NewzIntel.com

Category: Energy

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy welcomes debarment of doctor who facilitated gain-of-function research in Wuhan: “We now have justice”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) commended the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for debarring and defunding EcoHealth Alliance and its president, Dr. Peter Daszak, for their role in facilitating gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, which likely caused the coronavirus pandemic.  

    Key excerpts of the speech are below: 

    “Many commentators and many news accounts say that what Dr. Daszak—with the money from American taxpayers that he had gotten from Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins—what they were doing was conducting gain-of-function research. . . . Gain-of-function research just means taking, in this context, an animal virus, a bat virus, altering it genetically so it would jump into a human—pretty dangerous stuff.

    “Now Dr. Fauci has said that didn’t happen, Dr. Collins says that didn’t happen, and Dr. Daszak says that didn’t happen, but everybody else says it did. The FBI says it did. The CIA says it did. The top spy agency in Germany says it did. The Department of Energy says it did.

    “So what happened? What happened? Well, we do know that the first two people that we know of in the world who got the coronavirus—the first two humans—were not people in the city of Wuhan; they were workers in the Wuhan lab. . . . We also know that when the virus became really contagious, other than these two people who were working in the Wuhan lab, it became contagious in Wuhan, China, a few miles away from the Wuhan lab—pretty curious. 

    “We also know that when word first broke of the coronavirus, Dr. Fauci learned about it. Do you know one of the first persons he called was Dr. Peter Daszak and said: What is going on?

    “We also know that Dr. Daszak was trying to convince the American people and the people of the world that the virus started naturally—that it didn’t start from his gain-of-function research. We know that he rounded up a bunch of epidemiologists to write a fake article and start publishing it and others in a lot of professional scientific magazines to try to convince the world that the bat virus jumped to human beings naturally. We know that. That has all come out.”

     . . .

    “It took a while, and some will call this only partial justice, but we now have justice—at least for 5 years. I hope forever Dr. Peter Daszak and any company with which he is affiliated will no longer receive taxpayer dollars from the National Institutes of Health because he was doing—according to many people smarter than me and many news reports—he was funding gain research in Wuhan. . . . Pretty scary stuff, and we know how it all turned out.

    Background:

    • On Jan. 17, 2025, HHS announced that it would be defunding and debarring EcoHealth Alliance Inc. and Dr. Daszak for at least five years due to their role in facilitating irresponsible gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.
    • HHS determined that Dr. Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance violated the terms of their gain-of-function grant to conduct experiments that modified novel bat coronaviruses to make them 10,000 times more infectious in mice.
    • Dr. Daszak, former National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins and former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci coordinated with other public health officials to propel the theory that COVID-19 originated in nature.

    Watch Kennedy’s full speech here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNECE to accelerate decarbonization of road transport by developing harmonized provisions for electric vehicle and hydrogen fuel cell retrofit systems

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    As the world shifts towards cleaner and more sustainable mobility, the transport industry plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions. To achieve climate goals and reduce air pollution, public authorities (primarily in Europe but also in Asia) are accelerating projects to restrict the number of vehicles with internal combustion engine (ICE) in circulation and replace them with zero-emission ones.  

    According to OICA, there are 1.9 billion vehicles in use globally. Since it is not possible and economically viable for all of them to be replaced by new electric cars, retrofitting is emerging as a cost-effective solution (esp. retrofitting of heavy-duty vehicles) that could accelerate the energy transition and reduce our carbon footprint. Retrofitting is a mechanical operation where the petrol/diesel engine and fuel tank are removed and replaced with an electric motor and battery, or a hydrogen fuel cell. 

    In recent years, multiple startups and innovative companies have emerged, offering tailored solutions to retrofit existing buses, trucks, and vans. According to North American firm Precedence Research, the global automotive retrofit electric vehicle powertrain market size accounted for USD 65.94 billion in 2024, and is predicted to surpass around USD 144.61 billion by 2034. 

    Substituting a traditional powertrain running on fossil energy with a powertrain with no tailpipe emissions provides immediate benefits in terms of air quality, and long-term benefit for the environment and climate. It extends the service life of the existing fleet, reducing both waste and carbon emissions from the manufacturing of new vehicles. 

    In France, where the national energy and environment agency ADEME estimated that electric retrofitting would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 61 and 87% compared with diesel, the government launched a national action plan in aid of retrofitting, providing  approximately 100 million euros to decarbonize transport.  

    Furthermore, retrofitting is mentioned in the European Commission’s industry action plan for the automotive sector and it will be particularly relevant for low- and middle-income countries that are importing ever growing amounts of used ICE vehicles and that need to accelerate the decarbonization of their vehicle fleets. 

    While hydrogen-powered vehicles are still in the early stages of deployment compared to those powered by electric batteries, their future could be promising if green hydrogen (H2) prices decline as projected. A price of 5 to 7 euros per kg of H2 is considered a critical threshold. 

    Against this background, the UNECE World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) and its Working Party on Pollution and Energy (GRPE) has launched a new informal working group to develop globally harmonized provisions for electric vehicle and hydrogen fuel cell retrofit systems. Such harmonized regulatory framework would ensure minimum requirements for retrofit systems, provide robust performance requirements for converted vehicles and support the deployment of retrofit systems that could be installed on many vehicles in the countries that adopt the developed requirements.  

    Activities undertaken by the new informal working group will focus on all vehicle categories, from two- and three-wheelers to heavy duty vehicles, with initial emphasis on technological readiness and economic viability. This work is led by France and Spain, with support from Sweden, Germany, UK, Japan and the European Commission. 

    The new UNECE informal working group is expected to deliver on harmonized requirements for targeted vehicle categories and powertrain types by 2027. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on behalf of the Transition Board

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Statement on behalf of the Transition Board

    The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 27th March 2025.

    The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 27th March 2025.

    The Secretary of State for Wales and Chair of the Transition Board, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP sought endorsement from the Board on a £3.27 million mental health and well-being fund, designed to support affected workers, families, and associated communities. The funding will bolster and expand the current services provided by the local authority and third sector partners. This support will look to provide grants to community groups, school support, and mental health advisory services.

    This has been a challenging time for the communities impacted by Tata Steel UK’s transition. By ensuring the third sector is properly funded, resourced and equipped to deliver essential services within the community, this Board is demonstrating its commitment to securing the right mental health support for those impacted. The Board understands that with this preventative action good mental health and resilience can be safeguarded within the community ensuring a healthy workforce, which in turn steers people away from long term sickness, securing jobs and livelihoods while boosting economic growth for the whole region.

    The Board also received updates on:

    • Tata Steel UK’s decarbonisation programme;
    • The Department of Business and Trade’s plans for a steel strategy;
    • The Transition Board funds that have already been announced, including applications received for the Supply Chain fund, and support being provided from the Employment and Skills fund.

    Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning in the Welsh Government; Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department of Business and Trade; Cllr Steve K Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances O’Brien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Sarah Williams-Gardener; independent member of the Board; Alun Davies, National Officer for Steel & Metals, Community Union and Tom Hoyles, Politics, Press and Research Officer, GMB Wales.

    -ends-

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rouge Bouillon closure update27 March 2025 The external steel strapping has now been completed, and work is underway to fit the internal ties, which is expected to be finished in the coming days. Once in place, this will enable monitoring of… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    27 March 2025

    The external steel strapping has now been completed, and work is underway to fit the internal ties, which is expected to be finished in the coming days. 

    Once in place, this will enable monitoring of any settling or movement next week. Following this, geotechnical surveys will begin to assess the voids beneath the site. Work remains on schedule. 

    We have now collated all relevant information including a upcoming schedule of works here: gov.je. ​

    Public impact 

    We recognise the disruption the closure continues to cause for commuters and local businesses. 

    Currently, there are only two major road closures in St Helier: Rouge Bouillon, due to the structural issues caused by a burst water main, and Colomberie, where emergency work is being carried out by Island Energy. 

    The road will only reopen once the buildings are stabilised and all risks of structural collapse have been mitigated. 

    Routes and safety assurance 

    We urge both pedestrians and drivers to follow the designated public diversions and avoid cutting through private land, particularly College Gardens. 

    These measures are in place to ensure the safety of all road users and residents. 

    Rouge Bouillon continues to remain closed between Clarendon Road and Palmyra Road as investigations continue into the stability of an adjacent building wall, affected by a burst water main. 

    We have considered other options to manage the traffic around the closure however, the decision to retain the current traffic arrangement is based on the following factors: 

    • reversing Clarendon Road poses additional safety risks for residents and pedestrians
    • allowing right-turn access onto Clarendon Road from Val Plaisant could cause severe traffic congestion, particularly near the Gyratory
    • reversing Midvale Road, while potentially useful, would necessitate signal junction changes, creating confusion, complications, and further safety concerns. 

    We advise the traveling public to continue to avoid the area and use alternative routes to access town where possible. 

    Background and plan 

    The situation is highly complex with several adjacent walls & buildings that are severely cracked and have been subject to significant movement following a burst watermain. The property and external walls were rendered unsafe with voids created under the structures. Multiple parties are involved, including Infrastructure and Environment (I&E), Jersey Water, structural engineers, building surveyors, loss adjustors, and insurance companies. 

    The team of professionals, working on behalf of the property owners and their insurance companies, has devised a plan to stabilise the property and then demolish the external walls.

    Step 1: a Contractor working on behalf of the owner of 28 Clarendon Road will install steel strapping around the building. 

    Step 2: the structural engineers, assisted by geotechnical engineers will investigate soil conditions under the foundations. 

    Step 3: the external structures and boundary walls will be demolished. 

    Step 4: re-open Rouge Bouillon once it has been determined that it is safe to do so.

    The project remains under constant review to ensure the best and safest outcome. 

    Next steps 

    A further update on the situation will be provided in seven days.​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ecological disruptions are a risk to national security

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bradley J. Cardinale, Professor, Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State

    Illegal deforestation is one way terrorist groups fund their activities. Amaury Falt-Brown/AFP via Getty Images

    When the natural environment is stretched beyond its ability to meet basic human needs for food, clean air, drinkable water and shelter, it is not just a humanitarian concern for the world community. Research shows that these crises are a matter of national security for the U.S. and other countries.

    The Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community have long paid close attention to the influence of climate change on national security. Although recent intelligence reports of the Trump administration have omitted any mention of climate change, prior intelligence reports have shown how climate change can generate flash points for global conflict, affect how troops and equipment work, and influence which defense locations are vulnerable.

    The effects of ecological disruptions on national security get less attention. But they, too, can cause social and political instability, economic strife and strained international relations. Ecological disruptions occur when ecosystems that provide natural resources are compromised and can no longer meet basic human needs. Examples include overfishing, human disease and environmental crime.

    Protecting access to fish

    Some 3.2 billion people worldwide rely on fisheries as a major source of protein. Overexploitation of ocean fisheries is a common root of international conflict.

    From the 1950s to the 1970s, intermittent conflict broke out between British and Icelandic fishermen over the Icelandic cod fisheries, which had been depleted by overfishing. The Icelandic government sought to ban British trawlers from a broader area around the country’s coast, but the British continued to fish. The result was standoffs between fishing boats and Icelandic gunboats, and even the intervention of the British Royal Navy.

    These “Cod Wars” broke diplomatic relations between Iceland and the United Kingdom for a time. Iceland even threatened to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and close a U.S. military base in Iceland. The U.K. ultimately agreed to abide by a 200-mile territorial limit on fishing around Iceland. Decades later, in 2012, the British government issued an apology and offered £1,000 each in compensation to 2,500 British fishermen for the loss of jobs and livelihoods that resulted from abiding by the 200-mile limit.

    More recently, China’s rampant overfishing of its own coastal waters has meant expanding fishing in the South China Sea and using fishing fleets to assert new territorial claims. Indonesia has responded by blowing up more than 40 Chinese vessels accused of fishing illegally in its waters and stealing more than US$4 billion per year in Indonesian profits.

    The United States, Australia, New Zealand and Britain have stepped up naval patrols against illegal fishing in the waters of Pacific island nations. Conflicts have arisen with Chinese coast guard vessels that routinely escort fishing fleets entering other countries’ waters without permission.

    China’s fishing fleets have also expanded their activities off the coasts of Africa and South America, depleting fish stocks and creating political instability in those regions, too. In 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard and Argentine navy began joint exercises to combat illegal Chinese fishing in the Atlantic Ocean.

    Public health crises

    The best-known examples of ecologically related public health crises that jeopardize national security involve what are called zoonotic diseases, which spread from animals to humans as a result of close contact between people and wildlife. More than 70% of the world’s emerging infectious diseases – uncommon or newly identified infectious diseases – stem from contact with wild animals.

    The risks of animal-to-human disease transmission are especially high for those who handle or eat wild meat.

