The smarter E
@thesmartere.bsky.social
The energy transition is happening now. The smarter E connects solar, storage, hydrogen & EV leaders building the future in Munich, India & Brazil.
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The smarter E
@thesmartere.bsky.social
· Nov 11
EU Energy Transition Voices
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The world's leading alliance of events for the energy industry is now on Bluesky.
We're here to talk solar, storage, grids, and EU policy - and we brought 20+ voices worth following: regulators, reporters, and analysts shaping the transition. #starterpack Start here: bit.ly/499dbZK
We're here to talk solar, storage, grids, and EU policy - and we brought 20+ voices worth following: regulators, reporters, and analysts shaping the transition. #starterpack Start here: bit.ly/499dbZK
Space-based solar just got $20M in funding. Overview Energy plans to put solar arrays 22,000 miles up and laser the power down to existing solar farms on Earth. They'd run nearly 24/7. First satellite launches 2028. The physics problem: it doesn't work when it's cloudy.
Overview Energy wants to beam energy from space to existing solar farms | TechCrunch
The stealthy startup plans to use a network of satellites to harvest sunlight and send it to Earth using infrared lasers.
tcrn.ch
December 22, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Space-based solar just got $20M in funding. Overview Energy plans to put solar arrays 22,000 miles up and laser the power down to existing solar farms on Earth. They'd run nearly 24/7. First satellite launches 2028. The physics problem: it doesn't work when it's cloudy.
At Germany’s Neue Energie West solar park, a drone patrols 17,000 panels 24/7—no humans, no demo, just another Tuesday. It finds faults, files tickets, moves on. The AI middle ground is gone. This isn’t the future. It’s now. And it’s changing everything.
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December 22, 2025 at 8:01 AM
At Germany’s Neue Energie West solar park, a drone patrols 17,000 panels 24/7—no humans, no demo, just another Tuesday. It finds faults, files tickets, moves on. The AI middle ground is gone. This isn’t the future. It’s now. And it’s changing everything.
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Norway just approved two floating offshore wind projects at Utsira Nord. Each consortium gets 505 km² in deep water 7 km offshore. The government's backing them with up to €3.5B, but only one will get the full support, whoever needs the least state aid to build.
Norway Approves Applications for Two Floating Wind Projects
Norway’s Ministry of Energy reports that it will award two project areas in the Utsira Nord region off the coast of Stavanger after having reviewed t...
bit.ly
December 19, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Norway just approved two floating offshore wind projects at Utsira Nord. Each consortium gets 505 km² in deep water 7 km offshore. The government's backing them with up to €3.5B, but only one will get the full support, whoever needs the least state aid to build.
When was the last time a white paper made your day better? We made playlists instead - 8 of them, for energy folks. https://bit.ly/3Y4vRTE
December 19, 2025 at 9:30 AM
When was the last time a white paper made your day better? We made playlists instead - 8 of them, for energy folks. https://bit.ly/3Y4vRTE
What if your home battery could power the grid during peak demand? That's virtual power plants. EnergyHub's acquisition gives 120 utilities one platform to manage millions of devices.
Virtual Power Plants Thwart Plot Against Renewable Energy - CleanTechnica
The smart home of the future can hook up to a virtual power plant to earn financial incentives and fight back against cyberattacks, too.
bit.ly
December 18, 2025 at 12:31 PM
What if your home battery could power the grid during peak demand? That's virtual power plants. EnergyHub's acquisition gives 120 utilities one platform to manage millions of devices.
Solar windows flopped because they looked off—blurry, tinted, clunky. Architects hated them. But Nanjing University just cracked the code: clear, color-accurate glass that looks like the real thing and generates power. Finally, aesthetics meet function.
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December 18, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Solar windows flopped because they looked off—blurry, tinted, clunky. Architects hated them. But Nanjing University just cracked the code: clear, color-accurate glass that looks like the real thing and generates power. Finally, aesthetics meet function.
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Kazakhstan’s black snow is fading. Wind turbines now spin where coal stacks stood. In Almaty, the winter air smells cleaner. This isn’t a climate pitch—it’s real. Coal still makes up 70% of power, but the shift is happening. You can feel it.
