Green Energy Times

Headline News:

• “Parched Summer In Rockies Sends Bears Into Urban Areas” • A black bear opened the door of a Toyota SUV and got trapped inside it. The animal ripped apart the Toyota’s interior, as it tried desperately to escape. It was one of hundreds of examples of bears getting into more trouble than usual in the parched Rocky Mountains this summer. [ABC News]

Black bear (sawyer, Unsplash)

• “Why Moscow Still Has A Role In Europe’s ITER Fusion Project” • The EU and Russia are geopolitical adversaries, with Russia under sweeping EU sanctions and its ties to the EU cut back. Yet inside the world’s largest nuclear fusion experiment, the two remain linked by a partnership forged decades ago and built to endure for generations. [Euronews]
• “Global Trade Made Up 35% Of The EU’s Carbon Footprint In 2023” • The EU is making a full-on effort to cut its emissions, but 35% of its carbon footprint was generated abroad in 2023, data from the European Climate Foundation and climate consultancy Matière says. And globally, over 20% of greenhouse gas emissions are linked to global trade. [Euronews]
• “BYD Sales Outside of China Grew 134% To Record 189,466 Vehicles In August” • BYD reportedly sold 189,466 vehicles in August outside of China. That was 134.5% more than it sold outside of China in August 2025. BYD also achieved 5% growth, month over month. That happens often, and BYD’s sales outside of China often hit new records. [CleanTechnica]
• “Ball State Study Finds Utility-Scale Renewable Projects Have No Significant Effect On Indiana Home Prices” • A research brief from Ball State University outlines an analysis of 20 years of data for home sales near large renewable energy projects in Indiana. It finds no statistically significant negative impact on residential property values. [pv magazine USA]

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Headline News:

• “Von Der Leyen Tries To Counter Trump With €200 Million Investment In Greenland” • Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a €200 million investment package to back Greenland’s territorial integrity and counter pressure from US President Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to annex the mineral-rich island. The funds will arrive over the next two years. [Euronews]

Nuuk (Quintin Soloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

• “Nepal Holds A Day Of Mourning For Flash Floods Victims, As Rescue Efforts Continue” • Nepal held a day of mourning for the 1,300 known dead in the floods of August 26. Government offices lowered flags and family members carryed out mourning rituals. Rescue efforts are focused on twelve hydropower projects, where about 500 workers may still be trapped. [Euronews]
• “ICCT Says EV Operating Costs Are A Third Lower In Europe” • The International Council On Clean Transportation said in a report that in 2025 operating an electric car in Europe cost one third less than operating a car powered by internal combustion. With higher fuel costs after the US attack on Iran, the disparity could be greater in 2026. [CleanTechnica]
• “Russia Destroys Solar Plants, But Ukrainian Businesses Continue Investing Millions In Green Energy.” • Russian attacks continue to damage Ukraine’s renewable energy infrastructure. Nevertheless, Ukrainian businesses and banks are still moving ahead with millions of euros in new solar and energy storage investments. [Ukraine Business News]
• “Even More Questions Swirl Around Tesla Cybercab Rollout” • When Tesla unveiled its Cybercab robotaxi in Austin, there was a lot of media buzz. However, it seems that a lot of that buzz was the sound of heads being scratched. One of the questions being asked: How many, if any, fleet managers will stock their robotaxi fleets with Cybercabs? [CleanTechnica]

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Headline News:

• “Fuel Prices At Record Labor Day High Thanks To Iran War And Refinery Issues” • It’s never been more expensive to fill up a tank and take one last summer trip over the Labor Day weekend. The average price of regular gas was $4.14 a gallon heading into the holiday. The previous Labor Day record was $3.82 in 2012, according to the AAA. [ABC News]

Dog on a road trip (Hector O’Connor, Unsplash)

