Energy

MIT researchers say the devices could pack three times as much energy per pound as today’s best EV batteries – offering a lightweight option for powering planes, lorries or ships

A groundbreaking fuel cell could be the key to unlocking electric planes, according to a new study.

The researchers suggest that these devices could hold three times as much energy per kg compared to today’s top-performing EV batteries, providing a lightweight solution for powering not just planes, but lorries and ships too.

Batteries are fast approaching their capacity in terms of how much power they can store relative to their weight. This poses a significant challenge for energy innovation, particularly in the quest for new ways to power aeroplanes, trains, and ships.

Fuel use is a huge problem in aviation. Airlines spend around a quarter of their operating budgets on jet fuel, meaning it has a significant impact on the cost of a ticket. What’s more, flying is one of if not the most polluting way to travel.

Passenger taking an economy-class flight from London to New York generates around 309kg of carbon dioxide, which would take roughly a year to absorb via 10 mature trees.

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However, a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) may have found a solution that could help electrify our transportation systems. Their concept doesn’t involve a battery, but rather a type of fuel cell – similar to a battery but can be quickly refuelled instead of recharged.

In this innovative system, the fuel is liquid sodium metal, a cheap and readily available resource. On the other side of the cell is ordinary air, which provides oxygen atoms. Sandwiched between them is a layer of solid ceramic material acting as the electrolyte, allowing sodium ions to pass freely through. A porous electrode facing the air aids the sodium in chemically reacting with oxygen to generate electricity.

Through a series of experiments with a prototype device, the research team demonstrated that the cell could carry over three times as much energy per unit of weight as the lithium-ion batteries currently used in almost all electric vehicles.

Professor Yet-Ming Chiang said: “We expect people to think that this is a totally crazy idea. If they didn’t, I’d be a bit disappointed because if people don’t think something is totally crazy at first, it probably isn’t going to be that revolutionary.”

He believes the tech has genuine potential to shake up the industry, especially in the field of aviation where keeping weight down is paramount. The team of researchers are convinced that their advancements in energy density could well be the game-changer needed to pivot towards substantial electrically powered flights.

Prof Chiang noted with enthusiasm: “The threshold that you really need for realistic electric aviation is about 1,000 watt-hours per kilogram. Today’s electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries top out at about 300 watt-hours per kilogram – nowhere near what’s needed.”

He admits that even a battery achieving 1,000 watt-hours per kilo wouldn’t make transcontinental or trans-Atlantic flights feasible yet.

That achievement is still out of bounds for any current battery chemistry; however, Prof Chiang insists reaching 1,000 watts per kilo would start to enable regional electric aviation, cutting about 80% of domestic flights’ emissions and 30% of aviation emissions overall.

The study released in the Journal Joule suggests that such a technological breakthrough could also revolutionise other industries like marine and rail transport.

The team imagines that this technology could be used in aircraft by inserting fuel packs filled with cell stacks, akin to sliding racks of food trays into a cafeteria slot, into the fuel cells. As the sodium metal within these packs is chemically altered to generate power, a by-product is produced.

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In the case of aircraft, this by-product would be expelled out the back, similar to jet engine exhaust, but without any carbon dioxide emissions. Instead, the emissions, primarily sodium oxide, would actually capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The researchers explain that this compound would rapidly react with atmospheric moisture to form sodium hydroxide, a substance often found in drain cleaners, which then readily reacts with carbon dioxide to create a solid called sodium carbonate, eventually turning into sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda.

Prof Chiang concluded: “There’s this natural cascade of reactions that happens when you start with sodium metal. It’s all spontaneous. We don’t have to do anything to make it happen, we just have to fly the aeroplane.”

He noted that the sodium bicarbonate by-product could be a boon for our oceans, potentially neutralising their acidity—a side effect of greenhouse gas emissions.

Prof Chiang highlighted the safety advantages of the new fuel cell, describing it as “inherently safer” than many conventional batteries.

He pointed out the need for caution with sodium metal due to its high reactivity and the necessity of keeping it secure. Like lithium batteries, sodium poses a risk of spontaneous combustion when in contact with moisture.

Prof Chiang remarked: “Whenever you have a very high energy density battery, safety is always a concern, because if there’s a rupture of the membrane that separates the two reactants, you can have a runaway reaction. But in this fuel cell, one side is just air, which is dilute and limited.

“So you don’t have two concentrated reactants right next to each other. If you’re pushing for really, really high energy density, you’d rather have a fuel cell than a battery for safety reasons.”

Although currently only a small-scale prototype exists, Prof Chiang believes scaling up the system for commercial use should be “quite straightforward”.

A team of researchers has already established Propel Aero, a company aimed at advancing this technology. Their envisioned system would operate using a refillable cartridge filled with liquid sodium metal, securely sealed for use.

