Pauline Hanson Announces Norway-Inspired Gas Policy as She Decries 25% Export Tax as ‘Economic Vandalism’
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson unveiled a Norway‑inspired gas policy that would replace the 25% export tax with a royalty regime and give the Commonwealth up to a 30% equity stake in new offshore projects. The plan offers a 30% rebate on exploration costs in exchange for government ownership, with profits earmarked for a sovereign wealth fund. Critics from the Liberal Party, industry groups and the Resources Minister warned the model resembles Venezuela‑style nationalisation and carries long‑term financial risk. The proposal arrives as One Nation’s polling surge forces broader debate on resource taxation.
Nigerian Billionaire Femi Otedola Sells Geregu Power Stake to Invest $100mn in Dangote Refinery IPO
Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola sold his Geregu Power stake to free capital for a $100 million allocation in the upcoming Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO. The refinery, a 650,000‑bpd facility, is targeting a $40‑$50 billion valuation with 5‑10 percent of shares offered, and private‑placement...
In-State Geothermal Could Save California $44B Annually: CATF
A Clean Air Task Force report estimates that deploying next‑generation geothermal systems in California could slash annual electricity supply costs by up to $44 billion—about a 52% reduction—by 2045, the state’s deadline for 100% carbon‑free retail sales. The analysis shows that...
IRENA Proposes Global Electrification Target of 35% by 2035
IRENA's new report sets a global electrification target of 35% of final electricity consumption by 2035, up from 23% today, to stay on a 1.5°C pathway. To meet this, the agency calls for 18.4 TW of renewable capacity by 2035 and...
A First Among Major Nations, India Is Industrializing With Solar
India is racing to industrialize on solar power, with the Khavda solar park slated to reach 30 GW – enough to power a nation the size of Austria. Installed solar capacity hit 150 GW in March and is growing at roughly 40 percent...
Wood to Deliver Pipeline Design and More for Qatar’s Redevelopment Project
Wood has been awarded a contract by China’s Offshore Oil Engineering Company to design an optimized pipeline network for QatarEnergy’s Bul Hanine redevelopment. The scope covers 25 pipelines, crossing analysis for 15 umbilicals and two power cables, and addresses thermal expansion...
Final Investment Decision: Plug Power Supplies Electrolysers for a UK Industrial Decarbonisation Project – Shares Decline
Plug Power secured a 30‑megawatt electrolyser supply contract for the Barrow Green Hydrogen project in Barrow‑in‑Furness, the first UK hydrogen plant to reach a final investment decision. The facility will generate roughly 100 GWh of green hydrogen annually, cutting natural‑gas use...
24/7 Renewables Could Happen Sooner than You Think
A new IRENA report shows that combining solar, wind and battery storage can deliver firm, 24‑hour electricity at costs that already undercut new coal or gas plants in many high‑resource locations. In China, modeled solar‑battery sites achieve as low as...
This Vermont Town Embraced a Wind Farm. Solar Is a Different Story.
Northland Solar is seeking permits to build a nearly 5‑megawatt solar farm on a 44‑acre hayfield in Lowell, Vermont, a town that previously embraced a 63‑megawatt wind project. Local residents, the select board, a school and a cemetery have rallied...
Miners, Microgrids, EVs and Other Loads: New Inverter Technologies Take Battery Storage to New Markets
Chinese inverter leader Sungrow launched a suite of storage and micro‑grid solutions, including the PowerTitan 3.0 battery with over 600 stacked cells and 92% round‑trip efficiency, and the PowerMatrix platform that slashes capital costs on large‑scale projects. The company’s AC‑block design...
How Australia’s Most Advanced Renewables State Has Dropped the Ball on the Gas Network Death Spiral
The Australian Energy Regulator approved Australian Gas Networks to recover about $904 million USD in revenue from 2026‑2031, a modest cut from the network’s original request. South Australia’s gas demand is projected to shrink 20% over the same period, prompting average...
Largest Solar-Battery Financing Deal Just the Tip of the Iceberg, as Bankers Pile Into Fashionable Hybrids
Edify Energy secured a landmark $3.35 billion greenfield financing package for Australia’s largest solar‑battery hybrid projects, including the 600 MW Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap farms with 2,400 MWh of storage. The hybrids will deliver firm power to Rio Tinto’s aluminium operations, proving renewables...
