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
Europe’s Clean Industrial Deal Redefines Green Growth | Sustainability Magazine
The European Commission has introduced the Clean Industrial Deal, aiming to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The initiative focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, promoting green manufacturing, enhancing energy security, and implementing circular economy practices to drive sustainable economic growth.
Landmark review sets out how Labour could balance growth and nature ambitions – edie
The Corry Review presents 29 recommendations aimed at enabling the Labour-led UK Government to harmonise economic growth with environmental objectives. The review emphasises the need for regulatory reforms that support sustainable development and biodiversity.
Businesses have been granted up to an additional two years to comply with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), providing more time to align with these sustainability reporting requirements.
Net Zero/Sustainability Key Deal News
Swedish Algae Factory raises €3M to scale its sustainable algae products – Silicon Canals
Gothenburg-based Swedish Algae Factory, specialising in utilising diatoms for sustainable products, has secured €3M in additional funding from investors, including Chalmers Ventures. The funds will be used to accelerate market expansion and develop new applications for its patented Algica material, produced from the silica shells of diatoms.
Fiberdom secures €3.5 million to drive plastic-free, circular material innovations | EU-Startups
Vantaa-based Fiberdom, a Finnish materials innovation company founded in 2019, has secured €3.5 million in funding to accelerate the development and scaling of its patented, 100% plastic-free material made from FSC-certified wood fibres. The funding round included contributions from long-term investor Heino Group, new investors Nordic Foodtech VC and Holdix Oy, alongside a €600k grant from Business Finland. Fiberdom aims to replace non-essential plastics with scalable, circular solutions, with its first commercial application being single-use cutlery compliant with the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive, now available through leading Finnish retailers and B2B channels.
WeeFin announces a new €25 million financing round for sustainability compliance | EU-Startups
Paris-based WeeFin, a sustainable FinTech startup founded in 2018, has secured €25 million in a Series B financing round led by BlackFin Capital Partners, with participation from existing investors IRIS, Asterion Ventures, and Ring Capital. WeeFin provides financial institutions with a SaaS platform that centralises data necessary for deploying and managing sustainability strategies, including ESG, impact, and climate considerations.
Data Centre Key Industry News
No Silver Bullet for Data Energy Costs, but SustOps Helps | Sustainability Magazine
SustOps, a sustainability operations platform, is assisting enterprises in managing and reducing data center energy consumption. By providing tools for monitoring and optimising energy usage, SustOps empowers organisations to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and meet sustainability goals in the face of escalating energy expenses.
How Hybrid Design Could Be The Future of Data Centres
The article explores the concept of hybrid data center designs that integrate both air and liquid cooling systems. This approach offers flexibility in managing varying densities and facilitates the transition to high-density applications, such as those required for artificial intelligence (AI). By combining these cooling methods, data centers can achieve enhanced efficiency and sustainability.
CyrusOne to develop second data center in Milan, Italy – DCD
CyrusOne has announced plans to develop its second data center in Milan, named MIL2. The three-story facility will offer 54MW of IT capacity across 18,000 sqm of technical space. Located near Linate Airport, the data center will feature heat reuse capabilities and incorporate over 500 sqm of solar panels to power ancillary areas.
NTT launches waste heat recovery project with Quartierswerk Gartenfeld in Berlin – DCD
NTT Data has initiated a waste heat recovery project in collaboration with Quartierswerk Gartenfeld GmbH in Berlin. The project involves channeling 8MW of waste heat from NTT’s Berlin 1 Data Center to “Das Neue Gartenfeld,” a new residential and commercial development in Berlin-Spandau. This initiative aims to provide sustainable heating solutions to the development, which will include 4,500 apartments and 200 commercial units. Construction of the energy center is slated to begin in early 2026, with heat supply expected by the end of that year.
Data Centre Key Industry Deals
Sateliot secures €70 million funding round from national and European backers – DCD
Sateliot, a satellite telecommunications company, has secured €70 million in funding from national and European investors. The investment will support the deployment of Sateliot’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, aimed at providing global connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. This funding underscores the growing interest in expanding satellite-based communication networks to enhance global connectivity.
