Author Archives: Diana M. Ngo

China, East Asia, Nuclear, Uncategorized

China’s Cautious Expansion of Nuclear Power (Part I of II)

China uncharacteristically expands nuclear power at a slower than expected speed due to the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster in March 2011.

When China opened its economy to the world in the early 1980s, the communist country was heavily reliant on oil and coal. These two fossil fuels were relatively abundant domestically and helped secure China’s national security at a time when the country was cautious of foreign influence. However, this energy policy set the pattern for China’s energy needs over the next three decades despite China’s net importation of oil since the early 1990s and coal in 2009. 

Continue reading →

Standard
China, East Asia, India, Oil, Security

Why China is Building an Imposing Navy, and Why No One Can Stop Them

Future clashes in the Asia-Pacific highly likely due to modernizing navy and disconnect between China’s perceived “rational” behavior with the international community’s understanding of their actions.

As of 2008, oil represented 17.2% of China’s total share of primary supply making it the second widely used energy source after coal. Although coal is widely used in China, its share has been decreasing due to its pollutant nature. External and internal pressures to reduce carbon emissions also have a factor, as well as the overall health and environmental costs it poses to their society. Oil, on the other hand, continues to increase as China’s middle class rises up and starts adopting private transportation. This phenomenon has concerned Chinese officials, as they begin to think about how China will be able to source enough oil to satisfy its population?  And more importantly, how can they secure a continuous flow of it?

Continue reading →

Standard
China, East Asia, Electric, Uncategorized

What It Will Take to Market EVs in China

The New EV Consumer Profile is highly correlated to the current luxury market, make EVs a status symbol and Chinese Consumers will buy.

Clean technology, renewable energy, eco-cities and the like have been buzz words in China for the past couple of years. Millions of dollars has been invested in these technologies, allowing China to now lead in the largest total capacity for renewable energy in the world. However, as a share of China’s total energy, renewable energy amounted to less than 15% in 2008 (this includes comb. renewable & waste, hydro, geothermal, wind,  and solar).

Continue reading →

Standard
Central Asia, China, Coal, India, Nabucco Project, Natural Gas, Oil, Oil Refinery, Russia, Security

The Other Energy Superpower: Central Asia? (Part II of II)

Although Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have the capacity to significantly influence the energy sector, their current development of oil, natural gas, and coal are too varied and many obstacles still stand in the way before they can be coined an “Energy Superpower.”

So, what are these obstacles?

Geopolitical

Central Asia’s geographical location is landlocked: Russia to its north, China to its east, the Middle East to its south, and Eastern/Western Europe to its east. Of the three major resource-rich countries in Central Asia, only Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have access to the Caspian Sea which has the  potential to link them to the world energy market via the Black Sea.

Continue reading →

Standard
China, Natural Gas, Oil, Security, Southeast Asia, Uncategorized, Water

The Spratly Islands Dispute: Why is this important?

As recently as yesterday, the Spratly Islands disputes were again highlighted in the international media. This time we see India lining up with Vietnam against China to vouch for India’s state-owned ONGC company to begin their “legal” exploration activities in Vietnam’s territorial waters. Just a few months earlier, in May and June of 2011 Chinese ships cut sonar cables attached to PetroVietnam’s boats in the same area.

In the wake of the continuing Spratly Island disputes between China and Vietnam (among others), many still wonder why these small group of islands are so important?

Continue reading →

Standard
Central Asia, Coal, Natural Gas, Oil

The Other Energy Superpower: Central Asia? (Part I of II)

Ask anyone where fossil fuels come from today and they will probably say Canada, Qatar, Australia, Saudi Arabia, or the United Arab Emirates. This is not surprising seeing how these countries are the current leaders in exporting oil, natural gas, and coal in the world and will continue to do so over the next decade. However, what about countries that have not fully exploited their fossil fuels yet?

Central Asia is one such region that has been often neglected by the international media and investors. But how much oil, natural gas, and coal reserves do countries in this area of the world actually have?

Continue reading →

Standard
Environment, Oil, Oil Refinery, Southeast Asia

Shell’s Refinery Fire in Singapore: Implications

Singapore is a key hub for the entry of energy into the Asia-Pacific. The majority of crude oil coming from the Middle East stops by Singapore in order to be traded, refined into oil products, and exported to countries in the region. The Shell refinery alone, accounts for about 500,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), which is roughly one-third the capacity of all the refineries in Singapore.

Continue reading →

Standard