Know What's Happening in ClimateTech
Know What's Happening in ClimateTech
In this episode of Schweitzer Drive, Dave Whitehead talks with Kylan Robinson, Engineering Director at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, about circuit breakers—the essential devices that isolate and clear faults in power systems. They explain how breakers work, from household bimetallic and magnetic trips to large‑scale air, vacuum, gas, and oil‑filled breakers, and how protective relays act as the “brain” that detects faults and commands breakers to open. The conversation also covers the physics of arc extinction, the challenges of clearing AC versus DC faults, and emerging opportunities for innovation such as magnetic actuators, reduced part counts, and faster fault‑clearing technologies.
Utilities face a 25% rise in electricity demand by 2030 and 78% by 2050, straining aging grids and climate‑driven disruptions. Capital spending is soaring, with $178 billion allocated in 2024 and projected to hit $220.7 billion by 2026, yet tariffs, shortages, and...
The latest Electrek Podcast recaps a turbulent week for Tesla, highlighting the departure of the Cybercab program manager and Elon Musk’s threat to halt the Giga Berlin expansion over a union vote. It also spotlights Donut Lab’s solid‑state battery that...
Jack Dorsey’s Block announced a 40% workforce reduction, citing AI efficiencies, and its stock jumped over 20%. Ameresco and Luminance completed a 5.74 MW landfill solar project in Rhode Island, generating $4.4 M in lease revenue. Atlas Renewable Energy secured a landmark...
Three national nonprofits have formed the HVAC Change Lab to help U.S. school districts modernize aging heating, ventilation, and air‑conditioning systems. The initiative will provide peer‑to‑peer networking, one‑on‑one technical coaching, and a library of best‑practice resources to 12‑15 pilot districts...
Unifi’s 2025 Sustainability Snapshot reports that the company transformed waste equivalent to one billion t‑shirts through its Repreve platform, putting it ahead of its 1.5‑billion‑t‑shirt target for 2030. It also diverted 46 billion PET bottles from landfills, prompting an upward revision...
Canada's EV Deal with Germany - Auto Strategy in Transition Joanna Kyriazis of Clean Energycan discusses Canada's plan to re-engineer the country's auto sector. #cdnpoli https://youtu.be/BZislnkiDSI
Germany plans to abolish fixed feed‑in tariffs for rooftop solar installations under 25 kW starting in 2027, arguing that falling equipment costs now make small systems economically viable without subsidies. The draft proposal, seen by Bloomberg, would shift policy emphasis toward...
The article warns that the rapid expansion of satellite megaconstellations, highlighted by SpaceX's request to launch up to one million new satellites, could turn Earth's upper atmosphere into a massive incinerator for spacecraft debris. As satellites are deliberately de‑orbited, their...
Russia’s state‑owned nuclear group Rosatom announced it will press ahead with its overseas nuclear power‑plant projects despite the United Kingdom’s new sanctions targeting three of its subsidiaries. The UK imposed nearly 300 measures aimed at curbing Russian energy revenues, citing...
In this episode, Argus’s Sarah and VP of Business Development Alfonso introduce the new FOB Strait of Malacca price assessments for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in the Asia‑Pacific region. They explain why the assessments are...
AI data centers powered by gas are bad "bad for climate, bad for air quality, bad for the environment' "Fastest & cheapest thing to do is to pay homeowners to deploy roof solar with battery backup. Could be done in 6...
NatPower Marine warns that the UK’s flagship shore‑power projects in Aberdeen and Portsmouth are faltering because soaring industrial electricity prices and a punitive pricing framework make diesel generators cheaper than grid‑connected power. The company attributes the delays to structural policy...
HydrogenPro announced that its 220 MW ACES Delta project in Utah is nearing completion, with all 40 electrolyzers operating at full load. The hub, co‑developed by Chevron New Energies and Mitsubishi Power, will produce up to 100 tonnes of green hydrogen per...
