geoharvey

World:

¶ “Early Summer Could Spell Trouble For India’s Farms And Factories” • Across India as cool weather beats a hasty retreat, anxieties are building up at farms and factories, with cropping patterns and business plans getting upended. Data from the Indian Meteorological Department shows that last month was India’s hottest February in 125 years. [BBC]

Indian farm (Dominik Hundhammer, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “UK Hotter Than Costa Del Sol On Warmest Weekend Of The Year” • The UK’s warmest days of the year arrived this weekend, with temperatures reaching almost 20°C (68°F) in parts of the country. Temperatures topped 19.7°C near Liverpool and 18.7°C in north Wales. Killowen in Northern Ireland saw 17.2°C, and Threave in western Scotland was 17.3°C. [BBC]

¶ “Fighting For Breath: Wildfire Smoke, Climate Change, And The Urgency Of Adaptation” • Wildfire season is arriving earlier, lasting longer, and burning more intensely than ever. People who once thought of wildfires as rare, late-summer events now find themselves choking on smoke in spring. Over 200 wildfires are burning in North America already. [CleanTechnica]

Los Angeles (Anastasiya Badun, Unsplash)

¶ “Caribbean Has Potential To Unlock Solar-To-X Economy” • The Caribbean stands to benefit from low-cost renewable energy, reducing energy system costs and mitigating climate risks for a clean energy transition. The region is poised for a solar-to-X Economy by leveraging its abundant renewable resources for carbon neutrality. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Ministry To Fast-Track Rebuilding Of Older Onshore Wind Farms” • In Japan, rebuilding aging wind power plants will soon be faster, as the Environment Ministry plans to simplify part of the environmental impact assessment. The same procedures are required now for rebuilding a plant as for building a new one if the capacity is 50 MW or more. [Asahi Shimbun]

Wind farm (Vista Wei, Unsplash)

¶ “Basic Energy Eyes 1,000 MW Renewable Capacity By 2030” • Basic Energy Corporation plans to develop a total of 1,000 MW of renewable energy projects by 2030, including 500 MW of wind and 500 MW of solar capacity. A Business World report says Basic Energy is developing a 50-MW windpower project in Mabini, Batangas. [Power Philippines]

¶ “Nuclear Power’s Global Stagnation” • A report skewers claim ‘the world is going nuclear’ and nuclear ‘newcomers’ will save the industry from its decades-long decline. Proponents of nuclear power rely on an excessive optimism which sits in contrast to the reality of the decades-long stagnation of the industry, the report for EnergyScience Coalition says. [The Ecologist]

Sizewell nuclear plant (Roger Cornfoot, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “A Turkish Business Continues Its Investment In Ukraine: A Wind Farm Will Be Built In The Zhytomyr Region” • Turkey is contributing significantly to Ukraine’s energy security, as it accounts for 8% of renewable energy production in Ukraine, and current Turkish investments in the energy sector total about $600 million. [Ukraine Business News]

US:

¶ “Hello, TELO!” • TELO Trucks took the wraps off its MT1 battery electric pickup truck for the first time in public on March 6, 2025. The MT1 is about the size of a MINI Cooper. In a press release, TELO Trucks said the MT1 is the world’s most efficient mini pickup truck and is redefining what is possible in electric mobility today. [CleanTechnica]

TELO truck hidden by a MINI Cooper (TELO Trucks)

¶ “Ridiculous DOGE Policies Threaten An End To US Research Efforts In Antarctica” • The US Antarctic Program operates three permanent stations in Antarctica. They are difficult to get to and difficult to maintain, as they are scattered across that frozen land. Elon Musk’s performance at CPAC with a chainsaw was a reckless threat to science. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Startup Brings Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Platform To The World” • The floating offshore wind turbine platform is a global venture, spearheaded by the California startup ECO TLP. The new platform is designed to streamline the process to install floating offshore wind turbines in waters between 250 and 2,000 meters deep. [CleanTechnica]

Floating offshore wind turbines (Courtesy of ECO TLP)

¶ “What’s Next For The Economy? Billionaire Tom Steyer Says It Should Be Renewable Energy” • Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer discussed the future of green energy at a Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs event. During the talk, Steyer focused on renewable energy as an economic solution for the climate crisis. [The Brown Daily Herald]

¶ “Changing The Climate On Science: Nationwide Movement Pushes Back On Cuts For Research” • At University of California Berkeley, it was the professors’ turn to protest. Nearly 2,000 scientists, Nobel laureates, student researchers, and elected officials protested the Trump administration’s efforts to deny climate science and cut research funding. [MSN]

Have an acceptably majestic day.

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World:

¶ “Plans Lodged For ‘Largest’ Floating Solar Farm” • Plans were submitted for what is described as the UK’s largest floating solar farm. Associated British Ports has plans to install 47,000 panels covering around a third of the available water area of Cavendish Dock in Barrow, Cumbria. The plant’s annual production would be equal to the needs of about 14,000 homes. [BBC]

Proposed solar farm (ABP image)

¶ “Solar Farm To Power 13,000 Homes Gets Go-Ahead” • A solar farm that will generate power for about 13,000 homes will go ahead despite a council previously refusing planning permission for it. Land at Burcot Farm in Oxfordshire, will be used for the 49.9-MW solar farm after the proposal, originally rejected, was successfully appealed. [BBC]

¶ “2,325 BYD Electric Bus Chassis Ordered For Use In India” • Indian electric bus manufacturer Olectra Greentech has ordered 2,325 electric bus chassis from BYD because it says the Blade battery from the Chinese company has earned a reputation for superior safety and performance. The Blade battery has passed rigorous safety tests. [CleanTechnica]

BYD buses (BYD image)

¶ “EVs Take 33.9% Share In The UK – Tesla Takes Two Of Top Three” • February’s auto market saw plugin EVs take 33.9% share in the UK, up from 24.8% year-on-year. BEVs grew in volume by 42% YOY, with PHEVs close to 20% growth. Overall auto volume was 84,054 units, almost flat YOY. The UK’s leading BEV brand in February was Tesla. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “President Makes Historic Move On Controversial Energy Sources” • In January, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a law to authorize offshore wind farms, Reuters reported. This could enable incentives to develop wind farms in Brazil’s territorial waters, where wind speeds can be stronger and more consistent than over land. [The Cool Down]

Lula da Silva (Partido dos Trabalhadores, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “The End Of Diesel: Europe’s Buses Are Going Fully Electric – Fast” • Electric buses are transforming the European public transportation system faster than many policymakers expected. In 2024, nearly half of all new city buses sold in the EU were battery-electric, a report from clean energy advocate Transport & Environment says. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “‘Bully’: Iran’s Khamenei Rejects Trump Demands For Nuclear Talks” • The US is not seeking negotiations with Iran but rather imposing demands on it, said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in response to  US President Trump, who had announced that he had sent a letter to the Iranian leadership to initiate talks on a nuclear deal. [Al Jazeera]

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (khamenei.ir, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “New Zinc Battery Delivers Three To Twelve Hours Of Utility-Scale Energy Storage” • Startup Eos Energy Enterprises is scaling up production of its new Z3 aqueous zinc battery, aiming to supply the booming energy storage market in Texas and other parts of the US. The zinc battery is a fire-safe alternative to the lithium-ion battery. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Great American Insurance Retreat: Climate Change, Uninsurable Homes, And The Future Of Real Estate” • The US insurance industry is in crisis. If you own a home or business in some parts of the country, your ability to get coverage (let alone afford it) may soon disappear entirely. And this isn’t some far-off projection. It’s happening now. [CleanTechnica]

Hurricane wreckage (NOAA image)

¶ “South Dakota Rejects Pipeline Proposal” • Summit Carbon Solutions plans to construct an $8.9 billion, 2,500-mile pipeline to carry CO₂ from the dozens of ethanol facilities in the Midwest to sites in North Dakota for injection deep underground. But to get to North Dakota, it has to go through South Dakota, which developed an aversion to CO₂. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Plan To Relaunch Michigan Nuclear Plant With New Reactors Sparks More Backlash” • Holtec International said it is to revive Palisades later this year, after it was shut down in 2022, and in five years, install the nation’s first small modular reactors. Critics warned the reactors would still have problems with radioactive waste and accident risks. [Kiowa County Press]

Have a marvelously rewarding day.

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World:

¶ “Data, Waves, And Wind To Be Counted In Economies” • Wind and wave power are to be included in measuring countries’ economies, in changes approved by the UN in the first update since 2008. Assets like oilfields were already factored in. This update aims to capture areas that have grown since then, such as the cost of using up natural resources. [BBC]

Wind turbine (Vasilios Muselimis, Unsplash)

¶ “Mass Blackouts As Tropical Storm Nears Australian Coast” • More than 300,000 properties are without power as a tropical storm edges closer to Australia’s east coast, lashing the region with heavy rain. Storm Alfred has been downgraded from a cyclone to a tropical low, but local authorities have warned that the threat it poses is “not over.” [BBC]

¶ “Green Hydrogen Gets A Ceramic Catalyst Makeover” • The EU is supporting green hydrogen, as it aims to cut dependence on Russian gas. The supply of hydrogen is almost all extracted from natural gas or coal, but that will change as innovators aim to extract green hydrogen from biomass, wastewater, solid waste, and other sustainable feedstocks. [CleanTechnica]

Green hydrogen (Courtesy of Stargate Hydrogen)

¶ “Super Long EV Charging Network in Australia Now Open” • The Western Australia EV Network recently “opened.” The EV charging network is the longest in Australia, extending 7,000 km (4,350 miles). The network includes 110 charging points at 49 locations. Completion of the EV Network is considered to be a major milestone. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Freja Clears Hurdle For 2.5-GW Offshore Wind Farm” • Freja Offshore got a key permit for its proposed 2500-MW Mareld offshore wind farm in Sweden. The County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland granted a Natura 2000 permit for the project. Freja Offshore is a joint venture between Hexicon and Mainstream Renewable Power. [reNews]

Floating wind power (Hexicon image)

¶ “Tata Power Signs MOU To Develop 7 GW Of Renewable Energy Projects In Andhra Pradesh” • Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to jointly explore opportunities for the development of up to 7 GW of renewable energy projects, with or without storage systems. [pv magazine India]

¶ “CDWE Kicks Off 2025 Hai Long Construction Campaign” • CDWE kicked off the 2025 construction campaign for the 1-GW Hai Long offshore wind project in Taiwan. The first installation campaign of the project was completed in last November, with the jacket foundations installed at Hai Long 2. CDWE’s heavy lift vessel Green Jade did the work. [reNews]

Heavy lift vessel Green Jade (CDWE image)

¶ “Scientists Are Rising Up To Resist Trump Policies” • There are thousands of scientists from scores of countries around the world joining together in solidarity to oppose attempts by the Trump administration to enact what they see as anti-scientific measures that threaten public health and the environment around the world. [Inside Climate News]

¶ “Hexa Renewables And Marubeni Partner For 100 MW Of Solar In Japan” • Singapore-based Hexa Renewables and the Japanese conglomerate Marubeni entered into a partnership to develop up to 100 MW of solar in Japan. Marubeni said it plans to procure about 1,000 non-feed-in tariff solar plants by the end of 2028 for Hexa. [pv magazine International]

Solar system (Nuno Marques, Unsplash)

¶ “Chernobyl: Emergency Work Completed After Drone Strike On Shelter” • The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said work to fight smouldering fires in the insulation layers of Chernobyl’s giant shelter is complete, three weeks after it was struck by a drone. The International Atomic Energy Agency says radiation levels remained normal. [World Nuclear News]

US:

¶ “US Agency Says Congress Can’t Repeal California’s 2035 ZEV Mandate” • Under the Clean Air Act, the US EPA has historically granted California waivers to set stricter air pollution regulations on vehicles, power plants, and industry on its land. Trump may think he’s king, but US agencies say California’s right to set its own rules is locked in. [CleanTechnica]

Redondo Beach (Paul Hanaoka, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Apple Legend Woz Torches Tesla UI” • After Steve Wozniak’s presentation at a big tech conference, where he criticized Big Tech taking over our lives too much and tech billionaires for becoming too directly political, CNBC interviewed the Apple co-founder and got more comments from him on Tesla, Elon Musk, and other matters. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Churches In Louisiana Installing Solar + Storage As Hurricane Prep” • A coalition named Together New Orleans that includes about fifty churches as well as a number of other community institutions is developing a network of ten solar-plus-storage centers around New Orleans. The coalition is actually calling these hubs “lighthouses.” [CleanTechnica]

New Orleans church (Rojan Maharjan, Unsplash)

¶ “Trump’s Tariffs And New State Regulation Could Increase Power Costs In Texas” • The low costs of developing renewable energy allowed Texas to lead the US in clean energy deployment. But the cost of doing business with new tariffs and rules may stall the industry’s ability to churn out the cheap power, according to developers and experts. [Inside Climate News]

¶ “Offshore Wind Turbines Promise More Power” • Wind turbines located in the deep ocean off US shores could one day generate as much as 2.8 terawatts of energy. That amount is triple what the country needs to supply all of its current electric power needs, according to the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. [ACMA]

Have a conspicuously beautiful day.

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World:

¶ “East Midlands To Get EV Charge Funding” • Over £40 million in funding has been distributed to thirteen Midlands councils to install thousands of EV charging points. Midlands Connect said the funding came on top of £2.3 billion to help people make a switch to EVs before the 2035 ban on buying new diesel and petrol vehicles. [BBC]

Charging an EV (Ernest Ojeh, Unsplash)

¶ “UK Homes Install Subsidized Heat Pumps At Record Level” • The number of UK homes installing heat pumps supported by government incentives set a record in 2024. Data showed 52% more of the low-carbon heating systems were installed than in 2023. Experts said part of the rise was due to an increase in the grant offered to get people to switch from gas. [BBC]

¶ “Tesla Is Offering 0% Financing on Model 3, 1.99% Financing on Cybertruck, $1,100 Subsidy in China ” • Tesla is offering new incentives on the Cybertruck. Tesla has started advertising 0% APR on the Model 3 on its US website, implying it is having a harder time moving the Model 3 than the Model Y. And there are new incentives in China. [CleanTechnica]

Cybertruck (Phillip Pessar, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Tesla Sales Crash Hard in Oz” • Tesla sales are dropping in China, in Europe, and in the US. Now we have Australian data, and it shows Tesla crashing hard there. Reportedly, Tesla sales dropped 72% in Australia last month. Whatever the reason, it appears we should see it in markets around the world, as they all seem to be trending together. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Volvo Cars CEO Torches EU Plan To Delay Automaker CO₂ Emissions Requirements” • CleanTechnica has published articles about the EU’s move to delay CO₂ emissions requirements, seeing it as a weak, harmful, unnecessary move. Now the CEO of Volvo Cars, Jim Rowan, has come out and torched the EU over this as well. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan (Courtesy of Volvo Cars)

¶ “Developers Consult On 3.6-GW Ossian Connection” • The developers of the 3600-MW Ossian floating wind farm will hold a consultation on the transmission system that is to connect the project to the National Grid. SSE Renewables, Marubeni Corp, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners are developing the project off the east coast of Scotland. [reNews]

¶ “UK And Ireland To Boost Offshore Wind Ties” • The UK and Ireland will work more closely together to enable sub-sea energy infrastructure to maximize offshore wind potential in the Irish and Celtic seas. The UK and Irish governments will set up the system for commercial developers to increase offshore energy by cutting red tape for them. [reNews]

Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Number 10 Downing)

¶ “Ocean Winds Nets Key Permit For 1.1-GW Hanbando” • Ocean Winds secured a key permit for its 1125-MW Hanbando offshore wind project in South Korea. The Electricity Business Licence was granted by the Electricity Regulatory Commission. The EBL grants the project exclusive development rights over the ocean space and reserves the interconnection. [reNews]

¶ “Canberra Select Committee’s Interim Report Not Rushing To Nuclear Energy” • The evidence they’ve heard so far indicates nuclear energy wouldn’t be available until well into the 2040s and so would be too late to meaningfully support achieving Australia’s climate and energy targets or to help in a transition away from coal power. [Fremantle Shipping News]

Parliament House (Social Estate, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “National Analysis Finds Butterflies Are Disappearing At A ‘Catastrophic’ Rate” • America’s butterflies are disappearing due to insecticides, climate change, and habitat loss. Their number is down 22% since 2000, a study in the journal Science found. The number in the Lower 48 states has been falling on average 1.3% per year since the turn of the century. [ABC News]

¶ “Corning Blows A Huge Solar Energy Raspberry At ‘American Energy Dominance'” • Add Corning Incorporated to the growing list of US companies moving forward with renewable energy ventures regardless of President Trump’s desire to assist fossil energy stakeholders. Corning is making a big move into making solar panels. [CleanTechnica]

Solar PV system (Courtesy of Hemlock Semiconductor)

¶ “Trump Assault On NEPA Will Sow Chaos And Is Doomed To Fail” • One of the latest actions by the Ogre of the Offal Office is to try to shortcut US environmental laws, especially aiming at the National Environmental Policy Act. It’s likely cause confusion and chaos, even slowing permitting large oil and gas projects, according to Oil & Gas Watch. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Apple Legend Woz Says Tech Companies Are Too Big And Too Political” • Speaking at a tech conference in Barcelona this week, Apple legend Steve Wozniak commented on the tech industry of today. Tech companies have become too big, they are getting too political, and they are increasingly controlling our individual lives. [CleanTechnica]

Steve Wozniak (Nichollas Harrison, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Congress Hears Warnings That Cutting Renewable Energy Incentives Could Drive Up Costs” • Energy experts told congress that rolling back Biden-era tax credits for renewables could slow grid expansion, raise electricity costs, and make it harder to meet surging energy demand, which is rising fast as such customers as data centers come online. [The Daily Climate]

¶ “A Fossil Fuel May Be Rebranded ‘Renewable Energy’ Under Proposed Tennessee Law” • Tennessee may become the first state to legally define gas as “renewable energy.” State law now defines natural gas, a fossil fuel, as “clean energy.” But a proposed state bill would expand the definition to state that gas is “renewable,” “clean,” and “green.”  [WPLN News]

Have a neatly nifty day.

