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:
RWE Brings Online Four BESS Projects in 13GW US Clean Energy Portfolio
RWE added roughly 2 GW of operating capacity in 2025, pushing its U.S. portfolio to nearly 13 GW. The firm launched 15 projects across seven states, comprising six solar farms, five wind farms and four battery energy storage systems (BESS). The BESS suite delivers 450 MW of power and 1,020 MWh of storage, primarily in Texas and California. Notable installations include the Cartwheel, Crowned Heron, Stoneridge solar‑plus‑storage and the containerised Ventasso battery.
Thai Oil Fund Spending B1 Billion a Day on Subsidies
The Thai government is using the state‑run Oil Fuel Fund to subsidise diesel and gasoline as global oil prices climb, spending over one billion baht a day on the program. Losses are projected to hit ten billion baht by March 18,...
Australian Governments Subsidising Fossil Fuel Use by More than $30,000 a Minute, Analysis Finds
Australian federal and state governments will spend $16.3 bn subsidising fossil fuels in 2025‑26, equivalent to $31,020 each minute, according to the Australia Institute. The subsidies are set to grow 9.4%, outpacing the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s 7.6% increase. The federal...
Power Cuts Are the New Normal in Kenya – What Went Wrong and How to Fix It
Kenya is experiencing daily load‑shedding as peak demand outstrips firm capacity, leaving a razor‑thin reserve margin of just 2.3% in early 2026. The crisis stems from a four‑year moratorium on new power plants, rapid demand growth from industry, electric vehicles...
FERC Approves ComEd Data Center Transmission Agreements
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved five transmission security agreements (TSAs) between Commonwealth Edison and data‑center developers, including Equinix and QTS Investment Properties Chicago. The contracts embed provisions—ramp‑up schedules, credit obligations, revenue contributions, and termination fees—to shield existing ComEd...
Regional Diesel Runs Dry as Metro Panic-Buying Hits WA Farms
Western Australian farmers are confronting diesel shortages after metropolitan panic‑buying drained regional supplies, leaving some farms waiting up to three weeks for fuel deliveries. The scarcity threatens critical seeding and harvesting operations on wheatbelt, potato and horticultural farms, with limited...
Wine-Making Waste Helps Recycle Cobalt and Nickel From Batteries
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have demonstrated an electrochemical process that uses tartaric acid, a wine‑making by‑product, to separate cobalt and nickel from lithium‑ion battery leachates. By applying sequential voltages, the method achieves over 99% cobalt purity and 96.5% nickel...
Government to Review Planned Fuel Duty Rise as Iran War Causes Price Surge at Pumps
The UK government will review its planned September removal of the fuel‑duty freeze after the Iran war drove crude oil prices to about $90 a barrel, pushing petrol up 6p and diesel up 12p in a week. Prime Minister Keir...
Demand Drops only After Gas Hits $5 per Gallon
At what price is demand destruction when it comes to gasoline prices? According to Casey's General Store on their earnings call yesterday, “on the volume side of things, with absolute retail prices, we really don’t start to see any level...
Michigan Airport Completes 1st Phase of Solar Carport Project
MBS International Airport in Freeland, Michigan has completed Phase I of its solar carport project, installing a 342‑kilowatt canopy over roughly 200 parking spaces and connecting it to the grid in February. The airport became the first in the state with...
BREAKING: Canadian PM Says He Will Not Join War As Gas Soars To $4
In this episode, the host discusses the Canadian Prime Minister's firm stance that Canada will not join any offensive military actions related to the Israel‑U.S. conflict, despite rising gas prices hitting $4 per gallon. The PM reiterates Canada's policy of...
Molecular Vibrations Hurl Electrons at Extreme Speeds
Researchers at the University of Cambridge demonstrated that electrons can traverse a polymer‑non‑fullerene interface in just 18 femtoseconds, matching the period of a single molecular vibration. By deliberately engineering a weakly coupled junction, they showed that specific high‑frequency vibrational modes...
NGET Agrees to $23m Settlement for Harker Substation Failures
National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) has agreed to a £20 million settlement with Ofgem after failures at the Harker 132 kV substation were traced to inadequate monitoring, maintenance and repair of civil assets between 2016 and 2021. The payment will be placed...
Danielle Smith: There Is No Global Energy Security without Canadian Energy
Premier Danielle Smith argues that global energy security cannot be achieved without Canadian energy supplies. She points to Canada’s 177 billion barrels of recoverable oil, valued over $12 trillion, and proposes doubling output to eight million barrels per day by 2035. Smith...
Data Centres Will Have to “Ride Through” Grid Faults, Not Trip Off, Under Proposed New Rules
The Australian Energy Market Commission released draft technical standards requiring large data centres (30 MW or more) to ride through voltage and frequency disturbances instead of disconnecting. The rules aim to prevent cascading failures and limit the cost of grid upgrades...
Opec Keeps Forecasts Unchanged Despite Supply Outages
OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report leaves its global supply, demand and economic forecasts unchanged despite major supply disruptions in the Middle East Gulf following the US‑Iran conflict. The organization notes that geopolitical developments warrant close monitoring, but any impact...
