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<channel><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/scenario-and-sensitivity-analysis-most-european-reits-should-cope-with-current-yield-volatility-s101680437</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The war in the Middle East has led to strong volatility in financial markets, and credit yields have risen again. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are vulnerable to interest rates, given their capital-intensive nature and the sensitivity of their property valuations to sovereign bond yields. As a result, higher rates are denting REITsâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99; capacity to cover interest, sell assets, and maintain headroom under loan-to-value covenants. However, unl</description><title>Scenario and Sensitivity Analysis: Most European REITs Should Cope With Current Yield Volatility</title><pubDate>17 April 2026 15:51:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/zh/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/041526-surrenders-rise-58-in-australias-safeguard-mechanism-for-2024-25-smc-use-up</link><pubDate>15 April 2026 09:36:24 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Himanshu Chauhan</name></author></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/041726-muted-reaction-in-fertilizer-markets-to-strait-of-hormuz-reopening</link><description>Fertilizer market participants reacted with caution to the announcement by Iran&amp;apos;s Foreign Minister April 17 that the Strait of Hormuz is now &amp;quot;completely open&amp;quot; for all commercial vessels. &amp;quot;In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already</description><title>Muted reaction in fertilizer markets to Strait of Hormuz reopening</title><pubDate>17 April 2026 15:42:29 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Thomas Warner</name><name>Mollie Gorman</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Renewables April 17, 2026 Muted reaction in fertilizer markets to Strait of Hormuz reopening By Thomas Warner and Mollie Gorman Editor: Surbhi Prasad Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Strait of Hormuz "completely open": Iranian FM Market participants express caution Three ammonia vessels stuck west of Strait Fertilizer market participants reacted with caution to the announcement by Iran's Foreign Minister April 17 that the Strait of Hormuz is now "completely open" for all commercial vessels. "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Abbas Araghchi said in a statement on X. The ceasefire is due to expire on April 22, meaning that without an extension, the Strait could potentially re-close on that date. "Unless an extension is agreed [the announcement] is not worth anything" said a Middle Eastern ammonia producer. An ammonia shipbroker said the relatively short remaining duration of the ceasefire means "shipowners may take the view that the ceasefire needs to be extended beyond the initial two weeks. They don't want to to take the risk of sailing in, only to get stuck if the situation deteriorates." An ammonia seller to NW Europe said they were "cautiously optimistic," but flagged that insurance remained a potential barrier to ships sailing through the Strait. "[It's] way too early to draw any conclusions," they said. An Indian buyer said it was "good news," and "hope it works," a second said, "obviously everything will go down [in price]." A Middle East ammonia producer said it "remains to be seen if vessels mobilize, if owners and insurers are willing to do it." Three ammonia vessels have been stuck west of the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began - the 25,000 mt Searambler, the 25,000 mt Green One, the 25,000 mt Eco Oracle. The latter two are loaded with full cargoes from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, respectively, according to data from S&amp;P Global Commodities at Sea. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed ammonia FOB Middle East at $740/mt April 16, the highest since January 2023 and up from $475/mt on Feb. 25, immediately prior to the outbreak of war. "Let's see how long it lasts" said a fertilizer producer in Europe. "Fingers crossed it does, but as we know it's going to take some time for the market to [even] if peace holds." In the sulfur market, "supply [into Asia] will remain constrained as refineries will take some time to get back... sentimental sulfur will go down [in price]" said a trader. The closure of the Strait has halted sulfur supply from the key EMEA production hub and brought FOB Middle East (excluding Iran) prices to $710/mt on April 16, the highest since at least 2017 and likely the highest of all time. Another fertilizer trader said he was "wondering what will happen to [the] Indian urea tender, especially those who booked cargoes with high prices." India's IPL is currently tendering for 2.5 million mt of granular urea. Platts assessed granular urea FOB Middle East at $656-$910/mt April 16, from $436-$494/mt on Feb. 26, immediately prior to the outbreak of war in Iran. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/sustainability-insights-behind-the-shades-oil-and-gas-s101676585</link><description>We apply our Shades of Green approach in the context of our SPOs on sustainable finance frameworks or transactions and in our Climate Transition Assessments (see &amp;quot; Analytical Approach: Climate Transition Assessments ,â&amp;#x80;&amp;#x9d; May 29, 2025). An S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings Shade of Green (shade) represents our qualitative opinion on how consistent an economic activity or financial instrument is with a low-carbon, climate resilient future. In this report, we explain how we use our Shades of Green analytical appr</description><title>Sustainability Insights: Behind The Shades: Oil And Gas</title><pubDate>16 April 2026 08:48:03 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/refined-products/041626-eu-esaf-projects-stall-as-price-forecasts-fall-and-rules-in-question</link><description>High capex, a steeply falling cost curve and uncertainty over EU mandates and offtake terms are delaying investment decisions, leaving dozens of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) projects without final approval. The eSAF or Power to Liquid cost curve sits very high today but has one of the steepest downward cost trajectories over time, Rahul Malik, a consultant at S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, said</description><title>EU eSAF projects stall as price forecasts fall and rules in question</title><pubDate>16 April 2026 15:06:15 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Thomas Washington</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 16, 2026 EU eSAF projects stall as price forecasts fall and rules in question By Thomas Washington Editor: Jonathan Fox Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Contracts should give early investors certainty: consultant eSAF prices significantly above jet, HEF-based SAF Mandates must stay in place: lobby group High capex, a steeply falling cost curve and uncertainty over EU mandates and offtake terms are delaying investment decisions, leaving dozens of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) projects without final approval. The eSAF or Power to Liquid cost curve sits very high today but has one of the steepest downward cost trajectories over time, Rahul Malik, a consultant at S&amp;P Global Energy, said April 16. The challenge this creates for investors is timing risk; early, first-of-a-kind projects enter the market at very high production costs, while later projects benefit from rapid cost reductions driven by technology learning, scale up, and declining renewable power and electrolyzer costs, Malik said. "This means early movers are structurally exposed to higher costs and the risk that their production becomes uncompetitive relatively quickly," Malik said. That, in turn, makes long-term price formation difficult and creates uncertainty around future margins, he added. The falling cost curve complicates long-term offtake contracting, because buyers are hesitant to lock into prices that may look expensive compared with future supply, Malik said. Strategy firm Capstone noted April 6 that there are about 40 e-SAF projects in the EU, and so far no FID. "The way you break that cycle is the same way it was broken in offshore wind and solar: you use contracts that give early investors certainty, even if it means early buyers pay a premium," Izabela Santos, managing director at SAF commercial advisory StratX, told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, April 16. The UK's Revenue Certainty Mechanism and the EU's proposed double-sided auction are designed to do exactly that, she said. "They are not perfect, and as we've seen with Germany's H2Global experience, the design has to be right, or producers simply won't bid," Santos said. "But the principle is sound: you need a mechanism that makes it rational to invest today, even in the knowledge that prices will be lower tomorrow." The lion's share of SAF at present is made from hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids, but concerns about the availability of feedstocks, such as used cooking oil, mean regulators wish to encourage eSAF projects. Analysts at S&amp;P Global Energy forecast that the levelized production costs for eSAF in 2026 will be $7,471/mt, falling to $4,480/mt in 2050. Platts assessed SAF produced via the HEFA pathway, sold on a CIF basis in Northwest Europe at $2,641/mt April 15, compared to $1,549.75/mt for jet fuel on an equivalent basis. The gap between them has narrowed as the war in the Middle East has buoyed jet fuel prices. The prices averaged $2,180/mt and $741.01/mt in 2025, respectively. Commercial risk Projects typically fail on commercial rather than technical grounds, with inadequate revenue structures and risk allocation preventing deals from reaching financial close, Santos said separately April 14 during the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Summit in Brussels. Many project developers lack the internal expertise to conduct successful offtake negotiations, she said. "The issue is not the price most of the time, the issue is that many of the project developers work in a very lean structure and they don't really have internal expertise in order to be able to carry out successful offtake negotiations," she said. Power-to-liquid eSAF offers long-term scalability as costs decline through improvements in wind and solar efficiency, hydrogen production scale and carbon capture technology, Denis Zaica, head of SAF trading at Envision Energy, said April 14, during the summit. However, potential buyers face uncertainty about whether to commit now or wait for further cost reductions. Offtake agreements could include cost-efficiency sharing mechanisms to distribute future savings between producers and buyers, Zaica said. Regulatory caution Many carriers are delaying commitments until they gain clarity on whether the EU will maintain its mandates, even as the bloc's RefuelEU Aviation regulation requires 2% of jet fuel supplied at European airports to be sustainable by 2025, rising to 6% by 2030 and 70% by 2050, Santos said. The EU's eSAF sub-mandates require the synthetic fuel to account for 1.2% of the aviation fuel mix by 2030 and 35% by 2050. "The eSAF mandates are essential, so they need to stay. That would be a tremendous signal to the market if we are moving those targets away, that would kill a lot of projects that are built on this assumption," Lars Hummel, head of EU affairs at the eFuel Alliance, a lobby group, said April 14. While government funding can support early-stage projects, the market will need to function independently over the long term, Hummel said. Demand remains a key issue, Sylvain Verdier, senior business strategy manager for Strategy &amp; Innovation at Topsoe, said. "It's not an egg and chicken thing," Verdier said. "It's quite easy. Demand; producers will produce fuels that they always provide what the market wants." US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/041626-boeing-norsk-e-fuel-expand-partnership-to-scale-e-saf-boost-europe-energy-resilience</link><description>US aerospace company Boeing and Norsk e-Fuel have expanded their partnership to accelerate production of synthetic aviation fuels, with a focus on strengthening Europe&amp;apos;s energy security and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels. The collaboration builds on Boeing&amp;apos;s 2025 investment in Norsk e-Fuel. It will move toward operational implementation, including generating real-world data on fuel</description><title>Boeing, Norsk e-Fuel expand partnership to scale e-SAF, boost Europe energy resilience</title><pubDate>16 April 2026 16:09:59 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samyak Pandey</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 16, 2026 Boeing, Norsk e-Fuel expand partnership to scale e-SAF, boost Europe energy resilience By Samyak Pandey Editor: Karla Sanchez Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Focus shifts to Europe energy resilience Power-to-Liquids uses renewable electricity, CO2 US aerospace company Boeing and Norsk e-Fuel have expanded their partnership to accelerate production of synthetic aviation fuels, with a focus on strengthening Europe's energy security and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels. The collaboration builds on Boeing's 2025 investment in Norsk e-Fuel. It will move toward operational implementation, including generating real-world data on fuel performance, logistics and supply requirements across both commercial and defense aviation, both companies said in a statement on April 15. The initiative centers on scaling e-sustainable aviation fuel produced via the Power-to-Liquids pathway, which uses renewable electricity, water and captured CO2 to create synthetic jet fuel. Industry participants said the Nordics region, with abundant low-carbon power and CO2 resources, is well positioned to develop such fuels at scale. Executives said the partnership reflects a broader shift in SAF strategy, from emissions reduction alone to energy resilience, particularly in Europe, where geopolitical risks have heightened concerns over fuel supply security. "Scaling SAF, particularly e-SAF, requires stable policy frameworks and incentives to reduce costs and de-risk early investments," Boeing said, highlighting the need for regulatory support to accelerate commercialization. The expanded collaboration will also explore dual-use applications, with insights from defense-sector deployments -- including fuel performance and infrastructure requirements -- expected to support faster adoption in commercial aviation. As part of Norway's defense industrial cooperation framework, the companies will align production and supply chains with both military and civilian aviation standards, aiming to build a more integrated and resilient fuel ecosystem. Industry stakeholders said developing a domestic e-SAF value chain could help Europe reduce dependence on imported hydrocarbons while supporting decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation. Norsk e-Fuel said the initiative is aimed at advancing a broader regional objective of energy independence, with synthetic fuels enabling the use of locally available resources and creating a distributed production model. The move comes as SAF demand is expected to rise sharply under European mandates, including sub-targets for e-SAF under the RefuelEU framework. However, high production costs and limited supply remain key challenges for scale-up. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed SAF on a FOB FARAG basis at $2,645.25/metric ton, down $214.75/mt, or 7.5%, in the week ended April 15, with prices hitting midweek highs of $3,043.75/mt. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/041626-interview-war-and-energy-crisis-spur-eu-carbon-market-soul-searching-ieta-chief</link><description>Geopolitical shocks and an energy crisis spurred by the war in the Middle East are compelling European policymakers to reconsider how carbon pricing fits alongside energy security and industrial competitiveness, Dirk Forrister, president and CEO of the International Emissions Trading Association, said April 14. Speaking to Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, in an interview, Forrister explained how</description><title>INTERVIEW: War and energy crisis spur EU carbon market soul-searching: IETA chief</title><pubDate>16 April 2026 09:58:35 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Eklavya Gupte</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Carbon April 16, 2026 INTERVIEW: War and energy crisis spur EU carbon market soul-searching: IETA chief By Eklavya Gupte Editor: Surbhi Prasad Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Forrister calls for 'carbon market security' mechanisms Brussels faces pressure for ETS flexibility amid price volatility Middle East conflict stalls regional emissions trading plans Geopolitical shocks and an energy crisis spurred by the war in the Middle East are compelling European policymakers to reconsider how carbon pricing fits alongside energy security and industrial competitiveness, Dirk Forrister, president and CEO of the International Emissions Trading Association, said April 14. Speaking to Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, in an interview, Forrister explained how these events were forcing a fundamental reassessment of how climate policy, global trade and energy security intersect in the EU Emissions Trading System and in global carbon pricing. "We're in unprecedented times in terms of global energy markets and wars and really how business is responding to this new world order that's emerging," Forrister said on the sidelines of the European Climate Summit in Barcelona. "I think it's natural that there's some nervousness about what it means for the ETS." The comments reflect growing pressure on Brussels to introduce greater flexibility into the world's most established carbon market as European industry grapples with volatile energy costs and mounting competition from regions with lower climate compliance burdens. Platts assessed EU Allowances for December 2026 at Eur74.30/mtCO2e on April 15, down from the 30-month highs of Eur92.09/mtCO2e reached in mid-January. Carbon market security Forrister said the current upheaval presents an opportunity to ensure that different policy instruments work together more effectively. He emphasized the need for what he called "carbon market security" alongside traditional energy security measures. "I think it's giving us an opportunity to rethink how all of the various policy elements fit together and make sure that there's coherence," Forrister said. "We develop a strategy that borrows from energy security, and that would be forms of carbon market security as well." He drew parallels to strategic petroleum reserves, which have historically calmed oil markets, suggesting that similar measured interventions could stabilize carbon prices. "The market is looking for continuity, but it's also looking for relief," Forrister said. "We're looking for a package of measures that can address the near-term competitiveness goals and set Europe up to achieve its climate ambitions more cost-effectively." The European Commission is expected to present a comprehensive review of the ETS in July, as Brussels seeks to shield industry from volatile carbon costs while maintaining pressure to decarbonize. The bloc's flagship carbon market has faced mounting criticism from several European leaders over its impact on heavy industry. Middle East carbon markets The conflict in the Middle East will also have direct consequences for carbon market development in the region, according to Forrister. Several Middle Eastern jurisdictions have been working to establish their own emissions trading programs, but those efforts have been deprioritized amid more urgent concerns. "The work is still underway, from what I understand, but it's lower on the priority list," he said. Price volatility in energy markets has amplified concerns about the cumulative cost burden facing European industry from both fuel costs and carbon compliance. Forrister suggested the current crisis could accelerate domestic manufacturing capacity for low-carbon technologies as countries reassess their supply chain dependencies. He noted that China's positioning within Belt and Road partnerships has prompted other nations to reconsider their technological capabilities. "There may be a way that you work on energy security and climate progress together, and you might get a different result than if you just look at either one of those in isolation," Forrister said. Flexibility tools As European policymakers consider reforms to the ETS, Forrister emphasized that businesses are seeking cost-effective solutions rather than weakened climate targets. He cited international carbon credits and nature-based solutions as mechanisms that could provide relief without compromising environmental outcomes. "Many of the solutions the EU is coming up with are for higher-priced solutions rather than something that can address the cost and competitiveness concerns," Forrister said. "We're not particularly keen on weakening targets -- the targets are the targets. They're driven by the NDCs." The IETA chief acknowledged that European leaders want to send strong price signals through the ETS cap but said smart policy is needed to address inevitable price increases as free allocation shrinks. He pointed to revenue recycling as a potential mechanism to support deep decarbonization in industries ready to transition. "As the pie of carbon allowances available for free allocation gets tighter and tighter, prices are going to go up, and there has to be smart policy in addressing that," Forrister said. "Some of that I think is renewed interest in use of revenues -- can we talk about how you use revenues for helping to support the deep decarbonization of those industries that are ready to move to the next level." US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/041426-european-fertilizer-industry-defends-channeling-cbam-funds-to-farmers</link><description>Industry group Fertilizers Europe has called for revenues from the EU&amp;apos;s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to be channeled directly to farmers and for a freeze of the EU Emissions Trading System free allocations until 2030, as the war in the Middle East ripples across markets, according to an April 14 press release. Fertilizers Europe defended a &amp;quot;robust implementation of CBAM&amp;quot; ahead of the</description><title>European fertilizer industry defends channeling CBAM funds to farmers</title><pubDate>14 April 2026 20:48:45 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Thales Schmidt</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Renewables April 14, 2026 European fertilizer industry defends channeling CBAM funds to farmers By Thales Schmidt Editor: Marieke Alsguth Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Fertilizer prices surge amid Hormuz closure EU to maintain CBAM for fertilizer imports Industry group Fertilizers Europe has called for revenues from the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to be channeled directly to farmers and for a freeze of the EU Emissions Trading System free allocations until 2030, as the war in the Middle East ripples across markets, according to an April 14 press release. Fertilizers Europe defended a "robust implementation of CBAM" ahead of the European Commission's Fertilizer Action Plan and called for the reduction of the bloc's reliance on fertilizer imports. "Farmers need direct financial support, but not at the expense of EU production," Aviv Bar Tal, chief commercial officer at OCI Global and board member of Fertilizers Europe, said. "Directing CBAM revenues to farmers will ensure they receive essential support while preserving Europe's industrial base." "The pace of ETS free allocation phase out, and its direct impact on CBAM, is critical for farmers' competitiveness," Juan Pablo Llobet, CEO of Fertiberia, said. "If the transition moves too quickly, costs will rise across the value chain -- costs that farmers cannot absorb or pass on." The European Commission has no plans currently to exempt fertilizers from CBAM, an European Commission spokesperson confirmed to Platts April 13. The proposals come as European and global fertilizer prices surge amid the ongoing virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Increased prices for natural gas, a key feedstock for nitrogen fertilizer production, in Europe amid the war contributed to reduced European output. LAT Nitrogen announced March 26 it will stop production at its Grandpuits plant in France, and Agrofert said March 13 it is running its ammonia production at a reduced rate over the "dramatic soar in gas prices". Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed granular urea prices basis FCA France at Eur750/metric ton on April 14, up from Eur504/mt on Feb. 26, before the war in Iran broke out. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/041526-europes-ammonia-imports-fall-in-q1-as-buyers-shun-us-product-under-cbam</link><description>European ammonia imports dipped and buyers steered clear of US product in the first quarter of the definitive phase of the EU&amp;apos;s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, ship tracking data compiled by Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, showed. According to the data, about 717,000 metric tons of seaborne ammonia were imported to the EU in Q1, compared to 787,000 mt in fourth-quarter 2025. The clearest</description><title>Europe&amp;apos;s ammonia imports fall in Q1 as buyers shun US product under CBAM</title><pubDate>15 April 2026 10:24:05 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Mollie Gorman</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Renewables April 15, 2026 Europe's ammonia imports fall in Q1 as buyers shun US product under CBAM By Mollie Gorman Editor: James Leech Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS EU ammonia imports fall to 717,000 mt in Q1 US shipments drop 56% amid high carbon costs Algeria supplies 30% of EU seaborne ammonia European ammonia imports dipped and buyers steered clear of US product in the first quarter of the definitive phase of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, ship tracking data compiled by Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, showed. According to the data, about 717,000 metric tons of seaborne ammonia were imported to the EU in Q1, compared to 787,000 mt in fourth-quarter 2025. The clearest change from the commencement of the CBAM's definitive phase was a fall in US imports -- with only 40,000 mt imported in Q1 compared to about 90,000 mt in Q4. European ammonia buyers have been wary of US product since the beginning of CBAM due to its high default carbon intensity value, traders and buyers have told Platts. Under the CBAM, US product has a default carbon intensity of 3.41 metric tons of CO2 equivalent, the second-highest rating globally. Using the latest EU Emission Allowance weekly average, importers face a CBAM exposure of about $170/metric ton for US product. Conversely, the calculated CBAM cost for an ammonia cargo with a carbon intensity of 2.2 mtCO2e was $60.84/mt April 10. Adding to its disadvantage, US ammonia also faces a 5.5% duty rate into the EU. Algeria remained the single largest origin of EU imported seaborne ammonia, providing 30% of the supply, more than double both Russian and Trinidadian production, the next largest suppliers. Both Algeria and Trinidad hold duty-free status to the EU, while Russian seaborne imports have exclusively been shuttled by EuroChem to its own operations at Antwerp in 2026. Some US ammonia is still flowing to Europe, the data showed, but into Norway instead, which is not subject to CBAM or the EU import tariff. No US ammonia was imported into Norway in Q4 2025, while 39,000 metric tons across two shipments was delivered in Q1. Conversely, intraregional EU trade climbed, from about 116,000 mt shuttled between EU locations in Q4 to 185,000 mt in Q1. Platts assessed CFR NW Europe duty paid/duty free ammonia at $875/mt April 14. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/2026/04/us-imports-consumer-electronics-growth-threatened</link><description>Importers of consumer electronics affected by rising costs on US households in 2025 are facing dual threats to growth prospects in the year ahead.</description><title>US imports of consumer electronics face threats to growth plans</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Eric Johnson</name></author><content><![CDATA[ BLOG â Apr 17, 2026 US imports of consumer electronics face threats to growth plans By Eric Johnson (The following story appears in the Top 100 Importers and Exporters issue of the Journal of Commerce magazine to be published May 4, 2026.) Importers of consumer electronics affected by rising costs on US households in 2025 are facing dual threats to growth prospects in the year ahead: the impact of increased fuel costs on consumer discretionary spending and the skyrocketing price of memory due to demand from data center construction. That means there might be little respite for consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers after they saw containerized imports of those products dip 2.2% in 2025, according to data from PIERS, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. âEnergy prices and gas prices, thatâs going to be a headline budgetary impact on the average household,â Paul Gagnon, vice president of consumer technology at market research firm Circana, told the Journal of Commerce. âWe were already expecting consumer demand to not be great this year and that tariffs would have an impact. But food and other necessary purchases will delay demand for discretionary purchases.â A potentially bigger headwind for consumer electronics sales is the impact of memory prices. Gagnon said pricing for memory is up 400% year over year in the last few months. âData centers use huge amounts of high bandwidth memory and the generators of that memory donât have bandwidth to supply data centers and lower value memory that goes into consumer products,â he said. The impact of that dynamic wonât be isolated to the types of products most associated with memory, like laptops and tablets, but will be more widespread since virtually every consumer electronic good now has a memory component. âAny product that uses a lot of memory will be susceptible,â Gagnon said. âEven things that use memory indirectly, prices will go up.â Sony, during its fiscal third-quarter earnings call in February, noted the memory cost issue. âWe are already in a position to secure the minimum quantity necessary to manage the year-end selling season of next fiscal year,â Sony Group CFO Lin Tao said. âGoing forward, we intend to further negotiate with various suppliers to secure enough [memory] supply to meet the demand of our customers.â The way these trends manifest into container volume is not entirely clear, but Gagnon cautioned that with prices likely to increase due to the memory cost issue, retailers might see sales stay steady or rise, but on a lower volume of units. That would, in turn, hit import volume. âIt will definitely have a negative impact on volumes,â he said. âRetailers donât care about volume as much as revenues. And it might be a situation where their revenues hold up because people are willing to pay more or need something and end up having to pay more.â Sourcing shift Another sectoral trend affecting volume is changes in sourcing patterns of consumer electronics tied to the size of a product and the composition of parts needed, Gagnon explained. For instance, television supply chains had long ago shifted production to Mexico, but during 2025 saw even more concentration in that market. âWhat had left China had gone to Southeast Asia but even that had moved to Mexico,â Gagnon said. "But the shift to Mexico didnât happen broadly outside of large physical size products. For smaller products, thereâs not a big benefit to have it more local.â He also said Mexico is suitable to television production because some of the major component parts â metals and plastics â are not as sophisticated as those needed in other consumer product categories. Meanwhile, historical behavior in the electronics sector suggests that when prices rise, consumers will either put off purchases, whether new or replacement, or they will engage in what Gagnon called âtrade down behavior,â choosing a less expensive option if they need to buy. The forecast for consumer electronics manufacturing is not much better. S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence in late February revised its projection for global production of consumer electronics downward from 5.5% to 4.4%. The forecast noted that consumer electronics production tends to correlate loosely with global GDP. âHistorically, the industry overperformed the global economy by 1.6 percentage points,â the report said. âOver the last 10 years, the gap between industry and global growth even got wider. The industry grew 5.2% on average per year, over-performing GDP growth by 2.4 percentage points.â So a tick down from the average growth rate over the past decade would indicate a slowing sector in a slowing economy. US imports of consumer electronics have lost ground three of the last four years, with 2024 being the outlier, according to PIERS data, adding weight to the slowdown theory not being an isolated trend. While China dominates the supply chain for consumer electronics â it accounted for 53% of global production in 2025 â S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence said the next 10 years will see supply concentration decrease. PIERS data shows that process already occurring, with Vietnam growing its share of US consumer electronic imports from 10.1% in 2020 to 18.1% in 2025, while Chinaâs share decreased from 56.6% to 40.7% in the same period. Subscribe to JOC.com Learn more about our data and insights Click Here ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/podcasts/private-markets-360/private-markets-360-episode-41-building-better-businesses</link><description>In this episode of Private Markets 360Â°, we welcome Cathrin Petty, Managing Partner, Co-Head of North American Private Equity, and Global Head of Healthcare at CVC. With over three decades of experience across science, finance, and global investment, Cathrin shares her journey leading CVCâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99;s â&amp;#x82;¬26 billion healthcare portfolio. She offers insights into CVCâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99;s â&amp;#x80;&amp;#x9c;think globally, act locallyâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x9d; strategy and lessons learned from building resilient healthcare businesses, highlighting the importanc</description><title>Private Markets 360 | Episode 41: Building Better Businesses</title><pubDate>16 April 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Chris Sparenberg</name><name>Christina Christina</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Podcast â 16 Apr, 2026 Private Markets 360Â° | Episode 41: Building Better Businesses By Chris Sparenberg and Christina Christina In this episode of Private Markets 360Â°, we welcome Cathrin Petty, Managing Partner, Co-Head of North American Private Equity, and Global Head of Healthcare at CVC. With over three decades of experience across science, finance, and global investment, Cathrin shares her journey leading CVCâs â¬26 billion healthcare portfolio. She offers insights into CVCâs âthink globally, act locallyâ strategy and lessons learned from building resilient healthcare businesses, highlighting the importance of partnership, innovation, and global perspective in todayâs market. Credits: Host/Author: Chris Sparenberg and Christina McNamara Guests: Cathrin Petty, CVC Producer: Georgina Lee Published With Assistance From: Feranmi Adeoshun, Kimberly Olvany View Full Transcript Christina McNamara [00:00:01]: Welcome to Private Markets 360, your insider's guide to the world of private investments. Today we are joined by Cathrin Petty, Managing Partner, Co-Head of North American Private Equity and Global Head of Healthcare at CVC, whose career spans over 3 decades at the intersection of science, finance, and global investment. Cathrin began her journey as a scientist at Cambridge University, before transitioning to finance at Schroders Bank in London, when she gained broad exposure across financial disciplines and investment management. Her professional path reflects a truly global perspective with extensive experience in healthcare, private equity across India, San Francisco, New York, and the UK. After spending over 15 years focused on healthcare at Apex and JPMorgan, Cathrin joined CVC in 2016. To launch and lead the firm's healthcare group, building a differentiated portfolio now valued at approximately â¬26 billion and spanning services, products, and outpatient care. Cathrin's leadership has helped position CBC as a global force in private equity, guided by the philosophy of think globally, act locally. With 30 offices worldwide and a culture that emphasizes partnership and strong alignment between LPs and management teams. Christina McNamara [00:01:18]: Today, she'll share her insights on navigating the challenges and opportunities in the North American PE investment landscape, the evolution of CBC's strategy, and the critical lessons learned from building a resilient and innovative healthcare portfolio in a period of maximum uncertainty. Welcome to Private Markets 360. It's a pleasure to have you with us today. How are you? Cathrin Petty [00:01:39]: Christina, thank you very much for having me on your podcast today. Christina McNamara [00:01:42]: Thank you for joining us. So Cathrin, you began your career as a scientist trained at Cambridge before moving into finance at Schroders. How has your scientific background influenced your approach to investing, particularly in healthcare? Cathrin Petty [00:01:58]: Well, I acknowledge it's a non-conventional start to investment and to private equity, but I do think that there are some really important learnings from it, and I think it reflects a little bit the mentality that we have at CBC and the type of people that we actually hire who are quite non-traditional in many respects. So as a scientist by way of background, I think that the applications that we use, the specific methodology, you know, forming a hypothesis, actually testing that hypothesis, and using your judgment over the data you collect to draw conclusions is very much what we do day to day on the investment side. I think it gives you a very wide landscape to aggregate data, challenge assumptions, and to really actually come up with your own individual views, which might be quite different to that of many in the mainstream. And so So I think it does give me a bit of a differentiated perspective on things. And I think particularly as I moved into the healthcare investment side at the very beginning, it gave me a very different perspective and window on the world of investment in healthcare because we were able to invest at the waterfront from research and development stage businesses, actually on the pharmaceutical and medtech side, through to actually outsource services to them, and then right the way through to the outpatient and provider space. So it really formed a very different perspective and one that I think has taken us into rather contrarian views, which over the course of the last 30 years has actually continued to be consistent, but also created some pretty differentiated returns across our portfolio. Chris Sparenberg [00:03:35]: Kathryn, that's wonderful background. Would love to take a step back here and ask what motivated you to join CVC in 2016 and establish its healthcare group? And what was the vision for the platform at that time? Cathrin Petty [00:03:48]: It was a really interesting time because CVC had built this extraordinary global network across, as you say, over 30 offices around the world, had a tremendous reputation for being one of the highest quality investors actually in the world, but particularly across that European and Asian platform, and yet had not really done anything in healthcare. So for me, the opportunity was to come in and actually create a de novo portfolio from scratch to build a strategy. And I created a business plan. Beforehand, before I joined, that I discussed with the board of the types of investments and businesses that I wanted to go after that I thought would be differentiated to what the sort of broader marketplace was investing in and that really played to CVC strengths. And CVC strengths are really this great global network, backing great management teams, and actually really building companies for high performance. We're all about performance and how do you take a good company and make it a great company. And so that was very much the opportunity that I saw with the size and scale platform that we had, to be investing in a lot of these product-based businesses, services-to-products, healthcare, IT, et cetera. And I think bringing that all together and harnessing that network around that sector expertise was exciting for me. Cathrin Petty [00:05:04]: The other two things that kind of coupled with it were bringing that kind of conviction and increasing that deal origination funnel for the organization was a really exciting opportunity. And it aligns very much with the CVC kind of DNA. Which is highly entrepreneurial and actually really all about bringing together elite teams to go after these differentiated businesses. And that we can pull together these teams very effectively because we have a pretty unique model where we actually have this very concentrated deal-by-deal carry model, which enables us to pull together the best people around the world, be it from Europe, Asia, the US, and our sectors and operations team to really create the best in class to go after each individual individual situation. So that to me was pretty exciting. Chris Sparenberg [00:05:54]: And it sounds like your career trajectory has kind of followed that approach. So not only are you the global head of healthcare, but in 2025, you were appointed co-head of North American private equity at CVC. Tell us how you're applying that global experience to the North American market and, you know, more broadly across sectors. Cathrin Petty [00:06:14]: Well, Chris, thank you so much. And, you know, it's a real privilege to be asked to actually move to our US office in order to actually head up the North American business. And great co-head, Lorne Somerville, that actually I work with together on it. I think what's really exciting is that the US, in spite of the challenging environment, is still the greatest market in the world for private equity, finance more broadly, and also actually for the sectors within which we're focused, healthcare being one of them, but also our financial services, tech, business services, and also sports, media, and entertainment. And as we look across those sectors, both Lorne and myself come from deep sector expertise. He founded and set up the tech business actually for CVC. I founded and set up actually our healthcare fund sector. As we came together, it was a natural opportunity for us to step into the US market, to bring together this global network and really accelerate the investment actually in our sectors and make sure that we're taking the very best of that capability from CVC, be it the global network, be it the operations team that's really built for this performance, or our capital markets team, which is also one of best in class. Cathrin Petty [00:07:27]: And so we felt there was a real opportunity to actually increase our market share in the US and to go after more of these rather differentiated deals, either with founders and invest and families, or actually looking at these complex carve-outs, which we've done a lot of as well. Christina McNamara [00:07:43]: And so over the course of your career, I'm sure you've seen lots of market shifts. And so I wanna dive a little bit deeper and can you share a specific example of a transformative investment and what has made it successful? Cathrin Petty [00:07:59]: Absolutely. And a number of different examples to think about around that. So, you know, if I think of two, if you'd like, different bookends, one of which was a highly complex carve-out that we did from a company called Teva, which is an Israeli-based company, but also NASDAQ listed. And they had a portfolio of products in women's health that they were looking to exit. We had a thesis that we wanted to build a state-of-the-art women's health business ex-US that was actually both providing sort of democratized access to great healthcare for women, but actually doing it in a highly efficient and very technology-enabled way. So we carved out these 27 products. They were around the world in 52 jurisdictions. So we worked with our global network to pull that together. Cathrin Petty [00:08:46]: We had a fantastic ops team supporting us to do that, and then built with a great management team, a brand new company from scratch. And we hired 550 people in the first 18 months. Built all the technologies and systems from scratch, stabilized a business that when we bought it had been declining top line 10% per year, and then built this really great go-to-market capability, which both educated practitioners and patients, and then used state-of-the-art technology to ensure that actually we had the ability to launch to market new products. And we did it in the middle of COVID which was not just challenging, but because we'd adopted this great tech platform and we trained up all of our go-to-market sales force on it, we were able to launch new products even during COVID when actually people couldn't get access to physicians. And as a consequence, the business transformed and the top line was growing north of 16% actually when we sold it. And we sold it about 18 months ago. And that's a business that continues to perform extremely strongly and very well. And so, that's an example where we literally had this hypothesis I talked about before, about having a thesis that women's health was an important area for us that had been underinvested in over the last 30 years, that we could bring a differentiated view to that market and actually just, you know, state-of-the-art technology. Cathrin Petty [00:10:10]: And that's what we did. And then separately, we've actually, at the other end of the spectrum, actually worked with great family businesses, companies like the Raccordati family, where they're actuallyâ this was an Italian headquartered company founded by the grandfather with 4 family members still involved in the business, and 48% of the business was public, 52% was owned by the family. And there, we were able to work with them to create a solution which enabled 3 of the 4 family members to exit the business. We could come in, keep the company public, but actually invest around a new strategy to really take the business more aggressively into the US, into Asia and Japan in particular, to build a global rare disease business. And we've been doing that over the course of the last 6 years. So very different types of situations, but really solving for a thesis that was in the one case, building a state-of-the-art women's health business across Europe and the rest of the world. And in the other, building a global rare disease platform. Chris Sparenberg [00:11:12]: It certainly sounds like two really great representative investments and, you know, two where you've explained a ton of challenges in these underlying businesses and in the underlying environment. And I think that's where we want to go next with this conversation is in general, the private equity investment environment. Is seeing a little bit more uncertainty. We're seeing policy and geopolitical volatility. You know, we see an ongoing conversation about valuations, although it seems like maybe that's returning to normalcy in some areas. And you've had some success with exits, but certainly others have been challenged. These are all really hot topics. How do you navigate these challenges to continue to find attractive opportunities and to stay active in the market? Cathrin Petty [00:11:56]: Chris, it's a great series of questions in there to really unpack. You know, it is, I think, the most challenging environment that I've invested in the last 30 years. I think that, as you rightly say, the geopolitics is the most uncertain that we've seen, certainly in decades. And the uncertainty across the markets and the disruption of AI across so many new areas that we haven't even yet begun to properly understand, that I think that is creating just a lot more risk around investments than we'd seen really over the, pretty much over the last two decades. But I think what's really important is that in this environment, there are great opportunities. And this dislocation is usually a time when actually CVC, we've done extremely well. If we look back over the last 40 years of CVC, we've tended to outperform in these periods of dislocation. And I think some of that is because We're really good at creating bespoke solutions to situations, working hand in hand with the vendor to create something that's a win-win for both sides. Cathrin Petty [00:12:59]: We've recently made two new investments in the US, both of which have been with founders, both of whom were looking for long-term partners to create a solution actually for the business. One is GLI, which is in the gaming regulatory space, and one actually is in the insurance space, Bamboo, which we did there alongside a founder. And so we're really able to work with them to understand what those risks are, what the opportunities are. And because a lot of our thesis is around creating value through accelerating top-line growth, really using technology and adopting it, and driving efficiencies and operational leverage, we don't tend to over-leverage our investments. And we have a much lower leverage level than many of our peers. So as a consequence, that does give us a little bit more flexibility in our capital structure to adapt to uncertainty. And to make longer-term investments, which in an environment like this, I think is critically important. Christina McNamara [00:13:57]: And healthcare is really at an inflection point right now. We see technology accelerating, patient expectation shifting, capital flow into innovation has been greater than ever. What trends or disruptive forces in healthcare, such as medtech or healthcare IT, are you most excited about from an investment perspective looking forward? Cathrin Petty [00:14:20]: It's an incredibly exciting period actually in healthcare, but also really challenging. Both the sort of the administrative changes and the uncertainty that we've seen around CMS and actually some of the funding out there is creating a lot of complexity around end markets. At the same time, the demand, particularly from the sort of demographic shifts that we're seeing across all of the Western markets, but not only actually, we're seeing it across Asia too, is creating demands and expectations pretty much unlike anything we've ever seen before. And so, it's all about, from our standpoint, thinking about how do you deliver, in a highly efficient manner, the best possible products and outcomes for patients. And that might well be state-of-the-art innovation that actually enhances patients' quality of life or actually enhances patients' medical treatment. And medical devices, we think, particularly has been an area where many of our peers have shied away from, but where we think that there is tremendous opportunity in this environment, be it from our investments in ophthalmology, in heart-lung machines, or right the way through to actually autoimmune management like Theracos. Actually, we think that's a really important area to be focused on. And at the other end, we are going to have to adopt technology faster than ever before in order to deliver the efficiency at scale that actually, you know, this demographic shift is actually driving. Cathrin Petty [00:15:49]: And so the increased aging population, the increased, actually, amount of chronic disease means we've got to get better at diagnosing, identifying those patients, treating them in a more efficient manner, managing the sort of the labor resource allocated to them in both inpatient and outpatient settings much more effectively. So I think for us, across the board, technology has to be an enabler here. And the question really is how are those technology companies using AI to actually maximize their efficiency and maximize those clinical outcomes actually for patients and providers. Chris Sparenberg [00:16:25]: I love what you're taking us through there because you're not only investing in companies who make an impact on the populations, the customers that they serve, but you're also looking at your own adoption of technology to improve those companies, which, you know, has a knock-on effect to their impact. I want to shift the conversation to partnerships and carve-outs, two of the key parts of CVC's strategy. Can you take us through some of the creative solutions you've implemented when working with family-owned or corporate carve-out situations, and maybe some of those impacts where technology adoption and just your ability to add value have made an impact on those companies? Cathrin Petty [00:17:04]: Yes, absolutely. I think that, and they're two very different types of approaches to businesses, but fundamentally it all goes back to our thesis, which is how are we gonna build a better business here? How are we building these businesses for performance? And very many of the family-owned businesses that we've invested in, are incredibly well-run, very cautiously, thoughtfully managed businesses that have been built up over many decades. We've done that across the US with companies like Asplund, with the Pilot family businesses, now actually also recently with both Bamboo and also with GLI. And so these businesses have been really carefully stewarded through multiple cycles, actually, and have really had a very thoughtful balance of sort of risk and reward as they've been building them up. But what we're really pretty good at doing is coming in and providing a fresh perspective, which might be around accelerating the ambition in some areas or piloting and testing opportunities in other areas, which the family, when they had 100% of their assets under one investment, actually may have been more cautious to do. And so, to give you a couple of examples, when we moved into Recrudescens, the family had never made an investment more than a couple of hundred million. By the time that we actually invested in the business, even though the company had been around for about 80 years. And for us, we actually worked with them over the period of 16 months to create a new business plan that said, how do we take what is a really good company today and make it a great global rarities business? How do we actually build that capability of people and invest in the US, across the rest of Europe and the Middle East, and also into Japan? How do we actually adopt state-of-the-art pharmacovigilance and technology to really manage that patient population? And then how can we help you accelerate investment into those areas by acquiring either portfolios of products from relationships that we had with the likes of Novartis, AstraZeneca, and others, through to actually also helping them to take more risk and invest in clinical-stage assets that led us to the acquisition of a company, in that case, called EUSA. Cathrin Petty [00:19:20]: And so we built this portfolio with them that aligned with this sort of 10-year strategy of how we felt we could transform the business and take this to the next level. And we've done that. When we invested, the company had about $340 million of EBITDA, and today we've just announced the public results and the EBITDA now is close to a billion of EBITDA. So you see how that company's progressed, but importantly, how you've built this global capability. I think when you look at carve-outs, it's very different. Carve-outs are an incredibly complicated situation. And many of the large corporates that are doing these carve-outs actually are doing them for the first time. There's very few carve-outs where the management and the teams have done this repeatedly. Cathrin Petty [00:20:03]: It's hugely disruptive to the organization, and quite often they don't really understand actually the complexity of the businesses they have to separate out. So sometimes it's pulling together all of those people across their organization to try to help them to get to the bottom of it. But sometimes it's really us working with them to help define the perimeter of the business that they're really looking to carve out. And it's one of the reasons that carve-outs work most successfully when it's a smaller group of parties that are working with the vendor to actually do that carve-out, because then you can create solutions that work both in terms of the timing of the carve-out, the ability to deliver the complexity of things like IT systems, regulatory, pharma provisions, whatever it might be, right the way through to actually ensuring that the people transferring across are clear in that transfer, and that actually you've got a vision of where that business is going to go forward so that there is a cultural alignment with the people that are coming across too, which is also very important in making sure that these things are a success. We carved a business out from Mallinckrodt in the US about 15 months ago, and that new company is called Theracos. And it took us 4 months to actually sign the transaction, go from sort of initial diligence to signing. And then actually, we delivered the entire carve-out within 6 months of signing to get to closing. And I say that because that required a huge amount of effort and investment from our side to do that. Cathrin Petty [00:21:34]: But because we were working actually with them, because we've done a lot of these carve-outs before, we have a playbook and we have an operations team that is led by very experienced carve-out people where we can pull together and build all of that relevant expertise to ensure that not only is company stood up on its own two feet quickly up front, but really importantly, that the parent entity is actually able to exit the business in a very clean and very efficient manner so that then they can carry on with their future growth. And one of the reasons that many companies, in the case of Mallincourt, wanted to divest this asset, because they needed to delever, they wanted to get on and rebuild their strategy elsewhere, and the faster they could actually get out of the carve-out, the faster they could go on and rebuild the business. So they were thrilled that we actually said and did everything that we said we would do on time and on budget that enabled them to go on and accelerate their strategy elsewhere. Christina McNamara [00:22:34]: So it's very clear that CVC emphasizes partnerships and is a huge component of the growth strategy. CVC also has a quite unique and more capitalistic culture compared to its peers. How does this culture translate into your dealmaking and portfolio management? Cathrin Petty [00:22:56]: Christina, it's a great question. For a European-headquartered firm, we're very capitalistic in our approach, as you rightly identified. This is actually the thing that makes CVC so unique and one of the other things that attracted me to it, because it attracts people who are real self-starters and really highly motivated, because our compensation is really all driven by the upside in the transactions that you can deliver and get done. So the deal our team shares uniquely in the deal carry of the transactions that they do. And if those are successful, the team works extremely intimately alongside the management team and is totally aligned with that management team and also the LPs at driving that outperformance and those returns. However, we also have a negative offset. So in the event that those investments don't perform, that gets offset against our future investments until that is regained. So that creates the final piece, which is this very low loss ratio across the portfolio. Cathrin Petty [00:23:57]: And when I was joining CVC, that was very important for me because it's not just about the consistency of the returns, but it's also about having this low loss ratio. And that is so important when you are both investing yourself personally into these funds, but actually also when you are really looking to drive that upside, you know, over your career because that alignment with the investors and management team is pretty unique, and it's one that was extremely attractive to me in joining. In order, when you are bringing in senior people from the outside, you've really gotta be confident that you are going into a model that really is gonna deliver. Chris Sparenberg [00:24:33]: That performance culture definitely has a way of attracting the right people with the right motivations. So it's gotta be, it's gotta make for a really exciting place to work. We've also talked about CBC's Think Globally, act locally philosophy a little bit. And I'm curious how you see this reflected as you're instituting this culture. You have 30 offices worldwide. You have this philosophy and other things guiding your portfolio construction, how you do deals. Can you tell us how this, you know, global yet local approach impacts your investment process and your portfolio construction? Cathrin Petty [00:25:13]: Yes, absolutely. And so some of it is top-down, but quite a lot of it is also sort of bottom-up. So top-down, we actually have this very balanced, diversified approach to investing. We have no single investment that's 10% of the portfolio. We don't have a country or sector concentration. We don't have any country or sector that's above 20% of the portfolio. And so therefore, as a consequence, you are constantly managing for this diversification, which in an environment like this is also particularly powerful. I think the second part of it, which is also really interesting, is that because of the nature of this model, It means on the one hand, you can attract together great talent from around the world on any situation. Cathrin Petty [00:25:55]: So, if I'm looking at a business like I am right now in the US, but which has got a global footprint from Asia, Southeast Asia, right the way through to the Middle East and to the US, then actually, I can pull together anybody from our teams around the world to work together on that, from our, you know, Japanese office, actually from our Singaporean office, right the way through. And so, we can align those global deal teams very quickly around a situation. And right up front, everyone knows what their role is on the transaction. And right up front, we're actually very clear in allocating how that responsibility and therefore the economics actually also work. So that's the one hand. The second hand, however, is that when you've actually created that portfolio and say you have a portfolio of somewhere between 5 and 7 portfolio companies, that in itself is pretty rate-limiting because it's a very full-on portfolio then to manage. These are very active investments that we tightly monitor with our ops team, but actually our deal teams are the same deal teams on the investment from the beginning right the way through to the exit. And as a consequence, you actually are constrained by how many of those you can effectively manage. Cathrin Petty [00:27:05]: So at any one time, you're somewhere between 3 to 5 boards that you're on and 5 to 7 portfolio companies. So that becomes a little bit of a rate-limiting step in in terms of that bottom-up concentration of portfolio as well. So that's the way, both top-down and bottom-up, that we manage it. Top-down, the investment committee looking through on where that portfolio concentration and construct is coming from, but that bottom-up is also very important, looking at every deal in its own right, but every deal team actually knowing what their capacity constraint really is. Christina McNamara [00:27:37]: And with the relationships you have to maintain, it's really at the intersection of strategic and financial priorities, which means the alignment really matters. How do you ensure strong alignment between LPs, the management teams, as well as your internal deal teams? And why is that alignment so critical to CBC's approach? Cathrin Petty [00:28:01]: It's a great question, Christina. It's, again, it really goes back to our sort of our model of actually incentivization. So we are all incentivized around the money on money that we're delivering actually actually for our LPs. And we're very blessed to have actually very longstanding LPs that are from, you know, the top global investors in the world. And of that LP database, the vast majority have been with us for over 30 years. So it's really longstanding and really sticky. And it's because of this model, because we are all very focused as investment officers on this money-on-money return, because that is our incentivization model and also management's, as well as aligning with LPs. It means we don't charge fees on our portfolio companies for arrangement of financing, for entry or monitoring or exit purposes. Cathrin Petty [00:28:55]: So we're very fee light, and we're all about actually this money-on-money capital gain and how are we driving that value. And so the alignment of the deal team, be it the sector investor, be it the country investor, the capital markets and the operations team, that's aligned up front. Alongside management who knows that we're with them through both the good times and the bad. Because when things go wrong and you've got your investment in the ground, you're going to do everything you can to lift your way out of that. And then actually, it gives that unique alignment with the LPs because we're actually not taking much out of, in terms of the fee pool and managing these companies. We actually are all about that money-on-money multiple. And that alignment with LPs, as well as the downside protection that they see, is something that actually gives them great comfort and that consistency of return. Christina McNamara [00:29:45]: So private equity as a whole plays such a powerful role in shaping companies and industries. I think through our discussion today, we've seen that. For young professionals looking to enter into the world of private equity, what advice would you give them? Cathrin Petty [00:30:03]: That's a great question. This is really one of the best industries in the world. You have the opportunity to work with some of the greatest management teams who are are really motivated across a broad array of sectors with a constantly evolving marketplace at pace. And you really have the ability and the privilege on the private equity side to work intimately with these teams and to be very agile in terms of how you adapt and invest according to the environment. And there's very few other places where you have really the benefit and the privilege of doing that. So what I would say is actually to young people coming into it today, be curious. Don't be afraid of actually the sort of storms out there on the horizon. They create opportunities to try to actually peer through those curtains, if you like, to see where the opportunities sit on the other side, to always actually be curious about challenging those assumptions. Cathrin Petty [00:31:00]: Never take what is given as granted, but really to go back there and test the assessments. Some of the brightest guys I've seen in our teams, actually, they've come back and they've challenged the assumptions that have been sort of folklore almost from some of the consultants or people out there and actually have come up with a very differentiated view. And so, if I look at our teams, build that diversity of team, build curiosity within that team, but I also think most importantly, this industry is an experiential industry. And so, it's about being resilient, it's about being patient, it's about investing for the long term. And at the end of the day, if you continue to do that, you will not only actually have a very fulfilling career, but actually you'll be highly successful with it. Chris Sparenberg [00:31:46]: Thank you, Kathryn, and thank you to our audience for joining this episode of Private Markets 360. We had the privilege of hearing Kathryn Petty's perspectives on the evolving world of private equity. Cathrin journey from scientist to global investor has not only shaped CVC's differentiated approach, but also illuminated the importance of partnership, innovation, and resilience in navigating today's complex market landscape. We explored how CVC's "think globally, act locally" philosophy drives value across borders, the creative solutions powering transformative carve-outs and partnerships, and the trends set to redefine healthcare investing. Cathrin's insights offer inspiration and practical guidance for industry veterans and young professionals a like. We appreciate you tuning in and hope you found this discussion as engaging and insightful as we did. Don't forget to subscribe to Private Markets 360 for more expert conversations and market intelligence. Until next time. ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/emerging-markets-monthly-highlights-energy-shock-tests-resilience-s101680544</link><description>Energy prices have reemerged as a key inflation risk for emerging markets (EMs). Higher energy prices due to the Middle East war have pushed median EM inflation to a postâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x91;2024 high, driven by housing and transport energy costs. Price controls eased impact in some countries last month, but persistent energy pressures risk broader secondâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x91;round effects.</description><title>Emerging Markets Monthly Highlights: Energy Shock Tests Resilience</title><pubDate>15 April 2026 18:18:55 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/041526-petrobras-selects-honeywell-ethanol-to-jet-technology-for-saf-project-at-replan-refinery</link><description>Brazil&amp;apos;s Petrobras has selected Honeywell UOP&amp;apos;s ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) process technology for a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project at its REPLAN refinery in SÃ£o Paulo state, marking a potential first large-scale deployment of the pathway in Latin America. The project, located in PaulÃ­nia, remains subject to final approval but is expected to produce up to 10,000 barrels/day of SAF, positioning</description><title>Petrobras selects Honeywell ethanol-to-jet technology for SAF project at REPLAN refinery</title><pubDate>15 April 2026 18:44:48 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samyak Pandey</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 15, 2026 Petrobras selects Honeywell ethanol-to-jet technology for SAF project at REPLAN refinery By Samyak Pandey Editor: Benjamin Morse Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS REPLAN project targets 10,000 barrels/day SAF Brazil leverages sugarcane ethanol for aviation Brazil's Petrobras has selected Honeywell UOP's ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) process technology for a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project at its REPLAN refinery in SÃ£o Paulo state, marking a potential first large-scale deployment of the pathway in Latin America. The project, located in PaulÃ­nia, remains subject to final approval but is expected to produce up to 10,000 barrels/day of SAF, positioning it as a key step in scaling ethanol-based aviation fuels in one of the world's largest biofuels markets, Honewell said in a statement on April 14. Honeywell UOP's ETJ technology converts ethanol into jet fuel, offering a pathway to leverage widely available renewable feedstocks and accelerate SAF production. Petrobras' focus on ethanol underscores its strategy to utilize Brazil's established biofuel supply chain to support aviation decarbonization. The move comes as global SAF demand rises, with refiners increasingly turning to scalable and commercially viable technologies to meet airline commitments to reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions. Brazil's ethanol sectorâlargely based on sugarcane and known for its relatively low carbon intensityâoffers a competitive feedstock base for such projects. Once operational, the REPLAN ETJ unit is expected to help expand SAF availability for both domestic and international carriers while supporting emissions reductions across the aviation value chain. Executives said the project highlights the role of technology partnerships in unlocking new SAF pathways. "With ethanol-to-jet technology, Petrobras is positioned to deliver low-carbon fuel solutions using abundant agricultural feedstocks," Ken West, CEO of Honeywell Process Technology, said. The initiative builds on an existing relationship between Petrobras and Honeywell spanning refining, gas processing and industrial automation. In 2024, Petrobras also licensed Honeywell UOP's HEFA technology to produce SAF and renewable diesel at its Presidente Bernardes refinery in Cubatao, using feedstocks such as soybean oil and animal fats. The ethanol-to-jet route is viewed as a complementary pathway to established SAF pathways, such as HEFA, particularly in regions with strong ethanol production. If scaled, the technology could diversify global SAF supply and reinforce Brazil's position as a key supplier in emerging low-carbon fuel markets. Platts assessed Sustainable Aviation Fuel HEFA-SPK FOB Straits at $2,285/mt on April 15, up $20/mt from April 14, US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/041526-surrenders-rise-58-in-australias-safeguard-mechanism-for-2024-25-smc-use-up</link><description>Australia&amp;apos;s Safeguard Mechanism saw a sharp increase in credit surrenders for the 2024-25 compliance period, with total units surrendered rising 57.6% year over year to 13.4 million, according to Clean Energy Regulator data released April 15. The increase was driven by higher use of Australian Carbon Credit Units and Safeguard Mechanism Credits, as facilities adjusted to stricter baselines and a</description><title>Surrenders rise 58% in Australia&amp;apos;s Safeguard Mechanism for 2024-25, SMC use up</title><pubDate>15 April 2026 09:36:24 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Himanshu Chauhan</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Carbon April 15, 2026 Surrenders rise 58% in Australiaâs Safeguard Mechanism for 2024-25, SMC use up By Himanshu Chauhan Editor: Surbhi Prasad Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Total credit surrenders at 13.4 million units SMC surrender rate doubles to 38.8% in 2024-25 ACCUs dominate compliance at 80.6% of credits Australia's Safeguard Mechanism saw a sharp increase in credit surrenders for the 2024-25 compliance period, with total units surrendered rising 57.6% year over year to 13.4 million, according to Clean Energy Regulator data released April 15. The increase was driven by higher use of Australian Carbon Credit Units and Safeguard Mechanism Credits, as facilities adjusted to stricter baselines and a growing compliance burden. The market reaction to the data remained soft, as the numbers were in line with the CER's earlier projections. "It's about the same as preliminary data," a trader with a Safeguard entity said. Another New Zealand-based trader dealing with ACCUs echoed the sentiment and said that there's nothing exciting about the data, so there's no immediate market reaction. "Usually, there's always a reaction. Good or bad, but there is something. Surprisingly, today I haven't heard any trade. Shocking, but must be because every number seems same," the trader said. While ACCUs are issued to incentivize carbon abatement activities and can be traded between any parties, SMCs incentivize emitters to reduce emissions below baseline levels. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed benchmark Generic ACCUs at A$36.50/mtCO2e on April 15, steady day over day. SMCs surrender rate doubles, but ACCUs still dominate The 2024â25 period saw a significant rise in SMC use. CER reported about 6.7 million units issued in FY2024â25, in line with S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons' Australian Carbon Market Outlook 2026 report estimate of 6.6 million, suggesting a near-term compliance picture unfolding as expected. During the period, out of the 6.7 million SMCs issued, 2.6 million were surrendered. The surrender rate is 38.8%, more than double the 18.87% rate in 2023â24. "Through to 2030, SMCs are likely to account for only part of the compliance mix, and continued reliance on ACCUs should be understood as a natural feature of the market's design," Abhijeet Thakkar, Senior Principal Analyst, Compliance Carbon Markets at S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons, said. Thakkar said that cumulative SMC issuance from FY2025-26 to FY2029-30 could reach about 31 million units, compared with total credit requirements of about 105.5 million units, leaving ACCUs to play a central balancing role. The degree of reliance will nonetheless vary by facility, depending on the available abatement options and the cost of pursuing internal emissions reductions. However, ACCUs remains the dominant compliance instrument, accounting for 80.6% of all credits surrendered, 10.8 million out of 13.4 million. Platts assessed SMCs at A$36.50/mtCO2e, April 15, steady day over day, at parity with Generic ACCUs. A second trader from the Safeguard entity said that the total proportion of SMCs and ACCUs used remains almost unchanged, indicating that a significant volume is available in the market. "With more SMCs issued each year, we will surely see an increase in the trading activity and surrenders, but I feel the portion will remain low," the New Zealand-based trader said. "No surprise. Hard to say [how the market will react and where it will move]. I think they may want to balance their cost. But avoid using too many SMC. Some companies see SMC not in line with their ESG policy," an Asia-based trader dealing in ACCUs said. At the same time, SMC issuance fell 19.3% year over year, from 8.3 million to 6.7 million, reflecting the impact of declining baselines and tighter compliance requirements. A total of 54 facilities received SMCs in 2024-25, down from 62 the previous year, reflecting a tighter allocation as the scheme matures. Entities covered fall; liability up The Safeguard Mechanism applies to Australia's largest greenhouse gas-emitting facilitiesâthose emitting more than 100,000 mtCO2e per yearârequiring them to keep emissions below declining baselines or offset any excess emissions by surrendering ACCUs or SMCs. For 2024â25, 208 facilities were covered, down from 219 the previous year. Covered emissions fell 2.3% to 132.8 million mtCO2e, while total baselines dropped 7.3% to 126.2 million mtCO2e, marking the first time covered emissions exceeded total baselines. The number of facilities with excess emissions remained steady at 141, but the total excess rose sharply to 13.7 million mtCO2e, up 48.9% year over year. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/041526-interview-mexicos-new-carbon-market-must-move-carefully-to-build-confidence</link><description>Successfully implementing an emissions trading system in Mexico means more education and market engagement, an environmental regulations expert said, as the country&amp;apos;s carbon market takes its first steps. Implementing an emissions trading system in Mexico in 2026 will require navigating complex legal frameworks and community governance to guarantee the program&amp;apos;s success, Estuardo Anaya,</description><title>INTERVIEW: Mexico&amp;apos;s new carbon market must move carefully to build confidence</title><pubDate>15 April 2026 21:54:56 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Diana Castillo valerio</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Carbon April 15, 2026 INTERVIEW: Mexicoâs new carbon market must move carefully to build confidence By Diana Castillo valerio Editor: Karla Sanchez Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Mexico targets new ETS launch by 2026 Lack of public knowledge hampers implementation Rushed rollout risks weak investment structure Successfully implementing an emissions trading system in Mexico means more education and market engagement, an environmental regulations expert said, as the country's carbon market takes its first steps. Implementing an emissions trading system in Mexico in 2026 will require navigating complex legal frameworks and community governance to guarantee the program's success, Estuardo Anaya, environmental and regulatory specialist at Mirai Abogados, told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. Currently, in Mexico, legislation focuses on protective agrarian measures, and transaction costs could make participation challenging for both investors and local stakeholders, Anaya said. "The main problem seen in the market is a general lack of public knowledge about emissions trading schemes. Its implementation can be costly, and investment returns are still unclear," Anaya said. Anaya said the rushed implementation of the project could face serious challenges, including a weak investment structure and limited integration among the sectors involved. He said that this situation could affect the project's effectiveness and sustainability in the long term. Despite a planned official launch this year, the ETS is expected to evolve over the next few years, with ongoing adjustments to regulatory and technical frameworks. Background Mexico has a long history of environmental regulation, including the measurement and reporting of emissions. The General Climate Change Law, enacted in 2012, provided a foundation for carbon market mechanisms. However, implementation has been gradual and complex, with multiple authorities involved in the design, authorization, and enforcement of policies. Mexico's Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement sets two main emissions reduction targets for 2030: an unconditional goal to cut emissions by 35% using only its own resources, and a conditional goal to increase this reduction to 40% if it receives international financial and technical support. Reforms Mexico's ETS is fundamental to achieving the country's NDC emissions-reduction objectives. Mexico's ETS, proposed in 2020, has been implemented gradually, starting with a pilot phase from 2020 to 2021 to test and refine the system and prepare participants, followed by a transition phase in 2022 focused on consolidating regulations and operations, which was extended due to delays in final regulatory approvals. Now, the final regulations and the start of the Operational Phase, the mandatory compliance stage for participants, are expected to be finalized in 2026. This phase will be key, as it will mark the formal beginning of the system and its effective contribution to Mexico's climate commitments. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/podcasts/commodities-focus/041526-indias-solar-market-faces-export-hurdles-pivots-to-domestic-power</link><description>The Indian solar market has grown considerably over the past decade as the country continues to invest in its module and cell manufacturing capacities. However, the recent imposition of additional duties by the country&amp;apos;s largest export market -- the US -- has restricted India&amp;apos;s export opportunities. In response, the Indian solar industry is increasingly redirecting its efforts towards the domestic</description><title>India&amp;apos;s solar market faces export hurdles, pivots to domestic power</title><pubDate>15 April 2026 12:37:06 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Lena Dias Martins</name><name>Srija Basu roy</name><name>Aditya Saroha</name><name>Staff </name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Renewables April 15, 2026 India's solar market faces export hurdles, pivots to domestic power Featuring Lena Dias Martins, Srija Basu roy, Aditya Saroha, and Staff HIGHLIGHTS India's solar exports face US duty barriers Industry pivots to domestic market demand Module manufacturing capacity grows rapidly The Indian solar market has grown considerably over the past decade as the country continues to invest in its module and cell manufacturing capacities. However, the recent imposition of additional duties by the country's largest export market -- the US -- has restricted India's export opportunities. In response, the Indian solar industry is increasingly redirecting its efforts towards the domestic market, while simultaneously exploring new international prospects. Join Lena Dias Martins, associate price reporter at S&amp;P Global Energy, price reporter Srija Basu Roy, associate price reporter Aditya Saroha and Jessica Jin, principal analyst of clean technologies and supply chains at S&amp;P Global Horizons, in a discussion on the evolving Indian solar market. Related content: Platts extends solar PV price assessments in India India Domestic TOPCon Solar Module Ex-Works Gujarat INR/Wtt - AMOHD00 India Domestic PERC Solar Module Ex-Works Gujarat INR/Wtt - AMOHC00 Spotify | Apple Podcasts US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/blog/energy-transition/041526-et-highlights-virginia-rggi-brussels-cbam-ammonia-gas-turbine-malaysia</link><description>Energy transition highlights: Our editors and analysts bring you the biggest stories from the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices.</description><title>ET Highlights: Virginia prepares to reenter RGGI, Brussels confirms first CBAM certificate price, ammonia-powered gas turbine test coming in Malaysia</title><pubDate>14 April 2026 20:05:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Staff </name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Renewables, Emissions, Carbon April 15, 2026 ET Highlights: Virginia prepares to reenter RGGI, Brussels confirms first CBAM certificate price, ammonia-powered gas turbine test coming in Malaysia Energy Transition Highlights: Our editors and analysts bring together the biggest stories in the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices. Top story RGGI prices hit record highs as Virginia aims for Q3 auction participation Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative emissions allowances continued their streak of record-high prices on April 7, ahead of Virginiaâs upcoming reentry into the multi-state carbon trading program. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed RGGI next-December strip allowances at a record $29.97/allowance April 7, up from the previous record of $29.44/alw set on April 2. Prices are soaring, as Virginia is poised to reshape trading dynamics and supply of allowances in the program, according to analysts with S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons. The stateâs emissions in 2021-2023 were the second-highest among RGGI states during that period, just behind New York. Former Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, pulled the state out of the program in 2023. âVirginia will formally resume participation in RGGI July 1 when compliance with the rule will begin,â Irinia Calos, communications manager from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, said in an April 7 email. âThis will allow Virginia to participate in the September and December RGGI auctions.â The state's Department of Environmental Quality is working to reinstate the previous Carbon Dioxide Budget Trading Program, with some amendments to remove outdated references and to address the time period when the rule was not in effect, Calos said. The first regulatory action must be completed by May 21, 2026, she said. Virginia's reentry comes after the state's General Assembly passed House Bill 29, which provided DEQ with clear direction to rejoin RGGI in an expeditious manner, Calos said. DEQ has had conversations with other RGGI states on the logistics of rejoining the program, she said. Benchmark of the Week $29.14/alw Platts assessed next-December Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative carbon allowances at $29.14/alw on April 10. Prices slightly backed off record highs, but Virginiaâs upcoming reentry into the multistate program is expected to reshape its trading dynamics. Explore Platts Energy Transition Price Assessments Editor's Picks: Free and premium content SPGlobal.com Brussels confirms first CBAM certificate price for Q1 2026 at Eur75.36/mtCO2e The first quarterly price for the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism certificates was set at Eur75.36/metric tons of CO2 equivalent, establishing the carbon cost that importers will face for goods brought into the EU during Q1 2026, the European Commission said April 7. The price reflects the average closing price of EU Emissions Trading System allowances auctioned during January-March 2026 through the European Energy Exchange, ensuring imported carbon-intensive goods face similar costs to domestic EU products. Japan's GX-ETS mandatory phase begins; demand muted as companies await allocation clarity One week after Japan's Green Transformation Emissions Trading Scheme (GX-ETS) entered its mandatory phase, trading activity in J-Credits and Joint Crediting Mechanism units remains absent -- particularly on the exchange -- as covered entities continue to delay compliance positioning amid ongoing uncertainty over free allowance allocations and banking rules. The GXâETS moved into Phase 2 on April 1, following a threeâyear voluntary period, and now applies to companies emitting at least 100,000â¯metric tons/year of CO2, collectively accounting for roughly 60% of Japan's emissions. INTERVIEW: Hourly matching as a key mechanism for long-term energy security, says Renewabl CEO The need to transition toward more traceable and localized renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly apparent, with the Middle East conflict further highlighting this need, according to JP Cerda, CEO of Renewabl, told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. The Middle East conflict has raised issues of sovereignty and energy security, which hourly matching and Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) have helped address, Cerda said. EC eyeing country-level standard for EU methane regulation The European Commission is closing in on recommendations for compliance and penalties under the European Union's methane emissions regulation amid sustained frustration from market participants ahead of a 2027 regulatory deadline when tighter legal requirements begin, the EU's director-general for energy, Ditte Juul Jorgensen, said at the Eurogas Methane Emissions Conference in Brussels. The EU regulation aims to reduce methane emissions from the energy sector, both in Europe and across global supply chains. It includes a methane emissions reporting requirement for natural gas, crude oil, and coal imports. S&amp;P Global Energy Core IHI, Petronas to demonstrate ammonia-powered gas turbine in Malaysia Japanâs IHI Corp. has signed a Joint Collaboration Demonstration Agreement with subsidiaries of Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad to demonstrate an ammonia-powered gas turbine operating fully on ammonia fuel, according to IHI. The parties will deploy IHI's fully ammonia-powered gas turbine at PCG's ammonia plant at the Petronas Kertih Integrated Petrochemical Complex in Terengganu, Malaysia, using ammonia produced by the plant. Once in operation, it will demonstrate a new end-use case for ammonia (as fuel) using the ammonia powered gas turbine technology to produce clean power. Gresham House fund receives 2029 connection offers for 2 UK battery projects Gresham House Energy Storage Fund has received grid connection offers for two battery energy storage projects in the UK, providing clarity for the majority of its pipeline under its three-year plan. The latest "Gate 2" connection offers from the National Energy System Operator, scheduled for 2029, are for the 57-megawatt Lister Drive and 240-MW Ocker Hill battery storage systems. Construction of the projects could begin in the first half of 2027, with completion expected in the second half of 2029, according to an April 10 statement. Saudi Arabian I-REC issuances and redemptions grow on year in Q1: I-TRACK Saudi Arabian International Renewable Energy Certificate redemptions increased by more than 12% year over year in the first quarter, according to monthly data from the I-TRACK Foundation. Redemptions totaled 217.3 gigawatt-hours in Q1, compared with 194.6 GWh in the previous year, according to the data released April 9. The rise was driven by buyers canceling I-RECs to offset their Scope 2 emissions ahead of the 2025-2026 financial reporting deadline at the end of March. Australiaâs Murchison Green Hydrogen project gets investor pilot support Australia has picked Murchison Green Hydrogen in Western Australia for an investor pilot program, according to the government, a move designed to fast track the 2 million mt/year renewable ammonia project. Murchison Green Hydrogen will be part of the governmentâs âInvestor Front Doorâ, which will streamline how project developers interact with the government, helping them navigate approval processes to speed up, in the national interest. The project is expected to have a generation capacity of up to 6 GW from onshore wind and solar farms. ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/credit-faq-how-sustained-high-oil-prices-weigh-on-consumer-products-retail-and-restaurants-s101678220</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Persistent high oil prices amid the war in the Middle East will fuel broader inflation and pressure consumer spending. As S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings continues to monitor the impact, our economists forecast 2.2% GDP growth for the U.S. in 2026, followed by an average of 1.9% in 2027-2029, incorporating a temporary, supply-driven oil shock that recovers this year . High oil prices have hurt profitability for certain consumer products and retailer issuers in</description><title>Credit FAQ: How Sustained High Oil Prices Weigh On Consumer Products, Retail, And Restaurants</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 18:42:25 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/shipping/041526-infographic-electrification-strengthens-chinas-shield-from-middle-east-oil-lng-shocks</link><description>China faces disruptions to oil and LNG supplies originating from the Middle East. Nevertheless, the country is increasingly able to withstand supply shocks caused by transit interruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to greater electrification, substantial crude oil reserves, expanding wind and solar power generation, available coal capacity and growing domestic gas production.</description><title>INFOGRAPHIC: Electrification strengthens China&amp;apos;s shield from Middle East oil, LNG shocks</title><pubDate>15 April 2026 08:22:38 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Staff </name></author><content><![CDATA[ Crude Oil, Natural Gas, LNG, Coal, Electric Power, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Renewables, Gasoline April 15, 2026 INFOGRAPHIC: Electrification strengthens Chinaâs shield from Middle East oil, LNG shocks Staff Editor: Ankit Ajmera Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Electrification and renewables boost resilience Rising gas output, high oil stocks, coal capacity cushion shocks China faces disruptions to oil and LNG supplies originating from the Middle East. Nevertheless, the country is increasingly able to withstand supply shocks caused by transit interruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to greater electrification, substantial crude oil reserves, expanding wind and solar power generation, available coal capacity and growing domestic gas production. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/refined-products/041426-eu-to-stick-to-saf-mandates-resists-industry-calls-for-change</link><description>The European Commission is doubling down on its current sustainable aviation fuel trajectory under ReFuelEU Aviation, signaling it will evaluate -- rather than rewrite -- the rules in 2027 despite mounting airline and energy-industry pressure over cost and implementation friction. The commission will not alter its ReFuelEU Aviation framework during next year&amp;apos;s scheduled evaluation, which will</description><title>EU to stick to SAF mandates, resists industry calls for change</title><pubDate>14 April 2026 14:13:57 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Thomas Washington</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 14, 2026 EU to stick to SAF mandates, resists industry calls for change By Thomas Washington Editor: Jonathan Loades-Carter Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Discrepancies between ReFuelEU Aviation and ETS Refuel EU Aviation up for review, not revision, in 2027 Significant price gaps between jet fuel, SAF The European Commission is doubling down on its current sustainable aviation fuel trajectory under ReFuelEU Aviation, signaling it will evaluate -- rather than rewrite -- the rules in 2027 despite mounting airline and energy-industry pressure over cost and implementation friction. The commission will not alter its ReFuelEU Aviation framework during next year's scheduled evaluation, which will produce a report rather than propose revisions, Jo Dardenne, policy officer at the directorate-general for mobility and transport, said at Sustainable Aviation Fuels Summit in Brussels April 14. "We're fully committed to the mandates, both for bio-SAF and eSAF, because this is what we're hearing also from the industry; that it's important to get clarity, certainty and a long-term visibility for the market," Dardenne said. The commission's position aims to provide regulatory stability as airlines and fuel suppliers navigate the transition to lower-carbon aviation fuels amid concerns about supply availability and cost. The EU is processing its first full year of compliance data under the mandate, which requires airlines to use minimum SAF volumes at EU airports, Dardenne said. It comes amid calls for change. The bloc will likely have to scale back its ambitious SAF targets, mirroring its recent retreat from a ban on internal combustion engines, as airlines push back on high costs, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick PouyannÃ© said in January. SAF is three times more expensive than fossil fuel, PouyannÃ© said. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed SAF, produced via the HEFA pathway, on a CIF basis in Northwest Europe at $2,731/metric ton April 13, compared to $1,587.25/mt for jet fuel on an equivalent basis. The gap has narrowed due to jet fuel shortages in Europe resulting from the war in the Middle East. In 2025, the SAF price averaged $2,180/mt and jet averaged $721/mt. Policy clarity sought The EU's ReFuelEU Aviation regulation, which took effect in 2024, mandates progressive increases in SAF blending at EU airports, reaching 6% by 2030 and 70% by 2050. A sub-mandate requires e-SAF to comprise 1.2% of the fuel mix by 2030, rising to 35% by 2050. The framework includes penalties for non-compliance and follow-up obligations that Dardenne described as "essential pillars" of the policy. Industry participants have raised questions about potential discrepancies between ReFuelEU Aviation and the EU Emissions Trading System, which covers airline emissions more broadly. The ReFuelEU mandate applies specifically to fuel supplied at union airports, while the ETS targets airline operators' overall emissions, Dardenne said. Under the ReFuel EU program, there is a flexibility mechanism that allows fuel suppliers to average SAF blending obligations across EU airports until 2035 to support the gradual scale-up of SAF production, as announced Feb. 28. However, the bloc's separate Emissions Trading System works on the basis of emissions reduction, not volumes of SAF, and for airlines to be able to claim an emission reduction, they need to have physically uplifted that SAF at a particular airport or to a particular aircraft, an official at Austrian refiner OMV told Platts. "There are two different objectives between the ETS and ReFuel," Dardenne said, noting that potential alignment between the frameworks could be addressed during the ETS revision process. The commission is currently verifying and reporting the first year of compliance data under ReFuelEU Aviation. The policy stance comes as European airlines face pressure from higher SAF costs compared with conventional jet fuel, while fuel suppliers work to scale up production capacity to meet the mandate's escalating requirements. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/041426-cdr-buying-not-ended-removals-one-piece-of-decarbonization-microsoft</link><description>Microsoft has clarified that it has not ended its carbon removal program, but has instead adjusted the pace of its procurement as part of a &amp;apos;disciplined approach,&amp;apos; the company&amp;apos;s Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa told exclusively to Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, in an email April 14. The company said its decarbonization strategy continues to combine emissions reduction, carbon</description><title>CDR buying not ended; removals &amp;apos;one piece&amp;apos; of decarbonization: Microsoft</title><pubDate>14 April 2026 06:50:02 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Mimansa Verma</name><name>Agamoni Ghosh</name><name>Eklavya Gupte</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Emissions, Carbon April 14, 2026 CDR buying not ended; removals 'one piece' of decarbonization: Microsoft By Mimansa Verma, Agamoni Ghosh, and Eklavya Gupte Editor: Aastha Agnihotri Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Decarbonization plan mix of reductions, efficiency, CDR: Microsoft Move reflects disciplined approach, not reduced ambition: Nakagawa Stakeholders view shift as recalibration, not exit Microsoft has clarified that it has not ended its carbon removal program, but has instead adjusted the pace of its procurement as part of a 'disciplined approach,' the company's Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa told exclusively to Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, in an email April 14. The company said its decarbonization strategy continues to combine emissions reduction, carbon removal and efficiency measures, and that adjustments to one element do not signal a broader pullback. "Carbon removal is one piece of that equation," Nakagawa said. "We continue to both build on and support our existing portfolio of both nature-based and technology-based solutions." Several media outlets reported over the weekend that Microsoft was pausing its CDR buying program, denting market sentiment on April 13 amid concerns among stakeholders that demand from major corporate buyers could weaken. A number of early-stage carbon removal projects are heavily reliant on long-term offtake commitments from large technology firms. Microsoft has committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030 and has entered into purchase agreements covering more than 60 carbon removal projects. However, the company's greenhouse gas emissions have risen in recent years, driven largely by the rapid expansion of energy-intensive data center infrastructure. Platts reported April 13 that market participants view the pause as a recalibration rather than an exit, with Microsoft likely taking stock of delivery timelines and performance across its existing portfolio. "At times we may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement as we continue to refine our approach toward our sustainability goals," Nakagawa said. "Any adjustments we make are part of our disciplined approach- not a change in ambition." Market reaction Stakeholders and experts in the carbon market said that near-term uncertainty among corporate buyers is compounding funding pressure in the sector, as major technology firms increasingly prioritize generative artificial intelligence and other growth investments, often at the expense of sustainability budgets. "In terms of signed deals, anything that was already well-advanced or contracted has largely continued to close, albeit in some cases with slightly extended timelines as counterparties reassess," Dr. Renard Siew, head of corporate sustainability at Yinson Holdings Berhad, told Platts. "We're not seeing widespread retrading, which suggests confidence in existing commitments remains intact." Microsoft remains the world's largest purchaser of CDR credits, according to data from CDR.fyi, having contracted more than 36.4 million metric tons of removals to date. This far exceeds the second-largest buyer, the Frontier buyer coalition, which has purchased about 1.8 million mt. The tech giant Microsoft accounted for just over 41% of forward purchases of voluntary carbon credits between 2023 and 2025, according to S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons data. Microsoft's potential pause in carbon removal purchasing reflects a maturing market rather than a fundamental threat to the industry's growth trajectory, according to the Carbon Business Council, which said the tech giant's early investments helped lay the foundation for broader market participation. The company's role in demonstrating a science-based approach to building diversified carbon removal portfolios created critical early demand signals that helped nascent technologies and nature-based solutions gain commercial traction, Ben Rubin, executive director of the Carbon Business Council, said. That foundation has allowed the carbon removal market to evolve beyond dependence on a handful of large corporate buyers, he said. "Microsoft has been foundational in scaling the carbon removal industry, both by demonstrating a thoughtful, science-based approach to building a diversified portfolio of solutions and by creating the early demand signals needed to help these solutions grow," Rubin said. "No forward action will erase that impact." It was only on April 6 that Microsoft signed a deal with carbon management company Svante and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council in Saskatchewan to capture 626,000 metric tons of CO2 from biomass-fired power generation. Carbon removal refers to climate mitigation strategies that remove CO2 emissions from the atmosphere, as opposed to strategies to avoid such emissions. These encompass a wide array of approaches, including technology-based methods like direct air capture, biomass carbon removal and storage, and also nature-based projects such as afforestation and reforestation. The Platts Natural Carbon Capture price was assessed at $13.95/mtCO2e April 13, while Platts Biochar for US projects was priced at $155/mtCO2e on the same day. Platts is part of S&amp;P Global Energy. This premium on tech-based credits reflects a much higher cost of implementing projects, but also a perception of lower risks linked to issues such as environmental integrity, additionality and permanence. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/middle-east-war-rating-action-tracker-as-of-april-10-2026-s101678243</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings is publishing a weekly update summarizing the rating actions we have taken globally due to the credit implications from the Middle East war. These are public issuer ratings in which the Middle East conflict was identified as the primary driver of the action. The update covers issuer credit ratings in the nonfinancial and financial corporate and sovereign sectors. Rating actions include upgrades, downgrades, outlook revisions, an</description><title>Middle East War: Rating Action Tracker (As Of April 10, 2026)</title><pubDate>14 April 2026 19:50:13 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/uk-social-housing-brief-the-middle-east-war-weighs-only-modestly-on-financial-recovery-s101678593</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Higher inflation and interest rates in the U.K. (AA/Stable/A-1+; unsolicited) because of the Middle East war may add modest pressure to the financial metrics of U.K. social housing providers (SHPs). That said, even if a severe oil price shock emerges, we anticipate only a marginal weakening in financial performance and interest coverage. Under this scenario, recovery will continue sectorwide, albeit at a slower pace. Our base case now assumes the </description><title>U.K. Social Housing Brief: The Middle East War Weighs Only Modestly On Financial Recovery</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 16:29:37 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/041326-ec-plans-to-consult-states-shortly-on-updated-eu-ets-benchmarks</link><description>The European Commission will consult member states &amp;quot;shortly&amp;quot; on updated benchmarks for free carbon permit allocations under the EU Emissions Trading System, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said April 13, as industries anxiously await clarity on how many free allowances they will receive through 2030. The announcement, made during a speech on the impact of the Middle East conflict on the EU,</description><title>EC plans to consult states &amp;apos;shortly&amp;apos; on updated EU ETS benchmarks</title><pubDate>13 April 2026 18:59:51 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Eklavya Gupte</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Carbon April 13, 2026 EC plans to consult states 'shortly' on updated EU ETS benchmarks By Eklavya Gupte Editor: Johanna Leo Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS To use 'all flexibilities' in legal text: von der Leyen Full ETS review remains scheduled for July EU carbon prices trade near Eur72/mtCO2e The European Commission will consult member states "shortly" on updated benchmarks for free carbon permit allocations under the EU Emissions Trading System, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said April 13, as industries anxiously await clarity on how many free allowances they will receive through 2030. The announcement, made during a speech on the impact of the Middle East conflict on the EU, signaled that the commission would use some flexibilities when revising the sectoral benchmarks that determine free EU Allowance allocations to industrial facilities based on their emissions intensity. "We will shortly consult member states on updated ETS benchmarks using all the flexibilities the legal text gives us," von der Leyen said. "And as announced, we are on track to present the full review of the ETS system in July." The timing of the benchmark update has become a focal point for European industry as companies face mounting pressure from high energy costs, international competition and the phaseout of free allocations for sectors covered by the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The commission was expected to adopt implementing regulations for updating ETS benchmark values by the end of the first quarter, but this process has been delayed by a few weeks. These sectoral benchmarks determine the share of free EU ETS permits allocated to industrial facilities based on their emissions intensity relative to the most efficient producers. Free allocations are based on benchmarks derived from the average greenhouse gas emissions of the 10% most efficient installations covered by the EU ETS for that product. The commission's reassessment comes amid growing calls from industry for extensions to free allocation rules, which currently require a complete phaseout by 2034 for CBAM-covered sectors, including steel, cement, aluminum and fertilizers. Companies have said the combination of carbon costs and international competition threatens European industrial competitiveness. ETS reforms Von der Leyen's comments on benchmarks came as part of broader remarks on measures to address the EU ETS costs, which have come under relentless pressure from EU leaders and industry in 2026. The commission has already proposed changes to the Market Stability Reserve, which involve ending the practice of invalidating all carbon allowances above 400 million in the MSR. "Thus, we are enhancing the stability and predictability of ETS prices without losing the important price signal," von der Leyen said, referring to the MSR reforms announced. The MSR reduces the supply of allowances when there are too many in circulation and injects allowances when there is scarcity. EU carbon prices have declined steadily in recent months as the commission signals potential reforms to free allocation rules and allowance supply caps. The market has been closely watching for signals on how Brussels will balance industrial competitiveness concerns with the bloc's climate ambitions. EU carbon prices have slumped by almost Eur30/metric ton of CO2 equivalent in 2026 after several member states called for watering down the EU ETS to boost the bloc's industrial competitiveness. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed EU Allowances for December 2026 at Eur72.55/mtCO2e on April 13. EUAs surged to 30-month highs of Eur92.09/mtCO2e on Jan. 15, according to Platts data, before plunging by almost Eur30/mtCO2e to lows around Eur62/mtCO2e by mid-March. The full review of the EU ETS system remained on track for presentation in July, von der Leyen said. The comprehensive revision is expected to address various aspects of the system, including long-term free allocation rules, the role of CO2 removals and adjustments to the cap trajectory as the bloc works toward its 2040 climate targets. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/issuer-ranking-north-american-electric-gas-and-water-regulated-utilities-strongest-to-weakest-s101675690</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The following list ranks North American regulated utility companies by the rating, outlook, stand-alone credit profile (SACP), and business and financial risk profile assessment. S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings ranks investment-grade companies (rated &amp;apos;BBB-&amp;apos; or higher) with the same rating and outlook first by the SACP, then the business risk profile, and then the financial risk profile. Speculative-grade companies (those rated &amp;apos;BB+&amp;apos; or lower) with the same rat</description><title>Issuer Ranking: North American Electric, Gas, And Water Regulated Utilities, Strongest To Weakest</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 15:47:26 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/contractual-cash-flow-protection-supports-abu-dhabi-linked-utilities-projects-amid-war-s101679641</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and incidents affecting critical infrastructure assets, S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings believes Abu Dhabi-linked water and power projects--including independent water and power producers and solar photovoltaic--benefit from strong structural protections that support their credit resilience, even under potential disruption scenarios. The four projects we rate-- Ruwais Power Co. PJSC , Emirates Sembcorp W</description><title>Contractual Cash Flow Protection Supports Abu Dhabi-Linked Utilities Projects Amid War</title><pubDate>14 April 2026 11:42:26 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/crude-oil/060324-interactive-platts-global-bunker-fuel-cost-calculator</link><description>The Platts global bunker fuel cost calculator shows how Platts price assessments for methanol, ammonia, LNG, bioblends and conventional oil-based fuels can be used to calculate the cost of marine fuels around the world, taking into account the EU Emissions Trading System and adjusted for energy density to put them on an equal footing.</description><title>Interactive: Platts global bunker fuel cost calculator</title><pubDate>24 March 2026 13:30:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Max Lin</name><name>Rowan Staden-Coats</name><name>Abhishek Anupam</name><name>Sophie Byron</name><name>Esther Ng</name><name>Megan Gildea</name><name>Santiago Canel Soria</name></author><content><![CDATA[ April 14, 2026 INTERACTIVE: Platts global bunker fuel cost calculator By Max Lin, Rowan Staden-Coats, Abhishek Anupam, Sophie Byron, Esther Ng, Megan Gildea, and Santiago Canel Soria Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... (Latest update April 14, 2026) The Platts global bunker fuel cost calculator shows how Platts price assessments for methanol, ammonia, LNG, bioblends and conventional oil-based fuels can be used to calculate the cost of marine fuels around the world, taking into account the EU Emissions Trading System and adjusted for energy density to put them on an equal footing. Click here to explore in full-screen mode. Methanol blend Shipping firms are struggling to acquire sustainable methanol due to its scarcity, and some industry participants suggest blending the green fuel with existing gray methanol could alleviate the shortage for now. The Platts sustainable-gray methanol price slider uses the month average prices of delivered sustainable methanol bunker and FOB gray methanol in the US Gulf plus logistics cost to show a representation of the blended price of marine methanol. Biofuel blend Bioblends are emerging as the top choice as an alternative marine fuel for conventional ships as regulators introduce new rules to lower greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. The Platts UCOME-VLSFO price slider uses the month average prices of FOB Straits used cooking oil methyl ester plus logistics cost and delivered 0.5%S marine fuel oil to show a representation of the blended price of biobunker fuels. LNG blend LNG, with its accessibility and competitive pricing, has long been the most used alternative marine energy for shipowners willing to invest in alternative propulsion technology. A growing number of companies operating LNG-capable ships are introducing bio-LNG into their bunker mix for deep decarbonization, and market participants suggest the more expensive green fuel could be blended with fossil LNG -- possibly through mass balance -- for lower fuel expenses. The Platts bio-gray LNG bunker price slider uses monthly average delivered bunker prices of bio- and fossil LNG in Rotterdam to show a representation of the blended price of marine LNG. Further reading: INTERVIEW: India's Kandla port eyes mid-2028 start for eMethanol bunkering INTERVIEW: LNG to play an important role as transition fuel in shipping: DNV executive (Subscriber content) ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/sector-review-the-key-role-of-debt-markets-in-funding-the-european-nuclear-renaissance-s101676130</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Many European countries are repositioning nuclear power as a strategic pillar for decarbonization and energy security. After years of hesitation and phase-out debates, several governments and the European Commission (EC) now regard nuclear as an essential complement to renewables in a net-zero power system. However, turning this political shift into projects will be as much a financing challenge as an industrial one. Nuclear plants are extremely c</description><title>Sector Review: The Key Role Of Debt Markets In Funding The European Nuclear Renaissance</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 13:32:19 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/industry-report-card-the-middle-east-war-could-test-sukuk-legal-contracts-s101679042</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Sukuk market issuance has not yet been significantly affected by the Middle East war. Total issuance reached $62.4 billion in first-quarter 2026 compared with $52.6 billion in first-quarter 2025. This increase included an uptick in foreign currency-denominated sukuk, which reached almost 20% over the same period. In GCC countries S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings observed a slight increase in overall issuances, though there was a decline in those denominated in </description><title>Industry Report Card: The Middle East War Could Test Sukuk Legal Contracts</title><pubDate>14 April 2026 06:44:02 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/mexicos-electricity-sector-eyes-private-sector-investment-s101674456</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The Mexican government has recently published guidelines for private sector, in collaboration with the state-owned utility ComisiÃ³n Federal de Electricidad (CFE; foreign currency: BBB/Stable/--, local currency: BBB+/Stable/--), to participate in the power sector. The guidelines are primarily for electricity generation, and the following are key features: Project structure: Investments will be channeled through special purpose vehicles or entities</description><title>Mexico&amp;apos;s Electricity Sector Eyes Private-Sector Investment</title><pubDate>13 April 2026 17:48:11 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/041326-xcf-global-and-bgn-sign-saf-tolling-partnership-in-us-aim-to-scale-supply</link><description>XCF Global has signed a binding term sheet with BGN INT US to develop a renewable fuels tolling and distribution partnership, as the companies position to scale sustainable aviation fuel supply amid tightening global energy markets and rising demand. The proposed framework centers on a tolling arrangement at XCF&amp;apos;s New Rise Renewables Reno facility in Nevada, with potential expansion to additional</description><title>XCF Global and BGN sign SAF tolling partnership in US, aim to scale supply</title><pubDate>13 April 2026 19:36:57 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samyak Pandey</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 13, 2026 XCF Global and BGN sign SAF tolling partnership in US, aim to scale supply By Samyak Pandey Editor: Marieke Alsguth Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Waste-based SAF offers crude supply resilience Reno facility capacity reaches 38 million gal/year XCF Global has signed a binding term sheet with BGN INT US to develop a renewable fuels tolling and distribution partnership, as the companies position to scale sustainable aviation fuel supply amid tightening global energy markets and rising demand. The proposed framework centers on a tolling arrangement at XCF's New Rise Renewables Reno facility in Nevada, with potential expansion to additional assets. The agreement covers SAF, renewable diesel and renewable naphtha and includes plans for offtake structures, co-branded distribution and joint development of production capacity across multiple regions, XCF said in an April 10 statement. The partnership builds on a prior memorandum of understanding focused on the US and extends collaboration to Europe and the Middle East, reflecting growing demand for SAF and broader low-carbon fuels. The development comes as tightening crude supply routes and geopolitical risks have pushed jet fuel prices sharply higher in recent weeks, exposing vulnerabilities in conventional aviation fuel supply chains linked to petroleum markets. XCF said on April 13 that waste-based SAF, produced from feedstocks such as used cooking oil, offers a structurally distinct supply chain less directly exposed to crude oil extraction and global shipping disruptions. The company positioned domestic SAF production as a potential buffer against ongoing fuel price and availability risks. The Reno facility has a nameplate capacity of 38 million gallons/year of neat SAF, with scope for higher blended output. The companies said the partnership aims to integrate XCF's production platform with BGN's global trading, logistics and distribution network to support commercialization at scale. "When jet fuel prices can nearly double in a matter of weeks, it exposes just how fragile crudeâbased aviation fuel supply chains remain," Chris Cooper, CEO of XCF Global, said. "Wasteâbased SAF starts with domestic materials, domestic infrastructure, and domestic labor. That structural difference matters, not only for decarbonization, but for fuel security and reliability when global energy systems are under stress." The term sheet also includes provisions for co-branded distribution, joint development of additional production capacity, and engagement across industry networks to support SAF adoption. Global SAF demand is expected to expand significantly, with industry estimates indicating a requirement of around 165 billion gal/year by 2050 to meet aviation decarbonization targets. XCF Global's perspective builds on the company's March statement addressing the initial impacts of Middle Eastârelated disruptions on aviation fuel markets. Since then, volatility has continued, with airlines confronting continued uncertainty around fuel pricing and availability, the April 13 statement said. While SAF prices can reflect broader market dynamics, the underlying supply chain for wasteâbased SAF remains structurally distinct from petroleum jet fuel. Crude oil disruptions affect conventional jet fuel immediately and directly, while wasteâbased SAF is not exposed to the same upstream risks, providing a meaningful layer of supplyâchain resilience. Separately, XCF said its subsidiary has received notice of termination of a supply and offtake agreement with Phillips 66, effective May 1, 2026. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/korean-institutional-investors-edge-further-into-global-private-credit-s101676511</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Major Korean institutional investors will cautiously increase their private credit investment abroad. This reflects limited opportunity domestically and efforts to diversify portfolios. S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings estimates the country&amp;apos;s pension funds, its sovereign wealth fund, mutual aid associations, and insurers are managing a total US$45 billion-US$50 billion in private credit. Korea&amp;apos;s credit market is already well served by a diverse set of financial</description><title>Korean Institutional Investors Edge Further Into Global Private Credit</title><pubDate>09 April 2026 02:18:57 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/040926-washington-declares-statewide-drought-emergency-snowpack-half-of-normal</link><description>Washington has declared a statewide drought emergency, driving up wholesale spot power prices, after starting April with roughly half of its normal snowpack. A warm winter left Washington mountains bare, leading to projections that water supplies will fall short of the state&amp;apos;s summer demand, the Washington Department of Ecology announced April 8. This is the fourth statewide drought emergency</description><title>Washington declares statewide drought emergency, snowpack half of normal</title><pubDate>09 April 2026 19:51:20 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Kassia Micek</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Renewables April 09, 2026 Washington declares statewide drought emergency, snowpack half of normal By Kassia Micek Editor: Karla Sanchez Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Fourth statewide drought emergency since 2015 Mid-C spot prices jump $4.50 day over day Washington has declared a statewide drought emergency, driving up wholesale spot power prices, after starting April with roughly half of its normal snowpack. A warm winter left Washington mountains bare, leading to projections that water supplies will fall short of the state's summer demand, the Washington Department of Ecology announced April 8. This is the fourth statewide drought emergency since 2015. "One year ago, we announced an unprecedented third year of drought, primarily affecting the Yakima Basin as well as other parts of the state," Casey Sixkiller, director of the Department of Ecology, said at an April 8 briefing. "Today, we are gathered again, but to declare a drought emergency for the fourth year in a row and this time it's statewide." Market reaction Pacific Northwest spot power prices increased during April 9 trading, while other US West locations eased. Mid-C on-peak day-ahead traded around $18/megawatt-hour for April 10-11 delivery on the Intercontinental Exchange, an increase of nearly $4.50 from where Platts assessed the location a day earlier. The off-peak package climbed nearly $6.50 day over day to trade around $21.25/MWh on ICE. Platts is part of S&amp;P Global Energy. "The Pacific Northwest in the US experienced a warmer-than-average winter this year, with a greater share of precipitation falling as rain rather than snow," said Hilary Bao, S&amp;P Global Energy CERA senior analyst. From December 2025 to March 2026, hydropower generation was approximately 15% above the 30-year average, she said. "However, due to poor snowpack accumulation, hydropower generation is expected to decline significantly in May, June and July," Bao said. "S&amp;P Global Energy forecasts that hydropower output will be about 12% below the 30-year average for each of these months." CERA forecast Mid-C spot power prices to average in the mid-$60s/MWh in August. In 2025, Mid-C spot prices reached as high as $112.20/MWh on Aug. 25, and averaged nearly $50/MWh for August and $56/MWh for September, according to Platts data. The long-term weather forecast predicts above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation through June, according to the Department of Ecology. Drought emergency Drought is declared when water supply drops below 70% of normal and creates hardships for people, farms or the environment, Sixkiller said about state law. "This year, every watershed in our state has met that threshold," Sixkiller said. "We have entered April with roughly half of our normal snowpack." April 1 is typically when snowpack peaks, but "this year, we are at just 52% of normal and that gap has real consequences," Sixkiller said. Although the state had a wet winter with 104% of normal precipitation from October to February, too much of that fell in the form of rain instead of snow, the Department of Ecology said. "Washington relies on deep mountain snows to accumulate over the winter, then gradually melt during spring and summer," according to the Department of Ecology. "That slow snowmelt helps fill streams and rivers and replenish reservoirs. Without sufficient snowpack, rivers will run low and water temperatures will climb, creating harsh conditions for fish and other aquatic species." The Dalles forecast The Dalles Dam water supply forecast is currently at 95% of normal for the April-September forecast period, a decrease of 2 percentage points month over month, according to Northwest River Forecast Center data. The water year runs Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Inflows into The Dalles Dam have averaged 200.56 kilo cubic feet/second so far in April, up 18% from the March average, but down nearly 2% from April 2025, according to data from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Conditions at The Dalles Dam, located on the Columbia River on the Oregon-Washington state border, serve as the barometer for hydro conditions in the region. Lower hydro generation in the Pacific Northwest means less generation available for export to neighboring regions. However, the trend has reversed in recent years, with the Pacific Northwest importing power generation due to a weaker hydro supply from ongoing drought, rather than exporting generation during hydro surplus. