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World:

¶ “US Plans To ‘Dictate’ Venezuelan Oil Sales Amid Further Tanker Seizures” • The White House said that Venezuela’s interim government decisions will be “dictated by the United States,” as Washington seized two oil tankers and announced plans to control all sales of the country’s petroleum following the capture of Nicolás Maduro. [Euronews]

Oil Tanker (Scott Tobin, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Tesla’s Germany Sales Down 72% From Their Peak!” • After 2022, Tesla had a modest but clear drop in sales in 2023, then followed it with a collapse in sales in 2024. Tesla was supposed to bounce back last year thanks to the refreshed Model Y coming to town, but the fall wasn’t over. Sales dropped significantly further in 2025 – almost 50%! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “They Really Are Shooting Data Centers Up Into Space, Where Solar Power Is Free” • The temptation of limitless solar power, ambient cooling, and freedom from the aches and pains of terrestrial development has prompted a mad scramble for a piece of the space data center action. The latest to join the fray is Singapore-based Orbit AI. [CleanTechnica]

To take advantage of solar 24/7 (Orbit AI image)

¶ “Tesla’s Dramatic Fall In The UK In 2025, And BYD’s Rise!” • Tesla sales dropped 10% in the UK last year from 2024. A 10% drop certainly isn’t Tesla’s worst. It had far more disappointing results in other markets. But the UK EV market grew 24%. The 10% drop looks especially poor, considering that BYD sales rose from 8,788 in 2024 to 51,422 in 2025! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Europe Needs €1.5 Trillion Renewables Investment By 2050” • Europe will need around €1.5 trillion in cumulative investment by 2050 to triple its renewable energy capacity, according to Aurora Energy Research’s 2026 European Renewables Market Overview Report. Nearly €600 billion of this will be required by 2030 alone. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Anthony Ketland, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Matrix Seals Tesla EPC Deal For 1-GWh Battery System” • Matrix Renewables has signed an EPC contract with Tesla for a 500-MW, 1-GWh standalone battery energy storage system in the village of Eccles, Scotland. According to Bracewell, the deal will support the UK’s transition to a clean, secure, and resilient power system. [reNews]

¶ “China’s Connects The World’s First GWh-Scale Energy Storage Project Using Supercapacitors” • China’s largest supercapacitor-based hybrid energy storage system has been successfully connected to the grid in northwest China. This marks a milestone for hybrid of lithium-based energy storage system and supercapacitor. [ESS News]

Energy storage (Sermatec image)

US:

¶ “Could Venezuelan Oil Bring Down US Gas Prices? Experts Weigh In” • President Trump may tout its value, but Venezuelan oil will likely provide little relief for gas prices paid by Americans over the coming months, analysts told ABC News. They cited the relatively small amount of oil at stake in the near term and a glut of crude flooding global markets. [ABC News]

¶ “Trump Withdraws US From UN Climate Treaty And 65 Other Global Bodies” • President Trump signed an executive order suspending Washington’s participation in dozens of UN agencies, commissions, and advisory panels focused on climate, labour, migration, and other issues that his administration describes as promoting “woke” initiatives. [Euronews]

Donald Trump, 2026 (The White House, public domain)

¶ “The US Had Nearly Two Dozen Billion-Dollar Weather And Climate Disasters In 2025” • The US had nearly two dozen billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2025, causing at least 276 fatalities and costing a total of $115 billion in damages. But for the first time, NOAA did not release the comprehensive analysis on the disasters. [ABC News]

¶ “UL Solutions Debuts Testing And Certification Framework For Safer Plug-In Solar In The US” • UL Solutions announced that it has launched a plug-in solar system testing and certification program, establishing a clear, dedicated testing framework that will help provide a pathway for the safer adoption of this energy generation technology. [CleanTechnica]

Plug-in solar installation (UL Solutions image)

¶ “Treaty Oak Starts Construction On 385 MW Of Solar Projects In Louisiana” • Treaty Oak Clean Energy has announced the start of construction on two solar power facilities in Louisiana, soon after their financial close. They are the 185-MW Beekman Solar Project in Morehouse Parish and the 200-MW Hollis Creek Solar Project in Sabine Parish. [Power Technology]

¶ “USA’s First Public EV-Charging Road – Where To Next?” • Motor City, the former automotive center of Detroit, is the first place in the US to have a public EV-charging road. It charges EVs wirelessly as they drive along it. It is one mile long and comes from the Michigan Department of Transportation, while the tech comes from Electreon. [CleanTechnica]

EV-charging road (Electreon image)

¶ “Pritzker Signs Major Energy Reform Bill Amid Projected Shortages” • Amid warnings of impending energy shortages, Governor JB Pritzker signed a energy reform package aimed at bolstering the state’s power grids. The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act will fund battery storage and lift a ban on new nuclear plants, among other things. [WIFR]

¶ “Meta Signs Nuclear Energy Deals To Power Prometheus Ai Supercluster” • Meta announced agreements with three nuclear power providers, including one backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, as part of its efforts to secure needed resources for its AI ambitions. The agreements relate to a Meta computing system to be built at a data center in Ohio. [CNBC]

Have a distinctly helpful day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “MOCHI Blocks 90% Of Heat Transfer In Windows” • Windows do let sunshine in, but they also transmit heat in both directions. About 40% of all energy use is for heating and cooling buildings. Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder say they have invented a coating that lets 99% of light through while it reduces heat transfer by 90%. [CleanTechnica]

Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulator
(Glenn Asakawa, CU Boulder)

World:

¶ “Why Scientists Worry That Greenland’s Prudhoe Ice Dome Could Melt Away” • Scientists warn that it is “only a matter of time” until Greenland’s Prudhoe Dome starts to melt away due to climate change. Its demise might cause 73 cm of sea level rise. Copernicus says each centameter puts roughly six million more people at risk of coastal flooding. [Euronews]

¶ “From ‘Psychedelic’ Spiders To European Eels: 10 Species Heading Into 2026 On The Brink Of Extinction” • Habitat loss, deforestation, the illegal wildlife trade, and climate change are pushing these extraordinary species towards extinction. The international nature charity Fauna & Flora has launched its 2026 Species to Watch list. [Euronews]

Clouded Leopard (Dr Raju Kasambe, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “US Seizes Russian-flagged Oil Tanker In North Atlantic And One Other Tanker” • The US seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela, including the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker that had evaded a US blockade back in December. The other seized tanker was in the Caribbean, according to the Homeland Security Secretary chief. [ABC News]

¶ “Global EV Sales Leaders: Top Selling Brands And OEMs” • In November, BYD remained the top for sales. Tesla was second, despite continuously falling sales, while Geely scored yet another record month thanks to strong performances throughout its lineup, with six models posted 10,000-plus unit performances in November. [CleanTechnica]

BYD EV (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

¶ “Orrön Energy Secures UK Grid Links For 2.9 GW” • Orrön Energy secured grid connections for six UK projects totaling an estimated 2.9 GW as part of the country’s grid reform process. The portfolio includes three solar projects with a combined estimated capacity of 1.8 GW and three data center projects totaling an estimated 1.1 GW. [reNews]

¶ “Ming Yang Unveils Recyclable 110-Meter Blade” • Ming Yang Smart Energy has rolled out the MySE23X, described as the world’s first fully recyclable carbon fibre wind turbine blade. The blade exceeds 110 metres in length and optimises degradation conditions while expanding the recyclable material system, according to Ming Yang. [reNews]

Recyclable blade (Ming Yang image)

¶ “Victoria Approves 600-MW Kentbruck Green Power Hub” • Australia approved the 600-megawatt Kentbruck Green Power Hub near Nelson in Victoria. The project can proceed following the Environment Effects Statement process. The wind farm will have up to 105 turbines and generate roughly 2,000 GWh of renewable energy each year. [Asian Power]

¶ “European Energy Hits 2.1 GW In Denmark” • European Energy has reached 2100 MW of grid-connected solar, wind and battery capacity in Denmark following the connection of Glejbjerg solar park and a battery system at Kvosted energy park. The company said the portfolio includes over 40 projects commissioned between 2013 and 2025. [reNews]

Glejbjerg solar park (European Energy image)

¶ “Record Year For Renewables Eases Prices And Pollution As Coal Clunkers Go Missing” • In Queensland, 2025 was a record year for renewable energy. Fossil fuel electricity generation was the lowest the state has seen in decades, so there was price and pollution relief. Evan so, the LNP Government is ideologically committed to gas and coal. [Renew Economy]

US:

¶ “Trump Says He Spoke To Oil Companies Before Venezuela Attack But Didn’t Brief Lawmakers” • Trump spoke to US oil companies prior to the raid on Venezuela, though he said he opted to forego disclosure to members of Congress ahead of time due to concerns about possible leaks. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was taken in the attack. [ABC News]

Pump jack (Jeff W, Unsplash)

¶ “XCharge North America And Energy Plus Partner To Build One Of The Largest Battery-Backed EV Charging Depots In The US” • XCharge North America, the North American subsidiary of XCHG Limited, announced that it partnered with Energy Plus, a leader in energy-efficiency and electrification, to transform New York’s EV charging landscape. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How To Lose The War On Renewable Energy” • US energy policy took a sharp turn against renewable energy beginning on January 20, 2025. Almost one year later, signs that the policy has failed have already emerged. In the power generation sector, wind and solar have continued to dominate capacity additions by a wide margin. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbine (Cyrus Crossan, Unsplash)

¶ “Sunrise Cancellation Would Cost Ørsted $8 Billion” • The Trump regime suspension of the 924-MW Sunrise Wind project is costing Ørsted upward of $1 million per day, and a complete cancellation of the project would cost the Danish giant over $8 billion. Ørsted filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The figures were in a filing. [reNews]

¶ “Building A Fusion-Ready Workforce: Why STEM And Trades Education Are Key To America’s Energy Future” • The US has a gap to fill in nuclear fusion R&D and workforce development. US public investment lags behind rival nations, slowing progress on commercialization and leaving a shortage of skilled workers to replace aging talent. [Yahoo News Canada]

Have a reputably worthy day.

