Manipulating Buried Interface via Aromatic Amino Acid Derivatives for Wide‐Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells and Tandem Devices
Researchers introduced an aromatic amino‑acid derivative, N‑benzoyl‑(2R,3S)‑3‑phenylisoserine (NBP), between the Me‑4PACz hole‑transport layer and wide‑bandgap perovskite. The molecule forms electrostatic and π‑π interactions that passivate Pb²⁺ and iodine vacancies, suppress phase segregation, and improve energy‑level alignment. Devices incorporating NBP achieved a 20.81% power‑conversion efficiency with a 1.371 V open‑circuit voltage and retained 85.3% of their initial efficiency after 1,000 hours of maximum‑power‑point tracking. Stacking the NBP‑treated subcell with a 1.25 eV narrow‑bandgap cell yielded a two‑terminal tandem solar cell delivering 29.05% efficiency.
Electric Field–Driven Nanoreactor Strategy for Rapid Fabrication of CRO Photocathodes Toward Efficient Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution
Researchers have introduced an electric‑field‑driven nanoreactor strategy that rapidly assembles ultrathin conjugated reticular oligomer (CRO) films on conductive substrates. The method uses cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) as both surfactant and charge carrier, eliminating the need for acid catalysts and enabling deposition...
Renewables Met 100% of Global Electricity Demand Growth in 2025 that Will Speed America's Decline
For the first time, renewables supplied all new global electricity demand in 2025, with solar accounting for three‑quarters of that growth. China drove the surge, adding 336 TWh of solar power—over half of the world’s increase—while the United States contributed 85 TWh,...
Metal and Covalent Organic Frameworks for Photocatalytic Conversion of N2‐to‐NH3: Mechanisms, Materials, and Perspectives
The review surveys recent progress in metal‑organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as photocatalysts for converting nitrogen to ammonia using sunlight. It details how high surface area, tunable porosity and engineered active sites improve N₂ adsorption, charge separation,...
Ranchi Power Surge, JBVNL Warns of Disconnection for Overloaded Homes His Summer
Jharkhand Bijli Vitaran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL) warned Ranchi residents that homes exceeding their sanctioned electricity limits could face immediate disconnection as summer demand spikes. In just 20 days, citywide consumption jumped from 281 MW to 386 MW, a 37% increase, straining the...
Crystallization Kinetics Directed by Additive Symmetry for Morphology Control in High‐Efficiency Organic Solar Cells
Researchers discovered that the symmetry of solid‑state additives can steer crystallization kinetics in PM6:Y6 organic solar cells. Four dibromonaphthalene isomers were tested, and the symmetric 2,6‑DBN enabled balanced ordering during annealing, improving π–π stacking and reducing energetic disorder. This kinetic...
NTPC’s Pakri Barwadih Surpass 100 MT Coal Production
NTPC’s Pakri Barwadih coal mine has crossed the 100 million‑tonne (MT) production milestone, just three years after reaching 50 MT in 2023. The project, commercial since April 2019, dispatched its 20,000th rail rake in December 2024 and now benefits from Asia’s longest closed‑loop conveyor to...
Posco Signs US$765m Deal for 30% Stake in Australian Lithium Mines
Posco Holdings has agreed to pay $765 million for a 30 percent stake in Mineral Resources’ Mount Marion and Wodgina lithium mines in Western Australia. The joint venture will give Posco rights to produce about 37,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually, enough for...
Can a Carbon Price Lower Power Bills? Virginia Is Betting Yes.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed legislation to re‑enter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a cap‑and‑trade program that prices carbon emissions from utilities. The move follows a surge in electricity demand driven by the state’s booming AI data‑center sector, which...
Australia, India, Japan, Philippines Drive APAC Battery Storage Shift
Australia, India, Japan and the Philippines are accelerating utility‑scale battery storage in APAC, moving projects from 10‑30 MWh to 500 MWh or larger. Trina Storage’s APAC head Warrick Stapleton says market maturity varies, with some regions shifting from frequency‑control ancillary services to...
