Today's Energy Pulse
Oil prices tumble over 5% after Rubio backs Iran talks
Crude prices dropped more than 5% following Senator Marco Rubio's comment that the United States will give Iran every chance to succeed in negotiations. The slide pushed WTI below $89 a barrel as markets priced in renewed hopes for a diplomatic deal.
Also developing:
House E15 Council Eyes More US Biofuel Quota Waivers
The House Republican‑led E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council has revised its biofuel exemption plan, raising the annual cap from 450 million to 550 million Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits. The proposal also authorizes year‑round sales of 15% ethanol gasoline (E15) and expands exemption eligibility to smaller refineries processing under 10,000 b/d. While immediate changes focus on E15 sales, the larger exemption adjustments are slated to begin in 2028, aiming to balance refinery cost concerns with farm‑group demand for ethanol. The council hopes the tweaks will bring predictability to the biofuel quota system before Congress acts.
CAISO Hits >100% Renewable, Gas Share Drops Sharply
27th of 49 days in 2026 with >100% WindWaterSolar on the @CaliforniaISO grid. Gas own 54% in vs 2024 and 56% vs 2023 Batteries up 54% vs 2024 and 301% vs 2023 PV up 38% vs 2024 and 56% vs 2023 PV+Batteries displacing gas Imports...
Long-Awaited Reports Outline Problems with Palisades Infrastructure
Los Angeles hired AECOM for three $5 million reports that map a $1 billion, 2024‑2033 recovery strategy for Pacific Palisades after the deadly 2025 fire. The studies expose pervasive fire‑code violations, narrow streets and evacuation bottlenecks, and call for aggressive brush‑clearance, water‑system...
Solar and Wind Aren't Cost‑competitive; They Add to Power Costs
We often hear the claim that intermittent solar and wind are cost-competitive with reliable sources of electricity. This is an accounting fraud. The cost of solar and wind is paid on top of the cost of an on-demand power source, not instead...
Kazakhstan Thermal Coal Production Falls in Jan
Kazakhstan’s thermal coal production slipped 1.7% YoY to 9.92 million tonnes in January, while total coal output fell 0.7% to 10.31 million tonnes. Despite the dip, the government is rolling out a national project to add about 7.6 GW of coal‑fired capacity by...
Spanish Spot to Deliver Well Below Feb Expectations
The Spanish electricity spot index plunged to an average €12.66/MWh for 1‑20 February, far below the €50.55/MWh forward contract and last year’s €116.88/MWh level. Wind generation surged 123% year‑on‑year to 11.2 GW, while gas‑fired output fell 25% to 3.6 GW, driving the price...
When Air Gaps Are Not Enough—Managing File and Media Risk in Nuclear Facilities
Urenco, a global uranium enrichment firm, faced fragmented, manual controls for removable media and file transfers across its air‑gapped nuclear facilities. To achieve consistent security, it deployed OPSWAT’s MetaDefender platform, routing all devices through centralized, zero‑trust inspection checkpoints. The solution...
Energy Ministers Fail to Agree on Climate Goals as US Drives Wedge
Energy ministers at the International Energy Agency meeting failed to produce a joint climate‑change communiqué, as U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright aggressively challenged the agency’s net‑zero agenda. European ministers, led by the UK, France and Spain, reaffirmed the importance of...
Think Lighting Audits Are Just About Energy Savings? Think Again
A lighting audit does more than cut electricity bills; it uncovers hidden operational risks and opportunities. By pinpointing fixtures that are near failure, audits help schedule replacements during planned shutdowns, avoiding costly unplanned downtime. They also improve worker safety, health,...
How Texas Turned a Grid Failure Into a Public Bailout
The episode examines Texas’s 2021 Winter Storm Uri, which knocked out half of ERCOT’s capacity and caused massive blackouts. While the market design intended to let extreme events impose financial penalties on generators that failed to hedge, regulators intervened—forcing a...
Temnycky in Forbes on Europe’s Move to Phase Out Russian LNG in 2026
Mark Temnycky, a non‑resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, wrote in Forbes that the European Union will fully phase out Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2026. The move is framed as a step toward greater energy...
Discussions for India's Full Membership of IEA Underway
The International Energy Agency has opened formal discussions to grant India full membership, building on its associate status since 2017 and a 2023 request. Ministers from IEA member states agreed in February 2024 to start talks, signaling a push to...
