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:
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 comes from the United States. Previously, both Sheinbaum and her predecessor had barred fracking, citing environmental concerns. The decision marks a rare U‑turn in Mexico’s energy strategy as it seeks greater domestic fuel security.
A Devastating Loss
Oil markets have entered a period of extreme volatility, with prices swinging wildly after a Trump post on TruthSocial and rapid analyst revisions. Commodity traders have incurred billions in losses, while investment banks profit from heightened trading volumes. The chaos...
GRAPHERGIA Project Launches Three Demonstration Cases to Pilot Graphene-Based Technologies
The Graphene Flagship’s GRAPHERGIA project has entered the piloting stage of three demonstration cases that embed graphene‑based energy harvesting and storage technologies into real‑world products. The first case delivers an all‑in‑one self‑charging textile for wearables, the second integrates a triboelectric...
Winners and Losers of the Iran War: Ukraine and Russia
The Iran war has slashed Persian Gulf oil exports to roughly 10‑12 million barrels per day, creating a global supply shortfall and pushing crude prices above $100 a barrel. While Russia initially saw a windfall from higher prices, Ukrainian drone strikes...
Vikram Solar Doubles PV Deployments to 10GW
Vikram Solar announced that it has doubled its cumulative solar module deployments to 10 GW within two years, equivalent to roughly 25 million modules, of which about 1.5 GW were exported. The Indian manufacturer now operates 9.5 GW of module capacity across West Bengal...
PowerBank Terminates Sale of Two New York Solar Projects Following Permit Delays
PowerBank Corp. said a third‑party buyer, Qcells, exercised a sell‑back option for its Gainesville and Highway 28 community solar projects after the sites failed to obtain local permits. The two projects were part of a broader 48 MW, $49.5 million portfolio sale, but...
US DOE Proposes 52% Cut to National Laboratory of the Rockies Funding
The U.S. Department of Energy’s FY 2027 budget justification proposes a $264 million, 52% cut to the National Laboratory of the Rockies, formerly NREL. Similar reductions target Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge and Argonne labs, while $15.2 billion is slated to be removed from...
The Brewery Powering Itself From Its Own Waste
Hepworth Brewery, a 25‑year‑old independent brewer in England, completed a green‑focused rebuild a decade ago, installing solar panels, heat pumps and CO₂ capture. The brewery partnered with waste‑to‑energy startup WASE to pilot modular electro‑methanogenic reactors that convert spent grains and...
Strait of Hormuz Reopens for Now, but Global Supply Chains Remain at Risk
President Donald Trump announced a two‑week suspension of his threatened bombing of Iran, tying the pause to the safe repassage of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow waterway moves roughly 20% of the world’s oil and gas, a...
Greggs Sets Sights on Net Zero Energy by 2030
Greggs, the UK’s leading bakery chain, announced a commitment to achieve net‑zero Scope 2 emissions from energy use by 2030. The company highlighted that it has already reduced its emissions intensity by more than half since 2019 through renewable energy adoption...
Trump Threatens His Own Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States will impose a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, interdicting any vessel that passes after Iran’s toll demand. The move follows a failed diplomatic effort to fully reopen...
The U.K. Just Spelled Out What a Carrington-Class Solar Storm Would Cost — and the Numbers Should Change Policy
The UK’s National Risk Register now quantifies a Carrington‑class solar storm as a trillion‑dollar threat, estimating $0.6‑$2.6 trillion in first‑year global damages and tens of billions of pounds in domestic losses. The country’s electricity sector alone underpins roughly $112 billion of GDP,...
THE DAWN OF THE MINING BOOM IS COMING SOON: Why the Strait of Hormuz Resolution Is the Ultimate Catalyst &...
The imminent resolution of the Strait of Hormuz dispute is prompting regional producers to fast‑track alternative pipelines, effectively neutralizing Iran’s ability to weaponize the chokepoint. With the geopolitical risk premium expected to collapse, investors anticipate a surge in capital spending...
