Carbon & Power Markets News

Jul 11 - EU countries seek to keep Russian gas exit plans secret, document shows
European Union governments want Brussels to keep secret how they plan to phase out using Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027, an internal EU document seen by Reuters showed. The European Commission last month proposed legislation to phase out EU imports of Russian oil and gas - part of which would require countries to produce national plans setting out measures and timelines for how they will do this.

Jul 11 - LNG Canada's start-up yet to lift gas prices amid supply glut
Last month's start-up of LNG Canada, the country's first large-scale liquefied natural gas export facility, has failed to lift Western Canadian natural gas prices as quickly as some market participants and observers expected, due to a persistent supply glut and the gradual pace of the facility's ramp-up. Shell-led LNG Canada shipped its first cargo of 70,000 metric tons from the country's Pacific coast on June 30, to South Korea. 

Jul 10 - Trump sets 50% US tariffs on Brazilian imports starting in August
- U.S. President Donald Trump launched his global tariff assault into overdrive on Wednesday, announcing a 50% duty on goods from Brazil, to start on August 1.
- The announcement came hours after he also informed Brazil that its "reciprocal" tariff on August 1 would rise to 50% from 10%, a shockingly high level for a country with a balanced U.S. trade relationship.
- Trump's Brazil tariff order came in a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that vented anger over what he called the "Witch Hunt" trial of Lula's right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, and adding to an increasingly bitter public feud with Lula. Trump also criticized what he said were Brazil's attacks on free elections, Americans' free speech and "SECRET and UNLAWFUL Censorship Orders to U.S. Social Media platforms." 

- He ordered the U.S. Trade Representative's office to launch a new "Section 301" unfair trade practices investigation that could add even more tariffs, citing "Brazil's continued attacks on the Digital Trade Activities of American companies." Lula responded to Trump's letter by issuing a statement saying that any unilateral measure to increase tariffs would be met with a response in accordance with Brazilian law.

- Brad Setser, a former U.S. trade official now with the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump's action could easily spiral into a damaging trade war between the two democracies.
"This shows the danger of having tariffs that are under the unilateral control of one man," Setser said. "It's tied to the fact that Lula beat Trump's friend Bolsonaro in the election." Brazil is the 15th largest U.S. trading partner, with total two-way trade of $92 billion in 2024, and a rare $7.4 billion U.S. trade surplus, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
- Top U.S. exports to Brazil are commercial aircraft, petroleum products and crude oil, coal and semiconductors while Brazil's top exports to the U.S. are crude oil, coffee, semi-finished steel and pig iron. The South American country has held off on implementing a digital services tax but has sought to advance legislation with stronger competition regulations on digital platforms.

- Trump earlier on his Truth Social media platform issued August 1 tariff notices to seven minor trading partners that exported only $15 billion in goods to the U.S. last year: a 20% tariff on goods from the Philippines, 30% on goods from Sri Lanka, Algeria, Iraq, and Libya, and 25% on Brunei and Moldova.

Jul 10 - Oil giant Saudi Aramco in talks with Commonwealth LNG for offtake agreement, sources say
Oil giant Saudi Aramco is in talks with Commonwealth LNG to buy liquefied natural gas from the U.S. company's proposed facility in Cameron, Louisiana, as it seeks to strengthen its position in the market for the superchilled fuel, four people told Reuters on Wednesday. The talks are for 2 million tons per annum (mtpa), two of the people said.

Jul 10 - Fossil fuels show staying power as EU clean energy output dips: Maguire
Utilities across the European Union cranked output from natural gas and coal-fired power plants during the opening half of 2025, boosting power sector emissions and reversing recent energy transition momentum. The upswing in fossil production follows two years of steep declines in fossil use within the EU, which established Europe as a global leader in efforts to curb reliance on polluting fuels in power production.

Jul 09 - US power use to reach record highs in 2025 and 2026, EIA says
U.S. power consumption will hit record highs in 2025 and 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its short-term energy outlook on Tuesday. The EIA projected power demand will rise to 4,189 billion kilowatt hours in 2025 and 4,278 billion kWh in 2026, up from a record 4,097 billion kWh in 2024.

Jul 09 - US issues expedited permit for proposed Tennessee coal mine
The Trump administration said it permitted a proposed coal mine in Claiborne County, Tennessee on Tuesday under an expedited process aimed at accelerating federal environmental reviews of energy projects. The mine will produce up to 1.8 million tons of coal over the next decade, the Department of the Interior said. 

Jul 08 - Trump executive order seeks end to wind and solar energy subsidies
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday directed federal agencies to strengthen provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that repeal or modify tax credits for solar and wind energy projects. In an executive order, Trump said the renewable energy resources were unreliable, expensive, displaced more dependable energy sources, were dependent on foreign-controlled supply chains and were harmful to the natural environment and electric grid.

Jul 08 - US proposes rules that could boost oil, gas output in US West
The U.S. Interior Department on Monday proposed rule changes to allow energy companies to more easily combine oil and gas output from multiple leases using the same well pad, which could save the industry as much as $1.8 billion per year, it said. The proposed rule change, which would mostly affect onshore oil and gas drilling in the U.S. West, would ease limits on so-called commingling, which the department said would make operations more efficient.

Jul 07 - Saudi Aramco considers power assets sale to raise billions, sources say
Saudi oil giant Aramco is looking to sell up to five gas-fired power plants, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, part of a broader effort to free up funds that could generate tens of billions of dollars. The potential sale of four or five gas-fired plants that power refineries could alone raise around $4 billion as the Saudi government pushes Aramco to increase profits and payouts to the state, two of the sources said.

Jul 07 - Israel attacks Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and power plant
Israel has attacked Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and a power plant, the Israeli military said early on Monday, marking the first Israeli attack on Yemen in almost a month. The strikes on Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif ports, and Ras Qantib power plant were due to repeated Houthi attacks on Israel, the military added.

Jul 04 - REUTERS TECHNICAL ANALYSIS Q3 OUTLOOK 2025 - WANG TAO

In the third quarter,  Brent and U.S. crude may fall to $71.33 and $55.30 respectively. Palm oil, corn, soybeans, wheat and coffee are set to test key supports, while gold may revisit $3,120. Aluminium and cocoa may face resistance, with copper targeting $10,219. The dollar index could drop to 95. To read the full report, click here

Jul 04 - Clean-energy backers blast US budget bill as a setback
Advocates of clean energy on Thursday decried the final passage of President Donald Trump's tax cut bill by the House of Representatives as a reversal of course on the energy transition, while fossil-fuel interests rejoiced. Trump's fellow Republicans in the House passed the bill 218-214 and it now heads to the president's desk. Trump is expected to sign it on Friday.

Jul 04 - EDF to spend estimated $7 billion on extending life of nuclear plants
French utility EDF expects to spend 6 billion euros on extending the life of 20 of its nuclear reactors, it said on Thursday, after getting the go-ahead from the country's nuclear regulator. The ASN said that state-owned EDF could proceed with upgrading safety standards at its 1300MW reactors so they could operate beyond their original 40-year lifespan.

Jul 03 - Exxon, QatarEnergy JV asks US regulators for permission to re-export LNG from October 1
Golden Pass LNG, which is owned by Exxon Mobil and QatarEnergy, has asked U.S. regulators for permission to re-export liquefied natural gas from October 1, as the export plant nears production after previous delays. The company said it wants to re-export a cargo of LNG that it plans to import to cool down its export plant in Texas, which is still under construction. Cooling down the plant is often the final step before producing LNG. 

Jul 03 - Saudi Arabia, Indonesia sign several deals worth around $27 billion, state news agency says
Saudi Arabia and Indonesia signed several deals and memorandums of understanding worth around $27 billion between private sector institutions in fields including clean energy and petrochemicals, Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited the Gulf kingdom on Wednesday and met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Jul 02 - Despite last-minute changes, US Senate bill deals big blow to renewable energy
The U.S. Senate's massive budget bill that passed on Tuesday will make it harder to develop wind and solar energy projects, despite the removal of some contentious provisions, industry advocates and lawmakers said. The Senate dropped a proposed excise tax on solar and wind energy projects that don't meet strict standards after last-minute negotiations with key Republican senators seeking better terms for renewables. 

Jul 02 - India renewable power output grows at fastest pace in three years
India's renewable power output rose at its fastest pace since 2022 in the first half of 2025, a Reuters analysis of government data showed. Renewable power output jumped 24.4% to 134.43 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) for January–June 2025, according to a Reuters analysis of daily load despatch data from the federal grid regulator.

Jul 01 - Republican senators seek to change Senate bill clean energy tax, improve tax credits
Republican Senator Joni Ernst has introduced an amendment to the U.S. Senate's tax and spending megabill that would change two of the most contentious parts of that bill and could give a small boost to wind and solar projects that had been targeted in the draft being debated on the Senate floor. The amendment introduced by Ernst, and supported by fellow Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, would remove the proposed new tax on wind and solar projects that start after 2027 and make the credits available based on projects' construction start date instead of when they enter service. 

Jul 01 - Europe drives LNG import growth as Asia stumbles on higher price: Russell
Global imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) ticked higher in the first half of 2025 as stronger European demand pulled cargoes away from Asia. Total imports of the super-chilled fuel were 208.62 million metric tons in the first six months of this year, up 1.7% from the 205.11 million for the same period in 2024, according to data compiled by commodity analysts Kpler.

Jun 30 - Senate bill hastens end of wind, solar tax credits and imposes new tax
The latest version of the Senate's massive budget bill that the Senate is racing through for a vote as soon as Saturday deals a fatal blow to the use of tax credits in place since 2005 to spur more wind and solar energy and would set a new tax on those projects for the first time, renewable energy proponents said on Saturday. Despite hopes earlier in the week that the Senate would rework the budget megabill's language about the future use of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits to extend their use and make them more usable, the new version of the bill introduced by Senate leadership overnight will effectively repeal the incentives for solar and wind immediately.

Jun 30 - Australia considers gas reservation for east coast in sweeping review of market rules
The Australian government said on Monday it will consider creating a gas reservation on the country's east coast as part of a sweeping review of market rules to prevent supply shortages. The competition regulator has warned of looming shortfalls for the country's populous east coast, with the latest forecast pointing to a gap by 2028 without new investment. Most reserves are located in the remote northwest.

Jun 27 - Texas firm aims to build world's largest data energy complex with nuclear, gas, solar
Fermi America, a Texas company co-founded by former U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, aims to build the largest energy and data complex of its kind powered by nuclear, natural gas and solar, it said on Thursday. Perry, who also served as Texas governor, said that China is building 22 nuclear reactors while the U.S. is building none. "We’re behind - and it's all hands on deck. We need to be doing everything in our power to win this race, because this is the race that really matters." 

Jun 27 - Meta signs deals to source more solar, wind power for data centers
Renewable energy developer Invenergy and social media giant Meta Platforms have signed four deals to supply 791 megawatts (MW) more of solar and wind power to operate data centers, the companies said on Thursday. Last year, Meta had signed four contracts with the Chicago-based Invenergy for 760 MW of solar electricity. Invenergy said Thursday's deals bring the companies' total partnership to 1,800 MW.

Jun 26 - Global energy CO2 emissions reached record high last year, report says
Global carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector hit a record high for the fourth year running last year as fossil fuel use kept rising even as renewable energy reached a record high, the Energy Institute's annual statistical review of world energy showed. 

Jun 26 - China, India shift to higher-grade coal, cut Indonesian imports
Top thermal coal importers China and India are slashing Indonesian shipments of the power-generating fuel in favour of energy-dense grades from elsewhere as a global fall in prices has made higher-quality coal more competitive. Coal purchases by China and India from Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter, are dropping faster than their overall thermal coal imports, as both nations shift toward higher-calorific value coal that yields more energy per ton, industry officials say.

Jun 25 - EU agrees to loosen gas storage rules
The European Union's member states have reached an agreement with the EU Parliament to loosen the EU's rules on filling gas storage, following concerns that earlier rules on this risked inflating energy prices. The agreement was announced by the European Commission on Tuesday. The EU's gas storage rules were introduced in 2022 to ensure EU countries had a buffer of stored fuel during winter, after Russia cut gas deliveries following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sending Europe's gas prices soaring. 

Jun 25 - Electricity prices soar as US regional grids wobble from extreme heat
U.S. regional electric grid operators scrambled to avoid rotating blackouts on Tuesday, preserving razor-thin power generation margins as temperatures in the eastern half of the country soared past 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Jammed and overheated transmission lines caused congestion and lifted wholesale electricity prices in New York, the largest city in the United States, to nearly $2,400 per megawatt hour during peak evening demand. Wholesale prices in Long Island topped $7,000 per MWh.

Jun 24 - LNG freight rates hit 8-mth top on tight tanker availability, Mideast conflict
Shipping costs for liquefied natural gas cargoes have rallied to their highest in about eight months with vessel availability tightened by a shift in more ships heading to Asia at the same time as conflict has escalated in the Middle East. The Atlantic freight rate for vessels with two-stroke engines capable of carrying 174,000 cubic meters of LNG, the most common type in the market, was assessed at $51,750 per day on Monday, its highest level since October 3, according to pricing agency Spark Commodities. 

Jun 24 - Alberta blew past gas flaring ceiling in 2024 as province eliminates limit
Energy producers in Alberta, Canada's top oil-producing province, blew past the province's self-imposed limit on annual natural gas flaring in 2024 for a second year in a row, Reuters calculations show. Late last week, Alberta's energy regulator said it was ending the limit on flaring. Reuters is the first to report the change, which the regulator quietly published in a bulletin on its website.

Jun 23 - LNG Canada produces first liquefied natural gas for export
The Shell-led LNG Canada facility has produced its first liquefied natural gas for export in Kitimat, British Columbia, a spokesperson for the project confirmed on Sunday. The milestone comes in advance of the facility loading its first LNG export cargo, which LNG Canada said it remains on track to do by the middle of this year. 

Jun 23 - Iran tensions make thermal coal a winner against pricier LNG: Russell
Thermal coal may end up as a major beneficiary of escalating hostilities in the Middle East, as the fuel used to generate electricity becomes cheaper than one of its main competitors liquefied natural gas. Much of the focus of the potential fallout from the conflict between Israel, and now the United States, and Iran is the threat to crude oil and refined fuels shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

Jun 20 - Japan returns to long-term LNG deals on AI boom, national energy plan
Japan is back in the spotlight for liquefied natural gas producers as the boom in artificial intelligence, rising costs for cleaner energy and a new national energy plan drive appetite for long-term LNG deals. While imports by China, the world's biggest LNG importer, are expected to fall this year, buyers in number two Japan are securing long-term supply deals again, including a potential landmark deal with Qatar.  

Jun 20 - Mozambique energy minister optimistic on TotalEnergies' plan to resume LNG project
Mozambique's energy minister said on Friday the government has not received a request from TotalEnergies to lift a force majeure declaration on its $20-billion liquefied natural gas project there, but he is optimistic about the oil major's plan to resume its development this summer. The force majeure will be lifted as soon as the project's operator determines conditions are in place to resume operations, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Estevao Pale told reporters in Tokyo.