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/041026-cathay-pacific-saf-volumes-surge-in-2025-but-remain-below-1-of-total-fuel-use</link><description>Cathay Pacific Airways used 36,242 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel in 2025, a near-fivefold increase from the prior year, but the Hong Kong-based carrier said SAF still accounts for less than 1% of global commercial jet fuel consumption, underscoring the pace of supply build-up needed to meet the aviation industry&amp;apos;s net-zero 2050 target, according to its Sustainability Report 2025</description><title>Cathay Pacific SAF volumes surge in 2025 but remain below 1% of total fuel use</title><pubDate>10 April 2026 12:18:25 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samyak Pandey</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 10, 2026 Cathay Pacific SAF volumes surge in 2025 but remain below 1% of total fuel use By Samyak Pandey Editor: Adithya Ram Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS SAF volumes surge 430%, remain under 1% of fuel Cathay commits $220 mil to SAF investments Corporate SAF Programme grows 180% YOY Cathay Pacific Airways used 36,242 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel in 2025, a near-fivefold increase from the prior year, but the Hong Kong-based carrier said SAF still accounts for less than 1% of global commercial jet fuel consumption, underscoring the pace of supply build-up needed to meet the aviation industry's net-zero 2050 target, according to its Sustainability Report 2025 released April 9. The carrier's gross Scope 1 emissions rose to 16.76 million mt of CO2-equivalent in 2025, with SAF use delivering a net abatement of 101,446 mtCO2 on a lifecycle basis. Carbon intensity across the Cathay Group stood at 751 grams of CO2 per revenue tonne-kilometer (RTK) excluding SAF reductions, narrowing to 746 gCO2/RTK when both mandatory and voluntary SAF-derived abatement were included. $220 mil in SAF investments In 2025, Cathay committed a combined $220 million in SAF investment across two landmark partnerships. In September, the airline joined as a launch investor in the $150 million oneworld Breakthrough Energy Ventures Fund, co-founded with airline peers including American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, IAG, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines, and backed by climate investment firm Breakthrough Energy to advance and commercialize next-generation SAF technologies. Complementing this, in October 2025, Cathay committed up to $70 million in a co-investment agreement with Airbus, targeting more mature SAF production opportunities with a 2030-and-beyond horizon, primarily in Asia. The Airbus partnership will assess individual projects for commercial viability, technological maturity, and long-term offtake potential, alongside joint advocacy for enabling SAF policies across the Asia-Pacific region. Corporate SAF programme nearly triples Cathay's Corporate SAF Programme, now in its fourth year, recorded commitments of approximately 17,400 mt of SAF from 17 global partners in 2025, representing an increase of nearly 180% year over year. Partners including DHL, Microsoft, and Kuehne+Nagel drove the growth, collectively enabling an equivalent lifecycle emissions reduction of approximately 54,600 mtCO2e -- equal to roughly 61,800 economy class round trips between Hong Kong and London. In July 2025, Cathay also launched an individual customer SAF program, allowing passengers to voluntarily purchase SAF attributes aligned with their specific flight emissions. In its first year, the program recorded 1.6 mt of SAF use, delivering approximately 5 mt of CO2 reductions. Supply chain, expanding footprint To broaden its SAF sourcing geography, Cathay entered into an agreement with Sinopec for the delivery of domestically produced Chinese SAF to Hong Kong International Airport -- marking the first such export by Sinopec to Hong Kong. Additionally, the carrier secured a multiyear supply deal with South Korea's SK Energy for 20,000 mt of SAF between 2025 and 2027. Cathay uplifts approximately half of its total fuel in Hong Kong, making the city's SAF policy environment critical to its decarbonization trajectory. The carrier welcomed the Hong Kong SAR government's announcement of a 1%-2% SAF usage target at HKIA by 2030, along with plans for local SAF blending facilities and production plants in the Greater Bay Area, but stressed that "stronger partnerships and additional policy support will be essential to close this gap." CORSIA, EU ETS compliance costs flagged Cathay highlighted compliance obligations under CORSIA's first phase (2024-2026), the EU Emissions Trading System, and the UK ETS. The ICAO issued its 2024 annual sectoral growth factor in October 2025 -- the first time it has been above zero -- triggering net carbon offsetting obligations for participating international carriers. Cathay said it continues to monitor and prepare for developments across all mandatory market-based measures. Total Scope 3 emissions for the group stood at 10.59 million mtCO2e in 2025, with the largest contributors being Scope 3 Category 15 (investments) at 4.93 million mtCO2e and Category 3 (fuel- and energy-related upstream activities) at 3.65 million mtCO2e. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed FOB Straits SAF prices at $2,295/mt on April 9, down $125/mt from the week before. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/lng/040926-ec-eyeing-country-level-standard-for-eu-methane-regulation</link><description>The European Commission is closing in on recommendations for compliance and penalties under the European Union&amp;apos;s methane emissions regulation amid sustained frustration from market participants ahead of a 2027 regulatory deadline when tighter legal requirements begin, the EU&amp;apos;s director-general for energy, Ditte Juul Jorgensen, said April 9 at the Eurogas Methane Emissions Conference in Brussels.</description><title>EC eyeing country-level standard for EU methane regulation</title><pubDate>09 April 2026 15:14:45 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Matt Hoisch</name></author><content><![CDATA[ LNG, Natural Gas, Energy Transition, Crude Oil, Coal, Emissions April 09, 2026 EC eyeing country-level standard for EU methane regulation By Matt Hoisch Editor: Benjamin Morse Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Says okay for âsufficient shareâ of production to meet requirements All member states agree penalties should not threaten supply Industry players continue to seek delayed rollout amid uncertainty The European Commission is closing in on recommendations for compliance and penalties under the European Union's methane emissions regulation amid sustained frustration from market participants ahead of a 2027 regulatory deadline when tighter legal requirements begin, the EU's director-general for energy, Ditte Juul Jorgensen, said April 9 at the Eurogas Methane Emissions Conference in Brussels. The EU regulation aims to reduce methane emissions from the energy sector, both in Europe and across global supply chains. It includes a methane emissions reporting requirement for natural gas, crude oil, and coal imports, as well as a mandate for importers to meet emissions-intensity limits that have yet to be established. A key deadline comes at the start of 2027, when new import contracts must meet the same monitoring, reporting, and verification standards as EU producers, or face penalties. On compliance, Jorgensen said April 9 that the EC plans to recommend a country-level standard, rather than more granular mandates. "Compliance will not require tracking or tracing at the level of the molecule or at the level of the cargo or at the level of the basin or at the level of the specific company," she said. Rather, the recommendation would be that it is acceptable for a "sufficient share" of domestic production in an exporting country to meet the measurement, reporting, and verification standards, according to the director-general. "If that can be shown, if that can be clear, then that constitutes compliance," Jorgensen said. She did not offer further details on what would constitute a "sufficient share." Jorgensen also said the EC is finalizing a recommendation that would ensure penalties under the regulation do not threaten energy supply security. She stressed that ministers from all 27 EU member states back this, though she did not elaborate on the details of the recommendation. "That is what all national authorities want to do," she said. "To make sure that penalties do not constitute a problem, that no cargo is diverted or delayed because of a concern related to penalties." Member states are responsible for imposing penalties under the regulation, which stipulates that they can be as high as 20% of a company's annual turnover. However, the law also says penalties must "not endanger the security of energy supply." The EC is also assembling a guidance document to aid consistent implementation across member states, Jorgensen said. The director-general did not give an explicit timeline for releasing the measures but said the EC is "very, very close" to finalizing them. Industry ire Many participants in the European gas sector have expressed frustration about persistent regulatory uncertainty around how to comply with the methane regulation ahead of its firmer 2027 deadline. A swath of energy industry players have called for the EC to delay the rollout to allow more time to sort out the implementation and compliance questions. Eurogas president Cristian Signoretto reiterated this request at the conference. "We are a bit running now out of time," he said. "The contracts that are going to deliver gas to the market by [2027] are being negotiated nowâI would say yesterday." European market participants have reported challenges contracting LNG cargoes due to the regulatory uncertainty. Jorgensen did not touch on the prospect of delaying the rollout in her April 9 remarks. However, she acknowledged that the approaching requirements come as Europe faces heightened challenges from the conflict in the Middle East and stressed the importance of ensuring adequate energy flows both during and beyond the current disruptions from the war. "We want to make sure that our regulatory systemâour rulesâdo not stand in the way of security of supply," Jorgensen said. LNG imports The EU has become increasingly reliant on LNG for baseline gas needs in the years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraineâparticularly from the US. In 2025, the EU brought in about 106 million metric tons (146.2 Bcm) of LNGâthe first time on record imports surpassed 100 million mt, according to data from S&amp;P Global Energy CERA. The US was the EU's top LNG trade partner over the year, supplying 60 million mt. This also made 2025 the first year on record in which the EU sourced over 50% of its imports from one country. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed the DES Northwest Europe LNG marker at $15.17/million British thermal units on April 8, down 12.5% day over day. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/041026-european-carbon-prices-hover-near-eur73mt-as-policy-jitters-ease</link><description>European carbon prices increased slightly in the week ended April 10, following news of a ceasefire in the Middle East. However, prices also came under brief pressure from provisional estimates showing only a slight decline in total CO2 emissions under the EU Emissions Trading System in 2025. EU Allowances were trading at Eur72.85/metric ton of CO2 equivalent ($85.46/mtCO2e) at 1408 GMT on April</description><title>European carbon prices hover near Eur73/mt as policy jitters ease</title><pubDate>10 April 2026 14:56:36 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Eklavya Gupte</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Coal, Carbon, Emissions April 10, 2026 European carbon prices hover near Eur73/mt as policy jitters ease By Eklavya Gupte Editor: Ankit Ajmera Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Fundamentals could start to drive prices Market Stability Reserve reform eases some policy uncertainty European carbon prices increased slightly in the week ended April 10, following news of a ceasefire in the Middle East. However, prices also came under brief pressure from provisional estimates showing only a slight decline in total CO2 emissions under the EU Emissions Trading System in 2025. EU Allowances were trading at Eur72.85/metric ton of CO2 equivalent ($85.46/mtCO2e) at 1408 GMT on April 10, according to the Intercontinental Exchange, up 1.5% from the April 2 settlement. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed EU Allowances for the December 2026 contract at Eur73.67/mtCO2e on April 9. Jitters about ETS policy have eased after the European Commission proposed halting the automatic invalidation of carbon allowances held in the Market Stability Reserve, which helped drive EUA prices higher. The proposed amendment would end the current practice of invalidating all carbon allowances above 400 million in the Market Stability Reserve, instead preserving them as a buffer to support market stability. The Market Stability Reserve reduces the supply of allowances when there are too many in circulation and injects allowances when there is scarcity. Fundamentals vs policy Fundamentals are expected to play a bigger role in price direction than policy. EUAs have largely shrugged off Middle East tensions, proving more resilient than other commodities. EUAs fell slightly before US President Donald Trump's Iran deadline April 7 but staged a muted rally after the ceasefire on April 8. Instead, EUA prices have tracked broader economic confidence indicators and market reform expectations, with power sector demand playing a secondary role. Analysts at S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons expect EUAs to average Eur68/mtCO2e and Eur72/mtCO2e in the second and third quarters, respectively. "EUA prices in 2026 are likely to trade in a range-bound but slightly weaker regime, with downside limited by cautious reform and continued structural tightness, but upside constrained by regulatory uncertainty and intervention risk," the analysts wrote in a recent note. Regulated CO2 emissions from power plants and factories in 2025 fell by about 1.5% from the previous year, according to calculations from several analysts. The European Commission is expected to officially release the verified EU ETS emissions data later on April 10. The EU ETS is facing mixed fundamentals, spurred by the war, with improving coal consumption offering support on the one hand and declining industry demand from the petrochemicals and refining sectors weighing on the other. While EUA prices have diverged considerably from natural gas over the past month, coal economics have provided limited support for carbon, as coal becomes more lucrative in the power generation mix due to high gas prices. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/040726-us-eia-trims-2026-us-spot-gas-price-forecasts-on-near-average-storage-expectation</link><description>The US Energy Information Administration on April 7 again trimmed its natural gas spot price forecast for the second and third quarters of 2026, saying that it expects Henry Hub prices to remain closely aligned to the year-ago quarters, with inventories remaining near average. The agency, in its April Short-Term Energy Outlook, forecast that Q2 Henry Hub spot gas prices will average $3.01/million</description><title>US EIA trims 2026 US spot gas price forecasts on near-average storage expectation</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 21:33:09 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Ronnie Turner</name><name>Maya Weber</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, LNG, Natural Gas, Renewables, Nuclear April 07, 2026 US EIA trims 2026 US spot gas price forecasts on near-average storage expectation By Ronnie Turner and Maya Weber Editor: Johanna Leo Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Expects LNG exports to rise to record 17 Bcf/d in 2026 Summer power demand set to increase 2.3% from 2025 The US Energy Information Administration on April 7 again trimmed its natural gas spot price forecast for the second and third quarters of 2026, saying that it expects Henry Hub prices to remain closely aligned to the year-ago quarters, with inventories remaining near average. The agency, in its April Short-Term Energy Outlook, forecast that Q2 Henry Hub spot gas prices will average $3.01/million British thermal unit, 9 cents below the March estimate. The Q3 forecast was lowered by 7 cents from the March estimate to $3.26/MMBtu. The April STEO marked the second consecutive month in which the agency lowered its spot gas prices for the rest of the year. The EIA now expects Henry Hub prices to average $3.67/MMBtu for 2026, 9 cents below the March full-year forecast. The agency also lowered its 2027 Henry Hub price forecast by 26 cents from the March estimate to $3.59/MMBtu. The agency estimates that gas inventories finished the 2025-26 withdrawal season, which ended in March, at about 1.9 trillion cubic feet, or 3% above the five-year average (2021-2025). Storage levels rebounded after large withdrawals in January as a result of rising production and relatively mild weather for the rest of the winter season, the EIA said. "With inventories near average, we expect Henry Hub prices in 2Q26 and 3Q26 to remain close to recent seasonal norms, averaging about $3.10/MMBtu, closely aligned with the same quarters last year," the agency added. Gas production, LNG exports The EIA's forecast for US-marketed gas production in Q2 was left unchanged from the March estimate of 120.3 billion cubic feet/day, but the agency raised the forecast for Q3 by 400 million cubic feet/day to 120.7 Bcf/d. The full-year forecast was increased by 100 MMcf/d to 120.7 Bcf/d. Looking further ahead, the agency raised its forecast for US-marketed gas production in 2027 to 124.2 Bcf/d, 300 MMcf/d above the March estimate. The near-term increases in gas production are expected to help bolster storage levels, the agency said. "We forecast more natural gas will be injected into storage than is typical this year, largely because increased crude oil production supports more associated natural gas production," the EIA said. "We expect marketed natural gas production to increase 2% in 2026 and 3% in 2027. This outlook depends on how production growth materializes, how much natural gas the electric power sector consumes this summer, as well as the pace of LNG export ramp-up." The EIA lowered its gas consumption estimates by 300 MMcf/d to 77 Bcf/d for Q2 and by 500 MMcf/d to 84.9 Bcf/d for Q3. The full-year 2026 estimate was lowered by 800 MMcf/d to 90.6 Bcf/d. The EIA also anticipates an increase in LNG exports in 2026. The agency forecasts that full-year 2026 LNG exports will total 17 Bcf/d, up 300 MMcf/d from the previous month's estimate, and that 2027 LNG exports will total 18.6 Bcf/d, up 500 MMcf/d from the prior forecast. Both numbers would surpass the annual record of 15.1 Bcf/d in 2025, the agency said. "We estimate U.S. LNG exports were 17.9 Bcf/d in March, an 8% increase over our January STEO forecast and the second-highest LNG export volume on record following December 2025," the EIA said. "The widening spread between domestic and international prices as a result of continued disruptions to LNG exports through the Strait of Hormuz encourages increased LNG exports from the United States, although capacity is constrained." Electricity demand, generation The EIA updated its US electricity demand forecast to show an expected 1.2% increase to 4,108 billion kilowatt-hours in 2026. The 2027 power demand forecast is for 3.3% growth to 4,244 billion kWh. The agency expects total demand for the 2026 summer season, spanning June through September, to increase by 2.3% from the same period in 2025, and 2027 summer demand is expected to rise by 3.7% compared to the 2025 period. "We expect residential demand to grow by 2.9% in the summer of 2026 and by 1.0% in 2027," the EIA said. "Summer power demand from the commercial sector grows by 2.6% in 2026 and by 5.8% in 2027, and summer power demand from the industrial sector grows by 0.9% in 2026 and 5.1% in 2027." The EIA expects total US electricity generation to increase by 1.2% to 4,325 billion kWh in 2026 and by 3.4% to 4,470 billion kWh in 2027. The bulk of generation growth in 2026 is expected to come from renewable sources, including solar (17% growth), hydropower (6%) and wind (5%), the EIA said. Over this summer, the EIA expects solar power resources to produce 17% more power than they did in the summer of 2025. "In 2025, solar generation in the summer months surpassed wind generation for the first time, and that trend continues in our forecast," the agency said. "In the summer of 2027, we expect solar generation will grow by 22% to reach 178 billion kWh, surpassing wind generation by almost 30%, although we still expect wind will generate more electricity than solar for the whole year." The EIA forecast gas-fired generation during the 2026 summer months will remain flat compared with last year, and nuclear generation is expected to grow by 2% as a result of the planned restart of the Palisades plant in Michigan. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/040726-interview-hourly-matching-as-a-key-mechanism-for-long-term-energy-security-says-renewabl-ceo</link><description>The need to transition toward more traceable and localized renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly apparent, with the Middle East conflict further highlighting this need, JP Cerda, CEO of Renewabl, told Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, in a recent interview. &amp;quot;The Middle East conflict has raised issues of sovereignty and energy security, which hourly matching and Energy Attribute</description><title>INTERVIEW: Hourly matching as a key mechanism for long-term energy security, says Renewabl CEO</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 15:53:24 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Juliet Stevenson Brown</name><name>Alice Mason</name><name>Toby Lambert</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Emissions, Renewables April 07, 2026 INTERVIEW: Hourly matching as a key mechanism for long-term energy security, says Renewabl CEO By Juliet Stevenson Brown, Alice Mason, and Toby Lambert Editor: Karla Sanchez Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Hourly matching boosts traceability, local energy procurement Regulatory corporate demand drives granular certificate adoption Premiums for hourly certificates expected to normalize over time The need to transition toward more traceable and localized renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly apparent, with the Middle East conflict further highlighting this need, JP Cerda, CEO of Renewabl, told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, in a recent interview. "The Middle East conflict has raised issues of sovereignty and energy security, which hourly matching and Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) have helped address," Cerda said. "You cannot rely solely on traditional and external sources of power, such as imported gas. You must build a more resilient, localized system." "Hourly matching is centered around locality," Cerda said. "Sellers will understand where the market is and build assets closer to where demand exists. Combined with energy storage, this approach will help balance the grid and enhance energy security in the long term." This push marks a shift in focus away from additionality and toward ensuring that green energy claims can be traced to a specific renewable energy asset at a specific time. As a result, the certificate is increasingly holding more weight in Power Purchase Agreements than it did previously. "Two years ago, certificates didn't really have much value. Now, they hold most of the value because they provide provenance and origination," Cerda said. The cost of hourly matching Energy attribute certificates have traditionally been generated annually, which means there is no perfect match for consumption. Hourly matching, or 24/7 matching, aims to align renewable energy portfolios with electricity consumption on an hourly basis, starting with increased granularity for certificates and providing hourly timestamps. As the conversation around granular certificates grows louder, questions have also been raised about how much of a premium the unbundled certificates could carry away from PPAs. Platts spot UK REGO non-bio assessment, which represents the price for the current compliance period (CP24), was GBP0.12/megawatt-hour, while the front-year equivalent was GBP0.60/MWh. REGOs prices have been on a downward trend for the past year, and remain close to where participants view the floor to be. "The main focus of hourly matching is to balance the system and ensure that whatever is produced in a given hour matches the demand for that specific hour," Cerda said. "This will push prices up during certain hours and down during others. The cost of certificates is low at the moment, but that will change as we enter the era of hourly matching." For example, solar certificates will be abundant during times of excess generation in the day, while certificates for the middle of the night will be scarcer, as less renewable energy is available, but demand from data centers remains high. There is a premium for certificates tied to specific hours and those traceable to specific assets, with Cerda noting hourly certificates can carry a premium of GBP1-2/MWh over power for specific assets. Demand for hourly matching Other participants told Platts that they did not yet see consistent demand for granular certificates, nor a premium in the market. Cerda said demand for more granular certificates was twofold, stemming from regulatory requirements. Demand "is closely linked to frameworks that use Scope 2 as their foundation, such as the CSRD, RE100, and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol," Cerda said. "Demand typically originates from the regulatory side, but also from forward-thinking corporates that support greater traceability and a system that more accurately matches the production and consumption of renewable energy contracts." These companies, including hyperscalers, are currently 100% matched on an annual basis and are trying to determine what's next and how to move toward achieving it, according to Cerda. Although hourly matching could be achievable for large power consumers, participants have recently told Platts that smaller organizations are likely to struggle due to limited resources and accounting strains. As participants watch developments with the GHGP's proposed Scope Two Guidance updates, a number of participants are calling for a middle ground where the market could transition to stricter annual matching or monthly matching before moving hourly. This already exists in some markets, such as France, where there are monthly matching obligations. "The next logical step after annual matching is monthly matching," Cerda said. "The shift from annual to hourly is a significant challenge for large corporations, as it requires extensive data crunching and extraction." "However, in the next few years, there will most likely be a shift from monthly to hourly matching due to standards requirements," he said. However, Cerda emphasized that the shift toward further granularity will take time, and costs are expected to eventually reach parity with current levels. "The shift is going to take timeâit won't happen overnight. The idea is that hourly matching will become the norm moving forward. Right now, it appears more expensive to achieve 100% matching due to peak and non-solar hours, but with battery storage and a more localized system, costs are expected to reach parity with current prices." US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/040726-brussels-confirms-first-cbam-certificate-price-for-q1-2026-at-eur7536mtco2e</link><description>The first quarterly price for the EU&amp;apos;s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism certificates was set at Eur75.36/metric tons of CO2 equivalent, establishing the carbon cost that importers will face for goods brought into the EU during Q1 2026, the European Commission said April 7. The price reflects the average closing price of EU Emissions Trading System allowances auctioned during January-March 2026</description><title>Brussels confirms first CBAM certificate price for Q1 2026 at Eur75.36/mtCO2e</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 13:15:49 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Eklavya Gupte</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Electric Power, Carbon, Emissions, Hydrogen April 07, 2026 Brussels confirms first CBAM certificate price for Q1 2026 at Eur75.36/mtCO2e By Eklavya Gupte Editor: Jonathan Loades-Carter Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS EU carbon prices have fallen sharply in Q1 amid political pressure Importers must buy certificates from February 2027 CBAM certificate prices will be published weekly in 2027 The first quarterly price for the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism certificates was set at Eur75.36/metric tons of CO2 equivalent, establishing the carbon cost that importers will face for goods brought into the EU during Q1 2026, the European Commission said April 7. The price reflects the average closing price of EU Emissions Trading System allowances auctioned during January-March 2026 through the European Energy Exchange, ensuring imported carbon-intensive goods face similar costs to domestic EU products. Importers will need to purchase CBAM certificates starting in February 2027 to cover emissions embedded in goods imported during 2026, aligning import costs with the carbon price paid by domestic producers under the EU ETS. EUAs have slumped by almost Eur30/mtCO2e in Q1 after several member states called for watering down the EU ETS to boost the bloc's industrial competitiveness. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed EU Allowances for Q1 2026 at Eur77.638/mtCO2e, down from Eur81.444/mtCO2e in Q4 2025. CBAM's carbon levy mirrors the EU Emission Allowance price. Platts assessed EUAs for the December 2026 contract at Eur72.12/mtCO2e on April 2. The definitive phase of CBAM began Jan. 1, 2026, following a transitional reporting period. The mechanism targets imports of goods from the iron and steel, aluminum, cement, hydrogen, fertilizers and electricity sectors, aiming to prevent carbon leakage where companies relocate production to regions with weaker climate policies. The quarterly pricing structure applies only to 2026, with the Commission set to calculate and publish prices for the second, third and fourth quarters on July 6, Oct. 5 and Jan. 4, 2027, respectively. From February 2027, CBAM certificate pricing will shift to a weekly calculation reflecting the volume-weighted average of EUA auction clearing prices, the commission said. All certificates will be purchased through a common central platform from that date, under Article 20 of the CBAM regulation. The commission launched a tender in March to establish the platform, which will manage the sale and repurchase of CBAM certificates. The tender remained open until April 6. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/natural-gas/033126-feature-low-gas-storage-lng-disruption-to-test-european-resilience-in-q2</link><description>As the Middle East war bleeds into a second month, unprecedented disruptions to global LNG supply, low gas storage levels, and geopolitical uncertainty have primed the European gas market for a potentially tumultuous second quarter. The conflict continues to choke transit through the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off roughly 20% of the world&amp;apos;s LNG supply from international buyers. Even if fighting</description><title>FEATURE: Low gas storage, LNG disruption to test European resilience in Q2</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 10:24:22 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Andreas Franke</name><name>Eklavya Gupte</name><name>Matt Hoisch</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Coal, Electric Power, LNG, Natural Gas, Carbon, Emissions March 31, 2026 FEATURE: Low gas storage, LNG disruption to test European resilience in Q2 By Andreas Franke, Eklavya Gupte, and Matt Hoisch Editor: Jonathan Loades-Carter Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Qatari LNG outage key uncertainty for storage fill Power price evolution to vary according to market Carbon allowances in period of high volatility As the Middle East war bleeds into a second month, unprecedented disruptions to global LNG supply, low gas storage levels, and geopolitical uncertainty have primed the European gas market for a potentially tumultuous second quarter. The conflict continues to choke transit through the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off roughly 20% of the world's LNG supply from international buyers. Even if fighting were to subside, the war has already dealt a significant blow to gas markets, with Iranian attacks curtailing some 17% of Qatar's LNG export capacity for three to five years. QatarEnergy's other LNG production also remains offline after it halted output in early March. The EU itself has limited direct exposure to Qatari LNG. In 2025, Qatar accounted for about 8.2% of its total LNG imports, according to data from S&amp;P Global Energy CERA. And EU leaders have repeatedly maintained in recent weeks that the continent's gas supply is secure. However, Europe's deepening reliance on LNG for baseload gas needs since the 2022 outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war means it remains exposed to price risks in the intensely global market amid heightened competition with LNG buyers in Asia, the main offtake market for Persian Gulf exports. With cold weather waning, Europe's focus is shifting to rebuilding gas storage ahead of next winter. That will be an uphill effort. Stocks entering spring are at their lowest level since March 2022. EU-wide gas storage was 28.1% full as of March 28, according to data published by Gas Infrastructure Europe. At the same time in 2025 and 2024, it was 33.5% and 58.7% full, respectively. The duration of the full-scale Qatari outage remains a key uncertainty. CERA analysts expect European gas storage could reach roughly 78% full by the end of October if Qatari production is offline for three months and takes eight weeks to ramp up. While lower than recent years, it would still surpass a theoretical minimum fill level allowed under flexibilities in the EU's latest storage regulation. But if the outage stretches to five months, the CERA analysts project EU storage would only hit 67% full by next winter, leaving the continent a diminished buffer against price spikes heading into next winter. "Any extension of disrupted Qatari/UAE gas flows beyond the [three-month] base case would significantly tighten Europe's end-summer storage outlook," said Dominic Simmons, senior principal gas analyst for CERA. Demand-side responses to the recent market turmoil could offer a tailwind to the storage fill, with elevated gas prices expected to temper European consumption, according to CERA analysts. They project industrial gas demand across the EU and UK -- previously forecast to rise -- will now fall by 0.8% year over year in 2026. Power variations The outlook for power prices in the second quarter varies significantly across Europe, with more gas price-linked markets like Italy and the UK most affected, while French and Iberian power prices remain decoupled from other markets due to oversupply from solar and nuclear. Solar is forecast to exceed nuclear at the top of the Q2 power mix across the 10 core nations in the CERA forecast, with solar capacity now above 400 GW across the EU27. Germany alone has almost 120 GW of solar capacity installed, but output could be lower year over year, with curtailments and zero prices still an issue despite higher prices outside solar peak hours. CERA analysts forecast a nearly 20% year-over-year increase in the number of low-priced hours (below Eur10/MWh) in the second quarter. "This adds pressure on prices during solar peaks," said Kerry Thacker-Smith, senior power analyst at CERA. "However, higher gas prices provide support to early morning and evening prices, resulting in higher intraday spreads." This dynamic could further boost battery economics, but Europe's current installed 60 GW of home and utility-scale battery capacity is not yet sufficient to significantly narrow intraday spreads during spring. German lignite is set to see the biggest year-over-year gains in the second quarter, while Italian gas-fired generation could see the biggest year-over-year decline across markets covered by CERA forecasts. Overall, CERA analysts forecast a 14% decline for gas-fired generation across core markets compared with Q2 2025, with only limited gas-to-coal/lignite switching potential during the spring. However, some of the gas-switching could be across borders, with lower carbon prices benefiting coal burn in Eastern Europe. The biggest forecast swing is on external borders, with core markets set to swing from 2 GW net exports in Q2 2025 to 2 GW net imports. "Poland and Czechia are the main beneficiaries of the current fuel switching dynamics, with Germany set to swing to net imports," said Dan Muir, German power analyst at CERA. "A lot of this is then being re-exported either towards the British or Italian markets." Hydro remains a key variable to European power prices this spring, particularly in light of the exceptional wet conditions in Q2 2025. While a hydro deficit looms in the Nordics, Iberia faces a third consecutive oversupplied spring after a wet winter. The expected demand recovery could face headwinds if prices remain high for longer, with CERA currently forecasting a 2.4% year-over-year increase across core markets. Carbon volatility The EU carbon market, meanwhile, endured one of its most volatile periods in over two decades during the first quarter of 2026, as prices swung sharply in response to mounting policy uncertainties and reform pressures. With the Middle East conflict still unresolved and gas prices on the up, increased gas-to-coal switching among power generators is expected to provide underlying support for EU Allowances in the coming months. EUAs surged to 30-month highs of Eur92.09/metric tons of CO2 equivalent on Jan. 15, according to Platts data, before plunging by almost Eur30/mtCO2e to reach lows around Eur62/mtCO2e by mid-March. The dramatic reversal came as leaders from Italy, Germany, France, Czechia and Slovakia intensified calls for an overhaul of the bloc's emissions trading system, arguing that the current rules were undermining industrial competitiveness. The political pressure prompted the European Commission to announce reforms to the Market Stability Reserve -- a move signaling additional allowance supply entering the market in the near term. The MSR, a mechanism designed to address supply-demand imbalances in the EU ETS, has held surplus allowances since its launch in January 2019. Changes to its operation could fundamentally alter the market's supply dynamics going forward. However, countervailing support emerged in late March, with the EC unveiling measures to strengthen price-stability mechanisms alongside a Eur30 billion investment fund backed by allowance sales. These initiatives helped lift prices back above Eur70/mtCO2e by the end of the first quarter, though market participants remain measured about the outlook amid ongoing policy debates. "Despite the gains, sentiment remains cautious, with EUAs largely macro-driven and sensitive to geopolitical shocks," CERA analysts said in a recent note. "Markets are now focused on forthcoming EU ETS reforms, which are expected to determine the next directional move." The coming months are likely to see continued price volatility, according to analysts and traders, as the market digests the implications of MSR reforms and awaits clarity on the investment fund's implementation timeline. The European Commission has till the end of July to present a formal ETS review to help curb the volatility of the carbon price and mitigate its impact on electricity prices. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/040926-infiniums-project-atlas-wins-saba-next-generation-saf-procurement</link><description>US based e-fuels producer Infinium has secured a major offtake award for its Project Atlas development after being selected by the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance under its next-generation sustainable aviation fuel procurement program. The project will supply SAF certificates (SAFc) to SABA&amp;apos;s corporate buyers, marking a key step in advancing next-generation fuel pathways and unlocking</description><title>Infinium&amp;apos;s Project Atlas wins SABA next-generation SAF procurement</title><pubDate>09 April 2026 14:57:57 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samyak Pandey</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 09, 2026 Infiniumâs Project Atlas wins SABA next-generation SAF procurement By Samyak Pandey Editor: Jonathan Loades-Carter Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Infinium wins SABA award for Project Atlas Facility targets 100,000 mt/year eSAF output American Airlines partners as end-user US based e-fuels producer Infinium has secured a major offtake award for its Project Atlas development after being selected by the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance under its next-generation sustainable aviation fuel procurement program. The project will supply SAF certificates (SAFc) to SABA's corporate buyers, marking a key step in advancing next-generation fuel pathways and unlocking financing for new SAF capacity, Infinium said in a statement April 8. Project Atlas competed against more than a dozen advanced biofuel and electrofuel projects in a multi-stage evaluation process. Project Atlas is designed as an electro-SAF (eSAF) facility with planned production capacity of around 100,000 metric tons/year, targeting a life-cycle carbon intensity reduction of up to 95% compared with conventional jet fuel. The project builds on Infinium's earlier developments, including Project Pathfinder and Project Roadrunner, which have supported its commercial-scale deployment of electrofuels. Infinium partnered with American Airlines in its bid, with the carrier set to act as the end-user of the fuel and manage logistics. The airline will physically take delivery of the eSAF, while SABA's corporate members will purchase SAF certificates under a book-and-claim system to account for emissions reductions. "This is a pivotal milestone for Project Atlas," said Robert Schuetzle, adding that the agreement reflected growing demand for power-to-liquid fuels and supported the expansion of domestic SAF production capacity. SABA aggregates demand from corporate customers seeking to reduce emissions from business travel and freight, converting that demand into long-term, financeable offtake agreements aimed at enabling projects to reach final investment decisions. Participating buyers are expected to sign binding agreements with Infinium later this year, with initial fuel production targeted by 2029. In addition to supplying SABA members, Project Atlas is expected to produce EU-compliant renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) eSAF, positioning it to tap into rising demand driven by Europe's SAF mandates. Under ReFuelEU Aviation rules, blending requirements began at 2% in 2025 and are set to rise to 20% by 2035, with a dedicated eSAF sub-mandate from 2030. Kim Carnahan said the selection demonstrates how voluntary corporate demand can help catalyze investment in new SAF facilities, while Jill Blickstein highlighted the role of partnerships in scaling emerging fuel technologies. Infinium produces eSAF by combining captured CO2 with renewable energy to create drop-in aviation fuel compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure. The company said the Project Atlas award adds momentum to the commercialization of power-to-liquid fuels, which are increasingly seen as critical to meeting aviation's long-term decarbonization targets. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed SAF HEFA-SPK FOB Straits at $2,400/mt on April 8, down $20/mt from April 7. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/natural-gas/032626-ceraweek-natural-gas-industry-sees-narrow-window-for-us-permitting-reform</link><description>Natural gas industry groups expressed optimism that US permitting reform legislation could be passed in the coming months, but stressed there is a narrow window for progress. &amp;quot;I&amp;apos;m actually bullish on it, I think we are going to see it,&amp;quot; Marty Durbin, president of the US Chamber of Commerce&amp;apos;s Global Energy Institute, said on the sidelines of CERAWEEK by S&amp;amp;P Global on March 25. &amp;quot;I&amp;apos;m not betting the</description><title>CERAWEEK: Natural gas industry sees narrow window for US permitting reform</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 22:16:27 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Killian Staines</name><name>Zack Hale</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Natural Gas, Energy Transition, Renewables March 26, 2026 CERAWEEK: Natural gas industry sees narrow window for US permitting reform By Killian Staines and Zack Hale Editor: Marieke Alsguth Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Industry groups optimistic for reform Eight-week window of opportunity Natural gas industry groups expressed optimism that US permitting reform legislation could be passed in the coming months, but stressed there is a narrow window for progress. "I'm actually bullish on it, I think we are going to see it," Marty Durbin, president of the US Chamber of Commerce's Global Energy Institute, said on the sidelines of CERAWEEK by S&amp;P Global on March 25. "I'm not betting the farm yet, but I do think that the stars are all aligning here." Pressure on politicians from multiple industries could focus minds, Durbin said. "You've got every business sector out there saying this has got to get done," he said, adding permitting reform is about more than energy. "This is roads and bridges and airports and water facilities, you name it." A permitting bill, dubbed the SPEED Act, was passed in the US House in December 2025 with support from 11 Democrats. The bill would limit the scope of National Environmental Policy Act reviews and shorten the statute of limitations for related court challenges from roughly six years to 150 days, while also narrowing eligibility for legal standing. Negotiations in the Senate were paused in December 2025 by lead negotiators Senators Martin Heinrich, Democrat-New Mexico, and Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat-Rhode Island, ranking members on the energy and environment committees, in response to the Trump administration's actions targeting fully permitted US offshore wind projects and solar applications. However, Heinrich and Whitehouse announced on March 6, 2026, that talks would resume, citing positive momentum on solar permitting from the administration and the expectation that "there will be no further interference with already-permitted wind projects." A "dramatic" change in the politics surrounding permitting reform is raising the likelihood of success, according to Chris Treanor, Executive Director of Partnership to Address Global Emissions. "Affordability is a top issue for voters and for member policymakers," Treanor said in a March 24 interview with Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. "And Democrats have come around to appreciate that clean energy projects are just as susceptible to permitting obstacles as pipelines are." Time pressure That said, there is a short window of opportunity. "We've got eight weeks to get it done," Treanor said. "Once you start moving into July, you're deep into midterm season, and you're entering a phase where neither side wants to let the other one have a win." Progress will need to happen during the upcoming two-week recess, Treanor said. "If in that next [recess], we don't see language presented or an outline presented by [Senators] Capito and Whitehouse, then it will signal to me that maybe we really are waiting until the lame duck period," Treanor said. During the lame duck period after the November midterm elections, "you have a bunch of members that are taking their last vote, so they can vote for permitting reform because they believed their whole lives that it was necessary, and the only reason they didn't vote for it previously was for some political reason," Treanor said. Hopes would fade further after that. "Democrats will almost certainly win back the House majority," Treanor said. That would elevate Representatives Frank Pallone and Jared Huffman to chairmen of the energy and commerce committee and the natural resources committee, respectively. They would "almost certainly will not prioritize permitting reform," Treanor said. Lack of goodwill Former Senator Mary Landrieu, Democrat-Louisiana, struck a less optimistic note. "It's going to be very tough, because the time is short and tempers are short," Landrieu said in a March 25 interview with Platts at CERAWeek. "It's hard to pass legislation when you have adequate time, and you have a lot of goodwill; we have neither." The politics soured "because of the President's unfortunate personal crusade against offshore wind, which we all seem to have been suffering from," Landrieu said. Landrieu is co-chair of Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, which advocates for natural gas. But Landrieu felt the March 24 appointment of Alan Armstrong to fill the Senate spot vacated by Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin is "one of the best things that has happened on this subject." Armstrong, who was CEO of midstream company Williams from 2011 to July 2025, vowed to spend his short time in the Senate working toward permitting reform. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/blog/electric-power/040926-ceraweek-2026-power-systems-emerge-as-an-energy-security-priority</link><description>Energy security has shifted from a competitive advantage to a critical requirement as CERAWeek 2026 revealed a fundamental transformation in global power systems.</description><title>CERAWeek 2026: Power systems emerge as an energy security priority</title><pubDate>09 April 2026 12:35:49 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Patrick Luckow</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Natural Gas, Energy Transition, Nuclear, Renewables April 09, 2026 CERAWeek 2026: Power systems emerge as an energy security priority Patrick Luckow Editor: Roma Arora Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Energy security has shifted from a competitive advantage to a critical requirement as CERAWeek 2026 revealed a fundamental transformation in global power systems. With electricity demand accelerating -- driven by data center demand, electrification and industrial growth -- the power sector has become the decisive arena where policy choices, infrastructure limits and investment realities converge. 1. Energy security is now a power system problem Energy security discussions have shifted decisively toward grid reliability, capacity adequacy and local reliability. Extreme weather, geopolitical instability and demand growth are exposing weaknesses in aging transmission and distribution systems. Countries across the globe are demanding diverse generation portfolios, as firm capacity and flexible grids are proving critical to resiliency. "The most pervasive takeaway from CERAWeek 2026 was that geopolitics is no longer a background risk; it is a primary driver of market structure," said Chengyao Peng, S&amp;P Global Energy head of APAC power &amp; renewables research. Global renewable additions reached an estimated 700 GW in 2025, according to S&amp;P Global Energy CERA, extending record growth from 2024. As global energy shocks prioritize security, the 2026 outlook may shift toward mature "quick-wins" like solar-plus-storage, especially in the US and new natural gas. 2. AI-driven demand growth is rewriting power planning assumptions Artificial intelligence has moved from long term forecast to an immediate system stressor. Data centers and AI training loads are accelerating, overwhelming interconnection queues, compressing reserve margins and forcing difficult conversations about cost allocation and reliability standards. In the US, utilities, regulators and hyperscalers are now tightly coupled as power demand growth has become a strategic national priority. "The current supply and price pressures are also an opportunity to revisit past plans, processes and agreements, and design new models that can unlock affordable supply more quickly," said Sylvain Cognet-Dauphin, S&amp;P Global Energy head of EMEA power and renewable research. Executives from National Grid and Dominion Energy emphasized that the primary bottleneck is not capital but permitting, pipelines, power assets, transmission build-out and skilled labor. 3. Energy transition is redefined by affordability and security constraints Rather than retreating from decarbonization goals, discussions at CERAWeek placed the transition squarely within the realities of cost and reliability. European Commission's Director-General for Energy, Ditte Juul-JÃ¸rgensen, noted that European states with lower shares of power generation reliant on imported fossil fuels reliably have lower prices. The EU will aim to reduce its import dependence. It will also seek to improve its competitiveness by reducing regulatory barriers, improving transnational competition and cooperation between power markets, and revisiting long-term natural gas supply contracts that will still be needed in the coming decades. Rising electricity prices, grid congestion and geopolitical volatility are shaping what is politically and economically durable, amid an investment surge from companies across the globe. The most immediate cleantech beneficiaries will be more mature renewable technologies that can be quickly deployed to address near term security and affordability challenges, including solar-plus-storage projects and standalone grid storage, Amit Chandra, head of Climate Technology at Barclays, said. While the focus in the US has shifted to speed-to-power for data center demand, many other nations remain committed to a robust energy transition, but this transition must protect consumers, maintain system stability, and support economic competitiveness. The transition is no longer a linear pathway, it is an exercise in balancing climate ambition with affordability and energy security. 4. Permitting emerges as critical constraint Across power conversations at CERAWeek, permitting emerged as one of the most binding constraints on energy security. Lengthy approval timelines for transmission lines, generation and storage are delaying projects even where capital and demand are strong. While the US has seen a rapid acceleration in LNG permitting, transmission has not yet had the same focus. Regulatory reform, institutional coordination and practical dialog between data center developers, utilities and their regulators were frequently mentioned at CERAWeek as critical steps that must be taken immediately. Despite slow progress, Jenny Yang, S&amp;P Global Energy head of global power renewables research, highlighted that "there is a clear opportunity to use technology to extract more value from the existing assets, especially where permitting remains a constraint". 5. Nuclear power returns to deployment One of the more notable shifts at CERAWeek was the focus on near-term nuclear deployment milestones. Faced with rising load, reliability requirements and energy security concerns, policymakers and utilities are increasingly viewing nuclear power, both conventional reactors and small modular reactors, as a development priority. The focus has moved toward licensing timelines, supply chains and financing models, signaling that for many regions, nuclear power is being reconsidered as a delivery solution for clean, firm power. Several speakers argued that the current moment represents a new nuclear "renaissance," distinct from the mid-2000s wave that faltered on cost overruns. Utilities and industrial players reinforced this view. Dow Chemical highlighted its partnership with X-energy on SMR as part of a long-term strategy to secure reliable, lower-carbon power for energy-intensive manufacturing. Others stressed that standardization, modular construction and regulatory predictability are critical to success. Developers such as Kairos Power are pursuing repeatable construction models, including plans to build multiple reactors to supply hyperscaler demand. Building a fleet of reactors enables learning-by-doing efficiencies and supports commercial scalability, while integrated project sequencing can help reduce risk prior to full-scale construction, executives said. From vision to execution CERAWeek 2026 underscored that a new map has been drawn for the energy transition. New technology players were prominent throughout the week, making a strong case for clean technologies that can be deployed rapidly at manageable costs. Electrification is accelerating faster than infrastructure and institutions are adapting. The decisive challenge of this decade is not vision, but execution -- at scale, at speed and at a cost society can sustain. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/middle-east-conflict-gcc-downstream-sectors-brace-for-broader-impact-s101678714</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The war in the Middle East has led to limited shipping activity passing through the Strait of Hormuz since the end of February. Some export-oriented chemical plants in the Persian Gulf have also announced closures. Because about 20% of global crude flow and about 20% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) passes through the Strait daily, the disruption has directly affected oil and gas flows worldwide. In our view, the prolonged closure will also d</description><title>Middle East Conflict: GCC Downstream Sectors Brace For Broader Impact</title><pubDate>09 April 2026 06:19:36 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/asiapacifics-energy-flows-and-gaps-in-10-charts-s101678160</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Asia-Pacific faces a growing energy shock that reserves can only partly absorb. Heavy reliance on Middle East imports and tight regional linkages are amplifying risks. Disruptions in crude and refined fuels could hit manufacturing and trade hard. End-user prices will likely climb, compounding inflationary pressures. Weaker currencies and high costs will fuel higher inflation, strain growth, and force difficult policy trade-offs across unevenly exp</description><title>Asiaâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x91;Pacific&amp;apos;s Energy Flows And Gaps In 10 Charts</title><pubDate>09 April 2026 01:41:54 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/040826-brazil-renewables-market-divided-about-ghg-protocol-update</link><description>Revising the global Greenhouse Gas protocol to require the matching of hourly energy consumption and generation has divided generators and consumers in Brazil, with some believing such a change could hamper the country&amp;apos;s renewables market. The proposed stricter rule is causing concern among those in the Brazilian energy sector who fear it could reduce adherence to emission standards and trading of</description><title>Brazil renewables market divided about GHG Protocol update</title><pubDate>08 April 2026 21:21:58 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Felipe Peroni</name><name>Beatriz Baltieri</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Electric Power, Carbon, Emissions, Renewables April 08, 2026 Brazil renewables market divided about GHG Protocol update By Felipe Peroni and Beatriz Baltieri Editor: Richard Rubin Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS GHG Protocol revision divides Brazil energy sector Hourly matching rules threaten renewables growth I-REC prices remain low amid oversupply concerns Revising the global Greenhouse Gas protocol to require the matching of hourly energy consumption and generation has divided generators and consumers in Brazil, with some believing such a change could hamper the country's renewables market. The proposed stricter rule is causing concern among those in the Brazilian energy sector who fear it could reduce adherence to emission standards and trading of guarantees of origin, which already face liquidity issues. "Hourly matching requirements could hamper the maturity process of the Brazilian market," said Felipe Gatti, head of power at major beef exporter Minerva Foods. The company reports its emissions under the Brazilian GHG Protocol program. If approved, a company now certifying energy consumed in an entire year would be required that all certificates be matched on an hourly basis, for its energy use to be considered renewable. Moreover, the recommendations made by the GHG Protocol working group also include stricter geographical rules of origin. "The changes proposed also include the location method, that would prevent a company in the south of Brazil to buy International Renewable Energy Certificates registered in the country's northeastern region," Fernando Lopes, director of the Totum Institute, which issues the country's I-RECs and other guarantees of origin, said April 7 during the I-REC Day Brazil conference. The GHG Protocol board held a public consultation about the scope 2 guidance change, from October 2025 to Jan. 31, 2026. According to Lopes, a second public consultation will be made in 2026. The revision was considered necessary as the current scope 2 guidance was released in 2015, and new criteria was needed to reflect the evolution of energy grids and companies. Also, the GHG Protocol estimates that 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to energy generation, making it more critical to decarbonization. But some market participants believed this change could reduce interest for certificates in a less evolved markets, such as in Brazil, where energy certification it is purely voluntary. "As participants of a voluntary initiative, we need to find ways to contribute while remaining competitive with other non-adherent companies," Gatti said. Significant generators were optimistic about the change, however, believing it could boost prices of I-RECs that meet the stricter requirements. "In Brazil we face a persistent oversupply [of certificates]. This new layer of integrity could improve the price balance in the country," said Cecilia Essinger, executive manager of environmental assets at Axia Energia, adding that the change will also require a phasing period for adaptation. Platts' daily assessment of Brazilian I-RECs, vintage 2025, were at Real 0.87/MWh (17 cents/MWh) for wind and solar on April 8, and at Real 0.71/MWh (14 cents/MWh) for hydro. By comparison, the assessment for Mexico 2025 wind/solar I-RECs was at $6/MWh on the same day. Platts is a part of S&amp;P Global Energy. Axia received recently a request for 24-7 hourly matching certification, but shortcomings in the existent infrastructure blocked the way, according to Essinger. The company was the largest issuer of I-RECs in 2025 in Brazil, with 11.9 million certificates. "I-RECs still need more differentiation to shows its environmental benefits, like the ones we see in carbon credits," Essinger said. But the change is not consensual even among generators, with some believing it will favour large energy suppliers, many of which are located near large consuming centers. "This change will only benefit hydroelectric companies in the Brazilian southeastern region," a source at a wind power generator said. A second generator source concurred. "This could drive consumers away from the I-REC market," the source said. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/040826-japans-gx-ets-mandatory-phase-begins-demand-muted-as-companies-await-allocation-clarity</link><description>One week after Japan&amp;apos;s Green Transformation Emissions Trading Scheme (GX-ETS) entered its mandatory phase, trading activity in J-Credits and Joint Crediting Mechanism units remains absent -- particularly on the exchange -- as covered entities continue to delay compliance positioning amid ongoing uncertainty over free allowance allocations and banking rules. Mandatory in name, transitional in</description><title>Japan&amp;apos;s GX-ETS mandatory phase begins; demand muted as companies await allocation clarity</title><pubDate>08 April 2026 05:08:11 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Aliana zulaika Yeong</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Carbon, Emissions April 08, 2026 Japan's GX-ETS mandatory phase begins; demand muted as companies await allocation clarity By Aliana zulaika Yeong Editor: Sivassanggari Tamil selvam Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS JâCredits, JCM unit demand to stay weak through FY 2026-27 Prices anchored around proposed GXâETS price ceiling Ex-post allocation design clouds near-term compliance signals One week after Japan's Green Transformation Emissions Trading Scheme (GX-ETS) entered its mandatory phase, trading activity in J-Credits and Joint Crediting Mechanism units remains absent -- particularly on the exchange -- as covered entities continue to delay compliance positioning amid ongoing uncertainty over free allowance allocations and banking rules. Mandatory in name, transitional in practice The GXâETS moved into Phase 2 on April 1, following a threeâyear voluntary period, and now applies to companies emitting at least 100,000â¯metric tons/year of CO2, collectively accounting for roughly 60% of Japan's emissions. The scheme allows covered entities to meet up to 10% of their compliance obligations with eligible credits -- including domestic JâCredits and international JCM units -- within a price corridor set by the government at Yen 1,700-4,300/mtCO2e ($10.64-$26.91/mtCO2e). However, several Tokyoâbased market participants said fiscal year 2026-27 (April-March) is unlikely to generate strong complianceâdriven credit demand, as the scheme's free allocation framework remains unsettled. "At this moment, we have not seen any official updates on the finalization of free allowance volumes by industry," a Tokyoâbased end user said, adding that allowance clarity will only emerge after companies submit verified emissions data and receive government approval. Prices hover near price ceiling Despite limited liquidity one week into the mandatory phase, JâCredit prices remain broadly supported by the GXâETS costâcontainment measure. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed Energy Efficiency J-Credits at Yen 4,800/mtCO2e and J-Credit Forestry at Yen 5,300/mtCO2e on April 7, both unchanged day over day. The government has proposed a price corridor of Yen 1,700-4,300/mtCO2e for the early compliance years, with entities able to meet their obligations by paying the ceiling price if allowance markets tighten. Energyâefficiency JâCredits have recently traded at about Yen 4,800/mtCO2e, based on Japan Exchange Group reference prices, according to a Tokyoâbased end user. "From my perspective, prices remaining slightly above the GXâETS ceiling are so far a positive indication," the source said. A second end user expects prices to remain largely rangebound in the absence of strong demand. "As there is no strong demand from GXâETS, we believe market prices of JâCredits will theoretically dwindle," the source said, adding that most holders are likely to retain inventory unless liquidity needs arise. Some premium demand persists for specific credit types -- particularly locally generated forestry JâCredits -- but volumes remain too small to influence broader market dynamics. "Some customers require specific credits, especially forestry credits, such as locally generated ones, and they would pay significantly higher prices than those in the market," the second end user said. "However, the impact on the market could be negligible because the volumes are tiny, and ultimately, there is no difference in value under the compliance regulations." Conversely, a Tokyo-based carbon project developer said there is currently no premium for forestry JâCredits, citing demand solely for compliance purposes and a large supply from major forest owners exceeding 100,000â¯mt/y. Ex-post allocation clouds price signals Market participants said uncertainty around banking provisions -- specifically whether unused allowances or credits can be carried forward -- has further dampened appetite for early compliance buying. Unlike systems with fixed upfront caps, free allowances under the GXâETS are determined ex post, based on actual production levels and sectoral benchmarks. "Under the GXâETS framework, free allowances are expected to be allocated after each regulated entity submits its calculated emissions and applies for allowances," the first end user said. "As a result, allowance volumes will only become visible once this application and approval process is complete." A Tokyo-based consultant developer echoed this sentiment, saying that the number of free allocations will be determined based on each fiscal year's actual production levels, rather than in advance. Companies will initially set emissions targets for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27. Actual FY 2025-26 emissions will be calculated and thirdâparty verified in early 2027, after which the government will issue official allocations for the following year based on benchmark indices. "Because the final number depends on how much a company actually [emitted], the definitive number of free allowances for FY 2025-26 cannot be calculated until the fiscal year ends," the consultant said, adding that settlement will occur only in 2027. The consultant expects incremental clarity from April onward as submissions begin but cautioned that any impact on demand is likely to emerge only gradually. "I anticipate that updates on both free allocation levels and banking rules will gradually become available during this period," the consultant said. The consultant added that the GXâETS is not yet aligned with Japan's Nationally Determined Contribution and currently operates without a systemâwide cap, underscoring the importance of still-pending benchmark announcements in shaping compliance behavior. Eyes on post-2027 signal Participants broadly view FY 2026-27 as a calibration phase, with meaningful compliance demand expected to emerge only once benchmarks, free allocation levels and banking rules are fully clarified. "I do not think any lobbying is feasible after the government's announcement," a Tokyoâbased end user said. "The next opportunity to negotiate floor or ceiling prices would be around 2029." Until then, market participants said the GXâETS mandatory phase is likely to establish the institutional groundwork for Japan's carbon market rather than serve as a nearâterm catalyst for JâCredit or JCM unit demand. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/industry-credit-outlook-gcc-central-banks-relief-measures-will-help-banks-navigate-the-current-turbulence-s101675849</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings expects the war&amp;apos;s intensity will peak and the Strait of Hormuz&amp;apos;s effective closure will ease during April, but some disruptions are likely to persist for months. Within this context and considering the potential implications of the operating environment on banks&amp;apos; liquidity and asset quality, three regional central banks announced measures to help their banking systems cope, focusing primarily on banks&amp;apos; liquidity, capitalization,</description><title>Industry Credit Outlook: GCC Central Banks&amp;apos; Relief Measures Will Help Banks Navigate The Current Turbulence</title><pubDate>08 April 2026 17:12:14 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/2026/04/us-power-renewables-ma-asset-valuation</link><description>Elevated M&amp;amp;A activity in US power and renewables is reshaping asset valuations. Learn how buyers are assessing gas and renewable assetsâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x94;and how Power Evaluator supports deal analysis.</description><title>US Power and Renewables M&amp;amp;A: What Elevated Deal Activity Means for Asset Valuation</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 06:30:00 GMT</pubDate><content><![CDATA[ Blog â 7 April, 2026 US Power and Renewables M&amp;A: What Elevated Deal Activity Means for Asset Valuation Executive summary M&amp;A activity across the global power and renewables sector reached its highest level since 2007 in 2025 and has remained elevated into 2026, with dealmaking heavily concentrated in the United States. According to the S&amp;P Global Energyâs Global Power and Renewables M&amp;A Review, North America has accounted for nearly 70% of transaction value since the start of 2025, driven primarily by acquisitions of US gas generation and large-scale renewable platforms. This concentration of capital has sharpened the focus on asset-level valuation: buyers are targeting operating assets with predictable cash flows, exposure to rising power demand, and strategic positioning in constrained power markets. As transaction sizes grow and valuation dispersion widens, robust, scenario-based power plant valuation has become central to M&amp;A decision-making. Key Takeaways US-focused M&amp;A has dominated global power and renewables deal value since 2025, reflecting expectations for rising domestic power demand. Independent power producer (IPP) transactionsâparticularly US gas generationâdrove record segment-level deal values in 2025. Gas generation valuations in the US have increased materially since 2024, with transaction-specific outcomes varying by technology and market location. Global renewable M&amp;A volumes declined in 2025, but transaction values rebounded sharply in early 2026, led by large US-focused platform deals. These trends reinforce the need for asset-level, market-specific valuation tools that can stress-test assumptions across price, demand, and policy scenarios. US Power Demand Is Reshaping Deal Priorities S&amp;P Global Energyâs Global Power and Renewables M&amp;A Review highlights that North America accounted for over two-thirds of global power and renewables transaction value in 2025, with activity centered on the US. This surge reflects expectations for sustained growth in electricity demand, driven in large part by data center expansion and electrification trends. For buyers, these demand dynamics have shifted M&amp;A strategies toward assets that can deliver firm, around-the-clock capacity. This has favored operating gas-fired generation, particularly in constrained markets such as PJM and ERCOT, where new-build development faces long lead times and rising costs. Data compiled March 23, 2026. Transaction value is defined as the total consideration paid to the sellers for equity, plus the value of assumed current liabilities net of current assets, and is only included for transactions with a disclosed value. The transaction list includes mergers and acquisitions (excluding spinoffs and split-offs) within the electric utility, independent power producer, renewable generation and power trading segments. The transaction year is based on the announcement date. Historical data is subject to revision. Data for 2026 includes transactions announced through March 20, 2026. Sources: S&amp;P Global Energy; S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. Gas Generation M&amp;A and Rising Valuation Benchmarks IPP deal values surged to $69 billion in 2025âthe highest level since 2007âwith 87% of that value concentrated in North America. The report attributes this to a wave of large-scale US gas transactions aimed at expanding baseload and flexible capacity. Valuation data within the report shows that average announced valuations for select US gas generation transactions since the start of 2025 exceeded $1,100 per kW, more than double the 2020â2024 average. However, transaction outcomes varied significantly depending on asset age, efficiency, fuel access, and regional market fundamentals. This dispersion underscores why buyers increasingly rely on granular valuation frameworks that incorporate nodal pricing, dispatch economics, and forward-looking demand scenarios. Data compiled March 23, 2026. Transaction value is defined as the total consideration paid to the sellers for equity, plus the value of assumed current liabilities net of current assets, and is only included for transactions with a disclosed value. The transaction year is based on the announcement date. Historical data is subject to revision. Data for 2026 includes transactions announced through March 20, 2026. Sources: S&amp;P Global Energy; S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. Renewables M&amp;A: Fewer Deals, Larger Platforms While global renewable M&amp;A volumes declined in 2025, transaction values in early 2026 have already surpassed full-year 2025 levels, driven by large US-centric transactions such as the proposed acquisition of The AES Corp. The report notes that improving sentiment, rising power demand, and faster time-to-market compared with conventional generation have supported higher valuations for wind and solar assets. Buyers are increasingly targeting scale platforms with contracted revenue and development pipelines, rather than single-asset acquisitions. This shift places greater emphasis on portfolio-level valuation and scenario analysis, particularly around power prices, congestion, and policy risk. Linking M&amp;A Strategy to Power Evaluator As deal sizes increase and underwriting assumptions face greater scrutiny, valuation tools must bridge market fundamentals with asset-level economics. Power Evaluator is designed to support this need by enabling customizable valuations of existing and planned power plant assets, simulation of acquisitions and divestments, and stress-testing under multiple market, policy, and climate scenarios. For M&amp;A practitioners assessing US gas or renewable assets, this type of integrated valuation approach aligns directly with the trends highlighted in the M&amp;A review: larger transactions, higher valuations, and a greater premium on understanding location-specific risk and opportunity. FAQ Why is US power and renewables M&amp;A attracting so much capital? The report shows that expectations for rising US power demandâparticularly from data centersâcombined with the relative stability of operating assets, have driven investor interest in US-focused power and renewables transactions. Why are gas generation assets central to recent M&amp;A activity? Gas-fired plants provide firm and flexible capacity that complements intermittent renewables. Buyers are also responding to long lead times and higher costs for new-build gas development by acquiring operating assets. How are valuations changing across power M&amp;A deals? US gas generation valuations have increased materially since 2024, while renewable valuations have trended higher over the past two years amid improving sentiment and demand growth expectations. Transaction-specific outcomes vary by technology and market. How can Power Evaluator support M&amp;A analysis? Power Evaluator enables users to conduct asset-level valuations, simulate acquisitions and divestments, and assess market and physical risks across multiple scenariosâcapabilities that align with the increasingly complex valuation requirements of US power and renewables M&amp;A. S&amp;P Global Energy produces content for distribution by S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence on S&amp;P Capital IQ Pro. Disclaimer: This content may be AI-assisted and is composed, reviewed, edited, and approved by S&amp;P Global. Access a customizable power plant valuation tool Learn More Quantify the US energy transition with essential intelligence Learn More Bankable curves for power plant valuations. Explore Power Evaluator ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/2026/04/oil-price-shocks-are-testing-resilience-across-methodologies-among-sp-smallcap-600-indices</link><description>The war in the Middle East and the subsequent surge in oil prices have been key drivers of volatility across U.S equity segments as inflation expectations risk de-anchoring. </description><title>Oil Price Shocks Are Testing Resilience Across Methodologies Among S&amp;amp;P SmallCap 600 Indices </title><pubDate>09 April 2026 06:30:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Patricia Medina</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Research â 9 April, 2026 Oil Price Shocks Are Testing Resilience Across Methodologies Among S&amp;P SmallCap 600 Indices By Patricia Medina Executive Summary The war and the subsequent surge in crude oil prices have amplified volatility in U.S. equity markets, including the S&amp;P SmallCap 600 Index. Analysis of small cap equities reveals varying degrees of resilience to recent market fluctuations. The AI-driven tools in S&amp;P Global Market Intelligenceâs Capital IQ Pro platform, along with Xpressfeed, Portfolio Analytics, and data from S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices, help clients uncover insights into equity volatility. This article examines the extent to which elevated oil prices influence the distribution and density of the S&amp;P SmallCap 600 index and a sample of small cap indices with diverse construction methodologies, using 10-year historical daily data. Also, it explores the sector-level dispersion of risk-adjusted returns between cyclical and defensive sectors within small caps as a potential consequence of these dynamics. The war in the Middle East and the subsequent surge in oil prices have been key drivers of volatility across U.S equity segments as inflation expectations risk de-anchoring. The chart below illustrates the density and distribution of four S&amp;P SmallCap 600 stock indices compared to oil price fluctuations since 2016. The oil price range exhibits more outliers on both ends compared to indices. On Friday, February 27 (black dot), the day before the first U.S-Israel strikes on Iran, the four S&amp;P SmallCap 600 equity indices traded at decade highs, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price stood at $67.06ânear recent lows. Then, the war began, pushing oil price higher settling at $99.56, in contrast to declining levels across the S&amp;P SmallCap 600 indices two weeks into the conflict by Friday, March 13 (red dot). During this period, the average decline across the analyzed group was about 85 points, with variations observed on each index's specific profile. Historical data is available via Xpressfeed and other delivery mechanisms that investors can leverage to populate algorithms and models. S&amp;P SmallCap 600 Index &amp; S&amp;P SmallCap 600 Equal Weighted Index Both indices experienced declines as the war continued, with the Equal Weighted version declining more than the group average and outpacing the market-cap weighted counterpart. Despite the pullback, both indices remain near long-term highs, even as oil tested $100 by March 13. Historically, the S&amp;P SmallCap 600 Index has shown retests around the 1,300 and 950 levels over the past decade. The Equal Weighted version, which has yet to break above 2,000, displays moderate density near 1,600 and 1,000 since 2016. S&amp;P SmallCap 600 Value Index &amp; S&amp;P SmallCap 600 Growth Index As oil price trended higher on the chart above, the Value and Growth categories demonstrated greater resilience to the downside during the initial 10 trading days of the war, remaining near their decade highs. The Value Index showed the highest resilience. The Growth Index's decline was also less than the group average, approaching 1,150. Both indices are characterized by limited historical stock dispersion in the last decade. As noted below, small cap equities tend to be sensitive to spikes in oil prices as they increase input and logistics costs. The climbing oil price is also impacting dispersion across the 11 sectors in the S&amp;P SmallCap 600 index. In addition to S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices performance monitoring, the chart below plots YTD figures, accessible via Capital IQ Proâs Portfolio Analytics offered by S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. These tools can be combined with user-defined custom functions to allow for ad-hoc or scheduled batch reporting. By mid-March, Energy sector equities posted higher risk-adjusted returns while defensive sectors Utilities and Health Care hovered toward the lower end of the spectrum. Learn more about Portfolio Analytics on Capital IQ Pro Click Here Learn more about Xpressfeed Click Here ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/blog/energy-transition/040826-et-highlights-political-europe-carbon-policy-hydrogen-us-biochar-market-water-scarcity</link><description>Energy transition highlights: Our editors and analysts bring you the biggest stories from the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices.</description><title>ET Highlights: Political pressure on Europeâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99;s carbon policy, water scarcity hurdles for hydrogen, USâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99; biochar market growth</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 20:05:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Staff </name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Renewables, Emissions, Carbon April 8, 2026 ET Highlights: Political pressure on Europeâs carbon policy, water scarcity hurdles for hydrogen, USâ biochar market growth Energy Transition Highlights: Our editors and analysts bring together the biggest stories in the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices. Top story Political pressure mounts on Europe's flagship carbon policy The EU Emissions Trading System is facing its greatest test yet. European leaders and companies are sounding the alarm, warning that high carbon prices are undermining the bloc's industrial competitiveness and threatening to drive manufacturing offshore. In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Eklavya Gupte examines what's driving the turbulence in Europe's carbon market and what it means for the bloc's energy transition. The conversation revolves about how political pressure from member states has dragged EU Allowance prices down by almost Eur30/metric tons of CO2 equivalent in recent months. It then turns to Julia Michalak, EU policy director at the International Emissions Trading Association, who breaks down the ETS reforms now under consideration: extended free allocations, the modified Market Stability Reserve and why industrial competitiveness concerns are dominating the climate policy debate in Brussels. Pedro Barata, associate vice president for carbon markets and private sector decarbonization at the Environmental Defense Fund, offers a perspective on the political economy of carbon pricing and how the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is evolving from a climate tool into an instrument of industrial policy -- with major implications for global trade. Benchmark of the Week Eur72.12/mtCO2e Platts assessed EUAs for December 2026 at this price on April 2, down from Eur92.09/mtCO2e on Jan. 15. Explore Platts Energy Transition Price Assessments Editor's Picks: Free and premium content SPGlobal.com INTERVIEW: India's Kandla port eyes mid-2028 start for eMethanol bunkering India's Deendayal Port Authority is positioning Kandla as a competitive bunkering hub by mid-2028, targeting a cost of $700-$750/mt for Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin-compliant eMethanol, significantly below current prices, according to DPA chairman Sushil Kumar Singh. DPA has firmed up plans with Assam Petro-chemicals and Thermax to produce renewable methanol at Kandla, while simultaneously working with Solar Energy Corp. of India for a separate procurement tender to source domestic eMethanol at the âplug-and-playâ clean fuels hub in western India, according to Singh. Water scarcity, infrastructure gaps threaten Central Asia hydrogen plans Central Asia's ambitious plans to develop a low-carbon hydrogen industry are facing mounting challenges such as water scarcity, infrastructure deficits and unclear export routes undermine investor confidence and project viability, industry experts told Platts. Kazakhstan's goal to produce more than 2 million metric tons per year of low-carbon hydrogen is becoming increasingly uncertain, with several high-profile projects stalling, according to Asylbek Jakiyev, chairman of Kazakh oil and gas lobby group PetroCouncil. However, others are progressing -- among the most notable is German developer Svevind's $50 billion Hyrasia One green hydrogen and ammonia project, which will use 40 GW of wind and solar generation to power 20 GW of electrolysis. CERAWEEK: In the case for clean resources, 'energy security' tops 'energy transition' Clean hydrogen and ammonia supporters are making the case that alternative fuels can lower nations' reliance on imports of fuel from the Middle East, as public and private climate goals fall by the wayside. Green and blue hydrogen are still touted as lower-emission substitutes to conventional "gray" hydrogen -- used in fertilizer production and refining -- and fossil fuels. But the corporate climate case has largely been supplanted by the case for diversification, industry participants said at the CERAWeek by S&amp;P Global Energy conference in Houston. S&amp;P Global Energy Core INTERVIEW: US biochar market growth hinges on finding best physical applications The growing US biochar market brings advantages in areas like carbon accounting, but demand for the resulting carbon credits is outrunning demand for the physical product, the American Biochar Institute said in an interview. The primary driver of the US biochar market is demand for carbon removal credits, according to Myles Gray, executive director of the American Biochar Institute. The credit demand is voluntary and is being driven by American tech companies, some financial institutions, consulting firms, and a handful of other types of businesses, Gray said. First Ammonia to sign second customer for Texas hydrogen project: CEO First Ammonia is poised to secure a second customer for its 200-megawatt hydrogen project in Victoria, Texas, and move toward financial close despite losing a project partner, according to First Ammonia CEO Joel Moser. German energy company Uniper SE has already committed to buying most of the flagship facility's green ammonia output, Moser said. An offtake contract for the remaining volumes is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The company expects to reach a final investment decision on the project in mid-2026, following due diligence and is also poised to sign a power purchase agreement with an undisclosed supplier. ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/refined-products/040726-tokyo-to-expand-subsidy-program-for-domestic-saf-producers</link><description>The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will expand its subsidy program for regional producers of domestic sustainable aviation fuel to increase the supply and refueling opportunities of domestic SAF at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, the Tokyo government said on its website on April 6. The program financially supports producers in Tokyo by up to Yen 100/liter ($0.63/l) for the price difference between</description><title>Tokyo to expand subsidy program for domestic SAF producers</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 10:07:37 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Akihiro Gotoda</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Refined Products, Agriculture, Energy Transition, Jet Fuel, Biofuels, Renewables April 07, 2026 Tokyo to expand subsidy program for domestic SAF producers By Akihiro Gotoda Editor: Adithya Ram Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Program offers up to Yen 100/liter price support Subsidies target 4.5 mil liters through March 2027 The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will expand its subsidy program for regional producers of domestic sustainable aviation fuel to increase the supply and refueling opportunities of domestic SAF at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, the Tokyo government said on its website on April 6. The program financially supports producers in Tokyo by up to Yen 100/liter ($0.63/l) for the price difference between domestic and international SAF, according to the website. The total amount of subsidies will reach up to Yen 450 million with 4.5 million liters. "We will use a selling price of international SAF to measure the price difference from domestic SAF, though we can't say the name of the international producer," a Tokyo government spokesperson told Platts. The website says domestic SAF is to be produced in Japan from feedstocks such as used cooking oil, sugar cane, municipal waste, or waste plastic in line with ASTM International standards. The domestic SAF should have a third-party certification, such as CORSIA, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% in comparison to jet fuel. The Tokyo government will accept applications from producers till April 20, and provide subsidies till March 31, 2027, after reaching a final decision in mid-May, according to the website. The government announced in May 2025 that it would provide subsidies of Yen 250 million to Cosmo Oil Marketing, a group company of Japan's third-largest refiner Cosmo Oil, to promote domestic SAF. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed SAF (HEFA-SPK) FOB Straits at $2410/mt on April 6, down $10, or 0.4%, from the previous assessment. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/credit-trends-australian-governments-in-brief-oil-crisis-to-test-resolve-s101678326</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The Iran war-induced spike in oil and gas prices is denting our Australian growth forecasts. Australia (AAA/Stable/A-1+), which imports most of its refined fuel, faces supply-chain disruptions as trading partners may seek to hoard fuel. Higher spending could exacerbate inflation and cause ratings pressure for state governments. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent fuel shock have triggered political pressure in Australia. I</description><title>Credit Trends: Australian Governments In Brief: Oil Crisis To Test Resolve</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 02:42:14 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/en/research-insights/special-reports/ai-needs-solar-wind-sustainability-energy-autonomy</link><description>AI demand is elevating renewables as Big Tech drives massive clean energy procurement, even amid policy rollbacks, with security concerns and new regulations adding further momentum.</description><title>Whether you call it &amp;apos;sustainability&amp;apos; or &amp;apos;energy autonomy,&amp;apos; AI needs solar and wind</title><pubDate>07 April 2026 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Tony Lenoir</name><name>Adam Wilson</name></author><content><![CDATA[ 7 April 2026 Whether you call it 'sustainability' or 'energy autonomy,' AI needs solar and wind AI demand is elevating renewables as Big Tech drives massive clean energy procurement, even amid policy rollbacks, with security concerns and new regulations adding further momentum. By Tony Lenoir and Adam Wilson This is a thought leadership report issued by S&amp;P Global. This report does not constitute a rating action, neither was it discussed by a rating committee. Highlights With Big Tech focused on the next AI frontier and war in the Middle East disrupting markets, the role of sustainability in the broader energy narrative is shifting. Carbon-free power sources â especially renewables â arguably feature more prominently than ever in the sector's energy road map for two key reasons: Big Tech needs all the energy it can access to fuel its AI ambitions, and these technologies enable a degree of energy autonomy. Despite questions about renewables' trajectory after the July 2025 passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which accelerated the phaseout of tax incentives for renewable development, S&amp;P Global Energy data points to unabated momentum for corporate clean energy purchases. As of February 2026, the top four US hyperscalers â Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft â had contracted about 135 GW of clean energy capacity worldwide, up more than 3.6 times in the last three years. Additional tailwinds are emerging for renewables. Security considerations are increasingly relevant amid international tensions, and emerging state-level policies to regulate data center expansion could play a role. In the last 12 to 18 months, multiple pieces of enacted and proposed legislation on this topic include sustainability provisions such as clean energy requirements, efficiency standards and emission controls. Since the launch of ChatGPT in fall 2022, energy stakeholders, policymakers and environmental advocacy groups have debated whether AI dominance â defined as technological leadership and widespread AI diffusion â can coexist with corporate sustainability. We believe the short answer is "yes." If major AI stakeholders were forced to choose, AI dominance would prevail, given the technology's broad geopolitical ramifications. However, we contend that carbon-free energy technologies are fast becoming a must in the generation mix for Big Tech to achieve its AI objectives â not primarily for their environmental benefits, but for the degree of autonomy, diversification and price stability they provide, not to mention speed to power. Regardless of motivation, the environmental outcome remains the same. Big Tech's sustainability commitments face headwinds Against this backdrop, hyperscalers generally remain publicly committed to sustainability, despite headwinds. Big Tech firms with net-zero commitments have recently acknowledged that meeting those commitments is becoming more challenging. In Googleâs 2025 sustainability report, for example, the company described its net-zero goal as a âclimate moonshotâ and admitted that scaling carbon-free energy technology by 2030 â the target year of its net-zero goal â will be âvery difficult.â It also said AI-related energy demand growth has made its future emissions trajectory harder to project. In Microsoftâs latest sustainability report, it acknowledged that its total emissions have increased about 23% from its 2020 baseline due to factors including AI expansion and said that in 2024, it procured more carbon removal than in all previous years combined. Across the wider industry, data center sustainability commitments vary significantly, and net-zero ambitions are not a given. Data from the 2025 S&amp;P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment shows that 35% of assessed companies with data center operations lack a net-zero commitment. At the same time, S&amp;P Global Energy tracking shows unabated momentum for power purchase agreements. Together, Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft had contracted about 135 GW of clean energy capacity as of late February 2026, up nearly fourfold in the last three years. Since the onset of the AI revolution, corporate clean energy procurement, previously confined to solar and wind, has evolved to include biomass, geothermal, hydropower and, perhaps most notably, nuclear â a technology prized by data centers for its high power density, reliability and zero-carbon profile. Facing massive power needs, Big Tech is pursuing all options. With new nuclear generation in the US likely at least a decade away, Big Tech revisited fossil fuel sources in a major way in 2025. This shift clearly indicated the sector's priorities and underscored the scale of data center power needs. Gas turbine orders surged 165% year over year to more than 43 GW â their highest level since 2001 â and planned coal power plant retirements were postponed. Resilience and dispatchability became key considerations, given the challenges posed by solar and wind projects' dependence on weather and time of day. Energy security ramifications When AI is viewed as a national security imperative, fossil fuel generation has its drawbacks, as does every electricity source. Beyond the extended timelines to bring new gas generation online â a logistical challenge similar to that of nuclear power â natural gas is vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, market fluctuations and outright supply and price shocks, as seen in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the more recent war in the Middle East. These impacts play out differently across regions depending on fuel import reliance and the prevailing power generation mix. Ultimately, even nuclear generation is not completely insulated from these upheavals. Given current international tensions, where global actors appear willing to use all trade relationships as leverage, disruptions to the flow of uranium cannot be ruled out. Although commercial nuclear reactors only resupply every 18 to 24 months on average â unlike natural gas or coal power plants, which require a continuous pipeline flow or daily trainloads of fuel to operate â reliance on external markets remains a strategic vulnerability. In 2024, owners and operators of US reactors imported over 92% of the uranium needed to operate the US civilian nuclear fleet, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Therefore, despite the intermittency challenges of solar and wind â which can be somewhat firmed by battery energy storage systems (BESS) â incorporating renewable energy can be strategically sensible for Big Tech, especially when sourced directly from power plants, including via on-site generation. This helps hedge power consumption against the volatility of international markets, which geopolitical tensions amplify. It reduces exposure to fossil fuel inflation, decouples electricity procurement from foreign energy hubs and provides insulation against transport disruptions and geopolitical pressures. When sourced locally and vertically integrated, it arguably supports energy autonomy. That said, in their development phase, renewables are also exposed to supply chain risks. Solar photovoltaics and battery storage supply chains are heavily concentrated in China. For example, China is home to nearly 78% of global battery cell manufacturing capacity and has deployed export restrictions on raw materials as a tool of geopolitical leverage. These sectors are also impacted by shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, which have triggered price volatility in some key metal inputs. China's aggressive deployment of solar and wind energy and BESS, and its policy promoting broad electric vehicle adoption, serve as a case study. They are widely recognized as strategies to balance the country's heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports. And though a holistic assessment of the impact of the war in the Middle East on the European energy space is unlikely until the dust has fully settled, initial reporting suggests the region's aggressive buildup of renewable capacity since Russia's invasion of Ukraine has helped it absorb some of the initial shock. Not backing away from renewable investments A combination of forces has led many to speculate that hyperscalers and the broader tech industry may scale back on renewable energy procurement. In addition to an anticipated spike in annual energy needs due to the rapid build-out of AI data centers, the sudden decline in US federal-level support for wind and solar adds uncertainty to the industry. Long-term tax credits for wind and solar established by the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 are now scheduled to phase out in 2027. Further, uncertainty about the implementation of tariffs on imported materials used in wind and solar plants, along with added restrictions on materials coming from foreign entities of concern â including China, Korea and Russia â is adding complexity and cost to the construction of renewable projects in the US. Notably, though, federal tax credits for wind and solar have expired and been reinstated several times over the last 30-plus years. The wind and solar industries are increasingly mature and cost-competitive, even without subsidies, and with energy demand rising, the need for power is increasing. Additionally, while federal support has shifted, many states maintain renewable and clean energy standards to incentivize power providers to pursue carbon-free generation. Renewables also maintain an edge in speed to power, which is crucial for hyperscalers looking to quickly ramp up energy-dense data centers. As a result, tech industry procurement of wind and solar power has shown no signs of slowing. The four hyperscalers alone contracted 19.4 GW of wind and solar capacity in the roughly 12 months between the February 2025 Corporate Clean Energy Update and the February 2026 update â by far the largest annual addition of renewable capacity among these four companies. Outside the US, the four hyperscalers added another 10 GW of wind and solar capacity to their portfolios during the same period. Another 7 GW of capacity was added to the US database in the February 2026 update to account for unknown technology breakouts. This total is almost certainly made up mostly of wind and solar deals. Similar entries in the international database total another 3 GW, and these can also safely be assumed to consist largely of wind and solar capacity. Data collected in the S&amp;P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment shows that about 67% of energy used in data centers came from renewable sources in 2025 â a figure that has risen sharply in the last four years. Power insatiability, diversification considerations set the pace This ramp-up in wind and solar procurement is reflected in the hyperscalers' growing annual energy consumption. Combined annual energy consumed by Google, Meta and Microsoft (Amazon does not disclose data for annual electricity usage) jumped from 33.7 GW in 2020 to 80.8 GW in 2024, as of the most recently available sustainability reports. Because the 2024 figures likely do not yet show the full impact of AI data center expansion, it is fair to expect that electricity consumption among hyperscalers will continue to rise substantially. While wind and solar investments continue, hyperscalers have shown growing interest in nuclear power. Nuclear entered the corporate procurement scene in the spring of 2024 when Amazon announced its landmark deal to buy Talen Energy Corp.'s Cumulus data center campus connected to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania â a deal that has since expanded to nearly 2 GW. Microsoft, Meta and Google all quickly followed suit. As of February 2026, the four companies had signed deals for nuclear capacity in the US totaling 17 GW. Hyperscalers are taking two approaches to nuclear energy procurement. One approach involves contracting with operating nuclear plants or restarting retired units, as Microsoft has done with Constellation Energy to repower a unit at the Three Mile Island nuclear station in Pennsylvania. The other entails investing in next-generation technologies such as fusion reactors, under development by companies such as Helion and Commonwealth Fusion Systems, and small modular reactors, including those being developed by Kairos Power and X-Energy. The former approach offers a more near-term solution, with power expected to begin delivery between now and 2030. The latter is not expected to begin large-scale implementation until the early to mid-2030s. Even as hyperscalers increasingly diversify their energy portfolios in pursuit of non-intermittent carbon-free generation, solar and wind remain the clear leaders in procurement volume in the US and especially abroad. While additional technologies are gaining momentum, nuclear, hydroelectric, geothermal and battery storage capacity signed to the four tech leaders since February 2024 totals just over 20 GW â significantly less than half the wind and solar capacity signed during that period. Looking forward Data centers have become integral to US infrastructure, and their power supplies are a critical component. Given the need for security and contingency planning, carbon-free energy options â including renewables â will continue to be leveraged for years to come, helping hyperscalers at least partially meet their sustainability objectives. That said, the energy space is prone to disruptions, with providers seeking non-intermittent, carbon-free, cost-effective alternatives to renewables. To date, no technology can consistently check all three boxes. The broader conversation also includes systems such as Emerald AI that aim to increase the "power flexibility" of AI data centers to make them more adaptive participants in power grid dynamics, potentially supporting demand response and curtailment even with notoriously power-intensive inference workloads. The urgency of such measures could change if there is a technological breakthrough in nuclear or another form of clean power. Regardless, such a disruption is years from large-scale implementation. In the meantime, wind, solar and battery storage will continue to benefit from the insatiable power needs of the AI industry. Contributors: Dan Thompson, Lindsey Hall, Terry Ellis, and Matt Macfarland ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/credit-faq-lng-perspectives-from-our-ceraweek-meetings-s101678404</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. More than 10,000 energy executives and policymakers from over 80 countries attended the 2026 CERAWeek conference to discuss geopolitics, AI, electrification, and the increasing convergence and tension between policy ambitions and real-world constraints. Here, we present insights from the meetings we had with leadership teams at a few liquefied natural gas (LNG) companies. U.S gas prices and LNG issuers credit quality are largely unaffected by the </description><title>Credit FAQ: LNG Perspectives From Our CERAWeek Meetings</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 13:55:16 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/credit-faq-how-we-assess-the-effect-of-counterparty-risk-on-midstream-companies-credit-quality-s101668276</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The rise of AI, with its insatiable need for power and energy infrastructure, is spurring growth across the regulated and unregulated power industry. It is also providing new opportunities for natural gas-focused midstream companies to expand their asset base. Whether a midstream company decides to provide a connection to a regulated downstream utility or perhaps bypass the power grid and fund a pipeline expansion directly to a data center or hype</description><title>Credit FAQ: How We Assess The Effect Of Counterparty Risk On Midstream Companies&amp;apos; Credit Quality</title><pubDate>03 March 2026 15:56:02 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/war-in-the-middle-east-risks-and-opportunities-for-global-infrastructure-s101674866</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The war in the Middle East has a range of implications for S&amp;amp;P Global Ratingsâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99; portfolio of rated infrastructure assets around the world. The effects on an entityâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99;s credit standing will vary according to where assets are located, the contractual and regulatory framework under which the entity operates, and on the duration, scope, and severity of the war. The war in the Middle East has increased the level of risk for critical GCC infrastructure</description><title>War In The Middle East: Risks And Opportunities For Global Infrastructure</title><pubDate>16 March 2026 14:31:26 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/what-the-war-in-the-middle-east-could-mean-for-rated-european-airports-s101673746</link><description>S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings believes there is a high degree of unpredictability around the duration and scale of the Middle East war, and its potential effect on commodity prices, supply chains, economies and credit conditions. As a result, our baseline forecasts carry a significant amount of uncertainty. As situations evolve, we will gauge the macro and credit materiality of potential shifts and reassess our guidance accordingly. This report does not constitute a rating action. The outbreak of war in th</description><title>What The War In The Middle East Could Mean For Rated European Airports</title><pubDate>06 March 2026 15:23:32 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/033126-water-scarcity-infrastructure-gaps-threaten-central-asia-hydrogen-plans</link><description>Central Asia&amp;apos;s ambitious plans to develop a low-carbon hydrogen industry are facing mounting challenges as water scarcity, infrastructure deficits and unclear export routes undermine investor confidence and project viability, industry experts told Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy. Kazakhstan&amp;apos;s goal to produce more than 2 million metric tons per year of low-carbon hydrogen is becoming increasingly</description><title>Water scarcity, infrastructure gaps threaten Central Asia hydrogen plans</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 11:03:16 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Vladislav Vorotnikov and James Burgess</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Hydrogen March 31, 2026 Water scarcity, infrastructure gaps threaten Central Asia hydrogen plans Vladislav Vorotnikov and James Burgess Editor: Pollock Mondal Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Several large-scale low-carbon projects delayed Kazakh 2 million-mt/year target faces uncertainty Export logistics, weak local demand hamper projects Central Asia's ambitious plans to develop a low-carbon hydrogen industry are facing mounting challenges as water scarcity, infrastructure deficits and unclear export routes undermine investor confidence and project viability, industry experts told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. Kazakhstan's goal to produce more than 2 million metric tons per year of low-carbon hydrogen is becoming increasingly uncertain, with several high-profile projects stalling, Asylbek Jakiyev, chairman of Kazakh oil and gas lobby group PetroCouncil, said in an interview on March 19. "Several big projects for the low-carbon hydrogen production rolled out in Kazakhstan during the last few years have fallen into oblivion," Jakiyev said. However, others are progressing, albeit on delayed timelines. Among the most notable is German developer Svevind's $50-billion Hyrasia One green hydrogen and ammonia project, which will use 40 GW of wind and solar generation to power 20 GW of electrolysis, producing 2 million mt/year of hydrogen. The project is progressing "according to market conditions," a company spokesperson told Platts March 30. The project announced in 2021 originally targeted the construction of 30 MW of electrolysis starting in 2026. "We anticipate updates within the next year or two," the company said. Svevind has completed pre-front-end engineering design and value engineering work, along with studies for logistics, water intake and desalination. It has carried out on-site meteorological measurements over four years, which are ongoing, it said. The next step is to conduct an FEED study, which is contingent on securing offtake agreements. "We've made great strides in evaluating export routes, with both western and eastern options looking promising thanks to our proximity to [...] the port of Kuryk in Kazakhstan," the spokesperson said. Svevind is also exploring connections to gas and oil pipelines to Europe and Asia, the spokesperson said, along with potential power supplies for data centers and other industries in the region. Elsewhere, Saudi developer ACWA Power completed the first phase of a green hydrogen project in Chirchiq, Uzbekistan, in January, enabling initial production capacity of around 3,000 mt/year. The $88-million project, launched in November 2023, is being implemented in two stages. However, weak local demand, infrastructure constraints and concerns over water availability are limiting project ambitions. Water shortage worries Water availability is emerging as a critical bottleneck across the region, where all countries face deteriorating water security. In Kazakhstan, per capita water availability has fallen 21% since 1999, with only 42% of resources effectively usable due to losses and inefficiencies, World Bank data showed. The situation is expected to tighten further as glacier-fed rivers -- key to regional supply -- continue to shrink and seasonal flows become more volatile. Svevind is seeking to minimize the impact on water resources. "Water scarcity is a concern, primarily from an ecological standpoint, as the project will produce its own desalinated water sourced from the Caspian Sea, ensuring minimal impact on local drinking water resources," the company said. "We are aware of the increasing visibility of criticism relating to water usage and declining sea levels, and we are actively addressing these concerns through sustainable practices." Official estimates show Uzbekistan could face an annual water deficit of 15 Bcm by 2030, constraining renewable hydrogen production that requires substantial water volumes for electrolysis. Export constraints The region's landlocked geography compounds these difficulties, limiting access to key hydrogen demand centers in Europe and Asia. While Kazakhstan has potential export routes via the Caspian Sea, high logistics costs and inadequate infrastructure are expected to constrain expansion plans in the coming years, Jakiyev said. Uzbekistan faces steep challenges as a landlocked country with weak local demand and constrained export logistics, a source in the Uzbek energy industry said in an interview on March 16. Gray hydrogen focus Current production in the region remains focused on "gray" hydrogen manufactured from natural gas. Uzbek oil and gas company Saneg recently launched an industrial-scale gray hydrogen facility with Air Products at the Fergana Oil Refinery using steam methane reforming, backed by a $140-million asset deal. Saneg has no plans to invest in green hydrogen production, the company said March 18. "It is doubtful that [green] hydrogen, which is going to be more expensive, will be in high demand locally," Jakiyev said. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/040626-interview-indias-kandla-port-eyes-mid-2028-start-for-emethanol-bunkering</link><description>India&amp;apos;s Deendayal Port Authority is positioning Kandla as a competitive bunkering hub by mid-2028, targeting a cost of $700-$750/mt for Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin-compliant eMethanol, significantly below current prices, according to DPA chairman Sushil Kumar Singh. DPA has firmed up plans with Assam Petro-chemicals and Thermax to produce renewable methanol at Kandla, while</description><title>INTERVIEW: India&amp;apos;s Kandla port eyes mid-2028 start for eMethanol bunkering</title><pubDate>06 April 2026 12:48:47 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Ruchira Singh</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Agriculture, Maritime &amp; Shipping, Refined Products, Renewables, Biofuels, Hydrogen, Jet Fuel April 06, 2026 INTERVIEW: India's Kandla port eyes mid-2028 start for eMethanol bunkering By Ruchira Singh Editor: Adithya Ram Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Kandla targets $700-$750/mt eMethanol by 2028 Seeks 500,000 mt/y eMethanol for dual-fuel ships Targets 5.5 mil mt renewable ammonia by 2030 India's Deendayal Port Authority is positioning Kandla as a competitive bunkering hub by mid-2028, targeting a cost of $700-$750/mt for Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin-compliant eMethanol, significantly below current prices, according to DPA chairman Sushil Kumar Singh. DPA has firmed up plans with Assam Petro-chemicals and Thermax to produce renewable methanol at Kandla, while simultaneously working with Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) for a separate procurement tender to source domestic eMethanol, Singh said late April 3. "Kandla falls more or less midway between Rotterdam and Singapore," Singh told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. "Kandla will become one of the potential points where the ships will start seeking refueling of their tanks." The SECI tender aims to secure 500,000 metric tons/year of RFNBO-compliant methanol in two years, Singh said, adding Kandla will offer competitive rates to fuel ships seeking to comply with tightening emissions regulations while offering them other benefits as they bring in cargo. DPA completed its first shore-to-ship methanol bunkering trial on April 2, validating the infrastructure and procedures, and aims to have a second demonstration using methanol barges to test ship-to-ship bunkering at high seas, Singh said. Platts assessed low-carbon methanol FOB Shanghai at $925/mt on April 6, up 1.31% from a month earlier. Renewable methanol partnerships Under a definitive agreement with Assam Petro-chemicals, DPA will invest in the production of 60,000 mt/year eMethanol, with the petrochemicals company providing technology support under a revenue-sharing model, Singh said. "We have done some analysis... we will be much cheaper than the supply points at Singapore and also at Rotterdam," Singh said, referring to the tie with Assam Petro-chemicals. This "will create a traction at this place for the ships seeking methanol as a fuel, so that will close down some gap between fossil and non-fossil [fuels]. Subsequently, if the net-zero framework comes and the carbon pricing kicks in, that will further reduce the gap." Meanwhile, Thermax has already been awarded a contract for a 5,000 liters/day biomethanol plant, with construction set to begin next month, Singh said. Additionally, e-fuels company HIF Global has expressed interest in setting up a 120,000 mt/year eMethanol plant. A key challenge remains securing biogenic CO2 required for RFNBO-compliant eMethanol, he said. While HIF Global plans to generate biogenic CO2 through biomass feedstock, others are exploring CO2 capture from industries. While DPA's plans are based on an International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimate that 200 dual-fuel compliant vessels could be operating between Rotterdam and Singapore by 2030, there is uncertainty owing to the IMO's deferment of netâzero timelines. "It all depends upon what exactly is considered as zero or near-zero emission fuel by IMO for its net zero framework," he said. "So that will have some impact on the kind of market or the demand that we'll see from 2029-30 onwards." SECI auction structure SECI is structuring a procurement tender based on Kandla's assured offtake commitment, Singh said. The tender is likely to feature a 15-year take-or-pay agreement, which mandates buying the fuel as per the agreement even if there are no users. As part of its design, DPA is requesting a mechanism to allow reopening of pricing negotiations if market rates decline beyond a specific point, according to Singh. "SECI will consider us an assured buyer," Singh said. "Based on our assurance that we need 500,000 mt/year of RFNBO-compliant methanol every year, they will procure it." Once finalized, SECI will tender for suppliers capable of delivering the contracted volumes to Kandla, with the port authority responsible for subsequent distribution to shipping lines. "Once it comes to us, then it is Kandla's responsibility to distribute it to the shipping lines as per the demand. So that will be our other absolutely separate kind of an agreement that we will have with the shippers," he said. "We don't foresee a scenario where there will be no demand... We can supply it to the other ports and also to the industry." As part of its design, DPA is requesting a mechanism to allow reopening of pricing negotiations if market rates decline beyond a specific point, as technological changes may impact the prices in the future, according to Singh. If demand from vessels falls short, Kandla can supply other ports or sell to industrial users, Singh said, describing the projected supply volume as conservative. Renewable ammonia base DPA hub is also to host developers producing renewable ammonia that will also be required as an environmentally friendly fuel option for the shipping industry, Singh said L&amp;T, which has a supply agreement with Japanese trading house ITOCHU, is to produce an estimated 300,000 mt/y of renewable ammonia at Kandla 2029 onward, Singh said. The project represents the first phase, with plans for subsequent capacity expansion. The renewable ammonia will primarily serve as bunker fuel for ships, with some volumes directed to process industries. Reliance Industries, Welspun, and AM Green are the other renewable ammonia developers who have been allocated land for renewable ammonia production, Singh said. The four companies collectively aim to produce 5.5 million mt/y of renewable ammonia at Kandla by 2030, Singh said. The port authority itself is not producing renewable ammonia; it is facilitating developers on its plug-and-play hub. DPA plans to upgrade a 1 MW renewable hydrogen facility, a part of its portfolio which has already been commissioned, to 10 MW, Singh said. Platts assessed the India renewable hydrogen term contract at $3.18/kg on April 2, down 0.31% from a month earlier. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/040326-global-food-prices-rise-in-march-across-basket-amid-middle-east-energy-shocks</link><description>Global food prices rose for the second consecutive month in March, with energy-driven cost pressures linked to the escalating Middle East conflict feeding through into vegetable oil and sugar markets, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization April 3. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 128.5 points in March, up 2.4% month over month, as all major commodity groups, including cereals, meat,</description><title>Global food prices rise in March across basket amid Middle East energy shocks</title><pubDate>03 April 2026 10:50:43 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samyak Pandey</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Agriculture, Maritime &amp; Shipping, Renewables, Biofuels, Grains, Dairy, Meat, Sugar, Vegetable Oils April 03, 2026 Global food prices rise in March across basket amid Middle East energy shocks By Samyak Pandey Editor: Arushi Jain Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Global food prices rise 2.4% MOM in March Energy shock drives vegetable oil, sugar higher Middle East conflict disrupts fertilizer supply Global food prices rose for the second consecutive month in March, with energy-driven cost pressures linked to the escalating Middle East conflict feeding through into vegetable oil and sugar markets, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization April 3. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 128.5 points in March, up 2.4% month over month, as all major commodity groups, including cereals, meat, dairy, vegetable oils and sugar, posted gains. This marked its highest level since December. The index was also 1% higher year over year, though still nearly 20% below its March 2022 peak. All major commodity groups posted gains, reflecting both underlying supply-demand fundamentals and rising input costs tied to higher energy prices and freight disruptions. The increase reflects a broadening transmission of higher crude oil and freight costs into agricultural markets, reinforcing concerns that the ongoing energy shock is evolving into a wider food inflation cycle. Energy-agriculture link strengthens The strongest upward pressure came from vegetable oils and sugar -- two markets most directly exposed to energy price dynamics. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index rose 5.1% month over month, with palm oil prices rising to their highest level since mid-2022. The rally was driven in part by spillover from higher crude prices, which lifted biofuel demand expectations and tightened feedstock availability. The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 92.4 points in March, up 6.2 points (7.2%) from February, reaching its highest level since November 2025, supported by expectations that Brazil -- the world's largest sugar exporter -- could divert more cane toward ethanol production as fuel prices rise. This biofuel linkage is emerging as a key transmission channel, with higher energy prices incentivizing the use of agricultural commodities for fuel, thereby tightening food supply balances, according to a Brazil-based ethanol producer. Cereals, meat rise Cereal prices rose more modestly, with the FAO index up 1.5% month over month. Wheat prices increased by 4.3%, supported by drought concerns in the US and expectations of reduced plantings in Australia due to higher fertilizer costs. Corn prices edged higher, supported by improved ethanol demand prospects and concerns about fertilizer affordability ahead of the Northern Hemisphere planting season. In protein markets, the FAO Meat Price Index rose 1%, led by higher pig meat prices in the EU amid seasonal demand. Dairy prices also posted their first increase since July 2025, rising 1.2% on the back of tightening milk supply in Oceania and firm import demand. Conflict-driven cost push The price gains come as disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict ripple across energy, fertilizer and logistics chains, raising input costs across the agricultural sector. According to FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero, the conflict represents a "systemic shock" affecting not just energy markets but the entire agrifood system, particularly through fertilizer supply disruptions and higher transport costs. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy and fertilizer trade, handles about 30% of global urea exports and significant volumes of ammonia and phosphates, making it a key chokepoint for agricultural inputs, according to the FAO. Fertilizer prices have already surged, with FAO warning that global prices could average 15%-20% higher in the first half of 2026 if disruptions persist. Outlook hinges on duration of disruption Despite the recent gains, the FAO index remains nearly 20% below its March 2022 peak, suggesting markets are not yet in full crisis mode. However, the trajectory will depend heavily on the duration of the disruption. In a short-term scenario, global food stocks remain sufficient to absorb shocks. But a prolonged conflict could begin to affect planting decisions, reduce fertilizer application, and ultimately lower crop yields -- tightening supply and amplifying price pressures into 2026. The latest data underscores a familiar but intensifying dynamic: as energy markets tighten, the knock-on effects are increasingly visible across food systems, raising the risk of renewed global food inflation. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/podcasts/commodities-focus/040626-in-brazils-fast-growing-i-recs-market-what-challenges-and-opportunities-lie-ahead</link><description>With one of the world&amp;apos;s largest shares of renewables in its energy generation mix, Brazil offers opportunities for companies in the country seeking to reduce their emissions. In this episode, we discuss how the country has developed a large supply of International Renewable Energy Certificates, or I-RECs, and which challenges came with it. Join Felipe Peroni, associate price reporter at S&amp;amp;P Global</description><title>In Brazil&amp;apos;s fast-growing I-RECs market, what challenges and opportunities lie ahead?</title><pubDate>06 April 2026 16:06:14 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Felipe Peroni</name><name>Vittoriaelena Morini</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Emissions, Renewables, Hydrogen, Carbon April 06, 2026 In Brazil's fast-growing I-RECs market, what challenges and opportunities lie ahead? Featuring Felipe Peroni and Vittoriaelena Morini HIGHLIGHTS Brazil develops large I-RECs supply market Renewables dominate Brazil's energy mix growth Excess supply risks challenge certificate sector With one of the world's largest shares of renewables in its energy generation mix, Brazil offers opportunities for companies in the country seeking to reduce their emissions. In this episode, we discuss how the country has developed a large supply of International Renewable Energy Certificates, or I-RECs, and which challenges came with it. Join Felipe Peroni, associate price reporter at S&amp;P Global Energy, Fernando Lopes, director of Totum Institute, and Vittoria Morini, Americas renewables manager at S&amp;P Global Energy, in a discussion about the Brazilian energy transition. Related content: INFOGRAPHIC: Brazilian I-REC sector grows sharply, risks excess supply INTERVIEW: Totum Institute leader describes Brazil's next steps in renewable energy Brazilian small hydro plants expect a surge of new investments Spotify | Apple Podcasts US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/040226-infographic-brazilian-i-rec-sector-grows-sharply-risks-excess-supply</link><description>Brazil&amp;apos;s supply of International Renewable Energy Certificates has shown significant growth over the last five years, with one of the world&amp;apos;s largest renewable energy matrices. I-RECs are globally used instruments that certify that the generation of 1 megawatt-hour of electricity comes from a renewable source, such as a solar, wind, biomass or hydroelectric power plant. They provide a credible way</description><title>INFOGRAPHIC: Brazilian I-REC sector grows sharply, risks excess supply</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 17:15:51 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Felipe Peroni</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Emissions, Renewables April 02, 2026 INFOGRAPHIC: Brazilian I-REC sector grows sharply, risks excess supply By Felipe Peroni Editor: Johanna Leo Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Brazil I-REC supply surges 74% annually Issuances consistently exceed redemptions Untapped plants signal more supply growth Brazil's supply of International Renewable Energy Certificates has shown significant growth over the last five years, with one of the world's largest renewable energy matrices. I-RECs are globally used instruments that certify that the generation of 1 megawatt-hour of electricity comes from a renewable source, such as a solar, wind, biomass or hydroelectric power plant. They provide a credible way for companies to demonstrate their use of renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support investments in new renewable power sources. Over 2020-2025, I-REC issuances in Brazil have increased at a compound annual growth rate of 74%, following and surpassing similar growth in demand, as shown in redemptions. However, supply has been persistently higher than demand: data shows I-REC issuances have consistently exceeded redemptions. As a result, prices have been hovering close to the costs of using these instruments, but market dynamics create volatility that provides opportunities for buyers and sellers. Also, several energy plants have yet to enter this market, indicating room for additional supply growth, as shown in the charts below. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/lng/040126-interview-indias-hydrogen-sector-sees-exciting-growth-amid-hurdles-exec</link><description>The hydrogen and ammonia sector in India is developing at an &amp;quot;exciting&amp;quot; pace, reflecting the government&amp;apos;s efforts to promote green molecules as it advances its energy transition. However, some hurdles remain, Hydrogen Association of India Vice President Sachin Chugh told Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy. &amp;quot;The picture looks very fascinating, with a rider ... To sustain this momentum, we must</description><title>INTERVIEW: India&amp;apos;s hydrogen sector sees &amp;apos;exciting&amp;apos; growth amid hurdles: exec</title><pubDate>01 April 2026 09:27:47 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Surabhi Sahu</name><name>Ruchira Singh</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, LNG, Maritime &amp; Shipping, Renewables, Emissions, Hydrogen April 01, 2026 INTERVIEW: India's hydrogen sector sees 'exciting' growth amid hurdles: exec By Surabhi Sahu and Ruchira Singh Editor: Rizwan Choudhury Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Public-private partnerships, indigenous tech development vital India holds renewable energy advantage India progresses on maritime hydrogen pathway The hydrogen and ammonia sector in India is developing at an "exciting" pace, reflecting the government's efforts to promote green molecules as it advances its energy transition. However, some hurdles remain, Hydrogen Association of India Vice President Sachin Chugh told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. "The picture looks very fascinating, with a rider ... To sustain this momentum, we must continuously look out for the right kind of applications," Chugh said during the Asia Pacific Maritime conference, which ended March 27. "We currently do not have adequate indigenous technology. However, progress is being made," Chugh said. Some big companies have entered local manufacturing or are planning to, and have signed deals, Chugh said. As an example, in March, Reliance secured a $3 billion ammonia offtake agreement with South Korea's Samsung C&amp;T. Platts assessed the Japan-Korea ammonia price -- the daily CFR assessment of the spot market for low-carbon ammonia in Japan and South Korea -- at $620/metric ton CFR on March 31, up $30/mt day over day. The government has policies making a certain percentage of localization mandatory for projects awarded incentives under its schemes. It is also facilitating offtakes, especially in the domestic green ammonia market, Chugh said. Equally important is the role of public-private partnerships in scaling manufacturing capabilities and promoting in-house research and development. "So, those are works in progress as far as India is concerned," he said. "We have observed across the world that while projects are being conceived based on certain assumptions, those assumptions may not stand the test of time, particularly in the energy transition phase of new energy molecules," said Chugh, who is also an associate director and lead for Energy &amp; Hydrogen at a UK-headquartered global consultancy firm. "Therefore, it is imperative to have the right kind of due diligence, project monitoring and expertise to develop that level of technical understanding before we start applying those economies of scale and the factors used in the conventional energy space." Production costs are also an important consideration, with the cost difference between green, blue and gray hydrogen being a core constraint, Chugh said. However, as production ramps up, the price of green hydrogen will fall, he added. Becoming competitive "I see that the molecules from India and China are going to compete. However, the world needs many collaborators, partners and suppliers," Chugh said. China may have an advantage in electrolyzer production and other requisite technologies. However, for green hydrogen production, renewable energy availability plays a "massive" role, giving India a clear advantage, Chugh said. "Ultimately, the one who integrates and plans better will emerge as the frontrunner," he said. Meanwhile, Chugh said India is accelerating measures in a timely manner to achieve its target of 5 million mt of renewable hydrogen by 2030. "One should not set up overly ambitious goals of 100% replacement of primary energy sources overnight," he said. For example, he said India initially set a low ethanol blending target and achieved E20 five years ahead of its original 2030 schedule. Had it been too ambitious to say that 100% ethanol must replace gasoline from the very start, the program might not have succeeded, Chugh said. Similarly, from the hydrogen perspective, this change needs to happen gradually, and blending e-fuels with conventional fuels might be a very good starting point, he said. Shipping's decarbonization pathway "As far as LNG is concerned, the global ecosystem is quite mature, and we have seen an immense traction around LNG trade and its ability to aid international shipping's decarbonization pathway," Chugh said. For hydrogen bunkering, local policy alignment is already taking place, Chugh said. India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched the SATAT program for the transport sector. "I don't see any constraint in extending that program towards the shipping industry, which is looking for alternative fuels to cut greenhouse gas emissions," Chugh said. "We started with the Maritime India Vision, then we reinforced it with the Sagarmala vision," he said, adding that the vision around hydrogen's acceptance in India's maritime industry is embedded within these broader programs. The country is also progressing several pilots within ports that have been identified for conducting them, he said. Ultimately, the widespread adoption of hydrogen bunkering will depend on costs. The ratification of the IMO's net-zero framework will also boost its adoption, Chugh added. S&amp;P Global Energy's Hydrogen Production Assets database shows that India has over 100 renewable/low-carbon hydrogen projects -- including multiple phases of the same projects -- with a combined projected capacity of over 10 million mt/year. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/040326-saf-scale-up-faces-financing-execution-hurdles--biomass-conference-panel</link><description>Financing constraints, infrastructure limitations, and evolving policy frameworks continue to challenge the scale-up of sustainable aviation fuel, even as global demand signals strengthen, said speakers at the Biomass Conference &amp;amp; Expo held March 31-April 2 in Nashville, Tennessee. At &amp;quot;The Real-World Challenges of Scaling Sustainable Aviation Fuel,&amp;quot; panel participants said a large gap remains</description><title>SAF scale-up faces financing, execution hurdles : Biomass conference panel</title><pubDate>03 April 2026 23:02:37 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Sofia Cabrera</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel April 03, 2026 SAF scale-up faces financing, execution hurdles : Biomass conference panel By Sofia Cabrera Editor: Valarie Jackson Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS SAF scale-up stalls amid financing gaps Policy fragmentation complicates global growth Rail demand rises for biofuel logistics Financing constraints, infrastructure limitations, and evolving policy frameworks continue to challenge the scale-up of sustainable aviation fuel, even as global demand signals strengthen, said speakers at the Biomass Conference &amp; Expo held March 31-April 2 in Nashville, Tennessee. At "The Real-World Challenges of Scaling Sustainable Aviation Fuel," panel participants said a large gap remains between announced SAF capacity and projects that have reached final investment decisions, with financing and execution among the main bottlenecks. Scott Vanderau, partner at ETA Energy Transaction Advisors, said project developers continue to face challenges securing capital, particularly for newer conversion pathways that lack a commercial track record. "Lenders are very risk-averse," Vanderau said, adding that projects typically require long-term feedstock agreements and creditworthy offtake contracts to move forward. Many SAF pathways â including alcohol-to-jet, gasification, and pyrolysis â show technical promise, Vanderau said, but face hurdles in scaling due to integration complexity and limited operational history at commercial scale. "A lot of these pathways do not have multiple commercial plants installed," he said. While global demand for SAF is expected to grow rapidly, current production remains limited. Vanderau noted that, even with recent capacity additions, SAF represents a small share of total aviation fuel demand. Policy support is expanding globally, with mandates and incentives across the US, Europe, and Asia, but differences in implementation are creating additional complexity. "Policies are accelerating ... becoming more global," Vanderau said. He said, however, that many projects remain stuck in early development stages, with financing and execution challenges slowing progress. "We're seeing a lot of projects stay in that early phase," he said. John Pierce, partner at Kilpatrick Townsend &amp; Stockton, highlighted the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as a potential long-term factor shaping SAF markets and trade flows. "CBAM ... is intended to mitigate carbon leakage by pricing carbon into imported goods," he said. While SAF is not currently included in the mechanism, Pierce said it could be indirectly affected through life cycle emissions and supply-chain impacts, particularly as European sustainability requirements tighten. Pierce added that global regulatory frameworks remain fragmented, with differences in life cycle accounting, traceability, and certification requirements across regions. "Harmonization ... is going to require a number of jurisdictions," he said. On the logistics side, Tom Jackson, vice president of marketing and general manager at Greenbrier, said growing renewable fuel volumes are beginning to reshape North American freight markets. "We're coming up ... what we believe is the trough," he said, referring to current rail market conditions. Jackson said the rail sector is expected to build about 25,000 railcars this year, with demand increasingly driven by chemicals, renewable fuels, and agricultural products rather than crude-by-rail. "Chemicals, biofuels, renewable diesel â non-traditional customers are coming to us," he said. Tank cars and covered hoppers are seeing the strongest demand, reflecting rising movements of fuels and feedstocks. Supply constraints remain, however, with lead times of about six months for tank cars and up to eight months for covered hoppers. Jackson said biofuels are also reshaping freight flows, with rail linking Midwest feedstock production and crushing facilities to refining hubs and export markets. "There's a lot of rail moves involved here to create these biofuels," he said, adding that policy certainty remains a key factor driving investment in logistics infrastructure and equipment. "Getting that certainty around regulations is kind of the key thing," Jackson said. Despite strong demand signals and increasing policy support, speakers said scaling SAF will require alignment across financing, feedstock supply, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks. Overall, the panel highlighted that while momentum is building across the SAF value chain, execution risks â particularly around financing, technology, and logistics â remain the primary constraint to large-scale deployment. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/secondary-markets-software-loan-prices-close-march-higher-despite-broad-based-decline-s101678608</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. It has been a turbulent start to the year for markets globally, and the loan market has been no exception. Over the first three months of the year, investors and borrowers faced several unexpected headwinds, including the Middle East war, rapid developments in AI that potentially threaten to disrupt the business models of a subsect of corporate borrowers, and uncertain trade policy. Even so, secondary pricing in the broadly syndicated loan (BSL) m</description><title>Secondary Markets: Software Loan Prices Close March Higher, Despite Broad-Based Decline</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 17:56:14 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/podcasts/commodities-focus/031826-decarbonizing-indias-industrial-power-sectors-challenges-and-road-maps</link><description>India&amp;apos;s greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial and power sectors are expected to rise in the decades to come, necessitating an examination of strategies deployed for energy transition in these crucial segments. Though steps have been initiated to help reduce emissions, a bespoke, sector-specific decarbonization road map over a multiyear timeframe can help guide this journey. Join Amit Sharma,</description><title>Decarbonizing India&amp;apos;s industrial, power sectors: Challenges and road maps</title><pubDate>18 March 2026 09:32:50 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Ruchira Singh</name><name>Staff </name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Metals &amp; Mining Theme, Emissions, Renewables, Hydrogen, Ferrous March 18, 2026 Decarbonizing India's industrial, power sectors: Challenges and road maps Featuring Ruchira Singh and Staff HIGHLIGHTS Emissions expected to rise in coming decades Sector-specific decarbonization road map needed Industrial transition requirements discussed India's greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial and power sectors are expected to rise in the decades to come, necessitating an examination of strategies deployed for energy transition in these crucial segments. Though steps have been initiated to help reduce emissions, a bespoke, sector-specific decarbonization road map over a multiyear timeframe can help guide this journey. Join Amit Sharma, managing director &amp; chief executive officer at Tata Consulting Engineers, Ashish Singla, director for South Asia power and renewables research at S&amp;P Global Energy and Ruchira Singh, editor, energy transition at S&amp;P Global Energy, in a discussion about the requirements for India's industrial decarbonization. Related content: IEW 2026: India to deliberate on next steps for energy transition after landmark year for clean energy Spotify | Apple Podcasts View Full Transcript Ruchira Singh: Hello and welcome to the Platts Commodities Focus Podcast by S&amp;P Global Energy, where today we'll be talking about India's decarbonization in the heavy industries. The country has taken several measures to lower emissions in power, steel, cement, refining, and chemical sectors, both in terms of policies and corporate initiatives. Yet, India's greenhouse gas emissions are not expected to decline in the decades to come, which necessitates the discussion on the steps ahead for this crucial aspect of energy transition. I'm Ruchira Singh, editor, Energy Transition at S&amp;P Global Energy. And joining me today are Mr. Amit Sharma, managing director and CEO of Tata Consulting Engineers, and Ashish Singla, director, South Asia Power and Renewables at S&amp;P Global Energy. So let me start off by asking you, Mr. Sharma, and taking the thread to where we spoke at the India Energy Week, where you mentioned that many of India's hard-to-abate sectors still lack a clear pathway to decarbonization. So in your view, what should a credible sector-specific decarbonization roadmap include, and what steps can these industries take to put it into action? Mr. Sharma? Mr. Amit Sharma: Hi. Morning, Ruchira and Ashish. It's a pleasure talking to you. Before I respond to your question, one thing that we need to keep in mind is, as I mentioned, India is a growing economy, and unlike the West, India will continue to add energy. In fact, our energy would go from 8,000 terawatt-hours to close 25,000 terawatt-hours. And while we increase our energy, we have to also make it green. So it's net addition, whereas the West, in some cases, is flat or even going down. And of course, the second more important point is the fact that our per capita, which is a topic that has been discussed globally, is still lower. So as we increase the GDP and the economic growth, the per capita will go up, but it's still minuscule compared to anything in the world. Now, having said that, I think one very important thing is hard-to-abate sectors, both from physics, chemistry, can't really reduce or eliminate carbon because of the fact that that's how the formula for conversion works. But I think India has a great, ambitious national goal. It's already declared that India wants to be net-zero by 2070 and about 45% reduction by 2030. That's four and a half years from now. And I think institutions like NITI Aayog, DSA and various ministries have done some commendable job. And also some of the private sector and public sector are doing projects that are in that direction. So I think first positive part, there are companies that are leaders in both thinking and embarking on this journey, but I would say majority are trying to figure out. And the reason is very simple, this is not an isolated strategy. You can't decarbonize without your supply chains, without CapEx investments, without policy stability, without global markets. And what we've seen in the last 12 months is a lot of volatility, uncertainty, and the whole story about resilient supply chain is far from what we would've expected. Keeping all these aspects in mind, I think as I said at the India Energy Week, a lot of positives, but as we move forward, what's very important is to have a credible roadmap that anchors itself on national interest, global markets, and translates into sector-specific milestones. Each sector is going to be unique. If you're in chemical versus metals versus power and transportation, you would need a phased approach, you would need viable and commercial aspects, and you would need to have a horizon of 10 to 15 years. And needless to say, with the unpredictable scenario that we are witnessing, it's very difficult to have such strategies, but that's what decarb is all about. And hence, a portfolio approach without a silver bullet as one solution will work. And there are a few phases in this portfolio. Somebody will look at energy efficiency, some people will look at alternative energy and fuels, many will look at circularity. And of course, if you can't really change your chemistry and physics and you are in the hard-to-abate must national growth sectors, you'll also look at carbon capture. And whether you do that in terms of utilization or its conversion into fuel is something you need to have a clear business case on. So I think in all of this, as I said, good work, people need to be careful with a long-term map and a phased approach and look at technologies, not what there are today, but look at a horizon of 10 to 15 years and really figure out what portfolio suits you, how your supply chains will support, how your customers will do. And of course, last but not the least, what are actors both domestic and international that'll impact your market, provide you with your financials, as well as give you viability gap funding, if any, because it needs to be a very integrated, collaborative, and holistic approach. Ruchira Singh: Are you suggesting that there needs to be tailor-made approaches for all the different sectors? So if we could just give a quick example, and if we take the iron and steel sector, what could a strategy for them be for their roadmap? Mr. Amit Sharma: Yeah. So it's a great example, iron, steel. It's go to national growth. Already, if you see in Europe, they are going back to steel, especially steel that they would need for strategic reasons, national security and can't really buy steel, but also a lot of recycling. And iron, steel is something that produces a lot of CO2 emissions. For every million tons of steel, you get two million tons of carbon dioxide. And one could say that instead of the traditional blast furnace and oxygen conversion from there, you could look at electric arc furnace for recycling. But where does the input come? So you look at DRI, which could be gas-fired, and the ultimate is hydrogen use in DRI followed by EAF. So there are multiple roadmaps, but if you are in blast furnace today, you can't jump to hydrogen DRI and electric arc furnace. First, CapEx is too high. Second, technology is not matured. Third, the markets aren't ready to absorb this cost, the downstream consumers. So you need a roadmap. The roadmap could start potentially with looking at blast furnace with carbon capture, followed by conversion into methanol or sustainable aviation fuel. While this is happening and you are sweating your asset, which is all blast furnace today, gradually you get into second stage of electric arc furnace, which is circularity. That's the straightforward low-hanging fruit. And while the EAF investments go in, which is a project of CapEx between two to three years, one to $3 billion depending on the scale operation, but that's the typical CapEx. And the third phase would be if you've got your blast furnace with carbon capture conversion into fuel or SAF, your second stage of electric arc furnace recycling as part of circularity, you are gradually in parallel working on gas or hydrogen-based DRI, which feeds to your EAF along for circularity. And so here is an example of three-phased approach between 10 to 15 years and making it viable by having it in parallel, but meeting both physics, chemistry and maths as regard the financials. Ruchira Singh: Right. Thank you. So my next question is also for you, Mr. Sharma. And here I would like to ask you about the heavy industries and the multiple hurdles they face. So there is high cost of clean technologies. There is limited demand side mandates, and there's a constantly shifting market shaped by geopolitics and tariff uncertainties. So in this environment, how can they realistically move forward on the energy transition? Mr. Amit Sharma: Yeah. As I said, the heavy industry is unique. It's an essential part of the national policy for every country. It is a high CapEx. It over the year has worked on various supporting mechanisms in terms of either global supply chains or grants or incentive structures. And so the immediate focus could be on, say, energy efficiency, upgrading equipments, carbon capture. But again, as I said, it needs to be planned in a proper manner so that each of your portfolio strategies talk to each other. And the phase one speaks to phase two, which speaks to phase three because all these phases are in parallel. So I would say an approach for these hard-to-abate sector, let's put in iron, steel, cement, including things like aluminum, copper, which is high energy guzzlers, we could look that in an approach of energy efficiency as one, feedstock changes, circularity, including looking at changing from electricity if electrification itself needs to be expanded to green electricity to even use of nuclear. And while data center is not hard-to-abate sector, it's a good example of how currently with the energy demands globally, we are finding that our grid isn't stable. Green energy can't really meet the surges that are required in data center, just like the surges in a smelting process or in iron, steel, and cement. And that is where you would need to balance that. But hopefully in coming years with the current requirement of flywheel effect that high surges demand requires green plus grid plus nuclear or small modular reactors is a combination that these industries will have to look into it. And as I said, one has to invest with long-term view. So carbon capture, shift from electrification plus captive power generation, including small modular reactors, low-carbon base load power are areas we'll need to focus on. Amidst all of this, one is to understand the CBAM Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms and the local support, which in India is coming through NITI Aayog policies as well as the various grants NPLIs that the government is working on, including carbon credit certifications. That means the game changes and the financials become more viable. Ruchira Singh: Thank you. Now turning to Ashish. So Ashish, you take a very close look at the power sector across the Indian subcontinent looking at the rising electrification, more and more EVs, more and more data centers, there is greater digitalization now. So the power sector will see a major demand spurt. So do you see the power generators preparing for this challenge in the best possible way? And is there more that can be done to strengthen the power sector in a sustainable way? Because as we all know that it is the biggest contributor to emissions. Ashish? Ashish Singla: Yeah. Thanks, Ruchira. It's lovely talking to you and with Amit-ji as well. So as you mentioned, power sector is one of the highest GHG emission segments, and the emissions from this sector has been growing faster than the total emissions. This is also because other sectors have been reducing their emissions by electrifying themselves. We have seen that with EVs, transportation, converting oil emissions into electricity side. And then we also talked about industrial iron and steel and others. So overall, what we are expecting is that in next 10 to 15 years, somewhere in that range, with an average growth of around 5.5%, electricity demand in India is going to double. And as you said, one of the key segments for growth would be data centers and the digitization effort, the ecosystem around that basically, and that would be growing quite rapidly. We put those growth rate numbers somewhere around in the range of 15 to 20% year-on-year. So a large part of this demand, as we look, will push renewable electricity into the system. Now, this is also driven by their own voluntary net-zero goals. As a strategy, we understand that these consumers will largely depend on renewables along with storage into the system for balancing. And they'll also use grid as a part to balance themselves and to meet their demand sustainably. But as things progress in phases, we feel that this has to change. In the first phase, you're focusing on renewable plus storage. The pace of development of this phase will be determined by the growth in transmission. And as we move on to the next part of the segment, which is in medium to long-term, we feel that the strategy has to shift from just renewables to what Amit-ji also mentioned about nuclear and carbon capture. So that's how we are expecting this shift to happen. First, you may focus on renewable plus storage, then you'd start deploying nuclear and carbon capture to meet your demand and reduce your emissions. Ruchira Singh: Thank you, Ashish. And may I ask you again, Ashish, in the new fiscal year's budget, there was a 200 billion rupees corpus for CCUS over the next five years. So how big a part can this technology play in India's energy transition, specifically in the power sector? Do you see many companies willing to invest in CCUS? Ashish Singla: Yeah, I think this is a very positive step. I think as we discussed in the last question as well, that CCUS has to come in medium to long-term, and that process has to start now, otherwise it will get pushed more and more, pushed back basically. It will delay the whole process and you miss out on the trajectory that you want to be of reducing your emissions. But then when you are starting with such a high cost technology, you have to understand its impact on different sectors. And looking at power sector and for carbon capture to be implemented, it would practically increase the CapEx associated with coal power plants by nearly 100% and their operational costs by 30%. So now to make CCS or carbon capture viable for power generation, we need to subsidize CapEx heavily. Another thing which needs to happen with these plants is that as they install CCS, they should be operated as base load and not in a cycling mode that most of the coal plants are being discussed around. So this will ensure viability of CCS both financially and operationally. So these plants should be treated at par with some of these clean renewable generation assets, making even priority lending available similar to what we have for renewable generators. And for many of these large companies to come in, this government support will go a long way. This has to start with smaller pilots and gradually scaling up as ecosystem develops. Ruchira Singh: Thank you, Ashish. So Mr. Sharma, how do you look at this whole plan to introduce CCUS in the country? You would be talking to a whole lot of industries both in India and overseas. What are they saying? Are they willing to invest in CCUS? Mr. Amit Sharma: It's an interesting question. In my view, CCUS is a transition approach, and I think eventually one should look at a green roadmap in the future. And it's the interim period that you are on the legacy technology. And while you are putting capital for the green technology, you need to still make sure that you're getting a greener footprint based on your legacy. And that probably, to me, is a transitionary approach. Because let's be honest, CCUS without funding or grants or incentives from the government is not mathematically feasible financially. And while the West have done a bit of carbon capture sequestration, India cannot afford to put this large amount of money. We are talking a lot of work that needs to be done to capture. The numbers are huge. It's not a small carbon capture number that you need to do. And so if you're looking at an annual capture of 750 million tons of CO2, you're looking at 295 to about 300 gigatons of CO2 storage that India offers. Government has to provide subsidies, but that's not truly sustainable. So what I feel is one should look at in some mechanism, especially in India, that what's the value addition of carbon capture? And as I said, rather than sequestration, I feel we must look at circularity of CO2, which is conversion of CO2 into methanol or conversion of CO2 to methanol to SAF. To me, that is a CO2 circularity, just like you have aluminum circularity or iron and steel circularity. That's number one. The second thing I would say part of it is a segment. Because of our growth rate and we need a lot of energy, we'll continue to have all kinds of energy, whether it is coal, whether it is coal to liquid and gas conversion, or we will have hydro, solar, wind, maybe geothermal in coming years and nuclear. And so it will be a combination of all of this. What is very important to realize is green load is not a grid-forming load; it is a grid-following load. That means you need a must base load, which is a grid-forming load, and that comes from either coal plants or nuclear. And only when you have this imbalance, can you truly supply a stable high-quality load to any industry. All industries are processed industries, so they need quality of power that's high. You can't run a smelter or induction motors or data centers on power that is erratic. So you need to make the power really strong. And moment you put in these grid-forming devices like battery storage, pump storage, STATCOM, SYSCOM, to really balance between the light generation of renewable and the heavy flywheel generation of coal and nuclear, costs become prohibitive. So one has to carefully balance its equation. And I think as policymakers, innovators, industrialists work on our strategies for the green story, we need to keep these equations in mind and explore a more sustainable self-revenue generating model rather than looking at grants and incentives on a long-term basis. They can be on transition basis, but one can't expect it to be viable on a long-term basis. That's what I feel, Ruchira. Ruchira Singh: Right, Mr. Sharma. Now looking at what Tata Consulting Engineers does. You have mentioned that you have decarbonization projects across the US, UK, Middle East, and India. So could you please share some of the key lessons you have drawn from these projects and what's on the cards for expanding decarbonization projects for the industry? Mr. Amit Sharma: Yeah. Interestingly, we've been part of a lot of early feasibilities and concepts and roadmaps for some of the top innovators and leaders who've defined the trend. So right from 2018, '19 onwards, when we worked with NITI Aayog and published the hydrogen paper, the electric vehicles paper, we also worked with the private sector and the public sector in the early discovery stage. And I think I would say COVID not only gave this an acceleration because supply chain resilience became much more important topic in addition to the green focus. So I would say between 2018 and post-COVID, the focus on green hydrogen, green ammonia, electric vehicles, pump storage, small modular reactors, considering we have 50 years of very strong nuclear capability, we are partly working with DAE, PSA, NITI Aayog to define the SHANTI bill. But we also worked on green steel on global projects, on fertilizer projects, cement projects. And these project, as you rightly said, spanned across Middle East India, which was a focus of green steel, green hydrogen, green ammonia, pump storage, but also US where we worked on CO2 capture in fertilizer industry, some of the green steel solar cell module projects, but also Europe, which was on DRI, EAF. What happened in the last 12 to 20 months has been a shift from a greener story to more back to oil. And so CCUS is catching up, but also the biggest demand today is high quality power for data center and for obvious reasons, data center is going to be high guzzlers. So that demand exists for green output. Maybe it's shifted in terms of the trend a bit. The most demanding data centers today worldwide is not about the racks and the chips, but about the foundational power elements and how do you give that from the grid with both captive and grid is a bigger issue. And what we are finding is because of a lot of change from a green ambition to supply chain resilience during the COVID and post that to the geopolitical changes and a shift to oil and gas with CCUS back in the discussion, we are finding our customers recalibrating their strategies, and that's very important is the journey of green will have to respond to both supply, demand, geopolitics, and your own national interests. And I think that's where the recalibration is happening. Many of our projects are on the right track, but some of the projects are recalibrating considering not only the earlier CBAM, but the ongoing tariff that has also changed the IRRs and the business plans for our customers. Ruchira Singh: Right. Thank you. So I'll turn to you next, Ashish. So one of the major changes that has already set in is artificial intelligence, and it is being talked about as a transformative tool for industrial energy efficiency. So how do you see this being adopted in India? And what impact do you see it having on the energy transition? Ashish Singla: Yeah, I think this is the talk of the town, how AI is changing the workflow and the way we use information. From power and renewable perspective, AI is definitely becoming a game changer, both in terms of energy consumption, as we discussed, measure a large part of demand coming from data centers and also on how this AI is being used on the operational side. I think I can briefly talk about three, four points where we see AI getting inroads very quickly, and the first one would be forecasting and the latency that we have. AI can predict both energy demand and renewable generation with quite high accuracy and that in real time basically. So this will allow plants to plan their operation more precisely and reduce the overall under-utilization of energy, which is critical as we scale the renewable on grid. Second is overall system integration. So AI coordinates multiple energy streams, grid power, onsite generation, renewable storage, and it can ensure seamless integration across all these options. So this is particularly important in Indian grid, which is rapidly adding renewables and still needs, as we discussed, stable base load power as well. Third one is, of course, onsiting and deployment. AI can help identifying optimal location for new plants, storage systems, how do you stack the use cases for storage, and assess, you can say, availability of renewable resources. So all these things will help the sector, both from operational side as well, and as we move forward towards adding more and more renewable, which is the energy transition side. So it will channelize those resources much better. Ruchira Singh: Thank you, Ashish. So my concluding question is going to be for you, Mr. Sharma, and I would like you to take a look at the Emissions Trading Scheme that India is working on. And this is going to be the major change coming into India later this year or maybe early next year. So how do you think the carbon market can be made robust in India so that we have our energy transition goals met through this route? Mr. Amit Sharma: So Ruchira, before I talk about the Emission Trading Scheme, I'd like to add some of the thoughts on the use of AI. And I think it's a very important point you bring here. If you look at the journey of energy transition, there are three synchronizations required in this. Number one is how do you marry the brownfield assets with the greenfield assets to get the most optimal balance? Number two, how do you, as Ashish mentioned, align the supply chains, the grids, input, output electricity, your change of products because of the market volatility. And the third one is very important. How do you ensure that CapEx and OpEx, that is capital projects and operational strategies are integrated? And this is where digital twins combined with AI are almost a must rather than a nice to have. And I think one of the realizations we've focused on working with the transmission distribution and grid resilience or in supply chain optimization or in capital projects allocations and their connect between brownfield and greenfield asset is the need of digital twins with AI. And we actually are working with the leading companies to have a cognitive digital twin, which is beyond a static digital twin, basically a digital twin that has sensors, but also knowledge to work at the capital phase. And then the same digital twin, along with the physical asset, actually works in the operational phase. So I just wanted to mention that in the arena of industrial energy transition, cognitive digital twin and AI will play a far big role, both in grid stability, product rationalization and portfolio strategies, but also in terms of ensuring optimal investments that combines brownfield and greenfield and CapEx and OpEX together. Coming to the India's Emission Trading Scheme, I think it's a very good step, is the first time you are looking at a financial focus to look at sectors that can actually change versus sectors that may have to buy credits to become green. Hard-to-abate sectors, as I mentioned, cement, steel, the chemistry involves that you would generate CO2. And unless you do capture or buy credits, you'll never fit into a greener territory, but there are other sectors that can do it much simpler like agricultural and other MSME area that actually make money by selling credits. So I think the carbon credit trading scheme, it represents a structural shift from a system that was looking at penalties, liabilities to actually rewarding efficiency, and it puts price of carbon in a transparent manner. I think it also provides sector-specific emission intensity targets. Companies can successfully decarbonize, earn carbon credits while those who are falling short, which is hard-to-abate, can purchase them from the market. So this changes the economic logic, gives emissions a revenue opportunity. And if you fail to do that, of course, you have financial penalties as part of that as well. So it's not just that there are penalties, there are rewards in balance with the penalty mechanisms. I think it has a phased approach across sectors like aluminum, cement, textiles, and it has binding greenhouse gas emission intensity targets, and it's a very positive step forward. Alongside this, a voluntary market allows non-regulated sectors like agricultural and forestry to also participate. This provides market liquidity. It obviously broadens the country's decarbonization efforts by having much wider sectors, some buyers and some sellers. So like a dual market which mobilizes private capital, it of course encourages innovation because now you could monetize your strategies on this as buyers and sellers of carbon credits, but also you can insulate Indian exporters from the risk of foreign carbon tariffs like the CBAM, which obviously has to be looked into carefully. I think it's the right direction. It was expected and the framework is now out. Obviously, the roadmap will have this as a key part of the future investments and the energy transition roadmap that people are recalibrating with the ongoing market volatility as well as the 10 to 15 year roadmap that I talked about. Ruchira Singh: Thank you very much, Mr. Sharma and Ashish for joining me in this conversation. And of course, thank you listeners for tuning in. This Platts Commodity Focus podcast was produced by digital editor Shikha Singh in Gurgaon. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/2026/04/picture-this-uk-revises-import-safeguard-measures-as-part-of-steel-supply-chain-strategy</link><description>The UK joins the US, the EU, India and others in updating its steel tariffs and implementing new safeguard measures and wider trade controls.</description><title>Picture This: UK revises import safeguard measures as part of steel supply chain strategy</title><pubDate>03 April 2026 12:45:00 GMT</pubDate><content><![CDATA[ BLOG â Apr. 03, 2026 Picture This: UK revises import safeguard measures as part of steel supply chain strategy By Chris Rogers and Ines Nastali What we know The UK government has detailed a wide-ranging Steel Strategy building on consultations in 2025, with a view to increasing the proportion of domestic demand for steel met from UK manufacturing to 50% from 30% in 2024. On top of a number of investment measures, the government has also committed to trade measures covering all steel products made in the UK from all markets including free trade agreement partners. The measures, which are yet to be fully detailed, will come into force from July 1, 2026, when existing safeguarding measures come to an end. They will include tariff-free quotas being cut by 60% and an out-of-quota tariff rate of 50%. The UK will also start proceedings to increase its World Trade Organization (WTO) Most Favored Nation tariff to as much as 50%. The UK joins the US, the EU, India and others in updating its steel tariffs and implementing new safeguard measures and wider trade controls. Why it matters UK imports of steel products that are likely to be targeted by tariffs climbed by 19% in volume terms in 2025 versus 2021, while the value in sterling terms only rose by 6.5%, showing the penetration of imports and the impact of aggressive pricing. Much of the growth in sterling terms came from the EU, with shipments growing by 11.7%, likely indicating the knock-on effect from increased imports to the EU from the rest of the world. Shipments from mainland China and South Korea also surged by 79.3% and 54.1%, respectively, over the same period. More recently though, there has been a downturn in shipments, with a 15.6% slide in total UK imports of steel in both volume and sterling terms in the three months to Jan. 31, 2026, as manufacturing demand has weakened. The challenge for global steel markets from UK protectionism is small, with the UK representing just 1.4% of global exports of the relevant steel products in 2025. Learn about how our data and insights can help you navigate trade policy shifts Click Here This article was published by S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&amp;P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&amp;P Global. ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/033126-interview-paradeep-phosphates-considering-buying-more-renewable-ammonia-executive</link><description>Indian fertilizer company Paradeep Phosphates is considering increasing its procurement of domestic renewable ammonia to strengthen raw material security amid the Middle East war, which has brought imports of conventional ammonia to a halt, a company executive told Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, March 30. Paradeep Phosphates was among five fertilizer companies that signed agreements on March</description><title>INTERVIEW: Paradeep Phosphates considering buying more renewable ammonia: executive</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 14:25:49 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Ruchira Singh</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Renewables, Hydrogen March 31, 2026 INTERVIEW: Paradeep Phosphates considering buying more renewable ammonia: executive By Ruchira Singh Editor: Sivassanggari Tamil selvam Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Middle East war halts crucial ammonia supply More domestic renewable ammonia deals eyed Units in annual closure; stocks to last until mid-May Indian fertilizer company Paradeep Phosphates is considering increasing its procurement of domestic renewable ammonia to strengthen raw material security amid the Middle East war, which has brought imports of conventional ammonia to a halt, a company executive told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, March 30. Paradeep Phosphates was among five fertilizer companies that signed agreements on March 30 to procure 670,000 metric tons/year of renewable ammonia for 11 plants as part of the Indian government's National Green Hydrogen Mission. "Given a choice, we will go ahead with more quantities [of renewable ammonia]," RK Gupta, chief procurement officer at Paradeep Phosphates, said on the sidelines of the signing event for the renewable ammonia supply agreements. "Now the clarity is there, the standard bidding parameter that has been issued by the Department of Fertilizers ... [clarifies] the subsidy and the differential pricing," Gupta added. Paradeep Phosphates, which produces phosphatic fertilizers, has plants in Paradeep, Odisha; Mangalore, Karnataka; and Zuarinagar, Goa, that collectively require 600,000 mt/y of ammonia, procured mostly through imports, Gupta said. Under the auctions conducted by the government's Solar Energy Corp. of India last year, Paradeep Phosphates secured 115,000 mt/y of Indian-made renewable ammonia -- 20% of its supply requirement -- to start by 2029. SECI invited bids from domestic renewable hydrogen and ammonia developers to supply 724,000 mt/y of renewable ammonia to 13 fertilizer companies, with a three-year government subsidy. "We are hopeful that in three years, the plant will be set up and quantities will be delivered," Gupta said. War impact Since the war began on Feb. 28, Paradeep Phosphates' supply of conventional ammonia and sulfur for its three plants has stopped, with alternate sources driving costs sharply higher, Gupta said. "If you see, 60% of the world's sulfur comes from the Middle East. So, if it is not available, we will not be able to produce the phosphoric acid that we need," Gupta said, emphasizing the impact of the war in the Middle East. The company's units are shut down as part of an annual plan, but "we are comfortable [in terms of feedstock supply] up to mid-May," Gupta said. He added that ammonia is not stored in large volumes due to risk factors. "More than 250 vessels are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz ... the war risk insurance has gone up," Gupta said. "Because of the nonavailability of vessels, the freight has gone up [threefold]. Bunkering has gone up maybe two times to two-and-a-half times." Conventional ammonia supplies are unavailable at present, and some supplies available in Southeast Asia are priced significantly higher, according to Gupta. India imports 2.8 million mt/y of grey ammonia for non-urea fertilizer units, Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said at the event on March 30. Most of the supplies are imported from the Middle East, but the SECI auction would replace about a third of them. Low-priced deals Gupta said that while the cost of domestic ammonia will be about $600/mt, conventional ammonia will be priced at about $800/mt and will remain costly even with the government's import subsidy. ACME Cleantech's winning bid to supply renewable ammonia to Paradeep Phosphates's Odisha plant is Rupees 55.75/kg (59 cents/kg), the government said, while the winning price for the Goa plant is Rupees 62.84/kg. SCC Infrastructure is to supply renewable ammonia to the Karnataka plant at Rupees 57.65/kg. A two-week weighted-average price as seen on Fertecon and Argus will be taken as the set cost for conventional ammonia, and the government will cover the gap with the auction prices by paying the renewable hydrogen developer, according to Gupta. "With regard to the auction pricing, everybody was saying it is the lowest," Gupta said. "Like solar energy started from Rupees 18 [/kWh] and fell, green ammonia will also come down." In future auctions, Gupta said he would like to see the supply not tied to specific units to account for future changes in plant operations. "A unit can be sold, or a new company created ... it can happen to anyone," Gupta said. "So definitely, from that perspective, there has to be fungibility." Platts assessed Middle East renewable-derived ammonia delivered into East Asia (with high-capacity factors) at $840.66/mt (weekly price) on March 30, up 2.56% month over month. Platts last assessed conventional ammonia FOB Middle East at $600/mt on March 30, up 26% month over month. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/040326-interview-rising-diesel-costs-squeeze-malaysian-biofuel-feedstock-logistics</link><description>Rising diesel prices, driven higher by conflict in the Middle East, are increasing logistics costs and complicating the collection of palm oil mill effluent and used cooking oil for biofuel feedstock exports, Malaysian feedstocks supplier Gamalux Sdn Bhd&amp;apos;s Chief Commercial Officer Amila Kamarudin told Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, in an interview. Transporters have increased quotes by 40% to</description><title>INTERVIEW: Rising diesel costs squeeze Malaysian biofuel feedstock logistics</title><pubDate>03 April 2026 04:27:29 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Aditya Kondalamahanty</name><name>Ck Quick</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel, Vegetable Oils April 03, 2026 INTERVIEW: Rising diesel costs squeeze Malaysian biofuel feedstock logistics By Aditya Kondalamahanty and Ck Quick Editor: Surbhi Prasad Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Industry faces 40%-60% diesel costs, tighter freight regulations Domestic SAF uptick drives competition for feedstocks Platts POME FOB Malaysia price rise 9% MOM Rising diesel prices, driven higher by conflict in the Middle East, are increasing logistics costs and complicating the collection of palm oil mill effluent and used cooking oil for biofuel feedstock exports, Malaysian feedstocks supplier Gamalux Sdn Bhd's Chief Commercial Officer Amila Kamarudin told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, in an interview. Transporters have increased quotes by 40% to 60% in recent months, citing not only higher diesel prices but also rising tire and maintenance costs, Kamarudin said. "It's a lot actually... I spoke to those not from the palm oil industry like marine, ports, logistics â they all face the same situation," Karamudin said. POME is a byproduct of palm oil extraction and is about 90â95% water, containing residual oil, fatty acids, soil particles and suspended solids. It has several sustainable uses, including fertilizer, biogas production and, increasingly, as a feedstock for biofuels. Under the EU's Renewable Energy Directive, POME is classified as an "advanced" biofuel feedstock. This status has helped drive demand, though traceability concerns have persisted, with cases of fraud and mislabeling clouding the market in recent years. Driven by the RED incentives, the EU's POME oil imports increased fivefold from 2020 to 2023, according to official EU data. Inflows rose to about 600,000 metric tons in 2024, up 20% year over year, according to S&amp;P Global Energy CERA. Karamudin said that a recent change in Malaysia's truck-loading policy has complicated logistics. In 2025, Putrajaya introduced stricter cargo limits for freight trucks based on axle configuration and overall Gross Vehicle Weight. Currently, the most common three-axle truck with a 40-foot trailer is restricted to a maximum load of 28 mt, down from 40 mt previously, which adds to inefficiencies, according to the company's executives. Malaysia is the world's second-largest palm oil producer after Indonesia and is now the largest supplier of POME following Indonesia's ban on exports of unrefined POME to secure feedstock for its domestic biodiesel mandate. The Indonesian export ban has boosted demand for Malaysian POME cargoes, widening the price gap between the two countries to about $100/mt, Karamudin said. Buyers in Asia, including South Korea and Japan, are also sourcing refined POME from Malaysia, underscoring market diversification. "The HVO and SAF producers cannot use crude form... they need clean cargo, refined, because of their technology," Karamudin said. Pricing amid volatility Gamalux Sdn Bhd pegs its product prices to Bursa Malaysia's crude palm oil futures contract, widely known as FCPO, a benchmark Karamudin said provides transparency and stability in volatile markets. "We follow the FCPO because it reflects the broader palm oil market, and it gives buyers and sellers a common reference point," she said. While the Malaysian Palm Oil Board has begun publishing domestic UCO prices, the company maintains that futures remain the key reference for export contracts. Despite cost pressures, demand remains strong from European and US producers of sustainable aviation fuel, who are seeking waste-based feedstocks to meet decarbonization targets. Italy is among the company's EU markets, while Spain and the US are also active buyers. SAF push Malaysia is also expanding its domestic SAF industry, with one plant already operating and another expected to come online in the country's south by 2028. "We see interest from EU and US SAF makers, and Malaysia is also moving forward with its own SAF initiatives," Karamudin said, adding that feedstock scalability remains the biggest challenge. Competition for limited, high-quality feedstocks could intensify as domestic SAF plants start production, she said. Malaysia aims to produce nearly 1 million mt/year of SAF by 2028, supported by two domestic facilities, Plantation and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani told the upper house of parliament in December 2025. Hong Kong-based EcoCeres already operates a SAF plant in Malaysia with a capacity of 350,000 mt/year, while state-owned Petronas is developing a second facility with a capacity of 650,000 mt/year, expected to be completed by 2028. Platts assessed POME FOB Malaysia at $1,170/mt April 2, up 8.9% month over month. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/2026/04/regional-supply-chain-exposures-middle-east-conflict</link><description>Conflict in the Middle East is causing significant damage to supply chains across energy, transport, food and manufacturing after price rises linked to concerns about shortages.</description><title>Regional Supply Chain Exposures to Middle East Conflict</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><content><![CDATA[ BLOG â Apr. 2, 2026 Regional Supply Chain Exposures to Middle East Conflict By Chris Rogers, Vania Alvarez Murakami, Ines Nastali, and Eric Oak Key Findings Middle East conflict is disrupting global supply chains across energy, transport, food, and manufacturing, with price rises likely to shift into physical shortages as seaborne exports face delays. Global trade exposure is significant: Interruptions in oil, fuel gases, fertilizers, plastics, and manufacturing materials from the region equal 0.55% of global GDP. Critical shortages threaten economic output: For example, Taiwanâs reliance on Middle Eastern helium could impact electronics production equivalent to 25.2% of output. Fuel and fertilizer shortages impact agriculture and industry: Sub-Saharan Africa is highly exposed, with 53.6% of gasoline imports from the region, while South Asia depends on the Middle East for nearly 90% of butane/propane imports. Manufacturing and food packaging at risk: The Middle East supplies nearly half of global ethylene glycol and a quarter of polyethylene, affecting consumer goods manufacturing in China and Vietnam. Unwrought aluminum shortages may disrupt North African automotive production. Economic exposures are far-reaching Conflict in the Middle East has already caused significant damage to supply chains across the energy, transportation, food and manufacturing sectors as a result of reduced trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz as well as physical infrastructure damage. Thus far, the main economic transmission mechanism for the conflict has been via prices, particularly for energy and commodities dependent industries. Increasingly the impact for supply chains it will be felt via available inventories as the stocks built into global logistics networks begin to deplete. Travel by sea with four-to-six-week delivery times such that the last of the âpre-warâ volumes will have reached their destinations by late March at which point availability will start to drop. Rebuilding the supply lines will take a similar amount of time even if the Strait unequivocally reopens, though even then infrastructure damage will take years to fully repair. In aggregate across natural gases, crude oil and derived products, nitrogenous fertilizers and sulfur and a handful of manufacturing materials including aluminum, plastics and noble gases imports from the Middle East are equivalent to 0.55% of global GDP, with South Asia the most exposed followed by sub-Saharan Africa at and Asia-Pacific. This clearly understates the potential impact on economies more broadly where critical materials can bring down entire supply networks. An example is Taiwan, where imports from the Middle East are equivalent to 2.39% of GDP but the potential loss of supplies of helium could cripple electronics production equivalent to 25.2% of national output. Learn more about our data and insights Click Here Crude oil and fuel derivatives Crude oil has rightly received the main focus in government concerns regarding the conflict given Middle East exports of crude oil accounted for 36.7% of the world total with a value of US$429 billion of annual trade in 2025. Similarly, shipments of processed fuels accounted for a further US$110 billion with the region accounting for 14.9% of global trade in diesel/fuel oil and 19.0% of gasoline/naphtha. For crude oil specifically, the Middle East accounted for 57.3% of imports to Asia-Pacific and 31.4% of imports to South Asia. On the fuel side, where there are also implications for agriculture, mining and industry as well as personal transportation, Sub-Saharan Africa is heavily exposed in diesel/fuel oil as well as gasoline/naphtha. The alternatives for sourcing crude are limited for any given refinery given that specific grades are often required â for example for heavier grades the main alternatives to Iran are Russia and Venezuela. Additionally, alternative fuel sources for gasoline and diesel may be limited by countries limiting exports of their own production to protect domestic markets. This extends the vulnerability beyond just the direct importers from the Middle East. For instance, Australia and New Zealand show minimal direct dependence on Middle Eastern crude but are highly exposed to regional refiners like South Korea for finished products. Fuel gases including LNG, propane and butane The attacks on Qatarâs Ras Laffan facility has drawn attention to the liquefied natural (methane) gas (LNG) sector given the region accounted for 20.9% of global LNG exports in 2025. Still, a large part of global trade in natural gas is focused on pipeline supplies, so that Middle East LNG is actually equivalent to 12.7% of natural gas supplies in total. In the near term, a shortage of natural gas for power generation can be aided by increasing load factors for other technologies where available, including coal-fired power, reports indicate. An extended shortage could be a particular issue for the EU. While Middle East LNG only accounted for 3.3% of total natural gas imports, that rises to as much as 11.0% in Italy where less pipeline gas is available. It is also a challenge given the end-winter reserves are heavily depleted and sourcing was already disrupted by Russiaâs war in Ukraine. Aside from methane, the Middle East also accounted for 34.2% of global exports of butane and propane, which are vital as a cooking gas. The technological options available for power generation are not the same for cooking, particularly given their predominance in lower income countries where retooling household cooking equipment is not viable economically in the near term. Thatâs particularly an issue for South Asia where 89.7% of butane/propane imports came from the Middle East. Availability is also an issue in Asia-Pacific. Additional impact to supply chains Food supply chains are increasingly vulnerable to disruptions in both food and critical agricultural inputs like fertilizers and fuel, with regions such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa highly dependent on Middle Eastern fertilizer exportsâmaking alternative sourcing difficult, especially for lower-income countries due to financial constraints and the non-interchangeability of fertilizer types. Disruptions in Middle Eastern exports of key plastic precursors like ethylene glycol and polyethylene may impact global packaging and manufacturing supply chains, especially in South Asia, Asia-Pacific, and North Africa, potentially worsening food supply challenges and affecting industries ranging from textiles to consumer goods. Disruptions to Middle Eastern shipping may impact the supply of key manufacturing materials like aluminum and noble gases, with especially severe impacts on nearby regions such as North Africa and Asia-Pacific, further straining industries like automotive and electronics that are already facing global supply chain bottlenecks and limited alternative sources. Empower Confident Decision Making The Decisive podcast is here to provide you with the knowledge you need to stay ahead. Listen Now This article was published by S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&amp;P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&amp;P Global. The Age of Agility Is Here Key economic, geopolitical and trade drivers for the year ahead Read the Full Report ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/global-credit-conditions-q2-2026-narrow-strait-broad-implications-s101678271</link><description>We expect credit conditions to weaken in the next 12 months. We believe the war in the Middle East may be the catalyst that finally pushes the credit cycle--and the prolonged favorable financing conditions--to turn. The duration of the war will determine whether the deterioration is contained or broad. Even if the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz eases in the coming weeks, the conflict to-date has neutralized expected upside pressures to growth.</description><title>Global Credit Conditions Q2 2026: Narrow Strait, Broad Implications</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 19:50:14 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/scenario-analysis-how-the-oil-price-shock-could-affect-sovereign-ratings-in-cee-and-turkiye-s101677706</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The seven economies covered in this report--the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia (CEE5), Serbia, and Turkiye--represent a combined GDP of about $4 trillion, an economy roughly the size of Japan. CEE economies have outsized manufacturing sectors, which is partly why their energy intensity of GDP is 19% higher than the EU average. For the same reason, energy and utilities account for a larger share in domestic consumer and producer</description><title>Scenario Analysis: How The Oil Price Shock Could Affect Sovereign Ratings In CEE And Turkiye</title><pubDate>01 April 2026 15:27:57 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/how-will-the-middle-east-war-affect-the-insurance-sector-s101675506</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The recent escalation of the Middle East war introduces geopolitical instability with potential long-lasting effects on commodities, financing conditions, global supply chains, and macro-credit conditions, depending on the duration and scale of the war. S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings&amp;apos; base case for the Middle East war assumes that elevated hostilities will persist into early April, with the Strait of Hormuz facing material disruptions. We continue to recogniz</description><title>How Will The Middle East War Affect The Insurance Sector?</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 07:59:06 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/special-reports/energy-transition/2026-trends-in-data-center-services-infrastructure</link><description>Discover the ten key trends that 451 Research analysts anticipate across data center services and infrastructure in 2026.