Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana Inaugurates National Energy Transition Committee
Ghana has inaugurated National Energy Transition Committee to develop a national policy document on steps the country would take to withstand the impact of the global energy transition.
The committee, chaired by Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Minister for Energy, has its membership drawn from the Ministry of Energy, its agencies such as the Energy Commission, National Petroleum Authority, Ghana Gas Company Ltd as well as the Ministries of Finance, Transport, Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD).
The committee’s terms of reference are:
-To assess the current situation in the energy sector and the effectiveness of existing policies and measures;
– To determine national objectives and targets for the transition;
– To prescribe policies and measures for achieving these targets;
-To assess the benefits, risks and cost of the global energy transition and prescribe risks mitigation measures;
-To identify any cross-cutting issues that must be addressed.
The first draft of the committee’s plan is to be delivered within the first quarter of 2022, with the final submission date to be determined upon submission of its work plan and situational analysis.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Energy News Editor Graduates From AUCC
Michael Creg Afful, the editor of energynewsafrica.com, an online portal dedicated to Africa’s energy sector, has graduated from the African University College of Communications (AUCC ) with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication studies.
He majored in Strategic Communication.
He has 14 years of experience in journalism.
He began his media carrier as a freelancer and later worked with Accra-based Oman FM for ten years.
He resigned from the station in 2019 to pursue his ambition in the energy sector.
Michael Creg Afful won the Energy Reporter of the Year 2018 and 2019 at an event organised by Energy Media Group.
In 2019, he was adjudged the Best Energy reporter by the Tema Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association at their maiden regional awards.
Through his energynewsafrica.com portal, Creg Afful has built a network of people within the energy industry in Ghana, Africa and beyond.
Aside from practising journalism, Creg Afful also pastor’s International Central Gospel Church Freedom Assembly branch at Gbetsile in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
Ghana: Five BDCs Licences RevokedSource: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GOIL, TotalEnergies Reduce Fuel Prices
Ghana’s leading indigenous oil marketing companies, GOIL Company Ltd and TotalEnergies, have reduced fuel prices at their pumps.
While GOIL has reduced its pump price from GH¢6.70 to GH¢6.60, TotalEnergies adjusted their pump price from GH¢6.80 per litre to GH¢6.65 for both diesel and petrol.
This comes after International Crude Oil prices witnessed some marginal fall in recent times.
Both Institute for Energy Security and Chamber of Petroleum Consumer Ghana had predicted a reduction in fuel prices at the local market for the second pricing window, following a fall in crude oil prices on the international market.
In a statement issued by the Chamber of Petroleum Consumer (COPEC), the chamber anticipates an average of 5.34 per cent reduction of ex-pump prices for petrol and diesel from a maximum indicative price of GHS6.860/L to GHS6.513 in the 2nd window beginning 16th December 2021.
COPEC’s pricing model analysis is shown in Tables 1 and 2 below:
On their part, COPEC said: “With the 0.98 per cent increase in the price of the International Benchmark-Brent crude, together with the 11.68 per cent decrease in gasoline price, the 8.64 per cent decrease in gasoil price; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) projects for a 3-5 per cent downward adjustment in the price of fuel per litre at the various pumps despite the marginal depreciation of the cedi of 1 per cent,” it said in a statement.
It, however, said: “Concerns about pandemic [Covid-19] weighed on oil prices during the recently closed trading window, following reports that the omicron variant was set to hurt oil consumption. “These findings are despite reports that the variety in question causes far fewer symptoms among those infected than previous varieties.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
On their part, COPEC said: “With the 0.98 per cent increase in the price of the International Benchmark-Brent crude, together with the 11.68 per cent decrease in gasoline price, the 8.64 per cent decrease in gasoil price; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) projects for a 3-5 per cent downward adjustment in the price of fuel per litre at the various pumps despite the marginal depreciation of the cedi of 1 per cent,” it said in a statement.
It, however, said: “Concerns about pandemic [Covid-19] weighed on oil prices during the recently closed trading window, following reports that the omicron variant was set to hurt oil consumption. “These findings are despite reports that the variety in question causes far fewer symptoms among those infected than previous varieties.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana:GOIL Ushered Into Ghana Oil & Gas Hall Of Fame
Ghana’s leading indigenous Oil Marketing Company, GOIL Company Limited (GOIL) has been ushered into the Hall of Fame at the just ended prestigious 8th edition of the Oil & Gas Awards in Accra.
