Climate & Energy · Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Nearly a billion barrels gone from the world's oil stocks since Hormuz was disrupted, Adnoc's chief says, as the UAE pipes its oil around the strait

33 stories 44 sources

Signals on this beat

The bar and the word are our reading of how hard each one is pushing, and the arrow is where it is heading.

War makes fuel dearer High→

Shipping now makes up over 30% of the cost of a barrel of oil, Adnoc's chief says. [1]
In Kotzebue, an Alaskan town that runs mostly on diesel, people spend about 20% of their income on it. [7]
High oil prices also pushed South Africans toward electric and hybrid cars, analysts say. [8]

Data centres hungry for power Building↑

UK data centre developers want grid connections of 72 gigawatts, more than the country's 45 gigawatt peak demand. [9]
At least 7 cities around San Francisco have paused data centre building. [10]
Argentina is offering a tax cut to lure AI data centres to Patagonia. [11]

Vehicles going electric Building↑

Electric trucks were 50.3% of heavy trucks sold in China in September. [12]
BYD sold a record 305,743 fully electric cars in October. [13]
China's electric car exports rose 61% in the first 9 months of the year. [14]

Old oil wells left to others Building↑

The Osage Nation in Oklahoma is plugging wells whose owners disappeared decades ago. [15]
Los Angeles voted to close its oil wells within 20 years. [16]

Heavy rain on coasts High→

Cyclone Murasu hit India's Andhra Pradesh, the second cyclone there in a week. [17]
Floods swept cars away on Rhodes, a Greek island. [18]

The stories

33 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

01
Nearly a billion barrels gone from the world's oil stocks since Hormuz was disrupted, Adnoc's chief says, as the UAE pipes its oil around the strait

1 billion

barrels drained from the world's oil stocks since Hormuz was disrupted

Adnoc's Sultan Al Jaber, at Adipec on Monday [1]

2.13m to 3.94m

barrels a day of UAE oil exports, from March to June

a pipeline to Fujairah lets oil skip the strait [3]

over 30%

of a barrel's cost now goes on shipping and logistics

it was under 5% before the disruption [1]
What happened
- The world's oil stocks have lost nearly 1 billion barrels since shipping through Hormuz was disrupted. [1]
- Sultan Al Jaber, head of Adnoc, the UAE's state oil company, said so on Monday. [1][2] He spoke at Adipec, one of the world's largest energy conferences. [2]
- Diesel stocks in some markets are at their lowest for the time of year in 35 years, he said. [1]
- By June the UAE shipped 3.94 million barrels a day, its highest month in a year. [4]
- A pipeline from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, a port on the Gulf of Oman, lets oil skip the strait. [3]
- 'The pipeline helped us a lot,' said Suhail al-Mazrouei, the UAE's energy minister. [4]
- He said exports at times beat their pre-war level, but gave no dates or volumes. [4]
- The UAE left OPEC on 1 May, after 59 years in the oil exporters' group. [2]
- In September it pumped 3.917 million barrels a day of crude, OPEC's figures show. [2] That is 470,000 more than its old OPEC+ limit would have allowed. [2]
- Shipping and logistics were under 5% of a barrel's cost before the disruption. [1] Now they are over 30%, Al Jaber said. [1]
- 'Energy security is not only measured at the point of production,' he said. [1]
- Al Jaber called for more oil storage, and fuel made closer to the people who use it. [5]
- 'For years, our industry optimised for just in time,' he said. [1] 'This year we got the bill for just in case.' [1]
- Adnoc agreed to use OpenAI's Frontier across its operations; it is software for building and running AI agents. [6]
- It says the AI will help plan oilfields, manage wells and run its business side. [1]
March2.13 million barrels a day
June3.94 million barrels a day
UAE oil exports fell to a record low in March and recovered by June.
Who is involved
- Sultan Al Jaber head of Adnoc, the UAE's state oil company; he gave the 1 billion barrel figure at Adipec
- Adipec energy conference in Abu Dhabi
- Adnoc Abu Dhabi National Oil Company; it disputes the output data Reuters reported
- OpenAI maker of ChatGPT
- Suhail al-Mazrouei the UAE's energy minister; says exports at times beat pre-war levels
How it unfolded

The US-Israeli war with Iran began at the end of February. [2] It has badly disrupted energy supplies and pushed oil prices up. [2]
Without Hormuz, oil from inside the Gulf is trapped unless a pipeline can carry it out. [3]
In March the blockade cut the UAE's oil exports to a record low. [4] They fell to 2.13 million barrels a day. [4]
1. End of February war with Iran begins
2. March Hormuz blockade
3. Now one pipeline to Fujairah
4. 2027 a second, doubling capacity
5. End of Feb the US-Israeli war with Iran begins [2]
6. March a Hormuz blockade cuts UAE exports to 2.13 million barrels a day [4]
7. 1 May the UAE leaves OPEC [2]
8. June UAE exports reach 3.94 million barrels a day [4]
9. 2 Nov Al Jaber tells Adipec stocks are down nearly 1 billion barrels [1]
10. 2027 a second UAE pipeline to Fujairah is due [4]
Why it matters

