environmentSunday, June 21, 2026
Alberta's new $14 recycling fee on solar panels has the renewable energy industry pushing back, warning it could chill investment. Meanwhile, Spain's renewables revolution is paying off with lower bills, and Premier Smith is betting on natural gas to power AI ambitions.
Two very different stories about solar today: one about a fee that might slow adoption, another about how renewables are already cutting costs.
Alberta's $14 fee per solar panel, starting October 1, is the first of its kind in Canada. The industry says it's too high and could scare off investment in a market that was already cooling.
Spain's electricity bills dropped €10 per household per month since the Hormuz crisis, thanks to renewables cutting fossil fuel influence on prices by 75% since 2019. A real-world proof point for the energy transition.
Alberta's Premier is doubling down on natural gas to power data centres, even as a Guardian piece argues electric cars won't fix cities.
Premier Smith is pitching natural gas as the fuel for Alberta's AI hub ambitions, but local communities and experts worry about emissions and the strain from big data centre projects.
A Guardian op-ed argues EVs aren't a silver bullet: they still rely on fossil-generated electricity and don't fix car dependency, obesity, or inactivity. A useful counterpoint to the usual tech-optimist narrative.
A spate of shark bites has Australian ocean lovers on edge. People want to know why they’re risingwww.theguardian.com
Severe drought, energy shortages and food insecurity: What El Niño could mean for Europe this yearwww.euronews.com
Clean-up of damaged boats, pontoons and debris on Bundaberg's flood-ravaged Burnett Riverwww.abc.net.au
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