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World:

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

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

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

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

Battery system area (Elemenyts Green image)

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

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

Cheviré battery project (Harmony Energy image)

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

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

Installation site (Gentari image)

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

US:

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

Flooding in Tennessee (National Weather Service image)

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

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

CATL Freevoy battery (CATL image)

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

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

Wind turbine construction (BayWa re image)

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

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

Have an outrageously fine day.

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Opinion:

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

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

World:

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

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

Flamingos (Dattatreya Patra, Unsplash)

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

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

Moai (Hal Cooks, Unsplash)

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

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

Worker at a wind turbine (Ørsted image)

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

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

Wind farm (Taaleri Energia image)

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

US:

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

Researcher (Mark Lopez, Argonne National Laboratory)

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

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

Henrik Andersen (Vestas image)

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

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

Have a jovially celebratory day.

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World:

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

Plastics (Naja Bertolt Jensen, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Hybrid solar-wind power plant (Nextracker image)

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

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

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

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

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

Solar farm (Green Genius image)

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

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

Wind farm (Rezolv Energy image)

US:

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

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

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

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

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

CBS Solar installation in Michigan (Courtesy of CBS Solar)

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

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

Have a spectacularly quiet day.

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Opinion:

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

Reid Gardner Battery System (Sig Chiocciola, CC0 1.0)

World:

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

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

Jellyfish (Jack B, Unsplash)

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

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

Five countries’ nuclear power systems (EIA image)

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

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

Offshore windpower (Casey Horner, Unsplash)

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

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

Sunrise on wind turbines (Vestas image)

US:

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

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

Wall Street (Patrick Weissenberger, Unsplash)

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

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

Wind turbines (Vestas image)

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

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

Have a deliciously satisfying  day.

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World:

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

Ford Mustang Mach-E (George Sargiannidis, Unsplash)

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

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

GaeaStar ceramic cups (GaeaStar image)

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

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

Energy storage (Europe Smart Energy image)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

New York City (NASA, Unsplash)

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

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

Offshore wind turbines (NREL image)

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

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

Have a perfectly fabulous day.

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World:

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

Helping hand (Neil Thomas, Unsplash)

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

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

Apollo Go robotaxi (Apollo Go image)

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

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

EV by BYD (Tiago Ferreira, Unsplash)

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

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

BYD EV lightning strike (Image via CleanTechnica)

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

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

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

US:

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

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

Wildfire in California (BLM image via Wikimedia Commons)

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

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

Have a luminously lovely day.

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World:

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

Montmartre (Bastien Nvs, Unsplash)

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

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

Grande Tianjin (Leapmotor image)

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

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

Wind farm (Eurowind Energy image)

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

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

Service Operations Vessel (SRE image)

US:

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

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

Phoenix (Walter Martin, Unsplash)

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

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

Blue Bird electric bus (Little Rock School District image)

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

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

Zoox Fully Autonomous all-electric robotaxi

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

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

Have a simply marvelous day.

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World:

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

Glaciar Perito Moreno (Chrysanthi Ha, Unsplash)

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

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

Hot day (Jeff Ma, Unsplash)

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

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

Battery system (Gresham House Energy Storage Fund image)

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

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

Wind turbine (Vestas image)

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

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

Renewable energy center in Exeter (© Exeter Energy Ltd)

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

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

MAST Tokamak (Eye Steel Film, CC BY 2.0)

US:

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

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

Even a candle … (Manoj Roy, Unsplash)

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

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

Have a clearly beneficial day.

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World:

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

Great Barrier Reef (Chad Taylor, Unsplash)

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

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

BYD Zhengzhou (Photo from BYD Philippines)

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

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

Wind farm (PNE image)

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

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

Solar installation (Solar Victoria image)

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

US:

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

Aligator (Adam Kubín, Unsplash)

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

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

Solar installation (Raze Solar, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Have an illustriously playful day.

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World:

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

Offshore turbines (Mary, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

BYD B12 (S5A-0043, CC BY 4.0)

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

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

Wind turbines (Energia image)

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

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

Wind farm (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)

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

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

Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park (Iberdrola image)

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

US:

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

Gifford Fire (Cal Fire image)

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

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

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

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

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

Have an appreciably productive day.

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World:

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

Plastic spoon (Judesba, CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

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

Electric car (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash)

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

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

Sleipnir (Heerema Marine Contractors image)

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

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

Four North Star SOVs (RWE image)

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

US:

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

Gifford Fire (PG&E via Cal Fire)

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

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

Elon Musk (The White House, public domain)

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

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

Offshore wind farm (Jesse De Meulenaere, Unsplash)

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

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

Have a highly amusing day.

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World:

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

Weather (NOAA, Unsplash)

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

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

XPENG G6 and G9 for Europe

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

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

Arcadis Ost 1 (JERA Nex BP image)

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

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

Working on cable (Taihan image)

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

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

Greenalia wind turbines (Greenalia image)

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

US:

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

Chevy Bolt 2.0 (Chevrolet image)

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

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

Wind farm (Vidar Nordli-Mathisen, Unsplash)

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

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

Have a smoothly developing day.

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World:

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

Earth (NASA, Unsplash)

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

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

Wind farm (Squadron Energy image)

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

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

Zaporizhzhia NPP (Leo211, CC BY-SA 4.0)

US:

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

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

SOURCE® Global hydropanels (Courtesy image)

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

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

2025 Nissan Leaf SV Plus

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

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

Have a pleasantly surprising day.

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Opinion:

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

Wind turbines (Daniel Morris, Unsplash)

World:

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

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

St Peter’s Basilica (Fabio Fistarol, Unsplash)

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

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

Norwind Hurricane (Norwind image)

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

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

Wind turbine (RES image)

US:

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

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

ChargePoint technician (ChargePoint image)

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

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

Chevrolet Equinox EV (JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC0 1.0)

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

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

Have a distinctly gorgeous day.