Lower stocks leave the world less oil to draw on if the fighting flares again. [3]
Brent, the price two thirds of the world's oil is sold at, was close to $110 a barrel. [4]

How it works

Energy economists call it demand destruction when a price climbs high enough to make people use less. [3]
Industry bosses think high prices have cut oil use by about 3 million barrels a day. [3] Using less, along with oil drawn from stores, helped limit the price spike. [3]

Seen it before

When strawberries cost twice as much, a family buys fewer, and some weeks buys none at all.
The truth
- What is really going on The fight over the Strait of Hormuz has drained about 1 billion barrels from the world's oil stocks, Adnoc's chief says. [1]The UAE, outside OPEC since May, piped oil around the strait and at times sold more than before the war. [4][2]
- Adnoc told Reuters its figures were wrong, but did not say what was wrong or give its own. [2]
- Who gains The UAE — Outside OPEC it can pump as much as its pipeline and ships can move, while war cut its neighbours' sales. [2][4]
- Nobody knows yet
  How the 1 billion barrel figure was counted.
  
  The National's report of Al Jaber's speech names no data source, and Semafor's writer gives the same round figure. [1][3]
- Nobody knows yet
  How much oil the UAE really pumps.
  
  OPEC's figures say 3.917 million barrels a day of crude in September and the IEA expects 4.4 million; Adnoc calls Reuters' data wrong but gives none. [2]
- Nobody knows yet
  How much the Habshan to Fujairah pipeline can carry.
  
  One report in The National says 1.5 million barrels a day and another says 1.8 million; Semafor also says 1.8 million. [4][44][3]
What comes next

Adipec runs in Abu Dhabi until Thursday. [2]
A second pipeline to Fujairah is due in 2027, doubling what the UAE can export that way. [4]

02
Cyclone Murasu hits India's Andhra Pradesh
What happened
- Cyclone Murasu came ashore near Ongole, in India's Andhra Pradesh state, on Tuesday morning. [17]
- Its strongest steady winds were 100 to 110 km an hour, India's weather office said. [17]
- Thousands of people were moved to safety, and trains and some flights were stopped. [17]
- Schools and colleges closed in at least 8 districts of the state. [19]
- The storm uprooted thousands of trees and damaged power poles and crops, DW reports. [19]
How it unfolded

It is the second cyclone to hit the area in a week. [17]
Arnab killed at least 5 people and flooded about 200,000 acres of crops. [17]
1. Last week Cyclone Arnab
2. Tuesday Cyclone Murasu
Why it matters

The weather office warned the sea could surge up to 1.5 metres onto the coast. [17] Rain could flood low-lying areas. [17]

How it works

Forecasters grade cyclones by strength, from severe cyclonic storm down to depression. [19]
Murasu landed as a severe cyclonic storm and was expected to drop two grades by Tuesday midnight. [19]
The truth
- Nobody knows yet
  How much damage Cyclone Murasu did.
  
  AP and DW describe fallen trees, broken power poles and flooded crops, but neither gives a count of deaths or homes hit. [17][19]
What comes next

Heavy rain was expected across south coastal Andhra Pradesh for the next 12 hours. [19]
03
Half of China's new heavy trucks are electric
What happened
- Electric trucks were 50.3% of all heavy trucks sold in China in September. [12]
- That is 33,100 electric big rigs in one month, 37% more than a year before. [12]
- China's diesel use is on track to fall by about 230,000 barrels a day this year. [12] That is the estimate of Kpler, an energy data firm. [12]
How it unfolded

In 2024 they were 13.6% of heavy truck sales. [12] In 2025 they were 28.9%. [12]
China's government had set a goal of 40% by 2030. [12]

Why it matters

Trucks are where diesel is burned, so the switch shows up in China's oil use. [12]

How it works

Fleet owners judge a truck by its cost per kilometre: the price, plus fuel and upkeep. [12]
A study by the ICCT, a transport research group, found electric trucks about 19% cheaper per tonne-kilometre in good conditions. [12]

Seen it before

A cheap printer can cost more in the end if its ink is dear.
The truth
- What is really going on In China, electric trucks were half of September's heavy truck sales, and diesel use is falling. [12]
- This spring's war-driven fuel prices pushed some fleets to switch, but Electrek says that explains only part of it. [12]
- Who gains CATL, China's biggest battery maker for trucks — It supplied 60% of the batteries in China's electric heavy trucks and is buying into the biggest battery-swap network. [12]
- Nobody knows yet
  How much of China's switch to electric trucks will last.
  