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World:

¶ “New BYD Yuan Plus With Fridge Ans God’s Eye Launches at $15,970” • BYD was already crushing it. But now its Yuan Plus (called the Atto 3 in overseas markets) includes a refrigerator, God’s Eye C driver-assist tech, and an all-around upgrade at a starting cost of 115,800 yuan ($15,970). That’s 1,000 yuan cheaper than last year’s model. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Yuan Plus (BYD image)

¶ “Tesla Sales In China Tumble 49% In February” • According to CnEVPost, Tesla China sold 30,688 cars in February 2025. That’s 51% fewer than Tesla sold in January and 49% fewer than it sold last February. The Chinese media are offering several reasons for Tesla’s poor performance, including Chinese New Year’s holiday. But sales of other EVs increased. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UK Launches Energy Transition Consultation” • The UK government launched a consultation on how to ensure the oil and gas industry and its workers can benefit from the expected growth in clean energy. It is estimated that the workforce for offshore renewable energy could grow to between 70,000 and 138,000 in 2030. [reNews]

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband (RenewableUK)

¶ “EU Auto Plan Is A Major Concession To Industry – It Must Be the Last” • After the EU Automotive Plan, there must be no more concessions on car industry climate targets, T&E says. Giving carmakers two extra years to comply with the 2025 CO₂ targets undermines the greatest incentive for EU carmakers to catch up in the race to electrify. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Gode Wind 3 Reaches Full Power” • Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure’s 253-MW Gode Wind 3 offshore wind farm is now operating at full power. Final testing for Gode Wind 3 was completed in late February and the project’s 23 turbines are now fully commissioned. The project is Ørsted’s fifth operational offshore wind farm in Germany. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Ørsted image)

¶ “Federal Government Greenlights Major NSW Renewable Projects” • New South Wales is celebrating a major renewable milestone, with the approval of three new wind projects with a combined capacity of 2,404 MW. The new projects will build on the record amount of renewables meeting 46% of demand in the national grid in Q4 2024. [Utility Magazine]

¶ “‘World-Leading’ Array Of Massive Eight-Hour Solar Batteries To Reboot Australian Manufacturing” • Australian infrastructure investor Quinbrook unveiled plans for a series of massive eight-hour solar batteries that they say will offer Australia the best, and possibly the only, chance to protect Australian manufacturing and attract new industries. [RenewEconomy]

Solar array with batteries (Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners)

¶ “Dutch Port Expands Logistics Offering” • Buss Terminal Eemshaven expanded its terminal area and heavy-duty quay side access, as it seeks to be a key player in offshore wind logistics in the European North Sea. The expansion includes about fifteen hectares of heavy-duty storage area and 200 meter quay-side connecting to the Beatrixhaven. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Ocean Energy Is Almost Ready, But It Needs A Boost Over The Testing Barrier” • The marine energy industry needs to vet their novel tech at custom facilities and instruments. Researchers studying solar panels can prop a new prototype in a sunny field to see how it works, but for an untested marine energy device it is not that simple. [CleanTechnica]

Artist’s impression of wave energy (Alfred Hicks, NREL)

¶ “Companies Tell Congressional Committee That Renewable Energy Is Needed To Keep Up With Demand” • The US is in the midst of a surge in energy demand, largely driven by the rise of artificial intelligence and the power-hungry data centers feeding it, as well as electrification and an increase in demand from US manufacturing. [Inside Climate News]

¶ “US Rigs Drilling For Natural Gas Decreased For The Second Consecutive Year In 2024” • The number of rigs deployed to drill for natural gas in the US decreased over the last two years. They fell 32% (50 rigs) between December 2022 and December 2024. The decline coincided with a general decline in natural gas prices over the last two years. [CleanTechnica]

US natural gas rig count (EIA image)

¶ “Surprising Report Shows Texas Has Enormous Advantage Over Other States” • Everything’s bigger in Texas. Among other things, this idea applies to the state’s enthusiasm for renewable energy, as new data shows it has almost 80% more solar, wind, and battery capacity combined than the state with the next highest capacity, California. [The Cool Down]

¶ “ACP Finds Clean Energy Dominated New US Energy Capacity In 2024” • The American Clean Power Association released its Snapshot of Clean Power in 2024, a preview of the upcoming full Clean Power Annual Market Report. It shows a dominant year for clean energy in 2024, as the US deployed an unprecedented 49 GW of capacity. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Wind turbines (Anna Jiménez Calaf, Unsplash)

¶ “Wind And Solar Power Overtake Coal In US For First Time” • Wind and solar energy generated more of the US’ electricity than coal for the first time last year, according to figures released by the US Energy Information Administration. Wind and solar accounted for 17% of the US’ electricity mix while coal fell to an all-time low of 15%. [The Times]

¶ “Supreme Court Debates Nuclear Waste Disposal, Questions Status Of Yucca Mountain Site” • The Supreme Court debated how to dispose of the nation’s nuclear waste as Texas urged the court to block a storage site near its border with New Mexico. The justices’ debate over the Texas case invited discussion of a site in Nevada. [Reno Gazette Journal]

Have a basically wonderful day.

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World:

¶ “The World’s Strongest Ocean Current Should Be Getting Faster, But It Is At Risk Of Failing” • Flowing clockwise around Antarctica, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the strongest ocean current on Earth. Five times as strong as the Gulf Stream, and over 100 times as strong as the Amazon, it is being weakened by fresh water from melting Antarctic ice. [BBC]

Antarctic ice (Cassie Matias, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Work Begins On Mine Water Heating System” • Work is under way to create a mine water heating system to supply hundreds of homes. Water from disused mines will be used to heat houses in a community being built in County Durham. About 759 homes in the Seaham Garden Village will be heated through an ultra-low-carbon district heat network. [BBC]

¶ “BYD Electric Bus Sales Grow 40.5%, Non-Bus Commercial Vehicle Sales Grow 1,459%!” • BYD’s electric bus sales grew 40.5%, year-on-year, in the first two months of 2025. But non-bus BYD electric commercial vehicle sales grew a whopping 1049.2% in February 2025 over last year, from 362 sales in February 2024 to 4,160 sales in February 2025. [CleanTechnica]

BYD electric truck (BYD image)

¶ “BYD New Energy Vehicle Sales Jump 161%” • Just looking at passenger vehicles, BYD’s new energy vehicle (plugin vehicle) sales grew 161.4% in February 2025 compared to February 2024. It scored 322,846 sales compared to 122,311 in February 2024. That’s huge year-on-year growth when you consider the scale BYD was already at! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “VinFast Partners With Motech On A Nationwide Service Center Network In The Philippines” • VinFast Philippines and Motech Automotive Service Center formalized a Memorandum of Understanding to create a service network for VinFast EVs. The collaboration fits with the VinFast’s commitment to foster green transportation in the region. [CleanTechnica]

Motech service center in Manila (Motech Commonwealth image)

¶ “China’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Deployed In Antarctica” • A hydrogen fuel cell, developed by a subsidiary of China’s State Power Investment Corporation, was successfully deployed at China’s Qinling Station in Antarctica, in a hybrid power supply of wind, solar, hydrogen, and diesel. It is a significant chapter in development of hydrogen energy. [China Daily]

¶ “Vattenfall Chooses DEME For German Projects” • Vattenfall has chosen DEME Offshore to carry out cable protection systems stabilization works at the DanTysk and Sandbank offshore wind farms in Germany. The electrical wiring contract is worth €3.56 million for the work at the projects. The DanTysk and Sandbank projects have a total capacity of 576 MW. [reNews]

Wind turbine at DanTysk (Vattenfall image)

¶ “Stalling On Renewables Will See Power Bills Jump In This Decade, Study Shows” • In Australia, domestic power bills could jump 30% by the end of this decade, and for small businesses they could rise by up to 41%, if renewable energy isn’t rolled out faster, according to modelling by Jacobs, a global engineering and professional services firm. [Riotact]

US:

¶ “US Air Force Leads Defense Department Into A Geothermal Energy Future ” • The US Air Force was an early adopter and market-mover for the budding domestic solar industry back in the early 2000s, leading to solar’s explosive growth curve in the ensuing years. Now the Air Force is poised to do the same for geothermal energy. [CleanTechnica]

Geothermal energy (Courtesy of GreenFire Energy)

¶ “Over 16,000 Medium and Heavy Charging And Fueling Points Available In California” • Diesel exhaust is very bad for human health. Replacing gas and diesel trucks with zero-emissions ones improves air quality and is better for both people and the planet. The California Energy Commission has an online charging and fueling dashboard for ZEV trucks. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “GE Vernova And Amazon To Partner On Onshore Wind” • GE Vernova and Amazon Web Services signed a strategic framework agreement that will see the two companies collaborate to commercialise onshore wind development projects. The work will support a larger initiative aimed at supporting AWS’s data center business. [reNews]

GE Vernova office (GE Vernova image)

¶ “Divided House Energy Panel OKs Measure To Eliminate Renewable Energy Fund” • Since 1994, most of the programs, subsidies, rebates, and incentives in Minnesota for renewable energy have been financed by money from a nuclear agreement with XCEL Energy. But that might go away if a new state law is passed. [MN House of Representatives]

¶ “Trump’s Energy Agenda To Encounter Roadblocks, Wood Mackenzie Says” • A report from Wood Mackenzie that explores the implications of actions by the Trump administration says North America’s energy transition could slow down by rising trade tariffs, infrastructure delays, and policy uncertainty for emerging technologies. [pv magazine USA]

Trade goods (PortCalls Asia, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Supreme Court Takes On Dispute Over Nuclear Waste Storage Sites” • A solution to America’s stockpile of nuclear waste keeps getting passed around. The issue is going before the Supreme Court in a dispute from Texas over the federal government’s authority to allow temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel at privately owned facilities far from reactors. [ABC News]

¶ “Court Rules Oyster Creek Fuel Storage Casks Are Permanent” • After a local township asserted that the spent fuel and storage casks should be considered to be permanent, because there is nowhere for them to go, a New Jersey court ruled that the spent nuclear fuel system at the former Oyster Creek nuclear power plant is permanent and taxable. [World Nuclear News]

Have an interestingly fulfilling day.

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World:

¶ “Sawfish Inspire Drive To Preserve Marine Life” • An aquarium announced it is expanding its work to protect the world’s marine life by entering into a partnership with a wildlife biobank. The Deep, in Hull, said the collaboration with Nature’s SAFE would help to preserve more marine and freshwater species such as the green sawfish. [BBC]

Green Sawfish (Courtesy of The Deep)

¶ “Canada’s Cities Deploying Electric Buses And Toying With Hydrogen” • The Canadian transition to electric buses is gaining momentum, as a number of cities adopt zero-emission vehicles to enhance sustainability in public transit. While hydrogen has often been getting the attention, what has really been happening is lots of electric buses. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EU To Gift Weaker Climate Targets To Car Industry In Return For No Commitments” • The EU Commission will weaken the 2025 CO₂ target for carmakers by allowing them to comply over three years instead of one, President Ursula von der Leyen said. The measure still needs to be passed by EU governments and Members of European Parliament. [CleanTechnica]

Renault 5 EV (Image courtesy of Renault)

¶ “Record Year For Renewable PPAs Features Two Mega-Deals” • Corporate PPAs have directly contracted for almost 40% of capacity and supported projects that account for 70% of capacity installed. In other words, only 30% of the renewable energy capacity installed since 2017 has not been supported at some stage by a Corporate PPA. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Half Of New EU City Buses Were Zero-Emission In 2024” • Of all new EU city buses, 49% were zero-emission in 2024, making city buses one of the early success stories of the European Green Deal. Sales exceeded T&E’s projection made last year, despite its assumption of exponential growth. This is due in part to quick uptake of fuel cell buses. [CleanTechnica]

Articulated bus of Warsaw’s MZA (MZA image)

¶ “China’s New Renewables Account For 86% Of New Power In 2024” • China’s newly installed renewable energy capacity was 86% of its total additions in 2024, the government said. The total installed capacity of renewable energy made up a record high of 56% of all of China’s capacity. Renewables installed so far reached a total of 1,889 GW. [Asian Business Review]

¶ “TotalEnergies Inaugurates 640-MW Offshore Wind Farm In Taiwan” • TotalEnergies and its partners have put the 640-MW Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwan into commission. The wind farm consists of 80 wind turbines, each with a 8-MW capacity. It will produce 2.4 TWh of renewable electricity per year, powering over 600,000 households. [reNews]

Yunlin offshore wind farm (TotalEnergies image)

¶ “Renewables Provided Over Half Of Electricity In February” • Renewable sources provided over half of Ireland’s electricity in February. Data from grid operator EirGrid showed that wind power alone accounted for just over 48% of all electricity used in Ireland. Including grid-scale solar and hydropower, renewables provided 54.5% of electricity in February. [RTE.ie]

¶ “Iberdrola Inks Italian Solar PPA” • Iberdrola and Italian retail group Pam Panorama signed a ten year solar power purchase agreement. The PPA will supply the retail operations of the Pam, Panorama, Pam local, and Pam City brands in Italy with electric energy. By the end of 2025, Iberdrola will have around 400 MW of capacity operating in Italy. [reNews]

Solar panels (Iberdrola image)

¶ “Northwest Europe Power Prices Plunge Below Zero On Strong Solar Output” • The strongest solar generation in Germany since September sent the power prices in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands to below zero for the early Monday afternoon, in yet another spate of negative prices that undermine investment in renewable energy capacity. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Blackhillock BESS Uses Kraken Tech Platform” • Europe’s biggest operating Battery Energy Storage System uses Kraken’s smart operating system. The 200-MW, 400-MWh Blackhillock site in Moray, Scotland, owned by Zenobe, has gone live and is using the tech platform developed by Kraken Technologies, part of Octopus Energy Group. [reNews]

Blackhillock battery system (Kraken image)

¶ “Peter Dutton’s Nuclear Plan Could Blow Out Household Electricity Bills By Up To $600 A Year By 2030” • A report has torpedoed Peter Dutton’s claim that the Coalition’s nuclear plan for Australia would be 44% cheaper than Labor renewables plan, finding instead that it would inflate average consumer electricity bills by up to 41% by 2030. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “The US Enters Its ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Era. Here’s What A Top Energy Leader Has To Say” • Some industry observers speculate that energy prices and other market forces may deter energy companies from increasing drilling, noting that the US has been the world’s top crude oil and liquefied natural gas producer for several years now. [The World Economic Forum]

Abandoned pump jack (Strange Happenings, Unsplash)

¶ “Tesla Sales Drop Could Put Emissions Credit Revenue At Risk, Too” • According to reporting by Politico reporter Jordyn Dahl, Tesla made a total of $2.76 billion in emissions credit revenue in 2024, over 50% more than the previous year. Tesla is paid by car makers who buy credits to hit emissions targets. As Tesla’s sales fall, the revenue is in question. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Demand Response Could Reduce The Burden Data Centers Put On Electrical Grids ” • Powering data centers is getting to be a significant issue in the US as the demand for electricity to run them increases dramatically. To cope, utility companies plan for new gas-fired plants and even nuclear power. Demand response is an alternative. [CleanTechnica]

Have an absolutely perfect day.

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World:

¶ “The Warming Planet Is Changing The Ecosystem. It’s Also Bad For Automakers” • When Swedish automaker Volvo opened its proving ground in Kiruna, Sweden, 30 years ago, the mission was clear: “Making sure that our products are truly fit for the harshest of winter conditions.” The area had snow until mid-May in those days. Not any more. [ABC News]

Electric Volvo EX30 Cross Country (Volvo image)

¶ “Pharma Firms Extend Chinese Renewables Procurement” • AstraZeneca and GSK partnered with pharmaceutical suppliers to procure renewable power in China. In collaboration, twelve companies will unlock roughly 225 GWh of electricity per year for operations that include the research, development, and manufacture of medicines. [reNews]

¶ “UK Group Promotes Heat Pumps With Home Visits” • UK nonprofit Nesta helps people learn about heat pumps by word of mouth. It connects those who are interested by heat pumps with people who have already installed them. Instead of a sales pitch, the potential customers get to speak with people who have the equipment in their homes. [CleanTechnica]

How a heat pump works (State of Rhode Island)

¶ “NTPC’s 300-MW Kolayat Solar Power Plant Now Fully Operational” • State-owned NTPC announced that its 300-MW Shambu ki Burj-2 solar PV project in Rajasthan is now fully operational. The project was commissioned by NTPC Green Energy in a phased manner, with the final 18.32-MW portion recently going online. [pv magazine India]

¶ “Nordex Secures 112-MW Brazilian Turbine Deal” • Nordex has received a 112-MW turbine order for a wind project in Brazil. Brazilian energy holding company Auren Energia commissioned Nordex to supply and install nineteen N163/5.X turbines. The turbines are destined for the Cajuina 3 wind farm in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Nordex image)

¶ “2025 Offshore Capacity To Reach 19 GW” • The offshore wind industry is poised for a rebound in 2025, with capacity additions expected to reach 19 GW and sector-wide expenditure projected to hit $80 billion. According to research from Rystad Energy this recovery follows a slowdown at the end of last year, when new installations dropped to about 8 GW. [reNews]

¶ “Reports Reveal Australia’s Record Renewable Year” • Australia is kicking net zero goals, with three industry reports highlighting the country’s latest milestones, including a record amount of renewable electricity generation and emissions reductions in 2024. Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions are now 29% below 2005 levels. [Utility Magazine]

Wind farm in Australia (Nachoman-au, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “France And Spain Lead Europe’s Onshore Wind Potential” • Europe has been steadily ramping up its wind energy capacity. In the last quarter of 2023, the region succeeded in producing more power from wind than coal for the first time. Also, France and Spain alone could produce enough electricity to meet the EU’s 2050 energy demand. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Austria Regains Electricity Exporter Status Due To Renewable Energy” • Austria regained its status as an electricity-exporting country for the first time since 2009, driven by its transition to clean energy, with electricity exports reaching 4,747 GWh last year. Austrian Power Grid attributed this to a large expansion of renewable energy systems. [MSN]

Archimedes screw turbine (Hydro-Connect GmbH, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Nuclear Power Struggling To Maintain Its Level Of Stagnation, Let Alone Achieve Any Growth” • The current push in Australia to deploy nuclear reactors contrasts an excessive optimism by nuclear proponents against the continuing stagnant situation of nuclear power worldwide. And the latest nuclear proposals are built on speculations. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Domaine Carneros Takes Control Of Its Energy Future With A Schneider Electric Microgrid” • The Domaine Carneros winery in Napa, California, partnered with Schneider Electric to turn their onsite solar and generator systems into a classic microgrid. Schneider Electric invited CleanTechnica for a tour of the facility and a look at the microgrid. [CleanTechnica]

Domaine Carneros (Schneider Electric image)

¶ “In Solar Vs Gas Matchup, It Was Energy Storage That Killed The Beast” • Despite the efforts of Pres Trump, new technology is prying gas out of the US power generation profile. Energy analyst Lisa Martin Jenkins details this in an article for Latitude Media, in which she shows how batteries and renewables can defeat new natural gas plants. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Power Project Completed At Gateway Center” • The City of Albuquerque announced the completion of the final phase of a major solar energy upgrade to the Gateway Center. The new solar system includes four canopy solar PV rays, three solar edge inverters with power optimizers, and a steel tee canopy for a parking shade. [AOL.com]

Have an enormously enthusiastic day.

