China's carbon dioxide falls 3.1% in three months, its biggest drop since the Covid lockdowns, as the Hormuz crisis hits oil demand, and mild weather and clean power push it down

The stories

41 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.

1. 01

   China's carbon dioxide falls 3.1% in three months, its biggest drop since the Covid lockdowns, as the Hormuz crisis hits oil demand, and mild weather and clean power push it down

   3.1%

   fall in China's carbon dioxide, July to September

   the biggest fall in three months since the 2022 Covid lockdowns [1]

   9%

   less oil burned in China's transport

   electric cars hit a record 67% of car sales in September [1]

   110 TWh

   more power from solar, wind and nuclear than a year before

   more than twice the growth in China's power demand [1]

   0.5%

   estimated fall in China's emissions so far this year

   flat or falling since March 2024 [1]

   What happened

   • China's carbon dioxide emissions fell 3.1% from July to September. [1]
   • It was the biggest fall in any three months since the Covid lockdowns of 2022. [1]
   • China remains by far the world's largest polluter. [2]
   • Coal use fell 3% and oil use fell 4%. [1]
   • Coal-fired power fell 3.3%, because power demand grew slowly and less wind and solar power was wasted. [1]
   • Solar, wind and nuclear made 110 terawatt hours more than a year before. [1] Germany made about that much power in those same months. [1]
   • That extra clean power was more than twice the growth in China's total power demand. [1]
   • China is still building coal plants at near-record speed. [1] So each plant now runs fewer hours on average. [1]
   • Oil burned in transport fell 9%. [1]
   • Electric cars reached a record 67% of car sales in September. [1] Electric models took 50% of heavy truck sales. [1]
   • Electricity used by electric vehicles grew 53%, much faster than the number of them on the road. [1] Owners are using them in place of fuelled vehicles. [1]
   • The Hormuz crisis kept hitting China's oil demand, the analysis says. [1] Iran effectively shut the strait, the Gulf's sea route, early in the war that began on 28 February. [3]
   • China took about 42% of the Gulf crude that passed through the strait in October. [3]
   • Cement and steel also put out less carbon dioxide, as building work shrank faster. [1]
   • Making chemicals from coal has been a big source of new emissions. [1] It grew more slowly because coal got dearer. [1]
   • Exceptionally mild weather explains part of the slowdown in energy demand. [1]
   • Slower growth in China's economy is another key reason energy demand slowed. [1]

   Who is involved

   The figures come from Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. [1] He wrote the analysis for Carbon Brief, a climate news site. [1]

   • Lauri Myllyvirta lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air; he wrote the analysis
   • Carbon Brief a climate news site; it published the analysis
   • China's government the government of the world's largest polluter; its answer to slower growth shapes what comes next

   How it unfolded

   China's emissions kept rising for years after the Paris climate deal took effect in 2016. [2] They have been flat or falling since March 2024. [1]

   They are down an estimated 0.5% so far this year. [1]

   1. 2022 Covid lockdowns bring the last bigger quarterly fall [1]
   2. This summer a fall of 3.1%
   3. 2016 Paris deal takes effect
   4. March 2024 China's emissions turn flat or falling [1]
   5. 28 Feb 2026 the war on Iran begins, and Iran soon shuts Hormuz [3]
   6. Jul-Sep 2026 emissions fall 3.1% [1]

   Why it matters

   World climate talks open in Antalya, Turkey, on 9 November. [4] The world is on track for 2.8C of warming by 2100. [4]

   So if this fall lasts, the world's largest polluter is cutting its emissions as those talks begin. [2]

   How it works

   Economists split any change in two: cyclical, from things that pass, and structural, from things that stay. [1]

   The mild weather belonged to this one quarter. [1] The analysis calls the fall from clean power beating demand a structural fall in fossil fuel use. [1]

   Seen it before

   A shop sells more in a hot week, but a second shop it opens stays open.

   The truth

   • What is really going on China burned less coal and oil this summer, and its carbon dioxide fell 3.1%. [1]Part of that came from mild weather and the Hormuz crisis, the fight over the Gulf's sea route. [1]Part came from clean power that keeps running, and the analysis gives no split. [1]
   • Why it works on people "Biggest since Covid" sounds like a turning point, and it says nothing about how much of the fall will last.
   • The 3.1% is one analyst's estimate, made from official figures and commercial data. [1]
   • Who pays China's coal plant owners — Fewer running hours are eating into their profits. [1]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much of China's fall will last.

     The analysis says mild weather explains the slow demand partly but not fully, and gives no split. [1]

   Good news

   • China's carbon dioxide fell 3.1% from July to September, the biggest fall in 3 months since the Covid lockdowns of 2022. Its solar, wind and nuclear plants added more than twice the growth in its power demand.

   What comes next

   The outlook depends on energy demand, clean power growth and how China's government answers slower growth. [1]

1. 02

   90 million displaced people face climate threats

   What happened

   • Nearly 90 million people forced from home live in countries increasingly exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat. [16]
   • That is nearly three-quarters of all forcibly displaced people. [16] Afghanistan and Bangladesh are among those countries. [16]
   • A Sudanese refugee in Chad told the agency she can go a week without finding safe water. [16] Nearby seasonal riverbeds are drying up. [16]
   • In the first half of 2026, more than two-thirds of refugee returns were to countries badly exposed to climate hazards. [16]
   • In sub-Saharan Africa, one in three refugee settlements could face 100-plus days of dangerous heat a year by 2050. [16]

   Who is involved

   The agency, UNHCR, looks after refugees for the UN. [16] It published the report ahead of the COP31 climate talks in Antalya. [16]

   • UNHCR the UN refugee agency

   Why it matters

   Only about 10% of climate money reaches fragile or conflict-hit countries, the agency says. [16]

   So people who already fled a war often land where little adaptation money arrives. [16]

   How it works

   Disaster scientists split risk into the hazard, who is exposed to it, and how well they can cope. [16]

   The heat is the hazard. [16] Refugees' limited cooling, water and reliable energy make it harder to escape. [16]

   Seen it before

   Two people caught in the same rain get different results if only one has a coat.

   The truth

   • Who pays Refugees going home — Returning to a place exposed to climate hazards puts them at risk of being displaced again. [16]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many displaced people El Nino will move again.

