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The commodity is not the constraint. The queue in front of it is. Utah drills for firm power. Europe queues for it. A government-backed research site in Utah is running what amounts to a full-scale trial of enhanced geothermal. Rather than searching for the...
Read updatePhysical shipping data still tells a different story than the diplomacy This week again showed how far diplomatic signaling can drift from what is actually moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar's foreign ministry said draft language for a settlement...
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Health Center Hoenderdaal, a large sports complex in Driebergen featuring tennis courts, padel courts…
View caseEurope aims for 2040 The set-piece of the week lands on 17 July, when the European Commission is expected to unveil its first dedicated electrification target for 2040. According to a draft seen by Bloomberg, Brussels wants electricity to carry a far larger...
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Where energy had previously been just an expense, it suddenly became a source of…
View caseWhen the cycle turns The energy market in the summer of 2026 is not experiencing a price spike. It is experiencing a structural reorientation. The framework that kept global commodity markets stable for the better part of four decades, a US-enforced maritime...
Read updateThe real AI risk for energy may be moving too slowly, not too fast The anxiety around artificial intelligence and power has, until now, run in one direction: how many gigawatts the data-centre build-out will demand, and whether ageing grids can carry it. A...
Read updateNorway steps up pressure on the EU to reopen the Arctic Norway has intensified its lobbying in Brussels to soften or scrap the EU moratorium that keeps oil and gas drilling out of the Arctic. As Western Europe’s largest producer, and a supplier whose...
Read updateU.S. Gasoline Tops $4.50 As "Shock & Awe" Level Approaches WTI crude futures experienced a sharp 11% contraction, settling near the $90 per barrel mark following reports from Axios that Washington is advancing toward a preliminary ceasefire agreement with...
Read updateThe end of OPEC: what does it mean for the war in Iran and global energy prices? Did the UAE just cause a rare shift in global energy markets? The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it would leave OPEC by May 1 after 60 years of membership. This deals a blow...
Read updateIs the Iran war good for the petrodollar? Diana Choyleva wrote an excellent editorial for the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Iran War Is A Boon For The Petrodollar..” It opposes claims that the conflict in Iran is accelerating the demise of the petrodollar. Instead,...
Read updateAsia begins to price U.S. oil against Brent as volatility peaks in Dubai Source: Michael Kern of OilPrice.com Asian refiners have begun pricing their orders for U.S. crude at the ICE Brent benchmark instead of the usual Dubai crude price, as the Middle East benchmark fluctuates...
Read updateIEA: 6 months before Gulf energy supplies recover after biggest ever energy shock The head of the International Energy Agency told the Financial Times on Friday that the world is seriously underestimating the scale of the energy crisis in the Gulf region and that it could take...
Read updateOnly the 38th largest oil price spike since 1990 DB’s Jim Reid’s Chart of the Day shows the daily change in oil prices since 1990. At the time of publication, oil’s rise (+8.4%) was on track to become the 38th largest daily gain over this 36-year period. The chart shows the...
Read updateSupertanker fares shoot up as war threatens Strait of Hormuz nadel eye “Military action in the Middle East will likely take VLCC rates to levels not seen since 2019.” – Anoop Singh, Oil Brokerage Ltd. analyst Brent crude futures rose to the highest level in six months by the end...
Read updateSaudi Aramco dismisses oil surplus-narrative By Tsvetana Paraskova via OilPrice.com “It (spare capacity) is at 2.5% and we need a minimum of 3%. If OPEC+ further unwinds cuts, spare capacity will fall even further and we will need to watch this very carefully.” – Amin Nasser,...
Read updateCold, green Europe: what happens when ideology wins over physics “An anti-fossil fuel, anti-drilling European Union keeps its people alive only thanks to a pro-fossil fuel, pro-human government on the other side of the Atlantic.”– Vijay Jayaraj, RealClearMarkets Europe presents...
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When grid congestion increasingly impacts daily operations and growth stagnates as a result, swift…
View caseOversupply halts solar rollout in India “If the current construction drive continues, India is producing future bankruptcies.” – Julianne Geiger, OilPrice.com India’s solar sector is at a critical stage where ambition to expand production capacity is outstripping actual demand....
Read updateWall Street warns of oil surplus in 2026 “The oil market will rebalance in 2027, as 2026 will be the last major wave of oil supply the market will face.“- Daan Struyven, co-head of Global Commodities Research Goldman Sachs Oil market outlook for 2026 According to the monthly...
Read updateGerman industrial electricity prices: subsidy spiral after failed energy transition “German industry still pays up to 70 percent more than American or French competitors who benefit from nuclear power as their energy source.” – Thomas Kolbe, economist & freelance writer...
