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World:

¶ “Billions At Risk Of Extreme Heat In The Workplace” • Billions of workers worldwide need better protection from extreme heat as they work, a joint report by the World Health Organisation and the World Meteorological Organisation has found. Over 2.4 billion workers, 71% of all workers, are exposed to excessive heat, partly due to climate change. [Euronews]

Baking muffins (Taylor Grote, Unsplash)

¶ “What To Know About China’s New Regulations On Rare Earths” • China released new interim measures tightening controls on mining and processing of rare earth metals. China has been gradually tightening restrictions on exports of such materials, partly in response to US controls on its access to American advanced technology. [ABC News]

¶ “China Races To Build The World’s Largest Solar Farm To Meet Emissions Targets” • Chinese government officials showed off what they say will be the world’s largest solar farm, high on a Tibetan plateau. It will cover 610 km², which is about the size of the city of Chicago. As China is installing solar panels, its carbon emissions have started falling. [Euronews]

Tibetan plateau (Jiasong Huang, Unsplash)

¶ “Have We Reached Peak BYD? July 2025 China EV Sales Report” • July saw the Chinese EV market continue its growth, with plugins scoring close to a million sales in July in market with 1.8 million sales. Battery EVs are up 26% to over 607,000 units, or 34% of overall sales, while PHEVs were actually down. Plugins had 54% market share. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Syncraft Builds New Climate-Positive Power Plant In Wallern, Austria” • Ground was broken in Wallern, Upper Austria for a Syncraft climate-positive power plant. This facility will convert regional forest residues into baseload clean electricity, heat, and carbon removal, moving energy forward and removing carbon from the atmosphere. [CleanTechnica]

Syncraft plant (Syncraft image)

¶ “Global EV Patent Counts are Growing, with BYD in the Lead” • Li Yunfei, General Manager of BYD Group’s Brand and Public Relations Department, showed BYD well ahead in the global patent count for EVs. BYD has over 120,000 R&D engineers, and they submit an average of 45 patent applications and have 20 patents awarded per day. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Study Finds Space Solar Power Could Make Europe Net-Zero” • Space could play a key role in helping the EU reach its goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050, a study says. Researchers from King’s College London and Xi’an Jiaotong University proposed that space-based solar power could account for 80% of Europe’s renewable energy by the EU’s deadline. [Payload Space]

Solar panels on the ISS (NASA image)

US:

¶ “California’s Long-Delayed Bullet Train Slated To Run In The Central Valley By 2032” • California’s long-delayed high-speed rail project could be operating in the Central Valley by 2032, but it is far short of securing the funding it needs to connect up north toward the San Francisco Bay Area and south toward Los Angeles, a report by officials says. [ABC News]

¶ “The Global Space Solar Race Is Heating Up, And NASA Holds The Keys” • The emerging field of space solar should have a spot on the federal energy policy to-do list, considering its potential for 24/7 power generation. NASA also has two technologies in the works that researchers have identified as keys to unlocking solar power based in space. [CleanTechnica]

Space-based solar technology (Courtesy of CalTech)

¶ “Eco-dynamic Solar Awnings Make It Easy For RVs To Capture More Sunshine” • Eco-dynamic’s solar awnings are much like a traditional roll-up shade awning for RVs, but with integrated, flexible solar panels that are designed to withstand the rigors of RV life and the wide range of weather conditions that come with it. The awnings can be sized widthwise. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Administration Stops Construction On 80% Complete Offshore Wind Farm” • Only days after Ørsted reported that its 704-MW Revolution Wind was 80% compled, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a stop-work order halting all offshore construction activities on the project. [OffshoreWIND.biz]

Ørsted blade loadout (Ørsted image)

¶ “Governor Signs Bills To Boost Solar Generation And Battery Storage” • Governor Phil Murphy signed two bills to boost New Jersey’s renewable energy capacity. One allows state energy regulators to register 3,000 MW additional community solar capacity; the other creates an incentive program to build 1,000 MW of battery storage by 2030. [New Jersey Monitor]

¶ “Mile High City Sparks Fury Over Plan For One Of America’s Busiest Airports” • Bosses at one of America’s busiest airports sparked fury by unveiling controversial plans to explore using nuclear energy. Leaders at Denver International Airport made the announcement earlier this month, sparking a backlash from locals who say they were never consulted. [Daily Mail]

Have an absolutely perfect day.

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World:

¶ “Why Is Arctic Sea Ice Melting More Slowly Despite Global Warming?” • Arctic sea ice has been melting at a slower rate over the last 20 years, despite human-caused global warming, new research has found. Experts say this pause shouldn’t be mistaken for recovery, as Arctic sea ice coverage is still much lower than it was in the 1980s. [Euronews]

Arctic (Annie Spratt, Unsplash)

¶ “Toyota And Mazda Start Tests of Energy Storage System Using EV Batteries” • For a test, the power at Mazda’s headquarters campus and Toyota’s system to utilize batteries from EVs will be connected through their energy management systems. This will make it possible to the verify stable, high-quality, and efficient charging and discharging. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vineyards Begin 2025 Harvest Early After Hot Temperatures” • French winemakers were forced to bring forward the 2025 harvest earlier after heat made grapes ripen earlier than in the traditional wine harvesting season of September to October. Harvesters in Château Carbonnieux found temperatures near 40°C strained white wine grape clusters. [Euronews]

Wines of Château Carbonnieux (Chlescuyer, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “When Will Battery Prices Fall, And By How Much?” • Prices for lithium-ion batteries have fallen by more than 50% in the last three years, and EV makers are now paying about €54/kWh ($62.62/kWh) for LFP batteries. Meanwhile, CATL is claiming its sodium-ion batteries, called Naxtra, will eventually cost as little as $10 per kWh. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cadeler Wins Formosa 4 Installation Contract” • Cadeler has signed a firm contract with Synera Renewable Energy for the transportation and installation of 35 Siemens Gamesa 14-MW turbines at the 495-MW Formosa 4 offshore wind farm in Taiwan. The work will be carried out by one of Cadeler’s new M-class wind turbine installation vessels. [reNews]

Cadeler M-class installation vessel (Cadeler image)

¶ “Masdar Consortium Seals $1.1 Billion Saudi Solar Deal” • A consortium led by Masdar reached financial close on the 2-GW Al Sadawi solar project in Saudi Arabia. The independent power producer scheme will rank among the world’s largest solar plants and contribute to the Kingdom’s goal of sourcing 50% of its energy from renewables by 2030. [reNews]

¶ “Drone Deliveries Hit Spot For Ørsted” • Ørsted is carrying out an offshore cargo drone operation across its UK offshore wind fleet. The developer and UK operator Skylift use FlyingBasket drones to lift evacuation equipment boxes weighing up to 70 kg onto turbine nacelles at Hornsea 1 & 2 and Walney 1 & 2. More than 550 flights are planned. [reNews]

Drone delivery (Photo by Richard McCrilley, Ørsted)

¶ “Sweden Picks Mini-Reactors For First Nuclear Expansion In Fifty Years” • Sweden said that it had selected “small modular nuclear reactors” for its first nuclear power expansion in a half-century. Greenpeace said the government was “trying to trick the Swedish people into believing that new nuclear power would lead to cheap and green electricity.” [24 News HD]

US:

¶ “Hurricane Erin Live Updates: New Jersey Under State Of Emergency As Monster Storm Roars North” • Erin, a massive Category 2 hurricane more than 700 miles wide, is located about 285 miles east of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and is moving northeast through the Atlantic. High surf advisories continue from Florida to Maine. [ABC News]

Wave (Matt Paul Catalano, Unsplash)

¶ “Smart(er) EV Charging Could Slash US Electricity Bills By $30 Billion, 10% Per Household By 2035” • EV charging management firm ev.energy released a study showing that next-level charging programs could yield $30 billion in savings on utility costs in the US, a cut of about 10% per ratepayer by 2035 whether they own an EV or not. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Connecticut High School Gets Solar Power Carport” • In Ridgefield, Connecticut, Ridgefield High School just had a 1-MW solar carport installed, a joint effort of Davis Hill Development and the Connecticut Green Bank. Micah Brill, Vice President of Asset Management at Davis Hill Development, answered some questions about the project. [CleanTechnica]

Solar power carport (Davis Hill Development image)

¶ “The US Opens A Turbine Imports Investigation” • The Trump administration has opened a national security investigation into the import of wind turbines and components. The so-called Section 232 probe, which was opened earlier this month but was only just made public, could push tariffs higher for the sector, according to Reuters. [reNews]

¶ “Solar Leads US Capacity Growth” • Three-quarters of new US generating capacity was solar in the first five months of 2025, as solar extended its lead as the largest source of additions for the 21st consecutive month, the SUN DAY Campaign said. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission data showed solar took 75.3% of new capacity, while 15.6% was wind. [reNews]

Solar array (Green Genius image)

¶ “Trump Blames Renewables For Rising Electricity Prices, But Experts Point Elsewhere” • With electricity prices rising at over twice the rate of inflation, President Trump lashed out at wind and solar power, blaming them for price hikes. Energy analysts blame higher demand, aging infrastructure and more extreme weather events due in part to climate change. [MSN]

¶ “Renewable Energy Stocks Fall As Trump Vows To Block Wind, Solar” • A handful of renewable energy stocks slumped after President Donald Trump indicated that his administration will block new solar and wind projects. Shares in Enphase Energy, Sunrun, Solaredge, and First Solar fell with the news, as did some companies overseas. [Yahoo Finance]

Have a particularly enjoyable day.

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World:

¶ “Renaturalisation Of Wetlands Slows Global Warming And Species Decline” • For many centuries, farmers drained swamps to gain arable land. This contributes to climate change, so the EU wants to reverse it. Now a law sets out a detailed timetable: By 2050, half of the damaged moors are expected to be “healed” – a third of them through rewetting. [Euronews]

Moor (Maksim Shutov, Unsplash)

¶ “Spain Reports Nearly 400,000 Hectares Burned And 37 Arrests Due To Fires” • Humid weather and rainfall gave some relief to Spanish firefighters in their battle against the fires that have ravaged much of the country this year. Over 391,000 ha (966,000 acres) have burned so far this year, European Forest Fire Information System data shows. [Euronews]

¶ “China Rushes To Build Out Solar, Emissions Edge Downward” • China has been installing solar panels far faster than anywhere else in the world, and the investment is paying off. A study found that the country’s carbon emissions edged down 1% in the first six months of the year compared to a year earlier, extending a trend that began in March 2024. [ABC News]

PV power station in China (w0zny, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Two Energy Paths: China Locks In Renewables, US Clings To Coal” • China’s coal consumption dropped by about 2.6% in the first six months of 2025 while electricity demand rose roughly 5%, year over year. So China added solar and wind capacity fast enough to cover more than new demand. US coal fired electricity jumped 14% in the same span. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Flexes Its Green Hydrogen Muscles In Europe” • The Chinese firm Sungrow Power Supply has set up an elaborate new state-of-the-art hydrogen R&D facility at the Munich Airport Business Park through its Sungrow Hydrogen branch. Sungrow is aiming to establish a foothold in the ripe but difficult-to-pluck European market. [CleanTechnica]

Sungrow Hydrogen R&D in Germany (Courtesy of Sungrow)

¶ “From Norway To Nigeria, Beijing To Bogotá: Mapping The World’s EV Inflection Points” • In this piece we take a look at EV tipping points, starting with growth models, then exploring what 5% to 15%, 15% to 40%, and 40% to 80% penetrations look like, and then examining key markets including Europe, China, India, the US, Africa, and South America. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “SPR Completes EA3 Converter Station Jacket Installation” • The jacket foundation for the offshore converter station for ScottishPower Renewables’ 1.4-GW East Anglia 3 wind farm has been put in position 69 km off east England. The installation of the 3,700-tonne and 59-metre-high base was completed by Heerema crane vessel SSCV Sleipnir. [reNews]

SSCV Sleipnir (east Anglia 3 image)

¶ “UK Renewable Approvals Soar To Record 16 GW” • A record 16 GW of new renewable energy capacity won planning approval in the UK during the second quarter of 2025, government figures show. The Financial Times first reported the surge, which covered 323 projects and marked a 195% growth compared with the same period of last year. [reNews]

¶ “BayWa RE Wins Consent For 500-MW Redshaw Battery” • BayWa re has secured Section 36 planning consent for its 500-MW Redshaw battery system in South Lanarkshire. The facility will be the company’s largest battery system in Europe. It is next to the site of Scottish Power Transmission’s planned Redshaw substation at the B6 boundary. [reNews]

Battery system (BayWa re image)

¶ “Japan Sends Robots Into Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant To Get Radioactive Debris” • Technicians at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant are taking another cautious step toward one of the most challenging operations of nuclear decommissioning. They sent remote-controlled robots into a damaged reactor to obtain radioactive material they could assess. [WION]

US:

¶ “Hurricane Erin Could Bring Destruction To The East Coast Despite Not Making Landfall” • Hurricane Erin may not make landfall, but it still could have devastating consequences for East Coast residents. Sea levels for many East Coast communities are now about a half foot higher today than they were a few decades ago, intensifying coastal erosion. [ABC News]

Miami Beach with storm coming (Dylan Sauerwein, Unsplash)

¶ “Climate Change Brings More Rapidly Intensifying Hurricanes; NOAA Cuts Make Forecasting Them Harder” • A remarkable 96% of Cat 4 and Cat 5 storms undergo rapid intensification. Those that intensify rapidly just before landfall are especially perilous, as they can catch forecasters and populations off guard, risking inadequate evacuations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Over 50% of New US Electric Generating Capacity Will Come from Solar in 2025” • Developers added 12 GW of utility-scale solar capacity in the US during the first half of 2025, and they plan to add another 21 GW in the second half. If they realize that plan, solar would account for more than half of the 64 GW that developers bring online this year. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “California’s Biggest Virtual Power Plant May Get A Funding Reprieve” • California’s premier ​“virtual power plant” program is reducing the state’s reliance on polluting, costly fossil-fueled power, and it’s just the start of what its scattered network of solar and batteries could do. But only if the state Legislature can stave off funding cuts to the program. [Canary Media]

¶ “Trump Escalates His War On ‘Windmills'” • President Trump began an attack on ‘windmills” again, calling them inefficient and expensive, just a day after his administration unveiled new tariffs on wind turbines. Experts told Newsweek provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could lead to higher costs as projects are postponed or abandoned. [MSN]

Have a fascinatingly frolicsome day.

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World:

¶ “Hurricane Erin’s Rapid Intensification And What It Means For Europe’s Weather” • Hurricane Erin, the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2025 season, grew from a Category 1 storm to Category 5 in just over 24 hours. It is not projected to make landfall on this side of the Atlantic. But weakened to storm status, it could cross the Atlantic and hit Ireland and the UK. [Euronews]|

Projected path of Erin (Please click on the image.)

¶ “Adaptation Efforts Like Early Warnings And Preparedness Have Cut Europe’s Flood Deaths And Losses” • Flooding deaths in Europe fell 52% since 1950, thanks to such solutions as early warning systems and emergency preparedness, a study from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research has found. This is despite an 8% increase in flooding. [Euronews]

¶ “Record UK Wildfires Have Burned an Area Twice the Size of Glasgow in 2025 ” • Wildfires have scorched more than 40,000 hectares of land so far this year across the UK, an area more than twice the size of the Scottish city of Glasgow. This is already a record amount of land burned in a single year, far exceeding the previous high, GWIS data shows. [CleanTechnica]

Forest fire (Pixabay, Pexels)

¶ “BYD Rises To #91 On Fortune Global 500 List” • BYD has been growing, growing, growing, and CleanTechnica has been keeping track. As a testament to its rise and its increasingly strong place in markets around the world, we got news that the Chinese EV company has risen up the Fortune Global 500 list and is now in the top 100. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why the Recent Slowdown in Arctic Sea Ice Loss Is Only Temporary” • The retreat of sea ice in the Arctic has long been a prominent symbol of climate change. Yet, since the late 2000s, the pace of Arctic sea ice loss has slowed markedly. Climate model simulations suggest we should expect periods like this to occur relatively frequently. [CleanTechnica]

Mount Erebus, Australia (Josh Landis, US NSF, public domain)

¶ “CDWE Completes Hai Long Jacket Installation” • CDWE (CSBC-DEME Wind Engineering) has completed installation of all 73 jacket foundations at Northland Power’s 1-GW Hai Long offshore wind farm in the Taiwan Strait. The project is the largest CDWE has undertaken in both scale and technical complexity. It was completed early. [reNews]

¶ “RWE Powers Up 34-MW Wind Farm In Aldenhoven” • RWE has commissioned the 34-MW Aldenhoven wind farm in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The site, developed on recultivated land at the Inden opencast lignite mine, features six 5.7-MW turbines, which are capable of powering 24,000 households with clean electricity. [reNews]

Wind farm (RWE image)

¶ “Eskom Pivots Towards Renewable Energy With New Solar Power Procurement Initiative” • Eskom announced the launch of its first Renewable Energy Offtake Programme. Now Eskom has shifted its focus from merely addressing the crippling issue of loadshedding to making itself a sustainable and competitive player in the energy market. [MSN]

US:

¶ “FDA Warns Public Not To Eat Possibly Radioactive Shrimp Sold At Walmart” • US Customs and Border Protection alerted the FDA that possible radioactive Cesium-137 was detected in shipping containers at four US ports, the FDA said. No shrimp in the US food supply were found to be radioactive. The source of Cs-137 in the shrimp is not known. [ABC News]

Dinner with shrimp (Pirata Studio Film, Unsplash)

¶ “Ford Is Doing What Has To Be Done: Leading On EVs And Innovating Are Imperative” • Ford says it is investing billions of dollars into advanced manufacturing, EV batteries, and a whole new vehicle platform in Kentucky and Michigan. It is all about creating affordable, competitive EVs. It makes one think, what else could we expect from Ford? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Washington Blocks Funding For Solar On Farmland” • US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has announced that the US DA will no longer fund solar panels on productive farmland or allow equipment made by foreign adversaries to be used in USDA-backed projects. She said that subsidised solar projects displace farmland. [reNews]

Brooke Rollins, at center (USDA image)

¶ “New Nissan LEAF Adds Range And Features, For Under $30,000” • The Nissan LEAF is a classic among EVs. But it’s not done and collecting dust in history books. Nissan is launching the 3rd-generation LEAF, and it just keeps getting better. The starting MSRP of the 2026 Nissan LEAF is $29,990, the lowest of any EV in the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Extends 50% Tariff To Wind Turbines” • The Department of Commerce added 407 product categories to Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs, which carry a 50% duty rate. The scope now covers wind turbines and components, along with other equipment such as mobile cranes, bulldozers, compressors, pumps, and railcars. [reNews]

Attaching a blade (Enercon image)

¶ “Coal Power Plant Demolished For Nuclear Fusion Prototype” • We have seen such things as solar arrays on former landfills. Now comes another reversal of technologies. This one is about getting rid of a coal power plant for a cleaner source of electricity. Chris Mowry, CEO at Type One Energy, answered some questions about the project. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nuclear Waste Could Provide Fuel For Fusion Energy, Says Los Alamos Physicist” • Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico have unveiled simulations showing how radioactive nuclear waste could be repurposed to generate tritium, the rare hydrogen isotope that fuels nuclear fusion. Tritium is rare and expensive. [NucNet]