The Awards event was organised by Exodus Communications in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and was aimed at celebrating industry players who had gone the extra mile to carve a niche for themselves in the downstream industry.
Deputy Energy Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam lauded the efforts of Exodus Communications, organisers of GOGA, for raising the banner and profile of stakeholders in the Oil & Gas industry.
He entreated industry players to keep strictly to protocols in their environmental stewardship, efficiency, innovation, leadership, Corporate Social responsibility, as well as health and safety practices.
GOIL Company limited has already been inducted into the CIMG HALL OF FAME and are market leaders in the sale of quality products and services such as premium gasoline, Super XP RON 95, which has been widely accepted by Ghanaians.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: ECG Will Not Write Off Debt Of Krobos-ECG MD
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has rejected a proposal by two Krobo groups to declare accumulated electricity bills owed by residents of Yilo and Manya Krobo municipalities as bad debt.
According to ECG, such a proposal is not workable.
A joint statement issued by Kloma Hengme and Kloma Gbi, on Tuesday, demanded that ECG declared accumulated electricity bills of customers in the area from 2014 to 2017 as bad debt or be ring-fenced up to July 2021 “to clean the slate for a fresh start.”
In their view, their proposal was the way forward to bring an end to the current impasse.
The groups explained that “facts remain that between 2018 and today, (during which ECG either failed to serve bills or had difficulty doing so), many tenants changed homes and the difficulty landlords will face in getting these tenants who have moved out to pay such old bills could derail efforts geared towards finding a solution to the challenge at hand.
“In our estimations, these proposals are practical ones that will get people back to pay their bills and solve the problem once and for all. This is more like saying we can and have to make some sacrifices now to safeguard the future,” they are argued.
However, addressing a press conference in Somanya at the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly, Managing Director of ECG, Mr Kwame Agyeman-Budu said ECG has had several engagements with stakeholders in the Krobo district and has continually stressed the need for those indebted to ECG to pay their bills.
“Whereas some customers see the need to sustain ECG as a national asset by paying their accumulated bills, others are not paying because they think the power consumed must be free.”
Way Forward
Touching on steps being taken to resolve the current issues, Mr Agyeman-Budu said ECG has since Monday, deployed a team to visit the premises of all customers in the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo enclave to undertake meter reading to enable ECG to produce the current bills and also to generate relevant customer statements for the affected periods, carry out pre-installation survey to capture technical data in preparation for the introduction of prepaid meters, as well as to conduct a technical inspection to assure the integrity of ECG’s energy meters within the premises of customers.
He said after the successful reading of the meters, customers would receive their current bills in January 2022 for them to pay promptly.
“Attached to the bills will be their statements clearly showing all the necessary transactions from 2018 to date,” he continued.
He said ECG staff would be stationed at their offices at Somanya, Nuaso, Juapong and other vantage locations to assist customers with the value of their indebtedness and the flexible terms of payment.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Kenya: Electricity Tariff To Go Down By 15%
Electricity consumers in Kenya, East Africa, will be enjoying a 15 per cent reduction in the cost of electricity by the end of December 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced.
According to the President, a government plan to reduce the cost of electricity by over 30 per cent for the Kenyan people is well on course.
The reduction, he explained, will be implemented in two phases of 15 per cent each.
President Kenyatta, who was speaking last Sunday during the Jamhuri Day Celebrations, said: “In honour of this pledge to the nation and response to the concerns over the high cost of electricity raised by both individual consumers and enterprises, I am pleased to announce to the nation that the reduction of the cost of electricity will be implemented in two tranches of 15 per cent each; with the first 15 per cent achieved through initial actions focusing on system and commercial losses, to be reflected in the December bills, and a further 15 per cent reduction, in the first quarter of 2022.”
The President noted that the Ministry of Energy has already started engagements with Independent Power Producers aimed at renegotiating the initial power purchase agreements.
He called on the power producers to demonstrate goodwill.
Earlier this year, President Uhuru Kenyatta constituted a task force to review Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed with Independent Power Producers in the country.
After receiving the task force report, the President went ahead and appointed a steering committee to implement the recommendations by the task force.
President Uhuru had directed that the recommendations of the presidential task force be implemented on a priority basis.
