How Virginia, Texas, and Other States Are Starting to Regulate Data Centers
State lawmakers in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas and Indiana are moving from ad‑hoc opposition to formal regulation of data centers. Virginia leads with bills on site permitting, water‑use disclosure and a review of its lucrative sales‑tax exemption. Pennsylvania is pushing a comprehensive bill that would make operators fund grid upgrades and add renewable capacity, while Texas has enacted large‑load interconnection standards and Indiana debates tax breaks. The push is driven by rising public hostility toward AI‑powered facilities and inflation‑linked voter concerns.
Scoop: This GOP Lawmaker Is Aiming to Stop an Arizona Wind Farm
Republican Rep. Eli Crane is lobbying the FAA, Fish and Wildlife Service, and FCC to halt the Lava Run wind farm in Arizona’s White Mountains, arguing federal permits could block the project. In Oregon, Amazon agreed to a $20 million settlement...
A New Tool to Help Solve State Permitting Problems
RMI has launched the State Permitting Power Tool, an interactive web‑based decision tree that distills roughly 100 permitting reforms into a searchable matrix. The platform guides users through four challenge categories—complexity, delays, political hurdles, and financial burdens—to surface the most...
Bouygues Telecom Secures ISO Energy Certification for Mobile Network
Bouygues Telecom has earned ISO 50001 certification for energy management on its mobile network after a Bureau Veritas audit. The certification joins earlier ISO 50001 approvals for its data‑centre, tech hub, and customer‑support facilities, together covering over 85 % of the operator’s total...
The Dangerous Myth of Green Capacity – by Amanda Van Dyke (Substack – March 25, 2026)
The article argues that "installed capacity" – gigawatts of wind and solar – is a misleading metric for the energy transition. It represents a theoretical maximum output under ideal conditions, not the electricity actually delivered. China’s rapid build‑out and Europe’s...
Watching Sunlight Turn Into Fuel and Oxygen, in Real Time
Yale researchers have unveiled a nanoscale method to watch solar photocatalysis in real time, capturing water‑splitting reactions and charge transport at roughly 10 nm resolution. The approach merges amperometric and potentiometric measurements using a quartz nanotip with a platinum core, allowing...
More Generation, More Transmission, More Load, More Challenges: Texas Grid Roundup #90
ERCOT’s interconnection queue has absorbed roughly 9,275 MW of new projects since December, spanning solar, wind, battery storage and gas. Gas proposals have surged to 57,403 MW, nearly doubling the previous year, while solar (163,000 MW) and storage (178,000 MW) still dominate. Planned transmission...
The Scramble for Green Hydrogen in South Africa: Screening and Discussion
The UK will host the UK premiere of the documentary “The Scramble for Hydrogen in South Africa” on 5 May 2026, spotlighting the nation’s aggressive green‑hydrogen agenda. Britain aims for 10 GW of production by 2030, backed by over £2 billion (≈ $2.5 billion) in...
Port of Rotterdam Develops Liquid Hydrogen Facility
Air Products is building a liquid hydrogen plant in the Port of Rotterdam that is now more than 65% complete and slated to start operations in 2027. When online, it will be Europe’s largest liquid hydrogen facility, bolstering Rotterdam’s status...
Albo’s New Funding for Transition; Electric Trucks; Electric Ferries; Boomerang Labs
The Australian government has fast‑tracked a $6.15 billion (≈ $4.0 billion USD) investment package, pulling forward $5 billion for the Net Zero Fund, $1 billion for the Economic Resilience Program and $150 million for the Forestry Growth Fund. The package aims to expand local clean‑energy manufacturing,...
A Quick Look at Dispatch Error for Each Individual Wind Unit (at 03:05 on Thursday 2nd April 2026)
Part 5 of Paul McArdle’s series analyses dispatch error for 84 semi‑scheduled wind farm units at 03:05 on 2 April 2026. The chart shows most units maintaining balanced dispatch error thanks to healthy regional electricity prices, which limited the semi‑dispatch cap’s effect on frequency....
AEMO Releases Preliminary Report Into NSW Market Suspension on the 23rd March 2026
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) released a preliminary report on the New South Wales market suspension that occurred on 23 March 2026. The report attributes the seven‑hour outage to a failure in Transgrid’s SCADA network, which caused a total loss of data...
