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New DRI and EAF installations at ArcelorMittal Dofasco in Hamilton, Ontario will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 60%

ArcelorMittal (the ‘Company’) has just announced with the Government of Canada its intention for a CAD$1.765 billion investment in decarbonization technologies at ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s plant in Hamilton. The intended investments will reduce annual CO2 emissions at ArcelorMittal’s Hamilton, Ontario operations by approximately 3 million tonnes, which represents approximately 60% of emissions, within the next seven years. This means the Hamilton plant will transition away from the blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace steelmaking production route to the Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) – Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) production route, which carries a significantly lower carbon footprint.

ArcelorMittal will introduce new manufacturing processes that contribute to a considerable reduction of CO2 emissions and deliver other positive environmental impacts including the elimination of emissions and flaring from coke making and ironmaking operations.

2021 08 02 090736The investment is contingent on support from the governments of Canada and Ontario. Today the Government of Canada announced it will invest CAD$400 million in the project. The Company is in discussions with the Government of Ontario regarding its support.

The announcement was made at an event in ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s plant in Hamilton, which was attended by ArcelorMittal CEO Aditya Mittal, ArcelorMittal Dofasco President and CEO Ron Bedard, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne and Minister of Labour Filomena Tassi.

At the heart of the plan is a 2 million tonne capacity DRI facility and an EAF facility capable of producing 2.4 million tonnes of high-quality steel through its existing secondary metallurgy and secondary casting facilities. Modification of the existing EAF facility and continuous casters will also be undertaken to align productivity, quality and energy capabilities between all assets in the new footprint.

The new DRI and EAF will be in production before the end of 2028.

This project contributes to the sustainability of well-paying skilled positions in advanced manufacturing and is also expected to support as many as 2,500 jobs during the engineering and construction phases. It will also support ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s customers decarbonization ambitions while further enhancing ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s capability to support the most demanding product segments including automotive exposed, advanced high strength steels, and consumer packing.

This new production route for ArcelorMittal Dofasco will provide a technically advanced manufacturing environment for operations, maintenance, and technology staff to work in, with improved health and safety. New positions, training, and development will be provided for employees moving from existing business units to new assets, with approximately 160,000 training hours required to transition our workforce to the new footprint.

Expressing Canada’s support for the plan, Deputy and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland said:

“Our government has been steadfast in defending and championing our steel workers. Today’s announcement, through the Net Zero Accelerator, is about investing in the low-carbon transformation of Canadian industry, taking serious action in the global fight against climate change, and supporting good middle-class jobs in Hamilton. We will continue to be there to support growth and a strong economic future for our steel workers and the broader Hamilton community.”

François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said:

“We are supporting our steel workers and companies like ArcelorMittal Dofasco as they seize today’s opportunities in the low-carbon economy and they do their part in the fight against climate change. This investment will ensure that Canada’s largest producer of flat-rolled steel adopts innovative technologies, continues to provide economic opportunities for Canadian workers, and contributes meaningfully toward our climate targets. This investment will create good jobs in communities like Hamilton and clean Canadian-made products for the world for decades to come.”

Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour, added:

“This $400 million investment by our government in reducing greenhouse gas emissions at ArcelorMittal Dofasco will transform Hamilton. It will position ArcelorMittal Dofasco to become a world leader in the development of advanced steels and make a significant contribution to achieving Canada’s carbon pollution reduction targets. We are proud to work with organizations like ArcelorMittal Dofasco that are committed to building a stronger, more competitive economy by innovating to fight climate change and creating 2,500 new jobs.”

Speaking at the announcement in Hamilton, Aditya Mittal, CEO ArcelorMittal, said:

“The plans we have announced today represent a historic moment for ArcelorMittal in Canada and North America, marking the beginning of a new era of steelmaking in Hamilton, that will result in a 60% drop in CO2 emissions within the next seven years. We are very pleased to be in partnership with the Government of Canada - as partners, we all recognize that it is vital to accelerate our carbon emissions reduction and strengthen our climate action. Indeed progress in the next decade is vital if the world is to reach net zero by 2050.

