SK Considers ‘Various Strategic Options’ to Raise Financing for BESS Developer Key Capture Energy
South Korean conglomerate SK Group, via its SK Innovation E&S arm, is exploring strategic options to raise roughly US$350 million for battery‑storage developer Key Capture Energy. The capital raise, reportedly overseen by Nomura Greentech, remains unconfirmed. KCE, which operates 623 MW of BESS assets—primarily in Texas’s ERCOT market—and holds an 8 GW development pipeline, may seek a financial partner to fund its expansion. The move underscores SK’s intent to deepen its foothold in the U.S. energy‑transition landscape.
Data Centre Grid Demands and the BYOP (Bring-Your-Own-Power) Solution
Canada hosts just over 300 data centres, with eight hyperscale projects under construction and dozens more planned, while the U.S. dominates global capacity. New Canadian facilities face immediate grid‑capacity constraints, prompting provincial selection processes and higher rates for loads above...
SolarEdge Targets C&I with New All-in-One Battery
SolarEdge introduced the CSS‑OD 197, a 197 kWh all‑in‑one commercial and industrial battery that can be configured up to 1 MW/4 MWh. The system uses lithium‑iron‑phosphate modules, delivering 187 kWh usable capacity and a 0.5C charge/discharge rate. It is modular, supporting up to 20 inverters...
Norway: Dry Well in License Awarded in 1985
Equinor and its partners drilled wildcat well 34/8‑A‑37 H in Norway’s 1985‑granted licence 120, located 140 km west of Florø. The well reached 3,081 m vertical and 6,662 m measured depth but was classified as dry despite hydrocarbon shows in the Statfjord and Lunde...
Nordex Launches Upgraded Wind Turbine Model, Eying Key German Market
German wind turbine manufacturer Nordex has introduced an upgraded version of its N175/6.X model, raising the turbine’s power rating to 6.5 MW while keeping acoustic emissions unchanged. The higher output translates into a noticeable boost in energy yield per turbine without...
Commodity Traders Post Windfall Gains Amid Iran Conflict-Driven Market Turmoil
Commodity trading houses are logging multi‑billion‑dollar gains as the Iran conflict fuels extreme volatility in oil, copper and gold markets. Vitol alone is estimated to have earned about $2 bn in the first quarter, while Trafigura, Gunvor and Mercuria report record‑level...
Repowering Key for Japanese Solar Assets Approaching Feed-In Tariff Expiry
GSSG Solar and Voltaiyo secured a refinancing deal with SBI Shinsei Bank for the 104 MW Jupiter Portfolio, a collection of eight first‑generation feed‑in tariff (FIT) solar projects in Japan. The refinancing underscores lender confidence as Japan’s FIT rates are set...
No Driveway, No Problem? New Rules Could Unlock At-Home EV Charging
The UK government is set to extend permitted‑development rights to cover on‑street electric‑vehicle (EV) charger installations, eliminating the need for planning permission for pavement‑integrated solutions. Homeowners without driveways will be able to install chargers without a formal planning application, though...
First PV Plant Operating in Poland’s Balancing Market
The 204 MW Zwartowo solar power plant has become Poland’s first large‑scale solar asset to operate in the country’s balancing market. Developed by Germany’s Goldbeck Solar and aggregated by Respect Energy, the project required a 14‑month qualification process to meet regulations...
Abaxx Exchange Lists World’s First Solar Irradiance Futures Contract
Abaxx Exchange will list the Enwex Germany Solar (GSM) futures contract on April 23, marking the world’s first exchange‑cleared solar irradiance product. Developed by German energy exchange Enwex, the contract lets participants hedge Germany’s solar irradiance risk in a standardized,...
US Steel Industry in Critical Window of Opportunity for Decarbonization Amid Upcoming Relines: RMI
The U.S. steel sector faces a pivotal decarbonization window as several blast furnaces approach costly reline deadlines before 2030, forcing capital choices that will lock in production pathways for decades. Direct‑reduced‑iron combined with electric‑arc furnace (DRI‑EAF) remains the preferred low‑carbon...
Historic Turning Point in the Global Electricity Market: Renewables Cover Demand Growth in 2025 and Surpass Coal
Ember’s 2025 Global Electricity Review shows renewables fully covered the year’s net electricity demand growth, preventing any increase in fossil‑fuel generation. Solar power alone added 636 TWh, a 30% jump, and together with wind supplied 99% of the extra demand. Coal’s...
