Maguire: Italy's economic troubles have an upside for the moment, a positive climate.
The persistent economic crisis in Italy has led to the lowest emissions in its power sector for decades. Climate activists need to be aware that economic measures could cause a rapid U-turn on pollution trends. Italy has been experiencing economic stagnation for over a decade. This has resulted in a steady decline of goods produced and exported, and lowered power consumption among many businesses. The lower power demand by industry allowed Italy's utilities, which were once a nation that ranked among the top 10 polluting nations…
Maguire: Italy's economic troubles have an upside for the moment, a positive climate.
The persistent economic crisis in Italy has led to the lowest emissions in its power sector for decades. Climate activists need to be aware that economic measures could cause a rapid U-turn on pollution trends. Italy has been experiencing economic stagnation for over a decade. This has resulted in a steady decline of goods produced and exported, and lowered power consumption among many businesses. The lower power demand by industry allowed Italy's utilities, which were once a nation that ranked among the top 10 polluting nations…
RWE withdraws $10 billion Namibia Green Hydrogen Project
RWE, the German energy utility, announced on Monday it was withdrawing from Namibia's $10 Billion Hyphen green ammonia Project. This is a blow for Namibia's ambitions of becoming a hydrogen hub. The pullback represents the latest example where companies are reconsidering their investments in a new technology that costs a lot to develop. RWE signed an initial non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Hyphen in 2020 to take approximately 300,000 tonnes of ammonia per year - a compound that is mainly used to make fertilizer - starting 2027.
US to cancel 13 billion dollars in green energy funds
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it would cancel over $13 billion of funds pledged by the Biden Administration to subsidize solar, wind, batteries, and electric vehicles. The funds that were targeted weren't immediately apparent. The department didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for more information. The department stated that by returning the funds to American taxpayers, the Trump Administration is demonstrating its commitment to providing more affordable, reliable, and secure American energy, and to being more responsible with taxpayer dollars.
BayWa's renewable energy unit may be affected by US subsidy regulations
The company stated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s tax and spending plan could lower the U.S. earning of German agricultural supply trader BayWa’s renewable unit. This would drive its share price down. BayWa Renewable Energy r.e. is reviewing its long-term business planning and earnings expectations in light of the so called 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' which has significantly reduced the subsidies for renewable energy sources. AG will review its long-term plans and earnings estimates and could potentially reduce them," the company said in a press release. At 0817 GMT, shares of BayWa fell 3.9%.
India's Vedanta will keep coal as its base energy source despite clean energy push
Vedanta, an Indian mining and metals company, will continue to use coal as the primary source of energy for its mining operations. However, it aims to increase its share of renewable energy sources in its energy blend, according to a senior executive on Tuesday. Deshnee Niaidoo said that coal accounts for almost 70% of Vedanta’s energy mix in an interview at the FT Live Energy Transition Summit India. Naidoo stated that coal will be the main contributor to Vedanta's baseload. Naidoo stated that the company plans to increase the share of renewables in its operations…
Vedanta's top executive: coal will remain the base energy source for India's Vedanta
Vedanta, an Indian mining and metals company, will continue to use coal as the primary source of energy for its mining operations. However, it aims to increase its share of renewable energy sources in its energy blend. Deshnee Niaidoo said that coal accounts for almost 70% of Vedanta’s energy mix in an interview at the FT Live Energy Transition Summit India. Naidoo stated that coal will be the main contributor to Vedanta's baseload. Naidoo stated that the company plans to increase the share of renewables in its operations…
Prices rise sharply due to less wind and nuclear supply
The wholesale European power prices surged Tuesday, as French nuclear power generation dropped and wind power production in the region is expected to be lower on the day ahead. A market that is under-supplied can be identified by the weaker scenario of electricity supply and the higher demand projections. By 815 GMT on Wednesday, the price of French baseload electricity for delivery was 59 euros ($69.57 per megawatt-hour (MWh), up 165.2% over the previous close. The German baseload day-ahead bid was 72.2 euros/MWh after closing at 17.5 euro/MWh.
Alaskans fear higher energy prices as Trump drills
Alaskans spend nearly two times as much on electricity as the national average. Matt Goodnow, financial counselor at a hospital located in Homer, Alaska, a fishing village on the Kenai Peninsula, said that higher energy costs would be detrimental to the community. The Trump administration is not only planning to eliminate federal funding for renewable energy projects and to remove tax breaks, it also proposes to lift the limits set by former president Joe Biden regarding oil and gas drilling in Alaska. Renewable energy projects in Alaska have been halted or cancelled by leading companies.
Germany is planning to stop using fixed-term contracts for renewable energy installations
According to the Economy Ministry, Germany will no longer use long-term fixed-price contracts for buying power from new renewable energies installations. However, it will continue to support this sector. The critics of fixed feed-in rates say that they are too expensive for the government and energy consumers, and that renewable industries have been established enough to be subjected to market forces. The economy ministry announced that alternative financing models will be examined. The economy…
India's power production rises at the fastest rate in five months due to industrial boost
The data of the federal grid operator revealed that India's electricity generation in August increased at its fastest rate since March. Manufacturing activity was accelerating due to strong demand. Grid India's daily analysis showed that the 4% increase in output of electricity last month led to a first-time annualised boost in coal-fired generation in five months. This year, India's dependence upon coal has been reduced by the sustained growth of renewable energy capacity. About three-quarters of the annual electricity is generated by coal.
