natural gas - Green Prophet

EU Ports Still Power Russia’s Arctic Gas Exports Despite Phase-Out Pledge

Green Prophet — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:01:59 +0000

Russian tanker ice breaking on a delivery

A new analysis published today by Urgewald, a German NGO, reveals that the European Union continues to play a central role in sustaining Russia’s Arctic gas exports, despite its public commitment to phase out Russian LNG imports by 2027.

Using cargo-level data from Kpler, the report shows that in 2025 the Kremlin’s flagship Yamal LNG terminal generated an estimated €7.2 billion in revenue from LNG shipments to EU ports alone. Of the 19.7 million tonnes exported globally from Yamal last year, 15 million tonnes — more than 76% — were delivered to Europe, making the EU by far the project’s most important customer.

“While Brussels celebrates agreements to phase out Russian gas, our ports continue serving as the logistics lung for Russia’s largest LNG terminal,” said Sebastian Rötters, Sanctions Campaigner at Urgewald. “In the current geopolitical situation, we cannot afford another year of complicity.

“We are not just customers; we are the essential infrastructure keeping this flagship project alive. Every cargo that offloads at an EU terminal is a direct deposit into a war chest that fuels the slaughter in Ukraine. We must stop providing the oxygen for Russia’s energy profits and shut the Yamal loophole now.”

The findings suggest that rather than declining, Europe’s reliance on Yamal LNG intensified in 2025. Yamal cargoes accounted for 14.3% of the EU’s total LNG imports, equivalent to roughly one in every seven LNG ships arriving at European terminals.

Sebastian Rötters

France emerged as the single largest importer of Yamal LNG in 2025, receiving 6.3 million tonnes across 87 shipments at the ports of Dunkirk and Montoir. Belgium’s Zeebrugge terminal also played a critical role, receiving more Yamal LNG than China over the same period.

According to the analysis, Europe’s importance goes beyond demand. Yamal LNG’s Arctic location makes it entirely dependent on a small fleet of 14 Arc7 ice-class tankers, which must operate on short routes to function efficiently. By allowing these vessels to unload in nearby European ports, the EU enables rapid turnaround times that keep exports flowing year-round.

The report also highlights the role of European shipping companies, noting that UK-based Seapeak and Greece’s Dynagas together control over 70% of the Arc7 tanker fleet serving Yamal LNG.

Urgewald warns that unless action is taken soon, Europe risks losing its leverage. As charter agreements expire later this year, the specialized tanker fleet could be transferred into opaque “shadow fleet” structures, further entrenching Russia’s Arctic LNG exports.

“The data shows the EU holds decisive influence over Yamal LNG,” Rötters said. “What’s missing is the political will to use it — and to close the Yamal loophole now.”

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Ivanpah: the value of first-of-line green energy projects, even when they fail

Karin Kloosterman — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 06:50:04 +0000

A major solar power plant project called Ivanpah, that was granted over a billion dollars in US Government federal loans is now on the road to closing two of its three units, with energy experts labeling it a “boondoggle”. While critics argue that the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility is another example of government waste, it’s essential to recognize the role such first-in-line projects play in advancing clean energy.

In 2011, the US Department of Energy (DOE) under former President Barack Obama issued $1.6 billion in loan guarantees to finance the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a project consisting of three solar concentrating thermal power plants in California. At the time, then-Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz called it an “example of how America is becoming a world leader in solar energy.”

The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a $2.2 billion concentrated solar plant in California, was once hailed as a breakthrough in renewable energy.

It was a time when spending on green energy projects was flush, starting with a boon around 2006 and 2007. Investors and government subsidizers were looking to fund dreams and Ivanpah promised a world with free energy harnessed from the sun.

Solar thermal versus photovoltaic PV panels

Solar thermal technology uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight, generating heat that produces steam to drive a turbine for electricity. It is known to kill birds that pass by it, attracted to the light. In contrast, photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor materials. While solar thermal can include energy storage with molten salt, PV is generally cheaper, more efficient, and easier to scale.

Ashalim is producing power but local financial estimates say it was not worth the cost.

