Stepchange News — 2026-06-29

1

Climate change accounts for one-fifth of Pine Island glacier retreat, study finds — The Pine Island glacier in West Antarctica is one of the fastest-changing glaciers in the... The post Guest post: Climate change has caused…

More: Carbon Brief

2

National Weather Service warns of widespread heat and humidity across central and eastern US — Forecasters expect days of high temperatures in central and eastern US before Fourth of July and World Cup festivities A long and dangerous…

More: Guardian Environment

3

Ferrari's first all-electric sedan sells out its Chinese allocation — All the controversy surrounding the launch of the first all-electric sedan to ever wear the Ferrari badge hasn’t slowed down sales any –…

More: Electrek

4

FERC issues transmission directive as NRG opens Houston power plant, Base Power expands to PJM — The 765-kV story continues to unfold; new FERC directive; NRG opens Houston power plant; Base Power expands to PJM; and plenty of other…

More: Texas Energy & Power

5

Zero-emission truck deployments rose 37% in 2025 to 4.14% of new trucks — CALSTART’s Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks report is out, and the results are in: after getting off to a slow start in the first half of…

More: Electrek

6

Cow manure could power data centers as source of biogas fuel

More: Grist

7

Body of 15-year-old boy recovered from Manchester reservoir during UK heatwave — At least seven people have died in water-related incidents during record-breaking June temperatures The body of a 15-year-old boy has been…

More: Guardian Environment

8

Intersolar Europe 2026 draws industry amid concerns over market conditions — Europe’s solar industry seemed a little downbeat as it trudged to Munich for Intersolar Europe 2026 this week. Under the unforgiving June…

More: PV Tech, CleanTechnica

9

Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty EV posts 36-ton load efficiency in winter test — Despite the rapidly growing number of heavy-duty EVs on western roads, a number of myths still persist about range, charging…

More: Electrek

10

Duxbury Reef's tiny creatures face uncertain future as California coast changes — BOLINAS, Calif.—Kent Khtikian pointed at a seemingly barren inch of reef. His hair, curly, long and grey blew wildly in the wind underneath…

More: Inside Climate News

11

UK heat pump study finds seasonal performance gap between design and real-world installations — A large-scale study of UK heat pump installations has revealed a major gap between hypothetical performance and real-world data. Changes to…

More: PV Magazine

12

Volkswagen plans to cut 100,000 jobs and close four factories — Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume is reportedly preparing the most dramatic overhaul in the automaker’s history, with plans that could eliminate…

More: Electrek, CleanTechnica

13

Right-wing group withdraws lawsuit against Coastal Virginia offshore wind project — 1. Virginia Beach, Virginia – The right-wing interest group lawsuit against Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia offshore wind is now dead,…

More: Heatmap News

14

Solar developers navigate permitting challenges as data center demand surges — This week’s conversation is with Hanson Wood, chief development officer for solar developer RWE. Wood’s perspective felt crucial at a…

More: Heatmap News

15

Study ranks states by electric vehicle infrastructure and incentives — America’s EV industry has suffered a series of bad breaks over the last year and a half. The end of federal tax credits for electric…

More: Canary Media

16

Farmland owners reject data center deals, citing agricultural concerns — The movement against data centers is raising up a raison d'etre of the anti-renewables movement: protecting would-be farmland. Farm owners…

More: Heatmap News

17

Corporate PPA volumes fall 10% as GHG Protocol scope 2 accounting changes create buyer uncertainty — Corporate PPA volumes fell 10% in 2025, and Renewabl CEO JP Cerda says uncertainty around pending scope 2 accounting changes are causing…

More: PV Magazine

18

NextPower expands beyond solar trackers with acquisitions in inverters and battery storage — At The smarter E Europe in Munich, NextPower CEO Dan Shugar discussed with pv magazine the company's transformation from a solar tracker…

More: PV Magazine

19

Argentina battery storage auction receives bids as low as $7,397/MW-month for 700 MW — Financial bids in Argentina’s first large-scale battery storage procurement came in well below the auction price cap, with 232 qualified…

