Today's Energy Pulse
Scania pilots vehicle‑to‑grid power for heavy‑duty electric trucks
Scania showcased one of the first V2G systems for heavy‑duty electric trucks using the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The pilot demonstrated bi‑directional power flow, letting trucks feed stored electricity back to the grid while parked, with real‑time communication enabling dynamic charging and discharging. The company also opened orders for trucks equipped with an extra battery pack and MCS.
Also developing:
Selective Solar CO2 Conversion Into Ethanol Using Atomic‐Scale Copper Clusters Anchored Π‐extended Poly(heptazine Imide)
Researchers have engineered atomic‑scale copper clusters anchored on a π‑extended poly(heptazine imide) framework to achieve selective solar conversion of CO₂ into ethanol. The catalyst, termed Cu/C‑K‑PHI, delivers a production rate of 18.98 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and reaches 77.01 µmol g⁻¹ after four hours, with near‑perfect (≈100 %) selectivity for liquid‑phase products and no sacrificial agents. Under 1‑sun illumination the system attains a solar‑to‑ethanol efficiency of 0.175 % and an apparent quantum yield of 0.516 %. Stability tests show ~98 % activity retention over five cycles.
Revealed: How Big Oil Is Pushing Labour to Drill the North Sea
A Democracy for Sale investigation reveals that Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), representing BP, Shell and other majors, has lobbied Labour officials intensively to overturn the ban on new North Sea drilling and to scrap the energy‑profits windfall tax. The group...
Xi and MBS Phone Call
On April 20, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marking the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership. The leaders reviewed existing cooperation, emphasized mutual respect, and discussed regional security,...
Iran Tankers Go Dark to Sail Past US Blockade Laden with Crude
Iranian VLCCs Hero II and Hedy, each capable of carrying about 4 million barrels, slipped past the U.S.‑declared blockade in the Arabian Sea on April 20. Satellite‑based data from Vortexa shows the two ships were part of a larger flotilla that moved roughly...
World’s First Commercial Fusion Plant Planned for Virginia by Developer Commonwealth
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is moving toward building the world’s first commercial fusion power plant in Virginia, targeting a 400‑megawatt capacity and a construction start as early as 2026 with electricity generation in the early 2030s. The company has secured...
Fossil Fuels Do Not Guarantee Energy Security: COP31 Presidency
At the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, COP31 president‑designate Murat Kurum warned that reliance on fossil fuels no longer guarantees energy security and called for an accelerated shift to diversified renewable systems. He highlighted Turkey’s decade‑long success, citing a three‑fold...
Nordex Supply Chain More Resilient to Iran Conflict than Past Disruptions, Says CEO
Nordex, the German wind‑turbine manufacturer, says its supply chain is now more resilient to the Iran conflict than to earlier geopolitical shocks. CEO José Luis Blanco explained that lessons from past disruptions prompted a redesign of sourcing, logistics and inventory buffers. So...
DSV, United Airlines, Microsoft and Phillips 66 Ink Sustainable Aviation Fuel Deal
Global logistics firm DSV has struck a partnership with United Airlines, Microsoft and Phillips 66 to secure up to 41.6 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The deal, certified by ISCC and tracked via the SAFc Registry, is expected to cut...
Eskom to Decide Fate of Older Coal Stations by September
Eskom announced it will decide by the end of September whether to shut down, repower or repurpose five of South Africa’s oldest coal‑fired stations—Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina, Arnot and Kriel. The decision depends on securing roughly 6 GW of new generation from...
Chinese Firms No Less Green than Europeans, Says Leading Local Expert
Chinese renewable energy firms are subject to environmental rules as strict as Europe’s, according to Weiquan Wang of the China Renewable Energy Industries Association. Developers must gather one to two years of data and complete comprehensive environmental impact assessments before...
