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:
First Light Fusion Completes £25m Funding Round
First Light Fusion, an Oxford spin‑out, closed a £25 million (~$31 million) funding round led by East X Ventures and its Starmaker One fusion fund. Strategic investment came from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) alongside existing backers IP Group and Hostplus. The capital will accelerate development of the company’s FLARE inertial fusion energy (IFE) concept, which claims a 1,000‑fold energy gain – the highest reported among fusion approaches. The raise aligns with the UK’s newly announced fusion strategy targeting a commercial plant by 2040.
UK Has More EV Chargers Than Gas (Petrol) Nozzles
The United Kingdom now hosts over 118,000 public electric‑vehicle (EV) charging points, more than double the roughly 60,800 petrol‑pump nozzles available nationwide. The number of petrol stations has been falling for decades, stabilising at about 8,500 sites after a steep...
Scoop: New Nonprofit Backs Unique Approach to Geoengineering the Arctic
Former Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researcher Charlotte DeWald has launched the Arctic Stabilization Initiative (ASI), a nonprofit dedicated to evaluating mixed‑phase cloud thinning (MCT) as a geoengineering tool to cool the Arctic. The organization has secured $6.5 million in philanthropic funding...
SPI Energy, Solar4America Brand Start Bankruptcy Proceedings in US
SPI Energy, the owner of the Solar4America brand, has initiated Chapter 15 bankruptcy proceedings in the United States, complementing existing insolvency actions in the Cayman Islands. The company entered the U.S. market in 2021 by acquiring residential contracts and a Sacramento...
Early Demand‑destruction Estimates Underestimate Global Barrel Shifts
I still personally struggle with these early demand destruction estimates. In many cases, a demanded barrel couldn’t be had at any price given acute initial shortages—presumably those who would still consume at higher prices will bid for other seaborne barrels, spreading...
Construction Begins on Spittal-Peterhead Subsea Cable Link
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission (SSEN Transmission) has kicked off construction of the Spittal‑to‑Peterhead subsea cable, a 2 GW high‑voltage direct current (HVDC) link connecting Caithness and Aberdeenshire. Local contractors Nicol of Skene and John Gunn and Sons are handling...
Cottbus Deploys First Hydrogen Buses on Public Routes
Cottbusverkehr has begun testing four Wrightbus Kite Hydroliner fuel‑cell buses on regular city routes, marking the first hydrogen‑powered service in the area. A mobile hydrogen refueling station was commissioned this month to keep the buses running until a permanent depot is...
US‑Canada Crude Surplus Could Drive Prices Toward $40
Lower Prices May Be Top Cure for US+Canada Surplus The recent WTI crude oil surge may add fuel to an incomplete low-price-cure cycle toward $40 a barrel. My graphic highlights a key reason why: the growing surplus in US and Canadian...
China Leverages Oil Diplomacy Amid US‑Philippines War Games
China Flexes Energy Leverage As the Philippines, US Start Annual War Games. Is China playing an oil diplomacy game to counter the US war that created the oil and related situation? Chess vs checkers? https://t.co/zqFYY2DzW4
NavPrakriti to Invest over ₹100 Cr in Critical Minerals Refining Facility in Odisha
NavPrakriti, a lithium‑ion battery recycling firm, announced a investment of over ₹100 crore (approximately $12 million) to build a critical‑minerals refining facility in Odisha. The plant, slated to start operations in FY 2028‑29, will process up to 5,000 metric tonnes of end‑of‑life batteries each...
Italy's Soaring Power Costs Expose Stubborn Gas Dependence
Italy rising power costs reveal gas reliance that’s hard to diversify https://t.co/gkD72hDglF via @Al_Brambilla https://t.co/lgz9odh4et
Schrödinger's Strait: Is the Hormuz Passage Open or Closed?
Schrödinger's Strait: Is It Open or Closed | Week 7 Strait of Hormuz Recap (April 12 to 19) 🚨This video was filmed prior to the US seizure of Touska on April 19🚨 https://t.co/S1MyLGxu6t
Petronas Eyes Terengganu Carbon Sinks
Petronas has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state of Terengganu to identify nature‑based carbon‑credit projects that meet international certification standards. The initiative aims to generate high‑quality credits while delivering community benefits and supporting conservation. The MoU dovetails with...
Op-Ed: An Evolving Tide of Cyber Threats
Marco Ayala, technical director at ABS Consulting, warns that the Houston Ship Channel – the nation’s largest energy and chemicals hub handling over 300 million short tons of cargo annually – faces an escalating blend of cyber, physical and hybrid threats....
GREW Solar Launches ‘The Next Starts Here’ Campaign with GT Players
GREW Solar has unveiled a new advertising campaign, “The Next Starts Here,” in partnership with the Gujarat Titans cricket franchise. The film stars Indian cricket stars Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar, using on‑field performance as a metaphor for...
Amazon Adding Heavy-Duty EV Trucks From Einride as It Spreads Bets on Freight Decarbonization
Amazon Relay is integrating 75 manually operated electric heavy‑duty trucks from Sweden’s Einride, expanding the retailer’s middle‑mile freight network. The trucks are expected to travel up to three million electric miles each year, powered by zero‑tailpipe emissions and managed with...
