Malaysia to Raise Biodiesel Blend Mandate From B10 to B15, Starting with B12 Rollout – Economy Minister
Malaysia’s economy minister announced that the national biodiesel blend mandate will be raised from the current B10 level to B15, with an interim rollout of a B12 blend. The upgrade will use existing blending infrastructure, so no additional cost is expected for fuel producers. Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, depots will be upgraded to handle B20 and B30 blends, and a B30 mandate is being prepared for commercial and public‑transport fleets. The move follows a production shortfall—Malaysia produced 975,207 tonnes of biodiesel against a 2.36 million‑tonne capacity—highlighting untapped potential.
Lose and Lose in the Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, handles roughly 20% of daily global oil shipments and is a critical conduit for trade to Asia, Europe and the Americas. Historical episodes—from the Iran‑Iraq...
Brent Crude Edges up Ahead of Fresh US-Iran Talks
Brent crude futures rose to $95.16 per barrel, up 0.39%, while U.S. WTI slipped to $91.04, down 0.26%. President Donald Trump signaled a second round of U.S.-Iran talks but confirmed he will not attend, and a U.S. destroyer ordered two...
How Space-Based Monitoring Supports Pipelines, Grids, Ports, and Energy Infrastructure
Space‑based monitoring is becoming a core tool for operators of pipelines, power grids, ports, and other energy assets. By fusing optical imagery, synthetic‑aperture radar and analytics, satellites pinpoint vegetation encroachment, flood, ground movement and congestion across vast, remote networks. The...
Governor Spanberger Delivers on Energy Affordability, Blazing a Path for State Leaders Nationwide
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed a suite of energy bills aimed at lowering electricity rates, improving grid reliability, and accelerating solar and storage deployment. The legislation includes streamlined residential solar permitting, higher energy‑storage targets, and expanded shared‑solar programs that add...
Adani Energy Commissions 1,000 MW Power Link in Mumbai
Adani Energy Solutions Limited commissioned a 1,000 MW high‑voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission link between Kudus and Aarey in Mumbai. The line comprises a 30 km overhead segment and a 50 km underground corridor and includes the world’s first compact HVDC substation built...
Aatmanirbhar 2.0: India Building Inner Strength to Get over Supply Chain Pain
India has unveiled Aatmanirbhar 2.0, a refreshed self‑reliance drive aimed at insulating critical supply chains and bolstering energy security amid the West Asia conflict. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered ministries to draft short‑ and long‑term sector plans that cut import dependence...
Australian Developer Moves Ahead with Modular Green Hydrogen Production Plant
InterContinental Energy (ICE) announced it has secured up to AUD 1.6 million ($1.14 million) in Australian federal funding to develop a digital twin for its patented P2(H2)Node modular system. The company also signed the first licence for the node, marking the transition from...
Solar Trade Groups Statements on Passage of the Utility RELIEF Act
The Maryland General Assembly passed the Utility RELIEF Act, doubling the state’s net‑metering capacity from 3 GW to 6 GW and emphasizing rooftop and community solar. The omnibus energy bill now awaits Governor Wes Moore’s signature. Trade groups praised the legislation for providing...
Hazer and KBR Complete Commercial-Scale Hydrogen Design Package for Global Rollout
Hazer Group and engineering firm KBR have finished a commercial‑scale Process Design Package (PDP) for the Hazer methane‑pyrolysis hydrogen technology. The PDP outlines a standardised 30,000‑tonne‑per‑year hydrogen plant design, intended to streamline feasibility studies, basic engineering and front‑end engineering work....
Sierra Club Rallies Public Engagement as Trump EPA Rolls Back Coal Ash Rules
The EPA announced plans to roll back federal coal‑ash disposal standards, a move that could affect more than 133 million cubic yards of waste stored at North Carolina power plants, including 40.2 million cubic yards at Duke Energy’s Roxboro facility. Duke Energy,...
IMF Says Strait of Hormuz Closure Raises Prospect of ‘Major Energy Crisis’ – Video
The IMF warned that a shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz would spark a major energy crisis, pushing oil prices sharply higher. Chief economist Pierre‑Olivier Gourinchas outlined an adverse scenario with rising inflation and tighter financial conditions, and a severe...
