Less than Efficient
The UK Treasury announced an expansion and back‑dating of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS), delivering roughly a 25% cut to electricity bills for eligible firms. While the move is praised as a swift response to the deepening energy crisis, the article warns that the policy’s focus on price relief leaves a glaring blind spot on energy‑efficiency measures. It cites parallel developments—rising AI data‑centre power use, the scrapping of the UK carbon tax on electricity, and new heat‑pump monitoring tools—to illustrate the broader efficiency gap. The piece calls for a more balanced strategy that couples cost reductions with robust efficiency incentives.
Deals of the Week: Equinor, Amazon, RWE and Envision
Equinor announced the sale of a 30% stake in its renewables developer for roughly $500 million, marking a strategic divestment in offshore wind assets. Amazon and European utility RWE sealed a power purchase agreement for a 1 GW onshore wind project in...
Double Opportunity for Plug Power: Europe’s Hydrogen Storage Successfully Filled, US Government Halts Cutback Plans
Plug Power announced the successful injection of 90 tons of hydrogen into German salt caverns under the H2CAST project, demonstrating large‑scale underground storage capability. In the United States, the Biden administration reversed earlier plans to cut funding, keeping roughly $5 billion for...
Hydro-Quebec’s 300 MW Solar Tender Oversubscribed
Hydro‑Quebec announced that its 300 MW solar tender attracted 60 bids, offering a combined 481 MW of capacity—well beyond the 300 MW it plans to select. Each project can be up to 25 MW and must connect to the grid by the end of...
Leif Rehfeldt and Falko Feßer Jointly Lead: Leadership Duo Strengthens Growth at Deutsche Windguard Systems
Deutsche WindGuard Systems GmbH announced that Leif Rehfeldt will join long‑standing Managing Director Falko Feßer as co‑leader. The expanded leadership team will focus on scaling the Wonder software platform and its AI‑enhanced applications. Wonder helps renewable‑energy operators manage technical and commercial portfolio tasks, while the...
AI ‘Time Machine’ Predicts Missing 1.5C Target
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have built an AI‑driven “time machine” that back‑tests historic renewable growth to forecast future deployment. The model predicts onshore wind could supply roughly 25% of global electricity and solar about 20% by 2050, falling...
Gazprom Starts Up New Oil Project at Urengoy in West Siberia
Gazprom announced the commercial start of oil production from Block 6A of the Achimov deposits at the Urengoyskoye field in West Siberia. Four wells have been brought online with two mobile treatment units, and the company plans to drill more than...
Windfall Profits Taxes on Oil and Gas Should Be Left in the Past
Five EU member states are urging the European Commission to revive a windfall‑profits levy on oil and gas firms, echoing the 2022 “solidarity contribution.” The original EU‑wide tax collected roughly €26 billion ($28 billion) in 2022‑23 but covered only a fraction of...
EU Approves German Industry Electricity Price, Companies Say More Relief Needed
The European Commission approved Germany’s new industry electricity price scheme, allowing energy‑intensive firms to receive state aid of up to half their annual electricity consumption, provided they invest at least 50 % of the grant in clean assets. An industrial gas...
ADES Boosts Backlog with Several Drilling Rig Deals Off Nigeria
Offshore drilling contractor ADES Holding secured multi‑year contracts for three premium jack‑up rigs with West African Exploration & Production, a Dangote Group subsidiary, for offshore Nigeria. The three‑year deals, valued at about $729 million and featuring two‑year extension options, will commence...
TGS to Support Exploration Activity in Equatorial Guinea with Seismic Data
Norwegian data firm TGS has inked a strategic agreement with Equatorial Guinea to acquire, process and re‑process offshore seismic and geophysical data. The deal introduces broadband GeoStreamer multi‑sensor surveys across the Rio Del Rey and Rio Muni basins, complementing a MegaSurvey framework that...
Catching the Harmonic Breeze: Inpex Charts LNG Fleet’s Course with New Carrier
Inpex Shipping has signed a long‑term time charter with MOL Encean for a newly built LNG carrier, Harmonic Breeze, currently under construction at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard. The vessel, featuring a 174,000 cubic‑metre membrane containment system, is slated for delivery in...