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World:

¶ “As Trump Pitches Venezuelan Oil Dream For US Companies, Experts Warn It Won’t Be Cheap Or Easy” • President Trump has his sights on Venezuela’s oil. If consolidated with US oil business, about one third of global oil reserves could end up under the US’ control. But experts are skeptical about Trump’s plans, saying they won’t be cheap or easy. [Euronews]

Oil wells on Lake Maracaibo (LBM1948, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Trump Demands Venezuela Kick Out China And Russia, Then Partner Only With US On Oil” • The Trump administration told Venezuela’s interim president that the regime must meet its demands before being allowed to pump any more oil: First, kick out China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba; then partner with the US on oil production and favor the US on sales. [ABC News]

¶ “Why Venezuela’s Oil Won’t Matter And Why Heavy Crude Is First Off the Market” • The idea of the importance of Venezuelan oil is usually framed as a latent supply story: A large reserve base exists somewhere and could be tapped if only politics aligned. The story is partly based on the mistaken idea that oil is a single interchangeable commodity. [CleanTechnica]

Oil tanker (Ian Simmonds, Unsplash)

¶ “NIO Passes A Million Vehicles” • “NIO’s millionth vehicle rolled off the production line at NIO Factory Two in Hefei, Anhui Province, marking another significant milestone for the company,” NIO wrote. NIO decided to donate this millionth vehicle. The NIO ES8 was donated to the Micius Quantum Foundation in Anhui, China. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ecopower Bags €200 Million For Irish Wind Build” • Irish developer Ecopower has secured over €200 million of project financing that will enable construction at a 100-MW wind farm with 22 turbines in the Republic of Ireland. The project has not been named but is understood to be for the Upperchurch project in County Tipperary. [reNews]

Rahora windfarm, Kilkenny (Ecopower image)

¶ “Boralex Powers Up Its First North American Storage Site” • Boralex commissioned the 80-MW, 320-MWh Sanjgon battery energy storage facility in Ontario, its first operational storage site in North America. The company said the project, developed with Walpole Island First Nation, marks a major milestone in its 2030 strategy and expansion into large-scale storage. [reNews]

¶ “Nordex Lands 414-MW European Turbine Haul” • Nordex has secured orders for fifteen wind projects in France, Belgium and Portugal totaling more than 414 MW. The company said the contracts cover 78 turbines and include multi-year service and maintenance arrangements. Nordex added that all turbine deliveries are scheduled for 2027. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Nordex image)

¶ “Bowen Says Renewables Transition Is On Track After 7 GW Is Added To The Grid In 2025” • Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen insists Australia is on track to meet the government’s flagship target of 82% renewable energy by 2030. Solar, wind, and other renewables supplied about 50% of all power in the grid in the last quarter of 2025. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “UTS solar And Wind PPA To Power Sydney Campus” • In a move to accelerate its Climate Positive Plan, the University of Technology Sydney has secured a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement with Australian renewable energy retailer, Flow Power. The PPA is unique, as it provides a virtual link to specific, traceable renewable projects. [Ecogeneration]

University of Technology Sydney campus (UTS image)

¶ “Japan Stops Chubu Electric’s Nuclear Review Due To Flawed Seismic Data” • Japan’s nuclear regulatorsaid it was halting the review to restart Chubu Electric Power’s only nuclear ​plant, two days after the ‍company ⁠reported bad seismic data handling ‍for the review. The Hamaoka ‍nuclear plant has been idled ‌since the 2011 Fukushima Disaster. [The Japan Times]

US:

¶ “Ford EV Sales Drop In The US, But Not As Badly As We Had Expected” • Somewhat happily, Ford did better than we expected in the fourth quarter. It didn’t do really well, like Cadillac, but it had a loss of EV sales like Kia and Volkswagen. We say somewhat happily because, let’s be frank, the results aren’t good. They just aren’t truly terrible. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Adrian Newell, Unsplash)

¶ “Enormous Chevrolet EV Sales Drop In The Fourth Quarter” • GM is doing well with Cadillac, whose sales in the fourth quarter were about the same in 2026 as they were in 2025, despite the change in incentives. Sales of most Chevrolet brands are taking a hit, however. The Silverado EV’s drop was not as big, but it was of low volume to begin with. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Connecticut, Rhode Island Sue Over Revolution Wind” • The states of Connecticut and Rhode Island have asked a federal District Court for an injunction against President Trump’s suspension of work on Ørsted’s 704-MW Revolution Wind. Both states are set to acquire power from the project, which Orsted said is 87% complete. [reNews]

Offshore wind marshaling site (Ørsted image)

¶ “A Tesla Finally Completes Coast-To-Coast Journey Driving Itself The Whole Way!” • In October 2016, Elon Musk said that by the end of 2017, a Tesla would drive completely by itself from Los Angeles to New York City. That didn’t happen. And it didn’t happen year after year, for a long time. But nearly a decade later, it did finally happen. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ørsted Challenges Sunrise Wind Lease Suspension” • Ørsted will file a complaint in the US District Court for the District of Columbia challenging a lease suspension order that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued in December for the 924-MW Sunrise Wind project. Ørsted believes the lease suspension order violates applicable law. [reNews]

Have a wisely intentional day.

