Von der Leyen puts forward EU commissioner candidates

Market: Electricity, Emissions, Natural gas
17/09/24

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen today presented candidates for commissioner posts, confirming names put forward for portfolios including climate, energy, agriculture and trade.

Von der Leyen — who was confirmed by European Parliament as Commission president on 18 July — has committed to doubling down on climate and energy policy. Her 2024-29 mandate stipulates greenhouse gas emissions cuts of at least 90pc by 2040 compared with 1990.

Her commissioners, if appointed, will implement those policies. She is nominating Teresa Ribera to oversee competition policy but also "clean, just and competitive transition" that would include energy, climate, environment and other Green Deal files. Ribera is Spain's deputy prime minister and responsible for the country's ecological transition.

Von der Leyen has proposed the current EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra for the portfolio of climate, net-zero and clean growth. Hoekstra, who replaced previous Green Deal commissioner Frans Timmermans, will also be responsible for taxation.

Other nominees include former Danish climate minister Dan Jorgensen, up for energy and housing commissioner. Former Swedish minister for EU affairs Jessika Roswall is proposed for a portfolio including environment and circular economy, and Luxembourgish Christophe Hansen, a former member of EU parliament, is proposed as agriculture and food commissioner.

Von der Leyen now needs to ensure that candidate-commissioners are approved by parliamentary committees and then by plenary. Hearings will also focus on candidates' abilities to implement policies. "Parliamentary scrutiny will not cut corners," European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said.

By Dafydd ab Iago

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

News

14/07/25

Trump amplifies attacks on renewable energy

Washington, 14 July (Argus) — President Donald Trump is ratcheting up criticism of wind and solar projects he says are a "blight", adding uncertainty for investors deciding which projects can still move forward despite the coming end to most of the industry's clean energy tax credits. Trump mounted one of his most expansive attacks yet on the renewable sector last week. For years, Trump has detailed his disgust for wind farms he sees as unsightly and too expensive, whereas he said he was a "big fan of solar" in last year's presidential debate. But Trump's perspective appears to have shifted. He now believes large solar projects are hated by farmers, "very, very inefficient and very ugly too", and should no longer be built. "We don't want wind, and we don't want solar, because they're a blight on our country," Trump said during a cabinet meeting on 8 July. "They hurt our country very badly." That stance offers another troubling sign for investors in wind and solar projects hoping to qualify for the 45Y and 48E clean energy tax credits before they are terminated under Trump's recently signed tax and energy law . Trump already signed an executive order last week seeking a "strict" interpretation of the end of those tax credits, such that fewer projects will meet a safe harbor deadline that will arrive as soon as 31 December. The administration has other potential tools to undermine wind and solar projects, many of which are depending on new electric transmission lines to connect to load centers. Last week, US senator Josh Hawley (R-Arkansas) said he had received assurances from US energy secretary Chris Wright that the administration would be "putting a stop" to the 800-mile Grain Belt Express transmission line, which would connect wind farms in Kansas to the eastern US. Last month, Wright said he sees intermittent power sources as a "parasite on the grid". The Energy Department did not respond to a request for comment. The Energy Department, in a document released this month, indicated it did not plan to spend $383mn that had already been appropriated for wind and solar projects this fiscal year under a bipartisan funding law Trump signed, a unilateral spending reduction that US senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) and US representative Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said was "outrageous" and unlawful. The Trump administration also temporarily halted construction of the fully permitted Empire Wind project off the coast of New York, before allowing work to continue in May. US interior secretary Doug Burgum last month said in congressional testimony that the administration was reviewing "all offshore wind projects" and said there was "no appetite" for adding more "intermittent, unreliable [power] to the grid." Threat to dominance Democrats say attempts to undermine wind and solar will be counterproductive to Trump's own priorities of "energy dominance" because they are among the limited types of projects that can be brought on line quickly. US utility executives and data center developers have said they are facing wait times of three years or more for delivery of turbines for gas-fired turbine, given a surge of global demand for electricity needed for artificial intelligence. "There's a backlog of gas turbines, and geothermal and nuclear takes many years. Nothing else is ready," US senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said in a social media post last week. "Republican energy policy is to create shortages because they think solar is liberal." Clean energy groups are hoping that Republican lawmakers will pay a political price for voting to cut clean energy tax credits through Trump's recently signed tax and energy law. The industry group Clean Energy for America last week said it launched a billboard advertising campaign that it said was targeted against seven House Republicans who voted for the law. "We're making it clear who is responsible when constituents lose their jobs and find that their monthly electricity bill is higher than they can afford," Clean Energy for America president Andrew Reagan said. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Find out more

