Why some Countries Give Away Free Electricity and Even Pay Consumers to Use It
Rising solar and wind generation in Germany, Australia and other markets is creating periods where supply far exceeds demand, prompting wholesale electricity prices to plunge into negative territory and even become free for consumers on flexible tariffs. In 2024, Europe recorded over 1,000 hours of negative pricing, while Australia sees two‑to‑three daily hours of zero or below prices. The trend is spurring greater adoption of batteries, smart tariffs, and policy measures such as the UK’s 2026 incentive to shift daytime consumption. These developments highlight the need for more flexible grids as renewables dominate.
690 MW LSS5+ Solar Project in Malaysia Awards Solarvest EPCC Contract Through Developer Malakoff
Solarvest Holdings has secured a MYR 1.06 billion (≈USD 267 million) EPCC contract from Malakoff to build a 690 MWp solar farm on a 1,400‑acre site in Perak, Malaysia. The plant, part of the government‑backed Large‑Scale Solar 5+ (LSS5+) programme, is slated for commercial operation in...
Getting Beyond Data Center Construction: Designing for Grid Reliability
Global investment in data centers is set to hit $580 billion by the end of 2025, outpacing new oil‑supply spending. As the sector expands, grid‑reliability standards are emerging as a critical design constraint. IEEE’s Industry Connections group released a review recommending...
Enercon Wins 140MW Türkiye Turbine Deal
Enercon has signed a contract with RT Enerji to supply 20 E‑175 EP5 E2 turbines for the 140 MW Aydın‑Denizli wind farm in Turkey, part of the YEKA 5 tender. Each turbine delivers 7 MW of power with a 175‑metre rotor, marking the model’s first entry...
Forecasting Solar Irradiance in Urban Environments with Just One 360° Image
U.S. researchers at Columbia University have unveiled a technique that forecasts solar irradiance using a single high‑resolution 360° hemispherical image captured on‑site, eliminating the need for detailed 3D city models. The method extracts sky, sun and surrounding‑scene geometry, trains a...
Cuba’s First Biomethane Plant: Renewable Fuel for Buses and Electricity
Cuba’s state oil firm Cupet announced that its first biomethane plant in Martí, Matanzas, is entering final assembly and production. Funded by the European Union through UNDP, the modular facility will purify 150 cubic meters of raw biogas per hour into...
Solar and Wind Take over Global Power Growth in 2025
In 2025 solar and wind added roughly six times more new generation capacity than all other power sources combined, supplying nearly all the additional electricity needed worldwide. The surge was led by Australia, several European nations, China, Chile, Finland, the...
There Are Fixes for AI’s Toll on the Power Grid. Here’s Why They’re Not Happening
AI’s rapid evolution into autonomous agents is straining the United States’ aging power grid, as data centers require ever‑greater electricity for compute. Companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta are racing to secure additional capacity, while OpenAI warned of...
New Jersey Scraps Grid Build Out Plan
New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities has abandoned its pioneering plan to weave offshore‑wind targets into the state’s grid‑planning process. The decision follows the collapse of Invenergy’s 2.4 GW Leading Light Wind project and TotalEnergies‑Corio’s 1.3 GW Attentive Energy 2 proposal, leaving the...
The Reciprocity of Virtual Power Plants and Energy Justice
Virtual power plants (VPPs) aggregate distributed energy resources such as solar, EVs, and demand‑response devices to provide grid services and lower bills. A Clean Energy States Alliance webinar highlighted how VPPs can advance energy justice, citing Vermont Electric Cooperative’s Income‑Qualified...
The Trust Challenge: Why Local Protests and Fake News Threaten Wind’s €5 Trillion Expansion
WindEurope’s Madrid summit underscored a unified call for stable, fast‑track policies, but the industry faces a parallel battle against misinformation and local opposition that could jeopardize the projected €5 trillion (≈$5.4 trillion) investment in new wind capacity over the next 25 years....
