Today's Energy Pulse
Scania pilots megawatt‑scale V2G for heavy‑duty electric trucks
Scania demonstrated one of the first vehicle‑to‑grid systems for heavy‑duty electric trucks using the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The pilot showed bi‑directional power flow, allowing trucks parked at depots to feed electricity back to the grid, with real‑time communication between the truck, charger and energy‑management platform enabling dynamic charging and discharging. The test marks a step toward integrating large‑capacity EVs into grid balancing.
Also developing:
Zimbabwe Nears Landmark Oil and Gas Deal as Invictus PPSA Set for April Signing
Zimbabwe is set to sign a Petroleum Production Sharing Agreement with Invictus Energy in April, establishing the fiscal and legal framework for upstream oil and gas activities. The deal will underpin development of the Cabora Bassa Basin, where Invictus has already discovered the Mukuyu gas‑condensate field. A gas‑to‑power pilot is planned to help alleviate the country’s electricity shortages. The agreement is positioned as a model contract to attract further foreign investment into Zimbabwe’s nascent hydrocarbon sector.
Sensor Set-Up Gives Orsted Edge on Generator Failures
Ørsted has deployed a patented debris sensor and condition‑monitoring model across 560 offshore wind turbines, allowing it to predict generator failures at least three months ahead 70% of the time in 2025. The system, developed after engineers identified metallic debris...
Egypt Approves Draft Offshore Exploration Deal with Chevron
Egypt’s cabinet approved a draft offshore exploration agreement for the Lotus block in the Mediterranean, partnering Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company with Chevron Egypt Holdings. The deal focuses on developing gas and oil resources to address Egypt’s recent shift from...
DNV Merges Data Platforms in Bankability Drive
DNV has combined its wind and solar data‑management platforms, Resource Panorama and GPM Horizon, into a single system to improve data traceability for renewable‑energy project financing. The unified platform processes about 10 billion data points per second, applying DNV’s quality‑control algorithms...
Finolex Cables Looking to Increase Its North East Presence Driven by Govt's Infra, Electrification Push
Finolex Cables Ltd is accelerating its expansion in India’s northeast, especially Assam, as the central government ramps up infrastructure and electrification projects. The company says revenue from the region has doubled over the last four years, with northeast sales now...
MidEast Energy Output Recovery to Take Two Years, IEA Says
International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol said it will take roughly two years for the Middle East to regain pre‑war energy output, with recovery rates varying by country. Iraq is expected to lag behind Saudi Arabia, while the ongoing closure of...
What to Know Before You Get Balcony Solar
Plug‑in balcony solar, a DIY system that plugs into a standard 120‑volt outlet, is poised to hit U.S. markets as states adopt supportive legislation. Utah led the way in 2025, and six other states are now considering similar bills, while...
China Exports a Ton of Cleantech — and the World Is Poised to Want More
China remains the world’s leading producer of solar panels, batteries and wind‑turbine equipment, and it is rapidly expanding exports of electric vehicles and batteries, especially to Europe. Despite EU tariffs introduced in October 2024, Chinese EVs captured 9% of EU...
South Africans Want Solar Power But They Worry Panels Will Be Stolen – Study
A study of 143 households in South Africa’s Eastern Cape reveals strong interest in solar power—90% cite loadshedding as a driver—but theft fears dominate the conversation, especially among wealthier homes. Cost remains a major barrier, with 86% of high‑income and...
Basic Fuel Price Formula in Focus Amid Dramatic Shift in South Africa’s Supply Sources
South Africa’s Department of Mineral and Petroleum is overhauling its Basic Fuel Price (BFP) formula for diesel as the country pivots from Gulf‑origin imports to new suppliers in the Atlantic Basin, including Brazil, Mexico and the United States. The shift...
Hithium Signs €400 Million Spain Battery Gigafactory Investment Agreement After Two-Year Courtship
Chinese battery maker Hithium has signed a €400 million (US$471 million) investment commitment to build a gigafactory in Navarre, Spain, slated to create 700 direct jobs and start operations in 2027. The deal, signed by Hithium’s founder Jeff Wu and Spanish officials...
