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:
Mitsubishi Delivers First Ammonia Fuel Supply Systems for Marine Use
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has shipped the first ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) and ammonia gas abatement system (AGAS) for Japan Engine Corporation’s inaugural ammonia‑fueled marine engine, model 7UEC50LSJA‑HPSCR. The AFSS delivers ammonia to the engine safely and steadily, while the AGAS captures surplus ammonia generated during fuel switching to conventional oil. Both units feature remote operation and automatic control through an integrated control platform. Mitsubishi says the early market rollout will enable onboard verification of the engine and speed maritime decarbonisation.
Australia’s Biggest Renewable Grid “Stress Test” Facility Gets a $3 Million Upgrade
Australia’s CSIRO Renewable Energy Integration Facility (REIF) received a $3 million federal upgrade, doubling its power‑testing capacity. The enhanced lab now emulates microgrids, grid faults, and vehicle‑to‑grid scenarios, allowing realistic stress‑tests of solar, battery, wind and EV technologies. Operated from Newcastle,...
‘Garbage in, Garbage Out’ – Solar Industry Debates Reality of AI
The Solar Quality Summit in Barcelona highlighted AI’s ability to accelerate photovoltaic project planning, construction, and operations, but stressed that its value hinges on high‑quality data. Attendees warned that “garbage in, garbage out” can magnify mistakes, making validation and human...
ET Fuels Secures Bunkering Buyer for Texas E-Methanol
Irish developer ET Fuels has signed a binding long‑term offtake agreement with UK shipping firm RFOcean to supply e‑methanol at a fixed price starting in 2030. The fuel will be produced at ET Fuels’ advanced Rattlesnake Gap plant in Texas,...
Solar Firm Told to Refund ₹8.1 Lakh for Failed Panel Installation
The Karnataka District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered a solar‑panel distributor to refund ₹8.1 lakh and pay ₹35,000 for mental anguish after a rooftop system, promised to generate 40 units daily, failed shortly after installation. The ruling highlights inadequate after‑sales support...
How Full Is the USA Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve sits at 415.4 million barrels, roughly 58.2% of its 714 million‑barrel authorized capacity, according to the EIA’s February 13 report. This marks a 5.1% rise over the same week last year and a 15.6% increase from 2024, reflecting...
Weidmuller Releases New PV Connector Series for 1,500-V Systems
Weidmuller USA introduced the WM4 C PV connector series, engineered for advanced solar installations up to 1,500 V. The UL‑ and CSA‑approved connectors feature robust crimp contacts for 4 mm² and 6 mm² (12 AWG/10 AWG) conductors and are rated IP67 for harsh environments. An anti‑tampering...
‘No Project Above 100MW Is Fully Merchant’: Bankability in Focus as Energy Storage Summit 2026 Kicks Off
The opening panel at the Energy Storage Summit 2026 focused on making large‑scale battery energy storage systems bankable. Speakers highlighted that roughly 80% of UK BESS capacity is underwritten by tolls or floor contracts, and no project above 100 MW operates fully...
Energy Control Will Dictate AI Power and Competition
$12B FOR AI. BUT WHO OWNS THE SWITCH? This week, Amazon committed $12 billion to AI data centers in Louisiana, part of what could reach $200 billion in capital expenditures this year. I’ve been studying automation and AI for decades. What strikes...
UrbanChain Adds Centrica Wind to Market
UrbanChain has integrated Centrica Energy’s 26.5 GWh per year on‑shore wind asset in Cambridgeshire into its renewable trading platform, embedding the supply within its operating layer to match generation with local demand in real time. The partnership aims to deliver fully...
Exclusive: Newtrace to Raise Pre Series A Funding Led by HDFC Bank
Climate‑tech startup Newtrace announced a Rs 28 crore pre‑Series A round, led by HDFC Bank with participation from Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and existing backers. The funding, issued via 2,541 convertible preference shares, keeps the post‑money valuation flat at Rs 237 crore ($26 million). Proceeds will fund product...
Sodium-Ion Batteries Key to EU Competitive Edge, Says EESC President
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is pushing sodium‑ion batteries to the forefront of the EU’s industrial strategy, urging the next 2028‑2034 Multi‑Annual Financial Framework to allocate dedicated funding. EESC President Séamus Boland argues that sodium‑ion technology offers a...
