Solar power exceeds coal in Europe, but not without problems: Solar panels in Europe generated more power in May than all of the bloc’s coal plants for the first time, yet the step forward exposed shortcomings within the bloc, Bloomberg reported on Saturday. An inconsistency between supply and demand during some of the month’s sunniest days led to power prices turning negative as grid operators were unable to keep up with the renewables power surge. The downside of the solar boom is that technologies that store energy in batteries or through creating green hydrogen aren’t advanced enough to help keep lights on at nighttime or help keep homes warm in winter. “This summer will be something we’ll have to look at like it’s a postcard from the future. The biggest message will be: we’re not ready,” an analyst told BloombergNEF.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• India is considering slashing import tax on solar panels to 20% from 40% to make up for a drop in domestic output as demand for renewable energy picks up. (Reuters)
• The EU is set to take Italy to court over its failure to treat urban wastewater properly. (Reuters)
• US lithium giant Albemarle is planning to bring another domestic lithium mine online by 2027. The plant is located in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Lithium is an essential component for EV battery manufacturing (CNBC)