Actis Scouts for Fresh Renewables Projects in Mexico, Chile
Actis, the London‑based private‑equity firm with a $15 billion portfolio, is shifting focus to renewable‑energy projects in Mexico and Chile after exiting Peru’s largest power producer for roughly $1.2 billion. The firm’s North‑America director told LatinFinance the next investment wave will target solar and wind assets in the two countries. This move aligns with Actis’s strategy to redeploy capital into fast‑growing, policy‑driven markets that promise stable, long‑term cash flows. The push comes as both nations ramp up clean‑energy targets for 2030.
Is AI the New Fracking?
The Financial Times opinion piece argues that today’s AI boom is the new fracking, drawing parallels between massive capital inflows and speculative fervor. AI startups attracted over $200 billion in 2023 funding, comparable to the trillions poured into fracking at its...
China’s Push for Hydrogen-Powered Planes Takes Step Forward Amid Iran Energy Crisis
China’s Aero Engine Corporation successfully flew a 7.5‑tonne unmanned cargo plane powered by a 1‑megawatt hydrogen turboprop, completing a 16‑minute, 36‑kilometre test at 220 km/h and 300 metres altitude. The flight proves the engine’s reliability and showcases China’s claim of a complete...
Is the Slate Truck Too Minimal for Its Own Good?
Slate’s first electric pickup is a compact two‑seater measuring 174.6 inches long, 70.6 inches wide, and weighing about 3,602 pounds. The company stripped out non‑essential features—no paint, radio, power windows—to keep costs low, offering a base price near the mid‑$20,000...
Himachal: Naina Devi Temple Trust Starts Producing Biogas From Leftover Food
The Naina Devi Temple Trust in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, has launched a biogas plant that converts organic waste from its community kitchen into fuel. The pre‑fabricated system processes about 200 kg of food waste each day, generating roughly 20 kg of biogas,...
How Much Electricity Does a Heat Pump Use? Our Expert Explains How to Estimate Your Annual Running Costs
Heat pumps draw electricity to move heat rather than burn fuel, and their annual consumption hinges on the home’s heating demand and the system’s Coefficient of Performance (COP). A typical UK home needing 12,000 kWh of heat could use between 3,000 kWh...
An Electric Farm, an Electric Harvest …. Electric Everything
Electric tractors can feasibly replace diesel units for large‑scale seeding by consuming roughly 3.1 MWh per day, a demand met with on‑farm solar and battery storage. One hectare of optimally sited PV in Australia generates about 3.5 MWh daily, enough to power...
Superfund Site Still On Track For Solar Power & Green Hydrogen
The USDA’s Empowering Rural America program awarded $231 million to the Questa Hydrogen Project, a green‑hydrogen venture on a former Chevron Superfund site in New Mexico. The plan pairs a 50‑MW solar farm with electrolyzers that will store up to 16 hours of...
Port of LA Turns to Electric Terminal Trucks to to Slash Dwell Times
APM Terminals has equipped Pier 400 at the Port of Los Angeles with twenty new Orange EV electric terminal tractors, bringing its fleet of electric yard equipment to 22 terminal tractors and 36 other vehicles. The electrification cut truck idle time by...
Spring Travel Just Got Easier With This 42,800mAh Solar Charger Power Bank — Now 30% Off
The Mregb 42,800 mAh Solar Charger Power Bank is now on sale for $27.99, a 30% discount from its regular $39.99 price. It offers a high‑capacity battery, QC 3.0 fast charging, USB‑C connectivity, and an IP67‑rated waterproof, dust‑proof, drop‑proof design. The unit...
How a 'Perfectly Symmetrical' 2D Perovskite Could Boost Tandem Solar Cells
Rice University researchers have engineered a multilayered 2D metal‑halide perovskite that approaches perfect crystal symmetry, enabling exciton diffusion beyond 2 µm—an order of magnitude improvement over prior perovskites and comparable to monolayer transition‑metal dichalcogenides. The material is produced via a high‑temperature...
NUPPL Ghatampur Thermal Power Project Unit 3 Connects to Grid, Boosting Uttar Pradesh Power Capacity
Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited (NUPPL) linked the third 660 MW unit of its Ghatampur thermal power project to the 765 kV national grid on April 3, 2026, marking the final step toward full commercial operation. The plant’s total capacity of 1,980 MW now...
