Heidelberg Materials UK has proven a zero concrete waste process at its Greenwich plant on the Thames, recovering aggregates for reuse and pairing concrete recycling with CarbonCure CO2-injection technology. Heidelberg Materials UK said it has proven a zero concrete waste process at its Greenwich plant on the River Thames, using…
Moët Hennessy and Verallia have launched a research partnership to develop lightweight glass bottles, cutting wine and spirits packaging weight by 30% to 50% to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint. Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of LVMH, and Verallia, Europe’s largest producer of glass packaging for food and…
Swedish cement technology company Cemvision and precast concrete manufacturer S:t Eriks have signed a partnership to bring near-zero carbon concrete to the Nordic and Baltic construction markets by 2028. Swedish cement technology firm Cemvision and precast concrete manufacturer S:t Eriks have signed a joint sales agreement to develop and commercialise…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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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…
Mission Possible Partnership has published guardrails for mass balance claims, aiming to help buyers judge which accounting systems for low-carbon steel, cement and chemicals deserve their trust. Mission Possible Partnership has published a framework for assessing mass balance claims, aiming to stop the accounting method used across steel, cement, chemicals, aluminium and aviation supply chains from undermining trust in low-emission products. The report, titled “Principles and Guardrails for Credible Mass Balance Claims”, sets out what MPP calls a due-diligence tool for buyers, producers and standard setters to judge whether a given mass balance system deserves confidence. Section 6 of the…
Kanin Energy raised $100 million from S2G Investments and Canada Growth Fund to expand waste heat recovery across cement, steel, refining and gas plants, cutting costs and emissions. Kanin Energy has raised $100 million in new equity to expand waste heat recovery projects across North American cement, steel, refining and gas facilities, the Calgary-based developer said on 17 September. S2G Investments led the round with a $50 million commitment, matched by a further $50 million from Canada Growth Fund. Kanin, founded in 2020, converts heat that would otherwise vent from industrial processes into electricity, and says up to 58% of…
ENEOS Holdings used AI catalyst discovery from Matlantis and NVIDIA to screen 100 million candidate materials for hydrogen electrolysis, cutting a years-long search to just months. ENEOS Holdings has used AI catalyst discovery to screen around 100 million candidate materials for hydrogen electrolysis, cutting a search that once took years down to a few months, Matlantis and NVIDIA said on 17 September. The Japanese energy group combined Matlantis PFP, a general-purpose machine learning interatomic potential, with NVIDIA ALCHEMI, an accelerated computing platform for chemistry and materials workloads. Together the two systems let ENEOS evaluate huge numbers of candidate structures for…
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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…
Durham University researchers put the hydrogen storage potential of depleted North Sea oil and gas fields at 3,659 terawatt-hours, enough to take conventional gas power stations off the British grid by 2040. Depleted oil and gas fields in the North Sea could hold 3,659 terawatt-hours of hydrogen, more than seven…
Carbon capture developer Mantel has raised $18 million from Constellation Technology Ventures and Azimut Investments, taking total funding to $50 million as it moves molten borate capture into power, pulp and oil and gas projects. Mantel has raised $18 million from Constellation Technology Ventures, Azimut Investments and existing investors to…
Japan’s trade ministry has asked for JPY 1.26 trillion in its fiscal 2027 budget request for green transformation, more than double this year’s allocation, with electric arc furnace conversion and green steel procurement in the frame. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has requested JPY 1.26 trillion ($7.88 billion)…
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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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The International Carbon Action Partnership’s 2026 report highlights the expansion of emissions trading systems worldwide, covering more of the global economy and driving vital revenue for clean energy investments, signalling a mature shift in climate policy. Global carbon markets are moving into a more established phase, with emissions trading systems now operating across a wider share of the world economy and edging deeper into large emerging markets, according to the International Carbon Action Partnership’s Status Report 2026. The report says 41 emissions trading systems are currently in force worldwide, covering about 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It adds that…
A Canadian Climate Institute analysis reveals that building a pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific coast could be environmentally viable only if Ottawa and Edmonton implement significantly stricter industrial carbon pricing and curb credit oversupply, marking a critical moment in Canada’s climate and infrastructure policy. Canada could still add a pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific coast without increasing national emissions, but only if Ottawa and Edmonton tighten industrial carbon pricing far beyond what is currently on the table, according to analysis from the Canadian Climate Institute. The think-tank said the outcome would hinge on whether governments address weaknesses in…
