geoharvey

Science and Technology:

¶ “Old Solar Panels Are Still Working After 30 Years, And That’s Good News For Renewable Energy” • A study shows that solar panels installed in the 1980s are still producing electricity today, over 30 years later. Scientists say solar power are long-lasting and reliable, which is great for the future of renewable energy around the world. [Microgrid Media]

Solar panels (Soren H, Unsplash)

¶ “Loads Of Renewable Energy Can Be Stored In The Air (Liquid Air, That Is)” • Compared to conventional batteries, liquid air and other alternative systems can offer more hours, economies of scale, longer lifespans, and a more onshore, less geopolitically fraught supply chain. It is a safe technology, and it can be used just about anywhere. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Chinese Solar Panels Are Transforming Africa” • Africa has over 600 million people with no access to reliable electricity. The lack of electrical power has created opportunities for those who dare to take advantage of them, something the Chinese do very well. South Africa is is benefiting from a surge in solar imports from China. [CleanTechnica]

Eskom coal-burning power plant (Eskom image)

¶ “China Built A Supercritical CO₂ Generator. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Last” • China recently placed a supercritical CO₂ power generator, widely considered a breakthrough technology, into commercial operation. But China is large enough to try almost everything. It routinely builds innovative systems just because it can afford to learn by doing. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “AquaVentus Seeks Offshore Hydrogen Backing” • AquaVentus is calling for increased investment support for offshore wind through clear rules enabling hybrid electricity and hydrogen connections under the planned reform of the WindSeeG. The group asked for quick action to establish a framework that allows pipelines and cables to be combined. [reNews]

Wind farm, showing connections (AquaVentus image)

¶ “China Builds Fewer Coal Power Plants As Renewable Energy Takes Over” • China’s permits for new coal power plants are on track to fall to a four-year low. At the current pace, 2025 permits will be the lowest since 2021. The declining approval rate shows that the growing use of renewable energy is cutting into demand for new coal power plants. [Warp News]

¶ “Scientists Warn The Atlantic May Be Closer To A Tipping Point Than Feared” • The Atlantic may be one of the most fragile pressure points in the climate system. Scientists now warn that a shift once treated as a distant, low‑probability scenario could unfold within the lifetimes of today’s coastal residents, reshaping weather, sea levels, and food security. [MSN]

Atlantic Ocean (Jacob Buller, Unsplash)

¶ “Officials Spark Backlash With Controversial Nuclear Power Plan” • A decision by Ontario to refurbish the Pickering Nuclear plant got pushback from the nonprofit Environmental Defence. ED suggested the $26.8 billion plan to refurbish Units 5 to 8 will mean higher electricity bills, more pollution, and sidelining clean energy solutions. [The Cool Down]

US:

¶ “The Case Against Offshore Wind Is Already Crumbling” • On December 22, the Trump regime put an urgent stop-work order on five offshore wind farms in five different states on the Atlantic Coast, citing an extremely dire national security emergency. The issue lost in courts before, and one of the offshore wind farms is already sending 572 MW to the grid. [CleanTechnica]

Vineyard Wind under construction (Vineyard Wind image)

¶ “A Green Hydrogen Innovator In Oklahoma Has A Message For Texas: Hold My Beer” • Texas has emerged as a hotbed of green hydrogen activity, supported in part by know-how from the oil and gas industry. Now another iconic fossil fuel state, Oklahoma, is jockeying for a piece of the action. The Oklahoma City startup Tobe Energy is a case in point. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ørsted And Skyborn File Legal Case Over Revolution Wind Suspension” • Revolution Wind LLC has filed a supplemental complaint in the US District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the lease suspension order issued on 22 December 2025 by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. [reNews]

Moving a nacelle (Ørsted image)

¶ “US Renewable Power Capacity Set To Reach Over 1 TW By 2035” • Renewable power capacity in the US is set to reach 1.06 TW by 2035, up from 414.5 GW in 2024, despite the pushback against renewables by the federal government, GlobalData has said. Renewable energy will remain as the ‘dominant source’ of new capacity additions. [Sustainability Online]

¶ “Geothermal Energy: The Renewable Trump Still Backs” • The Trump administration has rolled back many clean energy rules and pushed fossil fuels like oil and coal, but one renewable energy source has not targeted and may even have support. It is geothermal power. Geothermal continues to attract support from both sides of politics. [Microgrid Media]

Have a splendidly casual day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “EU’s Carbon Border Tax On Heavy Industry Goods Goes Into Effect Risking Trade Escalation” • Steel and aluminium exporters to the EU will start paying for the CO₂ emissions linked to their production as of 1 January 2026. The bloc is seeking to protect EU manufacturers facing more stringent obligations compared to foreign peers. [Euronews]

Steel making (yasin hemmati, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Gives Go-Ahead For Large Solar And 1-GWh Battery Project Despite Local Opposition” • The hybrid Meadow Creek Solar Farm and utility battery passed all the regulatory hurdles put in place by the government, despite some local opposition. The A$490 million project will consist of a 332-MW solar farm and a 1-GWh battery system. [Energies Media]

¶ “Wildfires, Floods And Extreme Heat: These Are The Biggest Weather Stories Of 2025” • Devastating wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat events took place during the past year, several resulting in mass fatalities. Experts link some of the worst events to human-amplified climate change. Here are the year’s biggest weather stories. [ABC News]

Water over road (Wes Warren, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “What Falling Sales? Battery EVs Jump 37% YOY in November in Europe!” • EVs are picking up in Europe, with some 370,000 plugin vehicles registered in November, 258,000 of which are battery EVs. Overall, plugin vehicles were up 36% year on year. We can expect December 2025 to establish a record, maybe even above the 425,000 unit mark. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Gets World’s Largest Offshore Solar PV Project” • This month, the largest offshore solar PV project build in the open sea (not a lake) was deployed, and it’s rated at 1,000 MW. Naturally, this project was not built in the US, but in China. The offshore solar PV project was built in shallow water 8 km off the coast of Dongying in the Yellow Sea. [CleanTechnica]

Yellow Sea (Ludger Heide, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Adani Green Adds 307.4 MW Of Renewable Power Capacity At Khavda” • Adani Green Energy Limited has brought 307.4 MW of renewable energy projects into operation at Khavda in Gujarat through subsidiaries, the company said in a regulatory filing. AGEL’s total operational renewable energy capacity has risen to over 17,237 MW. [BioEnergy Times]

¶ “China’s Biggest Solar Farm Is Changing The Desert, Not Just Making Power” • China is home to the world’s largest group of solar farms, on the Tibetan Plateau. This massive solar cluster can generate nearly 17,000 MW of electricity. While its main job is to produce clean electricity, scientists found it is improving its environment also. [Renewable Affairs]

Farm on the Steppe (Popolon, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Bangladesh Seeking Contractors For 220-MW Solar Project” • Bangladesh‘s EGCB is inviting construction and consulting firms interested in working on the 220-MW Sonagazi solar project to contact the company for further details. The 220-MW Sonagazi plant will be built in southeast Bangladesh near an existing 75-MW facility. [pv magazine International]

US:

¶ “Austin Cuts Pedestrian Crashes At Sixteen Intersections About 50%” • Cutting car crashes, injuries, and deaths is a perennial goal in city after city and state after state. Things get implemented to help, sometimes big things, but it’s never enough. However, the city of Austin seems to be on to something, for at least some of the problem areas. [CleanTechnica]

Intersection in Austin (Courtesy of the City of Austin)

¶ “Google AI Giving Wrong Information On US EV Tax Credit” • Part of the problem with Google AI is that the answers come in an authoritative way that implies 100% accuracy and infallibility. People think, “Okay, I got the answer,” and move on. But there are a lot of mistakes in the AI answers. And one that could cost a lot is about EV tax credits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NYC Congestion Pricing Cut Air Pollution 22% In Just Six Months!” • It took years, but New York City finally implemented congestion pricing on January 5, 2025. Paul Day of Air Quality News wrote that a Cornell University study has found that air pollution was cut 22% in Manhattan’s new congestion pricing zone in the first six months. [CleanTechnica]

Brooklyn Bridge (Michał Ludwiczak, Pexels)

¶ “Trump Administration Orders A Colorado Coal-Fired Power Generator To Stay Open” • The Trump administration has told another coal-fired power facility to remain open. It ordered the owners of the Craig Station unit to keep it running beyond its retirement date at the end of 2025. The plant stopped operating on December 19 because it needs a repair. [ABC News]

¶ “Biggest Obstacle To Care For Creation Is Not Denial But Confusion, Says Evangelical Climate Scientist” • As concerns about climate change increase, the greatest obstacle to action is not denial but confusion over what to do, according to leading climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe, climate ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance. [christiandaily.com]

Katherine Hayhoe (umseas, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “REI Co-Op Throws Support Behind Renewable Energy Projects Nationwide” • REI is supporting a 2.5-MW community solar project in Woodbury, Minnesota, developed by US Solar. The project will set aside 500 spots for low- to moderate-income households to subscribe to the renewable energy as well as add clean power to the grid. [Solar Power World]

¶ “Illinois Bill Aims To Speed Nuclear Power Plant Production To Meet AI Energy Needs” • Data centers powering generative AI are creating a demand for massive amounts of electricity, and a Republican Illinois lawmaker thinks nuclear energy may be an answer. Proposed projects face local pushback due to concerns about high electricity bills. [25 News Now]

Have an objectively wonderful day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Positive Environmental Stories Of 2025” • Stress, fear, anger and grief are among all the negative feelings that can come up when we are confronted with the reality of a warming Earth. With constant stories of lives lost or ruined by extreme weather, it’s hard to escape the gravity of climate change. But there also are stories of hope. Here are some. [Euronews]

Lowest cost? Solar power (Dad hotel, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Copper And Silver Prices Suggest Gains For Renewables And EVs” • Solar panel manufacturing uses about 20% of the world’s supply of silver, which is vital for converting solar energy into electricity. EVs also rely on silver and copper. Increase for copper and silver futures may indicate anticipation of future trends in manufacturing. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Saudi Arabia Opens Pathway For Electric Air Taxis” • Electric air taxis may work in some markets, and Saudi Arabia may be one of them. Authorities there certainly seem to think so. The country’s aviation regulator, General Authority of Civil Aviation, signed an agreement with Archer Aviation for electric vertical takeoff and landing operations. [CleanTechnica]

Electric VTOL vehicle (Archer Aviation image)

¶ “Vestas Banks 289 MW In Turbine Seals In Europe” • Vestas has secured four onshore wind orders totaling 289 MW in southern Europe, led by a 125-MW contract for ERG’s wind projects in Italy. Vestas said the Italian order covers eighteen 4.5-MW, six 4.5-MW, and four 4.2-MW turbines for the Carlentini and Greci-Montaguto sites. [reNews]

¶ “Vestas Wins 862-MW Of Turbine Deals” • Vestas has secured 862 MW of turbine orders in Australia, the USA and Canada as part of its fourth quarter intake. Vestas said an undisclosed customer in Australia will receive forty 7.2-MW units. The manufacturer has also received orders for 574 MW of turbines from the US and Canada. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “Construction Of Major UHV Project Gets Underway” • China has broken ground on an ultra-high voltage transmission project, a key green artery designed to transmit huge amounts of energy from renewable sources in the western parts of Inner Mongolia autonomous region to the industrial heartland of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. [Ecns.cn]

¶ “India’s 2025 Renewable Energy Sector Review” • From barely 40 GW of non-hydro renewable capacity in the mid-2010s, India has surged past the 203-GW mark by November 2025, driven largely by the rapid deployment of solar and windpower. Utility-scale renewables have transformed India into one of the world’s lowest-cost RE markets. [pv magazine India]

Acme Solar PV project (Acme Solar image)

¶ “Taiwan Is On Track To Deploy 31.2 GW Of Solar By 2035” • Taiwan is on track to reach 31.2 GW of solar by 2035, according to figures from UK consulting company GlobalData. The firm projects annual growth additions between 1 GW and 2 GW over the analyzed period, helping Taiwan to surpass 20 GW of solar in 2029 and 30 GW in 2035. [pv magazine India]

¶ “Ed Miliband ‘To Spend Billions On Solar Power’ In Scramble To Meet Energy Bills Pledge” • The Energy Secretary is expected to set out proposals to allocate up to £13 billion over four years as part of the Government’s warm homes plan. The Times reports that billions of pounds are to go to household grants for solar PVs, heat pumps, and battery storage. [MSN]

Rooftop solar in the UK (Frank Chan, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “What Lies Ahead For Ukraine’s Contested Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant?” • The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest nuclear plant in Europe. It is also one of the main sticking points in US President Trump’s peace plan to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. The issue is a bit complicated. [The Business Standard]

US:

¶ “Maryland’s Largest Solar Project Launches On An Old Coal Mine” • Marylanders seem to have been good and nice this year. Rather than getting coal for Christmas, they got a large solar power plant installed on the site of a retired coal mine. CPV Renewable Power launched the 160-MW CPV Backbone Solar project just before Christmas. [CleanTechnica]

Solar array (CVP image)

¶ “IRS Sued Over Anti-Solar And Anti-Wind Tax Rules” • A broad array of groups with interests in clean and affordable energy sued the IRS and Treasury Department over new rules for tax credits that unfairly and illegally discriminate against wind and solar projects. This lawsuit asks the court to declare the rules arbitrary and capricious. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dominion Sues Over CVOW Stoppage” • Dominion Energy filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after the order came to stop work on all five US wind farms currently under construction. Dominion said it has already spent roughly $8.9 billion for the $11.2 billion, 2.6-GW Costal Virginia Offshore Wind project. [reNews]

Staging area for CVOW (Dominion Energy image)

¶ “So Much Winning … For Renewable Energy, That Is” • US President Trump threw everything he had against renewable energy in 2025, killing off thousands of new clean power jobs, eviscerating billions in new investments, and needlessly raising electricity costs, to boot. But for all the pain he created, he failed to stop solar and windpower. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Residential Solar Tax Credit Is Expiring, But New Programs Are Ahead For Colorado Customers” • Solar installers reported a huge rise in sales in 2025, as consumers raced to take advantage of the US tax credit before it ends. The solar industry is bracing for a slowdown next year, but state and local incentives still exist in Colorado. [Colorado Public Radio]

Have a marvelously simple day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Sweden Declares The Famous Snowy Owl Regionally Extinct After A Decade Of ‘Silence’” • The Snowy Owl has vanished from Sweden, marking the first time in 20 years that the country has officially lost a bird species. The Snowy Owl is perhaps one of the most iconic birds on the entire planet, but conservationists warn its future hangs in jeopardy. [Euronews]

Snowy Owl (Dušan veverkolog, Unsplash)

¶ “2025 Was One Of Three Hottest Years On Record, Scientists Say” • Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, scientists said. It was also the first time that the average for three years passed the threshold set in the 2015 Paris Agreement of limiting warming to no more than 1.5°C (2.7°F). [ABC News]

¶ “Mexico Awards Twenty Renewable Energy Projects 3.3 GWs Of Contracts” • The US may be going backward with renewable energy, trying to drag people back into a pollution-filled world powered by fossil resources, but its neighbor to the south, led by a climate scientist, has just awarded 20 renewable energy projects with a combined 3.3 GW of contracts. [CleanTechnica]

Mexico Energy Minister Luz Elena González
(Juan Carlos Buenrostro, Mexico Office of the Presidency)

¶ “CATL Makes Big Announcement On Sodium Batteries For 2026” • Battery giant CATL, the largest battery producer in the world,  mentioned this week is that its sodium-ion batteries, which have got up to 175 Wh/kg of energy density, could be used in normal passenger EVs providing 500 km (311 miles) of range in 2026. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Synera Completes Formosa 4 PPA Cover” • Synera Renewable Energy has fully subscribed the 495-MW output of its Formosa 4 offshore wind project as it signed two corporate power purchase agreements. Now it is calling for government and local financial institutions to help resolve key financing requirements needed to start construction. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (SRE image)

¶ “Vestas Lands 390-MW Korean Offshore Wind Order” • Vestas got a 390-MW contract for the Shinan-Ui offshore wind project off Jeollanam Province, its first offshore order in South Korea. The order covers 26 15-MW turbines and an agreement for twenty years of service to optimize long-term performance. Deliveries of turbines will start in 2027. [reNews]

¶ “India Adds Record 44.5 GW Renewable Capacity In 2025” • India added a record 44.5 GW of renewable energy capacity, including 35 GW from solar, through November of this year, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The total renewable energy installed capacity reached 253.96 GW in November 2025. [Outlook Business]

Wind turbines in Tamil Nadu (Milin John, Unsplash)

¶ “Tata Power Renewable Delivers 1 GW DCR-Compliant Solar Project For SJVN” • Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd has commissioned SJVN Ltd’s 1-GW capacity solar power project in Rajasthan. The Domestic Content Requirement-compliant project will supply clean power to Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. [pv magazine India]

¶ “GREW Solar Secures 1.5-GW Module Order From NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd” • GREW Solar secured a contract from NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd to manufacture and supply 1,464.5 MW of high-efficiency solar PV modules for solar projects at multiple sites in Uttar Pradesh. The contract value stands at ₹2,028.33 crore ($23.88 billion). [pv magazine India]

Solar cell plant (Oregon Transportation Dept, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Zaporizhzhia NPP Restores Operation Of External Power Line” • The occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has completed restoration work by connecting an external power line to the grid, Reuters reported. The repairs made possible restoration of the stable power supply necessary to maintain the safety of the facility. [Ukrainian news]

US:

¶ “Agrivoltaic Company Okovate Acquires Stanford University And Carnegie Mellon Tech Startup” • Agrivoltaic company Okovate Sustainable Energy believes that a modeling platform for the field developed at Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon is justy what’s needed for planning agrivoltaic systems. It is bringing the system to market. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaics (Okovate image)