When it’s exhausted, it would be taken back to a refilling station and replenished with fresh sodium.

With a battered economy and a restless population, Iran is as desperate as the United States to come together, Johns Hopkins University Professor Vali Nasr argues.

Nasr told host Steve Clemons that US President Donald Trump’s administration is eager to reach an arms control deal with Iran, and Iran is eager to grow economically. “Both of them have arrived, after 40 some years, at a juncture where they need to change the direction of their relationship,” Nasr said.

Join the conversation on Nasr’s latest book, Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History, which explains how Iran’s anti-Americanism “is not ideological or theological”.

At least 260 miners have been brought to the surface in South Africa after being stuck underground at a gold mine for 24 hours.

Africa is at the centre of a rising demand for minerals and precious metals.

Lithium is essential to the transition away from fossil fuels, used for batteries in electric vehicles and other clean energy technologies.

But in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, rights groups continue to denounce the dangerous working conditions of children in artisanal mines, particularly for cobalt.

So, are the continent’s critical minerals at a critical juncture? And what will be the impact of the global scramble for Africa’s natural resources?

Presenter: Tom McRae

Guests:

Claude Kabemba – Executive director of Southern Africa Resource Watch

Christopher Vandome – Senior research fellow at Chatham House Africa Programme

Maurice Carney – Co-founder and executive director, Friends of the Congo

Major power outage hits the prominent film festival on its closing day and impacts 160,000 homes in the area.

French police were investigating a possible arson attack as being the main cause for a power outage which hit the Alpes-Maritimes region in southern France, including Cannes which is hosting its world-famous annual film festival.

“We are looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately,” a spokesperson for the French national gendarmerie said on Saturday, adding that no arrests had been made at this stage.

The local authority for the Alpes-Maritimes region had said earlier on Saturday that the western part of the area, which includes Cannes, was suffering from a major electricity outage and that grid operator RTE France was working on restoring power.

The outage, which affected 160,000 homes, according to RTE and regional officials, started shortly after 10am local time (08:00 GMT) on Saturday.

Police sources said the outage was caused by an overnight fire, probably an arson attack, at a high-voltage substation in the village of Tanneron.

Traffic lights were knocked out and businesses closed on the main shopping street of the Alpes-Maritimes holiday destination.

Separate power outages swept across the Iberian Peninsula and parts of southern France on Monday, disrupting critical infrastructure and airport operations. Officials denied foul play.

While Spain and Portugal suffered blackouts last month, the French Basque Country saw brief power outages with interruptions lasting only a few minutes, according to the French electricity transmission network.

The latest outage came just hours before the 78th Cannes Film Festival is due to close on Saturday evening with an award ceremony at the Palais des Festivals.

Despite the power cut, festival organisers said switching to an alternative electricity power supply enabled them to “maintain the events and screenings planned for today in normal conditions, including the closing ceremony”.

After a politically charged two weeks, a jury led by French actor Juliette Binoche is expected to announce the winners among 22 films competing for the Palme d’Or for best film.

This year, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza and United States President Donald Trump were the biggest talking points at the festival. More than 900 actors and filmmakers signed an open letter denouncing the genocide in Gaza, according to the organisers.

A series of new executive orders seeks to fast-track approvals to grow the US’s nuclear energy sector, a lengthy process.

United States President Donald Trump has signed a series of new executive orders aimed at boosting nuclear energy production in the country, while rolling back regulations.

Friday’s orders, signed by Trump at an Oval Office event, called on the nation’s independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission to cut down on regulations and fast-track new licences for reactors and power plants.

One order requires the body to make decisions on new nuclear reactors within 18 months. That would severely pare down a process that can take more than a decade. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described the nuclear industry as “hot”.

“It’s a brilliant industry. You have to do it right,” he said, flanked by CEOs of nuclear companies, as well as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

Burgum told reporters that the president’s actions would “turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation” in the nuclear industry.

Trump’s orders also called for assessing staffing levels at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and directed the US Departments of Energy and Defense to work together to build nuclear plants on federal land.

Building more nuclear reactors, an official told reporters in advance of the signing, is aimed in part at addressing the increased energy needs created by artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

It was not immediately clear how much authority Trump and the executive branch could assert over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which Congress created as an independent agency in 1974.

Trump’s orders also called for growth in the domestic production and enrichment of uranium, the primary fuel used in nuclear power.

‘National energy emergency’

Trump has focused heavily on energy industry deregulation since taking office for a second term in January, but much of the emphasis has been directed at fossil fuels.

On January 20, the day he returned to the White House, Trump declared a “national energy emergency”.