    A recent example is the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 global pandemic. Epidemiological and genetic studies suggest that SARS-CoV-2 first spilled over to humans from wild animals sold in the Huanan live animal market in Wuhan, China. Although the specific animal that served as the original host is still under investigation, bats and other mammals are considered likely natural reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 because they harbor other coronaviruses with closely related genomes.

    Following the zoonotic spillover event, the pathogen spread rapidly across the globe, killing more than 7 million people and causing acute disruptions not only to global markets and supply chains but also to social cohesion and political stability. Countries with high COVID-19 mortality rates had elevated levels of civil disorder and fatalities caused by political violence as the trust of citizens in the ability of governments to protect them eroded.

    Many other zoonotic diseases caused by human-wildlife contact, such as Zika, Ebola, SARS and West Nile virus, have similarly generated international political and economic crises that have activated security measures within the U.S. government.

    Environmental crime

    International Anti-Poaching Foundation rangers, seen here demonstrating a patrol in Zimbabwe, seek to protect natural resources from criminals.
    Gianluigi Guercia/AFP via Getty Images

    Illegal poaching and trade of wildlife and forest products is valued at $91 billion to $258 billion per year. That makes environmental crime one of the world’s largest crime sectors, comparable with drug trafficking, at $344 billion, and human trafficking, at $157 billion.

    Exorbitant black market prices for rare wildlife specimens and body parts provide funding for terrorist groups, drug cartels and criminal organizations.

    Illegal logging helps finance terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab in Somalia, where trade in charcoal has become a critical revenue source. Money from illegally cut trees turned into charcoal and sold to markets in the Middle East has funded al-Shabab-linked suicide bombings in Mogadishu, the 2013 Westgate mall attack in Nairobi that killed 67 Kenyan and non-Kenyan nationals, and the 2015 massacre of 147 university students in Garissa, Kenya.

    Those and other terrorist activities funded through environmental crime have contributed to the destabilization of countries throughout the Horn of Africa.

    These examples make clear how ecological disruptions to nature increase national security risks.

    National security is not just a matter of military strength. It also depends on the ability of a nation to maintain productive and stable ecosystems, resilient biological communities and sustainable access to natural resources. Sovereign nations already develop and protect physical infrastructure that is essential to security, such as roads, communication networks and power grids. The natural world plays an equally vital role in social and political stability and, we believe, deserves more attention in planning for national security.

    Bradley J. Cardinale has received funding from the US National Science Foundation, US Department of Energy, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and US Department of Agriculture.

    Emmett Duffy has received funding from the US National Science Foundation, US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Lenfest Ocean Program.

    Rod Schoonover does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Ecological disruptions are a risk to national security – https://theconversation.com/ecological-disruptions-are-a-risk-to-national-security-248754

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Energy Bank Gears Up for H1 2025 Launch

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), March 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Ahead of its H1 2025 launch, the Africa Energy Bank – developed jointly by Afreximbank and the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) – is positioning itself to tackle major challenges in financing, technology and market reliability to accelerate Africa’s oil and gas sector development.

    Speaking at the Congo Energy & Investment Forum in Brazzaville, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of APPO, reaffirmed the launch timeframe and underscored the urgency of establishing the bank to address the continent’s energy needs.

    “​We should not rest and wait for other countries to develop our own projects,” he said, adding, “​At APPO, we have noted three specific challenges for the African continent: finance, technology and reliable markets.”

    With an initial capital of $5 billion, the bank has allocated $1.5 billion for APPO member countries. It will primarily finance oil and gas projects, engage in trading and manage risks. Countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Angola have already expressed support for the bank’s objectives. The Republic of Congo has acquired $83.33 million in shares, reinforcing its commitment to the bank’s mission.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The United States remained the world’s largest liquefied natural gas exporter in 2024

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    March 27, 2025

    The United States exported 11.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2024, remaining the world’s largest LNG exporter. LNG exports from Australia and Qatar—the world’s two next-largest LNG exporters—have remained relatively stable over the last five years (2020–24); their exports have ranged from 10.2 Bcf/d to 10.7 Bcf/d annually, according to data from Cedigaz. Russia and Malaysia have been the fourth- and fifth-largest LNG exporters globally since 2019. In 2024, LNG exports from Russia averaged 4.4 Bcf/d, and exports from Malaysia averaged 3.7 Bcf/d.

    U.S. LNG exports remained essentially flat compared with 2023 mainly because of several unplanned outages at existing LNG export facilities, lower natural gas consumption in Europe, and very limited new LNG export capacity additions since 2022. In December 2024, Plaquemines LNG Phase 1 shipped its first export cargo, becoming the eighth U.S. LNG export facility in service. We estimate that utilization of LNG export capacity across the other seven U.S. LNG terminals operating in 2024 averaged 104% of nominal capacity and 86% of peak capacity, unchanged from the previous year. While Europe (including Türkiye) remained the primary destination for U.S. LNG exports in 2024, accounting for 53% (6.3 Bcf/d) of the total exports, the share of U.S. LNG exports to Asia increased from 26% (3.1 Bcf/d) in 2023 to 33% (4.0 Bcf/d) in 2024. U.S. LNG exports to other regions, including the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America, also increased last year and accounted for 14% (1.6 Bcf/d) of total exports, compared with 8% (0.9 Bcf/d) in 2023.

    In 2024, U.S. natural gas exports to Europe decreased by 19% (1.5 Bcf/d), mostly to countries in the EU and the UK. U.S. LNG exports increased only to Türkiye and Greece in 2024—by 0.2 Bcf/d and 0.1 Bcf/d, respectively, compared with 2023. Türkiye imported more U.S. LNG compared with the prior year mainly to offset a decline in imports from other countries, such as Egypt and Russia. U.S. LNG exports to other EU countries and the UK decreased by 24% (1.7 Bcf/d) compared with 2023, primarily because of lower natural gas consumption and high storage inventories following the mild 2023–24 winter. At the same time, LNG import capacity in the EU and the UK expanded by more than 40% between 2021 and 2024 and will continue to grow in 2025 once new and expanded regasification facilities in Croatia, Cyprus, and Italy come online.

    As in 2023, the Netherlands, France, and the UK imported the most U.S. LNG among countries in Europe, accounting for a combined 46% (2.9 Bcf/d) of the regional total. Since Germany started LNG imports in December 2022, U.S. LNG exports to Germany have grown and averaged 0.6 Bcf/d in both 2023 and 2024. However, in early 2025, Germany reduced its regasification capacity by terminating a charter for one of its floating storage and regasification units, citing high operational costs.

    In 2024, countries in Asia imported 33% (4.0 Bcf/d) of total U.S. LNG exports. Among countries in Asia, Japan, South Korea, India, and China imported the most U.S. LNG—a combined 76% (3.0 Bcf/d). U.S. LNG imports increased the most in India—by 0.2 Bcf/d. Other countries in Asia imported 24% (1.0 Bcf/d) of U.S LNG.

    In other regions, Egypt—a natural gas producer and LNG exporter—imported 0.3 Bcf/d of LNG from the United States, its first U.S. LNG imports since 2018. In recent years, Egypt’s domestic natural gas consumption, particularly in summer months, exceeded available supply and turned Egypt from an exporter to an importer of natural gas during several months of the year. In Brazil and Colombia, imports of U.S. LNG increased last year because drought reduced hydropower electricity generation and increased demand for generation from natural gas-fired power plants.

    Principal contributor: Victoria Zaretskaya

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Robert Bird: Legal Strategy is an Untapped Competitive Advantage for Companies

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    CEOs and corporations should integrate legal strategy – an often-overlooked competitive advantage – into the core of their business plans, says Business law professor Robert Bird.

    “Legal knowledge is the last great source of untapped competitive advantage in organizations, and the corporations that recognize this can unlock a storehouse of value creation that their rivals might miss,’’ Bird says.

    Bird lays out the case for the competitive advantage of legal strategy in a new book, “Legal Knowledge in Organizations: A Source of Strategic and Competitive Advantage’’ (Cambridge University Press), which is out today.

    “When applied strategically, legal expertise can reveal opportunities for innovation, improve risk management, foster better decision-making, and support a culture of integrity,’’ he says.

    Legal Strategy Offers Much More than Compliance Mandates

    Take, for example, a company that establishes a strong policy against sexual harassment, Bird says. Instead of ignoring or minimizing sexual harassment concerns, the company prides itself on having zero tolerance and makes support and respect for women a core value of the organization.

    “Legal requirements related to sexual harassment and other workplace rules are more than just mandates. They have the potential to transform organizational culture and support women at all levels of the company,” Bird says. “Ultimately, that becomes a tremendous advantage in recruiting and retaining top talent.’’

    Legal knowledge holds many other strategic advantages as well, Bird says. A pro-active legal team can minimize risk; create contracts with intrinsic value that build relationships, loyalty, and trust; and merge intellectual prowess with corporate integrity.

    Bird says it took about two years to complete the book, but it reflects over 20 years of thought, research, and experience.

    “I’ve had an enduring curiosity about how lawyers and other legal experts can make companies more competitive and also more ethical,’’ he says. “A variety of businesses can profit from this guidance, but pharmaceutical, financial services, health care, and other highly regulated industries can particularly benefit.”

    The new book also offers a step-by-step guide to implementing legal strategy into a company.

    “I think the information in this book can bridge the gap between legal knowledge and business goals,’’ Bird says. “This content is meant to serve the broad business community, from lawyers to aspiring managers to business executives.’’

    Legal Expertise No Longer on the Periphery

    Bird says he believes this strategy has been overlooked by businesses because of the different perspectives that lawyers and businesspeople have.

    “Lawyers tend to be more conservative, and business people are more willing to take risks,’’ he says. “That can be a source of disagreement, but if both sides collaborate with one another there is the potential for a significant value creation.”

    Leveraging legal knowledge into competitive value requires a different way of thinking about how the organization works.

    “To be effective, leadership needs two things, an understanding of the law and an innovative mindset on how to use it in new ways that capture value,’’ he says. “We need to shed the thinking of the legal team as a static, punitive force, and embrace it as something dynamic, a value generator, and part of a fundamental strategy, that is no less valuable than other business disciplines.’’

    Bird emphasizes that legal knowledge must be deployed ethically and in a socially responsible manner.

    “Legal strategy is not a license to circumvent legal obligations, but a valuable opportunity to grow an organization that generates superior value for both business and society,” he says.

    Bird has been a professor of business law at UConn for 21 years and he also serves as the Eversource Energy Chair in Business Ethics. He earned his JD and MBA from Boston University. A prolific writer, he has authored more than 80 articles in the Journal of Law and Economics, American Business Law Journal, the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy and the MIT Sloan Management Review and has received numerous research and teaching awards.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: GeoRedox Announces New Stimulated Geologic Hydrogen Approach and Strategic Partnership with Sage Geosystems

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GeoRedox Corporation (GeoRedox) announced today it’s launching its Advanced Weathering Enhancement (AWE) technology to produce stimulated geologic hydrogen (SGH) at low-cost and at scale. Additionally, the company announced a new partnership with Sage Geosystems (Sage) to cooperate in the design, construction, and operation of an advanced field demonstration to produce SGH and to collaborate in future production projects. The partnership will include sharing of related technical expertise, data, and resources necessary for project planning and implementation.

    This effort builds on recent progress created by discoveries around the world of sizable deposits of geologic hydrogen that have accumulated in the earth’s crust through naturally occurring processes. Using advanced drilling and subsurface engineering techniques adapted from the oil and gas industry in combination with GeoRedox’s AWE technology, the collaboration with Sage seeks to accelerate those processes in much more widely distributed source rocks. The approach has the potential to enable the production of ultra-low-cost, carbon-free geologic hydrogen close to existing industrial hydrogen markets, and to provide hydrogen at large-scale carbon-free liquid fuel production in the future.

    According to ARPA-E, U.S. Department of Energy, while the supply of naturally accumulating hydrogen, in and of itself, can enhance the U.S. energy economy, reduced iron minerals within the Earth’s crust have the theoretical potential to produce even more hydrogen from reactions within the subsurface. Using stimulated mineralogical processes could yield larger quantities of hydrogen than what are produced naturally. Thus, engineering the production of subsurface hydrogen could yield a substantial source of clean energy.

    “This collaboration brings together unmatched breadth and depth of experience in geoscience and advanced subsurface engineering to make stimulated geologic hydrogen a reality,” said GeoRedox President Robert Stoner. “Our demonstration project will simultaneously validate our geochemical and thermodynamic models and at the same time show that we can deliver commercially compelling outcomes in real-world settings. We expect our hydrogen to compete unsubsidized in the 100-megaton existing global hydrogen market – and that’s just a beginning.”

