Today's Energy Pulse
Scania pilots vehicle‑to‑grid charging for heavy‑duty electric trucks
Scania demonstrated one of the first vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) systems for heavy‑duty electric trucks using the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The pilot showed bi‑directional power flow, letting trucks feed stored electricity back to the grid while parked at depots. Real‑time communication between the truck, charger and energy‑management platform enabled dynamic charging and discharging.
Also developing:
Oxford PV Says Tandem Solar Could Add up to 5 Km to Daily EV Range
Oxford PV has joined Nissan’s SUITE consortium to advance perovskite‑silicon tandem solar cells for vehicle‑integrated photovoltaics. The tandem technology promises 20‑30% more power per unit area, adding roughly 3‑5 km of daily range and pushing total solar‑derived range to 15‑20 km per day. Oxford PV targets 27% module efficiency by 2027 and 29% by the end of the project in 2029, with the goal of reaching TRL 7 demonstrator vehicles. Commercial rollout would see Oxford supplying cells and interconnects to OEM partners for integration into vehicle glass and roofs.
5 Big Energy Stories - 4.27.2026: Nowhere to Go But Up
Brent crude climbed to $107.89 per barrel, up 2.4%, after a second round of U.S.-Iran peace talks collapsed. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized two cargo vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, keeping the strategic chokepoint volatile. West Texas Intermediate rose...
Meta Secures Overview Energy Space Solar Power Capacity
Meta has signed an agreement to secure up to 1 GW of power from Overview Energy’s planned solar‑beaming satellite system. The move follows Meta’s earlier deals for 6.6 GW of nuclear capacity and reflects growing pressure on terrestrial grids from AI‑driven data‑center...
Norway Can Teach the UK About Energy Security – but the Lesson Is Not More North Sea Drilling
Norway’s aggressive electrification strategy shows the UK how to boost energy security without expanding North Sea drilling. A recent Middle‑East supply shock exposed Britain’s reliance on imported oil and gas, while domestic production offers only limited price relief. Norway meets...
UK Startup Showcases All-in-One Water Cylinder Heat Pump Prototype
British startup Nusku unveiled a prototype that packs an air‑source heat pump, a 180‑litre hot‑water cylinder and a smart controller into a single outdoor unit. The integrated design eliminates the need for indoor cylinders and reduces installation time to one...
U.S. Gas Prices Plunge While Europe Soars
CHART OF THE DAY: A favourite chart whenever the price of natural gas in Europe and Asia rises. Meanwhile, in West Texas the price goes deeply negative, reaching a record low of nearly -$10 per mBtu over the weekend (so...
Ofgem’s “Transformation”: Key Takeaways From the DESNZ Announcement
On 22 April 2026 the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announced a package of reforms to "transform" Ofgem. The proposals give the regulator stronger direct consumer‑law enforcement powers, a potential ban on executive bonuses for energy firms, and...
Legal Implications of the Iran Conflict for Energy and Commodity Traders
The Iran‑region conflict that erupted on February 28, 2026 has sent crude, refined products and natural‑gas benchmarks into sharp volatility, while physical supply chains across the Middle East face material disruptions. Energy traders are now navigating not only commercial risk...
Iran Conflict Threatens Global Markets via Hormuz
🇮🇷 Iran Intel Brief | Geopolitical Brief ─────── Wait, missing limit. Correct: Wait, still missing. The system cut it, but to fix, I need to include limit.Again, the response had only 3, perhaps the default is 3, so I must specify limit. Looking at the...
Norway Registers 98% Electric Cars, only 12 Petrol Sold
Norway sold 12 petrol cars in February 2026. Out of 7,272 new passenger car registrations, 98% were fully electric. Just 67 diesel & 12 petrol cars were registered. More in my new Substack newsletter coming out every 7 days. Sign up here:...
EirGrid Announces Procurement Package for Irish Offshore Wind
EirGrid announced a procurement package valued at over €100 million (approximately $110 million) for the Powering Up Offshore – South Coast Tonn Nua Substation project. The package includes design, fabrication, installation and commissioning of offshore substations and related high‑voltage equipment. It is...
