The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand | The Bullroarer

The Bullroarer - Friday 2 November 2007

Posted by Big Gav on November 2, 2007 - 8:01pm in The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand

A 4 per cent deterioration in exports drove the trade slump, outweighing a 3 per cent drop in the value of imports. The export weakness was led by a 38 per cent drop in mineral fuel exports, with crude oil export volumes falling sharply. Mining and metals were down by 8.7 per cent overall, the Australian Bureau of Statistics' monthly trade figures showed.

The managing director and co-head of economic and market analysis at Citigroup, Paul Brennan, said the most disturbing thing about the trade report was that there had been no upward trend in exports in recent months, despite heavy investment in capacity and strong commodity price rises.

Forbes - Oil higher in Asian trade but below record peaks

The Australian - Govt cannot control petrol price: Howard. But they'd be higher under Labor, right Johnny ?

NZ Herald - Concern over future wind farm projects

NZ Herald - Brian Fallow: Get real on climate change

Egoli - Oil Surge Forces China To Relax Price Controls

China has been forced into an inflationary boost to domestic oil product prices by the surging world price which yesterday topped $US96 a barrel. The Chinese Government raised the price of petrol, jet fuel and diesel by almost 10% in direct contravention of last month's edict that all state administered prices were to be frozen until the end of the year at the earliest. The rise was the first since May 2006, and shows how the country's oil processing industry has been squeezed by an oil price which has $US100 a barrel in its sights.

Australian Institute of Energy - Roadmap to Victoria's Energy Future - a 2020 Vision (PDF)

Australian Institute of Energy, Melbourne Branch is pleased to present:
The Hon. Peter Batchelor, MP, Minister for Energy and Resources
Roadmap to Victoria's Energy Future - a 2020 Vision

Thursday, 8th November, 2007
Registration for luncheon seminar 12.00 pm for 12.30pm start. Finish 2.00 pm.
Monash Conference Centre, Level 7, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne

The Melbourne Branch of the Australian Institute of Energy is delighted to host this presentation by the Victorian Minister for Energy, the Hon. Peter Batchelor MP. Mr Batchelor will deliver the State Government’s vision for Victoria’s energy future. The address will include:

· The ongoing issue of managing the ever increasing energy demand from a growing population and economy, whilst taking environmental imperatives into account and
· Victorian Government initiatives, including research on clean coal, expanding the coverage of reticulated natural gas, 5 Star energy efficiency standards, encouraging renewable energy generation sources and rollout of Advanced Metering Infrastructure or ‘smart meters’.

The Age - Australia is not a climate change leader

LiveMint - Record ocean freight prices slow global demand for grain

LiveMint - Coal prices to rally more, but cheaper than in 80s

Both buyers and sellers agree that for the first time in their memory, they could not see where prices would peak.

“This market is genuinely tight,” a buyer with a large European utility said. “It will take probably several years before there is enough new supply to meet demand and in the meantime, it is impossible to predict prices or say where the peak will be reached. Meanwhile, power prices must rise,” he added. “There have been problems this year with production at just about every coal exporting country, which just made the situation worse,” one trader said. “All of them — Russia, Indonesia, Colombia, Australia, even South Africa.”

SMH - Panel dashes hopes of nuclear fuel plan

SMH - Private ferries, metro rail on the way

SMH - Sydney Gas reviews options after merger proposal

SMH - Diesel threat to Blue Mountains water supply averted

TreeHugger - Garbage-Burning Oven Helps Clean Up and Power Kenyan Slum

WorldChanging - Fish For Fuel

Peak Energy - The Hobbit Theory of Grid Modernization