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A police officer speaks to Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg moments before she was arrested outside the InterContinental London Park Lane during the “Oily Money Out” demonstration organised by Fossil Free London and Greenpeace on the sidelines of the opening day of the Energy Intelligence Forum 2023 in London on October 17, 2023.

Henry Nicholls | Afp | Getty Images

LONDON — Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday was detained by police after joining hundreds of protesters to disrupt a major energy conference in London.

Thunberg was arrested outside the InterContinental London Park Lane hotel during the “Oily Money Out” protest organized by Fossil Free London and Greenpeace.

The demonstration was held on the first day of the Energy Intelligence Forum, a three-day gathering of major oil and gas executives, politicians, and civil society groups.

“We need direct action to take back the power from the oil elite that has gathered here today behind closed doors. Their only plan is to profit at our expense,” Nuri Syed Corser, an organizer with Fossil Free London, said in a statement.

“Arrests like these will not deter us. Our right to protest is our own, it is not given to us by the Government,” Corser added.

Among those scheduled to speak at the Energy Intelligence Forum, formerly known as the Oil and Money conference, include Occidental Petroleum CEO Vicki Hollub, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser and Shell CEO Wael Sawan.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is taken into a police van after being arrested outside the InterContinental London Park Lane during the “Oily Money Out” demonstration organised by Fossil Free London and Greenpeace on the sidelines of the opening day of the Energy Intelligence Forum 2023 in London on October 17, 2023.

Henry Nicholls | Afp | Getty Images

Addressing a news conference outside the hotel earlier in the day, Thunberg said, “We have no other option but to put our bodies outside this conference and to physically disrupt and, we have to do that every time. We have to continue showing them that they are not going to get away with this.”

“This is only the beginning of this fight and we are going to stay and we are going to come back time and time again until we see real action,” she added. “We have to reclaim the power and that is what we are doing today. We have to kick oily money out.”

The 20-year-old was catapulted to fame for skipping school every Friday to hold a weekly vigil outside the Swedish Parliament in 2018.

Thunberg took part in her final so-called school strike in June as she graduated from school, signing off after 251 consecutive weeks of demonstrations with a warning that “the fight has only just begun.”

‘We are not in the business of ice cream’

Big Oil has been accused of dialing back its climate pledges in recent months following record annual profits that were described by human rights group Amnesty International as “patently unjustifiable” and “an unmitigated disaster.”

Speaking at the ADIPEC oil and gas conference in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, chief executives of some of the world’s largest energy majors sought to defend themselves from climate criticism.

“We’ve got to step up and prepare for the decarbonized systems of the future,” Tengku Muhammad Taufik, president and group CEO of Malaysia’s state energy firm, Petronas, said during a CNBC-moderated panel on Oct. 2.

“So, the debate has always been posed here, I’m reminded of an old saying: ‘If you want to keep everyone happy, sell ice cream.’ We are not in the business of ice cream — and I’m reminded, there are people who are lactose intolerant,” Taufik said.

Climate activists protest outside the InterContinental London Park Lane during the “Oily Money Out” demonstration organised by Fossil Free London on the sidelines of the opening day of the Energy Intelligence Forum 2023 in London on October 17, 2023.

Henry Nicholls | Afp | Getty Images

The burning of fossil fuels, such as oil, gas and coal, is the chief driver of the climate crisis.

As had been widely expected, a major U.N. report published last month confirmed that the world is currently not on track to meet the long-term goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, a landmark accord that aims to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

The world has warmed by around 1.1 degrees Celsius after more than a century of burning fossil fuels as well as unequal and unsustainable energy and land use. Indeed, it is this temperature increase that is fueling a series of extreme weather events around the world.

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GM warns ‘irrational discounts’ on EVs are ending

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GM warns 'irrational discounts' on EVs are ending

GM sold over 21,000 electric vehicles in the US last month, its best yet. Despite the surge in August sales, GM warned that with the “irrational discounts” on EVs set to end soon, the market is due for a shake-up.

GM sells record EVs in August as irrational discounts end

August was GM’s best month ever for EV sales. The company sold over 21,000 electric models under the Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac brands last month.

The higher demand comes as buyers rush to secure the $7,500 federal tax credit, which is set to expire at the end of September.

Driven by the hot-selling Chevy Equinox EV, Cadillac Lyriq, and GMC Sierra EV, GM remains the second-best seller of EVs behind Tesla.

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GM expects to see strong demand again this month, but without the credit, it expects changes next quarter. GM said, “There’s no doubt we’ll see lower EV sales next quarter.” The company anticipates it will take several months for the market to correct, adding that “We will almost certainly see a smaller EV market for a while.”

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Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

Like several automakers in the US, GM will adjust production accordingly, promising not to overproduce. Despite slower sales, it remains confident that its EV market share will continue to grow.

Since affordable EVs and luxury models have been the strongest segments, GM believes it’s in a better position than most. It already has “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV,” the Chevy Equinox EV. The electric Equinox is one of the few EVs with a starting price under $35,000 in the US.