¶ “Leading US Utility Trolls Trump Over Coal, Solar Power, And Green Hydrogen” • In this time of skyrocketing electricity costs, it’s a bit of a shock that a leading US utility will reduce household bills by an average of 22% by March of 2026. But that is what the Florida branch of Duke Energy is doing. It attributes the bulk of the savings to solar power. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewables Supply Over A Quarter Of US Power” • Almost 26% of US electricity in the first ten months of 2025 came from renewable energy sources, according to analysis by the Sun Day Campaign. The group said monthly data showed solar set fresh records, accounting for just over 9% of total output in the period while wind contributed 9.9%. [reNews]

Wind turbine in a wind farm (Invenergy image)

¶ “Massachusetts’s First Big Energy Storage Tender Dishes Out 1.3 GW Of Contracts” • By law, Massachusetts has to reach 5 GW of energy storage capacity by 2030. To get going toward that target, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources ran its first large energy storage tender. Now it has awarded 1.268 GW of contracts. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oregon Faced A Huge Obstacle In Adding Green Energy. That Changed” • Governor Tina Kotek, a Democrat, has now issued two executive orders mandating that state agencies speed up the development of renewable energy by any available means they find, including fast-tracking permits and directly paying for new transmission lines. [Oregon Public Broadcasting]

Have an agreeably proceeding day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Hungary’s ‘Water Guardian’ Farmers Fight Back Against Desertification” • A region in Hungary, once an important site for agriculture, is drying out. Where crops once filled the fields, today there are growing sand dunes. With climate change and poor water practice, rains don’t come. ‘Water guardian’ farmers are working on getting water to the area. [ABC News]

Great Hungarian Plain, 2004 (GaborLajos, CC BY-SA 2.5)

¶ “Two Charts, One Grid: Clean Electricity Is Getting Cheaper But Feels More Expensive” • A pair of charts show the same thing but seem to contradict each ohter. One plots nominal residential electricity prices against carbon intensity in 2015 and 2024 for the ten largest electricity producing countries. The other adjusts those prices for inflation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric Buses Prove Their Worth Down Under” • Transport for New South Wales announced that data from regional trials have proven the worth of electric buses. Twelve electric buses in the trial delivered generally positive outcomes, covering more than 300,000 kilometers. They saved emissions, and they saved a lot of money. [CleanTechnica]

Transport NSW Electric bus (Dyson’s media release)

¶ “Renewable Energy Is Cheaper And Healthier. So Why Isn’t It Replacing Fossil Fuels Faster?” • A decade ago, the cheapest way to meet growing demand for electricity was to build more coal or natural gas power plants. Not anymore. Solar and wind power aren’t just better for the climate; they’re also less expensive today than fossil fuels at utility scale. [Yahoo News UK]

¶ “Renault Filante Record 2025 Raises The Efficiency Bar For Electric Cars” • Renault has been involved in Formula One racing since 1977, and it has learned a bit about aerodynamic efficiency in the process. Building on that body of knowledge, the company has just revealed its experimental electric car, the Filante Record 2025. [CleanTechnica]

Filante Record 2025 (Renault image)

¶ “China’s Clean Energy Growth Helps Cut Emissions” • Growth of wind and solar in China for the first half of 2025 was huge, with over 105 GW of solar and 46 GW of wind added. China’s total solar capacity passed 1 TW. The result was that China’s carbon dioxide emissions in the power sector were reduced by about 1 % year-on-year. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “Renewable Energy Becomes The World’s Biggest Source Of Electricity ” • For the first time, renewable energy like solar and wind are producing more electricity than coal in many parts of the world. This change marks a big shift in how the world gets power, and it could help slow climate change. This milestone was reported by BBC News. [Microgrid Media]

Wind turbines (Drew Hays, Unsplash)

¶ “Bucharest’s Main Airport To Produce Its Own Renewable Energy” • The National Company Bucharest Airports announced a major investment in a 31.5-MW PV power plant with 30 MWh of battery storage to cover part of the energy needs of Henri Coandă International Airport, the main airport serving the Romanian capital. [Romania Insider]

¶ “Climate Change Could Put Everyday Food At Risk, Scientists Warn” • According to reporting by The Guardian, scientists have concluded that losses of key global crops to pests will increase significantly as the planet warms. Wheat, rice and maize are forecast to suffer losses of about 46%, 19% and 31% respectively if global heating reaches 2°C. [MSN]

Corn field (Nathan Kelly, Unsplash)

¶ “Engineers Scramble To Make ‘Crucial’ Repairs At Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant” • International experts started “crucial” work on power lines connecting to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which sits on the front line of fighting between Russia and Ukraine. The safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is of great concern. [Newsweek]

US:

¶ “Cox Automotive Forecasts 9% Sales Decline For Tesla In The USA In 2025” • Cox Automotive, which gets auto sales data from dealerships, has come up with an estimate of how many vehicles Tesla will sell in the US in 2025, and it isn’t pretty. Cox expects 1.8% growth in US auto sales overall in 2025, but it is forecasting a significant decline at Tesla. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla (Taun Stewart, Unsplash)

¶ “How Trump Transformed Energy, Environmental Policy This Year” • Since President Trump’s inauguration, the administration has embraced fossil fuels while eschewing renewable energy, climate actions and regulations. He has pushed nuclear energy and AI, while it eliminated vital parts of the federal work force. It has published information denying science. [The Hill]

¶ “Utah Leaders Are Hindering Efforts To Develop Solar Despite A Goal To Double Its Energy Supply” • Utah needs to meet the energy demands of a growing population as well as data centers and AI it wants to fuel its economy. Governor Cox acted to double its electric ouput. But Utah’s legislature has taken a hard turn against solar power. [Utah News Dispatch]

Have a happily noteworthy day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “High Seas Hopes Meet Hard Realities With 2026 Set To Become A Pivotal Year For World’s Oceans” • Euronews looks ahead to 2026, from deep-sea mining to EU marine policy. While 2025 saw tidal shifts in ocean governance, 2026 is the moment of reckoning, when promises to protect the most distant stretches of sea become reality. [Euronews]

The sea (Joydeep Sensarma, Unsplash)

¶ “Amid Massive Sewer Upgrade, Fishermen And Ecologists Hope For Revival Of London’s Thames River” • The River Thames winds 215 miles through England. For centuries, the river has been called “monster soup” and the “dirty old river.” A project beneath London will soon improve it. It is the £4.5 billion (about $6 billion) Tideway Tunnel. [ABC News]

¶ “Cypriot Fishermen Battle Invasive Lionfish And Turn Them Into A Tavern Delicacy” • Lionfish threaten native fish stocks, wreaking havoc on the livelihoods of fishermen in Cyprus. With warmer seas resulting from climate change, they could swarm the entire Mediterranean by the century’s end. They can be eaten, but there are other invasive fish. [ABC News]

Lionfish (Wai Siew, Unsplash)

¶ “EV Sales Are Booming In Bolivia As A New President Scraps The Fuel Subsidy” • Bolivia is ending fuel subsidies. It is not alone among South American countries doing that, as Ecuador did so with gasoline in 2024 and Venezuela has limited subsidies. Now Bolivia is quietly building a massive EV revolution as sales of traditional cars collapse. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Volkswagen Renaissance Begins In China” • Volkswagen has introduced the ID. Unyx 08 in China. It bears very little physical resemblance to any other battery electric car from Volkswagen. The car is maximized to appeal to Chinese customers, but the ID. Unyx 08 could offer a glimpse of where the company’s design language is headed in the future. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID. Unyx 08 (Volkswagen China image)

¶ “Egypt Inaugurates Djibouti’s Largest Solar Power Plant” • Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel el-Wazir, inaugurated a solar power plant in the village of Omar Kaji in the Arta region of Djibouti. It is the largest solar power plant completed in Djibouti’s rural areas. [Egypt Independent]

¶ “Repairs Start Near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Plant After IAEA-Brokered Local Ceasefire” • Power line ‍repairs have begun ‍near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after another ⁠local ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the agency said, citing its ‍Director General Rafael ‍Grossi. The repairs may last several days. [Al Arabiya English]

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant (Ralf1969, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “Gas Leak Outside Los Angeles Shuts Down Major Highway, Nearby Residents Told To Shelter-In-Place” • A reported leak from a rupture in a 34-inch gas line in northern Los Angeles County led authorities to urge nearby residents to stay inside and shut down a major Southern California highway for several hours, snarling traffic for miles. [ABC News]

¶ “A 15-Ton Rooftop Heat Pump Is Coming For Your Fossil Fuels” • Heat pumps are scaling up to tackle the tougher job of decarbonizing commercial buildings, with the Florida-based firm Carrier Global Corporation among the industry leaders demonstrating that US innovators can still move the needle on climate action. [CleanTechnica]

Buildings will get big heat pumps (Carrier image)

¶ “Four States Fight To Restore Offshore Wind Projects … Wait, Where Is Virginia?” • Last week Interior Secretary Doug Burgum cited new, classified information from the Defense Department when he abruptly halted work on five offshore wind farms. Now the governors of the affected states want to be let in on the secret. Well, almost all of them. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Massive Solar Plus Storage Facility To Replace Both Coal And Natural Gas” • After this year’s sharp U-turn in federal energy policy , the age of cleaner, more affordable 21st century energy solutions is still in full force in many places, as illustrated by the planned expansion of the Sherco Energy Hub in Minnesota, with 910 MW of solar plus storage. [CleanTechnica]

Have a plainly resplendent day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “From Deadly Heatwaves To Flash Floods, Europe’s Extreme Weather Events Defined 2025” • In Europe, flash floods, deadly heatwaves, droughts and record-breaking wildfires became the defining feature of 2025. But experts warn these events will likely become the “new normal” unless drastic action is taken to reduce heat-trapping emissions. [Euronews]

Heatwave in Italy (Richard Vanlerberghe, Unsplash)

¶ “BYD’s at 20% Share of Cumulative Plugin Vehicle Sales!” • The world passed 75 million total plugin vehicle sales in November. A little more recently, BYD passed a significant sales milestone of its own, having sold a total of 15 million plugin vehicles. It seems that Tesla would be a bit less than 12% share of the cumulative plugin vehicle market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Toyota Confirms Launch Of C-HR+ BEV In Europe While Hybrid Plans Expand In US” • Last May, Toyota made it known that its 2026 Toyota C-HR crossover battery EV would come to the US. While Toyota UK confirmed plans to market the C-HR+ in Europe, the latest news from Toyota USA is a plan for greater production of the Corolla hybrid. [CleanTechnica]

Toyota C-HR (Toyota image)

¶ “Center Gives Green Signal To ₹3,277 Crore Hydro Project On Chenab In J&K” • The Center (Indian government) approved a 260-MW hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, giving a major boost to power generation in the region. The total cost is estimated at ₹3,277.45 crore (about $365 million). [Renewable Affairs]

¶ “GIPCL Completes 600-MW Solar Power Project At Khavda With Commissioning Of Final Phase” • Gujarat Industries Power Company Ltd commissioned the final phase of its solar power project at Khavda in Kutch, taking the total operational capacity at the site to 600 MW. The project is in the 2,375-MW Renewable Energy Park at Khavda. [DeshGujarat]

Representative solar panels (Citizenmj, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Belgian Renewable Energy Production Matches Its Nuclear Power Plants” • Solar energy production in Belgium increased by 21% in 2025, setting records and bringing the renewable share of the electricity mix to 34%, according to preliminary data. This matches the share of nuclear power. Definitive data are expected in the first quarter of 2026. [The Brussels Times]

¶ “Renewable Energy Hit Record Highs In 2025 But World Drifts Off Track On 2030 Targets” • Renewable energy posted historic gains as of the end of 2025. Nevertheless, the pace remains insufficient to meet the international goal of tripling renewables by the end of the decade, according to International Renewable Energy Agency analysis. [The Eastleigh Voice]

Wind farm (IRENA image)

US:

¶ “Dominion Energy Sues To Block Offshore Wind Pause” • A federal lawsuit seeking to block a Trump administration order that halted construction on its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project was filed by Dominion Energy. The lawsuit was filed in US District Court shortly after the BOEM issued a stop-work order pausing offshore construction. [AOL.com]

¶ “Industrial Green Hydrogen Is Going To Europe From The US” • As demand for industrial-scale green hydrogen continues to gather momentum, the Massachusetts startup Electric Hydrogen is among the domestic cleantech firms demonstrating that the US can continue to push the global decarbonization movement, despite the White House. [CleanTechnica]

Electrolyzer factory (Courtesy of Electric Hydrogen)

¶ “UVA Research Could Unlock Better Energy Storage For Solar Power” • A new paper from the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science shows that battery research would unlock a new energy storage method. The research suggests that flow batteries built with non-aqueous solutions have advantages. [WRIC ABC 8News]

¶ “Public Ownership Won’t Cure Power Market Volatility” • In at least two places, San Francisco and the mid-Hudson Valley in New York, political activists are advocating for a public takeover of the local investor-owned utility. But high electricity prices are driven mainly by volatile natural gas costs, and utility ownership will not change that. [OilPrice.com]

Have a fittingly beneficial day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

(, CC-BY-SA 3.0) km² CO₂ NH₃ CH₄ ₹ NOₓ ‽ ♦♦♦♦♦

World:

¶ “As The Planet Warmed, Politics Wobbled: The Defining Climate Moments Of 2025” • This was a challenging year for climate politics, and a challenging one for our warming planet. In the past twelve months, climate change has been impossible to ignore, whether we would like to or not. Euronews takes a look back at a year of record highs and lows. [Euronews]

Glacial cave (Akshay Nanavati, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “More Robotaxi + Ride-Hailing Partnerships” • A handful more partnerships between robotaxi companies and ride-hailing apps have popped out recently. First off, Baidu is partnering with Lyft and Uber in London. Also, WeRide and Uber have teamed up in Abu Dhabi and launched fully driverless robotaxi service in the UAE capital. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “You Can’t Buy This, America: FCB Ti7 4WD Luxury SUV” • On a visit to Guangzhou, China, the author saw a showroom for BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao premium SUV brand. The first car inside was a Ti7. Compared to a Land Rover, the Ti7 is only a couple of inches longer and taller. It looks more imposing in person. You can’t buy one in the US. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 (AutoLab, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “China’s Installed Power Capacity Sees Steady Expansion” • China’s total installed generating capacity reached 3,790 GW by the end of November, marking a 17.1% year-on-year increase, official data showed. Solar capacity led the growth with a 41.9% YOY surge to 1,160 GW, while windpower capacity expanded by 22.4% to 600 GW. [China Daily]

¶ “XPENG’s Mona M03 Gets Even Better” • XPENG’s Mona M03 was critical to the company’s EV sales growth and march toward profitability this year. Across the first eleven months of the year, 163,299 units of the Mona M03 were delivered. That’s about 42% of the company’s 391,937 total deliveries. Now, the M03 is getting a refresh, at less than two years old. [CleanTechnica]

Pair of Mona Mo3s (XPENG image)

¶ “The DOE To Install Solar Power Systems In Lanao Del Sur Hospitals” • In the Philippines, the DOE is rolling out rooftop solar systems with battery storage in four public health facilities in Lanao del Surto ensure reliable power for essential medical services. The project will combine 170 kW of rooftop solar capacity with battery storage. [Inquirer.net]

¶ “Oceans Are Supercharging Hurricanes Past Category 5” • Hot spots in the deep ocean are getting hotter. As they do, they make the most powerful hurricanes and typhoons more likely and dangerous. These regions, especially near the Philippines and the Caribbean, are expanding as climate change warms ocean waters far below the surface. [ScienceDaily]

Hurricane (NASA, Unsplash)

¶ “Putin Claims Talks With US On Managing Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Without Ukraine” • Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that the US and Russia are discussing the idea of jointly managing the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been occupied by Russia since 2022, for cryptocurrency mining without Ukraine’s involvement. [RBC-Ukraine]

US:

¶ “Massachusetts Awards 1.3 GW In First Large Energy Storage Tender” • The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources announced the winners of its first storage procurement. The state selected four projects totaling 1,268 MW, as it aims to reach a legislative demanded 5,000 MW of operating storage capacity by July, 2030. [pv magazine International]

Storage facility (Lightshift Energy image)

¶ “Fact Check: Are Wind And Solar Power ‘Worthless’ When There’s No Wind Or Sun?” • The US DOE posted on social media, “Wind and solar energy infrastructure is essentially worthless when it is dark outside, and when the wind is not blowing.” It seems the DOE doesn’t know that batteries can store energy for such times. [WRAL]

¶ “Trump Energy Department Scuttles Planned Closures Of Two Indiana Coal Plants ” • The Trump DOE issued emergency orders to keep two set-to-be-shuttered coal plants in Indiana running through the end of the year, providing a lifeline to a favored industry while arguing it would ensure people with secure and affordable electricity. [The Hill]

Have an unforgettably cheerful day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Chocolate Could Disappear By 2050. Could This Climate-Resistant Alternative Take Its Place?” • Chocolate production is down 40% in the last two years, as extreme weather conditions threatens the future of global cocoa crops. Scientists at the National University of Singapore are successfully improving carob as an alternative. [Euronews]

Carob tree in Spain (LBM1948, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “How SOFAZ Is Diversifying Azerbaijan’s Sovereign Wealth Beyond Oil And Gas” • The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan is reshaping its investment strategy as it diversifies beyond oil and gas revenues. Managing about $71 billion in fifty countries, SOFAZ says renewables offer stable long-term returns while helping to mitigate oil price volatility. [Euronews]

