The Week in Cleantech: 21 May 2023

The momentum of new deals and partnerships in various cleantech sectors persisted last week, showcasing a continued surge in collaboration and strategic alliances. Lululemon and Samsara Eco partnered for world's first apparel waste recycling program, Cemex and Ecocem joined forces to trial lower-carbon cement in French plants, and Idaho Power signed a long-term power purchase agreement with rPlus Energies. Meanwhile, President Biden vetoed legislation to restore tariffs on solar panels made in Southeast Asia, citing potential harm to the US solar industry and jobs.

Summit Agricultural to build world's largest ethanol-to-SAF plant in Gulf Coast. The facility will produce 250 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel per year starting in 2025. (Renewables Now and 5 other sources)

Neste opens expanded Singapore refinery to produce 1 million tons of sustainable aviation fuel annually. The company has also established an integrated SAF supply chain to enable blended fuel to be delivered to airlines at Singapore’s Changi International Airport and conditionally agreed to acquire a minority shareholding in Changi Airport Fuel Hydrant Installation Company. (GreenAir and 4 other sources)

SSE Renewables to build 150MW battery storage project at Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire. The project is part of SSE's £25bn Net Zero Acceleration Programme and will provide flexible generation for the UK's national grid. (AZO Cleantech and 4 other sources)

LNG Electric to launch EV charging stations at 13,000 US hotels. The Boston-based company aims to become one of the top three owners and operators of electric car charging stations in the US by 2028. (InsideEVs and 2 other sources)

Lafarge Canada to build synthetic hydrocarbons plant using captured CO2. The plant will convert 1t/day of CO2 emissions into 1.5 barrels/day of synthetic hydrocarbons. (Global Cement and 2 other sources)

Ford unveils small electric van for Europe, with SUV-like styling and 134-hp motor. The E-Tourneo Courier is set to go on sale in Europe in late 2024, with no battery specs or range estimates provided. (Green Car Reports and 3 other sources)

BeeHero introduces Healthy Hive Score to measure bee health, saving a quarter of a billion bees in the past year. The data-driven assessment model evaluates colony health and enables beekeepers to take proactive measures to prevent colony loss and ensure bee welfare. (AgriTech Tomorrow and 2 other sources)

TiNDLE unveils TrueCut, its first whole-cut vegan chicken product replicating meat's taste and texture. The Singapore-based vegan meat brand will debut the product at the U.S. National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, which uses advanced plant-based protein development techniques to deliver the same experience as animal-based counterparts. (Green Queen and 1 other source)

Rocket-Foam: a revolutionary growing substrate that saves water and increases crop yields. The biodegradable foam by Martian Enterprises is the fastest germinating substrate available, saves up to 50% water, and improves growth rates. (AgriTech Tomorrow and 1 other source)

CarbonBuilt begins commercial production of low-carbon concrete in Alabama. The startup claims its novel technology can reduce overall CO2 emissions from concrete-making by 70 to 100 percent. (Canary Media and 1 other source)

Shell and UC Regents sign PPA for SunZia, largest wind project in Western Hemisphere. The 3,500 MW project will be built by Pattern Energy Group in New Mexico and is expected to be completed by 2026. (Renewables Now and 7 other sources)

Idaho Power has signed a long-term PPA with rPlus Energies for the 200 MW Pleasant Valley Solar project. The project will create local jobs and revenue, and will contribute to Meta's goal of sourcing 100% of its operations from renewable energy. (Solar Power World and 6 other sources)

Aker Carbon Capture wins €200m carbon capture project for Ørsted Kalundborg Hub in Denmark, with an installed design capture capacity of 500,000 tonnes CO2 per year. The project is part of a larger groundbreaking carbon capture, utilization, and storage project covering the entire value chain, delivered by Ørsted, Aker Carbon Capture, Microsoft, and Northern Lights. (Bioenergy Insight and 5 other sources)

Iberdrola awards Windar Renovables contract for 95 transition pieces for UK wind farm. Windar Renovables will produce 95 transition pieces for the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm in UK waters, the largest order of this type of foundation to date for the company. The production of the pieces will require over two million working hours during 23 months, creating 400 jobs. (Offshore WIND and 4 other sources)

TenneT signs framework agreements with Allseas and Heerema for offshore platform installation. Fourteen 2 GW converter stations will be installed in the Dutch and German parts of the North Sea. (Offshore WIND and 4 other sources)

Lululemon partners with Australian startup Samsara Eco to create the world's first infinitely recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester from apparel waste. The partnership will span several years and aims to scale circularity through textile-to-textile recycling for the performance apparel industry. (TechCrunch and 2 other sources)

ADM and Air Protein partner to develop novel proteins for nutrition and build the world's first Air Protein commercial scale plant. The collaboration combines ADM's nutrition and research expertise with Air Protein's landless agriculture platform to scale cost-effective ingredients for meat substitutes. (Industrial News and 2 other sources)

Cemex and Ecocem partner to trial lower-carbon cement in French plants. The partnership aims to explore opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions in concrete production. (CemNet and 1 other source)

Lafarge Canada partners with 4Refuel to reduce carbon emissions with renewable diesel. The sustainable fuel solution will decrease up to 46 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year in Manitoba. (Biomass Magazine and 1 other source)

Svante and 3M partner to develop innovative carbon removal solutions. The joint development agreement focuses on structured adsorbent technology for the carbon dioxide removal industry. (ESG Today and 3 other sources)

Biden Administration to offer $11bn in grants and loans for rural clean energy. The funding is available through two new programs, PACE and New ERA, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. (Environment + Energy Leader and 11 other sources)