Part of the recommendations were renegotiations and reviews of PPAs with power producers, where some have been selling electricity up to 35 times more than the cheapest generator—KenGen.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Warren Wants Big Oil Executive Pay Investigated
Senator Elizabeth Warren has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch an investigation into the remuneration of executives at several oil companies, including Marathon Petroleum, Chevron, and Occidental Petroleum.
According to Warren, these companies “may be misleading investors and the public about their executive compensation by using loophole-ridden climate metrics tied to CEO pay,” she said in a letter to SEC chairman Gary Gensler.
Citing a Washington Post report that made allegations oil companies were setting climate change goals but then using easily manipulated metrics to gauge success, Senator Warren said that “These potentially deceptive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics pose a serious problem: they have the potential to mislead investors and the public on the terms and conditions under which executive bonuses are paid to top company officials. I am requesting that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigate this matter.”
Marathon Petroleum, one of the “world’s most egregious fossil fuel lobbying companies preventing policy-based climate action,” paid its then-CEO $1.9 million between 2011 and 2020 for meeting environmental goals, awarding bonuses in nearly every year, even though a Marathon Petroleum pipeline released 1,400 barrels of diesel fuel into an Indiana creek in 2018,” Senator Warren said in her letter.
Last month, Warren targeted natural gas exporters in a similar vein, accusing them of causing massive price increases for American consumers to enrich themselves.
“I am writing regarding my concern about rising natural gas prices for American consumers, the impact this will have for families struggling to pay their bills and keep their homes warm this winter, and the extent to which these price increases are being driven by energy companies’ corporate greed and profiteering as they ‘moved record amounts of U.S. gas out of the country,'” she said.
In response, the chief executive of EQT noted the reduction in emissions since the start of the shale gas boom, calling the U.S. LNG export industry the potentially largest green initiative in the world.
Uganda: IOCs Making Final Investment Decision On East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline ProjectSource:Oilprice.com
Ghana: Residents Of Damongo Flee As Fuel Tanker Explodes
Some residents of Damongo in the West Gonja District in the Savannah Region of Ghana ran amok when a fuel tanker exploded near a bus terminal at about 10 pm Wednesday.
It took the timely intervention of personnel of the Damongo Fire Service Command to bring the situation under control.
It is unclear what caused the explosion, however, a media report suggested that the driver and his assistant all escaped unhurt.
There was no casualty recorded as of the time of filing this report.
Eyewitnesses said the tyres and other parts of the long vehicle started burning on the blind side of the driver.
The driver, finally, made a stop after motor riders pursued and prompted him about the fire.
“The driver was on his way to discharge over 30,000 litres of fuel to one of the fuel stations in the Damongo township,” one media portal reported.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana:Vivo Energy Inducted Into Hall Of Fame For Excellence In Corporate Social Responsibility
Vivo Energy Ghana, the exclusive marketer and distributor of Shell branded fuels and lubricants has been inducted into the Hall of Fame for excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at the 2021 edition of the Ghana Oil and Gas Awards held in Accra recently.
The company was recognized for its impactful sustainable development initiatives in the areas of Road Safety, Education and Environment across the country especially in communities where it operates.
Having won the Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility Award for three consecutive years, the company was recognized for championing community investments in the downstream petroleum sector.
Receiving the award, the Corporate Communications Manager of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mrs. Shirley Tony Kum said the company is committed to contributing to sustainable development in its operations and has embedded this in its Business Principles and Code of Conduct.
“As a business committed to operating sustainably, we go beyond the sale of high quality Shell fuels and lubricants to playing our role as a responsible company through the critical areas of road safety, education and the environment. In consultation with our communities, we will continue to implement sustainable initiatives that achieve both short and long-term goals.”
Commenting on the award, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mr. Kader Maiga, said Vivo Energy Ghana has embedded sustainability commitment in its strategy, business processes and decision-making and dedicates the award to its customers, communities, partners and employees.
“With a vision of becoming Africa’s most respected energy business, we aim to provide cleaner energy solutions in a responsible manner that integrates economic, environmental and social considerations. This is evident in the launch of the new Shell fuels with Dynaflex technology and the implementation of alternative energy solutions across our retail network such as solar energy.