What Can US Utility Regulators Learn From Australia’s Distribution Market?
Nearly two years after launching the CHARGED Initiative, a delegation of U.S. state utility commissioners toured Australia to study its high‑penetration rooftop solar market and distribution‑grid innovations. They observed South Australia’s SA Power Networks using dynamic operating envelopes and the...
Seven Tech Giants Signed a Pledge to Protect You From Higher Electric Bills. It Will Do the Opposite.
On March 4, 2026 seven leading tech firms—including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI—signed the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, promising their data centers won’t raise household electricity costs. The pledge relies on behind‑the‑meter (BTM) self‑generation, allowing companies...
Brian Leeners on Homerun Resources’ High-Grade Silica Positioning for a Critical Role in Energy and Technology Supply Chains
Homerun Resources Inc., led by CEO Brian Leeners, is positioning high‑grade silica as a strategic material for both energy and technology supply chains. The company focuses on Brazil’s abundant silica deposits, leveraging vertical integration to capture value from raw extraction...
Finally, Retrieving a New Source of Clean Power
The Energy for Growth Hub, in partnership with Stanford’s LabradorLabX, unveiled K‑9 Kinetic Power™ (K9KP), a consumer device that harvests a dog’s tail wagging to generate electricity. Using a carbon‑fiber micro‑generator and a smart docking pad, each active dog can...
“K” LINE Begins Long-Term Use of Bio-LNG Fuel for Car Carriers
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has begun long‑term use of carbon‑neutral bio‑LNG on its LNG‑powered car carriers after signing a procurement deal for liquefied bio‑methane. The fuel, derived from organic waste, is ISCC‑EU certified and can be burned in existing...
The EU’s Failed Green Deal Is a Warning to Us All
The European Union launched its Green Deal in 2020 aiming for climate‑neutrality and industrial strength, but six years later key hydrogen projects have collapsed and industrial electricity prices are roughly twice those in the United States and China. The authors...
Australia Renewables Must Move Fast AND Fair
Australia’s two biggest electricity grids now run on over 40% renewable power, marking a pivotal shift in the nation’s decarbonisation agenda. Yet the rapid "green rush" exposes supply‑chain vulnerabilities, with rare‑earth mining in Myanmar, Indonesian nickel and Chinese solar‑panel production...
Australia’s Clean‑energy Rollout Stalls as Costs Blow Out
Australia’s clean‑energy rollout has stalled as 2025 utility‑scale solar and wind investment fell to less than half of 2024 levels, jeopardizing the federal goal of an 82% renewable‑energy mix. To meet the target, the country must retire most of its...
First Glimpses of Output at REECE2 Unit, Following (Possible) Fire in August 2025
The REECE2 power‑generation unit, sidelined after a suspected fire on 5 August 2025, produced its first measurable output on 1 April 2026, as captured by SCADA data at roughly 08:30 NEM time. Early market data from ez2view’s Bids & Offers widget indicate a cautious approach...
ClassNK Approves Corrosion-Resistant Cable for Offshore Wind Use
ClassNK has granted both a Manufacturing Procedure Approval and a Type Approval for KOBELCO Wire Company's new semi‑parallel wire cable (SPWC), marking the society’s first endorsement of this corrosion‑resistant product. The cable features 7 mm galvanized steel wires coated in polyethylene,...
What Does Wildfire Resilience Cost?
A new UCLA Emmett Institute report titled *The Price of Resilience* examines how wildfire‑related costs are allocated between transmission customers and retail ratepayers. In California, wildfire mitigation and liability expenses now represent roughly a quarter of residential electricity bills, driven...
Nuclear Power and Design Automation
Nuclear energy is gaining renewed attention as data‑center power demand surges, with small modular reactors (SMRs) offering a cost‑effective alternative to traditional plants. SMRs are projected to cost $2.5‑4 B, far less than the $30 B required for full‑size reactors, while molten‑salt...
Quantum and Pink Elephant Partner to Deliver Sovereign, Low-Cost, Energy-Efficient Data Resilience Services in Europe
Quantum and Pink Elephant have launched DMaaS Clouddrive Cold, a sovereign archive service built on Quantum’s ActiveScale Cold Storage. The offering spans three Dutch data centers, delivering 15‑nine durability, multi‑site replication and an integrated tape tier that cuts power and...
