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Newsletter (copy 56)
Floating solar enters the big leagues ⚡
Hi,
This’ll be our final newsletter of the year. We’ll be back in your inboxes on Wednesday the 8th of January.
A big thanks to everyone who has supported us this year via a voluntary monthly subscription, and to our partners GoSolr and Plentify.
Here’s some good news to start the day:
Record wind and solar installations this year mean renewables will cover at least 45% of Australia’s electricity needs in 2025, according to the Clean Energy Regulator.
Global demand for virgin steel has probably already peaked, partly because recycling rates are rising, HSBC analysts say.
In 2023, hybrid and electric cars made up 48% of new registrations in the EU, per the bloc’s stats office.
China's refined oil consumption peaked in 2023 and will fall 1.3% in 2024, says the CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute.
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Thanks for reading, and happy holidays if you’re taking time off.
Nick Hedley
Editor, The Progress Playbook
A handful of Asian countries are leading the world in deployments of large-scale floating solar arrays — with some enormous projects in the works.
Floating solar only recently graduated from niche applications to the big leagues, but the technology has quickly gained serious traction in land-constrained parts of the world.
It comes with added benefits. For one thing, the panels reduce evaporation, meaning floating solar is a particularly good fit for freshwater reservoirs and lakes in water-insecure places. The modules are also cooled by the water below — making them more efficient — while the systems effectively conserve land.
- Read the full story here.
The UK will lean heavily on offshore wind, solar and batteries under a new plan to clean up the nation’s power system within just five years.
- Read the full story here.
South Africa’s first off-grid electric vehicle charging network offers drivers a low-carbon option for recharging their cars while also providing farmers that host the stations a new income stream.
- Read the full story here.
Ad: GoSolr offers solar subscription plans from only R1,399 per month.
From falling battery prices to methane-detecting satellites, this past year saw historic developments in climate, energy, and more, writes RMI.
- Read the full story here.
Other articles you might find interesting:
These are the most effective policies for boosting EV adoption
Octopus Energy now lets homes donate their excess solar to those who need it
Small patches of urban wildflowers boost bee populations and biodiversity, study shows
How the aviation sector can slash the climate impact of contrails — at little cost
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