Ashalim producing power in 2022. You will see a blinding light when you drive by it in the desert

Now, after more than a decade, Ivanpah is set to shut down 2 out of 3 of its units. The facility never lived up to its energy production goals and required backup natural gas to stay operational. Its primary buyer, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), has canceled its agreement 14 years early, citing cost savings for customers. Critics argue that the plant was not only financially unsustainable but also had environmental drawbacks, such as harming wildlife in the Mojave Desert.

The plant’s operators plan to begin closing units in early 2026, with decommissioned units potentially being repurposed for photovoltaic solar energy production. Operator NRG Energy plans to shut down two-thirds of the Ivanpah Solar CSP plant after Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) decided to terminate two power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the facility to save ratepayers money.

Ivanpah sp;ar energy panels

But while Ivanpah may not have been a commercial success, dismissing it entirely as a failure ignores the bigger picture. Groundbreaking energy projects often face immense technical, financial, and environmental challenges—many of which only become apparent through real-world implementation. These projects are bold experiments that inform future innovations, providing invaluable lessons that improve the next generation of technology.

Ivanpah isn’t the only example. The solar thermal plant at Ashalim in Israel also fell short of expectations, proving too costly to compete with newer photovoltaic solar technologies. Similarly, MASDAR City in the United Arab Emirates, envisioned as a fully sustainable zero-energy metropolis, has struggled to achieve its initial ambitions and remains sparsely populated. We have an intern dispatch what it’s like. However, these efforts have contributed to advancements in green energy, from refining solar technology to informing large-scale urban sustainability planning.

Even failed projects serve as milestones on the road to a more sustainable energy future. Without Ivanpah and other early ventures, the solar industry wouldn’t be where it is today—producing cheaper, more efficient energy. Green innovation requires trial and error, and while not every project will be a financial success, the lessons they provide are often worth far more than their price tag. Saudi Arabia, for instance, is investing in hydrogen energy projects which may never be commercially viable without massive investments to sustain them. So let’s see “failing” as an outcome of bravery.

Ivanpah wasn’t the first to fail.

Ivanpah is connected to Israel through BrightSource Energy, the company that developed the solar thermal technology used in the plant. BrightSource is an Israeli-founded company specializing in concentrated solar power (CSP). The same technology used in Ivanpah was later implemented in Ashalim, a large CSP plant in Israel’s Negev Desert. Both projects faced challenges related to efficiency, cost, and environmental concerns, highlighting the difficulties of scaling solar thermal technology.

Ashalim, developed and owned by EDF Renewables, is operating today, but at a loss. There are more than 25 similar CSP towers across the world, including China, Spain, Morocco and the United States — but only one, in the United Arab Emirates, stands taller than the plant in Ashalim, Israel.

An Israeli business newspaper, Calcalist, called the Ashalim power plant “one of the saddest stories” in the history of Israeli infrastructure. Others say the tower’s more expensive energy is, in fact, almost imperceptible to Israeli citizens, since the higher cost is spread across the millions of consumers on the national grid.

Let’s look at a few failed power plants from the west:

1. Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project (USA)

Investment Cost: $1 billion
ROI: Negative – declared bankrupt in 2020
What Happened? Crescent Dunes, a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in Nevada, was backed by a $737 million federal loan guarantee. It was supposed to provide 10 hours of energy storage using molten salt technology, allowing it to generate power even after sunset. However, persistent technical failures—including leaks in the molten salt storage system—resulted in multiple shutdowns. In 2019, its sole customer, NV Energy, terminated its contract, leading to its financial collapse.

2. Kemper Clean Coal Plant (USA)

Investment Cost: $7.5 billion
ROI: Negative – converted to natural gas after exceeding budget by $5 billion
What Happened? The Kemper Project in Mississippi was designed to be the first large-scale “clean coal” power plant using carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Initially estimated to cost $2.4 billion, expenses ballooned to $7.5 billion due to construction delays, cost overruns, and unproven technology. In 2017, after years of setbacks, the project was abandoned as a clean coal facility and converted to a conventional natural gas plant, making its CCS ambitions a complete failure.