Karnataka: Pralhad Joshi Fears Taxes on EVs Will Derail India's Emission Targets
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi warned that Karnataka’s decision to scrap road‑tax exemptions for electric vehicles could boost India’s crude oil imports and jeopardize its emission goals. The state’s new tax regime imposes a lifetime levy of 5% to 10% on...
Muirhead Brings Circularity In-House
Muirhead announced the launch of an in‑house BioPRO foam production facility within the Scottish Leather Group, moving full‑scale manufacturing of its circular foam under one roof. The patented foam incorporates 20% reclaimed protein from Muirhead’s own processes, reducing reliance on...
XCharge NA + JOJO Launch EV Fast Chargers in Illinois – First Sites Live
XCharge North America and JOJO Superfast have begun deploying an EV fast‑charging network across Illinois, launching nine sites with two already operational. Each location will feature four 200 kW C6 Smart DC chargers, primarily installed at Menards home‑improvement stores to capture...
AI Companies Are Building Huge Natural Gas Plants to Power Data Centers. What Could Go Wrong?
AI‑driven data‑center operators are racing to build massive natural‑gas power plants, with Microsoft targeting 5 GW in West Texas, Google 933 MW in North Texas, and Meta adding 7.46 GW in Louisiana. The projects aim to secure "behind‑the‑meter" electricity to meet soaring AI...
This Spring Has Been a Record Season for Renewables
Spring 2026 has become a record‑breaking season for U.S. renewables, highlighted by Texas ERCOT’s all‑time wind peak of 28.7 GW on March 14 and multiple solar records across major ISOs. The nation added 26.5 GW of utility‑scale solar and 5.7 GW of wind in...
Renewables Groups Believe Minnesota VPP Program ‘Misses the Mark’
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Phase 2 of Xcel Energy’s Capacity*Connect virtual power plant program, targeting 50‑200 MW of battery storage by 2028. The initiative marks the first U.S. utility‑owned VPP, where Xcel retains full capacity ownership rather than relying on...
U.S. Farms Double Biogas Capture in 5 Years, New Report Finds
U.S. farms operating biogas capture systems have more than doubled over the past five years, reaching over 630 installations according to the American Biogas Council. Dairy farms dominate the sector, accounting for nearly 80% of the projects, while California alone...
First Dannevirke Solar Farm Under Construction, with Plans for Another in 2027
Construction has begun on Dannevirke's first solar farm, a 23‑megawatt (MW) facility expected to supply electricity for roughly 5,000 homes. The project, developed by Bright Fern Energy and built with materials from GameChange Solar, is 58% owned by an Australian...
EV Charging – The Importance of Affordable, Convenient Access
Chinese automaker BYD unveiled its Flash Charging technology paired with the second‑generation Blade Battery, claiming a 60 % charge in five minutes. While the breakthrough highlights EV maturity, the article argues that ultra‑fast charging is not the primary solution for everyday...
Ohio Solar Project Built with Modules Manufactured in State
Geronimo Power has placed its 117‑MW Dodson Creek Solar Project in Highland County, Ohio into commercial operation. The utility‑scale farm uses First Solar’s Series 7 modules that are manufactured in‑state, expanding Geronimo’s Ohio portfolio to 675 MW and delivering roughly $240 million in...
Data Center Ban on the Ohio Ballot? Petitioners Get Approval to Start Gathering Signatures
Ohio Ballot Board certified a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit construction of new data centers exceeding a 25‑megawatt peak load, effectively blocking most modern facilities. The amendment now moves to a signature‑gathering phase, requiring more than 413,000 valid signatures...
Factor This Finance and Project Development Roundup: AES, Dimension, Georgia Power, Zelestra
The data‑center and AI boom is hitting a bottleneck as critical electrical equipment shortages threaten half of U.S. projects slated for 2024. Meanwhile, AES’s Maximo robotics unit installed over 100 MW of utility‑scale solar at the Bellefield site, marking a shift...