• “European Union Is Racing To Rethink Arctic Policy As The Global Power Grab Continues” • Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, is finishing up her two-day tour of the Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. Her aim is to further EU-Arctic relations and to gather intelligence as the EU maps out a new Arctic Policy. [Euronews]
• “IRENA Chief Calls For Tripling Renewable Energy Capacity By 2030” • The global community needs to ensure a threefold increase in renewable energy capacity by 2030, International Renewable Energy Agency Director-General Francesco La Camera said during the opening of Baku Climate Action Week 2026, Report says. [Report.az]
• “Pesticides Cause 400 Million Farmer Poisoning Cases A Year, Study Finds” • Nearly half the world’s farmers get poisoned with pesticides annually, while global pesticide use continues to rise, a study finds. Between 402 and 433 million cases of acute pesticide poisoning occur among farmers and farm workers worldwide each year, according to the study. [Euronews]
• “Feds Launch Probe Into Tesla’s Deployment Of Cybercabs With No Brakes And Steering Wheels” • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla’s deployment of approximately 1,000 Cybercab vehicles in Austin, Texas. The Cybercabs have no steering wheels or brake pedals, which are required by NHTSA safety standards. [ABC News]

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Headline News:

• “Renewable Energy And Storage Solve Massive Grid Problem In US” • Though President Trump has put a crimp in the wind industry, the killer combo of solar-plus-storage is dominating US capacity additions generally, and in Texas particularly. Utility watchers in the state are crediting the trend with enabling grid operators to avoid outages. [CleanTechnica]

ERCOT dispatcher (Dpysh w, CC BY-SA 3.0)

• “Volkswagen Supervisory Board Approves Plan To Eliminate Models And Reduce Workforce By 100,000” • On September 3, Volkswagen Group announced that a plan to close four factories in Germany and eliminate 100,000 workers worldwide had been approved unanimously by the supervisory board. The plan had been turned down in June. [
• “Eigg’s Electricity System Is Renewable” • On 12 June, 1997, the residents of the Scottish island of Eigg took ownership of the island with financial help from others. They started installing an electric grid in 2005. Now, their electric grid consists of 112 kW of hydro, 170 kW of solar and 24 kW of wind. The wind comes from four small turbines. [Space Daily]
• “Climate Scientist Says He Was Fired At West Point After Refusing To Omit Human Causes” • West Point’s only climate scientist says the academy pushed him out after he refused to omit a central point of climate science from his teaching: that human activity is causing the crisis. That is his allegation, now being laid out in a new lawsuit. [The Cool Down]
• “After Nearly Two Decades Of Failed Attempts, Regulators In Maine Approved 800 MW Of Turbines And A Transmission Line Shared By Four States” • Aroostook County, at the northern tip of Maine, is blessed with some of the strongest onshore winds in New England and vast tracts of land. The state’s regulators are finally acting on that. [Energies Media]

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Headline News:

• “Farmers Turn To Perennial Grains As One Extreme Weather Solution” • Perennial grains don’t need to be planted, harvested, and replanted every year. Instead, they are planted once every few years. Their root systems can reach several feet down to access water deeper in the ground. But the market for annual grains still has to develop. [ABC News]

Perennial wheatgrass (Dehaan, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

• “A Reckless Drive for More Nuclear Power” • Connecticut’s government held presentations to encourage more nuclear power plants in the state. But the assumption they start with is wrong. They assume our big challenge is a need for more energy for data centers. Wrong. We are in a climate catastrophe that is coming at lightning speed. [New Politics]
• “Spain Matches Its September Heat Record As Extreme Heat Grips Country” • Spain met a highest September temperature on Thursday, with 45.7°C (114°F) measured in the southwestern town of El Granado as exceptional heat grips the country, according to Spain’s State Meteorological Agency. The temperature matched the September record set in 2016. [Euronews]
• “Global Maritime Decarbonization Stalls Despite The Rising Impact Of Climate Change” • Negotiations at the IMO have drawn a blank for the third meeting in a row, as efforts by the US and Saudi Arabia to stall progress were successful. Meanwhile, delegates from vulnerable countries highlight the tragic cost of this year’s climate disasters. [CleanTechnica]
• “India Plans Mandatory Battery Storage at Solar and Wind Projects” • In India, authorities plan to introduce, from July 1, 2027, with a regulation requiring developers of solar and wind energy projects to have battery storage installed at the sites. The goal is a bid to manage the renewable energy output and reduce curtailments better. [OilPrice.com]

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Headline News:

• “US Forest Service Closing 23 Research Facilities As Part Of Reorganization Under Trump” • The US Forest Service is closing 23 research stations in more than a dozen states as part of an organizational overhaul under President Donald Trump that is intended to trim costs and concentrate the agency’s resources in Western states, officials said. [ABC News]