Clean Energy Switch Must Not Be Excuse to Plunder Indigenous Lands, Say Leaders
The inaugural world conference on phasing out fossil fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia, amplified Indigenous leaders’ warning that the clean‑energy transition must not become a pretext for new land grabs. Delegates from more than 50 nations discussed forming a “coalition...
Minister Opens BnM Derrinlough Wind Farm
Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment officially opened BnM’s 126 MW Derrinlough Wind Farm in Offaly. The project, a €150 million ($164 million) investment, features 21 V150‑6.0 MW turbines and is underpinned by a corporate power purchase agreement with Amazon. A €12 million...
Hormuz Closure Sparks California Energy Crunch
The fallout from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is reaching California, triggering a serious energy crunch. Full Newsletter: #iranwar #crudeoil #geopolitics https://t.co/wXUuhw5ng7
UK: Government Attempts to Assuage Jet Fuel Shortage Fears
The UK government has publicly reassured travellers that there is no jet‑fuel shortage in the country, despite supply anxieties triggered by the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It noted that airlines purchase fuel in advance and that airports...
Iran’s Hormuz Probe Tests Trump’s Exit Desperation
Why give up Hormuz leverage when the blockade is not putting serious immediate pressure on Iran @vtchakarova ? THIS IS NOT A REAL PROPOSAL It’s a probe. Testing how desperate Trump is to exit Signaling internal power jockeying Showing Iran—not the US—controls the terms. #Hormuz...
European Stocks Rally as Renewed US‑Iran Peace Hopes Boost Investor Sentiment
A fresh Iranian peace proposal to the United States, aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending hostilities, sent the German DAX up nearly 0.6% and nudged the U.S. dollar lower. The market lift highlights how US diplomatic moves...
AMA Energy Insights: Lithoz and Evove Redefine Lithium Extraction with SeparonicsTM
Lithium demand is surging as EVs and grid storage expand, but traditional brine evaporation ponds are land‑intensive, slow, and environmentally taxing. Ceramic‑3D‑printing specialist Lithoz and UK water‑filtration firm Evove have teamed up to replace evaporation with modular ceramic membranes built...
Crude Oil Futures Stay Deeply Backwardated After War-Driven Spike
WTI and Brent front‑month contracts linger near $95 and $105 per barrel, respectively, while the futures curve stays sharply backwardated to about $60 by 2032. The structure follows a war‑driven rally that lifted prompt prices, creating new opportunities and risks...
Republicans Introduce American Energy Dominance Act, Aim to Remove Renewables ITC, PTC Deadlines
Republican lawmakers introduced the American Energy Dominance Act to undo Trump-era cuts to the renewable Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC) that were shortened under the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill would restore the original construction and...
Zero Tankers in Hormuz Threaten Global Crude Supply
Talk is cheap. The reality is that there are ZERO tankers moving into the Hormuz Strait. We have to separate what might happen from what is happening What is happening is biting the world in its ass HUGELY That's what's happening.
MIT‑IBM Lab Unveils "EnergAIzer" To Cut AI Data‑Center Power Use
MIT researchers and the MIT‑IBM Watson AI Lab introduced EnergAIzer, a rapid estimation method that predicts the electricity consumption of AI workloads in seconds. The tool targets a looming surge in data‑center power demand—projected to reach up to 12% of...
Chernobyl: The Work of Self-Confident Fools, After Whom Invisible Heroes Had to Clean Up
The article argues that the Chernobyl disaster magnified a deep‑seated fear of invisible, man‑made hazards, turning nuclear energy into a symbol of state power and uncertainty. It highlights how human error and a massive Soviet cover‑up under Gorbachev’s glasnost era...
Government Urged to Fast-Track ‘Flexible’ Data Centre Connections
Energy UK warned the UK government’s plan to fast‑track data centre grid connections could divert capacity from renewable projects and other essential users. The industry body urged that data centres offering flexibility services—such as demand‑side response and co‑located battery storage—receive...
Trump's War in Iran Drives Connecticut Gas Prices Up 39% With No Relief in Sight
Trump's military action against Iran has pushed national gasoline prices above $4 per gallon, adding roughly $456 annually to the average driver’s expenses. In Connecticut, pump prices jumped from $2.91 to $4.05, a 38.9% increase, prompting ferry operators to impose...