KALiNA Power Welcomes New Canadian Regulatory Framework on Carbon Management and Emissions
KALiNA Power’s subsidiary, KALiNA Distributed Power, will benefit from a new Canada‑Alberta regulatory framework that harmonises carbon‑management policies and introduces 75 million tonnes of carbon contracts for difference (CFDs) to support CCS projects between 2030 and 2040. The agreement suspends Alberta’s...
World Built More Coal Power in 2025 but Used Less
In 2025 the world added 3.5% more coal‑power capacity, yet global coal generation slipped 0.6% as renewables expanded. The bulk of new capacity—95%—came from China and India, where generation fell despite the build‑out. The United States was the only major...
Ithaca Energy Making Big Strides on New UK Projects
Ithaca Energy, a leading UK North Sea producer, is accelerating development of its Fotla gas project in the Central North Sea while also advancing two deep‑water gas discoveries in the West of Shetland. The company has earmarked significant capital, including...
When the Grid and Home Batteries Teach Consumers to Withdraw From the Market
Australian households are increasingly installing solar panels and batteries, not to become micro‑generators but to shield themselves from volatile electricity costs. The current tariff stack makes imported power appear expensive while export values remain low, prompting owners to maximise self‑consumption....
SwitchedOn Podcast: Consumer Energy Devices Aren’t Talking to Each Other – and It’s a Problem
Australia’s grid is shifting toward household‑owned resources, with more than four million homes now equipped with rooftop solar and a surge in batteries, electric vehicles and smart appliances. Despite this rapid adoption, many of these consumer devices cannot reliably communicate...
From Oil Shock to EV Push: How Global Energy Volatility Is Accelerating India’s Electrification Mandate
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026 shut the Strait of Hormuz, instantly raising India's crude import costs by $12‑15 bn and widening its current‑account deficit. The shock accelerated the country's push to electrify transport, with FY26 EV sales...
Equis Launches GreenPoint Energy with 2.5GW of BESS and Wind Projects Across Australia’s NEM
Equis has launched GreenPoint Energy, a wholly‑owned subsidiary that unites its Australian renewable‑energy and battery‑storage assets into a 2.5 GW portfolio spanning 12 BESS and wind projects across every NEM‑connected state. The flagship Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, a 600 MW/1.6 GWh Tesla Megapack...
Edify Energy to Proceed with 2,400MWh Solar-Plus-Storage Sites in Australia
Edify Energy announced financial close on two Queensland solar‑plus‑storage sites, Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap, delivering 720 MWp of solar and a combined 600 MW/2,400 MWh battery capacity. The projects are backed by a 20‑year hybrid services agreement with Rio Tinto, which will purchase...
As War Engulfs the Middle East, China’s Xinjiang Is Thriving with Future Tech
Amid the Middle East conflict disrupting oil and chemical flows, China is accelerating its coal‑chemical expansion in Xinjiang. A 15,500 sq m industrial complex is under construction in the Gobi Desert to modernise coal mining and integrate advanced technologies. The project is...
A Smarter Approach to Electricity Rationing
Energy shortages are outpacing policy, prompting a shift from Ukraine’s rotational blackouts to smart‑meter load limiting. Rolling blackouts cut power to entire neighborhoods for hours, delivering high welfare costs and regressive impacts on low‑income households. Load‑limiting caps household draw at...
Worley Wins Contract for Australia Gas Infrastructure Projects
Worley has signed a three‑year framework agreement with APA Group to provide engineering support for gas transmission and storage projects across Australia. The deal, delivered mainly from Worley's Brisbane office with specialist input from Melbourne and India, includes digital enablement...
Oil Swings After Steep Drop as Traders Await Iran Response to US
Oil prices rebounded on May 21 after a 5.6% plunge, with Brent hovering near $105 a barrel. The drop followed President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States was in the “final stages” of talks with Iran. Iran’s semi‑official Students’...
