solar wind

UN News has published a feature exploring how the global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is transforming energy security in the wake of recent energy crises. The piece looks at how countries are rethinking supply chains, diversifying sources and reducing dependence on imported fuels as wind, solar and other renewables expand worldwide.

New figures on the global electricity mix show coal remained the largest single source in 2024, producing about 34% of the world's power, while wind and solar combined grew to 15%, up from just 4% a decade earlier. The data, presented as charts drawn directly onto a world map, is drawing attention for how clearly it shows both coal's persistence and renewables' rapid rise.

Global renewable energy from wind and solar continues to expand, but fossil fuel use is rising alongside it rather than declining. Commentators note that clean energy growth is being outpaced by overall energy demand, meaning renewables are adding to the energy mix instead of replacing coal, oil and gas.

Growth in solar and wind power is limiting the use of natural gas in the United States even as overall electricity demand increases. The finding suggests renewables are increasingly meeting new consumption needs that would previously have been covered by gas-fired generation, a notable shift in the US energy mix.

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.

Texas is turning its attention to solar power as part of a broader shift in its energy mix, long dominated by oil and gas. The move highlights how the state, already a leader in wind generation, is increasingly adding large-scale solar capacity to meet growing electricity demand and diversify its power sources.

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.

Renewable sources are now generating 61 percent of Turkey's electricity, according to a report by Informed Comment. The figure is being highlighted against the backdrop of an energy crisis tied to the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil shipments. Turkey's growing reliance on wind, solar and hydro is being framed as insulation from disruptions in Persian Gulf energy supplies.

A new Visual Capitalist graphic ranks how much clean energy countries have added since 2015, charting the global shift toward renewables over the past decade. The comparison is drawing attention as readers weigh which nations have expanded solar, wind and other clean sources fastest and whether the pace matches climate goals set under the Paris Agreement.

A new report argues the next wave of American battery demand will come not from electric vehicles but from grid-scale storage, as utilities add batteries to balance growing amounts of wind and solar power and to stabilize an aging electricity network under rising demand from data centers. Industry watchers see this as a structural shift in where battery manufacturing and investment will flow next.

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.

A new commentary argues that the relationship between solar power, wind power, battery storage and politics has become complicated. The piece examines how political factors shape the deployment of renewable energy technologies and storage. It is drawing attention among readers following the clean energy transition, where policy decisions increasingly influence how fast solar, wind and battery projects can move forward.

A rural Idaho county that banned renewable energy development is now reconsidering the decision, according to Grist. The story is drawing attention among climate and clean energy observers, who see it as an example of communities weighing the economic and practical costs of rejecting wind and solar projects after the fact.

Pennsylvania State University is hosting a talk on October 2 examining how artificial intelligence can offer insights into climate change impacts on renewable energy. The event will bring together researchers to discuss how AI tools can help predict and manage climate-related challenges facing solar, wind and other renewable power sources.

A chart shared by Pictet Asset Management makes the case that moving from fossil fuels to renewables does not end resource dependence but changes its form: from oil and gas to the critical minerals, rare earths and supply chains needed for batteries, solar panels and wind turbines. Commentators are using it to argue that energy security concerns will persist through the transition, only with new geopolitical chokepoints.

Zhongtian Hechuang has opened a tender for an electrolysis hydrogen production testing and evaluation center at its Wushenqi wind and solar power hydrogen production project in Inner Mongolia, with an investment of 65.13 million yuan. The project is part of China's expanding green hydrogen build-out, converting renewable power into hydrogen at scale. Industry watchers are tracking progress as a sign of momentum in the country's hydrogen sector.

Euronews reports that second-life electric vehicle batteries could serve as large-scale storage in Europe, capturing solar and wind power that would otherwise be curtailed or wasted. The piece frames retired car batteries as an underused resource for grid storage as renewable output grows. Discussion is circulating among energy and climate policy communities.

Environment+Energy Leader reports that older wind and solar installations could become more valuable over time. As renewable infrastructure built decades ago matures, questions are turning to how these sites might be repowered, upgraded or repurposed, and whether existing grid connections and permits make them increasingly attractive assets for developers and investors in the energy transition.

Solar power has passed both coal and wind in capacity, a milestone in the global energy transition. But analysts say the bigger question is what happens next: whether grids, storage and policy can keep pace with solar's rapid growth, and how the technology will scale from here.

Apex Clean Energy has sold a minority stake in a 339MW portfolio of solar and wind projects in the United States. The deal brings in an outside investor while Apex retains control of the assets, part of a broader pattern of renewable developers selling equity stakes to fund continued growth. Details of the buyer and the transaction value were not disclosed.

Solar power has moved past both coal and wind in the global energy mix, a milestone in the shift to renewables. Commentators say the real story is what comes next: how grids, storage and policy adapt as solar keeps growing at record pace and reshapes the electricity system.

Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg are jointly pressing the European Union to adopt an ambitious renewable energy target for 2040, arguing that a binding goal is needed to keep the bloc's climate commitments on track. The joint push puts the three countries at the forefront of debate over how fast Europe should phase out fossil fuels and scale up wind and solar capacity.

A weather observation from Apache Junction, Arizona, recorded at 05:00, shows 68°F with a high of 72°F and low of 68°F, humidity at 91%, light northeast winds easing to calm, and a waning moon at 92%. Conditions are mild and humid for the Arizona desert, with no solar radiation or UV before dawn.

A weather station in Clifden, Connemara, Ireland, reported current conditions at 12:02: a temperature of 16.4°C, humidity of 87%, pressure of 996.4 hPa, no rainfall so far today, and a northeast wind of 21 km/h. The UV index stood at zero with low solar radiation of 36 W/m², suggesting overcast skies.