Climate tech & energy transition
Clean energy, storage, grids and climate technology from trade press and research. For professionals and informed readers.
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The selected sources include Carbon Brief, CleanTechnica, Canary Media. Open each item at its original source for the complete article, episode or video. This is a selection of current coverage, not a complete archive.
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As Wildfires Intensify, Communities Have a Bigger Role to Play
As France confronts increasingly destructive wildfires, researchers say its largely top-down approach leaves residents with little role in preparing for them. In parts of the U.S., communities are experimenting with a different approach.By Alissa de Chassey On July 22, Aurélie Filleau and her husband were given 10 minutes to get their children and a few possessions into the car before evacuating their house in Le Porge, a town near Bordeaux, France.
Texas Land Commissioner Treads Carefully as Trump Border Wall Advances on State Property
Dawn Buckingham has long supported President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. But now the federal government plans to build a wall on cherished state land.By Martha Pskowski Border wall construction in the Big Bend region puts Republican Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham in a bind: back President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda or respond to growing bipartisan opposition to the wall.
Regenerative Growers in Florida Aim to Improve Soil for Health of Food, Environment, Consumers and Workers
The broad set of practices is becoming more popular at a time when climate change is stressing the state’s land—and the people who work on it.By Sara Pepitone Blueberries, green beans, yellow squash, red onions, purple cabbage, oranges. At markets across Florida, colorful produce signals freshness and nutrition and attracts consumers.
Isaias Made It To Birmingham. The Consequences Were Deadly
Devolin “Bobo” Webster was killed by a falling tree as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias swept through Alabama. His death illustrates the dangers tropical systems pose far inland.By Lee Hedgepeth BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—It’s hard to forget Uncle Bobo.
New York Candidates for Governor Clash Over Energy Policy
High utility bills, the state’s clean energy transition and data centers’ growing electricity needs emerged as flashpoints during a gubernatorial debate.By Lauren Dalban Incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman clashed over high energy costs in the state’s only gubernatorial debate, offering sharply different visions for how to keep electricity affordable as demand rises.
How Rewilding Could Help Atoll Islands Keep Pace With Rising Seas
Healthy ecosystems may give some of the world’s most vulnerable islands a better shot at survival, new research shows.By Bob Berwyn Coral-fringed tropical atolls are among the landforms most threatened by global warming, but many have a potential superpower: Healthy ecosystems may help them keep pace with rising seas.
Climate Change Is Increasing Simultaneous Exposure to Heat Waves and Wildfire Smoke
Heat and wildfire smoke are dangerous on their own. A new study says more people are facing both at once.By Katie Surma More than 1 billion people per year were exposed to heat waves and fire pollution at the same time from 2010-2019, a sharp jump from the decade before it, according to a new study that highlights the growing public health crisis caused by global warming.
New Study Reveals Clues About the Origins of Nepal’s Deadly Flood
Using seismic data from Nepal and China, researchers identified dozens of small seismic events in the weeks before the August rock-and-ice collapse and ensuing flood.By Alissa de Chassey A new study in the journal Seismica presents the first comprehensive seismic analysis of what happened during the disastrous flood in Nepal on Aug. 26. But exactly what triggered the mountainside to give way remains unclear.
Michigan Spill Prompts Federal Probe of Energy Transfer Pipelines’ Safety
The spill just north of Detroit, similar to a jet fuel leak last year in Pennsylvania, comes as Republicans face political peril in Michigan.By Marianne Lavelle A crude oil pipeline spill last month in the Detroit suburbs has prompted federal authorities to open an investigation into the safety of all 20,000 miles of hazardous liquids pipelines operated by Energy Transfer.
SEC Issues Warning to Investment Firms That Challenged ExxonMobil
The commission issued a rare “report of investigation” into the largest asset managers and state pension funds, part of a broader campaign to curb investor activism on climate risks.By Nicholas Kusnetz The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued an unusual warning this week to the country’s largest asset managers and a climate-focused investor group over their roles in a 2021 campaign that replaced board directors at ExxonMobil.
