Author: Arnes Biogradlija

Global aviation accounts for 2–3% of greenhouse gas emissions today, but without intervention, that share could surge toward 20% by mid-century as passenger vehicles electrify and road freight decarbonizes faster. Sustainable aviation fuel presents the most operationally compatible decarbonization pathway, yet factory-gate costs for electro-SAF remain pinned near $5.27 per kilogram in the European Union—more than six times the $0.77 wholesale kerosene benchmark. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis across multiple production pathways reveals why cost compression has stalled and which policy levers can break the impasse. The HEFA Plateau and Feedstock Arithmetic Hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids dominate current SAF output…

The approval of Recurrent Energy’s Tillbridge project comes at a moment when the UK grid is under intensifying pressure to absorb higher volumes of variable renewables. With the project’s 800 MW of solar PV paired with a 500 MW, 1,000 MWh battery system, it enters the upper tier of hybrid assets nationwide, both in terms of capacity and strategic function. The annual output estimate of 857.6 GWh positions the development as a material contributor to local supply during periods of tightening margins, particularly as the UK continues to face elevated balancing costs driven by intermittency and network constraints. The decision…

Recycled aggregates now account for 31% of Britain’s construction material demand, yet South Wales has pushed beyond national averages to demonstrate how circular construction can function at scale. At Cemex operations in the region, 40% of all UK recycled aggregate concrete produced in 2025 has originated from South Wales facilities, revealing a regional concentration of circular economy infrastructure that outpaces broader industry adoption.​ Closed Loop Systems Replace Linear Material Flows Cardiff Council’s Channel View regeneration project operates through a tightly controlled material cycle where demolition waste never leaves the local supply chain. Dauson Environmental Group processes on-site demolition material into…

The European Commission announced 235 cross-border energy projects on December 1, with at least 100 hydrogen infrastructure initiatives commanding investment exceeding €80 billion, yet regulatory authorities and industry veterans warn these pipelines risk becoming stranded assets financed by climate funds. The Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators found in 2024 that hydrogen network plans are constructed on aspirations rather than concrete market needs, increasing the likelihood of overinvestment in underutilized infrastructure.​ Gas Industry Dominance Undermines Climate Alignment Over 90% of submitted hydrogen projects originated from gas transmission operators, contradicting the 2022 revision of cross-border energy infrastructure legislation designed to synchronize…

Dutch battery developer GIGA Storage has signed a tolling agreement with Swedish utility Vattenfall for 100 MW of its 300 MW/1,200 MWh Leopard project in Delfzijl, representing the largest standalone battery tolling arrangement in the Benelux region. The deal provides Vattenfall with 400 MWh of storage capacity beginning January 2028, enabling the utility to optimize operations across grid stability, portfolio balancing, and wholesale trading without capital expenditure.​ Tolling Structures Address Merchant Market Volatility The Vattenfall agreement reflects broader European market dynamics where tolling contracts provide developers with bankable revenue models in jurisdictions where pure merchant structures face profitability challenges. The…

Researchers at Monash University have demonstrated a multiscale reduced graphene oxide architecture achieving 99.5 Wh/L volumetric energy density in ionic liquid electrolytes, positioning carbon-based supercapacitors within striking distance of lead-acid battery performance while maintaining power delivery advantages. The development addresses a persistent limitation in electrostatic storage devices, where conventional carbon-based supercapacitors typically deliver below 10 Wh/L, substantially lower than the 30-50 Wh/L range of lead-acid systems.​ Material Processing Enables Surface Area Utilization The performance gains stem from a rapid thermal annealing process applied to natural graphite oxide precursors, creating curved graphene structures with controlled ion pathways. This approach unlocks previously…

Three workers were hospitalized following a hydrogen tank explosion at the Cahpsa industrial park near Asunción on November 30, with one in serious condition and two suffering severe burns. The incident, which prompted a complete facility shutdown and triggered renewed local complaints about hydrogen operations in residential zones, underscores a pattern of recurring safety failures across the global hydrogen sector, even as the industry scales toward clean energy targets. Pattern of critical failures during non-routine operations The Cahpsa explosion follows a fatal October blast at SK Energy’s Ulsan refinery in South Korea, where two contract workers died after mistakenly opening…

With the European Commission’s second Union list of Projects of Common Interest and Projects of Mutual Interest, hydrogen infrastructure has grown from a niche category to a core element of energy planning. More than 130 transmission projects and over 500 hydrogen-related proposals now populate European maps. Still, only a select fraction carries the coveted PCI/PMI status, raising questions about how such designations are granted and whether they target true system-critical investments or speculative bets on future market growth. From first to second list: scaling up and narrowing down The first PCI list under the revised TEN‑E Regulation included 65 hydrogen…

Global final energy consumption has grown 1.8% annually over the past two decades while GDP expanded 3.4% yearly, establishing a decoupling trend that electrification could dramatically accelerate. Analysis from the Energy Transitions Commission projects that electrification will reduce final energy demand by 24% over the next 25 years, even as global economic output doubles, challenging conventional assumptions that prosperity growth necessitates proportional energy consumption increases. This efficiency dividend stems from fundamental thermodynamic advantages electric systems hold over combustion-based alternatives, creating cost and carbon reduction pathways that align rather than conflict. The efficiency differential between electric and fossil fuel applications reveals…

The thirtieth UN climate conference in Belém, Brazil, concluded with developed nations committing to triple climate adaptation finance for vulnerable countries by 2035, while systematically avoiding binding language on fossil fuel reduction that over 80 nations demanded. This outcome crystallizes a pattern emerging across recent COP gatherings: financial mechanisms advance incrementally while decarbonization timelines remain deliberately ambiguous, creating a structural disconnect between stated temperature targets and enforceable transition pathways. The final agreement text omits explicit references to coal, oil, or natural gas phasedown commitments, despite coalition pressure from Colombia, Germany, Kenya, and similar economies seeking concrete transition obligations. Energy exporter…