    “Stimulated geologic hydrogen represents a new use case for the cutting-edge technologies we’ve developed at Sage,” said Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage. “Our work with GeoRedox positions Sage on the ground floor of a new global opportunity that we expect to grow alongside our Pressure Geothermal businesses.”

    GeoRedox’s partnership with Sage to develop stimulated geologic hydrogen signals a significant step forward in the use of subsurface knowledge and resources to create a secure new global energy economy.

    Construction of the field demonstration site is expected to begin in 2026.

    About GeoRedox Corporation
    GeoRedox Corporation is a Boston-based early-stage technology developer founded in 2024 by a group of scientists and engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) based in Boston, Massachusetts. It has developed proprietary technology for producing ultralow cost stimulated geologic hydrogen from a wide variety of rocks and formations. For more information, visit www.georedox.com.

    About Sage Geosystems
    Sage Geosystems is a leader in the next-generation geothermal industry, pioneering the use of Pressure Geothermal. Pressure Geothermal leverages both the heat and the pressure of the earth to enable three applications: energy storage, power generation and district heating. Sage is enabling geothermal to be deployable globally. For more information, visit www.sagegeosystems.com

    Contact: 
    Marjorie Bonga
    marjorie@teamsilverline.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Grattan on Friday: an ‘arms race’ of promises as prime minister set to call election

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Oops. Anthony Albanese’s own department pre-empted its boss on Thursday. Some unfortunate official, pressing the wrong button, posted on X that the government was in “caretaker” mode, although the prime minister had not yet called the election.

    There was a grovelling apology from the department, saying it was trying to find out why the error occurred.

    No matter. The department was only a day early. Albanese goes to government house on Friday for an election on May 3.

    Indeed, most players and observers had expected, before cyclone Alfred, that the campaign, with its “caretaker” period, would be well under way by now.

    Instead, we’ve had this budget week that’s seen an auction of handouts.

    First, the budget announced the tax cuts, which are more than a year away, and will be delivered in two stages, They are, to use Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ description, “modest”.

    Then came Peter Duttlon’s counter hit – a halving of the excise on petrol and diesel, briefed out ahead of his budget reply. The benefit would come more quickly – but would only last a year. This is a recycled, extended version of the Morrison government’s 2022 excise cut. Labor supported the 2022 move, but rejects Dutton’s proposal.

    The budget we nearly didn’t have gave Chalmers the stage to strut his stuff. Budget weeks traditionally belong to treasurers who, among other things, do a walkabout through the ranks of the journalists who are “locked up” and ploughing through the embargoed budget documents. So some old hands were surprised when the PM appeared with a senior staffer to do his own walkabout. Precedents didn’t come to mind.

    Labor sought to wedge the Coalition by pushing through legislation to enshrine the tax cuts. The Coalition voted against them in parliament, then declared if elected, it would repeal them. Dutton has confirmed he won’t be announcing any policy for tax cuts closer to the election.

    For the Liberals, to be seen opposing an income tax cut is unusual and risky. It’s made for campaign slogans. “The only thing they don’t want to cut is people’s taxes,” Albanese declared. “Labor is the party of lower taxes.” Both sides will be watching their polling carefully in coming days to see whether this stand rebounds against the Liberals.

    The opposition believes its excise reduction will hit the mark, especially in the seats it is most targeting – those in the outer suburbs where people drive a lot.

    But Kos Samaras, from the Redbridge political consultancy, predicts people will see this “arms race” of hand outs as providing just band-aids, with the measures likely to cancel each other out.

    Apart from the excise measure the other big initiative in Dutton’s reply was his plan for a gas reservation scheme.

    This is designed to fill what has been an apparent big hole in the opposition’s energy policy. It has its ambitious (many would say unrealistic) nuclear plan for the long term. But if it is arguing it would be able to bring down energy bills any time soon, it needs a here-and-now policy to do so.

    Its answer is to turn to gas. That requires ensuring a reliable and adequate supply for the local market, to drive down the price.

    “Gas sold on the domestic market will be de-coupled from overseas markets to protect Australia from international price shocks,” Dutton said in his Thursday speech. “And this will drive down new wholesale domestic gas prices from over $14 per gigajoule to under 10 per gigajoule.”

    Dutton told the ABC after his address that the price fall could be achieved by the end of this calendar year.

    That estimate sounds like a hostage to fortune. Precision can be dangerous when it comes to energy promises. Who can forget that number Labor put out so confidently before the last election – a $275 fall in household power bills?

    Critics will find all sorts of issues with Dutton’s east coast reservation scheme, including that it would be heavily interventionist and there’s no guarantee it would work. Labor says Dutton is reheating one of its old plans, and that the government has the gas situation under control anyway.

    The opposition says its plan is in line with warnings on gas supply released by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Thursday.

    The potential effectiveness of Dutton’s gas plan will be highly contested. What is not in dispute is that the partisan divide over the energy transition will be one of the central issues of the campaign.

    This week the prime minister has had a spring in his step. The polls have improved somewhat, and the “vibe” seems to be with him. Responding to a challenge from a couple of podcasters, he playfully put the phrase, “delulu with no solulu” into a speech to describe his opponents. Never mind that middle-aged politicians sound slightly absurd when they try to be hip. Albanese is a confidence player and at the moment his confidence is up.

    The tactical games aren’t just around the tax cuts. Calling the election first thing Friday carpet bombs Dutton’s budget reply.

    And once the election is called, parliament will be prorogued and that will scrap the Friday sitting of estimates committees, denying the opposition an opportunity to quiz officials about the budget and other matters. (On Thursday, the “caretaker” fiasco became public during an estimates hearing, surprising officials from the PM’s department who happened to be appearing at the time.)

    For his part, Dutton understands the odds against him.

    Political scientist Rodney Tiffen, in an analysis of federal campaigns from 1972 to 2022, found no example where an opposition had started the campaign roughly equal in the polls and won, and three where it had lost (1980, 1987, and 2004). “All winning oppositions started the campaign already ahead,” Tiffen writes in a chapter in The Art of Opposition.

    In his budget reply, Dutton delivered one revealing line: “This election is as much about leadership as it’s about policy”.

    Dutton casts himself as the leader who would make the tough decisions. “I will lead with conviction – not walk both sides of the street,” he said.

    “I will be a strong leader and a steady hand – just as John Howard was.”

    Dutton might see Howard as his role model, but it will be a big leap of faith for many voters to see the opposition as a contemporary Howard.

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Grattan on Friday: an ‘arms race’ of promises as prime minister set to call election – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-an-arms-race-of-promises-as-prime-minister-set-to-call-election-251257

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Media release: Coalition misfires in east coast gas market fix – Australian Energy Producers

    Source: Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association

    Headline: Media release: Coalition misfires in east coast gas market fix – Australian Energy Producers

    The Coalition’s plan to force an oversupply of gas into the east coast market in an attempt to artificially reduce prices is yet another damaging market intervention that will drive away investment and exacerbate the supply challenges in the longer term.  

    Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said industry agreed that addressing projected gas supply shortfalls on the east coast of Australia and ensuring reliable and affordable gas for Australian households and businesses was a national priority.  

    “Industry welcomes the Coalition’s commitment to fast-track new gas supply and streamline approvals, but the benefits of these reforms risk being undermined by deliberately oversupplying the market,” Ms McCulloch said.  

    “AEMO’s latest Gas Statement of Opportunities highlights that the east coast market will face gas supply shortfalls from 2028. There is an urgent need to develop new supply, particularly in the southern states, but the projected shortfalls are a fraction of what the Coalition is aiming to force into the market.”  

    “This glut of gas will deter investment in new supply and undermine our trading relationships.” 

    Ms McCulloch said the plan also ignored the reality that the pipelines from Queensland to Victoria already operate at capacity during peak periods, and even if it could be physically moved south there is currently nowhere to store it.  

    “Industry stands willing to engage constructively with government on considered policies that deliver more gas for Australians and attract continued investment in new gas projects to ensure Australians have reliable and affordable gas to 2050 and beyond,” she said. 

    “We urge all parties to work with industry on sustainable solutions that provide certainty and stability for investment in the new gas exploration and development that is needed for Australia’s long-term energy security.”     

    Ms McCulloch said industry was not looking for handouts but needed policy certainty and a return to normal market conditions to support continued investment in gas supply.  

    “Australia needs long-term solutions that do not further distort the gas market,” she said. 

    Media Contact:  0434 631 511

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Congo’s Hydrocarbons Minister Endorses Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2026, Eyes 500,000 bpd Production Target

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), March 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    H.E. Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo, has endorsed the continuation of the Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) through 2026, emphasizing its role in supporting the country’s ambitious production targets. During a Fireside Chat with Daisy Portella at the Congo Energy & Investment Forum 2025, Minister Itoua said, “Considering Congo’s objective to reach 500,000 barrels per day in the next three years, I want CEIF to be held annually for the next three years.”

    Minister Itoua also announced plans to revise the 2016 Hydrocarbons Code to make it more attractive and modern. Minister Itoua announced that the revision is part of the ministry’s strategy to enhance oil production by developing marginal fields. “We are working on revisiting the 2016 Hydrocarbons Code to modernize it and make it more attractive,” he stated.

    Discussing marginal fields, he outlined opportunities for local companies. “Marginal fields provide immediate cash flow. They require only minimal additional investment and are within the reach of national companies. “With the African Petroleum Producers Organization countries, we are considering this approach. Once we master this, we can move on to exploration.” He encouraged local players’ participation, adding, “We want to see national companies become true industrial players. There are opportunities for national oil companies to partner and grow.”

    Minister Itoua shared the same objective for the Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), stating, “SNPC holds some marginal fields, such as Konkuala. I want to see SNPC become the Perenco of Congo. I intend to propose new offshore marginal fields to SNPC.”

    As part of this strategy, Minister Itoua plans to launch a new licensing round soon to attract investment in deepwater, marginal fields, and gas assets. “There may be a session soon to launch the new licensing round with Energy Capital & Power. We want to give access to deepwater acreage, some marginal fields, and a special bid round focused on gas,” he stated.

    The Minister also emphasized the growing importance of gas in the country’s energy strategy. “We have accelerated the adoption of a gas code and we intend to create the Office Congolais du Gaz to serve as a local intermediary for stakeholders in the gas value chain,” he said. “We are ready to discuss and support any gas project.”

    Minister Itoua sees gas as a transition fuel that will enable Congo to achieve energy security while highlighting the continued need for fossil fuels. “Studies show that until 2040, the global energy mix will still require 40% fossil energy,” he noted. “Africa is working for the world, and gas is now recognized as the ideal transition fuel.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Launches Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force

    Source: US State of California

    Task Force Invites Public Input Targeting Red Tape that Hinders Free Market Competition

    Today, the Justice Department launches an Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force to advocate for the elimination of anticompetitive state and federal laws and regulations that undermine free market competition and harm consumers, workers, and businesses. The Antitrust Division has a long history of advocacy against laws and regulations that create unnecessary barriers to competition.  The Task Force will surge resources to these efforts and invite public comments to support the Administration’s mission to unwind laws and regulations that hinder business dynamism and make markets less competitive.    

    “Realizing President Trump’s economic Golden Age will require unwinding burdensome regulations that stifle free market competition. This Antitrust Division will stand against harmful barriers to competition whether imposed by public regulators or private monopolists,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We look forward to working with the public and with other federal agencies to identify and eliminate anticompetitive laws and regulations.”

    On Jan. 31, President Trump signed Executive Order 14192 declaring “the policy of the executive branch” to be that federal agencies should “alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on the American people.” Consistent with this policy, on Feb. 19, President Trump signed Executive Order 14219 directing agencies to “initiate a process to review all regulations” and identify regulations that, among other things, “impose undue burdens on small businesses and impede private enterprise and entrepreneurship.” Consistent with longstanding practice, the Antitrust Division will support federal agencies’ deregulatory initiatives by sharing its market expertise on regulations that pose the greatest barriers to economic growth.

    Regulatory capture is a well-studied phenomenon in which agencies become “captured” by special interests and big businesses, rather than serving the interests of the American people. But when regulations serve the few and impose undue burdens on small businesses, private enterprise, and entrepreneurs, they also harm competition and ultimately hurt American consumers, workers, and businesses. For example, regulations can increase compliance costs, preventing businesses from competing on a level playing field with powerful corporations. Regulations can also discourage or even intentionally prohibit small businesses and new products from entering markets and lowering prices for American families. In contrast, eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations makes it easier for businesses to compete. More competition empowers the American people — not government regulators — to drive economic progress and innovation. When every American has a fair opportunity to enjoy the benefits of competitive free markets, every American has an opportunity to realize the American dream.

