The DOE is looking for volunteers to store nuclear waste. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is offering states a substantial “package deal” as the Trump administration pushes to quadruple nuclear energy capacity in order to power AI-driven data centres. The DOE is asking communities to volunteer to host nuclear waste indefinitely.

In exchange for accepting the nuclear waste, the communities and states will receive billions in investment, thousands of jobs, and cutting-edge facilities such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and fuel recycling plants, according to the Trump administration. While states like Utah and Tennessee have expressed interest, critics argue that SMRs could produce more waste per unit of power than traditional plants.

The DOE is betting that it can buy people’s support using money. It remains to be seen whether economic prosperity will finally outweigh the ‘not in my backyard’ sentiment.
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Further reading: WANTED: Volunteers to host nuclear waste, forever

Canada scraps EV sales rules

The Canadian government has cancelled the country’s national electric vehicle (EV) mandate, which required 20% of vehicles sold to be emissions-free by 2026. Citing undue burdens on the industry and the negative impact of US tariffs, the government is moving away from the sales quotas set by the previous Trudeau administration.

Instead, Ottawa will enforce stricter emissions standards for model years 2027–2032, with the aim of achieving 75% EV sales by 2035 and 90% by 2040. To support this transition, the government is launching a C$2.3 billion incentive programme for vehicles from free-trade partners and investing C$1.5 billion in charging infrastructure. The government is attempting to safeguard domestic manufacturing while maintaining counter-tariffs on American auto imports.
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Further reading: In another climate retreat, Canada scraps EV sales mandate

Europe and Turkey commit to updating Customs Union Framework

Following a meeting in Ankara on Friday, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced a shared commitment to overhauling the trade relationship between the two powers. In a joint statement, the officials pledged to step up efforts to modernise the existing Customs Union in order to boost the economic resilience and competitiveness of both parties.

The leaders also applauded the gradual return of the European Investment Bank (EIB) to the region, extending beyond trade. Both sides will seek to leverage the bank’s efforts to enhance Turkey’s economic and trade relations.

This improvement is very important for the people of Europe and Turkey. It creates significant opportunities for both parties.
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Further reading: Europe, Turkey agree to work toward updating customs union

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Avalanche Energy secures $29m to develop small desk-size fusion devices. 

Avalanche Energy has raised $29 million to accelerate the development of its portable fusion technology. Unlike traditional reactors, which are the size of buildings, the company’s flagship “Orbitron” device is designed to be the size of a desk, offering a modular 1–100 kWe power solution for sectors ranging from data centres to space propulsion.

The fresh capital collected will be used to scale up Avalanche’s test facilities. Scheduled to become operational in 2027, the site will host a critical programme called ‘Q>1’, which aims to demonstrate a net energy gain using deuterium-tritium fuel.

The funding round was led by RA Capital, with support from Toyota Ventures, Founders Fund and others. CEO Robin Langtry said that recent breakthroughs in plasma physics have paved the way for commercial licensing and testing.
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Further readings: Avalanche Energy Raises $29 Million to Develop Desk-sized Fusion Energy Devices

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — In the Cover Photo: Uncle Sam. Cover Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons