Know What's Happening in Energy
Know What's Happening in Energy
Flex to acquire Electrical Power Products for $1.1B
Flex Ltd. agreed to buy Electrical Power Products for about $1.1 billion in cash. The target adds roughly $323 million of annual revenue and a mid‑to‑high‑teens EBITDA margin. Flex expects the acquisition to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in the first full fiscal year.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Oil majors snap up $164M Alaska oil leases
Two Democratic senators, Mark Kelly and Richard Blumenthal, introduced the Gas Prices Relief Act to suspend the 18.4‑cent‑per‑gallon federal gasoline tax until October 1. A companion bill will be filed in the House by Rep. Chris Pappas. The proposal aims to pass the tax savings directly to drivers while funding the lost revenue from the Treasury’s general fund. State-level fuel taxes would remain unchanged, limiting the overall price impact.
![[Episode #271] – China Update 2026](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://cdn.xenetwork.org/ets/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/powerpress/ETS-PodcastArtwork-full.png)
In this episode, host Chris Nelder talks with CREA analyst Lauri Milivirta about China’s paradoxical energy trajectory: record additions of coal‑fire capacity alongside rapid growth in wind, solar, storage, and EVs, resulting in flat or falling CO₂ emissions. Milivirta explains...
The episode explains that 32 IEA member countries have agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of emergency oil reserves—the largest ever—to curb soaring energy prices amid the US‑Israel conflict in Iran. IEA Executive Director Faith Beryl notes this release is...
Maersk has begun sourcing marine fuel from the United States and Europe to supply its Asian fleet, after recent disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz left key Middle‑East and Asian bunkering hubs unable to meet demand. Chief commercial officer Karsten...
Pure Data Centres Group and AVK have commissioned Europe’s first large‑scale, 110 MW on‑site microgrid at Pure DC’s Dublin campus. The system comprises three 30 MW energy centres that deliver dispatchable power, combined heat‑and‑power capability, and waste‑heat recovery during early‑phase development. Designed...
World leaders agreed to release 400 million barrels from strategic reserves, the largest coordinated IEA drawdown ever, to counter a sharp Brent price surge after the Iran war began. Despite the announcement, Brent crude rose to about $91 per barrel, indicating...
Malaysia will raise fuel prices from tomorrow, with RON97 climbing to RM3.85 per litre (up 60 sen) and diesel to RM3.92 per litre (up 80 sen). Unsubsidised RON95 will increase to RM3.27 per litre. The new rates apply until 18 March, while the...
Bond market volatility spiked on Wednesday after three cargo vessels were struck near the Strait of Hormuz, pushing 10‑year U.S. Treasury yields from just above 4.14% to near 4.20%. The attacks revive concerns over oil‑supply disruptions, keeping Brent crude roughly...
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that Italy will request an immediate suspension of the EU Emissions Trading System for fossil‑fuel‑fired power generators, arguing the scheme adds roughly €30/MWh, or about a quarter of household electricity costs. The move is...
Iran escalated its campaign against Gulf allies by launching drones that struck Dubai International Airport, wounding four people, and by hitting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian military also announced plans to target banks and financial institutions...
Flywheel energy storage is emerging as a fast‑acting complement to batteries for renewable‑rich grids. By converting electricity into kinetic energy, modern flywheels can inject power within milliseconds, smoothing short‑duration spikes that batteries alone struggle to handle. Recent designs, such as...
Russian crude output slipped 0.6% in February, falling to 9.184 million bpd, as sanctions pressure persisted but a U.S. waiver helped Indian imports rebound. Saudi Arabia simultaneously boosted production to over 10.1 million bpd, citing a contingency plan amid escalating U.S.-Israeli strikes...
The International Energy Agency’s member states voted unanimously to release 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency strategic reserves, a move that more than doubles the 182 million‑barrel drawdown in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. The sizable release is intended to...
The recent US‑Israeli war against Iran has ignited a fresh energy shock, pushing crude oil prices above $100 per barrel and tightening natural‑gas markets. Jim O’Neill draws parallels with the 1979‑1982 oil crisis, warning that producers cannot rely on sustained...