Zambia's Integrated Off‑Grid Energy Fuels Local Economies
In #Zambia, @SEforALLorg @RockefellerFdn @RuralZambia & partners are rethinking #energyaccess. We are building systems where demand & supply grow together, and where local economies are powered by productive energy use and sustainable off-grid solutions. https://t.co/LJj2Qn2G2q
Toyota Tsusho’s AEOLUS Begins Operation of Solar Plants in Tunisia
Toyota Tsusho’s AEOLUS has begun commercial operation of two 50 MW solar power plants in Tunisia’s Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur governorates, delivering a combined 100 MW capacity. The projects, developed at a cost of about $92 million, are financed by the EBRD and...
BP Overtakes Exxon as Top Oil Stock Amid Iran Conflict
BP has surged past Exxon Mobil to become the best‑performing super‑major since the Iran war started on Feb. 28, with its stock up about 20% versus Exxon’s 2% drop. The rally is tied to Meg O’Neill’s aggressive debt‑reduction plan and...
Westnetz’s 21 MW Battery Stabilizes German Grid Frequency in Real‑Time Test
Westnetz completed the first real‑world test of its 21 MW/55 MWh battery energy storage system under the SUREVIVE pilot, showing the unit can actively maintain frequency and voltage in Germany’s medium‑voltage grid. The success demonstrates that stationary batteries can deliver inertia‑like services...
Chinese Scientists Build Silver-Free Heterojunction Solar Cell with 25.2% Efficiency
Chinese researchers at Nankai University introduced an argon‑hydrogen plasma interface engineering technique that dramatically improves indium tin oxide (ITO) layers used in heterojunction (HJT) solar cells. The treatment enhances adhesion, lowers contact resistance, and enables uniform copper electroplating, replacing costly...
Powering AI, Strengthening the Grid: Innovation in Space Solar Energy and Long-Duration Storage
Meta announced two strategic partnerships to secure clean power for its AI and data‑center operations. With Overview Energy, Meta will reserve up to 1 GW of space‑solar capacity that beams constant sunlight from geosynchronous orbit to ground‑based solar farms, enabling 24/7...
How the Conflict in Iran Is an Accidental ‘Green Swan’
The Iran‑Hormuz conflict has sharply disrupted global oil flows, sending Brent crude above $100 a barrel and slashing tanker traffic by roughly 87 percent within weeks. The chokepoint moves about 20 million barrels daily—about 20% of world oil consumption—exposing the strategic...
US Renewable Capacity Set for 80GW Rise
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects utility‑scale solar, wind and battery storage to add over 80 GW of capacity by February 2027, lifting renewables’ share of total utility‑scale capacity from 33.4% to 36.6%. Solar will contribute roughly 42.6 GW, wind 14.5 GW—including 4.2 GW offshore),...
10 Things You Should Know About Oil and Prices
The U.S. and Israel’s strike on Iran has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly 25% of global oil flow and triggering a sharp rise in energy prices worldwide. Crude prices have surged above $100 a barrel, pushing U.S. gasoline...
Pakistan Warns Severe Heat Wave, Threatens Blackouts
Pakistan issued a heat wave warning for parts of the country, risking further blackouts 🇵🇰⚠️ Abnormally hot weather will be concentrated in Pakistan’s south this week. Severe heat is predicted for parts of Sindh, South Punjab and Balochistan until May 5 https://t.co/KJ8tO8JmGG
TotalEnergies Maximises Production at Major Refinery to Secure French Fuel Supply
TotalEnergies has pushed its Gonfreville refinery to full‑tilt, operating at 100% capacity to produce roughly 250,000 barrels of crude per day. The move safeguards France’s diesel and jet‑fuel supplies as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and tanker routes around...
Oil Prices Continue to Rise Amid the US-Iran Stalemate; Iran Awaits US Blockade Removal
Oil prices kept climbing as the US‑Iran deadlock deepened, with crude trading above the $93 per barrel resistance. Iran signaled it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz once the US lifts its maritime blockade, while President Trump insists on a...