Crude Prices Plunge as More Tankers Traverse Strait
Crude oil benchmarks slumped on Wednesday as a surge of tankers cleared the Strait of Hormuz, lifting concerns over supply constraints. The increased flow signaled that more Iranian and global crude could reach markets, prompting a price drop of roughly...
B20 Expansion Targets Energy Security Boost
Thailand is fast‑tracking the rollout of biodiesel B20, aiming to have the blend available at 1,000 filling stations within a month, up from the current 600. The fuel is sold at a retail discount of seven baht per litre (about...
Siemens’ Microgrid Sets New Standard For Resilient, Sustainable Power
Siemens launched a 1.25‑megawatt on‑site microgrid at its Wendell, North Carolina plant, pairing a solar carport with a 3.9‑megawatt‑hour battery. The system delivers carbon‑neutral operations and cuts grid consumption by 2.5 MWh each year. Integrated with Siemens’ Desigo building management and...
Vitol Overtakes Shell in Ranking of USA Physical Gas Traders
Vitol Group surged ahead in U.S. physical natural‑gas trading in 2025, posting a 14% volume increase that lifted it past Shell Plc among the top ten traders. The growth outpaced all rivals except Koch Energy and matched Citadel’s 10.4 billion cubic...
A Huge 5 GWh Thermal Energy Storage System Is Now Delivering Power to a South Dakota Biofuels Facility
Stored Energy Systems (SENS) has commissioned a 5 GWh thermal energy storage (TES) plant that now supplies reliable power to a biofuels facility in South Dakota. The system uses molten-salt technology to store excess renewable electricity and dispatch it on demand,...
ConnectDER Meter Collar Compatible with EcoFlow Home Backup Storage
ConnectDER has integrated its IslandDER Meter Socket Adapter with EcoFlow’s OCEAN Pro home backup battery, enabling direct connection behind a home’s utility meter. The solution is rolling out in major solar markets such as California, Arizona, Illinois, Florida and Texas. By...
Trina Launches Third Generation of Elementa BESS, Now Reaching 6.25 MWh
Trina Storage has introduced Elementa 3, the third generation of its utility‑scale battery energy storage system, featuring a 6.25 MWh single‑container capacity. The new platform delivers a 12.3% boost in module energy density and a 24.7% increase in site‑level energy density, which...
5-MW Solar Project on Closed Minnesota Landfill Now Complete
Cedar Creek Energy, Connexus Energy and Kearsarge Energy have launched Minnesota’s first solar farm on a closed landfill. The 5‑MW, single‑axis tracking array in Ramsey sits on MPCA‑managed land, part of a state program overseeing more than 100 legacy sites....
Australia Doomsday Scenario: $200 Oil
Australia’s Treasury included a worst‑case scenario in its 2026 budget, assuming an intensified Iran‑Israel conflict pushes crude oil to US$200 a barrel. The analysis warns that such a price shock would cripple global supply chains, especially through the Red Sea,...
A Demand-Driven Energy Transition
Clean energy now often costs less than new fossil generation, yet U.S. grids face a backlog of over a terawatt of renewable projects awaiting interconnection. Accelerating electricity demand—driven by AI data centers, electric transport, and industrial electrification—has outpaced infrastructure capacity,...
Breakthroughs for Batteries Could Soon Make Them Much Better
Lithium‑ion batteries, the workhorse of smartphones and electric vehicles, are nearing their theoretical performance ceiling, with gains in energy density and safety becoming increasingly marginal. Researchers highlighted several emerging chemistries—solid‑state, lithium‑sulfur, and sodium‑ion—that could overcome these limits by offering higher...
Aussie Stike to Worsen LNG Crisis
Australian union leaders have announced a two‑week strike at a major LNG export facility starting May 27, 2026. The action comes as global LNG supplies are already constrained by the ongoing Iran‑Israel conflict and the closure of the Strait of...
Investors Back US Renewable Energy Projects But Want Market Uncertainties Fixed
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) projects $120 billion in U.S. renewable‑energy investment for 2026, potentially adding a record 62 GW of new capacity. Solar and battery storage are expected to attract the bulk of capital, with $53 billion and $22 billion respectively,...
