Know What's Happening in Energy
Know What's Happening in Energy
Flex to acquire Electrical Power Products for $1.1 billion
Flex Ltd. announced a definitive agreement to buy Electrical Power Products for about $1.1B in cash. The acquisition adds roughly $323M of annual revenue and delivers a mid‑to‑high‑teens EBITDA margin. Flex expects the transaction to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in the first full fiscal year after closing.
Japan’s largest offshore wind farm, the 220 MW Kitakyushu Hibikinada project, began commercial operation in early March 2026. The facility comprises 25 turbines of 9.6 MW each and is expected to generate about 500 million kWh annually, enough for roughly 170,000 households. Operated by Hibiki Wind Energy with J‑Power as a stakeholder, the farm lifts Japan’s offshore capacity to nearly 500 MW. The development aligns with the government’s goal of 10 GW offshore wind by 2030.
Dutch research institute TNO has spun off Perovion Technologies to industrialise lightweight, flexible perovskite solar cells. The company aims to construct the first roll‑to‑roll perovskite manufacturing line in the Netherlands by 2030, targeting applications where glass panels are impractical. A...
India's coastal authorities seized three U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers—Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia—on February 6, alleging illicit trade links to Iran. Tehran has offered to release the vessels in exchange for guaranteed safe passage of Indian‑bound ships through the Strait...
CIEMAT has launched a large‑area multispectral solar simulator designed for precise electrical characterization of full‑size photovoltaic modules. The system delivers better than 0.4% spatial irradiance uniformity, 500 ms LED illumination pulses and dynamic I‑V acquisition, enabling single‑pulse testing of high‑capacitance modules....
Gujarat has raised LPG distribution by 20 percent above the normal weekly quota to guarantee uninterrupted fuel availability. The state is simultaneously prioritising piped natural gas (PNG) connections for hotels, restaurants and other commercial users where network infrastructure exists. Buffer stocks...
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced a delay in the commercial operation of its No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki‑Kariwa plant, the first unit restarted after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The postponement follows a small‑scale electricity leak detected on a power...
Bessent says too much is being made of the run-up in oil prices from Iran's retaliatory measures to U.S.-Israel strikes, claiming coverage of the risks around the Strait of Hormuz is being amplified by anti-Trump media bias and is part...
Ormat Technologies announced that its 80 MW/320 MWh Shirk battery energy storage system in Visalia, California, entered commercial operation on March 12, 2026, meeting the City of Riverside’s 15‑year resource adequacy contract deadline. The project qualifies for a 40% investment tax credit, which Ormat...
Farewell Shell, this marks the end of their petrol stations in South Africa. 🇿🇦 Shell will be selling their downstream assets, which includes a network of roughly 600 petrol stations across the country.
European Commission's AI Continent Action Plan proposes tripling data‑centre capacity in five to seven years via the draft CAIDA regulation. The draft fast‑tracks permits for land, water and energy, sidelining local communities and environmental safeguards. Critics cite ongoing conflicts in...
Just a few notes on OIL CL before the Iran crisis started all research showed that supply was swamping demand as global production due to progess in discovery and drilling was exceeding demand especially with China going all in on EV Clearly...
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) raised its short‑term outlook for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, projecting an average price of $73.61 per barrel in 2026—$20 above its February forecast. The revision reflects heightened risk premiums after the February 28 onset...
Back‑contact (BC) solar modules from Aiko Solar and Longi captured over 50% of Switzerland's rooftop PV market in 2025, driven by a premium on module efficiency rather than price. The report notes a gradual decline in the AC/DC ratio to...
Pii Energy has introduced the Edge 2000, a plug‑in solar‑plus‑storage kit aimed at renters and apartment dwellers. The system pairs 1.2 kW of photovoltaic panels with a 2 kWh battery, ten smart outlets, and a Raspberry Pi‑driven controller. Priced at roughly $2,400, it...
A fire erupted at the Zhuyuan Extra High Voltage Substation in Hsinchu City on March 16, killing one worker and injuring two others. The blaze broke out while voltage‑stabilization equipment was being tested, prompting a rapid response from the Hsinchu...
Europe achieved its first cumulative 100 GW of energy storage by the end of 2025, split evenly between lithium‑ion battery systems and pumped hydro facilities. Jacopo Tosoni, deputy secretary‑general of Energy Storage Europe, highlighted upcoming EU policy shifts to increase domestic...
Finlight and Atrato Onsite Energy have merged under the Finlight brand, creating one of Europe’s largest distributed‑generation operators. The combined entity now manages 700 MW of commercial‑industrial solar and 23,000 residential projects across the UK, Spain and Portugal. Finlight will invest...
CLZ26 price of 75 is the expected forward spot price of oil for December delivery plus a risk premium. That risk premium is likely higher than normal (Z26 is cheaper than normal) due to the high incentive for those...
India’s power regulator, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, drafted stricter grid‑supply rules for wind and solar producers, including hefty penalties for missing commitments. After developers warned the measures could erode revenues and deter clean‑energy investment, the government asked CERC to...
Cheers to everyone who delayed fossil fuel phaseout by saying "you can't switch off fossil fuels overnight" Because thanks to them everyone now has to face a situation where fossil fuels are switched off overnight 🙃🙃🙃
North America’s power grid is confronting a rapid demand surge, driven by a data‑center boom, reshoring of manufacturing, and broader electrification, pushing load growth to 2‑3% annually. Utilities are scrambling to replace retiring baseload plants while adding intermittent renewables, creating...
China’s BYD will begin installing its Flash Chargers in Europe within weeks, delivering up to 1.5 MW of power to a single vehicle. The chargers are currently compatible only with BYD’s Denza Z9GT, which uses the new Blade 2.0 LFP battery and...