“This project is part of ArcelorMittal’s new global 25% CO2 2030 emissions reduction target which was announced yesterday in our second climate action report. DRI-EAF technology, such as that being introduced in Dofasco, is at the heart of our new target although we do also continue to develop our smart carbon technology route. Transitioning from the blast furnace route to the DRI-route, offers an immediate significant reduction in emissions in the first phase through natural gas and then in a second phase, which we call innovative DRI, harnessing green hydrogen or other Smart Carbon technologies.

“This is the first significant decarbonization project we have announced outside Europe and again reflects ArcelorMittal’s determination to lead the decarbonization of the steel industry. Across the company our people are highly motivated to demonstrate that steel can reach net zero and will be the core material for a carbon-neutral world. This project in Dofasco is a very significant and important milestone in this journey.”

Highlighting the transformative impact of the announcement, ArcelorMittal Dofasco President and CEO Ron Bedard said:

“The Government of Canada’s investment accelerates the realization of low carbon steelmaking in Canada. This significant total investment in Hamilton will transform our organization and deliver exceptional benefits to all our stakeholders including our customers, our employees and the community.

“The new steelmaking footprint will improve our capability to support the most demanding product segments with advanced high strength steels, including those used for the emerging electric vehicles in the automotive sector. The new steelmaking stream also sustains well-paying skilled positions in advanced manufacturing in Ontario, with the opportunity for our highly skilled employees to work in the most technically advanced Steelmaking assets in North America. The company’s bayfront property has been re-imagined and we are well on the way to a significant and broad reduction in environmental impacts, contributing to the health and sustainability of our community, the environment and the economy.”

ArcelorMittal has an ambition to be net zero by 2050. Yesterday the Company published its second group Climate Action Report in which it set a new 2030 global carbon emissions intensity reduction target of 25%. It has also increased its European 2030 carbon emissions intensity target to 35%, from 30%. ArcelorMittal estimates the cost of achieving its global 2030 carbon reduction target is c. US$10 billion and believes government funding support of approximately 50% is required to enable the Company to remain competitive regionally and globally through the transition period given the capital investment required and higher operating costs of low-carbon steelmaking technologies. The Company has developed two technology pathways, Smart Carbon and Innovative DRI, both of which it believes will have an important role to play in helping the Company achieve net zero by 2050.

Hydrocarbon demand is set to fall in the coming decades due to the measures the Paris Agreement signee governments will take to discourage emissions and ensure the success of net-zero goals. This agreement will render conventional oil and gas activity less and less viable. In order to reduce emissions and minimize loses, oil and gas companies should adopt measures such as carbon pricing by altering processes across the value chain, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s report, ‘ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in Oil and Gas – Thematic Research’, reveals that technological innovation and increased consumer mindfulness will make sustainable alternatives to hydrocarbon-intensive products more and more attractive. For example, in transport, historically the largest hydrocarbon-demanding sector, conventional cars will be displaced almost entirely by electric vehicles (EVs).

George Monaghan, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Though some demand will remain, survival for most current oil and gas companies will mean transitioning to a new product. While there are many options for products, with renewable energy being the most popular, companies will only succeed if they invest while demand is there to capitalise on already strong cashflows by the time demand falls. Companies that wait until hydrocarbon revenues dry up will have insufficient cash to fund a transition.”

Oil and gas companies will need effective governance to steer themselves through the existential disruption that the next three or four decades will bring. A balancing act will be necessary: meeting net-zero objectives while retaining scale demands deft leadership. For example, companies must sustain sufficient cashflows to handle demand volatility, overhaul their asset portfolios, make astute investments, and satisfy sustainability-minded stakeholders, all while providing stable dividends.

Monaghan continues: “As millennials come to dominate the consumer base and workforce and begin to assert their preferences, companies that fail to maintain good social practices (toward workers and affected local communities) will struggle to attract and retain customers and employees.”

The emission reduction strategies available to oil and gas companies can be divided into two broad approaches: change the process and change the product. It is easy but unwise to underestimate the effectiveness of the ‘change the process’ approach. It involves multiple small and unglamorous changes but can deliver significant emission reductions. At the same time, meeting 2040 or 2050 net-zero goals and dealing with the increasing unavailability of hydrocarbon reserves will require companies to change the product.

