S&P Global Market Intelligence presents the most read stories for the week ended Sept. 20.
1. Battling to close US coal plants, environmentalists align with utilities
As environmentalists try to accelerate the retirement of U.S. coal plants, a central question remains: who will pay the costs of shutting them down?
2. New S&P podcast: Energy futurist sees major hurdles to renewables dominance
Population growth and mineral resource scarcity will hamper the global energy sector's transition from hydrocarbons to renewables, financial forecaster and futurist Jason Schenker says in the inaugural episode of Energy Evolution, a new S&P Global Market Intelligence podcast. Click here to listen.
3. Impact of oil sector's 'biggest outage in world history' hinges on duration
In the aftermath of an attack that shut in approximately half of Saudi Arabia's crude oil production, analysts are so far mixed in their assessment of the event's impact on oil equities as they await clarity on the duration of the outage.
4. Blackstone may entertain offers for Cheniere Energy Partners stake, exec says
Private equity firm Blackstone Group views its foundation investment in the Cheniere Energy Inc. affiliate that owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG export terminal as a mission accomplished, and the group is open to moving on, the chief of Blackstone's energy-focused business said.
5. Investor, government interest in carbon capture development touted by industry
Though carbon capture technology has not yet been widely commercialized, several speakers at a recent industry event said there is strong investor and governmental interest in its development.
