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:
EU ‘Made in Europe’ Regulation Welcomed but ‘Will Not Remove Dependency on China’
The European Commission unveiled the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), a legislative package aimed at boosting demand for low‑carbon, ‘Made in Europe’ technologies across strategic sectors such as steel, cement, automotive and energy storage. The proposal introduces domestic‑content requirements for public procurement and streamlines permitting to create acceleration zones for manufacturing. Trade group Energy Storage Europe welcomed the faster permitting but warned that the content rules should be phased in gradually. Analysts caution that, while downstream assembly may shift to Europe, upstream battery material supply will likely stay dominated by China for years to come.
Borr Drilling Puts Three Jack-Up Rigs in Arabian Gulf on Standby
Borr Drilling has placed three of its jack‑up rigs on standby in the Arabian Gulf as hostilities flare between the U.S.–Israel coalition and Iran. The rigs operating in Qatar and the UAE were down‑manned, and the Arabia III unit was shut...
Finding the Floor
The Middle East conflict triggered the biggest one‑week jump in oil prices on record, pushing WTI crude above $92 a barrel. At the same time, U.S. economic data revealed the worst monthly job loss since the pandemic, with 92,000 positions...
The ABCs of Electricity Theft: Can Anti-Theft Cables Improve Electricity Service?
Karachi Electric replaced bare low‑voltage wires with aerial bundled cables (ABCs), slashing feeder‑line losses by about eight percentage points and boosting revenue recovery. The upgrade prompted a surge in formal residential connections and higher billed consumption, while power outages fell....
The Iran Oil Shock Could Fuel This Contrarian Bet
Rising tensions with Iran are driving Brent crude above $100 a barrel, sparking fears of a prolonged oil shock. The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA), heavily weighted toward oil and financials, has slipped to near five‑year lows despite the...
VAALCO Adjusts Gabon Drilling Plan After Exploration Well Result
VAALCO Energy finished drilling the ET‑14P exploration well at Gabon's Etame field, intersecting 10 meters of high‑quality Gamba sands but discovering a water‑bearing target zone. The lower section of the well will be plugged and abandoned, while the existing bore...
Lamprell, RTE International to Collaborate on Offshore Transmission Projects
Lamprell and RTE International have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding to jointly pursue offshore wind transmission projects, focusing on engineering, procurement, construction, and installation of high‑voltage export‑cable systems. The non‑exclusive MoU leverages Lamprell’s offshore foundation and transition‑piece expertise with...
Gavin Newsom Take A Jibe At Trump As Crude Oil Soar Past $100 For First Time In 4 Years: 'We...
Crude oil breached $100 per barrel on March 8, its first four‑year high, driven by tighter inventories, OPEC+ output cuts, and Middle East tensions. The price surge coincided with a political jab from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who mocked former...
Exclusive: Ecofy Set to Raise Rs 380 Cr Led by British International Investment
Ecofy Finance, a climate‑focused NBFC, is raising Rs 380 crore in a Series B equity round led by British International Investment. The round includes Rs 220 crore from BII, Rs 70.5 crore from Finnfund, and continued backing from FMO and Green Growth Equity Fund....
Why Gas Prices Rise Today for Oil Bought Weeks Ago
Philippine fuel retailers set pump prices based on the cost of the next shipment rather than the price they paid weeks ago, using a replacement‑cost accounting model tied to the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) benchmark. A mandatory 15‑ to...
Black & Veatch to Provide Engineering Design for Power Plant in Taiwan
Formosa Heavy Industry Corporation selected Black & Veatch to engineer a new 2 × 1.2 GW H‑class combined‑cycle power plant in Mailiao, Taiwan. The gas‑fired facility will replace two coal units whose 25‑year PPA ends in 2025 and is expected to serve roughly 1.8 million...
Valeura Lifts Output with Three Producing Wells at Thailand’s Manora Field
Valeura Energy completed an infill drilling campaign on Thailand’s Manora field, bringing three new wells online – two development wells and one appraisal well – on its 70% operated working interest. The added wells lifted average oil output from roughly...
Thermocold Debuts Air-to-Water Heat Pump for Commercial Buildings
Thermocold has launched the AWA HP SEA/XEA, an air‑to‑water heat‑pump series for commercial buildings. The line spans 124‑644 kW heating and 128‑632 kW cooling capacities, delivers a COP of 3.05‑3.49, and can operate at outdoor temperatures as low as –15 °C. Units are...
Four Borr Drilling Rigs’ Ops in Middle East on ‘Standby’
Borr Drilling announced that its four jack‑up rigs deployed across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are on standby due to escalating hostilities in the Arabian Gulf. The Arabia III unit was shut down and its crew evacuated after a March 7...
Bristol Airport & Equilibrion Complete Feasibility Study for SAF & Hydrogen Production
Bristol Airport and Equilibrium have completed a feasibility study exploring large‑scale production of nuclear‑derived sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrogen in the South West of England. The study shows that Small Modular Reactors could supply both fuels, supporting the airport’s...
