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:
Stopgap Oil Releases Fall Short as Gas Prices Top $4 a Gallon
A coalition of 32 IEA members released a record 400 million barrels of emergency oil, while the U.S. tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and lifted sanctions on Iranian crude. Despite these moves, Brent crude breached $100 per barrel and U.S. gasoline averaged $4.06 per gallon, underscoring that incremental fixes cannot offset the oil lost from the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s Iran Threat Sends Oil 5% Higher, Triggers Sharp Drop in Asian Stock Markets
Donald Trump warned of intensified attacks on Iran, pushing Brent crude up 4.9% to $106.16 a barrel and U.S. crude 4% to $104.15. The rhetoric sparked a coordinated sell‑off across Asian equity indices, highlighting the market’s sensitivity to geopolitical risk.
Dimension Energy Secures $650m for Community Solar Projects
Dimension Energy secured a $650 million financing package to develop a 132 MW portfolio of 25 community solar projects across Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. The deal includes $415 million in debt from MUFG, First Citizens Bank, ING Capital and National Bank of...
Fuel Prices Are Soaring. Plastic Could Be Next.
The ongoing Iran‑related conflict has closed the Strait of Hormuz, pushing crude oil above $100 per barrel and gasoline past $4 a gallon in the United States. The spike is reverberating through petrochemical feedstocks, especially naphtha, where Asian prices have...
First Malta-Italy Interconnector Back in Service After Works on Second Link Demanded Shutdown
The first Malta‑Italy interconnector (IC1) was re‑energised on April 1 after a brief shutdown to reroute control cables for the upcoming second link. The work, performed at the Ragusa terminal in Sicily, included preparation for a new 220 kV hybrid switchgear...
Oil Hikes 7% After Trump Says US-Israel Will Keep Striking Iran
Oil prices surged nearly 7% on Thursday after President Donald Trump warned that the United States and Israel would continue striking Iran, reigniting concerns over supply disruptions. Brent crude rose to $108.81 a barrel and U.S. WTI to $107.18, marking...
Romanian Investment Platform Looks to Open up BESS Project Financing to Retail Investors
MetaWealth announced the launch of its first battery energy storage system (BESS) in Dumbrava, Neamț, Romania, financed in part through a corporate bond aimed at retail investors. The bond carries a minimum ticket size of €25,000 (about US$29,000), marking a...
TNO Claims ‘World’s First’ Perovskite Solar Roof Tile
Dutch research institute TNO, together with thin‑film specialist ASAT, unveiled what it calls the world’s first perovskite solar roof tile. The flexible perovskite module delivers 13.8% efficiency on foil and 12.4% after being bonded to a curved composite tile. TNO...
The Iran War Is Turning the Energy Transition Into an Energy Security Story
The war involving Iran is reshaping the global energy transition by turning energy security into a central concern. Conflict‑driven supply disruptions have pushed oil and gas prices higher and heightened market volatility. Private infrastructure investors, who previously emphasized pure renewable...
AquaChile Incorporates Sustainable Fuel Into Truck Transport Logistics Strategy
AquaChile, Chile's largest salmon farmer, will power its 270‑truck transport fleet with renewable BioLNG starting in 2025. The BioLNG, produced by partner Lipigas from agricultural waste, can run on existing LNG equipment, enabling a seamless transition. The switch is projected...
EnQuest Enters Malaysia with Cendramas Production Sharing Deal
EnQuest plc has signed a production sharing contract for the Cendramas block offshore Malaysia, securing a 25% participating interest through its subsidiary EnQuest Petroleum Production Malaysia. The block will be operated by Medco Asia Pacific, which holds a 50% stake,...
Onsemi’s Hybrid Power Integrated Modules Used in Sineng Electric’s Solar and Energy Storage Solutions
onsemi announced that its next‑generation hybrid power integrated modules (PIMs) will be used in Sineng Electric’s 430 kW liquid‑cooled string energy storage system and 320 kW utility‑scale solar inverter. The FS7 IGBT and EliteSiC‑based F5BP modules deliver 32% higher power density and...
Brent to Hold $113/Barrel in Q2 Despite Conflict Pause
Ryan Sweet of @OxfordEconomics sees brent crude $113 a barrel on average for Q2, even with a potential near-term end to military action. "The military timeline differs from the economic one. The Strait of Hormuz is still effectively closed, &...
Port of Rotterdam Develops Liquid Hydrogen Facility
Air Products is building a liquid hydrogen plant in the Port of Rotterdam that is now more than 65% complete and slated to start operations in 2027. When online, it will be Europe’s largest liquid hydrogen facility, bolstering Rotterdam’s status...
Why Doesn’t Texas, the Leader of Onshore Wind Energy, Have Any Offshore?
Texas, the nation’s onshore wind leader, has no offshore projects because state officials blocked approvals, causing zero bids in the 2023 federal Gulf lease auction. Despite the Gulf’s high wind potential and Texas’s oil‑gas expertise, political hostility, stringent easement requirements,...
