DeBriefed 2 April 2026: Countries ‘revive’ energy-crisis measures | Record UK renewables | Plug-in solar savings
As the Iran war intensifies, the IEA warns of worsening oil supply disruptions, prompting considerations for releasing strategic reserves, while the IMF cautions that continued conflict will lead to h
The world added 692 GW of renewables in 2025 – here’s what it means
The world significantly boosted its renewable energy capacity in 2025, adding 692 gigawatts (GW) and reaching a total of 5,149 GW, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Age
Global Climate Panel Faces Strife, Potential Funding Crunch
The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is facing significant procedural gridlock and a potential budget crisis, hindering its ability to assess rapidly accelerating climate shocks.
Oil Falls 2% as Trump Says U.S. Will Exit Iran 'Pretty Quickly'
Oil prices initially fell 2% after President Trump indicated a swift U.S. exit from Iran, alongside a threat to withdraw from NATO due to insufficient Middle East support. However, other reports sugge
Oil & Gas Rally Leaves S&P 500 Behind in Record-Breaking Run
Energy investors are experiencing a record-breaking rally, with the oil and gas sector poised to significantly outperform the S&P 500, marking its widest margin ever. This surge is fueled by geopoliti
Using more of the grid we’ve already built
Ian Magruder advocates for optimizing the existing electricity grid to achieve dual benefits: reducing consumer electricity costs and accelerating the transition to a decarbonized energy system. This
Sassmann develops ‘solar panel grid’ for pigeon protection
Germany's **Sassmann** has innovated a modular 'solar panel grid' system to deter pigeons from nesting under photovoltaic modules. This solution directly addresses a common issue for solar installatio
Solbian launches solar kit for boat davits
Solbian has introduced a new solar kit designed for boat davits, available in 80 W and 108 W configurations, which utilizes high-efficiency SunPower Maxeon cells. This kit is engineered for easy insta
BBDF: German network agency to release BESS grid fee framework soon
Germany's **Bundesnetzagentur** will unveil a framework for network fees in May 2026, a move that will significantly impact the profitability of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and their interac
Key takeaways from Chile’s Re+ Cono sur
Chile's Energy Minister Ximena Rincón urged a proactive shift towards renewables, energy storage, and electrification at the RE+ Southern Cone Summit, emphasizing the critical need to decrease fossil
UNSW study finds tracker-based PV systems experience higher UV degradation than fixed-tilt arrays
A new UNSW study reveals that photovoltaic (PV) systems with trackers experience greater UV degradation compared to fixed-tilt arrays, with tropical and desert climates imposing the highest stress on
Rebuttal: Coal plants are reliable and cost-competitive
Michelle Bloodworth, CEO of America's Power, asserts that U.S. coal plants remain both reliable and cost-competitive, directly challenging claims that renewable energy sources should replace them. Thi
BYD sold 120,000 NEVs overseas in March, but the EV giant says this is just the start
BYD is aggressively expanding its overseas presence, aiming for 1.5 million NEV sales outside China in 2026, a 15% increase from earlier forecasts, as surging global fuel prices drive unprecedented de
Record Wind Output Fails to Stop UK Energy Price Surge
Despite record wind power generation in early 2026, the UK faces a looming energy price surge due to its reliance on gas-fired power and the Middle East conflict, with the IMF warning of particular vu
TotalEnergies, Masdar to merge renewables activities in nine Asian countries
TotalEnergies and Masdar are forming a $2.2 billion joint venture to merge their onshore renewables activities across nine Asian countries, aiming to accelerate solar, wind, and battery storage develo
Drive slower, work from home and ditch the tie: the world responds to Iran war energy crisis
The global energy crisis, sparked by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has led to a scramble for solutions, with countries adopting diverse and often conflicting strategies ranging
US adds 26.6 GW of solar in 2025 as renewables dominate
The U.S. solar industry installed 26.6 GW of new utility-scale capacity in 2025, dominating new energy builds and solidifying its role as the primary driver of grid expansion, despite a slight dip fro
IPCC: ‘Frustrating and disappointing’ meeting leaves AR7 timeline in deadlock
Governments remain deadlocked on the timeline for the IPCC's seventh assessment report (AR7), with a recent Bangkok meeting delivering "minimal outcomes" and leaving the publication schedule unresolve
Millions Of Trees Planted In Africa To Remove Carbon & Restore Soil
Cool Effect's "Giving Trees" project, implemented through the TIST program, has empowered over 265,000 smallholder farmers in East Africa to plant more than 28.3 million trees on their own land, aimin
FERC: Renewables made up 88% of new US power generating capacity in 2025
Renewable energy sources, primarily solar and wind, constituted an overwhelming 88% of new US power generating capacity in 2025, according to FERC data reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign. Solar alone ac