More: PV Magazine

20

GM's next-generation EV platform to debut in Chevy Equinox near end of 2028 — The new version of GM’s dedicated electric vehicle platform is reportedly set to arrive near the end of 2028, and the Chevy Equinox EV will…

More: Electrek

1

Distributed energy resources gain mainstream grid role as demand strains infrastructure — Decentralized capacity enters the mainstream as electricity demand strains infrastructure, forcing a change in U.S. power markets and grid…

More: PV Magazine

2

BHP and Rio Tinto test battery-electric haul trucks in Western Australia — Iron ore rivals BHP and Rio Tinto have united to put battery-electric haul ‌trucks to the test in Western Australia’s Pilbara region as the…

More: PV Magazine

3

Industrial electrification gains momentum as decarbonization strategy — Switching energy-hungry industries to processes that run on electricity is a key step in many regional decarbonization strategies, and one…

More: PV Magazine

4

European heatwave with temperatures above 40C sparks climate policy debate — In today’s newsletter: Last week’s extreme weather should galvanise the political response to global heating. But the sad paradox is that…

More: Guardian Environment

5

Progressive advocates argue air conditioning should be part of broader climate adaptation strategy — Air conditioning can bring significant benefits but also real harms. The answer is for it to take its place alongside a comprehensive state…

More: Guardian Environment

6

Climate change responsible for one-fifth of Pine Island glacier retreat, study finds — The Pine Island glacier in West Antarctica is one of the fastest-changing glaciers in the... The post Guest post: Climate change has caused…

More: Carbon Brief

7

Ferrari Luce electric sedan sells out allocation in China — All the controversy surrounding the launch of the first all-electric sedan to ever wear the Ferrari badge hasn’t slowed down sales any –…

More: Electrek

8

FERC issues directive on 765-kV transmission lines as NRG opens Houston power plant, Base Power expands to PJM — The 765-kV story continues to unfold; new FERC directive; NRG opens Houston power plant; Base Power expands to PJM; and plenty of other…

More: Texas Energy & Power

9

Zero-emission truck deployments rise 37% in 2025 to 4.14% market share — CALSTART’s Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks report is out, and the results are in: after getting off to a slow start in the first half of…

More: Electrek

10

Startup explores biogas from cow manure to power data centers

More: Grist

11

Intersolar Europe 2026 conference highlights industry sentiment on solar, storage integration — Europe’s solar industry seemed a little downbeat as it trudged to Munich for Intersolar Europe 2026 this week. Under the unforgiving June…

More: PV Tech, CleanTechnica

12

Mercedes-Benz electric semi trucks achieve Tesla-like efficiency hauling 36 tons in winter conditions — Despite the rapidly growing number of heavy-duty EVs on western roads, a number of myths still persist about range, charging…

More: Electrek

13

VinEnergo, SunAsia to develop 422MWp floating solar portfolio in Philippines — VinEnergo and SunAsia Energy have partnered to develop 422MWp of floating solar projects in the Philippines.

More: PV Tech, CleanTechnica

14

Scientists monitor Duxbury Reef in California as climate change threatens coastal ecosystems — BOLINAS, Calif.—Kent Khtikian pointed at a seemingly barren inch of reef. His hair, curly, long and grey blew wildly in the wind underneath…

More: Inside Climate News

15

UK heat pump study finds wide gap between expected and actual efficiency — A large-scale study of UK heat pump installations has revealed a major gap between hypothetical performance and real-world data. Changes to…

More: PV Magazine

16

Volkswagen plans to cut 100,000 jobs and close four factories in Germany — Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume is reportedly preparing the most dramatic overhaul in the automaker’s history, with plans that could eliminate…

More: Electrek, CleanTechnica

17

Right-wing group drops lawsuit challenging Virginia offshore wind permits — 1. Virginia Beach, Virginia – The right-wing interest group lawsuit against Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia offshore wind is now dead,…

More: Heatmap News

18

Solar developers offer lessons to data centers on local community relations — This week’s conversation is with Hanson Wood, chief development officer for solar developer RWE. Wood’s perspective felt crucial at a…