¶ “Geely Xingyuan EV Reaches 500,000 Deliveries In Just 14 Months!” • In China, there is no EV hotter than the Geely Geome Xingyuan this year. Passing up the Tesla Model Y, the Wuling HongGuang Mini EV, and all of the BYD models on the list, the Xingyuan is by far the top selling electric vehicle in the biggest EV market in the world. [CleanTechnica]

Geely Xingyuan (JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC0 1.0, cropped)

¶ “BYD Reaches 15 Million Plugin Vehicles In Crazy Time” • In November 2024, BYD reached total all-time production of 10 million plugin vehicles (called “new energy vehicles” in China). But in December 2025, the company reached 15 million. BYD has made plugin cars since 2008, and almost a third of them are less than a year old. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford Launches New Electric Bronco” • Ford has launched a fully electric EV and extended-range electric Bronco in China. It is shutting down EV shop in the USA, for the most part, but it is gung-ho about the new electric era in China. The Ford Bronco BE comes with a 105 kWh LFP battery that provides roughly 650 km (404 miles) of range. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Bronco EV (AutoLab, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Two-Way Electric Vehicle Charging At Scale Could Stop Renewable Energy Being Wasted” • The amount of renewable energy generated worldwide increasingly exceeds demand, so clean power has to be curtailed. But “bidirectional charging,” means EVs don’t just have to be energy users; they can store energy and provide it. [Bilyonaryo Business News]

¶ “Russia Plans Nuclear Power Plant On The Moon To Support Lunar Base By 2036” • Russia plans to build a power plant on the moon within the next decade to support its lunar ambitions and a joint research base with China, as major world powers intensify efforts to establish a long-term presence on Earth’s only natural satellite. [Newsweek]

Moon (Neven Krcmarek, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Flash Flood, Thunderstorm Alerts In Effect For California With Heavy Rain Expected To Last” • Torrential rains fell on the California coast on Christmas Eve, leading to many flash flood warnings, turning roads into rivers and causing landslides. More than 43 million Americans in California, southern Nevada and northwest Arizona are under flood watches. [ABC News]

¶ “Judge Upholds Hawaii’s New Climate Change Tax On Cruise Passengers” • A federal judge’s ruling cleared the way for Hawaii to include cruise ship passengers in a new tourist tax to help cope with climate change. The tax goes into effect at the start of 2026. US District Judge Jill A Otake denied a request to stop officials from enforcing the new law on cruises. [ABC News]

Passenger ship (Vidar Nordli-Mathisen, Unsplash)

¶ “Autonomously Navigating The Real World” • Waymo said, “This past Saturday, as a widespread PG&E outage cut power to nearly one-third of San Francisco, our service was put to the test. With power now restored, we want to share an account of our operations during the outage and how we are evolving to better serve the city.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump’s Rollbacks Made 2025 A Turbulent Year For Clean Energy. So Why Are Experts Optimistic?” • President Trump is boosting polluting fuels while blocking wind and solar. But amid the lows, there were some highs for clean energy, experts say. For example, despite Trump, solar and storage accounted for 85% of the new power added to the grid. [Euronews]

Wind turbine (Filipe Resmini, Unsplash)

¶ “New England Residents Brace For Inflated Utility Bills As Natural Gas Prices Surge” • Maine Public reported that electric power bills are projected to reach a three-year high because natural gas prices for generating have increased by roughly 40%. In New England, around 50% of the electricity is generated by plants fueled by natural gas. [The Cool Down]

¶ “Purelight Power Lays Off Workers, Citing Republican Rollback Of Solar Credits” • In a notice sent to the state, Medford-based solar company Purelight Power said it is cutting 109 jobs in the US and shuttering operations as it prepares to file for bankruptcy liquidation. Purelight specialized in selling and installing rooftop residential solar panels. [Oregon Public Broadcasting]

Have a cozily jolly day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “A French Alpine Ski Resort Is Offering Free Skiing All Winter To Save Money” • Saint-Colomban-des-Villards, a ski resort in the French Alps, is offering skiing free of charge this winter. In a changing climate, the snowfall is increasingly unreliable, and the resort runs deficits that grow each year. Sales of lift tickets brings in less income that it costs to sell them. [Euronews]

St Colomban des Villards(Jean & Nathalie, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “EVs At 35.2% Share In Germany” • November saw plugin EV sales at 35.2% share in Germany, up from 22.8% share year-on-year. Battery EV volume increased by 59% YOY, while plugin hybrid EVs grew 57%. Overall auto volume was 250,671 units, up some 2.5% YOY. In November, the best-selling battery EV was the Volkswagen ID.7. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Passenger & Car Ferry From Incat Is 100% Electric” • In May 2025, Incat Tasmania launched Hull 096, a 130 meter (426 foot) twin hull fast ferry it claims is the largest all-electric ferry in the world. It has successfully passed its initial round of sea trials and will begin its journey to South America early next year after final checks in Hobart. [CleanTechnica]

Incat Tasmania ferry (Incat Tasmania image)

¶ “Tesla Registrations Dropped 34.2% In November In European Union” • The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association publishes monthly data on sales in the EU and beyond. The great news: full battery EV registrations rose 44.1% in November 2025 compared to November 2024. The bad news: for Tesla’s sales were down by over a third. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “GE Vernova Signs 256-MW Oz Turbine Deal” • GE Vernova has signed an agreement to supply 42 of its 6.1-MW turbines for the 256-MW Carmody’s Hill wind farm in South Australia. The company said the deal with Aula Energy includes turbine supply and installation supported by a five-year full-service operation and maintenance agreement. [reNews]

Wind farm (GE Vernova image)

¶ “Vestas Agrees On 273 MW Of Deals In Germany” • Vestas has booked seven onshore wind turbine orders from the German market totaling 273 MW. The deals include delivery schedules during the first half of 2027 and service agreements of either 20 or 25 years. The various supply agreements will be added to Vestas’ fourth quarter order intake. [reNews]

¶ “European Energy Connects Glejbjerg Solar Park” • European Energy has connected the 148-MW Glejbjerg Solar Park to the Danish grid following final technical checks. The company said the asset strengthens its Northern Europe portfolio through a utility-scale plant supported by a power purchase agreement. The solar park has 238,368 PV modules. [reNews]

Glejbjerg Solar Park (European Energy image)

¶ “Vikran Engineering Secures ₹2,035 Crore EPC Order For 600-MW Solar Power Projects In Maharashtra” • Vikran Engineering Ltd announced that it has received a major work order worth ₹2,035.26 crore ($226.7 million) from Onix Renewables Ltd for the development of a 600-MW solar power projects at multiple sites in the state of Maharashtra. [pv magazine India]

¶ “Dhamma Energy Mexico Is Awarded 440 MW Of PV Capacity In Hidalgo” • Dhamma Energy Mexico said that the Government of Mexico awarded it 440 MW of capacity to develop three PV projects in the state of Hidalgo, as part of the first 2025 Private Power Generation Call, which as a whole granted 3,000 MW of renewable capacity. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Main plaza of Ixmiquilpan (Eric Shalov assumed, CC BY SA 3.0)

¶ “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Will Not Operate Without Kakhovka Dam, €2 Billion Needed To Rebuild It” • President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the press during a briefing that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant will not be able to operate unless the Kakhovka dam is rebuilt. Rebuilding the dam will cost €2 billion. [Ukrainska Pravda]

US:

¶ “What To Know About Wind Power In The US As Trump Administration Pauses Leases” • The Trump administration’s decision to pause five offshore wind projects will have impacts on the nation’s energy sector, according to energy experts. Halting these offshore wind projects would waste money and eliminate 6 to 8 GW of power. [ABC News]

Block Island offshore windfarm (Ionna22, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “California Records One Of Its Single Largest Drops In Climate Pollution On Record” • In one of California’s single largest year-over-year emissions reductions on record, the state reduced its climate pollution by 3% in 2023. The drop in 2023 was surpassed only by reductions in 2009 during the Great Recession and 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Taking Stock Of The Trump Administration’s Assault On The Environment At One Year” • Since it took office, the Trump administration has waged the worst assault on the environment and public health in history. It has taken or proposed nearly 400 reckless and misguided actions that undermine clean air and water, healthy wildlife, and public lands. [CleanTechnica]

Lake in the mountains (Rob Morton, Unsplash)

¶ “Bill McKibben: Renewable Energy Is Now A Tool To Slow Climate Change” • In an interview, Bill McKibben talked about the growing power of renewable energy, saying that cheap solar PVs, windpower, and batteries could help slow global warming, even if they can’t stop it completely. His comments come as clean energy sees historic growth. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “Living Near A Nuclear Power Plant Raises Cancer Our Risk Significantly, Harvard Study Of Massachusetts Cases Says” • A study from Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health shows that living near a nuclear power plant significantly increases a person’s risk of cancer. The study was published this month in Environmental Health. [NHPR]

Have a valuably lovely day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “How Climate Change Is Pushing The Sea’s Smartest Creature Into New Territory ” • An “exceptional” number of octopuses have been spotted along the south coast of England this year, putting on rarely-seen displays in shallow waters. They have been recorded in large numbers before in the UK, but this year’s surge was extraordinary. [Euronews]

Octopus (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “Climate Change Is Reducing Children’s Height, And Humidity Is Making Things Worse” • Millions of children risk experiencing stunted growth if heat-trapping emissions continue to bake the planet. The dangers of extreme heat are already well established, and the World Health Organisation warns against exposure to elevated temperatures. [Euronews]

¶ “Record Month For EV Sales In China!” • In China, plugin cars scored over a million sales in November. There were 1.3 million plugins in a 2.2-million-unit overall market, so plugins took 59% of the market. This figure, however, showed only a 4% increase over November 2025. Full battery EVs took 827,000 units, or 37% of overall sales. [CleanTechnica]

Wuling Mini EV (GZrex, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “EVs Take 38.4% Share Of The UK” • November saw plugin EVs take 38.4% share of the UK auto market, up from 35.3% year-on-year. Battery EVs grew in volume by just 3.6% YOY, while plugin hybrid EVs grew 15%. Overall auto volume was 151,154 units, down some 2% YOY. Tesla was the UK’s leading BEV brand, just ahead of Ford and BYD. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “European Energy Green Lights 225-MW Vizzini PV Farm” • European Energy has taken a final investment decision to begin construction of a 225-MW agri-PV project near Vizzini in Sicily. The company said the project would be operational by the end of 2027, at which point it is expected to become the largest solar operation in Italy. [reNews]

Solar farm (European Energy image)

¶ “ArcelorMittal To Add 1 GW Of Solar And Hybrid Renewable Energy Capacity In India” • ArcelorMittal has announced three renewable energy projects in India totaling 1 GW of solar and wind capacity. The projects will double ArcelorMittal’s renewable energy capacity in India to 2 GW and boost its global renewable energy capacity to 3.3 GW. [pv magazine India]

¶ “Renewable Energy Surpasses Coal In Global Electricity For First Time” • The international academic journal Science selected “rapidly growing renewable energy” as the “Breakthrough of the Year” for 2025. This follows analyses indicating that renewable energy generation has surpassed fossil fuel energy generation for the first time this year. [MSN]

Wind turbines (Daniel Morris, Unsplash)

¶ “Radioactive Substance Leaks From Fukui Nuclear Power Plant In Japan” • During this work, around 20ml of water containing a ‘high’ amount of the radioactive isotope tritium is believed to have leaked out. Japanese broadcaster NHK One reported that detailed investigations are underway to see if any workers were splashed with the water. [Metro.co.uk]

US:

¶ “Waymo Resumes Self-Driving Car Service After San Francisco Power Outage Baffled Vehicles” • A power outage that left about 130,000 homes without electricity in San Francisco also forced the robotaxi operator Waymo to halt services while the driverless vehicles found themselves stuck at darkened traffic lights. Service resumed with electric power. [Euronews]

Waymo taxi (Aamy Dugiere, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Trump Administration Pauses Leases For Some Offshore Wind Projects Citing ‘National Security Concerns'” • The Trump administration is pausing leases for five offshore wind projects due to what the Department of Defense called “national security concerns.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum did not specify what the security risks are. [ABC News]

¶ “Trump Pause On All Offshore Wind Projects An Attack On Our Economy And Public Health” • Trump’s Department of the Interior just halted construction on all five offshore wind projects underway in the US. The pauses impact these projects: Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1. [CleanTechnica]

Revolution Wind construction (Ørsted image)

¶ “Ørsted Mulls Legal Proceedings In US” • Ørsted is considering legal proceedings in response to US President Donald Trump’s shutdown of all five in-construction wind farms in the country. In a statement the company said it is evaluating all its options to resolve the matter. Revolution Wind was set to begin generating power next month. [reNews]

¶ “Turbine Installation Begins At 2.6-GW CVOW” • Dominion Energy began turbine installation at its 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind array, as the jack-up vessel Charybdis went to sea to begin turbine installation. The current status of the work is unknown, however, after the Trump administration paused all work on five offshore wind leases. [reNews]

Charybdis (Dominion Energy image)

¶ “‘Incredibly Reckless’: Trump’s Wind Halt Stuns Even Some Allies” • The president’s decision to pause construction of five offshore wind projects capable of powering nearly 2.7 million homes along the East Coast marked an escalation of a yearlong effort to shut down the industry, jolting the political debate surrounding rising electricity prices. [Politico]

¶ “Minnesota Utility Says It Won’t Buy From Planned $1 Billion Power Plant In Wisconsin” • Northern Minnesota’s largest power company is backing away from plans for a $1 billion gas-fired power plant in Wisconsin due to legal challenges and permitting delays. Minnesota Power said it will no longer buy capacity or power from the planned plant in Superior. [WPR]

Have a noticeably perfect day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “BMW And Mercedes Offer Family Friendly Electric Cars” • Recently, CleanTechnica received word of two new electric cars – one from BMW and one from Mercedes – that are designed specifically to meet the needs of families who have children that need to be taken hither and yon, usually with a full complement of stuff and a few friends. [CleanTechnica]

BMW iX3 (BMW image)

¶ “EVs Take 98.4% Share In Norway” • November saw plugin EVs take 98.4% share in Norway, up from 94.9% year on year. Full battery EVs alone took 97.6% share, and plugin hybrid EVs took the other 0.8%. Overall auto volume was 19,889 units, up some 70% YOY. The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in November. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “High-Speed Train Coming To Vietnam Soon” • VinSpeed High-Speed Railway Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, a unit of Vietnam’s Vingroup conglomerate, signed a strategic cooperation and technology transfer agreement with Siemens Mobility GmbH to advance development of high-speed rail in Vietnam. [CleanTechnica]

Rendering of a VinSpeed High Speed Train (VinGroup image)

¶ “European Energy Lifts Måde PtX Capacity” • European Energy has started hydrogen production at the expanded Måde Power-to-X facility in Denmark after increasing the electrolyser capacity. The company said that the upgrade to 8.1 MW follows installation and commissioning of an additional unit, which was produced by Plug Power. [reNews]

¶ “Seatrium, Maersk Reach Jack-Up Agreement” • Seatrium Energy International and Maersk Offshore Wind have agreed on the delivery of a jack-up that is due to work on Equinor’s Empire Wind project in the US. The Singapore shipbuilder said it will deliver the ship by 28 February 2026 and the Danish shipping giant will pay the contract balance. [reNews]

Jack-up ship (Maersk Offshore Wind image)

¶ “Flow Power Reaches Financial Close On Its First Stand-Alone Big Battery, In Victorian Coal Country” • Australian renewables provider Flow Power reached financial close on its first “battery only” project, its largest so far at 100 MW and 223 MWh. Finnish energy storage giant Wärtsilä will supply the battery hardware and software. [Renew Economy]

¶ “Japan Is Preparing To Restart World’s Biggest Nuclear Plant, Fifteen Years After Fukushima” • The Japanese region of Niigata is expected to endorse a decision to restart the world’s largest nuclear power plant, as the country pivots back to nuclear after the 2011 Fukushima Disaster. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa isabout 220 km (136 miles) northwest of Tokyo. [MSN]

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant (D a, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “What The Threatened ‘Blockade’ Of Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Tankers Means For Gas Prices” • Oil prices jumped about 3% after President Trump threatened to blockade all sanctioned oil tankers traveling in and out of Venezuela. Venezuela, which has the largest known oil reserves in the world, exports hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil each day. [ABC News]

¶ “Relentless Storms Hitting The West, A Major Pattern Change For Christmas Week” • Repeat atmospheric rivers continue to point relentless streams of rain and gusty wind toward the West Coast. An atmospheric river is diminishing in Washington state, but another is forming in Oregon. This second on is expected to be followed by one in California. [ABC News]

Atmospheric river (GOES imagery)

¶ “It’s A Heckuva Good Time To Launch A New EV In The US, Says Faraday Future” • For all the doom and gloom settling over the vehicle electrification movement in the US, a few bright spots continue to seep through. The latest news involves a new EV from the California-based global automaker Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Misses The Offshore Wind Boat And Aquaculture” • When President Donald Trump decided to stop almost the entire US offshore wind industry in its tracks, he achieved the expected results in terms of lost jobs and missed opportunities to harvest more power from the sea. But the global wind industry just flexes its muscles elsewhere. [CleanTechnica]

SeaTwirl machines (Courtesy of SeaTwirl)

¶ “Coal Decreased From Half To One-Seventh Of US Electricity Production In Fifteen Years” • Fifteen years ago, coal-fired power plants accounted for half of US electricity production. Today, coal accounts for approximately one-seventh. The change is largely the result of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, which started in the early 2000s. [Warp News]

¶ “Nuclear Firm Working With Chinese Military Companies Pushes For $900 Million US Uranium Contract” • On its face, Orano Federal Services, a North Carolina-based nuclear fuel cycle company, is a plausible partner for a $900 million DOE contract to produce uranium for US nuclear plants. But the firm also works with the Chinese military. [freebeacon.com]