The article outlines four near‑term affordability solutions states and utilities can deploy to curb rising electricity bills: AI‑enabled load planning, advanced transmission technologies, demand‑side flexibility, and grid‑friendly large‑load tariffs. It cites pilots such as PJM’s AI partnership, PPL’s dynamic line...
Jeff Currie, former head of commodity research at Goldman Sachs, warned that the ongoing disruption of the Strait of Hormuz makes oil prices virtually unstoppable in the near term, and no policy response—such as strategic petroleum reserve releases or government...
Fullmark Energy’s 20 MW/80 MWh Johanna battery storage project in Santa Ana demonstrates how a lean engineering team can profitably operate in CAISO’s increasingly complex market. By deploying advanced analytics that calculate a true state‑of‑charge, the team avoids over‑bidding penalties and maintains continuous...
The primary driver is the escalating conflict in West Asia involving Iran, Israel, and the US. This has effectively choked the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime gateway for nearly 90% of India's LPG imports. While the government has prioritized domestic supply...
Crude oil has pulled back from its high of over $110/barrel, but fertilizer stocks are still moving, hitting multi-year highs. This corner of the market still appears to be expecting petro price pressure. https://t.co/r6Y5yIn6hu
Airbus, RWTH Aachen, DLR and other partners launched GENtwoPRO, a German‑funded project to develop a low‑temperature PEM fuel‑cell system for regional aircraft up to 100 seats. The initiative, part of the LuFo VII‑1 programme, targets megawatt‑scale power density and rapid...
Very pleased to read the Government of India's supportive statement for @IEA's collective action to release emergency oil stocks to address disruptions in global oil markets – and that India stands ready to take appropriate measures to support global market...
MOSCOW, March 11 (Reuters) - Gazprom on Wednesday reported aerial attacks on its facilities in southern Russia, including the Russkaya pumping station that exports natural gas via the TurkStream subsea pipeline to Europe, but added that all the attacks had...
Former US secretary of state John Kerry warned that the recent oil price surge caused by the war in Iran underscores the security risks of dependence on fossil fuels. He called for countries to achieve energy independence by accelerating deployment...
yes, managing to stop all non-Iranian oil tanker traffic in the Persian Gulf is a tremendous impact.
Are wind and solar “expensive and unreliable,” as President Trump claims? https://t.co/UiE5Iz8PY4 Graph: WWS supply as a % of demand vs electricity price, by state https://t.co/Tpm8NCnpHF Table: WWS supply as a % of demand https://t.co/KP3uii4BqI Book https://t.co/irGIq6qRxE https://t.co/cY35RF0Ovo
New Mexico's sovereign wealth fund is backing a $1 billion Pacific Fusion project to build a desert‑based fusion research facility, while also pouring hundreds of millions into venture funds targeting defense and advanced tech. The fund’s revamped private‑equity program has posted...
"I think the utilities in California recognize that they are operating in a different world today: if they cause fires, they will not have a business." https://t.co/j6Ht8D35SR
Interestingly, crude oil is up after the IEA reserve release. If this head and shoulders pattern on the near term charts plays out, we are looking at oil back above $102 a barrel. https://t.co/WA4Ceo89fg
SLB, the world’s largest oilfield services firm, fell nearly 10% as Iran‑related geopolitical tension pushed crude toward $120 per barrel, creating a valuation disconnect. The stock has rebounded to its $45 support level, suggesting buyer interest, and could test the...
And shout out to @lisamurkowski, who has been on top of this issue for years and warning about using the SPR like a piggy bank for other things. And to current @EIAgov administrator Tristan Abbey @EIA_One who did such good...
Saudi Aramco resumed 70% of oil shipments via Red Sea pipeline. Markets celebrated. But 30% is still offline. And the Strait of Hormuz — the main artery — remains contested. 70% of normal isn't normal. https://t.co/8vfhBzo9cZ
Aii has launched the Energy and Carbon Benchmark, a voluntary tool that breaks down textile factory energy use by individual processes such as knitting and dyeing. The benchmark is designed to plug into existing platforms like the Higg Facility Environmental...