     UNHCR's up to 3 million for East Africa is a warning about floods, and the year is not over. [16]

   What comes next

   Floods could displace up to 3 million people in Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda by year's end. [16]

2. 03

   Iran lists four countries free to cross Hormuz

   What happened

   • A senior Iranian lawmaker said ships from India, China, Iraq and Qatar are exempt from Iran's Hormuz limits. [3]
   • Indian and Chinese ships will pay transit fees, he said, and Qatari ships pass free. [3]
   • In return, he said, Iran gets medicine from India and political backing from China. [3]
   • About 10.23 million barrels of Gulf crude a day passed through in October, the analytics firm Kpler says. [3] China took about 42% and India 13%. [3]
   • Qatar shipped no liquefied gas through the strait in August and 1.8 million tonnes in October. [3]
   • Iraq's crude through the strait rose from 1.69 million barrels a day to 2.65 million over the same months. [3]

   How it unfolded

   Iran effectively shut the strait early in the war. [3] The US reimposed a naval blockade on Iran's southern ports in July. [3]

   1. Early in the war Iran shuts Hormuz
   2. July US blockade of Iran's ports

   Why it matters

   One market analyst says the exemptions make only limited difference to oil prices for now. [3]

   The exemptions could make the US blockade harder to run, if the US accepts them, a security analyst says. [3]

   How it works

   Scholars call using trade access as a tool of power economic statecraft. [3] Iran is selling passage, for fees, medicine and political support. [3]

   Seen it before

   A shop that controls the only road into town can let its friends through and charge the rest.

   The truth

   • The announcement is not entirely new: Iran began letting some friendly ships through within weeks of the war starting. [3]
   • An exemption has not meant safety: the Qatari gas carrier Al Mayeda was struck in the Gulf on 30 October. [3]
   • Who gains Iran — It says it will collect transit fees from Indian and Chinese ships, and one analyst says that could raise significant money. [3]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the US lets the ships Iran has exempted pass.

     The blockade covers ships entering or leaving Iran's ports, and it is unclear if "ships of these countries" means flag, owner or operator. [3]

3. 04

   US permitting bill faces a Senate vote Monday

   What happened

   • US senators are due to vote on Monday on bringing a bill that speeds up energy projects to the floor. [18]
   • The bill would overhaul federal permits for power lines, mines, and both renewable and fossil fuel projects. [19]
   • Democrats won both chambers of the US Congress on Tuesday, but the new members do not sit until January. [20]
   • Jared Huffman, a senior US House Democrat, and green groups argue a Democratic US Congress could pass a stronger bill. [19]

   Who is involved

   Democratic senators Martin Heinrich and Sheldon Whitehouse negotiated the bill with Republicans Shelley Moore Capito and Mike Lee. [19]

   Heinrich told Reuters of the new US Congress: "I'm not going to wait." [19]

   The top US oil lobbyist, Mike Sommers, wants the bill passed before Democrats take their majority seats. [18]

   How it unfolded

   1. Tuesday Democrats win Congress
   2. January New members sit

   Why it matters

   It would give a major boost to energy projects of all kinds, Semafor reports. [18]

   How it works

   This is a lame-duck session: the old US Congress keeps voting after an election, until the new one sits. [19]

   So anyone wanting a deal shaped by today's Senate has only until January. [20] That is why the bill's authors will not delay it. [19]

   Seen it before

   A football team that has been relegated still plays out its last matches of the season.

   The truth

   • Who gains Oil and gas firms — Democrats' win emboldens critics who say the permitting bill gives them too many concessions, TD Cowen says. [19]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the US permitting bill passes before January.

     TD Cowen, an investment firm, cut its odds from about 40% to about 25% after the election. [19]

4. 05

   Clean energy shares jump after the US vote

   What happened

   • Shares in renewable energy firms rose worldwide as Democrats won both chambers of the US Congress. [21]
   • Orsted, the world's largest offshore wind developer, rose almost 10% within hours and closed almost 5% higher. [21]
   • Orsted had lost more than 70% of its value since Trump returned as US president in 2025. [21]
   • First Solar and Sunrun, two US solar firms, each rose around 8%, while Chevron and ExxonMobil, two oil giants, fell. [22]
   • Renewables made about 30% of US electricity this year, against 50% across the EU and 40% in China. [21]

   Why it matters

   A Democratic US House could block further repeals of solar and wind tax credits, says Rystad Energy, a consultancy. [21]

   How it works

   Investors call this a risk premium: lenders charge more when a project's rules may change. [21]

   Barclays analysts say easing that fear could make new US renewable projects cheaper to finance. [21]

   Seen it before

   A shop charges a stranger a deposit it would not ask of a regular.

   The truth

   • The first market moves may overstate the change, TD Cowen's John Miller told Semafor. [22] Pro-renewables laws still face Trump's veto. [22]
5. 06

   Trump's energy deals face US Congress inquiries

   What happened

   • Democrats will gain the power to force testimony and documents when the new US Congress meets in January. [23]
   • Trump's energy deals are likely to become a central focus. [23]
   • Democrats want an account of how Venezuela's oil money has been spent. [23] The US seized control of Venezuela's oil exports in January. [23]
   • The US defence department took a stake in North American Blue Energy Partners, a firm meant to develop Venezuelan oil. [23]
   • Democrats are also certain to press on nearly $8 billion of energy projects cancelled in states that backed Kamala Harris. [23]

   Who is involved

   Frank Pallone, likely chair of the US House energy committee, promises an aggressive hunt for corruption. [23]

   Why it matters

   Firms in these deals now carry a political risk: USA Rare Earth warned its investors of litigation and scrutiny. [23]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this congressional oversight: committees check what a president's team has done. [23]

   Until now Democrats could only send letters; committee control lets them compel answers. [23]

   Seen it before

   A teacher can ask a class who broke a window, but only the head can call in parents.

