A coal-fired power plant in Shanghai, China. Several parts of Europe and Asia have faced natural gas and coal shortages. Reuters
A coal-fired power plant in Shanghai, China. Several parts of Europe and Asia have faced natural gas and coal shortages. Reuters
A coal-fired power plant in Shanghai, China. Several parts of Europe and Asia have faced natural gas and coal shortages. Reuters
A coal-fired power plant in Shanghai, China. Several parts of Europe and Asia have faced natural gas and coal shortages. Reuters

Global fuel shortage unlikely to derail energy transition, Bank of Singapore says


Jennifer Gnana
  • English
  • Arabic

The global shortage of hydrocarbon-based fuel supply is not expected to derail international efforts to mitigate climate change and reach net zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century, according to the Bank of Singapore.

Parts of Europe and Asia have faced natural gas and coal shortages, prompted energy prices to surge to multi-year highs.

Concerns are rife that higher prices could spur more investment in hydrocarbons, which could derail efforts taken to wean the global economy off fossil fuels.

However, efforts to switch to clean energy will gain more pace after recent shortages, the lender said.

"Our view is that the disruptions will not derail the energy transition. The pain inflicted by the current energy crisis may spur policy changes that encourage an even more rapid transition to clean energy over the next decade," the Bank of Singapore said in a report on Tuesday.

Oil prices are at three and seven-year highs as a result of the shortages.

Brent, the international benchmark for crude, was down 0.42 per cent to trade at $85.63 a barrel at 2.08pm UAE time. West Texas Intermediate, which tracks US crude grades, was down 0.54 per cent at $83.31 a barrel.

Natural gas prices have also doubled so far this year, with Henry Hub prices climbing 0.64 per cent to $5.936 per million British thermal units at 2.10pm UAE time.

Despite indications of additional oil supply hitting the markets, the momentum towards clean energy, backed by global policy initiatives such as Cop26, is expected to remain uninterrupted.

"Notwithstanding emergency measures taken to ease energy shortages in China and Europe, we expect to see a progressive shift away from new investment in fossil fuels and a significant increase in investment in renewable energy sources," the Bank of Singapore said.

The falling prices of wind and solar energy could further encourage more investment in renewables, the report said.

Wind and solar are already some of the cheapest sources of power and will account for the bulk of electricity generation in countries representing two thirds of the world's population and three-quarters of global gross domestic product, according to BloombergNEF.

Clean energy will also account for 70 per cent of the $530bn spent on all increasing generating capacity, according to the International Energy Agency.

"The energy transition over the coming decade is likely to be highly non-linear," the bank said.

"Increasingly robust climate policies intersect with technological advancements and falling costs to propel low-carbon alternatives to the forefront across a wide range of economic activity," the report said.

The falling costs will prompt a "tipping point" in industry and will lead to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour.

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

How it works

1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground

2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water

3) One application is said to last five years

4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Lamsa

Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: EdTech

Funding to date: $15 million

Updated: October 27, 2021, 4:31 AM