geoharvey

World:

¶ “‘Shrinking-Swelling’ Puts Twelve Million French Homes At Risk” • In what is called clay shrinkage-swelling, rupturing pipes, distorted doors and windows, and huge cracks are the threats that face more than twelve million detached homes in France. It results from climate change, as extreme weather events soak and dry the soil alternatively. [Euronews]

French country home (Karine Zenda, Unsplash)

¶ “Will The War In Iran Threaten The Europe Union’s Green Transition?” • With soaring energy prices and the threat of supply disruptions, the EU is being forced to strike a delicate balance between staying on course towards climate neutrality and ensuring affordable energy for households and businesses across the bloc. [Euronews]

¶ “BYD Electric Buses Rose 71% In March” • BYD’s bus sales rose year over year. With 663 electric bus deliveries, this part of the business was up 70.9% year over year, from 388 bus sales in March 2025, and up 98.5% compared to February, which had 334 deliveries. BYD’s non-bus commercial vehicle sales had an off month, as did its car sales. [CleanTechnica]

BYD K9A Bus (Nissangeniss, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “One-Fifth of Global Oil Trade Is Blocked, But Solar Power Is Softening The Blow” • To a large degree, you can thank solar energy for the fact that you’re not in a 1970s-style gas line. Solar power capacity has seen an exponential rise over the last decade thanks to plummeting costs of the installation and maintenance of PV energy systems. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “France To Launch 10-GW Offshore Wind Tender” • SER, the Renewables trade association, welcomed the decision by the French government to merge the AO9 and AO10 offshore wind tenders for a single 10-GW auction. The new capacity of 5 GW of fixed-bottom and 5 GW of floating technologies is expected to be brought to market by next year. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (Siemens Gamesa image)

¶ “UK Renewables Hit Generation Record” •New government statistics show renewables generated a record share of the UK’s electricity in 2025. This reached 52.5%, marking the second consecutive year above 50%. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said clean power output reached 152.5 TWh, up from 144.3 TWh in 2024. [reNews]

¶ “Enviromena Starts 90 MW Of Shropshire Solar Construction” • Enviromena started construction on two solar farm projects in Shropshire with a combined capacity of 90 MW. The company said the sites of the Rock Farm near Ludlow and Steeraway near Telford were acquired in the summer of 2025 and are supported by Contracts for Difference. [reNews]

Solar construction (Enviromena image)

¶ “Russia Prepares Final Evacuation Of Staff From Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Plant” • Russia is preparing the final wave of evacuation from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, with more than 200 people expected to leave next week, the head of state nuclear company Rosatom said. Alexey Likhachev said the evacuation is a priority during the war. [TRT World]

US:

¶ “Tesla Sales Rise After Brutal Year Of Musk Boycotts, But They Still Fall Short” • Tesla said sales rose 6% to 358,023, the first time in three years it posted a first-quarter increase from the period a year earlier period. The positive figure follows a year of plunging sales due to an aging lineup and boycotts over Musk’s right-wing political stands. [ABC News]

Tesla Model S (Tesla Fans Schweiz, Unsplash)

¶ “Rivian Beats Wall Street Sales Expectations, But It’s Still In A Niche” • Rivian delivered 10,365 vehicles to customers in the first quarter of 2026. That was around 700 units above Wall Street estimates (9,678 according to Visible Alpha). Of course 10,365 vehicle sales in one quarter is very niche, but Rivian’s vehicles are still large luxury models. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Trump Administration’s Attempt to Expand Drilling at Chaco Canyon” • The Trump administration advanced the process of increasing oil and gas drilling on a landscape that is sacred to Pueblos and Tribes. It began a 7-day Public Scoping period, the next step in its proposal to open the Greater Chaco Region to oil and gas drilling. [CleanTechnica]

Chaco Canyon (National Park Service, public domain)

¶ “US Coal Exports Decreased In 2025” • After four years of growth, US coal exports decreased by 16 million short tons (MMst) in 2025, according to data released by the US Census Bureau. Exports totaled 93 MMst in 2025, compared with 108 MMst in 2024. Metallurgical coal exports fell by 11%, and thermal coal exports fell by 18%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Advocacy Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Decision To Exempt All Oil & Gas Activities In Gulf from Endangered Species Act” • Gulf and environmental groups sued the Trump Administration over its decision to strip Endangered Species Act protection from imperiled species threatened by oil-and-gas drilling activities in the Gulf of Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore oil rig (Sheng Hu, Unsplash)

¶ “Maine Renters May Soon Be Able To Access Solar Power After Passage Of Plug-In Bill” • Both the Maine Senate and House of Representatives cast final votes this week in support of LD 1730, which would allow for small, plug-in solar units so renters and other Mainers can access the renewable energy source without a large upfront investment. [Maine Morning Star]

¶ “Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant Gets Final Go-Ahead To Run Through 2030” • The US NRC renewed Diablo Canyon’s license to operate, ensuring that California’s last nuclear facility will continue to run through at least 2030. Originally, the plant was slated to close in 2025, but it generates more than 8% of the power used by the state. [Yahoo]

Have a generously supportive day.

