Residential Solar Installer Freedom Forever Files Bankruptcy
Freedom Forever, the top residential solar contractor by kilowatts installed, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. The company listed assets between $100 million and $500 million and liabilities ranging from $500 million to $1 billion, with Mosaic Funding claiming nearly $120 million. Founded in 2011, Freedom Forever installed almost 2 GW of residential solar across 35 states and employed over 3,600 workers. Its bankruptcy raises questions about the future of lease and power‑purchase‑agreement contracts for homeowners.
U.S. Community Solar Passes 10 GW Milestone Despite Market Contraction
The U.S. community solar market crossed the 10 GW cumulative threshold in late 2025, even as annual installations slipped 25% to 1.4 GW. Analysts attribute the slowdown to saturation in New York and Maine, but a robust pipeline of more than 8 GW—29% already...
German, South African Organisations Launch Project to Support Workers in the Energy Transition
German foundation Friedrich‑Ebert‑Stiftung South Africa and the Sam Tambani Research Institute launched the Strengthening Workers’ Active Participation (SWAP) project to help coal‑dependent communities negotiate a just transition to renewables. The two‑year initiative, funded with about €1.05 million (≈ $1.13 million), will operate in...
Demand for Colombia LNG Shipments Set to Surge
Colombia’s power sector is gearing up for a sharp increase in LNG imports as an El Niño‑driven dry season threatens its hydropower‑dependent grid. Imports, currently 210 million cubic feet per day, are expected to climb to the SPEC terminal’s full 475 mcf/d capacity...
High Crude Oil Prices: 3 Integrated Energy Stocks to Bet on Right Away
Rising crude prices above $90 a barrel are boosting earnings for integrated oil majors, positioning Exxon Mobil, Chevron and BP as the sector’s top picks. The Zacks Oil & Gas Integrated International industry ranks #3, placing it in the top 1%...
Bunker Fuel Shortages Loom After US Counter Blocks Strait of Hormuz
US naval counter‑operations have effectively blocked commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting the primary route for bunker fuel shipments to Asia. Analysts warn that within two to three months container lines could encounter a global shortage of low‑sulfur...
Minnesota Community Solar Garden Program Officially Named for House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman
Minnesota lawmakers renamed the state’s pioneering community solar garden (CSG) program after former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, honoring her role in shaping the 2013 legislation. Governor Tim Walz signed the bill with bipartisan support, cementing her legacy in renewable‑energy policy....
Pollution Release at Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Was Triggered by a Bird
On Jan. 9, a power outage at Chevron’s Richmond refinery forced an eight‑hour flaring event that released over 3,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The outage was triggered when a raptor contacted a PG&E transmission line, causing a short circuit and loss...
UAE Firm to Enrich Fleet with Two LNG Carriers by 2027, First Vessel Deal Now in the Bag
Dubai‑based BGN has entered a joint venture with Capital Clean Energy Carriers to charter the 174,000 cbm LNG carrier Amore Mio I for ten years, with an option to extend six more years. The vessel, slated for delivery in early 2027, marks BGN’s...
Batteries Included: Amazon Makes Record Haul of Hybrid Renewable PPAs to Power Australian AI Push
Amazon Australia announced nine new power‑purchase agreements covering 430 MW and roughly A$2.8 billion ($1.85 billion). Eight of the contracts feature battery storage, including three utility‑scale solar‑battery hybrids—the first such deals Amazon has signed outside the United States. The additions bring Amazon’s Australian...
The Mobility House to Offer Free Electricity for V2G Customers
The Mobility House will let owners of V2G‑capable electric cars charge at home for free, offsetting costs by using the vehicle batteries as grid storage and selling electricity during peak periods. The program launches this quarter for the Renault 5, with...
UAC Starts Large-Scale Hydrogen Storage Production in China
UMOE Advanced Composites (UAC) has begun industrial production of large‑capacity Type IV glass‑fibre hydrogen storage cylinders at its new 12,000 m² Jiaxing plant in Zhejiang, China. The facility, which can produce up to 20,000‑24,000 composite cylinders per year, triples the company’s global...
