LLNL: Advanced Simulation and Modeling Pave a Path Forward for Single-Crystal Battery Materials
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers published a comprehensive review in Chemical Reviews describing how advanced, physics‑based simulation can decode the complex relationships among processing, structure, and performance of single‑crystal battery materials. By spanning atomistic to cell‑level scales, the multiscale models reveal pathways to improve capacity retention, safety, and cycle life compared with conventional polycrystalline electrodes. The authors stress that coupling these models with experimental validation and machine‑learning analytics can dramatically shorten development timelines. Their work positions single‑crystal designs as a promising route for next‑generation electric‑vehicle and grid‑scale storage systems.
Are Solid State Batteries Finally Here?
Donut Lab has engaged Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre to independently measure the performance and key characteristics of its solid‑state battery prototype. VTT will conduct the tests, document procedures, and publish full reports alongside detailed video walkthroughs. The results are...
New FCAS Resources Dominate Enabled Levels in 2025
The Generator Statistical Digest 2025 (GSD2025) shows that new FCAS resources now dominate all ancillary service categories, with grid‑scale batteries providing the bulk of enabled capacity. Ancillary‑service units classified as "Electricity" also hold a sizable share, especially in raise regulation...
Administrative Agencies Are a “They”, Not an “It”: West Whitby Landowners Group Inc. V. Elexicon Energy Inc., 2025 ONCA 821
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that Ontario Energy Board staff letters can constitute binding legal determinations, not merely advisory opinions. The decision arose from a dispute over whether a new substation was an expansion or enhancement, prompting the parties...
A Conversation About the Endangerment Finding Rescission
In this episode of Andrew Revkin's "Sustain What" podcast, host Andrew Revkin discusses the EPA's controversial final rule rescinding the greenhouse‑gas endangerment finding, which underpins Clean Air Act regulation of emissions. He is joined by environmental attorney Sean Donohue, a...
Beyond Capacity: Why AI Is Forcing a Building-Level Performance Reckoning
AI‑driven workloads have accelerated U.S. electricity demand, with data centers responsible for roughly 60 % of last year’s load increase and a 150 % rise over five years. This non‑linear growth exposes a hidden vulnerability at the building level, where inefficiencies in...
INL Partners with NVIDIA on Nuclear AI Apps
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has teamed up with NVIDIA to embed artificial intelligence across the nuclear reactor lifecycle, from design to operation. Leveraging NVIDIA’s GPU‑accelerated computing, the partnership aims to double deployment schedules and cut operational costs by more...
Evolito to Develop Electric Wheel Taxi System with Airbus and UK Government Support
Evolito Limited has been chosen to create an electric wheel‑taxi system under the UK‑backed Project SONATA, partnering with Airbus, ATI, Innovate UK and several research institutions. The company will supply a low‑speed, high‑torque axial‑flux motor delivering roughly 350 kW and 56 Nm/kg, designed to...
Corb Lund Launching Water Not Coal Petition Campaign Friday in Lethbridge, with Event Saturday in Calgary – by Stephen Tipper...
Southern Alberta country singer Corb Lund has relaunched his “Water Not Coal” petition campaign to ban new coal exploration and mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains. He received official clearance from Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer and has...
Global Oil Data Deck (February 2026)
The February 2026 Global Oil Data Deck reveals that the worldwide liquids market, still heavily oversupplied, finally tightened in December—the first such move in six months—signaling the end of the most oversupplied year since 2020. Production fell in December mainly...
ATA Seeks Expanded Compliance Latitude for EPA 2027 NOx Rules
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has asked the EPA to soften key provisions of the 2027 nitrogen‑oxide (NOx) emissions rule for heavy‑duty trucks, arguing that the required technologies are not yet proven in real‑world use. ATA’s letter cites ongoing freight...
Summer School on the Governance of Extractive Industries in Anglophone Africa
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy and the Natural Resource Governance Institute are launching a one‑week summer school on extractive‑industry governance for Anglophone Africa. The program brings civil society, media, researchers and government officials together to address policy gaps and...
