WASHINGTON — The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced it has delayed the compliance date for new provisions regarding Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings (CER). This action delays the restrictive standards imposed by the previous administration to limit the use of affordable, reliable energy sources, such as coal and natural gas, to power federal buildings in favor of less reliable, more expensive options. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy is embracing a strategy of energy addition – leveraging all sources that are affordable, reliable and secure. This pause will ensure that our federal buildings are able to utilize the most efficient power available, lowering costs and reducing regulatory overreach,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. The original regulations, issued on May 1, 2024, required certain new federal buildings and federal buildings undergoing major renovations to reduce their fossil fuel-generated energy consumption. The delay is being implemented while DOE reviews recently released implementation guidance and a template for petitions for downward adjustments. DOE is undertaking this review to ensure alignment with the current Administration’s energy policies, particularly those relating to energy security and reliability. Today’s action delays the compliance date for one year. During this period, federal agencies are not required to comply with the energy performance standards outlined in the aforementioned regulations. DOE will not process petitions for downward adjustment during its review of the implementation guidance documents. More information can be found here.  ###

The European Union is set to propose measures to ban Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, as the bloc pushes to sever ties with the country that was once its biggest energy supplier. The EU is moving ahead with a long-held intention to phase out Russian fossil fuels, after earlier this year delaying the release of its “road map” in order to assess the impact of US efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter. Russian gas flows to Europe dropped sharply in the wake of Moscow’s full invasion in 2022, but it remains a substantial supplier, through a pipeline via Turkey and shipments of liquefied natural gas. The EU plans to propose in June a ban on all gas purchases under new deals with Russia and existing spot contracts, which account for about a third of imports, to take effect before the end of the year, according to the people.  The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, will next month also adopt measures to end the remaining imports of Russian pipeline and LNG gas tied up in long-term contracts, but they will require a longer transition until the end of 2027, the people said. The efforts to end reliance on Russian gas will open the way for US suppliers to send more LNG to Europe, something that President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for. Costs and security remain a key focus in the wake of the energy crisis, but the EU expects its plan will have a limited effect on prices as a wave of new LNG supply hits the global market in coming years, the people said. The stakes are huge: The EU purchased a total of €23 billion ($26 billion) in Russian energy in 2024, exceeding its military assistance to

Aberdeenshire’s Grace May has reported a more than 20% increase in revenues, with all of its growth coming from work in the energy sector. The Banchory-based recruitment firm saw revenues reach almost £500,000 in the most recent financial year. Following its success in the energy sector, Grace May is doubling down as it increases positions within the industry, namely in renewables. In pursuit of further growth, the business is also looking at new verticals such as legal, human resources, and engineering. The north-east of Scotland accounted for more than half of the firm’s revenue last year as it expanded into new areas across the UK. The firm is branching into Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester to expand its client base. The Aberdeenshire business has said that it has “plans for more expansion” in the future. ‘Operating challenges continue’ Grace May director and founder, Sasha Jaypalan, commented: “Despite operating against a difficult economic backdrop and in a competitive sector, we have been able to successfully grow from our roots in the energy sector and forge a path based on our founding principle of understanding our clients and candidates, and working precisely to get the best results time after time. “Operating challenges continue, and we have had to remain resilient throughout, but by partnering with clients to navigate present market conditions and leverage the benefits of a relationship-based approach we have positioned ourselves as success enablers who work alongside our clients towards common goals.” Jaypalan started his business in 2015 after losing his job as a commercial helicopter pilot due to a downturn in the market at the time. Recently, to mark a decade since opening the doors of Grace May, Jaypalan had a conversation with Energy Voice news editor Erikka Askeland for E-FWD. In this conversation, Jaypalan said: “In the industry, there

