Category: Europe

How to Avoid a New Cold War Over Critical Minerals 10.22.2022

How to Avoid a New Cold War Over Critical Minerals

Payne Institute Fellow Cullen Hendrix writes how to prevent a return to the zero-sum logic of Cold War resource politics, critical mineral supply chains must be widened at every step. Will the 21st century be the century of the green great game? In the early 20th century, then-First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill oversaw the conversion of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy from coal- to oil-powered ships. Oil was comparatively more energy-dense, easier to transport, and allowed ships to travel farther faster. But the transition to oil-fueled navies in the 20th century meant that, for the first time, projecting military might would require most major powers to rely on energy sources over which they were not sovereign. November 22, 2022.

Highest heating bills in years, U.S. Energy agency predicts 11/15/2022

Highest heating bills in years, U.S. Energy agency predicts

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributes to this article discussing the how the Energy Information Administration is predicting the average U.S. household will spend $900 on natural gas or $1,366 on electricity between Oct. 2022-March 2023.  The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is forecasting a spike in this winter’s heating costs, across the board. EIA’s forecast shows the average household will pay roughly $900 between October and March when using a gas heater, or roughly $1300 for electricity. That’s higher than at least the last seven winters, EIA data shows.  November 15, 2022. 

Russia’s Election Interference Went as Well as Their War in Ukraine 11/10/2022

Russia’s Election Interference Went as Well as Their War in Ukraine

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Elizabeth Van Wie Davis contributes to this article about how pro-Kremlin figures in Russia might have to rethink their boasts about Moscow’s ability to shape American politics after an anticipated red wave in this week’s midterm elections failed to materialize.  Russian state media were rooting for significant Republican gains in the hope that the party could shift the dial on U.S. policy towards the war in Ukraine.  Given the GOP’s rhetoric on the campaign trail, supporters of Ukraine feared that U.S. aid to Kyiv could be affected if the Republicans took the House and Senate by a big majority, thus helping Russian President Vladimir Putin in his invasion.  November 10, 2022.

Russia Is Keeping Unsold Gas Underground Rather Than Flaring It 9/28/2022

Russia Is Keeping Unsold Gas Underground Rather Than Flaring It

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group contributes to the research on the economic impact of Russia’s gas shutoff is dominating European politics, but there are also concerns about the environmental consequences. The amount of gas observed being flared — burned off into the atmosphere — at Gazprom’s key production area in the Yamal peninsula between Aug. 10 and Sept. 21 averaged 1.18 million cubic meters a day.  September 28, 2022.

Europe vows ‘robust’ response to alleged sabotage of Russian gas pipelines 9/28/2022

Europe vows ‘robust’ response to alleged sabotage of Russian gas pipelines

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this article about the large disturbance in the sea can be observed off the coast of the Danish island of Bornholm Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022 following a series of unusual leaks on two natural gas pipelines running from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany have triggered concerns about possible sabotage. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says she “cannot rule out” sabotage after three leaks were detected on Nord Stream 1 and 2.  September 28, 2022. 

How should Ireland go about protecting its energy supplies? 9/28/2022

How should Ireland go about protecting its energy supplies?

Payne Institute Fellow Paul Deane writes about how the energy crisis has exposed Ireland’s dependence on imported oil and gas, and action must be taken on other options.  The evolving energy crisis and this week’s attack on two undersea gas pipelines from Russia to Europe, has brought the topic of energy security, especially the security of Ireland’s natural gas supply, into the public debate on energy.  September 28, 2022.

EU official unveils proposals to address energy crisis amid Ukraine war 9/14/2022

EU official unveils proposals to address energy crisis amid Ukraine war

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this article about how the European Commission proposed emergency measures on Wednesday aimed at quelling a burgeoning energy crisis that is rattling the continent amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The plans — which individual EU member states must still approve — would serve to tackle soaring prices exacerbated by “a severe mismatch between energy demand and supply,” the commission said, attributing the circumstances to “the continued weaponization by Russia of its energy resources.” September 14, 2022.

How Ukrainians Purchased Military Equipment 9/9/2022

How Ukrainians Purchased Military Equipment

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Kathleen Hancock is featured on this podcast about how Ukraine and the IAEA say they’ve learned of a serious development at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The challenges facing the European Union as ministers meet to discuss what to do about soaring energy prices, as Russia threats to cut off natural gas supplies to Europe.  September 9, 2022.

High energy prices could threaten European utilities’ ability to keep doing business 9/6/2022

High energy prices could threaten European utilities’ ability to keep doing business

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this podcast about how over the past few days, Europe’s energy crisis has started to look like it might turn into a financial crisis as well.  The turbulence in the natural gas market is threatening the ability of some European utilities to buy the gas they need.  September 6, 2022.

Ice-Covered Volcanoes Offer Secret Eruption Warning 8/17/2022

Ice-Covered Volcanoes Offer Secret Eruption Warning

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ebru Bozdag contributed to this article about how ice sheets amplify clues from Iceland’s hidden volcanoes.  Researchers rely on the rumble of magma moving underground to predict impending volcanic eruptions. But standard seismic tools provide only a rough picture of what’s happening beneath Iceland’s ice-covered volcanoes. August 17, 2022.