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Japan's 1.1GW Taketoyo biomass-coal plant to revamp

  • Market: Biomass, Electricity
  • 03/08/26

Engineering firm Kawasaki Heavy industries (KHI) will carry out renovation work at Japan's 1,070MW Taketoyo coal- and-biomass co-firing power plant.

KHI will renovate the plant's wood pellet fuel-conveying facilities at the Taketoyo No. 5 unit, in order to prevent fires and explosions by improving dust collection, the company said on 31 July. The renovation will also include the installation of fire monitoring equipment. The company aims to complete the work by June 2028.

The Taketoyo plant started coal- and-biomass co-firing operations in August 2022, consuming around 500,000 t/yr of wood pellets at a biomass rate of 17pc. But the plant was hit by a fire seemingly caused by a dust explosion, in January 2024, and halted operations until December. Following repair work, the plant resumed operations in January 2025, burning only coal.

The power plant in Japan's Aichi prefecture is currently operating only during high demand seasons for electricity in summer and winter, to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The holding company Jera, which is Japan's largest power producer by capacity, initially aimed to restart biomass co-firing operations in the first quarter of 2027, but postponed it to June 2028. Jera plans to decrease the biomass rate from previous 17pc to 8pc when operations resume in order to enhance safety.

By Takeshi Maeda

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30/07/26

Hungary’s 2GW Paks nuclear plant set for full shutdown

Hungary’s 2GW Paks nuclear plant set for full shutdown

London, 30 July (Argus) — Hungary's key Paks nuclear plant is set to fully shut down because of extremely low Danube River levels, plant operator MVM Paksi Atomeromu said today. The plant — which needs cooling water from the Danube to operate — has experienced incremental capacity reductions since 27 July . Paks is running at about 885MW of its installed 2GW capacity as of early this afternoon. The Hungarian week-ahead contract was trading at about €250-263/MWh by early this afternoon, compared with an assessed price of €217.90/MWh a day earlier. The August contract also rose, trading at €175.25-182/MWh, up from €165.15/MWh on Wednesday. A full shutdown has become "inevitable" because — while there is still sufficient water in the Danube to cool the units — the water level is lower than the suction pipes used to extract water from the river, the operator said. The company plans to move the suction pipes deeper in future but the process would take years. Danube levels at Paks stood at 121cm below the reference level at midday today, a record low, and could fall to minus 134cm by 4 August, according to Interreg Danube data. In the case of a full Paks shutdown, the domestic generation shortfall will be covered by imports, Hungarian prime minister Peter Magyar said today. The country has 3.6-3.8GW of import capacity, Magyar said. By Jessamy Guest Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Australian data centre green push on despite opposition

30/07/26
News
30/07/26

Australian data centre green push on despite opposition

Sydney, 30 July (Argus) — Australia's federal government plans to mandate large-scale data centres underwrite new renewable power supply will move ahead despite opposition from the state of Queensland and the Northern Territory (NT), following a key joint government forum. The Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council (ECMC), the national forum of Australian and New Zealand energy and climate ministers, agreed at a meeting on 28 July, despite objections from Queensland and the NT, to develop National Electricity Rule changes that would treat data centres as "market participants" in the National Electricity Market (NEM), Australia's main power grid. Resistance from the two jurisdictions extended to a suite of regulatory options proposed by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC), including mandates for data centres to offset their electricity demand by investing in renewable generation specifically within the jurisdiction where they are located. "Queensland will always support proposals that deliver affordable, reliable and sustainable power, however, we will not support underdeveloped ideas that hand increased power to Canberra at the expense of Queenslanders," Queensland treasurer and energy minister Janetzki said on 29 July. The NT government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reasons for its opposition. But the territory has positioned itself as a destination for energy-intensive data centre investment and has backed development of the Beetaloo Basin, where some proponents have proposed gas-fired generation to support future artificial intelligence (AI) and data centre projects. Growing power demand The ECMC agreed to progress action to ensure the AI economic opportunity takes place "in a way that is beneficial for Australia's energy grids and prevents additional costs on households," it said in a communique issued on 28 July. The proposed changes would require data centre developers to demonstrate they can procure new renewable generation, provide adequate firming, and maintain demand flexibility. The federal government also plans to introduce legislative amendments to strengthen reporting requirements under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) scheme, to enhance transparency of data centre energy use. The ECMC also welcomed, the federal government's announcement of new Commonwealth AI standards earlier this month, which will set minimum requirements for data centre investment concerning energy, water, and location. A nationally consistent approach to regulating data centres is preferred, according to the ECMC, although this was also opposed by Queensland and the NT. The Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) forecasts that data centre electricity use will reach 10pc of NEM demand by 2050. In New South Wales (NSW), the state's Net Zero Commission warned that rapid data centre growth poses a significant risk to 2030 climate goals, with annual demand in that state alone expected to add 8TWh by 2035. Industry groups and climate advocates have proposed differing approaches to meeting the sector's growing electricity needs. The Clean Energy Council (CEC) recently argued that data centres should be allowed to use large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) as a temporary measure while investing in new renewable generation and firming capacity. But the Climate Council has warned that LGCs are not a solution to rising data centre power demand , arguing that certificate purchases alone do not ensure sufficient new renewable capacity is built. Potential for Beetaloo While federal ministers push for renewable mandates, some developers are looking toward fossil fuels to power large-scale data centres. In the NT, shale gas developer Beetaloo Energy recently secured land for a proposed data centre powered by 2GW on-site gas-fired generation from the Beetaloo basin. Australia's second-largest oil and gas firm, Santos, has also identified Beetaloo as a potential supply source for both domestic markets and LNG exports. The company is seeking for possible expansions of its 3.7mn t/yr Darwin LNG facilities and its 7.8mn t/yr Gladstone LNG operations in Queensland. Inpex has also flagged Beetaloo gas as a potential feedstock source for future expansion of the 9.3mn t/yr Ichthys LNG facility near Darwin. By Lawrence Wen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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GHG Protocol faces pushback on scope 2 reforms

