University of British Columbia (UBC) Researchers Discover Microbes Turning Food Waste Into Energy
University of British Columbia researchers have identified a previously unknown bacterium in the Natronincolaceae family that drives methane production in anaerobic digesters converting food waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). The microbe thrives in high‑ammonia environments, keeping the Surrey, BC facility operational despite conditions that stall other microbes. Using activity‑targeted metaproteomics, the team traced carbon‑labelled proteins to pinpoint the organism’s role in the digestion cascade. The discovery, published in Nature Microbiology, opens pathways to more resilient, efficient RNG plants worldwide.
Daily Energy Report
EU LNG imports fell 13% month‑on‑month in April 2026, reaching 8.82 million tons—the lowest level since the year began. The decline stemmed from seasonal demand weakness and the abrupt closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which stopped Qatari LNG flows that normally supply about...
The Department of Energy Is Spending a Tiny Fraction of Its Money
The Department of Energy (DOE) disbursed only 2% of its FY 2025 budget, a sharp drop from the 38% spent the year before. A wave of resignations—about one in five staff—combined with a sweeping reorganization left each employee responsible for roughly...
5 Big Energy Stories - 5.15.2026: Americans Want Permitting Reform - Climate Alarm Lobby Hardest Hit
Cuba announced it has completely run out of oil, leaving its power grid in a state of 20‑hour blackouts and intermittent one‑hour service. The shortage follows the United States’ seizure of Venezuela’s oil assets and a subsequent blockade that stopped...
LNG Shipping Market Remains Tightly Balanced as Atlantic and Pacific Dynamics Diverge
Recent LNG shipping activity shows a tightly balanced market as divergent trends emerge in the Atlantic and Pacific regions. The first Gulf‑origin LNG cargoes since the February conflict have transited the Strait of Hormuz aboard QELM and ADNOC vessels, while...
India and China Double Down on Coal Consumption
China accelerated its coal rollout in 2025, commissioning more than 50 large‑scale units—each 1 GW or larger—far outpacing the sub‑20 units typical of the previous decade. The surge reflects a wave of new coal mines coming online, underscoring Beijing’s continued reliance...
Daily Energy Report
Saudi Arabia’s western ports are now exporting an average of 4 million barrels per day (mb/d) of crude, a level that has steadied after recent fluctuations. The crude is moved from eastern fields through the East‑West pipeline, which can handle up...
How the Federal Solar Tax Credit Is Changing in 2026 and What Texas Homeowners Should Know
The federal solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) currently offers a 30% credit, turning a $20,000 residential system into roughly a $6,000 tax reduction. While the credit is expected to stay at 30% through 2026, eligibility criteria—especially for battery storage—could evolve,...
Philanthropy Needs a New Grassroots Strategy for Clean Energy
A coalition of Wisconsin groups secured approval for the 118‑megawatt Badger Hollow wind farm after a flood of 456 public comments, emphasizing the project’s $600,000 annual revenue for local towns. The effort illustrates how targeted grassroots outreach can overcome traditional...
How Greenpeace Helped Derail the Cleanest Energy Revolution in History
Global electricity demand is set to double by 2050, with AI‑driven data centres alone adding 945 TWh by 2030. The United States abandoned large‑scale nuclear construction, where a typical Western reactor now costs about $24 billion and takes 17 years, versus China’s $2.7 billion,...
Europe's Dependence On US LNG Set To Surge
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warns that the European Union’s reliance on U.S. liquefied natural gas will climb from 58% of total LNG imports today to roughly 80% within two years. The United States is set to...
Bessent's "Suffocating" Iranian Regime Strategy Materializes In Kharg Island Satellite Imagery
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s warning that the United States is "suffocating" Iran’s regime is now visible in satellite data. European imagery shows Kharg Island, Iran’s primary crude export hub, completely empty of ocean‑going tankers on May 8, 9 and 11, marking the longest...
