JERA seeks more LNG to hedge growing Middle East risk
JERA, Japan's largest liquefied gas buyer, has begun discussions with global suppliers about possible additional purchases to protect against Middle East supplies worsening. This is despite a major LNG supplier saying the price spike would be short-lived. The U.S./Israeli war against Iran has caused the QatarEnergy LNG plants to be shut down, which has disrupted energy supplies in the Middle East.
Globally, governments are taking measures to mitigate the impact of Iran's war on energy prices for consumers
Fuel subsidies, price caps and emergency commodity releases are just some of the measures that governments from Asia to Europe have taken to protect consumers from rising fuel and food prices - a result of the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. The conflict in the Middle East has caused a halt to a fifth of world oil and gas supplies. It has also forced the top energy producers Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar to reduce their output.
Cyprus targets gas exports in 2028, as the Mid East conflict increases supply tensions
Michael Damianos, the Energy Minister, said that Cyprus could start producing natural gas to?export by?2028. This would 'potentially? strengthen Europe's drive to diversify their energy sources, as the Middle East conflict tightens its focus on supply. The turmoil in the Gulf has raised concern about energy transits via chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz. This corridor is…
South Korea is considering energy vouchers and boosting coal, nuclear power
The government of South Korea said that it is looking at providing energy vouchers for vulnerable households to help'subsidise' them if global fuel prices rise in the wake the Middle East Crisis, which will increase electricity costs. In the event of high oil prices and disruptions in LNG supplies, Asia's 4th largest?economy? is also planning to increase nuclear and coal-fired energy generation.
Document shows that eight countries have warned the EU against a weakening of carbon markets
Spain, the Netherlands, and six other countries have urged the European Union to not dismantle the emissions trading system of the bloc, which is its primary climate change policy. This comes as Brussels searches for ways to reduce energy prices. Energy?prices are surging due to disruptions in Middle Eastern oil and natural gas supplies. Brussels faces calls from governments, including Italy, to suspend the ETS.
Document threatening legal action by foreign investors against Vietnam for renewables
According to a document seen by the. Last year, the 'dispute' began when Vietnam cut subsidised electricity prices from solar and wind farms. It cited irregularities. Vietnam's energy industry is struggling with high prices and the risk of shortages due to the conflict in Iran. The chambers of commerce of the European Union, Britain and Japan in Vietnam, as well as South Korea, Thailand, and South Korea, sent a letter of joint concern to the government on Thursday.
EU considers gas price cap as a way to control rising energy costs
The European Union is considering measures to?reduce energy prices. This includes capping gas price, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday. Before the Iran War caused oil and gas to surge, Brussels was drafting proposals for industries who claim that high energy costs make it impossible to compete with their rivals in China or the United States. The…
Uniper CEO: We are protected from the latest Middle East energy crisis
Michael Lewis, CEO of the German utility, told analysts that Uniper does not purchase liquefied gas from the Middle East, where the 'U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran' have caused price spikes in oil and gas. Lewis, speaking after the group's annual results were published, said that, while higher prices might bring back memories of the energy crisis in Europe 2022, which led to the nationalisation of Uniper, today the company is much more resilient.
EIA: US power consumption will surpass previous records in 2026 and '27, as AI usage surges.
?U.S. The Energy Information Administration (EIA), in its Tuesday Short-Term Energy Outlook, said that power consumption will continue to rise in 2026-2027. The EIA projects that the power demand in 2025 will reach a record of 4,195 billion kilowatt hours (kWh), followed by 4,260 billion in 2026, and 4,388 billion in 2027. The demand for electricity is increasing as more homes and…
Iran War causes major disruptions in oil and gas
U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, and the attacks of Iran on Gulf neighbours has caused oil and natural gas production to stop in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil artery. It handles 20 percent of the global oil and LNG supplies. Saudi Aramco, world's largest oil exporter, warned on Tuesday of "catastrophic" consequences for the global oil market if the Strait does not open.