   The truth

   • US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick says of the questions on mineral deals: "This is a waste of time." [23]
6. 07

   Tiny US wells cause most well-site methane

   What happened

   • Small US oil and gas wells cause most of the methane from well sites, a satellite study finds. [24]
   • Hundreds of thousands of these marginal wells each make under 15 barrels of oil equivalent a day. [24] Together they make about 5% of US oil and gas. [24]
   • Yet they cause about 58% of methane from well sites and 40% across the oil and gas supply chain. [24]

   Who is involved

   Mark Omara of the Environmental Defense Fund, a US non-profit, and colleagues used MethaneSat, a methane-spotting satellite. [24]

   • Mark Omara and colleagues
   • MethaneSat gave the data

   How it unfolded

   Data covered over 80% of US onshore oil and gas output, from May 2024 to June 2025. [24] Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas to tackle, after carbon dioxide. [24]

   Last month the Trump administration moved to relax methane rules, including standards for marginal wells. [24]

   Why it matters

   Closing or fixing these wells could cut methane fast without much denting of oil and gas output. [24]

   How it works

   Scientists measure this as methane intensity: methane lost for each unit of gas sold. [24] The industry's target is 0.2%. [24]

   A well that makes little gas spreads its leak over little fuel. [24] So marginal wells reach an estimated 60%, 300 times that target. [24]

   Seen it before

   A dripping tap on a tiny tank loses a bigger share than the same drip on a big one.

   The truth

   • Harvard's Daniel Jacob warns the leaks are hard to fix, because they are spread across so many small sites. [24]

1. 08

   UK electric cars close in on petrol

   What happened

   • Battery-electric cars took 32% of new UK car sales in October, and petrol fell to 37.2%. [8] That is the closest they have been. [8]
   • Electric registrations jumped 32.7% to 48,858, while petrol fell 11.6% to 56,876. [8]
   • The fastest-growing brands are mostly Chinese: BYD rose 73% to 6,065 cars. [8]

   Who is involved

   The figures come from the SMMT, the UK car industry's trade group. [8]

   How it unfolded

   In March 2024, petrol held 55.9% of the market and electric cars 15.2%. [8]

   1. December possible, on a seasonal spike
   2. August 2027 on the steady trend

   Why it matters

   Carmakers say they have spent billions on discounts and cheap loans to move electric cars. [8]

   How it works

   Regulators call this a sales mandate: a rule that sets the share of a carmaker's sales that must be zero-emission. [8]

   The UK rule asks for 33% this year, and the SMMT forecasts 27.2%. [8] Electrek says carmakers cut prices to get closer, and buyers respond. [8]

   Seen it before

   A teacher who sets a minimum page count gets it, even from pupils who would have written less.

   How to tell a fall in carbon that lasts from one that bounces back

   Economists split a change in two: cyclical, from things that pass like mild weather, and structural, from things that stay like solar panels.

   The twist

   One fall can hold two different things: the part from a mild summer can come back with a hot one, and the part from solar panels already built does not.

   The picture

   Mild summercan pass

   ++

   Hormuz crisiscan pass

   ++

   New clean powerstays

   ++

   Electric carsstay

   Step by step

   1. 1 China's carbon dioxide falls 3.1% in 3 months
   2. 2 List what pushed it: mild weather, the Hormuz crisis hitting oil demand, slow growth, more clean power
   3. 3 Ask of each cause: will it still be here after it stops being news?
   4. 4 Mild weather and a war can pass, so that part can come back
   5. 5 Panels and electric cars keep working, so that part stays down

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • England's regulators warn South West Water

     rain can end the dry spell, but leaks 18.5% above forecast stay until the pipes are mended, so the shortage has a passing part and a lasting part

   • UK electric cars close in on petrol

     Electrek separates the spike that comes every December, when carmakers push to meet targets, from the steady monthly trend under it, before saying when the lines cross

   • El Nino breaks its record as aid shrinks

     the El Nino itself passes, while warming has already cut world crop yields by about 5%, so researchers treat the year's losses and the long loss as separate

   Where you've seen this

   Jobs

   economists split unemployment the same way: a slump's job losses can return, and a closed coal town's may not

   School results

   an easy exam lifts one year's marks; better teaching lifts every year's

   A shop's sales

   a busy December fades in January; a new branch keeps selling

   The catch

   The line can move: a driver who buys an electric car during a fuel shock keeps it after fuel gets cheap, so a passing cause can leave a lasting result.

   And the whole of it

   A coal plant owner in China, a driver in Britain and a negotiator in Antalya are each betting on which part of this fall stays. None of them can see that from one quarter's numbers, and neither can the analyst who counted them.

   The truth

   • The SMMT wants the targets cut, and says rules cannot create demand. [8] Electrek, an electric car news site, says the sales show otherwise. [8]
   • Who gains Chinese car brands in Britain — UK buyers are turning to them: Jaecoo more than doubled and Chery nearly tripled in October. [8]

   Good news

   • Electric cars took 32% of new car sales in Britain in October, the closest they have come to petrol's 37.2%.

   What comes next

   Electrek, an electric car news site, expects the lines to cross by about August 2027, or as soon as December. [8]

1. 09

   Saudi Arabia warns of danger at its oil port

   What happened

   • Saudi Arabia issued alerts on Thursday warning of possible danger in Yanbu, its oil export port on the Red Sea. [5]
   • Yemen's Houthis, backed by Iran, have been attacking the kingdom. [5] They had not claimed any attack on Thursday. [5]
   • The East-West pipeline runs about 750 miles across Saudi Arabia to Yanbu. [25]

   How it unfolded

   About 6 million barrels of oil a day were moving through it weeks after drones hit it in September. [25]

   Why it matters

   Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest oil exporter. [5] The pipeline is considered its lifeline, because oil can leave without passing Hormuz. [25]

   How it works

   Energy analysts call a narrow passage like Hormuz a chokepoint. [26] The pipeline lets Saudi oil reach ships without passing through it. [25]

   Seen it before

   When the main road into town is blocked, drivers take the back lane, and the back lane gets busy.

   What comes next

   Saudi Arabia plans to expand it to as much as 10 million barrels a day within 2 to 3 years. [25]

2. 10

   COP31's hosts plan an extra political text

   What happened

   • Nearly 200 countries, not including the US, meet in Antalya from 9 November for COP31, the UN climate summit. [27] [4]
   • They will try to agree more than 100 separate texts, after first agreeing what is on the agenda. [27]
   • The pair plan a cover text: one political document summing up the results, plus issues not on the agenda. [27]
   • It could admit warming will overshoot the 1.5C limit. [27]

   Who is involved

   Turkey holds the presidency and hosts the talks, while Australia runs the negotiations. [27]

   • Turkey presidency
   • Australia negotiations

   How it unfolded

   Last year's COP30 in Brazil agreed no fresh promises to move away from fossil fuels or end deforestation. [4]

   Why it matters

   The texts include a global goal on coping with climate harm, and a contested process on cutting emissions. [27]

   How it works

   Treaty negotiators mark anything not yet agreed in square brackets. [27] Agreement comes once all brackets are gone. [27]

   Each decision needs every country's consent, so one objection keeps a bracket in. [4] [27]

   Seen it before

   Friends choosing a film cannot book until the last one stops saying no.