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Monaghan continues: “Scope 1 and 2 emissions represent the majority of emissions for which the oil and gas industry is responsible. These emissions can be reduced by altering value chain practices. Since the end product is unchanged, this ‘change the process’ approach requires less R&D and infrastructural investment. It promises short- and mid-term returns.

“However, other emissions are inextricable from oil and gas, particularly those produced by end-user combustion of the hydrocarbons (termed scope 3). Technological innovations may reduce the carbon content of the end-product, but practically, so long as the end-product is oil and gas, the company producing it will be responsible for significant scope emissions. To eliminate these emissions, companies must transition to a new end-product. This is the ‘change the product’ approach.”

  • Quotes provided by George Monaghan, Oil & Gas Analyst at GlobalData
  • Information based on GlobalData’s thematic report: ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in Oil and Gas – Thematic Research
  • This press release was written using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry experts

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

Vianode, established as a fully owned subsidiary of Elkem ASA dedicated to strategic growth opportunities for advanced battery materials, has successfully operationalized its industrial pilot in Kristiansand, Norway. To enable faster market entry of Vianode’s products, the company has entered into a lease agreement for an additional building at Herøya Industrial Park in Porsgrunn, Norway. The initiative targets to shorten the time to production start and increase Vianode’s overall capacity at Herøya Industrial Park.

The building has been secured through a lease agreement between Vianode and Herøya Industrial Park.

The building is located next to the site where Vianode plans to establish the large-scale plant and is intended for a fast-track option that is being considered to address the strong demand from customers and to shorten time to market. A fast-track plant will also represent a platform for further technology and process development.

“Our industrial pilot in Kristiansand, Norway is now operational with over 200 metric tons of annual capacity available for customer development with scaled up equipment. At the same time, we see an acceleration in the market driving a need for larger volumes of industrially produced materials earlier than expected. Our objective for a fast-track plant is a response to this customer demand”, says Chris York, VP at Vianode.

The potential fast-track plant at Herøya can add an additional 5,000 metric tons of production capacity, bringing Vianode’s total production at Herøya to approximately 60,000 metric tons of synthetic graphite – equivalent to close to 1 million electric vehicles per year.

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“Our ambition is to be able to deliver sustainably produced, high quality, active anode materials for the exponentially growing electric vehicle market starting from the end of 2022”, says Stian Madshus, VP and General Manager Europe at Vianode.

In parallel, the Vianode organisation is growing and the company is looking to add additional talent for those who want help “Empower a Greener Life”. Vianode is creating long-term solutions for active anode materials in support of the clean energy transition to energy storage for renewables and electric vehicles.

Vianode’s advanced battery materials increase safety and reduce charging time in electric vehicles and other sophisticated energy storage applications.

“It is very positive that Vianode has signed an agreement to lease building 132. Vianode plans to start a fast-track plant and the building and infrastructure are excellent for the purpose. This lease agreement strengthens our belief in a decision to invest in large-scale industrial production at Herøya Industrial Park”, says CEO Sverre Gotaas, Herøya Industrial Park AS.

In addition to synthetic graphite materials, Vianode and Elkem continue to carry out advanced research on silicon-graphite composite materials for improved battery performance for the years to come. Vianode is participating in the Hydra and 3beLiEVe research projects on next generation lithium-ion batteries, coordinated by SINTEF and the Austrian Institute of Technology, respectively. Both projects have received funding from the EU Horizon programme. Vianode is also investing in R&D on recycling of battery-grade graphite which is supported by the Norwegian Research Council.

Vianode has previously received grants from Innovation Norway related to the pilot plant and from Enova for planning the battery materials industrial plant.

About Vianode, an Elkem company
Vianode, an Elkem company, is a producer of sustainably engineered battery materials that increases safety and reduces charging time in electric vehicles and enables better solutions for energy storage applications. Please also visit www.vianode.com.

