The Week in Cleantech: 16 Apr 2023

Last week was packed with news from the renewable energy sector. IberBlue Wind will build the first cross-border offshore wind project in the Iberian Peninsula, Sinopec will develop China's first green hydrogen pipeline, and Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has made its first biofuels move by acquiring the US biogas firm Purpose Energy. Meanwhile, Ford is going to invest $1.3bn to transform a Canadian plant into EV hub.

Tesla to build Megafactory in China to meet demand for Megapacks. The new factory will have a capacity of 10,000 Megapacks per year and will start production in Q2 2024. (Elektrek and 11 other sources)

IberBlue Wind to build first cross-border offshore wind project in Iberian Peninsula, generating 5000 jobs and up to 1.96 GW. The Juan Sebastián Elcano and Creoula projects will feature 109 turbines and occupy an area of 530 sq km on the border between Spain and Portugal. (Modern Power Systems and 9 other sources)

SSE installs world's deepest wind turbine foundation for Seagreen project. The offshore wind farm will have a total capacity of 1.1GW and power 1.6 million UK homes. (Power Technology and 7 other sources)

Sinopec to build China's first green hydrogen pipeline for eco-friendly fuel transfer. The 400km pipeline will transport hydrogen produced from renewable power projects to cities in China's east. (Hydrogen Fuel News and 5 other sources)

Mitsubishi leads sponsor group to finance largest onshore wind farm in SE Asia. Monsoon wind farm in Laos to supply Vietnam under 25-year contract. (Renewables Now and 5 other sources)

Geely's Zeekr X compact EV launches in China and confirmed for Europe. The electric vehicle offers two powertrains, four or five seats, and a 66-kilowatt-hour pack with NMC chemistry, with prices starting at $27,600. (InsideEVs and 2 other sources)

Co-op partners with Polytag to apply unique QR codes to water bottles for unprecedented packaging visibility during recycling. The QR codes contain serial numbers for fraud-proof rewards and UV tags to capture barcode-level information in real-time. (Grocery Gazette and 1 other source)

CH4 Global launches Methane Tamer™ Beef Feedlot to reduce cattle methane emissions. The natural feed supplement uses Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce methane by up to 90%. (AgriTech Tomorrow and 1 other source)

Sense's energy monitors track electricity use and carbon intensity of the grid in real-time, helping customers schedule activities for times when the power mix is cleanest, potentially reducing energy waste and carbon emissions. The company is partnering with utilities to integrate the technology into electric meters to allow more people to access the data about their electricity use. (Yale Climate Connections and 1 other source)

Honeywell's LOHC enables long-distance clean hydrogen transportation using existing infrastructure. The LOHC solution chemically combines hydrogen gas into a liquid carrier, which can be transported in the same way as gasoline or similar hydrocarbons, and can help meet the growing demand for hydrogen across various industries. (H2 View and 1 other source)

Bel Group partners with Climax Foods to create plant-based versions of its iconic cheese brands, starting with Mini Babybel, for launch in Europe and the US by the end of 2024. The aim is to generate half of Bel’s revenues from plant-based, fruit-based, or animal-free products by 2030. (AFN and 2 other sources)

Gevo partners with LG Chem to develop bio-propylene for renewable chemicals. Gevo's Ethanol-to-Olefins (ETO) technology uses mixed metal oxide catalysts to produce carbon-neutral or carbon-negative drop-in replacements for traditional petroleum-based building blocks called olefins. (Green Car Congress and 1 other source)

Li-Cycle and VinES Energy Solutions sign a long-term recycling agreement for Vietnamese-sourced battery materials, with plans for a dedicated recycling facility in the future, and to explore global recycling solutions for VinFast. Li-Cycle will facilitate the processing of VinES’ material using its North American Spoke network. (Green Car Congress and 1 other source)

RWE signs long-term green power deal with Ocean Breeze Energy for offshore wind farm. The deal will see RWE supply the wind farm's electricity production until 2030. (REVE and 1 other source)

Santa Barbara approves $300M MarBorg trash-collection contract over 15 years. The new agreement includes a more efficient curbside cart program. (Waste Advantage Magazine and 1 other source)

Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners acquires US biogas firm Purpose Energy in first biofuels move. Purpose Energy develops and operates projects converting waste streams into biogas for use in industry, conversion to renewable energy, or refinement to ‘renewable natural gas’ (RNG). (Renew Economy and 4 other sources)

Masdar acquires 50% stake in California solar-plus-storage project from EDF Renewables. The project is part of a partnership agreement between Masdar and EDF Renewables, with a total capacity of 1.6GW. (Energy Storage News and 1 other source)

Longroad Energy to sell Foxhound Solar project to Dominion Energy in Virginia. The 83 MW solar farm is under construction and will be equipped with US-made Series 6+ solar modules. (Renewables Now and 1 other source)

Qualitas Energy acquires 1.4 GW German onshore wind development business from DunoAir Group, expanding its development platform to 2.9 GW in the country and aiming to reach 6.2 GW in the next two years. The acquisition includes DunoAir Windpark Planung GmbH, which plans and builds wind parks across Germany with a focus on the western part of the country. (Renewables Now and 1 other source)

Tages Capital has purchased an 82 MW solar farm in Cagliari, Sardinia through its Tages Helios II fund. The single-axis tracker equipped facility is one of Italy's biggest and was bought for an undisclosed sum. (Renewables Now and 1 other source)

