Brenda Shaffer

March 19, 2025 | |

Israel Signs Deal to Give Azerbaijani State Oil Company Gas Exploration Rights

Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company Will Oversee Exploration Activities: Israel has awarded Azerbaijan’s state oil company, SOCAR, gas exploration rights in Israel’s exclusive...

March 12, 2025 | Clifford D. May |

The clean energy revolution that didn’t happen

Cast your mind back to September 6, 2019, when presidential candidate Joe Biden, campaigning in New Hampshire, took the hand of a 24-year-old activist. “Kiddo,” he said, “look in my eyes. I...

March 6, 2025 | |

‘Strategic Asset’: Israeli Natural Gas Exports to Arab Neighbors Jumped Over 13 Percent in 2024

Gas Exports Rise Despite War: Israel’s natural gas exports to Egypt and Jordan rose by 13.4 percent in 2024, according to March 5 statements from the country’s Energy Ministry....

January 22, 2025 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer, Svante Cornell

The Hidden Renewable Energy in Central Asia

One of the biggest threats to human health, and a major source of air pollution, is regularly hidden in statistical reports as “renewable energy:” the burning of dung, wood, and lump coal. While most...

January 22, 2025 | |

Israel SitRep: January 22, 2025

Today’s Issue: | IDF Troops Conduct Raid in Mount Dov, Seize Weapons Including Rocket and Missile Launchers | Iron Wall Counterterrorism Operation in Jenin Continues, Israeli Forces Strike Terrorists,...

January 20, 2025 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer, Dalga Khatinoglu

Iran’s Energy Crisis

Iran is experiencing a systemic energy crisis. While many times in the past, Iran has had gas shortages or refined product shortages, this time Iran is undergoing an energy meltdown, with parallel shortages...

January 17, 2025 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Syria’s energy sector and its impact on stability and regional developments

Excerpt Syria has the potential to significantly increase its oil and natural gas production, which can provide energy and government revenue that are critical for its stability and reconstruction....

December 18, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Science Belongs at Universities, National Laboratories – Not the UN

During a World Economic Forum session, Melissa Fleming, U.N. undersecretary-general for global

December 11, 2024 | Svante Cornell, Dr. Brenda Shaffer

Europe’s Nuclear Energy and Central Asian Uranium

The drive toward electrification coupled with the political decision to reduce fossil fuel consumption is creating a situation where, by necessity, there is renewed interest in  nuclear energy. In...

December 4, 2024 | Svante Cornell, Dr. Brenda Shaffer

Central Asia in the Energy Transition

Excerpt The Central Asian region, in terms of energy, has long been known mostly for its vast endowments of oil and gas. Indeed, some of the largest new discoveries of oil anywhere in the world in the...

November 25, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Return Funding for Reliable Energy to the World’s Poorest

A centerpiece of President Biden’s agenda was a government led effort to greatly reduce production and consumption of fossil fuels. One of the key policies Biden enacted to pursue this goal was ending...

September 25, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Fracking and the Election: It’s Not About Pennsylvania

Vice President Kamala Harris’s changing statements  on fracking have become an important issue in the current U.S. presidential election campaign. Only five years ago, Harris pledged to ban...

July 26, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Militaries Can’t Transition to Renewable Energy

For now, fossil fuel use will rise—but the defense sector can lead innovation into the next generation of low-carbon sources.

June 6, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

China is main beneficiary of West’s futile energy transition push

Consumption of fossil fuels is as strong as ever as they remain irreplaceable

May 20, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Don’t Forget the Air Highways

While U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is focusing his remaining months in office on attaining  compensation fees for U.S. air travelers, a much bigger threat to air travel and transport...

May 1, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer, Damjan Krnjević Mišković

The Azerbaijanis, Not the Azeris, Are Hosting COP29

The Republic of Azerbaijan will host the annual  UN  Climate Change Conference known as COP29 in November 2024. For many who will attend COP29 and follow the process, this will be their first...

April 16, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

What Iran’s attack on Israel means for global energy

Energy markets have shown a muted response to Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend, despite the threat this escalation poses to global oil supplies. But, as Israel weighs its response, the risks to fuel prices and global energy security are extremely high. Our experts comment on what to watch for as tensions rise.

March 27, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Türkiye’s Energy Engagement in Central Asia and the Caucasus

Excerpt In recent years, Türkiye has significantly increased cooperation with the states of Central Asia and Azerbaijan. One of the most important geopolitical developments in recent years in Eurasia...

March 26, 2024 | Alan Howard, Dr. Brenda Shaffer

Washington Denies a Bedrock of Warfighting

The Biden administration recently pressed Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries. Ukrainian strikes on refineries and tankers in the Black Sea have contributed to a rise in the global oil price,...

November 30, 2023 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

US International energy policy toward the 2024 elections

While international energy policy is not on the ballot in the 2024 US elections, the election outcome will profoundly impact the U.S. role in international energy developments. Current U.S. energy policies have determined new rules of American engagement in the international arena. ...