New Hampshire (Cate Bligh, Unsplash, cropped)

• “EU Heavy-Duty Vehicle Transition Needs Renewed Political Momentum” • Europe’s road transport sector is under growing pressure. The crises triggered by the wars in Iran and Ukraine have pushed diesel prices sharply higher reinforcing concerns over Europe’s energy security. Extreme weather is increasingly disrupting transport operations. [CleanTechnica]
• “El Niño To Be ‘Very Strong’ And Last Until February, UN Climate Agency Warns” • El Niño is set to become “very strong” in the months ahead, with the weather phenomenon near certain to persist through to February, the UN climate agency warned. The World Meteorological Organisation said El Niño would peak towards the end of this year. [Euronews]
• “It’s Game On As Ford Fathom Steals Thunder From Tesla Cybercab Launch” • The Ford Fathom electric pickup truck seems aimed to steal market share from industry leader Tesla one way or another. News broke around the Fathom right in the middle of the leadup to a major promotional event for the Tesla Cybercab robotaxi in Texas. [CleanTechnica]
• “France Had Its Hottest Summer Since Records Began Over A Century Ago, Environment Minister Says” • According to the national weather agency Meteo France, the summer of 2026 had an average temperature of 24°C. That is 3.6°C above the normal average, and 0.9°C higher than the record set in 2003, when the average was 2.7°C above normal. [Euronews]

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Headline News:

• “China’s CO₂ Emissions Fall In Q2 2026 Due To Plummeting Oil Use ” • China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell by 1% in the second quarter of 2026, as oil consumption plummeted with the strait of Hormuz crisis. The country’s use of oil fell by 9% overall and by 16% for transport, after the disruptions to supply from the Gulf through the strait. [CleanTechnica]

Great Wall of China (Hanson Lu, Unsplash, cropped)

• “Designers Unveil Wind Installation Ship Blueprints” • Designs for a new jack-up monopile and wind turbine installation vessel were unveiled by Deltamarin and Offshoretronic. The designs of the Vitruvian Class vessel will address anticipated demand from 20-MW to 30-MW turbines entering commercial service by 2030, the companies said. [reNews]
• “Global Warming Will Exceed Limit, UN Says” • In a strategic retreat in the fight against climate change, the UN acknowledged that the Earth has lost its chance to prevent some of the worst of global warming’s harms. So now the world must figure out how to get temperatures below the danger zone and back to safety, officials say. [ABC News]
• “NY’s Plan To Charge Fossil-Fuel Producers $75 Billion For Climate Change Damages Struck Down” • New York’s attempt to make fossil fuel industries pay into a $75 billion fund to repair the damage of climate change was struck down by a federal judge, who said the law reaches beyond a state’s purview and into an area of federal interest. [ABC News]
• “Trump Twiddles Thumbs As The Balcony Solar Movement Takes Off” • For all his bleating, braying bluster over fossil fuels, US President Donald Trump is presiding over a solar power revolution. So far on his watch, a total of nine states have now adopted balcony solar legislation, with New Jersey being the latest addition to the list. [CleanTechnica]

Have a spontaneously funny day.

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Headline News:

• “The Moonrider Battery-Electric Tractor From GoSun Costing $19,995” • The Moonrider tractor makes it possible for farmers, homesteaders, and landscapers to work in a quieter environment without polluting emissions. It is priced at $19,995, thousands of dollars less than similar tractors powered by internal combustion engines burning gasoline or diesel oil. [CleanTechnica]

Moonrider electric tractor (GoSun image)

