Big Risks Hover over Strait of Hormuz Blockade
The United States began a blockade of all commercial shipping to and from Iran on April 13, marking the first day of a new geopolitical flashpoint in the Strait of Hormuz. Crude oil prices spiked to over $105 per barrel before settling near $99, translating to a modest $0.07‑$0.08 per‑gallon swing for U.S. motorists. Analysts warn that the blockade could disrupt Iran's oil exports to Asia and trigger broader supply‑chain volatility, while the longer‑term impact on gasoline prices remains highly uncertain.
European Commission Proposes EU Industrial Accelerator Act Including ‘Made in EU’ and Low-Carbon Requirements, Stricter Rules for FDI in Strategic...
On 4 March 2026 the European Commission unveiled the EU Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), a sweeping proposal to lift manufacturing’s share of EU GDP to 20 % by 2035, introduce “Made in EU” and low‑carbon rules for strategic goods, and tighten foreign‑direct‑investment (FDI) screening...
China’s Crude and Gas Imports Tumble in March
China’s crude oil imports fell sharply in March, reaching 11.63 million barrels per day, according to customs data. That represents a year‑on‑year decline of 350,000 b/d and a 221,000 b/d drop versus the average of January‑February 2024. The contraction occurred as the market entered...
Fuel Prices Stop Rising After 43 Days of Increases, RAC Says
After 43 consecutive days of increases, UK petrol and diesel prices have stalled, according to the RAC. A temporary cease‑fire in the Gulf lowered crude oil prices, easing wholesale costs, but retail prices remain well above pre‑war levels. Petrol now...
India’s MNRE Expands ALMM List-II to 27.8GW, Adds HJT Cells for the First Time
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy expanded the ALMM List‑II capacity to 27.8 GW, adding 1.3 GW since February. The revision introduces heterojunction (HJT) solar cells for the first time, with Reliance Industries contributing 1.238 GW of high‑efficiency modules. Jupiter Solartech and...
Maryland General Assembly Passes Rate Relief Measure to Lower Utility Bills by $150/Year
The Maryland General Assembly approved the Utility RELIEF Act, targeting a minimum $150 annual reduction in residential electric and gas bills. The legislation trims utility energy‑efficiency spending, lowers carbon‑emissions‑reduction targets, and forces investor‑owned utilities to join PJM, eliminating a 0.5%...
Dolphin Drilling Lines up $230m Semisub Contract
Dolphin Drilling, the Oslo‑listed offshore contractor, has signed a letter of intent for a $230 million semi‑submersible contract for its Borgland Dolphin rig. The deal would begin in the second half of 2027, following the rig’s current Repsol assignment, and run...
California School District Installs 3.1 MW of Solar Across 12 Campuses
Opterra Energy Services completed a $33 million modernization for California’s Yucaipa‑Calimesa Joint Unified School District, installing 3.1 MW of solar across 12 campuses. The upgrade also refreshed lighting and HVAC systems while securing a $5 million Inflation Reduction Act grant. Over the next...
Community-Scale Solar Offers $6.5 Billion in Savings, Bypassing California Gridlocks
A new Pathfinder Communications report shows that deploying 5.4 GW of community‑scale solar and storage on California’s distribution grid could require $3.2 billion of investment but generate $4.2 billion in electricity‑price reductions. By using existing local networks, the projects avoid roughly $2 billion in...
Uniper Breaks Ground for 50MW Battery Energy Storage in Wilhelmshaven
Uniper and Slovenia’s NGEN have broken ground on a 50‑MW battery energy storage system at the former coal‑plant site in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The project, part of Uniper’s Energy Transformation Hub Nordwest, aims to smooth short‑term grid fluctuations from wind and...
Japan Finds a Way to Recover 90% of Lithium From Old EV Batteries
Japan’s JX Metals Circular Solutions has demonstrated a new recycling line that pulls roughly 90% of lithium from end‑of‑life electric‑vehicle batteries, about twice the recovery rate of earlier methods. The plant in Tsuruga uses a revised hydrometallurgical treatment that substitutes...
Geopolitics Is the Market Force—So What Comes Next?
The Middle East conflict has shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly 20% of global oil flow and sparking double‑digit price spikes in fertilizer, chemicals and plastics. The article argues that geopolitical risk is now structural, forcing firms to embed...
