Masdar Arlington Energy kicks off construction on two BESS sites in the UK

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

TODAY: Masdar Arlington Energy starts construction on two British BESS sites

Good morning, ladies and gents. We have a brisk issue this morning and the weekend draws ever nearer. Masdar’s UK expansion is underway and construction on the Egypt-Saudi interconnection is in full swing, along with some exciting green tech news. First, some legislation updates from the EU…

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY OUTSIDE THE REGION- The EU passes nature restoration law:The European Parliament has voted to pass a law that will require EU member countries to introduce measures aimed at restoring and protecting nature on at least fifth of their land and sea by 2030. The policy is the EU's “concrete contribution to preserve biodiversity, precious ecosystems, healthy soils and waters,” EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius told Reuters. The decision is pending final approval from the member states.

Not everyone is on board: The decision came despite ongoing protests by farmers across the EU against the green policies which they argue will negatively impact the agricultural sector due to excessive bureaucracy, the news outlet explains. Parliament first backed the law in July 2023, with 336 in favor while 300 against with 13 abstentations. Opposing lobbies eventually succeeded in pushing the EU Commission to water down parts of the draft law, including a goal to introduce more trees, ponds and other biodiverse features to farmland.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- The infrastructure for the 3 GW Egypt-Saudi interconnection project is 40-50% complete, a government source told Enterprise Climate. The cable designs have been reviewed to expedite the initial stages, allowing more time to conduct tests on the lines, especially submarine cable which will be deployed alongside a fiber optics line. The project — which consists of 3 stations connected via 1.35 km of overhead lines and 22 kms of submarine cables in the Gulf of Aqaba — is expected to come fully online in 2026, the source added.

REMEMBER- There’s been some delays: Trial operations for the USD 1.8 bn electricity interconnection between Egypt and Saudi were set to begin in May 2025 with an official operational launch set for later in the same year. The first 1.5 GW phase is set to start operations in June 2025, followed by the second and final 1.5 GW phase in November 2025.

IN OTHER SAUDI NEWS- KSA will invest more than SAR 6 bn (c. USD 1.6 bn) in environmental compliance projects by 2030, SPA reported, citing statements made by Vice Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour Al Mushaiti on the sidelines of the Environmental Compliance Forum in Riyadh. Environmental compliance initiatives include setting a broad range of effective laws, regulations, standards, and codes designed to protect the environment by ensuring businesses consider their environmental impact, especially in manufacturing activities. Tackling climate challenges is necessary for environment, food and water security, as well as economic development, he added.

#2- Arab Civil Aviation Organization to produce SAF: The Arab Civil Aviation Organization is adopting an initiative to manufacture sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other clean energy sources for aviation, the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reports. The organization will collaborate with the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and will seek funding for feasibility studies on the SAF production in the region. Global SAF production levels are currently still very low — accounting for only 0.2% of all aviation fuel.

SAF has yet to take off in the region: Challenges such as limited financing, scarcity of raw materials, and lack of government incentives, have hindered the development and production of SAF in the MENA region, according to the BNA. Airlines in the region need further incentives to switch to SAF in order to compensate for its higher cost, which can reach 3-8 times more than conventional jet fuel.

#3- A Moroccan solar project faces delays: Morocco's largest planned solar project, the Noor Midelt I plant, continues to face major delays due to a dispute over which tech to use, Reuters reports. Construction for the project has not stalled due to continued disagreements between Morocco’s Energy Ministry and the grid operator over a proposed mix of photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies.

What’s the problem? The authorities cited problems at another solar complex, Noor Ouarzazate, where a CSP plant stopped working for a year due to technical issues. While CSP is more expensive than PV, the tech can store power for longer. A 2020 report by Morocco's economic, social, and environmental council however recommended abandoning CSP altogether because of its high cost and maintenance issues.

#4- Tanzania brings online first turbine of the controversial Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant:Tanzania’s Energy and Minerals Ministry has connected the first 235 MW hydroelectric turbine of the 2.15 GW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant — located at UN World Heritage site Selous Game Reserve — to the grid, sparking concern from conservationists in the country, Reuters reports. Environmentals have voiced opposition to the plant on fears it could threaten wildlife and their habitats downstream, especially as the Selous reserve is home to concentrated populations of diverse wildlife. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to double the country’s electricity generation capacity, meeting the power demands of some 17 mn households in the country.

