Europe's gas network operators warn of a shortfall of up to 15% of demand in a severe winter, with storage 72% full against 83% a year ago

The rest of the day

40 more stories on this beat.

Each with its own sources. None of these is a link to the story above.

1. 02

   Isaias becomes a hurricane and shuts Gulf oil

   Isaias became the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026 early on Thursday, the latest first hurricane since satellites began tracking storms, 27 days later than the old record. [7] A strong El Nino over the Pacific had blocked Atlantic storms with high, shearing winds all season. [8] Isaias had 85mph winds on Thursday and was forecast to come close to Category 3 before landfall late Friday or early Saturday. [6] Workers left 121 oil platforms, and about 63% of Gulf of Mexico oil output, 1.3 million barrels a day, was shut. [6]

   11 SepOld record

   vsvs

   8 OctIsaias

   Why it matters — Millions of people from Louisiana to Florida were under hurricane warnings, with evacuations and school closures in parts of Florida. [10] Up to 10 inches of rain could fall in places, with flash flooding in towns. [9]

2. 03

   The G7's oil release is mostly old stock

   The 100 million barrels that the G7, a group of seven rich democracies, promised last Friday are mostly the unfinished part of a 400-million-barrel release agreed in March, an internal document seen by Euronews shows. [11] Of the March pledge, 326 million barrels have been released. [11] On 7 October the IEA and the EU agreed to speed up the rest and to put diesel first. [11] European diesel prices then jumped 8%, the Financial Times reported. [12] France said it will release 10 million barrels of diesel from its reserves, Reuters reported. [12]

   Why it matters — Drivers, lorry firms and farmers in Europe face diesel that stays dear, because no oil beyond the March pledge is coming. [11][12] Portugal says it will make no new pledge until every member delivers its old one. [11]

3. 04

   Wild animal numbers down 73%, with comebacks

   The WWF's Living Planet Report 2026 tracks nearly 36,000 populations of almost 6,000 kinds of animals with backbones. [14] It finds them down by an average of 73% since 1970. [14] The figure averages each population's change; it does not count animals lost, and about half the populations are stable or growing. [14] Bluefin tuna are back in big numbers off Britain after catch limits, and wild tigers rose from about 3,200 in 2010 to about 5,700 in 2025. [14] Last year the green sea turtle became the first sea turtle moved from endangered to least concern. [14]

   Spent on harming nature$7,300bn

   Spent on protecting it$220bn

   Why it matters — The report names farming and burning fossil fuels as the biggest pressures. [14] It estimates $7.3 trillion went into activities that harm nature in 2023, against $220 billion spent protecting or restoring it. [14]

4. 05

   The US has its hottest September on record

   September averaged 69.4F across the lower 48 US states, 4.6F above the 20th-century average and the warmest since records began in 1895, said NOAA, the US weather agency. [16] It beat the 1998 record of 68.95F. [16] Nights were especially warm: more than 30% of the area, home to about 80 million people, had its warmest September nights on record. [16] January to September was also the hottest first nine months of any year. [17]

   Why it matters — Drought now covers 89% of the US South, the widest since October 2000. [16] Whether 2026 beats 2024 as the hottest US year depends on October to December. [17]

5. 06

   India's weak monsoon cuts power and water

   India's June-to-September monsoon brought 12.6% less rain than normal, the driest in 11 years, which a former top official at its earth sciences ministry blames mainly on El Nino. [18] Its 178 big reservoirs hold 132.7 billion cubic metres, below the 10-year average of 151.1. [18] Hydropower fell almost 16% in September, and power shortages reached 560 million kilowatt-hours, the biggest monthly gap in more than three years. [18] About 40% of coal power plants had critically low coal stocks. [18]

   10-year average151.1 bn cubic metres

   After this monsoon132.7 bn cubic metres

   Why it matters — Small factories report power cuts, and food is dearer: onions cost 93% more in September than a year earlier. [18] Tractor sales fell 12.6% from August as farmers held back. [19]