News

Rotterdam biomarine fuel sales rebound in 2Q

14/07/25

News

14/07/25

Rotterdam biomarine fuel sales rebound in 2Q

London, 14 July (Argus) — Sales of marine biodiesel blends in Rotterdam rose by 59pc in April–June from the previous quarter, and bio-LNG sales hit a record quarterly high, driven primarily by demand linked to the EU's FuelEU Maritime regulation. But marine biodiesel sales were still 29pc lower than in the same quarter last year, reflecting weaker voluntary demand and a shift in container-liner volumes to east of Suez, where prices have been more competitive. Spot demand for marine biodiesel was mixed during the quarter. Most activity in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub was linked to the start of FuelEU Maritime rules, which require ships entering, leaving or operating within EU waters to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Under the regulation, biofuels bunkered in Singapore can be mass balanced and counted towards compliance if consumed on voyages starting or ending at an EU port. Market participants also reported stronger demand for marine gasoil (MGO)-based blends, with sales doubling to 31,663t from 15,640t in the first quarter of the year. This was partly due to the launch of a new emission control area (ECA) in the Mediterranean Sea on 1 May, which limits sulphur content in marine fuels to 0.1pc. The expansion of ECAs to cover most EU waters could also support demand for MGO and ultra-low sulphur fuel oil (ULSFO) in ARA. ULSFO–biodiesel blend sales nearly tripled to 24,573t in the second quarter from 8,490t in the first. Bio-LNG volumes hit a quarterly record but remained well below conventional LNG. FuelEU Maritime's 2025 GHG reduction target of 2pc can still be met using fossil LNG, which may limit immediate bio-LNG uptake. But bio-LNG's lower carbon intensity could support overcompliance, which can be traded under the FuelEU pooling mechanism. Sales of conventional bunker fuels in Rotterdam also rose on the quarter and were up 5.5pc on the year. ULSFO sales increased by 33pc on the year and nearly 21pc on the quarter, reaching the highest since the second quarter of 2021. High-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) sales hit the highest on records going back to October-December 2019, rising by more than 10pc on the year and the month. Combined MGO and marine diesel oil (MDO) sales rose by 11pc on the year and by 3.8pc on the quarter, with MGO also at the highest since the second quarter of 2020. In contrast, very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) sales fell by 9pc on the year and 14pc from the previous quarter, the lowest level on record. The divergence in fuel demand is likely linked to the expansion of the Mediterranean Sea emission control area, which came into effect on 1 May and limits sulphur content in marine fuels to 0.1pc. MGO availability in Rotterdam was tighter in the second quarter, as some supply previously destined for the northwest European hub was redirected to the Mediterranean following the region's ECA designation. A similar trend was seen for ULSFO, with some Mediterranean suppliers importing the grade from ARA. LNG bunker sales fell by 24pc from the first quarter and by 17pc on the year. Market participants said the decline may reflect cheaper LNG bunker supply in Asia, where LNG is typically priced using a blend of oil-linked and spot contracts. The Singapore LNG dob price has consistently traded at a discount to northwest European levels in recent months. By Hussein Al-Khalisy, Martin Senior, Natália Coelho, and Gabriel Tassi Lara Rotterdam bunker sales t Fuel 2Q25 1Q25 2Q24 q-o-q % y-o-y % ULSFO 225,992 187,031 169,953 20.8 33 VLSFO 679,442 789,218 747,300 -13.9 -9.1 HSFO 914,672 829,197 825,125 10.3 10.9 MGO/MDO 407,877 393,071 369,267 3.8 10.5 Conventional total 2,227,983 2,198,517 2,111,645 1.3 5.5 Biofuel blends 165,220 104,037 234,093 58.8 -29.4 LNG (m³) 200,662 265,043 242,931 -24.3 -17.4 bio-LNG (m³) 4,752 0 2,200 na 116 biomethanol 3,958 5,490 950 -27.9 316.6 Port of Rotterdam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Canada vows to cut red tape to woo energy firms