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World:

¶ “Study Shows Solar And Farming Can Co-Exist In UK” • At the University of Sheffield, researchers came to a rather stunning conclusion: Properly designed agrivoltaics could help the UK achieve its goal of having a net zero economy by 2050. PV targets could be met by Agrivoltaics on its own, while avoiding land use conflicts. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaics (By Tom Hickey and Al Hicks, NREL)

¶ “Cement Decarbonization Policy Makers Need To Understand All Levers” • Responsible for 7%–8% of global carbon emissions, cement production is a leading process for carbon emissions. Yet, as climate policies tighten and innovations develop, the cement industry stands at a crossroads: either continue business as usual or shift toward sustainability. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nation Announces Controversial Changes To Major Industry: ‘Significantly Changed Business Environment'” • To ease the financial pressures of inflation and supply chain issues for offshore wind projects, the Japanese government decided to modify pricing rules to encourage developers to follow through on their builds, Reuters reported. [The Cool Down]

Wind farm in Japan (BehBeh, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Solar For Apartments Scheme Launches In Second State, Offering Up To $150,000 In Grants” • A $25 million initiative to install shared rooftop solar systems for apartment buildings across New South Wales has opened for applications, backed by state and federal Labor. Grants of up to $150,000 per project are available for installations. [One Step Off The Grid]

¶ “Iran Can Manufacture Six Nuclear Weapons With Newly Enriched Uranium, UN Atomic Agency Report Says” • The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency announced that Iran has produced dramatically more uranium that can be used in six atomic bombs and stressed that Tehran has made no progress on resolving outstanding issues. [AOL.com]

Nuclear research reactor in Iran (Nanking2010, public domain)

US:

¶ “US Lobster Catch Drops As They Migrate To Colder Canadian Waters” • The US lobster catch is falling as waters warm and they move northward. Maine’s haul of lobsters declined every year from nearly 111 million pounds in 2021, to 2024, when it was only a little more than 86 million pounds, according to data released by state regulators. [ABC News]

¶ “Why Vermont Farmers Are Using Urine On Their Crops” • Urine was used as fertilizer in ancient Rome and China. Now Vermont farmers are using it again to boost harvests and grow crops more sustainably. The Rich Earth Institute, a non-profit based in Windham County, collects, pasteurizes, and distributes the urine to farmers. [BBC]

Sustainable farming (Courtesy of Rich Earth Institute)

¶ “US Electric Vehicle Sales Up 480% Vs Q4 2019, But Fossil Fuel Vehicle Sales Down 2%” • In the 4th quarter of 2024, pure battery EV sales were up 15% from the 4th quarter of 2023, up 61% from the 4th quarter of 2022, up 146% from the 4th quarter of 2021, up 284% from the 4th quarter of 2020, and up 480% compared to the 4th quarter of 2019. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Global Warming Threatening The Future Of Dog Sled Races” • Climate change could complicate dogsledding races around the country as rising temperatures make snowpack in traditionally cold climates less reliable. The start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has been moved from Anchorage to Fairbanks due to a lack of snow. [ABC News]

Racing in the Iditarod (Fredrik Solli Wandem, Unsplash)

¶ “Energy Firm Announces Completion Of New Facility That Delivers Massive Power Gains” • A large solar project, Amazon Solar Farm Arkansas – Prairie Mist, is fully operational and delivering solar energy to the online retail giant’s facility there. It’s part of Amazon’s commitment to reach net-zero carbon pollution by 2040. [The Cool Down]

¶ “Energy Dominance Will Make Americans Sick” • The key to energy dominance is fracking, injecting water containing a stew of toxic chemicals deep underground to force more oil and methane to the surface. What is in that water? Nobody knows, because the fracking industry got state and local officials to pass laws that let them keep that private. [CleanTechnica]

Fracking (SFU – Communications & Marketing, CC BY 2.0)

¶ “PA Counties Unite To Lead Bold Transition To 100% Renewable Energy By 2035” • our counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania—Chester, Bucks, Delaware, and Montgomery—are making significant strides in adopting renewable energy for county operations through their collective effort under the Sustainable Energy Partnership of Southeast PA. [MyChesCo]

¶ “Experts Fear Blow To Climate Research After Sackings In US Agency” • The Trump administration has dismissed hundreds of researchers and meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Experts stressed that global cooperation on climate modelling and research is essential for forecasting severe weather events. [MSN]

Have a sufficiently warm day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Hidden Truth About Nuclear Power” • Famously, Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes said, “Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” Using that approach, we can see that nuclear power has little to do with electricity generation and a lot to do with nuclear weapons. [wsimag.com]

Three Mile Island (Constellation Energy, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “With Clean, Stable Power, Costa Rica Shapes Up As Taiwan’s Chipmaking Rival” • In 2023, Costa Rica forged a partnership with the US to start making more semiconductors as the US looked for new and less sensitive sources of microchips. Now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio singled them out at a summit with Costa Rican Rodrigo Chaves Robles. [Mother Jones]

¶ “Threat To Kashmir’s Iconic Chinar Trees – And The Fight To Save Them” • The chinar is an iconic symbol of the Kashmir valley’s landscape and a major tourist draw, especially in autumn when the trees’ leaves light up in fiery hues of flaming red to a warm auburn. But rapid urbanisation, illegal logging, and climate change are threatening their survival. [BBC]

Shankaracharya Hill (imad Clicks, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Clean Cars Vs Less Traffic: How Much Do They Cut Pollution from Cars?” • From 1990 to 2022, the EU-27’s greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation increased by 23%, while the total from all sectors decreased by 29%. What does the EU need to do to bring greenhouse gas emissions from road traffic in line with its targets? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “5-Axle Battery-Electric Cement Mixer From Renault Trucks” • How does all the low-carbon or zero-carbon concrete get to job sites? It has been in big diesel-powered cement mixer trucks, so heavy that they have had to be diesel powered. But now, Renault Trucks has changed that, with a fully electric battery-powered cement mixer. [CleanTechnica]

Renault Truck (Renault Trucks image)

¶ “Philippines EV Advocates To Propel Local Electric Vehicle Ecosystem” • EVAP president Edmund Araga told CleanTechnica that he is still bullish about what seems to be a sudden shift and acceptance of electric automobiles. His sentiment is backed by news reports and white papers indicating a remarkable escalation in EV sales across the nation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Agri-PV Could Meet UK Electricity Demand Fourfold” • A team of academics from the University of Sheffield did research on the potential benefits of agrivoltaics, where land is used for solar energy production as well as agriculture. They found that solar technology could meet UK’s electricity demand fourfold without sacrificing farmland. [reNews]

Agrivoltaics (REM Tec image)

¶ “Study Identifies 333 GW Of Financially Viable Renewable Energy Projects In Indonesia” • Indonesia is estimated to hold significant renewable energy potential, over 3,686 GW, a recent analysis by the Institute for Essential Services Reform shows. The study identified 1,500 suitable locations for renewable energy projects. [MSN]

¶ “Lautec Launches Live Tracking Of 1.4-GW Sofia” • Danish consultancy Lautec launched live public tracking of construction of RWE’s 1400-MW Sofia offshore wind farm. Construction work at Sofia wind farm, one of the UK’s most significant renewable energy projects, can now be tracked in real-time through use of a publicly accessible platform. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (RWE image)

¶ “Nation Aiming To Add 200 GW In Renewables” • China is setting the stage for another significant leap in renewable energy development this year, aiming to add over 200 GW of renewable energy capacity. The country’s total power generation is to reach about 10,600 TWh, said the National Energy Administration, the country’s top energy authority. [China Daily]

¶ “Construction Begins On 140-MW Wind Farm” • Construction work has begun on a 140-MW wind farm in South Africa after developers reached financial close on the project. African Clean Energy Developments and Energy Infrastructure Management Services reached financial close on the Ishwati Emoyeni wind farm with NOA Group Trading. [reNews]

Wind farm (ACED image)

¶ “France And EU Move To Secure Ukraine Minerals, As US Pushes For Deal” • France and the EU are mobilizing to secure access to Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources, despite pressure from the US, which is pushing for mineral deals as a form of repayment for military aid. Ukraine’s mineral wealth is a critical bargaining chip. [Yahoo News UK]

US:

¶ “Geothermal Energy Vs Natural Gas: The Biggest Loser Is Trump” • Trump left three types of renewable energy in his whackadoodle “American Energy Dominance” plan. One of them is geothermal. There are no geothermal plants east of the Rocky Mountains, but that is about to change with technology borrowed from the oil industry. [CleanTechnica]

New geothermal technology (Courtesy of Fervo Energy)

¶ “EV Rebates Available For EV Charging And Fleets In ComEd Utility District” • Providing power for over 4 million customers and about 70% of the population of Illinois, ComEd is big. Now it is turning its attention to good. At the recent Chicago Auto Show, ComEd announced that it was providing $100 million in rebates for more EV adoption. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Powering Texas: How Base Power’s No-Cost Home Batteries Are Revolutionizing Energy Resilience” •​ In response to Texas’ increasing power outages and the demand for reliable home energy solutions, companies like Base Power are revolutionizing the market by offering affordable home battery systems without the hefty upfront costs. [CleanTechnica]

Have an efficiently creative day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Don’t Be Fooled By The ‘Complain Then Comply’ Strategy Of The Car Industry” • The overall story of emobility in Europe is positive. Electric car sales are seven times what they were in 2019, and the number of fast chargers increased twenty times. Yet automakers make exaggerated claims about a “crisis” and potential fines, blaming everyone else. [CleanTechnica]

Electric car charging (Michael Fousert, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Long Periods Of Extreme Heat Can Accelerate Biological Age, Scientists Say” • Longer periods of extreme heat has been found to accelerate biological age in older adults by up to two years, according to new research. More heat days over time correlated with deterioration at the molecular and cellular level in adults 56 years or older. [ABC News]

¶ “Nations Salvage Funding Deal To Reverse Wildlife Decline” • At UN talks in Rome, agreement was reached on a funding plan  for reversing the decline of nature. The nations overcame deep divisions that had led to a breakdown of negotiations last year. The deal will help countries reach a goal of raising $200 billion for biodiversity action by 2030. [BBC]

Zebras (sutirta budiman, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “EU Plans to Boost Green Aviation And Shipping Fuels, But Sends Worrying Signal on 2040 Climate Goal” • EU plans to cut energy costs by doubling down on renewable electricity, and to activate more investment to scale clean-tech, were welcomed by T&E. But a decision to delay proposing a 2040 climate target is very worrisome. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Leapting’s AI-Powered Robot Is Transforming Solar Panel Installation In Australia” • Chinese company Leapting reported that its Intelligent Automatic Navigation PV Module Installation Robot will be deployed at a large solar farm in Australia. The robots are expected to speed up installation times, reduce labor costs, and improve safety on-site. [CleanTechnica]

Leapting solar installation robot (Leapting image)

¶ “In Europe, 17% Of January’s New Car Sales Are 100% Electric Vehicles” • The European passenger plugin vehicle market had 244,000 registrations in January, up 18% year over year. Battery EVs (168,000 units, up 37%) continued to grow despite the drop in EV incentives in certain markets. Plugin hybrids were down, dropping by 5%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “AGEL Tops 12 GW Of Renewable Energy Capacity” • Indian renewables group Adani Green Energy Limited has a 12-GW of capacity portfolio, as it has added 275 MW of solar at the Khavda plant in Kutch, Gujarat. The 30-GW plant  is being built on barren waste land and covers 538 square kilometres, making it five times the size of Paris. [reNews]

Adani Green Energy works (Adani image)

¶ “Wärtsilä Nets 350-MW Oz Battery Contract” • Wärtsilä won a contract to provide a 350-MW, 1474-MWh battery energy storage system in Australia. EnergyAustralia contracted Wärtsilä for the Wooreen Energy Storage System in Victoria. The scope of the contract includes engineering design, supply, commissioning, and a 15-year service agreement. [reNews]

¶ “Plan To Power Oxfordshire Using Local Renewable Energy” • Six Oxfordshire councils have come together in a bid to ensure the county has clean and reliable energy as it moves away from fossil fuels. The Future Oxfordshire Partnership, comprising all six of the district councils, will deliver local area energy plans for the county. [Yahoo News UK]

Small solar system (Oxfordshire County Council)

¶ “Government Revels In Record Renewable Investment And Declining Emissions” • Recent reports show in 2024, Australia produced more renewable electricity than ever before, with 92,700 GWh of renewable energy going into grids across the country, a record 46% of the electricity in the grid renewable in the last quarter of 2024. [pv magazine Australia]

US:

¶ “Which Comes First, The Tariff Or The Egg?” • Dumb Donald declared a national egg emergency to go along with his mythical national energy emergency. According to the New York Times, he plans to import eggs from Turkey, so America can once again exercise their God given right to eat cheep cheap eggs. So fear not, America. [CleanTechnica]

Chickens (Artem Beliaikin, Unsplash)

¶ “Most States Flunk Community Power Scorecard” • The Institute of Local Self-Reliance conducts an annual survey to determine where the states are in regard to a list of priorities. For 2025, its Community Power Scorecard shows that most states could do far more to provide their residents with affordable, reliable, clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cadeler Vessel Wins Gig At Offshore Wind Farm” • Cadeler signed a firm contract with an undisclosed client to deploy one of its newbuild vessels at an offshore wind farm in the US. This will be the first time Cadeler’s second P-Class newbuild vessel, Wind Pace, will be sent out. The value of the contract to Cadeler is estimated at up to €75 million ($78 million). [reNews]

Wind Pace (Cadeler image)

¶ “US Cultural Revolution: Bonfire of NASA, NOAA, EPA, CDC, And USDA Climate Programs” • The Trump administration’s attacks on scientific funding and research freedoms and the Maoist Cultural Revolution share a common thread of political interference in academia, though they differ in severity and execution. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Last Energy Plans Texan Microreactor Plant” • Microreactor developer Last Energy has announced plans to construct thirty microreactors in Haskell County in northwest Texas to serve the state’s data center customers. Last Energy’s reactor technology is based on pressurized water reactors, each with a capacity of 20 MW, to be built off-site. [World Nuclear News]

Have a tolerably impeccable day.

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World:

¶ “XPENG Enters Poland And Thailand” • XPENG is expanding significantly, worldwide. In the past few days, it has taken steps to enter Poland and Thailand, after bringing its cars to several other new markets in the past year. The Chinese smart EV startup is setting up infrastructure and partnerships around the world, as it intends to become a global brand. [CleanTechnica]

XPENG EV (EPENG image)

¶ “Lynk & Co Brings Plugin Hybrid with 200 km of Range And DC Fast Charging to Europe” • Lynk & Co is opening up a hole new market in Europe, by introducing its 08 there. It is a plugin hybrid with 200 km (124 miles) of all-electric range and DC fast charging capability. That is well beyond the electric range of any other plugin hybrids in Europe. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Flotation, Vargronn File Permit Papers For 1.4-GW Cenos” • Developers of the 1350-MW Cenos floating offshore wind project submitted a consent application to the Marine Directorate in Scotland. The developers, Flotation Energy and Vargronn, will provide renewable power to the UK grid and to offshore oil and gas platforms in the UK North Sea. [reNews]

Floating offshore turbine (Flotation Energy image)

¶ “Europe Builds 16.4 GW Of Wind In 2024” • Europe built 16,400 MW of wind energy, 13,000 MW in the EU, less than half of what the EU needs to deliver on its energy security targets, according to WindEurope’s 2024 Statistics. Poor permitting, slow grid build-out and insufficient electrification are holding back the expansion of wind. [reNews]

¶ “European Energy Powers Up Oz PV Site” • European Energy has successfully commissioned its first PV project in Australia, its 58-MW Mokoan solar park in Victoria. Construction began in the first half of 2024. The park will generate approximately 113 GWh of electricity annually – enough to power more than 18,000 Australian households. [reNews]

Mokoan solar park (European Energy image)

¶ “Elements Green Signs £71.5 Million Deal With Mitie To Design And Build European BESS” • Solar and energy storage developer Elements Green signed a £71.5 million deal with G2 Energy, a Mitie Power & Grid subsidiary, to design and build its Staythorpe Battery Energy Storage System project and 400-kV grid connection. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “How To Make Sure Big Batteries Focus On Helping The Grid, Not Lining Their Owner’s Profits” • “Battery storage systems generally act in a way that serves the market, not the grid,” said Paulina Asbeck, battery manager at Vattenfall. She said battery systems based on electricity market prices do not necessarily relieve the load on power grids. [RenewEconomy]

Neoen BESS (Neoen image)

¶ “Distributed Renewables Help Power Security” • China’s efforts to develop and use distributed renewable energy in rural areas will further enhance their energy security while promoting the use of clean power across the country, according to industry experts. Such systems are small-scale solar energy systems that generate electricity locally. [China Daily]

¶ “Serbia Awards 645 MW In Second Renewables Auction” • In its second renewables auction, Serbia allocated 645 MW in ten wind and solar projects. Average prices are €0.0509/kWh (5.33¢/kWh) for solar and €0.0535/kWh for wind. The government said the rates are well below market levels, and the amount, exceeds the initial 424.8-MW quota. [pv magazine International]

Western Serbia (goxy bgd, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “After A Month Of Trump’s Pro-Oil And Gas Moves, Dems Target His Energy Emergency” • Pres Trump began dismantling his predecessor’s climate change and renewable energy policies on his first day in office, declaring a national energy emergency to speed up fossil fuel development, saying “drill, baby, drill.” Democrats say it’s a sham. [AP News]

¶ “Yes, NOAA Adjusts Its Historical Weather Data: Here’s Why” • We are seeing the weather warm, with rising temperatures. But is the data adjusted? ABC News’ chief meteorologist and chief climate correspondent Ginger Zee was able to confirm that it is, but the adjustments to records are routine, public actions that happen for good reason. [ABC News]

Park in Brooklyn (Andre Carrotflower, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “States Are Pursuing Buy Clean Policies And Programs” • Now New York, Washington, and other states are forming Buy Clean coalitions to cut carbon emissions from transportation and building materials even as the federal government bows out. And that goes beyond embracing EVs and equipping homes and offices with heat pumps. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Wants To Kill NY Congestion Pricing That Raised $48.6 Million In Tolls During Its First Month” • Who would have thought that New York’s congestion pricing plan would raise $48.6 million in its first month? Not Pres Trump, who ordered the Department of Transportation to revoke New York’s federal congestion pricing authorization. [CleanTechnica]

Traffic jam (joiseyshowaa, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Arizona Solar Advocates Challenge APS “Grid Access Charge” In Court: A Fight For Fair Energy Policy” • In a significant legal development, a coalition of advocacy organizations filed an appeal challenging the Arizona Corporation Commission’s decision to uphold a fee imposed on Arizona Public Service customers with rooftop solar PVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Palisades Nuclear Plant Getting Closer To Restart” • Holtec President Kelly Trice said the efforts to reactivate the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant remain on budget and on track to reopen later this year. He also said Palisades will serve as a launching point for the new small modular reactors, which will facilitate the training and licensing of operators. [WSJM]

Have a quiescently serene day.

