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Beijing is reversing its curbs on refined fuel exports after halting shipments in the opening days of the U.S.-Iran conflict. This move suggests that Chinese domestic inventories are now at comfortable levels, allowing state refiners to reopen the export spigot, even as much of Asia remains gripped by a fuel shock caused by disrupted Gulf energy flows through the Hormuz chokepoint. There was chatter earlier this week that China's state-owned refiners were applying for government permits to resume fuel exports in May. These include…
The AI boom has unleashed an energy monster unlike anything the world has ever seen before. No one is exactly sure how much energy the AI sector will require in the coming years as large language models continue to advance and expand. In fact, we don’t even really know how much energy it’s consuming now. But most experts agree that we can expect a sharp and continuing rise in demand from the data centers that power the tech sector in the coming years as the global economy increasingly integrates AI into virtually every market sector…
Major innovation is needed to diversify the global battery sector. Lithium-ion batteries are taking over the world – you probably have a few within reach at this very moment in your rechargeable devices. And since China controls the world's lithium supply chains and dominates global lithium-ion battery manufacturing, the global tech sector has become dangerously consolidated. Breaking this dependency on China will require breaking our dependency on lithium, creating a dire need for the development of viable alternative battery technologies.…
The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz is causing a much larger problem than just a global energy crisis. While oil and gas are critical to energy security for nearly every country on Earth, petroleum is also at the heart of global food systems. A crude oil shortage is also a fertilizer shortage, with potentially disastrous consequences for farmers and consumers, especially in the world’s poorest countries. As the war in Iran stretches on, half the world’s calories are at risk. Roughly half of all fertilizer feedstock exports in the world…
The new energy crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict could hurt European consumers and industries for years, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday. "Our shared goal is now to see a lasting end to the war," von der Leyen told the European Parliament in a speech today. "But there is also a harsh reality we all need to face: the consequences of this conflict may echo for months or even years to come. This is why energy was on top of the informal EUCO's agenda," the Commission President added. The crisis caused…