Batteries: Still Boomin' (Pt II)
Utility‑scale battery energy storage systems have surpassed 267 GW worldwide since 2012, outpacing earlier forecasts. The deployment curve remains steep, with analysts noting that past projections were consistently conservative. Concurrently, geopolitical tensions and soaring oil prices are prompting a temporary coal...
Zendure SolarFlow 2400 Pro Review: Is the XXL Balcony Solar System with 2,400 W & AI Worth It?
Zendure introduced the SolarFlow 2400 Pro, an all‑in‑one balcony solar solution delivering up to 2,400 W output, 2.4 kWh base storage and modular expansion to 16.8 kWh. The unit features four MPPT inputs for up to 3 kW of PV, AI‑driven energy management, and LAN connectivity,...
Are Biofuels Worse Than Fossil Fuels? Why They’re Not the Climate Solution
Biofuels are marketed as low‑carbon alternatives, yet first‑generation crops trigger deforestation and indirect land‑use emissions that can match or surpass fossil fuels. Advanced and second‑generation biofuels aim to use waste or non‑food feedstocks, but high production costs and limited scalability...
PD Ports Positions Teesport Offshore Gateway for Wind Expansion
PD Ports announced plans for a Teesport Offshore Gateway on the River Tees, designed to become the UK’s primary landing hub for the next phase of offshore wind development after the Crown Estate’s Round 6 auction. The facility will feature up...
Strathclyde Partners with Japan Marine United on Offshore Renewables
The University of Strathclyde and Japan Marine United (JMU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the development of floating offshore wind turbines. The partnership will combine Strathclyde’s leading research in wind energy with JMU’s shipbuilding and floating‑platform expertise...
Microsoft Announces Opening of New Datacenter Region in Denmark
Microsoft opened the Denmark East datacenter region, with sites in Høje Taastrup, Køge and Roskilde, delivering low‑latency, secure cloud services and a strong sustainability focus. Over the next four years Microsoft and its partners will invest roughly $4.5 billion, creating up...
Researchers Reveal Why Hydrogen Metal Testing Methods Produce Unreliable Results
Researchers at IIT Bombay and the Max Planck Institute uncovered why the electrochemical permeation technique often yields unreliable hydrogen‑diffusion data in steel. They showed that high charging currents induce surface rust, dislocations and hydrogen bubbles, which artificially lower measured flux. Switching...
ENG8 Is Moving From Lab to Industrial LENR Bergamo, Italy 2026
ENG8 International unveiled its EnergiCell at the IWAHLM 17 conference in Bergamo, announcing a jump from Technology Readiness Level 4 to 7, signalling a shift from laboratory validation to industrial‑grade prototypes. The modular system can be configured for thermal, electrical, or hybrid output...
Inside the Off-Grid Earthship Community in New Mexico (YouTube Film Review)
Peter Santenello’s 64‑minute YouTube documentary spotlights the 640‑acre Earthship community called Atlantis just outside Taos, New Mexico. Founder Michael Reynolds, despite a stage‑four cancer diagnosis, walks viewers through self‑sustaining homes that harvest rainwater, generate solar power, and use tire‑filled rammed‑earth...
Belatedly Noting AEMO’s Publication of the ‘NEM Dispatch Timing Fact Sheet’
On 10 October 2025 AEMO released its NEM Dispatch Timing Fact Sheet, detailing the mechanics of the 5‑minute dispatch intervals that underpin Australia’s electricity market. The publication follows WattClarity’s recent Energy Literacy series, which has been unpacking the complexities and challenges of...
Designer Carbon Materials Enable CO2 Release Below 60 Degrees Celsius
Researchers at Chiba University have created nitrogen‑doped carbon adsorbents called viciazites that release captured CO₂ at temperatures below 60 °C, far lower than the >100 °C needed for conventional amine scrubbing. By positioning nitrogen functional groups adjacently on the carbon surface, the...
Morgan Sindall Starts Passivhaus Scheme at Cambridge University
Morgan Sindall Construction has broken ground on the Owlstone Croft Passivhaus student housing scheme at Queens’ College, Cambridge. The £34.4 million (~$44 million) project will deliver 13 new homes with 60 bedrooms and refurbish existing Blocks A and B to add 87...
