Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 14h

To even think for a moment Trump could have been a valid candidate for the Nobel peace prize is a sign of a lost compass.

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 1d

That England has had its three worst harvests on record inside the past five years really should be being treated as a much bigger cause for concern than is currently the case. www.businessgreen.com/news/4520171...

'This is what farming with climate change looks like': England endures second worst harvest on record

New analysis confirms three of the five worst harvests on record have occurred in the past five years on the back of extreme heat, drought, and rainfall

www.businessgreen.com

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 18h

It is a bit funny to re-name good old hydro power dams in the mountains into ‚hydro batteries‘.

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 22h

!

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 1d

oh! :-)

Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 1d

Internet of things? For years, we‘ve been told it would be about ‚smart fridges ordering milk on our behalf‘ and other useless non-sense. As it turns out, the power grid will be the ultimate internet of things with all power consuming, storing and producing devices talking to each other.

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you. Yes.

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 2d

Technologieoffen.

DER SPIEGEL @spiegel.de · 2d

Als Investor und Berater will sich der frühere FDP-Chef beruflich neu erfinden. Nach SPIEGEL-Informationen hat er nicht für alle Jobs bereits die erforderlichen Genehmigungen.

Christian Lindner: Womit der Ex-Finanzminister künftig Geld verdienen will

Als Investor und Berater will sich der frühere FDP-Chef beruflich neu erfinden. Nach SPIEGEL-Informationen hat er nicht für alle Jobs bereits die erforderlichen Genehmigungen.

www.spiegel.de

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

Helene von Bismarck @helenebismarck.bsky.social · 2d

Don‘t threaten us with a good time.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

Prospect Magazine @prospectmagazine.co.uk · 2d

Wind and solar came close to surpassing global gas power generation in April, for the first time, writes @timsmedley.bsky.social.

As Bill McKibben says, “Everything is going wrong, except this one big thing.”

The great 2025 solar boom

One massive thing is going really well, according to veteran climate campaigner Bill McKibben

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 2d

yes. A lot.

Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 2d

www.esgtoday.com/eu-to-delay-...

EU to Delay CSRD Sustainability Reporting Standards for non-EU Companies - ESG Today

The European Commission unveiled a series of pieces of scheduled legislation slated for delay through “de‑prioritisation,” including the adoption of European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) ...

www.esgtoday.com

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

Neil Briscoe @neilmbriscoe.bsky.social · 3d

Porsche’s troubles fire a warning shot across the European car industry’s bows: Via @irishtimes.com

www.irishtimes.com/motors/2025/...

Porsche’s travails are a warning to the wider car industry

Once a profit-laden golden child, Porsche is now struggling and if it can happen in Stuttgart it can happen anywhere

www.irishtimes.com

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 2d

Cynicism is obedience.

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 2d

on.ft.com/3VX93nT “US demands EU dismantle green regulations in threat to trade deal, incl. climate transition plans”

US demands EU dismantle green regulations in threat to trade deal

Washington wants American companies to be exempted from rules such as having to draw up climate transition plans

on.ft.com

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 2d

What Brazil’s government has done on messing up the logistics of COP30, especially the hotel capacity even for negotiators at COP30, is unforgivable.

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

Nathaniel William Horadam @horadam.bsky.social · 3d

It’s a good thing Texas installed so much reliable solar, wind, and battery capacity to shoulder the load in the event the state’s unreliable coal generation suffered a catastrophic failure.

Because apparently it did.

🔌💡

ieefa.org/resources/ne...

Newest big U.S. coal-plant offline until 2027

The newest major coal-fired power plant in the U.S. is expected to be offline until March 2027 after a major failure in April.

ieefa.org

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 3d

The experience that prepared me well - psychologically - for working on climate issues, the energy transition, and the dialogue with hard and soft climate denial and delay-ism are my decades in digital journalism and newsroom transformation.
So, so many similar patterns in how incumbents think.

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

Jonathan Mingle @jmingle.bsky.social · 3d

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright: "Adding more wind and solar to the grid have one guaranteed effect: They make electricity more expensive."

US Energy Information Administration: "Nope that's wrong"

EIA data show that states with more renewables have lower electricity prices.

Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 3d

MAGA’s energy narrative erodes quickly:

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

The government’s own data rebuts Trump’s claims about wind and solar prices

The Trump administration has targeted renewable energy for driving up electricity prices, but POLITICO’s analysis shows states that are growing their wind and solar power typically have lower power co...

www.politico.com

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 3d

MAGA’s energy narrative erodes quickly:

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

The government’s own data rebuts Trump’s claims about wind and solar prices

The Trump administration has targeted renewable energy for driving up electricity prices, but POLITICO’s analysis shows states that are growing their wind and solar power typically have lower power co...

www.politico.com

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 3d

‘US energy isolationism’ was a new term for me today.

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 4d

A complete flip of the usual pattern we see in these updates - China's and India's emissions fell, and EU and US emissions increased.....

ember-energy.org/latest-insig...

@ember-energy.org

Global CO2 emissions plateau
Global CO2 emissions from the power sector fell marginally by 12 MtCO2 (-0.2%) to 6,963 MtCO2 in the first half of 2025. The decline was possible because solar and wind power exceeded demand growth and led to a slight fall in fossil fuel use. Without solar and wind growth, emissions would have risen by an estimated 236 MtCO2 (+3.9%) globally, which is equivalent to almost all emissions (251 MtCO2) from Africa in H1-2025.

At the country level, there was significant variation. Among the four economies that account for the majority of global emissions (64%), emissions fell in China (-46 MtCO2, -1.7%) and India (-24 MtCO2, -3.6%), as clean electricity outpaced growth in demand in those countries.

In contrast, emissions rose in the EU (+13 MtCO2, +4.8%), where strong growth in solar was outweighed by shortfalls in wind, hydro and bioenergy, leading to higher gas and coal generation. Emissions also rose in the US (+33 MtCO2, +4.3%), as clean electricity growth was smaller than demand growth, leading to an increase in coal generation, which was exacerbated by gas-to-coal switching.

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Reposted by Wolfgang Blau

James Collis @jamescollis.bsky.social · 4d

EU countries prove more renewables make electricity cheaper.

Mark Gongloff @markgongloff.bsky.social · 8d

"Spain’s rapid renewables build-out means its power prices were set by fossil generation just 19% of the time, down from 75% in 2019. As a result, wholesale electricity was almost a third cheaper than the EU average"

Imagine having cheaper power

Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Spain’s Renewable-Energy Boom Loosens Gas’s Grip on Power Prices

Soaring renewables output in Spain is weakening gas’s grip on electricity prices, setting the country apart from much of Europe where fossil fuels still dictate the cost of power.

www.bloomberg.com

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 4d

So rare to read this crucial sentence about supposedly ‘sustainable’ aviation fuel, SAF: “SAF emits the same amount of CO₂ as kerosene at the point of combustion”
Very good piece by the @financialtimes.com:

on.ft.com/4mVLRBo How politicians and passengers gave up on greener air travel

How politicians and passengers gave up on greener air travel

A renewed push for economic growth has added to technological challenges and problems with carbon offset schemes

on.ft.com

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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 4d

Trump is the past’s last battle.

Eric Roston @eroston.bsky.social · 4d

Oh:
- The US sold $80 billion in oil and gas abroad through July.
- China exported $120 billion in green technology over the same period.
By @akshatrathi.bsky.social
🎁🔗 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

China Is Beating the US in the Battle for Energy Export Dominance

China’s exports of clean energy technology hit a record in August, with $20 billion shipped globally.

www.bloomberg.com

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