SolarPower Europe’s New Hybrid Solar + BESS Due Diligence Reports Seek to Ensure ‘Long-Term Technical Excellence’
SolarPower Europe unveiled two technical due‑diligence reports aimed at utility‑scale hybrid solar‑PV and battery energy storage projects. The “Technical Due Diligence Best Practice Guidelines” and the third‑edition EPC Best‑Practice Guidelines provide a lifecycle framework covering planning, construction, operation and decommissioning,...
Namibia’s Strategic Ascent in the Global Uranium Supply Chain
The episode outlines Namibia’s rise to become the world’s third‑largest uranium producer, delivering 7,333 tonnes in 2024 and targeting 8,000‑9,000 tonnes in 2025. It highlights the country’s three flagship mines—Husab, Rössing, and the revived Langer Heinrich—along with their robust infrastructure,...
Luminus Leverages APC Partnership to Enhance Energy-Efficient LED Lighting Solutions
Luminus Devices and APC Electronics have formed an exclusive partnership that couples Luminus’s high‑brightness LED modules with APC‑E’s silicon‑carbide (SiC) power semiconductors. The integration promises up to 15% efficiency improvement in high‑power luminaires and a 50% reduction in power‑supply size...
Sudamala Resorts Elevates Sustainable Tourism with Solar Power Integration & Coral Reef Restoration Programs
Sudamala Resorts has installed a 300 kW solar system at its Seraya location, now covering 80‑85 % of the resort’s electricity needs. The array, featuring 480 panels and a 770 kWh battery, generates roughly 410,000 kWh of clean energy annually, cutting diesel use and...
FlexGen Announces HybridOS Energy Management System
FlexGen Power Systems unveiled HybridOS version 13, a hardware‑agnostic energy management system that unifies battery storage and solar assets under a single interface. The upgrade adds real‑time and historical data APIs, a fleet‑view mobile app, predictive diagnostics, and enhanced battery‑management functions...
Iran's Infrastructure Attacks Raise Oil Risk Beyond Market Assumptions
Truth from @ClydeCommods 👇 The Iran risk premium assumes a deal or a contained strike that leaves flows intact What if Iran stops playing by the “keep oil flowing” rule & targets infrastructure to force political outcomes? That tail risk is higher than...
Solar Power Unreliable Even in Sun‑Rich Regions
No matter how sunny a region it is deployed in, solar is not a reliable source of power. Even in sun-drenched Arizona, a series of three low-pressure systems wiped out most of the state's solar energy for 6 days in January...
Energy Storage Group Emtel Energy USA Rebrands as Syntropic Power
Energy storage specialist Emtel Energy USA has rebranded as Syntropic Power and introduced three stationary‑storage product lines—GridSurge, GridSpan and Tenet. The systems employ sodium‑ion batteries that have passed UL 9540A fire‑safety testing and are undergoing third‑party validation at Rochester Institute of...
Solar Plus Storage: A Viable Global Power Solution
"Solar and batteries can power the world" Tom Brown is mostly on BlueSky these days but this is a great blogpost so I'm sharing it here too. https://t.co/KU6aqsHfEZ https://t.co/1pVWCGUOKs
Building Resilient Electricity Systems for Future Threats
Impactful discussion with 🇳🇱 @MinisterKGG, 🇬🇧 @Ed_Miliband, 🇦🇺 Stephen Jones, 🇪🇸 Sara Aagesen Muñoz & other leading figures on what is needed to ensure electricity systems can cope with the growing range of threats they are facing, both old and...
Brazos Starts Up New Gas Processing Plant in Midland Basin
Brazos Midstream commissioned its largest cryogenic plant, Sundance II, adding 300 MMcfd of processing capacity in the Midland Basin and joining the 200 MMcfd Sundance I that began operations in 2024. The company also broke ground on Cassidy I, another 300 MMcfd cryogenic facility in Glasscock...
Silicon Valley's Private Shadow Grid Faces Skepticism
Silicon Valley’s energy appetite is so insatiable that it is now trying to build a colossal shadow power grid for itself nationwide. But will it work? Said @JigarShahDC : “This whole thing feels like a fairy tale concocted on...
