Australia's National Electricity Market (NEM) saw renewable energy sources, including storage, supply over 51% of its power for the first time in the December 2025 quarter. This milestone, detailed by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), marks a significant shift in the nation's energy landscape, with solar power playing a crucial role and coal generation reaching an all-time quarterly low.
Frontieras North America has finalized the acquisition of 183 acres in Mason County, West Virginia, for a proposed $850 million FASForm™ coal reformation facility. The project is expected to create over 2,000 construction jobs and more than 200 permanent positions, transforming coal into fuels, fertilizers, and industrial carbon products with zero waste.
Britain set a new record for renewable electricity generation in 2025, with clean sources supplying 47% of the nation's power. Despite this surge, households continue to face elevated energy bills, largely due to the electricity market's structure which links prices to gas.
Spain has initiated the RENOVAL 2 program, a €355 million subsidy scheme aimed at bolstering domestic manufacturing of renewable energy equipment. Funded by the EU's NextGenerationEU, the initiative seeks to strengthen Spain's industrial value chain across solar, wind, storage, and green hydrogen technologies, with applications open from January 22 to February 25, 2026.
Researchers at China's EAST 'artificial sun' reactor have overcome a long-standing fusion limit by maintaining plasma stability at extreme densities, achieving a 'density-free regime'. This breakthrough, published in Science Advances, marks a significant step towards practical fusion energy.
Japan is significantly boosting its investment in geothermal energy, aiming to nearly triple its installed capacity to 1.5 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. This strategic move, driven by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), seeks to leverage the nation's vast geothermal potential and enhance energy security while addressing climate goals.
ACCIONA Energía has activated its 50 MW biomass power plant in Logrosan, Cáceres, now supplying 380 GWh of clean energy annually to the Spanish grid. The facility, utilizing forestry waste, is projected to prevent over 187,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and generate substantial local employment, contributing to forest management and rural economic development.
China has unveiled the world's largest liquid-air energy storage plant, dubbed the 'Super Air Power Bank,' in the Gobi Desert near Golmud city. This innovative facility, capable of powering 30,000 homes, utilizes cryogenic technology to store energy, marking a significant advancement in renewable energy integration.
Argentine power producer YPF Luz has brought the initial 100-MW phase of its El Quemado solar farm in Mendoza into commercial operation, significantly boosting its solar generation capacity. This project, set to reach 305 MW, marks a key milestone for renewable energy in Argentina and is the first under the RIGI investment framework.
Belarus has officially decided to construct a third power unit at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP) in Ostrovets. This strategic move aims to further enhance the nation's energy independence and meet growing domestic electricity demand, building on the success of the plant's two operational units.
Moldova's Ministry of Energy has initiated a tender for the construction of wind farms totaling 170 megawatts, a first for the country to mandate integrated energy storage systems of 44 megawatt-hours. This initiative aims to bolster energy security and contribute significantly to Moldova's 2030 renewable energy targets.
Petrobras has signed an agreement to acquire a 49.99% stake in Lightsource BP's Brazilian subsidiaries, forming a joint venture to develop onshore renewable energy projects in Brazil. This strategic move marks Petrobras' entry into the solar power generation segment, aligning with its 2026-2030 business plan for portfolio diversification and decarbonization.
Ubombo Sugar Limited has signed an E1.3 billion Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with India-based ISGEC Heavy Engineering Limited for a new biomass co-generation power plant in Eswatini. This project, targeting commercial operation by June 2028, aims to add 40MW to the national grid, significantly boosting the nation's energy security and reducing reliance on imports.
Estonian transmission system operator Elering is progressing with the planning phase for the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor, a significant pipeline project designed to connect Finland and Germany via Estonia. This initiative, part of a broader European effort, aims to establish a robust hydrogen transmission infrastructure across six Baltic Sea countries, with the planning phase expected to conclude by early 2027.
China has successfully connected the world's first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power generator to its national grid. Located at a steel plant in Guizhou, the 30-megawatt system, developed by CNNC, marks a significant advance in waste heat recovery and holds promise for future nuclear technology.
Montenegro anticipates a significant 58% increase in electricity output by 2026, driven by the restart of the Pljevlja thermal power plant after ecological reconstruction and substantial investments in new solar and wind energy projects. This aims to boost energy independence and create a surplus.
Indonesia's state-owned energy company Pertamina has announced a significant discovery of up to 724 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) in unconventional hydrocarbon reserves within the Rokan block in Riau. This marks the largest finding for Pertamina in a decade, bolstering national energy production capacity and highlighting the potential of unconventional resources in Indonesia.
Students from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia have secured first place in the inaugural 'White Gold Rush' competition, focusing on natural hydrogen as a low-carbon energy alternative. The event, held in Dhahran, saw KFUPM teams outperform competitors from Canada's University of Waterloo, highlighting innovative approaches to sustainable energy.
Slovenia's Krsko nuclear power plant generated a net 29,621 MWh of electricity in October, surpassing its operational target by 23.4%. This notable achievement occurred despite the plant undergoing a scheduled month-long overhaul, underscoring its efficiency and critical role in the region's energy supply.
Indonesia's Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Task Force (SKK Migas) announced plans to auction 75 oil and gas working areas by 2027. This initiative aims to boost exploration, secure future energy supplies, and revive the nation's declining oil production, with a focus on attracting private investment.
