Solar + Storage bring reliability to the grid this summer
A new reliability assessment from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) states that the U.S. grid appears to be in relatively good shape to handle the summer heat this year.
The report contradicts the Trump administration's claims that keeping aging fossil-fueled plants open is needed in order to prevent blackouts. Over the last year, the Department of Energy has forced five coal plants and one oil- and gas-fired power plant to stay online past their planned retirements, citing an energy emergency that grid experts say simply does not yet exist.
However, it's not the presence of expensive old fossil-fueled power plants that has put the grid in a relatively good position heading into the summer — it's the rapid expansion of solar and energy storage. Data shows that approximately 75 GW of new solar and storage have been added to the grid since this time last year.
To be clear, some regions still face an elevated risk of power shortages as temperatures rise.
NERC's report says New England, the Pacific Northwest, West Texas, and Canada's Saskatchewan province could face potential electricity shortfalls if they experience "abnormal summer conditions," like elevated temperatures that push up air-conditioning demand. The Pacific Northwest which relies heavily on hydropower, would suffer power shortages under drought conditions.
Tariffs on Chinese and Taiwanese solar imports extended
The U.S. International Trade Commission voted to maintain trade protections on crystalline silicon photovoltaic products imported from China and Taiwan. Initial duties were enacted in 2014 and over the years have reached rates as high as 165 percent for certain Chinese products and 44 percent for Taiwanese exporters.
The commission voted in favor of the continuation during an expedited five-year sunset review.
Commission members determined that revoking the current antidumping and countervailing duty orders for Chinese and Taiwanese imports would cause material injury to domestic manufacturers.
Coal pollution is making solar less effective
New research led by the University of Oxford and University College London has revealed that pollution from coal-fired power plants is reducing the energy output of solar PV installations, particularly where these power plants are installed side by side.
The researchers calculated just how much sunlight is lost from pollution from coal powered plants and how this pollution reduces electricity generation. They found that aerosols, which are emitted when coal is burned, reduced global solar electricity output by 5.8 percent in 2023.
That loss amounts to about 111 TWh of lost energy, the amount equivalent to the energy generated by 18 medium-sized coal-fired power plants.
Between 2017 and 2023, new PV installations added an average of 246.6 TWh of electricity each year. Aerosol-related losses from existing solar PV systems, based on this research, amounted to about 74.0 TWh annually. That's nearly one-third of the gains from new PV installations.
This effect is particularly evident in China, where solar and coal capacity have expanded in parallel and are often co-located.
Solar and wind generated more electricity globally than gas
A recent analysis from Ember shows that April 2026 marked the first time globally that electricity generation from solar and wind exceeded that from natural gas. The two renewable sources accounted for 22 percent of global electricity generation, while gas-fired power plants supplied 20 percent.
According to the study, wind and solar have to date surpassed natural gas in only a single month and not on an annual basis.
Critics pan Ferrari's first electric vehicle
The Italian automaker Ferrari unveiled the all-new Luce EV last week to less than rave reviews.
Ferrari played up the performance aspects of the EV, stating that the Luce offers 1,000 horsepower, can hit 100 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour) in 2.5 seconds and has a range of more than 530 kilometers (329 miles) on a single charge. It also has four electric motors — one for each wheel.
Media reports put the Luce's sticker price in Italy at a whopping 500,000 euros. U.S. pricing has not been announced.
But despite Ferrari's high hopes for its inaugural electric product, markets did not respond well to the vehicle.
Internet commenters and auto critics responded negatively, saying the Luce strays from the brand's usual high performance aesthetic.
Ferrari stock plunged 8.4 percent in Italy and U.S.-listed shares fell 5.3 percent.
Globally, Electric car sales hit 20 million last year — meaning that one in four new cars sold worldwide is electric, according to the International Energy Agency.
EV sales increased by more than 30 percent in Europe in 2025. But the European car market is becoming increasingly competitive due to an influx of Chinese auto brands, which are attracting consumers with their advanced technology and lower prices.