Why Regulated Utilities Lose More on Uneconomic Power Plants
RMI’s new analysis finds that rate‑regulated utilities, which can pass fuel costs to customers, keep coal and gas plants running even when market prices make them uneconomic, generating $23 billion in gross losses since 2015. Although they own about 78% of...
China’s CATL to Invest US$4.4 Billion in Mining Arm to Secure EV Battery Supply Chain
China’s battery leader CATL is earmarking 30 bn yuan (≈$4.4 bn) to launch a mining subsidiary that will consolidate existing assets and chase new mineral projects worldwide, securing raw‑material supply for its EV batteries and energy‑storage systems. The move follows a Q1...
Govt Enhances C3, C4 Allocation for Pharma, Packaging Chemical Sectors to 1,000 Tonnes/Day
India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has increased the daily allocation of C3 (propane) and C4 (butanes/butenes) streams to 1,000 tonnes for critical sectors such as pharmaceuticals, packaging and polymers. The boost represents a 25% rise from the initial...
Colorado Legislature Sends ‘Advanced Transmission Technology’ Bill to Governor
Colorado lawmakers approved the Grid Optimization Act (HB 1081), directing the state public utilities commission to require Xcel’s Public Service Co., Black Hills Energy and Tri‑State to evaluate advanced transmission technologies in their biennial 10‑year transmission plans. The legislation defines...
Bills Containing Plug-In Solar Provisions Pass in Maryland and Colorado
Maryland and Colorado advanced plug‑in solar bills to their governors within 24 hours, joining Utah, Maine and Virginia in the emerging portable‑solar movement. Maryland’s HB 1532 permits residential customers to connect up to 1,200‑watt devices without utility fees, while Colorado’s...
US Officials Claim China Is ‘Hoarding’ Oil. What Does the Data Say?
U.S. Treasury officials accused China of hoarding oil amid the US‑Israeli‑Iran conflict, but customs data shows China’s crude imports actually slipped 2.8% in March 2026 after an 8.9% year‑on‑year rise in the first quarter. Port inventory indices fell in early...
BASF and TSR Group Collaborate on Battery Recycling
BASF and the TSR Group announced a partnership to integrate battery‑dismantling, safe discharge, and black‑mass processing across Europe. TSR will contribute its network of more than 190 licensed waste‑management sites, while BASF adds its Schwarzheide recycling plant that produces black...
UK Energy Strategy 'Unsustainable' - Manufacturer
KGD managing director Ed Pitt warned that the UK’s energy strategy is unsustainable, noting his firm spends about £250,000 (≈ $317,500) annually on electricity and gas. The warning follows an IMF downgrade of UK growth to 0.8% as the Iran war...
IMF Says War Should Spur Faster Adoption of Renewable Energy
At the World Economic Outlook launch, IMF chief economist Pierre‑Olivier Gourcinas warned that the war in the Middle East should accelerate the shift toward renewable energy to protect economies from energy shocks. He compared the current oil shortfall to the...
Amid the Hormuz Crisis, Indonesia Rewrites Its Energy Playbook
Indonesia’s government responded to the Strait of Hormuz disruption with a two‑pronged strategy: domestic fuel subsidies and demand controls were kept steady while the president launched an intensive diplomatic tour of Japan, South Korea and Russia. The visits produced concrete...
How Other Countries Are Responding to Surging Oil Prices - and Why Spain Is in a Good Position
Rising oil prices triggered by the Iran‑Houthi conflict have prompted a patchwork of policy responses across Europe. The United Kingdom, grappling with high debt, has resisted new fuel‑duty cuts beyond a £5 bn ($6.3 bn) annual program, while Germany introduced a two‑month...
Maine to Put Brakes on Big Data Centers as AI Expansion Collides with Power Limits
Maine is set to become the first U.S. state to impose a statewide moratorium on large data center construction, barring permits for facilities that draw 20 megawatts or more until roughly October 2027. The bill, which still requires Governor Janet Mills' signature,...
CCS Exploration Drilling Ops Cleared for Launch Offshore Japan
Japan’s Metropolitan CCS joint venture—partnered by Inpex Corp. and Kanto Natural Gas Development—has received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to commence offshore exploratory drilling off Kujukuri in Chiba Prefecture. The first well, Kujukuri‑Oki A, is slated to...