ReconAfrica Provides Operational Update and Reports 2025 Year-End Results
ReconAfrica released its 2025 operational and financial results, highlighting a farm‑down to BW Energy that left the company with a 70% operator interest in the PEL 073 licence. The firm expanded its portfolio by signing a Production Sharing Contract for the...
Protesters March 700 Kilometres to Save Sacred Groves From Solar Development
Villagers from Jaisalmer district began a 700‑km foot march toward Jaipur to demand protection for their sacred groves, orans, and traditional pasture lands threatened by large‑scale solar‑power projects. The protest highlights that the state has earmarked over 44,000 hectares for...
Which Countries Are Most Vulnerable as US Imposes Its Own Blockade in Persian Gulf?
The United States has begun a unilateral blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about energy‑supply disruptions. Nomura’s analysis flags Asian importers such as Thailand, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as European economies like Germany, Italy and...
Q&A: As Thailand Bets on EVs, What Will Happen to the Spent Batteries?
Thailand is accelerating its electric‑vehicle agenda, with Chinese automakers like BYD opening a 150,000‑vehicle plant and the government targeting 30 % zero‑emission vehicle production by 2030. The rapid rollout will generate roughly 200,000 tonnes of spent EV batteries by 2033 and 2.5 million tonnes...
Trump Officials Pledge Swift Completion of Controversial Gas Pipeline
The Trump administration is fast‑tracking a $1 billion, 23‑mile underwater natural gas pipeline that will run beneath Raritan Bay, linking New Jersey and New York Harbor. At a Brooklyn groundbreaking, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin pledged swift completion despite...
Find The Lego: How Indonesia Can Turn Diesel Generator Retirement Into A Scalable Program
Indonesia’s state utility PLN announced a plan to replace diesel generators at 741 remote sites with solar‑plus‑battery systems. The diesel fleet currently supplies about 2.3 TWh a year, consuming roughly 0.7 billion litres of fuel and costing $700‑$820 million annually. Replacing it would...
'Green Cliffs of Dover': Port of Dover Becomes First UK Port to Reach Net Zero Emissions
The Port of Dover announced it reached net‑zero emissions for its Scope 1 and 2 activities in 2023, becoming the first UK port to do so. The milestone arrives five years before any other British port’s target and 25 years ahead of...
European Industrial Leaders Aim to Accelerate Clean Hydrogen
The European Resilience Alliance for Clean Hydrogen & Derivatives (ERA) was launched in the European Parliament on April 14, bringing together 11 leading industrial CEOs to coordinate Europe’s clean‑hydrogen strategy. ERA will act as a unified voice to policymakers and align...
SOLARAMA – Big Proof From Aptera and Big Savings for Solar + EV Drivers
Aptera’s chief executive demonstrated that his solar‑powered vehicle produced more electricity in a day than the solar array on his Illinois home. The test showed the car’s integrated panels can generate enough energy to fully recharge its 100‑mile range battery...
Benchmark Diesel Price Ends Its 12-Week Streak of Increases
The U.S. DOE/EIA benchmark diesel price slipped 3.5 cents to $5.608 per gallon on Monday, ending a 12‑week run of weekly increases that had lifted the index $2.184 per gallon in total. On the same day, ultra‑low‑sulfur diesel futures on...
Commentary: ASEAN’s Energy Crisis Is Not About Energy
The Hormuz Strait blockade, triggered by U.S. military action against Iran, has halted the primary oil corridor for Southeast Asia, exposing ASEAN’s inability to influence the crisis. Member states have responded with price freezes, subsidies, work‑from‑home mandates, and temporary coal...
US Will Not Renew Iran Crude Sanctions Waiver
The U.S. Treasury announced it will let the temporary waiver permitting purchases of seaborne Iranian crude lapse on April 19, ending the short‑term relief granted on March 20. The waiver was originally meant to cushion Gulf oil supplies amid the U.S.–Iran conflict....
15 Charts that Explain Why the Strait of Hormuz Shutdown Matters for the Global Economy
The United States announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on April 12, effectively shutting down one of the world’s most vital commodity corridors. The closure halts exports of crude oil, LNG, jet fuel, diesel, ammonia, sulfur, helium and...