  Electrek says this spring's fuel price spike explains only part of it, and electric trucks are still about 8% of the trucks on the road. [12]
Good news
- Electric trucks were half of all heavy trucks sold in China in September, and China's diesel use is set to fall by about 230,000 barrels a day this year.
04
Four UK data centres weigh burning gas
What happened
- Four planned UK data centres are considering gas power while they wait for the grid, BBC research found. [9]
- Running flat out, the four would need 1.3 gigawatts and emit about 4.1 million tonnes of carbon a year. [9]
- That could be more than Manchester, Liverpool and Southampton emit together, the BBC calculated. [9]
- Developers want grid connections of 72 gigawatts. [9] Britain's peak demand last year was 45 gigawatts. [9]
Who is involved

Data centres are warehouses full of computers that run online services, including AI. [9]
- Data centres warehouses of computers running online services
How it unfolded

Last week's UK Budget let them make their own power while they wait for a connection. [9]
1. Last week Budget allows on-site power
2. Until connected gas burned on site
Why it matters

Some developers were told they could wait 10 years for a connection. [9] A gas plant at Wapsey's Wood could run until about 2040. [9]

How it works

Ofgem, Britain's energy regulator, says the grid is 'at capacity' in a lot of places. [9]
So a new user must wait for new lines, and these sites would burn gas until then. [9]

Seen it before

When a car park is full, new cars circle or park on the street until a space opens.
The truth
- The UK government says on-site power will be 'tightly controlled' and 'time-limited'. [9] The four say they will switch to the grid once it can supply them. [9]
- Who gains UK data centre developers — Burning gas on site lets them open years before the grid can reach them. [9]
- Who pays Neighbours of planned UK gas-powered data centres — They would get gas turbines, noise, air pollution and heavy water use on their doorstep, a campaigner said. [9]
- Nobody knows yet
  How long UK data centres would burn gas.
  
  The UK government calls on-site power 'time-limited' without saying for how long, and one site expects no grid power before about 2040. [9]
05
William Nordhaus, who priced climate damage, dies
What happened
- William Nordhaus, a Yale University economist, died on 30 October aged 85. [20]
- In 2018 he shared the Nobel prize in economics with Paul Romer. [21]
- The Nobel committee cited his way of weighing climate's long-term damage against the cost of curbing it. [21]
- His model has underpinned dozens of rules around the world to limit fossil fuels, the New York Times reports. [21]
- He died of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, Yale said. [21]
Who is involved
- William Nordhaus Yale economist, 85
- Paul Romer New York University
How it unfolded

He created climate economics in the 1970s: the study of how warming changes the economy. [20]
1. 1970s founds climate economics
2. 2018 Nobel prize
Why it matters

'He was a leader of the field,' said Sarah Kapnick, climate adviser at JP Morgan, a big US bank. [20]

How it works

Economists call it pricing climate damage: counting the harm from warming in money. [20]
His model set the future damage from warming against what cutting emissions costs now. [21]

Seen it before

Fixing a leaking roof costs money today; leaving it costs a ruined ceiling later.
06
China's clean-tech exports cut CO2 abroad
What happened
- China's clean-energy exports this year will likely avert about 450 million tonnes of CO2 a year once installed. [14]
- That is roughly what Brazil emits in a year, says CREA, a research group in Finland. [14]
- In the first 9 months, China's electric car exports rose 61% and wind turbines 45%. [14] Battery exports rose 39% and solar equipment 22%. [14]
- China's clean-energy exports to Southeast Asia jumped nearly 160%, says Ember, an energy think tank. [14]
How it unfolded

The energy crisis from the Iran war drove up demand for renewables abroad. [14]
The report was released last Thursday, 29 October. [14]

Why it matters

'This is a pivot point for the outlook of global energy and global emissions,' said Lauri Myllyvirta of CREA. [14]
The truth
- The 450 million tonnes is an estimate: it counts only once the goods are installed and running. [14]
Good news
- China's clean-energy exports this year are expected to avoid about as much carbon dioxide as Brazil emits in a year, once they are installed.
07
COP31 opens in Antalya on 9 November
What happened
- The UN climate summit, COP31, opens in Antalya, Turkey, on 9 November and runs for 2 weeks. [22]
- Australia leads the talks while Turkey hosts the meeting, an unusual shared presidency. [23]
- No new treaty or big declaration is planned, New Scientist reports. [22]
- Turkey wants countries to get 35% of their energy as electricity by 2035. [22] Today the share is about 23%. [22]
- Only 150 parties, behind three quarters of world emissions, have sent new climate plans. [23]
Who is involved
- Australia leads the talks
- Turkey hosts
How it unfolded

Last year's COP30 in Brazil failed to agree to move away from fossil fuels. [22]
1. 9 November COP31 opens in Antalya
2. 2 weeks later talks close
Why it matters

Poorer countries say they cannot cut emissions without more money, while rich ones cut aid. [22] Britain's aid is set to fall by £6.5 billion. [22]
The truth
- Critics say the need for every country to agree has left the summits short of direction. [22]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Turkey's electrification goal will bind anyone.
  