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World:

¶ “Three Tropical Cyclones Are Swirling In The South Pacific” • There are three tropical cyclones in the South Pacific. Scientists say this is very unusual. Tropical cyclones Rae, Seru and Alfred are all churning as the region is in the peak of a season that starts in November and ends in April. Scientists say there is extremely active weather for this time of year. [ABC News]

Three South Pacific cyclones (NOAA-21, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Half Of Homes Need Heat Pump By 2040” • Four in five cars should be EVs and half of homes should have heat pumps within fifteen years, say the Climate Change Committee, government’s independent climate advisers. By law the UK must reach ‘net zero,’ no longer adding to the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, by 2050. [BBC]

¶ “Bad News For Oil: Digital Twin Optimizes Wind Power To Decarbonize Cargo Ships” • The global cargo shipping industry has been looking at wind power to help push dirty bunker fuel oil out of the way. The question is how much fuel could be offset by equipping a ship with wind devices. An AI-enabled digital twin has the answers. [CleanTechnica]

Wind power on a cargo ship (Courtesy of Norsepower)

¶ “BP Set To Cut Renewable Investment And Boost Oil And Gas Production” • BP is set to reduce renewable energy investments so it can focus on increasing oil and gas production, according to reports. US President Donald Trump’s “drill baby drill” ethos has placed a renewed focus on fossil fuel and a move away from low carbon projects. [MSN]

¶ “CIP Swoops To Acquire 480-MW Morecambe” • Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has signed a deal to acquire the proposed 480-MW Morecambe offshore wind farm off north-west England from Cobra and Flotation Energy. The financial terms have not been disclosed. Closing of the transaction will follow customary approvals and conditions being met. [reNews]

Offshore installation (BOWL image)

¶ “Tata Power And Assam Government Sign MOU To Develop Renewable Energy Projects” • Tata Power signed a memorandum of understanding with the Assam government backing renewable energy and sustainable development. Over the next five years, the company will support up to 5,000 MW of renewable energy projects with a $344 million investment. [Asian Power]

¶ “Greening To Build Uniper PV Project” • Greening has been awarded an EPC contract to develop a solar park in the ash dump of the former Wilhelmshaven thermal power plant, owned by Uniper, in the federal state of Lower Saxony. The project will have an installed capacity of 17 MW and will house more than 28,500 solar modules. [reNews]

Solar farm (Greening image)

¶ “$5,000 Battery Rebate In WA: How Labor’s Plan Could Power Your Home And Cut Energy Costs” • Western Australia’s Labor government has pledged a substantial $5,000 rebate for home battery installations. This initiative aims to empower households to store excess solar energy, reduce electricity bills, and move toward a greener future. [Energy Matters]

¶ “Sonnedix Acquires Two Solar-BESS Projects” • Sonnedix has acquired two renewable energy projects in Portugal, taking its total capacity in the country to almost 500 MW. The two ready-to-build solar and battery energy storage projects will generate nearly 120 GWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of powering almost 40,000 households. [reNews]

Renewable energy (Sonnedix image)

¶ “New Report Skewers Coalition’s Contentious Nuclear Plan” • A federal parliamentary inquiry issued a report on deployment of nuclear power in Australia. It found that nuclear power would be far more expensive than shifting to mostly renewable energy. And delivering nuclear generation before the mid-2040s will be extremely challenging. [The Conversation]

US:

¶ “Electric Trucks Launched Into 2025 With A Bang” • The outlook for sales of electric passenger cars in 2025 looks pretty good considering the circumstances. The picture for electric trucks is more complicated, but the movement to electrify fleets has already gathered a head of steam that could help it outlast temporary setbacks. [CleanTechnica]

Electric truck (Courtesy of California Energy Commission)

¶ “Texas Pipeline Company’s $300 Million Lawsuit Against Greenpeace Heads To Trial” • A lawsuit of a Texas pipeline firm, which is seeking potentially hundreds of millions of dollars from Greenpeace, was set to advance with opening statements in a trial the environmental organization calls an effort to silence critics of the oil industry. [ABC News]

¶ “Planned Retirements Of US Coal-Fired Electric-Generating Capacity To Increase In 2025” • Electricity generators plan to retire 12.3 GW of capacity in 2025, a 65% increase in retirements from 2024. Last year, 7.5 GW was retired from the US grid, the least generation retired since 2011. Coal-burning makes up 66% of planned retirements. [CleanTechnica]

Retirements (US Energy Information Administration image)

¶ “Companies Seek Relief From Coal Clean-Up Rules” • Now that fossil fuel interests have hijacked all three branches of the US government, twelve utility companies want the EPA to relieve them of their obligation to prevent coal ash from contaminating groundwater. They sent a letter to Lee Zeldin, exhorting him to take “immediate action” on the matter. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US PV Firm Picks Up 121 MW Of Contracts” • US construction company Louth Callan Renewables continued its geographical expansion into the Midwest with the recent awarding of 121 MW of solar contracts for three projects in Illinois. The planning, construction, and development phases of these solar projects will create over 400 jobs. [reNews]

Have a generally goofy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Data Centers Imperil The Electrical Grid And Climate Action” • Data centers may see an investment of nearly $1 trillion in the US in the next four years as “hyperscalers” with aggressive AI goals, companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Tesla, build computing facilities in a frenzy to keep one step ahead of the competition. [CleanTechnica]

Supercomputer (Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL)

World:

¶ “How Many Vehicles Will Tesla Sell In Europe In 2025?” • Tesla sales dropped significantly in California and certain European markets, recent reports indicate. Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s manic sprint into right-wing politics in the US and Europe seems to be a key influence here. And other automakers keep rolling out new model after new model. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “In Rome, Talks To Protect Earth’s Biodiversity Resume With Money Topping The Agenda” • An annual UN conference on biodiversity will resume its work in Rome after it ran out of time last year. How to spend the money that’s been pledged so far is at the top of the agenda, along with how to raise a lot more to help preserve plant and animal life. [ABC News]

Striped Tiger Butterfly (Sonika Agarwal, Unsplash)

¶ “NTPC Green Energy Shares Rise On Deal To Build 20 GW Of Projects” • Shares of NTPC Green Energy Ltd were yo 4% after it announced that Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company signed an MOU for it to develope solar, wind, and renewable hybrid projects, possibly with storage, to generate at least 20 GW of electricity in Madhya Pradesh. [Equitypandit]

¶ “Ulstein Launches News CSOV For BS Offshore” • Ulstein Verft launched a “state-of-the-art” Commissioning Service Operation Vessel for BS Offshore. The new Yno 320 can accommodate up to 132 crew members and clients. Its diesel-electric propulsion system and substantial battery energy storage will “significantly reduce” its environmental impact. [reNews]

Yno 320 (Image by Ulstein Group)

¶ “UN Warns Nations At Climate Science Meeting ‘Time Is Not On Our Side'” • Tense negotiations on the timing and content of the UN’s next blockbuster assessment of global warming opened in China, with US scientists reportedly absent. The meeting in Hangzhou comes on the heels of the hottest year on record and rising alarm over the pace of warming. [Phys.org]

¶ “RWE Starts Up Italian Solar Park” • RWE has commissioned its first solar plant in Italy. The 8.3-MW Bosco ground-mounted solar plant has roughly 15,000 bifacial modules on a 16-hectare site in the municipality of Partinico near Palermo, Sicily. RWE was able to achieve ready-to-build in less than 18 months, and construction took around 10 months. [reNews]

Solar farm in Italy (RWE image)

¶ “Former PM ‘Sceptical’ About Nuclear, Keen On Hydropower” • Australia needs more investment in pumped hydropower projects to support its transition to renewable energy, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has told a conference, as the nation cannot rely on batteries alone. Turnbull also poured cold water on the nuclear power for its cost. [Yahoo]

US:

¶ “Prediction: Solar Energy Beats Natural Gas By A Mile In 2025” • Pres Trump wants coal, oil, and natural gas to dominate the US energy profile, but he’s already lost the battle. Red and blue states alike are racing to add generating capacity, and solar energy is by far the fuel of choice, with energy storage chipping in a generous share, and wind still coming. [CleanTechnica]

Solar energy and tractor (Courtesy of NREL)

¶ “A Powerful Tool Is Tracking The Electrification Of Industry In The US” • Industries across the US are making a big shift toward cleaner, more efficient energy solutions, and an interactive map from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is making it easier than ever to track their progress. It’s a tool that provides a visual representation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Police Probe Fatalities At Nebraska Wind Farm” • Local police are investigating the deaths of two turbine maintenance workers at a wind farm in Nebraska. The police said the maintenance crew experienced an “equipment failure,” which resulted in both men falling from the turbine south of Winside. The accident is being investigated. [reNews]

Generic wind farm (SXC image)

¶ “Juneau’s Push To Expand Renewable Power Could Boost The Region’s Mines – Or Cost Them” • Juneau’s elected officials and a local entrepreneur have been pushing two major power projects that could reduce carbon pollution. One of them could help a mine reduce pollution and save money. The other could have a different effect on another mine. [Alaska Beacon]

¶ “California High-Speed Rail Seeks Public Input On Renewable Energy Sites” • The California High-Speed Rail Authority is to start the public scoping process for the Environmental Impact Report of the Central Valley Photovoltaic and Battery Energy Storage System Project. Members of the public and agencies can give input related to the project. [Railway-News]

California High-Speed Rail (© State of California)

¶ “Kansas Army Base Now Powered By 16-MW Solar Portfolio” • Onyx Renewables completed Phase 3 of its onsite solar energy project at US Army Garrison Fort Riley in Kansas. This latest phase of development will generate an additional 4.23 MW of clean energy, bringing the total installed solar capacity at the base now to 16 MW. [Solar Power World]

¶ “Amazon Signs 15-Year PPA With EDP For 100 MW Of Power In Mississippi” • Amazon has signed a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement with EDP Renewables North America for the entire capacity of the 100-MW Ragsdale Solar Park in Madison County, Mississippi. The project reached commercial operations in Q4 of last year. [Data Center Dynamics]

Have an enjoyably lively day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New New Perovskite Solar Treatment Cuts The Cost Of Solar Power By 10%” • Despite Pres Trump’s views, falling costs are keeping renewables head toward domination of the global economy. Most recently, the US startup BlueDot Photonics has created a perovskite solar formula that allows a 16% increase in the solar conversion efficiency. [CleanTechnica]

UbiQD solar panel (UbiQD image)

World:

¶ “Omoda & Jaecoo Finally Launches Its EVs In The Philippines” • “Finally.” That was the feeling when Omoda & Jaecoo, an old “newcomer” to the Philippine automotive scene, finally launched its operations and first models in the country at a posh venue in Manila. For the past two years, the brand has been teasing the local market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Efficiency Gains Will Give BMW Neue Klasse Electric Cars 30% More Range” • BMW claims its Neue Klasse electric cars, which will go on sale this year, will be 20% more efficient than its existing EVs and will have longer range for that reason. That is important to some people because gasoline is so much more energy dense than batteries. [CleanTechnica]

BMW Neue Klasse EV (BMW image)

¶ “Wind Turbine Market To $235.22 Billion By 2030, Demand For Renewable Energy Is Surging” • The Wind Turbine Market size was valued at $138.14 billion in 2023 and the total revenue is expected to grow at 7.9 % through 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly $235.22 billion. As investments continue to rise, these factors are fueling strong growth. [openPR.com]

¶ “UK Net Zero Growth Outstrips Overall Economy” • The net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy, analysis commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows. The net zero economy grew by 10% in 2024 and generated £83 billion in gross value added, with £28.8 billion directly from net zero businesses. [reNews]

Solar array (EDF image)

¶ “NTPC And EDF To Collaborate On Renewable Energy And Pumped Storage Projects” • NTPC Ltd and EDF India are to collaborate to develop, construct, own, operate, and maintain pumped storage projects and hydro power projects bundled with other renewable energy projects and explore opportunities in the distribution business. [pv magazine India]

¶ “EU Support To Boost Ukraine Renewables Expansion” • The European Commission offered a support package to Ukraine to secure its energy system and enable its full integration within the European energy market. This package will allow for the full coupling of Ukraine’s electricity market, together with Moldova’s, with the EU by early 2027. [reNews]

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (EC image)

¶ “Construction Kicks Off On Landmark NSW BESS” • New South Wales’ New England region is transforming its energy, and one part of that is its first large battery system. The 200-MW, two-hour battery is the first of two planned systems to be built by Energy Vault. It is to be sited at ACEN Australia’s 720-MW New England Solar project. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Scotland’s Renewable Share Is The Best In Europe – So Why Are Energy Bills So High?” • Scotland’s renewable technologies covered 113% of its overall electricity demand in 2022, according to statistics from the Scottish Government. The reason is that bills are so high is that energy is a reserved matter, Scotland cannot create its own market. [inkl]

Whitelee wind farm (Rosser1954, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Adani Green Powers Up 250-MW Solar Project In Rajasthan” • Adani Green Energy Limited announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary has increased its operating renewable capacity in Rajasthan. In a bourse filing, the company said Adani Green Energy Twenty Four Limited has operationalized its solar power project of 250-MW in Jaisalmer. [Asian Power]

¶ “Nuclear Plan May Miss Nation’s Energy Goal By A Decade” • Australia could miss its zero-emission energy target by more than a decade if it pursues nuclear power, according to a Climate Change Authority report, and could add two billion tonnes of carbon emissions to the environment by 2050. It could help increase the speed of climate change. [Yahoo]

Wind turbines (Dan Meyers, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Big Oil Must Deliver The Goods Under Landmark Climate Litigation Ruling” • A federal magistrate judge has ruled that a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against ExxonMobil, Shell, and other leading oil firms can proceed to the discovery stage, opening a window into a decades-old curtain of industry efforts to keep the public in the dark about climate change. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Manufacturers Continue To Move To Renewable-Powered Production” • The US is making renewables. Domestic solar module manufacturing grew in 2024 to over 50 GW, enough to meet all US demand, with five manufacturing facilities in Texas, Alabama, Florida, and Ohio. And the US is making solar cells for the first time since 2019. [CleanTechnica]

Making solar panels (Courtesy of First Solar)

¶ “Texas Lawmakers Scramble To Stop Solar Energy But It Just Keeps Coming” • Last year was another banner year for solar energy in Texas, and 2025 is heading for more of the same, in spite of the threat of anti-renewable legislation. Texas lawmakers tried and failed to pass an anti-renewable bill in the last session. Now they are trying again. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nuclear Dreams Dim: Why NuScale Power’s Descent Matters” • Once a promising beacon in the nuclear energy landscape, NuScale now stands as a testament to how swiftly fortunes can change on the market floor. Its stock price has fallen 17.5%, as news came that the US DOE has reduced its budget by $124 million, stifling investments. [Jomfruland.net]

Have a finely fashioned day.

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World:

¶ “Canada Plants A Big Wet Kiss On Oil Pipelines” • Canadians largely agree Canada needs to take Trump’s threats seriously, DeSmog suggests. That doesn’t mean the country should write another blank check for an oil industry. The government of Canada is contemplating contributing funding to build pipelines to ports for exporting oil. [CleanTechnica]

Pipeline right of way (jasonwoodhead23, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Can Auto Dealerships Survive the Squeeze?” • Like it or not, auto dealerships are a vital part of the distribution network for both new and used cars. At the moment, they are being squeezed by the adoption of EVs requiring less servicing and a price war in Australia. Can they survive? Should they survive? What might that look like? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Toyota’s Late Shift to BEVs Evident in Latest Financials Report” • Toyota sold a bit more than 27,000 fuel-cell Mirai in ten years. It sold nearly ten times as many battery EVs, but it may not be blasting this from the rooftops. Its recent financial report for investors makes clear in various places that the future is indeed battery EVs. [CleanTechnica]

Toyota bZ3 (User3204, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Energy Targets Could Be Missed Due To Renewable Energy Being Unused” • Almost 40% of Northern Ireland’s wind energy in December, 2024 went unused due to restrictions in the power grid, a forecast from Cornwall Insight says. Unused and wasted renewable energy will cause Northern Ireland to miss its 2030 power emissions target by more than 20%. [BBC]

¶ “Are Golf Courses Being Prioritized Over Renewable Energy?” • At a time when countries race to build more solar panels and wind turbines to fight climate change, a study from Institute Jülich Systems Analysis in Germany reveals a striking fact: In many nations, golf courses take up more land than all their renewable energy projects combined. [Study Finds]

Golf course (Matthew McBrayer, Unsplash)

¶ “Peter Dutton’s Nuclear Accounting Trick #4: Assume Climate Change Has No Cost” • The Coalition’s preferred plan for the electricity system involves slowing the replacement of coal with renewable energy over the next decade and instead waiting until the 2040’s to undertake a concerted replacement of coal with nuclear power. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “California Governor Asks Congress For Nearly $40 Billion For La Wildfire Relief” • California Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked Congress to approve nearly $40 billion in aid to help the Los Angeles area recover from January’s devastating wildfires. He said those fires could become the costliest natural disaster in the history of the US. [ABC News]

Palisades fire destruction (SFC Jon Soucy, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “From Baywatch To Toxic Waste – LA’s Iconic Beaches Are Unrecognizable After Fires” • Will Rogers State Beach is one of the most recognizable stretches of sand in the world thanks to the global cult classic “Baywatch.” But the Palisades and Eaton fires generated a staggering amount of debris, estimated to be 4.5 million tonnes. [BBC]

¶ “Xcel Energy Is Keeping Its Renewable Energy Train On The Rails” • US President Donald Trump practically snuffed out the entire US offshore wind industry upon taking office. Nevertheless, activity still keeps bubbling up onshore as illustrated by the new Upper Midwest Energy Plan presented by the gigantic utility Xcel Energy. [CleanTechnica]

Renewable energy (Courtesy of Xcel Energy)

¶ “Executive Order Deletes Social Cost Of Carbon From Official US Policy Considerations” • ProPublica reported that failing to consider the social cost of carbon will upend environmental and energy regulations meant to address climate change and could have the effect of shifting costs from polluting industries directly onto the shoulders of Americans. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Impact of Renewable Energy On The US Economy” • Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are abundant and sustainable. In recent years, the US has made significant strides in harnessing renewable energy, driven by both environmental concerns and economic benefits. Its impact on the US economy is more significant now than ever before. [MSN]

Have a plainly spectacular day.

