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:
MOPU and FSO Units Linked, Marking New Milestone for African Oil Field Revival
Akrake Petroleum, a subsidiary of Lime Petroleum and ultimately Rex International, has successfully linked its mobile offshore production unit (MOPU Stella Energy 1) to the floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO Kristina) at Benin's Sèmè field. The connection enables oil to flow from the field into the FSO, marking a key step in reviving a project that produced 22 million barrels between 1982 and 1998 before being shut down. The first of three planned wells was drilled using Borr Drilling’s Gerd jack‑up rig, and further testing aims to optimise production rates. The milestone signals renewed confidence in African offshore assets amid improving price environments.
UK Must Double Down on Renewables as Wars Drive up Energy Costs, Experts Say
The UK faces renewed fossil‑fuel price volatility after the US‑Israel attacks on Iran, echoing the 2022‑2025 energy shock that cost the EU and Britain $1.8 trillion. Experts and climate groups argue the government must accelerate its clean‑energy transition, focusing on renewables...
Russia’s Limited Gains From the Middle East War
The war in the Middle East has tightened oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, creating a temporary vacuum that Russia hopes to exploit. While the conflict restricts exports from Saudi Arabia, Iran and other regional producers, Russia’s...
Solar Energy for Renters Has Taken Off in 10 States. Not in California
Community solar, a proven tool for renters and low‑income households, has flourished in ten states but remains marginal in California, which has launched only about 34 projects totaling roughly 235 MW since 2015. In West Goshen, a pilot project delivered a 20%...
India Demand and Panama Pipeline Positive for VLGCs, Says Dorian LPG
U.S. LPG exports are hitting record levels while a 76‑km Panama pipeline, slated for post‑2031 operation, promises 2 million barrels per day capacity. Dorian LPG’s chief information officer says the pipeline will likely add loading and discharge points rather than divert cargoes,...
Energy Poverty Hiding in Plain Sight: The Data Blind Spots on Vulnerable Households
At the Energy Consumers of Australia Foresighting Forum, experts highlighted Australia’s blind spot on energy poverty, noting the country does not officially measure poverty or energy hardship. Researchers are developing a multidimensional poverty index using the HILDA survey, revealing health,...
Brent Backwardation Hits 98th Percentile Amid Hormuz Closure
BRENT futures have surged into a severe backwardation as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to create an acute shortage of barrels. The six-month calendar spread has soared into a backwardation of almost $11 per barrel from less...
SMA-Share Price Rises: SMA Group Under Pressure in 2025 - Revenue Stable, EBITDA Heavily Impacted - Cautiously Optimistic Outlook for...
SMA Solar Technology AG released unaudited 2025 results showing a modest 0.9% revenue decline to €1.516 bn, while operating EBITDA before one‑offs was €106.6 m but fell to a negative €65.4 m after extraordinary items. One‑off charges—including €122.6 m inventory write‑downs and €35.8 m provisions—pushed...
Lamprell Tasked with Replacing 285 Kilometers of Subsea Pipeline in India
Lamprell has secured a contract from India’s state‑owned Oil and Natural Gas Limited (ONGC) to replace and lay roughly 285 kilometers of subsea pipelines across several western offshore fields. The Pipeline Replacement Project (PRP‑IX) covers Mumbai High, Neelam, Heera, Bassein and...
Global Economy Faces Inflation and Growth Test Amid Escalating Conflict in Iran - Goldman
Goldman Sachs warns that a temporary spike in crude to $100 a barrel could shave 0.4 percentage points off global GDP growth and lift headline inflation by up to 0.7 points. The firm’s baseline scenario still sees oil easing to...
Harbour Energy Lifts Production Forecast After US Gulf Deals
Harbour Energy lifted its 2026 production outlook to 475,000‑500,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, driven by early output from the recently acquired LLOG assets in the Gulf of Mexico. The company’s pretax profit more than doubled to $2.8 billion in...
How Australia Can Turn the Data Centre Boom Into a Grid Growth Story
Australia’s data‑centre boom, now consuming about 2% of NEM electricity, is set to rise to roughly 6% by 2030, threatening grid capacity. Fluence’s Jeff Monday argues that battery energy storage systems (BESS) can turn this constraint into an opportunity by...
Aker BP Picks up Clearance for Oil & Gas Drilling Ops with Noble Rig
Norwegian authorities have granted Aker BP permission to conduct production drilling on the Valhall Flanke Vest area of the North Sea using the Noble Integrator jack‑up rig. The 2014‑built rig can operate in 492‑foot water depths and drill up to...
China’s Five-Year Plan Focuses on Oil Stability, Gas and Reserves Growth
China’s 2026‑2030 Five‑Year Plan caps oil output at 200 million metric tons (about 4 million barrels per day), a level already exceeded last year but below the 216 million‑ton record. The plan shifts focus from expanding production to maintaining output while expanding undisclosed...
Renewables Only Escape as Fossil Reserves Fail Fast
254 days of reserves don't mean a thing when the pressure hits on day 7. This isn’t a "market adjustment" - it’s a math-driven massacre Fossil fuel reliance is a trap door, and the floor just fell out for half the...