Vote Solar Testimony Urges North Carolina to Adopt Distributed Storage over Gas
Vote Solar and the Southern Environmental Law Center submitted expert testimony to the North Carolina Utilities Commission, urging the state to prioritize distributed battery storage over new natural‑gas plants in Duke Energy’s resource plan. Their filing highlights that Duke’s modeling...
Everged Replaces Outdated EV Chargers at No Up-Front Cost
Everged has introduced a Zero Cost Swap Program that lets EV‑charging site owners replace outdated or non‑functional chargers with new Level 2 or DC fast chargers at no upfront expense. The company covers removal, installation, activation, 24/7 monitoring, maintenance, and offers...
Wind Builds Clean Energy Potential Across Asia’s Economic Landscape
The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) reports that Asia’s offshore wind sector is accelerating toward parity with Europe by 2030. Japan commissioned its largest offshore wind farm, Hibikinada, in March 2026 and deepened industry coordination through a new MOU with...
California Approves First SB 1440 Biomethane Project at Wastewater Facility
Anaergia’s SoCal Biomethane facility at Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority received conditional approval from the California Public Utilities Commission for a long‑term renewable natural gas (RNG) procurement agreement, marking the first SB 1440‑qualified RNG delivery in the state. The plant co‑digests...
Heat Dome and High Pressure Boost Southern U.S. Solar as Polar Vortex Clouds the North
Solcast’s March 2026 analysis shows a stark solar divide across North America. Southern regions—including northeastern Mexico, southeastern Texas and much of California—recorded 20‑25% above‑average irradiance, driven by persistent high‑pressure systems and a southwestern heat dome. In contrast, Canada, the Great...
Maine Becomes Third State to Pass Plug-In Solar Legislation
Maine’s Senate passed LD 1730, making the state the third in the nation to legalize small plug‑in solar and battery systems up to 1,200 watts. The bill mirrors Utah and Virginia’s statutes but adds two power classes, requiring licensed electricians...
FlexGen Moves to Expand Offerings with Acquisition of Clean Energy Services
FlexGen announced the acquisition of Clean Energy Services (CES), making CES a wholly‑owned subsidiary. The deal adds CES’s national footprint and its lifecycle services to FlexGen’s portfolio, allowing the combined entity to serve over 25 GWh of storage assets and more...
UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency Seeks New Data Center
Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has issued a tender for a new data centre to host its Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) system, required under the SOLAS convention. The contract, worth approximately $1.98 million, must be awarded by May 5, 2026,...
FERC Urged to Reject TeraWulf’s Power Plant Purchase Due to Undisclosed Google Ownership Stake
Public Citizen, the NAACP and other groups have asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to block TeraWulf’s purchase of the 216‑MW Morgantown power plant in Maryland, alleging that the seller failed to disclose Google’s 14% ownership stake obtained through...
Malaysia’s Solar Capacity Surpasses 5.7 GW
Malaysia’s solar capacity topped 5.78 GW by the end of 2025, driven by a 1.45 GW surge across large‑scale, feed‑in‑tariff and net‑metering schemes. The Large‑Scale Solar (LSS) programme now has 6.0 GW approved for 117 developers, with a fresh 2 GW auction launched in...
Home Solar + Battery + EV, One GMC Sierra EV Driver Shares Their Experience
Jim Reilly, a GM Energy microgrid specialist, documented his home’s full electrification—rooftop solar, a GM Energy backup battery, and a GMC Sierra electric truck. By charging the 205 kWh battery at his home rate of $0.14/kWh, he reports a per‑fill cost...
Louisiana Projected to Add 12 GW of Utility-Scale Solar by 2035
A University of Louisiana study funded by NextEra Energy projects that the state will install 12.1 GW of utility‑scale solar by 2035, enough to supply roughly 27% of today’s electricity or 17% of the 2035 forecast. Deployment is expected to dip...
Hydro-Québec Launches Grant for Residential, Commercial Solar
Hydro-Québec unveiled a new grant that reimburses up to CAD 1,000 ($718) per kilowatt installed, covering as much as 40% of eligible residential and commercial solar projects. The incentive lowers typical residential system costs of CAD 5,000‑6,000 ($3,590‑$4,300) and business installations of...