   The truth

   • Critics say the summits are no longer fit for purpose, New Scientist reports, because of that need for consensus. [4]
3. 11

   Britain's leader takes bills to COP31

   What happened

   • Andy Burnham, Britain's prime minister since July, goes to COP31 next week, probably for no more than a day. [28]
   • France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Friedrich Merz are skipping it, with both facing anger over living costs. [28]
   • Burnham's government now asks wind and solar projects to show how they will cut bills before they get support. [28]
   • It cut a heat pump subsidy by up to £2.5 billion. [28]

   Who is involved

   • Emmanuel Macron France
   • Friedrich Merz Germany

   How it unfolded

   1. Approved Jackdaw gas field
   2. By year end Rosebank oil field

   Why it matters

   Countries hit hardest by climate change see Britain as a key ally. [28] So its North Sea choices may get a cool reception. [28]

   The truth

   • Mohamed Adow of the think tank Power Shift Africa says approving Rosebank "would be a betrayal". [28]
   • A Labour MP, unnamed, says the finance ministry is pressing for Rosebank because it wants the tax. [28]

   What comes next

   It approved Jackdaw, a new North Sea gas field. [28] A decision on the Rosebank oil field is expected by the end of the year. [28]

4. 12

   PG&E's cuts delay 15 gigawatts of clean power

   What happened

   • PG&E, northern California's main power company, has warned about 25,000 customers to expect delays in getting connected to the grid. [12]
   • Waits run from 1 to 6 months for housing and offices, and to 2027 and beyond for public works. [12]
   • More than 60 renewable and storage projects face undetermined delays, PG&E says. [12] Together they could add at least 15 gigawatts by 2030. [12]

   How it unfolded

   California's governor failed to broker a deal limiting what power firms owe for wildfires, and PG&E's shares fell. [12]

   The $2 billion of work was planned for 2027. [12]

   Why it matters

   California has a goal of 6 gigawatts of new clean energy and storage by 2032. [12] Delays could keep over 3 gigawatts of old gas plants running, one industry chief says. [12]

   How it works

   Lawyers call it inverse condemnation: California holds power firms liable for fires their equipment starts, even with no negligence. [12]

   So every power line can carry a business-ending bill. [12] PG&E says that means weaker credit, dearer loans and higher bills. [12]

   Seen it before

   A shop that could be sued for everything it owns over one accident stops opening new branches.

   The truth

   • Wildfire victims and consumer advocates call PG&E's cutbacks a form of blackmail, Canary Media reports. [12]
   • Who pays California's solar developers — A project late past 2030 loses its US tax credit, and one industry chief says that adds at least 30% to the cost of its goods. [12]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Which of PG&E's clean power projects will be delayed, and how long.

     PG&E gave only undetermined delays for more than 60 projects. [12]

5. 13

   Two complaints try to reshape US grid auctions

   What happened

   • Exelon, a big US power company, has asked the federal energy regulator to change how PJM buys future power. [13]
   • Exelon wants them 2 months before each delivery year, starting with 2030/31. [13]
   • Invenergy, a developer, filed a second complaint against MISO, the grid operator for the US Midcontinent. [13]
   • MISO counts high-voltage lines when working out how much supply it needs but does not pay owners, Invenergy says. [13]
   • Invenergy's Grain Belt Express would run about 800 miles from Kansas to Indiana and cost roughly $11 billion. [13]

   Who is involved

   PJM runs the grid across parts of the US Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, and now holds its auctions 3 years ahead. [13]

   • Exelon complains
   • US federal energy regulator decides

   How it unfolded

   1. 13 Nov PJM workshop
   2. 31 Jan decision Exelon wants

   Why it matters

   Exelon, whose utilities serve about 10.7 million customers there, says the market is no longer working properly. [13]

   How it works

   Power markets call this a capacity market: plants are paid to promise power for a future year. [13]

   Exelon says a later auction would rest on more accurate forecasts of demand and supply. [13]

   Seen it before

   Ordering pizza for a party is easier the day before, once you know who is coming.

   What comes next

   Exelon wants a decision by 31 January. [13] PJM holds a workshop on reform on 13 November. [13]

6. 14

   Google to pay for batteries in Arkansas

   What happened

   • Google would pay $600 million toward batteries for its West Memphis data centre, Entergy's chief executive said. [9]
   • Entergy, a US power company across 4 states, would add 350 megawatts of batteries and buy 440 megawatts of solar. [9]
   • Entergy says the changed deal saves Arkansas customers at least $500 million more than the $1.6 billion agreed before. [9]
   • Meta, which owns Facebook, has also signed for 250 megawatts of solar being built in Arkansas by 2028. [29]

   Why it matters

   Entergy says the deal keeps Arkansas base rates flat, unlike Louisiana, where Meta pays only part. [9]

   How it works

   Regulators call this cost causation: whoever causes a cost should pay it. [9] Entergy says Google will cover new investments and its share of system costs. [9]

   Seen it before

   Flatmates split the bills, but the one who runs a heater all night pays for the heater.

   The truth

   • Key parts of the Google deal, including how much power it wants, are redacted. [9]
   • Meta's pledge matches its yearly use with renewables, not every hour. [29] It is also backing new gas plants. [29]

   What comes next

   Arkansas regulators hear the Google deal in January. [9]

7. 15

   Europe's data centre spending doubles since 2020

   What happened

   • Yearly investment in data centres in Europe has grown from €12 billion in 2020 to €25-26 billion this year. [10]
   • Total spending is expected to hit €176 billion from 2026 to 2031, says PwC, a consulting firm. [10]
   • Europe is building them to catch up with the US and China in artificial intelligence. [10]
   • Over 100 groups in 15 countries protest on Friday and Saturday, asking for a pause on large projects. [10]
   • In Essex, campaigners say Google's London office refused their 54,000-name petition against 4 data centre buildings. [30]
   • Google would not confirm or deny refusing it. [30] It says it aims for a 10% gain in wildlife value on the site. [30]

   Why it matters

   Many voters in Europe worry data centres will drive up energy bills and press on scarce water, Euronews reports. [10]

   People living nearby also object to air pollution from backup generators and the constant noise. [10]

   How it works

   Economists call this supply and demand: a big new buyer on a short supply pushes the price up for everyone. [10]

   Data centres have intensive energy demands, so voters fear their own bills will rise. [10]

   Seen it before

   When a big family moves in and shops at the only bakery, bread can cost more for everyone.

