MagREEsource, a 2020 spin-off of the CNRS-Institut Néel that is commercializing processes for recycling rare-earth magnets and then remanufacturing new magnets from the recycled powders, has secured €5 million in financing and has opened its first pilot facility in Grenoble, with a capacity of 50 tons by 2023. This first... Read more →

As part of a £113-million (US$136-million) investment from the UK, three projects led by Rolls-Royce will receive £82.8 million (US$100 million) to advance the development of a zero-emission liquid hydrogen combusting jet engine. The funding is being awarded through the ATI Program. The ATI Program co-funds industry-led innovation in civil... Read more →

JFE Steel Corporation, which is expanding the electrical steel sheet capacity of its West Japan Works (Kurashiki Area) for startup targeted at the first half of the fiscal year starting in April 2024, is now planning an additional expansion targeted at a startup in the fiscal year beginning April 2026.... Read more →

Cenntro Electric Group has begun to assemble and produce battery packs using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells and Cenntro’s proprietary battery management technologies. The battery packs are being assembled at Cenntro’s Freehold, NJ facility and the Herne Plant in Germany. The resulting battery packs will offer longer cycle life... Read more →

Nippon Paper Industries, Sumitomo and Green Earth Institute agreed to begin trilateral consideration of the first commercial production of cellulosic bioethanol from woody biomass in Japan and its development into bio-chemical products. Bioethanol is currently attracting attention as a renewable energy source and as feedstock for biofuels such as SAF... Read more →

The US Coast Guard has issued a Marine Safety Alert (01-23) recommending that shippers avoid loading EVs with Li-ion batteries that have been damaged by saltwater. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), residual salt within the battery or battery components can form conductive “bridges” that can lead... Read more →

The UK government announced two new investments totalling £84.4 million (US$102 million) to help decarbonize the maritime sector: a £77-million (US$93-million) Zero Emission Vessel and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition and a £7.4-million (US$9-million) flagship UK National Clean Maritime research hub. The two investments are partnerships between UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)... Read more →

Hynamics, the hydrogen subsidiary of EDF group, has signed an agreement to collaborate with ABB and test the ABB Ability OPTIMAX for Green Hydrogen energy management system (EMS), which was launched to market in November 2022, across Hynamics’ plants to help optimize electrical costs of hydrogen production by up to... Read more →

Nebrija University (Spain) students undertook the redesign and technological improvement of a car of the Sodicars team that took part in the 2023 Dakar Rally in the top-class category (T1).The 3D printing technology used by ArcelorMittal at its R&D&I Center, combined with the smart design algorithms of Nebrija University, have... Read more →

ENEOS Corporation has constructed a demonstration plant in Brisbane, Australia, to produce methylcyclohexane (MCH), a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), using its proprietary low-cost electrochemical synthesis of organic hydride method Direct MCH. (Earlier post.) The plant will begin operation this month. Methylcyclohexane (MCH) is a liquid hydrogen carrier made by... Read more →

HySiLabs, a France-based developer of a siloxane liquid carrier for hydrogen, announced a €13-million Series A financing led by Equinor Ventures, and joined by the European Innovation Council Fund, EDP Ventures and PLD Automobile, with the support of historical investors Kreaxi, Région Sud Investissement and CAAP Création. The funding will... Read more →

Following the start of series production of fuel cells in December 2022, the Danish fuel cell developer and manufacturer Blue World Technologies is now launching the CellPack Stationary, a methanol fuel cell-based power generator. The CellPack Stationary is specially developed for the telecommunication industry, an industry that every year installs... Read more →

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has prepared a resource assessment of the seabed minerals on the Norwegian shelf. The report concludes that substantial resources are in place on the seabed. For several of the metals, the mineral resources are sufficient to cover many years of global consumption. A section of... Read more →

The Bureau of Land Management Alaska State Office recently released the final supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for ConocoPhillips’s proposed Willow Master Development Plan in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The document addresses the flaws identified by the US District Court for the District of Alaska in its... Read more →

HYVIA, a joint venture equally owned by Renault and Plug (earlier post), and HYSETCO, a developer of a hydrogen refueling infrastructure network in France, are developing a new cooperation which aims to: Improve the customer experience of HYVIA light commercial vehicles users in the public hydrogen refueling stations of the... Read more →

