California Gas Prices Hit $6 per Gallon as Fuel Costs Jump Nearly 30 Cents in a Week Across the U.S.
California gasoline prices surged to $6.01 per gallon, the highest level since October 2023 and a 30% jump since the U.S. and Israel entered the war against Iran in late February. Nationwide, the average pump price rose to $4.30 per gallon, up 27 cents in just one week as crude oil rallied on supply concerns. Diesel in California climbed to $7.50 per gallon, reflecting a 47% increase since the conflict began. The price spike follows Iran’s decision to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, tightening global oil flows.
Axis Energy to Invest ₹30,000 Cr in Underground Coal Gasification, Set to Acquire Tech
Axis Energy Ventures, a Brookfield‑backed wind and solar developer, announced a plan to invest roughly $3.6 billion (₹30,000 crore) in underground coal gasification (UCG) at two deep‑dip coal blocks in Odisha. The company will acquire a confidential UCG technology to convert otherwise...
Shell Adds ‘Missing Piece’ for LNG Canada Expansion With Feed Gas From ARC Deal
Shell has sealed a deal to acquire ARC Resources, adding a substantial Montney shale gas portfolio that will feed the LNG Canada project. The acquisition provides the missing feedstock needed to move the second phase of LNG Canada toward a...
Tanker Market Finds Delicate Balance as Oil Prices Surge to Multi-Year Highs
Oil prices surged to a multi‑year high of $126 per barrel before easing below $115, driven by President Donald Trump’s warning of a prolonged Iranian port blockade. The price spike has kept tanker charter rates elevated, even as the market...
CSMC Secures $5M From Alberta for Prototype Microreactor at the University of Alberta
Toronto‑based Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) secured a CAD $5 million (≈US $3.7 million) grant from Alberta to build an unfuelled microreactor prototype at the University of Alberta. The $10 million (≈US $7.3 million) collaborative effort creates a testing hub that avoids fissile‑material licensing while gathering performance...
Australians Will Pay More if Albanese Prioritises Fossil Fuel Projects, Former Oil and Gas Leaders Warn
Former senior executives from BP, Shell and other oil majors warned Australia’s Albanese government that fast‑tracking new fossil‑fuel projects could deepen price volatility and raise consumer costs. They contend that the country’s untapped oil reserves would provide less than a...
Congress Should Fix the Nuclear Investment Tax Credit
Bipartisan Representatives Pat Harrigan and Jimmy Panetta introduced HR 8482, the Nuclear Rate Stabilization Act, to let regulated utilities claim the full nuclear investment tax credit upfront instead of spreading it over a plant’s operational life. The current credit, worth 30‑50%...
Midmorning Markets: In-Line Natural Gas Storage Injection Supports Futures
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a 79 billion‑cubic‑foot (Bcf) natural‑gas injection for the week ending April 24, a level well above historical norms but in line with market expectations. Storage volumes are now 7.7% higher than the five‑year average, with the...
Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency and IEA Join Forces on Clean Energy Push
Türkiye’s COP31 presidency has forged a strategic partnership with the International Energy Agency to accelerate the global clean‑energy transition amid the Iran‑Russia war‑driven energy crisis. The alliance will focus on energy security, large‑scale electrification, green industrialisation, clean cooking for 2.3 billion...
Nabors Highlights Resilience in International Drilling Amid Middle East Tensions
Nabors Industries posted first‑quarter revenue of $784 million, with international drilling anchoring performance despite ongoing Middle East tensions. The conflict added staffing and logistics costs but did not stop operations, and the company deployed additional rigs in Saudi Arabia and Latin...
Oil Strikes 4-Year Peak, Stocks Rise
Oil prices surged to a four‑year high, with Brent crude briefly touching $126 a barrel as geopolitical tension over Iran escalated. President Donald Trump warned that a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports could extend for months, fueling fears of a...
2.9-MW Carport Project Completed at El Paso International Airport
Big Sun Solar finished two solar‑powered carports at El Paso International Airport, delivering a combined 2.9 MW of clean electricity. The structures shelter the rental‑car and premium‑parking lots while feeding power into the airport’s grid. Federal support covered the bulk of the...
