“The Texas electric grid hit an unofficial peak demand record Wednesday afternoon as Texans cranked up their air conditioners to keep cool as temperatures across the state climbed into triple digits.

Electricity usage hit a record 85,967 megawatts about noon, according to data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. That surpasses the previous record of 85,508 megawatts set in August 2023. The grid operator doesn’t immediately validate demand records.

Energy demand was expected to continuing climbing, with usage projected to peak by 3 p.m. at 90,155 megawatts.

Despite demand reaching new highs, ERCOT said the grid was operating under normal conditions with capacity remaining comfortably above demand. When electricity demand topped the record at midday, data from the grid operator showed capacity topped 109,300 megawatts.”

From San Antonio Express-News.

“For nearly a decade, the industry’s working assumption was simple: killing range anxiety in long-range EVs required high-nickel ternary batteries. That market assumption, however, just collapsed in China…

Every Datang runs on what BYD calls its second-generation Blade Battery, which analysts believe — based on patent filings and its 3.8-volt platform — uses Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate, or LMFP, chemistry.

BYD has not officially confirmed the cathode material, and a regulatory filing for an earlier Blade 2.0 vehicle described a standard LFP pack, so the transition isn’t fully settled. Either way, the formulation drops nickel and cobalt in favor of lithium, iron, phosphorus and manganese.

On paper, BYD rates Datang’s top-tier pack at 950 kilometers of CLTC range. On the asphalt, its top-tier option, a 130.15-kWh pack, reportedly delivers real-world highway range well above 600 kilometers — within striking distance of what drivers expect from a comparable gasoline-fueled SUV.”

From Asia Times.

“Global jet fuel demand is expected to average 7.77 million barrels per day this year, according to the International Energy Agency, little changed from 2025.

With Middle Eastern supply curtailed, ​buyers are seeking fuel from further afield.

One tanker, the Nord Ventura, sailed for more than a month from Louisiana to deliver about 300,000 barrels of jet fuel to Melbourne, the ​first such shipment since at least 2017, according to Kpler data.

Europe has sent a rare cargo to the Seychelles and imported barrels from New York Harbour, a region it typically supplies.

Asia has also drawn in cargoes from the U.S. Gulf Coast and Africa, while China has curbed exports to protect domestic supply.

In effect, the market is redistributing supply globally rather than relying on its most efficient routes.”

From Reuters.

“More than 4,000 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines have been built to connect the electricity grids of 15 West African countries through the WAPP, enabling utilities to trade electricity across borders. As a result, about 8 percent of regional electricity is now traded (approaching the European Commission’s 10–12 percent cross-border electricity trade benchmark), lowering costs and improving supply reliability.”

From World Bank.