More than half (53%) of Northern Ireland's electricity came from renewable sources in the year to June – beating the level previously set in 2022.
And for the first time renewable generation has consistently exceeded non-renewable generation since January.
Even when imported electricity was taken into account, the amount of renewables equalled the previous record of 50%, set in 2022/23.
The Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said the increasing level of renewable energy would help Northern Ireland "move away from price volatility and towards more stable and fairer prices" .
Almost three-quarters (74%) of renewable electricity came from wind. Bioenergy – anaerobic digestion, incineration and fermentation – provided just under one-fifth (18%).

#renewable #june #economy

Ameresco insiders have been buying into a steep decline instead of waiting for the chart to improve. Form 4 filings show open-market purchases of roughly $1.9 million since August 7, including about $738,000 over the latest one-week sequence. CEO George Sakellaris accounted for approximately $574,000 across several purchases. Directors Brian ***** , Jennifer Miller, and Joseph Sutton also bought shares of Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC). The cluster spread the bullish signal across four insiders rather than one executive.
The timing is interesting because the stock had fallen about 28% over six months. Ameresco develops energy infrastructure, including efficiency projects, renewable ***** ets, battery storage, and power systems that can support data centers. Its opportunity is not to predict which AI model wins. It is to help customers build the electricity and resilience those models require. Second-quarter revenue rose 9.1% to $515.5 million, showing that the operating business was still expanding during the selloff.
Insider buying is a useful signal, but it is not a guarantee. Executives may have long time horizons, personal tax considerations, or confidence that does not translate into near-term returns. Ameresco's projects carry construction, financing, customer-concentration, and execution risk. Diluted EPS of $0.18 fell 25% year over year in Q2, demonstrating that higher revenue does not automatically deliver better profitability. Large AI-related power awards can also produce uneven working-capital needs before cash arrives.
The hedge-fund picture was weaker than the insider activity. Insider Monkey tracked 17 hedge funds holding Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) in Q2, down from 22 in Q1. Millennium Management sharply increased its position by 490% to 1,487,282 shares, however, making the quarter more nuanced than the falling holder count suggests. One large buyer can coexist with broad caution.
Short positioning reinforces that caution. At the August 14 settlement, 4.51 million shares were sold short, equal to about 15% of the reported float and 5.36 days of average volume. The insider cluster suggests people closest to the company see value after the decline. A durable rebound still requires Ameresco to turn AI-power demand and project awards into margins, cash flow, and a balance sheet investors can underwrite without heroic ***** umptions.

#shares #power #august #amrc

As electricity demand surges amid AI data center growth, two utility companies stand out. NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) and Constellation Energy (NASDAQ: CEG) are both incredibly strong businesses, but are taking different approaches to this new chapter in North American power.
NextEra is both a traditional utility provider and a powerhouse in renewable energy. It is planning to spend $94 billion through 2030 in an aggressive push to build out its footprint. In May, the energy giant announced an all-stock agreement to acquire Dominion Energy. This deal will make NextEra the world's largest utility business, but the megamerger is facing intense regulatory scrutiny.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
The company's dividend yield is holding strong at over 3%. The stock has risen just 2% this year. NextEra is a reliable income producer, but could see substantial growth through the early 2030s.
Constellation's approach is completely different from NextEra's. Constellation is the largest nuclear power operator in the U.S. It's also an independent power producer, meaning it sells electricity on the open market and not through a regulated utility model. This gives it greater pricing volatility, but potentially more upside.

#energy #flashing

MN8 Energy, Eos Energy Enterprises and Google have announced a joint project in West Virginia, US, that aims to deliver new clean energy resources to the PJM grid, supporting increasing demand in the region.
The development will combine 86MW of utility-scale solar, 70MW/280MWh of lithium-ion energy storage and 10MW/100MWh of Eos' zinc-based long-duration energy storage (LDES).
MN8 will own and operate the facility, which is planned to support Google's data centres in the area, including a project slated for West Virginia.
The solar component of the project is planned to begin commercial operations in 2028, with lithium-ion storage expected in 2029 and long-duration storage following in 2030.
MN8 has designed the Mammoth Solar project in Kanawha County as an integrated system, pairing both short and long-duration storage to convert intermittent renewable energy into a dispatchable source. This development becomes West Virginia's first commercial-scale deployment of LDES.

#storage #project #west #long

On August 26, JinkoSolar (NASDAQ:JKS) reported a quarter that looked rough on the surface but revealed a company quietly rebuilding itself underneath. Revenue fell 31.3% year over year to $1.82 billion, and the net loss widened to RMB 697.3 million from RMB 463.5 million in the prior quarter. Yet the same earnings call showed a business leaning harder into storage, high-efficiency manufacturing and a growing side portfolio of outside investments, all while its core panel business absorbs a brutal pricing environment.
Module shipments climbed 16.7% sequentially to 15,961 megawatts, and overseas markets made up more than 70% of first-half 2026 volume. Its Tiger Neo 3.0 line still commands roughly a $0.10 per watt premium over conventional panels, and the newer Tiger Neo 5.0 modules reached 25.91% mass-production efficiency with output topping 700 watts. JinkoSolar expects 40 gigawatts of TOPCon 3.0 capacity by year-end, built to clear the toughest efficiency tier under China's new national standard taking effect in January 2027, a rule under which underperforming products "will not be permitted for production or sales," according to CEO Du.
Energy storage is scaling too. Shipments hit 3.1 gigawatt-hours in the first half of 2026, a sharp increase from a year earlier, with 1.5 gigawatt-hours already recognized as revenue, including more than 1 gigawatt-hour in the second quarter alone. Beyond the core business, JinkoSolar's strategic investment arm now holds stakes in more than 40 companies spanning solar, storage and artificial intelligence, worth RMB 1.99 billion in fair value and generating RMB 490 million in first-half gains. That included a divestment of its LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology stake for more than RMB 300 million in cash and a ***** ulative realized gain topping RMB 250 million, plus a sale of its U.S. subsidiary that brought in RMB 1.31 billion in cash. The board still declared a $1.50 per ADS dividend in June 2026.
The core problem is that panels are getting cheaper to sell and more expensive to make. Gross margin slid to 4.2% from 8.3% in the first quarter of 2026 as average selling prices dropped, while the cost of ramping up high-efficiency production stayed elevated. Operating loss margin widened to 11.6% from 4.8% a quarter earlier, and total operating expenses rose 21.3% sequentially to $287.3 million on higher expected credit losses. Cash on hand fell to $2.5 billion from $3.3 billion in a single quarter, and JinkoSolar cut its full-year shipment guidance to a range of 60 to 70 gigawatts.

