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ARIS, May 28 (Reuters) – General Electric (GE) strengthened its position in the battle for the power arm of French group Alstom on Wednesday with a pledge to create new jobs in France and recognition from Paris that it had made a more acceptable offer.

GE Chief Executive Jeff Immelt promised 1,000 new engineering and manufacturing jobs within three years of a deal when he met French President Francois Hollande in the morning, said two sources close to the talks who asked not to be named because the matter has not been announced by the U.S group.

Read more at:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/28/alstom-offer-general-electric-idUSL6N0OE1VJ20140528

May 28 (Reuters) – Indonesia will begin construction next month of its long-delayed $1.6-billion Sarulla project, the world’s biggest geothermal power plant, the country’s chief economic minister said on Wednesday.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy, home to the world’s largest geothermal resources, is racing to meet power demand growth of more than 7 percent a year, with plans to add 60 gigawatts of capacity to its existing grid by 2022.

Read more at:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/28/indonesia-geothermal-sarulla-idUSL3N0OE26F20140528

Lawmakers who want the United States to export more natural gas called a 30-year, $400 billion deal for China to buy energy from Russia’s state-owned gas supplier a wake up call for Washington.

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said he worried the deal would strengthen Russia amid the crisis in Ukraine and urged his colleagues to approve more gas exports from the U.S.

 “This gives Russia another option. It strengthens their hand vis-à-vis what they decide to do in Eastern Europe,” Hoeven said. “And it makes it even more imperative that we advance our legislation to allow exports of LNG (liquefied natural gas) to Europe so that they have alternative sources.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/207139-russia-china-gas-deal-fuels-us-export-push#ixzz32jTL0jTx

WASHINGTON – African mining companies find themselves with an unusually strong case for converting to 100% peak penetration of solar or wind energy rather than implementing partial solutions that bring only small financial and environmental benefits, Siemens Smart Generation Solutions manager Fabrice Nicolas says.

He notes that countries in western and southern Africa, where most mines operate, have tremendous solar and wind resources upon which to draw. African mines are also often located remotely with unreliable electric service or perhaps no grid connection at all.

Read more at:  http://www.miningweekly.com/article/africa-focused-miners-positioned-to-embrace-100-renewable-energy-2014-05-21

General ELectric is seeking approval from France’s government for its $17 billion Astom energy bid, is in early-stage talks with nuclear-plant maker Areva and other French companies about asset sales or partnerships, people familiar with the matter said.

Read more at:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-18/ge-said-to-seek-partners-on-alstom-assets-to-win-french-approval.html

BHEL has signed an MoU with PT Star Vyobros, Indonesia for setting up a 200 MW coal fired power plant in Sulawesi region in Indonesia, Bhel said in a statement 

The Indonesia-based trader said one of its mines cut production of 4,200 kcal/kg GAR and has not done any deals for the grade recently. Offer prices for Supramax cargoes of 4,200 kcal/kg GAR were at $37-37.50/mt FOB, he said, adding a Supramax cargo of blended 5,000 kcal/kg GAR for June loading was reportedly sold at $56.50/mt FOB to an Indian buyer. He also said there has been good buying interest from India for 4,600 kcal/kg GAR, which is being offered at $48.85/mt FOB for a geared Supramax cargo loading in June.

Read more at:  http://www.platts.com/latest-news/coal/singapore/indonesian-thermal-coal-prices-steady-on-fat-26790467

MOSCOW May 13 (Reuters) – Russia’s Mechel OAO is in talks with China’s Baosteel and South Korea’s Posco on selling a stake in a unit that has a licence to develop the Elga coal project in Russia, Vedomosti daily reported on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in response to Western sanctions over Moscow’s involvement in the Ukraine crisis, has urged Russian businesses to turn to Asia for financing and partnerships.

Read more at:  http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL6N0NZ0W820140513