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If High Gas Prices Are So Painful, Shouldn’t We Move Away From Fossil Fuels?

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If High Gas Prices Are So Painful, Shouldn’t We Move Away From Fossil Fuels?
The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County hit $4.70 on Monday, a record high for the 10th time in the last 11 days. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Not only is it possible to switch to renewables, but it’s also cheaper and would make economies less vulnerable. Yet, bizarrely, politicians and the fossil fuel industry, who are using the war on Ukraine to justify high gas prices, are now calling for more oil to be produced.

Long used to cheap gas at the pump, Americans are experiencing serious sticker shock these days as gas prices rise to $6 or even $7 a gallon. News headlines are linking this sharp increase to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Guilt-inducing memes are cropping up on social media shaming people for complaining about the high gas prices in the face of Ukrainian suffering.

Such logic is based on the idea that oil companies have no control over the price of oil and that high prices are stemming, almost “naturally,” from an imminent scarcity of oil as a result of a ban on Russian energy imports.

Whether or not this is true, an economy based on a source of energy that is so fickle will always be vulnerable. So where are the calls for ending our dependence on oil and gas?

Collin Rees, senior campaigner with Oil Change International, told me in a recent interview that there is “a complex interplay” of forces that determine prices, and in fact, “the U.S. doesn’t actually import that much Russian oil and gas.” Only about 8 percent of all oil and gas imported into the United States comes from Russia. When accounting for domestic oil and gas production, the Russian contribution to American fossil fuel use is a paltry 2 percent.

Rees explains that if Russia’s war on Ukraine had any effect, it was that “increased fear among investors [has] driven up prices.” So, no, the Russian war on Ukraine has little direct connection to the hike in gas prices at the pump. Rather, it is investor fear over losing out on current and future profits that is pushing prices up.

Still, it is important to point out that oil has become a convenient ransom note in the war: the West threatens to stop importing Russian oil, while Russia threatens to cut off oil supplies to the West. “It’s a complex issue with a lot of leverage on both sides,” says Rees.

In the meantime, for those Americans struggling to make sense of what they’re seeing at the pump, prices actually began rising in 2021 as pandemic-related quarantines eased and Americans resumed commuting and travel. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, last year “[r]ising crude oil prices and increased gasoline demand contributed to… the highest average nominal price since 2014.” Additionally, “[t]he average price for retail gasoline increased by more than $1.00/gal between the start and the end of 2021.”

“The oil industry is a boom-bust industry,” says Rees. “This is an extremely volatile industry that goes through price spikes and price dips, and for that reason it’s not something that we want our economies to be hooked to in the future.”

But the fossil fuel industry is already using the price spike to make the case for generating more oil and gas and to demand the sale of more oil and gas drilling leases. If the logic of Russian oil scarcity as the reason for price increases is to be believed, then conversely, it’s easy to make the case that increasing supplies will bring down prices.

The idea that supply and demand drives prices is an elegant one that fits well with the myths we have all been fed about capitalism. Ever the opportunist to ensure corporate profiteering, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted, “Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures.”

But it’s not just Musk. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said recently, “In this moment of crisis, we need more supply… right now, we need oil and gas production to rise to meet current demand.”

In other words, Americans are being told we have to accept that the price of isolating Russia for its war on Ukraine is more expensive gas, and the price for ensuring cheaper gas is to increase reliance on fossil fuels.

Only a few months ago, Granholm admitted that “the energy industry is making enormous profits. They’re back up… above where they were before the pandemic started.” Rees concurs, saying the industry is “raking in massive profits” amounting to “obscene amounts of money.” In fact, the top 24 oil and gas companies in the world made $174 billion in profits in the first nine months of 2021.

The organization Earthjustice points out that with the windfall, these companies “are buying back their own shares, funneling dividends to their shareholders, and paying lobbyists to demand cheap new federal leases so they can stockpile them for future profit.”

It’s easy to mock Americans for paying more attention to the price of oil than the price of milk. But decades of artificially low oil prices, combined with out-of-reach electric vehicles, have created a dependence that is not the fault of ordinary people. Oil profiteers and their allies in Washington, D.C., are to blame for ensuring that our economy remains wholly reliant on a product that also threatens the survival of our species through resulting climate change.

President Joe Biden during his March 1 State of the Union address could have used high oil prices to boldly tout his climate justice agenda. He could have linked the volatility of oil prices to the need for less reliance on oil. But he did neither.

Instead, he assured Americans that there would be plenty of oil, saying the United States was “releasing 30 million barrels from our own Strategic Petroleum Reserve,” adding, “we stand ready to do more if necessary.”

