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:
SP Energy Networks Launches Flexbility Platform
SP Energy Networks has introduced ElectronConnect, a new flexibility platform designed to streamline participation in grid‑balancing markets. Developed with flexibility service providers, the platform already supports month‑ahead markets that help match supply and demand. The initiative aims to accelerate the uptake of low‑carbon technologies while keeping network costs low for customers. Executives from both SP Energy Networks and Electron highlighted the partnership’s role in expanding market opportunities and improving network reliability.
How to Delaminate End-of-Life Solar Modules with Ultrasonic Cavitation
A German‑Turkish research team introduced a solvent‑free ultrasonic cavitation process to delaminate end‑of‑life crystalline‑silicon photovoltaic modules. The technique fully separates the glass from the front EVA layer and partially releases silicon fragments, achieving an 82.2% mass‑based delamination efficiency. Laboratory tests...
Aggreko to Deliver ‘Australia’s Largest’ Off-Grid Renewable Hybrid Power Plant
Aggreko announced a landmark 15‑year power purchase agreement with Harmony Gold to supply the Eva copper project in northwest Queensland. The off‑grid hybrid plant will combine a 118 MW solar farm, a 250 MWh battery storage system and a 104 MVA thermal generator,...
Oil 101: What You Actually Need to Know About Oil
The Great Simplification’s first "Oil 101" episode explains how oil formed from ancient marine phytoplankton and functions as a geological solar battery. It quantifies the hidden labor in a single barrel—about five years of human work—and scales this to global...
ITM Power Wins £86.5m UK Backing for Sheffield Hydrogen Electrolyser Factory
ITM Power secured £86.5 million from the UK government and Great British Energy to expand its Sheffield electrolyser factory, targeting a 1 GW production capacity. The investment will add a new production line and create over 400 jobs, positioning the site as...
DESNZ Launches Pilot for Non-Pipeline Carbon Capture Transport
The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has launched the Non‑Pipeline Transport (NPT) Pathfinder, a pilot to test road, rail and ship CO₂ transport alongside existing pipelines. The initiative follows the December 2024 contracts for the Teesside carbon...
GridStor, Axpo Execute Energy Storage Revenue Swap Agreement for 440MWh Texas BESS
GridStor and Swiss utility Axpo have executed a revenue‑swap agreement for the 220 MW/440 MWh Hidden Lakes battery‑energy‑storage system in Galveston County, Texas. The swap converts volatile merchant market revenue into a fixed, guaranteed payment, allowing GridStor to de‑risk its investment while...
EU to Relax Methane Rules to Secure Energy Supplies
The European Union announced it will temporarily relax its methane‑emissions rules to safeguard energy supplies amid a tightening gas market. The move delays the implementation of leak‑detection technology and allows member states to apply short‑term exemptions for operators. Officials say...
InvestingLive European Markets Wrap: Oil Prices Bounce on Fragile US-Iran Truce
Oil prices rebounded sharply, with WTI crude up 4.5% to $98.56, as the fragile U.S.-Iran cease‑fire remained under pressure. Iranian officials claimed the truce had already been violated, while former President Trump warned of renewed strikes if negotiations fail. European...
New Jersey Legalizes Nuclear
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed legislation that repeals the state’s decades‑old moratorium on new nuclear reactors, allowing permits for fresh plants and removing the requirement for a federal waste‑disposal solution. The move aims to add at least one gigawatt...
Sub-Zero
Germany’s power market plunged into deep negative pricing on Monday as unusually strong wind and solar output covered roughly 80% of the nation’s electricity demand. Intraday prices fell to -€324 per megawatt‑hour (about $353) and imbalance fees dropped to -€4,632/MWh...
Planet-Friendly Logistics
In February the U.S. government repealed the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, stripping the agency of authority to regulate greenhouse‑gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Despite this policy reversal, the logistics sector—particularly maritime shipping—continues to pursue decarbonization, with the International...
Oil Plumm
Oil had its 2nd largest drop in 35 years. Just a few days after Binance listed its oil futures - with 100X leverage. Yeah, that Binance - the money-laundering crypto founder who was pardoned by Trump. Then 6 million barrels of Brent and...
China Aims to Peak Coal Amid Political Hurdles
Amid all that's going on in energy markets, is China still trying to peak coal or is coal going to boom again? I believe it's the former and for real this time. But progress toward the peak isn't linear because...
5 Big Energy Stories - 4.9.2026: Back to $100 Oil Again
Oil markets have experienced dramatic swings in the past 48 hours as geopolitical tension resurfaced. A tentative U.S.-Iran ceasefire initially drove West Texas Intermediate (WTI) down from $115 to $92 per barrel, a drop of over 20 percent. Iran’s quick...
NFPA’s Comprehensive Battery Safety Code Nears Finish Line
The National Fire Protection Association is set to release NFPA 800, its first comprehensive battery safety code covering the entire lifecycle of stationary energy‑storage systems and consumer‑grade batteries. The provisional standard, expected later this month after a fast‑tracked vote, will define...
