Weekly news digest: 3-9 June 2023

1. Caltech gets one step closer to space-based solar power

The Space Solar Power Demonstrator (SSPD-1), a prototype launched into orbit by Caltech , successfully demonstrated wireless power transmission in space and the beaming of detectable power to Earth. The prototype utilizes an array of flexible, lightweight microwave power transmitters driven by custom electronic chips to beam energy to a specific location. The successful demonstration validates Caltech's technology and its potential for space-based solar power – a concept for harvesting clean energy at scale, which is also explored by researchers in Japan, China, the UK, the EU, and the US.

2. Germany rolls out support for industry decarbonization

Germany is launching a nearly €50bn subsidy program to support its heavy industry in becoming climate neutral. The program will introduce Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) that will compensate energy-intensive companies for the additional costs of emission reduction. It aims to scale clean technologies through investments in decarbonization while preserving the competitiveness of the German industry in response to the US IRA. European Commission is yet to confirm if the scheme complies with EU subsidy rules.

3. Battery gigafactory could be built in Morocco

国轩高科 , one of the world's top battery manufacturers, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kingdom of Morocco to establish Africa's first gigafactory for electric vehicle batteries. The project, with a 100 GWh annual capacity and a €6bn investment, could help attract clean technology investment in Africa, which currently ranks last as a destination for green investment despite being heavily impacted by climate change. Establishing battery manufacturing closer to the source of materials could also lower supply-chain emissions.

4. Wind industry leaders form a sustainability partnership

?rsted , the world's largest offshore wind developer, and 维斯塔斯 , a major wind turbine OEM, formed a commercial sustainability partnership to address carbon emissions and circularity issues in future joint offshore wind projects. Under the partnership, companies will procure and install at least 25% of lower-carbon steel towers and procure wind turbine blades made from recycled materials. While the announcement does have some caveats, e.g., blades from recycled materials should be "ready for commercial manufacturing", it sends a signal to material suppliers and advances efforts to reduce the industry's scope 3 emissions.

5. New issue of Electric Vehicle Outlook published

BloombergNEF released its annual Electric Vehicle Outlook. Some insights: EV sales are growing strongly all over the world, with 60% growth in 2022 globally; China is the biggest market for EVs, and it is also positioning itself as a significant exporter; the number of long-range EV models is expanding rapidly, but long-range EVs are significantly more expensive than their ICE counterparts; Passenger EVs drive about 70% of demand for lithium-ion batteries. Finally, the report also includes a net-zero scenario for road transport by 2050.