    By identifying and working with state and federal agencies to revise or eliminate these laws and regulations, the Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force will contribute to making the American dream a reality. As a first step, the Antitrust Division will initiate a public inquiry to identify unnecessary laws and regulations that raise the highest barriers to competition. In particular, the Division will seek information from the public about laws and regulations that make it more difficult for businesses to compete effectively, especially in markets that have the greatest impact on American households, including:

    • Housing: Americans spend more than one-third of their monthly income on housing, and the cost of owning or renting a home continues to rise. Laws and regulations in housing markets can contribute to these problems by making it more difficult for companies to build and ordinary Americans to rent or buy.
    • Transportation: Laws and regulations in areas like airlines, rail, and ocean shipping can grant antitrust immunities, outright monopolies, or safe harbors for conduct that undermines competition. As a result, Americans pay more for travel, fuel, and a variety of other products.
    • Food and Agriculture: By the end of the Biden-Harris Administration, grocery prices were 27% higher than at the end of the first Trump Administration. Eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations will help farmers, growers, and ranchers increase the amount of food they produce and unlock lower prices for American consumers.
    • Healthcare: Laws and regulations in healthcare markets too often discourage doctors and hospitals from providing low-cost, high-quality healthcare and instead encourage overbilling and consolidation. These kinds of unnecessary anticompetitive regulations put affordable healthcare out of reach for millions of American families.
    • Energy: Reliable and affordable energy is essential to modern American life — whether in homes, businesses, manufacturing plants, schools, hospitals, sporting events, or data centers. Laws and regulations can undermine reliability and affordability by protecting incumbent electricity providers from competition or disruptive innovation.

    The public will have 60 days to submit comments at Regulations.gov, no later than May 26. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov. All market participants are invited to provide comments in response to this inquiry, including consumers, consumer advocates, small businesses, employers, trade groups, industry analysts, and other entities that are impacted by anticompetitive state or federal laws and regulations.

    In addition to reviewing responses from the public, the Task Force will bring together attorneys, economists, and other staff from across the Division, together with interagency partners, to identify state and federal laws and regulations that unnecessarily harm competition. The Antitrust Division will then take appropriate action, including helping agencies revise or eliminate these regulations.

    The Task Force will also consider other ways to advocate for the removal of anticompetitive laws and regulations. The Division routinely files amicus briefs and statements of interests in private litigation, and it will continue to do so to promote competition and oppose anticompetitive laws and regulations. The Division also provides comments on proposed legislation in the states on the request of state legislators. These efforts will continue with an eye toward protecting competition and interstate commerce in light of dormant Commerce Clause principles.

    The Justice Department has a long history of serving as the Executive Branch’s chief competition advocate by working with agencies to identify and eliminate unnecessary regulations. In 2018, the Justice Department released a report on how regulations can harm competition. Following this report, the Justice Department submitted dozens of comments to federal agencies supporting efforts to eliminate unnecessary regulations and increase competition. For example, the Justice Department, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, submitted a comment opposing  regulations that would have protected incumbent electricity transmission companies from much-needed competition in energy markets across the country. The Justice Department filed comments aimed at making it easier for individuals and small businesses to navigate the federal government bureaucracy. The Justice Department also provided technical assistance and trainings to federal agencies to help them analyze how new and existing regulations might affect competition, or whether competition may be a better alternative to regulation altogether.

    The Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force will continue these efforts, supporting ongoing efforts across the Trump Administration to unleash competition by eliminating unnecessary, burdensome, and wasteful government regulations. For more information on the Task Force, including contact information, see the Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force page on the Division’s website.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: AnticompetitiveRegulations@usdoj.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Launches Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Task Force Invites Public Input Targeting Red Tape that Hinders Free Market Competition

    Today, the Justice Department launches an Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force to advocate for the elimination of anticompetitive state and federal laws and regulations that undermine free market competition and harm consumers, workers, and businesses. The Antitrust Division has a long history of advocacy against laws and regulations that create unnecessary barriers to competition.  The Task Force will surge resources to these efforts and invite public comments to support the Administration’s mission to unwind laws and regulations that hinder business dynamism and make markets less competitive.    

    “Realizing President Trump’s economic Golden Age will require unwinding burdensome regulations that stifle free market competition. This Antitrust Division will stand against harmful barriers to competition whether imposed by public regulators or private monopolists,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We look forward to working with the public and with other federal agencies to identify and eliminate anticompetitive laws and regulations.”

    On Jan. 31, President Trump signed Executive Order 14192 declaring “the policy of the executive branch” to be that federal agencies should “alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on the American people.” Consistent with this policy, on Feb. 19, President Trump signed Executive Order 14219 directing agencies to “initiate a process to review all regulations” and identify regulations that, among other things, “impose undue burdens on small businesses and impede private enterprise and entrepreneurship.” Consistent with longstanding practice, the Antitrust Division will support federal agencies’ deregulatory initiatives by sharing its market expertise on regulations that pose the greatest barriers to economic growth.

    Regulatory capture is a well-studied phenomenon in which agencies become “captured” by special interests and big businesses, rather than serving the interests of the American people. But when regulations serve the few and impose undue burdens on small businesses, private enterprise, and entrepreneurs, they also harm competition and ultimately hurt American consumers, workers, and businesses. For example, regulations can increase compliance costs, preventing businesses from competing on a level playing field with powerful corporations. Regulations can also discourage or even intentionally prohibit small businesses and new products from entering markets and lowering prices for American families. In contrast, eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations makes it easier for businesses to compete. More competition empowers the American people — not government regulators — to drive economic progress and innovation. When every American has a fair opportunity to enjoy the benefits of competitive free markets, every American has an opportunity to realize the American dream.

    By identifying and working with state and federal agencies to revise or eliminate these laws and regulations, the Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force will contribute to making the American dream a reality. As a first step, the Antitrust Division will initiate a public inquiry to identify unnecessary laws and regulations that raise the highest barriers to competition. In particular, the Division will seek information from the public about laws and regulations that make it more difficult for businesses to compete effectively, especially in markets that have the greatest impact on American households, including:

    • Housing: Americans spend more than one-third of their monthly income on housing, and the cost of owning or renting a home continues to rise. Laws and regulations in housing markets can contribute to these problems by making it more difficult for companies to build and ordinary Americans to rent or buy.
    • Transportation: Laws and regulations in areas like airlines, rail, and ocean shipping can grant antitrust immunities, outright monopolies, or safe harbors for conduct that undermines competition. As a result, Americans pay more for travel, fuel, and a variety of other products.
    • Food and Agriculture: By the end of the Biden-Harris Administration, grocery prices were 27% higher than at the end of the first Trump Administration. Eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations will help farmers, growers, and ranchers increase the amount of food they produce and unlock lower prices for American consumers.
    • Healthcare: Laws and regulations in healthcare markets too often discourage doctors and hospitals from providing low-cost, high-quality healthcare and instead encourage overbilling and consolidation. These kinds of unnecessary anticompetitive regulations put affordable healthcare out of reach for millions of American families.
    • Energy: Reliable and affordable energy is essential to modern American life — whether in homes, businesses, manufacturing plants, schools, hospitals, sporting events, or data centers. Laws and regulations can undermine reliability and affordability by protecting incumbent electricity providers from competition or disruptive innovation.

    The public will have 60 days to submit comments at Regulations.gov, no later than May 26. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov. All market participants are invited to provide comments in response to this inquiry, including consumers, consumer advocates, small businesses, employers, trade groups, industry analysts, and other entities that are impacted by anticompetitive state or federal laws and regulations.

    In addition to reviewing responses from the public, the Task Force will bring together attorneys, economists, and other staff from across the Division, together with interagency partners, to identify state and federal laws and regulations that unnecessarily harm competition. The Antitrust Division will then take appropriate action, including helping agencies revise or eliminate these regulations.

    The Task Force will also consider other ways to advocate for the removal of anticompetitive laws and regulations. The Division routinely files amicus briefs and statements of interests in private litigation, and it will continue to do so to promote competition and oppose anticompetitive laws and regulations. The Division also provides comments on proposed legislation in the states on the request of state legislators. These efforts will continue with an eye toward protecting competition and interstate commerce in light of dormant Commerce Clause principles.

    The Justice Department has a long history of serving as the Executive Branch’s chief competition advocate by working with agencies to identify and eliminate unnecessary regulations. In 2018, the Justice Department released a report on how regulations can harm competition. Following this report, the Justice Department submitted dozens of comments to federal agencies supporting efforts to eliminate unnecessary regulations and increase competition. For example, the Justice Department, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, submitted a comment opposing  regulations that would have protected incumbent electricity transmission companies from much-needed competition in energy markets across the country. The Justice Department filed comments aimed at making it easier for individuals and small businesses to navigate the federal government bureaucracy. The Justice Department also provided technical assistance and trainings to federal agencies to help them analyze how new and existing regulations might affect competition, or whether competition may be a better alternative to regulation altogether.

    The Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force will continue these efforts, supporting ongoing efforts across the Trump Administration to unleash competition by eliminating unnecessary, burdensome, and wasteful government regulations. For more information on the Task Force, including contact information, see the Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force page on the Division’s website.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: AnticompetitiveRegulations@usdoj.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Grattan on Friday: an ‘arms race’ of promises as prime minister set to call election on Friday

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Oops. Anthony Albanese’s own department pre-empted its boss on Thursday. Some unfortunate official, pressing the wrong button, posted on X that the government was in “caretaker” mode, although the prime minister had not yet called the election.

    There was a grovelling apology from the department, saying it was trying to find out why the error occurred.

    No matter. The department was only a day early. Albanese goes to government house on Friday for an election on May 3.

    Indeed, most players and observers had expected, before cyclone Alfred, that the campaign, with its “caretaker” period, would be well under way by now.

    Instead, we’ve had this budget week that’s seen an auction of handouts.

    First, the budget announced the tax cuts, which are more than a year away, and will be delivered in two stages, They are, to use Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ description, “modest”.

    Then came Peter Duttlon’s counter hit – a halving of the excise on petrol and diesel, briefed out ahead of his budget reply. The benefit would come more quickly – but would only last a year. This is a recycled, extended version of the Morrison government’s 2022 excise cut. Labor supported the 2022 move, but rejects Dutton’s proposal.

    The budget we nearly didn’t have gave Chalmers the stage to strut his stuff. Budget weeks traditionally belong to treasurers who, among other things, do a walkabout through the ranks of the journalists who are “locked up” and ploughing through the embargoed budget documents. So some old hands were surprised when the PM appeared with a senior staffer to do his own walkabout. Precedents didn’t come to mind.

    Labor sought to wedge the Coalition by pushing through legislation to enshrine the tax cuts. The Coalition voted against them in parliament, then declared if elected, it would repeal them. Dutton has confirmed he won’t be announcing any policy for tax cuts closer to the election.

    For the Liberals, to be seen opposing an income tax cut is unusual and risky. It’s made for campaign slogans. “The only thing they don’t want to cut is people’s taxes,” Albanese declared. “Labor is the party of lower taxes.” Both sides will be watching their polling carefully in coming days to see whether this stand rebounds against the Liberals.

    The opposition believes its excise reduction will hit the mark, especially in the seats it is most targeting – those in the outer suburbs where people drive a lot.

    But Kos Samaras, from the Redbridge political consultancy, predicts people will see this “arms race” of hand outs as providing just band-aids, with the measures likely to cancel each other out.

    Apart from the excise measure the other big initiative in Dutton’s reply was his plan for a gas reservation scheme.

    This is designed to fill what has been an apparent big hole in the opposition’s energy policy. It has its ambitious (many would say unrealistic) nuclear plan for the long term. But if it is arguing it would be able to bring down energy bills any time soon, it needs a here-and-now policy to do so.

    Its answer is to turn to gas. That requires ensuring a reliable and adequate supply for the local market, to drive down the price.

    “Gas sold on the domestic market will be de-coupled from overseas markets to protect Australia from international price shocks,” Dutton said in his Thursday speech. “And this will drive down new wholesale domestic gas prices from over $14 per gigajoule to under 10 per gigajoule.”

    Dutton told the ABC after his address that the price fall could be achieved by the end of this calendar year.

    That estimate sounds like a hostage to fortune. Precision can be dangerous when it comes to energy promises. Who can forget that number Labor put out so confidently before the last election – a $275 fall in household power bills?

    Critics will find all sorts of issues with Dutton’s east coast reservation scheme, including that it would be heavily interventionist and there’s no guarantee it would work. Labor says Dutton is reheating one of its old plans, and that the government has the gas situation under control anyway.

    The opposition says its plan is in line with warnings on gas supply released by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Thursday.

    The potential effectiveness of Dutton’s gas plan will be highly contested. What is not in dispute is that the partisan divide over the energy transition will be one of the central issues of the campaign.