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Cadillac Optiq EV (Source: Cadillac)

Soon, the new Chevy Bolt EV will debut, which is expected to be even more affordable, starting at around $30,000.

With a full line-up of electric SUVs, Cadillac is the leading luxury EV brand, but that doesn’t include Tesla. And then there’s the Chevy and GMC electric pickup with segment-leading range, features, and more.

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2026 GMC Sierra EV (Source: GM)

GM said as it adjusts to the “new EV market realities,” its ICE vehicles will provide flexibility while driving profits. We will learn more on October 1 when GM reports full third-quarter sales results.

Although I wouldn’t call it “irrational,” GM is offering generous discounts on EVs with the deadline approaching. The Chevy Equinox EV is listed for lease starting at just $249 per month with a new $1,250 conquest bonus. Chevy is also offering the $7,500 credit on top of 0% APR financing until the end of September.

Thinking about trying one of GM’s EVs for yourself? You can use the links below to find Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC models in your area.

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H1 2025: China installs more solar than rest of the world combined

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H1 2025: China installs more solar than rest of the world combined

Global solar installations are breaking records again in 2025. In H1 2025, the world added 380 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity – a staggering 64% jump compared to the same period in 2024, when 232 GW came online. China was responsible for installing a massive 256 GW of that solar capacity.

For context, it took until September last year to pass the 350 GW mark. This year, the milestone was achieved in June. That pace cements solar as the fastest-growing source of new electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, global solar output rose by 28% (+469 terawatt-hours) from 2023, more growth than any other energy source.

Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy analyst at independent energy think tank Ember, said, “These latest numbers on solar deployment in 2025 defy gravity, with annual solar installations continuing their sharp rise. In a world of volatile energy markets, solar offers domestically produced power that can be rolled out at record speed to meet growing demand, independent of global fossil fuel supply chains.”

China’s solar dominance

China is leading this surge by a wide margin. In the first half of 2025, the country installed more than twice as much solar capacity as the rest of the world combined, accounting for 67% of global additions. That’s up from 54% in the same period last year. Developers rushed to complete projects before new wind and solar compensation rules took effect in June, fueling the spike. While that may lead to a slowdown in the second half of the year, new clean power procurement requirements for industry and bullish forecasts from China’s solar PV association (CPIA) suggest that 2025 will still surpass 2024’s record high.

The rest of the world

Other countries are adding solar at a healthy clip, too. Together, they installed an estimated 124 GW in the first half of 2025, a 15% year-over-year increase. India came in second with 24 GW, up 49% from last year’s 16 GW. The US ranked third with 21 GW, a 4% gain year-over-year despite recent moves by the Trump administration to suppress clean power deployment. Germany and Brazil saw slight dips, while the rest of the world added 65 GW, a 22% rise over 2024.

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Africa’s solar market is also stirring. The continent imported 60% more solar panels from China over the past year, though a lack of reliable installation data makes it a challenge to track the true pace of deployment.

With installations surging across major markets and China driving the charge, 2025 is on track to be another record-breaking year for solar power.

Read more: China-made panels drive Africa’s 15 GW solar import milestone


The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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These beloved sports cars were just killed off, but EV successors are coming soon

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These beloved sports cars were just killed off, but EV successors are coming soon

Porsche just axed two of its most iconic models. The gas-powered 718 Cayman and Boxster sports cars have been discontinued, with their new EV successors set to debut next year. However, Porsche isn’t the only brand killing off a popular nameplate.

Sports cars are due for EV successors in 2026

As it prepares for the all-electric replacements, Porsche has stopped taking new orders for the 718 Cayman and Boxster. For now, you can still order the vehicles from stock.

We’ve known for years that an electric replacement was on the way for the 718 lineup. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed in 2022 that the electric 718 successor would follow the Taycan and Macan EVs.

Although the new Cayman and Boxster EVs were expected to launch by the end of this year, it was pushed back due to software and battery sourcing delays.

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Porsche initially planned to build the EV versions alongside the current ICE models at its Zuffenhausen plant, but that will no longer be the case. Despite rumors that Porsche was planning to extend 718 production, “high-ranking Porsche sources” told Autocar that’s not the plan.

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Porsche 718 Boxster (Source: Porsche)

The luxury sports car maker has dialed back its EV plans recently, with ICE Macan and Cayenne models now due to be sold alongside the electric versions.

Meanwhile, Porsche isn’t the only sports car maker killing off models with new EV successors on the way. Audi confirmed with Autoblog that the A7 and S7 will be discontinued after the 2025 model year.

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2025 Audi A6 Sportback e-tron (Source: Audi)

In a statement, Audi said, “There are no 2026 Model Year A7 or S7 being offered as production shifts to the new A6 TFSI coming later this year.” However, the RS7 will live on as a 2026MY. The ICE A7 will be rebranded as the A6 TFSI, while the EV version will retain the A6 E-tron name, featuring a similar sportback design to the outgoing model.

Porsche and Audi have leaned into a more flexible “multi-energy” strategy, blaming slowing EV sales and a changing market.

Just last week, Porsche announced it no longer plans to build EV batteries in-house. Instead, it will focus on research and development.

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