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:
BYD’s Chief Scientist Says Solid-State EV Batteries Hit a ‘Critical Stage,’ but There’s More to It
BYD’s chief scientist Lian Yubo announced that all‑solid‑state EV batteries have reached a critical development stage, yet ion‑stability and lithium dendrite issues still impede mass production. He emphasized building a full‑scale technological supply chain rather than focusing solely on cell‑level improvements. BYD plans limited‑batch sulfide‑based solid‑state production in 2027, scaling to mass manufacturing by 2030, initially for premium Yangwang and Denza models. Simultaneously, BYD launched Blade Battery 2.0 with over 1,000 km range and a five‑minute fast‑charge capability, underscoring a multi‑path battery strategy.
Oil Traders Likely Got Iran Strike Tip Before Trump
Did markets know Trump's Iran strike halt 15 minutes before he posted? $580 million in oil bets placed right then. Traders potentially gamed a war risking global famine for profit. Inside trading on a planetary scale? Check out my full breakdown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrBNfVn8r60 TrumpIran...
$4 Billion Arunachal Pradesh Hydropower Projects Accelerate India’s Clean Energy Transition Drive
India has approved more than $4 billion (≈₹40,000 crore) to build the Kamala and Kalai‑II hydropower schemes in Arunachal Pradesh. The Kamala project alone will deliver about 1,720 MW of clean electricity, while Kalai‑II adds further capacity across three remote districts. The investment...
Letters to the Editor Dated 8th April 2026
India’s first commercial fast‑breeder reactor achieved criticality after a 15‑year delay, marking the country as only the second nation to operate this advanced technology. Developed indigenously at Kalpakkam, the reactor leverages India’s vast thorium reserves, promising a long‑term, low‑carbon power...
Tesla’s New Supercharger for Business Tool Reveals $940,000 All-In Price
Tesla has unveiled a public configurator for its Supercharger for Business program, showing a fixed $500,000 hardware price and a total all‑in cost of roughly $940,000 for an eight‑stall V4 site. The tool also projects location‑specific ROI, ranging from a...
More On Batteries, Or How To Grow Lemons In Vermont
The author explores modern portable battery power stations—like Anker Solix, Bluetti and Jackery—and shows how they enable off‑grid greenhouse operations in Vermont, providing heating, water circulation, and monitoring without noisy generators. By coupling these batteries with small solar panels and...
The Fall of Gazprom
Polish oil refiner Orlen overtook Russia's state‑owned gas giant Gazprom in market capitalization for the first time in March 2026. The shift reflects sustained Western sanctions, a sharp decline in European gas demand, and Orlen’s aggressive diversification into petrochemicals and...
Uranium Energy Starts Burke Hollow Output in Texas
Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) has activated its Burke Hollow in‑situ recovery (ISR) operation in Texas, marking the first U.S. ISR uranium production in over a decade. The project, approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, is expected to ramp...
Futures Market Crumbling as Physical Oil Scarcity Persists
The Strait of Hormuz May remain shut, the barrels of oil may remain firmly locked in. The ceasefire may not hold. But nobody will dare go long on crude futures. Because there will be yet another false dawn, and they will get...
Energy Crisis From Iran War to Fuel Renewables Boom, IEA Says
The International Energy Agency warns that the war‑driven blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has sparked the world’s most severe energy crisis since the 1970s. IEA chief Fatih Birol says the disruption will reshape the global energy architecture, accelerating renewables, nuclear...
Think You Know Where Most US Oil Comes From? It's Changed Drastically Over The Last 30 Years
Canada now provides more than half of U.S. petroleum imports, delivering 4.42 million barrels per day, while traditional Middle‑East sources have dwindled to single‑digit shares. A surge in domestic output, especially from Texas and the Dakotas, has turned the United States...
DRC Strengthens Energy Sovereignty with New Oil Infrastructure Contracts
On April 8, 2026 the Democratic Republic of Congo signed oil infrastructure operating contracts between state‑owned SEP Congo SA and the National Company for the Management of Oil Infrastructure (ENGIP‑RDC SA). The agreements, endorsed by Ministers Julie Shiku and Acacia...
JPMorgan Invests $600,000 to Scale Atlanta’s Clean Tech Workforce, Startups
JPMorgan Chase is allocating $600,000 to the Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub (GACIH) to expand Atlanta’s clean‑technology workforce and startup ecosystem. The grant, administered through Georgia Tech’s Partnership for Innovation Network, will fund university‑linked programs at Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Morehouse...
Scientists Reach 130% Quantum Yield in Solar Cells Using Singlet Fission
An international team led by Kyushu University has demonstrated a 130% quantum‑yield solar‑cell efficiency by pairing tetracene with molybdenum in a singlet‑fission process. The result exceeds the traditional Shockley‑Queisser limit and could reshape photovoltaic technology.
'Divorced From Reality': Experts Slam Reform UK's North Sea Oil and Gas Plans
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice announced a four‑point energy plan that would approve all pending North Sea oil and gas licences, abolish the windfall tax on energy firms, revive on‑shore shale fracking and scrap the UK’s net‑zero targets. The party...