~28 Years of History for the VIC-SA Interconnector, in One Chart
The VIC‑SA interconnector has logged 28 years of flow data, split into three distinct phases. From 1999‑2017 Victoria was the dominant exporter, averaging about +44 MW to South Australia. Between July 2017 and December 2020 the trend flipped, with SA exporting roughly –49 MW to...
Daily Energy Report
U.S. crude oil inventories slipped 4.3 million barrels last week, bringing total stocks to 452.9 million barrels, while gasoline supplies fell 4.1 million barrels to 215.7 million. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was drawn down by 8.6 million barrels, leaving 384.1 million barrels on hand. Distillate stocks...
The Ionic Path to All-Solid-State Batteries
All‑solid‑state batteries (ASSBs) are emerging as safer alternatives to liquid‑electrolyte cells, but ion‑transport resistance remains a bottleneck. A team at Osaka Metropolitan University showed that mixing solid‑electrolyte particles of varied sizes reduces electrode tortuosity, creating shorter ion pathways. Using lithium...
OPEC+ Data Deck (May 2026)
The United Arab Emirates announced it will leave OPEC effective May 1, 2026, making this the final OPEC+ Data Deck that includes its production figures. In April, OPEC+ quota‑participating crude output fell 1,625 kbpd to 26,558 kbpd, marking a 35‑year low for the...
Schneider, Microsoft Show How AI Can Enable Green Hydrogen Production
Schneider Electric and Microsoft announced a partnership to bring AI‑powered, open‑software automation to industrial processes, highlighted by a green‑hydrogen project in India. Together they deployed the country’s first fully autonomous solid‑oxide electrolyzer for h2e Power, achieving over 6,000 hours of stable operation...
Mexico’s Oil Obsession Is Killing Its Petrochemical Sector
Mexico’s petrochemical push under President Sheinbaum’s Plan México hit a snag when Braskem’s $5.2 billion polyethylene complex in Veracruz fell to 70 % capacity due to Pemex’s chronic ethane shortfall. Pemex supplied only half the agreed feedstock by 2021, prompting penalties and near‑litigation....
South Korea Is Coming to America’s Nuclear Rescue
South Korea's state‑owned Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) signed a memorandum of understanding with Southern Company's nuclear division to cooperate on engineering nuclear power stations. The agreement centers on technology exchanges, joint workshops and best‑practice sharing, without direct financing....
Running the Numbers – Russia’s April Budget Windfall
Russia’s April budget received an unexpected boost as oil and gas tax receipts surged, more than tripling the February collection of Rb393 bn ($5.1 bn). The windfall, driven by higher Brent prices and a rebound in exports after the Iran crisis, pushed...
Iran War Is $29 Billion Quagmire As Trump Heads To China
The U.S. war with Iran has already cost taxpayers $29 billion, while the International Energy Agency reports over a billion barrels of Gulf oil stranded, creating a sharp supply shock. Gasoline prices in the United States remain above $4.50 per gallon...
The Velocity of Flexibility: Avoiding the IPRR Hibernation Trap
The Australian Energy Market Commission’s Integrating Price‑Responsive Resources (IPRR) framework aims to bring distributed, price‑responsive assets into the National Electricity Market, but its current administrative rules create a “Commercial Hibernation Trap.” Operators of virtual power plants and voluntarily scheduled resources...
Morgan Stanley Maps Four Oil Shock Scenarios From Fed Hikes to Global Recession
Morgan Stanley outlined four alternative macroeconomic scenarios surrounding its base case of a gradual Iran de‑escalation, a brief inflation spike and a patient Federal Reserve. Scenario 1 predicts a 100‑basis‑point Fed hike in 2027 as the oil shock fades, while Scenario 2...
Daily Energy Report
China’s crude oil imports plunged by more than 2.6 million barrels per day in March and April 2026, marking the lowest import levels in seven years. The drop coincided with a sharp price rise and the Hormuz Strait crisis, which constrained...
