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:
Emerging Markets Fall 13% in March, 11% Behind Wall Street
International equity indices slumped in March 2026, with the MSCI Emerging Markets index down 13.1% and the MSCI EAFE index down 10.2%, leaving them 11% behind the S&P 500's 5% loss. The divergence was driven by soaring energy prices, a strengthening U.S. dollar, and the outbreak of Operation Epic Fury in the Persian Gulf.
European Blue‑Chip Indexes Drop Over 1% as Oil Surges Past $100 Amid Iran Conflict
European blue‑chip markets slid sharply on Monday, with the FTSE 100 down 0.4%, Germany's DAX off 1% and France's CAC 40 nearly 0.9%, as oil prices surged above $100 a barrel following a U.S. blockade announcement tied to the Iran...
Hormuz Closure Could Add 0.8% Core Inflation
Economists at the Dallas Fed try to model the effects on PCE inflation of a one-, two-, or three-quarter disruption of oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz The DSGE model projects WTI prices peaking at $110, $132, or $167 per...
EU Calls for Coordinated Energy Pricing as Wholesale Costs Surge
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a push for coordinated energy pricing across the bloc as wholesale fossil‑fuel costs spike following the Iran war. The call targets a unified response to soaring prices that threaten billions of euros...
Nikkei Falls 0.7% as Oil Prices Surge Amid Middle‑East Tensions
Japan's Nikkei 225 slipped 421 points, or 0.7%, as crude oil prices jumped and geopolitical risk from the Middle East intensified. The decline pulled down other Asian equities, while a few stocks such as Nitto Boseki rallied more than 5%.
Colorado's Grid Now Runs on Over 40% Renewables
Clean energy isn’t the future — it’s already here in Colorado. With renewables now powering more than 40% of our electricity, we’re proving what’s possible when we invest in wind, solar, and innovation instead of standing in the way. https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/10/colorado-renewable-energy/
Optimism OK, but Market Data Refutes “No‑need” Claim
Nothing wrong with believing that the Iran War will soon end and Hormuz will be reopened next week. Feels sanguine at this point, but possible and I hope you’re right But you’re irresponsibly wrong if you argue that market reaction thus...
The Hours the Market Wants Back: Free Daytime Power, or a Fix for Solar and Wind Curtailment?
The Australian NEM’s 11 am‑2 pm window is plagued by frequent negative prices, with 32.7% of intervals showing zero or below‑market rates over the past year. This oversupply has led to 7.89 TWh of renewable curtailment, 82% of which occurs during those negative‑price...
Perth Warehouse Fire Wipes Out $7M of Solid‑State Batteries
Fire at Perth recycling warehouse storing tonnes of tiny solid state batteries destroys $7 million of goods #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/pdDwnYOY1o https://t.co/i41NytDITB
UK Labour Approves Nation’s Largest Solar Farm, Reform UK Mayor Vows to Fight the Decision
The UK Labour government approved the 800 MW Springwell Solar Farm in Lincolnshire, the nation’s largest solar project, despite strong local opposition led by Reform UK. The farm will power roughly 180,000 homes and includes a battery storage component, though its size...
Youths Who Sued Trump Over Orders to ‘Unleash’ Energy Try to Revive Case
A group of 22 youths filed *Lighthiser v. Trump* alleging President Trump’s executive orders promoting fossil‑fuel use violated their constitutional rights. A Montana district judge dismissed the case, saying the claimed injuries were too broad for judicial relief. The plaintiffs...
Canada’s Energy Debate Trapped in a Past Era
The Canadian energy conversation is stuck in the wrong century I'm reviving my Markham On Energy columns. First one is a bit clunky, but general direction is right, I think. #energytransition #cdnpoli #oilgas https://energi.media/markham-on-energy/the-canadian-energy-conversation-is-stuck-in-the-wrong-century/
ISO 27914:2026: A New Potential Long‑Term Solution for Section 45Q Permanent Secure Geological Storage
The EPA’s proposed repeal of Subpart RR threatens the reporting foundation for Section 45Q carbon‑capture tax credits. ISO 27914:2026, released on April 1, 2026, fills the gap by offering detailed quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) standards for permanent geological CO₂ storage. Treasury and...
Renewables Hit 80 Pct Share in Australia’s Most Coal Dependent Grid for First Time
Queensland’s electricity grid, Australia’s most coal‑dependent system, hit an 80 percent renewable share for the first time on Monday at 11:20 am. The surge was powered mainly by rooftop solar (just over 4 GW) and large‑scale solar (about 3 GW), with wind contributing just...
Xi to Meet Vietnam Leader as Hormuz Blockade Risks Energy Flows
Vietnam’s new president To Lam will meet Xi Jinping in Beijing to cement deeper energy, infrastructure and telecom ties as the Iran‑driven Hormuz blockade threatens oil supplies. The agenda includes a possible VietJet‑Comac aircraft deal, metro construction contracts and expanded rail investment,...
