Category: Energy and Power

Wind energy continues to strengthen Europe’s industrial competitiveness and energy security.

in 2025 Europe built 19 GW of new wind energy capacity. Europe also invested pound 45bn in additional wind energy projects to be built over the next years. But political considerations to reform the EU electricity market design and to renegotiate the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) threaten to undermine the progress made in 2025. Europe built 19.1 GW of new wind power capacity in 2025, bringing its total wind energy capacity to 304 GW.

that’s according to WindEurope’s Annual Statistics Report published recently.

europe is now set to build 151 GW of new wind energy over the 2026-2030 period. 112 GW of those will be in the EU. More than a third of this EU buildout will come from the ?ourishing German onshore wind market.

Leaders of six trade bodies, mainly r e p r e s e n t i n g the textile and garment sectors, recently urged the government to inform businesses about the current energy supply situation, as the ongoing con?ict in the Gulf region may further aggravate the country’s energy crisis.

in a joint letter sent to Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, minister for power, energy and mineral resources, the business leaders said many industrial units are currently operating at only 60 to 70 percent capacity due to inadequate energy supply.

if the situation does not improve, industrial production and export growth will face serious obstacles, they said, adding that the situation could negatively affect employment and the country’s overall economic growth.

Singapore has increased its 2030 solar target by 1 GW after surpassing the original 2 GW goal before the end of last year.

the 1 GW increase comes after the country surpassed the 2 GW solar threshold during 2025. According to a media release from Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA), the government will ramp up efforts to deploy solar across more surfaces, continuing to deploy on rooftops, land and water while exploring new innovations including solar on canopies at open-air car parks. More than 80% of Singapore’s current solar capacity comes from rooftop solar. Installations have been supported by several government-led incentives, such as the SolarNova program aimed at deploying solar on public buildings including public housing and the SolarRoof and SolarLand programs that target industrial rooftops and vacant land. EMA says that the payback period for home solar has reduced to as little as ?ve years, due to declining solar panel costs.

owners of solar systems in Singapore can also sell the energy generated via renewable energy certi?cates

The transaction is the latest big announcement in a hot market for US power and utilities mergers and acquisitions, as companies jostle for position in anticipation of AI-driven demand spike.

aES Corporation is being sold for $10.7 billion cash in a deal that will potentially see the world’s largest commercial and industrial clean energy supplier enter private ownership. Blackrock-owned Global Infrastructure Partners leads the consortium that is acquiring AES’s global business, which includes US electric utilities in Indiana and Ohio, plus a major global renewable generation portfolio.

the transaction comes as forecast electricity demand in the United States swells, driven by an expected ramping up of data center deployment. Analysts at Deloitte have forecast US data center demand will require 176 GW of power by 2035 and merger and acquisition activity in the power and utilities sectors appears to be heating up as a result.

This is one of various new c o n t r a c t s for Seadrill’s ?eet, with most of the others being ex te n s i o n s to existing programs.

additionally, an unnamed operator has taken the Sevan Louisiana semisubmersible on a twomonth contract, starting in March in the US Gulf. Finally, the West Elara jackup rig will provide accommodation services for Equinor offshore Norway, and then, from the third quarter onward, it will follow an agreement with the current contract holder to make the rig available.

totalEnergies also recently received authorization from the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil for permanent plug and abandonment operations on the Atla, Byggve and Skirne wells in the North Sea.

the West Elara will manage the campaign.

Escalating tensions in the Middle East could create signi?cant economic shocks for Bangladesh by raising global energy prices, increasing import costs and weakening export competitiveness, according to a new report published recently by the Policy Research Institute.

the report, titled Bangladesh Monthly Macroeconomic Insights (January-February 2026), said that geopolitical instability in the Middle East particularly the risk of disruptions in global oil supply, posed immediate and medium-term threats to Bangladesh’s fragile economic recovery. PRI said that Bangladesh was highly exposed to global energy price volatility because it relied heavily on imported fuel to meet domestic demand. The country’s total energy import bill already stands at about $12 billion annually, it said.