Germany’s offshore wind fleet has crossed the 10 GW threshold after commissioning turbines at the He Dreiht and Borkum Riffgrund 3 sites. The milestone, confirmed by the International Economic Forum for Renewable Energies using Federal Network Agency data, underscores rapid capacity growth in the...
The White House is advancing a “ratepayer protection” framework that would require large AI data‑center projects to fund their own power infrastructure. In response, hyperscalers are accelerating behind‑the‑meter generation—natural‑gas turbines, hybrid microgrids, and renewable portfolios—to secure schedule certainty and avoid...
Researchers at Northwestern University have created an electrically driven carbon‑capture system using quinone‑functionalized covalent organic frameworks (COFs). The open‑flask synthesis produces gram‑scale COF powders that can be spray‑coated onto electrodes, enabling CO₂ adsorption and release via electrochemical redox cycles without...
Yokogawa introduced an optical dissolved‑oxygen sensor that replaces traditional electrochemical units in a combined‑cycle power plant. The new device uses luminescence quenching, delivering parts‑per‑billion accuracy without membranes or electrolytes. After installation, the plant saw stable readings, fewer calibration interruptions, and...
Denmark remains the world’s most resilient business environment in the 2026 FM Resilience Index, which evaluates 130 countries across 18 risk factors. The report highlights a sharp rise in cybersecurity rankings, with Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain climbing up to...
Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens, with Crauderueff Solar, installed 17 rooftop photovoltaic projects totaling 1.3 MW across its regulated affordable‑housing portfolio. The projects are structured as behind‑the‑meter net‑metered systems owned by a newly formed Special Purpose Entity, allowing the nonprofit...
Silver has become a strategic material for the clean‑energy transition, with solar photovoltaics now accounting for roughly 17% of global silver demand. Primary ore grades are falling, pushing the industry toward higher‑grade, above‑ground sources such as retired solar panels that...
California’s Air Resources Board has set an August 2024 deadline for companies to file mandatory greenhouse‑gas (GHG) emissions reports covering Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The state’s climate‑action statutes, including AB 32 and SB 32, require detailed carbon accounting to enforce its cap‑and‑trade...
U.S. data‑center construction is driving a surge in electricity demand, giving wind turbine OEMs a fresh growth catalyst despite a hostile regulatory environment. German onshore specialist Nordex projects $11 billion in 2025 orders, while Danish Vestas expects revenue of $24‑26 billion in...
The European solar market posted strong growth in 2025, with Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Poland driving capacity additions. At Intersolar Europe 2026, industry leaders will showcase PV‑wind‑storage hybrid plants and new financing structures, especially Contracts for Difference (CfD). Falling...
RWE’s Pembroke Power Station has achieved its 10,000th start of a combined‑cycle gas turbine, marking the plant’s shift from baseload to a flexible resource that backs a grid dominated by wind and solar. The 2.2 GW facility, opened in 2011, now...
Boralized’s Q4 2025 earnings climbed to C$178 million, a C$9 million increase year‑over‑year, driven by an 18% production boost from favourable wind and newly commissioned sites. Net earnings swung to C$26 million, reversing a loss from the same quarter last year. Six new projects...
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL) has woven ESG into its operations, showcasing solar energy, water reuse, waste reduction, and community programs. The resort’s 200 kW solar canopy now expands to over 8,300 panels, expected to power roughly 1,200 households by 2026....
Britain’s low‑carbon economy posted a record £77 billion turnover in 2024, a 12% jump and a 90% increase since 2015. Power generation – wind, solar, nuclear and carbon capture – contributed £33.6 billion, roughly 44% of sector revenue, while low‑emission transport surged...
The EPA’s own analysis shows that only 27 of the nation’s 219 coal‑fired power plants would need costly upgrades to meet the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). Despite this, the Trump administration rolled back the stricter limits on...
CHART OF THE DAY: The cost of European CO2 allowances has fallen ~20% in recent days after several key countries asked Brussels for a reform. Italy has gone as far as asking the Emissions Trading Syste to be suspended. CO2...