China’s $4.5 Billion Headache: The Niger-Benin Pipeline and the Limits of Non-Interference
In February 2026 China warned its citizens after rebel attacks on the CNPC‑operated Niger‑Benin pipeline, a $4.5 billion project designed to lift Niger’s oil output to 90,000 barrels per day and recover a $400 million loan. The 1,950‑km line, linking Niger’s Agadem...
Broker’s Call: ACME Solar (Buy)
ACME Solar is projected to more than double its operational capacity from 2,540 MW in FY 25 to 6,270 MW by FY 28, driven by firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) projects. The broker values the stock at a target price of ₹363 (≈ $4.4),...
Sangam India Secures Hybrid Renewable Energy Supply for Rajasthan Manufacturing Units
CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions and Sangam India have signed an agreement to supply hybrid renewable power to Sangam’s five Rajasthan textile plants. The deal provides 30 MWp of solar, 20 MW of wind and a 2 MWh battery storage system to deliver continuous...
Why The Oil and Gas Industry Needs Supply Chain Control Towers
The oil and gas sector is confronting unprecedented supply‑chain volatility after Middle‑East conflicts shut the Strait of Hormuz and forced tanker reroutes around the Cape of Good Hope. Legacy, fragmented data systems leave operators blind to real‑time inventory and equipment...
CleanTechnica Exclusive: Slim, Design-Focused Jackery Fridgeguard Leaks Ahead of Launch
Jackery is set to launch the Fridgeguard, a ultra‑slim, design‑centric battery that backs up refrigerators and other critical home appliances. The unit can mount vertically, horizontally, or on a wall, and features a paint‑free, VOC‑free recyclable enclosure. Jackery touts "intelligent...
Petrobras Invests $450 Million in World’s Largest Seismic Monitoring Project
Petrobras and its partners Shell, TotalEnergies, CNPC and CNOOC are spending roughly $450 million on what they call the world’s largest deep‑water seismic monitoring program in Brazil’s Mero pre‑salt field. The first phase, completed in March, laid 460 km of optical‑sensor cables...
How the US-Israel War on Iran Is Affecting African Economies
The US‑Israel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has choked a key oil and fertilizer corridor, driving fuel prices up 30‑70% across Africa and as high as 150% in Somalia. East African and some North African nations that depend on...
Equinor to Exit RE Producer Scatec
Equinor sold an 8.07% stake in renewable‑power producer Scatec for NOK 1.6 billion (about $169 million), cutting its holding to 8.05% and entering a 90‑day lock‑up on the remaining shares. The transaction makes Norway’s sovereign‑pension manager Folketrygdfondet the largest Scatec shareholder with 9.6%...
Samsung Heavy Industries Handpicks GTT for LNG Vessel’s Tank Design
Samsung Heavy Industries selected French specialist Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) to design the cryogenic tanks for a new 174,000 cubic‑meter LNG carrier. The vessel will use GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system and is scheduled for delivery in 2029. The contract, booked in Q1 2026,...
Power Insider: The Markets Are Obsessed with the Strait of Hormuz. Why It Matters Less than You Think
Traders are fixated on the Strait of Hormuz, believing ship traffic can forecast oil prices, but new Saudi and UAE pipeline capacity has halved the waterway’s relevance. The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports adds volatility, yet the market’s real...
These Are Not the Containers You Are Looking For — Or Are They?
A new wave of startups is packaging next‑generation nuclear microreactors inside standard shipping containers, delivering roughly one megawatt of electricity per unit. These factory‑built reactors promise rapid deployment, on‑site operation for years without refueling, and advanced safety systems that rely...
Manufacturers Develop Non-Penetrative Alternatives to Ballasts for Rooftop Solar
Manufacturers SolarStack and SolarStrap are rolling out non‑penetrative mounting systems that replace traditional concrete ballasts on flat commercial rooftops. SolarStack uses spray‑applied polyurethane foam to bond block‑style racks, while SolarStrap heat‑welds a thin roofing membrane to create a sealed, load‑bearing...
Top Energy Democrat Probes Trump Administration's Preparations for Strait of Hormuz Closure
Sen. Martin Heinrich, the leading Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has sent a formal letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright demanding a full accounting of the Trump administration’s preparations for the effective closure of the Strait...