Have a marvelously calculated day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “The First Climate Migrants Are Leaving Sinking Tuvalu To Start A New Life In Australia” • Tuvalu is one of the countries at greatest risk from climate change due to the worsening threat of rising sea levels. The nation comprises nine palm-fringed reef islands and coral atolls. Scientists predict that 95% of it will be underwater at high tide by the year 2100. [Euronews]

Group of girls on Tuvalu (Winston Chen, Unsplash)

¶ “US Seized Another Ship In The Caribbean, Noem Says” • The US seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean. Unlike the ship taken earlier this month, this tanker was not on any sanctions list maintained by the US, the European Union, the UK or the UN, according to Kpler, a data firm that tracks transportation and logistics networks. [ABC News]

¶ “EVs At 65.4% Share In Sweden – Incentive Scheme Incoming” • November’s auto sales saw plugin EVs at 65.4% share in Sweden, up from 61.7% year-on-year. Battery EVs were up in share, while plugin hybrid EVs were flat. The overall auto volume was 21,016 units, down by some 15% YOY. The best-selling battery EV was the Volvo EX40. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo EX40 (Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “India Adds 50 GW RE Capacity With Investment Of ₹2 Lakh Crore In 2025; To Keep Momentum In 2026” • India added about 50 GW of renewable energy capacity in 2025, backed by investments of nearly ₹2 lakh crore ($22.3 billion), taking its total non-fossil fuel capacity to about 262 GW. A similar amount of capacity addition is expected for 2026. [News9live]

¶ “Green Transition Emerges As New Engine Of Growth” • The green transition is no longer an option. It has become a strategic priority for businesses, especially as Vietnam has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Challenges are turning into opportunities, promoting a green economy, and creating momentum for sustainable growth. [Vietnam+]

Wind turbines in Vietnam (Tycho, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “The Battery Boom Is Reshaping Power Markets” • The uptake of utility-scale battery storage has grown hugely in recent years as more countries switch to renewables. Battery storage ensures that grids powered by less reliable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, can continue to deliver a stable supply of clean energy through the day and night. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Guyana Is Using Its Oil Revenues To Spark A Renewable Energy Boom” • As Guyana starts to see revenue from its oil, the government is reinvesting some of the money in renewables to diversify the energy mix and strengthen the country’s energy security. Guyana is aiming for 80% renewable energy in the electricity grid by 2040. [OilPrice.com]

Offshore oil rig (Jonathan Gong, Unsplash)

¶ “China Pours First Concrete At Zhaoyuan Nuclear Site As Construction Starts On A New Hualong-One Reactor” • China has become a dominant force in the international nuclear energy market through its Hualong One reactor. The reactor is the most widely deployed reactor type operating or under construction anywhere in the world. [Energies Media]

US:

¶ “San Francisco Outages Leaves 130,000 Without Power” • An outage knocked out power to 130,000 homes and businesses in San Francisco, Pacific Gas & Electric Co said. The outage hit roughly a third of the utility company’s customers in the city. PG&E did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the cause of the blackouts. [ABC News]

Golden Gate Bridge (Maarten van den Heuvel, Unsplash)

¶ “Tale Of Two Michigans: Intensifying Battle Of Solar Vs Data Centers” • Saline Township, Michigan got steamrolled by their own governor and billionaires when they tried to prevent a $7 billion data center from being built for data center. But when a solar farm proposed for three square miles of Iosco Township was shot down, no one lifted a finger. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The US Has A Power Crunch, And Congress Is Still Far From Solving It.” • The push to reduce the red tape slowing the construction of energy projects has the support of lawmakers from both parties, the Trump administration, and an army of lobbying groups that is ideologically diverse. It may not be enough, however. [Politico]

Wind farm (Vidar Nordli-Mathisen, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar Surge In The Desert” • In deep-red Otero County, the landscape tells a different story from the political rhetoric about renewable energy. Massive solar arrays like the 120-MW Buena Vista Energy Center and community projects like Pluma Solar Alamogordo and Carrizozo Solar stand as testaments to market-driven progress. [2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News]

¶ “Colorado Elected Officials Support Climate Scientists At ‘Save NCAR’ Rally” • Days after the Trump administration announced it would break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, defenders of the lab are speaking out. White House officials had labeled NCAR’s Mesa Laboratory as a source of “climate alarmism.” [Boulder Daily Camera]

Have a magnificently relaxing day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “AI Data Centers’ Carbon Footprint Could Match That Of A Small European Country, New Study Finds” • A report estimates that AI systems running in data centres could be responsible for between 32.6 million and 79.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2025. This amount is similart to the emissions of New York City or a small European country. [Euronews]

Vaduz, Lichtenstein (Ondrej Bocek, Unsplash)

¶ “Ukraine Strikes A Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker In The Mediterranean” • The Oman-flagged tanker Qendil was hit by aerial drones more than 2,000 kilometres from Ukrainian territory in what an SBU source described as “an unprecedented special operation”. The vessel sustained critical damage and can no longer be used, the source said. [Euronews]

¶ “BYD Significantly Improves Range And Efficiency With OTA Updates” • In China, over-the-air updates have improved BYD’s 5th generation plugin hybrid EV platform, which started rolling out in models last year. With the updates, consumers are getting more battery-only range and better fuel economy than when they bought their vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Sealion 06 (BYD image)

¶ “EVs Take 32.9% Share In France – Renault 5 Record Volume” • November’s auto sales saw plugin EVs take 32.9% share in France, up from 26.2% year-on-year. Battery EVs grew volume by almost 50% YOY, while plugin hybrid EVs fell. Overall auto volume was 132,927 units, flat YOY. The Renault 5 was the best-selling BEV, with its highest ever volume. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Skyborn Wins Approval For Gennaker Project” • Skyborn has secured state planning approval for its Gennaker offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea. The project will have 63 turbines of the 15-MW class and is expected to generate 4 TWh of green electricity annually, equivalent to the consumption of about one million households. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Skyborn image)

¶ “Moldova Launches Tender For Construction Of Large Wind Power Plants With Storage Batteries” • Moldova has launched a tender for the construction of wind power plants with a total capacity of 170 MW, accompanied by energy storage systems of 44 MWh. The tender marks a first for Moldova by including the storage component. [Moldpres]

¶ “European Energy Wins Approval For 1.1-GW Upper Calliope Solar Farm” • European Energy secured planning approval for the 1.1-GW Upper Calliope solar farm in Queensland. European Energy said approval advances the project toward final design, grid processes, and construction preparation. The project’s full output is contracted to Rio Tinto. [reNews]

Solar farm in Australia (European Energy image)

¶ “Ireland Achieves 2 GW Of Installed Solar Capacity” • Ireland was able to achieve 2 GW of solar capacity thanks to three solar farms brought online by Dublin-based BNRG. They are the 22-MW Dunmurry, 16-MW Finnis and 6-MW Kerdiffstown projects. Together, they helped push Ireland’s installed solar capacity beyond the 2-GW landmark. [AltEnergyMag]

¶ “Ukraine Adds 324 MW Of Wind Power Capacity In 2025, Up From 248 MW Over Previous Two Years” • Since the beginning of 2025, some 324 MW of new wind power plant capacity has been built in Ukraine, while in the previous two years – between 2022 and the first quarter of 2025 – 248 MW of wind power capacity was commissioned. [Interfax-Ukraine]

Wind turbines in Ukraine (Blitz1980, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “New York Hochul And Ontario Premier Ford Announce An Agreement To Support Nuclear Technology” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced an agreement by New York and Ontario on nuclear technology. The MOU establishes a framework for collaboration on the development of advanced nuclear energy technologies. [Niagara Frontier Publications]

US:

¶ “Warm Weather And Low Snowpack Bedevil The Western Ski Resorts” • Ski resorts are struggling to open runs, walk-through ice palaces can’t be built, and the owner of a horse stable hopes that her customers will be satisfied with riding wagons instead of sleighs under majestic Rocky Mountain peaks. It’s just been too warm in the West with not enough snow. [ABC News]

Ski resort (Nick Rickert, Unsplash)

¶ “Georgia Public Service Commission Issues Final Order On Data Center Power Plan” • The Georgia PSC approved Georgia Power’s plan to build the most expensive gas plants in America. The commission unanimously approved an agreement that is expected to require the expenditure of at least $15 billion in capital costs alone. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sierra Club Notice of Intent to Sue Flags Agency Failures to Protect Arctic Polar Bears from Oil & Gas Activities” • The Sierra Club and allied organizations filed a notice of violations by the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service that threaten polar bears with expanded oil and gas exploration, drilling, and development. [CleanTechnica]

Polar bear taking a dip (Pixabay, Pexels)

¶ “New Jersey Sides With Solar! More State Leadership Needed” • The SPEED Act was followed by some good news. New Jersey is siding with solar. “The New Jersey Senate passed A-5264, a bill to streamline and modernize the process for permitting residential solar energy systems. The law takes effect immediately,” the Solar Energy Industries Association wrote. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Texas Power Grid Will Get A Boost From Batteries This Winter” • Even with less available electric power capacity during cold weather in Texas, battery storage systems are reducing the risk of power outages over this winter, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, as it reported at its December board of directors meeting. [San Antonio Current]

Have a thrillingly easy day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “How The Global Food System Is Impacting Obesity And Climate Change” • The same global food system that is fueling rising obesity rates is also accelerating climate change, according to a sweeping new scientific review that argues both crises share common roots and solutions. The review was published in Frontiers in Science. [ABC News]

Cattle (Daniel Quiceno M, Unsplash)

¶ “Energy Efficiency Is The ‘First Fuel,’ But Progress Remains Too Slow, Says IEA Analyst” • The International Energy Agency warns that global energy efficiency gains remain below levels needed to meet international climate goals. Progress is expected to rise to 1.8% in 2025, but the world is still off track to double gains by 2030. [Euronews]

¶ “Cleantech Producers Call On EU To Boost Support For Green Shipping Fuels In Europe” • The present Sustainable Transport Investment Plan estimates that decarbonising the shipping sector will require between €35 and €47 billion in annual investments by 2035. The majority can come from the private sector, but public funding is essential. [CleanTechnica]

Ship (Courtesy Volvo Car Group)

¶ “Financial Markets Already Pricing The Fossil Fuel Phaseout” • Forbes contributor Ingmar Rentzhog, founder of We Don’t Have Time, has an unusual take on COP30. He reports that a recent survey of 950 institutional investors showed that four out of five said they expect to increase spending on sustainable investments over the next two years. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “RWE Signs PPA With Thames Water” • RWE has agreed a five-year power purchase agreement to supply clean electricity from its 50-MW Camster onshore wind farm to Thames Water. The company said the deal will run from December 2025 to 2030 and will deliver 132 GWh of power annually, supplying up to 15% of the utility’s essential services. [reNews]

Wind farm (RWE image)

¶ “Poland Awards 3.4 GW In First Offshore Wind Tender” • In Poland’s maiden competitive offshore wind auction, the country awarded 3.4 GW of capacity for three projects, according to the Energy Regulatory Office. The tender had attracted four bids. Of the winning projects, all three are expected to be in operation by the end of 2032. [reNews]

¶ “Aura Power Secures Horton Solar Finance” • Aura Power has secured project finance to build the 49-MW Horton Solar Farm in East Devon. The deal marks the company’s fifth UK solar project to reach financial close in the past fourteen months, bringing its construction portfolio to 298 MW. Senior debt financing was provided by Rabobank. [reNews]

Solar farm (Aura Power image)

¶ “Indian Railways Goes Green: 2,626 Stations Now Powered by Solar Energy” • Indian Railways is moving towards cleaner energy by use of solar power. A number of railway stations are switching to solar power now. By November 2025, there were 2,626 running on solar in India. So far, Indian Railways has 898 MW of solar power operating. [Renewable Affairs]

US:

¶ “Trump Administration Moves To Dismantle Prominent US Weather And Climate Research Center” • In a post on X, the Trump administration announced plans to break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. It said, “any vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location.” [ABC News]

NCAR (Paju, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Sierra Club Nebraska Reacts To OPPD Extending Life Of Old Coal Plant” • The Omaha Public Power District board voted to extend the life of a dangerous coal-fired power plant that has harmed the health of North Omaha families for over 70 years. In addition to pollution, the  North Omaha Station, has a history of reliability issues. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “House Passes SPEED Act, But It Does Not Lower Energy Costs Or Speed Clean Energy Deployment” • The “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act,” was passed by the House of Representatives. The act does not fix the barriers slowing clean energy projects, but weakens the National Environmental Policy Act. [CleanTechnica]

Renewable energy (César Badilla Miranda, Unsplash)

¶ “Sierra Club: Rising Prices Directly Linked To Trump Tariffs, Cuts To Clean Energy” • Eliminating affordable, clean energy development by reducing investments in them, preventing construction, and increasing methane gas exports is causing energy prices to skyrocket. The Concumer Price Index already shows fuel oil up 11.2%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US To Add 7 GW Of Wind In 2025” • The US is expected to install more than 7 GW of wind capacity in 2025, a 36% rise on the previous year, according to the latest US Wind Energy Monitor. The market is on track to add 46 GW from 2025 to 2029 with the timing of additions shifting into 2026 and 2027, the report said. [reNews]

Windpower (Vasilios Muselimis, Unsplash)

¶ “Maine To Benefit From New Solar Projects In New England” • Maine has joined several New England states in selecting new renewable energy projects through a competitive, multistate process that will add new solar power in the region. Roughly 51 MW of solar generation selected is in Maine. That is nearly 30% of the 173 MW total. [The Portland Press Herald]

¶ “Trump Media Merging With Nuclear Fusion Startup In $6 Billion Deal” • Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social, announced a merger with TAE Technologies, a nuclear fusion startup, in a deal valued at $6 billion. Together, the two companies are planning to create the “world’s first utility-scale fusion power plant.” [The Hill]

Have a delectably satisfying day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “EU Commissioner Hoekstra Defends Scrapping 2035 Ban On Combustion Engines” • In an interview European Commissioner for Climate Wopke Hoekstra defended a controversial decision to reduce a planned 100% ban of combustion-engine vehicles from 2035 to 90%, calling it a “smart and wise compromise” for both climate and industry. [Euronews]

Wopke Hoekstra (European People’s Party, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Shipping e-Fuels Production In Europe: State Of Play In 2025” • In its 2025 update of the shipping e-fuels observatory, T&E examined European green hydrogen and e-fuels projects for the maritime sector. There has been progress, but maritime e-fuels production appears unlikely to reach targeted levels without a policy change. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$13,034 Ora 5 Is Here!” • Well, not here in the US, but in China. The Ora 5, a small “SUV,” is the first new model from GWM’s Ora sub-brand in more than two years. And it was worth the wait. It seems certain the Ora 5 is going to be a competitive, high selling EV. The model starts at just 91,800 yuan ($13,034) with 480 km (300 miles) of range. [CleanTechnica]

Ora 5 battery EV

¶ “Alphabet Google Signs A Solar Power Agreement In Malaysia, Reports Bloomberg” • Bloomberg reported that Alphabet Inc’s Google signed a solar power agreement in Malaysia. Google would be buying power from a 30-MW solar farm in Malaysia’s Kedah state developed by a consortium led by a local unit of Japan’s Shizen Energy Inc. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Vestas Takes Waddi Order With Tilt Renewables” • Vestas took the order for Tilt Renewables’ 108-MW Waddi Wind Farm in Western Australia. The order includes supply and installation of eighteen 6.0-MW EnVentus turbines. The partnership of Vestas and Tilt Renewables has delivered several major Australian wind farms, the companies said. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “South Korea Launches Its Largest Operational Offshore Wind Farm In Jeju” • South Korea has completed the 100-MW Hanlim Offshore Wind Power Complex. According to the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, the offshore wind complex is off Jeju. It is the largest offshore wind power complex operating in the country. [Asian Power]

¶ “BayWa RE Gets Nod For 250-MW Swedish Solar Giant” • The Nordic renewable energy unit of BayWa re has secured an environmental permit for the 250-MW Ryamon Solar Park in Alvesta municipality. The company said the project is the largest solar project in Sweden to date to receive such approval. The park is next to the Lyngsåsa wind farm. [reNews]

Renewable generation (BayWa re image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Powers Up As Coal Demand Plateaus” • Mining companies, agencies, and global events are strengthening the world’s renewable footprint. The IEA shows coal demand has reached a plateau and may decline by 2030. A new IEA market report sees global coal demand forecast to edge down through the end of this decade. [Mining.com.au]

¶ “RWE Wins Permit For 1.1-GW Five Estuaries” • UK Energy Minister Alan Whitehead has granted planning consent to RWE’s 1.1-GW Five Estuaries wind farm off East Anglia. The 79-turbine extension of the 353-MW Galloper array is the fifth UK offshore wind farm to reach the milestone this year, one of which was RWE’s 1.2-GW Rampion 2 project. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (RWE image)

¶ “EU Renewables Hit 49.3% Of Electricity In Q3 2025, Denmark Leads” • According to the latest data from Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, renewable energy’s share in the EU’s final energy use climbed to 25.4% in 2024, with projections indicating further growth into 2025. The uptick was driven largely by expansions in solar, wind, and heat pumps. [WebProNews]

¶ “Cheaper, Cleaner Energy Drives Germany’s Balcony-Solar Boom” • Transitioning to renewables is critical for confronting the climate crisis, and Germany is seeing this advance at the household level. Small solar devices that can be plugged into household sockets are very popular in the country, with over 1 million installed in the past three years. [DW]

