Today's Energy Pulse
Oil prices tumble over 5% after Rubio backs Iran talks
Crude prices dropped more than 5% following Senator Marco Rubio's comment that the United States will give Iran every chance to succeed in negotiations. The slide pushed WTI below $89 a barrel as markets priced in renewed hopes for a diplomatic deal.
Also developing:
U.S. Adds 26.5 GW of Solar in 2025 as Renewables Dominate New Capacity
In 2025 the United States installed 26.5 GW of utility‑scale solar capacity, accounting for the bulk of the 36.6 GW total new generation added that year. Solar and wind together supplied nearly 90% of all new capacity, pushing solar’s share of total installed generation to 12.16%. The final month saw 1.2 GW of new projects, highlighted by large solar farms in Minnesota, Texas, Maryland and Ohio. Projections show an additional 86.5 GW of solar and 19.9 GW of wind could come online by 2028, while coal retirements exceed 40 GW.
US May Waive Iran Sanctions to Enable Hormuz Toll Payments
Iran is still heavily sanctioned by the US, which complicates the payment of any tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, both today or in a future where Tehran maintains some control of the Strait Wouldn't be surprised to see...
$4 a Gallon
U.S. gasoline prices hit $4 per gallon in March 2026, the highest level since August 2022. Analysts warn that if the Iran conflict persists through the summer, crude could surge to $200 a barrel, pushing pump prices toward $7 per...
Juwi Focuses on Repowering: Two New Juwi Wind Turbines Boost Energy Yield B a Factor of 2.5 - Number of...
Juwi commissioned two new Vestas V162 turbines at the Minfeld wind farm, each rated at 6 MW, replacing four 1.5 MW units from 2004. The repowering boosts annual generation to roughly 30 GWh—enough for about 10,000 households—and lifts output by a factor of...
Economists, Business Warn Indonesia's Energy Crisis Response May Backfire
Indonesia’s government has rolled out emergency measures to curb a worsening energy crisis, including a push for remote work, reduced subsidies and scaling back free school meals to conserve fiscal resources. Economists and business groups warn that these austerity steps...
Exclusive: Texas Opens $350M Advanced Nuclear Grant Programs to Spur Reactor Buildout, Supply Chain
Texas has launched a $350 million advanced nuclear grant program, split between a $70 million project‑development fund and a $280 million construction fund, to accelerate reactor build‑out and supply‑chain capacity. Applications are due April 23 for intent and May 14 for full proposals, with awards...
Solar Installations Fell 22% in 2025: FERC
Solar installations in the United States fell 22% in 2025, dropping to 26.5 GW from 33.8 GW the prior year, according to FERC data. Despite the decline, solar still led all generation sources, representing 12.2% of installed capacity behind natural gas and...
EU Proposes Tweaks to Carbon Market Reserve in Bid to Avoid Volatility
The European Commission proposed adjusting the EU Emissions Trading System to stop automatically cancelling excess permits, instead keeping them in a special reserve as a price‑volatility buffer. The move follows pressure from member states, notably Italy, as soaring energy costs...
SolarEdge Outlines Path to 800 V (DC) Data Center Infrastructure
SolarEdge released a white paper outlining a five‑stage roadmap to replace legacy AC power with integrated 800 V DC infrastructure in data centers. The paper highlights that current AC‑to‑DC conversion wastes 10‑30% of input power, limiting AI workload growth. By moving...
Tracker-Based Agrivoltaics Turn Fields Into Wind-Safe Zones
Cornell University researchers used CFD modeling to show that single‑axis tracking solar panels can serve as effective windbreaks for crops, reducing shelter‑zone wind speeds by up to 70% compared with a single row of trees. A novel lowered‑first‑row panel configuration...
Thailand Seeks LNG Supplies From Malaysia Due to Middle East Conflict
Thailand is seeking additional LNG supplies from Malaysia to offset disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict, which currently provides about 5%‑10% of its imports. The country receives two to three LNG vessels from the region each month, and officials...