As part of that order, he called on the heads of federal agencies to identify any emergency powers they could use to “facilitate the identification, leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources” on federal and non-federal land.

He further called high energy prices an “active threat” to US citizens and national security.

Nuclear energy has long been a thorny issue in the US, splitting those who seek alternatives to fossil fuels.

On one hand, the industry offers a means of producing energy with low levels of greenhouse gas emissions. But on the other hand, the production of nuclear energy creates waste that can remain radioactive for long periods of time, and requires special storage to ensure public safety.

Nuclear power also carries the risk of rare, but potentially cataclysmic, accidents.

For many, incidents like the Three Mile Island accident represent the possible dangers. In 1979, the nuclear generator on Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania suffered a mechanical failure, releasing radioactive gases into the air and spurring a backlash against nuclear power.

Even with Trump’s regulatory rollback, many experts in the field believe it would take years for the US to scale up its nuclear infrastructure.

The Trump brand has been used to hawk cryptocurrencies, Bibles, steaks and guitars. Now the US president’s media company is laying the groundwork to sell investment funds.

Trump Media & Technology Group Corp., which is majority owned by Donald Trump, plans to sell offerings tied to his agenda.

The parent of the Truth Social platform, where the president is also a prominent poster, has announced plans for and trademarked the names of a group of financial products under the Truth.Fi banner—investments that will potentially benefit from the president’s policies with bets on energy, crypto and domestic manufacturing. The proposed products include exchange-traded funds, or portfolios that trade like stocks that can be purchased through most brokers.

Details on the products’ structures and strategies are still scarce. ETFs are subject to approval by regulators, and no public filings are available yet. Yet the brand-building has already begun. So have the arguments. Critics see a sitting US president having a financial stake in the success of funds that are associated with his brand and his politics, built on strategies that he can influence from the White House.

“These transactions fly in the face of government ethics standards,” says Michael Posner, professor of ethics and finance at NYU Stern School of Business. “When you’re president, the assumption is that 100% of your energy is devoted to serving the country—not monetizing your public platform.”

The administration says the president is walled off. “President Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children,” Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement. “There are no conflicts of interest.” Trump Media did not respond to a request for comment.

US presidents aren’t required under federal law to divest assets, but past leaders have done so or used blind trusts to avoid perceived conflicts. Trump, however, has maintained financial exposure through family-controlled structures. Right before taking office again, he transferred about $4 billion worth of Trump Media shares to a trust controlled by his son Donald Trump Jr. But the arrangement is not a blind trust with independent oversight.

The concern among ethics experts isn’t only the ownership. It’s the overlap between policy and potential monetary benefit. The Truth.Fi funds could rise and fall in line with decisions the president makes in office. Protectionist policies aimed at various sectors and countries could help the proposed Truth.Fi Made in America ETF, which is set to bet on reshoring. Deregulatory moves in favor of crypto may boost a Bitcoin-themed ETF. And so on.

The crypto angle is a familiar one. Trump and his family have already profited from the digital-asset boom, hyping up a cryptocurrency bearing his name. Such so-called memecoins have no underlying value as investments, but creators of Trump’s coin recently held a promotion offering top holders a private dinner with the president. A company affiliated with the Trump Organization owns a large chunk of the Trump memecoins. Another Trump family-linked company, World Liberty Financial, has also issued its own cryptocurrencies, including a dollar-linked digital token called a stablecoin. World Liberty recently announced the coin would be used to complete a $2 billion transaction between a state-backed Abu Dhabi company and the overseas crypto exchange Binance. Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon have said the stablecoin offers “opportunities for unprecedented corruption” because the Trump family can benefit financially from the use of its product.

In its ETF announcement, Trump Media said the proposed products, which include portfolios known as separately managed accounts in addition to ETFs, offer a conservative alternative to “woke” investing. It’s a niche currently occupied by funds including the Point Bridge America First ETF and the God Bless America ETF, among others. Both have gathered only modest assets, as have left-leaning ETFs, thanks in part to a saturated ETF market that’s making life harder for newbie issuers.

There are already about 60 ETFs based on Bitcoin, a tally that’s grown by at least 22 this year. In addition, there are more than 60 funds tied to energy, including coal, and at least three from issuers including Tema and BlackRock Inc.’s iShares based on reshoring and manufacturing, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Trump Media “will be depending on its brand recognition to set its ETFs apart among a crowd of competing products,” says Roxanna Islam, head of sector and industry research at ETF shop TMX VettaFi. “A strong political following may help gather initial support, but in the long run, flows will ultimately depend on ETF basics like fees and performance.”

