Climate Change Solutions Update

Category: Industry, Materials & Waste

Cut Emissions:
– Improve Materials
– Improve Processes
– Cut Fugitive Emissions
– Use Waste as a Resource
– Shift Energy Sources

  • Peak Energy to build US sodium-ion storage factory in Sacramento

    Peak Energy has selected Sacramento, California, as the location for the US' first manufacturing facility for grid-scale sodium-ion energy storage systems. The facility is expected to produce up to 4GWh of battery systems annually, with over 6GWh of customer commitments already in place. With a capital investment of up to $71m, the project is set to create 239 new local positions. By using sodium-ion batteries made with domestic materials, the facility aims to lower energy storage costs while creating high-quality jobs in the region, with plans to begin shipping batteries in the first quarter of 2027.

    https://www.power-technology.com/news/peak-energy-build-us-storage-factory/

  • Ep 223: EV batteries, bio-based materials, and the jobs nobody talks about

    The World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation highlight the industrial opportunities of recycling EV batteries and bio-based materials, emphasizing the importance of circular design and policy agendas to capture economic value. The report calls for policy changes to promote circular economy in Global South countries, stressing the economic benefits of capturing more value domestically and creating formal circular economy jobs. Initiatives like Zero Waste Scotland's material flow accounts and the FutuRaM project are working towards resource recovery and sustainability, while also addressing the potential switch from small format flexible packaging to paper to combat plastic pollution in the ocean. The focus is on connecting bio-based material policies with circular economy and climate goals, and the need for collaborative action to fill the infrastructure gap across industries.

    https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/podcasts/ep-223-ev-batteries-bio-based-materials-and-the-jobs-nobody-talks-about-or-circular-snapshots

  • UC San Diego Health Receives National Awards for Sustainability

    UC San Diego Health has been recognized for their sustainable healthcare approach, including efforts to reduce reliance on single-use plastics, pursue clean energy, and implement initiatives such as reprocessing medical devices, managing recycling programs, donating medical supplies, and sending food waste to local farms. The University of California's Sustainable Practices Policy addresses climate protection, transportation, zero waste, and more, showcasing a commitment to environmental stewardship in healthcare and creating resilient spaces for patients, staff, and visitors.

    https://health.ucsd.edu/news/press-releases/2026-06-08-uc-san-diego-health-receives-national-awards-for-sustainability/

  • From Dangote to AirPlantTM One: Factories That Change the World

    The opening of AirPlantTM One, a significant facility in the energy transition, showcases the conversion of captured carbon dioxide, water, and renewable energy into clean industrial fuels, marking a step towards decarbonizing the aviation industry. This project, along with the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria, highlights the shift towards a lower-carbon future and the potential for transforming markets through bold infrastructure projects. AirPlant One, developed by Twelve, emphasizes the importance of physical infrastructure in driving lasting economic change and reshaping industries, demonstrating the deployment of laboratory-developed technologies at commercial scale in the pursuit of climate solutions. The journalist reflects on the ambition and transformational impact of such projects, emphasizing the transition from idea to reality in the ongoing efforts towards industrial decarbonization.

    https://www.twelve.co/post/from-dangote-to-airplant-one-factories-that-change-the-world

  • Elemental Live: Inside the Data Center Innovation Initiative

    Elemental Live: Inside the Data Center Innovation Initiative (DCII) is a collaboration led by Elemental Impact in partnership with Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft to accelerate the deployment of technologies addressing energy, infrastructure, and sustainability challenges in AI infrastructure. The initiative focuses on low-carbon materials, energy storage, electrical systems, and cooling technologies to strengthen data center infrastructure and promote broader market adoption. Attendees will learn about technology priorities, funding opportunities, evaluation processes, and ways to engage with the ecosystem, with a live Q&A session with the Elemental team included.

    https://elementalimpact.com/latest/events/elemental-live-inside-the-data-center-innovation-initiative/

