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:
Wide Boundary News: The Iranian War, Rising Gas Prices, and the Single Point Failure
The latest Wide Boundary News episode examines the U.S. and Israeli military offensive against Iran and the resulting closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that handles roughly 20% of global oil and a significant share of LNG, sulfur and nitrogen‑fertilizer shipments. Nate argues that oil’s contribution to GDP is vastly understated, as energy underpins virtually all economic activity, creating second‑ and third‑order ripple effects across mining, food production and metal markets. He also highlights the stark cost imbalance between expensive missile interceptors and cheap drones, and how apocalyptic religious narratives on all sides suppress de‑escalation incentives. The analysis underscores how a single maritime corridor can trigger systemic shocks that outlast the conflict itself.
US DoE Unveils Nuclear Energy Launch Pad
The U.S. Department of Energy and the National Reactor Innovation Center have launched the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, a two‑pathway program designed to fast‑track advanced nuclear technologies. Building on the Reactor Pilot and Fuel Line Pilot programs, the initiative offers...
Repsol Focuses on US for Short-Term Upstream Growth
Repsol announced a €10 billion investment plan for 2026‑28, allocating roughly 34% of its upstream budget to the United States. The U.S. focus includes the Pikka Phase I project in Alaska, the Leon‑Castile offshore Louisiana assets, and unconventional plays in the Marcellus...
Free-Standing 3D Na Ion Anode Material for Higher Energy Density
Researchers have developed a free‑standing sodium‑ion battery anode that combines bismuth nanoparticles, MoS₂ nanospheres, and a carbon nanofiber matrix with a thin carbon coating. The Bi@MoS₂@C composite delivers a reversible capacity of about 275 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ and retains 96 % of...
Strait of Horm
US political leaders, the oil industry, and traders are waking up to what we advised clients in June: restoring oil and LNG flow in the Strait of Hormuz won't be quick or easy. A load-bearing assumption in global energy is...
TotalEnergies, Repsol and Shell Bring Lapa South-West Online Off Brazil
TotalEnergies, together with Repsol and Shell, has placed the Lapa South‑West development into production in Brazil’s Santos Basin. The three‑well subsea tie‑back to the existing Lapa FPSO adds roughly 25,000 barrels of oil per day, lifting total field output to...
Eco Atlantic Augments Oil & Gas Portfolio with New Acquisition
Eco Atlantic has agreed to acquire the remaining shares of JHI Associates for approximately $52.3 million, issuing up to 96.3 million new common shares that could represent about 21.8% of its post‑transaction capital. The deal grants Eco a 35% working interest in...
US-Iran War Crimp LPG Supply, Hit Borosil’s Glass Production at Jaipur
Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran have disrupted LPG shipments to India, prompting Oil Marketing Companies to issue a force‑majeure notice. Borosil Ltd, a major glass maker in Jaipur, said the shortage forced a temporary shutdown of...
Enel Installs over 3,700 New Charging Points in Italy
Enel has completed installation of 3,730 new electric‑vehicle charging stations in Italy under the first National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) tender, covering five regions and 21 provinces. Each site provides two fast 90 kW chargers accessible through Enel’s app or...
Parameta Solutions, Marex Launch Joint Netback Pricing Offering Combining Oil and Freight Data
Parameta Solutions and Marex have launched a joint netback pricing service that merges proprietary oil price benchmarks with real‑time freight data. The combined offering lets traders evaluate the total cost of moving crude and refined products, surfacing route‑level economics and...
Charing Infrastructure Expands in Pennsylvania with NEVI
Pennsylvania is rolling out 12 electric‑vehicle charging projects along its major roadways, backed by $54 million already committed through the federal NEVI program. To date the state has installed 30 public chargers—the highest NEVI‑funded count in the nation—and has 53 more...
IEA Proposes Record Release of Oil Reserves
The episode focuses on the International Energy Agency's proposal to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from member countries' strategic reserves to counter a sharp price surge caused by the near‑closure of the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian attacks....
Equinor to Supply Bio-Methanol to Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Vessels
Equinor has signed a two‑year agreement to supply ISCC‑EU certified bio‑methanol to Wallenius Wilhelmsen for its new dual‑fuel vessels. The fuel, produced at Tjeldbergodden and blended with biogas certificates, will be delivered at Zeebrugge and Antwerp and claims a 95 % CO₂...
Build Fast or Fall Behind with Michael Webber
In this episode, Dr. Michael Weber discusses the interplay of engineering, policy, and market forces in the U.S. energy sector, using the shale revolution as a case study of rare alignment that spurred rapid change. He reflects on past forecasting...
Spain Eyes First Offshore Wind Tender This Year
Spain's energy minister Sara Aagesen announced that the country will launch its first offshore wind tender this year, targeting 3 GW of new capacity. The tender follows a similar commitment made last year, signaling Spain's accelerated push into offshore renewables. If...
How J&J, Suntory and Toyota Cut Industrial Heat Emissions
Johnson & Johnson has allocated up to $40 million a year since 2005 to a carbon‑relief fund that finances low‑carbon retrofits, including a 2023 geothermal plant that slashed heating and cooling emissions at a Belgian site by roughly 30%. The company...
