geoharvey

World:

¶ “Irish Finance Minister Says Hormuz Closure, Not Ukraine, Causing Energy Crisis” • The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Trump’s war on Iran are causes of turmoil in the energy markets, not Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries. That is the message Simon Harris, Ireland’s Finance Minister and Deputy PM, gave Euronews in an interview. [Euronews]

¶ “Portugal Is Bracing For Rising Temperatures And A Possible Heatwave” • In some areas of Portugal, temperatures could climb close to 38°C (100.4°F), driven by an anticyclone north of the Azores. Portugal is set to see a gradual rise in temperatures, and the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere has raised a yellow warning for nine districts. [Euronews]

¶ “Cuba Hit With Another Blackout As Millions Across Island Are Left Without Electricity” • Cuba’s power grid collapsed, leaving millions of people across the island without electricity. The Ministry of Energy and Mines announced the blackout and said officials were “activating service-restoration protocols.” It did not give a cause of the blackout. [ABC News]

¶ “Waymo’s Next Target: Singapore” • Waymo has expanded its robotaxi service across the US quite a lot in 2026. It doesn’t cover a huge portion of the population yet, but it’s operating in over a dozen major cities. There is news that it will move into the UK, Germany, and Japan next year, but the latest news is that its next foreign target is Singapore. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Neptun Smulders Signs A 2-GW LanWin3 Platform Deal” • 50Hertz and Neptun Smulders Offshore Renewables have signed a contract for the construction of a 2-GW offshore converter for the LanWin3 North Sea grid connection project. 50Hertz said Siemens Energy is responsible for supplying the high-voltage components for LanWin3. [reNews]

¶ “German Onshore Tender Awards 2.5 GW Of Capacity” • In Germany, the Federal Network Agency has awarded 2,523 MW of capacity in its 1 August 2026 onshore wind tender. The tender was significantly oversubscribed again. The Bundesnetzagentur said the tender offered 2,520 MW and attracted 461 bids totaling 5,250 MW. [reNews]

¶ “DDL Marine, Fusie Launch Joint Venture” • DDL Marine and Fusie Engineers created a joint venture to offer integrated lift and transport systems for marine energy projects. They named it MarineOps. It combines engineering, marine assets, equipment and operations under one contract targeting transport and lift scopes for complex offshore projects. [reNews]

¶ “Drone Struck Cooling Tower At Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Plant, IAEA Says” • A drone struck the cooling tower of a reactor unit of Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency said. The IAEA said the plant was in operation at the time of the strike, but no fire broke out and its operating status did not change. [Yahoo]

US:

¶ “Scientists Hope Deeper-Rooted Soybeans Can Withstand Climate Extremes And Store More Carbon” • For years, scientists have explored ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies are testing whether deeper root systems could become another tool, with a grant from the Bezos Earth Fund. [ABC News]

¶ “Federal Judge Rules The EPA Illegally Terminated A $7 Billion Solar Program Needy Americans” • The Trump EPA illegally terminated a $7 billion Solar for All program intended to make solar power accessible to over 900,000 low-income Americans, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled. District Judge Mary McElroy vacated the termination. [ABC News]

¶ “Sierra Club Applauds Governor Abigail Spanberger’s Data Center Executive Order And Policy Framework” • Governor Abigail Spanberger announced protections regarding data center development in Virginia via executive order and a broad policy framework. The executive order is to curb some consequential impacts of data center growth. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Where Marine Energy Meets Hybrid Power Systems, This Laboratory De-Risks Integration” • Energy from ocean waves has the potential to power offshore and coastal microgrids for such applications as recharging autonomous underwater vehicles, supporting ocean sensors, aquaculture, and securing local power for remote communities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump’s War On Wind Turbines Takes Another Ludicrous Turn” • The US DOE created the Integrated Energy Systems Office to combine the former Solar Energy Technologies Office and Wind Energy Technologies Office. It lists advanced PVs and a number of other technologies, including “aeromechanical energy systems.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Space-Based Solar Power Could Reach The Grid By 2028” • As the world rushes to build up more energy generating capacity in a rush to keep up with demand from data center hyperscalers, the public and private sectors alike are increasingly adopting an all-of-the-above approach to energy. That includes putting solar panels into space. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “What Can Explain Trump’s Energy Policy?” • Trump has espoused different economic theories. Often, it’s mercantilism, which says countries get rich by exporting more than they import. Sometimes it’s free markets. Neither of these theories can explain his energy politics. They’re all about favoring certain industries for political reasons. [Legal Planet]

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