Energy

Ditching fossil fuels would improve energy security for most countries, new research finds
13 Apr 2025

Trade-related risks to energy security decline on average by 19 per cent in net-zero scenarios. A pivot from fossil fuels to clean energy by 2060 would improve energy security and reduce trade risks for most nations, according to a new study. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earth minerals are among the prized materials for […]

Eight countries in Europe use renewables for more than half of their heating and cooling needs
08 Apr 2025

District heating networks help Nordic and Baltic countries top the list, while many major economies are lagging behind. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to underscore the importance of energy security. Renewables play a key role in strengthening that security and diversifying energy sources. The share of renewables has been rising across Europe, but it is […]

Researchers recycle wind turbine blade materials to make improved plastics
07 Apr 2025

A new method to recycle wind turbine blades without using harsh chemicals resulted in the recovery of high-strength glass fibers and resins that allowed Washington State University researchers to re-purpose the materials to create stronger plastics. The innovation provides a simple and environmentally friendly way to recycle wind turbine blades to create useful products. Reporting […]

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 […]