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Government funding targets energy storage lasting more than four days. A new £28m challenge will support advanced batteries and underground hydrogen systems for prolonged periods of weak renewable generation.
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Government is reviewing electric vehicle sales targets amid industry pressure. The consultation will examine annual ZEV requirements while retaining the 2030 petrol-and-diesel phase-out and 2035 zero-emission end point.
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Cocoa supply chains face fresh pressure from EU deforestation rules. West African exporters are spending heavily on farm mapping and traceability, while concerns are growing that compliant beans could be in short supply during the regulation’s initial phase.
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Consumers are demanding more than familiar symbols of corporate sustainability. New research suggests authenticity, visible processes, and recognisably human creative are becoming more important as brands try to turn environmental claims into credible communications.
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London’s main flood defence may require replacement earlier than planned. Officials warn the Thames Barrier could need major intervention by 2050-60, with costs potentially reaching £20bn as sea-level rise, ageing assets, and more demanding operating conditions reshape long-term resilience planning.
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Households near new grid projects could receive ten-year bill discounts. The first transmission developments expected to qualify have been identified, with £250 annual payments planned to begin for eligible projects from 2027.
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Repeated heatwaves cut estimated UK economic output by £4.4bn overall. Verdant’s model links extreme heat with lower productivity, while excluding several wider costs including wildfire damage and additional electricity consumption.
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JCB has set a hydrogen land-speed record using production engines. Hydromax averaged 406.320mph at Bonneville with technology derived from engines now being deployed through the manufacturer’s £100m hydrogen programme.
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Sumitomo has taken a third of Gwynt Glas offshore wind. The Japanese group’s first floating-wind investment gives it an equal stake alongside EDF power solutions and ESB in the proposed 1.5GW Celtic Sea project.
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Drought now covers more than seven-tenths of England’s total area. Agriculture, water supplies, navigation, and businesses face increasing pressure after exceptionally dry conditions, with more than 27 million people already subject to water-use restrictions.