Read updateGermany loses, Poland wins in EU’s latest energy decision “Poland’s role in delivering more U.S. LNG to Central and Eastern Europe is expected to undermine Germany’s influence in this region and accelerate the recovery of Poland’s lost superpower status.” – Andrew Korybko,...
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Van Noord Growers, a Tomato and cucumber grower in Zeeland, is experiencing the challenges…
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DeFabrique Holding has relied on COMCAM’s knowledge and experience for more than a decade.
View caseTrump against global carbon taxon shipping “The United States will NOT accept this global green new tax on shipping and will not comply in any way.” – U.S. President Donald Trump The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is working on a global mechanism for carbon pricing in...
Read updateChina’s green dream falls apart “From 2000 to 2010, Chinese green investment is estimated to have been between $50 billion and $100 billion a year.” – Stu Cvrk, columnist The Epoch Times China has bet heavily on green technology in recent decades, with huge investments in solar...
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Paris Proof Commitment At COMCAM, we have committed ourselves to the Paris Proof Commitment: the ambition to reduce energy consumption in the built environment by two-thirds and to achieve a fully carbon-neutral built environment by 2040. While this may sound ambitious and far...
Read articleWorld needs to spend $540 billion annually on oil exploration “In the case of oil, a lack of upstream investment would be equivalent to removing the combined production of Brazil and Norway per year from the global market balance.” – Fatih Birol, Executive Director IEA Despite...
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Amarant Care Organization is taking serious steps toward making its energy supply more sustainable.
View caseEU swaps Russian gas for US and Norwegian offerings “The EU will further increase its purchases of U.S. oil, natural gas and coal, with trade rising from about $75 billion in 2024 to $250 billion a year over the next three years.”- Reuters The European Union recently signed an...
Read updateElectricity inflation: the next big story. Energy = electricity. We want to decouple energy from oil. We want to argue that energy, especially in this day and age, means electricity, more so than oil. So it is important that investors, companies and policymakers think that way....
Read updateChina’s solar industry is quietly laying off a third of its workforce. “There is a lot of overcapacity in China, for example in the steel and cement industries, but you don’t see any sector suffering sector-wide losses for a year and a half.“- Alan Lau, Jefferies analyst China’s...
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Many hospitality and retail entrepreneurs fear a high rate per kWh or m³ for energy contracts. Of course, a high price is unfavorable, but the biggest pitfall in standard contracts is often something else – the lack of customization and strategic alignment. Nowadays, energy is a...
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Many retailers, fresh food stores and catering businesses want to become more sustainable and reduce energy costs. Solar panels on the roof and a battery to store electricity seem like attractive solutions. However, without a thorough analysis, such an investment can turn out to...
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Smart energy management and insight into consumption can significantly reduce your business’s energy costs. Every entrepreneur in food retail or hospitality knows that refrigerators, ovens and lighting are indispensable. Less well known is how this equipment guzzles energy...
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Any hospitality or retail business owner looking to expand or invest in sustainability will inevitably encounter a major hurdle: grid congestion. Whether you’re planning to install additional refrigeration units in your supermarket, electrify your restaurant kitchen, or provide...
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Background: Imbalance market, control states and pricing In the electricity market, supply and demand must be balanced at all times. When more or less electricity is produced than consumed, an imbalance occurs. TenneT, the Dutch national transmission system operator, monitors...
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Frying, Electrification and Looking Ahead with COMCAM 16 June 2025 | Woerden On Monday 16 June, COMCAM took part in the annual members’ day of the professional association ProFri – a key gathering for deep-frying professionals from across the Netherlands. The event was held at...
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And Why They’ll Become Indispensable They are currently the only legally recognized proof in the Netherlands that electricity has been sustainably generated: Guarantees of Origin (GoOs). Vincent Veer, Senior Portfolio Manager and GoO trader at COMCAM, works with these...
Read articleIs Europe entering a new energy crisis? “At that point, the price of oil soared from $3 to more than $12 a barrel in less than a year. Western economies rushed to respond with drastic measures, including the now infamous car-free Sundays.” – Thomas Kolbe, German economist and...
Read update“The power outage in parts of Western Europe once again highlights one of the biggest drawbacks of hyperglobalization: dependence on highly complex but vulnerable systems.” – Alastair Paynter, analyst OilPrice.com A convergence of crises – geopolitical shifts, energy instability...
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Energy has become a critical factor for success in the hospitality industry. From boutique hotels and restaurants to large resorts, energy consumption directly impacts operating costs, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, and sustainability credentials. In an era of...
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Grid congestion is blocking business growth across Europe. Discover how flexibility measures ease grid load, sidestep years-long capacity waiting lists, and keep your expansion on track.