Sonnedix, Copec EMOAC Sign PPAs for Chilean BESS Project
Sonnedix has signed three power purchase agreements with Copec EMOAC for the Librillo battery energy storage system, a 117 MW, 643.8 MWh project in Chile’s Antofagasta region. The stand‑alone BESS will operate five hours per day, delivering nighttime renewable power and improving...
Masdar Forms Renewables JV with Montenegro State Utility
UAE‑state‑owned Masdar has entered a 50/50 joint venture with Montenegro’s national utility EPCG to develop solar, wind, hydro, pumped‑hydro storage and battery projects. The partnership aims to boost local renewable generation and export clean power to the Western Balkans and...
US Navy Seizes Another Iranian Oil Tanker—After Iran Said It Banked First Tolls From Ships Crossing Hormuz
The U.S. Navy seized the stateless tanker M/T Majestic X in the Indian Ocean, accusing it of transporting Iranian oil. Iran announced that the first tranche of tolls collected from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz has been deposited into its...
From Net Oil Importer to Net Oil Exporter : Shifts in the Role of Petroleum in the US Economy
The United States transitioned from a long‑standing net oil importer to a net exporter around 2020, as refined petroleum exports outpaced imports. Data from the Federal Reserve’s FRED series show the net export share of GDP turning positive after decades...
Ohio Is Where Wind and Solar Projects Go to Die, and Other Findings From New Research on State Permitting
A new study of state‑level permitting across 19 states finds Ohio to be the toughest market for wind and solar developers, with seven project rejections and five withdrawals—the highest counts in the sample. The shift began after Ohio’s 2021 Senate...
Construction Begins on TerraPower Natrium Nuclear Project in Kemmerer, Wyoming
TerraPower has broken ground on the Kemmerer Unit 1 Natrium project in Wyoming, marking the start of on‑site construction for its flagship sodium‑cooled fast reactor. The plant will generate 345 MW of baseload power and can ramp to 500 MW using an integrated...
RWE and Polarium to Combine Distributed Batteries Into 50MW/135MWh Germany VPP
German utility RWE has partnered with Sweden‑based Polarium to launch a battery‑based virtual power plant in Germany. The VPP will initially aggregate 1,600 distributed batteries, delivering at least 50 MW and 135 MWh of capacity, with plans to scale to 10,000 units...
CenterPoint to Energize 8 GW of Data Center Load by 2029
CenterPoint Energy announced it will have 8 GW of data‑center load energized by 2029, with an additional 4.2 GW slated thereafter, marking a 60% increase from last year. The utility already has 3.5 GW under construction and expects to tap 10 GW of existing...
EU Warned over 'Disastrous' PPA Own Goal Just as It Tries to Promote Them
The European Union is facing criticism that its draft eco‑rules could exclude corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) from carbon‑footprint calculations. Industry groups warn that this would strip manufacturers of green‑energy credits, undermining the incentive to invest in wind and solar...
Republican Lawmakers Attempt to Shield Big Oil From Climate Lawsuits in ‘Alarming’ Bills
Republican lawmakers introduced the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026, led by Rep. Harriet Hageman and Sen. Ted Cruz, to grant oil and gas companies sweeping legal immunity from climate‑related lawsuits. The proposal would dismiss more than 70 pending state...
Tesla Reports Declines in Quarterly Energy Storage Revenues and Deployments
Tesla reported a 15% drop in Q1 2026 energy‑storage deployments, delivering 8.8 GWh, and a 12% year‑over‑year decline in energy‑generation and storage revenue to $2.408 billion. Despite lower volumes, the division posted a record gross margin above 39.5%, its highest ever. CFO Vaibhav...
From COP to Colombia: What Are the Santa Marta Talks and What’s at Stake?
More than 60 countries will gather next week for the International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF), co‑hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands. The summit is not designed to produce a binding treaty; instead it will...
Carbon Pricing in Denmark: How Does It Work?
Denmark’s carbon pricing scheme now blends a rising carbon tax, EU ETS participation, and a €7.2 bn (≈$7.9 bn) Green Fund to fund offshore wind and carbon‑capture projects. The 2022 Green Tax Agreement lifts the tax to about $109 per tonne of...