Leaders Chart Immediate and Future Solutions for Ukraine's Energy Security
Important discussions with 🇳🇱 @MinisterKGG, 🇺🇦 @Denys_Shmyhal, 🇱🇹 Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, 🇵🇱 @motykamilosz & others on Ukraine’s energy security Ukraine’s energy system is facing major challenges, but steps can be taken now to meet urgent power needs while preparing for the future...
Sweden Faces Slump in Wind Investment
Sweden’s wind sector recorded zero turbine orders in Q4 2025, marking the lowest investment pace in modern times. Green Power Sweden warns that the slowdown threatens the country’s self‑sufficiency, energy security, and ability to meet climate targets. The association attributes the...
Iran Strike Could Spike Oil Above $90, Duration Key
Iran risk is unpriceable, writes Rabobank's Joe DeLaura. No strike and oil fades to the low $60s. A strike and $90+ is immediate. What matters isn’t the spike, it’s how long the disruption lasts. #OilMarkets #Iran #Hormuz #Geopolitics #EnergySecurity https://t.co/L6wTlG3QZf
Venezuela's Oil Revival Is Overhyped, Still Decayed
Venezuela’s oil “revival” is being wildly oversold. It’s a salvage operation. Rusted pipes, polluted lakes, broken upgraders, and legal risk everywhere. You can’t fix 20 years of decay with a few rigs & a pep talk. https://t.co/tmf2KANGJr #OilMarkets #Venezuela #EnergyReality #Sanctions #crudeoil
Centrica Earnings: In Line With Expectations, Share Buyback Pause Disappoints
Centrica reported a 41% plunge in 2025 earnings per share to GBX 11, matching FactSet consensus. After completing a £2 billion share‑buyback programme, the company announced a pause to the scheme. Soft 2026 guidance, driven by weaker gas and power trading, pushed...
EVE Energy Drives Technological Leap in Large-Scale Storage: EVE Energy Launches World’s First Storage System with 628Ah Large Battery Cells...
Chinese battery maker EVE Energy commissioned the world’s first storage system built around its new 628 Ah ultra‑large lithium‑iron‑phosphate cells. The 200 MW, 400 MWh facility, comprising 80 five‑megawatt DC modules, demonstrates the technology at grid scale and marks a shift from research...
Orsted’s Hornsea Chief Describes 'Juggling Act' After Monopile Deal Collapse
Orsted’s Hornsea 3 chief announced the collapse of a major monopile contract, forcing the 2.9 GW offshore wind project to pause its foundation procurement. The decision highlights the difficulty of securing large‑scale steel structures for the UK’s expanding offshore wind fleet....
Trump Wants US Energy Dominance. Global Markets May Not Agree
President Trump’s energy dominance agenda has boosted US fossil fuel output, with oil production reaching record levels and LNG exports rising over 20 percent. The administration has kept five coal‑fired plants operating through regulatory rollbacks and secured Pentagon contracts, while...
Without Transparent Energy Planning, the Lights Could Go Out
Open Energy Transition (OET) advocates replacing black‑box energy‑system models with open, transparent tools such as PyPSA‑Eur. A recent German study, conducted with Form Energy, used granular multi‑year climate data to assess multi‑day storage (MDS) needs for a near‑100 % clean grid...
USA Says VEN Oil Output Can Climb 30-40 Pct This Year
The Trump administration has issued new licenses permitting several Western oil companies to operate in Venezuela, potentially boosting the country's output by 30‑40 percent—roughly 300,000 to 400,000 barrels per day—this year. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the increase would represent...
Is Trump Jeopardizing Nonproliferation Efforts to Get A Nuclear Cooperation Deal with Saudi Arabia? A Report To Congress Suggests He...
The Trump administration announced a U.S.–Saudi nuclear cooperation framework in November 2025, but a newly obtained report to Congress reveals the draft 123 agreement omits key non‑proliferation safeguards. The proposal would permit Saudi Arabia to pursue a limited uranium enrichment...
China State Shipbuilding Corporation Launches a Large-Scale Rotor Sail
China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) subsidiary Sunrui Environment and Sunrui Composites have launched a 5‑metre‑diameter, 35‑metre‑tall rotor sail at Dalian, touted as the world’s largest. The sail uses the Magnus effect to convert wind into thrust, offering lightweight, high‑efficiency propulsion...