  New Scientist says it is not yet known if it will be a voluntary pledge or pushed into the main deal. [22]
08
Singapore and Indonesia set up a haze task force
What happened
- Singapore and Indonesia said they will set up a joint task force on the haze from Indonesia's fires. [24]
- It followed a meeting last week in Jakarta between Singapore's foreign minister and Indonesia's president, Prabowo Subianto. [24]
- Haze in Singapore and Malaysia used to last a few days. [24] This year it has lasted weeks. [24]
- In Malaysia, some people began boycotting Indonesian products after a lawmaker called for sanctions. [24]
Who is involved
- Singapore breathing the smoke
- Indonesia where the fires burn
How it unfolded

A strong El Nino has dried out Indonesia's forests and peat, making the fires hard to put out. [24]

Why it matters

The smog has brought breathing illness and headaches across maritime South East Asia. [24]
The truth
- ASEAN, the South East Asian group, signed a haze agreement in 2003. [24] Critics say it cannot punish the companies behind the fires. [24]
- ASEAN set a goal of a haze-free region by 2020, then moved it to 2030. [24]
09
Adnoc Gas signs an LNG deal with TotalEnergies
What happened
- Adnoc Gas said on Tuesday it will sell up to 1.6 million tonnes of LNG to France's TotalEnergies. [25] The deal runs for 5 years. [25]
- TotalEnergies, a French energy company, already owns a stake in Adnoc Gas. [25]
- Asia took about 65% of the world's LNG imports in 2025, the IEA says. [25]
- Europe has become a big buyer as it replaces Russian pipeline gas. [25]
Who is involved

LNG is liquefied natural gas: natural gas turned into a liquid. [25]
- Adnoc Gas seller
- TotalEnergies buyer and shareholder
Why it matters

TotalEnergies says the supply, from between Europe and Asia, makes it one of the main LNG suppliers. [25]
The truth
- Neither company said what price the gas will sell for. [25]
What comes next

Adnoc aims to sell 47 million tonnes of LNG a year after 2030 through a new trading arm. [25]
10
Exelon plans billions for big batteries
What happened
- Exelon, a big US power company, may spend $3 billion to $7 billion on batteries. [26]
- They would store 1.5 to 3.5 gigawatts of power. [26] That is on top of a $1 billion battery planned in New Jersey. [26]
- The New Jersey battery would be the largest on the PJM grid, which serves the US Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. [26]
Why it matters

Exelon's boss, Calvin Butler, says PJM is not adding power plants fast enough. [26]
Exelon says customers would gain from lower grid prices and tax credits passed on to them. [26]

How it works

In some US states, a company that runs the power wires may also own batteries. [26]
New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware allow it, so Exelon can plan its batteries there. [26]

What comes next

New Jersey's utility board is expected to decide on its battery early next year. [26]

11
Los Angeles votes to close its oil wells
What happened
- Los Angeles' city council voted on 28 October to stop oil extraction and ban redrilling or deepening wells. [16]
- Existing oil operations in the city must be phased out within 20 years. [16]
- The vote affects hundreds of active wells and thousands of idle ones, many in working-class areas. [16]
Who is involved

CIPA, a California oil industry group, calls the ban an unlawful taking of private property. [16]
- CIPA oil producers' group
How it unfolded

The council first tried in 2022, but oil companies won in court. [16] A new California law now gives cities that power. [16]
1. 2022 first ban struck down
2. 28 Oct new ban passed
Why it matters

Residents near wells report headaches, nausea and breathing problems. [16]
How it works
Why a well's cleanup money has to be set aside before the drilling starts

Regulators call it financial assurance: the firm pays for its cleanup at the start, because by the end it may be gone.

The twist

A cleanup bill that falls due decades from now gets paid only if money is locked away while the firm is still earning.

The picture

Fines owed$36 million
Fines collected$1 million
California's oil regulator in 2025: fines charged to owners of idle wells, and what it actually collected.
Step by step
1. A firm earns its money while the well pumps or the panels work
2. The cleanup bill comes at the end, often decades later
3. By then the firm may be sold, bankrupt or gone
4. Whoever is left, a tribe, a city or taxpayers, pays to seal it
5. So regulators make firms set money or a plan aside at the start
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- The Osage Nation's abandoned wells
  
  The firms that drilled them are gone, so a $91 million federal grant now pays to plug wells that cost up to $500,000 each.
- Los Angeles' vote to close its wells
  
  California makes owners of idle wells pay fines, but its regulator collected $1 million of $36 million owed in 2025.
- Japan's solar recycling plan
  
  Since 2022 its solar farms have had to save money for their own removal, and big ones will now also file disposal plans in advance.
Where you've seen this

Renting a flat

a deposit pays for damage even after the tenant has moved away

Mines

many governments make miners put up money before digging, to fill the pit in later

Nuclear power stations

owners pay into a fund for taking the reactor apart decades later

The catch

It only works if the money set aside matches the real bill; set it too low and the public still pays the rest.

