World:
¶ “The World’s Largest Lake Is Disappearing, And It’s Taking Ecosystems And Livelihoods Along With It” • The Caspian Sea is rapidly shrinking. A long-term decline in water levels has been documented through satellite observations with support by hydrological and climate research. They showcase a consistent downward trend since the mid 1990s. [Euronews]
Caspian Sea (Veronika Shabrikhina, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “New Record For Electric Car Sales In Nordic Countries In April” • A press release just in from the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council said: “In April, around two out of three new passenger cars in the Nordic region were electric. Norway and Denmark are driving up the share of electric cars sharply, with 98.6% and 81.9% respectively. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Europe’s Offshore Wind Power Is Vulnerable To Attacks. Who Is Responsible For Protecting It?” • Possible sabotage, drone overflights and mapping by submarines: the North Sea and its off shore wind farms are vulnerable to hybrid warfare, threatening one of Europe’s crucial renewable energy sources. But, who can take charge for security and defence? [Euronews]
Offshore windpower (Marian Florinel Condruz, Unsplash)
¶ “3.6 GW Of Bids In South Korean Offshore Auction” • Nine projects amounting to 3600 MW of capacity submitted bids into South Korea’s latest offshore wind auction. They are competing for 1.8 GW of capacity, which is divided into 400 MW reserved for floaters, 400 MW for projects led by public companies, and 1 GW for fixed-bottom projects. [reNews]
¶ “El Niño Expected To Develop Soon, But Its Strength Remains Uncertain” • El Niño is expected to develop soon, potentially bringing significant impacts to weather, the upcoming hurricane season, and global temperatures, though there is “substantial uncertainty” regarding its peak strength, according to the latest forecast from NOAA. [ABC News]
El Niño waves (Jon Sullivan, public domain, modified)
¶ “Eskom Delivers 365 Days Without Loadshedding” • Eskom delivered for South Africa one full year without loadshedding, a milestone last achieved eight years ago in September 2018. A more stable base‑load fleet has enhanced the system’s ability to accommodate variable renewable energy, thereby supporting a resilient power system. [Eskom]
¶ “Tesla Reducing Down Payments And Loan Terms in China As Sales Drop” • Tesla’s sales dropped in the largest EV market in the world this year. Tesla’s sales in China were down 10% in April, from 2025, and they were down 15% across the first four months of this year. In an effort to reverse the trend, Tesla is offering especially appealing loans. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model Y L (Tesla image)
¶ “Solar Power Production Undercut By Coal Pollution” • A study suggests that coal-derived pollution interferes with other power sources. Aerosols, both natural and human-derived, significantly reduce the power we could be getting from solar panels, to the tune of hundreds of terawatts a year. And a lot of those aerosols come from burning coal. [Ars Technica]
¶ “Philippines’ Renewable Capacity To Reach 30 GW By 2035, Forecasts GlobalData” • The Philippines operates an archipelagic power system with limited interconnections, where reliability is a key priority. Renewable capacity is part of a broader transition in the generation mix. It is projected to increase to around 30 GW by 2035. [Yahoo Finance]
Philippine windpower (Ralph Olazo, Unsplash)
¶ “India Turns Coal Plants Into Nuclear Sites With New Law” • India is strategically repurposing retired coal power plant sites for nuclear energy projects. This initiative aims to increase the nation’s nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047. Changes including the recently passed SHANTI Act, are vital to attract the funding needed to reach the ambitious goal. [Whalesbook]
US:
¶ “Inflation Jumps To Its Highest Level In Three Years” • The US inflation rose for a second consecutive month as the US-Israeli war with Iran continued to send gasoline prices surging in April, government data showed. The inflation report was a match with economists’ expectations. Prices rose 3.8% in April compared to a year earlier. [ABC News]
“I did that” on gas pump (Whoisjohngalt, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “Sierra Club And Earthjustice Argue Against Illegal Coal Plant Extensions In Court” • In May 2025, DOE claimed there was an “energy emergency.” Sierra Club and Earthjustice presented oral arguments before the DC Circuit Court of Appeals in the legal challenge against the DOE’s illegal application of Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Trump’s Fossil Fuel Fantasy Is Wilting Under Balcony Solar Pressure” • President Trump’s intentions are clear, but the people have spoken. Wind and solar still account for the lion’s share of added capacity on the nation’s grid. And now the balcony solar movement is adding another powerful factor to the small-scale end of the solar industry. [CleanTechnica]
Balcony solar system (UL Solutions image via businesswire.com)
¶ “Competitive Power’s Ribbon Cutting For The Largest Solar Project In Maryland” • Competitive Power Ventures, along with Harrison Street Asset Management, celebrated the ribbon cutting of the CPV Backbone Solar project. The project marks a major milestone in CPV’s ongoing investment in reliable, domestic energy infrastructure. [WV News]
¶ “DOE Moves SMRs Closer To Construction” • Pushing small modular reactors closer to deployment, the US DOE announced the selection of eight companies to share more than $94 million in federal funding aimed at clearing near-term licensing, supply chain, and site-preparation hurdles for advanced light-water reactors in the US. [Metal Tech News]
Have an auspiciously peachy day.
geoharvey 
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