Australian Billionaire's Waste-to-Energy Plan Labelled 'Waste Colonialism'
Australian billionaire Ian Malouf proposes a $900 million waste‑to‑energy plant at Vuda Point, Fiji, capable of generating up to 80 MW and supplying roughly 45% of the island’s electricity. The facility would burn up to 900,000 tonnes of waste annually, including material imported...
DeepOcean Contracted for Inter-Array Work on New Taiwanese Offshore Wind Farm
DeepOcean, a Norwegian marine services firm, secured a contract to install inter‑array cables for the TPC Phase II offshore wind farm off Taiwan. The work will be executed on the chartered vessel Orient Adventurer, upgraded with ROVs, a carousel and a...
Drax Signs New Pellet Contract Cutting Shipping Emissions Each Year
Drax Group has inked a new transatlantic freight agreement with Ultrabulk that runs to March 2031 and obligates the carbon intensity of each wood‑pellet shipment to decline annually. The contract, tied to the debut of the 40,000‑dwt M.V. Ultra Yorkshire, saw...
Crown Ether‐Based Co‐Self‐Assembled Monolayer Enhances the Interaction with Perovskite for High‐Performance Solar Cells
Researchers introduced a crown‑ether‑functionalized self‑assembled monolayer (SAM) that co‑assembles with Me‑4PACz to form a dense mixed interfacial layer on inverted perovskite solar cells. The crown ether selectively binds undercoordinated Pb²⁺ ions, passivating defects and suppressing non‑radiative recombination. This molecular engineering...
Gunfire and Gridlock Choke Hormuz
A Liberia‑flagged container ship was hit by IRGC gunfire 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman despite having permission to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The United States has extended a land cease‑fire with Iran but kept a maritime blockade, boarding...
In Situ AlNi Derived From Ni/Dual‐Phase TiO2 for Hydrogen Storage Enhancement of MgH2
Researchers introduced a dual‑phase TiO₂‑supported nickel catalyst (Ni/Dp‑TiO₂) into an Al‑alloyed magnesium hydride (Mg₉₀Al₁₀) matrix, creating an in‑situ AlNi/Dp‑TiO₂ phase that dramatically improves hydrogen storage. The modified material absorbs 4.28 wt% H₂ at 150 °C and releases 3.86 wt% at 250 °C within 2,500 seconds,...
Iran War Reflects the False Promise of US ‘Energy Dominance’
President Donald Trump’s claim of U.S. energy dominance is undermined by a 2025 net crude import of 2.2 million barrels per day and a refinery fleet tuned to medium‑sour blends from the Persian Gulf. The war in Iran and the temporary...
'Spectacularly Ill-Advised': Energy Giants Condemn Gas Tax
Australia is debating a 25% tax on gas exports and higher petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT) on windfall profits. Energy giants such as Shell, ConocoPhillips and Origin Energy warned the measures would deter investment, reduce energy security and damage trade...
Vestas Opens New Warehouse and Training Academy in Poland
Denmark’s wind turbine leader Vestas inaugurated a new 26,857 m² warehouse and training academy in Toruń, Poland. The site combines logistics space with modern classrooms and four digital simulators, targeting the training of roughly 3,000 service and construction technicians each year....
Over 70% of Malaysia’s Blending Depots Are Ready for B15 Biodiesel Implementation – Economy Minister
Malaysia’s government has approved raising the mandatory biodiesel blend from B10 to B15, beginning with an interim B12 phase. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir reported that more than 70% of the country’s blending depots can accommodate the higher blend...
Why Smartphone Cameras Could Unlock Cheaper, Faster Rooftop Solar
U.S. jurisdictions are increasingly adopting smartphone‑based virtual inspections to streamline rooftop solar permitting. Maryland counties report faster follow‑up inspections, while California legislators back bills extending remote checks to heat pumps and water heaters. Early adopters such as Pima County and...
A New Thermal Battery Could Help This Minnesota Campus Electrify Heat
The University of Minnesota, Morris, which already generates more wind power than it consumes, has launched a pilot thermal‑battery project with Cache Energy. The containerized unit converts excess electricity into 1,000 °F heat, supplying continuous steam‑heat to a large campus workshop...