The company has announced plans to seed the funds with as much as $250 million. It’s working with trading platform Crypto.com and investment firm Yorkville Advisors to help run the funds. Still, its biggest unrivaled asset is Trump himself. Even if he’s not an explicit spokesperson, almost everything he does makes him a potential ad for the company. “What a competing fund doesn’t have is a person who’s in the news literally every day who can then talk about these things,” says Philip Nichols, a professor of legal studies and business ethics at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Hal Lambert, who runs the MAGA ETF and has raised money for Trump’s presidential runs, dismisses concerns about conflicts. For one, the president’s views on issues such as domestic manufacturing have been publicly known for decades. There are more direct ways to have a seat at the table than buying an ETF, he says; people can give money to campaigns or political action committees, for instance. “I just don’t know that that stuff would work on him,” Lambert says. “Trump does what he wants to do.”

Hajric writes for Bloomberg

ENERGY bills are set to drop this July, bringing much-needed relief to millions of households.

The energy regulator Ofgem has confirmed the new price cap, which comes into effect on July 1, 2025.

The average gas and electricity bill is set to drop from £1,849 to £1,720, saving the typical household £129 a year.

But bear in mind the exact amount you pay can be higher or lower depending on your usage, and the cap is reviewed every three months.

This is significantly higher than the drop this time last year, when it decreased from £1,690 a year to £1,568.

The savings will still provide relief to millions, as over 22million households on standard variable tariffs are directly affected by the price cap, which is updated every three months.

Experts at Cornwall Insight had rightly predicted the energy price cap would drop to £1,720 in July.

Currently, the price cap sets annual energy costs at around £1,849.

However, many households may still pay more than Ofgem‘s headline figure.

This is because the price cap doesn’t cap total bills but limits the maximum cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of gas and electricity, along with daily standing charges.

Ofgem’s headline figure is based on the assumption that a typical household consumes 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas annually.

So if you use more than a typical households expect to pay more.

However, energy experts say that households could make significant savings by switching to a fixed-rate energy deal now.

By choosing a fixed deal, customers can lock in consistent rates for a set period, potentially avoiding fluctuations in energy prices.

Of course, opting for a fixed energy deal carries the risk that, if energy prices drop further, you might end up paying more than you would on a variable tariff.

However, analysts have long said that households should not anticipate any significant drops in prices this year.

In response, National Energy Action Chief Executive Adam Scorer said: “Any fall in the price of energy is always welcome news, but this is a short fall from a great height. Bills remain punishingly high for low-income households.

“Four years of extraordinarily high energy bills has taken its toll. We hear heart-breaking cases every day.

“The likely expansion in eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment will be a relief for some, but National Energy Action is calling for deeper energy bill support and a real focus to support households out of debt.”

How can I find the cheapest fixed deals?

To find the best fixed energy deals, start by visiting price comparison websites, which aggregate various offers from different energy suppliers.

The best sites include Uswitch.com and MoneySavingExpert’s Cheap Energy Club.

Enter your postcode and current energy usage details to receive a list of available deals tailored to your needs – it’ll take you less than five minutes.

You’ll then be able to compare the rates, contract lengths, and any additional features or benefits offered by each deal.

Next, visit the websites of individual energy suppliers to check if they have exclusive deals that are not listed on comparison sites.

Sometimes, suppliers offer special promotions or discounts directly to customers.

Compare these offers with those on the comparison websites to ensure you get the best possible rate.

Finally, consider customer service reviews and the overall reputation of the suppliers.

Once you have identified the best deal, follow the instructions to switch your energy provider.

What energy bill help is available?

There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.

If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.

This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.

If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.

Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.

But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.

For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.

British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.

You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.

EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.

Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).

The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.

Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.

Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.

May 20 (UPI) — The Trump administration has lifted a stop-work order on New York’s offshore wind energy project and will allow construction to resume.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday evening that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and President Donald Trump had agreed to lift the order after making progress on a natural gas compromise with the state.

“Americans who live in New York and New England would see significant economic benefits and lower utility costs from increased access to reliable, affordable, clean American natural gas,” Burgum wrote in a post on X.

The offshore and wind energy project Empire Wind 1, off Long Island, is the first offshore wind project that would deliver electricity directly to New York City. It was approved by the Biden administration and stopped last month by Trump.

Throughout his campaign, Trump made his opposition to wind power clear as he pushed offshore fossil fuel production instead. In January, Trump signed an executive order that bans new leases for offshore wind in U.S. waters.

Equinor, the parent company of Empire Offshore Wind LLC, suspended offshore construction last month in compliance with the Interior Department order.

According to Burgum, the Empire Wind 1 project was tabled “until further review of information that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis.”

Hochul pushed back last month, saying, “Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond.”

On Tuesday, Equinor expressed gratitude for the administration’s agreement with New York.

“We appreciate the fact that construction can now resume on Empire Wind, a project which underscores our commitment to deliver energy while supporting local economies and creating jobs,” said Anders Opedal, president and chief executive officer of Equinor.

