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A worker walks past gas pipes that connect a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit ship with the main land in Wilhelmshaven, northern Germany on December 17, 2022. EU energy ministers are wrangling over a proposed price cap on gas.

Michael Sohn | Afp | Getty Images

European Union nations are engaged in crunch talks to cap gas prices morning, with energy ministers Monday seeming optimistic about a deal following two months of tough negotiations.

“There will be difficult discussions, but I am confident in our ability to reach a collective agreement,” French Energy Minister Agnes Pannier Runacher said.

A draft text seen by Reuters would see a cap triggered if front-month contract prices on the Dutch TTF, Europe’s main benchmark for natural gas prices, exceed 188 euros ($200) per megawatt hour for three days.

Runacher said France would be “comfortable” with a range of “160 to 200 euros [eur/MWh], and we feel that this price [range] converges with that of the presidency.”

On Monday morning, ministers referred to the measure as a “gas market correction mechanism” rather than a cap. Belgian Energy Minister Tinne van der Straeten said the draft text refers to the proposal under this name.

The move is intended to shield consumers from the sharply higher prices that have hit the bloc following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. European natural gas prices reached historic levels of around 350 euros per megawatt hour in August, when traders were concerned about the bloc’s unity in fighting the energy crisis.

Opinion has been divided on how high the cap should be, and whether the market intervention is a risk to financial stability in the euro area. On Dec. 5, the EU implemented a full ban on Russian seaborne crude oil imports to the region and will follow up with similar measures targeting Moscow’s other oil products in early February.

Europe's gas price cap will not result in lower prices for consumers, says RBC's Helima Croft

Germany, the Netherlands and Austria have warned that the gas price cap could divert supplies away from the EU and called for conditions such as an automatic suspension of the cap in certain circumstances.

Germany’s position

The European Central Bank warned earlier this month that capping natural gas prices could create instability in financial markets.

“The more safeguards, the more safety nets there are, the more tolerant we can all be with the number, but it would be irresponsible to just set a number and say this is strict and we don’t do anything else,” German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said.

The central bank is not the only institution warning about the potential market ramifications of a price limit. Market operator ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) the operator of a key natural-gas market in Europe — has threatened to remove trading from the bloc if the EU goes ahead with the measure, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“Germany has asked for strong safeguards with regards to security of supply, but also stability on both the energy and financial markets. These are concerns that we all share. It’s not a concern of Germany alone, it’s a concern of all 27 of us,” said Belgium’s van der Straeten.

“This crisis is not over, there is [the] next storage season coming,” she added.

Compromise within reach?

Miriam Dalli, Malta’s energy minister, said it was “crunch time for reaching a compromise” that makes sense for all member states and can “calm the markets” while ensuring security of gas supply.

She said talks had progressed a long way from the European Commission’s original proposal of a 275 euros per megawatt hour cap, which several member states argued was too high and unlikely to be triggered.

The Dutch TTF traded around 108.8 eur/MWh at 10:00 a.m. Monday CET, its lowest level since Nov. 11.

Greek Energy Minister Konstantinos Skrekas said countries had a “clear mandate from our leaders to come out with a solution to the cap today.”

“We wouldn’t be so insistent if we were not convinced that this is the best solution for European citizens,” he said, adding that any cap between 150 and 200 eur/MWh would be effective. Asked about the suitability of a price ceiling at 188 eur/MWh, he said such a level would “give the right signals to the market.”

Estonian Finance Minister Riina Sikkut also said she was “positive” a compromise could be reached but added that it was difficult to say exactly what it would be. She expressed confidence that “good news” would emerge by Monday evening.

Jozef Sikela, industry minister of the Czech Republic, and Kadri Simson, European commissioner for energy, are due to deliver a press conference at 5:30 p.m. CET.

CNBC’s Ruxandra Iordache and Hannah Ward-Glenton contributed to this story.

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U.S. crude oil falls below $60 a barrel to lowest since 2021 on tariff-fueled recession fears

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U.S. crude oil falls below  a barrel to lowest since 2021 on tariff-fueled recession fears

A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025. 

Pavel Mikheyev | Reuters

U.S. oil prices dropped below $60 a barrel on Sunday on fears President Donald Trump’s global tariffs would push the U.S., and maybe the world, into a recession.

Futures tied to U.S. West Texas intermediate crude fell more than 3% to $59.74 on Sunday night. The move comes after back-to-back 6% declines last week. WTI is now at the lowest since April 2021.

Worries are mounting that tariffs could lead to higher prices for businesses, which could lead to a slowdown in economic activity that would ultimately hurt demand for oil.

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Oil futures, 5 years

The tariffs, which are set to take effect this week, “would likely push the U.S. and possibly global economy into recession this year,” according to JPMorgan. The firm on Thursday raised its odds of a recession this year to 60% following the tariff rollout, up from 40%.

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What EV sales slump? Illinois’ EV sales outpace the nation by 4:1

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What EV sales slump? Illinois' EV sales outpace the nation by 4:1

Fueled by incentives from the Illinois EPA and the state’s largest utility company, new EV registrations nearly quadrupled the 12% first-quarter increase in EV registrations nationally – and there are no signs the state is slowing down.

Despite the dramatic slowdown of Tesla’s US deliveries, sales of electric vehicles overall have perked up in recent months, with Illinois’ EV adoption rate well above the Q1 uptick nationally. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the number of new EVs registered across the state totaled 9,821 January through March, compared with “just” 6,535 EVs registered in the state during the same period in 2024.

Those numbers represent more than 50% growth in EV registrations – far beyond the expected 12% first-quarter increase nationally being projected by Cox Automotive. (!)

What’s going on in Illinois?

File:Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker (33167937268).jpg
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker at the Chicago Auto Show; by Ray Cunningham.

While President Trump and Elmo were running for re-election, they campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker made countermoves – launching a $4,000 rebate for new electric cars and up to $1,500 for the purchase of a new electric motorcycle.

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At the same time, the state’s largest utility, ComEd, launched a $90 million EV incentive program featuring a new Point of Purchase initiative to deliver instant discounts to qualifying business and public sector customers who make the switch to electric vehicles. That program has driven a surge in Class 3-6 medium duty commercial EVs, which are eligible fro $20-30,000 in utility rebates on top of federal tax credits and other incentives (Class 1-2 EVs are eligible for up to $7,500).

We covered the launch of those incentives when the program was announced at Chicago Drives Electric last year, but the message here is simple: incentives work.

SOURCES: Chicago Business, Ray Cunningham; featured image by the author.

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XCMG launches XE215EV battery swap electric excavator ahead of bauma

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XCMG launches XE215EV battery swap electric excavator ahead of bauma

The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.

Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.

XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.

We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).

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XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?

Easy in, easy out

XCMG battery swap crane; via Etrucks New Zealand.

The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.

You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.

SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG.

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