Motiva Announces US Group II Base Oil Posting Decrease
Motiva announced a $0.50 per US‑gallon reduction to its Group II, II+ and III base‑oil postings, effective 1 March. The cut could translate into contract price declines of 10‑15¢/USG for parties linked to Motiva’s postings or to basket indices, while blenders with independent contracts see no direct effect. Spot prices for Group II grades remain mixed—light‑viscosity grades are steady, whereas mid‑ and heavy‑viscosity grades face downward pressure. Similar mixed dynamics are observed in the Group III market.
The Future of Cold Storage: Innovations in Energy Efficiency & Why They Matter Now More Than Ever
Rising energy prices, stricter regulations, and sustainability goals are forcing cold‑storage operators to prioritize efficiency. New insulation materials such as XPS and vacuum‑insulated panels dramatically reduce thermal loss, while IoT‑enabled smart controls match cooling output to real‑time demand. Manufacturers are...
Caterpillar Invests in Serbian LFP Battery Maker
Caterpillar announced a strategic investment in a Serbian lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) battery manufacturer, earmarking a multi‑million‑dollar stake to bolster its energy storage capabilities. The move secures a domestic source of LFP cells for Caterpillar’s heavy‑equipment line, reducing reliance on Chinese suppliers....
Trina and GSC Partner on 12GWh EU Storage
Trina Storage and Gore Street Capital have launched a private EU Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) fund targeting more than 12 GWh of projects. The fund, backed by the European Investment Fund and the Irish Strategic Investment Fund, aims to raise...
Suzlon Creates New Leadership Structure
Suzlon announced a major governance overhaul under its Suzlon 2.0 plan, creating a Group Executive Council and appointing Ajay Kapur as the new group chief executive. The restructure is designed to accelerate the company's shift from a pure wind‑energy provider to...
‘Balance Between Profitability and Predictability’: Inside Europe’s Shift Towards Tolling Offtake Agreements in Battery Storage
Physical tolling agreements are rapidly becoming the preferred off‑take structure for new battery storage projects across Europe, a trend highlighted at the Energy Storage Summit 2026. A poll of attendees showed 75 % are considering tolls, reflecting growing confidence that these...
Brookfield-Backed Rockpoint Gas Storage Closes C$459 Million Secondary Offering
Brookfield-backed Rockpoint Gas Storage completed a secondary offering, selling 16.4 million shares at C$28 per share. The transaction generated approximately C$459 million in gross proceeds, including shares issued under an over‑allotment option. The capital raise bolsters the company’s balance sheet and funds...
Renault Partners with Basquevolt on Lithium-Metal Cells
Renault's Ampere division has signed a development agreement with Basquevolt to accelerate lithium‑metal battery prototypes for future electric vehicles. The partnership targets pre‑A sample cells that could deliver up to 450 Wh/kg energy density while cutting capital costs and energy use...
KODE Labs Unveils EnerG: Revolutionizing Utility Management for Smarter, Sustainable Real Estate Portfolios
KODE Labs has launched EnerG, an AI‑enabled platform that consolidates utility, sustainability, and performance data for enterprise real‑estate portfolios. The solution replaces fragmented spreadsheets, PDFs and portal pulls with automated ingestion, validation and anomaly detection. Built as an extension of...
On Africa's Terms: Taking Control of the Resource Future
BGN Group, under CEO Rüya Bayegan, is scaling its African footprint by supplying Egypt with up to 160 LNG cargoes through 2026 and operating fuel terminals across Morocco. In July 2025 the firm launched a joint venture with the DRC’s...
Mars Signs One of Its Largest Renewable Energy Purchase Deals in Europe
Mars announced a power purchase agreement with Foresight Energy Infrastructure Partners for 70% of the output from the newly commissioned 277 MW Kölvallen wind farm in Sweden, delivering roughly 670 GWh of clean electricity each year. The deal marks the confectioner’s second...
Australia’s Most Costly Anti-Climate Policy Hits Taxpayers for $30m a Day as Calls Mount to Wind Back Fuel Tax Credits...
Australia’s fuel tax credits scheme is costing taxpayers nearly $10.8 bn this fiscal year – roughly $30 m a day – by refunding excise on diesel and petrol for miners, farmers and other heavy‑fuel users. Critics label it the nation’s most expensive...