MOL Enters European Offshore Wind CSOV Market
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has partnered with Cyprus‑based Schoeller Holdings to jointly own two commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs), marking its first foray into the European offshore wind support market. The 96‑meter vessels, built at China’s CSSC Huangpu Wenchong shipyard,...
Hinen Releases Residential Off-Grid Inverter
Hinen has launched the N3300S, a 3 kW residential off‑grid inverter that merges a pure‑sine‑wave inverter with an integrated MPPT solar charge controller. The unit is offered in 2.4 kW, 3.0 kW and 3.3 kW variants and can deliver up to 6 kVA surge power...
The Oil Shock Arrives
Oil futures surged nearly 20% on Monday, with Brent touching $111 and WTI $106, the highest levels since 2022. The spike follows the abrupt closure of the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly 20% of global oil and gas shipments. Asian...
Fugro Nets Geotechnical Survey Contract for Ireland’s Oriel Wind Farm
Fugro has been awarded a geotechnical survey contract for the Oriel offshore wind farm off County Louth, Ireland. The survey will underpin foundation design for 25 turbines delivering 375 MW, positioning Oriel as one of Ireland’s first commercial‑scale offshore projects. Fugro’s...
$100 Oil Is Back
The episode examines the sudden surge of oil prices above $100 a barrel, driven by escalating attacks on Persian Gulf infrastructure amid the Iran‑Israel‑U.S. conflict. Journalists Luke Vargas and Joe Wallace explain how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,...
Cation Group‐Driven Dual‐Track Regulation Enables Dendrite‐Free and Low‐Temperature Zn‐Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors
Researchers introduced a cationic PDAC hydrogel electrolyte that immobilizes chloride anions, forming highly selective Zn²⁺ transport channels while simultaneously guiding (002)-oriented zinc deposition. The electrolyte achieves 5.3 mS cm⁻¹ ionic conductivity at –50 °C and a Zn²⁺ transference number of 0.87, delivering 98 %...
LG Energy Solution Reportedly Drops LG Chem Cathodes for Tesla Batteries
LG Energy Solution (LGES) will stop using cathode material from sister firm LG Chem for Tesla battery packs, shifting to external supplier L&F. The change is driven by Tesla’s demand for ultra‑high‑nickel (95% Ni) NMC cathodes that promise roughly 20%...
Conjugated N‐Type Diradical Semiconductor Empowers High‐Performance TiO2‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells
Researchers have introduced IDT‑R, an n‑type conjugated diradical semiconductor, to modify TiO₂ electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells. The material simultaneously passivates surface defects and raises intrinsic conductivity, addressing the long‑standing performance gap between TiO₂‑ and SnO₂‑based devices. Devices...
Anode‐Free Cell Concepts: Critical Analysis and Development of Practical Batteries
Anode‑free batteries (AFBs) remove the traditional lithium‑metal anode, promising higher energy density, lower cost, and improved sustainability. The recent perspective reviews advances in both liquid and solid electrolyte AFBs, detailing plating/stripping mechanisms, degradation pathways, and performance metrics. It highlights critical...
Ireland Shuts Last Coal Plant, Becomes 15th Coal-Free Country in Europe (2025)
Ireland retired its final coal‑fired power plant in 2025, making it the 15th European nation to operate without coal. The closure ends a decades‑long reliance on coal for baseload electricity and follows a broader EU push toward net‑zero emissions. Ireland’s...
Shell Inks Oil and Gas Exploration Deals with Venezuela
Shell has signed a series of oil and gas exploration agreements with the Venezuelan government, covering offshore natural gas and on‑shore projects, and partnered with local engineering firm VEPICA, KBR, and Baker Hughes. The deals clear the path for the...
Jackery Introduces SolarVault 3 Series of Residential Solar Storage Solutions in the Netherlands
Jackery unveiled its SolarVault 3 series of residential solar storage solutions in the Netherlands, offering three models tailored for apartments, larger homes, and existing PV installations. The S3 Pro and S3 Pro Max deliver up to 4000 W solar input with...
The Market Brief
Higher oil prices are increasingly aligning with rising interest rates, intensifying inflation pressures and prompting risk‑off sentiment across equity markets. Geopolitical shocks that push oil spikes tend to depress risk assets, though the effect fades once oil stabilises. The latest...
Iran War and Oil Surge Amplify US Labor Market Risks
FYI, my latest article in the Financial Times discusses how the war in Iran and skyrocketing oil prices can compound the spillovers from an uncertain US labor market and financial strains in three market sectors. https://www.ft.com/content/418455bc-e177-46a4-8e25-44c837f49038 #economy #markets #oil #middleeastwar @financialtimes
Pre‑emptive Oil Purchases Could Offset Iran Bombing Price Spike
I don't think you have to Nostradamus to figure that bombing Iran might raise oil prices. And it seems pretty obvious that buying oil in advance of causing an oil price spike might just save Americans a lot of...
EU Buys 100% of Russian Arctic LNG Just 9 Months Before Planned Gas Ban
In February 2026 the European Union purchased every cargo from Russia’s Yamal LNG project, amounting to 1.54 million tonnes across 21 shipments, the first full‑yearly capture since 2018. The purchases came just nine months before the EU’s scheduled ban on Russian...
