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:
ExGen Signs Purchase Agreement to Acquire Lithium Properties in Nevada
ExGen Resources Inc. has signed a purchase agreement to acquire three lithium projects in Nevada – Spark South, Libra, and Augusta – along with associated claims and a royalty. The transaction will be funded with 21 million ExGen shares, a cash component of roughly US$207,000 (CAD $125,000 plus a CAD $155,000 refundable loan), and staged option payments up to US$8 million contingent on resource thresholds. Closing is expected by June 30 2026 pending TSX Venture Exchange approval. The deal positions ExGen alongside Surge Battery’s high‑grade Nevada North project, reinforcing its presence in the state dubbed the Lithium Capital of North America.
API-NOIA Reports Benefits of Expanding South-Central Gulf Energy Development
The American Petroleum Institute and the National Ocean Industries Association released a report urging the U.S. Interior Department to lease Program Area B in the South‑Central Gulf of America starting in 2029. The analysis projects that expanded offshore oil and gas...
U.S. Turns Net Crude Exporter Amid Overseas Surge
The surge in US crude oil overseas sales means the country was last week a net exporter of crude. (In the past, the US exported more crude oil *AND* refined products — combined — than it imported. But now it's an...
Big Oil Earnings Set To Sharply Decline. Blame This Tug-Of-War.
Chevron (CVX) and Exxon Mobil (XOM) are slated to report Q1 earnings early Friday after a quarter of soaring oil prices driven by the U.S.–Iran conflict. Analysts forecast Exxon’s EPS at 98 cents, a 44% drop, with revenue slipping 2.4%...
Western Lawmakers Move To Weaken Clean Air Act and Shield Fossil Fuel Companies From Climate Lawsuits
Republican lawmakers from Texas and Wyoming introduced two bills that would shield fossil‑fuel companies from liability for climate‑related damages and ease state enforcement of the Clean Air Act. The Senate proposal, dubbed the “Stop Climate Shakedowns Act,” seeks sweeping legal...
Trump Signs Presidential Permit for Bridger Pipeline Using Keystone XL Assets
President Donald Trump signed a presidential permit that clears the way for Bridger Pipeline LLC to build a new cross‑border oil line using assets left over from the abandoned Keystone XL project. The proposed 1,000‑kilometre, 36‑inch pipeline would run from...
AI-Powered Permitting Takes Off in Bakersfield with Symbium Partnership
Bakersfield has become the first U.S. city to roll out an AI‑driven instant permitting system, teaming with San Francisco‑based startup Symbium. The platform automates approvals for solar, EV charging, energy storage, reroofs and HVAC upgrades, offering developers a faster path...
Nuclear Fusion Powers Up for Commercial Breakthrough
Fusion energy is moving from laboratory research toward commercial deployment as billions of dollars flow from private investors, tech giants, oil majors and governments. Breakthroughs in high‑temperature superconductors, advanced materials and AI‑driven plasma modeling are shrinking reactor designs and cutting...
What Michigan’s Clean Community Financing Ecosystem Can Teach Other US Regions
RMI’s analysis of Michigan’s clean‑community financing ecosystem shows how dense institutional networks, coordinated hubs, and targeted financing tools have unlocked over $1 billion in clean‑energy upgrades. Key players—including the nation’s oldest green bank, a robust C‑PACE marketplace, and CDFI coalitions—have leveraged...
Second Global Energy Crisis Sparks EU Import Push, Criticisms
We are once again facing a substantial energy crisis in the world, which is the second in just a few years. And it increasingly seems that everyone is looking out for themselves geopolitically in the current environment. Meanwhile, the EU...
EU Revives Renewables and Nuclear After €22 Bn Surge in Fossil Fuel Bills
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €22 bn (≈$23.5 bn) jump in fossil‑fuel import bills after the Strait of Hormuz closure, prompting EU governments to fast‑track renewables and nuclear projects. An emergency package unveiled on April 22 adds coordinated gas...