Disruptive Theme of the Week: Some Surprise Winners YTD
The week’s disruptive theme spotlights unexpected YTD winners, led by wet and dry shipping ETFs, South Korean market exposure, and oil‑service funds. Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF (BWET) surged 100% and Breakwave Dry Bulk Shipping ETF (BDRY) climbed 31% as VLCC...
Broad-Based Growth in 4Q25 Midstream/MLP Dividends
Midstream dividend growth remains robust, with 92.7% of AMNA constituents raising payouts year‑over‑year and no dividend cuts since July 2021. Both MLPs and corporations delivered sequential increases in Q4 2025, highlighted by Plains All American’s 9.9% hike. The sector’s strong cash‑flow generation...
Hitachi and Pakal Advance Silicon Modules
Hitachi Energy and Pakal Technologies have teamed up to embed Pakal’s IGTO(t) silicon power switch into Hitachi’s high‑voltage power modules. The IGTO(t) promises roughly 30% lower conduction losses than conventional IGBTs, enhancing efficiency across rail, renewable, energy‑storage, AI and data‑centre...
Inch Cape Report Outlines UK Impact
Offshore wind developer Inch Cape released an independent report quantifying its economic contribution to the UK. The 50/50 ESB‑Red Rock joint venture will invest £4.7 billion overall, with £2.7 billion earmarked for Scotland and £1 billion in eastern regions. At construction peak, the...
Orkim Secures MR2 Charter with Petronas Trading Unit
Malaysian tanker owner Orkim has signed a six‑month time‑charter for its 2012‑built Orkim Citrine MR2 tanker with PETCO Trading Labuan, the trading arm of Petronas. The agreement, effective at the end of February 2026, includes an option to extend another six...
Britain Targets Russia’s Oil Revenues with Nearly 300 New Sanctions
Britain announced its largest sanctions package to date, targeting Russia’s oil pipeline operator Transneft and adding nearly 300 new measures. The package, timed with the fourth anniversary of the invasion, also sanctions 48 oil tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet...
Mitsubishi Delivers First Ammonia Fuel Supply Systems for Marine Use
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has shipped the first ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) and ammonia gas abatement system (AGAS) for Japan Engine Corporation’s inaugural ammonia‑fueled marine engine, model 7UEC50LSJA‑HPSCR. The AFSS delivers ammonia to the engine safely and steadily, while the AGAS...
Australia’s Biggest Renewable Grid “Stress Test” Facility Gets a $3 Million Upgrade
Australia’s CSIRO Renewable Energy Integration Facility (REIF) received a $3 million federal upgrade, doubling its power‑testing capacity. The enhanced lab now emulates microgrids, grid faults, and vehicle‑to‑grid scenarios, allowing realistic stress‑tests of solar, battery, wind and EV technologies. Operated from Newcastle,...
‘Garbage in, Garbage Out’ – Solar Industry Debates Reality of AI
The Solar Quality Summit in Barcelona highlighted AI’s ability to accelerate photovoltaic project planning, construction, and operations, but stressed that its value hinges on high‑quality data. Attendees warned that “garbage in, garbage out” can magnify mistakes, making validation and human...
ET Fuels Secures Bunkering Buyer for Texas E-Methanol
Irish developer ET Fuels has signed a binding long‑term offtake agreement with UK shipping firm RFOcean to supply e‑methanol at a fixed price starting in 2030. The fuel will be produced at ET Fuels’ advanced Rattlesnake Gap plant in Texas,...
Solar Firm Told to Refund ₹8.1 Lakh for Failed Panel Installation
The Karnataka District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered a solar‑panel distributor to refund ₹8.1 lakh and pay ₹35,000 for mental anguish after a rooftop system, promised to generate 40 units daily, failed shortly after installation. The ruling highlights inadequate after‑sales support...
How Full Is the USA Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve sits at 415.4 million barrels, roughly 58.2% of its 714 million‑barrel authorized capacity, according to the EIA’s February 13 report. This marks a 5.1% rise over the same week last year and a 15.6% increase from 2024, reflecting...
Weidmuller Releases New PV Connector Series for 1,500-V Systems
Weidmuller USA introduced the WM4 C PV connector series, engineered for advanced solar installations up to 1,500 V. The UL‑ and CSA‑approved connectors feature robust crimp contacts for 4 mm² and 6 mm² (12 AWG/10 AWG) conductors and are rated IP67 for harsh environments. An anti‑tampering...
