Inside Florida’s unlikely transformation into a solar superpower

Hi,

Here’s some good news to start the day:

• Global solar and wind deployments will increase fourfold and threefold respectively by 2035, per BloombergNEF’s forecasts.

• And despite Trump’s efforts to stymie the transition, BloombergNEF expects the US will add 1.1 terawatts of solar, wind and storage from now to 2035, almost quadrupling the grid’s green power capacity.

• Investments in clean manufacturing in the US reached $14 billion in the first quarter of 2025, more than triple the volume seen just two and a half years before, according to Rhodium Group.

• Between 2021 and 2024, the EU reduced imports of gas and LNG by 18% as the renewable energy boom helped reduce consumption, IEEFA says.

• Renewables and nuclear now account for 48% of India’s electricity generating capacity, according to IEEFA.

• China’s coal-fired power output declined over the first four months of 2025 amid a boom in wind and solar installations. In the first quarter, wind and solar made up 23% of the mix, up 4 percentage points in a year, CREA says.

• By 2033, 85% of new cars sold in China will be electric, according to forecasts by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, which show gasoline consumption in the sector is already declining.

• After a successful pilot last year, Dublin will once again make parts of the city car-free over the coming summer.

• Almost all new homes built in England will have to have solar panels installed under a new law.

• Wind and solar power permanently overtook coal-fired power in Türkiye in 2024, Ember data shows.

• At one point last Thursday, wind and solar met 99% of Germany’s electricity demand, Bloomberg reported. Meanwhile, solar will generate more electricity than lignite (brown coal) for the first time this year, according to Germany’s solar association.

• Pakistan imported 22GW of solar panels in 2024, making it one of the world’s biggest solar markets.

Know anyone else who’d be interested in signing up to this free newsletter? They can do so here.

And if you’d like to get in touch, email us at [email protected].

Thanks for reading.

Nick Hedley

Editor, The Progress Playbook

Inside Florida’s unlikely transformation into a solar superpower

Despite being run by a pro-fossil fuels governor who has clamped down on decarbonisation efforts, the US state of Florida is fast transforming itself into a solar energy superpower.

The background: Even as governor Ron DeSantis erased most references to climate change from state laws last year, the shift to solar energy was gathering momentum. Favourable economics, combined with Florida’s abundant sunshine and federal tax incentives for clean energy, more than offset the state government’s preference for fossil fuels.

The latest: Solar accounted for 9% of Florida’s power generation in 2024, up from just 3% in 2020, according to data collated by research group Ember. But the real uptick is looming…

- Read the full story here.

Lessons from Wales’ future generations law

For the past decade, a groundbreaking law has required all public bodies in Wales to consider the long-term impact of their decisions. A new report detailing the legislation’s successes and shortcomings to date could help guide other nations that are considering a similar approach.

- Read the full story here.

Unlock the Secrets of Science, Philosophy, and Culture.

Discover stories that stretch your mind and stir your imagination. Nautilus, the science newsletter, explores the deep connections between science, philosophy, and culture — one idea at a time. Join thousands of curious readers and get beautifully crafted essays delivered to your inbox every week.

Join Nautilus today

Inside Washington’s groundbreaking parking reforms

2025 is shaping up to be the most impactful year yet for statewide parking reform legislation in the US, and Washington has sprinted to the front of the pack, writes Daniel Herriges, policy director at the Parking Reform Network.

- Read the full story here.

Next-generation sand battery to be built in Finland

Two Finnish energy companies are planning to deploy another, more advanced ‘sand battery’ that can store electricity, rather than just heat.

- Read the full story here.

The UK’s grid operator on the next steps to a clean electricity system

Rebecca Beresford, director of markets at the UK’s National Energy System Operator, writes about the British power grid’s ongoing decarbonisation push.

- Read the full story here.

Other articles you might find interesting:

• Collie’s just transition: A blueprint for ​the world’s 8 million coal workers?

• In numbers: Solar and battery storage powerhouse Chile sets new clean energy records

• Londoners are swapping cars for bicycles at a rapid pace, data shows

• What the world can learn from Copenhagen’s cycling revolution

• These US states are leading the way in curbing methane emissions from landfills

• Solar farms can host up to three times as many birds as crop fields, study shows

Help us grow and maximise our impact via a voluntary monthly subscription facilitated by Google. Simply follow the link above and click on the ‘Contribute with Google’ button.

Have any tips, ideas or feedback for us? Please contact: [email protected].