Energy

Electric car sales in Europe have surged 52%, according to Bloomberg, as gasoline prices reach the equivalent of $10 a gallon. The jump suggests high fuel costs are pushing drivers to switch to electric vehicles faster than expected. Commenters are debating whether record pump prices, rather than subsidies or technology, are now the main driver of Europe's EV boom.

Farmers are increasingly combining solar panels with agriculture, using the land beneath and around panels to grow crops or graze sheep. The approach, known as agrivoltaics, lets landowners earn income from both energy and food production while shading plants and livestock from harsh sun. Coverage highlights growing interest as farmers seek to diversify revenue and solar developers seek community-friendly land use.

The European Union is moving to limit the energy and water consumption of data centres, a sector whose rapid growth driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence has raised concerns over its environmental footprint. The proposal would impose new restrictions or efficiency requirements on operators across member states, and is drawing attention among technology and energy commentators.

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to restore the $7 billion Solar for All program, which the administration had canceled. The EPA-funded program was designed to bring solar power to low-income households across the country. The ruling marks a setback for the administration's effort to unwind climate spending approved under earlier legislation.

The Trump administration cancelled a $7 billion federal solar energy grant program, but a federal judge in Rhode Island has now ordered the program reinstated. The ruling restores funding that had supported solar projects nationwide, and the decision is drawing attention as part of the wider legal battle over the administration's cuts to renewable energy spending.

New research suggests icy moons can retain their subsurface oceans even after catastrophic impacts that break the moon apart. The finding implies that oceans on bodies like Europa or Enceladus could survive violent events, expanding the range of conditions under which habitable environments might persist in the outer solar system.

Solar power is increasingly being deployed in confined and unconventional spaces as land availability tightens. According to CleanTechnica, developers are fitting panels onto rooftops, car parks, agrivoltaic farmland and other tight corners to keep projects viable amid competition for space. The trend reflects a broader challenge for the energy transition: securing suitable land for large-scale renewables while meeting rising electricity demand.

Construction of a solar farm is set to begin in November, according to a BBC report. No details have been given yet on the location, size or capacity of the planned facility, or which companies will carry out the work. The announcement adds to a growing pipeline of solar energy projects as countries push to expand renewable power generation.

Alberta is adding a $10 fee to new solar panels to pay for what is described as North America's first solar panel recycling program. The fee is meant to ensure old panels are properly recycled rather than sent to landfill as installations age. The move is drawing attention as an early example of how jurisdictions plan to handle end-of-life renewable energy equipment.

During New York Climate Week, commentators highlighted lessons Indonesia could draw from the rapid solar energy growth seen across ASEAN nations and Pakistan. The discussion focused on regional insights into how neighbouring and comparable markets expanded solar adoption, and what policies or conditions Indonesia might replicate to accelerate its own clean energy transition.

A data center developer is suing a city, identified in reports as St. Louis, over a local requirement that the facility supply renewable energy on-site. The lawsuit challenges the city's authority to impose clean-energy conditions on data center approvals, a growing point of contention as communities weigh the industry's heavy electricity demands against sustainability commitments. Discussion is focused on whether cities can legitimately require developers to fund or provide renewable power as a condition of building.

Indian solar manufacturer Goldi Solar has filed preliminary paperwork for an initial public offering using the confidential pre-filing route recently opened by India's market regulator. The route lets companies submit draft papers without public disclosure, giving flexibility to delay or adjust the listing. It is the latest sign of strong investor appetite for renewable energy stocks in India.

Singapore has loosened its requirement for imported electricity: the 2024 rule demanding a 75% load factor every quarter has been replaced in 2025 by an annual average of 60%. For every 1,000 MW of import capacity this means 5.256 TWh per year instead of 6.570 TWh, a 20% reduction. It is not publicly known whether the change applies retroactively to earlier approvals.

Alaska's gubernatorial candidates have laid out their competing visions for the state's energy future in a discussion aired as part of the Addressing Alaskans series. The debate centers on how Alaska should develop its energy resources, a defining issue for a state whose economy and budgets rely heavily on oil and gas while also facing pressure to expand renewables.

CPS Energy has brought back its community solar program, allowing San Antonio residents to subscribe to solar energy without installing panels on their own homes. The San Antonio Express-News explains how the program works, including how customers can sign up and what the subscription covers. Interest centers on affordable access to renewable energy for utility customers.