A Defensive Rally.
The episode examines the surprising year‑to‑date rally in oil and gas equities, highlighting that despite a "risk‑off" environment, energy stocks are outpacing all S&P sectors. The host attributes this to improving momentum, stronger global manufacturing PMIs, a weaker U.S. dollar,...
Understanding the Physics at the Anode of Sodium-Ion Batteries
Researchers used DFT‑MD simulations on supercomputers to investigate sodium‑ion behavior in hard‑carbon anodes for sodium‑ion batteries. They identified that sodium ions quickly transition from 2D adsorption to 3D quasi‑metallic clusters, with an optimal nanopore diameter of about 1.5 nm for stable...
How AI Found Better Battery Materials Among 14 Million Possibilities
A collaboration between McGill University, Mila‑Quebec, and Université de Montréal built a closed‑loop system that couples high‑throughput robotic synthesis with multi‑objective Bayesian optimization to explore roughly 14.2 million triple‑doped LiCoPO₄ cathode compositions. Using a set‑transformer surrogate and a multi‑task Gaussian process,...
Single-Atom Catalyst Produces Hydrogen and Oxygen Simultaneously, Slashing Costs
Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) scientists have engineered a single‑atom iridium catalyst anchored on a manganese‑nickel‑phytate layered double hydroxide that catalyzes both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on a single electrode. The design...
Storm-Powered Mega Draw: U.S. Crude Inventories Plunge 9 Million Barrels – Biggest in 5 Months!
The episode breaks down the sudden 9‑million‑barrel drop in U.S. crude inventories—the steepest decline in five months—driven by a powerful storm that disrupted refinery operations and boosted demand for heating fuel. Analysts explain how the draw reshapes the supply‑demand balance,...
AI Darwinism Can Unleash New Potential of Energy Workforce – Enlit Magazine
Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, urged energy executives at the Baker Hughes Annual Meeting to view artificial intelligence as a tool for workforce augmentation rather than mere automation. He introduced the concept of “AI Darwinism,” arguing that...
How Texas Turned a Grid Failure Into a Public Bailout
The episode examines Texas’s 2021 Winter Storm Uri, which knocked out half of ERCOT’s capacity and caused massive blackouts. While the market design intended to let extreme events impose financial penalties on generators that failed to hedge, regulators intervened—forcing a...
Namibia’s Strategic Ascent in the Global Uranium Supply Chain
The episode outlines Namibia’s rise to become the world’s third‑largest uranium producer, delivering 7,333 tonnes in 2024 and targeting 8,000‑9,000 tonnes in 2025. It highlights the country’s three flagship mines—Husab, Rössing, and the revived Langer Heinrich—along with their robust infrastructure,...
An Update to the Update of One of My Favorite Energy Credits
The episode revisits the author’s earlier research reports from October and December 2025 on a leading natural‑gas utility, reaffirming its investment thesis built on ultra‑low leverage, a management team focused on debt reduction, high‑quality assets, and accelerating free cash flow....
Who Killed FCAS?
FCAS (Frequency Control Ancillary Services) prices in Australia’s NEM have plummeted since late 2023, falling to well below $2/MW h after a multi‑year decline. The collapse coincides with a rapid expansion of registered FCAS capacity, driven largely by utility‑scale batteries, demand‑response...
Balcony Solar in the UK
Plug‑in or balcony solar lets households connect small PV arrays directly to a wall socket, bypassing traditional wiring and electrician costs. The UK currently bans this approach, unlike 25 of 27 EU states that have deregulated it after safety certifications....
India Takes on the Shadow Fleet (Bonus Video)
India's navy has begun seizing shadow‑fleet oil tankers within its exclusive economic zone, capturing three vessels since early February. The shadow fleet, a network of roughly 1,000 de‑commissioned tankers, moves 3‑4 million barrels of sanctioned crude daily from Russia, Iran...
