The Week in Cleantech: 23 Apr 2023

Last week saw multiple product launches across cleantech sectors. CATL unveiled its new ultra-high energy battery technology, BMW presented its fastest and most powerful EV yet, and Farmers Business Network introduced a ChatGPT-powered agronomic advisor. Meanwhile, CropX Technologies raised $30M for its digital agronomic farm management system.

Iberdrola building Spain's first hybrid wind-solar plant in Burgos for €40m. The 74 MW project will share infrastructure with a wind farm complex. (Renewables Now and 5 other sources)

Ørsted partners with Acciona to develop floating wind foundations. The collaboration aims to reduce the LCoE and environmental footprint. (Renewables Now and 5 other sources)

Siemens Gamesa installs first turbine at Dutch offshore wind project. Hollandse Kust Noord expected to generate power by summer, meet 2.8% of Dutch demand. (Renewables Now and 4 other sources)

Einride expands to the UK with sustainable freight transport; Walkers to be first commercial partner. Einride's electric and autonomous fleet vehicles, along with its proprietary platform software, Einride Saga, will be implemented in the UK to reduce carbon emissions from freight transportation, starting with a regional freight route between major cities. (Elektrek and 2 other sources)

Marlow Foods launches new division to supply mycoprotein to food manufacturers. The Marlow Ingredients division aims to drive growth in the meat alternatives category through collaboration and capitalise on the ingredient's health and sustainability benefits. (FoodNavigator and 1 other source)

CATL unveils new ultra-high energy battery technology for aviation and EVs. The "condensed matter" battery has an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg, but no information has been revealed about the cost or other specifications. (pv magazine and 8 other sources)

Siemens Gamesa launches GreenerTower, reducing wind turbine carbon footprint by 20%. The tower steel plates will ensure a CO2 reduction of at least 63% compared to conventional steel production. (Elektrek and 5 other sources)

BMW unveils its fastest and most powerful EV yet with the i7 M70 xDrive. The new electric sedan has up to 660 horsepower and a range of 303 to 348 miles, making it a force to be reckoned with in the EV market. (Elektrek and 2 other sources)

UPSIDE Foods to launch range of ground meat products made from natural animal cells. The cultivated meat company has developed a chicken cell line that could significantly reduce production costs. (iGrow News and 1 other source)

Ayana Bio launches first plant cell culture ingredients for consistent botanical supply. The Boston-based startup uses genome sequencing and metabolomics to create high-value ingredients from plant cell lines in bioreactors. (AFN and 1 other source)

Farmers Business Network introduces AI-powered agronomic advisor, Norm, to aid farmers in decision-making. Norm uses publicly accessible data and OpenAI's Chatbot GPT-3.5 to provide customized advice on agronomy, farm management, animal health, and product usage. (iGrow News and 1 other source)

TenneT signs $32.9bn contracts for 14 offshore grid connection systems in North Sea. The systems should be completed by 2031 using core components manufactured in Europe. (Renewables Now and 8 other sources)

Hexicon and Mainstream Renewable Power's joint venture, Freja Offshore, has submitted a planning application for the Mareld floating offshore wind farm in Sweden, which could generate 9-12 TWh of power annually. The wind farm has a capacity of up to 2.5 GW and could provide more than half of the electricity consumption of the Västra Götaland region. (Offshore WIND and 5 other sources)

Svante joins Pilot Energy's carbon capture and storage project in Australia's Mid West. The two companies will collaborate to offer carbon capture, transportation, and storage solutions to industrial businesses with hard-to-avoid CO2 emissions. (Svante and 3 other sources)

Cirba Solutions and Honda collaborate to source sustainable EV battery materials in North America. The partnership aims to create a circular supply chain for EV batteries, with Cirba Solutions processing end-of-life and scrap batteries to extract critical metals for Honda's future EVs and other products. (Batteries News and 2 other sources)

H2 Green Steel signs €250m deal with Bilstein Group for low-carbon steel. The agreement includes collaboration on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and recycling scrap. (H2 View and 1 other source)

DOE awards $3B conditional loan guarantee to Sunnova Energy for virtual power plant project. Project Hestia will link new rooftop solar and battery storage on 75,000 to 115,000 homes, with a focus on disadvantaged communities. (E&E News - Energywire and 6 other sources)

Ÿnsect secures $175m to shift focus to pet food ingredients. The insect farming startup will also reduce its workforce by 20%. (AFN and 1 other source)

