Friday, 9 October 2026

Weatherford International secured a two-year extension of several existing agreements with Equinor, according to World Oil. The company was selected as the primary provider of completion systems for the Statfjord and Oseberg fields on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

Under the extended agreements, Weatherford will provide its integrated well completions portfolio, World Oil reported.

Drilling Tools International (DTI) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Aberdeen-based Saltire Energy Limited and Foxley Energy Limited, according to World Oil.

The consideration is approximately USD 80 million in cash plus 17.4 million shares of DTI common stock, World Oil reported.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027.

DTI expects the Eastern Hemisphere to account for approximately 40% of combined revenue after the acquisition, World Oil reported, compared with 18% of its standalone revenue in the second quarter of 2026.

Avalanche Energy Designs and the Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC) announced a strategic engagement to advance plans for Avalanche's first global advanced manufacturing facility in the Tri-Cities region of Washington, according to GlobeNewswire.

Avalanche selected the Tri-Cities to advance development of the facility, which is intended to produce its modular fusion energy machines, after a nationwide site evaluation that considered multiple industrial and technology hubs across the United States.

The two parties signed a strategic engagement letter covering site selection, permitting, infrastructure readiness, regional supply-chain development and specialized workforce development, GlobeNewswire reported.

Avalanche envisions the planned facility as a vertically integrated manufacturing hub supporting the move of its fusion technology from prototype development to commercial production.

A Senate permitting measure has pulled the U.S. climate movement apart, setting groups determined to curb fossil fuels against those pushing to build out clean energy, according to Grist.

At the center is the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, or BAAJA, which Grist reported would clear the way for more power plants, transmission lines and gas pipelines. To do so, the legislation would roll back parts of the country's core environmental statutes, compress the time agencies take to grant permits, and limit the ability to overturn projects that already hold federal approval, Grist reported.

The fight has pitted two factions against each other, Grist reported. Activists, lawyers and environmentalists concentrating on stopping fossil fuel use sit on one side; renewable energy firms and policy specialists chasing faster clean-energy construction sit on the other.

Representative Jared Huffman, a Democrat who represents Northern California, told Grist the bill is "definitely exposing a potential fault line between the environmental community and clean energy interests".

Stardust Power has opened a project execution hub office in Houston, Texas, according to Solar Builder. The battery chemical manufacturer will use the facility to support its lithium refinery in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Solar Builder reported that the Muskogee refinery is a USD 1.2 billion project focused on battery-grade lithium for electric vehicle products.

Stardust Power selected Houston partly for its proximity and for the city's reputation as a global energy capital, according to Solar Builder.

Volkswagen told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on October 6 that it planned to recall 22,524 ID.4 SUVs covering model years 2023 through 2026, according to Electrek.

Charging the high-voltage battery above 80% of capacity in certain affected models could trigger thermal propagation, a fire within the battery, Electrek reported, though Volkswagen said the root cause remained unknown.

Until a fix is available, Volkswagen is urging affected owners to limit charging to 80%, according to Electrek.

Two supply shocks hit crude at once on Thursday, Oct. 8: renewed attacks on commercial vessels in the Middle East and hurricane-driven production halts in the US Gulf of Mexico pushed oil prices up about 5%, Oil & Gas Journal reported.

Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had been recovering before the latest vessel attacks reversed that trend, according to Oil & Gas Journal.

In the US Gulf of Mexico, operators had shut in an estimated 511,619 barrels per day as of Oct. 7, or 25.1% of regional output, according to the US Marine Minerals Administration.

Westinghouse, Korea Electric Power Corporation and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced a global settlement in January 2025 that ended years of litigation over reactor technology, according to Neutron Bytes.

Under terms first carried by Korean outlets, KHNP agreed to pay Westinghouse about USD 650 million in goods and services for every reactor it exports, plus USD 175 million per reactor in technology licensing fees, according to Neutron Bytes.

The arrangement is reported to run for 50 years, according to Neutron Bytes.

The U.S. Army announced in August 2026 that its Janus Program had selected five nuclear energy vendors and five initial locations for microreactor deployment, according to Neutron Bytes.

The Army is awarding up to a combined USD 2.2 billion to own, construct and operate nuclear microreactors on military installations, Neutron Bytes reported.

According to Neutron Bytes, the Army wants at least one microreactor deployed at one of the five selected sites by the end of 2028.

The Army press statement also referred to private-sector funding that would pay for up to 20 microreactors at U.S. Defense Department bases, including U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy bases, per Neutron Bytes.

Texas has installed nearly 54 GW of solar capacity and more than 29 GWh of batteries, according to pv magazine, citing records from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

The state is by far the fastest-growing solar market in the United States, pv magazine reported.