Hybrid Heating Technology Offers Cement Producers Flexibility
Cement producer NOC Energy has introduced a hybrid electric heating system that can be retrofitted onto existing kilns, allowing plants to blend electricity with traditional fossil fuels. The induction‑based technology heats steel spheres to 1,200 °C and can reach 1,500 °C, while...
Akaysha Inks Deal with Copenhagen Energy for ‘Mega-Scale’ Battery Storage Projects in Germany
Akaysha Energy, backed by BlackRock, has signed a joint‑development agreement with Copenhagen Energy to launch mega‑scale battery storage projects in Germany. The partnership blends Akaysha’s proven track record of utility‑scale batteries with Copenhagen’s power‑trading and market‑optimisation expertise. Akaysha recently secured...
Japan’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fall Below 1 Billion Tonnes for First Time
Japan’s greenhouse‑gas output slipped 1.9% in 2024, falling to about 994 million tonnes of CO₂e – the first time it has dropped below the billion‑tonne threshold. The decline marks a 25% cut from the 2013 peak and represents the third consecutive...
Pakistan Oil Tanker Is First to Cross Hormuz Since US Blockade
A Pakistan‑flagged Aframax tanker, the Shalamar, became the first vessel to exit the Strait of Hormuz with a crude cargo since the United States imposed a naval blockade earlier this week. The ship carried roughly 450,000 barrels of oil loaded...
Using Wood Twice Is EU’s Best Path to Net Zero — Nature Study
A new peer‑reviewed Nature study finds that using wood twice—first as a durable product such as particleboard and later as fuel in a BECCS plant—delivers far greater long‑term carbon removal than burning wood directly or leaving forests unmanaged. The research,...
Government and Ofgem Admit Grid Queue Blunders
UK government and regulator Ofgem acknowledged delays in grid‑connection reforms as a surge in battery storage projects strains the system. The overhaul cleared 221 GW of stalled projects, creating a pipeline poised to attract roughly £200 bn (about $250 bn) of investment by...
Spain’s Blackout Probe Blames Grid Operator, Government, Watchdog
A Spanish Senate inquiry has placed blame for the April 28, 2025 blackout on the grid operator Red Eléctrica, the Energy Ministry, and the regulator CNMC. The nine‑month probe says the 16‑hour outage across Spain and Portugal stemmed from a known vulnerability and...
Defense Strategies Institute to Host Inaugural Summit on Advanced Energy Storage & Security
The Defense Strategies Institute will host its first Advanced Energy Storage for Defense & Security Summit on May 27‑28, 2026 in National Harbor, MD. The event coincides with the Department of War’s push toward safer, standardized battery technologies, a market...
Oil Dips on Trump's Israel‑Lebanon Ceasefire Optimism
Oil prices fall as Trump announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire Oil prices retreated on Thursday after President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the prospect of ending the war with Iran, even as the broader energy market remained on edge over continued disruptions...
Daimler Buses Backs Charging Services with €200m
Daimler Buses announced up to €200 million (≈US$216 million) investment in its European service network, emphasizing charging infrastructure and a new Omniplus Charge sub‑brand. The rollout includes a multilingual hotline, expanded charging‑as‑a‑Service offerings, and the upcoming test‑drive of its first battery‑electric eCoach...
Vauxhall Adds Kerbo Charge to On-Street EV Campaign
Vauxhall has incorporated cross‑pavement charger specialist Kerbo Charge into its Electric Streets of Britain network, offering a £500 (US$675) discount on installations for EV buyers under its Electric All In program. Freedom of Information data shows 42% of UK councils...
