Spotlight: Renewables overtake coal in global energy generation, infrastructure innovations, and major planning reforms while housing lags behind targets

ENERGY

✒️Clean Energy Superpower Mission areas of research interest | Research paper from Department for Energy & Net Zero

✒️ Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025 - Solar and wind outpaced demand growth in the first half of 2025, as renewables overtook coal’s share in the global electricity mix | Ember

📰 Global renewable energy generation surpasses coal for first time | The Guardian

📰 Solar energy named the world’s cheapest power source: What it means for Europe | Euronews

📰 Majority of energy transition leaders say Europe is most attractive market for renewables investment | Renewable Energy Magazine

📰 Solar panel efficiency record broken in big boost for renewable energy | The Independent

📰 Great British Energy expands public solar funding, scheme to include military sites | Solar Power Portal

🗣️UK industry minister Chris McDonald hails clean energy 'growth' | Energy Voice (paywall)

🗣️Solar Energy UK Community Benefit Update + Meeting Invitation | Solar Energy UK

📰 Solar is surging but grids aren't helping | Energy Live News

📰NESO forecasts lowest winter electricity blackout risk since 2019 | Solar Power Portal

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INFRASTRUCTURE

✒️ Beyond the Horizon: How Drones Are Revolutionising National Grid’s Inspections | Press release from National Grid

✒️ The Met Office and the rail sector: Keeping the UK on track | Press release from the Met Office

📰 First year of government sees 151 flood-defence schemes to protect 24,000 properties completed | New Civil Engineer

📰 Thames Water creditors ask for up to 15 years’ leniency from river pollution rules | The Guardian

🗣️ UK Govt must protect domestic steel following new tariff threat | Unite the Union

📰 Can AI really transform infrastructure? | pbc today

📰 Preparing Europe for a 6G world | Innovation Network

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DEVELOPMENT

📰 Ministers to announce significant changes to UK’s planning system | The Guardian

📰 Rachel Reeves clears planning blockage amid ‘good relationship’ with developer | The Guardian

📰 Current delivery projections to only meet 1.5 million new homes target by half | PBC Today

📰 Local Government Challenge review calls for urgent action to deliver housing | PBC Today

🗣️ Now is not the time to panic about low planning approvals by Paul Smith, managing director, Strategic Land Group | Building

📰 Tories commit to new housing plan for London | BBC

📰 Conservatives call for reduced affordable housing targets | LocalGov

📰 EXCLUSIVE: Councils warn of 'devastating' axing of net zero fund | The MJ (paywall)

📰 First resident-led net zero neighbourhood coming to Becontree | Energy Live News