About Elkem
Elkem is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. The company develops silicones, silicon products and carbon solutions by combining natural raw materials, renewable energy, and human ingenuity. Elkem helps its customers create and improve essential innovations like electric mobility, digital communications, health, and personal care as well as smarter and more sustainable cities. With a strong track record since 1904, its global team of more than 6,800 people has a joint commitment to stakeholders: Delivering your potential. In 2020, Elkem was rated among the world’s top 5% on climate and achieved an operating income of NOK 24.7 billion. Elkem is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: ELK). www.elkem.com 

Konecranes has won a contract with South Carolina Ports to supply 12 Rubber Tire Gantry (RTG) retrofit hybrid power packs, a milestone contract for new technology that offers significant carbon emission reductions and lower operating costs – without compromising performance.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved Konecranes’ new hybrid technology in April 2021 after a comprehensive testing protocol conducted by West Virginia University (WVU) at South Carolina Ports’ Wando Welch Terminal. Konecranes partnered with WVU to test and measure RTG exhaust emissions using the new hybrid power packs, with WVU concluding: “Carbon monoxide emissions were observed to reduce by over 95% compared with conventional Tier 3 Diesel-electric RTG cranes.” *

The approval means that South Carolina Ports, and other US ports, are assured of the efficacy and sustainability of Konecranes’ technology, and it comes at a time when the agency is offering companies the chance to apply for grants like the DERA (Diesel Emissions Reduction Act) as they convert to more sustainable equipment. Funding for this retrofit is partially provided through a 2019 DERA grant that was awarded to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, in partnership with South Carolina Ports.

The conversion of the 12 20-year-old Charleston-based Konecranes diesel RTG cranes will begin in January 2022. The contract complements Konecranes’ momentum in the region, with over 30 new hybrid RTGs delivered to ports across America since 2020.

Konecranes Hybrid RTG RetrofitKonecranes Hybrid RTG Retrofit

“The decision of South Carolina Ports to opt for Konecranes’ new technology is an indicator of things to come in an industry where the focus is increasingly on finding sustainable ways to stay ahead of growing demand. We have worked with South Carolina Ports for over 24 years and look forward to extending that relationship as we optimize their RTG fleet,” said Scott Lane, VP of Konecranes’ US Port Services. 

“Anyone can add a battery to an engine and call it ‘hybrid’, but because we manufacture our own drive and control systems, we are the only company that can conduct a full upgrade on a turnkey basis without compromising crane performance. This agreement shows the global strength of Konecranes, involving engineers in the US and Finland, including our RTG pioneer Jorma Merimaa, and the results have been sensational,” Lane added.

“In partnership with Konecranes and through the support of our grant funding, SC Ports will upgrade 12 RTG cranes with hybrid battery/genset engine systems, making them both high performing and energy efficient,” SC Ports Chief Operating Officer Barbara Melvin said. “Konecranes’ technology aligns well with our efforts to invest in equipment that both enhances terminal operations and offers environmental benefits.”

The hybrid power pack retrofit is part of Konecranes’ suite of Ecolifting™ products that have been engineered from the ground up to deliver dramatically reduced carbon exhaust emissions. Ecolifting™ in turn is part of the company’s overall vision of a low-carbon, sustainable future.

A strong focus on customers and commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a lifting industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalization and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonize the economy and advance circularity and safety.

Further Technical or Commercial Information:
Scott Lane, Vice President, Port Services, Konecranes Inc. USA
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone +1 912 704-7797

Further South Carolina Ports Information:
Kelsi Brewer, SC Ports General Manager of Public Relations & Digital Media
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 843-577-8676

Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment of all makes. In 2020, Group sales totaled EUR 3.2 billion. The Group has around 16,500 employees in 50 countries. Konecranes shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki (symbol: KCR).

TotalEnergies has just announced a strategic collaboration with Amazon through which TotalEnergies will contribute to Amazon’s commitment to power its operations with 100% renewable energy, while Amazon will help TotalEnergies accelerate its digital transformation. This strategic agreement spans both the TotalEnergies and Amazon businesses:

  • Renewable Energy: TotalEnergies and Amazon have signed power purchase agreements (“PPAs”) for a commitment of 474 MW of renewable capacity in the US and Europe, and expect to expand their cooperation in the Middle East and Asia Pacific. By supplying renewable energy and potential battery energy solutions, TotalEnergies will contribute to Amazon’s commitment to power operations with 100 percent renewable energy by 2030 and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
  • Cloud Computing: With Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a key cloud provider, TotalEnergies will accelerate its move to the cloud, boosting its IT transformation, the digitization of its operations and its digital innovation. In particular, TotalEnergies’ Digital Factory will benefit from the breadth and depth of AWS services including infrastructure, speed, reliability and innovative services. TotalEnergies will also evaluate AWS High Performance Computing technology to accelerate critical workflows and further speed up innovation across its businesses around the world.