Have a comfortably constructive day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Thing Pollution-Heads Extolling Climate-Policy Sabotage Don’t Understand” • The US is an oil nation, and often corrupt and disinformative. At the moment, the Oil & Gas lobby is very clearly trying to hold the US back when it comes to the transition to EVs and clean energy. But the world is not waiting for us, and the technology will march on. [CleanTechnica]

Capitol Building (Jorge Alcala, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “New Technologies Will Hasten The End Of Fossil Fuels” • It seems now the fossil fuel industry is getting its way. The US administration is about to eliminate the “endangerment finding” that found carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas to be regulated. But one thing the fossil fuel thugs forgot is that science advances. Here are two examples. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Power With Batteries Became 22% Cheaper In One Year” • A new report from Ember shows dramatic cost reductions for solar power with batteries. The average cost of electricity from such systems dropped 22% in just one year. The cost reduction means solar power with batteries can deliver electricity around the clock, continuously. [Warp News]

Solar with batteries (BLM California)

World:

¶ “Tracking Mosquito-Borne Illnesses Across Europe” • Viral diseases, which usually occur when an infected mosquito bites someone, are becoming more common in Europe due to more travel and warmer summer temperatures driven by climate change. Hundreds of cases of mosquito-borne infections have been reported so far this summer. [Euronews]

¶ “Cloudbursts, Deadly Climate-Fuelled Deluges, Cause Chaos In India And Pakistan” • Climate change is disrupting monsoons, as cloudbursts hit vulnerable mountain regions with deadly force. In a cloudburst, a large volume of rain falls in a very short time, usually over 100 mm (4 in) in an hour. They create chaos in the mountains of India and Pakistan. [Euronews]

Sunset in Uttarakhand (Soham Kalghatkar, Unsplash)

¶ “VicGrid’s 2025 Transmission Plan Unveiled” • The Victorian Government has released the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan, marking a major step in the state’s renewable energy transition. It sets out the transmission infrastructure the state needs to build over the next 15 years to ensure all Victorians have access to safe, reliable and affordable power. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “IEA: Renewables Will Be World’s Top Power Source ‘by 2026′” • Renewable energy will overtake coal to become the world’s top source of electricity “by 2026 at the latest,” say forecasts from the International Energy Agency. The rise of renewables is driven by extremely rapid growth in wind and solar output, which will pass 6,000 TWh by 2026. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Masdar Deploys $1.7 Billion Green Bond Proceeds” • Masdar channelled more than $1.5 billion from its green bond issuances into clean energy projects by the end of 2024, according to its latest Green Finance Report. The proceeds supported new solar, onshore and offshore wind, and energy storage developments around the world. [reNews]

¶ “Galileo Empower Files To Build 476-MW Dorenell 2” • Galileo Empower has submitted a planning application for the 476-MW Dorenell Extension wind farm and biodiversity enhancement plan in Scotland. The proposals include 67 turbines, alongside a battery storage facility, on the Cabrach and Glenfiddich Estate about 10 km south of Dufftown. [reNews]

Wind farm (EDF Renewables image)

¶ “Boulder clearance begins at Baltica 2” • Seabed preparation is underway for the 1500-MW Baltica 2 offshore wind farm, a joint project of PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna and Ørsted. Boskalis vessel BOKA Falcon has arrived in Polish waters to clear large boulders along the planned cable routes. Baltica 2 will feature 107 turbines with a total capacity of 1.5 GW. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Data Center Owners Urge US Treasury To Keep Renewable Energy Subsidy Rules” • The Data Center Coalition, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and others, called on US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to uphold existing rules for wind and solar subsidies, saying they enable the industry to grow quickly and stay ahead of competition from China. [MSN]

Sustainable technology (Mark König, Unsplash)

¶ “Trump’s Climate Report Includes More Than 100 False Or Misleading Claims ” • A “critical assessment” report the Trump administration commissioned to justify a rollback of US climate regulations contains at least 100 false or misleading statements, according to a Carbon Brief factcheck involving dozens of leading climate scientists. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Veterans Back Lombardo Letter Urging Interior Secretary To Get Solar Back On Track” • A veterans group praised Republican Governor Joe Lombardo’s efforts to open an economic pipeline important to Nevada. Lombardo wrote that Burgum’s decision to review solar and wind projects personally and in detail was a cause of major delays. [KLAS 8 News Now]

Solar array (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

¶ “OCI Sells 100-MW Texas Solar Project To Sabanci” • OCI Energy, a developer of utility-scale solar and battery projects, sold a 100-MW AC solar project in Texas to Sabanci Renewables, Turkish conglomerate Sabanci Holding’s US green energy unit. Development of Lucky 7 Solar will proceed under Sabanci Renewables’ management. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Google Announced The First Nuclear Site To Power Its Data Centers” • Google announced the site of its first nuclear reactor, as part of its 2024 deal with startup Kairos Power. Oak Ridge, Tennessee, will be home to the Hermes 2 plant to supply Google with 50 MW of power under a long-term purchase agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority. [Yahoo News]

Have an immensely rewarding day.

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World:

¶ “Pakistan Expands Rescue And Relief Efforts After Floods Kill Over 200” • Rescue workers in northwestern Pakistan expanded relief operations after flash floods killed more than 220 people in a single district, officials said. In Buner, a mountainous district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, torrential rains led to flash floods and landslides. [ABC News]

Mountains in Buner district (Shahzadk007, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Wildfires In Spain And Portugal Force Evacuations And Deployment Of Thousands Of Emergency Personnel” • The heatwave at the Iberian Peninsula keeps going on. Thousands of firefighters have been deployed to battle ongoing blazes, and towns have been evacuated. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited affected regions. [Euronews]

¶ “Solar Power Is An Isolated Island’s Weapon Against A Fossil Fuel Monopoly” • The Philippines has 7,641 islands. One of the most serene and relatively isolated of them is the beautiful island of Siquijor. This mystical island is a paradise in peril because its tourism is threatened by power outages. It is a problem that solar power can address. [CleanTechnica]

Pier at Siquijor (Marlene Centeno, Unsplash)

¶ “Alberta Planning To Power Some Of Its Jails With Solar Energy” • Alberta’s government is looking to power some of its jails with solar energy. It says it’s planning to install solar plants at five of its ten jails. The solar facilities are expected to save an estimated $1 million per year while providing about 80% of the energy at each site. [Rocky Mountain Outlook]

¶ “RWE Wins 37 MW In German Solar Tender” • RWE secured two new solar projects in North Rhine-Westphalia in the latest German Federal Network Agency solar tender. The Manheimer Bucht solar farm in the Rhein-Erft district will deliver 17.2 MW, while an extension of the PV project along the A44n motorway will add 19.9 MW. [reNews]

Solar and wind (RWE image)

¶ “Statera Connects 300-MW Thurrock Battery System” • Statera Energy energised one of the UK’s largest battery storage sites, the 300-MW, 600-MWh Thurrock Storage project in Essex. The facility can deliver its full output within seconds, according to the developer. Thurrock adds rapid-response capacity for the grid in the UK’s South-East. [reNews]

¶ “Iberdrola And Ingeteam Add Storage In Spain” • Iberdrola and Ingeteam will hybridise solar farms in Burgos, Extremadura, and Huelva with 100 MW, 200 MWh of battery storage. Ingeteam will supply medium-voltage power electronics, control systems, and SCADA monitoring to integrate the batteries with existing Iberdrola PV plants. [reNews]

Storage (Image by Iberdrola And Ingeteam)

US:

¶ “Coastal Communities Restoring Marshes, Dunes, Reefs To Protect Against Rising Seas” • Coastal communities across the nation are ramping up efforts to fend off rising seas, higher tides and stronger storm surges that are chewing away at coastlines, pushing saltwater farther inland and threatening ecosystems and hundreds of communities. [ABC News]

¶ “Arizona, Nevada, And Mexico Get Less Colorado River Water For A Third Year” • Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will again live with less water from the Colorado River as drought lingers in the West, federal officials announced. The Colorado River is a critical lifeline to seven US states, thirty Native American tribes, and two Mexican states. [ABC News]

Colorado River (Emma Renly, Unsplash)

¶ “US Energy Secretary Calls For An End To All Subsidies For Solar And Wind” • US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who made his fortune by drilling holes in the Earth to access methane and then leaving taxpayers to clean up his company’s mess, said it is time to do away with all federal subsidies for wind power, the Des Moines Register reported. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Chevy Silverado EV Driven Over 1,000 Miles On A Single Charge” • Recently, a 2026 Chevy Silverado EV was driven over 1,000 miles on a single charge. There were differences from an earlier impressive drive of 460 miles. For one, the earlier drive was at highway speeds, but the drive that got over 1,000 miles was kept low speeds. But it is a record. [CleanTechnica]

Chevrolet Silverado EV (Courtesy of GM)

¶ “Gas Station Owners Are Smiling At The Return Of NEVI, And So Are EV Advocates” • The Trump administration had another TACO moment and relinquished funds for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. There is some dilution of former language, but the EV charging infrastructure’s federal funding is back on the table. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Energy Experts Condemn US Government For Giving China An Energy Advantage” • A US DOE report raised questions about delaying renewable energy. The July Resource Adequacy Report “recycled familiar, but flawed, talking points against renewable energy, warranting a closer look at the facts behind the rhetoric,” EnergySage reported. [The Cool Down]

Wind turbines (Daniel Morris, Unsplash)

¶ “Trump Guidance Tightens Tax Credit Rules For Renewables” • New guidance released by the Trump administration tightens up the rules under which wind and solar projects can qualify for Biden-era tax credits. According to the new guidance, developers must begin physical work by 6 July, 2026 in order to qualify for tax credits. [reNews]

¶ “US Eyes 90,000 Tons Of Nuclear Waste As Fresh Fuel For Future Power Reactors” • The Trump administrationis looking at ways to use spent nuclear fuel and plutonium to fuel advanced reactors. Expanding the share of nuclear in the country’s overall energy production and consumption is considered an important step towards increased clean energy adoption. [MSN]

Have a comforably thoughtful day.

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World:

¶ “Hydrogen Mobility Vs Platinum Reality” • Only four of the fourteen Cascadia trains Lower Saxony purchased are operating. It is tempting to dismiss this as a simple supply chain hiccup, but the problem runs deeper. Following the thread back reveals not only the weakness of hydrogen in transportation but a structural material constraint as well. [CleanTechnica]

Alstom Coradia LINT 41 (X-angel, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “China Is Winning On Renewables. Will It Win On Green Steel, Too?” • While China leads the world in both the production and adoption of clean energy tech, the country has been slower to decarbonize heavy industry. That is changing. HBIS Group, a Chinese steelmaker, agreed to sell over 10,000 metric tons of green steel to an Italian buyer. [Canary Media]

¶ “Death Toll Rises As Wildfires Continue To Burn Across Southern Europe” • Firefighters in Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Turkey are battling wildfires that have raged on for weeks. The wildfires in souther Europe are tied to an ongoing heatwave. Hot and dry conditions are expected to persist, and temperatures are set to climb over the weekend. [Euronews]

Satellite image of a wildfire in Greece (NASA, public domain)

¶ “A New Energy Malta: Wind, Solar, And Green Maritime Fuels” • Malta’s energy story must change. For decades, Malta has been dependent on imported fossil fuels, leaving its energy system exposed to rising costs, supply risks, and carbon emissions. But Malta’s maritime territory gives it an opportunity to develop large floating wind farms. [MaltaToday]

¶ “Can Google’s AI Stop Aircraft Contrails from Warming Earth?” • According to the Royal Meteorological Society, an aircraft’s contrails could be more responsible for warming the Earth than its carbon emissions. To address this, Google has joined forces with American Airlines in a six-month experiment to reduce contrail formation. [Energy Digital Magazine]

Contrail (Adrian Pingstone, public domain)

¶ “Global Nuclear Power Hits Record High as Asia Surges Ahead” • Nuclear power has always been a paradox. The latest Statistical Review of World Energy shows that while nuclear generation is growing globally, setting a new record high in 2024, the trend is anything but uniform. Some countries are charging ahead, while others are stepping back. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Victorians Pay The Lowest Wholesale Energy Prices After Renewable Energy Investment, State Government Says” • Lily D’Ambrosio, the Minister for Energy and Resources, said over 42% of Victoria’s electricity was produced by cheap renewable energy, making the state well on track to hit its legislated target of 40% by the end of 2025. [9News]

Wind farm in Victoria (John Englart, CC  BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Shopping For An Affordable EV In Colorado” • Colorado has one of the hottest EV markets in the US. There’s a $3,500 instant tax credit for EVs under $80,000, with $2,500 extra if the price is below $35,000. There’s even a program that gives up to $6,000 more off an EV purchase if you retire a gas car over twelve years old and meet income limits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Texas Sends Yet Another Solar Manufacturing Love Letter To The US” • Texas’ booming solar manufacturing sector is sending solar equipment all over the US to help the renewable energy transition keep going, regardless of the abrupt shift in federal policy. The Solar Industries Association is telling everyone who listens OBBA could hurt Texas. [CleanTechnica]

Solar manufacturing in Texas (Courtesy of T1 Energy)

¶ “Investor State Dispute Settlement Treaties Protect Private Investors From Climate Action” • ISDS treaties are an outgrowth of the nationalization that swept some parts of the world in the 20th century. Such action denies investors an ability to recover their investments and the profits they expected. But the treaties endanger effective climate action. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California Supreme Court Hands Victory To Rooftop Solar Panel Owners” • The California Supreme Court sided with environmental groups in a case seen as pivotal for rooftop solar power proliferation in California. In a unanimous vote, justices told a lower court to revisit a ruling that upheld reducing payments to solar panel owners. [Edhat]

California solar installation (Kate Costa, US DOE, public domain)

¶ “Minnesota Approves First Stand-Alone Battery System, A Key Step Toward A Clean Energy Future” • The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a site permit for the 150-MW Snowshoe Energy Storage Project, which will be built west of Rochester on 18 acres. The batteries will store electricity from nearby solar and wind farms. [MPR News]

¶ “Trump Administration Attacks On Science Extend Far Beyond Climate, Loom Large In WV” • The EPA is proposing to remove greenhouse gas standards for vehicles and heavy-duty engines. The EPA’s proposed rule cites a DOE report to claim “extreme weather events have not demonstrably increased relative to historical highs.” [The Logan Banner]

Have a really fantastic day.

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World:

¶ “European Seas Break Temperature Records: Are They Too Warm?” • In August 2024, the Mediterranean Sea hit a record of 28.7°C (83.7°F). High sea temperatures in Europe fuel marine heatwaves that threaten marine life and worsen extreme weather events. In 2024, Europe’s seas hit their highest annual average surface temperature on record, 13.73°C. [Euronews]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Flash Floods In India And Pakistan Kill Over 280 People, Scores Remain Missing” • Flash floods triggered by torrential rains killed over 280 people in India and Pakistan, and rescuers are searching for at least eighty in one remote Himalayan village. Experts say cloudbursts have increased in recent years partly because of climate change. [Euronews]

¶ “Wärtsilä To Deliver 68-MW Energy Storage In Shetland” • Wärtsilä will provide a 68-MW energy storage system to Zenobē in Shetland. It will improve energy security, reduce emissions, and help with moving toward a cleaner, more resilient power system. Here, Christopher Wolf, Director at Wärtsilä Energy Storage, answers some questions. [CleanTechnica]

Energy storage site (Zenobē image)

¶ “Wind Power Progress in Australia” • The report Clean Energy Australia 2025 paints a picture of investment progress in onshore wind in 2024. Sadly, this has not been carried forward into 2025, but we must celebrate the wins when we can. It also illuminates the reasons for the lack of progress in Australia’s offshore wind development. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Petrostates Blow Up UN Plastics Conference” • In March 2022, 175 nations agreed to make the first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. Sadly, those countries are not the ones who produce plastics, but the ones hurt by plastic waste. The oil producing nations all furiously oppose limiting production in any way. [CleanTechnica]

Microplastics (Oregon State University, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “China Builds Record-Breaking Floating Wind Turbine That Could Change The Face Of Renewable Energy” • Engineers at two state-owned Chinese companies have created a prototype floating wind turbine that they say has broken power generation records. They say the design could usher in the next generation of renewable power generation. [MSN]

¶ “Century Completes Hai Long Jacket Deliveries” • The Hai Long Offshore Wind Project has completed delivery of 21 three-legged jacket foundations manufactured by Taiwan’s Century Wind Power. Each jacket stands over 90 metres tall and weighs about 2000 tonnes, the heaviest ever produced for a Taiwanese wind farm, Hai Long claimed. [reNews]

Final jackets (Hai Long Offshore Wind image)

¶ “S&P Downgrades Orsted Credit Rating” • S&P Global Ratings has downgraded Ørsted’s long-term credit rating citing stalled progress on the planned sale of a 50% stake in the Sunrise Wind project in the US. The rating agency said that the inability to complete the divestment “severely and directly hinders credit metric performance.” [reNews]

US:

¶ “At GM, Our Electric Pickups Are Built To Handle Truck Stuff – Press Release” • “When teams across General Motors designed and engineered today’s electric trucks, they made sure these vehicles were ready to handle all kinds of truck stuff – so you can rely on your EV. And we’re building them with more than 100 years of truck leadership…” [CleanTechnica]

2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali (GM image)

¶ “Solar & Storage Industry Statement On Treasury Department Changes To Tax Credit Guidance” • “The Treasury Department’s new guidance to further restrict energy tax credits is part of an unprecedented side deal the administration made with anti-clean energy ideologues to undermine Congress and further harm America’s solar industry.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Farley’s Model T Moment: Bold EV Strategy In A Risky Policy Era” • Ford’s presentation of its Universal EV Platform was equal parts engineering showcase and strategic declaration. Jim Farley framed the new architecture as Ford’s “Model T moment.” He was clear that the bet was enormous, but, just as clearly, Ford must remain competitive. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning (Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Gas Valve Failure During Maintenance Work May Have Led To Fatal Explosion” • Preparations for a routine maintenance task may have led to an explosion at a US Steel coal-processing plant near Pittsburgh. It left two dead and sent ten to hospitals, the company said. The explosion started around ovens where coal is heated to 1,200°F to make coke. [ABC News]

¶ “Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners Acquires 1-GWh Beehive Battery From EDF” • CIP acquired full ownership of the 1-GWh Beehive battery energy storage project in Peoria, Arizona, from EDF power solutions North America. The 250-MW four-hour facility is under construction and is expected to enter service in the first half of 2026, CIP said. [reNews]

Battery storage (EDF image)

¶ “Trump Administration Tightens Vise On Wind And Solar With New Tax Rules” • The Trump administration has a new roadblock for US wind and solar power. Treasury Department guidance puts new restrictions on the rules that have for decades guided whether solar and wind projects have ​“commenced construction” for tax purposes. [Canary Media]

¶ “US Lab Begins Post-Irradiation Studies On High-Burnup Fuel” • Researchers at the US DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are in post-irradiation studies on GE Vernova’s high burnup fuel after it has spent six years in a commercial reactor. High burnup fuels use more of the fissile material in nuclear fuel, allowing more cycles. [World Nuclear News]

Have an entirely pleasant day.

