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:
Strait Flush
The post outlines a tentative Iran‑U.S. deal that keeps the Strait of Hormuz open, commits Tehran to never close it again, and sets up joint collection of enriched uranium. It also notes a 10‑day extension of a controversial U.S. surveillance program, a Texas‑led push for work permits for long‑term immigrant labor, and a surge in liberal‑aligned gun‑training memberships. Finally, it highlights the launch of AI‑driven gig platform Mercor, which aims to automate white‑collar tasks, while market sentiment shows oil prices falling and equities rising.
Kairos Power Hermes 2 Reactor Construction Begins in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Construction has begun on Kairos Power's Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, marking the first commercial‑scale Generation IV reactor to receive a Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permit. The fluoride‑salt‑cooled high‑temperature reactor will generate up to 50 MW of electricity for the...
China Plans To Double Renewable Energy By 2035. That’s The Good News.
On April 17, 2026 China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced a plan to double the country’s non‑fossil energy supply by 2035, using 2025 as a baseline. The roadmap includes massive hydropower projects in Tibet, desert‑based renewable hubs, and a...
From Site Projects to Portfolio Programs: How Industrial Operators Are Rethinking Energy Strategy
Industrial operators are moving from isolated site‑by‑site energy projects to enterprise‑wide portfolio programs. The article explains that fragmented baselines, inconsistent reporting, and local contracts hinder aggregate performance measurement across dozens of facilities. Implementing standardized baselines, centralized real‑time visibility, and a...
Canada Opens First Commercial Lithium Refinery – by Staff (Canadian Mining Journal – April 16, 2026)
Canada inaugurated North America’s first commercial electrochemical lithium‑refining plant in Delta, British Columbia, with Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight and Mangrove Lithium executives. The facility marks a pivotal step toward a domestic battery‑material supply chain, reducing reliance on overseas processors....
Bloom Energy Jumps ~24% on $2.8 GW Oracle AI Data‑center Fuel‑cell Deal
Bloom Energy stock surged roughly 24% after Oracle announced a 2.8‑gigawatt fuel‑cell agreement to power its AI and cloud data centers, including 1.2 GW already under construction. Analysts lifted price targets, and clean‑energy ETFs rallied, marking the deal as the largest...
Polaris Secures $80 Million to Accelerate India's Smart‑Meter Rollout
Polaris Smart Metering Private Limited has closed an $80 million financing round with British International Investment (BII). The capital will fund the deployment of more than 2.2 million advanced metering infrastructure units in West Bengal, advancing India's target of 250 million smart meters...
U.S. Utilities Commit $1.4 Trillion to Power AI Data Centers by 2030
Investor‑owned utilities across the United States announced a $1.4 trillion capital spending plan through 2030 to meet the soaring electricity needs of AI‑driven data centers. The plan, a 27% increase over last year’s projection, includes $102.2 billion from Duke Energy and $81.2 billion...
Colombia Leads Emerging‑Market ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to Break Fossil‑Fuel Deadlock
Colombia, together with the Netherlands, hosted a two‑day conference in Santa Marta that gathered 54 countries – many from the Global South – to launch a “coalition of the willing” focused on phasing out fossil fuels. The summit seeks to...
JinkoSolar Q4 2025 Earnings Call Shows 26 GW Shipments but Margin Collapse
JinkoSolar announced $2.5 billion in Q4 2025 revenue and shipped 26 GW of modules, but gross margin fell to 0.3% and adjusted net loss widened to roughly $120 million. The company’s net debt jumped to $3.44 billion, underscoring pressure from raw‑material costs and a...
InvestingLive Americas Market News Wrap: Iran Says Hormuz Is Open, Oil Plunges
Iran’s foreign minister declared the Strait of Hormuz fully open, prompting a $10‑per‑barrel drop in oil prices and a brief rally in equities, with the Nasdaq posting its 13th straight session of gains. The U.S. dollar initially sold off, the...
MarineTraffic Shows Hormuz Strait Vessel Activity After Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Deal
MarineTraffic data released on April 17 shows a surge in tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz following the Israel‑Lebanon ceasefire agreement. The platform recorded an average of 45 vessels per day, a 30% increase from the previous week and...
Iran Says Strait of Hormuz Is ‘Completely Open’
Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" following the Israel‑Hezbollah cease‑fire, but Washington reiterated its naval blockade, citing unfinished transactions with Tehran. The U.S. Central Command reported 19 ships intercepted since the blockade began, underscoring lingering tension. Oil...
Virginia Governor Signs Landmark Energy Storage Bill to Cut Costs and Bolster Grid
Virginia Governor Spanberger signed a sweeping energy‑storage bill today, a move backed by the American Clean Power Association. The legislation is designed to reduce consumer electricity costs and improve grid reliability by accelerating battery deployment across the Commonwealth.
Drone Strike Ignites Massive Fire at Russia’s Tuapse Refinery, Visible From Space
Ukrainian drones hit Rosneft’s Tuapse oil refinery on April 16, 2026, sparking a fire so large it was captured by NASA satellite imagery. The attack killed a woman and a teenage girl, prompted a regional state of emergency, and led...