Family Offices Piled Into Oil After Capital Dried Up. The Recent Rally Has Made for Big Gains
Family offices have capitalized on the recent oil price surge, which rose about 30% to over $94 a barrel after the Iran conflict began in February. With institutional investors pulling back due to ESG pressures, these ultra‑wealthy firms entered the...
Oil Prices Rise to Nearly $100 After Iran Accuses U.S. of Breaching Ceasefire Deal
Oil prices surged on Thursday, with Brent crude reaching $98.54 a barrel and U.S. WTI climbing to $99.41, after Iran accused Washington of violating three elements of a two‑week cease‑fire agreement. Iran’s parliamentary speaker cited Israel’s strikes in Lebanon, a...
Hormuz Re-Shuts Over Lebanon Strikes: Oil Prices Rise Again | Rapid Read 9 April 2026
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the Strait of Hormuz closed hours after a US‑Iran ceasefire, citing Israel’s large‑scale airstrikes in Lebanon. Marine tracking shows only three to seven vessels transited in the past 24 hours, a sharp drop from...
Santos Announces Positive Results for Quokka Appraisal Campaign
Santos Ltd completed the Quokka‑1 appraisal well on Alaska’s North Slope, confirming a high‑quality Nanushuk reservoir with 143 feet of net oil pay and 19% average porosity. After a single‑stage fracture, the well flowed at 2,190 bopd of light‑gravity oil. The results...
Renewable Natural Gas: What Investors Should Know
Renewable natural gas (RNG) is poised for a surge in M&A activity as investors chase climate‑friendly fuel credits and long‑term contracts. Analyst Dave Lindenmuth warns that while the sector offers strong ESG appeal, it also faces feedstock volatility, regulatory patchwork,...
Last Turbines Arrive at One of Sunshine State’s Biggest Wind Projects, with a Big Battery Included
The final 41 turbines have arrived at Queensland’s Wambo wind farm, completing the 254 MW second stage and bringing the total capacity to 506 MW across 81 turbines. Stage one’s 252 MW is already connected to the grid, and the project includes a...
The Clock Is Ticking: Coal Is Down, Prices Have Fallen, but Wind Projects Are Very, Very Late
Australia’s National Electricity Market is seeing coal’s share dip below 50% and evening‑peak prices fall sharply, driven by growing battery capacity and reduced coal generation. However, the anticipated wind build‑out is stalling, with developers missing final investment decisions and construction...
Italy ‘Definitely’ Most Attractive European Market for Solar Development
Jan‑Philip Kock, chief of staff at German IPP Encavis, said Italy is the most attractive European market for solar‑only projects, citing strong industrial demand, high gas‑driven power prices and the government’s Energy Release scheme that subsidises electricity for renewable investors....
Data Centers to Consume 220% More Power by 2030
Goldman Sachs "now projects global power demand from data centers to grow 220% by 2030 relative to 2023 levels, up from 175% previously."
Markets Care About Oil, Not Iran's Political Outcome
Regarding Iran, the market's primary concern is oil prices. Whether we "win", " lose", or fail to meet our objectives has little to no relevance for the market.
Multimillion-Dollar Fine for EnQuest over 33 Idle Wells as UK Cracks Down on Decom Inactivity
The UK regulator North Sea Transition Authority fined EnQuest £16.5 million (≈$22 million) for not decommissioning 33 idle wells in the Alma, Galia, Broom and Dons fields. The penalty, £500,000 per breach, follows missed deadline extensions after production stopped in 2020‑2021. NSTA...
Sora Fuel Raises $14.6 Million to Produce Jet Fuel From Air, Water, and Clean Energy
Climate‑tech startup Sora Fuel announced a $14.6 million financing round to accelerate its air‑to‑fuel technology that converts water, ambient CO₂ and renewable electricity into carbon‑negative jet fuel. The Boston‑based company claims its integrated direct‑air‑capture process can capture CO₂ for under $50...
How LECO Process Could Push TOPCon Solar Cell Efficiency Beyond 26%
Researchers at UNSW and Chinese specialist Laplace have demonstrated that laser‑enhanced contact optimization (LECO) can lift industrial TOPCon solar cell efficiency beyond 26%. By applying intense laser pulses to under‑fired contacts while maintaining a reverse bias, LECO dramatically lowers contact...
UK to Require 62,000 New Rapid Chargers by 2030 to Meet EV Demand
Knight Frank’s latest report warns that the UK will need an extra 62,000 rapid EV chargers by 2030, requiring roughly 1,900 acres of land. The country’s electric‑vehicle fleet is expected to swell to 7.6 million vehicles, representing about 20% of all...
Analyst Report: Alliant Energy Corp
Alliant Energy Corp (LNT) operates as a regulated electric and natural‑gas utility serving roughly one million electricity customers and 435,000 gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Its generation portfolio is 43% renewable (primarily wind), 37% natural gas and 19% coal,...
Strait of Hormuz Is Not Just an Oil Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz, named after the Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda, is more than an oil conduit; it is a historically consecrated passage that now carries a diverse mix of energy and commercial cargo. Approximately 20% of global oil and over...
