US to develop AI on Energy Department Lands
On Thursday, the administration of Donald Trump announced that it had identified 16 sites in the U.S. Department of Energy where data centers and energy plants to support artificial intelligence could be built. The rapid growth of AI has led to a boom in the demand for power in the United States, which is unprecedented in 20 years. Big Tech companies and utilities are scrambling to build data centers and new power plants.
Sources say that the Energy Department may cut funding for US carbon removal hubs.
Three sources familiar with this matter have confirmed that the U.S. Department of Energy has been considering cutting hundreds of millions of dollar in grants for two projects in Texas or Louisiana, which are aimed at demonstrating commercial-scale technology to capture CO2 from the air. Direct Air Capture hubs were developed by the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations as part of the former president Joe Biden’s efforts to reduce U.S. greenhouse gases emissions.
US considers cutting funding to four of seven hydrogen hubs
According to a source familiar with the issue, the U.S. Department of Energy has considered cutting funding to four of seven hubs for hydrogen that were chosen under a $7-billion federal program. The hubs are part of the effort by former President Joe Biden to decarbonize U.S. economics. They aim to boost the production of clean hydrogen and the infrastructure required to deliver it to industrial users such as steelmakers and Cement plants.
Qilak LNG is Alaska's smaller natural gas project. It wants to play a part in Trump's Asia push.
Mead Treadwell, the Chief Executive of Qilak LNG who is hoping to develop an LNG project in Alaska wants to join President Donald Trump’s push to increase gas exports to Asian markets from the remote peninsula, she said. The Trump administration wants to ship liquefied gas from Alaska's remote northern region to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan via a 1,300 km (800 mile) pipeline worth $44 billion. This project is called Alaska LNG.
The head of Trump's Energy Loan Office departs this week
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Tuesday that the head of the U.S. Government's Energy Loans Office, which has provided funding to projects ranging from nuclear power and a sustainable aviation fuel facility supported by one of Donald Trump's Republican colleagues, will leave the agency in the coming week. John Sneed was reappointed to the position of LPO (Loan Programs Office) on January 20, to oversee the transition from the first Trump administration to the second. He will serve for a period of 30 days.
Glencore approached Li-Cycle battery recycler for possible deal
As part of its proposal to address operational and financial problems, Glencore (listed on the London Stock Exchange) has offered to buy Canadian lithium battery recycling firm Li-Cycle. In a March 14 letter to the board chair, Glencore stated that it wanted to begin discussions as soon as possible with Li-Cycle and the other shareholders of the company regarding the potential deal. Li-Cycle’s debt, held by Glencore, is convertible into approximately 84 million shares of the recycling company.
Commonwealth LNG sees new interest after securing export license
The owner of the Commonwealth LNG project said that the interest in the project has increased since the export license was granted by the Trump administration last month. In February, the U.S. Department of Energy approved an LNG export license for the Commonwealth LNG project located in Louisiana. This was the first LNG export approval since former President Joe Biden had halted exports early last year to allow for environmental reviews.
US Energy Secretary criticizes net-zero policy in new order
According to a Wednesday order by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the U.S. Department of Energy prioritizes expanding energy production above achieving net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases. The secretarial orders are meant to align the Department with President Donald Trump's priorities. Trump has called climate changes a hoax, and has pledged to maximize oil and gas production which is already at record levels. According to the order, "Net-zero policy raises energy costs for American households and businesses.
New Fortress Energy signs a gas supply agreement with Energiza
New Fortress Energy announced on Wednesday that it had signed an agreement with Energiza for the supply of natural gas to a combined-cycle power station in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The plant will be developing a 478 megawatt combined-cycle energy plant. This move coincides with the lifting of the ban on new export permits for liquefied gas by U.S. president Donald Trump, imposed in January 2024 by his predecessor Joe Biden.