‘No Project Above 100MW Is Fully Merchant’: Bankability in Focus as Energy Storage Summit 2026 Kicks Off
The opening panel at the Energy Storage Summit 2026 focused on making large‑scale battery energy storage systems bankable. Speakers highlighted that roughly 80% of UK BESS capacity is underwritten by tolls or floor contracts, and no project above 100 MW operates fully...
UrbanChain Adds Centrica Wind to Market
UrbanChain has integrated Centrica Energy’s 26.5 GWh per year on‑shore wind asset in Cambridgeshire into its renewable trading platform, embedding the supply within its operating layer to match generation with local demand in real time. The partnership aims to deliver fully...
Exclusive: Newtrace to Raise Pre Series A Funding Led by HDFC Bank
Climate‑tech startup Newtrace announced a Rs 28 crore pre‑Series A round, led by HDFC Bank with participation from Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and existing backers. The funding, issued via 2,541 convertible preference shares, keeps the post‑money valuation flat at Rs 237 crore ($26 million). Proceeds will fund product...
Sodium-Ion Batteries Key to EU Competitive Edge, Says EESC President
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is pushing sodium‑ion batteries to the forefront of the EU’s industrial strategy, urging the next 2028‑2034 Multi‑Annual Financial Framework to allocate dedicated funding. EESC President Séamus Boland argues that sodium‑ion technology offers a...
Dominion Reports Marginal Increase in Data Center Pipeline
Dominion Energy announced that its contracted data‑center capacity now exceeds 48 GW, a three‑percent increase since September. The utility lifted its five‑year capital‑investment outlook by 30% to $65 billion, with over 90% earmarked for Virginia to meet accelerating data‑center load. A new...
CCEA Enhances Equity Investment Limit for Powergrid Subsidiaries to ₹7,500 Crore
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved raising Powergrid's equity investment ceiling from ₹5,000 crore to ₹7,500 crore per subsidiary, while keeping the 15 percent net‑worth cap. The change enables the Maharatna CPSE to fund larger transmission projects, including UHVAC and HVDC corridors,...
Slovakia Halts Emergency Electricity Supplies to Ukraine over Russian Oil Dispute
Slovakia announced it will halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine until Kyiv restores Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline. The move follows a dispute over the pipeline’s shutdown after a Russian drone strike and accusations that Ukraine is delaying...
EVs Likely to Lose Zero-Emission Tag Under CAFE III
India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency is set to revise CAFE‑III rules, removing the zero‑emission label for electric cars and requiring manufacturers to account for electricity consumption in fuel‑efficiency calculations. The proposal converts kWh per 100 km into a petrol‑equivalent metric, aiming...
New Cross-Border U.S. Pipeline Proposal Could Revive Idle Keystone XL Assets: Analysts
A private U.S. firm, Bridger Pipeline LLC, has filed a proposal for a 550,000‑barrel‑per‑day pipeline that would run from the Canada‑U.S. border in Montana to a hub in Guernsey, Wyoming. Analysts believe the route is designed to tap the partially...
Brazil Cuts Bitcoin Miner Import Duty to Zero and Companies May Plug Them Into Stranded Solar Next
Brazil's foreign trade council approved a resolution that eliminates import duties on high‑efficiency SHA256 Bitcoin miners—those above 200 TH/s and under 20 J/TH—effective through January 2028. Three days later, French utility Engie signaled interest in installing such miners at its 895 MW Assu...
Environmental, Community Groups to Challenge Regulators’ Approval of Dominion’s Gas Plant
Three climate‑justice nonprofits have filed a Virginia Supreme Court notice to appeal the State Corporation Commission’s approval of Dominion Energy’s $1.47 billion, 944‑megawatt Chesterfield natural‑gas plant. The appeal, filed through the Southern Environmental Law Center, invokes the Virginia Environmental Justice Act...
Minutes vs Megawatt-Hours: What Changes when Weather Forecasting Becomes a Form of Infrastructure?
The article argues that in solar‑heavy power systems, weather forecasting has evolved from a niche service into a core piece of grid infrastructure. Five‑minute market settlements expose how minutes, not just megawatt‑hours, dictate price volatility and system stability. Fast, accurate...
When Hail Hits PV: New Research Maps Damage, Testing, and Mitigation
A new European‑led review maps how large hail damages photovoltaic (PV) modules, summarising laboratory tests, simulations and field studies across Europe and the United States. The paper cites 9,882 hail events in Europe in 2023, a €6 billion loss in northern...