#efficiency

On September 1, Sasol Limited (NYSE:SSL) posted fiscal 2026 results that looked nothing like the shaky operator investors have grown used to. Net debt fell to its lowest level in ten years, Secunda output hit a five-year high, and adjusted EBITDA jumped 17% year over year to ZAR 61 billion. The numbers suggest a turnaround that finally has traction, even as chemical markets stay stuck in a rut.
The clearest thread running through the quarter is that Sasol's core Southern African operations are simply working better than they have in years. Secunda production reached 7.26 million tonnes, a five-year high, driven by improved coal quality and gas availability after the company installed a destoning plant that pushed sinks below 12%. That reliability helped cut the Southern African oil breakeven to $49 per barrel. Management is also weaning the business off external coal, planning to cut purchases from 8.8 million tonnes down to a range of 5 million to 7 million tonnes in fiscal 2027 as own production climbs toward 34 million tonnes by 2028.
The balance sheet tells a similar story. Net debt dropped 11% to $3.3 billion, and available liquidity rose 21% to roughly $5 billion after a bond swap that better matched debt currency to cash generation. Free cash flow of ZAR 11.9 billion was actually up 26% once you strip out a one-time legal settlement from the prior year. International Chemicals, long the drag on the portfolio, posted $604 million in adjusted EBITDA on a 7% cut in fixed costs and a stronger fourth quarter market. Retail fuel market share climbed to 13% from 9% five years ago, and renewable capacity reached 500 megawatts on the way to a 2 gigawatt target by 2030.
Not everything is fixed. Sasol lost two colleagues during the year, a reminder that operational improvement has not erased safety risk. Currency remains a persistent headwind, with CFO Walt Bruns noting that "the stronger rand remained a significant earnings headwind given the U.S. dollar-linked nature of much of our revenue." That same stronger rand outlook, combined with weaker long-term polyethylene pricing, drove impairments on the Secunda liquid fuels refinery and the South African polyethylene unit.
Management was explicit that global chemical markets have not turned a corner, warning that "excess capacity and weaker demand" continue pressuring prices with only a gradual recovery expected. Working capital also ran hot at 18.3% of trailing turnover, above the 15.5% to 16.5% target range, due to pricing volatility and elevated inventory. Fiscal 2027 capital spending guidance of ZAR 23 billion to ZAR 26 billion is also higher than the year just completed, and dividends stay off the table until net debt is sustainably below $3 billion, a threshold the company has approached but not yet crossed.

#debt #fiscal #years #five

Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and several business partners are facing a civil fraud lawsuit over a $2.5 million loan that was supposed to help a joint venture acquire an interest in a planned Texas solar development.
Kituwah Energy Project #2 LLC, an affiliate of Kituwah LLC, the economic development arm of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, filed the lawsuit Aug. 31 in Delaware's Court of Chancery. It accuses Smith, longtime business partner David Mosley and others of inducing the company to participate in a renewable energy venture known as Project Exodus.
The proposed project was presented as a major solar development expected to begin operating by the end of 2024 and generate nearly $13.8 million in first-year net income. Kituwah says it ultimately provided a $2.5 million loan to the parties' newly created joint venture after being told the money would help acquire rights and ownership interests connected to the project.
The lawsuit alleges the money instead went to another business that had previously financed ventures involving Smith and Mosley's company. The loan matured Feb. 1, 2024, and Kituwah says none of the principal has been repaid. The allegations have not been proven in court, and NBC 5 DFW reported that the defendants had not responded to its requests for comment.
Smith and Mosley co-founded Dallas-based 4 13 Solutions Inc., a real estate and renewable energy company. According to the complaint, they approached Kituwah in early 2023 about participating in Project Exodus, a proposed solar development in Caldwell County, Texas.

