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:
Brent Rises as Trump-Xi Summit Fails to Yield Strait Answer
Brent crude rose on Friday as the Trump‑Xi summit failed to produce a clear plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Traders grew increasingly skeptical that diplomatic talks would quickly restore oil flows through the world’s most critical chokepoint. Fresh rhetoric from Washington and Tehran reinforced fears that disruptions could linger into the second half of the year. The price increase reflects heightened risk premiums amid uncertain geopolitics.
Trump’s Tax Law Is Slowing Down Projects and Piling Up Legal Work
The Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced foreign‑entity‑of‑concern (FEOC) rules that govern eligibility for clean‑energy tax credits. Because the Treasury has not clarified how to calculate foreign debt or equity exposure, developers, investors, and banks face uncertainty about...
Start-Up Eyes Gas as 'Bridge' To Carbon-Free Nuclear Generation
First American Nuclear Co. (Fanco), a new start‑up, is promoting a "bridge power" strategy that installs gas‑fired generators as a temporary source while it builds carbon‑free baseload nuclear capacity. The model intends to keep electricity supply reliable and affordable during...
Oil Prices, May 15, 2026
Canadian federal and provincial leaders reached an agreement to clear the path for a new 1 million barrels‑per‑day pipeline from the Alberta oil sands to the Pacific coast. The project, estimated at roughly $15 billion USD, would give Canada a direct export...
Longer-Term Supply Impacts and US-China Meeting Rally Crude Prices
Crude oil prices climbed this week as global strategic reserves were tapped to offset an estimated 10‑14 million barrels per day of supply stranded behind the Strait of Hormuz. The IEA reported a 250 million‑barrel drawdown in March‑April, while OPEC confirmed a...
Datacenters Slurping up so Much Juice They Boosted Prices 75% in Largest US Energy Market
Wholesale power prices in PJM, the largest U.S. wholesale market, surged 75% year‑over‑year, climbing from $77.78/MWh in early 2025 to $136.53/MWh in early 2026. The Monitoring Analytics report pinpoints rapid data‑center load growth—driven by the AI boom—as the chief catalyst...
LibertyStream Scales Direct Lithium Extraction, Targets Battery Boom
LibertyStream Infrastructure Partners announced a major scale‑up of its direct lithium extraction (DLE) operations in Howard County, Texas, processing more than 400,000 barrels of oilfield brine and completing over 2,500 field tests, positioning the startup to meet soaring battery demand.
China Launches $1.28 B, 500‑MW Solar Park to Power Data Centers in Ningxia
China has commissioned a 500‑MW photovoltaic power station in Ningxia, part of an $1.28 billion, 2‑GW first‑phase project that will feed renewable electricity straight to data‑center loads via dedicated lines. The move aims to cut emissions, lower transmission costs and showcase...
Utah OKs 9GW AI Data Center as NV Energy Cuts Power to Lake Tahoe Data‑Center Customers
The Box Elder County commission approved the Stratos AI campus, a 40,000‑acre, 9 GW data center that will out‑consume Utah’s current electricity use. At the same time, NV Energy announced it can no longer extend power agreements for Liberty’s Lake Tahoe data‑center...
New Energy Deals for Africa Sealed at Nairobi Summit
European and African leaders announced a wave of clean‑energy and infrastructure deals at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, committing roughly €27 bn ($31.5 bn) to about 30 projects. The investments target 100 bn euros ($116.5 bn) in revenue and promise more than 600,000...
Ethanol Producer Says E15 Could Be Priced Even Lower at the Pump
Badger State Ethanol’s Erik Huschitt says its E15 blend—marketed as Unleaded 88—already sells at a $0.35 per gallon discount to standard E10 and could be priced even lower. He attributes the gap to current wholesale ethanol costs, gasoline blending‑stock prices, and...
Carney & Smith Agree to Start Building New Pipeline as Early as 2027
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced an agreement that could launch construction of a new west‑coast oil pipeline as early as September 1, 2027. The deal ties the project to a federal‑provincial climate framework that raises the carbon...