More: Heatmap News

19

Study ranks states by electric vehicle affordability and charging infrastructure — America’s EV industry has suffered a series of bad breaks over the last year and a half. The end of federal tax credits for electric…

More: Canary Media

20

Farm owners across U.S. reject data center development deals over land preservation — The movement against data centers is raising up a raison d'etre of the anti-renewables movement: protecting would-be farmland. Farm owners…

More: Heatmap News

1

LONGi unveils containerized solar unit for off-grid applications, secures 80MW Greece order — Chinese PV manufacturer LONGi has unveiled a new containerised solar solution designed for remote off-grid industrial-scale applications.

More: PV Tech

2

Kyocera tests Sekisui Chemical's perovskite solar modules at Japanese facilities — Kyocera has begun testing perovskite solar modules developed by Sekisui Chemical across six of its facilities in Japan. The trials are…

More: PV Magazine

3

Hardware makers increasingly focus on energy management systems for solar cost optimization — eBOS hardware, long overlooked in PV design, is now central to solar project cost optimisation as technologies advance, writes Shreeyashi…

More: PV Tech

4

Distributed solar and battery systems gain role in U.S. power grid operations — Decentralized capacity enters the mainstream as electricity demand strains infrastructure, forcing a change in U.S. power markets and grid…

More: PV Magazine

5

AEMO: Australia needs 120GW of utility-scale wind and solar by 2050 — Australia needs to build nearly 120GW of utility-scale wind and solar by 2050, approximately five times the current level, says AEMO.

More: PV Tech

6

Pakistan installs 27GW of distributed solar in two years as consumers shift off-grid — Pakistan installed 27GW of distributed solar in the last two years, prompting a 21% surge in electricity demand, according to a new report…

More: PV Tech

7

Italy's largest solar plant begins operations — The project is expected to supply the Italian energy market via PPAs. The post Italy’s largest solar plant goes online appeared first on pv…

More: PV Magazine

8

Sunoyster introduces 450W lightweight glass-glass solar module for low-load roofs — Sunoyster Systems has presented the PVbondi lightweight glass-glass module, designed for low-load-bearing roofs. The system reportedly…

More: PV Magazine

9

Mexico targets 22 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 — The Mexican government said its electricity expansion plan aims to add 32 GW of capacity by 2030, with 70% coming from renewable energy,…

More: PV Magazine

10

Panasonic launches CO₂ air-to-water heat pump with 6.1 coefficient of performance — Panasonic has launched a residential CO₂ (R744) air-to-water heat pump range designed for efficient hot water production, even in low…

More: PV Magazine

11

Oman tenders 1.5 GW of solar capacity across two projects — Oman’s Nama Power and Water Procurement (PWP) has kicked off a tender covering 1.5 GW of solar across two prospective projects. The…

More: PV Magazine

12

Runergy launches TOPCon solar module with 26.9% cell conversion efficiency — Runergy has launched the third generation of its TOPCon solar modules, which have a conversion efficiency of 26.9%.

More: PV Tech

13

Energy companies shift to AI-powered platform ecosystems connecting grid, workforce and customers — How leading providers are connecting customer, workforce and grid operations into one Vertical AI ecosystem.

More: Utility Dive

14

Germany awards 482MW in solar-plus-storage innovation tender — The German Federal Network Agency, Bundesnetzagentur, has awarded 482MW of solar-plus-storage in its latest innovation tender.

More: PV Tech

15

EU opens sixth round of applications for cross-border renewable energy project accreditation — The sixth round of calls for EU cross-border renewable energy projects looking to obtain priority status is open until October 6. The…

More: PV Magazine

16

BHP and Rio Tinto test battery-electric haul trucks in Western Australia — Iron ore rivals BHP and Rio Tinto have united to put battery-electric haul ‌trucks to the test in Western Australia’s Pilbara region as the…

More: PV Magazine

17

Researchers develop drone imaging method to detect glass cracks in solar modules — Researchers developed a daylight electroluminescence imaging method that enables detection of low-energy glass cracks in PV modules using…

More: PV Magazine

18

Study estimates 41,800 US deaths in 2024 from vehicle emissions — Research suggests 41,800 premature US deaths in 2024 were attributable to road pollution Roughly five Americans die every hour due to…

More: Guardian Environment

19

EDF to sell North American renewables business to KKR — French utility EDF has agreed to sell its renewable energy business in the US and Canada to private equity firm KKR.