Enhanced Exciton Dissociation and Charge Transport Through Fine Morphology Tuning for Efficient Ternary Photovoltaics
Researchers applied a morphology‑guided composition strategy to a PM6:D18:BTP‑4F ternary organic photovoltaic blend, optimizing the donor‑acceptor ratio to 0.8:0.2:1.4. The resulting active layer exhibits a π‑π stacking distance of ~3.66 Å, a face‑on molecular orientation, and continuous interpenetrating networks, which accelerate...
Greenpeace, Australia's Woodside Drop Emissions Case
Greenpeace’s greenwashing lawsuit against Australian oil major Woodside was dismissed by mutual consent in the Federal Court of Australia. The case, filed in December 2023, alleged that Woodside misrepresented its emissions reductions and omitted scope 3 emissions, which account for 90%...
Selective Solar CO2 Conversion Into Ethanol Using Atomic‐Scale Copper Clusters Anchored Π‐extended Poly(heptazine Imide)
Researchers have engineered atomic‑scale copper clusters anchored on a π‑extended poly(heptazine imide) framework to achieve selective solar conversion of CO₂ into ethanol. The catalyst, termed Cu/C‑K‑PHI, delivers a production rate of 18.98 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and reaches 77.01 µmol g⁻¹ after four hours, with near‑perfect...
Iran Tankers Go Dark to Sail Past US Blockade Laden with Crude
Iranian VLCCs Hero II and Hedy, each capable of carrying about 4 million barrels, slipped past the U.S.‑declared blockade in the Arabian Sea on April 20. Satellite‑based data from Vortexa shows the two ships were part of a larger flotilla that moved roughly...
World’s First Commercial Fusion Plant Planned for Virginia by Developer Commonwealth
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is moving toward building the world’s first commercial fusion power plant in Virginia, targeting a 400‑megawatt capacity and a construction start as early as 2026 with electricity generation in the early 2030s. The company has secured...
Fossil Fuels Do Not Guarantee Energy Security: COP31 Presidency
At the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, COP31 president‑designate Murat Kurum warned that reliance on fossil fuels no longer guarantees energy security and called for an accelerated shift to diversified renewable systems. He highlighted Turkey’s decade‑long success, citing a three‑fold...
Nordex Supply Chain More Resilient to Iran Conflict than Past Disruptions, Says CEO
Nordex, the German wind‑turbine manufacturer, says its supply chain is now more resilient to the Iran conflict than to earlier geopolitical shocks. CEO José Luis Blanco explained that lessons from past disruptions prompted a redesign of sourcing, logistics and inventory buffers. So...
DSV, United Airlines, Microsoft and Phillips 66 Ink Sustainable Aviation Fuel Deal
Global logistics firm DSV has struck a partnership with United Airlines, Microsoft and Phillips 66 to secure up to 41.6 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The deal, certified by ISCC and tracked via the SAFc Registry, is expected to cut...
Eskom to Decide Fate of Older Coal Stations by September
Eskom announced it will decide by the end of September whether to shut down, repower or repurpose five of South Africa’s oldest coal‑fired stations—Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina, Arnot and Kriel. The decision depends on securing roughly 6 GW of new generation from...
Chinese Firms No Less Green than Europeans, Says Leading Local Expert
Chinese renewable energy firms are subject to environmental rules as strict as Europe’s, according to Weiquan Wang of the China Renewable Energy Industries Association. Developers must gather one to two years of data and complete comprehensive environmental impact assessments before...
Malaysia Launches Its First Carbon Market Policy, Puts Carbon Tax on Hold
Malaysia has published its first National Carbon Market Policy (NCMP), outlining a framework for domestic decarbonisation and participation in international compliance markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The government has put the planned carbon tax for hard‑to‑abate sectors on...
Explainer: How the Iran War Oil and Gas Supply Shock Compares with Past Disruptions
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have created the largest daily oil‑supply shock on record, wiping out more than 12 million barrels per day – about 11.5% of global demand. The disruption also slashed...
