Germany, Austria and Luxembourg will provide up to €2.12bn through a joint eSAF funding scheme, using a double-sided auction to bridge the price gap between buyers and sellers of electricity-based aviation fuel. Germany, Austria and Luxembourg announced on 21 September a joint eSAF funding scheme worth up to €2.12 billion.…
Mesabi Metallics has announced an $18bn plan, including a $15bn Iowa steel complex that will pair hot direct-reduced iron with electric arc furnaces and use ore from its new Minnesota mine. Mesabi Metallics announced on 28 September an $18 billion investment to build a fully integrated steel company. The plan…
The Commission has published final terms for its second industrial heat auction, releasing €1 billion from EU Emissions Trading System revenues to cut fossil fuel use in process heat, with bidding expected from December. The European Commission published the final terms and conditions on 24 September for its second Europe-wide…
NSG Group has completed a float glass recycling trial at its Chiba Plant, reprocessing end-of-life laminated glass from a University of Tokyo building into new glass products. NSG Group has completed a float glass recycling trial at its Chiba Plant in Ichihara City, in what it calls horizontal recycling, feeding…
INEOS Energy has brought the Greensand offshore carbon storage site off Esbjerg into full operation, the European Union’s first full-scale facility, with capacity to store up to 8 million tonnes a year. INEOS Energy, with partners Harbour Energy and Denmark’s Nordsøfonden, has brought the Greensand offshore carbon storage site off…
Sanofi, UCB and Opella Healthcare have joined AstraZeneca as founding members of the Clean Heat Program, targeting industrial heat as the largest remaining source of pharmaceutical manufacturing emissions. Multinational pharmaceutical companies Sanofi, UCB and Opella Healthcare Group have joined AstraZeneca as founding members of the Clean Heat Program, an initiative…
Bulgaria’s glass packaging industry has launched a national Close the Glass Loop platform to raise collection for glass recycling, aiming to help meet the EU’s 90% target by 2030. Bulgaria’s glass packaging value chain has united to launch a new national platform for glass collection and recycling, joining a Europe-wide…
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Calgary-based Cura has closed a $10 million USD funding round to expand its electrochemical low-carbon cement pilot with Grand Forks Concrete, a step toward commercial-scale production in Alberta. Calgary-based cleantech company Cura has closed a $10 million USD ($14 million CAD) funding round on 17 September, its second tranche, to accelerate commercial development of its low-carbon cement technology near Taber, Alberta. The round was led by Zacua Ventures, with Sandpiper Ventures, Vantage Futures, Amplify Capital, the University of Calgary’s UCEED fund, the Mount Rundle Club and Sebastian Becker also participating. Zacua’s Juan Nieto joins Cura’s board of directors. Cement is…
The Hydrogen Council’s latest Hydrogen Compass report puts the global low-carbon hydrogen pipeline at $130 billion and 6.9 million tonnes a year, with ammonia the leading offtake. The Hydrogen Council said in its latest annual Hydrogen Compass report that the global low-carbon hydrogen project pipeline has grown to $130 billion and 6.9 million tonnes a year of capacity across 570 projects, with 90% of that capacity under construction or already operational. The figures mark a maturing pipeline, with a growing share of projects moving past the announcement stage into construction and operation. Ammonia remains the dominant offtake for the pipeline,…
EU member states agreed to expand free ETS allowances for energy-intensive industries from 2026 to 2030, aiming to protect steel, cement and chemicals producers from carbon leakage. EU member states have agreed to expand free ETS allowances for energy-intensive industries between 2026 and 2030, a move the Council of the European Union says will protect steel, cement and chemicals producers from carbon leakage during a sensitive stretch of the transition. Ambassadors representing member states agreed on 16 September to release around 88 million allowances that had been set aside for free allocation to sectors covered by heat and fuel benchmarks…
CAC Engineering’s pilot plant in Freiberg, Germany has produced 300,000 litres of synthetic gasoline, showing its power-to-liquids process can run reliably over a sustained period. A pilot plant in Freiberg, Germany has produced 300,000 litres of synthetic gasoline, a threshold its developer says demonstrates that its power-to-liquids process can run reliably over a sustained period rather than only in short bursts. The facility, run by CAC Engineering at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, uses the company’s METHAFUEL technology to convert e-methanol into synthetic gasoline through the DeCarTrans research programme. Reaching 300,000 litres of cumulative output matters because continuous, reliable operation, rather than…