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World:

¶ “How The Oceans’ Coral Reefs Could Be The Secret Weapon To Tackle Food Insecurity Around The World” • Overfishing and global warming are depleting food from our oceans, but if we rebuild reef life, it could help provide millions of meals every year. Coral reefs could become a crucial part of the pathway to help fight global hunger. [Euronews]

Coral reef (NEOM, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Making Peatlands A Green Economy In Ireland’s Midlands” • The Irish Midlands, with its vast peatlands, faces a profound crisis. For generations, the local economy relied on harvesting peat for fuel, a practice that produces a significant CO₂ emissions. Peatlands for Prosperity is trying to help the region transition to a sustainable future. [Euronews]

¶ “Crude Oil Prices Down In 2025 Due To Oversupply” • With China’s auto market rapidly electrifying, Europe’s auto market electrifying, and now even many other auto markets around the world electrifying, an oversupply of oil may be the name of the game for a long time. We might ask why US President Trump is convinced that oil is important. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “World’s First Production Solid-State Battery!” • A small company in Finland, Donutlabs, has announced the world’s first production solid-state battery. The batteries are rated at 400 Wh/kg. Verge Motorcycles has incorporated Donutlabs’ true solid-state battery into two motorcycles, giving them up to 600 km (360 miles) of range. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “ABS Clears Seatrium Offshore Substation Design” • ABS has issued approval in principle for Seatrium’s next-generation offshore substation design featuring 500-MW modules. Offshore substations are critical for transferring and exporting power from wind farms, Robert Langford, ABS vice president global renewables, said. [reNews]

Seatrium offshore aubstation (Seatrium image)

¶ “Spain Starts New €355 Million Manufacturing Program For Renewable Energy” • The Spanish government is going down the route a bit that President Biden and Democrats went down. It is subsidizing the manufacturing of various renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, with €355 million under Spain’s recovery and resilience plan. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Acta Marine Takes Delivery Of Acta Pegasus” • Acta Marine has taken delivery of the Acta Pegasus, its fourth walk-to-work vessel and a DP2 construction service operation vessel. The company said the newbuild is the first in a series of four vessels under construction at Tersan Shipyard and will operate under the French flag from Montoir-de-Bretagne. [reNews]

Acta Pegasus (Acta image)

¶ “Poland Readies Grid For Offshore Wind” • PSE, the Polish grid operator, confirmed its transmission system is ready to accept power from the first offshore wind farms. The company said the new Choczewo station, the expanded Żarnowiec station, and the 400-kV line between them are prepared to transmit energy from Baltic Sea projects. [reNews]

¶ “Chubu Electric Shares Tumble On Seismic Review Concerns At Hamaoka Nuclear Plant” • Japanese utility Chubu Electric Power shares fell by the most in more than thirteen years after it disclosed possible problems with how it evaluated seismic waves at an idled nuclear plant during a regulatory review required for a restart. [MSN]

Hamaoka Nuclear Plant (Cubu Electric Power Co, CC BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Trump’s Plans To ‘Exploit’ Venezuela’s Oil Reserves Sparks Climate Backlash” • After claiming the US has de facto control over Venezuela, the US says it will be “very strongly involved” in its oil industry. Trump said he will send large US oil companies to repair oil infrastructure and start “making money for the country.” He sparked heavy backlash. [Euronews]

¶ “Report: Nuclear Power Isn’t Viable In Hawaiʻi” • The Hawaiʻi State Energy Office has released the final report of the Nuclear Energy Working Group created by the state legislature under SCR-136. The report concludes that nuclear power is not viable in Hawaiʻi and that the state should not change its laws or its constitution to enable it. [Honolulu Civil Beat]

Hawaii (Ganapathy Kumarl, Unsplash)

¶ “‘Massive’ Venezuelan Oil Reserve Would Pose Challenges For US Firms, According To Experts” • A potential effort to extract and sell Venezuelan oil could prove a financial boon for major US oil firms but it would run up against major challenges, some analysts say. Ramping up oil production would require billions of dollars of investment over several years. [ABC News]

¶ “Cadillac EV Sales Up Year Over Year In 4th Quarter!” • Despite the $7,500 US EV tax credit ending at the end of the 3rd quarter, leading to a rush of EV purchases before October and then a big dropoff in sales after that, Cadillac actually sold more electric vehicles in the 4th quarter of 2025 than it had aols in the 4th quarter of 2024. [CleanTechnica]

Cadillac OPTIQ (Cadillac image)

¶ “The All-Electric Toyota C-HR EV Really Is Coming To The US” • Toyota plans to launch its all-electric C-HR crossover in the US this year, going mano-a-mano against industry leader Tesla while blithely ignoring the White House war on EVs, too. Toyota may have learned that customers will choose an EV when the right one comes along. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Massachusetts Delays Signing Offshore Wind Contracts” • Massachusetts again delayed finalizing contracts for two offshore wind projects that had been selected at auction in September 2024. Ocean Winds’ 1,287-MW SouthCoast Wind and Iberdrola’s 791-MW New England Wind 1 arrays were delayed due to federal uncertainty. [reNews]

Have a rewardingly worthwhile day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Theories On Venezuela Continue, But Is Greenland Next? And Who Else?” • When Donald Trump’s professional kidnappers snatched up Nicolás and Cilia Maduro, there was immediately confusion and a trove of questions about what was going on, why, and where it was all going to lead? Is it about oil? Distraction from Epstein? Or is it the power? [CleanTechnica]

Greenland (Jean-Christophe André, Pexels)

¶ “Everything You Need To Know About Venezuelan Oil In One Word: Jeffrey Epstein” • Like the proverbial bull in the china shop, US President Donald Trump spent his first year back in office the way any twice-impeached, convicted felon would: trying to distract public attention away from his relationship with a notorious sex offender. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Visible Signal Of Climate Extremes: Unexpected Wildflower Blooms Spark Concern” • Hundreds of wildflower species have bloomed this winter, as climate extremes trigger a drastic “shift” to their natural cycle. Following the extreme weather of 2025, the UK’s Met Office warned that the nation’s flora has become a “visible signal” of the climate crisis. [Euronews]

