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:
Speed-to-Power: Energy Strategy in the Age of AI
AlphaSense’s 2026 Energy & Industrials Outlook highlights a "dirty pivot" toward speed‑to‑power as AI‑driven compute loads outpace traditional build timelines. With large‑frame gas turbines backlogged until 2027‑2028, utilities and hyperscalers are favoring modular gas solutions—solid‑oxide fuel cells, reciprocating engines, and aeroderivative turbines—that can be delivered within months. Natural gas is emerging as the reliability backbone, supported by strong demand fundamentals and stable $3‑$5/MMBtu pricing. Water‑usage constraints are also reshaping data‑center siting, adding another layer to the execution‑focused strategy.
Secure Strait of Hormuz to Ensure Stable Oil Prices
Energy, especially oil, is the backbone of every economy. As I said, a stable oil price, $55 to $70, keeps the global economy running smoothly. But it’s about more than price, it’s about keeping the two-mile stretch of the Strait...
US Rig Count Continues Cautious Climb
The Baker Hughes rig count rose to a four‑month high in the second week of March, marking the first modest increase since late 2023. The uptick reflects operators’ tentative response to soaring oil prices triggered by the Middle East conflict....
Iran's Real Power: Controlling the Strait of Hormuz
My take on Iran's biggest advantage in the war: "The US & Israel are making mincemeat out of Iran, but Iranians still hold their key card: the Strait of Hormuz, which remains shut down. A great friend in Dubai said he...
Asian Buyers Eye Floating Russian Barrels After US Waiver
On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury issued a one‑month waiver permitting the sale and purchase of Russian crude and refined products stored on floating vessels. The exemption, intended to alleviate market bottlenecks, sparked immediate criticism from European officials who argue it...
Gas $5, Oil Spike Signals Higher Prices Ahead
Gas is already pushing five dollars a gallon here, and remember this: when oil prices spike, gas prices lag behind. Which means this isn’t the peak. It’s the warning. Are we winning yet?!
Resource Plans Drive Clean Energy Value Creation for Investors
Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) are becoming a key lever for utilities to create long‑term shareholder value by building clean energy assets such as renewables, storage, and nuclear. Because regulated utilities earn a regulated return of 9‑11% while their true cost...
Doubling the Voltage: What 800 V Architecture Really Changes in EVs
The automotive industry is shifting from the long‑standing 400 V battery architecture to 800 V systems, a move championed by models such as the Porsche Taycan and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Doubling the voltage halves the current needed for the same power, which reduces...
Texas LNG Steps Closer to FID After Tapping Kiewit to Lead Construction
Texas LNG, an affiliate of Glenfarne Group, has signed a fixed‑price engineering, procurement and construction contract with Kiewit Energy Group to build a 4 million‑ton‑per‑year export terminal at the Port of Brownsville. The agreement gives Kiewit responsibility for design, equipment procurement,...
Tokyo Embraces Nuclear for Energy Security 15 Years After Fukushima Disaster
Fifteen years after the Fukushima disaster, Japan is reviving nuclear power to curb soaring energy‑import costs amid a global oil and gas crunch. The government has set a goal of reaching roughly 20% of electricity from nuclear by 2030, prompting...
Energy Intelligence Uranium Market Update: Mar. 13, 2026
Energy Intelligence’s March 13 uranium market update highlights rising geopolitical tension and supply‑chain strain. Experts warn a U.S. plan to extract Iran’s highly enriched uranium could set a precedent, while small uranium producers confront heightened delivery risks amid logistics bottlenecks....
Hawaiʻi’s LNG Business Case Was Overly Optimistic & Built On A Broken Spreadsheet
A recent investigation revealed that the spreadsheet underpinning Hawaii’s touted LNG savings omitted roughly $900 million in fuel costs, turning the projected $700‑$800 million net benefit into a potential loss. The error was uncovered by former UH professor Matthias Fripp, who showed...
Factor This Finance and Project Development Roundup: ArcLight, Arevon, Aypa Power, Octopus, Sol Systems
The week’s cleantech roundup highlighted a surge of initiatives aimed at modernizing the U.S. power grid. The Department of Energy announced a $1.9 billion grant program for urgent grid upgrades, while a coalition that includes Google and Tesla is pushing for...
Attacks, Growing Exports Put Fujairah in the Spotlight
Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates’ primary oil‑export gateway, has become the most critical outlet for crude as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked by the ongoing Gulf war. In the past ten days the port endured two aerial attacks, testing...
How This Oil Supply Shock Compares With the Embargo of 1973
The article compares the present oil supply shock, triggered by Iranian retaliation against U.S. and Israeli strikes, with the 1973 Arab oil embargo. Experts say the current disruption is the largest ever, affecting a far greater share of global consumption...