14/07/25

News

14/07/25

Canada vows to cut red tape to woo energy firms

Calgary, 14 July (Argus) — Canada's federal government is courting energy companies with the passage of a new law designed to fast-track major projects, but some developers might have reservations after a decade of frustration under Liberal party rule. Prime minister Mark Carney has pushed Bill C-5 through parliament to spark investment and project development by promising faster approval times while circumventing onerous rules made by previous Liberal-led governments. Oil and gas firms see this as a positive step, but with the law comes familiar ambiguity. To be considered for the new "national interest projects" list, a project should strengthen Canada's autonomy, provide economic benefits, have a high likelihood of completion, be in the interests of indigenous groups and contribute to meeting Canada's climate change objectives. How well a project satisfies these requirements will be at the discretion of Carney's cabinet and requires a leap of faith for supporters and opponents to trust the new process. Developers can expect a tighter two-year time limit for a federal decision, but how quickly the government navigates indigenous and environmental aspects remains to be seen. Such a consultation was seen as crucial under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, and Carney plans to strike a balance between these aspects and economic development. "Bill C-5 doesn't reform Canada's burdensome regulatory system, which is preventing needed investment," think-tank the Fraser Institute says. "It simply lets politicians decide who gets around it." Some indigenous and environmental groups fear that their concerns about potential projects might be played down under the new fast-track process. Such groups were critical of the legislation, not only because of its implications, but because the bill was fast-tracked, meaning debate and study were truncated. Steel of a deal Oil-rich Alberta's premier, Danielle Smith, and counterparts from other provinces are letting Carney's plan play out — for now. "You can only talk the talk for so long before you start putting some real action around it," Smith says, adding that she wants Alberta's projects on Carney's fast-track list by the autumn. Projects to move energy flows to Canada's east are once again being contemplated, with Smith signing an initial agreement last week with Doug Ford, premier of Ontario, which has been feeling the force of US tariff action. The two leaders will study more oil and gas pipelines between the two provinces built using Ontario steel — a prospect not possible under Trudeau. "Carney is no Justin Trudeau," Ford says, adding that Carney, unlike his predecessor, is bringing "the business approach to the federal government". Free enterprise is Alberta's forte, with TD Economics projecting the province to be a key economy for energy growth in 2025-26. An estimated C$17bn ($12bn) will be invested in oil sands in 2027, up by 28pc from 2024, the Alberta Energy Regulator says. Smith hopes to maintain strong capital inflow by securing more pipeline options, having set a goal of doubling Alberta's oil output from 4mn b/d in 2024. An economic revival seems poised to unfold across Canada, with a proposed LNG export project in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, unveiled this month, just days after LNG Canada's 14mn t/yr west coast facility loaded its first cargo. Quebec premier Francois Legault confirmed his team has discussed the Baie-Comeau project with developers. Federal energy minister Tim Hodgson suggested last week that itcould be considered for the national interest list if Quebec and the developers brought it forward. The scheme is a notable departure for Quebec, which — along with the federal government — cancelled a proposed LNG project in Saguenay in 2021 for environmental reasons. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Southeast Asia targets regional power grid by 2045

14/07/25

News

14/07/25

Southeast Asia targets regional power grid by 2045

Singapore, 14 July (Argus) — Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have announced their target to establish the Asean power grid by 2045, and reaffirmed their commitment to enhance energy interconnection. The bloc aims to establish the regional power grid to ensure a secure and interconnected low-carbon regional energy future, according to a joint statement released following an Asean foreign ministers' meeting last week in Malaysia. As part of this, members will also sign an enhanced memorandum of understanding for the development of the Asean power grid, and endorse the terms of reference of a subsea power cable development framework this year. The Asean power grid is a cross-border initiative aimed at helping the region source and share electricity, especially against the backdrop of rising energy demand because of economic growth. The group also acknowledged the progress of the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore power integration project (LTMS-PIP), as well as the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines power integration project (BIMP-PIP). The LTMS-PIP is being enhanced under its second phase to double the capacity traded to 200MW, Singapore's Energy Market Authority announced last year. The group also reaffirmed its commitment to enhance energy interconnection by accelerating the establishment of a trans-Asean gas pipeline, Asean petroleum security agreement, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage. The Asean Centre for Energy on 11 July secured NZ$200,000 ($119,800) from New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to support the implementation of the Asean plan of action for energy co-operation (APAEC). The APAEC serves as the region's blueprint for energy co-operation and the document sets out strategies and action plans to enhance regional connectivity and market integration. The grant from New Zealand will support activities and initiatives related to the Asean power grid, renewable energy and regional energy and policy planning. More details were not provided. By Prethika Nair Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Brazil advances oil, gas decarbonization strategy