ABB Picks Corvus Energy Battery Systems for New US Ferries
ABB Marine & Ports, acting as the propulsion single‑source vendor for Washington State Ferries, has selected Corvus Energy’s Dolphin NxtGen battery systems for two new hybrid ferries. The 1,500‑passenger vessels, built by Eastern Shipbuilding and slated for delivery in 2030‑31,...
Alliance From Hamburg Sounds The Alarm: Reiche’s Grid Package Harms Germany As A Business Location And Threatens The Expansion Of...
More than 20 Hamburg‑based energy firms have urged the CDU to reject Federal Minister Katherina Reiche’s draft “grid package.” The proposal would end compensation for curtailed renewable installations and impose special rules on roughly 900 distribution‑grid operators, raising costs and...
8Energies, Enspired and Goldbeck Solar Present White Paper: How Storage Solutions Increase the Profitability of Solar Parks
A joint white paper by 8Energies, Enspired and Goldbeck Solar proposes co‑locating battery energy storage systems with photovoltaic parks to counter falling solar revenues. The paper shows that shared‑grid “cable pooling” can raise the internal rate of return by up...
Trina Storage Sets Benchmarks in the Battery Storage Market: Company Reaches 6 GWh in Europe and Strengthens Market Position with...
Trina Storage announced that its cumulative battery energy storage system (BESS) volume in Europe has reached 6 GWh, covering more than 65 large‑scale projects across 12 countries since December 2020. Flagship installations include sites in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Greece,...
British Nuclear Power Plant Hinkley Point C Faces Further Delays and Rising Costs - Nuclear Power Costs at Least 15...
EDF announced that the first unit of Hinkley Point C will now start operating in 2030, pushing the construction timeline to at least 13 years. Total project costs have risen to roughly £48 billion (about €55 billion), up from the original estimate. The...
RES Australia Joint Venture Bags EPBC Act Approval for 3.6GWh Solar-Plus-Storage Project in Queensland
Wooderson Solar Development Co has secured federal EPBC Act approval for a 450 MW solar photovoltaic plant paired with 3,600 MWh of co‑located battery storage in Queensland. The project, a joint venture between RES Australia and Energy Estate, was classified as “not...
Dalkia Picked for M&E at British Museum Energy Centre
The British Museum has appointed Dalkia to design, install and commission the mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems for a new energy centre that will replace its gas‑fired boilers with an all‑electric solution. The programme, valued at £33 million, incorporates a 5.1 MW...
Tewke Secures £1.5M to Scale AI-Powered Home Energy Platform
London‑based Tewke closed a £1.5 million second‑stage round, backed by JamJar, Cur8, Energy Mix Ventures, Project Ventures and Revolut CTO Vlad Yatsenko. The company’s Tap device, engineered in the UK, retrofits without a neutral wire and can be installed in minutes,...
Nike Sources 100% Clean Electricity for Japan Operations
Nike Japan has secured a virtual power purchase agreement with Mitsui & Co. that delivers renewable energy certificates from 16 domestic solar farms, covering 100 % of the retailer’s electricity consumption across stores, distribution centers, and offices. The deal incorporates 3 MW...
Unraveling Interband Hot‐Electron Transfer in Hydrogenated Au@Cu2O/TiO2 Heterostructure Nanocrystals for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution
Researchers have engineered a hydrogenated Au@Cu2O/TiO2 nanocrystal featuring a core‑shell architecture and a Z‑scheme heterojunction that enables efficient interband hot‑electron transfer. The plasmonic Au core injects electrons into the Cu2O shell, while the TiO2 partner suppresses recombination, delivering a hydrogen...
Mn‐Doped Nickel Telluride Dirac Semimetals with Engineered Dirac Cones for Accelerated Energy Conversion: Synergistic Electron Transfer and Adsorption Optimization
Researchers synthesized Mn‑doped NiTe2 Dirac semimetals via a one‑step hydrothermal method, discovering that a 5% Mn substitution dramatically reshapes the Dirac cone and boosts Fermi velocity. The doping also raises the density of states near the Fermi level, accelerating interfacial...
Covalent Functionalization of NiFe Layered Double Hydroxides Using Tris(Hydroxymethyl)Aminomethane
Researchers have covalently attached tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) to nickel‑iron layered double hydroxides (NiFe‑LDH), creating a more ordered crystal structure and enabling high‑temperature hydrothermal synthesis. The TRIS‑functionalized material forms stable, water‑based inks that allow binder‑free electrode fabrication. These electrodes deliver higher oxygen...