Forsee Power Battery System Powers New Electric Fire Pump
Forsee Power has delivered its GO 1.6 lithium‑ion battery system to Tohatsu for the VM130A electric portable fire pump, slated for launch later this year. The compact, modular pack, originally designed for light electric vehicles, now powers a critical emergency‑response tool...
Green Light for Wellhead Removal Ops at Australian Oil Field
Jadestone Energy, an AIM‑listed Singapore‑based oil and gas firm, received approval from Australia’s offshore regulator NOPSEMA for its environmental plan to remove three wellheads—Montara‑1, 2 and 3—in the Montara field, located about 690 km east of Darwin. The plan outlines ROV...
Allego Launches New Roaming App
Allego has launched a revamped app that aggregates its own charging stations with those of rival operators, giving users access to roughly one million points across Europe. The platform charges no extra fees and displays third‑party rates transparently – for example...
Japan’s Petchem Supplies to Last Into Next Year: PM
Japan’s prime minister announced that naphtha‑derived chemical supplies will extend beyond year‑end, thanks to a surge in imports and continued domestic production. Naphtha imports from non‑Middle‑East sources will triple in May, reaching about 1.35 million kilolitres. Stockpiles of intermediates such as...
War in the Gulf and on US Free Speech
Brent crude jumped to $126 a barrel after President Trump said he would extend the Iranian port blockade for months, pushing oil markets into volatility. Iran’s war‑driven inflation has surged to roughly 50%, deepening its economic collapse. The United Arab...
Ukraine Hits Major Russian Refinery, Pumping Station
Ukrainian long‑range drones struck Lukoil's Permnefteorgsintez refinery and a nearby Transneft pumping station in the Urals, igniting a fire and disabling the refinery's primary processing unit. The facility processes about 260,000 barrels per day, making it one of Russia's largest...
Northland Inks 30-Year CPPA with TSMC for Hai Long Wind Project
Northland Power has signed a 30‑year corporate power purchase agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to buy the full output of the 1.02 GW Hai Long offshore wind project. The JV, comprising Northland (30.6%), Mitsui (40%) and Gentari International Renewables (29.4%), will...
South East Water Chair Quits After Damning Report by MPs
South East Water’s non‑executive chair Chris Train resigned immediately after a parliamentary report condemned the utility’s handling of water supply failures in Kent. Tens of thousands of residents endured cuts in November‑December 2025, prompting an inquiry that highlighted maintenance lapses...
Belgium Plans To Nationalize Nuclear Power Plants
Belgium announced a full takeover of its seven aging nuclear reactors from French utility Engie, aiming to secure domestic power supplies and reverse a long‑standing phase‑out. Licences for the two operating plants at Doel and Tihange have been extended to...
How LNG Interests Are Seeking to Disrupt Global Talks on Decarbonising Shipping
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) decarbonisation talks are being stalled by powerful LNG interests and pro‑oil flag states. After the Hormuz Strait closure, LNG trade faced disruption, yet orders for new LNG tankers remain high, with 337 vessels on the...
Heat Pump Tumble Dryers Set to Become Standard as Traditional Tumble Dryers Face Ban
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has unveiled draft regulations that would phase out traditional condenser tumble dryers, making heat‑pump models the default for new homes. The measures are part of a broader ecodesign push to cut household electricity use and...
“Let’s Actually Get Projects up and Running:” Report Warns Australia’s Green Iron Edge Is at Risk
A Climate Energy Finance report warns Australia’s lead in green iron is slipping as no project has reached a final investment decision. The country tracks 11 proposals but lacks commercial‑scale plants, while the Middle East and North Africa are moving...
Germany’s Climate U-Turn Is the Worst Possible Response to the Oil Shock
Germany’s coalition government has reversed course on its climate agenda amid the latest oil shock triggered by the US‑Israel war on Iran. Diesel prices spiked to €2.40 per litre (about $2.62), a 50% increase from a year earlier, prompting the...
Oil Companies’ Huge Profits Revive Calls for Temporary Windfall Taxes
Oil and gas majors are enjoying record earnings as geopolitical tensions drive energy prices higher. BP said its first‑quarter profit more than doubled year‑over‑year, while France’s TotalEnergies reported a $5.4 billion net profit, prompting larger dividends and share buybacks. The surge...