Rosneft Reroutes Oil to Tuapse After Novorossiysk Attack
“Rosneft is diverting oil supplies to the Tuapse refinery from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after the terminal, which handles roughly 14% of Russia's crude exports, was heavily damaged in a drone attack, three sources said on Monday. A Ukrainian...
US Oil Shipments Via Panama Canal Near 4-Year High
U.S. crude shipments through the Panama Canal have surged to roughly 200,000 barrels per day, the highest level since July 2022. The spike is driven by Asian refiners seeking an alternative to Middle‑East oil after a week‑long disruption in the...
Don’t Blame Technology For The Start-And-Stop Transition To Clean Energy
Renewable technologies such as solar, wind and grid‑scale batteries have become cheaper than new fossil‑fuel plants, driving ambitious capacity targets—about 80 % of power‑plant additions over the next decade are slated to be renewable. Electric vehicles now have the lowest lifetime...
Hormuz Is (Apparently) Unblocked. Energy Markets Remain a Mess
Iran’s foreign minister announced that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open," a sentiment echoed by President Donald Trump. The news sent Brent crude futures tumbling more than 10% to $89 a barrel, their lowest level since...
Gulf Oil Damage Means Two-Year Recovery Even if Strait Reopens
My view on @cgtnamerica on the long-term impacts of the Strait of Hormuz closure: "The fallout from the Gulf situation will cast its shadow for a while. 80 petroleum & refining facilities have been damaged. Even if the Strait opens tomorrow,...
PowerSecure to Build Solar and Storage Project for Wyoming Utility Co-Op
PowerSecure, a Southern Company subsidiary, will construct a 1.25‑MW solar farm paired with a 21.6‑MWh battery storage system for Wyoming cooperative Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp). The hybrid project is designed to alleviate peak‑demand stress, boost reliability, and lower wholesale...
Hormuz Reopens Yet Threats Persist Under Iranian Escort
Strait of Hormuz Re-Opens, But Still Many Uncertainties What a mess. Revolutionary Guard says ships need an Iranian escort. Is that "open"? Still mines, drones, proxies to worry about. Is that "open"? #IranWar https://youtu.be/AXc3ACRlyGk
Taroom: Australia’s New Oil Play
Queensland’s Taroom Trough is emerging as Australia’s first major on‑shore oil play in decades, with early drilling indicating light crude and condensate potential. Pilot production has already begun, providing proof of concept and attracting investor interest. The Queensland government is...
Hormuz Closure Could Cut Global Energy, Drop GDP 10%
With Iran tensions flaring, a Strait of Hormuz shutdown could slash 10% of global energy. That means a straight 10% GDP collapse, no ifs or buts.
Nat-Gas Prices Rise on Expectations of Hot US Temps to Boost Air-Conditioning
May Nymex natural gas (NGK26) closed up 1.02% as forecasters expect above‑average spring temperatures to drive higher air‑conditioning demand. The rally follows a recent 17‑month low that was sparked by milder weather and elevated storage levels, which sit 5.8% above...
Experts' Oil Forecasts Miss Reality, Expecting $200 Spike
From '21 to '24 you were encouraged to predict Oil $300 every day, week, geopol dustup, or Saudi 'ouchies' headline In '26 if the price didn't instantly go to $200 on the initial break of 65 the 'experts' in every field...
War on Iran Pushes US Gas Prices Above $4 per Gallon
Thanks to the US-Israeli war on Iran, prices at the pump have JUMPED by $1.15. The national US average just hit $4.13/gallon. US-ISRAELI WAR ON IRAN = CREATING AMERICAN PAIN AT THE PUMP. https://t.co/2D7sRK3hnJ
Futures Settle: Hints of New Demand Trump War Fallout, Boosting Nymex Natural Gas
Natural‑gas futures on the NYMEX held a tight range Friday but edged higher as traders sensed a modest lift in near‑term demand. The front‑month contract gained momentum after reports of President Trump’s peace overtures, which eased geopolitical concerns tied to...
Oil Dips, but Hormuz Ceasefire Keeps Markets Wary
Oil prices are falling, but don't celebrate at the pump just yet. The Strait of Hormuz is "open" — for now. We're 5 days into a 10-day ceasefire. A lot can still change. https://t.co/RUshSF8tJh
Oil Prices Plunge as Iran Claims Hormuz Open
🛢️ OIL & IRAN WAR CONTEXT WEEKLY 🛢️ Crude prices cratered and term structure flattened on Friday following Iran’s declaration that Hormuz is “open” despite the fact that little traffic has actually managed to cross the Strait today. Summary below, link in...
Alphabet’s Northern Indiana Data Center Secures Dedicated Power Supply in Landmark NiSource Deal
Alphabet’s Indiana subsidiary has signed a long‑term power agreement with utility NiSource to supply up to 515 MW for a new hyperscale data‑center campus, with deliveries beginning in summer 2026. The deal uses NiSource’s NIPSCO Generation (GenCo) model, aggregating owned generation and...