Dominion Reports Marginal Increase in Data Center Pipeline
Dominion Energy announced that its contracted data‑center capacity now exceeds 48 GW, a three‑percent increase since September. The utility lifted its five‑year capital‑investment outlook by 30% to $65 billion, with over 90% earmarked for Virginia to meet accelerating data‑center load. A new...
Tanker Rates Hit Three-Year High Amid US‑Iran Tensions
TANKER RATES for chartering vessels to carry crude (or other dirty products such as fuel oil) have surged to the highest for more than three years as the United States and Iran edge towards war. The Baltic Exchange dirty tanker...
CCEA Enhances Equity Investment Limit for Powergrid Subsidiaries to ₹7,500 Crore
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved raising Powergrid's equity investment ceiling from ₹5,000 crore to ₹7,500 crore per subsidiary, while keeping the 15 percent net‑worth cap. The change enables the Maharatna CPSE to fund larger transmission projects, including UHVAC and HVDC corridors,...
Slovakia Halts Emergency Electricity Supplies to Ukraine over Russian Oil Dispute
Slovakia announced it will halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine until Kyiv restores Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline. The move follows a dispute over the pipeline’s shutdown after a Russian drone strike and accusations that Ukraine is delaying...
EVs Likely to Lose Zero-Emission Tag Under CAFE III
India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency is set to revise CAFE‑III rules, removing the zero‑emission label for electric cars and requiring manufacturers to account for electricity consumption in fuel‑efficiency calculations. The proposal converts kWh per 100 km into a petrol‑equivalent metric, aiming...
New Cross-Border U.S. Pipeline Proposal Could Revive Idle Keystone XL Assets: Analysts
A private U.S. firm, Bridger Pipeline LLC, has filed a proposal for a 550,000‑barrel‑per‑day pipeline that would run from the Canada‑U.S. border in Montana to a hub in Guernsey, Wyoming. Analysts believe the route is designed to tap the partially...
Brazil Cuts Bitcoin Miner Import Duty to Zero and Companies May Plug Them Into Stranded Solar Next
Brazil's foreign trade council approved a resolution that eliminates import duties on high‑efficiency SHA256 Bitcoin miners—those above 200 TH/s and under 20 J/TH—effective through January 2028. Three days later, French utility Engie signaled interest in installing such miners at its 895 MW Assu...
Wide Boundary News: Biodiversity Depletion, Iran & the Strait of Hormuz, and the Green Wedge
In the latest Wide Boundary News episode, Nate Hagens connects the EU’s surge toward a 50 % renewable electricity mix and flattening CO₂ emissions with rising electricity prices that are spurring German industrial decline and chemical‑sector exits. He highlights China’s record...
Environmental, Community Groups to Challenge Regulators’ Approval of Dominion’s Gas Plant
Three climate‑justice nonprofits have filed a Virginia Supreme Court notice to appeal the State Corporation Commission’s approval of Dominion Energy’s $1.47 billion, 944‑megawatt Chesterfield natural‑gas plant. The appeal, filed through the Southern Environmental Law Center, invokes the Virginia Environmental Justice Act...
Minutes vs Megawatt-Hours: What Changes when Weather Forecasting Becomes a Form of Infrastructure?
The article argues that in solar‑heavy power systems, weather forecasting has evolved from a niche service into a core piece of grid infrastructure. Five‑minute market settlements expose how minutes, not just megawatt‑hours, dictate price volatility and system stability. Fast, accurate...
When Hail Hits PV: New Research Maps Damage, Testing, and Mitigation
A new European‑led review maps how large hail damages photovoltaic (PV) modules, summarising laboratory tests, simulations and field studies across Europe and the United States. The paper cites 9,882 hail events in Europe in 2023, a €6 billion loss in northern...
ABB Picks Corvus Energy Battery Systems for New US Ferries
ABB Marine & Ports, acting as the propulsion single‑source vendor for Washington State Ferries, has selected Corvus Energy’s Dolphin NxtGen battery systems for two new hybrid ferries. The 1,500‑passenger vessels, built by Eastern Shipbuilding and slated for delivery in 2030‑31,...
Alliance From Hamburg Sounds The Alarm: Reiche’s Grid Package Harms Germany As A Business Location And Threatens The Expansion Of...
