¶ “Spain’s Renewables Revolution Is Paying Off” • New analysis shows that Spanish households have each saved €10 per month on their electricity bills since the Hormuz strait was effectively closed in March. In the Spanish’s transition to renewable energy, the influence fossil fuels have on the electricity price has been reduced by 75% since 2019. [Euronews]
¶ “French Schools Could Change Exam Times Due To Extreme Heat” • Students in France are taking their Baccalaureate exams just as another intense heatwave hits with temperatures of up ro 40°C (104°F). The French Minister of National Education is proposing shifting future exam times so they don’t take place at the hottest times of day. [Euronews]
¶ “Cuba Quantifies Impact Of US Oil Blockade On Children’s Health And Daily Life” • The survival rate for Cuban children with cancer has fallen from 85% before the US energy blockade began in January to 65%, according to a report from Cubadebate. The report said 100,000 children younger than seven can’t even get a daily liter of milk from the state. [ABC News]
Cuban children (Ernesto Carrazana, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Renault EV Demand Grew 50% In Some Markets From Iran War” • One result of the US and Israel war against Iran is that Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz and much of the world’s oil couldn’t get to market. The CEO of Renault recently said that EV demand in France and Germany grew by 50% for the company since the US started the war. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Spain Could Have Nearly 7 GW of Offshore Solar Power” • Most of us don’t think about offshore solar power much, but there are some who have the sense to examine it well. A team of researchers from the University of A Coruña found that up to 6.48 GW of floating offshore solar capacity could be developed off the coast of Spain. [CleanTechnica]
Floating solar system (SolarDuck image)
¶ “NSW Powers Up Australia’s First Eight-Hour Battery” • The Limondale Battery Energy Storage System, the first operational eight-hour battery in Australia, promises to be a major milestone in NSW’s renewable energy transition. The 50-MW, 400-MWh Limondale BESS will help increase the amount of renewable energy available to the grid. [Utility Magazine]
¶ “Dutch Increase IJmuiden Ver Strike Price Caps” • The Dutch cabinet has increased financial support for the IJmuiden Ver Gamma-A and Gamma-B offshore wind farms to secure market interest in 2 GW of new capacity in the North Sea. The cabinet said the maximum tender amount for IJmuiden Ver Gamma-A will rise from €104/MWh to €117/MWh. [reNews]
Offshore wind turbine construction (Ecowende image)
¶ “New Zealand hits 94.5% renewable power as solar surges” • In the first three months of 2026, renewables generated 94.5% of New Zealand’s electricity, with solar output hitting a record high. The data makes the nation’s future clean-energy targets look far more attainable. They appear in New Zealand’s latest Energy Quarterly publication. [MSN]
¶ “Vestas Installs 100 V236 Offshore Turbines” • Vestas has installed 100 of its V236 offshore wind turbines globally. Each has a capacity of 15.0MW. The company said the 100th turbine was installed at the Baltic Power offshore wind farm owned by ORLEN and Northland Power. The project will have 76 of the turbines for 1.2 GW of capacity. [reNews]
Offshore wind construction (Vestas image)
¶ “Pressure Piled On Russia As PM Steps Up Support To Power Ukraine At G7 Summit” • The UK is set to power Ukraine with nuclear fuel for the next two years and announce a new swathe of sanctions, as the Prime Minister declares support. This comes as G7 gets under way with a roundtable session on building peace and security for Ukraine and for Europe. [GOV.UK]
US:
¶ “Gas Prices Fall Below $4 A Gallon, GasBuddy Says” • After an agreement between the US and Iran, the national average price of a gallon of gas stands at $3.99, marking a decline of more than 9¢ over the past week, according to a GasBuddy post. Gas prices, however, continue to register well above where they stood before the Iran war. [ABC News]
¶ “Trump Retreats from Lawsuit Challenging Illegal Wind Ban” • The Trump administration has voluntarily dismissed its own appeal in a lawsuit challenging Donald Trump’s executive order banning wind project development in the US. The judge had ruled the order was “capricious and arbitrary.” This effectively ends the unlawful windpower ban. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Circularity Cuts Cost Of Making Sustainable Aviation Fuel From Bio-Methane” • In recent six-month trial, Circularity Fuels showed that biogas from a California dairy farm manure digester was successfully converted to a drop-in aviation fuel. It meets the ASTM D7566 Annex A1 specifications in use for the jet engines of commercial aircraft. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Solar Energy Is Essential (Trump Just Won’t Admit It)” • In a press statement announcing an award of $18.1 million to a germanium producer, the Defense Department took note of the applications it will be used for. Solar made the cut. “Germanium is also essential for solar cells that power military and civilian satellites,” the agency stated. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ohio Has Blocked A Lot Of Wind And Solar; Its Residents Pay The Price” • The Ohio Supreme Court recently blocked a permit for what would be the state’s largest solar installation, in the latest example of how lawmakers and other officials have obstructed renewable energy in Ohio. It means the least expensive power is not available for residents. [Ohio Capital Journal]