New Job on ExxonMobil’s Seventh Oil Project Takes ABL to Guyana
ABL Group has secured a marine warranty survey contract for ExxonMobil’s Hammerhead development, the seventh offshore project in Guyana’s Stabroek block. The $6.8 billion venture will install 18 subsea wells and a spread‑moored FPSO, targeting 120,000‑180,000 barrels per day by 2029....
Countries Urge China to Curb Oil Reserve Purchases
Also, as the IEA releases, member countries are reaching out to China to make sure it doesn't use the opportunity to buy more barrels for its own reserve (as it did in 2022). (...the IEA-Chinese coordinate was last done in 2011...
GAIL Buys Oman LNG Cargo, Sources Say
Indian gas utility GAIL has purchased a cargo of Omani liquefied natural gas for delivery next week, priced between $17 and $20 per million British thermal units. The cargo, loaded on the vessel Orion Hugo chartered by Shell, is slated...
Researchers Develop Improved NMC Battery Pack for Electric Buses
European consortium SIERRA, backed by €8 million Horizon Europe funding, is developing a nickel‑rich NMC battery pack tailored for electric buses. The project targets Technology Readiness Level 6, demonstrating a lightweight, high‑performance pack with advanced multiscale modelling, one‑shot manufacturing, and integrated cooling....
GREW Solar Gets ₹500 Cr Module Supply Order
GREW Solar has secured a repeat order worth about ₹500 crore from an independent power producer for high‑efficiency PV modules. The supply will feed the IPP’s upcoming utility‑scale solar projects across several Indian locations. GREW operates a 6.5 GW module plant in...
Uranium Energy’s Bull Case Is Starting to Look Real
Uranium Energy Corp reported Q2 FY2026 production costs in the low $40s per pound while selling at roughly $101, creating a clear profit margin. The company is establishing a domestic refining and conversion subsidiary, positioning it as the only vertically...
EU Considers Gas Price Cap to Reduce Bills
The European Commission is evaluating a gas‑price cap to dilute gas’s influence on electricity pricing across the bloc, as announced by President Ursula von der Leyen. The measure is intended to curb soaring power bills for households and industry. Critics...
Hydrogen Used to Decarbonise Asphalt Production in UK First
Heidelberg Materials UK completed a pilot at its Criggion plant using hydrogen to heat asphalt production, generating over 1,300 tonnes of asphalt without quality loss. The trial cut direct (Scope 1) emissions by 76 % and lowered the overall carbon footprint by 23%,...
Commercial Readiness Confirmed for Alfa Laval’s Ammonia Fuel Supply System as FAT Wraps Up
Alfa Laval has completed a certified factory acceptance test (FAT) for its FCM Ammonia fuel supply system, earning class certification from China Classification Society and confirming commercial readiness for ammonia‑fueled two‑stroke engines. The test validated hardware integration, control logic, safety...
AI-Driven Power Surge Pushes Texas Coal Plant Toward Solar
America’s appetite for electricity is exploding—driven in part by AI and data centers. In Texas, one coal plant is planning a surprising transition to solar. But meeting this new demand may also mean more fossil fuels. My latest for PBS...
Oil Prices Drop, Likely Stabilize at $90‑$100
I wrote this piece: "What can make the oil price fall?" on Sunday night because debate around oil had gotten far too one-sided. We've now fallen significantly and - while hostilities continue - I think we'll bounce around in a...
Deepwater Energy Project Duo in Angola and Brazil Getting Exail’s Subsea Tech
Exail secured contracts to provide its long baseline (LBL) subsea positioning systems for two deep‑water energy projects in Brazil and Angola. Over 70 acoustic transponders and integrated navigation suites will support operations at depths up to 4,000 m. The hybrid acoustic‑inertial...
IEA Report Signals Shift From Oil Oversupply to Shortages
From oversupply to concern of shortages - IEA oil stocks release is coming, sources say https://t.co/ttzyIWK0qw
Meloni Threatens Crackdown on Energy Price Speculators
Meloni says the Italian government could take action on companies speculating as energy prices spike over the war https://t.co/BbvWulpYyD via @donatopmancini https://t.co/mdhE0Kkxk9
Sunlight-Activated Graphene Membrane Recovers Battery-Grade Lithium From Brines
Researchers at POST, Griffith and King Khalid Universities unveiled a graphene‑based nanofiltration membrane that uses sunlight to pull lithium ions from magnesium‑rich brines. The hybrid membrane, combining edge‑functionalized graphene nanoribbons with photothermally reduced graphene oxide, delivers a lithium flux of...
Europe Launches First Microgrid‑linked AI Data Center
Powering AI: Europe switches on its first microgrid-connected data center “Microgrids are localized energy systems that can generate, store, and distribute power. The systems are already being widely used in the U.S.” https://t.co/I7IdIAYzTf https://t.co/5arYJMWh1R
Russian Oil Tax Price Tops Budget Target Amid Iran War
MOSCOW, March 11 (Reuters) - The price of Russian oil used for taxation has exceeded the budget target for the first time since January 2025 because of the rise in global prices caused by the Iran war, Reuters calculations showed...
