Know What's Happening in Energy
Know What's Happening in Energy
JPMorgan flags $1 trillion U.S. power‑grid upgrade spend amid aging infrastructure
The bank warns that the U.S. grid, averaging nearly 60 years old, faces a national‑security risk and projects roughly $1 trillion in upgrades between 2026 and 2035, part of a $5.8 trillion global spend. Rising AI‑driven data‑center demand could add 100 GW of peak load by 2030, intensifying the upgrade need.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Oil majors secure $164M Alaska lease package
Fugro has been awarded a geotechnical survey contract for the Oriel offshore wind farm off County Louth, Ireland. The survey will underpin foundation design for 25 turbines delivering 375 MW, positioning Oriel as one of Ireland’s first commercial‑scale offshore projects. Fugro’s vessel Voyager, equipped with the SEADEVIL coring system, has already begun a winter campaign in water depths up to 33 m. The collected soil and geophysical data will help mitigate installation risks as the development moves toward construction.
The episode examines the sudden surge of oil prices above $100 a barrel, driven by escalating attacks on Persian Gulf infrastructure amid the Iran‑Israel‑U.S. conflict. Journalists Luke Vargas and Joe Wallace explain how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,...
Researchers introduced a cationic PDAC hydrogel electrolyte that immobilizes chloride anions, forming highly selective Zn²⁺ transport channels while simultaneously guiding (002)-oriented zinc deposition. The electrolyte achieves 5.3 mS cm⁻¹ ionic conductivity at –50 °C and a Zn²⁺ transference number of 0.87, delivering 98 %...
LG Energy Solution (LGES) will stop using cathode material from sister firm LG Chem for Tesla battery packs, shifting to external supplier L&F. The change is driven by Tesla’s demand for ultra‑high‑nickel (95% Ni) NMC cathodes that promise roughly 20%...
Researchers have introduced IDT‑R, an n‑type conjugated diradical semiconductor, to modify TiO₂ electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells. The material simultaneously passivates surface defects and raises intrinsic conductivity, addressing the long‑standing performance gap between TiO₂‑ and SnO₂‑based devices. Devices...
Anode‑free batteries (AFBs) remove the traditional lithium‑metal anode, promising higher energy density, lower cost, and improved sustainability. The recent perspective reviews advances in both liquid and solid electrolyte AFBs, detailing plating/stripping mechanisms, degradation pathways, and performance metrics. It highlights critical...
Ireland retired its final coal‑fired power plant in 2025, making it the 15th European nation to operate without coal. The closure ends a decades‑long reliance on coal for baseload electricity and follows a broader EU push toward net‑zero emissions. Ireland’s...
Shell has signed a series of oil and gas exploration agreements with the Venezuelan government, covering offshore natural gas and on‑shore projects, and partnered with local engineering firm VEPICA, KBR, and Baker Hughes. The deals clear the path for the...
Jackery unveiled its SolarVault 3 series of residential solar storage solutions in the Netherlands, offering three models tailored for apartments, larger homes, and existing PV installations. The S3 Pro and S3 Pro Max deliver up to 4000 W solar input with...
Higher oil prices are increasingly aligning with rising interest rates, intensifying inflation pressures and prompting risk‑off sentiment across equity markets. Geopolitical shocks that push oil spikes tend to depress risk assets, though the effect fades once oil stabilises. The latest...
FYI, my latest article in the Financial Times discusses how the war in Iran and skyrocketing oil prices can compound the spillovers from an uncertain US labor market and financial strains in three market sectors. https://www.ft.com/content/418455bc-e177-46a4-8e25-44c837f49038 #economy #markets #oil #middleeastwar @financialtimes
In February 2026 the European Union purchased every cargo from Russia’s Yamal LNG project, amounting to 1.54 million tonnes across 21 shipments, the first full‑yearly capture since 2018. The purchases came just nine months before the EU’s scheduled ban on Russian...
Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk is adding a temporary “Green Rail Route” and upgrading the existing Sizewell Branch Line to move up to 60% of construction materials by rail and sea. The upgrades include track renewal, new signalling...