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World:

¶ “New Volvo Electric Car Models To Propel Volvo To Full Electrification Faster” • Volvo has one of the most ambitious electrification targets of legacy automakers. It may not be the biggest automaker in the world, but its ambitions to become a 100% electric car company are notable, and its progress is commendable. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo EX30 Cross Country (Volvo image)

¶ “Airbus’ Hydrogen Plane Crash: Time for a Reality Check” • Airbus’s quiet admission that they are delaying their hydrogen dream is in stark contrast to the gushing press releases of previous years. After lulling us with stories of aviation at the cutting edge of innovation, Airbus is just another company guided by profit maximization. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UK Plans CfD Reforms To Boost Offshore Wind” • The UK government is seeking to clear the way for more offshore wind projects as it launched a consultation on proposed reforms to this year’s AR7 Contracts for Difference auction. The UK is home to the world’s three largest operational offshore wind farms but needs more for clean power by 2030. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (RWE image)

¶ “Going Green: Taking Control Of Your Energy Consumption” • Have you ever thought about who’s in charge of our electricity and how it gets to our homes? The answer is usually large energy companies who then charge an growing price for the service. An alternative is community energy projects, and they are getting popular in the UK. [The Southern Reporter]

¶ “P2X Solutions Commissions Green Hydrogen Plant” • P2X Solutions began commercial operations at a green hydrogen plant in Finland. The 20-MW Harjavalta facility uses a Sunfire electrolyzer and is Finland’s first industrial site for commercial production of green hydrogen. Finland is emerging as a leader for the production of green hydrogen. [reNews]

Harjavalta green hydrogen plant (P2X Solutions image)

¶ “How Canadian Manufacturers Transition To Renewable Energy Sources” • Canadian manufacturers are making a lot of progress adopting renewable energy. Embracing the challenges of this transition is essential to reap the benefits of sustainability, from environmental aspects to corporate resilience, increased revenue, and customer loyalty. [Canadian Manufacturing]

¶ “Chernobyl Expert Warns Nuclear Disaster In Ukraine ‘Only Matter Of Time’ Due To Russian Recklessness” • Nuclear disaster in Ukraine is only a “matter of time” away as the international community fails to take tougher action. Historian Serhii Plokhy has warned of Russian carelessness and the weak international community response. [Yahoo News Canada]

Abandoned Chernobyl Ferris wheel (Kato Blackmore, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Trump Bars Federal Scientists From Working On Pivotal Global Climate Report” • The Trump administration told US government scientists working on a vital global climate report to stop their work, according to a scientist involved in the report. This move is just the latest to withdraw the US from global climate action and research. [CNN]

¶ “GAF Energy Unveils Its Next-Gen Nailable Solar Shingle, Now 23% More Powerful” • GAF Energy, a leading solar roofing manufacturer and a subsidiary of Standard Industries, launched the next generation of its groundbreaking Timberline Solar® Energy Shingle. GAF Energy will manufacture the PV shingles in California and Texas. [CleanTechnica]

Timberline Solar® ES 2 solar shingle (GAF Energy image)

¶ “Heads Explode As Virtual Power Plants Meet Self-Defending Grids” • MIT researchers developed a “local electricity market” grid emergency response concept that enables grid managers to communicate instantly with such devices as solar panels, home appliances, EVs, batteries, and smart thermostats in case of a grid disruption or cyberattack. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Popular Energy Efficiency Program Lives To See Another Day” • The popular Energy Star energy efficiency certification program has survived many shifts in the political winds since launching in 1992, because it is, well, popular. Energy Star is a valuable marketing tool for US appliance manufacturers and builders, among other stakeholders. [CleanTechnica]

Energy Star efficiency (courtesy of Energy Star)

¶ “Report Reveals How Unorthodox Power Market Drastically Lowered Utility Bills” • In California, solar power was up 31%, wind energy grew 8%, and battery storage more than doubled since 2023. Some people feared renewables were unreliable and costly, but there were no blackouts, and electricity prices fell by over 50% from the previous year. [The Cool Down]

¶ “Duke Energy Florida Files Plans For Four New Solar Energy Sites” • Duke Energy Florida is investing over $521 million to establish solar sites in four counties. These sites are expected to save customers a total of $843 million over their lifetimes. Each of the four 74.9-MW solar sites will generate enough electricity to power about 23,000 homes. [Duke Energy]

Solar panels (Duke Energy image)

¶ “OCI Energy And Arava Power Announce Joint Venture For 260-MW Solar Project In Texas” • Clean energy developer OCI Energy, based in San Antonio, agreed to enter a joint venture with Israeli solar energy company Arava Power to develop a 260-MW (AC) solar farm, Project SunRoper, in Wharton County, Texas. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “FERC’s Approval For Gas Plant Queue-Jumping Sparks Outrage” • When the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved PJM Interconnection’s plan to let fifty power projects, including nuclear and gas-fired plants, cut the line and connect to the grid ahead of hundreds of renewable energy projects, it ignited a fierce backlash. [Inside Climate News]

Have an impressively positive day.

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World:

¶ “Home Wind Turbines Could Be Part Of Energy Plan” • Home wind turbines could form part of Guernsey’s renewable energy future, according to a local green energy firm. According to the Little Green Energy Company, the turbines could be part of the island’s “renewable ecosystem” alongside offshore wind farms and solar panels. [BBC]

Home wind turbine (Little Green Energy Company)

¶ “The UK Village Seeking Clean Underground Heat” • For years, deep boreholes had yielded gas, but that gas is now depleted. Their owners even made attempts to to squeeze some more gas out of the site. Now, that firm, acquired in 2024 by renewables company CeraPhi Energy, says it has a new and very different idea: geothermal energy. [BBC]

¶ “High Integrity Finance Council To Facilitate UK Transition To Net Zero” • Donald J Trump can champion Big Oil, but across the pond, the City of London Corporation and HM Government have co-launched the Transition Finance Council. The UK sees the global transition to a low carbon economy as an opportunity for sustainable growth. [CleanTechnica]

Big Benn (Heidi Fin, Unsplash)

¶ “BYD Earns Contract For ‘World’s Largest Grid-Scale Battery Storage Projects’ In Saudi Arabia” • The Chinese tech giant BYD announced this week that it had “signed the world’s largest grid-scale energy storage projects contracts” with the Saudi Electricity Company. The contracts combine for an energy storage capacity of 12.5 GWh. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dacia Plans To Introduce An €18,000 Electric Car In 2026” • According to Autocar, Dacia is developing a new electric city car for Europe. Designed as a successor to the Dacia Spring, it will be closely related to the upcoming next-generation Renault Twingo. According to Renault CEO Luca de Meo, the new car is to be manufactured in Europe. [CleanTechnica]

Dacia Spring EV (Courtesy of Dacia)

¶ “Acwa Power To Build Major Wind Power Plant In Egypt In $2.3 Billion Deal” • Acwa Power, the Saudi renewable energy giant, announced this week that it plans to build, own, and operate a 2-GW wind power plant in South Hurghada, Egypt. This facility is expected to generate enough electricity to power nearly 2 million homes. [The North Africa Post]

¶ “Step change needed in distribution grid investment” • A “step change” in investment in the UK’s local electricity networks is essential to achieve the government’s growth mission and lower long term energy costs for consumers, the British government’s independent infrastructure advisor says. Demand is set to double by 2050 and the grid is growing too slowly. [reNews]

Local transmission (SSEN Distribution image)

¶ “EU Wants More US Gas And Renewable Energy To Replace Russian Supplies” • The EU will seek to more gas from other countries, including the US, to replace Russian supplies and will expand use of renewables faster to reduce its overall dependence on gas, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said, according to Reuters. [Baltic News Network]

¶ “Salzgitter, Andritz Turn Sod On 100-MW Green Hydrogen Site” • The cornerstone has been laid for one of the largest green hydrogen production plants in Europe. Starting from 2026, the plant at the Salzgitter Flachstahl site in Germany will generate around 9000 tons of green hydrogen a year to be used for the production of carbon-reduced steel. [reNews]

Starting out (Salzgitter AG image)

¶ “Greenpeace Intentionally Crashes Drone Into French Nuclear Plant To Reveal Security Vulnerability” • Greenpeace France crashed a drone that looks like Superman into a French nuclear plant to demonstrate its vulnerability. The environmental organization published a video on its Twitter page showing the drone slam into the plant. [ABC News]

US:

¶ “Unleashing American Renewable Energy Dominance” • US fossil energy producers are finding a dream come true in the Trump administration, but “American Energy Dominance” is a day late and a dollar short. That’s the takeaway from a new market report by BNEF titled “Sustainable Energy in America 2025 Factbook.” [CleanTechnica]

Renewable energy (US DOE image)

¶ “BP Pauses New York Offshore Project” • BP has withdrawn its application for transmission connection for the 2500-MW Beacon Wind project off New York. “This decision was made to allow for more time in the evaluation of the project’s design and configuration,” the company said in a statement. BP still supports another NY project. [reNews]

¶ “CIP Subsidiary Eliminates Fifty Jobs” • Vineyard Offshore, the US subsidiary of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, will cut fifty positions. A Vineyard Offshore spokesperson said: “In an effort to position our projects for sustainable long-term success we have made the difficult decision to reduce our current team size in light of recent market uncertainties.” [reNews]

Wind turbine (Vineyard Wind image)

¶ “DOE Report: Offshore Wind Could Power 33 GW On West Coast” • A report from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory shows that floating offshore wind could supply 33 GW of energy that is required by 2050. It will “bolster the resilience of coastal communities,” according to the summary. That energy also leads to billions of dollars in savings. [WorkBoat]

¶ “Record-Breaking Rates Of Solar Connected To The Power Grid In 2024” • Some 49 GW of new solar generating capacity was connected to the US grid in 2024, per the 2025 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook. The record-breaking installations help address rising energy demand and replace the capacity of decommissioned thermal assets. [pv magazine USA]

Have a resiliently energetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “We Need To Keep Our Eye On The Ball To Save The Planet” • Air pollution, global warming, and energy security are three of our biggest problems. We need to keep our eye on the ball to solve them. Poor technologies include carbon capture, synthetic direct air carbon capture, blue hydrogen, electro-fuels, new small and large nuclear reactors, and bioenergy. [CleanTechnica]

Close up of Jerry Jaramillo’s “Mother Earth” mural
(a_flash_frame, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

World:

¶ “Fog Harvesting Could Provide Water For Arid Cities” • Large scale capturing of water from fog could supply drinking water to some of the driest cities on Earth, researchers in Chile found. They studied the potential of fog harvesting in the desert city of Alto Hospicio in the north of the country. Average rainfall in the region is less than 0.19 in (5 mm) per year. [BBC]

¶ “World’s Glaciers Melting Faster Than Ever Recorded” • The world’s glaciers are melting faster than ever recorded under the impact of climate change, according to the most comprehensive scientific analysis to date. And the pace of melting is increasing. Over the past decade or so, glacier losses were more than a third higher than during the period 2000-2011. [BBC]

Aletsch Glacier (Meizhi Lang, Unsplash)

¶ “Canadian Government Pledges Billions For High-Speed Rail Network Linking Quebec City And Toronto” • The Canadian government said it is moving ahead with a multibillion-dollar plan to build a high-speed rail network between Quebec City and Toronto. The rail network will be 100% electric, and reach speeds of up to 300 kph (187 mph). [ABC News]

¶ “UK Takes Off The Clean Energy Gloves, Claps Back At US” • US Energy Secretary Wright said the UK would no longer make energy-intensive products, but would displace them somewhere else. He called this “lunacy.” As if on cue, Energy Systems came back in a press release, outlining its plan for peppering the globe with vanadium flow batteries. [CleanTechnica]

Invinity flow batteries (courtesy of Invinity)

¶ “Geely And Xiaomi Shine In China – January EV Sales Report” • After a December EV sales peak in China, the year started with an expected sales slump, but smaller than anticipated. Year on year, while the overall market dropped 12% to close to 1.8 million units, plugins started 2025 with a 11% rise, to some 774,000 new passenger EV registrations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Dominates Global EV Industry” • BYD founder and CEO Wang Chuanfu said that Chinese new energy vehicles are three to five years ahead of the rest of the world. He called for less restrictive trade policies to allow more people to experience them. He called for openness and innovation, so the world see how good Chinese products are. [CleanTechnica]

BYD E6 (S5A-0043, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Power Ministry Mandates Co-Locating Energy Storage With Solar Projects” • India’s Ministry of Power has mandated that all renewable energy implementing agencies and State utilities must incorporate a minimum of two-hour co-located energy storage systems, equivalent to 10% of the installed solar project capacity, in future solar tenders. [pv magazine India]

¶ “Collett Delivers Limekiln Components” • Collett & Sons has successfully delivered 216 wind turbine components to the 108-MW Limekiln Wind Farm, a project featuring 24 Vestas V136 turbines. Located on the Limekiln Estate, just south of Reay Caithness in the Scottish Highlands, the wind farm is currently under construction by Boralex. [reNews]

Turning (Collett & Sons image)

US:

¶ “Electric Truck Startup Nikola Files For Bankruptcy” • Nikola, a startup that sought to build fleets of electric heavy-duty trucks, has filed for bankruptcy and plans to shut down. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It expects to sell all or most of its assets in order to maximize value for shareholders and ensure an “orderly wind down of its businesses.” [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “How US Federal Spending Reductions Threaten Our Food, Water, And Health” • Recent freezes and cuts in government spending threaten our food, water, and health as they open up trillions of dollars in tax breaks for corporations and billionaires. Food, water, and health may lose federal regulation, as basic government functions are cut. [CleanTechnica]

Blood research (FDA, public domain)

¶ “Ørsted Agreement Helps US Manufacturer Cut Emissions” • Four US sites owned by polymer supplier Covestro have reached net-zero Scope 2 electricity emissions thanks to a 90-MW virtual Power Purchase Agreement with Ørsted. The sites are Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, South Deerfield, Massachusetts, New Martinsville, West Virginia, and Channelview, Texas. [reNews]

¶ “Avangrid Passes 10-GW Generation Capacity Milestone” • The Iberdrola subsidiary Avangrid passed 10 GW of installed energy generating capacity in the US. The company owns and operates a mix of generation resources in 24 states that contribute to its 10.5 GW of installed capacity, including onshore wind, solar, natural gas, hydropower, and fuel cells. [reNews]

Wind farm (Avangrid image)

¶ “Duke Energy Florida Celebrates Delivering On Nearly 750-MW Solar Commitment In Florida” • All ten of Duke Energy Florida’s Clean Energy Connection solar energy sites are now fully operational, and Duke is celebrating. It had committed to deliver nearly 750 MW of solar generation capacity in Florida from 2022 to 2024. [CSRwire]

¶ “Fearing Trump Cuts, NOAA Workers In Washington State Hold ‘Save Our Science’ Rally” • Students, scientists, and neighbors in raincoats and boots were among the dozens waving signs outside the NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center. All were worried about budget cuts affecting the quality of American science. [The Seattle Times]

Have an agreeably funny day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Let’s Talk About EV Range” • Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson recently commented to CleanTechnica about a 30-kWh midsize family car with 180 miles of range in 10 years. Zach Shahan followed with an article about the benefits of building cars with less range. Both are thinking of typical average use cases, and most people are not average. [CleanTechnica]

Electric car (myenergi, Unsplash)

¶ “New Basic Energy Plan Too Focused On Errant ‘Return To Nuclear Power'” • Japan’s Seventh Basic Energy Plan indicates next to no qualms about a “return to nuclear power.” This policy switch is tantamount to throwing the lessons of the Fukushima disaster out the window, when we don’t even have a way to do their decommissioning. [Asahi Shimbun]

World:

¶ “Investments In Green Steel & Ammonia Plummeted In 2024” • Money to clean up steel, ammonia, chemicals, and some other sectors dropped by more than half in 2024 compared with 2023, according to a report by Canary Media. Global investment in efforts to decarbonize heavy industries totaled just $31 billion in 2024, making it a tough year. [CleanTechnica]

Making green iron (Electra image)

¶ “Japan To Rely More On Nuclear Energy In Post-Fukushima Shift” • Japan says it will increase its reliance on nuclear energy in a major policy shift as it seeks to meet growing demand from power-hungry sectors like AI and semiconductors. The energy plan says that by 2040, nuclear energy should account for 20% of Japan’s grid supply in 2040. [BBC]

¶ “UN Shipping Body’s Green Fuels Law Could Worsen The Sector’s Climate Impact” • Nearly a third of global shipping could run on biofuels in 2030, T&E analysis shows, up from less than 1% now. But the International Maritime Organization’s draft of the green fuels law could make climate change worse and put pressure on global food supplies. [CleanTechnica]

Container ship (Courtesy Volvo Car Group)

¶ “Assembly Plant Or Battery Powerhouse? A Look At Battery Investments In The EU” • Europe’s hope to build a world-leading battery industry faces headwinds. Over 90% of EU-made EV and storage batteries come from plants owned by South Korean and Chinese companies. And the same companies are behind 40% of announced battery gigafactories. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Grenergy Unveils $2.6 Billion Investment Plan” • Grenergy unveiled a multi-billion dollar investment plan with a strong focus on energy storage and its new brand identity. Grenergy plans to invest $2.3 billion in a storage project, the 2-GW Oasis de Atacama in Chile. The company plans to replicate that model, expanding to Latam, Europe, and the US. [reNews]

Grenergy office building (Grenergy image)

¶ “Mitsubishi Electric Teams Up With HD Renewable Energy For Carbon Neutrality” • Mitsubishi Electric Corporation signed an agreement with HD Renewable Energy to collaborate on carbon neutrality for Mitsubishi. They will establish a joint venture for solar power and battery storage system development, along with other things. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Confidence High In Renewable Energy Sector” • An annual survey of the renewable energy sector found that almost 94% of respondents have high levels of confidence in the industry, with storage systems and solar power identified as key growth areas. Despite the overall optimism, grid instability is perceived as the biggest challenge for the renewables sector. [reNews]

Renewable energy (Solarpraxis image)

¶ “Solar A Beacon Of Hope As Ukrainians Yearn For Peace” • Nearly three years of war has taken its toll on Ukraine’s solar industry. Almost 13% of the country’s pre-war solar generation capacity wasin territories now controlled by Russia, according to Olga Sukhopara, formerly a director at the Ukrainian Association of Renewable Energy. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Windward Offshore Secures Loan Facility” • Windward Offshore secured senior loan financing of up to €182 million for four Commissioning Service Operation Vessels. Construction of the CSOVs is underway at Vard, and the first of them has already been completed. That first vessel, the Windward Athens, was launched last week. [reNews]

Windward Athens (Windward Offshore image)

US:

¶ “Shocker! US Could Lead On Compressed Air Energy Storage Project” • Some clean energy investors still seem to think the US is a worthwhile investment. The latest example is a $200 million bet on a Canadian firm, Hydrostor, supporting it’s plans to bring advanced compressed air energy storage to the US, Canada, and other parts of the world. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Geothermal Energy Vs Fossil Fuels: Be Careful What You Wish For” • Fossil fuel stakeholders thought it was a win-win when they boosted President Trump back into office. Guess again. Geothermal energy is extending its reach across the US, but with a particular focus that will push natural gas out of the power generation industry. [CleanTechnica]