#business

On August 3, The Andersons Inc. (NASDAQ:ANDE) reported second-quarter results that dwarfed last year's numbers, with net income attributable to the company climbing to $57 million, or $1.65 per diluted share, from just $7.9 million, or $0.23 per share, a year earlier. Adjusted net income reached $74 million, or $2.15 per share, versus $8.4 million, or $0.24 per share, in the second quarter of 2025. The turnaround leaned almost entirely on one business: renewable fuels.
Renewables did the heavy lifting. The segment posted a record second-quarter pretax income of $65 million, with the adjusted figure reaching $88 million, on record plant output and strong merchandising execution. Andersons credited its low-carbon strategy for $24 million in 45Z producer tax credits during the quarter, plus the first-quarter finalization of the Renewable Volume Obligations, which firmed up commodity markets and opened trading opportunities for the merchandising desk. Gains in distillers corn oil and RIN pricing also helped. Segment adjusted EBITDA came in at $103 million, more than triple the $30 million posted a year earlier.
Agribusiness improved too, if more modestly, with pretax income of $20 million, both on a GAAP and adjusted basis, up from $17 million in the prior-year quarter. Fertilizer margins strengthened even as volumes fell, and merchandising benefited from higher commodity prices and early-quarter volatility. The company is pushing further into low-carbon fuels, preparing a debottlenecking project at its Clymers, Indiana ethanol plant and advancing a Class VI well permit to capture more 45Z value. A new soybean meal export operation at the Port of Houston is expected online in the fourth quarter. Operating cash flow of $488 million for the quarter, up from $299 million a year earlier, gave the company room to keep funding those projects while holding long-term debt to EBITDA below its 2.5-times target.
The numbers come with caveats. Cash and cash equivalents stood at just $66.5 million at the end of the second quarter, down from $351 million a year earlier, even as short-term debt climbed to $314 million from $104 million. Much of that swing traces to working capital timing and investment spending rather than distress, but it leaves less cushion than the company carried a year ago.
In Agribusiness, the fertilizer and merchandising gains were partly offset by fuel surcharges, a reminder that the segment's profitability still moves with input costs it does not control. Andersons also warned that a drier stretch across its western growing regions could weigh on grain-asset profits this fall, even though better conditions in the eastern corn belt cut the other way, and that grower economics could limit fertilizer purchasing heading into the fall application season.

#million #year #income #Share

As AI and automation reshape workers' daily lives, they are also reshaping which jobs can expect major gains and losses over the next decade, according to new projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The U.S. economy is expected to add 5.9 million jobs, an increase of 3.5%, between 2025 and 2035, but growth will be slower than it was in the previous decade, according to data released Aug. 27. Total employment is projected to increase from 170.3 million to 176.2 million, with healthcare, technology and renewable energy expected to lead those gains.
Artificial intelligence, a major player in who sees gains and losses, is also driving demand for workers in fields such as data ***** ysis, cybersecurity and software development. But federal data predicts that increased automation will reduce demand for many office support, sales and production jobs.
Administrative jobs, such as clerks, typists and data entry specialists, are expected to take an especially hard hit with a 4% drop in employment, the largest projected in any category, thanks to what the Labor Department called "continued integration of automation tools, including those powered by AI."
Sales, along with the farming, fishing and forestry industries, are also expected to see losses.

#data #gains #losses

Saudi Arabia's power stations, desalination plants, factories and farms consume more than 1 million barrels per day of liquid fuel that the kingdom aims to displace by 2030. Natural gas and renewables will provide most of the replacement energy. Nuclear power could reduce domestic oil consumption further after 2030 as electricity demand continues to grow.
On July 22, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed a 30-year civil nuclear cooperation agreement, clearing the way for U.S. companies to potentially supply the kingdom with reactors, nuclear materials and technical services. Similar agreements with Turkey and the UAE entered into force in June 2008 and December 2009, respectively.
The commercial opportunity is in Saudi Arabia's search for additional generating capacity. The IEA estimates that the kingdom's electricity demand grew by 3.8% in 2025 and forecasts average annual growth of 3.1% through 2030.
Related: U.S. Shale Producers Lose Bid to Kill Oil Price-Fixing Case
Saudi consumption of crude oil and fuel oil for power generation rises sharply during the summer, when air-conditioning demand peaks. Combined burn reached 1.42 million b/d in June 2024, according to the EIA. It fell to an average of 678,000 b/d in January and February 2025 (the lowest level for that period since 2016) with February alone registering an 11-year monthly low of 589,000 b/d. Reducing domestic oil-fired generation can leave more petroleum available for export or other uses.

#demand #february #million #fuel

Microsoft's next major AI constraint may be measured in turbines rather than processors. On June 22, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) entered a 20-year power purchase agreement with Energy Forge One LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), for a planned West Texas data-center project. The Kilby development targets 2.67 gigawatts of generation, with initial power expected in 2028. Its scale suggests that securing dependable electricity is becoming as strategic to hyperscalers as securing accelerators.
Tupungato / Shutterstock.com
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) gets a dedicated path to capacity in a grid-constrained market. Natural gas can provide round-the-clock generation that complements intermittent renewables and supports the reliability AI clusters require. A two-decade contract can also give developers confidence to finance construction. The bull case is simple: Microsoft protects its cloud growth by solving power locally instead of waiting years for transmission expansion.
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) gains a new outlet for its gas and an opportunity to move downstream into integrated power. If Kilby works, Chevron can replicate a model that converts energy resources and project expertise into long-duration data-center cash flows. Yet the project has not reached a final investment decision. Construction, permitting, fuel costs, emissions rules, and customer requirements can all change the economics before power begins flowing.
Those uncertainties create bear cases for both companies. Microsoft is committing to an energy pathway as AI hardware and efficiency evolve rapidly, and a long contract can become less attractive if power markets change. Chevron and its partners must commit capital years before the **** et is operational while managing construction, fuel-cost and carbon-policy risks. Gas solves the reliability problem, but it may intensify political and regulatory scrutiny around AI's environmental footprint. The critical milestones are final investment approval, permitting, construction costs, and data showing that the first power date remains achievable. Until those arrive, the agreement secures intent rather than operating supply.

