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:
Santa Monica Breaks Ground on $56m Zero-Emission Bus and Charging Project
Santa Monica has launched a $56 million zero‑emission bus program, backed by a $53.3 million state grant, to expand its battery‑electric fleet and build overhead gantry chargers. The initiative will support up to 195 electric buses and aims for a fully zero‑emission fleet by 2032. Construction began just 18 months after funding was secured, highlighting rapid execution. Officials say the project will cut emissions, lower operating costs and serve as a replicable model for transit agencies nationwide.
Pre-Markets Down as U.S. Sets Blockade at Hormuz
U.S. forces announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices sharply higher and casting a geopolitical shadow over the opening bell. WTI crude rose to $104 a barrel and Brent to $102, while major equity indexes opened...

Oman’s Naqaa Sustainable Energy to Lead 500MW Botswana PV Project—Reports
Omani renewables firm Naqaa Sustainable Energy has been appointed lead developer for a 500 MW photovoltaic plant in Botswana, the country’s largest solar project to date. The plant, slated for the Maun region, will incorporate an integrated battery energy storage system....
Hormuz Crisis Triggers Localized, Bumpy Demand Destruction
Normally I talk about the two main types of demand destruction: Price elasticity (i.e., gasoline is really expensive so I'll drive less or buy an EV) vs Income elasticity (high oil prompted a financial crisis and I lost my job) But given how...

Tokyo Mayor Signals Willingness for Nuclear Waste Site Survey on Minamitori
Tokyo’s Ogasawara village mayor Masaaki Shibuya said he will permit a government‑led survey of Minamitori Island to assess its suitability as an underground high‑level radioactive waste repository. The island, uninhabited by civilians and currently used only by Self‑Defense Force personnel,...
Prairie's Saskatchewan DLE Plant Nears Completion
Prairie Lithium announced that its commercial‑scale direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant in Saskatchewan is nearing construction completion. The ASX‑listed firm expects to commence its first lithium production in the fourth quarter of 2026. The facility will process lithium‑rich brine using...
Solar Generation to Rise 17% This Summer: EIA
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects solar generation will rise 17% this summer compared with 2025, outpacing wind and helping meet peak demand. Overall electricity sales are expected to grow 1.2% in 2026, while coal output will fall about 10%...
U.S. Sabotages Green Tech, China Set to Dominate
The US is turning it's back on green technology while creating the market for it. This combination is next level sabotage. If the point is to take us out of the next economy, it's working. China’s Electrostate Is Poised to Win...

Summer School on Managing Africa’s Extractive Future in the Energy Transition
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), backed by NRGI, will host the 2026 AFREIKH Summer School on extractive‑industry governance in Accra, Ghana, from August 18‑28. The intensive week‑long program targets civil‑society, media, and government professionals from Anglophone Africa, offering...
Iran War Fuels Energy Surge, Disrupts Global Mining Supply Chains
The 2026 US‑Israel war with Iran is driving up energy prices and creating logistics bottlenecks that jeopardize mining operations worldwide. Analysts say the conflict is exposing a structural weakness in the sector, from power‑intensive smelters to fragile transport routes, and...
Jakson Expands Energy Solutions Portfolio with BESS, Solar Kits; Enters E3W Segment
Jakson Group announced a five‑product expansion of its energy solutions portfolio, adding a compact Genset Xtra, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a rooftop Solar Kit, a Mobile Light Tower, and electric three‑wheelers through a new partnership. The launch is...
Redwood Materials Scales Second‑Life Battery Storage to Power 24 Data Centers
Redwood Materials, the battery‑recycling firm founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, announced a rollout of its second‑life energy‑storage system to 24 data centers, adding 20 MW of solar power and 12 MWh of repurposed EV batteries. The move marks the company’s...
CNOOC's Tianjin Heavy‑Equipment Plant Becomes China’s First Zero‑Carbon Factory
China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s Tianjin offshore equipment base secured zero‑carbon certification, marking the first heavy‑equipment plant in China to achieve such status. The factory leverages a digital‑twin system, solar and wind power, and carbon‑offset purchases to slash energy use...
Nigeria’s Economy Shocked by Middle East Conflict, IMF Flags $50B Aid Need
Nigeria’s finance minister Wale Edun declared the economy in shock as the Middle East war drives fuel prices up 50% and fuels capital outflows. The IMF warned that up to $50 bn in emergency financing may be required for balance‑of‑payments crises,...
Halocell Energy, Sofab Inks Advance Perovskite Collaboration
Halocell Energy and U.S. startup Sofab Inks have demonstrated that perovskite modules using Sofab’s Tinfab electron transport layer retain roughly 100% of their normalized efficiency after 1,300 hours of accelerated light and damp‑heat exposure. In contrast, comparable control devices lost...
Oil Prices Top $100 as FTSE Slides, Raising Jet‑Fuel Concerns for European Travel Stocks
Oil prices surged past $100 a barrel, prompting the FTSE 100 to slip and igniting fears of jet‑fuel shortages for European airports. Analysts warn the price spike could pressure airline margins and depress travel‑related stocks across the Euro market.

