道达尔将加大在可再生能源领域的投入

据道琼斯10月1日消息，法国石油巨头道达尔集团承诺将加大在可再生能源方面的投入，减少对石油的依赖，这是国际石油巨头在清洁能源方面的最新举措。

道达尔公司表示，公司计划到2030年每年在可再生能源上投入30亿美元，约占年度投资预算的20%，高于今年的20亿美元。与此同时，该公司还计划将汽油和柴油等石油产品的销售减少30%，同时增加天然气、电力和生物燃料的销售。

道达尔表示，总体而言，未来10年其能源产量将增长三分之一。其中，大约一半将来自液化天然气，另一半来自电力——主要来自太阳能和风能的增长。

道达尔首席执行官潘彦磊（Patrick Poyanne）在一个详细介绍公司计划的活动上告诉投资者：“我们相信这是正确的方向。”不过，潘彦磊也表示，道达尔将继续致力于其核心的油气业务，维持油气业务是转型的基础，因为它将为公司提供所需的现金流。

道达尔预计，随着电力和液化天然气需求上升，石油需求将在2030年见顶。

道达尔的绿色投资计划与竞争对手英国石油公司(BP)今年早些时候公布的计划类似，不过时间节点上要慢一些。

BP打算到2025年将低碳投资占其预算的比重提高至20%，同时未来十年将其石油和天然气产量降低40%。这家英国公司还表示，计划增加可再生能源的发电量。

石油巨头们已经表示，新型冠状病毒大流行可能会加速化石燃料向低碳能源的转变。在全球变暖的担忧下，这一转变已经进行了好几年。新型冠状病毒大流行削弱了对石油的需求，打击了价格和企业利润。

作为回应，这些公司纷纷裁员、减记资产价值，荷兰皇家壳牌公司和BP还削减了股息。

道达尔拒绝采取其中一些措施。潘彦磊表示，公司打算维持派息，不打算裁员。

潘彦磊表示，他希望向可再生能源转型将提振该公司的估值，而公司的股息将有助于道达尔区别于其他采取这一行动的石油巨头。近年来石油股票已经失宠,而可再生能源公司表现更好。

然而，一些投资者表示，他们担心石油公司进军风能和太阳能等领域可能损害利润，因为它们缺乏经验，竞争加剧，回报率通常较低。道达尔表示，预计其可再生能源项目的回报率为10%，低于去年设定的15%的目标。石油和天然气项目的行业基准回报率约为15%。

由于向低碳能源转型的速度和时机存在不确定性，石油公司一直难以吸引投资者。疫情加剧了这种暴跌，全球石油巨头的股价今年受到打击。不过，道达尔的股价表现要好于同行，过去三个月累计下跌了约14%，而其他石油巨头的跌幅超过了20%。

张春晓 摘译自 道琼斯

原文如下：

Oil Giant Total Pledges Renewable Power Push

Total SA pledged to ramp up its spending on renewable energy and reduce its dependence on petroleum, the latest move by a major oil company toward cleaner power.

The French company said Wednesday that it plans to spend $3 billion a year on renewables by 2030, about 20% of its annual investment budget and up from $2 billion this year. Over the same period, it said it also plans to reduce its sales of oil products such as gasoline and diesel by 30%, while increasing its sales of natural gas, electricity and biofuels.

Overall, Total said its energy production was set to grow by a third in the coming decade. Of that, roughly half would come from liquefied natural gas and the other half from electricity -- mostly from growth in solar and wind power.

"We are also convinced that this is the right direction," Chief Executive Patrick Poyanne told investors at an event detailing the company's plans.

However, he also said Total would remain committed to its core oil and gas business. "We consider that maintaining an oil and gas business is a foundation of the transformation, because it will provide to us the cash flow that we need."

The move comes as Total expects oil demand to peak by 2030 as demand for electricity and LNG rises.

Total's green investment plans are similar to those outlined by rival BP PLC earlier this year, although on a slower time frame.

BP intends to increase its low-carbon investments to 20% of its budget by 2025 and cut its oil-and-gas output by 40% in the coming decade. The British company has also said it plans to increase renewable-power output.

Major oil companies have said that the coronavirus pandemic could speed up the transition from fossil fuels toward low-carbon energy, which has been under way for several years amid concern about global warming. The pandemic has sapped demand for oil, hitting prices and corporate profits.

In response, these companies have cut their workforces, written down the value of their assets and, in the case of Royal Dutch Shell PLC and BP, cut dividends.

Total has resisted taking some of these measures. On Wednesday, Mr. Pouyanne said the company intended to maintain its dividend and didn't plan to lay off staff.

Mr. Poyanne said he hoped the shift into renewables would boost the company's valuation, and that its dividend would help differentiate Total from other majors making the move. Oil stocks have fallen out of favor in recent years, while renewable energy companies have fared better.

However, some investors say they're concerned that oil companies might damage profits by moving into areas like wind and solar because they lack experience, competition is rising and returns are typically lower. Total said it expects its renewable-energy projects to generate returns of 10%, below its target of 15% given last year. The industry benchmark for returns on oil and gas projects is around 15%.

Oil companies have struggled to attract investors amid uncertainty over the speed and timing of the transition to low-carbon energy. The pandemic has exacerbated that slump, with shares in the world's oil majors taking a beating this year.

However, Total's stock price has fared better than its peers, down about 14% over the past three months, compared with drops of over 20% for other majors.