Malaysia Launches Its First Carbon Market Policy, Puts Carbon Tax on Hold
Malaysia has published its first National Carbon Market Policy (NCMP), outlining a framework for domestic decarbonisation and participation in international compliance markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The government has put the planned carbon tax for hard‑to‑abate sectors on...
Explainer: How the Iran War Oil and Gas Supply Shock Compares with Past Disruptions
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have created the largest daily oil‑supply shock on record, wiping out more than 12 million barrels per day – about 11.5% of global demand. The disruption also slashed...
“Just Give Us a Shot:” Networks Say Community Batteries Can Right the Wrongs of Grid Gold Plating
Australian distribution network companies, led by Ausgrid, are lobbying to relax ring‑fencing rules so they can own and operate community batteries and on‑street EV chargers. Ausgrid claims it can now deliver batteries at under $25 AUD/kWh (≈$16.5 USD/kWh) and is rolling out...
War in Iran 'Has Put up Our Fuel Bill by £100,000'
The US‑Iran war has driven UK diesel up 47.8 p per litre, adding roughly £100,000 ($125,000) to Wrings Transport’s fuel bill and pushing March costs £45,000 over budget. The haulier’s fuel surcharge passes the surge to retailers, contributing to a 3.3 %...
ACME Solar Hits 2 GWh Battery Storage Milestone in Rajasthan; Stock up 1.65%
ACME Solar Holdings announced it has now operationalised over 2 GWh of battery energy storage systems in Rajasthan, bringing its total BESS capacity to 591 MW (2,031 MWh). The company aims to reach 10 GWh of storage by 2027, expanding its role in grid‑balancing...
Foreign Companies Are Making Billions Off Australia’s Gas. It’s Time that Changed
Australia’s gas export boom has generated roughly A$149 billion (≈US$98 billion) in profits for multinational firms over the past four years, yet tax contributions remain minimal. A parliamentary inquiry is pushing a 25% export tax that could raise about A$17 billion (≈US$11 billion) annually...
Solar Insiders Podcast: Community Batteries – Can Networks Deliver What It Says on the Tin?
The Solar Insiders podcast episode explores the rise of community batteries and whether network operators can meet expectations. It highlights Ausgrid’s Energy Storage as a Service (ESaaS) offering, the rapid decline in network‑scale battery costs, and the consumer‑driven shift toward...
How Long Can Iran Keep Hormuz Closed?
Iran can sustain a Hormuz shutdown for roughly three weeks using its on‑shore storage of about 86 million barrels, which is currently 54% full (≈47 million barrels). Four Iran‑linked VLCCs trapped in the strait could add another 8 million barrels, extending the window...
Wind Project to Hand over Worker Village to First Nations Community, and Create New Home for Black Cockatoos
The 489 MW Parron Maam Marang wind project in Western Australia has secured federal approval for a 300‑person workers village that will be operated by the Yued Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) after construction ends in 2029. The temporary accommodation will replace about 3 ha of...
Innomotics Advances Industrial Heat Pump Solutions
Innomotics, a global leader in electric motors and drive systems, is expanding its industrial heat‑pump portfolio to accelerate the decarbonisation of process heat. By pairing high‑efficiency motors and medium‑voltage converters with heat‑pump compressors, the company delivers systems that operate up...
Clean Power Meets All New Demand, Fossils Decline
For the first time in history, clean power met every single unit of new global demand. Fossil generation didn't just plateau, it fell by 38 TWh, even as the global economy grew by 3.2%. No recession needed to kill the...
Does Solar Surge Make Everyone’s Electricity Rates Rise?
The article explains that while solar power’s upfront infrastructure and grid‑upgrade costs can push electricity rates higher in the short term, the technology’s declining capital costs and low operating expenses promise long‑term savings. It highlights solar’s intermittency, which forces utilities...
First Giant Turbine Parts for the only Wind Farm Under Construction in NSW to Begin Long Road Journey This Week
The 414 MW Uungula wind farm, the only large-scale project currently under construction in New South Wales, will receive its first turbine components this week. Over the next 10‑12 months, more than 700 oversized deliveries will travel the 400 km route from...
