US Companies Bought Record Amount of Clean Energy in 2025
US corporations set a new clean‑energy procurement record in 2025, signing contracts for 27.3 GW of renewable capacity – a 12% increase over 2024. Solar photovoltaic projects dominated, accounting for more than 70% of the new capacity, while corporate‑backed generation reached roughly 4% of total US electricity, outpacing 45 states. Despite the volume surge, the number of market participants dropped 40%, signaling consolidation among well‑capitalized buyers. Nuclear power rose to become the second‑largest technology purchased by corporates, overtaking wind for the first time.
Rising Crude Prices May Push US Towards Recession, Warns Moody's Chief Economist Mark Zandi
Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi warned that a 49% chance of a U.S. recession looms within the next year as crude oil prices surge amid the U.S.-Iran conflict. Brent crude jumped nearly 40% in March, reaching $119.50 per barrel, while...
Canadians Paying the Least at the Pump Are Complaining the Most, Poll Says
A poll by the Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians in the cheapest‑gas provinces—Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba—are the most vocal about the financial strain caused by rising pump prices. Nationwide gasoline has jumped 23% to $1.74 per litre since the Iran‑related...
New Episode: Investing in Energy’s Digital Backbone, AI and Technologies to Watch
The latest episode of Energy Technology: Industry Insights explores how the energy sector is turning to AI and digital infrastructure to manage increasingly complex, decentralized grids while pursuing decarbonisation. Hosts interview GlobalData ESG analyst Holly Anness‑Bradshaw and Susten partner Nina...
Plug-In Solar Panels to Be Legalised in the UK — Despite Safety Concerns
The UK government has overturned a ban and will legalise plug‑in solar panels for domestic use, citing the Middle East energy crisis and a drive for greater energy security. These compact, DIY‑friendly modules can be plugged directly into a mains...
The Quiet Pennsylvania Town Facing a Data Center Boom
Archbald, Pennsylvania, a borough of under 8,000 residents, is poised to host five massive data centers that would together occupy 13 million square feet and demand up to 1.6 gigawatts of electricity. The borough council raised industrial building height limits from 55...
Energy Storage to Emerge as Demand Driver for Lithium: Liontown CEO
Liontown Resources CEO Tony Ottaviano says large‑scale stationary energy storage is emerging as a second engine for lithium demand, reducing reliance on electric vehicles alone. Fastmarkets forecasts global storage installations will grow ~25% annually, reaching about 800 GWh by 2030 and...
Institutional Investor Pressure Correlated with Net-Zero Pledges, Study Finds
A new study finds a strong correlation between institutional investor pressure and corporate net‑zero pledges. Companies facing higher activist investor scrutiny tend to announce more ambitious decarbonisation targets and earlier timelines. The research also examined employee and customer influence, but...
UL9540A: New Edition of Key BESS Fire Safety Standard ‘Establishes New Precedent’
UL released the 6th edition of UL9540A, the benchmark fire‑safety test method for battery energy storage systems, adding mandatory large‑scale fire testing (LSFT) to assess system‑level propagation risk. The new requirements mirror the 2026 NFPA 855 edition, which also makes LSFT...
New AI Tool Calculates EV Dwell Time at Charging Stations
Scheidt & Bachmann Energy Retail Solutions launched SIQMA FlowMax.AI, an AI‑driven platform that forecasts EV charging‑station dwell times and availability in real time. The algorithm, built with Slalom Germany, incorporates location, time, weather and nearby amenity data to predict when a...
EU Hints at 'Soft Price Cap' For the ETS Before 3Q
EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra signaled a soft price cap for the EU Emissions Trading System could be introduced before the third quarter, ahead of the scheduled ETS review in July. The Commission will first tackle the market stability reserve...
Π–Π Stacking‐Assisted Self‐Assembly Fabricates Highly Uniform PANI@RGO Cathodes Toward High‐Performance Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries
Researchers introduced an N‑methyl‑2‑pyrrolidone (NMP)‑mediated self‑assembly method that leverages π–π stacking to fabricate highly uniform polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide (PANI@RGO) composite gels with up to 85 % polyaniline loading. The resulting M‑PANI@RGO‑85 % cathode exhibits a specific surface area of 189.55 m² g⁻¹ and mesopores...
