Latest news with #zeroemissions
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Heidelberg sells out of net-zero cement from Norway plant, CEO says
BREVIK, Norway, June 18 (Reuters) - Germany's Heidelberg Materials ( opens new tab has pre-sold all the cement it will produce this year from a Norwegian production line upgraded with zero-emissions technology, its CEO said on Wednesday, as builders seek to reduce their carbon footprint. Traditional cement production is responsible for around 8% of global CO2, generating huge emissions volumes not only from the coal used to heat kilns, but also during the critical process of converting limestone into clinker. It is considered a "hard to abate" sector, meaning mitigating emissions is particularly difficult. The CO2 capture facility at Heidelberg's factory in Brevik, southern Norway, will capture around 400,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. That represents 50% of the plant's emissions, allowing for the production of a net-zero product dubbed evoZero, Heidelberg CEO Dominik von Achten told Reuters at the facility's official opening. The Brevik plant has annual production capacity of just over one million tons of cement, around half of which will be produced under the evoZero brand. "We are not going to produce the full amount this year as the plant is ramping up. But we are sold out for 2025 and we continue to fill the order book," he said. Though more expensive than regular cement, von Achten said evoZero offers benefits to customers looking to decarbonise their construction projects. The facility is part of Norway's heavily subsidised Longship carbon capture and storage project aimed at commercialising the emissions reduction technology. If widely adopted, Norwegian policymakers say the technology would help the world reach the Paris climate agreement's targets and curb global warming. The government is paying two-thirds of Longship's estimated cost of around 30 billion crowns ($3 billion), which includes CO2 capture at a waste plant in Oslo and storage deep below the seabed at the Northern Lights site in western Norway. "What the Norwegian government did is to de-risk the project for the parties involved," von Achten said, adding that, without it, the project would not have been possible. The CO2 removed at Brevik will be loaded onto purpose-built carriers and shipped to the Northern Lights facility, which opened last year and is co-owned by Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab, Equinor ( opens new tab and TotalEnergies ( opens new tab. "We know that the hard to abate sectors and the difficult industrial sectors that have no alternative need CO2 capture and storage as part of the solution," Norway's Energy Minister Terje Aasland told Reuters. It is not currently clear how long the government will subsidise the construction of new CCS projects. The industry will need to build a viable business case and commercialise the products CCS makes possible, both Aasland and von Achten said. ($1 = 9.9540 Norwegian crowns)
CBC
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CBC
New EV rebate program in the works, environment minister says
Social Sharing Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin says the federal government will bring back a popular consumer rebate program to help make electric vehicles more affordable. The federal government launched its rebate program — the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program or iZEV, — in 2019, but it ran out of funding earlier this year, leading Ottawa to pause the program. Speaking to The Canadian Press while leaving the House of Commons — where she spent the better part of question period fending off Conversative criticisms of Ottawa's EV mandate — Dabrusin said a renewed consumer rebate is something being worked on. "Will it be named, iZEV? That I can't tell you. But there will be a consumer rebate," Dabrusin said. She also indicated Canada's electric vehicle mandate — which requires all light-duty passenger vehicles sold off the lot to be zero-emissions by 2035 — won't be changing. Conservatives spent Tuesday in Ottawa calling for the mandate to be scrapped, citing concerns about an auto sector threatened by U.S. tariffs, and debating an opposition motion to compel the government to "immediately end their ban on gas-powered vehicles." "It's been in place since 2023. I don't see why the Conservatives believe we need to change it in the face of what we're facing with the U.S. tariffs on the auto industry," Dabrusin said. Canada's auto manufacturers have grown on their calls for the government to repeal the mandate, as EV sales dropped in early 2025 as the rebates ended. The first quarter of 2025 saw zero-emissions vehicles represent only 8.11 per cent of all new vehicle sales in Canada — a drop from the 16.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to data from Statistics Canada. On a monthly basis through 2024, the share of EVs among new vehicle sales never dropped below 10.65 per cent, and peaked at 18.29 per cent in December. In April of 2025, the most recent data from StatCan, EV sales dropped to 7.53 per cent of all new vehicles off of Canadian lots. Beginning in 2026, the government's EV mandate requires at least 20 per cent of new light-duty vehicles offered for sale in that year be zero-emission. That share rises each year until it reaches 100 per cent in 2035.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hydrogen lift-off: Intelligent Energy secures £17m programme to scale its UK-developed aviation fuel cell tech
