Hawke’s Bay Energy Summit to Tackle Rising Power Costs and Supply Risks
The Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce is convening an Energy Summit after a survey of its Leaders Circle identified soaring energy costs as the region’s top business concern. Recent events—including Pan Pac’s two‑week pulp‑mill shutdown when wholesale electricity spiked to $800 NZD per megawatt‑hour (≈$480 USD) and plant closures by McCain and Wattie’s due to rising gas and power prices—highlight the urgency. The summit will explore efficiency upgrades, solar, bio‑energy and broader infrastructure changes to develop a regional energy strategy. Dates and venue remain pending, with registration open via the Chamber’s website.
The Charts Are Showing Solar Stocks Will Keep Soaring After a Strong Start to the Year
Solar-focused Invesco Solar ETF (TAN) has surged 16% year‑to‑date and 62% since President Trump’s return, outperforming most sectors. Technical analysis shows the fund trading between $52 and $60, with MACD and RSI turning positive, indicating a likely continuation of the...
Terabase Energy Invests in Automation and Engineering to Streamline Solar Construction
Terabase Energy’s upgraded Terafab V2 system has completed field testing and is now ready for commercial deployment, using AI‑assisted robotics to assemble and place solar panel‑tracker modules on‑site. The automated line can process assemblies in two‑minute cycles, potentially delivering 20 MW...
Algeria to Launch New 2026 Onshore Auction
Algeria announced a second onshore licensing round slated for April 19, aiming to attract roughly $60 billion in upstream investment between 2025 and 2029. The initiative seeks to expand the country’s oil and gas output, reinforcing its role as a critical energy...
Gas Prices Boosting and Biting State Budgets
Crude oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel, delivering a short‑term windfall for oil‑producing states that rely on severance taxes. Alaska’s revenue forecast rose to $6.5 billion, up $0.5 billion from the prior estimate, while North Dakota and Alaska already collect...
Georgia Power Breaks Ground on 1 GWh BESS Near Existing Solar Site
Georgia Power has broken ground on a 260 MW battery energy storage system with just over 1 GWh capacity adjacent to its existing solar farm near Wadley, Georgia. Burns & McDonnell will build the BESS, targeting completion in 2027. The storage will capture...
Global Solar Additions Reached Record 511 GW in 2025, Says IRENA
IRENA reports a record 511 GW of solar added in 2025, representing 75% of the 692 GW of renewables capacity installed worldwide. Total renewable power capacity reached 5.14 TW, about 49% of global installed power. Asia supplied 74.2% of new renewable capacity, while...
How Toroidal Transformers Eliminate the Hidden Inefficiency in Your Power System
Toroidal transformers use a solid, gap‑free ring core that keeps magnetic flux confined, delivering roughly 40% lower energy loss and up to 80% less magnetic leakage than traditional E‑I designs. The tighter flux path also reduces heat, extending service life...
Black Hills Corp. And NorthWestern Energy Shareholders Approve Merger Proposals
Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) and NorthWestern Energy (NASDAQ: NWE) received shareholder approval for their all‑stock merger, creating Bright Horizon Energy Corp. The combined utility will serve roughly 2.2 million electric and gas customers across eight states. Closing is expected in...
Earth Month Giveback: BLUETTI and Leave No Trace First Bio-Based Power Station Initiative
Clean‑energy company BLUETTI has renewed its partnership with the nonprofit Leave No Trace, launching the Bio‑Based Elite 100 V2 Giveback initiative. The program pledges a $1 donation for every Bio‑Based Elite 100 V2 power station sold through September 30, 2026, supporting...
Wind Turbine Giant to Invest over $10bn in Green Fuels Projects
Chinese wind turbine maker Mingyang announced plans to pour more than $10 bn into renewable energy, green hydrogen and ammonia projects in Ethiopia. The pledge was disclosed by the Ethiopian Investment Commission following a business forum that secured over $13 bn in...
GE Vernova Vs. First Solar: Oil Above $100 Just Changed Everything for This Trade
Oil prices breaking $100 per barrel in March 2026 have shifted energy markets toward reliability and security. GE Vernova, with a $200 billion equipment backlog and an $85 billion services backlog, is positioned to benefit from this trend. In contrast, First Solar’s...