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World:

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

Saint Basil’s Cathedral (Random Institute, Unsplash)

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

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

SANY eITV port movers. (DP World image)

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

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

Wind turbine (Suzlon image)

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

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

Transporting jackets (Navantia image)

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

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

Offshore substation platform (Seatrium image)

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

US:

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

Global greening (bruno neurath-wilson, Unsplash)

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

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

EcoFlow OCEAN Pro Solar Battery System (EcoFlow image)

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

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

Have a decisively beneficial day.

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World:

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

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

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

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

Hokkaido (Zion C, Unsplash)

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

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

President Marcos (Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

Bidirectional EV charging (Courtesy of GM)

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

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

Native Village of Chenega, Alaska (NREL image)

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

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

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

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

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

Have an unusually graceful day.

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World:

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

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

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

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

Abandoned gas station (Dominique Hicks, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Mobile drilling platform (European Energy image)

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

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

Offshore wind areas (Province of Nova Scotia)

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

US:

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

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

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

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

Electric Tractor (Monarch Tractor image)

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

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

Flag and turbine (Dominion image)

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

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

Have an especially cheerful day.

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World:

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

Electric tourist ship (CATL image)

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

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

WeRide Uber robotaxi in Saudi Arabia

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

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

Solar workers (Zelestra image)

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

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

Boreas at work (RWE image)

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

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

Tibet (Jiasong Huang, Unsplash)

US:

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

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

Tongass National Forest (US Forest Service image)

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

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

Farm and windpower (Mateusz Niezgoda, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Have a generously presented day.

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Opinion:

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

Abandoned gas station (Polina Skaia, Unsplash)

World:

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

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

Nodding donkey (Moritz Kindler, Unsplash)

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

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

Spiro motorcycles (Courtesy of Spiro)

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

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

Heavy-lift vessel Gulliver at work (Scaldis image)

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

US:

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

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

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

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

Grain Belt Express (Courtesy of US DOE)

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

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

Have a soothingly satisfying day.

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World:

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

Mushrooms (Krzysztof Niewolny, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

BYD Sealion 06 (BYD image)

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

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

Arequipa, Peru (Megan Kotlus, Unsplash)

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

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

Wind turbines (Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash)

US:

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

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

Texas wind turbines (Pete Alexopoulos, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Have an extraordinarily peaceful day.

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Opinion:

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

Nuclear plant (Stodtmeister, CC BY 3.0, cropped)

World:

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

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

Tesla Model Y

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

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

Windcat Rotterdam (Damen image)

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

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

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

US:

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

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

Cornfield (Bob Bowie, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Energy Dome energy storage (Courtesy of Energy Dome)

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

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

Sunrun and Tesla powering a house

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

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

Have a uniquely supportive day.

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World:

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

Possible sources of hydrogen, in blue (USGS image)

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

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

Pollution (Maxim Tolchinskiy, Unsplash)

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

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

First Minister John Swinney (NNG Offshore Wind image)

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

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

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

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

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

Karbala (حسن, Unsplash)

US:

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

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

New York City (Jermaine Ee, Unsplash)

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

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

Acadia (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock image)

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

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

Have an exhilaratingly restful day.

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World:

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

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

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

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

Barcelona (Ken Cheung, Unsplash)

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

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

Farm (Werner Sevenster, Unsplash)

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

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

Solar array (Enel Green Power image)

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

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

Solar power plant (EBRD image)

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

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

Rural wind turbine (Annie Spratt, Unsplash)

US:

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

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

NOAA ship (NOAA, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Have an unexpectedly nifty day.

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World:

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

Sea level rise (Iqro Rinaldi, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Engineer at a solar plant (Sikwe Scarter, Unsplash)

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

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

CorPower generator (CorPower image)

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

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

Renewable energy (IRENA image)

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

US:

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

Nevoya electric truck (Courtesy of Nevoya)

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

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

Hale Kuawehi project (Ingeteam image)

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

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

Solar array (Markus Spiske, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Have a functionally exuberant day.

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World:

¶ “China Begins Building World’s Largest Dam, Fuelling Fears In India” • China is building what will be the largest hydropower dam in the world. The project, in Tibetan territory, has India and Bangladesh concerned. It is criticised for its potential to impact millions of Indians and Bangladeshis living downriver, the local Tibetans, and the environment. [BBC]

Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon (mayanming, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “‘It’s A Lifesaver’: Making Solar Power Affordable In South Africa” • Despite recent improvements in South Africa’s power grid, outages persist. For fifteen years, the country has had “load-shedding” blackouts to ease pressure on its ageing infrastructure. The crisis prevents economic growth, destroys job, and threatens lives. Affordable solar power can be a savior. [BBC]

¶ “France’s Increase In Nuclear And Hydropower In 2024 Led To More Electricity Exports” • In 2024, France increased its cross-border electricity deliveries by 48%, from 70 TWh in 2023 to 103 TWh in 2024. The rise in French electricity generation reduced the country’s need for gross electricity imports, which fell by 50% in 2024. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “EV Share In China Is 53%! – June 2025 Sales Report” • June saw the continuation of the growth of the Chinese EV market, with plugins scoring over 1.1 million sales in June, out of 2.1 million in the overall market. The fastest growing technology was battery EVs, up 33% to over 660,000 units. There may be 10 million EVs sold in China this year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Rezolv Secures €331 Million Financing For Vifor” • Rezolv Energy secured financing of up to €331 million to build the 269-MW second phase of its Vifor wind farm in Romania. The Actis-backed company has signed incremental project finance facilities for Phase 2, which will take the project in Buzău County to its full 461-MW capacity. [reNews]

Building a wind turbine base (Rezolv image)

¶ “EV Charging Stations in Manila to Be Made ‘Sustainable and Convenient'” • Charging technology company Evro signed an agreement with Shell Pilipinas for “improved EV charging experiences” in the Philippines. The Evro–Shell collaboration allows users to use Shell’s chargers and those of other networks through a single platform. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Engie Secures €90 Million Loan From EBRD” • The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is supporting the expansion of renewable energy in Romania with a €90 million loan to Engie. The EBRD’s financing will enable Engie Romania to develop renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of at least 250MW by 2028. [reNews]

