Know What's Happening in Energy
Know What's Happening in Energy
JPMorgan flags $1 trillion U.S. power‑grid upgrade spend amid aging infrastructure
The bank warns that the U.S. grid, averaging nearly 60 years old, faces a national‑security risk and projects roughly $1 trillion in upgrades between 2026 and 2035, part of a $5.8 trillion global spend. Rising AI‑driven data‑center demand could add 100 GW of peak load by 2030, intensifying the upgrade need.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Oil majors secure $164M Alaska lease package
In 1974 Henry Kissinger secured an informal pact that required Saudi Arabia to price oil exclusively in U.S. dollars, creating the petrodollar system that channeled massive dollar surpluses into Treasury securities. The arrangement underpinned America’s ability to run large fiscal deficits for five decades by generating automatic global demand for the currency. In June 2024 the Saudi‑U.S. agreement lapsed, and Riyadh began exploring yuan‑based pricing and BRICS membership, eroding the automatic dollar‑oil link. Washington now seeks a new architecture, leveraging semiconductors, AI infrastructure and stablecoin regulation to recreate structural dollar demand in the digital age.
As a climate and energy reporter, I have to admit continued frustration in trying to convince people that electrification is a climate solution, regardless of what is used to generate the power. Sigh...
South Africa’s Crude oil imports Here are the historical amounts of crude oil South Africa imports in for each respective month. Total = 9.5 billion liters (2024) Nigeria accounted for 48% Angola accounted for 15% Ghana accounted for 6% 69%...
The United States announced a 30‑day suspension of sanctions on Russian crude that is currently at sea, aiming to cushion the economic repercussions of the war in Iran. The temporary relief covers roughly 100 million barrels of Russian oil in transit,...
Happy Friday, oil watchers. We're now two weeks into the Iran War and crude prices are up ~$30/bbl. That's roughly a $3/bbl gain per day that the Strait of Hormuz has remained closed, a pace that I expect to continue so long...
WindEurope urges Europe to accelerate domestic renewable electricity after the Strait of Hormuz closure exposed the continent’s reliance on volatile fossil‑fuel imports. The group calls for lower electricity taxes, reallocation of emissions‑trading‑system revenues to industrial electrification, and an expanded EU...
SunPower announced the completion of its integration of Sunder Energy, a residential solar contractor it bought in September. The deal was valued at $40 million plus 10 million shares of SunPower stock. Sunder, operating in 21 states and Washington, D.C., specializes in...
Ford Pro and ChargePoint have launched a joint venture in Germany and the UK to provide tailored electric‑vehicle charging solutions for commercial fleets. The offering covers home, depot and workplace installations, leveraging ChargePoint’s expertise in site planning, installation and management. It...
Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority has shortlisted Saudi‑based ACWA Power and UAE‑based Yellow Door Energy to develop a 100 MW solar plant in Bilaj Al Jazayer under a build‑own‑operate public‑private partnership. The project targets commercial operation by 30 September 2027 and forms part...
Kent has secured a front‑end engineering design (FEED) contract with EnEarth to develop Greece’s first dedicated CO₂ storage facility at the Prinos offshore field. The project will initially inject 1 MtCO₂ per year, scaling to 2.8 MtCO₂ annually by 2029, and includes...
PJM Interconnection’s wholesale power costs surged 54% in 2025, reaching $67 billion. Capacity expenses exploded 262%, now 16% of total costs, exposing a 6,500 MW shortfall for the 2027/2028 auction. The spike is driven by rapid data‑center load growth, prompting the independent...
Woodfibre LNG received its largest liquefaction module, weighing over 10,800 metric tonnes, at the Squamish‑area project site. The module, the 15th of 19, will cool natural gas to –162 °C using Siemens electric‑drive technology powered by British Columbia’s renewable grid. The...
Purelight Power’s Chapter 11 filing has triggered a $7 million auction of solar inventory and related assets. CA Global Partners, alongside Onyx Asset Advisors, will host seven online auctions from March 25 to April 22, covering equipment in Oregon, Washington, Iowa, Kentucky and Montana....