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World:

¶ “Philippines’ First Floating Solar Farm Sets A National Blueprint For Clean Energy” • The Philippines is entering a new era of energy with a landmark 4.99-MW floating solar plant on the Malubog Reservoir in Toledo City, Cebu. The floating PV farm is a pioneering project, a collaboration between Carmen Copper Corp and Black & Veatch. [CleanTechnica]

Floating solar plant in Toledo City (Black & Veatch photo)

¶ “Flash Floods Triggered By Heavy Rains Kill At Least 49 People In Pakistan” • Flash floods triggered by heavy rains killed at least 49 people in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere in the country over the past 24 hours, officials said. More than 360 people, mostly women and children, have died in rain-related incidents in Pakistan since June 26. [ABC News]

¶ “Mitie And Elements Green Start A 360-MW BESS” • Mitie Power & Grid and Elements Green have broken ground on the 360-MW, 720-MWh Staythorpe battery energy storage system in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The £71.5 million facility will be one of the largest in Europe, with enough renewable energy to power 95,000 homes for a full day. [reNews]

Battery system area (Elemenyts Green image)

¶ “Foton Philippines Launched A Full Commercial EV Lineup ” • Foton Motor Philippines, Inc hosted an “EV Forward” event at its Clark assembly plant, showcasing its comprehensive lineup of electric vehicles. The event was held in collaboration with the Clark Development Corporation, reaffirming its strong support for the initiative. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Harmony Powers Up 100-MW French Battery” • Harmony Energy has energised France’s largest battery energy storage project at the port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire. The 100-MW, 200-MWh Cheviré facility is the country’s first large-scale, two-hour duration system and is capable of powering about 170,000 homes for two hours. [reNews]

Cheviré battery project (Harmony Energy image)

¶ “BC-Wind Begins Seabed Survey For Cable Route” • Ocean Winds started the next stage of research for its BC-Wind offshore wind farm off Poland with a seabed survey for the export cable route. The specialist vessel Ocean Marlin is operating from the port of Gdansk to find unexploded ordnance and other wartime remnants that might be on the seabed. [reNews]

¶ “Gentari And PCL Construction Turn Sod On Renewable Energy Zone Project” • Gentari, based in Malaysia, broke ground on the Maryvale Solar and Energy Storage project in the heart of the New South Wales Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone. The facility will integrate 243 MW of solar with a 172-MW, 409-MWh battery system. [pv magazine Australia]

Installation site (Gentari image)

¶ “Problems With Reactor Water Supply Are Increasing At The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant” • Over the past two weeks, IAEA staff have recorded a deterioration in the cooling system situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, though its reactors are in a state of cold shutdown. They also noted burnt trees near the cooling towers. [Odessa Journal]

US:

¶ “Heavy Rain And Flooding In Tennessee Kill At Least Four” • At least four people have been killed in heavy rain and flooding in Tennessee. This summer, parts of the US are having more frequent flash flooding, as record-breaking rains hit some areas, a phenomenon that scientists attribute to climate change caused by pollution from fossil fuels. [Euronews]

Flooding in Tennessee (National Weather Service image)

¶ “As Canada Wildfires Choke US With Smoke, Republicans Demand Action. But Not On Climate Change” • Sternly worded statements are filled with indignation as Republican lawmakers say Canada has done too little to contain wildfire smoke that foul the air in several states. But they haven’t recognized the role of climate change in the issue. [ABC News]

¶ “US DOE Supports Critical Minerals And Materials Supply Chain” • The DOE issued “notices of funding opportunities totaling nearly $1 billion to advance … mining, processing, and manufacturing technologies across key stages of the critical minerals and materials supply chains.” The industry seems not to be too ‘woke’ to support after all. [CleanTechnica]

CATL Freevoy battery (CATL image)

¶ “Which States Have The Most At Stake In Trump’s Anti-Wind Push?” • The cost of Trump’s war on wind could be $317 billion in lost investment, analysis from research firm Cleanview shows. That figure is based on the 790 projects totaling 213 GW that developers plan to build, all of which are at risk of delay or even cancellation under current policies. [Canary Media]

¶ “16.5-GW Wind Build Splurge On Cards In US” • The US will add over 16 GW of wind and nearly 60 GW of solar capacity over the two-year period from the end of 2024 to the end of 2026, according to projections released by the US Energy Information Administration. This is despite the president’s repeated attacks on renewable energy as a “scam.” [reNews]

Wind turbine construction (BayWa re image)

¶ “US Transformer Shortage To Hit 30% In 2025” • US power transformer supply is set to face a 30% deficit next year, with distribution transformers short by 10%, according to Wood Mackenzie. The consultancy said surging demand since 2019 has left domestic manufacturing struggling to keep pace. Power transformer demand has risen 116%. [reNews]

¶ “Scientists Push Back On Trump Climate Report With Strong Rebuttal” • CNN reported that dozens of climate scientists are joining forces to challenge a new Trump administration report that downplays the severity of the climate crisis. The document is being used to justify weakening pollution rules and rolling back federal climate protections. [One Green Planet]

Have an outrageously fine day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Tariffs Are A Distraction And The End Of Globalization Is A Myth” • Many in the administration blithely assume slapping tariffs on everything will solve a host of economic problems, but according to Bloomberg’s Chris Bryant, something unexpected is happening. International commerce is simply adjusting its flow to go on a path of less resistance. [CleanTechnica]

MAERSK HANOI (Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “Norway, Sweden And Finland: Climate Change Made July Heatwave Ten Times More Likely, Study Says” • Human-caused climate change made a two-week-long heatwave in Norway, Sweden, and Finland around 2°C (3.6°F) hotter and at least ten times as likely, according to a rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution. [Euronews]

¶ “Heat Extremes Driven By Climate Change Are Behind A ‘Staggering’ Decline In Tropical Birds, Study Warns” • Extreme heat driven by climate change caused tropical bird populations to decline by up to 38% since the 1950s, scientists have warned. A first-of-its-kind analysis was published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. [Euronews]

Flamingos (Dattatreya Patra, Unsplash)

¶ “New Draft Of Plastic Pollution Treaty Would Not Limit Plastic Production” • Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution are discussing a new draft of the text that would not limit plastic production. About 100 countries want to limit production but powerful oil and gas-producing nations oppose production limits. [ABC News]

¶ “Rising Seas Could Put Easter Island’s Moai At Risk By 2080, Study Warns” • By the end of the century, rising sea levels could push powerful seasonal waves into Easter Island’s fifteen iconic moai statues, according to a study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage. About fifty other cultural sites in the area are also at risk from flooding. [ABC News]

Moai (Hal Cooks, Unsplash)

¶ “Global EV Sales Up 27% In 2025 Despite Anti-Electrification Policies In The US” • In a sharp rebuke to the anti-electrification agenda in the US, global EV sales are up 27% over last year, with some legacy automakers indicating the potential for a successful transition to electric mobility, according to a report from the UK firm Rho Motion. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ørsted Lifts Morgan Objection After Wake Effect Deal” • Ørsted has withdrawn its wake effect objections to JERA Nex BP and EnBW’s 1500-MW Morgan offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea. The Danish developer and Japanese-UK-German tie-up have reached an agreement, the latter has told the UK Energy Secretary in permitting filings. [reNews]

Worker at a wind turbine (Ørsted image)

¶ “Germany Awards 2.27 GW In PV Tender” • The German federal network agency has awarded 2,271 MW of capacity in its latest tender for ground-mounted and certain non-building solar installations. The 1 July 2025 auction was oversubscribed, with 313 bids totalling 2.82 GW competing for 2.266 GW on offer. The average price at €0.0484/kWh. [reNews]

¶ “Macquarie Backs 218-MW Finnish Onshore Platform” • €51 million in second lien financing was provided by Macquarie Asset Management to an eight-site onshore wind platform in Finland. The 218-MW portfolio, in central and southern Finland, is owned by funds managed by Helsinki-based renewable energy investor Taaleri Energia. [reNews]

Wind farm (Taaleri Energia image)

¶ “Governments Are Avoiding Renewable Energy Goals – And It Matters” • At the COP28 climate summit in December 2023, 133 countries pledged to triple global renewable capacity by 2030. This is the single biggest step we can take this decade to keep as close as possible to the 1.5°C global warming limit. They haven’t even come close. [Climate Home News]

US:

¶ “Energy Storage Breakthroughs Enable A Strong And Secure Energy Landscape” • Researchers are making breakthroughs at the Argonne National Laboratory in every stage of the energy storage lifecycle, from discovering substitutes for scarce, critical materials to pioneering applications to making recycling more cost effective. [CleanTechnica]

Researcher (Mark Lopez, Argonne National Laboratory)

¶ “Wait, The US Wind Industry Is Coming Back?” • Almost the entire US wind industry went into hibernation after US President Donald Trump took office in January, sending thousands of good paying jobs down the drain. However, the wind will continue to blow long after January 20, 2029, and we can hope for a peaceful transition. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Bullish On US Prospects” • Henrik Andersen, Vestas chief executive, is confident that the US onshore wind sector will continue to grow throughout the rest of the decade, despite uncertainties at the federal policy level. The Vestas boss said the company was buoyed by the announcement of an additional 950-MW US order in its Q3 intake. [reNews]

Henrik Andersen (Vestas image)

¶ “E&C Democrats: The DOE Is Illegally Influencing NRC And Undermining Nuclear Safety Protections” • Three Democrats in the Energy and Commerce Committee wrote to Chris Wright, the Energy Secretary, expressing concerns about reports the DOE is attempting to exert improper influence over the NRC, which is independent by law. [Democrats, E&C]

¶ “DOE Announces The Selection Of Eleven Projects For New Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program” • The US DOE has selected eleven projects for a nuclear reactor pilot program, with hopes of fully developing three of the projects by July 2026. The DOE will expedite these projects through its authorization procedure for nuclear reactors. [Inside Climate News]

Have a jovially celebratory day.

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World:

¶ “Use Of Plastics And Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations” • The world’s nations are convening at a UN conference in Geneva to negotiate a deal aimed at tackling plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Many wish to reduce production and use of specific chemicals. Some oil-producing countries oppose these goals in favor of managing waste. [Euronews]

Plastics (Naja Bertolt Jensen, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “One Of The World’s Most Polluted Cities Banned Single-Use Plastics” • Lagos, Nigeria’s 20 million people produced 870,000 tons of plastic waste in 2024. Last month, Lagos state authorities imposed a ban on single-use plastics. Residents, however, say weak enforcement and an absence of alternatives have weakened its effectiveness. [ABC News]

¶ “Casa Dos Ventos Selects Nextracker For 1.5 GW Of Solar Projects In Brazil” • Casa dos Ventos, known for its leadership in Brazil’s wind energy sector, is now including solar in its portfolio of renewables, part of a growing trend for Brazilian developers aiming to optimize projects. It awarded contracts for four solar projects totaling 1,563 MW. [CleanTechnica]

Hybrid solar-wind power plant (Nextracker image)

¶ “TDK Ventures Invests In Ultraviolette To Speed Electrification Of Motorcycles” • TDK Corporation’s subsidiary TDK Ventures, Inc invested in Ultraviolette, an innovator in high-performance electric motorcycles headquartered in Bangalore, India. The investment represents TDK Ventures’ commitment to advancing sustainable transportation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Launches 515-Mile Model 3 In China” • Tesla launched a Model 3 option in China that has 830 km (about 515 miles) of range on a full charge. The starting price of this new Model 3 trim is 269,500 yuan ($37,540). To compare, the longest-range Model 3 in the US has only 363 miles (584 km) of range, at a price of $35,000. [CleanTechnica]

Long-range Tesla Model 3 in China (Tesla image)

¶ “Germany’s Solar Industry Warns Against Subsidy Cuts For Rooftop Installations” • Germany’s solar industry has raised concerns over a proposal by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche to end feed-in subsidies for small-scale rooftop PV systems. The sector cautioned that such a move could risk national climate targets, according to Reuters. [Power Technology]

¶ “NIB And NORD/LB Back 182-MW Lithuanian Solar” • Nordic Investment Bank and NORD/LB will provide up to €64 million to finance two 91-MW solar farms in Lithuania for Green Genius. The sites in Izabelinė and Lieponys will also feature an 18-MW battery storage system at Izabelinė in a hybrid model to improve grid integration. [reNews]

Solar farm (Green Genius image)

¶ “Smoke Reported Near Russian-Occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant” • Smoke was observed in the area of the cargo port at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said “no radiation increase, no nuclear safety impact (was) reported” in the area. [Yahoo.com]

¶ “Rezolv Secures 731 MW In Romania CFD Auction” • Rezolv Energy has won three contracts for difference totalling 731 MW in Romania’s second renewable energy auction. The awards cover capacity from the 1,044-MW Dama Solar PV park in Arad County and the 300-MW Dunarea East wind farm in Constanța County. [reNews]

Wind farm (Rezolv Energy image)

US:

¶ “Greenlane Announces Key I-10 Charging Corridor, Powering Long-Haul Electric Pilots” • Addressing a critical infrastructure gap for electric trucking along one of America’s busiest freight highways, Greenlane is establishing its second commercial EV charging corridor connecting Southern California to Phoenix via Interstate 10. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ice Dam At Glacier Releases Floodwater Toward Downstream Homes” • A huge basin of rainwater and snowmelt dammed by Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier is releasing, and residents in parts of Juneau are urged to evacuate ahead of flooding downstream. Last year, the Mendenhall River’s release flow was about half that of Niagara Falls. [ABC News]

Mendenhall River (Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “US Unlocks Frozen EV Charging Funds” • When the current US administration took office in January, one of the first things it did was impound all funds appropriated by Congress for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. After fourteen states got a preliminary injunction, the Trump administration blinked and backed down. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EGLE Reviewing Next Steps As The Trump Administration Cancels Federal Solar Funding” • The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy recently announced grant support for a number of pilot projects in the MI Solar for All program. But President Donald Trump’s administration canceled its support for the program. [News From The States]

CBS Solar installation in Michigan (Courtesy of CBS Solar)

¶ “A Billion-Dollar Solar Industry Proof-Of-Life Is Coming To Tennessee” • The abrupt shift in federal energy policy hit the US solar industry hard on the short term, but some players are still in the game. One is Illuminate USA, with a 5-year, 15-GW solar glass deal. Another is Highland Materials, with a new $1 billion polysilicon acility in Tennessee. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California Taxpayers Gave PG&E A Huge, Supposedly Safe Loan. The Losses Are Already Mounting” • Two weeks before the 2022 legislative session ended, Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration asked lawmakers to authorize a $1.4 billion state loan to keep Diablo Canyon open. The loan was supposed to be safe. Things change. [The Santa Barbara Independent]

Have a spectacularly quiet day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Government Clown Denies That Energy Storage Exists In Space And Time” • Comparing a member of the US cabinet to a clown may be an insult to clowns, but what other word is there for Interior Secretary Doug Burgum after an appearance on Fox Business Thursday, when he conjured up a world in which every sunset is a “catastrophic failure”? [CleanTechnica]

Reid Gardner Battery System (Sig Chiocciola, CC0 1.0)

World:

¶ “Virtual Power Plant Drives ‘Zero Down’ Home Solar And Battery Installations” • Alinta Energy and National Renewable Network have launched a distributed energy virtual power plant program. The Solar Together program will offer households solar and battery systems with no upfront cost, financing or repayments. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Jellyfish Forced Shutdown Of French Nuclear Plant” • EDF confirmed that four of the six reactors at the Gravelines nuclear plant were shut down by jellyfish clogging the cooling system. Their abundance was tied to sea temperatures raised by climate change. The remaining reactors were down for maintenance already, so all 5.4 GW were offline. [Euronews]

Jellyfish (Jack B, Unsplash)

¶ “Poll Reveals Strong Public Backing For Renewables” • Eight in ten people in the UK support expanding the country’s renewable energy infrastructure, YouGov polling commissioned by Friends of the Earth shows. The YouGove survey found 65% of Reform supporters and 83% of Conservative supporters back increased clean energy generation. [reNews]

¶ “These Five Countries Have 71% Of World’s Nuclear Power Capacity” • Five countries account for more than two-thirds of the world’s total nuclear electricity generation capacity. The US has the most capacity, followed by France, China, Russia, and South Korea, according to International Atomic Energy Agency data of June 2025. [CleanTechnica]

Five countries’ nuclear power systems (EIA image)

¶ “India’s Unique Path To Electric Mobility” • India’s EV market is developing in a context that is different from the US, Europe, or China. Car ownership per capita is low, two-wheelers provide most personal mobility, and three-wheelers are integral to urban and peri-urban transport. Fueling and maintaining combustion vehicles outside of cities is patchy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Offshore Wind Gains Momentum In Atlantic Canada” • In parts of Newfoundland winds regularly reach a Category 3 hurricane’s power, and offshore winds are higher and steadier. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston proposed the Wind West project to develop 40 GW of offshore capacity, enough to meet 27% of Canada’s demand. [The Energy Mix]

Offshore windpower (Casey Horner, Unsplash)

¶ “China Begins Building World’s Largest Pure-Hydrogen Power Project In Inner Mongolia” • China started building the world’s largest pure-hydrogen power project, integrating a 30-MW hydrogen-fired turbine into a renewable energy generating and storage system in the Otoke High-Tech Industrial Development Zone in Inner Mongolia. [Fuel Cells Works]

¶ “Vestas Takes 40-MW Turbine Order In Poland” • Vestas has secured a 40-MW contract in Poland from a customer who has not been disclosed as yet. The deal covers supply, installation, and commissioning of ten V138-4.2MW turbines operating in 4.0-MW mode. The contract also includes a 20-year AOM 5000 service agreement. [reNews]

Sunrise on wind turbines (Vestas image)

US:

¶ “California VPP Links 100,000 Residential Storage Batteries” • At 7:00 pm on July 29, 2025, history was made in California. PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E tapped 100,000 residential storage batteries installed by Tesla and Sunrun to form a first of its kind virtual power plant. Together, those batteries supplied about 535 MW of electricity to the grid. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Banks Cut Fossil Fuel Financing As The Market Outweighs Politics” • Wall Street’s six largest banks cut their financing to oil, gas, and coal projects by 25% year-over-year through August 1, 2025. In dollar terms, that means a cut from roughly $97 billion in 2024 to $73 billion this year. Morgan Stanley cut its fossil fuel lending by more than half. [CleanTechnica]

Wall Street (Patrick Weissenberger, Unsplash)

¶ “Ford Unveils Affordable EV Plan: ‘Lower Cost Of Ownership Over Five Years Than A Three-Year-Old Used Tesla Model Y'” • The time has finally come for us to learn what the “skunkworks” affordable EV project was all about. Ford higher-ups gathered at the sprawling Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky for an all-electric “Model T Moment.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Secures 950 MW Of US Orders” • Vestas has received orders totaling 950MW for undisclosed wind energy projects in the US. The company did not disclose project details or turbine models, but said the orders form part of its latest intake in the region. The announcement follows yesterday’s news that Vestas won a 40MW order in Poland. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Vestas image)

¶ “Next Massachusetts Solicitation Delayed” • Massachusetts officials delayed their fifth round of offshore wind procurement until next year. A Department of Energy Resources memo said that feedback from developers overwhelmingly recommended that the next request for proposals for offshore wind projects not be issued until 2026 at the earliest. [reNews]

¶ “Abandoned US Nuclear Site To Host 16,000 MT Polysilicon Plant” • Pivotal Manufacturing bought 140 acres where a nuclear plant was abandoned 40% into construction leaving over $2.6 billion in debt. It signed a ground lease with Highland Materials for a polysilicon advanced manufacturing facility and a campus of other energy projects. [pv magazine India]

Have a deliciously satisfying  day.

