Big oil firms fear Trump rules rollback: not for environment but for PR

Oil field (Image: Flickr user johnny choura, used under CC license)Efforts to loosen regulations on the oil industry now underway have met with public approval from fossil-fuel companies. But while the Trump administration has moved swiftly to create a more friendly regulatory environment for big oil, some executives have urged a slowdown behind the scenes. That's not for environmental reasons, but due to worries...

BP follows other gas-station brands, adds electric-car charging

Highway sign for electric-car fast-charging station at BP in Metrolina area of Charlotte, NCMajor oil companies are beginning to take the threat of electric cars seriously, and the latest evidence comes from British Petroleum. BP has begun discussions with electric-vehicle makers to partner on a network of charging stations. The move comes as many European countries announce plans to ban the sale of fossil-fuel powered cars in coming...

Decline of oil: Bloomberg suggests what it could look like

Oil well (photo by John Hill)Predictions on the future of global energy vary greatly, but many analysts largely believe that peak demand for the oil industry is coming relatively soon. The world's largest oil companies, however, see it differently: they say their business will only continue to grow through the year 2040. Exxon and OPEC each believe more than 100 million...

Russia falls further behind in renewable energy as oil keeps Putin in power

Coal, by Flicker user oatsy40 (Used Under CC License)It's difficult to invest in renewable, alternative sources of energy when state-run oil pays the bills. And it's even harder for renewable energy when gasoline is all but free, courtesy of the same state. Now The Financial Times has taken a look at Russia's growing lag in embracing renewable energy to offer a serious alternative to oil and...

The oil industry doesn’t care about electric cars: here’s why

Oil well (photo by John Hill)It crops up in comments from electric-car advocates and clean-energy users fairly regularly. And it goes something like this: "Big Oil and Gas are on the verge of collapse, as clean energy and electric cars make them obsolete." Occasionally the sentiment is followed by an approving emoji. DON'T MISS: Electric cars pose little threat to oil demand...

Biofuel, fossil-fuel lobbyists join to fight electric-car incentives

Big square baler harvesting wheat straw for production of cellulosic ethanolAs the old saying goes: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The biofuel and fossil-fuel lobbies have argued in the past over the blending of biofuels with the general fuel supply. But now the two groups have found something they can agree on. DON'T MISS: Sierra Club to sue EPA over failure to report on ethanol A U.S. biofuel-lobbying group is...

Shell hedges bets, adds hydrogen fuel to 1st U.K. station

Shell logoAnticipating a possible decrease in fossil-fuel consumption from the mass deployment of zero-emission vehicles, one of the world's largest oil companies is hedging its bets. Royal Dutch Shell is becoming increasingly involved in hydrogen fueling infrastructure, which will be needed if fuel-cell vehicles are ever to grow beyond their current...

Big energy hugely underestimates electric cars, renewable power

2016 BMW i3Mass adoption of electric cars and renewable energy could significantly decrease global consumption of fossil fuels. But does the established energy industry view these new developments as a threat? In a recent report, ExxonMobil said coal could continue to provide the majority of the world's electricity-generation capacity in 2040, and that...

Which oil companies invest in renewables, electric-car services?

Shell fuel station in EuropeIf electric cars are adopted by mass-market buyers in years to come, that will lead over time to notably lower oil consumption. So what are oil companies doing to prepare for that possible outcome? Some continue to doubt whether electric cars will constitute a serious threat to their business in the coming decades—but others are branching...

Shell fuel stations in U.K., Netherlands to add electric-car charging

Shell logoElectric cars are often touted as a way to avoid gas stations. But electric-car drivers in certain European countries will soon be going to them to charge. That's because a pair of European oil companies plan to add electric-car charging at certain fuel stations. CHECK OUT: Electric-Car Charging Station At Gas Station In Tar-Sands Land (Nov 2014)...