Most of that buildout is recent. More than 65% of Texas solar capacity and more than 85% of its batteries were installed since the beginning of 2023, according to pv magazine.

South Africa plans to procure 4.6 GW of battery storage and 5 GW of gas-fired power plants, according to pv magazine.

The government is preparing the procurements to address curtailment and strengthen reliable electricity supply, pv magazine reported.

Battery storage will help mitigate increasing curtailment, pv magazine said. Gas-fired plants will provide dispatchable electricity when renewable output falls or demand rises.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced 12 Phase II Genesis Mission project awards totaling USD 159 million.

Alongside the awards, the department launched the Genesis Mission Graduate Fellowship, a funding opportunity it said is designed to develop the next generation of American scientists and engineers and to strengthen U.S. scientific leadership.

Oil marketers in Nigeria have not made significant changes to petrol prices even as global crude oil prices have fallen, according to Galaxy TV.

Motorists and commuters are pressing for deeper reductions at the pump. Abdulateef Abdullahi urged marketers to cut petrol prices further to ease the hardship facing Nigerians, according to Galaxy TV.

Some movement has reached forecourts. A.A. Rano lowered its pump price in Abuja to NGN 1,420 per litre from NGN 1,450 per litre, according to Newsverge and Galaxy TV.

Marketers point to the timing of their purchases as a constraint. Some members of IPMAN had bought products only a few weeks earlier and would need to manage the resulting losses while staying in business, according to Newsverge and Galaxy TV.

Pressure is building ahead of Australia's federal Safeguard Mechanism review to remove the electricity sector's long-standing exemption, according to Kalkine Media.

AGL Energy's Loy Yang A brown coal station in Victoria has been named among facilities that could face individual emissions baselines, Kalkine Media reported.

In a separate dispute, Energy Secretary Chris Wright ordered Craig Unit 1 in northwestern Colorado to keep burning coal despite its scheduled closure at the end of 2025, according to Capital & Main.

ExxonMobil will begin maintenance on a near-shore section of an offshore pipeline near Crane on Guyana's West Coast Demerara on October 14, according to Investing.com.

The work is scheduled to continue until approximately December 1, Investing.com reported.

ExxonMobil plans to complete the repairs before the startup of Guyana's Gas-to-Energy project to prevent future operational disruptions, according to Investing.com.

US stocks finished lower on Wednesday in broad-based weakness, according to the Newsquawk US Market Wrap. The Russell 2000 and equal-weight S&P 500 underperformed the major indices.

Treasuries recovered from earlier weakness to finish mixed to firmer, with the curve bull steepening as the front end led the rally while the long end was little changed.

Crude oil settled lower after choppy trade, as participants weighed conflicting US and Iran developments alongside supply updates, according to Newsquawk.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has filed to join the federal relicensing proceeding for the Crownpoint Uranium Project, sited near Crownpoint and Church Rock, BizPac Review reported.

The intervention puts three conditions in front of developer NuFuels before the site can start production: protection of groundwater, financial coverage for cleanup, and compliance with state and tribal rules, according to BizPac Review.

In its filing, the state wants NuFuels to prove that groundwater can be brought back to usable condition once mining ends, to show it holds enough money to pay for cleanup later, and to meet state water-quality standards.

The Navajo Nation has also come out against the project, according to the Navajo Times.

Mexico's federal government aims to invest more than MXN 1.168 trillion in energy-related projects through 2030, according to Mexico Business News.

Generation projects take the largest share of the plan. They represent MXN 794 billion, more than 67.9% of the MXN 1.16 trillion total allocation, according to Mexico Business News.

The plan sets a target to raise state utility CFE's share of national power generation from 54% to at least 60%, Mexico Business News reported.

Under the energy transition targets, the government seeks to lift renewable power generation from 24% to at least 38% of the national mix, according to Mexico Business News.

Hiring a very large crude carrier to move U.S. oil to Asia cost USD 77 million on Oct. 7, according to data from the Baltic Exchange in London. That compares with an average of USD 9.2 million in 2025.

The price of chartering supertankers has surged to a fresh high, adding costs across the petroleum supply chain.

For a 2 million-barrel cargo, the freight price implies about USD 38.50 a barrel in additional delivery costs.

The Iran war has disrupted the tanker market, changing how oil leaves the Middle East and lengthening transit times.

U.S. commercial crude oil stocks excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by 3.2 million barrels to 424.1 million barrels in the week ended Oct. 2, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency said inventories ran about 1% above the five-year average for the time of year.

The drop ran counter to market expectations. Analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected crude stocks to rise by 1.7 million barrels.

The EIA reported that crude inventories fell unexpectedly in the week, with product stocks mixed as refineries increased their capacity use.

