Author: Arnes Biogradlija

The U.S. Department of Energy has allocated $400 million to the Tennessee Valley Authority for the deployment of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Clinch River Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The funding, announced December 2, 2025, targets commercial operation in the early 2030s, positioning the project as the nation’s first operational commercial SMR if regulatory and construction timelines hold. The grant flows through DOE’s Generation III+ SMR program and follows TVA’s May 2025 construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik characterizes the BWRX-300 as the only commercial SMR…

Nearly 30 federal energy-efficiency standards issued in recent years — carrying an estimated compliance cost exceeding 60 billion dollars — are now at the center of a congressional effort to reverse course. As the House Energy and Commerce Committee prepares to advance a slate of deregulatory energy bills, Republican lawmakers argue these measures will curb costs and restore consumer choice, while Democrats warn of higher long-term energy use and diminished environmental performance. The committee is set to vote on seven Republican-backed proposals that collectively challenge the federal government’s role in dictating efficiency benchmarks for appliances, building systems, and fuel choices.…

Global capital expenditure in geothermal energy is projected to increase approximately 20% annually through 2030, according to Rystad Energy analysis. This expansion marks a geographic shift beyond established markets in Southeast Asia and the United States, with Africa and Europe emerging as significant deployment regions driven by distinct demand profiles and technology applications. The investment acceleration occurs amid widening recognition of geothermal’s baseload generation characteristics, though cost structures and capital allocation patterns reveal substantial variations between electricity-focused and heating-oriented projects. Regional divergence in technology priorities creates distinct market dynamics that will shape project economics and investor returns over the coming…

A projected 30,000 visitors, more than 250 companies from over 20 countries, and an international conference drawing 5,000 industry professionals are converging on a single platform in early December. This consolidation signals an accelerating shift in how Korea is positioning itself within the global hydrogen value chain. The World Hydrogen Expo 2025, running December 4 to 7 at KINTEX, integrates exhibition and conference programming into what organizers describe as a comprehensive hydrogen platform. The event’s expansion reflects a broader industry trend: hydrogen’s commercialisation increasingly requires aligned policy frameworks, investment pipelines, and coordinated supply-chain development rather than isolated demonstrations of technology.…

The accelerating energy demand from AI and high-performance computing has pushed US data center load forecasts to levels that outpace new generation additions in several regions. Against this backdrop, Deep Atomic has submitted a proposal to the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy to develop what it calls the nation’s first fully integrated nuclear-powered AI data center campus, located at Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls. The proposal arrives as utilities, regulators, and developers confront growing concerns about whether the US grid can support multi-gigawatt AI clusters without significant delays or cost escalation. The consortium behind the initiative…

When BP announced in 2021 that H2Teesside could supply more than 10 percent of the UK’s planned clean power system by 2030, it positioned blue hydrogen as a central pillar in the country’s industrial decarbonisation strategy. That projection hinged on a 1.2 gigawatt facility expected to serve major regional off-takers. The withdrawal of BP’s Development Consent Order this week, therefore, signals a deeper structural issue than a simple land-use dispute. Strategic Land Allocation and Policy MisalignmentThe immediate trigger was the Labour-backed planning approval for what is set to become Europe’s largest data centre, located directly on the same Teesworks plot…

Global aviation accounts for 2–3% of greenhouse gas emissions today, but without intervention, that share could surge toward 20% by mid-century as passenger vehicles electrify and road freight decarbonizes faster. Sustainable aviation fuel presents the most operationally compatible decarbonization pathway, yet factory-gate costs for electro-SAF remain pinned near $5.27 per kilogram in the European Union—more than six times the $0.77 wholesale kerosene benchmark. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis across multiple production pathways reveals why cost compression has stalled and which policy levers can break the impasse. The HEFA Plateau and Feedstock Arithmetic Hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids dominate current SAF output…

The approval of Recurrent Energy’s Tillbridge project comes at a moment when the UK grid is under intensifying pressure to absorb higher volumes of variable renewables. With the project’s 800 MW of solar PV paired with a 500 MW, 1,000 MWh battery system, it enters the upper tier of hybrid assets nationwide, both in terms of capacity and strategic function. The annual output estimate of 857.6 GWh positions the development as a material contributor to local supply during periods of tightening margins, particularly as the UK continues to face elevated balancing costs driven by intermittency and network constraints. The decision…

Recycled aggregates now account for 31% of Britain’s construction material demand, yet South Wales has pushed beyond national averages to demonstrate how circular construction can function at scale. At Cemex operations in the region, 40% of all UK recycled aggregate concrete produced in 2025 has originated from South Wales facilities, revealing a regional concentration of circular economy infrastructure that outpaces broader industry adoption.​ Closed Loop Systems Replace Linear Material Flows Cardiff Council’s Channel View regeneration project operates through a tightly controlled material cycle where demolition waste never leaves the local supply chain. Dauson Environmental Group processes on-site demolition material into…

The European Commission announced 235 cross-border energy projects on December 1, with at least 100 hydrogen infrastructure initiatives commanding investment exceeding €80 billion, yet regulatory authorities and industry veterans warn these pipelines risk becoming stranded assets financed by climate funds. The Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators found in 2024 that hydrogen network plans are constructed on aspirations rather than concrete market needs, increasing the likelihood of overinvestment in underutilized infrastructure.​ Gas Industry Dominance Undermines Climate Alignment Over 90% of submitted hydrogen projects originated from gas transmission operators, contradicting the 2022 revision of cross-border energy infrastructure legislation designed to synchronize…