Hey everyone, welcome to FutureProof - my Tech and Sustainability Digest.
Again, it has been a busy few weeks since the last edition of this newsletter. During that time, Trump ordered an attack on Iran, Tesla rolled out a very limited robotaxi service in Austin, and Denis Villenueve has been announced as the new James Bond movie director - so that’s something to look forward to!.
As always this newsletter is dedicated to surfacing and sharing good news stories across tech and sustainability. If good news sounds like something you need, read on. And please share this newsletter with anyone/everyone else you feel could do with a little cheering up!
Climate News
Climate Showdown: The Battle’s Gone to Court — And It’s Getting Heated
Top courts are turning into climate war zones. A major new report shows that litigation is now a central weapon in both advancing and stalling climate action, and the stakes have never been higher.
Key Highlights:
Since 2015, 276 climate-related cases have landed in top courts worldwide, with over 80% targeting national governments for failing to act
Around 20% of 2024 cases were against companies or their directors, especially over greenwashing and dodgy carbon credit schemes
Germany’s high-profile Lliuya v. RWE case has now been definitively dismissed, but not before helping cement the legal idea that big polluters can be held liable for past emissions
Why This Matters: Litigation is no longer a sideshow, it’s centre stage in the climate fight, shaping policy and accountability from the top bench down.
Kismet: Costa Rica, which had never seen a climate case before, is now among the countries where courts are weighing environmental justice, a sign that the legal tide is going global. 👉 Full story here
Science News
Wave Hello to Lab-Grown Salmon
A cell‑cultivated “saku” salmon from Wildtype just became the first lab-grown fish to get FDA approval. It’s now on the menu at Portland’s Kann restaurant, with plans to expand to more spots soon.
Key Highlights:
FDA issued a “no questions” letter, confirming Wildtype’s salmon is as safe as conventionally produced fish
The cultivated salmon is being served raw sushi-grade saku at Kann and is slated for broader restaurant distribution in the coming months
Wildtype joins Upside Foods and Good Meat as one of only four companies to receive FDA clearance for cell-cultivated animal products, amid some U.S. states actually banning lab-grown meat
Why This Matters: This FDA nod marks a major shift, cell-cultivated seafood is now mainstream, promising reduced overfishing, contaminants, and climate impact without compromising sushi-grade quality.
Kismet: Wildtype’s FDA approval lets chefs craft raw dishes free from mercury or parasites. It’s nearly salmon, but with zero fishnets involved. 👉 Full story here
Plastic to Pills: Bacteria Turn PET Bottles into Paracetamol
Scientists have engineered E. coli to convert broken-down PET plastic into paracetamol, creating a novel way to tackle both plastic waste and fossil‑fuel‑based medicine production.
Key Highlights:
Genetically modified E. coli successfully performed a Lossen rearrangement, turning PET‑derived precursors into PABA, then further into acetaminophen (aka paracetamol) with 92 % efficiency within 48 hours
The process occurs at room temperature in water, avoiding the harsh conditions of traditional chemistry and significantly cutting carbon emissions, nearly nine paracetamol tablets per litre bottle flask
It’s still early-stage plastic breakdown uses small-scale chemical methods, but the microbe‑chemical hybrid is seen as a blueprint for future “microbial factories” that upcycle waste into medicines or chemicals
Why This Matters: This is a brilliant two‑fer: cleaning up plastic pollution while decarbonising pharma - biology meets chemistry for a sustainable mash‑up.
Kismet: That remarkable Lossen rearrangement—a reaction never before seen in living cells, was catalysed by the bacterium’s own phosphate. 👉 Full story here
Laser Power Leap: DARPA Beams 800 W Over 8.6 km
DARPA’s POWER programme just shattered wireless energy records, beaming over 800 watts of power via laser for 30 seconds across 5.3 miles (8.6 km), marking a huge step toward fuel-free, instant power delivery in harsh environments.
Key Highlights:
Transmitted a laser beam converting to electricity with ~20% efficiency,enough juice to pop popcorn, across 8.6 km at White Sands Missile Range
Vaulted past previous record (230 W at 1.7 km); more than tripled both power and distance
Demonstration used a novel receiver with compact aperture and parabolic mirror directing light onto solar cells, now the programme eyes airborne and space relays
Why This Matters: This isn’t sci‑fi fluff, wireless power beaming is approaching reality, potentially revolutionising battlefield logistics, disaster relief, drones and even space solar power.
