Energy Consulting Services

Smart cities were once thought to have been a $1.6 trillion market by 2020. Everything from housing, transportation, urban planning, management, would contribute to a smarter neighbourhood enriching the lives of the citizens and residents. From self-driving cars to automated delivery drones, IT networks will become the backbone of the interconnected world. We are not there, yet. Technology is developing and evolving but there is a lack of a common direction, and funding, for many of the players in the market bridging that final implementation gap. Often overlooked by the general public in their desire for a smarter city is also the technical feasibility. Not only do information networks play an important part; but energy is the driver of all of our smart ambitions. To foster the growth of smart cities and to facilitate the transition we must also critically evaluate our energy production and consumption pattern. On a local scale, Electric Vehicles are gaining in popularity...

There has been a notable rise in the use of voice activated technology over the past decade. Amazon ’s Alex and the Google Assistant have made running your house easier than ever. Just issue a command to your device and watch as it does exactly as it is told. We can request songs, order shopping, ask questions, demands news and podcasts be played - the possibilities are virtually endless. Just when we thought voice activation couldn't get anymore useful, utilities are throwing in their 2 cents and making our devices even better. There is now a fantastic opportunity for utilities to engage with their customers and you better believe they are going to take advantage of this. The recent partnership between Tendril, Indiana Michigan Power and Google was created to have a look at these possibilities. The aim of the partnership is to explore what these home hub devices can offer their users by way of energy saving advice. Rather than a standard response to check a website...

Kuwait is an anomaly. It is a little patch of calm and prosperity in an otherwise chaotic region – the Middle East. Currently, the nation’s living standards are among the highest on earth, the oil industry is professional, and there is a noticeable lack of conflict. So, where does this little powerhouse go from here? The global energy market is changing by the day. Asian countries are largely dependent on oil and gas from the Middle East rather than the United States. And there is a lot of oil. The price may fluctuate due to conflicts between oil producing nations, but there is no fear of a shortage. The cost of renewable energy is falling and the full potential of battery technology remains unknown. It is clear that the economics of energy supply and demand is going to change. It is equally apparent that climate change is happening and that it is a serious danger. Kuwait hit a staggering 54 degrees Celsius back in 2016. So, what is Kuwait position in all of this? K...

A new government directive will allow trustees of pension funds to push for green investment of trust money. The managers of the money invested in Britain’s workplace pension schemes, the total of which sits at around £1.5 trillion, will be able to drop shares in oil, gas and coal companies as part of the new initiative. Instead of these investments in traditional energy sources, the managers will be given powers to invest long-term in green and social impact opportunities. The proposals from the government are specifically designed in order to enable trustees to divest from any companies that are environmentally damaging and to redirect their cash into green alternatives. Up until this point, trustees have felt like their hands have been tied by their fiduciary duties. This duty requires trustees to seek the best returns possible for their beneficiaries, regardless of the ethics of the prospective investment opportunity. Although these new rules are complex for the laym...

The climate crisis is currently one of the most pressing issues on earth. Every day, scientists are researching new technologies and advancing their understanding of energy in order to further the fight against climate change. However, not all countries are equally invested in moving forward with regards to renewable energy. There are some that seem disinterested, while others are spearheading what is being referred to as the renewable revolution . It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that our planet is suffering. The polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate, the temperature is hotter than ever before, and natural disasters seem to be occurring with far more frequency than in previous eras. If we don’t act now, there may be precious little left for our children and grandchildren to inherit. Right now, these are the five countries doing the most to further the renewable revolution. Sweden Scandinavia has always been particularly impressive when it comes ...

The electric car sphere look set to heat up over the next couple of years. At lest six new models are expected to be on the market in that time period – each of which promises a range of a minimum of 200 miles. Until recently only Tesla was capable of getting an electric car that far off a single charge. In this list you will see a mixture of affordable electric cars with a 200-mile range and long range battery electric cars from high-end luxury brands. Let’s take a look at what we know so far about six exciting new electric car models due to come to life in the next 2 years. 2018 Nissan Leaf The Nissan Leaf, along with the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevrolet Bolt, is one of the only affordable electric cars with a range of 200 miles or more. It is expected to go into production this year but it has big boots to fill. Its predecessor was a key figure in the first wave of modern electric cars and was also the best-selling electric vehicle ever. Expect the Nissan Leaf to be unv...