    This week the prime minister has had a spring in his step. The polls have improved somewhat, and the “vibe” seems to be with him. Responding to a challenge from a couple of podcasters, he playfully put the phrase, “delulu with no solulu” into a speech to describe his opponents. Never mind that middle-aged politicians sound slightly absurd when they try to be hip. Albanese is a confidence player and at the moment his confidence is up.

    The tactical games aren’t just around the tax cuts. Calling the election first thing Friday carpet bombs Dutton’s budget reply.

    And once the election is called, parliament will be prorogued and that will scrap the Friday sitting of estimates committees, denying the opposition an opportunity to quiz officials about the budget and other matters. (On Thursday, the “caretaker” fiasco became public during an estimates hearing, surprising officials from the PM’s department who happening to be appearing at the time.)

    For his part, Dutton understands the odds against him.

    Political scientist Rodney Tiffen, in an analysis of federal campaigns from 1972 to 2022, found no example where an opposition had started the campaign roughly equal in the polls and won, and three where it had lost (1980, 1987, and 2004). “All winning oppositions started the campaign already ahead,” Tiffen writes in a chapter in The Art of Opposition.

    In his budget reply, Dutton delivered one revealing line: “This election is as much about leadership as it’s about policy”.

    Dutton casts himself as the leader who would take the tough decisions. “I will lead with conviction – not walk both sides of the street,” he said.

    “I will be a strong leader and a steady hand – just as John Howard was.”

    Dutton might see Howard as his role model, but it will be a big leap of faith for many voters to see the opposition as a contemporary Howard.

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Grattan on Friday: an ‘arms race’ of promises as prime minister set to call election on Friday – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-an-arms-race-of-promises-as-prime-minister-set-to-call-election-on-friday-251257

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft volunteers held literary readings in Novokuibyshevsk dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Employees of the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery (part of Rosneft) organized literary readings dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Schoolchildren and students of city technical schools, activists of the “Movement of the First”, teachers and veteran oil workers took part in the patriotic event. The initiative took place within the framework of the international campaign “Reading to Children about the War”. Over 15 years, more than 8 million children and teenagers in Russia and abroad took part in it.

    Thanks to the support of the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery, a collection of works entitled “A Feat Forever Written in History” was published especially for the readings, which included the memories of factory workers who fought at the front. Volunteers of the plant and employees of the enterprise museum collected material in family and museum archives. The unique publication is illustrated with photographs from the war, award documents and materials that have not been published before.

    Young people read excerpts from the collection – excerpts from the diaries of participants in the Great Patriotic War, poems that the plant veterans dedicated to the exploits of their fellow countrymen. Schoolchildren and teachers also watched the documentary film “War of Motors”, created with the support of Rosneft and dedicated to the contribution of the domestic oil industry to bringing Victory closer. At the end of the readings, the enterprise volunteers presented the veterans with memorable gifts.

    More than 200 copies of the unique collection “Feat, forever inscribed in history” were given to city schools and technical schools, city libraries. The cycle of literary readings “Reading to children about the war” based on the book published by the plant workers will continue in educational institutions of the city of Novokuibyshevsk with the participation of activists of the “Movement of the First”.

    Reference:

    The Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery is actively developing the volunteer movement “Platform of Good Deeds”, within the framework of which employees take an active part in historical, cultural and social-humanitarian initiatives.

    Earlier, volunteers and veterans of the enterprise, employees of the plant museum carried out a large-scale search to restore more than 2.5 thousand names and information about the exploits of veterans of the enterprise – participants in the Great Patriotic War. As a result of this work, the “Book of Memory” was published for the 75th anniversary of the Victory and a memorial complex was erected to perpetuate the names of the front-line soldiers. In 2023, with the support of the plant, a monument to home front workers was erected in the city.

    Today, under the patronage of the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery there are 2 veterans of the Great Patriotic War and 40 home front workers.

    In the year of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, the plant workers are holding a marathon of commemorative events and lessons aimed at developing spiritual and patriotic values in the younger generation.

    The campaign “Reading to Children about the War” has been held by the Samara Regional Children’s Library since 2010. The initiative is aimed at creating conditions for the formation of citizenship and patriotism as the most important spiritual, moral and social values in children and adolescents using the best examples of children’s literature about the Great Patriotic War as an example.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft March 27, 2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: ‘An absolute dud’: Peter Dutton’s energy plan a fail for family budgets, our kids’ future, and our environment 

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    MELBOURNE, 27 MARCH 2025—Responding to Peter Dutton’s gas policy, announced tonight in his Budget Reply speech, Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy, Greenpeace, said: 

    Peter Dutton’s energy policy is an absolute dud for everyone except his mates – the fossil fuel lobby. It contains everything that would benefit coal and gas corporations, and absolutely nothing that would help household budgets, or stop the destruction of our ecosystems and climate. 

    Fast-tracking gas approvals, opening up new gas fields in our oceans and fracking the land, diverting money meant for clean energy to dirty gas, and stopping the construction of essential infrastructure to make renewable energy more affordable for Australians: these are all cynical measures designed to hamper the growth of affordable and clean renewable energy, while gas corporations continue to rake in profits.

    Wind and solar are already the cheapest form of energy in Australia, while gas is expensive, tied to volatile global markets for price, and wrecks the climate and our ecosystems. To truly reduce energy prices for Australians, Mr Dutton should be helping families buy home solar systems with batteries, and expanding the share of renewable energy generation, backed by storage.

    The Coalition’s nuclear plans are also nothing more than a risky, ok bad-faith delay tactic to prop up coal, oil, and gas, while holding back the rollout of renewable energy. Only the fossil fuel industry benefits from nuclear, while the rest of us pay the price for worsening climate damage, which is costing Australian taxpayers billions of dollars a year. 

    If Peter Dutton is serious about lowering bills for Australians, and wants the approval of the majority of Australians who love nature and are concerned about the climate, this absolute dud of an energy policy will not cut it. We call on Mr. Dutton to produce a real and effective energy and climate plan, based on cheap, clean renewable power. 

    For interviews, contact Vai – 0452 290 092 / [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dutton unveils plan to force more gas into Australian market and expand production in major pre-election pitch

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says a Coalition government would introduce a long-awaited gas reservation scheme, in a budget reply speech that puts energy policy firmly at the centre of the upcoming election campaign.

    On Thursday night, Dutton pledged a national gas plan that he claimed would “prioritise domestic gas supply, address shortfalls and reduce energy prices for Australians”.

    Under the proposed reservation policy, gas companies would be required to divert more gas to the Australian market, rather than sell it overseas. Dutton also pledged measures to speed up development approvals for proposed gas projects.

    A gas reservation scheme could help to ease supply concerns in Australia. Labor is expected to announce its own plan to reserve more gas for domestic use.

    Gas reservation policy may ruffle the feathers of gas importers such as Japan. But it offers a chance to reset relations with our energy-trading partners, and position Australia as a renewable-energy powerhouse.

    However, Dutton’s plan to expand gas production is a folly. No new gas projects are needed to meet Australia’s energy needs. The best way to cut energy prices is to accelerate the shift to the cheapest form of energy – which is from wind, solar and storage.

    Gas reservation: a long time coming

    Australia is one of the world’s biggest gas exporters. But only a fraction of gas produced here is used to power our homes and businesses. Around 80% is exported or is used to liquefy gas so it can be shipped abroad.

    This means despite massive production, parts of Australia face potential gas shortages. The Australian Energy Market Operator has warned of a seasonal supply crunch in the nation’s south from 2028, as production in Bass Strait declines. Reserving gas for the domestic market instead of exporting it could close these potential gaps.

    The idea of reserving gas for use in Australia is broadly popular. It is supported by Australia’s manufacturing industry, and crossbenchers including David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie.

    Western Australia has had a gas reservation policy for more than a decade. However, federal policymakers have, to date, not followed suit.

    This is likely in part due to opposition from the gas industry, which has traditionally opposed the move, arguing it would discourage investment and create uncertainty.

    There have also been concerns the policy could harm Australia’s relations with strategic partners – especially Japan.

    Spotlight on Japan

    Australia supplied 43% of Japan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2022. Japan has previously expressed concern about federal government moves towards diverting Australia’s gas supplies for domestic use, saying it could threaten long-established trade practices and future Japanese investment.

    However, contrary to Japan’s claims, Australian gas is not needed to keep the lights on. Gas use in Japan is falling. Today, Japan on-sells more gas to other nations than it imports from Australia.

    Importantly, gas contributes to dangerous climate change – both when it leaks into the atmosphere as methane, and when it is burned, releasing carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

    Around a quarter of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the production and use of gas. Australian gas burned overseas is also responsible for substantial carbon emissions in other countries .

    Tokyo’s finance for gas projects in Australia is slowing the shift away from fossil fuels and diverting investment, workforce, and supply-chain capacity away from clean energy industries.

    Diverting Australian gas to meet local needs would help reset trading relations in our region. Australia’s economic prospects are tied to embracing our potential as a clean energy superpower. This requires signalling to our trading partners our intention to shift away from gas extraction for export.

    Japan does not need Australia’s gas to keep the lights on.
    Luciano Mortula – LGM/Shutterstock

    No new gas is needed

    In his budget reply, Dutton pledged to audit development-ready gas projects with a focus on the southern states and, as previously announced, fast-track a decision on Western Australia’s Northwest Shelf gas project.

    A Coalition government, if elected, would also:

    • invest A$1 billion into a critical gas infrastructure fund
    • increase gas pipeline and storage capacity
    • prevent gas companies from prolonged delays in drilling offshore gas fields.

    However, Australia does not need any new gas projects. We only use a fraction of what we produce.

    What’s more, evidence suggests more gas production will not bring prices down. East coast gas production has doubled over the past decade even as gas prices have tripled.

    Keeping more gas onshore may help with energy prices. But the best way to reduce power bills is to shift to the cheapest form of electricity generation – which is renewables, not gas.

    Australia’s gas use is declining as we move to cleaner, cheaper and more efficient types of energy for homes and businesses.

    On the east coast, gas consumption has declined by 25% in the past decade. Just last week the Australian Energy Market Operator found gas demand is falling faster than anticipated.

    Reducing gas use even faster would avoid potential seasonal shortages.

    Gas has a small, short-term role as Australia switches to renewables, smoothing out electricity supplies when demand exceeds generation from wind, solar and energy storage.

    But the gas won’t be used very often. And a looming surge in batteries to store renewable energy is also likely to displace gas generation at peak times.

    Research suggests production from Australia’s existing projects through to 2035 could meet our remaining gas needs for 60 years.

    A domestic reservation policy could ensure this gas is used to avoid potential supply gaps.

    Our shared clean energy future

    With a national gas reservation scheme on the table no matter who wins the election, Australia will have some tough conversations ahead with international customers – especially Japan.

    However both Australia and Japan have committed to cut emissions over the next decade and achieve net-zero emissions in their economies by 2050.

    Gas will play an ever-dwindling role in both countries in coming years, as it is replaced by cleaner forms of energy from wind, solar and storage.

    Government efforts to manage the energy transition should not encourage new gas projects. Instead, it should position Australia at the forefront of the clean energy revolution.

    Wesley Morgan is a fellow with the Climate Council of Australia.

    – ref. Dutton unveils plan to force more gas into Australian market and expand production in major pre-election pitch – https://theconversation.com/dutton-unveils-plan-to-force-more-gas-into-australian-market-and-expand-production-in-major-pre-election-pitch-253228

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese to call election on Friday as Dutton pledges fuel tax relief and national gas plan

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Anthony Albanese is set to announce on Friday that Australians will go to the polls on May 3, after he makes an early morning visit to Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

    The prime minster’s timing means Thursday night’s budget reply from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will be quickly overshadowed. A day of Senate estimates scrutiny of the budget will be also be scrapped.

    In his budget reply, Dutton announced a raft of proposed spending cuts and several new measures. The one big handout, a year-long halving of the fuel excise rate, had been foreshadowed ahead of the speech.

    Dutton announced a Coalition government would introduce a National Gas Plan to secure a domestic supply of gas, and invest $1 billion in a Critical Gas Infrastructure Fund.

    The gas plan would be aimed at ensuring the local supply, putting downward pressure on prices in the medium term.

    Meanwhile, Dutton’s proposal to cut the excise on petrol and diesel came under sharp attack on Thursday from the government.

    The excise plan is the opposition’s counter to the government’s $17 billion tax cuts announced in Tuesday’s budget, which were rushed through parliament on Wednesday night. Dutton said the “so called tax cut ‘top up’ is simply a tax cut cop-out”.

    Other Coalition initiatives announced by Dutton include a new target of 400,000 apprentices and $400 million for youth mental health.