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World:

¶ “Biofuels Are Under The Spotlight As The EU Scrambles For Alternative Energy” • Biofuels are being touted as a solution to Europe’s lack of oil, as the war on Iran leaves the world short by 11 million barrels of oil per day. European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen urged nations to find ways to reduce the use of oil and gas, particularly in transport. [Euronews]

Harvesting corn (Wolfgang Weiser, Unsplash)

¶ “World’s Tallest Wind Turbine Is Being Built In Germany” • In a region of Germany once dominated by coal mines, a pivot to clean energy is underway. A huge crane is in position, girders are being assembled and a lattice mast is gradually rising into the sky. If all goes well, the world’s tallest wind turbine will be built in a small town in Brandenburg. [Euronews]

¶ “Solar Saved Europe €3 Billion In Fossil Fuel Imports In March” • An analysis found that Europe’s solar power could save the continent €67.5 billion by the end of the year if gas prices remain high. Solar power is helping to rescue Europe from the crippling costs of fossil fuel imports, as the war on Iran sends oil and gas prices soaring. [Euronews]

Solar array in Germany (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

¶ “Closed Loop Geothermal Moves Forward In Germany” • A Canadian company known as Eavor has started generating electricity from its first closed loop geothermal installation in the area of Geretsried, Germany, south of Munich. It uses a system that can extract more heat from the Earth than other geothermal systems do. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Millions Of Trees Planted In Africa To Remove Carbon And Restore Soil ” • The Giving Trees project is an endeavor by Cool Effect, a climate crisis non-profit organization. Farmers in Africa can choose trees to plant, with benefits to local communities and the environment. So far, the African farmers have planted over 28 million trees. [CleanTechnica]

Recently planted trees (Cool Effect image)

¶ “German Truckers To Face Over €1,200 A Month In Additional Diesel Costs” • T&E analysis shows that volatile oil prices would add an average of €890 to monthly fuel costs for European diesel trucks, increasing the higher costs of diesel over electric. Many operators are running on margins of just 2%, making them exposed to volatile oil markets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Germany Wind Output Jumps 27% In Q1” • Generating by windpower rose by 27% year-on-year in Germany to just over 42,000 GWh in the first quarter of 2026. Onshore windpower grew by 23.1% to 33,100 GWh, while offshore output climbed 44.8% to 9,700 GWh. The growth was driven by the addition of over 5,000 MW of wind capacity in 2025. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Abby Anaday, Unsplash)

¶ “Enviro Infra Engineers Enters Battery Storage Segment” • Enviro Infra Engineers Ltd, an infrastructure company focused on water and wastewater treatment, entered the battery energy storage system segment by securing EPC contracts totaling 930 MWh. The combined order value of the projects exceeds ₹1,070 crore ($128 million). [pv magazine India]

¶ “TotalEnergies And Masdar Form $2.2 BillionJV For Asia” • TotalEnergies and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar signed a binding agreement to form a $2.2 billion 50/50 joint venture to merge their onshore renewable activities in nine Asian countries. The JV’s portfolio will have 3 GW of operational capacity and 6 GW in advanced development. [reNews]

Solar and wind (Masdar image)

¶ “Chubu Electric Admits Rigging Quake-Resistance Data At Nuclear Plant” • The operator of the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, a nuclear plant in central Japan, has admitted that its civil engineering department had manipulated quake-resistance data from no later than 2012, with more than 100 cases discovered. [Japan Today]

US:

¶ “Gulf Fossil Fuel Operations Get Exemption From Endangered Species Act Protection” • A federal committee, made up of senior Trump administration officials, voted unanimously to grant an exemption under the Endangered Species Act for oil and gas operations in the Gulf, citing national security concerns. Several endangered species are threatened. [ABC News]

Manatee (Robin Teng, Unsplash)

¶ “General Motors Slaps Down Trump’s War On EVs” • President Trump set out to wage war against vehicle electrification upon taking office. All was going as planned until February 28, 2026, when he launched the US into his war against Iran. Now General Motors is licking its chops in anticipation of the robust EV sales that are to come. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Media To Merge With Nuclear Fusion Startup” • Last December, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp entered the nuclear fusion race after it agreed to buy California-based fusion startup TAE Technologies in a $6-billion merger, creating one of the world’s first publicly traded nuclear fusion companies. The deal expected to close in mid-2026. [OilPrice.com]

Nuclear Fission demo (G Federici et al, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Major Southwest Power Pool Western Expansion Opens Clean Energy Opportunities Across Region” • The Southwest Power Pool has expanded, connecting western and eastern electric grids and providing increased access to clean energy for major utilities across the West and Great Plains in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Utah, and Wyoming. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Five Reasons Trump’s War On Renewables Is A Costly Mistake Right Now” • If you’ve filled up your gas tank lately, you already know the pain. Oil prices are surging, and the chaos overseas is draining your wallet fast. So, what’s the plan in Washington? Double down on fossil fuels and crush renewable energy. Here are five reasons that is a bad idea. [MSN]

Have a magnificently serene day.

