Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $59 per barrel (b) in August, down $5/b from July and $13/b lower than the average from August of last year. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average $60/b in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $62/b in 2020. EIA forecasts that West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices will average $5.50/b less than Brent prices in 2020.

Egypt’s Ministry of Planning said the total investments targeted for the electricity sector during the fiscal year 19-2020 was estimated at 111.9 billion pounds ($6.8 billion), equivalent to 9.6 percent of the total investments.

Egypt’s Ministry of Planning said the total investments targeted for the electricity sector during the fiscal year 19-2020 was estimated at 111.9 billion pounds ($6.8 billion), equivalent to 9.6 percent of the total investments.

Russian thermal coal production is set to grow over 100 million mt by 2035, as the country looks to invest in new coal infrastructure and focus increasingly on the growing Asia-Pacific region, President Vladimir Putin said in a meeting with heads of coal mining regions last week.

China's July thermal coal imports, including lignite, jumped 20% from 20.44 million mt a year ago to 24.42 million mt,

Coal use in the U.S. electric power sector has decreased as overall electricity demand has remained relatively flat and other fuels—particularly natural gas and renewables—have gained market share.

Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $64 per barrel (b) in July, almost unchanged from the average in June 2019 but $10/b lower than the price in July of last year. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average $64/b in the second half of 2019 and $65/b in 2020. The forecast of stable crude oil prices is the result of EIA’s expectations of a relatively balanced global oil market. EIA forecasts global oil inventories will increase by 0.1 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2019 and 0.3 million b/d in 2020.

"Nuclear energy is the only absolutely stable (and always available) source of electricity without carbon emissions. Therefore, we hear more and more voices, including from environmentalists, who claim that nuclear energy should play a more important role in the future energy mix. Personally, I am certain of this."

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts Brent spot prices will average $67/b in the second half of 2019 and remain at that level in 2020. EIA expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices will average $62/b in the second half of 2019 and $63/b in 2020.

Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), a leading company in the coordination of planning, purchasing and providing of water and electricity across the UAE, has announced that ‘Noor Abu Dhabi’, the world’s largest single solar project, with a capacity of 1,177MW, has started commercial operation.

"Over the next five years we will do everything necessary to become truly energy independent: we will unite our power grids with the European ones, integrate into the European energy market, increase oil and gas production and create conditions for the development of alternative energy sources. Together with the energy saving program this will make our economy more efficient and will give impetus to the development of Ukraine," the head of state said during a meeting with the business community in Kyiv.

Japan imported more than 210 million short tons (MMst) of coal in 2018, making it the world’s third-largest coal-importing country after only India and China. Japan continues to use steam coal to fuel one-third of its electricity generation and metallurgical coal for raw steel production.

Primary energy consumption grew at a rate of 2.9% last year, almost double its 10-year average of 1.5% per year, and the fastest since 2010.

Front-month Brent crude futures were at $62.56 at 0707 GMT, up 27 cents, or 0.4%, from Monday’s close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $53.75 per barrel, 49 cents, or 0.9%, above their last settlement.

The new analysis finds that, on average, the levelised cost of electricity from the coal fleet is less than the levelised cost of new natural gas combined cycle (NGCC), new wind and new solar.