Solar and wind (Engie image)

¶ “DP Energy To Develop 1.4-GW Oz Wind Farm” • Irish developer DP Energy is planning to build a 1,400-MW wind farm and 500-MW battery system in Queensland. It will have about 197 wind turbines with an installed capacity of up to 1.4 GW and will be supported by battery facilities of around 500 MW and 2,000 MWh. [reNews]

¶ “Negative Price Hours Rise In Europe” • Around 28% of the potential solar power generation in Germany occurred during periods of negative electricity prices from January to May, according to Enervis. The share is expected to continue to rise as battery storage deployment keeps lagging behind renewable energy growth. [pv magazine International]

Solar farm (ダモ リ, Unsplash)

¶ “UK Gives Final Go-Ahead To £38 Billion Nuclear Plant” • The government has given the final go-ahead for a £38 billion ($51.2 billiion) nuclear power plant in Suffolk. The Sizewell C project will be jointly funded by Canadian pension fund La Caisse, UK energy firm Centrica, and Amber Infrastructure. It will deliver enough electricity for six million homes. [MSN]

US:

¶ “NASA To Launch Two New Satellites To Help Forecast Solar Storms” • The northern lights have been captivating stargazers for generations. But the same charged particles from the Sun’s atmosphere responsible for this brilliant celestial display can also damage and destroy electrical and communications systems in large parts of the Earth. [ABC News]

TRACERS spacecraft (Millennium Space Systems
and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center)

¶ “Governor Greg Abbott Calls Special Legislative Session For Flood Emergency Planning” • Governor Greg Abbott has called a special session for the Texas legislature to discuss emergency procedures and early warning systems in the wake of the deadly flooding earlier this month. “We must ensure better preparation in the future,” Abbott said. [ABC News]

¶ “Texas Is Rolling In New Solar Power Plants” • Despite the current downwards spiral in energy policy, large solar power projects keep streaming into Texas, at least for the time being. The flood could turn into a trickle, and that’s up to the voters, but even if ratepayers are asleep at the wheel, leading corporate energy consumers are not. [CleanTechnica]

Solar power in Texas (Courtesy of Primergy)

¶ “Uber, Lucid, And Nuro Join Forces On Robotaxis” • Uber announced it intends to get back into robotaxis in collaboration with Lucid and Nuro. In a press release, Uber said it expects the first robotaxis using Lucid Gravity electric cars equipped with Level 4 self-driving technology from Nuro to begin operating in a major US city in 2026. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Solar Supply Chain Facing Critical Crossroads” • US solar industry faces an increasingly complex web of tariffs and policy restrictions that are fundamentally reshaping the global supply chains, a report from Wood Mackenzie has warned. China is dominating the market through regional subsidiaries despite diversification efforts. [reNews]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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World:

¶ “Kashmir’s Growing Heat Crisis Hits Health And Harvests” • An intense heatwave has gripped Kashmir, a picturesque Himalayan region dotted with glaciers and known for its cool climate, as the heat wented to record-breaking levels this month. The region saw its highest daytime temperature in 70 years at 37.4C (99.32F), at least 7°C above the seasonal average. [BBC]

Kashmir (milind bedwa, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar Farm Near Canterbury Given Green Light” • Plans to build a 38-MW solar farm with battery storage on the edge of a village in Kent have been approved. Covering 56 hectares (138 acres) of land, the Britton Court Solar project near Tyler Hill will supply renewable energy to up to 15,000 homes, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. [BBC]

¶ “Sizewell’s Exploding Budget Exposes A Nuclear Blindspot” • The recent announcement that the UK’s Sizewell C nuclear plant’s projected cost of construction has gone from £20 billion in 2020 to nearly £38 billion today is shocking but predictable. For anyone following Europe’s nuclear power saga, such an increase is not an anomaly. [CleanTechnica]

Sizewell C, two center reactors (UK Government, OGL 3.0)

¶ “Brookfield Renewable Boosts Colombian Stake With $1 Billion Investment” • Brookfield Renewable has announced plans to invest up to $1 billion to increase its equity stake in Colombian hydroelectric company Isagen to approximately 38%, marking a significant expansion of the firm’s presence in South America’s renewable energy sector. [Energy Connects]

¶ “Why Is Big Oil Curricula Finding Acceptance In Educational Settings?” • A propaganda campaign started in Norway to protect Big Oil business interests under the cloak of STEM education. Equinor expects around a third of school children in Shetland to participate. A member of Scotland’s Parliament called Equinor’s backing for the projects “concerning.” [CleanTechnica]

North Sea oil platform (Stephen, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “ACWA Power Signs New Deals For Hydrogen And Renewable Power Export To Europe” • Saudi developer of green hydrogen plants ACWA Power sealed several agreements and memoranda of understanding with international partners to work on creating a green hydrogen and renewable energy export value chain for Saudi Arabia and Europe. [Offshore Energy]

¶ “India Adds Record 22 GW Renewables Capacity” • According to Rystad Energy, India added 22 GW of renewable capacity in the first half of 2025, but it is still relying too heavily on fossil fuels. The record amount added was a 57% jump from the 14.2 GW installed during the first half of 2024. The new capacity includes 18.4 GW of solar, 3.5 GW of wind. [reNews]

Wind farm (Suzlon image)

¶ “Eskom Plans 32 GW Of Renewable Energy In South Africa By 2040” • South African utility Eskom plans to boost its renewable energy generating capacity to 32 GW by 2040, up from less than 1 GW currently. At the same time, it expects to reduce its coal-based capacity from 39 GW to 18 GW, according to its long-term energy strategy. [energynews]

¶ “Van Oord Orders New Vessels For Offshore Wind Fleet” • Van Oord has ordered two new subsea rock installation vessels in a bid to meet the rising global demand for infrastructure for offshore energy protection. Subsea rock installation is vital for protecting and stabilising offshore energy assets such as cables, pipelines and wind farm foundations. [reNews]

Vessels For Offshore Wind Fleet (Ven Oord image)