Daisies (micheile henderson, Unsplash)

¶ “Spain And Five Latin American Countries Reject US Attack On Venezuela” • Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay issued a joint statement rejecting ‘the unilateral military operations in Venezuela’ and warn against exploiting its natural resources. They say the operation to oust Maduro was a violation of international law. [Euronews]

¶ “From Riverboats To Global Ports: CATL Is Winning The Race To Electrify Shipping” • CATL batteries and power management systems are already operating in roughly 900 ships and vessels, a figure that on its own should reframe how maritime emissions reduction is discussed. Now, a CATL subsidiary has unveiled its Ship-Shore-Cloud electric strategy. [CleanTechnica]

Electric ship (Incat Tasmania image)

¶ “In Venezuela, It’s All About The Oil” • What happened this past weekend in Venezuela was just the latest bit of skulduggery by the US concerning oil. Shortly after the news of the operation broke, Bill McKibben wrote on Substack, “Just Possibly It’s The Oil?” Then he posted this graphic, which strongly suggests the answer to his question. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Taiwan Plans 3.6-GW Round 3.3 Auction'” • At least 3,600 MW of capacity will be released in Taiwan’s forthcoming offshore wind round, according to reports. The draft framework for Round 3.3 is expected to be announced soon, local media said. Further consultation with developers and supply chain companies will follow. [reNews]

Offshore foundations (Ørsted image)

¶ “Solar Energy Expands Its Role In Germany’s Power Mix” • In Germany, Solar power increased markedly in 2025, with PVs meeting around 18% of the country’s demand for electricity, up from 14% in 2024, according to the German Solar Industry Association. Solar energy surpassed lignite, which contributed about 14%, and natural gas, at roughly 16%. [Sharjah24]

¶ “Goto Floating Wind Farm Starts Operation” • The Goto Floating Wind Farm consortium said the Goto offshore wind farm is operatin. The company’s owners include Toda, Eneos, and Kanai Electric. It said the facility is Japan’s first commercial floating offshore wind project to be certified under the Marine Renewable Energy Sea-Area Utilization Act. [reNews]

Goto offshore wind farm (Goto image)

¶ “ACEN Completes Transition To Renewable Energy” • Energy company ACEN has secured 100% renewable energy generation portfolio backed by over 7 GW of attributable capacity. ACEN said its portfolio is composed of 4,634 MW of solar power, 1,957 MW of wind power, 115 MW of geothermal power, and 304 MW of battery storage. [Asian Power]

¶ “Nordex Lands 508-MW Of Orders In Canada” • The Nordex group has secured 508 MW of repeat turbine orders in Canada comprising 73 units in two deals. The company said they feature N163 machines and, for the first time in the country, N175/6.X turbines. It said that each contract includes long-term servicing agreements for the projects. [reNews]

Nordex turbine (Nordex image)

¶ “Cherry-Picked Quake Data May Have Been Submitted For Hamaoka Nuclear Plant” • Chubu Electric Power President Kingo Hayashi said the company may have cherry-picked earthquake data that caused authorities to screen safety standards at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture based on weaker quake projections. [The Japan Times]

US:

¶ “Fighting Antisemitism One Solar Field At A Time” • One energy developer discovered an unexpected and effective way to confront antisemitism: Live Jewish values openly and work with American communities that already share them. It turns out that Jewish values and American values are essencially the same, even if some have yet to recognize it. [The Jerusalem Post]

Solar plant in New York (US DOE, public domain)

¶ “Rubio Predicts ‘Dramatic Interest’ In Venezuela From Western Oil Companies” • Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the Trump administration is “pretty certain” that Western oil companies will be willing to return to Venezuela. However, he would not say if US troops would be used to secure the country’s oil fields. [ABC News]

¶ “‘You Can’t Reduce Carbon Emissions When You Can Pollute For Free’ – Sheldon Whitehouse” • Senator Sheldon Whitehouse does see “a pathway to climate safety,” and it’s a direct, in-your-face, fight ’em where they are strategy. “We should call out the climate denial fraud operation as climate denial fraud. It is fraud,” he reiterates. “Say so.” [CleanTechnica]

Have a wholly superb day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Oil Colonialism In 2025? WTF Is Going On?” • Donald Trump and his merry gang of peacemakers, chasing the Nobel Peace Prize, have bombed Venezuela and abducted its president and his wife. “This wasn’t the first time that Trump has admitted his war with Venezuela is at least partly motivated by oil,” according to The New Republic. [CleanTechnica]

A place to take over (Maria Isabella Bernotti, Pexels)

World:

¶ “VW Unveils New Old-Style Cockpit for ID. Polo” • Volkswagen has decided to throw a lot more buttons and dials back in front of driver’s eyes for its upcoming cheap EV. The company says it is doing this in response to customer feedback. Whatever the reason, what is easy to like is the fact that it brings such different options to the market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Europe’s Ski Resorts Face Climate Change Threat” • Higher temperatures and a lack of snow are forcing Europe’s ski resorts to rethink their business model. With only a few weeks to go until the Winter Olympics open, the slopes around the ‘pearl of the Dolomites’ are covered in snow, but for many, snow sports increasingly are out of reach. [Euronews]

Artificial snow (Lukas Seitz, Unsplash)

