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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin back in 2011.
FABRICE COFFRINI | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON – After Russia rode to Europe’s rescue and offered to increase gas supplies to the region amid soaring prices, experts said one thing had become abundantly clear: Europe is now largely at Russia’s mercy when it comes to energy, just as the U.S. had warned.

Natural gas contracts hit new highs in Europe this week — and regional benchmark prices are up almost 500% so far this year — with heightened demand and a squeeze in supply putting pressure on the energy sector as the weather turns colder.

Prices seesawed on Wednesday, hitting new highs before retreating after Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped in, offering an increase in Russia’s gas supplies to Europe.

Market analysts said the move showed that Europe was increasingly vulnerable to Russia, which is waiting for Germany to certify the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project which will bring more Russian gas to Europe via the Baltic Sea.

The $11 billion pipeline has now been completed much to the annoyance of the U.S. which has long-opposed the project, warning for years during its construction that it compromises Europe’s energy security and that Russia could seek to use energy supplies as leverage over the region.

The Obama and Trump administrations galvanized bipartisan opinion against the pipeline and President Joe Biden too announced sanctions against companies involved in the project, but these were waived in May in what was seen as an attempt by the U.S. to rebuild ties with Germany.

‘Energy blackmail’

“Europe has now left itself hostage to Russia over energy supplies,” said Timothy Ash, emerging markets senior sovereign strategist at Bluebay Asset Management, in a research note Wednesday, calling the situation “unbelievable.”

“[It’s] crystal clear that Russia has Europe (the EU and U.K.) in an energy headlock, and Europe (and the U.K.) are too weak to call it out and do anything about it,” he said, calling it a form of “energy blackmail.”

“Europe is cowering as it fears [that] as it heads into winter Russia will further turn the screws (of energy pipelines off) and allow it to freeze until it gets its way and NS2 is certified.”

Putin used a televised government meeting on Wednesday to offer an increase in supplies to Europe. He also chided the region for canceling many of its long-term gas contracts in exchange for spot deals, saying the Kremlin was ready to negotiate new long-term contracts for gas sales.

Many experts believe that Russia has withheld gas supplies to Europe on purpose, in a bid to speed up Germany’s certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Russia has refuted this, however, with Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov denying on Wednesday that Russia has had any role in Europe’s energy crisis.

Nonetheless, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak noted on Wednesday that the expected German certification of the controversial pipeline could help cool prices.

Specialists pose for a picture after welding the last pipe of the Nord Stream 2 gas subsea pipeline onboard the laybarge Fortuna in German waters in the Baltic Sea, September 6, 2021.
Axel Schmidt | Nord Stream 2 | via Reuters

Seeking a speedy certification for Nord Stream 2, Ash believed, had been “Moscow’s game plan all along” adding that “markets are really naive if they think Moscow will do anything to ease the European gas crisis anytime before NS2 is certified.”

Germany’s energy regulator shows no sign of certifying the pipeline just yet, saying on Tuesday that the pipeline must show it would not break competition rules by limiting which suppliers used it, according to Reuters, and fines could be dealt out if it started pumping Russian gas to Germany without securing necessary approvals.

Mike Fulwood, senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, agreed that any decision to supply more gas to Europe by Russia was “political” and tied to the certification of the pipeline.

“Basically, [the situation for Russia is] if you approve Nord Stream 2, we’ll get some gas to send down Nord Stream 2 to show we were true to our word,” he told CNBC Thursday.

Bilal Hafeez, CEO and head of research at Macro Hive, told CNBC’s “Street Signs” on Thursday that he also believed Russia was using the situation to its advantage.

“I do think Russia has used this energy crisis to take advantage of the situation here and to try to force an acceleration in the use of the pipeline and in some ways there’s some evidence to suggest they might have held back supply through pipelines through Ukraine, in order for Germany and the EU to accelerate the use of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.”

EU wary

Soaring prices have placed the issue at the top of the EU agenda with leaders calling for more energy independence — given nearly 90% of the bloc’s supplies are imported, with Russia one of the primary sources of imports along with Norway, according to European Commission data.

The pipeline has critics in Europe, with Ukraine hurt and angry at the pipeline deal with Russia, as it means its own pipelines are bypassed and it will lose valuable gas transit fees as a result. Poland too, feeling vulnerable from a more assertive neighbor Russia, says the pipeline only serves to strengthen Russia.