REMEMBER- Egypt firms are developers in the mega project: Egypt’s Elsewedy Electric and Arab Contractors activated the first of nine hydro turbines of the USD 2.9 bn Julius Nyerere Dam, a statement published by Egypt’s Ministry of Housing announced last month. The Tanzanian government kicked off the first filling for the dam late in 2022, and after successful testing, the consortium achieved a rotating speed of 150 rpm with a 50 hertz frequency from operations on the first turbine. 18 bn cbm of water have already been stored to date.

#5- EU automakers to comply with 2035 fossil-fuel car ban: Europe's carmakers are planning to back a draft EU regulation to ban fossil-fuel vehicles by 2035, Reuters reports, citing the European Automobile Manufacturers Association's president Luca de Meo. The association said the regulation was “potentially feasible” but required more government support and infrastructure. The announcement came amid a slowdown in EV demand and rising competition from Chinese rivals. Stellanis was amongst the EV makers that recently expressed support for the 2035 ban on fossil fuel cars, urging for a pragmatic approach and subsidies to make the transition successful, Reuters wrote.

Not the initial response: EU automakers including Stellanis wanted to renegotiate the EU’s proposed 2035 ban on fossil fuel cars off of the high costs of EVs.

The US is also working on its own EV regulations: The US is also finalizing a revised plan to lower previous 2030 EV sales targets as automakers raised concerns about EVs’ affordability for US consumers.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Saudi Arabia will host the International Conference on Sand and Dust Storms in theArabian Peninsula from Monday, 4 March to Wednesday, 6 March in Riyadh. The conference will address regional challenges caused by sand and dust storms and discuss monitoring systems, mitigation strategies, economic and infrastructural impacts, and more.

The UAE will host the World Future Energy Summit from Tuesday, 16 April to Thursday, 18 April in Abu Dhabi. The summit will address solutions for development in the transformation of future energy systems. The summit will also feature discussions on recycling, waste-to-energy, and air-to-water trends and progressions.

The UAE will host the Connecting Green Hydrogen MENA event from Tuesday, 23 April to Thursday, 25 April in Dubai. The event will explore green hydrogen partnerships, policies, and practices in the region, in parallel to a showcasing of the latest in the clean fuel’s technology.

Oman will host the Oman Sustainability Week from Sunday, 28 April to Thursday, 2 May in Muscat. The event will focus on exploring investment opportunities and implementing best practices in sustainability within the energy, water, and environmental sectors.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

Masdar Arlington Energy kicks off construction on two BESS sites in the UK

Masdar breaks ground in the UK: Masdar Arlington Energy — a subsidiary of renewables energy giant Masdar it acquired in 2022 — has broken ground on two battery energy storage systems in the UK as part of a GBP 1 bn investment program, according to a statement.

What we know: The plants will have a joint capacity of 55 MW, and will be able to power 25.7k households across the country. The plants are being established across previously industrialized sites as the company looks to focus on land in need of redevelopment and regeneration, the statement notes.

More to come: The facilities are part of Arlington’s 3 GWh pipeline of storage projects in the UK. Parent company Masdar plans to deploy up to 5 GW in wind energy capacity and battery storage volume by 2030 through Arlington.

REMEMBER- Masdar is expanding presence in the UK: Masdar signed an agreement back during COP28 with German energy company RWE to purchase 49% of RWE’s 3 GW Dogger Bank South offshore wind farms as part of its larger GBP 11 bn investment ticket into UK renewables. The acquisition will pave the way for Masdar and RWE to jointly co-develop the two offshore wind farms with construction starting as early as 2025. The first 800 MW of electricity is planned to come online in 2029 with the aim to fully commission the projects by late 2031.

There’s a new low-cost green hydrogen catalyst on the horizon

Researchers from South Korea’s Chung-Ang University have developed a newcatalyst for producing green hydrogen from water electrolysis, according to a study published in the Journal of Energy Chemistry. The researchers claim that this catalyst is more efficient, stable, and affordable than conventional iridium-based catalysts.

REFRESHER- Catalyst? Electrolysis? Water electrolysis is the process in green hydrogen production which uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. One of the challenges in water electrolysis is the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which requires a lot of energy and a durable catalyst to operate in acidic solutions. The most common catalysts for the process currently are platinum and iridium which are too costly and scarce.

The hunt for a better catalyst: Researchers have been trying to identify new catalysts for hydrogen production to replace their conventional alternatives. Egypt’s American University in Cairo is also trying to substitute expensive, difficult-to-source platinum for other, more readily available ‘transition’ metals.