    A Coalition government would cut Labor’s $20 billion Rewiring the Nation Fund, the $10 Housing Australia Future Fund and the $16 billion production tax credits. It would also reverse the 41,000 increase in Canberra-based public service.

    In his speech, Dutton declared the election was “as much about leadership as it’s about policy”.

    “The choice is clear at the next election,” he said, declaring he would be “a strong leader and a steady hand – just as John Howard was.

    “I will make the tough decisions – not shirk them. I will put the national interest first. I will lead with conviction – not walk both sides of the street.”

    He said he had “real life experience”, pointing to his police force service and time as a small business owner. He was “someone who came from a working-class background and knows the value of hard-work and the aspiration that drives Australians.”

    Dutton declared the Coalition would “provide the moral and political leadership needed to restore law, order, and justice”.

    “Under Labor, you will get the same weakness of leadership that has compounded crime and emboldened antisemitism on our streets,” Dutton said.

    He said that “All too often, this prime minister is too weak, too late, and too equivocal”.

    Homing in on the energy issue, Dutton said “under the Coalition, energy will become affordable and reliable again”.

    He said “the only way to drive down power prices quickly is to ramp-up domestic gas production.

    The Coalition would “prioritise domestic gas supply, address shortfalls, and reduce energy prices for Australians”.

    “We will immediately introduce an east coast gas reservation.

    “This will secure an additional 10% to 20% of the east coast’s demand – gas which would  otherwise be exported.

    “Gas sold on the domestic market will be de-coupled from overseas markets to protect Australia from international price shocks.

    “And this will drive down new wholesale domestic gas prices from over $14 per gigajoule to under 10 per gigajoule.”

    The Coalition’s investment of $1 billion in a Critical Gas Infrastructure Fund would increase gas pipeline and storage capacity,

    “We will put in place ‘use it or lose it’ stipulations for gas drilling companies – so offshore gas fields are not locked-up for years.

    “And we will ensure we will have a fit-for-purpose gas trigger to safeguard supply.

    “This plan will deliver lower wholesale gas prices which will flow through the economy.”

    Dutton said this election was “sliding doors moment for our nation”.

    “A returned Albanese Government in any form won’t just be another three bleak years. Setbacks will be set in stone.”

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Albanese to call election on Friday as Dutton pledges fuel tax relief and national gas plan – https://theconversation.com/albanese-to-call-election-on-friday-as-dutton-pledges-fuel-tax-relief-and-national-gas-plan-253241

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: University research a key enabler of the energy transition, Holyrood told Innovative approaches to helping Scotland secure long-term leadership in sustainable energy solutions and deliver an orderly energy transition were showcased by the University of Aberdeen at Holyrood last night.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Innovative approaches to helping Scotland secure long-term leadership in sustainable energy solutions and deliver an orderly energy transition were showcased by the University of Aberdeen at Holyrood last night.

    An 80-strong audience of MSPs, policy makers, industry representatives and other stakeholders attended the University’s parliamentary event, entitled ‘Accelerating the Energy Transition in Scotland and Beyond’. 

    They heard how the University has for the past five decades been a trusted partner to government and industry, delivering independent, data-led, evidence-based research and training programmes to address the global energy challenges and advance Scotland’s net zero ambitions. 

    Professor John Underhill, the interdisciplinary director for energy transition, spoke about how the University’s world-leading research supports Scotland’s energy future by driving industrial decarbonisation, informing energy policy, managing offshore spatial pressures, and enhancing workforce skills to secure Scotland’s global leadership in the energy transition. 

    The reception, which was hosted by Kevin Stewart MSP, also gave politicians the opportunity to engage directly with the University’s leading experts and discuss opportunities for collaboration in areas such as offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, decommissioning, geothermal and delivering a just transition. 

    “All aspects of the energy system, from exploration and production to consumption and decommissioning, must change. Our research seeks solutions to deliver a reliable, affordable, environmentally sustainable and climate compatible low-carbon energy system that ensures the transition is managed, orderly and just as we decarbonise and meet ambitious net zero targets,” said Professor Underhill. 

    “As parts of the world increasingly move towards renewable energy sources, the transition from oil and gas must be managed carefully to tackle fuel poverty and avoid imposing hardship yet ensure energy security. The transition strategy in Scotland will need to reassure communities about job security of those currently employed in the North Sea’s oil and gas industry while developing tangible new opportunities in renewable technologies. 

    “The challenge is inter and multi-disciplinary, and all aspects of the University’s research and training activity play a crucial role in providing solutions for low-carbon net-zero goals. For Net Zero to be successful it must obtain and retain public support, through continuous engagement, with people and places. Aberdeen is leading the way in the research needed to identify opportunities to accelerate decarbonisation and to design technically informed solutions that tackle societal challenges such as fuel poverty, sustainable local economies, wellbeing and social justice.” 

    Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said: “We are determined to ensure a successful energy transition for the North East and indeed for the whole of Scotland.
    “Our universities have an international reputation for excellence in research, and it’s clear from what we heard here tonight that the University of Aberdeen is at the forefront of accelerating the energy transition both here in Scotland and internationally. 
    “The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to work in partnership with universities, supporting and amplifying innovative research like this to help ensure a sustainable future for us all.”

    “There is a need to decarbonise and transform the UK’s and global energy systems to reduce emissions, achieve NetZero and climate targets,” added Principal Professor George Boyne. 

    “Academics, government and all sectors must continue to work together to map a just transition for energy global systems.  The University’s interdisciplinary approach is a key enabler for this work as energy transition spans all of our five interdisciplinary research challenge areas.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cabinet welcomes strengthened ties between SA and Japan

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Cabinet has expressed its support for the strengthened relationship between South Africa and Japan following Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s working visit to Japan earlier this month. 

    The visit, held from 17 to 19 March 2025, aimed to enhance cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.

    “Engagements were also held with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to explore areas of economic collaboration, the Association for African Economic Development in Japan to discuss trade and investment opportunities, and the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security to highlight investment opportunities in the mining sector,” said the Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

    She was addressing the media during at a post-Cabinet media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday. 

    SAnews reported that Deputy President Mashatile successfully concluded his working visit to Japan last week. 

    The two nations commemorated 115 years of strong diplomatic relations, with 2025 marking a significant milestone as both countries chair key multilateral organisations.

    South Africa currently holds the Presidency of the Group of 20 (G20), while Japan will lead the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9) Summit in August this year.  

    During the working visit, Mashatile met with Japanese government officials, including a courtesy call to Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

    The country’s second-in-command also met with the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League to strengthen bilateral relations and parliamentary cooperation between South Africa and Japan.

    During these engagements, the Deputy President highlighted South Africa’s favourable business environment, skilled workforce, and strategic location, making it an attractive destination for Japanese investment. 

    The Deputy President expressed his appreciation for Japan’s support of South Africa’s Presidency of the G20, stating that he looks forward to collaborating with Japan to ensure the TICAD-9 Summit is successful. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cabinet welcomes additional capacity to power grid

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Cabinet has welcomed the addition of 800 megawatts of new generation capacity to the national grid after Eskom successfully brought Kusile Power Station’s final generation unit online. 

    “This will help stabilise the grid and strengthen our nation’s future energy security,” Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday.

    This achievement marked a crucial step toward completing one of South Africa’s largest infrastructure projects.

    “The Kusile Power Station is the first power station in Africa to implement Wet Flue Gas Desulphurisation (WFGD) technology, ensuring compliance with air quality standards and aligning with global best practices to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions,” Ntshavheni said.

    This as Eskom announced that Unit 6 of the Mpumalanga based power station was added to the grid on Sunday, 23 March.

    Meanwhile, Cabinet has approved the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) for implementation.

    “The SAREM seeks to leverage the rising demand for renewable energy and storage technologies to promote industrialisation and localisation,” the Minister said.

    The masterplan focuses on solar and wind energy, lithium-ion, battery and vanadium-based battery storage technologies and is designed to be a living document.

    “Cabinet directed that additional work be done on the masterplan to incentivise investors to fund renewable energy supplier development, include the development of green hydrogen fuel in order to meet the international obligation of 5% blended fuel in aviation and maritime sectors by 2030,” she said.

    READ | Kusile’s Unit 6 to boost grid capacity

    Briefing member of the media following Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, the Minister said Cabinet committed to drive structural reforms, and to implement economic growth focused programmes in order to create conducive environment for job creation.

    This as Cabinet welcomed the increase in employment by 12 000 jobs to 10.64 million in the formal non-agricultural sector during the fourth quarter of 2024. 

    “The Stats SA’s Quarterly Employment Statistics reflected employment gains in the trade, business services, transport and the electricity sector. Despite the modest improvement, full-time employment remains lower than it was a year ago,” the Minister said. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025: Heirs Energies eyes Regional Opportunities amid Strong Congolese Energy Outlook

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, March 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Nigerian independent oil and gas company Heirs Energies is seeking growth opportunities in West and Central Africa. The company’s CEO Osayande Igiehon announced during the Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025 that the company is interested in entering Congo, given the country’s oil and gas potential and growth-oriented development strategy.  

    Heirs Energies is the operator of OML 17 in Nigeria, where it has managed to double oil production from 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 50,000 bpd since it acquired the asset from Shell in 2021. In Congo, the company aims to replicate this success, strengthening its upstream portfolio and contributing to Congo’s production goals.  

    “Our mission is to build an integrated energy business across Africa that uniquely addresses Africa’s energy problems. We want to grow our business across the value chain, expanding across Africa by replicating the success we have seen in Nigeria. We are keen to come to Congo. What makes [the country] so attractive to us is that Congo wants to grow. We are a growth-oriented company and that is why we are here,” Igiehon stated.  

    As one of sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest oil producers, the Republic of Congo has a goal to increase crude output to 500,000 bpd. Concurrently, the country targets three million tons per annum LNG capacity following the start of LNG production in 2024. Achieving these goals will require substantial levels of investment and efforts are already underway to strengthen the business environment for foreign investment.  

    “When we look at the Republic of Congo, it is clear that there are vast, untapped resources. There is a huge potential of untapped oil reserves but there is also hydroelectric potential. By tapping into that potential, the Republic of Congo can be a main contributor to the energy transition,” stated Olajide Ayeronwi, CEO, FirstBank DRC.  

    To achieve production goals, the Republic of Congo is preparing to launch an international licensing round while incentivizing new investment across mature assets, aiming to maximize output at producing blocks. These efforts are expected to facilitate greater investment upstream.  

    “The Republic of Congo is undertaking big reforms to attract investors. These include regulatory reforms, with a Hydrocarbon Code introduced. Companies have access to tax benefits and there is systematic advertising of various types of contracts. There is clarity regarding the authorization of participation interests and greater transparency, with the existence of an oil and gas cadaster since 2018,” stated Daoudou Mohammad, Director of Tax and Legal at CLG – Legal Partner of CEIF 2025. 

    These reforms are a critical step towards encouraging spending across the oil and gas value chain. Olivier Dubois, Group President, OLEA Group, explained that “Exploration and production are capital-heavy with big risks that require strong technical expertise. It is important to put in place mechanisms to address the risk associated with the oil sector.”  

    Hicham Fadili, Director General, Crédit du Congo, echoed these remarks, stating that the country has been highly successful in putting the mechanisms in place to attract upstream investment. However, he added that the country needs to go beyond the upstream in terms of investment.  

    “The emphasis should be put on establishing ecosystems in the energy sector. We need to attract various types of investors. Countries across the region are mostly oil and gas producers but there is a need for joint operations to create a real energy platform in Central Africa. Logistics is also important,” he said.  

    As the Republic of Congo strives for increased production, strengthening the logistics industry becomes increasingly important. Mohamed Diop, Deputy Managing Director for Africa, AGL, said that, “Logistics is an important pillar. We need to invest but also to train the local Congolese youth, ensuring we have a win-win partnership that benefits the youth. We need to diversify our investments in equipment but also strengthen partnerships with future African champions.”  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025: Legal, E&P Experts Say Congo Ready for Increased Hydrocarbon Investment

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, March 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    With the upcoming establishment of a National Gas Company, the launch of a new Gas Code and development of a Gas Master Plan, the Republic of Congo is on a clear path to mobilizing capital to drive growth in its natural gas sector. Congo is home to an estimated 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, which is located in offshore fields such as Litchendjili, Néné, Minsala and Nkala, within the Marine XII license. 

    As such, a strong lineup of legal and hydrocarbons experts participated in a panel session – Revitalizing the Hydrocarbons Sector by Unlocking Investment – at the inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) on March 26 in Brazzaville where they discussed how investors can drive growth in Congo’s natural gas sector through favorable policies and emerging trends. 

    “The government [of Congo] is planning to establish a national gas company to encourage private investment and build up public-private partnerships,” stated Yves Ollivier, Managing Director of legal firm CLG Congo, adding, “This will be the equivalent to the SNPC [Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo] in terms of gas.” 

