The Week in Cleantech: 12 Mar 2023

Last week in cleantech was packed with trending news from the sustainable energy and agriculture industries. Discover how Siemens Gamesa's RecyclableBlade will be used in RWE's offshore wind project, and learn about the Queensland Government's plans to build a transmission line unlocking 6 GW of renewables. We also cover precision agriculture tools from Ceres Imaging, Pollen Systems, FarmWise, and Agrology, as well as partnerships and deals made by Cummins, Petrobras, Equinor, Audi, Next Gen Foods, and DroneSeed, along with H2X's participation in AWS Clean Energy Accelerator 3.0, and the Biden administration's $6B Clean Energy Plan.

Siemens Gamesa's RecyclableBlade chosen for RWE's Sofia offshore wind project in the UK. The project will feature 132 individual recyclable blades, representing the first deployment of 108-metre-long blades. (Offshore WIND and 9 other sources)

Queensland Government to build A$5bn transmission line to unlock 6GW of renewables, connecting vast renewable resources with critical minerals mining. The transmission project, called 'CopperString 2.0', will connect the North West Minerals Province to the National Electricity Market, and is expected to be completed by 2029. (PV Tech and 5 other sources)

Amprius to build a 500 MWh silicon anode Li-ion battery factory in Colorado, with potential for 5 GWh, to meet strong customer demand. The facility will streamline time-to-market and drive effective customer fulfilment, and will be funded in part by a $50m grant from the US Department of Energy. (Green Car Congress and 3 other sources)

Advancing Eco Agriculture to open second manufacturing facility in Aurora, Colorado in June 2023. The 55,000-square-foot space will help AEA meet increasing demand for its comprehensive line of biological and nutritional products for regenerative farming practices. (AgriTech Tomorrow and 1 other source)

Denmark launches project to store CO2 beneath the North Sea, becoming the first nation to bury imported CO2. The "Greensand" project stands out by bringing in carbon from a great distance, unlike other projects that store CO2 emissions from nearby industrial sites. (Technology Times and 1 other source)

Air bp sells first ISCC EU sustainable aviation fuel from Spanish refinery (GreenAir and 3 other sources)

Ceres Imaging expands precision agriculture solutions into Portugal and Spain, using computer vision techniques to identify crop health issues before they become visible. Computer vision technology is transforming the agriculture industry, making it possible for farmers to collect and analyze crop data in real-time, optimizing crop yields and reducing waste. (iGrow News and 2 other sources)

Pollen Systems demonstrates PrecisionView™ Mobile, built on Esri's ArcGIS Maps SDK for Swift. The platform maps out spatially accurate farm blocks and provides precise locations of IoT devices, integrating data from moisture, irrigation, and climate sensors. (AgriTech Tomorrow and 1 other source)

FarmWise's autonomous weeding robots fight herbicide resistance and labor shortages. The robots use AI and machine vision to cut out weeds while leaving crops untouched, providing weeding as a service while being directed by an iPad. (AZO Cleantech and 1 other source)

Agrology launches Arbiter Carbon Monitoring System to help farmers combat climate change, delivering real-time data to growers on their mobile and desktop devices. The system continuously monitors and quantifies soil carbon flux, alerts growers of significant soil or atmospheric events, and is available as a monthly subscription service starting at around $600 per month. (Farming Technology Today and 1 other source)

Cummins launches new brand Accelera for zero-emission technologies and wins a contract to supply 90-MW electrolyser system in Canada. The new brand will advance hydrogen fuel cells, batteries, e-axles, traction systems and electrolysers. (Renewables Now and 6 other sources)

Petrobras and Equinor partner for up to seven offshore wind farms in Brazil, with a potential capacity of 14.5 GW and investments of around $70bn. The feasibility study for the projects will run until 2028, with any further investment dependent on regulatory changes and project viability. (Upstream and 4 other sources)

Carbios joins Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Network to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in plastics and fashion. The French company's biorecycling and biodegradation technologies align with the Foundation's vision for a circular economy. (AZO Cleantech and 1 other source)

