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:
The War Premium — Defense, Insurance, and the New Cost of Global Trade
In February 2026 the U.S. and Israel’s airstrikes on Iran triggered a rapid collapse of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, not by missiles but by a spike in war‑risk insurance premiums. Premiums surged from under 0.25% to 5% of hull value, pushing a VLCC’s coverage cost from $200,000 to $5 million and prompting P&I clubs to cancel policies, effectively shutting the chokepoint. Washington responded with a $40 billion maritime reinsurance facility that covered only about 11% of the estimated $352 billion exposure, while carriers rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding roughly $8 billion in monthly costs and driving container rates above $4,500. The episode demonstrates that insurance can function as a strategic weapon, reshaping defense spending and prompting a wave of aerospace and defense M&A.
U.S. Set to Reach 6 GW Offshore Wind by 2027
Despite Trump, the U.S. will have 6 GW of offshore wind operating by 2027 All 5 developers have won court victories to complete their projects. 72% (4.3 GW) of the 6 GW are already installed or operational https://www.offshorewindca.org/maps
Brent Oil Price Near $100 Again with U.S.-Iran Talks Uncertain and Hormuz Still Blocked
Brent crude for June delivery rose nearly 5% to close at $99.39 a barrel, nudging the benchmark back toward the $100 mark. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily restricted as the U.S. Navy maintains a blockade and...
The Data Center Transmission Brawls Are Just Getting Started
The data‑center boom is igniting a $500 billion transmission spending surge over the next five years, with roughly half of utility capital expenditures earmarked for grid upgrades. Yet large‑scale power lines face entrenched local opposition, especially from independent voters who rank...
Why Data Centers Need Battery Storage
Data center operators are grappling with how much battery storage to install as AI-driven workloads create sharp, unpredictable power spikes. Without a reliable load profile, they cannot accurately size battery‑energy‑storage systems (BESS), leading to uncertainty in procurement and grid‑connection planning....
India and Asian Markets Adapt to Middle East LNG Disruption: S&P Global Energy
S&P Global Energy reports that Middle East LNG supply disruptions are prompting Asian markets to adjust. India’s gas allocation prioritises fertilizers, city gas and transport, leaving power, refining and petrochemicals vulnerable. South Asian countries face demand destruction through rationing and...
Mazda Hits the Road to Carbon-Neutral Motoring
Mazda is advancing algae‑derived biofuels that can run existing internal‑combustion engines with net‑zero or even carbon‑negative emissions. The company has demonstrated small‑batch production, using roughly 1,000 litres of water to yield one litre of fuel over two weeks, proving technical feasibility....
This American Nuclear Startup Aims to Supply India’s Reactor Boom
Chicago‑based Clean Core Thorium Energy, one of the first U.S. firms cleared to export nuclear material to India, is set to announce a pilot manufacturing agreement with Canada’s National Laboratories. The startup’s proprietary fuel assemblies blend thorium with high‑assay low‑enriched...
ARA Jet Fuel Stocks at Six-Year Low: Insights Global
Jet fuel inventories at the Amsterdam‑Rotterdam‑Antwerp (ARA) hub fell 7.6% to roughly 600,000 t in the week to 15 April, marking the lowest level since April 2020. The decline follows a second consecutive week of draws, driven by disrupted Middle‑East supplies after the...
Daily Energy Report
Oil prices jumped about 4% on April 16 as traders grew skeptical that US‑Iran peace talks will quickly resolve the Hormuz crisis, tightening supply and deepening backwardation. Market participants note that inventory hoarding is more aggressive than anticipated, further constraining...
Rotterdam 1Q Bunker Sales Fall Sharply
Rotterdam’s conventional marine fuel sales slumped 28% year‑over‑year in Q1 2026 after the Netherlands enforced the EU’s RED III mandate, prompting many shipowners to bypass the port. VLSFO volumes plunged 44% to roughly 440,000 t, while HSFO, ULSFO, MGO and MDO also saw...