  • Tesla energy storage rebounds as Musk backs growth prospects

    Tesla's storage deployments saw a significant rebound to 13.5GWh in Q2 of this year, a 40% increase from the same quarter last year, marking the second-largest quarterly result for the company. Despite a slow start to the year, Tesla is optimistic about the growth of solar and storage markets globally. The company has signed deals for its Megapack and Megablock storage products and is expanding its manufacturing footprint, including a $4.3bn LFP battery factory in Michigan, aiming to create a robust domestic battery supply chain in the US.

    https://www.rechargenews.com/energy-storage/tesla-energy-storage-rebounds-as-musk-backs-growth-prospects/2-1-2013025

  • Powering fertilizer production with agrivoltaics

    India's fertilizer sector faces vulnerability due to reliance on imported natural gas for urea production, leading to increased subsidies for farmers. To address this, an integrated system combining agrivoltaics, maize cultivation, ethanol production, and urea manufacturing is proposed, utilizing captured CO2 for low-carbon urea production and green hydrogen for ammonia synthesis. This model offers multiple revenue streams, including government blending targets for ethanol and carbon markets for emission reductions, benefiting farmers, industry, and the government while supporting rural economic development. The Renewables team at CSTEP, a research-based think tank focused on science, technology, and policy, leads the way in promoting renewable energy solutions and energy conservation strategies in India.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/07/03/powering-fertiliser-production-with-agrivoltaics/

  • Press Release: Initiative in Recife draws on learnings from report to tackle waste and plastic pollution

    The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is partnering with the City of Recife, Brazil's Federal Government, and businesses like Mars Inc., Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Unilever to tackle waste and plastic pollution. The collaboration aims to unlock up to R$300 million for collection and recycling systems in Recife, creating jobs, improving conditions for waste pickers, and keeping plastics out of Brazil's rivers. The initiative aims to develop a new approach to collection and recycling systems for packaging, with the hope of informing national policy and becoming a model for other cities. The Foundation and municipality will work with stakeholders to develop a detailed plan for the city, with implementation expected to begin in 2027. The Closing the Loop report highlights the potential for a better urban waste system in Brazil to recover BRL 14 billion in recyclable value and create around 9,300 jobs by 2030, emphasizing the important role of waste pickers in recovering recyclable materials and calling for systemic change in plastics and packaging. Clean Rivers, a foundation backed by the United Arab Emirates, is also taking action to address water and waste challenges in countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil.

    https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/press-release-initiative-in-recife-draws-on-learnings-from-report-to-tackle-waste-and-plastic-pollution

  • New PV module recycling tech achieves 97.75% silicon recovery for electrode production

    A research team in India has developed a novel recycling process to recover silicon and native silica from end-of-life crystalline silicon solar cells for use in energy-storage applications. The process involves manual dismantling, thermal treatment, ball-milling, leaching, and mixing with carbon nanotubes and binders to form a slurry. The recovered material showed promising electrochemical performance in lithium-ion systems, with electrodes on copper foil and ITO exhibiting diffusion-controlled behavior, and those on graphite substrates showing capacitive charge-storage characteristics. The study concludes that electrodes on copper foil and ITO are suitable for silicon-based electrodes in Li-ion systems, while graphite-based electrodes show promise for sustainability-driven energy-storage applications.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/07/02/new-pv-module-recycling-tech-achieves-97-75-silicon-recovery-for-electrode-production/

  • Can giant batteries unlock Africa’s green industrial future?

    Tropical Storm Ana's impact on Malawi's electricity system underscores the importance of grid stability, prompting the construction of a battery energy storage system in the country's capital to enhance reliability and reduce carbon emissions. BESS technology is being recognized as crucial for integrating renewables into Africa's power grid, with South Africa and Egypt leading the way in deploying utility-scale systems. Falling battery prices are driving rapid deployment of energy storage, offering opportunities to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and meet climate goals. Despite challenges like limited awareness and financing concerns, a BESS Consortium is working to de-risk the sector and scale up battery storage projects in African nations.

    https://www.climatechangenews.com/2026/07/01/can-giant-batteries-unlock-africas-green-industrial-future/