Equinor’s work began last year with the goal of gearing up commercial operations in 2027. The Empire Wind 1 project is 30% complete. It will include 54 turbines, up to 910-feet tall, that will generate 810 megawatts of electricity for half a million homes.

“I would like to thank President Trump for finding a solution that saves thousands of American jobs and provides for continued investments in energy infrastructure in the United States,” Opedal added. “I am grateful to Gov. Hochul for her constructive collaboration with the Trump administration, without which we would not have been able to advance this project and secure energy for 500,000 homes in New York.”

May 20 (UPI) — The United States and United Arab Emirates are deepening their commercial and defensive ties following President Donald Trump‘s recent diplomatic trip to the Middle East.

Officials with the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and the UAE’s Tawazun Council signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen defense cooperation between the two nations, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday in a news release.

“We are building a global network by fostering collaboration to stay ahead of emerging threats,” DIU Director Doug Beck said.

“We are accelerating the integration of commercial technologies into the defense markets,” Beck added.

He said the accelerated integration of technologies will occur by working together to develop technologies with the help of national security and private sector experts and non-traditional companies.

The MOU includes using “non-traditional practices” to develop and access “cutting-edge technologies” to improve both nations’ defensive capabilities.

The collaborative effort expands defensive investments and industrial partnerships while building a “strong international community of defense innovation entities, according to the DOD.

The Defense Department “is enhancing best practices for harnessing and sharing the best commercially derived technologies for the warfighter in defense of the free and open international system through mission-driven collaboration among the many nations that rely on that system,” the DOD release said.

Trump on Thursday also announced $200 billion in commercial agreements between the United States and the UAE.

The agreement includes forming an artificial intelligence alliance and launching a 1-gigawatt and jointly run AI technology cluster that will be located in the UAE’s capital of Abu Dhabi.

Other elements of the $200 billion deal include the UAE’s Etihad Airways spending $14.5 billion to buy 28 U.S.-built Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft powered by GE Aerospace engines.

Emirates Global Aluminum will invest another $4 billion to develop an aluminum smelter in Oklahoma and double that nation’s annual aluminum production capability.

UAE entities also will collaborate with U.S.-based oil and natural gas producers to expand production of both inside the United States and to lower energy costs in both nations.

Many other deals were secured during Trump’s visit to the Middle East last week and total $2 trillion in investment agreements, according to White House officials.

May 19 (UPI) — U.S. officials announced Monday that Louisiana’s McNeese State University will be site of the federal government’s new national center for liquefied natural gas safety.

The university in Lake Charles was selected by officials to be the site of the “National Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas Safety” as a subsidiary part of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

“The sheer volume of product supplied by the state of Louisiana is unparalleled and growing, and there is no better place to locate our Center of Excellence,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

McNeese State, the first U.S. undergraduate institution to offer a certificate program in the business of liquefied natural gas, is already the site of its own LNG Center of Excellence.

It was described as a “game-changer” for the region in terms of workforce development and “groundbreaking research.”

“We are excited to be on the forefront of helping ensure safety and sustainability in the energy sector and look forward to working with PHMSA to develop a world-class facility to house their staff,” Dr. Wade Rousse, president of McNeese State University, said Monday.

2020’s Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act, otherwise known as the PIPE Act, established the center with the aim to “enhance” the United States as the “leader and foremost expert” in LNG operations to facilitate research and development, training, regulatory coordination and to encourage development of LNG safety solutions.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., explained that in 2020 Congress passed the PIPES Act which, he claimed, “improved pipeline safety and infrastructure” in the United States as he also thanked the Trump administration.

The Louisiana Republican, 73, was critical of the Biden administration’s perceived “hostility” toward fossil fuel industry industry.

Last year, the current president solicited $1 billion and got hundreds of millions of dollars from the oil and gas industry in the 2024 campaign while promising to roll back fossil fuel regulations in his effort to stamp out climate change policy.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced last week it had expedited oil and gas production on public land in vehement opposition to environmental experts and activists.

Meanwhile, the Trump Energy Department in February signed-off on a Biden policy to permit the use of liquified natural gas as marine fuel in order to reduce LNG regulations targeting motor boats.

Kennedy, who reportedly received more than $300,000 in campaign contributions via the fossil fuel industry from 2021-2022, added that as part of the legislation was language that was included to create the “first-ever” National Center of Excellence for LNG Safety in Louisiana under PHMSA, which by 2013 had marked a record number of 116 enforcement orders against American pipeline operators for various safety violations by the federal regulator.

“The Center will advance LNG safety by promoting collaboration among government agencies, industry, academia, and other safety partners,” stated PHMSA’s Acting Administrator Ben Kochman.