USDA invests $46m in sustainable agriculture research and education program SARE has provided $380m in grants for nearly 8,400 projects, including renewable energy, pest management, and crop rotations. (iGrow News and 1 other source)

CropX Technologies raises $30M in Series C funding round led by Aliaxis SA for its digital agronomic farm management system that helps farmers grow more crops with fewer inputs, including water, energy, chemicals, and time. The investment will be used to expand on its two growth pillars: the continuous development of breakthrough capabilities for its agronomic farm management system and the acquisition of firms with complementary technologies and market reach. (iGrow News and 1 other source)

Solarcycle, a startup that recycles solar panels, has received a $1.5m grant from the US Department of Energy to explore ways to extract higher-quality materials from recycled solar panels. The company plans to double its capacity and vertically integrate the entire recycling and extraction process for solar panels, as well as invest in R&D to develop advanced technologies and processes for recycling solar products. (Waste Dive and 1 other source)

KIND Snacks launches three-year pilot project in regenerative agriculture. The KIND Almond Acres Initiative will expand the brand's sustainable almond sourcing journey. (AgriTech Tomorrow and 2 other sources)

Eastman achieves closed-loop recycling of automotive mixed plastic waste with the United States Automotive Materials Partnership, PADNOS, and Yanfeng. The collaboration demonstrated the feasibility of Eastman's carbon renewal technology, which breaks down plastic-rich automotive shredder residue into molecular building blocks for use in new automotive applications. (Waste Advantage Magazine and 2 other sources)

Argonne National Laboratory scientists develop a sustainability analysis framework to evaluate circular economy strategies for plastic reuse. The framework combines life-cycle analysis with material flow analysis, providing an assessment of the environmental impact of PET bottles over the entire life cycle. (Tech Xplore and 1 other source)

Uber Eats trials reusable packaging with Camberwell-based Again in UK. The trial will offer customers the option to receive food in reusable containers and bags, which will be collected, cleaned and redistributed by Again. (edie and 1 other source)

Blockchain-enabled agrivoltaics: grape farms get smart for sustainable irrigation. Scientists from City University of Hong Kong develop innovative agrivoltaic system for grape farms, utilizing blockchain and smart contracts for efficient water management and energy trading. (pv magazine Australia and 1 other source)

Starbucks certifies 3,500 'greener' stores, aims for 10,000 by 2025. The certification covers energy and water efficiency, waste management, renewable energy use, sustainable materials, and staff engagement. (edie and 2 other sources)

Jet Zero Council plans to race to decarbonisation by 2025, investing in zero-emission aircraft and infrastructure. The council will work alongside the UK government to create a greener economy, accelerating the production of sustainable aviation fuels and developing low or zero-emission aircraft technology. (International Airport Review and 2 other sources)

Singapore launches Finance for Net Zero Action Plan to mobilize financing for decarbonization activities in Asia. The plan includes improving access to climate data and enhancing climate risk management practices. (ESG Today and 1 other source)

LGIM files shareholder resolution seeking Exxon's disclosure on net zero emissions scenario impact. Investors demand clarity on costs associated with decommissioning assets in the event of an accelerated energy transition. (Energy Now and 1 other source)

Vodafone suppliers to receive preferential financing rates for environmental sustainability improvements. Citi and Vodafone have added environmental criteria to Vodafone’s Supply Chain Finance Programme to encourage suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint. (ESG News and 1 other source)

Australia introduces vehicle fuel-efficiency standard, but no new financial incentives for EVs. The policy could lead to a 3m tonne annual cut in emissions by 2030, and 10m tonnes by 2035, but the strategy lacks a sense of urgency and anything new and specific. (The Guardian and 7 other sources)

Scottish deposit return scheme delayed until March 2024 due to UK government delays. The delay will provide 10 months for businesses to prepare and address concerns. (Packaging News and 5 other sources)

Bipartisan bills to improve US recycling infrastructure reintroduced. Recycling and Composting Accountability Act and Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 to aid recycling rates. (Waste Advantage Magazine and 1 other source)

US federal buildings still installing gas-fired appliances despite 15-year-old law to phase out fossil fuels by 2030. The Department of Energy failed to finalize regulations to implement the law, which was opposed by natural gas utilities that faced losing business, and the consequences are playing out at federal buildings and complexes around the country. (NPR and 1 other source)

Environmental groups sue EU over natural gas's sustainable label. Four groups, including ClientEarth and WWF, argue that the designation violates EU rules. (Upstream and 1 other source)

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