• “What It Will Take To Turn Renewables Boom Into A Real Drop In Emissions” • It’s no longer possible to keep global warming below 1.5°C, a UN Environment Programme report says. It projects a best-case 1.8°C of warming and says we will “overshoot, peak and decline.” But we are also challenged by demands for AI and data centers. [Euronews]
• “Air Conditioners Save Thousands Of Lives Every Year In The US” • Home air conditioning prevents over 5,000 heat-related deaths per year in the US, a study found. As rising temperatures take a toll on human health, household air conditioning is about more than comfort, a study in Nature Health found, because it also saves thousands of lives. [Euronews]
• “US Adds 20 GWh Of Energy Storage Capacity In Q2, Largest Quarter On Record” • The US energy storage industry installed a record 20.2 GWh of capacity in Q2, bringing total installations in the first half of 2026 to 30.8 GWh. This is according to a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. [CleanTechnica]
• “AOC Proposes Data Center At Mar-A-Lago” • After President Trump said every community should want a data center, US Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took a shot at his enthusiastic support for them. She suggested that he put one at Mar-a-Lago after he said the communities that oppose the facilities are “backwards and poor.” [AOL.com]

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Headline News:

• “Rooftop Solar Meets 99.9% Of South Australia Grid Demand” • South Australia’s rooftop solar pushed electricity demand from conventional generation to a record winter low. The Australian Energy Market Operator said rooftop solar met 99.9% of SA’s electricity demand at 1.30 pm, August 31, reducing conventional demand to 2 MW. [Energy Magazine]

Rooftop solar (Ellen Whisk, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

• “Von Der Leyen Says Europe Must Prepare For A New Era Of Simultaneous Disasters” • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the EU must adapt its civil protection systems to a world of more frequent, simultaneous, and severe emergencies after a European wildfire season stressed national firefighting services badly. [Euronews]
• “Europe On Track For Record Wind Year” • Europe is on track for a record year for wind installations after adding 8.8 GW of new capacity in the first half of 2026, up 30% on the first half of 2025. WindEurope said it now expects Europe to install 24 GW of new wind capacity by the end of 2026 after high installation activity over the summer. [reNews]
• “China’s Solar Power Capacity Overtakes Coal For First Time” • China’s solar power capacity exceeded coal-fired capacity for the first time, marking a milestone in the country’s transition toward cleaner energy, official data showed. Solar capacity reached 1,286 GW at the end of July, edging past coal-fired capacity of 1,285 GW, Xinhua reported. [A News]
• “Trump’s Venezuela Oil Deal May Have No Immediate Impact On US Gas Prices” • President Donald Trump announced the US reached a deal to extract tens of billions of barrels of Venezuelan crude to replenish America’s depleting strategic oil reserves and reduce. Experts say it will be years before the oil can be captured, however, providing no quick relief. [ABC News]

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Headline News:

• “The World Lost A Stealth Eco-Monarch With The Passing Of King Harald V ” • King Harald V of Norway died after a reign of 35 years. Over three decades, a constitutionally silent monarch quietly made green the default without ever legislating a thing. For one example, his country went through the world’s fastest, most complete shift to electric mobility. [CleanTechnica]

Harald V (Sámediggi, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• “How Europe’s scorching summers are reshaping national budgets” • The true price of the European heatwaves, drought, and the wildfires they lead to only surfaces in public accounts months later. The burden of rebuilding roads and rail, propping up health services, and compensating farmers, is outpacing government revenues and reserves. [Euronews]
• “Nepal-Tibet Flood Death Toll Rises To 797, Officials Say, More Than 3,000 Missing” • The death toll from last week’s flash flood disaster in the Nepal-Tibet border region rose to nearly 800 people as of Sunday, according to the latest updates from Nepali and Chinese officials. There are at least 85 Americans still among the missing. [ABC News]
• “How The US-Israeli War On Iran Is Reshaping Global Energy Use” • Six months after US-Israeli strikes disrupted fossil fuel production in the Middle East and turned the Strait of Hormuz into a naval battleground, reports show how the conflict has also been pushing governments, companies and consumers towards renewable energy. [The Japan Times]
• “Maryland Locks In Solar Deal Officials Say Could Save $300 Million” • Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of General Services announced a 20-year agreement to purchase solar energy generated in Western Maryland. State officials say the deal could save Maryland about $300 million and expand the state’s use of renewable energy. [The Cool Down]

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Headline News:

• “Solar Has Crossed A Critical Economic Tipping Point” • For years, the economic case for solar came with a qualification. Its installation cost a lot. That disadvantage has largely disappeared. According to an Ember analysis, a solar plant can now require less upfront investment than a coal or gas plant for the same amount of electricity delivered. [OilPrice.com]

Solar power plant in Dunhuang (ダモ リ, Unsplash)