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December 17, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Kazakhstan’s black snow is fading. Wind turbines now spin where coal stacks stood. In Almaty, the winter air smells cleaner. This isn’t a climate pitch—it’s real. Coal still makes up 70% of power, but the shift is happening. You can feel it.
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Norway now has more EVs than diesel cars - 918,000 and counting. Oslo's at 45% electric, and even icy, remote Finnmark sees 89.5% EVs in new sales. A few years ago, this seemed impossible. Now? It’s the new normal.
Nå er det flere elbiler enn dieselbiler i Norge
Tallet på elektriske personbiler på norske veier har nå passert tallet på dieselbiler, ifølge Elbilforeningen.
bit.ly
December 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Norway now has more EVs than diesel cars - 918,000 and counting. Oslo's at 45% electric, and even icy, remote Finnmark sees 89.5% EVs in new sales. A few years ago, this seemed impossible. Now? It’s the new normal.
The smarter E AWARD 2026 is now open. If you're building real-world solutions in solar, storage, e-mobility, or smart energy—this is your shot. Recognition from top EU energy minds. Deadline: March 20.
December 16, 2025 at 12:03 PM
The smarter E AWARD 2026 is now open. If you're building real-world solutions in solar, storage, e-mobility, or smart energy—this is your shot. Recognition from top EU energy minds. Deadline: March 20.
France just kicked off a 3-month review of its €6.9B-a-year renewable subsidies. PM Lecornu tapped ex-EDF boss Jean-Bernard Lévy to lead it—an old nuclear hand, not exactly a random pick. Should be interesting. https://bit.ly/44b67IS
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Un coût total de 6,9 milliards d'euros et un sujet politique qui crispe: le gouvernement demande une "mission" d'évaluation sur le soutien public aux énergies renouvelables
Le Premier ministre Sébastien Lecornu a confié cette mission à Jean-Bernard Lévy, ancien PDG d'EDF, et à Thierry Tuot, ancien directeur général de la Commission de régulation de l'énergie.
bit.ly
December 16, 2025 at 9:02 AM
France just kicked off a 3-month review of its €6.9B-a-year renewable subsidies. PM Lecornu tapped ex-EDF boss Jean-Bernard Lévy to lead it—an old nuclear hand, not exactly a random pick. Should be interesting. https://bit.ly/44b67IS
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Spain just dropped a €1.28B plan to speed up its EV shift: €400M for buyer subsidies, €300M for charging gaps, €580M for factories. Big shift: in 2026, Madrid takes over funding from the regions to fix messy rollout. #EVs https://bit.ly/48iTZIj
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Sánchez anuncia un plan con 400 millones de euros para ayudas a la compra de coches eléctricos y 300 millones para puntos de recarga
Las subvenciones para la adquisición de vehículos se gestionarán directamente desde la Administración central, en lugar de a través de las comunidades autónomas, como ocurría hasta ahora.
bit.ly
December 15, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Spain just dropped a €1.28B plan to speed up its EV shift: €400M for buyer subsidies, €300M for charging gaps, €580M for factories. Big shift: in 2026, Madrid takes over funding from the regions to fix messy rollout. #EVs https://bit.ly/48iTZIj
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Switzerland just okayed its first wirelessly charging EVs for public roads. Tests show 90% efficiency - same as plugging in. It auto-charges when parked (even if you're a bit off), rain or shine. Could be big for vehicle-to-grid down the line.
Fast and easy charging of electric cars without cables
bit.ly
December 15, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Switzerland just okayed its first wirelessly charging EVs for public roads. Tests show 90% efficiency - same as plugging in. It auto-charges when parked (even if you're a bit off), rain or shine. Could be big for vehicle-to-grid down the line.
