Global Climate News

Vladimir Putin held talks with President Alexander Lukashenko in the Kremlin. - **Main action:** Discussed deepening **nuclear energy cooperation** between Russia and Belarus, including potential **expansion of the existing nuclear power plant** or **construction of a new power unit or plant**, possibly in **eastern Belarus** to supply electricity to the Kherson, Zaporozhye, Lugansk and Donetsk regions. **Rosatom** has prepared several scenarios for expanding Belarusian nuclear capacity; Putin said **"Financing should not be an issue"**, and a decision could lead to immediate start-up once the Government finalises numbers. Lukashenko said there are a couple of **issues to settle by the end of the year** before moving forward. - **Background and details:** **Belarus' NPP now supplies ~40% of national electricity**; Russia–Belarus **trade turnover exceeds US$50 billion** and **accumulated Russian investment is US$4.5 billion**. Belarus exports **EV charging stations** to Russia and has construction workers operating in Russia; Belarus operates gas-fired plants in 'cold mode' for activities like mining and imports gas from **Gazprom**. - Event details: - Date: September 26, 2025 - Time: 17:30 - Location: The Kremlin, Moscow - Agenda/subject: 80th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry; bilateral cooperation on energy, nuclear projects, and security

The Ministry of Economic Affairs published the "Annual National Power Resources Supply and Demand Report for Year 113" on 9/26, presenting a 10-year demand projection and supply planning for years 114–123. - **Main announcement:** The report projects an **average annual electricity demand growth of ~1.7%** for Years **114–123 (ROC calendar; roughly 2025–2034)** and plans to continue deploying **renewable energy and gas-fired generation** to ensure stable supply; it estimates a **net increase of 12.2 GW of gas generation capacity from 2025–2034** and sets **renewable share targets of 20% by 2026 and 30% by 2030**. - **Background and implementation details:** The assessment incorporated **AI demand, semiconductor expansion timing adjustments, and deep energy-saving measures**; it notes **first-half GDP growth of 6.75% and electricity consumption down 1.1% YoY**, reports the **Hsingta (興達) gas pipeline leak on Sept 9** which delayed the Hsingta new gas Unit 2 dispatch to **May of Year 115**, and includes updated private gas generation plans from **Guoguang Power** and **Mailiao Cogeneration**; daytime solar will be prioritized with **high-efficiency gas units, energy storage, and hydropower** used to meet night peak demand.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Office for Product Safety and Standards have published notices of publication and a consolidated list of designated standards for construction products; the consolidated list was updated on 26 September 2025. - **Published documents:** Notice of publication PDFs dated **26 September 2025** (502 KB, 51 pages) and **1 January 2021** (486 KB, 53 pages); **Consolidated list:** ds-construction-products-list-v02.ods (version 2, 35.7 KB) in OpenDocument format. Applies to **England, Scotland and Wales** and supports **Regulation 305/2011**, as amended by the Construction Products (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. - **Updates and context:** **26 September 2025** — notice amended and consolidated list updated; **21 May 2025** — link to the Construction Products Reform Green Paper removed (consultation ran **26 Feb 2025 to 21 May 2025**); **26 February 2025** — link to the Green Paper added. The guidance states these designated standards plus relevant **horizontal standards on assessment methods** create a common technical language used by **UK approved bodies** for product assessments.

Great British Energy and the UK government have announced the rollout of rooftop solar panels for schools and NHS sites funded by a £180 million programme to cut bills and reinvest savings into frontline services. - **Main announcement/action:** Great British Energy (publicly owned) and government are funding rooftop solar for schools and hospitals with **£180 million total funding** (England: **£80m** for ~200 schools; **£100m** for nearly 200 NHS sites). So far **5 NHS sites** and **11 primary schools** have been fitted (5 NHS + 3 schools completed over summer, with **8 more schools due in autumn**). The installations completed to date have a combined NHS project cost of **£704,332** and capacity **474 kW**, and a combined schools project cost of **£1,269,133** and capacity **626 kW**. All schools and hospitals under the scheme are expected to have Great British Energy solar power up and running by **April**. - **Background and details:** The programme includes a **£10 million** Great British Energy grant fund for Mayoral Authorities and separate devolved government allocations totalling **£9.35 million** (Scotland **£4.85m**, Wales **£2.88m**, Northern Ireland **£1.62m**). Current estimates: completed NHS installs are projected to deliver yearly average net savings of **£63,200** and lifetime savings of **£1.894 million** (30-year lifetime assumption); schools completed projects show yearly average net savings **£63,200** and lifetime **£1.8967 million**. The Energy Secretary expects Great British Energy to produce a **strategic plan within 6 months**.