World Briefs | Argentina Postpones Fuel Tax Hike to Offset Global Price Pressures
Argentina’s government postponed a one‑month increase in fuel and carbon‑dioxide taxes to the end of April, aiming to blunt global price pressures sparked by the Iran war. Russia rejected Ukraine’s proposal for an Easter cease‑fire on energy infrastructure, calling it...
How Will the Energy Crisis Impact You? Here’s Everything You Need to Know
President Trump’s decision to launch a war against Iran has led Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly 30% of the world’s oil flow. The closure, combined with possible Red Sea blockades, has driven oil and jet‑fuel prices...
ORNL to Feature Transformative Tech at ARPA-E Summit
Oak Ridge National Laboratory will present a slate of high‑impact energy technologies at the ARPA‑E Energy Innovation Summit in San Diego from April 7‑9, joining nearly 3,000 innovators, investors, and industry leaders. Researchers will showcase advances ranging from low‑cost sodium‑carbon...
DEE Development Engineers Receives 49% Tariff Hike for Punjab Biomass Plant
DEE Development Engineers Ltd received a revised tariff of ₹5.224 per kWh (≈$0.06) for its 6 MW Malwa biomass plant in Punjab, a 49% increase effective for ten years. The higher rate is expected to lift FY26 profit before tax by...
Iran Conflict Scenarios Push Oil Prices Above Pre‑War Levels
My rough Iran War scenario probabilities over the next month are: 🌮 40% unilateral TACO, Iran maintains some hybrid control of Strait 🪖 30% boots on the ground, strait stays blocked, spiked risk of more upstream attacks, global economy withers 🤷🏻♂️...
Cuba, the Oil Blockade, and the Internal Contradictions of Trump’s Policies in the Western Hemisphere
The Trump administration adopted a "hybrid economic warfare" model, deploying naval blockades such as the Anatoly Kolodkin tanker to choke Cuba’s oil imports. This tactic sits between traditional sanctions and outright conflict, aiming to pressure Havana without a formal declaration of...
Germany’s Heat Pump Public Discourse Is Positive but Volatile
A new study of 33,131 German news articles shows heat pumps are generally portrayed positively, yet public sentiment is volatile. Sentiment dipped sharply after the 2022 Russian gas cut and again during the early‑2023 debate over Germany’s heating law (GEG)....
VIDEO – Energy Storage Summit 2026: What Does Life After MACSE Look Like in Italy?
The Energy Storage Summit 2026 hosted a panel titled “Life After MACSE: The Green Light for BESS Investors” to examine Italy’s grid‑scale battery market now that the long‑awaited MACSE auction has concluded. Speakers from Ikigai Capital, Enel Green Power, Sphera Energy, Greenvolt Power...
Iran War Triggers Global Fuel, Fertilizer, Helium and Aluminum Shortages, Sending Prices Soaring
The Iran‑Israel‑U.S. conflict has ignited a multi‑commodity crisis, with illicit diesel siphoning in India, Brent crude up 60%, urea prices up 30%, and helium spot prices jumping 70‑100%. The fallout is rattling supply chains from fuel to food and high‑tech...
SECL Posts First Simultaneous Gains in Production, Offtake and OBR for FY 2025‑26
South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) posted a 5.26% increase in coal production to 176.2 million tonnes, a 4.6% rise in offtake to 178.6 million tonnes and its highest ever overburden removal of 364.3 million cubic metres in FY 2025‑26. The gains make SECL the...
Brian Leeners on Homerun Resources’ High-Grade Silica Positioning for a Critical Role in Energy and Technology Supply Chains
Homerun Resources Inc., led by CEO Brian Leeners, is positioning high‑grade silica as a strategic material for both energy and technology supply chains. The company focuses on Brazil’s abundant silica deposits, leveraging vertical integration to capture value from raw extraction...