Biden, who ran for president on an ambitious climate justice platform, and who appointed the first Native American Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, known for her climate activism, has betrayed his own agenda. The Washington Post in January pointed out how “Biden has outpaced” his pro-oil predecessor, Donald Trump, on issuing oil and gas drilling leases on public lands.

What’s bizarre is that our continued reliance on oil and gas is no longer financially sensible even by the logic of capitalism. Leading environmental activist and founder of 350.org Bill McKibben wrote in the Guardian, “scientists and engineers have dropped the cost of solar and windpower by an order of magnitude, to the point where it is some of the cheapest power on Earth.”

“Big oil and gas [have] bought out our politicians,” explains Rees about why there remains such a continued dependence on a destructive and dwindling resource, whose prices are volatile, and whose sources are politically fraught.

Just as the fossil fuel industry and its political allies are using Russia’s war on Ukraine and resulting high prices to justify increased dependence on the resource, now is the time for advocates of sanity and safety to use this moment to instead pivot as far away from petroleum as fast as possible.

Rees concludes, “It’s more critical than ever in these moments to recognize that this is a chance to free ourselves from that dependency, to free ourselves from that cycle of conflict and fossil-fueled harm and pain and death, and to build a better world, hopefully.”


By Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of “Rising Up With Sonali,” a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations.

__________

Independent Media Institute.

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PT Rig Tenders Indonesia Tbk Sustains Positive Performance Growth Until June 30, 2023

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PT Rig Tenders Indonesia Tbk Sustains Positive Performance Growth Until June 30, 2023
Photo: public presentation carried out by the Director of PT Rig Tenders Indonesia Tbk, Mr. Iriawan Hartana, in Jakarta on November 23 2023. (Safa/infoemiten.com)

Telegraf – PT Rig Tenders Indonesia Tbk (RIGS) continues to register positive performance growth until June 30, 2023.

RIGS successfully garnered a profit of IDR 62.51 billion, a 74.58% increase from the same period the previous year, amounting to IDR 35.80 billion.

According to the financial report, the company’s revenue also grew by 10.44% to reach IDR 341.70 billion, up from the previous IDR 309.37 billion.

“Director of RIGS, Mr. Iriawan Hartana, conveyed this information during a public presentation in Jakarta on November 23, 2023.”

“The company will continue to strive to strengthen its position in the national shipping industry,” said Mr. Iriawan.

He added that the company will continue to develop services that meet market needs while maintaining the distinctive features of the company.

“The company will also continue to explore the possibility of engaging in strategic alliances that benefit our working partners,” added Mr. Iriawan Hartana.

As for the work program in 2023, the company has outlined several initiatives:

  1. Changing the ownership status of the company’s shares from Foreign Direct Investment (PMA) to Domestic Direct Investment (PMDN) after the share acquisition by PT Surya Indah Muara Pantai.
  2. Changing the currency in the financial statements from USD to IDR starting from July 2022.
  3. Changing the ownership structure of the subsidiary Grundtvig Marine, namely PT Batuah Abadi Lines, to directly become a subsidiary of PT Rig Tenders Indonesia, Tbk.
  4. Implementing sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.

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OJK Holds Discussion and Socialization on Fulfillment of WPPE, WPEE, WMI, WAPERD Licensing Obligations

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OJK Holds Discussion and Socialization on Fulfillment of WPPE, WPEE, WMI, WAPERD Licensing Obligations
Photo: Naomi Saulina Rentaria Rambe as Senior Analyst Deputy Director of Licensing for Individuals, Supporting Professionals and Capital Market Supporting Institutions 1 (Sitting) and, Devy Arveida as Analyst Deputy Director of Licensing for Individuals, Supporting Professionals and Capital Market Supporting Institutions 1 (Standing). (Doc.Ist)

Telegraf – The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has released the latest data as of 07 November 2023 at the Discussion & Socialization event on Fulfillment of WPPE, WPEE, WMI, WAPERD Licensing Obligations.

This meeting took place on November 8 2023 at the OJK Mataram building, NTB, with the aim of providing a better understanding to permit holders and prospective permit holders.

The main resource person came from the OJK Capital Market Licensing Directorate.

Naomi Saulina Rentaria Rambe, Senior Analyst Deputy Director of Individual Licensing, Supporting Professionals and Capital Market Supporting Institutions 1.

Devy Arveida, Analyst Deputy Director of Individual Licensing, Supporting Professionals and Capital Market Supporting Institutions 1.

