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Intelligence for the New World Economy

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Intelligence for the New World Economy
Semafor World Economy
Tim McDonnell

Tim McDonnell

Climate and energy editor, Semafor

Email Tim@timmcdonnell

Tim McDonnell is the Climate & Energy Editor at Semafor. Tim has covered the business and science of climate change for more than a decade from front lines of the crisis around the world. He is based in Kyiv.

Russia’s fossil fuel revenue 14% higher than in February

The sudden boost is a result of higher oil and gas prices and the relaxation of some US sanctions.
A Russian oil tanker.Amit Dave/Reuters

Energy inflation is a global political liability

Energy-related inflation is the inescapable deciding factor for global politics this year.
Gas prices.Annabelle Gordon/Reuters

Europe scrambles for gas alternatives amid surging prices

European leaders will meet today to discuss a response to the spike in natural gas prices.
Emissions are seen from chimneys at Western Europe’s largest liquefied natural gas plant.Lisi Niesner/File Photo/Reuters

G7 leaders agree not to release oil reserves

The price of Brent crude fell back below $90 per barrel on Tuesday, after soaring to nearly $120.
People fill up their car at a gas station in Seoul.Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

China’s winning energy strategy

The market fallout from the war in Iran is a testament to the long-term strengths of China’s energy security strategy.
A worker walks past oil pipes at a refinery in Wuhan.Stringer/File Photo/Reuters

Big Tech pledges to cover AI data center power costs

Executives from Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, xAI, Oracle, and OpenAI signed a “ratepayer protection pledge.”
An Amazon data center. Jonathan Ernst/File Photo/Reuters

Mideast should look to Kyiv for energy defense lessons

Ukraine has the most experience in both managing an onslaught against its power plants, and finding ways to strike its adversary’s energy infrastructure.

Renewables to the rescue?

Surging prices for oil and gas, on their own, should improve the economic competitiveness of non-fossil energy sources.

Russia could gain from surge in global oil prices

Western governments may be less inclined to enforce existing sanctions or apply new ones in a highly-constrained energy market.

Insurance rates for tankers passing through Hormuz could double

Many insurers are cancelling pre-existing war risk policies and looking to renegotiate at higher prices, a leading broker told Semafor.

Iran conflict creates windfall for US LNG exporters

Gas prices in Europe jumped more than 20% on Tuesday.

Don’t underestimate Iran’s ability to block oil trade

The biggest question in global energy markets this week is how willing and able Iran will be to enforce the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran attack is Trump’s riskiest energy bet yet

“The name of the game is to move as much oil away from the Strait of Hormuz as possible right now.”

The problem with Trump’s data center power plan

Trump’s plan to hold down rising power prices associated with data centers could waste a massive investment opportunity.

US solar manufacturers protected by tariffs

The tariffs provide a new degree of trade protection against Chinese competitors.

The Sierra Club has a plan to fight Trump — and fix itself

The head of the largest US green group, which has been rocked by internal strife, said coalitions around social justice issues are key to fighting Trump’s climate rollbacks.

Europe should brace for Russian energy attacks, ex-CIA analyst says

A former CIA analyst warned of the potential energy threats in a report first shared with Semafor.

US tariffs decision won’t heavily impact clean tech firms

The head of the sustainable solutions group at Dutch bank ING spoke to Semafor about the Supreme Court’s tariff decision.