And the whole of it

The oil from wells like these was sold and burned long ago, in the cars and homes of people like us. The bill for sealing the holes is landing now, on a tribe in Oklahoma and on taxpayers who never sold a barrel.
The truth
- California's oil regulator collected $1 million of $36 million in fines on idle wells in 2025. [16]
- Who pays People living near Los Angeles oil wells — Under the 20-year phase-out, some wells near their homes can keep running for years. [16]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who pays to plug Los Angeles' idle wells.
  
  A Carbon Tracker report says the bill falls to taxpayers by default, even if all future oil profits in California went to it. [16]
What comes next

Campaigners now want the 20-year timeline shortened. [16]

12
The Osage Nation plugs abandoned oil wells
What happened
- The Osage Nation in Oklahoma has plugged about 160 abandoned oil wells since its program began. [15] Between 70 and 80 were this year. [15]
- About 2,300 orphaned wells are recorded on Osage land. [15]
- Plugging one costs $40,000 to $500,000, depending on its condition. [15]
Who is involved

An orphaned well is one whose owner has disappeared, so nobody is left to seal it. [15]
Why it matters

The tribe's federal grant is about $91 million over 5 years. [15] Asked if that was enough, Adam Peltz of the Environmental Defense Fund said, 'No, not even close.' [15]
A leaking well can threaten water, and high methane raises the risk of an explosion, Grist reports. [15]

How it works

The firms that drilled them are gone, so a $91 million federal grant now pays to plug wells that cost up to $500,000 each.
The idea, in story 11: Why a well's cleanup money has to be set aside before the drilling starts →
The truth
- The US Bureau of Indian Affairs now says wells with no owner are 'not a federal function'. [15] The tribe asks whether all of them are now its problem. [15]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many orphaned wells the Osage Nation really has.
  
  Many old wells were never recorded, and crews keep 'finding new wells every quarter section'. [15]
Good news
- Plugging permits that took 120 to 130 days now take 1 to 2 weeks. [15]
13
Japan sets a trigger for solar recycling plans
What happened
- Japan proposed that solar owners throwing away 50 tonnes or more of panels must file a plan first. [27]
- Its environment and industry ministries put it to a study group on 30 October. [27]
How it unfolded

Japan passed a law in May to push the recycling of old solar panels. [27] Today panels are treated as waste, and often go to landfill. [27]
Since July 2022, subsidised solar projects of 10 kW or more must save for their own removal. [27]
1. May recycling law passed
2. Today many panels go to landfill
3. Spring 2027 rules published
4. Dec 2027 law takes effect
Why it matters

Panel waste could peak at up to 500,000 tonnes a year in the 2040s. [27]

How it works

Regulators use a threshold to decide who faces the strictest rules. [27] At 50 tonnes, 7,398 sites would be covered; at 40 tonnes, 8,368. [27]
The 50-tonne line catches 38.3% of expected waste; the 40-tonne line, 38.7%. [27] So the higher line spares smaller plants while catching almost as much. [27]

Seen it before

A shop checks ID only for buyers who look under 25, so most shoppers walk straight through.

Since 2022 its solar farms have had to save money for their own removal, and big ones will now also file disposal plans in advance.
The idea, in story 11: Why a well's cleanup money has to be set aside before the drilling starts →
The truth
- Perovskite panels, which Japan is pushing hardest, are left out because no way to recycle them exists yet. [27]
What comes next

The rules are due around spring 2027, and the law takes effect around December 2027. [27]
14
Cuts take climate money from US tribes
What happened
- DOGE, the Trump administration's cost-cutting team, removed $468 million from tribal projects, Brookings found. [7]
- About half of it was for environment and natural resources. [7]
- The town gets 75% of its power from diesel. [7] Residents spend about 20% of their income on it. [7]
- Wind would have cut its diesel share to about 40% to 50%, its energy manager said. [7]
- The Hopi Tribe lost a $25 million grant for solar panels on 600 homes. [7]
How it unfolded

In Kotzebue, an Alaskan town, a $20 million grant for wind power was cancelled in May 2025. [7]