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World:

¶ “Ford Mustang Mach-E Available in the Philippines” • Ford Philippines launched the Mustang Mach-E Premium EV in that country at a price of ₱3,499,000 ($61,690). It features a battery with 88 kWh of usable energy, a 550 km range (342 miles), dual motors providing 394 hp, and electronic AWD. It can go from 0 to 100 km/h in under five seconds. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (George Sargiannidis, Unsplash)

¶ “Black Hole: Dozens Of Renewable Energy Projects Still Waiting On EPBC Decision” • There is more evidence that Australia’s EBPC Act approvals process is failing renewable energy projects, with another report showing no projects sent into the queue 2023 or 2024 have been approved. The EPBC is doubling timelines. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “It’s Time To Divest From Plastic – Ceramics Are One Viable Alternative” • Plastics Treaty negotiations began on August 5 and are due to conclude on August 14, 2025, but a failures at the proceedings have put the fate of the plastics treaty in jeopardy. In this article, we look at ceramics as an alternative to plastics for many articles. [CleanTechnica]

GaeaStar ceramic cups (GaeaStar image)

¶ “Five Community Batteries Power Up In Adelaide” • The first batteries in the ARENA Community Batteries Project, managed by Momentum Energy, were switched on in Adelaide, South Australia. Five batteries, with a total capacity of 770 kW and 2,061 kWh, help reduce costs for the retirement village residents and shop tenants. [Energy Source & Distribution]

¶ “Torrent Power Floats 200-MW FDRE Tender With Greenshoe Option” • Gujarat-based Torrent Power invited bids for a 200-MW firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) project with an energy storage system. The tender includes a greenshoe option of up to 100 MW, with the bidding deadline set for 30 August 2025. [Saur Energy]

Energy storage (Europe Smart Energy image)

¶ “Solar Power Output Jumps 71% In 4 Months: SATBA” • Iran’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) said that output of solar power plants rose by 71% in the first four months of the Iranian year starting March 20, compared to the same period last year. The increase in output was partly due to increased capacity. [Tehran Times]

¶ “NISE Launches Support Program For Renewable Energy Start-Ups” • The National Institute of Solar Energy, collaborating with the National Solar Energy Federation of India and the Atal Incubation Centre–IIT Delhi Sonipat Innovation Foundation, announced a program to support start-up-led innovation in the Renewable Energy sector. [pv magazine India]

Small solar cell (Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Swarm Of Jellyfish Shuts French Nuclear Power Plant” • The Gravelines nuclear power plant in northern France has been shut down after a swarm of jellyfish entered the filter drums that pull in cooling water, according to its state-owned operator, EDF. The plant is one of the largest in France. It is cooled by water from a canal connected to the North Sea. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “Google Launched An AI Model That Functions Like A Virtual Satellite” • Satellites gather images help scientists understand our planet. But these images come from many different sources, and it can be difficult to combine them into a single picture. Google’s AI model AlphaEarth Foundations can combine them to create highly detailed maps almost in real time. [Euronews]

New York City (NASA, Unsplash)

¶ “New Jersey Wins $2 Billion Settlement From DuPont Over PFAS” • New Jersey won a $2 billion settlement because PFAS are horrible for human health, and they don’t naturally degrade. The $2 billion seems minuscule compared to the damage PFAS do. We should take the stand that our government should protect people, not corporations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Offshore Wind Study Confirms The Obvious” • Research on North Sea wind farms in the UK indicates that the floating offshore wind field is an opportunity for the concrete industry. As applied to the US, that includes long swaths of deepwater coastline unsuitable for fixed monopiles. But a convicted felon will prevent it. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind turbines (NREL image)

¶ “The Human Health Risk Of Breathing Carbon Dioxide” • The US EPA issued a report claiming that increasing CO₂ promotes plant growth, enhancing agricultural yields, and neutralizing ocean alkalinity. The promotion of CO₂ is not based on any science, however. Scientists say we already breathe too much CO₂ for good health. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Homeowner Seeks Advice After Negotiating Solar Panel Deal To Lower Massive Energy Bills: ‘Too Good To Be True?'” • One Californian Redditor was thinking about signing a solar PPA and looked to r/solar for advice. Replies were mostly supportive. One said that the utility largely had control over rates, but with solar power, the user did. [The Cool Down]

Have a perfectly fabulous day.

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World:

¶ “Climate Solutions That Can Spread Fast? Scientists Outline A Strategy To Tip The System” • An international research group has a new method to identify “positive tipping points,” when small shifts in behaviour, technology or policy could lead to sweeping, self-sustaining climate progress. Their proposed plan is described in Sustainability Science. [Euronews]

Helping hand (Neil Thomas, Unsplash)

¶ “Wildfires Rage Across Southern Europe Amid Record Heat” • Firefighters battle wildfires across southern Europe as extreme heat grips the region with record temperatures. In the Aude region of southern France, approximately 1,400 firefighters were deployed on Saturday to prevent the country’s largest wildfire in decades from reigniting. [Euronews]

¶ “Lyft And Apollo Go to Go After Europe” • Baidu, the parent company of Apollo Go, has done a pretty good job of expanding its robotaxi services in China and beyond in recent years. Apollo Go keeps rolling out robotaxis into new markets. Now, Apollo Go will reportedly launch robotaxi services in Europe in 2026 via the Lyft network. [CleanTechnica]

Apollo Go robotaxi (Apollo Go image)

¶ “Ireland In Need Of Wind And Solar Farms As Coal-Burning Era Ends” • Ireland’s 40-year-long era of using coal to generate electricity came to an end in June, when ESB announced it had ceased burning coal at its Moneypoint power station in County Clare. That was six months ahead of schedule. Renewable energy is growing, but much more is needed. [RTE.ie]

¶ “China’s EVs: Racing From 50% To 80% New Sales In Record Time” • In 2025, battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars will account for roughly half of all new sales in China, a level the central government had not expected to see until the mid-2030s. One question now is how quickly China will move through the remaining adoption thresholds. [CleanTechnica]

EV by BYD (Tiago Ferreira, Unsplash)

¶ “Report finds staggering statistics about performance of newly commissioned energy projects” • A July report by IRENA clearly underscores the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy projects. There were 582 GW added, and onshore wind projects were 53% cheaper than the lowest-priced fossil-fuel alternatives. Solar projects were 41% cheaper. [The Cool Down]

¶ “BYD EV Struck By Lightning Holds Up Fine ” • A BYD electric car was recently struck by lightning, three times, while it was in motion. There was driver in the car at the time. The good news is that the driver and the car were fine, with only minimal damage. A mechanic inspected the battery, motor, and electronic contols and found nothing wrong. [CleanTechnica]

BYD EV lightning strike (Image via CleanTechnica)

¶ “Iraq Targets 12,000 MW Of Renewable Energy Output By 2030” • Iraq aims to produce 12 GW from renewable sources, including solar, wind, and waste-to-energy, between 2025 and 2030, according to Mueyed Hassan Radhi, head of renewable energy system designs at the Scientific Research Authority of the Ministry of Higher Education. [964media]

¶ “High Temperatures To Affect Nuclear Power Production In South West France” • High water temperatures are expected to affect electricity production on the Garonne river, from August 12, particularly at the 2.6-GW Golfech nuclear plant, nuclear operator EDF said in a notice. The high temperatures are also expected to affect other plants. [MSN]

Golfech nuclear plant (John Seb Barber, CC BY 2.0)

US:

¶ “Meet The Native American Tribe That Beat The Trump Administration In Court” • Less than two months ago, the Miccosukee first heard rumors that the largely abandoned airport on the outskirts of their reservation was being made into the detention complex called “Alligator Alcatraz.” For now, at least, they have brought it to a stop. [ABC News]

¶ “New Study Shows How Climate Change Is Driving Wildfire Season To Start Earlier In California” • Fire season is expanding in California, with an earlier start to wildfire activity in most of the state. In parts of the northern mountains, the season is now starting more than 10 weeks earlier than it did in the 1990s, a study shows. [PBS]

Wildfire in California (BLM image via Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Tesla Dissolves Its Dojo Supercomputer Team Amid A Talent Exodus” • Tesla is dissolving the team that was developing its Dojo supercomputer, according to Bloomberg. The change marks a notable shift away from using in-house technology to train the AI models powering Tesla’s self-driving features and its Optimus humanoid robot. [MSN]

¶ “Northwestern University Study Finds Grid Congestion Is Key Obstacle To EV Emissions Reduction” • Even with sufficient renewable energy, simply switching from cars powered by fossil fuels to EVs won’t be enough to fight climate change unless the US also upgrades its transmission grid, according to a study from Northwestern University. [Green Car Congress]

Have a luminously lovely day.

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World:

¶ “‘Will European Cities Become Unlivable?” • Due to the “heat island” effect, cities are especially affected by heat. Cities can be 10°C to 15°C (18°F to 27°F) hotter than rural areas around them during summer. There are green solutions, and many cities are adapting, but if CO₂ emissions are not reduced to zero, experts warn cities could become unlivable. [Euronews]

Montmartre (Bastien Nvs, Unsplash)

¶ “Which EU Country Was The Worst Affected By Wildfires In 2024?” • Human behaviour drives the vast majority of wildfires in Europe, but climate change makes them more frequent and intense. Europe’s hottest year since records began in 1940 was 2024. Portugal had the largest burned area in the EU in 2024, with nearly 450 km² of land ruined. [Euronews]

¶ “Leapmotor Gets Its Own Ocean Vessel For Vehicle Shipments” • Leapmotor is really excelling and deserves more of a nod. It is a Chinese EV brand that is seeing soaring overseas sales, especially in Europe. Now it has its own ship, Grande Tianjin, leased by Grimaldi Group, to deliver cars. It’s new EV, B10, has a starting price of 99,800 yuan ($13,900). [CleanTechnica]

Grande Tianjin (Leapmotor image)

¶ “A Moment Of Opportunity To Embrace Renewables Is Smart Economics” • Smart economics is the driving factor for global renewable adoption. That is the argument behind a speech titled “A Moment of Opportunity” by UN Secretary General António Guterres. He described how “we are on the cusp of a new era” of powering our lives. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Germany Clears 86 MW Of New Wind Capacity” • Two wind energy projects in Germany totaling over 86 MW have secured approval, developers confirmed. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Ladenthin scheme will feature six V162 turbines with a total capacity of 43.2 MW. The Kerspleben repowering project will have 43.2 MW in Thuringia. [reNews]

Wind farm (Eurowind Energy image)

¶ “OX2 Sells Romanian Wind Project” • OX2 has sold its 96-MW Ansthall wind farm in eastern Romania to Helleniq Renewables, a wholly owned subsidiary of Helleniq Energy Holdings. The project will feature 15 Vestas 6.4-MW turbines. Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025. Commissioning is planned for 2027. [reNews]

¶ “SRE Signs 15-Year SOV Deal With DFO” • Synera Renewable Energy Group has awarded a 15-year service operations vessel contract to Dong Fang Offshore, marking the longest such deal in Taiwan’s offshore wind sector. DFO will supply a newly built, Taiwan-flagged SOV to support the operations and maintenance of SRE’s assets. [reNews]

Service Operations Vessel (SRE image)

US:

¶ “Lowering Energy Bills Will Be More Difficult With EPA Cut, Groups Say” • The EPA announced that it is ending Solar for All, a $7 billion grant program to help pay for resident solar projects. The decision to cancel the solar grant program will hinder efforts to reduce energy bills for middle to low-income households, say several environmental groups. [ABC News]

¶ “Over 50 Million People On Alert For Dangerous Heat In The Southwest” • Extreme heat warnings remain in effect for parts of the desert Southwest. Phoenix has already seen a high of 118°F. This not only was the hottest temperature ever recorded in the month of August, it is also tied for the ninth-hottest day all time since records began in 1895. [ABC News]

Phoenix (Walter Martin, Unsplash)

¶ “General Motors Weathers Tariff Storm To Pursue #1 Spot In EV Sales” • General Motors is proud of its #2 slot in domestic EV sales, second only to Tesla, but it plans for better things. In the latest news, GM intends to import low cost LFP batteries from the Chinese company CATL over the next two years, pending the rampup of a US source. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Blue Bird Delivers Electric School Bus Fleet To Little Rock School District In Arkansas” • Blue Bird Corporation, a leader in electric and low-emission school buses, is delivering 25 electric school buses to Little Rock School District. The zero-emission school bus fleet marks a new era of clean student transportation for the school district. [CleanTechnica]

Blue Bird electric bus (Little Rock School District image)

¶ “Solar Farms In Mississippi” • The sun has been a resource for Mississippi, drawing tourists to the Gulf and Magnolia State lakes and reservoirs. Farmers need it most of all to nurture the work they do. Increasingly, they are investing in solar power, though as yet, it only provides about 1% of the electricity used in the state, according to the US EIA. [Mississippi Business Journal]

¶ “In US Autonomous Robotaxi Wars, It’s Zoox 1, Tesla 0” • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it has “issued an exemption for Zoox driverless vehicles under its newly expanded Automated Vehicle Exemption Program. This is the first-ever exemption for American-built vehicles under the program.” [CleanTechnica]

Zoox Fully Autonomous all-electric robotaxi

¶ “Administration Rescinds Biden Approval of 1,000 MW Wind Farm In Idaho” • The Trump administration rescinded approvals for a proposed 1,000 MW wind energy facility in southern Idaho that had been the object of controversy due to its proximity to a site where Japanese Americans were interned in government camps during World War II. [The Well News]

¶ “Thrust Fault At Diablo Power Plant Concerns Seismic Expert” • As PG&E’s aging Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant is up for a 20-year federal license renewal, one scientist cites new GPS data to suggest there’s a looming seismic threat from an active thrust fault that extends under the plant. There is some controversy about his opinion, however. [NBC Bay Area]

Have a simply marvelous day.

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World:

¶ “Massive, 18-Mile-Long Patagonia Glacier Experiencing Rapid Ice Loss For First Time” • What was once thought the most stable glacier in Patagonia is undergoing ice loss at rates far greater than previously thought, a study shows. The glacier, measuring about 18.6 miles long, has retreated nearly half a mile in some areas over the past few years. [ABC News]

Glaciar Perito Moreno (Chrysanthi Ha, Unsplash)

¶ “‘Unprecedented’ Wildfire In Southern France Driven By Drought And Climate Change” • A wildfire in the south of France has grown to 16,000 hectares to become the country’s biggest since 1949. France’s minister for ecological transition told France Info radio, “It is a fire that is clearly a consequence of climate change and drought in this region.” [Euronews]

¶ “July Was Earth’s Third-Warmest On Record” • The world went through it’s third-warmest July on record this year, according to the EU agency that tracks global warming. The years 2023 and 2024 both saw record-breaking heat, but despite a slightly lower global average temperature, extremes of heat and deadly floods persisted in July, scientists said. [ABC News]

Hot day (Jeff Ma, Unsplash)

¶ “EVs At 28.6% Share Of Sales In Germany – IDs Take Top Three” • July saw plugin EVs at 28.6% share in Germany, up from 19.1% share year-on-year. BEV volume increased by 58% YOY, while PHEVs grew 84%. Overall auto volume was 264,802 units, up some 11% YOY. In July, the best-selling battery EV was the Volkswagen ID.3. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Gresham Hits 1-GW Milestone For UK BESS” • Gresham House Energy Storage Fund has reached 1 GW of operational battery energy storage capacity in the UK. Gresham said it has delivered 282 MW and 770 MWh of operational assets since the 2024 interim results, completing construction of its 1,072-MW, 1,701-MWh portfolio. [reNews]

Battery system (Gresham House Energy Storage Fund image)

¶ “Russia’s Oil Exports Have Decreased Modestly Since 2022, Shifting Toward Asia” • Exports from Russia in H1 of 2025 were 4.3 million barrels per day, down from 4.8 million b/d in 2024. Even as oil exports from Russia stayed rather high, the exports’ destination has shifted, mainly due to sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Wins 274-MW Turbine Order In Canada” • Vestas has secured a 274-MW order from EDF power solutions North America for the Madawaska wind project in Quebec, Canada. The deal covers the supply of 25 V162-6.0MW and 20 V162-6.2MW EnVentus turbines, alongside a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 service agreement. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “Berlin To Enter Talks With Industry After Auction Flop” • The German government will hold talks with developers and other key industry players to find out why the country’s latest offshore wind auction had no bids. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy had offered the tender, but 2,500 MW at two North Sea sites went unallocated. [reNews]

¶ “Plans For Renewable Energy Center In Exeter Get Go-Ahead” • Outline plans to build a renewable energy center in Exeter were given the green light by the city council. Exeter Energy Limited, which is developing a £120 million low-carbon heat network for the city, was granted permission to build the plant on land next to Marsh Barton train station. [MSN]

Renewable energy center in Exeter (© Exeter Energy Ltd)

¶ “Vietnam’s Renewable Power Capacity To Surpass 112 GW By 2035” • Vietnam’s power sector presents significant opportunities for renewable energy. The country’s total renewable capacity is forecast to be 112.1 GW in 2035, for a compound annual growth rate of 14.3% during 2024-35, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. [MSN]

¶ “China’s Next-Gen Fusion Reactor Could Achieve First Plasma In Just Two Years” • The promise of fusion energy is hard to overstate. With the ability to leverage the energy-producing physics that powers our Sun, humanity could tap into a near-limitless wealth of carbon-free energy, ending our dependence on the fossil fuels that poison the planet. [MSN]

MAST Tokamak (Eye Steel Film, CC BY 2.0)

US:

¶ “Amazon And Brimstone Advance Lower-Carbon Cement Collaboration” • Amazon and Brimstone this week announced successful results from tests of Brimstone’s lower-carbon Ordinary Portland Cement for use in concrete construction with plans for more comprehensive testing, which will be conducted in 2025 and 2026. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Make America Gaslit Again” • Trump & Co are trying to shut down as much renewable energy as possible. And they are doing so as rapidly as possible. Will the surviving wind and solar power be enough? Probably not. It would probably not be enough in any event, because demand is rising rapidly. We should prepare because the numbers don’t add up. [CleanTechnica]

Even a candle … (Manoj Roy, Unsplash)

¶ “Government Overreach Now Wears A MAGA Hat As Assault On Wind Power Accelerates” • Michael Thomas, who writes the Clearview Newsletter, makes clear that the oft-repeated mantra by Republicans that government should not be picking winners and losers is no longer operative. Now they are determined to get rid of wind power at all costs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump’s Attack On Wind, Solar Cuts Deeper Than Industry Expected” • President Donald Trump is escalating his attacks on wind and solar power, with a rapid-fire campaign that exceeds the industries’ worst fears. In the past few weeks, the Trump administration instituted permitting reviews that threaten US wind and solar developments. [Yahoo Finance]

Have a clearly beneficial day.