There is no doubt that smart climate change policies will make a huge impact on both a nation and the world. But, did you know that a smart climate policy in the US could save the country tens of trillions of dollars? A recent internal memo in the White House showed the President’s dismal stance on climate change. Faced with strong evidence indicating both the existence and level of damage caused by climate change, the memo suggested three options for dealing with these reports. The first was to debate the findings, the second to cast doubt on the conclusions and the third was simply to ignore the findings altogether. Nowhere in the memo is there an option of accepting the reports and acting upon the findings. Yet, more and more evidence is being pushed out into the public sphere showing how global warming is going to cost more than just the environment. A paper published in Nature showed that if the global warming limit was capped at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industria...

Pedro Parente, CEO of Petrobras, the state-controlled Brazilian oil producer, resigned on June 1 st . His announcement came after trucker strikes across the country compelled the government to drop the price of diesel. The strike was due to last three days and was headed by unions who made their demands clear. They wanted Pedro Parente to step down and they wanted the policy allowing the market to set the price of fuel to end. The company, whose full name is Petroleo Brasileiro, saw its shares plunge over 20% by midday, following news of Parente’s resignation. Shares in Sao Paulo were even suspended in the wake of the announcement. In a response to the news, Petrobras’ board said it will choose and interim CEO immediately and that all of the remaining executives will retain their positions. Yet, despite the strikes and criticisms, Parente left the company with his head held high. He wrote in his resignation letter that he had “delivered what he promised” when he originally ...

Renewable energy is a hot topic at the moment and is taking up a lot of time in governmental debate halls around the world. Next week, the UK government plans to reject a tidal power lagoon project in Swansea Bay that would total £1.3 billion in construction costs. The proposal for the tidal plant came from Tidal Lagoon Power. The project already had provisional backing from various financial institutions, led by Prudential, of £200 million. It would consist of a horse shoe shaped wall, lining the sea and kitted with underwater turbines. These turbines would generate energy from tidal movements. It was hoped by the company that this project would be the first of many around the country. It was also thought that the technology underpinning the project would be exported overseas. It seemed to be a good alternative to fossil fuels. However, it has all been a short-lived dream due to the level of subsidy Tidal Lagoon Power has demanded from the British taxpayer. This cos...

We live in an age where more and more people are migrating to live and work in cities and this means that buildings in cities are under pressure to operate as efficiently as possible. Smart buildings that wholly embrace the Internet of Things (IoT) look like the way forward in order to achieve this goal. The Internet of Things can have huge implications in both the construction process of the building and the operation of the building once it is complete. It can save energy, re-engage workforces, boost investment and improve sustainability. But, how does it all work and how can we use it in our buildings? Formerly, the most important thing for a business headquarters was location. Nowadays, this priority is competing with operational efficiency for the top spot. Investors, government and the urban population all want to see buildings comply with environment regulations as well as going above and beyond to be efficient. It is clear that smart buildings are the way forward. ...

Yet another experiment showing the UK means business when it comes to sustainability has been implemented, allowing borrowers to apply for bigger mortgages when purchasing green properties. This brand new scheme is designed to encourage energy efficiency. The scheme will take into account energy efficiency when making affordability calculations. Factoring in lowers gas and electricity bills could mean borrowers can increase the size of their mortgage by £11,500. This energy efficiency scheme is due to be launched in June, at which time Welsh help-to-buy loans will begin taking into account the energy rating of new homes. This applies to all new-build homes of a value of up to £300,000. The aim behind the scheme is to encourage householders to take steps to ensure their house is energy efficient. The current inertia we are seeing does not bode well for a nation hoping to be 100% green in the foreseeable future. What’s more, the Welsh government, the brain behind the scheme, ...