China’s Blue Mirage
Fish farming in Xinjiang is sold as proof that technology can overcome geography. The reality is a desert seafood boom built on political control and forced labor.By Ian Urbina This story is part of an investigation conducted by an international team of journalists based at The Outlaw Ocean Project. Read the other stories here.
South Baltimore Residents Grapple With Contradictory Incinerator Decisions
Residents expressed confusion and frustration as regulators shut down one incinerator and considered extending the lifespan of another.By Aman Azhar Around 100 Baltimore residents packed a community hall in the Curtis Bay neighborhood on the evening of Oct. 1. One after another, they implored the Maryland Department of the Environment not to renew the air permit for the city’s largest trash incinerator.
Wildlife Populations Have Plunged Globally, But Some Buck the Trend
A new report by leading conservation nonprofits found populations of thousands of vertebrate species dropped 73 percent on average from 1970 to 2022.By Kiley Price A new report paints a dark picture of the state of global wildlife—but also highlights flickers of light where some populations are on the upswing.
To Block Solar Energy Projects, One Community Lumped Them in With Junkyards and Adult Bookstores
A local fight in Indiana shows that even streamlined permitting can’t overcome deep community resistance to solar development.By Dan Gearino In Montgomery County, Indiana, utility-scale solar projects appear on an official list of undesirable land uses that also includes “adult-oriented businesses.”
Maryland Demands Answers as Fuel Leak Persists From Joint Base Andrews
Water testing across several locations continues to show diesel-range hydrocarbons flushing into Piscataway Creek even after the base says it halted the leak.By Aman Azhar Maryland environmental regulators say jet fuel continues to seep into Piscataway Creek from Joint Base Andrews more than six months after the spill was reported, despite the base’s assurances that it has isolated the damaged fuel system and stopped the leak.
In Harrisburg, Advocates Rally for Tougher Rules on Fracking
Concerned about surging energy demand fueled by data centers, environmental groups urge state regulators to increase minimum protective buffer distances around gas wells.By Marie Cusick Environmental groups and citizens are urging Pennsylvania regulators to increase the minimum amount of protective buffer space between gas wells and homes, schools and water sources. The issue has taken on new urgency as the AI data center buildout spurs more demand for natural gas.
Compounding Climate Impacts Drive Tropical Forest Decline
Extreme heat, drought and ozone from fire emissions are devastating the Amazon and other rainforests, new research shows.By Bob Berwyn Ozone pollution from fires, along with extreme heat and drought, is further weakening the Amazon rainforest’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, new research shows.
The American Livestock Industry’s Main Lobbying Group Treated Climate Change as a PR Problem
New research has revealed more examples of the National Cattlemen’s Association’s efforts to downplay and deny the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.By Georgina Gustin In 1991, Random House published a picture book called “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: ABC’s for a Better Planet,” in which the masked cartoon turtles trade in their signature nunchucks for signs bearing environmental slogans.
Maine’s Next Governor Will Walk a Tightrope Between Energy Affordability and Climate Action
All three candidates agree on the need for lower energy costs. Only two see a need to lower greenhouse gas emissions.By Delger Erdenesanaa, The Maine Monitor As Mainers prepare to choose a new governor in November, climate and energy issues may not be top of mind for every voter—but they are having big effects on residents’ lives.
New Documents Add to Evidence in Climate Deception Case Against ExxonMobil
Court filings by the Massachusetts attorney general’s office include previously undisclosed documents, revealing new details about internal deliberations at the oil giant.By Nicholas Kusnetz
Alabama Sets Stricter Data Center Rules. But There’s a Loophole
The new rules require more public disclosure on data center projects but still allow large projects to be approved without a vote.By Dennis Pillion
Scientists Urge Consumers to Stop Buying Products Made From Antarctic Krill
A new global boycott comes as major retailers withdraw krill products from their shelves to protect whales and other marine life.By Teresa Tomassoni
Retailers Warn Europe’s Fishing Industry to Stop Overfishing
European supermarkets say the industry needs a long-term sustainable solution to keep mackerel and herring stocks healthy.By Johnny Sturgeon Europe’s fish stocks are in such dire straits that even the retailers who rely on them are now telling the fishing industry to slow down.