Also present were important figures such as Umar Hidayat, Deputy Head of the NTB OJK Office, GB Ngurah Putra Sandiana, Head of the NTB BEI Representative Office, and Lucky Hisar Manurung, Chair of the Bali Nusa Raya PROPAMI Region, along with license holders from the banking, capital markets and universities in NTB.

source: ojk data

source: ojk data

In the context of the growth of the capital markets sector, OJK has issued a series of regulations, including;

  • OJK Regulation Number 31/POJK.04/2018 concerning Licensing of Investment Manager Representatives,
  • OJK Regulation Number 17/POJK.04/2019 concerning Licensing of Mutual Fund Securities Selling Agent Representatives, and
  • OJK Regulation Number 20/POJK.04/2018 concerning Licensing of Underwriter Representatives and Securities Broker-Dealer Representatives.
  • OJK Regulation Number 22/POJK.04/2016 concerning Licensing Segmentation of Securities Broker-Dealer Representatives

The General Chair of PROPAMI, NS Aji Martono, commented on this development, stating that licensing for capital market players is a crucial step to ensure the integrity of the capital market and provide legal certainty and protection to investors.

OJK emphasizes the importance of licensing for various roles in the capital market, such as WMI (Deputy Investment Manager), WAPERD (Representative Mutual Fund Securities Selling Agent), and WPPE (Deputy Underwriter).

License holders must meet strict requirements, including certification of expertise and maintaining moral integrity.

The General Chair of PROPAMI, NS Aji Martono

The General Chair of PROPAMI, NS Aji Martono

In addition, permit holders are required to work for financial institutions in Indonesia and may not work for more than one securities company or other financial services institution.

All work activities must be reported to the OJK.

OJK provides a platform, namely Sprint (Individual Person Licensing System), as the main means for applying for new permits or extending permits.

Tutorials on YouTube OJK are also provided to make the licensing process easier.

The importance of fulfilling licensing obligations is the main key in ensuring integrity and security in the Indonesian capital market sector.

The permit holder’s commitment to comply with statutory regulations is an important basis for maintaining the credibility of the capital market in the eyes of investors.

It is hoped that strict regulations will strengthen and develop the Indonesian capital market in the future.

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Legit Group Secures Rp 205.3 Billion in Series A Funding for F&B Business Expansion

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Legit Group Secures Rp 205.3 Billion in Series A Funding for F&B Business Expansion
(Left-Right) Monica Evanti Andriani, CMO &Co-founder; Felix Nugroho Group CTO; Cendyarani, Strategic Advisor; Juliana Thamrin, COO; Bram Hendranata, Co-founder & Chairman of Legit Group.

TELEGRAF – Legit Group, a multi-brand cloud kitchen conceptor and operator, has announced the success of its series A funding round, raising a total of US$13.7 million (IDR 205.3 billion) from several investors. The funding was led by MDI Ventures, the venture capital arm of PT Telkom Indonesia Tbk, and followed by Sinar Mas Digital Ventures (SMDV), East Ventures, and Winter Capital. In 2021, Legit Group also successfully raised seed funding worth US$3 million (IDR 43 billion) from East Ventures and AC Ventures, JAKARTA, TUESDAY (11 APRIL 2023).

Founded in 2021, Legit Group currently operates four well-known brands, including Pastaria, Sei’Tan, Sek Fan, and Ryujin, located in over 30 locations in Jabodetabek. Interestingly, Legit Group’s brands do not have any offline locations, but operate using a cloud business model.

This new funding adds optimism to Legit Group to dominate the market through the right marketing strategy in the F&B industry. This confidence is supported by the strong traction the company has gained since the initial funding round, with sales reaching about three times in one month, and launching a new brand.

Bram Hendrata, Chairman of Legit Group said, “We are excited to have a strong group of investors to support us in creating a brand that carries the vision of ‘Food for Everyone’. Through the funding obtained from MDI Ventures, this can strengthen Legit Group’s commitment to bringing more food to various places, while continuing to innovate and improve the technology we have to achieve more efficient operating systems,” said Bram, who has been a veteran in the F&B industry for 15 years.

Currently, Legit Group’s business sector is rapidly growing. While most regular cloud kitchen business owners focus on improving their ability to serve more consumers in new areas, Legit Group has seen the potential for new generation F&B technology that focuses more on developing F&B brands by applying technology to maximize profits. Therefore, Legit Group believes that this focus will provide a competitive advantage in the cloud kitchen market.

