Ireland’s solar power revolution is well under way. Despite vocal opposition to individual planning applications, the Solar Ireland Scale of Solar Report expects there will be 3.3 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity by the end of this year. In July, solar power reached 9.4 per cent of Ireland’s electricity demand. For a technology that just a couple of decades ago was considered unsuitable for Ireland, this is a remarkable transformation. Utility-scale solar projects can range from relatively small schemes covering a few hectares or very large installations such as the Gallanstown solar farm in Co Meath, which covers 500 acres and is capable of generating 198 MWp (megawatt-peak) of power, the equivalent power demand of 40,000 homes. Looking at the list of solar farm projects that are either connected or contracted, one aspect stands out. In most instances energy utility companies are the project developers, not farmers. That applies even when the panels are going on farmland. Local communities fear that land ownership is shifting away from traditional farmers to foreign firms and pension funds. While energy co-operatives that involve groups of landowners and investors coming together are commonplace across Europe, this model is not supported in any meaningful way...

The project is a late-stage, consented solar development with grid connection arrangements in place. The acquisition significantly strengthens Elgin’s late-stage development pipeline in Ireland and increases the capacity available for participation in the upcoming Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction. The project is expected to play an important role in supporting Ireland’s renewable energy ambitions, energy security objectives, and growing demand for clean electricity. Elgin is currently finalising the construction and energisation of approximately 150 MW of solar projects in Ireland as part of a previously announced portfolio transaction, further demonstrating the company’s ability to originate, develop, finance, and deliver utility scale renewable energy infrastructure. Elgin Chief Executive, Dermot Kelleher, responded: “Blackhall is one of the largest late-stage solar development opportunities in the Irish market and represents a significant addition to Elgin’s Irish platform. As we continue to grow our portfolio of owned renewable energy assets, projects like Blackhall will play an important role in supporting Ireland’s decarbonisation ambitions, energy security, and long-term economic growth.” Elgin expects to invest approximately €200 million in the development and construction of Blackhall solar farm, representing a long-term investment in Ireland’s energy infrastructure and supporting the transition to a more secure, affordable, and sustainable...

Prime Minister Mark Carney is in St. John’s on Monday to announce a new agreement on Churchill Falls and other electricity projects in Labrador, alongside N.L. Premier Tony Wakeham and Quebec Premier ...

Renewables and battery storage are projected to add about 82.7 gigawatts (GW) of new generating capacity in the US in the next 12 months, while total fossil fuel and nuclear power capacity will fall by more than 1.4 GW, according to new data released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign. Renewable energy generation exceeded 29% of US total by end of July 2026 According to the EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through July 31, 2026), renewably generated electricity during the first seven months of 2026 was 10.7% greater than in the same period of 2025. The growth was led by utility-scale solar (up 22.0%), small-scale solar (up 12.6%), hydropower (up 9.0%), and wind (up 5.9%). By comparison, the electrical output of US natural gas and nuclear power plants grew much more slowly – by just 1.8% and 1.5%, respectively. Electricity produced by US coal facilities fell by 10.2%. The combination of wind and solar, including small-scale solar, accounted for 21.6% of US electricity production. Further, they produced 49% more electricity than the US’s coal plants and 26% more than its nuclear reactors. Advertisement - scroll for more content In...

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In the first seven months of 2026, Turkiye generated 61% of its electricity from renewable sources. Since hydro and solar generation have seasonal peaks, that rate may not be maintained through the end of this year, but renewables are anyway central to the country’s grid now. In July, solar electricity generation soared to 15% of the total, up by half again over last year’s average. The country’s sunny summers are ideal for solar energy generation. Already by the end of 2025, wind and solar alone supplied 22% of the country’s electricity, according to the Ember energy consultancy. Türkiye also is rich in hydroelectric power, its biggest single source of renewable energy, and has small amounts of geothermal and biofuels. Türkiye’s solar capacity doubled between 2023 and 2025, an impressive achievement by any measure. Remember that Türkiye’s energy appetite, as a fast-growing economy, is enormous and has been growing 5% a year. So renewables not only have to replace existing coal and gas, they have to meet substantial new demand. While Türkiye and Morocco lead the greater Middle East region in wind and solar, Türkiye is toward the bottom of the pack among the big electricity...

Danish jewellery company Pandora has opened the world’s largest fine-jewellery crafting facility in Vietnam, a US$150-million factory powered entirely by renewable electricity and using 100 per cent recycled gold and silver. The expansion highlights a broader challenge for the jewellery industry: reducing the environmental footprint of precious metals, while meeting growing demand for jewellery. Using recycled gold and silver can reduce the need for newly mined metals, but experts say making that shift requires reliable supply chains and greater transparency. The new facility in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam will produce up to 60 million pieces of jewellery a year, increasing the company’s manufacturing capacity by 50 per cent, while cutting its carbon footprint by 17 per cent, CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier told The Associated Press. “We are leading the way and we really hope that the rest follow,” she said. Pandora expands in Vietnam as manufacturers seek clean power After 37 years in Thailand, Pandora wanted to expand its manufacturing base to increase flexibility and strengthen supply-chain resilience, Pablos-Barbier said. She said that it chose Vietnam for its skilled artisans who can meet Pandora’s standards for craftsmanship, its business environment, and its strong infrastructure. Access to renewable...

The state is the biggest to approve solar panels that plug into walls, giving residents a cheaper way to generate their own electricity.

Ireland has ambitious renewable energy and carbon-reduction targets, while electricity demand is expected to increase two-fold over the next 20 years as households and businesses move from fossil fuels to electricity-based solutions. Balancing that demand will require a significant expansion of renewable energy generation and the infrastructure needed to support it. Meeting this requirement has been at the heart of Bord na Móna’s strategic pivot from one of Ireland’s largest fossil-fuel contributors to its largest generator of renewable electricity. That shift, coupled with concerns around energy security and rising prices, underpins the need for more indigenous energy sources to reduce Ireland’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. BnM operates more than 1GW of biomass, wind, solar and battery storage, with a further 6.5GW in development. Its 80,000-hectare land bank supports Ireland’s largest renewable energy pipeline across onshore and offshore wind, solar, storage and flexible generation. Together, these assets give BnM the scale to strengthen Ireland’s indigenous energy supply and help meet rising electricity demand. According to Brendan Kelly, BnM’s head of commercial, this shift is being driven by the future needs of our energy system. “We have moved away from peat, which was very carbon intensive, and have become the largest...

If you want to install a big battery in New York City, you have to cut through a notoriously tough tangle of regulations. That’s made it difficult to get large energy storage projects on the grid. Faced with those obstacles, some startups are getting creative, finding ways to use relatively small batteries in unexpected places, from induction stovetops to food carts. By deploying these more consumer-focused batteries, the companies are helping people directly, cutting pollution or power bills. And these units, while small on their own, could add up to a lot of capacity. Large, utility-scale battery installations are coming online quickly around the world. But there’s been some pushback from communities—especially population-dense ones like NYC—because of concerns about relatively rare but high-profile battery fires. “The number-one challenge that large-scale centralized energy storage providers have is the fact that their benefits are abstract and their costs are concrete,” said David Hammer, cofounder of PopWheels, at a New York Climate Week event on September 24. PopWheels built a battery-swapping system for delivery drivers who zip around the city on e-bikes. Drivers swap out depleted batteries for fresh ones at a cabinet, avoiding the need to stop and charge. There are about...