US investment firm Heeney Capital is reportedly considering a deal to produce coal in Venezuela, weeks after signing a gold project agreement.

Mercuria and Heeney now hold operational and export rights to the El Choco mine in Bolivar state for 30 years.

The US government acquired a 35 percent stake in North American Blue Energy Partners and the right to buy 20 percent of its production at cost.

HIVE Digital Technologies has started construction on an additional 100 MW at its Yguazú campus in Paraguay, according to TokenPost.

The project would raise the company's renewable power capacity in Paraguay to 400 MW, TokenPost reported. The expansion will draw hydroelectric power from the Itaipú Dam.

Construction is targeted for completion during calendar 2026, according to TokenPost.

Denmark's parliament approved an electricity-grid emergency plan on October 1, 2026, with the measure due to take effect on October 12, according to the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities.

The plan ends the first-come, first-served principle for grid access. In its place, Energinet and grid companies gain greater scope to prioritize who receives access to limited capacity in the electricity grid, the Ministry said.

Connection requests will be divided into four categories under the agreement, with Category 1 holding the highest priority.

Hydro One Networks Inc. submitted its 2028-2032 Joint Rate Application to the Ontario Energy Board, setting out a proposed investment plan for its transmission and distribution systems.

The approximately $37 billion five-year plan, if approved, would address Ontario's growing electricity demand and strengthen the reliability and security of the electricity system, according to Hydro One.

The application covers Hydro One's transmission and distribution networks over the 2028 to 2032 period.

Companies, trade bodies and environmental groups will stage a protest in Berlin this Friday, opposing federal plans to reshape how renewable energy expands in Germany.

The demonstration was organized by the German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE), which gave it the slogan "Renewable Energy - Expand Rather Than Restrict".

At issue is the government's planned overhaul of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and its revisions to power-grid expansion.

BEE argues that the proposed rules could make further build-out and investment in new facilities harder to achieve.

Households that heat mainly with oil will see spending rise 21% this winter, the largest increase among heating fuels, according to the EIA's Winter Fuels Outlook released Tuesday.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) attributed the jump to low stocks of diesel and heating oil, which are keeping prices high.

Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA, told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the average household using heating oil could spend about USD 2,625 this winter. That figure represents an increase of roughly USD 875 over last winter, according to Wolfe.

Hurricane Isaias forced the shut-in of 25.08% of Gulf of Mexico crude oil production and 16.37% of natural gas output, according to mexicobusiness.news.

The Marine Minerals Administration reported that Gulf of Mexico producers had shut in 62.89% of current oil production and 57.35% of current natural gas production.

Eugene voters will decide this November whether to impose a new climate fee on some large retailers, according to KLCC and OPB.

Covered companies would pay 2% of the gross retail profits they make in Eugene before factoring in overhead. Aya Cockram estimated that the initiative would collect upwards of USD 15 million a year.

Opponents warn the initiative would lead to higher prices on everyday purchases. The measure goes before voters this November.

Crude oil tanker shipping costs rose 40% in a single week, according to Argus Media. The surge pushed rates to just over 43 times their January level, a 4,233% increase, according to Energy Central.

Poten estimated that the elevated rates added USD 33 per barrel in shipping costs, equal to 27% of the delivered cost of the crude being shipped.

Allianz Trade set out its economic scenarios running to 2028, flagging three tensions that surfaced in Q2 2026 and sharpened in early September: a Middle East energy shock, bond selling that moved across the US, Japan and Europe, and fresh skepticism toward the AI boom.

The energy shock, according to Allianz Trade, traces to the Middle East.

On the bond side, selling pressure started in the US, carried into Japan and then reached Europe, pushing central banks and governments into inconsistent policy moves, the firm said.

The third tension turns on the AI boom. Allianz Trade cited talk of chip and electricity shortages, worries over a speculative bubble, and weak returns from spending on advanced models.

More than 20% of global oil supply and a comparable share of LNG were left exposed to disruption by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, according to McKinsey's Global Energy & Materials team, whose findings were discussed at an event hosted by Jefferies.

About 55% of the roughly 21 million barrels per day that once passed through Hormuz was rerouted through bypass pipelines, extra production and inventory draws, McKinsey said. Reduced consumption covered about 6.8 million barrels per day of the gap.

McKinsey mapped six responses capable of offsetting 35% to 70% of pre-crisis Hormuz flows by 2030. These range from electrification and coal replacement to alternative oil and gas supply, rerouted trade, larger inventories and demand management.

Jefferies said energy security is turning into a lasting consideration for investors, naming bypass pipelines, LNG and storage among the areas likely to draw spending.