Audi is partnering with 15 companies to reuse post-consumer materials from end-of-life vehicles in the production of new cars. The MaterialLoop project is part of Audi's circular economy strategy and aims to recover as many materials as possible at a high level of quality to save primary materials and lower the products' ecological footprint. (Auto Recycling World and 1 other source)

AgTech start-up Agmatix partners with NASA Harvest to promote sustainable agriculture. The partnership will use satellite imagery and ground measurements to provide farmers with data-driven insights to help them make effective field-level decisions. (iGrow News and 1 other source)

H2X joins AWS Clean Energy Accelerator 3.0 to accelerate decarbonization at scale. The non-equity dilutive program focuses on fostering innovation and rapid growth of clean energy technology. (Eco Voice and 4 other sources)

Next Gen Foods acquires plant-based gelato startup Mwah! to expand brand portfolio. The Singapore-based parent company of TiNDLE plans to leverage existing distribution to introduce Mwah! products to key markets. (Green Queen and 1 other source)

DroneSeed, now Mast, has acquired Cal Forest Nurseries and Siskiyou Seed to scale reforestation efforts in the wake of devastating wildfires. Mast uses drones, software, and AI to collect and cultivate seeds, with a focus on polycultural cultivation and planting efforts that improve the chances of seedlings growing to maturity, and issues carbon credits to help pay landowners and forest managers. (GreenBiz and 1 other source)

Biden's $6B Clean Energy Plan to fund decarbonization projects in high-emitting industries. The Industrial Demonstrations Program will create new economic opportunities and strengthen American industrial leadership globally. (ESG News and 3 other sources)

Samsung SDI and GM to invest $3.8bn in a new US EV battery plant. The plant is expected to have a 30-50 GWh production capacity and start operations around 2026. (Batteries News and 2 other sources)

Purolator to invest $1bn in electric network, including 3,500 EVs and 60 terminals. The Canadian freight company aims to reduce emissions by 42% by 2030. (ESG Today and 2 other sources)

Silfab secures $125m for 1GW US solar cell manufacturing facility. The Canadian PV manufacturer's third US facility will be fully operational in 2024. (PV Tech and 5 other sources)

Agrifoodtech funding dropped 44% YoY in 2022 to $29.6bn, but climate tech categories saw gains, according to a report by AgFunder and Temasek. Bioenergy and biomaterials funding rose 15% to $2.3bn, while ag biotech funding increased to $2.7bn and novel farming systems funding rose 21% YoY to $2.85bn. (AFN and 1 other source)

Berkeley Lab researchers create conductive polymer coating for longer-lasting EV batteries. The HOS-PFM coating allows for high charge/discharge rates and could increase energy density by 30%. (ET EnergyWorld and 4 other sources)

Study finds wholly sustainable plastics economy feasible with increased recycling and improved processes. At least 74% of plastic would need to be recycled, with the remaining 26% sourced from carbon capture and biomass. (Nanowerk and 2 other sources)

US nuclear plant generates clean hydrogen in milestone demonstration. Constellation's Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station produces emissions-free hydrogen for cooling using a low-temperature electrolysis system, backed by the US Department of Energy and part of a $14.5m project to scale up clean hydrogen production. (FuelCellsWorks and 6 other sources)

"Agrivoltaics: Solar and crops can coexist" - Cornell University researchers have developed a computational model to show that solar and crop production can exist together, improving microclimates and surface temperature of solar modules. The physics-based tool estimates the costs and benefits of co-locating solar panels and commercial agriculture. (pv magazine and 1 other source)

Balanced approach needed for carbon removal methods to limit global warming, study finds. Six different methods, including enhanced weathering and direct ocean capture, could remove up to 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually by mid-century, according to researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. (AZO Cleantech and 1 other source)

Australia's renewable energy investment sees a welcome bump, but still falls short of 82% target. The Clean Energy Council reports a strong December quarter, but the country needs to deploy new large-scale generation more quickly to meet its renewable energy targets. (Renew Economy and 5 other sources)