Russian Energy Remains Sticking Point as Hungary Eyes Fresh Start
Peter Magyar, Hungary's new prime minister, has signaled a more EU‑aligned stance but insists that any move away from Russian oil and gas must be preceded by viable alternatives. Hungary’s key supply line, the Druzhba pipeline, has been offline since...
PNGRB Initiates Suo Motu Bidding Process for LPG Pipelines
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has launched a suo‑motu bidding process for nine LPG pipeline projects totaling about 2,500 km. The initiative aims to replace bulk road transport of LPG by 2030, improving safety, efficiency and environmental performance....
From Captured GHG Emissions to Green Tomatoes
Value Maritime and its ME2CC consortium will install a compact carbon capture and storage (CCS) system on the 4,900‑dwt LNG‑powered ro‑ro vessel Samskip Kvitbjorn. The modular unit reduces height and footprint by up to one‑third and can capture up to 75%...
VIDEO – Energy Storage Summit 2026: Lessons Learned From BESS Construction Projects
The Energy Storage Summit 2026 in London hosted a panel on "Lessons Learned from BESS Construction Projects," highlighting the intricate web of supplier contracts, site acceptance tests, data analysis, and multi‑contractor coordination that define utility‑scale battery builds. Panelists from Solar Media,...
Strike Threat Grows at Ichthys LNG After Workers Reject Deal
Inpex reported that workers at its Ichthys LNG plant in Australia voted against a new employment agreement, heightening the likelihood of industrial action. The Offshore Alliance, representing 430 union members, said the offer fell short of industry‑standard wages and conditions....
Pertamina Unit to Operate Indonesia’s Lavender Block Under 30-Year PSC
Indonesia’s state‑oil giant Pertamina, through its unit PT Pertamina Hulu Energi Sulawesi Lavender, signed a 30‑year production sharing contract to operate the Lavender block, an 8,206.95 km² onshore‑offshore area in South and Southeast Sulawesi. The PSC, a cost‑recovery model, was awarded...
IOC Wins Bid for Kochi–Kanyakumari–Thoothukudi Natural Gas Pipeline
Indian Oil Corporation secured the PNGRB’s authorization to build and operate the 425‑km Kochi‑Kanyakumari‑Thoothukudi natural gas pipeline. The line will move up to 6.84 MMSCMD of regasified LNG from the Kochi terminal to demand hubs in Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu. It...
Sensor Set-Up Gives Orsted Edge on Generator Failures
Ørsted has deployed a patented debris sensor and condition‑monitoring model across 560 offshore wind turbines, allowing it to predict generator failures at least three months ahead 70% of the time in 2025. The system, developed after engineers identified metallic debris...
Egypt Approves Draft Offshore Exploration Deal with Chevron
Egypt’s cabinet approved a draft offshore exploration agreement for the Lotus block in the Mediterranean, partnering Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company with Chevron Egypt Holdings. The deal focuses on developing gas and oil resources to address Egypt’s recent shift from...
DNV Merges Data Platforms in Bankability Drive
DNV has combined its wind and solar data‑management platforms, Resource Panorama and GPM Horizon, into a single system to improve data traceability for renewable‑energy project financing. The unified platform processes about 10 billion data points per second, applying DNV’s quality‑control algorithms...
Finolex Cables Looking to Increase Its North East Presence Driven by Govt's Infra, Electrification Push
Finolex Cables Ltd is accelerating its expansion in India’s northeast, especially Assam, as the central government ramps up infrastructure and electrification projects. The company says revenue from the region has doubled over the last four years, with northeast sales now...
MidEast Energy Output Recovery to Take Two Years, IEA Says
International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol said it will take roughly two years for the Middle East to regain pre‑war energy output, with recovery rates varying by country. Iraq is expected to lag behind Saudi Arabia, while the ongoing closure of...
What to Know Before You Get Balcony Solar
Plug‑in balcony solar, a DIY system that plugs into a standard 120‑volt outlet, is poised to hit U.S. markets as states adopt supportive legislation. Utah led the way in 2025, and six other states are now considering similar bills, while...