11/07/25

News

11/07/25

Brazil advances oil, gas decarbonization strategy

Sao Paulo, 11 July (Argus) — Brazil is implementing a roadmap to increase crude output without boosting net emissions from the sector, a key argument for its claim to leadership on climate issues ahead of the Cop 30 UN summit. Although Brazil does not plan to phase out fossil fuel use, it is working to reach net zero emissions by 2050, and slashing greenhouse gases from its hydrocarbons production is part of this strategy. Brazil's oil industry already has a carbon footprint at 14.88kg CO2 equivalent (C02e)/bl of oil equivalent (boe), which is well below the global average of 20kg CO2e/boe, according to the hydrocarbons regulator ANP. But with oil and gas production slated to increase steadily over the next decade, Brazil's government and producers are eyeing a range of options to further slash emissions. "Brazil can double oil output without increasing net emissions by employing existing technologies," Heloisa Borges, the director of oil, gas and biofuels at the government energy planning and research agency (Epe) said. As part of these efforts, the government called on Epe, ANP and state-owned company Pre-Sal Petroleo to present a roadmap to decarbonize the sector. The plan presented in late June outlines options including adopting new technologies and expanding existing emissions reductions techniques, such as leak detection and reducing flaring. "Expanding methane capture not only reduces emissions, but it allows companies to use this gas to substitute other fuels, such as diesel in their operations," Borges said. Other fuel substitution operations include using natural gas as fuel for drilling rigs and electrification of production operations, the study said. State-controlled Petrobras is already advancing its decarbonization strategy. The company's most recent five-year plan earmarks R5.3bn ($950mn) for emissions reductions in its operations as well as $1bn for research and development of new technologies. Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is a key element, according to Lilian Melo, executive director of the Petrobras' research, development and innovation center Cenpes. The company uses high-pressure separation technology to remove CO2 from oil at the mouth of a reservoir and inject it back into the reservoir after the fluids are separated. This technology significantly reduces emissions, especially because crude produced from pre-salt blocks has high CO2 content, Melo said. The CCUS is used on 23 of Petrobras' offshore platforms in the pre-salt. Petrobras is also working to expand electrification of its on and offshore platforms. Power generation is responsible for 65pc of Petrobras' production-related emissions, according to Melo. The company announced this week a contract with Hitachi Energy to assess electrification of its offshore oil operations. Catch and keep Other oil producers are working to reduce the carbon footprint of their operations, including Eneva, which is also weighing investments in carbon capture and storage. The company is conducting a preliminary study to assess the technical viability of injecting CO2 into fields in the Parnaiba basin in Maranhao state. The Gaviao Real field has been operating for more than 10 years and is expected to become depleted in coming years, when it could potentially be converted to store CO2. Eneva is also weighing investments in carbon storage in the Parana basin, where the company has four exploratory blocks. Preliminary seismic data indicates that these blocks also have salt caverns and the company believes that there is significant potential to offer carbon storage to ethanol mills in areas adjacent to the blocks. Despite Brazil's ambitious emissions reduction plan, it has no intention of pulling back on exploration and production. With few exceptions, the Brazilian government is aligned on developing oil and gas reserves to boost economic growth and energy security and holds that the aim does not hurt its role in climate leadership. Brazil's energy sector GHG emissions mn t CO2e Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more

Von der Leyen puts forward EU commissioner candidates

Related news posts

Trump amplifies attacks on renewable energy

Trump amplifies attacks on renewable energy

Rotterdam biomarine fuel sales rebound in 2Q

Rotterdam biomarine fuel sales rebound in 2Q

Canada vows to cut red tape to woo energy firms

Canada vows to cut red tape to woo energy firms

Southeast Asia targets regional power grid by 2045

Southeast Asia targets regional power grid by 2045

Brazil advances oil, gas decarbonization strategy

Brazil advances oil, gas decarbonization strategy

Business intelligence reports

Related Products

Argus Carbon

Argus Carbon

Argus Low Carbon Hydrogen Strategy Report

Argus Low Carbon Hydrogen Strategy Report

Argus Hydrogen and Future Fuels

Argus Low Carbon Hydrogen Strategy Report

Argus Russian Generation Fuels and Power