Global Plug-In Electric Car Sales Up 10% YoY in January 2023, Expected to Accelerate Later This Year. Tesla Model Y, BYD Song Plus, and Tesla Model 3 are the top-selling electric cars, with BYD and Tesla being the top brands. (InsideEVs and 4 other sources)

Plastic recycling capacity in EU grows by 17% in 2021, backed by €1.75bn investment, says Plastic Recyclers Europe. The industry remains committed to a circular plastic future, with over 730 recycling sites and 30,000 employees generating €8.7bn in turnover. (Circular and 2 other sources)

TD Asset Management launches TD North American Sustainability Bond Fund for socially responsible investing. The fund focuses on North American corporate fixed income securities with strong sustainability characteristics and positive contributions to UN SDGs. (ESG Today and 1 other source)

Lidl GB joins Tesco and others to halve UK shopping basket's environmental impact by 2030. Lidl GB is the first discount retailer to sign up to WWF's Retailers' Commitment for Nature. (edie and 2 other sources)

Organisations call for national plan to insulate UK's historic buildings, creating 290k jobs and £35bn boost. Report suggests retrofitting historic buildings would cut carbon emissions. (Energy Live News and 1 other source)

International Copper Association sets net-zero emissions goal by 2050 for copper industry. Members aim to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions 30-40% by 2030 and 70-80% by 2040, while working with value chain partners to reduce Scope 3 emissions 10% by 2030, 30-40% by 2040, and 60-70% by 2050. (Green Car Congress and 1 other source)

Kroger commits to sustainable packaging and climate goals. The US supermarket aims to achieve a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. (Environment + Energy Leader and 1 other source)

Vestas Wind Systems Chair Bert Nordberg steps down after 10 years. Anders Runevad to succeed him as new Chair. (REVE and 2 other sources)

Cedo appoints Martin Burdekin as head of sustainability. Burdekin will lead the development and rollout of the company's sustainability strategy. (Packaging News and 1 other source)

EY appoints Michelle Davies as Global Sustainability Legal Services Leader. Davies will lead a team of legal professionals across 95 countries to provide EY's clients with sustainability-related legal services. (ESG Today and 1 other source)

Trillium Ag appoints Neal Gutterson to Board of Directors for sustainable bio-agriculture. Gutterson's experience in sustainability-driven innovation will benefit Trillium Ag's Agrisome crop protection platform. (iGrow News and 1 other source)

Rep. Randy Feenstra reintroduces bills to support US biofuels industry. Bills aim to compare EV and FFV fleets, support SAF R&D and biofuel fuel cell development. (Biodiesel Magazine and 27 other sources)

US solar installations fall 16% YoY in 2022 due to policy-driven supply constraints. Solar installations are expected to return to growth in 2023, surging 41% to 28.4 GW. (Renewables Now and 6 other sources)

Volkswagen prioritizes North America for battery cell factory due to US incentives. The automaker is waiting for Europe's response to the US Inflation Reduction Act before moving further with plans to build new battery factories in Europe. (InsideEVs and 3 other sources)

EU lawmakers' legislation may harm recycling industry, warns European Recycling Industries' Confederation (EuRIC), as it will incentivise primary raw material extraction and add regulatory burdens on recyclers. The EuRIC calls for an audit register that guarantees market transparency and access to audits for SMEs and for EU Member States to ensure legal and administrative certainty to boost a home-grown European circular economy. (Recycling Magazine and 2 other sources)

Indoor Ag-Con sees 62% attendance increase for its 10th-anniversary event in Las Vegas. The event featured a sold-out show floor with 134 companies, keynote sessions, educational tracks, and networking opportunities. (Urban Ag News and 1 other source)

UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Conference 2023: Fuelling the Future Now. The 19th annual conference will showcase the latest developments in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and projects, with over 40 speakers across five sessions. (H2 View and 2 other sources)

Bioenergy Insight Magazine to host Biogas Congress and Expo in Brussels in May 2023, where high-level speakers will address various issues related to the biogas sector, including the impact of REDII on the global biomethane market and the integration of biogas into the national grid. Register before the end of March to receive a 10% discount. (Bioenergy Insight and 1 other source)

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