3. Pelamis Wave Energy Project (Scotland)

Investment Cost: Estimated £100 million+ (~$130 million)
ROI: Negative – company went bankrupt in 2014
What Happened? Pelamis was one of the first large-scale attempts at harnessing wave energy. It deployed snake-like floating devices off the coast of Scotland to generate electricity from ocean waves. While the technology showed promise, it struggled with durability, maintenance costs, and efficiency. After failing to secure further investment, the company went bankrupt in 2014, demonstrating the difficulties of making wave energy commercially viable.

These examples highlight the immense challenges of scaling up new energy technologies. Despite their failures, they provided valuable lessons that inform ongoing advancements in solar, clean coal, and wave energy.

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Azerbaijan state energy company buys into Israel’s gas fields

John Smith — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 10:27:13 +0000

The Tamar gas field installation

SOCAR, an Azerbaijani state owned energy company continues to acquire stakes in strategic assets in foreign countries in line with its strategy to expand production footprint. It has bought a 10% stake in Israel’s natural gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea called Tamar.

Lebanon too could be energy independent if it were to stop the Hezbollah and develop peaceful energy pursuits. Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone is a part of the Levant Basin: according to the USGS estimates, Lebanon could hold 850 bcm of offshore natural gas reserves and 660 million barrels of oil.

The US oil and energy giant Chevron already operates and holds a 25% stake in the Tamar gas field in the Med Sea. Other partners in the Israeli gas reservoir include Isramco, Tamar Investment 2, Tamar Petroleum, and Dor Gas.

Tamar

Since Israel first found natural gas fields off its Mediterranean coast more than a decade ago, and since the country has emerged as a gas exporter. The natural gas operations have put the country on a path to energy independence in a region with few natural resources.

Israel has been exporting gas from the Tamar field to its neighbor Jordan since 2017.

This is not the first attempt by SOCAR to enter the Israeli natural gas market but this is SOCAR’s first major investment in the Mediterranean Sea. The oil firm’s vision moving forward it so continue seeking strategic assets around the world to expand its energy portfolio.

In 2023, SOCAR joined a consortium including British multinational oil and gas firm BP and NewMed Energy to bid for licenses to explore and discover offshore natural gas fields in areas adjacent to Israel’s Leviathan field, one of the world’s largest deep-water gas discoveries.

Within the new framework, on January 31, 2025, an agreement was signed with Union Energy for the acquisition of 10% effective ownership in the Tamar field, located offshore of Israel, one of the largest and most strategically important gas fields in the Mediterranean basin.

“With this step, SOCAR has begun implementing investment in upstream projects in the Mediterranean region. The agreement was signed subject to certain conditions being met, including customary regulatory and other approvals,” announced the Azerbaijani government.

SOCAR will continue its efforts to acquire stakes in strategic assets in foreign countries in the future. It is a major source of income for the authoritarian regime in Azerbaijan.

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Saudi Arabia discovers seven new oil and gas fields

Karin Kloosterman — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 10:03:50 +0000

Rub’ al Khali, Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia (Wikipedia). Turns out the “Empty” is full of oil

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister announced Aramco‘s discovery of seven new oil and gas deposits in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province and Empty Quarter.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said that Saudi Aramco found two unconventional oil fields, a light Arabian oil reservoir, two natural gas fields, and two natural gas reservoirs.

In the Eastern Province, the “Ladam” unconventional oil field was discovered, producing very light Arabian oil at 5,100 barrels per day, along with 4.9 million standard cubic feet of gas daily. The “Al-Farouk” oil field produces 4,557 barrels per day of ultra-light oil and 3.79 million cubic feet of gas per day.

The “Unayzah B/C” reservoir in the Mazalij field produces 1,780 barrels of light oil and 0.7 million cubic feet of gas daily.

In the Empty Quarter, the “Al-Jahaq” field produces 5.3 million cubic feet of gas from the “Al-Arab-C” reservoir and 1.1 million cubic feet from the “Al-Arab-D” reservoir.

The “Al-Katuf” field flows at 7.6 million cubic feet of gas and 40 barrels of condensate per day.