¶ “Ed Miliband To Invest In Solar Power To Create ‘Zero Bill’ Homes” • According to The Times, the Warm Homes Fund is expected to pour billions of pounds into solar energy along with batteries and heat pumps, a move it is hoped will leave some homes paying little or no money for their energy bills while others see significant cuts annually. [AOL.com]

¶ “Why Data Centers Could Power Africa’s Energy Shift” • A quarter of the way into the 21st century, digital technology has crept into the daily lives of billions of people to an amazing degree in many places, but not everywhere. Perhaps the greatest growth potential is in the African market, where penetration is shallow and demand is booming. [CIO Africa]

Solar power in Africa (USAID, public domain)

¶ “With A Focus On Nuclear Power, Takaichi’s Energy Policy Takes Shape” • As she settles into Japan’s top office, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s energy policy is coming into focus. Conventional nuclear power and futuristic technologies like nuclear fusion are being prioritized, while renewable energy is getting less attention. [The Japan Times]

US:

¶ “21 Gigawatts of Solar for California Land That Can No Longer Be Used for Agriculture” • There’s a water district in San Joaquin Valley in California where there’s empty land that “can no longer sustain irrigated agriculture.” The Westlands Water District board of directors have decided to have solar power plants built there, perhaps 21 GW of them. [CleanTechnica]

California Valley solar farm (Jw4nvc, CC BY-SA 4,0)

¶ “Kia EV Sales Drop More Than 50% In December” • Kia is one of the automakers that still publishes monthly numbers in the US, and it’s latest sales report shows that EVs were still bring hit hard in the last month of the year. Despite having a slightly better December 2025 overall than December 2024, its EV sales dropped by more than 50%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Equinor Challenges Empire Wind Stop-Work Order” • A civil suit ws filed by Empire Offshore Wind LLC in the District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the Department of the Interior’s order directing a suspension to the 810-MW Empire Wind project. The order is viewed as unlawful by Equinor and threatens the progress of ongoing work. [reNews]

Eco Liberty (Brian Young, Equinor)

¶ “On Heat Pumps, Colorado Hits The Ground Running” • As sorry as the state of federal energy policy may be today, climate action continues apace among the many US states where public servants prioritize energy affordability alongside job creation, health, and safety. A case in point is Colorado, where the heat pump business is heating up. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hydrogen Found In America – Enough To Produce 104 MW And Power 25,000 Homes” • As the world rushes to meet the deadline of the global mission to achieve zero emissions by 2050, some still struggle to keep up. Fortunately, hydrogen has been discovered in America, and it’s enough to produce 104 MW and to power 25,000 homes. [Energies Media]

Have a perceptibly ideal day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “One Step Closer To The Compostable EV Battery Of The Future” • Singapore-based startup Flint introduced a “paper battery.” The new, compostable battery aims to elevate the sustainability profile of energy storage systems for EVs, along with other applications, by eliminating toxic materials and supply chain complications. [CleanTechnica]

Biodegradable battery (Courtesy of Flint Labs, cropped)

World:

¶ “NIO Explodes Through New Year, 55% Growth in December” • NIO didn’t have the strongest start to the year in 2025, but it did finish with a bang. In fact its last few months have been huge. In December, NIO scored 48,135 vehicle deliveries, a 54.6% increase over the same month if 2024. December was also its fifth month in a row of growth. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China’s BYD Overtakes Tesla As Global EV Leader With 2.26 Million Sales, While Tesla Slips To 1.64 Million” • In 2025, Tesla delivered about 1.64 million vehicles, a 8.6% decrease from 2024 and its second straight annual decline. But China’s BYD surged ahead, selling around 2.26 million battery EVs. Including plugin hybrids, BYD sold 4.6 million cars. [The Tech Portal]

BYD Sealion 7 (Rutger van der Maar, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “XPENG Sales Rise 126%, From 190,068 to 429,445” • XPENG had a blockbuster year in 2025. It grew 126% from 190,068 vehicle deliveries in 2024 to 429,445 vehicle deliveries in 2025. Most of its growth was in China, but the company also had huge growth abroad. It sold 45,008 vehicles outside of China, for 96% growth in its sixty markets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UK Renewables Hit Record High In 2025” • UK renewables set records in 2025, though electricity generation from gas still rose as coal plants went offline. Nuclear power declined and demand grew, analysis shows. The assessment from climate and energy publication Carbon Brief shows electricity demand rose slightly, after years of declining demand. [Nation.Cymru]

Transporting tower section (ShellAsp, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “How A Traditional Oil Major Is Turning Into An Integrated Clean-Energy Platform” • Galp Energia SGPS SA is in a tough transition. It is trying to turn a century-old fossil-fuel business into a profitable, low-carbon energy platform without blowing up its balance sheet or alienating shareholders. And it is not just pulling off a branding exercise. [AD HOC NEWS]

US:

¶ “Donald Trump Illegally Extends Life of the Coal-Fired Craig Unit 1, Driving Up Electricity Bills and Increasing Pollution” • A recent by Grid Strategies shows that forcing Craig Unit 1 to keep running past the date its owners had agreed on will cost about $85 million per year. Colorado and neighboring states will be forced to pay for that. [CleanTechnica]

Craig units 1 and 2 (Platte River Power Authority image)