¶ “Sri Lanka And ISA Ink Solar Deployment Roadmap ” • Sri Lanka and the International Solar Alliance signed a Country Partnership Framework to fuel solar energy rollout. Kumara Jayakody, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Energy, said the country aims for 70% renewable electricity generation by 2030 and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. [Asian Power]

US:

¶ “Galileo Galilei And The End Of Science” • Galileo based his work on science, and the Catholic Church opposed him. More recently, the EPA announced it would eliminate its scientific research arm and begin firing hundreds of scientists. The parallel between the EPA and the Catholic Church in the time of Galileo could not be more clear. [CleanTechnica]

Roman Inquisition and Galileo (Public domain)

¶ “Google Follows Its Oklahoma Renewable Energy Agreement With One In Pennsylvania” • Tech giant Google plans to spend at least $3 billion building US data centers and powering them with renewable energy. It reached a deal with Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners for 670 MW of hydroelectric energy from plants in Pennsylvania. [Oklahoma Energy Today]

¶ “‘A Disaster For All Of US’: US Scientists Describe Impact Of Trump Cuts” • Donald Trump’s assault on science, particularly climate science, led to unprecedented funding cuts and layoffs across federally funded agencies and programs, threatening to derail research on the most pressing issues facing Americans and humanity more broadly. [The Guardian]

Have a beautifully cool day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Climate Action: Are Democracies Better Than Autocracies?” • This week, The Guardian ran a piece on climate action and the role of autocratic governments in preventing a fully fledged climate meltdown that could endanger the lives of billions. If there is a takeaway, it is that growth is a more compelling narrative than survival. [CleanTechnica]

Patriotic statue in China (Oscar Schnell, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “‘Great British Energy solar panels’ for schools were made in China” • The first eleven schools in England to install what the government described as “Great British Energy solar panels” bought them from Chinese firms, the BBC learned. The schools involved in the GB Energy scheme bought solar panels from Aiko and Longi, two Chinese companies. [BBC]

¶ “The Rise Of Green Tech Is Feeding Another Environmental Crisis” • As the world transitions to more renewable energy sources, the demand for lithium soars. In 2021, about 95,000 tonnes of lithium were consumed globally. By 2024 the demand had risen to 205,000 tonnes, the International Energy Agency says. There are environmental costs. [BBC]

Atacama salt flats (Danielle Barnes, Unsplash)

¶ “Nearly 70% Of Rajasthan’s Power Capacity Comes From Renewable Energy: Pralhad Joshi” • Almost 70% of Rajasthan’s power capacity is now sourced from renewable energy, with over 35.4 GW installed, according to Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi. It includes 29.5 GW of solar and 5.2 GW of wind. [MenaFN]

¶ “Arctic Birders Combat Impact Of Climate Change And Avian Flu On Delicate Ecosystem” • The population of kittiwakes is down by 80% since the 1990s along Norway’s coast. The small seagull species is under siege from climate change, predation, local fisheries and the bird flu. So the people of Vardø, a town on the remote Vardøya Island, are helping. [ABC News]

Kittiwake (Mmo iwdg, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Japan Sees Bright Future For Flexible Solar Panels” • Japan is investing heavily in a kind of ultra-thin, flexible solar panel that it hopes will help it meet renewable energy goals and challenge China’s dominance of the sector. A key component of pliable perovskite panels is iodine, something Japan produces more of than any country but Chile. [Digital Journal]

¶ “Grab Prototypes Autonomous Shuttle With Employees In Singapore” • Southeast Asian superapp Grab, in collaboration with Autonomous A2Z, a South Korean autonomous vehicle technology firm, is prototyping an autonomous electric shuttle bus pilot in Singapore. Insiders said the project is for a feasibility study for general transportation. [CleanTechnica]

Grab Autonomous bus and employees (Grab Singapore image)

¶ “Gorbea Solar Power Plant Completed In Under Eight Months” • Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi commissioned the 435-MW Gorbea Solar Project in Rajasthan. The plant was developed by Zelestra India and completed in under eight months. It has a 25-year PPA with the Solar Energy Corporation of India. [Swarajyamag]

¶ “The $200 Million Plan To Rebuild Ukraine’s Energy Sector” • The United Nations Development Program and the Government of Norway created a $200 million drive to transform Ukraine’s war-damaged energy sector and support increasing its renewable energy capacity. The initiative will focus on both current crisis response and long-term development. [OilPrice.com]

Perovo Solar Park (Activ Solar, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Forest Fire Causes Smoke Near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant: No Threat Detected” • On July 19, there was smoke in the area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The smoke came from a forest fire, and there is no threat to nuclear safety, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agency report. [RBC-Ukraine]

US:

¶ “New 150-MW Solar Power Plant Greenlighted For New Mexico” • The 150-MW Santa Teresa solar power plant is slated for construction in Doña Ana County, in New Mexico. The plant is especially interesting as one more demonstration that the US solar industry can deliver more clean kilowatts, more quickly, than any other energy resource. [CleanTechnica]

DESRI solar plant in New Mexico (DESRI image)

¶ “The News About EVs Was Bright But Now The Future Is So Uncertain ” • The transition to electric mobility contributes to the reduction of pollution, which is also beneficial for public health and helps to reduce fossil energy consumption. Then why does the future for EVs so tenuous? There are barriers brought to you by Project 2025. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “What’s Different About A Net Zero Hotel?” • The hospitality sector plays a large role in greenhouse gas emissions, with yearly energy expenditures of over $1.7 billion and the release of more than 8 million tons of carbon emissions annually. An eight-story, net zero boutique hotel with a three-story parking garage is now underway outside Burlington, Vermont. [CleanTechnica]

Have a thoroughly grand day.