A senior UK minister said there is no immediate threat to the country’s gas supplies, refuting a report that the nation had only two days of gas left. Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel following US‑Israeli strikes in...
The Energy Transition Expo in Rimini attracted 1,065 exhibitors and 530 buyers, marking a 10% rise in overall attendance and a 9% increase in foreign visitors. The show highlighted energy‑as‑a‑service models and a surge of interest in agrivoltaic projects, with...
Singapore‑based Vena Group has signed a Won 1 trillion (US$674 million) memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s Chungcheongnam‑do province and Taean‑gun county to develop large‑scale green‑energy projects, primarily offshore wind, by 2030. The partnership will see Vena invest the full amount, with local...
Singapore‑based Vena Group has signed a Won 1 tn ($674 m) memorandum of understanding with Chungcheongnam‑do province and Taean‑gun to develop large‑scale green energy projects in South Korea, primarily offshore wind. The agreement commits Vena to invest the full amount by 2030, with...
Grid congestion in the U.S. is becoming a major bottleneck for renewable energy projects, limiting revenue for IPPs and C&I owners even when assets are fully built and financed. The article highlights that while utilities focus on technical solutions, the...
Renewable energy now accounts for roughly 20% of U.S. electricity, with wind as the dominant source followed by hydropower. Intermittent generation can create periods of oversupply, prompting curtailments and even negative market prices. To balance the grid, utility‑scale storage—currently over...
Underground utility crews often encounter inaccurate maps and missing locate information, leading to costly delays. RFID‑enabled buried markers, such as Tempo’s OmniMarker‑ID and Spike Marker‑ID, embed detailed asset data directly at the site, allowing read/write access via locators like the...
Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming‑hsin announced that the island's natural gas supply will be sufficient through April, having secured 20 of the 22 LNG shipments needed for March and April. The government reports a diversified import mix, with...
About any IEA oil stocks release: ✔️ Volume may not be an issue. At 1.2 billion barrels government stockpiles and 0.6 bil barrels commercial stockpiles, the volume is enough *in theory* to offset the loss of 20 mil b/d for 90...
BIG OIL MOVES = FUEL FOR HIGHER CORRELATIONS Front-month Brent up ~55% over the past month. VIX contingent on Brent front-month futures +/- 50% in 1M: Median: 33.9 Average: 44.4 Max: 76.5 Min: 27.6 Current: 32.2
Hanwha Ocean handed over the second of four very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to Bermuda‑based DHT Holdings on March 6, naming the vessel DHT Addax. The first unit, DHT Antelope, arrived in January, with the third expected by month‑end and...
The Belgian government has seized a tanker of the shadow fleet. With the United States, India, and now the Europeans intervening, it is only a matter of time – months at most – before the entire fleet is shut down. Full...
Good Morning from Germany, where spot gas prices have surged to above €60 per megawatt hour. That makes natural gas roughly 6 times more expensive here than in the US. https://t.co/4kxjaKHMGh
Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export hub, handles roughly 90% of the country's crude and can load about 7 million barrels per day. As the U.S.-Israel war on Iran intensifies, the island remains untouched, but analysts warn President Trump may contemplate...
*SAUDI ARABIA STARTS OIL OUTPUT CUTS AS STORAGE FILLS UP We do not have a lack of supply of oil. We have a lack of supply of shipping
China gives the all-clear for retail gas and diesel prices to rise in its regular price review. State media said it's likely to mean an additional ~RMB25 / US$4 to fill a tank https://t.co/x9kKlWXOn3
Oil prices have surged sharply as the Middle East conflict intensifies, highlighted by Iran’s appointment of a new supreme leader. The spike has prompted an emergency G7 finance ministers meeting to discuss coordinated responses. In the UK, Prime Minister Sir...