Maine Moves to Pause Data Centers Before Demand Arrives
Maine lawmakers approved the nation’s first statewide moratorium on large data centers, banning permits for facilities of 20 MW or more until November 1 2027. The pause is enforced while a newly formed Maine Data Center Coordination Council evaluates the projects’ impact on...
Fossil Fuel Assets Burn Amid Global Conflict and Crisis
Oil and gas assets are literally on fire around the world: Australia, Israel, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, the list goes on. Fossil fuels are indeed reliable: they are targeted in war, they leak, they destroy the environment and human health, they...
Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia Engine Gets a Power Rating Increase
Wärtsilä has boosted the output of its four‑stroke Wärtsilä 25 ammonia engine, delivering 315 kW per cylinder at 900 rpm and 345 kW at 1,000 rpm. The upgrade raises total power to 1.9‑3.1 MW, aligning the ammonia version with the LNG‑fuel Wärtsilä 25DF. Fewer cylinders are needed...
UK Jet Fuel Supply OK for Now, Outlook Uncertain
UK jet fuel supplies are presently stable, but industry leaders warn that visibility beyond the next six weeks is limited. The disruption of Middle East exports caused by the US‑Israel conflict with Iran has heightened concerns across Europe. Refineries such...
Hydropower Expected to Bounce Back From the West’s Snow Drought
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects hydropower generation to rise 5% in 2026, reaching 259 billion kilowatt‑hours (BkWh) and accounting for roughly 6% of total electricity. While output will still sit 1.8% below the ten‑year average because of lingering snow‑drought...
If Gasoline Gets A Tax Holiday, So Should EVs
Canada announced a temporary gasoline‑tax holiday, prompting U.S. lawmakers to propose similar relief. Germany recently cut its fuel tax by €0.17 per liter (about $0.76 per gallon), and other nations are following suit. The article argues that any gas‑tax holiday...
India’s Oil and Gas Crisis Is a Wake-Up Call for Transport Electrification
India’s oil and gas supply shock from the West Asia conflict highlighted the nation’s heavy reliance on imports and accelerated its push for transport electrification. The government responded by diversifying crude sources to 40 countries, boosting LPG output and rationing...
3 Things Investors Can Do Now to Keep Control as Oil Prices Shake the Market
The renewed conflict around the Strait of Hormuz has tightened global oil supplies, pushing crude prices higher and rattling markets. BCA Research chief strategist Felix Vezina‑Poirier warns that the U.S. blockade could prolong the disruption, giving Iran leverage over energy...
Suniva Announces 4.5-GW Solar Cell Facility in South Carolina
Suniva announced a $350 million investment to build a 4.5‑GW solar‑cell plant in Laurens, South Carolina, slated for operation in Q2 2027. The new facility will raise Suniva’s U.S. capacity to over 5.5 GW, making it the largest merchant solar‑cell manufacturer in the...
MP CM Yadav Reviews Renewable Energy Schemes, Stresses Affordable Power to Farmers
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav reviewed renewable‑energy programmes, pledging affordable electricity for farmers and setting a goal to equip over 200,000 farms with solar pumps by the end of the fiscal year. He urged farmers to become self‑reliant energy...
Uzbekistan Wants Nuclear Energy, But Can It Afford the Water Cost?
Uzbekistan announced a partnership with Russia, overseen by the IAEA, to build a nuclear power plant in Jizzakh that could supply up to 15% of the country’s electricity. The project, valued at roughly $24.7 billion, includes a national radioactive‑waste centre and...
Solar Rooftop Works to Be Accelerated Across Andhra Under PM Surya Ghar Scheme
Andhra Pradesh is speeding up rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, using a Utility‑Led Aggregation (ULA) model for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) households. To date, 20,636 SC/ST homes have received solar systems,...