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On April 28th 2025, large parts of Spain and Portugal were left without electricity. In some regions, the blackout lasted several hours; in others, nearly an entire day. Heating systems ceased functioning, water pressure dropped, and telephone services were disrupted. The cause?...
Read articleAffordable, reliable, clean scorecard: natural gas wins over wind & solar. “Natural gas is easily the cheapest source of electric power, coal the second cheapest.” – James Taylor, RealClearEnergy Policymakers on both sides of the political spectrum increasingly favor affordable,...
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Why smart energy management is the difference between profit and pressure Hospitality chains have long perfected their operational systems: from menu engineering and mise-en-place to staff planning per shift – efficiency is the norm. But one aspect has long flown under the...
Read article“There is an incentive for Russia to end this war and perhaps that could be an economic partnership with America.” – Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary Gas pipelines and seized Russian assets. Reuters already reported that Trump’s commodities deal with Ukraine...
Read update“Commodities follow macro figures with WTI -9% to $61 (had to change this 3x to reflect lower prices) … copper drops 5% and natural gas hovers around flat … interest rates break through 4% with the 10-year at 3.87%, dollar & Bitcoin flat.” – Michael Nocerino, Goldman analyst...
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COMCAM is proud to announce its recent certification as a Congestion Service Provider (CSP). With this certification, we are authorized to offer our customers’ flexible capacity to grid operators, helping to alleviate congestion and prevent overload on the electricity network....
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In recent years, energy expenses for hospitality businesses, from restaurants to large chains, have surged significantly. This continuous rise is driven by factors such as geopolitical tensions, scarcity of fossil fuels, and the ongoing transition to renewable energy sources. In...
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At first glance, the term “imbalance market” might suggest a regular energy market where companies actively trade. But nothing could be further from the truth. The imbalance market is not a traditional market, but a system that continuously works to keep the electricity grid in...
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Starting April 1, a new subsidy scheme will open for companies looking to make their energy consumption more flexible. This scheme supports businesses with a contracted transport capacity of at least 100 kW in mitigating grid congestion and optimizing energy usage. Through this...
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Around the world, hotels, restaurants, and cafés are under growing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, lower energy costs, and stay on the right side of evolving regulations. In many countries, from the Netherlands to the United States, cutting back on fossil fuels is...
Read articleEU spent more money on Russian energy than support for Ukraine. “A quarter of Russia’s fossil fuel export revenue still comes from Europe.”– Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, MEP The report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reveals that last year the EU spent more...
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Analysis of negative power hours 2025, expectation and possible solutions
Read articleGlobal gas prices rise in anticipation of replenishing gas reserves. “As the United States, the European Union, Ukraine and Japan all need to replenish their supplies faster than average in the summer of 2025, there will be fierce competition for gas in the eight months to...
Read updateEuropean oil demand rises at gas price of $100 a barrel. “Europe and Asia will all consume more oil and coal if they can.”- Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst SEB bank Cold winter weather and rapid destocking caused Europe’s natural gas prices to rise to a two-year...
Read updateTraders go all-in on Middle Eastern oil as sanctions rearrange oil market. “For traders, Russian sanctions and Trump’s pressure on Canada and OPEC are a golden opportunity.”-Julianne Geiger, OilPrice.com Oil traders are taking large positions in the Brent-Dubai spread to...
Read updateA new African energy revolution is underway. “The African region is gradually moving away from new coal- and gas-fired power plants: new fossil-fuel capacity has fallen by more than 70 percent over the past decade.” Africa is seeing an acceleration in energy development, with an...
Read update“Stimulated by strong nuclear and hydropower generation, France has exported record amounts of electricity to neighboring countries this year, despite restrictions on eastern connections that limited exports in the spring.” – Engie Political unrest in France could exacerbate...
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When the wind blows, the sun often doesn’t shine. And vice versa, on a sunny day it usually doesn’t blow. By cleverly combining wind and sun on one connection, you take maximum advantage. Smartly combining wind and solar on one connection Wind and solar farms located close to...
Read articleEurope’s industry suffers from rising natural gas prices. “Analysts and industry executives told Reuters that this winter could further hurt natural gas-dependent industries and force production cuts.” –Tsvetana Paraskova of OilPrice Europe’s industry appears to be losing...
Read updateClimate summits “no longer fit for purpose” according to experts. “It is now clear that the agreement is no longer fit for purpose. We need a shift from negotiation to implementation.” It seems experts are beginning to realize that global climate summits are in need of reform....
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Amarant Foundation, a leading healthcare organization in the Netherlands, is taking a significant step towards a sustainable future. In a recent development, the foundation has entered into an agreement with SEFE Energy for the supply of entirely Dutch green electricity. This...
Read articleThe Energy Transition: where the focus should be “We need to move up the line by substituting Hs for Cs, favoring natural gas over coal and oil.” The long story of human energy revolves around two elements: hydrogen and carbon dioxide, or H and C. Together, they form...