"My SPR withdrawal is bigger than Biden's withdrawal. In fact, my SPR withdrawal is the biggest in history. We will make alot of money for the American people"😉
Californians: what prices are you seeing at the pump? Could be the right moment for @realDonaldTrump to issue $SOC EO. Getting oil through Hormuz past the Iranians easier than getting it to California past @CAgovernor et al.
Octopus Energy is extending its Plunge Pricing dynamic EV‑charging model to France, offering discounts of up to 50% at roughly 7,000 Powerdot ultra‑rapid stations when renewable generation is abundant. The scheme leverages the Electroverse platform, which already links to 97%...
log real oil in 2026 dollars. persian gulf, early 1990s at ~$73, in 2026 dollars. underlying is PGCRARLT INDX DES https://t.co/ZaA76mNpOi
Another Monday morning, more energy market turbulence. After fossil fuel prices stabilised somewhat towards end of last week they are reaching new highs. Renewable electricity does not as the sun & the wind don’t care much for what happens in...
Valeura Energy Inc. confirmed Thailand's new decrees that immediately ban exports of gasoline, diesel, jet A1 fuel and liquefied petroleum gas, while leaving crude oil shipments untouched. The restrictions aim to bolster Thailand's domestic fuel security amid tightening global supplies....
Qatar is pushing back the start of its new LNG expansion project to 2027 🇶🇦⚠️ The move comes after the Ras Laffan facility was hit with an Iranian drone attack This threatens to further curb global gas supply and push back an...
Fortescue has officially hit the accelerator on its plan to purge diesel from its operations, reaching a massive one billion dollar annual spending rate on electrification. https://t.co/NNU6MWp1YM
Origin Energy’s 300 MW/650 MWh Mortlake battery energy storage system has been registered on the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Market Management System, marking its first active integration steps ahead of full commissioning. The BESS sits beside Victoria’s largest gas‑fired plant, the 566 MW...
OIL: volatility ramping > 100 is not risk that humans are built to calculate using Moving Monkeys https://t.co/92Lhy22q5j
"This may be a war but it's also perhaps the biggest energy supply/logistics crisis we've ever seen in modern history:" Mizuho's Jordan Rochester. "Oil is now on a $100pb handle and it might be there to stay," with greater likelihood...
Oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel, reigniting market volatility amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Julius Baer strategist Mark Matthews says markets are already pricing in the shock, with Asian equities showing mixed reactions and India’s exposure mitigated by improved oil...
History of IEA collective oil emergecy stockpiles releases (and size; note the size was volume offered): 1991: First Gulf War (~75 million) 2005: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (~60 million) 2011: Libya civil war (~60 million) 2022: Russia-Ukraine (~180 million in two tranches)
“Most OPEC+ spare capacity (about 4 mb/d) is trapped behind Gulf export bottlenecks, rendering near‑term policy interventions ineffective. Even Saudi Arabia’s pre‑conflict ramp‑up toward 10.9 mb/d does little to ease global supply unless export routes re‑open.” - SocGen
The French government announced that releasing its strategic oil reserves will be on the agenda of a virtual G‑7 finance ministers meeting on March 9. France, holding the rotating G‑7 presidency, will lead the discussion on how to mitigate the...
Crude in a holding pattern -- likely short-lived -- with Brent at $106-108/bbl, awaiting IEA stock release decision.
Rising energy prices are pushing up inflation, especially in economies dependent on imported fossil fuels. The durable solution is structural: improve efficiency, accelerate electrification and scale up renewables. Energy policy is economic policy. https://t.co/hmcAVJFLOT
Bapco, Bahrain’s state‑run oil refiner, invoked force majeure after a war‑related attack damaged its 90‑year‑old refinery, which now processes roughly 400,000 barrels per day following recent upgrades. The company assures that domestic fuel needs remain satisfied, but it can suspend...
U.S., Israel Should Withdraw From Strait of Hormuz Area, Says Iranian Envoy—Iran’s ambassador to China denounced the U.S. and Israel as sources of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and called on the two governments to withdraw from the area. @ByChunHan...
Current oil supply is not zero. It is 20% less than before. So this would mean 20 days of consumption.