Stunning Growth of Battery Storage Puts It at Centre of Global Energy Security Needs, for Cars and for Grids
Battery storage is experiencing rapid expansion as global lithium‑ion demand jumped 29% in 2025 to 1.59 TWh, driven largely by a 50% surge in grid‑scale installations to 300 GWh. The ongoing Iran war and broader energy‑security concerns are accelerating EV adoption and...
Waaree Renewable Soars 12% as Q4 Revenue Soars 131% YoY
Waaree Renewable Technologies posted a spectacular Q4, with revenue soaring 131% YoY to roughly $133 million and net profit climbing 66% to about $18.8 million. Full‑year figures were equally impressive, as revenue more than doubled to $401 million and profit after tax jumped...
Volkswagen Readies Bidirectional Charging for Germany
Volkswagen and its energy subsidiary Elli will roll out a fully integrated Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G) service for German private customers in the fourth quarter of 2026, with pre‑registration opening in June. The package bundles a bidirectional DC charger, smart meter, dynamic...
Europe Tests ‘Third Way’ on Hormuz without the US, Israel and Iran. Will It Work?
A European-led coalition of more than 30 nations is convening in Paris to craft a "credible proposal" for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly 34% of global oil trade passed last year. The effort deliberately excludes...
Infrastructure Megadeals Surge: Inside the $33 Billion AES Acquisition and the Global Race for Energy Assets:
A consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and EQT agreed to acquire AES Corporation for roughly $33.4 billion, making it one of the largest infrastructure buyouts of 2026. The deal reflects a broader shift toward private capital funding critical energy...
Still Waiting for Fracking's Fizzle
U.S. crude oil production rose 3% in 2025, adding 350,000 barrels per day and setting a new annual record. At the same time, marketed natural gas output grew 5.3 Bcf/d to an average of 118.5 Bcf/d, also a historic high. Both increases...
Trump to Break Ground on NYC Gas Pipeline
The Trump administration will break ground on the Northeast Supply Enhancement natural‑gas pipeline off New York City’s coast. President Trump secured a permit from Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul despite strong opposition from environmental groups. The project is billed as a...
Snowy Elbows Out Origin and Others to Land $1.9 Billion Renewable Power Deal for State’s Trains and Electric Buses
Snowy Hydro's retail arm, Snowy Energy, secured a seven‑year contract worth about $1.9 billion Australian dollars (≈$1.25 billion USD) to supply renewable electricity for New South Wales' trains, trams and electric buses. The deal consolidates the state's transport power procurement under a...
Energy Insiders Podcast: Batteries Take Centre Stage as World Wrestles with Fuel Crisis
In the latest Energy Insiders episode, Iola Hughes of BMI highlights the rapid expansion of battery storage for electric vehicles and grid applications, emphasizing its pivotal role in bolstering energy security amid a global fuel crisis. The discussion covers the...
Free Home Solar, Battery; High Fees for Commercial Users
Let's just put solar on the roof of any residential home, for free. Throw in a battery, too. Use switching equipment that speaks EnergyNet (an open source decentralized grid protocol), for local networks as well as the traditional grid. Subsidize...
Renewables Reach 26.4% of India's Power Mix
India electricity generation from renewable sources are rising to now 26.4% of total, so that's an offsetting factor for the crisis. https://t.co/RYXSV06IgV
More than 60% of Home Battery Installations Inspected in Australia Are ‘Substandard’
Australia’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program has installed over 250,000 residential battery systems, delivering roughly 7.7 GWh of storage. A Clean Energy Regulator audit of 1,278 installations found 60.8% substandard and 1.2% unsafe, mainly due to poor wiring and labeling. The sample...
IEA and Chile Commit to Joint Energy Policy Action
Excellent meeting with Chile’s Minister of Energy Ximena Rincón (@ximerincon) to discuss the turbulent situation in global energy markets and 🇨🇱’s policy priorities Looking forward to continued close cooperation between @IEA and Chile on a wide range of areas https://t.co/lEEyYRZ1cx
Asia Reassesses LNG, Boosting Coal and Renewables
The future of LNG in Asia. Effectively, "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." After the oil price shock of 2022 and 2026, the region is going to re-consider LNG to the benefit of coal...