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Energy management has become a real discipline for hospitality businesses in just a few years. This whitepaper collects the energy decisions that quietly cost hotels, restaurants and cafés the most, and shows how to check a deal before you sign it, not after.
View whitepaperEU Energy ministers discuss alternatives for Russian gas “Graphite, the largest mineral component used in batteries, is of particular concern. There is no EU-mined supply of manganese ore or coke, the precursor to synthetic graphite.” The EU Critical Raw Materials Act has set...
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Energy consumption plays a significant role in both cost control and the sustainability of your hospitality business. Hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, and snack bars consume a lot of energy due to the need for heating, cooling, lighting, and kitchen equipment to optimally serve...
Read articleIEA: The world is not going to meet tripling renewable energy by 2030. “This is not quite sufficient to reach the goal of tripling renewable energy capacity worldwide established by nearly 200 countries at the COP28 climate summit.” – IEA Despite the increase in renewable energy...
Read updateGame-Changer? Global megabanks support nuclear power. “Recognizing the key role of nuclear energy in achieving global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century and in keeping a 1.5°C limit on temperature rise within reach.” – Declaration to...
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Energy consumption plays a crucial role in the daily operations of hospitality businesses, peaking during busy periods such as lunch and dinner hours. At a time of rising energy prices and increasing focus on sustainability, it is essential for hospitality decision makers to...
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The hospitality sector faces unprecedented challenges in energy management. Many business owners and decision-makers in the hospitality industry are grappling with rising energy costs, stricter regulations, and increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices. With shrinking...
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How to master your energy strategy and profile in the volatile market
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Negative electricity prices in Europe- overview & outlook 2026
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Important change EPEX-SPOT markets in 2025
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Grip on Energy Management is strategically important for companies
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Full power grid causes problems across Europe
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Analysis of negative power prices caused by an oversupply of solar and wind power, with possible solutions. A lot of wind and solar power is being generated. So much, in fact, that the market power price is increasingly negative during the day when there is excess supply. As a result, more and more...
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A large part of your energy bill is not in your supply contract. Grid operator costs and energy tax are regulated, are set again every year and are under structural upward pressure. This article explains the mechanisms behind that and where you, as a business customer, do have influence.
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COMCAM wants to remain a forward-thinking knowledge partner in energy in Europe. We do this with a growing team of energy specialists.
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Power Purchase Agreements: the trend in energy
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Solar panels worldwide on track to record: 270 GW by 2023
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How to deal with grid congestion: options & tips
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Electricity prices in Europe plunge due to renewable energy surge
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Norway leads the way in electric vehicles
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Electrification in Europe
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A heatwave raises your cooling demand. But the price spike only occurs when heat coincides with low wind, a Hitzeflaute. This article explains that mechanism, using the Dutch day-ahead market of June 2026 as an example, and shows where it lands on your bill, sector by sector.
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Negative power prices the new standard in the Netherlands
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On Friday 24 March, an interview with our CEO, Philipp Keller, was published in the 'Future Industry' special, a supplement to Het Financieele Dagblad. The special focused on making industry future-proof in terms of energy, sustainability and digitalisation.
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Electric grid congestion. Is congestion management the solution?
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The energy saving obligation requires companies and institutions to take, on an ongoing basis, all energy saving measures with a payback period of five years or less. In addition, once every four years you report which measures you have carried out. The previous round closed on 1 December 2023; the next closes on 1 December 2027.
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On Wednesday 8 February, COMCAM hosted the webinar 'How to deal with strongly fluctuating energy prices' at Easyfairs in Gorinchem, in the run-up to the Bakkersvak trade fair. Our specialists explained where the challenges and opportunities lie in the volatile energy market, the capacity challenges in the electricity grid, and the relevant legislation and regulations, and how Energy Portfolio Management helps optimise a business energy profile.
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The Energy Cost Allowance (TEK) was a temporary subsidy scheme for energy-intensive SMEs. The compensation ran from 1 November 2022 up to and including 2 October 2023 and has been closed to new applications since then.
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Many growers have a combined heat and power (CHP) system that can generate electricity and produce heat. A CHP unit consists of a large engine with a generator coupled to it. The engine burns gas and the generator supplies electricity. Burning the gas releases heat...
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Possible solutions in the event of grid congestion
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Since the third quarter of 2021, energy prices have risen enormously and they are still very much on the move. Several energy suppliers have gone bankrupt as a result of this steep increase. We have received a great many questions from our clients about energy contracts and prices.
Read articleFour free scans: resilience, grid congestion, hidden energy costs and energy maturity. Answer the questions, get an indicative score and see where the biggest gains are.
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