2021 07 28 124820“TotalEnergies is deeply committed to reducing the carbon emissions of its operations and supporting its customers to do the same around the world. By signing this agreement, we are proud to enter into this key collaboration with Amazon and to accompany them on their journey to carbon neutrality.” said Stéphane Michel, President Gas, Renewables & Power at TotalEnergies. “We are also counting on Amazon and AWS to help us advance our exponential shift in the speed, scale and advancement of digitalization.”

“Working with TotalEnergies on innovative cloud technologies to drive reductions in carbon emissions and present new renewable energy sources is a tremendous opportunity. This collaboration will not only accelerate TotalEnergies’ migration to the cloud but also contribute toward Amazon’s commitment to power our operations with 100 percent renewable energy,” said Kathrin Buvac, Vice President, AWS Strategic Industries.

TotalEnergies, renewables and electricity

As part of its ambition to get to net zero by 2050, TotalEnergies is building a portfolio of activities in renewables and electricity that should account for up to 40% of its sales by 2050. At the end of 2020, TotalEnergies’ gross power generation capacity worldwide was around 12 GW, including 7 GW of renewable energy. TotalEnergies will continue to expand this business to reach 35 GW of gross production capacity from renewable sources by 2025, and then 100 GW by 2030 with the objective of being among the world's top 5 in renewable energies.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a broad energy company that produces and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, clean, reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Hydrogen Europe, an umbrella association representing European industry, research, and national and regional associations in the hydrogen and fuel cell sector, today signed an agreement for consultancy services.

  • The European Investment Bank and Hydrogen Europe sign advisory services agreement.
  • The agreement will help to identify projects that could receive EIB financing and support their bankability.
  • Total investment in clean hydrogen in Europe is expected to reach up to €470 billion by 2050.

Under the agreement, the EU bank will provide financing advisory support for hydrogen projects introduced by Hydrogen Europe. Furthermore, it will cooperate on market development initiatives and conduct joint market outreach. Finally, the agreement will help to develop dedicated EIB financing products for green hydrogen.

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Hydrogen technology can play a crucial role in achieving a carbon neutral EU economy by 2050. The current share of hydrogen in Europe’s energy mix is less than 2%, but it could rise to 14% by mid-century. The European Hydrogen Strategy, which is part of the European Green Deal, aims to enable widespread use of hydrogen by 2050. According to the strategy, green hydrogen will be produced on a systemically relevant scale between 2030 and 2050. Consequently, investments in renewable or low-carbon hydrogen will need to increase. The strategy anticipates that between €180 and €470 billion will be required for production capacities in the European Union by 2050. Alongside the European Commission, Hydrogen Europe is one of the three participants of the European Joint Undertaking on Hydrogen, a public-private partnership working to facilitate the market introduction of clean hydrogen technologies in Europe.

“Green hydrogen presents an opportunity to decarbonise industrial processes, particularly in sectors where emission reduction is urgent but difficult to achieve,” said EIB President Werner Hoyer. “Many European countries are actively supporting the development of hydrogen technologies. One of the main strengths of the European Investment Bank is that it combines advisory and technical support in the initial phases of a project with attractive forms of financing later on. This model is perfect for the development and deployment of new breakthrough technologies, including those based on the use of hydrogen.”

Obtaining green, zero-emission hydrogen is very costly. In the EU context, the European Investment Bank is a key funding partner. Over the past eight years, the EU bank has provided over €2 billion in advisory and financial support to projects that use hydrogen technologies. Projects that focus on scaling up deployment in the transport sector by supporting new hydrogen fleets and related infrastructure have also received funding. With its expertise and track record in financing innovative technologies and infrastructure — notably offshore wind and batteries — the EIB is well placed to support the development of the hydrogen ecosystem in Europe. Currently, the Bank supports technologies such as electrolysers, catalysts and fuel cells. It also finances large-scale hydrogen production, including electrolysis, carbon capture and storage and hydrogen stations.

