A study in Nature Energy has found that hydrogen makes sense in a few industrial applications but little else, with most of today's hydrogen being used for fertilizer, refining, and methanol. The study examined about 2,000 existing and planned hydrogen projects and found that if all were built, they would produce about 110 million tons of hydrogen per year with significant emissions. The researchers suggest that hydrogen should replace dirty hydrogen in existing markets rather than creating new applications. Sectors like steel, biofuels, and ammonia have the best climate returns per kilogram of hydrogen used, but alternatives like electric arc furnaces and biomethane based DRI may be cheaper and easier to scale. Ammonia fertilizer produced with green hydrogen can support the generation of biofuel through increased crop yields, while carbon capture has a narrow role in low-carbon options, with the focus shifting towards more efficient use of renewable energy.
Category: Industry, Materials & Waste
Cut Emissions:
– Improve Materials
– Improve Processes
– Cut Fugitive Emissions
– Use Waste as a Resource
– Shift Energy Sources
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LEAG and Fluence to develop GigaBattery Jänschwalde 1000 project in Germany
LEAG Clean Power and Fluence Energy are collaborating on Europe's largest battery energy storage system project, the GigaBattery Jänschwalde 1000 in Germany, with a capacity of 1GW. This project, utilizing Fluence's Smartstack technology, aims to address energy availability challenges during the transition to renewable energy by integrating solar, wind, and storage facilities. The focus is on enhancing system stability, supporting renewable energy integration, delivering grid services, enabling energy trading, strengthening energy security, and accelerating Germany's energy transition. The GigawattFactory approach combines renewable energies, storage facilities, and flexible power plants to achieve these goals.
https://www.power-technology.com/news/leag-fluence-gigabattery-janschwalde-project/
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UN Secretary-General’s remarks at the Belém Climate Summit’s energy transition roundtable
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for a rapid transition to renewable energy at the Belém Climate Summit, highlighting the growth of renewables in the global energy landscape and the importance of investing in clean energy. He stressed the urgency of meeting the goals set at COP28 to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030, calling for aligning laws and policies with a just energy transition, supporting workers in fossil fuel industries, investing in infrastructure, and providing finance for developing countries to accelerate the shift to renewables. The section emphasizes the need to move quickly and collectively towards clean, inclusive, and resilient economies, driving the acceleration of climate solutions with fairness and turning climate challenges into development opportunities worldwide. The message highlights the end of the fossil fuel era and the rise of clean energy, urging for a fair, fast, and final transition.
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AI powered solar forecasting helps UK grid operator reduce balancing costs
Open Climate Fix's Quartz Solar tool, integrated into the National Energy System Operator's operations, saves Great Britain's grid operator GBP 30 million per year by accurately forecasting solar generation and reducing the need for reserve capacity. The AI-powered tool, combining machine learning, satellite imagery, and weather data, updates every 15 minutes and has halved forecasting errors. By using multiple data sources and providing probabilistic output, the tool has improved forecasting methods and could potentially save up to GBP 150 million per year by 2035. Open Climate Fix, a non-profit organization founded in 2019, is exploring commercialization opportunities to fund further research and expand into other markets like the Netherlands, focusing on AI-powered energy system projects with open source code.
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Environmental News Network – New ‘Liquid Metal’ Composite Material Enables Recyclable, Flexible and Reconfigurable Electronics
Electronic waste is a growing global issue, with challenges in recycling leading to environmental and health risks from toxic chemicals. Without intervention, electronic waste could reach 90 million tons annually by 2030. However, a team at the University of Washington has developed a recyclable material to replace traditional circuit boards, offering flexibility, self-healing, and conductivity. This innovation has the potential to create more sustainable wearable electronics and soft robotics, providing a promising solution to the electronic waste problem.
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Australia’s SolarCloud opens rooftop solar access to renters, flats
Australian startup SolarCloud has introduced a virtual rooftop solar ownership model that allows renters and apartment residents to buy shares in existing commercial systems without installation or approvals. Customers can purchase one or more panels starting at AUD 139 each and monitor generation 24/7 via an online platform. The company aims to make solar energy more accessible to households previously excluded from the solar transition. SolarCloud CEO John Kennedy highlighted that this model provides a way for everyone to access cheaper, cleaner energy without needing a suitable roof.
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Amory Lovins on Energy Efficiency: Why We Need Demand-Side Climate Action
Energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins believes that reaching net zero emissions is possible by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy, and removing any remaining carbon. He emphasizes the importance of conservation on the demand side, stating that the cleanest and cheapest energy is the energy that is not used. Lovins suggests that existing technology could make energy five times more efficient by 2060 through measures such as advanced transmission wires, integrative design in buildings, smarter structural design in construction, and the use of ultralight materials in transport. By reducing energy consumption, fossil fuels can be displaced faster, leading to significant emissions reductions. Global coal consumption reached an all-time high in 2024, hindering efforts to limit global warming, but the rise in renewable power capacity, solar and wind generation outpacing global electricity demand, and innovative solutions such as low-carbon cement making and green hydrogen-based steelmaking show promising steps towards a sustainable future.
