The Environmental Cost of Datacentres Is Rising. Is It Time to Quit AI?
Datacentre electricity demand is rising four times faster than any other sector, with Australian demand expected to triple by 2030, outpacing even electric‑vehicle power use. Studies estimate AI’s global carbon footprint could reach up to 80 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2025 and consume hundreds of billions of litres of water. The emerging QuitGPT movement calls for a consumer boycott of AI, arguing that the environmental costs outweigh unclear societal benefits. Industry groups are proposing public‑interest principles that would require new datacentres to fund renewable energy and water‑recycling infrastructure.
Poll Shows Mixed U.S. Sentiment Toward Data Centers’ Role in Communities
Pew Research surveyed 8,512 U.S. adults in January, finding that three‑quarters are aware of data centers, yet most hold negative views on their environmental impact and effect on home energy costs. Only a small minority see them as beneficial for...
Behind-the-Meter Data Center Proposed Outside Richmond, Virginia
LS Power is planning a 205‑acre, four‑building data‑center campus outside Richmond, Virginia, that could draw power directly from the adjacent Doswell natural‑gas plant via a behind‑the‑meter connection. The site will feature a GE Vernova LM6000 gas turbine and on‑site solar...
Resource Plans Drive Clean Energy Value Creation for Investors
Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) are becoming a key lever for utilities to create long‑term shareholder value by building clean energy assets such as renewables, storage, and nuclear. Because regulated utilities earn a regulated return of 9‑11% while their true cost...
Factor This Finance and Project Development Roundup: ArcLight, Arevon, Aypa Power, Octopus, Sol Systems
The week’s cleantech roundup highlighted a surge of initiatives aimed at modernizing the U.S. power grid. The Department of Energy announced a $1.9 billion grant program for urgent grid upgrades, while a coalition that includes Google and Tesla is pushing for...
Siemens Mitras Plant Cuts Energy Use 40%, Earns LEED Platinum
Siemens’ Mitras plant in Nuevo León, Mexico, earned LEED Platinum certification, the first industrial building in the country to achieve this level under LEED v4. The 201,285‑square‑foot facility, opened in 2024, produces low‑voltage electrical components and uses advanced automation and...
Gas in Mexico: Risks and Alternatives for a Sustainable Energy Model
Mexico relies on imported natural gas for more than 70% of its consumption, chiefly via pipelines from Texas. This dependence underpins electricity generation, industrial processes and Pemex operations, but it also exposes the country to supply disruptions, price volatility and...
TfL Selects Direct Solar Power to Help Run the Tube | RailUK
Transport for London (TfL) has appointed SSE Energy Solutions to design and build purpose‑built solar farms that will feed electricity directly into the Tube network via a private‑wire arrangement. The scheme will generate up to 65,000 MWh of zero‑carbon power each...
Elsewedy Electric Commissions 349MWp Solar PV Plant in Saudi Arabia
Elsewedy Electric has commissioned the 348.6 MWp El Saad solar PV plant east of Riyadh, marking its first utility‑scale project in the Gulf. The EPC effort wrapped in 16.5 months, well ahead of the original 24‑month timeline, and the project has secured a...
Solving the Heat Problems: How Silicon Photonics Is Redefining Thermal Efficiency in Data Centers
AI-driven compute density is straining data‑center cooling as data movement generates most heat. Traditional copper interconnects add resistive losses, forcing energy‑intensive air cooling. Silicon photonics replaces electrical links with optical ones, slashing energy‑per‑bit and thermal output. Recent heterogeneously integrated photonic...
California Lithium Developer CTR to Go Public in US$4.7 Billion SPAC Deal
Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) will go public through a $4.7 billion SPAC merger with Plum Acquisition, listing on Nasdaq as CTRH. The deal funds the Hell’s Kitchen geothermal‑lithium project in California’s Imperial Valley, starting with 25,000 t/yr lithium carbonate capacity and a...
The Hydrogen Stream: Atome Secures $420 Million Debt for Paraguay Plant
Atome secured a $420 million debt package to fund a $650 million low‑carbon fertilizer plant in Paraguay, targeting 260,000 tonnes of output per year and marking one of the first industrial‑scale green‑hydrogen fertilizer projects outside the EU. Meanwhile, Asahi Kasei began installing a 1 MW...
Atomic Ratio Tuning in Catalysts Controls Carbon Nanofiber Production From CO2
Researchers reported a two‑stage tandem system that converts CO₂ and water into carbon nanofibers at 450 °C and ambient pressure. By varying the palladium‑to‑copper atomic ratio in a Pd‑Cu electrocatalyst, they tuned the syngas composition, achieving a peak CO partial current...
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Wafer Prices Fall on Weak Demand
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported that polysilicon and wafer prices fell sharply this week, with n‑type re‑feed and dense polysilicon down about 6.4% to CNY 45,200 per tonne. Wafer prices slipped as well, with G10L at CNY 1.03, G12R at...
Maryland Legislators Include Utility Solar in Statewide Energy Savings Initiative
Maryland legislators unveiled the Utility RELIEF Act, a $200 million package aimed at cutting household energy costs by $150 per year. Half of the funding ($100 million) is earmarked for utility‑scale solar projects, while the remainder supports grid modernization and holds large energy...
