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Biofuels investment to rise 13pc in 2025: IEA

  • Market: Biofuels, Natural gas
  • 05/06/25

Global investment in biofuels is set to grow by 13pc in 2025 to more than $16bn, as part of a broader surge in low-emissions fuel spending, according to the IEA.

The IEA's World Energy Investment report projects a 30pc year-on-year increase in total investment in low-emissions fuels — including biofuels, biogases and low-emissions hydrogen — reaching nearly $25bn this year. This follows a 20pc rise in 2024.

But regional trends diverge. Europe leads in overall spending but is prioritising biogas over liquid biofuels such as biodiesel, ethanol and biogenic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The region accounted for 60pc of global biogas investment last year but lagged behind the US, China and Brazil in liquid biofuels.

The US and Brazil dominate biodiesel and ethanol investment. Their spending is several times higher than in Europe. Brazil's role is expected to expand further following its Fuels of the Future bill, which was signed into law last year.

The US is also driving growth in hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and SAF. It accounts for half of the 40pc projected increase in HVO and SAF output this year, which the IEA expects to reach 800,000 b/d. In 2024, the US made up 70pc of global SAF investment.

The IEA forecasts fossil fuel investment will decline in 2025 for the first time since 2020. This will lift the share of low-emissions fuels — including biofuels — in global energy investment, although they will still account for only around 3pc of the total.


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06/06/25

Brazil real closes strongest to dollar since October

Brazil real closes strongest to dollar since October

Sao Paulo, 6 June (Argus) — The Brazilian real closed today at its strongest level to the US dollar since October, boosted by central bank tightening as well as a weakening greenback globally. The real ended the trading session at R5.559 to the greenback at the end of the session, its strongest since 2 October. The real has strengthened by 11.1pc to the US dollar since 31 December. The real has been gaining ground on the US dollar since 19 December 2024, when it reached a historical low of R6.29/$1 due to domestic fiscal concerns at the same time as the US dollar was strengthening globally. But a government spending cut package eased market sentiment. Additionally, the central bank in May raised its target interest rate by 0.5 percentage point to 14.25pc, its sixth since September, as the bank moved to boost a real that depreciated by 21.5pc over the course of 2024. Even as the real has strengthened this year, partly thanks to central bank tightening, inflation has risen to 5.53pc in April from 4.42pc in September, according to government statistics agency IBGE. The DXY dollar index, which tracks the greenback against six other major trading currencies, has fallen from a more than two-year high of 110.19 in mid-January to 99 on Friday, near its lowest in more than three years amid mounting uncertainty over US president Donald Trump's on again-off again tariff levies and his spending and tax bill that is expected to boost the US deficit has rattled bond markets and weakened the dollar. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Jones Act rates unaffected by Trump ship talk


06/06/25
News
06/06/25

Jones Act rates unaffected by Trump ship talk

New York, 6 June (Argus) — Freight rates for the Jones Act fleet of US-built and crewed vessels that transport oil and other liquids between US ports have responded little to US government shakeups in 2025. The rate for a Houston, Texas-Port Everglades, Florida voyage on a Jones Act medium range (MR) tanker dropped by 8¢/bl to $3.29/bl between 3 January and 30 May per Argus assessments, down by only 2.3pc in that time despite US president Donald Trump's February announcement to bolster US shipbuilding . Trump has expressed a desire to boost US shipbuilding, while shorter-term remedies to an aging US-flagged fleet could come in the form of converting foreign-flagged vessels rather than building new ships domestically . The cost to build an MR tanker at a US shipyard is about $210mn,compared with $50mn to build the same vessel in South Korea, according to Macquarie Bank. Vessels re-flagged in the US are eligible for US government contracts, such as Military Sealift Command loadings, alongside other support programs extended by the US to vessels flying its flag. But they do not meet all the requirements to join the Jones Act fleet shipping between US ports, specifically the US-built requirement. A lack of newbuilding activity has helped keep $/d rates elevated for the less than 50 Jones Act MR tankers that are typically under multi-year time charter contracts. Jones Act $/d rates have remained rangebound since the start of the year between $86,000/d and $91,000/d per Argus assessments, an order of magnitude higher than the $8,952/d averaged by internationally flagged MR tankers carrying refined products like diesel from the US Gulf coast to Pozos, Colombia in the same period. Most of the downward pressure on Jones Act rates in 2025 likely came from declining crude prices amid roiling market uncertainty surrounding on-again and off-again US tariffs. The response from shippers involved with the Jones Act fleet has been "more skepticism rather than optimism" and there had not been "any serious reaction by the market to the administrative initiatives", according to a Jones Act shipowner. "There has been a push to ease the re-flagging of foreign built vessels into the US flag fleet, but of course these will not be Jones Act vessels and their introduction to US flag does not benefit the domestic shipyards which is the co-ultimate target, that and labor," the contact told Argus . "The shortage of US mariners is, of course, another important issue as well that will have to be wrestled with." By Ross Griffith Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US clears Plaquemines LNG to bring block 12 on line


