Today's Energy Pulse
Scania pilots megawatt‑scale V2G for heavy‑duty electric trucks
Scania demonstrated one of the first vehicle‑to‑grid systems for heavy‑duty electric trucks using the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). The pilot showed bi‑directional power flow, allowing trucks parked at depots to feed electricity back to the grid, with real‑time communication between the truck, charger and energy‑management platform enabling dynamic charging and discharging. The test marks a step toward integrating large‑capacity EVs into grid balancing.
Also developing:
Baleària Dual-Fuel Fast Ferry Newbuild Aces Sea Trials
Baleària’s new 123‑metre dual‑fuel Ro‑Pax fast ferry Mercedes Pinto completed sea trials, hitting a top speed of 38 knots. Built by Astilleros Armon in Gijón and designed by Incat Crowther, the vessel can transport up to 1,200 passengers and 425 vehicles. Powered by natural‑gas engines that run on biomethane or up to 25 % hydrogen blends, it includes emissions‑monitoring, energy‑efficiency systems and digital passenger amenities. The ferry joins Baleària’s Eleanor Roosevelt and Margarita Salas fleet serving Spain‑Balearic routes.
Electric Buses Are Over Half Of National Park Site’s Bus Fleet
The Presidio Trust is adding five battery‑electric buses to its free shuttle fleet, pushing the share of electric vehicles above 50 percent. The transition promises lower maintenance costs, reduced emissions, and cleaner air for drivers, passengers, and nearby residents. The...
India’s Energy Risk Surges as Sea Routes Turn Strategic
India’s energy security is increasingly threatened by the strategic weaponisation of maritime chokepoints. About half of its crude oil and 90% of LPG/LNG imports travel through the Strait of Hormuz, while over a third of its overall trade depends on...
Turning CO2 Into Valuable Chemicals: Tiny Material Interfaces Make a Big Difference
Researchers at National Taiwan University and the University of North Dakota have demonstrated that palladium nanoparticles supported on indium oxide (Pd/In₂O₃) dramatically improve electrochemical CO₂ reduction to formic acid. At –1.1 V vs RHE the catalyst lifts Faradaic efficiency from ~30%...
Be Careful: Don’t Fall for the US-Iran Deal Hype — Brent Drops Below $100
Oil markets tumbled as optimism grew around a possible US‑Iran cease‑fire. The United States said it expects Iran to answer a one‑page memorandum of understanding within 48 hours, which could lift Strait of Hormuz restrictions. Brent crude briefly slipped below...
Michael Jantzen Unveils Rotating Solar‑Powered Eco‑Aquaponic House at Botanical Garden
Designer Michael Jantzen introduced the Eco‑Aquaponic House, a rotating solar‑powered structure that autonomously cultivates fish and plants, at a public exhibit in a botanical garden. The six‑section kinetic design uses sun‑tracking panels, heat‑retention tubes and a closed‑loop aquaponic system to...
UAE's Fujairah Bunker Sales Rebound in April
Marine fuel sales at Fujairah, the world’s fourth‑largest bunkering hub, rebounded in April, climbing to 57,000 t (910 t/d) from a March low of 29,000 t (460 t/d). Very‑low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) volumes rose to 37,000 t, while high‑sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) increased to...
DNV’s Insight: 38 New Orders for Alternative-Fueled Vessels in April
DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight reported 38 new orders for alternative‑fueled vessels in April 2026, bringing the year‑to‑date total to 83. LNG remained dominant with 20 orders spanning car carriers, container ships, crude tankers and cruise vessels, while LPG/ethane carriers secured...
Gasoline Costs 50% More Than It Did Before the Iran War
U.S. regular gasoline surged to an average $4.48 per gallon on May 5, a 50% increase since the Iran war began. The spike follows a 31‑cent weekly rise driven by crude oil climbing to $112 a barrel as the Strait of...