In a statement posted on its website recently, QatarEnergy announced a 25 year condensate supply agreement with Shell. The company noted in the statement that it entered into a long-term condensate supply agreement with the Singapore-based Shell International Eastern Trading Company (SIETCO), which it highlighted is a wholly owned subsidiary of London-listed Shell plc. QatarEnergy said in the statement that the agreement stipulates the supply of up to 285 million barrels of condensate to Shell during its 25 year term, starting from July 2025. The deal was signed by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Wael Sawan, the CEO of Shell, QatarEnergy’s statement highlighted. “We are delighted to sign QatarEnergy’s first 25 year condensate sales agreement, the largest and longest duration condensate agreement to date,” Al-Kaabi said at the signing ceremony, the statement revealed. “This agreement is important for being signed with our strategic partner, Shell, with whom we have recently signed a 20 year naphtha sales agreement. These long-term agreements provide stability and certainty, and helps deliver more value to our customer Shell,” Al-Kaabi added, the statement showed. QatarEnergy went on to state that “Sawan expressed Shell’s pleasure in entering into this long-term agreement and building on the longstanding strategic relationship with QatarEnergy”.  The company noted in the statement that QatarEnergy and Shell “share various fruitful investments and partnerships in the energy industry in Qatar and globally, including QatarEnergy LNG projects, the Pearl GTL Plant, and several other joint investments”. In a statement posted on its site back in February, QatarEnergy announced that it had signed a 20 year helium sales and purchase agreement with China’s G-gas. “QatarEnergy and Guangzhou Guanggang Gases & Energy Co. Ltd (G-gas) signed a long-term sales and purchase agreement (SPA) for the

Joby Bernstein is a graduate of Stanford Business School and the Doerr School of Sustainability. Claire Petersen is a PhD candidate in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and a fellow at the California Energy Commission. When we hear the term “renewable energy,” we picture golden California hills lined with solar panels or the vast Texas plains dotted with towering wind turbines. That’s why we were surprised when our research on the Inflation Reduction Act renewable energy tax credits took us to advanced manufacturing project sites that are revitalizing rural communities in the United States, like Sumter. Sumter, South Carolina, is deeply rooted in agriculture, manufacturing and military tradition. Like many communities, it was hit hard by the 2008 financial crisis, leaving economic uncertainty in its wake. But today, Sumter is experiencing a resurgence, fueled in part by state and federal incentives like the IRA’s tax credits, which are driving a new wave of advanced manufacturing. We saw this transformation firsthand on a crisp October morning, standing alongside community leaders and factory workers at the topping-out ceremony for e-Vac’s new permanent magnet manufacturing plant. Just months earlier, this site had been little more than dirt and blueprints. Now, steel beams stretched skyward, marking the rapid progress of a facility that will soon produce one of the most critical components in modern technology. This single project will create hundreds of permanent jobs and inject millions of dollars into the local economy. It isn’t just a win for Sumter — it’s a strategic investment in America’s future. Permanent magnets power everything from aerospace and defense systems to smartphones and electric vehicle batteries. Yet, 92% of the global supply is manufactured in China. Currently, the U.S. has no domestic production until this facility becomes operational. By building this facility at record speed, Sumter is proving

Dive Brief: U.S. solar photovoltaic and battery component manufacturers are “actively adjusting their domestic content plans” in response to Treasury Department regulations finalized in the waning days of the Biden administration and successive rounds of tariffs imposed by Presidents Biden and Donald Trump, Anza Renewables said in a report released on April 29. Anza’s Q2 2025 Domestic Content Insights report sees some U.S. manufacturers accelerating onshore production as others pull back on previously announced plans “due to financial and logistical constraints.” Buyers are seeking U.S.-made products not impacted by the latest round of tariffs, pushing onshore prices higher and inventories lower, Anza said. Dive Insight: Clean energy manufacturers cut planned investment by nearly $8 billion in the first quarter of 2025, according to a monthly tracker from industry advocacy group E2.  Among the cancelled or downsized projects were two high-profile battery cell factories: KorePower’s $1.2 billion plant in Arizona and Freyr Battery’s $2.6 billion hub in Georgia.  KorePower announced a conditional loan guarantee of $850 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office in 2023, but the financing never came through, while Freyr indicated late last year that it would pivot to U.S. solar cell production, Manufacturing Dive reported earlier this year.  The cancellations came during a busy period for U.S. clean energy tax and trade policy. In January, the IRS issued a notice boosting incentives for solar PV systems that incorporate U.S.-made wafers, followed by successive tariffs of 10% on all imports, 25% on imported steel and aluminum, and 145% on most Chinese imports during Trump’s first three months in office, Anza said. Battery supply chain companies, in particular, are less willing today than in the past to absorb higher costs for imported components, Anza Renewables Director of Strategic Sourcing Ravi Manghani told Utility Dive recently.  The