MIT researchers have developed robotically assembled modular blocks that could speed up construction, reduce emissions by up to 82%, and pave the way for more sustainable and efficient building methods, signalling a major shift in the industry’s automation and environmental strategies. Robot-built construction blocks are moving from concept to practical prototype, and the latest work from MIT suggests they could do more than speed up building sites. According to MIT News, researchers have developed robotically assembled “voxels” that can be stacked without mortar or adhesives, with the potential to cut embodied carbon by as much as 82% versus methods such…
ABB and Alcemy collaborate to integrate AI-based quality control with automation systems, aiming to reduce emissions and enhance efficiency in cement production through predictive analytics and real-time optimisation. ABB has moved to deepen its digital push in cement production through a memorandum of understanding with alcemy, the industrial decarbonisation specialist, in a collaboration focused on AI-based quality control and lower-emission manufacturing. The agreement is designed to link ABB’s automation and process control systems with alcemy’s machine-learning models so plants can make more accurate decisions about cement and concrete quality in real time. According to the companies, alcemy’s software will draw…
AkzoNobel Powder Coatings has introduced Eco+ Services, a suite of digital tools and technical support designed to help manufacturers quantify and improve the environmental performance of their coating processes, integrating sustainability into daily operations. AkzoNobel Powder Coatings has launched Eco+ Services, a package of digital tools and technical support aimed at helping manufacturers quantify and improve the sustainability of their coating operations. The company says the offer combines data analysis, specialist guidance and verified environmental information to give customers a clearer view of energy consumption, carbon emissions and broader production performance. Rather than treating sustainability as a standalone target, AkzoNobel…
A residential block at Brent Cross Town becomes the UK’s first homebuilding project to incorporate calcined clay concrete, signalling a significant step towards lower-carbon construction practices and wider adoption of sustainable materials in the UK housing sector. Related Argent says a residential block at Brent Cross Town has become the first homebuilding project in the UK to use calcined clay concrete, a lower-carbon formulation that replaces part of the Portland cement content with heat-treated clay. The North London scheme, a large mixed-use regeneration led by Related Argent with Barnet Council, is using the material in a permanently suspended slab for…
Falling battery costs turn electric vehicles into a mainstream power shift, beyond oil disruptions
As battery prices plummet and EV sales surge globally, the industry shifts focus from oil dependency towards minerals and manufacturing, reshaping the future of transportation and supply chains. The shock that followed the brief closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March, when crude climbed to US$120 a barrel, revived an old debate: whether expensive oil can finally push electric vehicles into a lasting mass-market breakthrough. History offers reasons for doubt. Previous EV booms followed the 1973 oil embargo and other periods of energy strain, only to fade once fossil fuel prices eased. This time, the economics look different. The…
Industrial companies are increasingly adopting integrated advanced manufacturing technologies to enhance resilience, efficiency, and sustainability amid global supply chain challenges and rising labour costs, marking a shift from isolated automation to strategic management. Advanced manufacturing has moved from a niche strategy to a baseline expectation for industrial companies facing higher labour costs, persistent supply chain volatility and growing pressure to deliver customised output at speed. At its core, it is about using digital and physical technologies to improve how products are designed, made, inspected and delivered, while also making operations more efficient and resilient across the full value chain. The…
Innovative procurement strategies drive resilience and growth amid supply chain disruptions
New research from EcoVadis and Accenture reveals that leading companies are prioritising innovation over compliance in procurement to boost resilience, adapt to disruption, and unlock higher returns, with technology playing a key role in transforming supply chain management. Sustainable procurement is moving beyond a narrow focus on regulatory box-ticking, with new research from EcoVadis and Accenture suggesting that the strongest companies now see innovation as the main route to returns. In the 2026 Sustainable Procurement Barometer, 80% of the top 10% of performers say innovation is their primary source of ROI from sustainable procurement, compared with 54% of other organisations.…
EU accelerates clean energy shift amid Iran crisis to boost energy independence and resilience
European Union governments are set to strengthen their commitment to renewable energy and industrial resilience in response to geopolitical tensions and surging fossil fuel prices, linking climate ambitions with strategic independence. European Union governments are preparing to sharpen the bloc’s clean energy push in response to the economic shock from the war in Iran, according to a draft agreement seen by Politico. The text, which has already been approved by the EU Council’s Political and Security Committee and is expected to be signed off by foreign ministers next Tuesday, sets out a more explicit link between energy security, climate policy…