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World:

¶ “EDF Bags Consent For 50-MW Irish Wind Farm” • EDF Renewables Ireland was given the go-ahead to build a 50-MW wind farm on land in County Clare. The Lackareagh wind farm was granted planning permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála, Ireland’s national independent planning body. It is expected to be operational in 2030. [reNews]

Wind farm (EDF image)

¶ “These Four Chinese Automakers Have Higher Gross Profit Margin Than Tesla” • An interesting article from CarNewsChina highlighted how much gross profit margin several Chinese automakers are scoring. The article also highlighted, in the headline, that four of these companies now have higher gross profit margin than Tesla! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Cadeler Vessel To Serve Vestas In €210 Million deal” • The latest vessel to join Cadeler’s fleet has landed a €210 million contract with Vestas to support current and future offshore wind projects. Newly-constructed jack-up Wind Keeper is the eighth vessel to join Cadeler’s growing fleet. The three-year contract with Vestas will kick off early in 2026. [reNews]

Wind Keeper (Cadeler image)

¶ “Zelestra Inaugurates 300-MW San Martín Project With Peruvian President Dina Boluarte” • President Dina Boluarte of Peru and the Minister of Energy and Mines, Jorge Luis Montero Cornejo, joined Zelestra to celebrate opening the fully operating 300-MW San Martín Solar Project. San Martin is the largest solar plant in Peru’s history. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Boom Power Given Nod For UK Solar Farm” • Boom Power has planning permission to build a new solar farm in Yorkshire. Wakefield Council’s planning committee granted consent for the 29.7-MW Woolley Solar Farm. The project will generate enough clean electricity each year to power around 11,700 homes and avoid 7300 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. [reNews]

Woolley Solar Farm (Boom Power artist’s impression)

US:

¶ “EPA Eliminates Research And Development Office, Begins Layoffs” • The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it is eliminating its research and development arm and reducing agency staff by thousands of employees. The EPA is creating the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions instead, to save nearly $750 million. [ABC News]

¶ “Support For California High-Speed Rail Is Surging along with the state’s Ability To Finish The Project” • A poll from Politico California and UC Berkeley’s Citrin Center for Public Opinion Research shows 67% of registered California voters support the continued construction of the bullet train project connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco. [CleanTechnica]

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail (Public domain)

¶ “In ‘Big Beautiful’ Bill, Ugly Giveaways to Oil & Gas” • In the runup to the “Big Beautiful” bill, some wondered if Republicans would eliminate all federal subsidies for carbon capture, because Trump thinks climate change is a hoax. But the carbon capture is still subsidized, as long as the CO₂ is pumped underground to force out more oil and gas to burn. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Recurrent Sees Gas Car Tipping Point Soon, Despite New Tariffs” • Recurrent CEO Scott Case posted, “It turns out that when a state approaches 30% new EV sales, that’s the tipping point for the number of gas cars on the road falling. It’s a little counterintuitive that it’s not 50% when that happens.” Old cars retireing are almost all gas-powered. [CleanTechnica]

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

¶ “Trade Group Slams New US Renewables Oversight Move” • A US renewable energy trade group has slammed a new move from the administration of Donald Trump to bring all decisions related to wind and solar energy under “elevated review” by the office of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The review applies to all federal lands. [reNews]

¶ “Maine Scraps Offshore Solicitation” • The state of Maine has moved to delay a planned floating offshore wind solicitation, with regulators citing “recent changes in the energy landscape that have caused significant uncertainty in the offshore wind industry.” The Governor’s Energy Office requested the delay and the Public Utility Commission agreed. [reNews]

Maine lease areas (BOEM image)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “NY’s Wind Power Goals ‘Impossible In The Near Term’ Due To Trump, State Says” • New York’s Public Service Commission said the state’s wind power goals are “impossible in the near term,” halting plans to build transmission lines that had been in the works for two years. It cited “significant federal uncertainty” due to the president’s pause on permits. [Gothamist]

¶ “The US Is Testing Portable Micro Nuclear Reactors For Safe Power In Remote Locations” • Nuclear energy is undergoing a shift toward compact, portable systems that bring electricity to places once considered too remote or too vulnerable. The US DOE is advancing this vision by announcing two initial test projects at a new facility in Idaho. [MSN]

Have a mystifyingly mindful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Valves Wide Open: Eyes Wide Shut” • Arnie Gundersen: Natrium is a New Kid on the Nuclear Block and plans its first reactor in Wyoming. Natrium has never designed, constructed, or operated any operating nuclear power plant. Its claim to fame is that it has some financial backing from Bill Gates, the former founder of Microsoft. [Counterpunch]

Wyoming (Brady Stoeltzing, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Unique 1.5 Million Year-Old Ice To Be Melted To Unlock Mystery” • An ice core that may be older than 1.5 million years arrived in the UK where scientists will melt it to unlock vital data about Earth’s climate. Transitions from warm eras to cold glacial eras had been every 41,000 years but it suddenly was 100,000 years. The cores might tell us what caused that. [BBC]

World:

¶ “BYD Launches Its Seventh Ship” • BYD decided at some point in recent years that it would be more economical for it to buy some giant car-carrying ships than to keep paying shipping companies to carry its cars to markets around the world. We covered the launch of BYD’s first ship in December 2023. Now the company has seven. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Zhengzhou

¶ “Zimbabwe Looks To IPPs And Rural Minigrids To Increase Access To Electricity And Plug Electricity Shortages” • Zimbabwe has struggled for a decade to meet its electricity demand. Last year, an average capacity of 1,300 MW was available against a demand of 1,700 MW. Now, the country is looking to improve the grid paradigm. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric Ford Bronco Coming! … But Not For You” • Ford has just unveiled a fully electric Bronco and an EREV extended range EV) version of the Bronco. If you haven’t seen exciting news and marketing around that, that may be because these versions of the Bronco are not for Ford’s home market, in the USA. They are for customers in China. [CleanTechnica]

Electric Ford Bronco

¶ “Brazil’s Congress Passes Bill To Overhaul Environmental Regulations” • A bill to overhaul environmental regulations in Brazil was passed by the country’s lower house. It was criticised by the environmental minister, suggesting a possible presidential veto. The bill was passed by the Senate in May, it now goes to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. [ABC News]