NEDO and four Japanese partners achieved 85% ammonia co-firing in a full-scale naphtha cracking furnace, a step towards decarbonising petrochemical production without a full plant redesign. A Japanese consortium has achieved an 85% ammonia co-firing rate across a full-scale naphtha cracking furnace, a milestone the group says clears one of the toughest technical barriers to decarbonising petrochemical production. NEDO, Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, ran the demonstration together with Mitsui Chemicals, Maruzen Petrochemical, Toyo Engineering and Sojitz Machinery, testing a furnace fitted with a newly developed ammonia-fired burner. The 85% figure covers the entire furnace on a…
China’s CESTRI has opened a demonstration plant that turns coal fly ash into fly ash geopolymer concrete, a cement-free binder the institute says cuts emissions and costs against Portland cement. The CHN Energy Science and Technology Research Institute (CESTRI) has opened a demonstration base in China that converts coal fly…
Rohrdorfer has co-fired hydrogen on the clinker kiln at its Gmunden works in Austria, the first trial of its kind at an Austrian cement plant, though the producer says the fuel still costs far too much. Austrian cement producer Rohrdorfer has run the first large-scale hydrogen combustion test at an…
Holcim Germany has commissioned a membrane-based carbon capture demonstration at its Höver cement plant in Lower Saxony, capturing up to 10,000 tonnes a year and targeting 90% of site emissions after expansion. Holcim Germany has commissioned a membrane-based carbon dioxide capture demonstration plant at its Höver cement works in Lower…
Aircapture and NGK have commissioned a direct air capture unit at AIZAWA Concrete’s Fukushima site, testing NGK ceramic substrates in commercial conditions and looking at concrete mineralisation as an outlet for the captured gas. Aircapture and NGK Corporation have started a joint direct air capture demonstration at AIZAWA Concrete Corporation’s…
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BMW’s Car2Car consortium has shown that additional sorting can strip copper from end-of-life vehicle scrap well enough to make flat steel for cars, with more than 100,000 series parts already built and installed. High-quality material loops are technically feasible in the automotive industry, and copper-bearing impurities in steel scrap can be reduced notably, BMW said after completing its Car2Car research project with partners, EUROMETAL reported on 27 August. The project focused on steel, aluminium and copper, and also considered other materials including glass. BMW’s consortium included Scholz Recycling, thyssenkrupp Steel Europe and Salzgitter Mannesmann Forschung, alongside academic partners such as…
UNEP says copper demand will rise more than 40% by 2040 while mined output peaks around 2030, leaving a projected shortfall of 6.5 million tonnes within the next five years. Demand for copper will rise more than 40% by 2040 while mined production is expected to peak around 2030 and then flatten or decline, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The projection appears in a UNEP article published on 27 August on securing the materials the energy transition needs. Copper carries electrification. Electric vehicles use up to four times as much of it as traditional combustion engines, and it…
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Manufacturers are adopting digital twin technology, collaborative robots, and AI-driven simulations to modernise legacy plants efficiently, minimise risk, and enhance sustainability amid rising operational costs. Manufacturers today face growing pressures from rising operational costs, production inefficiencies, and a tightening labour market, driving a critical need to modernize legacy plants while preserving existing investments. As Rahul Garg, VP for Industrial Machinery Vertical Software Strategy at Siemens Digital Industries Software, explains, digitalisation and automation stand as transformative strategies to navigate these challenges, enabling businesses to remain competitive and profitable in a volatile industrial landscape. Importantly, modernisation does not require wholesale replacement of…
Google DeepMind expands into Singapore with a new AI research lab dedicated to developing culturally inclusive, region-specific artificial intelligence technologies aligned with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0 and Smart Nation 2.0 initiatives. Google DeepMind is significantly expanding its footprint in the Asia-Pacific region with the opening of a new AI research laboratory in Singapore, underscoring the city-state’s pivotal role in advancing artificial intelligence innovation tailored to the region’s unique socio-economic contexts. This expansion aligns with Singapore’s ambitious National AI Strategy 2.0 (NAIS 2.0) and Smart Nation 2.0 initiatives, which collectively aim to harness AI for national growth, public good, and…
Portugal’s ceramic sector is embracing a transformative shift through ambitious decarbonisation strategies, technological advancements, and renewable energy integration, positioning itself for a sustainable future amid global market pressures and environmental commitments. The Portuguese ceramic industry, a significant player in Europe’s ceramics production landscape, stands at a pivotal crossroads characterised by pressing challenges and emerging opportunities related to sustainability, energy efficiency, and technological innovation. According to António Baio Dias, director of the Ceramic and Glass Technology Centre (CTCV), the sector grapples with high energy and raw material costs, given its energy-intensive nature and reliance on critical raw materials. The ongoing geopolitical…