Kerala Power Consumption Breaks Records Amid Heatwave
Kerala recorded its highest-ever electricity consumption on April 14, with 112.52 million units consumed as a heatwave pushed temperatures up to 40 °C in parts of the state. Peak demand hit 6,012 MW, a record for the state. The surge was driven by...
Energy Relief to Support S African FeCr in Short Term
South Africa's state‑owned utility Eskom has proposed a new electricity tariff of 62 South African cents per kilowatt‑hour (about $0.04) for ferro‑chrome smelters, cutting the previous rate of roughly 136 cents/kWh ($0.09) by more than half. The relief, submitted to regulator...
POWERGRID Wins Green World Award 2026 for Climate Change Excellence
Power Grid Corp. of India (POWERGRID), a Maharatna public‑sector utility, won the Green World Award 2026 for climate‑change excellence at a ceremony in Cardiff Castle, Wales. The accolade recognises POWERGRID’s push for energy‑efficient transmission infrastructure and its integration of sustainability...
Daytime Power Supply Now Reaches Farmers in 24 Districts, Says Rajasthan CM
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced that daytime electricity is now reaching farmers in 24 districts, with a goal to achieve full daytime power supply across the state by 2027. The announcement came after a review meeting of the energy...
Global Energy Crisis Escalates: Governments Respond, But Their Actions Aren’t Enough
Visa announced it will serve as a validator on Tempo’s public blockchain, becoming the first major payments network to join the platform. The partnership aims to deliver faster, more secure settlement for institutional clients and to broaden blockchain use beyond...
Trump Brings Back Direct Air Capture Hubs
The U.S. Department of Energy has cleared two Direct Air Capture (DAC) projects—a South Texas hub by Occidental Petroleum and the Louisiana‑based Project Cypress joint venture of Climeworks and Heirloom—to move forward, preserving roughly $1.2 billion in funding. Both projects survived...
Oil Lobby Twists RBC Report to Advance Agenda
Oil and Gas Shills Hijack RBC Report Once again, a study is misrepresented to push the Canadian industry's oil, LNG growth agenda. You know who they are. Push back against their nonsense. #cdnpoli #abpoli #bcpoli https://markhamhislop.substack.com/p/oil-and-gas-shills-hijack-rbc-report
Mayor Bass Has a New Plan for Addressing Climate Change in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass unveiled a comprehensive Climate Action Plan that aims to double solar capacity, electrify the city bus fleet and install 120,000 EV chargers by 2030, and achieve 80% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2035....
Chile Weighs LNG Export Hub Role for Argentine Natural Gas
Chile’s new Energy Minister Ximena Rincón announced that the country is evaluating a Pacific‑coast LNG export hub to ship Argentina’s growing natural‑gas output to Asian and global markets. Argentine shale fields, especially the Neuquén basin and Vaca Muerta, are seeing production...
Oil Shock Less Severe; Iran Likely to Restore Flow
Of course the world cannot withstand a 20% supply shock of oil for quarters There are just two weird assumptions included in that: 1) The supply shock is not 20% effectively - far from it actually. The bypassing of the strait...
No Issues with UK Fuel Supply, Says Reeves
Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the BBC that the United Kingdom faces no immediate shortage of petrol, diesel or jet fuel, despite heightened global tensions following the US‑Israel war with Iran. Her comments came after the International Monetary Fund urged nations...
CAISO’s Rapid Battery, Solar, Wind Build‑out Drives 100% Renewable Grid
In the one year between April 8, 2025 and April 9, 2026, @CaliforniaISO installed 4.656 GW batteries 1.534 GW solar 0.308 GW wind bringing grid totals to 16.04 GW/64.16 GWh batteries, 22.577 GW solar 8.681 GW wind The CAISO queue is 17.1 GW batteries 19 GW solar 0.8 GW...
Closing Strait of Hormuz Sparks Global Oil Market Panic
The nightmare scenario for oil markets (closing the Strait of Hormuz) is now seeing daylight. So far, most acute impacts vary across different regions and markets. But they are spreading. My in-depth talk w/ @WalterIsaacson & @AmanpourCoPBS https://t.co/3W14TCT5OI
What’s Happening in 10 Gulf Countries Right Now?