Managing Cyber Risks in the Era of Decentralized Energy
The U.S. electric grid is rapidly integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop solar, storage and vehicle‑to‑grid systems, creating a more resilient but digitally complex network. This shift has expanded the attack surface, with utility cyber‑attacks up 75% from...
Saudi Arabia Restores Capacity of Affected Oil and Gas Assets
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy announced that the East‑West oil pipeline, which lost about 700,000 barrels per day in the April 9 Iranian attacks, has been restored to its full 7 million b/d capacity. Production at the Manifa field, previously reduced by 300,000 b/d,...
AI Inspection Data Is Gaining Traction in Solar Risk Assessment
Machine learning is moving beyond operations and maintenance to become a core component of solar risk assessment and financing. AI‑driven visual intelligence can spot microcracks, thermal hot spots, and soiling at the panel level, enabling longitudinal performance tracking and financial...
A Two-Dimensional Polymer Coating Keeps Lithium Metal Batteries Stable for Thousands of Cycles
Researchers at Sungkyunkwan University have created a two‑dimensional polymeric cobalt phthalocyanine coating that directs TFSI⁻ anion decomposition and accelerates Li⁺ transport. The artificial interlayer forms a uniform lithium‑fluoride‑rich solid electrolyte interphase, suppressing dendrite growth. In symmetric cells the coating enabled...
Crude Oil Joins 2026 ‘Up‑Too‑Much’ Risk List
Up-Too-Much Risks in 2026 - Crude May Follow Natural Gas, Silver Bitcoin in 2025, followed by silver, gold, copper and natural gas in 2026 -- and most importantly, crude oil -- can fall into an "up-too-much" category by year-end. There are...
Making the Case for Brownfield Battery Builds
Brownfield battery development—building storage on underused legacy power sites—is gaining traction as a faster, lower‑opposition alternative to greenfield projects. Elevate Renewables announced a 50 MW/600 MWh battery at the Bergen Generating Station in New Jersey, leveraging existing grid ties and transmission access. The...
Volta Space Technologies Leverages Government Partnerships and Funding to Develop Laser-Enabled Lunar PV Power Network
Volta Space Technologies is developing LEPTON, a laser‑enabled power‑transmission network that will beam electricity from low‑lunar‑orbit satellites to surface assets. The company secured a slot on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2, targeting a 2028 demonstration that will power a lander‑mounted...
Dueling Hormuz Blockades Push World to the Brink
US President Donald Trump announced a US Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz effective April 13, targeting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports. Iran has responded with a de‑facto toll‑booth regime, charging up to $2 million per ship and laying mines...
ANDRITZ Hydropower Surge Drives Record €3.6bn Order Intake in Q1 2026
ANDRITZ posted a record first‑quarter 2026 order intake of €3.6 billion (about $3.9 billion), a 54% increase year‑over‑year, driven mainly by a wave of mid‑size hydropower contracts. The wins cover upgrades in North America, Europe and South America, as well as new...
Extreme Fear Fades as Markets Weather Hormuz Tension
Trump ordered a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz overnight. Oil surged 8% above $100. The UK refused to participate. France is forming its own mission to reopen the strait. And Bitcoin dropped... 1%. After 12 straight days...
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
Africa: Ecocide in Venezuela - Oil, Mining and the Risks of Foreign Investment
Western oil and mining firms are re‑entering Venezuela after U.S. sanctions licences, but satellite data shows a surge in oil spills, toxic flaring and deforestation. In Lake Maracaibo alone, 504 slicks covering 10,428 km² have been identified, while the Orinoco Belt’s flare...
Energy Markets Stay Calm Amid Third Gulf War Lull
We're in the "no-fighting, no-peace, and no-oil" phase of the Third Gulf War. The energy market remains incredibly sanguine: despite Monday's rally, oil and European natural gas prices are below a week ago.
