J1. Green Tech Industry & Utilities

There appears to be broad support for strengthening the independence of the grid operator’s board, possibly by moving to an advisory stakeholder process, and giving states more influence. Some also called for codifying the public interest in PJM’s mission.

EDMONTON — Tim Weis, Senior Director, Industrial Decarbonization at the Pembina Institute, made the following statement following the First Ministers’ announcement to advance the buildout of electricity infrastructure between provinces. “Recent...

Headline News:

• “How The UK’s ‘Radical’ New Energy Secretary Could Kill North Sea Drilling” • Concerns that the UK will U-turn on its pledge to phase out North Sea drilling are back with a new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is called a “radical economist.” Outspoken about the climate crisis, she could end the North Sea debates. [Euronews]

Miatta Fahnbulleh (Roger Harris, ©House of Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

• “Renewables Provide More Than 30% Of US Electricity” • New data from the US Energy Information Administration, which was reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, shows growth of over 10% in electrical generation by renewable energy sources in the first five months of 2026 while total fossil fuel and nuclear capacity keep lagging far behind. [CleanTechnica]
• “Global Oil Prices Cross $100 A Barrel As Iran War Sends Fuel Prices Surging” • Global oil prices crossed $100 a barrel for the first time since May, after Houthi militants in Yemen claimed to have struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea. The reported attack threatened to worsen an oil shock that had already been one of the largest in history. [ABC News]
• “Driving The Speed Limit Could Save You Money And Cut Emissions” • A study, published in the journal Communications Sustainability, found that if US drivers complied with posted speed limits, it could save an average of $22 million, more than 6.6 million gallons of fuel, and 57,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every single day. [Euronews]
• “Utilities And Big Tech Pay Lip Service, “Pledge” To Keep Costs Down” • According to reporting by POLITICO, more utility and technology companies will sign onto a nonbinding pledge to keep electricity costs down and protect ratepayers from the skyrocketing bills driven by data centers’ energy demands. “Nonbinding” means what it says. [CleanTechnica]

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

Veteran energy and climate reporter Peter Hannam is joining Renew Economy, returning to journalism after a stint with the Climate Change Authority.

The post Peter Hannam joins Renew Economy as senior writer as editorial team expands appeared first on Renew Economy.

Consultant Shane Quinnell on the many hurdles we force renewable projects to jump over – and then wonder why they trip up. Plus, news of the week.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Why we make renewable projects so hard appeared first on Renew Economy.

Ark Energy becomes the fifth developer in just one week to announce a major investment decision on a new renewable energy project in Australia – in this case, for Australia's biggest solar-battery hybrid.

The post “Strong endorsement:” Australia’s biggest solar-battery hybrid project locks in finance appeared first on Renew Economy.

As communities brace for another summer of extreme weather, many home and building owners are taking a closer look at how exposed these assets are to climate risks. When it comes time for their next insurance or mortgage renewal, or when they decide...

The developer behind Victoria’s Mortlake Energy Hub has secured around $A245 million from a global asset manager to accelerate development of more than 2 GW of new renewables.

The post Australian developer gets funding boost for 2 GW-plus renewable energy plans and big solar battery hub appeared first on Renew Economy.

Plans to build a wind farm near one of country's youngest coal plants win all-important local council approval for meteorological mast changes at project site.

The post Small victory for big wind project navigating tough state planning laws appeared first on Renew Economy.

Researchers says realignment of wind turbines away from the wind can boost output. "Wake steering" has real data, but wind owners in Australia aren't buying it yet.

The post Wake steering: Researchers say turbine realignments could add double digit power gains to wind farms appeared first on Renew Economy.

Arrival of biggest and lowest cost turbines, a new competitor and some government contracts is stirring life into Australia's wind energy industry.

The post Worm turns for wind: Arrival of biggest and lowest cost turbines stirs Australia’s moribund market appeared first on Renew Economy.

Following two sold-out years, this year’s conference will cover how Australian producers can make electrifying operations and reducing emissions stack up commercially.

The post On-farm renewables bolster Aussie farmers’ energy security amid fuel and fertiliser crisis appeared first on Renew Economy.

New additions at Renew Economy, new boss for CEFC; Tim Nelson lands key role at Snowy. Plus: Moves at FairWind, MGA Thermal, Zenith, Atmos, Arena and ClearVue.

The post Grid Connections 2026: Who’s going where and doing what in Australia’s green energy transition appeared first on Renew Economy.

The UC Berkeley analysis should be welcome news for a manufacturing industry that is heavily reliant on natural gas, with its volatile prices, said Jose Dominguez, one of the report’s authors.

GE Vernova is taking reservations for 2031 deliveries now, said CEO Scott Strazik. He spoke of an increasingly diverse customer base, including data centers.

With so much riding on America's AI ambitions, utility workforce strategy must have a place alongside generation, transmission and capital planning, writes Stefan Hirniak, president of Specialist Staffing Group US.

“Any export of power ... necessarily makes that power unavailable to domestic customers,” potentially contributing to inadequate supplies for a region, Public Citizen said. 

Data centers, competition in the transmission sector and PJM Interconnection governance reform were other key topics at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

Headline News:

• “Global Oil Prices Rise To Highest Level In A Month Amid Iran War Escalation” • Oil prices climbed to their highest level in more than a month as fighting in the Middle East escalated and a top US official voiced pessimism about peace talks. Brent crude futures, the benchmark index for worldwide trading, rose to $94.10 a barrel. [ABC News]

Pumpjack (David Thielen, Unsplash, cropped)

• “US Says It Reaches Nuclear Power Deal With Saudi Arabia” • The US and Saudi Arabia have reached an agreement on civil nuclear power, the US DOE said, a deal that allows the kingdom to build nuclear reactors using American technology and to enrich uranium. A civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia has been in the works for years. [MSN]
• “Heat Rather Than Lack Of Rain Is To Blame For Europe’s Droughts” • France expects its worst maize harvest in 50 years. The EU’s rivers are so low that shipping is disrupted. Scientists say Europe’s droughts are increasingly driven more by heat than a lack of rain, and soil moisture is vanishing “faster than it would in a world without climate change.” [Euronews]
• “Europe Can Unlock 25 GW of Clean Power By Using Existing Grid Connections” • Europe could add 25 GW of wind and solar to existing hydropower sites across seven EU countries without needing extra grid capacity, according to a new Ember report. In Europe, hydropower plants are particularly well suited for hybridisation. [CleanTechnica]
• “Florida Researchers Bring Endangered Elkhorn Coral Ashore To Protect Them” • Scientists working to save a coral species from extinction transported thirty pieces from nurseries off the Florida coast to a hatchery on land, fearing that warming waters could trigger a mass bleaching event this summer that could wipe them out. [ABC News]

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

World’s first commercial factory to manufacture wooden wind turbine blades takes important step closer to realisation, after being awarded funding.

The post “First of a kind” factory to mass produce wooden wind turbine blades wins critical EU backing appeared first on Renew Economy.