhibition and Conference held under the auspices of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with participation of 70 local and international companies.
The four-day conference and exhibition will be inaugurated by the Minister of Electricity and Water and [...]