The blog notes that the Strait of Hormuz remains physically open but its navigation system is impaired, challenging the simplistic "open vs. closed" narrative. In the UAE, ports such as Fujairah and Khor Fakkan continue normal operations, yet GPS spoofing introduces...
White House Loses Two EO 14260 Energy Cases, Faces More Lawsuits
The White House is 0 for 2 in cases launched under EO 14260: Protecting American Energy From State Overreach. It lost a similar case about an MI lawsuit. Two cases pending on VT and NY Climate Superfund laws. New case against...
New Power Infrastructure ETF KWH Targets AI Energy Demand
NEW: Relatively rare ETF filing for GMO. Filing for the Power Infrastructure ETF $KWH. good ticker. Will lean into AI energy infrastructure demand. https://t.co/UaH7RMLXmO
Abaxx Exchange
Abaxx Exchange, a Singapore‑based Recognised Market Operator, launched in June 2024 offering centrally‑cleared, physically deliverable LNG futures across three regional contracts. Since then it has expanded its suite to include nickel‑sulphate, gold kilobar, carbon‑offset and the world’s first exchange‑traded solar futures,...
Trump Admin Blocks Closure of Aging Indiana Coal Plant
The Trump administration rejected a request from CenterPoint Energy to allow a 60-year-old coal plant in Indiana to close, forcing the utility to keep operating a unit it says is costly and unreliable. https://t.co/tI3OpIRkn0
Iran's Oil Power Persists Despite Export Bans
Pundits are underestimating what Iran can do with its oil if it cannot export it!
Russia's Energy Crisis: Production Decline, Revenue Strains, War Impacts
A new episode of Russia Contingency is out. I talk to @SergeyVakulenk0 about Russia’s energy sector. We cover declining production, how the Russian state receives revenue, impact of strikes and the war with Iran. @WarOnTheRocks https://t.co/U5OXvbXssG
Recall Your First Encounter with Hormuz Crisis & Helium Short
Where and when was the first time you heard about the Hormuz crisis and helium shortages? https://t.co/Y5Qx1Fw0Qc
U.S. Grid‑Battery Output to Power All Renewables by 2026
U.S. grid-battery production has gone from 0 in 2024 to 145 GWh/year by the end of 2026, enough to provide batteries to support all wind and solar in the U.S. https://t.co/faeAUzMjZ8
Russell Gold Swaps WSJ for Solar Industry Insight
I think I may have accidentally gotten Russell Gold to leave the Wall Street Journal for the solar industry. On the latest episode of Energy Empire, he explains why. https://t.co/LerdxNAL7J
Oil Spot Still 29% Above 200‑Day SMA
Oil has come down on with the ceasefire (persisting through reciprocal blockades), but spot is still very high - and the longer it remains elevated, the more permanent economic impact it has. Statistically, spot still 29% above the 200 SMA. Peaked...
Deadweight Tonnage Reveals Hidden Ship Traffic Through Hormuz
Great chart showing the breakdown of visible vs dark[er] ship transits through Hormuz Even better that its in deadweight tonnage rather than a simple ship count.
OIH Holds Steady, Forms Bullish Cup‑Handle Amid Pullback
$OIH Daily. Compared to the other two oil stock ETFs, $XLE $XOP, the oil service/equipment names in the $OIH have barely budged during this pullback. Cup and "high handle" bullish setup https://t.co/d3Xqf5ZBxn
Ganfeng Profits Surge on Booming EV and AI Storage Demand
China’s lithium giant Ganfeng sees profit jump as EV, ESS battery demand soars The world’s top lithium producer forecasts a strong turnaround as global decarbonisation and AI-driven energy storage fuel demand https://t.co/ugavTV7WR5 via @scmpnews