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World:

¶ “Record Coral Losses In Great Barrier Reef Spark Concern Over Escalating Climate Stress” • Parts of Australia’s iconic reef suffered their worst annual decline since records began almost 40 years ago. Back-to-back climate stressors have driven a sharp drop in coral cover – the percentage of a reef’s surface covered in live coral – in its three regions. [Euronews]

Great Barrier Reef (Chad Taylor, Unsplash)

¶ “EVs Take 33.8% Share Of The UK While Government Bungles Incentives” • July saw plugin EVs take 33.8% share of the UK auto market, up from 27.4% year-on-year. Battery EVs grew in volume by 9% YOY, while plugin hybrid EVs grew 33%. Overall volume was 140,154 units, down 5% YOY. The leading battery EV brand in the UK for July was Volkswagen. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD’s First Dedicated NEV Carrier Delivers 1,500 Vehicles To The Philippines” • BYD newest roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel just delivered 1,500 new energy vehicles to the Philippines. The BYD Zhengzhou is the first of a planned eight-ship fleet. The vessel measures 199.9 meters (652 feet) long, and can transport up to 7,000 NEVs at a time. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Zhengzhou (Photo from BYD Philippines)

¶ “Chinese Car Brands Grew 91% In Europe In The First Half Of 2025” • JATO Dynamics reported on auto sales in 28 European markets, and there are a number of interesting findings about EVs. One is that Chinese brands rose 91% from 181,897 in the first half of 2024 to 347,135 in the first half of 2025. The market share rose from 2.7% to 5.1%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Encavis Buys 34-MW German Wind Farm” • PNE sold its 34-MW Sundern-Allendorf wind farm in North Rhine-Westphalia to Encavis. The five-turbine project, now under construction, will generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of around 22,800 households when it is commissioned in the first half of 2026, according to PNE. [reNews]

Wind farm (PNE image)

¶ “Statkraft Plans 400-MW Hydrogen Scheme In Shetland” • Statkraft is moving forward with plans for a 400-MW green hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Shetland after securing a lease on land near the disused Scatsta Airport. The Shetland Hydrogen Project 2 will use electrolytic hydrogen to produce green ammonia. [reNews]

¶ “Virtual Power Plant Drives ‘Zero Down’ Household Solar And Battery Installs” • Alinta Energy, based in New South Wales, and National Renewable Nework co-launched a distributed energy virtual power plant program called Solar Together. It provides households with solar and battery systems at no upfront cost and no financing. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar installation (Solar Victoria image)

¶ “Nord/LB Backs 240-MWh Battery At Uskmouth” • Nord/LB agreed to a £45 million financing package for a battery system SAE is developing at its Uskmouth Sustainable Energy Park in Wales. The 240-MWh Afon Wysg 1 project is the first of four battery assets planned for the former coal power station site. It is expected to be operating in 2027. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Critics Of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Argue It Should Be Shuttered Due To Environmental Concerns” • An eight-hour hearing on environmental concerns over the Florida migrant detention center called “Alligator Alcatraz” ended without even establishing who runs the controversial facility. We still do not know whether it is run by the state or federal government. [ABC News]

Aligator (Adam Kubín, Unsplash)

¶ “US Should Put Nuclear Reactors On Moon Before Other Countries Do, Acting NASA Administrator Says” • Nuclear power on the moon is critical to the US space exploration and national security goals, and the US should move quickly to build reactors there before its terrestrial rivals, according to a federal directive obtained by ABC News. [ABC News]

¶ “Failed US Government Wants To Dismantle Solar For All Program” • During Joe Biden’s term, as much as $7 billion was approved in the Inflation Reduction Act for the Solar For All program, intended to help homeowners install solar systems. Now the government want to stop that, as it shovels out $90 billion for tech centers. [CleanTechnica]

Solar installation (Raze Solar, Unsplash)

¶ “Tesla Shareholders Sue Elon Musk Over Autopilot And FSD Failures” • The $329 million jury verdict against Tesla last week was the last straw for several Tesla shareholders. They decided “Enough is enough!” and sued Tesla and Elon Musk personally for repeatedly overstating the effectiveness of and prospects for their autonomous driving technology. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Secretary Of Interior Announces End To Lava Ridge Wind Project In Idaho” • The Interior Department announced that the Lava Ridge Wind Project is being canceled. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said he would reverse approval of the large wind farm project that had been approved to be built outside of Twin Falls on BLM land. [Yahoo]

Wind farm in Power County, Idaho (US DOE image)

¶ “Schroders Greencoat Buys Into 395-MW US Solar Portfolio” • Schroders Greencoat bought a 50% stake in JERA Nex’s 395-MW solar portfolio, comprising the 300-MW Oxbow Solar Farm in Louisiana and the 95-MW Happy Solar Farm in Arkansas. The assets are operational in the MISO region and are backed by long-term PPAs. [reNews]

¶ “States Scramble To Complete Renewable Energy Projects Before Tax Credits Expire” • The abrupt termination of tax credits for clean energy may be the most drastic blow President Trump has struck in his campaign against wind and solar power. States are scrambling to get projects off the ground before the tax credits expire. [North Dakota Monitor]

Have an illustriously playful day.

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World:

¶ “Change For The Baltic Sea As Poland Bets On Offshore Wind Energy” • Poland is one of the largest CO₂ emitters in the EU, but its first offshore turbines are already standing in the Baltic Sea. Construction by the Baltic Power consortium aims to create a 1,200-MW farm, and Poland’s goal is 6,000 MW of offshore wind farms by 2030. [Euronews]

Offshore turbines (Mary, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Europe-Wide EV Survey Finds Growing Interest In E-mobility And Acceptance Of Chinese Brands” • Key findings of a survey taken in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK, found that consumers are increasingly receptive towards EVs, and are more appreciative now of Chinese EV brands. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Electric Bus Sales Grow 128.5%” • We should take a look at the stunning growth coming from BYD’s commercial vehicle divisions. In July, BYD’s fully electric bus sales rose 128.5% year over year, from 267 in July 2024 to 610 in July 2025. Other commercial vehicle sales rose from 776 in July 2023 to 1,317 in July 2024 to 2,656 in July 2025. [CleanTechnica]

BYD B12 (S5A-0043, CC BY 4.0)

¶ “Canada’s Fossil Fuel Funding Faces Growing Legal Risks After ICJ Ruling” • British Columbia recently announced $200 million in funding to support Cedar LNG, a floating liquefied natural gas export terminal. But the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on July 23, 2025, creates significant legal risks around such subsidies as Cedar LNG. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Planning Body Clears Two Irish Wind Farms” • An Coimisiun Pleanala approved two wind farms totalling 79 MW in the second quarter of 2025, according to Wind Energy Ireland. The industry body said the projects represent only 13% of the volume needed during the quarter to stay on track with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan targets for 2030. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Energia image)

¶ “EU Approves €11 Billion French Offshore CFD” • A  French State aid scheme worth €11 billion, backing three floating wind farms with a total of 1.5 GW, has been approved by the European Commission. Each of the three planned wind farms – one in the waters off southern Brittany and two in the Mediterranean – will have a capacity of about 500 MW. [reNews]

¶ “Germany Urges EU To Cut China Magnet Reliance” • At this time, over 90% of permanent magnets containing rare earth elements are produced in China. They are vital components for wind turbine generators. The German wind industry proposed that Europe target sourcing 30% of all permanent magnets from suppliers outside China by 2030. [reNews]

Wind farm (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)

¶ “Malaysia Turns To Domestic Market To Revive Manufacturing Solar” • In response to the Trump administration’s reciprocal tariff measures, Malaysia is urging its solar industry to pivot and expand the domestic market. The goal is to clearly distance itself from Chinese transshipment practices and reduce reliance on exports. [Reccessary]

¶ “Wind And Solar Droughts Have More Impact On Prices Than Reliability” • Long duration droughts of variable renewable energy are really neither that long nor that severe. Nevertheless, electricity spot prices are very elastic, and fewer than 0.5% of days have wind and solar output below 66% of normal for four days or longer in a row. [RenewEconomy]

Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park (Iberdrola image)

¶ “Nuclear Energy Is Dumb Energy” • Nuclear energy is called low-carbon and so it is included in most planning scenarios for net zero. This largely because of a perceived need of baseload power as solar and wind are variable. Nevertheless, sustainable development consultant Ran Boydell makes the case that nuclear energy is dumb technology. [The Fifth Estate]

US:

¶ “Gifford Fire Continues To Rage In California, Burning 83,000 Acres And Accompanied By 2 Other Emerging Wildfires” • The Gifford Fire, a wildfire burning in Central California that has destroyed nearly 84,000 acres in five days, continues to rage and is now accompanied by two additional fires emerging nearby, according to officials. [ABC News]

Gifford Fire (Cal Fire image)

¶ “Heat Waves: US Electricity Peak Demand Set New Records Twice in July” • Hot weather, which increases electricity demand for cooling, along with an underlying trend of demand increases, pushed coincident peak demand for the Lower 48 states to a high of 758,053 MW on July 28. Then it reached another record of 759,180 MW on the next day. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A New Chevy Equinox EV For $28,000 (With Incentives)” • A persistent EV myth is that they cost too much, but we have seen four examples disproving that. Here is one more: A new Chevy Equinox EV, with $6,000 of state incentives from Colorado but not the expiring federal EV tax credit. The list price is $34,000. Incentives reduce that to $28,000. [CleanTechnica]

Chevy Equinox EV (Booredatwork.com, CC BY 3.0)

¶ “Tesla Sales Keep Falling As Board Bribes Musk To Attend To Business” • Tesla is taking it on the chin in China and Europe. So how can we explain the latest act of the Tesla board of directors, which just awarded the drug-addled Musk a pay package worth about $29 billion? Will that recapture his attention? The gang at CleanTechnica are skeptical. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dominion To Install Solar At Richmond Ballpark” • Dominion Energy Virginia has unveiled plans to install a 1-MW solar array at the future home of minor league baseball team the Richmond Flying Squirrels. The project will see more than 1,700 panels added to the roof and car park of CarMax Park once the team’s 2026 season concludes. [reNews]

Have an appreciably productive day.

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World:

¶ “Plastic Causing ‘Disease And Death From Infancy To Old Age'” • Plastic pollution is a “grave, growing and under-recognized danger” to health that costs the world at least $1.5 trillion per year, a report in the Lancet medical journal said. The report was published one day ahead of fresh talks in Geneva aiming for the first treaty on plastic pollution. [MSN]

Plastic spoon (Judesba, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “EVs Take A Record 98.2% Share In Norway” • July saw plugin EVs take a record 98.2% share in Norway, up from 94.3% year on year. Battery EVs alone took 97.2% share, setting a record high. Plugin hybrids took a 1.1% share of the market. Overall new auto sales volume was 9,563 units, up 48% YoY. The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling vehicle. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Global EV Sales: Plugin Vehicles Reach 28% Share!” • Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 22% in June 2025 compared to June 2024. There were over 1.8 million registrations. Battery EVs grew 24% year-over-year to over 1.1 million units, compared to plugin hybrids growing 18% to around 600,000 units in the same period. [CleanTechnica]

Electric car (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash)

¶ “BasiGo Deploys 100th Electric Bus In East Africa!” • BasiGo has quickly moved from just two pilot buses in Nairobi in early 2022, to a hundred electric buses now operating in Rwanda and Kenya, a milestone for electric public transport in East Africa. BasiGo says “This isn’t just about numbers – it’s about proof of concept at scale.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Inch Cape Installs Offshore Substation” • The offshore jacket foundation and substation for the 1,100-MW Inch Cape offshore wind farm have been installed in the North Sea. The Siemens Energy Offshore Transformer Module and its jacket foundation were lifted into place by Heerema Marine Contractors’ crane vessel Sleipnir. [reNews]

Sleipnir (Heerema Marine Contractors image)

¶ “Wind Power Blows Away Monthly Generation Records In Australia And Four States” • A windy July blew away a number of wind energy records in Australia, according to the latest monthly data from Rystad Energy. Monthly wind generation records were also set in four states: Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “RWE Secures Four North Star SOVs” • RWE signed long-term charter and reservation agreements with North Star for four service operation vessels to be used at offshore wind farms. One will serve the 857-MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm off the UK coast, one is for German offshore sites north of Heligoland, and two are to come in 2028 and 2029. [reNews]

Four North Star SOVs (RWE image)

¶ “Renewables Will Be World’s Top Power Source By 2026” • Wind and solar are increasingly under attack from politicians on the right, such as US president Donald Trump. Even so, they will meet over 90% of the increase in global electricity demand out to 2026, the IEA says, making renewables the world’s biggest source of electricity. [Reccessary]

US:

¶ “Gifford Fire Burns Over 72,000 Acres In California” • Over 1,000 firefighters are battling a wildfire in California that has grown to over 72,000 acres. It has prompted evacuation orders and caused three injuries, according to officials. The Gifford Fire, which is burning in the Los Padres National Forest is only 3% contained, Cal Fire says. [ABC News]

Gifford Fire (PG&E via Cal Fire)

¶ “New Jersey Says Three Chemical Makers Agree To ‘Forever Chemical’ Settlement Worth Up To $2 Billion” • DuPont and two other companies will pay New Jersey up to $2 billion to settle claims stemming from PFAS, the companies said. The deal calls for the companies to pay $875 million over 25 years and create a remediation fund of up $1.2 billion. [ABC News]

¶ “Tesla Awards CEO Musk Millions In Shares Valued At About $29 Billion” • Tesla is offering CEO Elon Musk 96 million shares of restricted stock valued at roughly $29 billion, just six months after a judge ordered the company to revoke his massive pay package. The EV maker said in a regulatory filing that Musk must first pay Tesla $23.34 per share. [ABC News]

Elon Musk (The White House, public domain)

¶ “The Huge Fraud Of DOGE” • It was obvious since the start that DOGE was built on lies. DOGE claimed it found “tens of millions of dead people” were getting social security, and the entire US government was riddled with fraud. A huge inquiry found two dead people might be getting social security checks. But that isn’t the worst of it. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The US Offshore Wind Industry Is Almost Dead, But Not Quite” • The US offshore wind industry was a tough nut to crack long before President Donald Trump took office with a vendetta against “windmills.” And now Trump has thrown one monkey wrench after another into the works. But some stakeholders are willing to play the long game. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind farm (Jesse De Meulenaere, Unsplash)

¶ “Minnesota Power Announces Plan For 200-MW Wind Farm In Central North Dakota” • Minnesota Power announced plans to build a 45-turbine, 200-MW wind farm in central North Dakota. It would deliver power to  nearly 150,000 customers in northeast Minnesota. The company has a goal to be largely carbon-free within the next decade. [Grand Forks Herald]

¶ “DOE Selects Standard Nuclear To Kickstart US Nuclear Fuel Production” • In a major step to revitalize America’s energy independence, the US DOE has conditionally selected Standard Nuclear as the first company to join its new nuclear fuel line pilot program. This initiative is designed to strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel supply train. [Innovation News Network]

Have a highly amusing day.

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World:

¶ “Iberia Declares High-Alert Due To Fire Risk As Europe Faces Record Heatwaves” • Spain and Portugal entered a state of alert over the weekend due to the worsening risk of wildfires as a result of incoming severe hot weather. Elsewhere in Europe, other countries are also dealing with the extreme climate, as various regions have storms or heat. [Euronews]

Weather (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “Vietnam Automaker Vinfast To Build Factory In India, Eyeing Growth In Asia” • Vietnam’s Vinfast inaugurated a $500 million EV plant in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state, part of a planned $2 billion investment in India and a broader expansion across Asia. The factory in Thoothukudi will make 50,000 EVs per year, initially, but could grow to 150,000. [ABC News]

¶ “XPENG Overseas Sales In Fourteen Countries Growing 339% In 2025” • XPENG is now selling in 46 markets around the world. While we’re used to looking at the brand’s sales and thinking of them as Chinese, we should probably start paying attention to and tracking the company’s sales in other markets, because they are rising fast. [CleanTechnica]

XPENG G6 and G9 for Europe

¶ “OPEC+ Countries To Boost Oil Production By 547,000 Barrels Per Day” • A group of OPEC+ countries has agreed to boost oil production, a move some believe could lower oil and gasoline prices, citing a steady global economic outlook and low oil inventories. The group will increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day in September. [ABC News]

¶ “JERA And BP Launch 13-GW Offshore Wind JV” • JERA and BP completed the formation of JERA Nex BP, a 50:50 offshore wind joint venture with a portfolio for 13 GW of net potential capacity. The portfolio includes 1 GW of operating assets such as the 257-MW Arcadis Ost 1 in Germany, 7.5-GW in development, and 4.5-GW of secured leases. [reNews]

Arcadis Ost 1 (JERA Nex BP image)

¶ “EVs Take 24.0% Share In France – Hyundai Inster Arrives” • July’s auto sales saw plugin EVs take 24.0% share in France, up from 20.8% in July 2024. Battery EVs grew share, whilst plugin hybrid EVs remained flat. Overall auto volume was 116,350 units, down some 8% YoY. The Renault 5 was the best-selling battery EV for the month. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Taihan Wins Cable Deal For 532-MW Korean Offshore Wind Farm” • Taihan won a 181.6 billion won ($131 million) turnkey contract to supply and install more than 100 km of inter-array cables for the 532-MW Anma offshore wind farm in South Korea. The projectis expected to generate 1400 GWh annually, enough to power 1.4 million people. [reNews]

Working on cable (Taihan image)

¶ “Egypt’s $10 Billion Green Gamble” • Egypt has been steadily increasing its renewable generating capacity in recent years to improve energy security. By 2024, Egypt had a total installed capacity of renewable energy of almost 7.8 GW. Egypt’s solar capacity grew from 35 MW in 2012 to almost 2.6 GW in 2024, and much more is coming. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “CJEU Backs Galicia Wind Permitting Process” • The Court of Justice of the European Union upheld the legality of procedures used in Galicia to authorise wind farms, removing a legal hurdle that had stalled almost a hundred projects in the region. The Wind Energy Business Association said the decision ends years of legal uncertainty. [reNews]

Greenalia wind turbines (Greenalia image)

¶ “Ireland’s Giant Kite Project Aims To Revolutionise Wind Energy” • Researchers in Ireland are testing a giant kite that generates electricity by capturing the wind. The mobile, low-impact system could help power remote areas and revolutionize wind energy with few barriers. The kite is attached by a cable tether to the generator and acts like a yo-yo. [France 24]

US:

¶ “Everything We Know About The Chevy Bolt 2.0” • A few days ago, Chevrolet put out a press release about the new version of the Chevy Bolt. As press releases go, it was remarkably short. We were able to gleana few details, but not many. We do know that the new Bolt will have an LFP battery pack, which should help keep the starting price down. [CleanTechnica]

Chevy Bolt 2.0 (Chevrolet image)

¶ “EVs Lead Five Vehicle Categories In California” • Tesla sales may have dropped a lot, but the brand still stands well above the crowd and is the best seller in the California EV market. That said, some other EVs are doing well, especially in their vehicle classes. In fact, there are five vehicle classes in which EVs took the top spot for sales. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why Trump’s Renewables Surrender Could Hand China AI Victory” • Some commentators believe Trump’s pro-fossil fuels, anti-renewables policy, which is exemplified in his ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ has already surrendered a giant advantage to China in a crucial area, access to the vast amounts of energy needed to power AI data centres. [Recharge News]

Wind farm (Vidar Nordli-Mathisen, Unsplash)

¶ “Republicans Put Pressure On Trump To Salvage Funding For Renewables” • Several Republican Senators are sending signals of unhappiness to the Trump administration. They have basked in the glow of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, and now they are nervous about salvaging renewables funding that had been earmarked for their states. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump’s Nuclear Energy Overhaul Sparks Alarms Over Safety” • President Donald Trump, is betting big on nuclear power and aims to fast-track projects to prepare for the massive increase in electricity demand over the next decade. But experts fear his plans to hasten project development could compromise safety standards. [OilPrice.com]

Have a smoothly developing day.

