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What mattered this week

Screw Trump, energy transition still on - Britain edition

What happened? UK’s Starmer doubled down on Net Zero plans, including major changes to planning regs to speed projects
Why does this need your attention? Despite UK political heat, Labour is sticking to its guns 💪
Best commentary: Politico “Starmer bets on green patriotism to beat fossil fuels — and Farage”

And - companies will transition anyway

What happened? E3G’s 15 country, 1500 company survey showed huge support for new energy. 93% want on-site renewables; 52% will move operations if governments do nothing; 55% UK executives believe renewables drive economic growth.
Why does this need your attention? It’s economics, stupid: Renewables are getting cheap, fast.
Best commentary: E3G’s report; FT commentary (£)

China’s massive solar production: Nuts doesn’t cover it 🥜 🌰 

What happened? In March alone, China manufactured a staggering 78GW of solar panels. Equivalent to building 1.5 big nuclear reactors - every single day 🤯🤯🤯
Why does this need your attention? This scale and this speed is astonishing.
Best commentary: Bloomberg (£)

One thing to worry about

Almost every country is shattering April temperature records (@extremetemps).

• Red alerts in Thailand with ‘feel like’ reaching 55°C 🚨 

• Even at 2,500m altitude in Mexico it’s still 30°C ⛰️

• South Africa’s autumn? 40°C 🥵 

• Saudi’s hottest April day ever - 46.2°C ☀️

• Kuwait 48.9°C - first time above 46°C in April 🔥 

• Ukraine hitting 29°C

Global heating. 😥 

One thing to be optimistic about

The UK has hit 100,000 electric car chargers (Transport+Energy)

So we will likely meet 2030’s big goal of 300,000 with ease. Turns out, if people set their minds to things…

If you’ve got more time, read this…

6 billion people rely on fossil fuel imports - but soon, they won’t need to.

Shipping in fossils means price hikes, supply shocks, and the occasional geopolitical tantrum. Renewables changes this, points out Ember Energy’s excellent new report this week.

The sun and wind shine everywhere. So: install renewables, add electric vehicles, heat pumps, and electricify industrial processes.

Globally, fossil imports might drop 70% and save $1.3T/year. Some say oil is now in structural decline (but probably not gas).

China is doing this: going off grid. Others else will follow. Geopolitics will change.

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