Author: Arnes Biogradlija

NAAREA’s validation of plutonium chloride fuel synthesis through collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre addresses a critical bottleneck in the molten salt reactor industry, which is projected to reach $41.55 billion by 2031 from $17.71 billion in 2023, growing at a 12.95% CAGR. The French startup’s breakthrough in pyrochemical synthesis of NaCl-PuCl₃ salt from plutonium oxide represents the first systematic validation of proliferation-resistant fuel production methods for fourth-generation microreactors, potentially accelerating commercial deployment timelines across the sector. The technical achievement occurs within a rapidly evolving advanced nuclear landscape where China became the first nation to operate a demonstration…

In 2024, the EU absorbed 70 percent of the UK’s crude oil exports—worth £11.4 billion—and nearly all gas exports at £3.9 billion. This heavy reliance on European buyers places the UK oil and gas sector at the center of the EU’s Methane Emissions Regulation (MER), a law that could reshape trade flows by 2030. With methane now a pivotal metric in energy diplomacy, UK exporters face regulatory gaps that threaten their commercial position. The MER introduces methane intensity standards for imports of oil, gas, coal, and eventually fossil-based hydrogen with carbon capture. Importers bear the compliance burden, but producers supplying…

Only 10 percent of plastics are recycled globally, with textile-to-textile recycling accounting for less than 1 percent. Against this backdrop, Australian biotechnology firm Samsara Eco has opened its first commercial-scale facility in Jerrabomberra, New South Wales, positioning itself to test whether enzymatic recycling can transition from research to industrial reality. The facility houses EosEco, a proprietary enzymatic process that deploys AI-designed enzymes to depolymerize mixed plastics—including polyester and nylon 6,6—back into raw chemical building blocks. These outputs can then be repolymerized into virgin-equivalent plastics for applications in apparel, packaging, and automotive supply chains. Unlike conventional mechanical recycling, which typically downcycles…

Less than 1% of global textile detergents currently incorporate bio-based raw materials, yet Finland’s Kiilto is positioning lignin—a by-product of the pulp and paper industry—as a viable alternative to fossil-based ingredients in professional laundry applications. The company’s new laundry powder, launched under the Kiilto Pro Textile line, claims a 50% reduction in carbon footprint while maintaining performance in high-demand environments such as hospitals, restaurants, and industrial workwear facilities. At the core of the development is lignin, a natural biopolymer derived from Norwegian spruce. Traditionally treated as an underutilized byproduct of the wood industry, lignin is now being repurposed to replace…

The construction and demolition sector produces more waste than most industries combined. In the United States alone, the sector generated more than 600 million tons of debris in 2018—twice the country’s municipal solid waste. The European Union reports 820 million tons annually, while China produces over 2 billion tons. Globally, construction and building operations drive nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, with half tied to embodied carbon in concrete, steel, and glass. Despite these staggering figures, financing models continue to prioritize a linear “extract, build, demolish, landfill” cycle. Materials such as structural steel, timber, and concrete are routinely discarded instead…

The global transportation liquid hydrogen market is projected to reach $10 billion by 2032, growing at a 21.44% CAGR, creating an opportunity that Paul Louis Kiesow believes justifies his ambitious entry strategy. At 20, the CEO’s €10 million Qatari-backed venture proposes 60,000 cubic meter hydrogen tankers—vessels that would dwarf current capabilities yet remain modest compared to those of established competitors. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE Scale Disparity Reveals Strategic Positioning Kiesow’s proposed ship capacity positions his venture between current demonstration vessels and the ambitions of industry leaders. Kawasaki’s pioneering SUISO FRONTIER operates with a 1,250 cubic meter tank, while the…

In 2024, more than 20% of announced hydrogen projects in Europe were halted or cancelled, according to Westwood Global Energy. The latest casualty is ScottishPower, Iberdrola’s UK subsidiary, which has suspended development of its Cromarty (10.6 MW) and Whitelee (7.1 MW) green hydrogen plants, despite having secured support under the UK’s Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1). Both projects were part of a £2 billion revenue support package designed to narrow the cost gap with fossil-derived hydrogen. The company cited a “complicated business environment” and “limited commercial opportunities,” echoing Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán’s warning at Davos that momentum for green hydrogen had…

Thyssenkrupp Nucera paid less than €10 million to acquire key technology assets from the insolvent Danish electrolyser manufacturer Green Hydrogen Systems, completing a strategic transaction that underscores the pressures facing smaller players in the alkaline water electrolysis sector. The deal, which includes intellectual property and a full-size prototype test facility in Skive, Denmark, reflects broader consolidation patterns in a market where the global alkaline water electrolysis market size is estimated at USD 1.75 billion in 2024, set to expand to USD 4.75 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 11.73%. The acquisition enables thyssenkrupp nucera to strengthen its pressurized…

With 44 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity ready for deployment but lacking Power Purchase Agreements, India confronts a market paradox that exposes fundamental structural weaknesses in the world’s third-largest energy system. The stranded capacity represents approximately $44 billion in investment based on typical renewable project costs of $1 million per MW, highlighting how demand-side failures are undermining the country’s ambitious clean energy transition despite recording 28.64 GW of renewable energy capacity additions in 2024, a 119.46% year-on-year increase. The contradiction becomes stark when examined against India’s energy consumption trajectory, projected to grow at over three percent annually for two decades…

The global sodium ion battery market was valued at USD 270.1 Million in 2024 and is set to grow at a CAGR of 26.1% from 2025 to 2034, creating significant opportunities for new entrants like Estonia-based Freen OÜ, which has launched its latest generation of sodium-ion battery storage systems targeting European markets with a strategic focus on Germany. The BSH and BSL product lines represent Freen’s entry into a rapidly expanding sector driven by supply chain diversification concerns and cost optimization requirements. Unlike lithium-ion alternatives, these systems avoid critical material dependencies while offering competitive pricing structures that challenge conventional assumptions…