Cleantech Group

International Energy Agency (IEA)’s 2024 industry health check of battery recycling: ? The market value of recycled battery metals experienced nearly 11-fold growth between 2015 and 2023, with more than half of this growth occurring in the last three years. ? Battery recycling creates a valuable secondary supply source that reduces reliance on new mines and enhances supply security for countries importing minerals. ? Expanding recycling infrastructure can also help build reserves to buffer against future supply disruptions. Moreover, scaling up recycling mitigates the environmental and social impacts related to mining and refining while preventing waste from end-use technologies ending up in landfills. ? Despite growing policy ambitions, the use of recycled materials has so far failed to keep pace with rising material consumption. In the case of copper … the share of secondary supply (including direct use scrap) in total demand fell from 37% in 2015 to 33% in 2023 while the share for recycled nickel decreased from 33% to 26%. More below:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can be found in packaging, fabrics, cosmetics, electronics, medical equipment and more. Recently, we explored PFAS contamination, implications for health, and innovators working on alternatives to the chemical - https://hubs.li/Q02ZbhJQ0. The textile and agriculture sectors are significant contributors to #PFAS pollution - how are start-ups in these industries developing alternatives? ?? In #textiles, PFAS are found in the liquid dips used to apply waterproof and water-repellent chemicals across fibers. Alternatives to PFAS treatment of fabric includes waterless chemical weaving for hydrophobicity, gene-edited cellulose for waterproofing and flame resistance, textured textiles to reduce water contact. ??In #agriculture, PFAS enhance the stability and efficiency of pesticides and fungicides. While this improves product efficiency, it contaminates soils. Alternatives focus on biodegradable solutions and genetic modification of active ingredients, while strategies include migrating water treatment technology to address PFAS in waste water streams. Explore how regulations must evolve to tackle these challenges, and meet the innovators making a difference in Parker J. Bovée’s latest perspective: https://hubs.li/Q02ZbrJ10 Green Theme Technologies Inc., OrganoClick AB, HeiQ, Revive Environmental, AgroSpheres

Got a chance to attend the grand opening of EnergyX ‘s new facility in Austin, TX tonight. Great opportunity for Texas. With lithium prices dropping, investors are growing weary of risk. And startups mushrooming all over make it difficult to differentiate between technology offerings. Due to geographic constraints, we’re going to see major consolidation in the DLE market in the near-term (<5 years). So was it just all hype? I don’t think so. EV demand will grow again. But there’s key differentiatian between who I believe will be the successful DLE (direct lithium extraction) players. First brine ownership. This is perhaps the most critical piece in EnergyX’s ability to successfully fight for a share of the DLE industry. In owning brine assets like that of Project Black Giant in Argentina, they don’t have to wait for partnerships and collaborations by mining majors. They can begin production at their will. EnergyX is manufacturing it’s process equipment from the reagents to membranes and also leverages a team of engineers and scientists to optimize its flowsheet. It’s just installed a commercial scale membrane manufacturing unit in its Austin facility. Not all brines are equal and require various technology suites to extract Lithium. For example, a DLE technology that works in North America could not be used to efficiently extract in Chile. Rather than focus on a specific type of DLE for a specific type of brine, EnergyX deploys 3 DLE technology types: adsorption, solvent extraction, and membrane electrodialysis. They cast an umbrella of solutions to gain as much market share as possible. EnergyX even goes the extra mile and produces battery-grade lithium hydroxide, which is not easy to do. They circumvent the need to send lithium product for refining in China. And can go straight to battery manufacturers to sell product. Congratulations, Teague Egan ? & to the EnergyX team! #DirectLithiumExtraction #DLE #Lithium Cleantech Group

As global supply chains expand, food fraud is costing the industry over $50B annually. What innovative cleantech solutions are reshaping the way we trace food from farm to table? Food traceability is a?powerful tool for sustainability, providing visibility and offering to reduce global food waste by up to 30% - a vital step in cutting the $1T annual cost of food waste and the greenhouse gas emissions. Improved logistics and resource management will reduce inefficiencies in food transport, significantly lowering emissions. In Sunena Gupta's latest perspective, two standout innovators are in the spotlight for redefining food traceability: ??Natural Trace have developed technology to integrate directly with food itself. NaturalTag is a natural, invisible tag, derived from non-genetically-modified ingredients, acting as an in-product bio barcode. The tag is a part of the product, providing a secure method of traceability throughout the supply chain. ?? Oritain have applied forensic science to test qualities of food products, using environmental trace elements and isotopes absorbed by plants and animals to create a “chemical fingerprint” that verifies the origin of a product.? The food traceability market is saturated with established technologies like blockchain, IoT, and cloud computing, making it difficult for start-ups to stand out, but these innovators have the potential to succeed by addressing niche markets with unique approaches. ??Get a more detailed account on why these companies hold the solutions to transform supply chains for a more sustainable future: https://hubs.li/Q02YTlYM0