Utilities Have Made $200B+ in Profit Since 2021, New Report Says
Investor‑owned utilities have generated more than $200 billion in net income from 2021 through 2025, according to the Energy and Policy Institute. Their average profit margin rose to 14.6 cents per dollar collected in 2025, up from 12.8 cents in the earlier period....
Ukraine Accepts EU Offer to Help Repair Damaged Russian Oil Pipeline
Ukraine has accepted the European Union’s offer of technical and financial assistance to repair the Brody pumping station on the Druzhba oil pipeline, which was damaged in a suspected Russian aerial strike. The repair is expected to take about one...
TotalEnergies Readies Azerbaijan Offshore Field for Europe's Gas Market
TotalEnergies will take the final investment decision on the second phase of Azerbaijan’s Absheron gas and condensate field in the second half of 2026, with first gas expected to flow to shore by September 2029. The expansion will add about...
FranklinWH Battery Accepted in New York and Washington VPPs
FranklinWH announced its residential battery system is now approved for virtual power plant (VPP) programs in New York and Washington. In New York, participants can receive up to $3,000 upfront and earn about $200 annually by allowing utilities to draw power during...
BOEM Issues Notice of Intent for Offshore Well Stimulation Work
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a proposed update to the Santa Clara Unit Development and Production Plan, which would allow hydraulic fracturing on 16 existing wells...
FERC Approves SPP Merger of Interconnection, Transmission Planning
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved Southwest Power Pool’s Consolidated Planning Process, merging generation interconnection with transmission planning. SPP will launch its first CPP window in April and introduce the GRID‑C rate, giving developers upfront cost certainty for network upgrades....
Idemitsu Solar + Storage Project Designed for California Peak Demand
Idemitsu Renewables’ Azalea Solar and Storage Project entered commercial operation on December 31, delivering 60 MW of photovoltaic generation and a 38 MW AC/152 MWh battery system in Kern County, California. The facility is tied to a long‑term power purchase agreement with Sonoma Clean Power...
Uganda: Copper Is the New Oil, but Will Uganda Be Norway or Nigeria?
Global demand for copper and other transition metals is set to triple by 2030, prompting a scramble for new sources. Uganda’s dormant Kilembe copper mine and newly identified mineral belts could supply millions of tonnes of copper and rare‑earth elements....
Big Tech Purchases of Carbon Credits Explode Amid AI Race, with Microsoft Leading the Way
Big Tech firms are rapidly scaling purchases of carbon credits to offset the soaring emissions from AI‑driven data center expansion. Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft increased permanent removal credits from 14,200 in 2022 to an estimated 68.4 million by 2025, according...
Porsche Shares Battery Production Insights for the Cayenne Electric
Porsche has moved battery module assembly for the Cayenne Electric in‑house, operating a new Smart Battery Shop in Horná Streda, Slovakia. The plant assembles 32 LG Energy Solution prismatic cells into modules, which are combined into a 113 kWh pack without a...
Thor Wind Farm Begins Powering Danish Grid
RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm, a 1.1 GW project off Denmark’s west coast, has begun feeding electricity into the Danish grid after the first turbine was installed. The venture, owned 51% by RWE and 49% by Norges Bank Investment Management, is...
Diesel Hits $5 a Gallon
U.S. diesel prices broke the $5 per gallon barrier on Monday, reaching a nationwide average of $5.044, the highest level since December 2022. The surge represents more than a 33% increase since the Iran‑related conflict began, outpacing gains in other...
MRPL Dispatches 1000th Petcoke Rake to JSW Cement From Mangalore
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) dispatched its 1000th petcoke rail rake, bound for JSW Cement’s Karnool plant. The shipment completed a second batch of 500 rakes, moving 40% faster than the first, highlighting MRPL’s operational improvements. Senior executives from...
