Monash University Develops New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Membrane for Water-Free Operation at 250°C
Scientists at Monash University have created an ultra‑thin graphene‑boron nitride membrane that lets hydrogen fuel cells run at temperatures up to 250 °C (482 °F) without any water. The membrane uses atomically thin nanosheets infused with nanoconfined phosphoric acid to maintain rapid proton transport under dry conditions. Lab tests showed high power output even with concentrated methanol as fuel, indicating robust performance in harsh environments. The breakthrough removes a long‑standing bottleneck, opening the door to large‑scale, high‑temperature fuel‑cell deployments across transport, industry and power generation.
Finland's TVO Secures First Green-Labelled Credit Facility
Finland's state‑owned renewable energy group TVO has secured its first green‑labelled credit facility, a €500 million ($540 million) loan from a syndicate of European banks. The facility is earmarked for new wind, solar and energy‑storage projects that comply with the EU taxonomy...
SK On Takes Full Control of Its Tennessee Battery Plant
SK On has taken full ownership of its Tennessee EV‑battery plant, ending the BlueOval SK joint venture with Ford. The Kentucky facilities were transferred to Ford, while SK On rebranded the Tennessee site as SK On Tennessee. The restructuring is expected to cut...
New York Awards $6 Million for Vehicle-Grid Integration Projects
New York State’s energy agency NYSERDA has allocated more than $6 million to seven vehicle‑grid integration projects. The funding supports bidirectional charging, managed charging, wireless charging and thermal storage pilots ranging from electric refuse trucks to Manhattan‑based charging platforms. The largest...
Ofgem Unveils Next Phase of UK Electricity Grid Regulation
Ofgem released its ED3 sector‑specific methodology, introducing a "build‑and‑flex" strategy that requires distribution network operators (DNOs) to combine reinforcement projects with flexibility solutions. The regulator argues this hybrid approach will avoid premature, costly network builds and keep consumer electricity bills...
Fusion Energy Poised for Simpler U.S. Review
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is ending the public comment period on a proposed rule that treats fusion energy separately from traditional nuclear fission, with a final regulation slated for this fall. Regulators deem fusion’s risk profile akin to medical...
Cuba Needs a Long-Term Solution to Its Energy Crisis
Cuba’s energy minister announced on May 14 that the island has run out of oil, deepening a crisis that has worsened under tighter U.S. sanctions. Washington pledged up to $100 million in humanitarian aid, but the funds would only cover about...
First Oil Tanker to Exit Hormuz Since War Expected in Japan
Japan announced that the Idemitsu Maru, a very large crude carrier, became the first Persian Gulf oil tanker to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran‑Israel war began. The vessel is hauling roughly 2 million barrels of Saudi crude and could...
IPAA Backs Bill Targeting Methane Rules for Marginal Wells
The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) is backing the "Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act," legislation introduced by Sen. Cynthia Lummis and Rep. August Pfluger. The bill would move the responsibility for setting performance standards on marginal,...
TotalEnergies Advances Angola Deepwater Growth Strategy
TotalEnergies is deepening its Angola offshore portfolio through a mix of new deepwater projects, brownfield optimisation, and frontier exploration. The company secured a final investment decision for the $6 billion Kaminho project, slated to produce about 70,000 barrels per day by...
In 3 GIFs: How the Iran War Has Changed Tanker Traffic Through Hormuz, Malacca Straits
The Iran‑driven war forced the Strait of Hormuz to close on Feb 28, slashing daily tanker crossings from roughly 46 to fewer than two. Only three Chinese VLCCs, including the Yuan Hua Hu, have managed to transit the narrow waterway since the shutdown....
Singapore Partners with Nuclear Fusion Firm CFS in Push for Future Clean Energy Industry
Singapore has inked a five‑year partnership between its research agency A*STAR and Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) to accelerate commercial fusion development. The collaboration builds on earlier work supplying components for MIT’s SPARC project, a $1 billion demonstration slated for net‑energy gain...
OPEC+ Leaders Expected to up July Oil Output Target Despite Hormuz Disruption, Sources Say
OPEC+ is expected to raise its July oil‑output target by roughly 188,000 barrels per day, according to six sources ahead of the June 7 meeting. The increase involves seven core members—Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Russia and Oman—despite ongoing delivery...
The Commodities Feed: Lingering Iran Uncertainty Has Oil Prices Oscillating
Oil markets remain volatile as US‑Iran nuclear talks stall, pushing ICE Brent 2.3% lower to under $103 per barrel, its weakest close since early May. Refined product inventories in Europe and Asia showed modest shifts, with gasoline stocks falling while...
Sparse Charging Stations Slowing Filipinos’ Shift to EV
A Deloitte study shows the Philippines’ EV shift is hampered by a thin charging network, with only about 1,600 accredited stations for 113 million people. Forty‑eight percent of respondents cite the lack of public chargers as their top concern, while range...