29/07/26
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29/07/26

GHG Protocol faces pushback on scope 2 reforms

London, 29 July (Argus) — Standard-setting group Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) has published a summary of responses from its public consultation on the scope 2 standard — which covers indirect emissions from purchased energy. The consultation sought views on a range of proposed revisions that would affect the use of renewable energy certificates (RECs), including changes to market and location-based reporting methodologies for companies. A total of 1,072 responses were submitted from 56 countries. GHG Protocol also confirmed on Wednesday that it will combine its carbon accounting standards with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), following an initial announcement last year . A consultation on a joint corporate standard is planned for the second quarter of 2027, and its publication is expected in late 2028. Hourly, grid-based matching largely opposed Feedback on new scope 2 quality criteria, which proposes hourly-based matching for electricity consumption, was largely unsupportive. Of 909 respondents, 70pc gave little to no support, 22pc were in favour, and 7pc were neutral. Many objectors said hourly matching could discourage participation in voluntary renewable procurement schemes, such as RE100, by increasing reporting burdens and costs. Several respondents also suggested that hourly matching should be optional, rather than mandatory. The revision also proposed an exemption from hourly matching for organisations meeting certain eligibility criteria, such as having smaller size and total electricity consumption, allowing these organisations to match on a monthly or annual basis. From 748 respondents, 76pc supported the exemption, 14pc opposed it, and 9pc were neutral. Supporters of the proposal said it would provide a more equitable approach to reporting and encourage smaller organisations under a certain threshold to continue voluntary procurement. With regard to deliverability requirements, the consultation proposed that buyers could only procure RECs from generators connected via an electrically linked grid. In the absence of a clear market boundary, price-based indications of available transmission capacity between adjacent grids could be used as evidence. Of 875 respondents, 59pc opposed the revision, while 30pc were in support and 11pc were neutral. The main concern among those against was that narrower market boundaries could discourage investment in areas with the greatest decarbonisation potential and make long-term offtakes, such as power purchase agreements (PPAs) less attractive. Several respondents favoured an optional approach, similar to feedback on temporal matching. Mixed responses to emissions factors hierarchy Further proposals to the location-based method would require reporting organisations to prioritise the most precise location information, followed by temporal granularity, with more emphasis on import and export data to reflect more accurately the generation feeding into the grid. The response to the proposal was mixed — 40pc were in favour compared with 44pc against, while 17pc were neutral. Opponents noted that local spatial boundaries may not always accurately reflect how electricity is managed and delivered at scale. But supporters of the proposal said it would enhance the method's relevance. Uncertainty over subsidised procurement rules The consultation also sought responses on a new "standard supply service" (SSS) term to account for renewable electricity from publicly funded or mandated resources. Out of 522 respondents, 49pc were in favour of the introduction of the term, compared with 30pc who were against and 20pc who were neutral. Those in support said that it would prevent procurement of SSS resources from specific, typically larger organisations. But many expressed concern that classifying any state-supported generation as SSS would remove a significant share of available RECs from the voluntary market. Feedback from Asian markets such as Japan, Taiwan and Malaysia noted that feed-in-tariff programmes account for the majority of available RECs, and their possible reclassification could leave a much narrower pool of eligible contracts for voluntary buyers. Broad support for a ‘grandfathering' clause Around 90pc of 801 respondents were in favour of a legacy "grandfathering" clause, which would allow eligible pre-existing contracts to count toward market-based consumption even if they do not meet updated requirements when the updated protocol comes into force. Respondents said this provision would help maintain market confidence in long-term contracts such as PPAs, and would provide a more equitable approach by ensuring that early adopters of updated scope 2 guidance are not at a disadvantage. Revised proposals will be discussed with the Independent Standards Board and the Technical Working Group, GHG Protocol added. By Gian Remnant Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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China to invest in Kazakh coal chemistry projects