Some sustainable development initiatives implemented by Vivo Energy Ghana includes, the roll-out of Community Digital Literacy Project, STOP, THINK & DRIVE Road Safety Campaign and the Retailer Sustainability Programme to support the government’s effort in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
“With a vision of becoming Africa’s most respected energy business, we aim to provide cleaner energy solutions in a responsible manner that integrates economic, environmental and social considerations. This is evident in the launch of the new Shell fuels with Dynaflex technology and the implementation of alternative energy solutions across our retail network such as solar energy.
Some sustainable development initiatives implemented by Vivo Energy Ghana includes, the roll-out of Community Digital Literacy Project, STOP, THINK & DRIVE Road Safety Campaign and the Retailer Sustainability Programme to support the government’s effort in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com The UK Is Slashing EV Grants Once Again
For the second time this year, the UK is slashing the grants available to buyers of electric vehicles (EVs) as it looks to curb spending and targets less expensive models.
“Soaring demand for EVs leads to refocusing of grants on the most affordable zero-emission cars, making best use of taxpayer money,” the UK government said on Wednesday, announcing the changes to its EV incentive policies, the second major change in less than one year.
The grant for EVs is now slashed by 40 percent and limited to buyers of electric cars priced below $42,420 (£32,000). The grant is up to $1,988 (£1,500) for electric cars priced under £32,000, with currently around 20 models on the market, the UK government said today.
The previous grant for electric vehicles was up to $3,313 (£2,500) for cars priced under $46,390 (£35,000).
The up to £2,500 grant was introduced in March 2021, when the UK government cut the grant from $3,976 (£3,000), and incurred the criticism of Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which said that it was “the wrong move at the wrong time.”
In its announcement today, the UK government said that the grant scheme “has been updated to target less expensive models, allowing the scheme’s funding to go further and to help more people make the switch to an electric vehicle (EV).”
“The market is charging ahead in the switch to electric vehicles. This, together with the increasing choice of new vehicles and growing demand from customers, means that we are refocusing our vehicle grants on the more affordable vehicles and reducing grant rates to allow more people to benefit, and enable taxpayers’ money to go further,” Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said.
SMMT criticized the move, with Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, saying, “Slashing the grants for electric vehicles once again is a blow to customers looking to make the switch and couldn’t come at a worse time, with inflation at a ten-year high and pandemic-related economic uncertainty looming large.”
Instead of cutting incentives, the government should double down on them, otherwise “UK drivers risk being left behind on the transition to zero-emission motoring,” Hawes said.
Source:Oilprice.com
Nigeria: IBEDC Re-Launches MAPS, Says Customers Have A Choice To Pay For Meter
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc has re-launched the Meter Asset Provider Scheme (MAPS) as part of efforts to ensure meter rollout across its franchise.
The electricity distribution company, in a statement signed by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Engr. John Ayodele said the meter roll-out will commence immediately, following the directive by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to give customers the choice to purchase meters.
“We are officially announcing the restoration of the Meter Asset Provider Scheme for customers who are in urgent need of meters and are willing to pay for them,” Engr Ayodele said.
According to him, customers can register for MAP meters online via msms.ibedc.com or visit any IBEDC office, after which a unique ID will be generated for a technical evaluation of the customer’s premises.
“Once the technical evaluation is successful, payment can be made at any bank branch and the customer will be metered within ten working days after payment,” he explained.
He further explained that the prices of these meters are as stipulated and approved by NERC. He said IBEDC has secured the services of the following MAP vendors to meter allocated parts of their franchise, namely Mojec International Limited for customers in Ogun State, Protogy Global Service for customers in Oyo State, Integrated Resources Limited (IRL) for customers in Osun State and finally CWG Plc will supply meters to customers in Kwara State.
“Customers should not pay directly to anyone to avoid being scammed, and please note, No Application or Processing Fees required,” Engr. Ayodele admonished.
He further enjoined their numerous customers to quickly buy into the scheme to avoid estimated billing, which has always been an issue.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: ECG Should Declare 8 Years Accumulated Bills As Bad Debt-Krobo Groups Demand
Two youth groups in the Krobo area in the eastern part of the Republic of Ghana are making fresh demands from the southern power distribution company, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) a few days after the power distribution company restored power supply to Yilo and Manya Krobo Municipalities.
The groups are demanding that ECG ring-fence accumulated bills of customers in the area from 2014 to 2017 as bad debt or be ring-fenced up to July 2021 “to clean the slate for a fresh start.”