Making the Most of the Grid We Already Have
The United States faces a strained, aging electricity grid as extreme weather and AI‑driven data centers boost demand. Virginia lawmakers responded with a bipartisan grid‑utilization law that requires utilities to measure peak usage and transmission losses, aiming to squeeze more...
US DOE Has Released 17.5 Million Barrels From the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Since March
The U.S. Department of Energy released 17.5 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve between March 20 and April 24, with a weekly peak of 7.1 million barrels – the highest since October 2022. SPR inventories fell to 397.9 million barrels, about 55 % of the reserve’s...
Riding the Ocean’s Data
Researchers at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) have released major upgrades to the wave‑energy simulation suite WEC‑Sim and the open‑source hydrodynamic solver Capytaine. The new WEC‑Sim 7.0 adds quadratic transfer functions, variable‑hydro capabilities, and finer component‑level modeling, while Capytaine...
CPUC Protects Ratepayers, Rejects SoCalGas’ Attempt to Charge Customers for Hydrogen Pipeline
The California Public Utilities Commission denied Southern California Gas Company’s request to recover $266 million from ratepayers for the Angeles Link hydrogen pipeline. The CPUC found SoCalGas had not demonstrated direct benefits to customers and that the project remains in the...
New Changes Trim “Essential” REZ Transmission Route to Avoid Caves – and Another 50 Landholders
EnergyCo has trimmed the proposed transmission corridor for New South Wales' New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) from a 3 km to a 1 km width, cutting the number of affected landholders from roughly 200 to 150. The adjustment also reduces dwellings...
Energy Insiders Podcast: Electric Trucks Are Profitable, but Diesel Struggles
The Energy Insiders podcast highlighted that electric trucks, especially those using Janus Electric’s battery‑swap system, are now more profitable than traditional diesel rigs. CEO Ben Hutt explained how rapid cost declines and reduced downtime make the electric model financially attractive....
Sierra Club: Nippon Investment in DRI in the South a Good First Step, Must Not Overlook Greening Midwest Steel
U.S. Steel announced a nearly $2 billion investment to build a direct reduced iron (DRI) facility at its Big River Steel Works in Osceola, Arkansas, supplying cleaner feedstock for its electric arc furnaces. The project, backed by parent Nippon Steel, is...
No Change in Domestic ATF Prices, International Aviation Fuel Rates Revised Upward
State‑owned oil marketing companies kept Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices steady for scheduled domestic airlines in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, while raising rates for international operations in the May 1, 2026 revision. Domestic rates sit at roughly $1,280‑$1,340 per kilolitre after...
Cost of Poles and Wires Jumps Sharply, but Regulator Says Cost to Consumer Still Likely to Fall
The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) approved higher five‑year revenue caps for Victoria’s five distribution network service providers, ranging from $2 billion to $5.3 billion AUD (≈$1.3‑$3.5 bn USD). Despite revenue jumps of up to 50 % for some networks, the regulator projects a modest...
ASEAN Ministers Warn Middle East War Threatens Energy Security and Regional Growth
ASEAN economic ministers issued a joint communique warning that the war in the Middle East threatens global energy security and could markedly slow growth in the region. They highlighted that the Strait of Hormuz transports roughly one‑quarter of the world’s...
The Power Market: Three Applications, One Ecosystem
IDTechEx projects the global power electronics market to surpass $65 billion by 2036, driven by a 10% CAGR fueled primarily by data‑center expansion and electric‑vehicle (EV) adoption. Silicon IGBTs remain prevalent, but wide‑bandgap (WBG) devices—especially SiC MOSFETs—are set to dominate EV...
The $320Bn Li-Ion Battery Market for EVs in 2036 (Video)
IDTechEx released a video projecting the global lithium‑ion battery market for electric vehicles to reach roughly $320 billion by 2036. The forecast assumes a compound annual growth rate of about 15 % as EV sales expand across passenger cars, commercial trucks, buses...
Japan’s Mimura Declines to Comment on Yen Intervention Talk
Japan’s vice finance minister for international affairs, Atsushi Mimura, declined to comment on any direct yen intervention but reiterated that Tokyo remains prepared to act in the crude‑oil futures market. He said authorities are “always ready to act regarding crude...