Daphne Technology, Williams win DOE Grant for MERP Efforts
Daphne Technology, in partnership with Williams, announced the award of a grant worth nearly $6M from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP).This project, titled the "Daphne and Williams Methane Slip Abatement Plasma-Catalyst Scale-Up", highlights the critical role of innovative technologies in reducing methane emissions.As part of this collaboration, Daphne Technology and Williams…
Sources say that Trump will end the need to renew some LNG export permits
According to two sources familiar with the plan, Donald Trump, the U.S. president-elect will eliminate the requirement that some LNG producers renew their export permits. Sources said that Trump would likely include this change in his executive order on LNG, which he will issue during his first day of office. Trump, who will take office on Monday has stated that he will issue an executive order on LNG on his first day in office.
ABS, Akselos Sign Floating Wind MOU
ABS and Akselos have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance engineering and certification processes for floating offshore wind projects.The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on solutions aimed at optimizing design, reducing costs, and improving efficiency for the floating wind sector globally.The collaboration utilizes ABS's expertise in offshore certification and classification with Akselos' simulation technology for structural risk mitigation and optimization.
Qcells claims that a new technology could reduce the space required for solar panels
Hanwha Corp.'s Qcells announced on Wednesday that it had made a significant breakthrough in a new solar technology. This has the potential of reducing the space needed by panels to generate electricity from the sun's light. The solar industry is facing a number of pressing challenges, including the need for more space. In some areas of the United States, large-scale projects that occupy vast tracts of land are being met with opposition.
US offers PG&E a conditional loan of up to $15 billion for climate resilience
The Department of Energy announced on Tuesday that the United States had offered PG&E, a California-based utility, a conditional $15 billion loan to upgrade its electrical grid and support climate resilience. PG&E is a natural-gas and electric utility and the parent company of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. It serves about 16,000,000 people in northern and central California. The loan will be paid in cash over several years if the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office finalizes the record amount.
US Energy Department: Two LNG reviews must be waited for by regulator
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Tuesday that it will not be able to finish its reviews of two proposed liquefied gas export terminals planned for Louisiana until an independent regulatory agency completes their environmental assessments of these projects. The Department of Energy said that it must wait until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has completed its work to review applications for exports…
USDoE: LNG Reviews must await EIA's
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Tuesday that it will not be able to finish reviews of two projects for liquefied gas in Louisiana until a regulatory agency independent of the Department has completed its environmental assessments.The DOE stated that it must wait until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has completed its work to review export applications to countries where the U.S. doesn't have free-trade agreements.
RPT: How Trump's proposed tariffs could affect commodities and energy
Donald Trump, the president-elect of the United States, pledged on Monday to impose tariffs on three of its largest trading partners: Canada Mexico and China. He explained how he would implement his campaign promises which could lead to trade wars. The following commodities and energy sectors may be affected. According to government statistics, Canada will export energy products worth $177.19 billion to the United States by 2023.
What impact Trump's tariffs on commodities and energy might have
President-elect Donald Trump on Monday pledged tariffs on the United States' three largest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and China - detailing how he will implement campaign promises that could trigger trade wars. Canada exported some $177.19 billion in energy products to the United States in 2023, according to government data. Canada's crude imports make up more than a fifth of all the oil that U.S. refineries process. About 70% of imported Canadian barrels go to Midwest U.S.
US Awards up to $2.2 Billion to Speed Clean-hydrogen Development
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that it had awarded up to $2 billion to centers in the Gulf Coast and the Midwest for the development of hydrogen, a new source of energy which is costly to produce with renewable power. Hydrogen supporters, such as the administration of Joe Biden believe that low carbon hydrogen can combat climate change by fueling industries like aluminum, cement and steel, along with long-haul transport. Most hydrogen produced today is made from fossil fuels, which emit unabated gases.
ENTEK wins $1.3 billion US Loan for EV Battery Plant
The U.S. Department of Energy's loans office said on Friday it has finalized a loan of $1.3 billion to ENTEK Lithium Separators to finance a plant in Indiana for making lithium-ion battery separators used mostly in electric vehicles.WHY IT'S IMPORTANTThe Loan Programs Office is racing to finalize billions of dollars in loans to companies developing cutting-edge technologies expected to help speed an energy transition and…
