Stay informed with the latest developments shaping the future of sustainability, energy, and tech. From major green investments and breakthrough hydrogen projects to AI-powered climate platforms and EV infrastructure milestones — here’s a roundup of this week’s most impactful news and deals across the sector:
Net Zero/Sustainability Key Industry News
France Targets Ultra-Fast Fashion Impact with New Bill
France is proposing legislation to ban advertising for ultra-fast fashion companies, as part of a broader crackdown on overconsumption and waste.
Net Zero/Sustainability Key Deal News
Nevold: Chanel launches new business to scale fashion recycling technologies
Luxury fashion house Chanel and circular innovation firm Nevold have co-launched a new business to scale textile recycling solutions across the fashion industry.
Data Centre Key Industry News
How Castrol is Enhancing Data Centre Sustainability
Castrol is driving the adoption of liquid cooling systems for data centres, offering greater energy efficiency and performance compared to traditional air cooling, especially critical for AI and high-density workloads.
£750m supercomputer for University of Edinburgh back on the table after government U-turn
The UK government has reversed course and is moving forward with plans to fund a £750 million exascale supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh. The system is expected to require significant data centre infrastructure and power capacity.
Data Centre Key Industry Deals
EdgeMode acquires Synthesis Analytics Production, developing 20MW data center in Sweden – DCD
Edgemode has acquired Synthesis Analytics’ AI infrastructure production and plans to develop a 20MW data centre in Sweden. The project leverages renewable energy and is aimed at meeting AI and HPC demand in Europe.
Hypertec and 5C target Europe, plan 2GW roll-out for Together AI – DCD
Hypertec and 5C have announced a partnership to develop up to 2GW of data centre capacity across Europe, aimed at supporting Together AI. The focus is on AI compute and sustainability, using renewable energy solutions.
NV5 secures $5m to fund design of high voltage substations for data centers – DCD
NV5 has secured $5 million in new funding to support the engineering and design of high-voltage substations that will serve data centres, addressing the power demands of AI and cloud infrastructure.
Hydrogen Key Industry News
JCB’s World First in Hydrogen-Powered Vehicle Trials | Sustainability Magazine
JCB has completed what it claims is the world’s first real-world trial of a hydrogen combustion engine vehicle on a UK construction site, using H2 as a direct fuel alternative to diesel.
Uniper embraces realism in German hydrogen ramp-up | Policy | H2 View
Uniper calls for a more pragmatic and flexible approach to Germany’s hydrogen strategy, citing bottlenecks in permitting, infrastructure, and market development. The energy giant is advocating for policy reforms and clearer frameworks to support the hydrogen ramp-up.
Commission grants Enágas €32.5m to advance Spanish hydrogen gas network | Technology | H2 View
The European Commission has granted €32.5 million to Spanish gas transmission operator Enagás to support the development of its hydrogen gas network, with a focus on strengthening trans-European hydrogen corridors.
Hydrogen Key Deal News
AFC Energy claims 85% hydrogen fuel cell generator cost reduction | Technology | H2 View
AFC Energy has achieved an 85% cost reduction in its hydrogen fuel cell generator platform. The advancement could make clean off-grid and backup power solutions significantly more affordable, opening new markets.
£500m UK hydrogen infrastructure funding aims to connect production and industry | Policy | H2 View
The UK government has launched a £500 million funding package to support hydrogen infrastructure, specifically aiming to link producers with industrial users. It targets transport pipelines, storage, and hubs.
Scalable underground hydrogen storage concept gets £500k UK funding boost | Technology | H2 View
A UK-based underground hydrogen storage project has received £500k to explore scalable storage solutions using repurposed salt caverns. The funding will support feasibility and design work to enable long-duration green hydrogen storage.
Energy Storage Key Industry News
UK Government boosts Sizewell C investment to £14.2bn – edie
The UK has increased its investment in the Sizewell C nuclear project to £14.2 billion, signalling a strong governmental push for baseload low-carbon energy.
BYD & SEC: World’s Largest Grid-Scale Energy Storage Project | Sustainability Magazine
BYD and the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) have inaugurated the world’s largest single-site battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Saudi Arabia, with a 200MW/200MWh capacity. This marks a major milestone for energy transition in the Middle East.
Nuclear Power: Why the UK Government is Funding Sizewell C | Sustainability Magazine
The UK Government has increased its funding commitment to the Sizewell C nuclear power plant to £14.2 billion, citing long-term energy security and clean power targets. The project is expected to support net zero and reduce dependence on imports.
Energy Storage Key Deal News
Swedish energy startup Engrate raises €2.5 million for efficient energy integration | EU-Startups
Engrate, a Swedish energy startup, raised €2.5 million to expand its platform that helps businesses optimise and integrate energy usage from multiple sources, improving efficiency and sustainability.
Voltfang raised €15 million to scale production at what is now Europe’s largest second-life battery factory. The company repurposes used EV batteries for stationary energy storage systems.
Built Environment Key Industry News
Tenants ‘willing to pay green premium for UK homes and commercial properties – edie
A new report suggests UK tenants are increasingly open to paying higher rents for sustainable properties, both in residential and commercial sectors, driven by energy savings and ESG awareness.
The UK Infrastructure Bill is moving forward despite pushback over the weakening of environmental safeguards. Critics argue it risks undermining biodiversity and green space protections.
Built Environment Key Deal New
UK-based Impact Recycling secured €3.8 million to scale its patented BOSS technology, which uses water-based density separation to recover plastics from mixed waste streams.
Chancellor confirms full £13.2bn for Warm Homes Plan in Spending Review
The UK government has reaffirmed its commitment to the £13.2bn Warm Homes Plan, focused on improving energy efficiency in homes, reducing energy bills, and cutting emissions.
EV & EV Charging Key Industry News
SBTi unveils changes to climate target-setting framework for automakers – edie
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has updated its climate target-setting framework specifically for the automotive sector. The changes now mandate the inclusion of Scope 3 (use-phase) emissions from sold vehicles, increase ambition in near-term targets, and align more closely with a 1.5°C pathway.
JLR and Volvo Cars act to future-proof EV supply chains – edie
Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo Cars are securing long-term contracts for sustainable lithium and rare earths, investing in more transparent, resilient EV supply chains as demand increases.
More than 100,000 EV chargepoints to be added to public network
The UK’s public EV charging network is set to grow significantly, with over 100,000 additional chargepoints expected to be deployed through a mix of government support and private investment.