Aker Solutions Q1 Profit Jumps 55% as Order Backlog Hits $9 Bn, Boosting B2B Engineering Growth
Aker Solutions reported a 55% increase in first‑quarter profit to NOK 1.015 bn ($112 m) and a record order intake of NOK 28.8 bn ($3.2 bn), lifting its order backlog to NOK 80.2 bn ($8.8 bn). The results highlight accelerating demand for the Norwegian engineering firm’s B2B services across...
The World Met to Talk Climate Change. The U.S. Wasn’t Invited.
Diplomats from nearly 60 countries gathered in Santa Marta, Colombia, for the first global conference aimed at phasing out fossil fuels. The United States was excluded because the Trump administration has refused to engage in international climate talks. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions...
BNEF Talk: Copper’s World of Wires, Wheels and Worries
BloombergNEF’s recent talk highlighted copper as a linchpin of the energy transition, powering electric vehicles, data centers, and future grids. A new S&P Global study warns that surging demand from artificial‑intelligence hardware and heightened defense spending will outpace production, deepening...
Government Lowers Export Duty on Diesel, ATF
The Indian Ministry of Finance lowered export duties on diesel to ₹23 per litre and on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to ₹33 per litre, effective May 1, after a two‑week period of higher rates (₹55.5 and ₹42 respectively). The reduction follows...
Daily Energy Report
U.S. crude output rebounded in February, climbing 389,000 barrels per day to an average of 13.626 million bpd, according to the EIA. Gains were driven by Texas (+246,000 bpd) and New Mexico (+190,000 bpd), while the Gulf of Mexico and North Dakota saw...
Strait of Hormuz Disruptions Will Affect More than Gas Prices
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which moves about 20% of global oil and LNG, has sparked immediate spikes in gasoline and jet fuel prices. Experts warn that higher energy costs will cascade through supply chains, inflating prices of...
Electrochemistry Foundry Launches Innovation Hub to Bridge Battery Manufacturing Gap
Electrochemistry Foundry (ECF), a California nonprofit backed by a $28 million California Energy Commission grant, will launch a 20,000‑square‑foot open‑access pilot manufacturing hub for battery and electrochemical technologies by the end of 2026. The facility, slated to produce at least 10,000...
Wind Energy CEO Says Company ‘Must Adapt’ as Trump Offers $2 Billion to Kill Offshore Wind Projects
The Trump administration has agreed to pay nearly $2 billion to offshore wind developers—including $885 million to Bluepoint Wind and Golden State Wind and a $1 billion refund to TotalEnergies—to abandon their U.S. leases and redirect investment into fossil‑fuel projects. Companies such as...
EU ETS Benchmarks Largely Unchanged in Latest Update
The European Commission presented preliminary EU ETS benchmark values for 2026‑2030, with only five of the 54 sector metrics adjusted from the April draft. Phenol and acetone saw the biggest proportional increase at 26.6%, yet remain below 2021‑25 levels, while...
$6 Gas in California Signals New Phase of the Global Energy Crunch
California’s average gasoline price has surged past $6 a gallon, the highest level since October 2023, while diesel now averages $7.48 per gallon. Nationally, gasoline hovers around $4.30 per gallon, keeping the politically sensitive $4 threshold in focus. Crude oil...
Kenya Waives Sulphur Limits on Petrol and Diesel
Kenya temporarily waived its 50 ppm sulphur limit for diesel and petrol imports for six months, after rejecting a high‑sulphur consignment earlier this year. The measure is intended to stave off fuel shortages amid global supply disruptions linked to the US‑Israel...
Democrats Investigate as Trump OKs Almost $2 Billion in Taxpayer Money to End Offshore Wind Projects
President Donald Trump has approved nearly $2 billion in federal funds to terminate existing offshore wind contracts, effectively halting projects slated for the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The move follows a broader administration push to prioritize fossil fuels and reduce clean‑energy...
