** Some of the top US oil refiners are throttling back operations at their facilities this quarter, adding to concerns that a global glut of crude is forming. Marathon Petroleum Corp. — owner of the largest US refinery — plans to operate its 13 plants at an average of 90% of capacity this quarter, the lowest for the period since 2020. Similarly, PBF Energy Inc. announced it’s preparing to process the least crude in three years, Phillips 66 will run its refineries near a two-year low and Valero Energy Corp. expects to trim oil processing, reported Bloomberg.
** Toyota recently announced a recall of 22 vehicle models for equipment issues and says customers will be notified in September.
** Black Hills Energy plans to build a roughly $250 million power plant in South Dakota that would be powered by natural gas and diesel.
** Hawaiian Electric estimates liability losses related to last year’s deadly Maui wildfires total about $1.7 billion so far.
** Alaska regulators fine an oil and gas company $203,000 for allegedly violating water pollution discharge limits in the Cook Inlet.
** West Virginia’s attorney general requests an emergency stay from the U.S. Supreme Court to block the U.S. EPA’s proposed new rules to reduce emissions from coal-fired and new gas-fired power plants.
World
** Scottish officials are reconsidering the ban on woodburning stoves in new builds after rural communities raised concerns about their job prospects and comfort during cold months. In May, the BBC reported that the government would look into amending the law requiring new homes to use energy-efficient systems like heat pumps for warming the indoors.
** China is rushing to build battery-storage systems to allow electricity grids to cope with rapid increases in intermittent power generation from wind and solar farms.
** A small, low-priced electric car has American automakers and politicians shaking in their boots. Launched in 2023 by Chinese automaker BYD, the Seagull sells for around $12,000 in China, with a shorter-range version costing under $10,000, as detailed by the Associated Press.
** South Korean officials met on Monday to discuss electric vehicle safety and whether to require car firms to disclose battery brands amid growing consumer concern after an EV blaze in an underground garage extensively damaged an apartment block.