More than 20 Hamburg‑based energy firms have urged the CDU to reject Federal Minister Katherina Reiche’s draft “grid package.” The proposal would end compensation for curtailed renewable installations and impose special rules on roughly 900 distribution‑grid operators, raising costs and...
8Energies, Enspired and Goldbeck Solar Present White Paper: How Storage Solutions Increase the Profitability of Solar Parks
A joint white paper by 8Energies, Enspired and Goldbeck Solar proposes co‑locating battery energy storage systems with photovoltaic parks to counter falling solar revenues. The paper shows that shared‑grid “cable pooling” can raise the internal rate of return by up...
Trina Storage Sets Benchmarks in the Battery Storage Market: Company Reaches 6 GWh in Europe and Strengthens Market Position with...
Trina Storage announced that its cumulative battery energy storage system (BESS) volume in Europe has reached 6 GWh, covering more than 65 large‑scale projects across 12 countries since December 2020. Flagship installations include sites in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Greece,...
British Nuclear Power Plant Hinkley Point C Faces Further Delays and Rising Costs - Nuclear Power Costs at Least 15...
EDF announced that the first unit of Hinkley Point C will now start operating in 2030, pushing the construction timeline to at least 13 years. Total project costs have risen to roughly £48 billion (about €55 billion), up from the original estimate. The...
RES Australia Joint Venture Bags EPBC Act Approval for 3.6GWh Solar-Plus-Storage Project in Queensland
Wooderson Solar Development Co has secured federal EPBC Act approval for a 450 MW solar photovoltaic plant paired with 3,600 MWh of co‑located battery storage in Queensland. The project, a joint venture between RES Australia and Energy Estate, was classified as “not...
Dalkia Picked for M&E at British Museum Energy Centre
The British Museum has appointed Dalkia to design, install and commission the mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems for a new energy centre that will replace its gas‑fired boilers with an all‑electric solution. The programme, valued at £33 million, incorporates a 5.1 MW...
Tewke Secures £1.5M to Scale AI-Powered Home Energy Platform
London‑based Tewke closed a £1.5 million second‑stage round, backed by JamJar, Cur8, Energy Mix Ventures, Project Ventures and Revolut CTO Vlad Yatsenko. The company’s Tap device, engineered in the UK, retrofits without a neutral wire and can be installed in minutes,...
Nike Sources 100% Clean Electricity for Japan Operations
Nike Japan has secured a virtual power purchase agreement with Mitsui & Co. that delivers renewable energy certificates from 16 domestic solar farms, covering 100 % of the retailer’s electricity consumption across stores, distribution centers, and offices. The deal incorporates 3 MW...
Unraveling Interband Hot‐Electron Transfer in Hydrogenated Au@Cu2O/TiO2 Heterostructure Nanocrystals for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution
Researchers have engineered a hydrogenated Au@Cu2O/TiO2 nanocrystal featuring a core‑shell architecture and a Z‑scheme heterojunction that enables efficient interband hot‑electron transfer. The plasmonic Au core injects electrons into the Cu2O shell, while the TiO2 partner suppresses recombination, delivering a hydrogen...
Mn‐Doped Nickel Telluride Dirac Semimetals with Engineered Dirac Cones for Accelerated Energy Conversion: Synergistic Electron Transfer and Adsorption Optimization
Researchers synthesized Mn‑doped NiTe2 Dirac semimetals via a one‑step hydrothermal method, discovering that a 5% Mn substitution dramatically reshapes the Dirac cone and boosts Fermi velocity. The doping also raises the density of states near the Fermi level, accelerating interfacial...
Covalent Functionalization of NiFe Layered Double Hydroxides Using Tris(Hydroxymethyl)Aminomethane
Researchers have covalently attached tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) to nickel‑iron layered double hydroxides (NiFe‑LDH), creating a more ordered crystal structure and enabling high‑temperature hydrothermal synthesis. The TRIS‑functionalized material forms stable, water‑based inks that allow binder‑free electrode fabrication. These electrodes deliver higher oxygen...
Valleys Football Club Could Become First to Power Its Ground with Water
Cambrian United, a South Wales football club, is proposing to install a micro‑hydro system that would generate electricity for its floodlights using water from the Nant Clydach. The initiative, backed by the Cambrian Village Trust, follows a pilot that slashed...
