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:
China Datang Brings Online 500 MW Solar Farm for Direct Data Center Supply
China Datang Corp has commissioned a 500 MW solar farm in Zhongwei, Ningxia, marking the nation’s first large‑scale renewable project built to feed a data‑center cluster directly. The plant, part of a 2 GW first‑phase build‑out that also includes a 1.5 GW wind farm and storage, is expected to generate about 970 GWh annually—roughly 50% of the Zhongwei Cloud Base’s power demand. Datang employs a dual‑track supply model that combines dedicated 110 kV lines for physical delivery with bilateral market trading to balance load. The initiative aligns with China’s “East Data, West Computing” strategy to shift AI workloads to renewable‑rich western regions.
Inspired Evolution Backs CrossBoundary Energy
Inspired Evolution announced a $40 million investment via its Evolution III fund into CrossBoundary Energy, a developer of distributed renewable power for commercial and industrial clients across sub‑Saharan Africa. The capital will fund new solar, battery storage and hybrid projects, including...
Resilient Telemetry for Hazardous Environments
Telecom operators in oil & gas need resilient, low‑power telemetry for pipelines and intrinsically safe monitoring of remote storage tanks. Globalstar’s STX3 OEM satellite modem provides micro‑amp sleep currents and a coin‑size footprint, enabling years of autonomous pipeline data transmission...
ADB Unveils $70bn Plan for Asia’s Energy and Digital Infrastructure
The Asian Development Bank announced a $70 bn plan to boost energy and digital infrastructure across Asia and the Pacific by 2035. The Pan‑Asia Power Grid Initiative will mobilise $50 bn to add 20 GW of renewable capacity, build 22,000 km of cross‑border transmission...
ADB Unveils $70bn Plan for Asia’s Energy and Digital Infrastructure
The Asian Development Bank announced a $70 bn plan to upgrade energy and digital infrastructure across Asia‑Pacific by 2035. The Pan‑Asia Power Grid Initiative will mobilise $50 bn to build 22,000 km of cross‑border transmission lines, integrate 20 GW of renewable power and reach...
Arcadia Acquires Engie Impact to Create Unified Energy Intelligence Platform
Arcadia, a Washington‑based energy data platform, announced the acquisition of Engie Impact, the utility expense and sustainability arm of French power giant Engie. The combined entity will serve more than 1,500 customers—including 25% of the Fortune 500—and manage roughly $100 billion in...
Japan Reopens NEDO Perovskite Solar Call with Single-Junction Focus
Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has launched a supplementary call for proposals to scale up single‑junction perovskite solar cell manufacturing. The five‑year Green Innovation Fund program runs from fiscal 2026 through 2030 and seeks to match...
A Closed Strait of Hormuz Was Once Unthinkable
Energy planners have historically dismissed a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz as implausible, a view reflected in 2007 and 2022 scenario exercises that omitted the extreme event. Recent disruptions, however, have forced executives like TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné...
Nuclear Power on a Faster Timeline Is Possible. Here Is How Utilities Can Make It Work.
Applied Atomics, founded by former SpaceX engineers, is importing a vertical‑integration model to nuclear power development. By owning design, manufacturing and operational knowledge, the company aims to compress feedback loops that traditionally cause costly delays. Safety is engineered into the...
What Savvy Facilities Leaders Should Now Ask Their Power Suppliers
Facilities leaders are being urged to adopt a grid‑aware strategy as load growth outpaces new generation and inflation pushes power costs higher. CPV Retail argues that suppliers with operating generation assets can better manage capacity, ancillary services and transmission costs,...
Fast-Tracking Approvals Process Key to Unlocking Australia’s New Oil & Gas Projects
Australian Energy Producers praised Opposition Leader Angus Taylor’s pledge to fast‑track approvals for oil and gas projects, arguing that quicker permits are essential to avoid future gas shortfalls. The industry also welcomed the Coalition’s plan to reinstate the Junior Minerals...
Elevated Infrastructure: Champion Fiberglass® Supports Reliable Power at Luxury Mountain Resort Town
Wasatch Peaks Ranch, a 12,740‑acre luxury ski and golf resort, required a durable underground power conduit capable of surviving extreme altitude, temperature swings, and heavy snowfall. After evaluating PVC, the project team chose Champion Fiberglass® conduit for its lightweight, high‑temperature...
