What's happening: Saudi Arabia pre‑qualifies firms for new gas transmission grids
The Energy Ministry has pre‑qualified eight standalone firms and seven consortia to design, build, own and operate natural‑gas transmission networks in five key industrial cities, including Al‑Kharj, Sudair and three zones in Jeddah. The BOO scheme sets a technical‑bid deadline of 23 April 2026 and targets a total of 36 industrial cities for future expansion.
Also developing:
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the Russian Duma that only U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed India will cease buying Russian oil, and no Indian official has made such a statement. Lavrov highlighted India’s new BRICS chairmanship and its focus on energy security, while noting the deepened strategic partnership forged during President Vladimir Putin’s December 2025 state visit. The United States, meanwhile, has imposed tariffs and sanctions aimed at curbing Russian oil sales to India and other strategic partners. India’s foreign secretary reiterated a policy of diversified crude sources to safeguard supply stability.
India has urged its state‑owned refiners to give priority to crude from the United States and Venezuela as part of a broader effort to diversify supplies and reduce reliance on Russian oil. The government’s suggestion applies to spot‑market tenders for...

Solar Ireland has appointed former TD Seán Sherlock as its director of policy and regulation, bolstering the group’s senior policy capacity at a pivotal moment for Ireland’s energy transition. Sherlock brings more than two decades of senior government and EU...

Solar Power World’s first “Projects of Impact” highlights a 17.6 kW solar installation on five Habitat for Humanity homes in Philadelphia’s historic Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. The project, funded by an anonymous donor, was built by Exact Solar in partnership with Habitat homeowners...
VinFast is abandoning its U.S. and Canadian rollout and refocusing on Asia, aiming to sell 300,000 vehicles annually by 2026. The company posted over $3 billion in net losses, with U.S. sales never rising above a few hundred units per year....
"Between 2016 and mid-2023, 354 banks provided $429 billion to the 100 biggest steel producers, suggesting that finding capital isn’t the main challenge." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-11/banks-backing-green-steel-fund-false-solutions-report-says
The U.S. Treasury issued a general license for Venezuelan oil and gas exploration that explicitly excludes Russian and Chinese entities, tightening restrictions on Moscow’s energy interests. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia will seek clarification from Washington to protect its substantial...
Ore Energy completed Europe’s first 100‑hour iron‑air long‑duration energy storage pilot at EDF Lab les Renardières, demonstrating multi‑day grid‑connected operation. The test, part of the EU‑backed StoRIES program, ran for several months under varied load profiles and seasonal conditions, moving...

European Energy secured Contracts for Difference for three solar farms in the UK, totaling 116 MWp, at a strike price of £65.23 /MWh. The projects—Church Farm, Manor Farm and Old Hall Farm—were awarded in Allocation Round 7a, which delivered 14.7 GW of clean power...
Morgan Stanley’s Chetan Ahya says India is entering a new capex wave driven by a global industrial cycle revival, stronger non‑tech exports, and three structural trends: AI‑related infrastructure, higher defence spending, and the energy‑transition push. He notes that the Indian...
Andhra Pradesh chief secretary K Vijayanand ordered power utilities to guarantee uninterrupted, 24 × 7 electricity during the upcoming summer. He emphasized rapid commissioning of the Polavaram Hydel Power Project, with the first seven 80‑MW units slated for July 2027, delivering 960 MW of clean...

Ørsted has received the first six monopiles for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind project at Teesside, marking the start of on‑site works for what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm. The steel foundations, supplied by Haizea, weigh about 1,670 tonnes...
TotalEnergies announced a 62% reduction in its Q1 share buyback, lowering the program to $750 million after a fourth‑quarter adjusted net income of $3.8 billion fell 13% year‑on‑year. The cut reflects weaker oil and gas prices that offset a 215% surge in...
Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) is pushing for modernisation and efficiency in the state’s power distribution network, urging companies to cut AT&C losses and boost consumer satisfaction. At a public hearing, Chairman Nand Lal Sharma highlighted the need for network...
MSEDCL has petitioned the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) to review its multi‑year tariff, prompting a public hearing that drew industry, consumer and expert criticism. Participants warned that the proposed tariff could lift electricity costs by 25‑30%, endangering MSME profitability...

