World:
¶ “EU Courts Gulf Countries For Free Trade Deal As Brussels Seeks To Counter Tariffs” • European officials have called for the negotiation of a free-trade agreement between the EU and the Gulf nations to be fast-tracked, as the bloc looks to diversify trade ties worldwide to counter the impact of US tariffs and an inundation of Chinese exports. [Euronews]
Cargo ship (Ian Taylor, Unsplash)
¶ “Why China’s Aluminum Industry May Have Reached Peak CO₂” • China’s aluminum manufacturing CO₂ emissions likely peaked in 2024. This is not because production collapsed or due to a single policy that suddenly bit, but because the structure of where aluminum is made and how it is made changed in ways that compound over time. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “AI Startup That Does EV-Related Materials Science Discovery Raises $8 Million” • Political winds may be blowing against clean technology in the US, but in other countries, investment in them keeps going on. UK startup Polaron recently raised $8 million. Polaron is used by EV and battery makers primarily within R&D and process engineering teams. [CleanTechnica]
Image demystified by Polaron (Polaron image)
¶ “CWP Europe Powers Up 174-MW (DC) Studina Solar” • CWP Europe commissioned the 174MW (DC) Studina solar project in Romania as the facility reached its commercial operation date. CWP Europe said the plant will generate about 245,000 MWh of electricity per year, enough for 122,500 households, avoiding around 220,500 tonnes of CO₂ annually. [reNews]
¶ “Eurowind Signs Hybrid PPA With Rockwool” • Eurowind Energy has signed a 10-year hybrid corporate power purchase agreement with Rockwool to supply renewable electricity from a wind farm and a solar plant in Poland. Eurowind Energy said the deal will deliver about 70 GWh of renewable electricity per year to support Rockwool’s decarbonisation. [reNews]
Wind farm (Eurowind Energy image)
¶ “Malta Should Invest In Renewable Energy To Phase Out Energy Subsidies, Central Bank Governor Says” • The Governor of the Central Bank of Malta said that the government’s energy subsidies should not last forever and exit strategies for Malta are needed to phase them out. He pitched for Malta to increase its investment in renewables. [The Malta Independent]
¶ “Baltic Sea Wind Lifts 50Hertz Output” • Offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea fed about 5400 GWh of electricity into the East German extra-high-voltage grid via 50Hertz’s connection systems in 2025. 50Hertz said this represents growth of around 10% year on year and is enough to cover the electricity demand of Leipzig and its surrounding area. [reNews]
Technician atop a wind turbine (50Hertz image)
¶ “‘Level Of Attack No Terrorist Dared’: Zelenskyy On Russian Attacks” • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s attacks on February 7 reached a level unprecedented even for terrorists. He said the attacks on facilities critical to the operation of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants pose a threat not only to Ukraine but to Europe as a whole. [MSN]
US:
¶ “US Energy Storage Startup Moves On The Residential Market With Another $232 Million” • Even in the US, investors are hot on the trail of new ways to give consumers what they want. That includes more affordable electricity, preferably from renewable sources, and home storage. Startup Lunar Energy is making a big move to provide storage. [CleanTechnica]
Lunar Energy storage (Lunar Energy image)
¶ “Maine Again Looks North For Onshore Wind, But Full Grid Integration Will Have To Wait” • The Maine Public Utilities Commission released a final Request for Proposals for up to 1,200 MW of new onshore wind or other renewable generation plus a new transmission line to carry that power to southern Maine and New England. [Maine Morning Star]
¶ “TotalEnergies Inks 1-GW Google Solar Deal” • TotalEnergies has signed two long-term power purchase agreements to deliver 1 GW of solar capacity to supply Google’s data centres in Texas. The power will come from its 805-MW Wichita and 195-MW Mustang Creek sites in Texas, the company said. Construction is to begin in the second quarter of 2026. [reNews]
Solar array (TotalEnergies image)
¶ “Tesla’s Massive Solar Hiring Plan Could Change US Energy Forever” • Tesla is preparing to greatly expand its solar business in the US as part of Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to build 100 GW of solar manufacturing capacity by 2028. Company executives shared online posts confirming that Tesla is hiring engineers and scientists to help meet this goal. [Renewable Affairs]
¶ “US Government Seeking Volunteers to Store Nuclear Sludge • Since the first US nuclear power plant went online December of 1957, a solution to the inevitable, nasty waste has been elusive. The waste is horrendously toxic, a potential target for terrorists, and needs to be stored securely for thousands of years. Now, the DOE is looking for volunteers. [Futurism]
Have a wonderfully uncomplicated day.
geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.
(, CC-BY-SA 3.0) km² CO₂ NH₃ CH₄ ₹ NOₓ ‽ ♦♦♦♦♦
geoharvey 