Israel’s Biggest Solar Power Plant Receives Final Approval
Israel’s Energy and Finance ministries have green‑lit the final financing for a 265 MW photovoltaic solar farm near Dimona, the country’s largest ever. Built by EDF Renewables under a 25‑year public‑private partnership, the plant will span roughly 740 acres and sell power...
Study Finds ‘Relatively Good’ Agreement in Worldwide Solar Cell Calibrations, but Flags Key Differences in Testing Methods
An interlaboratory comparison involving nine metrology institutes evaluated solar‑cell calibrations under the World Photovoltaic Scale. The study found generally good agreement, with short‑circuit current values aligning within –2.2% to 3.5% and most measurements falling inside expanded uncertainties. Nonetheless, discrepancies up to...
Ocean Winds Delivers First Power From French Floater
Ocean Winds has commissioned its 30 MW Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion floating offshore wind farm off Port‑La Nouvelle, marking the developer’s second operating float and first in France. The site hosts three 10 MW turbines on floating foundations 16 km offshore and...
Woodside in the Clear for Plug & Abandonment Ops Offshore Australia
Woodside has secured NOPSEMA approval for its environmental plan to permanently plug and abandon three subsea exploration wells in the Julimar‑Brunello licence (WA‑49‑L) off Western Australia, with a contingent remediation of non‑water‑based mud in a fourth well. The operation will...
From Building Capacity to Building a System: Why Flexibility Is the Foundation of India's Energy Future
India added a record 50 GW of renewable capacity in FY 2025‑26, pushing non‑fossil sources above 50 % of installed power. Yet 2.3 TWh of solar – enough for 400,000 homes – was curtailed because coal plants cannot drop below a 55 % load and...
Asian Buyers Offer Big Premium for Diesel-Rich Crude From UAE
Asian refiners are offering roughly $20 a barrel above ADNOC’s official selling price to secure Upper Zakum crude, a diesel‑rich grade from the UAE. The premium reflects heightened demand for medium‑sour crudes after the Iran‑related conflict disrupted traditional supply routes....
EU Issues New $704MM Funding Call for Cross-Border Energy Projects
The European Commission has opened a €600 million (≈ $704 million) funding call for cross‑border energy projects that are already on the second list of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs). The call, part of the Connecting Europe...
B15 Biodiesel to Be Rolled Out June 1, 2026 – Zahid
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid announced that B15 biodiesel will be produced by 19 licensed plants beginning June 1 2026, with a combined monthly capacity of about 1.5 million litres. The rollout will be staged, moving to B20 and potentially B50 within...
Top US Nuclear Regulator Is Rewriting Its Rules for New Era of Reactors
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is rewriting its rules under the 2024 ADVANCE Act, which expands the agency’s mission to weigh the risks of delaying nuclear power alongside radiation safety. The overhaul follows a series of Trump‑era executive orders that...
For Cheaper Power, Virginia’s Local Utilities Build Small Grid Batteries
Virginia’s Blue Ridge Power Agency is commissioning five 5‑megawatt battery systems that will go live this summer, projected to save member utilities about $100 million over a 20‑year horizon. Lightshift Energy, the developer, highlights its ability to move from contract to...
Trump Triggers Iran’s Hormuz Closure Strategy, Prolonged Energy Disruption
Trump has put his foot in an iranian bear trap.🐻🇮🇷 They were always going to close the Strait of Hormuz. This was never a side development. It was central to the strategy. Because the objective isn’t just confrontation - it’s disruption: energy flows, shipping routes,...
LFP Goes Positive by 2037; 2026 Cohorts Yield Value
Our latest research published: LFP turns positive around 2037, 2026 cohorts produce net positive lifetime value — and today's contracts are pricing neither. https://t.co/dhmmBAWQyV
Australia Approves Large Solar, Wind, Battery Projects
Australia approved ten large‑scale clean‑energy projects under Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) rounds five and six, adding roughly 1.9 GW of renewable generation and 3.7 GWh of battery storage in Western Australia. The scheme provides up to 15 years of revenue support for projects...