The “Hanifa” reservoir in the Asikra field yields 4.9 million cubic feet of gas per day, with the “Al-Fadhili” reservoir adding 0.6 million cubic feet of gas and 100 barrels of condensate daily.

Does that mean the price of gas will go up? Or go down? What about Saudi Arabia’s so-called sustainability vision for the year 2030? Looks like business as usual.

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Oldest deep sea ship found by gas company off Israel’s shore

Karin Kloosterman — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:53:45 +0000

The moments when the jugs come out of the water in a special basket built in their honor. (Photo credit: Emil Eljam)

A 3,300-year-old cargo with hundreds of ancient pots was discovered 60 miles off the coast of Israel in the Mediterranean Sea. Antiquities researchers say this is the world’s most ancient ship to be found in the world in the deep seas, proving that ancient mariners possessed ancient tech and wisdom to traverse the sea without a line of sight to the coast.

Sunken ship and ancient amphorae on the sea floor off Israel’s coast

The ship’s cargo was found during a standard seafloor sweep by the natural gas company Energean, operating in the East Mediterranean – and now working with Israel’s Antiquities Authority to physically extract and bring up sample vessels from the ship. The contents were positively identified as Late Bronze Age Canaanite storage vessels.

Energean -a leading E&P natural gas company operates the Karish, Karish North, Katlan and Tanin offshore natural gas fields near Israel.

“The ship seems to have sunk in crisis, either due to a storm or to an attempted piracy attack – a well-known occurrence in the Late Bronze Age,” says Jacob Sharvit, Head of the Israel Antiquities Authority Marine Unit.

“This is a world-class history-changing discovery: This find reveals to us as never before the ancient mariners’ navigational skills – capable of traversing the Mediterranean Sea without a line of sight to any coast. From this geographical point, only the horizon is visible all around. To navigate they probably used the celestial bodies, by taking sightings and angles of the sun and star positions,” he says.

Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Minoans, Mesopotamians, Greeks, and Vikings relied on the stars for navigation. By observing the movements of specific stars and constellations, early navigators were able to estimate their latitude and navigate along the coastlines and rivers.

A quartermaster takes a sun sighting from the navigation bridge of the USS Alaska in 1945. U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE PHOTO ARCHIVE

“It turned out to be a sensational discovery, far beyond what we could imagine,” says Karnit Bahartan, Environmental Lead at Energean.

The company’s technicians planned a unique, complex operation and even built a special tool to enable extracting artifacts with minimal risk of damage to the entire assemblage.

A robot sent to investigate estimates the ship is about 14 yards long. The muddy bottom conceals a second layer of vessels, and it seems that wooden beams of the ship are also buried within the mud, say the researchers.

The discovery of this boat now changes the understanding of ancient mariner abilities: It is the very first to be found at such a great distance with no line of sight to any landmass.

“The vessel type identified in the cargo was designed as the most efficient means of transporting relatively cheap and mass-produced products such as oil, wine and other agricultural products such as fruit. Finding such a great quantity of amphorae on board one single ship is testimony to significant commercial ties between their country of origin and the ancient Near Eastern lands on the Mediterranean coast,” Shavit adds.

Only two other shipwrecks with cargo are known from the Late Bronze Age in the Mediterranean Sea – the boat from Cape Gelidonya and the Uluburun boat; both found off the Turkish coast. Yet both of those shipwrecks were found relatively near the shore, and were accessible using normal diving equipment.

Photos collected from the ancient ship underwater

Based on these two finds, the academic assumption until now was that trade in that time was executed by safely flitting from port to port, hugging the coastline within eye contact. The discovery of this boat now changes the understanding of ancient mariner abilities: It is the very first to be found at such a great distance with no line of sight to any landmass.

Energean (LSE:ENOG, FTSE 250, TASE:אנאג, TA-35) is a London-based independent E&P company focused on developing resources in the Mediterranean. The multi country 1bn+ boe portfolio is 80% gas weighted, producing up to 150k boepd. Energean is committed to sustainable development and to be a net zero emitter by 2050.