Ford invests $1.3bn to transform Canadian plant into EV hub. The Oakville Electric Vehicle Complex will build electric vehicles and assemble battery packs. (InsideEVs and 3 other sources)

GM Ventures leads $50M investment in EnergyX to develop sustainable lithium extraction for EV batteries, unlocking North American lithium supply. EnergyX's DLE technology portfolio can make lithium metal directly from brine for more cost-effective and sustainable recovery. (NS Energy and 1 other source)

Carbon Robotics raises $30m to expand its precision weed-control system for crops. The LaserWeeder, an autonomous robot, uses AI and CO2 laser technology to target and eliminate weeds with millimeter accuracy, reducing the need for herbicides and labor. (AFN and 3 other sources)

Noya raises $11M to scale direct air capture technology for carbon removal. The San Francisco-based climate tech company plans to expand testing and manufacturing capabilities and deploy their first commercial pilot later this year. (Tech Funding News and 1 other source)

SOLASTA Bio secures £4m to scale up development of eco-friendly insecticides. The Glasgow-based agritech develops nature-inspired pesticides that target pests while preserving beneficial pollinators. (AgriTech Tomorrow and 1 other source)

StoreDot to manufacture silicon-dominant batteries for cheaper, lighter EVs. The technology will enable car manufacturers to include smaller battery packs with extreme fast charging capabilities, allowing for improved efficiency, lower costs, and reduced carbon footprint. (Green Car Congress and 4 other sources)

Chevron and Angelicoussis Group to investigate transporting ammonia via tankers. The Joint Study Agreement will evaluate the ammonia transportation market and its potential to lower the carbon intensity of the marine sector. (Fuel Cells Works and 2 other sources)

MIT engineers discover baking soda can reduce CO2 emissions from concrete production. Adding sodium bicarbonate during early stages of production can remove up to 15% of total CO2, and the resulting concrete sets more quickly and doubles mechanical performance. (Energy Post and 2 other sources)

Japan's Idemitsu Kosan has started a feasibility study for a clean hydrogen production facility capable of processing 200-300 tonnes of waste per day, in collaboration with US-based H-Cycle. The companies will use waste discharged in Japan as raw material to create high-valued clean hydrogen through an integrated gasification and plasma polishing process, which can be used as a raw material for synthetic fuels and industrial and transportation uses. (Energy News and 1 other source)

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) could reduce heating and cooling energy consumption by 40% in the US, according to a study from Princeton University's Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment. The study found that ATES could store large amounts of energy for long periods of time, making urban energy infrastructure more resilient, and could be used alongside other technologies such as batteries to help end reliance on fossil fuel-derived backup power and enable a fully renewable grid. (AZO Cleantech and 1 other source)

Global wind energy market to exceed 1 TW capacity by 2023, with offshore wind sector experiencing sevenfold growth by 2032. China's wind power market to rebound strongly in 2023, accounting for 50% of new capacity globally over the 10-year outlook. (REVE and 4 other sources)

BMW Group's Q1 2023 global vehicle sales down 1.5%, but plug-in electric car sales up 23%. BMW brand sold 56k BEVs, Mini brand sold 8.7k BEVs, and BMW Group plans to have 1 in 5 new vehicles fully electric by 2024. (InsideEVs and 3 other sources)

US plant-based sales surpass $8 billion in 2022, with 60% of US households purchasing plant-based alternatives, according to the Plant Based Foods Association's annual State of the Marketplace 2022 Summary Report. The report also revealed that the plant-based meat category is diversifying, with frozen meats making up 63% of sales, and consumers looking for lower prices and convenience. (Green Queen and 1 other source)

Seven of Australia's top 10 best-performing solar farms are located in New South Wales. In March, large-scale solar farms in the state generated a combined 518 GWh, while the 100 MW Merredin Solar Farm in Western Australia topped the rankings. (pv magazine and 1 other source)

IEA report warns of inconsistent hydrogen definitions risking market fragmentation. A common definition to determine the GHG intensity of hydrogen could simplify global certification and stimulate international hydrogen trade. (H2 View and 1 other source)

Chipotle unveils all-electric restaurant design with EV chargers and renewable energy. The new "Responsible Restaurants" feature solar panels, cactus leather seats, and biodegradable service ware. (Elektrek and 4 other sources)

Apple aims to use 100% recycled cobalt in batteries by 2025. The company also targets to eliminate plastics from its packaging by 2025. (Environment + Energy Leader and 3 other sources)

US corporations join forces to purchase sustainable aviation fuel certificates for JetBlue flights. The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) is driving investment in high-integrity SAF to reduce carbon emissions in the aviation sector. (Bioenergy International and 3 other sources)

Mastercard to remove first-use PVC plastics from payment cards by 2028, as part of its sustainability commitments. The company will use sustainable materials for all newly-produced plastic payment cards from January 1, 2028, and is working to transition card-issuing partners away from non-sustainable materials. (Environment + Energy Leader and 1 other source)

Lloyd's launches £250m Private Impact Fund for sustainable investment. The fund will invest in areas including private equity, infrastructure, natural capital and real estate, and will align with Article 9 principles of the EU’s SFDR regulation. (ESG Today and 1 other source)

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