• “COP17 In Mongolia Wraps Up With $1.3 Billion Of Green Investment Pledge” • After twelve days of negotiation and debate in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolian, delegates of 197 parties (196 countries plus the EU) who signed the UN Convention for Combating Desertification wrapped up the Conference of Parties (COP17). The results were note-worthy. [Euronews]
• “Is Europe’s Heat Finally Giving Way? And Are Flash Floods Next?” • Europe’s blistering summer was a “grim illustration” of human-caused climate change, the European Commission said in June, There was no relief in July and much of August. Now the heat is not so great along the Mediterranean, but farther North, it is cooler, with warnings of flash floods. [Euronews]
• “Mexico’s Green Energy Push Is Finally Gaining Momentum” • After a slow start, Mexico is now well on its way to undergoing a green transition. President Claudia Sheinbaum has launched an energy reform that opens the country’s energy sector to greater private investment while focusing on expanding the Mexican renewable energy sector. [OilPrice.com]
• “Most ‘Park Outside’ Warnings Involve Vehicles With Internal Combustion Engines” • Battery fires affected only about a dozen first-generation Chevy Bolts but the fallout cost their makers over $1 billion. How is it that the public does not know about the 3 million vehicles, mostly gas-powered, that are required to be parked outside away from homes? [CleanTechnica]

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Headline News:

• “State Grid Corporation Of China targets 200 GW Annually Of Renewables” • State Grid Corporation of China outlined twenty measures in seven areas to support the national 15th Five-Year Plan carbon peaking goals. The company said its operating area will add about 200 GW of energy capacity annually during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. [reNews]

Wind turbines in China (Siyuwj, CC BY-SA 4.0)

• “Is Global Warming Supercharging El Niños? Study Suggests They Are” • A study suggests that El Niños are getting stronger because of human-caused climate change. El Niños are more than 36% stronger than they were before the industrial age began in the mid 1800s, with a 16% jump in just the last forty years. This shows that the increase is accelerating. [Euronews]
• “Sierra Club Slams Trump Plan To Carve Up Yosemite For Private Developer” • The Trump administration has spent over a year quietly pressing the National Park Service to give up land inside Yosemite National Park so a private developer can build a road connecting its own property to park land, an investigation by NOTUS found. [CleanTechnica]
• “Irish Solar Capacity Passes 3 GW” • Installed solar capacity in Ireland has passed 3 GW for the first time, including installations from rooftop solar to grid-scale solar farms. The Irish Minister for Climate, Energy, and the Environment Darragh O’Brien said the milestone comes as the growth of the country’s solar capacity continues to accelerate. [reNews]
• “Trump Announces ‘Historic’ US-Venezuela Oil Deal That He Says Will Lower Gas Prices” • President Donald Trump has announced that the US and Venezuela have reached a “historic” oil deal that he said would give the US a majority control of billions of barrels of oil reserves in the Caribbean country and lower gas prices for Americans. [ABC News]

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Headline News:

• “EU Countries Urged To Invest In Nature Restoration Plans And Close €65 Billion Annual Shortfall” • After a summer of record heatwaves, devastating wildfires, and drought, analysts urge EU countries to step up ecosystem restoration plans ahead of a 1 September deadline. The EU’s nature restoration funds face a €65 billion annual shortfall. [Euronews]

Mountains in Italy (Michael Kora, Unsplash)

• “200 Metric Tons Of Jellyfish Close Down Nuclear Reactors In France” • Reactor units in Gravelines, the largest nuclear power station in France, have once again been shut down due to an influx of jellyfish. A spokeswoman for the French operator EDF said that more than 200 metric tons of jellyfish had appeared since last night. [Yahoo]
• “Janus: More Than Twenty Commercial Nuclear Microreactors, Starting In 2028” • Five advanced nuclear companies will build, own, and operate over twenty commercial nuclear microreactors at five US Army installations under the Janus Program. The Janus Program is designed to put its first project into useful service by September of 2028. [POWER Magazine]
• “Tanker Pays Record $5.3 Million To Transit Panama Canal During Drought Caused By El Niño” • A liquefied petroleum gas tanker paid a record $5.3 million for priority passage through the Panama Canal ahead of El Niño-related restrictions. Panama had declared an elmergency when El Niño caused a severe regional drought is depleting water reserves. [Euronews]
• “Trump’s Secret Offshore Wind Payout Benefits Billionaire Donor” • A Washington Post report says one of Trump’s recent secret deals to cancel offshore wind projects and bolster fossil fuels will result in cash for one of Trump’s million-dollar donors to the tune of $900 million. RWE would pay it to a Trump donor for a gas project in Louisiana. [CleanTechnica]

