Opinion:
¶ “Google, AI, And Carbon Emissions: A Lesson In Situational Ethics” • Tech companies Google, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Amazon have long touted their green energy ambitions. Google was the leader of the pack when it comes to zero carbon energy, pledging years ago to be carbon neutral by 2030. But that was before artificial intelligence happened. [CleanTechnica]
Google data center (Google image)
World:
¶ “Bosnia And Herzegovina Has Problems With Its Energy Transition” • Will Bosnia-Herzegovina’s late start on energy transition delay its EU entry? The country is struggling to move away from coal-fired power generation. There is a shortage of desulphurisation plants. Air pollution is extreme. And there are serious consequences: Cancer from coal? [Euronews]
¶ “How Long Can The EU’s Oil Reserves Last?” • The 400 million barrels of oil released by the IEA could last about five months, according to analysts. The bloc also has storage reserves. The EU consumes about 10.5 million barrels of oil per day, about 10% of global demand. Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen is calling for “unity among EU countries.” [Euronews]
Oil storage tanks (Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped)
¶ “Inside The Struggle To Build Europe’s Largest Solar Farm As It Is Hit With Delays” • The case for renewables looks stronger than ever, as the war on Iran continues to send oil and gas prices soaring. Analysis shows that solar, which is the cheapest form of clean energy, saved Europe €3 billion last month. But opposition is delaying a huge UK project. [Euronews]
¶ “Norway Faces Energy Shortage As Lack Of Winter Snow Depletes Reservoirs” • Today, nearly 90% of Norway’s electricity comes from its hydro installations. Its snow-melts fill reservoirs, driving enough hydropower that it can sell electric energy to neighbors. Last year, about 15% of its hydropower was exported. But this year? Snow is scarce. [CleanTechnica]
Hydropower (Courtesy of PNNL via email to CleanTechnica)
¶ “China, A Leader In Renewables, Was Prepared For A Global Fuel Crisis” • Overall, China is well positioned to buffer both its consumers and economy from the oil shock sparked by the Iran war, despite its heavy dependency on imported oil. But if the war drags on and leads to a global recession, China’s growth would take a serious hit. [The Christian Science Monitor]
¶ “100% Of Copenhagen’s City Buses Are Now Electric” • Though there is a lot of interest in the EVs for personal transportation, it could be that large fleet vehicles electrifying really signals the beginning of the end for gas and diesel. Copenhagen, by far the most populous city in Denmark, recently announced all of its city buses are now electric. [CleanTechnica]
Electric bus (Courtesy of Municipality of Copenhagen)
¶ “Strike Near Bushehr Nuclear Plant In Iran Kills A Security Person” • Iranian state media reported that a US-Israeli strike near the Bushehr nuclear power plant killed one member of the security forces. The official IRNA news agency reported that a projectile landed in an area close to the nuclear facility in what it called “criminal attacks.” [Times Kuwait]
US:
¶ “Balcony Solar Is Here, And It’s Not Just For Balconies” • Unlike solar generators and other portable solar devices, balcony solar panels plug into a simple household outlet and feed electricity into household wiring, reducing the amount of electricity sucked from the grid. Ukraine popularized the devices soon after Russia invaded. Now they are in the US. [CleanTechnica]
“Balcony solar” on the lawn (Courtesy of EcoFlow)
¶ “Ford EV Sales Drop Off A Cliff” • Unsurprisingly, given what we’ve seen from Ford in recent months, its EV business took a big hit in the first quarter year-over-year in the US. Ford’s best selling EV, the Mustang Mach-E, is still a great buy, but it’s harder getting consumers to see that without the $7,500 tax credit to entice them. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Systems Now Account For 20% Of Puerto Rico’s Capacity Mix” • In Puerto Rico, rooftop solar had 20% of the overall capacity mix at the end of 2025. Rooftop solar had increased fastest of all sources for a decade. Between 2016 and 2025 rooftop solar installations accounted for 81% of the new generating capacity. [CleanTechnica]
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
¶ “Trump Hhas Shunned Solar Power. Some Of His Supporters Want To MAGA-fy It” • As America’s demand for electricity rises quickly, some Republican influencers such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, encourage him to adopt a more pragmatic approach to solar power. [The Christian Science Monitor]
¶ “Sierra Club Statement On Donald Trump’s FY2027 Budget Proposal” • Donald Trump released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2027. It seeks to increase our defense spending to a massive $1.5 trillion while reducing non-defense discretionary spending by more than $73 billion, including a 52% cut in funding for the EPA. [CleanTechnica]
Soldier (Specna Arms, Unsplash)
¶ “Louisiana Projected To Add 12 G W Of Utility-Scale Solar By 2035” • A study funded by NextEra Energy projects that annual solar deployment in Louisiana will decline from 2028 through 2030 due to expiring tax credits, and then it will rise steadily through 2035, with associated employment impacts and tax revenues for local communities. [pv magazine USA]
¶ “US Firm’s 15-MW Micro Nuclear Reactor Advances Toward Deployment With Landmark Filing” • NANO Nuclear Energy has reached a major milestone in the race for deployment of an advanced nuclear reactor. It has announced that it submitted a Construction Permit Application to the US NRC for its KRONOS MMR microreactor. [MSN]
Have an astoundingly relaxing day.
geoharvey 