The Kremlin announced that President Vladimir Putin met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and witnessed exchange of an Action Plan between the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation on the development of a nuclear power plant project in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. - **Action:** In the presence of **Director General of Rosatom Alexei Likhachev** and **Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Gedion Timotheos**, the parties exchanged an **earlier signed Action Plan** between **State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom** and the **Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation** to develop a **nuclear power plant project** in Ethiopia. The text contains no financial figures or implementation timeline. - **Background & meeting details:** - **Date & time:** September 25, 2025, 20:55; **Location:** The Kremlin, Moscow. - **Agenda / context:** Bilateral talks following participation by both leaders in the **Global Atomic Forum** earlier that day; Russian delegation included senior officials such as **Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak**, **Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin**, **Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov**, **Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov**, **Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko**, **Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov**, and **Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina**.

Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Research have launched a second international funding call to back renewable hydrogen and derivative projects in non-European countries. - **Main announcement:** The ministries announced a **second international funding call** (building on **2021 funding guidelines**) to support projects **outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland**; **Module 1** (run by the economics ministry) will fund **construction of renewable hydrogen and derivative production facilities** and preparatory scientific studies, while **dedicated support for storage and transport infrastructure has been dropped** (but can be included within generation projects). - **Additional details:** **Module 2** (overseen by the research ministry) will fund **research, industrial trials, and training programmes** that **must link directly to a Module 1 initiative abroad**; the scheme is framed to expand opportunities for **German firms** to lead global hydrogen supply chains.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin addressed the Global Atomic Forum and announced that Russia plans to launch the world's first nuclear power system with a closed fuel cycle in the Tomsk Region by 2030, and that an International Research Centre in the Ulyanovsk Region will test advanced materials for the closed cycle. - **Main announcement:** Russia will **launch the world's first closed fuel-cycle nuclear power system in the Tomsk Region by 2030**, aiming to **reuse ~95% of spent nuclear fuel**; an **International Research Centre in Ulyanovsk Region** will test the full range of advanced materials for the closed fuel cycle and Russia invited international scientists to cooperate. - Event details: **Global Atomic Forum**, part of **World Atomic Week**; **Date:** 25 September 2025; **Time:** 18:50; **Location:** ATOM Museum at VDNKh, Moscow; **Agenda/subject:** discussions on present and future of nuclear industry, new technological paradigm, nuclear safety, financing and closed fuel-cycle technologies. - **Background and other details:** Putin said Russia possesses expertise across the entire nuclear power technology chain and is developing **small-scale land-based and floating nuclear power plant projects** which will enter **serial production soon**; he noted the **New Development Bank** has confirmed readiness to finance nuclear projects and that a **BRICS Nuclear Energy Platform** was established; he cited **IAEA** forecasts (global nuclear capacity may reach nearly **1,000 GW** mid-21st century) and **OECD** estimates that uranium resources could be depleted by **2090** (or possibly as early as the **2060s**); he also highlighted that **electricity consumption by data centres** is set to **more than triple in the current decade** and that Russia is deploying modular data processing systems at nuclear power plants.

The Department of Electricity and Energy (Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa) announced that government will eliminate load reduction across the country within 12 to 18 months by rolling out smart meters, addressing illegal connections, and upgrading distribution infrastructure. - **Main announcement & actions:** Government will **end load reduction within 12–18 months** by **rolling out smart meters**, **dealing with illegal electricity connections**, **refurbishing distribution and reticulation infrastructure**, and **installing solar and battery storage**; pilot electrification has been completed in **two villages in Musina, Limpopo**. Key numeric details: **1.69 million customers** affected (≈ **8.5 million people**), **771 transformer failures** attributed largely to illegal connections. - **Background & policy details:** The Department will **review the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) Framework** to better subsidise indigent households (current typical FBE: **50 kWh/month**, average low-income household consumption cited as **200 kWh/month**); about **2.1 million** customers qualify for FBE but only **485,000** receive it; government will **work with smart meter manufacturers to meet Eskom standards** and expects municipalities to create a **robust indigent register**. The Department said it will change the FBE framework "without relying on the fiscal envelope."

The UK government announced that two carbon capture projects — Padeswood (Heidelberg Materials UK) and Protos (Encyclis) — have signed final contracts with the Low Carbon Contracts Company and are ready to begin construction. - **Main announcement and actions:** The projects have **signed final contracts with the Low Carbon Contracts Company** and are expected to **move into the construction phase shortly**, together securing **500 skilled jobs** (part of **2,800 jobs** across the wider HyNet network). Padeswood (cement) will capture **~800,000 tonnes CO2/year** and Protos (waste-to-energy) will capture **~400,000 tonnes CO2/year**, totaling **1.2 million tonnes CO2/year**. Both projects will connect to **Eni’s Liverpool Bay Transportation & Storage** as anchor projects of the **HyNet** cluster. - **Background, financing and timelines:** The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s April green-light for HyNet and the government’s **£9.4 billion** commitment to Carbon Capture made in the Spending Review (funding stated **over this Parliament**). The projects are positioned as **shovel-ready**, with contracts now in place to provide certainty to proceed; Padeswood will deploy capture at the existing cement works to produce **evoZero net zero cement**, and Protos is described as a first full-scale carbon capture-enabled waste-to-energy facility.