All posts tagged: energy

China’s clean energy surge is starting to squeeze out coal

China’s clean energy surge is starting to squeeze out coal

Published by skeptic

Photo: China News Service China’s clean energy machine is now moving so fast that it’s meeting soaring electricity demand and pushing coal power backward at the same time. Coal generation has stopped growing in 17 of the 26 Chinese provinces and regions analyzed in a new report from energy think tank Ember. Those regions include industrial heavyweights such as Shandong and Hunan, and together they account for more than half of China’s thermal power capacity. Thermal generation – most of it coal – fell 0.7% in 2025, even as electricity demand jumped 5%. China’s thermal generation fell in 2015, when electricity demand barely moved, rising just 0.5%. That’s a very different story from what happened last year: Clean electricity grew fast enough to cover rising demand and start replacing coal. Advertisement – scroll for more content Coal generation has also been flat on a 12-month rolling average since early 2024, according to Ember, so the 2025 drop doesn’t appear to be a one-off. Clean power is finally eating into coal China has spent the past …

Brits issued major blackout warning – ‘just a matter of time’ | UK | News

Brits issued major blackout warning – ‘just a matter of time’ | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Whistleblowers previously warned about issues at Neso over the summer (Image: Getty) Brits have been warned that power cuts are only “a matter of time” unless energy bosses make urgent changes. An anonymous whistleblower has sounded the alarm over underlying issues at the National Energy System Operator (Neso), including inadequate computer systems. They alleged that staff in the Neso control room use pen and paper to forecast electricity demand and warned that the operator’s Open Balancing Platform (OBP) is wasting people’s money. The digital control system, which manages the electrical grid, allegedly offers poor network visibility and can overlook cheaper energy stored in batteries when transmitting power. It comes after multiple whistleblowers raised concerns about improper conduct at Neso during the June heatwave, telling shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho the operator “failed to meet the grid standards put in place to prevent blackouts”. The whistleblower warned that Britain’s electrical grid could be at risk (Image: Getty) They also alleged that Neso’s corporate affairs team “interfered with operational decisions” and that “operational decisions were being recorded …

Milei renews Falklands dispute as Trump rethinks UK support

Milei renews Falklands dispute as Trump rethinks UK support

Published by Sam Flores

Argentine President Javier Milei speaks during the Madrid Forum, where conservative leaders from Latin America have gathered, in Santiago, Chile on September 3, 2026. Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images Argentina’s President Javier Milei has ramped up a long-running dispute over the Falkland Islands, reasserting the country’s claims over the self-governing British overseas territory and threatening to impose sanctions on oil companies working off the archipelago. In a nationally televised speech, Milei said overnight that Argentina would “need to recover” the islands, which Argentina calls Las Malvinas, calling on the country to “not stand idly by” and “show a united front to the world,” according to Sky News. Milei also announced plans to impose economic penalties aimed at stopping the development of the Sea Lion oil project, a major offshore oil development roughly 220 kilometers (137 miles) north of the Falkland Islands. The project, which is co-developed by Britain’s Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum, is targeting its first oil in early 2028. Argentina considers the venture an unlawful exploitation of resources in waters it …

US Vice President JD Vance declines to offer timeline for end of Iran war | US-Israel war on Iran News

US Vice President JD Vance declines to offer timeline for end of Iran war | US-Israel war on Iran News

Published by Sam Flores

United States Vice President JD Vance has declined to offer a prospective timeline for the end of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which remains a source of surging global energy prices and unpopularity at home. Vance sought to downplay the fallout from the war in a White House news briefing on Thursday. He even questioned how to refer to the conflict. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “I wouldn’t call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting,” Vance said, before clarifying. “I recognise there have been places where this has flared up.” His remarks come after days of intense fire between the US and Iran. Still, Vance argued that major combat operations only lasted “about six weeks” and that the US has succeeded in degrading Iran’s defence production capabilities. He also sought to turn attention to the Strait of Hormuz, a focal point of the war, accusing Iran of preventing the flow of traffic through the vital trade route. “When you ask, ‘When will this end?’, you’re asking me a question …

