2008 - the year of green IT

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, which runs from December 3 to 14 this year, looks set to send a clear and unambiguous message to the developed world: reduce your carbon footprint now before it is too late.

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3D Fast Bus: overtaking more conventional green automotive innovations

According to a recent Datamonitor survey, consumers worldwide are becoming increasingly interested in energy efficient cars. However, congestion remains a concern, and in an attempt to tackle this issue, a revolutionary new type of bus is set to be pilot tested in Beijing, which will address the problem by simply driving above passenger cars, without the need for a separate track.

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Acergy and Subsea 7: deal signals a new reality in the oil and gas market

The planned merger between Acergy and Subsea 7, like the similar deal agreed by Schlumberger and Smith International earlier this year, illustrates the new environment in the oil and gas services market. With firms looking to become stronger so that they can overcome costs and complexity challenges, consolidation is likely to emerge as a popular strategy.

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Adoption of home energy management systems restricted by cost and control issues

While home energy management systems are a useful way of reducing energy use, with benefits for consumers and utilities alike, the adoption of this technology is likely to be hampered by a number of factors including concerns over privacy and a lack of return on investment. As a result, uptake is likely to be optional and driven by sophisticated users and utilities struggling to meet peak demands.

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AEP: joining the rush back home

US utilities from AEP to Reliant are running scared from competitive retail markets outside the US. Only TXU, which also has to face deregulation back home in Texas, is presently capable of operating successfully in such a challenging environment.

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AES: cutbacks could hurt future growth

AES' languishing share price in the wake of Enron has forced it to scale back its growth plans. This is unfortunate, given that one of the long-term strengths of the company is its involvement in developing markets. If this situation continues, more US utilities may have to sell out to cash-rich foreign companies - as seen in Centrica's acquisition of NewPower.

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Aggreko: US still driving profits

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AIG rescue news raises new questions for the market

The welcome news that AIG is to be bailed out by the Federal Reserve Bank through an $85 billion loan seems to have calmed fears in the markets, despite questions over whether this injection will be sufficient to stabilize the ailing insurer. For now, however, it seems that while the Fed was prepared to let Lehman file for bankruptcy, the demise of AIG was too much for it to bear.

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Air freight: carriers need to look to alternative modes to address margin declines

Soaring oil prices are rendering air freight an increasingly less economically viable choice for logistics carriers and shippers alike. Profit margins in the air freight business are being hurt by the rising fuel costs; thus, multi-modal carriers need to focus on fuel-efficient modal choices to maintain their margins.

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Anadarko/Apache: slipping up on oil

The country's two largest independent oil producers are suffering from lower commodity prices and overcapacity. However, the cyclical nature of the upstream oil market means that their long-term future should still be positive. Their best bet for now is to hold tight and plan for a better future, investing in new reserves that will not come online for a few years.

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