Enter the new catalyst: The catalyst is made of single-atom zinc-doped ruthenium oxide with enriched oxygen vacancies, which enhances the stability and activity of the material. The researchers developed a new method to create the catalyst by thermally decomposing a metal-organic framework (MOF) precursor. The MOF — composed of zinc and ruthenium ions — was first loaded with different amounts of ruthenium ions and then annealed (a process of heating metals then allowing them to slowly cool) at low temperatures in the air.

How does it work? The researchers tested their catalyst in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer. The catalyst showed impressive performance in the OER under acidic conditions. They found that their catalyst outperformed the commercial ruthenium oxide catalyst in terms of activity, stability, and overpotential.

So what makes it special? The researchers explained that their catalyst can overcome the drawbacks of conventional ruthenium oxide catalysts, which suffer from poor durability and high overpotential in acidic conditions. This makes the catalyst more resistant to corrosion and overoxidation, which are common problems in acidic OER. The catalyst lowers the energy barrier for the reaction, making it faster and more efficient. The catalyst also showed no significant degradation after 43 hours of operation, while the commercial catalyst failed after 7.4 hours.

Looking forward: The researchers concluded that their work provides a promising way to design high-performance OER catalysts for acidic water splitting, which could pave the way for sustainable hydrogen production from renewable energy sources.

Nio partners with Forseven to unroll its EVs in UAE

ELECTRIC VEHICLES-

Forseven to manufacture Nio EVs in UAE: Abu Dhabi-backed CYVN Holdings ’ EV subsidiary Forseven signed a technology licensing agreement with Chinese EV manufacturer Nio for the rights to use Nio software and tech, according to a press release. Forseven will use the tech to manufacture and develop Nio-branded EVs and Nio will receive a fixed upfront amount and royalties based on future sales as part of the agreement.

IN OTHER EV NEWS- China's EV maker Xpeng formed a strategic partnership with UAE-based Ali & Sons, Reuters reports. The company said it will sell multiple Xpeng models in five Middle East and North African countries starting from 2Q this year. Xpeng also said it will launch its G6 and G9 SUV models in the UAE starting 3Q, and its P7 sedan and G9 SUV in Jordan and Lebanon in 2Q and in Egypt from 3Q.

SOLAR-

Egypt’s Solariz expands El Gouna’s solar power: El Gouna City’s developer Orascom Development Holding (ODH) has extended its partnership agreement with SolarizEgypt to double the capacity of its existing solar power plant from 7.2 MW to 14 MW, Zawya reports, citing an ODH statement. The second phase of the project, which will cost EGP 200 mn (USD 6.5 mn), is expected to start operations by 4Q 2024. The company broke ground on the EGP 97 mn first phase of the project in 2022, which supplies 16% of the city's electricity demand.

WASTE-TO-ENERGY-

Iraq extends deadline to submit bid for its first WtE plant: The Baghdad Municipality has extended the bid submission deadline for its planned 80-90 MW waste-to-energy (WtE) project to 31 March, Zawya reported citing a statement by the National Investment Commission (NIC). The project is being procured on a design, build, own, and operate model

What we know: The facility — located in the Nahrawan area in Iraq’s Diyala Governorate — will have the capacity to process 3k tons of waste daily, and is expected to be completed within 24 months under a public-private partnership, Zawya writes. The plant is also expected to have a generation efficiency higher than 30% and a landfill rate less than 5%. Iraq is also planning a similar project which will be announced once the land for it is secured, the authority noted earlier this month.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

