solar power

A Washington Examiner piece argues that the growing energy and cooling demands of AI data centers could eventually push this infrastructure into orbit. The idea is that space-based data centers could draw on continuous solar power and easier heat dissipation. It adds to a live debate over whether terrestrial power grids can keep up with AI's expansion, and follows growing interest among tech firms in orbital computing concepts.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, a research initiative to deploy machine learning infrastructure in space, using solar-powered satellites to run AI compute. The company published early findings on its blog, outlining plans for prototype launches. The project signals Google's ambition to overcome terrestrial energy and cooling limits for AI data centers, drawing wide attention and debate about feasibility, cost and orbital scale.

A large battery storage facility is being built in Waltrop, Germany, at a cost of around 500 million euros. The plant will use 800 containers of lithium batteries to store up to 1,800 megawatt hours of electricity and deliver up to 900 megawatts of power. It is intended to feed surplus wind and solar energy into the grid when needed, supporting Germany's transition to renewable power.

The trending term refers to an environmental news item noting that while wind and solar power are growing worldwide, fossil fuel use is rising alongside them rather than declining. The evidence consists only of a headline from the outlet Pearls and Irritations, with no post snippets or engagement figures, so readers' reactions are not visible. The piece appears to address the gap between renewable energy expansion and continued fossil fuel consumption, a long-running topic in climate and energy coverage.

The US Energy Information Administration projects solar generation in Texas will surpass coal for the first time in 2026, marking a major shift in the state that leads the country in both wind and solar capacity growth. The forecast underscores how falling solar costs and rapid buildout are displacing coal-fired power in the ERCOT grid, accelerating the energy transition in one of the world's largest power markets.

A Politico report highlights an unexpected influential figure shaping the growing conflict over solar energy development on agricultural land in the United States. As renewable projects expand into rural areas, tensions between clean energy goals and farmland preservation have intensified, and this new player is seen as having outsized sway over how the dispute unfolds.

A Florida district has begun using solar-powered robotic rabbits to combat the growing population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades. The mechanical lures mimic the heat and movement of prey, drawing pythons to designated sites where removal teams can capture them. The invasive snakes have devastated native wildlife across South Florida, and officials hope the technology offers a cheaper, more effective control method than manual searches.

Questions are being raised over whether the rapid expansion of solar power in the United States is finally losing momentum. Analysts and readers are debating the state of the industry, its growth trajectory, and what factors could be holding back new installations after years of strong gains.

CGTN's technology programme RAZOR examines whether solar power can play a role in protecting global water supplies. The segment explores solar-powered solutions for water treatment and distribution, looking at how renewable energy could ease pressure on freshwater resources facing stress from climate change and growing demand, according to the programme's coverage.

Google is reportedly testing AI chips for what it calls 'fractionalized' space data centers, an approach that would split computing workloads across satellite-based infrastructure rather than relying solely on terrestrial facilities. The idea points to a growing push among tech giants to move data center capacity into orbit, where solar power and cooling are more abundant. Details on the testing and timeline remain limited.

A new market outlook projects growth in space-based solar power through 2035, driven by rising demand for energy security. The report points to expanding investment and development in the sector as countries look to diversify energy sources. Interest in the technology continues to build as governments and industry weigh its potential role in future energy supply.