India Piles Up Export Tax on Diesel, Jet Fuel
India has more than doubled its export duty on diesel to 55.5 rupees (≈ $0.60) per litre, up from 21.5 rupees, and raised jet‑fuel export duty to 42 rupees (≈ $0.45) per litre from 29.5 rupees. The measures are intended to shore...
Oklo Inc. Eyes Upcoming Earnings as Analysts Flag Buy Opportunity Amid $10 Trillion Nuclear Surge
Oklo Inc. will release its next quarterly earnings early next month, and analysts argue the filing could spark a buying wave. The company, valued at under $9 billion, is positioned to capture a slice of a $10 trillion nuclear renaissance driven by...
Azerbaijan Boosts Gas Exports to Europe and Turkey Amid Rising Oil Prices
Azerbaijan increased its gas exports to Georgia by more than 14% and to Turkey by over 7% in the first quarter of 2026, while SOCAR reported higher oil and gas output. The surge comes as oil prices jump following the...
US Navy Starts Blockade of Iranian Ports Amid Trump-Pope Clash Over Iran War
The US Navy launched a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, a step down from President Donald Trump's earlier vow to seal the Strait of Hormuz. Trump simultaneously blasted Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social, accusing...
US‑Iran Talks Collapse Triggers European Market Drop, Threatening US Equity Sentiment
European markets are set to open sharply lower after US‑Iran peace negotiations fell apart and President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The geopolitical shock is expected to spill over into US equity markets, pressuring risk‑on...
Vietnam Cuts Fuel Taxes to Zero Through June, Aiming to Spur Demand Amid Global Oil Price Surge
Vietnam's National Assembly approved a resolution that removes all taxes on gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel from April 16 through June 30. The move, worth roughly 16.8% of fuel base prices, is designed to temper inflation and support growth as...
PJM Proposes Adding 14.9 GW with Bilateral Contracts, Central Procurement
The PJM Interconnection is proposing a one‑time, two‑phase backstop procurement of up to 14.9 GW to address projected capacity shortfalls driven by data‑center growth. Phase one would run bilateral contracts between generators and large loads from September to March, followed by...

Thyspunt Emerges as Frontrunner for New Eskom Nuclear Plant
Eskom’s draft environmental scoping report recommends Thyspunt on the Eastern Cape as the preferred site for its proposed 5.2 GW nuclear power plant, citing superior proximity to transmission lines and existing wind‑farm infrastructure. The 776‑page report limits further study of the...

Wah Kwong Unit Lines up Green Methanol Supply Deal
Wah Kwong’s fuel subsidiary Venture Energy has signed a supply agreement with Shanghai Shenji Energy to import ISCC‑certified green methanol, with first deliveries slated for the first half of 2026. The methanol, derived from municipal waste, crop residues and livestock...

Cork Airport to Deliver Ireland’s Largest Solar-Powered Carport
Cork Airport announced Ireland’s largest solar‑powered carport, a 1.7 MW structure with 3,696 photovoltaic panels slated for completion in August 2027. The carport will generate about 1.5 GWh of renewable electricity each year—roughly 20% of the airport’s power needs—and cut CO₂ emissions by...
Middle East Tensions Trump Economic Data, Fueling Oil Surge
🚨 Markets on edge as US–Iran tensions escalate and risk of a Strait of Hormuz blockade sends oil higher and stocks lower. Here’s my take on it all: Middle East headlines now matter more than economic data. Higher gas prices could...
Coal Stock Adequate for 90 Days Available: Union Coal Minister Kishan Reddy
India’s coal reserves have risen to over 200 million tonnes, enough to power the nation for about 90 days. This marks a jump from the previous 21‑25‑day buffer and follows a second consecutive year of hitting 1 billion tonnes of coal production....

Eni Invests $70MM in Canadian Battery Feedstock Project
Italian energy giant Eni is injecting $70 million USD in equity into Quebec‑based Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) and will purchase up to 15,000 tonnes per year of graphite concentrate from the second phase of NMG’s Matawinie Mine. The deal gives Eni an...
Greengine Deploys World’s First Vertical Algal Biofilm Carbon Capture & Utilization Unit
Greengine Environmental Technologies has installed its G‑Urban Tree 100x, the world’s first vertical algal biofilm carbon capture unit, at Engineers India Limited’s Gurugram campus. The solar‑powered, modular system uses patented VABT™ technology to capture about 2.25 tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent...