#power #data

On August 4, Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM) executives told investors on an earnings call that the company would expand capacity at four US oilseed-crushing plants, a roughly $100 million push into a business that just posted its strongest quarter in years. The plants sit in Frankfort, Indiana; Deerfield, Missouri; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Spiritwood, North Dakota, the last a joint venture with Marathon Petroleum. Together, the upgrades are expected to add about 700,000 metric tons of crush capacity by 2028 or 2029, and six more sites have already been flagged for possible future growth.
CEO Juan Luciano framed the projects as a cheap way to add output, estimating the cost at roughly a quarter of what a brand-new facility would require. That math matters because ADM just reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.84, well above the $1.44 ***** ysts expected, and raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $5.15 to $5.60 from a prior $4.15 to $4.70. Operating profit in the ag services and oilseeds segment, ADM's largest, jumped 129% year over year to $867 million, with the crushing subsegment alone up $330 million as oilseed volumes climbed about 5%.
The company has now identified 10 US soy processing plants for potential expansion in total, and Luciano said top buyer China appears on track to meet its commitment to purchase 25 million metric tons of US soybeans this year. Nutrition, long a laggard, also grew 51% to $172 million on strength in flavors. Even so, Luciano described the crushing expansion as a "phased approach to allow for offramps," language that suggests management wants room to pull back if the current environment does not hold. The projects are expected to fit inside ADM's existing 2026 capital expenditure range of $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion, following expansions at two Brazilian plants last year and an extension completed this year in Uberlandia.
The strength behind these numbers leans heavily on conditions ADM does not control. Finalized 2026 and 2027 renewable volume obligations under the US Renewable Fuel Standard, locked in only this past March, are doing much of the work behind crushing margins, alongside energy prices that climbed after the Iran war. Roughly $100 million of the ag services and oilseeds profit came from net positive mark-to-market and timing impacts, gains tied to commodity pricing swings rather than the underlying business.
Not every part of the portfolio moved in the same direction. The refined products and other subsegment posted a 3% profit decline on negative mark-to-market impacts and supply and demand imbalances in South America, and equity earnings from ADM's stake in Wilmar fell 22%. Those soft spots, paired with a crush expansion built with explicit offramps, hint that management sees more uncertainty in the setup than the headline guidance raise suggests.

#luciano #quarter #expected

India-based business conglomerate Sanmar Group has acquired a majority stake in renewable energy platform AltEons Energy, investing an undisclosed sum to support the development of more than 1.5GW of renewable energy projects across India.
The collaboration will focus on delivering cleaner power solutions for corporate and industrial customers.
AltEons Energy is expanding its integrated platform, combining solar, wind, energy storage and energy management technologies to provide clients with round-the-clock renewable power.
Its current pipeline includes a 210MW hybrid project under construction in Maharashtra featuring wind, solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
This project aims to meet the rising energy requirements of businesses operating in the state.

#energy #India

When investors want to play the AI power boom, the first names that come to mind are hot stocks in emerging energy technologies, such as advanced fuel cell maker Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) and small modular reactor developer Oklo (NYSE:OKLO). Bloom has major AI partnerships with Oracle and Brookfield, while Oklo has deals with Meta Platforms and Switch.
One company almost no one is talking about is the high-yielding clean-power producer Clearway Energy (NYSE:CWEN). That's a mistake. Its parent (Clearway Energy Group) quietly signed a nearly 1.2-gigawatt (GW) deal to build renewable power for Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL), and it's getting paid much more for the power produced at some of its legacy ***** ets because the new power buyer is a hyperscaler with voracious energy needs.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
That's only the beginning. AI power is one of the catalysts that make Clearway among the top renewable energy stocks to buy.
Image source: Getty Images.

#NYSE #bloom

On August 3, TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) signed an agreement to acquire Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL)'s entire onshore renewables business in Europe. The acquisition includes 500 MW of operational or under-construction solar and wind ******* ets primarily in Italy and the Netherlands, alongside a 3.5 GW pipeline of solar, wind, and battery storage projects across Italy, the UK, and Spain. Set for completion by late 2026 pending regulatory approval, the deal directly advances TotalEnergies' European Integrated Power strategy, bolstering its existing portfolio of roughly 10 GW in gross capacity/construction and 27 GW under development. Following the news on August 3, Piper Sandler ******* yst John Royall raised Shell's price target from $88 to $89 while maintaining a Neutral rating, citing strong Q2 trading beats.
Both Big Oil majors reported robust Q2 2026 results driven by operational efficiency, yet distinct financial profiles emerge. TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) generated adjusted net income of $6.0 billion and cash flow from operations (CFFO) of $9.8 billion on 2.395 Mboe/d production, keeping Upstream operating costs down to $5/b despite Middle East transit disruptions. Shell outperformed on sheer cash generation, posting $9.8 billion in Adjusted Earnings and CFFO of $21.4 billion, supported by record upstream production in Brazil, record refinery utilization, and a $3.4 billion working capital inflow.
TotalEnergies retains a leaner debt profile with a gearing ratio of 13.1% ($3.3 billion net debt reduction), whereas Shell holds a 19% gearing ratio with $42 billion in net debt ($12 billion excluding leases). While Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) leads on top-line cash generation, TotalEnergies displays superior balance sheet leverage and higher quarter-over-quarter cash flow growth (+15%).
TotalEnergies' bull case is supported by strong execution of its Integrated Power strategy, with expanding high-margin renewable power capacity alongside low Upstream costs of approximately $5 per barrel. Its healthy balance sheet, reflected in 13.1% gearing, provides financial flexibility to support a 5.9% dividend increase to €0.90 per share while continuing $1.5 billion in quarterly share buybacks. However, the bear case centers on weakness in Integrated LNG, particularly from underperforming European gas trading. Continued exposure to geopolitical disruptions along Middle Eastern transit corridors could also restrict physical oil liftings and weigh on operations.