Donald Wihardja, CEO of MDI Ventures said, “Legit Group’s founders’ experience, who have succeeded in the F&B business for 15 years, as well as their ability to develop innovative and effective products and marketing strategies, make MDI Ventures more confident that our support as investors will help strengthen their position in the F&B industry and accelerate their business growth. This collaboration is expected to create positive synergy and greater success for both parties. This investment is also an effort by MDI Ventures to provide a positive social impact on the growth of the agriculture sector in Indonesia.”

Amidst the macroeconomic conditions that often demand startup businesses to remain profitable, Legit Group has set its top priority to achieve economic balance while continuing to strive for a healthy economic unit. To achieve this goal, Legit Group has announced its plan to expand in 2023, targeting Jabodetabek and other cities that have great potential for delivery market, after 95% of Legit Group’s outlets were previously spread across several locations in Jakarta.

“Through the support from various parties, strategic approaches, and our commitment to product quality excellence, we believe we can continue to produce products that…

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MKI Teams up with Enlit Asia to Host the Most Influential Electricity and Energy Sector Meeting in ASEAN

In order to promote the development of clean energy technology in the ASEAN region, the most influential electricity and energy sector meeting in ASEAN

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MKI Teams up with Enlit Asia to Host the Most Influential Electricity and Energy Sector Meeting in ASEAN
From left to right: Bakti S Luddin, Director of Business Unit Indonesian Electrical Power Society, Lydia Sebastian, Director or Marketing, Clarion Events Asia, Arsyadany G Akmalaputri, Secretary General of Indonesian Electrical Power Society, and Noesita Indriani, Executive Director of Indonesian Electrical Power Society

Telegraf – In order to promote the development of clean energy technology in the ASEAN region, the most influential electricity and energy sector meeting in ASEAN will once again be held in Jakarta in 2023, coinciding with Indonesia’s Chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit. This meeting is a partnership between Enlit Asia and the Indonesian Electricity Society (MKI), which will hold two leading events in the electricity and energy business and industry in the ASEAN region, with the support of PT PLN (Persero) as Utility Host and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

The Enlit Asia 2023 event and the 78th Indonesian National Electricity Day (HLN 78) will be jointly opened on November 14, 2023, at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE). This combined event continues the successful partnership that brought the first Powergen Asia to Indonesia and the 73rd Indonesian National Electricity Day in 2018.

This cooperation will bring together more than 350 exhibition participants from around the world who will showcase the latest technologies and innovations that support energy transition throughout ASEAN. It is expected that 12,000 visitors from all over Indonesia and ASEAN will benefit from over 75 hours of free content provided by technology providers and the latest solutions, as well as case studies on the use of the latest technology in the field by IPPs and electric utilities.

This meeting is being held to support energy transition in the ASEAN region and will focus on commercial and strategic issues that will accelerate the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable power system. Over 150 leading speakers in the industry will share their insights simultaneously, where the evolution of traditional energy systems, integration of next-generation clean generation technology, and frameworks and financing supporting this transition will be the focus of the discussion.

With more and more companies participating in the exhibition, including those focused on Carbon Capture and Storage, Hydrogen technology, Energy Storage, Smart Grid, and RE integration solutions including Solar PV and Wind Energy, as well as Nuclear power generation technology, the event is further cementing its position as a leading industry meeting on the ASEAN calendar.

“We are delighted to return to Jakarta and partner with MKI once again. Indonesia is a very important market in the ASEAN region, with the highest electricity demand, projected growth, and active steps being taken to achieve sustainability targets and renew network infrastructure. Partnering with the Indonesian National Electricity Day to see Enlit Asia’s regional reach and capabilities unite key industry stakeholders from across ASEAN, supported by Indonesia’s strong sense of taste, is very important. In 2023, we can promise that this event will fully reflect the strong enthusiasm to drive ASEAN energy transition, supported by the investment appetite of governments, regulators, utilities, and IPPs in this region,” said Richard Ireland, Chief Executive Officer of Clarion Events Asia.

Meanwhile, Arsyadany G Akmalaputri, Secretary General of MKI, explained that this year’s Indonesian National Electricity Day is the third time that MKI has partnered with Enlit Asia in organizing conferences and exhibitions. The 78th Indonesian National Electricity Day and Enlit Asia 2023 event will carry the theme “Strenghtening ASEAN Readiness in Energy Transition: Your Guide to The Energy Transition in Asia”. This year’s program will be different from previous ones, where support for the world’s commitment to implementing energy transition towards cleaner energy has been declared.

