Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives news (page 8)

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  6 July 2026

  INEOS' Sir Jim Ratcliffe urges von der Leyen to protect Europe's chemical industry

  Warns China is dumping excess chemical capacity into Europe, calls for faster trade safeguards and ETS Investment Booster support for Project ONE (€5bn) low‑carbon ethylene.
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  6 July 2026

  Eni Storage Systems breaks ground on Brindisi LFP gigafactory and BESS assembly plant

  New Brindisi hub will produce LFP cells and modules, add cathode material and recycling, and target 16 GWh/year by 2030 for stationary energy storage.
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  6 July 2026

  Avantium spins out Volta into Carbeau, secures €35.2m

  Spin-out backed by strategic and financial investors to scale an electrochemical CO₂-to-chemicals platform targeting glycolic acid and compostable PLGA.
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  3 July 2026

  EnviTec Biogas AG suspends 2025 dividend while shifting to biomethane

  AGM approves no dividend for 2025 to preserve financial flexibility; EEG support for ~16 MW and ~€100m investment plan to expand biomethane production by 2031.
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  3 July 2026

  Petrobras starts operations at Pre‑Salt Technology Center in Itajubá (UNIFEI)

  Semi‑industrial plant reproduces high pressures, temperatures and high CO₂ of pre‑salt; R$300 million R&D investment; HISEP pump final qualification tests planned H2 2026.
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  3 July 2026

  EnviTec Biogas AG: Dividend suspended as company pivots to biomethane

  AGM approves dividend suspension to preserve cash; company won EEG subsidies for ~16 MW, plans ~€100m investment to convert plants toward biomethane by 2031.

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  3 July 2026

  Aurubis opens Complex Recycling Hamburg plant for strategic metals

  New unit processes copper, lead and sulfur in one plant, raising recycling capacity and EU supply-chain resilience.
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  3 July 2026

  Mitsubishi Gas Chemical inks 100,000 t/y green methanol offtake with ACME Group

  Starts at commercial operation in 2030; product meets ultra-low carbon intensity and targets fuel and chemical markets in Japan and Asia.
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  2 July 2026

  VIDA bioenergy Bernheze plant begins biomethane production

  Bernheze plant starts injecting biomethane into the Dutch grid, ramping to 8 million m³/year and processing ~72,000 t/year of agricultural feedstock.
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  2 July 2026

  Yara acquires Gulf Coast Ammonia Texas City plant for USD 1.3bn

  Texas City ammonia plant (1.3 mtpa) bought for USD 1.3bn; commissioning underway and ramp to full, stable output targeted by end‑2026; Air Products to supply H2/N2 under long‑term contract.
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  2 July 2026

  Elkem appoints Dag Teigland as CEO; Helge Aasen to chair the board

  Leadership change effective 3 August 2026; incoming CEO returns with industrial and investment experience and prior Elkem roles; outgoing CEO moves to board chair after 17 years.
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  2 July 2026

  KEME ENERGY to develop green hydrogen and storage project at ZILS

  Integrated project at Sines industrial zone with electrolysis-based hydrogen, battery storage and two multi-fuel stations offering H2 refuelling and ultra-fast EV charging.
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  2 July 2026

  Inge Hofkens (Aurubis) elected President of European Metals

  Starts July 1 for a two-year term; will push policy changes—permitting, material classification, energy and supply-chain rules—to raise recovery rates for strategic metals.
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  2 July 2026

  European Commission and EIB disburse €2.5bn Modernisation Fund to 51 projects in 11 EU countries

  €2.5bn from the Modernisation Fund supports 51 projects across 11 lower-income EU states to modernise energy systems, expand renewables and cut greenhouse-gas emissions.
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  2 July 2026

  Rompetrol Rafinare: APC digital control boosts Petromidia production and cuts costs

  Automated process control increased high‑value product yields, lifted utilization to 98.1% and delivered estimated savings of over USD 2.5M in 2025.
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  2 July 2026