Energy Prices Have Probably Peaked. What that Means for Stocks, According to Morgan Stanley’s Mike Wilson.
Morgan Stanley’s chief U.S. equity strategist Mike Wilson says the Brent‑WTI spread has likely peaked, signaling the end of the recent oil price spike driven by the Iran‑Hormuz tension. The spread fell from a March high of $13.96 to a...
Guidance: Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Orders and Calculator
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has refreshed its domestic bulk LPG market orders and the accompanying tank‑transfer price calculator, the latest update issued on 13 April 2026. The orders limit exclusivity periods to two years, require a 42‑day notice to...
The Future of Uranium Enrichment Is Being Developed Today
Uranium enrichment, a longstanding U.S. vulnerability, is seeing a shift from traditional gas‑centrifuge plants to next‑generation laser technologies. Centrus Energy secured a $900 million DOE contract to expand HALEU and LEU capacity at its Ohio facility, while laser firms Silex/Global Laser...
Iran Conflict Triggers Oil Shortage, Reshapes Market Winners
The Iran war has slashed oil exports from the Persian Gulf, creating a global supply shortage that's just starting to hit markets. As prices are driven up and broader economic impacts unfold, winners and losers will begin to emerge. Full Newsletter:...
Iran War: US Imposing Strait of Hormuz Blockade Monday AM; Experts Criticize Further Pressure on Oil Prices, Illegality, and Risk...
On April 13, President Donald Trump announced a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to halt Iranian oil shipments. Analysts and international law experts quickly condemned the action as illegal and warned it could destabilize global oil markets....
Iran's 13-Day Oil Shutdown Signals Permanent Damage
The sharpest Iran economic analysis out there right now comes from @miadmaleki, Iranian-born former US Treasury official. 13 days. That's when Iran shuts off its own oil wells. Hormuz blockade = nowhere to store oil. Can't restart them easily. Permanent damage. Not a...
Vodacom Calls for Collective Action to Decarbonize Africa’s Digital Economy
Vodacom Group released a white paper titled “Decarbonizing Africa’s ICT Sector,” highlighting the continent’s heavy reliance on diesel generators for mobile network power due to weak grid infrastructure. The report argues that telecoms, as major energy consumers, must lead a...
St. Kitts and Nevis Tenders Major Solar-Storage Project
St. Kitts Electricity Company (SKELEC) has opened a tender for the island’s first utility‑scale solar‑plus‑storage project, the Basseterre Valley development. The plan calls for 50 MW of solar generation paired with a 30.5 MW/30.5 MWh battery system, marking a major expansion beyond the...
5 Big Energy Stories - 4.13.2026: Higher for Longer
President Donald Trump told Maria Bartiromo that oil prices will likely stay "a little bit higher" or roughly flat through the November midterms. As of the interview, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading around $104.60 per barrel and Brent...
Asian LNG Imports Plummet to Six-Year Low on Middle East Crisis
Asian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports have slumped to the lowest level since June 2020, with the 30‑day moving average falling below 600,000 tons. The decline follows the escalation of the Middle East conflict, which has cut roughly 20% of global LNG...
Oil Tankers Steer Clear of Hormuz Ahead of US Blockade
Two Iranian‑linked tankers left the Gulf on Monday, each carrying roughly 330,000 barrels of oil, as the United States announced a blockade of Iranian ports. President Trump said the Navy would enforce the blockade on vessels entering or exiting Iranian...
Iran War Fuels $22.3 Bn Surge in Chinese Clean‑tech Exports, Boosting BYD and CATL
China’s clean‑technology exports hit a record $22.3 bn in December, up 47% year‑on‑year, as the Iran war disrupts fossil‑fuel supplies. BYD and CATL shares rose 11% and 24% in March, positioning China as the dominant supplier of batteries, solar panels and...