Haugland Group and Waterson Terminal Services have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop New York ports for offshore wind projects. The deal merges Haugland’s marine construction, infrastructure, and logistics expertise with WTS’s terminal operations and cargo handling capabilities. Announced at...
The India‑Chile free trade negotiations are moving toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that explicitly includes critical minerals such as lithium, copper, and cobalt. Chile’s abundant reserves could supply India’s “Make in India” and clean‑energy ambitions, while recent moves by...
BMW Group and energy provider Eon have introduced Germany’s first commercial vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) offering for private customers. The package includes a bidirectional Wallbox Professional, a dedicated V2G electricity tariff, and a smart meter, initially targeting BMW’s Neue Klasse models such...

Korea Midland Power has committed €890 million to acquire a 96.1 million‑share stake in the 390 MW Sinan Ui offshore wind farm off South Jeolla Province. The project, part of a €1.9 billion development, targets commercial operation by February 2029 and will supply power to roughly...
Polaris Smart Metering announced the deployment of more than one million smart meters across India under the government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The rollout enhances billing accuracy, reduces AT&C losses, and provides granular data for grid operators to manage...
India's solar module capacity has surged to about 144 GW and is projected to reach 180 GW by FY30. However, upstream segments lag, with cell capacity stuck near 23.4 GW, creating a supply‑demand mismatch as installations are expected at only 45‑50 GW annually. The...
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has ordered the immediate shutdown of units 6 and 8 at Maharashtra’s Parli Thermal Power Station after repeated violations. The plant failed to install required online emission monitoring, operated with expired consent, and recorded particulate matter...
Nissan unveiled the 2026 Rogue Plug‑in Hybrid with a starting MSRP of $45,990 for the SL trim and $49,990 for the Platinum, marking the automaker’s first U.S. plug‑in hybrid. The model delivers an estimated 38 miles of electric‑only driving, a...
The Sierra Club has filed an appeal against the EPA’s approval of South Carolina’s regional haze plan, which it says does nothing to curb air pollution affecting national parks and wilderness areas. The state’s plan exempts 19 industrial facilities, including...
The Tennessee Valley Authority announced it will keep the Kingston and Cumberland coal plants operating, overturning its earlier pledge to retire the facilities. The reversal was documented in supplemental environmental impact statements posted without public notice or comment. TVA cites...
The Trump administration announced it will finalize a rule revoking the EPA’s 2009 greenhouse‑gas endangerment finding under the Clean Air Act. The move would strip the agency of authority to regulate emissions from vehicles and, by extension, power plants. Environmental...
A high-stakes meeting indeed. If Trump yields to Netanyahu's demand to push for a comprehensive deal covering Iran's ballistic missiles programme and support for regional proxies, possible outcomes: -- Drawn-out negotiations under the looming shadow of military action -- Higher chances of a...

“I think Greenland was a wake-up call. There is more talk [in Brussels] about replacing one dependency with another.” This is what I told the Wall Street Journal about Europe’s increasing dependence on US LNG following the end of Russian...
BYD’s premium Denza Z9 now offers up to 1,068 km (CLTC) range thanks to a 122.5 kWh battery, while a smaller 102.3 kWh pack still reaches 906 km. The three‑motor GT+ version delivers 860 kW power without adding significant weight, and the single‑motor variants are...

$USD is soft ahead of the delayed jobs report. Japanese markets were closed for a national holiday, but the dramatic short squeeze of $JPY continued. WTI is up ~2% as the US-Iran confrontation seems near a climax. ...