Utilities, Fuel Prices Impact More on Households than Food Inflation – BFAP
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) warns that Eskom’s 8.76% electricity tariff hike for 2026/27, together with rising fuel prices, is eroding disposable income of low‑income South African households. An average household now pays an extra R160 ($8)...
Senators Vow to Block Permitting Reform over Trump’s Renewables Obstruction
Senators on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee warned Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that they will block bipartisan permitting reform unless the department stops "slow‑walking" renewable energy permits. The threat follows a federal judge’s preliminary injunction halting Interior’s pause on...
Noble Plains Uranium (NOBL) Reports Maiden Resource Estimate at Duck Creek Project
U.S. junior miner Noble Plains Uranium Corp. announced its first NI 43‑101 compliant mineral resource estimate for the Duck Creek Project in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. The estimate reports approximately 5.32 million pounds of indicated uranium and 1.04 million pounds of inferred resources....
Renewable Developer Looks to Australian Outback for 10 Gigawatts of Wind, Solar and Battery Projects
Tilt Renewables is scouting the Australian Outback for up to 10 GW of new wind and solar projects, building on its existing 250 MW of assets near Broken Hill. The developer highlights the region’s strong wind and solar resources but stresses that...
Whitecap's Cash Flow Almost Doubles, but Profit Falls on Hedging Losses
Whitecap Resources reported first‑quarter cash flow exceeding $1 billion, more than double the $446 million generated a year earlier, propelled by record production of 391,416 barrels of oil equivalent per day after its Veren acquisition. Net income fell sharply to $22 million from...
US Court Sends $4 Billion LNG Legal Battle Back to Virginia State Court
Sinolam International, a Singapore‑based investor, has had its $4 billion lawsuit against AES Corporation remanded to Virginia state court by a U.S. federal district judge. The case, filed in December 2025, alleges AES and partner InterEnergy excluded Sinolam from Panama’s emerging...
Tracking the Growth of Wind and Solar in Rural America
American farmers are increasingly leasing land for utility‑scale wind and solar, generating $23 billion in 2024 across nine states—about 63% of national revenue. This income rivals major agricultural commodities, with some states earning over $1 billion each. Wind projects minimally disrupt cropland,...
Iranian Ports Could Be Blockaded for ‘Months,’ Says Trump
President Donald Trump warned that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports could continue for months, as oil prices surged above $126 per barrel. The White House told oil executives the blockade would persist if needed, while U.S. Central Command readied...
Pacific Power Source’s SmartTS-PV Automates IEEE 1547.1 Compliance Testing for Solar Inverters and V2G Systems
Pacific Power Source has introduced the SmartTS‑PV Inverter Test System, a pre‑integrated platform that automates IEEE 1547.1, UL 1741 SB and EN 50549 compliance testing for solar inverters and vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) chargers. The solution combines an AC grid simulator, DC power supply, load, measurement...
Billions in Battery Tax Credits Hinge on FEOC Compliance
The Treasury’s new N‑26‑15 guidance turns Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) compliance into a project‑level calculation that determines eligibility for the Section 48E investment tax credit and the Section 45X advanced manufacturing credit. Developers must now compute a material assistance cost ratio...
Solar Foods Secures €350,000 in EU Hydrogen Valley Project to Expand Solein Output
Finnish food‑tech firm Solar Foods has secured €350,000 (about $385,000) from the EU‑funded BalticSeaH2 hydrogen valley project to boost production of its protein ingredient Solein at Factory 01. The five‑year initiative, backed by a €33 million ($36.3 million) Clean Hydrogen Partnership budget, aims...
Source EV Charging Network Partners with Siemens and Evolt Charging to Establish UK Maintenance Partnership
Source, a joint venture between SSE and TotalEnergies, announced a UK and Ireland maintenance partnership with Siemens eMobility and Evolt Charging. Siemens will supply the charging hardware while Evolt provides field engineering, installation, commissioning and ongoing service. The arrangement gives...
German Solar Module Maker Soluxtec Files for Insolvency
German solar module maker Soluxtec filed provisional insolvency in Bitburg as falling module prices and fierce international competition squeeze European PV producers. The court appointed Jakob Joeres of dhpg as provisional insolvency administrator to stabilise operations and seek investors. Soluxtec,...