Georgia’s New Public Service Commissioner Says She Will Put Affordability and Transparency First
Alicia Johnson, newly elected Georgia Public Service Commissioner, is pledging to put affordability and transparency at the forefront of utility regulation. Her election, alongside Democrat Peter Hubbard, marks the first Democratic presence on the five‑member commission since 1998, reflecting a...
Little Hedge Against Very High Oil Prices
Brazil’s flex‑fuel market creates a rapid hedge against soaring oil prices by shifting sugarcane use from sugar to hydrous ethanol when gasoline becomes costly. Lower hedging by mills lets them reallocate cane within a single harvest, tightening Brazil’s sugar exports....
Malaysia Government to Maintain Subsidised Petrol Prices as Global Oil Disruption Persists: MOF
Malaysia will keep subsidised fuel prices for another week despite Brent crude topping $100 per barrel and refined gasoline and diesel exceeding $150 and $250 respectively. Retail rates without subsidies rise to RM4.95 ($1.09) per litre for RON97 and RM6.02...
Energean Warns Prolonged Conflict May Delay $1B Gas Project
Energean is spending roughly $10 million each month to keep its Israeli offshore assets on standby as the Israel‑Iran conflict drags on, and its $1 billion Katlan gas development could be postponed if hostilities extend beyond May. CEO Mathios Rigas emphasized that...
First LNG Tanker Exits Strait of Hormuz Along Omani Coast
A liquefied natural gas tanker, identified as the Omani‑flagged Sohar LNG, has become the first LNG vessel to navigate the Strait of Hormuz since the regional conflict began. The ship, which appears to be sailing empty, altered its course to...
Chinese Solar Makers Raise Prices, Market Remains Stagnant
Yicai: "Leading Chinese manufacturers of solar modules have raised the prices of their products, as China is lifting the 9 percent rebates on the export value-added tax for photovoltaic products. However even as large manufacturers have raised prices, the market...
Amid Europe’s Energy Storage Boom, Residential Batteries Offer New Trading Potential
Europe’s residential battery fleet is expanding rapidly, with Germany alone installing hundreds of thousands of home storage units. Yet most of these batteries operate only in self‑consumption mode, missing out on lucrative electricity markets. Podero proposes aggregating thousands of modest...
TenneT, National Grid Ink Joint Development Agreement for LionLink Interconnector
Transmission system operators TenneT and National Grid Ventures have signed a joint development agreement to advance LionLink, a 2‑GW hybrid interconnector linking the UK and the Netherlands via the planned Nederwiek 3 offshore wind farm. The JDA outlines joint procurement, governance...
Valero's Rally: Why This Refiner Is Built to Last
Valero Energy is leveraging record‑high crack spreads and a 98% refinery utilization rate to generate strong cash flow. Tight global refining capacity, driven by plant closures and regulatory headwinds, gives the company a structural pricing advantage. The refiner’s balance sheet...
Big Wind Ambition, Real Infrastructure Gap: Ireland Must Accelerate Now
Ireland aims to harness up to ~37 GW of offshore renewable energy by 2050, leveraging its deep Atlantic waters for floating wind. However, existing ports lack the depth, capacity and lay‑down space—currently only 40‑50 ha—required for large‑scale projects. The government has outlined...
Germany and Poland Build First Renewable Cross-Border District Heating System
Construction has begun on United Heat, a renewable cross‑border district heating network linking Görlitz, Germany and Zgorzelec, Poland. The system combines heat pumps, biomass, solar thermal, power‑to‑heat and waste‑heat from sewage gas to replace gas‑fired and coal plants. A 3.8 km...
Iran Conflict Highlights Vietnam’s Energy Security and Foreign Policy Vulnerabilities
The Iran‑Israel war has shut the Strait of Hormuz, driving global oil and LNG prices to record highs and exposing Vietnam’s reliance on imported fuels. Since February, gasoline prices have jumped 50% and diesel 70%, prompting fuel shortages and longer...
Zambia Launches 300MW Solar PV Tender Through CFIP Scheme
Zambia has opened a 300 MW solar photovoltaic tender under its Carbon Feed‑In Premium (CFIP) programme, targeting projects with on‑site battery storage. The Ministry of Green Economy and Environment and the Ministry of Energy invite local and international independent power producers,...
U.S. Offshore Oil Hits Record 714M Barrels as Gulf Deepwater Leads Surge
U.S. offshore oil production hit a record 714 million barrels in 2025, the highest output ever from the Outer Continental Shelf. The surge is driven primarily by deepwater projects in the Gulf of Mexico, reflecting years of lease sales, geological studies...
Regulators Complete Assessment of Holtec SMR Reactor
The Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have finished Step 2 of the Generic Design Assessment for Holtec’s SMR‑300, confirming no fundamental safety, security, safeguards or environmental shortfalls. This clearance removes a major regulatory hurdle for...
New Cut to Fuel Excise and Interest-Free Loans as ACCC Weighs In
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a further 10.9% cut to the fuel excise – a 5.7 cents per litre reduction for three months – adding $400 million of relief and bringing the total discount to 32 cents per litre when combined with the...