The BMW Group is investing €800 million in Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico for integration of fully-electric models of NEUE KLASSE and construction of local high-voltage battery assembly. BMW Group Plant SLP We are systematically gearing our production network towards electromobility. In Mexico, we are investing 800 million euros... Read more →

Lithium metal batteries with solid electrolytes are lightweight, inflammable, pack a lot of energy, and can be recharged very quickly, but they have been slow to develop due to mysterious short circuiting and failure. Researchers at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory now report that the root cause of... Read more →

California State Senators Anthony J. Portantino (D-25) and Josh Newman (D-29) introduced Senate Bill 301, a bill sponsored by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), to create a financial rebate program for converting gas and diesel-powered motor vehicles into zero-emissions-vehicles (ZEVs). If enacted, SB 301 will offer Californians up to... Read more →

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, launched a £110-million (US$133-million) scrappage scheme to support Londoners on lower incomes, disabled Londoners, charities, sole traders and business with 10 or fewer employees to replace or retrofit their old, polluting vehicles in order to be ULEZ compliant. In November 2022, Mayor Kahn announced... Read more →

Volvo Cars reported global sales of 48,520 in January, up 2% compared to the same month last year. Sales of Volvo Cars´ Recharge models of fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars increased by 31% in January year-on-year, accounting for 40.7% of all Volvo cars sold globally during the month. The... Read more →

In 2022, Adamas Intelligence calculated that $3.8 billion worth of magnet rare earth oxides—i.e., NdPr, Dy and Tb oxides—were consumed globally in NdFeB alloys for energy-transition-related applications, including EV traction motors and wind power generators. The total value of rare earth oxides consumed for the energy transition each year quadrupled... Read more →

Australia-based Liontown Resources has begun open pit mining operations at the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in Western Australia (earlier post); the first blast was successfully fired at the Mt. Mann Open Pit by mining services provider Iron Mine Contracting. (Liontown has already secured offtake agreements with Tesla, Ford and LG... Read more →

The Government of Canada announced federal investments totalling nearly $15 million (US$11.2 million) for the installation of more than 2,350 EV chargers, 2,100 of which will be installed across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). This funding was provided to 32 organizations, including municipalities, multi-resident buildings (MURBs), private firms and utilities.... Read more →

Tenneco has established new test facilities for hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines at its Powertrain test centers in Burscheid, Germany, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. These two test cells specifically dedicated to hydrogen ICEs enhance the company’s globally integrated ICE test capabilities, supporting original equipment (OE) engine and vehicle manufacturers as they... Read more →

Air Liquide and TotalEnergies will create an equally owned joint venture to develop a network of hydrogen stations, geared towards heavy-duty vehicles on major European road corridors. This initiative will help facilitate access to hydrogen, enabling the development of its use for goods transportation and further strengthening the hydrogen sector.... Read more →

Polestar and automotive technology company Luminar will expand the integration of Luminar’s lidar systems to the Polestar 5—the electric 4-door GT expected to launch in 2024 based on the Polestar Precept concept car. This expanded partnership provides a foundation to further collaborate on lidar integration and design on Polestar’s future... Read more →

Umicore has signed a long-term agreement with Finland-based Terrafame Ltd. for the supply of low-carbon, sustainable high-grade nickel sulfate. Following the successful completion of the qualification process, commercial deliveries have already started with further ramp-up of volumes to take place during 2023. Terraframe produces nickel and cobalt sulfates, which are... Read more →

Freudenberg e-Power Systems and LG Energy Solution have signed a multi-year contract for the supply of lithium-ion battery modules. With a total capacity of 19 GWh, Freudenberg is expanding its capacities to meet rising demand and ensure the best possible supply for its customers in commercial vehicle applications, such as... Read more →

France-based Forsee Power is sourcing very high energy density NMC cells to be integrated into its battery systems from Chinese battery cell manufacturer CALB. CALB is the first Forsee Power supplier to go through Forsee’s new due diligence process, including a third-party audit as the Group is strengthening its responsible... Read more →

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), a subsidiary of Daimler Truck, revealed the Freightliner SuperTruck II in Las Vegas this week. As part of the SuperTruck program co-funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) with the aim to reduce emissions from on-road freight transportation, DTNA engineers were able to investigate next-generation... Read more →