Hormuz Closure Triggers Global Trade Shifts and Fertilizer Push
The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for 65 days. At around 90 days, the shock turns global. Structural adjustments are on the way: trade routes are shifting, stockpiling is rising, and nations are boosting efforts to produce fertilizer domestically....
Gulf LNG Export Woes Push Gas Prices up but Diversification Becomes Europe’s Energy Lifeline
The Middle East conflict halted roughly 80 mtpa of Gulf LNG exports, creating a supply shock that could have driven European gas prices sky‑high. Instead, Europe’s diversified fuel mix—new 40 mtpa of LNG capacity, over‑60% renewable penetration in Spain, and expanding battery...
Tesla’s New EV Charger Looks Familiar, But It’s Nothing Like Its Predecessors
Tesla introduced the Basecharger, an all‑in‑one DC fast charger aimed at electric truck depots. It can deliver up to 125 kW, recharging a Tesla Semi to roughly 60% in four hours. The unit eliminates the bulky power cabinet found in V4...
Malaysia Must End Fossil Fuel Subsidies for Economic and Energy Security
Malaysia's fossil fuel subsidies, once used to stabilise prices, now cost about RM52 bn (US$13 bn) in fuel plus RM8 bn (US$2 bn) for electricity, representing over 4% of GDP. The blanket approach distorts markets, favors wealthier consumers, and crowds out spending on health,...
Equinor Extends Drilling Agreements for Norwegian Continental Shelf
Equinor has extended key supplier agreements on the Norwegian continental shelf worth roughly NOK 17 billion (about $1.8 billion). The contracts with Baker Hughes Norge, Halliburton and SLB Norge cover integrated drilling and well services valued at NOK 8.3 billion (~$0.88 billion) and specialist framework agreements...
South Australia Proposes Expanding Fuel Rationing Rules
South Australia announced a legislative proposal to broaden its fuel‑rationing powers amid ongoing Middle East‑driven oil supply concerns. The amendment would raise the maximum rationing period from seven to 90 days, with the authority to renew the limit repeatedly. Penalties...
Oil Prices Edge Down While Stock Futures Inch Up
Oil prices slipped modestly on Sunday as investors weighed ongoing U.S.-Iran diplomatic uncertainty. President Trump said he was reviewing Iran’s peace proposal but expressed doubt it would be acceptable. He also hinted the United States would use “best efforts” to...
LNG Exports Hit Two‑year Low as Hormuz Shuts
Global LNG exports continue to contract due to the Hormuz closure 🚢 ⚠️ Shipments declined to about 33 million tons, the lowest level since May 2024, according to ship-tracking data (Still, the lost volumes were partially replaced with new output from...
India Is Burning More Coal as Extreme Heat and the Iran War Squeeze Energy Supplies
India’s coal‑fired power output rose to an average 164.9 GW in April, a 3.5% increase over last year, as extreme heat and the Iran‑related LNG supply squeeze pushed gas plants out of the merit pool. Higher LNG prices and disrupted petcoke...
Free Market, Curtailment, and Storage Reshaping Brazilian Solar Sector
Brazil’s solar market is entering a more complex phase as curtailment, grid saturation and new regulations reshape growth. The Northeast region now holds roughly 74 GW of the 117 GW pipeline, while free‑market solar accounts for about 44% of national consumption. Law 15,269...
Monday Briefing: Will a New Alliance of Nations Be Able to Guide the World Towards a Post-Fossil Fuel Future?
Oil prices surged to their highest level since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine after President Donald Trump warned of a prolonged Iranian port blockade, reigniting fears of a global recession. In response, nearly 60 governments convened in Santa Marta, Colombia, for...
French IPP Building Mini Solar Farms via Low-Voltage Extension
Solvéo Energies has expanded its Bélesta‑en‑Lauragais solar plant to 3 MW by adding a 300 kW unit that uses a decentralized low‑voltage “mini solar field” architecture. The design connects directly to the local grid at low voltage, eliminating the need for high‑voltage...
