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:
Fraunhofer IAP Advances Battery Technologies: Developing Innovative Battery Materials for E-Mobility and Energy Storage
Fraunhofer IAP will showcase a suite of new battery materials at Inter‑Battery 2026, including solid polymer electrolytes, PFAS‑free membranes, and bio‑based carbon electrodes. The polymer electrolytes reach ionic conductivities above 10⁻⁴ S · cm⁻¹ at room temperature and are compatible with lithium‑ion, sodium‑ion, and zinc‑air chemistries. PFAS‑free separators and bio‑derived carbon cathodes aim to improve safety, sustainability, and cost while enabling scalable manufacturing. The institute offers an integrated materials platform that guides partners from lab synthesis through pilot‑scale production.
Brazilian Oil & Gas Firm in the Clear for 14-Well Offshore Drilling Campaign
Brazilian oil producer PRIO, formerly PetroRio, secured an Ibaba amendment allowing up to 14 new wells in the Frade field of the Campos basin. The approval follows an operating licence for the Wahoo field, where PRIO will drill six wells—four...
Oil Shock: Panel Urges Finance Ministry to Craft Strategic Energy Mitigation Framework
India’s parliamentary panel urged the Department of Economic Affairs to develop a strategic energy mitigation framework to shield the economy from oil price volatility. The report highlighted the need for a coordinated national strategy on critical minerals, calling for diversified...
Emerging Battery Storage Market in Poland: Goldbeck Solar Constructs 8-MW BESS in Przeworsk
Goldbeck Solar Polska has secured financing for an 8‑MW/16‑MWh battery energy storage system in Przeworsk, Poland, marking one of the country's first standalone BESS projects. Construction is slated to begin in Q2 2026 with grid connection and commissioning targeted for early...
Brent's 120‑to‑40 Cycle May Be Ending
Brent Crude's Pattern: $120 Highs Lead to $40 Lows - Brent crude price surges to $120 a barrel have been resolved near $40 for about two decades. Has that pattern changed? This key macroeconomic question of 2026 may be guided...
Attacks on UAE Energy Assets Increase as War Broadens
Iran and its proxies have intensified drone and missile strikes on UAE energy infrastructure, targeting both downstream storage hubs and upstream production sites. A fire at Fujairah port halted oil loading and forced berths to close, while a drone hit...
NSW Tweaks Underwriting Deals for Solar-Battery Hybrids as It Prepares Massive New Tenders to Replace Coal
New South Wales has adopted a preferred underwriting framework for solar‑battery hybrid projects as it readies two massive tenders totalling 5 GW of new capacity later this year. The AEMO subsidiary ASL favoured an export‑based long‑term energy supply agreement (LTESA) that...
Planning to Fail
The Trump administration entered the Iran war without a clear strategy for a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that moves about 20% of global oil. Iran’s shutdown of the strait pushed Brent crude above $100 per...
Kuwait Opens Oil Gates As Investment Gains Momentum
Kuwait has opened its offshore oil sector to foreign investors, awarding a $1.5 billion development contract to US firm SBL and signing an exploration deal with TotalEnergies while weighing a $7 billion pipeline‑stake sale. The move follows a wave of infrastructure contracts...
War’s End Won’t Instantly Revive Commodity Output
I think the most dangerous thing that I see in markets currently is this assumption that, as soon as the war ends, commodity production will just switch back on again. It won’t. It can’t. Commodity production is not like a manufacturing...
How Sustainable Aviation Fuel Is Reshaping the Industry’s Path to Net Zero, One Gallon at a Time
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is moving from niche to mainstream in business aviation, offering a drop‑in replacement that cuts lifecycle carbon emissions by 75‑80%. At NBAA‑BACE 2025, Avfuel and Bombardier highlighted that a 30:70 SAF‑jet fuel blend delivers significant emissions...
BP, Eni Start Gas Production at Angola's Quiluma
BP and Eni’s Azule Energy joint venture has begun gas production at Angola’s Quiluma field, delivering an initial 150 MMcfd with plans to reach 330 MMcfd by year‑end. Quiluma is Angola’s first non‑associated gas project, feeding treated gas to the on‑shore plant...
Unlimited Petrol? Chinese Firm Claims It Can Produce Fuel From Air and Water
Shanghai‑based startup XFuel Technologies announced it can produce synthetic petroleum by converting atmospheric CO₂ and water into liquid fuel at low cost. The firm plans to construct large‑scale plants across China, aiming to reduce the country’s reliance on imported crude....
Tampnet Connectivity for First CO₂ Injection Platform Offshore Netherlands
European CCS milestone: Tampnet secured a contract with Porthos CO₂ Transport to provide communications for the first offshore CO₂ injection platform on the Dutch Continental Shelf. The project will equip the converted P18‑A platform with a redundant 25 Mbit/s fiber link,...
South Korea Caps Fuel Exports to Safeguard Supply
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy imposed mandatory caps on refined fuel exports, limiting shipments to 100 % of the monthly 2025 volumes and introducing wholesale price ceilings for gasoline, diesel and kerosene. The measures, effective 13 March, aim to...