Dutch Partners Explore Bringing Silicon PV Into Space
The Netherlands’ research institute TNO, solar‑module maker MCPV and aerospace giant Airbus have launched a joint programme to adapt terrestrial silicon photovoltaic technology for space use. The effort targets back‑contact silicon cells as a cheaper alternative to the gallium‑arsenide (GaAs)...
Kenya: GDC Conference Opens as Experts Back Geothermal to Power Industrial Growth
The third Geothermal Conference 2026 opened in Nairobi on May 4, highlighting Kenya’s push to make geothermal the backbone of its industrial expansion. Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Wachira underscored that stable power is essential for economic growth, noting Kenya’s rank...
How the Solar and Storage 'Sweet Spot' Could Slash Europe's Energy Costs
SolarPower Europe’s new scenario projects that scaling solar generation together with battery storage across the continent could halve operating costs for power consumers by 2030. The model calls for roughly 300 GW of new solar capacity and 150 GW of storage, backed...
Tesla Secures 60-Truck Order From California Port Drayage Fleets
Tesla has landed a combined order for 60 Semi trucks from two California port drayage operators through Forum Mobility. The deal, worth roughly $15‑$18 million, marks the largest single commitment to the Semi from the drayage sector and highlights the growing...
Potential Iran Deal Pushes Oil Lower, Energy Stocks Slide
🚨 Oil & Energy Selloff 🚨 Energy names getting hit hard this morning as geopolitics shift fast 👀 🛢️ Oil & Energy Stocks: -8.05% Axios reporting the US and Iran are nearing a 14-point framework to end the conflict — triggering a potential...
Gas Trading Boosts Equinor Profit
Equinor posted adjusted net income of $3.7 billion ($1.48 per share) in Q1 2026, more than twice the prior‑year level, driven by higher production and oil prices. The company highlighted strong gains from optimized piped gas trading in Europe and gas...
Appalachian Lithium: Where Hype Runs Smack Into Mining Reality
The U.S. Geological Survey released a report estimating 2.3 million metric tons of economically recoverable lithium oxide in pegmatite deposits spanning Maine to South Carolina. That resource could replace 328 years of U.S. lithium imports at 2024 consumption levels, theoretically supplying enough...
Peace Deal Would Boost US Iran Oil Blockade
If we end up with a peace agreement - a big if at this stage - that'll count as a big win for the US blockade of Iran. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the key question for the West has been...
Solar Experts Offer a Solution to Satisfy Both Sides in Ivanpah Decommissioning Battle
Two California utilities, PG&E and SCE, are trying to terminate their long‑term power purchase agreements for the 392 MW Ivanpah CSP plant, citing chronic under‑performance and high costs. The California Public Utilities Commission has rejected the termination requests, emphasizing the need...
Norwegian Startup Testing Hybrid Solar, Wave, Wind System
Norwegian startup Flex2Future has begun testing a scaled‑down hybrid offshore energy platform that combines solar, wave and wind generation in a SINTEF ocean basin. Laboratory trials focus on the structure’s hydrodynamic response and the power‑take‑off performance of its wave converters....
Oil Price Pulls Back and FTSE 100 Rebounds After ‘TACO’ Trump Post
Oil prices slipped below $100 a barrel on Wednesday after President Trump announced a pause to the U.S. naval escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz, signaling possible progress toward a U.S.-Iran peace deal. Brent crude fell from around $115,...
Oil Spike Boosts Soybean Oil, May Pull Crude to $60
Crude Toward $60? Soybean Oil as a Substitute The tendency for crude-oil price surges to be their own worst enemy may be emphasized by the rise of biofuels. Well supplied soybeans will gain demand due to the WTI spike above $100...
Nationwide Gas Prices Surpass $4, Avg $4.50
Gas prices now are above $4 per gallon in all 50 states, with the average topping $4.50 https://t.co/ctzY2rZFdb
European Solar-Plus-Storage Ramp-Up Could Cut 2030 Power Costs by 49%
SolarPower Europe’s new Solar+ report outlines an ambitious pathway for solar photovoltaic and battery storage deployment across the EU. By 2030, the EU aims to expand operational storage from 55 GW to 200 GW and double solar’s share to 26%, pushing renewables...
