CleanTech

Solar is one of the cleanest forms of energy, and the EU is determined to make sure it taps the giant ball of nuclear fusion in the sky to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Indeed, as part of the REPowerEU plan, the European Commission is considering a path to introduce rules that would mandate installation of rooftop solar energy panels on most new and public and commercial buildings by 2026. But not all countries in Europe get lots of sunlight. You’d think Spain would be big on solar energy generation since…

Innovation in clean tech and renewable energy is moving fast — maybe a bit too fast. While there is no shortage of clean tech solutions available in today’s market (and in the works for the future), we now have a new problem: A shortage of folks who can install and maintain the tech. The clean tech industry is expected to create 8 million jobs by the end of 2030, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency. These numbers are apparently based on current policies, and if more…

People in many parts of the world are trying to lower their impact on the climate. From companies to countries, a lot of groups have goals to reduce their environmental impact. With innovation in areas like electric vehicles, wastewater treatment and battery recycling, among many others, those goals seem easier to attain than ever before. But could it really be that easy? While much of this progress sets countries and organizations up for a cleaner future in the long run, the actual transition…

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Climate tech is back—and this time, it can’t afford to fail A cleantech bust in 2011 left almost all the renewable-energy startups in the US either dead or struggling to survive. Over a decade on, the excitement around cleantech investments and manufacturing is back, and the money is flowing again. A recent analysis estimates that total green investments…

BRUSSELS—The European Union, fresh from targeting U.S. and Chinese green-tech subsidies, Thursday set out steps to make its industries more globally competitive in emerging environmental sectors.The European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, published a raft of proposals aimed at growing Europe’s share of the global clean-tech market. The plans include measures to speed up permitting and boost workers’ skills and to help clean-tech companies secure the raw materials needed to build wind turbines, solar panels,…

BRUSSELS—Europe aims to provide more support to its domestic clean-tech industry in a push to counter subsidies from the U.S. and China, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday. In a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ms. von der Leyen said the transition away from fossil fuels was causing significant geopolitical and industrial changes. Ms. von der Leyen, who leads the EU’s executive arm, said many countries, including the U.S. and China,…