Water Bills Surged More Than Other Costs in US Homes Over 10 Years, a ‘Striking’ New Report Shows
The price of water increased faster than inflation, grocery prices and median household income, nonprofit Food & Water Watch found in a new analysis.By Steven Rodas Drinking water costs spiked faster than inflation, grocery prices and median household income, researchers at nonprofit Food & Water Watch outlined in a first-of-its-kind report released Tuesday.
Development Becomes a Flashpoint in a Key New York House Race
Warehouse and data center development, backed by millions in tax incentives, is reshaping Rockland County, with residents losing trust in local officials and promising change at the ballot box.By Leana Carbonez NY-17: The third in a series on the environmental stakes behind one of the nation’s most fiercely contested congressional races.
Supreme Court Weighs Landmark Climate Deception Case Against Oil Companies
The justices’ ruling could decide whether more than two dozen similar claims proceed. The cases accuse oil companies of misleading the public about climate change and stymieing efforts to curb emissions.By Nicholas Kusnetz The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments from oil companies on Monday that could help decide the fate of more than two dozen lawsuits accusing the industry of deceiving the public about climate change. The claims seek potentially billions of dollars in damages to help pay the costs imposed by climate-related extreme weather.
New York Is Running Out of Room for Its Trash
Much of New York City’s waste ends up in sprawling landfills far from the city. Upstate communities say they’ve had enough of being dumped on.By Lauren Dalban New York City is running out of places to dump its trash.
New California Law Aims to Stop ‘Predatory’ Developers from Moving In on Wildfire-Ravaged Community
As many as 200 to 300 new structures have been permitted in Altadena, but homeowners who survived the Eaton Fire are struggling to rebuild.By Steven Rodas, Nina Dietz ALTADENA, Calif.—Sylvie Andrews walks among the brilliant white poppies, purple California grapes and olive-green thorns surrounding her yard’s blackened pizza oven—one of the only things that survived last year’s devastating Eaton Fire. But her eyes scan the block beyond, ever-aware of changes to her neighborhood.
A Colorado Water Trial Could Decide the Future of an Agricultural Valley
The San Luis Valley’s proposed plan to reduce groundwater pumping could restore its depleted aquifer, but it comes at a steep cost to farmers and an agricultural economy already under strain.By Emily Payne Water regulators and farmers in Colorado’s San Luis Valley are in a lose-lose situation.
‘Nature-Based’ Solutions Could Save Insurers and Policyholders Billions
Wetlands restoration and wildfire prevention can drive down insurers’ costs and skyrocketing premiums, a new study shows.By Emmett Gartner After years trudging through marshes around San Francisco Bay studying conservation practices, coastal ecologist Megan Kelso realized that one of the largest determinants of wetland health may not be an invasive species lurking with her among the sea grasses, but decisions made miles away in the executive suites of insurance companies.
SEC Move Would Make it Harder for Shareholders to Push Companies on Climate Action
Shareholder proposals aren’t legally binding. But companies can feel pressure to take them seriously.By Dimuthu Attanayake The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission wants to scrap a rule that allows shareholders to formally petition companies, one of the ways that shareholder advocacy groups have pressed for more action on climate and sustainability.
Our Future Might Be Darker—and That’s a Good Thing
An author argues that Earth may have hit “peak lighting,” and that communities are making changes to reclaim their starry nights.Interview by Jenni Doering, Living on Earth From our collaborating partner Living on Earth, public radio’s environmental news magazine, an interview by Jenni Doering with author Craig Childs.
Federal Judge Slams the Brakes on Big Bend Border Wall Construction
Work must stop, effective immediately, after a federal judge in the Western District of Texas issued a temporary injunction against far-reaching legal waivers.By Martha Pskowski EL PASO—Federal Judge Kathleen Cardone granted a preliminary injunction Friday to halt construction on the border wall in Texas’ expansive Big Bend sector, including the national and state parks.