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Saudi Arabia announces new natural gas fields in the east

Green Prophet — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 16:25:00 +0000

Saudi Aramco discovered natural gas in the Eastern Province

Oil rich Saudi Arabia has announced discovering the lesser evil of fossil fuels, two natural gas fields in what they call the Empty Quarter, by Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s gas and oil business, the wealthiest company in the world owned by the Saudi royal family. Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, announced the discovery yesterday.

The Al-Hiran natural gas field was discovered after natural gas flowed at a rate of 30 million standard cubic feet per day (mscf/d) from the Hanifa reservoir in the Al-Hiran-1 well, along with 1,600 barrels per day (bpd) of condensate. Natural gas also flowed at a rate of 3.1 million mscf/d from the Arab-C reservoir in the same field.

Meanwhile, natural gas flowed from the Al Mahakek-2 well at 0.85 mscf/d, resulting in the discovery of the Al Mahakek natural gas field in the Empty Quarter.

Saudi Arabia hosts World Environment Day, un unlikely choice

Natural gas was also discovered in five reservoirs in previously discovered fields, including the Al-Jalah reservoir in a field in the Empty Quarter, where natural gas flowed at 46 mscf/d, and an additional natural gas reservoir in the Shadoon field west of Markaz Haradh. Another exploration was made in the Unayzah-A reservoir as natural gas flowed at a rate of 15.5 mscf/d, accompanied by about 460 bpd of condensate.

In the Eastern Province, natural gas was discovered in the Unayzah B/C reservoir in the Mazalej field southwest of Dhahran, where gas flowed at 14 mscf/d, with about 4,150 bpd of condensate. Al-Sara reservoir also saw a natural gas discovery in Al-Wudhaihi field and Al-Qusaiba reservoir in Awtad field southwest of Al Hofuf, where natural gas flowed from Al-Sara reservoir at a rate of 11.7 mscf/d and from the Al-Qusaiba reservoir at a rate of 5.1 mscf/d, accompanied by about 57 bpd of condensate.

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Saudi Arabia’s oily lies at COP26

Karin Kloosterman — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 07:26:47 +0000

Saudi Arabia is pumping up its propaganda machine during COP26 to deflect the true nature of its intentions, announces Greenpeace. Saudi Arabia recently announced it will be net zero by 2060, a long way off, and with no exit plan to wean the world from oil (remember its oil shale announcement?). Meanwhile Saudi Arabia has plans to increase its oil production from 12 million barrels per day to 13 million barrels per day by 2027.

How can anyone take Saudi Arabia seriously? They are developing 90 untouched islands on the Red Sea, one with Foster + Partners, are creating the world’s most nuts environmental nightmare “green” city called Neom, where they have evicted locals and even killed a Bedouin activist. It’s like a villain making promises while crossing his fingers behind his back.

Ahmad El Droubi from Greenpeace, who obviously sees the ongoing contractions Saudi Arabia spouts out into the world: “We question the seriousness of this announcement, as it comes in parallel with plans for the Kingdom to increase its oil production … and seems to simply be a strategic move to alleviate political pressure ahead of COP26.”

Ahmad El Droubi via Flickr

But the words are likely just a smokescreen, as Saudis plan on carbon capture and storage technologies (CCS), which have not been proven to scale and which may require more energy than the emissions they sequester. The use of CCS as a golden bullet idea summons the idea that Saudi Arabia can “buy” its way out of unrestrained use of fossil fuels. The usual old world approach.

“The stipulations of the announcement are of great concern as they focus on an array of false solutions, such as CCS whose viability at scale remains largely unproven and its potential to deliver significant emission reductions by the mid-century is currently limited,” says El Droubi.

“Safe, permanent, and verifiable storage of CO2 is difficult to guarantee and there are many hidden climate impacts of such technologies.

“We’ll be carbon neutral by 2060.”

“The proposition of increased dependence on natural gas and development of a hydrogen economy, based primarily on it, are also of great concern; blue hydrogen relies on CCS and also maintains the status quo of dependency on fossil fuels, according to a recent study the total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions are only 9%-12% less than for grey hydrogen.”

