Solar For All

UN News has published a feature looking at how the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is changing the idea of energy security. The piece argues that the recent global energy crisis pushed countries to rethink dependence on imported fuels, and that expanding wind, solar and other renewables can reduce exposure to price shocks and supply disruptions while supporting climate goals.

New figures on global electricity generation show coal remained the largest source in 2024, producing about 34% of the world's power, while wind and solar together reached 15%, up from just 4% a decade earlier. The data, presented as charts mapped onto the world map, are drawing attention to the slow pace of the energy transition despite rapid renewables growth.

Google has unveiled Project Suncatcher, an initiative to run machine learning infrastructure in space, using solar-powered satellites to house AI compute. The company published details on its research blog, and the announcement is drawing attention among technologists debating the feasibility, cost and environmental logic of moving data centers off Earth.

Japan is converting closed golf courses into solar farms because the country has little open land for renewable energy projects. With mountains, farmland and dense cities off-limits, the wide, sunny fairways left behind by shuttered golf resorts are seen as some of the few suitable sites for large-scale solar power, according to a Japan Times report.

Following an explosive eruption on the Sun, a solar storm is forecast to reach Earth on October 2. Brazilian media, including Exame, are reporting on the event and outlining its possible effects, such as disturbances to satellites, radio communications and power grids, as well as intensified auroras at high latitudes. Space weather monitoring agencies are tracking the event as it approaches the planet.

Astronomers report detecting radio waves that may originate from an exoplanet, potentially the first such detection ever made. If confirmed, the signal would suggest the distant planet has a magnetic field, a property never directly observed on a world outside our solar system. The finding is drawing attention from space and astronomy enthusiasts following coverage by major science outlets, with researchers emphasising that further observations are needed to verify the origin of the emission.

The Iowa Farmers Union, together with a solar energy group, has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture over changes to a renewable energy funding program. The groups say the alterations affect how farmers can access federal support for renewable energy projects, and the case is drawing attention in agricultural and clean energy circles.

NextEra Energy and Entergy topped U.S. solar project starts in the fourth quarter, according to Industrial Info Resources. The ranking highlights which utility companies drove the most new solar construction activity at the end of the year, underscoring continued momentum in America's renewable energy build-out despite a challenging policy environment.

Thailand's Electricity Generating Public Company (EGCO) has closed the purchase of a 49% stake in a 339-MW portfolio of solar and wind assets in the United States. The deal adds US renewables capacity to the Thai power producer's portfolio, reflecting continued foreign investment in American clean energy infrastructure. Further financial terms and project details were not disclosed.

Commentators are revisiting how fossil fuel advocates have repeatedly moved the goalposts on renewable energy as clean power exceeds expectations. One example circulating: during an Australian Senate debate on renewable energy in February 2013, Barnaby Joyce dismissed a 5% solar target as never achievable — a target solar has since surpassed. Critics argue denial tactics have evolved from outright rejection to minimising and delaying as renewables succeed.

As solar and wind replace conventional power plants, grids lose the natural inertia that traditionally kept frequency stable, raising concerns about blackout risks. UK-based Reactive Technologies is addressing this by sending sonar-like pulses through the grid to measure live inertia directly, revealing risks that standard models miss. The company has received €19 million in backing from the European Investment Bank to expand the approach.

California has legalized plug-in solar panels, which residents can plug directly into a standard outlet without a full rooftop installation. Reports note there is a catch, though the specifics remain unclear from available coverage, potentially involving restrictions on system size, utility billing rules, or permitting requirements.

Rooftop solar has become so widespread in Pakistan that panels are now being given as wedding dowries. The rapid adoption is disrupting the country's indebted power sector, which owes billions of dollars to China, and is exposing complications in Beijing's push to lead the global energy transition.

Google has signed a power purchase agreement with Cloudbreak for solar energy generated in Colorado. The deal adds to the tech company's growing portfolio of renewable energy contracts as it works to power its data centres with clean electricity. Specifics on project size and timeline were not immediately disclosed.

Google's Project Suncatcher, an experimental effort to test running AI data center hardware in space, has launched aboard a SpaceX rocket. The mission marks a first step toward Google's longer-term ambition of orbiting data centers that use solar power to meet the enormous energy demands of AI. Observers in technology and space circles are watching closely to see whether the test hardware can operate reliably in orbit.

Arizona and the Hopi Tribe could receive $181 million in solar energy grants originally awarded under the Biden administration, after courts reversed an attempt by the Trump-era EPA to withdraw the funding. The ruling restores federal money meant to expand solar power in the state and on Hopi land, and officials are now weighing how the programs will move forward.

Firefighters in Chiba, Japan are struggling to combat a fire involving solar panels, as flooding at the site and the risk of electrocution are hampering response efforts. Waterlogged conditions make it dangerous to douse the burning equipment, complicating an already difficult operation and raising questions about emergency protocols for solar installations.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned goaltender Harrison Meneghin from the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL to the Orlando Solar Bears, their ECHL affiliate. The move gives the young netminder a chance for more consistent playing time at the ECHL level as he continues his development within the Lightning organization.

The Solar Energy Industries Association has released an outlook on US solar photovoltaic manufacturing, examining policy trends and the broader industry landscape with an emphasis on opportunities for European-American cooperation. The analysis highlights how US manufacturing policy is shaping investment and trade ties, and what it means for European partners looking to engage with the growing American solar supply chain.

French renewable energy company JP Energie has announced acquisitions totalling 202 MW of wind and solar capacity. The company is expanding its renewables portfolio across France through a series of project purchases. Details on the individual assets, sellers, and financial terms have not been disclosed, but the move underlines continued consolidation in the country's fast-growing wind and solar sector.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, a research initiative aimed at developing AI data centers in space. The project, covered by NPR and several US public radio outlets, marks an early step toward scaling artificial intelligence infrastructure beyond Earth, where solar power could be harvested more continuously. Details on timeline and cost remain limited, but the announcement has drawn broad media attention as tech companies search for alternatives to land-based data centers.

A new analysis argues solar energy is now outcompeting nuclear power's strongest selling point, with comparisons focusing on cost, deployment speed and reliability. The discussion highlights how rapidly falling solar prices and faster build times are challenging long-held claims that nuclear is the superior clean energy option, reigniting debate among energy watchers about which technology should lead the transition.