Wind, Solar Stabilise Europe Power Prices
European electricity markets are showing price resilience as wind and solar capacity expands. In Germany and France, power prices fell last week even as oil prices surged, contrasting with earlier spikes driven by natural‑gas volatility. Continued renewable investment is dampening...
AI + Chemistry Boosts Bio‑Oil Yield Predictions
Thrilled to share that I’m a co-author of a newly published paper in Scientific Reports — a Nature Portfolio, Q1-ranked journal — highlighting the power of AI-driven innovation in sustainable energy systems. Our paper, “Deep learning enhanced prediction framework for bio...
How Ann Arbor, Michigan, Is Creating Its Own Clean Energy Utility
Ann Arbor is piloting a city‑run Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) in the Bryant neighborhood, offering residents solar panels, battery storage and other clean‑energy assets while remaining connected to the existing grid. The program, approved by 80% of voters, will be...
$200M Energy Fund to Power North West Queensland Development
The Queensland Government has launched a $200 million North West Energy Fund to accelerate affordable, reliable and sustainable power in the North West Minerals Province. The fund will back fast‑tracked local generation and storage projects, working with more than 20 private‑sector...
How Does the Iran War Affect China’s Energy Security?
China imports over 10% of its oil from Iran, most of it routed through the Strait of Hormuz, and the ongoing Iran‑U.S. conflict threatens to choke that corridor. While oil accounts for less than one‑fifth of China’s total energy consumption,...
Asian MTBE Arbitrage Flows Wrecked by Middle East Conflict
The episode examines how the Middle East conflict has upended global MTBE arbitrage, causing sharp price spikes and volatility across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Asian producers face supply constraints as Middle‑East feedstocks dry up, while European demand for cheap...
Spain Warns EU Against Suspending Carbon Market to Try to Lower Energy Prices
Spain’s government warned the European Union that suspending the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to curb soaring energy prices would be counter‑productive. Madrid argues the carbon market is a cornerstone of the bloc’s climate agenda and that a pause could...
Why Fossil Fuel Producers Should Fear Your Local Zoning Board
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case in which Exxon Mobil and Suncor argue that cities like Boulder, Colorado lack standing to sue for climate damages. The article contends that while the Court debates federal pre‑emption, the real...
Remote Communities Are More Vulnerable to Fuel Price Shocks – Could Microgrids Help?
Australia’s remote communities, home to about 500,000 people, rely on diesel generators for electricity, making them highly vulnerable to global fuel price shocks. Recent federal actions—temporarily relaxing fuel standards and releasing domestic reserves—aim to ease supply pressures for regional farms,...
China-Linked Hormuz Traffic Plummets, VLCCs Shift to Red Sea
China-linked Hormuz transits retreat to shipping’s opaque fringes ▶️China-linked traffic through Hormuz has slowed sharply after recent attacks, with transits largely confined to an opaque bulker and one sanctioned VLCC ▶️Mainstream Chinese state-owned tanker fleets continue to stay out, citing safety, insurance...
Ukraine Restores 24/7 Power Amid Failed Russian Strikes
Meanwhile Ukraine is almost back to 24/7 power after a long winter of constant Russian attacks on the electricity grid. Russia is still trying too: just yesterday was another power infrastructure attack on Kyiv that failed. Communism does not work. Also look...
Oil Futures in War
Kevin Hassett highlighted on CBS Face the Nation that oil futures are pricing a rapid decline in oil prices, even as spot gasoline prices surge due to current Strait disruptions. The forward curve suggests Brent will not revert to its pre‑war...
Iran Tensions Spike Oil Volatility, Brent‑WTI Spread Hits 3‑year High
The headlines around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz are flipping daily, which is keeping #oil volatility (realized and implied) elevated. Meanwhile, the Brent-WTI spread has jumped back near its highest in 3 years. https://t.co/h3S81SQWjn
UK Data Centers Use Four Times More Power Than Kettles
UK data centers (>10MW). NESO estimate they use ~2% of UK electricity. For context boiling kettles for cups of tea in the UK probably consumes about 0.5% of the countries electricity. Source: https://t.co/3hbIJFXKPb https://t.co/Gs547vtFpk
Oil Blinks, Markets Breathe, and the Policy Put Waits in the Wings
Oil markets cooled as a few tankers slipped through the Strait of Hormuz, easing the panic that had driven Brent toward $100 per barrel. The shift from a full‑blow blockade narrative to constrained flow reduced downside risk, but the market...
North Sea Drilling Saves Pennies; Renewables Could Save Hundreds
NEW ANALYSIS: North Sea “drill baby drill” would cut bills by just £16–£82 per year, and only if tax revenues are redistributed. A fully renewable UK could save households up to £441 says @TheSmithSchool https://t.co/c0kut9thNb
Mission300 Connects 44M, Targets 300M Africans by 2030
#Mission300 aims to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030. The initiative is #PoweringAfrica through a combination of expanded power grids and off-grid solutions. To date, 44 million people have been connected to electricity. https://t.co/pRD9VwxcHd https://t.co/ZlY8DI1xmi
The Great Fuel Scab Grab Begins
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles has stopped short of dismissing fuel rationing as the Iran‑Israel conflict drags into its third week, stoking concerns over domestic supply. While officials claim there is no immediate shortage, global oil markets are already feeling pressure...