Singapore and India Expand Cooperation on Green Energy and Innovation
Singapore and India are deepening cooperation on energy transition, investment and innovation, highlighted at the 2nd India‑Singapore Futures Forum. Singapore outlined its “four switches” strategy, raising its solar target to 3 GWp by 2030 and launching a S$800 million (≈$592 million) Decarbonisation Grand...
Flex and Invest: A New Approach to Generator Interconnection
The U.S. interconnection process now averages 55 months, leaving roughly 2,300 GW of clean‑energy projects stranded in queues. Rapid load growth—over 160 GW projected by 2030—exacerbates the bottleneck as demand outpaces the outdated, thermal‑plant‑centric system. FERC has signaled action on the Large...
Tomago Battery, VPP Secure Firming Tender to Plug Supply Gaps
Giant Tomago battery and VPP win new firming tender to fill gaps in supply #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/SCYZJyM0P2 https://t.co/27PN9QXw3E
Germany Faces €45 Bn Taxpayer Burden From Hydrogen Overbuild
Germany risks €45 billion taxpayer hit on hydrogen overbuild, warns IEEFA #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/rUrnkPqzyK
Goldman Adds SMRs to Nuclear Model, Sees 17% Upside in Uranium Demand
Goldman Sachs has revised its nuclear power model to include roughly 46 GW of small modular reactor (SMR) capacity by 2045, raising its nuclear generation outlook by 6% and adding 62 million lb of uranium demand – a 17% increase over previous forecasts....
University of British Columbia (UBC) Researchers Discover Microbes Turning Food Waste Into Energy
University of British Columbia researchers have identified a previously unknown bacterium in the Natronincolaceae family that drives methane production in anaerobic digesters converting food waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). The microbe thrives in high‑ammonia environments, keeping the Surrey, BC...
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Average U.S. LNG Feedgas Demand Hits Lowest Point Since October 2025
U.S. LNG feedgas demand slipped to an average 18.3 Bcf/d in May, the lowest level since October 2025, as routine summer maintenance throttled deliveries at key export terminals. The decline occurred despite 1.1 Bcf/d of new export capacity coming online, including Corpus Christi Stage III...
TD Securities Reiterates “Buy” Rating On Uranium Energy (UEC) Following Q2 Fiscal 2026 Results
TD Securities reiterated its "Buy" rating on Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) after the company posted Q2 fiscal 2026 results and announced production at the Hobson Central Processing Plant, the first new U.S. in‑situ recovery (ISR) uranium mine in over a...
Argent LNG Gains Unanimous Louisiana Legislative Support
Louisiana lawmakers unanimously approved Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 6, formally endorsing Argent LNG’s proposed 25‑MMtpa export terminal at Port Fourchon. The resolution signals strong political backing as the project moves through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s permitting process. Argent LNG says...
Bipartisan Senate Bill Targets Future LNG Export Moratoriums
A bipartisan Senate bill, the LNG Export Security Act, introduced by Senators John Cornyn and John Fetterman, seeks to amend the Natural Gas Act to prevent future administrations from pausing LNG export approvals. The legislation would broaden the definition of...
Daily Energy Report
EU LNG imports fell 13% month‑on‑month in April 2026, reaching 8.82 million tons—the lowest level since the year began. The decline stemmed from seasonal demand weakness and the abrupt closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which stopped Qatari LNG flows that normally supply about...
HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings S.A.: First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
HELLENiQ ENERGY reported a strong Q1 2026 despite the Middle East crisis, posting Adjusted EBITDA of €293 m (≈ $316 m) and Adjusted net income of €140 m (≈ $151 m). The Refining segment drove most of the profit, aided by higher margins and a completed turnaround...
