Today’s headlines: Solar on track to soar while oil prices keep rising

This roundup of U.S. energy news headlines is part of our Canary Media Daily newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

MIDDLE EAST ENERGY SHOCK

• Oil prices fall Tuesday despite U.S. threats to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, amid reports that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran could resume this week. (Reuters)

• The European Commission plans to institute temporary measures that would allow governments to absorb some of the price increases for fuel and fertilizer caused by the Iran war. (Reuters)

• China exported 50% more lithium-ion batteries in the first quarter of 2026, a jump likely driven in part by rising demand for clean energy from countries exposed to the ongoing fossil-fuel supply shocks. (Bloomberg)

GREEN STEEL

• Europe’s flagship green-steel project Stegra secures $1.4 billion in financing and now has a ​“fully funded” path to complete its first-of-a-kind facility in Sweden. (press release, Bloomberg)

CLEAN ENERGY

• Solar energy generation in the U.S. is expected to be 17% higher this summer compared to last, while coal generation is expected to decline. (Utility Dive)

• Solar projects can be a lifeline for American farmers struggling to turn a profit, but rising local opposition is making it harder to access those benefits. (Associated Press)

• Next-gen geothermal startup XGS Energy strikes a deal with a California community choice aggregator to supply 115 MW of energy. (press release)

UTILITIES

• PJM Interconnection proposes a plan to hold a one-off procurement for 14.9 GW of new energy resources in order to avoid electricity shortfalls due to data-center demand growth. (Utility Dive)

STATE POLICY

• Maryland’s Democrat-controlled legislature passes a major energy bill that will pare back state energy-efficiency efforts in an attempt to save money for consumers. (States Newsroom)

• Democrat-led states look to streamline permitting for rooftop solar as utility bills rise nationwide. (E&E News)

FOSSIL FUELS

• Hawaii’s Democratic governor pushes for the state to switch from oil to liquefied natural gas for power generation, a move critics say will extend the island’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and undermine its decarbonization mandate. (E&E News)

TRANSPORTATION

• Startup Slate Auto raises $650 million with a goal of starting production of its affordable, no-frills electric trucks before the end of the year. (TechCrunch)