Author: Graham Foster

The stock market is experiencing anxiety over the potential disruption caused by artificial intelligence in software businesses. This makes it an ideal moment for investments in industries like energy, where the U.S. sector has already risen by 17% this year, according to Bloomberg data. This growth has played a significant role in boosting the market capitalization of major oil companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips, which has seen a 25% increase over the past year. This rise puts them slightly ahead of their European counterparts, including Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Eni, and Equinor. Interestingly, this increase in oil stocks comes even…

Survey Reveals GOP Voter Support for Solar Energy A recent poll commissioned by First Solar shows that a slight majority of right-leaning voters, specifically 51%, support the use of utility-scale solar energy. Meanwhile, 30% oppose it, and 19% remain undecided. The survey was conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates. Interestingly, support for solar energy jumps to 70% when respondents learned that the solar panels would be made in America and not sourced from China. Additionally, the survey indicates that 52% of GOP-aligned voters are more likely to support Congressional candidates who advocate for a diverse energy agenda and the establishment…

Nuclear fusion is gaining attention in the world of finance, akin to a surprising experiment. The idea is simple: bring two elements together to create more energy than before. This concept is at the heart of a recent merger between Trump Media & Technology Group, the company affiliated with the Trump family, and TAE Technologies, which is striving to harness nuclear fusion as a new energy source. In this merger, both companies will hold a 50% share, each valued at about $4 billion based on recent stock prices. Interestingly, this valuation is more than three times the amount TAE has…

The transition to clean energy is often talked about in terms of goals and frameworks. However, its real success will come from factories, industrial areas, and communities that still produce goods. Manufacturing is as crucial to society as schools and roads, providing jobs and supporting local services, which help keep families and neighborhoods stable. Even though the U.S. has lost a significant number of manufacturing jobs, from around 20 million to 13 million, the sector still plays a crucial role in innovation and exports. Its focus is shifting toward sectors like electrification, advanced materials, and energy-efficient technologies. Regions with a…

Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) are generating a lot of excitement as a promising new technology, with hopes of being operational in the UK by the mid-2030s. These smaller reactors have drawn interest from both governments and major corporations like Amazon and Microsoft because they offer several advantages over traditional, larger nuclear plants. One of the major selling points for SMRs is their size. Even the largest designs produce a maximum of 350 megawatts, making them significantly smaller and cheaper to build than larger facilities, such as the Hinkley Point C plant in the UK. This smaller size means they…

Rio Tinto is advocating for its chair and CEO to retain their positions in the event of a merger with competitor Glencore, as significant disagreements persist ahead of a critical deadline for their $260 billion deal. Important negotiations aimed at forming the world’s biggest mining company are ongoing as the deadline approaches. By Thursday, Rio must declare its clear intent to bid for Glencore or withdraw unless an agreement to extend discussions is reached. Glencore, in contrast, is aiming for a high premium in this potential deal, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. While it’s expected that talks may…

Dive Brief: Tesla has reported a significant boost in its energy storage business, reaching record installations in the fourth quarter of 2025. As electric vehicle (EV) sales slowed, Tesla’s energy storage systems were in high demand, increasing their deployments significantly. Meanwhile, South Korean battery manufacturers LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI also noted strong demand for their energy storage products and expect this trend to continue into 2026. Dive Insight: In the fourth quarter of 2025, Tesla deployed 14.2 GWh of energy storage, totaling 46.7 GWh for the entire year, marking a 29% increase for the quarter and a 49%…

Welcome to Energy Source, reaching out from London. Recently, the energy sector has been analyzing the UK Budget announced last week, where the government addressed the challenge of rising energy bills faced worldwide. Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced measures that effectively reduce the typical electricity bill by around £150. This was achieved by reallocating some costs to taxation and discontinuing a significant energy efficiency program. One of the prominent changes involves temporarily subsidizing older wind and solar farms through taxes rather than electricity bills. This move has been positively received by many who believe the Treasury should lower electricity costs to…

The CEO of Siemens Energy, Christian Bruch, recently urged the Trump administration to ensure more consistency in its policies. This call to action came as the German company announced a $1 billion investment aimed at expanding its operations in the United States. In an interview, Bruch shared that this expansion is expected to create around 1,500 jobs, largely driven by the increasing demand for their products tied to the growth in AI data centers. While he recognizes the U.S. as a promising market due to the AI boom, he expressed concerns over certain policies from Trump’s administration that have negatively…

Shell is considering a significant pay increase for its CEO, Wael Sawan, potentially boosting his compensation by at least £4.6 million annually through a generous long-term incentive plan. The company is in discussions with shareholders about raising Sawan’s share awards from a maximum of six times his salary—currently set at £1.535 million in 2024—to nine times. This could bring his total possible annual award to £13.8 million. If this plan is approved, Sawan’s overall compensation—including his base salary, the new long-term plan, and a bonus that could be 2.5 times his salary—could exceed £19 million. While Shell hasn’t confirmed the…