05/06/25
News
05/06/25

US clears Plaquemines LNG to bring block 12 on line

Houston, 5 June (Argus) — Venture Global's 27.2mn t/yr (3.6bn ft³/d) Plaquemines LNG facility in Louisiana received US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval today to introduce natural gas to its 12th liquefaction block. In a separate order on 4 June, FERC also authorised the Plaquemines facility to commission its third jetty. The plant now has FERC's permission to run gas through 13 of its 18 blocks as it progresses its faster-than-expected ramp-up. Pipeline data show Plaquemines feedgas nominations have averaged 2.47bn ft³/d over 1-5 June, up from 1.97bn ft³/d over 1-5 May shortly before Venture Global began commissioning the 13th block on 8 May . Venture Global is bringing the plant on line in two phases. The first phase, consisting of blocks 1-12, is now fully authorised to take feedgas, and the second phase is blocks 13-18. Each block contains two trains. The phase 2 ramp-up will increase in the third quarter , Venture Global chief executive Mike Sabel told investors in mid-May, suggesting the plant will reach full production around the start of the fourth quarter. Chief financial officer Jack Thayer said at the time that Venture Global was using temporary power to drive production of the first phase and would shift the temporary power supply to the second phase once a contractor finishes building the first phase's 710MW power island. But a prolonged commissioning period is likely, similar to the company's first LNG export plant, the 12.4mn t/yr Calcasieu Pass facility in Louisiana, which began contracted deliveries in April, more than three years after exporting its first cargo. Venture Global plans to begin commercial deliveries of LNG from Plaquemines' first phase in the fourth quarter of 2026 with exports from the second phase starting in mid-2027. By Tray Swanson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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New Zealand official gas reserves fall by 27pc in 2024