Chevron CEO: People Should Drive Less Amid High Gas Prices
Chevron CEO Andy Walz warned that gas prices are climbing sharply as the conflict with Iran tightens global oil supplies. He urged Americans to curb discretionary driving and adopt energy‑saving habits to offset higher pump costs. Walz’s comments reflect Chevron’s...
Russian Oil Revenues Plunge 22% in April Despite Price Rise
MOSCOW, April 16 (Reuters) - Russian state oil and gas revenues, which account for about a quarter of budget income, are set to fall around 22% year on year in April, hit by a jump in subsidies to refineries despite...
China Aims to Double Non‑fossil Energy by 2035
China will seek to double its supply of non-fossil fuel energy by 2035, in a plan that analysts see as a boost to Beijing’s green targets https://t.co/Pzxupdpkbq
What Can Bangladesh Learn From Pakistan’s Solar Shift?
Bangladesh’s reliance on spot LNG after the Iran‑Hormuz crisis cost it roughly $880 million—about 15% of its monthly import bill—while Pakistan avoided spot purchases by shifting to solar, cutting its fossil‑fuel import share to 25%. The divergent strategies highlight the financial...
IPad LiDAR Speeds up Solar Design with Forge Platform
Forge software platform uses iPad LiDAR scanning for quick solar design proposals #energysky -- via Solar Power World: https://t.co/uKzl8tix3m
Data Center Transmission Battles Just Beginning
The Data Center Transmission Brawls Are Just Getting Started #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/Ujh0ScdpO1 https://t.co/LleEgU4X4v
Qld Reports Progress on Energy Roadmap Six Months After Launch
Six months after its launch, Queensland’s Energy Roadmap is delivering on price, reliability and sustainability goals. The government projects a 10% drop in electricity prices next fiscal year, contrasting a 19.9% rise under the previous administration. More than a gigawatt...
Canada Launches First Commercial Lithium Refinery, Diversifying Feedstock
A jack of all trades feedstock solution it seems. What could go wrong? Canada opens first commercial lithium refinery https://t.co/mSSZBmGgsm
Negative Electricity Prices Resurface in France and Germany
Negative electricity prices return to France, Germany #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/XO7eBWX6Nn https://t.co/0TW2dipTGo
Trump's Blockade Hurts Economy, Boosts Iran without Conflict
The interim deal was reached in Islamabad @glcarlstrom Trump's blockade does Iran's work for it by disrupting oil flows & wrecking the global economy. Iran doesn't need to destroy US ships with drones and ASBMs Iran wins, Trump doesn't look like a...
Trump Administration Worsens Federal Biofuel Policy
Federal policy on biofuels goes from bad to worse under Trump #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/gRNVDStbTc
US Natgas Surplus Hits 64 BCF, Prices Slip
U.S natural gas comparative rose 32 bcf to a surplus of 64 bcf week ending April 3 Spot price fell $0.05 to $2.90 #energy #NaturalGas #shale #fintwit #oilandgas #Commodities #ONGT #natgas #LNG https://t.co/PPiqgoaIwc
WTI Inventory Dip Triggers Price Fall Despite High Yields
WTI comparative inventory reflected supply urgency over fundamentals CI decreased 11.5 mmb and price fell $1.13 week ending April 10 $104.54 was far above any previous yield curve marginal price for current C.I. #energy #OOTT #oilandgas #WTI #CrudeOil #fintwit #OPEC #Commodities #commoditiesmarket
U.S. Inventories Plunge 11.5 MMbbl, Crude Stocks Drop
The Shock Has Hit U.S. comparative inventory fell 11.5 mmb for the week ending April 10 CI for crude oil and all product stocks fell #energy #OOTT #oilandgas #WTI #CrudeOil #fintwit #OPEC #Commodities #commoditiesmarket https://t.co/RBWGgcKlEq