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World:

¶ “EU Calls On Its Member States To Curb Oil Demand And Prepare For Prolonged Disruption” • European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen has urged EU capitals to outline measures to reduce oil and gas use, particularly in transport, as the EU27 braces for potential supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict with Iran. [Euronews]

Dan Jørgensen (Lukasz Kobus, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Can Algeria’s Gas Save The Old Continent From The Strait Of Hormuz?” • Before the Iran War, about 135 ships passed through the strait each day, Financial Times says. Now the crisis is forcing Europe into a race to secure alternative gas supplies. Algeria is geographically close, relatively stable, and increasingly central to European energy security. [Euronews]

¶ “Europe’s Energy Grid Can’t Keep Up With The Renewables Boom” • Planned clean energy projects used to power millions of households in 20 EU countries could be “stranded,” a report by energy think tank Ember warns. It found that half of the grid operators have “insufficient grid capacity” to connect upcoming wind and solar projects. [Euronews]

Power grid (Evgeniy Alyoshin, Unsplash)

¶ “Using Real-World Information to Empower Consumers” • A proposed revision of the EU’s car labelling law would be a timely opportunity to make better use of available real world data to empower consumers. For EVs, consumers would be able to see the real-world performance for range and electric consumption, as well as charging power. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Meloni-Backed Biofuels Project Under Scrutiny Following New Investigation” • An investigation by SourceMaterial and Politico shows that an Italian government biofuels project in Kenya is potentially harming local farmers and threatening food security. It raises doubts as to whether non-edible biofuel crops can be scaled sustainably. [CleanTechnica]

Farm in Kenya (CIAT, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “IRENA Reports Record 692-GW Renewables Growth” • Global renewable power capacity reached 5,149 GW in 2025 after a record 692 GW increase, the International Renewable Energy Agency said. IRENA said the expansion represented a 15.5% annual increase, with renewables accounting for 85.6% of total capacity additions. [reNews]

¶ “Germany Awards 3.4 GW In Onshore Wind Tender” • In its latest onshore wind auction, Germany awarded 439 bids,  so the full 3,445 MW of offered capacity was covered. The Federal Network Agency said 924 bids totaling 7,858 MW came in, and the tender very oversubscribed. Successful bids ranged between 5.19 ¢/kWh and 5.64 ¢/kWh. [reNews]

Wind farm (Ries Bosch, Unsplash)

¶ “Adani Green Energy Commissions Record 5.05 GW” • Adani Green Energy Ltd, India’s largest pure-play renewable energy company, added more than 5 GW of renewable capacity in FY26, taking its total operational portfolio to 19.3 GW. This represents the largest greenfield annual capacity expansion globally by any company outside China. [pv magazine India]

¶ “EU Probes French State Aid For Nuclear Expansion” • The European Commission launched an in-depth investigation into French public support for EDF’s nuclear expansion. It will assess whether the state aid France plans to grant the energy company for the construction and operation of six new nuclear reactors is in line with EU state aid rules. [Energy Live News]

Tricastin nuclear plant (Marianne Casamance, CC BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Lithium Mine Clears A Hurdle Despite Worries Over Rare Wildflower” • A federal judge ruled against conservationists who wanted to stop a lithium-boron mine they said would harm an endangered wildflower. The ruling marks a major legal victory for the 11-square-mile Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron mine between Reno and Las Vegas.  [ABC News]

¶ “Trump Tries To Shift Responsibility For Reopening The Strait Of Hormuz Away From US” • As oil and gas prices soar amid Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump and his top officials appear to suggest it’s not the US’s problem to solve. Trump again lashed out at allies for not getting involved. He told them: “Go get your own oil!” [ABC News]

Karoline Leavitt (Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Wyoming Reduces Electric Vehicle Taxes” • A new electric vehicle bill passed recently in Wyoming. The title is sort of self-explanatory: “HB0145 – Removing triple taxation for resident EV drivers.” Removing the overtaxing of EVs owned and driven by residents of Wyoming sounds like a great idea. Overtaxing them in the first place was not. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Federal Court Strikes Down Trump’s Attacks Against The Endangered Species Act” • After a seven-year legal saga, the Northern District of California Court found that a series of regulations from 2019 and 2024 were in clear violation of the Endangered Species Act. The ruling will derail ongoing efforts to further weaken the ESA. [CleanTechnica]

Whooping crane (US FWS, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Maine Tries Again To Unlock Wind Energy, But This Time It Has Help” • In an acute regional energy crunch, after years of false starts, large-scale onshore wind power could finally take off in Maine. Utility regulators in five states are studying developers’ proposals to build up to 1.2 GW of onshore wind capacity in Maine’s far north. [News From The States]

¶ “Governor Mills Joins Bipartisan Group Of New England Governors To Announce Commitment To Explore Nuclear Energy” • Governor Janet Mills joined with a bipartisan group of New England governors on a regional commitment to explore advanced nuclear energy technologies to meet the region’s electricity needs in future years. [Maine.gov]

Have an enjoyably beautiful day.

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