Trump to Give Coal Industry More Handouts While Americans Pay
President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to funnel potentially hundreds of millions of dollars into the coal sector, adding a $525 million plant‑upgrade program. The move follows earlier administration actions that forced higher electric bills on consumers while subsidizing...
WIN: Judge Blocks Trump’s Efforts to Kneecap Renewables
A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a temporary injunction that blocks five Trump administration agency actions targeting renewable energy projects. The ruling favors developers of offshore wind and other clean‑energy initiatives, halting stop‑work orders and other impediments. Environmental groups, led...
The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation for Shipping
The EU’s maritime sector emitted 145 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024, accounting for 3% of the bloc’s total emissions, while ports alone generate about 6.5 million tonnes annually, harming air quality and public health. The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) obliges...
Hybridisation of Wind, Solar and Battery Storage Is No Longer Optional – It’s the New Baseline
Hybridisation of solar, wind and battery storage has moved from a niche add‑on to the default model for utility‑scale renewables in Australia’s National Electricity Market. Developers are now using storage to reshape output, capture higher‑priced periods and mitigate curtailment caused...
Report: Russian Oil Output Falls After Ukrainian Drone Strikes
Russia’s oil producers trimmed output by up to 400,000 barrels per day in March after a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on key ports and refinery complexes. Export volumes at Baltic terminals such as Ust‑Luga and Primorsk fell roughly 50%,...
Australia’s UNSW Launches Solar Recycling Hub as PV Waste Set to Hit 100,000 Tonnes Annually by 2030
Australia’s University of New South Wales has opened the nation’s first dedicated solar‑module recycling research hub, funded with AU$5 million (US$3.6 million) from the Australian Research Council. The ARC Hub for Photovoltaic Solar Panel Recycling and Sustainability aims to develop technologies that...
Video: From $200 Bills to $190 Credit – 1 Month with Solar & Battery
A homeowner in Australia installed a Sungrow solar‑plus‑battery system and, after one month, saw the typical ~AU$200 (≈US$132) electricity bill flip to a ~AU$190 credit (≈US$125), delivering a net monthly saving of about AU$390 (≈US$257). The video breaks down reduced...
Jones Act Suspension Boosts Tanker Fleet 70%, Cuts Costs
"Since [the Jones Act suspension], 40 tankers have been able to deliver oil between US ports from California to Texas to Florida and Alaska, increasing the de facto fleet by 70% and helping to reduce costs as a result, according...
China, Russia Offer Discounted Gas, Bypass USD, Challenge Qatar
China and Russia building new natural gas pipelines to replace Nordstream. Asian countries being courted to buy natural gas at 40% discount to market rates. Won’t be priced in USD. Permanent shift from Qatar which will take years and billions...
Spoofed Tankers Are Flooding the Strait of Hormuz. These Analysts Are Tracking Them
A surge of spoofed tankers is disappearing through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting analysts to piece together fragmented data to monitor movements. US satellite providers recently restricted high‑resolution imagery of the area, forcing firms like TankerTrackers.com to revive older sources...
Ceasefire's TACO Shock Highlights Hormuz's Market Impact
A real ceasefire would be a true TACO moment, writes @TheMichaelEvery A Suez-scale shock. Energy might dip short term, but who controls Hormuz matters more. Markets aren’t priced for either outcome. #Oil #Geopolitics #Hormuz
Blockade Debate Is Theater, Aiding Iran's Oil Disruption
The blockade debate is theater. It's not working & actually helps Iran's goal to disrupt oil flows. For the U.S., the blockade saves face. Iran wants to expose the truth. The blockade itself isn’t issue—it’s the optics.
MISO Forecasts 35% Load Surge by 2035 as Data Centers Expand
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) announced that regional electricity demand will rise 35% by 2035, largely due to data‑center expansion. The projection highlights a looming capacity gap that utilities and developers must address with new renewable and storage projects.