The Dominican Republic's national electric system will run a series of tenders covering renewable energy, battery storage and firm generation by 2028, Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos announced. The minister said the tenders are aimed at safeguarding national energy security.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips will represent Guyana at a regional energy meeting in the Dominican Republic, according to Kaieteur News.

The Cookhouse Wind Farm Community Trust is pursuing a four-hectare greenfield development 7km outside Cookhouse in the Eastern Cape, according to GO! & Express. The project combines artisan training, retail and sustainable design, and aims to turn passing highway traffic into a permanent economic engine for Adelaide, Bedford, Cookhouse, and Somerset East (KwaNojoli).

In a separate development, developers of the proposed Morven Offshore Wind project launched a new round of public consultation on plans to connect the development to the National Grid near Seaham on the County Durham coast, according to the Northern Echo. The wind farm could power three million homes a year.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit authorizing the Tennessee Valley Authority to build a 300 MW small modular reactor near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, according to Liberty Unyielding.

The permit covers a commercial small modular nuclear reactor, Liberty Unyielding reported.

According to eepower, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority secured the first U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permit for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor.

Kabra Extrusiontechnik Limited said its New Energy division, GEON, has executed and commissioned a 10 MW / 20 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis, according to the company announcement carried by Event Registry.

The EPC scope covered detailed engineering and design, procurement and supply of equipment, installation, and testing and commissioning, according to Trade Brains.

The commissioned system is designed to support energy management, grid stability and the integration of renewable energy, according to Trade Brains.

Stocks slipped as Brent crude climbed to about USD 104 per barrel, according to Finimize. Pricier energy can keep inflation elevated and make central banks less willing to cut interest rates, Finimize reported.

The fixed income sell-off was primarily driven by oil prices remaining higher for longer rather than normalising around USD 70 per barrel, said Valentine Ainouz.

Government funding requirements are expected to remain structurally elevated because spending on AI and defence is treated as a matter of national sovereignty, according to Delano.

BGF has completed a multi-million-pound minority investment in Centre for Energy Equality (CEE), an organisation founded to ensure equal access to safe, affordable and sustainable energy.

According to uktechnews.info, the funding will help CEE grow its advisory services and commercialise products intended to accelerate grid innovation, reduce energy inequality and support vulnerable households.

The UK government announced on September 29, 2026, plans to establish Great British Grid, a new publicly owned body within Great British Energy, according to Foot Anstey.

The body is intended to invest in UK electricity network infrastructure, accelerate grid connections and increase competition in the delivery of network projects, according to Foot Anstey.

The government says Great British Grid will work alongside, rather than replace, existing transmission owners and network operators, according to Foot Anstey.

Start-up costs will be covered by Great British Energy's existing budget, while the long-term budget will be decided in a future spending review, according to Osborne Clarke.

Research by Modat identified 8,547 internet-facing systems in European solar parks and wind farms that should not be reachable from the internet, including exposed admin interfaces and control panels.

The researchers mapped operating wind farms and solar parks in 40 countries across the EU, EFTA and EU candidate states, and found exposed systems in 35 of them, according to Modat.

Among wind assets, the research found 605 exposed systems across 23 countries.

Community groups from Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo lined up to tell the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to turn down Eskom's proposed electricity tariff increase and expand free power for low-income households, according to Scrolla.africa.

Under the Eskom plan, directly supplied customers would face an average 8.83% rise from 1 April 2027, Scrolla.africa reported. Municipalities would pay 8.84% more from 1 July 2027.

The groups said the 50 kWh monthly Free Basic Electricity allocation falls short and is difficult for qualifying households to access, pressing for a larger amount aimed more precisely at households in energy poverty. Zodwa Rannyadi of Soweto Cultural Senior Citizens put the figure at 350 kWh per household as a floor, saying 50 kWh leaves unemployed people short.

The higher tariffs, the groups said, could worsen energy poverty and squeeze households already paying more for food, transport and housing.

The Brent crude oil spot price averaged $114 per barrel in September, according to the EIA. The benchmark reached a high of $131 per barrel on September 15, which the EIA attributed to buyers scrambling to secure near-term supplies after the loss of Saudi exports.

Americans drove almost 2.7% more miles in August 2026 than in the same month in 2019, according to Federal Highway Administration data.

Uganda's Capital Markets Authority has approved the distribution of Dangote refinery's initial public offering in Uganda while restricting its marketing to high-net-worth individuals and professional investors, according to Pulse Uganda.

The approval allows the offering to reach the country's wealthiest and professional investor base rather than retail buyers.

Separately, Instrumentation and Control Engineer Markfred Akachukwu said two years working at Dangote Petroleum and Petrochemicals Refinery's Captive Power Plant shaped his approach to engineering, according to Tuko.