CMA Examines Concerns About Heating Oil
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a review into heating‑oil pricing after the Middle East conflict drove wholesale oil costs higher. Around 1.5 million UK homes, mainly in rural areas and Northern Ireland, rely on heating oil, making price...
Germany, Japan to Unblock Oil Reserves as G-7 Stands ‘Ready’ to Act
Japan and Germany announced they will tap strategic petroleum reserves to curb soaring crude prices amid the Iran‑Israel war, following an International Energy Agency request for a 400 million‑barrel release. Japan plans to act as early as March 16, while Germany will...
Dual‐Functional ITO Interlayer for Effective Defect Passivation and Cationic Composition Engineering in Kesterite Solar Cells
Researchers introduced a thin indium tin oxide (ITO) interlayer at the back contact of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells to tackle interdiffusion and absorber defects. The ITO acts as a diffusion barrier during early selenization, then self‑sacrifices to release Sn and...
OneSubsea Bags Third PTTEP Subsea Systems Contract in One Year
OneSubsea, the SLB‑Aker Solutions‑Subsea 7 joint venture, won an EPC contract from PTTEP for subsea production systems at the Kikeh 3B Phase 2 deep‑water project offshore Malaysia. The award includes three subsea trees, a manifold, a distribution unit and integrated control systems, with...
Since February, Rising Gas Prices Have Added to Inflation.
U.S. gasoline prices have surged 20% since the Feb. 28 strikes by the United States and Israel drove oil higher. The increase will not appear in the February CPI, which is released later this week, but it will feed into overall...
Natural Gas Prices Weekly Update – JKM, TTF and Henry Hub (9 March 2026)
Natural gas benchmarks jumped sharply in early March as Middle‑East tensions disrupted LNG supplies. The Asian JKM spot price surged to the low‑$20s/MMBtu, while Europe’s TTF rose to $18.1/MMBtu and the U.S. Henry Hub reached $3.2/MMBtu. The spikes were driven...
How to Select a DC-DC Converter for Solar Energy Storage Systems
Selecting the right DC‑DC converter is crucial for solar energy storage reliability. Real‑world conditions—high enclosure temperatures, fluctuating PV voltages, and the need for isolation—often differ from datasheet specifications, leading to thermal derating and unexpected resets. Boost‑buck topologies and galvanic isolation...
Ballard Shares Climb Double Digits: Ballard Secures Major Order for 500 Fuel Cell Modules From Bus Manufacturer New Flyer
Ballard Power Systems announced a commercial agreement with New Flyer for 500 FCmove®‑HD+ fuel‑cell modules, delivering a total capacity of 50 MW. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2026 and will equip New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE FC hydrogen buses across North America. The...
South Africa: Government Reviews Appeals for Offshore Oil, Gas Exploration Projects
South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, announced that the government will move forward with determining appeals against offshore oil and gas exploration authorisations, ending a period of deferral. The appeals were filed under section 43 of...
☕ Morning Briefing — Wednesday, March 11, 2026
President Donald Trump unveiled a $300 billion oil refinery at the Port of Brownsville, the first major U.S. plant built in five decades, partnering with India’s Reliance Industries. The project will process 100% American shale, create thousands of South Texas jobs,...
Scalable Quantum Batteries Can Charge Faster than Their Classical Counterparts
Researchers from Shenzhen International Quantum Academy and Spain's CSIC have built a superconducting‑qubit quantum battery that charges faster than a comparable classical device under equal energy constraints. The experiment, published in Physical Review Letters, demonstrates a quantum charging advantage using...
Aii Launches Benchmarking Tool to Accelerate Fashion Decarbonisation
Aii has launched a new Benchmarking tool that quantifies process‑level energy use and emissions across apparel factories. The tool provides independent data on energy sources, material types, and processes, allowing factories to compare performance across regions and over time. Early...
Petrobras’ P-78 FPSO Achieves Gas Injection Milestone in Búzios Field
Petrobras’ P‑78 FPSO recorded its first gas injection on March 2, 2026, just 61 days after achieving first oil on December 31, 2025. The milestone moves the vessel toward full operational readiness and expands output at the deep‑water Búzios field in Brazil’s Santos Basin. Seatrium...
WTI Crude Likely Slides Below $57.42 by 2026
A Down 2026 for WTI Crude Oil Is Under $57.42; What Stops It? The world's largest energy producer and net exporter's attack on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz provided strong reasons to pump crude oil prices...
Energy Index Surge Threatened by Falling US‑Canada Demand
Collapsing US, Canada Demand vs. Supply and Energy - The Bloomberg Energy Spot Index (BCOMENSP) has had an exceptional year in 2026, gaining about 30% to March 10. Is it sustainable? My graphic shows top reasons why the 1Q pump...
Bosch Unveils New Fuel Cell Power Module FCPM C100 for Buses
Bosch introduced the Fuel Cell Power Module C100 at Berlin’s Mobility Move fair, a 100 kW hydrogen system built for roof‑mounted installation on 12‑ to 18‑meter city buses. The low‑profile, 40 cm tall module complements Bosch’s existing truck‑focused FCPM line and includes...