Salt on the Road: CATL’s Naxtra Battery Leaves the Lab – a Challenge to LFP and the Cold?
CATL and Changan have launched the first production vehicle equipped with the Naxtra sodium‑ion battery, delivering 175 Wh kg⁻¹ and a claimed 400 km range. The cell retains more than 90% of its capacity at –40 °C, vastly outperforming conventional LFP packs in sub‑zero...
EU Fleets Law Could Provide Over Half the EV Sales Carmakers Need in 2030 — New Research
Transport & Environment research finds that an EU fleet‑electrification law could provide 57 % of the electric‑vehicle sales carmakers need to meet their 2030 CO₂ targets, but only if the Commission raises the proposed targets. The current draft sets an average 45 % EV...
New Battery Made “Exclusively” For Homes Launches Onto Red-Hot Australian Market
Energy‑LIB, a China‑based firm, has launched the LIB HomeStack battery and inverter in Australia, positioning it as the first system built exclusively for residential use. The stackable units come in 16 kWh, 32 kWh and 48 kWh capacities, operate at under 25 decibels and...
U.S. Plant Retirements Clash With Surging Power Demand
The U.S. plans to retire ~11 GW of power plants in 2026, mostly coal & aging gas Don’t count on it. Power demand is surging faster than new generation can be brought into the grid. Renewables aren't fit for purpose except at the...
Blizzard Blackout Leaves Over 500,000 Homes Dark
Blizzard Blackout Hits More Than Half a Million Homes #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/ZW2z42zXZC https://t.co/OjDd9rCw4f
Local Developer Pitches Gigawatt-Hour Big Battery to Help Perth Quit Coal
Western Australian developer RE Developments has lodged a $500 million proposal for a 250 MW/1 GWh battery at Baldavis, south of Perth. The project is one of 18 storage installations planned along the 330 kV transmission corridor linking Collie’s energy hub to the city. It...
Enphase Launches Updated Control Software for IQ8, IQ9
Enphase releases new control software for its IQ8, IQ9 microinverters #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/o1N5C7Pn4z
Rwanda Launches Integrated Clean Cooking Plan for Energy Access
#Rwanda continues to make strong progress on #energyaccess and @SEforALLorg together with @RwandaGov & partners has developed a comprehensive National Integrated Clean Cooking Plan (NICCP) that looks at how 🇷🇼 can integrate various #cleancooking options. https://t.co/gAdXWpL6Ci https://t.co/aRMcj3mgvg
Energy Policy Now Industrial, Geopolitical; Focus on Competitiveness
Denmark is a poster child of the energy transition. Yesterday I gave a keynote at Green Summit 2026. One message stood out: energy policy is industrial policy & increasingly geopolitics. The next phase isn’t about targets, but competitiveness, resilience & execution at...
China’s Top Solar Firms Slash One‑third Staff Amid Losses
1/7 Reuters: "China's biggest solar firms shed nearly one-third of their workforces last year, company filings show, as one of the industries hand-picked by Beijing to drive economic growth grapples with falling prices and steep losses." https://t.co/BDS9UWJaXO
Electric Fleets Win on Cost per Mile, Outpacing Personal EVs
Commercial electric vehicles will take over faster than personal vehicles. Fleets care about cost per mile. And electric drive trains already win there.
Bloomberg's Oil Glut Narrative Shows They're Six Months Late
Bloomberg is still arguing “oil glut” & saying the correlation between geopolitics in the Middle East & oil prices is "broken" How can @bbgoriginals be 6 months behind the curve & still be in the news business? #Oil #EnergyMarkets #Geopolitics #Commodities...
Shadow Oil Fleet Stressed, Sanctions Spur Higher Prices
The shadow oil fleet isn’t gone — it’s under stress Seizures raise costs & strand barrels, but doing more against Russian & Iranian flows means higher oil prices & inflation https://t.co/P5EDN7PrRY #Oil #Sanctions #EnergySecurity #Russia #Iran #Geopolitics
Power Purchase Agreements Navigate an Ever‑Changing Energy Market
An ever-changing market: Delving into the heart of power purchase agreements #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/mTFwu6yRc9 https://t.co/GK6zgGrCNT