Cambodia has commissioned a 500 MW/1 GWh grid‑forming battery energy storage system in Pursat province, the country’s first and largest of its kind. Developed by local firm SchneiTec, the BESS uses grid‑forming inverters to provide inertia and voltage support, bolstering grid reliability...
Ukraine enacted Law No. 4777-IX, overhauling 15 energy‑market statutes and creating a dedicated solar‑plus‑storage auction track. The new framework extends renewable support to 2034, mandates a minimum 10% quota for solar‑plus‑storage, and sets a €0.12/kWh price ceiling. It also eases...
President Trump has pressed allies for US warship escorts through the Strait of Hormuz, but Japan and Australia have declined the request. Drone strikes have forced a shutdown of oil loading at Fujairah and disrupted Dubai airport operations, prompting Saudi...
Landsec has struck a 20‑year partnership with RAW Charging to install a £24.5 million electric‑vehicle charging network across its flagship retail destinations. The rollout will deliver 1,000 charging bays – 554 AC fast and 446 DC rapid – at 28 sites,...
HEDGE FUNDS and other money managers purchased the equivalent of 159 billion cubic feet (bcf) in the two major futures and options contracts based on prices at Henry Hub in Louisiana over the seven days ending on March 10. Fund...
$USO 30-Minute Chart. Nonstop chatter from White House to talk down oil. But each passing day makes bad situation worse. Watch for cup & handle bullish setup https://t.co/KOm9v3I8j9
The RENIXX renewable‑energy index climbed 4.9% last week to 1,251 points, driven by soaring oil and gas prices and Middle‑East geopolitical tension. Heavyweight gains came from Ballard Power (+20.1%) after securing a 500‑unit fuel‑cell drive order, while Xpeng, Canadian Solar,...
Now seems like a good time to remember that global clean-energy investment is nearly double fossil fuels https://t.co/bHhEwRKgy7
Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson on the GLOBAL IMPACT of the STRAIT OF HORMUZ: "You’ve now closed off 20% of the world’s oil supply, 25% of the world’s liquid natural gas, and 35% of the world’s urea... There's going to be...
A third turbine blade has broken off a GE Vernova 5.3 MW Cypress turbine at Sweden’s Björkvattnet wind farm, which supplies most of its power to Google under a long‑term PPA. The farm, operated by OX2 for investor Infravia, has already...
National average of gas prices is up 73 cents since the war started 15 days ago (middle panel), or 25% (bottom panel). https://t.co/NhhuStQnOD
Thanks @politico for the chance to do a deep dive on my most recent @ForeignPolicy column, written in collaboration with my @ColumbiaUEnergy colleague Erica Downs, one of the best thinkers out there on all things China and energy. https://t.co/K1X8ufGozt
Chartwell Marine and the Cooperative Association of Japan Shipbuilders (CAJS) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop crew‑transfer vessels (CTVs) and service‑operation vessels (SOVs) for Japan’s offshore‑wind market. The partnership leverages Chartwell’s proven vessel designs and CAJS’s network of...
Peeps seem to be trading oil like an abstract future and not something that physically settles
Brent is up 42% from before the war began. That's a bigger risk premium than after the Ukraine invasion. Catalysts that can make Brent fall: (i) Trump ends the war; (ii) the US blockades Iranian ports (Iran's economy implodes); (iii)...
Energy Secretary Chris Wright claimed the United States is a net oil exporter, but the reality is more nuanced. While the U.S. does export more crude oil and petroleum products than it imports, it remains a net importer of crude...
The big mistake the West made in 2022 was to not embargo Russian oil. That would have spiked oil prices further, but Russia's economy would have imploded and it likely wouldn't still be waging war in Ukraine. The lesson for...
The new wind and solar capacity contracted at the UK's latest renewable auction will avoid the need for 78 LNG tankers-worth of imports each year, worth roughly £4bn at current gas prices https://t.co/gSdA6f5Jco https://t.co/tUyJ47PBMW
Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe warned that soaring global crude prices—now above $100 a barrel—expose South Africa’s reliance on imported fuel and urged a rapid acceleration of domestic oil and gas development. He highlighted significant offshore prospects in...
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US government has NOT intervened in the oil derivatives market
European regulators should avoid adjusting electricity pricing in case it puts at risk investment in clean energy, according to the CEO of Statkraft https://t.co/J5F9UAE4oH
The episode focuses on the U.S. effort to keep the Strait of Hormuz open amid rising energy tensions, detailing President Trump's appeal to allies—including China, NATO members, Japan, and Australia—for naval support, and highlighting European hesitancy due to limited resources...
Some countries are better positioned to weather this energy crisis than they would have been just a few years ago. That's because of the rapid growth of renewable energy, battery systems and electric vehicles. NPR interviewed me for this excellent piece:...
Somewhere in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin is rubbing his hands. India is paying ~$99 a barrel for Russian crude Urals (including shipping costs). And since the US eased its sanctions on Russian crude, it's all legal.
April WTI is trading lower as is the US dollar. The market still seems hopeful that exit ramps are found shortly, even though the conflict escalated over the weekend. Many are skeptical of the unexpected gains in PRC data....
“Sable Offshore ( $SOC ) is putting California consumers first by increasing domestic supply of crude oil into the California market by ~17% and we look forward to continuing to execute as so ordered by the Defense Production Act executed...
I did not say there's nothing we can do to open the Strait of Hormuz. I said there are no policy options that can offset the loss of flow from the Strait of Hormuz.
Shell says LNG demand could grow by as much as 85% through 2050 🌍 🚢 Asia is expected to be the main driver of demand, and further investments in new projects will be needed in the 2030s and 2040s to...