Jun 19 - Clean energy has fans in Trump's America, complicating budget talks
Trump had campaigned on a promise to repeal the clean energy tax credits in the IRA, arguing they are expensive, unnecessary and harmful to business. However, the potential loss in jobs and investment that ending those incentives could cause has some Republican lawmakers from red states Utah, Alaska, North Carolina and Kansas at odds over the rollbacks, a dynamic complicating final negotiations over the bill.

Jun 19 - India's $89 billion clean industry pipeline struggles to attract financing, report says
India's clean industrial projects pipeline worth $89 billion is facing financing bottlenecks as only one project has reached a final investment decision in the past six months, a report by a clean industry alliance showed. The South Asian nation has 41 clean industry projects spanning green ammonia, hydrogen production and sustainable aviation fuels, yet faces challenges in converting announcements into operational facilities, the report by Mission Possible Partnership and Industrial Transition Accelerator said.

Jun 18 - Senate bill would raise value of tax credit to use captured CO2 to produce more oil
A U.S. Senate panel proposed making the tax credit for capturing carbon emissions for recovering oil equal to the $85/metric ton tax credit for permanently burying those emissions underground, a boon for oil and gas producers. The finance committee proposed the change to the so-called 45Q tax credit, which was part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, in its draft bill that forms a central part of the sprawling Republican budget package. 

Jun 18 - Pakistan's solar surge lifts it into rarefied 25% club: Maguire
Pakistan is rapidly emerging as a key leader in solar power deployment, and not just within emerging economies. The South Asian country has boosted solar electricity generation by over three times the global average so far this year, fuelled by a more than fivefold rise in solar capacity imports since 2022, according to data from Ember. That combination of rapidly rising capacity and generation has propelled solar power from Pakistan's fifth-largest electricity source in 2023 to its largest in 2025.

Jun 17 - EU readies ban on Russian gas imports by end of 2027
The European Commission is set to propose on Tuesday a ban on EU imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas by the end of 2027, using legal measures to ensure the plan cannot be blocked by EU members Hungary and Slovakia. The proposals will set out how the European Union plans to fix into law its vow to end decades-old energy relations with Europe's former top gas supplier Russia, made after Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Jun 17 - Israel-Iran war already takes toll on oil and gas sector: Bousso
Critical energy infrastructure in Israel and Iran has not escaped unscathed from the first few days of the countries' escalated conflict. Worst-case scenarios have yet to be realized, but the war is already having a notable impact on energy production and exports in both countries. Benchmark Brent crude oil prices jumped 7% to over $74 a barrel on Friday after Israel launched an unprecedented wave of airstrikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to fire hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel.

Jun 16 - ADNOC leads $18.7 billion proposal to buy Australia's Santos in LNG push
Australia's second-largest gas producer Santos said it intended to support an all-cash $18.7 billion takeover bid from an international consortium led by ADNOC, which wants to grow a global gas business. ADNOC, through its investment arm XRG, with Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company and private equity firm Carlyle has offered $5.76 per Santos share, which was a 28% premium to the Australian company's close on Friday.

Jun 16 - Iran says production at world's largest gas field partly suspended after Israeli attack
Iran has partially suspended gas production at the world's biggest gas field after an Israeli strike caused a fire there on Saturday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, in what would be the first Israeli strike on Iran's oil and gas sector. Iran shares the South Pars gas field with Qatar. Striking it would mark a major escalation in the conflict, which had already pushed oil prices up 9% on Friday even though Israel spared Iran's oil and gas on the first day of its attacks.

Jun 13 - Egypt agrees to buy up to 160 LNG cargoes through 2026, sources say
Egypt has reached agreements with several energy firms and trading houses to buy 150 to 160 cargoes of liquefied natural gas, as it ramps up purchases to meet power demands despite strained government finances, industry sources said. The world's most populous Arab country has endured rolling blackouts over the past two years as natural gas supply fell short of demand.

Jun 13 - NextDecade signs $9 billion contracts with Bechtel for construction of LNG sites
U.S. liquefied natural gas producer NextDecade said on Thursday that its units have finalized contracts with Bechtel Energy to construct train 4 and train 5 at its Rio Grande LNG facility, with a combined value of about $9 billion. Under engineering, procurement, and construction contracts, NextDecade agreed to pay Bechtel about $4.77 billion under a renewed agreement for the fourth liquefaction train.

Jun 12 - World Bank to end ban on nuclear energy projects, still debating upstream gas
The World Bank's board has agreed to end a longstanding ban on funding nuclear energy projects in developing countries as part of a broader push to meet rising electricity needs, the bank's president Ajay Banga said on Wednesday. Banga outlined the bank's revised energy strategy in an email to staff after what he called a constructive discussion with the board on Tuesday. 

Jun 12 - EU countries consider softening methane emissions law on gas imports
European Union countries may demand that Brussels simplify the EU's methane emissions law, which has stoked concerns from companies that it could hamper imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, according to a document seen by Reuters. From this year, the EU requires importers of oil and gas to monitor and report the methane emissions associated with these imports.

Jun 11 - US natgas output and demand to hit record highs in 2025, EIA says
U.S. natural gas output and demand will both rise to record highs in 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook on Tuesday. EIA projected dry gas production will rise from 103.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2024 to 105.9 bcfd in 2025 and 106.4 bcfd in 2026. That compares with a record 103.6 bcfd in 2023. 

Jun 11 - US EIA slashes ethane export outlook for 2025, 2026 amid curbs on exports to China
U.S. ethane exports will fall by 24% in 2025, while production of the shale gas will decline by 4%, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Tuesday, after Washington requested U.S. exporters seek licenses to ship ethane to top buyer China. Around half of all U.S. ethane exports head to China, and the license requirement has already impacted exports and raised questions about extracting ethane from natural gas versus leaving it in the stream.

Jun 11 - China coal imports could drop by up to 100 mln tons in 2025, industry group says
China's coal imports could drop by up to 100 million metric tons in 2025, an official at a major industry group said, potentially putting global benchmark prices - already at multi-year lows - under more pressure. Imports by the world's largest consumer, importer and producer of the fossil fuel rose to a record high of 542.7 million metric tons in 2024, as lower international coal prices spurred buyers to substitute imports for domestic supply.

Jun 10 - Losses, pricing reform in focus as Shanghai hosts world's largest solar conference
As the world's biggest solar energy conference kicks off in Shanghai on Tuesday, the mood is likely to be subdued as Chinese solar panel producers grapple with oversupply and price reforms. Most of the world's solar farms are powered by cells and modules made in China, but the country's top producers are facing billions of dollars in losses as breakneck competition has pushed prices below cost level. 
 
Jun 10 - India's solar boom keeps coal use in check so far in 2025: Maguire
Surging electricity output from solar farms has led to a rare decline in fossil fuel power production in India so far in 2025, and is setting the stage for a potential drop in annual coal-fired power output in the world's second-largest coal consumer. A record 32.4% jump in solar generation during January to April from the year before has helped utilities to lift overall electricity supplies while keeping coal-fired generation flat and cutting natural gas-fired output by 27%, Ember data shows.

Jun 09 - China's May coal imports fall 18%, hit by cheap domestic coal, renewables
China, the world's largest coal buyer, cut imports of the fuel by 18% year-on-year in May, customs data showed, as low-priced domestic coal chipped away at overseas purchases and renewables cut into coal-fired power generation. Imports for the month were 36.04 million metric tons, down from 43.82 million tons in May 2024, according to the General Administration of Customs. 

Jun 09 - The path to cheap power will be very expensive: Bousso
Europe's ambition to develop cheap, clean energy has recently received a harsh reality check, as power failures and a string of cancelled renewables projects made it clear that the road to inexpensive power will carry a very high price tag. European investments in renewable energy have risen sharply over the past decade as governments have begun implementing policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – an effort that sped up after Russia's invasion of Ukraine created an energy price shock.

Jun 06 - Britain's Centrica agrees $27 billion deal to import gas from Norway
British Gas owner Centrica has signed a 10-year deal worth more than 20 billion pounds ($27.07 billion) with Norway's Equinor to secure gas supplies starting in 2025, both companies said on Thursday. Britain aims to reduce its reliance on gas to help meet climate targets, but around 70% of its homes are still heated using the fossil fuel while gas-fired power plants account for around a quarter of the country's electricity supply. 

Jun 06 - China and India lead modest revival in Asia thermal coal imports: Russell
There are some tentative early signs that weak thermal coal prices are starting to boost import demand among Asia's heavyweight buyers China and India. Asia's seaborne imports of the fuel used mainly to generate electricity rose to a five-month high of 74.12 million metric tons in May, according to data compiled by commodity analysts Kpler.

Jun 05 - Global energy investment set to hit record $3.3 trillion in 2025, IEA says
A surge in clean energy spending is expected to drive a record $3.3 trillion (2.89 trillion euros) in global energy investment in 2025, despite economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday. Clean energy technologies, including renewables, nuclear, and energy storage, are set to attract $2.2 trillion in investment, twice the amount expected for fossil fuels, the IEA said in its annual World Energy Investment report. 

Jun 05 - Energy Transfer says US government requiring licenses to export ethane to China
Energy Transfer said on Wednesday it received a letter from the U.S. government requiring a license to export ethane to China, adding that the U.S. export terminal operator will file for an emergency authorization to continue exporting. The move, which comes amid a broader trade fight between the U.S. and China including over Beijing's curbs on rare earths exports, adds pressure to U.S. ethane exports.

Jun 04 - Britain needs record offshore wind auction to meet targets, says Siemens Energy
Britain’s next renewable energy auction must secure a record amount of new offshore wind capacity if the country is to meet its 2030 clean power targets, Darren Davidson, vice president of turbine maker Siemens Energy UK&I, told Reuters. The country has put offshore wind at the heart of its plans to decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030. It aims to boost capacity to 43-50 gigawatts (GW) by the end of the decade, from around 15 GW at present, although a government report in November said it would be a challenge to reach that goal. 

Jun 04 - Glenfarne's Alaska LNG project sees $115 billion interest from over 50 firms
Energy developer Glenfarne said on Tuesday that 50 firms had formally expressed interest in contracts worth more than $115 billion of its Alaska LNG project, a massive infrastructure deal championed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The ambitious proposal to transport gas from Alaska's far north across the vast state to the Gulf of Alaska via a 800-mile pipeline has been talked about for decades.

Jun 03 - US LNG output declines in May from April's record
U.S. liquefied natural gas output fell in May due to plant outages and maintenance at the country's largest export facility, preliminary LSEG ship tracking data show. The U.S. is the world's largest LNG exporter and monthly changes in production can impact global LNG prices.  

Jun 03 - Britain facing race to avoid $1 billion in EU carbon tax costs
Britain will struggle to link its carbon market to the EU's in just seven months, to avoid UK companies facing the bloc's carbon border tariff and annual bills around 800 million pounds ($1.08 billion) from next year, market experts have said. Billed as part of a "reset" in relations after Britain's 2016 exit from the European Union, the two sides announced last month they will link their carbon emissions trading systems. As the issue is they havent given a timeframe, but need to do it by the end of the year to avoid the border tax.

Jun 02 - Russia to provide state support for ailing coal industry
The Russian government said on Friday it had agreed to support the struggling coal industry, including by deferring tax payments, as well as by limiting dividends and bonuses to top management. Russian coal producers face a number of challenges, including international sanctions over Ukraine.  

Jun 02 - US axes 24 clean energy projects, including at Exxon's Baytown
The U.S. has axed awards to 24 green energy projects issued during President Joe Biden's administration that totaled more than $3.7 billion, including one at an Exxon refinery complex in Texas, the Energy Department said on Friday. The administration of President Donald Trump has said it is evaluating publicly funded awards and loans issued to emerging technology projects during Biden's administration. It's occurring as the Trump administration pursues the maximization of already record-high oil and gas output while dismantling swaths of Biden's policies on climate and clean energy.

May 30 - Freeport LNG export plant in Texas on track to return to full power, LSEG data shows
U.S. liquefied natural gas company Freeport LNG's export plant in Texas was on track to take in more natural gas on Thursday after a small reduction on Wednesday, a sign the plant was heading back to full power, according to gas flow data from financial firm LSEG. Officials at Freeport LNG had no comment. 

May 30 - Vopak in talks with partners for Australia LNG import project
Vopak has started talks with gas suppliers and offtakers for its liquefied natural gas import terminal project in Victoria, Australia, and expects to take a final investment decision in 2026-2027, a senior executive told Reuters. The global energy storage operator announced last week it was confident in advancing the project in Australia's biggest gas-consuming state after laws were passed to ease supply shortfalls.

May 29 - Facing sinking coal demand, China asks power plants to just buy more, sources say
China is pressing its coal-fired power plants to stockpile more of the fuel and import less in an effort to shore up domestic prices, sources with knowledge of the matter said, but traders are sceptical the measures will help to stop the slide. The coal industry in China faces rising stockpiles of the fuel after a massive expansion of output following shortages and blackouts in 2021 is churning out more coal than even the world's largest thermal power fleet can consume.  

May 29 - Natural gas flows to Freeport LNG export plant in Texas drop Wednesday, sources say
Natural gas flows to a Freeport liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant in Texas declined on Wednesday, likely leading to a reduction in LNG output, two sources said. Freeport is the third largest LNG export facility in the U.S. and has helped the country remain the world's largest exporter of the superchilled gas.

May 28 - Ukraine hopes to import gas via Transbalkan pipeline at lower transit fee
Ukraine's energy regulator has approved a gas import mechanism that will avoid high transit fees when supplying gas through the Transbalkan pipeline from Greece to Ukraine, the Ukrainian energy ministry said on Tuesday. Ukraine has faced a serious gas shortage since a series of devastating Russian missile strikes this year, which significantly reduced domestic gas production. 

May 28 - EU countries agree to exempt most firms from carbon border tariff
European Union countries backed plans on Tuesday to scale back the bloc's carbon border levy to cover just 10% of the companies currently covered by the scheme, on the grounds that these firms account for nearly all of the emissions involved. Their approval makes it highly likely that the EU will exempt most of the 200,000 importers that had been due to face the world's first carbon border tariff, starting next year.

May 27 - Japan poised to sweeten offshore wind rules as players get cold feet
Japan is likely to sweeten terms for developers to build a massive offshore wind farm sector, industry insiders say, as it looks to put its energy ambitions back on track against a worldwide slump of projects hit by soaring costs and delays. The government aims to have 45 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2040, which is essential to cutting the country's dependence on imported coal and gas for power generation, reducing its carbon emissions and bolstering national security. 

May 27 - Soft China dampens Asia LNG demand while Europe's imports ease: Russell
Asia's imports of liquefied natural gas stagnated in May while Europe's continued to ease as demand in both of the world's top-importing regions entered the seasonal slump between winter and summer peaks. Imports of the super-chilled fuel to Asia are on track to reach 22.53 million metric tons in May, up from 21.89 million in April, according to data compiled by commodity analysts Kpler.

May 26 - US EPA drafting plan to erase greenhouse gas limits on coal and gas-fired power plants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed on Saturday that it was drafting a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gases from coal and gas-fired power plants in the United States and would be published after interagency review. "Many have voiced concerns that the last administration's replacement for that rule is similarly overreaching and an attempt to shut down affordable and reliable electricity generation in the United States, raising prices for American families, and increasing the country's reliance on foreign forms of energy," a spokesperson for the agency said. "As part of this reconsideration, EPA is developing a proposed rule."