TS Conductor Opens $134 Million South Carolina Facility for AECC Conductor Cores
TS Conductor opened its new aluminum‑encapsulated carbon core (AECC) production facility in Hardeeville, South Carolina, investing $42 million in phase one of a $134 million, three‑phase project. The plant will boost AECC output up to ten times the capacity of its first...
Energy Secretary: U.S. To Finance Parts For 10 Nuclear Reactors To Power Data Centers
Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the Department of Energy will provide federal financing to order components for ten 1.1‑gigawatt nuclear reactors aimed at powering data‑center clusters. The initiative also earmarks $94 million for eight firms developing small modular reactors (SMRs) and...
Oil Prices Surge on Hormuz Tensions, Heightening U.S. Inflation Risks
Brent crude climbed to about $105 per barrel after flows through the Strait of Hormuz fell 30%, reviving concerns that higher energy costs will lift U.S. gasoline prices and add pressure to the inflation outlook, complicating the Federal Reserve’s policy...
Senators Push Pentagon to Fund Domestic Lithium Supply Chain in Smackover Formation
Senators Tom Cotton, John Boozman and Ted Cruz sent a letter to the Department of War urging it to treat the Smackover Formation lithium deposit as a priority under the Defense Production Act. The move aims to reduce U.S. dependence...
Schneider Electric Unveils Next‑Gen Battery Storage System in India
Schneider Electric announced a fully integrated cell‑to‑grid Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at its Innovation Summit in India, positioning the solution as a finance‑ready asset for utilities and developers. The launch targets India's fast‑growing renewable power sector, where storage is...
Iran‑US Conflict Sends Global Fuel Prices Soaring, Jamaica Gasoline Jumps 25%
The war between Iran and the United States has driven Brent crude above $105 a barrel and lifted Jamaican gasoline prices by roughly 25% in just 11 weeks. The sharp drop in oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and...
ECA LNG Nears Startup in Mexico, Boosting Permian Outlook
Sempra’s ECA LNG project in Mexico is on track to begin operations in 2027, marking the country’s first liquefied natural gas export terminal. Forward natural‑gas prices for summer 2027 are already in positive territory, buoyed by a strong West Texas...
The Department of Energy Is Spending a Tiny Fraction of Its Money
The Department of Energy (DOE) disbursed only 2% of its FY 2025 budget, a sharp drop from the 38% spent the year before. A wave of resignations—about one in five staff—combined with a sweeping reorganization left each employee responsible for roughly...
Phantom Data Centers Didn’t Break the Power Grid—They Proved It Was Already Broken
U.S. utilities are confronting a surge of large‑load data‑center interconnection requests that have risen from a single gigawatt to 25 GW in Texas, exposing a grid already strained by decades of flat demand. These “phantom data centers” often lack firm projects...
Anthro Energy Clears DOE Phase Approval for 12,000-Ton Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolyte Plant in Louisville
Anthro Energy received Department of Energy approval to move its Louisville, Kentucky electrolyte plant into construction, unlocking the next phase of a $24.9 million DOE grant. The project also benefits from $18.4 million in IRA Section 48C tax credits, totaling roughly $43 million in...
Power Prices Are up 76% on America’s Biggest Grid, and a Watchdog Is Pointing Fingers
Wholesale electricity prices on the PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest grid, jumped 76% over the past year, reaching $136.53 per megawatt‑hour from $77.78. Monitoring Analytics, an independent market watchdog, attributes the surge primarily to soaring demand from data centers, especially...
Philippines’ Renewable Capacity to Reach 30GW by 2035, Forecasts GlobalData
GlobalData forecasts the Philippines’ renewable power capacity to rise from about 7.1 GW in 2025 to roughly 30 GW by 2035. Solar photovoltaic will dominate the expansion, reaching 18.7 GW, while wind grows to 7.4 GW. Liberalised foreign‑ownership rules and the Green Energy Auction...
A Year After Load Shedding, South Africa Fights Electricity Theft
A year after the last load‑shedding event, Eskom’s grid is delivering 98.9% reliability, a stark improvement from the 9% supply level two years ago. Yet illegal connections and equipment theft now account for 8% of non‑technical losses, eroding about $1.1 billion...
