January 2017

Uncertainty seems to be a key theme as we begin 2017. Political, economic and financial instability all over the world has made for an energy industry that has an unclear path. Renewable energy has gained traction in many countries, nuclear power remains attractive for large and small nations, many new coal and oil and gas projects have been announced by the world’s leading energy businesses, and new and innovative energy solutions are also being sought for investment.

The OGCI, an organisation made up of some of the world’s most prominent energy businesses, has committed to spending $1 billion on new low emission technology. One of the largest solar projects ever undertaken has been dedicated to the nation of India by its developers. Total has started installing solar panels across thousands of its service stations. E.On has started investing heavily in the USA, with transactions already complete in the renewable and technology segments. In this edition we discuss each of these investments and we also look at the current situation and future of power generation in South Africa, with state-owned nuclear company NECSA and private firms Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems and Sasol gearing up for a busy period working on major projects.

For these companies, the short-term future is already mapped but, like the rest of the industry, they too face uncertainty in the months and years to come.