Europe's Power Grid Stands Strong Amid New Geopolitical Test
Europe’s power market is facing its first serious geopolitical stress test since the 2022 energy crisis — and, so far, it’s holding up https://t.co/WDK45R81DQ
US Diesel Prices Surge Past $5, Fueling Freight Inflation
CHART OF THE DAY: US retail average diesel prices have topped the $5-per-gallon barrier for the 2nd time ever. That’s freight inflation — and another big hit to the country’s farming economy (and it has received many hit since...
Seadrill Awarded Contract Extension in Angola
Seadrill’s 50:50 joint venture with a Sonangol affiliate, Sonadrill Holding, has secured a contract extension for the ultra‑deepwater drillship Sonangol Quenguela in Angola. The extension exercises a seven‑well priced option, adding roughly 480 days of operation and stretching the rig’s...
US Gas Prices YTD Rise Exceeds 2022 Levels
🇺🇸 The year-to-date increase in US gasoline prices is now larger than in 2022. https://t.co/2FtHzNrQpA
IMO Chief: Convoys Unsustainable for Reopening Strait of Hormuz
[MUST READ] IMO chief says convoys are not a long-term or sustainable solution to re-open Strait of Hormuz: https://t.co/5RH72OviGI
Nordics Slash Heating Fossil Fuel Use Through Early Electrification
The Nordics understood early on that fossil fuel dependency comes with a price: price volatility. They moved full speed ahead on electrification of heat starting decades ago. Today fossil fuel use for heating has dramatically fallen. https://t.co/aFYP7K8RAg https://t.co/k1Gz1747qb
Fuel Price Hikes Act as Hidden Interest Rate Rise
Rising cost of fuel already an interest‑rate rise on households and businesses Higher Aus interest rates don’t fix inflation from rising oil prices, nor tax oil companies gaining a windfall. Who in Aus pays the price? Those who can least afford it https://t.co/6qbQujyqgg
Oil Slides as Iran Opens Hormuz, Markets Rally
Crude oil prices ticked down after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is open to all but its "enemies", lifting stocks and pulling down the US dollar. Is the crisis ending? #oil #IranWar #stocks #dollar #macro #trading https://t.co/1OST27OxI9
Pakistan's Solar Surge Buffers Fossil Fuel Price Shock
Pakistan’s rapid adoption of solar power in the past few years is helping cushion the impact of a surge in fossil fuel prices due to the Middle East war https://t.co/4eyTCuM5KW
Iran Hikes Oil Price, OPEC Cuts, Shipments Flow
The Iranians ramped the price of oil, forced OPEC to shut in a bunch of barrels, and are still shipping theirs with no issues… Seriously, tell me the boys at Vitol aren’t watching this move in awe…🤣
Iranian-Linked Tankers Still Dominate Hormuz Despite Attacks
India- and Pakistan-owned ships transit Strait of Hormuz ▶️Iranian-linked tonnage still dominates Hormuz transits ▶️Attacks on shipping are succeeding in halting crossings ▶️Eastbound transits prevail westbound journeys ▶️US ‘fine’ with Iranian tankers sailing through Hormuz to ‘supply’ the rest of the...
India Seeks Iran's Guarantee for 30 Hormuz Shipments
India talks with Iran on safe Hormuz passage for up to 30 ships Vessels carrying LNG, LPG and oil earmarked to follow the voyages of two VLGCs https://t.co/3X81uYIrqD
Drone Strike Ignites Abu Dhabi Gas Field Amid Iran Conflict
A drone strike has set the Shah natural gas field ABLAZE in Abu Dhabi. US-ISRAELI WAR ON IRAN = IRANIAN COUNTER-ATTACKS = LOTS OF COLLATERAL DAMAGE. https://t.co/VBVzVrAIDg
Oil Market Outlook Amid Iran Conflict Discussed
Had a great conversation with @KYRRadio and @pineconemacro about oil markets and Iran War. Check it out: https://t.co/n3LlJdESeO
Weak Currency and Deregulation Amplify Philippines' Oil Price Pain
Here’s why high oil prices are hitting places like the Philippines a lot harder than others (net energy importer, deregulated, very weak currency, relatively low income) 🔉on https://t.co/qMgihHYgGD
Brent Drops Sharply; Hormuz Ship Theory Seems Dubious
I am normally not a big fan of conspiracy theories to explain market phenomena. But #Brent futures slid from an intraday high of just over $106 to settle at $100.21 on Monday. The only “explanation” I can find is “because some...
India and South Korea Uniquely Handle Heavy and Sour Crude
The issue with Asia and the Middle East is that our refineries are built to refine sour crude. But not all refineries are created equal. India and South Korea stand out in having refineries that can do both heavy and...