</description><title>2026 Trends in Data Center Services &amp;amp; Infrastructure</title><pubDate>23 January 2026 11:26:00 GMT</pubDate><content><![CDATA[ S&amp;P Global Energy 2026 Trends in Data Center Services &amp; Infrastructure Discover the ten key trends that 451 Research analysts anticipate across data center services and infrastructure in 2026. Learn More Let's Talk Need technology industry data and insights? Connect with us today to explore how 451 Research solutions can help guide strategic decision-making Contact Sales On this page Introduction About this report The Take Trends Methodology Further reading On this page Introduction About this report The Take Trends Methodology Further reading Introduction For decades, data centers have been essential infrastructure for IT expansion worldwide. However, the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 sparked a generative AI boom and a race to build infrastructure for GenAI model training and use. This AI training infrastructure requires more energy and more efficient cooling than typical IT infrastructure, which impacts data center design, requires new construction and makes access to electricity a key potential bottleneck for the growth of AI. As utilities struggle to determine how much energy data centers will require over the longer term, fears are mounting that infrastructure could be over-built and demand may not materialize. The size and quantity of data centers have attracted scrutiny from governments, local citizens and environmental groups. Governments (and utilities) have restricted data center development in various markets even as the industry becomes more efficient and seeks to use renewable energy. AI training facilities can theoretically be placed in locations where electricity is available, away from population centers; however, it is not yet clear how much AI inference can be performed from those locations. Data gravity, as well as regulations, will impact IT workload placement, along with the need for interconnection between data, software, AI models and end users. We believe that the need for data centers will continue; however, some of the current build plans may not materialize or may be delayed. Back to Top About this report Reports such as this showcase insights derived from a variety of market-level research inputs, including financial data, M&amp;A information and other market data sources both proprietary to S&amp;P Global and publicly available. This input is combined with ongoing observation of markets and regular interaction with vendors and other key market players. This report specifically includes data from the following sources: Data Center Services &amp; Infrastructure Market Monitor &amp; Forecast Voice of the Enterprise: Data Centers, Colocation 2025 Voice of the Enterprise: Data Centers, Liquid Cooling Technology 2025 Back to Top The Take We continue to see large-scale plans for data center construction around the world to serve GenAI needs, even as concerns grow that not all the planned infrastructure will be required (or that it will be commercially viable to build). Although the adoption of generative AI and other types of AI is strong, it is difficult to know how much energy and data center infrastructure will be required and when. We believe that the data center industry itself is relatively agile and can quickly adjust or suspend build plans to match the demand for IT infrastructure. However, power infrastructure is not typically as agile or quick to build, which can create a potential mismatch between electrical system plans and data center demand that may not materialize. Sustainability remains a key concern, and a top question is whether AI infrastructure will lead to extended lives for coal-fired power plants or the construction of additional gas-fired power plants, which could impact carbon targets. We will continue to model how AI adoption is likely to affect data center demand as well as work with our S&amp;P Global Energy colleagues to model the energy industryâs response. We will also continue to examine new technological advances, supply chain challenges and the regulatory environment for data centers. Back to Top Trends we anticipate in 2026 Trend 1: Race to build AI data centers will continue hyperscalers and leading generative AI firms have engaged in what can only be described as an AI arms race. OpenAI, Google, xAI, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, Meta, Alibaba and others have committed hundreds of billions of dollars to train large language models in the hopes of gaining first-mover advantage and being recognized as having the âbest model.â This approach is exceedingly resource-intensive: Training a top LLM can use tens of thousands of graphics processing unit chips, each requiring 5-8 times (or more) the energy of other chips. These must be housed in data centers, along with data storage gear, other computational hardware and networking equipment. This AI demand has been particularly strong in North America so far, as most generative AI models have been developed in this region. However, firms have been laying the groundwork to develop large-scale AI data centers outside the US. Although some âprospectorâ data center builders are included in this forecast, as well as some duplicate plans for expansion that may not materialize or be delayed, we expect strong data center growth to continue globally in the immediate future. Back to Top Trend 2: Data center constraints will impact location and speed of builds Multiple factors determine data center location, and several of these are facing growing constraints. The first is related to AI use cases. There are relatively few location requirements related to AI workloads â AI model training can generally be carried out quite a distance away from where end users are located, for example. However, we are tracking AI use cases to monitor the need for AI inference or training that requires rapid connectivity or specific data constraints (e.g., due to data sovereignty requirements) and would need to be in a specific location, such as near urban centers. Another location factor is available power. Firms expecting to benefit from AI infrastructure demand, such as hyperscale cloud providers, are seeking to lock in as much power for future data centers as possible to avoid having their growth restrained by energy availability and potentially losing out to competitors that have access to more power. However, it is unclear exactly how much power will be required. This creates challenges for energy utilities, particularly if they need to build additional generation capacity and transmission lines (which can take years) to meet this expected demand. Many of the most desirable data center markets already face constraints related to power, including potential shortages of generation capacity or challenges in building transmission lines. These include PJM (which covers top data center markets such as Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania) as well as ERCOT (Texas). Data center developers increasingly face a choice between waiting years for a grid connection in a desirable location, seeking a less desirable site with faster access to grid power, or using behind-the-meter power (e.g., constructing a natural gas-fired power plant). Additional location factors include electricity costs, taxes, regulations, local resistance to data centers, availability of fiber, type of power available (e.g., from renewable sources), water access, suitable land and the ability to plug into district heating systems or other off-takers for heat. We are developing a model to weigh the trade-offs among data center locations to build scenarios for growth by area and the resulting market for behind-the-meter power options. Back to Top Trend 3: The ability to raise capital will be a key differentiator for data center providers and customers Organizations have invested massive amounts of capital in AI infrastructure so far, with continued eye-watering amounts expected, even without factoring in the costs of AI chips, servers and electrical infrastructure, such as transmission and generation. In the US alone, we project average spending on data center construction of more than $70 billion per quarter from 2025 to 2028. Numerous firms are hoping to enter the sector, and those with access to capital and experience in securing land, power and permits will be better positioned for success. New entrants can add competition in some locations, but they can also offer data center providers the opportunity to sell facilities that are already leased â with predictable revenue and appeal to investors â freeing up capital to build new facilities elsewhere. Vertically integrated models are also emerging, with energy companies, for example, entering the data center industry. Business models are evolving to become more specialized in managing capital, obtaining permits or power and serving particular customer segments. We will continue to explore how these data centers will be funded, how the industry is evolving and the business models that are emerging as a result. Back to Top Trend 4: The AI value chain will continue to support renewable energy Top AI and cloud firms have maintained their renewable energy targets, as have many of the firms that build or lease data centers to these clients, even as their annual electricity consumption rises. Although many technology firms claim to offset 100% of their energy use by procuring renewable energy, they also have data centers that rely on carbon-emitting power generation. This is expected to increase in many locations, as added electricity demand requires utilities to delay the retirement of coal generation or add gas-fired power plants. Additionally, data center firms themselves sometimes build their own gas-fired power plants if the grid cannot accommodate their needs. As a result, there has been a clear trend toward greater renewable procurement among surveyed companies, according to the âGlobal Datacenters Clean Energy Sourcing Strategy â 2025 update,â with the share of power sourced from renewables estimated at 58%, versus about 50% in the 2024 report. Power purchase agreements remain the primary method for renewable procurement, supplemented by unbundled certificates and green tariffs. While solar is a major source of supply, there is a growing emphasis on hybrid and nuclear solutions. However, in many areas, even if sufficient renewable or low-carbon generation is planned, a mismatch may occur between when the power-hungry data centers need that energy and the time it takes to add that capacity (e.g., from nuclear power). We will continue to work with teams across S&amp;P Global to track data center growth and its impact on both utilities and renewable energy. As data center power demand continues to rise, the tech industry may provide financial support for expanding generation across the board, including both renewable and non-renewable resources. But the need to offset increased emissions could drive investment into higher-cost technologies such as nuclear, carbon capture and storage, and battery energy storage systems. Back to Top Trend 5: AI requirements encourage innovation in data center technology AI workloads typically require high-density infrastructure at the data center level; however, this high-density equipment can generate a large amount of heat, testing the limits of standard data center cooling systems. Until recently, most IT equipment has been cooled using fans to pull cold air past the hot elements to remove the heat. However, as these components become smaller and hotter, they can reach the limit of what fans and cool air can do. Liquid is a more efficient cooling medium than air and has been used for some high-performance computing and advanced modeling, but it has not been broadly adopted in the data center industry for a variety of reasons. That may be changing. Our survey of enterprise data center decision-makers reveals that 21% of respondents plan to shift to liquid cooling over the next year, up from 13% in 2024âs survey, with another 25% planning to switch over the next two to four years. It helps that technological innovations have made liquid cooling easier to use and retrofitting operational data centers less costly. Most importantly, the increase in high-density workloads, combined with requirements that data centers be as efficient and sustainable as possible, is set to make liquid cooling a more logical approach than air cooling. After years of adoption for specialized uses, the combination of higher-density servers, liquid cooling innovation and sustainability benefits may finally lead to broad adoption. In addition, the industry is looking at other technological advancements in backup systems, such as using alternatives to lead-acid or lithium-based batteries, using diesel alternatives for generators or replacing generators altogether with hydrogen fuel cells or renewable power sources. Data center firms are also exploring the reuse of heat by plugging into local district heating systems, as well as investigating ways to reduce embodied carbon. We plan to examine and compare many of these proposed technologies in the year ahead. Back to Top Trend 6: Interconnection will continue to drive data center demand Companies that use colocation services increasingly point to interconnection â with public cloud, service providers, networks, partners and customers â as a key reason for leasing space in a data center (see Figure 4). As AI inferencing workloads grow, we expect these workloads to boost demand for interconnection. Inference workloads tend to be more dispersed â analogous to web front ends, as opposed to the training workloads, which are similar to back-end resources. This dispersed nature will impact network requirements, and these workloads are expected to require interconnection between AI modeling resources, data potentially stored outside of public cloud and diverse end users. Leased data center providers focused on interconnection typically have higher network density than other data centers and often have more large-capacity networks connected, which could help solve a key problem for enterprises regarding their AI workloads: network performance. To improve interconnection services, data center operators should consider a cloud-native approach. This could include partnering with cloud-native wide area network providers to offer connectivity in a self-service form with quick turnaround. This would allow networking to become a fluid proposition that could respond to the needs of both AI and non-AI workloads flowing between public cloud (possibly from multiple cloud providers), as-a-service providers and private cloud. In addition, data centers should think beyond interconnection to focus on helping enterprises wrestle with growing quantities of data. Leased data centers can offer a secure place to store data at a lower cost than public cloud storage, and with automated interconnection enabling that data to be used by applications residing in various clouds. This could be a differentiator for leased data centers, making them more appealing than public cloud for data storage and preferable to on-premises facilities for enterprises, thanks to their connectivity options. We expect to see continued growth and innovation around interconnection. Back to Top Trend 7: Data centers at the edge will become more important in an age of AI inferencing AI inferencing, the process that a trained AI model uses to analyze new data, creates an unprecedented opportunity for edge computing. Inferencing must run somewhere, and every computing venue is a candidate, from processors on devices such as cell phones to large-scale public cloud venues. While some inference will certainly run on public cloud, some will also likely run closer to end users, at the edge. Much will depend on the use cases for AI: Applications that need to respond in real time will be more likely to run edge inferencing. However, the edge may also be attractive for enterprises that want more control over data. Enterprises have already noted in our surveys that top reasons for processing AI tasks at the edge include security and data sovereignty, not just performance requirements. Key questions for enterprises will be: Which venue will provide the necessary AI inferencing performance at the lowest cost and with the least complexity? Network growth and innovation will also affect what data will be processed and stored at the edge and what will be moved elsewhere, as will changes to the infrastructure required to support these deployments (e.g., compute, storage, content delivery, accelerators, power, footprint, noise level, ruggedization). Edge vendors or operators will need to satisfy requirements for low maintenance, space constraints and power conservation. Still, the use cases will vary enormously, so it may be hard for vendors to gain scale in an atomized market. The ecosystem of vendors, operators, financiers and network providers at the edge is evolving rapidly, so we will continue to follow this market. Back to Top Trend 8: Blockchain, cryptocurrency will offer both pros and cons for the data center industry The cryptocurrency mining industry continues to add data center capacity, in many cases taking advantage of renewable energy or stranded energy, thanks to the relative flexibility of its workloads. Most miners build and operate their own data centers, and some are considering offering these capabilities to other enterprises, particularly those with similar computing profiles and requirements, such as firms with high-performance computing (HPC) and AI workloads. However, when mining companies build facilities specifically for AI or HPC workloads, they are typically closer to more traditional data center builds (e.g., with backup power and some redundancy of equipment) than mining facilities, largely due to client requirements. Thus, cryptocurrency firms are in some cases becoming competitors to traditional leased data center providers. We continue to monitor the cryptocurrency industry and its requirements, as well as blockchain, and the impact both have on the data center industry. Back to Top Trend 9: Geopolitics, regulation will continue to shape data center industry dynamics Data center developers and operators will need to navigate an increasingly complex web of geopolitical pressures and regulatory requirements for AI infrastructure. Export controls on high-performance AI chips, particularly between the US and China, are affecting hardware availability and influencing which countries require the highest-density data centers. Data sovereignty and privacy regulations continue to drive demand for local data centers or edge deployments. In addition, some governments are offering incentives â such as tax breaks â to attract sustainable, high-tech infrastructure. Other countries are imposing strict environmental or water-use restrictions that constrain data center growth. Political stability and energy policy are emerging as key factors that AI players need to consider. Regulators could add requirements to planning and approvals, such as targets for power use and efficiency or penalties that apply when data centers create a potential power imbalance in the regional grid. AI infrastructure players may need to seek off-grid or hybrid power sources to mitigate regulatory risk and reduce the time to market for their sites. We anticipate that regulatory and geopolitical factors will continue to influence global growth patterns. Companies with experience navigating these challenges that can rapidly adapt their infrastructure and sourcing strategies and coordinate well with local authorities will have a competitive advantage, particularly for large-scale facilities. Back to Top Interested in learning how 451 Research Solutions can help you navigate market disruption and technology innovation? Contact Sales Methodology S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons 451 Research provides essential insight into key trends driving digital transformation across the entire technology landscape. By offering a combination of expert analyst insight and differentiated data, 451 Research enables the industry with the information and perspectives they require to make more effective decisions. Reports such as this offer a holistic perspective on key trends and themes driving the technology space over the coming year. These markets evolve quickly, so 451 Research offers a wide range of research services that provide critical marketplace updates on an ongoing basis. These reports, datasets and perspectives are published frequently, in numerous short- and long-form formats. Forward-looking M&amp;A analysis and perspectives on strategic acquisitions and the liquidity environment for technology companies are also updated regularly, backed by industry-leading databases such as the 451 Research M&amp;A KnowledgeBase. Our research is organized into channels that align with the prevailing key issues driving digital transformation. These channels are: Applied Infrastructure &amp; DevOps; Cloud &amp; Managed Services Transformation; Customer Experience &amp; Commerce; Data, AI &amp; Analytics; Data Center Services &amp; Infrastructure; Fintech; Information Security; IoT, Edge &amp; Digital Industries; and Workforce Productivity &amp; Collaboration. For more information about 451 Research, please go to: spglobal.com/451research. Back to Top Further reading âBring your own powerâ is an option for those that cannot wait, November 2025 2026 US Data Centers and Energy Report, November 2025 What happened to the data center slowdowns? October 2025 The Nordics: Sweden Leased Data Center Market, October 2025 State-level data center policies, then and now: Part 1, the major markets, October 2025 India: Leased Data Center Market, October 2025 Asset-backed securities pave the way for a new data center financing model in Europe, September 2025 Air cooling remains prevalent, but liquid cooling is gaining momentum â Highlights from VotE: Datacenters, September 2025 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei datacenter market remains one of the largest globally, July 2025 Truths about how the power sector can (and cannot) respond to datacenter needs, April 2025 Back to Top Authors: Kelly Morgan , Perkins Liu, Mai Barakat, Brian Partridge, Filippo Bonanno, Matthew Richesin, Soon Chen Kang, Dan Thompson, Leika Kawasaki, Stefanie Williams Design: Content Design ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/podcasts/energycents/040226-return-of-thecrux-ob3-and-tax-credits</link><description>Co-founder and CEO of Crux, Alfred Johnson, returns to EnergyCents and hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to catch up on what has been happening in the US tax credit space since the introduction of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at the end of 2025. They discuss the uncertainties companies have faced at the end of 2025 and how things are moving forward into 2026. Find out more about Crux at:</description><title>Return Of The...Crux: OB3 And Tax Credits</title><pubDate>02 April 2026 10:17:28 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samantha Humphreys</name><name>Hill Vaden</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Carbon, Emissions April 02, 2026 Return Of The...Crux: OB3 And Tax Credits Featuring Samantha Humphreys and Hill Vaden HIGHLIGHTS Crux CEO discusses US tax credit changes One Big Beautiful Bill Act creates uncertainty Companies navigate 2025-2026 transition period Co-founder and CEO of Crux, Alfred Johnson, returns to EnergyCents and hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to catch up on what has been happening in the US tax credit space since the introduction of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at the end of 2025. They discuss the uncertainties companies have faced at the end of 2025 and how things are moving forward into 2026. Find out more about Crux at: https://www.cruxclimate.com Learn more about S&amp;P Global Energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en Also available on Apple Podcasts | Spotify US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/en/research-insights/podcasts/leaders/goldman-sachs-from-intern-to-international-co-ceo</link><description>Joe Cass sits down with Kunal Shah, Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs International &amp;amp; Global Co-Head of FICC, to unpack the surprising story behind becoming one of the firmâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99;s youngest-ever Managing Directors at 27â&amp;#x80;&amp;#x94;and what that experience taught him about performance, mentorship, and taking the right risks at the right time.</description><title>Goldman Sachs: From Intern To International Co-CEO</title><pubDate>01 April 2026 13:30:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Joseph Cass</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Leaders 1 April 2026 Goldman Sachs: From Intern To International Co-CEO By Joseph Cass Joe Cass sits down with Kunal Shah, Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs International &amp; Global Co-Head of FICC, to unpack the surprising story behind becoming one of the firmâs youngest-ever Managing Directors at 27âand what that experience taught him about performance, mentorship, and taking the right risks at the right time. View Full Transcript Joe Cass: [00:00:00] How did you become one of the youngest ever managing directors in the history of Goldman Sachs? At only, I think 27th. Kunal Shah: One day my then boss Guy Saidenberg came over on the trading floor, shook my hand and said, congratulations, you become your managing director. Joe Cass: Hmm. Kunal Shah: Of course the press loved it. If I look back, I think there were few things to probably help me. Now when that happens, you roll up your sleeves and you do it. Any LLM of your choice can give someone a nice market wrap. Joe Cass: Yeah. Kunal Shah: There's no edge in that anymore. What you mentioned around intuition to me is like a really key skill. Joe Cass: What do people frequently assume about working at Goldman Sachs? That just isn't true. How did you become one of the youngest ever managing directors in the history of Goldman Sachs that only, I think 27 years old. Kunal Shah: Okay, so you're going straight there. Joe Cass: Exactly. Kunal Shah: Look, you asked me a question about something that happened one other 15 years ago, so my memory is [00:01:00] probably a bit hazy. Look, I started at Goldman Sachs as an intern. As an analyst. I've been a lifer there. Now, look, I was young, I was quite junior. I was quite oblivious to this whole nominations process that happens around these types of promotions. We call it a Goldman Sachs cross roughing. At the time, I didn't even know I was in the mix until one day my then boss Guy Saidenberg came over on the trading floor. Shook my hand and said, congratulations, you become your managing director. So there was never a plan. I was very fortunate though, to have that, you know, acceleration early in my career. If I look back, I think there were a few things that probably helped me. I'd say number one, it's the culture of the place. Okay. As soon as I hit that trading floor as an intern, felt that intensity was quite addictive, right? But what I think was very true at Goldman Sachs then it has always been a place that is meritocratic. It's not about. How many gray hairs you have. It's not about who you know. It's been about what you bring. And that meant early on in my career, I could speak up, I [00:02:00] could express opinions. I had access to some of the very senior partners and the people like Ashok Varadhan, who I still work with to this day. I knew as an analyst and I felt empowered to be able to talk to him and tell him what I thought about the business or markets. And that helped me, of course, add value to the business, but get noticed and that helps. At a place like Goldman Sachs look, I'd say secondly. Just really having access to some phenomenal people at the start of my career. So my first boss was a legend, Driss Ben Brahim. He hired me when I was an intern. I joined him as a trader on the rates desk at the time. But very early on, he then took over what became our global macro proprietary trading group, and it was this mythical group of prop traders. Now this is obviously a different world pre-financial crisis, but Driss took me under his wing. He really invested time teaching me. And he had views and ideas across every different asset class imaginable. But he gave me a book. He gave me control of what he was thinking and doing, and that really helped me learn a lot [00:03:00] early on, and this wasn't your typical junior trader job because I was sitting there with a bunch of guys who were all in their forties and fifties. It was in some ways the ultimate retirement gig. But I was lucky to be there as an analyst and he really helped me. And look, I only worked with him in reality for four years out of my now 22 odd years at Goldman Sachs, but it was very formative. And he's still like a big brother mentor to me now. And then I'd say the third thing that helped with that career progression early on were just some choices I made and some risks I took earlier in my career. You know, as I mentioned, I ended up on a great desk early on. I was having fun. I was there on that prop desk from 2004 to 2007. But it was around that time when the firm was really thinking through, should we build a business in emerging markets? And from a fixed income context across the region in London, there wasn't much left in that space after the Russia default in the late nineties. But a few key people building that business up. And there was a point in 2007 where they asked me, look, do you wanna take this jump over to join the franchise side of [00:04:00] the business of Goldman Sachs? Not just on the proprietary side. Pretty much everyone I asked at the time said, why would you do that? You've already got this great gig. But I could have had this itch to actually join the business and not just be in this risk-taking market focus group that sat on the corner and look hit the ground running in 07. We had some ups and downs over the financial crisis, but three years later, in 2010, you know, we started to really build up a strong presence in emerging markets. And I think that's what ultimately really helped me, you know, reach that MD title quite earlier. Joe Cass: And did you notice any change kind of before and after? Receiving that. Was there a note or was it just another day? The day after was just another day. Kunal Shah: Look, for me, it was a surprise. I just kept my head down and kept working. Joe Cass: Hmm. Kunal Shah: Of course the press loved it. Joe Cass: I read the articles. Kunal Shah: There were a few of them. I tried to avoid all of that and stay low key and just focus on, you know, learning, growing the business and look for me. [00:05:00] Of course, it's nice to get that recognition, but again, what really sets you up to continue on that path? Is what you keep bringing day to day in the business there. Joe Cass: Yeah. What does a co-CEO of Goldman Sachs International do on a daily basis? How do you really allocate or decide to allocate your time? Kunal Shah: So I stepped into that role just over a year ago, alongside me, my co-CEOs, Anthony Gottman. Now together, both of us also still have global divisional jobs, so I'm also still a global head of our fixed income business. Anthony's a global head of our investment banking business, but together. Look, firstly, we are responsible for GSI, which is our global broker dealer, which is really responsible for a lot of our international markets activities, things like wealth management, but functionally sitting here in London. The two of us together are really driving the firm across the region. If I think about the EMEA region, we have almost 10,000 people operating around 29 different offices. So two of us are spending our time really thinking through our strategy for the broad business [00:06:00] in this time zone. So we're thinking through our global banking and markets business, our asset wealth management business, and how we can really position ourself to stay. We hope the preeminent financial services firm and keep growing also in a way that, you know, has one eye on growth, but also on the risk we're running and the controls around that. And to do that successfully. We also spend a lot of time really thinking about our culture and our people, right? Making sure that we have the best talent, making sure we're empowering them to also help drive us forward. And look, it pulls us in many different directions. So when we then balance that with our divisional jobs, where, look, markets are fixed income, they've always been in my blood since I started at Goldman Sachs. So look, we get pulled in various different directions. One of the key things is then how I manage my time. I wouldn't say that I have to think too much about which hat I'm, there's a lot of synergy between those two different roles. But we have to really think consciously about where we're present, where we're spending time, how we stay commercial. But of course, you know [00:07:00] when I got your nice invite to join this podcast, how could I say no, Joe Cass: I didn't pay you to say that either. If you could share anything more about your clients, the type of institutions you serve, and also what you are hearing from them at present. Kunal Shah: So my traditional client base will really the institutions on the market side, the hedge funds, the real money funds, more so now in my other role, I'm getting to know all the corporates. Yeah, all of our asset management clients. Also some of our ultra high net worth clients. So it's a broad mix. If I think about even the past 24 hours, yesterday was dinner with a credit hedge fund, CIO this morning was a couple of hundred commodity investors around their International Energy week. Tonight's dinner at the house of what could become a very significant IPO prospect. So it's a broad range of clients. I think the themes though, there's a lot of commonality. Joe Cass: Yeah. Kunal Shah: Okay. No doubt right now, a lot of discussion around geopolitics. Joe Cass: Mm-hmm. Kunal Shah: It's a changing new world order and what the people thinking through that in the lens of the markets and how to react to these constant headlines, be grappling with or [00:08:00] strategically for our investors or corporate client base, how they should navigate these shifting wins. That always comes up. The second thing is then just given the economic cycle, all of the stimulus from. The monetary policy side. The fiscal policy side, there's huge amount of liquidity in markets. But at a time when strong fundamentals are there across the time zones, market valuations are high. So a lot of discussion around actually where that marginal dollar should go. And then linked to that, just given some pockets of froth, what are the risks? What can turn these markets around? What are the blind spots they should be looking at? And that always then evolves into debate around. Financial assets versus non fiat markets. Crypto's not really working right now. Should they have more gold? It's hard to sit in a meeting, but that doesn't come up. And then of course, AI and technology, both from a market angle, but also how do we all embrace it? Joe Cass: Yeah, I, that's an interesting one. I mean, I'm sure you, we hear this all the time in terms of kind of the risks from [00:09:00] AI where, I mean, what kind of things are you, you being asked at these kind of, these dinners or these events around ai? Is it always the same type of question or is it kind of diverse? Kunal Shah: There's always a similar question linked to what's happening in markets and how much of the CapEx, for example, that we're seeing in the us. Joe Cass: Mm-hmm. Kunal Shah: And we naturally have a lens as Goldman Sachs, given our role on the financing side of some of these deals, how sustainable is it? Who the winners and losers will be. And that can always be a healthy debate. Joe Cass: Yeah. Kunal Shah: But I'd say what becomes more interesting than becomes a discussion of what are we, as Goldman Sachs actually doing with this technology and the applications that we are finding now. We're very focused on it. Of course. It's an early day in this experimentation for all of us. But if we look forward now at some of the things that we have been investing, we're starting to really see some practical applications we're excited about. So, you know, we love just sharing some of those thoughts. Joe Cass: That's interesting. So you're using them kind of internally. Do you have like a, a tool you're building? I mean most companies do, but do, how are you kind of exploring that? Kunal Shah: So we have what we call the GS AI assistant. That's now been rolled out across the [00:10:00] entire firm, and that really brings in some of the cutting edge LLM models in a compliant way within our own firewalls and controls. And that now just allows a low level experimentation across the entire firm, and we have to allow our people to experiment because we can't dictate everything top down. We need our people, especially those that are very tech savvy outside of the office, to come in and just find different ways of making their own jobs more productive or more efficient. Joe Cass: When it comes to something that isn't ai when it comes to building, you know, human relationships, whether that's with the clients or or otherwise, internally. What are some of the most important skills or traits you think you need to be successful? Kunal Shah: So I think there's some common themes, whether it's my teams and colleagues internally, or if it's clients. I think for me a very important one is being seen as someone that is trusted, transparent, and fair. And I think within the building of Goldman Sachs, it becomes increasingly important the more senior you become. 'cause you wanna make sure you're still approachable and people are coming to you [00:11:00] actually soliciting your view. And crucially actually giving you information unfiltered. And you're not just getting the sanitized version because you wanna really keep an ear to the ground of what clients want, what the risks in the business are, what the opportunities are, and not just get the sanitized version. So I think you have to have an approach where people trust that what they tell you will get listened to. Whether you agree or disagree. You can have an active debate, but you have to stay someone that's seen as fair. And I'd say the same set of skills are important on the outside. When I think about the relationships we build with that broad mix of clients we talked about. Particularly in our markets business, we made a really conscious pivot to become extremely client-centric in recent years. To build up that long-term partnership, you have to be seen as a trusted advisor that they wanna come to when they need that guidance and that they feel that they can open up to you. So I think that's important. I'd say the second thing when it comes to relationships is you have to lead with content. You need to be bringing something that is [00:12:00] differentiated. Now going back to your AI point, we're in a world where access to information is democratized. Any LLM of your choice can give someone a nice market wrap. Joe Cass: Yeah. Kunal Shah: There's no edge in that anymore, so you have to come with some unique insights, which for us can be anything from what we see through our lens across global markets and the deal flow or the flows and volumes that we're picking up in certain markets, but also to just the relationships we have and the conversations we may be in. That gives us more than just what may be there in those LMS and those models. So keep bringing Alpha, that's why people will come to you. That's why I hope my teams internally may still listen to me because they think I've got something to say. They should still hear out and our clients come to us when they really want guidance on whether it is the geopolitics or the uncertainty in markets. 'cause they think we're gonna say something that's differentiated. Joe Cass: Yeah. So to what extent are credit ratings from S&amp;P important for, you know, sovereign or corporate entities? To really successfully access this [00:13:00] international capital market? Kunal Shah: That's a good question. Look, when we think about capital markets, lemme talk about public markets 'cause that's a place where credit ratings are prerequisite and we can have a intellectual discussion around, do the credit agencies lead or lag markets, and which one of the big three is the one that leads the others. But look, as I've seen through my lens, particularly for the years when I was running my emerging markets business. Credit ratings have just been a fundamental prerequisite to tap international capital. And I think beyond just the reach it has in terms of bond issuance, it's also what I've seen it does at a sovereign level. So I'll give you an example. Take South Africa, it was a market that I traded for many years. There was a very active debate about sovereign ratings when it was starting to get downgraded from investment grade to sub investment grade. I think it was around 2017 when S&amp;P actually downgraded them first, and there was a multi-year period where the question was. Would the other main rating agencies follow and would, does composite rating become sub investment grade and if so, the passive benchmark indices, like the [00:14:00] WBE would lead to bond outflows. So sure. Our clients from the institutional side cared. What I found very interesting though, were the dialogues I would have with the then finance minister and also the president who would ask me about the impact to the rating agencies on their economy. And you could see that actually this external check and balance also fed through to their own policy when they thought about the fiscus. Now, ultimately those downgrades happened. It was a pandemic, which I think was the last straw on that. But we're now at a point where that's an economy that's turning around, and I think the ratings outlook is now positive and there's a path to regaining it back. So that was a perspective where I think the ratings were important, all sort of policy level on the ground in some of these countries. Look, there are similar analogies when you think about Southern Europe. We all lived through that European financial crisis. You've now really seen a resurgence of the likes of Greece, Portugal, Italy, which are really outpacing from growth side. They've been on upwards ratings trajectory, their spreads have been compressing or inside of the so-called historic, high rated core European countries, [00:15:00] and that's a place I think the market is rewarding. Again, that ratings trajectory improving. And the third example I'll give you is just a sheer scale of capital that can come when this works. There, I think from a sovereign perspective, the biggest one has really been the issuance coming from the Middle East of the past decade. Now, I was there a decade ago around that first KSA sovereign issuance when they came out with the high rating and started tapping again, international sovereign markets. It flew and it flew of course, because of the high rating, but because it started being compared not just to the typical emerging market issuers, but also the broad G 20 issuers. But then given the rating, people looking at that and saying, here's long duration in a high rated sovereign that's actually rated in line with some of these US tech companies, and I'm getting paid more. And I mean the books were much broader and more diversified. The rating definitely helped that, and we led the KSA deals and they came with the quasi sovereigns, the PIF Aramco, the Saudi banks. We're now talking about tens of billions of issuance. I think the ratings really helped catalyze. Joe Cass: Yeah, very [00:16:00] interesting. Would you be able to give an insiders view of maybe a typical day in the life on an EM trading desk at Goldman Sachs? Kunal Shah: Good question. Now, the good thing is there is no such thing as a typical day. And I think that's what's really kept me energized and motivated, you know, a couple of decades on. But the things though, which are always true, first thing, pick up your phone check do in, check your dollar, check S&amp;P futures, right? Just get a pass on what happened while you were trying to sleep. Of course, when you get on the trading desk, you're catching up with what happened overnight In Asia, that can be the rambi fix. If you wanna see what's the time for currency markets right now, it's look at the Japanese market. What's up, the JDB and the Nikkei, but there's always something that's happening in Asia time zone that can tell you maybe what's next to come in terms of client activity or risks through the EMEA session. I think the rest of the day it can be fluid, and I think it's also quite varied depending on what type of trader you are. Within a broad business like that, you know, we've got some traders with trading with a very systematic lens. Joe Cass: Mm-hmm. Kunal Shah: They're dealing [00:17:00] with order flow from clients that are coming through automated electronic channels. So for them that they can really be deep technical research. They're coding, they're tweaking algorithms. You've got others that we call the high touch traders, dealing with our clients where they are on chat or they're calling clients, sharing views, pricing, block liquidity, and the rest is then managing positions, keeping on top of the news flow, the benefit being in emerging markets. There's always a story, could be a headline, could be a crisis, but just being in that kind of environment, access to experts across the space, whether it's our strategists, our research teams, and just seeing those teams in action. Has always been fun, but it's varied. Joe Cass: Yeah. I mean it's, it is a, I always think it's very interesting to get kind of inside the head of a trader to understand more about the, kind of the psychological impact. I mean, I interviewed, uh, Andrew Balls, uh, a month ago, the Chief Investment Officer at PIMCO, and I, I said, um, on fixed income particularly, and I, we [00:18:00] talked about this and I said, you know, in terms of sleepless nights, Kunal Shah: Yep. Joe Cass: And stress, how, how's this kind of impacted you? Has that. Is that a feature? When you're a trader? Are you kind of always thinking about the morning or next positions, how you can react? Is that part of the game I guess? Kunal Shah: So I was actually with Andrew on Monday, so he's a good guy. Talk about this with what I would say, every single trader investor, including all my teams and people I've worked with, there is no cookie cutter model. Everyone approaches this differently though. Some of my teams and colleagues that are up multiple times a night. Checking their orders, checking markets. I've got others that sleep like a baby. Right. You know, for me personally, to keep the resilience to do this couple of decades in and to have that hunger every day to get at it, I do need to make sure I sleep well. And obviously we're all obsessed about tracking these things now with our apps. So I can tell you firsthand, I've got no trouble sleeping at night. Joe Cass: I've got my own. Kunal Shah: There you go. But the way I can do that is by really making sure I've got a great team that is up through the night, particularly those that are. Trading, you know, the late session in the US or through [00:19:00] early Asia hours, they can watch out for what's significant. So I know that it's in good hands. Joe Cass: Mm. Kunal Shah: I don't need to worry about it when I'm asleep. Typically, I can't change it anyway if I'm there. And it's very rare that there's something that's significant enough to have to do something in the middle of the night. Now when that happens, you roll up your sleeves and you do it. So Absolutely. When it was the Brexit night or the US elections mm-hmm. Jumped in the car and I was in the office at 1:00 AM Okay. But, you know, these are things that hopefully don't happen too frequently, but it's important to look after yourself because to do this and to be focused day in, day out, you know, I think sleep is a very important part of that recovery. Joe Cass: Yeah. You've got graduates coming into Goldman Sachs, knocking in the door, I'm guessing, uh, frequently. Trying, trying to break into, particularly on the trading site, is there something that's hard to teach? A young trader that's difficult to learn just from a model or from a screen? Is that kind of a intuition? Kunal Shah: So look, we get a fantastic crop of junior talent coming to the firm, and it's an increasingly [00:20:00] broad range of profiles that we get from a growing list of schools. But most of 'em come with academic excellence from what they've done over the years. And of course, we always look out for others who may excel, whether it's sports or other types of activities, but what you never really know is how they may perform. In a trading desk, right? And their just ability to think clearly, react under pressure, keep a level head. What you mentioned around intuition to me is like a really key skill. And of course you can look at someone's CV and see that they've got excellence, but really looking at that book smarts and that intuition is I think something that you can only really see in terms of how someone behaves. And in an environment like a training floor, that's different to maybe sitting there. You know, in a school or university, because that's why for us, we really like to have our talent spend time with us. You know, my own way of getting integrated with the firm was a 10 week internship where I could really get tested out and people could see not just what I knew about how I react to that next bit of information. And intuitively, what's my [00:21:00] play? They're asking me brain tease back then. So brain tease don't work because everyone now knows the answer or no one is gonna tell them it. To test it, Joe Cass: how many tennis balls can you fit in a Boeing seven fourty seven. Kunal Shah: There are all these classics. Okay. But we have to keep innovating in terms of how we test that new crop of talent on that intuition. But I think that is a key one. Look at then alongside that comes that resilience that I mentioned, and also the grit, right? Because there's always gonna be ups and downs in testing times, right? But you want someone that can really persevere, grow the business, be there for our clients, and keep a level ahead in the managing risk. Joe Cass: It's interesting, I've heard a couple of hedge funds who are starting to look at, graduates who come from a more arts background. Yeah. Um, kind of, kind of future proof. So did studies, drama, et cetera, which is, you know, when I was coming through, would've, would've never been an option. But it's interesting to see how there's like kind of diversity of your skills and your background is now almost embraced, um, in, in the modern kind of graduate, uh, [00:22:00] intake. Kunal Shah: Absolutely. I think historically people would say an economics or STEM background lends itself to finance. Look, there's important skills, but we really do try and think expansively. I was a mathematician. My wife's a classist. We have lots of debates around what's the right education for our kids. Look, it's a rapidly evolving world, right? But you know, I do think it's something to think through the education of the next generation of talent. It's gonna have to change and keep base with all of this. Joe Cass: What do people frequently assume about working at Goldman Sachs? That just isn't true. Kunal Shah: Good question. I should probably ask you what you assume, but I'd say, look, from my side. Goldman Sachs has a reputation for excellence. Okay? That's something that's always been there. It's in one of our core values and we have a lot of highly motivated, driven people. So there's almost an assumption often that people are gonna be aggressive and really trying to fight to be number one. And I think for me, one of those key things that I mentioned when I referenced culture earlier were just how collegiate the place is. Every company talks about teamwork [00:23:00] for Goldman Sachs. I really feel it. And I think some of this really comes down to the legacy of what we were, which was a private partnership. And that's been over 26 years since we've been a public company. But we've really fought hard to keep that collective partnership culture in what is now a much larger global firm. Look. I'm also one of the co-chairs of our partnership committee, so I'm very hands on with how we think through that culture piece. But I think that shared ownership of the senior levels of the firm, that interconnected. Nature across our different offices and businesses just means that our approach, whilst everyone is focused on how to remain at the front, it's done in a very team oriented way. We have our committees, we have our processes. We keep nimble, but we also gain a consensus, and I see it through my own roles over the years. In my global thick role, I've got two co-heads in my GS international role. I've got a co, CEO. Almost all of our leadership positions are done collectively. [00:24:00] And that's something which often people on the outside don't naturally assume. Joe Cass: Can you talk a bit about Empower? So what's the goal of this organization and also what are you doing within it? Kunal Shah: So Empower is an emerging markets foundation. I've been involved in it for quite some years. It's been going now for 25 years. It was set up by people like me that had actually come from the finance industry having traded or invested in emerging markets, and it was their way of giving back. Now the way Empower works is it operates in 15 different countries across the emerging world, and it tries to identify grantee partners on the ground in communities that can really help with the livelihoods of young people. My own involvement was through, some friends and colleagues that were involved invited me to dinner. I went, heard about it. It resonated. For me, part of that was because my own roots, okay, my parents grew up in East Africa. My heritage is Indian. So despite the fact I was born in bred London, there was always a desire to try and give back to where [00:25:00] my ancestors came from. And also having traded emerging markets for many years, there was also a desire to give back. So this was a fit, and it was great to actually see my peers in the industry. My clients also involved, so I got more involved. I joined the board. There was in a period just at the start of 2020 where they asked me to become the chair of the board here in the uk. Then the pandemic hit. So we had some fun few years really trying to help steer the organization through that time and pivot from those large gala dinners to ways of raising funds through these virtual channels, but also to help our grantee partners at a time of need, given all the stresses, particularly the emerging world. For me, it's been a fantastic way of actually doing something constructive with my colleagues in the industry. It's now a large global organization. Last year I became the chair of our leadership council. So it's one that I'm passionate about. You know, it's one where I support myself personally. It's got a fantastic team and they [00:26:00] really have impact. I think now over 25 years, they've affected their lives of over 1.1 million young people. So it's been a real passion of mine. Joe Cass: Fantastic. So a couple more questions may be a bit easier. So what are your favorite finance TV shows or, or movies? We've got industry, everyone seems to talk to me about industry recently. Mm. But then we've got the old school ones like Wall Street or Billions. Or is it just something else entirely? Or do you not watch this kind of stuff because it's your job? Kunal Shah: Look, when I was young growing up, of course I watched Wall Street. I watched the Boiler room. Okay. I didn't know much about finance. That was a glimpse into it. So of course it piqued your interest. I haven't re-watched them. I probably should. Let's see if I still think whether they're good or they're not. Look as for industry, I've seen it. I'm watching. I'm still working my way through the new series. Of course, you can see elements that reflect part of the reality of actually what we do in this industry. And then there's a whole lot that is totally dramatized, and I think increasingly so as they keep trying to [00:27:00] get one more season with a lot of typical cliches. Mainly the British Indian fixed income trader. Right. So that's probably where I think the similarities end. Right. So I think it's a bit of lighthearted viewing. Definitely not a fair, balanced reflection, I think of actually what happens. Joe Cass: Yeah, totally. Finally, if we imagine a world, you know, without finance, without Goldman Sachs, god forbid, what would your, you know, your dream pursuit or your dream career be in, you know, an alternative life? Kunal Shah: That's a good question. It's not one where I've ever had a great answer. I stumbled into this career, but I found that calling. So I hope I don't have to think about the alternative. If I look what my path could have been. Look, my parents were immigrants to this country and with that typical mentality, my mom wanted me to be a doctor. Joe Cass: Mm. Kunal Shah: I have a lot of respect for that profession. It's very noble and honorable. I don't think it was one for me. My dad wanted me to go into, at the time what he called IT now, one of my side hustles when I was young [00:28:00] was. Helping internet companies, and I was coding websites, and this was really into that peak of that.com boom. But I didn't go that route, right? I went and I studied maths, not computer science, and then ultimately found finance. Now, I felt good about that when the.com crash happened, and obviously that space was a bit more challenged, and now I look at that tech space and think, yeah, maybe that was a good alternative where I could have actually gone deeper in that space. Look, otherwise, I think it would've to be something totally left field and different. You know, I spent quite a few years and my friends know quite deep in a property renovation that just cascaded outta control. But spending time looking at those architects drawings and trying to micromanage parts of that project. I put up, you know, even maybe architecture could have been something that, uh, that I'd like to apply myself to. But you know, I'm very happy that I am, uh, in finance, Joe Cass: Unfortunately. I know the exact feeling you're talking about because I've done a couple in my time as well. But anyway, canal shut. Um, thank you so much for your time and thanks for joining us today. Kunal Shah: Joy's been a pleasure. ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/podcasts/energycents/040126-contracted-offtake-us-clean-energy-procurement-set-for-evolution-as-market-matures</link><description>Power Purchase Agreements, or PPAs, contractually guarantee revenues to power-generation projects for a fixed number of years and have underwriten the boom in renewable electricity development. The US tech sector dominated PPA activity in 2025 as it seeks to increase installed generation capacity in North America and maintains prior commitments to net-zero pledges. S&amp;amp;P Global Energy Experts Bruno</description><title>Contracted offtake: US clean energy procurement set for evolution as market matures</title><pubDate>01 April 2026 15:22:18 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samantha Humphreys</name><name>Hill Vaden</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Renewables April 01, 2026 Contracted offtake: US clean energy procurement set for evolution as market matures Featuring Samantha Humphreys and Hill Vaden HIGHLIGHTS Tech sector dominates US PPA activity in 2025 Initial PPA contracts begin rolling off soon Clean energy procurement market set to evolve Power Purchase Agreements, or PPAs, contractually guarantee revenues to power-generation projects for a fixed number of years and have underwriten the boom in renewable electricity development. The US tech sector dominated PPA activity in 2025 as it seeks to increase installed generation capacity in North America and maintains prior commitments to net-zero pledges. S&amp;P Global Energy Experts Bruno Brunetti and Francis Browne join hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss recent trends in clean energy procurement and why market participants should expect evolution as the initial wave of PPA contracts rolls off and corporate buyers consider future commitments. Learn more about S&amp;P Global Energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en Also on Apple Podcasts | Spotify US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/spains-solar-boom-some-producers-at-risk-utilities-protected-s101627699</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. The increasing penetration of solar energy in Spain is transforming the country&amp;apos;s electricity system. Rapid growth in solar production has led to excess electricity generation and low solar prices. S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings expects this trend to only intensify. Even if the Middle East war eases the downward pressure on Spanish solar capture prices in 2026, the market will remain fundamentally oversupplied. We anticipate low solar capture prices of close </description><title>Spain&amp;apos;s Solar Boom: Some Producers At Risk, Utilities Protected</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 16:58:15 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/blog/energy-transition/040126-et-highlights-low-carbon-feuel-energy-security-market-cement-decarbonization</link><description>Energy transition highlights: Our editors and analysts bring you the biggest stories from the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices.</description><title>ET Highlights: Low-carbon fuels for energy security, energy shock carbon market opportunity, EC sets cement decarbonization roadmap</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 20:05:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Staff </name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Renewables, Emissions, Carbon April 1, 2026 ET Highlights: Low-carbon fuels for energy security, energy shock carbon market opportunity, EC sets cement decarbonization roadmap Energy Transition Highlights: Our editors and analysts bring together the biggest stories in the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices. Top story CERAWEEK: In the case for clean resources, 'energy security' tops 'energy transition' Clean hydrogen and ammonia backers are making the case that alternative fuels can lower nations' reliance on imports of fuel from the Middle East, as public and private climate goals fall by the wayside. Green and blue hydrogen are still touted as lower-emission substitutes to conventional "gray" hydrogen -- used in fertilizer production and refining -- and fossil fuels. But the corporate climate case has largely been supplanted by the case for diversification, industry participants said at the CERAWeek by S&amp;P Global Energy conference in Houston. "Four or five years ago, it was a climate-driven conversation," Rik Sneep, senior vice president at Spain-headquartered integrated energy and chemicals company MOEVE, said during a March 25 panel. "I think it's now more of a security-driven conversation. But in the end, the target is the same." The war with Iran has added to the sense of urgency. "It's terrible what's going on in the world right now," Woodside Energy Group Vice President Rick Beuttel, head of the Australia-headquartered oil and natural gas producer's New Energy division, said on the sidelines of CERAWeek. "But it's a good time to bring in a new ammonia plant where the ammonia can get to market without having to pass through the Strait of Hormuz." Benchmark of the Week $29.19/allowance California carbon allowance prices on March 24, compared with $65.26/allowance in Washington state, where demand is outpacing supply. Explore Platts Energy Transition Price Assessments Editor's Picks: Free and premium content SPGlobal.com CERAWEEK: Energy system shock brings long-term opportunity for carbon markets Market-driven climate solutions will continue to advance as policymakers shift focus to geopolitical uncertainty, creating an opportunity for carbon markets to turn the Middle East war from a headwind into a tailwind, conference speakers said March 24. The major disruption to the global energy system from the war in the Middle East poses a significant challenge to global energy transition efforts, Dirk Forrister, CEO of the International Emissions Trading Association, said during a panel discussion at the CERAWeek by S&amp;P Global energy conference in Houston. INTERVIEW: Elengy sustains European LNG offerings, advances transition aims French LNG terminal operator Elengy anticipates its existing import infrastructure will remain key for the country over the coming years, even as the company positions itself to develop low-carbon energy system infrastructure, the company's chief strategy, sales and business development officer told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. Elengy plans to convert one terminal into a CO2 export and ammonia import facility. "We don't see any risk for the French gas supply," Christophe Thil said. EU, cement industry set roadmap to accelerate clean transition, cut CO2 The European Commission convened a high-level policy dialogue with cement producers and stakeholders to accelerate the sector's clean transition amid rising energy costs and direct process emissions, which account for over 60% of the industry's CO2 footprint, the EC said in a statement March 25. Europe's cement industry faces significant decarbonization challenges as it seeks to maintain competitiveness and meet net-zero targets, the EC said. S&amp;P Global Energy Core CERAWEEK: CEO says Ford must compete on low-cost EVs or it âwonât exist' Ford Motor Co. is restructuring its electric vehicle production from the ground up, a necessary step to compete with China, the worldâs dominant EV market, CEO Jim Farley said March 23. Chinaâs electric vehicle dominance poses an existential threat for manufacturers of gasoline-powered vehicles, Farley said during a panel discussion at the CERAWeek by S&amp;P Global energy conference in Houston. South Korea eyes local sourcing of clean hydrogen amid Middle East war South Korea is considering allowing only domestically produced hydrogen in its clean hydrogen power auction to reduce reliance on overseas energy suppliers, a climate and energy ministry official told Platts. The nationâs shift toward local sourcing of lowâcarbon hydrogen/ammonia would represent a significant shift in its strategy, which has so far signaled a need to import large-scale clean fuels to meet its net-zero target by 2050. The ministry is discussing a measure to ban imported hydrogen from joining the auction so as to boost the role of domestically produced hydrogen to cope with mounting concerns about global supply disruption. China's Sungrow Hydrogen ships PEM, alkaline electrolyzers to Oman, Italy, Brazil Chinaâs Sungrow Hydrogen has delivered alkaline and proton exchange membrane electrolyzers to clean hydrogen projects in Oman, Italy and Brazil, expanding its global presence in the renewable hydrogen equipment sector. The renewable energy technology company said it will continue to provide flexible solutions and work closely with global partners to scale up renewable hydrogen projects. Sungrow Hydrogen has executed complex utility-scale projects, supported by advanced in-house production management and automated electrolyzer assembly lines. ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/032626-ceraweek-executives-say-utilities-preparing-for-more-extreme-weather</link><description>US utilities are having to prepare for extreme weather in ways they&amp;apos;ve never thought of before, from more devastating wildfires in the West to increased flooding and more hurricanes in the Southeast, executives said March 26. At the same time, utilities are also facing the challenge of meeting increased electrification and rapid demand on the electrical system while keeping power reliable and</description><title>CERAWEEK: Executives say utilities preparing for more-extreme weather</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 19:12:46 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Kassia Micek</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Emissions March 26, 2026 CERAWEEK: Executives say utilities preparing for more-extreme weather By Kassia Micek Editor: Richard Rubin Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS 100-year events now repeat more frequently California to see 20% more impact from wildfires US utilities are having to prepare for extreme weather in ways they've never thought of before, from more devastating wildfires in the West to increased flooding and more hurricanes in the Southeast, executives said March 26. At the same time, utilities are also facing the challenge of meeting increased electrification and rapid demand on the electrical system while keeping power reliable and affordable, executives said during the CERAWeek by S&amp;P Global energy conference in Houston. "We have to think about extreme weather in ways we've never thought about it before," said Chris Womack, Southern Company chairman, president and CEO. "We need to make sure we are getting ahead of it and be prepared for the most extreme conditions." The country needs to accept that there are conditions that are causing more extreme weather, Womack said. The term 100-year events is often used, but Womack said if "100-year" events keep repeating again and again they're not 100-year events. "We have to make sure we are looking a little bit deeper and understanding how extreme this can be and no matter what scenario plays out, making sure we are prepared for it so we can respond and restore service and also defend service as best as we can for all of our customers," Womack said. "We've got to prepare for some conditions that we've never prepared for in the past. Things will be more extreme than we expected." California wildfires Wildfires are the extreme weather issue that has hit California the hardest, Edison International President and CEO Pedro Pizarro said. "We done a lot to harden the grid and decrease the probability of a catastrophic event happening, but we know that risk will never be zero," Pizarro said. Two major fires erupted in Los Angeles in January 2025. "It's likely that Edison's equipment could be found [responsible] of that ignition," Pizarro said about one of the fires. "That coincided with 100-mph winds, ground and aerial firefighters, insufficient water resources, gas continued to flow after the ignition, so a number of things that came together for a heart-breaking catastrophe." Edison has replaced 7,000 miles of bare wire with insulated wire, he said about hardening the grid. "We know a lot more is coming," Pizarro said about extreme weather and wildfires. "We know that by 2050, California will see 20% more impact from wildfires." Utilities have a responsibility to prepare, but it needs to be a partnership with communities, so decisions are made in correlation to community actions, he added. "We're going to see the average sea level rise, which means the storm surge will be even worse," Pizarro said. "We're going to see much more extreme heat. We're going to see more floods and more droughts. We need to be prepared for that now." US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/ceraweek-sheds-light-on-six-energy-infrastructure-trends-s101677716</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Between March 23 and March 27, 2026, more than 10,000 energy executives and policymakers from over 80 countries discussed geopolitics, AI, electrification, and the increasing tension between policy ambition and real-world constraints. The message was clear: Despite uncertainty, investment needs in energy infrastructure will continue to rise to meet increasing energy demand, ensure security of supply, and strengthen system resilience. We identified</description><title>CERAWeek Sheds Light On Six Energy Infrastructure Trends</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 16:09:11 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/executive-comment-sector-update-insights-from-power-sector-ceos-at-ceraweek-s101677919</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. More than 10,000 energy executives and policymakers from over 80 countries attended the 2026 CERAWeek conference to discuss geopolitics, AI, electrification, and the increasing convergence and tension between policy ambitions and real-world constraints. In this commentary, we present power sector CEO insights. For our views on the broader themes at the conference, please see â&amp;#x80;&amp;#x9c; CERAWeek Sheds Light On Six Energy Infrastructure Trends ,â&amp;#x80;&amp;#x9d; publish</description><title>Executive Comment: Sector Update: Insights From Power Sector CEOs At CERAWeek</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 19:46:06 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/credit-cycle-indicator-q2-2026-the-middle-east-war-could-accelerate-credit-deterioration-s101677494</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings&amp;apos; Credit Cycle Indicators (CCIs) monitor buildups and corrections in leverage and asset prices over the medium term, as well as financing conditions. They do not directly capture or predict shifts in government policies, geopolitics, or trade, which are heightened risk factors in the global economy today. Nevertheless, we use these tools to gauge developments and turning points in the credit cycle as part of our holistic analysis</description><title>Credit Cycle Indicator Q2 2026: The Middle East War Could Accelerate Credit Deterioration</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 09:23:53 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/blog/crude-oil/033126-ctracker-crude-asia-aluminum-soybean-lng-saf-renewable-diesel-brazil-china</link><description>Asian refiners shift to US crude amid war in the Middle East, while aluminum costs in Japan rise on production constraints. Meanwhile, Brazil solidifies its position as the dominant soybean producer amid US-China trade tensions.</description><title>COMMODITY TRACKER: 5 charts to watch this week</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 12:39:52 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Staff </name></author><content><![CDATA[ Crude Oil, Maritime &amp; Shipping, Refined Products, Agriculture, Energy Transition, Dry Freight, LPG, Biofuels, Renewables March 31, 2026 COMMODITY TRACKER: 5 charts to watch this week By Staff Editor: Roma Arora Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Asian refiners shift to US crude amid war in the Middle East, while aluminum costs in Japan rise on production constraints. Meanwhile, Brazil solidifies its position as the dominant soybean producer amid US-China trade tensions. 1. US crude premiums rise amid Middle East war What's happening? Asian refiners are significantly increasing WTI Midland crude imports to compensate for reduced Middle Eastern cargo deliveries, driving spot premiums higher. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, assessed WTI Midland on a CFR Asia basis at an average premium of $16.30/b to second-line Dubai crude swaps in March, up from $7.20/b in February and $6.20/b in January. Taiwan's CPC purchased two VLCCs for June delivery at premiums exceeding $12/b to Platts Dated Brent, while a South Korean refiner secured a cargo at approximately $16/b to Platts front-month Dubai. South Korea's February US crude imports rose 29% year over year to 15.9 million barrels, according to state-run Korea National Oil Corp., data released March 27. What's next? US upstream producers, particularly shale operators, are expected to benefit substantially from higher prices and premiums. SK Innovation estimates $5 billion in additional revenue for US producers in March as prices rose approximately 47%, according to the company's chief research analyst Choi Joon-young in the March market analysis report. Higher US production incentives may increase Atlantic Basin exports over time, potentially offsetting Middle East supply risks, Choi said. South Korea took 174.9 million barrels from the US in 2025, while India imported 116.4 million barrels and Taiwan purchased 84.8 million barrels, positioning the US as a critical alternative supplier. 2. Japan aluminum premiums surge on Middle East conflict What's happening? Platts assessed second-quarter premiums for imported primary aluminum to Japan at $350-$353/mt plus London Metal Exchange cash, CIF main Japanese ports, on March 26, representing a 79.5%-81% surge from Q1's $195/mt. The assessment, based on nine trades between March 13-25, reflects the highest quarterly premiums in a decade. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have tightened global aluminum supply, with the Gulf Cooperation Council--the world's third-largest primary aluminum producer, accounting for 8.3% of global output-- experiencing production disruptions. Qatar's Qatalum operates at 60% of capacity, Aluminium Bahrain shut three production lines representing 19% of capacity, and South32 idled its Mozal smelter in Mozambique due to power constraints. What's next? Supply tightness is expected to persist as concerns mount about the security of Middle Eastern facilities and export capabilities during the conflict. Karen Norton, associate director at S&amp;P Global Energy, noted that shipment delays are inevitable due to longer shipping routes. A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger additional production cuts or shutdowns due to failures in alumina deliveries. Idled production could take 3 months to 1 year to resume, according to market participants. Japanese market participants anticipate restocking activity beginning in Q2 amid the fiscal year start, potentially depleting main port stocks currently at 302,300 mt--the lowest since November 2024. Buyers may increasingly accept Indian and Indonesian-origin aluminum as alternatives to preferred Western brands, as per Japanese market participants. 3. Brazil dominates global soybean market amid tensions What's happening? Brazil is cementing its status as the leading global soybean player with record production and export shares. The 2025-26 harvest enters its final stages as trade tensions between the US, the world's second-largest exporter, and China, the largest global buyer, intensify. S&amp;P Global Energy CERA analysts project Brazil will produce a historic 182 million metric tons of soybeans in 2025-26, accounting for 42.2% of global output, a record share. Ten years ago, Brazil's share was 30.3%. What's next? Brazil's dominance is reshaping the global soybean market and commodity prices. The correlation between Brazilian and US soybean prices has steadily decreased, reaching its lowest level in 2025 amid the US-China tariff dispute. On March 24, Platts assessed Brazilian soybeans FOB Santos for May shipment at $431.39/mt, up 6.5% year over year. US soybeans FOB New Orleans for May loading were valued at $456.72/mt, up 13.8% year over year. Related article: Brazil sets new records as global soybean leader amid US-China trade tensions 4. LNG bunker fuel gains price edge over marine fuels What's happening? LNG bunker fuel in Asia has become more cost-competitive than conventional marine fuels, prompting shipowners with dual-fuel capability to consider switching. Singapore-delivered LNG bunker prices have been lower than delivered marine fuel 0.5% bunker prices on a unit basis over the past 12 Asian trading sessions, according to Platts data. On March 24, Platts assessed Singapore-delivered LNG bunker at $20.836/GJ compared with $21.22/GJ for Singapore-delivered marine fuel 0.5% bunker, implying a $0.38/GJ discount for LNG. The spread first flipped to a discount on March 9, reaching a record $8.49/GJ discount on March 12. What's next? LNG's price advantage over low-sulfur fuel oil is expected to narrow soon as Singapore market participants offer LSFO more competitively amid tepid demand. However, LNG's advantage over low-sulfur marine gas oil is expected to persist longer due to tightness in LSMGO ex-wharf cargo supply. Ships with dual-fuel LNG technology account for 7.8% of total tonnage in operation while representing 36.8% in the order book, according to DNV Energy Transition Outlook 2025. In February, 14 of 17 new alternative-fueled ship orders were for LNG-fueled vessels. 5. European RD-SAF spread narrows as China boosts imports What's happening? Chinese renewable diesel exports jumped over 200% in February, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on March 20. Nearly all volumes arrived into the Netherlands and Belgium as stronger European prices created attractive arbitrage opportunities. Competitive pricing for Chinese RD, even amid anti-dumping duties, has supported the surge, with European demand bolstered by RED II legislation and broader end-use flexibility compared with sustainable aviation fuel. Chinese SAF exports fell sharply, down nearly 74%, largely due to a weaker immediate focus on SAF markets. What's next? RD exports to Europe are likely to remain strong if pricing and geopolitical volatility persist. SAF supply may tighten if reduced Chinese flows continue, but most market participants expect limited disruption, with alternative supply sources and softer aviation demand likely to offset any shortfall. The narrowing RD-SAF spread reflects fundamental support for RD prices, encouraging imports from China into Europe. Reporting and analysis by Philip Vahn, Leon Wong, Charles Lee, Louissa Liau, Joao Queiroz Cezar Pessoa, Jose Roberto Gomes, Gwen Teo, Yue Wang, Daniel Workman and Olly Wroe. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/austrian-electricity-and-gas-preliminary-regulatory-advantage-assessment-strong-s101670252</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Table 1 Austrian electricity and gas network operators Regulator E-Control Key players Electricity TSOs Austrian Power Grid AG, fully owned by Verbund AG, is the main nationwide TSO operating 7,000 kilometers (km) of lines and covering eight of the nine federal states including Tyrol. Vorarlberger Ã&amp;#x9c;bertragungsnetz GmbH operates an electricity and gas transmission network in the westernmost state of Vorarlberg. Gas TSOs Gas Connect Austria GmbH (G</description><title>Austrian Electricity And Gas Preliminary Regulatory Advantage Assessment: Strong</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 13:46:08 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/special-reports/energy-transition/horizons-top-cleantech-trends-2026</link><description>Discover 2026â&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99;s top energy trends: AI-driven power demand, Chinaâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x99;s cleantech dominance, grid modernization needs, and the future of global carbon accounting.</description><title>Horizons Top Trends 2026</title><pubDate>09 December 2025 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate><content><![CDATA[ S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons Top Trends 2026 AI growth and geoeconomic shifts in cleantech markets confirm that energy expansion and sustainability are linked imperatives Let's Talk Want to turn uncertainty into opportunity across energy expansion and sustainability? Contact us. Contact Sales On this page AI growth Solar Grids PPAs China's H2 SAF EV sales Carbon Geopolitics Adaptation On this page AI growth Solar Grids PPAs China's H2 SAF EV sales Carbon Geopolitics Adaptation Introduction Download report Profound geopolitical shifts and strategic repositioning in complex, interconnected energy and sustainability ecosystems will shape energy markets in 2026. The US is charting its own course, driven by rapid AI growth and evolving energy priorities. Europe is working to reconcile diverse objectives, while China consolidates its cleantech leadership and seeks to draw global markets closer. AIâs explosive power demand is testing grid limits, revenue models and sustainability goals. The pace of progress will depend on unlocking new capacity and flexibility, with grid modernization a key constraint on energy security and competitiveness. Geopolitical alignment is reshaping the trajectories of renewables, hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), electric vehicles and climate policy, with supply chain and carbon accounting battles intensifying. Chinaâs dominance in clean energy supply and technology is growing, while Europe and the US navigate policy swings and market volatility. Mounting physical and financial climate risks are turning adaptation from optional to essential. The interplay of these trends â AI-driven demand, grid bottlenecks, evolving procurement strategies, scaling technologies for hard-to-abate sectors, disjointed carbon rules, rising costs of climate risk and the urgent need for resilience â highlights how energy expansion and sustainability are not parallel ambitions, but intertwined imperatives shaping the global energy future. Back to Top Upcoming Horizons Top Trends Webinar: AI Growth and Geopolitical Shifts Reshape Global Energy Markets Register Now AI growth tests Download report As AI uptake soars in 2026, energy supply and sustainability commitments face a breaking point Access to sufficient energy is a critical enabler of a transition to an economy supercharged by AI. Energy may be the gating factor that will determine countriesâ speed of progress and, by extension, their geoeconomic competitiveness. S&amp;P Global Energyâs high-growth view shows global data center power demand increasing 17% to 2026 and 14% per year through 2030, reaching potential demand of over 2,200 TWh , roughly equivalent to Indiaâs current total electricity consumption. $500B Spending on US data centers nears $500 billion in 2026 Projected global data center power demand vs. total generation (TWh) Source: S&amp;P Global Energy; 451 Research 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Data center demand (low end) Demand Data center demand (high end) 31,854 32,977 34,103 35,055 35,935 1,388 1,003 1,618 1,168 1,832 1,322 2,030 1,464 2,192 1,580 As of September 2025. Although uncertainties around the magnitude of growth are considerable, expansion at this rate â or anything approaching it â will reverberate across the economy, influencing infrastructure planning, investment flows and national policy, as well as raising environmental concerns. The year 2026 will increasingly shine a spotlight on whether the industry can maintain rapid growth while balancing the sustainability side of the equation. Economics and speed to market will remain key determinants of data center power supply choice, particularly where there are options in supply, and those two top priorities will not always align with sustainability goals. Data center sustainability commitments vary significantly, and net-zero ambitions are not a given. Data from the 2024 S&amp;P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) shows that 38% of assessed companies with data center operations lack a net-zero commitment. Major tech firms have made net-zero commitments, including companies leading the AI charge such as Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. However, meeting those commitments is getting harder, as is being acknowledged in the most recent company sustainability reports. Data center companies have been leading clean power procurement efforts to meet their power needs and climate ambitions, and we look for these to continue, although the pace of new near-term power purchase agreement uptake has been slowing. In 2026, we could see the start of revisions to existing targets and some fracturing of policies by key players and regions. Back to Top Solar growth peaks Download report Solar peaks (for now): First annual slowdown in renewables additions in 2026 The end of 2025 will mark a high point for renewables installations. By this time, the global solar market will have reached an extraordinary milestone, with installations surpassing 500 GW AC â an achievement unimaginable when the industry was in single-digit gigawatts just over a decade ago. This surge has been driven largely by China, which accounts for more than half of global additions. Our analysts now forecast that Chinaâs annual additions will fall from approximately 300 GW in 2025 to about 200 GW in 2026, a decline so steep that no other region will be able to compensate. A major policy shift in mid-2025 â from guaranteed pricing to competitive bidding â triggered a dramatic slowdown after an initial rush of installations. This led to a sharp drop in Chinese volumes in the second half of the year, creating intense price pressure and ultra-thin margins across the supply chain. 10% decline For the first time ever, global solar additions are expected to decline year over year, albeit by less than 10%. This anticipated contraction marks a turning point. For the first time ever, global solar additions are expected to decline year over year, albeit by less than 10%. While this signals the end of uninterrupted growth, it does not imply stagnation. Over the next five years, cumulative photovoltaic capacity will still double, supported by emerging markets, diversification into storage and innovation in operations and maintenance. The industry faces a new dynamic â growth without the guarantee of ever-increasing annual volumes â forcing consolidation and strategic shifts. But low module prices and solarâs inherent scalability will continue to unlock new markets. Such a prediction comes with caution. Analysts have systematically under-called the solar market for many years. Policy changes can alter the outlook significantly and suddenly, and market elasticity continues to surprise. Whether the market declines or not, what is significant is our arrival at the point where we can start talking about a peak in global demand growth. Back to Top Grid infrastructure key Download report Grid modernization becomes a key constraint in energy security, transition and competitiveness In 2026, grid infrastructure moves center stage. For decades, grid investment has lagged the pace of energy decarbonization and energy innovation across many markets. This underinvestment has now become a critical bottleneck. As the world races to address expanding energy needs â electrification, decarbonization and digitalization â the grid must evolve or risk becoming the weakest link in power systems. Power sector decarbonization in the EU â where 40% of EU grids are over 40 years old and built for a fossil fuel era â requires increasing investment in grid infrastructure to improve reliability and reduce dependence on gas. The European Commission estimates that â¬584 billion in grid capital expenditure is needed by 2030, rising to â¬1.2 trillion by 2040. Yet, permitting delays â averaging 12 to 17 years for new transmission lines â and the lack of dedicated investment vehicles make upgrading existing mid- and high-voltage infrastructure a more viable near-term solution. The US faces its own grid challenges. Explosive data center growth and power needs, driven by AI and cloud computing, are straining local and obsolete grids. Without urgent investment and smarter planning, the US risks a capacity crunch and even grid instability. Across the industry, calls are mounting â from hyperscalers to utilities and policymakers â to tackle structural roadblocks to power infrastructure buildout. Proposals range from expanding tax credits to streamlining permitting and accelerating component manufacturing, signaling a shared recognition that grid modernization is now a national competitiveness issue. The grid is no longer just enabling infrastructure. It is critical infrastructure. For policymakers, utilities and investors, the message is clear: The energy expansion required to satisfy AI-driven demand growth will only move as fast as the grid allows. The energy expansion required to satisfy AI-driven demand growth will only move as fast as the grid allows. Back to Top Hybrid PPAs rise Download report Flexible PPAs become the new standard as price volatility reshapes risk management Increasing renewable capacity â especially solar PV â is leading to more zero- and negatively priced settlements in wholesale markets. This volatility is forcing a rethink in commercial structures: The market is moving from plain PPAs to flexibility-backed hedges, with hybrid PPAs combining multiple technologies and storage, to manage risk and monetize flexibility. For now, the market is in a âbrainstormingâ phase: Utilities and energy companies are early adopters of structured and flexibility products, while corporates and renewable developers are still catching up and often rely on simpler structures with less-nuanced risk allocation. A shift toward shorter contract terms and stronger downside protections could follow as capture rates deteriorate. Extreme price swings are most visible in Europe, where Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, reports that PPA price indexes in Spain and Germany remain well below solar PV cost-based levels. Platts also notes wide spreads between buyer and seller expectations, reflecting changing perspectives amid rising risks of declining capture ratios and increasing zero and negative prices. Meanwhile, standalone and co-located battery energy storage systems (BESS) deals are rising, with strong growth underpinned by additions expected through 2026 in the US (Texas, California ), Europe (Germany, UK) and Australia. The US will be installing almost 15 GW of new BESS capacity in 2026, with Germany and Australia following with 5 GW, and the UK with 3 GW. In an environment of slowing sustainability commitments and uncertainties tied to greenhouse gas Scope 2 protocol guidance revisions, we are seeing fewer announced clean energy procurements, with S&amp;P Global Energyâs Corporate Renewables Contracts database showing that global corporate PPA activity has slowed. After a strong start to the year, third-quarter 2025 activity has touched a multiyear low across the globe, with only 9.5 GW in announced deals, compared with 13.9 GW in third quarter 2024. However, data centers have continued to procure clean power at the same level as in 2024, with 27 GW of PPAs announced through October 2025, accounting for over 43% of the total PPAs, compared with 36% in 2024. They remain the largest PPA offtakers globally in 2025, a trend expected to continue. Back to Top Chinaâs green H2 Download report As the rest of the world slows down, China gets serious about green hydrogen Hydrogen has been presented as the leading âgreen moleculeâ needed to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. However, even as global uptake has fallen short of ambitious expectations, China has emerged as the global leader in electrolytic (âgreenâ) hydrogen, with domestic deployment and exports set to grow exponentially in 2026. Green hydrogen is central to Chinaâs plan to dominate clean energy supply chains, mirroring its approach in solar and batteries. Policy support (including mentions in the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans), regulatory changes and supply-side engineering have laid the foundation for rapid growth. This began to materialize in 2025: Chinese projects will install about 1.5 GW of electrolyzers in the year, nearly doubling the 1.7 GW total installed globally at the end of 2024. Almost 10 GW is under construction, and deployment is projected to reach 4.5 GW in 2026 and 6.9 GW in 2027, expanding global electrolysis capacity eightfold in just three years. Companies have piled in, creating over 50 GW per year of stated manufacturing capacity. Oversupply is driving fierce competition and steep price declines: Electrolyzer stack prices have plunged from $250/kW in early 2024 to under $100/kW, with similar system cost reductions. Chinese suppliers are also ramping up exports, with projects in Central Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East procuring Chinese equipment over the past 18 months. Chinese firms aim to export energy as well as technology. At least two green ammonia plants have received EU renewable fuels of nonbiological origin (RFNBO) certification, paving the way for clean molecule exports. Price indications suggest Chinese players will sell at about $600per metric ton of ammonia FOB â about double the gray ammonia but competitive in Europeâs tight market. Prices should fall as first-of-a-kind challenges ease. Renewables oversupply creates pressure on power sector margins and utilization. Green hydrogen offers a strategic outlet: Converting excess electricity into molecules enables China to âmove electronsâ from northern provinces to other markets. To support this, China is investing heavily in hydrogen pipelines and port facilities for ammonia and methanol exports. The global hydrogen revolution has, so far, not materialized. But it is clearly emerging in the worldâs largest consumer of energy. In 2026 and beyond, one question looms: Will China export technology, molecules or both? Back to Top SAF grows up Download report Global SAF capacity expands by one third in 2026; Asia leads, Europe pays Horizons data show aviation accounts for about 3% of global energy-related CO2 emissions . Air travel has rebounded strongly after the COVID-19 dip, and continued growth is projected. Many airlines have pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions, and current decarbonization efforts focus on reducing the carbon intensity of existing fuels, scaling up use of SAF, enhancing aircraft efficiency and utilizing carbon offsets. SAF growth will continue in 2026, but the pace slows. Global dedicated SAF capacity is expected to rise by about one third to 8 MMt; a strong increase but below the near-doubling seen annually from 2022 to 2025. The SAF market is still very small, at less than 0.5% of global jet fuel consumption. 3% in 2025 S&amp;P Global Energy data show aviation accounted for about 3% of global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2025. The industry is responding to trends in SAF consumption, which has surged since the start of the decade. The year 2025 was particularly strong, with SAF mandates introduced in the EU and the UK boosting demand. S&amp;P Global Energy estimates that SAF consumption more than doubled in 2025 to reach 2 million metric tons (MMt). In contrast, growth in 2026 will be less pronounced as EU targets remain unchanged and policy shifts in the US make SAF production less attractive. Investments are accelerating in Asia, where producers benefit from lower production costs and abundant feedstock supplies, particularly used cooking oil (UCO). More than half of global SAF capacity will be concentrated in Asia in 2026, even though regional demand remains modest. Asian producers are targeting the European market, which is forecast to face a supply shortfall and where willingness to pay is high. Beyond 2026, investments in SAF plants could accelerate sharply, with capacity potentially increasing eightfold to 42 MMt by 2030 if all announced projects materialize. Most projects are in North America (15.8 MMt), Asia (13.4 MMt) and Europe (7.2 MMt). However, only 7.3 MMt of capacity has reached a final investment decision, leaving 28.5 MMt still awaiting approval. Today, SAF is produced mainly via the commercially mature and cost-effective hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) pathway. One third of announced projects by 2030 plan to use newer technologies such as alcohol-to-jet (ATJ), gasification + Fischer-Tropsch (FT), methanol-to-jet (MTJ) and others. These face structural headwinds: technical challenges with integrating early-stage processes, high capital expenditure and production costs, reliable feedstock supply chains, and demand and price uncertainty. Overcoming these hurdles will be key to scaling up capacity if SAF is to remain a critical lever for decarbonizing aviation. Back to Top Global EV sales surge Download report China shows that EVs can be price-competitive with conventional ICE vehicles Global EV sales appear set to climb further in 2026. Yet, as in years past, adoption rates are likely to be uneven among key markets. An examination of world EV adoption begins and ends with China. Owing to the large size of Chinaâs vehicle market and its relatively large EV share, about two out of every three light EVs sold globally in 2025 are estimated to have been sold in China. Further, China is increasingly âexportingâ EV price deflation to the rest of the world. In 2025, China accounted for nearly two-thirds of global light EV sales. China appears on track for the full-year 2025 to become the first major âEV majorityâ new sales market globally â with battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) representing about 50% of new light vehicle (LV) sales in the first three quarters of the year. This is because EVs in China have, generally speaking, reached price parity with conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, spurred by intense competition among automakers and suppliers. With EVs price-competitive with conventional ICE vehicles, Chinaâs EV share is set to keep rising in the years ahead as public chargers become more ubiquitous â and faster â reducing the âcost of inconvenienceâ of driving an EV. In Europe, after two years of stagnation, the EV market is showing signs of life in 2025. A key reason is a step-up in the stringency of EU CO2 standards. Automakers in Europe have brought new EV models to market and offered discounts to consumers to help meet the tighter standards. Looking ahead, the prospect of tighter EU CO2 regulations in 2030 and 2035 â even if potentially looser than what is currently in place â together with intensifying competition from Chinese automakers, is likely to spur the regionâs current market leaders to develop and price competitively new BEV models, supporting EV adoption. As for the US, in 2025, domestic EV policy once again swung sharply, with the federal government undoing support for EVs â both âcarrotsâ and âsticks.â The year 2026 will be the first in the modern EV era in which federal EV tax credits are not available to US consumers. The US auto industry is now undergoing a test of the strength of âorganicâ consumer demand. One trend that bears watching is how automakers position their EVs in a post-subsidy world as they move beyond the early adopter market. The rest of the world is a diverse grouping, and thus EV adoption will vary widely from market to market. A common variable, though, will be the extent to which policy constrains imports of Chinese EVs and localized production, with more open markets experiencing a tailwind. Recent analysis by S&amp;P Global Energy suggested that Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mexico, Nigeria and Malaysia are among the emerging market economies relatively ripe for the adoption of Chinese EVs. Back to Top Aligning carbon standards Download report Global trade and climate policy is increasingly focused on harmonizing emissions reporting What are GHG emissions? When it comes to corporate reporting, the definition can and often does differ. Early efforts to standardize emissions reporting were designed to be flexible so that they could apply across sectors. This intentional flexibility, however, has resulted in differences in how emissions are quantified and reported, limiting its utility. There is growing consensus that inconsistencies in product-level carbon accounting need to be addressed, and harmonization is a prerequisite for the market to differentiate products based on carbon intensity. The Sustainable Business COP, which was launched ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), featured carbon accounting as a key issue, with a new industry association, Carbon Measures, looking to accelerate the rollout of more robust product-level carbon accounting. Meanwhile, major revisions are being proposed for the worldâs leading emissions accounting standard â the GHG Protocol â to align reporting with current market realities. Changes in Scope 2 treatment can have wide-ranging implications for corporate choices to address power emissions. In 2026, carbon accounting is expected to heat up as a high-profile topic. Potential proliferation of regulations like the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) require companies to report different emissions to different regulators, complicating trade. The CBAM will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, requiring accountability for the carbon intensity of goods imported into Europe, even as key policy elements will only be finalized at the 11th hour. Key countries around the world are introducing their own emissions pricing systems, which would lessen the impact. Among key policy questions is: Will the EU introduce export rebates to reimburse carbon costs for EU products to boost their competitiveness on global markets? Some of the EUâs major trading partners pushed back on CBAM at COP30. Criticism made it into the final COP Presidency report, promising more debate to come. Back to Top Energy geopolitics evolve Download report China leverages global clean energy leadership as US influence wanes The strategic energy divide between China and the US will widen in 2026. China has consolidated its leadership in clean energy technologies and supply chains, reinforcing its influence through state-led industrial policy and active climate diplomacy. Chinaâs cleantech overcapacity and weakening domestic demand make the export of cleantech products an economic imperative and a tool for geopolitical power projection. The US, meanwhile, is prioritizing fossil fuel exports. However, this approach depends on stable trade relationships at a time when tariff measures and shifting trade policies add complexity to global energy markets. These dynamics may influence how emerging economies weigh their options between fossil fuels and clean technologies. Chinaâs offering aligns more closely with long-term climate strategies, even as export controls on rare earth elements highlight supply chain vulnerabilities. 30% increase in cleantech spending over the next five years, with most of it moving East. Global financial flows in the energy sector reflect this trend. Spending in cleantech grows by nearly 30% over the next five years, while upstream spending remains roughly constant in real terms. The majority of new spending is moving East. Washington is adopting a more interventionist industrial strategy. Expect greater government involvement through equity stakes, price floors for critical minerals and targeted support for technologies such as nuclear and advanced geothermal. This marks a significant shift from the USâ historic model of funding early-stage innovation and letting markets pick winners and losers. A more interventionist approach provides clear signals for private capital as to which sectors and companies are favored. However, it also introduces new questions about competitive dynamics and the conditions for government backing. Meanwhile, surging AI-driven electricity demand is accelerating an energy expansion mindset, echoing Chinaâs decades-long linkage of energy policy with national security. Diplomatically, the contrast remains sharp. China continues to position itself as an active participant in climate negotiations, building on its role since the Paris Agreement and having recently released new emissions targets. The U.S., by comparison, has taken a more selective approachâskipping COP30 and challenging multilateral efforts such as International Maritime Organisation (IMO) shipping emissions pricingâcreating space for China to expand its influence. Back to Top Adaptation gap Download report With emissions potentially driving a 2.3-degree-C temperature rise by 2040, adaptation shifts from optional to essential in 2026 Extreme weather and climate hazards are creating on-ground risks for infrastructure, physical assets and the companies that operate them. The global average temperature from January to August 2025 was 1.4 degrees C above preindustrial levels â just short of the Paris Agreementâs 1.5-degree-C limit â and Horizons climate scientists estimate that there is a 50% likelihood of it exceeding 2.3 degrees C by 2040. A warmer, more volatile climate means extreme heat, drought, tropical cyclones and other hazards are likely to become more common and more severe and will incur heavy costs. These hazards are already posing challenges to communities and industries. A historic drought in Iran has led to the prospect of water rationing in Tehran and the near depletion of hydropower capacity. Soaring summer heat across Europe â where temperatures are expected to rise faster than in many other regions â is driving rapid adoption of air conditioning, stretching electric grids in countries where per-capita electricity consumption has been much lower than in the US. The cumulative economic effects of climate hazards â lost revenue from business interruption, repairs to physical damage and reduced employee productivity â translate into rising financial costs for companies. Given the observed trajectory of climate change, these costs will increase alongside physical risks. The Horizons Physical Risk dataset projects annual costs of about $885 billion in aggregate for large publicly traded companies in the 2030s. About $885B annual costs at risk The increasingly urgent question is no longer whether companies will adapt, but how â and how quickly. Climate risk assessments and physical risk adaptation planning are critical for resilience. Yet uptake across sectors remains patchy, according to data collected in the S&amp;P Global CSA. Industries historically under greater climate scrutiny, and with operational exposure such as electric utilities, grid operators, and oil and gas companies, show the highest rates of risk assessment and adaptation planning. In other parts of the global economy, risk assessment and adaptation planning remain the exception rather than the rule. Back to Top What's next? Download report In 2026, AI-driven load growth, grid bottlenecks, cleantech market fragmentation and geopolitics, evolving energy procurement strategies and carbon accounting, and rising physical climate risk will redefine the terms of progress. Chinaâs dominant position across cleantech supply chains â from solar and storage to green hydrogen and EVs â drives deployment but also generates new risks and will be a key factor in shaping the outcome of the China-US AI race. Back to Top Authors: Roman Kramarchuk, Francesco dâAvack Contributors: Anna Mosby, Brian Murphy, Bruno Brunetti, Christoph Berg, Conway Irwin, Cormac Gilligan, Edurne Zoco, Ina Chirita, Jeff Meyer, Kelly Morgan, Kevin Birn, Matt Macfarland, Sam Wilkinson Design: Content Design Let's Talk Interested to learn more? Contact our sales team. Complete the form and a team member will reach out to discuss how our solutions can support you. Section Section Section First Name* Last Name* Business Email address* Company (full legal entity)* Job Function* Job Function Industry* Industry Country/Region* Country/Region State* State City* Zip/Postal code* Phone Number* Country/Region of Residence* Country/Region of Residence [Yes] I would like to receive S&amp;P Global Energy promotional emails. Clicking on the confirm button means that you acknowledge that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, including transfer of your personal information outside of the jurisdiction in which you are located . Confirm ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/japans-power-industry-recovers-momentum-10-years-after-liberalization-s101672328</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. Japan&amp;apos;s power industry has favorable momentum. Future power policy will center on stable electricity supply, prices, and decarbonization. In tandem, institutional treatments and support are likely to increase. Regulatory changes are afoot that could impact the industry. April 2026 marks 10 years since Japan&amp;apos;s full retail market liberalization, one of the key facets of its regulatory framework reform. In December 2025, the government presented its </description><title>Japan&amp;apos;s Power Industry Recovers Momentum 10 Years After Liberalization</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 06:57:33 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/sustainability-insights-climate-transition-trends-real-estate-faces-concrete-challenges-to-decarbonizing-s101675864</link><description>This report does not constitute a rating action. In this report, S&amp;amp;P Global Ratings applies its CTA approach (see &amp;quot; Analytical Approach: Climate Transition Assessments ,&amp;quot; May 29, 2025) to estimate the Shade of Green for a global sample of 63 real estate companies, including REITs, real estate operating and management (REOMs), and diversified real estate. The business activities encompassed by this sample include real estate development and operations. We selected a sample of real estate operator</description><title>Sustainability Insights: Climate Transition Trends: Real Estate Faces Concrete Challenges To Decarbonizingâ&amp;#x80;&amp;#x8b;</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 12:13:21 GMT</pubDate></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/033026-ineratec-tertu-form-jv-to-build-france-e-fuels-plant-amid-eu-saf-demand-push</link><description>German cleantech firm INERATEC and France-based TERTU have formed a joint venture to develop a synthetic fuel production plant in Normandy, targeting startup by 2029 as Europe accelerates efforts to scale sustainable aviation fuel supply. The joint venture, T.H2, will develop the &amp;quot;BELair&amp;quot; project near Caen, converting locally sourced wood residues into synthetic fuels, including e-SAF and</description><title>INERATEC, TERTU form JV to build France e-fuels plant amid EU SAF demand push</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 17:20:05 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Samyak Pandey</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Agriculture, Energy Transition, Refined Products, Biofuels, Renewables, Jet Fuel March 30, 2026 INERATEC, TERTU form JV to build France e-fuels plant amid EU SAF demand push By Samyak Pandey Editor: Karla Sanchez Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Plant to convert 60,000 mt wood to SAF by 2029 SAF prices fall 5% to $2,871.75/mt German cleantech firm INERATEC and France-based TERTU have formed a joint venture to develop a synthetic fuel production plant in Normandy, targeting startup by 2029 as Europe accelerates efforts to scale sustainable aviation fuel supply. The joint venture, T.H2, will develop the "BELair" project near Caen, converting locally sourced wood residues into synthetic fuels, including e-SAF and e-naphtha using Fischer-Tropsch technology, the companies said March 27 in a statement. The facility, to be located near Caen under the BELair project, will convert approximately 60,000 metric tons/year of locally sourced wood residues into synthetic fuels and chemicals using Fischer-Tropsch technology. The partners are preparing an application for funding support from the European Innovation Fund. The project marks INERATEC's expansion beyond its existing e-fuel operations, following the commissioning of its ERA ONE commercial-scale plant in 2025. The company will contribute its modular gas-to-liquids platform, while TERTU will supply biomass feedstock and leverage its regional industrial network. Feedstock will be gasified into synthesis gas and subsequently upgraded into synthetic hydrocarbons, including e-SAF and e-naphtha. The companies said the project aims to establish a circular value chain by utilizing regional forestry and industrial residues to produce low-carbon fuels. The project marks a shift toward biomass-based e-fuel pathways, complementing INERATEC's existing projects that primarily combine renewable hydrogen with captured CO2. "This creates a circular industrial value chain, transforming local waste into high-value fuels," the companies said. The development is supported by French public investment bank Bpifrance and regional authorities in Normandy, reflecting broader European efforts to scale domestic synthetic fuel production and strengthen energy resilience. The project has completed initial engineering phases and remains under development, with commissioning planned for 2029. Policy-driven demand outlook The project comes amid rising momentum in Europe's e-fuels sector, driven by tightening regulatory mandates. Under the EU's ReFuelEU Aviation regulation, SAF is expected to account for at least 10% of aviation fuel by 2030 and up to 70% by 2050. Parallel measures under FuelEU Maritime are also expected to boost demand for low-carbon fuels in shipping. The use of waste-based feedstocks also aligns with EU policy preference for advanced biofuels and synthetic fuels with lower lifecycle emissions. Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, last assessed the SAF FOB FARAG outright at $2,871.75/metric ton in the week ended March 25, down $150.25, or 5%. The SAF premium to ICE gasoil in the over-the-counter market was heard to be relatively steady, with indications in a range of $1,150/cubic meter on the bid side and $1,250/cubic meter on the offer side. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/podcasts/private-markets-360/private-markets-360-episode-40-resilient-growth-shifting-capital-macro-signals-for-private-markets-in-2026</link><description>In this episode of Private Markets 360Â°, we take a deep dive into the macro signals shaping private markets in 2026 with Nicholas Brooks, Head of Economic and Investment Research at ICG. Nicholas brings a thoughtful, data-driven perspective on where global private markets may be headed, sharing insights on resilience, risk, and developments across regions and asset classes. </description><title>Private Markets 360 | Episode 40: Resilient Growth, Shifting Capital: Macro Signals for Private Markets in 2026 </title><pubDate>31 March 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Chris Sparenberg</name><name>Christina Christina</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Podcast â 31 Mar, 2026 Private Markets 360Â° | Episode 40: Resilient Growth, Shifting Capital: Macro Signals for Private Markets in 2026 By Chris Sparenberg and Christina Christina In this episode of Private Markets 360Â°, we take a deep dive into the macro signals shaping private markets in 2026 with Nicholas Brooks, Head of Economic and Investment Research at ICG. Nicholas brings a thoughtful, data-driven perspective on where global private markets may be headed, sharing insights on resilience, risk, and developments across regions and asset classes. Credits: Host/Author: Chris Sparenberg and Christina McNamara Guests: Nicholas Brooks, ICG Producer: Georgina Lee Published With Assistance From: Feranmi Adeoshun View Full Transcript Christina McNamara [00:00:00]: Welcome to Private Markets 360, your insider's guide to the world of private investments. Today we are tackling one of the most important questions facing private market investors. How do you navigate a macro environment that has defied expectations? Growth has remained resilient. Markets have performed strongly. The US economy continues to outpace much of the developed world. And yet uncertainty has not gone away. Rates, fiscal dynamics, currency shifts, and geopolitical risks are still very much at play. And in private markets, the macro backdrop isn't just a headline. Christina McNamara [00:00:41]: It shapes deal flow, capital structures, M&amp;A activity, portfolio company performance, and ultimately returns. From lower rates potentially supporting deal activity to the rise of hybrid capital structures, to divergence between US and Europe, the macro lens is becoming increasingly central to private capital allocation. To help us unpack all of that, we are joined today by Nicholas Brooks, Head of Economic and Investment Research at ICG. Nicholas is responsible for formulating the firm's top-down macro and market views and works closely with investment teams across sectors and geographies. Before joining ICG in 2016, he held senior roles at ETF Securities, Henderson Global Investors, and Deutsche Bank. Nick, welcome to Private Markets 360. It's a pleasure to have you with us today. How are you? Nicholas Brooks [00:01:40]: I'm great, and thank you very much for having me on. Christina McNamara [00:01:44]: Of course. Let's jump in. Start with your professional career journey. You're originally from the United States, but you've built most of your career in London. Could you share how that path developed? Nicholas Brooks [00:01:59]: To go back to the very beginning, I spent a lot of my younger years growing up overseas, going to international schools because of my father's work. So I spent a lot of time abroad. We were in North Africa for a bit. We were in Asia for a lot of that, and that stimulated my interest in broader macro and geopolitical issues as well as cross-cultural issues and a general interest in the world. Then I went back to the US for undergraduate and graduate school. I finished graduate school in New York at Columbia. And when I first got out, I got a role at Citigroup in New York City. And I enjoyed it tremendously. Nicholas Brooks [00:02:48]: I then moved to Hong Kong where I first worked with a company called James Capel, a global securities broker (later bought by HSBC), covering China, Hong Kong economics initially. Nicholas Brooks [00:03:37]: And then that broadened out to Southeast Asia, as well. And as my career progressed, I moved to Deutsche Bank as part of their global markets macro team covering Asia macro and strategy. It was a fascinating time, and we had a lot of access at that time. Where I could go down to Bank Indonesia and meet with the deputy head of research or the head of research or go to Bank Negara Malaysia or go up to Beijing or go into China and travel and, meet with, CEOs of companies and meet with key policymakers. So it was an exciting and very interesting time. Fast forwarding, I ended up moving to London to do my PhD focusing on the dynamics of financial crisis, or actually I think the title was something like the Debt Dynamics of Financial Crisis. Nicholas Brooks [00:04:32]: Very appropriate given where we are today in the world. And I've been in London ever since. I joined ICG about 10 years ago, having been in public markets most of my career. It's been a very steep learning curve and it's been a fantastic place to work. Chris Sparenberg [00:04:51]: Certainly the right background for someone who's the Head of Economic and Investment Research at ICG. You've described your role as sitting at the intersection of macro and private markets. Could you tell us what that looks like day to day in, in your job. Nicholas Brooks [00:05:07]: As you know, in our industry, we tend to be very bottom-up, very deal-focused, very focused on company fundamentals and understanding quality of management. And those really are, I'd say, the key drivers of how our investment process is run. I provide an overlay and a structure. So one of my key roles is to provide a house view on the macro outlook. I've been doing this long enough, and I think most of the people in our industry are sophisticated enough, to know that giving a 1 or 2-year forecast is probably not going to be massively accurate, or if it is, it's probably luck. So I look at it more as trying to understand structural risks that could affect our industry as a whole and individual businesses we invest in. I look at the big picture - what are the risks of a financial crisis? What are the risks of a deep recession? What are some of the structural factors that might be affecting bilateral currency rates? What are some of the structural factors that might be affecting the interest rate outlook at the long end and the short end? I think these areas, again, one can get these wrong as well, are areas where I think one can discuss the issues with more confidence and be able to put a context around investing. One of my other roles is to work more on a sectoral level, understanding thematics that are driving parts of the market as well as broad country-level analysis. That all comes together. So I will work with our senior management team as needed on a variety of issues. I will meet with and work with our investment teams more on an ad hoc than in a systemic way. And, and then also, of course, I work very closely with our key LPs and help them understand what is going on in our markets and what is going on with our investment theses. I also run a database which we call the ICG Private Company Database, where we track the fundamentals of close to 500 companies in Europe and the US, and we track Asia as well, though we don't publish that just because the sample size is a bit small, smaller than what we have in Europe and the US. But that allows us to track what's going on with company EBITDA at a sector, subsector level, look at key debt characteristics, look at margin and revenue trends. And that gives us insights into what really is going on at the micro bottom-up level and allows us to draw conclusions more broadly. Nicholas Brooks [00:07:58]: And again, with our LPs we will provide this analysis as well. Christina McNamara [00:08:08]: Now that data set is probably one of the most expansive in private markets today. It gives you certainly a uniquely granular vantage point. How does that bottom-up perspective inform your broader top-down views? Nicholas Brooks [00:08:25]: That's a great question. Actually, quite a bit. I've always found, one of the issues with macro is you're dealing with very high-level numbers. You're looking at GDP, you're looking at a CPI number or in the US, a PCE number. And of course you can cut that into smaller segments. You can look at what's going on with private consumption and what's going on with different aspects of investment, but it's all very high level. And frankly, I think that's why economists have a reputation for not necessarily forecasting well, because you're dealing with some really high-level numbers. One of the advantages of having this database is you get a feel quite quickly for what's going on at the corporate level, which is really what drives the economy. Nicholas Brooks [00:09:12]: So whether it's driving employment and therefore private consumption, or whether it's driving investment, exports and imports, this is all coming obviously from the micro level. So I get a lot of insights - one, looking at the data, but also being able to talk to our investment teams across all of our strategies from the more liquid to the less liquid strategies. It gives a lot of insight into key issues like are they passing on the cost increases? Are there price increases? Are there wage increases coming through? You'll see that at the micro level before you'll see it in the CPI numbers or in US payrolls numbers. And then are they passing it on or not? That gives you an insight into one, whether we're going to see CPI inflation rise swiftly, or if we're going to see a downturn in company investment if their margins are getting squeezed. So, you learn a lot from micro data, and I think you get ahead of a lot of the macro data by having access to the company-level information. Chris Sparenberg [00:10:18]: That's great. Why don't we shift gears a little bit and look back at 2025? I think it's fair to say that the year surprised a lot of people. Growth remained resilient, markets performed strongly. What are your views on what has held the economy up so well? Nicholas Brooks [00:10:36]: I tend to look at things from a medium-term structural point of view, partially because I think it's easier to get that right than the short-term twists and turns of markets and economies. But also, critically, it's far more important from the point of view of the way we invest. Our industry tends to invest on a medium to long-term basis. So it's really the structural factors that matter most. And to me, actually one of the best ways to look at risks and understanding where we are is to look at balance sheets. The obvious ones are corporate balance sheets. But you need to also look at household balance sheets, look at the balance sheets of systemically important banks. Nicholas Brooks [00:11:25]: And I think probably becoming increasingly important now is understanding the balance sheets of governments. So my view would be that as long as you can look at the balance sheets of systemically important financial institutions, Are they well ring-fenced? Do they have, adequate liquidity? Are they being supervised properly? I would argue yes, they are. That was not the situation in the run-up to the 2008-9 crisis. But one thing regulators learned from that crisis was you need to have a sound banking system that's well regulated. And that has been the case. We're seeing some potential loosening in the US. In Europe, we have not. Currently banks' balance sheets are in pretty good shape. Then if I look at household balance sheets, it may surprise some, but if you look at aggregated data from the BIS or the IMF or from national government sources, you'll see that actually households have generally de-levered since 2008-9 in the US, across Europe, and the UK. Nicholas Brooks [00:12:40]: And although we've heard a lot about the K-shaped economy, which I think is correct. So a lot of the balance sheet improvement is at the higher income levels, and there's certainly some stress at lower income levels, especially in the US. Broadly, at an economy-wide level, at an aggregate level, household and corporate balance sheets are pretty sound on the data that we have for private markets. Public markets data will show similar trend. Actually, corporate balance sheets are pretty strong as well. So again, that doesn't mean that we're not going to have problems in certain segments of the corporate sector, just like we're having some pressure in certain segments of the household sector. But at a systemic level, corporate balance sheets look pretty strong. So we've got pretty strong household, corporate, and bank balance sheets. Nicholas Brooks [00:13:38]: Where I think the real risk is now is government balance sheets. And frankly, my biggest concern right now is in the US where there so far has been very limited attempt to rein in fiscal deficits that, according to IMF data, you're looking at fiscal deficits in the US anywhere from 7% to 8% of GDP. And Europe is also struggling with â certain countries struggling with high government debt and the UK to some degree as well. And I think how this is managed is going to be quite important to how economies perform looking out over the next 5 years. Christina McNamara [00:14:26]: Now, switching gears from an M&amp;A perspective, there's been a lot of noise, higher rates, valuation resets. Geopolitical uncertainty. So the narrative coming into 2025 was cautious at best, but you've referenced that 2025 wasn't that bad. What did you observe on the ground that led you to that conclusion? Nicholas Brooks [00:14:53]: So if we start first at the GDP, broad economic growth level, most economies performed pretty well. I know at the beginning of the year, particularly when the Trump administration started to put in place - or discuss putting in place - tariffs, there was a lot of concern about the potential for a global recession, for certain sectors to be hit particularly badly. But with hindsight, we look back now, we think the US economy grew probably just above 2%. Europe's been growing somewhere around 1.5% to 1.6%. The UK, a little slower than that, but still growing somewhere between 1% to 1.5%. By historic standards, that's pretty good growth, which, from an earnings point of view, should be positive for company performance. Again, of course, certain sectors will do better than others depending on what's driving that growth. So in the US, a lot of it has been tech related. Nicholas Brooks [00:15:56]: One has to take those nuances into consideration. But broadly, growth has been good and broadly public company earnings and private company EBITDA growth has been pretty solid. Now, interest rates obviously went up a lot a couple of years ago due to the big surge in inflation, but they generally, at least the short end, have been trending down over the course of the past year. I mean, in Europe actually we've seen rates halve to 2%. The US is taking a little longer to get down, and I suspect it's going to be a bit of a bumpy road getting those rates down, but ultimately we're moving in the right direction. So lower interest rates and stable economic growth actually provide a pretty good operating environment for corporates. Again, where the really interesting part comes in, which is what our deal teams and other companies' deal teams are focused on, is where can we get that growth, and what sectors and what areas might we want to avoid. But broadly, there is growth and shorter maturity interest rates have come down, and that provides, I think, a generally pretty good environment. Chris Sparenberg [00:17:15]: I think it was easy to observe that in public markets last year. And it seems like on a really granular level, you could observe that in private companies, but as a whole, private markets look quite a bit different than public markets last year. Could you explain what you view as the divergence there? Nicholas Brooks [00:17:34]: Public markets by their nature tend to swing a lot more than you tend to see in private markets. So when the times are good, interest rates are coming down, growth is strong, you'll see generally pretty fast positive moves in public markets such as equity markets, but also in the credit space, etc. So when things look a little wobbly, people get worried or growth starts slowing more sharply than people expected, you get those much stronger swings downwards. On the private side, for structural reasons, we don't see those kinds of swings. Broadly the mindset tends to be to look at the S&amp;P 500 as the key proxy for risk assets and how markets are performing. As everyone knows, a big part of the performance up until recently of the S&amp;P 500 has been 7 critical stocks. Admittedly, the equal-weighted S&amp;P has come up a lot now too, but a lot of the growth and a lot of the performance in public markets has been focused in a few key areas, whereas private markets, I would argue, are more diversified and broadly have less exposure to some of those areas where we saw the highest revaluations across public markets. So to some degree, it has to do with different types of exposures in benchmark public indices versus what we in the private markets tend to invest in. Christina McNamara [00:19:30]: Let's zoom out for a moment to the bigger picture. Private markets don't operate within a vacuum. They're heavily influenced by a number of conditions within the market. What matters most right now, and where should investors really be focusing their attention? Nicholas Brooks [00:19:52]: The way I look at it is, as long as the underlying fundamentals of the companies that one is exposed to are solid, investments will work out. Now, determining what the ultimate return is will depend on factors that are at times harder to control - whether it's interest rates or whether it's broader market valuations. But if you have a company that's growing its EBITDA at a good pace, it's managing its balance sheet well, ultimately you're generally going to end up with a good return and a positive investment. So to me, it's about what's the broader growth environment like? Are economies going to remain