Solar energy
🔋 Solar panels and batteries dominate new power generation in the US in 2025
Solar energy and battery storage will account for 81 percent of the total capacity increase, with solar energy representing over 50 percent. While renewable energy grows, coal power continues to decrease. The US will decommission twice as much coal power capacity this year compared to last year.
🐦 Solar farms benefit bird life more than agricultural land
Well-managed solar parks have been shown to host more bird species and individuals per hectare than surrounding farmland. Solar parks that maintain a mix of habitats, uncut grass, and preserved hedges had almost three times more birds compared to nearby farmland.
⚡ Wind power is big in Texas – expected to double during 2025
Together with solar power, wind power accounted for a record share of 29.8 percent of total electricity production in Texas during 2024. Texas is the largest wind power producer in the USA.
☀️ Solar energy and electric vehicles lead the energy transition in 2025
Renewable energy expansion grew by 17 percent during 2024, with record installations of approximately 600 GW solar power and 125 GW wind power. Investments in renewable energy sources now outpace fossil fuels by 10 to 1, with more money in solar energy than all other power sources combined.
☀️ World's longest underwater cable for solar power gets green light from Singapore
SunCable receives approval to export renewable electricity from Australia to Singapore via a 4,300-kilometer underwater cable. The power will come from the world's largest solar and battery park, to be built in northern Australia at a cost of 35 billion dollars.
⚡ Ukraine builds renewable energy during war: "Difficult to destroy"
Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, has rebuilt solar power plants in seven days after Russian attacks, compared to three to four months for thermal power plants. Decentralized power generation is much more resistant and difficult to destroy, than centralized.
🚜 Solar cells transform agriculture in Pakistan
Pakistani farmers reduce their energy costs by up to 80 percent by installing solar panels for irrigation. 95 percent of farmland in the Lahore area has switched to solar power.
💡 Musings of the Angry Optimist: A moral responsibility to accelerate
When we see a digital solution that works, we have a moral obligation to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from it, as quickly as possible.
🌏 The best things happening to humanity right now
It is easy to think of bad things happening right now, but what are the best ones? The list can be made very long, but here are my favorites.