May 26 - Egypt in talks to buy 40-60 LNG cargoes amid energy crunch, sources say
Egypt is in talks with energy firms and trading houses to buy 40-60 cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) amid a worsening energy crunch ahead of peak summer demand, three sources aware of the matter told Reuters. The country faces spending up to $3 billion at current prices to secure the LNG, squeezing government coffers already under strain to keep the lights on amid falling gas production and a cost of living crisis.

May 23 - Trump renews trade threats, taking aim at European Union, Apple

•     Trump threatens 25% tariff on non-US made iPhones
•     Markets react negatively, S&P 500 down 0.9% at open
•     Apple plans to shift manufacturing to India by 2026
•     Apple's planned US investments do not include iPhone production

- U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to ratchet up his trade war once again, pushing for a 50% tariff on European Union goods starting June 1 and warning Apple , opens new tab he may slap a 25% levy on all iPhones bought by U.S. consumers.
The twin threats, delivered via social media, roiled global markets after weeks of de-escalation had provided some reprieve. The S&P 500 fell 1% in early trading, the Nasdaq fell 1.2%, and European shares fell 1.5%.

- Trump's broadside against the EU was prompted by the White House's belief that negotiations with the bloc are not progressing fast enough. But his saber-rattling also marked a return to Washington's stop-and-start trade war that has shaken markets, businesses and consumers and raised fears of a global economic downturn.

- The president's attack on Apple, meanwhile, is his latest attempt to pressure a specific company to move production to the United States, following automakers, pharmaceutical companies and chipmakers. However, the United States does not produce any smartphones - even as U.S. consumers buy more than 60 million phones annually - and moving production would likely increase the cost of iPhones by hundreds of dollars."All the optimism over trade deals wiped out in minutes – seconds, even," said Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at City Index and FOREX.com, in a note.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Friday that the 50% EU threat will hopefully "light a fire under the EU," adding that other countries have been negotiating with Washington in good faith.

"The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.

"Our discussions with them are going nowhere!"- The European Commission on Friday declined to comment on the new threat, saying it would wait for a phone call between EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic and his U.S. counterpart Jamieson Greer scheduled for Friday. Envoys from the 27 EU countries are also due to meet on trade in Brussels later in the day.Speaking to reporters in The Hague, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he agreed with the EU's strategy in trade talks with the United States, and said the EU would likely to see this latest announcement as part of the negotiations."We have seen before that tariffs can go up and down in talks with the US," he said.The White House paused most of the punishing tariffs Trump announced in early April against nearly every country in the world after investors furiously sold off U.S. assets including government bonds and the U.S. dollar. He left in place a 10% baseline tax on most imports, and later reduced his massive 145% tax on Chinese goods to 30%."My base case is that they are able to reach an agreement, but I am most nervous about negotiations with European Union," said Nathan Sheets, global chief economist at Citigroup in New York.

- A 50% levy on EU imports could raise consumer prices on everything from German cars to Italian olive oil.EU's total exports to the United States last year totaled about 500 billion euros ($566 billion), led by Germany (161 billion euros), Ireland (72 billion euros) and Italy (65 billion euros). Pharmaceuticals, cars and auto parts, chemicals and aircraft were among the largest exports, according to EU data.The White House has been in trade negotiations with numerous countries, but progress has been unsteady. Finance leaders from the Group of Seven industrialized democracies tried to downplay disputes over the tariffs earlier in the week at a forum in the Canadian Rocky Mountains."The EU is one of Trump's least favorite regions, and he does not seem to have good relations with its leaders, which increases the chance of a prolonged trade war between the two," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB.Shares in Germany carmakers and luxury companies, some of the most exposed to tariffs, fell on the threats.Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson told Reuters on Friday that customers would have to pay a large part of tariff-related cost increases, and that it could become impossible to import the company's smallest cars to the United States.- But he remained hopeful that Europe and the United States will soon come to an agreement."It could not be in the interest of Europe or the U.S. to shut down trade between them," Samuelsson said.Apple declined to comment on

- Trump's threat, which would reverse exclusions he granted on smartphones and other electronics imported largely from China, in a break for Big Tech firms that sell consumer goods. Shares fell 2.5% in Friday trading."I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else," Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday, referring to the Apple CEO, without additional details.

- Any effort to impose a tariff on Apple alone would likely face legal hurdles, according to experts."There's no clear legal authority that permits company specific tariffs, but the Trump administration may try to shoehorn it under its emergency power authorities," said Sally Stewart Liang, a partner at Akin Gump in Washington. Company-specific tariffs would require long investigations, such as those on anti-dumping, Liang said.Apple is speeding up plans to make most iPhones sold in the United States at factories in India by the end of 2026 to navigate potentially higher tariffs in China.But the odds on moving production to the U.S. are slimmer. In February, Apple said it will spend $500 billion over four years in nine American states, but that investment was not intended to bring iPhone manufacturing to the U.S."It is hard to imagine that Apple can be fully compliant with this request from the president in the next 3-5 years," D.A. Davidson & Co analyst Gil Luria said.

May 23 - House budget bill effectively halts US clean energy boom
The House budget bill that narrowly passed in an early morning vote on Thursday would effectively put the brakes on a clean energy production boom in the United States spurred by subsidies enacted in 2022. Republican lawmakers' "one big beautiful bill" to carry out President Donald Trump's plan to cut taxes and boost spending on the military and border enforcement would end Biden-era tax credits for clean energy projects years sooner than planned in an earlier draft, rendering them unusable for most companies.

May 23 - Venture Global on track to become top US LNG company if CP2 project approved
Venture Global is poised to become the largest U.S. liquefied natural gas company by next year if it proceeds with its CP2 project in Louisiana and continues overproduction at its existing plants, according to LSEG data and company statements. Only a startup three years ago, Venture Global currently has a combined capacity to produce 38.5 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG from its two operational plants in Louisiana, LSEG data show.

May 22 - WGC-Despite challenges, major LNG producers push new projects to feed global power demand
Producers are pushing ahead with liquefied natural gas projects, banking on urbanisation and the technology sector to drive global power demand and outweigh such challenges as potential oversupply, rising project costs, and tariff uncertainty. LNG is widely seen as a transition fuel on the path to net-zero emissions. Governments worldwide are also prioritising energy security after Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused a surge in gas prices to record highs.

May 22 - Austrian gas hub records higher trading volumes despite end of Russian flows
Austria's central gas hub has registered increased trading volumes on its platform this year, overcoming fallout from the halt to Russian gas flows through Ukraine, Chief Executive Gottfried Steiner said. The virtual Central European Gas Hub (CEGH), built around the Baumgarten distribution and storage point for Russian gas, has even boosted its intraregional role since a halt to Russian supplies and has been handling more gas via Germany and Italy.

May 21 - WGC-Sinopec sees China gas demand peaking near 620 bcm between 2035 and 2040
China's natural gas demand is expected to peak at about 620 billion cubic metres (bcm) between 2035 and 2040, Ma Yongsheng, chairman of state oil and gas major Sinopec Corp, said on Wednesday. Speaking at the World Gas Conference, Ma said the Asia-Pacific region had become the core engine of global gas demand growth.  

May 21 - US lifts ban on New York offshore wind project after natgas pipe compromise
The Trump administration has lifted a month-old stop-work order on Empire Wind, a $5 billion wind farm project off the coast of New York, in a compromise with the state that could also see cancelled plans for a gas pipeline revived, officials said on Tuesday. Norway's Equinor said construction work can now resume on the project, which is expected to provide power for half a million homes from 2027 onwards.

May 20 - US Department of Energy to begin issuing orders for pending LNG export permits
The U.S. Department of Energy will begin approving or rejecting pending applications for permits to export liquefied natural gas to countries with no free trade agreements with the U.S., the agency said on Monday, after releasing a final study on the impact of further exports. In 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration paused such approvals until the outcome of the study to determine if increasing LNG exports could harm the environment or raise gas prices because of rising demand from LNG plants. 

May 20 - British benchmark carbon price rises on EU link talks
Britain and the European Union will work towards linking their respective carbon markets as part of a wider reset in relations, they said on Monday, leading to a 6% rise in British carbon prices. Both the EU and UK charge power plants and other industrial entities for each metric ton of carbon dioxide they emit as part of wider efforts to cut emissions and reach climate targets.

May 19 - US LNG exporters push forward new projects despite trade war uncertainty
Woodside Energy's decision last month to proceed with its Louisiana LNG export facility was the first of over 90 million tonnes of new LNG shipping capacity U.S. companies plan to approve this year despite uncertainty about President Donald Trump's trade war, according to company statements and analysts. The U.S., already the world's largest exporter of the superchilled gas with 91.3 million tonnes of annual capacity, should triple that before 2030 thanks to projects awaiting final investment decisions. Those come on top of 95.7 mtpa under construction, according to an April note to clients from Poten and Partners. 

May 19 - First LNG ship bunkering hub in US Gulf Coast secures permits to start work
A joint venture project developing the first marine fuel facility for liquefied natural gas in the U.S. Gulf Coast has secured final permits and construction is expected to begin later this year, executives involved said on Monday. The global shipping industry has been looking for fuel solutions to cut carbon emissions, with LNG seen as a cleaner alternative.

May 16 - Trump administration to audit billions in energy grants awarded under Biden
The Trump administration said on Thursday it will audit some $15 billion in grants to power grid and manufacturing supply chain projects awarded during the Biden administration. President Donald Trump has championed domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal while halting construction of an offshore wind farm and taking steps to ease regulations on fossil fuels.  

May 16 - Weak EU gas prices, Chinese demand to encourage storage refill, Uniper executive says
Current low European gas prices, supported by weak Chinese demand, will encourage the refilling of EU gas storage sites this summer, a senior executive at German utility Uniper told Reuters. EU inventories were left two-thirds empty by the end of the winter season and the continent is estimated to need around 30 billion cubic metres (bcm) more gas than last year to meet storage targets.

May 15 - TenneT in talks with funds to sell up to $13 billion stake in German unit, sources say
State-owned Dutch power grid operator TenneT has kicked off talks with investors about the sale of a minority stake in its German division, four people familiar with the matter said, in what could become one of Europe's largest deals in 2025. TenneT Germany has a regulated asset base (RAB), a key valuation gauge for energy grids, of 27.8 billion euros ($31 billion) as of 2024, which is set to grow by 25% each year through 2029, according to an investor presentation on its website. 

May 15 - Denmark is considering lifting 40-year-old nuclear power ban, minister says
Denmark is considering lifting a 40-year-old ban on nuclear power to enhance its energy security, its energy minister said, marking a significant policy shift in a country that has prioritised expanding wind and solar power. The Danish government will analyse the potential benefits of new nuclear power technologies, with a report expected to be ready next year, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard said in a public hearing in parliament on Wednesday.

May 14 - Venture Global LNG shares surge as company announces Plaquemines ramp-up
Venture Global LNG shares jumped nearly 11% on Tuesday after the company announced it expects its entire Plaquemines LNG export facility in Louisiana to be operating by year end, news that eclipsed its disappointing quarterly results. Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel told analysts on a conference call that he expects Phase 1 of the Plaquemines plant to be operating by the end of May, with the rest up by the end of the year, even as formal commissioning continues for years. 

May 14 - EU riles nuclear industry with delay to 'low-carbon' hydrogen rules
European Union draft plans to wait until 2028 to classify hydrogen produced from nuclear power as a "low carbon" fuel, risk knee-capping the market for the nascent energy source, Europe's nuclear industry has said. The European Commission is drafting EU standards for what types of hydrogen will be designated as a "low-carbon" fuel - a certification aimed at building up a market for the nascent green energy source.

May 13 - US House targets big climate, clean energy rollbacks in budget proposal
U.S. House lawmakers laid out plans on Monday to phase out clean energy tax credits, slash spending on electric vehicles and renewable energy, and claw back other climate-related funds as part of the Republicans' attempt to pass a multi-trillion-dollar budget in line with President Donald Trump's agenda. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce laid out a proposal, which will be voted on on Tuesday, that would raise $6.5 billion from the repeal of climate-related parts of the Biden administration's massive Inflation Reduction Act legislation. 

May 13 - Germany proposes grid fee overhaul to better suit renewables
Germany's network regulator on Monday started a formal process to rethink the electricity grid fee structure, aiming for a system better suited to renewable energy. Fees for using the power network already make up around 20% of consumer bills in Germany, contributing to energy prices that are among the highest in Europe, hurting the country's industry and overall economic output.

May 12 - Russia and US are in talks on Russian gas flows to Europe, Kremlin says
The issue of Russian gas shipments to Europe is being discussed at talks between Russia and the United States, state news agency TASS quoted a Kremlin official as saying on Friday, confirming an exclusive report by Reuters. Russian gas exports to Europe were slashed after the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea were blown up in 2022.  

May 12 - Democratic state attorneys general sue to block Trump's energy emergency
Fifteen state attorneys general sued U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday to try to block his national energy emergency, which the states said is an unlawful effort to disregard regulations and fast-track permitting for oil and gas development. The Democratic state attorneys general, including those from California, Washington and New York, said using emergency powers to bypass normal permitting processes for hundreds of proposed projects will cause irreparable harm to natural and historic resources, undermining drinking water and wildlife habitat.

May 09 - US, Russia explore ways to restore Russian gas flows to Europe, sources say
With a frost covering Europe's energy relations with Russia, officials from Washington and Moscow have held discussions about the U.S. helping to revive Russian gas sales to the continent, eight sources familiar with the talks have told Reuters. Europe slashed its imports of Russian gas following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a move that saw Russian exporter Gazprom post a $7 billion loss the following year. 

May 09 - US tariffs, Europe slowdown reshape global solar panels trade
Solar panel makers in Laos and Indonesia, mostly owned by Chinese firms, boosted their share in the U.S. market after steep tariffs hit exports from other Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia and Thailand, trade data showed. The U.S. government finalised steep levies on imports of solar cells and modules from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia in April, following two rounds of tariffs in June and November last year, to prevent dumping by mostly Chinese-owned factories in these countries.

May 08 - US energy companies seek exemption from Trump plan to move LNG on US-built ships
U.S. energy groups are asking President Donald Trump's administration to exempt liquefied natural gas tankers from a new rule that will require producers to move an increasing percentage of their exports on U.S.-built vessels as part of a broader push to revive domestic shipbuilding. The U.S. is the world's No. 1 LNG exporter at $34 billion annually and the Trump administration has been a supporter of the industry in his push for energy dominance. 

May 08 - TurkStream gas pipeline could slow EU, Russia decoupling: Vladimirov
The European Commission announced a revised roadmap to fully wean itself off Russian energy by the end of 2027, but some parts of Europe are moving in the opposite direction. Russian LNG sales in the continent are actually rising, and gas supply through the TurkStream pipeline has not only survived but expanded.