The US-Israel war on Iran has once again exposed the fragility of the global energy system. Within days of the con?ict, oil prices surged sharply, re?ecting how quickly geopolitical tensions in the Middle East can destabilize markets.

although prices eased slightly after initial spikes, the underlying risks remain high. For Bangladesh, the implications are serious.

the country’s heavy dependence on imported fuel leaves it highly vulnerable to external shocks. Rising oil and gas prices threaten to push up import bills at a time when the power and energy sector is already struggling with large unpaid liabilities.

even if the war does not escalate further, the economic pressure from elevated energy prices is expected to persist for months. The government has taken some immediate steps, including rationing fuel and electricity, preparing contingency plans, and seeking stronger energy cooperation with countries such as India and China.

these measures may help manage shortterm risks, but are unlikely to address the deeper structural problem: Bangladesh’s growing dependence on imported energy. Bangladesh must accelerate exploration of domestic gas resources, reconsider the role of coal in its energy mix, and expand renewable energy investments. Diversifying supply sources and strengthening regional energy cooperation should also become strategic priorities.

the global economy is already navigating multiple shocks-from post-pandemic recovery challenges to geopolitical tensions. If the Middle East con?ict evolves into a prolonged energy crisis, the economic consequences could be severe. For Bangladesh, strengthening energy security is no longer just an economic necessity; it is a national priority.

For the 2025 ?nancial performance, PTTEP reported a total revenue of THB 294,849 million (US$8,970 million).

thailand’s PTTEP has taken FID on its ?rst green?eld development offshore Malaysia, the SK405B project.

the development in the SK405B production sharing contract offshore Sarawak covers the Chenda and Sirung oil ?elds, to be produced via a new central processing platform and a wellhead platform. Facilities will be engineered for zero routine ?aring and remotely operated offshore operations. First oil should follow in 2028 with a combined production capacity from the ?elds of about 15,000 bbl/d. PTTEP Sarawak Oil is the operator, in partnership with PETRONAS Carigali and Mitsui Energy Development Co.

EVE Energy says a 200 MW/400 MWh battery energy storage project in China has entered operation, which it describes as the world’s ?rst utilityscale deployment of 628 Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells. Building on its success in massproducing large-capacity battery cells, China’s EVE Energy has reached a new industry milestone. It said this week that the world’s ?rst 100 MWh-class battery energy storage facility using 628 Ah ultra-large battery cells has entered operation.

the 200 MW/400 MWh Ruite New Energy Lingshou project features 80 Mr. Giant energy storage systems and 40 integrated converter cabins.

its cell design incorporates an innovative stacking process and hightoughness separators, enhancing safety while optimizing the levelized cost of storage (LCOS).

Tesla has introduced a new all-black solar module for residential use, according to information on the company’s website. ‘The Tesla Solar Panel blends sleek aesthetics and hidden electrical connections with high-powered engineering, exceeding industry performance and quality standards,’ Tesla said. ‘Featuring our proprietary frame design, the all-black module integrates seamlessly with the Tesla Panel Mount for a minimalist look, with no exposed rails or clamps.’ The modules are available in two versions, with power outputs of 415 W and 420 W. Both measure 1,805 mm x 1,135 mm x 40 mm and weigh 22.3 kg.

tesla has not disclosed the module’s power conversion ef?ciency or the type of solar cells used.

the panels feature a black anodized aluminum alloy frame and a black backsheet.

they come with a 25-year product warranty and a 25year performance warranty, and are certi?ed to EC / UL 61730-1, CEC Listed, IEC / UL 61730-2, and IEC 61215 standards. Media reports suggest that the modules have an ef?ciency of around 20% and are being manufactured at Tesla’s Buffalo facility, although the company has not con?rmed this.

the launch could signal a renewed focus on Tesla’s residential solar business.

according to the company’s latest ?nancial results, sales of its solar energy systems reached $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2025