Viridien Partners with NVIDIA to Advance HPC for Seismic Imaging Workflows
Viridien announced a partnership with NVIDIA to accelerate its seismic imaging workflows using NVIDIA's high‑performance computing platforms. The collaboration will optimize Viridien’s algorithms for GPU accelerators, including tensor cores and mixed‑precision techniques, aiming to boost imaging speed, accuracy, and efficiency....
Egypt LNG Supply Shaped by Israel–Egypt Gas Interdependence
Egypt’s LNG export volumes are increasingly tied to domestic power demand and Israeli pipeline imports, according to Cedigaz analysis. Israel’s offshore gas surplus now flows to Egypt, stabilizing its electricity system but leaving LNG output dependent on residual gas. Fluctuations...
Russian Drilling Falls in 2H25 – What Does It Mean?
The episode examines the sharp decline in Russian oil and gas drilling in the second half of 2025, with total meters drilled falling 3.4% year‑over‑year and the share of horizontal wells dropping from 67.8% to 59.3%. It links the slowdown...
Stockland Achieves Net Zero Scope 1 and 2 Emissions – Here’s How
Stockland announced it has achieved net‑zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions across its entire portfolio by deploying rooftop solar on more than 50 buildings and retiring a modest amount of nature‑based carbon credits. The initiative installed 75,000 panels, delivering up to 45 MW...
Sandawana Production to More Than Double as Mutapa Energy Unveils US$250 Million Concentrator, US$36 Million Infrastructure Drive
Mutapa Energy’s Sandawana lithium mine will more than double its concentrate output to 162,000 tonnes in FY2026, a 122% increase over the prior year. The company has secured US$250 million to build a new concentrator plant, with construction slated to start...
Invisible Battery Parts Finally Seen with Pioneering Technique
Oxford researchers unveiled a patent‑pending staining method that tags lithium‑ion battery polymer binders with silver and bromine, making them visible under electron microscopy. The technique captures nanoscale binder layers and clusters in graphite, silicon and SiOx anodes, revealing distribution patterns...
The Affirmative Case for Finding Endangerment
The 2007 Supreme Court decision instructed the EPA to evaluate whether greenhouse gases endanger public health, prompting the agency’s 2009 Endangerment Finding that vehicle emissions pose a significant risk. The D.C. Circuit upheld that finding, yet the current Trump administration...
Mapping Energy Data to Help Community Spaces Take Part in Electricity Network Flexibility
mySociety partnered with the Social Investment Business to build a mapping tool that matches community organisations with UK electricity network flexibility tender zones. The platform layers flex‑tender boundaries from six distribution network operators with data on community assets, energy poverty...
2016 vs 2026: Lessons From a Decade of Corporate Climate Action
A decade after the Paris Agreement, corporate climate action has shifted from early supply‑chain pilots and nascent net‑zero talk to a reality where Scope 3 emissions dominate and reporting burdens intensify. Initial enthusiasm for broad coalitions has given way to more...
Industry Needs $90/Bbl.
The episode explains that the oil industry needs oil prices around $90 per barrel to achieve a 10% return on capital, the threshold where oil stocks typically outperform the S&P 500. It highlights that current reinvestment rates are just above...
My Book Is Published in the US Today, and I'm Shortlisted for the Unwin Award
In this episode the host shares three updates: the launch and community feedback on an Energy Comparison Tool, the U.S. publication of their new book "Clearing the Air" with links to purchase, and the excitement of being shortlisted for the...
Quick Take: Thermal Coal Prices Rising
In this brief episode, the host highlights a recent surge in API2 (Northwest Europe) thermal coal futures for March delivery, which have risen roughly $5 per metric tonne over five trading sessions, briefly breaching $108/mt before settling near $107.50/mt. The...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Aircraft Engine MRO
Aircraft jet engines are increasingly being repurposed to generate power for AI data centers, creating a new demand stream beyond aviation. Simultaneously, the industry faces a shortage of new engines and spare parts due to reliability issues with Pratt &...