Africa isn't just shipping out cobalt and lithium anymore. Morocco's building a $5.6 billion gigafactory with China's Gotion - starting at 20 GWh, scaling to 100. Nigeria's getting its first Chinese-backed EV plant. Value creation is shifting local
December 12, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Africa isn't just shipping out cobalt and lithium anymore. Morocco's building a $5.6 billion gigafactory with China's Gotion - starting at 20 GWh, scaling to 100. Nigeria's getting its first Chinese-backed EV plant. Value creation is shifting local
Reposted by The smarter E
New research names the companies owning the trillions-of-dollars-worth of fossil fuel plants that would be stranded if climate action keeps global temp rise to 1.5C
or 2C
#climatecrisis
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
or 2C
#climatecrisis
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Ownership of power plants stranded by climate mitigation - Nature Sustainability
Meeting climate mitigation goals requires the early retirement or retrofitting of fossil fuel power plants, creating financial risks from stranded assets. A study now finds that state-owned companies ...
www.nature.com
December 12, 2025 at 10:09 AM
New research names the companies owning the trillions-of-dollars-worth of fossil fuel plants that would be stranded if climate action keeps global temp rise to 1.5C
or 2C
#climatecrisis
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
or 2C
#climatecrisis
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Brussels says it's helping carmakers by softening the 2035 ban - from 100% down to 90%. Manfred Weber says it'll save jobs from Chinese EV pressure. But here's the catch: the same "flexibility" meant to protect Europe's auto industry might be what breaks it.
December 12, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Brussels says it's helping carmakers by softening the 2035 ban - from 100% down to 90%. Manfred Weber says it'll save jobs from Chinese EV pressure. But here's the catch: the same "flexibility" meant to protect Europe's auto industry might be what breaks it.
Reposted by The smarter E
📣EU hits 2025 solar target but risks missing 2030 goal
New SolarPower Europe report reveals EU installed 65.1 GW of new solar PV in 2025
As the market slows, 2030 targets are slipping out of reach
Read more👉 www.solarpowereurope.org/press-releas...
#EUSolarOutlook25
New SolarPower Europe report reveals EU installed 65.1 GW of new solar PV in 2025
As the market slows, 2030 targets are slipping out of reach
Read more👉 www.solarpowereurope.org/press-releas...
#EUSolarOutlook25
December 11, 2025 at 10:15 AM
📣EU hits 2025 solar target but risks missing 2030 goal
New SolarPower Europe report reveals EU installed 65.1 GW of new solar PV in 2025
As the market slows, 2030 targets are slipping out of reach
Read more👉 www.solarpowereurope.org/press-releas...
#EUSolarOutlook25
New SolarPower Europe report reveals EU installed 65.1 GW of new solar PV in 2025
As the market slows, 2030 targets are slipping out of reach
Read more👉 www.solarpowereurope.org/press-releas...
#EUSolarOutlook25
Reposted by The smarter E
In @shareaction.bsky.social latest analysis, few banks are drawing clear lines on fossil fuels. Banks must move away from financing new fossil fuel projects, establish climate commitments, and start moving their money into renewable infrastructure.
Read more below⬇ shareaction.org/reports/buil...
Read more below⬇ shareaction.org/reports/buil...
Built to Last? An assessment of 16 major real estate investment…
We work across borders and systems to transform the financial sector and harness its potential to be a force for good.
shareaction.org
December 11, 2025 at 10:26 AM
In @shareaction.bsky.social latest analysis, few banks are drawing clear lines on fossil fuels. Banks must move away from financing new fossil fuel projects, establish climate commitments, and start moving their money into renewable infrastructure.
Read more below⬇ shareaction.org/reports/buil...
Read more below⬇ shareaction.org/reports/buil...
Reposted by The smarter E
NEW – Q&A: Five key climate questions for China’s next ‘five-year plan’ | @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/eD7K0WI
Read here: buff.ly/eD7K0WI
December 11, 2025 at 3:59 PM
NEW – Q&A: Five key climate questions for China’s next ‘five-year plan’ | @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/eD7K0WI
Read here: buff.ly/eD7K0WI
Reposted by The smarter E
📅 Thousands of decision-makers, researchers, and activists will come together on 9-11 June next year for #EUSEW2026.
📣 Help us put energy communities at the centre of the conversation by hosting a session!