Forest Advocates Accuse EU Energy Firm of Dutch Biomass Certification Fraud
Forest groups and Dutch authorities allege that energy giant RWE imported Malaysian wood pellets labeled as Category 5 waste but actually sourced from whole trees, violating EU biomass‑certification rules. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service is weighing a criminal investigation after advocacy...
‘More Capital Available’ for Renewable Energy Investments in 2026
At the Solar Finance & Investment Europe summit, experts noted a shift to soft insurance cycles that is freeing up risk capital and easing financing for renewable projects, even as grid constraints and the need for co‑located battery storage persist....
NET Power Pushes Back Project Permian FID
NET Power, backed by Occidental Petroleum, has postponed the final investment decision for its flagship Project Permian clean‑power plant to the back half of the year. The project, which targets a 400‑MW zero‑carbon output using Oxy‑fuel technology, was previously slated...
California Hits Record Battery Discharge, Covering 10% Demand
Two new battery records on @CaliforniaISO grid: Max battery discharge rate: 56.61 GWh/day Max discharge rate as a percent of demand: 38.0% at 6:55 PM 3/12/26 Batteries met 10.5% of all demand 21st straight & 48/71 (68%) days in 2026 with WWS>100% of demand...
Sigenergy Unveils 166 kW Inverter for C&I Solar
Chinese solar equipment maker Sigenergy has introduced a 166 kW IP66‑rated inverter aimed at commercial and industrial (C&I) solar projects. The unit features nine MPPT trackers, a peak efficiency of 98.7%, and flexible three‑phase AC outputs up to 480 V, while tolerating...
IOUs Work to Interconnect 39 GW of Data Center, Manufacturing Load: EEI
Investor‑owned utilities are coordinating to interconnect roughly 39 GW of data‑center and manufacturing loads, representing more than 80 large‑load projects across the United States. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) highlighted that 20 states have already approved at least one large‑load tariff,...
What Is Dictating Solar Module Price Increases?
Solar module price growth is now driven primarily by five cost pillars: silver paste, polysilicon, glass, aluminium, and energy‑water inputs. Silver paste remains the largest single expense, with record‑high silver prices in early 2026 inflating cell costs. Polysilicon, accounting for...
Electrification Remains Overlooked Climate Solution, Reporter Frustrated
As a climate and energy reporter, I have to admit continued frustration in trying to convince people that electrification is a climate solution, regardless of what is used to generate the power. Sigh...
Data Centers Use Little Water Nationwide, Yet Strain Local Supplies
Paper on data center water use makes two points 1) National data center water use in 2030 will remain “modest” compared to total public water supply (1.8%–3.7%) or agriculture (0.6%–1.2%) 2) For some localities, serving peak demand could be a big deal...
WindEurope: Clean Power Is the only Future-Proof Play
WindEurope urges Europe to accelerate domestic renewable electricity after the Strait of Hormuz closure exposed the continent’s reliance on volatile fossil‑fuel imports. The group calls for lower electricity taxes, reallocation of emissions‑trading‑system revenues to industrial electrification, and an expanded EU...
China Launches Ground‑mounted Perovskite Solar Test Field
Ground-mounted perovksite solar module testing field goes online in China #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/JFx7Yp31JV
AEMO Stresses Keeping System and Market Functions Unified
“It is paramount:” AEMO says system and market operator functions must be kept together #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/aT4fNULk61 https://t.co/zCvJLVP2gO
Bahrain Reveals Qualified Bidders for 100 MW BAJ Solar IPP Project
Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority has shortlisted Saudi‑based ACWA Power and UAE‑based Yellow Door Energy to develop a 100 MW solar plant in Bilaj Al Jazayer under a build‑own‑operate public‑private partnership. The project targets commercial operation by 30 September 2027 and forms part...
Alfa Laval Launches South Korea’s First Large‑scale Liquid‑air Storage
Alfa Laval to build South Korea’s first large-scale liquid air storage system #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/ZAykglkWpQ
New Rooftop Solar Panel Enables Larger Systems
Powerful new rooftop solar panel promises system sizes “previously out of reach” #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/Jm6MCBYKj8 https://t.co/XzzLtt2LWX
FEED Contract Marks Step Forward in Mediterranean’s First CO2 Storage Project
Kent has secured a front‑end engineering design (FEED) contract with EnEarth to develop Greece’s first dedicated CO₂ storage facility at the Prinos offshore field. The project will initially inject 1 MtCO₂ per year, scaling to 2.8 MtCO₂ annually by 2029, and includes...
Secure Data, Sustainable Future: Cybersecurity Cuts Waste
As we generate more data than ever, are we being sustainable about it? Efficient, resilient cybersecurity protects info. But it can also reduce waste, energy use, and long-term risk. Data protection can (& should) go hand in hand with sustainability.