Chinese scientists have developed a novel iron-based catalyst that enhances syngas conversion into olefins, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting industrial emissions, marking a significant step towards greener plastics and rubber manufacturing. Chinese scientists have announced a significant breakthrough in the sustainable production of plastics and synthetic rubber by developing a novel iron-based catalyst that transforms syngas, an industrially derived mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, directly into olefins, which are essential chemical building blocks typically sourced from petroleum. This new method promises to reduce the chemical industry’s dependency on fossil fuels and decrease its carbon footprint. Traditionally, olefins…
China’s CGN launches construction of the Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant, featuring a groundbreaking natural draft cooling tower with new safety and environmental innovations, marking a significant step in the country’s clean energy ambitions. China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) has launched full-scale construction of the Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant in Shandong Province, marking a major stride in the country’s nuclear energy development and industrial decarbonisation efforts. This ambitious project, designed to house six Hualong One reactors, aims to generate approximately 50 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, an output sufficient to meet the electricity needs of around five million people. Industry sources…
As regulatory pressures and energy costs rise, manufacturers are adopting advanced process control, equipment upgrades, and waste heat recovery to transform industrial energy use, boosting sustainability and competitiveness. Energy efficiency in industrial processes has evolved from a marginal concern to a strategic imperative amid intensifying regulatory demands, escalating energy costs, and the global urgency to meet net-zero emissions targets. For manufacturers, optimising energy usage is not only about compliance but also about reducing operational costs, enhancing competitiveness, and fulfilling corporate sustainability commitments. The industrial sector is a significant contributor to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, making its decarbonisation…
Analysis from Ember reveals that in 2025, solar and wind power generated more electricity than the increase in global demand, marking a historic milestone and indicating a turning point away from fossil fuels. Fresh analysis from the energy think tank Ember suggests that 2025 could mark a historic turning point in the global electricity sector, as solar and wind energy are poised to exceed incremental global electricity demand growth by a comfortable margin for the first time. This development indicates a shift in the balance away from fossil fuel generation, with renewable energy expanding rapidly enough to meet new energy…
The Siemens Electronics Factory in Erlangen demonstrates how integrating AI, Digital Twins, and Edge computing can transform manufacturing, boosting productivity while halving energy consumption and reducing emissions. At the Siemens Electronics Factory in Erlangen, Germany, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transitioned from experimental applications to being an integral part of everyday manufacturing processes. This facility exemplifies how industrial AI can fundamentally enhance machine capabilities in sensing, analysis, and responsive action, creating substantial improvements in process quality, production speed, and energy efficiency. The factory addresses a common industry challenge: manufacturing data frequently remains isolated within silos or is underexploited.…
Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project takes a major stride towards sustainability with a SAR 600 million land lease agreement to establish a green industrial gases facility, supporting the kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals and industrial diversification. Oxagon, the innovative industrial city within Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, has taken a significant step towards becoming fully operational with a major land lease agreement signed with Abdullah Hashim Industrial Gases & Equipment Co. Ltd (AHG). The agreement encompasses a phased investment totalling SAR 600 million aimed at the establishment of an advanced industrial gases production and distribution facility within Oxagon’s Industrial Quarter, the city’s designated…
Japan advances its green hydrogen efforts through innovative projects across production, storage, and urban applications, signalling a major shift in its pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2050. Japan is intensifying its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, with green hydrogen emerging as a pivotal technology in the country’s decarbonisation strategy. As municipalities and enterprises ramp up efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, innovative projects across Japan illustrate growing momentum in the production, storage, and utilisation of green hydrogen to foster a low-carbon society. One notable initiative is the mega-solar power plant jointly operated by Yamanashi Prefecture and Tokyo Electric Power…