Bristol Airport to Invest £10 Million Into New Energy Centre
British airport Bristol (BRS) announced a £10 million investment to build a new energy centre that will replace its gas boilers with air‑source heat pumps and an electric boiler. The modular facility will generate, store and distribute low‑carbon heat and cooling...
New Asian Oil & Gas Explorer Emerges From Triangle Energy’s Spin Out Move
Triangle Energy announced the creation of Tetragon Energy, a spin‑out that will house its Philippine oil and gas assets, including three petroleum service contracts in the Sulu Sea and Cagayan Basin. The Australian firm will inject $1.5 million of seed capital...
New Partnership Targets Multi-Fuel Reforming System Pilot
Shipping innovators Lomarlabs and Blaze Energy have teamed up to pilot the Flex‑Fuel Reformer, a third‑generation compact onboard system that converts ammonia, methanol or LNG into hydrogen for multi‑fuel engines. The reformer will be installed on a Lomar vessel, with...
Pyth Network Introduces Pyth 24/7 Oil Index
Pyth Network has launched the Pyth 24/7 Oil Index, a proprietary price feed that delivers continuous, real‑time oil pricing across global markets. By aggregating first‑party data from exchanges, institutions and trading firms, the index eliminates traditional overnight and weekend price gaps...
Origis Brings Online 210-MW Solar Project in Indiana
Origis Energy has placed its 210‑MW Wheatland Solar farm into commercial operation in Knox County, Indiana, under a 20‑year power purchase agreement with CenterPoint Energy. The project was financed through a mix of tax‑equity from J.P. Morgan and debt from...
Iran’s Hormuz Stranglehold Upends Markets and Geopolitics
Iran’s renewed aggression in the Strait of Hormuz triggered a sharp rebound in Brent crude, pushing prices above $103 a barrel, and sent U.S. diesel to a multi‑year high of $5 per gallon. Tehran’s threats to halt oil shipments through...
Trump Officials Weigh New Plan to Stop Offshore Wind Farms
The Trump administration is drafting settlement agreements that would pay TotalEnergies nearly $928 million to cancel two offshore wind leases off New York and North Carolina. In exchange, the French firm would abandon the Attentive Energy and Carolina Long Bay projects and shift...
Fraunhofer IAP Advances Battery Technologies: Developing Innovative Battery Materials for E-Mobility and Energy Storage
Fraunhofer IAP will showcase a suite of new battery materials at Inter‑Battery 2026, including solid polymer electrolytes, PFAS‑free membranes, and bio‑based carbon electrodes. The polymer electrolytes reach ionic conductivities above 10⁻⁴ S · cm⁻¹ at room temperature and are compatible with lithium‑ion, sodium‑ion, and...
Brazilian Oil & Gas Firm in the Clear for 14-Well Offshore Drilling Campaign
Brazilian oil producer PRIO, formerly PetroRio, secured an Ibaba amendment allowing up to 14 new wells in the Frade field of the Campos basin. The approval follows an operating licence for the Wahoo field, where PRIO will drill six wells—four...
Oil Shock: Panel Urges Finance Ministry to Craft Strategic Energy Mitigation Framework
India’s parliamentary panel urged the Department of Economic Affairs to develop a strategic energy mitigation framework to shield the economy from oil price volatility. The report highlighted the need for a coordinated national strategy on critical minerals, calling for diversified...
Emerging Battery Storage Market in Poland: Goldbeck Solar Constructs 8-MW BESS in Przeworsk
Goldbeck Solar Polska has secured financing for an 8‑MW/16‑MWh battery energy storage system in Przeworsk, Poland, marking one of the country's first standalone BESS projects. Construction is slated to begin in Q2 2026 with grid connection and commissioning targeted for early...
Attacks on UAE Energy Assets Increase as War Broadens
Iran and its proxies have intensified drone and missile strikes on UAE energy infrastructure, targeting both downstream storage hubs and upstream production sites. A fire at Fujairah port halted oil loading and forced berths to close, while a drone hit...