Range of Reforms to Electricity Network Planning and Consenting Pushed Through
The UK government has enacted a suite of reforms to electricity network planning and consenting, expanding permitted‑development rights for substations, overhauling Section 37 to fast‑track low‑impact overhead line upgrades, and raising the distance threshold for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from...
Berlin-Based VREY Raises €3.3M to Unlock Shared-Roof Solar
Berlin‑based climatetech startup VREY closed a €3.3 million seed round (about $3.6 million) led by Rubio Impact Ventures, with HTGF and Kopa Ventures participating. The funding will fuel expansion of its EnergyOS platform that lets property owners install solar on shared roofs...
Floating Wind & Deepwater Oil and Gas - Two Worlds Collide
The latest Intelatus Global Partners forecast warns that rising floating offshore wind projects will strain the supply of large anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTSs) and multi‑purpose support vessels (MSVs) as early as 2029‑2031. While deep‑water oil and gas activity...
Hormuz 'Reopening Optimism' Is 'Sliding Fast', Analyst Warns
Analysts warn that optimism about a May 1 reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is eroding, raising the risk of a sharp Brent price adjustment. SEB’s Bjarne Schieldrop notes that each week of delay could add roughly $5 per barrel to...
AI Designs Thermoelectric Generators 10,000 Times Faster Than We Can
Japanese researchers unveiled TEGNet, an AI platform that designs thermoelectric generators up to 10,000 times faster than conventional simulations. Prototypes built from the AI’s recommendations achieved roughly 9 percent conversion efficiency, matching the performance of today’s best devices. The tool also identified...
Oil Exporters Scramble for Routes Beyond Hormuz — but There Are No Easy Options
The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has halted roughly 20 million barrels per day of oil and gas exports, forcing Gulf producers to hunt for alternative routes. Existing pipelines such as Saudi Arabia’s East‑West line and the UAE’s Habshan‑Fujairah corridor...
GM Achieves 100% Renewable Electricity Goal in U.S.
General Motors announced it achieved its 2025 target of powering every U.S. facility with 100% renewable electricity, becoming the first U.S. automaker to do so. The milestone follows two accelerations of the original 2050 deadline and pushes the company’s global...
Global Solar Council Appoints New Strategic Board
The Global Solar Council (GSC) unveiled a new strategic board on April 23, 2026, drawing leaders from national PV associations and major solar firms. Notable corporate members include Fiona Hiu of China’s Sungrow, Dinesh Dhamija of Romania’s Ruserio Solar, and...
Anglo American Draws Three Bidders for Coal Sale
Anglo American is restarting the sale of its Queensland steelmaking coal assets after a $3.8 billion deal with Peabody Energy fell apart due to a mine fire. At least three parties—Stanmore Resources, Mitsubishi Corp. and Indonesia’s BUMA Internasional—are now in the...
Deepwater’s Playbook for Delivering Growth
Deepwater oil output is projected to climb from roughly 8 million barrels per day today to about 10 million barrels per day by the early 2030s, according to Welligence. After 2035, production will decline unless a new wave of pre‑FID projects is...
Bull of the Day: Chevron Corporation (CVX)
Chevron (CVX), a Zacks Rank #1 integrated energy giant, leveraged its low‑cost Permian base to post a Q4 adjusted EPS of $1.52, beating forecasts, while operating cash flow more than doubled to $10.8 billion. The company raised its dividend 4% to...
BOEM Issues Environmental Review for Multi-Well Stimulation at Californian Offshore Platform
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a final environmental impact statement for well‑stimulation, including hydraulic fracturing, on Platform Gilda off Ventura County, California. The document was completed in just 28 days after the notice of intent and...
Ontario, Yukon Team up on Nuclear Energy
Ontario and Yukon have signed a partnership to explore small modular reactor (SMR) deployment for Yukon’s strained electricity system. The agreement leverages Ontario’s nuclear operating experience to assess technical, regulatory, and financing aspects of SMRs and off‑grid microreactors. Yukon’s 152 MW...