UN chief calls on tech industry to use renewable energy for data centers
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on tech companies on Tuesday to power data centers using 100% renewable energy by the year 2030. This is despite the fact that the industry has been turning to coal and gas fired power plants in order to meet the surge in demand. The Secretary General argued that data centers are energy-hungry and should be redirected to a future of renewable energy. He said the transition is inevitable even though some countries still use fossil fuels. Guterres…
China begins construction of the world's largest dam on hydropower in Tibet
The official Xinhua News Agency reported that China's Premier Li Qiang had announced the start construction of what is estimated to be the largest hydropower project in the world. It will be located on the eastern rims of the Tibetan plateau, and the cost of this project is estimated at around $170 billion. The project is part China's drive to expand renewable energy sources and reduce carbon emission. The dam, which will consist of five cascades of hydropower stations and be located at the lower reaches Yarlung Zangbo River could have a major impact on millions of people in India and Bangladesh.
BHP: Australian green iron is too expensive despite joint China agreement
BHP, a major miner, said that it would be too expensive for Australia to develop a "green-iron" industry. This is despite the fact that Australia and China had agreed to work together this week to decarbonise steel supply chains, which are responsible for almost a tenth percent of global emissions. BHP Australia's Geraldine Slattery said the costs of producing low-carbon steel products "just don't stack up" when she attended a session in China on green steel this week with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australian miners, as well as Chinese steelmakers.
Germany's wind energy expansion is picking up but the targets are still not met, according to lobby
The BWE wind lobby reported on Tuesday that Germany's onshore power sector has recorded its best half-year in 2017 but still fell short of legally mandated goals. Berlin wants to generate 80% of Germany’s electricity using renewable sources by 2030. This goal has been accelerated due to recent reforms, and the decline in Russian fossil fuels imports following the invasion of Ukraine. In the first six months of 2025, 409 turbines with a capacity of 2.2 gigawatts were installed, an increase of 67% over the previous year.
Sources say that India's Assam State has halted its green hydrogen policy, a setback for investors.
Government and industry sources confirmed that Assam, a state in northeast India, has put on hold its green hydrogen policy, shocking investors who were already suffering from a reduction of incentives for clean energy project. The largest state in the northeast has tried to attract large investments to a region which has lagged far behind the rest of the country when it comes to renewable energy adoption. It has offered financial incentives and exemptions for electricity. Four sources familiar with the matter said that energy firms such as NTPC Green and Larsen And Toubro in Singapore…
Sources say that India's Assam State has halted its green hydrogen policy, a setback for investors.
Government and industry sources confirmed that Assam, a state in northeast India, has halted its green hydrogen policy, shocking investors who were already suffering from a reduction of incentives for clean energy project. The largest state in the northeast has tried to attract large investments to a region which has lagged far behind the rest of the country when it comes to renewable energy adoption. It has offered financial incentives and exemptions for electricity. Four sources familiar with the matter said that energy firms such as NTPC Green and Larsen And Toubro in Singapore…
Spot prices are lowered by a combination of wind power, nuclear energy and a shaky demand.
The European wholesale electricity prices fell on Thursday due to lower demand and higher wind generation, particularly in Germany. The market was impacted by the bearish factors, which overrode any impact from the tighter solar output. This is due to the rising temperatures expected into the next week that will increase the demand for power. French baseload electricity for Friday fell 7.3% to 51 euros ($59.83 per megawatt-hour) at 0745 GMT. The German equivalent contract dropped 8.4% to 86.8 Euro/MWh. LSEG data shows that the wind power output in Germany will increase from 5.9 GW to 11 GW per day.
Draft document shows that heavy industries will get a price reduction on electricity under the new EU regulations
A draft of the new EU rules on state aid, which are due to be published by the European Commission on Wednesday, revealed that heavy industries would receive a temporary reduction in electricity prices. This is despite criticisms from companies about high energy costs and restrictive green regulations. Eurometaux, a group of metals industry professionals, sent a warning to Ursula von der Leyen at the beginning of this month. The letter warned that the sector was losing its competitiveness in comparison with U.S. competitors and Chinese counterparts.
Japan returns to long term LNG deals on AI boom and national energy plan
The liquefied gas industry in Japan is once again in the spotlight, as artificial intelligence booms and rising costs of cleaner energy drive the appetite for long-term LNG contracts. Japan, which is the second largest LNG importer in the world, has secured long-term deals with Qatar, and other buyers are also securing such agreements. Japan's LNG exports have been falling for over a decade, as the nuclear power plants that were idled following the Fukushima catastrophe began to operate again and renewable energy sources increased. The AI boom will require enormous power consumption from data centres.