World:
¶ “Here Are The Digital Changes EU Candidate Countries Are Making To Align With The Bloc” • All nine EU candidates have to improve their technology and digital laws to meet the bloc’s requirements. How are they doing in these areas so far? Here is a look at how candidate countries are doing in some technology areas to meet EU standards. [Euronews]
Moldovan scenery (Alex Prodan, CC BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Abu Dhabi Hosts Oil Summit As OPEC+ Halts Production Hikes Planned For 2026” • Abu Dhabi has opened a major oil summit with officials offering bullish optimism that power demands for artificial intelligence and global aviation will boost energy prices, just hours after OPEC+ paused production increases planned for next year. [ABC News]
¶ “BYD Electric Truck Sales Soar” • BYD’s passenger vehicle sales had mixed results in October, though plugin passenger cars were down overall. BYD’s electric bus sales were down, while its other electric commercial vehicle sales were up. Aside from buses, BYD’s commercial vehicle sales did score much higher growth than BYD’s bus sales declined. [CleanTechnica]
BYD commercial vehicles
¶ “TotalEnergies Loses In Paris Court, Marking A Turning Point For Fossil Fuel Truth-In-Advertising” • The judges in a French court ruled that TotalEnergies’ words – its advertising, website statements, and public claims about being a “major player in the energy transition” and “on the path to net zero by 2050” – were deceptive under French consumer law. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Huge Cargo Sailing Ship Completes Voyage Across Atlantic” • The Neoliner Origin has been called the world’s largest cargo sailing ship at 136 meters or about 446 feet in length. It recently traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from France to the US. It sustained some damage en route so it was not able to sail mostly powered by wind the whole way. [CleanTechnica]
Neoliner Origin (Neoliner image)
¶ “Survey Work Begins At The 900-MW Tonn Nua” • TechWorks Marine began a year-long metocean survey in Maritime Area A – Tonn Nua on Ireland’s south coast to support EirGrid’s Powering Up Offshore South Coast project. The initiative is targeting the connection of 900 MW of offshore wind capacity to Ireland’s power system. [reNews]
¶ “NESO Opens Book On UK Offshore Grid Blueprint” • The UK’s energy system operator launched a public consultation on a blueprint to connect a threefold expansion of offshore wind to the grid. The Holistic Network Design Implementation Plan covers 37 planned offshore wind farms and more than 50 GW of capacity around the coastline. [reNews]
Sleipnir installing an offshore substation (Dogger Bank image)
¶ “Solar Farm Complete At Australia’s Biggest Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy Project” • Installing solar panels is complete at what will be Australia’s largest off-grid renewable energy project, which will power a gold mine in Western Australia. The $296 million St Ives Renewables Project will combine 42 MW of wind and 35 MW of solar. [Renew Economy]
¶ “European Investment Bank Backs Holmen Wind Expansion In Sweden” • The EIB is lending €100 million to forest-industry group Holmen to expand onshore wind generation in northern Sweden. The financing will support the ongoing rollout of wind power to strengthen Sweden’s energy supply and cut emissions, according to the bank. [reNews]
Wind farm (Holmen image)
¶ “Ontario Electricity Supply Costs Due To Jump 29% As Nuclear Spending Rises” • The regulator says the average supply cost for residential customers will rise from 9.94¢ to 12.79¢/kWh. The increase is tied to clearing a $648-million deficit in the electricity system variance account and “higher-than-expected nuclear generation.” [NB Media Co-op]
US:
¶ “OpenAI And Amazon Sign $38 Billion Deal For AI Computing Power” • OpenAI and Amazon have signed a $38 billion (€33 billion) deal that enables the ChatGPT maker to run its artificial intelligence systems on Amazon’s data centres in the US. As part of the deal, OpenAI will be able to power its AI tools through Amazon Web Services. [Euronews]
Small data center (Lightsaber Collection, Unsplash)
¶ “Kia To US: No EV4 For You!” • Tesla might offer an affordable mass market vehicle, hopefully before the tricentennial in 2076. Kia actually has an affordable EV in production, the EV4, a car that is being considered for European Car Of The Year honors. But Kia has elected not to bring the car to the US after all, largely due to federal policy. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “US Coal Exports Drop 11%, With Tariffs And Lower Demand Top Reasons” • Many people concerned about the climate crisis and pollution will be happy to hear that US coal exports dropped 11% in the first half of 2025. President Trump’s supporters may be surprised to find that much of the reason for the fall in exports can be traced to his policies. [CleanTechnica]
US coal exports (Please click on the image to enlarge it.)
¶ “Ohio Couple Is Suing Their City Over Rooftop Solar Fees” • In Ohio, Bowling Green’s municipal utility on its few customers with solar panels on their rooftops. Customers who use batteries to store surplus solar power pay even more. A couple claim the charge, which for them amounts to roughly $56 per month, is an unlawful “tax or penalty.” [Ohio Capital Journal]
¶ “Meta Extends Datacenter Energy Investment Boom With 385-MW Louisiana Solar PPA” • Meta signed two long-term power purchase agreements for solar projects in Louisiana, agreeing to buy the renewable energy certificates tied to 385 MW of capacity, which include the 185-MW Beekman Solar and 200-MW Hollis Creek Solar projects. [pv magazine USA]
Have a simply magnificent day.
geoharvey 