New York State Grants Siting Permits to 125MW Solar-Plus-Storage Project
New York’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) granted final siting permits for AES Corporation’s 125 MW Sugar Maple solar‑plus‑storage project, which includes a 20 MW battery energy storage system. The design was altered to minimize above‑ground lines and...
Green Capital Enlists EPC Electrum for 320MWh Poland BESS, Under Full Wrap for ‘Cost Predictability’
Green Capital has contracted Polish EPC firm Electrum to build an 80 MW/320 MWh battery energy storage system in Lower Silesia, Poland, using a full “wrap” model that includes procurement, installation, grid integration and a five‑year O&M agreement. Construction is set to start...
Will Fusion Power Get Cheap? Don’t Count on It.
Fusion power promises a steady, zero‑emission electricity source, but a new Nature Energy study warns its cost may not fall quickly. Researchers estimated fusion’s experience rate—the cost decline per capacity doubling—at only 2% to 8%, far slower than solar (23%)...
Why JPMorgan’s Head of Sustainability Obsesses over Energy Policy
JPMorgan Chase has tasked its global head of sustainability, Heather Zichal, with steering a $2.5 trillion investment plan through 2035 that targets resilience, clean energy and low‑carbon technologies. The bank has already earmarked $309 billion toward its 2021 pledge to allocate $1 trillion...
Cameco: The Uranium Powerhouse I'd Buy on Every Dip and Hold Through Any Energy Shock
Cameco, the largest North American uranium miner, owns high‑grade assets at McArthur River and Cigar Lake and holds a 49% stake in Westinghouse Electric. The company stands to benefit from the U.S. shift away from Russian uranium and the planned...
Solar Beats Wind for First Time Ever After 'Unprecedented' Growth
In 2025 solar power generated 2,778 TWh, overtaking wind’s 2,715 TWh for the first time, while renewables collectively supplied 10.7 TWh—just ahead of coal’s 10.5 TWh. The surge was driven largely by a massive Chinese photovoltaic expansion that accounted for more than half of...
DHL Achieves 10% SAF Blending Ratio in 2025
DHL reported that its own aircraft reached a 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending ratio in 2025, the highest level in years. The German logistics firm aims to lift SAF usage to 30% of its air transport fuel by 2030....
Vestas CEO Warns of 'Real Killers and Poison' To Offshore Wind in Impassioned Remarks
Vestas chief executive Henrik Andersen used the WindEurope summit in Madrid to warn that offshore wind faces several "real killers and poison," including supply‑chain bottlenecks, soaring steel prices and regulatory uncertainty. He highlighted the geopolitical fallout from the Iran energy...
UK Energy Sec Says North Sea Is an 'Important Resource'
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband reaffirmed the North Sea as a vital domestic energy resource, announcing the rollout of Transitional Energy Certificates (TECs) to enable continued production in existing fields. The government’s North Sea Future Plan bans new oil and...
Can India’s Kitchens Go Electric?
India has distributed over 100 million LPG connections between 2016 and 2024, creating one of the world’s largest clean‑cooking rollouts. Yet 37 % of households still stack biomass with LPG because of high refill costs, unreliable delivery and limited affordability. By FY 2024,...
Dutch Wave Energy Converter for ‘Very Small Sea States’ Begins Testing
Dutch firm Wave Energy Collective (Weco) has begun field testing its Denshi wave energy converter in the Netherlands. The device is engineered to generate electricity in very small sea states, delivering baseload power from the ocean. Denshi can be launched...
Molecular Engineering Pushes PTAA Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency Past 26 Percent
Researchers from Dalian University of Technology, Fudan University and City University of Hong Kong used a molecular‑engineering strategy to push PTAA‑based perovskite solar cells to a record 26.13% efficiency while maintaining 84.9% of performance after 1,000 hours of ISOS‑L‑2 stress. The...
Sungkyunkwan University and Clarivate Map Global Research Landscape of Perovskite Solar Cells
Sungkyunkwan University and data firm Clarivate released a report mapping the rapid rise of perovskite solar‑cell research since the 2012 breakthrough at SKKU. The analysis, based on Web of Science data, shows China, the United States and South Korea dominate...