Gulf insecurity fuels US energy dominance | Energy

Gulf insecurity fuels US energy dominance | Energy

Published by Sam Flores

The global energy order is changing. US President Donald Trump celebrated on Truth Social what he called the “biggest oil deal in history” – a 100-year concession on 17 oil fields in Venezuela that would secure 65 billion barrels of oil. Around the same time, QatarEnergy informed Edison, one of its biggest European customers, that force majeure on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries would continue until early November. Five more cargoes were cancelled, taking the total to 29, or about 3.8 billion cubic metres of gas. The contract has run since 2009 and normally covers roughly a tenth of Italy’s annual consumption. Edison has kept supplying its customers by finding replacement cargoes elsewhere, including in the US. For decades, the bargain between Washington and the Gulf was clear. The US protected the region and kept its sea lanes open; Gulf producers supplied the energy on which the global economy depended and settled their sales in dollars to benefit the US economy. That bargain has been turned on its head. America no longer simply protects …

From smarter protein and fibre to fewer UPFs: Five easy diet changes for new season energy

From smarter protein and fibre to fewer UPFs: Five easy diet changes for new season energy

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to IndyEat’s free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free September has always had a better claim to being the new year than January. The holidays end, schools go back, offices fill up and, after a few weeks in which lunch might consist of crisps on a train and dinner was whatever was within walking distance of the hotel, ordinary life returns with suspicious enthusiasm. So does the urge to atone for summer. The internet is poised with post-holiday detoxes, healthy eating challenges and promises to “reset” your metabolism. Avoid the carbs! Bin the alcohol! Put protein powder in everything! If there were a “perfect protein diet” for the September push, however, nutritionists have a rather less exciting prescription: stop chasing protein and start putting ordinary sources of it into the meals you already eat. “There is such an enormous focus on protein at the moment that you could be forgiven for thinking you need …

The best kettles in the UK to save energy and speed up your cuppa, tested | Tea

The best kettles in the UK to save energy and speed up your cuppa, tested | Tea

Published by Sam Flores

Despite the march of progress, the humble kettle remains a kitchen staple. It’s what we turn to in times of strife, when spirits are flagging, or to start our day. When a visitor calls, one of the first things we often do is put the kettle on. Many small appliances have evolved beyond their original form, but the kettle’s basic principles remain largely unchanged. Water goes in and heats until a thermostat switches it off; the water then pours out, and we enjoy a cuppa. However, the technology that goes into a kettle has been slowly improving: better insulation to keep water hotter for longer and reduce reboils; different temperature settings to suit every drink from green tea to herbal brews; and more features such as filters and concealed elements to keep scale out of our cups. When your existing kettle makes its last brew and must be taken to the big recycling centre in the sky, it pays to check out what’s on offer to replace it. The next one you buy may make …

Republicans are about to raise your fuel costs by 45% during an energy crisis

Republicans are about to raise your fuel costs by 45% during an energy crisis

Published by skeptic

Former reality TV contestant Sean Duffy. Photo by Gage Skidmore The Department of Transportation says it’s ready to announce fuel economy standards that will raise average fuel costs by 45%, right as the world struggles with the effects of a war of choice that has spiked energy prices globally. Since the 1970s, the US government has had various rules that guide auto manufacturers to make and sell more efficient vehicles. The main standards, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE), were first implemented after the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s, and the ensuing energy crisis. The standards require manufacturers to maintain an average level of fuel efficiency across their fleet, or else they have to pay a fine for every noncompliant car they sell. Prior to these standards, American cars were large and gas guzzling, with very little interest in efficiency. CAFE standards and other government regulations related to efficiency and clean air, both on the state and federal level, have made cars cleaner and more efficient as time has gone on. Advertisement – scroll for …

4 Things Women Who Value Their Time & Energy Unapologetically Do

4 Things Women Who Value Their Time & Energy Unapologetically Do

Published by Jenni Sidey

There comes a point when you realize protecting your time and energy isn’t selfish. It’s just necessary. Women who have genuinely learned to value themselves know they can’t say yes to everything and still have enough left over to take care of themselves. That doesn’t mean they’re being cold or difficult. They’ve just stopped acting like exhausting themselves is evidence that they’re a good person. More often than not, there are a few things they do consistently, and they don’t care what other people think about it. Things women who have learned to prioritize their own time and do differently: 1. Say no with confidence DexonDee | Shutterstock Women who know their worth understand that more often than not, saying no is enough. They don’t feel obligated to scramble for an excuse or apologize before saying they can’t do something. If they don’t have the time or energy, or simply don’t want to, they’re allowed to say no. They’re still very willing to help other people, but they won’t do it if it means sacrificing …