    Congo’s regulatory framework has evolved to support major developments in the natural gas sector, which include energy major Eni’s Congo LNG project – Congo’s first natural gas liquefaction initiative. As such, the upcoming Gas Code aims to establish a legal and regulatory framework to attract investment in gas exploration and production.  

    “We are in an environment where conditions are united so that we have the potential for returns on investment,” stated Yannick Mouamba, Country Director of Congo, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe, SLB, adding,” Looking at the landscape of opportunities, this is the right place to run technology and show the value of what the country can offer.” 

    Meanwhile, the Gas Master Plan – launching this year – will provide a strategic roadmap for investment, infrastructure development and resource management in the gas industry. This initiative is designed to create a robust framework for investors, laying the groundwork for sustainable growth and the achievement of the country’s industrial goals. 

    “When investors want to invest their money, they are looking for sustainable returns,” stated Rene Awambeng, Founder and Managing Partner, Premier Invest, adding, “Africa is richly endowed in hydrocarbons and for Congo to attract investments, you need to create the right enabling environment.” 

    In addition to natural gas, Congo’s National Oil Company SNPC has ambitious plans to increase the country’s oil production to 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2027. To attract new investment in exploration and production, Congo is leveraging new policy reforms and plans to launch a new licensing round this year, which will focus on onshore and offshore fields. 

    “In complex geological domains, such as onshore Congo, we look at the impact of decreasing cost to the customer. Most importantly, we also look at an increase in accuracy of data, which leads to a reduction in risk,” stated Jevon Hilder, Senior Business Development Manager, TGS. 

    “The ambition is there,” stated Anastasia Deulina, CFO, Afentra, adding, “The production objective of 500,000 bpd is admirable, and we very much would love to be part of that story. There is a lot of support from the government.” 

    The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, taking place March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the highest patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, brings together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025 Panel Underscores Congo’s Potential to Meet Regional Petroleum Demand

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, March 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The Republic of Congo is well-positioned to contribute toward regional demand for petroleum, given the country’s operating Congolaise de Raffinage (CORAF) refinery and strategic geographic location. A downstream panel discussion at the Congo Energy & Investment Forum 2025 highlighted that the modernization of CORAF and future downstream investments can support growing demand for fuel, as Central Africa’s population is expected to rapidly grow.   

    “Congo’s population is expected to add five million people by 2050. Geographically, the country is also blessed to be situated next to the DRC. So, you have a massive market right here. I am excited to get to 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) [in Congo], but most people don’t see crude oil: they use jet fuel, diesel and by-products. We need to talk about infrastructure investments,” stated Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners & Distributors Association.  

    The Republic of Congo’s ambitions to increase oil and gas output to 500,000 bpd and three million tons per annum (mtpa), respectively, coincide with a drive to enhance fuel security in both the country and broader region. At present, the country’s CORAF refinery has a processing capacity of one mtpa, converting crude oil into finished products such as butane gas, gasoline, kerosene and light diesel.  

    “CORAF was designed to work with one million tons of crude petroleum. Today, it continues to satisfy the needs of the local market, catering for between 65% to 70% of demand while the rest is imported to help the country. CORAF is in the process of being modernized in order to increase its production capacity,” stated Richard Ngola, Managing Director: Downstream, Ministry of Hydrocarbons, Republic of Congo.  

    This modernization started in 2015, when the need to improve operating units became prevalent. According to Patrice Yao, Deputy Administrator at CORAF, “We designed a development plan to enable new units to be installed and to modernize the piloting system. When the units are old, you have the challenge of maintenance, technological issues and human resources. New units enabled an increase in processing capacity.”  

    However, Yao believes that this is not enough, and the country needs to increase the quantity of products for the national market while investing in new downstream projects. To increase downstream capacity, the government has initiated the construction of a second facility: the Atlantic Petrochemical Refinery. This facility – developed in partnership with Beijing Fortune Dingheng Investment – will have a capacity of 2.3 mtpa in the first phase, focusing on high-quality gasoline and diesel. Set to start operations in late-2025, the refinery will provide a much-needed boost for the country’s downstream sector.  

    However, Kragha noted that downstream investments need to go beyond refining. “You need to look not only at the refinery expansion but the supporting infrastructure to be able to deliver on your objectives,” he said.  

    The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, taking place March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the highest patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, brings together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Congo to Double Power Generation to 1,500 MW by 2030

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, March 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The Republic of Congo has unveiled plans to double its power generation capacity to 1,500 MW by 2030, with a strong focus on renewable energy projects.

    “This initiative aims to enhance electricity access for the nation’s six million citizens and support industrial growth,” said Congolese Minister of Energy and Water, Émile Ouosso, at the Congo Energy & Investment Forum in Brazzaville on Wednesday.

    A key part of this strategy involves collaboration with the World Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation through the “Mission 300” initiative. Launched in April 2024, Mission 300 targets providing electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030. The World Bank and the African Development Bank have committed significant resources to the initiative, aiming to reduce the number of people without electricity access across the continent.

    Minister Ouosso highlighted the importance of these partnerships, stating, “With the support of international initiatives like Mission 300, we are poised to make significant strides in electrifying our nation and improving the quality of life for our citizens.”

    To achieve this, Congo is focusing on harnessing its domestic renewable energy resources. The country holds an estimated hydropower potential of 27,000 MW, though only 1% of this resource has been developed. The government has identified several key projects, including water diversion and storage techniques, to maximize hydropower output.

    “Our most valuable energy resource is water. With proper investments, we can unlock this potential to generate more electricity, foster industrialization and electrify rural communities,” said the Minister, adding, “We have identified 4,000 MW of hydropower potential in the Brazzaville region. These projects will provide clean, reliable energy for our people and industries.”

    Solar energy is also a key part of the strategy, with a project led by AMEA Power exploring the potential for a 50 MW solar farm in the Brazzaville region. Additionally, the government is working to diversify its energy mix. Chinese firm Wing Wah’s gas monetization project, currently under development, aims to deliver 400 MW of gas-fired power, with 200 MW to be integrated into the national grid.

    “If we modernize our power transmission infrastructure, we can transition away from fuel entirely,” said Minister Ouosso.

    The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, taking place March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the highest patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, brings together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung’s New Bespoke AI Laundry With AI Home Enables Smarter, More Efficient Laundry Care

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of its new washers and dryer products — the Bespoke AI Laundry with AI Home1 — that integrate screens and Bespoke design to elevate the user experience. The Bespoke washers and dryers come in various forms of size and heating methods to meet a wide range of customer needs across diverse regions. The pair is available in both large and small capacities, making them suitable for different types of family and living arrangements. Samsung is also launching the dryer with two types of heating methods — the vent and the heat pump — to meet the needs of various environments around the world.
     
    This year’s Bespoke AI Laundry products incorporate the 7” AI Home screens, extending Samsung’s “Screens Everywhere” vision that was first presented at CES 2025. These screens offer intuitive control and monitoring of essential information related to the laundry experience, such as wash cycles and remaining detergent levels. They also remember user habits and consider periodic and seasonal needs, suggesting appropriate cycles to free users from having to consider the right cycle every time. The AI Home also functions as a central hub allowing users to monitor and control connected appliances, while also enjoying online videos or music.
     
    “Last year’s launch of the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo marked the beginning of integrating screens into our products, providing users access to essential information about laundry and home control,” says Jeong Seung Moon, EVP and Head of the R&D Team for Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “This year, we are excited to unveil the complete Bespoke AI Laundry lineup, which caters to a wider range of customer needs and enables them to take advantage of these convenient screens.”
     
    The Bespoke AI Washer & Dryer sets are designed to simplify laundry routines with advanced AI algorithms and sensors, optimizing washing and drying performance while enhancing energy efficiency. The original AI Wash and AI Dry are upgraded to AI Wash+ and AI Dry+, with enhanced fabric detection abilities to ensure efficient and high-quality washing and drying for a wider variety of fabric types.
     
     
    27-Inch Wide Large Capacity Washer & Dryer Set Brings Extensive Laundry Capabilities

     
    Samsung is introducing a 27-inch large capacity washer and dryer set,2 with each device featuring the 7” AI Home and utilizing a sleek Bespoke design based on a fully unified flat-panel aesthetic. In addition to the flexibility of vertical or horizontal installation layouts, the substantial capacity allows users to wash large items, like king-size comforters, with ease.
     
    The washer now features the upgraded AI Wash+, which has been upgraded to newly detect outdoor fabrics and denim.3 Based on the detected fabric type, soil level and weight of the laundry, the AI Wash+ cycle efficiently4 cleans clothes by automatically adjusting detergent levels, rinsing time and wash settings. The washer also features a Bedding cycle that can sense the thickness of the blankets and adjust the cycle time and water usage accordingly.5 Users can also experience next-level convenience with features like Auto Open Door and Speed Shot technology which completes wash cycles in just 30 minutes.6

     
    The matching large capacity dryer is launching in two types to meet living environments of different regions – the vent type in certain countries in the Americas, and a heat pump type in other regions. Users will be able to enjoy thorough and gentle drying with AI Dry+, which has been upgraded to detect fabric types and take them into account to optimize drying7 along with real-time temperature, weight8 and moisture content. The upgraded feature’s AI algorithm uses an advanced sensor that carefully monitor various factors to detect four fabric types,9 which results in benefits like heavy duty drying such as denim. Previously, denim was harder to dry evenly due to thicker sections like pockets, but the dryer can now detect this fabric to and reduce drying inconsistencies, delivering better performance.

     
    The dryers also provide the Bedding feature, which also uses an advanced algorithm to detect a blanket’s size for optimized drying times and dryness.10 For those times when drying needs to be finished quickly, the vent type’s Super Speed Drying can complete a drying cycle in as little as 30 minutes.11

     
    Along with the washer and dryer set, a large capacity washer-dryer combo model12 is also being launched for users looking for a compact, all-in-one device that can complete both jobs while using up limited space. The combo incorporates the AI Home, AI Wash+ and AI Ecobubble like the washer, and dries the clothing through a condensing method.
     

    24-Inch Wide Small Capacity Washer & Dryer Set Boosts Laundry Efficiency

     
    Following the unveiling of the Bespoke AI Washer at IFA 2024, the 24-inch small capacity washer & dryer set will be launching in Europe later this year. Like the large capacity washer and dryer, the small capacity set also incorporates the 7” AI Home, providing intuitive control and connectivity features for a wider audience.
     
    The washer, built to be highly efficient to meet the needs of the European market, consumes up to 55% less energy than the minimum efficiency requirements for a Class A rating.13 It also supports thorough14 cleaning optimizing water and detergent use with AI Wash, and ensures gentle washing while improving soil removal with AI Ecobubble . QuickDrive , available with 11 different cycles, can reduce wash time by up to 50%15 without compromising cleaning performance.

     
    The matching dryer features the AI Dry+, capable of drying precisely by detecting four fabric types16 — Normal, Denim, Towels and Synthetics. This enables the machine to dry precisely17 while reducing energy use by up to 10% and drying time by up to 15%.18 QuickDrive is also useful when users need to dry their laundry both quickly and gently, reducing drying time by up to 35%19 through automatic adjustments of the inverter compressor.
     
    With the launch of these new products, Samsung continues to push the boundaries of innovation, offering highly intelligent, efficient and aesthetically pleasing appliances that simplify everyday life by delivering enhanced convenience to users.