Why it matters

'Right now, with the Iran war going on, the diesel prices are very high,' said Chad Nordlum. [7]
The truth
- Who pays Kotzebue's residents — With the wind grant cancelled, every rise in world diesel prices lands on their power bills. [7]
15
US Democrats campaign on power bills
What happened
- Democrats in Tuesday's US midterm elections are campaigning on energy bills more than on climate, DW reports. [28]
- James Talarico, running for a US Senate seat in Texas, promises emergency help with spiking utility bills. [28]
- He also wants data centres to pay for their own grid upgrades. [28]
- In a Grist poll, 58% of likely voters said warming would make the American Dream harder within 20 years. [29]
- Only 2% named climate as the biggest threat today; more than half named the cost of living. [29]
Who is involved
- James Talarico Senate candidate in Texas
Why it matters

Few experts expect a full return of the Inflation Reduction Act, a clean-energy law Trump's tax law largely undid. [28]
The truth
- The poll was run by Data for Progress, a progressive think tank. [29]
What comes next

Lawmakers from both parties hope to pass a bill to speed up building power lines before January. [28]
16
Bay Area cities pause data centres
What happened
- At least 7 Bay Area cities, including San Francisco, paused data centre building in the two months before the midterms. [10]
- Oakland passed its pause on 6 October after days of protest. [10]
- Protesters fear the centres will strain the grid and push up power bills. [10]
- Several of the pauses last 45 days and can be extended. [10]
Who is involved

In the race for Nancy Pelosi's seat, Connie Chan wants a national pause. [10] Scott Wiener opposes any ban. [10]
- Connie Chan wants a national pause
- Scott Wiener opposes any ban
Why it matters

An October CNBC poll found 63% of US voters oppose a data centre within 10 miles of home. [10]
The US has more than 3,000 data centres, with over 1,500 more being developed, Pew says. [10]
The truth
- Who pays Households in Oakland — Power prices have risen so much that some people are thinking of shutting off their power, an activist said. [10]
17
Argentina woos data centres with tax cuts
What happened
- Argentina's president, Javier Milei, is offering tax cuts to draw AI data centres to Patagonia. [11]
- The plan would cut company tax from 25% to 15% for projects worth at least $1 billion. [11]
- Patagonia, in Argentina's south, offers cool air, empty land, wind and gas from Vaca Muerta. [11]
- Green Capital, a Polish firm, plans a $3 billion data centre there but has no customer yet. [11]
Who is involved
- Javier Milei Argentina's president
Why it matters

Milei says Argentina will not regulate AI, while US and European towns push back on data centres. [11]
The truth
- The plan does not make companies disclose their energy or water use. [11]
What comes next

Argentina's Senate has yet to approve the tax cut. [11]
18
Floods sweep cars away on Rhodes
What happened
- Heavy rain flooded roads and swept cars away on Rhodes, a Greek island, early on Monday. [18]
- Archangelos was hit hardest, when a river overflowed and turned roads into torrents. [18]
- Schools in Archangelos and Afantou stayed shut, and a warning went out on the 112 emergency number. [18]
- On Kalymnos, another island, rain broke a large boulder off a slope and it hit a garage. [18]
- Crews cleared drains and streams blocked by debris to get the water flowing again. [18]
Why it matters

Shops and other businesses were damaged as the water ran through. [18]

What comes next

More rain and storms were expected on Monday and Tuesday in western Greece and the eastern Aegean islands. [18]
19
Drought shrinks Italy's white truffles
What happened
- A hot, dry summer left Italy's white truffles smaller and scarcer this season. [30]
- Prices at the truffle market in Alba are 20% to 30% higher than last year. [30]
- In Croatia, one hunter puts this year's harvest about 30% below normal. [30]
- The best white truffles can sell for up to 4,000 euros a kilo. [30]
Who is involved
- Petar Alebic truffle hunter in Croatia: harvest about 30% below normal
Why it matters

'Each year for the past seven or eight years has been worse than the last,' said Petar Alebic. [30]

How it works

Armin Mesic, a scientist who studies fungi, says drought cuts both how many truffles grow and how good they are. [30]
A truffle lives with tree roots and needs moist soil, so dry, packed ground gives smaller ones. [30]

Seen it before

Mushrooms in a park vanish in a dry week and pop up again after rain.
20
BYD sells a record 305,743 electric cars
What happened
- BYD, the world's biggest electric car maker, sold a record 305,743 fully electric cars in October. [13]
- That is up 37% on a year earlier, and its first month above 300,000. [13]
- The US sold just over 262,500 electric cars in all of July to September, Kelley Blue Book estimates. [13]
- BYD exported 170,194 vehicles in October, up 102.8% on a year earlier. [31]
- Its plug-in hybrid sales fell 17% to 177,382. [13]
Why it matters