Fossil Fuels Shine Light of Hope in Africa
Africa’s chronic power shortages are prompting governments and investors to double‑down on fossil‑fuel projects, from natural‑gas plants to oil‑linked power stations. Recent announcements highlight billions of dollars in new upstream and downstream capacity aimed at stabilising grids in Nigeria, Kenya...
Alstom Acquires Cummins Hydrogen Fuel Cell Business
Alstom announced the acquisition of Cummins' rail hydrogen fuel‑cell business, adding engineering, product and support capabilities along with the Herten, Germany manufacturing site. The deal value was not disclosed. Cummins had earlier halted new electrolyser sales after incurring $458 million in...
Oil Soars 42% While US Stocks Slip 1%
This is nuts... oil +42% since the war began, and US stocks have plunged all of 1% @soberlook https://t.co/EGLX7QmA3x Nasdaq, small caps UNCH https://t.co/8xxFActnDf
Kyodo News Digest: April 9, 2026
Japan is weighing an extra 20‑day release of its strategic oil reserves as safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz remains uncertain despite a U.S.–Iran cease‑fire. Domestic consumer confidence slipped to 33.3 in March, the lowest level since last May,...
Seasonal Ceasfire
The Crude Chronicles estimates oil’s fair value at about $80 per barrel, using a marginal‑cost framework that emphasizes rising extraction costs as well‑productivity slows. The analysis highlights two near‑term catalysts: full refinery restarts within 2‑3 months, which should keep crack...
Maryland Senate Passes Bill Aimed at Managing Impact of Large Load Users on the Grid
The Maryland Senate approved the Utility Relief Act, targeting the grid impact of large load users such as data centers, and sent it to a conference committee for reconciliation with the House version. The Senate lowered the load‑factor threshold, potentially...
Gulf Ceasefire: Fragile or Firm?
The episode examines the newly announced Gulf ceasefire and its uncertain impact on global energy markets, especially LNG supply. Analysts discuss the fragility of the ceasefire, the stalled reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the critical role of Qatar's...
TST Launches ‘Dragonize’ Depot Charging Network to Scale Electric Truck Operations
TST Logistik has unveiled "dragonize," a cooperative depot‑charging network for electric trucks, backed by the digital platform DepotOS. The first hub in Worms, Germany, features eight high‑power chargers (three 400 kW, three 240 kW, two 160 kW) and 7.5 MW of on‑site solar, serving...
ERCOT Proposes $1,500/MW Incentive for Legacy Texas Storage to Adopt Grid Stability Support
ERCOT has introduced a $1,500 per megawatt incentive, backed by a $25 million fund, to encourage owners of legacy energy storage and renewable assets in Texas to retrofit their inverters to grid‑forming capability. The proposal, presented to the Inverter‑based Resource Working...
Lion Energy Takes Equity Stake in American Battery Factory Aimed at Securing Domestic Battery Supply
Utah‑based Lion Energy has taken an undisclosed equity stake in American Battery Factory (ABF) to lock in a domestic supply of lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cells. The partnership gives Lion over 4.5 GWh of offtake from ABF’s planned 5.5 GWh Tucson gigafactory for the...
Reopening Hormuz Likely Messy, Iran Controls Every Barrel
RBC Capital Markets' @CroftHelima and co: "[W]e think the mechanics of reopening the Strait will be exceedingly messy, with Iran potentially having a vote on nearly every barrel that exits the waterway until Gulf countries can build more alternative access...
The Surprise Market That's Trouncing the EU on Energy Storage
Turkey has approved a 33 GW battery storage pipeline, more than double the combined capacity of Germany and Italy, the EU’s two largest storage markets. The surge follows a 2022 regulation that obliges new wind and solar projects to match generation...
ADNOC CEO Says Strait of Hormuz Remains Secure
Sultan Al Jaber, the CEO of Adnoc, on the state of the Strait of Hormuz https://t.co/HM7Jf6Ut4i
Half-Time Talk: 30‑Minute Energy Markets Deep Dive
Watch it... 30 m Energy Markets Series: Half-Time Talk Weekly Feature Interview https://t.co/4BaDrEsEe8 via @YouTube
US Could Try to Rebut Aspects of EU's CBAM, S&P Says
S&P Global Energy warns that the United States may formally challenge elements of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The potential rebuttal would likely be framed under World Trade Organization rules, arguing that the EU’s carbon levy discriminates...
Renewables Mature, Must Shoulder Systemic Financial Responsibilities
Hang on though, does that mean subsidies to fossil fuels will also be ending ?
2026 Q2 Brent/WTI Forecast Trimmed, Later Quarters Stable
GS: We Keep Our 2026Q3/Q4 Forecast Unchanged at $82/80 for Brent and $77/75 for WTI But Nudge Down Our 2026Q2 Forecast for Brent/WTI to $90/87
EU Adds Flexibility to Methane Law to Protect Energy Supply
The European Union will soon offer flexibility to companies on both penalties and tracing energy imports to help ensure that its landmark law to tackle methane emissions in fossil fuel imports doesn’t put its supply at risk https://t.co/hpJGYQr5dQ