Trump Bets on Quick Iran Oil Crunch. Experts See Prolonged Pain and Rising Costs.
The Trump administration is pressing its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming Iran’s oil storage is on the verge of collapse within days. White House officials argue the pressure will force Tehran to meet U.S. demands as gasoline...
NH3 Clean Energy Strengthens Financing Case with Strong Public Benefits Forecast for WAH2 Clean Ammonia Project
NH3 Clean Energy secured a positive independent public‑benefits assessment from ACIL Allen, showing a Benefit‑Cost Ratio of 3.07 for its WAH2 clean‑ammonia project. The study forecasts the project will add roughly $4.8 bn to Australia’s GDP and generate $4.1 bn in real...
Wind Farm Customers Want “Shape”, And Investors Need Certainty – and Both Are Struggling to Get It
Australian wind development has stalled, with only the Uungula project under construction in New South Wales, despite federal Capacity Investment Scheme incentives. Squadron Energy CEO Rob Wheals warned that investors need revenue certainty beyond the typical 10‑15‑year PPA, given wind...
US Proposes New Coalition to Restart Traffic in Hormuz
The United States is mobilizing an international coalition called the Maritime Freedom Construct to reopen commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where talks with Tehran have stalled. The plan designates the State Department as a diplomatic hub and U.S....
Genie Energy Ltd (GNE) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Genie Energy reported a 24% rise in consolidated revenue to $138.3 million, driven by strong electricity sales and higher per‑meter consumption. Gross profit fell 21% as wholesale commodity costs compressed margins, with gross margin dropping to 21.7% from 33.9% a year...
Chevron Corp (CVX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Chevron reported $2.8 billion quarterly earnings and $3 billion adjusted earnings, with operating cash flow of $10.8 billion. The company repurchased $3 billion of shares, raised the quarterly dividend 4% and posted record worldwide production, including over 1 million barrels per day in the Permian....
Portland General Electric Co (POR) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Portland General Electric reported GAAP net income of $62 million ($0.56 per share) and non‑GAAP earnings of $73 million ($0.66 per share) for Q2 2025, highlighted by a 16.5% surge in industrial load driven largely by data‑center customers. The company...
Trump Gives the Go-Ahead for a Major New Canada-U.S. Oil Pipeline
President Donald Trump approved the Bridger Pipeline Expansion, a 650‑mile, 3‑foot‑wide line that would transport up to 550,000 barrels of Canadian crude daily through Montana and Wyoming. The project, dubbed “Keystone Light,” avoids Native American reservations and relies on existing...
Why Has NESO Stripped Batteries From Many UK Solar and Wind Projects in the Grid Queue?
National Electricity System Operator (NESO) has stripped grid‑scale battery storage from a large number of solar and wind projects awaiting connection in the UK grid queue. The move follows recent reforms that cleared more than 221 GW of renewable capacity but...
IEA: Battery Recycling Innovation Accelerating Rapidly
A joint European Patent Office and International Energy Agency study shows battery‑circularity patents surged 42% annually from 2017 to 2023, outpacing the 16% growth in rechargeable‑battery patents overall. The report highlights that up to 1.2 million EV batteries will reach end‑of‑life...
CIP Acquires Orsted’s European Onshore Wind Business, Launches Perigus Energy
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has completed the €1.44 bn ($1.7 bn) acquisition of Ørsted’s European on‑shore renewables business, rebranding it as Perigus Energy. The new entity controls about 826 MW of operating assets and a multi‑gigawatt pipeline in Ireland, Germany, the UK and...
Dam Opponents Urge Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to Halt Funding for Makaroro River Project
Opponents of the Tukituki Water Security Project presented an 828‑person petition to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, demanding a public commitment not to fund the proposed Makaroro River dam. The government recently approved a NZ$18 million loan (≈US$10.8 million) for the project, which...
PBF to Move WTI to US East Coast on Jones Waiver
PBF Energy announced it will run West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude at its Delaware City, DE (171,000 b/d) and Paulsboro, NJ (100,000 b/d) refineries in Q2, leveraging a temporary Jones Act waiver. The waiver, first issued on March 17 and extended through August 15,...