  UKAEA and Eni launch RH3OVA to provide fusion fuel-cycle services

  Joint venture delivering consultancy and operational services across the fusion fuel cycle, prioritising tritium production, recovery and reuse.
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  2 July 2026

  Commissioner Hoekstra pushes CCS scale-up across Europe

  EU aims for 50 Mtpa geological CO₂ storage by 2030; stakeholders call for investment in transport and storage, faster permitting, market demand and cross‑border cooperation.
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  2 July 2026

  AkzoNobel halves Scope 1–2 emissions four years ahead of 2030 target

  Reached a 50% cut in operational carbon vs 2018 baseline early through renewables, heat-pump conversions and site solar; Scope 3 reductions remain a 2030 ambition.
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  2 July 2026

  Covestro completes acquisition of former Vencorex HDI-derivative sites in Rayong and Freeport

  Two former Vencorex HDI-derivative sites added to expand regional production and boost supply resilience for coatings and adhesives customers.
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  2 July 2026

  Vopak acquires majority of Green Energy Storage and approves 200 MW/800 MWh Oosterhout battery

  Final investment decision on a 200 MW/800 MWh battery in Oosterhout with around EUR 230m investment; Greenchoice to offtake half under an 8‑year tolling deal; operations targeted H1 2028.
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  2 July 2026

  ttz Bremerhaven mobile green hydrogen station enables rapid hydrogen bus deployment in Lower Saxony

  Mobile refuelling unit supplies six fuel-cell buses with RFNBO-certified green hydrogen, allowing service start in December 2025 while a permanent station is built in 2026.
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  1 July 2026

  Motherson and PureCycle produce Class-A bumper with 30% recycled polypropylene

  Class-A automotive bumper prototype uses 30% recycled polypropylene; technical details to be presented at Startup Autobahn Expo; aligns with upcoming EU ELV recycled-content mandates.
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  1 July 2026

  Turbotech, Safran and Air Liquide validate liquid‑hydrogen turbine for light aviation

  Ground tests confirm a liquid hydrogen‑fueled gas turbine integrated with a –250°C cryogenic tank for light aircraft, advancing a retrofit-certification methodology.
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  1 July 2026

  Zeeland report positions region as energy hub for the Netherlands and Europe

  Study maps coordinated build-out of renewables, electrification, CCS, hydrogen and infrastructure; issues six recommendations and launches a regional strategic demand alliance with national partners.
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  1 July 2026

  Air Liquide, Nexans, RTE and partners launch SupraMarine HTS subsea HVAC demonstrator

  Liquid-nitrogen-cooled high-temperature superconducting HVAC subsea cable demonstrator to link distant offshore wind farms to shore; test planned by 2028 with €7.3m grant.
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  1 July 2026

  Reju opens U.S. R&D center in Conshohocken

  First North American lab to accelerate polyester chemical recycling and scale next‑generation circular solutions, co‑located with Technip Energy’s research infrastructure.
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  1 July 2026

  Symrise wins L'Oréal 2026 Energy Award for 'Closing the Hydrogen Loop'

  Circular process captures and recycles hydrogen in Hydrolite® 5 green production, cutting fresh hydrogen use ~80% and achieving ~98% recovery to lower emissions and strengthen supply resilience.
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  1 July 2026

  Nobian marks five years advancing raw-material production and sustainable chemistry in Europe

  Five-year progress includes ISCC PLUS-certified chloromethanes, RFNBO green hydrogen production, four EcoVadis Platinum ratings, and a 2024 Dutch agreement targeting near-zero CO₂ by 2030.
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  1 July 2026

  OMV and Energie Steiermark launch Tiefenkraft deep geothermal project

  Seismic survey completed; Petersdorf 2 exploration well due Q4 2026; potential up to 670 GWh/yr by 2037 covering ~50% of Graz district heating; 20 km pipeline, €150m.
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  1 July 2026

  Trinseo raises climate and renewable targets in FY2025 sustainability report

  Raises Scope 1 & 2 intensity reduction to 50% by 2035 (41% achieved vs 2017); renewables target 30% by 2030 (28% in 2025); broadens water stewardship and advances recycling pilots.