China Exports a Ton of Cleantech — and the World Is Poised to Want More
China remains the world’s leading producer of solar panels, batteries and wind‑turbine equipment, and it is rapidly expanding exports of electric vehicles and batteries, especially to Europe. Despite EU tariffs introduced in October 2024, Chinese EVs captured 9% of EU...
South Africans Want Solar Power But They Worry Panels Will Be Stolen – Study
A study of 143 households in South Africa’s Eastern Cape reveals strong interest in solar power—90% cite loadshedding as a driver—but theft fears dominate the conversation, especially among wealthier homes. Cost remains a major barrier, with 86% of high‑income and...
Basic Fuel Price Formula in Focus Amid Dramatic Shift in South Africa’s Supply Sources
South Africa’s Department of Mineral and Petroleum is overhauling its Basic Fuel Price (BFP) formula for diesel as the country pivots from Gulf‑origin imports to new suppliers in the Atlantic Basin, including Brazil, Mexico and the United States. The shift...
Hithium Signs €400 Million Spain Battery Gigafactory Investment Agreement After Two-Year Courtship
Chinese battery maker Hithium has signed a €400 million (US$471 million) investment commitment to build a gigafactory in Navarre, Spain, slated to create 700 direct jobs and start operations in 2027. The deal, signed by Hithium’s founder Jeff Wu and Spanish officials...
Hybrid Heating Technology Offers Cement Producers Flexibility
Cement producer NOC Energy has introduced a hybrid electric heating system that can be retrofitted onto existing kilns, allowing plants to blend electricity with traditional fossil fuels. The induction‑based technology heats steel spheres to 1,200 °C and can reach 1,500 °C, while...
Akaysha Inks Deal with Copenhagen Energy for ‘Mega-Scale’ Battery Storage Projects in Germany
Akaysha Energy, backed by BlackRock, has signed a joint‑development agreement with Copenhagen Energy to launch mega‑scale battery storage projects in Germany. The partnership blends Akaysha’s proven track record of utility‑scale batteries with Copenhagen’s power‑trading and market‑optimisation expertise. Akaysha recently secured...
Japan’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fall Below 1 Billion Tonnes for First Time
Japan’s greenhouse‑gas output slipped 1.9% in 2024, falling to about 994 million tonnes of CO₂e – the first time it has dropped below the billion‑tonne threshold. The decline marks a 25% cut from the 2013 peak and represents the third consecutive...
Pakistan Oil Tanker Is First to Cross Hormuz Since US Blockade
A Pakistan‑flagged Aframax tanker, the Shalamar, became the first vessel to exit the Strait of Hormuz with a crude cargo since the United States imposed a naval blockade earlier this week. The ship carried roughly 450,000 barrels of oil loaded...
Using Wood Twice Is EU’s Best Path to Net Zero — Nature Study
A new peer‑reviewed Nature study finds that using wood twice—first as a durable product such as particleboard and later as fuel in a BECCS plant—delivers far greater long‑term carbon removal than burning wood directly or leaving forests unmanaged. The research,...
Government and Ofgem Admit Grid Queue Blunders
UK government and regulator Ofgem acknowledged delays in grid‑connection reforms as a surge in battery storage projects strains the system. The overhaul cleared 221 GW of stalled projects, creating a pipeline poised to attract roughly £200 bn (about $250 bn) of investment by...
Spain’s Blackout Probe Blames Grid Operator, Government, Watchdog
A Spanish Senate inquiry has placed blame for the April 28, 2025 blackout on the grid operator Red Eléctrica, the Energy Ministry, and the regulator CNMC. The nine‑month probe says the 16‑hour outage across Spain and Portugal stemmed from a known vulnerability and...
Defense Strategies Institute to Host Inaugural Summit on Advanced Energy Storage & Security
The Defense Strategies Institute will host its first Advanced Energy Storage for Defense & Security Summit on May 27‑28, 2026 in National Harbor, MD. The event coincides with the Department of War’s push toward safer, standardized battery technologies, a market...