Balcony solar (Triplec85, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “Coal For Christmas: Local Advocacy Groups Deliver Coal, Protest Letters To JEA” • Local advocacy and climate groups delivered some coal to Jacksonville Electric Authority just in time for the holidays. Sierra Club Florida and other groups left coal, a joint letter, and holiday cards that protest JEA’s dirty Northside Generating Station coal plant. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Illegally Extends Life Of Centralia Generating Station Coal Plant” • The Trump administration issued an ‘emergency’ order to forcibly and illegally extend operations of Centralia Generating Station past its scheduled retirement. The high cost to keep this aging coal plant online is expected to be passed onto residents in the area. [CleanTechnica]

Centralia plant (Steven Baltakatei Sandoval, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Tesla Has Engaged In False Advertising, Has To Suspend Vehicle Production & Sales If Problem Not Fixed” • A California judge ruled that Tesla’s use of the terms “Autopilot” and “Full Self Driving” was, in effect, false advertising. The judge’s proposal is that Tesla’s license to manufacture and sell vehicles in California be suspended for 30 days. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Palisades Nuclear Plant Restart Plans Pushed Back To Early 2026” • The restart of a nuclear energy plant in Michigan is behind schedule, and will not happen until early 2026, according to Holtec International, the company behind the restart. The plant stopped operating in 2022, but with a renewed focus on nuclear energy, plans changed. [WCMU Public Radio]

Have a graciously carefree day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “ATP Introduces New Extreme Heat Rule To Protect Players During Men’s Tennis Matches” • The ATP Tour will add a rule to address extreme heat during men’s professional tennis matches. It will allow 10-minute breaks during best-of-three-sets singles matches starting next season. The women’s circuit adopted a similar rule over thirty years ago. [Euronews]

Tennis (Andrew Heald, Unsplash)

¶ “EU Carmakers To Comply With 90% Emissions Reduction By 2035” • The EU executive revoked the 2035 ban on the sale of new cars and vans powered by diesel or petrol after pressure from some EU countries and the automotive industry. The remaining 10% of emissions will need to be compensated for by using such mechanisms as low-carbon steel. [Euronews]

¶ “As Reefs Vanish, Assisted Coral Fertilization Offers Hope In The Dominican Republic” • In an underwater nursery just off the Dominican Republic coast, “coral babies” are growing on metal structures that look like large spiders. It’s a technique gaining momentum in the Caribbean to counter the drastic loss of corals due to climate change. [ABC News]

Coral (David Clode, Unsplash)

¶ “Playing For Time Won’t Make European Carmakers Great Again” • Reversing the EU’s 2035 phase-out of combustion engine sales sends a confusing signal, T&E said. Carmakers could continue selling cars with engines, the European Commission proposed, despite the EU’s aim to have the last polluting cars off its roads by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Nissan LEAF Now In Production In UK” • We have news that production of the new Nissan LEAF in the UK has begun in Sunderland, and the third-gen LEAF is being released in the UK. With 282,704 units of the LEAF produced in Sunderland to date, this updated version should easily push that total past 300,000. But why not 500,000? [CleanTechnica]

Nissan LEAF (Nissan image)

¶ “Renewables Remain Lowest-Cost Option Says CSIRO Report” • The CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) draft GenCost report for 2025-2026 shows that solar and onshore wind power backed by storage and either gas or hydrogen is the least-cost new-build electricity generation technology mix. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Vestas Wins 828-MW Brazil Deal” • Casa dos Ventos and Vestas have agreed an 828-MW order for the Dom Inocêncio wind complex in the south-central region of Piauí. The project will have 184 turbines, each of 4.5-MW capacity. The companies added that construction is expected to begin in 2026 with final commissioning scheduled for 2028. [reNews]

Vestas turbine construction (Vestas image)

¶ “2025 Solar, Battery, And EV Round Up” • Australia’s clean energy story in 2025 had a clear theme: Households are leading the charge. Rooftop solar remained strong, batteries proliferated, and electrification extended beyond the switchboard. That mix matters because every new panel, battery, EV, and heat pump chips away at fossil fuel demand. [Energy Matters]

¶ “SP Energy Networks Trials Wind Grid Restart” • SP Energy Networks has begun trials to assess whether offshore wind can be used to restart the UK electricity grid following a national power outage. SP Energy Networks stated the trials will model different grid restoration methods using offshore wind in a specialist laboratory environment. [reNews]

Offshore windpower (SP Energy image)

¶ “India Introduces New Bill To Overhaul Its Nuclear Energy Sector” • The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 seeks to replace the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 with a single, comprehensive law aligned with India’s energy requirements. [Asian Power]

US:

¶ “Texas Sues Utility Company To Recover Damages From Historic Wildfire” • Texas has sued the utility company whose downed power lines sparked the largest wildfire in state history, which caused more than $1 billion in damage. The state accuses Southwestern Public Service Company of negligence in its upkeep of aging utility poles. [ABC News]

Wildfire in Texas (Staff Sgt. Eric Harris, US DOD, public domain)

¶ “Electric Utility Cost Crisis Brewing In South Carolina” • An executive order by Donald Trump could block state guardrails around AI and the infrastructure needed to run AI data centers, including popular state-level initiatives, called large load tariffs, that help ensure tech companies have invested to meet the costs of growing electricity demand. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Major Environmental Organizations Sue Trump Regime Over Hold On Billions For EV Charging” • The Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, NRDC, and Earthjustice filed suit challenging the Trump administration’s hold on $2.5 billion in federal funding through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program. [CleanTechnica]

EV charging (Joint Office of Energy and Transportation image)

¶ “Trump’s Cut to Fuel Economy Regulations Will Cost People Money” • Regulations put in place to make vehicles more fuel efficient and save people money are important for making vehicles more fuel efficient and saving people money. When you eliminate those regulations, people are going to end up paying more. Who would have thought it?  [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Arizona’s Mesquite Solar Hub Expands To Power 150,000 Homes” • From above, theMesquite Solar Complex in Arlington, Arizona resembles an enormous geometric tapestry. On the ground, it represents something more significant: the steady evolution of solar power from a niche technology to a central part of America’s generating fleet. [OilPrice.com]

Have an overwhelmingly splendid day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Europe ‘Needs To Stand Up To Trump And Stop Buying US Energy,’ Tubiana Tells Euronews” • The EU should stand up to US President Trump and reject further purchases of US energy products, as foreseen in the $750 billion trade deal between the transatlantic partners, climate czar Laurence Tubiana said on the Euronews program Europe Today. [Euronews]

Laurence Tubiana in 2016 (UNclimatechange, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “EU Energy Ministers Back New Fund For Cross-Border Infrastructure Projects From 2028” • From 2028, EU countries will be able to expand cross-border energy infrastructure, like grids and pipelines, along with renewable energy projects. EU energy minister backed the makeup of the bloc’s energy budget for 2028-2034 overwhelmingly. [Euronews]

¶ “Scientists Say Rate Of Glacier Disappearance Expected To Peak By Mid-2050s” • The number of glaciers disappearing around the world each year is projected to sharply increase by the mid-century, peaking at 2,000 to 4,000 per year at that time, depending on the warming scenario, a study published Monday in Nature Climate Change found. [ABC News]

Glacier National Park (aparlette, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “How Sunshine Powers The Philippines’ Largest Malls For More Holiday Cheer ” • As COP30 convened to address the planet’s climate crisis, SM Prime Holdings demonstrated that corporate climate action need not sacrifice tradition or spectacle. Instead, the company engineered a model where sustainability powers celebration. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “You Can’t Buy This, America: BYD T4 EV Truck for Hauling” • Americans love their trucks, though much of that love has little to do with actually carrying cargo. What if you actually needed a truck to carry stuff? The BYD T4 might be a good choice, if only it were available in the US. Here is what it’s like, for people in the rest of the world. [CleanTechnica]

BYD T4 electric truck (BYD image)

¶ “How A $14,000 Electric Kei Car Became Japan’s Best-Selling EV And Saved Nissan ” • While Tesla and BYD dominate EV headlines globally, Japan’s EV sales success for three consecutive years is a tiny 11-foot-long kei car that costs roughly $14,000 after subsidies and has just 112 miles of range. The Nissan Sakura arguably has kept Nissan afloat. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sonnedix Wins 805 MW In Italian Auctions” • Sonnedix has secured 805 MW of solar projects in Italy. The company said the awards strengthen its development pipeline. Sonnedix received awards for 670 MW in nine solar sites in the FER-X auction, 125 MW through the Energy Release mechanism and 10 MW under Italy’s NZIA-compliant auction. [reNews]

Solar array (Sonnedix image)

¶ “Nordex Wins 200-MW Order In Canada” • The Nordex Group received an order to supply 34 turbines totaling 200 MW to a wind farm project in New Brunswick. Nordex added that the cold climate turbines will be equipped with the Advanced Anti-Icing System and delivered on 125-metre-high tubular steel towers from mid-2027. [reNews]

¶ “WindEurope Forecasts 600,000 Wind Jobs By 2030” • Europe’s wind energy workforce is set to grow from 443,000 jobs today to 607,000 by 2030, according to WindEurope’s new Wind Energy Workforce Report. The organisation said the sector currently supports 211,000 direct roles, with offshore wind now accounting for 20% of these jobs. [reNews]

Wind turbine (WindEurope image)

¶ “China’s Farthest Offshore Wind Farm Reaches Full Power” • China’s most remote offshore wind farm reportedly is under ful power and grid-connected. The 800-MW Three Gorges Jiangsu Dafeng project, in Jiangsu Province, comprises four sites that are 53 miles from shore at their farthest point, making it the most distant from land in the country. [4C Offshore]

US:

¶ “Trump Is Losing The War On Solar Power” • Everyone knows about Trump’s personal grudge against wind turbines, but solar panels? For one thing, fighting the Sun is a losing battle. And US innovators in the space solar industry are on track to beam solar energy directly from space, down to just about anywhere on the planet, Trump or no Trump. [CleanTechnica]

Space solar industry illustration (Overview Energy image)

¶ “Tribal Nations Regroup After Loss Of Federal Funding For Clean Energy” • Tribal nations looking to build clean energy projects are exploring new funding pathways after the Trump administration’s cuts to clean energy grants like Solar for All, which earmarked more than $500 million for solar development on tribal lands. [Utility Dive]

¶ “Energy Bills In US Have Increased 13% Since Trump Took Office, New Report Finds” • A Climate Power report points to a massive spending bill Trump signed in July. CP says it is “driving up utility costs and destroying jobs by removing cheaper, cleaner energy sources from the grid, all while funding new tax breaks for the oil and gas industries.” [ABC News]

Transmission lines (Matthew Henry, Unsplash)

¶ “US Study Maps Utility-Scale Solar Land Use With A New AI Framework” • An academic paper published in Communications Earth & Environment introduced a systematic methodology that leverages deep learning and high-resolution aerial imagery to quantify the land required for utility-scale solar projects in the Western Interconnection. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “TVA Nuclear Plant In Alabama Gets 20-Year License Renewal” • The NRC has renewed the operating licenses for all three units at Tennessee Valley Authority’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. This allows continued operation through the mid-2050s. The plant is TVA’s largest generating asset and the third-largest nuclear power producer in the US. [Yellowhammer News]

Have a pleasantly magnificent day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Assessing Global Progress Ten Years After Paris Climate Accords” • Critics claim the Paris Climate Accords have failed, but Émilie Laurence Tubiana, a former French diplomat, one of the architects of the Paris accord, and now chief executive of the European Climate Foundation, told The Guardian it has been a remarkable achievement. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it (Climate Analytics image)

¶ “Tesla’s 8-Year Model Sales Trends in 11 European Countries” • Zachary Shahan: “I poked around a bit more to see what else I could find that was a bit interesting. The good thing with Tesla is that it basically has two models and they’ve been on the market for several years now, so I did have a look at those models. The resulting graphs are truly interesting.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Plugin Vehicles Pass 75 Million Cumulative Sales!” • Reader Madan Rajan commented to CleanTechnica that total plugin vehicle sales passed 75 million units. The most recent global EV sales report showed the world reached 2.1 million registrations for plugins in September. If this level is sustained, it would take just 3 years to reach another 75 million. [CleanTechnica]

Polestar 2 EV (Benjamin Brunner, Unsplash)

¶ “Scottish Ports Sound AR7 Alarm” • Scottish port bosses warn their investments could become stranded without increased UK government funding for fixed-bottom offshore wind. A group of ports have written to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband seeking a higher AR7 budget, warning no Scottish offshore wind farms will secure CfDs, according to the Scotsman. [reNews]

¶ “Towards Net Zero” • Ørsted says, “With renewable energy at the center of our vision and purpose, it should come as no surprise that we take decarbonisation seriously.” Ørsted’s roots lie in coal-fired power stations. But the company refocused its business on renewables in 2009. It achieved a 98% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of 2025. [Ørsted]

Worker on a wind turbine (Ørsted image)

¶ “NLC India Renewables And PTC India Sign Green Energy JVA In India” • NLC India Renewables Limited and power provider PTC India entered into a green energy joint venture agreement in Tamil Nadu. This agreement aims to develop, operate, and maintain renewable energy projects totaling up to 2,000 MW in phases, start at about 500 MW. [Power Technology]

¶ “Yanara Names Gamuda To Deliver Massive Solar And Battery Project” • Renewables developer Yanara tapped the Australian arm of the Malaysian group Gamuda to deliver a 360-MW solar farm and 600-MWh battery energy storage project in southwest Victoria. The Mortlake Energy Hub will cost A$700 million ($465 million). [pv magazine Australia]

Solar farm (Yanara image)

¶ “Renewables Drive India’s Energy Security Push” • At the same time India’s energy demand has consistently risen in the past few years, generation has kept up allowing supply to keep pace with demand. According to the National Electricity Plan, the total installed generation capacity of all types is projected to reach 874 GW by 2031-2032. [Asian Power]

US:

¶ “The Oilfield Binge And Purge: Another Reason To Ditch Fossil Fuels” • There being no such thing as a free lunch, the oil and gas binge leaves Oklahomans holding the bag. Oklahoma has tens of thousands of abandoned wells. “The state has catalogued about 20,000 orphan wells, but federal researchers believe the true number may be over 300,000 …” [CleanTechnica]

Oklahoma wellhead (Government of Oklahoma image)

¶ “OpenAI Pushes Propaganda Over Research, Researchers Who Quit Argue” • There’s serious concern that an “AI revolution” will lead to a loss of jobs and economic struggles. As it turns out, we now have a former researcher at one of the big AI organizations coming out and saying that not only is this a concern, but the risk is being hushed up. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Power And Farming Can Co-Exist On The Same Land. Just Ask Cameron Krebs’ Sheep” • Thousands of Cameron Krebs’ sheep go from one solar farm to the next, munching on grass, typically from March until June. Once they have eaten their lunch, they settle down to snooze under the shade of hundreds of thousands of solar panels. [The Spokesman-Review]

Sheep at a solar farm (Avangrid image)

¶ “Trump’s AI Dream Risks Being Undercut By His Attack On Solar And Wind Power ” • The plan by President Trump to make the US a world leader in AI and build a network of massive data centers is gaining speed. However, experts warn that his energy policies, which severely restrict solar and wind energy, could sabotage that ambition. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “Diablo Canyon Agrees To Coastal Commission Land Use Plan” • NRC approval for renewal of Diablo Canyon’s operating permit depends on its clearing two hurdles. One is approval of a land use plan by the California Coastal Commission. The is that the California Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board certify the water quality permit. [Neutron Bytes]

Have a particularly combobulated day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “‘Hot Droughts’ Could Push The Amazon Into A Hypertropical Climate By 2100” • The Amazon rainforest may be developing a hypertropical climate, unseen on Earth for tens of millions of years. A study published in Nature, scientists argue the region is nearing a hotter, drier and more volatile state that could trigger widespread tree die-offs. [Euronews]

Amazon Forest (Felipe Dias, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia Again Targets Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure” • Russia targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missile and drone strikes in another “massive attack” Friday night into Saturday morning, Ukrainian authorities said. Russia used almost 500 drones and missiles in a combined strike on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. [ABC News]

¶ “BMW May Finally Do What Auto Industry Has Needed For Decades” • BMW filed a patent application on means to identify whether a person has had too much to drink and shouldn’t be driving. It let them drive in that case. What the patent describes is a breathalyzer linked to a digital key. A person must pass the breathalyzer test to drive. [CleanTechnica]

BMW (Stephan Louis, Unsplash)

¶ “Energy Saved Today Strengthens India’s Energy Security Tomorrow: Pralhad Joshi” • Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said that saving energy today is key to strengthening India’s energy security in the future. He also reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to responsible energy use and a sustainable, greener country. [The Hans India]

¶ “Wind Power Takes Flight In Asia” • Southeast Asia is a bright spot for the offshore wind industry. As US policy threw billions of dollars worth of US offshore wind projects into turmoil, the investors in offshore wind are looking elsewhere, and the ample wind resources of Southeast Asia give them a lot to gain after the US chaos. [Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]

Offshore wind farm (Jesse De Meulenaere, Unsplash)

¶ “Iran’s Renewable Power Capacity Reaches 3,165 MW” • Iran’s installed capacity of renewable and clean power plants reached 3,165 MW by November 2025, with solar energy being for the largest share, officials said. Iran’s total installed power generation capacity reached 97,909 MW, with renewable energy making up over 3.2% of that figure. [WANA News Agency]

¶ “Backed By China, De Aar Project In South Africa Expands Wind Capacity To Bolster Northern Cape Power Supply” • South Africa has been plunged into a world of darkness in recent years with loadshedding. The De Aar wind project was commissioned in 2017, and since then it has transformed the regional energy supply in the Northern Cape. [Energies Media]

South African wind turbines (NJR ZA, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “Donald Trump’s AI Order Could Cost Iowans And Georgians Big Time” • The Sierra Club said, “Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking to remove state guardrails around artificial intelligence and the infrastructure needed to run AI.” If AI companies want to spike power demand, they should pay the bill, not ordinary Americans. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Data Center Opponents Push Back Against “Superhuman” AI” • Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and others are investing billions in new data centers with little regard as to how they well be powered or the amount of water they will use to cool servers. In the investment community, there are worries this whole AI adventure is out of control. [CleanTechnica]