“Consolidating such remarkable levels of expertise,” according to Kochman, will “benefit the LNG sector for many generations to come.”

TENS of thousands of fed-up energy customers have lodged official complaints – and have been handed compensation

Fresh figures from the Energy Ombudsman reveal that British Gas came out worst out of all energy companies in the UK.

The firm received 48 complaints per 100,000 domestic customers between October and December 2024 – the worst rate in the country.

With an estimated 7.5 million UK households on its books, that’s around 3,600 complaints officially accepted by the Ombudsman in just three months.

The stats reveal how many cases were accepted per 100,000 customers – giving a clearer picture of which firms are falling short.

Here’s how the rest stack up:

• Scottish Power – 27.8 complaints per 100K (approx. 1,390 cases, based on 5 million customers)
• EDF Energy – 26.6 per 100K (1,463 cases, 5.5 million customers)
• OVO Energy – 26.4 per 100K (1,056 cases, 4 million customers)
• Octopus Energy – 22.5 per 100K (1,643 cases, 7.3 million customers)
• E.ON Next – 21.2 per 100K (1,060 cases, 5 million customers)
• Utility Warehouse – 18.7 per 100K (187 cases, 1 million customers)
• Utilita – 11.1 per 100K (approx. 89 cases, 800,000 customers)

Utilita and Utility Warehouse were the best of the bunch, with the lowest complaint rates – while Octopus Energy continued its strong customer service record with a below-average rate.

These figures show how many complaints were accepted by the ombudsman after customers failed to get a resolution directly from their supplier.

All energy firms have been contacted for comment.

OVERALL COMPLAINTS FALL – BUT THOUSANDS STILL STRUGGLING

Across the board, the number of energy disputes accepted by the Energy Ombudsman fell by 24% in 2024, down to 92,938 cases from 122,829 the year before.

That’s a positive step – but complaints are still a third higher than in 2021, showing many customers are still getting a raw deal.

The most common problem? Billing issues, which made up 58% of all cases.

Top gripes included:

• Disputed gas or electricity usage
• Incorrect account balances
• Back-billing – with over 3,200 cases involving bills for energy used months or even years ago

CAN YOU CLAIM COMPENSATION?

If your energy firm hasn’t resolved your issue after eight weeks, or you’ve hit deadlock, you can raise it with the Energy Ombudsman – for free.

They can order suppliers to:

• Refund money
• Issue a written apology
• Pay compensation

HOW MUCH COULD YOU SAVE IF YOU SWITCH TO A FIXED TARIFF?

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, told The Sun: “Energy prices are predicted to fall in the coming months with the new price cap, but there are bigger savings to be made by switching to a fixed tariff now.

“The average household on a standard variable tariff could currently save around £332 versus the April price cap by switching to a fixed deal.

“Energy prices continue to be volatile, with cost-of-living pressures still squeezing households despite falling inflation rates. 

“It only takes a few minutes to run a comparison and you may be surprised at how much you can save, compared to lingering on standard variable rates with your current supplier.”

MISSING OUT?

Shockingly, just 43% of customers are being properly signposted to the Ombudsman when they’re eligible – meaning thousands could be missing out on compensation.

Ed Dodman, chief ombudsman at Energy Ombudsman, said: “Our role is not just to fix problems – it’s to make the whole energy sector fairer and more transparent.

“While the fall in complaints is welcome, there’s still work to do. Every customer deserves to know their rights – and how to get the help they need.”

HOW TO COMPLAIN & GET WHAT YOU’RE OWED

1. Raise your issue directly with your energy supplier
2. If it’s unresolved after eight weeks, or you’ve reached deadlock, go to www.energyombudsman.org
3. You could get a refund, apology, or compensation – at no cost

TOP REASONS FOR COMPLAINTS

• Disputed meter readings
• Wrong balances
• Backdated bills
• Faulty smart meters
• Rubbish customer service

If your provider is one of the worst offenders, it might be time to make a switch and save – especially if you’ve been overcharged or ignored.

OTHER ENERGY FIRM FAILINGS

Ofgem has collected more than £400million in payments since 2020 through its compliance and enforcement activities, with the money used to help struggling households with their bills.

Back in September, OVO Energy was forced to pay out £378,512 to 1,395 customers over the historic failings.

Impacted customers received around £271 on average.

Ofgem found OVO took too long to address the almost 1,400 customer complaints, in some cases taking up to 18 months.

It also delayed actioning Energy Ombudsman decisions when complaints were upheld, Ofgem said at the time.

E.ON Next was also ordered by Ofgem last June to pay £5million to customers who suffered poor customer service.

The regulator said a review of the firm’s customer service standards and complaints-handling across the sector uncovered “severe weaknesses”, with customers facing long call waiting times and a high level of unanswered calls.