In line with Indonesia’s mandate as Chair of ASEAN, ASEAN will continue to be the epicenter of its strong and empowered society growth. The event organized by MKI and Enlit Asia is highly relevant given the scope of exhibition and conference participants

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PGEO Boosts Net Profit in 2022 through Efficiency Programs

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PGEO Boosts Net Profit in 2022 through Efficiency Programs
PGE - Ilustrasi WKP Lahendong

Telegraf – PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Tbk. (PGE) (IDX: PGEO), a subsidiary of Pertamina engaged in the geothermal sector, achieved a positive performance in 2022. This positive performance was due to the efficiency program, steam and electricity sales, and other revenue contributions that led to a 49.7 percent increase in the company’s net profit compared to 2021.

The increase in profit was recorded in the company’s audited financial report, which was publicly released on March 30, 2023. In the report, PGE recorded a net profit of USD 127.3 million in 2022, significantly higher than its 2021 achievement of USD 85 million.

Throughout 2022, the company recorded a 4.7 percent year-on-year (yoy) increase in operational revenue, contributing to a USD 17 million increase in revenue. One of the contributing factors was the higher selling price of steam and electricity, referring to the US Producer Price Index (PPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI). Additionally, the increase in profit was supported by the significant reduction of operational costs as a result of the company’s efficiency program. From the other revenue side, PGE also recorded carbon credit sales as a new revenue generator.

As part of PGE’s efforts to increase its installed capacity by 600 MW in 2027, the company is currently constructing the Lumut Balai Unit 2 Geothermal Power Plant with a capacity of 55 MW, which is expected to operate commercially by the end of 2024. Additionally, PGE has completed the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for the Fluid Collection and Reinjection System (FCRS) facility. This phase is part of the project to develop the Hulu Lais Unit 1 and 2 Geothermal Power Plants with a total installed capacity of 2 x 55 MW, which is expected to operate commercially in 2026.

Moving forward, the company will focus on optimizing its existing geothermal assets. One way to do this is by increasing production capacity through co-generation technology, utilizing the available hot water (brine) to generate electricity. Co-generation technology has already been implemented at the Lahendong Geothermal Power Plant, utilizing the residual brine from steam production to generate 700 KW of power.

From an ESG perspective, in 2022, PGE achieved an ESG Rating 2 from Sustainable Fitch. This rating indicates that PGE is in the good performance category in terms of ESG management. The ESG initiatives carried out by PGE in 2022 include several programs, such as co-generation technology (brine to power) utilization in the Lahendong area, emission reduction and carbon credit sales, biodiversity programs, occupational health and safety management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), enterprise risk management (ERM), cyber security, and the implementation of an anti-bribery management system (SMAP).

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The Urgency of Increasing Competence in Achieving Success in Investing in the Capital Market

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The Urgency of Increasing Competence in Achieving Success in Investing in the Capital Market

TELEGRAF – GI BEI Institut Asia Malang Presents: “The Urgency of Increasing Competence in Achieving Success in Investing in the Capital Market” with Dr. Titis Sosro Tri Raharjo, M.M., CRP, CIB,CSA, CSC, CES, RFC, CRMP, CPIA, C.Me, CPRM as Guest Lecturer

Join us on Tuesday, March 28th, 2023 from 09.00 AM to 12.00 PM WIB at R. Theater Lt.1 Kampus Pusat Institut Asia Malang for a special guest lecture on the importance of improving competence in achieving investment success in the stock market. The lecture will be presented by Dr. (Cand.) Titis Sosro Tri Raharjo, M.M., CRP, CIB,CSA, CSC, CES, RFC, CRMP, CPIA, C.Me, CPRM, who is the Treasurer General of PROPAMI.

The purpose of this guest lecture is to provide participants with better knowledge and understanding of the stock market, which is a form of investment that can provide significant returns but also comes with high risks. Therefore, investors need to have sufficient competence in making investment decisions and choosing the right investment instruments.

Through this guest lecture, participants will gain a better understanding of the stock market and how to achieve success within it. The lecture will cover various effective and efficient investment techniques and strategies, allowing participants to have a deeper understanding of the stock market.

In addition, participants will have the opportunity to directly ask questions to the speaker, Dr. (Cand.) Titis Sosro Tri Raharjo, M.M., CRP, CIB,CSA, CSC, CES, RFC, CRMP, CPIA, C.Me, CPRM, who has extensive experience and knowledge in the field of stock market investment. This will enable participants to deepen their understanding of investment in the stock market.

This guest lecture is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their knowledge and competence in investing in the stock market. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an expert in the field of stock market investment. Register now to join the guest lecture on “Urgensi Peningkatan Kompetensi Dalam Meraih Sukses Berinvestasi di Pasar Modal” by GI BEI Institut Asia Malang on March 28th, 2023.

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