SustainabilityOnline: The Sustainability Brief – 31 August 2026

With so much happening in the world of corporate sustainability, SustainabilityOnline has introduced The Sustainability Brief – a regular round-up of some of the top stories making headlines around the world.

In other words, we scour the world for the most important sustainability news, so you don’t have to. Please also check out our homepage for today’s top stories. If you have a news story you’d like to send us, you can contact us here.

India allows renewable projects to store curtailed electricity in batteries

India’s Ministry of Power has allowed renewable-energy projects to use electricity curtailed under Temporary General Network Access to charge additional co-located battery energy storage systems and sell the stored electricity independently, according to reports. The additional batteries cannot be covered by the project’s existing PPA or PSA. The change is intended to increase utilisation of renewable generation that would otherwise be curtailed because of transmission constraints.

OnZero to supply recovered AI heat to Helsinki district heating network

OnZero has signed an agreement with Finnish energy company Helen to connect an AI data centre in Helsinki to the city’s district heating network. The facility is expected to supply up to 525,000MWh of recovered heat annually, enough for about 70,000 apartment homes. OnZero says its liquid-cooled systems can capture up to 99% of heat generated by computing, while Helen aims to phase out combustion-based heat production by 2040.

Chalet Hotels reaches 61% renewable electricity share

Chalet Hotels has published its FY2025-26 Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report, which says that renewable sources supplied 61% of the company’s electricity consumption, according to reports. Energy intensity fell to 10.74 GJ per million rupees of revenue from 15.84 GJ the previous year. The company reported total greenhouse-gas emissions of 22,353.89 tonnes of CO₂e, while saying its EV100 commitment had been achieved ahead of its 2025 target.

California advances wildfire accountability measures

California lawmakers have agreed a revised Senate Bill 492 covering wildfire risk, utility accountability and compensation for fire survivors. Governor Gavin Newsom said the compromise includes a statewide community wildfire strategy, faster payments to survivors and restrictions on utility executive bonuses when a company’s equipment causes a fire. The legislation also retains existing mechanisms allowing utilities to be held financially responsible for wildfire damage.

Nivika considers SEK600m green-bond issue

Swedish property company Nivika Fastigheter has begun investor meetings to explore issuing approximately SEK600 million of new senior unsecured green floating-rate bonds. The proposed four-year issue would sit within an SEK800 million framework. Nivika is also offering holders of its existing SEK400 million green bonds the opportunity to sell them back for cash at 101.4% of nominal value, subject to the conditions of the proposed transaction.