Why 14 Western Battery Companies Went Under While Demand Kept Rising
From January 2025 to April 2026, fourteen Western battery firms collapsed despite raising over $20 billion, with Northvolt alone accounting for $15 billion of that capital. The failures spanned cell manufacturers, recyclers and materials players, and were driven by premature gigafactory scaling, lack of...
China May Pressure Iran to Reopen Strait Amid Oil Shortage
Assuming Iran has no intention of conceding, and Israel has no contention of conceding, and Trump will claim victory no matter what… what are Vegas odds China will need to pressure Iran to open the strait and if so by...
Aussie Gas Hippopotomus Plugs the Tax Pipe
Australian Labor backbenchers are urging Treasurer Jim Chalmers to raise taxes on gas exporters as voter anger over resource profits grows. Resources Minister Madeleine King defended the existing tax regime, citing billions of dollars of private investment in LNG projects....
Trump’s Tax Refunds Do Little to Stem the Affordability Crisis, Michigan Democrats Say
Michigan Democrats highlighted a resident's solar savings to illustrate the limits of President Trump’s promised tax refunds. Ann Siegel’s $26,000 solar system, reduced to about $16,000 after an $8,000 Inflation Reduction Act credit and utility earnings, cut her monthly bill...
Energy: Alternatives Finding Their Way
Conservatives and free‑market advocates are renewing criticism of the subsidies, tax credits and favorable regulations that have buoyed the U.S. renewable‑energy sector. They argue that solar, wind and other clean technologies should be viable without government support. Despite the pushback,...
War Has Sanctioned Russian LNG Booming
Russia’s Novatek has begun offering cargoes from its Arctic LNG 2 project to buyers in South Asia, despite the facility being subject to U.S., EU and UK sanctions. The shipments are priced at discounts of up to 40 % versus current spot‑market...
Stardust Power Expands US Lithium Supply Pipeline for Oklahoma Refinery
Stardust Power (NASDAQ: SDST) signed a Letter of Intent to purchase up to 15,000 metric tons per year of lithium chloride from a California brine project, securing feedstock for its Muskogee, Oklahoma refinery. Initial deliveries are slated for Q1 2028, with...
The UK Needs More North Sea Gas; Imports From the US Are the Real Enemy | Nils Pratley
The UK will meet this summer’s gas demand but faces a longer‑term shortfall as domestic North Sea output declines. Analysts at Wood Mackenzie warn that, without new drilling, US liquefied natural gas could supply more than 60% of Britain’s gas...
Six Weeks to No Fuel at All
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut since late February, and the last tanker that cleared the waterway on February 28 is expected to arrive around April 20, ending the flow of pre‑closure oil stocks. Once those inventories are exhausted, global...
Oil Prices Have Higher to Go, IEA Warns
The International Energy Agency warned that current oil prices do not yet reflect the depth of the supply shock caused by the Iran‑Israel war, which has taken roughly 13 million barrels per day offline and damaged over 80 facilities. Brent and...
US Blockade of Strait of Hormuz Begins As New Talks Weighed
The United States has initiated a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to halt tanker traffic as a pressure tactic against Iran. Washington and Tehran are scrambling to negotiate a new cease‑fire before the current one lapses next...
Executives View $100 Oil as Temporary Peak, Not Baseline
Most of the America oil & gas executives at conference last week I spoke with shrugged the current price as a short term development, as the market always finds a way. They spoke like it was almost a distraction to...
Microsoft Reportedly Mulls CDR Purchase Slowdown
Microsoft said reports that it plans to pause buying new carbon‑removal credits are misleading. The company clarified that its climate program is not ending, but it may adjust the pace or volume of purchases as part of a broader sustainability...
Citicore Activates 125-MW Solar Farm in Pangasinan
Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) has commissioned a 125‑MW solar farm in Pangasinan, Philippines, capable of supplying roughly 100,000 households. The facility uses an elevated panel design to guard against flooding, reflecting the company’s focus on resilient renewable infrastructure. The...
Fuel Price Rolled Back by as Much as P23/L
The Philippines' Department of Energy ordered a one‑time fuel price rollback that took effect on April 14, slashing diesel by up to P23 per liter (about $0.42) and trimming gasoline and kerosene by P4.43 ($0.08) and P8.50 ($0.15) respectively. Shell...
IEA Chief Warns of Tougher Month for Energy Markets
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol warned that April will be tougher for global energy markets as the Middle East war continues to choke supply. No oil cargoes have been loaded from the region this month, and more than 80 energy facilities...