Press Release: Tokyo Motor to Exhibit Hydrogen and Fuel-Cell Technologies
Toyota announced its participation in the 25th International Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Expo in Tokyo from March 17‑19, 2026, where it will display its latest hydrogen and fuel‑cell technologies. President Mitsumasa Yamagata will present partnership initiatives aimed at building a...
EU Mulls Gas Price Cap to Cut Power Bills
EU weighs a gas price cap to lower power costs amid Iran war https://t.co/3qDLf3s6Jq via @johnainger https://t.co/A2PK57MYOp
Reserve Composition Outweighs Sheer Size, IEA Shows
More on the IEA reserves: US has only crude Japan has a mix of crude and products Europe has mostly products The mix of the release is as important as the size of the release
Aypa Power, Six Nations Secure $512m for BESS Projects in Canada
Aypa Power, backed by Blackstone, and Six Nations of the Grand River Development have secured C$700 million (US$512 million) financing for the Elora and Hedley battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Ontario. The two sites together will deliver roughly 422 MW of...
IEA Release: Watch Daily Flow, Not Total Barrels
When the IEA release is announced, my focus won't be on the headline number (say 300-400m barrels). Ignore that number. The key is the flow, in BARRELS PER DAY, the IEA promises FOR THE FIRST 20-30 DAYS of the stockdraw, and...
Oil Markets Destabilized by Info War and Hormuz Closure
Spoke with Bloomberg earlier today about the IEA stocks release plan, the information war on top of the military conflict in the Mideast, the severe pricing dislocations in the oil market, plus the unfolding impact of the continued closure of...
IOC, BPCL, HPCL Could See Margin Pressure Amid Oil Price Spike: S&P
S&P Global Ratings warns that India’s oil‑marketing firms IOC, BPCL and HPCL could see profit margins squeezed as they keep retail petrol and diesel prices steady amid a recent crude price surge. Crude oil jumped above $100 per barrel after...
Net Zero Saves Money; Fossil Dependency Is Real Cost
Reaching net zero by 2050 is often framed as a cost burden. The UK Climate Change Committee’s latest analysis suggests the opposite. The real risk is fossil fuel dependency. https://t.co/m4AZokLzFS
Short‐Range Order and LixTM4−x Probability Maps for Disordered Rocksalt Cathodes
Researchers used Monte Carlo simulations with a simplified cluster model to map short‑range order (SRO) in cation‑disordered rocksalt (DRX) cathodes. They discovered that the probability of forming Li₄ tetrahedral clusters is governed primarily by nearest‑neighbor pairwise SRO, and that this SRO...
G7/G20 Vows to Curb Iran Oil Leverage
Inside the G7 (and the G20) most countries are absolutely livid with the Trump administration's attack on Iran, but don't mistake their indignation with a desire to let Iran take the global economy hostage via oil. G7/G20/OECD nations will respond...
Southeast Asia and the Middle East Energy Shock
U.S. strikes on Iran have prompted Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to suspend oil and gas operations and deter tankers from the Strait of Hormuz, sharply curtailing Middle East energy exports. The disruption threatens $208 billion in crude shipments—about 21%...
Chevron Taps Former TotalEnergies Exploration Leader to Oversee Africa, Americas Portfolio
Chevron has named former TotalEnergies exploration chief Emmanuelle Garinet as Director of Exploration for the Americas and Sub‑Saharan Africa. Garinet brings over 30 years of global experience and will steer discovery programs across key frontier basins in Africa and mature...
Monumental Advances Taranaki Workover Program at Waihapa H1 Well
Monumental Energy Corp. has begun perforating the Waihapa H1 well in New Zealand’s Taranaki basin to tap bypass pay in the Mount Messenger formation. The operation involves seven six‑metre perforation intervals and follows promising results from the nearby Ngaere‑1 well, which...
RGREEN Raises €900m for Fifth European Energy Transition Fund
RGREEN announced the close of a €900 million fifth European energy transition fund, targeting renewable infrastructure across the continent. The manager has already deployed roughly 70 % of the capital into projects ranging from wind farms to green hydrogen facilities. RGREEN expects...
From Leverage to Dependence: Russia's Gas Sector Four Years After the Invasion
Four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s gas strategy has shifted from dominating Europe to seeking new markets amid a severe EU storage shortfall. The EU’s gas inventories sit at just 30 % of capacity, prompting a short‑term reconsideration of...
Transparent Superhydrophobic Self-Cleaning Coating Increases Solar Cell Efficiency by 4.75%
Researchers have created a transparent, PFAS‑free dual‑layer sol‑gel coating that renders solar panels superhydrophobic while preserving high light transmission. Laboratory tests showed the coating raises photovoltaic efficiency from 13.90 % to 14.56 %, a 0.66‑point gain, and demonstrates strong abrasion, chemical and...
As some Hoard Petrol, Here’s Our Last Line of Defence Against a Fuel Shortage
Australia is rapidly constructing massive, windowless steel cylinders on the outskirts of its largest cities to store fuel. Each tank, up to 50 metres in diameter and ten storeys high, can hold tens of millions of litres of petrol. The...