Five Signs Oil Capex Upcycle Nears 2000s Boom
JUST IN: Five factors indicate an oil capex upcycle is approaching and may match the 2000s boom.
War Cuts 1bn Barrels, Threatening Recession if Hormuz Stays Closed
Oil market has experienced a loss of 1 billion barrels due to war, says Trafigura’s Rahim. Oil markets are one month away from tank bottoms AND a recession is possible if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for three more months,...
CleanMax to Supply RE Power to Shell From Upcoming 30 MW Hybrid Projects
CleanMax Enviro Energy will supply renewable electricity to Shell’s LNG terminal in Gujarat and its technology centre in Karnataka through two new hybrid projects totaling 30 MW. The Gujarat plant will generate 16.83 MW (6.93 MW solar, 9.90 MW wind) under a group‑captive model,...
Caelux-Solx Relationship Starts Mass-Production of Perovskite-Silicon Solar Panels in US
Solx, a new solar panel assembler in Puerto Rico, has inked a five‑year, 3 GW deal with California perovskite specialist Caelux to mass‑produce hybrid Aurora modules that combine perovskite‑coated glass with Suniva silicon cells. The tandem design delivers an estimated 28%...
Energy Producing States Face Volatile Oil Prices
Oil prices surged above $114 per barrel in early March, the highest level since 2022, after the Iran‑Israel conflict ignited market volatility. The spike lifted revenue streams for oil‑producing states, especially Texas and New Mexico, whose 10‑year growth rates exceed the...
Bring On the Jet Fuel Shortages
Peter Zeihan warns that even if the Iran ceasefire holds, a months‑long global jet‑fuel shortage is already baked in. The shutdown of medium‑heavy sour crude production in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia—key feedstock for jet fuel—has removed the primary supply...
Bugs in Hot Springs Could Clean up Industry…
Researchers at the University of Manchester have identified microbes from terrestrial hot springs that can survive the extreme heat, high CO₂ levels, and chemically harsh environments typical of heavy industry. These extremophiles not only capture CO₂ but also transform it...
Blockade Cuts Iran's Oil Revenue, Offers Sanction Lessons
The blockade is a success. It's crimping Iran's oil revenues materially while barely pushing up oil prices. There's an big lesson here. Had we done this to Russia, it wouldn't still be causing mayhem in Ukraine. Lots of lessons to...
EU Mulls Fuel-Sharing as Airlines Juggle Costs and Capacity
EU transport ministers are debating a bloc‑wide jet‑fuel‑sharing scheme as Middle East tensions threaten both fuel prices and availability. Airlines such as Lufthansa CityLine have already suspended routes, while KLM plans to cut about 80 European return flights to protect...
Gadkari Calls for 100% Ethanol Blending as West Asia Crisis Exposes Supply Vulnerabilities
India’s transport minister Nitin Gadkari urged the country to target 100% ethanol blending in gasoline, citing the West Asia war‑driven energy crunch. He highlighted that India already runs an E20 blend with modest engine adjustments and imports about 87% of...
Early US Shale Shift Drove Profitable International Expansion
This is important. The shift to international market after realizing the seismic shift in US shale early paid off.
Ireland’s Fuel Protests Should Accelerate Farm Electrification
The April fuel protests at Ireland’s Whitegate refinery exposed the fragility of the country’s rural energy model, prompting a €755 million (~$822 million) emergency relief package. While agriculture accounts for only 3% of national energy use, 86% of farm energy is still...
How the Aviation Industry Is Turning Captured Carbon and Sunshine Into Jet Fuel
The aviation sector, responsible for about 4 % of global emissions, is turning to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to meet rising demand while cutting its carbon footprint. SAF is produced via Fischer‑Tropsch synthesis, merging captured CO₂ with hydrogen, but the process...
PG&E and Tesla Integrate Cybertruck Into V2G Programme
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Tesla have added the Cybertruck to PG&E’s residential vehicle‑to‑everything (V2X) program, allowing bidirectional AC charging that lets the truck feed power to homes and the grid. The integration uses Tesla’s Powershare Gateway and Universal...
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt Talks Energy with Carney, Business Leaders
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt met with Prime Minister Mark Carney and business leaders in Ottawa, positioning the province’s natural resources—especially a fast‑track tungsten mine in Sisson Brook—as vital to Canada’s energy ambitions. She secured reaffirmed federal backing for the...
De‑escalation, Not Manipulation, Drives Falling Oil Prices
This shock hasn't worked out the way alarmists made it out to be. De-escalation has meant oil futures (orange) have fallen and have pulled down the physical oil price (white) with them. This isn't manipulation or a sign of a...
UK’s Portland Port Approved for LNG Ship-to-Ship Transfers
Portland Port in South Dorset has secured a full licence to conduct liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship‑to‑ship (STS) transfers, expanding its existing oil and LPG services. The approval allows transfers at a berth or while anchored in the inner or outer...