Carbon Upcycling Technologies Raises $10M To Advance Low-Carbon Cement Systems
Carbon Upcycling Technologies announced a $10 million financing round led by ATEL Ventures to commercialize its low‑carbon cement platform. The capital will fund the company’s first on‑site carbon capture facility at a major cement plant in Mississauga, slated to begin operations...
Wind and Solar Power Delivered Record Share of UK Electricity in 2025
UK renewable electricity reached a record 52.5% of the power mix in 2025, driven by wind, solar and biomass generation. Wind power alone supplied over half of total renewable output, while solar saw notable growth despite seasonal constraints. The government’s...
Europe Diesel at Four-Year High Above $200 as Iran War Disrupts Supply
European diesel prices have climbed above $200 per metric ton, marking the highest level in four years. The surge is driven by supply disruptions stemming from the ongoing war in Iran, which has curtailed regional fuel exports. European refiners are...
India Pushes PNG Expansion to 30 Lakh Connections Amid West Asia Crisis
India is accelerating its piped natural gas (PNG) rollout, targeting 30 lakh new connections across more than 150 high‑priority districts as West Asia tensions strain LPG supplies. The ministries of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs convened a...
Russia Bans Gasoline Exports as More Refineries Hit
Russia announced a full ban on gasoline exports from April 2 through July 31, expanding earlier limits to include all producers, including refineries. The decision follows a string of refinery outages that have shaved roughly 10% off domestic fuel output. By halting...
LONGi Launches Integrated Solar-Plus-Storage Strategy
Chinese PV leader LONGi unveiled its integrated solar‑plus‑storage solution, LONGi One, shifting from multi‑vendor architectures to a single‑partner model. The offering combines LONGi’s back‑contact solar panels with its 5S storage platform, featuring the OneBank 2.0 AC/DC solution for utility projects and...
How Cities Can Encourage Faster, Cheaper Rooftop Solar
Cities across the United States are inflating residential solar costs by up to $7,000 due to cumbersome permitting, inspection bottlenecks, and outdated utility interconnection rules, according to a new report from Environment America and Frontier Group. Installers are increasingly bypassing...
Iran Drafts Protocol with Oman for Strait of Hormuz Traffic
Iran’s deputy foreign minister confirmed a draft protocol with Oman to monitor traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing safety rather than restrictions. The agreement, described as post‑war housekeeping, includes plans to levy tolls on transiting vessels. Tehran frames the...
Solar Companies Donate System to St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway
Solar industry partners Tigo, Greentech Renewables, and GOAT Solar donated a 5.72‑kW solar system for the 2026 St. Jude Dream Home in California’s Coachella Valley. The package includes a 3.8‑kW Tigo EI inverter, Tigo TS4‑A‑O MLPE devices, and installation services,...
Asian Buyers Remain Wary of Iran Oil Sanctions Waiver
The Trump administration issued a 30‑day waiver that temporarily allows Iranian crude to be sold at sea, aiming to ease global oil market pressure. Two weeks after the announcement, Asian buyers remain hesitant, citing heightened compliance and reputational risks. The...
California Approved a Gas Pipeline Solution. Now Comes the Hard Part.
California's Senate Bill 1221 mandates the creation of decarbonization zones where aging gas pipelines are retired and residents transition to electric appliances, funded by avoided pipeline replacement costs. The CPUC has preliminarily identified 151 pilot zones using a 10% pipeline‑replacement...
RS and HMS Networks Enable Smart Oil and Gas Operations
RS has partnered with HMS Networks to offer Red Lion industrial networking solutions tailored for oil and gas operations across the value chain. The portfolio includes FlexEdge IIoT gateways, N‑Tron Ethernet switches, and Graphite HMIs, all engineered for extreme temperatures,...
Baker Hughes, Naftogaz to Explore Energy Cooperation
Ukraine’s state‑owned Naftogaz and U.S. energy‑technology firm Baker Hughes have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore joint projects across the entire energy value chain, from upstream exploration to power generation. The agreement emphasizes improving gas turbine and compressor efficiency,...