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World:

¶ “2024 On Track To Become Earth’s Warmest Year On Record Despite Slight Global Temperature Drop” • For the first time in over a year, the planet did not set a monthly temperature record. However, Earth did have its two warmest days on record globally in July. Also, it’s becoming increasingly likely that 2024 will end up as the warmest year on record. [ABC News]

Earth (NASA, Unsplash)

¶ “Europe EV Sales Report: Tesla Has #1 Plus #2 Win, In A 29% EV Share Market” • EVs are picking up in Europe, with 361,000 plugin vehicles being registered there in June. That’s up 23% year over year. This is a particularly positive sign, considering that the overall market does not look good this year, with a 5% decline in June, down 1% YTD. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Queensland New Record Share Of Wind And Solar, Its First Since Anti-Renewable LNP Swept To Power” • Queensland set a record for wind and solar share, reaching 77.5% on Saturday. It is the first time the record has been broken since last October, and the first since the LNP government won in the state election nearly a year ago. [RenewEconomy]

Wind farm (Squadron Energy image)

¶ “India’s Renewable Projects Without Supply Deals Double In Nine Months” • India’s stranded renewable power capacity, the projects awarded but unable to come online, more than doubled over nine months, due to unfinished transmission lines, and legal and regulatory delays, according to letters to the government from an industry group. [Business Standard]

¶ “IAEA Records Explosions Near Zaporizhzhia NPP” • The IAEA Director General, Rafael Grossi, said the Zaporizhzhia NPP administration informed the agency that since 9:00 AM one of the auxiliary facilities has been under fire, including by drones. The auxiliary facility is located about 1,200 meters from the main territory of the station. [Ukrainian news]

Zaporizhzhia NPP (Leo211, CC BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Why Parts Of America Are ‘Certainly In A Water Crisis’ And What To Do About It” • As pollution, engineering, population growth, and climate change pose challenges to freshwater in America, its safety and quantity is in question. Environmental experts told ABC News about the future of water in America and problems the country is facing now. [ABC News]

¶ “Hydropanels Can Bring Clean Water To Remote Deserts” • Nearly thirty years after the California desert town of Hinkley won a suit against PG&E over contaminated water, a company is installing new technology to give it clean water. The firm has set up hydropanels to create the water using a solar-powered system that draws in moisture. [ABC News]

SOURCE® Global hydropanels (Courtesy image)

¶ “Miami Jury Finds Tesla Liable For Deadly Crash And Awards $329 Million In Damages” • After a two-week trial that included testimony from experts, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. It found that the driver was ⅔ responsible for the collision and Tesla was ⅓ responsible. It awarded the plaintiff a total of $329 million from Tesla. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A New Nissan Leaf For $28,000? (With Incentive)” • We have been looking into the prices of EVs, after one person claimed they cost $187,000. Here is another real price. It is a Nissan Leaf, selling for $28,000 in Colorado, including a discount from the dealer, a $4,000 incentive from the state, and no good will from the federal government. [CleanTechnica]

2025 Nissan Leaf SV Plus

¶ “Prologis Launches Into Large Community Solar Rooftop Initiative In Illinois” • The first of 45 similar community solar rooftop projects was launched last week in Franklin Park, Illinois. The group is expected to total 82 MW. Illinois has around 200 community solar projects now, so adding 45 more is a huge increase for the sector. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Florida’s Surpassing California in Solar Energy Growth: A Paradigm Shift in Renewable Energy Investment” • In the US, states like California have long led in renewable innovation. But in early 2025, a seismic shift is underway: Florida has overtaken California in utility-scale solar capacity additions, signaling a realignment of priorities. [AInvest]

Have a pleasantly surprising day.

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Opinion:

¶ “On Clean Energy, Too Many Republicans Appear To Forget That Batteries Exist” • When targeting solar and wind power, Donald Trump routinely repeats an old mistake: After sundown or when the wind isn’t blowing, those energy sources are nearly useless. He’s not, however, the only Republican who has shown confusion about this. [MSNBC News]

Wind turbines (Daniel Morris, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Australia Finalizes FID For Marinus Link Cable To Boost Renewable Power” • Australia has reached the final investment decision for the Marinus Link Stage 1 undersea electricity cable project, marking a key milestone in its energy transition. The 750-MW connection will bring electricity from Tasmania to the National Electricity Market. [S&P Global]

¶ “Vatican Strikes Solar Farm Deal To Become The World’s First Carbon-Neutral State” • Italy agreed to a Vatican plan to turn a 430-hectare field north of Rome, once the source of controversy between the two, into a solar farm. The Holy See hopes it will generate enough electricity to meet its needs and turn Vatican City into the first carbon-neutral state. [Euronews]

St Peter’s Basilica (Fabio Fistarol, Unsplash)

¶ “ONVO’s Flagship SUV L90 Officially Launched, Starting at 265,800 Yuan” • ONVO, NIO’s second brand, started sales of its Smart Large-Space Flagship SUV, the L90, in Hangzhou. The L90 offers two seat layouts: six-seater and seven-seater, with price starting at 265,800 yuan ($36,914), or 179,800 yuan with the battery subscription option.  [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wind Multiplikator Charters CSOV For Global Tech 1” • The German servicing outfit Wind Multiplikator signed a long-term charter with Norwind Offshore to deploy a Commissioning Service Operation Vessel for the 400-MW Global Tech 1 wind farm in the German North Sea. The Norwind Maestro will enter service in early 2026. [reNews]

Norwind Hurricane (Norwind image)

¶ “Aura Power Wins Nod For 49.9-MW UK Solar Farm” • Aura Power has secured full planning permission for the 49.9-MW Moreton Brook Solar Farm in East Staffordshire. The approval follows East Staffordshire Borough Council’s March resolution to grant consent, which was finalized after completion of a Section 106 Agreement. [reNews]

¶ “RES Wins Consent For Northern Ireland Wind Farm” • RES won consent for the six-turbine Magheramore wind farm near Dungiven, after a planning appeal in April 2025. The Planning Appeal Commission approved the project after three months. The company said construction of the wind farm could deliver a £1.6 to £2 million boost to its area. [reNews]

Wind turbine (RES image)

US:

¶ “One Dead As Torrential Rains And Flooding Sweep Northeast” • Torrential rain pummeled parts of the Northeast on Thursday, stranding rush-hours passengers on a train stuck in floodwaters and inundating some roadways. Areas most affected were from New York City, through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, DC. [ABC News]

¶ “ChargePoint Launches Service Program It Should Have Had Years Ago” • ChargePoint took a big lead in US EV charging early on. It dominated the Level 2 charging market at commercial and workplace sites. However, its rapid expansion had some serious problems with reliability and maintenance. Now the problems are being addressed. [CleanTechnica]

ChargePoint technician (ChargePoint image)

¶ “Avangrid, Tyba Complete Pilot to Advance Battery Energy Storage Systems” • Avangrid, Inc, a part of the Iberdrola Group, ran a pilot project with Tyba, a platform for energy analytics and optimization, to enhance its battery system modeling. This week it announced the successful completion of the pilot. It can now identify potential sites for storage. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A New Chevy Equinox EV For $32,000?” • Jake Richardson writes, “After finding online information about a new Nissan Ariya for $31,000 before incentives, I wondered about the availability of other new EVs that are affordable. … So, in less than five minutes I found a new Chevy Equinox EV LT for $32,000, also before incentives.” [CleanTechnica]

Chevrolet Equinox EV (JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC0 1.0)

¶ “Oregon Takes Aim At Utility Pushback Against Independent Solar Projects” • Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (D) signed SB 688 into law. It aims to address its utilities’ resistance to community solar, rooftop solar, and other forms of clean energy generation. The governor also signed a bill that expands microgrids beyond utility ownership. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “NRC Orders Safety Changes At Quad Cities Nuclear Plant After March 2023 Leak Incident” • Federal nuclear regulators are ordering safety improvements at the Quad Cities nuclear plant in Cordova after a March 2023 incident that violated multiple NRC rules and exposed serious gaps in training, oversight, and emergency response. [WQAD]

Have a distinctly gorgeous day.

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World:

¶ “Who’s Fueling Climate Disinformation, And Why” • A by the International Panel on Information Environment identifies key actors in disinformation narratives. Its authors highlight several entities, primarily individuals associated with the oil industry, politicians and right-wing circles, as well as certain countries, such as Russia. [Euronews]

Saint Basil’s Cathedral (Random Institute, Unsplash)

¶ “Europe’s Wildfire Emissions At Record Highs As Extreme Heat And Drought Fuel Summer Blazes” • Greece, Turkey, the UK, and Cyprus have already seen record wildfire emissions in 2025 as soaring temperatures and dry conditions fuel intense blazes. A total of 292,855 hectares (723660 acres) of land have burned in the EU, as of 29 July. [Euronews]

¶ “Philippine Port Now Uses All-Electric Transfer Vehicle Fleet” • The Manila South Harbor just got a jolt in its operations with the entry of the country’s first fleet of fifteen electric internal transfer vehicles to be operated by Asian Terminals Inc. As this is written, all fifteen of the eITVs are in full operation, replacing all of the diesel-powered trucks. [CleanTechnica]

SANY eITV port movers. (DP World image)

¶ “XPENG Sales For July Grow 229%!” • XPENG achieved a new record sales month in July, reaching 36,717 deliveries. As great as that seems, what’s probably more impressive is that this is a 229% increase over the 11,145 delivered in July 2024. And it is the ninth consecutive month in which XPENG’s vehicle sales surpassed 30,000 units. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Zelestra Signs 381-MW Wind Deal With Suzlon” • Zelestra signed a contract with Suzlon for 381 MW of wind capacity in India to support developing multi-technology renewable energy projects. The agreement contributes to Zelestra’s plans to begin construction this year on 480 MW of wind, 1450 MW of solar, and 150 MWh of battery capacity in India. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Suzlon image)

¶ “Avaada To Develop 1 GW Of Renewable Energy Projects In Bihar” • Avaada Group signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of the Indian state of Bihar for 1 GW of renewable energy projects. Avaada will develop projects that include ground-mounted, floating solar, community solar plants, and battery storage systems. [Asian Power]

¶ “First Jackets Depart For Dieppe Le Tréport” • The first four jacket foundations for the Dieppe Le Tréport offshore wind farm were shipped from Navantia Seanergies’ Fene yard in Spain. Each 1200-tonne structure is part of the 62-jacket array of Les Éoliennes en Mer, a consortium of Ocean Winds, Sumitomo Corporation, and Banque des Territoires. [reNews]

Transporting jackets (Navantia image)

¶ “ORE Catapult Launches Supply Chain Drive In Wales” • ORE Catapult launched a new phase of its Fit for Offshore Renewables program to support floating wind supply chain companies in South Wales. At least ten businesses from the Swansea region will be chosen for the twelve-to-eighteen month scheme, which aims to prepare companies to win contracts. [reNews]

¶ “Seatrium Profits Surge On Wind Showing” • Net profit at fabricator Seatrium surged in the first half of the year thanks to a stellar showing in offshore wind. The Singapore-based yard had a group-wide surplus of $144 million, up from $36 million in the period last year, partly due to its offshore wind division, where revenue more than doubled. [reNews]

Offshore substation platform (Seatrium image)

¶ “Due To Sanctions, Rosatom Can No Longer Build Power Units On Its Own” • The Russian nuclear industry is on the verge of financial insolvency. The state corporation “Rosatom”, which manages eleven nuclear power plants and provides up to 20% of Russia’s electricity, appealed to the authorities to subsidize its credit rates. [Українські Національні Новини]

US:

¶ “DOE Decrees That We Can Never Have Too Much Carbon Dioxide” • On July 29, 2025, the US DOE issued a report that says “the growing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere directly influences the earth system by promoting plant growth (global greening), thereby enhancing agricultural yields, and by neutralizing ocean alkalinity.” [CleanTechnica]

Global greening (bruno neurath-wilson, Unsplash)

¶ “California Blows A Big Fat EV Sales Raspberry At The Haters” • There had been reports that some of Tesla’s brand reputation troubles rubbed off on the entire EV market. With zero emission vehicles accounting for a healthy 21.6% of all new vehicle sales in California during Q2 this year, a California Energy Commission press release is a nice dose of reality. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bill McKibben Says The Renewable Energy Revolution Is Unstoppable” • McKibben says the fossil fuel industry may be in charge for now, but they’re very frightened. “They don’t have the cheapest power on Earth. We live on a planet where, all of a sudden, the cheapest way to make energy is to point a sheet of glass at the sun.” [CleanTechnica]

EcoFlow OCEAN Pro Solar Battery System (EcoFlow image)

¶ “Californians Back Offshore Wind In Poll” • Public support for offshore wind power in California remains high, with 75% of adults in favour of projects off the state’s coast, according to the latest survey by the Public Policy Institute of California. The figure is 77% among likely voters, including 88% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans. [reNews]

¶ “Trump Halts Plans To Develop New Offshore Wind Projects Amid An Energy Policy Shift” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is rescinding over 3.5 million acres (1.42 million hectares) designated as wind energy areas off the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Maine, New York, California, and Oregon, as well as in the central Atlantic. [Yahoo.co]

Have a decisively beneficial day.

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World:

¶ “At Least 22 Killed In Protests Against Fuel Price Hikes In Angola” • Angola is one of Africa’s largest oil producers, but its refineries cannot meet domestic demand, so it imports oil and gasoline at high prices. At least 22 people were killed in protests sparked by the government’s decision to raise the price of fuel, the president’s office says. [Euronews]

President Lourenço (© Olaf Kosinsky, CC By-SA 3.0 DE, cropped)

¶ “The Ocean Cleanup And Kia Support Guatemala with An Initiative to Stop Plastic Pollution From Reaching the World’s Oceans ” • Kia, its partner The Ocean Cleanup, Guatemala’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and others have joined to stop one of the world’s largest plastic pollution flows from reaching the ocean. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Japan Assigns Two Sites For Upcoming Offshore Wind Auctions ” • Japan’s industry and land ministers designated Matsumae and Hiyama, areas off the island of Hokkaido, as promotion zones for upcoming offshore wind power auctions, aiming to bolster the country’s renewable energy goals. There is no auction timetable yet. [Offshore Engineer Magazine]

Hokkaido (Zion C, Unsplash)

¶ “EET Launches New Intelligent Plug-And-Play Storage System For Balcony Power Plants” • Efficient Energy Technology GmbH introduced an innovative energy storage system designed for the use and storage of solar energy, especially for balcony systems. SolMate 3 plugs directly into a standard socket and just operates, immediately. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “DOE Moves To Power Last-Mile Homes, Schools With Solar” • The Philippine Department of Energy is ramping up efforts to reach full household electrification through microgrids and solar home systems, aligning with President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr’s directive in his 2025 State of the Nation Address. About 12,000 households are targeted. [powerphilippines.com]

President Marcos (Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs)

¶ “New Renewables Capacity Doubles In First Half” • China’s newly installed renewable capacity nearly doubled YOY for the first half of the year. New power generating capacity during the first six months reached 290 GW, with new solar installations rising 107.1% year-on-year to 210 GW, and new wind power installations up 98.9% to 50 GW. [China Daily]

¶ “A Battery Project At A Former Nuclear Facility To Stabilise German Grid” • German energy company EnBW announced a 400-MW, 800-MWh battery project at a former nuclear power plant site, feeding renewable power into the grid when it is needed. EnBW says the facility will be one of Germany’s largest storage projects. [Smart Energy International]

Closed nuclear site (Lothar Neumann, CC BY-SA 2.5, cropped)

¶ “IAEA Reports Nuclear Sites Stable After Earthquake Off The Coast Of Russia” • The UN nuclear watchdog reported nuclear conditions remained stable at facilities along Japan’s Pacific coast, after a powerful earthquake off Russia’s east coast. Conditions are also stable at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. [Xinhua]

US:

¶ “Why EVs Are Better In Hurricanes” • A Kia salesperson noted recently that EVs are much better than gas cars when hurricanes hit. CleanTechnica has dealt with this before, but we should return to the topic as we go into hurricane season. Here we go into it in four parts: Charging Both Before And After a Storm, Evacuation, Backup Power, and Flooding. [CleanTechnica]

Bidirectional EV charging (Courtesy of GM)

¶ “Radioactive Wasp Nest Found At Site Where US Once Made Nuclear Bombs” • Workers at a site in South Carolina that once made key parts for nuclear bombs, and is to make nuclear fuel, found a radioactive wasp nest. The nest at the Savannah River Site is near tanks where liquid nuclear waste is stored. Officials said there is no danger. [ABC News]

¶ “NREL Technical Support Empowers Local Governments And Tribes To Boost Energy Efficiency And Cut Costs” • From the capital cities in the East to Alaskan villages in the West, NREL is advancing community-driven energy solutions from coast to coast through the US DOE Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. [CleanTechnica]

Native Village of Chenega, Alaska (NREL image)

¶ “A US Clean Energy Developer Sees Promise Where Others See Ashes” • The US saw $22 billion in clean energy investments go up in smoke over the past six months, and yet the energy transition persists. A case in point is Texas-based Treaty Oak Clean Energy with a 17.3-GW pipeline of solar, wind, and battery storage projects. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A New Nissan Ariya For $31,000?” • After hearing a person, a progressive Democrat, say that EVs cost $187,000, implying that fossil fuels aren’t that bad, we checked. In less than five minutes, we found a new Nissan Ariya at a Nissan dealer near where the person lived. With no government incentives taken into account, the price was $31,000. [CleanTechnica]

Nissan Ariya (Elizbeth smith, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Increasing Solar Energy Adoption By Just 15% Could Yield Considerable Emissions Reductions” • Ramping up US solar energy production by just 15% could help the country make significant progress toward achieving national goals for emissions reductions, a study has found. The research was published in the journal Science Advances. [The Hill]

¶ “Primergy Announces The Commissioning Of Ash Creek Solar In Texas” • Primergy Solar LLC announced that the 408-MW Ash Creek Solar project, Hill County, Texas, reached commercial operation, and is now delivering affordable energy to the grid in partnership with Microsoft through a long-term power purchase agreement. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Have an unusually graceful day.