Beard Papa’s, Emack & Bolio’s, and Other NYC Retailers Are Using These Plug-In Batteries to Slash Power Costs
David Energy, a New York‑based startup, is installing free plug‑in battery units in retailers such as Beard Papa’s and Emack & Bolio’s. The batteries charge during off‑peak hours when electricity is cheap and discharge during peak periods, keeping freezers and lights running while...
FirstEnergy Opposes Key Part of PJM Data Center Backstop Procurement Plan
FirstEnergy publicly opposed PJM Interconnection’s proposed Reliability Backstop Procurement auction, arguing that the two‑phase process places PJM and distribution companies as unnecessary intermediaries between data‑center developers and end‑use customers. The utility wants any network upgrades serving large loads to be...
Argentina Balances LNG Export Ambitions With Ongoing Import Demand
Camuzzi Gas Inversora has signed a memorandum of understanding with global energy trader Vitol to develop the LNG del Plata project at the Port of La Plata. The facility is slated to begin commercial operations in 2028 and will be fed primarily by...
Why the U.A.E. Is Quitting OPEC
The United Arab Emirates announced it will leave OPEC in May 2026, opting to set its own oil‑production policy. The decision comes as the regional war with Iran creates a strategic opening for the Emirates to operate independently. Analysts see...
Business Services Attractiveness, Grade-B Portco Exits Are Top of Mind at DealMax; Macquarie-Led Group Exits Cleco to Stonepeak and Bernhard...
DealMax 2026’s weekly companies‑for‑sale update highlighted a surge in interest for business‑services firms and a noticeable uptick in grade‑B portfolio company exits. The centerpiece was Macquarie’s sale of Louisiana electric utility Cleco to Stonepeak and Bernhard Capital for roughly $4.5 billion....
US Administration ‘Must Make It Easier to Get Things Built,’ DOE Chief of Staff Says
Carl Coe, chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Energy, told the Wood Mackenzie Solar & Energy Storage Summit that the agency must simplify permitting and regulatory hurdles to accelerate project construction. The DOE’s latest forecasts show the U.S....
Cuba Is Running Out of Time. We Need Fuel Now to Save Lives | Francisco Pichón
Cuba is facing a deepening energy crisis that has already forced hospitals to postpone tens of thousands of surgeries and disrupted prenatal, dialysis and cancer care. The shortage of fuel hampers water pumping, food services, ambulance operations and the movement...
How Markets Have Responded to Military Action Against Iran : Tracking Crude Oil Prices and Volatility with FRED
The U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iranian nuclear and military sites on February 28, 2026, catching oil markets off guard. Immediate tanker disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz on March 1 caused Brent and WTI prices, along with the VIX, to...
On the Cusp of Sale, Canadian Natural Gas Producer ARC Resources Delivers Bullish Results, Outlook
Shell is moving to acquire Canadian natural‑gas producer ARC Resources, a deal that would give the oil major access to ARC's extensive Montney shale assets. ARC reported record first‑quarter production, underscoring its role in meeting rising global gas demand. The...
Fastmarkets Launches European Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) FOB Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp Outright and Premium Prices: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets has introduced a suite of eight new price assessments for European hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) FOB Amsterdam‑Rotterdam‑Antwerp, covering outright, premium‑to‑ULSD and gross‑margin spreads across four feedstock categories (crop, used cooking oil, tallow and palm‑oil‑mill effluent). The launch coincides with...
Canada Positioned for $200B Clean Energy Boom, but Faster Approvals Needed: Report
Canada could capture roughly $146 billion USD in clean‑energy investments over the next decade, according to a Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) report. The analysis projects a need for 54‑88 GW of new wind, solar and storage capacity—more than triple current levels—requiring...
Converter Station Built, Offshore Cable Installation Underway in France for Interconnector to Ireland
France’s Nexans has completed the first cable pull‑in on the French side of the Celtic Interconnector, the inaugural 575‑km HVDC link between continental Europe and Ireland. The 700 MW line, built by RTE and EirGrid, will deliver power equivalent to roughly...
India’s Critical Mineral Imports Remain Concentrated, Need Diversification: IEEFA
India’s critical mineral imports remain heavily concentrated, exposing supply‑chain risks as the country pushes its renewable‑energy agenda. A briefing by IEEFA highlights that five key minerals—cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium and nickel—are dominated by a handful of source nations. Chile, Tanzania...
