Industrial decarbonisation

Europe leads the pack on hydrogen technology innovation

The EU and Japan have registered the largest amounts of hydrogen-related patents in the past decade, although the US is not far behind, a new analysis by the European patent office shows.

European industry has stood its ground but needs a new perspective 

European industries have been severely affected by the energy crisis and are at a disadvantage against global competitors. To face the upcoming years, they will need strong support at the European and national levels, write Haris Doukas and Vlasios Oikonomou.

EU seals agreement on world’s first carbon tariff

EU negotiators reached an agreement early on Tuesday morning (13 December) that will pave the way for Europe to set up the world’s first levy on carbon-intensive goods entering its market.

Green industry: G7 sets out terms for global ‘climate club’ 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz presented the long-awaited terms for his 'climate club', a platform for countries wishing to protect the climate. However, it may be overshadowed by similar initiatives recently announced.

Slovak steel producer VP: Commercial use of hydrogen by 2030 is utopia

The only steel producer and biggest emitter in the country – US Steel – is ready to heavily invest in decarbonisation, but Vice-President Miroslav Kiraľvarga says it is impossible to completely abandon old, coal-fired processes of steel production in the...

EU aims for quick deal on carbon border levy

EU negotiators aim to reach an agreement during late-night negotiations on Monday (12 December) on a new levy that would put a price on carbon-intensive goods entering the EU.

Macron unveils decarbonisation strategy for France’s industrial sector

French President Emmanuel Macron presented his carbon emission reduction targets for the industrial sector on Tuesday (8 November), highlighting the need for investment in greener industry and countering American protectionism.

Scholz ups global hydrogen ambitions, dwarfs EU initiative

Speaking in Egypt, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced extra funding for the government’s global hydrogen funding instrument, H2Global, in order to facilitate the global market ramp-up.

EU energy chief announces ‘strategic vision’ for CCUS in 2023

The European Commission will table a “strategic vision” for carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) technologies next year, with the aim of clarifying rules and giving certainty to investors, EU energy chief Kadri Simson announced on Thursday (27 October).

UAE’s first hydrogen-derived shipment delivered to Germany

The national oil company of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has delivered a first shipment of ammonia derived from hydrogen to Hamburg. Germany plans to satisfy its growing demand for hydrogen largely through imports.

Power-to-heat: How German industry could reduce its hunger for gas

Germany’s industry, a large consumer of increasingly sparse and expensive gas, could reduce its climate footprint and exposure to fossil imports significantly by switching to electric heat, a new report found.

US could dodge European carbon border levy, EU’s Timmermans says

The United States may be able to avoid European plans to slap tariffs on imports of polluting goods because it as adopted climate targets that are similar to the EU's, the bloc's climate policy chief said on Tuesday (20 September).

The climate and biodiversity crises demand that companies think beyond their own operations

While individual net-zero targets and climate action are crucial, they won't be enough to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and reverse the biodiversity crisis, writes Giulia Carbone. Companies and financial institutions also need to set ambitious short-term science-based targets, she argues.

EU business group voices ‘sympathy’ for moratorium on green laws

With signs of recession getting clearer every day, EU employers’ group BusinessEurope has called on the European Commission to reconsider green legislation currently in the pipeline, and pushing for the ‘one-in, one-out’ principle to be applied more strictly.

Why green ammonia will be the workhorse of EU’s future hydrogen economy

Green ammonia plays a prominent role in the 20 million tonne renewable hydrogen target of the European Commission’s REPowerEU plan. Now it’s time for the EU to put its money where its mouth is, writes Joel Moser.

The carbon border levy will drive EU steel transition

Technologies to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the iron and steel industries already exists and are scalable. Policies and measures in the EU must therefore incentivise development in this direction and do so quickly, writes Henrik Henriksson.

Navigating towards net-zero power system: it is not the ‘heading’ but the ‘course’

The energy price and supply risks we are facing today are making the decarbonisation of the power sector by 2035 an even more significant challenge. But if we deviate the heading of our ship from the course for longer than necessary, we will lose the course we set for ourselves: cost-efficient power sector decarbonisation, writes Zsuzsanna Pató.

Parliament’s biggest group rejects compromise on EU carbon border tax

Lawmakers are gearing up for a cliff-hanger vote on the EU’s proposed carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) next week after the European Parliament’s main political groups failed to agree a common stance on when the new scheme should start to apply.

Hydrogen will be ‘pivotal element’ in future economy, says EU climate chief

Hydrogen will be essential for Europe's future economy, particularly to store and transport green energy, EU climate chief Frans Timmermans told the European Parliament on Thursday (28 April).

United States lawmakers are at a CBAM tipping point

A levy on carbon-intensive products is in the works in the EU, which would mean producers of EU goods pay for their emissions wherever they are in the world. It will have a serious impact on Europe's trading partners, making dialogue and understanding crucial to its success, writes Mohammed Chahim after a visit to the US.