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World:

¶ “The First Planned Migration Of An Entire Country Is Now Underway” • Tuvalu is preparing to carry out the first planned migration of an entire country. Recent studies project that much of its territory could be submerged in the next 25 years due to rising sea levels. Its inhabitants must consider migration as an urgent survival measure. [Wired]

Sunset at Tuvalu (INABA Tomoaki, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Portugal Announces €137 Million Investment In Power Grid Upgrades After Blackout” • Authorities in Portugal announced a raft of measures to strengthen the country’s electricity system after the 28 April blackout that left most of Spain and Portugal without power for several hours. Included are €137 million of investments in the electricity grid. [Euronews]

¶ “The ICE Age Ends: How Electric Cars Are Shutting Down Gas Stations And Garages ” • A gasoline-powered car has long been relatively cheap convenience. As EV adoption accelerates past critical mass, this convenience will rapidly unravel. Gas stations will close, oil-change shops will close, and basic maintenance costs will climb sharply. [CleanTechnica]

Abandoned gas station (Dominique Hicks, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Australia’s Most Renewable State To Install 16 ‘Community Batteries,’ Add Them To VPP” • Australian energy giant AGL announced that it will build and operate 16 community batteries in South Australia. They will subsequently be incorporated into the virtual power plant that AGL acquired from Tesla earlier this month. [One Step Off The Grid]

¶ “Geotechnical surveys begin for Lillebaelt Syd” • Geotechnical surveys have begun for the 11-turbine, 165-MW Lillebaelt Syd offshore wind project in Denmark. It is owned by TotalEnergies, European Energy, and the Danish utility company SONFOR. A mobile drilling platform will perform drilling and testing at each of the turbine locations. [reNews]

Mobile drilling platform (European Energy image)

¶ “‘We Went Too Quickly:’ Bp Defends Dramatic Renewable Exit As Fortescue Accelerates To Net Zero” • The head of BP Australia defended its decision to quit the giant 26-GW renewable energy project in the Pilbara. Fortescue CEO Dino Otranto, sitting next to her, underlined the company’s determination to lead the world to “real zero.” [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Canada Designates Four Offshore Wind Areas” • Canada has designated its first four offshore wind energy areas off Nova Scotia, advancing plans to license 5 GW of capacity by 2030. The federal and provincial governments have selected French Bank, Middle Bank, Sable Island Bank and Sydney Bight for future offshore wind projects. [reNews]

Offshore wind areas (Province of Nova Scotia)

¶ “Fukushima Nuclear Plant Workers Evacuate After Japan Warns Of 3-Meter Tsunami Waves” • Workers were evacuated from the Fukushima nuclear power plant after the country issued tsunami warnings in the wake of an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia’s far east. The earthquake hit near the Kamchatka Peninsula, and its tsunami waves are of up to four meters. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency Plans To Kill Landmark ‘Endangerment’ Climate Rule” • The EPA moved to repeal the “endangerment finding,” a 2009 declaration that determined the current and projected concentrations of six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, “endanger both the public health and the public welfare.” [ABC News]

Smoke from burning car batteries, 1972 (Marc St Gil, EPA)

¶ “Extreme Heat Dome Puts 170 Million Americans In Danger For Hot, Humid Temperatures” • Around 170 million Americans from Nebraska to the Northeast are experiencing dangerously warm temperatures due to an ongoing heat wave. The eastern half of the country ia experiencing temperatures that can feel anywhere between 100°F and 110°F. [ABC News]

¶ “Electric Tractor Cost Can Be Reduced By Tens of Thousands With California Program” • Some people think electric vehicles are just about personal transportation. Fortunately, there are many other EVs available. Electric tractors, like the other EVs, have a lot of benefits that their fossil-fuel burning counterparts don’t have. [CleanTechnica]

Electric Tractor (Monarch Tractor image)

¶ “Want To Buy A Used Electric Car Before US Tax Credit Expires? Seven Things To Know” • There are just two months and two days left to get a used electric car in the US and get a $4,000 tax credit. But not everyone is eligible for the tax credit, not every used electric car qualifies, and there are some things to know going into the process. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Administration Considering Blocking Onshore And Offshore Wind Sites” • The Trump administration is pursuing new measures to stymie onshore and offshore wind. The Interior Department said it is evaluating “whether to stop onshore wind development on some federal lands and halting future offshore wind lease sales.” [reNews]

Flag and turbine (Dominion image)

¶ “Elon Musk Hoped To Sell 150,000 Tesla Cybertrucks A Year – On Track For 20,000 In 2025” • At one point, Tesla reportedly pulled in more than one million “reservations” for the Tesla Cybertruck. Many Tesla fans and shareholders were expecting it to reach hundreds of thousands sales a year. It looks like a tiny fraction of that will be sold in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Energy Company Strikes Deal To Deliver Next-Gen Nuclear Power To Critical US Military Base: ‘We Are Honored'” • Oklo Inc has been selected to deliver carbon-free power to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska through its advanced fission technology, according to Business Wire. Oklo’s fast reactor technology can recycle nuclear waste. [The Cool Down]

Have an especially cheerful day.

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World:

¶ “Fully Electric Tourist Ship Launched” • A tourist ship that is 100% electric has been launched. In China, of course. The ship is powered by CATL batteries – a lot of them. The energy storage capacity of the batteries is a whopping 3,918 kWh. That battery power provides the ship with a range of just about 100 km (62 miles) on a full charge! [CleanTechnica]

Electric tourist ship (CATL image)

¶ “Marine Heatwaves May Have Driven The World’s Oceans To A Critical Tipping Point” • In 2023, the Earth experienced a historic surge in marine heatwaves, setting records in intensity, geographic extent, and duration. Scientists warn that prolonged heatwaves might indicate a tipping point for the world’s oceans with grave effects on the planet. [Euronews]

¶ “WeRide Robotaxis in Saudi Arabia” • WeRide has received approval to operate robotaxis in Saudi Arabia. It is partnering with Uber and Ai Driver to conduct the pilot in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The companies plan to have full-scale commercial operations up and running by the end of the year, the first Saudi robotaxi service. [CleanTechnica]

WeRide Uber robotaxi in Saudi Arabia

¶ “New Energy Projects Spring Up In Western Area Of Jilin Province” • The western area of northeast China’s Jilin Province is witnessing rapid growth in its renewable energy sector, as a series of major projects take shape across the region. The area is tapping into its abundant natural resources to build a robust clean energy industry. [People’s Daily]

¶ “Zelestra And EDP Ink Solar-Battery PPA” • Zelestra and EDP signed a long-term solar and battery storage power purchase agreement in Spain. The agreement, the first of its kind in the Spanish market, will allow Zelestra to build a project consisting of 170 MW of solar capacity with 400 MWh of battery storage in Trujillo, Extremadura. [reNews]

Solar workers (Zelestra image)

¶ “‘We Can Do That:’ AEMO Says Power System Can Be Run On 100% Renewable Energy” • The head of the Australian Energy Market Operator says he confident that the country’s main grid – and in fact its smaller ones – can run on 100% renewable energy. States like South Australia reach more than 100% renewables almost every day. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “First Turbine Foundation In For Nordseecluster” • The first turbine foundation for RWE’s 1,600-MW Nordseecluster offshore wind project has been installed. The monopiles were shipped from the Dutch heavy-lift terminal in Eemshaven to the construction site in the German North Sea by Van Oord’s new offshore installation vessel Boreas. [reNews]

Boreas at work (RWE image)

¶ “All Energy Costs Rise But Small Nuclear Most Reactive” • Of all generating technologies, next-generation nuclear reactors are the most expensive, a report has found. They would significantly increase electricity prices in Australia. Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, released its GenCost report, showing rising costs for energy projects of all kinds. [MSN]

¶ “Wind Power Transforms Life On Roof Of The World” • The Oumatingga wind power project, comprising 25 turbines with a capacity of 100 MW at an average altitude of 4,600 meters, is a landmark achievement that demonstrates Xizang’s (Tibet’s) strong commitment to developing renewable energy, especially in solar PV and wind power. [China Daily]

Tibet (Jiasong Huang, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Honolulu’s Lawsuit Against Fossil Fuel Companies Leads In Climate Change Legal Fight” • Honolulu is not alone in its effort to sue fossil fuel companies to hold them accountable for climate change harms, but the city’s lawsuit is further along than similar litigation across the country. A hearing will indicate how these fights play out in court. [ABC News]

¶ “Sierra Club Statement on Confirmation Hearing of Michael Boren” • The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry voted on Donald Trump’s controversial pick to oversee the US Forest Service. Michael Boren is reported to have had disputes with government agencies, including the agency he will be tasked with overseeing. [CleanTechnica]

Tongass National Forest (US Forest Service image)

¶ “US Wind Market Installed 2.1 GW In Q1” • The US wind market surged ahead in the first quarter of 2025 with 2,100 MW of installations, though regulatory uncertainty led to a significant pullback in wind turbine orders, a report says. The US Wind Energy Monitor shows that in Q1 2025, the US wind sector more than doubled the activity of Q1 2024. [reNews]

¶ “How Renewable Energy Keeps America’s Farms Alive” • For many farmers, wind and solar power are lifelines. Renewable energy provides steady income and affordable power, helping farms stay viable when crop prices fall or drought strikes. But some of that is at risk as the Trump administration cuts federal support for renewable energy. [Informed Comment]

Farm and windpower (Mateusz Niezgoda, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Nevada Takes Top Spot In Solar Power Output And Jobs” • Las Vegas is undergoing a sizable change as record-high numbers of rooftop solar systems are installed, part of a broader change to renewable energy in the region. Homeowners increasingly take advantage of rooftop solar systems in Southern Nevada that help save them from utility bills. [X1075 Las Vegas]

¶ “NY Governor Hochul Announces First Bulk Energy Storage Solicitation” • Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the launch of New York’s first Bulk Energy Storage Request for Proposals, intended to procure 1 GW of bulk energy storage as part of New York’s 6-GW Energy Storage Roadmap. Adding energy storage will reduce costs. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Have a generously presented day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Understanding The Tipping Points For Transportation” • To analyze the shift from fossil-burning vehicles to EVs, it’s valuable to combine three theories: Diffusion of innovations, the s-curve or logistic growth, and complex adaptive systems. These models explain why the changes are not gradual but instead come about in sharp bursts. [CleanTechnica]

Abandoned gas station (Polina Skaia, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “NISAR Satellite Could Help Predict Natural Disasters Before They Happen” • The NISAR mission, built by NASA and ISRO, will use two frequencies of radar to measure small changes (less than o.5 inch) on the Earth’s surface. This will help researchers predict  natural disasters, such as wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. [ABC News]

¶ “EU Will Buy $750 Billion Worth Of US Energy” • President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the US and the EU had reached a deal that would impose a 15% tariff on most goods. Under the deal, the EU will buy $750 billion worth of energy from the US and increase investments $600 billion. [ABC News]

Nodding donkey (Moritz Kindler, Unsplash)

¶ “Largest PV System In The Philippines On A Mall” • Monsoon rains and the floods that followed the two typhoons that just passed didn’t stop Philippines’ retail store giant SM Supermalls from launching what is now the country’s largest rooftop solar PV system at SM City Fairview. The mall is less than 20 km from the capital of Manila. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Spiro Deploys 500 Electric Motorcycles In Uganda In One Day!” • This has probably got to be the largest rollout of electric motorcycles in Africa in a single day! And Spiro followed this up by deploying another 300 bikes the next day and another 150 bikes a few days later. They are ramping up to deploy at least 175 to 200 motorcycles per day. [CleanTechnica]

Spiro motorcycles (Courtesy of Spiro)

¶ “Koorangie Battery Now Operational” • A new battery system has powered up in the Murray River Region of Victoria, built of 100 Tesla Megapacks. The project provides 185 MW and 370 MWh of energy storage, enough to power 350,000 homes for two hours. The battery plant has a 15-year offtake agreement with Shell Energy. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Thor Offshore Substation Is Installed In Danish North Sea” • The offshore high-voltage substation topside for RWE’s 1-GW Thor wind farm in Denmark has been installed. After the jacket and topside sailed from HSM Offshore’s Schiedam yard, the installation onto the jacket foundation was executed by heavy-lift vessel Gulliver of Scaldis SMC. [reNews]

Heavy-lift vessel Gulliver at work (Scaldis image)

¶ “Labour’s ‘Nuclear Tax’ To Cost Scots £300 Million To Fund English Power Plant” • Labour’s new “nuclear tax” on energy bills will cost Scottish households £300 million over the next decade, it has emerged. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has imposed a levy on energy bills to fund the spiralling costs of the Sizewell C power station in Suffolk. [Yahoo.co]

US:

¶ “Wyoming Wants Renewables. Can The Trump Administration Listen?” • Politicians in Wyoming are delighted that the “Big Beautiful Bill” will fund tax breaks for the state’s faltering fossil fuel industry. But the same politicians are also a bit upset that wind and solar, the fastest-growing energy sector in the state and nation, are under real threat. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines and buffalo (CGP Grey, CC BY 2.0, cropped)

¶ “ChargeScape Demand Response Program For EV Drivers On Long Island” • ChargeScape partnered with PSEG, the primary utility company on Long Island, and drivers of EVs from Ford and BMW in a demand response program that will allow precise management of vehicle charging to lower grid demand during times of peak demand. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Plans For A US Wind Energy “Superhighway” Persist Despite New Hurdles” • To the surprise of nobody, former natural gas CEO and current US Energy Secretary Chris Wright summarily canceled a federal loan guarantee of almost $5 billion for the Grain Belt Express. If that was meant to kill it, Wright missed the mark. The project lives on. [CleanTechnica]

Grain Belt Express (Courtesy of US DOE)

¶ “As Rooftop Solar Gets Hammered, Virtual Power Plants Offer Potential” • The rooftop solar industry is in crisis, as the federal tax credits are being cut off. But solar panels and the batteries that increasingly go with them generate our cheapest electricity. Some experts say the rooftop solar and battery industries should focus on ​“virtual power plants.” [Canary Media]

¶ “‘Total Mental Collapse’: Trump Ripped After ‘Insane’ New Ramble In Europe” • As he met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump abruptly started talking about wind turbines. He said wind turbines “rust and rot in eight years,” and then can’t be “buried” because they will harm the soil. A fact-check said he was wrong least six times. [HuffPost]

Have a soothingly satisfying day.

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World:

¶ “A Surprising Climate Solution Right Under Your Feet” • Some 13 billion tons of CO2 flows annually from the world’s trees and other plants to mycorrhizal fungi in enormous mutual support networks. Fungi capture about a third as much carbon emissions as of humanity releases by burning fossil fuels. Fungi also help trees capture carbon emissions as they grow. [Grist]

Mushrooms (Krzysztof Niewolny, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Plans Lodged For Solar Farm To Power 18,000 Homes” • Plans have been lodged for a solar farm with a battery storage system in Derbyshire. Noventum Power has submitted an application to South Derbyshire District Council to build a solar farm capable of powering 18,000 homes, covering an area of about 121 acres (49 ha) on eight fields. [BBC]

¶ “BYD Sealion 06 – Bigger, Faster, Stronger, Better” • The BYD Sealion 6 appeared in 2020 as a gasoline-powered midsize SUV in China. In 2021, BYD made the decision to offer only battery electric and plug-in hybrid models going forward. That seemed to be a huge gamble, but now, BYD is one of the world’s largest car companies by sales volume. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Sealion 06 (BYD image)

¶ “MOU Signed To Build 600-MW Solar Plant In Khulna” • A memorandum of understanding was signed between Sundarban Delta Growth Initiative and the Arab contractor consortium Orascom Peninsula, aiming to build a 600-MW solar power plant in Khulna, Bangladesh, with an estimated cost of 8,000 crore taka ($656 million). [New Age BD]

¶ “Energy Giant Switches On Nation’s Largest Solar Plant Set To Power Over 400,000 Homes” • Zelestra, a Spanish renewable energy company, switched on the largest solar farm in Peru. The San Martín project, consists of 450,000 solar panels and will generate over 830 GWh of clean energy annually, powering more than 400,000 homes. [The Cool Down]

Arequipa, Peru (Megan Kotlus, Unsplash)

¶ “Qinghai Solar Sheep Revolution: How Herders Double Their Incomes Under Panels” • Six years ago, Zhao Guofu struggled to keep 200 sheep. Now he has a thriving flock of 800. But his income isn’t just from wool and meat. Sheep grazing beneath elevated solar panels are the heart of a new model transforming lives and landscapes. [Zoom Bangla News]

¶ “Low-Carbon Power Set To Overtake Fossil Fuels For The First Time” • A report by Ember suggests that 2024 could mark the first year that low-carbon energy generation could overtake fossil fuel energy generation in the UK. The report analyses energy generation and imports into the UK in the period from January to November of 2024. [Solar Power Portal]

Wind turbines (Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Bill McKibben Says Solar Power Is The Path To The Future” • Bill McKibben’s Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, will soon be out. He begins it, “In the past two years … with surprisingly little notice, renewable energy has suddenly become the obvious, mainstream, cost-efficient choice around the world.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How Oil-Rich Texas Became America’s Net Zero Capital” • Bobby Helmers had nine oil wells on his ranch in West Texas. They went dry. Now he has six wind turbines, and Engie pays well to lease the land they sit on. The free-market, Republican state of Texas has become the biggest generator of renewable energy in the US. [The Telegraph]

Texas wind turbines (Pete Alexopoulos, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “DTE Energy’s Solar Farm Lawsuit And Its Implications For Renewable Energy Investment In Michigan” • The legal battle between DTE Energy and St Clair County over solar project regulations has become a pivotal case in the US clean energy transition. It reflects broader tensions between utility interests, state preemption laws, and local governance. [AInvest]

¶ “US DOE Selects Paducah For Future Energy And AI Facility Site” • The US DOE has named Paducah’s Gaseous Diffusion Plant as one of four federally-owned sites selected for potential AI data center development and the clean energy infrastructure needed to power it. The designation marks a major opportunity for Kentucky. [Northern Kentucky Tribune]

Have an extraordinarily peaceful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Taking Another Risk On Nuclear Power In Colorado Would Be A Mistake” • Should Colorado give nuclear power a second look? I argue ‘no’ for three key reasons: The first is high cost and high risk. The second is that it will take a long time to develop. And third, it is a bad fit to Colorado’s renewables-based electric grid. [Colorado Newsline]

Nuclear plant (Stodtmeister, CC BY 3.0, cropped)

World:

