Daily Digest for

Sweden-based Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy following financial challenges in the battery sector, including rising capital costs and supply chain disruptions. Despite efforts to restructure financially and support from lenders, the company could not secure the necessary conditions to continue. Northvolt’s production improvements included doubling cell output and achieving a 50% improvement in production yield. The company delivered its first million battery cells produced with 100% fossil-free energy to a European customer. The bankruptcy process will be overseen by a Swedish court-appointed trustee, with Mikael Kubu nominated as Trustee.

US-based National Grid Partners committed $100 million to invest in AI startups advancing energy solutions. This investment aims to enhance grid efficiency, reduce emissions, and support climate goals. National Grid Partners has previously invested $150 million in 18 AI companies, including Amperon, AiDASH, and Exodigo, to improve energy forecasting, infrastructure monitoring, and risk management. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to integrate AI into energy operations, ensuring a resilient and modern grid for the U.S. and U.K.

France-based Futerro has launched the engineering and Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for its future European biorefinery in Saint-Jean-de-Folleville. The project aims to develop a green chemistry and renewable polymers sector, reducing the carbon footprint of French industry. The biorefinery will include a lactic acid production unit, a lactide and PLA conversion unit, and a PLA recycling unit. Engineering works began in January 2025, with construction starting in 2026 and production in 2028. The project is supported by partners Ingerop, Eiffage, and Ataub.

US-based Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a reconsideration of the mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP). The program requires over 8,000 facilities and suppliers in the United States to calculate and submit their emissions reporting annually. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated that the program costs hundreds of millions of dollars, which could be better used to improve environmental controls. This announcement is part of a series of deregulatory actions to advance President Trump’s executive orders and aims to lower costs for Americans and give power back to states.

TotalEnergies has signed an agreement with RWE to supply 30,000 tons of green hydrogen annually to the Leuna refinery for fifteen years, starting in 2030. The green hydrogen will be produced by a 300 MW electrolyzer operated by RWE in Lingen and delivered via a 600 km pipeline. This initiative will prevent 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually at the refinery. This contract represents the largest green hydrogen agreement from an electrolyzer in Germany.

Germany’s DLR has set up and tested a demonstration plant to produce chemical feedstocks in a more climate-compatible manner through the FlowPhotoChem project. The process harnesses concentrated solar radiation, water, and carbon dioxide to create essential chemical precursors, improving upon traditional methods that heavily rely on fossil fuels. The project focuses on producing ethylene, a critical material for plastic manufacturing. This initiative aims to significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with chemical production while promoting renewable energy utilization.

Capture6, based in California and New Zealand, secured $27.5 million in Series A funding to enhance its technology that converts waste brine into freshwater and carbon removal solutions. The funding round was led by Tetrad Corporation with participation from several investors including Hyundai Motor Group’s ZER01NE Ventures. This investment will enable Capture6 to advance its water recovery and carbon removal projects globally, addressing freshwater scarcity and climate challenges.

The European Parliament called for more resources for the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) post-2027 to better support vulnerable persons and combat poverty. The ESF+ is set to have a budget of €142.7 billion for 2021-2027, aimed at enhancing social investment, entrepreneurship, and addressing social challenges including climate change implications. Lawmakers underscored the need for the ESF+ to remain an independent tool to address educational and skill development amidst rising socio-economic challenges.

Pherousa, a Norwegian technology company, has received Approval in Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and DNV for its Ammonia Cracking technology aimed at creating emission-free maritime transportation. This major milestone allows for continued design and construction of an emission-free series of 64,000 dwt Bulk Carriers earmarked for the copper industry. The ships will operate without any carbon footprint ahead of the new IMO regulations coming into force in 2030.

Google, in partnership with Indigo Ag, has committed $1.5 million to support a regenerative agriculture program in Oklahoma. This initiative aims to replenish 1.5 billion gallons of water over the next seven years in the Arkansas-Keystone and Lower Cimarron Basins. Farmers will adopt techniques such as cover cropping and no-till farming to enhance soil-water retention and improve crop resilience. This project is part of Google’s wider goal to replenish 120% of their freshwater consumption across their offices and data centers by 2030.

CO2RE has awarded funding to five innovative projects aimed at enhancing durable Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) storage solutions. These projects received up to £75,000 each and focus on technologies to permanently store CO2 for at least 1000 years. Key projects include SEWING, which evaluates seagrass meadows for carbon dioxide removal, and CalyChar, which aims to effectively capture and store CO2 from biowaste at a lower cost than existing technologies. Other projects involve synergistic approaches combining BECCS with biochar production and predictive modeling for biochar durability.

Canada-based PyroGenesis Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GE Vernova to collaborate on the development and testing of all-electric plasma torch technologies for industrial processes. This MOU targets multi-megawatt industrial processes, particularly in the aluminum and steel sectors, with a focus on replacing fossil fuels with sustainable solutions to reduce emissions. The collaboration will unfold in two phases, starting with a study on implementation for the iron ore pellet industry, followed by a study for a primary aluminum smelter. The effort supports global objectives to decarbonize heavy industry and improve energy efficiency.

The Council of the European Union approved a decision providing the European Investment Bank (EIB) with enhanced flexibility in managing its investment capacity. This modification allows the EIB to increase its gearing ratio from 250% to 290%, enabling better support for Europe’s priorities, including climate action. This foundational change, adopted at the request of the EIB, follows international recommendations to empower multilateral development banks to manage their capital more effectively. The decision will come into effect upon its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

The Ministry of the Environment in Taiwan has approved four local methods for greenhouse gas reduction focusing on forestry: afforestation and reforestation projects, enhancing forest management for carbon sequestration, management of bamboo forests, and increasing carbon stocks in forests with low stock. These initiatives aim to promote green carbon management and contribute to Taiwan’s 2050 net-zero emissions goal.