First Solar Gets Access to Oxford PV Perovskite Patents
First Solar has signed a non‑exclusive licensing agreement with Oxford PV, granting access to the UK firm’s extensive perovskite patent portfolio and pending applications. The deal enables First Solar to develop and potentially manufacture perovskite‑based thin‑film photovoltaic modules for U.S. utility‑scale, commercial and residential markets, while excluding crystalline silicon technologies. First Solar has already invested over $2 billion in thin‑film R&D, including a new perovskite production line at its Ohio campus. Oxford PV, the holder of the strongest global perovskite patents, continues to commercialize tandem cells in Germany and expand manufacturing capacity.
Portugal Powers Winter with 80% Renewables, Disproving Skeptics
Still think renewables can't power a modern economy? Portugal just hit 80.7% renewable electricity for the entire month of January. In the middle of winter 2017: 41.8% ("ceiling" skeptics said we couldn't break) 2023: 61.0% (Coal plants? GONE. Last one closed 2021) 2026:...
Gigantic Form Energy Battery to Power Google Data Center in Minnesota
Form Energy’s iron‑air battery will be deployed by Xcel Energy in Minnesota to power a new Google data center. The 300 MW installation can discharge continuously for up to 100 hours, delivering 30 GWh of stored clean energy. Google will also fund 1.4 GW...
Voestalpine Railway Systems’ Key Role in EU Rail FA3
voestalpine Railway Systems has joined as a founding member of the EU Rail FA3 programme, a pan‑European research effort to make rail the most sustainable and cost‑efficient transport mode. The company contributes its turnout and track‑system expertise across four use...
Germany's Energiewende Fuels Economic Decline
Thank your lucky stars you don’t live in #Germany. Once the industrial powerhouse of Europe, Germany is in decline. And much of that decline is a direct result of the country’s insane energy policies. For the past 15 years, the country...
New Report Confirms Business and Economic Benefits of Using Green Chemistry
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation announced a $93.4 million, seven‑year Green Chemistry Initiative, the first chemistry‑focused effort in its 25‑year history. A new report, Green Chemistry in America 2026, surveyed 300 R&D leaders and 3,000 consumers, revealing strong industry support for...
Vestas Secures Mega Order: Vestas Receives 1.38-GW Offshore Order From RWE for UK Offshore Major Project Vanguard West - Share...
Vestas has secured a firm 1.38‑GW offshore wind order from RWE for the Vanguard West project in the UK, encompassing 92 V236‑15 MW turbines. The deal includes supply, transport, commissioning, a five‑year service agreement and subsequent long‑term O&M contract. The project,...
4 Ways Cities Can Shape Data Center Impact
Climate Mayors, together with Bloomberg Associates, released a report outlining how U.S. cities can shape the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers driven by AI growth. The guide highlights four leverage points—site selection, electricity costs, environmental impacts, and local economic...
The Future of Cold Storage: Innovations in Energy Efficiency & Why They Matter Now More Than Ever
Rising energy prices, stricter regulations, and sustainability goals are forcing cold‑storage operators to prioritize efficiency. New insulation materials such as XPS and vacuum‑insulated panels dramatically reduce thermal loss, while IoT‑enabled smart controls match cooling output to real‑time demand. Manufacturers are...
Trina and GSC Partner on 12GWh EU Storage
Trina Storage and Gore Street Capital have launched a private EU Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) fund targeting more than 12 GWh of projects. The fund, backed by the European Investment Fund and the Irish Strategic Investment Fund, aims to raise...
‘Balance Between Profitability and Predictability’: Inside Europe’s Shift Towards Tolling Offtake Agreements in Battery Storage
Physical tolling agreements are rapidly becoming the preferred off‑take structure for new battery storage projects across Europe, a trend highlighted at the Energy Storage Summit 2026. A poll of attendees showed 75 % are considering tolls, reflecting growing confidence that these...