¶ “Mexico EV Sales Report: Official Data Were Underreporting Sales – Mexico’s EV Market Is Further Ahead than We Thought!” • Looking beyond the official reports, we see that over 40.000 EVs were sold in Mexico through 2025, a number that more than doubles our previous estimates, which were based on data from Mexico’s Statistical Institute. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “European Auto Industry In Turmoil As Tesla Continues To Lose Market Share” • Tesla is taking it on the chin in Europe. The latest sales data shows Tesla’s market share in European markets fell to 2.8% in June. That represents a 22.9% decline from June of last year. There are more electric car models for sale in Europe this year, and many are from China. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y

¶ “Great Yarmouth Port Set For Major Expansion” • In the UK, the Port of Great Yarmouth is set for a major expansion, as it plans to develop a new deep-water terminal. Operator Peel Ports has plans to develop the Southern Terminal at its Outer Harbour as demand from developers and contractors working on energy projects surges. [reNews]

¶ “New Windcat Vessel Completes Sea Trials” • The first in Windcat’s new series of commissioning service operation vessels has completed is sea trials and is almost ready to be delivered. Windcat Rotterdam is the lead ship in Damen’s new Elevation Series of CSOVs. It is designed to be future-proof offshore wind maintenance and support ships. [reNews]

Windcat Rotterdam (Damen image)

¶ “Construction Of Solar Power Plant In Issyk-Kul: Investment Agreement Signed” • The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and RECA LLC signed an investment agreement to develop a solar power plant with a planned installed capacity of up to 1,900 MW at a village in Kyrgyzstan, according to the press service of the Ministry of Energy. [24.KG]

¶ “The Next Chernobyl? Nuclear Power Plant Is A ‘Ticking Time Bomb'” • A Soviet-era nuclear power plant in an earthquake zone has been called ‘Chernobyl in waiting’ and a ‘ticking time bomb’ amid fears of disaster. The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was opened in 1976. It comprises two reactors, reportedly supplying the nation with 40% of its electricity. [MSN]

Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (Preacher lad, CC BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “California ZEV Sales Dip As Tesla Sales Crash In The Golden State” • California is far and away the EV leader in the US. Even globally, California has a high percentage of 100% Zero-Emission Vehicle sales. As the original home of Tesla, California has been heavily reliant on Tesla for its high ZEV sales. That’s changing, but perhaps just a bit too fast. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How ‘Corn Sweat’ Exacerbates Heat Waves” • “Corn sweat” could make the extreme heat in a large portion of the US feel worse, according to experts. In the process, water from the soil moves through the plant to evaporate from the leaves, cooling the plant. One acre of corn can put 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water per day into the atmosphere. [ABC News]

Cornfield (Bob Bowie, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “With The Future Of Offshore Wind Up In The Air, Solar Power Shines On” • Executive orders have stalled development of offshore wind farms. A federal tax credit for EVs is set to end. And a reported $22 billion in clean-energy projects have been canceled so far this year. But solar power continues its steady rise across the country. [WGBH]

¶ “Google Is Getting Long Duration Energy Storage” • Google is making a big move to Energy Dome’s long duration storage. The charging cycle starts with CO₂ gas held in a dome-like structure. To charge, it is withdrawn and compressed into a liquid. To make electricity, the CO₂ is vaporized and goes through a turbine to generate electricity. [CleanTechnica]

Energy Dome energy storage (Courtesy of Energy Dome)

¶ “Pennsylvania Hits 2-GW Mark For Solar Energy” • The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Public Utility Commission, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on July 22 to announce 2 GW of installed solar energy in Pennsylvania, only 17 months after crossing the 1-GW threshold. [The River Reporter]

¶ “Tesla And Sunrun Form New Rooftop Solar Alliance” • The downward slide of Tesla’s EV sales gets a lot of media attention, but the Tesla Solar rooftop solar branch has also been sputtering. Not to worry, Tesla fans. Tesla has just hooked up with one of its competitors, Sunrun, to help bring more solar panels to more rooftops in Texas. [CleanTechnica]

Sunrun and Tesla powering a house

¶ “Design Solar For Storage Now, Or Retrofit At A Premium Later” • Clean energy megatrends are converging. Exponential growth in deployed solar and storage capacity, along with a rapid drop in storage prices that is making batteries cost-competitive. These shifts are transforming the possibilities for developers, utilities, and grid operators. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “Solar Power Out-Produced Wind For The First Time In May” • A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data from the US EIA shows that solar provided over 11% of all US electricity generated in May. Wind and solar together produced over one-fifth of the electricity for May, and the mix of all renewable energy sources generated nearly 30%. [Solar Power World]

Have a uniquely supportive day.

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World:

¶ “The Precious ‘White Gold’ Fuel Buried In The Earth” • A new type of wildcatters race to replicate the moment when oil, black gold, was found in Titusville, Pennsylvania. They hope to bring about the dawn of a major new energy resource. But it’s not fossil fuels they are looking for. It’s a commercially viable source of natural, low-carbon hydrogen. [BBC]

Possible sources of hydrogen, in blue (USGS image)

¶ “Why Filipinos Keep Getting Married In Flooded Churches” • Submerged Philippine weddings are just the latest example of a festering flood problem that brings misery to millions of people, a problem exacerbated by decaying sewage systems, poor urban planning, and extreme weather events that are growing more intense and frequent. [BBC]

¶ “State-Owned Oil Giants Face Legal Reckoning After ICJ Climate Judgment” • Climate lawsuits, ranging from actions against national governments to lawsuits targeting major fossil fuel corporations, are already reshaping global energy policies. This week’s ICJ ruling, despite its advisory nature, will bolster cases in climate litigation. [CleanTechnica]

Pollution (Maxim Tolchinskiy, Unsplash)

¶ “‘Dark Factories’ – Chinese Automakers Living Tesla’s Dream” • Tesla’s attempts to automate may not have gone well, but some Chinese automakers are doing it. The Wall Street Journal recently created a segment on these “dark factories” so heavily automated that you could basically turn the lights off there while they just go on producing cars. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EDF And ESB Complete 450-MW Neart Na Gaoithe” • EDF and ESB’s 450-MW Neart na Gaoithe wind farm off east Scotland is now fully operational. The array, located 15.5 km off the coast of Fife, has 54 turbines generating enough clean electricity to power around 375,000 homes and offset over 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. [reNews]

First Minister John Swinney (NNG Offshore Wind image)

¶ “ESB Picks Voltalia To Construct Irish PV Duo” • ESB picked Voltalia to construct two new solar farms in Ireland with a total capacity of almost 93-MW. Voltalia was awarded two turnkey engineering, procurement and construction contracts for the construction of the 43.7-MW Carriglong solar plant and the 49.2-MW Clashwilliam solar plant. [reNews]

¶ “Philippine Coal Power Generation Declines For The First Time In Seventeen Years” • Coal-fired power in the Philippines dropped for the first time in nearly two decades, according to the country’s Independent Electricity Market Operator. The decline comes as gas and renewable energy generation continue to rise, driving spot energy prices down. [Reccessary]

Philippine coal plant (P199, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Envision Energy Powers The World’s First Green Marine Ammonia Bunkering, For Net Zero Shipping Fuel” • Envision Energy announced that green ammonia fuel produced from its world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia plant in Chifeng has successfully powered the world’s first green marine ammonia bunkering operation. [Yahoo.co]

¶ “Iraq Aims To Produce 12,000 Megawatts From Renewable Energy” • Deputy Oil Minister Ali Maarej said the ministry is increasing solar energy projects to reach a generating capacity of 12,000 MW by 2030. Maarej’s remarks gave information on the Iraq Energy Transition Assessment Report, prepared by IRENA in cooperation with Iraqi institutions. [Iraqi News]

Karbala (حسن, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “New Coal Ash Rules Thrill Utility Companies But Threaten Human Health” • US administration insists on bailing out the fossil fuel sector, which has been trying for decades to find a way to avoid paying for the damage they have done will bringing the wonders of cheap energy to the world. Now the government is giving coal ash a pass. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Commercial Building Owners Want To Save Energy Star” • Lee Zeldin, head of the EPA, thinks the government can’t do anything right. Government workers are all lazy, shiftless clock watchers who fritter away the day until its time to go home. As a government employee, he wants to eliminate the Energy Star program. That proves that we should save it. [CleanTechnica]

New York City (Jermaine Ee, Unsplash)

¶ “Maine Focuses On Renewables Even As Trump Revokes Climate Policies” • You might think the Trump administration’s rejection of all things climate-related might cause states to pause their clean energy goals. But in Maine, Governor Janet Mills has signed legislation to codify and fast-track the state’s transition to 100% clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Great Lakes Launches US-Built Rock Installation Vessel” • The Texas-based dredging company Great Lakes Dredge & Dock has launched the Acadia subsea rock installation vessel ahead of its maiden deployment for scour protection at Equinor’s 810-MW Empire Wind 1 project off New York. It is expected to be ready for delivery in early 2026. [reNews]

Acadia (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock image)

¶ “Puerto Rico’s Community Solar Power” • Enid Medina Guzman always has candles on hand to deal with blackouts that plague Puerto Rico. She is hopeful the lingering hardship will soon be a thing of the past: Solar panels are being installed on her home as part of a community program promoting energy independence. [themercury.com]

¶ “NRC Gives Crucial Nod For Palisades Nuclear Plant’s Restart” • The NRC approved a series of licensing and regulatory actions that are essential for the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant to restart. Palisades ceased operations in May 2022 by Entergy Corp, its New Orleans-based owner, and was sold to Holtec International in June 2022. [WZZM13.com]

Have an exhilaratingly restful day.

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World:

¶ “International Court Of Justice Rules That Climate Change Is An ‘Existential Threat'” • The ICJ delivered a groundbreaking advisory opinion at the Peace Palace in The Hague on July 23, 2025. It said states must act urgently to address the “existential threat” of climate change by cutting emissions, and protecting vulnerable populations and ecosystems. [CleanTechnica]

Peace Palace (Velvet, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Top UN Court Says Countries Can Sue Each Other Over Climate Change” • A landmark decision by a top UN court has cleared the way for countries to sue each other over climate change, including over historic emissions of planet-warming gases. The ruling is non-binding but legal experts say it could have wide-ranging consequences. [BBC]

¶ “Outdoor Workers Demand Protection As Cruel Heat Bakes Southern Europe” • Cruel heat is baking southern Europe. In homes and offices, air conditioning is sweet relief. But under the scorching sun, outdoor labor can be brutal and sometimes even deadly. Hundreds of workers and concerned citizens marched through downtown Barcelona. [ABC News]

Barcelona (Ken Cheung, Unsplash)

¶ “BasiGo Expands Beyond Nairobi With Launch Of Kenya’s First Inter-City Electric Minibus Pilot” • The minibus sector is gaining momentum in Kenya thanks to companies like BasiGo, which started operations about 5 years ago with a Pay-As-You-Drive model for its EV buses. Owners pay affordable rates that cover charging and maintenance. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Changes In The Earth’s Climate Are Making Food Production More Costly” • In a study published in Environmental Letters, researchers reported that extreme weather has driven up food prices around the world in recent years. There are few things more vital to human life than food, and if it is too expensive, inflation will result. [CleanTechnica]

Farm (Werner Sevenster, Unsplash)

¶ “RWE Bags Permit For 180-MW Byers Gill Solar Farm” • RWE has planning permission for the 180-MW Byers Gill solar farm in County Durham, England. UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero approved a Development Consent Order for the ground-mounted scheme. Battery energy storage of around 180 MW will also be included. [reNews]

¶ “VSB Wins Contract For 303-MW Solar Park In Poland” • VSB Group has secured a contract for difference for a 303-MW solar project in Poland’s Lower Silesian Voivodeship, marking the company’s largest solar development to date. The contract was awarded as part of this year’s renewable energy auction run by the Polish Energy Regulatory Office. [reNews]

Solar array (Enel Green Power image)

¶ “Vena Energy Signs 100-MW Load-Following Solar And Wind Deal With SECI” • Green energy provider Vena Energy signed a 100-MW load-following renewable PPA with the Solar Energy Corporation of India. It will develop renewable energy projects with storage to deliver firm, dispatchable renewable energy that matches demand. [pv magazine International]

¶ “EBRD Backs 50-MW Solar Plant In Albania” • A 50-MW solar PV plant will be built in Albania with €39.2 million in funding from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Union. The package includes a sovereign guaranteed loan of up to €30 million from the EBRD to KESH, the state-owned utility. [reNews]

Solar power plant (EBRD image)

¶ “Rosatom Blames ‘Unfriendly Countries’ For Delayed Wages At Turkish Nuclear Plant” • Russia’s state nuclear company blamed “external political factors” for delays in paying wages to workers at the Akkuyu Nuclear Plant being built in Turkey. Rosatom said that a major portion of the project’s financing was blocked by unspecified third parties. [The Moscow Times]

¶ “Renewables Generated 50.8% Of The UK’s Electricity In 2024” • Electricity generated by renewables increased by 6.5% in 2024, and now generates 50.8% of the UK’s electricity. Generating with fossil fuels dropped 16% and produces 31.5% of the electricity now. This was due to a 15% fall in gas generation and eliminating generating with coal. [Solar Power Portal]

Rural wind turbine (Annie Spratt, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Tesla Profits Drop 16% As CEO Elon Musk Faces Continued Backlash” • Tesla’s profits fell 16% over the quarter ending in June that overlapped with the end of CEO Elon Musk’s tenure in the White House and his ensuing public clash with President Trump, an earnings release showed. Tesla’s performance fell short of analysts’ expectations. [ABC News]

¶ “Congressional Committees Push Back On Proposed NOAA Budget Cuts” • Lawmakers from both parties have so far rejected steep cuts to NOAA proposed by the Trump administration and reiterated their support for a fully staffed National Weather Service during recent committee meetings, which included key appropriations markup sessions. [ABC News]

NOAA ship (NOAA, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Three Positives From Tesla’s Q2 2025 Shareholder Update?” • Three potential positive notes in the Tesla shareholder letter stand out. Are they signs of life, hope, and potential? They are the first builds of an affordable Tesla in June, the beginning of production of the Semi in volume, and the fact that the battery storage business is doing quite well. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Administration Cancels $4.9 Billion Loan Guarantee For A Line To Deliver Green Power” • A $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee for a new high-voltage transmission line for delivering solar and wind-generated electricity from the Midwest to the eastern US was cancelled by the Trump administration. It is not immediately clear how that will play out. [ABC News]

Have an unexpectedly nifty day.

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World:

¶ “The UN’s Highest Court Will Decide On Country’s Climate Obligations” • After years of lobbying by exposed island nations who fear they could disappear under rising sea waters, the UN General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice in 2023 for an advisory, a non-binding opinion. The opinion is expected to come today, July 23. [ABC News]

Sea level rise (Iqro Rinaldi, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “An ‘Underwater Bushfire’ Is Cooking Australia’s Reefs” • In Australia, there is more than one great reef. Ningaloo Reef, the world’s largest fringing reef, spreads along the coast of Western Australia. This year, Ningaloo is in trouble. It is bleaching in a marine heatwave. And this is happening just as the Great Barrier Reef is having the same problem. [BBC]

¶ “United Nations Chief António Guterres Foresees Fossil Fuel Tipping Point” • António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN, gave an address, “A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean Energy Age,” in which he said the shift to renewables has “passed the point of no return.” Solar power is now 41% cheaper than power from fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]

Engineer at a solar plant (Sikwe Scarter, Unsplash)

¶ “Europe’s 2040 Climate Target Isn’t Just for Environmentalists” • With the US abandoning the Paris Agreement, the center-right led EU Commission’s proposal of a 90% emissions reduction target by 2040 is a very big deal. The question now is how to get this ambitious proposal adopted, and how to design it so that it leads to progress beyond Europe. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “CorPower Ocean Wins €40 Million” • CorPower Ocean won a €40 million ($47 million) grant from the EU Innovation Fund to develop VianaWave, a 10-MW pre-commercial wave energy farm off the coast of northern Portugal. The project will consist of a CorPack array of 30 Wave Energy Converters, generating around 30 GWh of electricity annually. [reNews]

CorPower generator (CorPower image)

¶ “All 22 Turbines Installed At Swedish Wind Farm” • Global Wind Service has completed the installation of all 22 turbines at Renewable Power Capital’s 154-MW Storhöjden wind farm in Sweden. The Nordex N163 turbines were installed on TS118-03 towers at the site in the Höga Kusten region. It is the first phase of a 553-MW project. [reNews]

¶ “Renewables Leading The Way On Cost” • Renewables are leading the way on cost in global power markets, with 91% of new clean energy projects now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives, a report has revealed. An International Renewable Energy Agency report said renewables maintained their price advantage over fossil fuels. [reNews]

Renewable energy (IRENA image)

¶ “WA Reveals Biggest Grid Investment For A Decade” • The Western Australian state government unveiled what it says is its largest investment in electricity transmission in over a decade, announcing new contracts totalling $342 million for major transmission network upgrades that will help unlock future renewable energy capacity. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Electric Truck Startup Nevoya Raises More Cash To Spread Its Wings And Fly” • The US electric truck startup Nevoya figured out how to make an irresistible offer to fleet owners: Ditch the diesel trucks, and Nevoya’s AI-enabled logistics platform will save money, improve customer satisfaction, and probably make your drivers happier, too. [CleanTechnica]

Nevoya electric truck (Courtesy of Nevoya)

¶ “California Could Suspend Tesla Manufacturing Over False Advertising Claim” • The California DMV has sued Tesla for false advertising, claiming Tesla misled consumers for years when it advertised its “Autopilot” and “Full Self Driving” features. If the state wins, it could suspend Tesla’s Fremont factory operations for 30 days. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hybrid Solar-BESS In Hawaii Powers Up” • A hybrid 30-MW solar and 120-MWh battery energy storage plant in Hawaii is now fully operational. Ingeteam completed the commissioning work for eleven inverter power stations for Innergex Renewable Energy’s Hale Kuawehi project. The project could supply power to 14,600 Hawaiian homes. [reNews]

Hale Kuawehi project (Ingeteam image)

¶ “New Hampshire Raids Clean Energy Fund” • The new state budget of New Hampshire redirects an estimated $15 million from a dedicated renewable energy fund into the general fund, likely signaling the end of plans to expand a popular pilot for municipal solar developments. The budget leaves just $1 million in the renewable energy fund each year. [Canary Media]

¶ “Solar, Wind And Storage Reliably Power Texas Grid During Unexpected Coal Shutdown” • Solar and wind generated 40.2% of the ERCOT grid’s electricity this year through June. When coal plants shut down for unexpected maintenance, solar and wind provided about 50% of generation during peak summer demand in the state. [pv magazine USA]

Solar array (Markus Spiske, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Farmer-Led Trade Association Forms To Help Navigate Solar, Wind On Farmland” • Landowners formed a nonprofit trade association, Renewable Energy Farmers of America, to provide guidance and professional services for locating renewable energy on their land. The REFA is designed to remain “farmer-focused” at every level. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “Rubber Stamp? Has The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Lost Its Independence?” • The pace of undermining the statutory authority of the NRC to provide a basis of nuclear safety in the US and across the world is accelerating. DOGE staff member Adam Blake directed NRC staff to “rubber stamp” DOE and DOD nuclear projects. [Southern Alliance for Clean Energy]

Have a functionally exuberant day.

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