EGS technology (US DOE image)

¶ “State Official: Renewable Investments ‘Best Thing’ To Lower Energy Costs” • Illinois faces potential decreases in generating capacity just as demand is increasing. Commerce Commission Executive Director Jonathan Feipel noted that the state can meet its clean energy targets by quickly developing renewable energy and efficiency. [Capitol News Illinois]

¶ “Alabama Power Plans To Discontinue Third-Party Power Fee” • Alabama Power said in filing with the Alabama Public Service Commission that it will not charge a fee for third-party energy sellers to tie into its system. The utility plans to discontinue a fee on third-party power projects that could discourage renewable power development. [www.newsbreak.com]

Have an altogether productive day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Climate Impulse Putting The Green Hydrogen Aircraft Pieces Together” • The green hydrogen market has been slow on the uptake, as the industry is relatively new and costs are stubbornly high. The Climate Pulse aims to change that image with a non-stop, nine-day flight around the Equator in an electric aircraft powered by green hydrogen. [CleanTechnica]

Work on Climate Impulse (Courtesy of Climate Impulse)

World:

¶ “Taiwan, Indonesia, And Vietnam Green Energy Companies Invest In Southeast Asia” • V-GREEN, a subsidiary of VinFast, is investing to support EVs. It recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with eTreego, a green energy company in Taiwan, to install 100,000 EV charging portals in Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UPD Partners With Everlectric To Launch 42 Electric Vans Featuring South Africa’s First Solar-Powered Refrigeration EV Fleet” • The Clicks Group and UPD partnered with Everlectric and Investec Sustainable Solutions to introduce South Africa’s first fleet of zero-emission, pharma-compliant EVs with solar-powered refrigeration. [CleanTechnica]

Refrigeration EV Fleet (Courtesy of Everlectric and UPD)

¶ “Siemens Gamesa To Expand French Blade Factory” • Siemens Gamesa confirmed it will invest €200 million to expand its Le Havre offshore wind blade manufacturing facility in northern France. The factory will focus on making 115-meter-long blades for 14-MW turbines. Siemens Gamesa says it has more than 16 GW worth of firm orders. [reNews]

¶ “Ofgem Grants Seagreen Phase 1 OFTO License” • Ofgem is to give Seagreen Phase 1 Offshore Electricity Transmission (OFTO) Project Limited an offshore transmission license. The Seagreen offshore project is a proposed UK licensee of a UK consortium of Equitix Investment Management, Kyuden T&D Global, and Kyuden International Corporation. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Seagreen image)

¶ “Wind Energy Just Had A Record Year In Germany, But The Federal Election Could Shake Things Up” • In Germany, 2024 was a strong year for aeolian energy, with permit awards for onshore wind turbines accelerating, but the upcoming February 23 election brings uncertainty for the sector, amid skepticism from the two parties leading in the polls. [CNBC]

¶ “‘Grid-Forming’ Battery Goes Online In Australia” • Edify Energy said the 185-MW, 370-MWh Koorangie battery system in northwest Victoria is exporting to the grid with hold point testing now underway as it works towards full generation. The Koorangie battery features Tesla Megapacks with grid-forming inverter technology. [pv magazine International]

Battery storage (Sosteneo Infrastructure Partners)

¶ “BYD Inks World’s Largest Grid-Scale Battery Contracts” • BYD Energy Storage and Saudi Electricity Company have signed the world’s largest grid-scale energy storage project contracts with a capacity of 12.5 GWh. Whe this is combined with the previously delivered 2.6-GWh project, the total contracts amount to a huge amount, 15.1 GWh. [Energy Source & Distribution]

¶ “Victorian Government Fast-Tracks Two Green Energy Projects Via New Program” • The Victorian Government announced that two renewable energy projects, the Brewster Wind Farm and the Baranduda Battery Energy Storage System, were fast-tracked through a system designed to reduce red tape, the Development Facilitation Program. [PS News]

Wind turbine (RE Future image)

¶ “Energycloud And Electric Ireland Tackle Energy Poverty With Surplus Renewable Energy” • Electric Ireland and EnergyCloud Ireland partnered to use surplus renewable electricity to provide free hot water for households in energy poverty. The initiative will see smart technology installed in homes to heat immersion tanks using excess renewable energy. [4C Offshore]

¶ “Ørsted Starts Offshore Build At 920-MW Changhua 2b&4” • Ørsted started the offshore construction of the 920-MW Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms in Taiwan. Ørsted was awarded the offshore wind farms in 2018. It signed a 20-year fixed-price corporate power purchase agreement in 2020 for a corporate customer for all production. [reNews]

Offshore foundations (Ørsted image)

¶ “UN Nuclear Chief To View Soil Removed From Fukushima” • The UN nuclear watchdog chief arrived in Japan for a trip that will include his first visit to storage facilities for vast quantities of soil contaminated in the 2011 Fukushima disaster. It is the fifth official visit to the country by Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency. [Digital Journal]

US:

¶ “CNBC: GM EV Effort Better Prepared Than Ford For Tariffs” • CNBC ran a story about GM’s confidence in the face of the threat of tariffs on Mexico and Canada, countries where US domestic automakers have a sizable footprint. If the numbers are correct, GM is in a better position to weather tariffs than Ford is, despite a significant presence in Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

Chevrolet Silverado EV (Chevrolet image)

¶ “Scout Motors Reveals Specs For BEV And EREV Models” • Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh shared some specs for the upcoming Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra pickup trucks. One of the main things that sets Scout apart from the others is that it plans to offer both pure electric and extended range versions of its vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “National Renewable Energy Laboratory Working With GA Drilling To Commercialize Geothermal Technology” • GA Drilling, a geothermal drilling company specializing in deep geothermal drilling technology, partnered with NREL on a high-temperature downhole generator designed for geothermal technology applications. [EnergyTech]

Have an absolutely happy day.

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World:

¶ “Major Test Case For New Geothermal Technology Launches In Small German Town” • Geothermal companies are using techniques developed in the oil and gas industry to drill deep and extract heat from dry, hot rock. One of them, Eavor, is starting up its first commercial power plant in the town of Geretsried, turning it into a proving ground. [ABC News]

Geretsreid (Martinus KE, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “How Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Pledge Is Affecting Other Countries” • US President Donald Trump’s “national energy emergency”, embracing fossil fuels and ditching clean energy policies, is already influencing other countries. In response to his “drill, baby, drill” slogan and withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, some countries may follow suit. [BBC]

¶ “Canadian Know-How: EVs Aren’t Useless In The Cold” • There are lots of people who make this dumb claim: “EVs don’t work in the cold! I’ll never be able to buy one because I don’t live in sunny southern California.” But there’s just one problem: it’s 100% false. The Canadian Automobile Association did the tests and gave us the proof. [CleanTechnica]

Charging an EV in snow (JUICE, Unsplash)

¶ “UK’s National Grid Does Some Mythbusting” • The grid can get overloaded as it is. Common sense dictates that adding any more load, such as EVs, would be a disaster that leaves us all freezing or frying to death. Right? There’s just one problem with this: It’s not true. At all. And now we have more proof from the UK’s National Grid! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Irish Wind Displaces Gas Spending Of €1.2 Billion” • Wind generation in Ireland and Northern Ireland displaced almost €1.2 billion worth of gas and carbon credits in the wholesale market in 2024, according to Baringa. The analysis, commissioned by Wind Energy Ireland, shows a total of 13.2 TWh of electricity was generated by wind turbines. [reNews]

Irish wind farm (SSE image)

¶ “GreenGo To Develop 6-GW Electrolyser In Mauritania” • GreenGo Energy has signed its first African agreement, for the development of a green hydrogen project in Mauritania. With this agreement signed, GreenGo Energy has started the  early development for 6 GW of electrolysis, 6.8 GW of onshore windpower, and 6.3 GW of solar PVs. [reNews]

¶ “Kinergy Advancement Partners With Perak State Agency To Develop 29 Renewable Energy Projects” • Kinergy Advancement Bhd’s subsidiary KAB Energy Holdings Sdn Bhd is working with Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak to develop 29 potential renewable energy projects in the Maylasian state of Perak. Their total capacity is over 1,800 MW. [The Edge Malaysia]

Countryside in Perak (Photo Dharma, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Philippines Banks On Solar” • Given the limited scale of solar in the Philippines, it is perhaps surprising that Solar Philippines New Energy Corp will build a 3.5-GW solar and 4.5-GWh battery Terra Solar project on the island of Luzon. Some 2.5 GW of solar and a 3.3 GWh of battery storage will be in the first phase, to be built by April, 2026. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Solar Energy Project Expands To Sixty New Sites In West Sussex” • More schools and buildings in West Sussex will soon generate their own renewable energy. This is because the West Sussex County Council is expanding its Solar PV and Battery Storage program. It plans to install renewable energy systems at sixty more sites in the county. [The Argus]

Solar farm in Sussex (Ian Cunliffe, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Renewable Energy Projects That Kowtow To King Trump And King Musk Get Funded” • Renewable energy companies have started to kowtow to King Trump, King Musk, and their lackeys in order to keep their renewable energy projects viable in the state of flux that is now the US government in all its branches. Montana Renewables is an example. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NASCAR Blows Off Trump’s Attack On EV Charging Stations” • If all goes to plan, President Trump will take time out from wrecking things to enjoy the Daytona 500 stock car race. There, the North American Stock Car Racing Association is showing off the new ABB NASCAR EV prototype race car, along with thirty new EV charging stations. [CleanTechnica]

ABB NASCAR EV prototype (Courtesy of ABB)

¶ “Nearly Half Of School District’s Bus Fleet Will Run On A Renewable Energy Source: Cow Poop” •In Colorado, the Eagle County School District will soon have nearly half its school bus fleet running on a renewable energy source. The school board approved converting an additional eight buses to a system that burns renewable natural gas. [VailDaily.com]

¶ “Trump Orders Threaten US Wind Projects” • According to recent analysis by financial data firm FactSet, up to 89% of US undeveloped wind projects are at risk as a result of Trump’s Day One directive, which paused offshore wind lease sales in federal waters as well as approval, loan, and permit issuance for onshore and offshore projects. [Newsweek]

Power County Wind Farm (energy.gov, public domain)

¶ “Three TVA Nuclear Reactors Are Shut Down At Once, Pushing Utility To Ramp Up Fossil Fuels” • Six of the 94 commercial nuclear reactors in the US were not generating electricity as of Feruary 14, according to the US NRC. Three of those are owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority. All three outages are due to unplanned generator trips. [Knoxville News Sentinel]

¶ “Iowa Nuclear Plant Seeks Unprecedented Restart” • Shuttered nuclear power plants have never been restarted in the US, but the Duane Arnold Energy Center near Palo is poised to be among the few that try. Its owner, NextEra Energy, hopes to finish its restoration of the facility that closed in 2020 in about three years, according to an NRC filing. [The Gazette]

Have a memorably lovely day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Study: Carbon Capture Is A Waste Of Money And Is Counterproductive” • The lead author of the new study, Stanford University Professor Mark Jacobson, said, “If you spend $1 on carbon capture instead of on wind, water, and solar, you are increasing CO2, air pollution, energy requirements, energy costs, pipelines, and total social costs.” [CleanTechnica]

Carbon capture (PutTheKettleOn, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

World:

¶ “Council Approves Plans For 5,000 Panel Solar Farm” • A plan to build a 5,000-panel solar farm near Hayle has been approved, despite concerns about flooding. A Cornwall Council planning committee agreed to allow the facility, on 3.75 acres (1.5 hectares) of land next to the A30 off Loggans Road, at the entrance to the town. The vote was six to four. [BBC]

¶ “‘Now Is The Time’ For Giant UK Offshore Wind Farm” • A Norwegian renewable energy firm says the time is right for a large wind farm off the Devon and Dorset coast. Source Galileo is planning a 2-GW project involving at least 100 turbines, which it said could power over three million homes. It announced a deal with Portland Port for service. [BBC]

PortWind project (Source Galileo image)

¶ “Laos To Build $1.9 Billion Wind Power Plant To Export Electricity To Vietnam” • The Lao Government and Lao builder Chitchareune Construction will build the 1,200-MW Nong wind plant, with an investment of $1.9 billion, to export electricity to Vietnam. Vietnam imports 3 billion kWh of electricity yearly from China and Laos. [Theinvestor]

¶ “Tesla Troubles Mount As Musk Goes Full Rogue” • Elon Musk’s worst offense may appear for Europeans to be a Nazi salute at the inauguration. The ketamine addict is losing sales as people react to his antics. Last month, Norway recorded a 37.9% slump. Tesla sales in France fell by 63.4%; in Spain, Tesla sales plummeted by 75.4%. [CleanTechnica]

Heil (Image by Led By Donkeys)

Post on X by Musk

¶ “Ethio Telecom Launches Ultra-Fast EV Charging Hub in Addis Ababa” • Ethio Telecom is a telecoms provider in Ethiopia with over 81 million subscribers. Now, in a major boost to Ethiopia’s growing EV system, Ethio Telecom has opened an ultra-fast EV charging station on both sides of the Bole to Megenagna road in Addis Ababa. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Installed Wind Power Capacity Exceeds 13,000 MW” • The total installed power in Turkey reached 13,043 MW, according to official data. Energy is generated from around 280 wind plants and more than 4,360 turbines in the country’s seven regions. The share of wind energy in daily electricity production has risen to about 14%. [Hürriyet Daily News]

Wind turbine in Turkey (sinanaydinnet, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Scientists Are Racing To Discover The Depth Of Ocean Damage Sparked By LA Wildfires” • As crews work to remove what could be hundreds of thousands of tons of hazardous materials from the Los Angeles wildfires that sit on the ocean’s edge, researchers and officials are trying to understand how the fires on land have impacted the sea. [ABC News]

¶ “Trump Attacks Electric Vehicles; GM Claps Back With Blazer EV.R” • Amidst the backdrop of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s real-life coup of the US, signs are emerging that EVs are a battleground on which some titans of big business are willing to fight. Exhibit A is GM using the backdrop of NASCAR’s Indy 500 race to show off its new EV lineup. [CleanTechnica]

Blazer EV.R prototype (Courtesy of Chevrolet)

¶ “Maryland Environmental Leaders Slam Legislative Push For Gas-Powered Plants, Split Over Nuclear Energy” • Maryland’s top environmental groups are pushing back against a proposal that endorses gas-fired power plants as a solution to the state’s predicted energy shortfall. Prioritizing gas generation is a big step backward, they say. [Inside Climate News]

¶ “DOGE Layoffs: Nuclear Energy Experts Who Were Fired By Mistake Are Set To Be Rehired” • The US DOE is reportedly scrambling to reinstate nuclear energy specialists after hundreds were let go. Between 300 and 400 personnel from the National Nuclear Security Administration were dismissed, to the alarm of national security experts. [People Matters Global]

Have a sensibly great day.

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Opinion:

¶ “EPA Trying To Claw Back $20 Billion in Green Grants – This Is Not Normal Politics” • While the Trump administration was supposedly going to focus on lowering costs for Americans, that’s not at all what it’s been doing. Instead, it is attacking programs and agencies that help and protect working class people, poor people, and small businesses. [CleanTechnica]

EPA Chief Lee Zeldin (Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Trump Fritters Massive Wave Energy Opportunity Away” • Global renewable energy investors are now far more active than fossil energy stakeholders, and in some cases they are one and the same, with governments in cahoots. If the US is really going to achieve “energy dominance,” President Trump better start unfreezing some federal dollars. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “World’s Sea-Ice Falls To Record Low” • The world’s frozen oceans currently have less ice than ever previously recorded, satellite data shows. Sea-ice around the north and south poles acts like a giant mirror by reflecting much of the Sun’s energy back into space, but as the ice shrinks, the dark ocean below can absorb more heat. [BBC]

Penguins (Danielle Barnes, Unsplash)

¶ “EU Policymakers Urged to Stick with Ambitious Targets for Recycled Plastics in New Cars” • T&E and other organizations are concerned by a weakening of the recycled content targets for plastics in new cars that have been introduced in the European Parliament’s draft report. They released a joint statement calling to preserve the stricter targets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tamil Nadu ‘Key To Indian Offshore Wind Expansion'” • A study by Ocean Energy Pathway, supported by GWEC and COWI, claims that Tamil Nadu holds the key to delivering up to ₹6,500 billion (€72 billion, $75 billion) of economic growth and an additional 805,000 jobs from the supply chain for offshore wind manufacturing by 2030. [reNews]

Installing an offshore turbine (RWE image)

¶ “RWE Commissions 220-MW German BESS” • RWE has commissioned one of Germany’s largest Battery Energy Storage Systems, with a total capacity of 220 MW. The BESS at the group’s Hamm and Neurath sites can reach its nominal capacity within seconds and has a storage capacity of 235 MWh. RWE has more battery systems planned. [reNews]

¶ “EU Plans Simpler State-Aid Rules To Boost Clean Tech” • The EU is reportedly planning simpler state-aid rules to boost clean tech investments and improve its industrial competitiveness against the US and China. A report from Bloomberg said that the European Commission is due to unveil the Clean Industrial Deal on 26 February. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Greencoat Renewables image)

¶ “World’s Highest Altitude Solar Facility Now Generating Power In Tibet” • The world’s highest-altitude solar facility, situated at an elevation of over 17,000 feet, has begun generating electricity in Tibet. The facility is designed to supply local communities with power, particularly during winter and spring, when there are energy shortages. [Straight Arrow News]

¶ “Russian Drone Pierced Chernobyl Nuclear Plant’s Radiation Shield, Says Zelensky” • A drone armed with a warhead hit the protective outer shell of Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear plant early on Friday, punching a hole in the structure and briefly starting a fire, in an attack Kyiv has blamed on Russia. The Kremlin denied it was responsible. [Yahoo News New Zealand]

Safe confinement at Chernobyl (Mattias Hill, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Republicans In Congress Want To Put $1,000 Tax On EVs, And Kill The EV Tax Credit” • Republican senators have introduced a bill to kill the US EV tax credits. In addition Senator Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) has introduced a companion bill to put a $1,000 extra tax on EVs at the point of sale. We might wonder how Elon Musk feels about this. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford, GM, And Other Automakers Pushing To Keep US EV Tax Credits, Especially Leasing One” • The wheels are now in motion to kill the US EV tax credits. However, Ford, GM, and other car makers are reportedly trying to stop Republicans from killing them. One compromise would be to phase the credits out over a period of three years. [CleanTechnica]

Home solar charging (Courtesy of Ford)

¶ “New York Approves Empire Wind Transmission Plan” • The New York State Public Service Commission has approved the construction of an interconnection cable for Equinor’s 816-MW Empire Wind 1 project. This phase involves construction activities within Con Edison’s Gowanus substation property in New York City. [reNews]

¶ “Michigan Residents Push For An Environmental Impact Statement Before Restarting The Palisades Nuclear Plant” • An assessment by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission found that reopening the plant would have “no significant impact” on the local environment. But local residents and activist groups want a more thorough review. [Inside Climate News]

Have a precisely ordered day.