   The truth

   • Euronews reports the worry about bills, and gives no measured rise in any European bill. [10]
8. 16

   Queensland eyes a dam for a giant data centre

   What happened

   • Queensland's water minister, Ann Leahy, says a $32 billion data centre plan could help fund new water for her region. [31]
   • She named the long-discussed $3.4 billion Nathan Dam as one option. [31]
   • The Western Downs, west of Brisbane, is a drought-prone farming region. [31] It sits among 12,000 coal seam gas wells. [31]
   • The developer, Zerra DC, has an agreement with AI firm Anthropic. [31] It says each of 4 buildings needs 21,000 litres a day. [31]
   • Zerra DC says rainwater and recycled gas-field water will cover that, using no groundwater or town water. [31] Its backup is trucking water in. [31]

   Why it matters

   Water is one of the biggest sticking points for local people, and protesters gathered in Dalby on Thursday. [31]

   How it works

   Environmental accountants count indirect water use: what a power plant uses to make a site's electricity. [31]

   Michael Vardon, an expert in this, says of gas power: "You're simply displacing the water use." [31]

   Seen it before

   A light meal at home still used water far away, to grow the food.

   The truth

   • Vardon says the rain figures may work across a year and still fail in dry months. [31]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Queensland's data centre has enough water in dry months.

     The company modelled 100 years of rain, and an outside expert doubts it holds in dry months. [31]

9. 17

   El Nino breaks its record as aid shrinks

   What happened

   • Warming in the tropical Pacific used to measure El Nino hit 3.5C in October, says climate scientist Zeke Hausfather. [15]
   • That breaks the old record of about 2.75C, and it may peak around 4C. [15]
   • The World Food Programme warned in August that 49 million more people could go hungry by the end of 2027. [15] That would take the total to 274 million. [15]
   • Peru closed its anchovy fishery early, and the world's fishmeal output had about halved by September. [15]
   • World grain output is still projected at 2.7% below last year, the second largest crop on record. [15]

   Who is involved

   El Nino is a natural swing in which unusually warm Pacific water shifts rain around the world. [15]

   Why it matters

   So the danger is in specific regions and in what people can afford, says FEWS NET, a famine warning network. [15]

   How it works

   Aid workers call it forecast-based financing: paying people before a predicted disaster hits, not after. [15]

   In Zimbabwe in 2015, families given cash kept eating as well, while a neighbouring district saw a massive drop. [15]

   Seen it before

   Packing a coat before the forecast rain beats buying one wet.

   the El Nino itself passes, while warming has already cut world crop yields by about 5%, so researchers treat the year's losses and the long loss as separate

   The idea, in story 08: How to tell a fall in carbon that lasts from one that bounces back →

   The truth

   • Who pays People in Somalia — The World Food Programme helped 10 million there in a 2022 drought and can afford to reach under 1 million now. [15]

   Good news

   • The programme says it has reached 28 million people across 15 countries with warnings and help this year. [15]
10. 18

    Polar vortex shift looks a record, Met Office says

    What happened

    • The winds circling the North Pole high up have weakened and split in two, briefly. [32]
    • The Met Office, Britain's weather service, says this would appear to be the earliest on record. [32] Observations go back 75 years. [32]

    How it unfolded

    The earliest such event until now came on 28 November, in 1969 and 2025. [32]

    1. Past record 28 November
    2. This year possibly mid-November

    Why it matters

    Most of England and Wales is still in drought, and needs a wet winter to refill reservoirs. [32] A typical event like this brings drier weather. [32]

    How it works

    Atmospheric scientists call these pulses of energy planetary waves, and they can push the vortex out of position. [32]

    In an El Nino year, these waves can weaken the vortex late in winter, but this one came early. [32]

    Seen it before

    Push a spinning top from the side, and it wobbles and may fall over.

    The truth

    • Nobody knows why it came so early: it may be ordinary variation, says the BBC. [32]
    • Nobody knows yet

      What the polar vortex does to winter.

      There are few past examples this early, and experts say it is too soon to change the outlook. [32]

    What comes next

    Some forecasts show the winds reversing by mid-November. [32] If so, it becomes a major sudden warming event, high in the air. [32]

11. 19

    England's regulators warn South West Water on leaks

    What happened

    • Regulators told South West Water, which serves 1.8 million people in England, it has missed leak targets for 7 years. [17]
    • Its leaks are 18.5% above forecast. [17] They come to 113.5 million litres a day, or 45 Olympic swimming pools. [17]
    • About 82% of England is still in drought, after the driest April to September in over a century. [17]
    • Wimbleball reservoir, which serves parts of Devon, Somerset and Dorset, is at 16%. [17]

    Why it matters

    Regulators say the leaks raise the risk of emergency water taken from rivers, which harms them. [17]

    How it works

    Water regulators count leakage as its own target, apart from rainfall. [17]

    Rain is helping, the company says. [17] Its leaks still rose 5.7 million litres a day on last year. [17]

    Seen it before

    A bath with a loose plug needs more than a stronger tap.

    rain can end the dry spell, but leaks 18.5% above forecast stay until the pipes are mended, so the shortage has a passing part and a lasting part

    The idea, in story 08: How to tell a fall in carbon that lasts from one that bounces back →

    The truth

    • South West Water's message to households does not admit what its own leaks add to the risk, the Guardian reports. [17]
    • Who pays Households in Devon — About 325,000 people risk having supplies cut regularly in coming weeks and months. [17]

    What comes next

    The company must send an action plan within 6 weeks. [17]

12. 20

    Pakistan wastes Rs3.5 trillion on energy imports, experts say

    What happened

    • Pakistan wastes Rs3.5 trillion a year on avoidable energy imports, researchers at a university energy institute say. [14]
    • That is more than 3 times Pakistan's federal development budget. [14]
    • The country has over 36,000 megawatts of power plants, while its base electricity load is about 8,000. [14]
    • That base load did not grow from 2015 to 2023, even as the population did. [14]
    • Pakistan also imports $2.7 billion of gas for 4 winter months, to heat homes and water. [14]
    • A 2023 building code could cut cooling load by 51%. [14] Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have not adopted it. [14]

    Why it matters

    Unused plants still cost money: the result is higher payments to plant owners, and debt. [14]

    How it works

    Fiaz Chaudhry, a power expert, warned of a capacity trap in 2014-15: too many plants built for too little use. [14]

    Most new plants were built to cool buildings, and they sit unused for most of the year. [14]

    Seen it before

    A family that buys a coach for one holiday still pays for it all year.