“Just Give Us a Shot:” Networks Say Community Batteries Can Right the Wrongs of Grid Gold Plating
Australian distribution network companies, led by Ausgrid, are lobbying to relax ring‑fencing rules so they can own and operate community batteries and on‑street EV chargers. Ausgrid claims it can now deliver batteries at under $25 AUD/kWh (≈$16.5 USD/kWh) and is rolling out...
War in Iran 'Has Put up Our Fuel Bill by £100,000'
The US‑Iran war has driven UK diesel up 47.8 p per litre, adding roughly £100,000 ($125,000) to Wrings Transport’s fuel bill and pushing March costs £45,000 over budget. The haulier’s fuel surcharge passes the surge to retailers, contributing to a 3.3 %...
ACME Solar Hits 2 GWh Battery Storage Milestone in Rajasthan; Stock up 1.65%
ACME Solar Holdings announced it has now operationalised over 2 GWh of battery energy storage systems in Rajasthan, bringing its total BESS capacity to 591 MW (2,031 MWh). The company aims to reach 10 GWh of storage by 2027, expanding its role in grid‑balancing...
Foreign Companies Are Making Billions Off Australia’s Gas. It’s Time that Changed
Australia’s gas export boom has generated roughly A$149 billion (≈US$98 billion) in profits for multinational firms over the past four years, yet tax contributions remain minimal. A parliamentary inquiry is pushing a 25% export tax that could raise about A$17 billion (≈US$11 billion) annually...
Solar Insiders Podcast: Community Batteries – Can Networks Deliver What It Says on the Tin?
The Solar Insiders podcast episode explores the rise of community batteries and whether network operators can meet expectations. It highlights Ausgrid’s Energy Storage as a Service (ESaaS) offering, the rapid decline in network‑scale battery costs, and the consumer‑driven shift toward...
Wind Project to Hand over Worker Village to First Nations Community, and Create New Home for Black Cockatoos
The 489 MW Parron Maam Marang wind project in Western Australia has secured federal approval for a 300‑person workers village that will be operated by the Yued Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) after construction ends in 2029. The temporary accommodation will replace about 3 ha of...
Innomotics Advances Industrial Heat Pump Solutions
Innomotics, a global leader in electric motors and drive systems, is expanding its industrial heat‑pump portfolio to accelerate the decarbonisation of process heat. By pairing high‑efficiency motors and medium‑voltage converters with heat‑pump compressors, the company delivers systems that operate up...
Does Solar Surge Make Everyone’s Electricity Rates Rise?
The article explains that while solar power’s upfront infrastructure and grid‑upgrade costs can push electricity rates higher in the short term, the technology’s declining capital costs and low operating expenses promise long‑term savings. It highlights solar’s intermittency, which forces utilities...
First Giant Turbine Parts for the only Wind Farm Under Construction in NSW to Begin Long Road Journey This Week
The 414 MW Uungula wind farm, the only large-scale project currently under construction in New South Wales, will receive its first turbine components this week. Over the next 10‑12 months, more than 700 oversized deliveries will travel the 400 km route from...
Trump to Give Coal Industry More Handouts While Americans Pay
President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to funnel potentially hundreds of millions of dollars into the coal sector, adding a $525 million plant‑upgrade program. The move follows earlier administration actions that forced higher electric bills on consumers while subsidizing...
WIN: Judge Blocks Trump’s Efforts to Kneecap Renewables
A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a temporary injunction that blocks five Trump administration agency actions targeting renewable energy projects. The ruling favors developers of offshore wind and other clean‑energy initiatives, halting stop‑work orders and other impediments. Environmental groups, led...
The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation for Shipping
The EU’s maritime sector emitted 145 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024, accounting for 3% of the bloc’s total emissions, while ports alone generate about 6.5 million tonnes annually, harming air quality and public health. The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) obliges...
Hybridisation of Wind, Solar and Battery Storage Is No Longer Optional – It’s the New Baseline
Hybridisation of solar, wind and battery storage has moved from a niche add‑on to the default model for utility‑scale renewables in Australia’s National Electricity Market. Developers are now using storage to reshape output, capture higher‑priced periods and mitigate curtailment caused...
Report: Russian Oil Output Falls After Ukrainian Drone Strikes
Russia’s oil producers trimmed output by up to 400,000 barrels per day in March after a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on key ports and refinery complexes. Export volumes at Baltic terminals such as Ust‑Luga and Primorsk fell roughly 50%,...