Get the #cleantech investment insight worth tracking in Arianna Bernas' latest Recent Deals, featuring: ?? Agriculture & Food: ELICIT PLANT, developer of phytosterol-based inputs, enhancing crop resilience and reduces water use. ? Energy & Power: Ampd Energy, manufacturer of off-grid energy storage systems, offering real-time monitoring to cut emissions and optimize industrial operations. ?? Materials & Chemicals: ECOELECTRO, developer of recyclable alkaline exchange materials, advancing hydrogen production while replacing rare earth metals and PFAS. ?? Resources & Environmental Management: Vaulted Deep, provider of slurry sequestration technology, permanently removing carbon by injecting organic waste underground. ?? Transportation & Logistics: BETA TECHNOLOGIES, developer of electric aircraft and infrastructure, supporting commercial, cargo, and passenger applications. ?? Waste and Recycling: tozero, provider of lithium-ion battery recycling technology, reducing emissions by 70% with a feedstock-agnostic approach. See the funding figures raised by these breakthrough innovators: https://hubs.li/Q02YJcrv0

?? Cleantech Reality Check: Is Europe Off-Track in Building Industrial Capacity ?? ? As the EU prepares to welcome a new European Commission and roll out the promised Clean Industrial Deal within its first 100 days, our latest research collaboration with Breakthrough Energy , based on analysis by Systemiq Ltd., reveals we are off-track in building clean aviation and maritime transport capacity.? The Cleantech Reality Check is a new series of reports offering policymakers a “by-the-metrics” accounting that examines where Europe stands on scaling up several promising clean technologies. It’s clear that without an accelerated rollout, Europe will miss critical 2030 targets for crucial clean industrial sectors. The first Cleantech Reality Check focuses on where Europe stands on the emergence of renewable #hydrogen and its derivatives for transportation. Key findings include:? ?? Maritime E-Fuels (i.e., e-ammonia, e-methanol): Only two projects for shipping have reached final investment decisions (FIDs). We need rapid demand growth for zero-emissions fuels to meet the 2030 target of 3 million tonnes.? ?? Sustainable Aviation Fuel (#SAF): No projects have reached final investment decision (FID), putting EU targets at risk. However, scaling SAF could unlock a global market worth €350+ billion by 2050.? ?? Hydrogen for Refineries: Promising early progress with 60+ projects announced, yet Europe must ensure the momentum to scale this sector continues. Europe’s clean transition demands a reality check. As Mario Draghi’s landmark report warns, a loss in industrial competitiveness represents an existential threat to Europe’s climate ambitions and future prosperity. To stay globally competitive, the EU must act decisively, addressing regulatory certainty, support for first-of-a-kind projects, and scaling strategies.? ?? For more, download the Cleantech Reality Check: https://lnkd.in/ekqBcnuB Ann Mettler Julia Reinaud Mariano Berkenwald Philipp Offenberg, Alison Menon?Laetitia de Villepin Lukas Marthaler Abindra P. S. Philip Lake, Eveline Speelman?Amy Chiang, Amy Hebert, Anne-Laure de Chammard Johannah Christensen Tanja Ebbe Dalgaard, Marjan Rintel Nils Aldag Tim Boeltken Lise Duetoft Arcadia eFuels Siemens Energy Battolyser Systems M?rsk Mc-Kinney M?ller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping Renewable Hydrogen CoalitionGlobal Maritime Forum Transport & Environment (T&E) France Project SkyPower Topsoe Sunfire

