Thursday, 17 September 2026

BKV Corp. has closed its acquisition of Barnett shale upstream, midstream and carbon capture assets, adding more than 65 MMcfe/d of production and roughly 117,000 net acres to its Texas portfolio, according to World Oil.

The transaction closed on Sept. 15 after customary closing conditions were satisfied.

The acquired package includes approximately 0.35 Tcfe of proved developed producing reserves and roughly 1,000 gross operated wells, concentrated in Montague County. The midstream footprint adds a gas plant with 180 MMcf/d of capacity and about 340 miles of owned gas gathering lines.

Jupiter Power has raised $1.4 billion in project financing tied to ten utility-scale battery projects with a combined 1.5 GW and 3.6 GWh of capacity in Texas and Michigan, ESS News reported. The developer's lifetime capital raised now exceeds $3 billion.

The largest tranche closed in July 2026: a $536 million senior secured package from HSBC Bank USA and SMBC, bundling a construction term loan, a tax equity bridge loan and letter-of-credit lines for the Tidwell Prairie II, Bee Branch and Barton Branch sites in Texas.

A month before, the company priced a $281 million private placement carrying a BBB- rating from KBRA, with AB CarVal and Nuveen taking the notes. The paper is backed by three operating assets: Tidwell Prairie I and St. Gall II in Texas alongside Tibbits in Michigan.

May 2026 brought a $294 million package from ING Capital and Societe Generale for the Grand Basin and Voyager I builds in Michigan, both wired into MISO. The sequence began in April 2026 with a $258 million senior facility led by Societe Generale and MUFG behind Callisto II and Pamela Heights I in Harris County, Texas.

Shell attributes the loss of 36 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply this year to the war on Iran, which has prevented Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from shipping cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Offshore Engineer.

Equinor's Senior Vice President Marketing and Supply Helle Ostergaard Kristiansen told Reuters that a cold winter across Europe and Asia, combined with continued disruption to Hormuz LNG shipments, would likely force European buyers to compete with Asia for US supplies.

The State Electricity Commission (SEC) of Victoria, Australia, will invest AUD 43 million to take a stake in the 400 MW/1.86 GWh Baranduda battery storage project, paired with a 15-year offtake agreement, according to ESS News.

ESS News reports the battery will be built as four independent 100 MW units and is expected to enter operation in late 2028. Construction is scheduled to start in November 2026.

The offtake will feed the SEC's commercial retail portfolio and supply renewable electricity to Victorian hospitals, schools and government infrastructure, per ESS News.

German battery storage supplier RCT Power GmbH has entered provisional insolvency proceedings, according to a notice from the Freiburg District Court cited by ESS News.

ESS News reports that the insolvency application was filed by Managing Director Pei-Fen Hsiso. Per the court notice, the company can no longer access its bank accounts or outstanding receivables. Administrative and disposal authority has been transferred to the provisional insolvency administrator.

Google is supporting the construction of a green-steel mill in Sweden, according to Canary Media, as the company contends with rising greenhouse gas emissions tied to its artificial intelligence expansion.

The company said it is partnering with Stegra to help bring the Swedish firm's flagship facility online, Canary Media reported.

Anthropic and Singapore-based developer Zerra DC have released details of a 2.16 GW data centre planned for a site near Dalby on Queensland's Darling Downs, according to RenewEconomy. The project is valued at more than USD 30 billion.

Energy and climate analysts told RenewEconomy the facility could significantly add to greenhouse gas emissions and draw as much as one-fifth of Queensland's peak electricity demand unless it is required to rapidly ramp up renewable energy.

More than 30 organisations have joined forces to launch Electrify Australia, an alliance pushing to accelerate electrification across homes, businesses, transport, farms and industry, according to RenewEconomy.

The alliance is aimed at broadening the reach of electric technologies beyond the power sector. RenewEconomy reports that electricity accounts for around 21% of the energy consumed in Australia, leaving the majority of end-use demand still met by other fuels.

Daimler Truck Holding AG will invest several hundred million euros in developing its Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 Truck, according to Hydrogen Fuel News. The manufacturer is based in Germany.

The programme covers a 100-unit NextGenH2 series backed by EUR 226 million of public funding, Hydrogen Fuel News reported. The rollout is aligned with EU decarbonisation regulations.

European gas storage stood at 68.04% of capacity on September 12, 2026, according to IEEFA.

IEEFA argues that weather will decide how tight Europe's gas supply becomes over the coming winter and how far prices climb. With inventories below full, European buyers face the prospect of outbidding Asian rivals for LNG cargoes, a dynamic IEEFA says pushes up consumer gas and electricity bills.

The specialist analyst frames demand reduction as the biggest lever still within Europe's control heading into the heating season.

Spain's national electricity demand rose 2.4% in August 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, once adjusted for working patterns and temperatures, according to Red Electrica.

In gross terms, the operator reported demand of 23,137 GWh for the month. That unadjusted figure was 3.7% above August 2025, per Red Electrica.