Amazon data center (Amazon image)

¶ “Electricity Scarcity Meets Aluminum Tariffs, And American Citizens Pick Up The Bill” • In the AI bubble, with full-throated support by the Trump Administration, competition between AI data centers and aluminum smelters for electricity is no longer theoretical. Utilities across the US are facing binding constraints on generation and transmission. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California-Based Energy Company Planning Underground Nuclear Reactor In Utah” • Utah appears poised to become a location of an underground nuclear reactor of a company based in California. Deep Fission plans Utah, Texas, and Kansas as the first three planned sites for the company’s testing of its small modular pressurized water reactors. [KSL.com]

Have a truly delightful day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Economic Growth Has Been Linked To Rising Emissions For Decades. Now, The ‘Opposite Is Happening’” • A decade on from the Paris Agreement the link between GDP and rising emissions is starting to break. Increasing numbers of countries are reducing CO₂ emissions while their economies keep growing, debunking decades of climate blocking. [Euronews]

Wind turbines (Mark König, Unsplash)

¶ “Ten Years Of The Paris Agreement: Hope Is Clouded By Climate Realities” • Ten years ago at COP21, the leaders of 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement to address climate change. But the mission is still far from complete. The United Nations Environment Programme projects “between 2.3°C and 2.5°C of temperature increases. [Euronews]

¶ “Wind Power Gets The Last Laugh As Trump Fades Into The Mists” • The UK firm GT Wings surfaced on the CleanTechnica radar in 2023, when it proposed the AirWing, a compact, space-saving, wind-harvesting device. Now GT is working on the first major real-world tryout for the AirWing, setting it up on a 124-meter cargo ship. [CleanTechnica]

Wind power (Courtesy of GT Wings)

¶ “By Locking In Russian Assets For Good, The EU Is Finally Playing Hardball” • In an audacious move, the EU is indefinitely immobilizing Russian sovereign assets, pushing back against external pressure to release the funds before Moscow agrees to pay war reparations to Ukraine. The EU is immobilizing €210 billion of assets of the Russian Central Bank. [Euronews]

¶ “XPENG Looks To Start EV Production In Malaysia” • XPENG reportedly told press in Malaysia that it is in negotiations with EP Manufacturing Bhd to get EV production underway in Malaysia. Mass production is supposed to begin at some point in 2026. The focus is to producd cars for right-hand markets across the Asean region. [CleanTechnica]

XPENG P7+

¶ “What’s The Connection Between Soils And Climate Change?” • The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN has long warned that pressures on land, soils, and fresh water systems are intensifying as they are pushed to the limits of production. Many in the field argue that support for agriculture needs to focus on these same things, not finances. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “AR7 Cash Injection Would Be Cost Neutral” • Doubling the size of the UK’s budget for offshore wind in Allocation Round 7 to £1.8 billion would be cost neutral if capacity is procured at a strike price of £94.50/MWh, analysis by Baringa showed. The study, commissioned by MASDAR, predicted the change could result in around 8 GW clearing the auction. [reNews]

Offshore windpower (insung yoon, Unsplash)

¶ “Indonesia Approves 50-MW Solar Project To Help Power Its Upcoming New Capital” • Indonesia’s new capital city, Ibu Kota Nusantara, will be powered by a solar plus storage project that will be developed by State utility PLN and renewables company Sembcorp. The project will have a 50-MW solar plant and 14.2-MWh battery system. [Energies Media]

¶ “RWE Powers Up A44n Solar Farms” • RWE has commissioned several large-scale solar farms along the A44n motorway in North Rhine-Westphalia with a total installed capacity of 86 MW peak. The plants have about 141,000 solar modules that to supply electricity for the equivalent of 27,700 German households, according to RWE. [reNews]

Renewable energy (RWE image)

¶ “Data Centers Told To Increase Use Of Renewable Energy” • Data centers must meet at least 80% of their annual electricity needs through new renewable-energy projects in the Republic of Ireland, the regulator decided. Data center developers have six years to put the renewable projects in place, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities said. [MSN]

US:

¶ “NLR Analysis Identifies Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage For Data Center Cooling Needs” • In the growth of data center energy consumption, computer servers take the largest share, but cooling systems come in second. A study by researchers at the National Laboratory of the Rockies offers a potential solution to reduce that consumption. [CleanTechnica]

Data center (Dennis Schroeder, NLR)

¶ “US Tesla Sales Drop 23% In November YOY” • Reuters seems to have received exclusive data this week from Cox Automotive showing that it’s looking quite bad for Tesla. Tesla’s November sales in the US were reportedly down 23%, reaching their lowest monthly total since January 2022. Sales were 39,800, down from 51,513 in November 2024. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Report Illuminates Geothermal Cooling Potential In Hawaii” • In areas of recent volcanic activity and ample ground water, geothermal energy is an option for the electric grid. The UHM’s Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center collaborated on the technology with scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. [CleanTechnica]

Oahu (Christine Doughty, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

¶ “‘Magic Balls’ Installed By Drones Could Conquer US Market” • Heimdall Power’s drone-deployed sensors, called “magic balls,” attach to overhead power lines to measure real-time conditions such as temperature, humidity, and line capacity. The data helps utilities better manage how much electricity their grids can carry safely, unlocking extra capacity. [The Cool Down]

¶ “FERC Poised To Issue Decision On Colocating Large Loads In PJM” • The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission plans to issue a decision next week on the PJM Interconnection’s rules for colocating large loads such as data centers at power plants over the range of Chicago to New Jersey, the commission’s agenda for its December 18 open meeting says. [Utility Dive]

Have a satisfyingly happy day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Transition Credits: Philippines Takes Novel Approach To Coal Phase-Out” • The Philippines is testing a new type of carbon credit aimed to urge companies to cut their climate-warming emissions by creating funds that can be used to turn coal-fired power plants into renewable energy facilities. They put value on the future emissions they prevent. [Euronews]

Geothermal plant (Mike Gonzalez, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Drones, Diesel, And Policy: Two Countries, Two Agricultural Futures” • China’s rapid adoption of agricultural drones is one of the most interesting examples of technology use. Chinese pilots are treating land with multiple drone passes on the same fields to handle weeds, pests, fertilizer, and at times, seeding. The contrast with US practice is striking. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Korea Targets 4 GW Of Offshore Wind By 2030” • Korea plans annual offshore wind deployment of 4 GW by 2030 under a new government roadmap. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced the initiative and outlined aims of the includsion of 10.5 GW of cumulative capacity by 2030 and over 25 GW by 2035. [reNews]

Offshore windpower (Doosan image)

¶ “GE Vernova Lands 85-MW Romanian Turbine Deal” • GE Vernova signed an agreement with PPC Renewables to supply fourteen of its 6-MW turbines for a wind farm in Vaslui county, Romania. The company said the deal adds 85 MW to its onshore wind portfolio for Romania. The wind farm is expected to power about 38,000 households. [reNews]

¶ “GE Vernova And Seatrium Win BalWin5 Deal” • GE Vernova and Seatrium signed a contract from TenneT to deliver major elements of the 2-GW BalWin5 offshore grid connection in the German North Sea. The consortium said the project is designed to transmit electricity from offshore wind farms to Germany’s onshore network. [reNews]

Substation (TenneT image)

¶ “Tata Power Renewable Energy Commissions NHPC’s 300 MW Solar Power Project In Bikaner” • Tata Power Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of The Tata Power Company, successfully put into commission NHPC’s landmark 450-MW (DC), 300-MW (AC) DCR-compliant solar power project as the EPC contractor at Karnisar Bhatiyan, Bikaner, Rajasthan. [MSN]

US:

¶ “White House Says US Intends To Keep Seized Tanker’s Oil” • The US intends to take all the oil contained in the tanker seized off the coast of Venezuela, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said as she faced questions on the action. “The vessel will go to a US port and the United States does intend to seize the oil.” Leavitt said. [ABC News]

Generic oil tanker (George E. Koronaios, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Gas Explosion In San Francisco Bay Area Damages Homes, Sends Heavy Smoke Into Air” • A gas explosion set off a major fire in a neighborhood of Hayward, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area. It obliterated at least one home, blowing out windows and shaking nearby houses. Six people were taken to hospitals for injuries, fire officials said. [ABC News]

¶ “Georgia’s Utility Regulator Rushes Deal For Georgia Power Before Public Hearing” • Just an hour before hearing testimony from the public and advocacy groups, the Georgia Public Service Commission posted an agreement approving Georgia Power’s plan to build the most expensive gas plants in the country. It leaves Georgians to foot the bill. [CleanTechnica]

Savannah (Nils Huenerfuerst, Unsplash)

¶ “New Toolkit Helps Communities Push Back Against Big Tech As Data Center Proposals Surge In Wisconsin” • A new toolkit, “Hyperscale Data Centers in Wisconsin: Big Tech Unchecked,” is available to help Wisconsinites protect their communities as Big Tech companies look to build energy-hungry hyperscale data centers in the state. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Peterbilt Unveils New Electric Truck Models While Dispute With California Continues” • There may be a lesson for clean vehicle advocates in an announcement by Peterbilt that it added three electric trucks to its lineup of models. Peterbilt is owned by PACCAR, which is embroiled in a legal dispute with California about emission rules. [CleanTechnica]

Peterbilt electric trucks (Peterbilt image)

¶ “Kentuckians Could Save Billions If Utilities Moved Beyond Fossil Fuels, Study Finds” • A study says Kentucky ratepayers could save billions of dollars through 2050 if electric utilities invested more in renewable energy and energy storage, retired aging coal-fired power plants, and avoided overbuilding power plants that burn natural gas. [Kentucky Lantern]

¶ “Maryland Launches Offshore Wind Procurement” • Maryland launched a fresh procurement for offshore wind capacity, days after a US district court struck down President Donald Trump’s moratorium on offshore wind development. Maryland’s Office of State Procurement invited developers with leases in its waters to submit PPA bids for the state. [reNews]

Ocean City, Maryland (Ocean City image)

¶ “Creekstone Energy Is Studying Nuclear Power To Support World’s Largest Data Center Campus In Utah” • Creekstone Energy signed an MOU with Utah-based EnergySolutions to evaluate potential nuclear power options to support energy needs at Creekstone’s planned data center campus. It is to be the world’s largest when it is complete. [KSL.com]

¶ “California’s Last Nuclear Plant Clears Major Hurdle To Power On” • California environmental regulators struck a deal with Pacific Gas & Electric to extend the life of the state’s last nuclear power plant in exchange for thousands of acres of new land conservation in San Luis Obispo County. The plant provides 9% of the state’s electricity. [AOL.com]

Have a richly endowed day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “A Planet In Peril: UN Calls For Global Climate Investment To Unlock €17 Trillion Benefit By 2070” • The UN Environment Program report ‘A future we choose’ calls for a global change in direction to help secure a healthy planet and “prosperity for all.” We must reshape the economy and environment to deal with climate change. [Euronews]

Beautiful Earth (Courtesy of UNEP)

¶ “Sierra Club Endorses Report Showing Pension Funds Fail To Stop Asset Managers Backing Fossil Fuel Expansion” • Pension funds and other asset owners are exposing clients to growing climate-related financial risks by failing to stop asset managers supporting fossil fuel expansion, according to analysis published by Reclaim Finance. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “T&E, Greenpeace And Twelve Other Organisations Call On The EU To Maintain The Law Promoting Alternatives To Short-Haul Flights” • Article 20 of the EU Air Services Regulation plays a necessary role in avoiding projected emissions growth in the aviation sector. But in the run-up to a revision, industry pressure is mounting to severely limit its scope. [CleanTechnica]

Commuter plane (Miguel Ángel Sanz, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Potentia Secures Financing For 600-MW Portfolio” • Potentia Energy has secured A$830 million ($552.22 million) of financing to support a portfolio of wind, solar, and hydro projects across Australia. The 600-MW of capacity is spread across six projects. The debt is being provided by a group of seven major Australian and international lenders. [reNews]

¶ “DEME To Handle Foundation And Cable Work At BC-Wind” • DEME was awarded three contracts for Ocean Winds’ BC-Wind offshore wind farm in Polish waters. DEME will install monopile foundations, inter-array cables, and the export cable at the 390-MW project. The vessels Orion, Living Stone, and Viking Neptun will take on the installation, DEME said. [reNews]

Orion (DEME image)

¶ “Drax Plans To Turn Coal-Era Power Station Into Data Center By 2027” • Energy generator Drax unveiled plans to develop a data center at its 1,000 acre Yorkshire site in efforts to maximize its value. Drax has been under scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers over its environmental credentials as it burns vast amounts of imported wood pellets. [MSN]

¶ “Sonnedix Seals VW GO Supply Deal” • Sonnedix has signed an agreement with VW Kraftwerk GmbH for the supply of renewable Guarantees of Origin from its 150MW Covatillas PV complex in Spain. The company said the deal entails the delivery of 104 GWh of renewable energy certificates per year for 10 years to support decarbonizing Volkswagen Group. [reNews]

Solar farm and orchard (Sonnedix image)

¶ “ACWA Power And Bapco Energies To Develop 2.8-GW Solar-Storage Project” • ACWA Power and Bapco Energies signed an agreement to develop a solar power plant with battery storage in Saudi Arabia. ACWA Power said the parties committed to jointly develop a solar power plant over several phases, ultimately with a generating capacity of up to 2.8 GW. [Asian Power]

¶ “Renewable Energy Forms 56% Of German Electricity In 2025, Study Finds” • Renewable energies have covered more than half of Germany’s electricity consumption in 2025, a report found. The projection found that renewable energies covered 55.8% of gross electricity consumption this year, an increase from the 55.1% figure in 2024. [Yahoo]

Wind turbine in Germany (Eugen J, Unsplash)

¶ “European Commission Gives Green Light To Building First Nuclear Power Plant In Poland” • The European Commission has approved a support package for the construction and operation of Poland’s first nuclear power plant, declaring it compatible with EU state aid rules. The three-unit NPP is expected to cost around 192 billion złoty ($53,2 billion). [Yahoo News]

US:

¶ “US Government Website Removes Fossil Fuels As Cause Of Global Warming” • The EPA has removed any mention of fossil fuels, the main driver of global warming, from its popular online page explaining the causes of climate change. Now it mentions only natural causes, even though scientists calculate that nearly all of the warming is due to human activity. [Euronews]

Please click on the image to enlarge it (EPA image)

¶ “US Seizes Tanker Off Coast Of Venezuela, Trump Says” • The US seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced, as tensions escalate with the South American nation. “It’s been a very interesting day, from the standpoint of news. As you probably know, we’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela,” he said. [ABC News]

¶ “A New Flow Battery Will Get A Good Look-See From The US DOE” • Among the vanadium flow battery innovators to cross the CleanTechnica radar is the UK firm Invinity Energy Systems. The US DOE has also taken notice. In May of 2024, the agency engaged Invinity to install its flow batteries at six sites in the US on a demonstration basis. [CleanTechnica]

Vanadium flow battery (Courtesy of PNNL)

¶ “Stellantis Says It Will Bring Electric Topolino To US” • The US president recently visited Japan, where he noticed the cute little kei cars. Stellantis people quickly told their headquarters that the president was smitten with cars that are small and “cute.” They quickly announced that they have decided to import the FIAT Topolino into the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “ERCOT’s Market Is Transitioning Toward Storage And Solar” • Battery storage facilities and solar farms powered virtually all capacity growth in Texas’ electric grid in 2025, as the home of the nation’s oil and gas industry created almost twice as much new solar power as California. The additions include 4,500 MW of solar and 5,200 MW of storage. [Inside Climate News]

Have an honestly grand day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “EU Hydrogen Market Hampered By Costly Production And Uncertainty, Energy Regulators Say” • The development of a hydrogen market in the European Union is far from meeting an ambitious 2030 target thanks to high fuel production costs and regulatory uncertainty, according to the latest report from the bloc’s energy regulators. [Euronews]

Toyota Mirai (Siarhei Besarab, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Excessive Heat: Rising Temperatures Are Harming Young Children’s Development” • Children need “urgent” protection from excessive heat as the climate crisis intensifies. Research warns that children exposed to higher temperatures may have delays in their early stages of development, compared to those living in areas with less heat. [Euronews]

¶ “World Must Jointly Tackle Issues Of Climate Change And Pollution, UN Says” • The world needs a new approach to environmental crises threatening the health of people and the planet by adopting policies to jointly tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution, according to a report released by the UN. [ABC News]

United Nations, Geneva (Mathias Reding, Unsplash)

¶ “Ukraine: 39% Battery EV Share!” • Despite being a relatively small market, with 7,910 new light vehicles were registered in November, and the ongoing war, Ukraine is one of the unknown EV share leaders of the world! With over 3,000 new full-battery EVs registered in November, translated into 39% BEV share, few markets beat it. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “ONVO Exec Torches Extended-Range EVs” • Shen Fei, the president of ONVO, NIO’s family-oriented sub-brand, has torn into the concept of extended-range EVs. He says using large batteries together with a fossil-fueled powertrain is “a waste of resources.” Extended range is “unnecessary cost burdens to car manufacturers and consumers.” [CleanTechnica]

ONVO L60 (JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC0 1.0)

¶ “Renewables On Rise As AEMO Lays Out Roadmap For Energy Transition” • The Australian Energy Market Operator says total generation and storage capacity needs to triple from the current 92 GW to 297 GW in 2050. In that time the energy consumption in the nation’s main grid forecast to rise by 90% from 205 TWh now to 389 TWh. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “ABL Backs Ocean Winds On 390-MW BC-Wind” • ABL was appointed to provide marine warranty survey services to support Ocean Winds with construction of the BC-Wind offshore wind farm in Poland. The 390-MW project will feature 26 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-236 turbines across a 90-square-kilometre area in the Baltic Sea. [reNews]