'Demand Destruction Will Spread': IEA Forecasts Sharpest Fall in Global Oil Demand Since Pandemic
The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that global oil demand will contract by about 2.5 million barrels per day in the third quarter of 2024, marking the steepest quarterly drop since the COVID‑19 pandemic. The decline is driven by reduced consumption...
Tata Motors to Launch Hydrogen Bus Production in Lucknow
Tata Motors announced it will start producing hydrogen fuel‑cell and hydrogen internal‑combustion‑engine buses at its Lucknow plant, expanding its green‑mobility portfolio. The launch was unveiled by Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran alongside Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, coinciding with...
EIA Boosts 2026 Brent Oil Price Projection to $96
The U.S. Energy Information Administration raised its 2026 Brent crude price outlook to an average of $96 per barrel, up sharply from the $78.84 forecast in March. The agency now expects a volatile quarterly path, with Brent hitting $114.60 in...
Norway Eyes Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery Projects to Boost Production
Norway’s Offshore Directorate (NOD) has launched a task force to fast‑track enhanced oil and gas recovery (EOGR) pilots on the mature Norwegian Continental Shelf. A prior Imperial College study put the theoretical upside at 350‑700 million standard cubic meters of oil...
Why Oil Refiners Are the Real Winners of $100 Oil Prices
Oil prices breaching $100 a barrel have lifted refinery crack spreads to an unprecedented $54 per barrel, fueling robust margins for U.S. refiners. Valero, Marathon Petroleum and Phillips 66 are capitalising on geographic advantages, heavy‑crude access and diversification, posting record throughput...
High‐Performance Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction to Formic Acid on Cypress‐Like Enzyme‐Antimony‐Bismuth Biohybrid
Researchers have created a cypress‑like biohybrid catalyst that couples carbonic anhydrase enzyme with antimony‑decorated bismuth to electrochemically reduce CO2 into formic acid. The enzyme acts as a CO2 shuttle, concentrating the gas at the electrode surface, while antimony tunes the...
Synergistic Polysulfide Regulation by Nanodiamond and Sulfur Iodide on Cathode for Achieving Long‐Cycling Na–S Batteries
Researchers have created a sulfur‑iodine‑carbon‑nanotube/nanodiamond (SIC/ND) composite cathode for sodium‑sulfur batteries. The design uniformly coats sulfur iodide on a conductive CNT framework while embedding nanodiamonds for mechanical support and catalytic activity. The cathode delivers a specific capacity of 1,096.7 mAh g⁻¹ after...
Coverage of the Fossil-Fuel Industry ‘Doesn’t Have to Be This Way’
Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University scholar, warns that legacy newsrooms are allowing fossil‑fuel money to shape energy coverage through undisclosed native advertising. She cites the New York Times’ paid partnership with Chevron that framed oil as essential and local propane ads that...
European Solar Must ‘Embrace Volatility’ (and Energy Storage)
European solar developers are being urged to treat market volatility as a source of value rather than a threat, amid macro‑economic shocks, regulatory swings, and volatile power prices. Speakers at SolarPLUS Europe highlighted that energy storage is now essential, turning...
Swedish Firm Looking to Deploy Its Hybrid Ocean Energy Platform in Costa Rica
Swedish renewable energy company NoviOcean has signed a memorandum of understanding with Costa Rican partner MIR Green Energy to study deployment of its 850 kW hybrid wave‑wind‑solar platform, the Medi Wave 850H, along the Pacific coast. The feasibility study will focus on three...
Vår Energi Unveils $360 Million Investment in Barents Sea Field
Vår Energi announced a $360 million investment to modify the Goliat Gas Export (GGE) project in Norway’s Barents Sea, extending the field’s operational life to around 2050. The plan adds a 12‑kilometre gas export pipeline and connects the FPSO Goliat to...
Carmakers Navigating the Costly and Tricky Transition to Battery Storage Systems
U.S. automakers and battery makers are converting underused EV‑battery plants into factories for stationary energy‑storage systems as EV demand stalls. General Motors, Ford and LG Energy Solution together plan to spend billions on repurposing capacity, but the projected 76 GWh of...