A committee appointed by the Meghalaya High Court has called for a detailed inquiry and accountability over a shortage of 13.02 lakh tonnes of inventoried coal, according to Northeast Today and The Economic Times.

The committee calculated the shortfall at 1,302,456.184 tonnes, the difference between 3,256,715 tonnes originally inventoried and 1,954,258.816 tonnes verified during physical checks by Deputy Commissioners. The panel said there is no dispute over the figure.

The committee, headed by Justice (Retd) BP Katakey, said the Meghalaya state government has not completed legal action on the disappearance of a substantial quantity of seized illegally mined coal from depots.

Bangladesh drilled 32 wells in seven months since the BNP-led government took office, adding nearly 148 million cubic feet per day of gas to the national grid, according to Bangladesh Post.

The country will hold its first overseas roadshow in Singapore to promote an offshore licensing round offering 26 sea blocks to international oil companies, according to The Financial Express.

South African motorists could face a petrol price increase of as much as ZAR4.60 per litre in November, according to preliminary data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) reported by Tuko, a figure that would surpass any single monthly increase recorded this year.

The projection follows a ZAR3.33-per-litre increase for 95 petrol that took effect on 7 October, lifting the September Gauteng price, according to Stocks24.

Tuko reported that global oil prices above USD 100 per barrel and a weakening rand are driving the projected surge.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) warned that the risk of secondary inflation effects is growing as elevated oil prices persist and El Niño adds uncertainty to the outlook.

Resonia Ltd. has acquired a 100% stake in Balsane Power Transmission Limited for an intra-state transmission project in Maharashtra.

The project spans approximately 210 km across the Dhule and Nashik districts. It will strengthen power transfer within the state and support integration of additional generation capacity into Maharashtra's transmission network.

The Balsane project adds 3 GW of power evacuation capacity and strengthens the transmission backbone between Dhule and Malegaon.

Telangana's peak power demand reached a record 19,892 MW, the highest level recorded in the state, according to EQ Magazine. The peak was logged on September 30.

Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the state maintained uninterrupted power supply despite the sharp rise in demand.

Transocean added approximately USD 1.1 billion to its firm offshore drilling backlog through an Equinor agreement and a new Norske Shell contract offshore Norway, according to World Oil.

Final approval converted approximately USD 1 billion of the previously announced Equinor contract value into firm backlog.

The new Norske Shell contract offshore Norway is expected to contribute approximately USD 62 million to firm backlog, excluding additional services. The agreement includes an option for one additional well.

Audi has opened UK order books for the new A2 e-tron, with prices starting at GBP 32,200 OTR, according to electrive.

Deliveries of the A2 e-tron to UK customers are expected from early 2027, electrive reported.

A2 e-tron versions with 52 kWh and 61 kWh batteries are eligible for the UK government's GBP 1,500 Electric Car Grant, according to electrive.

Tesla opened 14 Semi Megacharger stalls between Atlanta and Savannah, according to Electrek. The two sites are the company's first Semi Megacharger locations in the Southeast, Electrek reported.

The station south of Atlanta holds eight stalls, while the site outside Savannah holds six, with each stall rated for up to 1.2 MW, according to Electrek.

The Savannah location is the first Tesla Megacharger at a Pilot truck stop, Electrek reported.

Together the two stations give the Tesla Semi its first public charging corridor outside California, according to Electrek.

Geely confirmed it will enter Canada, with its first cars arriving in 2027, according to Electrek. The Chinese automaker's mainstream brand has started setting up Canadian operations and recruiting a dealer network ahead of vehicle sales in 2027.

Geely has not disclosed which models it will sell in the country, Electrek reported.

Law firm Quinn Emanuel's March memo laid out worst-case scenarios for the data-center debt financing the AI buildout, according to Semafor Net Zero. The memo circulated in recent days, addressing the hundreds of billions of dollars borrowed and spent to fund the buildout.

The firm flagged structural gaps in a Google-backed project in upstate New York. Google's backstop does not begin until construction is complete, and the deal documents contemplate a disagreement over whether it has been triggered at all. A six-month construction delay would let the tenant, AI company Fluidstack, walk away, Quinn Emanuel said.

The memo applied a similar legal dissection to Meta's USD 28 billion Louisiana complex, CoreWeave's GPU-backed loans and Oracle's off-balance-sheet lease obligations, according to Semafor Net Zero.

Quinn Emanuel described depreciating GPUs setting off insolvency cascades, with collateral disputes and margin calls following.

Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands modeled a 200 MW electrolyzer in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond industrial cluster and calculated levelized hydrogen costs of about EUR 7.2/kg to EUR 7.3/kg under power purchase agreement (PPA) and hybrid power configurations, versus EUR 7.7/kg with wholesale electricity, according to pv magazine.