#TotalEnergies #shell #upstream

Oil prices have been all over the place in 2026. Brent crude fell nearly 40% from its year-to-date (YTD) high of $118.35 on March 31 to $71.44 by July 1 after a U.S.-Iran peace deal reopened the Strait of Hormuz. Prices then rebounded more than 16% from that July low after the ceasefire broke down on July 8, helping make energy the best-performing S&P 500 sector ($SPX) during that period.
Shell (SHEL) has used the volatility to reshape its business. The company has sold ****** ets that no longer fit its focus on oil, gas, and LNG, including India's Sprng Energy for $1.8 billion, Gulf of Mexico stakes for $1.7 billion, and Jiffy Lube International and Premium Velocity Auto for $1.3 billion. It also sold its European onshore renewables portfolio to TotalEnergies SE (TTE) and agreed to acquire Canada's ARC Resources Ltd. (ARX) in a deal valued at about $13.6 billion.
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Next could be Shell's U.S. chemicals business. The company has reportedly drawn interest from potential buyers, including ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) and LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB), in a deal that could fetch up to $8 billion.

#prices

Europe is heading for the winter with one of the lowest levels of gas in storage in the past two decades as the war in the Middle East crippled LNG supply from Qatar, sent gas and LNG prices in Europe and Asia skyrocketing, and intensified competition for the shrunk pool of readily available global LNG cargoes.
A perfect storm of elevated demand for filling depleted storage and electricity during the summer heatwaves, and slashed global LNG supply with Qatar's cargoes trapped behind the Strait of Hormuz have pushed European benchmark prices to multi-month highs and LNG prices to the highest in three years.
The high prices, with front-month futures higher than those further out in time, have discouraged stockpiling for most of the summer. But Europe doesn't have a choice and needs to fight for gas to fill storage sites to reasonably adequate levels before December to avoid a winter supply crunch.
That's easier said than done. Competition from Asia is fierce for LNG supply that doesn't need to move through the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe is currently losing this race.
One potentially mitigating factor is that Europe now consumes about 10-15% less natural gas than it did in 2021 due to a higher share of renewables for electricity generation and industries adapting from an abundance of gas (including from Russia) to tight markets with elevated prices.

#Europe #storage #asia #hormuz

Maryland-based investment firm Hull Street Energy announced it has completed its acquisition of two Midwestern power plants that provide electricity in the PJM Interconnection.The company on August 26 said the facilities, which together are included in Hull Street's "GridFlex Portfolio," are the 677-ME gas-fired Lee County Generating Station in Illinois, and the 586-MW dual-fuel Tait Electric Generating Station in Ohio. Terms of the deal with Rockland Capital, which was first announced in March of this year, were not disclosed."Dispatchable resources are increasingly important as the resource mix becomes more intermittent and demand grows. This is particularly true in PJM where declining reserve margins are increasing the need to retain and improve ***** ets like Lee and Tait," said Sarah Wright, founder and managing partner of Hull Street Energy.Hull Street said the GridFlex Portfolio, together with the company's Milepost Power fleet, means Hull Street now owns nearly 5 GW of gas-fired and duel-fueled power generation capacity in the U.S. The company said it is positioned as one of the nation's largest, privately held power producers.
[evtx_block slug="ep-2026-textblock"]
The deal announced Wednesday was backed with equity from Hull Street Energy managed funds and committed senior secured debt financing. Rockland Capital, headquartered in Texas, is a private equity company that was formed in early 2003 in order to acquire and develop selected investment opportunities in power and energy infrastructure markets. The company has invested in energy projects in the U.S. and UK.Santander and Investec Inc. served as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners for the GridFlex deal, with Santander acting as Administrative Agent. Troutman Pepper Locke acted as legal counsel to Hull Street. PEI Global Partners, LLC and Houlihan Lokey acted as financial advisors, and Bracewell acted as legal counsel to Rockland.Hull Street earlier this year acquired a portfolio of renewable energy generation ***** ets from FirstLight USA. The deal includes ownership of Northfield Mountain, a 1,168-MW pumped storage hydro facility in Massachusetts that is the largest energy storage facility in New England. The acquisition also includes 14 hydroelectric stations located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, along with three operational solar and battery facilities in the Northeast.—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.

#hull #street #company #Portfolio

Canada-headquartered Revolve Renewable Power Corp., a North American owner, operator and developer of power generation and digital infrastructure projects, announced it has entered into a MXN$450 million ($24 million) project-level, non-recourse-style financing facility with Banco Multiva, S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Multiva. The facility is secured by project cash flows and contracted revenues and is expected to support the continued expansion of Revolve's distributed generation business in Mexico while enabling the company to recycle capital from existing operating and construction-stage ****** ets into future growth opportunities.Concurrent with the signing of the facility, Revolve expects to complete an initial drawdown of about MXN$128.8 million ($7.7 million) backed by operating ****** ets and projects currently under construction. This drawdown is anticipated to refinance a portion of Revolve's investment in these ****** ets and return capital to the corporate level, while maintaining ownership of the underlying projects and their long-term contracted revenue streams.Tania Ontiveros, CFO of Revolve, stated that the financing with Banco Multiva is a significant milestone and validation of the company's growing distributed generation business in Mexico. She expressed gratitude to the Banco Multiva team for their work and vision. Ontiveros highlighted that the facility provides the $24 million in long-term project-level capital for growth, and the initial drawdown of $7.7 million demonstrates the effectiveness of Revolve's capital recycling strategy. This involves recovering invested capital from developed and constructed ****** ets while retaining ownership and future cash flows.Tamara Caballero, CEO of Banco Multiva, noted that this financing marks a significant milestone for Multiva in advancing energy projects and reinforces its ability to deliver long-term financing solutions. She added that the institution is proud to contribute to the sector's growth through investment-encouraging structures that support innovative companies and create sustainable value for Mexico.The Multiva Facility is structured as a 14-year project financing facility, providing Revolve with access to long-term, non-dilutive capital. This capital is intended for the construction of new distributed generation (DG) projects, refinancing of operating ****** ets, and expansion of its portfolio of commercial and industrial solar projects in Mexico. The facility is structured through Revolve's Mexican subsidiaries, EPM Solar, S.A. de C.V. and RRP Business Solutions, S.A. de C.V., and comprises two equal MXN$225 million ($13.3 million) tranches.Key terms of the credit facility include a total size of MXN$450 million ($24 million), a term of 168 months (14 years) from drawdown, and a 24-month availability period. The facility's purpose is project-level debt financing of up to 75% of eligible distributed generation project expenditures, including de