Greenpeace, a leader in environmental education and action warns that climate change is a global threat that requires a global reduction of carbon emissions and that fossil fuel exporting countries have a responsibility beyond their national borders.

“We urge Saudi Arabia to stop expanding their investment in oil and gas at home and abroad,” El Droubi says. “The region has an abundance of renewable energy potential. There are faster, cleaner, safer, more efficient, and cheaper means that exist to reduce CO2 emissions.”

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Israel approves 30% renewables goal for 2030: Revolution or low bar?

Diana Süsser and Jozsef Kadar — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 09:35:08 +0000

Golan Heights wind farm, Israel

The Israeli cabinet has approved the proposal to increase Israel’s 2030 renewable energy target from 17% to 30%. Currently, Israel is steering towards ten percent renewable energy of its total energy consumption, to be achieved by continuously increasing small roof installations and new installations through tenders.

A plan by Ministry of Energy, presented in July, foresees as an increase of the cumulative solar PV capacity of Israel from currently around 2 GW to 15.77 GW until 2030 − an increase by more than seven times the capacity of today. Solar PV is expected to account for the significant share of the renewable energy, and would replace the remaining coal in the electricity mix (see Figure 1). Israel’s energy minister Yuval Steinitz defined in a statement the new target of 30% renewables by 2030 as ‘a real revolution’. But is the new 2030 target really a revolution or just a low bar?

Electricity mix of Israel. Author figures based on Israeli Ministry of Energy, 2020.

Increased climate and energy ambitions in COVID-19 times

The COVID-19 pandemic has significant impacts for global economies, energy use and CO₂ emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), coal demand was hit the hardest, falling by almost 8%, alongside sharp reductions for oil and gas. In consequence, we saw that the pandemic accelerated existing coal-phase out plans: for example, Austria and Sweden both closed their last coal-fired power stations. In contrast, renewable energy posted growth in demand, driven by larger installed capacity and priority dispatch.

In the light of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, countries have reacted with different strategies to economically and socially recover from the crisis. Policy decisions made now are crucial, because their form and direction can accelerate the energy transition, or reinforce fossil fuel dependencies.

At the beginning of October, the European Parliament voted to adopt a more ambitious climate target to reduce EU emissions by 60% in 2030 compared to 1990, up from 40% currently. This target is subject to final approval by the EU’s 27 member states; it is expected that the decision will be made by the end of the year. If the EU raises its climate ambition, it will allow it to move closer to its aim to become the first climate-neutral continent in the world, by 2050. To reach the new goal of 60% renewables, the EU will have to increase its current 2030 targets of at least 32% share for renewable energy and at least 32.5% improvement in energy efficiency.

Beyond Europe, also other countries announced ambitious targets during COVID-19: Australia is on its way to reach nearly 50% renewables by 2030, India plans for 60% renewable energy by 2030, and Vietnam aims to double the use of renewables by 2030.

Time for the solar revolution

Israel’s 30% renewables by 2030 target is not a revolution. Considering Israel’s enormous solar potential, it is instead a low bar. However, it makes sense for Israel to put more efforts into cutting energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and scaling up renewables: Recently the IEA announced that electricity from solar PV is now the cheapest form of energy in history, and thus, also cheaper than gas in most major countries. Also, we see already positive benefits of the Israeli coal phase-out in form of significant reductions of CO₂, NOx and SO₂.

Although the rise of the renewables target is to welcome, it is likely not sufficient to bring Israel to net-zero emissions, as current pledges have proven insufficient to meet climate goals. Israel faces an increasing electricity demand not only in the power sector but also from highly energy-demanding desalinisation plants and the increasingly electrified transport sector. Both transport and water sector will play a central role in setting Israel on a pathway towards climate neutrality. However, Israel set the plan to meet its energy demand mainly by natural gas (Figure 1), which reinforces its lock-in in the polluting fossil fuel.

The enormous natural gas reserves have been framed as an economic, political and environmental blessing, promising benefits to the people. A recent development might change this perspective: Chevron, the American oil giant, acquires Noble Energy, a large natural gas business. Chevron buys in Noble very cheaply − paying about $4 billion − as Noble’s shares had been dropped by the pandemic and related reduction of demand.