Equinor Halts Dutch CCS-H2 Plans, Belgian Site Still On
Equinor has scrapped its Dutch H2M Eemshaven CCS‑hydrogen project, citing policy uncertainty and insufficient funding, while the Belgian H2BE plant remains on schedule. Both plants were designed to produce 210,000 t/yr of low‑carbon hydrogen using autothermal reforming and each received roughly €160 million...
EIA Lowers USA Gasoline Price Forecasts
The U.S. Energy Information Administration trimmed its gasoline price outlook, now projecting an average of $2.91 per gallon in 2026 and $2.93 in 2027, down slightly from the January forecast of $2.92 and $2.95. The agency’s short‑term energy outlook still...
Future Power Electronics Will Eliminate Legacy Equipment
Listen up! Incredibly fun conversation with my friend @baglino of @heronpower on power electronics, from a history lesson to a tour of all the things we'll soon be able to delete in solar, BESS and data center power equipment https://t.co/Zm2MVanCS0
IEA and Thailand Launch Joint Energy Cooperation Programme
A great pleasure to meet with Thai Permanent Secretary Prasert Sinsukpraset at the #IEAMinisterial We signed a new joint work programme to further strengthen IEA-🇹🇭 cooperation across key areas, including power systems, energy technologies, energy efficiency & more. https://t.co/g4zRIVstEo
Trump Says Iran Has ‘Probably 10 Days’ to Reach Nuclear Deal
President Donald Trump warned Iran it has roughly ten days to reach a "meaningful" nuclear agreement, hinting that "bad things" could follow. He said negotiations were progressing but insisted Tehran must abandon enrichment and missile programs. The warning coincides with...
PWR Posts EPS Beat, Backlog Hits All‑Time High
$PWR: more evidence of the DC+Grid+Power theme - EPS beat/raise with Year-End Remaining Performance Obligations of $23.76B and Total Backlog of $43.98B. Year-End Electric Infrastructure Solutions Segment RPO and Total Backlog Reach All-Time Highs.
Weaponizing Tariffs Invites Expectations to Weaponize Energy
This is what happens when you weaponize tariffs and international alliances: people will assume you would also weaponize energy exports.
Russia Warns of Escalation as US-Iran Tensions Intensify
Russia warned of an unprecedented escalation around Iran as the United States completes a military buildup slated for mid‑March. A Russian corvette joined Iranian naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, underscoring Moscow’s support amid heightened US‑Iran tensions. Negotiations over...
Shell Spins the Drill Bit with Stena Drillship in Egyptian Waters
Shell has launched a multi‑well offshore drilling campaign off Egypt using Stena Drilling’s sixth‑generation IceMax drillship. The first wells, Mina West development followed by Sirius and Velox exploration, are located in the Northeast El Amriya concession where Shell holds a...
Martin Midstream Partners' Annual Loss Deepens
Martin Midstream Partners reported a $14.7 million net loss for 2025, widening from a $5.2 million loss in 2024. The loss was driven primarily by $57.8 million in interest expense and higher SG&A costs, while adjusted EBITDA fell to $99 million for the year....
Viridi Replaces New York Municipal Diesel Generator with Battery
Viridi installed a 150‑kWh battery energy storage system at Erie County Sewer District No. 2 in Hamburg, New York, replacing a diesel backup generator. The BESS provides 32‑90 hours of power depending on pump demand, eliminating fuel use and cutting emissions. Real‑time...
IEA Chief Stalls Net‑zero Commitment for Next Outlook
👀IEA head Fatih Birol, in press conference after ministerial meeting, does not commit to keeping the "net zero" scenario in the next flagship World Energy Outlook. Notes the last WEO just came out a few months ago, haven't considered the...
World Briefs | Nigeria’s Tinubu and Germany’s Merz Talk Security, Power Deal in Phone Call
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed reviving a stalled electricity transmission project with Siemens and the purchase of used German helicopters, highlighting deeper security and power cooperation. France’s audit office warned that the country must shift...
Neste & World Fuel Services to Expand Availability of SAF
Neste and World Fuel Services have signed a five‑year extension to broaden the supply of Neste‑produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across more than 100 airports in the UK and Europe. The agreement aligns World Fuel’s extensive distribution network with Neste’s...