KODE Labs Unveils EnerG: Revolutionizing Utility Management for Smarter, Sustainable Real Estate Portfolios
KODE Labs has launched EnerG, an AI‑enabled platform that consolidates utility, sustainability, and performance data for enterprise real‑estate portfolios. The solution replaces fragmented spreadsheets, PDFs and portal pulls with automated ingestion, validation and anomaly detection. Built as an extension of...
Mars Signs One of Its Largest Renewable Energy Purchase Deals in Europe
Mars announced a power purchase agreement with Foresight Energy Infrastructure Partners for 70% of the output from the newly commissioned 277 MW Kölvallen wind farm in Sweden, delivering roughly 670 GWh of clean electricity each year. The deal marks the confectioner’s second...
Australia’s Most Costly Anti-Climate Policy Hits Taxpayers for $30m a Day as Calls Mount to Wind Back Fuel Tax Credits...
Australia’s fuel tax credits scheme is costing taxpayers nearly $10.8 bn this fiscal year – roughly $30 m a day – by refunding excise on diesel and petrol for miners, farmers and other heavy‑fuel users. Critics label it the nation’s most expensive...
Hitachi and Pakal Advance Silicon Modules
Hitachi Energy and Pakal Technologies have teamed up to embed Pakal’s IGTO(t) silicon power switch into Hitachi’s high‑voltage power modules. The IGTO(t) promises roughly 30% lower conduction losses than conventional IGBTs, enhancing efficiency across rail, renewable, energy‑storage, AI and data‑centre...
Inch Cape Report Outlines UK Impact
Offshore wind developer Inch Cape released an independent report quantifying its economic contribution to the UK. The 50/50 ESB‑Red Rock joint venture will invest £4.7 billion overall, with £2.7 billion earmarked for Scotland and £1 billion in eastern regions. At construction peak, the...
Mitsubishi Delivers First Ammonia Fuel Supply Systems for Marine Use
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has shipped the first ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) and ammonia gas abatement system (AGAS) for Japan Engine Corporation’s inaugural ammonia‑fueled marine engine, model 7UEC50LSJA‑HPSCR. The AFSS delivers ammonia to the engine safely and steadily, while the AGAS...
Australia’s Biggest Renewable Grid “Stress Test” Facility Gets a $3 Million Upgrade
Australia’s CSIRO Renewable Energy Integration Facility (REIF) received a $3 million federal upgrade, doubling its power‑testing capacity. The enhanced lab now emulates microgrids, grid faults, and vehicle‑to‑grid scenarios, allowing realistic stress‑tests of solar, battery, wind and EV technologies. Operated from Newcastle,...
‘Garbage in, Garbage Out’ – Solar Industry Debates Reality of AI
The Solar Quality Summit in Barcelona highlighted AI’s ability to accelerate photovoltaic project planning, construction, and operations, but stressed that its value hinges on high‑quality data. Attendees warned that “garbage in, garbage out” can magnify mistakes, making validation and human...
ET Fuels Secures Bunkering Buyer for Texas E-Methanol
Irish developer ET Fuels has signed a binding long‑term offtake agreement with UK shipping firm RFOcean to supply e‑methanol at a fixed price starting in 2030. The fuel will be produced at ET Fuels’ advanced Rattlesnake Gap plant in Texas,...
Weidmuller Releases New PV Connector Series for 1,500-V Systems
Weidmuller USA introduced the WM4 C PV connector series, engineered for advanced solar installations up to 1,500 V. The UL‑ and CSA‑approved connectors feature robust crimp contacts for 4 mm² and 6 mm² (12 AWG/10 AWG) conductors and are rated IP67 for harsh environments. An anti‑tampering...
‘No Project Above 100MW Is Fully Merchant’: Bankability in Focus as Energy Storage Summit 2026 Kicks Off
The opening panel at the Energy Storage Summit 2026 focused on making large‑scale battery energy storage systems bankable. Speakers highlighted that roughly 80% of UK BESS capacity is underwritten by tolls or floor contracts, and no project above 100 MW operates fully...