Massachusetts energy bill would make big cuts to energy efficiency #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/4rd8aCi1My
The LEGO Group is committing an additional DKK 18 million (≈US$18 million) to four carbon‑removal projects, expanding its portfolio of nature‑based and technology‑based solutions. The investments include restoring over 14,000 hectares of degraded tropical forest in Mexico and three tech projects—biomass geological storage, mineralization...
Sunrun touts record storage attachment rate, positive cash flow in 2025 earnings report #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/diQoYlpaui
In an AI world, real-life technicians are still most important element of solar O&M #energysky -- via Solar Power World: https://t.co/Yt34lLDm1K
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported polysilicon operating rates fell to just 32% of capacity, extending an oversupply that pushed polysilicon prices lower and softened wafer prices across all grades. Wafer prices dropped 3‑8% after the Chinese New Year,...
Ohio corruption trial traces tactics to prop up nuclear and coal plants #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/5V2SUa2OVD
Funding Friday: Google Locks Down 20 Years of Data Center Power #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/CYHzxGI5FN https://t.co/5Y2wQnb2ez
European policy tools such as the TRQ, CBAM and the draft Industrial Accelerator Act are reviving investment in low‑emission steel, exemplified by ArcelorMittal’s €1.3 billion Dunkirk electric‑arc‑furnace slated for 2029. While earlier green‑hydrogen DRI projects have been delayed or scaled back,...
FUN FACT: The UK has nearly twice as many public EV chargers as fuel pumps https://t.co/eTmP6dF5Mi https://t.co/iplVZrJGcf
When (any) price is right: Rising power prices are still a small slice of Big Tech's spending. https://t.co/FLLrii1nD4 via @McKinsey in @axios
University of California, Riverside researchers deployed large‑language‑model agents as “virtual residents” to capture community sentiment on data‑center proposals early in the planning cycle. The AI agents consistently highlighted water consumption, utility costs and electricity demand as primary concerns, while identifying...
Despite significant federal headwinds, US renewables just had a record year. Notably, 93% of new generation capacity expected to be added to the US grid this year is projected to come from wind, solar and batteries. https://t.co/XSZdvMLYWX
For his next move, Trump should create a muscular Transmission Resilience & U.S. Modernization Program (TRUMP) to plan, finance and then solicit competitive bids to build out the Trump Interstate Electricity System (high voltage backbone grid for resilience & industrial...
European Energy reported a robust 2025, with revenue surging to €766 million and EBITDA reaching €170 million. The firm expanded its battery energy storage systems pipeline from 2.4 GW to 7.4 GW and launched the world’s first large‑scale commercial e‑methanol plant in Denmark. Over...
It's also the correct one. "American Energy Dominance" can't ignore one of the cheapest and fastest growing sources of American energy.
India prioritizes national security and economic growth above aggressive, ideologically driven climate policies seen in some European countries. India seeks to cut power sector coal imports by 30% this year, sources say https://t.co/bA7W0ywe6Y
Indigenous‑led Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC) has opened an expression of interest for commercial and industrial customers to purchase renewable electricity from its expanding Pilbara portfolio. Its flagship hybrid wind‑solar‑battery project, Baru Marnda, secured Strategic Project status and appears on the national...
Europe’s energy transition is well underway but it is far from uniform. In 25 European countries, non-fossil fuel sources now generate the majority of electricity, a clear sign of how deeply clean power has penetrated the system. https://t.co/NjTmx157Rn
With access to clean, reliable power, communities thrive, industries grow and people prosper. I welcome you to be part of #EmPowerGrowth, our global campaign to expand #energyaccess & unlock the full potential of green industrialization. Find out more: https://t.co/mSNgDa52aM https://t.co/Q6JzmtMdZ5
So @BradleyThomasUK wants to know about the CO2 impact of Chinese clean-tech manufacturing, having just asked a Q in parliament Which is lucky, cos we published detailed analysis on this last year: China’s clean-energy exports in 2024 alone will cut overseas...