May 07 - Power market can help Europe ease grid constraints, Danish trader says
Better management of renewable energy assets in short-term and balancing markets can help their integration into Europe's overall power system and help counter grid constraints, Danish trader InCommodities said. While wind and solar account for an ever-growing share of electricity generation in the European market, their intermittent production poses challenges to grid operators who need to match supply and demand at all times. 

May 07 - Thermal coal prices hit 4-year low in Asia as China imports wane: Russell
Asia's seaborne thermal coal prices have slumped to four-year lows as the region's heavyweight buyers China, India and Japan all import less of the power-station fuel. Prices for the main grades of thermal coal shipped from top exporters Indonesia and Australia have been on a sustained downtrend since October last year, and this has accelerated in recent weeks as import volumes have weakened.

May 06 - EU to set out plan for phasing out final Russian gas supplies
The European Union will outline on Tuesday how it will try to halt new Russian gas deals and phase out existing contracts with Moscow, as it seeks to end decades-old energy relations with Europe's once-top gas supplier. The EU has a non-binding aim to end its reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2027, which it set after Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

May 06 - EU power grid needs trillion-dollar upgrade to avert Spain-style blackouts
Europe's ageing power grid and lack of energy storage capacity will require trillions of dollars in investments to cope with rising green energy output, increasing electricity demand and to avoid blackouts. A week ago, Spain and Portugal lost power in their worst blackout.

May 05 - EU seeks to cut remaining Russian gas ties, but legal options limited
The European Union will on Tuesday announce a roadmap to phase out the bloc's remaining gas ties with Moscow, but in the absence of sanctions it will be difficult for buyers to exit gas contracts using legal options such as force majeure. The roadmap comes as the U.S. is pushing Russia for a peace deal with Ukraine. If reached, the deal may reopen the door for Russian energy and ease sanctions. 

May 05 - Trump budget proposes slashes to renewable energy, farms, EPA
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Friday proposed cutting billions of dollars in federal funding next year for projects including renewable energy and electric vehicle chargers, and gutting programs aimed at curbing climate change. The proposal to Congress was part of a wider request to cut $163 billion in 2026 federal spending, slashing more than a fifth of non-military spending.

May 02 - QatarEnergy in talks with Japan on long-term LNG supply deal
One of the world's biggest liquefied natural gas suppliers, QatarEnergy, is in talks with Japanese firms for a long-term deal to supply LNG from its North Field expansion project, five trading and industry sources told Reuters.  Under the deal, Qatar would supply a consortium of Japanese importers, and a volume of at least 3 million metric tons per annum of gas would be split between them, four of the sources said. 

May 02 - US equals monthly LNG export record in April
The United States in April equaled its record for the largest volume of liquefied natural gas exported as capacity increased with the ramp-up of Venture Global's Plaquemines plant, LSEG data showed. The U.S. is already the world's largest exporter of LNG and its capacity is expected to grow 20% in 2025 to 115 million tonnes after a record year in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

May 01 - US LNG exports surge to new highs on strong buying by Europe: Maguire
U.S. exports of LNG so far this year have surged by over 20% from the same period a year ago, driven mainly by purchases by European nations, which accounted for over three quarters of total U.S. orders.
Total U.S. liquefied natural gas shipments during January through April were 34.6 million metric tons, according to trade intelligence firm Kpler, which was by far the highest volume total ever for that period.

May 01 - TotalEnergies CEO seeks to reassure investors after smaller profit, higher debt
Europe's willingness to buy more liquefied natural gas from the U.S. to plug a trade gap will boost business for TotalEnergies, said CEO Patrick Pouyanne on Wednesday, after the company posted first quarter earnings down across all business segments except its LNG unit. The French oil major is the top exporter of U.S. LNG, with its portfolio set to grow this decade, most recently via a 20-year contract signed this month with NextDecade.

Apr 30 - Equinor first-quarter profit beats estimates on higher European gas prices
Equinor reported a stronger-than-expected rise in its first-quarter profit, boosted by a jump in European gas prices. The Norwegian oil and gas producer's adjusted earnings before tax for January-March increased to $8.65 billion from $7.53 billion a year earlier, beating the $8.51 billion predicted in a poll of 20 analysts compiled by Equinor.

Apr 30 - Malaysia's Petronas and Commonwealth LNG in talks for term supply, say sources
Malaysian state-owned oil and gas firm Petroliam Nasional, or Petronas, is in talks with Commonwealth LNG to buy liquefied natural gas from the U.S. company's facility in Cameron, Louisiana, according to four trading and industry sources with knowledge of the matter. Petronas is in talks to buy at least one million metric tons per annum LNG from Commonwealth LNG, said two of the four sources, who declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Apr 30 - China waives tariffs on US ethane imports, sources say
China has waived the 125% tariff on ethane imports from the United States imposed earlier this month, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday, among a group of products that have been granted exemptions. The move will ease pressure on Chinese firms that import U.S. ethane for petrochemical production as well as provide an outlet for the natural gas liquid, a byproduct of U.S. shale gas production.

Apr 29 - Woodside approves $17.5 billion US LNG project, targets 2029 start
Australia's Woodside Energy announced on Monday it has approved a $17.5 billion investment for the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Louisiana. It is the first financial go-ahead to construct a LNG plant in the U.S. since President Donald Trump returned to office declaring an energy emergency and promising to unleash U.S. energy onto the world.

Apr 29 - US LNG exporters could lose out as AI gas demand booms: Bousso
The race for AI supremacy could have an unlikely loser: U.S. liquefied natural gas exporters. While America boasts some of the world’s largest gas reserves, a sharp increase in electricity demand over the coming years, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, could heavily strain the country’s creaky power systems and infrastructure, pushing natural gas prices higher and potentially undermining the economics of LNG plants.

Apr 28 - Major offshore wind developer has stopped activities in United States
One of the world's top offshore wind developers, Germany's RWE, has stopped work on its U.S. projects for now in light of recent moves against the industry by the Trump administration, its CEO said in a text published ahead of the firm's annual meeting. The comments by Markus Krebber are a heavy blow to the nascent U.S. offshore wind market, which was a key pillar of former U.S. President Joe Biden's energy policy but which his successor Donald Trump has vowed to stop.

Apr 28 - The crafty US state that's showing how to thrive under Trump: Maguire
Louisiana has long been overshadowed by its more showy neighbour Texas, which boasts a larger economy and population and has for decades wielded greater sway among policymakers in Washington DC and on the world stage.  But the Bayou State is staging a revival that could see it emerge as the more dynamic and influential Gulf Coast hub over the coming decades, thanks to a development blueprint that could be described as being all things to all people.

Apr 25 - US plans Alaska LNG summit, will urge Japan, South Korea to support project
U.S. President Donald Trump's energy security council plans to host a summit in Alaska in early June, when it hopes Japan and South Korea will announce commitments to the Alaska LNG project, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Trump has touted the $44 billion Alaska liquefied natural gas project, which would deliver gas from the state's North Slope fields via an 800-mile (1,300 km) pipeline for domestic use and send it to customers in Asia as LNG, bypassing the Panama Canal.

Apr 25 - EU to present roadmap in May to phase out all imports of Russian fossil fuels
The European Commission will in the next two weeks present a roadmap on how it intends to phase out all imports of Russian fossil fuels, its President Ursula von der Leyen said at an energy event in London on Thursday. The European Commission has pledged to quit Russian fossil fuels by 2027 in response to Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Apr 24 - Europe's power costs plunge as gas-led heating season ends: Maguire
Europe's households and businesses are starting to get a reprieve from high energy bills as regional power costs fall sharply from their 2025 peaks. Wholesale spot power prices across most of continental Europe have more than halved since hitting two-year highs in early 2025, thanks to a sharp retreat in regional natural gas costs which are down by a third since January.

Apr 24 - Japan LNG buyers on edge over Australia policy shifts as election looms
Gas importers in Japan are watching nervously as Australia heads to the polls on May 3 in a closely contested election, worried that whatever the outcome, their long-time supplier of liquefied natural gas could become less reliable and more costly. Energy has emerged as a major campaign issue in Australia, the world's second largest LNG exporter and Japan's top supplier, facing a gas supply crunch in its east coast market and struggling with rising electricity prices.

Apr 23 - Woodside weighs Trump tariff impact on $1.2 billion Louisiana LNG project
Woodside Energy, Australia’s top gas producer, said on Wednesday it was assessing the impact of U.S. tariffs and other trade measures on its Louisiana liquefied natural gas plant project as it inches towards a final go-ahead. Woodside News Story the project, formerly called Driftwood, from Tellurian for $1.2 billion last year to position itself as a “global LNG powerhouse”. The first of four development phases is expected to cost $16 billion.

Apr 23 - EU looking at options to forbid new Russian gas contracts, source says
The European Commission is assessing whether it could legislate to forbid firms in the European Union from signing new contracts for Russian fossil fuels, a senior EU official said on Tuesday. It is also working on legal options to allow EU companies to break existing gas supply contracts with Russia without facing penalties, the senior official added.

Apr 22 - Europe can ride LNG wave to build strategic gas reserves: Bousso
European governments may have a rare window of opportunity to build up strategic gas stockpiles in the coming years to help manage supply shocks that could become more common if geopolitical tensions keep rising. Europe has long been dependent on energy imports, particularly natural gas. North Sea production, primarily in Norway, is the main regional source but accounts for only around a third of consumption.

Apr 22 - China sets new clean electricity milestones during Q1 2025: Maguire
China's power system has notched up several new clean energy generation records during the January to March quarter of 2025, cementing the country's position as the global leader in clean electricity production. Total clean electricity generation in China during the first quarter of the year was just over 951 terawatt hours, according to data from energy think tank Ember.

Apr 21 - EU explores tweaking methane rules for US gas to help trade talks, sources say
The European Union is looking at ways to make it easier for U.S. gas exports to comply with its methane emissions rules, as the bloc attempts to avert a trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The European Commission is working on its offer for trade negotiations with the United States, to attempt to avoid Trump's planned tariffs - with both sides signalling that energy could form part of a broader trade deal.

Apr 21 - China's ENN, Zhenhua Oil agree LNG deals with ADNOC
China's privately controlled ENN Natural Gas and state-run Zhenhua Oil have each signed a term deal to buy liquefied natural gas from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. ENN Natural Gas said on its official WeChat account on Saturday that the deal covers annual supplies of about one million metric tons for 15 years, marking ADNOC's largest LNG contract with a Chinese buyer.

Apr18 - Easter Holidays

There are lots of holidays this week and next due to Christian Easter holidays.
Some countries like Brazil are closed on both Friday 18 (Good Friday) and Monday 21 (Easter Monday). Here in France things are only closed on Monday.

Apr 17 - Vietnam adds nuclear to $136 billion plan to boost power capacity
Coal-reliant Vietnam aims to significantly ramp up its power generation capacity by 2030, focussing on renewable energy and adding nuclear power to the mix, according to the country's newly amended national power plan. To meet the targets, Vietnam would need a total investment of $136.3 billion by 2030, the government said, equivalent to more than a quarter of its 2024 gross domestic product. 

Apr 17 - US power system primed to scale new clean milestone in April: Maguire
The U.S. power system is on track to hit a new energy transition milestone in April as total clean electricity supplies approach their annual peak while overall electricity demand eases during the so-called spring shoulder season. Clean power sources generated more than half of all U.S. electricity supplies for the first time in March, accounting for 51% of all utility-scale electricity output that month, according to data from energy think tank Ember.

Apr 16 - Indonesia to propose $10 billion US energy imports increase in tariff talks
Indonesia will propose increasing its imports of crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas from the United States by around $10 billion as part of its tariff negotiations, energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia told local media on Tuesday. Indonesian officials are set to leave for Washington later on Tuesday for negotiations over proposed U.S. trade tariffs. 

Apr 16 - Europe's power firms lift emissions as clean output falls: Maguire
Europe's power sector discharged more carbon dioxide during the first quarter of 2025 than in any quarter since the start of 2023 after a drop in clean energy output forced utilities to burn more coal and natural gas for power. Power firms discharged nearly 390 million metric tons of CO2 during the January to March period, which is 23.5 million tons more than during the same months in 2024, according to data from energy think tank Ember.

Apr 15 - NextDecade strikes LNG supply deal with TotalEnergies for 1.5 million tonnes annually
U.S. liquefied natural gas producer NextDecade said on Monday it has signed a 20-year deal to supply France's TotalEnergies with 1.5 million tonnes per annum from its Rio Grande facility's planned fourth liquefaction facility, or train. NextDecade has so far contracted a total of 4.6 MTPA of LNG from Train 4 on a long-term basis, most recently with a Saudi Aramco subsidiary, and expects existing long-term commercial agreements to be sufficient to support a favourable Final Investment Decision. 

Apr 15 - Head of biggest US power grid, PJM, to step down
The CEO of the largest U.S. power grid, PJM Interconnection, has decided to leave his post at the end of the year, the organization said on Monday, amid rising electricity prices that have drawn public scrutiny. Manu Asthana, who has led the power market that spans 13 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, along with the District of Columbia, said he plans to move closer to family in Texas.

Apr 14 - Back to Russian gas? Trump-wary EU has energy security dilemma
More than three years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Europe's energy security is fragile. U.S. liquefied natural gas helped to plug the Russian supply gap in Europe during the 2022-2023 energy crisis. 

Apr 14 - EU countries back plan to soften gas storage rules before winter
European Union countries on Friday backed looser rules on filling gas storage ahead of winter, amid concerns that the bloc's current binding regime inflates gas prices. The EU's gas storage rules were introduced in 2022 to ensure EU countries had a buffer of stored fuel during winter, after Russia cut gas deliveries, sending Europe's gas prices soaring.

Apr 11 - US natgas output and demand to hit record highs in 2025, EIA says
U.S. natural gas output and demand will both rise to record highs in 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook on Thursday. EIA projected dry gas production will rise from 103.2 billion cubic feet per day in 2024 to 105.3 bcfd in 2025 and 107.1 bcfd in 2026. 

Apr 11 - EU expects to add record renewable capacity in 2025, industry sees headwinds
European Union countries are projected to install a record amount of renewable energy capacity this year, European Commission projections showed, although parts of the sector warned cuts to government support could hamper this growth. EU countries are expected to add 89 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity in 2025, including 70GW of solar and 19GW of wind, according to Commission projections shared with Reuters.

Apr 10 - Global trade war may produce headwinds for nascent AI sector, IEA says
An escalating global tariff war could provide challenges for the emerging data centre sector and cause slower growth, Laura Cozzi, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Director of Technology told Reuters. Global electricity consumption from data centres is expected to rise to around 945 terawatt hours by 2030 in the IEA's base case scenario, but the "headwind scenario" would see that drop to 670 TWh, IEA data showed. 

Apr 10 - US exits carbon talks on shipping, urges others to follow, document says
The United States has withdrawn from talks in London looking at advancing decarbonisation in the shipping sector and Washington will consider "reciprocal measures" to offset any fees charged to U.S. ships, according to a diplomatic note seen by Reuters. Delegates are at the U.N. shipping agency's headquarters this week for negotiations over decarbonisation measures aimed at enabling the global shipping industry to reach net zero by "around 2050".

