From the apocalypse files: A new Energy Information Administration analysis shows that pollution from California's dreadful wildfires has substantially curtailed solar power generation in the state.
Why it matters: Everything's connected. The growing wildfires in California — a problem worsened in part by global warming — create complications for one of the power sources that can help fight climate change.
The University of Cambridge said this morning that it "aims to divest from all direct and indirect investments in fossil fuels by 2030" and plans to ramp up renewable energy investments.
Why it matters: With one of the largest endowments in Europe at £3.5 billion ($4.45 billion), the U.K. school " arguably becomes the most prominent university to aim for divestment," per Institutional Investor.
A brief new study makes the case that Democrats are curtailing their travel more than Republicans during the pandemic.
Why it matters: Transportation analyst Michael Sivak's report provides another window into the forces that have caused a steep drop in oil demand during the crisis.
America’s nascent offshore wind industry is getting a boost with news Thursday that should make it easier to support the sector's massive infrastructure.
Driving the news: Denmark-based Ørsted, the world’s leading offshore wind developer, has inked a multi-million-dollar deal with a U.S. shipbuilder to construct the sector’s first ship that's compliant with a law controlling shipping goods in U.S. waters.
More than 1,700 firefighters are battling 26 major wildfires across California, including in the heart of the wine country, where one mega-blaze claimed the lives of three people and forced thousands of others to evacuate this week.
The big picture: More than 8,100 wildfires have burned across a record 3.9 million-plus acres, killing 29 people and razing almost 7,900 structures in California this year, per Cal Fire. Just like the deadly blazes of 2017, the wine country has become a wildfires epicenter. Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in Napa, Sonoma, and Shasta counties.
A group of energy industry veterans announced Tuesday that they are launching a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) aimed specifically at taking climate tech startups public.
Why it matters: They're self-branding as "the world’s first climate-focused" SPAC to launch.
The debate was a mess as moderator Chris Wallace struggled with President Trump's interruptions. But let's analyze the climate parts anyway without normalizing the whole thing.
Why it matters: The contest provided a collision over the topic between Trump and Joe Biden, and underscored the two candidates' immense differences.
Royal Dutch Shell will shed up to 9,000 jobs as it undergoes a long-term restructuring around climate-friendly energy sources and continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic that has battered the oil industry.
Why it matters: The cuts could amount to over 10% of the company's global workforce, which was 83,000 at the end of 2019.