¶ “Elon Musk’s Dramatic Miss On 2025 Tesla Cybertruck Sales” • Tesla unveiled the Tesla Cybertruck in November 2019. It took a long time to deliver it, and it has been just two and a quarter years since Elon Musk said he expected a quarter million sales in 2025. That didn’t happen. In fact, it didn’t even come close. It was “insanely lower” than that. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kansas Solar Farm Growth To Explode Over AI” • Some solar industry leaders say Kansas is on the verge of a major shift as developers increasingly look to the state for utility-scale solar projects, despite Kansas historically lagging behind most states in installed solar capacity. In Plains states, solar is emerging as a complement to wind. [Oklahoma Energy Today]

Smoky Hills Wind Farm (Drenaline,  CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Battle Brews As Energy Developer Takes On Trump Admin Over ‘Unlawful’ Stop-Work Order” • Developers behind two of the five offshore wind projects recently targeted by the Trump administration took action in federal court this week, seeking preliminary injunctions that would allow construction to go on while the legal battles play out. [Raw Story]

¶ “Three Mile Island Restart ‘Will Never Happen,’ Former Trump Energy Regulator Says” • “A fully shut-down nuclear plant has never been restarted in America for good reason: There are too many regulatory, material, and logistical hurdles to overcome,” said Neil Chatterjee, who chaired FERC during Trump’s first term, in an opinion piece for The Hill. [ABC27]

Have a generously supportive day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Old Solar Panels Are Still Working After 30 Years, And That’s Good News For Renewable Energy” • A study shows that solar panels installed in the 1980s are still producing electricity today, over 30 years later. Scientists say solar power are long-lasting and reliable, which is great for the future of renewable energy around the world. [Microgrid Media]

Solar panels (Soren H, Unsplash)

¶ “Loads Of Renewable Energy Can Be Stored In The Air (Liquid Air, That Is)” • Compared to conventional batteries, liquid air and other alternative systems can offer more hours, economies of scale, longer lifespans, and a more onshore, less geopolitically fraught supply chain. It is a safe technology, and it can be used just about anywhere. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Chinese Solar Panels Are Transforming Africa” • Africa has over 600 million people with no access to reliable electricity. The lack of electrical power has created opportunities for those who dare to take advantage of them, something the Chinese do very well. South Africa is is benefiting from a surge in solar imports from China. [CleanTechnica]

Eskom coal-burning power plant (Eskom image)

¶ “China Built A Supercritical CO₂ Generator. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Last” • China recently placed a supercritical CO₂ power generator, widely considered a breakthrough technology, into commercial operation. But China is large enough to try almost everything. It routinely builds innovative systems just because it can afford to learn by doing. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “AquaVentus Seeks Offshore Hydrogen Backing” • AquaVentus is calling for increased investment support for offshore wind through clear rules enabling hybrid electricity and hydrogen connections under the planned reform of the WindSeeG. The group asked for quick action to establish a framework that allows pipelines and cables to be combined. [reNews]

Wind farm, showing connections (AquaVentus image)

¶ “China Builds Fewer Coal Power Plants As Renewable Energy Takes Over” • China’s permits for new coal power plants are on track to fall to a four-year low. At the current pace, 2025 permits will be the lowest since 2021. The declining approval rate shows that the growing use of renewable energy is cutting into demand for new coal power plants. [Warp News]

¶ “Scientists Warn The Atlantic May Be Closer To A Tipping Point Than Feared” • The Atlantic may be one of the most fragile pressure points in the climate system. Scientists now warn that a shift once treated as a distant, low‑probability scenario could unfold within the lifetimes of today’s coastal residents, reshaping weather, sea levels, and food security. [MSN]

Atlantic Ocean (Jacob Buller, Unsplash)

¶ “Officials Spark Backlash With Controversial Nuclear Power Plan” • A decision by Ontario to refurbish the Pickering Nuclear plant got pushback from the nonprofit Environmental Defence. ED suggested the $26.8 billion plan to refurbish Units 5 to 8 will mean higher electricity bills, more pollution, and sidelining clean energy solutions. [The Cool Down]

US:

¶ “The Case Against Offshore Wind Is Already Crumbling” • On December 22, the Trump regime put an urgent stop-work order on five offshore wind farms in five different states on the Atlantic Coast, citing an extremely dire national security emergency. The issue lost in courts before, and one of the offshore wind farms is already sending 572 MW to the grid. [CleanTechnica]

Vineyard Wind under construction (Vineyard Wind image)

¶ “A Green Hydrogen Innovator In Oklahoma Has A Message For Texas: Hold My Beer” • Texas has emerged as a hotbed of green hydrogen activity, supported in part by know-how from the oil and gas industry. Now another iconic fossil fuel state, Oklahoma, is jockeying for a piece of the action. The Oklahoma City startup Tobe Energy is a case in point. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ørsted And Skyborn File Legal Case Over Revolution Wind Suspension” • Revolution Wind LLC has filed a supplemental complaint in the US District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the lease suspension order issued on 22 December 2025 by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. [reNews]

Moving a nacelle (Ørsted image)

¶ “US Renewable Power Capacity Set To Reach Over 1 TW By 2035” • Renewable power capacity in the US is set to reach 1.06 TW by 2035, up from 414.5 GW in 2024, despite the pushback against renewables by the federal government, GlobalData has said. Renewable energy will remain as the ‘dominant source’ of new capacity additions. [Sustainability Online]

¶ “Geothermal Energy: The Renewable Trump Still Backs” • The Trump administration has rolled back many clean energy rules and pushed fossil fuels like oil and coal, but one renewable energy source has not targeted and may even have support. It is geothermal power. Geothermal continues to attract support from both sides of politics. [Microgrid Media]

Have a splendidly casual day.