6. 07

   South-East Asia lacks the batteries for its switch

   Dear shipped gas since the Iran war is pushing South-East Asian countries towards solar and wind, the think tank Ember says. [4] But the region has only about 7 gigawatts of grid batteries due by 2030, less than a third of the 23 to 26 gigawatts its plans need. [4] Vingroup, a big Vietnamese company, wants to replace a planned 4.8-gigawatt gas plant with solar, wind and batteries. [4] Large solar farms win loans more easily than batteries, small projects and power lines. [4]

   Why it matters — Ember says the region needs $281 billion a year by 2035 and is far short of it. [4] Its analyst says batteries and grids must be allowed to earn returns that match what they do for the power system. [4]

7. 08

   Batteries now beat gas plants for peak hours

   A four-hour battery now makes peak-time power more cheaply than a new gas 'peaker', a plant built to run only in the busiest hours, in markets around the world, Wood Mackenzie said on Thursday. [27] In the US, for a plant starting in 2026, the battery is 65% to 75% cheaper. [27] Gas turbine prices are expected to reach $600 a kilowatt by the end of 2027, up 195% since 2019, and the three big makers each have 35 to 116 gigawatts of orders waiting. [27]

   Why it matters — Demand from data centres keeps turbines scarce and dear, which hands more peak-hour work to batteries. [27] The firm also found solar is the cheapest new power in 43 of the 48 markets it studied. [27]

8. 09

   South Africa orders batteries and gas plants

   South Africa plans to buy 4.6 gigawatts of grid batteries and 5 gigawatts of gas power plants, the first orders under its new long-term power plan. [28] The plan adds more than 105 gigawatts of new capacity by 2039 as the country slowly cuts its reliance on coal. [28] The batteries will soak up spare power that is now wasted, and the gas plants will run when wind and sun drop. [28] This first round includes no new solar or wind farms. [28]

   Why it matters — Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said the plan aims to give factories dependable power and protect jobs. [28] The country's three earlier battery rounds bought 513, 615 and 616 megawatts, far less than this order. [28]

9. 10

   An Iowa county lifts its battery ban

   Cherokee County in Iowa, a US farming state, banned new battery projects indefinitely on 24 March, after the Smith family proposed one on their farm. [29] The brothers want 30 megawatts of solar panels raised high enough for cattle to graze under, paired with a 25-megawatt battery. [29] Bans like it are spreading as US counties weigh the real and feared fire risks of lithium-ion batteries. [29] With help from the one supervisor who voted against it, the family got the ban lifted within five months. [29]

   Why it matters — Batteries are now the largest source of on-demand power being built in the US, so local bans decide where much of it can go. [29] Many counties keep their bans in place. [29]

10. 11

    EU advisers want limits on risky solar kit

    An expert group advising the European Commission recommended limiting parts and software from 'high-risk' suppliers in every kind of solar system, from plug-in panels to large solar farms. [30] The EU's solar capacity grew from 86 gigawatts in 2015 to 406 in 2025, much of it run by Chinese-made inverters, the boxes that turn panel power into grid power. [30] The group named no country or company. [30] Separately, Sungrow, a big Chinese inverter maker, says it fixed a flaw in its online control platform within days of German researchers reporting it in August. [31]

    Why it matters — One of the three high risks the group lists is someone using a maker's online platform to control many inverters at once. [30] Sungrow says it found no sign that anyone but the researcher used the flaw. [31]

11. 12

    Solar factories make far more than the world buys

    China alone can make more than 900 gigawatts of solar cells a year, while the world installs about 590 gigawatts, the analyst Edurne Zoco told pv magazine. [32] Average profit margins at leading panel makers fell from about 9% in 2023 to below zero in 2025. [32] She expects factories to close only slowly, so prices stay low. [32] Prices are starting to differ by region, as trade barriers and security rules grow. [32]

    China's cell factories900 GW a year

    World demand590 GW a year

    Why it matters — Makers are cutting older production lines, and many are moving into other parts and services, because today's prices do not cover most of their costs. [32] Buyers in protected markets will pay more for panels they can trace, she says. [32]

12. 13

    Hungary's home solar grants stall

    Hungary extended the deadline for its EU-funded home solar grants to 31 October, its second extension since the first deadline of 15 June. [33] The scheme paid the full cost for households with below-average incomes, and about 10,000 of 33,700 applications were still open in June. [33] An industry group blames contractor bankruptcies and a two-month stall when the scheme changed hands. [33] Home installations under 50 kilowatts fell from 362 megawatts in 2024 to 207 in 2025. [33]