Global Stocks Steady; Oil Climbs on Stalled Peace Talks
Oil prices surged to $108.5 a barrel, a three‑week high, as stalled US‑Iran peace talks raise concerns over West Asia supply disruptions. The rally pushed Brent futures up nearly 3%, stoking inflation worries and prompting traders to price out rate...
KSERC Allows KSEB to Procure Additional Power Amid Rising Summer Demand in Kerala
Kerala's electricity regulator KSERC has authorized the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to procure an additional 250 MW of power through day‑ahead and intra‑day markets to alleviate peak‑season shortages. The decision follows record‑high consumption, with daily usage surpassing 100 million units and...
Combined Demand Among All Utilities Touched 31k MW
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) recorded a new peak demand of 27,230 MW, eclipsing its 2025 high. Combined demand across all utilities in the state reached 31,000 MW, highlighting the scale of the grid challenge. The state’s MSKVY 2.0 solar programme...
New York Keeps Getting Hotter. Utilities Can Still Cut Off the Power.
New York State unveiled a policy that restricts utility power shutoffs to the hottest days of a heat wave, but the rules are weaker for New York City residents. The change follows intense lobbying by utilities that collectively hold more...
How Carbon Removal Tech Is Adapting to Trump's Energy Agenda
The carbon removal sector is rebranding to fit President Trump’s energy‑dominance agenda, securing Department of Energy approval for two major hubs in Louisiana and Texas. Originally buoyed by Biden‑era climate laws, the industry endured a year‑long review and a pause...
EPRI: Local AI for Energy Research
EPRI has deployed Dell’s Pro Max workstation equipped with NVIDIA’s Grace Blackwell GB10 superchip to run custom AI workloads entirely on‑premises. The system supports up to 200 billion‑parameter models, 128 GB of unified memory, and delivers roughly 1 petaFLOP of AI performance, enabling...
Grid Modernization’s Overlooked Constraint: From Data Gaps to Data Advantage
Investor‑owned utilities face accelerating load growth, DER proliferation, and tighter interconnection timelines. While many invest in advanced metering and DER management, European utilities have found that the real bottleneck is data quality, not technology. Deploying an Intelligent Grid Platform (IGP)...
Mahakumbh 2025 Holds Lessons in Solving India’s Waste Crisis
Mahakumbh 2025, the world’s largest human gathering, hosted roughly 660 million pilgrims over six weeks and produced about 400 metric tons of solid waste. The Uttar Pradesh government deployed a temporary megacity with 15,000 sanitation workers, 10 sewage‑treatment plants and a bio‑CNG facility...
What Load Growth Demands of Resource Planning
Utilities and grid operators are confronting load growth that would have seemed impossible five years ago, with ERCOT projecting an additional 142 GW of peak demand by 2030 and national data‑center demand expected to hit 134 GW, triple current levels. This surge...
Goldman, Citi Lift Oil Price Forecasts to $90‑$110
Goldman and Citi strategists are boosting their oil forecasts again. GS now sees brent averaging $90 a barrel in Q4. Citi's Layton just raised his base case average price forecasts to $110/95/80/bbl for 2Q/3Q/4Q 2026, respectively, from $95/80/75/bbl. https://t.co/hI2hYmRVx1
Iberdrola Completes Mexico Exit
Iberdrola completed the sale of its Mexican portfolio, including 2.6 GW of capacity, to fellow Spanish firm Cox for $4 billion. The divestiture comprises 1,368 MW of combined‑cycle/co‑generation and 1,232 MW of solar and wind assets, plus 12 GW of renewable projects in development. Cox...
Renewables in Vogue as Iran War Drives up Europe Power Prices
The Iran‑Israel conflict has jolted global oil and gas markets, sending wholesale electricity prices soaring across Europe. Albania, which generates more than 90% of its power from hydropower on the Drin River, has largely insulated its market from the surge....
Free Weekly Energy Transition Newsletter Launches with Bright Spots
I just launched a Substack newsletter. Every week I'll be writing about the energy transition. The first issue is out today. I include a section called Bright Spots — good news from the transition every week. Please subscribe - it is completely...