DNV Paper Finds That Existing LNG Infrastructure Can Ease Transition to Low‑GHG Methane
Demand for low‑GHG methane is rising as the LNG‑fuelled fleet faces tighter emissions rules. With about 800 LNG‑capable vessels already operating and 600 more on order, the sector has a mature technical base and global bunkering network. DNV’s white paper...
FERC Approves Market Rules for Champlain Hudson Transmission Project
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved market rules for the Champlain Hudson Power Express, a $6 billion, 1,250‑MW merchant transmission line linking Quebec to New York City. The line, owned by Blackstone‑backed Transmission Developers Inc., will begin delivering 10.4 TWh of hydroelectric power...
Global Oil Flows Plunge as Hormuz Disruption Chokes Tanker Trade
Global seaborne crude oil shipments have plunged 16% since the Iran war, cutting daily volumes by 7.6 million barrels to 38.4 mbpd—about 9.5% of projected world production now stranded. Gulf exports collapsed, with a net loss of 9.0 mbpd after modest gains from...
Fraunhofer ISE Launches Consultancy Spin-Off NEXUS GreenTech
Fraunhofer ISE has launched NEXUS GreenTech, a consultancy spin‑off based in Freiburg, to serve the increasingly complex solar PV market. The firm is led by three former ISE researchers who together hold over 60 years of PV expertise. NEXUS GreenTech will offer technical...
PNG vs LPG: What Are the Differences? Which Is More Affordable and Offers Uninterrupted Supply? FAQs Answered
The Indian government issued a new order on 12 April to accelerate piped natural gas (PNG) network expansion, while a 24 March mandate forces LPG‑cylinder users to switch to PNG when a connection becomes available, invalidating LPG after 90 days of non‑compliance. PNG...
IMF Warns ‘Unprecedented’ Energy Crisis Could Trigger Global Recession as Australia Prepares for G20 Fuel Talks
The International Monetary Fund warned that the US‑Israel war on Iran and the ensuing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could spark an unprecedented energy crisis, threatening to push global growth below 2% in 2026. Its World Economic Outlook outlines...
Indonesia Plans to Buy Russian Oil, Pertamina to Follow Government Directives
Indonesia is evaluating the purchase of Russian crude oil, with state‑owned oil giant Pertamina poised to act on any government directive. President Prabowo Subianto’s recent visit to Moscow included talks with Vladimir Putin on expanding energy cooperation, including refinery development....
European Airports Risk Jet Fuel Shortage by May Due to Hormuz Crisis
The war in Iran and the near‑shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz have pushed global oil prices above $92 a barrel, driving the average jet‑fuel spot price to $197.83 per barrel—99% higher than pre‑conflict levels. A Financial Times report warns that...
Energy Transfer on Natural Gas Opportunities & More
Energy Transfer (ET) is expanding its natural‑gas footprint with two major Permian pipelines—Hugh Brinson, now sized at 2.2 Bcf/d with bidirectional capability, and the Desert Southwest expansion, increased to 2.3 Bcf/d for an additional $900 million. The company also plans to boost Canadian crude...
The Need for Speed: FERC Must Exempt Transmission Projects From Regulatory Bottlenecks
ITC Holdings and the Grid Acceleration Coalition have lodged a complaint with FERC urging exemptions from Order 1000 for time‑sensitive transmission projects. They argue that the existing solicitation rules add 16‑20 months of delay, inflating costs and slowing the interconnection of...
Malaysians Urged to Tighten Their Belts as Iran War Fallout Starts to Bite
Malaysia’s government warned citizens to brace for prolonged cost pressures as the Iran‑triggered energy crisis tightens. Crude oil supplies are expected to run out by May, pushing Brent to US$132.50 per barrel and prompting a diesel subsidy hike to 400...
For the First Time in the U.S., Renewables Generate More Power Than Natural Gas
In March, U.S. renewables—including solar, wind, hydro and bioenergy—generated more electricity than natural gas for the first time, according to Ember data. The shift reflects rapid wind and solar deployment and a seasonal dip in demand that forced fossil‑fuel plants...