Apr 09 - Trump signs executive orders to boost US coal as power demand rises
U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders on Tuesday that aim to boost coal production in his latest action that runs counter to global efforts to curb carbon emissions. Coal-burning plants generate less than 20% of U.S. electricity, a drop from 50% in 2000, according to the Energy Information Administration, as fracking and other drilling techniques have hiked production of natural gas. Growth in solar and wind power has also cut coal use. 

Apr 09 - Trump issues order to block state climate change policies
U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday that aims to block the enforcement of state laws passed to reduce the use of fossil fuels and combat climate change. The move is the latest in a string of efforts by Trump's administration to pump up domestic energy output and push back against largely Democratic-led policies to curb carbon emissions. It came just hours after Trump, a Republican, issued orders to increase coal production.

Apr 08 - Chinese LNG buyers resell US cargoes as tariffs bite
Chinese buyers of LNG are re-selling U.S.-sourced cargoes as tit-for-tat tariffs drive up import costs, and the trend is set to accelerate as new multi-year supply deals kick in this month and domestic demand weakens, traders and analysts say. Beijing, which imposed 15% tariffs on U.S. LNG imports in early February, on Friday slapped reciprocal levies on all U.S. goods beginning April 10, matching U.S. President Donald Trump's move to put 34% additional tariffs on Chinese goods. 

Apr 08 - US utilities grapple with Big Tech's massive power demands for data centers
U.S. electric utilities are fielding massive requests for new power capacity as Big Tech scours the country for viable locations for new data centers to keep up with the compute demands of AI. A Reuters survey of 13 major U.S. electric utility earnings transcripts found nearly half have received inquiries from data center companies for volumes of power that would exceed their peak demand or existing generation capacity - that's everything they supply to homes and businesses – a metric that reflects the sheer size of oncoming data center needs.

Apr 07 - Shell lowers first-quarter LNG production outlook
Shell lowered its first-quarter liquefied natural gas production outlook in a trading update before it publishes results on May 2.The British company guided for LNG output to reach between 6.4 million and 6.8 million metric tons, down from a previous forecast of 6.6 million to 7.2 million tons.

Apr 07 - EU carbon market emissions drop 5% in 2024, on track for 2030 target
Carbon dioxide emissions regulated under the European Union's emissions trading system fell by 5% in 2024, driven by cuts in the power sector, the European Commission said on Friday. Around 45% of the European Union's output of greenhouse gases is regulated by the EU ETS, which is the 27-nation bloc's flagship scheme to tackle global warming by charging for the right to emit carbon dioxide.

Apr 05 - Markets on the verge of a nervous breakdown
This week was tough for financial markets. Major indices took a nosedive after Donald Trump unveiled "reciprocal" tariffs that were much higher than anyone anticipated. The baseline is a 10% tariff, but some nations are feeling the heat far more. China is staring down the barrel of a whopping 54% in customs duties, Vietnam isn't far behind at 46%, and the European Union, by comparison, is getting off with a "slap on the wrist" at 20%. Volatility is the name of the game as risk aversion makes a dramatic comeback. Just when you thought it couldn't get any more chaotic, China decided to throw its hat into the tariff ring, announcing a 34% levy on U.S. products this Friday. The trade war isn't just a looming threat; it's here, and it's shaking up the markets with gusto.

Apr 04 - EU countries consider changing 2025 gas storage targets, sources say
Changes to future EU gas storage targets being negotiated by European Union countries could, if approved quickly enough, also soften this year's binding storage-filling requirements, EU diplomats told Reuters. EU countries are negotiating changes to future gas storage filling obligations for 2026 and 2027, including swapping their current binding target to fill storage 90% by November 1 for an aim to hit the same filling level any time between October 1 and December 1. 

Apr 04 - Coal traders could be rare winners from Trump's tariff turmoil: Maguire
Coal traders could become rare winners among businesses reeling from U.S. President Donald Trump's drastic new tariff regime that adds at least 10% to the cost of nearly all goods imported into the United States. That is because energy providers across Asia - which has been hit with some of the highest new U.S. tariffs - will be under pressure to cut power costs for their consumers, which include many of the world's largest goods producers.

Apr 03 - Global coal power capacity inches up in 2024, data shows
The world's coal-fired power fleet inched up by 18.8 gigawatts in 2024, its lowest rise in two decades, but new additions in China and India continued to offset closures elsewhere, data from U.S. think tank Global Energy Monitor showed. Despite a record surge in renewables, 44 GW of new coal power was commissioned by 12 countries last year, higher than the 25.2 GW of retirements, GEM's annual coal plant tracker report said.  

Apr 03 - TotalEnergies to acquire Canadian renewables, divest Finnish wind farm
French oil major TotalEnergies has signed agreements with RES, the world's largest independent renewables firm, to acquire nearly one gigawatt's worth of its wind and solar projects in Canada, it said on Wednesday. That includes the recently commissioned 184 megawatt Big Sky Solar project in Alberta plus over 800 MW of wind and solar farms under development in the Canadian province.

Apr 02 - US to axe Biden-era 7-year deadline on exports from new LNG projects
The U.S. is slated on Wednesday to rescind a policy issued by the administration of former President Joe Biden that requires liquefied natural gas projects to export within seven years of receiving regulatory approval. The LNG industry had pushed the administration of President Donald Trump to rescind the policy statement issued in April 2023 on Department of Energy approvals for exports to big markets in Europe and Asia because several projects require more than seven years to complete. 

Apr 02 - US natural gas prices brace for impact from tariff crossfire: Maguire
U.S. natural gas prices are already up by around 80% from a year ago, but are due for a fresh jolt from the knock-on effects of the latest round of trade tariffs imposed by the U.S. government on goods entering the country. Regardless of how and when the new tariffs kick in, the U.S. gas market stands to be impacted as exports of gas in the form of LNG look set to become a bargaining chip in any ensuing trade maneuvers.

Apr 01 - Gas giants say Australia opposition’s plan to reserve supplies could worsen shortfall
Global gas giants said an election campaign proposal by Australia's opposition coalition that would force producers to direct more export gas into the domestic market would deter investment without tackling looming shortages. Energy has emerged as a major campaign issue ahead of the May 3 general election, with the conservative Liberal-National coalition pledging to bring down power bills through a gas reservation scheme.

Apr 01 - Japan's Tokyo Gas expands in US shale gas with Chevron deal
TG Natural Resources LLC (TGNR), co-owned by Tokyo Gas and Castleton Commodities International, has bought a 70% stake in east Texas gas assets from Chevron for $525 million, the company said, as it expands its U.S. gas business. TGNR is already the fourth biggest producer in the Haynesville shale basin and the deal would allow it to reap synergies of over $170 million during the asset's development, Craig Jarchow, the company's chief executive, said in a statement.

Mar 28 - EU targeting energy laws in drive to cut red tape, sources say
The European Commission is considering changes to EU energy laws as part of its next package of proposals to cut the regulatory burden for struggling industries, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Brussels has launched a drive to remove layers of bureaucracy that European businesses say set them at a disadvantage against China and the United States, where the Trump administration is aggressively rolling back regulation. 

Mar 28 - Asia outshines Europe and US in 2025 energy transition momentum: Maguire
The year is still young, but Asia has already built up a considerable lead over several European countries and the United States in terms of energy transition progress so far in 2025. Large Asian nations including China, India, South Korea and Japan all reduced fossil fuel use and boosted clean power output by more than their international peers in early 2025, according to data from energy think tank Ember.

Mar 27 - Global renewable power capacity falls short of targets despite record growth last year, says IRENA
Global renewable energy capacity registered record growth in 2024 but progress is still falling short of the 2030 renewable capacity target, a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showed on Wednesday. About 92.5% of energy capacity added in 2024 came from renewables, at 585 gigawatts (GW), marking record annual growth of 15.1% and lifting total renewables capacity to 4,448 GW. 

Mar 27 - Biden administration wrongly nixed oil, gas leases in Alaska refuge, US judge rules
A federal judge in Alaska ruled that former President Joe Biden's administration lacked the authority to cancel oil and gas leases that had been issued for development within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason in Anchorage on Tuesday sided with a state-owned economic development public corporation in Alaska in finding that the U.S. Department of the Interior needed a court order in order to cancel its leases.

Mar 25 - EU members seek flexibility on 90% gas storage filling rule, draft shows
European Union countries are discussing a proposal that would allow them to deviate from the bloc's target to fill natural gas storage to 90% before winter, if market conditions make this prohibitively expensive, a negotiating document reviewed by Reuters showed. The European Commission this month proposed extending the EU's binding deadlines to fill gas storage for two more years, into 2026 and 2027. But the plan, which EU countries and lawmakers must approve, has run into resistance from governments concerned the rules inflate gas prices. 

Mar 25 - US power firms lift coal pollution to protect profits so far in 2025: Maguire
U.S. power producers emitted over 304 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from power generation over the first two months of 2025, which was the highest for that period since 2019, according to data from energy think tank Ember. The emissions tally marked a 9% rise from the same period last year and was the first reading above 300 million tons in six years for the opening two months of the year.

Mar 24 - Renewables and natural gas surge ahead of oil and coal: Russell
There is something positive for every type of energy in the International Energy Agency's latest global review, but the loudest cheers will be from renewables and natural gas. The world's energy demand grew at 2.2% in 2024, a pace described as "faster than average" by the IEA in its Global Energy Review, released on Monday. 

Mar 24 - Europe's gas prices may get fresh dunk from spring shoulder: Maguire
After scaling two-year highs in early February, Europe's benchmark gas prices have been on a down-slope that may now steepen as the traditionally weakest period for gas-fired power demand approaches. The early-year strength in gas prices was driven largely by winter heating demand and below-normal wind power generation that forced utilities to balance system needs with elevated gas-fired generation.

Mar 21 - Financial folly or pressure tactic? Trump eyes Ukraine's occupied nuclear plant
Donald Trump's idea of U.S. interests taking control of Ukraine's biggest nuclear power station has a catch for the man who coined the art of the deal: it would be years before there is even a hope of it making a return on investment. The vast plant occupied by Russia since the early days of its 2022 invasion is beset with problems 

Mar 21 - Trump administration to open more Alaska acres for oil, gas drilling
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Thursday announced steps to open up more acreage for oil and gas leasing and lift restrictions on building an LNG pipeline and mining road in Alaska, carrying out President Donald Trump's executive order to remove barriers to energy development in the state.

Mar 20 - Big Tech’s data center boom poses new risk to US grid operators
Data Center Alley, a 30-square-mile stretch outside Washington D.C. and home to more than 200 data centers, consumes roughly the same electricity as Boston. So power company officials were alarmed when a big chunk of those centers - 60 of them - suddenly dropped off the grid one day last summer and switched to on-site generators. 

Mar 20 - Zelenskiy says energy strike ceasefire could be established quickly
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that a halt on energy strikes in the war with Russia could be established quickly, but warned Ukraine would respond in kind if Moscow violated the terms of the limited ceasefire.

Mar 19 - Innovators prime creaky US power grid to lift higher loads: Maguire
The United States' power grid has been singled out as a glaring weakness within its power system, with aging lines and transformers deemed unable to handle the rapid further jumps to both power supply and demand expected in the coming years. China's Jan-Feb power consumption up 1.3% on the year, energy administration says  

Mar 19 - China's Jan-Feb power consumption up 1.3% on the year, energy administration says
China's power consumption ticked up by a sluggish 1.3% in the first two months of the year because of an unseasonably warm winter, although the growth rate recovered to some 9% in February, National Energy Administration data showed. February power consumption was 743.7 billion kWh while that for the two months was 1.56 trillion kWh, according to the NEA data.

Mar 18 - Alaskan officials to seek investors in Asia as Trump touts LNG
Alaska's governor and state representatives will visit Japan and three other Asian countries starting this week to court investors for a natural gas project that President Donald Trump says could pump trillions of dollars into the U.S., although Japanese energy firms remain sceptical. 

Mar 18 - Talks to revive the Nord Stream gas pipelines to relaunch Russian gas flows to Germany would be "completely the wrong direction" to go, Germany's economy and energy minister said on Monday. The Nord Stream pipelines are by far the biggest potential route for Russian gas to flow to Europe. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline supplied gas from 2011 to 2022.

Mar 17 - China power generation dips in Jan, Feb for only third time since the 1990s
Thermal power generation in China, fuelled mainly by coal, fell at the beginning of the year, down in both January and February, official data showed, one of only a handful of times it has declined during that period in more than two decades.  

Mar 17 - British steel industry calls for help with electricity prices
Britain's steel industry has called on the government to help with electricity prices that it says can be it 50% higher than those paid by European competitors. Earlier this week, the sector was hit by a 25% tariff on exports to the U.S. that make up around 9% of the value of Britain's steel exports.

Mar 14 - Qatar to provide gas to Syria via Jordan with a US nod, sources say
Qatar is set to provide Syria with gas via Jordan to improve the nation's meagre electricity supply and boost Syria's new rulers, according to three people familiar with the matter, in a move that a U.S. official said had Washington's approval. It would be the most significant tangible support for the new administration in Damascus by Qatar, one of the region's sternest opponents of the now-deposed Bashar al-Assad and strongest backers of the rebels-turned rulers who replaced him. 

Mar 14 - BP seeks to sell 50% of solar unit to strategic partner, bids due in June, document shows
BP is seeking to sell 50% of its solar unit Lightsource bp to a strategic partner for cash and a commitment of future investments, with bids due in June, the energy major said in a sales document seen by Reuters. London-listed BP is planning asset sales and partnerships as part of a broader plan to address investor concerns.

Mar 13 - LNG demand to keep US natgas use at record highs but bottlenecks threaten
U.S. natural gas use is set to continue hitting record highs due to soaring liquefied natural gas demand and power consumption from data centers, executives said at a conference this week, while also warning a lack of infrastructure could hurt the industry. The U.S. is the world's largest gas producer and is expected to produce some 105.2 billion cubic feet per day this year, according to U.S. government data. 

Mar 13 - CERAWEEK-ANALYSIS-AI to fuel bumper year for M&A in US power sector
Dealmakers expect 2025 to be a bumper year for mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. power industry, with a voracious appetite for assets as the sector gears up to meet massive demand growth from data centers for artificial intelligence. Record power demand and dizzying projections for electricity consumption for AI have made power generation and infrastructure assets, and companies which own them, attractive to energy companies, private equity and other institutional investors.

Mar 12 - CERAWEEK-ANALYSIS-Small nuclear power struggles at cusp of US electricity demand boom
Everyone from the U.S. energy secretary to Big Tech touts small modular nuclear reactors as a potential answer to booming power demand, but the technology is struggling to become commercial due to costs and regulatory hurdles. Energy-hungry data centers powering artificial intelligence are expected to spike electricity demand, including in the United States where its use has been mostly flat for two decades. 

Mar 12 - CERAWEEK-Europe seeks to avoid Russian energy if sanctions eased, ministers and execs say
 European buyers are unlikely to return to Russia's energy sector if sanctions are lifted, as the bloc has diversified its power mix with renewable energy and alternative gas suppliers, ministers and executives said at a conference in Houston. Ukraine has agreed to accept a U.S. proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire and to take steps toward restoring durable peace after Russia's invasion, according to a joint U.S.-Ukraine statement on Tuesday.

