Key developments
New York budget deal would weaken climate law
TIME reported that New York lawmakers are close to a budget deal that would weaken the state's 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The reported changes would push greenhouse-gas regulations from 2024 to 2028, replace the binding 2030 emissions target with a softer 2040 commitment, and change methane accounting so fossil-fuel emissions appear smaller; the state has already missed its 2024 rule deadline and says it will miss 2030.
Why it matters
It would be the first rollback of a binding economywide climate law in a major U.S. state and could give other governments cover to do the same.
Sources & driving stories
TIME
Time coverageOttawa unveils plan to double grid
Canada's federal government announced a clean electricity strategy aimed at doubling the national grid by 2050 and lowering household energy costs. Prime Minister Mark Carney's plan envisions more than C$1 trillion in buildout costs, about 130,000 new workers, tax credits, and retrofit support for up to one million homes, with the future mix including hydro, nuclear, wind, solar, limited gas, carbon capture, and geothermal.
Why it matters
The strategy sets the federal framework for Canada's power-system decarbonization and will shape how much gas remains in the grid buildout.
Sources & driving stories
ABC NEWS
ABC News coverageNTU reports transparent solar cell breakthrough
Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore reported ultrathin perovskite solar cells in ACS Energy Letters that are semi-transparent, color-neutral, and about 50 times thinner than conventional perovskite cells. A 60-nanometer opaque device reached roughly 12% efficiency, while a semi-transparent version transmitted about 41% of visible light and delivered 7.6% efficiency; NTU has filed a patent and is discussing validation with companies.
Why it matters
If durability and scale-up hurdles are solved, the design could expand building-integrated solar on windows, façades, wearables, and vehicles.
Sources & driving stories
DIGITAL TRENDS · Sudhanshu Kumar Mangalam
Digital Trends coverageWorth noting
WORTH NOTING
Lanai renewable bidding process starts
Hawaiian Electric is seeking proposals for a dispatchable solar-plus-storage project on Lanai that could generate up to 35,800 MWh annually and must include community-benefit spending.
WORTH NOTING
Tennessee solar ranch tests grazing
Silicon Ranch launched a 40-acre agrivoltaics site near Nashville to test whether cattle can graze under elevated panels while the array still produces about 5 MW.
Still unclear
OPEN QUESTION
Will New York keep a near-term climate checkpoint?
The proposed rollback would remove the clearest deadline pressure on implementation, so the final budget language will determine whether the law still has teeth.
OPEN QUESTION
Can NTU's cells prove stable at scale?
The reported efficiency gains are promising, but the technology still needs long-term durability and manufacturing validation before it can matter commercially.