Equinor Sells 8.07% Stake in Scatec for $169m
Equinor sold an 8.07% stake in Norwegian renewable developer Scatec for roughly $168.5 million, pricing shares at Nkr 125 ($13.16) each. After the transaction the oil major retains an 8.05% holding subject to a 90‑day lock‑up. Equinor first invested in Scatec in...
North America Loses Rigs For 7 Straight Weeks
Baker Hughes reported that North America’s weekly rig count fell by 10 units, bringing the total to 680 rigs – 545 in the United States and 135 in Canada. The U.S. rig mix includes 411 oil rigs, 127 gas rigs...
Gas-Powered Data Centers Could More than Double Microsoft's Emissions
Stand.earth Research Group warns that three new methane‑gas projects slated for Microsoft’s AI data centers could boost the company’s data‑center emissions by roughly 160%, more than doubling its carbon footprint. The projects amount to about 5 GW of fossil‑fuel power to...
Your House Could Loan Power to AI Data Centers with New Span Product
Span unveiled XFRA, a distributed data‑center solution that places AI‑grade compute nodes in homes and small‑commercial spaces. The system leverages Span's smart electrical panel to tap underused residential grid capacity and ships with NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs. Initial...
Parliament Energy Signs 1.2-GW Tracker Supply Agreement with Ideematec
Parliament Energy, an independent power producer, has signed supply agreements with tracker maker Ideamatec for its Horizon L:TEC 1P trackers across three Texas solar projects totaling 1.2 GW AC. The projects, ranging from 285 MW to 505 MW, expand the company’s 2.1‑GW portfolio and follow...
Eni Completes Acea Acquisitions
Eni’s renewables arm Plenitude completed the purchase of Acea Energia and a 50% stake in Umbria Energy, adding roughly 1.2 million electricity and gas customers and bringing its total retail base to over 11 million. The transaction was priced at €500 million (≈$590 million)...
Vestas Wins 70MW Bulgaria Turbine Order
Vestas secured a 70 MW order from Tessa Green Energy for the Strazhitsa wind project in Bulgaria. The deal includes 11 EnVentus V162‑6.4 MW turbines and a long‑term Active Output Management 5000 service contract. Deliveries are slated for Q1 2027 with commissioning in...
TRI Launches Agri-Voltaic Project to Help Farmers Earn Double Income
Transform Rural India (TRI) has rolled out an agrivoltaic micro‑grid program in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, letting farmers generate solar power while cultivating crops on the same land. A 43‑kilowatt system now powers ten irrigation pumps across 100 acres, serving...
Europe Deploys 3.4GWh of BESS in March, 19% of Global Total
In March 2026 Europe brought 1.435 GW of grid‑scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) online, amounting to 3.44 GWh – its strongest month on record and more than the continent deployed throughout 2023. This represents 19 % of the 18.4 GWh of BESS capacity...
Transocean Locks in $445m Petrobras Drillship Extension
Transocean secured a 1,156‑day extension from Brazil’s Petrobras for its ultra‑deepwater drillship Deepwater Corcovado, adding roughly $445 million to its backlog and keeping the rig operational through November 2030. The agreement includes a short‑term $20 million backlog reduction between April 2026 and September 2027 as...
UKAEA Timeline to Realise ‘Limitless’ Energy to Power UK Grid
The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) unveiled a 2024‑2030 strategy aimed at delivering a commercially viable fusion power plant, STEP, with a March 2029 deadline for the development consent order. The government has earmarked over £10 bn (≈$12.5 bn) for the project and...
California Regulators Have Started a Regulatory Push on Diesel TRU Emissions
California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has quietly stepped up enforcement of its diesel-powered transport refrigeration unit (TRU) rules, demanding registration, labeling and quarterly reporting from both TRU owners and large warehouses. The 2022 amendment requires owners to shift 15% of...
Orsted Braces for UK Supreme Court Ruling with Major Implications for Wind
Orsted is awaiting a UK Supreme Court ruling on a £50 million ($68 million) tax dispute over capital allowances for offshore wind survey costs. The case involves the Gunfleet Sands, Walney and West of Duddon Sands projects, where HMRC denied the relief....