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Brazil, C40 Cities, and the Global Covenant of Mayors announce new mutirão effort to accelerate urban climate solutions in Brazil
A new partnership supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Brazilian National Front of Mayors aims to help 50 Brazilian cities implement over 20 climate projects by 2027, focusing on sustainable transport, waste management, and climate action planning in the Amazon region. The program involves collaboration between national, state, and local governments, as well as various organizations, to ensure effective and sustainable solutions are implemented. Expected outcomes include the development of a national emissions data platform, mitigation projects, climate budgeting integration, and the promotion of multilevel coordination to accelerate climate responses in Brazil. Brazilian cities are receiving investment to enhance their resilience to climate change, with a focus on initiatives such as deploying e-buses and reducing methane emissions from waste, highlighting Brazil's leadership in implementing multilevel climate initiatives. Mayor Eduardo Paes of Rio de Janeiro emphasizes the importance of empowering cities and states to scale successful climate solutions, emphasizing the role of cities in leading climate action and building a stronger, healthier world.
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Cropped 5 November 2025: Nature finance at COP30; Storms devastate crops; Brazilian deforestation decline
Key climate-related points from the section include Brazil's announcement of an 11% drop in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, Malaysia and Indonesia updating their climate targets ahead of COP30, and the failure of UN biodiversity negotiations to agree on recommendations for the next major round of discussions. Additionally, Hurricane Melissa caused damage to crops in the Caribbean, while Cyclone Montha affected the agricultural sector in India, leading to significant losses for farmers. Around 1.7 billion people worldwide are living in places where human-driven land degradation is leading to falling crop yields, posing a threat to agricultural productivity and food security. Nigeria approved a new national carbon market framework to unlock up to $3bn annually in carbon finance, reinstated funding for climate change initiatives, and committed to mainstreaming climate action into national development. American pop star Billie Eilish announced a donation of $11.5m from her upcoming tour proceeds to causes dedicated to food equity, climate justice, and reducing carbon pollution. Eel trafficking in Europe, combined with habitat loss, pollution, and the climate crisis, is driving the slippery fish towards extinction. The COP30 UN climate talks in Brazil are focusing on the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) as a new funding mechanism to protect tropical forests. However, concerns have been raised about the fund's design and effectiveness in preserving forests. Brazil is also pushing for increased use of sustainable fuels and the development of biodiversity offsets and carbon credit markets. Despite a deadline for new climate pledges, only a third of countries have submitted them so far. Climate finance experts are concerned that the focus on private sector involvement is weakening official funds for climate solutions at COP30. They argue that addressing root drivers of tropical forest loss, such as changing diets and shifting harmful subsidies, would unlock serious grant money for countries. New science highlights the impact of expanding irrigation on water depletion and the potential climate implications of ammonia emissions from farming. The article also includes information on greenwashing in agriculture, wildlife trafficking, rainforest threats in Nigeria, and life in Sulawesi island.
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From Ruins to Reuse: How Ukrainians Are Repurposing War Waste
In 2024, Zero Waste Kharkiv, led by Anna Prokayeva, initiated a project to recover and repurpose materials from the bomb-flattened village hall in Ruska Lozova, Ukraine, which was heavily damaged during the Russian invasion. The project aimed to address the issue of war waste and teach residents how to rebuild their homes using recovered materials. The team of volunteers sorted and transported materials to a circular construction yard, where they were repurposed for various construction needs, such as filling potholes, insulating walls, and heating buildings. By the end of the project, the site of the village hall was cleared and ready for new construction, now hosting a new council building. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is leading a major debris management effort in Ukraine, clearing nearly 800,000 tons of war rubble, with 150,000 tons processed into gravel for road repairs. Other nations are also contributing, with an Australian company making bricks from gravel, glass, and plastic bottles, and Japan providing training and equipment for waste processing. The use of A.I.-enhanced robotic cleanup machinery is being tested to reduce costs and increase safety in areas with potential hazards. Efforts are being made to amend Ukrainian laws to allow for the reuse of recycled concrete made from the war rubble. Zero Waste Kharkiv in Ukraine aims to repurpose all war wreckage, sending nothing to landfills or incinerators. The organization educates residents about the zero waste concept and follows a hierarchy of closed-loop circular systems. They send second-hand clothes, toys, and bedding to various centers, and collect spent batteries for reconfiguration. Zero Waste Kharkiv plans to continue their recycling efforts in war-torn areas to rebuild Ukraine sustainably.