DOE opens $2.25B funding program for carbon capture and storage projects, selects 9 winners. The funding is part of $4.9B allocated for carbon management under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. (Carbon Credits and 1 other source)

DOE and DOT launch $51M Ride and Drive Electric program to accelerate EV adoption and improve charging infrastructure, while also creating the National Charging Experience Consortium to ensure an easy and reliable charging experience for all Americans. The funding will support the adoption of EVs, enhance charging resilience, provide equitable access, and improve charging performance and reliability, with a deadline for concept papers on June 16, 2023, and full applications on July 28, 2023. (Green Car Congress and 1 other source)

India's Heavy Industries Ministry plans to increase funding for e-two-wheelers and reduce subsidies per vehicle. The ministry is working with industry stakeholders to develop policies and incentives for electric vehicles and to promote sustainable transportation in the country. (ET EnergyWorld and 4 other sources)

European packaging industry to increase investment in sustainable materials over next 5 years. Multi-material, new polymers, and paper use to increase while polyethylene use to decline. (Materials Recycling World and 5 other sources)

Glass Recycling Foundation grants $200k to divert 600 tons of glass from landfills. The foundation aims to increase glass recycling in the U.S. by upgrading equipment, providing collection containers, and supporting pilot projects. (Waste Advantage Magazine and 1 other source)

Prime Roots raises $30m to expand Koji-Meat to US deli counters. The plant-based meats mimic the texture and taste of animal meat using koji mycelium and are more sustainable and efficient than conventional meat. (SOSV and 1 other source)

Charm Industrial secures $53m carbon removal contract with Stripe-managed buyers group. The deal will see the San Francisco-based start-up remove 112,000 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere between 2024 and 2030, with prices expected to decrease by at least 37% during the agreement period. (GreenBiz and 3 other sources)

Less than 4% of European investment funds comply with ESG naming laws, according to Clarity AI. The research found that funds with the word "sustainable" would require renaming or restructuring to be sold across the US, UK, and EU, which all have different definitions and naming laws for non-financial disclosures and sustainability funds. (edie and 1 other source)

We Recycle Solar quadruples solar panel recycling capacity. The company can now process 522 million pounds of hazardous solar panel waste per year. (Waste Advantage Magazine and 3 other sources)

UN report: Turning off the tap of plastic pollution is “within reach”. Recycling and reuse are vital to end plastic pollution, but economic and business models are unclear. Harmonised international action is needed to create a major shift in the plastics policy landscape. (Materials Recycling World and 2 other sources)

"Mission Positive: Hospitality and Leisure Sector Aims for Net-Zero" Edie's latest report explores decarbonisation challenges and opportunities, including a new Net-Positive pathway for the industry. The report features exclusive results from edie’s Business Leadership Survey for 2023 and a foreword from the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. (edie and 1 other source)

OCBC Bank to stop funding fossil fuel projects, targets net zero financed emissions by 2050. The bank sets science-based decarbonisation targets for six sectors, including oil and gas, power, shipping, steel, aviation, and real estate. (Upstream and 1 other source)

Aldi joins UK Refill Coalition to reduce single-use plastic. The Coalition aims to create a standardised refill system across the UK. (Packaging News and 1 other source)

Purely Elizabeth partners with Mad Agriculture to launch Regenerative Impact Program. The three-year initiative aims to source one-third of the company's ingredients from regenerative agriculture practices by 2026. (iGrow News and 1 other source)

Think tank accuses UK pension funds of greenwashing over $4.6bn in fossil fuels. More than 160 "sustainable" funds were found to be held in companies including Chevron, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies by the Carbon Tracker Initiative. (Offshore Technology and 1 other source)

Breedon Group joins world-first Peak Cluster project to achieve net zero. The initiative will remove over 3Mt of CO2 emissions each year by 2030. (CemNet and 1 other source)

President Biden vetoes legislation to restore tariffs on solar panels made in Southeast Asia, citing potential harm to the US solar industry and American jobs. The Solar Energy Industries Association applauds the veto, stating that the two-year solar tariff moratorium is a strategic bridge to stand up US-based manufacturing capacity while allowing developers to keep building projects and move towards clean energy goals. (Elektrek and 8 other sources)

Eurostat releases revised EU circular economy monitoring framework with new dimension. The new framework includes new indicators and shows progress in patents on recycling and secondary raw materials, jobs, and GHG emissions. (Circular and 1 other source)

US power plants will be required to build carbon capture and storage (CCS) or shut down under proposed rules to lower carbon pollution from President Joe Biden. The move comes after incentives in the form of tax credits of up to $85 a tonne of captured CO2 were allocated in Biden’s landmark climate bill, alongside infrastructure legislation with $8.5bn to boost CCS technology. (Energy Now and 1 other source)

EU Parliament approves new rules to prevent greenwashing by companies. The rules require companies to substantiate and verify their environmental claims and labels, with a ban on generic claims and product design features that promote early obsolescence. (ESG Today and 1 other source)

G7 Summit 2023: Hydrogen in focus. Hydrogen has been a prominent topic in the 10 ministerial meetings leading up to the G7 Summit in Japan. (H2 View and 2 other sources)

Resource & Waste Management Expo (RWM) rebrands and refocuses to tackle global waste crisis. RWM will address environmental issues, including net-zero targets, resource management, and circular economy practices, with a focus on waste management solutions. The event will take place in September 2023 at NEC Birmingham as part of the Environmental Services & Solutions Expo initiative. (Waste Management World and 1 other source)

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