A new report shows that global electricity demand will increase at an average annual rate of 3.6% between 2026 and 2030. Emerging economies will account for nearly 80% of additional electricity consumption through 2030. More here: https://t.co/ZtTGSlWOMx https://t.co/dw82OPRKGw
Nissan is shifting from autonomous vehicle prototypes to full‑scale public transport services in Japan. After a driverless test with a Serena in Minatomirai (2025), the automaker launched a multi‑month pilot operating five Serena‑based shuttles on fixed routes in Yokohama. Parallel...
In Bielefeld, seven publicly funded hydrogen garbage trucks sit idle because the nearby hydrogen station was financed under a program limited to passenger transport, making its use illegal for waste‑collection vehicles. The mismatch highlights a systemic flaw: hydrogen infrastructure is...
Electrification is Necessary for Canadian Mining to Compete Against China Interview w/David Willick, VP & Regional Leader for Mining, Metals & Minerals, at @SchneiderNA. #cdnpoli https://youtu.be/t--zrQ0SVX8
Michigan labor leaders announced the Michigan Climate Jobs (MICJ) coalition, a union‑driven effort to build clean‑energy projects and apprenticeships across the state. Guided by the Climate Jobs Institute’s Blueprint, MICJ targets grid modernization, public‑infrastructure decarbonization, and the creation of union‑filled,...
Forget Nuclear, Gas, Hydro. Geothermal is the Future of Electricity It's ready to scale and Canada is a global leader thanks to companies like Eavor Technologies. Also, advanced geothermal pairs very nicely with wind and solar. https://youtu.be/auWPh9R0H1Q
Rolls‑Royce announced a new line of modular gas‑engine power plants that are hydrogen‑ready, offering capacities from 5 MW up to several hundred megawatts through 10, 20 and 30 MW modules. The turnkey solution can be connected to the grid within 12‑18 months...

In 2020, I hired McKinsey to teach me about the global energy transition. I learned a lot, but it cost me more than $2M. After that experience, I decided to build my own internal research project at Social Capital called Learn...
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show had a big message about Puerto Rico’s grid @CanaryMediaInc https://t.co/8osbpJxESm
Uranium spot prices surged above $100 per pound in January 2026, the first breach of that level in two years, signaling renewed market vigor. Sprott Asset Management, a major buyer, added 4 million lb to its fund this year, bringing total holdings...
“These plants increase air pollution, they increase global warming...they increase not only energy costs, but total social costs, and so there’s zero benefit — except to the people who are taking the subsidies" Louisiana bets big on ‘blue ammonia https://t.co/3Se0MmNpqO

The UK Energy Secretary has granted planning consent for the 1.5 GW Outer Dowsing offshore wind farm, a 100‑turbine project off east England. The development aims to generate enough renewable power for roughly 1.6 million homes and is slated to begin construction...

Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint‑Nazaire has finished two massive offshore substations for the Nordseecluster Phase A project off Germany. The topsides, weighing between 1,800 and 2,500 tonnes, will be shipped by the end of February on an eight‑day barge journey to...
WattEV’s San Bernardino charging depot can now service up to 200 electric trucks per day, delivering roughly 700 MWh of electricity each month. The facility’s utilization has prompted plans to more than double its capacity, signaling rapid adoption of heavy‑duty EVs. WattEV...
Tesla’s brand loyalty has fallen dramatically, dropping to a 55.9% overall rate in 2025 and 78% among owners replacing an EV, down from 98% in 2020. The decline pushes the automaker to third place among U.S. manufacturers, behind two competitors...

Pleasure to meet with Türkiye's Minister of Energy & Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar @aBayraktar1 in Ankara We discussed a range of issues, including energy security, affordability, Türkiye’s energy priorities, #COP31 and the upcoming @IEA Ministerial in Paris next week https://t.co/rMjJ5G3L5n
The Oregon Department of Energy has allocated nearly $12 million to 24 community renewable energy projects, spanning solar, battery storage, micro‑hydro, and floating‑solar installations. The fourth‑round grant received 76 applications requesting over $46 million, underscoring strong statewide demand. Awards target tribes, public...

Excellent meeting with Türkiye's Minister of Environment, Urbanisation & Climate Change and #COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum @murat_kurum in Ankara We discussed the potential priorities for COP31, taking into account previous outcomes, & how @IEA can support 🇹🇷 & 🇦🇺 https://t.co/ixCm0tKJJ4
I surveyed over 100 people with decision making authority at @NARUC on whether a 100% off-grid natural gas anchored solutiosn could provide 99% uptime (not even 99.9999%). What percent of those experts were confident it was possible?

Delighted to meet with Vice President of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz @_cevdetyilmaz at the Presidential Palace in Ankara We discussed key developments in global energy markets, as well as the forthcoming #COP31 in Antalya and how @IEA can help ensure successful outcomes...