05/06/25
News
05/06/25

New Zealand official gas reserves fall by 27pc in 2024

Sydney, 5 June (Argus) — New Zealand's estimated gas reserves fell by more than a quarter last year, highlighting the need for financial incentives to improve supply, resources minister Shane Jones said on 5 June. Proven and probable (2P) gas reserves dropped to 948PJ (25bn m³) on 1 January, down by 27pc from 1300PJ a year earlier, according to New Zealand's business, innovation and employment ministry, MBIE. The 352PJ write-down comprises 119PJ of extracted reserves and a 234PJ of downward revision of reserves by operators of existing fields. Previous MBIE forecasts predicted that annual output would fall below 100 PJ/yr by 2029, but the latest revisions show that this level will be reached by 2026 ( see table ). Oil and condensate 2P reserves were at an estimated 37.2mn bl on 1 January, down from 44.7mn bl a year earlier. New Zealand's only refinery closed in 2022, meaning the nation is now wholly reliant on oil product imports. The Coalition government has reiterated its plans to remove the country's 2018 offshore exploration ban , put in place by the former Labour administration. Rising gas prices are putting increasing pressure on manufacturers, Jones said. TheCrown Minerals Act Amendment Bill will returns to parliament this year, and if approved it will reduce decommissioning risks, reform regulation and make exploration permit issuance more flexible, Jones added. The bill was first tabled in October. New Zealand last month promised NZ$200mn ($120mn) to buy stakes of up to 15pc in new gas fields, as part of efforts to drive new supply. Quarterly gas output reached a 40-year low in October-December , with major industrial users cutting production to reduce strain on the nation's power grid and gas supply. But investors no longer have confidence in the nation because of the exploration ban , Australian independent Beach Energy chief executive Brett Woods said. Beach Energy operates New Zealand's Taranaki basin offshore Kupe gas project. Utility Meridian Energy is urging Wellington to prepare LNG import facilities , as the expected supply shortfall will be "structural and significant". By Tom Major New Zealand oil, gas production outlook PJ/yr 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 Gas 106.8 100 94.8 80.6 73.8 66.8 60.6 56.2 50.4 43.8 34.9 LPG 5.7 5.3 4.6 3.5 3 2.8 2.5 2.1 2 1.8 0.7 Crude/condensate ( b/d ) 13,700 13,000 12,100 10,400 9,200 8,300 7,500 4,700 4,200 3,600 2,900 Source: MBIE Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Energy spend set to hit $3.3 trillion in 2025: IEA


05/06/25
News
05/06/25

Energy spend set to hit $3.3 trillion in 2025: IEA

London, 5 June (Argus) — Global energy investment is set to reach a record $3.3 trillion in 2025, two-thirds of which will be on "clean energy" technologies, double the amount going to fossil fuels, according to a report released today by the IEA. The total marks a 2pc rise "in real terms" compared to 2024 , "despite headwinds from elevated geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty", the agency said. The IEA forecasts that around $2.2 trillion will go to renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, energy efficiency and electrification in 2025, compared to $1.1 trillion for oil, gas and coal. The rise in "clean energy" investment reflects "not only efforts to reduce emissions but also the growing influence of industrial policy, energy security concerns and the cost competitiveness of electricity-based solutions", the agency said. Energy security is "a key driver" of the growth in investment globally, IEA executive director Fatih Birol said. Although the "fast-evolving economic and trade picture means that some investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach to new energy project approvals… in most areas we have yet to see significant implications for existing projects," he added. Age of electricity Investment trends are being shaped by a "rapid rise in electricity demand", the IEA said. Global spend on the electricity sector is set to hit $1.5 trillion this year, driven mainly by record investment on low-emissions generation, the organisation said. It expects solar power alone to attract $450bn this year. Investment in power grids is "struggling to keep pace with the rise in power demand", although spending is still forecast to surpass a record $400bn this year, it said. In contrast, investment in fossil fuel supply is expected to fall by around 2pc this year — the first decline since 2020 — owing to a "drop in prices and uncertain investment climate", the IEA said. Upstream oil and gas investment is forecast to fall by approximately 4pc to just under $570bn, led by a 6pc decline in upstream oil spending to roughly $420bn. "The sharp drop in oil prices, rising operational costs, the impacts of tariffs and concerns about potential oversupply have led many companies to revise their investment plans," the IEA said. Investment in coal supply is set to grow again in 2025, but more slowly — up by 4pc on the year, compared with an average 6pc annual increase over the past five years, the IEA said. Coal investment is largely driven by China and India. Spending on "low-emissions fuels" is expected to hit a new record in 2025, but will remain below $30bn, the IEA said. The agency flagged that such projects "are particularly prone to policy uncertainty". The IEA noted regional disparity across energy spending. China remains the world's largest investor "by a wide margin", it said, adding that the country's share of global clean energy investment has risen from a quarter a decade ago to almost one-third today. In the US, investment in renewables and lower-emissions fuels is "set to level off as supportive policies are scaled back", the IEA said. It noted that US shale oil producers are particularly challenged by falling oil prices, and that upstream oil and gas spending "is gravitating towards large resource-holders in the Middle East". By Georgia Gratton Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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