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World:

¶ “Well-Managed Solar Farms Can Boost Wildlife – Study” • A study from the RSPB and the University of Cambridge found that well-managed solar farms can contribute to nature as well as “provide relief from the effects of agricultural intensification.” Scientists found that solar farms had a greater number of species and individual birds per hectare. [BBC]

Goldfinch (Patrice Bouchard, Unsplash)

¶ “T&E Joins Shipping And Aviation Industries In Call for Urgent Action to Ramp Up Clean Fuel Production” • T&E and the two industry associations highlight that meeting the targets of the European Green Deal and ensuring that these industries remain competitive requires immense investments will require around €100 billion in investments. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ofgem Unveils Plans To Fast-Track UK Grid Connections” • Radical reform to fast-track cheaper, cleaner power plugging into the electricity grid is one step closer to becoming a reality, UK energy regulator Ofgem announced. Some clean energy generation or storage projects have waited a decade or more to get plugged in. That is to change. [reNews]

Grid (Andrey Metelev, Unsplash)

¶ “Global Investment In The Clean Energy Transition Surpassed $2.1 Trillion In 2024, But More Is Needed” • Global investment in the low-carbon energy transition surged to a record $2.1 trillion in 2024, marking an 11% increase from the previous year, says the BloombergNEF report, “Energy Transition Investment Trends 2025.” But more is needed. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “SeAH Wind Confirms March Start For Teesworks” • SeAH Wind has confirmed it will commence commercial production at its £900 million monopile manufacturing facility at Teesworks in the UK from next month. The company rolled the first 7.5-meter diameter steel can in pre-production trials at the factory late last year. [reNews]

SeAH Wind factory (SeAH Wind image)

¶ “Cyprus Curtails 29% Of Renewable Energy In 2024” • Cyprus curtailed a record 29% of its renewable energy in 2024. This was not a surprise. The grid operator had predicted that Cyprus would need to curtail 28% of its renewable energy generation in 2024 due to low seasonal demand and the need to keep the network stable. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Dragados To Open Spanish Yard For TenneT Platforms” • A new production yard was added in Spain by Dragados to carry out fabrication of TenneT’s 2-GW offshore converter stations. The production site, with 400,000 sq m of space, is being built in the southern Spanish coastal town of Algeciras for production of converter platforms in the 2-GW class. [reNews]

Production site (Dragados image)

¶ “In Modi-Trump Statement, Climate And Renewable Energy Find No Mention” • Climate mitigation, renewable energy, and clean energy supply chains were missing from the Indo-US joint statement after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump’s first bilateral meeting in Trump’s second term. The focus was fossil fuels. [The Indian Express]

¶ “Australians Want Renewables To Replace Coal, But Don’t Realize How Soon This Needs To Happen” • An Essential poll of of 1,200 voting age Australians found a majority reject nuclear energy (81%) or fossil fuel options (70%) to provide on-demand or back-up energy. Few are aware of how soon the coal plants are scheduled to shut down. [RenewEconomy]

Cooling tower (Brice Cooper, Unsplash)

¶ “Chernobyl Nuclear Plant’s Protective Shield Torn Open By Russian Drone” • The protective cover encasing the leaking Chernobyl nuclear power plant has been damaged by a Russian drone, CCTV appears to show.The drone destroyed the plant’s fourth power unit during an overnight attack, according to Ukraine president Zelensky. [AOL.com]

US:

¶ “Green Ammonia Fertilizer Plot Bubbles Up To Threaten Fossil Fuels” • The latest development comes from Trump-voting Iowa, where two US firms have hatched a green ammonia scheme to help farmers cut their fertilizer costs. Funding farmers expected was cut off, and they can’t sell in markets supported by USAID, but they have this. [CleanTechnica]

Solar green ammonia system (Image from businesswire.com)

¶ “SEIA Sets Ambitious Goal Of 700 GWh Of US Energy Storage By 2030” • The Solar Energy Industries Association  announced a major goal: 700 GWh of energy storage installed in the US by 2030, in 10 million distributed storage installations. That’s over eight times our current storage capacity, and it redefines how we generate and use electricity. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nature Conservancy Announces Seventeen New Solar Energy Projects In Appalachia” • The Nature Conservancy announced that it’s partnering with Cumberland Forest Limited Partnership, Sun Tribe Development, and ENGIE to develop fourteen solar energy and three battery storage projects on 360 acres of former coal mines in the Appalachians. [CleanTechnica]

Solar array (Nature Conservancy image)

¶ “Heavy Rain Pounds Fire-Ravaged Los Angeles As Severe Storms Barrel Through” • A heavy storm struck fire-ravaged Los Angeles with heavy rain, sending streams of mud and debris over roadways and sweeping a fire department vehicle off a Malibu road into the ocean, authorities said. A Fire Department member who was in it escaped. [ABC News]

¶ “As Power Demand Surges, Virginia Lawmakers Seem Ready To Add More Energy Storage To The Grid” • Virginia lawmakers want to more than triple the amount of energy storage capacity Virginia’s two public utility companies,  Appalachian Power and Dominion, must procure under the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which was passed in 2020. [Virginia Mercury]

Have a clearly flawless day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Lucid And BMW Execs Claim Efficiency More Important Than Range For Electric Cars” • Peter Rawlinson, CEO of Lucid, and Frank Weber, the head of development at BMW, agree on a smaller battery with efficiency. “Then we can make a battery pack for about $2,500 – maybe $2,000 – instead of $20,000 or $25,000 today,” Rawlings said. [CleanTechnica]

Lucid Gravity (Lucid image)

¶ “Recycling Lithium-Ion Batteries Offers Benefits Over Mining Virgin Metals” • According to a Stanford University lifecycle analysis published in Nature Communications, we should recycle lithium-ion batteries because recovering critical metals from used lithium-ion batteries has much less environmental impact than mining the metals. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “VinFast Aggressively Pursues The Micro-EV Market” • VinFast has unveiled the Minio Green, a highly anticipated model that captured the attention of Vietnamese consumers. VinFast says the Minio Green, with its high economic efficiency and agile performance, is an ideal choice to replace motorcycles for intra-city commuting. [CleanTechnica]

VinFast Minio Green (Courtesy of VinFast VN)

¶ “New Coal Power Plant Projects In China Hit The Highest Level In Nearly Ten Years, Report Says” • China’s power industry began construction on nearly 100 GW of new coal plant capacity last year, the most in nearly a decade, a report from two clean-energy groups said. They are concerned about China’s ability to meet its carbon reduction goals. [ABC News]

¶ “OX2 Submits EIA For 2.4-GW Halla Offshore Wind Farm” • OX2 has submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment for the 2400-MW Halla offshore wind farm. OX2 said it is the first EIA carried out for an offshore wind power project in Finland’s economic zone. The project was designed for a maximum of 160 wind turbines. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Nicholas Doherty , Unsplash)

¶ “Eastern Green Link 1 Enters Construction” • Eastern Green Link 1 will transport green electricity for two million homes along over 190 km of predominantly undersea cable linking the south-east of Scotland with the north-east of England. The £2.5 billion project was given the green light by Ofgem last year and works are now underway. [reNews]

¶ “Cheaper Solar Panels, Batteries To Expand Renewables’ Role In Power Market, Scatec CEO Says” • Cheaper solar power and battery storage are expanding the technologies’ role in stabilizing energy systems and thus offering increased opportunities for renewables, according to Terje Pilskog, the CEO of renewables developer Scatec. [Yahoo]

Solar panels (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

¶ “Adani Green Energy Withdraws From $442 Million Wind Power Project In Sri Lanka” • After the political climate in Sri Lanka changed and the government revoked a power purchase agreement, Adani Green Energy, which is a part of the Indian conglomerate Adani Group, decided to withdraw from its $442 million wind energy project in Sri Lanka. [Newsx]

¶ “Australia’s Residential Battery Installations Rise 30% In 2024” • Residential battery installations have grown 30% in Australia since 2023, according to the CEC Momentum Monitor. Its latest figures show that 121,551 household battery systems have been installed in Australia, a figure that includes the 28,262 units put in over 2024. [pv magazine International]

Home battery system (Sonnen image)

¶ “Nuclear Plants Could Use Three Times More Water Than Current Coal Plants” • A 2018 Australian National University study found that only hydropower consumes more water than nuclear. The Coalition’s promised nuclear plants could consume three times as much water as existing coal sites. Where could that water come from?  [MSN]

¶ “No Coal, Gas Or Nuclear: Greens Cut Deals To “Dutton-Proof” Labor’s Flagship Renewable Policies” • The Australian Greens have had a busy week “Dutton-proofing” the federal Labor’s flagship renewable energy policies to prevent them being used to support coal, gas, or nuclear power in the event of a Coalition election victory this year. [RenewEconomy]

Windmill and nuclear plant (Boudewijn Huysmans, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “New EV Charging Station Schemes Thwart Trump’s National EV Infrastructure Squeeze” • President Trump froze a $5 billion federal program aimed to install EV fast charging stations. The funds have largely already been awarded, however. Also, plenty of other EV charging station plans are in the works through other channels already. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Charybdis Begins Sea Trials” • The first US-made offshore wind turbine installation vessel has begun sea trials, and is to be ready for this year’s construction schedule. Dominion Energy’s Charybdis began sea trials this month off of Brownsville, Texas. It is contracted to Dominion Energy’s 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind array. [reNews]

Charybdis (Dominion Energy image)

¶ “Red States Plot Judicial Takeover Of New York” • Late last year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to bolster New York’s environmental efforts by requiring large fossil fuel companies to pay for critical projects protecting the state’s people. This week 22 Republican-led states sued, claiming the law is unconstitutional. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Great Disappearing Data Center Demand Crisis” • A Duke University research team has developed “curtailment-enabled headroom,” a more accessible and potentially less expensive way to address data centers’ energy demands. It’s one of a growing list of solutions to the data center demand crisis, which turns out to be not much of a crisis after all. [CleanTechnica]

Have a gracefully progressing day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Terravis Energy Unveals a Heat Pump That Defies Freezing! Down to -57°F Below” • Terravis’ AetherLux heat pump system stands out from all others. This new groundbreaking system operates from -57°F to 131°F, eliminates defrost cycles, and paves the way for a new era in energy efficiency. It has no competition in its temperature range. [CleanTechnica]

Trane heat pump test (Watkins Heating & Cooling)

World:

¶ “Nearly Everyone Breathes Bad Air. This Is What You Can Do To Lower Your Risk” • While air quality varies dramatically from place to place and day to day, nearly the entire world – about 99% of the global population – is exposed to air at some point that doesn’t meet the strict standards set by the World Health Organization, the agency reported. [ABC News]

¶ “The BYD News Is Cool, But Not What Headlines Claim” • BYD is will put a new ADAS (advanced driver assist system), “God’s Eye,” into every single one of its new models by default. That means even the low-cost BYD Seagull (about $9,600) will have advanced driver-assist capabilities. But that does not mean is that BYDs will drive themselves. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seagull production (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “EVs Take 30.3% Share of The UK” • January saw plugin EVs take 30.3% share of the UK auto market, up from 23.0% year-on-year. Battery EVs grew volume by 42% YoY, while plugin hybrid EVs grew 5.5%. Plugin growth comes despite overall auto volume down 2.5% year-on-year, at 139,345 units. Volkswagen was the leading battery EV brand. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Transporting Cargo Across The Atlantic With Wind Power: Grain De Sail” • Some CleanTechnica readers have written in article comments that they wonder why we can’t go back to wind-dominant cargo shipping, at least in part. We have seen one company doing that. Now, Grain de Sail is another company to add to a short but growing list. [CleanTechnica]

Sailing cargo ship (Grain de Sail image)

¶ “Gold Fields Awards Contract For Another Wind Farm At Remote WA Gold Mine” • South African gold mining company Gold Fields has awarded a wind turbine supply contract to Chinese manufacturer Goldwind for a 42-MW wind farm to be built at its St Ives gold mine in Western Australia, just south of Kalgoorlie. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Ampyr And Rockwool Sign 10-Year Solar PPA” • Ampyr Solar Europe and Rockwool have signed a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement for electric energy from a 96-MW solar park in the Netherlands. Under the deal, Ampyr will supply more than 50 GWh annually from its new Noordoostpolder solar facility in Flevoland, starting in 2026. [reNews]

Noordoostpolder solar facility (Ampyr image)

¶ “Biggest Coal Generator Has Zero Appetite For Nuclear In A Market Where Grid Flexibility Is King” • AGL Energy, Australia’s biggest baseload electricity generator, confirmed it has no plans to branch into nuclear power, but instead remains focused on replacing its coal generation fleet with assets underpinned by big investments in big batteries. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “California’s Insurer For People Without Private Coverage Needs $1 Billion More For LA Fires Claims” • The FAIR Plan, California’s plan that provides insurance to homeowners who can’t get private coverage, needs $1 billion more to pay out claims related to the Los Angeles wildfires, according to the state Insurance Department. [ABC News]

Eaton Fire (USDA, public domain)

¶ “Trump EPA Guts Environmental Justice” • Environmental protection is hardly Donald Trump’s cup of tea, or Elon Musk’s for that matter. Unsurprisingly, the Trump EPA announced a gutting of its environmental justice arm today, but more focused on the smaller DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) arm, which was also gutted. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Promised to ‘Drill, Baby, Drill.’ Big Oil Won’t Let Him” • “Drill, Baby, Drill” was supposed to create an abundance of oil, bringing its price down. But it seems the realities on the ground were far different from what Trump expected, and his promises of “unleashing America’s energy” will not go far. Big Oil will drill, but only if the price is right. [CleanTechnica]

Nodding donkey (David Thielen, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Automakers Lay Low And Watch The Trump Tide Ebb And Flow” • Automakers seem to have blocked their news feeds from headlines about EVs. A common sentiment is they will likely cut production capacity in 2025 as they face emissions targets and tariffs. Meanwhile, China’s EV dominance increases due to its edge in software and electrification. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Tariffs Could Spur 7% Rise In Onshore Wind Costs” • A report from Wood Mackenzie, ‘Trade war hits US onshore wind power’, warns that tariffs could threaten project viability and potentially slow growth in the wind industry. It finds that US proposed tariffs could increase US onshore wind turbine costs by 7% and overall project costs by 5%. [reNews]

Wind farm (Ørsted image)

¶ “Why The ‘Redheaded Stepchild’ Of Renewable Energy Is Poised To Rise Under Trump” • President Trump’s call to “drill, baby, drill” may be intended to benefit the Oil & Gas industry, but Secretary of Energy Chris Wright named geothermal energy, which uses underground heat to generate clean electricity and heat, as a prime area for R&D. [The Hill]

¶ “Louisiana Lawmakers Look To Nuclear To Meet Energy Needs” • Louisiana’s two nuclear power plants support about 20% of the state’s energy demands. With the advent of data centers, AI, bitcoin mining, and other advancements in big tech, the energy needs are increasing and lawmakers seek to position the state as an energy leader. [WAFB]

Have a wholly enchanting day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “TUM Examines Thirteen Residential Heating Sources And Finds A Winner: Heat Pumps” • Researchers at the Technical University of Munich found in a study that heat pumps are often the best choice for homeowners when finances and ecology are taken into account. The findings were published in the Journal of Building Engineering. [CleanTechnica]

Heat pump (Mitsubishi image)

World:

¶ “Subsidies Halved For Controversial Drax Power Station” • The government has agreed a new funding arrangement with the controversial wood-burning Drax power station that it says will cut subsidies in half. The power station, which once burned coal, now burns wood pellets, which is considered renewable. But emissions are unabated. [BBC]

¶ “The Unavoidable Demise Of The Western Car Industry In China” • The Chinese car market is about as large as the USA and EU markets combined. At first, Western and Japanese car makers dominated that market. However, as China’s own car makers gained the ability to build quality into their cars, buyers took to their products increasingly. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai (China News Service, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Intellihub Completes Installation Of Fifty EV Chargers On Power Poles” • Where can you charge your EV when you have no off-street parking? What is a simple cost-effective way to increase access to EV charging? Intellihub is one of several companies in Australia working to solve these problems with the innovative use of existing power poles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Van Oord Installs Emissions-Cutting Tech On Nexus” • Van Oord is taking a next step to further reduce emissions on its fleet. Five selective catalytic reduction systems has been installed on cable-laying vessel Nexus by Damen Shipyards Group, one for each engine. SCR is an advanced emissions control technology that reduces NOₓ emissions. [reNews]

Nexus (Van Oord image)

¶ “Tidal And Wave Can Deliver £8 Billion Boost To Scotland” • Tidal stream and wave energy projects in the UK have potential to deliver more than £8 billion in economic benefits to the Scottish economy by 2050, according to a report published by the University of Edinburgh, The Future Economic Potential of Tidal Stream and Wave Energy in Scotland. [reNews]

¶ “Aker Wins BalWin 1&2 Foundations Deal” • Aker Solutions has won a deal to deliver the foundations for the 2-GW BalWin1 and 2 HVDC converter stations in the German North Sea. The value of the contract from Spanish fabricator Dragados Offshore is between €130 million and €216 million. At its peak, the project will employ over 500 people. [reNews]

Converter station (Aker image)

¶ “Port And Energy Firm Team Up On Wind Farms” • Portland Port and a renewable energy firm have agreed to work together on plans to build a wind farm off the Devon and Dorset coast. Norwegian firm Source Galileo, claims the PortWind project, with 132 turbines, would be able to produce enough electricity for over three million homes. [BBC]

¶ “Partners Plan Floating Solar Projects In Australia” • Renewable energy engineering company Canopy Power and Ocean Sun partnered to bring new floating solar technology to Australia. Ocean Sun’s patented circular floating solar system has a 70 meter buoyancy ring covered by a reinforced membrane to support solar modules. [pv magazine International]

Floating solar project (Ocean Sun image)

¶ “By 2030, India Wants To Add 500 GW Renewable Energy Capacity: PM Modi” • India is set to add 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his virtual address at Indian Energy Week 2025. He emphasized that the next two decades would be crucial for the goal of developing India. [Business Standard]

US:

¶ “Utah’s Clean Solar Energy And Storage Boom” • There has been a boom in solar power production in Utah. What’s driving it? Meta’s (Facebook’s) huge data processing center is one thing. Meta has guaranteed powering its data centers entirely with renewable energy, and a massive new green energy project is nearly ready to go online. [CleanTechnica]

Arches National Park (Moriah Wolfe, Unsplash)

¶ “Bovine Methane Emissions Solution Spearheaded By US Firm” • Methane emissions from livestock make up a significant contribution to global warming. Nevada-based startup CH4 Global has been pursuing a seaweed-based solution for reducing methane emissions from livestock, and it is launching its first scale-up at a facility Australia. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hawaiian Electric Surges To 36% Renewable Energy On Grids” • Boosted by new utility-scale and rooftop solar capacity in 2024, utility Hawaiian Electric achieved a 36% consolidated Renewable Portfolio Standard, accelerating progress toward the 2030 RPS milestone of 40%. The RPS increased by three percentage points from 2023. [Maui Now]

Solar power in Hawaii (Reegan Moen, US DOE)

¶ “EDP Renewables Signs Virtual Power Purchase Agreement With Microsoft” • EDP Renewables North America said it has delivered three utility-scale solar projects and signed a long-term virtual power purchase agreement with tech giant Microsoft. The projects generate about 400 MW, out of which Microsoft will purchase about 389 MW. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Environmentalists Raise Concerns, But Utah Nuclear Power Bills Advancing” • Members of the Healthy Environmental Alliance for Utah and the Sierra Club came to lobby lawmakers against bills dramatically expanding nuclear power in the state. It has been a top priority of Governor Spencer Cox and House and Senate leadership. [www.newsbreak.com]

Have an excitingly creative day.

