Good Morning. This is the Sunya Scoop. The newsletter that takes energy transition news and turns it into an easy-to-read email for you.
Here’s what we have for you today:
Ara Partners acquires Vacuumschmelze (VAC), a leading global producer of advanced magnetic materials.
VAC is the largest producer of rare earth permanent magnets in the Western Hemisphere.
VAC designs and manufactures magnetic materials for various industrial applications.
VAC is headquartered in Germany and has manufacturing facilities in Slovakia, Finland, China, and Malaysia.
VAC is the only Western manufacturer of sintered NdFeB EV-grade permanent magnets.
VAC entered a long-term agreement with General Motors to manufacture permanent magnets for electric vehicles.
This partnership could potentially reduce a gigaton of CO2 emissions in the next five years.
Ara Partners aims to support VAC’s growth and decarbonization efforts in collaboration with VAC’s management team.
VAC plans to establish a robust supply chain for EV manufacturing in the Western World.
Aera Energy announces its first large-scale carbon capture and storage project, CarbonFrontier.
The project is part of a planned regional hub for future decarbonization efforts in Kern County.
Aera’s CEO, Erik Bartsch, emphasizes coexistence with the goal of providing current energy needs while working toward a lower carbon future.
CarbonFrontier aims to capture up to 1.6 million metric tons of CO2 annually, reducing Aera’s carbon footprint significantly.
California’s plan for carbon neutrality by 2045 includes adopting CCS technology.
The project involves continuous monitoring and oversight by regulatory bodies, including CARB and the EPA.
Aera envisions CarbonFrontier as a cornerstone for a Kern County “carbon park,” attracting other businesses looking to decarbonize.
Aera has been selected by the Department of Energy to study the feasibility of a direct air capture hub.
The project aligns with Kern County’s revitalization and economic development efforts.
Aera is committed to collaboration with local communities, generating job opportunities during development and ongoing operations.
Svante has entered a Commercial Supply Agreement with BASF to scale up its proprietary sorbent material, CALF-20, for carbon capture.
CALF-20 is a metal-organic framework (MOF) sorbent capable of capturing up to 95% of CO2 emissions from industrial sources using solid adsorption and low-pressure steam.
Svante specializes in structured adsorbent beds for carbon capture, with a manufacturing facility in Vancouver.
The agreement with BASF aims to scale up carbon capture filter manufacturing and implement numerous large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities by 2030.
Svante’s technology is designed for capturing CO2 from industrial flue gas and concentrates it into high-purity CO2 for storage or industrial use.
It addresses challenges related to separating CO2 from nitrogen in dilute flue gas emissions.
The collaboration between Svante and BASF has scaled up CALF-20 from laboratory to industrial scale, making low-cost MOF materials available for gas separation.
Svante has also developed a cost-effective roll-to-roll process for coating sorbents onto sheets of laminate for filter production, suitable for industrial and direct air capture applications.
This technology is expected to contribute to the widespread adoption of CCS.
QatarEnergy and TotalEnergies signed a 27-year LNG supply agreement.
France will receive up to 3.5 million metric tons of LNG per year from Qatar, starting in 2026.
Deliveries will be made to the Fos Cavaou LNG receiving terminal in southern France.
The LNG will come from joint ventures between QatarEnergy and TotalEnergies in Qatar’s North Field East (NFE) and North Field South (NFS) projects.
TotalEnergies has a 6.25% share in the NFE project and a 9.375% share in NFS.
This marks Qatar’s largest and longest European gas supply deal, enhancing France’s energy security.
Qatar is the world’s leading LNG exporter, and the deal comes as Europe seeks alternative gas sources amid geopolitical challenges.
Previous deals included agreements with Asian buyers, such as China’s Sinopec and CNPC.
Qatar’s expansion project aims to increase liquefaction capacity to 126 million metric tons annually by 2027.
This deal follows a previous European supply agreement with Germany signed in November.
Two hydrogen hub projects in Pennsylvania will receive part of $7 billion in U.S. federal grants.
The grants aim to support the production of 50 million metric tons of clean hydrogen fuel by 2050 to decarbonize the U.S. economy.
Hydrogen hubs are networks of producers and consumers using local infrastructure to deploy clean hydrogen.
Currently, hydrogen accounts for 1% of U.S. energy consumption and is mostly produced from fossil fuels.
The Biden administration plans to replace fossil fuels with clean hydrogen in various sectors, including manufacturing and cement.
The grants represent a significant victory for Pennsylvania, a battleground state in U.S. politics.
The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub will receive a $750 million grant and will be celebrated by President Biden during a visit to Philadelphia.
The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) will also receive a grant, backed by Senator Joe Manchin.
The initiative, called the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program, is funded by the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
In 2022, 33 teams were selected from 79 applicants to receive hub grants, with various partners from energy companies, academia, and government entities involved.
The projects involve partnerships with companies like Dupont, Braskem, Air Liquide, Dominion, and more to advance clean hydrogen production and usage.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has made an investment in Syzygy Plasmonics, Inc., a Houston-based startup.
Syzygy is developing photocatalytic technology for hydrogen production and CO2 utilization.
The investment was carried out through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. (MHIA).
Syzygy’s technology uses light instead of combustion for chemical manufacturing, reducing costs and emissions when powered by renewable electricity.
It enables the production of zero-emissions hydrogen from ammonia and low-emissions hydrogen from steam methane reforming without combustion.
Syzygy’s solutions also facilitate the conversion of methane and captured CO2 into sustainable fuels and methanol.
MHI Group aims to build hydrogen and CO2 ecosystems to support a decarbonized society.
The investment will help Syzygy develop alternative technologies to diversify these ecosystems.
Honeywell and GranBio Technologies partnership for carbon-neutral sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
Combination of Honeywell’s ethanol to jet (ETJ) tech with GranBio’s cellulosic ethanol AVAP® tech
SAF production from biomass residues at GranBio’s forthcoming U.S. demo plant
GranBio’s AVAP process converts biomass to low-cost sugars, lignin, and nanocellulose
Cellulosic sugars used for SAF production through Honeywell’s ETJ tech
GHG emissions reduced to net zero compared to petroleum-based jet fuel
GranBio aims for carbon-negative SAF with AVAP technology
Potential to retrofit idle pulp and paper facilities for SAF production
Honeywell’s renewable fuels solutions include ethanol to jet, eFining™, and Ecofining™
Honeywell committed to carbon neutrality by 2035 and invests in ESG-oriented research and development.
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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.