Kismet: While Tesla dreamed of wireless energy long ago, DARPA’s team toasted marshmallows in popcorn, proof we’re finally living in his wildest sci-fi water-cooler moment. 👉 Full story here
Artificial Intelligence
Google’s FireSat: Fighting Wildfires From Orbit
Google, Earth Fire Alliance and Muon Space have launched a prototype satellite for FireSat, the first of a 50+ constellation aimed at detecting small wildfires worldwide every 20 minutes with high‑resolution, AI‑powered imaging
Key Highlights:
Prototype satellite launched in March 2025; full constellation expected by 2029–2030 for near‑global coverage
Multi‑sensor design uses visible, short‑wave infrared and cryo‑cooled thermal cameras; AI separates actual fires from false positives
Detects fires as small as 5 × 5 m (about the size of a classroom), refreshing imagery roughly every 20 minutes to aid rapid response
Why This Matters: This isn’t just satellite porn—it’s a potential lifeline for firefighters, offering the kind of rapid, precise intel that transforms firefighting from reactive to proactive.
Kismet: The FireSat team designed their thermal sensors to be cryo-cooled, meaning they’re so sensitive they can detect tiny heat signatures even through cloud cover and smoke. Space-based firefighting with night vision? Yes, please 👉 Full story here
Electromobility
CATL Plots Battery-Swapping Blitz Across Europe
The world’s largest EV battery maker, CATL, is gearing up to bring its battery-swapping and recycling tech to Europe, offering a tantalising fix to supply chain chaos, EV affordability, and mineral dependence all in one go.
Key Highlights:
CATL plans to replicate its massive China network, 10,000 swapping stations in 3 years, by launching similar infrastructure across Europe, starting with talks already under way with carmakers
Battery swapping lowers EV costs and makes recycling easier, as batteries can be centrally collected; CATL claims 100% recycling rates for critical minerals like cobalt and nickel
The company is pushing for global R&D partnerships, despite geopolitical headwinds, and has already licensed tech to Ford, Tesla, and partnered with Stellantis on a €4.1bn battery plant in Spain
Why This Matters: Swappable batteries could slash EV costs, stretch battery lifespans, and massively simplify recycling, while easing Europe’s risky overdependence on China’s mineral supply chains.
Kismet: CATL’s battery swaps aren’t just for cars, the company’s now wiring them into China’s trucking routes too, with a goal of covering 80% of national freight corridors. Imagine swapping your lorry’s “fuel tank” in minutes. Game on 👉 Full story here
How Long Do EV Batteries Really Last?
Recent data shows that modern electric vehicle batteries degrade slowly, enough to comfortably outlast a typical gas-powered car, making range anxiety increasingly a non-issue for long-term ownership.
Key Highlights:
Study of ~10,000 EVs reveals average battery degradation of 1.8% per year; after 20 years, remaining capacity is still ~64% .
High-mileage fleet tests reveal most EVs retain 85–90% capacity after 100,000+ miles, with battery failures at under 0.5% - nearly negligible .
Modern thermal management and buffer systems mean noticeable capacity loss is minimal; many batteries stay within usable range thresholds well past 200,000 km .
Why This Matters: EV batteries are proving they can match or surpass the longevity of internal combustion vehicles, reinforcing the case for EVs as durable, long-term options.
Kismet: At today’s degradation rate, a 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 with an original 318‑mile range would still yield 200‑plus miles per charge after two decades, exactly what a mid‑life crisis road‑trip needs! 👉 Full story here
EV Batteries Get a Second (Big) Life
And following on from that story about EV batteries having a long life in cars, now across Europe and beyond, retired EV batteries are hiding in plain sight, as giant grid-stabilisers and renewable-chargers, giving them a powerful encore long after their stint in cars.
Key Highlights:
German startup Voltfang raised €15 million to convert thousands of used EV packs into stationary storage, with plans for up to 1 GWh/year in Aachen, easing reliance on Chinese-made systems
In New Zealand, Meridian Energy repurposed 27 Nissan Leaf batteries to power an EV charging station (360 kWh), with future capacity expansions on horizon
Studies show end-of-life EV batteries (70–80% capacity) are ideal for grid use and could meet all short-term storage needs by 2030, at costs 30–70% cheaper than new systems
Why This Matters: Turning automotive waste into grid gold boosts energy resilience, slashes storage costs, and kickstarts a circular battery economy that plays nicely with renewables.
Kismet: Voltfang has already repurposed nearly 7,000 EV packs, if each powers up a classroom, that’s more than 600,000 students getting climate-friendly power from old car batteries 👉 Full story here
Clean Energy
Solar & Storage: Hitting Nearly 24/7 Power in Sunny Cities
Recent modelling from Ember and Carbon Brief shows that solar panels paired with modern batteries can now deliver electricity nearly nonstop in sun-drenched cities, at costs competitive with coal or nuclear.
