Energy

Finland ‘ahead of schedule’ on coal phase out as Helsinki’s Salmisaari plant closes
02 Apr 2025

Wind power in Finland has more than doubled since 2020 to supply a quarter of the country’s energy. The closure of a coal power plant in Finland today brings the country to the brink of a full coal phase-out – four years ahead of schedule. Power utility company Helen officially decommissioned its Salmisaari plant in […]

Europe challenged to step up as China’s solar boom powers record renewable energy growth
27 Mar 2025

UN climate chief Simon Stiell said that the clean energy transition can be “Europe’s economic engine-room”. Installation of renewable energy worldwide hit a record high last year, with 92.5 per cent of all new electricity brought online coming from the sun, wind or other clean sources, an international agency reports. Nearly 64 per cent of […]

Inside the underwater turbine farm set to generate clean energy from France’s tides
19 Mar 2025

One of France’s first commercial-scale tidal energy pilot projects, NH1 is due to supply thousands of locals with clean electricity. A tidal farm featuring the world’s most powerful underwater turbines is being built off the coast of Normandy after winning EU funding. The NH1 tidal project from Normandie Hydroliennes will use four turbines to turn […]

Trump’s energy expansion plan faces major obstacles, including his own policies
21 Feb 2025

US President Donald Trump’s strategy to expand domestic energy production and exports – by fast-tracking permits, easing climate regulations and introducing tax cuts – will encounter major hurdles, experts say. These challenges include changing market realities, as well as Mr Trump’s own policies, such as rolling back the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and initiating trade wars with China and […]

Solar grazing, tile whipping and whisky: Positive environmental stories from 2025
02 Feb 2025

Eco anxiety is very real, so we share January’s most uplifting stories to prove there’s hope for our climate. Do you share our anxiety about the state of the planet? As green journalists, we are all too familiar with what climate anxiety, climate doom, and even environmental existential dread feel like. These terms all describe […]

From paper to pasta: Industrial heat pumps have the power to cut 25% of EU manufacturing emissions
01 Feb 2025

More than 60 per cent of the energy used by European industry is used for heat needed for manufacturing. The EU’s industry could cut a quarter of its CO2 emissions using heat pumps, according to the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA). If the heat pump technology available today was fully rolled out, the association says […]

Swiss scientists have taught fungi to generate electricity. How do mushroom batteries work?
15 Jan 2025

Yeast and white rot fungus could have a small but ingenious role to play in the energy transition. Fungi could be used to power batteries in remote regions thanks to a new breakthrough by Swiss researchers. Their fungal battery invention is 3D-printed – with fungal cells mixed into the printing ink – and has the […]

President Sheikh Mohamed and Azerbaijan leader discuss global climate fight in UAE meeting
14 Jan 2025

President Sheikh Mohamed and his Azerbaijan counterpart Ilham Aliyev called for collective global action to combat the threat of climate change during high-level talks in Abu Dhabi on Monday. The two leaders explored ways to bolster collaboration in renewable energy and the environment during discussions held at Qasr Al Shati in the UAE capital. Mr Aliyev is on […]

Trump, Cop30 and carbon markets: Climate themes to watch in 2025
02 Jan 2025

Global temperatures are set to cool in 2025 compared to the record-breaking heat over the past 12 months – perhaps an indication of a more positive climate calendar for the coming year. According to the UK’s national weather and climate service, the Met Office, the average global temperature for 2025 is forecast at between 1.29°C […]

Breakthrough new material brings affordable, sustainable future within grasp
26 Dec 2024

While lithium-ion batteries have been the go-to technology for everything from smartphones and laptops to electric cars, there are growing concerns about the future because lithium is relatively scarce, expensive and difficult to source, and may soon be at risk due to geopolitical considerations. Scientists around the world are working to create viable alternatives. An […]