Leading green NGOs have largely criticised the approval, because Chevron does not take responsibility for the environmental impacts its business causes. The massive potential, seen in Israel to become a significant natural gas exporter by the end of the decade, casts shadows over the power of the sun.

Green energy innovation could power the economic recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic offers a window of opportunity to use investments that must be done anyway to drive a sustainable transformation of our energy systems. Leading economists found that a green – not a grey – economic recovery strategy can drive an even better economic recovery. Israel has the vast opportunity to use its large capital of the start-up nation to go beyond carbon and decarbonise its economy. Policy strategies and instruments are, however, crucial to leverage innovations for climate action and sustainable development.

It especially needs investments in clean technologies and infrastructure and clean R&D spending. By letting go of the support of natural gas, Israel could redirect the money to R&D and commercialization of clean and renewable energy technologies, and provide more opportunities for more public participation and social innovation in the energy transition. A renewable energy transition could potentially provide enormous benefits for health, prosperity and employment.

____

Dr. Diana Süsser is an energy transition researcher at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Germany. Previously, Diana was a
visiting fellow at the Israel Public Policy Institute, where she
investigated effective policy designs for accelerating cleantech
commercialisation in Israel.

Jozsef Kadar is a researcher at the Center for Renewable Energy and
Energy Conservation, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. His is
pursuing his PhD at the Haifa Center for German and European Studies,
the University of Haifa, Israel. His PhD research focuses on energy
transition.

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What are the Health Costs of Israeli Energy Security?

Faisal O'Keefe — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 00:53:45 +0000

Last Tuesday, the consortium behind the Leviathan gas production facility declared “an historic turning point in the history of the Israeli economy” when – a decade after its discovery – the enormous offshore natural gas field started production. A joint press release from operating partners Noble Energy, Ratio, and Delek Drilling said that production is expected to lead to an immediate reduction in domestic electricity prices and the start of exports, “For the first time in its history, Israel is poised to become a significant natural gas exporter”. But rather than applauding potential low energy costs and increased national energy security, residents living near the gas platform abandoned their homes for a day of peaceful protest in Tel Aviv.

“We don’t want to play Russian roulette with our children’s health,” said Shlomit Valensi, a Homeland Guards member who lives in Dor, a beachfront community adjoining a nature reserve about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Haifa. More than 250 cars headed to Tel Aviv for a demonstration outside a government compound, according to the grassroots Israeli Homeland Guards who organized the protest. Greenpeace Israel and at least three other Israeli environmentalist groups supported the event. An estimated 1,000 demonstrators wore masks, others carried signs linking gas production to cancer, demanding that the facility close.

The Mediterranean oil field was discovered 130 kilometers (81 miles) west of the port city Haifa in 2010. It is estimated to hold 535 billion cubic meters (18.9 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas, along with 34.1 million barrels of condensate. Its production facility was constructed 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) offshore. We are afraid to breathe the air,” said Rachel Toaff-Rosenstein, a veterinarian from Zichron Yaakov. “This is something that’s going to change the rest of our lives.”

Opponents assert that the production process will release pollutants as toxic as those released by coal, particularly in the current start-up stage. This was verified by Leviathan documents submitted to the Environment Ministry which indicate pollution may be in higher concentration during the initial phase when flaring can’t be used. The worst-case scenario is that during the two separate days of starting up four wells, the emission level will be similar to that expected in an entire year of normal operations.

Despite protester concerns, the ministry said in a statement released Tuesday, “The effect on the air quality in the coastal area will be negligible,” adding, “According to experts, there is no danger to the public”.

The Leviathan partnership asserts there will be only a few hours of methane emissions, at levels well below limits set by Israel’s Clean Air Act. Methane is a primary contributor to global warming.

“The only environmental impact this platform will have on the shore is a positive one when the natural gas we supply displaces coal in Hadera and Ashkelon and Israel’s citizens benefit from improved air quality and better health,” said Bini Zomer, Noble Energy’s vice president for regional affairs.