The State of Alternative Propulsion Aircraft? Part 6.
The article reviews the limitations of series‑hybrid aircraft, highlighting the significant energy losses when a turbogenerator feeds an electric motor through multiple conversion stages. These inefficiencies make series hybrids uneconomical compared to conventional models like the Cessna Caravan or Saab 340....
PGI Takes Control of Muchesu as RBZ Approves Restructured Shareholding
Pacific Goal Investments (PGI) has acquired a 51% majority stake and operational control of the Muchesu coal project in north‑western Zimbabwe after obtaining registration from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. The ownership restructuring transfers the US$20 million funding commitment originally made...
E706 | Jo Slota-Newson & Marc Sabas, Almanac Ventures: Systemic Deep Tech for Industrial Decarbonisation
Almanac Ventures, founded by deep‑tech scientist Jo Slota‑Newson and finance‑focused Marc Sabas, invests seed‑stage deep‑tech solutions for industrial decarbonisation across Europe. They target technologies that improve performance, lower costs, and cut emissions in complex, capital‑intensive sectors that account for 75%...
Carbon-Ion Energy Explores Graphene Integration in Its Supercapacitors
Carbon‑Ion Energy announced it is re‑examining graphene integration in its supercapacitors. The effort involves collaboration with graphene producers Levidian and HydroGraph, which supply ultra‑pure graphene of 99.9% and 99.8% purity using combustion‑based processes. The company expects the new graphene structures...
Italy's Carbon Reform and the ETS Decree
The episode examines Italy's controversial decree that seeks to shift EU ETS costs from gas‑fired power producers to consumers, aiming to lower wholesale electricity prices and boost industrial competitiveness. Guests Enza Tedesco and lawyer Lorenzo Parola explain the economic rationale,...
Rio Tinto Signs Mining Electrification MoU with CATL
Rio Tinto and battery giant CATL have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate electrification across mining operations. The partnership will develop strategies for battery‑powered equipment, supply‑chain integration, and circular‑economy initiatives such as battery material recycling. CATL will contribute its...
Coal India Shares Rise 4% as Citi Hikes Target Price, Puts Stock in 90-Day Catalyst Watch. Check Details
Citi placed Coal India Ltd on a 90‑day Upside Catalyst Watch and lifted its target price to ₹430, prompting the stock to climb over 4%. The brokerage cited stronger global coal prices and a potential shift from gas to coal...
Geopolitical Tensions Trigger Oil Supply Shock, Duration Uncertain
I’m on Bloomberg TV tomorrow at 1pm HKT with the wonderful @JoumannaTV on China, India, Southeast Asia, South Korea, and what the widening conflict in Iran and the Middle East means for the region. Short story - we are buyers...
Grand Duke of Luxembourg Discusses Global Energy Transition Collaboration
It was a pleasure meeting with His Royal Highness Grand Duke of Luxembourg. We discussed opportunities to collaborate in advancing the global energy transition and accelerating progress toward climate goals. https://t.co/0O1SIM4ZbQ
Forrest Says AI the Stuff of Nightmares, but Also Critical to Fortescue’s Push to Real Zero
Mining and clean‑energy giant Fortescue is leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate its decarbonisation agenda, deploying over 200 autonomous haul trucks and using AI to manage a 500 km renewable grid. AI simulations recently produced 2,650 scenarios to inform a six‑year green‑steel...
Upcoming Oil Talk on Al Jazeera at 11:30 Qatar
Looking forward to discussing oil with Al Jazeera shortly. 11.30 am Qatar time/ 4.30 pm SGT.
China Advances Power of Siberia 2 and Far‑East Gas Pipeline
March 5 (Reuters) - China will push forward early-stage work on the Power of Siberia 2 project, while building the China-Russia Far East natural gas pipeline under its 2026-2030 five-year plan, which was released on Thursday.
Special Episode: How to Close Down Oil and Gas
The Energy Insiders podcast released a special episode featuring Francis Norman, head of the Centre of Decommissioning Australia, who outlines the complex process of shutting down and removing oil and gas wells. He highlights the technical, regulatory, and financial challenges...
Hormuz Closure Threat Spurs Oil Price Surge
Same. I wrote about this past few days for clients because too many are complacent: Hormuz Heightens Risk & My Crude Oil Price Target https://t.co/jNvbWvy4Rt
Jyoti Structures Commissions 400 kV Line for ReNew Power in Karnataka
Jyoti Structures Limited has commissioned a 400 kV twin HTLS transmission line linking Gadag and Koppal power stations in Karnataka for ReNew Power. The 100‑km line traverses challenging terrain and black cotton soil, completed on a Build‑Own‑Operate‑Maintain (BOOM) basis. It enables...
State Proposes Go-Betweens to Lead Negotiations on Community Benefits From Renewables
Western Australia has unveiled community benefits guidelines that create a fund‑custodian role to negotiate payments with renewable developers and implement locally‑chosen projects. An independent organisation will help councils decide on a single benefit plan, after which the custodian negotiates rates....