Europe’s Extreme Summer Triggered Cascading Climate Shocks
A summer of record heat, severe drought and compounding impacts tested Europe's infrastructure and resilience.By Bob Berwyn During this past summer of climate extremes, more than half of Europe experienced dangerous levels of heat stress, the combined effect of temperature, humidity, wind and sunshine on the body’s ability to cool itself. In some places, that amounted to a “feels like” temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Long-Awaited Senate Deal to Speed Permitting Faces Familiar Hurdles
Amid skepticism from some environmentalists, clean energy advocates see the reforms as crucial for a transition from fossil fuels.By Marianne Lavelle, Dan Gearino The so-called “lame duck” session of Congress after November’s midterm elections could be momentous for clean energy as lawmakers are set to consider a long-sought bipartisan deal to speed permitting of large energy and infrastructure projects.
21 States Sue EPA to Reinstate Climate Pollution Rules for Power Plants
Democrat-led states and cities argue that the rollback harms public health and the environment.By Lisa Sorg More than 20 states, including North Carolina, New York, California and Pennsylvania, as well as several cities, are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its repeal of most greenhouse gas emissions standards for coal- and natural gas-fired power plants. The agency’s proposal would also thwart future administrations from reinstating the rule.
New Jersey’s Middlesex County Sues Big Oil Over Escalating Climate Impacts
The lawsuit comes as the Supreme Court is poised to hear arguments in a similar climate case against oil companies. A ruling in the industry’s favor in that case could kill dozens of pending climate suits nationwide.By Dana Drugmand A New Jersey county has become the latest local government to sue major oil and gas companies, seeking to recover costs from damage caused by worsening flooding and other climate change impacts.
As Negotiators Struggle to Advance a Plastics Treaty, Iran War Underscores the Urgency
Blocked Middle East oil shipments upended supply chains and prices for fossil fuel-based plastics, offering yet another reason nations must support a global treaty that shifts to sustainable materials, environmental advocates say.By Liza Gross As nations met this week in Bangkok for informal meetings on a United Nations plastics treaty, more than 70 developing countries supported addressing all causes and drivers of plastic pollution, environmental advocates said.
California to Vote on Landmark Tribal Petitions for Coastal Protections
The state is set to decide on a slew of proposed changes to its network of marine protected areas this fall, but how co-management between the state and tribes would proceed is unclear.By Claire Barber
Chesapeake Bay Restoration Obstructed by Federal Policy Shift, Tribal Withdrawal
A Trump administration executive order and a breakdown in relations with seven federally recognized tribes has raised questions about the project’s future.By Aman Azhar Two major challenges could complicate efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay.
America’s Largest Producer of Foundry Coke Is Operating Under an Expired Permit. Who Is at Fault?
County health officials told lawyers for an environmental group they would move forward with the permitting process after a legal filing asked a judge to force the agency’s hand.By Lee Hedgepeth BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—It’s time to act. It’s long past time.
All Hail Electrification. But Let’s Talk About the Hard Part
The IEA and climate negotiators want to set a target for shifting the economy to run on electricity. Upfront costs are just one of the obstacles.By Dan Gearino If one form of energy becomes the cheapest, most secure and cleanest, you’d probably adjust your economy to use more of it, right?
‘Mega-Industrial’ Trawlers Threaten Europe’s Ocean Health
Europe’s floating factories make up just one percent of the fleet but catch more than half the fish—and they cause the majority of environmental damage.By Johnny Sturgeon For Europe’s fishing industry, it turns out size does matter.
Regulators Release a Plan to Help Repair the Contaminated Roanoke River
Federal and state regulators in North Carolina propose a fix to repair damage caused by more than 50 years of toxic pollution from a pulp mill.By Lisa Sorg PLYMOUTH, N.C.—Fall had just arrived when a nor’easter began stewing in the Atlantic Ocean, its gale-force winds carrying the pungent smell of chlorine westward, away from downtown. Against the backdrop of dingy stratus clouds, the Domtar pulp mill loomed.
EU Weighs Delaying Methane Rules as Energy Prices Rise
Concerned climate policy experts and investor groups warn against weakening the landmark regulation.By Phil McKenna Amid political pressure and rising energy prices, the European Commission is considering pausing a part of its landmark methane regulation, which is set to take effect in January.