29/07/26
News
29/07/26

China to invest in Kazakh coal chemistry projects

London, 29 July (Argus) — Kazakhstan held discussions with Chinese investors this week over investments in coal chemistry projects, as the central Asian country continues to step up coal sector developments, the energy ministry has said. Ongoing coal chemistry projects in Kazakhstan were discussed at the meeting on Tuesday, which emphasised China's increased co-operation in the initiatives. The potential Chinese involvement adds to a growing roster of foreign investments that Kazakhstan's coal sector has received from countries such as Russia, Germany and the US. Kazakhstan said last month that it aimed to develop six coal-to-chemical projects in 2026-31 to help in the coal-based production of metallurgical coke and synthetic fuels. Separately, the energy ministry said it expects to have a 1.3TWh electricity surplus by the end of 2027 after new generation capacity is commissioned this year. The ministry plans to commission at least 2.42GW this year under a broader national project that aims to add 7.8GW by 2030 , mostly coal-fired power at a cost of around 7.5 trillion tenge ($15.5bn). Kazakhstan relies heavily on coal-fired power — around 62pc of its generation this year has been coal based, alongside 23.4pc from natural gas, 7.5pc from hydroelectric plants and 7pc from renewables, energy ministry data show. By Shreyashi Sanyal Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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California refinery closures spur fuel plan debate

28/07/26
News
28/07/26

California refinery closures spur fuel plan debate

Houston, 28 July (Argus) — California officials face mounting pressure to maintain fuel reliability as planned refinery closures tighten supplies and increase reliance on imports, even as the state pursues its climate and transportation electrification goals. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) released a draft transportation transition plan in May. While the plan outlines recommendations, California still needs a more detailed roadmap to balance fuel supply demand with the state's climate goals, according to panelists who spoke during a 23 July webinar hosted by the Climate Center, an environmental non-profit. A key question for the state is to reexamine what to electrify and when, and which sectors should switch next to biofuels to make the best use of limited renewable power and fuel supplies under current conditions in California, said Jeremy Martin, director of fuels policy for the Union of Concerned Scientists. Transportation is the largest emitting sector in California's economy, accounting for 133.7mn metric tonnes (t), or 37.1pc, of emissions in 2023, data show from the latest state greenhouse gas inventory. The lion's share of these emissions is from passenger vehicles with 101.9mn t, or 28.3pc. California aims to electrify its vehicle fleet, targeting 100pc of in-state sales of zero-emission passenger vehicles and trucks by 2035. "The market is pretty solidly in the direction of battery-electric vehicles, and we don't see any change in that direction at this point," Quentin Gee, CEC energy assessment division manager, said during the panel. But some sectors may be more difficult to electrify because of cost constraints and the time required to add renewable power capacity. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) could help reduce emissions from aviation while directing limited renewable electricity supply toward passenger vehicles and trucks, Martin said. "If you only have so much renewable energy that you can scale up, it is a lot more important to convert the cars and trucks to electric vehicles than it is to shift the planes," he said. California has done similar fuel pivots with the adoption of renewable diesel which serves as a "drop-in" replacement for conventional diesel. While gasoline demand is expected to continue falling over time in the state, jet fuel demand is not projected to follow the same course, Gee said. The closures of two refineries in the state in the past year cut 17pc of California's refining capacity, leaving the state increasingly reliant on imports to meet demand. This need to maintain fuel supply availability has lead the CEC to eye the potential for alternative fuels like SAF and ethanol fuel blends to maintain availability for different transportation sectors which use less fossil fuel, Gee said. But if in-state production of these fuels does not scale quickly, it could again leave California reliant on the availability of imports, according to the CEC draft. California will also have to weigh any transition against the interplay of available biofuel feedstocks, the state's low-carbon fuel standard and federal programs and incentives. Federal biofuel tax incentives, such as the 45Z credit, which prioritizes North American feedstocks, have prompted producers to shift from global to domestic supply chains where possible to capture the credit in their 2026 filings. While advocates argue the state must quickly decide its future plans, this likely will happen under a new governor, with governor Gavin Newsom (D) termed-out after this year. The CEC closed public comment on the transportation fuels transition plan earlier this month, though agency staff could not confirm when it would release a final report. The plan is one of several state policy documents used to shape California's path toward its climate and energy goals. Another is the scoping plan prepared by CARB, which outlines how the state aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. CARB released its current scoping plan in 2022, but will not release the next update until 2027. The CEC also plans to release its transportation fuels assessment later this year. The report will examine conditions in California's fuel markets and evaluate policy options to improve fuel reliability and market stability during the transition away from fossil-based fuels. By Denise Cathey Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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