Vikran Engineering Wins ₹530 Crore Power Distribution Projects in Maharashtra
Vikran Engineering Ltd secured two power‑distribution contracts from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd worth roughly ₹531 crore (about $65 million). The deals cover new substations, 33 kV, 22 kV and 11 kV line construction, transformer upgrades and full turnkey execution across the Nashik and...
Heat Dome and High Pressure Boost Southern US Solar as Polar Vortex Clouds the North
Solcast’s March analysis shows a stark solar divide across North America, with the southern half—northeastern Mexico, southeastern Texas and much of California—recording 20‑25% above‑average irradiance, while Canada, the Great Lakes region and the northeastern U.S. suffered below‑normal solar levels. The...
Cardwell Clubhouse / Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
The Cardwell Clubhouse, a 151 m² off‑grid structure designed by Heather Dubbeldam, serves as both utility hub and leisure space for an outdoor‑focused family. Powered entirely by a nearby photovoltaic array with battery storage, the building blends a flexible recreation room,...
U.S. Solar Module Prices Face Upward Pressure as Trade Risks and FEOC Rules Dominate Q1 2026
The Anza Q1 2026 report shows U.S. solar module prices stabilizing at a median $0.28 per watt, up from $0.25 in early 2025. The rise reflects tighter anti‑dumping and countervailing duties, plus new Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules that tighten...
Bangladesh Farmers Test Solar Irrigation as Fuel Costs Bite
Bangladesh is promoting solar‑powered irrigation pumps to replace diesel generators, aiming to lower farm operating costs and generate surplus electricity for the grid. A recent survey shows only 4,058 solar units nationwide, far short of the climate plan target of...
Code & Chips to Curtail Carbon: Leveraging AI to Promote Green Electrons
AI is projected to reduce global CO₂ emissions by 5‑10% versus business‑as‑usual, with a potential 2.4 GtCO₂e cut by 2035 from power and mobility sectors alone. Real‑time AI analytics could boost renewable output up to 20%, delivering an additional 1.8 GtCO₂e reduction....
Indonesian Geothermal Projects Stall Amid Indigenous Concerns over Justice
Indonesia’s ambitious geothermal program on Flores, once touted as a renewable‑energy showcase, has stalled after nearly a decade of delays. The project, initially backed by the World Bank and Germany’s KfW, faced sustained opposition from Manggarai Indigenous communities concerned about...
Zevero Founder: Customers Are What Bring Focus
Zevero co‑founder and CCO George Wade says early, deep customer conversations are the catalyst for product focus and revenue strategy. He credits moving from outsourced developers to an in‑house engineering team for faster delivery and stronger product culture. Wade stresses...
Rooftop Solar Now Accounts for One-Fifth of Puerto Rico’s Generation Capacity
Rooftop solar now supplies roughly one‑fifth of Puerto Rico’s total generation capacity, overtaking natural gas to become the island’s second‑largest source. Distributed solar accounted for 81% of all new capacity added between 2016 and 2025, reaching 1,456 MW across 191,929 installations...
EU Approves €500M Luxembourg Cleantech Manufacturing Scheme
The European Commission has approved a €500 million Luxembourg state‑aid scheme under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF). The programme will fund direct grants for companies expanding production of solar, wind, heat‑pump, battery equipment and related raw‑material processing. Running...
Terabase Energy Advances Automated PV Construction with Robotics, AI Tools
Terabase Energy announced that its upgraded Terafab V2 automated solar‑construction system has completed field testing and is ready for commercial deployment. The AI‑assisted robotics platform can assemble and position panel‑tracker modules at a two‑minute cycle, delivering roughly 20 MW per week...
Solar Power Generation Touches Record High, Offsets Soaring Demand During Summer
Tamil Nadu’s grid recorded a historic solar output of 7,693 MW on Wednesday, while peak demand hovered around 20,000 MW. The state’s power distributor absorbed 56.9 million units of solar energy, representing roughly one‑eighth of total consumption. Over the past year, about 2,800 MW of...
Bauer Solar Launches 480 W Back-Contact Solar Module
German solar module maker Bauer Solar introduced a new 480‑watt back‑contact panel with a record‑high conversion efficiency of 23.52%. The full‑black glass‑glass module incorporates 108 bifacial half‑cells, 2 mm anti‑reflective glass on both sides, and a robust anodized aluminum frame, weighing...