Science and Technology:
¶ “UNSW Researchers Claim Solar Cell Breakthrough” • While most solar cells convert one absorbed photon into a single electron/hole pair, a team from UNSW Sydney found that a singlet fission allows one high energy photon to generate two excited electron/hole pairs. This has the effect of doubling the electrical yield from the bluest light. [CleanTechnica]
Cell comparison (Australian Center for Advanced Photovotaics)
World:
¶ “Nearly Half Of The Most Destructive Wildfires In 44 Years Were In The Last Decade” • A study showed wildfires are getting more frequent and costly. Nearly half of the most damaging events in the 44 year span they studied were in the past decade. This is likely attributable to increasingly extreme fire weather in vulnerable and densely populated areas. [Euronews]
¶ “Solar Became The EU’s Main Source Of Electricity For The First Time This June” • For the first month in history, solar energy was the main source of electricity generated in the EU. In a huge victory for green energy, more than half of net electricity generated in the EU, an impressive 54%, came from renewable sources in the second quarter of 2025. [Euronews]
Solar array (Dad hotel, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “There Are Ways To Boost Demand For EVs, But European Carmakers Prefer The Status Quo” • Car makers went to Munich last month to present their newest models. They had a common message: we really want to sell EVs but there’s just not enough demand. Their solution? Lobby the European Commission to weaken the emissions targets. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Pope Leo Spoke On Climate Change” • On October 1, Pope Leo made a passionate address to an audience at Castel Gandolfo urging everyone to not allow climate change to be divisive, but an issue that unites all humanity. It was the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si, in which his predecessor, Pope Francis, urged us all to protect the Earth. [CleanTechnica]
Pope Leo (Courtesy of the Vatican)
¶ “Nordex Launches N175/6.X In Canada” • Nordex has begun offering the N175/6X turbine to onshore wind projects in Canada. The OEM said the model employs proven components based on its Delta4000 series and was available in a cold climate version to deliver “higher energy yields in challenging low-temperature environments.” [reNews]
¶ “DEME Lands Nordseecluster B Cable Job” • DEME secured a contract to do inter-array cable transport and installation for the 900-MW Nordseecluster B wind farm off Germany. DEME will deliver 124 km of wires to the North Sea project and connect the site’s 60 turbines to the offshore substation. Cable installation vessel Living Stone will start work in 2027. [reNews]
Living Stone (DEME Group image)
¶ “China’s Three Gorges Corporation Leads Assembly Of The Largest Single-Unit Floating Offshore Wind Power System” • China has completed the assembly of the world’s biggest single unit floating offshore wind turbine, marking a major step in boosting its marine economy and renewable energy drive, South China Morning Post reported. [Swarajyamag]
¶ “Australia Helps Remote Fiji Schools Switch To Off-Grid Solar Power” • The Australian government funded program REnew Pacific is assisting installation of 24/7 off-grid solar powered clean energy, high-speed internet, and digital learning tools to 30 remote schools and teachers’ homes across Fiji’s mainland of Viti Levu and its outer islands. [pv magazine Australia]
Children celebrating (REnew Pacific image)
¶ “‘What’s Stopping Us?’ Putin Threatens To Attack Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Plants” • Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to strike Ukrainian nuclear power plants, framing the move as a “mirror response.” He claimed that Ukraine has made attacks near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Russian occupied in March 2022. [Yahoo]
US:
¶ “Hanford Site Can Now Transform Nuclear Waste” • A large complex in the desert of southeastern Washington state turned out most of the plutonium used in the nation’s nuclear arsenal. After decades of planning and billions of dollars of investment, the site is turning its nuclear waste into glass. It is radioactive, but it is safer than it was, stored as liquids. [ABC News]
Vitrified material (US DOE Office of River Protection)
¶ “Massive Fire Erupts At A Chevron Refinery In Southern California” • Firefighters were battling a blaze at a Chevron refinery in Southern California late on Thursday, officials said, after a massive fireball erupted at the facility. It was not clear what caused the blaze, which was burning in El Segundo, a city in Los Angeles County. [ABC News]
¶ “Tesla Sales Record Not Nearly As Positive As It Seems” • As expected, Tesla had great sales in the third quarter. The US EV tax credit was being phased out, so many buyers rushed to get Teslas while they could benefit from the incentive. Tesla’s record quarter was cheered in headlines, but there are people who see it as a sign for worry. [CleanTechnica]
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
¶ “Volkswagen’s US EV Sales See 231% Growth” • Volkswagen certainly benefited from the third quarter EV sales surge in the US. It’s main EV model, the ID.4, saw its sales jump 176% from the third quarter of 2024. Adding in sales of the ID. Buzz, which had not reached the US by this time of last year, Volkswagen saw its EV sales explode 230.7% YOY. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Indian Point Nuclear Plant Can Dump 45,000 Gallons Of Radioactive Water Into The Hudson River” • Roughly 45,000 gallons of radioactive water will be discharged into the Hudson River after a federal court ruling struck down an environmental law. Holtec International argued only the federal government had the right to regulate the discharge. [AOL.com]
Have a gloriously goofy day.
geoharvey 