Chinese solar stocks jump on news of Musk's visit, but some firms deny cooperating
Chinese solar shares rose on Wednesday, after local media reported Elon 'Musk sent delegations to visit various companies. This was days after Elon announced plans to build a large-scale?cell capacity for the U.S. The CSI All Share Solar Power Equipment Sub-Industry Index grew 3.61%, while the CSI SH-HK-SZ Solar Power 50 Index grew 3.22%. According to a report published by Sina Finance on Tuesday, citing sources from the Chinese solar industry, a team sent by Musk visited several photovoltaic companies in China. These included firms involved in equipment and silicon wafers as well as battery modules and Perovskite Technology.
Eni's LNG market for 2026 is 'finely balancing' due to Asian demand and a thin supply
An Eni executive stated that the global LNG market will remain 'finely balanced' this year due to thin supply buffers and low European inventories, as well as a resurgent Asian demand. This leaves little room for weather-related shocks. Eni's Cristian Signoretto is the director of global gas and LNG portfolio. He said that Europe has very little storage, so we must replenish it this summer. He added that he expected Asia, China to recover a little from last year's low consumption, as prices would be lower than they were last year. Signoretto explained that if there is a sudden cold snap in the last months of winter…
Qatar Energy CEO: By 2030, the LNG glut may be reduced to a gap due to AI power requirements.
Qatar Energy CEO Saad Al-Kaabi said on Monday that the expected global glut of liquefied gas could become a shortage in 2030 due to rising demand for gas and fuels, particularly in Asia. The LNG supply expected between 2026-2029, including projects such as Golden Pass LNG in the U.S. Gulf Coast region and Qatar's North Field Expansion are likely to be significant. Kaabi added that the demand expectation has increased "primarily due to...AI and data center needs". He told LNG2026 that if all of this pans out there will be a deficit, not an oversupply, by 2030.
Electricity Needs for AI, Data Centers May Turn LNG Glut into Gap by 2030
Growing electricity demand from AI and data centres, together with rising fuel use in Asia and European gas needs could turn an expected global liquefied natural gas supply glut into a shortage by 2030, Qatar Energy CEO Saad al-Kaabi said on Monday.LNG coming online between 2026 and 2029 has raised concerns of a supply glut that could depress prices, with projects like Golden Pass LNG on the U.S. Gulf Coast and Qatar's North Field Expansion expected to contribute sizeable volumes."We always thought the market would have some kind of oversupply between 2025-2030 (and) beyond 2030 you will have a shortage…
Ecoceres CEO: New Malaysian plant nearing full capacity at new biofuels firm Ecoceres
Ecoceres, a biofuel producer in Malaysia, said that its new plant for converting used cooking oil to sustainable aviation fuel was running at nearly full capacity. The plant is located at Tanjung Langsat, Johor Bahru, near Singapore, and produces up to 420,000 tons of SAF per year, as well as hydrotreated vegetable oils, also known as renewable fuels, as well as bio-naphtha. Ecoceres 'CEO Matti Lievonen stated at the inauguration of the plant that it is operating at 95% capacity. Ecoceres - jointly owned by Hong Kong City Gas Company Towngas and U.S. based Bain Capital -?exported their first SAF cargo in December to Europe.
Palm oil prices will average lower in 2026 due to higher supply and weak biofuel demand
A poll revealed that Malaysian crude palm futures prices are expected to be slightly lower than they were last year in 2026, due to a stronger supply by'major' producers and a subdued demand for biofuels. According to 14 traders, analysts, and industry participants, the benchmark palm oil price will average 4,125 Ringgit per metric ton in 2018, down 2,55% from 2025. The average CPO close price increased 2.54% from 4,128 to 4,233 Ringgit in 2025, thanks to Indonesia's mandatory B40 blend of biodiesel, which contains 40% of palm oil. This was despite the oversupply in the market.