G7 and EU will hold a call on the soaring prices of energy
Officials have confirmed that the G7 energy ministers are scheduled to discuss the rising energy prices due to the war with Iran on a phone call Tuesday. A group of leaders from the European Union will do the same later in the day. Fears of Gulf production cuts and disruptions to tanker traffic pushed oil prices up to their highest level since mid-2022. The G7 Finance Ministers stated on Monday that they are prepared to take "necessary steps" to combat the price surge…
Thailand orders bureaucrats in its energy-saving drive to use stairs instead of elevators and to work from home
A government spokesperson said that the Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had ordered civil servants to conserve energy due to the energy crisis caused by the Middle East conflict. This included suspending overseas trips and using the stairs instead of elevators. Lalida Periswiwatana, a spokesperson for the prime minister, told reporters that civil servants must now work from home. However, officials who serve the public will be exempted.
German startup plans to build 30-megawatt AI Data Centre in order to boost sovereign control
Polarise, a German start-up, plans to build an artificial intelligence data center with a 30-megawatt capacity. This would double Germany’s domestically-run computing power. The company said that the facility in Amberg, Bavaria, which is set to be operational in mid-2027 could expand to 120 MW. According to the German lobby group Bitkom, AI data centres in Germany had a total capacity of 530MW by the end of 2017. Most of it was, however, operated by non German providers.
Russell: Quality is important as coal prices rise amid LNG spikes on Iran War
The rise in spot prices of liquefied gas (LNG), but only in higher-quality grades, has led to a price increase for seaborne thermal coal. Last week, the spot price of LNG in Asia nearly doubled as the market digested a loss of almost 20% of global supply of super-chilled fuel after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. This cut off Qatar's LNG.
Report: US solar installations will drop by 2025 as a result of Trump's policies.
A study released on Tuesday showed that the U.S. market for solar energy added fewer installations in 2025 than the previous year. This is due to the fact that President Donald 'Trump' scrapped tax breaks and subsidies for renewable energy developers. According to a report by Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association, 43 gigawatts of new solar capacity was installed in 2018. This compares to 50 GW in 2020.
Oil majors are still stuck on the sidelines as Iran's war increases oil prices.
Oil prices rose to their highest level since 2022 on Monday, but the shares of major producers such as Shell and Exxon Mobil are still only seeing modest gains'since the U.S. - Israel war on Iran 'broke out last month. This suggests that traders believe the pain in the market could be temporary. The iShares Global Energy ETF, which tracks global energy companies, is up about 2%.
Iran War causes major disruptions in oil and gas
U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, and Tehran's attacks upon Gulf neighbours has caused oil and gas?exports to be disrupted and production stopped. Sources say that Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, cut its output Monday. The Strait of Hormuz is the most important oil artery in the world, and it handles 20% of the global oil supply. Two sources reported on Monday that Aramco had begun reducing production at two of its fields.
Helsinki Energy Group plans to invest heavily in small nuclear reactors
Helen, the city's energy utility, plans to invest between $1.16 billion and $5.78 billion in Small Modular Reactors in the next few years. This was revealed by the head of the newly-established nuclear division. Helsinki isn't?alone? in pursuing new nuclear generation. Countries from the United States and South Korea to companies like Meta are turning to SMRs for their rapid increase in power demand due to artificial intelligence and electrification.
Merafe Resources' profits plunge after soaring electricity costs close smelters
Merafe Resources, a South African company, reported a 72% drop in its full-year profits on 'Monday. This was after it suspended operations at its ferrochrome smelters because of high electricity prices. Merafe’s headline earnings per shares fell from 42.9 South African Cents to 12.2 South African Cents for the year ending December 31, 2025. The?company that operates a joint venture ferrochrome with Glencore?idled their plants in April 2025…
Head of opposition party says Japan should use nuclear power to counter Iran crisis
Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of an opposition party in Japan, said that Japan should run all its nuclear?power stations to offset the impact the Iran war has had on electricity bills. Japan imports around 11% of liquefied gas and 95% of oil from the Middle East. Around 70% of these are imported via the Strait of Hormuz which is now effectively closed because of the war. Tamaki, the leader of the Democratic Party for the People on X…