China Dominates the World’s Lithium Supply. The U.S. Just Found 328 Years’ Worth in Its Own Backyard
The US Geological Survey estimates the Appalachian region contains about 2.3 million metric tons of lithium oxide, enough to replace 328 years of U.S. lithium imports at 2023 levels. Roughly 1.43 million tons are concentrated in the Carolinas, with another 900,000 tons in...
US House Readies E15 Floor Vote in May
The U.S. House will hold a standalone vote on a biofuel reform bill on May 13, aiming to lift the seasonal ban on gasoline containing up to 15% ethanol (E15). The legislation would standardize exemption rules, shifting eligibility from crude‑throughput...
Enerflo Integrates Residential Solar Operating System with Solargraf Design Tool
Enerflo has integrated Enphase’s Solargraf design platform into its residential solar operating system, creating a single workflow for design, proposal, and permitting. The AI‑driven 3D design tool now syncs directly with Enerflo, eliminating manual data entry and tool switching. Sales...
Offshore Wind Lease Buyouts Create Troubling Precedent, Say Former DOI Officials
The U.S. Interior Department has agreed to reimburse developers of four offshore wind leases—about 8.6 GW of potential capacity—with $1.8 billion, provided the companies invest an equal amount in U.S. oil, gas or LNG projects. Former DOI officials argue the arrangement lacks...
Driving Discussions: ARDA South Africa Rundown
In this Argus Media European Products podcast, deputy editor George Mayer‑Bonnet recaps the ARDA conference in South Africa, highlighting Africa’s heavy reliance on imported road and jet fuels and the recent price spikes caused by Middle‑East supply disruptions. He discusses...
Silicon Ranch Debuts Cattle-Friendly Solar Tracker Technology in Tennessee
Silicon Ranch launched its patented CattleTracker agrivoltaics platform at the Christiana Solar Ranch in Tennessee, creating the first commercial solar farm that safely accommodates beef cattle grazing. The system features solar trackers that shift into a grazing mode, allowing livestock...
Oil Price Shock Ripples Through Inflation, Rates, Stock Valuations
The Iran-Hormuz story is not "just geopolitics" Here is the money chain Supply threat pushes crude up higher crude feeds inflation expectations higher inflation pressure keeps rates sticky sticky rates compress growth-stock multiples So even if your portfolio has zero oil names...you still feel this through...
New PV Tech Arrives via U.S. Manufacturing Partnership
Manufacturing partnership brings new PV technology to U.S.-sourced solar #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/9mbZR0ccgN
IMO Carbon Plan for Shipping Faces Growing Revolt as U.S. Courts ‘Silent Majority’
The United States, led by Federal Maritime Commission Chair Laura DiBella, is urging IMO member states to consider alternatives to the stalled Net Zero Framework (NZF), a global carbon‑pricing scheme backed by the EU. DiBella warned that the NZF could...
Rural America Sees Rapid Rise in Wind, Solar
Tracking the Growth of Wind and Solar in Rural America #energysky -- via RMI https://t.co/CN0rek5udu
Chicago Faces Diesel Shortage, Could Spread Nationwide
Chicago is way short on diesel. Hopefully not coming to a region near you. cc @JacobShap @Rory_Johnston
Ontario Lays Foundation for First New Nuclear Reactor in Decades
Ontario placed the 2.1‑million‑pound foundation for its first new nuclear reactor in over 30 years, marking the start of a four‑unit small modular reactor (SMR) program at Darlington. The province aims to have the first 300‑MW unit operational by 2030,...
California Gas Tops $6, 40% Above National Average
Gas prices in California have moved up above $6.00/gallon, 40% higher than the US national average ($4.30/gallon). https://t.co/pB0UfwGqPX
Clean Cooking Takes Center Stage at Nairobi Summit
Pleasure to meet with Kenya’s Special Presidential Envoy Ali Mohamed & Ambassador Betty Cherwon We discussed the importance of moving clean cooking up the international agenda & @IEA's Clean Cooking Summit in Nairobi in July, cochaired by 🇰🇪 President @WilliamsRuto with...
