INDUSTRY EMEA: LATEST HIGHLIGHTS
TotalEnergies and OQAE Sign Agreements to Develop 300?MW of Renewable Projects
In line with its multi-energy strategy in the Sultanate of Oman, TotalEnergies announced, together with its partner OQ Alternative Energy (OQAE), the National Renewable Energy Champion, the signing of landmark agreements to develop 300?MW of renewable energy projects in the country. With respectively 49% and 51% shares, TotalEnergies and OQAE will lead in realizing three renewable projects:
The construction will start in early 2025, and the electricity production in late 2026. These solar and wind projects will generate over 1.4?TWh of renewable electricity annually.
Cologne, Saarbrücken and Cottbus to count on VEDS city buses with hydrogen fuel cells
The EU Clean Vehicle Directive (CVD) mandates that 65% of newly registered low-floor buses in member states must use alternative drive systems by 2030. In Germany, only about 6% of the 54,000 buses registered by 2023 currently meet this target. To comply, German operators are adopting battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell solutions. Wrightbus, a British manufacturer, is supplying hydrogen fuel cell buses with Voith's electrical drive system (VEDS) to cities like Cologne, Saarbrücken, Cottbus, and Geilenkirchen.
The VEDS, coupled with the innovative Future Inverter Platform (FIP), is optimized for commercial vehicles and adheres to automotive cybersecurity standards. Wrightbus’s Kite Hydroliner, available with 70- or 100-kW fuel cells, can carry up to 90 passengers and offers customizable hydrogen storage options. Voith, having supplied over 1,000 drive systems to British manufacturers like Wrightbus, plays a crucial role in Europe’s transition to zero-emission buses.
The UK leads Europe in electric bus registrations, and German operators are accelerating fleet upgrades to meet CVD targets. Notably, 31 Kite Hydroliners were delivered to Cologne in 2024, with plans for 28 in Saarbrücken by 2025, 46 in Cottbus, and 12 in Geilenkirchen, showcasing significant progress toward sustainable urban transit.
ABB's EMS to enhance efficiency and sustainability at ?olakoglu Metalurji in Türkiye
ABB has secured an order from ?olako?lu Metalurji A.?. for an ArcSave? electromagnetic stirrer (EMS) to be installed on one of the world’s largest electric arc furnaces (EAF). The project in Türkiye represents a step forward in ?olako?lu Metalurji’s journey to enhanced efficiency, sustainability and operational safety in their steelmaking processes.
ABB's ArcSave EMS will be installed on a jumbo 370-tonne capacity EAF, the largest of its kind in the country. The furnace at ?olako?lu’s steel plant is supplied by Primetals Technologies and will benefit from a revamp courtesy of ABB’s advanced stirring technology, aimed at enhancing the production of various carbon steel products including slabs, hot rolled steel coils, billets and reinforcing steel bars.
Founded in 1945, ?olako?lu Metalurji has evolved from a small-scale production facility into one of the leading steel producers in Türkiye, establishing its first rolling mill in 1969?and its melt shop in 1985. The commissioning of its first EAF in 2007?marked a significant shift towards more sustainable steelmaking. Today, ?olako?lu operates one of the largest and most advanced steel production facilities in Türkiye dedicated to technological advancement and sustainability, maintaining the highest standards of quality and efficiency.
Emirates Biotech Selects Sulzer Technology to Build World's Largest Polylactic Acid Production Facility
Sulzer’s technology has been selected by Emirates Biotech for its upcoming Polylactic Acid (PLA) production plant in the United Arab Emirates. The facility will be constructed in two phases, each with an annual capacity of 80,000?tonnes, resulting in a total production capacity of 160,000?tonnes per annum. Once completed, it will be the largest PLA production facility in the world.
PLA offers a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. It is widely used in applications such as packaging, disposable utensils, helping to reduce reliance on single-use plastics across the globe. Emirates Biotech will leverage Sulzer’s licensed PLA technology to manage all production steps from a single location, including lactide production, purification and polymerization. The facility will also use a plant-based feedstock to produce high-quality PLA bioplastics at scale, positioning the Middle East as a key player in the bioplastics industry.
Thanks to its strong track record in the bioplastics sector, Sulzer’s licensed PLA technology is already in use at most PLA facilities worldwide. This new development strengthens Sulzer’s commitment to supporting global industry in adopting circular manufacturing and building a more prosperous and sustainable society.
Located in the United Arab Emirates, construction is set to commence in 2025, with the plant expected to be operational by early 2028. The facility will use Lactic Acid (LA) as its feedstock to produce PLA, offering a low carbon footprint and biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics, further contributing to the circular economy.
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ANYbotics and Createc Collaborate to Revolutionize Nuclear Facility Inspections
ANYbotics has collaborated with Createc, a specialist in robotic applications for nuclear decommissioning, to transform the nuclear industry through advanced robotic inspections. This collaboration will improve accuracy, streamline workflows, and provide integrated robotics and radiation detection solutions. Together, they will set new standards for inspecting nuclear facilities, reducing risks and costs while driving innovation.
Critical Nuclear Inspections Ensure Safety and Efficiency
Inspections in the nuclear industry are critical to ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. They play a crucial role in identifying potential risks, such as equipment fatigue or radiation leaks, before they escalate into serious accidents and protect workers and the environment. Inspections are essential not only to prevent catastrophic failures but also to extend the life of the equipment.
ANYbotics and Createc – Bridging the Technology Gap
ANYbotics and Createc combine their advanced technologies and expertise to deliver a powerful solution for the nuclear industry. ANYbotics contributes its autonomous robot ANYmal, which is equipped with state-of-the-art data acquisition capabilities and designed for precise navigation in complex environments.
Createc complements this with its industry-leading radiation sensors and proprietary N-Visage? Explore and N-Visage? Fusion solutions, which offer state-of-the-art radiation detection and mapping technologies. Together, they form a robust platform for comprehensive data collection and analysis.
This combination improves safety, accuracy, and efficiency in nuclear facilities. Createc’s expertise in robotic applications in nuclear facilities and ANYbotics’ AI-driven autonomous solutions ensure seamless robotics and radiation-sensing integration.
ArcelorMittal Achieves Ethanol Production Milestone at Steelanol Facility
LanzaTech Global, the carbon recycling company transforming above-ground carbon into sustainable fuels, chemicals, materials, and protein, and ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading integrated steel and mining company, announced that ethanol from ArcelorMittal's Steelanol facility in Ghent has achieved a production milestone whereby ethanol volumes reached a level which supports shipping by barge.
LanzaTech took title to the first barge shipment earlier this month, and the ethanol is enroute to be purified and sold to LanzaTech’s CarbonSmart? customers in fragrance and home care markets. This achievement progresses LanzaTech and ArcelorMittal’s joint strategy to develop a thriving European supply chain for sustainable ethanol produced in the region.
ArcelorMittal’s Steelanol facility is converting carbon-rich industrial emissions from its blast furnace into fuel-grade ethanol by using leading carbon recycling technology developed by LanzaTech. Ethanol production commenced in 2023, and the facility is a first of its kind for the European steel industry. The produced ethanol can be sold directly into fuel markets, or further purified or converted for use in a wide array of consumer products such as apparel, personal care, and packaging.
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