solar wind

UN News examines how the recent global energy crisis has accelerated the shift toward renewable energy, arguing that solar, wind and other clean sources are now central to national energy security. The piece frames the transition as both a response to volatile fossil fuel prices and a strategy to reduce dependence on imported energy, with governments worldwide reassessing their energy policies.

New figures on global electricity generation show coal remains the largest single source in 2024, producing roughly 34% of the world's power. Wind and solar together now account for about 15%, a sharp rise from just 4% a decade earlier. The data is presented as charts drawn directly on an interactive world map, letting viewers zoom in for country-level detail, and is drawing attention for how clearly it shows the slow pace of the transition away from fossil fuels.

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.

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.

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.

Environment+Energy Leader reports that aging wind and solar installations could rise in value rather than fade as obsolete. The article suggests older renewable sites may hold worth through repowering, land use, grid connections, or second-life applications. Interest in the topic reflects a broader debate over what happens to the first generation of renewable energy infrastructure as it reaches the end of its design life.

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.

Solar power has reportedly surpassed both coal and wind as the biggest story in electricity generation. Commentators argue the milestone itself matters less than what comes next: whether grids, storage and policy can keep pace with solar's rapid growth and integrate it reliably at scale. The discussion focuses on the challenges of managing the next phase of the energy transition rather than celebrating the record.

Astronomers may have picked up the first radio emissions ever detected from a planet outside our solar system, coming from the young gas giant Beta Pictoris b, some 63 light-years away. The signals, likely generated by the planet's magnetic field interacting with its moon or stellar wind, could open a new way to study distant worlds.

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.

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.

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.