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Headline News:

• “Renewable Energy Is Winning, Trump Is Losing (Shocker!)” • In the US, the all-important business of climate action continues apace despite Trump’s death cult focus on fossil fuels. Renewable energy now claim 30% of power generating capacity in the US. That 30% figure comes from the US EIA, an independent agency affiliated with the US DOE. [CleanTechnica]

Wind farm in Oregon (Steve Wilson, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• “Finland Plans 26-GW Solar Surge” • Renewables Finland’s updated project portfolio shows that over 26 GW of large solar capacity is being planned in Finland for 300 projects. According to Renewables Finland, 77 projects totaling 4.6 GW have been granted building permits, while another 15 projects representing 1.4 GW have completed the zoning process. [reNews]
• “California Legislature Approves Bill Easing Access To Clean, Affordable ‘Balcony Solar’” • The Environmental Working Group is applauding the California Legislature for passing a bill that will help Californians invest in clean energy while also tackling sky-high energy bills by making it easier to install small, affordable “balcony solar” systems. [CleanTechnica]
• “Evacuations Ordered As Wind-Whipped Ross Fire In Texas Grows To 80,000 Acres” • The Ross Fire, a wind-whipped grass fire near Fort Worth, Texas, rapidly grew overnight to 80,000 acres, triggering evacuations and road closures in two counties, officials said. It was 12% contained on Wednesday morning, up from 5% a day earlier. [ABC News]
• “Delaware Governor Signs Singular Bill to Power Data Centers with Clean Energy” • The Sierra Club is celebrating Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signing into law a suite of legislation that will protect families in the state from having to pay for pricey artificial intelligence data centers. One bill ensures data centers are powered by clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

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The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) announces the opening of applications for the sixth round of the Climate Catalysts Innovation Fund, a small catalytic grant program for local innovative climate projects.

VCRD launched the fund in 2021 to support local innovators in developing climate and energy solutions for which a small  grant could have a meaningful impact. To date, this fund has awarded 109 local innovators with over $345,500 in collective support for community-led climate and energy projects. Last year, CCIF recipient COVER Home Repair of White River Junction built a solar trailer that provides power to everything from work site tools to sound systems during events.

“I’m so grateful to VCRD for providing COVER with the grant funding to make this solar trailer project possible,” said Conor Teal, Work Crew Leader at COVER. “It’ll make our worksites safer, more efficient, and hopefully inspire our volunteers and other contractors to move toward installing solar power systems at their workplaces or in their homes.” 

In collaboration with multiple funding partners, VCRD supports projects that deliver community-scale impact with solutions that strengthen community resilience, reduce energy use, and create new approaches to local challenges.

“Five rounds of flexible, accessible funds have been distributed to individuals and organizations around Vermont moving climate projects forward,” said Laura Cavin Bailey, Climate Economy director. “The projects continue to show a wide range of ideas and inspiring action.”

Grants are awarded based on criteria that combine innovation, resilience, collaboration, replicability, and service to marginalized communities and those most affected by natural disasters. Eligible applicants include municipalities, town committees, schools, businesses, volunteer groups, and non-profit organizations.

Applications will close October 14th at 5pm. To apply, see past projects, and learn more, visit https://www.vtrural.org/climate-economy/climate-catalysts-innovation-fund/. For more information, contact Laura Cavin Bailey at laura@vtrural.org or (802) 234-1646.

 Vermont Council on Rural Development

The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of the locally-defined progress of Vermont’s rural communities. VCRD is a dynamic partnership of federal, state, local, nonprofit and private partners. Actively non-partisan with an established reputation for community-based facilitation, VCRD is uniquely positioned to sponsor and coordinate collaborative efforts across governmental and organizational categories concerned with policy questions of rural importance. The organization has successfully completed over 100 community visits, resulting in locally defined projects like new childcare centers, wastewater infrastructure, downtown redevelopments, and more.