SEIA: Local Solar Bans Threaten the Economic Survival of Family Farms
Family farms facing rising input costs and volatile commodity prices are turning to solar leasing as a reliable "third crop," with many earning $1,000 per acre or more. The Solar Energy Industries Association notes that solar now occupies only about...
China Tests Truck‑mounted Nuclear Power for AI Data Centers
Truck-mounted nuclear ‘power bank’ enters testing as China explores portable reactors capable of running AI data centers. https://t.co/rFt1tElfKe
UNG Faces $10 Support As
$UNG Daily. When upside breakouts continually fail for natural gas, we might as well see if downside support holds. Here, $10 looks like last stand for natty ETF. Held nicely back in January https://t.co/fzMTGrS8ZG
German Chemical Industry Power Demand Could Resume Fall
German chemical manufacturers consumed 42.79 TWh of electricity in 2024 – just over 9% of Germany’s total power use – after a near‑20% drop from 2014‑18 levels. Production fell 3.3% year‑on‑year and is 21% lower than in 2021, driving the second‑lowest...
Brent Hits Four-Year High, Just as Predicted
Brent crude prices just HIT A FOUR-YEAR HIGH. I'M NOT SURPRISED. As I predicted on @davidlin_TV on March 29th, crude oil prices would SPIKE by the end of APRIL. IT’S APRIL 30th, and PRICES HAVE SPIKED. https://t.co/7Tvnl0ojr1
Ameresco Completes Two Solar Projects for Maryland School District
Ameresco has completed two rooftop solar installations for Montgomery County Public Schools, installing a 558.14‑kW system at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and a 244.26‑kW system at Germantown Elementary. The projects are part of a $23 million energy‑savings performance...
Signature Solar to Open New Distribution Warehouse in Nevada
Signature Solar announced a new warehouse and retail store in Reno, Nevada, slated to open later this summer. The facility will act as a regional hub for distribution and customer engagement across the Western U.S. The company will hire 30...
Nearly 60 Nations Convene in Colombia for Energy Transition
Nearly 60 nations, save the largest polluters, gathered in Colombia this week to discuss the energy transition. https://t.co/eYIniZphK2
Climate Tech Startup Voltpost Nabs DC Grant to Expand Public EV Charging: Exclusive
Voltpost, a climate‑tech startup that retrofits existing utility poles with level‑2 EV chargers, secured a $609,500 grant from the District of Columbia. The funding will enable the deployment of up to 16 pole‑mounted charging stations across the city, targeting underserved...
USGS Finds $64 Billion Lithium Deposit in Appalachians, Could Cut Imports by 328 Years
The U.S. Geological Survey disclosed a 2.5‑million‑ton lithium reserve in the Appalachian Mountains valued at roughly $64.4 billion. The find could replace 328 years of U.S. lithium imports, bolstering mineral security and challenging China’s dominance in the battery supply chain.
Japan’s March Industrial Output Slips 0.5% as Middle East Conflict Spikes Oil Prices
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reported that industrial output fell 0.5% in March, the first monthly decline after a 2% drop in February. The slide reflects higher crude oil prices and supply‑chain disruptions linked to the Middle East...
CFS CEO Pooh-Poohs Claim Fusion Not Worth It
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) announced that its compact SPARC reactor, based on MIT’s ARC tokamak design, is approaching a critical development milestone. Simultaneously, researchers from ETH Zurich released a study questioning the economic viability of fusion power plants in a...
If Dems Take Power, Energy Security at Risk
The article argues that a Democratic return to the White House would jeopardize U.S. energy security. It credits President Trump, who took office in January 2025, with rolling back what it calls wasteful subsidies for wind and solar projects. The...