Slippery Ions Create a Smoother Path to Blue Energy
Researchers at EPFL have coated silicon‑nitride nanopores with lipid‑bilayer lubricants, creating a thin hydration layer that dramatically reduces ion friction. This "hydration lubrication" enables ions to slip through the nanofluidic channels at unprecedented speeds while preserving selectivity. In tests mimicking...
Iran and US Joint Oil Investment??? Poland Wants Own Nukes—Rapid Read 16 Feb 2026
The episode examines a surge in sanctions enforcement, highlighted by the US boarding the sanctioned tanker Veronica III, and Iran’s surprising proposal for joint US investments in oil, mining and aircraft. It also covers Hungary’s request to use the Adriatic...
Transocean to Acquire Valaris in $6.5 Billion Offshore Merger – Merger Arbitrage Mondays
Transocean Ltd. announced an all‑stock acquisition of Valaris Limited for $6.51 billion, offering a 31.6% premium and an exchange ratio of 15.235 Transocean shares per Valaris share. The combined entity will operate 73 rigs across ultra‑deepwater, harsh‑environment, and jackup segments, creating...
Does that Use a Lot of Energy?
In this episode, the host discusses the challenge of gauging the scale of household energy use and carbon emissions without solid data, and introduces an interactive web tool that lets users compare the energy consumption of everyday products and activities....
Engineered Income: The Hidden Mechanics Behind DNP’s Monthly Payout
The episode dissects DNP Select Income Fund Inc., a closed‑end fund that targets utilities and promises a steady monthly payout via a managed distribution plan that can draw from income, gains, or return of capital. It explains how the fund’s...
Novel Calcium-Ion Battery Technology Enhances Energy Storage Efficiency and Sustainability
Researchers at HKUST have unveiled a high‑performance quasi‑solid‑state calcium‑ion battery that uses redox‑active covalent organic framework electrolytes. The QSSEs achieve 0.46 mS cm⁻¹ ionic conductivity and enable Ca²⁺ transport rates above 0.53 at room temperature. A full cell delivers 155.9 mAh g⁻¹ specific capacity...
Fast Microwave Method Produces Advanced Carbon Materials for Efficient CO2 Capture
Scientists have introduced a microwave‑assisted synthesis that converts coal into nitrogen‑doped ultramicroporous carbon in about ten minutes. The rapid method preserves nitrogen and oxygen functional groups, creating pores of 0.6‑0.7 nm that tightly fit CO₂ molecules. The resulting adsorbent captures up...
Hard Landing
The episode examines President Trump’s EPA rule revoking the Obama-era "endangerment finding," which could dismantle federal climate regulation and spark years of litigation. It then shifts focus to California, where Governor Gavin Newsom is scrambling to mitigate the fallout from...
The FREEDOM Act and Permit Certainty
The House has introduced the FREEDOM Act to tackle "permit certainty" by streamlining judicial review of unreasonable permitting delays or revocations and offering compensation to affected developers. The bill emerges amid Democratic resistance to any reform that doesn’t materially boost...
Final Investment Decision Approved for Six NuScale SMRs in Romania
Romanian nuclear operator Nuclearelectrica’s shareholders have approved a Final Investment Decision for a 462 MWe NuScale small‑modular‑reactor plant at Doicesti, comprising six 77 MW modules. The project, estimated at up to $7 billion, targets commercial operation of the first unit by 2033, contingent...
What Does UUD Mean?
The Interior Department’s August secretarial order introduced a “capacity density” test that compares the land footprint of energy projects to their output, effectively targeting renewable projects on federal lands. The order invokes the “unnecessary and undue degradation” (UUD) standard from...
Solar Surge: Texas Grid Roundup #88
Episode #88 of Solar Surge examines the rapid growth of utility‑scale solar in Texas, highlighting a Dallas Fed report that shows solar capacity added in 2025 matched 2024 levels despite tariffs and shifting federal policies. The show also discusses a...
Hot Take on the Endangerment Repeal
The EPA announced a final rule to repeal its 2009 finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare. The agency argues the original finding exceeded its authority and should be a congressional decision, invoking the Major Questions Doctrine. Critics...