Iran-Linked Tankers Sail Through Hormuz Before US Blockade
Two tankers tied to Iran slipped through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, exiting the Gulf just before the United States initiates a blockade of Iranian ports and coastal facilities. The vessel Auroura was loaded with Iranian oil products, while...
Legarda Urges Gov’t: Impose Immediate Suspension of Fuel Excise Tax, VAT on Diesel and Gas as Relief Remains Unfelt
Senator Loren Legarda urged the Philippine government to immediately suspend the excise tax and 12% VAT on diesel and gasoline, saying current relief measures have not reached most citizens. She estimates that removing the ₱6 diesel excise and 12% VAT...
Floatel Seals Equinor Vessel Deal in Brazil
Floatel International has turned a letter of intent into a three‑month contract for its semisubmersible accommodation vessel Floatel Victory at Equinor’s Bacalhau field in Brazil. The work, scheduled to start mid‑2026 after completing the current Karoon campaign, includes options to...
Occidental Petroleum's May 6 Earnings Call Spurs Buy Recommendations After $9.7B OxyChem Sale
Occidental Petroleum will host its Q1 earnings conference call on May 6, with analysts forecasting $0.70 adjusted EPS and highlighting a recent $9.7 billion OxyChem divestiture. The outlook has prompted several buy recommendations even as oil‑price volatility and Middle‑East tensions loom.
PJM Calls for 15 GW of New Power to Feed AI Data‑Center Surge
PJM Interconnection announced an emergency request for 15 GW of new generation to match the rapid rise in AI‑driven data‑center load. The proposal, slated for a September‑March matching process, underscores a projected 60 GW supply shortfall over the next decade and comes...
US Navy Begins Strait of Hormuz Blockade After US‑Iran Ceasefire Talks Fail
The United States Navy started enforcing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after ceasefire negotiations with Iran ended without an agreement. The move follows threats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and has already pushed Brent crude up nearly...
Oil Surges 8.2%, Signaling New Quad3 Cycle Highs
Did you buy more Oil and Energy Stocks when they were on sale last week? Oil inflating another +8.2% here with immediate-term upside in our Risk Range™ Signal to new #Quad3 Cycle Highs https://t.co/ye9Xfr03uQ
Oil Prices Surge 8% to $103 as US‑Iran Talks Collapse and Strait of Hormuz Blockade Looms
Brent crude futures jumped almost 8% to about $103 a barrel after US‑Iran peace talks collapsed and the US Navy began positioning forces to block the Strait of Hormuz. The price spike reverberated through equity markets, with Germany’s DAX tumbling,...
Here’s How Investors Can Position Themselves in the Face of Head-Spinning Swings in Oil Prices
Oil markets have swung wildly since the Middle East conflict escalated, with prices spiking after the Strait of Hormuz shutdown and falling sharply on cease‑fire rumors. Investors who chased the rally as a one‑way trade suffered rapid drawdowns, while those...
Mission300 Targets 300 Million Africans with Power by 2030
Across #Africa, @WorldBankGroup @AfDB_Group @RockefellerFdn @SEforALLorg @EnergyAlliance are expanding #energyaccess through #Mission300 which aims to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030. Learn how on April 15 at the #WBGMeetings: https://t.co/BmTbu9w5aN https://t.co/pAdpG7teyN
Malaysia Faces Energy Emergency Amid Trump’s Hormuz Blockade
Malaysia is confronting an energy emergency after six oil tankers carrying up to 6 million barrels became stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following President Donald Trump's announced blockade. Only one tanker has so far cleared the waterway, and the government...
South Africa's Eskom Selects Thyspunt as Preferred Site for Nuclear Plant Amid Heritage Risk
Eskom has selected Thyspunt on the Eastern Cape as the preferred location for a 5,200 MW nuclear power station, citing better grid access and existing infrastructure. The draft environmental scoping report, prepared by WSP Group Africa, notes no unmitigable environmental constraints...