Energy

    How ‘solar bonds’ could cut your energy bills without upfront installation costs
    05 Sep 2026

    A solar bonds scheme could absorb the financial impact of rooftop solar, while keeping your energy bill savings. Here’s how. Interest in rooftop solar has surged in recent months, as Europeans scramble to protect themselves from the spiralling costs of fossil fuels. According to an EU-wide analysis published in the Nature Energy journal, rooftop solar photovoltaics (solar […]

    Solar outpaces coal for the first time in China: How does Europe compare?
    02 Sep 2026

    China has seen an explosive growth in its renewable installation, with coal’s share in its energy mix edging down in recent years. China’s solar energy capacity has surpassed that of coal-fired power for the first time ever. “As of the end of July this year, China’s installed solar power capacity reached 1.286 billion kilowatts,” China’s National Energy […]

    Gulf pours billions into water security to boost AI and industry ambitions
    23 Aug 2026

    Gulf countries are keen to grow their industrial base and are pouring hundreds of billions into data centres and AI infrastructure to write the next chapter of their new-age economies. However, none of that is possible without the very basic resource: water. The UAE, the Arab world’s second-largest economy, is leading the race for AI investment. The capital, […]

    Record-breaking investment in renewables could cement Canada as new clean energy superpower
    19 Aug 2026

    The slated green energy plans could light, heat and cool all the homes in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver combined. Canadian officials have announced plans for “the largest clean energy investment in North American history.” A total of CAN$70 billion (€43.6 billion) is earmarked to massively enhance wind and hydropower generation in the eastern part of the country. […]

    ‘Excellent profit’: Meet the Bavarian hop farmer securing his harvest and income with solar ‘hats’

    No rain, no hops – no hops, no beer. Climate change, heat and dry farmland are hitting Bavaria’s key crop. Could solar panels save it? A wave of farm closures is washing over Germany’s lush hop-growing regions as climate change, falling prices and declining demand for beer leave desolation in their wake. As of 2026, there are […]

    ‘The real challenge starts after sundown’: Europe’s heatwave boosted solar by up to 17% on hot days
    15 Aug 2026

    A surge in solar power has helped meet heightened power demand from Europe’s blistering heatwaves, according to a new analysis. Solar has been doing the “heavy lifting” to help Europe meet its energy needs amid a string of blistering heatwaves. A new analysis from energy think-tank Ember found that solar output in European countries rose […]

    Europe’s heatwave causes power and cargo headache as rivers shrink
    07 Aug 2026

    A summer of blistering heatwaves has resulted in record low water levels in Europe, curtailing river transport and drastically reducing electricity generation. Europe’s two great rivers, the Rhine and the Danube, have been seriously affected, resulting in a water-cooled nuclear power plant operating at just 10 per cent capacity and cargo being moved by rail instead. The […]

    ‘Less than a minute of your time’: Driving the speed limit could save you money and cut emissions
    29 Jul 2026

    A new study says that obeying the speed limit could save millions of euros every year, while adding just 54 seconds to the average daily commute. Sticking to the speed limit can “dramatically curb” fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while saving drivers billions of euros annually. Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities […]

    Smart meters save money and prevent wasting renewables: Which country is leading Europe’s rollout?
    14 Jul 2026

    Germany is falling far behind the rest of Europe when it comes to smart meter installation. With the rise of renewable energy, Europe’s electricity systems have undergone a fundamental shift. In the past, electricity demand was largely met by controllable generation from coal, gas, nuclear and hydropower, which could be adjusted to match changing consumption. But wind […]

    Costs more, cools more: Eco construction keeps buildings cool during heatwaves
    11 Jul 2026

    Eco construction techniques keep buildings cool and produce less emissions. With millions sweltering in heatwaves that started earlier than ever this year, the buildings we live and work in have come under the spotlight. Northern Europeans have found that most homes are designed to trap heat rather than stay cool, making them saunas when temperatures […]