Opinion:
¶ “Landfill Panic vs System Reality: What Wind And Solar Actually Displace” • Claims about wind turbines and solar panels filling landfills are circulating again, often framed as a flaw in clean energy that somehow offsets its benefits. It is worth taking the claim seriously, because it fails utterly to consider what is really important. [CleanTechnica]
Wind turbines (Saul Brotheridge, Unsplash)
¶ “Europe’s Offshore Wind Pact Is A Hedge Against US Gas Reliance” • European countries agreed to develop a vast offshore wind network. While the agreement is years in the making, it lands at a delicate moment for Europe’s relationship with the US, given the recent transatlantic spat over Greenland and Trump’s pursuit of “energy dominance.” [WTVB]
World:
¶ “‘Off The Fossil Fuel Rollercoaster’: Ten European Countries Pledge €9.5 Billion For North Sea Wind Projects” • Almost a dozen countries joined to end the “fossil fuel rollercoaster” and elevate the wind energy sector. The €9.5 billion pact aims to turn the North Sea into the world’s “largest clean energy reservoir” and mobilize €1 trillion in Europe. [Euronews]
North Sea windpower (Jesse De Meulenaere, Unsplash)
¶ “EU And India Clinch ‘Mother Of All Deals’” • After nearly two decades of protracted talks, the EU and India sealed a historic free trade agreement, which at its full potential creates a market of around 2 billion people accounting for almost a quarter of the world’s GDP. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the pact is the “mother of all deals.” [Euronews]
¶ “Earth To Trump: China Is Winning The Renewable Energy War” • The US oil industry favored putting Trump back into office for a second time, but the writing is already on the wall. The renewable energy transition is still chugging along globally, thanks in part to the US oil industry, and China is among those poised to reap the rewards. [CleanTechnica]
Concentrating Solar Power (IRENA image)
¶ “Denmark And Germany Ink 3-GW Deal” • Denmark and Germany have concluded a bilateral agreement to invest in the Bornholm Energy Island project at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg. The deal will see 3 GW of offshore wind capacity connected to the Danish and German grids, delivering electricity for around three million households. [reNews]
¶ “National Grid And TenneT Launch UK-Germany Wind Link” • National Grid and TenneT Germany have announced plans to develop GriffinLink, a proposed multi-purpose interconnector linking British and German offshore wind. The companies said the project, unveiled at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg, will enhance flexibility of energy systems. [reNews]
Wind turbines (SPR image)
¶ “Rays Power Infra Wins Order For 300-MW Renewable Energy Project” • Rays Power Infra got an order for a 300-MW renewable energy project from one of India’s Maharatna public sector undertakings, adding ₹19.1 billion ($208.6 million) to its order book. The project will be executed under the company’s co-development business model. [MSN]
¶ “Europe’s Hydropower Sector Repositions For Energy Security And Climate Resilience” • As climate change disrupts water availability and power system stability, a new ETIP Hydropower white paper argues that modernised hydropower and pumped storage are no longer just renewable assets. Now they are critical infrastructure. [International Water Power]
Hydropower (Jani Brumat, Unsplash)
¶ “Another Miserable Year For Nuclear Power As Renewables Surge” • For the nuclear industry overall, the 25-year pattern of global stagnation is continuing with no end in sight. Newly installed nuclear capacity of 4.4 GW in 2025 was only 0.56% of the estimated 793 GW of solar and wind capacity, which was up from 717 GW in 2024. [Renew Economy]
US:
¶ “The Trump Administration Is Racing To Launch The Deep-Sea Mining Industry, Despite Risks And Opposition” • For the first time ever, the BOEM is in the process of leasing for deep-sea mining offshore American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. BOEM also plans to initiate minerals leasing offshore Virginia. [CleanTechnica]
Dumbo octopus (NOAA Okeanos Explorer, public domain)
¶ “Adoption of Electric Vehicles Tied to Real-World Reductions in Air Pollution, Study Finds” • When California neighborhoods increased their number of zero-emissions vehicles between 2019 and 2023, they also experienced a reduction in air pollution. For every 200 vehicles added, nitrogen dioxide levels dropped by about 1.1%. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Severe Winter Weather Across Large Portions of the Country Increases Natural Gas Prices” • Natural gas daily spot prices at the benchmark Henry Hub rose sharply over the past week, reaching nearly $8.15 per million BTUs as demand rose in colder weather across the country. We have a lot of data on how cold weather can affect the market. [CleanTechnica]
Price of gas – Please click on the image to enlarge it.
¶ “Solar, Wind And Storage To Dominate US Growth” • Solar, wind, and battery storage are forecast to provide almost all net new US generating capacity in 2026, according to a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of newly released data from the US EIA. Combined solar output in November grew by 27.5% and supplied 7.2% of US electricity. [reNews]
¶ “A Winter Storm, A Viral Claim And What The Science Actually Says” • As snow and ice spread over the weekend, President Donald Trump pointed to the cold as evidence that climate change is exaggerated. Climate scientists say the claim reflects a common misunderstanding: confusing short-term weather with long-term climate trends. [WRAL]
Have a warmly friendly day.
geoharvey 