Lower Thames Crossing’s Hydrogen Supplier Installing Production Plant at Port of Tilbury
GeoPura and Forth Ports have signed a 10‑year agreement to build a commercial‑scale green hydrogen plant at the Port of Tilbury. The initial 1 MW electrolyser, powered by rooftop solar, will start construction this year, backed by a £2 million ($2.5 million) seed...
The Official Fuel Price Increase April 2026
South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announced a comprehensive fuel price adjustment effective 1 April 2026. Brent crude rose to $93.67 per barrel and the rand weakened to 16.64 per USD, driving up basic fuel contributions. Petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin...
Renewables Near 50% of Global Power Capacity in 2025 After Solar Surge
Renewable power reached 49.4% of global electricity capacity in 2025, driven by a record 511 GW solar expansion that lifted total capacity to 5,149 GW. The surge insulated many markets from Middle‑East oil shocks and brings the sector close to the COP28...
Expect Retail Electricity Prices to Rise Further: LBNL/Brattle
A new analysis by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and The Brattle Group finds that investor‑owned utilities requested $18 billion in rate increases last year, with roughly two‑thirds approved, signaling further retail electricity price hikes. From 2019 to 2025, residential electricity rates...
IEA Warns Middle East Oil Disruptions Set to Hit Europe in April
The International Energy Agency warned that oil supply disruptions from the Middle East will intensify in April as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, cutting off more than 12 million barrels per day. The loss is projected to be twice March’s...
Emerald AI Secures $25 Million to Sync Data Center Power Use with Grid Capacity
Emerald AI announced a $25 million strategic expansion round led by Energy Impact Partners, aimed at scaling its Conductor platform that lets AI‑heavy data centers align power draw with grid capacity. The round brings together a roster of energy‑tech and AI...
Subsea7 Bags Chevron Job Offshore Equatorial Guinea
Subsea7 has been awarded a substantial subsea installation contract by Noble Energy, a Chevron affiliate, for the Aseng gas monetisation project offshore Equatorial Guinea. The contract, valued between $150 million and $300 million, covers a single‑well tie‑back that will connect the Aseng...
What’s Holding Back Competition in Energy Markets?
New OECD research finds that while most advanced economies have legally liberalised electricity and natural‑gas markets, significant regulatory gaps still hinder true competition. About 10 % of electricity and 16 % of gas markets retain only accounting separation, limiting access for rival...
EnerVenue Closes US$300 Million Series B for 30,000-Cycle Nickel-Hydrogen Battery Manufacturing
EnerVenue closed a $300 million Series B extension led by Full Vision Capital, adding a new investor to the round. The funding will finance rapid expansion of its high‑volume nickel‑hydrogen battery plant in Changzhou, China, and accelerate supply‑chain development. The company also...
War with Iran Could Accelerate Africa’s Oil Revival
The escalating war with Iran is destabilizing Middle‑East oil supplies, prompting global buyers to seek alternatives. African basins—particularly offshore Namibia, Ghana, and Nigeria—are attracting heightened investor attention thanks to favorable geology and lower‑cost drilling technologies. New seismic imaging and digital‑oilfield...
India’s Oil Refiners Are Feeling the Squeeze From the Gulf War
India’s major oil refiners, long buoyed by cheap Russian crude, are now grappling with tighter supply and falling margins as the Gulf war disrupts the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of this key shipping lane has choked the flow of...
Energy Shock Accelerates Global Shift to Electrification
One month in to the war, some people are ready to call it. This energy shock will accelerate the world to a cleaner, more electrified future. “Electrification will be seen as the shock absorber.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/opinion/oil-crisis-iran-electric-solar.html
U.S. Military Attacks on Iran Could End in 2–3 Weeks, Trump Says
President Donald Trump told the nation the U.S. could wrap up its Iran offensive within two to three weeks and urged oil‑dependent allies to assume responsibility for keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. He expressed frustration that partners were not...