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World:

¶ “EU’s Carbon Border Tax On Heavy Industry Goods Goes Into Effect Risking Trade Escalation” • Steel and aluminium exporters to the EU will start paying for the CO₂ emissions linked to their production as of 1 January 2026. The bloc is seeking to protect EU manufacturers facing more stringent obligations compared to foreign peers. [Euronews]

Steel making (yasin hemmati, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Gives Go-Ahead For Large Solar And 1-GWh Battery Project Despite Local Opposition” • The hybrid Meadow Creek Solar Farm and utility battery passed all the regulatory hurdles put in place by the government, despite some local opposition. The A$490 million project will consist of a 332-MW solar farm and a 1-GWh battery system. [Energies Media]

¶ “Wildfires, Floods And Extreme Heat: These Are The Biggest Weather Stories Of 2025” • Devastating wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat events took place during the past year, several resulting in mass fatalities. Experts link some of the worst events to human-amplified climate change. Here are the year’s biggest weather stories. [ABC News]

Water over road (Wes Warren, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “What Falling Sales? Battery EVs Jump 37% YOY in November in Europe!” • EVs are picking up in Europe, with some 370,000 plugin vehicles registered in November, 258,000 of which are battery EVs. Overall, plugin vehicles were up 36% year on year. We can expect December 2025 to establish a record, maybe even above the 425,000 unit mark. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Gets World’s Largest Offshore Solar PV Project” • This month, the largest offshore solar PV project build in the open sea (not a lake) was deployed, and it’s rated at 1,000 MW. Naturally, this project was not built in the US, but in China. The offshore solar PV project was built in shallow water 8 km off the coast of Dongying in the Yellow Sea. [CleanTechnica]

Yellow Sea (Ludger Heide, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Adani Green Adds 307.4 MW Of Renewable Power Capacity At Khavda” • Adani Green Energy Limited has brought 307.4 MW of renewable energy projects into operation at Khavda in Gujarat through subsidiaries, the company said in a regulatory filing. AGEL’s total operational renewable energy capacity has risen to over 17,237 MW. [BioEnergy Times]

¶ “China’s Biggest Solar Farm Is Changing The Desert, Not Just Making Power” • China is home to the world’s largest group of solar farms, on the Tibetan Plateau. This massive solar cluster can generate nearly 17,000 MW of electricity. While its main job is to produce clean electricity, scientists found it is improving its environment also. [Renewable Affairs]

Farm on the Steppe (Popolon, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Bangladesh Seeking Contractors For 220-MW Solar Project” • Bangladesh‘s EGCB is inviting construction and consulting firms interested in working on the 220-MW Sonagazi solar project to contact the company for further details. The 220-MW Sonagazi plant will be built in southeast Bangladesh near an existing 75-MW facility. [pv magazine International]

US:

¶ “Austin Cuts Pedestrian Crashes At Sixteen Intersections About 50%” • Cutting car crashes, injuries, and deaths is a perennial goal in city after city and state after state. Things get implemented to help, sometimes big things, but it’s never enough. However, the city of Austin seems to be on to something, for at least some of the problem areas. [CleanTechnica]

Intersection in Austin (Courtesy of the City of Austin)

¶ “Google AI Giving Wrong Information On US EV Tax Credit” • Part of the problem with Google AI is that the answers come in an authoritative way that implies 100% accuracy and infallibility. People think, “Okay, I got the answer,” and move on. But there are a lot of mistakes in the AI answers. And one that could cost a lot is about EV tax credits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NYC Congestion Pricing Cut Air Pollution 22% In Just Six Months!” • It took years, but New York City finally implemented congestion pricing on January 5, 2025. Paul Day of Air Quality News wrote that a Cornell University study has found that air pollution was cut 22% in Manhattan’s new congestion pricing zone in the first six months. [CleanTechnica]

Brooklyn Bridge (Michał Ludwiczak, Pexels)

¶ “Trump Administration Orders A Colorado Coal-Fired Power Generator To Stay Open” • The Trump administration has told another coal-fired power facility to remain open. It ordered the owners of the Craig Station unit to keep it running beyond its retirement date at the end of 2025. The plant stopped operating on December 19 because it needs a repair. [ABC News]

¶ “Biggest Obstacle To Care For Creation Is Not Denial But Confusion, Says Evangelical Climate Scientist” • As concerns about climate change increase, the greatest obstacle to action is not denial but confusion over what to do, according to leading climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe, climate ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance. [christiandaily.com]

Katherine Hayhoe (umseas, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “REI Co-Op Throws Support Behind Renewable Energy Projects Nationwide” • REI is supporting a 2.5-MW community solar project in Woodbury, Minnesota, developed by US Solar. The project will set aside 500 spots for low- to moderate-income households to subscribe to the renewable energy as well as add clean power to the grid. [Solar Power World]

¶ “Illinois Bill Aims To Speed Nuclear Power Plant Production To Meet AI Energy Needs” • Data centers powering generative AI are creating a demand for massive amounts of electricity, and a Republican Illinois lawmaker thinks nuclear energy may be an answer. Proposed projects face local pushback due to concerns about high electricity bills. [25 News Now]

Have an objectively wonderful day.

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