Enel Colombia Launches 180 MW Atlántico Solar Park
Enel Colombia’s 180 MW Atlántico solar park starts supplying national grid #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/qlzQnCmgbL
‘Clear Warning Signs’ as PJM Wholesale Power Costs Jump 54% in One Year
PJM Interconnection’s wholesale power costs surged 54% in 2025, reaching $67 billion. Capacity expenses exploded 262%, now 16% of total costs, exposing a 6,500 MW shortfall for the 2027/2028 auction. The spike is driven by rapid data‑center load growth, prompting the independent...
Trump Administration Courts Westinghouse Rivals as Nuclear Talks Stall
Trump admin courts Westinghouse rivals amid slow talks on new nuclear #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/GgoAEoRRAm
Japan Boosts Solar Capacity by 5.8 GW in 2025
Japan adds 5.8 GW of solar in 2025 #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/E8kobL8J1P
Global Offshore Capacity Nears 100GW Milestone
RenewableUK reports global offshore wind capacity will hit 100 GW in 2026, up from 89.2 GW in 2025. The sector added 8.8 GW in 2025, marking the fourth‑largest installation year on record. Forecasts show 18.8 GW could be commissioned in 2026 and total capacity...
Brazil's 439 MW Bom Jardim Solar Plant Enters Testing
Brazil’s 439 MW Bom Jardim solar site begins testing phase #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/hH761UmFpi
World's Largest Isolated Grid Faces New Home Solar Rules
New rules loom for home solar and batteries, as world’s biggest isolated grid tackles “unique challenge” #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/1PupQeTaCi https://t.co/cDTknCGFvw
New Research Reveals How Semiconductor Electrodes Can Achieve Green Hydrogen Production
University of Jyväskylä researchers used a new constant inner potential density functional theory to model semiconductor electrochemistry, revealing that lowering the electrode potential creates polarons on TiO₂ surfaces that activate the hydrogen evolution reaction. State‑of‑the‑art Raman, electron resonance and photoelectron...
Natural Gas Switch Costs More Than Solar, Batteries
Switching from coal to natural gas is not the “gift” you think it is. The infrastructure costs are enormous. Far cheaper to move to solar and batteries. The administration has hurt LNG security in a big way with this conflict. https://t.co/VIukiTxMxx
Can This New Coalition Help Bring Down Energy Costs? – This Week in Cleantech
This week’s Cleantech roundup highlighted four pivotal energy topics. The EPA, under the Trump administration, rescinded the 2009 endangerment finding that anchored greenhouse‑gas regulation under the Clean Air Act. Exelon’s executive outlined a $38 billion capital plan that prioritizes affordability while...
Renewables Safeguard Rinehart’s Lithium Venture Amid Fossil Crisis
As always, the quarterlies tell the truth. "We are 80 pct renewable:" Wind and solar shield Gina Rinehart's big lithium play from fossil fuel crisis https://t.co/pGF3RZbT0n
Nexwell Power Secures Financing on 250MW Spanish PV Portfolio
Nexwell Power has closed a €167 million multi‑tranche financing to fund a 248 MW solar PV portfolio in Spain. The portfolio, acquired from Q Energy, comprises seven plants in Andalusia and Aragon, with several projects already mechanically complete and others slated for early‑2026...
IDB Invest Coordinates Financing for Paraguay’s First Green Hydrogen Fertilizer Project
IDB Invest coordinated a $420 million debt‑financing package, contributing $156 million, to launch Project Villeta – Paraguay’s first green‑hydrogen‑based fertilizer plant. The $650 million investment will produce about 262,460 tons of fertilizer annually, with roughly 90% earmarked for export, leveraging the country’s 100% hydroelectric grid. A...
Increased Spacing Between Solar Module Rows Boosts Agrivoltaics Viability
U.S. researchers at Colorado University introduced an economic framework that evaluates how wider spacing between solar photovoltaic (PV) rows can make agrivoltaic systems viable for large‑scale, mechanized farming. Simulations on a 160‑acre Colorado site across potatoes, onions, sugar beets and...
How to Fund Measurable Methane Reductions at Scale — and Fast
Methane accounts for roughly a third of current global warming but remains chronically under‑funded. The waste sector, especially biowaste, represents half of global waste yet less than five percent is biologically treated, creating a massive, low‑cost methane source. Market design...
Galetech Invests £3m in UK Renewables
Galetech Group, an Irish renewable‑energy developer, announced a £3 million investment in the United Kingdom over the next five years to expand its renewable‑energy services. The funding will enable the creation of up to 30 highly‑skilled jobs by 2030 and broaden...
Sif Chief Warns of Offshore Wind Slowdown
Sif CEO Fred van Beers warned that offshore wind activity has fallen to a very low level in the short term, despite a healthy long‑term outlook. The Dutch steelmaker posted adjusted EBITDA of €48 million for 2025, up from €38.4 million in...
Hyundai-LGES, Huayou in Battery Recycling Partnership in Indonesia
Hyundai Motor Group’s Indonesian JV with LG Energy Solution, PT Hyundai LG Indonesia Green Power, has teamed up with Zhejiang Huayou Recycling to process both production waste and end‑of‑life EV batteries. The $1.1 billion Karawang plant, operational in 2024, will ship waste to Huayou’s local...