Offshore wind construction (Ocean Winds image)

¶ “CorPower Ocean Leads A €30 Million Wave Energy Push In The UK” • CorPower Ocean was selected to lead the €30 million POWER-Farm EU Project to validate wave energy technology for large-scale deployment in UK waters. The initiative, partly backed by a €19 million Horizon Europe grant, aims to address competitiveness and bankability. [reNews]

¶ “Africa’s Largest Off-Grid Solar-Plus-Storage Project Comes Online In Angola” • Portuguese group MCA commissioned an off-grid renewable energy system with 25.40 MW of solar and 75.26 MWh of storage in Angola. The Cazombo Photovoltaic Park is called the nation’s first and Africa’s largest off-grid renewable energy system. [pv magazine International]

Cazombo PV Park (MCA image)

¶ “Southeast Asia Embraces Offshore Wind Power As Trump Bashes Renewable Energy” • White House policy has put billions of dollars’ worth of US offshore wind projects into turmoil. Now industry interest and investment are looking elsewhere. Analysts say developing regions with good wind resources, like Southeast Asia, have the most to gain. [MSN]

US:

¶ “New Solar-Powered Orbiting Data Centers” • Try as President Trump may to stop solar power’s progress, clever entrepreneurs are simply going behind his back to harvest it from outer space. The latest example is the California-based startup Aetherflux, which has zeroed in on the ability of space solar systems to skip the long wait times. [CleanTechnica]

Orbiting solar panels (Screenshot, courtesy of Aetherflux)

¶ “Heat Pumps Prevail Despite Fickle Federal Policy” • The current occupant of the White House pulled out federal support for the domestic heat pump industry. Nevertheless, just as surely as good prevails over evil, ratepayers are demanding relief from high energy costs, and today’s generation of energy efficient heat pumps is just what is needed. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nordex Notches 1-GW Alliant US Turbine Deal” • Nordex Group has secured contracts from Alliant Energy for up to 190 Delta4000 turbines totaling just over 1 GW for Midwest wind projects. The agreements will take effect following regulatory approvals and cover N133 and N163 machines scheduled for installation in 2028 and 2029, Nordex said. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Nordex image)

¶ “US Delivers 11.7-GW Solar Surge In Q3” • The US added 11.7 GW of solar capacity in the third quarter of 2025, marking the industry’s third-largest quarter on record and pushing the year’s additions over 30 GW. The Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie said 73% of this year’s capacity additions were in states won by President Trump. [reNews]

¶ “Governor Hochul Expands Energy Workforce Commitment With $40 Million For New York’s Advanced Nuclear Energy Workforce” • Governor Kathy Hochul  announced $40 million in annual workforce development funding over the next four years to develop the workforce needed to support advanced nuclear energy in Upstate New York. [LongIsland.com]

Have a generously helpful day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Nation Warns Ongoing Concern With Atlantic Ocean Could Be ‘A Direct Threat … To National Security’: ‘Time is running out'” • Iceland has sounded the alarm regarding the potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, declaring it a national security risk that requires its immediate attention. “We cannot afford to wait.” [The Cool Down]

Vik, Iceland (Jon Flobrant, Unsplash)

¶ “Deep-Sea Mining Tests Impact More Than A Third Of Seabed Animals” • Calls for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining got louder as the results of a five-year-long investigation have been revealed. The Metals Company, which funded the study, says they are “encouraged” by its findings, but Greenpeace was not happy with it. [Euronews]

¶ “Temperature Average For 2023-2025 On Track To Exceed 1.5°, Copernicus Data Reveals” • The global average temperature anomaly for January to November 2025 is 1.48°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline. It is currently beaten only by 2024, the first year to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, according to Copernicus. [Euronews]

Heat (Jonas Weckschmied, Unsplash)

¶ “New Syncraft Powerplant Being Built In Partnership With Procarbic” • In Zwickau, Germany, construction is starting on a new Syncraft Climate Positive Powerplant that will turn regional forest waste into renewable energy and green carbon. The project is led by BiokohlenWerk Zwickau and is coordinated by Procarbic Management. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “So-Called Technology Neutrality Is Not The Solution To The Car Industry’s Issues” • Next week, an EU announcement will decide the fate of its car industry. The industry and its political allies want ‘technology neutrality’, so they can keep selling combustion cars after 2035. This short-term strategy will have devastating consequences. [CleanTechnica]

BMW at sunset (Tyler Clemmensen, Unsplash)

¶ “Record Battery Discharge Supports Irish Power System” • Provisional EirGrid data shows renewables supplied around 41% of Ireland’s electricity in November. The operator said wind provided 35% of all electricity used, totalling 1,067 GWh. Other renewables including solar and hydropower brought the overall clean energy share to 41%. [reNews]

¶ “Vattenfall And Cemvision Seal Near-Zero Cement Deal In Europe” • Vattenfall and Cemvision have signed an agreement to supply near-zero-carbon cement for onshore wind infrastructure in Europe from 2028. Cemvision’s Re-ment Massive product will be prioritised for use in Vattenfall’s projects. It could cut CO₂ emissions by up to 95%. [reNews]

Turbine base (Vattenfall image)

¶ “University Of Aberdeen Invests £1 Million In Geothermal Pilot” • The University of Aberdeen has secured a public grant of £1 million for the Aberdeen Geothermal Feasibility Pilot, an ambitious city-wide geothermal feasibility pilot study to explore Aberdeen’s geological potential and pave the way for low-carbon heating solutions. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Equinor Starts Brazil Solar-Wind Hybrid” • Equinor and its Brazilian subsidiary Rio Energy have begun commercial power production at the Serra da Babilonia Solar facility, creating the company’s first hybrid power asset. The company said the 140-MW solar site is co-located with the 223-MW Serra da Babilonia Wind complex. [reNews]

Hybrid power plant (Rio Energy image)

¶ “State Moves Ahead On New Wind Farm And Indigenous-Backed Energy Parks” • Two renewable energy projects proposed for Western Australia took important next steps forward in the race to meet the state government’s pledge to quit coal by the end of the decade. The state is committed to closing its publicly-owned coal plants by 2029. [Renew Economy]

US:

¶ “Federal Judge Vacates Illegal Offshore Wind Order, Says Wind Foes Are ‘Tilting At Windmills'” • A federal judge declared a key part of President Trump’s notorious Offshore Wind Order of January 20 null and void. On December 8 the US District Court District Of Massachusetts, in Boston, determined that all the evidence points to its illegality. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore windpower (NREL image)

¶ “Waymo Drives Right Into Police Scene, And Golf Course” • Robotaxis may be much safer drivers than most humans, but there are still a variety of edge cases where humans would have handled a situation better. The latest example may be a case that is “funny,” but it has warnings that Waymo should take seriously and try to address. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Panasonic To Supply Batteries For Zoox” • Zoox, the robotaxi startup owned by Amazon, has expanded a bit recently. In fact it has scaled up enough that it needed to secure an EV battery supplier for more EV production. Starting in early 2026, Zoox will be receiving batteries from Panasonic Energy, using 2170 cylindrical batteries. [CleanTechnica]

Zoox in Las Vegas

¶ “AI Strengthens Investor Confidence In Renewables” • The value of the renewable energy sector is no longer defined just by installed capacity, but increasingly by data, algorithms, and AI that support it. It is going into a new phase. And investors will require higher levels of predictability, transparency, and long-term performance. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “Secretary Of Energy Supports Quadrupling US Nuclear Power Generation” • Energy Secretary Chris Wright touted the Trump administration’s efforts to “unleash the next American Nuclear Renaissance,” affirming his support for a four-fold expansion of America’s nuclear energy capacity in the next 25 years during a tour of Idaho National Laboratory. [Local News 8]

Have a cozily warm day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Zeekr Enters Germany” • Germany is the biggest auto market in Europe. With Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, and Mercedes based there, one might think it’s just Germans buying German cars, but there’s a lot of opportunity for other brands as well, especially as buyers transition to EVs. Now Zeekr, owned by China’s Geely Group, is pushing the door open. [CleanTechnica]

Zeekr 7X

¶ “China-Funded Port In Peru May Have Ecological Drawbacks” • A new port facility at Chancay, Peru, is the result of nearly two decades of planning and makes Peru South America’s primary transfer point for goods going to and from Asia. It will increase climate impacts in a part of the world where deforestation is of constant concern. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “European Energy Wins Solar CFDs In Italy” • European Energy has secured Contract for Difference for five solar projects totaling 513 MW in Sicily, Apulia, and Molise. The projects range from 20 MW to 225 MW and form a major PV pipeline under the FerX auction scheme. The awards provide predictable price structures during operations. [reNews]

Solar array (European Energy image)

¶ “NKT JV Opens Taiwan Offshore Cable Factory” • A joint venture between NKT and Walsin Lihwa opened Taiwan’s first offshore power cable factory in Kaohsiung. The Walsin Energy Cable System facility covers 231,000 square metres with a 50-meter extrusion tower and will produce AC power cables for the offshore wind market, the partners said. [reNews]

¶ “UK Marks 25 years Of Offshore Wind” • On December 8, 2025, the UK marks 25 years since the Blyth offshore wind farm in Northumberland began generating clean power, launching an industry which has become one of the country’s biggest sources of renewable electricity. Offshore wind produced a record 17% of total UK power last year. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (EDF image)

¶ “NESO Grid Reforms Unlock 132 GW For 2030” • NESO has confirmed a new pipeline of shovel-ready projects that will be prioritised for connection to the UK’s grid networks, unlocking 283 GW of generation and storage and 99 GW of transmission demand. In total, 132 GW of projects are aligned with delivery of the UK’s Clean Power 2030 target. [reNews]

¶ “Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub To Boost Victoria’s Grid Capacity” • The Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub battery project, jointly owned by the State Electricity Commission and Equis Australia, is now supplying stored electricity to Victorian households and businesses. The battery project has capacities of 600 MW and 1.6 GWh. [Power Technology]

Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub (SEC image)

¶ “Squadron Secures $1 Billion For Wind Farm” • Andrew Forrest’s Squadron Energy secured one of the most significant wind financing deals in recent memory, with $1 billion locked away for the Clarke Creek wind farm in Queensland. Squadron attracted the interest of ten banking partners for what is one of Australia’s largest wind projects. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “How More Wind And Batteries Push Electricity Prices Down, Even While Gas Prices Stay High” • Electricity price increases are less than those for other goods and services, and do not even rate in the top ten, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Consumer Price Index data for 2020 to today. And power rates have increased with the price of gas. [Renew Economy]

Bodangora wind farm (NSW government image, cropped)

¶ “Severe Damage To Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure After Massive Russian Drone, Missile Strike” • A Russian mass missile and drone attack hammered Ukraine’s energy infrastructure again, hitting substations, generation facilities, and disconnecting one of the power lines that supplies the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. [The Kyiv Independent]

¶ “IAEA Calls For Repair Work On Chornobyl Sarcophagus” • UN nuclear watchdog inspectors visited Ukraine to assess the status of key electrical substations. They said that the protective structure surrounding the exploded reactor at Chornobyl can no longer perform its main function of blocking radiation, after a Russian drone strike earlier this year. [Kyiv Post]

Chernobyl sarcophagus (Mick De Paola, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Destined To Fail: False Assumptions On Climate, Trade, And Society Cripple US Security Strategy” • The 2025 US national security strategy, released on December 4th, tries to present a unified view of American power but the foundation it is based on political viewpoints instead of the realities of physical, economic, and geopolitical forces. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Floating Solar Revolution: Death By A Thousand Cuts For Fossil Fuels” • Despite this year’s sharp U-turn in federal energy policy, the renewable energy transition keeps branching out in new directions. One emerging factor is the relatively new area of floating solar. Creative solar firms are starting to take advantage of its new opportunities. [CleanTechnica]

PVs on an irrigation pond (SPG Solar, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “US Adds 21.2 GW Of Solar Through September 2025” • The US added 21.2 GW of solar through September 2025,  FERC said, up from 20 GW for the same period of 2024. Now, natural gas has the largest share of grid capacity (42.2%), followed by coal (14.61%), wind (11.8%), solar (11.78%), nuclear (7.8%), hydropower (7.6%), and then others. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Arizona Commission’s Vice Chair Insists Renewable Energy Push Won’t Raise Public Utility Bills” • In a move to ensure that the rush towards sustainable energy doesn’t saddle everyday folks with extra costs, Arizona Corporation Commission Vice Chair Nick Myers took a stand regarding a new data center’s vow to go 100% renewable. [Hoodline]

Have a nicely organized day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Is The Winter Of The Century Coming? Experts See Chance Of Arctic Cold Spells” • Meteorologists say the polar vortex will be weaker than usual this winter. For some places like Germany, this will most likely mean a cold winter with Arctic cold spells. Experts are currently still divided, but warn it could be especially frosty after Christmas. [Euronews]

Stuttgart in winter (Urlaubstracker, Unsplash)

¶ “Uzbekistan Proves The Folly Of US Fossil Fuel Madness” • While the US is hell bent on forcing its fossil fuels down the throats of other nations, Uzbekistan is showing the way toward a renewable energy future. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, just celebrated the start of construction for new energy facilities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How Students Can Build A Career In Solar Power” •vAs the global climate crisis accelerates, the transition to clean energy is no longer a distant goal; it’s an urgent imperative. For students looking to build a meaningful career while contributing to a sustainable future, the solar industry offers a lot of opportunities. But how do they do that? [The Hindu]

Solar workers (Wayne National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “India’s Green Corridors: Building The Next-Gen Grid To Power A 500-GW Renewable Future” • India’s clean energy transition has entered a crucial phase as the nation advances toward its target of 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030. Clean power is only part of the challenge. Delivering it reliably requires a modern, intelligent grid. [Times Kuwait]

¶ “New Energy Policy Focuses On Grid Storage” • Shri Santosh Sarangi, Union Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, affirmed that India has successfully achieved its COP26 commitment to secure 50% of its installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, five years ahead of schedule. Now it needs to focus on storage. [Tathya]

Microgrid with storage (Munro89, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Russia Unleashes Massive Drone And Missile Attack On Ukraine As Diplomatic Talks Continue” • Russia unleashed a major attack on Ukraine overnight into Saturday, after US and Ukrainian officials said they’ll meet for a third day of talks aimed at ending the nearly 4-year-old war. The Russian attack was to a large degree on power plants. [AOL News]

¶ “How Mexico Revived Its Renewable Energy Sector” • After years of energy policy that focused on greater nationalisation, the door is once again open in Mexico for private participation. This is expected to include the development of  number of green energy projects and to attract investment from various firms worldwide. [OilPrice.com]

Solar array in Mexico (Oscar Cavazos, CC BY-SA 4.0, copped)

US:

¶ “How Outdated Engineering Models Distort Today’s EV And Road Charges Debate” • The idea that EVs create meaningful additional road damage because they weigh more does not stand up well when set beside contemporary engineering research. Only the heaviest commercial vehicles push pavements toward their design limits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Largest Utah Coal Plant Goes Quiet As Los Angeles Goes Coal-Free” • Utah’s largest coal-fired power plant, the Intermountain Power Project in the Great Basin region of western Utah and serves primarily southern California, is no longer operating. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power quietly pulled the plug just before Thanksgiving. [CleanTechnica]

IPP (Braddah n8, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “New Bio-Inspired ‘Super Bricks’ Suck Up Carbon” • A research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute calculates that their new alternative building material sequesters 6.1 kg of carbon per cubic meter during the production process. In contrast, making conventional concrete emits approximately 330 kg of carbon during production. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “DOE Bets Big On Costly SMRs” • Last week, the US DOE made two substantial financial awards to two SMR builders who each proposed 300-MW units. TVA’s estimate that its new 300-MW facility would cost $5.3 billion, or $18,000/kW. This is roughly six times the cost of new gas-fired power plants, which the TVA is also building. [MSN]

Have a really inspired day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “How Climate Change Became The Property Market’s Biggest Nightmare” • From plummeting house prices to uninsurable homes, climate change is impacting the property market around the world. Risks fueled by climate change have now become a “crucial factor in home-buying decisions” for more than 80% of potential buyers. [Euronews]

Real estate (Breno Assis, Unsplash)

¶ “After Decades Of Deforestation, Asia’s Floods Were Among The Deadliest Weather Events Of 2025” • Record-breaking rain and storm surges triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia last week. The UN says the disaster is one of the deadliest weather patterns in southeastern Asia in recent years. [Euronews]

¶ “Uzbekistan Launches €9.46 Billion Green Energy Push” • With international partners behind an Uzbek energy transformation, the country unveiled 42 renewable, storage, and grid projects. The government says green energy generation will reach 23,ooo GWh, enough to provide for the entire annual consumption of the country’s population. [Euronews]

Uzbekistan (Artem Bryzgalov, Unsplash)

¶ “Tesla Sales Drop 19% In UK, While BYD Sales More Than Triple” • Tesla sales dropped in some markets this year, dropped even more in other markets, and risen in a few. At times, the UK has been one of Tesla’s bright spots. However, the trend lately is downward again, and sales were bad in November. Meanwhile, BYD sales more than tripled. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Member States Seize Last Chance To Unlock Clean Truck Deal” • After more than two years of deadlock EU government ministers have finally unlocked negotiations on rules to grant trucks extra weight to accommodate heavier clean technologies. This was the last chance to move forward with the file, and clears the way for trilogue talks. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo electric trucks (Courtesy of Volvo)

