GridDigest

Observations After Two Weeks with Tesla Hardware 4 & Full Self Driving V14 in My 2026 Tesla Model Y

Jamaica Weighs Offshore Oil Exploration Amid Climate Vulnerability

Jamaica is considering offshore oil drilling similar to recent projects in Guyana and Suriname, despite being highly vulnerable to climate change and currently importing all fuel at a cost of $1.5–$2 billion annually.

Trinasolar launches hail-resistant 620W Shield solar panel in North America

Trinasolar introduced the Vertex N Shield, a 620W n-type TOPCon module with 23% efficiency designed to withstand hail and extreme weather. The panel features reinforced mechanical durability and is now available to the North American market.

Tesla's Supervised Full Self-Driving Approved in Belgium

Tesla has received approval to deploy its Level 2++ Supervised Full Self-Driving system in Belgium, following earlier approvals in the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, and Denmark. The system must pass final testing before customer rollout.

UK Sets January 2027 Deadline to Ban Russian Refined Fuel Imports

The UK will ban imports of diesel and jet fuel refined from Russian crude in third countries by January 1, 2027, closing a remaining sanctions loophole for Russian oil products.

Russia, China, Iran deepen strategic alliance, US officials warn

US experts and former officials said Russia, China, and Iran are forming a strategic partnership that poses challenges to US interests. The alliance is generating transactional benefits and strategic advantages for the three countries.

China EV sales reach record 63% market share in May

Plug-in electric vehicle sales hit a record high in China during May, driven by surging EV adoption and a 39% decline in traditional internal combustion engine model sales.

RWE installs first turbine at 1.6 GW German North Sea offshore wind farm

RWE has placed the first turbine at its Nordseecluster A offshore wind project in the German North Sea. The facility is designed for 1.6 GW of capacity.

Rising Energy Bills Drive Global Home Battery Demand

Consumers worldwide are installing household batteries and solar systems amid higher energy costs and price volatility. Declining battery prices and growing awareness of 24-hour power access are fueling the adoption surge.

BYU-Hawaii launches second solar phase toward 100% renewable power

Brigham Young University-Hawaii is advancing its University Solar Project to meet 100% of campus electrical needs through solar power. The completed project will also supply renewable energy to the adjacent Polynesian Cultural Center.

Peugeot revives E-208 GTi electric rally car with 280 hp

Peugeot unveiled the all-electric E-208 GTi at the 24 Hours of LeMans, joining Lancia and Renault in reviving classic hot hatch nameplates as electric vehicles.

Aviation fuel demand seen stable, but cheap kerosene growth unlikely

Aviation sector decarbonization will not simply substitute clean fuels into existing demand patterns shaped by historically cheap kerosene, analysts say. The transition requires modeling distinct demand curves for the low-cost and decarbonized fuel eras.

Swedish port deploys electric tractor with in-road wireless charging

A Kalmar Ottawa T2 EV terminal tractor began operation in Ljungby, Sweden, using an in-road charging system that allows continuous operation without plug-in recharging.

Australian gold mine operates 155 hours on 100% renewable power

Bellevue Gold mine in Australia ran continuously for over six-and-a-half days using only renewable energy sources. The milestone marks the first time the operation has achieved such extended 100% renewable operation.

US Solar Growth Hampered by Permitting Delays, Industry Warns

T1 Energy CEO Dan Barcelo and a SEIA-Wood Mackenzie report cite permitting as a major obstacle slowing solar deployment in the United States compared to other major markets.

VinFast Reaches One Million Electric Motorcycles Produced

The Vietnamese automaker, known for electric SUVs, has produced one million electric motorcycles. VinFast has become a major player in the two-wheeler EV segment, though less recognized internationally than its car division.

Ark Energy wins grid approval for 435MW NSW solar-plus-storage project

Ark Energy has received approval from AEMO and Transgrid to connect its Richmond Valley solar-plus-storage facility in New South Wales to the National Electricity Market. The project comprises 435MW of solar capacity and 3,148MWh of battery storage.

Meta, Zelestra expand solar partnership with Texas project

Meta signed a power purchase agreement with Zelestra for the 180 MW Palmera Solar Plant in Texas. The deal brings their combined solar portfolio to approximately 1.4 GW across eight U.S. projects.

Wärtsilä demonstrates 100% hydrogen engine supplying Spanish grid power

Wärtsilä has successfully tested what it describes as the world's first large-scale engine running entirely on hydrogen, with validation underway at a facility in Bermeo, Spain that supplies power to the grid.

