Day: July 6, 2025

For a millennium the Hindu Sun Temple of Modhera has inspired devotees who pay tribute to the solar deity Surya. Now, the sun is giving back in the form of electricity by lighting up both the temple and the adjacent village. The brainchild of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — and his vision of “one sun, one grid” to power the world’s most populous nation — the village of Modhera in his home state of Gujarat, western India, has become the country’s first to run entirely on solar energy 24/7.…

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Climate change myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. South-east Asia is rapidly growing as a critical link in global supply chains as manufacturers rush to shift production from China amid an escalating trade war. It is also fast emerging as a focal point for new data centres as demand for AI surges. Yet, as the economies attract billions of dollars in investments from the energy-consuming industries that are also increasingly demanding greener power, investment into renewables is sorely…

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Climate change myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. John Warlters, chief executive of the charity Rural Aid, helped to unload 150 tonnes of hay in the remote Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia in June. It is the first time his charity has delivered fodder to the island — known as one of Australia’s leading food producing regions, specialising in honey, oysters, eggs and meat — but its farmers have struggled with a damaging drought that…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Japan is laying the groundwork to proceed with next-generation nuclear energy plants once its fleet of idled reactors have been restarted, as soaring gas prices and power-hungry data centres have prompted an rethink on atomic power in the earthquake-prone nation.  Asia’s second-largest economy signalled late last year that it would allow construction of new atomic reactors at existing sites, marking a significant policy shift in the country’s aversion to the…

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Renewable energy myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Pakistani officials are desperate to slow a world-leading solar revolution, as a surge in cut-price Chinese panels and batteries bleeds the country’s finances and threatens the viability of its debt-ridden grid. The power ministry has proposed to reform the country’s “net metering” policy by reducing the amount paid to buy excess solar electricity from households from Rs27 to Rs10 ($0.035) per unit. In June, the government also proposed an 18…

This article is an on-site version of our FirstFT newsletter. Subscribers can sign up to our Asia, Europe/Africa or Americas edition to get the newsletter delivered every weekday morning. Explore all of our newsletters here Good morning and welcome back to FirstFT Asia. On today’s agenda: China reroutes exports via south-east Asia Tony Blair’s staff participated in ‘Gaza Riviera’ project How doing business in Hong Kong is changing We start with new data suggesting that Chinese businesses are sending increasing volumes of goods to the US via south-east Asia in…