China's Cosmx Ties up with Munoth Industries in JV to Source Lithium-Ion Cells in India
China's Cosmx, the world’s second‑largest smartphone battery‑pack supplier, has formed a joint venture with Chennai‑based Munoth Industries to source lithium‑ion cells in India. Cosmx will acquire a 26% stake in Munoth’s newly approved cell‑manufacturing facility and begin sourcing cells for...
Net Zero Overlooks Mining Impacts of Renewable Batteries
“But net zero ignores the mining required for batteries and metals for renewables” Let me introduce you to a Life Cycle Analysis.
Four Key Signals Reveal True State of Oil Markets
This is a great read about how to think about what's happening with oil and Hormuz - and ultimately with the world economy. The headlines are all over the place, but these 4 signals can tell you what's really happening.
Quebec Starts Construction of $2bn Des Neiges Wind Farm
Quebec has broken ground on the Des Neiges wind farm, a C$3 bn ($2.1 bn) joint venture between Hydro‑Québec, Boralex and Énergir Développement. The first two phases will install 114 turbines, delivering 800 MW—enough for roughly 140,000 homes—and are slated for completion in 2027...
USO Iron Condor Targets 115‑135 Range Through 2027
Oil (USO) interesting trade September 2027 as the $140/$135/$115/$110 Iron Condor trades 1000X expecting a 115-135 longer-term range to hold
Ellen Wald: Brent Prices Must Rise Amid Iran War
Watch Price of Brent Should Be Higher to Reflect Situation in Iran War, Says Ellen Wald - Bloomberg @ACGlobalEnergy #oott #iran https://t.co/rdYCFWeqvC
Europe’s Battery Supply Chain: From Permits to Progress
Europe's battery supply chain is gaining momentum as several key projects move from planning to construction. In France, Orano and XTC New Energy broke ground on a cathode material plant in Dunkirk slated for 2028, while Germany's Vulcan Energy secured...
Iran Rejects Trump's Claim, Strait of Hormuz Stays Closed
Iranian Republic Media: The Strait of Hormuz will not open based on Trump's absurd claims: Bloomberg
Diesel Prices Show Striking, Relevant Dispersion Nationwide
I will keep retweeting updates of @GasBuddyGuy great data. This dispersion in diesel prices is both striking and relevant.
Numaligarh Refinery Logs Record Throughput in FY26; Operates Above Capacity for Second Year
India’s Numaligarh Refinery logged a record 3.113 million metric tonnes of crude processed in FY26, operating at 103% of its 3 MMTPA rated capacity for the second year running. The refinery’s LPG output jumped 22% in March, while motor‑spirit production also hit...
European LNG Imports Are Far From Clean, Emissions Underreported
The LNG we import in Europe is far from clean. Visible methane plumes at US gas sites rated “grade A” resulting in much higher upstream emissions. Auditors don’t measure emissions — they review operator data that studies show is massively understated....
U.S. Must Rethink Oil‑Security Ties with Diversifying Gulf States
Great new @ForeignAffairs essay by @ColumbiaUEnergy’s @ProfessorKaren about how post-war, the historic “oil for security” relationship is no longer tenable, & US needs to update its approach to Gulf states that are rapidly diversifying their economies https://t.co/Nmszm8a5bu
PECO Seeks $429M Rate Hike, Partly to Reduce Power Outages
PECO Energy, an Exelon subsidiary, has filed a request with the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission for a $429 million rate increase that would lift its revenue by roughly 11%. The utility proposes to spread the cost of vegetation‑management and energy‑efficiency programs,...
China Poised to Weather Hormuz Oil Shutdown
How China can survive without the Strait of Hormuz The world’s largest importer of oil through the Strait of Hormuz is, paradoxically, also one of the best placed to weather the waterway’s closure. https://t.co/YczOlt8T4v
Battery Costs Fell 99% in Three Decades
The price of batteries have declined by 99% in the last three decades. The battery cells in a standard electric car today cost around $5,000. In 1991, those same cells would have cost nearly $600,000. https://t.co/uxbTqmfsLn