     
     
    1 You will need a Samsung account to access AI Home, our network-based service that includes apps and our other smart features available through your device. Does not mean all services available on the AI Home are AI or generate information or outcome using AI. Certain functions accessible through the AI Home utilize AI-based algorithms, which be updated periodically to improve accuracy. AI-based algorithms may generate incomplete or incorrect information.2 Washer is 18.5kg~26kg capacity, and Dryer 17kg~24kg capacity depending on the region of launch.3 Based on an advanced AI-created algorithm. It may not detect certain fabrics or accurately identify them when a load includes a mixture of different fabric types. To prevent wear, wash like fabrics together.4 Based on an AI-created algorithm and internal testing using the AI Wash+ on a 3kg load. A turbidity sensor operates for all weights, while fabric sensing operates for 3kg and under. Actual results may vary depending on individual use.5 Washes dry blankets weighing up to 4 kg.6 Applicable on a Cotton wash course. Based on internal testing using a Normal course at 40°C with a DOE 3kg load. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions.7 Based on an AI-created algorithm. Actual results may vary depending on individual use.8 Applies to Heat Pump type only.9 The types of detectable fabric are Normal, Heavy Duty, Synthetics, and Delicates for Vent Type, and Normal, Towel, Denim, Delicates for Heat Pump models.10 The Bedding drying cycle can dry up to 4 kg of dry comforters.11 Tested on the Samsung DV90F with a DOE (Cotton 50% + Polyester 50%) 8lb load. RMC (Remaining Moisture Content) under 48%, 24℃±2℃, RH (Relative Humidity) 50% ±10%.12 Launched in select countries in South East Asia, Middle East, Africa and China (Taiwan)13 Based on Samsung internal testing. The energy consumption of this 11KG model is 21.8kWh / 100 cycles, which is 55% more energy efficient compared to the minimum threshold of energy efficiency class A (52kWh / 100 cycles for 11KG models). Energy ratings tested with Eco 40-60 program, 55% savings tested with Eco 40-60 program.14 Based on an AI-created algorithm. Actual results may vary depending on individual use.15 Based on internal testing (in accordance with IEC 60456-2010) of the WF90/24 cycles with the QuickDrive option compared to cycles without the QuickDrive option. Result: Wash time reduced by 13.2%-50.8%. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions. This may increase energy usage.16 Based on an advanced AI algorithm, utilizing weight, moisture content and drying temperature data, it can detect four types of fabric: normal, denim, towel and synthetics.17 Based on an AI-created algorithm. Actual results may vary depending on individual use.18 Based on internal testing (synthetic 2kg load) of the DV90F/24 using AI Dry+ compared to DV5000D using Eco cotton.19 Based on internal testing on the DV90F/24 model, Comparison of drying time for IEC cotton 9kg load drying under Eco cotton + QuickDrive On / Off conditions. Result: Drying time reduced by 35%. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions. Using QuickDrive may increase your energy usage.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Creating sensors for extreme fusion energy conditions

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Creating sensors for extreme fusion energy conditions

    UKAEA awards £3.5m to develop highly specialised sensors for extreme conditions of fusion energy environments

    Diagnostic equipment on the MAST Upgrade machine measuring the magnetic field inside the plasma at UKAEA’s Culham Campus – Image Credit United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

    Thirteen organisations have secured contracts with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to develop robust sensing technologies for use in future fusion power plants.

    Worth £3.5m in total, 16 contracts – feasibility studies from £100,000 up to £250,000 – have been awarded by UKAEA’s Fusion Industry Programme, an initiative launched in 2021 to develop the necessary technology and skills for the future global fusion power plant market.

    The 13 organisations – 10 private companies and three academic institutions – are developing a range of sensing and diagnostic technologies for use in extreme environments, an essential field of innovation for future fusion power plants.

    Fusion power plants will operate under complex conditions, including extreme temperatures, high neutron loads and high magnetic fields. Developing highly specialised, robust sensing and control technologies that can operate under these extreme conditions is essential to making fusion energy a commercially viable part of the world’s energy mix.

    Novel sensing and diagnostic systems will be needed to measure a range of data within a fusion power plant, including plasma position and shape, plasma electron density, temperature, and the performance of plasma-facing components.

    The 13 organisations will now undertake technical feasibility studies, taking their sensing and diagnostics technologies to ‘proof of concept’ stages with support from the Fusion Industry Programme.

    Tim Bestwick, Chief Technology Officer and Deputy CEO, UKAEA, said: “Fusion promises to be a safe, sustainable source of energy for future generations. However, delivering fusion means overcoming complex scientific and engineering challenges, such as developing tough sensors to withstand fusion’s harsh environments.

    “The Fusion Industry Programme is engaging private companies and academia to help solve these challenges, while stimulating innovation that can boost adjacent sectors.”

    In a first for the Fusion Industry Programme, expert fusion industry support is being provided by technical advisors from both UKAEA and Tokamak Energy Ltd. Experts from UKAEA and Tokamak Energy are providing technical advice on the conditions encountered in a fusion environment, to help inform the design and development of sensing and diagnostic technologies.

    Joanne Flanagan, Tokamak Energy’s Head of Diagnostics, Data and Control, said: “We’re delighted to see a wealth of variety in the innovative responses to this challenge and are excited to support the projects in our role as technical advisors.

    “Measurement systems and components will need to be extremely robust to operate in the extreme fusion power plant environment, which is why we must explore a full range of technologies, ideas and solutions. This challenge is designed to stimulate the innovation needed to address this development, bringing us all one step closer to the goal of delivering clean, secure and affordable fusion energy.”

    The full list of organisations awarded contracts:

    Organisation Project Title
    3 – Sci Ltd High field, high temperature, radiation-tolerant distributed magnetic sensing feasibility
    Amentum Clean Energy Ltd Determination of Hydrogen Isotopologues in Liquid Lithium
    First Light Fusion Ltd Prototyping a multi-use Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) system for robust, remote measurement of inertial fusion compression, power plant relevant electron density measurements and vacuum chamber wall shock movement
    Fraunhofer UK Research Ltd LED-based Raman spectroscopy analyser for tritium and deuterium concentration measurements; Zeeman Magnetometry for Plasma diagnostics (ZeeMaP); PULSE Phase-sensitive dUaL-comb SpEctrometer for plasma density measurements
    Full Matrix Ltd A feasibility study for the interpretation of ultrasonic guided waves in witness specimens for remote fusion diagnostics
    IDOM UK Ltd AI-Driven Restoration and Monitoring Framework for Plasma-Facing Mirrors in Fusion Diagnostics.
    Kyoto Fusioneering UK Ltd Exploratory Study for the Development of Tritium Concentration Sensors in Application to liquid Lithium and FLIBE under real fusion environment
    MuWave Ltd Feasibility Study for High Frequency Collective Thompson Scattering System
    Nascent Semiconductor Ltd Robust Electronics for Sensing Characteristics in Unconventional Environments (RESCUE)
    Oxford Sigma Ltd Project PRISM – Performance and Resilience of Innovative Surfaces for Mirrors; Project DEPARTED (Diagnostic Erosion Passive and Analysis in Real-Time and Environment Device)
    University of Edinburgh Development of a Raman Spectroscopic System for the Online Monitoring of Lithium Metal-based Breeding Blankets
    University of Leeds Terahertz Quantum Cascades Lasers for Plasma Interferometry
    University of Warwick Diamond Magnetometers for Tokamak Diagnostics

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese to call election on Friday as Peter Dutton announces a plan to protect gas supply for Australians

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Anthony Albanese is set to announce on Friday that Australians will go to the polls on May 3, after he makes an early morning visit to Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

    The prime minster’s timing means Thursday night’s budget reply from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will be quickly overshadowed. A day of Senate estimates scrutiny of the budget will be also be scrapped.

    In his budget reply, Dutton announced a raft of proposed spending cuts and several new measures. The one big handout, a year-long halving of the fuel excise rate, had been foreshadowed ahead of the speech.

    Dutton announced a Coalition government would introduce a National Gas Plan to secure a domestic supply of gas, and invest $1 billion in a Critical Gas Infrastructure Fund.

    The gas plan would be aimed at ensuring the local supply, putting downward pressure on prices in the medium term.

    Meanwhile, Dutton’s proposal to cut the excise on petrol and diesel came under sharp attack on Thursday from the government.

    The excise plan is the opposition’s counter to the government’s $17 billion tax cuts announced in Tuesday’s budget, which were rushed through parliament on Wednesday night. Dutton said the “so called tax cut ‘top up’ is simply a tax cut cop-out”.

    Other Coalition initiatives announced by Dutton include a new target of 400,000 apprentices and $400 million for youth mental health.

    A Coalition government would cut Labor’s $20 billion Rewiring the Nation Fund, the $10 Housing Australia Future Fund and the $16 billion production tax credits. It would also reverse the 41,000 increase in Canberra-based public service.

    In his speech, Dutton declared the election was “as much about leadership as it’s about policy”.

    “The choice is clear at the next election,” he said, declaring he would be “a strong leader and a steady hand – just as John Howard was.

    “I will make the tough decisions – not shirk them. I will put the national interest first. I will lead with conviction – not walk both sides of the street.”

    He said he had “real life experience”, pointing to his police force service and time as a small business owner. He was “someone who came from a working-class background and knows the value of hard-work and the aspiration that drives Australians.”

    Dutton declared the Coalition would “provide the moral and political leadership needed to restore law, order, and justice”.

    “Under Labor, you will get the same weakness of leadership that has compounded crime and emboldened antisemitism on our streets,” Dutton said.

    He said that “All too often, this prime minister is too weak, too late, and too equivocal”.

    Homing in on the energy issue, Dutton said “under the Coalition, energy will become affordable and reliable again”.

    He said “the only way to drive down power prices quickly is to ramp-up domestic gas production.

    The Coalition would “prioritise domestic gas supply, address shortfalls, and reduce energy prices for Australians”.

    “We will immediately introduce an east coast gas reservation.

    “This will secure an additional 10% to 20% of the east coast’s demand – gas which would  otherwise be exported.

    “Gas sold on the domestic market will be de-coupled from overseas markets to protect Australia from international price shocks.

    “And this will drive down new wholesale domestic gas prices from over $14 per gigajoule to under 10 per gigajoule.”

    The Coalition’s investment of $1 billion in a Critical Gas Infrastructure Fund would increase gas pipeline and storage capacity,

    “We will put in place ‘use it or lose it’ stipulations for gas drilling companies – so offshore gas fields are not locked-up for years.

    “And we will ensure we will have a fit-for-purpose gas trigger to safeguard supply.

    “This plan will deliver lower wholesale gas prices which will flow through the economy.”

    Dutton said this election was “sliding doors moment for our nation”.

    “A returned Albanese Government in any form won’t just be another three bleak years. Setbacks will be set in stone.”

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Albanese to call election on Friday as Peter Dutton announces a plan to protect gas supply for Australians – https://theconversation.com/albanese-to-call-election-on-friday-as-peter-dutton-announces-a-plan-to-protect-gas-supply-for-australians-253241

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: VAALCO Energy, Inc. to Host Capital Markets Day Presentation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VAALCO Energy, Inc. (NYSE: EGY; LSE: EGY) (“Vaalco” or the “Company”) announced that it will host a Capital Markets Day presentation on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. The presentation will begin at 8 a.m. Central Time (2 p.m. London Time) and is expected to conclude by around 12:00 p.m. Central Time. The agenda will include presentations by key members of management on Vaalco’s longer-term vision including growth across its diversified, multi-country asset base.

    Participation in the Capital Markets Day is directed to Vaalco’s shareholders, buy side and sell side analysts, as well as large institutional investors and portfolio managers. The session will be web cast live along with related presentation materials through Vaalco’s web site at www.vaalco.com in the “Investors” section of the web site. A replay will be archived on the site shortly after the presentation concludes.

    Event details including key themes and speakers will be announced closer to the event.

    “Following the last four years of successful stewardship and significant inorganic growth, Vaalco has multiple exciting development projects across our expanded portfolio of assets. These projects are expected to bring a further step change in production, reserves and cash flow generation. We are looking forward to offering the investor community a deep dive into these projects and our Africa-focused growth strategy as a whole.” said George Maxwell, Vaalco’s Chief Executive Officer.

    About Vaalco
    Vaalco, founded in 1985 and incorporated under the laws of Delaware, is a Houston, Texas, USA based, independent energy company with a diverse portfolio of production, development and exploration assets across Gabon, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Canada.

    For Further Information

    Vaalco Energy, Inc. (General and Investor Enquiries) +00 1 713 543 3422
    Website: www.vaalco.com
       
    Al Petrie Advisors (US Investor Relations) +00 1 713 543 3422
    Al Petrie / Chris Delange  
       
    Buchanan (UK Financial PR) +44 (0) 207 466 5000
    Ben Romney / Barry Archer Vaalco@buchanan.uk.com
       

    Forward Looking Statements
    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by those laws and other applicable laws and may also include “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law (collectively “forward-looking statements”). Where a forward-looking statement expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “aim,” “target,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “may,” “likely,” “plan” and “probably” or similar words may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to (i) estimates of future drilling, production, sales and costs of acquiring crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids; (ii) expectations regarding Vaalco’s ability to effectively integrate assets and properties it has acquired as a result of the Svenska acquisition into its operations; (iii) expectations regarding future exploration and the development, growth and potential of Vaalco’s operations, project pipeline and investments, and schedule and anticipated benefits to be derived therefrom; (iv) expectations regarding future acquisitions, investments or divestitures; (v) expectations of future dividends; (vi) expectations of future balance sheet strength; and (vii) expectations of future equity and enterprise value.

    Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks relating to any unforeseen liabilities of Vaalco; the ability to generate cash flows that, along with cash on hand, will be sufficient to support operations and cash requirements; risks relating to the timing and costs of completion for scheduled maintenance of the FPSO servicing the Baobab field; and the risks described under the caption “Risk Factors” in Vaalco’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 17, 2025 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC.

    The MIL Network –