BYD is selling abroad because demand at home is weak and price wars are fierce, Reuters reports. [31]
The truth
- Its profit growth slowed to 28% in July to September and missed forecasts. [31]
21
South Africa's electric car sales jump
What happened
- South Africans bought 22,389 electric and hybrid cars from January to September, more than in all of 2025. [8]
- Last year's total was 16,703, so this year is already 34% higher, says naamsa, the industry body. [8]
- In September, one in every 9 new vehicles sold was electric or hybrid. [8]
Who is involved

Chinese makers such as Chery, Great Wall and BYD brought many of the new models. [8]
- Chery Chinese carmaker
- Great Wall Chinese carmaker
- BYD Chinese carmaker
Why it matters

Analysts say high oil prices also pushed buyers to switch. [8]
The truth
- The count includes ordinary hybrids that cannot plug in, which made up 49.5% of sales. [8]
- Who gains Chinese carmakers in South Africa — Chery, Great Wall and BYD supplied many of the new models as fuel costs pushed buyers to switch. [8]
Good news
- South Africans bought more electric and hybrid cars in the first nine months of this year than in the whole of 2025.
22
Canada holds back on Europe's carbon border tax
What happened
- Canada's climate minister, Julia Dabrusin, stopped short of backing the EU's carbon border tax. [32]
- The tax, in force since January 2026, charges a carbon cost on some goods coming into the EU. [32]
- An internal Canadian paper seen by Euronews says Canada wants the tax's paperwork eased for its exporters. [32]
Who is involved
- Julia Dabrusin Canada's climate minister
How it unfolded

Canada and the EU hailed closer energy ties at a summit in Montreal on 29 and 30 October. [32]

Why it matters

It warns that aluminium, steel, critical minerals and hydrogen could face carbon charges. [32]

How it works

The EU calls it a carbon border adjustment: some imports pay a carbon cost at the border. [32]
It protects EU firms from rivals working under weaker climate rules. [32]

Seen it before

A school charges every team the same pitch fee, so visiting teams cannot play cheaper.
The truth
- Who pays Canadian steel and aluminium exporters — Critics say EU importers will pass the carbon charge and paperwork back to them. [32]
23
A non-profit takes over Britain's smart meters
What happened
- A non-profit company took over the network linking Great Britain's 39 million smart meters this week. [33]
- Three in 10 households still have no smart meter, and finishing may cost another £1.7 billion. [33]
- Citizens Advice said in 2024 that almost a third of smart meters were not working properly. [33]
Who is involved

Smart meters send a home's energy readings over this data network. [33]
How it unfolded

It replaces Smart DCC, owned by Capita, whose 13-year licence under a 2013 framework saw costly delays. [33]
1. 2013 Capita's Smart DCC gets the licence
2. This week a non-profit takes over
Why it matters

Ministers hoped the meters would help homes use more renewable power. [33]
The truth
- Smart DCC paid £200,000 into a consumer fund in July, after a probe into its contracts. [33]
24
Northern Ireland's power link due back in December
What happened
- The Moyle cable linking Northern Ireland's grid to Great Britain could be fully back on 13 December. [34]
- A fault has halved how much power it can bring in. [34]
- Its owner, Mutual Energy, says the fault is in equipment on land, not the undersea cable. [34]
How it unfolded
1. Now link at half capacity
2. 13 December full capacity, if repaired
Why it matters

The fault comes before winter, when electricity use peaks. [34]
SONI, which runs Northern Ireland's grid, expects enough power this winter if the link returns. [34]
The truth
- Mutual Energy also says it is 'too early to provide a definitive timeline'. [34]
25
Solar companies raise 45% more money
What happened
- Solar companies raised $25.1 billion in the first 9 months of 2026, up 45%, says Mercom, a research firm. [35] A year earlier they raised $17.3 billion. [35]
- Most of it was loans: $20.4 billion, up 61%. [35]
- Money from venture investors, who back young firms, fell 31% to $2 billion. [35]
- Solar projects of 34.4 gigawatts changed hands, up from 29 gigawatts a year earlier. [35]
Why it matters

Lenders are putting more money into solar, while venture investors are putting in less. [35]
26
Armenia helps pay for solar batteries
What happened
- Armenia now pays part of the interest on loans for batteries that store solar power. [36]
- The help is worth 6 to 10 percentage points, for up to 7 years. [36]
- The batteries must store only solar power to qualify. [36]
How it unfolded

Armenia's energy law first allowed power storage in May. [36]
1. May storage allowed by law
2. Last week interest help begins
Why it matters

Solar made 16.3% of the country's electricity last year. [36]
27
Envision runs a data centre on direct current
What happened
- Envision Energy says it runs the first large data centre on an integrated 800-volt direct current system. [37]
- It is at Envision's Galaxy campus in Ulanqab, China. [37]
- The campus plans 3 gigawatts, with over 80% of its power from renewables. [37]
How it unfolded

