Science and Technology:
¶ “Two New Renewable Energy Technologies That Just Might Work” • CleanTechnica is bringing you two new developments. The first news flash came from Fraunhofer, the highly respected German technology research organization. The other is the O-Wind Sphere from O-Innovations that offers free electricity from prevailing breezes. [CleanTechnica]
Energy storage system (Fraunhofer image)
World:
¶ “‘Green’ EU Investment Funds Full Of Fossil Fuel Companies” • One problem that is raised over and over is inclusion of fossil fuel companies in ESG or “green” investment funds. A new look from the Guardian and Voxeurop found this problem again. “Green” funds in Europe hold over $33 billion in in oil and gas investments. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “These Trees Exist In Only One Place. Climate Change And Goats Threaten Their Survival” • The dragon’s blood tree is a species found only on the Yemeni island of Socotra. It is now struggling to survive intensifying threats from climate change, grazing by invasive goats, and persistent turmoil in Yemen, one of the world’s poorest countries. [BBC]
Dragon’s blood trees (Rod Waddington, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “WoodMac Tips Australia To Fall Short Of 82% Renewables Goal” • Global analytics firm Wood Mackenzie predicts Australia will fall well short of its target of 82% renewable generation by 2030 due to grid connection delays, inadequate investment, and moves from some state governments to scale back their clean energy ambitions. [pv magazine Australia]
¶ “Norway Opens Tender For Utsira Nord” • The Norwegian government has opened a floating offshore wind tender for the Utsira Nord site. The Ministry of Energy is seeking applications for three project areas in Utsira Nord, each with an installed capacity of up to 500 MW. The winner will be the one who bids the lowest funding requirement. [reNews]
Floating wind turbine (Ideol image)
¶ “Change Of Plans For NSW REZ” • After long consultation, the northern energy hub for the renewable energy zone in New South Wales will be relocated in an effort to reduce potential impacts to private landowners and the Boorolong community. EnergyCo and Origin Energy are working together to relocate the north hub. [Energy Magazine]
¶ “Ørsted Begins Construction Of Bahren West 2” • Ørsted has started construction of the Bahren West 2 wind farm in Lusatia. It follows the completion of the Bahren West 1 wind farm, which has been feeding electricity into the grid since March 2025. The new 61.6-MW Bahren West 2 wind farm will consist of eleven 5.6-MW wind turbines. [reNews]
Wind farm construction (Ørsted image)
¶ “Reliance Power Secures Long-Term PPA With Bhutan’s GDL For 500-MW Solar Project” • Reliance Power Ltd has signed a commercial term sheet for a long-term PPA with Bhutan’s Green Digital Pvt Ltd for a 500 MW solar project. The 500 MW plant is to be developed by Reliance Power through a 50:50 joint venture with DHI. [pv magazine India]
¶ “Croatia Reaches 1 GW Solar Milestone” • Croatia’s total solar capacity reached 1 GW, the Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia Association says. A spokesperson told pv magazine the country recently reached 1 GW, up from 872 MW at the end of 2024. PM Andrej Plenković said the green energy transition is one of the country’s four strategic goals. [pv magazine International]
Construction (Government of Croatia)
¶ “Germany Shifts Stance On Nuclear Power In EU Policy” • Germany, which has been opposing for years EU attempts to treat nuclear power as a green electricity source on par with renewable energy, has dropped this opposition under new chancellor Friedrich Merz. This could make EU energy policy much easier to adopt. [OilPrice.com]
US:
¶ “Why Winemakers Need To Embrace Sustainable Growing Practices” • The climate crisis has upended a necessary balance for winemakers and their crops. No longer are grape yield, composition, and wine quality a certainty with the backdrop of earlier season warm temperatures. The entire cycle of wine grape growth is shifting. [CleanTechnica]
Vineyard in California (Tim Mossholder, Unsplash)
¶ “Flow Battery Takes On The Data Center Energy ‘Crisis'” • XL Batteries announced the installation of its flow battery at pilot scale in Texas. A flow battery can discharge electricity for days or weeks at a time, depending on the formula and the architecture. So a flow battery could store enough energy to provide a data center with reliable electricity. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Guam’s Journey To 100% Renewable Energy” • Guam, a small US island in the Pacific, is making big changes. The island is hard at work to switch from fossil fuels to clean energy. It aims to protect the environment and lower energy costs for residents. As of 2024, about 12% of Guam’s electricity comes from renewable sources, mainly solar power. [Microgrid Media]
Have a perfectly okay day.
geoharvey 
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