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
Mining and clean‑energy giant Fortescue is leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate its decarbonisation agenda, deploying over 200 autonomous haul trucks and using AI to manage a 500 km renewable grid. AI simulations recently produced 2,650 scenarios to inform a six‑year green‑steel project, underscoring the technology’s operational impact. Founder Andrew Forrest praised AI’s speed but warned of its potential dangers, referencing military use and rogue outcomes. He believes AI will help Fortescue meet its 2030 net‑zero goal, though he remains uneasy about uncontrolled AI.
The Energy Insiders podcast released a special episode featuring Francis Norman, head of the Centre of Decommissioning Australia, who outlines the complex process of shutting down and removing oil and gas wells. He highlights the technical, regulatory, and financial challenges...
Same. I wrote about this past few days for clients because too many are complacent: Hormuz Heightens Risk & My Crude Oil Price Target https://t.co/jNvbWvy4Rt
Jyoti Structures Limited has commissioned a 400 kV twin HTLS transmission line linking Gadag and Koppal power stations in Karnataka for ReNew Power. The 100‑km line traverses challenging terrain and black cotton soil, completed on a Build‑Own‑Operate‑Maintain (BOOM) basis. It enables...
Western Australia has unveiled community benefits guidelines that create a fund‑custodian role to negotiate payments with renewable developers and implement locally‑chosen projects. An independent organisation will help councils decide on a single benefit plan, after which the custodian negotiates rates....
The federal environment minister has approved SynergyRed’s 100 MW Scott River wind farm in Western Australia, subject to five stringent conditions under the EPBC Act. The project will install 20 turbines up to 250 m tall, disturbing 107 ha of land but clearing...
U.S. ethanol producers posted a sixth consecutive year of profitability in 2025, with a representative Iowa dry‑mill plant earning an average of $0.21 per gallon. Net nominal profit reached $23.2 million, well above the long‑run average. The rise was driven by...
The latest episode is a solo market update including comments on my visit to Thacker Pass https://t.co/qWVTLZDIai
Oil markets are grappling with heightened volatility as the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one‑fifth of global oil passes—remains effectively shut. The closure is forcing traders to reassess supply‑demand balances for refined products, especially diesel and gasoline, which are seeing...
European gas prices surged 70 % in a single week as the Middle East conflict intensified, coinciding with historically low storage levels. Despite the spike, EU officials assert there is no immediate risk to gas or oil supplies, citing existing contracts...
Codific’s new analysis outlines five recurring cyber‑attack pathways that threaten power‑grid operations, from spear‑phishing and credential theft to remote‑access exploitation, ransomware, and the misuse of legitimate industrial commands. The report stresses that most disruptive incidents follow familiar patterns rather than...
New York’s electricity bills have surged past $400 per month for many residents, reigniting debate over the state’s 2019 climate law. Governor Kathy Hochul is weighing revisions that could affect the law’s aggressive renewable targets amid concerns the mandates may...
The United States convened a critical‑minerals summit to curb China’s overwhelming role in battery and electric‑vehicle supply chains, but China still controls over 80 percent of global lithium‑ion battery production and 90 percent of grid‑scale storage. Washington has taken minority stakes in...
The Trump administration auctioned more than 400,000 acres in Alaska's Cook Inlet, yet no oil or gas companies submitted bids. The sale was part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which obliges six offshore auctions through 2032 to boost...
The latest Energy Information Administration data show U.S. crude inventories increasing by 3.2 million barrels in March, while exports rose to 5.1 million barrels, approaching record levels. Imports declined by 1.8 million barrels, indicating stronger domestic demand. Refinery utilization climbed...
Baltimore Gas & Electric has temporarily paused its underground transmission line project in downtown Baltimore after cost estimates ballooned from $109 million to over $400 million, with some analysts projecting total expenses above $500 million. The initiative, intended to link an expanded substation...
Alabama Power has installed Tesla Megapacks at the former Plant Scherer coal site, creating Alabama’s first utility‑scale battery energy storage system (BESS). The 100‑MW/400‑MWh installation marks a major step in repurposing retired fossil‑fuel assets for clean‑energy resilience. At the same...
Oil markets remain volatile as the fifth day of the US‑Iran conflict curtails traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil. West Texas Intermediate steadied just under $75 a barrel while Brent hovered around...
The White House, led by former President Donald Trump, convened executives from Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and other AI‑focused firms to address rising electricity costs tied to new data centers. The companies signed a voluntary "ratepayer protection pledge" committing to...
I know it's only March but if you know anyone in your family is going to be on the naughty list you may want to consider hedging your future coal purchases with a long $COAL position. You're competing against the...
Janisse Quiñones, who has led Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power since 2024, announced her resignation to become chief executive of Luma, a private electric‑utility operator in Puerto Rico. During her tenure she bolstered grid and water reliability, guided...
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules now tie clean‑energy tax credits to the origin of battery materials, demanding at least 60% of value from non‑prohibited countries and increasing this share each year. Compliance pushes...
TerraPower, the Bill Gates‑backed nuclear startup, secured a unanimous Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permit for its Natrium advanced reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming. The approval marks the first U.S. commercial reactor permit in nearly ten years, allowing the company to begin...