More: PV Tech

20

Nippon Steel faces pressure to deliver environmental investments one year after U.S. Steel acquisition — A year ago this month, Japan’s Nippon Steel acquired U.S. Steel, promising to plow $14 billion into America’s legendary but long-declining…

More: Canary Media

Jun 28, 2026 · 5:02 PM PT edition · 20 stories

Climate change accounts for one-fifth of Pine Island glacier retreat, study finds — The Pine Island glacier in West Antarctica is one of the fastest-changing glaciers in the... The post Guest post: Climate change has caused…

National Weather Service warns of widespread heat and humidity across central and eastern US — Forecasters expect days of high temperatures in central and eastern US before Fourth of July and World Cup festivities A long and dangerous…

Ferrari's first all-electric sedan sells out its Chinese allocation — All the controversy surrounding the launch of the first all-electric sedan to ever wear the Ferrari badge hasn’t slowed down sales any –…

FERC issues transmission directive as NRG opens Houston power plant, Base Power expands to PJM — The 765-kV story continues to unfold; new FERC directive; NRG opens Houston power plant; Base Power expands to PJM; and plenty of other…

Zero-emission truck deployments rose 37% in 2025 to 4.14% of new trucks — CALSTART’s Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks report is out, and the results are in: after getting off to a slow start in the first half of…

Cow manure could power data centers as source of biogas fuel

Body of 15-year-old boy recovered from Manchester reservoir during UK heatwave — At least seven people have died in water-related incidents during record-breaking June temperatures The body of a 15-year-old boy has been…

Intersolar Europe 2026 draws industry amid concerns over market conditions — Europe’s solar industry seemed a little downbeat as it trudged to Munich for Intersolar Europe 2026 this week. Under the unforgiving June…

Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty EV posts 36-ton load efficiency in winter test — Despite the rapidly growing number of heavy-duty EVs on western roads, a number of myths still persist about range, charging…

Duxbury Reef's tiny creatures face uncertain future as California coast changes — BOLINAS, Calif.—Kent Khtikian pointed at a seemingly barren inch of reef. His hair, curly, long and grey blew wildly in the wind underneath…

UK heat pump study finds seasonal performance gap between design and real-world installations — A large-scale study of UK heat pump installations has revealed a major gap between hypothetical performance and real-world data. Changes to…

Volkswagen plans to cut 100,000 jobs and close four factories — Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume is reportedly preparing the most dramatic overhaul in the automaker’s history, with plans that could eliminate…

Right-wing group withdraws lawsuit against Coastal Virginia offshore wind project — 1. Virginia Beach, Virginia – The right-wing interest group lawsuit against Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia offshore wind is now dead,…

Solar developers navigate permitting challenges as data center demand surges — This week’s conversation is with Hanson Wood, chief development officer for solar developer RWE. Wood’s perspective felt crucial at a…

Study ranks states by electric vehicle infrastructure and incentives — America’s EV industry has suffered a series of bad breaks over the last year and a half. The end of federal tax credits for electric…

Farmland owners reject data center deals, citing agricultural concerns — The movement against data centers is raising up a raison d'etre of the anti-renewables movement: protecting would-be farmland. Farm owners…

Corporate PPA volumes fall 10% as GHG Protocol scope 2 accounting changes create buyer uncertainty — Corporate PPA volumes fell 10% in 2025, and Renewabl CEO JP Cerda says uncertainty around pending scope 2 accounting changes are causing…