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed told Fox News host Jesse Watters on Monday that he would not defend the Green New Deal when confronted with his past support for the progressive climate proposal, a notable shift from years of publicly embracing it by name.
"Look, I'm not going to defend the Green New Deal," El-Sayed told Watters after the host confronted him over his past support for the proposal. When Watters reiterated that El-Sayed was on record supporting it, El-Sayed redirected the discussion toward lowering energy costs and creating Michigan jobs by prioritizing renewables.
Michigan, which Trump won in 2024 but lost in 2020, is shaping up to have one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, with the likely narrow results in the state potentially determining control of Congress. Critics charge that El-Sayed is downplaying some of his past beliefs and scrubbing his online footprint to appear more moderate, and therefore more palatable, to Michigan voters.
Unearthed Clip Exposes More Anti-police Rhetoric As El-sayed Gets Grilled For Deleting Social Media Posts
Though El-Sayed declined to defend the Green New Deal in front of a national audience, he previously hasn't been so shy.

#green #past

Quinbrook has selected GE Vernova to provide technology for the third stage of the Supernode battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Queensland, Australia, expanding its involvement to all three phases of the development.
The agreement will see GE Vernova deliver power conversion, plant controls, system integration and grid-connection support for stage three.
The Supernode site is located adjacent to the South Pine substation, a central component of Queensland's electricity transmission network. The facility stores electricity during times of surplus and dispatches it back into the grid when demand rises or renewable output fluctuates.
This process supports dependable power supply and allows for greater integration of renewable energy sources into the network.
The first and second stages, which also used GE Vernova technology, are now fully operational and are among the largest BESS facilities running in Australia's National Electricity Market.

#electricity #system #three #power

Sustainable Growth Advisers (SGA), an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter for its "Global Growth Strategy." The letter can be downloaded here. The SGA Global Growth Portfolio returned 7.4% gross and 7.2% net, compared with 14.9% for the MSCI ACWI and 19.8% for the MSCI ACWI Growth Index. Momentum leadership and enthusiasm around AI infrastructure drove markets, with semiconductor, memory, and hardware stocks accounting for much of the gain. Although the portfolio owned AI beneficiaries, broader holdings lagged despite fundamentals, as median revenue and EPS growth reached 12% and 14% and more than 60% of the holdings beat expectations. SGA believes valuation compression reflects sentiment rather than weaker business quality, leaving the portfolio near its widest discount to the market since inception. The firm continues to favor durable compounders and expects 16% revenue growth and 20% earnings growth over three years. Also, please check the Fund's top five holdings to see its best picks for 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, SGA Global Growth Strategy highlighted Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP). Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada and internationally. On August 24, 2026, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) closed at $94.68 per share. The one-month return of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) was 3.25%, and its shares gained 24.17% over the past 52 weeks. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) has a market capitalization of $83.25 billion.
SGA Global Growth Strategy stated the following regarding Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We engaged with management of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) in advance of the company's annual meeting to discuss its climate strategy and a proposal on climate-related disclosures. A key topic of discussion was the company's decision to defer establishing a Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-validated 1.5°C-aligned emissions reduction target. While the ISS Sustainability policy recommended voting against the climate proposal due to the absence of intermediate and long-term emissions targets, management explained that the delay stemmed from the lack of a finalized intensity-based methodology from SBTi appropriate for the freight rail industry, emphasizing that CPKC remains committed to its existing goal of reducing locomotive well-to-wheel emissions intensity by 36.9% by 2030 and continues to work with SBTi as industryspecific frameworks evolve. Management highlighted continued spending on locomotive fleet modernization, including investment in new Tier 4 locomotives, expansion of its hydrogen locomotive program, and trials of renewable fuels. After reviewing the company's disclosures, proxy materials, and feedback from management, we concluded that the company is making goo

Exxon is in the running for Shell's U.S. chemicals business that could fetch $8 billion, the Financial Times reported today, citing unnamed sources familiar with developments.
The U.S. supermajor is competing with LyondellBasell, Apollo Global Management, and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, the unnamed sources also told the publication. The potential buyers have submitted non-binding offers to Shell, with these ranging from offers to buy parts of the business to offers for the whole division.
Shell's chemicals business in the United States comprises four facilities in Louisiana, Texas, and Pennsylvania that make chemicals used in a range of industries, from plastics production to detergents.
Shell has made two **** et sales recently, one of its onshore wind and solar power business in Europe and the other of a stake in a gas project offshore Cyprus. The wind and solar power deal went to TotalEnergies and involved 500 megawatts of combined renewable generation capacity in operation and in development, as well as a pipeline of projects for future development across Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to complete by the end of 2026, Shell said earlier this month in the announcement of the deal with TotalEnergies.