US‑Iran Deal Hype Fades as Brent Slides Below $100
Be Careful: Don’t Fall for the US-Iran Deal Hype — Brent Drops Below $100 https://t.co/1xmqJkWtPm
Oil Price Panic Forecasts Are Scare Tactics, Not Reality
I've been pushing back against apocalyptic oil price forecasts for 2 months now. Of course you can make lots of scary scenarios, but the lesson from 2026 - like in 2022 after the Ukraine invasion - is that those are...
Meta Teams with Overview and Noon Energy on Space‑Based Solar to Power AI Data Centers
Meta announced partnerships with Overview Energy and Noon Energy to build space‑based solar systems that could beam power to its AI‑intensive data centers. Demonstrations are scheduled for 2028, positioning the effort as a long‑term capacity solution rather than an immediate...
Microsoft May Drop Ambitious Clean‑energy Goal for Data Centers
Microsoft Corp. may shelve one of the industry’s most ambitious clean-energy targets as it tries to remove hurdles that could hold it back in the race to power data centers, according to people with knowledge of the matter. https://t.co/V2xpfWIiLr
NANO Nuclear, Supermicro Partner to Power AI Data Centers
JUST IN: NANO Nuclear and Supermicro sign a strategic MOU to power next-generation AI data centers using advanced nuclear energy.
UK-US Consortium Targets First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant by Mid-2030s
A UK‑US consortium comprising Bill Gates‑backed Type One Energy, UK‑based Tokamak Energy, and infrastructure firm AECOM announced plans to build the United Kingdom’s first commercial nuclear‑fusion power plant. The partnership targets a mid‑2030s operational date, aiming to deliver a net‑zero...
Brent Peaks, Then Drops $30 Within a Week
Brent topped on the exact day of this cover, and is down $30 in less than a week. https://t.co/3lAlU2QZRA
Tesla and BKW Unveil New French Charging Lounge in Dardilly
Tesla and @bkworldofficial have already launched 5 charging lounges in France, and a few elsewhere. Lot more incoming. Latest comes to the 28 Supercharging stalls in Dardilly, near Lyon. Peek inside with EVwire: https://t.co/G1JhhYRfT6
UK Government Funds Battery Recycling Consortium
The UK government, via Innovate UK’s Battery Innovation Programme, has awarded funding to ReCam, a consortium of Recyclus, the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, Watercycle Technologies and Polaron. The group will develop advanced lithium‑ion battery recycling processes that turn end‑of‑life cells into...
Electric Cooking Remains Niche in Low‑Income Africa, Asia
Electric cooking is still niche across many low- & middle-income countries in #Africa & #Asia. This new @SEforALLorg & @UKMECS report maps #ecooking technologies to help policymakers & practitioners make informed decisions in the context of these regions. https://t.co/1aYpy183Rd
Energy Shocks Tighten Budgets, Downgrade Slovakia, Strain CEE
JUST IN: Energy shocks and support measures are straining Central and Eastern European finances, with Romania facing further budget tightening and risks to 2027 budget talks, negative outlooks for Hungary and Romania, and Slovakia's recent downgrade.
Russian Oil & Gas Monthly - April, 2026
Russia’s drone campaign intensified in April, striking ports, pipelines and refineries, but oil exports proved resilient. A mid‑month dip in shipments recovered quickly as the Primorsk and Ust‑Luga terminals came back online. Higher Brent crude prices boosted revenue, and Indonesia...
US and Brent Crude Prices Plunge Over 10%
JUST IN: US crude oil price has dropped by over 12%, and Brent crude is down over 10%.
Macquarie Strategists Expect Another USA Crude Inventory Draw
Macquarie strategists, led by Walt Chancellor, project a 5.0 million‑barrel draw in U.S. crude inventories for the week ending May 1, following a 6.2 million‑barrel decline the week before. The forecast assumes a modest 0.1 million‑barrel‑per‑day increase in refinery runs, while net imports rise...