Spain and Portugal have inaugurated a new 400 kV electricity interconnection linking Pontevedra and Viana do Castelo, according to Red Electrica.

The link raises cross-border exchange capacity between the two countries by roughly 1,000 MW, Red Electrica said.

The Spanish grid operator estimates the interconnection will enable an additional 281 GWh of renewable energy to be integrated each year, with a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions of 113,000 tonnes annually.

The Sierra Club came out against H.R. 8330, a bill scheduled for markup by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee that would shield fossil fuel companies from laws or lawsuits seeking to hold them accountable for their role in the climate crisis and related disasters, according to CleanTechnica.

CleanTechnica reported the advocacy group's opposition as strong. The measure, as described in the committee notice cited by CleanTechnica, would extend legal immunity to fossil fuel companies against climate-related claims.

Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) is pressing ahead with plans to extend two thermal coal mines through 2045, according to IEEFA, which warns the state government against yielding to the operator's terms.

Responding to a query from the Independent Planning Commission (IPC), HVO warned that any change to its long-term plans would amount to rejection of its applications and closure of its HVO North and South mines, IEEFA reported.

IEEFA argues the 19-year extension case rests on withstanding coal price cycles but ignores the structural decline of the thermal coal market and the prospect of rising emissions-reduction costs. The specialist research group frames the proposal as carrying potential costs to the local community and the state government.

On community exposure, IEEFA cautions that uneconomic mines tend to close or be mothballed, producing material local impacts when no exit plan is in place.

MODEC and Eld Energy have cleared an early qualification stage for solid oxide fuel cell technology designed to power floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, according to Offshore Magazine.

The two companies completed the Technology Feasibility and Concept Verification stage of ABS' New Technology Qualification process, Offshore Magazine reported. The publication said the SOFC systems are intended to generate power from produced gas and carbon-capture byproducts, offering a route to lower FPSO emissions.

MODEC and Eld Energy said the milestone confirms the safety, reliability and regulatory compliance of the SOFC technology for offshore applications, per Offshore Magazine.

The qualification program is advancing the technology toward an offshore pilot installation, which Offshore Magazine described as a critical step before commercial deployment on future FPSO developments.

Great British Energy opened GBP 30 million in funding for local and community-led clean power schemes, part of a planned envelope of up to GBP 1 billion that the UK government has said should back more than 1,000 projects across the country.

Councils and community energy groups can now advance their own generation plans, including solar, wind and hydro projects.

The government will publish further details in the Autumn on arrangements to give community energy groups an ownership stake in renewable projects, directing financial returns to local areas.

India's coal-fired power generation has not grown over a two-year period for the first time in more than half a century, even as overall electricity demand rose, according to a Carbon Brief analysis published on the outlet's website.

Carbon Brief reported that clean energy supplied the entire rise in Indian electricity demand across the two years, an increase Carbon Brief put at 7%, and added 63 TWh of generation, which the outlet compared to the total electricity demand of Switzerland.

Solar accounted for the bulk of the build-out. India added 77 GW of solar capacity over the two-year window, and that capacity alone helped meet 60% of the overall rise in electricity demand, according to Carbon Brief.

Long-run warming helped create the conditions for the fatal rock and glacier failure on Nepal's Langtang Lirung Mountain, climate attribution researchers told Inside Climate News.

A World Weather Attribution team examining the Aug. 26 disaster reported that record-hot temperatures gripped the region in the months leading up to it, on the heels of unusually heavy snowfall in late 2025 during what is normally an arid stretch, Inside Climate News reported.

Ancient ice has been hollowed out and the permafrost that holds high slopes together has thawed, making those slopes more prone to failure, per the outlet.

Fredi Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London and a co-author, said thawing permafrost, thinner glaciers and a shift from snow to rain primed the mountain to give way, according to Inside Climate News.

Advances in seismic imaging and subsurface intelligence are helping operators evaluate opportunities in Brazil's frontier basins, according to TGS in comments reported by Offshore Magazine.

The seismic firm told Offshore Magazine that Brazil's Equatorial Margin combines large resource potential with improving subsurface understanding drawn from modern seismic technologies.

Further south, TGS characterises the Pelotas Basin as a distinct frontier play with similarities to Namibia, while cautioning that drilling is still needed to confirm key petroleum system elements, per the same interview.

Across these plays, TGS said new well results and advanced 3D seismic are shifting industry focus from whether petroleum systems are present to questions of commercial scale and repeatability.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources heard testimony on the Energy Efficiency Reform Act, legislation that would make it harder for the Department of Energy to update efficiency standards for home appliances including dishwashers, washing machines and boilers, according to Inside Climate News.

Inside Climate News reported the bill would add procedural steps to the approval of any new efficiency standard and convert the Department of Energy's periodic reviews of product standards into a voluntary exercise.

Beyond blocking future rules, the legislation would also open a path for the department to weaken existing efficiency mandates, per the same report.

Inside Climate News reported that the measure would codify the process changes in statute, making them harder for a future presidential administration to reverse.