NextPower expands beyond solar trackers with acquisitions in inverters and battery storage — At The smarter E Europe in Munich, NextPower CEO Dan Shugar discussed with pv magazine the company's transformation from a solar tracker…

Argentina battery storage auction receives bids as low as $7,397/MW-month for 700 MW — Financial bids in Argentina’s first large-scale battery storage procurement came in well below the auction price cap, with 232 qualified…

GM's next-generation EV platform to debut in Chevy Equinox near end of 2028 — The new version of GM’s dedicated electric vehicle platform is reportedly set to arrive near the end of 2028, and the Chevy Equinox EV will…

Jun 28, 2026 · 11:02 PM PT edition · 20 stories

Distributed energy resources gain mainstream grid role as demand strains infrastructure — Decentralized capacity enters the mainstream as electricity demand strains infrastructure, forcing a change in U.S. power markets and grid…

BHP and Rio Tinto test battery-electric haul trucks in Western Australia — Iron ore rivals BHP and Rio Tinto have united to put battery-electric haul ‌trucks to the test in Western Australia’s Pilbara region as the…

Industrial electrification gains momentum as decarbonization strategy — Switching energy-hungry industries to processes that run on electricity is a key step in many regional decarbonization strategies, and one…

European heatwave with temperatures above 40C sparks climate policy debate — In today’s newsletter: Last week’s extreme weather should galvanise the political response to global heating. But the sad paradox is that…

Progressive advocates argue air conditioning should be part of broader climate adaptation strategy — Air conditioning can bring significant benefits but also real harms. The answer is for it to take its place alongside a comprehensive state…

Climate change responsible for one-fifth of Pine Island glacier retreat, study finds — The Pine Island glacier in West Antarctica is one of the fastest-changing glaciers in the... The post Guest post: Climate change has caused…

Ferrari Luce electric sedan sells out allocation in China — All the controversy surrounding the launch of the first all-electric sedan to ever wear the Ferrari badge hasn’t slowed down sales any –…

FERC issues directive on 765-kV transmission lines as NRG opens Houston power plant, Base Power expands to PJM — The 765-kV story continues to unfold; new FERC directive; NRG opens Houston power plant; Base Power expands to PJM; and plenty of other…

Zero-emission truck deployments rise 37% in 2025 to 4.14% market share — CALSTART’s Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks report is out, and the results are in: after getting off to a slow start in the first half of…

Startup explores biogas from cow manure to power data centers

Intersolar Europe 2026 conference highlights industry sentiment on solar, storage integration — Europe’s solar industry seemed a little downbeat as it trudged to Munich for Intersolar Europe 2026 this week. Under the unforgiving June…

Mercedes-Benz electric semi trucks achieve Tesla-like efficiency hauling 36 tons in winter conditions — Despite the rapidly growing number of heavy-duty EVs on western roads, a number of myths still persist about range, charging…

VinEnergo, SunAsia to develop 422MWp floating solar portfolio in Philippines — VinEnergo and SunAsia Energy have partnered to develop 422MWp of floating solar projects in the Philippines.

Scientists monitor Duxbury Reef in California as climate change threatens coastal ecosystems — BOLINAS, Calif.—Kent Khtikian pointed at a seemingly barren inch of reef. His hair, curly, long and grey blew wildly in the wind underneath…

UK heat pump study finds wide gap between expected and actual efficiency — A large-scale study of UK heat pump installations has revealed a major gap between hypothetical performance and real-world data. Changes to…

Volkswagen plans to cut 100,000 jobs and close four factories in Germany — Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume is reportedly preparing the most dramatic overhaul in the automaker’s history, with plans that could eliminate…

Right-wing group drops lawsuit challenging Virginia offshore wind permits — 1. Virginia Beach, Virginia – The right-wing interest group lawsuit against Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia offshore wind is now dead,…

Solar developers offer lessons to data centers on local community relations — This week’s conversation is with Hanson Wood, chief development officer for solar developer RWE. Wood’s perspective felt crucial at a…

Study ranks states by electric vehicle affordability and charging infrastructure — America’s EV industry has suffered a series of bad breaks over the last year and a half. The end of federal tax credits for electric…

Farm owners across U.S. reject data center development deals over land preservation — The movement against data centers is raising up a raison d'etre of the anti-renewables movement: protecting would-be farmland. Farm owners…

Jun 29, 2026 · 5:01 AM PT edition · 20 stories

LONGi unveils containerized solar unit for off-grid applications, secures 80MW Greece order — Chinese PV manufacturer LONGi has unveiled a new containerised solar solution designed for remote off-grid industrial-scale applications.