Key Highlights:
In cities like Las Vegas, Mexico City, Muscat, and Johannesburg, solar + 17 GWh battery systems deliver power 95–99% of the time, operating close to 24/365
Battery pack costs fell dramatically, 40% in 2024 alone, to $165/kWh, plus reduced critical mineral dependencies thanks to cobalt- and nickel-free chemistries and sodium-ion options
Even in cloudier locales like Birmingham, such systems can cover 62% of hours annually, avoiding major grid upgrades and delivering clean energy cheaply
Why This Matters: We’re approaching the milestone where solar-plus-storage isn’t just a daytime fix, it’s becoming a backbone for clean, reliable energy, slashing reliance on fossil fuels and grid overbuild.
Kismet: That $104/MWh price tag for near-constant solar in Las Vegas is cheaper than most existing coal and nuclear plants, so soon, even fossil fuel advocates won’t be able to argue cost. 👉 Full story here
Lazard Drops the Mic on Fossil Fuels: Renewables Still Win
Lazard’s 2025 Levelized Cost of Energy+ report is out, and the numbers don’t lie. Even without subsidies, wind and solar remain the cheapest way to generate electricity in the US. Add storage and policy nudges, and fossil fuels start looking like the financial dead weight they are.
Key Highlights:
Unsubsidised utility-scale solar and onshore wind clock in at $38–$66/MWh, well below gas peakers ($149–$251) and coal ($71–$173)
Utility-scale battery storage saw dramatic cost drops in 2025, driven by an EV slowdown (hello, cell oversupply) and better tech, LCOS now as low as $83/MWh with tax credits
Carbon pricing scenarios ($40–60/ton) push gas and coal LCOEs up to nearly $300/MWh, basically a flashing “exit now” sign for fossil projects
Why This Matters: The cleanest energy is also now the cheapest, anyone still backing coal or gas is betting against both physics and economics.
Kismet: Since 2009, utility-scale solar LCOE has dropped a jaw‑dropping 84%, but here’s the twist: it ticked up slightly this year. Supply chains may be back, but the easy wins are gone 👉 Full report here [PDF]
Slán Leat, Coal: Ireland Powers Down the Past
It’s official: Ireland has burned its last lump of coal. Moneypoint, once the nation’s dirtiest power plant, is now mothballed for emergencies only. As a proud Irishman, I’ve got to say: this is one hell of a milestone. We’ve gone from peat bogs to offshore wind farms, and we’ve done it faster and smarter than most.
Key Highlights:
On 20 June 2025, Ireland became Europe’s 15th coal-free country, shutting the doors on Moneypoint’s 915 MW coal burners after decades of service
Renewables, especially wind, are now Ireland’s backbone, accounting for 37% of electricity in 2024 (up from just 1% at the turn of the millennium)
Moneypoint itself isn’t being scrapped, it’s transforming into a “Green Atlantic” clean energy hub, prepping for grid-stabilising condensers and offshore wind assembly
Why This Matters: This isn’t just energy transition, it’s national transformation. The Irish have proven, yet again, that we punch above our weight when it comes to climate ambition and clean tech deployment.
Kismet: That deep-water jetty at Moneypoint? Originally built to offload shiploads of imported coal. Now? It’ll help launch floating offshore wind turbines. From black rock to green power, how’s that for poetic justice? 👉 Full story here
Renewables = Industry Magnets. Someone Tell Trump
South Australia’s grid is now so clean and cost-effective that industry is queuing up to plug into it. Turns out when you build a low-cost, 100% net renewable grid, manufacturers don’t flee, they flock. Which makes Donald Trump’s anti-renewables crusade look not just backward, but economically self-defeating.
Key Highlights:
South Australia, already running on 74% wind and solar, is targeting 100% net renewables by 2027. Over 37 major industrial projects (aluminium, green steel, data centres, you name it) want in, requesting 15 GW of access, five times the state’s current peak load.
Clean energy is now the deciding factor for industrial location. Dirty power isn’t just bad PR, it’s expensive, unreliable, and a magnet repellent.
As Lazard’s 2025 report confirms: renewables are the cheapest source of power anywhere. Battery storage costs are falling too. That’s why places like Australia and Ireland are surging ahead, and attracting serious investment.
Why This Matters: Clean grids aren’t a climate luxury, they’re a competitive edge. The countries that get there first won’t just save the planet, they’ll get the factories too.