Philippines discovers first natural gas in over a decade
The Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced on Monday that gas and condensate were found in a well near the existing 'Malampaya' gas field, off the island Palawan. This was the first natural gas discovery by the Philippines in over a decade. Marcos stated that the well, known as 'Malampaya East One or MAE-1', contains about 98 billion cubic foot of gas. This is equivalent to nearly 14 billion kWh in one year. Initial test results showed that the well was flowing at 60 million cubic foot per day. The well is capable of producing even more.
Malaysia increases gas-fired electricity use in December, as coal dependence falls
Grid operator data shows that Malaysia increased its natural gas-fired electricity generation in December and reduced its reliance on coal. The rising production helped to boost local supply, and also expanded liquefied gas exports. Real-time data provided by Malaysia's Grid Systems Operator (GSO), showed that gas-fired electricity generation was responsible for the majority of the nearly 5% increase in electricity delivered to Peninsular Malaysia during December. This offset a decline in coal-fired production of 4.3%. The GSO does not release monthly output figures.
Analyst: Myanmar to resume LNG imports following cargo received last month
Myanmar will resume LNG imports in 2019 after receiving half of a cargo of the super-chilled fuel last month. This marks an end to a four-year-long hiatus of shipments. After the civil war, shipments of LNG to Southeast Asia were stopped. Since then, Myanmar has experienced gas shortages and widespread blackouts. Analyst Nelson Xiong said that Kpler expected Myanmar to import 0.4 millions tons of LNG by 2026. Two'restarted' or upgraded LNG to power projects will ramp up to a total 500 megawatts. According to Kpler?data the Dapeng Princess Tanker picked up LNG from the Bintulu LNG Plant in East Malaysia?on 11/12/11 before delivering it the Thilawa FSU?in the south of Myanmar.
JETP estimates Indonesia requires $92 billion for decarbonising the captive power sector by 2050
In a recent report, the Just Energy?Transition Partnership stated that Indonesia will need to invest an estimated $31 Billion by 2030 and a total $92 Billion by 2050 in order to switch?to a greener energy sector in its captive power sector. In recent years, the captive power sector in Southeast Asia, which includes?electricity production?developed by industry for its own use, has expanded rapidly, especially in nickel industrial estates. According to the report, Indonesian JETP Secretariat estimates that captive power will reach 25,9 GW by 2024. Over 75% of this capacity is powered by coal. Nearly 11 GW is in various stages and will use coal.
EnQuest, a UK-based company, expects to exceed its production target for 2025
EnQuest, a North Sea oil producer, said on Wednesday that it expected to reach or even exceed its forecasted output of 40,000-45,000 barrels equivalents per day (boepd), as it increased expansion in Southeast Asia. Along with other energy companies, the company is investing in gas production and exploration in the region in order to meet increasing power demands from a growing population and an increase in data centres. EnQuest announced that it completed its Seligi 1b gas project nine months earlier than expected, with full production to be achieved in January 2026. It also said that recent acquisitions in Vietnam had increased output.
Report: China invested $80 billion in cleantech overseas last year
According to a recent report from the Australian research group Climate Energy Finance, Chinese companies have invested $80 billion overseas in clean technologies to help absorb an oversupply. According to the report published on Sunday, many countries have also intensified their cleantech collaboration with China as a result of U.S. president Donald Trump's new tariffs. This brings China's overseas direct investment in green technology up to more than 180 billion dollars since 2023. Chinese companies dominate the supply chains of clean technologies, such as solar panels and batteries. Chinese investment in clean energy infrastructure creates markets for these products.
Woodside and East Timor target first LNG from Greater Sunrise by 2032
East Timor and Australia's Woodside Energy have agreed to investigate sending gas from large, undeveloped Greater Sunrise field to a new plant that will produce liquefied gas in Southeast Asia. The plant could begin exporting gas in seven years. In a Tuesday joint statement, Woodside and East Timor’s Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ministry said that the agreement requires the two parties to examine the commercial and technological viability of a 5 million-metric-ton LNG project. The plan is to begin production as soon as 2032-2035. This is the first time that the two sides have given a possible start date for the development of the fields between East Timor…
Woodside and East Timor target first LNG from Greater Sunrise by 2032
East Timor and Australia's Woodside Energy have agreed to investigate sending gas from large, undeveloped Greater Sunrise field to a new plant that will produce liquefied gas in Southeast Asia. The plant could begin exporting gas in seven years. In a Tuesday joint statement, Woodside and East Timor’s Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ministry said that the agreement requires the two parties to examine the commercial and technological viability of a 5 million-metric-ton LNG project. The plan is to begin production as soon as 2032-2035. This is the first time that the two sides have given a possible start date.