Pakistan Uses Diplomacy to Secure LNG Supply From Hormuz
Pakistan negotiated safe passage for two Qatari LNG tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, leveraging its diplomatic ties with both Qatar and Iran. The move restores a critical supply line after Qatar halted LNG production amid the Iran‑Qatar conflict, easing...
BP Eyes Egyptian Asset Sales - Report
BP is weighing the sale of several gas assets in Egypt as part of CEO Meg O'Neill’s plan to cut net debt from $22.2 billion in 2025 to a target range of $14‑$18 billion by 2027. The Egyptian portfolio, which supplies roughly...
Banks Pull Back, Reject Former Energy‑Transition Deals
Banks are no longer financing the energy transition on faith, and are declining deals they once would do #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/WiJQfPTOKU https://t.co/UwZyEZlq5K
India Installs Record 15.3GW of Solar in Q1 2026 Amid Policy Deadline Rush
India installed a record 15.3 GW of solar capacity in Q1 2026, a 143% year‑on‑year jump from the same quarter last year. Large‑scale projects supplied 12.6 GW, accounting for 82% of the additions, while open‑access projects made up the remainder. The surge was...
Massachusetts Distributed Solar Potential Reaches 92 GW as Electrification Demand Rises
A new Applied Economics Clinic report finds Massachusetts holds a technical potential of 92 GW for behind‑the‑meter solar, roughly four times the state’s projected 2050 peak electricity demand. Pairing that solar with storage at a 0.4 ratio could add 40 GW of...
Czechia Mulls Ending Double Tax on Solar Projects
Czechia considers stop to double taxation on solar, storage projects #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/YpJGm4xijH
The Hydrogen Stream: Ireland’s LCOH on Par with Morocco, Brazil
Fraunhofer ISE, working with Ireland’s ESB, released a methodology that shows Ireland can produce green hydrogen at €160‑205 per megawatt‑hour, a cost level comparable to Morocco, South Africa and Brazil. The study highlights pipeline transport to Rotterdam or Stade as...
Ukrainian Drone Hits Russian Refinery, Sparks Fatal Fire
Last night, a Ukrainian drone strike caused a major fire at an oil refinery in Ryazan, Russia. Reports indicate that at least three people were killed and 12 were injured. RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR = HOT. https://t.co/vUWAPxzVwe
UK Moves to Ban New North Sea Oil and Gas Licences Permanently
The UK government’s Energy Independence Bill will permanently ban new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, fulfilling Labour’s pre‑election clean‑energy pledge. The move comes as oil prices have surged amid the Iran conflict, intensifying scrutiny over Britain’s energy...
VSB Secures Approval for Large-Scale Solar Project in Sicily
VSB Italy has secured a Unified Regional Authorization to build a 36 MW photovoltaic park in Francofonte, Sicily, slated for construction in 2027 and operation by the end of 2028. The 64‑hectare site, with 46.5 hectares of panels, will generate enough electricity...
China Calls for Unrestricted Strait of Hormuz Navigation
China Wants Strait of Hormuz Open Free of Curbs, USTR Greer Tells Bloomberg News https://t.co/MplQrrnwLD
Opinion: Why Tariff Reform Will Make or Break South Africa’s Electricity Market
South Africa is transitioning its electricity sector from a single‑buyer model to a competitive, multi‑participant market, but the success of the reform hinges on transparent, cost‑reflective tariffs. CEO Nico de Bruyn argues that unclear pricing, hidden network charges and unpredictable regulatory...
Grew Solar to Set up 8 GW Ingot Wafer Unit in Madhya Pradesh
Grew Solar has finished land acquisition for an 8 GW ingot‑wafer plant in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh, slated to start operations by March 2028. The company is already commissioning a 3 GW cell line in the same region, with the first phase expected next...