UK Government-backed funding will fast-track development of IE-FLIGHT – Intelligent Energy's fuel cell system for commercial aviation New system set to enter service in Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) applications by the end of this decade and in regional aircraft in the 2030s Switching to fuel cells in suitable aviation applications could cut CO₂ emissions by up to 25.6 million tonnes annually and generate up to 1,600 new jobs Funding award recognises Intelligent Energy's proprietary fuel cell technology, with advantages in thermal management and power density LOUGHBOROUGH, England, June 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intelligent Energy (IE), one of the UK's leading hydrogen fuel cell manufacturers, has secured a £17 million programme to fast-track development of a new zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell system that could be powering commercial aircraft within the decade. The award is from the ATI Programme, a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), the Department for Business & Trade and Innovate UK. It will support Project HEIGHTS – a three-year drive to develop IE's current 300kW modular aviation fuel cell platform for use in next-generation aircraft. Initial applications include Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and short-range commuter planes. IE's new fuel cell system – IE-FLIGHT™ 300 – is expected to enter early service in Part 23 aircraft (with up to 19 seats) by the end of the decade, with scale-up plans targeting larger (Part 25) regional aircraft in the 2030s. The project addresses the key challenge with traditional fuel cell systems – how to keep the fuel cells at the correct operating temperature without introducing significant aircraft drag from cooling systems. In aviation particularly, minimising the heat exchanger size is critical to reduce mass and drag, and to optimise overall efficiency. IE's patented direct water-injection technology uses air-cooled condensers with a smaller frontal area than conventional liquid glycol radiators. In Project HEIGHTS, IE will further develop this novel cooling method to achieve a significant reduction in heat exchanger size. The investment comes as aviation faces rising pressure to cut emissions. Batteries remain constrained by weight and range, while hydrogen-electric propulsion is gaining traction as a cleaner, scalable alternative. The project marks a major step forward for Intelligent Energy, and its fuel cell technology offers significant environmental and economic benefits to the aviation sector. A switch to fuel cell systems across eVTOL, sub-regional and regional aircraft, as well as Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) on larger aircraft, could reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 25.6 million tonnes per year. IE estimates the total market value – encompassing both sales and servicing revenue – is £19.6 billion, and scaling up production could create as many as 1,600 new jobs. "This programme is about getting hydrogen-powered aircraft in the air, and into service at scale, as quickly as possible," David Woolhouse, Intelligent Energy CEO, said. "We firmly believe that hydrogen will be the primary energy source for flight, initially for smaller aircraft but in the longer term for everything that flies. At Intelligent Energy, we have the IP built on 24 years' experience to give us confidence that we can be the technical leader in this sector. This project supports us in making our modular system even smaller, lighter and more scalable." HEIGHTS – which stands for Hydrogen Efficient fuel cell Integrated in a High Temperature System – builds on Intelligent Energy's previous involvement in H2GEAR, a separate ATI-backed programme led by GKN Aerospace. It leverages the company's extensive aviation experience, including powering the world's first manned fuel cell flight with Boeing in 2008. The funding announcement is a significant milestone for IE's aviation division. In February, the company was named as a strategic partner in the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Hydrogen Challenge programme. IE is also expanding its UK operations. In addition to its manufacturing base in Loughborough, the company is enhancing its test and validation capabilities with a new £7.1 million fuel cell test centre opening this summer in Northamptonshire. "We are expanding at pace because the UK has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to consolidate its global lead in hydrogen aviation and build a strong domestic manufacturing capability," said Woolhouse. "The hydrogen economy for aviation will be a major industrial sector, and this support from ATI helps to keep our technology here in the UK. For investors focused on green technology and mobility applications, HEIGHTS reinforces our unique value – clear IP differentiation, proximity to market, and a regulatory tailwind that's only getting stronger." Jacqueline Castle, Chief Technology Officer at the Aerospace Technology Institute said: "Hydrogen as a fuel source is an essential part of the ATI's technology roadmaps for future power and propulsion systems. We are delighted to be supporting Intelligent Energy's HEIGHTS programme, which builds upon its prior expertise in fuel cell development to encompass novel means of addressing thermal management challenges associated with aircraft integration. "The ATI's FlyZero project identified the need for high-temperature fuel cell systems and world-class expertise on thermal