¶ “Skyborn And Siemens Gamesa Ink Deals” • Siemens Gamesa signed agreements with Skyborn Renewables to supply turbines for the Gennaker offshore wind farm in Germany. According to the agreements, Siemens Gamesa will supply the 976.5-MW offshore wind project with 63 SG 14-236 turbines and provide long-term maintenance. [reNews]

Siemens Gamesa 14-236 turbine (Siemens Gamesa image)

¶ “Envision Energy, FERA To Develop 1.5 GWh Of Storage In Australia” • Envision Energy, based in China, and Italy’s FERA Australia signed an agreement to collaborate on large-scale hybrid clean energy projects in Australia, delivering up to 1.5 GWh of battery energy storage and possibly 1 GW of wind projects. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Cierco And MPS Partner On Celtic Sea Wind” • Cierco Energy and Marine Power Systems have signed a strategic partnership to advance deep-water floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea. The two companies will collaborate on deploying MPS’s PelaFlex floating platform at one of Cierco’s Llŷr Test and Demonstration projects off the Pembrokeshire coast. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Innogy image)

¶ “RES To Operate 500-MW Coalburn Battery” • RES has signed an agreement to manage the Coalburn battery energy storage project in Scotland. RES said the former coal mining site will host one of Europe’s largest battery systems, with capacities of 500-MW and 1-GWh. Coalburn is being developed by CIP along with Alcemi. [reNews]

US:

¶ “New York Halts Offshore Wind Grid Plan” • The New York State Public Service Commission has terminated its offshore wind transmission planning process to protect ratepayers amid stalled federal permitting. The Commission said the decision will position New York for faster offshore wind growth once federal policies improve. [reNews]

Empire Wind, rendering (Empire Wind image)

¶ “Secretary Burgum Must Personally Approve All Renewable Energy Projects On Federal Lands” • The Interior Department issued a directive requiring personal approval from Secretary Doug Burgum for all wind and solar energy projects on federal lands and waters. This policy aligns with a push to reduce federal support for renewable energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Secures 527-MW US Order” • Vestas has secured a 527-MW turbine supply order with an undisclosed customer in the US. The Danish OEM will provide its V150-4.5MW model to the project. Delivery of the hardware is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2026. Commissioning is planned for the final quarter of that year. [reNews]

Vestas wind turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “Ohio PUC Sets New Rules For Data Centers” • Data centers are the latest craze. But where will they get power? The Ohio Public Utilities Commission, in a 99 page unanimous decision, said data enter operators had to commit to paying for at least 85% of the upgrades they claim to need for data centers, even if the demand they expect doesn’t materialize. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “GM Is Now Taking Aim At Tesla’s Energy Storage Business, Too” • Tesla’s brand reputation crisis hit its EV sales so hard that the Tesla Cybertruck was reportedly outsold by General Motors’s electric Hummer in Q2. Now GM and Redwood issued a press release that takes a shot across the bow of Tesla’s AI data center Megapack business. [CleanTechnica]

Have a neatly measured day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Transport Decarbonisation Is A Lever For Competitiveness But The EU Budget Fails To Capitalise On It” • Support for critical technologies such as batteries and e-fuels is essential to boosting the EU’s competitiveness, energy security, and strategic autonomy. But the scarcity of funding in the ECF risks sidelining key transport investments. [CleanTechnica]

Passenger jet (Dan Stephens, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “EVs Take 28.4% Share In Germany” • June saw plugin EVs take 28.4% share in Germany, up from the 19.8% of the relatively weak 2024 baseline for plugins. Battery EV volumes were up modestly, while plugin hybrid EVs increased strongly. Overall auto volume was 256,193 units, down some 14% YOY. The best-selling BEV in June was the Volkswagen ID.3. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Plans Modified Models For China” • Tesla China this week announced two new variations of the only two cars it sells in the country. One is a 3-row, 6-passenger Model Y, slightly larger than the the standard Model Y. The other is a single-motor Model 3 with a listed range of 800 km (497 miles). Perhaps these can lift Tesla’s sales. [CleanTechnica]

Three-row Model Y (Tesla image)

¶ “Iberdrola Launches First German Solar Park” • Iberdrola has commissioned its first solar park in Germany, marking a key expansion of its German onshore renewable energy business. The 80,000-panel Boldekow solar park will supply more than 53 GWh of renewable electricity annually to Vodafone Germany, according to Iberdrola. [reNews]

¶ “SPR Starts EA3 Cable Installation” • ScottishPower Renewables started pulling the first section of export cable ashore at Bawdsey in Suffolk for its £4 billion East Anglia 3 offshore wind farm. It is another milestone for the project. ScottishPower says the cables will carry 1.4 GW of power 147 km (91 miles) from the project’s offshore substation to the landfall point. [reNews]

Pulling the cable (ScottishPower Renewables)

¶ “Eskom Aims To Generate 32 GW Of Renewable Energy By 2040” • Eskom aims to shift to mainly clean energy sources by 2040 from its current predominantly coal-based generation fleet, it said as it laid out its latest plans for the change. Eskom aims to have 32 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2040, compared to less than 1 GW now. [MSN]

¶ “ONP And Semco Forge Floating Wind Partnership” • ONP Management and Semco Maritime signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate in the floating offshore wind sector. The companies said the partnership will focus on engineering and consultancy services to support the development of floating offshore wind projects globally. [reNews]

Substation on a barge (Semco image)

¶ “HSM Offshore Sends Thor Substation To Site” • HSM Offshore Energy has successfully completed and delivered the offshore substation for the 1.1-GW Thor wind farm, Denmark’s largest offshore wind project to date, the company announced. The substation are en route to their installation site, around 22 km off the west coast of Jutland. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Ford Plans To Bring Affordable EVs To Market” • Bloomberg Green hosted a conference in Seattle where a Ford spokesman told the audience the least expensive EV the company offers, the Mustang Mach-E, sells for as little as $37,995. Is Ford trying to pull a fast one by including the (soon to disappear) $7500 federal tax credit? No, it is not. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally (Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Waev Launches Fusion: All-New Li-Ion Commercial Carts and Low-Speed Vehicles” • Waev Inc., an EV manufacturer of right-sized, low-speed solutions for local fleet use, announced that it is adding a new line, Fusion, a family of all-new lithium-ion carts and low-speed vehicles designed specifically for commercial customers. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$43.5 Million Ad Campaign To Boost EV Sales In The US, Hopefully” • In a real-life story torn from the pages of Norway, Veloz, a nonprofit, is embarking on a $43.5 million consumer education campaign aimed to boost EV sales in the US. That’s not a bad idea. After all, consumer education is credited with Norway’s #1 position in EV adoption. [CleanTechnica]