More than 500,000 customers were potentially affected, according to Ofgem.

The month before, Ofgem ordered Good Energy and OVO to pay out £2.7million to thousands of customers who were overcharged.

HOW DO I COMPLAIN ABOUT MY ENERGY SUPPLIER?

Similar to financial services firms, energy companies have to have a complaints procedure for customers to follow.

When you make a complaint, make sure you follow this so they have the information they need to resolve the issue.

Simply explain what the problem is and what you want your supplier to do about it.

Check your energy supplier’s website for an explanation of how to launch a complaint.

Energy suppliers have eight weeks to respond and come to a decision.

If it doesn’t or you’re not happy with the response, you can take the firm to the Energy Ombudsman.

The Energy Ombudsman may be able to help if you have a complaint about an energy or communications provider.

Before you can submit your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.

You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.

You can also complain if you haven’t had a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks.

The Energy Ombudsman then bases its decision on the evidence you and the company submit.

If you choose to accept its decision, your supplier then has 28 days to comply.

The Ombudsman’s decisions are binding on the energy company.

If your supplier refuses to follow the instruction, the Ombudsman may get in touch with Ofgem to remedy the situation – but there’s no set period for escalating issues to the regulator and it’s not up to the customer.

If an individual chooses not to accept the Ombudsman’s final decision, they lose the right to the resolution offer.

Customers still have the right to take their complaint further through the courts.

But remember this can be a costly and lengthy exercise, so it’s worth thinking carefully before taking this step.

Taipei, Taiwan – As Taiwan prepares to shut down its last nuclear reactor, soaring energy demand driven by the island’s semiconductor industry is rekindling a heated debate about nuclear power.

Taiwan’s electricity needs are expected to rise by 12-13 percent by 2030, largely driven by the boom in artificial intelligence (AI), according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Environmental group Greenpeace has estimated that the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, will by itself consume as much electricity as roughly one-quarter of the island’s some 23 million people by the same date.

The self-ruled island’s soaring appetite for power complicates Taipei’s pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, which is heavily dependent on raising renewable energy production to about 60-70 percent of the total from about 12 percent at present.

Nuclear power advocates argue that the energy source is the most feasible way for Taiwan to reach its competing industrial and environmental goals.

On Tuesday, Taiwan’s legislature passed an amendment to allow nuclear power plants to apply for licences to extend operations beyond the existing 40-year limit.

The opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party passed the bill over the objections of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which came to power in 2016 on a pledge to achieve a “nuclear-free homeland”.

The legal change will not halt Sunday’s planned closure of the last operating reactor – the No 2 reactor at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant – though it casts doubt over the island’s longstanding opposition to nuclear power.

The government said after the vote that it had no immediate plans for any future nuclear power projects, though Premier Cho Jung-tai indicated earlier that the government would not oppose the restoration of decommissioned reactors if the amendment passed.

Cho said Taipei was “open” to nuclear power provided safety was ensured and the public reached a consensus on the issue.

Any move to restart the local nuclear industry would, at a minimum, take years.

Taiwan began its civilian nuclear programme in the 1950s with the assistance of technology from the United States.

By 1990, state-owned power firm Taipower operated three plants with the capacity to generate more than one-third of the island’s electricity needs.

‘Renewable energy isn’t stable’

Angelica Oung, a member of the Clean Energy Transition Alliance who supports nuclear power, said Taiwan could generate about 10 percent of its energy requirements from nuclear plants when the DDP came to power nearly a decade ago.

“Energy emissions at the time were lower than now – isn’t that ridiculous?” Oung told Al Jazeera.

“At the time, it was reasonable to launch the anti-nuclear policy as the public was still recovering from the devastating Fukushima nuclear disaster … but now even Japan has now decided to return to nuclear,” Oung said, referring to Tokyo’s plans to generate 20 percent of its power from the energy source by 2040.

“That’s because renewables simply don’t work.”

“The supply of renewable energy isn’t stable … solar energy, for example, needs the use of batteries,” Oung added.

While the 2011 Fukushima disaster helped solidify opposition to nuclear power, Taiwan’s history of anti-nuclear activism stretches back decades earlier.

The DPP was founded just months after the 1986 Chornobyl disaster and included an anti-nuclear clause in its charter.

The following year, the Indigenous Tao people launched protests against Taipower’s policy of dumping nuclear waste on Orchid Island, helping cement the civil anti-nuclear movement.

Nuclear energy attracted further negative scrutiny in the 1990s, when it emerged that about 10,000 people had been exposed to low levels of radiation due to the use of radioactive scrap metals in building materials.

In 2000, Taipei halted construction of a planned fourth nuclear plant amid protests by environmental groups.