In a statement issued and jointly signed by Kloma Hengme (KH) and Kloma Gbi (KG), both expressed the hope that would help to make headway on the impasse.
The groups explained that “facts remain that between 2018 and today, (during which ECG either failed to serve bills or had difficulty doing so), many tenants changed homes and the difficulty landlords will face in getting these tenants who have moved out to pay such old bills could derail efforts geared toward finding a solution to the challenge at hand. “In our estimations, these proposals are practical ones that will get people back to paying their bills and solving the problem once and for all. This is more like saying we can and have to make some sacrifices now, to safeguard the future.”
The two groups were also described as wrong timing for the introduction of prepaid meters in the two municipalities.
“Many have expressed concerns about the wrong timing of the introduction of prepaid meters–and the apprehension that the meters will be used to recoup the outstanding disputed ‘debt’.
“We made the point that whilst we welcome the policy to roll out the prepaid metering system in the Krobo enclave, we hold the view, based on the concerns raised by many of our members and a cross-section of the citizenry, that introducing it at this material time when issues (and perceptions) of wrong bills are still rife, will affect the acceptability of this new technology.
“We suggested that considering the peculiar nature of the impasse, people were most likely to read various meanings into the exercise including some perceiving it as a form of ‘punishment’. We proposed that ECG temporarily suspends the rollout of the meters and rather focuses on first, addressing all outstanding issues to create a soft-landing spot for the implementation of the project,” the State said.
Kloma Hengme and Kloma Gbi groups also want the police to investigate the killing and maiming of their compatriots in 2019 who protested against over-billing by ECG.
Meanwhile, the two groups have dissociated themselves from threats to ECG staff and the proposition of free power supply by the United Krobo Foundation which it acknowledges as part of three groups that were fronting for the impasse with ECG to be resolved.
Joint media statement_Position paper of KH and KG_FINAL_14.12.21
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: ECG Begins Meter Reading Exercise In Kroboland After Restoring Power Supply
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has announced that it will on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, commence meter reading exercise in the Krobo District in the Eastern Region of the Republic of Ghana.
According to the company, its staff will visit premises of customers to read the consumption on their meters to assist in generating their monthly bills.
The ECG urged all customers to cooperate with them to make the exercise a success.
The exercise follows the restoration of power supply to Yilo and Manya Krobo Municipalities last Sunday.
ECG shut down the feeders that supply power to Bulk Supply Point that supplies power to the two municipalities after some unscrupulous persons transferred customers from one phase off transformers to another, leading to overloading of some transformers and eventually destroying several others within the communities
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Energy Supply Will Catch Up With Demand In 2022- S&P Global Platts
Oil and gas supply will grow faster in 2022 than it did in 2021 to the point of catching up and even surpassing energy demand growth, S&P Global Platts Analytics said on Monday in its newly-released 2022 Energy Outlook.
While rebounding demand for oil and gas was the key theme this year, next year, the key theme in energy markets will be the rebound in supply, S&P Global Platts analysts said.
Thanks to rising exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), higher oil and gas production from the U.S. shale patch, and the return of investment in supply from non-OPEC members, supply will not only meet demand next year, but it will also exceed demand and help increase the currently depleted inventory of energy commodities globally, S&P Global Platts Analytics says.
According to the analysts, the recently resurfaced fears of new COVID variants, such as Omicron, significantly impacting oil demand are “likely overblown.” Still, those fears will raise the already elevated volatility on the global energy markets, S&P Global Platts Analytics reckons.
Much of the outlook of 2022 will depend on how the first quarter of the year unfolds and on weather conditions during the winter in the northern hemisphere, the analysts noted.
Ghana: GOIL Rejects AOMC Claims Of Gov’t Interference & Suspends MembershipIn oil and gas, the world faces two key geopolitical signposts in Q1 2022 – the so-called Iran nuclear deal and the controversial Russia-led gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, S&P Global Platts Analytics said. If those two issues are not resolved early next year, they will continue to have a large influence on oil and gas prices for the rest of 2022, too, according to S&P Global Platts. Gas markets and gas prices early next year will be determined by two major factors—the winter weather and Russian pipeline gas supply to Europe. In oil, all analysts and even OPEC+ expect a surplus to start building as early as the first quarter of 2022. Source:Oilprice.com