Displaying items by tag: solar power

While Donald Trump’s administration is pedalling back on American commitment to green energy, China is rapidly expanding renewable energy across its vast landscapes, building huge solar and wind installations to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. In some desert regions, solar panels are not only providing shade but also slowing land degradation, giving farmers renewed hope. The country now produces more solar panels than the rest of the world combined and aims to peak emissions by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. Yet the transition brings tensions. Oversupply has hurt manufacturers, while some rural communities lose farmland or feel excluded from decisions. Concerns also remain about labour practices and environmental impacts linked to mining and construction. At the same time, coal still supplies much of the nation’s electricity, meaning the shift must balance economic growth with environmental responsibility. The changes show both promise and hardship as society adapts to a new energy future.

Wind turbines have generated more electricity than gas for the first time in the UK. Imperial College London’s research revealed that 1/3 of UK electricity came from wind farms in the first three months of 2023. National Grid also confirmed that April saw a record period of solar energy generation. By 2035 the UK aims for all electricity to have net zero emissions. There are still many hurdles to reaching a completely fossil fuel-free grid, but wind out-supplying gas for the first time is a genuine milestone event. The majority of the UK's wind power comes from offshore wind farms. Installing new onshore wind turbines has effectively been banned since 2015. Under current planning rules, companies can only apply to build onshore wind turbines on land specifically identified for development in the land-use plans drawn up by local councils.

With limited space and a lack of options for hydro-electricity and wind power, Singapore faces logistical challenges in the push towards renewable energy. Environmental advocacy groups have long accused the country of failing to do enough to address climate change, even as rising sea levels have become a growing threat. Climate Action Tracker said Singapore’s efforts to combat climate change have been weak. It is now investing in a huge floating solar farm at sea. Oceans are the ‘new frontier’ in electricity production, says Shawn Tan, the firm carrying out the project. The solar farm has 13,000 solar panels laid out at sea between Singapore and Malaysia, capable of producing up to five megawatts of electricity - enough energy to power 1,400 residential flats year-round. Meanwhile, Pentagon scientists are currently testing solar satellites to beam energy to anywhere on Earth.