    Why it matters — Some households face unfinished systems and demands to repay advances their contractors took. [33] The EU's own deadline passed on 31 August, so it is unclear who pays for work finished later. [33]

13. 14

    Refiners earn record sums per barrel

    Shell expects its refineries to earn about $42 for every barrel of fuel made from July to September, up from $24 in the spring. [5] The old record was about $28, set early in the Russia-Ukraine war. [5] War damage to refineries in the Middle East and Russia has made diesel and other fuels far dearer than the crude oil they are made from. [5] TotalEnergies' boss said European refineries once seen as burdens are now 'goldmines'. [5]

    Why it matters — Drivers, lorry firms and airlines pay that gap at the pump. [5][13] The extra price of diesel over crude rose above $100 a barrel for the first time. [5]

14. 15

    Ryanair expects enough jet fuel, but dear

    Ryanair's boss Michael O'Leary said Europe should not run short of jet fuel this winter or next summer. [13] Jet fuel used to cost 10-15% more than Brent, the benchmark price of crude oil; it now costs about 50% more, he said. [13] In Europe it averaged $195.95 a barrel in the week to 2 October, more than double a year earlier, the airline body IATA says. [13] About 900,000 tonnes are due from Asia over the coming months, according to Kpler, a firm that tracks tankers. [13]

    Why it matters — Ryanair has already cut winter flights and lowered its yearly passenger target to 214 million from 216 million. [13] O'Leary expects the higher price to last another 12 to 18 months. [13]

15. 16

    Three firms now supply most British homes

    E.ON Next completed its purchase of Ovo Energy on Thursday after Britain's competition watchdog cleared it. [34] Octopus, E.ON and British Gas now serve almost three in four households in Great Britain. [34] In 2016, six big firms held about 85%; many newcomers followed, and about 30 suppliers then collapsed when wholesale prices soared in 2021-22. [34] Ovo had failed the regulator's tougher money rules and struggled to raise 300 million pounds. [35]

    Why it matters — Ovo's 4 million households see no immediate change. [34] Tom Goswell of Cornwall Insight, an energy consultancy, says bigger suppliers bring stability but less pressure to keep prices low. [34]

16. 17

    South Korea plans 100 gigawatts of clean power

    South Korea plans at least 100 gigawatts of renewable power by 2030, with about $750 billion of mostly government-led investment over ten years, the Korea Times reported, according to Carbon Brief. [12] The plan, called K-GX, also backs green steel, batteries, hydrogen and small nuclear reactors. [12] President Lee Jae Myung said the country must stop chasing others and lead the green market. [12]

    Why it matters — South Korea is one of the buyers burning more coal because shipped gas has become so dear. [4] The plan was unveiled on Wednesday. [12]

17. 18

    Oracle trucks gas to its data centres

    Oracle, a US software company that rents out computing for AI, is trucking compressed gas to data centres that are not yet linked to a pipeline. [38] Road deliveries kept a site near Salt Lake City going for more than a year, and are powering early work at an OpenAI campus in Shackelford County, Texas. [38] Delivered this way, the gas costs about four times the price at a major trading hub, East Daley Analytics told Bloomberg. [38]

    Why it matters — Grid connections are scarce on both sides of the Atlantic: Denmark's grid operator stopped new connection deals facing a 60-gigawatt queue against a 7-gigawatt peak. [38] A draft Spanish rule would make new data centres run on 80% renewable power every hour. [38]

18. 19

    US tells the biggest grid to shield households

    The US Department of Energy urged PJM, the grid operator for 13 eastern states and Washington DC, to stop the costs of serving data centres shifting onto its other customers. [37] It appears to be the department's first such filing at FERC, the US power regulator, in at least five years. [37] PJM failed to buy enough supply in its last two auctions and now seeks 6.8 gigawatts for 2028-29. [37] It plans to file its fix by 29 October. [37]

    Why it matters — The department wants the cost of plants built for data centres charged to the data centres, not to existing customers. [37] PJM members meet on 22 October to discuss it. [37]