Mar 11 - After US move on Iraq-Iran power trade, Baghdad looks to replace Iranian gas   
After the U.S. moved to block Iraq's imports of electricity from Iran, Baghdad is looking to Qatar and Oman as possible options should Washington do the same regarding their trade in gas, the boss of Iraq's South Gas Company said on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Saturday rescinded a sanctions waiver that since 2018 has allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity as it presses on with its "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, a State Department spokesperson said.  

Mar 11 - CERAWEEK-US LNG exporters seek to renegotiate deals to cover rising costs  
Several U.S. LNG producers are trying to renegotiate higher prices with buyers as a result of rising construction, labor and borrowing costs, according to sources and company statements reviewed by Reuters. Higher prices would eat into the competitive advantage of U.S. liquefied natural gas on the global market, at a time U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to expand the industry – already the world's largest.

Mar 10 - Trump administration ends Iraq's waiver to buy Iranian electricity
The Trump administration rescinded a waiver on Saturday that had allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity, as part of President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, a State Department spokesperson said. The decision to let Iraq's waiver lapse upon its expiration "ensures we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief," the spokesperson said, adding that Trump's campaign on Iran aims "to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop it from supporting terrorist groups." 

Mar 10 - Over $13 billion in solar, wind investment at risk in Vietnam, industry letter says
More than two dozen foreign and Vietnamese investors, including Adani Green Energy, have warned Vietnam's plans to retroactively change rules on subsidised prices for wind and solar energy could affect more than $13 billion of investments. In a letter to Vietnamese leaders dated March 5 and reviewed by Reuters, the investors expressed "deep alarm" about the possible end of favourable energy tariffs, noting the policy change could undermine broader financial stability and erode confidence in Vietnam at a time when the country plans to significantly expand its renewables capacity.

Mar 07 - Indonesia embarks on long-stalled LNG push to displace diesel in power plants
After a decade of false starts, Indonesia is rolling out a $1.5 billion project to distribute liquefied natural gas (LNG) on a small scale to feed dozens of power plants now running on diesel via a unique hub-and-spoke model across its vast archipelago. The project aims to cut expensive diesel imports and boost national energy security, shrinking Indonesia's fuel import bill as the power plants switch to run on domestically produced gas. 

Mar 07 - China's coal imports nudge up to record, but risks to outlook rise
China's coal imports rose 2.1% year-on-year to a record high for the January-February period, official data showed, as arbitrage opportunities remained open, but risks grew for imports in the months ahead. January-February imports were at 76.12 million metric tons, data from the General Administration of Customs showed, up from 74.52 million tons in the year-earlier period.

Mar 06 - US withdrawing from plan to help major polluters move from coal, sources say
The United States is withdrawing from the Just Energy Transition Partnership, a collaboration between richer nations to help developing countries transition from coal to cleaner energy, several sources in key participating countries said. JETP, which consists of 10 donor nations, was first unveiled at the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021.  

Mar 06 - Key US energy data trends to track as tariffs kick in: Maguire
Energy product traders, utilities, investors and business executives are among those scrambling to assess the likely impact of new steep tariffs on the United States' largest trade partners, which kicked in on Tuesday. New 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%, took effect on March 4, kicking off a trade war that will have far-reaching effects on governments, businesses and households alike.

Mar 05 - Trump says Japan, South Korea want to partner with the US in Alaska pipeline
Japan, South Korea and other countries want to partner with the United States in a "gigantic" natural gas pipeline in Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, claiming they would invest "trillions of dollars each." Trump said in an address to the U.S. Congress that the pipeline would be one of the largest in the world. 

Mar 05 - Indonesian coal miners seek grace period to adjust to new pricing system
The Indonesia Coal Miners Association (APBI) is seeking a six-month grace period to adjust to a new pricing system launched this month and called for the government to re-evaluate the policy, a senior official said. The new system, based on government-set coal prices (HBA), has resulted in rates going above market levels, prompting some international buyers to baulk at the costs.

Mar 04 - Most U.S. LNG exports head to Europe amidst cold weather and strong prices
Europe soaked up most U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports for the second straight month in February, as cold weather and strong prices pushed up demand for the superchilled gas across the Atlantic, according to preliminary data from financial firm LSEG. The U.S. is the world's largest exporter of LNG and continues to play a major role in supplying Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine significantly reduced the amount of Russian gas piped to Europe.  

Mar 04 - Europe's LNG summer buying binge puts market on razor edge: Bousso
The European gas market is bracing for further volatility as it enters the crucial summer restocking season facing tighter global supplies of the liquefied natural gas on which it is now heavily dependent. Gas demand in Europe rose significantly this winter compared to the previous two years due to colder temperatures, a sharp drop in wind power generation and a recovery in industrial activity.

Mar 03 - Shell's LNG optimism for Asia has a volume vs price conundrum: Russell
It's not really a surprise that one of the world's largest liquefied natural gas companies is bullish about the long-term view for the super-chilled fuel, but Shell's outlook also has inherent contradictions. Shell released its annual LNG outlook last week and forecast that demand will surge about 60% from current levels by 2040, largely driven by strong economic growth in Asia, the impact of artificial intelligence and the need to cut emissions in heavy industries and transportation. 

Mar 03 - Geo-data firm Fugro says US hydrocarbon and LNG projects resumed after Trump win
Dutch geological data specialist Fugro has restarted multiple projects in the U.S. hydrocarbon and LNG sectors since Donald Trump's election and is optimistic about offshore wind development in Asia and Europe, its CEO told Reuters on Friday. Mark Heine said the U.S. government had issued licenses put on hold by the former administration of Joe Biden, without giving any further details on the U.S. projects.

Feb 28 - Expand Energy on track to boost US natgas output to meet growing demand
Expand Energy, formerly known as Chesapeake Energy and the biggest natural gas producer in the U.S., said on Thursday it was on track to boost output by more than 5% in 2026 from levels expected in 2025 so long as market conditions warrant such a move. CEO Nick Dell'Osso told analysts during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call that Expand was prepared to boost output from around 6.4 billion cubic feet of gas equivalent per day (bcfed) in the fourth quarter of 2024 to an estimated 7.1 bcfed in 2025 and 7.5 bcfed in 2026, depending on market conditions. 

Feb 28 - BP's green failure offers Big Oil a lesson in moderation
BP has returned to its oil and gas roots in a spectacular about-turn following its trailblazing attempt five years ago to become a renewables giant. The takeaway for Big Oil is that the energy transition is a marathon, not a sprint. BP CEO Murray Auchincloss on Wednesday unveiled a long-awaited strategy reset, abandoning his predecessor Bernard Looney's eye-catching 2020 plan to "re-invent" the company.

Feb 27 - Europe launches plan to bolster clean tech sector, aid ailing industries
The European Commission plans to loosen its rules on corporate sustainability reporting and supply chain transparency, it said on Wednesday, in a bid to make Europe more competitive with the United States and China. The plans - or "Simplification Omnibus" - are part of a wider package of reforms aimed at helping Europe's companies, and they also include incentives to encourage industry to decarbonise and measures to lower energy costs. 

Feb 27 - King coal to stay top in India despite big clean power pipeline: Maguire
India has the second-largest clean power capacity development pipeline globally after China, with nearly 56,000 megawatts of new renewables, hydro and nuclear capacity under construction. Clean energy sources account for two-thirds of all the new power capacity under development in India, according to Global Energy Monitor (GEM) data, and will result in a 35% jump in total clean power supply potential once complete.

Feb 26 - Shell expects 60% rise in global LNG demand by 2040 as Asia leads growthGlobal demand for liquefied natural gas is estimated to rise by around 60% by 2040, driven largely by economic growth in Asia, AI impact and efforts to cut emissions in heavy industries and transportation, Shell said in an annual report on Tuesday. Demand for natural gas continues to rise globally as the world transitions to cleaner fuels.  

Feb 26 - Gas bulls should beware of coal's chokehold on Asia's power sector: Maguire
Natural gas producers, exporters and trading firms are banking on Asia - the world's largest and fastest-growing power market - to drive gas demand growth over the coming decades. But while overall gas consumption in Asia will certainly expand from current levels, gas peddlers may need to temper their optimism in light of growing coal-fired capacity throughout the region.

Feb 25 - BP to ditch renewables goals and return focus to fossil fuels
BP's chief executive will scrap a target to increase renewable generation 20-fold by 2030, returning the focus to fossil fuels, as part of a strategy shift announced on Wednesday to tackle investor concerns over earnings, two sources told Reuters. BP's shares have underperformed rivals in recent years and the oil major has already dropped its target to cut oil and gas output by 2030, Reuters reported in October. 

Feb 25 - Woodside sees $1.2 billion US LNG play paying off as Trump policies drive deals
Woodside Energy, Australia's top gas producer, is well positioned to capitalise on demand for U.S. liquefied natural gas driven by President Donald Trump’s trade policy and pro-fossil fuel agenda, CEO Meg O’Neill told Reuters. She said the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the trade deficit by pressuring allies to buy more U.S. goods was already generating potential business for Woodside’s Louisiana LNG project, which it for $1.2 billion last year.

Feb 24 - Asia LNG imports set to drop to 22-month low as Europe surge drives prices: Russell
Asia's imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are poised to drop to the lowest in nearly two years in February, while Europe's are set to surge to the second-highest on record. The weakness in Asia shows buyers are shunning expensive spot cargoes, with prices at least 50% higher than what they were this time last year. 

Feb 24 - EDF now sees decision on new nuclear reactors in late 2026, low power prices hit earnings
French power giant EDF doesn't expect to make a final decision on building six new nuclear reactors in the country until the second half of 2026, CEO Luc Remont said on Friday, after auditors flagged uncertainties over financing and design. French President Emmanuel Macron announced a plan in 2022 for the state-owned utility to build six new reactors to rejuvenate its ageing nuclear fleet, with construction due to start in 2027.

Feb 21 - Trump seeks to reshape Asia's energy supplies with US gas
When President Donald Trump sat down to lunch with his Japanese counterpart this month, talk turned quickly to how Tokyo could help realise a decades-old proposal to unlock gas in Alaska and ship it to U.S. allies in Asia. Trump and his energy tsar Doug Burgum framed the venture as a way for Japan to replace Middle East energy shipments and address its trade imbalance with the U.S., according to two officials briefed on the closed-door talks.

Feb 21 - EU seeks more US gas, renewable energy to replace Russian supplies
The European Union will seek more gas from countries including the U.S. to replace Russian supplies, and expand renewable energy faster to cut its overall reliance on the fuel, the EU's energy commissioner has said. The EU has pledged to quit Russian fossil fuels by 2027 in response to Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While Russian pipeline gas deliveries have plunged, the EU increased its imports of Russian liquefied natural gas last year.

Feb 20 - Exxon plans large-scale gas project in oil-dominated Guyana
U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil plans to boost natural gas output and supply in Guyana through a large-scale project announced on Wednesday, following the government's call for more gas to fuel onshore power and petrochemical projects. The "Wales Gas Vision", outlined by Exxon's Guyana head, Alistair Routledge, at an energy conference in Georgetown, is set to provide gas for several petrochemical and power projects through a $1 billion pipeline completed last year. 

Feb 20 - US regulators approve Venture Global increase in Plaquemines LNG capacity, exports
U.S. federal regulators on Wednesday gave Venture Global LNG permission to increase the export capacity of its Plaquemines, Louisiana, LNG plant. Regulators in a statement said they had approved the plant increasing production capacity to 27.2 million metric tons per year of the superchilled gas, up from 24 million tons.

Feb 19 - EU seeks to 'immediately engage' with LNG suppliers, draft shows
The European Union will consider investing in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects abroad as part of plans to "immediately engage" with reliable suppliers to try to lower energy prices, a draft Commission document showed on Tuesday. The EU has a legally-binding climate target to cut its emissions to net zero by 2050, which means the bloc has to wean itself off CO2-emitting fossil fuels. 

Feb 19 - China's clean energy investments nearing scale of global fossil investments, researchers find
China invested 6.8 trillion yuan in clean energy in 2024, approaching the $1.12 trillion in global investment in fossil fuels, according to a new analysis for U.K.-based research organisation Carbon Brief. That was despite growth in China's clean energy investments slowing to 7% from 40% in 2023 amid overcapacity. More than half of that investment came from China's burgeoning electric vehicle, battery and solar industries.

Feb 18 - Cheap Russian gas in Europe? No such thing: Bousso
As European officials consider the possibility of restarting Russian gas pipeline imports as part of an eventual peace deal in Ukraine, they should be clear about one thing: Russian gas never was, and likely never will be, cheap. For decades, European politicians and energy executives have labelled Russian gas as "cheap" relative to alternative sources, such as Norwegian gas or liquefied natural gas imports. But this is misleading. 

Feb 18 - Australia's Woodside in talks with at least three partners for Louisiana LNG, sources say
Woodside Energy has held talks with several potential buyers of stakes in its Louisiana liquefied natural gas plant, including Tokyo Gas, Japan's JERA and Saudi Aramco-backed MidOcean Energy, multiple sources told Reuters. The timing of the stake sale is a test case for buoyant market expectations around LNG with the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency.

Feb 17 - Trump approves LNG exports, creates energy council to boost US oil, gas
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said on Friday it has granted a liquefied natural gas export license to the Commonwealth LNG project in Louisiana, the first approval of LNG exports after former President Joe Biden paused them early last year. The exports are approved to go to markets in Asia and Europe. 

Feb 17 - Russia seen struggling to reach its LNG targets, experts say
Exports of Russia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) will likely not exceed 67 million metric tons by 2030, falling far short of its 100 million target due to international sanctions, experts said at an industry conference on Friday. Russia has focused on development of LNG, which could be delivered by sea tankers, as its pipeline gas exports to Europe have plummeted over the conflict with Ukraine, while it struggled to significantly boost it to China.

Feb 14 - US power companies increase data center demand spending as DeepSeek fears wane..
U.S. electric utilities are adding tens of billions of dollars to spending plans to build new power supplies and bolster the grid as data centers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing drive up energy demand. In company earnings calls on Thursday, PPL Corp said it would increase its capital investments through 2028 by nearly 40% to $20 billion. Dominion, which serves the world's largest data center market in Northern Virginia, and utility giant Exelon both revised up capital plans earlier in the week. 

Feb 14 - Germany wants EU to relax gas storage targets
Germany wants the European Union to make its gas storage targets less rigid because of worries over their cost, the economic affairs and climate ministry said on Thursday. The targets, introduced in response to the supply disruption caused by the Ukraine war, require all EU countries to refill their storage caverns to 90% of capacity by November, with intermediate targets for February, May, July and September.

Feb 13 - European energy industry urges EU not to cap gas prices
Europe's gas and energy trading industries have urged the European Union not to cap gas prices, as Brussels seeks ways to protect consumers and businesses from energy price spikes. The European Commission is preparing a package of measures, due to be proposed on February 26, to improve industries' competitive edge and help bring down energy prices.   