Greenvolt commissions Hungary's largest battery storage system

Portuguese developer Greenvolt Power has inaugurated a 99.8 MW/288.6 MWh battery storage system in northeastern Hungary, the country's largest operational facility. The company is also progressing storage projects in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain.

Airengy, Hagag Europe to build 5 GWh compressed-air storage in Romania

Airengy and Hagag Europe signed a co-development agreement for a compressed-air energy storage plant using underground salt caverns in Romania, targeting 5 GWh capacity with commercial operation expected in early 2028.

Masdar acquires 49.99% stake in Repsol's 705MW Spanish renewables portfolio

UAE-based Masdar has agreed to acquire a 49.99% interest in Repsol's Spanish renewable energy portfolio of 705MW for €849 million ($980.2 million).

Sembcorp completes $4.32bn Alinta Energy acquisition

Sembcorp Industries has completed its A$6.5 billion acquisition of Alinta Energy, which was first announced in December 2025. The deal adds 10.4GW to Sembcorp's Australian generation pipeline.

Australia's largest transmission project fully energized

Project EnergyConnect, a 900-kilometer transmission line spanning New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, has completed construction and begun full energization.

RWE opens Australia's first 8-hour battery storage system in NSW

RWE Renewables Australia officially opened the 50MW/400MWh Limondale battery energy storage system near Balranald in south-west New South Wales on 11 June 2026. The long-duration BESS is Australia's first of its kind.

Fraunhofer Institute Sets New Solar Module Efficiency Record at 34.4%

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems achieved a new record for solar module efficiency using a III-V germanium solar PV module. The cells were developed in collaboration with AZUR.

UK Offers Grid Connections to 700+ Clean Energy Projects

Britain's power planning body approved grid connections for over 700 renewable and battery storage projects. The approvals cover solar, wind, and battery installations as part of efforts to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Solar-powered desalination system produces fresh water without waste

A new desalination method uses specially engineered black metal to absorb sunlight, producing drinking water from seawater without chemical additives. The system's self-cleaning surface separates salts for reuse rather than disposal.

Hyundai hackathon brings 91 students together for heat resilience and mobility solutions

The fifth Hyundai Go Green Hackathon, hosted with Singapore's Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, brought together 91 students from nine local institutions to develop innovations in community heat resilience and smart mobility.

Top 65 banks committed $906 billion to fossil fuels in 2025

The Banking on Climate Chaos report found that the world's 65 largest banks allocated $906 billion to fossil fuel companies in 2025, an 8% increase from the prior year.

NYC Pension Systems Launch Search for Passive Index Asset Managers

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine and the city's five public pension trustees announced a search for asset managers to provide passive indexing services. The Sierra Club called for the search to prioritize firms with credible climate-risk management and responsible stewardship practices.

Gamuda Renewables acquires stake in Victoria solar-plus-storage project

Gamuda Renewables has secured an interest in the Hazelwood North solar-plus-storage project in Victoria, Australia, which comprises 450MW of solar capacity and 1,800MWh of storage.

European solar module prices rise as buyer confidence rebounds

European solar module prices climbed in May, with the PV Purchasing Managers' Index jumping to 70 from 66 in April, marking the strongest reading since the start of the year.

BYD targets world's largest automaker status within five years

BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu said the company aims to become the global leader by vehicle volume within five years and exceed 10 million units by decade's end. The EV maker, already the world's largest in electric vehicles, is expanding toward overall automaker leadership.

Ocean Cleanup Targets Plastic Trash In Southern California

Solar and storage account for 91% of US grid additions in Q1

Solar and battery storage combined made up 91% of new power capacity added to the US grid in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from SEIA and Wood Mackenzie.

Queensland allocates $3.2 billion to CopperString transmission project

Queensland has committed AU$3.2 billion to the CopperString transmission project in its 2026-27 State Budget, with early works progressing on the Eastern Link and ground broken at Flinders Substation.

Oil market strains amid supply disruption and demand shifts

Three months after a Strait of Hormuz blockade disrupted 13 million barrels per day of supply, oil prices remain below $100/barrel as China cuts imports and the U.S. increases exports. Strategic reserves and hopes for a U.S.-Iran deal have cushioned price impacts.

Chinese PV Maker JA Solar Rebrands as JA

JA Solar, a Chinese photovoltaic module and storage system manufacturer, is dropping 'solar' from its name to reflect its expansion beyond solar into broader clean energy technologies and services.

Turbine Lubricant Sampling: Four Steps to Predictive Maintenance

Wind turbine operators can use lubricant analysis to track contamination, wear metals, viscosity, and additive degradation over time. These findings inform predictive maintenance decisions.