¶ “Europe’s Heatwave Is Shutting Down Daily Life” • Schools are closed, alcohol banned, and trains canceled. The intensifying heatwave in Europe is bringing daily life to a standstill. Highs are expected to be up to 45°C in parts of Spain. Over half of France is on red alert. Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the UK are also facing extreme heat. [Euronews]
¶ “Climate Cooperation Must Go On Despite US Absence, Chinese Minister Says” • Efforts to tackle climate change face “changing political circumstances,” but international cooperation must not be weakened by leaders like US President Trump, China’s Minister for Ecology and Environment said at the annual “Ministerial on Climate Action.” [Euronews]
¶ “Bertrand Piccard’s Blueprint For A Green Tech Future” • Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard, who completed the first round-the-world solar-powered flight and was the first to complete a non-stop balloon flight around the globe, said his latest hydrogen venture is now nearing completion and the first test flights are scheduled for early 2027. [Euronews]
¶ “Mexico’s President Seeks To Restart Oil Shipments To Cuba” • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country seeks to restart oil shipments to Cuba soon, a move that could provide much-needed relief as the island’s energy crises deepens. Mexico became a key oil source for Cuba after the US attacked Venezuela and halted critical oil shipments. [ABC News]
¶ “LEGO Installing Another Large Solar Power Plant” • LEGO is working to increase its use of renewable energy rapidly. That includes solar power, of course, the cheapest option for new electricity generating capacity. The company is building a new solar power plant now. The plant is already under construction in Billund, Denmark. [CleanTechnica]
Solar plant (Image by AFRY Architects Denmark A/S)
¶ “How A Record-High ‘Energy Imbalance’ Is Driving Global Warming” • The asymmetry between incoming solar energy and energy radiated back out into space caused by human activity provides a direct measure of the extent to which humans are disrupting the Earth’s climate system. The planet is heating up more quickly than ever before. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “EU Can Build Nearly Twice As Many Wind Turbines And EVs As It Needs Each Year” • Ember’s new report, “A clean break: leaving fossil volatility for clean tech security“ finds that Europe’s clean tech manufacturing base is far stronger than commonly assumed and that even where imports must be made, they carry lower risks than fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]
Offshore wind farm (Image courtesy of SSE plc)
¶ “Berlin Unveils Revamped Offshore Lease Blueprint” • The German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency launched amendments to the area development plan aimed at improving the power yield and economics of offshore wind projects. The German Offshore Wind Energy Association said the changes are optimized to reduce turbine wake effects. [reNews]
¶ “Wien Energie Commissions 62-MW Loidesthal 2” • Wien Energie commissioned the 62-MW Loidesthal 2 wind farm in Lower Austria. Wien Energie said the project, developed by ImWind, is the most powerful wind farm in its portfolio. Its ten turbines will generate electricity to provide for annual demand of over 44,000 average households. [reNews]
Wind turbines (Klaus Rockenbauer Loidesthal 2)
¶ “UN Chief Urges AI Firms To ‘Come Clean’ On Environmental Footprint” • UN chief Antonio Guterres called for faster action on global warming. He challenged AI firms to “come clean” about their environmental effects as he warned of energy and climate crises caused by fossil fuels. He painted a stark picture of a planet that just saw its eleven hottest years on record. [Yahoo]
¶ “Australia Just Punched A 2,300-Ton Machine Through Rock To Build The Country’s Largest Renewable Project” • A machine punched through rock, finishing its part of what is the largest renewable energy project in Australia. It is helping to carve out is a power station 800 meters below the surface, designed to act as a battery. [Autonocion.com]
Tunnel boring machine for Snowy 2.0 (Snowy Hydro image)
¶ “Ottawa’s Nuclear Energy Strategy Seeks More New Reactors, Global Exports” • The government of Canada launched a nuclear energy strategy that seeks to build at least ten large reactors in Canada and expand global exports over the next fifteen years. There is opposition to the proposal because nuclear energy is incredibly expensive in the long run. [MSN]
US:
¶ “Michigan Floods Expose Lack Of Information, Preparation In Many Rural Areas” • In Michigan, thousands were left without financial protection after record April rains fell on top of record snowfall. Many had no idea they were at risk despite years of increasingly heavy precipitation. Flood plain maps are arguably outdated due to climate change. [ABC News]
¶ “Will Gas Prices Keep Falling?” • Gas prices have tumbled in recent weeks as fighting has largely given way to negotiations between the US and Iran. The national average price of a gallon of gas stood at $3.92 on Monday, marking a decline of 62¢, or 13.6%, since a month earlier, AAA data showed. Before the war, a gallon of gas cost less than $3. [ABC News]
¶ “LDEQ Must Conduct Full Environmental Justice Analysis of Hyundai Steel Facility” • Sierra Club called on the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to do environmental justice analysis of Hyundai Steel’s proposed facility in Louisiana. The company had largely removed such analysis from its revised permit application. [CleanTechnica]
§ The most recent reported status of US nuclear power plants can be found at the US Nuclear Power Report, a distressingly dull account of NRC news, posted when the NRC gives us news to post. On June 23, out of 95 US-licensed power reactors, 4 were at reduced output and 2 not operating.
§ Video: Energy Week #680 – 6/11/2026: High fuel costs are driving up the cost of war. Regenerative farms do much better than conventional ones in drought. Most EU countries are reducing fuel imports, but a few are not. Some World Cup competition venues might have serious heat problems. There is more on the potential use of plutonium in nuclear reactors. A gold mine is running on 100% renewable energy. A bog is a natural military barrier, in addition to being important for dealing with climate change. And there is more.
§ You can get a copy of the latest Green Energy Times, the April, 2026 edition, by downloading the pdf file HERE.
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