Gas in Mexico: Risks and Alternatives for a Sustainable Energy Model
Mexico relies on imported natural gas for more than 70% of its consumption, chiefly via pipelines from Texas. This dependence underpins electricity generation, industrial processes and Pemex operations, but it also exposes the country to supply disruptions, price volatility and...
Pipeline Maintenance, OFO Create Mixed Signals for Natural Gas Spot Prices
U.S. natural gas markets face heightened volatility as a series of pipeline constraints converge with an early‑season cold snap. Transco’s on‑frequency outage (OFO) throttles flow into the Northeast, while Gulf Run maintenance curtails Haynesville takeaway capacity and Creole Trail work...
TfL Selects Direct Solar Power to Help Run the Tube | RailUK
Transport for London (TfL) has appointed SSE Energy Solutions to design and build purpose‑built solar farms that will feed electricity directly into the Tube network via a private‑wire arrangement. The scheme will generate up to 65,000 MWh of zero‑carbon power each...
Elsewedy Electric Commissions 349MWp Solar PV Plant in Saudi Arabia
Elsewedy Electric has commissioned the 348.6 MWp El Saad solar PV plant east of Riyadh, marking its first utility‑scale project in the Gulf. The EPC effort wrapped in 16.5 months, well ahead of the original 24‑month timeline, and the project has secured a...
Oil Market Bets on Short US‑Iran Conflict, Quick Hormuz Re‑opening
Oil prices still anticipate short war or early re-opening of the Strait Oil traders are still betting war between the United States and Iran will end relatively quickly - or that the United States will soon be in a position to...
California Lithium Developer CTR to Go Public in US$4.7 Billion SPAC Deal
Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) will go public through a $4.7 billion SPAC merger with Plum Acquisition, listing on Nasdaq as CTRH. The deal funds the Hell’s Kitchen geothermal‑lithium project in California’s Imperial Valley, starting with 25,000 t/yr lithium carbonate capacity and a...
Trump’s Oil Crisis Is Already Costing Massachusetts Drivers Over $2.4 Million A Day In Higher Gas Prices
A surge in global oil prices after President Trump’s attack on Iran has pushed Massachusetts gasoline prices up 45 cents per gallon, costing drivers over $2.4 million daily. The state consumes about 6 million gallons per day, so the extra expense totals...
Hormuz Bypass Infrastructure Was Sized for a Short Disruption. This Is Not That.
The Saudi Petroline and the UAE Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline were constructed as short‑term workarounds for potential closures of the Strait of Hormuz, providing a combined capacity of roughly 4‑5 million barrels per day. The strait itself moves about 20 million barrels daily,...
The Hydrogen Stream: Atome Secures $420 Million Debt for Paraguay Plant
Atome secured a $420 million debt package to fund a $650 million low‑carbon fertilizer plant in Paraguay, targeting 260,000 tonnes of output per year and marking one of the first industrial‑scale green‑hydrogen fertilizer projects outside the EU. Meanwhile, Asahi Kasei began installing a 1 MW...
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Wafer Prices Fall on Weak Demand
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported that polysilicon and wafer prices fell sharply this week, with n‑type re‑feed and dense polysilicon down about 6.4% to CNY 45,200 per tonne. Wafer prices slipped as well, with G10L at CNY 1.03, G12R at...
Decoupling Gas From Electricity Prices: Reform Ideas
NEW: Why does gas set the price of electricity – and is there an alternative? Make yourself a tea (or grab a beer??) and enjoy my Friday longread on marginal pricing, ideas for market reform – & how to break the link btwn...
Oil Giant Forced to Pay £6m After Major Spill
Oil producer Perenco has agreed to pay a £6 million compensation package to the UK Environment Agency after a March 2023 pipeline leak released roughly 200 barrels of oily water into Poole Harbour. The spill, attributed to microbial corrosion in a buried pipeline,...
Wind and Solar Investors 'Threaten Legal Action' Over Tariff Pact
Vietnam has retroactively reduced the subsidised feed‑in tariffs for wind and solar projects, a change that takes effect in January 2025. The move has sparked a dispute involving investors from the EU, UK, Japan, South Korea and Thailand, who sent...
Maryland Legislators Include Utility Solar in Statewide Energy Savings Initiative
Maryland legislators unveiled the Utility RELIEF Act, a $200 million package aimed at cutting household energy costs by $150 per year. Half of the funding ($100 million) is earmarked for utility‑scale solar projects, while the remainder supports grid modernization and holds large energy...
Trump Pushes Fed Cut as Oil Spikes Amid Iran Conflict
As oil prices surged on Thursday during the intensifying Iran war, President Donald Trump again urged Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates, even as markets increasingly bet that rising energy costs would keep inflation elevated and delay...
No TACOs: Trump Lacks Leverage in Energy Crisis
The discussion around TACO is wrong. There are no TACOs here. TACOs don't exist when: 1) It's not a unilateral decision. It's very clearly not up to Trump any more. Things we said in this episode are playing out - he...
