AI Data Centers & Water Stress: A proposed P20.3bn, 50MW hyperscale AI campus in Oton, Iloilo sparked backlash after residents questioned water use and cooling; the Norwegian proponent walked out, leaving the project’s local approval in limbo. Green Finance for Digital Infrastructure: STT GDC secured up to $1.37bn in green financing for its STT Johor datacentre campus in Malaysia, targeting up to 166MW IT load. Grid Bottlenecks for Renewables: South Africa’s renewable buildout faces “gridlock” as transmission lines lag, risking stalled clean-energy growth. Conservation vs Power Lines: Leonardo DiCaprio urged Chile and Argentina to reroute a 500kV Andes transmission line after concerns it could further endanger the critically endangered Pehuenche spiny-chest frog. Regional Power Surplus: Tanzania says new hydropower capacity will widen its generation surplus to trade electricity regionally. India’s Energy Push: Modi’s Independence Day address highlighted solar growth to 160GW, plans for five nuclear reactors this decade, and offshore exploration opening “no-go” areas. Waste-to-Energy: Philippines President Marcos ordered the DOE to implement waste-to-energy within 18 months, with a revised 400MW target and an auction set for Oct. 13, 2026. Renewables Momentum in Iran: Iran reported renewable capacity passing 5,800MW and aims to accelerate further despite sanctions.