NAACP Sues xAI over Data Center Pollution
The NAACP has filed a federal lawsuit against Elon Musk's xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech, alleging that the companies operate 27 unpermitted methane gas turbines to power the Colossus 2 data center in South Memphis. The suit seeks a Clean...
Ionna Is Teaming Up With Circle K To Boost Its EV Charging Network
Ionna, a consortium of eight automakers, announced a partnership with convenience‑store chain Circle K to install high‑powered EV chargers at more than 350 locations across the United States. The deal also transfers Circle K’s existing network of 378 charging ports at 93...
Diesel Stockpile Agreement Aims to Improve Fuel Resilience Across Regional WA
The Western Australian government has signed a deal with independent supplier Cambridge Gulf to secure at least 4 million litres of diesel for storage in Wyndham, bolstering fuel resilience in the Kimberley region. The diesel will be 100 percent state‑owned and held...
Households Could Get Free Electricity for Doing Washing on Sunny Weekends
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has launched the Demand Flexibility Scheme, letting households and businesses with smart meters earn free or discounted electricity for running appliances during periods of excess renewable supply, such as sunny weekends. Approved by Ofgem,...
Meloni Says It's 'Too Early' To Tap Russian Gas
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it is too early to consider re‑importing Russian gas, despite soaring energy prices driven by the Iran conflict. She emphasized that economic pressure on Russia remains Europe’s strongest lever for a peace settlement in Ukraine,...
California County Jail to Save $12 Million in Energy Costs with Solar Carport and Tesla Battery
Sunrock Distributed Generation has commissioned a 1.243‑MW solar carport and a 1.043‑MW/2.087‑MWh Tesla Megapack battery at the Monterey County Jail in Salinas, California. Funded through a power‑purchase agreement, the system is projected to generate over 2,000 MWh of clean electricity each...
Adani, Minerva Forge JV on Indian Renewable Projects- #BeltAndRoad #Economy #Infrastructure
Adani Renewable Energy Middle East, a subsidiary of Adani Green Energy, has signed a joint‑venture agreement with UAE‑based Minerva Holding RSC. Minerva will take a 20% equity stake in a new UAE‑registered vehicle that will develop solar and wind projects...
California Initiative May Accelerate Adoption of Bidirectional EV Charging
The California Energy Commission unveiled a roadmap to accelerate bidirectional EV charging, targeting vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) and vehicle‑to‑home (V2H) deployments across residential, commercial and industrial sites. It highlights the state’s 2.1 million‑vehicle fleet, which holds an estimated 18.5 GW of latent storage—exceeding existing...
Argentina to Start 8 New Lithium Projects by 2030
Argentina plans to commission eight new greenfield lithium projects by 2030, more than doubling its installed production capacity to 409,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). The projects, ranging from Rio Tinto's 60,000‑t/yr Rincón to smaller 8,000‑t/yr developments, will...
Aptera CEO Shows His Solar Car Producing More Energy than His Home Solar
Aptera co‑CEO Steve Fambro posted that his solar‑electric vehicle was producing about 363 watts of power at 8 a.m., more than double the 136 watts generated by his home rooftop. The 700‑watt solar array wrapped around the car’s body is engineered...
Report: Saudi Arabia Pushes U.S. to Lift Blockade on Iranian Traffic
Saudi officials are urging the White House to lift its newly imposed blockade on Iranian shipping, warning that the restriction could spark a fresh escalation and further curtail oil exports from the Arabian Gulf. Iran’s recent missile and drone strikes...
Record Diesel Jump as Global Crisis Drives up Kenya Fuel Prices
Kenya will raise diesel prices by a record Ksh 40.30 ($0.31) per litre, taking the pump price to Ksh 206.84 ($1.60). Petrol will also climb by Ksh 28.69 ($0.22) to Ksh 206.97, while kerosene stays flat thanks to a Ksh 99.16 ($0.77) per‑litre subsidy. The...