#business #chemicals #unnamed #wind

Donald Trump is accidentally overseeing a massive buildout of the country's renewable energy capacity and infrastructure. Not only are investments in renewable technologies soaring to new highs, the national energy grid is rapidly transforming to accommodate an increasingly solar- and wind-powered energy mix.
Despite massive rollbacks of Biden- and Obama-era clean energy incentives and financial supports, investment in clean energy tech keeps soaring to new heights, buoyed by market forces far outside of the federal government's control. Clean energy capital expenditures already reached $74 billion in the first half of 2026, and they're on track to reach a record $180 billion by the end of the year, according to fintech firm Crux's State of Clean Energy Finance: 2026 Mid-Year Market Intelligence Report.
"The market is proving resilient," Crux CEO and co-founder Alfred Johnson was recently quoted by Politico's E&E News. "We're seeing a significant amount of investment subsequent to the tax law changes of last year."
The insatiable energy demand coming from data center hyperscalers and the artificial intelligence boom has spurred a tidal wave of investment into all kinds of energy projects, and especially renewables due to their noted advantages when it comes to energy security and affordability. These advantages have been underscored in recent months by extreme volatility in fossil fuel markets thanks to the war in Iran and resultant supply chain vulnerabilities. "Renewables and storage continue to be the fastest way to get new electrons on the grid until additional gas-fired generation can be built," NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum was recently quoted by Reuters.
As a result, we are currently "living in what arguably is one of the best periods to invest in renewables in the US over the last 20 years" according to Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, chief executive officer of Portuguese electric utilities company EDP. Accordingly, EDP is directing approximately USD $5.3 billion – more than half of its capital expenditures – toward United States renewables projects over the next three years.

#year

By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK, Aug 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday charged a former senior Bank of America investment banker with insider trading, ‌alleging he tipped a longtime friend and former colleague about a pending merger, allowing ‌the friend to make $18.5 million of illegal profit.
Jason Satsky, who was Bank of America's co-head of Americas power and renewable energy banking, allegedly tipped Gavin Wolfe in late 2021 about the potential acquisition of South Jersey Industries, an energy holding company that the bank was advising.
The SEC said Wolfe, who runs the firm Evergreen Capital and has been Satsky's friend for more than 20 years, bought more than 2.2 million ‌shares of the South Jersey Gas ⁠parent worth about $53 million, and realized a 36% gain after the company announced an $8.1 billion buyout on February 24, 2022.
Satsky and Wolfe allegedly communicated multiple times ⁠about a possible acquisition, including when they and their wives attended a nationally televised college basketball game between Duke and Kentucky at Madison Square Garden, where Satsky had luxury box seats obtained through Bank of America.

#bank #million #jersey #former

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 200 activists in Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" movement are criticizing President Donald Trump's promotion of coal to fuel the rise of artificial intelligence data centers, according to a letter sent Friday.
The letter, signed by at least two former staffers from Kennedy's 2024 presidential campaign, marks the first major MAHA movement mobilization over fossil fuels and the latest in a series of rifts between the diverse group of activists and the Trump administration over environmental policy.
The letter to Trump, Kennedy and various other Cabinet officials, first obtained by The ******* ociated Press, laments a 2025 executive order that aimed to boost coal to power data centers over pollution concerns and asks the administration to consider renewable options, including solar and geothermal energy.
"We understand the importance of American leadership in artificial intelligence, national security, innovation, and economic growth," the letter reads. "But American AI leadership should not come at the cost of a more toxic burden for American children."
In response, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers noted that greenhouse gas emissions dropped to a 30-year low during Trump's first term and said Trump "was given a mandate to roll back the radical climate policies that are burning a hole through taxpayers' wallets."

#kennedy #coal #intelligence

SAO PAULO (AP) — The world is increasingly turning to Brazil to explore for rare earth minerals that are crucial for technology and renewable energy. The country's large reserves are second only to China and have attracted investors, many of them with foreign support.
An ***** ysis by The ***** ociated Press and Reporter Brasil of all National Mining Agency records through June shows that rare earth exploration applications have surged, with more than 86% filed in the past three years, including 268 in the first half of 2026.
The interest is already raising environmental concerns for the Amazon and other areas.
Here are takeaways from the story:
Rare earth minerals are a group of chemicals essential in digital and defense technologies, used in electronics, magnets and batteries. They are also used in wind turbines and electric vehicle motors, critical to the transition away from fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal that cause global warming. The International Energy Agency estimated in 2022 that demand for rare earths could increase at least threefold by 2040.

