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Job cuts in the auto industry: 42,300 jobs lost – lowest level since 2005
Germany, August 2026 – Job cuts in the automotive industry are accelerating, pushing employment to its lowest level since 2005. At the end of June, the workforce at manufacturers and suppliers stood at just 691,500—a drop of 42,300 compared to the previous year. This trend is driven by cost-cutting programs, weak sales markets, growing competition…
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France scraps social media ban – access control becomes a problem for EU plans
Paris, August 14, 2026: France’s Constitutional Council has blocked the core provisions of the ban on social media use for those under the age of 15. Legislators had sought to protect minors from the harmful effects of social networks; however, doing so would have required access controls for all users, as adults would also have…
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Onkalo nuclear waste repository set for world first: Nuclear regulator backs operating license
On August 4, 2026, the nuclear regulator STUK issued a positive safety assessment for the Onkalo nuclear waste repository in Eurajoki, on Finland’s west coast. Following its review, STUK concluded that Posiva’s facility meets the requirements of the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act. Consequently, the government can now make a decision regarding the requested operating license,…
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Drought due to El Niño: Shipping traffic through the Panama Canal reduced
Ship traffic through the Panama Canal is set to be reduced due to drought in the region caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon. The operator, ACP, announced on Thursday that starting September 3, only up to 34 ships per day would be permitted to transit the waterway. From mid-September, the limit is to be…
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Offshore wind power is becoming increasingly expensive: EnBW warns of costs up to 40 percent higher
North Sea, mid-August 2026: With “He Dreiht,” Germany’s largest offshore wind farm is on the verge of full commissioning. EnBW has installed 64 wind turbines with a combined capacity of 960 megawatts approximately 110 kilometers west of Heligoland. The wind farm alone represents an investment of around 2.4 billion euros. At the same time, however,…
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Molten salt reactor in Texas clears next hurdle – DOE approves safety concept
Abilene (Texas) – Natura Resources’ planned MSR-1 molten salt reactor has reached a key milestone in the U.S. licensing process. On July 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approved the fundamental safety concept for the facility, which is to be located on the campus of Abilene Christian University. The research reactor is designed…
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New study measures 38 percent less plant biomass under solar parks
Beijing/Ithaca/Fort Collins – Solar parks can significantly alter the vegetation beneath their panels. This is shown by a global meta-analysis published on August 13, 2026. To conduct the study, researchers analyzed paired field observations from 55 sites. In wetter regions, above-ground plant biomass beneath the panels was, on average, 38 percent lower. However, the ratio…
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Photovoltaic fire on flat roofs: Test measures up to 853 degrees beneath solar modules
On July 24, 2026, a Chinese research group published the results of a large-scale fire test involving a flat-mounted rooftop photovoltaic system. A controlled n-heptane fire with a nominal output of 100 kilowatts was used to expose a portion of the PV assembly to intense heat. During the fire, however, the peak heat was concentrated…
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Low storage levels: Consumer advocates warn of rising gas prices
In light of low gas storage levels, the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) has warned of rising prices for gas customers. “Low storage levels would further exacerbate the already strained situation on energy markets during the upcoming heating season,” vzbv executive board member Ramona Pop told the Rheinische Post (Thursday edition). “For private households,…
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New nuclear reactor in Slovakia reaches criticality – Mochovce 4 nearing grid connection
Mochovce, Slovakia – On August 6, 2026, the Mochovce 4 nuclear reactor achieved a self-sustaining chain reaction for the first time. The 471 MW reactor reached criticality at 10:10 p.m. and attained minimum controlled power 21 minutes later. This marks the start of the next phase of commissioning, although the unit is not yet feeding…
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Poland’s economic growth is accelerating – now the EU’s sixth-largest economy
Warsaw/Brussels – Poland’s economic growth accelerated again in the second quarter of 2026. According to preliminary data released on August 13, real GDP rose by 3.8 percent year-on-year. By 2025, Poland had already reached a nominal GDP of €922.9 billion, securing sixth place within the European Union. Key drivers behind this include consumer spending, investment,…
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An increasing number of Volksbanken in financial distress – Volksbank Kleverland now needs help
Kleve – An increasing number of cooperative banks are requiring assistance from their own protection scheme. Volksbank Kleverland has now applied for such support. The relevant body is the protection scheme of the National Association of German Cooperative Banks (BVR). The BVR is the umbrella organization for the cooperative banking sector in Germany; its protection…
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Dynamic electricity tariffs: More expensive than fixed-price plans despite consumption optimization
Across Germany, dynamic electricity tariffs were more expensive than low-cost fixed-price offers during the first half of 2026, despite targeted load shifting. A model calculation by Verivox for a three-person household with an annual consumption of 4,000 kilowatt-hours puts the cost at 604 euros for six months. In contrast, the cheapest fixed-price plan with a…
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New gas-fired power plants: Environmental Action Germany files complaint with EU Commission
Environmental Action Germany (DUH) and the energy cooperative Green Planet Energy have filed a complaint in Brussels against the German government’s Electricity Supply Security and Capacity Act (StromVKG), which provides for the tendering of new gas-fired power plants later this year. DUH and Green Planet Energy stated on Tuesday that the legislation is contentious from…
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Battery fire in a data center: Study simulates high hydrogen fluoride exposure
Singapore – A technical study published on July 31, 2026, analyzes a battery fire in a 485.52 kWh NMC storage unit at the Equinix SG4-4A data center. To do this, researchers modeled 10,000 cases of full thermal runaway, taking into account ventilation, fire suppression, and the configuration of the storage system. In all simulations, hydrogen…