The study compared wholesale electricity purchases, green PPAs, and a hybrid setup combining dedicated renewable generation with PPA-backed supply, pv magazine reported. All three configurations remained financially unviable without additional support.

The researchers found that long-term revenue guarantees are essential for the financial viability of large-scale green hydrogen projects, according to pv magazine.

Monte Carlo simulations indicated that a hydrogen contract for difference covering 100% of production over 15 years could improve project bankability by stabilizing revenues and reducing financing costs, pv magazine reported.

Pakistan's registered net-metering capacity is concentrated among higher-income customers in the best-served utility areas, according to a new study reported by pv magazine.

The country had 6.1 GW of net-metering capacity across 378,339 consumers by June 30, 2025, pv magazine reported.

In the better-served utility areas, the researchers said solar adoption is driven primarily by electricity prices rather than outages.

The pattern reverses where the grid is least reliable. In those parts of the country, unregistered off-grid and behind-the-meter systems dominate, the study found.

Fraunhofer ISE evaluated high-temperature heat pumps able to supply process steam at up to 160 C and pressurized hot water, according to pv magazine.

The technologies reached their target operating conditions in real-world settings when components, hydraulic integration, controls and operating strategies were properly designed and sized, pv magazine reported.

Since 2023, the Reallabor GroßWP project has gathered operating data from five large-scale heat pumps installed in German district heating networks, according to pv magazine.

Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele set a 30-day price cut on petrol sold through government-owned pump stations and said the measure does not amount to a subsidy, according to Semafor Net Zero.

That denial drew criticism from President Bola Tinubu's top challengers, and analysts widely rejected the claim that the discount is not a subsidy, Semafor Net Zero reported.

The earlier removal of Nigeria's fuel subsidy pushed petrol prices up sharply, with the strain deepened by the Iran war cutting energy supplies, according to Semafor Net Zero.

Epic Systems has drilled roughly 6,100 wells in Verona, Wisconsin, that heat and cool about 40 campus buildings using waste heat from a 3.5 MW data center, according to The Conversation Energy.

The wells run 300 to 800 feet deep. What sets the system apart, The Conversation Energy reported, is that Epic deposits data center heat into the ground during summer and draws it back out months later.

The underground rock itself holds the heat, retaining warmth near where it was deposited because rock conducts heat poorly, according to The Conversation Energy. That weak conductivity keeps the stored warmth close to its original location.

The recovered heat warms offices, supplies hot water to the campus dining halls and melts snow off sidewalks, The Conversation Energy reported.

Solar irradiance ran around 10% to 20% above average across the southern US states and much of Mexico during August and September, according to pv magazine analysis using the Solcast API.

A historically quiet Atlantic hurricane season and persistent high pressure brought sunnier-than-average conditions to Mexico and the southern United States over the two months, pv magazine reported.

The prolonged dry weather created conditions for solar-panel soiling losses to build across the region, according to pv magazine.

Tropical Storm Isaias formed in the Bay of Campeche and was forecast to become the Atlantic season's first hurricane before reaching the central US Gulf Coast, pv magazine said.

China's export tax rebate for battery products is set to fall from 9% to 6% before being eliminated in January 2027, EUPD Research analyst Ali Arfa told ESS News. Arfa expects the change to push manufacturers to bring forward shipments, including significant volumes destined for Europe.

Arfa said China's dominance of the global battery supply chain is unlikely to change significantly over the next two years, according to ESS News.

The pull-forward in shipments could split the European storage market by segment, according to Arfa. Excess inventories and discounting could weigh on residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) system prices. Utility-scale projects remain comparatively insulated because systems are generally manufactured and shipped against confirmed orders.

Volkswagen is recalling 22,524 ID.4 vehicles in the US over a potential battery risk, according to electrive.

The carmaker said certain high-voltage batteries may experience thermal runaway when specific charging profiles are combined with a state of charge above 80%, which in the worst case could lead to a vehicle fire.

Until a final repair is available, Volkswagen recommends that owners charge the affected vehicles to a maximum of 80% only.

Volkswagen estimates that about 0.1% of the recalled vehicles are actually affected by the defect.

Researchers at the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) in Spain developed an optical configuration to reduce Boltzmann losses in organic solar cells and raise their power conversion efficiency, according to pv magazine.

The approach uses an optical cavity that restricts photon emission to a narrower angular range, bringing it closer to the range of incoming sunlight, pv magazine reported. The team tested it with an inverted organic solar cell based on a PM6 blend, placing the device in a cavity that suppresses photon emission at high angles while maintaining absorption of incoming sunlight.

According to pv magazine, the conventional Shockley-Queisser theoretical efficiency limit is 33.16%, based on the model's intrinsic loss mechanisms. By narrowing the emission cone to more closely match the angular range of incoming sunlight, efficiencies could in principle approach 43%.