Feb 13 - Recovering wind output may help cool Europe's heated gas market: Maguire
Wind-powered electricity production across Europe dropped by over 7% in January from the same month in 2024, depriving regional power producers with a key source of clean energy right when demand for heating neared its annual peak. That wind shortfall triggered a jump in Europe's electricity generation from natural gas to the highest in three years, and helped support a rally that has pushed up benchmark regional natural gas prices more than 15% so far this year.

Feb 12 - India gas demand to surge by 2030, doubling LNG imports, says IEA
India's natural gas consumption is set to jump 60% between 2023 and 2030, doubling the country's need for liquefied natural gas imports, as domestic output is expected to grow much more slowly than demand, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday. Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation is set to transform the energy market in the world's fifth-largest economy and drive gas demand growth through the end of the decade and possibly beyond that, the IEA said in a report. 

Feb 12 - US natgas output and demand to hit record highs in 2025, EIA says
U.S. natural gas output and demand will both rise to record highs in 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook on Tuesday. The EIA projected dry gas production will rise from 103.1 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2024 to 104.6 bcfd in 2025 and 107.3 bcfd in 2026. That compares with a record 103.6 bcfd in 2023.

Feb 11 - Oman, Australia LNG vessels head west, one via Red Sea, as Europe draws supply
At least three vessels carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Oman and Australia are heading west for delivery, with one sailing through the Red Sea, shiptracking data showed on Monday, as higher prices in Europe continue to draw more supplies. Increasing shipments of the super-chilled fuel to Europe over Asia could help it meet additional demand, as it seeks to replace piped Russian gas after the Ukraine transit deal expired on January 1. At least six LNG cargoes diverted from Asia to Europe last month. 

Feb 11 - EU rules risk overheating a red-hot gas market: Bousso
European policymakers worried about energy prices have shot themselves in the foot - twice - as two rules aimed at managing the region's gas market run the risk of instead overheating it over the summer months when stocks should be replenished. Faced with the supply disruption caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the European Union introduced binding targets to ensure gas storage reached 90% of capacity every November. The rules also include intermediate targets for February, May, July and September.

Feb 10 - Baltic states switch to European power grid, ending Russia ties
The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania completed a switch from Russia's electricity grid to the EU's system on Sunday, severing Soviet-era ties amid heightened security after the suspected sabotage of several subsea cables and pipelines. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the move, years in the planning, as marking a new era of freedom for the region, in a speech at a ceremony in Vilnius alongside the leaders of the three countries and the Polish president. 

Feb 10 - China renewable stocks slide after state planner scales back subsidies
Chinese renewable energy stocks fell as much as nearly 4% after the market open, following an announcement by the state planner and energy regulator on the scaling back of subsidies for renewable power producers. China's clean energy indexes - the CSI New Energy Index, SSE STAR New Energy Index, and CNI New Energy Index - were down by 1.55%, 1.54% and 1.38%, respectively, as of 0601 GMT.

Feb 07 - US risks losing long game in China LNG spat: Bousso
The burgeoning trade war between the United States and China has caught American gas exporters in the crossfire as they face the prospect of losing their edge in the world's fastest-growing LNG market. Buyers of U.S. fuel will likely respond by redirecting more supply to Europe, where gas prices are today stronger than in Asia, a short-term solution that could even benefit Chinese traders. 

Feb 07 - Europe’s renewables market powers battery storage boom
Europe’s battery storage capacity is expected to grow around five-fold by 2030, bringing with it increasing returns for energy majors, project developers and traders, as the cost of new projects falls. Wind and solar use has grown to make up around a third of Europe's energy mix, but because these renewable sources are intermittent, they have also driven demand for batteries to provide backup.

Feb 06 - LNG shipping rates plunge on increasing vessel availability
Shipping costs for liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes have tumbled to five-year lows as newly built carriers added to the global fleet outpace shipping demand and shorter average journey times have increased vessel availability. Atlantic freight rates assessed for vessels with two-stroke engines capable of carrying 174,000 cubic meters of LNG, the most common type in the market, were at $4,250 per day on Tuesday, according to pricing agency Spark Commodities.  

Feb 06 - TotalEnergies CEO doubles down on US LNG, downplays Trump tariff fears
TotalEnergies will expand its investment in U.S. liquefied natural gas over the next decade as the French company seeks to cement its position as a major exporter of U.S. LNG, its CEO told Reuters on Wednesday, dismissing fears by American market watchers that more exports could boost U.S. gas prices. In an interview with Reuters, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne said he believed President Donald Trump’s administration will implement pragmatic policies that will support U.S. energy production even as the world faces a new era of tariffs and trade wars.

Feb 05 - Trade war with China casts dark cloud over new US LNG projects
President Donald Trump's emerging trade war with Beijing poses a new threat to billions of dollars in planned U.S. liquefied natural gas export projects, many of which rely on China as a key buyer, according to analysts, industry sources, and company filings. The threat reflects the double-edged nature of Trump's protectionist policies, which are intended to boost U.S. business and force action to stop drug trafficking and illegal immigration, but could also inadvertently undermine his hopes of vastly expanding U.S. energy output. 

Feb 05 - Europe's strong gas use pace may wilt as coal-switching kicks in: Maguire
Many of northern Europe's largest economies have sharply boosted gas-fired power generation so far in 2025, helping to lift regional gas prices to their highest since early 2023. Gas-fired output during January in Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Poland all jumped by well over 10% from January 2024's levels to their highest for that month since at least 2022, according to data from LSEG.

Feb 04 - Europe soaked up nearly all US LNG exports last month, data show
U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe jumped in January as cold weather drove up demand and prices for the superchilled gas rose, preliminary data from financial firm LSEG showed. Nearly nine of every ten cargoes leaving the U.S. headed to Europe, while total exports to all countries for the month reached 8.46 million metric tonnes (MT).  

Feb 04 - New Jersey will not award new offshore wind contracts after Trump order
New Jersey officials on Monday said the state would not grant awards for new offshore wind contracts, a sign that U.S. President Donald Trump's order to review the federal offshore wind program is putting a chill on the industry. The announcement by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities comes days after Shell backed out as a partner in the only project that had finalized a bid under the state's latest offshore wind procurement scheme.

Feb 03 - EU removes energy crisis gas price cap
The gas price cap introduced by the European Union during its 2022 Russian gas crisis will expire on Friday, having not been triggered since its inception. The cap would have applied if gas prices surged to unusually high levels, responding to months of soaring energy prices caused by Russia cutting gas supplies after its invasion of Ukraine.  

Feb 03 - Mexico's Pemex, billionaire Slim renegotiate deepwater gas project
Mexican billionaire investor Carlos Slim's team and state energy company Pemex are discussing substantial changes to a deal to develop the country's first deepwater natural gas field, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Slim's Mexican holding company Grupo Carso signed a deal last year to partner with Pemex to develop the Lakach field in the Gulf of Mexico, seeking to revive a project the state company had abandoned twice due to high costs.

Jan 31 - Japan weighs Alaska LNG pipeline pledge to win Trump's favour
Japan is considering offering support for a $44 billion gas pipeline in Alaska as it seeks to court U.S. President Donald Trump and forestall potential trade friction, according to three officials familiar with the matter. Officials in Tokyo expect Trump may raise the project, which he has said is key for U.S. prosperity and security, when he meets Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the first time in Washington as soon as next week, the sources said. 

Jan 31 - India's lower coal imports mean bad news for power emissions: Maguire
India lowered imports of thermal coal by over 5.5 million tons in 2024 from the year before, according to data from Kpler, which may seem like good news to climate trackers monitoring trends in the world's second-largest coal consumer. But total coal-fired power generation hit new highs in India last year, so lower imports mean that higher volumes of domestic coal were burned for power instead, and that's bad news for emissions levels.

Jan 30 - EU won't ban Russian LNG until it secures alternatives, diplomats say
The European Commission did not propose a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas in its latest package of sanctions because member states raised concerns about first securing alternatives including from the United States, EU diplomats said. "First you have to have a deal because otherwise you will be left without gas from Russia and without the U.S.," one of the diplomats said. 

Jan 30 - IEA comes under pressure from former oil market chief to cut energy transition focus
The International Energy Agency's former oil industry and market chief criticized the agency's focus on the global energy transition in a report released on Wednesday, and said the IEA should concentrate on oil and gas supplies. The IEA is under fire from the administration of President Donald Trump for a shift in recent years toward a focus on clean energy policy.

Jan 29 - Chevron to build gas plants to power data centers amid AI boom
Oil and gas producer Chevron said on Tuesday it plans to build natural gas-based power plants next to data centers in the U.S., as energy demand to support the growth of artificial intelligence is expected to boom. The second-largest U.S. producer is partnering with investment firm Engine No. 1 and electric services company GE Vernova on the project. 

Jan 29 - Germany's weak winds stoke Europe-wide power market worries: Maguire
Wind power generation in Germany - Europe's largest wind producer - is on track to record its longest stretch of below-normal production since early 2021 due to a spell of low wind speeds since October. Wind power is Germany's primary source of electricity, and wind output historically peaks over the winter months when wind speeds at turbine level tend to hit their highest for the year.

Jan 28 - Trump's copper, aluminium tariffs may raise costs for U.S. consumers
President Donald Trump's vow of tariffs on U.S. copper and aluminium imports would result in higher costs for local consumers because of a shortfall of domestic production and the length of time it would take to renew the industry, analysts and industry sources said. In a speech to Republican lawmakers on Monday, Trump said he would impose the tariffs on aluminium and copper - metals that are needed to produce U.S. military hardware - as well as steel, to entice producers to make them in the United States.  

Jan 28 - Analysts cut copper forecasts on uncertainty over Trump, China
Analysts have marked down their forecasts for copper prices in 2025 due to concern about the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump, the economy in top metals consumer China and potential sticky inflation, a Reuters poll showed. Benchmark copper prices jumped to a record in May last year above $11,100 per metric ton, but optimism fizzled out about central banks cutting interest rates while China's piecemeal efforts to stimulate its economy disappointed investors.

Jan 27 - Trump's high-wire act to transform US power grid won't be easy
President Donald Trump's oversight of an increasingly unreliable U.S. power grid requires swift action, he said this week, but there is no easy fix for one of the grid's most complex and troubled areas: long-distance transmission lines. Trump's National Energy Emergency declaration and executive orders detail a long list of interconnected problems dogging an electric grid vulnerable to fuel shortages, soaring demand, and an increasing number of wild weather events. 

Jan 27 - Venture Global valued at $58 billion as stock dips in NYSE debut
Venture Global's shares opened nearly 4% below their initial public offering price in a subdued NYSE debut on Friday, giving the LNG exporter a valuation of $58.2 billion and reinforcing the cautious approach of investors to new listings. The IPO was expected to be the first blockbuster listing of 2025, as well as a litmus test for the appetite for energy companies under the Trump administration.

Jan 24 - China stimulus to lift 2025 gas imports, but trade war may curb growth
China's natural gas imports are forecast to rise in 2025, with liquefied natural gas shipments headed for a record as economic stimulus plans lift demand from industries, although analysts and traders said trade tension with the U.S. may cap growth. Gas imports via pipeline and LNG into the world's second-largest economy are expected to rise to about 200 billion cubic metres this year, according to estimates from three energy consultancies, up about 10% from record 2024 imports of 131.7 million metric tons.

Jan 24 - US power firms crank up dirty fuel use to fight cold snap: Maguire
Power generators have boosted output from high-polluting coal and oil-fired power stations this year to help battle an extended cold snap enveloping much of the country. Coal-fired power production across the lower 48 states was the highest since at least 2019 during Jan. 1-22, and up 6% from the same period last year, data from LSEG shows.

Jan 23 - Solar power overtook coal in EU's electricity mix in 2024, Ember says
Solar power overtook coal in the European Union’s electricity mix for the first time last year, while wind power’s share plateaued, data from energy think tank Ember showed on Thursday. The EU is seeking to increase its renewable power generation as part of efforts to cut emissions and reach its climate targets as well as cutting its reliance on fossil fuel imports to help boost energy security.  

Jan 23 - Europe may need over 100 extra gas cargoes to refill shrinking stocks
Europe may have to buy at least 100 additional gas cargoes this summer, worth around $6 billion at today's prices, to replenish gas stocks after a plunge in storage levels this winter due to cold weather and a stoppage of Russian supply. EU gas storage sites have emptied faster this year than in recent winters and are currently 59% full, according to the latest data from Gas Infrastructure Europe.

Jan 22 - Trump halt on offshore wind power leases hits European companies
Shares in European wind power companies fell on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump suspended offshore leasing for wind on his first day in office, adding to pain in an industry that had turned to the U.S. to help revive its fortunes. The global offshore wind industry has struggled to play the role that many governments had envisaged in their plans to reduce carbon emissions.  

Jan 22 - Carbon markets investor kicks off $1.5 billion Amazon protection plan in Davos
A carbon markets investor backed by Swiss-trading house Mercuria said on Wednesday it had joined with two non-profits to raise an initial $1.5 billion to help protect the Amazon, by working with Brazilian states, farmers and local communities. The 'Race to Belém', a nod to the Brazilian city hosting the next round of global climate talks in November, aims to sell credits tied to preserving the world's biggest rainforest.

Jan 21 - Trump withdraws from Paris climate agreement, again
President Donald Trump once again withdrew the United States from the Paris climate deal on Monday, removing the world's biggest historic emitter from global efforts to fight climate change for the second time in a decade. The move places the United States alongside Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only countries in the world outside the 2015 pact, in which governments agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. 

Jan 21 - LNG traders divert six US cargoes to Europe from Asia
Traders diverted at least six cargoes of liquefied natural gas that were on course for Asia to Europe earlier this month, drawn by higher European prices and amid weak Asian demand, according to analysts and shipping data. The diverted cargoes could help meet additional European demand as countries seek to replace piped Russian gas after the Ukraine transit deal expired on Jan. 1, while weather forecasts point to lower temperatures in northwest Europe.

Jan 20 - Biden protects 84% of IRA clean energy grants from being clawed back
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has protected about 84%, or $96.7 billion in clean energy grants created by its signature climate law from any clawback by the next administration, a White House official said on Friday. The 84% of the grants from the Inflation Reduction Act have been "obligated", meaning contracts have been signed between U.S. agencies and recipients. 

Jan 20 - China's LNG imports reach three-year high in 2024, narrowly missing record
Shipments of liquefied natural gas to China, the world's largest buyer of the chilled fuel, rose to a three-year high in 2024 but defied predictions that imports could reach a new record, official data showed on Saturday. China's LNG imports rose 7.7% to 76.65 million metric tons, according to the General Administration of Customs. 

Jan 17 - China's carbon power rises in 2024, defying expectations of coal peakingChina's mostly coal-powered thermal generation ticked up 1.5% in 2024, official data showed, defying expectations that coal generation was peaking, although growth slowed to the lowest in nine years excluding the years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data highlighted the challenges in phasing out coal-fired power while meeting China's burgeoning need for power to fuel energy-hungry industries and the electrification of its economy. 

Jan 17 - China's 2024 coal output rises to record high but growth rate slows
China's coal output reached a record high in 2024 albeit at a slower growth pace than previous years, official data showed, as coal consumption enters a plateau period in line with market projections. China mined 4.76 billion metric tons of coal, showed data from the National Bureau of Statistics, up 1.3% versus a year prior. That growth rate compared with 2.9% and 9% in the previous two years.