Italian Group Eni Considers Third Floating Natural Gas Platform Off Mozambique
Italian energy giant Eni is weighing the addition of a third floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) platform off Mozambique’s coast. The company already committed to its second FLNG unit, Coral North, which is slated to double the country’s LNG output...
PV Electricity for E-Mobility: Tion Renewables to Supply Solar Power for German IONITY Fast-Charging Network
Tion Renewables and IONITY have signed a long‑term power purchase agreement under which Tion will supply solar electricity to IONITY’s German fast‑charging sites starting in 2027. The deal supports Tion’s target of 3 GW installed solar capacity by 2030 and gives...
Rachel Reeves to Protect ‘Critical’ Clean Energy Projects From Legal Challenges
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced planning reforms to fast‑track critical clean‑energy projects in England and Wales by limiting judicial reviews to human‑rights grounds. Projects designated as “critical national importance” will receive streamlined approval, aiming to cut delays that have slowed...
Fixed-Charge Hikes Undermine the Economics of Rooftop Solar and Storage, Elevate Consumer Costs
State utility regulators in 27 states are imposing high fixed monthly charges or minimum bills on residential electricity accounts, while simultaneously lowering per‑kilowatt‑hour rates. This rate redesign erodes the financial returns for rooftop solar owners and those pairing solar with...
SNS2026: Shanks Rejects Ramp up of North Sea Drilling
Energy Minister Michael Shanks rejected calls to expand North Sea oil and gas drilling, reaffirming the UK’s ban on new fossil‑fuel licences. He emphasized that the government will accelerate renewable energy deployment, citing the proposed Energy Independence Bill. While existing...
Floating Natural Gas Plant Heads to Yucatán as Power Deficits Bite
Mexico has signed a contract with Turkish firm Karpowership to deploy a 250 MW floating natural‑gas power plant off the Yucatán Peninsula as summer demand peaks. The mobile LNG‑fueled unit is intended to alleviate chronic grid deficits and provide dispatchable electricity...
NERC Flags Fewer Grid Risks as Natural Gas Demand Climbs
North America’s power grid is deemed more resilient for the summer of 2026, according to the latest NERC reliability outlook, which flags fewer systemic risks than a year ago. At the same time, natural‑gas demand is projected to climb sharply...
Phillips 66 to Proceed with Two New Processing Plants
Phillips 66 approved two midstream projects—a 300 MMcfd Zeus gas plant and a 100,000 bpd Coastal Bend NGL fractionator—targeting 2028 startup. The Zeus plant will be fed by the new 45‑mile Midland Express (MEX) pipeline, which can move up to 230 MMcfd and offers bi‑directional...
Europe Is Losing the Energy Security Battle to China
The Iran war has forced Europe to spend an extra $28 billion on fossil‑fuel imports, highlighting a widening energy‑security gap with China. China already derives about 30% of its energy from electricity and controls key clean‑energy supply chains, while the EU...
Energy Future Forum: Rewriting Energy Playbook
The third annual Energy Future Forum, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and partnered with RealClear and the National Center for Energy Analytics, brought together leaders from energy, technology, and investment sectors. Attendees examined how to deliver abundant, affordable...
Cincinnati Is Turning a Blighted Former Landfill Into a Solar Energy Hub
Cincinnati broke ground on the $24 million Center Hill Solar Array, a 10‑megawatt photovoltaic project on a former landfill. The city will own 4.9 MW of capacity while Austin‑based UPower Energy will develop an equal share under a power‑purchase agreement. The solar...
Natural Gas Power Burn Holds Ground as Lower Prices Counter Record Solar Output
Spot natural gas prices fell on Wednesday as milder temperatures reduced cooling demand across the central and eastern U.S. Despite the price dip, natural‑gas‑fired power generation rose 4 % in the week ending May 15, driven by coal‑to‑gas switching. Solar output hit...
IREC Study Grades Each State’s Interconnection Practices
IREC’s latest “Freeing the Grid” study grades each state’s interconnection policies for distributed energy resources. New Mexico earned the only A, while nine states achieved B or higher and eight improved since 2023. Over 80% of states remain at C...