A study by Chalmers University of Technology examines reconfigurable EV battery packs that can selectively bypass weaker cells, according to electrive.

The study says the potential is particularly significant for electric trucks and long-range electric cars with many cells connected in series.

The technology is not available in production vehicles, electrive reported, but it has been tested in research and industrial prototypes.

Topsides and jackets for two offshore substations serving Germany's 927 MW Gennaker offshore wind farm have left the Netherlands for installation in the Baltic Sea, according to Offshore Engineer OEDigital. The shipment forms part of the OST-6-1 offshore grid connection project.

The two substations, OSS Zingst and OSS Darß, each have a capacity of about 450 MW, OEDigital reported. They will help connect Skyborn Renewables' Gennaker wind farm to the onshore grid operated by transmission system operator 50Hertz.

The structures sailed from separate ports. The topside and jacket for OSS Zingst departed from Schiedam, while the corresponding structures for OSS Darß left Vlissingen, according to OEDigital.

With both substations transported from their construction yards, the OST-6-1 project is moving into its offshore installation and commissioning phase, OEDigital reported.

E.ON Drive Infrastructure is acquiring the former BP Pulse fast-charging network in the Netherlands and will run it under the Essent brand, according to electrive.

The acquired network comprises 79 locations with 370 charging points, electrive reported.

Under the arrangement, E.ON Drive Infrastructure remains the owner of the charging infrastructure and will handle investment, installation, operation and maintenance, according to electrive. Essent, as the customer-facing brand, takes responsibility for marketing and communications.

The deal also includes 45 secured development sites for new fast-charging hubs, which are to be built step by step in the coming years, electrive reported.

France and Germany have reached a deal that would cut the EU automotive emissions-reduction target to 80% from the current 90%, Clean Energy Wire reported this week, according to Electrek.

The agreement would also weaken the EU's interim automotive emissions targets, Electrek reported, citing Clean Energy Wire. The deal would lower the headline figure to 80% from 90%.

The two countries will present their proposals to the EU on October 15. France had previously opposed Germany's push to loosen car rules, while Germany had opposed France's "Buy European" demands, according to Electrek. The two have now agreed to back each other's proposals.

Valeura Energy has begun offshore work to install a central processing platform at its Wassana oil field redevelopment in the Gulf of Thailand, Offshore Engineer OEDigital reported.

Crews have loaded the platform and its supporting jacket onto vessels bound for the Wassana field, which sits within Block G10/48. Valeura runs the block as operator and holds a 100% interest in it.

First oil from the platform is targeted for around the start of Q2 2027, roughly two months ahead of the original schedule, according to Offshore Engineer OEDigital.

Once running, the platform is expected to hit a production plateau near 7,500 barrels of oil per day, per the same report.

Bangladesh has approved a 442 MW grid-connected solar power plant with battery storage, according to ESS News, as the country moves to ease persistent electricity shortages and raise renewable generation.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will develop the project at a total cost of BDT 25 billion, ESS News reported, making it the country's largest solar power plant.

The facility will sit next to the 1.32 GW coal-fired Rampal Power Station in Bagerhat district, southwestern Bangladesh, according to ESS News.

The plant will include eight hours of battery storage, twice the duration set out in the initial plan, Junior Planning Minister Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki said. The longer duration allows a larger volume of solar electricity to be stored for use outside daylight hours.

Azane Fuel Solutions has received approval from Norway's Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) to test bunker up to 73 tonnes of ammonia aboard the Viking Energy platform supply vessel, according to Offshore Engineer OEDigital. The clearance covers the vessel's conversion to ammonia propulsion.

The operation is scheduled for October or November 2026 at Stord, Norway, as part of commissioning the ammonia fuel systems installed under the Apollo project, Offshore Engineer OEDigital reported.

Ammonia will be transferred to the vessel from up to three tank trailers. The transfer lets project partners test the bunkering arrangements and onboard safety systems before Viking Energy enters ammonia-fueled offshore service.

The levelized cost of electricity for four-hour battery storage has fallen below that of open-cycle gas turbines in all 43 global markets that Wood Mackenzie modeled, according to ESS News.

Wood Mackenzie analyst Ahmed Jameel Abdullah said gas turbine shortages and fuel-price volatility are driving up peaking costs, while expanding battery manufacturing continues to push storage costs down.

North America stands out as an exception in long-term cost trajectories, shaped by domestic trade policies, supply-chain protections and electricity demand pressures, according to ESS News.

Louisiana's offshore wind industry has fixed on a single date: January 21, 2029, the first day after President Donald Trump is scheduled to leave office, according to Grist.