Watch: Climate Week Panel on China’s Global Development Push
Speakers explore how China’s massive overseas development push is reshaping climate, energy, and extractive investment worldwide.As governments and global funds pour billions into oil, gas, renewable energy, digital infrastructure and mining, the future of cross-border investment is becoming a defining issue for environmental protection and climate action.
Meta Announces Large Solar Purchase Agreement in Texas, But It’s Powering Some Data Centers With Gas
The new solar project is less than half the size of a gas plant planned for Meta’s El Paso data center.By Lauren Nutall Apex Clean Energy and Meta have entered into a power purchase agreement that allows the technology company to financially benefit from energy generated from a solar project in Gonzales County, Texas.
Mass Heat Wave Deaths in Europe Show Climate Extremes Are Outpacing Adaptation Efforts
As preparedness lags, many regions around the world could be overwhelmed by rising temperatures, climate experts warn.By Bob Berwyn A series of deadly heat waves from May to August overwhelmed Germany’s healthcare and emergency response systems and led to an estimated 16,000 heat-related deaths during the summer, the most heat mortalities ever recorded in the highly developed country.
Study of Groundwater Near Fracking Sites Finds Low Radium Levels, but Raises Concerns About Increased Salinity
Researchers highlighted the challenges of studying this issue in western Pennsylvania, which has a long history of industrial pollution.By Jon Hurdle Testing in a limited number of shallow aquifers near fracking sites in southwestern Pennsylvania found low levels of radium overall, but there aren’t yet enough samples to draw firm conclusions about the region as a whole, according to a new report from researchers at Penn State University.
Environmentalists Sue Federal Agencies Over Nation’s First Fast-Tracked Critical Minerals Mine
Federal regulators approved South32’s Hermosa mine despite identifying adverse impacts to multiple endangered or threatened species, the suit notes.By Wyatt Myskow
Long After Wildfire Smoke Is Gone, Heavy Metals Could Still Be Harming Survivors’ Lungs
A new study from University of Hawai‘i researchers links metals found in the ash of the 2023 Maui wildfires with impaired lung function.By Keerti Gopal After three years helping Maui wildfire survivors track their health progress, Dr. Martina L. Kamaka is used to seeing high levels of heavy metals in their bodies.
Incoming El Niño Is so Extreme It Doesn’t Have a Scientific Name
As a record breaking El Niño continues to grow in the Eastern Pacific, climate scientist Daniel Swain explains what may be in store for the next year as we brace for an El Niño “so far above anything we've previously seen, it doesn't even fit on the same axis.”By Nina Dietz Daniel Swain has made a name for himself studying the extremes of a warming planet. Fires, floods, droughts, heat, storms: if it’s a record breaker, Swain has probably studied it.
Drones Are Already on the Front Lines of Wildfire Response. Robots and AI Could Be Next
Federal agencies use drones to map fires, find hotspots and ignite burns, and researchers are testing robots on rough terrain and artificial intelligence in fire and smoke behavior forecasts.By Mosabber Hossain
Alito’s Recusal From Climate Case: Too Little, Too Late?
The justice’s participation in the Boulder case already may have been pivotal, and his continued stock holdings—including in fossil fuels—keep an ethics cloud over the Supreme Court.By Marianne Lavelle Justice Samuel Alito decided Monday to sit out one of the most consequential climate change cases to reach the Supreme Court, but legal experts expected continuing ramifications due to his ownership of individual corporate stocks, including in the fossil fuel industry.
Trump Slashes Fuel-Economy Standards in Blow to Climate, Health, EV Market
One observer called the move a "disaster for people’s health, the planet, and even U.S. automakers.”By Dennis Pillion The Trump administration Monday finalized the rollback of a major fuel economy standard for cars and trucks, a move critics say will cause more climate-warming pollution, human health problems and higher fuel costs for consumers.
How to Protect Yourself From Disaster Scams
Contracting fraud and misconduct are rampant after storms and fires. Experts share tips for the increasing number of Hawaiʻi communities in recovery.By Erin Nolan, Keerti Gopal This story is a collaboration between Inside Climate News and Honolulu Civil Beat.