13. 21

    Algeria trucks fuel to Niger across the Sahara

    What happened

    • Niger has received its first fuel shipment from Algeria: 53 tanker trucks with 1.65 million litres. [6]
    • The convoy reached the northern city of Agadez on 31 October, under military escort from both countries. [6]
    • The trucks drove about 2,000 kilometres from Algeria's Adrar region. [6]
    • Niger's fuel company, Sonidep, bought it below world prices from Sonatrach, Algeria's state oil firm. [6]

    Who is involved

    Algeria's parliament also approved sending troops to Niger, and Niger has not finished its approval. [6]

    • Sonidep Niger
    • Sonatrach Algeria

    How it unfolded

    Months of shortages have forced drivers to queue and upset business in parts of Niger. [6]

    Why it matters

    Fuel moves farms, mines and transport in Niger, so shortages reach well beyond the pumps. [6]

    How it works

    Oil is useless to drivers until refined, and the industry calls it downstream: refining, storage and delivery. [6]

    Niger produces and exports crude, yet lacks enough refined fuel, because its refining and delivery fall short. [6]

    Seen it before

    A wheat farmer can still run out of bread if the bakery is closed.

    The truth

    • The shipment is a short-term answer rather than a permanent one, AllAfrica's report says. [6]
14. 22

    Dangote plans a fuel pipeline from Namibia

    What happened

    • Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote launched a fuel depot and pipeline project in Namibia, worth 41.6 billion Namibian dollars. [33]
    • It includes a depot for about 600 million litres, or about 4 million barrels. [33]
    • About 360 million litres would be diesel and 240 million petrol. [33]
    • A network of about 1,700 kilometres of pipeline would follow, subject to surveys and approvals. [33]

    Why it matters

    It is meant to serve Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and parts of DR Congo. [33]

    How it works

    Economists call this the cost of being landlocked: goods must cross a neighbour's land before they arrive. [33]

    Dangote says a pipeline from Walvis Bay lowers that cost for those countries. [33]

    Seen it before

    A house far from the shops pays more for delivery than one next door.

    The truth

    • Dangote told Namibia's president prices will be "much, much cheaper", and the report gives no figure. [33]
15. 23

    China's big batteries grow 63% in a year

    What happened

    • China's new energy storage, mostly batteries, reached 167 gigawatts at the end of September, up 63% in a year. [7]
    • China's energy agency counted 135.93 gigawatts at the end of 2025. [7]
    • The batteries hold power for longer: 2.61 hours on average, up about 0.27 hours. [7]
    • They also worked more: about 915 hours in 9 months, around 10 hours more than a year before. [7]

    Why it matters

    Wind and solar passed 2.01 terawatts, about 48.7% of China's installed power capacity. [7]

    Storage takes in that surplus and releases it later. [7] Less wasted wind and solar helped cut coal power this summer. [1]

    How it works

    Power engineers call this load shifting: storing power when it is plentiful, then releasing it when it is needed. [7]

    In western Inner Mongolia, storage supplied up to 12.25 gigawatts in an emergency, about 33% of demand at that moment. [7]

    Seen it before

    A lunchbox packed in the morning feeds you at noon, when the kitchen is shut.

    The truth

    • Who gains China's battery makers — The government's target of 300 gigawatts by 2030 means nearly double today's fleet to build. [7]

    Good news

    • In western Inner Mongolia, big batteries supplied up to 12.25 gigawatts during an emergency, about a third of what that grid needed at the time.

    What comes next

    About 96% are lithium-ion. [7] China aims for 300 gigawatts by 2030. [7]

16. 24

    More US solar farms come with batteries

    What happened

    • 16% of new US solar this year comes with batteries on site, the US Energy Information Administration says. [34]
    • That was around 2% in 2017. [34]

    How it unfolded

    The share jumped to 25% in 2023, then fell over 2024 and 2025. [34]

    1. 2023 25%
    2. 2024-25 fell back

    Why it matters

    In California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada, that share is more than double the national average. [34]

    How it works

    Traders call this arbitrage: buy or store when power is cheap, and sell when it is dear. [34]

    Solar pulls prices down when it is plentiful. [34] A battery lets the owner send power to the grid when prices rise. [34]

    Seen it before

    Buy a bag of apples cheap in autumn, keep them, and sell them in spring.

    What comes next

    The agency expects it to pass 30% within 2 years. [34]

17. 25

    Solar's growth meets a test on metals

    What happened

    • The world's solar capacity tripled from 1 terawatt in 2022 to 3 today, pv magazine reports. [35]
    • It models 29 to 63 terawatts by 2050, and asks whether the metals can keep up. [35]
    • Silver looks less worrying than feared: the amount per cell keeps falling as makers switch to copper. [35]
    • Cumulative silver demand to 2050 ranges from 50,000 to 600,000 tonnes, depending on that switch. [35]
    • Copper is the bigger pull: 145 to 280 million tonnes by 2050, three-quarters of it in cables. [35]
    • Tin demand could reach 30% to 64% of known reserves. [35]

    Who is involved

    IEA-PVPS is a research group under the International Energy Agency's solar programme. [35]

    Why it matters

    Yearly copper demand could reach 30% to 65% of what the world now mines. [35]

    How it works

    Material scientists call this material intensity: how much metal each watt needs. [35] It has been falling, so demand grows slower than panels. [35]

    Recycling helps little before 2050, because panels last for decades: at most 15% to 20% of demand. [35]

    Seen it before

    A thinner slice of butter on each piece of toast makes one pack last longer.