Jan 16 - Trump to make it easier for LNG export permit renewals, sources say
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump plans to make it easier for some producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to seek export permit renewals, according to two sources with knowledge of the plan. Trump will likely include the change in an executive order on LNG that he will issue on his first day in office, the sources said. Trump, who takes office on Monday, has said he would issue an LNG order on day one that would end the pause on approvals for new LNG projects that outgoing President Joe Biden put in place in January last year. 

Jan 16 - New York City lawsuit against Exxon, BP, Shell over climate change dismissed
A judge has dismissed New York City's lawsuit seeking to hold Exxon Mobil, BP and Shell liable for misleading the public about their products, and their commitment to renewable energy and fighting climate change. State Supreme Court Justice Anar Patel said the city could not claim its climate-conscious residents were sensitive to how fossil fuels cause climate change, only to then be duped by the oil companies' failure to disclose how their fossil fuel products contributed to it.

Jan 15 - US natgas output and demand to hit record highs in 2025, EIA says
U.S. natural gas output and demand will both rise to record highs in 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Tuesday. EIA projected dry gas production will rise from 103.1 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2024 to 104.5 bcfd in 2025 and 107.2 bcfd in 2026.  

Jan 15 - Asia's yawning renewables lead may only grow from here: Maguire
Asia has widened its renewable energy capacity lead over all other regions, adding a record 450,000 megawatts (MW) of new renewable capacity in 2024, according to data compiled by LSEG. That capacity addition dwarfs the roughly 109,000 MW added in Europe and the 93,000 MW added in North America last year, and cements Asia's position as the main global hub for renewable energy generation.

Jan 14 - LNG exporter Venture Global targets up to $110 billion valuation in blockbuster US IPO
Venture Global is seeking up to $110.38 billion valuation in its New York initial public offering, the second-largest U.S. liquefied natural gas producer said on Monday, setting the stage for the first blockbuster stock market flotation in 2025. The Arlington, Virginia-based company is seeking to raise up to $2.30 billion in what is likely to be the largest listing by an energy company in the U.S. in more than a decade. 

Jan 14 - Ten EU countries call for sanctions on Russian gas, LNG, document shows
Ten European Union countries have called for the 27-nation bloc to ban imports of pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia, a document seen by Reuters showed, as Europe debates fresh sanctions on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. The EU is preparing its 16th package of sanctions targeting Russia's economy, ahead of the third anniversary of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Jan 13 - China's coal imports hit record high in 2024
China's coal imports rose 14.4% in 2024 to a record high, official data showed, as lower international coal prices spurred buyers to substitute imports for domestic supply. Coal imports for the year totalled 542.7 million metric tons, according to China's General Administration of Customs, up from 474.42 million tons in 2023. 

Jan 13 - Egypt rushes to catch up on solar energy as gas prices soar
A sharp decline in domestic gas production combined with growing consumption caught authorities off-guard last year and led to rolling blackouts over the sweltering summer. Solar companies say they can supply electricity much cheaper than that generated by gas turbines, using inexpensive panels from China, but complain that market-distorting power subsidies and restrictive regulations have frustrated rollouts. 

Jan 10 - Wind power tops nuclear in Sweden for first time, trade group saysElectricity output from wind hit a record high in Sweden in 2024, with wind exceeding nuclear power for the first three-month period ever in the last quarter, the Swedish Wind Energy Association (SWEA) said in a statement. In December, wind was the largest source of electricity for the first time, ahead of hydro and nuclear power, making up 35% of production, with record monthly output, the SWEA said. 

Jan 10 - Texas tops US states for renewable energy and battery capacity: Maguire
Texas is dominating the development of renewable energy generation and battery capacity within the United States, and is estimated to have installed nearly 80% more combined solar, wind and battery capacity than the next largest state. The Lone Star state has 42,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power, 22,000 MW of solar farms and 6,500 MW of utility-scale battery capacity in place as of the end of 2024, data from Cleanview and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows.

Jan 10 - Outlook 2025: Let us not waste time dwelling on diverging gas views (Petroleum Economist - BloombergNEF)
Supporters of the LNG industry need to concentrate on the areas with the most potential before the sector runs out of time to make its mark. For an industry that takes a long time to get things done, LNG proponents need to shift their focus away from things that may not be worth the effort and dedicate more time to things that will benefit the sector in the long run as well as in the energy transition.

Time is running out for the gas industry to strike and make its mark. The global LNG market is on the brink of a state of oversupply, with BloombergNEF projecting that this is set to emerge in 2027. Prices will fall and so will revenue for LNG producers. What must be done after 2030 will come down to how much demand can be unlocked with low prices.

Time is also running out for gas to figure out its role in the energy transition. The window of opportunity is narrowing for gas to establish itself as the preferred low-carbon option against zero-emissions alternatives across all sectors: power, industry, buildings and transport. Under time pressure, gas players need to prioritise their efforts and investments in sectors where views on the future role of gas diverge less.

Suppliers of LNG need to extend their reach outside of mainstream gas purchasers and gas demand enablers. Investments beyond import terminals and gas power plants are slow or simply missing. Building an LNG import terminal without connecting it to a wider gas distribution network limits demand upside and value creation from the investment. Not being able to tap non-power sector users could be a real missed opportunity in some markets.

BloombergNEF’s Economic Transition Scenario—an economics-led, least-cost modelling scenario—in the 2024 New Energy Outlook sees gas consumption in industry rise the most in absolute terms from today to 2050. Finding solutions that play to gas’ advantage of being a molecule fuel is worth the time.

What is perhaps a less productive use of time is a single-minded strategy to displace coal-fired baseload generation in the power sector and over-emphasising the role of gas in balancing renewables’ intermittency. Coal balances intermittency too, and it is cheaper. It is a hard sell in markets such as China and India where coal reigns supreme in the power system on a bed of cheap domestic supply. Renewables are also growing at an exceptional rate that could, by and large, meet incremental power demand.

To make it worth the time and effort, there needs to be strong indications of coal-to-gas switching potential: low gas prices, the introduction of a carbon price and aggressive coal phaseout plans. But even then, gas power plants will face a tough fight against increasingly cost-competitive renewables.

Opportunities to expand gas-fired capacity are, of course, available. Consider a pecking order of would-be LNG customers for a supplier to target. Customers who already use gas but are running out of domestic supply should be at the top—many of whom are in South and Southeast Asia.

These are gas-based economies that have accepted that they will be net importers. They do not, however, necessarily have everything in place to enable the growth of LNG to take off in the power sector. One key enabler is getting power-purchase agreements (PPAs) right, especially addressing the thorny issue of pass-through costs.

It will be worth the investment in time if stakeholders can collectively figure out what is the best way to structure PPAs for these developing markets that are becoming newly exposed to international, and potentially volatile, gas prices.

LNG sales and purchase agreements notoriously take a while to close. But they can move faster if both counterparties are aligned and negotiate the best deal for each other. It is not worth the time and effort to play hard ball—from either perspective. There is no ‘best price’: prices will change and the market will turn. Spending time to ensure price review clauses are nimble enough will ensure both parties see value in the contract. Negotiating for too much or too little flexibility might have unintended consequences further down the line.
Wants and needs

All LNG suppliers want the same thing: assurance of demand and getting paid. But buyer wants are varied.

Buyers who know they have a need for gas supply to service baseload power should find a supplier that will give them reliability and affordability. Others who have variable demand want diversification, optionality and flexibility—those require very different incentives and concessions in a contract. Spending time to craft an agreement that meets the needs of both parties is worth the time. Being unyielding in pushing one’s demands is not.

Come 2030, many things could change for the gas market. Hydrogen as a decarbonisation option for the hard-to-abate sector could turn out to be prohibitively expensive. Gas would be the fallback. Power market reforms may not go far enough to incentivise flexibility and ancillary services, therefore reducing the potential revenue streams for battery and energy storage systems—much to the benefit of gas generators.

The projected LNG supply overhang could spur demand, so much that gas prices end up rising to a level that makes other alternatives attractive again. Strong carbon pricing regimes and policies cracking down on methane emissions are not long shots.

Dwelling on diverging views on the role of gas distracts from taking steps to ensure that, where gas is needed, it will be available.

Jan 09 - European wind stocks take beating after Trump calls turbines 'garbage'
European wind power stocks fell on Wednesday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said he would try to ensure that "no windmills" are built on his watch, criticising the sector less than two weeks before he is due to take office. Trump's latest swipe against the industry raises concerns about how the U.S. wind market, the world's second-biggest after China, will develop in his second term, causing investors of companies with skin in the game to sell. 

Jan 09 - Constellation Energy nearing $30 billion deal to acquire Calpine, sources say
Constellation Energy is nearing a roughly $30 billion deal to acquire power producer Calpine, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, a move that would significantly expand Constellation's generation assets at a time of rising U.S. power demand. The transaction could be announced as early as Monday, said the people. Constellation is expected to pay mostly stock, with a small cash component, said one, adding the purchase price would include around $12 billion of Calpine debt which the buyer will absorb.

Jan 08 - Trump promised swift action on LNG exports, but advisers preaching patience
Advisers to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump are urging him to take a patient approach to restarting approvals for liquefied natural gas export licenses, fearing rapid approvals will only get overturned in court, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. The recommendations offer a preview of the challenges Trump will face as his bold campaign promises to slash regulation and unfetter industry crash into the reality of governing an unwieldy bureaucracy.  

Jan 08 - Shareholders' climate resolution challenges 'disconnect' in Shell's LNG strategy
Shell's plans to increase sales of liquefied natural gas have been called into question by a by major group of shareholders that has filed a resolution asking whether the strategy is compatible with a goal to cut carbon emissions. Shell is the world's largest LNG trader and CEO Wael Sawan is betting on growing demand, but analysts and climate activists have raised concerns about the implications for climate targets. 

Jan 07 - Norway's Troll gas field produced record volume in 2024Norway's Equinor said on Monday the Troll gas field in the North Sea had produced a record volume of natural gas in 2024, increasing nearly 10% from the previous high set in 2022. The Troll gas field, Europe's largest, in 2024 delivered 42.5 billion standard cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas, up from 38.8 bcm in 2022, Equinor said in a statement. 

Jan 07 - Europe's LNG imports surge, but not at Asia's expense: Russell
Europe's imports of liquefied natural gas surged to an 11-month high in December, but the gain didn't come at the expense of Asia, which also recorded higher arrivals. A total of 10.89 million metric tons of the super-chilled fuel was imported by Europe in December, up 23% from 8.86 million in November and the highest since January's 11.18 million, according to data compiled by commodity analysts Kpler.

Jan 06 - Biden team offers nuclear path to hydrogen tax credit
The Biden administration said on Friday portions of nuclear power plants will be able to secure tax credits to produce clean hydrogen if the credits help to prevent reactors from retiring. The new rules address one of the last and most contentious issues related to the Inflation Reduction Act, a 2022 law that is intended to fight climate change by subsidizing technologies that curb greenhouse gas emissions. 

Jan 06 - Italy calls for EU gas price cap at 60 euros per megawatt hour
The European Union should extend its emergency cap on gas prices and set a ceiling of 60 euros per megawatt hour to prevent a possible energy price shock, Italy's Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Friday. Fears of an energy shock have risen after Ukraine refused to renew a gas transit agreement with Russia, marking the end of decades of Moscow's dominance over Europe's energy markets.

Jan 03 - U.S. LNG exports soar in December, lifting full-year growth by 4.5%
U.S. LNG exports reached near record levels in December, rising to 8.5 million metric tonnes (MT) as two new plants started, and driving up full-year shipments 4.5% over 2023, according preliminary data from financial firm LSEG. December's output was just short of the record monthly export of 8.6 MT recorded in December 2023 and was 9% higher than the 7.75 MT exported in November, according to LSEG data. 

Jan 03 - Starved of Russian gas, industry shuts down in breakaway Moldovan region
The cut-off of Russian gas supplies to Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region has forced the closure of all industrial companies except food producers, an official said on Thursday. The mainly Russian-speaking territory of about 450,000 people, which split from Moldova in the 1990s as the Soviet Union collapsed, has suffered a painful and immediate hit from Wednesday's cut-off of Russian gas supplies to central and eastern Europe via Ukraine.

Jan 01 - Russian gas era in Europe ends as Ukraine stops transit (Reuters)
- Russian gas exports via Soviet-era pipelines running through Ukraine came to a halt on New Year's Day, marking the end of decades of Moscow's dominance over Europe's energy markets.
The gas had kept flowing despite nearly three years of war, but Russia's gas firm Gazprom said it had stopped at 0500 GMT after Ukraine refused to renew a transit agreement.
The widely expected stoppage will not impact prices for consumers in the European Union - unlike in 2022, when falling supplies from Russia sent prices to record highs, worsened a cost-of-living crisis and hit the bloc's competitiveness.

The last remaining EU buyers of Russian gas via Ukraine, such as Slovakia and Austria, have arranged alternative supply, while Hungary will keep receiving Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline under the Black Sea.

But Transdniestria, a breakaway pro-Russian region of Ukraine's neighbour Moldova also reliant on the transit flows, cut off heating and hot water supplies to households early on Wednesday. Local energy company Tirasteploenergo urged residents to dress warmly, hang blankets or thick curtains over windows and balcony doors, and use electric heaters.

The European Commission said the EU had prepared for the cut-off.
"The European gas infrastructure is flexible enough to provide gas of non-Russian origin," a spokesperson for the Commission said. "It has been reinforced with significant new LNG (liquefied natural gas) import capacities since 2022."
Russia and the former Soviet Union spent half a century building up a major share of the European gas market, which at its peak stood at around 35%. But the EU has slashed its dependence on Russian energy since the start of the war in Ukraine by buying more piped gas from Norway and LNG from Qatar and the United States.
Ukraine, which refused to extend the transit deal, said Europe had already made the decision to abandon Russian gas.
"We stopped the transit of Russian gas. This is a historic event. Russia is losing its markets, it will suffer financial losses," Ukraine's Energy Minister German Galushchenko said in a statement.

ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIES
Ukraine will lose up to $1 billion a year in transit fees from Russia. To help offset the impact, it will quadruple gas transmission tariffs for domestic consumers from Wednesday, which could cost the country's industry more than 1.6 billion hryvnias ($38.2 million) a year.

Gazprom will lose close to $5 billion in gas sales.

The company halted supply to Austria's OMV in mid-November over a contractual dispute but in recent weeks Russian gas has been reaching Austria via Slovakia at a rate of around 200 gigawatt hours (GWh) per day. For Jan. 1, only about 7 GWh per day is expected to flow from Slovakia to Austria, Austrian energy regulator E-Control said.
Slovakia's main gas buyer SPP said it would supply its customers mainly via pipelines from Germany and also Hungary, but would face additional transit costs.
Combined pipeline routes from Russia delivered a record high 201 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to Europe in 2018.

The Nord Stream route across the Baltic Sea to Germany was blown up in 2022 and the Yamal-Europe pipeline via Belarus has also shut.
Russia shipped about 15 bcm of gas via Ukraine in 2023, down from 65 bcm when the last five-year contract began in 2020.