$44.8 million in grants promoting efficiency and circularity in the American battery recycling supply chain????: - General Motors, (Pontiac, MI)?will receive $7,999,997 to develop and demonstrate an automatic sorting and de-hazarding system for end-of-life EV batteries, with an aim of developing techniques that can be used by automotive recyclers, dealers, and mechanic shops. - B2U Storage Solutions (Los Angeles, CA)?will receive $3,461,724 to design, fabricate, test, and demonstrate a low-cost, reusable, stackable, fire-resistant, compliant, and real-time monitored system for transporting second-life and defective, damaged, or recycled EV batteries.? - Caterpillar Inc. (Chillicothe, IL)?will receive $5,039,849 to develop a new or improved battery pack design for off-highway (non-light duty) vehicle batteries that will result in a more efficient dismantling process and explore innovative technologies aimed at reducing labor time needed for dismantling. - ReJoule (Signal Hill, CA)?will receive $6,316,383 to develop and scale a technology for EV battery diagnostics that will check for system-level safety hazards and detect damage or defects at the point of collection.? - Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)?will receive $7,107,540 to develop and demonstrate a process that accelerates condition assessment of collected EV batteries and semi-automates dismantling of end-of-life EV batteries using machine learning. - Siemens (Princeton, NJ)?will receive $7,998,766 to demonstrate an automated approach for battery disassembly and apply learnings towards designing batteries that are more easily disassembled. - Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville, TN)?will receive $4,867,519 to design, develop, demonstrate, and validate innovative compact mobile preprocessing hubs that can be transported and deployed at local collection points to safely dismantle and shred end-of-life EV batteries. - University of Akron (Akron, OH)?will receive $2,000,000 to eliminate the flow of plastics/polymers from end-of-life EV battery packs to landfills, while simultaneously retrieving and recycling them to be used as raw materials for new batteries. The Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) announced the selection of 8 projects for $44.8 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (https://lnkd.in/g6utixzM)

?? Cleantech Group’s new quarterly ‘Companies to Watch’ feature will shine a light on innovation in the Asia-Pacific region for our international audiences. In the debut edition, we bring eight companies to your attention. We asked: “What cleantech companies from your country/region would you highlight to our international audiences at this time, and why?” Guest contributors from Indonesia, China, India and New Zealand narrow down the standout companies in their region. ???? Avina Sugiarto, Partner, East Ventures, points out receipients of East Ventures and Temasek Foundation's ‘Climate Impact Innovations Challenge’ award, 3 climate tech companies: SunGreenH2, producing cost-effective hydrogen, Hydrogen Refinery - ammonia-based fertilizers, reducing emissions, AC Biode - green energy generation from organic waste. ???? Dr Eric Wang, Managing Partner at GRC Sinogreen Fund III LP, brings to our attention PhaBuilder, a 2023 #APACCleantech25 company. Leading in PHA bioplastics, with applications in packaging and 3D printing, the new 30,000-ton PHA facility in China is set to be among the world’s largest. ???? Karthik Chandrasekar, Co-Founder of Synapses , reflects on India’s sustainable infrastructure start-ups and names Promethean Energy, Terracarb and Thermistance to watch out for, while Priya Shah, Found & GP, Theia Ventures, notes that India’s air mobility is taking off, bringing Sarla Aviation's development to the example. ???? Ashwath Sundaresan, Associate Partner at Pacific Channel, calls out Green Gravity, a #Cleantech50toWatch company, providing gravity-based energy storage utilizing old mine shafts. Get the full perspective and watch this space quarterly for novel insights about #cleantech in APAC: https://hubs.li/Q02YbWmb0

Cleantech Group is committed to global innovation, recognizing that great solutions can come from anywhere and need for decarbonization and environmental protection must be achieved everywhere. To support this, we will be putting the spotlight on the Asia-Pacific region each quarter, inviting local insights and highlighting key companies. This time, our guest contributors answered the open question: “What has happened this quarter in your country/region of most significance to cleantech innovation?” ????Ashwath Sundaresan (Associate Partner, Pacific Channel), ???? Priya Shah (Founder & GP, Theia Ventures), ???? Louis Christian V. (Partner, Antares Ventures), and ???? Andrew Wong (Director, TRIREC) shared their views on the latest developments in their region. From New Zealand's shifts in climate policy and corporate adjustments to Southeast Asia’s urgent need for energy transition and investment in grid modernization, it is clear that progress is happening, even where targets set are not being fully met. ?https://hubs.li/Q02YbCNs0

???? The shipping industry generates 3% of global CO2?emissions, estimated to double by 2050. What are the latest developments in port innovation, community building, and sustainability? Ports and shipping leaders are increasingly uniting to push forward bold decarbonization goals, innovative port-led community projects, and sustainable blue economy investments. Some ports are exploring revenue from energy production and circular waste management. In order to scale the right alternative energy sources, there must be a strong demand pull, sufficient investment in fuel supply infrastructures, and a solid policy framework.?? See more about how collaboration is transforming the future of our oceans in Amelie Desroche’s perspective: https://hubs.li/Q02Y2WVv0 CMA CGM, HHLA Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), H?egh Autoliners #BlueEconomy #MaritimeInnovation #Sustainability #Decarbonization