Forest Advocates Accuse EU Energy Firm of Dutch Biomass Certification Fraud
Forest groups and Dutch authorities allege that energy giant RWE imported Malaysian wood pellets labeled as Category 5 waste but actually sourced from whole trees, violating EU biomass‑certification rules. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service is weighing a criminal investigation after advocacy...
64% Likelihood Oil Surpasses $110/Barrel by March
JUST IN: 64% chance Crude Oil is over $110/barrel by the end of March https://t.co/mW0x32Mq3g
China Launches Ground‑mounted Perovskite Solar Test Field
Ground-mounted perovksite solar module testing field goes online in China #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/JFx7Yp31JV
Rio Tinto Slows Quebec Lithium Plant Build, Timeline Intact
Rio Tinto announced it will slow construction of the Nemaska lithium processing plant in Quebec, halving its contractual workforce to manage rising costs. The plant, now about 70% complete, is slated to produce 32,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually, with...
Chemical Shortage Hits Asia as Naphtha Supply Dries Up
More than “Five Asian petrochemical plants have declared force majeure in the past ten days because their naphtha supply was cut off at the Strait of Hormuz. The emergency reserves are crude oil. The shortage is chemicals.”
Iran May Extort Oil Deals After $120 Price Surge
Why wouldn’t Iran wait until oil hits $120/barrel and then put out the word that if you’re friendly to them and pay them you can get your oil, mafia-style?
UK Energy Projects Stall Before Investment as Bankability Concerns Grow
A new Energy Industries Council report finds UK energy projects are stalling before final investment decisions due to persistent bankability challenges. Forty‑four percent of senior executives say bankability has not improved since early 2025, while 34% cite viable off‑take agreements...
Brent Backwardation Narrows at Front, Widens Overall
While the prompt Brent timespread has actually weakened a bit from last Friday, it's largely because the rest of the curve is rallying more aggressively than the front. Brent curve backwardation slightly shallower at the front vs last Friday, but backwardation...
AEMO Stresses Keeping System and Market Functions Unified
“It is paramount:” AEMO says system and market operator functions must be kept together #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/aT4fNULk61 https://t.co/zCvJLVP2gO
‘More Capital Available’ for Renewable Energy Investments in 2026
At the Solar Finance & Investment Europe summit, experts noted a shift to soft insurance cycles that is freeing up risk capital and easing financing for renewable projects, even as grid constraints and the need for co‑located battery storage persist....
Trump Releases 172M Barrels, Calls SPR Outdated White Elephant
TRUMP PANICS and orders the release of 172 million barrels of oil from America's strategic petroleum reserve (SPR). This will amount to a drop in the bucket. SPR is a classic OUTDATED GOV'T WHITE ELEPHANT. It's time to liquidate it and shut it...
New Rooftop Solar Panel Enables Larger Systems
Powerful new rooftop solar panel promises system sizes “previously out of reach” #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/Jm6MCBYKj8 https://t.co/XzzLtt2LWX
NET Power Pushes Back Project Permian FID
NET Power, backed by Occidental Petroleum, has postponed the final investment decision for its flagship Project Permian clean‑power plant to the back half of the year. The project, which targets a 400‑MW zero‑carbon output using Oxy‑fuel technology, was previously slated...
Wolf: Oil Price Nightmare Unlikely; Iran Regime Change Implausible
OUT NOW - @martinwolf_ on "nightmare scenario" for oil prices and why the democratic regime change in Iran is "extremely implausible" 🇮🇷 Apple🔊https://t.co/YIUZqmamAH Spotify📽️https://t.co/TIAT3VANJk YouTube📽️https://t.co/unzLSGazzM https://t.co/MQl4DAj8d0
Refined Product Prices, Not Crude, Will Drive Demand Collapse
Crude prices aren't what will ultimately drive the necessary demand destruction should the Strait of Hormuz remain closed. That job will fall to refined product prices, the things we as consumers actually consume. Singapore spot jet fuel prices are there already, over...
API and CME Resist White House Oil‑Price Cuts
The American Petroleum Institute and CME (owner of the top US commodity exchange) are both pushing against some of the ideas the White House is floating to bring oil prices down. Reflexively, one would think that Joe Biden is...
Petrol Retailers Pull Out over Ministers' Inflammatory Language
So, the Petrol Retailers Association have withdrawn from the meeting with govrenment claiming there's inflammatory language being used by Government ministers' Can't say I blame them.
Gulf Oil Shock Drives Naphtha Prices up 50%
"Gulf oil shock deepens crisis for Asia’s petrochemicals industry" https://t.co/4C3WI6qHaW "Prices of naphtha have jumped by half since last month to $875 a tonne" https://t.co/rNT2eRMXls
Enel Colombia Launches 180 MW Atlántico Solar Park
Enel Colombia’s 180 MW Atlántico solar park starts supplying national grid #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/qlzQnCmgbL