International

Surrounded by coal miners, industry leaders, the secretaries of Energy and the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, and the vice president, President Donald Trump on March 28 signed an executive order rescinding or reviewing key provisions of the previous administration’s climate agenda. “The action I’m taking today will eliminate federal overreach, restore economic […]

Nine workers were killed and two others were injured when a platform collapsed at a power plant under construction in Guangdong Province, China. The accident happened at about 8 a.m. local time on March 25 at the No. 7 Thermal Power Plant located in the provincial capital Guangzhou, according to Xinhua (the official news agency […]

Beijing, China—a city known for its dreadful air pollution—no longer has any large coal-fired power plants adding to the problem. The Huaneng Beijing Thermal Power Plant’s final unit suspended operations on March 18, marking the end of coal-fueled generation in the city. Beijing’s power is now being supplied by what Xinhua (the Chinese government’s official […]

In a ruling that stunned the nation, a district court in Japan awarded damages to 62 plaintiffs who lived near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant before the 2011 disaster, finding that plant owner Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) and the Japanese government were aware of risks to the plant and could have taken measures […]

The Trump administration released a blueprint of its proposed 2018 budget on March 16, likely setting off a major battle with Congress. The budget proposal, “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again” makes major cuts in non-defense discretionary spending over 2017. While funding for the Department of Defense is boosted $52.3 billion, […]

Six years after the Fukushima disaster prompted an electricity crisis in Japan and sent tremors throughout the world’s nuclear power sector, Japan is determined to continue its reliance on nuclear for nearly a fifth of its power needs in the long term. Nuclear will make up 20% to 22% of Japan’s power mix by 2030, […]

Several European countries have moved to adopt distinct cybersecurity measures as a result of the increased interconnectivity within Europe’s energy system along with a changing paradigm that includes decentralized power sources, the integration of electric vehicles, new digital infrastructure, and connected operational technology. According to a 2016 survey by the European Commission, at least 80% […]

Siemens has installed the prototype of its towering 8-MW offshore direct-drive wind turbine at a national test center in Østerild, Denmark, marking the company’s foray into the global race to develop mega–wind turbines. The new offshore turbine was installed on a steel tower at a hub height of 120 meters (m) in late January (Figure […]

A long-term energy strategy unveiled by leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in early January suggests that the federation on the Arabian Peninsula will increasingly rely on renewables to power its soaring economic growth. The UAE’s energy strategy was unveiled by Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is prime minister of […]