Trump's policies have brought offshore wind development to a near standstill across the country, Grist reported, with his administration paying developers roughly USD 4 billion to walk away from projects.

Developers have relinquished 12 offshore wind leases in exchange for federal payouts, Madelyn Smith said, according to Grist. Those relinquished plans include a 2 GW wind farm in the Gulf of Mexico south of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Industry leaders in Louisiana say they are trying to preserve their expertise and supply chain, with the aim of reviving offshore wind projects under the next administration, according to Grist.

Devon Energy Corporation has agreed to sell its Eagle Ford assets in Texas to Crescent Energy Company for USD 4.2 billion in cash.

Crescent Energy valued the deal at an estimated net purchase price of approximately USD 3.85 billion, according to the company's announcement.

The acquired assets include approximately 68 Mboe/d of net production and more than 600 Tier 1 net locations normalized to 10,000 feet, Crescent Energy said.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026 or early 2027, subject to customary closing conditions, according to Crescent Energy.

JetBio plans to deploy new technology for commercial-scale renewable diesel production from ethanol at its USD 2 billion biofuels plant in São Paulo state, Brazil, according to The AgriBiz.

The technology was developed by Honeywell UOP and licensed to JetBio, and will let the same facility produce either renewable diesel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), according to The AgriBiz. The AgriBiz reported the capability could create a major new source of demand for Brazil's expanding ethanol industry.

Construction of the plant is expected to begin in 2027, with production scheduled to start in 2030, according to The AgriBiz.

An investigating judge at Germany's Federal Court of Justice has ordered enforcement of the arrest warrant against the suspected perpetrator of a series of sabotage attacks on the country's power grid, according to marketscreener.com.

Authorities are investigating the case on suspicion of attempted and completed anti-constitutional sabotage, along with attempted and completed disruption of public utilities, marketscreener.com reported.

The suspect was already in pretrial detention, so enforcement of the warrant did not fundamentally change his detention status.

He appeared before the Federal Court of Justice because the Federal Prosecutor General's Office, Germany's highest prosecuting authority, had taken over the investigation into the incidents.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and energy transition experts have called for workers and host communities to have greater involvement in developing and implementing Nigeria's energy transition policies, according to The Gazelle News.

The push centers on including both groups in the formulation and implementation stages of the policies.

One of the earliest uses of the term "energy transition" appears in US President Jimmy Carter's Address to the Nation on Energy, according to JD Supra.

A surge in electricity and gas prices has pushed the New Zealand government to treat hydrocarbon exploration as an increasingly important part of its energy response, according to themarketonline.com.au.

One measure is a NZD 200 million Gas Security Fund, which the government has turned to as part of its answer to the country's energy challenges, according to themarketonline.com.au.

The government is also providing NZD 14.5 million for Schlumberger to build the first basin-scale offshore pseudo 3D dataset using seismic technology, with free access for industry for two years to encourage exploration, according to themarketonline.com.au.

A proposed LNG import facility, estimated to cost around NZD 1 billion, would be located in the Taranaki region if it proceeds, according to themarketonline.com.au.

The Linux Foundation has launched OpenGrid, an initiative to build open-source infrastructure for power grid planning across regions, HPCwire reported.

OpenGrid does not replace existing software. It sits between tools, offering a shared data and interoperability layer so commercial and open-source grid-planning applications can exchange information and run alongside each other.

The first tool under the project, the OpenGrid Translator, is in development and slated for release in 2027, according to HPCwire. It is designed to carry data and models between widely used commercial platforms and open-source tools.

Breakthrough Energy GRIDS, Global Grid Catalyst, Connected Grid Initiative and Google.org are backing the launch.

A modeled single Western electricity market would produce the lowest annual total system cost at USD 17.44 billion, because one operator could dispatch the region's lowest-cost energy resources without internal market boundaries.

Compared with the best-managed two-market outcome, which carries low friction and costs USD 18.62 billion, a single market would deliver an additional USD 1.19 billion, or 6.8%, in annual savings.

Within a two-market Western footprint, shifting from high-friction to low-friction seams management would reduce annual system costs from USD 19.46 billion to USD 18.62 billion, a cut of USD 839.1 million, or 4.5%.

Sudden stratospheric warmings raise the chance of electricity demand reaching at least 20% above average in northern and central Europe by 1.5 to 3 times, according to a study led by the University of Exeter.

The research found that a breakdown of normal polar winds in winter increases the likelihood of extreme cold and a resulting surge in energy demand across Europe.

The effect varied by country. Scandinavian countries, which are largely well adapted to extreme cold, saw a smaller increase in energy use when temperatures fell, while France, with its highly electrified energy system, experienced a much steeper rise in demand, according to the study.