Tesla’s Newest “Folding V4 Superchargers” Are Key to Its Most Aggressive Expansion Yet
Tesla has introduced a folding V4 Supercharger that lets 33% more units fit on a single truck, slashing deployment time by half and cutting installation costs about 20%. The new V4 cabinet delivers up to 500 kW per stall for passenger...
MB Fund Podcast: Trump: An Unexpected Green Energy Hero
In the latest MB Fund podcast, Nucleus Wealth CIO Damien Klassen argues that the fallout from the Iran‑U.S. conflict has unexpectedly positioned former President Donald Trump as a catalyst for green energy. He outlines how Trump‑era tariffs, supply‑chain disruptions, and...
Spin-Flip Emitter Harvests Doubled Excitons for Higher Solar Cell Efficiency
Researchers at Kyushu University and JGU Mainz have created a molybdenum‑based spin‑flip emitter that harvests singlet‑fission triplet excitons with a quantum yield of about 130%. By tuning the metal complex’s energy levels, they suppressed competing Förster resonance energy transfer, allowing...
The Core Rules Of EV Charging Infrastructure Are About To Change
Upcoming regulatory revisions will reshape EV charging infrastructure by mandating automated, robot‑assisted stations that autonomous vehicles can navigate to themselves. The new rules emphasize rapid charging speeds, standardized connector designs, and integration with smart‑grid management to handle higher demand. Industry...
The Dangerous Myth of Green Capacity
Renewable “installed capacity” figures, measured in gigawatts, are a theoretical maximum that ignores the intermittent nature of wind and solar. In the United States, on‑shore wind operates at about a 33.5 % capacity factor and utility‑scale solar at roughly 23.5 %, meaning...
Control Strategies Improve Solar Plant Efficiency
A CIEMAT study of the TCP‑100 parabolic‑trough plant in Spain tested advanced control schemes to boost solar‑thermal efficiency. Researchers compared a basic PI controller with a nonlinear generic‑model‑control (GMC) cascade and a supervisory pump‑speed logic. The GMC‑based cascade kept the...
Crusoe and Redwood Materials Expand AI Data Center Deployment to 24 Modular Units in Nevada
Crusoe and Redwood Materials announced an expansion of their Nevada AI compute campus to 24 Crusoe Spark modular data centers. The upgrade raises total compute capacity roughly seven times the original deployment while still relying on the existing 12 MW/63 MWh renewable...
Q ENERGY Acquires Stake in Pennavel Floating Wind Project
Q ENERGY has acquired a stake in the Pennavel floating offshore wind project off southern Brittany, joining a consortium that includes Elicio France and BayWa r.e. France. The deal leverages Q ENERGY’s two‑decade track record in French offshore wind and...
Hoover Dam Could Lose Most of Its Power as Lake Mead Plummets
Lake Mead is receding at a rate faster than recent forecasts, threatening to drop below the intake levels of Hoover Dam’s turbines within the next few years. Federal data shows the lake could lose enough water to shut down most...
Texas-California Clean Power Race Heats Up | Reading and Podcast Picks - Mar. 23, 2026
Texas set a new solar generation record of over 33 GW, overtaking California as the nation’s leader in utility‑scale solar. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects Texas will supply roughly 40% of all new solar capacity and 53% of battery storage...
Climate Issues in the 2026 Governor’s Race: Building Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency
California’s 2026 gubernatorial race spotlights building decarbonization as a linchpin for the state’s climate and affordability agenda. Buildings account for roughly a quarter of the state’s emissions, and the aging natural‑gas distribution network is inflating utility bills for homeowners and...
Passive Solar Design in Old Houses: What Builders Already Knew
Pre‑1940 homes, especially Victorian houses, were built with passive solar principles that captured, stored, and redistributed sunlight without mechanical systems. Features such as south‑facing bay windows, thick masonry walls, deep eaves, and attached conservatories acted as solar collectors and thermal...
How Caledonia Mining Slashed Diesel Reliance to 2% Amid Global Fuel Volatility
Caledonia Mining Corporation has cut diesel use for power generation to just 2% of its electricity mix in 2025, down from 8% in 2020. Solar installations now provide roughly 20% of the Blanket Mine’s power, while the remainder comes from...