World:
¶ “Japan’s Smallest EV Gets Backing From One Of Its Largest Energy Companies” • KG Motors delivered the first completed MiBot units in December, at a price of about $7,000. Idemitsu Kosan, which is one of Japan’s largest refiners and service-station operators, was so impressed by the tiny EV that two companies signed a formal business agreement. [CleanTechnica]
KG Motors Mibot (Photo by Idemitsu)
¶ “2025 Saw EVs At 97.5% Share In Norway – Tesla Model Y Best-Seller” • December saw plugin EVs at 98.5% share in Norway, up from 89.8% year on year. Full battery EVs alone took a 97.6% share. For the full year of 2025 in Norway, EVs were at a 97.5% share, up from 91.3% year on year, with all of the growth coming from battery EVs. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “In The UK, “Power To The People” Is Latest Clean Energy Trend” • The UK government recently announced that it plans to spend up to £1 billion on community owned green energy projects. Ed Miliband, the UK energy secretary, said the funding was intended to help increase the financial independence and wealth of local communities. [CleanTechnica]
Ed Miliband (UKinUSA, CC BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “BREP Launches Baltic Hybrid Solar-Storage Project” • Mirova and Evecon’s Baltic Renewable Energy Platform has launched Estonia’s largest solar-plus-storage hybrid project at the 77.5-MW Kirikmäe site. The plant is to be paired with a 55-MW, 250-MWh battery system, which is now under construction. The project is expected to enter operation this year. [reNews]
¶ “Fu-Gen Seals 125-MW Finnish BESS Deal” • Fu-Gen has closed a 125-MW ready-to-build battery energy storage system in the area of Vuolijoki, central Finland, with Nala Renewables. The transaction is the first under a framework agreement the two companies established in October 2025 for a Finnish BESS portfolio, Fu-Gen said. [reNews]
Battery energy storage (Fu-Gen image)
¶ “Humelink West Cuts Diesel Use With Hybrid Solar Power System” • The HumeLink West project has successfully trialled the replacement of 100% dependency on diesel engine powered electricity generation at a substation site, with a 123-kWh hybrid solar battery system. Diesel power generation is reduced to just one hour per day. [pv magazine Australia]
¶ “MET Powers Up Italian Solar Plant” • MET Group has put its 10-MW Caltignaga solar plant in Italy into commission. The Agri-PV project is expected to generate 15 GWh per year. EPC work was done by CMC Europe Italy SRL, MET Group said. The Caltignaga facility is MET’s second operating solar site in Italy after the 10-MW Ferrera Erbognone project. [reNews]
Solar plant (MET Group image)
US:
¶ “Tesla CEO Elon Musk Should Stop Flinging Poop And Start Selling More Tesla EVs” • The Epstein scandal has ensnared Tesla CEO Elon Musk to a greater extent than he first admitted. Now the multi-tasking tycoon is flinging social media poop at another Epstein-adjacent Silicon Valley tycoon in an attempt to deflect attention. He needs to do better. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Over 100 Million EV Charging Sessions Conducted On ChargePoint Chargers In Last Year” • When people talk about EVs, the metrics they typically use are price, energy efficiency, range, charging speed, etc. ChargePoint has a different metric. It announced data insights from over 100 million EV charging sessions it enabled in the last year. [CleanTechnica]
ChargePoint station (4300streetcar, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “Offshore Wind Helps Keep Northeast Cozy During Winter Freeze” • The bone-chilling cold in the northeastern US over the past few weeks strained electricity systems as people cranked up their heat. Now, as the region finally starts to thaw, early data shows how America’s offshore wind farms helped keep electricity flowing during the cold stretch. [Sierra Club]
¶ “New York Cancels Fifth Offshore Wind Solicitation” • The US state of New York has cancelled its fifth round of offshore wind procurement. The procurement was initially launched in 2024, but the awarding of results was repeatedly delayed following the election of Donald Trump, which proved to be disruptive and instilled uncertaintly. [reNews]
Manhattan Bridge (Fugro image)
¶ “Michigan’s New Legal Tactic Against Big Oil” • Michigan is taking on major oil and gas companies in court, joining nearly a dozen other states that have brought climate-related lawsuits. But Michigan’s approach is different. It accuses Big Oil of driving up energy costs by colluding against competition from cleaner and cheaper technologies. [Inside Climate News]
¶ “US Military Airlifts First Micro Nuclear Reactor” • The US military transported a micro nuclear reactor for the first time in history from the March Air Reserve Base in California to the Hill Air Force Base in Utah. This is part of President Donald Trump’s policy to expand the deployment of nuclear power across the US and to the frontlines of US forces. [MSN]
Have a generously endowed day.
geoharvey 
Leave a comment