Daimler Buses Backs Charging Services with €200m
Daimler Buses announced up to €200 million (≈US$216 million) investment in its European service network, emphasizing charging infrastructure and a new Omniplus Charge sub‑brand. The rollout includes a multilingual hotline, expanded charging‑as‑a‑Service offerings, and the upcoming test‑drive of its first battery‑electric eCoach...
Vauxhall Adds Kerbo Charge to On-Street EV Campaign
Vauxhall has incorporated cross‑pavement charger specialist Kerbo Charge into its Electric Streets of Britain network, offering a £500 (US$675) discount on installations for EV buyers under its Electric All In program. Freedom of Information data shows 42% of UK councils...
Stunning Growth of Battery Storage Puts It at Centre of Global Energy Security Needs, for Cars and for Grids
Battery storage is experiencing rapid expansion as global lithium‑ion demand jumped 29% in 2025 to 1.59 TWh, driven largely by a 50% surge in grid‑scale installations to 300 GWh. The ongoing Iran war and broader energy‑security concerns are accelerating EV adoption and...
Waaree Renewable Soars 12% as Q4 Revenue Soars 131% YoY
Waaree Renewable Technologies posted a spectacular Q4, with revenue soaring 131% YoY to roughly $133 million and net profit climbing 66% to about $18.8 million. Full‑year figures were equally impressive, as revenue more than doubled to $401 million and profit after tax jumped...
Volkswagen Readies Bidirectional Charging for Germany
Volkswagen and its energy subsidiary Elli will roll out a fully integrated Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G) service for German private customers in the fourth quarter of 2026, with pre‑registration opening in June. The package bundles a bidirectional DC charger, smart meter, dynamic...
Europe Tests ‘Third Way’ on Hormuz without the US, Israel and Iran. Will It Work?
A European-led coalition of more than 30 nations is convening in Paris to craft a "credible proposal" for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly 34% of global oil trade passed last year. The effort deliberately excludes...
Still Waiting for Fracking's Fizzle
U.S. crude oil production rose 3% in 2025, adding 350,000 barrels per day and setting a new annual record. At the same time, marketed natural gas output grew 5.3 Bcf/d to an average of 118.5 Bcf/d, also a historic high. Both increases...
Trump to Break Ground on NYC Gas Pipeline
The Trump administration will break ground on the Northeast Supply Enhancement natural‑gas pipeline off New York City’s coast. President Trump secured a permit from Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul despite strong opposition from environmental groups. The project is billed as a...
Snowy Elbows Out Origin and Others to Land $1.9 Billion Renewable Power Deal for State’s Trains and Electric Buses
Snowy Hydro's retail arm, Snowy Energy, secured a seven‑year contract worth about $1.9 billion Australian dollars (≈$1.25 billion USD) to supply renewable electricity for New South Wales' trains, trams and electric buses. The deal consolidates the state's transport power procurement under a...
Energy Insiders Podcast: Batteries Take Centre Stage as World Wrestles with Fuel Crisis
In the latest Energy Insiders episode, Iola Hughes of BMI highlights the rapid expansion of battery storage for electric vehicles and grid applications, emphasizing its pivotal role in bolstering energy security amid a global fuel crisis. The discussion covers the...
More than 60% of Home Battery Installations Inspected in Australia Are ‘Substandard’
Australia’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program has installed over 250,000 residential battery systems, delivering roughly 7.7 GWh of storage. A Clean Energy Regulator audit of 1,278 installations found 60.8% substandard and 1.2% unsafe, mainly due to poor wiring and labeling. The sample...
Chevron CEO: People Should Drive Less Amid High Gas Prices
Chevron CEO Andy Walz warned that gas prices are climbing sharply as the conflict with Iran tightens global oil supplies. He urged Americans to curb discretionary driving and adopt energy‑saving habits to offset higher pump costs. Walz’s comments reflect Chevron’s...
What Can Bangladesh Learn From Pakistan’s Solar Shift?
Bangladesh’s reliance on spot LNG after the Iran‑Hormuz crisis cost it roughly $880 million—about 15% of its monthly import bill—while Pakistan avoided spot purchases by shifting to solar, cutting its fossil‑fuel import share to 25%. The divergent strategies highlight the financial...