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:
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Stock Market Today: Indexes Soar, Oil Dives After Iran's Foreign Minister Says Strait of Hormuz 'Completely Open' During Ceasefire; Dow...
Iran’s foreign minister announced the Strait of Hormuz was "completely open" during a 10‑day Israel‑Lebanon cease‑fire, sending West Texas Intermediate down 11% to about $84 a barrel and Brent to $89. The plunge hammered the S&P 500 energy sector, which fell more than 5%, while airline and cruise stocks rallied roughly 10% as fuel costs eased. The broader market surged, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing about 900 points and the S&P 500 up 1.5% overall. The move is seen as a potential de‑escalation that could ease U.S.–Iran tensions and stabilize energy markets.
India Pays for Iranian Oil in Yuan, Bypassing Dollars
🇮🇳🇮🇷 India is settling payments for Iranian oil in Chinese yuan instead of US dollars.🤯
$10 Billion Upper Zakum Offshore Expansion Project Nears EPCI Awards for the Expansion Works
ADNOC Offshore is closing in on awarding at least three major Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) contracts for the Upper Zakum offshore expansion, a $10 billion program that could lift output by up to 1.5 million barrels per day. The bids...
A Photovoltaic Power Forecasting Method Integrating Physical Mechanisms and Deep Learning
Researchers have introduced a hybrid photovoltaic power forecasting method that merges physical modeling with deep learning. The approach uses a non‑uniform error compensation strategy, a 37‑dimensional feature system, and a dynamic weighted fusion based on four confidence factors. Validation on...
Single Switch High Gain DC-DC Quadratic Boost Converter for Renewable Energy Applications
Researchers Chakraborty et al. introduced a single‑switch quadratic boost converter that achieves high voltage gain for renewable energy systems. The prototype, rated at 200 W and 380 V input, delivers an 11.17× gain with only a 28 % duty cycle and reaches 96 %...
Cincinnati to Turn an Old Landfill Site Into a Solar Power Producer
Cincinnati broke ground on the 10‑MW Center Hill Solar project, converting a 64‑acre, 30‑year‑old landfill into a renewable‑energy asset. The two 4.9‑MW arrays are expected to produce about 18.2 million kWh of electricity each year, feeding city facilities and stabilizing municipal power...
Big Tech Funds First Fluoride‑salt Reactor for Data Centers
Construction of a novel next-generation nuclear reactor began today in Tennessee. Kairos Power is building the first fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor. It's one of several small modular reactors that Big Tech companies began funding in 2024 to help power data centers:...
Questions Surround Hormuz Reopening After Lebanon Ceasefire
A ten‑day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect Thursday night, and within days Iran announced it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran linked the decision to the ceasefire, portraying the lull as a sign of broader regional stability....
Global Commodities: Prices Get Relief
In this episode, J.P. Morgan Global Commodities Research analyst Greg Shearer explains how the recent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and damage to Middle‑East aluminum smelters are reshaping supply dynamics for both oil and aluminum. He uses a "black‑hole"...
Friday Afternoon News Updates: Trump Surrenders and Declares Victory — 4/17/26
The latest MeidasTouch briefing reports that President Trump has transferred operational control of the Strait of Hormuz to Iran, while Tehran imposes IRGC‑approved lanes and tolls for passage. Washington is reportedly negotiating a $20 billion cash incentive to secure a voluntary...
Korean Tanker Transits Alternative Red Sea Route For First Time
South Korea successfully sent a Korean‑flagged oil tanker through the Red Sea, marking the first such transit since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed after Iran’s retaliation to U.S.-Israeli strikes. The move is part of Seoul’s broader strategy to...
Colorado Invests $12.4M to Scale Campus Geothermal
$12.4M invested to expand geothermal in Colorado—cutting costs, reducing emissions, and building a cleaner energy future. https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/polis-administration-awards-124-million-further-develop-geothermal-energy-colorado New CU Boulder research shows it can power campuses and scale statewide. https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/study-finds-geothermal-energy-feasible-for-cu-boulder Colorado is turning innovation into real solutions that save people money.
India Can Handle the Energy Shock if Iran Ceasefire Holds, Top Government Adviser Says
India’s chief economic adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran said the country can absorb the current energy‑price shock from the Iran war if the cease‑fire holds and extends. He expects oil supply and prices to normalise by the end of Q3 2026, allowing India...
Georgia’s Kulevi Refinery Prepares for Expansion
Black Sea Petroleum (BSP) has launched a 24,000 b/d mini‑refinery at Georgia’s Kulevi port and is already planning a multi‑phase expansion that could lift throughput to 5 mn t/yr (about 100,000 b/d) by early 2028. The initial build cost $150 million and includes utilities and...
Rewiring Global Energy Security
Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance, argues that rapid electrification powered by renewables and smart grids is the most credible path to national security and economic competitiveness. He cites soaring natural‑gas volatility, weaponised supply chains and surging data‑center...