Background information

EIB

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. The Bank provides long-term financial support for sound investments, thus contributing to the achievement of EU policy goals.

Hydrogen

There are various types of hydrogen, categorised by production process and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions. Clean hydrogen (“renewable hydrogen” or “green hydrogen”) is produced by the electrolysis of water using electricity from renewable sources and does not emit any greenhouse gases during its production. It is distinct from grey hydrogen, which is produced from methane and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and blue hydrogen, which captures those emissions and stores them underground to prevent them from causing climate change.

Thermoelectrics cools, heats, makes electricity and senses. Many proponents have stumbled with the wrong choice in the wrong applications. For example, trying to make electricity from car exhausts just as they become obsolete is a fool’s errand.  Gentherm failed with thermoelectric generators then pivoted to create a business of hundreds of millions of dollars yearly in thermal management, notably thermoelectric car-seat systems. Many big names are now chasing them in this, notably for the COVID-defying battery electric vehicle market.

First to analyze this big picture is the new IDTechEx report, “Thermoelectric Cooling, Heating, Harvesting: 90 Companies’ Achievements and Strategies Appraised with Roadmap 2022-2042”. It includes other successes arriving with vehicles on land, water, and air such as temperature-controlled head-up displays, laser headlights, autonomy components, and military jet aircon. However, the rapid adoption in medical and many other sectors is also well covered.

2015 08 04 074618Researched by multilingual, PhD-level analysts across the world, this unique report reveals how a more thoughtful approach to thermoelectric energy harvesting is seeing success in self-powered sensors and much besides. There is even a separate drill-down report on thermoelectric-generation research, sub-markets, and options.

Raghu Das, CEO of analysts IDTechEx advises, “Nowadays, the research pipeline is far less concerned with toxic, rare elements and optimizing parameters that are not key to commercial success. Industrialists are more open-minded about new applications. For example, there is a real possibility of thermoelectric generators becoming viable in geothermal energy and other high-power applications. We, therefore, take a careful look at 90 companies involved, from patents to research papers, product offerings, and financials. In some cases, big changes are likely in about ten years so we give a 20-year forecast and roadmap of company intentions. It is quite an eye-opener.”

In the overview, “Thermoelectric Cooling, Heating, Harvesting: 90 Companies’ Achievements and Strategies Appraised with Roadmap 2022-2042” the reader gains a full understanding of why thermoelectric cooling, heating, harvesting, and sensing is partly a success now, partly later. Leading patentors and countries are sequenced in pie charts by sector. Assess evolving optimal materials, parameters, designs, applications, technology, and strategy with a 90-company comparison, market-leader success factors and mistakes, company intentions, and a unit and value market forecast for 2022-2042. The 300+ pages cover activities emerging in the complete value chain but primarily modules and sub-systems, secondarily materials manufacturers and end-users.

Questions answered include:

  • 90 companies involved in thermoelectrics: profiles, SWOT reports, products, strategies, uniques?
  • Those that have the largest activity in which form of thermoelectrics and why?
  • Which companies to watch, what sectors do they target and why? 
  • Roadmap of company thermoelectric initiatives 2022-2042?
  • Global thermoelectric market units and $billion 2022-2042?
  • What worthwhile markets and dead ends are emerging?
  • Interpret patent and company research landscape?
  • What is technically required for the future?
  • Regional distribution of effort and why?

This 327-page report full of illustrations, charts, photographs and analysis includes:

  • Executive summary and conclusions

In 30 densely packed pages, this overview presents the regional split of companies, patents by leading companies and overall by type with trends and commentary. There is a market forecast and company and technology roadmap, both for 2022-2042.

See the explanation of the basic types and their market dynamics. View the explanation and significance of medical, flexible, and other types emerging. Understand the compounds involved and the significance of certain companies moving to eliminate toxic and rare materials. See the impact of COVID-19 on automotive applications graphed by IDTechEx, because of their importance to thermoelectrics and their vulnerability.