Egypt’s green hydrogen strategy receives approval: Egypt’s Supreme Council of Energy has approved the national strategy for green hydrogen in the works since 2021. (Statement)
Bahrain receives 5 bids for 2.5 MW solar + EV charging project:Bahrain’s tender for Request for Proposal to Build, Own, Operate, and Maintain (BOOM) a 2.5 MW rooftop solar power plant project and EV charging stations on the Ministry of Information’s premises has received 5 bids. Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo, Alpha Energy Generations, Micro Centre, Yellow Door Energy Projects, and Siraj Power Contracting have placed bids for the 20-year contract. (Statement)
Jordan issues solar project tender: Jordan's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources issued a tender for the Al-Azraq 2 solar power project, which will be implemented through a debt swap agreement with the Spanish government. The project will be owned by the government and developed by a contractor on a turnkey basis, with the deadline for submitions set for March 27. (AlMamlakah)
Adnoc Distribution sets new targets: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) subsidiary Adnoc Distribution is aiming to establish 500 EV fast and superfast charging stations — more than 10x the amount in 2023 — as part of its 5-year growth plan. The company also plans to establish a national network of charging stations in the same period. (Statement)
Turkey’s Sarten Ambalaj to install solar PV tech in 5 locations: Turkish packaging manufacturer Sarten Ambalaj and Enova — a JV between Majid Al Futtaim and Veolia — have partnered to install turn-key solar PV products on five of Sarten’s facilities in Turkey. The project aims to reduce carbon emissions by installing a total of 9.26 MWp of renewables to generate 13 GWh of green energy annually. (Statement)

Italy greenlights EUR 6.3 bn green transition decree

Italy has approved a EUR 6.3 bn decree to support the country’s green tech development and energy transition targets, Reuters reports. The funding is aimed at meeting the EU-funded recovery plan — NextGenerationEU — and will be disbursed in the form of tax breaks for companies committed to energy saving as part of a EUR 194.4 bn agreement with the EU to overhaul the country’s investment programme through 2026.

About NextGenerationEU: The NextGenerationEU is a post-Covid, EUR 806.9 bn recovery plan for the European bloc aimed at investing in “healthier, greener, and more digital” projects. One of the six key goals of the fund is to accelerate the green transition with a focus on renewables and sustainable mobility. Together with the EU’s long-term budget, the NextGenerationEU funding is the largest stimulus package ever financed in Europe.

IN OTHER EU-ITALY NEWS- The EU supports Italy’s Green Hydrogen Valley: The EU Commission signed off on a EUR 370 mn (c.USD 402 mn) grant to green investment manager Sosteneo to develop the “Green Hydrogen Valley” project in Italy's Puglia region, Reuters reports. The project — aimed at decarbonizing Italy’s largest energy and steel hub — will include a 260 MW solar plant and a 160 MW green hydrogen production hub to power the production of low-carbon direct reduced iron. Italy’s grid operator Snam will also receive EUR 100 mn from the EU funds for its EUR 100 mn project to renovate existing pipelines and establish new ones, the newswire notes.

New EIB president is shifting gears on nuclear energy: The newly appointed president of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Nadia Calviño has decided to shift the bank’s stance on nuclear power, positioning it in favor of the controversial green energy source, The Financial Times reports. Calviño emphasized the importance of Europe remaining competitive in emerging technologies like modular reactors, despite the EIB's historical avoidance of nuclear investments since the Chernobyl disaster in 1987.

France is partly responsible for the shift: The new approach to nuclear energy and defense investments was reportedly influenced by demands from France, a major supporter of Calviño's appointment, the FT writes, citing EU and bank officials.

Chinese researchers develop a new electrolysis system for repurposing carbon

A team of researchers from China and New Zealand have developed a new electrolysis system that can convert CO2 into formic acid using enhanced electrolysis methods, according to a study (pdf) published in Nature. The new tech could have implications for carbon capture and utilization and could also be used to help decarbonize carbon-intensive industries, the South China Morning Post reported, citing an interview with the lead researcher Xia Baoyu.

How does it work? The new method can directly convert CO2 into formic acid, a chemical used in agriculture and fuel cells. The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide — referred to as CO2RR — involves converting CO2 into reduced chemical compounds using electrical energy. The new system achieved a record performance of 93% efficiency with an ability to operate for 5k hours, which was a main challenge for conventional conversion systems.

What are the researchers doing differently? The new study engineered a proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer that facilitates the reaction that converts hydrogen molecules into protons at the anode while simultaneously producing formic acid from CO2 at the cathode, according to the research briefing. This energy-efficient approach helps prevent the formation of harmful hydrogen peroxide during the process which could degrade or destroy the PEM.

The study also uses recycled batteries in the process: Researchers found that using spent lead acid batteries (SLABs) to source the catalyst increased the efficiency and stability of the system while only providing a recycling opportunity. This catalyst is “environmentally sustainable and can be industrially produced on kilogram and even ton scales,” the briefing added.

CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 2024

26-28 February (Monday-Wednesday): Management and Sustainability of Water Resources, Dubai, UAE.

26-28 February (Monday-Wednesday): Oman Conference for Environmental Sustainability, Muscat, Oman.