Mega US Wind Project SunZia Wind Begins Operations: Pattern Energy Starts Commissioning of 3.5 GW Wind Farm in New Mexico
Pattern Energy has begun feeding electricity from its SunZia wind farm into the grid, marking the first phase of commissioning a 3.5 GW on‑shore project in New Mexico. The development comprises 915 turbines and a 550‑mile high‑voltage direct current transmission corridor...
Sudden Data Center Load Losses Prompt NERC Alert, Recommendations
The North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) is set to issue a Level 3 essential‑actions alert on May 4, targeting large computational loads such as AI data centers and crypto mining facilities. The alert follows a series of unexpected load‑loss events since...
Ukraine Drone Strikes Force Russia to Cut April Oil Output
April 21 (Reuters) - Russia was forced to reduce oil output in April due to Ukrainian drone attacks on ports and refineries, as well as a halt to crude supplies via the only remaining Russian oil pipeline to Europe, according...
Dutch Activists Sue Shell, Demand Immediate Halt to New Projects
JUST IN: Dutch climate activists filed a lawsuit against Shell in the Netherlands, demanding the British energy major halt all investments in new oil and gas projects immediately.
Trump Invokes Defense Production Act to Boost U.S. Oil, Gas and Infrastructure Capacity
President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate U.S. oil and gas development, covering upstream production, refining, pipelines, storage and export infrastructure. The administration framed expanded domestic energy capacity as a national‑security imperative amid supply risks from the...
China Deploys Floating and Mountain Solar to Save Farmland
China Builds Solar Farms on Water and Mountains, Preserving Land for Agriculture by @MarchUnofficial #Sustainability #RenewableEnergy #CleanEnergy https://t.co/kGopgtj4qa
Offshore Venezuela Gas Project Advances as Eni, Repsol Secure Export Pathway
European oil majors Eni and Repsol have secured a deal with Venezuela's interim government to double output at the offshore Perla gas field and begin exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2031. The agreement, signed in March,...
Ghana Targets $3.5-billion Upstream Investment to Boost Offshore Development
Ghana’s Ministry of Energy and Green Transition announced a $3.5 billion upstream investment drive to revive offshore oil production, led by Jubilee/TEN and Offshore Cape Three Points partners. The initiative coincides with reforms aimed at attracting fresh capital to declining blocks....
The Current Oil Shock Most Resembles the First Gulf War, Says UBS. What that Means for Prices.
UBS analysts say the present oil supply shock, triggered by the U.S. and Israel’s strikes on Iran, most closely mirrors the 1990‑91 Gulf War disruption. In the first two to three months, crude prices have surged nearly 100%, outpacing the...
Productivity in the Permafrost
U.S. oil well productivity is entering a slowdown, with some analysts suggesting the cycle may have turned negative. In contrast, Canadian operators continue to post gains, driven by four tailwinds: rising productivity, reduced capital requirements, higher oil prices, and a...
Whale Bets $5.6M on Oil Drop Before Trump Speech
🚨 WHALE BET AGAINST OIL 🚨 A whale just opened a $5.6M OIL SHORT ahead of Trump’s speech today This isn’t random… Does he know something we don’t? https://t.co/1gzLAufWll
China Confronts Middle East Supply Shock, as State Council Mulls Energy Strategy
China’s State Council, led by Premier Li Qiang, convened a high‑level session to address energy security amid the Strait of Hormuz shipping crisis. The meeting emphasized bolstering oil reserves, accelerating renewable deployment, and modernising coal‑fired plants to shield the economy,...
Currie Co-Founds New USA Focused Oil, Gas Company
Former Goldman Sachs commodities chief Jeff Currie has co‑founded 1947 Oil & Gas plc, a U.S.-focused upstream company, alongside veteran Ivan Murphy. The firm signed a term sheet to acquire Renaissance Offshore LLC, which currently produces about 3,000 barrels of...
ANDRITZ Wins Major Hydropower Upgrade Contract in New Zealand
Mercury NZ awarded ANDRITZ a contract to modernise three Waikato River hydro plants—Maraetai I, Ātiamuri and Ōhakuri—by supplying nine new turbines and 13 generators. The upgrade, valued at roughly €120 million (about $130 million), will be logged in ANDRITZ’s Q1 2026 order intake. Once...
LATAM Cargo Teams up with Quick Cargo Service on SAF
LATAM Cargo has partnered with freight forwarder Quick Cargo Service to deploy Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on its Frankfurt‑São Paulo cargo flights during the 2025‑26 winter season. The agreement calls for 24,000 litres of SAF, delivering an estimated 55.8 metric tons of CO₂e...
Jet Fuel Shortage Looming; Save for Summer Flights
Even if the Iran ceasefire holds, the world already has a months-long jet fuel shortage baked in. So, start saving for those summer vacation flights. Full Newsletter: https://t.co/RZBrtJ5Ufo #iranwar #jetfuel #geopolitics https://t.co/WaIwrgDGKI
Bangladesh Opens Public Land to Utility-Scale Solar Under PPP Model
Bangladesh has rolled out a public‑private partnership framework that lets private developers build utility‑scale solar projects on unused public land, with the Bangladesh Power Development Board acting as the contracting authority. The policy, issued by the Power Division, aims to...