  • 83 Companies in thermoelectric cooling and temperature management by country and where they are in the value chain
  • 64 Companies in thermoelectric energy harvesting and sensors by country and where they are in the value chain
  • 90 thermoelectric materials, modules, subsystems and end-equipment companies with research thrust and products illustrated and appraised including company SWOT assessments

This is the longest part of the report with detailed information on each company including location, products, strategy, partnerships, initiatives, product ranges, and important research as appropriate with successes, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats identified.

For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/ThermoCo or for the full portfolio of research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/research.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

High-speed fibre Internet subscriptions surpassed copper-wire DSL connections across OECD countries for the first time in 2020 as the need to move work and home life activities online during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a record 21.15 million new fixed broadband connections (including fibre, DSL, cable and others) in the year to end-December 2020.

The latest update to the OECD's broadband portal shows that fibre now exceeds 30% of fixed broadband subscriptions across the OECD’s 38 member countries, up from 12% a decade ago, and is by far the fastest growing broadband technology, with subscriptions up 14% in 2020 from 2019, outpacing a 5% rise in overall fixed broadband subscriptions.

While cable remains the predominant fixed broadband technology, accounting for 34% of subscriptions across OECD countries with a rise of 5.6% in 2020, fibre is steadily replacing DSL subscriptions, which have dropped by 10% over the past two years.

Austria, Belgium, Chile, Ireland, Israel and the United Kingdom all increased their fibre connections by more than 50% in 2020. In more and more OECD countries, the majority of broadband connections are now fibre, with the share of fibre in total broadband above 50% in Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway and Portugal, and exceeding 70% in Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain and Sweden.

Progression in fixed broadband subscriptions by technology

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Overall, fixed broadband subscriptions in OECD countries totalled 454 million as of December 2020, up from 433 million a year earlier, and averaged 33.2 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Switzerland led the pack with a penetration rate of 47.5 subscriptions per 100 people, followed by France (45.6%), Norway (44.6%) and Denmark (44.2%).

Mobile data usage soared by more than 30% on average in 2020 across the 35 OECD countries for which data were available, with 29 countries showing an increase of over 20%.

Finland remains the OECD champion for data consumption at a total of 31 Gigabytes (GB) per subscriber per month, followed by Austria (25.8 GB), Latvia (23 GB), Lithuania (20.5 GB), Iceland (16.7 GB), Estonia (16 GB), Chile (12.8 GB) and Sweden (12 GB). Eight countries – Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Spain and Turkey – saw significant growth of 45% or more in data usage over 2020. On average, users downloaded 7.5 GB of data per month per subscription in 2020, up from 5.8 GB in 2019 in those countries for which data was available. 

Mobile broadband subscriptions grew by almost 3% in 2020 across OECD countries. Mobile Internet penetration is highest in Japan, Estonia and Finland, with subscriptions per 100 inhabitants at 185%, 165% and 156%, respectively.

 Data on machine-to-machine (M2M) communications show that Sweden and Austria remain the leaders in the number of M2M SIM cards per 100 inhabitants. Sweden has 163 M2M SIM cards per 100 inhabitants – a much higher level than most OECD countries that provided data – due in part to the use of these SIM cards in other countries by a Swedish operator.

Note that OECD broadband statistics now cover 38 countries with the inclusion of new member Costa Rica, whose data have now been added to historical OECD totals, averages and growth rates where possible.

Download broadband data, charts and penetration maps by country at http://oe.cd/broadband.

Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to preserve individual liberty and improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world

GETEC has reached a key milestone in the construction of the innovative biomass cogeneration plant for the leading specialty chemicals company Clariant in Podari, Romania. With the installation and commissioning of the complex water treatment system and the redundancy boilers of the combined heat and power plant, GETEC is now ready to generate and provide all the media required to launch production at the Clariant bioethanol plant.

GETEC can now supply treated water and steam to its customer Clariant. This is a huge step closer to the commissioning of the innovative bioethanol plant. The carbon-neutral biomass plant designed by GETEC will supply Clariant's cellulosic bioethanol plant in Podari with a revolutionary technology that allows lignin - a residual product from the bioethanol production process – to be converted into carbon-neutral energy.

