renewable energy

California is testing and studying solar panels built over irrigation canals, a design meant to generate clean energy while shading water and reducing evaporation. Early findings from pilot projects are shaping how the state evaluates wider rollout of the approach. The idea has drawn attention as a way to save land and conserve water at the same time.

Nevada is outperforming expectations on solar energy, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The state, long associated with gambling and mining, is expanding large-scale solar capacity in its desert regions, drawing attention as the United States weighs its energy transition. Observers point to Nevada's abundant sunshine, open land and growing investment in renewable projects as drivers of the gains.

A Minnesota agrivoltaics project is showing that crops and solar panels can share the same land. By mounting panels high enough for farm equipment and crops to fit beneath, the project aims to generate renewable energy while keeping farmland in production, offering a possible model for reducing land-use conflicts over the expanding solar industry.

Renewable energy sources supplied a record 80% of electricity demand on Australia's national grid, driven by solar and wind generation. The milestone highlights the country's accelerating transition away from fossil fuels and is being discussed as evidence that large-scale renewables can carry the bulk of a developed economy's power needs, even if only for peak moments.

Argentina has put its first solar-powered train into operation, running on batteries charged by solar energy harnessed in the Andean region. The development is being shared as an example of renewable energy applied to public transport, with coverage highlighting the country's push into solar power and sustainable mobility.

Costa Rica will invest $300 million in funding from the European Union and France to modernise its electricity system and push forward its transition toward greater renewable energy generation. The announcement highlights the country's continued reliance on renewables and its cooperation with European partners on energy infrastructure.

CleanTechnica reports that next-generation geothermal energy systems are advancing in the United States and increasingly positioned as a direct competitor to fossil fuels. The article argues geothermal can provide consistent, renewable baseload power and is gaining ground in US energy policy discussions as a sustainable alternative to coal, oil and gas.

California's power grid has reached a point where renewables meet 56% of demand, with nearly one-fifth of hours running entirely on clean energy. The figures highlight the state's progress in shifting from fossil fuels toward solar, wind and other renewable sources, and are being cited as evidence that a large economy can operate increasingly on clean power.

School districts across the Philadelphia area are installing solar energy systems to reduce their utility bills. Districts see rooftop and ground-mounted panels as a way to redirect money from energy costs into classrooms while also cutting carbon emissions. The trend reflects a broader push by Pennsylvania schools toward renewable energy despite upfront installation costs.

Kubota has introduced an agrivoltaic system that lets farmers grow and combine-harvest rice beneath elevated solar panels. The setup raises photovoltaic arrays high enough for standard farm machinery to pass underneath, allowing the same land to produce both food and renewable electricity. The idea is drawing attention as countries push to expand solar capacity without sacrificing farmland.

Generate has secured $117 million in financing to support a 114 MW community solar portfolio, providing capital for a new batch of distributed solar projects to move forward. The funding will help advance community solar development, a model that lets households and businesses subscribe to shared local solar installations and receive credits on their electricity bills.

The Audubon Society of Rhode Island has installed solar power as part of an effort to eliminate fossil fuels from its operations. The move positions the conservation organisation to run its facilities on renewable energy, aligning its practices with its environmental mission.

A solar project in Elgin, Illinois is now supplying electricity to around 580 lower-income households, with coverage highlighting both the energy savings for residents and the project's broader local economic impact. The initiative is being presented as an example of how renewable energy installations can deliver direct benefits to communities that often face high utility costs.

A solar project in Whitefish is now generating electricity for local homes while helping offset demand during peak usage periods. The initiative reflects growing efforts in Montana communities to add renewable energy to the grid and reduce reliance on traditional peak-load power sources.

Levi Strauss & Co. and Marks & Spencer have announced the launch of the Fashion Renewable Collaborative, a joint initiative aimed at advancing renewable energy use across the fashion industry. Details of the programme's membership and targets remain limited, but the move signals growing cooperation between major apparel brands on supply chain decarbonisation.

Local nonprofits in Portland have converted a closed landfill site into a solar array while restoring part of the land as wildlife habitat. The project turns otherwise unusable brownfield land into clean energy generation and green space, and the reuse of landfills for solar and habitat projects is drawing interest in other cities looking at similar conversions.

The Honnold Foundation, founded by climber Alex Honnold, is expanding access to solar energy in remote and off-grid communities. Forbes reports on the foundation's work funding solar projects that bring reliable electricity to areas lacking grid access. The initiative highlights how renewable energy can reach places that traditional infrastructure has left behind.

Renewable energy sources, mainly solar and wind, supplied a record 80% of Australia's electricity grid demand, marking a new milestone for the country's energy transition. The achievement highlights how quickly renewables are displacing coal-fired generation in Australia, one of the world's largest coal exporters, and is drawing attention to the pace of its shift toward cleaner power.

Former US Vice President and longtime climate advocate Al Gore has issued an defiantly optimistic message on the global climate crisis, declaring "we're going to win this." In an interview with Mother Jones, Gore argues that despite mounting extreme weather and stalled politics, the rapid growth of renewable energy and grassroots pressure give reasons for confidence that humanity will ultimately overcome the crisis.