Offshore Magazine argues that the headline tally of offshore rigs under construction paints a rosier picture of future fleet additions than the yard reality supports.

In its survey, the largest cohort covers 14 uncontracted units sitting at shipyards in a mechanically finished or near-finished state: nine jackups, four semisubmersibles and a single drillship.

A separate group of 10 rigs, five drillships plus three jackups and two semisubmersibles, has been stranded mid-build after work was stopped, often years earlier.

Treating those 10 as delayed newbuilds misreads the situation, the publication says: activating any of them would demand additional capital to source missing equipment, secure recertification and, for some hulls, complete outstanding structural work.

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 5109, the TWIC Efficiency (TWICE) Act, according to Offshore Engineer OEDigital.

National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito said the measure would create a clearer pathway for eligible individuals to obtain the credentials needed to work in the maritime and offshore energy industries.

NOIA applauded the House for advancing the bill and said it looked forward to continued progress in the Senate, per Offshore Engineer OEDigital.

Some Kia dealers are cutting more than USD 15,000 off the price of the EV9, Kia's largest electric SUV, according to Electrek.

On Kia's own website, the 2026 EV9 carries a nationwide customer cash discount of USD 10,000, per Electrek. Individual dealers are going further. Electrek, citing CarBuzz, reported that Shottenkirk Kia of Fort Bend was offering USD 16,041 off the EV9 Light Short Range.

A group of solar and energy companies has launched the Strong Tail Solar Alliance to lower costs and widen financing access for solar installers in the United States, according to Solar Builder.

Founding members named by Solar Builder include Bodhi Solar, Climate First Bank, Scanifly, JA Solar, Damaris Solutions and Krannich Solar. Membership requires signing the Strong Tail Compact.

Solar Builder reported the launch as a response to the second Trump administration's repeal of the Residential Clean Energy Credit, known colloquially as Section 25D.

Three battery energy storage systems have been inaugurated in Bridgewater, Waverley and White Rock in Nova Scotia, Canada, each rated at 50 MW/200 MWh, according to Natural Resources Canada.

Natural Resources Canada said the Government of Canada put $109 million into pre-development work, installation and grid modernization upgrades tied to the facilities, framing them as support for Nova Scotia's shift away from coal-fired electricity toward renewable generation. The project also drew a $138.2 million loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

The three sites were unveiled alongside Nova Scotia Power, the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Wskijinu'k Mtmo'taqnuow Agency.

Natural Resources Canada said the projects are expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 90,000 tonnes per year, prioritizing non-emitting energy for storage and supporting the integration of renewable generation including wind.

Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, was in Houston, Texas from September 14 to 16, 2026 for the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting, Natural Resources Canada said.

Talks at the ministerial covered energy security, affordability, investment and innovation, with Hogan positioning Canada as a global energy supplier alongside other energy ministers.

On the sidelines, Hogan held bilateral meetings with counterparts from the European Union, India, Poland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, framed around trade diversification and bilateral trade and investment.

Hogan also sat down with business leaders in Houston to pitch Canada as an investment destination.

BYD's Fang Cheng Bao brand launched its first sedan and grand touring models, the Formula S series, targeting the Tesla Model 3, Xiaomi SU7, and other top-selling electric sedans in China, according to Electrek.

The lineup spans five variants, three sedans and two GT models, priced from CNY 189,900 to CNY 239,900, or roughly USD 28,000 to USD 35,000, Electrek reported. The entry rear-wheel-drive Formula S sedan starts at CNY 189,900.

That undercuts the rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 in China, which starts at CNY 235,500, or USD 35,000, per Electrek.

Vinci Concessions, Épopée Gestion and ADEME Investissement will commit nearly EUR 90 million to build a fast-charging network for electric trucks, according to electrive.

The first phase covers around 20 sites, most of them located in France, electrive reported.

The network, operated under the Voltix brand, will subsequently extend to Germany and Spain, according to electrive.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian did not appear before the Texas House Committee on Energy Resources after being summoned to testify, according to Inside Climate News. The committee oversees the Railroad Commission, the regulator of the state's oil and gas industry.

Committee Chairman Drew Darby had called Christian to appear before the panel. Inside Climate News reported that Darby said it was beyond clear the commissioner had willfully chosen to defy the committee.

Porsche has opened orders for its wireless charging system on the Cayenne Electric in Germany and other European markets, according to electrive. The specialist outlet reports a gradual worldwide rollout is planned across Porsche Connect markets, with China excluded.

German configurator pricing published by electrive puts the vehicle-mounted charging pad, including pre-installation, at EUR 1,844.50, and the three-phase floor pad at EUR 5,116.99. The combined bill reaches EUR 6,961.49.

On performance, electrive reports that Porsche Wireless Charging delivers a maximum charging power of up to 11 kW, matching the output of many cable-based AC wallbox chargers. Porsche has stated that grid-to-battery energy transfer efficiency reaches up to 90%, without ruling out lower deviations, according to electrive.