Delta Reframes Net-Zero as an ‘Aspiration,’ but Denies Axing 2030 SAF Goal
Delta Air Lines has softened its climate language, reclassifying its 2050 net‑zero target as an “aspiration” while still pledging to achieve 10 % sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use by 2030. The airline’s sustainability page removed the 2030 SAF goal reference, but...
Crude Oil Falls 10% as Strait of Hormuz Opens
Oil prices plunged over 10% on April 17 as Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, allowing tankers to resume flow from the Persian Gulf. Brent crude fell 10.5% to $89 per barrel and U.S. crude dropped 10.8%...
New 2.7GW Data Center Emits 14 Mt CO₂
Another day, another massive Petrotech fossil-fuelled data centre. The "Kilby power plant", 2.7 GW of fossil gas, will be pumping out 14 megatonnes of CO2-e a year (about 4.3 million combustion cars worth). Still waiting for AI to solve climate...
NOC Energy Raises $2.7M to Launch Hybrid Cement Plant Tech Delivering 1,200°C Heat
NOC Energy announced a $2.7 million seed round and unveiled a hybrid cement‑plant system that injects electric heat into existing kilns. The technology can generate temperatures up to 1,200 °C and switch between electricity and fossil fuel, offering manufacturers a low‑cost path...
Chevron Closes $53 Billion Hess Deal Amid Delays and Regulatory Scrutiny
Chevron has completed its $53 billion acquisition of Hess, closing on July 18, 2025 after a court‑ordered delay triggered by ExxonMobil’s challenge. The deal expands Chevron’s upstream portfolio while adding $30 billion of debt, but high oil prices in 2026 give the...
CFTC Probes $‑Billion Oil Futures Spikes Linked to Trump’s Iran Policy Moves
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has opened a probe into billions of dollars in oil futures trades that spiked minutes before two Trump administration announcements on Iran. The investigation targets activity on CME Group’s NYMEX and ICE’s futures platforms...
The World Needs an Oil Buyers’ Club
A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz is cutting off a quarter of the world’s traded crude oil. The loss of Iranian shipments, combined with reduced output from Gulf producers, is deepening an already severe...
Delhi CM Flags Scrappage; Fitness at Core of ₹4,000-Cr EV Policy Push
Delhi’s ₹4,000‑crore (≈$480 M) electric‑vehicle policy pivots from pure purchase subsidies to a compliance‑driven framework that couples scrappage incentives with mandatory vehicle fitness checks. The draft EV Policy 2026‑2030 offers up to ₹1 lakh per electric car and ₹10,000 per two‑wheeler, but only...
Oil Tumbles 10% and Stock Markets Rally as Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz ‘Completely Open’ – as It Happened
Oil prices plunged about 10% as Brent slipped below $90 a barrel after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz completely open for navigation. The easing of a major supply‑chain bottleneck sparked a rally across global equity markets, lifting risk‑on assets....
Global Briefing: China Signals Intent to Double Clean Energy by 2035
China announced a strategic plan to double its clean‑energy capacity to roughly 2,400 GW by 2035, roughly a 100% increase from current levels. The roadmap bundles about $1.5 trillion in subsidies, grid upgrades and domestic manufacturing incentives. The move dovetails with Beijing’s...
Ontario’s Renewable Procurement Revives Wind Market, Shifts Canada’s Energy Landscape
Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator announced on April 9, 2026 that its Long‑Term 2 Energy Supply Window 1 awarded 14 projects totaling 1,315 MW of new renewable capacity, including 400 MW of wind from two 200 MW farms. The award marks the province’s return...
Australia Secures 100 Million‑Litre Diesel Boost Amid Fuel Crisis
Australia has secured an emergency shipment of 100 million litres of diesel from Brunei and South Korea following high‑level negotiations, a move aimed at easing a severe fuel shortage caused by Middle‑East conflict and a refinery fire. The boost comes as...
European Commission Releases Aggregate EED Data Center Data – Operators Report 6.4GW of Installed Capacity Across the EU
The European Commission has released its first aggregated Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) data for data centres, showing 6.4 GW of installed IT power demand and 16.7 TWh of energy use across 776 facilities in 18 EU countries. The dataset, covering 2023‑2024, includes...
Eos Energy Partners with Turbine-X to Develop and Deploy Power Infrastructure for the US AI Data Center Market
Eos Energy Enterprises and Turbine‑X Energy have signed a joint development agreement to build and install up to 2 GWh of zinc‑based battery storage paired with 5.5‑17.5 MW natural‑gas turbines for the U.S. AI data‑center market. The behind‑the‑meter solution is designed for...
Solar Auctions to Provide Security in France as Corporate PPAs Remain Second Choice
France’s solar market is gaining traction as government‑run auctions become the preferred financing tool for new projects, according to a SolarPower Europe report. Corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) are still a secondary option for developers, reflecting lingering policy uncertainty. Ksenia...
