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Sweden is leading the race to decarbonise steel production with the building of a new green steel-making plant. Steel is one of the world’s dirtiest industries, responsible for more than seven per cent of global CO2 emissions and 25 per cent of Europe’s industrial CO2 emissions. Decarbonisation of the industry is a must and disruptive technology will be the key enabler. H2 Green Steel’s new plant just outside Boden, 900 km north of Stockholm, is taking on decarbonisation on an industrial scale, working with customers and partners to show that...

Efforts to develop clean maritime solutions have been boosted by new government funding aimed at decarbonising the maritime sector. For the first time, the UK government is funding the development of new clean maritime technology across a two-year period. Companies in 12 regions around the UK will benefit from the cash, generating highly skilled jobs across the nation and positioning the UK as a world leader in green solutions. Using technologies adapted from the worlds of high-performance yacht racing, motorsports and aerospace, Artemis Technologies in Belfast is developing vessels that effectively ‘fly’ above...

India’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions have been highlighted in a NCAP report that shows the country is far from meeting its targets. NCAP, the National Clean Air Program, was a response by the Government of India in 2019 when pollution levels had increased and the country was choking in fumes. It is the first-ever countrywide program that looks to reduce air pollution nationally. The Central Government launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in...

PET plastics and polyester textiles are used every day but only one quarter of this material is being successfully recycled. The scale-up of chemical recycling alongside existing mechanical recycling approaches has the potential for positive environmental benefits as well as transformative success for the wider PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and polyester industry. If implemented, this combination of plastic recycling approaches could achieve very high recycling rates and lower carbon emissions from the PET packaging and textiles system, according to a new study by Systemiq. The study explores the evidence for the...

Decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors needs new tech and commitments to purchase near-zero emission products. That’s the aim of the First Movers Coalition (FMC) launched in November 2021 with a mission to accelerate the scaling of emerging decarbonisation technologies in hard-to-abate sectors. As of January 2023, more than 65 blue-chip member companies have joined the coalition with commitments to buy near-zero emission products totalling an estimated $12 billion. FMC is tackling the challenge of slashing emissions in seven critical sectors: steel, aluminium, concrete, trucking, shipping, aviation, and CO2 removal. The deep carbonisation...

Decarbonising cement and concrete used in the built environment is vital to reducing global greenhouse-gas emissions. Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 will require the rapid decarbonisation of the cement and concrete industry. Although many companies in the industry have committed to decarbonisation, no individual organisation can achieve this goal without buy-in from across the ecosystem, according to a new report from McKinsey. The built environment accounts for approximately 40 per cent of global CO2 emissions from fuel combustion and 25 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions. As a part of these totals, cement production...

As climate change intensifies, companies across sectors are transforming their business models to forge a sustainable future – one that protects people, planet, and profits. According to a 2022 report from the Institute for Business Value (IBM), in the race to reduce emissions, consumption, and waste – while protecting biodiversity – everything is on the table, and consumers are playing a vital role in making it happen. 51 per cent of respondents to an IBM environmental sustainability survey, released in February 2022, said that sustainability was more important to them...

EV sales in UK are forecast to reach half a million units in 2023 but measures are needed to ensure a fair net zero transition. Nearly one in four new cars sold in UK in February were plug-ins, battery-powered deliveries rose 18.2 per cent with all EV cars taking almost a quarter market share, according to industry group the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) recorded the most significant growth of all fuel types, up 40.0 per cent, followed by petrol, up 35.8 per cent...

Corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) have enabled significant growth in the commercial and industrial renewable power supply space, influencing final investment decisions from developers and investors looking to construct new renewable energy assets. Big tech companies are some of the biggest purchasers of PPAs. Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta were the top three largest corporate buyers of renewable energy through PPAs in 2021, with roughly 14.5 gigawatts secured between the three companies. According to Bill Kentrup, co-founder and head of origination at Allinfra, solar is the predominant solution for on-site or...

Net zero is driving economic growth with low carbon business activity generating £41.2 billion in 2020, according to Mission Zero. Mission Zero, the Independent Review of Net Zero, reports that there are already around 430,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country with turnover estimated at £41.2 billion in 2020. Government analysis suggests that nearly 68,000 green jobs have been created or supported since November 2020. The Independent Review of Net Zero highlights economic opportunities of net zero transition; first-mover advantage of investing ahead of...