Kismet: South Australia once blacked out in 2016 and was mocked by fossil fuel pundits. Today? It’s a case study in how to decarbonise and grow industry at the same time 👉 Full story here
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Latest Publications
Spain’s Blackout: It Wasn’t the Renewables, Folks
In my latest blog post, I dig into what really caused the April 2025 blackout across the Iberian Peninsula, and no, it wasn’t because the sun stopped shining or the wind took a nap. The real culprit? Infrastructure, inertia, and a grid that’s struggling to keep up with the clean energy boom.
Key Highlights:
The blackout hit at 12:33 PM, peak solar output, making the anti-renewables blame game absolute nonsense
Spain’s issue wasn’t a lack of clean energy, it was a lack of flexibility, with centralised fossil plants failing to respond fast enough
We need more grid digitisation, decentralised storage, and market reform, not a retreat from renewables.
Why This Matters: We’re in a transition, but if the grid can’t keep pace, we risk undermining the very technologies that could save us.
Kismet: I powered my house with my EV during the blackout using V2L, and it worked flawlessly. The future isn’t just coming. It’s parked in my driveway 👉 Read the full post here
Smart Automation Isn’t Sci-Fi—It’s Just Smart Business
In this episode (one of the most popular I’ve published this year), I spoke to René Schrama, Chief Commercial Officer at Peak Technologies, about the myth that automation always has to be some massive CapEx-laden moonshot. Spoiler: it doesn’t. Turns out, small changes, like shaving seconds off forklift workflows, can stack into massive value when done right.
Key Highlights:
“Intelligent automation” means solving business problems first, not just throwing robots at symptoms. Most of the wins? They’re found in existing facilities, not greenfield sites.
Kaizen is back with a vengeance, six-second time savings are being treated like gold in supply chain operations because the scale makes them matter.
The big unlock? Open systems. Closed-loop tech may protect IP, but it kills integration, something supply chains desperately need to stay agile.
Why This Matters: With labour shrinking, tariffs flying, and margins razor-thin, companies that automate intelligently will outlast those chasing complexity or hype.
Kismet: The container shortage that plagued COVID? According to René, it’s worse now, yet most people have no idea. If ever there was a time for smarter supply chains, this is it 🎧 Listen to the full episode
Why Upgrading Old Kit Beats Ripping It All Out
In this week’s Climate Confident, I spoke to Stuart Thompson, President of ABB’s Electrification Service division, about amongst other things, something most people overlook in the climate debate: industrial gear that’s older than email. It turns out we don’t need to replace it all, we just need to make it smart, circular, and clean.
Key Highlights:
Upgrading ageing infrastructure can cut carbon and cost, modern retrofits extend equipment life by 20–30 years while slashing emissions and capital spend
ABB is rolling out “as-a-service” battery energy storage models, turning energy stability into a monthly line item rather than a CapEx mountain
Circularity is real: 70–80% of industrial batteries can now be recycled, and legacy grid gear can often be refurbished rather than replaced
Why This Matters: Industrial decarbonisation doesn’t have to mean bulldozers and billions, it’s increasingly about digital smarts, battery swaps, and doing more with what we’ve already got.
Kismet: Stuart revealed that just maintaining old electrical equipment properly can deliver 10× the ROI of reactive fixes. Sometimes saving the planet is as simple as RTFM! 🎧 Listen to the full episode
Coming Soon to the podcasts
In upcoming episodes of the podcasts I will be talking to Pierre Laprée, CPO of SpendHQ; Chris Condon, Co-Founder and CEO of Aircon; Frank Maguire VP Insights, Strategy, and Sustainability for Sharethrough; and Kanika Chandaria, Climate Lead for Agreena
Don’t forget to follow the podcasts in your podcast app of choice to ensure you don’t miss any episodes.
Featured Charts
Electricity generation has cleaned up a lot on the UK, but buildings and transport still have a long way to go.
As you will have seen above, renewables are now a far cheaper form of electricity generation - and consequently, most new generation being brought online now comes from renewables.
And so, even in famously cloudy countries like the UK, solar generation is booming!
Misc stuff
The memes around the Trump-Musk spat were legendary. I particularly enjoyed this one.
Though this one came a very close second!!!
Engage
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Finally, since being impacted by the tech layoffs, I'm currently in the market for a new role. If you know someone who could benefit from my tech savvy, sustainability, and strong social media expertise, I'd be really grateful for a referral.
If you have any comments or suggestions for how I can improve this newsletter, don’t hesitate to let me know. Thanks.
*** Be aware that any typos you find in this newsletter are tests to see who is paying attention! ***
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