Today’s ESG Updates
- China’s Coal Power Falls Below 50% for the First Time: Coal generated 49.7% of China’s electricity in H1 2026, while renewables crossed 40% for the first time.
- NTT Data Secures Clean Power Deal With Engie for Data Centers: NTT Data has signed a long-term renewable energy deal with Engie, which promises to supply power from a 24MW Welsh wind farm to its global data center and AI expansion through to 2030.
- EAAIF Commits $50M to Southeast Asia Renewables: The Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund is backing Ukko Renewable’s 2 GW wind, solar, and hydropower pipeline across Southeast Asia, in a bid to prevent 2.2 million tonnes of CO2 a year.
- Wildfires Rage Across Europe as Heatwave Intensifies: Another wildfire breaks out in France, Spain, and Greece, as France has burned more land to wildfire this year than in any single year since 2006.
China’s coal power drops below 50% for the first time
China’s coal power dropped below 50 percent of the country’s electricity mix for the first time in the first six months of 2026. In a historic shift, coal plants produced 49.7 percent of the country’s power. Renewable energy sources accounted for 41.2 percent, with wind and solar supplying 24.6 percent of the power mix.
The milestone doesn’t mean China is done with coal just yet. Despite its rate of decline, electricity demand is rising fast, with more people switching to electric vehicles, AI-powered data centers driving up consumption, and rising exports. This could still push overall coal use higher by the end of the year, even as its share of the mix continues to fall.
China has set a deadline to peak coal consumption by 2030.
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NTT Data partners with Engie for clean energy
Japan IT-based company NTT Data signed a new clean energy partnership with French energy company Engie to help power its global data centers sustainably. This agreement will help NTT Data establish long-term access to renewable power solutions as it expands its data center and AI infrastructure.
NTT Data has also signed a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) with a RE100-compatible 24 MW wind farm in South Wales to supply renewable energy to its data centers until September 2030. This purchase deal is part of the company’s global data expansion strategy, with similar agreements signed in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany.
The Group Vice President of Data Center Acceleration at Engie, Nicolas Lefèvre-Marton, has described this partnership as “an exciting synergy between our industries, with both parties working to address the energy requirements of the data and AI revolution with renewable and sustainable solutions.”
Related Articles
Here is a list of articles selected by our Editorial Board that have gained significant interest from the public:
EAAIF commits $50 million to renewable energy in Asia
The Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF) has signed a financing agreement of up to $50 million with Ukko Renewable to fund South Asian renewable energy projects. This funding will support an initial portfolio of more than 2 gigawatts, part of a broader pipeline across countries including Vietnam and the Philippines.
Once the agreement goes into operation, it could avoid an estimated 2.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year and provide power to more than 2.8 million people. The Fund Manager of EAAIF, Martijn Proos, stated that this deal reflects the company’s commitment to supporting the region’s shift toward cleaner energy.
This deal points to a bigger challenge across Southeast Asia, where rising industrialisation and urbanisation are driving up electricity demand faster than capital can keep pace. EAAIF plays a key role in helping renewable projects reach the stage where larger pools of private capital are willing to step in.
Wildfires Rage Across Europe as Heatwave Intensifies
France, Spain, and Greece are battling major wildfires as soaring temperatures, dry vegetation, and powerful winds fuel a summer of deadly fires and mass evacuations across Europe. Since 2006, France has burned the most land to wildfires. The French authorities have arrested two people near Bordeaux on suspicion of arson.
Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has called the crisis “extreme,” with at least 10 active wildfires burning nationwide. Flames have spread over 9,300 hectares (23,000 acres) in the Castellón province, with 400 firefighters working to stabilise an 82-kilometre fire perimeter.
In Greece, three firefighters have been killed due to fires on two fronts, and parts of Crete are under forced evacuation. The fastest-warming continent, Europe, has surpassed 2025’s record year, with temperatures on 30 July running 3.6°C above historical norms.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com— Cover Photo Credit: ダモ リ.