19. 20

    Massachusetts spends clean-power fees on heating

    Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey ordered that fees power suppliers pay when they miss clean-energy targets be used to help low- and middle-income homes heat this winter. [36] Heating oil in the state averaged $6.12 a gallon last week, up almost 75% in a year. [36] The order also halves one clean-energy charge on bills, worth $20 million, and creates a one-time payment for middle-income homes heated by oil. [36]

    Why it matters — A consumer group backs the help but says the money should come from the state budget, not from funds meant for clean energy projects. [36] Those fees have paid for batteries and microgrids in poorer neighbourhoods. [36]

20. 21

    Ukraine strikes Russia's biggest refinery

    Ukraine's military said on Thursday it hit Russia's largest oil refinery, in Omsk in Siberia, about 2,500km from Ukraine. [39] It is run by Gazprom Neft, an oil company owned by Russia's state gas giant, and it had to halt after an attack in July. [39] The governor of the Omsk region said a drone hit an industrial area. [39] Russia's refineries processed less oil in June than at any point in more than 20 years, and its diesel output is down almost 30%, the IEA says. [40]

    Why it matters — Less Russian diesel tightens the same world market that Europe is short of. [11][40] Ukraine gave no detail of the damage. [39]

21. 22

    South Korea checks its fuel shipments to Russia

    South Korea's government said it will take legal action if fuel shipments from its ports to Russia broke the law, after a Guardian investigation. [40] The Guardian found that more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, was loaded onto seven tankers for 14 trips to Russia's far east in July and August. [40] Three of the tankers are under UK and EU sanctions. [40] Seoul says refined fuel is not covered by its export controls on Russia. [40]

    Why it matters — A Finnish think tank analyst says the trade undermines sanctions and South Korea's support for Ukraine. [40] It eases the diesel shortage that Ukraine's drone strikes caused in Russia. [40]

22. 23

    Sri Lanka's farms and wildlife in drought

    Sri Lanka is in a severe drought that has left reservoirs dry and farmers facing large losses and debts, the Associated Press reports. [20] The south-west monsoon, which brings most of the rain, has been weak this year. [20] Experts link it partly to a strong El Nino and to climate change. [20] Recent showers have not been enough to refill the reservoirs. [20]

    Why it matters — Wild animals in the reserves are suffering from heat and thirst as water holes shrink. [20] The same weak monsoon has cut India's water and power. [18]

23. 24

    Seaweed could take over the Great Barrier Reef

    Scientists warn that the record El Nino could push large parts of the Great Barrier Reef, off Australia, from coral towards seaweed. [21] Corals bleach and can starve when water stays hotter than they can stand. [21] David Schoeman of the University of the Sunshine Coast says the reef has had six mass-bleaching events in a decade. [21] Warmer oceans now cause bleaching even in years that are usually cool, he says. [21]

    Why it matters — The worst bleaching on the reef has come in El Nino years, such as the mass die-off in 2024. [21] This El Nino is still peaking in the Pacific. [21]

24. 25

    Santiago has its rainiest October in 76 years

    Police in central Chile used helicopters to lift residents to safety after the Mapocho river burst its banks in Talagante, 35km from Santiago, the capital. [22] Santiago had 74mm of rain in the first seven days of October, already its rainiest October in 76 years. [22] One person was found dead in a flooded underpass in San Bernardo. [22] Unlike in July's storms, the riverside area had not been evacuated beforehand. [22]

    Why it matters — Forecasters expect this year's strong El Nino to bring more wet, stormy weather to central Chile through the southern spring. [22] The same El Nino is drying India and Sri Lanka. [18][20]

25. 26

    Floods kill one in Albania

    The Vjosa river burst its banks in southern Albania, and rescuers used boats to reach people trapped in flooded homes. [23] A man was found dead in an irrigation canal in Durres after being swept away. [23] Crews pumped water from around 800 buildings, and about 300 people were given shelter. [23] In Montenegro, the Zeta river flooded about 30 homes, and soldiers built a temporary bridge near Podgorica. [23]

    Why it matters — Parts of Albania had more than 100mm of rain in 24 hours. [23] Officials warn that snow and ice could bring more trouble. [23]