In July, they issued a joint statement in which they slammed the pipeline, saying “the decision to build Nord Stream 2 made in 2015 mere months after Russia’s invasion and illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory, created security, credibility and political crisis in Europe.”

Europe’s gas supply has long been a thorny subject. It has often soured relations between the U.S. and EU, with the former chastising Germany (the EU’s largest importer of Russian gas, even before the NS2 pipeline) for signing up to the gas project with Russia.

Experts see the battle over Europe’s gas supply as something of a proxy war between the U.S. and Russia, with both vying to gain market share in the region with their supply of natural gas (Russia) and liquefied natural gas (the U.S.)

Experts agree that Europe needs to diversify its sources of energy away from Russia.

“The more Europe diversifies its supply the less risk there is,” Fulwood said, adding that there were attempts to source an increasing amount of LNG from the U.S. “We’ve seen in the last few years a big increase in liquefied natural gas imports in Europe, notably from the U.S. market,” he noted.

Commenting on the wider gas market and supply constraints affecting other gas producers around the world, Fulwood described the situation that gas markets were experiencing as “a perfect storm of demand recovery from Covid and a tight supply situation.”

“There’s been a temporary lack of supply and some of those logistics will start to ease but it won’t be ’til next year so for the next few months we’re really at the mercy of the weather,” he said.

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All the EVs you can buy for less than Cadillac CELESTIQ’s $60,000 price hike

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All the EVs you can buy for less than Cadillac CELESTIQ's ,000 price hike

Cadillac wants to live up to its “standard of the world” tag line so bad they can taste is – but adding $60K to the CELESTIQ’s MSRP might not be the flex the marketing team might think. To teach them a lesson, we’re going to ignore the CELESTIQ and list every new EV you can buy for less than that $60K price hike, instead. Enjoy!

Cadillac is on the verge of an electric renaissance, with nearly 40% of all new Caddies sold last quarter being electric and historic votes of confidence coming from the international motoring press. That said, a $60,000 price hike on the company’s hand built, ultra-luxury flagship CELESTIQ sedan feels especially like a cynical cash grab in today’s economy.

So, instead of talking about the now $60,000 pricier Cadillac CELESTIQ, I’ve decided to give you a list of all the new EVs you can buy (in the US, at least) for less than that $60K. Take a look at the list, below, then let me know if I missed any in the comments.

If you’re curious about what those vehicles are actually selling for, what rebates and special rates are out there, or even just want to take one for a test drive, click on one of the links and you’ll be directed to a local dealer who can walk you through it all (trusted affiliate link).

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Original content from Electrek.


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Nissan has global ambitions for its affordable plug-in pickup truck [update]

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Nissan has global ambitions for its affordable plug-in pickup truck [update]

Zhengzhou Nissan has launched a new, plug-in pickup in the Chinese market called the Z9. It’s the same size as the Nissan Frontier Pro, offers over 35 miles of all-electric range, and pricing starts at just $16,600.

UPDATE 04NOV2025: more details and more markets for 2026.

The rebuilding of Nissan started to pick up earlier this year with the launch of the brand’s first plug-in pickup truck in China this past summer. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model offers 410 hp and an 84 mile electric-only range – more than enough for it to meet the everyday needs of most drivers with easy access to liquid fuel when needed.

It seems like a neat truck, but since it was designed and developed specifically for the Chinese market, its great specs and nearly impossible $24,800 starting price (on the entry-level Frontier Pro model) meant it would have limited impact – and limited interest – in other markets.

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Until now, that is! CarScoops is reporting that Nissan now has plans to export a tweaked version of the hybrid Frontier to international markets, and speculates that, “a different version of it could well be built in the US, [since] Nissan’s CEO recently confirmed that a hybrid Frontier is in the works for the North American market.”

You can read the original post, first published back in June, below, then let us know what you think of Nissan’s plans to export its plug-in pickup to other markets in the comments.


Positioned as the electrified sibling of the domestically-built Nissan Frontier Pro, the Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 is essentially a Chinese-market version the Frontier Pro, and it’s spec’ed and priced accordingly, with the as-yet undisclosed price of the Frontier Pro expected to come in a bit higher than the Z9.

That’s less interesting. What’s more interesting is that the Z9 offers 35 miles (60 km) of range on the base, 17 kWh battery, at a price that significantly undercuts even the Slate EV’s $28,000 pre-$7,500 incentive price tag – and that incentive is far from a sure thing.