Contentious $1bn+ Northeast Supply Enhancement Gas Pipeline to Break Ground in New York City
The $1 billion‑plus Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural‑gas pipeline, led by Williams Companies, is set to break ground this week in New York City after the Trump administration secured state permits. The offshore project will expand the Transco system, delivering roughly...
Job at US Gulf Coast LNG Project Comes Honeywell’s Way
Honeywell has been contracted to supply its coil‑wound heat exchanger (CWHE) and C3MR liquefaction process technology for NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG Train 4 and Train 5 in Brownsville, Texas. The additional trains will lift the plant’s capacity from 18 mtpa to 30 mtpa, a...
DHL and IAG Cargo Deepen Collaboration with Major Multi‑year SAF Agreements
Logistics giant DHL Group and IAG Cargo have expanded their sustainable aviation fuel partnership with a new five‑year agreement that secures about 240 million liters of SAF at London Heathrow through 2030. The deal delivers a lifecycle emissions reduction of roughly...
GAIL Invests in 700MW Solar, 572MWh Storage Projects Across India
GAIL, the Indian state‑owned gas utility, is investing INR 38 billion (≈$408 million) to build 700 MW of solar capacity and 572 MWh of battery storage across Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The flagship project in Jhansi will combine 600 MW of solar with a 550 MWh BESS, while...
Routing Energy, VENSYS Agree Wind Pact
Routing Energy and VENSYS Energy have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to boost wind‑energy projects. VENSYS will supply more than 150 turbines, with delivery and commissioning slated for completion within 14 months. The deal expands Routing Energy’s manufacturer network, giving...
Germany: NGEN Starts Building 100MWh BESS, Harmony Energy Secures 3GWh Pipeline Financing
NGEN, a Slovenia‑based owner‑operator, has broken ground on a 50 MW/100 MWh battery energy storage system in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, in partnership with Uniper. The BESS will be commissioned in Q4 2026 and forms the core of the Energy Transformation Hub Nordwest, a renewable‑energy...
Experts Weigh in on Navigating Supply Chain Bottlenecks in US Energy Storage
At the Energy Storage Summit USA 2026, industry leaders warned that new U.S. tax and foreign‑entity rules are forcing battery storage developers to take over procurement traditionally handled by EPC firms. The shift aims to capture a combined 40% investment...
Commission Approves €3.7 Billion Czech State Aid Scheme for Sustainable Biomethane Production
The European Commission has cleared a Czech state‑aid programme worth €3.7 billion (about $4 billion) to fund new and upgraded biomethane plants through 2030. The scheme uses a two‑way contract‑for‑difference that guarantees a 15‑year price premium for each megawatt‑hour of sustainable biomethane...
IEA Cuts Oil Outlook on ‘Largest Disruption in History’
The International Energy Agency slashed its 2026 oil demand forecast by 730,000 barrels per day, citing the sharpest demand drop since the Covid‑19 pandemic. Conflict after the US and Israel attacked Iran has crippled Middle‑East energy infrastructure and effectively closed...
Using Regional-First Planning to Streamline Large Load Interconnection
RMI proposes a regional‑first planning framework that merges large‑load interconnection queues with system‑wide transmission planning. The approach centralizes requests, identifies necessary system projects first, then targets incremental local upgrades. By coordinating these processes, utilities can achieve right‑sized investments, lower total...
U.S. Hormuz Blockade Hits India Just as Russian Oil Purchase Waiver Expires, Deepening Energy Worries
The United States began blocking ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off Iranian crude that India had just begun importing after a seven‑year hiatus. At the same time, a U.S. waiver that allowed India to purchase 1.5 million barrels...
Petrobras Makes FID for Brazil’s Deepwater Scheme, Picks SBM Offshore for FPSOs
Petrobras has issued a final investment decision for the SEAP I deepwater project in Brazil’s Sergipe‑Alagoas Basin, joining the previously sanctioned SEAP II module. The combined development will cost over $12 billion (about $11.4 billion) and aim to produce more than 1 billion barrels of oil...
Vietnam’s GG Power Opens 5GWh BESS Factory, Government Emphasises Support for Local Supply Chain
GG Power inaugurated a 5 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) plant in Hung Yen, Vietnam, backed by a US$12 million investment and a technology‑transfer deal with Chinese firm Goldwind. The factory, over 90 % automated, aims to localise more than half of...