Brazil announced a provisional measure that eliminates federal PIS and Cofins taxes on diesel for domestic consumption while imposing a 12% export tax on crude oil and a 50% levy on diesel shipments. The move, driven by soaring crude prices...
RenewableUK reports global offshore wind capacity will hit 100 GW in 2026, up from 89.2 GW in 2025. The sector added 8.8 GW in 2025, marking the fourth‑largest installation year on record. Forecasts show 18.8 GW could be commissioned in 2026 and total capacity...
A Russian LNG tanker, the Arctic Metagaz, was struck by Ukrainian naval drones and left drifting in the Mediterranean between Italy and Malta. The vessel’s 30 crew were evacuated, and while the hull remains afloat, the amount of LNG on board...
University of Jyväskylä researchers used a new constant inner potential density functional theory to model semiconductor electrochemistry, revealing that lowering the electrode potential creates polarons on TiO₂ surfaces that activate the hydrogen evolution reaction. State‑of‑the‑art Raman, electron resonance and photoelectron...
This week’s Cleantech roundup highlighted four pivotal energy topics. The EPA, under the Trump administration, rescinded the 2009 endangerment finding that anchored greenhouse‑gas regulation under the Clean Air Act. Exelon’s executive outlined a $38 billion capital plan that prioritizes affordability while...
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to present a webinar titled "Understanding the Ethanol Market" for the Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University of Nebraska. During the session, I shared my insights on several key topics, including: - EV transition and...
Closure of the strait is one of the most obvious possible consequences of conflict with Iran...
Engineers at Hinkley Point C have begun tunnelling a 620‑metre, 1.8‑metre‑diameter fish return tunnel using a TBM dubbed Sarah Guppy. The tunnel is one of three fish‑protection systems – alongside low‑velocity intake heads and an ultrasound acoustic deterrent – that together cost...
We know who pays for new transmission. We all do. In PJM, data center growth creates reliability problems that PJM solves with new transmission. Using methods written by the utilities, PJM bills all utilities for new lines, who then bill us.
This is the week that oil markets started to wake up to not-so-short-term supply risks. Unprecedented outperformance of Brent third-month vs front-month in an up market (since at least 1989) https://t.co/moJqCod6kL https://t.co/0wKCN8bKco
Nexwell Power has closed a €167 million multi‑tranche financing to fund a 248 MW solar PV portfolio in Spain. The portfolio, acquired from Q Energy, comprises seven plants in Andalusia and Aragon, with several projects already mechanically complete and others slated for early‑2026...
US Treasury Allows More Russian Oil Sales to Help Tame Prices. And Putin is laughing as he heads to the bank and thumbs his nose at sanctions. And has needed revenue for his Ukraine war. https://t.co/zWRhldvD7W
PJM has no authority over transmission line ratings. This is a governance and regulatory failure. PJM is now technically able to use more accurate inputs in its transmission system models, but it might not actually be doing so. It's up to...
Egypt raised domestic fuel prices by 14‑17% after the Strait of Hormuz closure, prompting immediate transport fare hikes and higher food costs for ordinary Egyptians. The surge in energy prices has accelerated inflation, with staple items like bread and tomatoes...
Japan taps oil reserves as Iran war spreads. Could it give China leverage? With Tokyo and Beijing still at loggerheads over Taiwan, analysts warn Japan’s decision exposes its economic vulnerability Yet another "Iran war gives Beijing leverage' piece, short answer....no... https://t.co/nx95uxzmnh
Brazil’s 439 MW Bom Jardim solar site begins testing phase #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/hH761UmFpi
IDB Invest coordinated a $420 million debt‑financing package, contributing $156 million, to launch Project Villeta – Paraguay’s first green‑hydrogen‑based fertilizer plant. The $650 million investment will produce about 262,460 tons of fertilizer annually, with roughly 90% earmarked for export, leveraging the country’s 100% hydroelectric grid. A...
big picture % change since U.S. & Israel attacked Iran... crude + $VIX & Bitcoin up the most... https://t.co/lK9FCWy5TY
A hallmark about most fancy analysts, including many I respect, is that they don't appear to be filling up at the gas station. Most of them talk about future price hikes in the coming days, not realizing that they have...
