Australian suburban houses with solar panels on roofs

Analysis: Australia’s voters give Labor a mandate to speed up the renewable energy transition

Australia’s landslide election result signals public support for faster renewable energy growth and leaves the Labor government poised to make bigger climate policy moves.

Adam Morton writes for The Guardian.

In short:

Labor’s plan to derive 82% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 was upheld despite attacks from conservative groups and fossil fuel interests.
The Greens will hold the Senate balance of power, while climate-focused independents gained voter support, showing broad backing for stronger environmental action.
Labor has started work on decarbonizing six economic sectors and is expected to set a 2035 emissions reduction target between 65% and 75% below 2005 levels.

Why this matters:

As one of the world’s largest fossil fuel exporters, Australia has long faced criticism for policies that lag behind its international peers. This election outcome suggests public readiness for an energy transition that could reshape not just domestic power generation but also industries tied to mining, transport and agriculture. Accelerating the move to renewables would lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets and protect public health by cutting air pollution. Yet, even with voter momentum, major challenges remain. Balancing economic growth, job transitions in fossil fuel regions and biodiversity protections during the energy buildout will test policymakers. The next few years could set a blueprint for how developed economies like Australia navigate the complex, high-stakes shift to clean energy.

www.theguardian.com

Credit: Antonio Garcia/Unsplash

California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

Read the Full Article on

www.nytimes.com

Analysis: Australia’s voters give Labor a mandate to speed up the renewable energy transition

Steelmaker retreats from clean energy plans as hydrogen costs and politics shift

California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

New gas plant approved in Newark despite community objections over health and pollution

New research links stalled jet stream to rising summer weather extremes

Brazil moves to auction vast oil blocks despite climate and Indigenous concerns

South African coal town struggles to see benefits of clean energy shift

World climate talks resume without U.S. as global negotiators assess new path forward

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.