![[Episode #273] – Solar and Batteries Can Power the World](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://cdn.xenetwork.org/ets/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/powerpress/ETS-PodcastArtwork-full.png)
[Episode #273] – Solar and Batteries Can Power the World
In this episode, host Chris Nelder talks with Prof. Tom Brown about his simple yet powerful model showing that solar photovoltaics combined with battery storage can economically supply 90% of global electricity demand. By focusing on the sunbelt regions where...
From Wedding Best Man to Smart‑Meter Revolution
Cree Edwards was the best man at my wedding. That friendship changed the energy industry forever. Back in 1985, Cree and my Stanford roommate Larsh Johnson decided to tackle one of the biggest problems they could think of: electricity waste. Here's what they...
Buckley SFB, Malmstrom AFB Selected for Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations Program
The Department of the Air Force, working with the Defense Innovation Unit, has named Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado and Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana as preferred sites for advanced nuclear microreactors under the Advanced Nuclear Power for...
Arizona Task Force Roadmap Prioritizes Virtual Power Plants and Distributed Solar to Cut Energy Costs
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs’ Energy Promise Taskforce issued a 31‑point roadmap urging rapid deployment of virtual power plants, distributed solar and 2,000 MW of battery storage by 2025 to absorb an anticipated 40% surge in peak demand. The plan streamlines permitting...
Sanctions Waivers on Russian and Iranian Oil Are Set to Expire. Here’s What Trump Should Do Next.
The U.S. Treasury’s general licenses that let Russia and Iran ship oil expire on April 11 and April 19, respectively. The temporary influx has not stopped crude prices from climbing, and both regimes are now earning roughly $150 million and $139 million per day....
Washington Claims Peace as Iran Keeps Hormuz Closed
The war intrigue has gone beyond anyone’s wildest imagination, I wonder what comes next. Washington will declare it has signed a peace deal exactly on its terms and claim the Strait of Hormuz has been fully reopened, while Iran continues to...
HPQ Silicon Reports 6,696 mAh From GEN4 Silicon Anode in 21700 Format, 45% Above Graphite Baseline
HPQ Silicon announced that its GEN4 silicon‑based anode achieved an average capacity of over 6,600 mAh in 21700 cylindrical cells, with a record 6,696 mAh delivering 319.9 Wh/kg and 906.2 Wh/L. This represents a 45 % improvement over the company’s graphite baseline and a 9 %...
UK Approves Biggest Solar Farm as Output Hits Record High
The UK government approved the Springwell solar farm, the nation’s largest, capable of powering over 180,000 homes and slated to connect to the grid by 2029. The approval marks the 25th nationally significant clean‑energy project since the 2024 election, contributing...
New ‘Universal Shock Absorber’ Is Stabilizing Force for Tomorrow’s Grid
Ramboll unveiled the Universal Damping STATCOM (UD‑STATCOM), a patent‑pending upgrade to conventional STATCOMs that automatically absorbs harmful grid oscillations while preserving normal voltage support. The device monitors voltage waveforms, injects proportional current to damp disturbances, and returns the absorbed energy...
What’s Behind Tehran’s Tollbooth?
Iran briefly shut the Strait of Hormuz and began levying steep fees on transiting tankers, effectively turning the waterway into a tollbooth. Although a ceasefire has been brokered, the fee‑collection mechanism remains active, targeting vessels that are not subject to...
Storage Is the Energy Transition’s Biggest Illusion
The article argues that grid‑scale storage cannot replace dispatchable generation in the U.S. energy transition. Current U.S. storage capacity is only about 0.4 % of daily electricity throughput, with most batteries limited to 2‑4 hours. Even aggressive forecasts to 2050 fall far...
Virginia Grid Utilization Bill Set to Become Law
Virginia’s pending legislation will compel Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to submit detailed distribution‑grid utilization metrics to the State Corporation Commission and propose ways to tap existing capacity. The commission will then publish its own analyses and evaluate non‑wires alternatives...
Rock Tech Draws $144M Investment in Ontario Lithium Plant
BMI Group is investing C$200 million ($144 million) as the lead limited partner in Rock Tech Lithium’s proposed lithium‑hydroxide converter plant in northern Ontario. The partnership also earmarks up to C$30 million ($21.6 million) for engineering, permitting and early site work, targeting a final...
Long-Duration Batteries Are a Winner in the AI Boom
Long‑duration energy‑storage technologies are gaining traction as AI‑driven data centers seek rapid, multi‑day power solutions. Form Energy secured contracts to deliver iron‑air batteries for Crusoe and a record‑size Google site, while Eos highlighted zinc‑based batteries as its fastest‑growing segment. A...
Inside the 'Baffling' Mindset of US Offshore Wind Opponents
President Donald Trump’s early‑term memorandum froze offshore wind leasing, collapsing a 74 GW pipeline to roughly 5.9 GW of projects in the Northeast and Mid‑Atlantic. The freeze earned praise from anti‑wind groups, who view Trump as a defender of marine habitats, even...