Daily Memo: India on Russian LNG, Brussels on Afghan Migrants
India has told Russia it will not buy Russian liquefied natural gas that falls under U.S. sanctions, a stance conveyed to Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin during his April 30 visit to New Delhi. The decision impacts at least one...
Homerun Resources Inc. Announces Positive Bankable Feasibility Study on Solar Glass Manufacturing Plant in Brazil, Confirming Strong Economics and Strategic...
Homerun Resources announced a bankable feasibility study for a solar glass manufacturing plant in Belmonte, Bahia, Brazil. The base‑case net present value is about $670 million (rising to $829 million at 105% capacity) with a 20.2% internal rate of return and a...
US, UK, Australia Tighten Sanctions On Iran
The United States, United Kingdom and Australia announced a coordinated wave of sanctions against Iran in mid‑May, targeting individuals and entities tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and to the regime’s human‑rights violations. The U.S. Treasury listed 12...
Key Outcomes From the First Summit on ‘Transitioning Away’ From Fossil Fuels
From April 24‑29, 2026, Colombia and the Netherlands hosted the inaugural “transitioning away” summit in Santa Marta, drawing 57 nations—about a third of the world economy—to discuss concrete steps for phasing out coal, oil and gas. The event introduced a science...
Aqaba Reinvents Itself as Shifts to Energy-Logistics Hub
Facing dual chokepoint disruptions, Jordan’s Port of Aqaba is repositioning itself from a traditional container hub to an energy‑logistics center. The port is integrating infrastructure left idle in the Gulf, expanding LNG import terminals, and developing green‑fuel export capabilities. Overland...
Interview with Asharq Bloomberg TV Dubai 11.05.2026
In a recent Asharq Bloomberg TV interview, The Macro Butler warned that oil prices appear deceptively calm while the physical market is under strain. He highlighted that global oil inventories have slipped into operational stress territory. A prolonged "geopolitical maintenance"...
Blackstone’s $1 Billion “Behind-the-Meter” Play: AI Data Centers, Power Scarcity, and the New Infrastructure Arms Race:
Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and Halliburton are investing $1 billion in VoltaGrid, a fast‑growing distributed‑power firm. The deal includes a $775 million capital raise and a $225 million secondary purchase, slated to close mid‑2026. VoltaGrid will use the funds to expand behind‑the‑meter generation for...
Despite Politicized Disinformation, Midwest AI Data Centers Are Fueling a Solar Energy Boom
Midwest AI data centers are dramatically increasing regional electricity demand, prompting a rapid expansion of solar installations. Farmers and landowners are signing solar leases to secure steady income as tariffs hurt traditional crop markets. Fossil‑fuel interests are financing disinformation campaigns...
Why the Oil Price Is Stable
Morgan Stanley’s latest charts show crude oil prices holding steady despite ongoing geopolitical tension. The market entered the conflict with sizable inventory buffers and continues to price in a rapid reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Adding to the equilibrium,...
Daily Bulletin...
President Donald Trump announced support for a temporary suspension of the 18.4‑cent federal gasoline tax as national pump prices rose to $4.52 per gallon amid the Iran‑related energy shock. The administration also dispatched a delegation of corporate executives to Beijing...
AEMO Incident Report Released, on Frequency Spike Due to Self-Forecast Vendor Glitch (19th August 2025)
On 19 August 2025 the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) released a Reviewable Operating Incident Report attributing a notable frequency spike to a self‑forecasting vendor software glitch. The anomaly caused a brief 0.5 Hz deviation, prompting immediate system safeguards and highlighting gaps in...
Daily Energy Report
India’s strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) are being drawn down faster, causing a noticeable dip in the country’s crude oil inventories. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to curb fuel use amid a Hormuz‑driven global price surge, framing the call as...
Why June Is the Oil Market’s Point of No Return
The U.S.-Iran conflict has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly 14.5 million barrels per day of Middle‑East crude and driving global oil inventories down at a record 11‑12 million barrels daily. JP Morgan warns that only 800 million barrels of the 8.4 billion‑barrel...