AMPERA Leverages New Regulation for Next-Generation Reactor
AMPERA announced it will pursue NRC licensing for a subcritical, thorium‑fueled microreactor under the agency’s new Part 53 framework. The company submitted a formal pre‑application letter on Feb. 23, 2026, seeking a meeting by May to align on a factory‑built, containerized design that...
150M Barrels of Venezuelan Oil Sold Since January, US Energy Secretary Says
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said roughly 150 million barrels of Venezuelan oil have been sold since the United States seized former President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3. Venezuela’s output has climbed to over 1.2 million barrels per day, creating about 50 million barrels of...
US Hormuz Blockade, Tariffs Jolt China
China called on the United States and Iran to resume negotiations after Washington launched a naval operation to close the Strait of Hormuz and threatened a 50% tariff on China for allegedly supplying air‑defence systems to Tehran. The U.S. also...
Oil Drops as US and Iran Weigh More Talks With Blockade in Place
Oil prices slipped on Tuesday as Brent hovered around $97 a barrel and WTI near $95, after Washington announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows a China‑linked tanker that briefly entered the strait, tested the...
A Key Solution to Climate Change Isn't Happening – and That's Good
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), once hailed as a cornerstone of net‑zero strategies, is now deemed unviable. The flagship Drax‑linked project is unlikely to proceed due to prohibitive costs, massive land‑use demands, and evidence that it can increase...
Chevron Agrees to Heavy-Oil Asset Swap with Venezuela’s PDVSA
Chevron announced an asset swap with Venezuela’s state oil firm PDVSA, increasing its working interest in the Petroindependencia joint venture to 49%. The deal also grants Chevron’s Petropiar subsidiary rights to develop the Ayacucho 8 heavy‑oil field adjacent to existing assets....
Paladin’s Namibia Restart Sharpens Africa’s Uranium Relevance During Wave of Reactor Builds
Paladin Energy has restarted its Langer Heinrich uranium mine in Namibia, targeting full production of about 4 million pounds of uranium per year by the end of June 2026. The restart lifts Namibia to roughly 12% of global uranium output, reinforcing...
New Jersey Lifts Nuclear Power Ban As Data Centers Scramble For Energy
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed legislation that ends a four‑decade ban on building new nuclear power plants, updating the Coastal Area Facility and Review Act. The move aims to alleviate a growing energy shortfall driven by the data‑center boom...
Why Oil Can Be Both Surplus and Shortage
Oil Surplus Meets Oil Shortage: What the Heck is Going On? How can the world have too much oil—and not enough at the same time? Energy economist Ed Hirs explains. #oilandgas #iranwar #uspoli #cdnpoli https://youtu.be/u24Q9ESql1A
Fortescue Calls Fossil‑Free Transition a No‑Brainer, Others Lag
Fortescue says ditching fossil fuels is a “no-brainer:” So why aren’t other companies rushing to follow #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/Ik7uaMvCv8 https://t.co/SWLlGYSuFI
Shutting Oil Wells Risks Permanent Damage Without Pressure Relief
Oilwells that are shut down make be permanently damaged, so not being able to take the pressure off is a major problem
Ohio County Bans Renewables, Voters May Reconsider
This Ohio county put a ban on wind and solar. Will voters reverse it? #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/zboRHlxwNu
Industry Coalition Urges EU to Revise Methane Rules
A coalition of energy companies, chemical makers and trade associations are asking the European Union to urgently consider changes to the bloc’s upcoming regulations on methane emissions https://t.co/vpb6gn9eJJ
Iran's Hormuz Chokehold Gives It Geopolitical Leverage
Geopolitics expert Alexander Mercouris on why Iran holds MOST OF THE CARDS: “[Iran] has this chokehold [Strait of Hormuz] over the global economy… and they intend to retain control of it indefinitely.” https://t.co/iRoLyxzVKl
TBEA Launches Grid-Forming Converter for Large‑scale Storage
TBEA unveils grid-forming converter for large-scale storage, renewables #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/KbW9lyd3ai
U.S. Oil Blockade Likely Raises Exports and Pump Prices
U.S. oil blockade is set to boost American exports and prices at the Pump https://t.co/imnRBifyQr
Physical Asian Oil Surge Forces Paper Prices Higher
My take @Fortune on oil prices: "Physical oil in Asian markets spiked past $150 a barrel; the paper market never climbed that high… The paper price will be forced to converge with the physical - and it has nowhere to go...
Thai Developer Proposes Massive Battery in Former Coal Region
Thai developer sends new big battery project to EPBC as storage takes centre stage in old coal country #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/L9uVu77HKT https://t.co/vYYx0IGNt1
Global Energy Shock Still Unreflected in Prices
I agree with my friend and renowned oil expert Javier Blas. The GLOBAL ENERGY SHOCK has yet to be priced in. https://t.co/jGrLu4xyby