Solar-Assisted Air-Source Heat Pump for Radiant Floor Heating
Researchers at the University of Calgary have modeled an air‑source heat pump (ASHP) combined with an air‑based solar collector (SAC) to supply radiant floor heating in a typical Calgary bungalow. The hybrid system, simulated in TRNSYS, raised the coefficient of...
US Gas Producer Pens 20-Year Offtake with LNG Project in Louisiana
Expand Energy, the U.S. independent formed by the 2024 merger of Chesapeake and Southwestern Energy, has signed a 20‑year sales and purchase agreement to buy 1.15 million tonnes per annum of LNG from Delfin FLNG 1. The deal, tied to Henry Hub pricing,...
India’s Solar Generation Rose 24% YoY in Q4 FY26: Report
India’s solar generation surged 24% year‑on‑year to 48.9 BU in Q4 FY26, pushing total electricity output up 3% to 464 BU. Peak demand hit a record 256 GW, with 88 of 90 days seeing the highest load during daylight hours, aligning demand with...
An Economic Model for Securing Hormuz
With roughly one‑quarter of global seaborne oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, recent disruptions have highlighted the fragility of the world’s energy supply chain. The authors contend that a military solution to a potential closure is unlikely to succeed...
Montréal’s Deep Sky Partners with French Energy Company ENGIE
Montréal‑based carbon removal firm Deep Sky announced a strategic partnership with French energy multinational ENGIE. Under the deal, ENGIE will buy up to 15,000 direct‑air‑capture (DAC) removal credits generated at facilities such as Deep Sky Alpha in Alberta, a project...
Moto to ‘Quadruple’ Number of EV Charging Bays
Moto Hospitality, the UK’s largest motorway services operator, plans to quadruple its electric‑vehicle charging bays across its 60 sites in the coming years. The expansion is funded by a £500 million (≈$635 million) investment programme, building on more than £300 million (≈$381 million) already...
TenneT Set to Start Beach Directional Drilling for Offshore Wind Farm Links
Dutch transmission system operator TenneT is set to start horizontal directional drilling at the Maasvlakte beach to create underground pathways for electricity cables linking three offshore wind farms—IJmuiden Ver Beta, IJmuiden Ver Gamma and Nederwiek 2. The steel casings have been installed, allowing...
Why Mozambique Gas Is Essential to Global Energy Security
The Mozambique LNG project restarted in January, adding 13 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of export capacity and a domestic supply of 400 billion cubic feet per day. Its offshore fields in the Rovuma Basin ship gas directly from the Indian Ocean,...
Webinar: Asia’s Energy Shock - Who Is Most Exposed?
ING is hosting a 30‑minute webinar on May 7 to dissect Asia’s exposure to the recent oil supply shock through the Strait of Hormuz. The session, led by Deepali Bhargava, Lynn Song and Min Joo Kang, will compare strategic oil reserves, import dependence and energy‑mix...
Fastmarkets Discontinues Its Weekly Assessments of Two European Prices for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Effective April 30, 2026
Fastmarkets announced it will cease publishing its weekly AC‑SAF‑0006 and AG‑SAF‑0007 price assessments for sustainable aviation fuel in the Netherlands, effective April 30, 2026. The move follows the Dutch Emissions Authority’s decision to end the HBE‑IXB renewable fuel credits that were embedded...
ROSI Raises $23 Million to Scale Solar Panel Recycling Capacity
French cleantech firm ROSI announced a €20 million ($23 million) Series B raise to expand its high‑value photovoltaic‑module recycling business across Europe. The funding backs a new 10,000‑ton‑per‑year plant in Teruel, Spain, complementing its existing ROSI Alpes facility. The company’s process extracts high‑purity...
Matrix Renewables, BW ESS Secure Finance and Offtake for over 2.2GWh of UK BESS
Matrix Renewables closed a $311 million non‑recourse loan to build a 1 GWh, 500 MW battery storage plant in Scotland, slated for commercial operation in Q3 2027. EDF partnered with BW ESS to optimise its 350 MW/1,243 MWh Hams Hall BESS under a 10‑year PowerShift agreement, with...