1. District Heating

The Nautilus Institute (William Chandler, "DISTRICT HEATING AND DISTRIBUTED ENERGY," May 13th-16th, Beijing, China) released this report by William Chandler from the Institute's Asian Energy Security Workshop 2005 in Beijing, China, hosted by the Energy and Environmental Technology Center (EETC) at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The report contains details on district heating in Russia and the PRC, information on why district heating is significant, and the significant cuts in cost and energy use possible though efficient use of district heating methods.

2. ROK Energy and LEAP Model

The Nautilus Institute (Woo-jin Chung and Jungmin Kang, "UPDATE ON THE ROK ENERGY SECTOR AND THE ROK LEAP MODEL," May 13th-16th, Beijing, China) released this report by Woo-jin Chung and Jungmin Kang from the Institute's Asian Energy Security Workshop 2005 in Beijing, China, hosted by the Energy and Environmental Technology Center (EETC) at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The report describes energy consumption in the ROK, a projection of energy demand in the ROK through 2020, information on oil stockpiles, ROK renewable energy goals, and a description of the ROK LEAP model.

3. ROK Energy Aid to the DPRK

The Korea Times ("SEOUL OFFERS ELECTRICITY AID TO NK", 2005-07-12) reported that ROK plans to provide electricity to DPRK if Pyongyang agrees to scrap its nuclear weapons programs at the upcoming six-party talks, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said. Pyongyang has not yet reacted to the offer. But DPRK experts believe that the proposal persuaded Pyongyang to come back to the multilateral talks on its nuclear ambition. "I think the electricity supply could start when Pyongyang fulfills the process of nuclear dismantlement," Chung said.

4. Russia on Spent Fuel Storage

RIA Novosti ("RUSSIA ALREADY HAS 16,000 TONS OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL", 2005-07-13) reported that Russia already has 16,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel, an official from the Rosatom federal agency for nuclear energy said Wednesday. Kudryavtsev also said that Russia would receive 24,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel for storage by 2015. He said, "The geological isolation of the fuel (until 2015) will cost $10 billion, and storage will cost $105.01 million a year." He added that it was therefore necessary to consider how to optimize spending on the storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel.

5. PRC, ROK, Japan Energy Cooperation

Xinhua News ("ASEAN, CHINA, JAPAN, S. KOREA TO ENHANCE ENERGY COOPERATION", 2005-07-13) reported that the Second ASEAN, PRC, Japan and ROK Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM+3) was held here on Wednesday, focusing on "Promoting Greater Energy Stability, Security and Sustainability through ASEAN+3 Energy Partnership." The meeting had a comprehensive discussion on key energy concerns and agreed to further enhance their energy cooperation to cope with the growing energy demand and rising dependence on oil import. They agreed to take necessary steps to respond to the high prices including joint study on oil market and trading in the ASEAN+3 countries. They also reaffirmed the importance of oil stockpiling and to strengthen dialogue oil producing countries to foster mutual understanding.

6. Russia Oil Pipeline

The Japan Times ("RUSSIA PRIORITIZES CHINA OVER JAPAN FOR OIL", 2005-07-12) reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country will prioritize the PRC over Japan as the recipient of oil supplies from a pipeline project linking eastern Siberia with the Russian Far East, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported yesterday. Both Japan and the PRC have tried to convince Russia to favor it in planning the pipeline's route. The PRC, which had initially inked the deal for a pipeline from the Siberian oil fields to Daqing, later offered Moscow more than $13 billion, Kyodo said.

7. Sino-Japanese E. Sea Dispute

Kyodo News ("JAPAN GRANTS E. CHINA SEA DRILLING RIGHTS TO TEIKOKU OIL", 2005-07-14) reported that the Japanese government said Thursday it has granted Teikoku Oil Co. concessions to conduct experimental drilling in the East China Sea near natural gas fields being explored by a PRC consortium, in a move expected to further intensify a bilateral dispute over the sea area. "We decided to give the rights as the firm's application suited Japan's national interests, international conventions as well as domestic law," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said at a hurriedly convened press conference.

8. Russia on Energy Supply

Interfax ("RUSSIA READY TO GUARANTEE STABLE ENERGY SUPPLIES TO WORLD - OFFICIAL", 2005-07-10) reported that Russia is ready to guarantee stable energy supplies to the world market, said Russian President's Aide Igor Shuvalov. "We will be able to guarantee that the world economy will feel no lack of energy resources," Shuvalov said in a television interview with the Russian Channel Two's Vesti Nedeli.