¶ “Denmark’s Second Largest PV Plant Goes Online” • Swedish independent power producer Alight switched on the 215-MW Lidsø solar park in the southern municipality of Lolland. It is billed as Denmark’s second largest to date. “The park includes around 350,000 solar panels, and more than 1,700 sheep grazing all year round.” [pv magazine International]

¶ “Windanker Topside Sets Sail For The Baltic Sea” • The offshore substation for Iberdrola’s 315-MW Windanker wind farm in the German Baltic Sea was shipped out for installation after completion of the topside and its jacket foundation. The 4,500-tonne topside left HSM’s Stormpolder yard and went out through central Rotterdam. [reNews]

Topside under way (HSM image)

¶ “Comprehensive Clean-Up Of The Chernobyl Shell Necessary” • The protective shell around the damaged Chernobyl nuclear power plant needs to be extensively renovated in the near future. In its latest safety assessment, the IAEA said the hull had lost its primary protective functions, including containment capability, in a drone strike. [blue News]

¶ “Solar Push of 129-GW Takes Non-Fossil Share Beyond 50% Of Total Installed Capacity” • A surge in solar installations over the past decade was pivotal in doubling India’s installed electricity capacity. Solar capacity stands at 129 GW, and the total non-fossil generating capacity went past 259 GW to be over 50 % of India’s total installed power capacity. [pib.gov.in]

Solar Plant, Maharashtra (Thomas Lloyd Group, CC BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Trump EPA Opens The Door For More Haze Pollution In Texas” • The EPA approved two do-nothing haze pollution plans from the Texas government, ignoring public pleas to reduce the harmful haze pollution that sickens people. Wealthy coal plant owners have permission to avoid installing readily available pollution controls. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Jaguar Spotted In Arizona Points To Progress In Recovery Of Endangered Species” • Researchers at the University of Arizona says they spotted a big cat for the fifth time in fifteen years after one crossed the US-Mexico border. The animal was seen at a watering hole it visited in November. Its distinctive spots showed it had not been seen before. [ABC News]

Jaguar (James Lee, Unsplash)

¶ “US Startup Heats Up The Solid State EV Race, CAFE Or No CAFE” • Even with a pledged US rollback of Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, some companies are pursuing realistic visions of the future. Among the solid state innovators attracting attention from the auto industry is the Massachusetts-based startup Factorial Energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Admin Invests $800 Million In Latest Move To Bolster US Nuclear Industry” • In the race to build America’s first small modular reactors, the DOE picked its front-runners. The agency awarded a total of $800 million in grants, originally allocated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to two projects developing light-water reactors. [Canary Media]

Have a wonderfully reasonable day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “Study On Catastrophic Cost Of Climate Change Retracted, Though Revised Figures Remain Alarming” • A highly publicised study on the catastrophic costs of climate change was retracted after heavy criticism of its methodology. The study originally predicted a 19% fall in global income by 2050 due to climate change. That figure was revised to 17%. [Euronews]

Emissions (Ella Ivanescu, Unsplash)

¶ “From Extreme Heat To Poor Mental Health: How Climate Change Is Harming The Workplace” • Over a billion workers are exposed to high heat episodes, and almost a third of them have negative health effects. Leading scientists and epidemiologists found that climate change was responsible for tripling the death toll from Europe’s heatwaves deaths. [Euronews]

¶ “Norway Halts Deep-Sea Mining Until 2029” • Norway has postponed controversial deep–sea mining plans, a delay some environmentalists say must be “the nail in the coffin” for the industry. The country’s Labour government confirmed it will not issue licenses for deep-sea mining during the current legislative term, which doesn’t end until 2029. [Euronews]

Hughes Glomar Explorer (Tequask, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Geopolitical Developments Contribute to Elevated Diesel Prices” • Global refinery margins for diesel have increased to their highest level all year since late October, following refinery outages in Russia and in the Middle East. New sanctions on Russia’s crude oil also led to limited refinery production and a lower global diesel supply. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “SRE Signs Taiwan CPPA For Formosa 4” • Synera Renewable Energy signed a long-term corporate power purchase agreement in Taiwan for a portion of the 495-MW Formosa 4 wind farm. The CPPA was concluded with the island’s government-backed electricity aggregator Taiwan Smart Electricity & Energy, which will trade it with a range of offtakers. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (SRE Group image)

¶ “Aurora Says 43-GW Offshore Goal Is Cost Neutral” • Aurora Energy Research found that the UK can deliver its 43 GW offshore wind target “cost-neutral for billpayers over the next ten years” if AR7 procures capacity priced up to £94/MWh ($125.37/MWh). The study, commissioned by RWE, also highlighted wider gains from hitting the goal. [reNews]

¶ “Van Oord Hits Monopile Milestone At Windanker” • Van Oord has completed the transport and installation of all 21 monopiles at Iberdrola’s 315-MW Windanker offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea. The monopiles, manufactured by a joint venture between Navantia and Windar, have a diameter of 10 meters and weigh of up to 2,145 tonnes. [reNews]

Installing a monopile (Iberdrola image)

¶ “Integrating Solar And Storage For Industrial Users: Lessons From Early Projects In Gujarat ” • Gujarat’s leadership in renewable deployment is extending into the field of solar plus storage, with direct implications for industrial power users. It provides numerous early examples of how solar and storage can work together in practice. [pv magazine India]

¶ “GE Vernova Signs Agreement For 42 Wind Turbines With Greenvolt” • GE Vernova signed an agreement with Greenvolt Power to supply onshore wind turbines for the Gurbanesti wind farm in Călărași county, Romania. The contractual scope covers the supply, installation, and commissioning of 42 turbines, each of 6.1-MW. [Power Technology]

Wind turbine (GE Vernova image)

¶ “Vladimir Putin In India LIVE Updates: PM Modi Says ‘Trust’ Is The Greatest Strength Of India-Russia Relations” • Russian President Vladimir Putin is in New Delhi for his two-day India visit, where he is in summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. They are expected to numerous topics, including civil nuclear energy. [NDTV]

US:

¶ “Groups File Lawsuit Challenging Trump EPA Final Rule That Delays Methane Pollution Protections” • Health, environment, and community groups filed a lawsuit in the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit challenging the Trump EPA’s unlawful final rule to delay protections against methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. [CleanTechnica]

Gas flares (JPeischl, NOAA)

¶ “Solar Companies Urge Congress to Work with DOI to Unleash American Solar Energy; Ensure Certainty, Equal Treatment of All Energy Sources in Permitting Reform” • In a letter, 143 solar energy companies urged both houses of Congress to work with the Department of the Interior to address the July DOI memo that favors specific energy sources. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sierra Club Statement On Arctic Refuge CRA Vote” • A Senate resolution disapproves a 2024 Record of Decision for the Arctic Refuge oil and gas leasing program. It threatens millions of acres of national public lands in the Arctic, critical habitat for caribou, migratory birds, polar bears, and other species. It went to the president to be signed. [CleanTechnica]

Arctic fox (Jonatan Pie, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Lieutenant Governor-Elect Backs Energy Policy Ideas Aimed To Cut Costs” • Ahead of the 2026 General Assembly legislative session, Lt Gov-elect Ghazala Hashmi joined environmentalists from the National Resource Defense Council and Evergreen Collaborative to share policy ideas they believe will put money back in consumers’ pockets. [Virginia Mercury]

¶ “Trump’s Plan For AI Dominance Threatened By His Own Attacks On Solar, Wind Power” • The Trump administration is moving to fast-track the construction of power-hungry data centers as a matter of national security. At the same time, it’s adding roadblocks for new solar and wind farms. But the two policies could be at odds. [The Detroit News]

Have a fabulously amazing day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “EU Lawmakers Agree To Ban Russian Gas Imports By 2027” • The EU is trying to end all energy dependency on Moscow and to stop financing its war against Ukraine. The EU will ban gas from Russian sources, both pipelines and liquefied natural gas, from entering the bloc by mid-2027 but with exceptions for Hungary and Slovakia. [Euronews]

LNG carrier (Daniil Serhiyevich, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Why Are European Natural Gas Prices Tumbling Despite The Cold Winter?” • European natural gas prices have fallen sharply in recent days, as surging US LNG flows flood the market. The Dutch Title Transfer Facility benchmark dropping below €28/MWh, a level not seen since April 2024. European gas prices are down more than 45%. [Euronews]

¶ “Monsoon Season Or Climate Disaster? What’s Driving Asia’s Flash Floods As Death Toll Hits 1,400” • More than 1,400 people were killed after record-breaking rainfall and storm surges across parts of Asia. Experts have pointed towards global warming as a cause of the worsening the impact of floods, along with human actions such as forest cutting. [Euronews]

Indonesian flood (Iqro Rinaldi, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Turkey’s Energy Minister Warns Of Threat To Oil And Gas Supplies” • Turkey’s energy minister called for the oil and gas supply in the Black Sea to be protected after three Russian fuel tankers were targeted off the Turkish coast. Turkey is concerned by the threat to undersea pipelines that carry natural gas from Russia to Turkey also. [ABC News]

¶ “NCP Chlorchem And Terra Firma Start One Of South Africa’s Largest Behind-The-Meter Solar Projects” • NCP Chlorchem, a chemical producer, and Terra Firma, a developer of solar and batteries, started a 27-MW multi-phase solar project. It will be one of the largest standalone behind-the-meter industrial installations in South Africa. [CleanTechnica]

Solar installation (Terra Firma image)

¶ “Tesla Lobbying UK on EV Policies … as Trump Guts Critical US Auto Policy” • The Guardian reports that Tesla was “privately warning” the UK government that its plans to water down EV policies will hurt EV sales and make it harder for the UK to reach its climate goals. We should note that Tesla has been trying to use its influence to have wise policy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ørsted’s Borkum Riffgrund 3 Delivers First Power” • Orsted’s 913-MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 is now feeding power into the grid. Borkum Riffgrund 3 is about 72 km off the coast in the German North Sea. It has 83 Siemens Gamesa turbines, each with 11-MW capacity. It connects to the grid through the DolWin epsilon offshore converter platform. [reNews]

Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm (Ørsted image)

¶ “FY2029 Renewable Energy Construction Spending To Peak At $23 Billion” • Over the five years starting in 2025, Australia is projected to add an average of 8.9 GW of new renewable capacity each year, more than triple the 2.7 GW annual average of the past five years, according to the report, Renewable Energy Construction Outlook – Australia. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “UK Approves The 190-MW Helios Solar Project” • The UK government granted planning permission to Enso Energy and Cero Generation for the 190-MW Helios solar farm in North Yorkshire. The array, which will be co-located with a battery energy storage system, will connect to the grid via underground cable at the nearby Drax power station. [reNews]

Solar panels (Chelsea, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Does Miliband’s ‘Golden Age Of Nuclear’ Blind The UK To A Future Renewable Dream?” • To most, “renewable energy”brings images of wind farms and hydroelectric dams. For Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, “renewable energy” seems to mean nuclear power plants. That is not equal to “environmentally sustainable” with hope for a clean energy future. [Palatinate]

US:

¶ “Car Crashes Are A Public Health Crisis. Autonomous Cars Are The Cure” • A report by Waymo has data on nearly 100 million driverless miles in four US cities. Compared to the experience of human drivers on the same roads, Waymo self-driving cars were involved in 80% fewer crashes causing injury and 91% fewer with serious injury or fatality. [CleanTechnica]

Wreck (Scott Greer, Unsplash)

¶ “Inside The Shop Building The World’s Quickest Classic Minis” • In California, Electric Classic Cars has been working closely with Gildred Racing on their “Super Cooper” program. They rework the iconic Mini by swapping its wheezy original 40 hp four-cylinder engine with a 300 hp Tesla motor, making it an entirely different animal. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Rare Win For Renewable Energy: The Trump Administration Funds Geothermal Network Expansion” • The US DOE approved an $8.6 million grant that allows the first utility-led geothermal heating and cooling network to double in size. Co-recipients of the award are Eversource Energy, the city of Framingham, and the Boston non-profit HEET. [Ars Technica]

Geothermal plant (Ásgeir Eggertsson, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “BOEM Reviewing 2.6-GW New England Offshore Permit” • The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management asked a federal court to stall a lawsuit against the construction permit for the 2,600-MW New England Wind offshore wind project off the coast of Massachusetts. BOEM wants the lawsuit stalled while the it reconsiders the project’s permits. [reNews]

¶ “Tech Maven Bashes Nuclear Stocks And Shares The Real Way To Play AI’s Energy Boom” • Investment manager Paul Wick cited Oklo Inc and NuScale Power Corp as two companies that are working to develop nuclear power technology with little or no revenue but “lots of news releases.” He cited Bloom Energy Corp, a fuel cells maker, as an opportunity. [MSN]

Have a conscientiously sensible day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

World:

¶ “A Decade Of Climate Court Cases” • Governments worldwide  are being forced by a “surge” in climate litigation to set out clear rules for action. A report from the Climate Litigation Network shows how ten years of court cases helped establish “binding legal duties” for leaders and big polluters to help protect citizens from climate harm. [Euronews]

Justice (Tingey Injury Law Firm, Unsplash)

¶ “India’s Oil Imports Will Be On The Agenda For Putin Meeting With Modi” • Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to India this week for a summit aimed at deepening economic, defense and energy ties, a visit that will also test New Delhi’s efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington as the war in Ukraine grinds on. [ABC News]

¶ “Global EV Sales Report: Tiny Wuling Mini Beats Tesla Model Y!!!” • Despite the expected hangover in the US market, down almost 50% year over year in October, global plugin vehicle registrations were up 10% compared to October 2024. There were over 1.9 million registrations. Battery EV sales grew 19% YOY, while plugin hybrids fell by 5%. [CleanTechnica]

Wuling Mini EV (JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC01)

¶ “BYD Commercial Electric Vehicle Sales Up 213% in 2025” • BYD’s having mixed results with plugin passenger vehicle sales lately, with plugin hybrids dropping while full electrics continue to rise. In the commercial vehicle sector, there’s a little bit of an up-and-down matter in one segment, but the overall trend is very positive, growing 213%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nordex Lands 118-MW Turbine Deal In Poland” • The Nordex Group took an order from an international independent power producer for twenty N149/5X turbines for a 118-MW project in Poland. Nordex said the contract includes a Premium Service Agreement for up to fifteen years. Nordex has already installed over 600 turbines for 1.7 GW in Poland. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Nordex image)

¶ “China’s Renewable Energy Boom Has Its Own Challenges. Here’s What We Can Learn” • China is the world’s  largest energy consumer and greenhouse gas emitter. It is also undergoing an ambitious energy transitions. The country is rapidly reshaping its power system to accommodate a new generation of clean energy. [The World Economic Forum]

¶ “Permit Filing Ready For Irish Offshore Wind Port” • Iarnrod Eireann will lodge a planning application for the €220 million Rosslare Offshore Renewable Energy Hub. The project will make Rosslare Europort into Ireland’s primary base for construction, operation, and maintenance of offshore wind farms in the Irish and Celtic Seas, the company said. [reNews]

Site of energy hub (Iarnrod Eireann image)

¶ “Project Incentives To Boost Egypt’s Renewable Energy To 65%” • Egypt is banking on project incentives to boost the share of renewables in its energy mix to 42% by 2030 and 65% by 2040, the Arab country’s electricity and renewable energy minister said. Mahmud Esmat said that one of the incentives is long-term power purchase agreements. [ZAWYA]

¶ “McDonald’s UK Inks 66-MW Wind PPA” • McDonald’s UK has signed a 15-year corporate PPA for all power generated by the 66-MW Douglas West Extension Wind Farm in Scotland. The project, which is owned by Capital Dynamics, is expected to start operations in the first quarter of 2026. McDonald’s will procure 100% of its electricity. [reNews]

Wind turbine (ENGIE image)

¶ “Data Centers Urged To Bring Their Own Wind, Solar, And Big Batteries So They Don’t Trip The Grid” • Global tech giants planning to spend tens of billions of dollars in data centers in Australia will be expected to bring their own renewable and battery storage supplies to support their energy-hungry facilities, industry minister Tim Ayres said. [Renew Economy]

US:

¶ “‘Big Short’ Investor Michael Burry Says Tesla ‘Ridiculously Overvalued'” • An investor with quite a strong track record is chiming in on Tesla stock, and he’s clearly not bullish about it. Michael Burry, who is a famous investor at the center of the book and movie “The Big Short,” has claimed that Tesla stock is “ridiculously overvalued.” [CleanTechnica]

Tesla in orbit (SpaceX, public domain)

¶ “Virtual Power Plants Thwart Plot Against Renewables” • This year the White House has turned sharply against wind and solar power, but the US renewable energy transition is unstoppable. Solar plus storage keeps on adding new capacity to the grid. Even wind has been growing a bit. Now virtual power plants gathering the vast renewable potential. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Massive Data Centers May Make Groundwater Pollution Worse” • Data centers are environmental disaster areas. Not only do they need electricity that is typically sourced from fossil fuels or nuclear, they also tend to suck up huge amounts of water for cooling. Much of that is recycled, but in some cases pollutants in the source water get concentrated. [CleanTechnica]

Amazon data center (Amazon image)

¶ “Terra-Gen Closes Financing For Lockhart III & IV Solar Project In US” • Renewable energy producer Terra-Gen closed project financing for the Lockhart III & IV solar development in San Bernardino County, California. The project’s total financing package amounts to $383 million, the largest part of which is a $236 million tax equity bridge loan. [Power Technology]

¶ “Country’s First Small Modular Reactor To Be Developed In East Tennessee” • Governor Bill Lee announced the first US small modular reactor set to be developed in East Tennessee. Lee said the Tennessee Valley Authority had been selected for a $400 million grant from the US DOE to advance the development of the small modular reactor. [WVLT]

Have an unusually invigorating day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.