The Planet Is Flickering
NASA’s Artemis II mission captured a new "Blue Marble" image, prompting a fresh look at Earth’s night‑time glow. A Nature study led by University of Connecticut’s Zhe Zhu examined 1.2 million daily Black Marble satellite images from 2014‑2022, revealing a 34% rise in...
Geopolitical Turmoil, Oil Prices, & the Impact on Texas E&Ps
Geopolitical conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran has forced Iran to shut the Strait of Hormuz, removing roughly 12 million barrels per day—about 12% of global oil supply. The disruption pushed Brent crude to $119.50 a barrel, the highest level since...
Minnesota PUC Approves Utility Battery Program While Deferring VPP Decisions
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s CapacityConnect Phase 2, authorizing up to 200 MW of utility‑owned battery storage. The order obliges Xcel to submit a technical and financial benefits evaluation within 180 days and detailed distributed‑resource estimates by November 2027. While...
Exxon Lost 6 Pct of Its Global Output
Exxon Mobil reported a 6% drop in global production for Q1 after Iranian missile strikes damaged two LNG trains at its Qatar complex, a key asset in the Persian Gulf that normally supplies about 20% of its output. The outage...
Why Windfarms and Electricity Pylons Have Become a Major Issue in the Welsh Election
Renewable energy is a decisive issue in Wales's Senedd election as the Labour government pushes a deal to meet a 100% renewable electricity target by 2035, requiring extensive new wind farms, solar parks and transmission lines. Opposition to on‑shore wind...
Whale's $30M Leveraged Oil Short Nets $4M After Ceasefire
🚨THIS CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE Just hours before the US-Iran ceasefire, a whale started going heavily short on Oil. He built a $30,000,000 Oil short position with 3x leverage. After that, US-Iran ceasefire was announced, and Oil crashed nearly 25%. In a few hours,...
Escalating Middle East Conflict Ignored by Markets
Ok let's review, Strait is back to closed, Israel is bombing Tehran and Lebanon, Iran is drone bombing Kuwait/Saudi pipelines/UAE, they are threatening to cancel Friday's meeting and the markets couldn't care less.
Emobi and DIMO Deliver Customized Plug & Charge-Enabled EV Charging for Fleets
Emobi and DIMO have introduced a Plug & Charge‑enabled device that lets electric‑vehicle fleets use ISO 15118 digital certificates without automaker‑issued credentials. The solution, built on Emobi’s JustPlug platform and DIMO’s aftermarket bridge device, issues fleet‑level certificates directly to vehicles, bypassing firmware updates...
Oil Drops Second‑largest Post‑war Single‑day Decline After Binance Launch
2nd largest post war single day decline in oil 48 hours after the Binance launch https://t.co/zDjlkN9OeP
Oil Prices Rise Despite Ceasefire Expectations
Thought I was a hero getting out of Dec oil yesterday after the ceasefire headlines. Nope. It's higher
Solar Keeps Slimming Down While Power Rises
An international study shows commercial silicon PV modules have tripled their specific power since the early 2000s, reaching 23.6 W/kg today. The rise stems from advances in module architecture, bifacial designs, and temperature‑management strategies, while glass and aluminum frames still dominate...
Market Will Adjust to Iran’s Transit Fee Pressure
Let’s assume Iran will impose a hefty transit fee, creating incentive for others to build new pipelines. It also increases pressure for the world to diversify their energy supply. -> the market will "solve" this over medium term regardless...
Transformers: Powertrain Driving Grid Upgrade Surge
Why we who track the AI buildout should care about transformers. They are the “powertrain” of the grid upgrade cycle, with demand being driven by three forces at once: aging grid infrastructure, the shift toward renewables, and a sharp increase...
SWTCH Energy’s New EV Charging System Works with One Tap—Even Offline
SWTCH Energy introduced the SWTCH Tap feature on its Cortex intelligent charging platform, enabling drivers to start a session with a single NFC tap even when cellular service is unavailable. The system uses local authentication, caching user IDs on the...
Iran's Hormuz Closure Raises Global Energy Security Concerns
Iran has closed the Strait. What can be done with their having control of Hormuz? What is next?
Pipeline Attack Exposes Ceasefire Fragility and Oil Risk
SAUDI ARABIA's East-West pipeline attacked - underscoring fragility of ceasefire and threat to oil supplies without a durable end to hostilities: https://t.co/aWAqTMRNY7
Tolls on Iran, Oman, DJT
Well, an Iranian toll -- Or an Iranian, Omani and DJT toll -- Would create a financial incentive to build this alternative export infrastructure for the GCC's oil and (more difficult) gas
Russia’s Oil Revenues Surge to War‑Era High
Russia Oil Export Revenues Hit Highest Since Early Ukraine War as Prices Surge, Despite Ukrainian Port Attacks. Trump lifting sanctions gives Putin revenue for Ukraine war. https://t.co/j3gLWruMFo
U.S. Launches First Vertical Rooftop Solar Panels
Vertical rooftop PV debuts in the U.S. #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/bqUE7TbL8P https://t.co/HT8kqxxPUf
Seeking Lloydslisted's Optimism on Strait of Hormuz
I want to have the same level of optimism that @Lloydslisted has on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.