18. 26

    US blocks solar importers over stockpiling

    What happened

    • The US has blocked 30 to 50 solar importers since a September rule on stockpiling, one market report says. [36]
    • The US Commerce Department stops imports when an importer's volumes rise sharply. [36] The importer must then appeal. [36]
    • Module prices now run from the high $0.30s to the low $0.50s a watt. [36]
    • Most of the report's contacts put the chance of an extended tax credit at 50% to 60%. [36]

    Why it matters

    One California installer reports installations down about 30% this year, and sales down 40% to 50%. [36]

    How it works

    Trade economists call this a minimum import price: a floor below which goods may not be sold in. [36]

    A floor raises the price of cheap imports. [36] Makers that own more of their supply chain can price more competitively. [36]

    Seen it before

    A school tuck shop that bans cheap outside snacks can charge more for its own.

    The truth

    • Who pays US home solar installers — Lost tax credits and tight loans are expected to bring more installer bankruptcies. [36]
19. 27

    Congo weighs solar against diesel for its factories

    What happened

    • The Republic of Congo has begun a study of how to power its factories and special economic zones. [37]
    • Some firms have had to suspend production lines over power shortages. [37]
    • The study compares solar with batteries, farm-waste power, grid connections and mixed systems. [37]
    • Minister Michel Djombo called some solar offers, at XAF 130 to 150 a unit, opportunistic. [37]
    • Diesel generators can reach almost XAF 200 a unit, he said. [37]

    Why it matters

    Congo has only about 35.6 megawatts of working solar identified so far. [37]

    How it works

    Economists call this a benchmark: a reference price that lets a buyer judge a seller's offer. [37]

    Djombo said comparing prices abroad would help set a fair price, and the study should produce a benchmark. [37]

    Seen it before

    Knowing what a phone sells for in other shops tells you when one shop is asking too much.

    The truth

    • Despite dear diesel, some firms still will not commit, waiting for prices to become clearer. [37]
20. 28

    Malawi lets homes feed solar to the grid

    What happened

    • Malawi has launched net metering, which lets homes and firms send spare solar power to the grid. [38]
    • A first pilot should involve 34 users, with about 3.9 megawatts between them. [38]
    • Malawi had 105 megawatts of solar at the end of 2025. [38]

    How it unfolded

    In July it opened its first big battery, of 20 megawatts, with $20 million in grants. [38]

    Why it matters

    Malawi's grid has relied on hydropower and costly diesel backup. [38] The minister says home power will cut that reliance. [38]

    How it works

    Power regulators call it net metering: the meter counts what you send against what you use. [38]

    Seen it before

    A neighbour who lends you eggs one week and borrows them the next only settles the difference.

    The truth

    • Nobody knows yet

      Who can actually use Malawi's net metering.

      Pay rates and who is eligible nationwide still need checking, pv magazine says. [38]

21. 29

    Oman signs a solar factory plan with China's Hoymiles

    What happened

    • Hoymiles, a Chinese maker of solar inverters, signed a deal with Oman's sovereign wealth fund and others on 2 November. [39]
    • The partners plan a factory for inverters, which turn panels' power into the kind homes and grids use. [39]
    • The preliminary deal is valued at $100 million. [39]

    Who is involved

    • Hoymiles China
    • Oman Investment Authority Oman

    Why it matters

    Oman aims to get about 30% of its power from renewables by 2030. [39]

    The truth

    • The Omani fund did not say whether $100 million is the new fund's size or a wider commitment. [39]
22. 30

    Spain gets 3 new Masdar and Endesa batteries

    What happened

    • Masdar, Abu Dhabi's clean energy firm, and Spanish utility Endesa began building 3 batteries at solar plants in Spain. [40]
    • Together they cost €25.2 million and add about 60 megawatts. [40]

    Who is involved

    • Masdar Abu Dhabi
    • Endesa Spain

    Why it matters

    Spain wants 81% of its power from renewables by 2030. [40] The batteries help its grid take in more clean power. [40]

    What comes next

    The batteries sit in Extremadura and Andalusia, and should run by the end of next year. [40]

23. 31

    A German home gets a sodium battery

    What happened

    • Revolta, a Frankfurt firm, has fitted its first sodium-ion home battery near Aschaffenburg, Germany. [41]
    • It holds 10 kilowatt hours, in 5 modules. [41] The list price is €2,995. [41]
    • The home already has 20 kilowatts of solar and a small hydro plant in a former mill. [41]

    Why it matters

    The owner wanted more energy independence, and Revolta says it has sold out for 2026. [41]

    The truth

    • Revolta did not disclose its life in cycles or its efficiency. [41]

    What comes next

    It is a pilot, and more homes in Germany will follow in coming weeks, with data collected. [41]

24. 32

    Eaton says data centres will move to direct current

    What happened

    • The boss of Eaton, a big maker of electrical equipment, says data centres are moving to 800-volt direct current. [11]
    • Eaton's solid-state transformer, a smaller and more efficient device, passed all tests under a new industry standard, it says. [11]
    • One US test of such a device cut power losses in half against a normal setup. [11]
    • Eaton tracks 366 gigawatts of announced data centres, against 50 gigawatts installed. [11]
    • Its third-quarter sales hit a record $8.9 billion, up 28%. [11]

    Why it matters

    A McKinsey analysis says 800-volt designs could cut data centres' non-computing building costs by up to 18%. [11]

    How it works

    Electrical engineers call it conversion loss: power lost as heat each time it changes form. [11]

    Seen it before

    Each time you pour water from one jug to another, a little spills.

    The truth

    • Eaton's boss, Paulo Ruiz, says "the timing of that transition is not under our control". [11]
    • Who gains Eaton and other makers of power equipment — Its order backlog in the Americas rose 33% to $16 billion as data centres and utilities buy. [11]
25. 33

    BYD's new electric saloon starts near $22,500

    What happened

    • BYD, a Chinese carmaker, launched its second Seal 07, a car about the size of a Toyota Camry. [42]
    • The electric version starts at about $22,500 in China. [42]
    • BYD says it can charge from 10% to 70% in 5 minutes. [42]
    • It claims up to 481 miles of range on China's test cycle. [42]

    Why it matters

    Electric cars reached a record 67% of China's car sales in September. [1]

26. 34

    Used electric Fords sell in 20 days

    What happened

    • Used Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickups are selling in about 20 days, against 44 for used vehicles in general. [43]
    • They cost 50% to 60% of the original sticker price. [43]
    • Prices are up 4% this year, to about $50,000, Edmunds says. [43]

    How it unfolded

    Ford stopped making them last December, as its boss said high-end electric models were not selling. [43]

    Why it matters

    Electrek says the used sales show buyers want electric pickups, at the right price. [43]

    How it works

    Economists call this price elasticity: how much buying changes when the price does. [43]

    At $60,000 to $70,000 the pickup was not so attractive, Electrek says. [43] At $40,000 used, it suddenly is. [43]

    Seen it before

    Trainers nobody buys at full price vanish from the shelf in the sale.

    What comes next

    Ford plans a new electric pickup, the Fathom, under $30,000 in late 2027. [43]

27. 35

    Hyundai recalls Kona Electrics over airbags

    What happened

    • Hyundai is recalling 29,058 Kona Electric cars because a software fault can switch off the airbags. [44]
    • The total recall covers 37,901 vehicles, including the Veloster N. [44]
    • Data can be corrupted if power drops while the system is writing to memory. [44]
    • Hyundai knows of 331 incidents, and none caused a crash, fire or injury. [44]

    Why it matters

    The fault could stop an airbag working in a crash, though no injuries are reported. [44]

    What comes next

    Dealers update the software for free, and owners get letters from 1 January. [44]

28. 36

    Garbage patch may be changing the sea's colour

    What happened

    • Waters around the Great Pacific Garbage Patch got brighter in blue and green from 2002 to 2022, a study finds. [45]
    • Blue light rose about 10% and green 2% to 4%, across parts of the patch. [46]
    • The team, at the University of Bergen in Norway, used 3 sets of satellite data. [46] Computer runs made that pattern over 4 times as likely with plastic. [46]

    Who is involved

    The patch lies between Hawaii and California. [46] It covers about 1.6 million square kilometres, with nearly 80,000 tonnes of plastic. [46]

    How it unfolded

    1. 2002 satellite record begins
    2. 2022 brighter blue and green

    Why it matters

    If it holds, the team hopes satellites can point to where plastic gathers, and so where to clean up. [45]

    How it works

    Ocean scientists read what is in the water from the colour of light it sends back to satellites. [46]

    Plastic bits scatter light strongly and absorb little. [46] So more plastic would make the water look brighter from space. [46]

    Seen it before

    A glass of water with a little milk looks paler, even before you can see any drops.

    The truth

    • It is not yet proof: nobody took samples from the water to check. [45] Another scientist, Tim Smyth, calls it evidence of a potential signature. [46]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether plastic really is changing the Pacific's colour.

      The researchers have not sampled the water, and satellites did not all agree on how much it brightened. [45] [46]

29. 37

    Worse warming could stall climate action, study argues

    What happened

    • New research argues the worse climate change gets, the harder it could become to stop, writes James Dyke, one author. [47]
    • Debt is one example: damage from extreme weather makes it harder for at-risk countries to repay loans. [47]
    • Politics is another: Spain's far-right Vox party gained after the Valencia floods of 2024, Dyke writes. [47]
    • Vox blamed the left's environmental policies for people's danger, although warming made the floods more likely. [47]

    How it unfolded

    1. First map the loops
    2. Then anticipate disruption
    3. Then govern for instability

    Why it matters

    It challenges a common assumption, that worse disasters will make people act. [47]

    How it works

    Systems scientists call this a feedback loop: the result of a change feeds back into its cause. [47]

    Trust is easier to destroy than build, the authors argue, so the loop down can beat the loop up. [47]

    Seen it before

    Falling behind in class makes lessons harder, which makes you fall further behind.

    The truth

    • This is one group's argument, built from examples, not a measured result. [47]

    What comes next

    The authors call it derailment risk, and propose mapping the loops and planning for instability. [47]

30. 38

    Beavers kept a Cheshire wetland wet through drought

    What happened

    • Beavers help keep water levels steady, making land more able to withstand drought, University of Liverpool research finds. [48]
    • They have since produced 7 young and reshaped the land, with dense woodland replaced by water. [48]

    Who is involved

    The study was based at an enclosure in Hatchmere, Cheshire, where 2 beavers arrived in 2020. [48]

    How it unfolded

    Beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century, the BBC reports. [48]

    Why it matters

    Wet peat locks up carbon, and water stays for the plants and birds around it. [48]

    How it works

    Ecologists call beavers ecosystem engineers: animals that change the land for everything else. [48]

    Their dams hold water back and let it out slowly, so peat stays wet. [48]

    Seen it before

    A sponge under a dripping tap stays damp long after the tap is off.

    The truth

    • Beavers can also dam the wrong places and fell valued trees, and Baker says the gains are larger. [48]

    Good news

    • During the July 2022 drought, the enclosure stayed wet throughout, Baker says. [48]

    What comes next

    England now allows licensed releases into the wild, and author Melanie Baker hopes this adds to the case. [48]

31. 39

    A rare damselfly returns to a restored chalk river

    What happened

    • An endangered insect, the scarce blue-tailed damselfly, was seen beside a restored stretch of England's River Ash. [49]

    Who is involved

    It is one of about 260 chalk rivers in the world. [49]

    How it unfolded

    The 4.3-mile stretch was put back on its original course last year. [49]

    Why it matters

    Britain's dragonfly society lists 8 species as endangered, twice the number in 2008. [49]

    Good news

    • Brown trout are already spawning on new gravel beds, and mayflies and stoneflies have increased. [49]
32. 40

    Gaza's displaced build wind turbines from scraps

    What happened

    • Homemade wind turbines spin above a displacement camp in al-Mawasi, near Khan Yunis in Gaza. [50]
    • Parts were salvaged from destroyed homes, and the power is stored in batteries. [50]

    Who is involved

    Kamal Al-Dabary, 60, a former engineering student, built them from scooter motors and water tanks. [50]

    • Kamal Al-Dabary built them

    Why it matters

    Solar panels now cost nearly $5,000, and much of Gaza's power network is destroyed. [50]

    Good news

    • The turbines give just enough power for phones, lights, fans and razors. [50]
33. 41

    Warehouse roofs carry New Jersey's shared solar

    What happened

    • Faropoint, a property firm, has started the first of 16 community solar projects on New Jersey warehouses. [51]
    • Together they add over 10 megawatts, or about 12.7 million kilowatt hours a year. [51]
    • At least half of each project's power is kept for low and moderate income households. [51]

    Why it matters

    Community solar lets people who rent, or have unsuitable roofs, subscribe and get credits on their bills. [51]

    The truth

    • The firm and its adviser have not announced prices or completion dates. [51]