26. 27

    France's groundwater keeps falling

    Two-thirds of France's groundwater monitoring points were below normal for the season on 1 October, against 31% a year earlier, the national geology bureau BRGM said. [24] Levels are still falling at 81% of them. [24] Autumn rain usually starts refilling the water underground by now, but this year the refill has been very slow. [24] The bureau calls the situation as worrying as in 2022. [24]

    Why it matters — Dry soil soaks up the first autumn rain before any of it reaches the water underground. [24] A year ago only 31% of the monitoring points were below normal. [24]

27. 28

    England's worst July for wildfires

    England had 624 wildfires in July, the most for any July on record, out of 1,354 so far this year, provisional government data shows. [25] One fire burned close to the Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk. [25] For the first time since the records began in 2010, a person died in a wildfire, a 70-year-old man in Gloucestershire. [25] The UK had its hottest summer on record, with 40 days above 30C. [25]

    Why it matters — The Guardian reported last week that the UK government had quietly scrapped plans to prepare the countryside for wildfires. [25] A committee chair in parliament says that raises serious questions. [25]

28. 29

    Britain's defence ministry objects to windfarms

    Britain's Ministry of Defence has objected to at least four planned windfarms in the past year, saying the turning blades could hide aircraft from military radar. [26] The latest is Hope Moor in County Durham, 23 turbines up to 200m tall, inside an RAF low-flying area. [26] It also raised concerns about an 87-turbine offshore windfarm in the Irish Sea. [26] The UK government wants to double onshore wind by 2030, and the energy secretary will decide Hope Moor. [26]

    Why it matters — Industry sources say such objections usually end in smaller or shorter turbines, not a ban. [26] Campaigners against the windfarms, led by the former cricketer Lord Botham, are using them anyway. [26]

29. 30

    New South Wales will not change its mining law

    Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, said activists should not get 'overexcited' about Wednesday's High Court ruling against the Mount Pleasant coal mine expansion. [46] The court found the planners had failed to consider limits on emissions from the mine's coal burned overseas. [46] Minns called it a narrow, technical decision and said the state will not change its laws in response. [46] The mine's owner, MACH Energy, plans to keep its application going. [46]

    Why it matters — Lawyers for the local group that won welcomed his choice not to rush a new law. [46] Minns says the state's recently approved biggest coal project already meets the court's test. [46]

30. 31

    Wales logs 800,000 hours of sewage spills

    Sewage was released into rivers, lakes and the sea around Wales for more than 800,000 hours in 2025, the charity Surfers Against Sewage says, from the water companies' own data. [47] That is more than 100,000 spills, one every five minutes. [47] It is down from 970,000 hours the year before, partly because of a dry summer. [47] Welsh Water says it will invest a record 2.5 billion pounds over four years. [47]

    Why it matters — The charity has had 992 reports of people falling ill from sewage since 2019. [47] Rules let water companies release some sewage when heavy rain overloads the system. [47]

31. 32

    Australia gives A$13 million for Pacific clean power

    At the Pacific climate meeting before COP31, the UN climate summit, Australia announced A$13 million to help Pacific nations switch to renewable power. [48] It includes $7.3 million to train energy professionals and money for solar-powered schools in Fiji. [48] The researchers writing in The Conversation say it is not new money, but comes from a programme launched in 2024. [48] Most Pacific island countries aim for 100% renewable power by 2030. [48]

    Why it matters — Electricity in the Pacific is among the least reliable and dearest in the world. [48] Australia has been criticised for its fossil fuel exports and a recent big coal mine approval. [48]

32. 33

    Britain weighs tariffs on Chinese electric cars

    Britain charges Chinese electric cars only the usual 10% import tax, while the EU adds up to 35.3% and the US 100%. [41] Chinese brands are quickly gaining ground in Britain. [41] Business minister Jonathan Reynolds is considering matching the EU's tariffs, The Sunday Times reported, because new EU 'Made in Europe' rules could hurt British firms selling into the EU. [41]

    Why it matters — Matching the EU would mean Chinese cars pay more to enter Britain, and could bring retaliation from China. [41] Analysts say tariffs alone may not stop Chinese brands, whose hybrid sales are also rising. [41]

33. 34

    Volkswagen recalls 22,500 electric SUVs

    Volkswagen is recalling 22,524 ID.4 electric SUVs from model years 2023 to 2026 in the US, because charging the battery past 80% could start a fire inside it. [42] The cause is still unknown, so owners are told to charge to no more than 80% until a fix is ready. [42] VW has had 22 claims since January 2024. [42] Earlier this year it recalled nearly 100,000 electric cars worldwide over battery problems. [42]