• “Is Maine Finally About To Make Wind Power Happen?” • For nearly two decades, Maine has tried to build utility-scale wind in the northern reaches of the state. Utility regulators just brought that vision a little closer to reality by choosing an 800-MW wind farm proposal and a 1.2-GW transmission line plan from the bids it received earlier this year. [Canary Media]

Moose in Maine (US FWS, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• “Mongolia Positions Itself As Asia’s Next Data Centre Hub” • Mongolia is positioning itself as a global data centre hub, signing agreements for 863 MW of data centre capacity on the sidelines of a UN conference on desertification that had 197 delegations in Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia offers cheap renewable energy, a cold climate for cooling, and lots of land. [Euronews]
• “Homes In London Are Cracking As The Clay They Are Built On Shrinks” • The soil in most of greater London is clay, which is highly sensitive to variations in moisture content. When the clay gets dry, it shrinks. This summer, as London went through five intense heatwaves, that shrinking happened in many parts of the city, and it damaged homes. [CleanTechnica]
• “Korea To Build Renewables Equal To 45 Nuclear Reactors By 2040” • South Korea will expand renewable energy capacity to 220 GW by 2040, the government said. Assuming utilization rates of 80% for nuclear power, 20% for solar, and 30% for wind, that is roughly the amount of electricity 45 nuclear reactors could generate. [Seoul Economic Daily]
• “A ‘Jungle’ Grows In The Arctic, But Warming Is Changing Earth’s Mini-Greenhouse” • Up close, “the tundra’s kind of like the jungle,” said one plant biology student. Researchers are studying this ten-inch-tall jungle to see how climate change is affecting it. Will its plants evolve to cooperate or to compete in the new conditions? [ABC News]

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Headline News:

• “World’s Oceans Hit Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded In August As El Niño Takes Hold” • The world’s oceans reached their highest daily temperature on record, with global sea surface temperatures hitting 21.1°C. The record was set on August 22, when temperatures would normally be declining, according to the EU’s climate change data. [Euronews]

Ocean (Sebastien Gabriel, Unsplash)

• “Elia Completes Belgium Energy Island Foundations” • Elia Transmission Belgium completed foundation installation for the 3.5-GW Princess Elisabeth Island. Comprised of DEME and Jan De Nul, the TM Edison Consortium put the last of 23 caissons in place to form an outer perimeter at the site 45 km off the Belgian coast. Work was started in 2024. [reNews]
• “Making This Fossil Fuel Crisis Europe’s Last One” • Fossil fuel dependence has repeatedly undermined Europe’s prosperity and constrained its ability to act in the world. As long as Europe relies on fossil fuels, its citizens remain exposed to price shocks and geopolitical decisions made elsewhere. That exposure is a choice, and Europe can choose differently. [CleanTechnica]
• “Tens Of Thousands Evacuated As Hawk Wildfire Nears The City Of Reno” • Authorities in Nevada urged tens of thousands of people to evacuate and ordered schools to stay closed as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire bore down on Reno. About 42,000 people have been forced to evacuate and an additional 45,000 have been told to get ready to leave. [Euronews]
• “Broad Coalition Of 95 Organizations Urges Congress To Reject Attacks On Long-Standing Clean Air Protections” • A broad coalition urged Congress to reject four Congressional Review Act resolutions that would overturn long-standing Clean Air Act preemption waivers relied on by states to protect public health and air quality. [CleanTechnica]

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Headline News:

• “Indonesian Police Arrest 72 People Suspected Of Starting Forest Fires” • Indonesian police arrested 72 people suspected of starting recent forest and peatland fires as blazes in central and western parts of the country triggered a harmful cloud known as a choking haze. Plantation owners and traditional farmers often start fires to clear land for farming. [ABC News]

Farmland in Sumatra (ahmad hidayat, Unsplash, cropped)