Despite government statements that production was safe, Environment Minister Zeev Elkin delayed the start of operations by a week, saying strict pollution-monitoring conditions hadn’t been met. Monitoring equipment was installed on the platform to alert any risk of high pollution, but the Homeland Guards say they need to see how scrupulously it will be used before halting opposition.

Israel seeks energy independence and cleaner domestic sources, twin aspirations that support environmental and economic benefits. The nation also aims to achieve a broader regional influence, transitioning from an energy importer to a net exporter, with recently announced contracts with neighboring Jordan and Egypt. It is anticipated that the European market may also be a viable partner. Is commerce subjugating exploration of renewable energy alternatives and protection of environmental rights?

The Israeli Homeland Guards back development of the country’s gas industry but want to ensure public health isn’t compromised. They cite world-renowned experts whose models show the platform’s proximity to shore is valid reason for concern.

Fossil fuel companies have long clashed with regulators over pollution. In 2015, Noble (a member of the Leviathan consortium) settled with the U.S. Environment Protection Agency, the Department of Justice and the state of Colorado over violations relating to emissions from its operations.

The former head of Israel’s National Cancer Registry said in an opinion commissioned by the movement that the start-up stage may expose the public to a dangerous amount of carcinogens, including benzene, a byproduct of gas production.

Israel’s environment minister has promised to monitor air quality closely, promising to shut down the platform if there is “an increase in air pollution that is endangering the population.”

While natural gas is set to replace coal as the main fuel for power generation in Israel, it is still far from being a clean source of energy despite being less polluting than coal.

Cast your vote in our comment section: go gas – or – go green?

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The Mediterranean Sea natural gas purge starts amid protests in Israel

Karin Kloosterman — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 10:03:09 +0000

Updated in 2019, a picture of the Levithan rig

Israel’s largest energy project, headed by Noble Energy, started production on Tuesday. It is a natural gas well only 10 kilometers or 7 miles from shore, near the coast of Haifa. This is the first step in a multi-billion dollar natural gas export deal with countries like Egypt and Jordan that will start in the next weeks.

Families with young children and pregnant women were looking for shelter in Tel Aviv for fear that exposure to the natural gas pollution might cause long term damage to their fetuses and children. Risks from release at sea are highlighted in this PDF developed by the EU.

But due to Israel’s unusual security constraints –- or threats by Al Qaeda and the Hezbollah –– it had to build its gas rig much closer to shore than deemed environmentally safe by some country’s standards. The recommended distance is about 40 km or 30 miles.

When the issue of safety was taken to court no one could refute in professional terms why it is unsafe so the judge let it go ahead despite coastal mayors concerns about cancer risks. This article links to a court ruling in Colorado where Noble Energy had to pay fines for polluting emissions.

Texas-based Noble Energy and Israel’s Delek Drilling and Ratio Oil announced that operations had commenced this morning, and a significant amount of natural gas will be released to the sea. People in the city of Haifa are concerned and some have evacuated for fears over the damage from exposure.

Polluting the Mediterranean?

Natural gas is a cleaner fuel but it is by no means renewable or environmentally sound. It burns cleaner but it produces greenhouses gases and pollution.

The gas off the Israeli coast began flowing from the offshore rig called Leviathan (means giant sea creature or whale in Hebrew) early this morning. The timing of when to start has been delayed time and time again but the operators needed to start the rig to meet their 2019 timeline. This is now the last day of the year.

This new operation now doubles the amount of Israeli-produced natural gas, according to Reuters. Some $3.6 billion USD went into developing the Leviathan natural gas rig and operations and gas exports are soon to commence.

“Israel is now an energy powerhouse, able to supply all its energy needs and gaining energy independence,” said Delek Drilling Chief Executive Officer Yossi Abu.

Guide to Israeli Solar Energy Companies

A subsea pipeline will transport the natural gas to Israel and to the consumers, also looking forward to paying less for electricity, currently generated by a mix of fossil fuels, coal and a small percentage of solar energy, about 2%. But paying less might just be a carrot dangling in the sky. Since Israel became more water independent with the installation of desalination plants the consumers in effect ended up paying more for water.

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