UBS: Data centres will drive the energy storage boom cycle in the next five years
UBS Securities predicts that the growth of AI-driven data centres in the U.S. will drive a "boom" cycle for energy storage over the next five year as it is necessary to balance out the fluctuations in wind and solar power generation. Yan Yishu, an analyst at UBS Securities in Hong Kong, told the media on Wednesday that global energy storage demand is expected to increase by 40% year-on-year globally in 2026. The demand for AI data centers in the U.S. has been very strong, but the main bottleneck is electricity. The only segment of the U.S. power grid that is expected to grow in the next 5 years will be renewables.
BP Indonesia imports fuel from Pertamina to replenish after a shortage, the company reports.
BP's Indonesian fuel station operator said that it imported base fuel through a unit of Indonesian state energy company Pertamina. This was to replenish supplies following a shortage which has been plaguing private retailers in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. BP Indonesia, BP-AKR and Shell have both reported that they are experiencing inventory shortages of certain gasoline products. This has been happening since late August. BP-AKR stated that it imported base fuels for some of its gasoline via Pertamina Patra Niaga, the retail unit of Pertamina. The government had given the order.
Malaysia shifts from coal to a mix of solar, gas and electricity
Malaysia will shift away from coal and focus on solar power, said the CEO of the state utility Tenaga Nasional on Wednesday. He added that using renewable sources would keep costs low. Southeast Asia's 35 million-strong nation has increased its coal-fired fleet in order to lower electricity costs. However, it plans to increase the use of solar and natural gas - with the latter being cheaper but the former more flexible. Solar is cheaper per unit than coal and gas. In an interview, Megat Jalaluddin, CEO of TNB said that the best option is to have a mix that will address affordability.
Blueleaf Energy India Plans to Receive $75 Million from UK Development Finance Body
British International Investment, the UK's Development Finance Institution, announced on Wednesday that it would invest 75 million dollars to help Blueleaf Energy expand in India, a renewable energy platform owned by Macquarie Asset Management. The funds are intended to speed up the deployment of clean energy in Asia. The investment is to be made into Blueleaf’s utility-scale projects for solar, wind and energy storage in India. It will generate more than 3.2 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year of clean energy. The investment is in line with BII’s broader strategy of accelerating the energy transition for emerging markets.
Enphase Energy's forecast for the fourth quarter revenue is below expectations, signaling a tariff increase
Enphase Energy's fourth-quarter revenue was below Wall Street expectations on Tuesday. The company also said that U.S. president Donald Trump's tariffs negatively affected its margins. Shares of the solar inverter manufacturer fell over 8% following hours. The tariffs are expected to have a negative impact on the company's margins in the current quarter. Enphase said on a call after earnings that it expected limited exposure to recent China-related duties as the company's supplies chain is moving away from China. Enphase pays tariffs of over 40% on cell packs imported from China. U.S.
Trade executives say that global LNG demand will rise as new supplies lower prices.
Trading executives at the Asia Gas Markets Conference on Tuesday said that global liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), demand will rebound due to new supply entering the markets, which is expected to drive prices down and spur the interest of price-sensitive buyers. Mohammad Arif is the head of LNG Asia Pacific at Uniper. He said that demand would gradually develop, with prices under $7-8 per million British Thermal Units (mmBtu). Asian spot LNG is currently priced at $11.20/mmBtu. Benjamin Comninos is the director of trading portfolio optimization for Cheniere. He said that markets like China, India, and Southeast Asia could see a recovery in demand.