Wholesale Diesel Plunges; Retail Lags—Buy Cost‑plus
Diesel wholesale rack prices have dropped $.70/gallon in the past week and could drop another $.50 -.70 gallon over the weekend. Meanwhile, retail diesel has only dropped $.15/gallon since last week and if past trends hold the truckstops will be...
Is Hormuz Strait Open? A Short Comment for Traders and Investors
Traders are closely watching the Strait of Hormuz after recent satellite data confirmed that the main shipping lane remains fully operational. Kpler’s April 17 2026 analysis shows no significant vessel congestion or closures, despite regional geopolitical tensions. The report highlights that oil...
PECO Withdraws $510M in Rate Hike Proposals over Affordability Concerns
PECO Energy withdrew a combined $510 million rate increase request for its electric and gas operations after two weeks of public and regulator pushback over affordability. The original filing sought a 12.5% boost for electricity ($429 million) and an 11.4% rise for...
Europe's Inaction on Russian Oil Fuels Ukrainian Suffering
As a European, I hang my head in shame. The US has shown that if you blockade an oil exporter, they fold quickly. Europe can do this to Russia and shut down oil tanker traffic out of the Baltic. But...
Speaking at Fastmarkets Global Lithium Conference in Vegas
Honoured to join industry leaders on stage at the Fastmarkets Global Lithium, Battery & Critical Materials 2026 in Las Vegas. Looking forward to sharing insights and engaging in meaningful discussions from June 22-25. #FastmarketsBRM #lithium https://t.co/HyUYP0kVQP
Iran War Energy Shock Drives Nuclear Power Plans in Hard-Hit Asia and Africa
The Iran war’s energy shock is driving Asian and African nations to boost nuclear power output and accelerate new reactor projects. South Korea is increasing generation, Taiwan is considering restarting mothballed plants, and Japan has signed a $40 billion reactor deal...
Cincinnati Converts Former Landfill Into Solar Power Hub
Cincinnati to turn an old landfill site into a solar power producer #energysky -- via Solar Power World: https://t.co/Hq0P5iTdG3
Anker Solix Unveils 7 kWh Plug‑In Battery for Rooftop Solar
Anker Solix launches 7 kWh plug-in battery targeting rooftop solar retrofits #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/Pd8whB8AAq
Oil Markets Converge as Brent Slides Below $100
It turns out that oil financial and physical markets do converge -- just not in the way that many were expecting. Dated Brent is now below $100 a barrel (from $145 last week), and physical differentials in the key pricing window...
Analyzing US Refineries and Venezuela's Post‑Maduro Oil Rebound
There's a timeline in which the Iran War never happened, the Strait of Hormuz was never closed, and I spent the past two months doing really interesting niche data work on US refineries, light-heavy crude balances, and tracking the post-Maduro...
Iran Mandates Specific Shipping Lane Despite Trump’s Openness Claim
President Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is open. But do note Tehran says shipping traffic needs to follow the "coordinated route as already announced” by Iran. What's that route? My @Opinion video explainer, published originally last week, shows it. https://t.co/Pg7UBNarHY
Kenyan E‑motorbike Sales Double Amid Gasoline Price Surge
Roam Electric, a Kenyan e-motorcycle manufacturer, has seen demand double as consumers shift away from gasoline amid price surges driven by the Iran war. https://t.co/wDchcXtqf2
Solar Asset Managers Highlight AI Solutions for System Losses
Solar asset managers talk underperforming systems, catastrophic losses and AI at SAMNA 2026 #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/mcEfHXXqoF
Oil Prices Plunge as Iran Confirms Hormuz Open
The physical oil market, like the futures, has had a big reaction to Iran saying the Strait of Hormuz is open. WTI Midland crude traded CIF at dated Brent plus $10.40, down a massive $6.80 from Thursday's offer. Lower offers too in...
Namibia's Role Expands in Global Uranium Supply
Namibia is going to be even more important in the uranium global supply chain https://t.co/WlUcO6YDh3
US Oil Blockade Opens Strait, Offers Ukraine Lessons
Big thanks to @biannagolodryga for having me on @CNN to talk about the US blockade of Iranian oil and its role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Lots of lessons to learn here, especially on how the West confronts...
Solar Auctions Secure France; Corporate PPAs Stay Secondary
Solar auctions to provide security in France as corporate PPAs remain second choice #energysky -- via pv-tech: https://t.co/vaWc2axqLa
Data Center Power Costs Match Global Solar Investment
Data center energy spend rivals global solar investment #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/AP1fAC257n
Strait of Hormuz Appears ‘Open’ Yet Something’s
Check in on the "open" Strait of Hormuz. Something's missing but I can't put my finger on it https://t.co/Pr2PQBKlFe
Trump Claims Iran Won’t Close Hormuz; Iran Threatens Closure
Love these competing blockade headlines: Trump said Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. An Iranian official told Fars that if the U.S. naval blockade persists, Tehran will consider it a violation of the ceasefire and will close...