2017 was an interesting year for the energy world . We saw WTI shoot from $50 to over $60 a barrel and Brent hit $65, much to OPEC’s delight. But, 2017 bore witness to more than just oil price fluctuations – here are the most popular stories from 2017. The Oil War Is Definitely Not Over Yet When OPEC and Russia announced their pact to cut oil production, it made headlines all over the world. However, after the initial glory and accompanying price spike, doubters began to emerge wondering whether some members of the pact might cheat. This was soon overshadowed by a much bigger concern – U.S. shale gas production was on the rise and rising rapidly. Although OPEC p ublicly denounced the hype around shale production, by the end of the year it was obvious that it was going to threaten the success of the production agreement. The USA’s Next Big Shale Play The Permian held the spotlight for the majority of 2017 but in June, drilling productivity reported by the EIA showed that...

  Anyone thinking about a career in the energy sector should consider adding the Global Energy Certification (GEC) to their resume. This online qualification was put together by NRG Expert, a company that specialises in helping businesses with energy-related issues and strategies. The course is 100% online and can be completed at your own leisure over the course of 12 months from anywhere in the world. The qualification touches on a range of different topics, including renewable energy & biofuels, oil reserves & shale oil, and electricity and gas deregulation. Each topic is explored in depth and then all are examined at the end of the course with a single two hour examination, which is available to take online. Exams take place on the 10 th of every month and students can choose which exam to take provided it has been at least six weeks since they registered for the course. With a topic as complex as energy, you might be wondering whether students need any bac...

If the UK wants to replace just 50% of its imports with domestic gas over a 15 year period, it will need to drill 6,000 new shale gas well s. This data comes as the result of an interesting new report. Fracking is relatively new to the UK but there is an argument coming from fracking companies to increase its presence in the country. The argument highlights the fact that the UK has a growing reliance on gas imports from Norway and Qatar. This makes it more and more pressing that the UK develops its own, home-produced supplies. This notion has recently been compounded by an arrival of gas from Russia by ships. While it is a nice idea to decrease our dependency on foreign gas, the Cardiff Business School provided analysis for eco-group Friends of the Earth to assess how feasible it would be. The findings showed that in order to replace half of the UK’s gas imports, at least one well would have to be drilled and fracked every day from 2021 through to 2035. A member of Friends of the...

Pressure from a new brand of investors has caused a change in lending rules. Environmental impact is now an increasingly important factor that investors will consider. On Friday, HSBC announced its promise to end its financing of coal power stations in a number of different countries as well as oil sands and Arctic offshore drilling projects. This comes in the wake of criticism by pressure groups regarding its lending rules. As the biggest bank in Europe, this move will undoubtedly cause ripples in the banking sector and could start a trend for other banks to follow. The promise highlights the pressure that investors are putting on lenders to take responsibility for their actions with regards to climate change. It also shows how the energy industry is likely to encounter obstacles more frequently as the global effort to tackle climate change is ramped up. Climate change campaigners have welcomed HSBC’s new lending rules and its clear change in its environmental stance...

Electric vehicles are taking the world by storm and are being dubbed the key to securing a clean future for the planet. The cars are powered by batteries rather than traditional engines and therefore do not require petrol. This reduces the global oil demand and moves our economies away from a dependence on fossil fuels, which are known to produce carbon emissions and contribute to global warming. Since the Paris Climate Agreement, virtually the whole world has been examining ways in which it can reduce its carbon emissions and implement new, clean technologies to drive the planet towards a green future. Electric vehicles were supposed to be part of the answer to the question: “how do we combat climate change”. However, these miracle vehicles may not be the perfect solution we once thought them to be. Scientists at IDTechEx have recently released a report that shows a negative side to electric vehicles. It appears, from this report, that the electronic equipment and batter...

When it comes to disputes in the energy world, few things strengthen your case like a solid testimony from a real expert. The NRG Expert team comprises a number of individuals who qualified to give expert statements regarding a huge range of energy related issues. Our experts will work in tandem with your internal litigation or regulatory teams to give you the highest possible chance of success. With plenty of experience appearing before courts of every level in the UK, US, Canada and the EU, you can be sure of a professional attitude and quality output from us at all times. What is an Expert Witness ? An expert witness is someone with a particularly specialised knowledge, which qualifies them to give evidence in legal proceedings. As our name suggests, we are experts in the energy sector and this places us in an excellent position to give testimonies in court on behalf of our clients. Often it is the evidence provided by experts that makes sure the courts find justice in...