• “BYD Da Han Claims Global Flagship Status” • BYD launched the new Da Han last week as a global flagship-level sedan. This is not just an evolution of the Han and BYD brand. It challenges and, in many ways, beats top models from the global premium automakers. BYD clearly has its sights set on taking the lead from legacy flagship-level sedans. [CleanTechnica]
• “Ireland Hits Solar Record As Renewables Top 30% Of July Electricity Supply” • Ireland’s power mix reached a milestone in July, with solar delivering its strongest monthly showing yet and helping renewable sources supply over 30% of the Irish electric energy. This signals a broader shift toward cleaner power that could reduce reliance on fossil fuels. [The Cool Down]
• “Maryland Announces Major Solar Energy PPA Expected To Save $300 Million” • Maryland approved a 20-year solar PPA expected to save the state hundreds of millions of dollars while expanding use of locally generated renewable energy. Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of General Services announced the agreement. [fundsforNGOs News]
• “In The American Southwest, The Water Crisis Threatens Existential Harm To Millions” • Seven US states rely on the water in the Colorado River. In 1922, those seven states agreed on how to divide up the water in the Colorado River. A lot has changed since that time, and they are drawing more water now than the river can provide. [CleanTechnica]

For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change. 

Headline News:

• “Romania Is Falling Behind The Renewables Race. Can The EU’s Biggest Solar Farm Save It?” • The EU’s largest solar farm has taken one step closer to becoming a reality, and could soon deliver enough power for almost one million people. The Dama Solar farm, led by Rezolv Energy, will be in the northwest of Romania, near the Hungarian border. [Euronews]

Solar array (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

• “Paks Nuclear Plant Reconnects First Turbine To National Grid” • Paks turbine 6 has been successfully connected to the Hungarian electric grid and is producing increasing amounts of energy. The eight turbines are expected to be back in operation by Wednesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Magyar said on a live television broadcast. [The Budapest Times]
• “COP17 In Mongolia: Finding Solutions To Land Degradation” • Delegates of 179 members of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification are engaging with business partners and local communities to find solutions for land degradation. The issue affects half of the world’s population, creating poverty. It is a cause of migration. [Euronews]
• “Europe’s Devastating Wildfires Unveil Deadly New Threat – Buried Bombs From WWI And WWII” • As fires burned huge areas of land in western Europe in recent months in extreme heat and droughts, firefighters have faced the additional threat of exploding shells. Explosions have been reported in France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. [Euronews]
• “Red States Are Killin’ It With Their Solar Factories” • In the topsy-turvy world of US energy policy, some conservative states are pushing the solar industry envelope the hardest. Texas is one clear example, and now a startup that specializes in transportable microgrids is putting deep red South Carolina on the map with a new 1.3-GW solar factory. [CleanTechnica]

For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.

Headline News:

• “Heart Aerospace Just Flew The Aviation Transition Investors Should Be Putting Billions Into” • Heart Aerospace’s X1 flew for 27 minutes from Plattsburgh International Airport, powered by just batteries. The X1 weighed over 25,000 pounds at takeoff and drew more than 1 MW at peak. Heart says the X1 is the largest battery-electric aircraft ever flown. [CleanTechnica]

Heart Aerospace X1 (Heart Aerospace image)

• “Parts Of Northwest Indiana Have Been Without Power For Over Ten Days” • On August 11, a storm hit the area around Gary, Indiana with winds of over 100 mph. The power went out power lines were destroyed. On Thursday, 65,000 Northwest Indiana customers are still without power. It will take until August 25 for electricity to be restored. [ABC News]
• “Torrential Rain And Flooding In Parts Of Italy” • In just a few hours, the extreme heat that had been tormenting northern Italy for weeks gave way to exceptional rainfall, flooding, and a sharp drop in temperatures. Rainfall totaled up to 250 mm (9.8 in), according to the Lombardy regional hydrometeorological and climate center. [Euronews]
• “Romania Proposes Three Black Sea Wind Sites” • Romania’s Ministry of Energy has reportedly proposed three areas in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea for offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of 3.1 GW. The ministry said the first phase comprises one proposed 1.9 GW area and two of 600 MW each, all suitable for fixed foundations. [reNews]
• “Federal Government Orders Steep Colorado River Water Cuts For Three States” • The federal government had hoped the states that draw water from the Colorado River could agree on how to divvy up the water. After they failed to do so, the Department of Interior ordered cuts to the amount of water going to California, Nevada, and Arizona. [ABC News]

For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.