Free Midday Power Balances Excess Solar Generation
Free midday electricity key to drive consumer demand to match excess PV generation #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/KDfJOzwSb5
US Seizure Signals Broken Order, Looming Global Conflict
The US seizing an Iranian tanker near Sri Lanka is a precedent @MarioNawfal But we’re past “precedents.” The old order is broken. Some kind of world war is developing. That's terrifying but let's start looking at what's happening with ruthless honesty. #Geopolitics #Shipping...
CleanMax Signs 30 MW Hybrid Renewable Power Deal with Shell India’s Gujarat and Karnataka Assets
CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Ltd has secured a group‑captive agreement to deliver roughly 30 MW of hybrid solar‑wind‑storage power to Shell India's LNG terminal in Gujarat and its technology centre in Bengaluru, producing about 66,832 MWh a year and underscoring Shell’s low‑carbon...
Rising Energy Storage Patent Battles Prompt Developer Preparedness
Patent disputes in ESS are on the rise: Here’s how developers can prepare #energysky -- via Energy Storage News: https://t.co/ywjwrrl9Ht
Oil Has 22% Chance to Hit $130 by June
JUST IN: Oil has a 22% probability of reaching $130 by the end of June.
Dollar Weakness Fuels 3%+ Oil Surge and Lifts LME Nickel and Alumina
The US dollar index slipped 0.16% to 98.06, prompting WTI crude to climb 4% and Brent up 3.78% overnight. Base‑metal markets responded, with LME nickel gaining 1.39% and the front‑month alumina contract rising 2.56%, highlighting the inverse relationship between the...
Hormuz Closure Triggers Battery Material Shortage
The Hormuz Closure Is Driving a Shortage of Battery Ingredients #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/qbM9aqdKdm https://t.co/1qVldYbwTl
Pacific Nations Struggle as Global Fuel Crisis Hits Families
JUST IN: Pacific nations are battling a global fuel crisis, with governments scrambling for energy and families hit by restrictions and rising costs for food and healthcare.
Puerto Rico Suddenly Emerges As A Perovskite Solar Cell Powerhouse
Solx has partnered with California‑based Caelux to launch commercial tandem perovskite‑silicon solar modules, dubbed Aurora™, manufactured in Puerto Rico. The five‑year agreement covers a 3‑gigawatt production target and promises a 28% conversion efficiency by stacking Caelux’s perovskite “energy‑amplifying” glass with...
ILOS Raises $530M to Expand European Solar and Storage
ILOS secures US$530 million facility to scale European solar PV and BESS pipeline #energysky -- via pv-tech: https://t.co/58PpaBIuUp
Halliburton Sees Early US Oil Recovery, Just Beginning
JUST IN: Halliburton spots initial recovery in the US oil sector, declaring it's just beginning.
Oiltek International - The ESG Powerhouse Set to Quadruple Earnings via Regional SAF Leadership
Oiltek International Ltd (SGX: HQU), a 45‑year‑old process‑technology firm, signed a Heads of Agreement with BioSeaga for a Sustainable Aviation Fuel biorefinery in Sabah valued at RM1.4 billion ($350 million). The contract is expected to lift the company’s order book to about...
Nuclear Stock Face-Off: Is Oklo or Cameco the Better Buy Right Now?
Nuclear energy is gaining momentum as AI data centers demand reliable power, prompting tech giants to partner with nuclear firms. Cameco, the largest North American uranium producer, secured a $2.6 billion supply deal with India and holds a 49% stake in...
Stocks Fall, Oil Climbs Amid Uncertainty over US-Iran Talks
Oil prices jumped 3.1% to $98.48 a barrel as Brent rallied on renewed uncertainty over US‑Iran peace talks, while U.S. stocks fell, with the S&P 500 slipping 0.6%. President Trump extended the ceasefire but kept a naval blockade on Iranian...