Energy
Transitioning to a world powered by renewable energy is key to tackling climate change. Here you can find the latest good news related to our clean energy transition, covering wind, solar, green hydrogen, hydropower, and more.
Canadian project addresses global insect crisis
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Insects, the often-overlooked building blocks of our ecosystems, are disappearing at an alarming rate. "Of all the mass extinctions we have experienced in the past, the one affecting insects is happening a thousand times faster," cautions Maxim Larrivée, Read More...
How Minnesota’s Sherco Solar is leading a clean energy revolution
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The biggest coal plant in Minnesota is going through a major makeover. The Sherburne County Generating Station, known as Sherco, is transitioning from a coal-fired legacy to a renewable energy hub. Sherco Solar, owned by Xcel Energy and currently in the Read More...
Stronger concrete, cleaner landfills—how scrap carpet fibers are reinventing construction
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Concrete is the foundation of modern civilization, but its notorious tendency to crack isn’t just a construction headache—it’s a multi-billion-dollar problem. In Australia alone, repairing cracks in reinforced concrete structures costs a staggering $8 Read More...
Changemakers of the week: Lowlander Center and Ridwell
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every day on the Optimist Daily, we report on solutions from around the world. Though we love solutions big and small, the ones that emerge from our local communities often have the greatest impact. We can’t believe we’re already at the fifth round of Read More...
Melting Antarctic glacier raises alarm, but Arctic sea ice project offers hope
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As the globe grapples with the growing effects of climate change, a fresh study from Antarctica has revealed alarming findings: the Thwaites Glacier, sometimes known as the "Doomsday Glacier," is retreating at an unprecedented rate. The disintegration of this Read More...
In 4 years, US power grid increased battery storage to the equivalent of 20 nuclear reactors
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As climate-related disasters worsen and the need for renewable energy grows, the United States has resorted to large-scale battery storage to help maintain its power grid. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), more than 20 Read More...
Recycling old cables can help meet the copper demand for green technology
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM UK households are sitting on a hidden treasure: millions of unused cables that may help meet the soaring worldwide demand for copper. According to the Recycle Your Electricals initiative, there are over 627 million unused cables in UK households, totaling Read More...
Britain becomes the first G7 nation to end coal power
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Britain became the first G7 country to formally eliminate coal-fired power generation last Monday, when it closed its final coal power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire. This historic occasion marks the end of over 140 years of coal power in the Read More...
Largest heat pump in existence will soon warm 30,000 homes in Finland
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Helsinki, Finland's capital, is on track to finish building the world's largest air-to-water heat pump, which will heat 30,000 households while drastically lowering carbon emissions. This gigantic heat pump, which will create 200 GWh of electricity each year, Read More...
The world’s largest wind-powered cargo ship makes her maiden transatlantic voyage
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a world where the shipping industry is wrestling with its environmental impact, a French startup called TOWT (TransOceanic Wind Transport) is presenting a solution that is both novel and rooted in centuries-old technology: wind. TOWT's wind-powered Read More...