27-28 February (Tuesday-Wednesday): Climate Business Forum: Asia Pacific, Hong Kong, China.

MARCH 2024

4-5 March (Monday-Tuesday): MENA Desalination Projects Forum, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

4-6 March (Monday-Wednesday): International Conference on Sand and Dust Storms in the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

4-7 March (Monday-Thursday): Leap Forward: A Digital Davos, Malham, Saudi Arabia.

5-6 March (Tuesday-Wednesday): AIPH Green City Conference, Doha, Qatar.

19-29 March (Monday-Friday): International Seabed Authority Assembly and Council, Kingston, Jamaica.

APRIL 2024

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Energy, Dubai, UAE.

22-24 April (Monday-Wednesday): Oman Petroleum and Energy Show, Mustac, Oman.

23-25 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Connecting Green Hydrogen MENA, Dubai, UAE.

28-29 April (Sunday-Monday) Global Cooperation, Growth and Energy for Development,Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

28 April-2 May (Sunday-Thursday) Oman Sustainability Week, Oman International Exhibition Center, Muscat.

30 April-2 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Autonomous E-Mobility Forum, Doha, Qatar.

MAY 2024

7-9 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Global Waste Forum, Algiers, Algeria.

14-16 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Airport Show, Dubai, UAE.

18-25 May (Saturday-Saturday) The World Water Forum, Bali, Indonesia.

19-21 May (Sunday-Tuesday): Saudi Energy Convention, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

20-22 May (Monday-Wednesday): Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

28-30 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Make it in the Emirates Forum, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

JUNE 2024

5 June (Wednesday): World Environment Day, Saudi Arabia.

OCTOBER 2024

15-17 October (Tuesday-Thursday): EV Auto Show, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

NOVEMBER 2024

4-8 November (Monday-Friday): World Urban Forum, Cairo, Egypt.

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday) Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC), Abu Dhabi, UAE.

DECEMBER 2024

2-13 December (Monday-Friday): Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2024

Early 2024: The 2023 US Algeria Energy Forum, Washington DC, USA.

12-14 February (Monday-Wednesday): Sustainable Aviation Futures MENA Congress, Dubai, UAE.

End-2024: Emirati Masdar’s 500 MW wind farm in Uzbekistan to begin commercial operations.

QatarEnergy’s industrial cities solar power project will start electricity production.

2025

International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

UAE to have over 1k EV charging stations installed.

2026

26-29 October (Monday-Thursday): World Energy Congress, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

UITP Global Public Transport Summit, Dubai, UAE.

Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Bangkok, Thailand.

1Q 2026: QatarEnergy’s USD 1 bn blue ammonia plant to be completed.

End-2026: HSBC Bahrain to eliminate single-use PVC plastic cards.

2027

MENA’s district cooling market is expected to reach USD 15 bn.

World Water Forum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

2030

UAE’s Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) wants to provide AED 35 bn in green financing.

UAE targets 14 GW in clean energy capacity.

Tunisia targets 30% of renewables in its energy mix.

Qatar wants to generate USD 17 bn from its circular economy, creating 9k-19k jobs.

Morocco’s Xlinks solar and wind energy project to generate 10.5 GW of energy.

2035

Qatar to capture up to 11 mn tons of CO2 annually.

2045

Qatar’s Public Works Authority’s (Ashghal) USD 1.5 bn sewage treatment facility to reach 600k cm/d capacity.

2050

Tunisia’s carbon neutrality target.

2060

Nigeria aims to achieve its net-zero emissions target.

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Masdar Arlington Energy kicks off construction on two BESS sites in the UK

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TODAY: Masdar Arlington Energy starts construction on two British BESS sites

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Masdar Arlington Energy kicks off construction on two BESS sites in the UK

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There’s a new low-cost green hydrogen catalyst on the horizon

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Nio partners with Forseven to unroll its EVs in UAE

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Italy greenlights EUR 6.3 bn green transition decree

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Chinese researchers develop a new electrolysis system for repurposing carbon

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Masdar Arlington Energy kicks off construction on two BESS sites in the UK

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Masdar Arlington Energy kicks off construction on two BESS sites in the UK

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There’s a new low-cost green hydrogen catalyst on the horizon

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Nio partners with Forseven to unroll its EVs in UAE

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Italy greenlights EUR 6.3 bn green transition decree

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Chinese researchers develop a new electrolysis system for repurposing carbon

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