Kyocera tests Sekisui Chemical's perovskite solar modules at Japanese facilities — Kyocera has begun testing perovskite solar modules developed by Sekisui Chemical across six of its facilities in Japan. The trials are…

Hardware makers increasingly focus on energy management systems for solar cost optimization — eBOS hardware, long overlooked in PV design, is now central to solar project cost optimisation as technologies advance, writes Shreeyashi…

Distributed solar and battery systems gain role in U.S. power grid operations — Decentralized capacity enters the mainstream as electricity demand strains infrastructure, forcing a change in U.S. power markets and grid…

AEMO: Australia needs 120GW of utility-scale wind and solar by 2050 — Australia needs to build nearly 120GW of utility-scale wind and solar by 2050, approximately five times the current level, says AEMO.

Pakistan installs 27GW of distributed solar in two years as consumers shift off-grid — Pakistan installed 27GW of distributed solar in the last two years, prompting a 21% surge in electricity demand, according to a new report…

Italy's largest solar plant begins operations — The project is expected to supply the Italian energy market via PPAs. The post Italy’s largest solar plant goes online appeared first on pv…

Sunoyster introduces 450W lightweight glass-glass solar module for low-load roofs — Sunoyster Systems has presented the PVbondi lightweight glass-glass module, designed for low-load-bearing roofs. The system reportedly…

Mexico targets 22 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 — The Mexican government said its electricity expansion plan aims to add 32 GW of capacity by 2030, with 70% coming from renewable energy,…

Panasonic launches CO₂ air-to-water heat pump with 6.1 coefficient of performance — Panasonic has launched a residential CO₂ (R744) air-to-water heat pump range designed for efficient hot water production, even in low…

Oman tenders 1.5 GW of solar capacity across two projects — Oman’s Nama Power and Water Procurement (PWP) has kicked off a tender covering 1.5 GW of solar across two prospective projects. The…

Runergy launches TOPCon solar module with 26.9% cell conversion efficiency — Runergy has launched the third generation of its TOPCon solar modules, which have a conversion efficiency of 26.9%.

Energy companies shift to AI-powered platform ecosystems connecting grid, workforce and customers — How leading providers are connecting customer, workforce and grid operations into one Vertical AI ecosystem.

Germany awards 482MW in solar-plus-storage innovation tender — The German Federal Network Agency, Bundesnetzagentur, has awarded 482MW of solar-plus-storage in its latest innovation tender.

EU opens sixth round of applications for cross-border renewable energy project accreditation — The sixth round of calls for EU cross-border renewable energy projects looking to obtain priority status is open until October 6. The…

BHP and Rio Tinto test battery-electric haul trucks in Western Australia — Iron ore rivals BHP and Rio Tinto have united to put battery-electric haul ‌trucks to the test in Western Australia’s Pilbara region as the…

Researchers develop drone imaging method to detect glass cracks in solar modules — Researchers developed a daylight electroluminescence imaging method that enables detection of low-energy glass cracks in PV modules using…

Study estimates 41,800 US deaths in 2024 from vehicle emissions — Research suggests 41,800 premature US deaths in 2024 were attributable to road pollution Roughly five Americans die every hour due to…

EDF to sell North American renewables business to KKR — French utility EDF has agreed to sell its renewable energy business in the US and Canada to private equity firm KKR.

Nippon Steel faces pressure to deliver environmental investments one year after U.S. Steel acquisition — A year ago this month, Japan’s Nippon Steel acquired U.S. Steel, promising to plow $14 billion into America’s legendary but long-declining…