🔗 sustainable-energy-week.ec.europa.eu/policy-confe...
📣 Help us put energy communities at the centre of the conversation by hosting a session!
🔗 sustainable-energy-week.ec.europa.eu/policy-confe...
December 11, 2025 at 4:09 PM
📅 Thousands of decision-makers, researchers, and activists will come together on 9-11 June next year for #EUSEW2026.
📣 Help us put energy communities at the centre of the conversation by hosting a session!
🔗 sustainable-energy-week.ec.europa.eu/policy-confe...
📣 Help us put energy communities at the centre of the conversation by hosting a session!
🔗 sustainable-energy-week.ec.europa.eu/policy-confe...
By next summer, gas prices in Europe could jump 60%. That's not speculation - traders are betting Dutch TTF spikes from €32/MWh today to €50/MWh. Europe cut Russian pipelines Jan 1, 2025. Now 45% of LNG comes from the US. 🧵
December 11, 2025 at 2:01 PM
By next summer, gas prices in Europe could jump 60%. That's not speculation - traders are betting Dutch TTF spikes from €32/MWh today to €50/MWh. Europe cut Russian pipelines Jan 1, 2025. Now 45% of LNG comes from the US. 🧵
Australia's energy transition is shifting focus. With ten coal units set to close by 2035, it’s now as much about energy security and economic growth as emissions. The challenge is keeping the grid stable as renewables ramp up - something Europe is also working through.
Australia needs a new wind farm every month to meet 2030 target, CEFC boss says
Australia needs about 29 gigawatts of large-scale renewable generation by 2030, an expert says – the equivalent to a "decent wind farm every month."
bit.ly
December 11, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Australia's energy transition is shifting focus. With ten coal units set to close by 2035, it’s now as much about energy security and economic growth as emissions. The challenge is keeping the grid stable as renewables ramp up - something Europe is also working through.
Somewhere between your heat pump and a wind farm, an algorithm decides which transformer gets fixed first, whose rooftop solar connects next, when your town's lights come back on. Code now manages Europe's clean energy transition. Most days it works 🧵
December 10, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Somewhere between your heat pump and a wind farm, an algorithm decides which transformer gets fixed first, whose rooftop solar connects next, when your town's lights come back on. Code now manages Europe's clean energy transition. Most days it works 🧵
Researchers at the University of Maryland turned #seafood waste into batteries using chitin from shrimp and lobster shells. The result? A #battery that holds 99.7% after 400 charges and biodegrades in six months. That could seriously shake up Europe's lithium game.
Crustacean waste biorefinery as a sustainable cost-effective business model
Marine-derived food wastes mainly include seafood, fish and feed production resources. From the crustaceans traded annually, 6 to 8 million tonnes of …
bit.ly
December 10, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Germany's Tützpatz project: 93 hectares, 76 MWp of solar, 15,000 chickens in mobile coops, four-crop rotation between panel rows. Tractors roll through. It's a field that feeds both grids and supermarkets. Built subsidy-free. 🧵
December 9, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Germany's Tützpatz project: 93 hectares, 76 MWp of solar, 15,000 chickens in mobile coops, four-crop rotation between panel rows. Tractors roll through. It's a field that feeds both grids and supermarkets. Built subsidy-free. 🧵
Here's the pitch: put data centers in space for infinite solar power and free cooling. Here's the problem: space doesn't cool things down - it traps heat. When your server breaks in orbit, it becomes junk.
The Orbital Mirage: Why the Trillion-Dollar Race for Space-Based Data Centers Faces a Physics Problem
While the concept of space-based data centers promises infinite solar power and free cooling, the physics of thermodynamics and the economics of maintenance tell a different story. This deep dive explores why orbital server farms face insurmountable hurdles, from radiative heat rejection to radiation shielding, destined to remain a niche edge-computing solution.
bit.ly
December 9, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Here's the pitch: put data centers in space for infinite solar power and free cooling. Here's the problem: space doesn't cool things down - it traps heat. When your server breaks in orbit, it becomes junk.