PERC Module Prices up 20% in the US, as Overall Module Prices Remain Constant
PERC (mono) solar modules jumped 20% in the United States, reaching $0.33 per watt between November 2025 and February 2026, while the overall average module price barely moved to $0.285/W. In contrast, TOPCon modules slipped to $0.28/W, making them cheaper than PERC...
Investment Group Acquires Stake in TotalEnergies’ German Energy Storage Portfolio
TotalEnergies has sold a 50 % stake in its 800‑MW German battery storage portfolio to Allianz Global Investors for about €500 million (≈$577 million). The portfolio comprises 11 projects under construction, delivering 1,628 MWh of capacity and slated for commercial operation within two years....
650-V Bidirectional GaN Could Rewrite the Power-Conversion Playbook
Renesas introduced the TP65B110HRU, a 650‑V bidirectional GaN switch, at APEC 2026. The device merges a d‑mode GaN chip with silicon MOSFETs, offering 110 mΩ on‑resistance, a 3‑V gate threshold, and ±20‑V gate margin. Its true bidirectional operation enables single‑stage 500‑W solar...
Which States Experience the Most Power Outages?
Power outages disproportionately affect a handful of U.S. states, with Texas, California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Louisiana topping the rankings. Extreme weather—hurricanes, wildfires, ice storms—and aging, sprawling grids drive higher outage hours and customer impacts. The frequency...
New Zealand Rethinks LNG Imports Amid War-Driven Prices
New Zealand’s newly appointed energy minister has publicly questioned the viability of the country’s planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal. The skepticism comes as the war in the Middle East has driven global LNG prices to multi‑year highs, making...
Innergex Commissions 13.2MW La Cense Wind
Innergex Renewable Energy and partner EOLFI have completed commissioning of the 13.2 MW La Cense onshore wind farm in France’s Oise region. The facility, consisting of four 3.3 MW Nordex N117 turbines, is expected to produce about 33 GWh of electricity per year...
North Sea Carbon Capture Projects Showing Steady Progress
Carbon capture and storage projects in the North Sea are moving from experimental pilots to commercial operations. Legacy gas producers such as Equinor, TotalEnergies and Shell are leading initiatives like Northern Lights, Northern Endurance Partnership and Porthos, each targeting multi‑megaton...
Amid Iran War Energy Crunch, Taiwan Turns Back Toward Nuclear Energy
Taiwan’s Lai administration announced plans to recommission the Guosheng No. 2 and Maanshan No. 3 nuclear reactors, targeting a 2028 return to service. The move follows an energy crunch triggered by the Iran‑related Strait of Hormuz disruption, which has driven up global...
Ireland Must Accelerate Offshore Energy Production
Ireland aims for up to 37 GW of offshore renewable capacity by 2050, relying heavily on floating wind in its deep Atlantic waters. The government’s climate and industrial strategies earmark billions of euros—roughly $327 billion—in the National Development Plan, but current port...
Inside Sweden’s Policy U-Turn: Q&A with the Government’s Nuclear Lead
Sweden has abandoned its nuclear phase‑out, lifting the ban on new reactors and unveiling a roadmap that adds 2.5 GW of large‑scale capacity by 2035 and aims for 8.2 GW by that year. The government introduced a state‑backed financing scheme covering the...
Exxaro Concludes 9.3mt Coal Sale with Eskom
Exxaro Resources signed a long‑term agreement with South Africa's power utility Eskom to supply 9.3 million tonnes of coal each year to the Matla power station. The coal will come from Exxaro's Matla Colliery, which recently completed a R5.2 bn (≈ $275 m) expansion...
Reject Talen-Energy Capital Power Plant Deal, PJM Market Monitor Tells FERC
Federal regulators are being urged to reject Talen Energy’s proposed purchase of about 2.6 GW from Energy Capital Partners because the deal would amplify Talen’s market power in the PJM Interconnection. Monitoring Analytics warns the acquisition could pull capacity out of...