2026 Oil Demand Rises 1.4 Mb/D
"In 2026, global oil demand is forecast to grow by a healthy 1.4 mb/d year-on-year (y-o-y), driven almost entirely by demand from non-OECD regions, mainly China, India and Other Asia. On a quarterly basis, the global oil demand in 2026...
Gadkari Sees Farmers as Future Energy Providers to Reduce Import Dependence
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told farmers at the Unnat Krishi Mahotsav that they should expand beyond food production to become suppliers of bioenergy, ethanol, compressed natural gas and hydrogen. He highlighted the untapped revenue from agricultural residues and stressed the...
Construction Works to Commence on Wylfa on Anglesey Nuclear Power Station in UK
The UK government has approved construction at the Wylfa on Anglesey site, launching a £2.5 bn (≈$3.2 bn) partnership with Rolls‑Royce to build three small modular reactors. The project is expected to create 3,000 construction jobs locally and support about 8,000 jobs...

TMTB Morning Wrap
Futures slipped 6 basis points while crude jumped 8% after President Trump ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, heightening geopolitical risk. Asian equity markets were mixed, with Japan, Korea and Hong Kong indices down and China’s Shanghai...

CIP Sells Summerfield Battery to Palisade
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has sold its 100% stake in the 240 MW/960 MWh Summerfield Battery Energy Storage Project near Adelaide to Palisade Investment Partners via Intera Renewables. Construction, which began in February 2025, is now substantially complete, with energisation slated for May 2026 and...

Green Hydrogen Brightlighted as Middle East Crisis Alters Fossil-Fuel Economics
The Middle East crisis is reshaping fossil‑fuel economics, prompting South Africa’s presidency to prioritize energy independence and accelerate green hydrogen and ammonia projects where it holds a platinum‑catalyst advantage. Simultaneously, global players are pouring capital into hydrogen ecosystems – BMW...

Trump Announces Hormuz Blockade, Oil Jumps 7%
Trump says the US Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz begins at 10AM ET Oil already up 7% and we haven't even started. I'm watching response from China 🇨🇳 How much pain are you pricing in for stocks today? 👇 $CL $USO...

Gas Prices Likely Stay High Through Midterms, Says Trump
That proves the point: There are issues that are bigger than the elections... Trump says gas prices may remain high through November midterm election https://t.co/GrPOSOMBPS

Mexico Greenlights Fracking
Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced a policy reversal that will allow hydraulic fracturing within the country. The move aims to curb the nation’s heavy reliance on imported natural gas, which currently supplies about 75% of its electricity and largely...
Oil Demand Collapse in SW & SE Asia Underestimated
We are probably underestimating the amount of oil demand destruction already ongoing in South-West and South-East Asia.
Oil Prices Surge to $150 Amid Middle East Crisis
Physical oil prices are at the sharp end of the Middle East supply crisis - almost $150 a barrel for some grades today based on the LSEG numbers. OPEC meanwhile sees a relatively small hit to oil demand from the ongoing...
Gulf's Complexity Makes Hormuz Seizure Strategy Unrealistic
Seizing “key terrain” in Hormuz & wiping out IRGC threats is naive fantasy @MCTothSTL The Gulf is too big, too complex, and too vulnerable to cheap disruption for that to work. Lindsey Graham strategy at its finest. #Energy #Geopolitics
US Failed to Block Iran Oil After First Attack
It actually makes perfect sense. What makes no sense is why the US allowed Iran to continue to sell oil in contravention of sanctions throughout this war. This embargo/blockade should have been in place as soon as Iran fired on...
Iran Faces Imminent Well Shutdowns, Negotiations Uncertain
Looking at the limited empty oil tankers inside the Persian Gulf, plus Tehran’s onshore storage, Iran will need to shut in wells in 10-15 days (the same process its neighbours faced 5-6 weeks ago). Would that prompt Iran to change...

OPEC Projects 2026‑27 Production Growth in Key Nations
🔹OPEC's view of production growth in selected countries in 2026 and 2027. 🔹What do you think? What do you agree with and what you do not? Why? https://t.co/QAin921hCr https://t.co/WK2gAcAKWe

Sanctioned Tanker Data May Be Inaccurate, Map Shows
Passed This is a sanctioned tanker... The info transmitted by the tanker may not be accurate. Map from @Kpler https://t.co/crHLlPZIwD

Australia Faces Diesel Shortage After Hormuz Crisis
Australia is uniquely vulnerable to disruptions in diesel supply,leading to a real diesel Armada heading there in the wake of the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. Chartbook Top Links of the day just dropped: https://t.co/phVWZTM4Em
Saudi Crude Shipments to China to Halve Amid War
Saudi Arabia’s crude sales to top importer China are set to halve next month as the war in the Middle East upends flows and lifts prices, according to traders familiar with the matter https://t.co/P8mgp5is3N

Nat Gas Enters Extended Seasonal Trading Window
Start of a long Seasonal window for nat gas as of today (courtesy Moore Research Center). https://t.co/mYPvrsOkle

Pump Prices Up 50
BofA: Price at the pump is up 50% from January low Energy 2026 EPS growth revised up by >25ppt since the Iran conflict began, but minimal cuts to consumer sectors so far https://t.co/eQAC20Kj0o