Hyundai EV (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash)

¶ “Sol Systems Secures $675 Million Of Revolving Finance For Renewable Energy” • Independent power producer Sol Systems secured a $675 million revolving construction finance facility to support construction of solar and wind projects. The funding will support an initial 500 MW of projects in Illinois, Texas, and Ohio to start operations by the end of 2026. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Paradise Solar Project To Bring Clean Energy To Muhlenberg County” • Officials in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, renewable energy leaders, and community members gathered to celebrate the formal announcement of the new Paradise Solar Project. The 62.5-MW solar farm will be built on reclaimed coal mining land near the former Paradise Power Plant. [WBKO]

Paradise Power Plant in 2010 (TVA Web Team, CC-BY 2.0)

¶ “Colorado Awards $1.6 Million In Final Round Of Geothermal Energy Grant Program Funding” • The Colorado Energy Office announced $1.6 million in Geothermal Energy Grant Program funding to support geothermal heating initiatives and studies in Colorado. This is the final expected funding round for this program. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Google Backs Ten New Nuclear Reactors For AI, Built by AI. What Could Go Wrong?” • President Trump has announced $92 billion in AI-related investments, one of which is ten new nuclear reactors to be built by Westinghouse in partnership with Google. Construction is supposed to begin by 2030. That might be easier said than done. [MSN]

Have a fantastically sensible day.

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World:

¶ “Iraqi Oil Field On Fire After Drone Strike During Attacks In Kurdish Region” • An oil field in Iraq ‘s Dohuk province was set ablaze after being struck by a drone. It is the latest in a series of similar attacks launched recently against oil facilities in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. [ABC News]

Soldier with drones (Scott Stewart, CC-BY 4.0)

¶ “BYD Sold 2.14 Million Vehicles In The First Six Months Of 2025” • In the first half of the year, BYD Group’s cumulative sales reached 2.146 million vehicles, becoming the only Chinese car maker to exceed 2 million vehicles in a half-year period. BYD sold 206,900 pure battery EVs in June alone, for a year-on-year increase of 42.50%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “VW ID.3 Battery Holds 91% Charge After 160,000 Kilometers” • In Germany, Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club conducts widely respected third party testing of cars. It recently wrapped up four years of endurance testing of the Volkswagen ID.3. After driving 160,000 km, the test car still had 91% of its initial battery storage capacity. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.3 (Alexander-93, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Tesla Starts Selling Vehicles In India – Finally” • After years and years of delay, Tesla is finally selling cars in India! Tesla opened a store in Mumbai, and you can now buy a Model Y in India. The bad news is that the starting price for a Model Y is about 55% higher in India than in the US, thanks to India’s high tariffs on imported vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “German Onshore Wind Sector Toasts Bumper Half-Year” • Germany’s onshore wind sector recorded its strongest half-year performance since 2017, according to the German Wind Energy Association. In the first six months of 2025, 409 onshore wind turbines were commissioned with a total capacity of 2.2 GW, up 67% from the first half of 2024. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Trianel image)

¶ “Solar Dominates Wind In Polish Renewables Auctions” • Solar projects dominated wind power in the latest renewable energy auctions in Poland. In total, Poland awarded 1.7 GW of capacity for renewable projects, of which more than 1.6 GW was for solar and only 83 MW for onshore wind installations. Of winning bids, 126 were solar and three were for wind. [reNews]

¶ “Giant Gold Mine Switches Off Gas And Diesel For First Time After Completion Of Largest Off-Grid Hybrid System” • A new 115-MW hybrid power system at a massive gold mine in Western Australia has been testing its hydrocarbons-off functionality recently. It meets the mine’s total energy load and is powered by wind and solar energy. [RenewEconomy]

Renewable energy (Pacific Energy image)

¶ “In Australia, Solar And Batteries Drive Down Power Costs” • It seems extraordinary that Australia had a political tussle over the need for nuclear power plants while the combination of solar and batteries is dropping in price so rapidly. Recent figures from BloombergNEF show that the cost of Chinese solar modules fell below 10¢/watt last year. [Small Caps]

¶ “Sarawak A Renewable Energy Hub, Irrelevant To Talk About Nuclear Energy” • Sarawak does not need to consider nuclear power, as the state is rich in other energy sources, says Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg. He said “Instead we can be a hub for renewable energy.” The state has hydropower and solar power, along with combined cycle gas. [MSN]

Dam in Sarawak (UNIMAS Sarawak, CC-BY-2.5)

US:

¶ “Climate Change Is Amplifying Extreme Rain Events In The Northeast, Research Shows” • The extreme rainfall that fell in the Northeast on Monday will likely occur more often in the future as a result of climate change, research shows. The Northeast had a 60% increase in extreme precipitation recent decades. That is the largest regional increase in the US. [ABC News]

¶ “Brookfield And Google Ink US Hydro Pact” • Brookfield and Google announced a Hydro Framework Agreement to deliver up to 3 GW of carbon-free hydropower in the US. Brookfield said the deal is the first of its kind and the world’s largest framework agreement for hydroelectricity. The first contracts executed are for facilities in Pennsylvania. [reNews]

Brookfield’s Holtwood facility (Brookfield image)

