Author: EnergyNews.biz Newsroom

Japan is preparing an investment package of approximately 1 trillion yen, equivalent to about 6.3 billion dollars, to scale a domestic circular economy for metals and plastics by 2030, according to a government action plan.

A planned Mediterranean green hydrogen hub in Alexandria is moving into structured feasibility assessment after AlexFert, a subsidiary of Valmore Holding, signed a memorandum of understanding with Orascom Construction, Abu Qir Fertilizers and Chemical Industries, and UEG Green Hydrogen Development Holding Limited during EGYPES 2026.

Europe’s push to localize critical battery materials is accelerating as TSR Group and BASF formalize a collaboration targeting key bottlenecks in electric vehicle battery recycling, from dismantling through to material reintegration.

Corinth Pipeworks and ArcelorMittal are positioning recycled and renewably powered steel as a lower emission input for energy pipeline manufacturing, with reported emissions reductions of about 65 percent compared to conventional blast furnace routes.

Barbados is advancing a $350 million hybrid renewable energy project designed to supply up to 6 percent of national electricity demand under a 25 year power purchase agreement, but early signals suggest the primary impact will be price stability rather than immediate cost reductions for consumers.

In New Zealand, Genesis Energy has reached final investment decision on the second stage of its battery energy storage system programme at Huntly Power Station, advancing a 100 MW / 200 MWh expansion that will bring total installed storage capacity at the site to 200 MW / 400 MWh.

India’s nuclear sector is entering a structurally expanded phase, with the government preparing to float bids for a 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200) within the next three to six months, marking one of the first large-scale applications of standardized small modular reactor design in the country’s clean energy transition strategy.

Vietnam’s industrial sector is increasingly positioned at the center of a structural shift toward circular production models, as policymakers and businesses respond to mounting global pressures from resource depletion, climate volatility, and tightening sustainability requirements across supply chains.

RWE has withdrawn its proposed 99.9 MW Butterfly solar plus storage project in Wrexham, Wales, citing limited grid connection availability and broader project viability concerns.

Singapore’s position as the world’s largest bunkering hub is placing it at the center of emerging low-carbon fuel strategies, with ammonia increasingly assessed as a viable option for decarbonizing maritime transport where electrification remains impractical.