solid? What sectors within economies are likely to grow faster than others on a sustained basis? And are the companies that you're invested in or thinking about investing in, are they going to be able to grow their EBITDA in that type of environment? To me, my bias being top-down, is these fundamentals are key to good investing. Things like valuations and things like interest rates - these are harder to predict. But I think if you find a company with good management and good EBITDA prospects in sectors that are growing, ultimately you will usually do well. Chris Sparenberg [00:21:47]: And on the private company side, as we observe portfolio companies becoming more proactive about their capital structure, their strategies, Are you seeing some of those private companies start to take a proactive approach to using hybrid or structured solutions to fuel that growth? Nicholas Brooks [00:22:05]: Thatâs not my normal territory, to be honest, but I would certainly say that at ICG, we have always had an expertise in working across balance sheets, and hybrid solutions come naturally to us. And certainly, for companies, as their sophistication grows, understanding how different methods of financing can be beneficial and provide flexibility, I think is certainly there. As our industry has become more sophisticated these types of solutions are becoming, I wouldn't say more of the norm, but let's just say I think that these types of structures are becoming probably better recognized as good methods of financing, both for the corporate and also for the investor. Christina McNamara [00:23:15]: Over the past few years, interest rates have seen the single biggest variable shaping private market activity. If rates continue to edge lower, what does that mean for private markets activity going forward? Nicholas Brooks [00:23:33]: I think certainly lower interest rates are a positive for our industry, as well as financial markets more broadly. So I think certainly it will help stimulate activity and perhaps stimulate more M&amp;A and provide more of a tailwind to the industry broadly. Again, I don't think it's absolutely necessary to keep businesses moving along well. It's just that lower rates certainly provide a tailwind. Chris Sparenberg [00:24:11]: Let's talk geography for a moment. Especially looking back, we've seen the US economy growing faster than much of Europe. What's your view on the divergence there? Nicholas Brooks [00:24:23]: I'd say that a lot of US growth has been focused in a few key sectors, with tech being the main one. If we look at US final demand growth to get rid of the distortions that can be caused by net exports, we look at final demand growth, meaning investment in private investment or private consumption. A big chunk of US growth has been driven by investments in AI and related industries. So outside of that area, the growth rate differential between Europe and US is actually much smaller than I think most investors perceive. I would also say that as we move into 2026 and beyond, I think that Europe has one advantage in that I think it has more scope and will move forward with more substantial spending on the fiscal, on the defense and infrastructure side. Obviously it's been talked about a lot, but Europe, Germany in particular is very serious about increasing and has already started increasing its defense and infrastructure spending. And while France and Italy are a little more constrained because they have relatively high debt-to-GDP levels, most of the rest of Europe have quite a bit of scope to invest and spend more on infrastructure and defense. On top of that, I think because of the change in the geopolitical atmosphere over the past year, I think it's also very clear that Europe feels quite strongly, or leaders of Europe feel quite strongly, that they need to become a little more resilient and perhaps a little more independent from the US than in the past. Nicholas Brooks [00:26:40]: I think we are seeing a real mindset change in Europe that, frankly, is a good thing. That I think should help move the reform agenda more quickly over the coming years. So it's not going to happen overnight, but things like having properly working Europe-wide capital markets, working more closely on increasing the competitiveness of region-wide industries. There are a lot of efficiencies that I think can be pushed in the coming years. And again, if you step back, looking at Europe, the savings rate in Europe, the household savings rate tends to be quite high, and a large portion of household savings are in bank deposits and in very low-yielding debt-like structures, unlike the US, for example, where savings rates are much lower but a lot more of the savings is in equities and in more risk-oriented asset classes. So I think to the degree that Europe can start to channel more of these savings into productive investments, that also is an area that could help Europe increase its productivity and growth levels. It's all out there. We'll have to see how this progresses. Nicholas Brooks [00:28:17]: As I said earlier, it's not going to happen quickly, but I do think that there's a lot of potential in Europe to boost productivity and growth in the coming years. Chris Sparenberg [00:28:26]: So Nick, the trade-weighted dollar has fallen roughly 10%. How important is that move? Nicholas Brooks [00:28:32]: I think it matters a lot. We have seen downward pressure on the dollar over the past year or so. I think it stems from growing concerns about the dollar as the dominant reserve asset globally. And I think there are a lot of reasons for that, but at the bottom of it, I think is really this continued rise in the US government debt. So at the end of last year, the US debt-to-GDP level was at its highest point since the end of World War II. And when you look at independent forecasts, for example, from the US Congressional Budget Office or the IMF or the Yale Budget Lab and a variety of other sources that are independent, the trajectory of US debt is quite concerning. And the US has continued to run large fiscal deficits, and there is no prospect in the near term â at least there's been no indication from the Trump administration that they are planning to rein that in. And the US can get away with it for a while, as the world's main reserve currency. But I think investors are starting to become a little bit worried and are starting to diversify holdings. So that doesn't mean they're selling the US dollar wholesale, but investors, I think, are â and flow data would certainly indicate this â are starting to allocate more to alternative currencies and the assets in those regions. On top of that, of course, the ultimate, one might say, anti-dollar trade is gold. And I think one of the reasons the gold price has been moving up so quickly, and I think potentially could go further, is this diversification away from holding dollars, both by central banks, but also by individuals and by institutional investors. There are other factors such as concerns about Fed independence and what that might mean for long-term inflation, which of course has an impact on perceptions of where currency should be since that will affect real interest rate differentials. Nicholas Brooks [00:31:05]: I think there are concerns just about institutional stability in the US right now because policies seem to be quite ad hoc. So I think there are a variety of factors behind the weakening of the dollar. And I think until those issues are dealt with, that weakness probably continues. So currencies rarely move in a straight-line fashion, but I think structurally, there are good reasons for there to be pressure on the US dollar. And also, just to throw one more thing in, there are indications that many in the Trump administration, perhaps not all, but many in the Trump administration are happy or are okay or think a US dollar, a weaker US dollar is a good thing. Stephen Miran, who's on the Fed board now and the former head of the Council of Economic Advisers to the president, has written a paper that highlighted that a weaker dollar would be good for the US from a trade deficit point of view and potentially to bring investment back into the US manufacturing sector. There are also perceptions that perhaps the Trump administration isn't against further weakness in the dollar. Of course, nobody wants to see disorderly moves in the dollar, but there are also perceptions that a weaker dollar is not viewed necessarily as a bad thing by the Trump administration. Christina McNamara [00:32:44]: So to continue on that topic, there's certainly been a lot of focus on monetary policy over the last couple of years. And you've just suggested that we may need some fiscal tightening and that we could face potential further weakness of the dollar in 2026. Those are pretty significant calls. Can you walk us through the connection and why might the fiscal tightening become necessary? And how does that feed into your outlook for the dollar for this year? Nicholas Brooks [00:33:17]: As you indicate, everything tends to be linked. There are a few ways to look at this. The US is running large fiscal deficits and it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon. I'd be watching very carefully. If it does change, then the whole dynamic shifts. But at the moment, there doesn't seem to be much being done to rein in the fiscal deficit. That means the US debt-to-GDP continues to deteriorate. So far, bond investors have more or less ignored it. Nicholas Brooks [00:33:47]: We've had a few jitters. Back when Trump first made his announcements on reciprocal tariffs we saw some disorderly moves in the US government bond market, but it stabilized pretty quickly. So far the bond market has taken all this pretty much in stride. But if there's anything I've discovered from many years of being in public markets and watching bond markets is usually the way things work is everything's fine until one day they're not. It doesn't usually move in a gradual fashion when you're dealing with debt markets or frankly when you get into these situations with currencies and other liquid markets. When I look at the situation in the US my feeling is at some point the bond vigilantes are going to come out and start testing the US bond market. What triggers that is hard to know. Nicholas Brooks [00:34:42]: It's always hard to know what the trigger is, but I could see that scenario happening. Getting timing right on that is nearly impossible. And in that situation, my sense would be the way the Fed would probably react â and it's not about Fed independence or being independent or having a lack of independence â I think the way the Fed would react would probably be if it looked like it was really getting out of hand, they would intervene and probably move back towards some form of quantitative easing to stabilize US government bond yields. Now, I think they could do that and probably there'd have to be some adjustment on the fiscal side, or at least some indications that there was a desire to rein in the fiscal deficit. And then probably the bond market would stabilize. But I think the casualty in that type of scenario would be the US dollar because you're moving back into a QE scenario, which would be viewed, I think rightly, as potentially inflationary. And therefore, you would see a further weakening of the dollar. Nicholas Brooks [00:35:52]: So again, we'll have to see how this all plays out, but I do think that there is a growing risk of that type of scenario occurring down the line. Chris Sparenberg [00:36:06]: Since we're peering into 2026 and beyond with some monetary and fiscal policy, are there other key scenarios that you're modeling, just broadly speaking, for 2026? Nicholas Brooks [00:36:18]: I would say that at a macro level as I just highlighted what I think one of the biggest risks is government bond markets - in particular, the US. Though what's going on in Japan is interesting as well. But after that, I would say that it really becomes more about bottom-up analysis because I think the systemic risks are relatively low. And the likelihood of a big, broad crisis in the corporate household or banking system is pretty low. There are clearly idiosyncratic risks out there relating to sector and subsector dynamics. An obvious one, which has become a focus of investors' attention more recently is how will AI affect companies? I donât think this is going to go away anytime soon because it's very hard to have a resolution to this anytime soon. That's one example. I also think the fact that longer-end rates are pretty high and in my view are likely to stay high for a while given government deficits - how are different corporates dealing with that? There are some areas that are benefiting from tailwinds and growth and some that are not. So I think as we move into 2026, with dispersion in performance growing, micro bottom-up analysis is going to become increasingly important. Christina McNamara [00:38:08]: We've talked about momentum in the market, improving activity, and where the cycles may be headed, but prudent investing always comes back to risk, especially in private markets. When you survey the landscape today, what are some of the biggest risks that private investors should be focused on? Where are you seeing some potential fault lines over the next 12 to 24 months? Nicholas Brooks [00:38:36]: I think at a broad macro level, as I've said, I don't see too much systemic risk. Corporate balance sheets broadly are in pretty good shape, as well as households and banks. It's really the government sector that I think is more worrying. But within private markets, because I don't see any major systemic risks, I think it really becomes a micro-analysis. There has been in public markets as well, but we also see in private markets more performance dispersion between companies. And I wouldn't say there's one theme that's driving this dispersion. Ultimately, often it comes down to management. Nicholas Brooks [00:39:26]: Sometimes there's just a bit of bad luck. And sometimes there's good luck. But I don't see any one single area of major risk. Of course, there's been a lot of focus recently on the potential disruption that AI might cause to business models. And I think that's valid. I think that needs to be looked at very closely. But again, from looking at some of the analyses that we've done at a micro level, you can have companies in almost precisely the same sector, and some are going to benefit from or are going to potentially benefit from developments in AI, and there are going to be others that do less well. So I guess to put it in a nutshell, I'd say I don't see any one area of key risk. We are dealing with interest rates higher than where they were a few years ago. Nicholas Brooks [00:40:29]: We're dealing with economic growth concentrated in a few key sectors. So I think that one has to be cautious about investing and very selective investing. But I think in the end, it's going to come down to company-by-company analysis. Chris Sparenberg [00:40:51]: And where do you see the opportunity in private markets? Nicholas Brooks [00:40:55]: I think there are a range of areas where there are some pretty good opportunities. Private credit yields are still attractive. So I think, structurally overall one is getting a pretty good return. There is an increasing move towards structured capital solutions. When you get into environments that are more complex and that are less unidirectional, I think structured capital solutions come into play. I think they come into play in most environments, but I think particularly in this kind of environment, they're attractive both to the corporates and to investors. Investors are able to get downside protection with still quite solid returns. From a regional point of you I think Europe is at a turning point. Nicholas Brooks [00:41:50]: I don't think we're going to see some massive V-shaped recovery coming through. But I think with the kind of reforms that Europe is moving ahead with and with the kind of fiscal spend that puts a floor under growth, I think that's providing positive momentum. And we have seen that in the relative performance of public markets, Europe versus US, so far this year as well. With liquidity an issue, I think secondary market opportunities are going to continue to see strong demand. And lastly, the trickiest one, and what investors need to focus on, is looking at the dispersion between companies, which means really rigorous bottom-up analysis. And this also likely means increasing dispersion between managers. So I think there are a number of levers that investors can pull, but broadly the outlook for quite a few segments of private markets is looking quite positive in my view as we move into 2026, 2027. Christina McNamara [00:43:04]: Now, you're certainly not new to sharing your thoughts and weighing in on macro trends, always reacting in real time to data releases, policy shifts, market swings, headlines. That kind of visibility can create pressure to have an immediate take on the market. How do you stay disciplined amid all that short-term noise? Nicholas Brooks [00:43:32]: I've been doing this a long time now, so I recognize how difficult it is to get short-term calls right on a consistent basis. Also the nature of our business, as I highlighted earlier, tends to be a longer-term time horizon on investing, which I appreciate and I think is the best way to invest. I do have to keep on top of what's going on every day, every week. We do have some higher frequency funds in liquid markets where we do need to be very much aware of what's happening more short-term. So I do keep on top of that. But really for me as I highlighted earlier, it's about having a framework on structural risks. And I think taking a balance sheet approach to analyzing the economy and global risks sets a good framework. And that's where I tend to keep my focus. And then overlay that with thematic and sector analysis where we see certain sectors with tailwinds and other sectors and other themes that might have headwinds. Nicholas Brooks [00:45:00]: I think these medium-term thematic and sectoral analyses provide value. That's where I try to focus my attention. It's always interesting to see how markets react to a payrolls number or to the latest news on AI. But ultimately, I think it's those structural and thematic factors that really drive performance in the long run. We have certainly seen resilient global economies and markets. And I'm not the only one that's been highlighting this. But I think a critical point to make is that underneath that resilience, there are a lot of crosscurrents. And there are sectors, themes, and specific companies that are performing well, and there are those that are performing less well. Nicholas Brooks [00:46:03]: So there are risks out there, no question. But I believe they are mostly idiosyncratic. I think one should not view macro resilience as meaning there's limited risk. It's just a different type of risk, and that tends to be the micro bottom-up risk that I think investors need to be watching. Obviously, we need to be watching for those systemic and structural risks as well, but on my analysis, those are pretty well contained for now. Chris Sparenberg [00:46:38]: And that brings us to the end of today's episode of Private Markets 360. We hope you enjoyed this deep dive into the macro signals shaping private markets in 2026 with our guest Nicholas Brooks, Head of Economic and Investment Research at ICG. Nicholas, thank you again for sharing your expertise and giving us such a thoughtful, data-driven view of where the global economy private capital may be headed. Your insights on resilience, risk, and opportunity across regions and asset classes add invaluable context for investors navigating an environment that remains anything but predictable. For our listeners, thank you for spending time with us. If today's episode sparked new ideas or sharpened your perspective, please subscribe and share it with colleagues and peers to help them discover the show and join the conversation. On behalf of our team, thank you for tuning in. We look forward to having you with us next time on Private Markets 360 for more expert insights and in-depth discussions shaping the future of private markets. Chris Sparenberg [00:47:37]: Until next time, take care and stay informed. ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/podcasts/energy-evolution/033126-political-pressure-mounts-on-europes-flagship-carbon-policy</link><description>The EU Emissions Trading System is facing its greatest test yet. European leaders and companies are sounding the alarm, warning that high carbon prices are undermining the bloc&amp;apos;s industrial competitiveness and threatening to drive manufacturing offshore. In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Eklavya Gupte examines what&amp;apos;s driving the turbulence in Europe&amp;apos;s carbon market and what it means for</description><title>Political pressure mounts on Europe&amp;apos;s flagship carbon policy</title><pubDate>31 March 2026 10:37:09 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Eklavya Gupte</name><name>Irina Breilean</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Electric Power, Carbon, Emissions, Renewables March 31, 2026 Political pressure mounts on Europe's flagship carbon policy Featuring Eklavya Gupte and Irina Breilean HIGHLIGHTS EU carbon prices fall on pressure concerns ETS reforms target industrial competitiveness Carbon policy shifts toward trade protection The EU Emissions Trading System is facing its greatest test yet. European leaders and companies are sounding the alarm, warning that high carbon prices are undermining the bloc's industrial competitiveness and threatening to drive manufacturing offshore. In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Eklavya Gupte examines what's driving the turbulence in Europe's carbon market and what it means for the bloc's energy transition. First, Irina Breilean, carbon price reporter at Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, explains how political pressure from member states has dragged EU Allowance prices down by almost Eur30/metric tons of CO2 equivalent in recent months. The conversation then turns to Julia Michalak, EU policy director at the International Emissions Trading Association, who breaks down the ETS reforms now under consideration: extended free allocations, the modified Market Stability Reserve and why industrial competitiveness concerns are dominating the climate policy debate in Brussels. Eklavya also speaks with Pedro Barata, associate vice president for carbon markets and private sector decarbonization at the Environmental Defense Fund, who offers a perspective on the political economy of carbon pricing and how the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is evolving from a climate tool into an instrument of industrial policy -- with major implications for global trade. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/033026-near-record-week-for-european-wind-solar-power-output</link><description>European wind and solar power generation had a near-record week in the seven days to March 29, system data analyzed by Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, showed. Wind output rose by about a third, week over week, in Week 13 (March 23-29), averaging near 90 GW, with Germany and Great Britain setting new peak records, preliminary data by WindEurope, as well as BMRS showed. Combined wind and solar</description><title>Near-record week for European wind, solar power output</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 13:17:11 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Andreas Franke</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Renewables March 30, 2026 Near-record week for European wind, solar power output By Andreas Franke Editor: Giselle Rodriguez Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS EU27 wind, solar generated 18.4 TWh in Week 13 Record week for spring, third highest ever Easter weekend wind forecast revised lower European wind and solar power generation had a near-record week in the seven days to March 29, system data analyzed by Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, showed. Wind output rose by about a third, week over week, in Week 13 (March 23-29), averaging near 90 GW, with Germany and Great Britain setting new peak records, preliminary data by WindEurope, as well as BMRS showed. Combined wind and solar output across the EU27 reached 18.4 TWh for Week 13, the highest during spring and the third-highest overall, according to Entso-e data aggregated by Fraunhofer ISE. Volatile supply from wind and solar, alongside demand swings and overall elevated gas prices, are shaping hourly power prices, with large fluctuations ranging from negative hours during periods of oversupply to spikes above Eur200/MWh during evening peaks, according to exchange data. Wind is forecast to fall sharply from April 1, before a new surge is expected for the Easter weekend, April 4-5, according to data from spotrenewables.com. German wind is projected to decline from an average of 36 GW on March 30 to 3 GW on April 1, before rebounding to about 20 GW for the Easter weekend, according to a late March 30 forecast by spotrenewables.com, down from earlier forecasts of over 50 GW on April 5. There was a similar forecast for British wind, to fall from nearly 20 GW on March 30 to an average of about 7 GW for March 31-April 3, before surging to about 17 GW by April 4. For Spain, the forecast was reversed, with wind set to remain low over the Easter weekend, while Spanish solar was forecast to be high throughout the Easter week, with peakload hours averaging about 15 GW, according to spotrenewables.com. Europe's rising wind and solar capacity, with now about 700 GW installed across the continent, is expected to reduce demand for gas this spring and summer, according to analysts at S&amp;P Global Energy CERA. The impact on capture prices differs markedly across markets and technologies, with higher gas supporting outright power, but surges in wind and solar still deflating prices quickly amid widespread zero and negative hourly prices over the past week, especially during hours with both high wind and solar output. Platts assessed the daily UK offshore wind capture price at GBP39.59/MWh on March 25, down from GBP138.51/MWh on March 20. German onshore wind was pegged at Eur21.58/MWh on March 25, the lowest since the start of the year, according to Platts data. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/032326-ceraweek-us-to-refund-1-bil-to-totalenergies-in-deal-to-drop-offshore-wind-lease</link><description>TotalEnergies will cancel its US-based offshore wind projects and invest approximately $1 billion in fossil fuel development, as part of a March 23 deal with the US Interior Department. After investing in the fossil fuel infrastructure, including oil, gas and LNG production, the French energy company will receive reimbursements of $1 billion from the US government, reflecting the total cost the</description><title>CERAWEEK: US to refund $1 bil to TotalEnergies in deal to drop offshore wind lease</title><pubDate>23 March 2026 19:05:09 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Noah Schwartz</name></author><content><![CDATA[ LNG, Natural Gas, Electric Power, Energy Transition, Renewables March 23, 2026 CERAWEEK: US to refund $1 bil to TotalEnergies in deal to drop offshore wind lease By Noah Schwartz Editor: Markham Watson Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Company shifts investment to fossil fuels Deal blocks offshore wind project development TotalEnergies will cancel its US-based offshore wind projects and invest approximately $1 billion in fossil fuel development, as part of a March 23 deal with the US Interior Department. After investing in the fossil fuel infrastructure, including oil, gas and LNG production, the French energy company will receive reimbursements of $1 billion from the US government, reflecting the total cost the company paid for offshore wind leases off the coast of North Carolina and New York in 2022. The agreement is the latest move from the Trump administration to stymie the development of offshore wind in the US. "We're partnering with TotalEnergies to unleash nearly $1 billion that was tied up in a lease deposit that was directed towards the prior administration's subsidies that were pushing expensive, weather-dependent offshore wind," US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said at the CERAWeek by S&amp;P Global conference. "With this agreement, we're allowing this great company to redirect those dollars that have been paid in the Treasury to affordable, reliable and secure oil and natural gas production in the US." In 2022, Attentive Energy, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Corio Generation, acquired a lease in the New York Bight area for a payment of $795 million. New York authorities canceled the results of an offshore wind solicitation in April 2024, affecting TotalEnergies' proposed 1,404-megawatt project in the region. TotalEnergies also acquired an offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area in June 2022 for approximately $133 million. In November 2025, after the election of President Donald Trump, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick PouyannÃ© indicated that the company would pause the development of its US offshore wind projects, citing the incoming administration's stance on offshore wind energy. "Considering that the development of offshore wind projects is not in the country's interest, we have decided to renounce offshore wind development in the United States, in exchange for the reimbursement of the lease fees," PouyannÃ© said in a March 23 statement. As part of the deal, TotalEnergies agreed not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the US. The company develops offshore wind projects in European and Asian markets. PouyannÃ© said at CERAWeek that the agreement will not affect its non-US offshore wind investments. "Our decision on US offshore wind, which is to renounce this technology here, does not mean we will renounce in another place," PouyannÃ© said. "There are different setups." TotalEnergies will use the proceeds from the refunded leases to finance the construction of the Rio Grande LNG plant in Texas and also to develop conventional oil in the Gulf and shale gas in the US. These investments would support the company's role in supplying Europe with LNG and meeting US data center demand for gas, according to PouyannÃ©. Environmental groups criticized the deal, arguing that it will not bring down energy prices and will harm reliability. "This deal is an outrageous misuse of taxpayer dollars to prevent Americans from having clean, affordable power exactly when they need it most," Ted Kelly, director and lead counsel of US clean energy at the Environmental Defense Fund, said in a statement. "As fossil fuel prices swing wildly from global shocks and extreme weather, the answer is obvious: We should be building more homegrown clean energy with stable costs." US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/2026/02/us-resin-shippers-look-to-tap-new-customers-amid-iran-war</link><description>US resin exports have ticked higher as the war in the Middle East shuts off the largest source of global plastics supply.</description><title>US resin shippers look to tap new customers amid Iran war</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Michael Angell</name></author><content><![CDATA[ BLOG â Mar 30, 2026 US resin shippers look to tap new customers amid Iran war By Michael Angell US resin exports have ticked higher as the war in the Middle East shuts off the largest source of global plastics supply. The sustainability of the export demand, though, hinges largely on the warâs duration and the capacity of North American producers to make more resin. Export container bookings for resins hit 6,191 on March 16, according to maritime visibility provider Vizion. That compares with the nearly 3,500 to 4,500 daily bookings typically made throughout all of 2026. The first week of March saw the highest number of export resin bookings, 22,653, since the last week of January. Most bookings occur during weekdays. The bookings come as Iranâs attacks on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have cut off the Middle Eastâs resin producers from world markets. The Middle East accounts for 15% of global polyethylene supply, the most widely traded type of resin, according to S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. The disruption in the Gulf has already sent US polyethylene prices higher. Asia and Europe are the most affected by the disruption in Middle East resin exports, Shruthi Vangipuram, an analyst with Wood Mackenzie, told the Journal of Commerce. While both regions have their own resin production, they depend on crude oil feedstocks that have also become more expensive. âSoutheast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have been impacted the most,â she said. âProducers in the region are struggling to secure feedstock and operating rates in these countries have been severely curtailed.â Vangipuram estimates that resin plants in Asia and Europe are running at only about 70% of their production capacity due to higher prices for feedstock crude oil. In contrast, US producers are running at about 90% utilization. She said US producers can delay maintenance to keep production levels high through the second quarter, but that would still not fill the gap in global demand. âWe can flex to 95%, 98% utilization, but it depends on which markets it makes sense to sell to,â Vangipuram said. Pricing arbitrage favors trans-Atlantic Export capacity from the US to Asia is ample, according to an executive of a third-party logistics provider, who estimated that backhaul utilization for most ocean carriers hovers near 50%. Spot rates for dry freight to Asia from the US Gulf, which dominates resin exports, are currently running between $500 and $700 for a standard-sized container, while shipping a 20-foot container used primarily for resins runs about 80% of that rate. Trans-Atlantic rates have also been stable, hovering near $1,100 for a 20-foot container from the US Gulf to Northern Europe, according to Xeneta. The rate for shipping a 20-foot container out of the Southeast Atlantic ports has moved higher since the start of the year, going from just over $700 to $757 this week, Xeneta said. Carriers are removing ships and port calls from trans-Atlantic services, tightening up some of the capacity in that market. Outbound US cargo does not face any significant delays with bookings available about two weeks out. The real risk for shippers will be in fuel surcharges that are being applied on global trades due to the Middle East war, as well as a potential general rate increase in April. Outside of freight rates and vessel space, Vangipuram said the real driver for US exports will be the direction of local pricing. Asian prices will still need to move higher to attract more US imports. With a four- to six-week lead time for imports, Asian buyers will need to see the conflict drag out before buying from the US. Europe, which is the second-biggest market for US resins after South America, has seen its benchmark polyethylene prices rise by one-third since the end of February. Vangipuram said Europe would likely be the first market to see additional US imports thanks to the much shorter voyage time and the sharper price move. âThe arbitrage works out better in the Atlantic than to Asia because of freight rates and shorter shipping times,â Vangipuram said. âWe may not see the volume from the US make it into those markets that would appear to need it most.â This article was originally published in the Journal of Commerce on March 20, 2026. Subscribe to JOC.com Learn more about our data and insights Click Here ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/blog/electric-power/033026-north-americas-ppa-market-beyond-volumes</link><description>Three major themes are driving today&amp;apos;s US power purchase agreement (PPA) market: demand growth, market complexity and policy uncertainty. Rapid load expansion from artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperscalers is pushing multigigawatt procurement into a grid that was not built for speed. At the same time, congestion and curtailment are changing renewable capture rates, while interconnection queues</description><title>North America&amp;apos;s PPA market: Beyond volumes</title><pubDate>30 March 2026 15:23:33 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Bruno Brunetti</name><name>Francisco Sequera</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Electric Power, Energy Transition, Nuclear, Renewables March 30, 2026 North Americaâs PPA market: Beyond volumes By Bruno Brunetti and Francisco Sequera Editor: Barbara Caluag Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Three major themes are driving today's US power purchase agreement (PPA) market: demand growth, market complexity and policy uncertainty. Rapid load expansion from artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperscalers is pushing multigigawatt procurement into a grid that was not built for speed. At the same time, congestion and curtailment are changing renewable capture rates, while interconnection queues are ballooning and being reformed, adding more timeline uncertainty. As developers and buyers navigate a more complex market, policy and execution environment, North American PPA activity accelerated in early 2026, after a slow finish to 2025. An analysis by S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons shows PPA activity totaled about 36 GW in 2025, down from around 60 GW in 2024, when deal flow was supported by improved project economics under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as the AI rush had just started. Horizons analysts characterize 2025 less as a demand collapse and more as a recalibration period, reflecting higher development costs, supply chain constraints and increased uncertainty around the ability of some projects to monetize the full value of IRA tax credits. From the start of 2026 through February 23, roughly 11 GW of clean energy PPAs had been announced, according to Horizons, signaling a rebound in contracting pace just as market participants work against a July construction-start window that is acting as a near-term catalyst for dealmaking. What changed is not the direction of demand, but the terms under which demand clears: greater scrutiny of tax-credit bankability, wider pricing dispersion tied to capacity factors and curtailment assumptions, and more attention on the shapes or timing of the power delivered, which is elevating the strategic importance of firm- and hybrid-based resources. Hyperscalers shape the market Corporate buyers--especially the "Big Four" hyperscalers: Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft--continue to drive the majority of PPA activity. They accounted for 76% of volumes in Q4 2025, and that share rose to 90% in early 2026. Data centers have become the single most important source of PPA demand, and their influence continues to grow. According to S&amp;P Global Energy analysts, data centers consumed roughly 270 TWh of electricity and procured about 180 TWh of clean energy through PPAs in 2025. US data center loads may reach about 765 TWh by 2030, the analysts project. Sustainability remains a top priority: over half of data center operators surveyed by Horizons' 451 Research say it directly influences their vendor selection. Even so, grid connection availability constraints are increasingly forcing developers to consider alternative strategies, with an increasing number of behind-the-meter gas projects â an option that was almost unthinkable a while ago. More complex policy environment The policy environment is playing an increasingly central role in PPA execution. New US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service guidance issued Feb. 12 clarified some of the detailed compliance expectations around Foreign Entities of Concern and "material assistance" demanding deeper cost tracing, more extensive documentation and new supplier certifications. More regulation is expected. As a result, tax credit eligibility and the bankability of those credits remain a top concern for both developers and financiers.The complexity has not stopped deals from being signed, but it has hindered a stronger contracting rebound. Nuclear, hybrid PPAs take center stage It is increasingly becoming a "multitechnology" market, according to Horizons analysis, with meaningful commitments to nuclear and hybrid structures alongside solar photovoltaics' (PV) continued dominance. The motivation is clear: hyperscalers are increasingly prioritizing scale and firm, 24/7 zero-carbon resources over purely variable renewable generation. In 2025, data centers procured nearly 6 GW of nuclear capacity. In January 2026, Meta alone announced 6.6 GW of nuclear PPAs with TerraPower, Vistra and Oklo. Hybrid PPAs--especially solar-plus-storage--also rebounded, with 2.4 GW contracted in Q4 2025, a ninefold increase from Q3, according to the S&amp;P Global Energy PPA database. While still below the 2024 highs, the upswing signals growing comfort with more complex structures that can mitigate intermittency and price volatility. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) show a mixed picture. While standalone BESS contracts remain limited, installed capacity is growing, with 18 GW expected in 2026, rising to 21.5 GW by 2028, according to the S&amp;P Global Energy analytics dashboard for clean energy technology. Many storage projects are advancing without longterm PPAs, instead relying on merchant opportunities, ancillary services and state incentives. Regional trends: ERCOT, PJM dominate As for the regional trends, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) remains central to PPA activity, benefiting from comparatively faster development timelines and a large pipeline of solar and hybrid projects. Texas remains the US solar powerhouse, adding about 7.4 GW of utility scale solar in 2025, with total capacity additions expected to exceed 9 GW in 2026. At the same time, congestion risk and cannibalization are becoming more pronounced, sharpening location specific differentiation. PJM Interconnection has been gaining strategic attention as data center demand accelerates, with the recent nuclear deals signed this year propelling the region to the top of the national leaderboard by contracted volume early this year, but interconnection constraints for clean energy projects are increasingly binding. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) has seen renewed interest, while California Independent System Operator activity has been more muted over the past year. CAISO has seen contracting fall sharply to about 2 GW in 2025, down from over 6 GW the prior year, weighed down by interconnection delays, curtailment concerns and rising development costs. Pricing: wider dispersion around risk Platts assessments on the ERCOT market for short term (12-60 months) solar PV PPAs were stable in the mid-$30s since the launch in February until mid-March. Short-term wind PPAs were assessed at a slight premium, ranging from $37.7/MWh (ERCOT South) to $38.3/MWh (ERCOT West). Platts is part of S&amp;P Global Energy. Long-term solar PPA prices for newbuild projects were assessed in a range of $40.59 (ERCOT West)-$41.33/ MWh (ERCOT South) as of March 12. The premium for long-term newbuild solar PPAs over short-term PPAs is currently running at approximately $3.2-$3.9/ MWh depending on the hub. The spread has widened in early March from levels closer to $1-$2/MWh seen in mid-February, indicating stronger demand for long-term offtake contracts relative to spot/short-term arrangements. Platts also reported in early February that in PJM, bids for long-term solar newbuild virtual PPAs with 2027 start dates were at $75/MWh, while offers on REsurety's CleanTrade platform were in the $80-$83/ MWh range in early March. S&amp;P Global Energy has exclusive access to transactional data on REsurety's CleanTrade platform to explore the development of spot market price assessments for PPAs and other clean energy instruments. In the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), traditionally a wind-driven market, activity was seen mostly around solar newbuild projects in the South Hub, mainly for tenors of 15 years or more and generally starting post2028, with several at end-2029. Offers in February and March were in the $58-$75/MWh range, according to CleanTrade, with no bids seen. Some offers were also reported for the SPP North Hub in the $69-$72.5/MWh range. Wind PPAs are predominantly operational projects. The MISO region saw bids for postbuild assets at $35$36/MWh while prices for long-term newbuild assets were reported between mid $50s-upper $60s/MWh during February and March. By integrating S&amp;P Global Energy's forward-looking cost models with real-time Platts assessments and transactional data from the REsurety CleanTrade platform, a clearer picture emerges around how PPA prices will be moving against fundamentals. Horizons forecasts show prices will be increasingly reflecting both market fundamentals and delivery certainty. Horizons cost-based PPA forecasting indicates base-case solar PV PPA prices for 2027 commercial operation date projects ranging from April 2026 about $39/MWh in ERCOT West to $75/MWh in PJM Western Hub. A key shift is how strongly price responds to performance risk. Under a lower-output case (capacity factor 15% below base), Horizons shows modeled 2028 solar PPA prices rising to about $52/MWh in ERCOT West and nearly $100/MWh in PJM, underscoring why buyers are increasingly focused on production uncertainty, curtailment exposure and settlement design. Moving from volume to selectivity Despite the resurgence in early 2026 deal activity, the next phase of the PPA market will not be necessarily defined by record-breaking volumes. Projects that can demonstrate bankable tax credit eligibility, realistic performance assumptions and credible timelines will increasingly stand out from the pack. Volume alone is no longer enough to win offtake. Buyers that underwrite shape, curtailment exposure and tax credit risk up front will clear deals faster â and avoid unpleasant surprises post-COD. In this environment, operational assets are increasingly advantaged, capturing market share as buyers place less weight on additionality and more on delivery certainty. Pricing expectations for newbuild projects reflect tighter market fundamentals and increasing sensitivity to risks around capacity factors. Solar newbuild PPA prices for 2027 range from $39/MWh in ERCOT West to $75/MWh in PJM Western Hub. Lower capacity factor assumptions can push prices 20%-35% higher, especially in constrained regions and nodes. Looking ahead to 2028, Horizons base case price forecasts for newbuild solar rise into the $60s in ERCOT and $80s in PJM â levels that may test some buyers' willingness to transact. But with tax credit eligibility tightening and clean energy demand still accelerating, contracting is likely to persist. In this context, short-term PPAs are well-positioned to gain traction, particularly as a growing share of operational fleets roll off legacy long-term contracts. Offtakers have also been less inclined to publicly announce short-term PPAs, reinforcing the perception that headline PPA volumes may be understating underlying contracting activity. The early months of 2026 demonstrate that North American PPA markets are not slowing â they are evolving. And as the energy transition accelerates, the foundations being laid this year will shape the next generation of clean energy procurement, technology adoption and grid transformation. This article contains views and forecasts from S&amp;P Global Energy Horizons analysts. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/zh/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/032426-ceraweek-energy-system-shock-brings-long-term-opportunity-for-carbon-markets</link><pubDate>24 March 2026 21:38:17 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Daniel Weeks</name></author></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/energy-transition/032626-hydrogen-cost-remains-significant-barrier-for-adoption-in-shipping-howden-cco</link><description>The high cost of hydrogen remains one of the most significant barriers to its adoption as a marine fuel, despite growing interest in the fuel, according to Hari Subramaniam, chief commercial officer at maritime insurance company Howden. Industry estimates suggest that hydrogen is currently 10-12 times more expensive than liquefied natural gas and four-five times costlier than alternative fuels</description><title>Hydrogen cost remains significant barrier for adoption in shipping: Howden CCO</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 08:58:30 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Donavan Lim</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Energy Transition, Maritime &amp; Shipping, Hydrogen March 26, 2026 Hydrogen cost remains significant barrier for adoption in shipping: Howden CCO By Donavan Lim Editor: Anoop Menon Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Hydrogen costs 10-12 times more than LNG Policy delays slow green fuel adoption Multifuel potential for shipping The high cost of hydrogen remains one of the most significant barriers to its adoption as a marine fuel, despite growing interest in the fuel, according to Hari Subramaniam, chief commercial officer at maritime insurance company Howden. Industry estimates suggest that hydrogen is currently 10-12 times more expensive than liquefied natural gas and four-five times costlier than alternative fuels such as ammonia and methanol. At those price levels, widespread adoption remains commercially challenging for shipowners, Subramaniam told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. Platts assessed the Indian renewable hydrogen long term contract at $3.163/kg on March 19, down 0.84% week over week. Hydrogen also requires significant investment in specialised storage, transport and bunkering infrastructure. This adds another layer of complexity and cost for both ports and ship operators. Hydrogen will need to achieve price parity with other emerging green fuels before it can be considered by shipowners at scale, according to specialists at Howden Group. "At present pricing levels, hydrogen is simply not competitive ... until costs fall significantly and infrastructure becomes more widely available, its uptake in the maritime sector will remain limited," Subramaniam said. Green fuel policy The International Maritime Organization's Net Zero Framework saw a delay in 2025 due to a lack of consensus among member states. The framework aimed at accelerating progress toward the sector's decarbonization. "If member states are unable to reach an agreement on measures such as the Net Zero Framework, it affects confidence across the market," Subramaniam said. "That inevitably slows the adoption of alternative fuels more broadly -- not just hydrogen." Battery-electric advances Compared with fuels such as methanol or biofuels, hydrogen presents significantly greater operational and technical challenges. The fuel's extremely small molecular size makes it prone to leakage, while its flammability introduces heightened explosion risks. In addition, hydrogen flames are nearly invisible to the human eye, requiring specialised detection systems. Robust ventilation systems are also necessary to prevent the accumulation of hydrogen vapours onboard ships. While hydrogen faces these hurdles, battery-electric propulsion is gaining traction in certain market segments, particularly for inland craft and short-distance operations. Electric propulsion systems offer advantages in terms of availability and ease of handling, and they require significantly less specialised infrastructure than hydrogen. However, Howden does not see batteries and hydrogen as competing solutions. "Different technologies will serve different operational needs," Subramaniam said. "Battery-electric systems are well suited to shorter routes, while hydrogen may eventually play a role in longer-distance voyages where battery technology is currently less viable." As the maritime sector works toward its long-term climate goals, Subramaniam expects a multifuel future rather than a single dominant solution. "The decarbonisation of shipping will involve a combination of technologies and fuels," Subramaniam said. "The key is helping the industry manage the risks while enabling progress toward lower-emission operations." US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/032726-ceraweek-in-the-case-for-clean-resources-energy-security-tops-energy-transition</link><description>Clean hydrogen and ammonia backers are making the case that alternative fuels can lower nations&amp;apos; reliance on imports of fuel from the Middle East, as public and private climate goals fall by the wayside. Green and blue hydrogen are still touted as lower-emission substitutes to conventional &amp;quot;gray&amp;quot; hydrogen -- used in fertilizer production and refining -- and fossil fuels. But the corporate climate</description><title>CERAWEEK: In the case for clean resources, &amp;apos;energy security&amp;apos; tops &amp;apos;energy transition&amp;apos;</title><pubDate>27 March 2026 21:00:59 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Siri Hedreen</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Agriculture, Refined Products, Renewables, Emissions, Hydrogen, Biofuels, Jet Fuel March 27, 2026 CERAWEEK: In the case for clean resources, 'energy security' tops 'energy transition' By Siri Hedreen Editor: Markham Watson Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS Europe may boost domestic hydrogen production Middle East conflict threatens ammonia supply Clean hydrogen and ammonia backers are making the case that alternative fuels can lower nations' reliance on imports of fuel from the Middle East, as public and private climate goals fall by the wayside. Green and blue hydrogen are still touted as lower-emission substitutes to conventional "gray" hydrogen -- used in fertilizer production and refining -- and fossil fuels. But the corporate climate case has largely been supplanted by the case for diversification, industry participants said at the CERAWeek by S&amp;P Global Energy conference in Houston. "Four or five years ago, it was a climate-driven conversation," Rik Sneep, senior vice president at Spain-headquartered integrated energy and chemicals company MOEVE, said during a March 25 panel. "I think it's now more of a security-driven conversation. But in the end, the target is the same." The war with Iran has added to the sense of urgency. "It's terrible what's going on in the world right now," Woodside Energy Group Vice President Rick Beuttel, head of the Australia-headquartered oil and natural gas producer's New Energy division, said on the sidelines of CERAWeek. "But it's a good time to bring in a new ammonia plant where the ammonia can get to market without having to pass through the Strait of Hormuz." Europe If the conflict continues, industry watchers see several potential outcomes for clean fuels. The first is an uptick in demand for domestically produced renewable-powered fuels and biofuels, despite their green premium. In the EU, some hydrogen end-users were already switching from gray to green to comply with the trade bloc's emission caps. The EU's new carbon tax on foreign imports, known as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, has also encouraged some domestic and international producers to reduce their emissions. But the clean hydrogen market is still smaller than many had forecast due to regulatory delays and weak voluntary demand. A prolonged fossil fuel shortage could expand that market, industry watchers said. "A concrete example of this is [the] production of sustainable aviation fuel, not for the compliance market anymore, but also for the defense sector," Yassir Ghiyati, chief commercial officer for equipment manufacturer Topsoe, said. Renewable power is also more stable in price than fossil fuel feedstocks, added Michele Azalbert, chief hydrogen officer at PETRONAS subsidiary Gentari. Furthermore, Azalbert said, producing green fuels domestically may be seen as a hedge against logistics costs, which spiked in Europe during the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "I think Europe has still to realize what is going to hit," Sneep said. Before the Iran conflict, Europe imported 20%-25% of its refined products through the Strait of Hormuz, whereas Asia imported 70%-80%, Sneep said. As a result, European energy consumers may be temporarily insulated from the strait's closure, he added. North America Customers in the EU and Japan -- another early adopter -- could also become more dependent on North America over the Middle East for low-emission hydrogen and its derivatives. While the US green ammonia pipeline is negligible, fertilizer producer CF Industries Holdings recently began shipping blue ammonia from its Louisiana plant, which was retrofitted with carbon capture in 2025. Woodside Energy is also targeting EU ammonia customers. The Australian company recently inaugurated a plant in Beaumont, Texas, and expects to start capturing CO2 from the facility in 2027, yielding blue or "low-carbon" ammonia. As of a few months ago, Woodside had expected to start capturing CO2 in 2026. But the delay is not due to a lack of demand; instead, Woodside is waiting for industrial gas producer Linde to complete construction of a hydrogen plant to supply the project, Beuttel told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy. "If I had low-carbon ammonia today, I'd be selling it to Europe, so I'd like them to be finished soon," Beuttel said. Longevity of climate goals Not all experts see an energy supply shock as a boon for alternative fuels. As soon as the CBAM was implemented in January, the EU's agriculture industry protested the levy on ammonia imports, fearing a shortage in fertilizer. "Well, guess what? Ammonia prices [are] only going to get worse with all the limitations on LNG," Roman Kramarchuk, head of integrated narratives and policy analysis at S&amp;P Global Energy, said during a CERAWeek session. As a result, "policymakers may put a short-term halt on ambitious efforts, because they're going to have to make sure that the planting season goes forward, that people are fed," Kramarchuk added. Industrial gas producer Air Liquide had already dialed back its clean energy growth strategy in the US. In 2024, the company pledged to invest $850 million in equipment for ExxonMobil's blue hydrogen and ammonia development in Baytown, Texas. But ExxonMobil has yet to find a committed customer for the planned facility, and in November 2025, the project was shelved. Air Liquide was also involved in six of the seven regional hydrogen hub projects that were awarded a combined $7 billion by the Biden administration. But the Trump administration has since paused or canceled those grants, and many of the projects are now dormant. The company is still advancing clean hydrogen development in Europe, where the energy transition remains a "very strong focus," Air Liquide North America CEO Adam Peters said in an interview. The Japanese government's support for low-carbon ammonia has also proven consistent, Peters added. But the crisis in the Middle East could alter the balance of sustainability, affordability and security concerns. "Making sure that supplies are available in Europe, in my view, is going to take center stage for the moment over the carbon intensity of supply," Peters told Platts. The impact on clean fuel investment is unclear, however, and will likely hinge on the length of the crisis, Peters said. "And I think that's a big question nobody knows." During the March 25 panel, Ghiyati echoed Peters' remarks, emphasizing that the war in the Middle East is still recent and that market impacts may be temporary. Others predicted energy security concerns will only heighten. "I tend to think that the world seems to be going in the direction of being more crazy, unfortunately," Clara Bowman, chief operations officer at Chilean synthetic fuels company HIF Global, added during the panel. "Hopefully, everything stabilizes that it doesn't become an issue. But that doesn't look the way that it's heading at the moment." US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item><item><link>https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/natural-gas/032626-interview-elengy-sustains-european-lng-offerings-advances-transition-aims</link><description>French LNG terminal operator Elengy anticipates its existing import infrastructure will remain key for France over the coming years, even as the company positions itself for greater involvement in a low-carbon energy system, the company&amp;apos;s chief strategy, sales and business development officer told Platts, part of S&amp;amp;P Global Energy, in a recent interview. &amp;quot;We do not see a need for more [LNG]</description><title>INTERVIEW: Elengy sustains European LNG offerings, advances transition aims</title><pubDate>26 March 2026 15:10:21 GMT</pubDate><author><name>Matt Hoisch</name><name>James Burgess</name></author><content><![CDATA[ Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, LNG, Renewables, Emissions March 26, 2026 INTERVIEW: Elengy sustains European LNG offerings, advances transition aims By Matt Hoisch and James Burgess Editor: Richard Rubin Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... HIGHLIGHTS French operator expects near term 60% average LNG utilization Plans to convert Fos Tonkin terminal for CCS by 2030 Eyeing ammonia imports, cracking for local hydrogen industry French LNG terminal operator Elengy anticipates its existing import infrastructure will remain key for France over the coming years, even as the company positions itself for greater involvement in a low-carbon energy system, the company's chief strategy, sales and business development officer told Platts, part of S&amp;P Global Energy, in a recent interview. "We do not see a need for more [LNG] capacity in France," Christophe Thil said. "But we think that our current capacity will be useful for the energy system." France was Europe's largest LNG importer in 2025. It brought in some 22.5 million metric tons of the super chilled fuel across the year, according to data from S&amp;P Global Energy CERA. Elengy operates three of the country's four LNG terminals: Fos Tonkin, Fos Cavaou and Montoir-de-Bretagne. Belgian gas infrastructure firm Fluxys runs the fourth terminal in Dunkirk. Elengy expects its LNG facilities will continue to see robust use into the next decade, Thil said. "We should have an average import utilization rate around 60%," he said. "Our view is that LNG will be key in the security of gas supply in the coming years and that we have to be as efficient as possible." Maintaining LNG operations does not preclude preparing to handle alternative energy sources, however. In the near term, Elengy has developed eight bioLNG bays across its three terminals: four at Fos Cavaou and two each at Fos Tonkin and Montoir, according to Thil. However, the service has so far seen low demand absent regulatory incentives, he added. "It's a bit disappointing for us," Thil said. "The market is still in a wait-and-see position but that could accelerate quickly when regulation is in place." Energy transition ambitions Further shifts are set from 2028, when Elengy will move the Fos Tonkin site away from LNG to energy transition efforts. The company does not anticipate the changes will strain France's energy security, as Fos Cavaou is expected to be able to handle added LNG cargoes from the Tonkin transition. "We don't see any risk for the French gas supply," Thil said. Elengy plans to convert the Fos Tonkin terminal into a low-carbon ammonia import and CO2 export facility, where it will receive and liquefy CO2 from industrial emitters before shipment for permanent geological storage. The Rhone CO2 project could reduce CO2 emissions by 4 million mt/year by 2030, Elengy said on its website. Meanwhile, the ammonia import terminal aims to supply regional industries as well as cracking the ammonia back into hydrogen to supply local refineries, Thil said. Elengy is working on the ammonia project in partnership with trading company Trammo, he said. Elengy has completed pre-front-end engineering design work, and is in discussions for FEED studies, targeting a final investment decision in 2027-2028, Thil said. The facilities could be commissioned in 2030-2031. European carbon prices are key to develop the low-carbon projects, Thil said. "The fact that there is some hesitation in the European regulation on ETS could impact some CCS projects," he said. He welcomed the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as a tool to level the playing field with higher carbon-intensity imports, saying the tax could help the company to take FID on low-carbon projects. Elengy is also planning a CO2 export terminal at its Montoir terminal, the GOCO2 project, which has carried out feasibility studies and emitter cement companies have received French government backing as part of the project. Heidelberg Materials, Lafarge and Lhoist have committed to working with Elengy on the project, and a further 10 companies have registered expressions of interest, Elengy said on its website. Elengy estimates GOCO2 could ship 2.2 million mt/year of CO2 by 2031. Thil said that CCS was ready to deploy technically, but alignment on specifications and coordination along the value chain could present barriers. "I think the technical issues are not that difficult," he said. "Every piece of the puzzle exists. The capture exists, the geological storage of CO2 is something that exists. But the coordination and the alignment of all the counterparties all along the value chain on spec, on the quality of the CO2, for instance, or the pressure of the cargoes or the type of transportation need to be made before the launch of FEED studies." Middle East war uncertainty Thil was cautious about the potential impact from the US-Israel war with Iran on energy transition projects, noting European industries' vulnerability to high natural gas prices. European LNG prices have skyrocketed amid the war. Platts assessed the DES Northwest Europe marker at $17.466/million British thermal units on March 25, down 1.8% day over day. While it has sunk from recent peaks, the benchmark remains some 77% higher than before the conflict began in late February. "If the situation lasts, it could have a negative impact on industry in Europe," Thil said. "But it could also create a move to accelerate this energy transition." However, he warned that the drive to protectionism could damage ammonia import prospects, should national governments seek to remove dependency on energy and commodity imports. US-Israeli Conflict with Iran Essential Energy Intelligence for today's uncertainty. See What Matters > ]]></content></item></channel></rss>