The Best Performing Utility-Scale PV Asset in Australia
Rystad Energy reports Australian utility‑scale solar generated 1,730 GWh in May 2026, a 21% rise from April, pushing total solar‑wind output to 4.7 TWh. The 204 MW Edenvale Solar Park in Queensland posted the highest monthly capacity factor at 33.1%, topping the national...
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor Reaches Criticality, Boosts India’s Nuclear Programme, Says SC Chetal
India’s Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has achieved criticality, marking the first fully indigenous sodium‑cooled fast reactor to reach this milestone. The 500 MW unit is over 90% home‑grown, with only large stainless‑steel plates and 1,600 tonnes of sodium imported. The Department...
Namcor Hunts Partner to Drill 2-Billion-Barrel Prospects in Orange Basin Block
Namibia's state oil company, Namcor, is looking for a joint‑venture partner to develop Petroleum Exploration Licence 79 in the Orange Basin. The shallow‑water block hosts two drilling targets estimated to contain about 2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, located east of...
BlueNord Reports Record Quarterly Production
BlueNord reported a record first‑quarter 2026 net hydrocarbon output of 43.1 mboepd, up from 42.2 mboepd in Q4 2025 and within its guidance range. Revenue climbed to $318 million and EBITDA to $201 million, while net operating cash flow fell to $141 million. The Tyra hub...
Southeast Asia Sees New Wave of Deepwater Gas Projects
Southeast Asia is launching a second wave of deep‑water gas projects targeting roughly 28 trillion cubic feet of resources in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Wood Mackenzie estimates more than US$20 billion of capital will be needed and many projects show internal rates...
IEA: No Sign Global Energy-Related Methane Emissions Fell in 2025
The International Energy Agency’s 2025 stocktake shows global energy‑related methane emissions held steady, with no measurable decline despite isolated national initiatives. The agency warns that roughly 70% of methane released from fossil‑fuel operations could be eliminated today using proven technologies...
The Nuclear Option: Atomic Energy Could Offer Europe Hope, Say Analysts — but It Won't Be Easy
Analysts argue nuclear power could shore up Europe’s energy security after recent supply shocks, citing France’s 60 % nuclear‑generated electricity as a model of low‑cost, reliable power. However, steep upfront costs and decades‑long construction timelines threaten to delay any meaningful impact....
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz Continues to Impact Energy Prices
The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, compounded by the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, is keeping oil prices volatile near US $100 per barrel. Coal prices have followed, trading in a US $100‑110 band, while 6.5 % sulfur petcoke has risen to US $106 per...
Frontier Energy Secures Key Government Support for Waroona Renewable Energy Project
Frontier Energy (ASX:FHE) secured government‑backed revenue protection under the Capacity Investment Scheme through 2042, dramatically de‑risking its 120 MW solar‑plus‑81.5 MW battery Waroona Stage One project. The support enables the company to approach banks with senior‑debt proposals offering up to 70% gearing and...
Clean Energy Expands RNG Network with Six New Sites
Clean Energy Fuels has opened six renewable natural gas (RNG) stations along major freight corridors in California, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Michigan and Washington, expanding its North American footprint to more than 600 locations. The sites, positioned near distribution centers, feature...
Aussie Researchers Harness AI to Help Unlock “Cheap, Scalable, Non-Toxic” Solar Recycling
Australian researchers at the University of New England are using AI to speed up the discovery of solvents that can extract pure silicon from end‑of‑life solar panels. Predictive, generative and agentic models suggest candidates, which are then tested in a...
Malaysia’s Fuel Supply Secure but Finances Continue to Be Strained to Keep Budi95 at RM1.99 a Litre – Anwar
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the nation’s fuel supply remains secure, allowing the government to keep RON95 petrol priced at RM1.99 per litre (about $0.44). Rising global oil prices, driven by West Asian conflict‑related shipping and insurance...
Middle East Crisis: Poison for the World, but Meat for East Africa’s Oil Dreams?
The Strait of Hormuz crisis has pushed East African leaders to fast‑track a regional oil‑refining strategy centered on Tanzania’s Tanga Refinery Hub and the 1,445 km East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Kenyan President William Ruto, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Nigerian...