Exeter Airport in the UK is conducting a second two‑week winter trial of hydrogen‑powered ground support equipment, focusing on a dual‑fuel (hydrogen/diesel) ground power unit operating in cold, inclement weather. The trial follows an April test that deployed a hydrogen...
Fastmarkets announced a delay in publishing the United States sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) price data for March 3. The postponed release covers three benchmarks: base cost ex‑works in Houston, delivered price in Los Angeles, and delivered price in Chicago. These prices...
The European Commission unveiled two coordinated initiatives—the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy and the EU Ports Strategy—to reinforce Europe’s shipbuilding capacity, secure port operations, and accelerate the sector’s shift to clean energy. Key measures include a Maritime Value Chains Alliance, a...
Qnetic, a leading provider of long‑duration flywheel energy storage, closed a $5 million financing round, its biggest to date. Combined with a $2.1 million equity crowdfunding effort last year, the company has raised $7.1 million over the past twelve months. Early RegCF investors...
Qatar Energy declared force majeure on its LNG exports, halting production at the Ras Laffan plant amid the escalating U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The shutdown, which affects roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas, is expected to last at least...
Today on Volts: for the next few decades, we'll be in the "mid-transition," with clean energy systems growing as FF systems decline. Those FF systems will not decline smoothly -- there will be thresholds, "cliffs," where they suddenly crumble --...
Solar back at the weekly pivot. If it holds, this setup could radiate. $TAN https://t.co/9PZcJohfMc
On March 3, 2026, debris from a drone intercepted by UAE air‑defence systems ignited a fire at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. Authorities quickly contained the blaze, reporting no injuries and resuming normal operations within hours. The incident occurred as...
This. It is the cost of solar electrons that matter, not the cost of solar panels. And those two costs do not always move in the same direction. Innovation needed (and coming) on form factor, system design and automation.
Yes. If you own tanker stocks it is. Not so much for the rest of the economy.
The war between the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted oil and LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz, halting Qatari LNG production and sharply raising global energy prices. About one‑fifth of world oil and LNG passes the strait,...
In case you're not watching today's press conference on the "ratepayer protection pledge," the President said this is why they've convened today:
In light of the surge in diesel and oil prices overnight, we have added a new fuel dashboard in SONAR. https://t.co/cAWkSzmzsr
Intersolar & Energy Storage North America’s flagship event took place Feb 18‑20 in San Diego, drawing 314 exhibiting companies and a cross‑section of installers, EPC firms, manufacturers and consultants. The three‑day program featured hands‑on workshops, a 28‑session conference with keynotes on federal...
President Trump deployed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to Venezuela as part of his bid to revive oil & mineral production there. In between conversations with oil and mining executives, Burgum is now meeting w/ interim President Delcy Rodriguez. https://t.co/beZPI3VM4I https://t.co/vc6M08u0pz
Mideastern commodity force majeures beginning to populate my X feed Western company evacuations of Mideastern countries beginning to populate my X feed Western investor consensus still heavily weighted to this being a short conflict. Yet 10y UST yields are only up to 4.08%?...
The Mara Blue initiative has launched a feasibility study for Ireland’s first full‑scale marine biorefinery on Dinish Island near Castletownbere. Led by Munster Technological University in partnership with Pure Ocean Algae and the Castletownbere Fishermen’s Co‑op, the study is co‑funded...
Can we avoid typical low-price cures toward $40 crude, $3.5 corn in 2026? Bitcoin bear market prove otherwise starts at about $74,000 https://t.co/TATxs2Sdkc
I filed a comment @FERC in a proceeding about PSE&G's transmission rates. In 2024, FERC found that PSE&G provided faulty info to PJM in a process that led PJM to designate PSE&G as developer of a $546M transmission project. FERC decide...
Rising tensions between Iran and Israel have revived concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for nearly one‑fifth of global oil shipments. Analysts outline three scenarios: a contained but prolonged missile exchange, a broader regional war...
U.S. Gasoline Demand Fell Further amid Long-Term Structural Shift: Plunging Per-Capita Consumption. Even as miles driven rose to a record. https://t.co/8h6llBxdie https://t.co/2aI68HuTGs
EU leaders set to call for measures to lower power prices https://t.co/23kSOba0ij via @E_Krukowska @europressos https://t.co/5KEoG1V75b
Italian Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin told the KEY Energy Transition Expo that Italy must accelerate renewable deployment, upgrade its grid and shorten permitting to curb reliance on imported fuels after recent Middle‑East shocks. He emphasized expanding solar,...
Japanese scientists build near-white heterojunction solar cell for BIPV applications #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/1dx2fKV7Rf https://t.co/FZ34CaIJGY
Australia utility-scale solar and wind hits 5TWh in February 2026, says Rystad Energy #energysky -- via pv-tech: https://t.co/CISL1ziXNm
President Donald Trump announced a U.S.‑backed plan to guarantee free flow of energy shipments through the Persian Gulf by offering insurance backstops and naval escorts for commercial tankers. The proposal comes as recent attacks have choked the Strait of Hormuz,...
Washington’s HB 2296 could improve home solar economics, but advocates say recent amendments are cause for concern #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/Gk1kpkblMA
