Friday, 6 November 2026

Democrats secured trifecta control of the state legislatures and governor's offices in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin following the midterm elections, according to Grist. All three states had spent years or decades under Republican or divided control.

The shift could accelerate clean energy policy in each state. Erik Kanter, policy director at Clean Wisconsin, expects the Wisconsin legislature to pass a requirement for data centers to source power from clean sources once Democrats take control, Grist reported. The legislature failed to pass such a measure before the political change.

David Weiskopf, policy director at Climate Cabinet, expects Wisconsin's incoming legislators to pursue a 100% clean electricity standard, according to Grist.

In Pennsylvania, Democrats in the legislature intend to pass a rescue package for the state's public transit systems, Grist reported.

The Republic of the Congo has begun examining how to power its special economic zones and industrial facilities, pv magazine reported.

Michel Djombo, the country's Minister of Industrial Development, SEZs and Private Sector Promotion, initiated the effort to identify electricity supply options suited to rising industrial consumption.

Researchers will weigh four pathways: grid connections where infrastructure exists, solar paired with battery storage, biomass and cogeneration fed by agricultural, forestry, and agro-industrial residues, and hybrid energy configurations.

The study is expected to set a pricing benchmark for industrial energy supply across the Congolese market, according to pv magazine.

United Nations and African Union officials called for urgent action to advance energy security across Africa, according to APA News.

Claver Gatete, UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, urged African governments to integrate climate risk and sustainable water management into hydropower planning and operations, APA News reported.

Separately, the African Union said it is ready to work with China on clean energy technology and equipment deployment in Africa, stating that green energy cooperation should serve industrialization, energy security and self-reliant development, according to a statement published on the AU's Peace and Security website.

The AU also said African energy cooperation should support universal access, industrialization and long-term energy security rather than only expanding installed capacity, according to the same statement.