    Why it matters — Until there is a fix, owners leave a fifth of their battery unused. [42] Letters to owners go out on 27 November. [42]

34. 35

    Tesla plans a service centre for its electric lorry

    Tesla has filed a permit for a service centre for its electric lorry, the Semi, in Las Vegas. [43] The Semi entered volume production only two weeks ago. [43] The site sits on the I-15, a busy freight road between the ports of Southern California and Salt Lake City, and the run from the Inland Empire is within the lorry's 325-mile range. [43] Construction drawings have not been filed yet. [43]

    Why it matters — It is one of the first signs of the service network the Semi needs. [43] Nevada has only one working Tesla lorry charging site. [43]

35. 36

    VinFast plans electric buses for the US

    VinFast, a Vietnamese electric-car maker, plans to sell electric buses in the US, with deliveries from early 2028. [44] It signed an early agreement with NexMove, a venture that will offer charging, repairs and running together, promising buses work 97% of the time. [44] About 2,000 VinFast buses already run in Vietnam. [44] No US prices, ranges or factory site have been announced. [44]

    Why it matters — Transit agencies want one supplier to handle buses and the services that keep them running. [44] The plan still needs US approval of the buses. [44]

36. 37

    BMW's new electric SUV goes 428 miles

    BMW unveiled the iX4 on Thursday, an electric version of its X4 sport SUV with a range of up to 428 miles. [45] It is the third car on BMW's new electric design, after the iX3 and i3. [45] It can add 184 miles of range in ten minutes of charging. [45] It goes on sale in March 2027 at more than $66,000. [45]

    Why it matters — On Europe's official test the range is 514 miles. [45] A faster M60 version, with 603 horsepower, follows soon after. [45]

37. 38

    Tata tests floating solar panels in India

    Tata Power, one of India's biggest power companies, will test a 300-kilowatt floating solar plant on its Mulshi reservoir in Maharashtra with Ocean Sun, a Norwegian company. [49] The panels sit on a thin sheet that floats on the water, instead of on plastic floats. [49] The water may cool the panels and help them make more power. [49] India's solar institute puts its floating solar potential at more than 102 gigawatts. [49]

    Why it matters — The test will compare its cost, output and upkeep with ordinary floating solar. [49] It could lead to bigger plants if it works. [49]

38. 39

    A Yorkshire solar farm heads for approval

    Council planners recommended approving a 49.9-megawatt solar farm with a 10-megawatt battery on 235 acres of farmland near Sutton-on-the-Forest in North Yorkshire. [50] Nine people objected, mainly to the loss of farmland. [50] The planners said the farm is temporary: after 50 years the land goes back to farming, and sheep can graze under the panels meanwhile. [50] The council committee decides on 13 October. [50]

    Why it matters — Huby Parish Council says solar farms belong on roofs and old industrial land, not arable fields. [50] The site was picked because it is near a grid connection. [50]

39. 40

    A climate film leaves viewers wanting more

    About 185,000 people have watched the People's Emergency Briefing, a crowdfunded British film on climate and nature risks, at more than 3,400 screenings. [51] Of 13,000 viewers surveyed, 87% said it made them more motivated to act. [51] And 93% said the public is not being fully told about the climate crisis and nature loss. [51] The organisers want the prime minister to front a televised briefing. [51]

    Why it matters — Britain's government has refused to publish in full a report by intelligence officers on the security risks of nature collapse. [51][15] The film's organisers want ministers to be honest about the scale of the risks. [51]

40. 41

    Formula 1 declares a heat hazard again

    The Singapore Grand Prix has been declared a heat-hazard race, the fourth time this season. [52] The status applies when temperatures are forecast to pass 31C during a race, and lets teams give drivers vests that pump cool liquid. [52] Smoke from fires in Indonesia is also hanging over the race. [52] In 2024, two drivers were treated for heat exhaustion after this race. [52]

    Why it matters — The rule was first brought in in 2025. [52] Drivers who skip the cooling kit must carry 5kg of extra weight. [52]