Asia Energy Outlook issue

Welcome to the second annual Asia Energy Outlook issue of Platts Insight Magazine. In response to high demand from our readers, we have increased the distribution of the special outlook issue this year to more than 30,000 industry professionals and financiers in Asia, North America, Europe and the entire Pacific Rim region. The Asia Energy Outlook gives you critical insight from the industry's most trusted information source, Platts.

The high price of oil has truly reshaped the energy industry over the last year, bringing renewed fervor to the debate of how best to address the world's growing energy needs. Demand for alternative fuels is escalating. New technologies that will conserve traditional fuels or propel the viability of new fuel sources are being explored in great numbers in hopes of finding the ultimate sustainability solution. Increasingly, the quest is multi-faceted—to find a solution that will free the world from harmful emissions, ensure future generations adequate energy supply, and help assure the affordability of fuel for our children's children.

The 2009 Asia Energy Outlook explores a host of the sustainability alternatives being considered. It also features timely perspectives on four vital energy sectors—coal, gas, oil, and electricity—from Platts' distinguished editorial staff worldwide, providing an in-depth look at industry trends that will take us into 2009 and beyond.

In addition, we are pleased to showcase the seventh annual Platts Top 250 Global Energy Companies roster. Each year Platts ranks the world's top energy companies by a number of financial performance criteria, identifies who's up and who's down from the prior year, provides a breakout of the Top 250 by industry and region, and provides commentary on trends and notable movements within the list.

Financing US Power Conference Insight

I am pleased to introduce our fourth annual Platts Financing US Power Conference Insight issue. In this issue of Insight a variety of authorities will discuss how high construction costs and the credit crunch are impacting investment in new power generation. In their bids for the US presidency both John McCain and Barack Obama have presented energy plans for their new administration. Both plans contain some form of carbon cap and trade programs. How will their new energy policy potentially change the landscape for investment in nuclear, new renewable sources and clean coal technologies over the next four years? These issues are discussed in-depth in this October issue of Insight.

Platts Insight is the print companion to our key events. For each event, Insight elaborates on topics discussed at the conference, from the opening keynote address to the final session, in articles written by recognized leaders in the field. If you';re looking for ways to reach precisely targeted conference audiences with business, industrial, or technical products and services, Insight offers a high-profile forum for addressing the industry issues that are important to each event's audience on a daily basis.

Copies of this issue also will be sent to more than 7,500 industry professionals, including current and past attendees of the Financing US Power Conference, and to subscribers of selected Platts publications, including Global Power Report, Energy Economist, and Power Markets Week.

We'll be publishing additional issues of Insight throughout the year in conjunction with other major events..

Patsy Wurster

Publisher, Platts Insight