Real Gasoline Prices Are (Relatively) Low; Gas Prices Are Rising Sharply
Real gasoline prices are low in inflation‑adjusted terms, yet they have surged sharply, rising about 23% from February to April 2024. This jump exceeds the month‑on‑month growth seen after the 2022 Russian‑invasion price spike and the pre‑Great Recession surge. Retail...
The Permian Pipeline Buildout Reaches Critical Mass
Natural gas production in the Permian Basin has doubled since 2018, reaching 25.4 billion cubic feet per day and representing 22% of U.S. marketed gas. Takeaway capacity has lagged, driving deep discounts at the Waha hub and occasional negative pricing. Three...
Aramco CEO’s Bombshell Warning Exposes the Fragile State of Global Energy Markets
Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser warned on the first‑quarter earnings call that the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz has removed roughly one billion barrels of oil from the market and could keep global supplies tight for years. He said...
How Trump's Helping China Win on Clean Energy | It’s The Democracy, Stupid with Edwin Eisendrath & Volts' David Roberts
The podcast "It’s The Democracy, Stupid" features Edwin Eisendrath and journalist David Roberts warning that the Trump administration’s rollback of clean‑energy incentives is eroding U.S. progress and handing China a decisive advantage in renewable technology. Roberts argues the United States...
Iran News: Pres Trump Is Considering Renewing Project Freedom
President Trump is reportedly weighing a restart of Project Freedom, a U.S.-led naval operation to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran limited transit. Tehran has countered by demanding the United States clean up alleged nuclear‑dust contamination...
How US Met Coal Should Actually Be Priced
The final installment of the series critiques Platts’ three‑index methodology for US metallurgical coal and proposes a seven‑index framework that aligns pricing with actual regional product characteristics. It shows how the current LV, HVA and HVB assessments lump disparate coal...
China April Battery Installations Grow 15%, Reversing 2-Month Decline
China’s power‑battery installations rebounded in April 2026, reaching 62.4 GWh – a 15.2% year‑on‑year gain and a 10.4% rise from March. Lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) units dominated the market, delivering 50.8 GWh and capturing 81.5% of total installs, while ternary chemistries grew 24.2% YoY....
First Separation of Interfacial Proton Transport in Ultrathin Energy Device Materials
Researchers at JAIST, Tokyo University of Science, and the University of Calgary have introduced a technique that isolates proton transport at individual polymer‑electrode interfaces in ultrathin ionomer films. By extending impedance spectroscopy to lower frequencies and varying electrode pad length,...
A Qatari Gas Tanker Passed the Strait of Hormuz
A Qatari LNG tanker, Al Kharaitiyat, became the first vessel to navigate the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran‑Israel war began, using a Tehran‑approved northern route. The transit signals a tentative reopening of a critical oil‑and‑gas corridor, easing some pressure on...
4 Big Energy Stories - 5.11.2026: Stop This Madness, Please
Oil prices jumped on Monday after President Donald Trump labeled Iran’s latest peace‑proposal response unacceptable, reigniting supply concerns as the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed. Brent crude rose $2.70 to $103.99 a barrel and U.S. WTI climbed $2.24 to...
Presentation on Recent Trends in Electricity Markets
The author presented a three‑part analysis of European electricity markets, focusing first on the rapid expansion of solar generation and battery storage. The second segment examined how these renewables are reshaping day‑ahead market pricing, pushing prices lower and altering the...
What Has All This Back-and-Forth Climate Legislating Bought Us?
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was originally projected to cut U.S. greenhouse‑gas emissions 40‑50% below 2005 levels by 2035. A new joint paper by Watershed and the University of Maryland models the combined impact of the IRA and the partially...
US OFAC Warning to Financial Institutions Re Sanctions Risks of Dealing with China’s Teapot Refineries Importing and Refining Iranian Oil
The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has warned financial institutions that Chinese “teapot” refineries, especially in Shandong Province, remain high‑risk partners because they continue importing and refining Iranian crude. Since March 2025 OFAC has designated firms such as...