In Indonesia, United Nations agencies are collaborating with the Government to modernize the electricity grid, improve energy efficiency, and reduce energy-intensive industries. Efforts include identifying solar energy potential, conducting energy audits, and supporting eco-industrial parks. The UN is also assisting Indonesia in unlocking finance for renewable energy projects and supporting workers through the energy transition. Additionally, UNDP is bringing cleaner energy technologies to coastal communities to reduce fuel consumption and support livelihoods, while UN Women and UNEP are empowering women entrepreneurs to access green finance and adopt climate-smart technologies. These initiatives aim to empower women, expand economic opportunities, and ensure that the benefits of the energy transition reach more people in Indonesia.
Category: Transportation
Cut emissions:
– Enhance Efficiency
– Shift to Alternatives
– Electrify Vehicles
– Switch Fuels
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The EV Battery Call Is Coming From Inside The House
The US energy storage startup QuantumScape is making strides in solid-state lithium-metal EV battery technology, partnering with companies like Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, and Corning for advancements in battery manufacturing. Former Tesla Motors co-founder JB Straubel has joined QuantumScape to accelerate the transition to solid-state batteries, while Mark Marbury brings defense application experience to the company's Strategic Advisory Board. Despite setbacks in domestic EV battery manufacturing, companies like Anthro Energy, Dragonfly Energy, and Factorial Energy are pushing forward with their plans. QuantumScape's progress represents a significant step towards commercial-level production of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, aligning with the shift towards federal electrification technology.
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ComEd, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Honor 9 Communities Advancing EV Readiness Across Northern Illinois
ComEd, in partnership with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, recognized nine communities in northern Illinois for graduating from the 2026 EV Readiness Program, aimed at preparing municipalities for the growth of electric vehicles through improved policies, permitting, and first-responder readiness. The state of Illinois has a goal of having one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030 under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, with the EV Readiness Program supporting communities in updating zoning codes, streamlining processes, and training first responders to support EV adoption. ComEd has invested over $200M in EV incentive and rebate funding to support the transition to electric transportation, focusing on equity investment eligible communities and low-income customers to drive investment and promote long-term sustainability in the region.
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Huawei’s FusionSolar9.0 solution aims to redefine optimal LCOE for utility-scale solar projects
Huawei's FusionSolar 9.0 solution addresses key challenges facing utility-scale solar PV projects by improving LCOE through minimizing BOS costs, increasing power density, boosting energy yield, and enhancing reliability with features like self-cleaning and anti-icing technologies. The solution also includes grid forming capabilities that enable the generation of reactive power within 10 ms to cope with transient voltage instability. Smart Virtual Inertia technology can further enhance frequency stability and increase the short-circuit-ratio of PV plants, improving renewable energy transmission capability. Grid-forming inverters not only automatically recover reactive power at night but also provide off-grid power supply during the commissioning phase of a solar farm, using self-generated PV power for equipment testing. These advancements are cost-saving, environmentally friendly, and enable faster grid-connection compared to diesel generators.
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Agrivoltaics Gets A Huge Thumbs-Up With Bipartisan Support
Agrivoltaics, the practice of combining crops with solar panels, is gaining traction in Virginia with the introduction of legislation such as SB 340/HB 508 to support and accelerate this transition. The bill defines agrivoltaics as co-locating agricultural production and solar energy generation, emphasizing the need for projects to complement existing farm businesses. Supported by the PEC and passed with bipartisan support, the legislation also promotes on-farm energy storage and virtual power plants to enable farmers to collaborate with local utilities. The Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows serves as a model for small-scale, distributed generation and storage opportunities, showcasing the benefits of crop-based agrivoltaics systems in achieving energy independence and sustainability.
https://cleantechnica.com/2026/06/18/agrivoltaics-virginia-solar-energy-storage-conserve-farmland/
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Solar With Firming Now Beating Gas In Asia, & EVs Could Save Region $350 Billion A Year
A new report highlights the potential for Asia to save $350 billion annually on oil imports by electrifying its fleets, with China leading the way in plugin vehicle sales. The importance of switching to electric transport to reduce oil import dependence is emphasized, alongside the increasing use of solar and wind power in the region. Solar plus batteries are shown to outcompete LNG on price across Asia, with the cost of round-the-clock solar-plus-battery power now below $100/MWh in most areas. This shift to clean energy will not only keep money within Asian economies but also reduce pollution and health problems, emphasizing the rapid deployment of electrotech as a climate solution.
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“Electro-tech super-levers:” How solar, batteries and EVs are beating out gas and oil across Asia
Ember's report highlights how firmed solar is now cheaper than new gas power capacity in Asia, and electrifying road transport could save $US300 billion in oil imports. Asia's dependence on fossil fuel imports costs $US1.1 trillion annually, despite having vast solar and wind resources. The region's manufacturing dominance in solar panels, batteries, and wind turbines positions it to transition to electrotech and reduce fuel import dependency. Solar plus batteries are already cheaper than LNG in most of Asia, with predictions that they will outcompete LNG everywhere in Asia by 2030. With solar plus battery power addressing the supply side and EVs solving the demand side, Asia could save over $300 billion a year in oil imports and halve its oil imports within twenty years by electrifying its fleet.
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Solar tracker pneumatic actuator design study improves efficiency up to 66.4%
A study in Iraq tested solar tracker pneumatic actuator design, resulting in efficiency increases of 62.3% and 66.4% on test panels for dual-axis solar trackers in harsh climates. The actuators, utilizing double-acting pneumatic cylinders, were found to be well-suited for urban, rural, and rugged isolated solar applications. Additionally, air spring actuation is being highlighted for its cost-effectiveness and simplicity, recommended for urban and rural solar projects in Australia as the country advances into the solar era.
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Perovskite tandem PV for agrivoltaics
Researchers from Cornell University conducted a life-cycle assessment on integrating advanced perovskite tandem PV into agrivoltaic lettuce production in the US, comparing different technologies with conventional silicon PV. The study evaluated greenhouse gas emissions, water impacts, and potential benefits of agrivoltaics, showing that retrofitting US lettuce farmland with agrivoltaics could have significant environmental benefits. Next-generation agrivoltaics have the strongest potential in water-scarce regions like California's Southern Desert and Arizona, with responsible design transforming farmland into a platform for integrated food production, clean energy generation, and water conservation. The research, presented in a paper titled "Advancing Food-Energy-Water Sustainability with Scalable Perovskite Tandem Agrivoltaics" published in Nexus, highlights the potential of agrivoltaics to simultaneously produce food, generate clean electricity, reduce emissions, conserve water, and ease land-use competition.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/06/17/perovskite-tandem-pv-for-agrivoltaics/
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Chart of the Day: Farewell King Coal, long live King Solar (and wind and batteries)
In 2025, the world saw a significant shift towards renewable energy with 814 GW of new solar and wind capacity installed, surpassing the 158 GW of gross fossil fuel capacity. This transition has resulted in renewables overtaking coal in global electricity production for the first time, marking the end of the era of King Coal. Solar energy is leading the fastest shift in electricity generation in history, signaling the arrival of the age of King Solar, Wind, and Batteries. The trend towards renewable energy is still accelerating, highlighting the importance of continued investment and innovation in climate solutions.