A 2021 referendum proposal to restart work on the mothballed project was defeated 52.84 percent to 47.16 percent.

Chia-wei Chao, research director of the Taiwan Climate Action Network, said nuclear power is not the answer to Taiwan’s energy needs.

“Developing nuclear energy in Taiwan often means cutting the budget for boosting renewables, as opposed to other countries,” Chao told Al Jazeera.

Chao said Taiwan’s nuclear plants were built without taking into account the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis, and that establishing a local industry that meets modern standards would be costly and difficult.

“Extension of the current plants and reactors means having to upgrade the infrastructure to meet more updated safety standards and factoring in quake risks. This costs a lot, so nuclear energy doesn’t translate into cheaper electricity,” he said.

Lena Chang, a climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia, said that reviving nuclear energy would not only be costly, but potentially dangerous, too.

“We, Greenpeace, firmly [oppose] restarting nuclear plants or expanding the use of nuclear because nuclear poses an unresolved safety, waste and environmental risk, particularly in Taiwan – a small island that can’t afford a nuclear and environmental disaster,” Chang told Al Jazeera.

Chang said the chip industry should have to contribute to the cost of switching to renewable energy sources.

“They should be responsible for meeting their own green energy demand, instead of leaving all the work to Taipower, as any of the money to build more energy plants and storage facilities ultimately comes from people’s tax money,” she said.

Chao agreed, saying chip giants such as TSMC should lead the push to go green.

“The chipmaking industry is here to stay … Sure, energy supply will be tight in the next three years, but it’s still enough,” he said.

SACRAMENTO — In the largest gathering of 2026 gubernatorial candidates to date, seven Democrats vying to lead California courted labor leaders on Monday, vowing to support pro-union agreements on housing and infrastructure projects, regulation of artificial intelligence, and government funding for university research.

Throughout most of the hourlong event, the hundreds of union members inside the Sacramento hotel ballroom embraced the pro-labor pledges and speeches that dominated the candidates’ remarks, though some boos rose from the crowd when former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa strayed from the other Democrats on stage.

Villaraigosa was the only candidate to raise objections when asked if he would support providing state unemployment benefits to striking workers, saying it would depend on the nature and length of the labor action. Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2023 vetoed a bill that would have provided that coverage, saying it would make the state’s unemployment trust fund “vulnerable to insolvency.”

The Monday night event was part of a legislative conference held by the California Federation of Labor Unions and the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, two of the most influential labor organizations in the state capital.

Villaraigosa was joined on stage by former state Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine, state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former state Controller Betty Yee. All are running to replace Newsom, who is serving his second and final term as governor.

Throughout most of the event, the candidates were peppered with yes-or-no questions, answering with the wave of a red flag for “no” or green flag for “yes.”

The event was not without its frosty moments, including when the candidates were asked whether, as governor, they would be “pragmatic and stop targeting California’s oil and gas industry in ways that jeopardize union jobs and force us to rely on dirtier imported energy.”

Some of the candidates raised their green flags timidly. California’s Democratic leaders, including Newsom and top state lawmakers, have been major proponents of transitioning to renewable energy and imposing more restrictions on the state’s oil and gas industry.

“We all want a clean environment going forward,” Yee said, “but it cannot be on the backs of workers.”

Villaraigosa, in remarks after the event, said he challenged the idea of jumping into electrification too quickly, which would affect union jobs and increase the cost of utilities and energy across the state.

“Closing down refineries, telling people to get rid of their gas stove and gas water heater is just poppycock,” he said.

Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Labor Federation, praised the Democratic candidates for showing strong support for unionized workers. She’s hopeful that each would be more receptive to some pivotal union concerns than Newsom, such as the regulation of artificial intelligence, a major threat to union jobs, she said.

“When we’re talking about things like regulating AI — we can’t even get a conversation out of Gavin Newsom about any regulation — I think that was, that was a key thing. They all threw up their green flag,” Gonzalez said.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is weighing a run for governor, declined an invitation to address the conference.

The State Building and Construction Trades Council represents hundreds of thousands of workers in the state, including bricklayers, ironworkers and painters, among many others.

The Labor Federation is a formidable power in California politics and policy, expected to help coordinate the spending of as much as $40 million by unions in next year’s election. The federation is an umbrella group for about 1,300 unions that represent around 2.3 million workers in the public and private sectors.

The organization has backed all of the gubernatorial candidates in various prior races, although it opposed Villaraigosa in the 2005 mayor’s race and supported Newsom over Villaraigosa in the 2018 gubernatorial race.

The latter decision was driven by the arc Villaraigosa has taken from his roots as a union leader to a critic of Los Angeles’ teachers union and supporter of charter schools and reform of teacher-tenure rules.

Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.