Energy Control Will Dictate AI Power and Competition
$12B FOR AI. BUT WHO OWNS THE SWITCH? This week, Amazon committed $12 billion to AI data centers in Louisiana, part of what could reach $200 billion in capital expenditures this year. I’ve been studying automation and AI for decades. What strikes...
FTC Solar Secures 840MW Tracker Deal in South Africa
FTC Solar signs 840MW PV tracker supply agreement in South Africa #energysky -- via pv-tech: https://t.co/ddeEfgCzt8
UrbanChain Adds Centrica Wind to Market
UrbanChain has integrated Centrica Energy’s 26.5 GWh per year on‑shore wind asset in Cambridgeshire into its renewable trading platform, embedding the supply within its operating layer to match generation with local demand in real time. The partnership aims to deliver fully...
Execution Discipline Boosts European Energy Storage Value
Execution discipline redefines energy storage value in Europe, as investable projects become harder to secure #energysky -- via Energy Storage News: https://t.co/DVUJuczkAo
Republicans Back Clean Energy Credit, Criticize Trump’s Advisors
Republicans pushing for clean energy tax credit: “We think [Trump] is getting bad advice #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/7851K4C1i0 https://t.co/AgsRewWiRC
Exclusive: Newtrace to Raise Pre Series A Funding Led by HDFC Bank
Climate‑tech startup Newtrace announced a Rs 28 crore pre‑Series A round, led by HDFC Bank with participation from Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and existing backers. The funding, issued via 2,541 convertible preference shares, keeps the post‑money valuation flat at Rs 237 crore ($26 million). Proceeds will fund product...
Weidmuller Launches 1,500‑V PV Connector Series
Weidmuller releases new PV connector series for 1,500-V systems #energysky -- via Solar Power World: https://t.co/xWVdgHrDKB
SCOTUS Decision Redefines Future of Energy
I learned a lot in this timely deep dive about what the new SCOTUS decision means for energy. Check it out
Dominion Reports Marginal Increase in Data Center Pipeline
Dominion Energy announced that its contracted data‑center capacity now exceeds 48 GW, a three‑percent increase since September. The utility lifted its five‑year capital‑investment outlook by 30% to $65 billion, with over 90% earmarked for Virginia to meet accelerating data‑center load. A new...
Climate Change May Boost Rooftop Solar Costs 20%
Global-warming-induced degradation could raise rooftop solar LCOE by up to 20% #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/aiSuBq2bng
AI Boosts Climate Research—But Beware Its Pitfalls
As a rare climate scientist working in Silicon Valley, I've been drinking from the AI firehose a lot more than my peers. I thought it would be helpful to lay out my experiences of both the promise and pitfalls of...
Deutsche Telekom Achieves Climate Neutrality in Operations, Cuts Emissions by 94% Since 2017
Deutsche Telekom announced it has achieved climate neutrality for its own operations, cutting Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by more than 94 percent since 2017. The milestone makes it the first DAX 40 company to reach this target, driven by long‑term renewable PPAs,...
Google Powers Data Center with 1.5GW Renewables, Iron‑air Storage
.@Google taps @XcelEnergyMN to supply data center with 1200 MW wind, 200 MW solar and 300 MW / 30 GWh @FormEnergyInc iron-air batteries, through new BYONCE (bring your own new clean electricity) tariff construct. https://t.co/iW5Xx4FZnx Google will also pay for all...
Half of This Year's Data Center Projects Likely Delayed
As many as half of the world's data center projects slated to come online this year could face delays. https://t.co/99YJh9NSoo via @axios
EVs Likely to Lose Zero-Emission Tag Under CAFE III
India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency is set to revise CAFE‑III rules, removing the zero‑emission label for electric cars and requiring manufacturers to account for electricity consumption in fuel‑efficiency calculations. The proposal converts kWh per 100 km into a petrol‑equivalent metric, aiming...