Sinovoltaics Launches Free Tool for Project-Specific PV Module Test Scopes
Sinovoltaics unveiled PV Lab Test Advisor, a free web‑based platform that generates customized reliability‑testing scopes for utility‑scale solar projects. Users input site climate, technology and risk parameters, and the tool outputs a PDF‑ready testing plan. The service aims to replace...
US Push to Reopen Strait of Hormuz Tests Iran Ceasefire, Risks Oil Flow
The United States opened an "enhanced security area" in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing two American‑flagged merchant vessels to transit while Iran launched missiles, drones and small boats in retaliation. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf called the move a...
UAE's OPEC Exit Increases Volatility, Needs US Action
In my latest @nytimes oped, I argue UAE exit from OPEC may not be the win Trump thinks it is. A weaker OPEC could mean more volatility, which is economically costly. The US should take steps to cushion shocks &...
Peace Over ‘Freedom’
U.S. gasoline prices rose to $4.55 per gallon, approaching the all‑time record of $5.01 set in June 2022. Amid the price surge, President Donald Trump suspended the two‑day‑old “Project Freedom” naval operation aimed at the Strait of Hormuz after clashes...
Forestalia Advances Tosos Wind Plans
Forestalia announced it will build 13 wind turbines in Tosos, Zaragoza, delivering 77.9 MW of capacity. The turbines are part of four projects—Henar II, Henar III, Canteras IV and Canteras V—representing 43.6% of the 178.6 MW planned for the Campo de Cariñena region. The development involves...
Risk Appetite Soars as US Halts Hormuz Escort, Dollar Falls
The US has suspended the escort service in the Strait of Hormuz and risk-appetites have jump. Equities and bonds have surged, while the greenback slumps. China re-opens and set USD fix at new multiyear low. See https://t.co/swSYFvpDgy https://t.co/UUCWRyRfJ8
LNG Shipping Tightens as Europe Storage Deficit and Price Risk Drive Positioning
LNG shipping capacity is tightening as Europe enters summer with a sizable storage deficit and heightened price risk ahead of the winter heating season. Traders are securing modern, flexible vessels for multimonth contracts, turning shipping into a strategic hedge rather...
PV Module Recycling Technologies ‘Progressing’, Says IEA-PVPS
The International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme released its latest Task 12 report, showing measurable progress in PV module recycling. Commercial recyclers like Solarcycle and SPR now recover up to 98% of silicon and over 90% of silver and copper,...
Green Flexibility, Suncatcher, SWB and ArcelorMittal Progress Large-Scale BESS Projects in Germany Totalling 324MWh
Germany’s utility‑scale battery market received four major announcements in early May, adding 324 MWh of capacity. Green Flexibility inaugurated a 40 MW/80 MWh BESS in Bavaria, while SWB and Be.storaged plan an 85 MW/170 MWh system at a Bremen port for 2028. ArcelorMittal hired EDF...
Weak OPEC Fuels More Frequent Global Boom‑bust Cycles
"A less effective OPEC might seem a blessing when prices fall, but it would force the world to endure more frequent booms and busts." by @JasonBordoff https://t.co/BwcxkY65AH
Qatar LNG Under Constraint: Capacity Loss and Export Dislocation Shakes Global Gas Markets
Escalating regional conflict has damaged Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG complex, cutting roughly 17% of its export capacity. The disruption also blocks tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting global LNG trade routes. Repairs to specialized equipment may take several...
Lagarde Calls for Europe to Slash Energy Imports as Prices Surge
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde told a climate conference in Frankfurt that the continent’s 60% reliance on imported fossil fuels is “clearly unsustainable” after a sharp price surge linked to the Iran war. Her remarks have ignited a fresh...
Japanese Reselling of Australian LNG Challenges Energy Security Claims
Japanese traders resold an estimated 10.8‑13.6 million tonnes of Australian LNG in 2025, a volume that equals up to 1.5 times eastern Australia’s annual domestic gas consumption. Australia accounted for roughly 30% of all LNG resold by Japanese firms, making it the...