NSW Tweaks Underwriting Deals for Solar-Battery Hybrids as It Prepares Massive New Tenders to Replace Coal
New South Wales has adopted a preferred underwriting framework for solar‑battery hybrid projects as it readies two massive tenders totalling 5 GW of new capacity later this year. The AEMO subsidiary ASL favoured an export‑based long‑term energy supply agreement (LTESA) that...
Kuwait Opens Oil Gates As Investment Gains Momentum
Kuwait has opened its offshore oil sector to foreign investors, awarding a $1.5 billion development contract to US firm SBL and signing an exploration deal with TotalEnergies while weighing a $7 billion pipeline‑stake sale. The move follows a wave of infrastructure contracts...
How Sustainable Aviation Fuel Is Reshaping the Industry’s Path to Net Zero, One Gallon at a Time
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is moving from niche to mainstream in business aviation, offering a drop‑in replacement that cuts lifecycle carbon emissions by 75‑80%. At NBAA‑BACE 2025, Avfuel and Bombardier highlighted that a 30:70 SAF‑jet fuel blend delivers significant emissions...
BP, Eni Start Gas Production at Angola's Quiluma
BP and Eni’s Azule Energy joint venture has begun gas production at Angola’s Quiluma field, delivering an initial 150 MMcfd with plans to reach 330 MMcfd by year‑end. Quiluma is Angola’s first non‑associated gas project, feeding treated gas to the on‑shore plant...
Unlimited Petrol? Chinese Firm Claims It Can Produce Fuel From Air and Water
Shanghai‑based startup XFuel Technologies announced it can produce synthetic petroleum by converting atmospheric CO₂ and water into liquid fuel at low cost. The firm plans to construct large‑scale plants across China, aiming to reduce the country’s reliance on imported crude....
Tampnet Connectivity for First CO₂ Injection Platform Offshore Netherlands
European CCS milestone: Tampnet secured a contract with Porthos CO₂ Transport to provide communications for the first offshore CO₂ injection platform on the Dutch Continental Shelf. The project will equip the converted P18‑A platform with a redundant 25 Mbit/s fiber link,...
South Korea Caps Fuel Exports to Safeguard Supply
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy imposed mandatory caps on refined fuel exports, limiting shipments to 100 % of the monthly 2025 volumes and introducing wholesale price ceilings for gasoline, diesel and kerosene. The measures, effective 13 March, aim to...
How Ann Arbor, Michigan, Is Creating Its Own Clean Energy Utility
Ann Arbor is piloting a city‑run Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) in the Bryant neighborhood, offering residents solar panels, battery storage and other clean‑energy assets while remaining connected to the existing grid. The program, approved by 80% of voters, will be...
$200M Energy Fund to Power North West Queensland Development
The Queensland Government has launched a $200 million North West Energy Fund to accelerate affordable, reliable and sustainable power in the North West Minerals Province. The fund will back fast‑tracked local generation and storage projects, working with more than 20 private‑sector...
Spain Warns EU Against Suspending Carbon Market to Try to Lower Energy Prices
Spain’s government warned the European Union that suspending the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to curb soaring energy prices would be counter‑productive. Madrid argues the carbon market is a cornerstone of the bloc’s climate agenda and that a pause could...
Why Fossil Fuel Producers Should Fear Your Local Zoning Board
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case in which Exxon Mobil and Suncor argue that cities like Boulder, Colorado lack standing to sue for climate damages. The article contends that while the Court debates federal pre‑emption, the real...
Remote Communities Are More Vulnerable to Fuel Price Shocks – Could Microgrids Help?
Australia’s remote communities, home to about 500,000 people, rely on diesel generators for electricity, making them highly vulnerable to global fuel price shocks. Recent federal actions—temporarily relaxing fuel standards and releasing domestic reserves—aim to ease supply pressures for regional farms,...
Seadrill Awarded Contract Extension in Angola
Seadrill’s 50:50 joint venture with a Sonangol affiliate, Sonadrill Holding, has secured a contract extension for the ultra‑deepwater drillship Sonangol Quenguela in Angola. The extension exercises a seven‑well priced option, adding roughly 480 days of operation and stretching the rig’s...