What’s more, if you feel like spending a bit more, you can get a Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 equipped with a 32.85 kWh battery that’s good for almost 85 miles (135 km) of all-electric range. And even that extended-range model, at ¥168,900 (about $23,400) is still price-competitive with the Jeff Bezos-backed Slate EV.

In short, it’s bound to be a winner.

It’ll sell, but it won’t sell here


Nissan-Frontier-EV-pickup
US-market Nissan Frontier.

With excitement surrounding the Kia Tasman, Slate, and other, similarly affordable light-duty pickups building on the success of the Ford Maverick hybrid, it should come as no surprise that Nissan has international ambitions for its newest electrified pickup.

“In alignment with our ‘In China, For China, Toward the World’ strategy for electrification and smart transformation, Nissan will fully support ZNA’s ‘off-road strategy,’” explained Stephen Ma, Chairman of Nissan (China) Management Committee and President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. “We are working to strengthen our research and manufacturing capabilities, further advancing our presence in the core markets of pickups and off-road vehicles, with the ultimate goal of achieving global expansion.”

It’s exciting stuff, but with all the recent troubles it’s been experiencing, it’s doubtful that Nissan will bring either of its new, Chinese-built mid-size pickups to the US (electrified or otherwise).

“The mission of the new generation of Chinese automotive professionals is clear – to ensure that made-in-China cars are driven across the world. ZNA will utilize its dual-brand and dual-channel advantages to expand its global footprint,” Mr. Mao Limin, Executive Vice President of ZNA, at the Z9’s launch. “We aim to be one of the top exporters of pickups within three years and to reach a sales milestone of 100,000 units.”

That said, Nissan Hardbody fans shouldn’t lose hope quite yet. If Nissan is able to find a new savior in Toyota, a Taco-based BEV pickup with a new LEAF/Ariya-type front fascia might make more sense than you think.

Electrek’s Take


Nissan’s New Chinese Frontier Costs Half of America’s Frontier
Zhengzhou Nissan; via Carscoops.

I’ve already written out my own comeback plans for Nissan, and this new Chinese-market pickup truck doesn’t really fit into them. Like many of you, I’m of the belief that a PHEV isn’t an EV – but I do see their value as “lilypad” cars, and the two Lightning owners I know? Their previous Ford F-150s were hybrids.

SOURCES: Zhengzhou Nissan; side-by-side image via Carscoops.


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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MASSIVE Australian battery project will store 5.5 GWh of total power

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MASSIVE Australian battery project will store 5.5 GWh of total power

Finnish energy giant Wärtsilä has announced the latest addition to its massive network utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Australia: a record-breaking 1.5 GWh deployment that brings the company’s total energy storage capacity in the nation to 5.5 GWh.

The future of large-scale energy projects in Australia is looking increasingly DC-coupled thanks to Wärtsilä, which just announced plans to build the largest BESS of its kind in the National Electricity Market (NEM). The massive hybrid battery project that marks the company’s ninth site down under, and pushes its total capacity to a formidable 5.5 GWh.

The company says its latest, “record-breaking” energy storage plant is a blueprint for how to efficiently combine solar generation and storage to create a more resilient and decarbonized grid.

“This project is significantly larger than our earlier DC-coupled project, underscoring the need for this type of technology in expanding at scale,” said David Hebert, vice president of Global Sales Management at Wärtsilä. Hebert called the DC-coupled technology, “a breakthrough for hybrid renewable plants and a critical step towards establishing a financially viable renewable energy future.”

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Hebert believes projects like this one play a hugely important role in stabilizing Australia’s grid while, at the same time, advancing the country’s ambitious net-zero emissions targets from the energy sector by 2045.

With a 20-year service agreement already in place and the order set to be booked this quarter, this project is a working prototype for the next generation of global renewable assets. As nations worldwide grapple with the challenge of moving beyond fossil fuels, the success of this massive DC-coupled system will provide a real-world model for how to build a grid that is cleaner, smarter, and more resilient than ever before.

Electrek’s Take Explainer


If you’re not familiar with DC-coupling, it’s an efficiency game-changer. Unlike traditional AC-coupled electrical systems that require converting solar-generated direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) for use by the grid, and then back to DC to use in a battery, a DC-coupled system connects the solar array and battery directly. This architecture cuts energy losses that occur during conversion, capturing more solar power and significantly improving project economics and overall system efficiency.

In other words: it saves money, and shores up the grid. Wins all ’round!

SOURCE | IMAGES: Wärtsilä, via Power.


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