Oil Shock Risk‑off Still Incomplete, Metrics Lag
"Historical risk-off moves after an oil shock have generally required at least one of: Large and sustained oil price spike...Hawkish policy response...Broader macro damage:" Deutsche Bank. We're "closer than a week ago, but on several metrics we aren’t quite there...
Discussing How to Bring Oil Below $100
I’ll be coming up on @BloombergTV in a few to discuss zooming #oil prices with @lisaabramowicz1 & @FerroTV Can anything be done to bring oil under $100 in the foreseeable future? @ACGlobalEnergy #oott #Iran https://t.co/hJJBdEoPvU
Nuclear Power Station Rail Route Shapes Up
Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk is adding a temporary “Green Rail Route” and upgrading the existing Sizewell Branch Line to move up to 60% of construction materials by rail and sea. The upgrades include track renewal, new signalling...
Oil Surpasses $100 Amid Middle East Conflict, Markets Unsettled
Capital Markets Remain Unsettled with Oil Above $100: The Middle East war continues to dominate the investment environment. The dollar is firm. Equities are lower. Yields are higher. The disruption of trade through the Strait of Hormuz is forcing oil…...
U.S. Becomes Net Energy Exporter, Yet Oil‑Price Sensitive
One of my higher conviction views: the US is now a net energy exporter (LNG more than oil) but it is best understood as an oil importer that is uniquely sensitive to oil price swings. 1/
No Immediate Threat to UK Gas Supplies, Says Minister After ‘Two Days Left’ Reports
A senior UK minister said there is no immediate threat to the country’s gas supplies, refuting a report that the nation had only two days of gas left. Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel following US‑Israeli strikes in...
Brent Surge Drives Spike in VIX Correlation
BIG OIL MOVES = FUEL FOR HIGHER CORRELATIONS Front-month Brent up ~55% over the past month. VIX contingent on Brent front-month futures +/- 50% in 1M: Median: 33.9 Average: 44.4 Max: 76.5 Min: 27.6 Current: 32.2
Shadow Fleet Faces Shutdown Within Months, Europe Leads
The Belgian government has seized a tanker of the shadow fleet. With the United States, India, and now the Europeans intervening, it is only a matter of time – months at most – before the entire fleet is shut down. Full...
Key Takeaways From Italy’s Key Energy Trade Show
The Energy Transition Expo in Rimini attracted 1,065 exhibitors and 530 buyers, marking a 10% rise in overall attendance and a 9% increase in foreign visitors. The show highlighted energy‑as‑a‑service models and a surge of interest in agrivoltaic projects, with...
German Gas Prices Surge to €60/MWh, Sixfold US Cost
Good Morning from Germany, where spot gas prices have surged to above €60 per megawatt hour. That makes natural gas roughly 6 times more expensive here than in the US. https://t.co/4kxjaKHMGh
Saudi Cuts Oil Output; Shipping Bottleneck, Not Supply
*SAUDI ARABIA STARTS OIL OUTPUT CUTS AS STORAGE FILLS UP We do not have a lack of supply of oil. We have a lack of supply of shipping
China Approves $4 Gas Price Hike Nationwide
China gives the all-clear for retail gas and diesel prices to rise in its regular price review. State media said it's likely to mean an additional ~RMB25 / US$4 to fill a tank https://t.co/x9kKlWXOn3
Record SPR Withdrawal Promises Massive Profits for Americans
"My SPR withdrawal is bigger than Biden's withdrawal. In fact, my SPR withdrawal is the biggest in history. We will make alot of money for the American people"😉
California Gas Prices Spike, Prompting Trump EO Talk
Californians: what prices are you seeing at the pump? Could be the right moment for @realDonaldTrump to issue $SOC EO. Getting oil through Hormuz past the Iranians easier than getting it to California past @CAgovernor et al.
1990
log real oil in 2026 dollars. persian gulf, early 1990s at ~$73, in 2026 dollars. underlying is PGCRARLT INDX DES https://t.co/ZaA76mNpOi
Fossil Fuel Prices Surge While Renewables Remain Unfazed
Another Monday morning, more energy market turbulence. After fossil fuel prices stabilised somewhat towards end of last week they are reaching new highs. Renewable electricity does not as the sun & the wind don’t care much for what happens in...
Qatar Delays LNG Expansion to 2027 After Drone Attack
Qatar is pushing back the start of its new LNG expansion project to 2027 🇶🇦⚠️ The move comes after the Ras Laffan facility was hit with an Iranian drone attack This threatens to further curb global gas supply and push back an...
Fortescue Ramps up Electrification, Spending $1 B Yearly
Fortescue has officially hit the accelerator on its plan to purge diesel from its operations, reaching a massive one billion dollar annual spending rate on electrification. https://t.co/NNU6MWp1YM
Oil Volatility over 100 Exceeds Human Risk Capacity
OIL: volatility ramping > 100 is not risk that humans are built to calculate using Moving Monkeys https://t.co/92Lhy22q5j