Blizzard Blackout Leaves Over 500,000 Homes Dark
Blizzard Blackout Hits More Than Half a Million Homes #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/ZW2z42zXZC https://t.co/OjDd9rCw4f
Enphase Launches Updated Control Software for IQ8, IQ9
Enphase releases new control software for its IQ8, IQ9 microinverters #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/o1N5C7Pn4z
Wide Boundary News: Biodiversity Depletion, Iran & the Strait of Hormuz, and the Green Wedge
In the latest Wide Boundary News episode, Nate Hagens connects the EU’s surge toward a 50 % renewable electricity mix and flattening CO₂ emissions with rising electricity prices that are spurring German industrial decline and chemical‑sector exits. He highlights China’s record...
Rwanda Launches Integrated Clean Cooking Plan for Energy Access
#Rwanda continues to make strong progress on #energyaccess and @SEforALLorg together with @RwandaGov & partners has developed a comprehensive National Integrated Clean Cooking Plan (NICCP) that looks at how 🇷🇼 can integrate various #cleancooking options. https://t.co/gAdXWpL6Ci https://t.co/aRMcj3mgvg
Billions in Climate Grants, Frozen for a Year, Are Back in Court
The EPA, led by Lee Zeldin, froze roughly $20 billion in green‑bank grants awarded to eight nonprofits, citing alleged misconduct despite no fraud evidence from FBI and OIG investigations. The freeze has lasted a year, forcing recipient organizations to cut staff...
How Bacteria Can Reclaim Lost Energy, Nutrients and Clean Water From Wastewater
Researchers in a Frontiers in Science review highlight that global wastewater contains roughly 800,000 GWh of recoverable chemical energy and nutrients enough to meet 11 % of ammonia and 7 % of phosphate demand. Microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) using electrogenic bacteria can transform...
AtNorth Announces Plans for 300MW Data Center Campus
Nordic data‑center operator atNorth announced a 300 MW campus in Sollefteå, Sweden, to be built on a 50‑hectare plot at Hamre Industrial Park and targeted for H1 2028. The facility will feature direct liquid cooling and support rack densities up to 1 MW,...
Minutes vs Megawatt-Hours: What Changes when Weather Forecasting Becomes a Form of Infrastructure?
The article argues that in solar‑heavy power systems, weather forecasting has evolved from a niche service into a core piece of grid infrastructure. Five‑minute market settlements expose how minutes, not just megawatt‑hours, dictate price volatility and system stability. Fast, accurate...
When Hail Hits PV: New Research Maps Damage, Testing, and Mitigation
A new European‑led review maps how large hail damages photovoltaic (PV) modules, summarising laboratory tests, simulations and field studies across Europe and the United States. The paper cites 9,882 hail events in Europe in 2023, a €6 billion loss in northern...
Microsoft Signs 1.8 Million Ton Carbon Removal Deal to Restore African Rainforest
Microsoft has signed a 15‑year agreement with Sierra Leone‑based Rainforest Builder to purchase up to 1.8 million carbon removal credits. The credits will be generated by Project Buffalo, a large‑scale reforestation effort that aims to plant over 10 million trees across 15,000...
Alliance From Hamburg Sounds The Alarm: Reiche’s Grid Package Harms Germany As A Business Location And Threatens The Expansion Of...
More than 20 Hamburg‑based energy firms have urged the CDU to reject Federal Minister Katherina Reiche’s draft “grid package.” The proposal would end compensation for curtailed renewable installations and impose special rules on roughly 900 distribution‑grid operators, raising costs and...
8Energies, Enspired and Goldbeck Solar Present White Paper: How Storage Solutions Increase the Profitability of Solar Parks
A joint white paper by 8Energies, Enspired and Goldbeck Solar proposes co‑locating battery energy storage systems with photovoltaic parks to counter falling solar revenues. The paper shows that shared‑grid “cable pooling” can raise the internal rate of return by up...
Trina Storage Sets Benchmarks in the Battery Storage Market: Company Reaches 6 GWh in Europe and Strengthens Market Position with...
Trina Storage announced that its cumulative battery energy storage system (BESS) volume in Europe has reached 6 GWh, covering more than 65 large‑scale projects across 12 countries since December 2020. Flagship installations include sites in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Greece,...