#rare #associated

Brown Brothers Harriman, an investment management company, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "BBH Select Mid Cap ETF". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, the fund increased 9.7% on a total return basis compared to the Russell Midcap Index's 13.8% return. Artificial intelligence is a key factor influencing market performance, with high-valuation and high-beta companies consistently outperforming others. The portfolio saw gains from being overweight in technology and industrials but missed opportunities due to underweighting more cyclical stocks. At the end of Q2 2026, the Fund held positions in 27 companies, with 48% of ***** ets concentrated in the top 10 holdings. The Fund's strategy focuses on companies priced below intrinsic value to ensure a margin of safety, rather than on whether valuations are high or low. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, BBH Select Mid Cap ETF highlighted Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE:DAR). Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE:DAR) is a leader in converting edible and inedible bio-nutrients to sustainable natural ingredients. On August 19, 2026, Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE:DAR) closed at $66.94 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $10.56 billion. Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE:DAR) posted a one-month return of 5.58%, while its shares gained 110.37% over the past 52 weeks.
BBH Select Mid Cap ETF stated the following regarding Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE:DAR) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"The Fund's largest detractors to performance in the quarter were Guidewire Software Inc. (Guidewire) and Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE:DAR). Darling returned -11.7% during the quarter, ending with a weight of 4.0% after trimming the position early in the quarter on strength. Darling is the global leader in rendering animal byproducts and used cooking oil into fats and proteins for a variety of end uses, including animal feed, specialty health products, and renewable diesel through a joint venture with Valero called Diamond Green Diesel (DGD). Darling reported stronger than expected first quarter 2026 results, driven by better performance in the core Feed and Food segments, as well as stronger margins at DGD. Notwithstanding lower oil prices at quarter- end, Darling is extremely well-positioned for significantly improved profitability, with long-awaited certainty on government mandates finalized at the end of first quarter 2026, which will support both margins at DGD and higher Feed prices. These end markets are further benefiting from higher prices as a result of the recent conflict in the Middle East. The full benefit of recent development will start to be apparent in second quarter 2026."

#darling #select #investor #return

On August 10, Plug Power (NASDAQ:PLUG) held its second-quarter earnings call, and the numbers pointed toward a company closing the gap between its long-promised turnaround and reality. Revenue climbed to $178 million, gross margin crept to nearly break-even, and management raised its full-year growth guidance for the second time this year. CEO Jose Luis Crespo framed the quarter as proof the business is executing, and the underlying figures back that up.
Revenue rose about 9% sequentially to $178 million, pushing first-half sales to $342 million, up 11% year-over-year. Management raised full-year revenue growth guidance to 15% to 16%, up from the 13% to 15% range given last quarter, citing visibility into a historically second-half-weighted business. Material handling was the standout. Plug deployed 1,670 GenDrive units in the quarter, more than doubling the 39 units deployed in the second quarter of last year. Service revenue grew 82% year-over-year to $29.8 million with a 27% margin, and two of the company's largest material handling customers are planning to refresh more than 20,000 GenDrive units over the next three years, a multi-year revenue base already locked in.
The electrolyzer segment added fresh wins too, including a 50 MW order tied to a final investment decision at the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub in Australia, a 30 MW UK project reaching FID, and selection for a 275 MW feed study in Quebec. Management also pointed to European regulation, including Spain's draft renewable fuels framework, as a potential driver of roughly 10 GW of electrolyzer demand by 2030.
Despite the progress, the business remains unprofitable across every segment. Gross margin was still negative at roughly -0.9%, and the fuel segment, while improved to -48.8% from -91% a year ago, remains deeply unprofitable. GAAP EPS was a loss of $0.14, weighed down by about $104 million in non-cash mark-to-market charges tied to convertible debt and warrants. The reported 50% year-over-year drop in operating expenses to $62 million leaned heavily on a $39.7 million recovery of previously impaired ****** ets, including a $37 million gain from a customer contract dispute settled in June, meaning the underlying cost base improved less than the headline number implies. Cash usage of $61 million for the quarter, while down 58% sequentially, still represents ongoing burn.
The company's liquidity plan depends in part on non-dilutive financing, including a July transaction expected to generate about $80 million from ****** et sales, of which only $47 million had been received as of the call. Positive EBITDA in the fourth quarter remains a target management reiterated rather than a result already delivered.

#year #revenue

On August 7, Hawaiian Electric (NYSE:HE) reported second-quarter net income of $123.2 million, or $0.71 per share, numbers that look strong at first glance. Much of that gain traces back to a non-cash Maui wildfire settlement adjustment, not the underlying business, and core net income actually dropped once it's stripped out. The quarter tells the story of a utility making real regulatory progress on wildfire recovery and grid investment while its day-to-day operating costs keep climbing.
Hawaiian Electric has cleared several regulatory hurdles this year. In June, the Public Utilities Commission approved recovery of roughly $350 million in Wildfire Mitigation Plan spending, and the company now plans to finance that spending through securitization under Act 258 rather than the more limited Exceptional Project Recovery Mechanism, a move it says lowers the cost to customers.
The commission also accepted the company's rate rebasing methodology in June, and Hawaiian Electric resubmitted its request last month seeking a total base rate increase of $170 million phased in over two years, with $125 million taking effect in 2027 if the commission issues an interim decision by December 18. On the generation side, the company submitted a request for proposals on July 17 ahead of the August 7 issuance date, seeking nearly 1,650 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy, one of the largest competitive procurements in state history. Credit agencies have taken notice, with S&P upgrading Hawaiian Electric one notch in July, following Moody's upgrade in April.
The cost side of the ledger tells a rougher story. Core net income and earnings per share fell to $22.5 million and $0.13 in the quarter, down from $35.4 million and $0.20 a year earlier, and utility core net income slipped to $32.6 million from $42.5 million. Higher interest expense from last September's high-yield debt issuance is part of the drag, along with increased spending on vegetation management, generation overhauls, and inspection and maintenance. The company also lost a deferral it used last year for roughly $28 million in wildfire-related expenses, including insurance premiums, and it is now absorbing storm response costs from the severe flooding that hit Hawaii in February and March.
Management expects to hit the maximum penalty under its Fuel Cost Risk Sharing Mechanism this year and to book a loss under its performance incentive mechanisms. Regulators are also pushing back in places. On August 5, the commission told Hawaiian Electric it needs to demonstrate a clear need before it can proceed with a proposed request for up to 500 megawatts of additional firm generation capacity on Oahu.

#million #wildfire #august #core