Crude Oil Slumps As Trump Indicates Resumption Of U.S.-Iran Peace Talks
Crude oil prices plunged 7.25% to $91.90 per barrel after President Trump signaled a possible resumption of U.S.-Iran peace talks. The prospect of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing Gulf tensions reduced demand‑related concerns. The International Energy Agency warned...
Electron Beam Welding: Unlocking a New Era for Heavy Section Nuclear Components
Electron beam welding (EBW) for heavy‑section nuclear components has moved from a research concept to a production‑ready technology. Recent demonstrations show full‑girth welds on 1.8‑meter‑diameter shells completed in under an hour, a dramatic drop from the week‑long arcs previously required....
U.S. Will Let Iran Oil Waiver Expire as Blockade Tightens Grip on Global Flows
The Trump administration will let the 30‑day waiver that permitted Iranian oil shipments at sea expire on April 19, tightening the sanctions blockade. The waiver, issued on March 20, had allowed roughly 140 million barrels of Iranian crude to reach global markets, easing...
Data Centers Spark Projected $1.4T Spending Surge From Power Utilities
U.S. investor‑owned utilities are planning to spend at least $1.4 trillion on new power plants, transmission lines and grid upgrades through 2030, a 21% jump from last year’s five‑year outlook. The surge is driven largely by the rapid expansion of AI‑powered...
With a $350M Nuclear Fund Approved, Texas Wants Projects to Fill It
Texas has launched the Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund, allocating $350 million to accelerate advanced nuclear power projects and supply‑chain development. Governor Greg Abbott highlighted the fund as the nation’s largest state‑led nuclear investment, split between a construction reimbursement program and...
Second-Life EV Battery Packs to Provide Energy Storage to Rivian Car Factory in Illinois
Rivian has teamed with battery recycler Redwood Materials to install more than 100 second‑life battery packs at its Normal, Illinois factory, providing roughly 10 MWh of on‑site energy storage. The partnership repurposes EV batteries that retain capacity after vehicle retirement, turning...
The IEA’s Fatih Birol: Oil Prices Will Soon Begin ‘Reflecting the Severity’ of the Energy Crisis
International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that current oil prices are lagging behind the true severity of the energy shock caused by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He said daily global oil output has...
This Scientist Found the Secret to Nuclear Fusion in 1938. Then History Erased His Name.
Physicist Arthur Ruhlig published a 1938 paper that identified deuterium‑tritium (DT) fusion as highly probable, but his work was largely forgotten. Los Alamos scientists Mark Chadwick and Mark Paris uncovered the paper and, together with Duke researchers, recreated the experiment...
ExxonMobil, Energean, Helleniq Energy to Sign Contract for Exploratory Drilling Offshore Greece
ExxonMobil, Energean and Helleniq Energy will sign a contract with Stena Drilling to begin exploratory drilling in Greece's Block 2 offshore in the Ionian Sea. The operation, slated for February 2027, will employ a deep‑water vessel capable of drilling to 35,000 feet. This...
Trump Reignites Feud With U.K., Calls For Oil Drilling In North Sea
President Donald Trump used Truth Social to denounce the United Kingdom’s energy stance, urging an immediate expansion of North Sea oil drilling as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and global oil supplies tighten. The UK, led by Prime Minister...
Distributed Batteries Get Legislative, Utility Lift in California
California lawmakers are advancing SB 913 to count aggregated residential batteries and electric vehicles as resource‑adequacy capacity, leveling them with traditional generators. Ava Community Energy has launched an $11.25 million SmartHome Battery incentive, offering $500/kWh rebates for low‑income households and $90/kWh for...
Regulators Approve Georgia Power’s BYO Clean Resources Plan for Large Loads
Georgia regulators unanimously approved Georgia Power’s Customer Identified Resource (CIR) program, allowing large electricity customers to finance and connect up to 3 GW of clean energy projects through 2035. Participants receive renewable energy certificates and credit for the energy value of...
IEA: Global Oil Market Hit by Historic Supply Shock Amid Middle East Conflict
The International Energy Agency reports that the Middle East conflict has slashed global oil supply by 10.1 million barrels per day, pulling total output down to 97 million b/d in March. OPEC+ output fell 9.4 million b/d while non‑OPEC supply dropped 770,000 b/d, creating...