Long‑term Grid Needs Highlighted; Robin Millican Shines
What @JaneAFlegal said. 💯👇. (Both the part about longer-term needs of the grid—and the brilliance of @RobinMillican.)
PowerSecure Launches Solar‑storage Project for Wyoming Co‑op
PowerSecure to build solar and storage project for Wyoming utility co-op #energysky -- via Solar Power World: https://t.co/vT09ge7jDo
Greek Shipowner Sends Biggest Oil Tanker Yet Through Hormuz
Greek shipowner Dynacom Tankers sent its Very Large Crude Carrier Atokos, a 2 million‑barrel supertanker, through the Strait of Hormuz with its transponder off, marking the largest non‑Iranian vessel to use the waterway since the conflict began. The transit brings Dynacom’s...
Battery Recycling Remains Complex, Even for Ascend Elements
Battery recycling still isn’t easy. Just ask Ascend Elements. #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/M99v40PIwS
China Dominates Cleantech Exports as Global Demand Surges
China exports a ton of cleantech — and the world is poised to want more #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/ix8Q4s88pz
Charging Batteries For Long Life and Peak Efficiency
The article outlines how upgrading a boat’s charging system can dramatically extend battery life and improve efficiency, covering both lithium and lead‑acid technologies. It argues that fixing the charging source is the cheapest, most effective upgrade, often eliminating the need...
FERC Judges Conduct by Rules, Not Narrative.
This looks bad. But FERC doesn’t penalize market participants based on narratives. FERC’s approach is to parse the rules (RTO tariffs in this case) and decide whether the conduct violated the FERC-approved document. I don’t think this case is so clear-cut.
Hold the Champagne: Oil Recovery Faces Weeks of Delay as Supply Chain Shocks Deepen
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced oil tankers onto longer, less efficient routes, leaving only seven empty vessels to transit the strait and no fully laden ships delivering product. Around 330 compliant tankers and 102 vessels carrying...
Venture Global Secures Pre-Filing Waiver for CP2 Phase 3 Buildout
Venture Global received a pre‑filing waiver from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the third phase of its Calcasieu Pass (CP2) LNG expansion. The waiver eliminates the need to submit a formal pre‑filing application, potentially shaving months off the project's...
Startup Nuclear Co. Targets First U.S. Large Reactor in Decade
Startup Nuclear Co. is seeking to build a reactor in South Carolina in what would be one of the first US efforts to develop a large, conventional nuclear facility in more than a decade. https://t.co/gEbXbHQiZU
Battery Recycling Still Isn’t Easy. Just Ask Ascend Elements.
Ascend Elements, a battery‑disassembly startup that launched a plant near Atlanta in 2023 and is building a Kentucky facility, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 9 after losing $274 million in federal grants and facing delayed buyer commitments. The collapse reflects broader...
Lithium Extraction Scales 350M× in 2.5 Years
This is what engineering progress looks like. @ElectroflowTech has scaled up their lithium extraction tech over 350M× since we backed them. In 2.5 years. First photo is the founders and the initial cell. Second shows the first 100K× scale up. Last ones...
Emerald AI Boosts Data Center Flexibility with $25M Funding
Great @CatalystPod with @vsiv explaining data center flexibility and what Emerald AI is doing to make it possible (and why @shaylekann and Energy Impact Partners just led a $25m investment round in Emerald) https://t.co/nqSAqM1wj6 (note: I serve as an advisor to Emerald...
Goldman Says Buy These Dividend-Paying Energy Stocks with Upside Potential
Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta highlighted five dividend‑paying energy stocks as buying opportunities after oil prices plunged 8‑10% on Friday. He expects Brent crude to stabilize around $75 per barrel and sees upside potential ranging from 13% to 28% across...
IRGC Says only Khamenei Can Order Hormuz Reopening
IRGC: Only Iran's leader Khamenei can order a Hormuz reopening, "not some idiot" on Twitter
Electric Vehicle Owners Could Earn Thousands by Supporting Power Grid
A pilot program in Delaware demonstrates that electric‑vehicle owners can earn several thousand dollars a year by letting their parked cars act as a collective battery for the grid. As renewable generation now accounts for roughly 90% of new capacity,...
Daily Energy Report
Oil prices plunged more than 10% on April 17, 2026 after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz was fully open for commercial shipping, sending Brent crude down $13 per barrel. The announcement, reinforced by President Trump’s remarks, sparked a rally...
America’s Wind Market Keeps Building Under Policy Pressure
U.S. utility‑scale wind capacity reached roughly 159.5 GW by January 2026, with onshore accounting for 159.3 GW and offshore a modest 171 MW. Generation climbed to 464 TWh in 2025, representing just over 10% of total U.S. electricity. Developers are targeting 11.8 GW of new wind...
Hormuz Optimism Pushes Dated Brent Below $100
Hormuz optimism not just a "paper" market phenomenon. Backwardation coming off across the full Brent curve, and Dated Brent just fell back below $100/bbl for the first time since March 11th. https://t.co/KHm34R8Ort