(Source GETEC):  Sketch of the biomass cogeneration plant of GETEC in Podari(Source GETEC): Sketch of the biomass cogeneration plant of GETEC in Podari

"The project is special in every respect and testifies to the sustainability aspirations of the two market leaders Clariant and GETEC. Clariant produces bioethanol from the wheat straw residue, while GETEC uses the residue from this production to supply heat and electricity to the entire plant. With the supply of steam and water, we have reached a milestone that now makes the two companies’ shared goal tangible. Clariant and GETEC are moving forward together on the path to Net Zero, something that we are extremely proud of," explains Thomas Wagner, CEO of the GETEC Group.

GETEC is building a climate-neutral energy generation plant for Clariant in Podari, Romania, which uses lignin, a residual material from bioethanol production, as fuel. The combination of lignin from wheat straw in a fluidized bed boiler is also unique worldwide. The fluidized bed boiler, in combination with a backpressure steam turbine, will supply steam and electricity to power the Clariant plant. GETEC provides all services, from planning, financing and construction to operation, maintenance and repair. The system will be commissioned in coordination with the Clariant plant this year.

About GETEC Group

GETEC is the leading partner for industry and the real estate sector for smart, efficient and green energy solutions - in Germany and beyond. Our promise "We have the energy for more" is the guiding principle for around 2,000 employees who, with excellent engineering know-how, great regulatory competence and speed of action, as well as proven sustainability expertise, navigate our customers through an increasingly complex energy world while consistently reducing their carbon footprint. GETEC can draw on experience from the construction and operation of over 11,500 plants. In 2020, GETEC generated sales of around 850 million euros 1. GETEC - WE HAVE THE ENERGY FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. You can find out more about the GETEC Group here: www.getec-energyservices.com

Nouryon, a global specialty chemicals leader, has signed a five-year license agreement with Shaanxi Beiyuan Chemical Group Co., Ltd. (Beiyuan), a leading producer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in China. Under the agreement, Nouryon will license its innovative Continuous Initiator Dosing (CiD) technology to Beiyuan, and will supply its Trigonox® 187 proprietary CiD initiator, which will be produced at Nouryon’s new world-class site in Tianjin, China. The partnership with Beiyuan builds on Nouryon’s successful track record of supplying CiD technology to customers throughout EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and the Americas.

“As the largest global producer of polymerization initiators for PVC, Nouryon is excited to partner with Beiyuan and extend our technology to China,” said Alain Rynwalt, Vice President Polymer Specialties at Nouryon. “Nouryon’s patented CiD technology will allow Beiyuan to increase reactor output, while improving productivity and energy consumption, product quality and operational safety.”

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PVC has become one of the most widely used materials in the world for many essential products including pipes, electronic cables, medical containers and tubing. Due to its fire and weather resistance, its electrical insulation and blending versatility, it is used predominately in the construction, automotive and healthcare markets. According to GlobalData, the global PVC capacity is potentially increasing from 56 million tons in 2019 to 65 million tons in 2024, and China accounts for half of this increase. Beiyuan is one of China’s leading PVC producers.

“With this agreement, we look forward to advancing the PVC market and creating more value in China,” said Yancai Liu, General Manager at Beiyuan. “By automating the handling of polymerization initiators, PVC production will be a safer and more efficient process with less energy usage. We believe our partnership with Nouryon will keep us at the forefront of the industry and will help us to address increasingly stringent environmental and safety regulations,” said Liu.

“Our customers around the world are demanding more sustainable solutions and are therefore making the shift to CiD technology for PVC production," said Sobers Sethi, Senior Vice President of Emerging Markets and China at Nouryon. “We are committed to helping our customers grow in China by sharing our expertise. For Nouryon, helping our customers become more successful is the key to our long-term partnerships for mutual growth,” he said.

About Nouryon

Nouryon is a global, specialty chemicals leader. Markets and consumers worldwide rely on our essential solutions to manufacture everyday products, such as personal care, cleaning goods, paints and coatings, agriculture and food, pharmaceuticals, and building products. Furthermore, the dedication of more than 7,900 employees with a shared commitment to our customers, business growth, safety, sustainability and innovation has resulted in a consistently strong financial performance. We operate in over 80 countries around the world with a portfolio of industry-leading brands. Visit our website