Sure. But the technical release capacity of SPR is supposed to be 4.4mbd. https://t.co/TMmRyYNOeL It’s a fraction of that because we failed to modernize the SPR, as I recommended to Senate (3rd bullet) in testimony a decade ago. https://t.co/wGjrmZHFpr https://t.co/yFTv4lJfSw
Europe rushes to deal with price fallout from Trump’s Iran war https://t.co/khA8dhNhMj via @johnainger @donatopmancini https://t.co/3tcyP5Pu0U
SMX (Security Matters) PLC is rolling out molecular traceability technology that embeds invisible markers into crude oil, refined fuels and petrochemicals, giving each batch a permanent, verifiable identity. The system lets producers, traders and investors confirm origin and chain‑of‑custody at...
The Strait of Hormuz remains almost shut, even as the risk premium priced into Brent currently (blue) is on par with that after Ukraine (black). The Strait is 3 times more important for global oil supply than Russia, so risk...
Rather than the IEA's own 400 million barrels, the most important number right now is Japan's announcement that's releasing from Monday (March 16th) ~80 million barrels from its reserve. Those are actual flow barrels that will hit the market immediately...
The International Energy Agency announced a historic release of 400 million barrels of emergency crude, the largest drawdown in its history and about one‑third of members’ total reserves. The move aims to temper soaring oil prices triggered by the U.S.–Israel conflict...
9 trading days into the conflict, crude and gas price trajectory has been very similar oil: https://t.co/O0orfuxpnw
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Permit Board unanimously approved a permit for xAI to operate 41 natural‑gas turbines at its Southaven data‑center site. The decision was made during a meeting held on Election Day, drawing sharp criticism from the...
As economists forecast falling gas prices later in 2026, I encourage you to consider this chart. Once surcharges are imposed, the benefits of falling prices are very slow to follow... https://t.co/pl5zUkZK7h
RWE added roughly 2 GW of operating capacity in 2025, pushing its U.S. portfolio to nearly 13 GW. The firm launched 15 projects across seven states, comprising six solar farms, five wind farms and four battery energy storage systems (BESS). The BESS...
The Thai government is using the state‑run Oil Fuel Fund to subsidise diesel and gasoline as global oil prices climb, spending over one billion baht a day on the program. Losses are projected to hit ten billion baht by March 18,...
Australian federal and state governments will spend $16.3 bn subsidising fossil fuels in 2025‑26, equivalent to $31,020 each minute, according to the Australia Institute. The subsidies are set to grow 9.4%, outpacing the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s 7.6% increase. The federal...
Kenya is experiencing daily load‑shedding as peak demand outstrips firm capacity, leaving a razor‑thin reserve margin of just 2.3% in early 2026. The crisis stems from a four‑year moratorium on new power plants, rapid demand growth from industry, electric vehicles...
"Record Diesel-Price Surge Hits U.S. Truckers, Retailers and Manufacturers" https://t.co/5jBpvH4MCa "Most large trucking companies will pass the added costs on to American stores and factories..." Fortunately, US factories aren't already facing soaring costs, so it's fi- oh. https://t.co/ZU45kzcUbj
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved five transmission security agreements (TSAs) between Commonwealth Edison and data‑center developers, including Equinix and QTS Investment Properties Chicago. The contracts embed provisions—ramp‑up schedules, credit obligations, revenue contributions, and termination fees—to shield existing ComEd...
Western Australian farmers are confronting diesel shortages after metropolitan panic‑buying drained regional supplies, leaving some farms waiting up to three weeks for fuel deliveries. The scarcity threatens critical seeding and harvesting operations on wheatbelt, potato and horticultural farms, with limited...
Europe's self-imposed energy crisis. As @envMENTALsubstk says: There’s a reason that parable is not “He who laughs first.” Not Laffan Now, by @envMENTALsubstk https://t.co/j8yij78H14
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have demonstrated an electrochemical process that uses tartaric acid, a wine‑making by‑product, to separate cobalt and nickel from lithium‑ion battery leachates. By applying sequential voltages, the method achieves over 99% cobalt purity and 96.5% nickel...