¶ “Most Of The Planned Coal Capacity Retirements Are In The Midwest Or Mid-Atlantic Regions” • Based on what power plant owners and operators reported, the capacity of US coal-fired power plants is to fall from 172 GW in May 2025 to 145 GW by the end of 2028. Of planned coal capacity retirements, 58% are in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cable-Laying Begins For CVOW Offshore Wind Farm” • The new Prysmian cable-laying vessel Monna Lisa is now installing the first submarine cable for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. Dominion Energy is developing the project. With a capacity of 2.6-GW, it is the largest offshore wind farm under construction in the US. [reNews]

Mona Lisa cable-laying vessel (Prysmian image)

¶ “Geronimo Power Breaks Ground On The 250-MW Portage Solar Project In Wisconsin” • Geronimo Power, formerly National Grid Renewables, started construction of its 250-MW Portage Solar Project in Portage County, Wisconsin. The project marks a significant step in the state’s expansion of renewable energy capacity. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Relief From Drought In Southwest US Likely Isn’t Coming, According To New Research” •The Southwest United States is currently facing its worst megadrought of the past 1,200 years. According to a recent study from The University of Texas at Austin, the drought could continue at least until the end of the century, if not longer. [EurekAlert!]

Have an utterly okay day.

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World:

¶ “India Can’t Wish Away Coal. Can It Be Made Cleaner?” • India has always taken a hard position on coal, arguing that it is crucial for its energy security and development. But energy experts and environment campaigners increasingly say it should at least try to decarbonise or curtail emissions from coal-fired power plants, if it can’t be phased out altogether. [BBC]

Coal miner (Amir Arabshahi, Unsplash)

¶ “Farmers Face Crisis As Drought Causes Grass To Fail” • In the UK, dairy farmers face a crisis, spending thousands of pounds to feed cattle grain that should be saved for the winter. This year’s long, dry spring is the warmest and sunniest on record. It has forced many farmers to take unprecedented action. “The grass is completely dried up,” one farmer said. [BBC]

¶ “ClearVue Update” • It is a few months since CleanTechnica reported on the innovative Australian company, ClearVue, so it is time for an update. The project is expanding with a A$20 million collaboration to improve Australia’s future food security with a smart greenhouse. The five-year research program began earlier this month. [CleanTechnica]

ClearVue Greenhouse (From ClearVue media release)

¶ “Kenya’s First Business Financing Program For Electric Motorcycles Kicks Off With Over 600 Units” • Kenya’s electric mobility sector is growing nicely, with several players getting major traction. The Electric Mobility Association of Kenya says there are over 56 players in Kenya’s electric mobility sector. And financing has not been neglected. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “All 100 Foundations In Place For 1.4-GW Sofia” • RWE has reached a major construction milestone at the Sofia offshore wind farm with the installation of the 100th and final steel monopile foundation structure. All foundations are now in place for the 1.4-GW offshore array, which is on Dogger Bank, 195 km off the north-east coast of the UK. [reNews]

Monopile installation (RWE image)

¶ “Europe’s Clean Power Paradox: Record Solar Sends Prices Below Zero” • Europe is drowning in cheap solar power by day but still scrambling for expensive fossil fuels by night, exposing a growing paradox at the heart of its energy transition. A Montel Analytics report shows a surge in negative electricity prices in Europe for the first half of 2025. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Mooreast And GeoProvider Team Up On Floating Wind” • Singapore-listed Mooreast Holdings joined with GeoProvider, based in Norway, to build up its offering to the floating offshore wind market. Mooreast will tap into GeoProvider’s geotechnical and geophysical database to accelerate offshore data analysis and support larger, more complicated projects. [reNews]

Towing a floating turbine (Mooreast Holdings image)

¶ “India’s Renewable Rise: Non-Fossil Sources Now Power Half The Nation’s Grid” • India has achieved a landmark in its energy transition journey by reaching 50% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources. It did this five years ahead of the target set under its Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement. [Global Green News]

¶ “Irish Wind Generation Breaks June Record” • In Ireland, wind generated the greatest amount of electricity on record for the month of June, a report from Wind Energy Ireland shows. The report says 30% of electricity demand met by Irish wind farms in the month, up slightly when compared to June 2024. Irish solar farms also set a record for the month. [reNews]

Wind turbines in Ireland (Nordex image)

¶ “IAEA Warning After Gunfire Near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant” • International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said agency experts at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant heard “hundreds of rounds of small arms fire” on Saturday evening. Grossi called military activity near a major nuclear plant “unacceptable.” [World Nuclear News]

US:

¶ “Florida City Real Estate Market Crashes After Being Super Hot A Few Years Ago” • Cape Coral had a booming real estate market a few years ago. Now, it is said to be the “worst housing market in America.” Housing prices dropped 11% in two years, and they are still falling. The cause is largely storms worstened by climate change, along with insurance problems. [CleanTechnica]

Florida (Following NYC, Pexels, cropped)

¶ “Trump Administration Won’t Publish Major Climate Change Report On NASA Website” • The Trump administration took another step to make it harder to find major, legally mandated scientific assessments of how climate change is endangering the nation. NASA is required by law to release the report, but it is not available at NASA’s website. [ABC News]

¶ “GM’s Ultium Cells Venture: What If EVs Survive The New Tax Bill After All?” • President Trump spent the first six months of his second term in office trying to make electric cars not happen, but signs of life keep emerging. The Ultium Cells EV battery branch of General Motors just announced plans to bring its low-cost LFP EV battery to market by late 2027. [CleanTechnica]

Cadillac LYRIQ EV (Courtesy of Cadillac)

¶ “A “Zombie” US Offshore Wind Farm Fights For Life” • With President Trump’s pledge to throttle back the US offshore wind industry, it’s a bit surprising to see the 2-GW Maryland Offshore Wind Project working its way through federal permitting. It has hit a snag, but Maryland Governor Wes Moore and developer US Wind both vowed to forge ahead. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump’s Policies Have US States Eyeing Offshore Wind Power From Canada And Elsewhere” • Massachusetts is among the American states exploring sourcing electricity from planned offshore wind farms in Atlantic Canada, following the US market-stalling moratorium imposed on the industry by the Trump administration earlier this year. [Mother Jones]

Have a simply majestic day.

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