EXXONMOBIL - ExxonMobil said that it has signed a partnership agreement with IBM to advance the potential use of quantum computing in developing next-generation energy and manufacturing technologies. The new partnership was formally announced during the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

REUTERS - “I think that during the first half, due to joint efforts, which were confirmed by the OPEC and non-OPEC countries this December, the situation will be more stable, more balanced,” Novak said in an interview on Rossiya-24 TV.

U.S. EIA - U.S. primary energy production totaled 8.0 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu), a 10% increase compared with September 2017.

WNN - Energy infrastructure is a critical component of South Africa's National Development Plan (NDP), which was published in 2011 and identifies the need for investment in a strong network of economic infrastructure designed to support the country’s medium- and long-term economic and social objectives. The IRP plays a crucial role in contributing to the objectives of the NDP, the Committee said in its report.

U.S. DT - U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness today signed an Energy Framework to foster cooperation on energy and infrastructure investment in Jamaica. Secretary Mnuchin and Prime Minister Holness signed the Framework to Strengthen Infrastructure Investment and Energy Cooperation at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Framework is part of a U.S. initiative called America Crece, or the Americas Grow.

REUTERS - “Since 2010, the sector invested about 80 billion dollars in generation, transmission and distribution and between now to 2030 another 150 billion dollars needs to be raised,” said Dione, who added that electricity demand in Vietnam will grow by about 8 percent a year for the next decade.

REUTERS - Total’s French retail electricity arm is on track to win 700,000 customers this year, challenging former state monopolies EDF and Engie with a low-cost, digital service it believes could mimic Uber’s success in the taxi market.

IMF - Australia’s recent strong growth is expected to continue in the near term, further reducing slack in the economy and leading the way to gradual upward pressure on wages and prices.

REUTERS - Global gas demand would increase by 1.6 percent a year to 2040 and would be 45 percent higher by then than today,

WNN - world electricity generation increases from 25,679 TWh in 2017 to 30,253 TWh in 2025 and to 40,443 TWh in 2040. Global nuclear generation increases from 2637 TWh in 2017 to 3726 TWh in 2040, when it will account for around 9% of total electricity production, down from the current level of about 10.5%. Fossil fuels remain the major source for electricity generation under this scenario, but their share falls from around two-thirds today to under 50% by 2040.

WNN - The search for solutions to climate change must include discussion of nuclear power, Scott Foster, director of the Sustainable Energy Division of UNECE, told

IMF - The agreement reached today reflects the IMF’s commitment to continue to help Ukraine achieve stronger, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth. The new program has been developed in close coordination with the World Bank and the European Union, who have parallel operations to support Ukraine. The authorities’ steadfast and effective implementation will be critical for the program to achieve its objectives.

IEA - Switzerland has the lowest carbon-intensity of its energy supply among all IEA countries thanks to a largely carbon-free electricity sector dominated by hydro and nuclear generation. However, with the country’s 2017 decision to gradually phase-out nuclear power, Switzerland faces a considerable energy-sector transition in coming decades.

IEA - Modern bioenergy will have the biggest growth in renewable resources between 2018 and 2023, underscoring its critical role in building a robust renewable portfolio and ensuring a more secure and sustainable energy system, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest market forecast.

PLATTS - The two leaders, who met during a state visit to India by Putin, said in a statement that companies should "consider a wide range of opportunities for cooperation, including long-term contracts, joint ventures and acquisitions of energy assets in both countries, as well as possible cooperation in third countries".