Rising Gas Prices Clash With Record Low Market Volatility
$3.50 Gasoline Spike May Fuel $2 Toward Year-End - The oxymoron of spiking energy and precious-metals volatility vs. a complacent stock market may prove unsustainable, with deflationary implications. Sustainability is a key question from my graphic showing the national average...
Oil Climbs 2% as Iran Threatens Tech Sites, Reserves Released
Oil prices +2% - here’s the latest: ⚠️ Iran: Says it will target U.S. technology company facilities next, including $AMZN $MSFT $NVDA $IBM $ORCL $PLTR locations in Israel, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi 🛢️ Oil reserve release updates: 🇩🇪 Germany to partially release national...
Commission Approves €260 Million Belgian State Aid for Carbon Capture and Storage Project
The European Commission has cleared a €260 million Belgian state‑aid scheme for Air Liquide Large Industry NV and BASF Antwerpen NV to develop the Kairos@C carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Antwerp. The initiative will capture CO₂ from hydrogen, ammonia...
Surcharges Delay Relief From Falling Gas Prices
As economists forecast falling gas prices later in 2026, I encourage you to consider this chart. Once surcharges are imposed, the benefits of falling prices are very slow to follow... https://t.co/pl5zUkZK7h
Diesel Price Surge Forces Costs Onto Retailers and Factories
"Record Diesel-Price Surge Hits U.S. Truckers, Retailers and Manufacturers" https://t.co/5jBpvH4MCa "Most large trucking companies will pass the added costs on to American stores and factories..." Fortunately, US factories aren't already facing soaring costs, so it's fi- oh. https://t.co/ZU45kzcUbj
VTT Opens New FutureGrid Research Facility in Finland
VTT, Finland’s leading applied‑research organization, has inaugurated the FutureGrid facility in Otaniemi, Espoo. The center combines a physical microgrid with a real‑time digital twin, providing a secure environment for testing next‑generation power‑grid technologies. It targets both startups and established firms...
Europe's Self‑Inflicted Energy Crisis Exposed
Europe's self-imposed energy crisis. As @envMENTALsubstk says: There’s a reason that parable is not “He who laughs first.” Not Laffan Now, by @envMENTALsubstk https://t.co/j8yij78H14
White House Solar Panels Survive Three Presidents
Trump has kept the solar panels on the White House roof that @BarackObama first installed more than a decade ago. https://t.co/EODVlzOSTr via @axios Jimmy Carter first put some on in the wake of the 1970's oil crisis in a symbol...
Oil's Wild Swing Reveals Conviction‑free Market
$WTI crashed from $100 to $83 in a session. Then bounced back to $87. Oil volatility this extreme hasn't happened since 2008. Every rip gets sold. Every dip gets bought. Nobody has conviction. Everyone has exposure. https://t.co/UWmcEvxdHn
Westward Gulf Pipelines Become Critical in Coming Weeks
In the coming days and weeks, a lot may hinge on the pipelines running West from the Gulf. Chartbook Top Links of the day just dropped: https://t.co/olUgBDf1dD
Kenya to Add 1,200MW Gas Plant for Rising Power Demand
Kenya plans to build a 1,200-megawatt gas-fired power plant on its east coast as it ramps up electricity output to meet growing demand https://t.co/Fdp0uS6Rat
Seasonal Blend Adds 25¢; Limited Further Gas Rise
25 cents of the 65-cent surge in retail gasoline prices was due to the usual seasonal switch to the summer RBOB blend... ...and if futures hold here, we are only looking at another 10-15 cents of pump-price upside $UGA $GASO...
Seeking Updated European Marginal Fuel Data Post‑2021
Hive mind: Has anyone seen (ideally recent) data on the marginal fuel in European countries? The Zakeri and Staffell paper from 2023 gets cited a lot but it's from a few years ago, data for 2021
Europe’s Fossil Dependence Exposes Vulnerability, Urging Faster Energy Transition
I was interviewed by @AlJazeera on impacts of Middle East crisis on energy markets. We discussed Europe’s structural vulnerability due to fossil fuel imports, broader economic effects of energy price volatility & why this moment should sharpen focus on the energy...
WTI Oil Bounces Between $82‑$92 Since Monday
Ex the plunge yesterday afternoon, WTI crude oil has ranged from $82 to $92 since mid-Monday https://t.co/B3lICn2XOe
Iran's Hormuz Control Boosts Oil Exports Beyond Pre-War Levels
Iran’s Control of Hormuz Means It’s Exporting More Oil Today Than Before the War https://t.co/UlXJwHN0ld
Oil's Global Conflicts Drive Home Energy Costs
Why oil matters: conflicts abroad, costs at home - The Story | Podfollow @ACGlobalEnergy #oil https://t.co/tCpybAcB7p
Gas Plants Win 60% of UK Auction, Remain Essential
Gas-fired plants secured almost 60% of capacity in the UK’s latest market auction, underscoring their central role in the energy system even as the country pushes for cleaner power. https://t.co/TtQEhCvrH7