Coal Makes a Comeback
The episode examines a tentative resurgence of coal in Europe’s power mix as soaring gas prices—driven by the Middle East conflict—make coal comparatively more economical. Guest Lawrence Walker and analysts Toby Hassel and Firat Elgene explain that while coal imports...
How The Basic Fuel Price Is Calculated: A Breakdown
South Africa calculates its Basic Fuel Price (BFP) using an import parity model that mirrors international crude prices, freight costs and the Rand‑US dollar exchange rate. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) incorporates FOB values from Mediterranean, Arab...
A Quick Look at Dispatch Error for Each Individual Wind Unit (at 03:05 on Thursday 2nd April 2026)
Part 5 of Paul McArdle’s series analyses dispatch error for 84 semi‑scheduled wind farm units at 03:05 on 2 April 2026. The chart shows most units maintaining balanced dispatch error thanks to healthy regional electricity prices, which limited the semi‑dispatch cap’s effect on frequency....
New Funding Transforms Lives by Expanding Electricity Access Across Africa
New financing from the European Investment Bank ($1.15 billion) and the Rockefeller Foundation ($10 million) will accelerate the World Bank‑led Mission 300 initiative, which aims to connect 300 million people in sub‑Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030. The funds support a mix of grid...
China's Solar Surge Powers the Next AI Race
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗔𝗜 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘀. And right now, one country is moving faster than everyone else. China is not just “going green.” It’s building scale most economies can’t match. What stands out to me is...
Asian Nations Urge Citizens to Cut Energy Use
More and more Asian countries are asking its citizens to save energy ⚠️⚠️ 🇰🇷 “I earnestly appeal to all citizens to actively participate in energy-saving movements in daily lives, such as taking public transportation and conserving electricity,” said South Korean President...
Saudi Arabia Eyes African Critical Minerals
Saudi Arabia is pivoting from oil to critical minerals to meet Vision 2030 goals, targeting 30% electric‑vehicle sales and 50% renewable electricity by 2030. Africa, which holds about 30% of global critical‑mineral reserves, is becoming a key supply source. Riyadh has...
Iran War Drives US Oil Demand Collapse, Cuts Forecast
Lower EIA US oil forecast probably reflects demand destruction & weakened economic activity resulting from the Iran war @Peter_Strachan
Signal Calls for Buying Pump Puts and Oil
Heading into the speech last night, our Signaling Process said Buy Pump Puts and Buy Oil #timestamped https://t.co/nyETDd8H3G
AEMO Releases Preliminary Report Into NSW Market Suspension on the 23rd March 2026
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) released a preliminary report on the New South Wales market suspension that occurred on 23 March 2026. The report attributes the seven‑hour outage to a failure in Transgrid’s SCADA network, which caused a total loss of data...
EU Funds French Winemakers to Convert Excess Wine Into Ethanol
EU pays for French winemakers to turn unsold stock into ethanol https://t.co/SImmpzfV0x via @nayrazz https://t.co/ELGBhoWQfa
China's EV Surge Cushions Potential Hormuz Oil Shutdown
China imports the most oil via the Strait of Hormuz but is also one of the best placed to weather its closure. EVs are part of that story. Five years ago China targeted 20% of new vehicles in 2025. They...
Oil Prices Surge to Suppress Demand, Fertilizer Costs Safe
PODCAST: Great to be back at "Odd Lots" with @tracyalloway and @TheStalwart. Lots to discuss linked to the US-Iran war: why oil prices will go much higher to destroy demand, but why expensive fertilizer doesn't mean a food crisis is coming. https://t.co/UoHIl2cOqk
Australia’s Fuel Prices Up 50% While Messenger Drives Tesla
Fuel prices FYI... 50% higher in Australia. Don't shoot the messenger - he drives a $TSLA https://t.co/j1j9ciCW0D
China's Oil Shock Prep Fuels Investor Gains
China was ready for an oil shock and now investors are reaping the rewards https://t.co/5KptlsOcOf
Oil Jumps $5 on Trump's Open-Ended Iran Attack Threat
SINGAPORE, April 2 (Reuters) - Oil prices climbed more than $5 on Thursday, as President Donald Trump said the United States would keep up attacks on Iran without committing to a specific timeline to end the war, fanning investor...
Dry Norwegian Winter Cuts Hydropower Exports, Spikes Nordic Prices
Norway's driest winter in years is rippling through electricity markets, slashing hydropower exports to the UK and Germany and pushing Nordic prices higher. https://t.co/wBDNZWRUds
Beyond Oil: Economy Faces a Fatal Heart Attack
If it were just high oil prices, I’d agree with you @dsharma9 But it’s an economic heart attack The patient may not survive.
Hormuz Closure Shows Economic Cliff Already Arrived
I said this on CNBC: We have nothing to show in Iran. If Hormuz stays closed, the economic cliff isn’t coming… …it’s already here LINK👇 https://t.co/qI2DWnHRoo #Oil #EnergyCrisis #Hormuz #Geopolitics https://t.co/2u6h1XKHmK