Planet China
From electric vehicle exports to massive overseas infrastructure projects, China is having a big—and contradictory—environmental impact worldwide.By Kiley Price, Dan Gearino, Nicholas Kusnetz
Revealing the Invisible Injustice of Extreme Heat
Thermal imaging shows how people experience scorching heat varies depending on their circumstance.Story by Bob Berwyn, photos by Michele Lapini The extreme heat scientists have warned about for decades came to Europe again this summer, killing at least 30,000 people like a silent, invisible plague. It came for poor people, the very young and very old, and those suffering from debilitating conditions.
The Trump Administration’s Critical Minerals Agenda Comes for America’s ‘Forgotten Wildlife Corridor’
Under the banner of “Dig, Baby, Dig,” the Trump administration is supercharging an already powerful mining industry. What will happen to vulnerable plants and animals?By Wyatt Myskow, Carla Samon Ros, Johanna Hansel This investigation was reported in a collaboration between Inside Climate News and Columbia Journalism Investigations.
A Century of Sand Debt Comes Due in Malibu
A new study finds the world’s great surf breaks are vulnerable to climate change. In Malibu, the problem is more specific: a coast with few defenses, with a record El Niño winter closing in.By Kate Waxman On a clean summer swell, the wave at Malibu’s Surfrider Beach arrives from the south, wraps around a cobblestone point and unspools toward the pier in a long, shimmering wave that can carry a surfer for hundreds of feet. It breaks slowly, forgivingly, over rounded stones that were delivered by Malibu Creek across millennia.
New Colorado Neighborhood Could Offer Glimpse into the Future of Home Energy Use
The partners behind a project in suburban Denver think they’ve found a way to accelerate the adoption of residential geothermal heating and cooling.By Phil McKenna KEN CARYL, Colo.—A new residential development south of Denver is the testing ground for an unusual partnership that could transform home heating and cooling across the country.
‘Crown Jewel’ of Everglades Restoration Is Too Small, Report Says
A sprawling reservoir at the heart of the $27 billion effort to restore Florida’s Everglades is unprecedented in size, but a new report suggests much more reservoir space is needed.By Amy Green A sprawling reservoir under construction south of Lake Okeechobee that Gov. Ron DeSantis has characterized as the “crown jewel” of Everglades restoration will not be enough to save Florida’s treasured and troubled river of grass, according to a new report.
The Specter of ‘Forever Chemicals’ Looms Over Pennsylvania’s Rural Communities
The sewage sludge some farmers have applied to their fields for decades is contaminated with PFAS—with serious consequences for drinking water.By Ben Seal
After a Deadly Flood, What Does Climate Justice for Nepal Look Like?
“A country responsible for less than 0.02 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions is paying an even higher price for a crisis it did not create.”Interview by Paloma Beltran, Living on Earth From our collaborating partner Living on Earth, public radio’s environmental news magazine, an interview by Paloma Beltran with Tanuja Pandey, a climate justice activist in Nepal.
Climate Crisis Is No Longer a ‘Distant Warning,’ UN Leader Says
The General Assembly pledged to help countries threatened by sea-level rise, but many challenges remain.By Dan Gearino This week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York featured pleas for urgent action on climate change, with heads of state and Secretary-General António Guterres warning that the window for action is narrowing.
Indian Point Energy Center’s Uncertain Future
As Indian Point Energy Center undergoes decommissioning in New York’s 17th Congressional District, complaints over the process are mounting against the backdrop of an increasingly pro-nuclear federal agenda.By Leana Carbonez NY-17: Second in a series on the environmental stakes of one of the nation’s most fiercely contested congressional races.
Why Germany Is Building an Ark for U.S. Climate Data
As researchers around the world begin work on the next U.N. climate assessment, fears are growing that the Trump administration could meddle with critical U.S. climate data.By Christian Schwägerl, Yale Environment 360 This story was originally published by Yale Environment 360.
Texas Electric Utility Only Considered Gas to Power $10 Billion Meta Data Center
Administrative judges recommend approval of the gas power plant if the utility assures ratepayers won't pay the cost.By Martha Pskowski EL PASO—While Texas officials have hit pause on data center permitting, one project is still moving ahead: Meta’s $10 billion, 1-gigawatt data center in northeast El Paso.
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