Most data centres carry alternating current to each rack of computers, then convert it. [37]

Why it matters

Higher-voltage direct current should fit more computing power into each rack. [37]

How it works

Batteries soak up the sudden swings in power use from the chips doing AI work. [37]
The truth
- The world first is Envision's own claim. [37]
28
Tesla home batteries now drive heat pumps
What happened
- Tesla's Powerwall 3 home battery can now tell a heat pump when to work harder. [38]
- It does so when solar power is spare or electricity is cheap. [38]
- The heat pump stores the extra heat as hot water for the expensive hours. [38]
- It works only in Europe for now, using SG-Ready, a heat pump standard set up in Germany in 2012. [38]
Who is involved
- Powerwall 3 Tesla's home battery
- Heat pump heats the home's water
Why it matters

A home can then use its own spare solar power later, when grid power costs more. [38]

How it works

A hot water tank works like a cheap battery: it stores energy as heat. [38]

Seen it before

A flask of tea made in the morning is still hot in the afternoon.
29
EU battery passports start in 2027
What happened
- From 18 February 2027, new e-bike, scooter and electric car batteries sold in the EU need a digital passport. [39]
- A QR code will show who made the battery, its chemistry, capacity and carbon footprint. [39]
- It can also show battery health, though some data may be for authorised users only. [39]
How it unfolded

The rule comes from the EU's 2023 Batteries Regulation. [39]

Why it matters

Repair shops, recyclers and second-hand buyers could see what a battery has been through. [39]

How it works

A passport can list a battery's cycle count: how many times it has been charged and used. [39]
So a used e-bike can look new while its battery has hundreds of cycles and much less range. [39]

Seen it before

A two-year-old phone runs flat sooner than it did on the day it was bought.
30
Boise takes geothermal heat to new homes
What happened
- Micron, a chip maker, gave Boise $2.5 million to take geothermal heat to over 300 affordable homes. [40]
- Boise, in Idaho, runs the largest geothermal heating system in the US. [40]
- It pipes water heated underground to 177 degrees Fahrenheit to about 100 buildings. [40]
- The whole housing project costs about $140 million. [40]
Why it matters

The geothermal heat will cut utility bills for the people who move in, Canary Media reports. [40]

How it works

Geothermal heat comes from hot water underground, so no fuel is burned. [40]
Good news
- Its network already cuts as much carbon each year as taking over 2,000 petrol cars off the road. [40]
31
Snow carries plastic into the Sierra Nevada
What happened
- Snowstorms are dropping microplastics on remote parts of California's Sierra Nevada mountains, a study found. [41]
- Snowfall brought up to 3,200 plastic bits per square metre a day. [41]
- The total weight is tiny: under a tenth of an ounce per acre a day. [41]
Why it matters

About a third of California's fresh water comes from Sierra Nevada snow. [41]

How it works

Tyres, clothes and packaging shed tiny bits that the wind lifts. [41] Falling snowflakes collect them and carry them down. [41]
The truth
- The study did not measure how much plastic ends up in drinking water. [41]
32
Greenpeace drops boulders to stop trawling
What happened
- Greenpeace dropped 9 two-tonne boulders off Norfolk, England, to block bottom trawling. [42]
- Bottom trawling drags weighted nets along the seabed, which can harm sea plants. [42]
- Greenpeace had no licence and says it closed 116 square km of a protected area to trawling. [42]
Who is involved

The Marine Management Organisation, England's sea regulator, said it was very disappointed. [42]
- Marine Management Organisation England's sea regulator
Why it matters

The UK environment department says damaging fishing is banned in more than 100 protected sites. [42]
The truth
- The area was set up to protect harbour porpoises, which Greenpeace says trawling leaves short of fish. [42]
33
Blackpool waits on its sea defences
What happened
- Blackpool council has again put off deciding on rock barriers to keep sand on its beaches. [43]
- More than 60 objections were made, including safety worries from the RNLI, a lifeboat charity. [43]
How it unfolded

Since April 2026, sea defence schemes over £3 million must raise 10% of their cost locally. [43]

Why it matters

If the plan falls through, the council must find £13 million for a new one. [43]

How it works

Coastal engineers call these rock barriers groynes. [43]
Rock headlands built on the beach trap sand that the sea would otherwise carry away. [43]

What comes next

If approved, work would start in early 2027. [43]

Across the day

What is true of the whole day.

The truth, across the day

Why it works on people A big round number from an oil chief at his own country's energy show sounds like a measurement, but the report of his speech names no data behind it.

Nearly a billion barrels gone from the world's oil stocks since Hormuz was disrupted, Adnoc's chief says, as the UAE pipes its oil around the strait

33 stories on this beat today.

Why a well's cleanup money has to be set aside before the drilling starts

What is true of the whole day.