State-Backed Wind Farm Gets Federal Green Light, with Long List of Conditions
The federal environment minister has approved SynergyRed’s 100 MW Scott River wind farm in Western Australia, subject to five stringent conditions under the EPBC Act. The project will install 20 turbines up to 250 m tall, disturbing 107 ha of land but clearing...
Ethanol Production Profits in 2025
U.S. ethanol producers posted a sixth consecutive year of profitability in 2025, with a representative Iowa dry‑mill plant earning an average of $0.21 per gallon. Net nominal profit reached $23.2 million, well above the long‑run average. The rise was driven by...
Solo Market Update Highlights Thacker Pass Visit Insights
The latest episode is a solo market update including comments on my visit to Thacker Pass https://t.co/qWVTLZDIai
Oil Products Feel Knock-On Impacts as Hormuz Closure Holds
Oil markets are grappling with heightened volatility as the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one‑fifth of global oil passes—remains effectively shut. The closure is forcing traders to reassess supply‑demand balances for refined products, especially diesel and gasoline, which are seeing...
No EU Energy Security Concerns For Now, But Long-Term Risks Rise
European gas prices surged 70 % in a single week as the Middle East conflict intensified, coinciding with historically low storage levels. Despite the spike, EU officials assert there is no immediate risk to gas or oil supplies, citing existing contracts...
Codific Highlights Five Key Cyber Risks to Power Grids
Codific’s new analysis outlines five recurring cyber‑attack pathways that threaten power‑grid operations, from spear‑phishing and credential theft to remote‑access exploitation, ransomware, and the misuse of legitimate industrial commands. The report stresses that most disruptive incidents follow familiar patterns rather than...
As New York Energy Costs Surge, Attention Turns to Landmark Climate Law
New York’s electricity bills have surged past $400 per month for many residents, reigniting debate over the state’s 2019 climate law. Governor Kathy Hochul is weighing revisions that could affect the law’s aggressive renewable targets amid concerns the mandates may...
The US Is Unlikely to Curtail China’s Critical Minerals Dominance
The United States convened a critical‑minerals summit to curb China’s overwhelming role in battery and electric‑vehicle supply chains, but China still controls over 80 percent of global lithium‑ion battery production and 90 percent of grid‑scale storage. Washington has taken minority stakes in...
Oil Companies Reject Trump Administration's Alaska Offshore Auction
The Trump administration auctioned more than 400,000 acres in Alaska's Cook Inlet, yet no oil or gas companies submitted bids. The sale was part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which obliges six offshore auctions through 2032 to boost...
Back to Normal? For How Long?
The latest Energy Information Administration data show U.S. crude inventories increasing by 3.2 million barrels in March, while exports rose to 5.1 million barrels, approaching record levels. Imports declined by 1.8 million barrels, indicating stronger domestic demand. Refinery utilization climbed...
Baltimore Utility Sidelines Underground Transmission Line Project
Baltimore Gas & Electric has temporarily paused its underground transmission line project in downtown Baltimore after cost estimates ballooned from $109 million to over $400 million, with some analysts projecting total expenses above $500 million. The initiative, intended to link an expanded substation...
Alabama Power Installs Tesla Megapacks at Former Coal Plant Site for State’s First BESS Project
Alabama Power has installed Tesla Megapacks at the former Plant Scherer coal site, creating Alabama’s first utility‑scale battery energy storage system (BESS). The 100‑MW/400‑MWh installation marks a major step in repurposing retired fossil‑fuel assets for clean‑energy resilience. At the same...
Crude Volatile as Hormuz Risks Increase
Oil markets remain volatile as the fifth day of the US‑Iran conflict curtails traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil. West Texas Intermediate steadied just under $75 a barrel while Brent hovered around...
Why Data Center Firms Are Working With Trump on Energy Costs
The White House, led by former President Donald Trump, convened executives from Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and other AI‑focused firms to address rising electricity costs tied to new data centers. The companies signed a voluntary "ratepayer protection pledge" committing to...
Coal: Unexpected Hedge for AI Boom and Economic Rebound
I know it's only March but if you know anyone in your family is going to be on the naughty list you may want to consider hedging your future coal purchases with a long $COAL position. You're competing against the...
Solar Returns to Weekly Pivot, Potential Radiant Move
Solar back at the weekly pivot. If it holds, this setup could radiate. $TAN https://t.co/9PZcJohfMc
Solar Electricity Cost, Not Panel Price, Drives Value
This. It is the cost of solar electrons that matter, not the cost of solar panels. And those two costs do not always move in the same direction. Innovation needed (and coming) on form factor, system design and automation.
Tanker Stocks Matter, Broader Economy Stays Unaffected
Yes. If you own tanker stocks it is. Not so much for the rest of the economy.
President Calls Out Big Tech's PR Crisis
In case you're not watching today's press conference on the "ratepayer protection pledge," the President said this is why they've convened today: