Illinois legislators have passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, which is expected to lead to the buildout of 3 gigawatts of battery storage and the creation of a Virtual Pilot Program. The bill aims to save Illinois families and businesses $13 billion on their electricity bills over the next 20 years. The Solar Energy Industries Association praised the bill for its focus on solar, storage, and a Virtual Power Plant program, which will create jobs and empower Illinois residents. Governor Pritzker is expected to sign the bill into law, showcasing Illinois as a leader in clean energy policy.
Category: Buildings & Electricity
Cut Emissions:
– Enhance Efficiency
– Shift Energy Sources
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The Built Environment reimagined: What trees can teach us about design
Andrés Mitnik, CEO of Strong by Form, is pioneering wood-based composites that mimic how trees grow to create lightweight, low-carbon materials for buildings, furniture, and vehicles. The company's breakthrough material, Woodflow®, uses digital modeling and robotic forming to create three-dimensional wood composites that are 90% natural material yet rival steel in performance. By learning from trees, Strong by Form is able to create thin yet powerful composites that can replace carbon-intensive materials in various structures. Collaboration is a key design principle for the company, working with scientists, engineers, and architects to ensure new technologies can be safely scaled and adopted. The interconnectedness of nature and innovation, highlighted by the Biomimicry Institute's AskNature Hive, emphasizes the importance of learning from nature to drive sustainable practices and create energy-efficient and restorative spaces in the Built Environment. The partnership between One Earth and the Biomimicry Institute focuses on collaboration across science, design, and local action to accelerate progress towards a thriving planet by working together with each other and with the natural world.
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China Dives in on the World’s First Wind-Powered Undersea Data Center
The UDC project in Shanghai is a model of environmental sustainability, utilizing offshore wind turbines to generate over 95% of its electricity and reducing energy consumption by 22.8%. The unique wind resources of the East China Sea support this initiative, which also reduces land usage by over 90% and eliminates the need for fresh water. Shanghai's goal to become a global innovation hub includes plans for further development in the cloud computing industry, with the UDC project serving as a stepping stone towards a larger offshore wind-powered project in the future.
https://www.wired.com/story/china-dives-in-on-the-worlds-first-wind-powered-undersea-data-center/
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C40 cities on track for 50 million good green jobs by 2030 as mayors deliver on World Mayors Summit job creation pledge
C40 Cities are committed to delivering 50 million green jobs by 2030, with a focus on inclusive economic growth and city-led climate action. The recent data highlights the importance of creating good green jobs in sectors like waste management, construction, transport, and energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve well-being. Mayors are accelerating investments in sustainable initiatives and working towards a just transition, recognizing the central role of cities in driving global climate and economic progress. Efforts are being made to address gender and equity gaps in green jobs, with a focus on providing fair wages, safe working conditions, and stable employment for all workers. The World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro will further emphasize the need to scale up finance for city-led climate action and strengthen skills training to drive the transition to a green economy.
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EVChaja Looks To Scale Its Electric Corporate Shuttle & B2B Electric Van Service In Kenya
Kenyan company EVChaja is expanding its electric van operations and charging network to establish a 100% electric staff transport network, integrating solar-powered charging and AI-based route optimization. The country's electric vehicle market is growing, with a 300% rise in electric mobility consumption and a goal of 100% renewable energy generation by 2030. By accelerating the adoption of electric mobility, Kenya can reduce CO2 emissions, decrease its fuel import bill, and decrease its heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports through utilizing excess energy from geothermal plants for overnight charging of electric vehicles. This shift towards locally generated renewable electricity could significantly advance Kenya's electric mobility sector and decrease its trade deficit.
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US Army tests Swift Solar perovskite tech in deployable microgrid
US-made perovskite tandem solar cells from Swift Solar, with record efficiencies of 34.8% achieved in 2025, were recently used in a US Department of Defense cybersecurity demonstration, marking a significant milestone in their operational deployment. These modular microgrids, integrated with perovskite solar cells, offer quick setup and relocation capabilities for disaster response, military operations, and remote power generation. By depositing a thin layer on top of conventional silicon-based solar cells, perovskite tandems can boost electricity production by up to 30%, outperforming traditional silicon cells. With exclusive IP and funding, Swift Solar is ramping up commercial production for "gigawatt-scale" production by 2030, showcasing the promising future of solar energy.
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Wärtsilä to provide DC-coupled energy storage system in Australia
Wärtsilä is working on a project in Australia to provide a large energy storage system that will help the country reach its net-zero emissions target by 2045. The system, expected to be operational by 2028, will power up to 120,000 homes and businesses by integrating solar generation with battery storage to minimize energy losses and enhance grid stability. Wärtsilä's advanced control technology will be crucial in overseeing the integration of the energy storage system and solar assets with the grid's connection requirements, showcasing a promising step towards sustainable energy solutions.
https://www.power-technology.com/news/wartsila-dc-coupled-energy-storage/