Singapore Bunker Supply Continues to Run Down as Middle East War Drags On
Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub, sold 56.2 million metric tons of bunker fuel in 2025, a 3.2% increase year‑over‑year. Over half of its fuel imports travel through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since the Middle East...
Boralex Secures $202m Ontario BESS Financing
Boralex and Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation have closed a CAD $202 million financing package (≈ US$147 million) for the 125 MW/500 MWh Oxford battery energy storage system in Ontario, slated for commercial operation in 2027. The deal, funded by Canadian Imperial Bank...
6% of Welsh People Think Renewable Energy Development Should Decrease, Research Shows
A RenewableUK Cymru poll shows 71% of Welsh residents want more renewable energy development, while only 6% favor a decrease, and 58% envision a future electricity system dominated by renewables. Respondents across Labour, Plaid Cymru, Conservative and Green voters are...
ARA Crop-Based Fame Cheaper than Diesel for First Time
For the first time, European crop‑based biodiesel (FAME) traded below ICE gasoil, with the benchmark Fame 0 discounting diesel by $25‑78 per tonne in early April. The price gap stems from Middle‑East supply shocks that have pushed diesel to multi‑year highs....
World Fuel, West Coast Clean Fuels Launch US Methanol Bunkering Service
World Fuel Services and West Coast Clean Fuels have launched a U.S.‑wide methanol bunkering capability after a successful pilot in South Florida. The service uses Coast Guard‑approved procedures, trained crews and purpose‑built equipment to deliver methanol directly from trucks to...
Hormuz Disruption Roils African Oil Markets, Economies
A prolonged shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz is set to severely disrupt oil flows to and from sub‑Saharan Africa, threatening export revenues and import costs across the region. The bottleneck pushes global freight rates higher and forces African refiners...
Radisson Hotel Group Raises Net-Zero Ambition for 100 Hotels, Sets 2030 Goal
Radisson Hotel Group announced a 2030 ambition for all 100 of its hotels to achieve net‑zero status, expanding the Verified Net Zero Hotels pilot that currently operates in Manchester and Oslo. The initiative targets full elimination of Scope 1 and 2...
Kaunas Airport Pioneers Use of Hydrogen Powered Truck
Lithuania’s Kaunas Airport successfully trialed a 10‑ton hydrogen‑powered heavy‑duty truck, completing roughly 100 km of apron, runway and taxiway cleaning without emitting CO₂. The test is part of the EU‑funded Interreg Baltic Sea Region BSR HyAirport project, which also sees similar pilots...
The Conflict Is Disrupting More than Just Energy Flows, What Do Investors Need to Watch For?
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking the flow of more than 20% of global oil, 25% of LNG and a suite of critical industrial inputs such as phosphate fertilizer, sulfur and urea. These constraints are creating a...
How Long Can the Bank of Canada Look Through a US$100 Oil Shock?
BMO projects Canadian inflation edging just above 3% in April as oil prices breach $100 per barrel, yet the Bank of Canada keeps its policy rate steady at 2.25%. The governing council said it will "look through" the temporary energy...
Improving Recycling Rates for Cell-to-Pack Battery Systems
The Fraunhofer IPA‑led ‘Difference’ project targets the low recyclability of Cell‑to‑Pack (CTP) battery designs, which replace traditional modules with directly integrated cells. By focusing on robot‑assisted, laser‑based disassembly, the consortium aims to separate adhesives, foams and metals efficiently. The initiative,...
Green Steel Is the Way Forward for Indiana, Former Steelworkers Say
Former steelworkers in Northwest Indiana, now members of Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, are urging a shift from coal‑based integrated mills to cleaner direct‑reduced‑iron (DRI) and electric furnace technologies. A joint report by Indiana University and 5 Lakes Energy estimates...
Oil Rises and Asian Stocks Fall After Trump Says US Will Hit Iran Hard
Oil prices surged over 4% after President Donald Trump pledged to intensify U.S. strikes on Iran, pushing Brent crude to $106.16 a barrel and U.S. crude to $104.15. Asian equity markets reacted sharply, with Japan's Nikkei down 1.9% and South...