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World:

¶ “US Is Losing The Solid-State EV Battery Race, Bigly” • Now that President Trump throttled back on clean tech innovation in the US, the field is wide open for other nations to leap in. And they are. The latest example is the UK firm Ilika. Known for its micro-batteries, Ilika is heading towards commercial production of a solid-state EV battery. [CleanTechnica]

Solid-state EV battery system (Courtesy of Ilika)

¶ “EVs Take 96.9% Share In Norway – Toyota BZ4X Best-Seller” • January saw plugin EVs take 96.9% share of car sales in Norway, up from 93.9% year on year. BEVs alone took almost 96% of the market. Overall auto volume was strongly up on seasonal norms, at 9,343 units, up 82% YOY. The Toyota BZ4X battery electric was the best-selling EV. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Malaysian Automaker Proton Launches Its First EV” • Last December, Malaysian automaker Proton launched the e.MAS 7 — the first battery EV in its lineup. Two months after the launch of the e.MAS 7, it has gained significant traction in the Southeast Asian country, where fuel prices are among the cheapest in the world, at $1.66 per gallon. [CleanTechnica]

Proton eMAS-7 (From Proton press handout)

¶ “Group’s Bid To Use Water To Power Nearby Firms” • In Derby, a community group wants to install a specialist turbine using a river’s energy to provide power to nearby businesses. Darley Abbey Community Energy is seeking funds for an Archimedes screw turbine to provides renewable electricity on the River Derwent at Darley Abbey Mills. [BBC]

¶ “Juniper Green Raises $1 Billion In Debt Financing To Expand Its Clean Energy Portfolio” • Juniper Green Energy, based in India, announced that it has received $1 billion in phased debt financing. The funding will support the growth of Juniper Green Energy and its subsidiaries for wind-solar hybrid and projects for firm renewable energy. [pv magazine India]

Solar array (Juniper Green Energy image)

¶ “Confused About Nuclear Energy? The Fossil Fuel Industry Is Trying To Mislead Women” • The Climate Council analyzed nuclear ads. The evidence, including CSIRO’s, shows that nuclear power is the most expensive form of new power. On top of that, the Coalition’s policy would see Australia remain reliant on fossil fuels until at least 2036. [Women’s Agenda]

¶ “China Accelerates Reform Of Renewable Power Pricing To Promote Sustainable Development” • China is accelerating the market-oriented reform of its renewable power pricing system, in a bid to build a new power system and promote sustainable development of renewable capacity. Industry experts believe this reform is essential for sustainable growth. [Xinhua]

Wind turbines (Hahaheditor12667, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Experts Anticipate Renewable Energy Will Overrun Trump’s Dopey ‘Energy Dominance’ Policy” • The US EIA summarized its short term energy outlook on January 24 of this year: “We expect that US renewable capacity additions – especially solar – will continue to drive the growth of US power generation over the next two years.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tiny House From Mesocore Comes Complete With Solar, A Battery, And A Heat Pump ” • Mesocore, which is Florida-based, specializes in factory-built homes that are assembled on-site. Its latest offering is what it calls an ADU, or accessory dwelling unit, which it describes as a dwelling that exists on a lot with another house. [CleanTechnica]

Tiny House (Mesocore image)

¶ “Trump To Hit Steel Imports With 25% Tariffs” • US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to impose 25% tariffs on all steel as well as aluminium imports, a move that will likely impact the country’s offshore wind sector. Trump announced the tariff during a briefing with reporters as he flew from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. [reNews]

¶ “Despite Chilly Climate, It’s Business As Usual For Wind And Solar Energy In Wyoming“ • The climate for wind and solar power has been getting chilly in the Cowboy State, but no one in that sector appears to be freaking out yet. And that’s despite the executive orders by President Trump calling for a moratorium and review of wind leases. [Cowboy State Daily]

Have a sublimely tranquil day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New LMFP EV Battery Passes Critical Test” • Integrals Power emailed the news of its lithium-manganese-iron-phosphate EV battery formula to CleanTechnica, after receiving validation of its LMFP EV battery cathode active material from QinetiQ. The tests were conducted on pouch cells with graphite anodes and a liquid electrolyte. [CleanTechnica]

LMFP Battery (Integrals Power, via email to CleanTechnica)

World:

¶ “Grab And BYD Partner To Shift EV Ride-Hailing In Southeast Asia” • Super-app Grab, the equivalent of Uber in Southeast Asia, and Chinese EV manufacturer BYD have forged a major regional partnership to electrify the region’s transportation landscape. The ambitious agreement aims to deploy up to 50,000 BYD EVs across Grab’s network. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Cuts Renewable Energy Subsidies Amid Record Solar Boom” • China’s top economic planning agency announced plans to scale back subsidies for renewable energy projects after a record surge in solar and wind power installations. In 2024, China’s installed solar capacity soared by 45%, reaching 887 GW, over six times that of the US. [EconoTimes]

Solar array (Makoto Lin, Office of the President, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Power Station’s Further Reporting Failure Exposed By BBC” • A UK power station that gets billions in government subsidies failed repeatedly to report it burned wood from primary forests, BBC News found. Drax Power Station is required to report where it sources its wood pellets and whether they come from forests that are previously untouched. [BBC]

¶ “Equinor Prioritizes Oil And Gas, Cuts Renewable Goals” • Norway’s Equinor is the latest energy company to stem its green growth plans as the backlash against renewables continues. The company said it is reducing its ambition for installed capacity by 20% to 33%, from 12-16 GW by 2030 to 10-12 GW. The higher target range was set in 2021. [OilPrice.com]

Equinor offshore station (Ryan Hodnett, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Nuclear Power Plant ‘Blocked Due To Concerns For The Welsh Language’” • A nuclear power station was blocked after officials raised concerns over the impact it would have on the Welsh language. Government planning inspectors rejected the multibillion-pound project in Wales on grounds including the negative impacts on its community. [The Times]

US:

¶ “As He Helps Fight DEI, Musk’s Spacex Has A Huge Contract To Send First Woman And Person Of Color To The Moon” • As Elon Musk works to reduce government spending by cutting diversity programs and waste, his SpaceX corporation has a multibillion dollar contract to help NASA land a woman and a person of color on the moon. [ABC News]

Launch (SpaceX, Unsplash)

¶ “How Environmental Groups Are Battling The First Actions Of The Trump Administration” • Environmental nonprofits are gearing up to challenge some of the executive orders President Donald Trump since taking office. A majority of the the ones he has signed so far that affect the environment, conservation, and decarbonizing are being challenged. [ABC News]

¶ “Brooklyn’s All-Electric Skyscraper To Be Fully Powered By Renewable Energy” • Alloy Development selected Radial Power and MaxSolar to supply 100% renewable energy to 505 State St, New York City’s first all-electric residential skyscraper. The agreement will help the tower achieve its goal of becoming the city’s first carbon-free high-rise. [BKReader]

505 State Street (Supplied, Alloy Development)

¶ “Study Highlights Challenges To The Electrification Of Homes In The US” • Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey studied how the electrification of homes can create issues for some homeowners and how adding solar and storage affects the equation. Their report was published in the journal Smart Cities And Society. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump’s Energy Policies Cast Shadow Over The US Wind Industry” • President Trump has been emphatic about support for oil and gas while campaigning and since coming into office. While many US energy leaders believe the green transition is unstoppable, Trump appears set on restricting renewable energy expansion in favor of fossil fuels. [OilPrice.com]

Have an abundantly luminous day.

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Opinion:

¶ “We Need Solar And Battery Storage To Address The Energy Emergency” • President Trump declared an energy emergency. Over the past decade, electricity supply has not kept up with demand. Currently, the fastest and least expensive way to meet the goal is with solar and energy storage projects that are under development already. [CleanTechnica]

Building a solar array (Courtesy of Silicon Ranch)

World:

¶ “Forget Saving The Planet. Clean Energy Leaders Sharpen A New Message: Money And Jobs” • Clean energy leaders across the globe are now tailoring their messages to emphasize the greener side of green: wealth-building. It’s an idea that sells far better in the new world of nationalism and tycoon leaders. The case isn’t new, but the emphasis is. [ABC News]

¶ “Powerful New Offshore Wind Turbine Trumps The Trump “Energy Dominance” Plan” • Trump might not like windpower, but global stakeholders can take their business elsewhere. One significant example is the HIPPOW turbine prototype under Siemens Gamesa development, supported by a European Union Innovation Fund grant. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore windpower (掬茶, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “EVs At 51.6% Share In Sweden” • In January, plugin EVs took 51.6% of auto sales in Sweden, down slightly year over year from 52.5% in January 2024. The Battery EV share was up a bit, while plugin hybrid share was slightly down. Overall auto volume was 19,632 units, up some 14% YOY. The Volkswagen ID.7 was the best selling Battery EV. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “JUWI To Build 340 MW Of Solar Projects For South African Mining, Energy, And Data Center Leaders This Year” • In an exciting development, JUWI Renewable Energies and its partners will add about 340 MW of solar capacity to South Africa’s grid. JUWI RE announced plans to begin construction on three major private solar projects in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

Solar field (JUWI image)

¶ “RWE Offshore Wind Farm ‘To Help Balance German Grid'” • RWE has set out plans to help balance the German power grid via its 302-MW offshore wind farm, Amrumbank West. RWE plans to offer an automatic frequency restoration reserve. The transmission system operator TenneT granted the necessary pre-qualification for a capacity of 60 MW. [reNews]

¶ “Global Cost Of Renewables To Continue Falling” • A report by BloombergNEF says new wind and solar farms are undercutting new coal and gas plants on production cost already in almost every market globally. Trade barriers could temporarily stall cost declines, but BNEF still expects the levelized cost of electricity for clean technologies to fall 22-49% by 2035. [reNews]

Rooftop solar array (AleSpa, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Grossi Says Zaporizhzhia Safety Talks ‘More Critical Than Ever'” • IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held talks on safety and security issues for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant with Rosatom’s Director General in Moscow. He said, “After three years of talks on ZNPP nuclear safety and security, these are more critical than ever.” [World Nuclear News]

US:

¶ “USA Surpasses 50 Gigawatts Of Solar Module Manufacturing Capacity” • The US reached a historic manufacturing milestone, with 50 GW of domestic solar module production capacity. At full capacity, US factories can produce enough solar to meet all of its demand. This is a critical step toward building a US-based solar supply chain. [CleanTechnica]

Qcells Solar Factory In Georgia (Qcells image)

¶ “Energy Companies And Investors Mobilize Lobbying” • A broad coalition of energy groups and their member companies are joining forces to hold over 100 meetings with members of Congress and staff from both parties about the critical role of clean energy tax credits for supporting a robust American energy and manufacturing economy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “ReVolt Says Its Hybrid Powertrain For Class 8 Trucks Can Save 40% On Fuel Costs” • ReVolt created a replacement powertrain for Class 8 trucks. Its battery can be recharged from an external power source just like any battery EV. But a Class 8 truck needs to go farther than a battery can take it, so it’s a hybrid. ReVolt says it can save 40% in fuel costs. [CleanTechnica]

ReVolt system (ReVolt image)

¶ “Enel Switches On Hybrid Solar-BESS In Texas” • Enel North America has switched on a hybrid solar and energy storage plant in Texas. The project, Estonian Solar, combines a 202-MW PV facility with a 104-MW Battery Energy Storage System. Enel has the plant in operation. It has power purchase agreements with BXP and Capri Holdings. [reNews]

¶ “Solar Accounts For 81.5% Of New Electricity Sources Added To US Grid In 2024” • Over 90% of new generating capacity added in the US in 2024 was renewable. Of all new capacity, solar came first, with 30,816 MW, and wind was second, with 3,128 MW. In third place, natural gas added 2,428 MW, and nuclear was fourth, with 1,100 MW. [Solar Power World]

Solar farm (Raphael Cruz, Unsplash)

¶ “Company Takes Strategic Approach To Solve Energy Crisis In Vulnerable Areas Across The US” • Recognizing that some areas are transitioning quickly while others are stuck on dirty energy, climate tech company Clearloop is taking a strategic approach to solar development. It builds renewable energy projects in the areas where the grid is dirtiest. [The Cool Down]

¶ “Coalfield Solar Fund Invests In PV Arrays For Coal Region School Districts In Virginia And West Virginia” • School districts in historic coal-heavy regions of Virginia and West Virginia are now tapping into solar power arrays built on-site. The Coalfield Solar Fund is an initiative comprising several renewable energy development partners. [EnergyTech]

Have a really pleasant day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Which Is Worse For Wildlife, Wind Farms Or Oil Drilling?” • While wind farms can have some adverse effects on wildlife in the habitats where they are sited, including by noise, scientists who specialize in the environmental impact of wind farms challenge the claim that wind power is more damaging to wildlife than fossil fuel extraction. [BBC]

Gulls (Samantha Kennedy, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “India Achieves Historic Milestone Of 100 GW Of Installed Solar Power Capacity” • India has achieved a historic milestone by surpassing 100 GW of installed solar power capacity, again showing its position as a global leader in renewable energy, according to the Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi. [The Statesman]

¶ “€20,000 Volkswagen Electric Car – The Next VW Beetle? ” • Not many cars are able to compare with the Volkswagen Beetle. It was special. Volkswagen may now be working on a 2020s Beetle, an electric one. The company is looking into a €20,000 super affordable EV, and it wrote about that in a news release on the matter. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen EV (Volkswagen image)

¶ “Volvo Plugin Vehicle Sales Increased 17% In January” • Volvo Cars sold 50,820 cars in January,almost half of which coming with a plug. Plugin model sales were also up significantly from a year prior, growing 17% compared to January 2024. In total, 44% of the company’s January 2025 vehicle sales – 22,398 out of 50,820 – were plugins. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “ARENA Community Based Battery Rollout” • The Australian Renewable Energy Agency is funding about 370 “community based batteries” to the tune of A$143 million ($90 million) to be built in Australia, benefitting communities. Expected outcomes include reducing local network constraints, reducing emissions, and reducing electricity costs. [CleanTechnica]

Community-based battery (Courtesy of Ergon Energy)

¶ “Taaleri SolarWind 3 Fund Invests In Finnish PV Site” • The Taaleri SolarWind 3 Fund has invested in the 129-MW Finnish solar park Hallanvahti. The project, located in Joroinen, about 300 km northeast of Helsinki, has reached ready-to-build status, with construction ongoing and full operations expected by the middle of 2026. [reNews]

¶ “CIP Starts Construction On 960-MWh Oz Battery Site” • CIP, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, is starting construction of its first large-scale battery energy storage site in Australia, the 240-MW, 960-MWh Summerfield project in the state of South Australia. It comes after a financial investment decision was taken in September 2024. [reNews]

Battery storage site (CIP image)

¶ “Amazon Announces Three New Renewable Energy Projects In India” • Amazon announced investments in three wind projects in India, emphasizing the company’s broader commitment to matching the electricity consumed by our operations with renewable energy and advancing progress toward its Climate Pledge goals. [The Covai Mail]

¶ “‘Build Baby Build’, Says Pm As He Sets Out Nuclear Plan” • Sir Keir Starmer pledged to “build baby build”, as he announced plans to make it easier to construct mini nuclear power stations in England and Wales. The prime minister told the BBC that the government will “take on the blockers” and change rules so new reactors could be built in more places. [BBC]

Keir Starmer (Kirsty O’Connor, No 10 Downing Street)

US:

¶ “How Nonprofit Change Reaction Gets Money To Households Impacted By Wildfires So Fast” • As Angelenos reel from the wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses and killed at least 29 people, an LA-based nonprofit is handing out cash payments of as much as $5,000 to provide fast, unrestricted help to some of those impacted. [ABC News]

¶ “Tesla Cybertruck Reservations Go Poof – Now Free Wraps For Q1 Orders” • Tesla is rolling out discounts to get people to buy a new Model 3 or Cybertruck. It seems a bit early in the quarter for Tesla to be doing this. It seems to indicate consumer demand challenges after the first year of decreasing sales since the Model S was launched in 2012. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Cybertruck (Mr.choppers, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “EV Maker Scout Motors Wants To Sell Directly To Buyers But Can’t Do It In Its Home State” • Scout Motors is making a big bet in the electric SUV market with a crafted experience that will allow some customers to buy the company’s vehicle in minutes online. But they can’t in South Carolina, where the company is pouring billions into a new auto plant. [ABC News]

¶ “Wireless Charging Is Coming To Port Of Long Beach” • It was recently announced that wireless charging pads will soon be installed at the Port of Long Beach to be used by electric cargo vehicles. John F. Rizzo, President and CEO of InductEV, has answered some questions about the port’s wireless charging technology for CleanTechnica. [CleanTechnica]

Port Of Long Beach (Courtesy of ITS Terminal POLB)

¶ “Democratic Governors Prepared To Keep The EV Revolution Moving Forward” • Colorado is an example of a movement by states. Residents of Colorado are eligible for up to $6,000 in state incentives, regardless of where a vehicle is made. Trade in a gas guzzler, and the state will add another $6,000. The incentives can add up quickly. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$485M Grant Benefits Rural Residents” • The US Department of Agriculture has announced a $485 million award to Arizona Electric Power Cooperative through its New Empowering Rural America Program. The funds will be used for large-scale solar and battery systems projects benefitting rural cooperatives and public power utilities. [Inside Tucson Business]

Have a awesomely relaxing day.

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