management within the UK. This project brings the two together to develop what we expect to be a compelling, power dense solution for zero-carbon flight." ENDS Images and video footage View and download a selection of high-resolution, copyright-free images and video footage that can be used for editorial purposes here: Download Images About Intelligent Energy Limited Intelligent Energy is a leader in the development and manufacture of cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cells that overcome the limitations of conventional battery-powered systems. Established in 2001, the privately-owned company, which has 600 patents in place, has been innovating for more than two decades in the automotive, aerospace, power generation, telecoms, materials handling and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sectors. Headquartered in Loughborough UK, Intelligent Energy has a global reach, with activities spanning key markets in the UK, US, China, South Korea, and Japan. Discover more at Intelligent Energy View source version on Contacts Media Enquiries Hannah PriggHead of PR, GroupWhistleT: +44 (0)7860 864533E: Investor Enquiries E: investors@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Zawya
JEKTA begins flight testing of scaled PHA-ZE 100 electric amphibious aircraft
Significant Milestone for Zero-Emissions Amphibious Aircraft Development JEKTA, the Switzerland-based manufacturer of the Passenger Hydro Aircraft – Zero Emissions 100 (PHA-ZE 100) electric amphibious aircraft, has initiated flight trials with a 1:9 scaled prototype of its PHA-ZE 100 amphibious flying boat. Using a distributed electric powerplant powered by onboard batteries, these tests will verify the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic configurations of the production aircraft. The remotely controlled electric amphibious aircraft model will generate data that represents the full-size aircraft, validating the results of extensive computational modeling. Following digital simulations, these real-world flight tests are expected to deliver valuable insights into aircraft performance during water landings, taxiing, and takeoff. The 1:9 aerodynamic prototype is a critical step in aircraft testing, ensuring initial verification of key performance aspects. Two amphibious flying boats are being modified as proof-of-concept aircraft and will later validate combined digital and physical data. These purpose-built ultralight test beds are designed to derisk the program and guide detailed design adjustments before full-scale prototype construction begins. 'After extensive virtual trials and simulations, our engineers are excited to begin flying the 1:9 prototype. The flight testing marks an important milestone on our journey to bring next-generation electric amphibious aircraft to operators globally,' says CEO and co-founder George Alafinov. 'Flying the scaled models and modified ultralights moves JEKTA one step closer to flying a full-scale prototype of the PHA-ZE 100, confirming that we're on track with plans to introduce our new aircraft to the global air transport network in 2030. Testing presents an excellent opportunity for us to showcase progress to date and the future potential of the PHA-ZE 100 to investors and customers.' Amphibious Aircraft Testing Scheduled to Conclude in September Flight testing of the 1:9 prototype is being conducted at an undisclosed location and is expected to conclude in September 2025. JEKTA's team has gained substantial experience in amphibious aircraft design, with a track record of producing over 90 single-engine ultralight and twin-engine flying boats. Alafinov adds, 'We are drawing on years of amphibious aircraft experience by basing our full-size test beds on ultralight aircraft of our design. That experience means our customers can be confident that the PHA-ZE 100 is built on solid foundations by engineers who understand how to trial the real-world application of amphibious aircraft design successfully.' PHA-ZE 100 Electric Amphibious Aircraft on Track for Production The JEKTA PHA-ZE 100 already has more than USD$1 billion of forward commitments from customers, with production at the Payerne facility scheduled to begin in 2028-2029. JEKTA will also be attending the Paris Airshow in the Swiss Pavilion, Hall 4, B63.
TechCrunch
11-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Sam Altman-backed Coco Robotics raises $80M
In Brief Los Angeles-based Coco Robotics, a startup building last-mile delivery robots, announced it raised $80 million on Wednesday. The funding round included angel investors Sam Altman and Max Altman, both returning investors, in addition to VC firms like Pelion Venture Partners and Offline Ventures, among others. This brings the company's total funding to more than $120 million. The company last raised a $36 million Series A round in 2021. Coco's zero-emissions robots can hold 90 liters worth of groceries or goods and have made more than 500,000 deliveries since they hit the streets in 2020, the company said. It says it works with national retailers including Subway, Wingstop and Jack in the Box. Sam Altman's financial interest in Coco is clear. While he's personally providing capital to the company, OpenAI apparently gets a benefit too. Coco announced a partnership with OpenAI in March which allows Coco to use OpenAI while the AI company gains the real-world data the robots collect to train its models. The company was founded in 2020 by Brad Squicciarini and Zach Rash. TechCrunch reached out to Coco for more information.