Politicians on the right blame the EU Green Deal for soaring energy costs and weakened competitiveness. The article argues that price spikes stem from post‑COVID demand, Russia’s war‑induced supply shock, and chronic underinvestment in renewables rather than climate policy. Renewable...
🎙️ NEW PODCAST 🎧 In the latest episode of the Oil Ground Up podcast, I spoke with @ncitayim for a view on the Iran war from one of my absolute favourite OPEC and Middle East oil analysts, reporting from the Gulf. (Link...
EU has a solution for the Hormuz issue Why wasnt this considered before? @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse
U.S. researchers at Colorado University introduced an economic framework that evaluates how wider spacing between solar photovoltaic (PV) rows can make agrivoltaic systems viable for large‑scale, mechanized farming. Simulations on a 160‑acre Colorado site across potatoes, onions, sugar beets and...
Switching from coal to natural gas is not the “gift” you think it is. The infrastructure costs are enormous. Far cheaper to move to solar and batteries. The administration has hurt LNG security in a big way with this conflict. https://t.co/VIukiTxMxx
Iran's chaos strategy is disrupting energy markets and sending prices soaring. Plus: laser defense tech that costs less than your morning coffee. 🟢 Open https://t.co/ZW0OOnRdSV
The post argues that the United States should prioritize domestic oil and gas, especially Canadian supplies, over reliance on China for energy security. It highlights how Middle‑East conflicts, such as the recent Iran war, make imported crude volatile. The author...
As always, the quarterlies tell the truth. "We are 80 pct renewable:" Wind and solar shield Gina Rinehart's big lithium play from fossil fuel crisis https://t.co/pGF3RZbT0n
What are the longer term ramifications of an extended closure of the Strait of Hormuz? Growth in alternative energy sources? What else?
Oil markets are once again being driven by a fear premium, pushing Brent crude up by roughly $15‑$20 per barrel despite ample global supply. The premium, first noted after 9/11, reflects traders’ risk‑aversion to geopolitical shocks and supply‑chain disruptions. Recent...
BRENT crude prices have risen by more than two-thirds since the start of the year but in real terms they remain moderate at only a little over the average since the start of the century: https://t.co/MsEc6Lww8F
"What the Jones Act does and how a Trump suspension could affect fuel prices" https://t.co/goGJwDm2EN https://t.co/s2CTtPeu6A
European leaders, including Germany’s Friedrich Merz, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, condemned the Trump administration’s decision to temporarily lift sanctions on stranded Russian oil. They argue the move will replenish Moscow’s war chest and undermine the G7’s unified pressure on Russia...
Statkraft, together with seven other leading European power firms, has sent a joint letter to EU leaders urging the protection of the EU Emissions Trading System, the internal electricity market, and marginal pricing. The coalition warns that weakening these mechanisms...
Iran is a one-trick pony. It exports oil. Those exports pay for everything else, including its military. Shut down its oil exports and Iran implodes. Iran's ports need to be blockaded immediately. That's the fastest way to open up the...
European voters’ climate concern has surged to 14%, reflecting a post‑Russia‑Ukraine energy shock that reshapes political sentiment. The shift has prompted a wave of incumbent defeats and signals a move away from aggressive ESG policies toward energy security. European oil...
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, seeking safe passage for Indian vessels as Iran threatens to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed. The closure jeopardises roughly half of India’s crude‑oil imports and its primary...
The market is adjusting to heightened geopolitical risk after coordinated US‑Israeli strikes on Iran, which have effectively shut the Hormuz Strait and intensified regional drone attacks. These developments are pushing oil prices higher for a longer period, bolstering the U.S....