Lumai raises $10 million for its optical processing technology – DCD
Lumai, a company specialising in optical processing technology, has secured $10 million in funding to support its growth in the United States. The funds will be used to advance the development and commercialisation of Lumai’s optical processing solutions, which aim to enhance data processing capabilities and efficiency. This investment reflects growing interest in optical technologies as a means to address the increasing demands for high-speed data processing in various industries.
SpinLaunch secures funding, signs contract to develop LEO fleet – DCD
SpinLaunch, a company developing kinetic energy-based space launch systems, has secured $12 million in strategic investment from Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace. Additionally, SpinLaunch announced plans for Meridian Space, a low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband constellation comprising over 250 microsatellites. The constellation aims to offer multi-terabit per second global capacity, targeting 5G non-terrestrial network protocols and operating across Ka-, Ku-, and V-band frequencies.
Hydrogen Key Industry News
Argus launches EULAB index to track blue ammonia prices in Europe | Power | H2 View
Global agency Argus has launched the Argus EU Low-Carbon Ammonia Benchmark (EULAB) to track the cost of delivering blue ammonia to European ports. The index reflects the cost of blue hydrogen-derived ammonia produced in the US Gulf Coast and shipped to Europe, aiding companies in managing price risks and comparing costs from different sources.
Spain confirms €1.22bn for 2.3GW of green hydrogen valley projects
Spain has approved €1.22 billion in funding for green hydrogen hub projects totaling 2.3GW in regions including Aragon, Andalusia, Castilla y León, and Galicia. These projects aim to position Spain as a leader in green hydrogen production and support the country’s energy transition goals.
UK commits to new hydrogen strategy and finalising HAR1 projects this year
The UK Government has committed to publishing a new hydrogen strategy within the year and finalising contracts for the remaining eight hydrogen allocation round (HAR1) green hydrogen projects by May. Industry Minister Sarah Jones announced these plans at the Hydrogen UK Annual Conference, acknowledging sector frustrations and emphasising the government’s dedication to supporting hydrogen innovations.
€600m funding window opens for EU hydrogen infrastructure developments | Policy | H2 View
The European Union has opened a €600 million funding call under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to support cross-border energy infrastructure projects designated as Projects of Common or Mutual Interest (PCIs and PMIs). The funding aims to enhance hydrogen interconnections across Europe, with applications open until September 16, 2025, and results expected early next year.
Hydrogen Key Deal News
Start-up raises $18.5m for AI-optimised distributed hydrogen production tech
Fourier has secured $18.5 million in funding to commercialise its modular proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser systems for distributed green hydrogen production. The systems integrate water deionisation and utilise advanced algorithms to monitor and predict production, aiming to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Energy Storage Key Industry News
Europe to invest €12bn in central Asia for clean energy projects
The European Commission has announced a €12 billion Global Gateway Investment Package aimed at developing clean energy projects in Central Asia. The initiative seeks to harness the region’s potential in wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy, with plans to produce clean hydrogen for both local use and export. A new Investors Forum is scheduled in Uzbekistan to facilitate these developments.
Frontier strikes $31.6m energy-from-waste carbon removal deal with Hafslund Celsio in Norway
Carbon removal consortium Frontier, which includes companies like Google and Meta, has signed a $31.6 million agreement with Hafslund Celsio, Norway’s largest energy-from-waste (EFW) plant. The deal aims to retrofit the EFW facility with carbon capture technology to remove 100,000 tons of CO2 between 2029 and 2030, marking the first such retrofit of its kind.
TRAICELL project started: AI optimizes battery cell production
The Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production (FFB) has launched the three-year “TRAICELL” project, focusing on using AI to optimise battery cell production. The project aims to improve efficiency and quality by integrating AI-driven data traceability and process optimisation.
Ecobat has rapidly expanded its lithium-ion battery recycling operations, bringing three plants to full operational status within a year. These facilities collectively process up to 10,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries annually, with plans to scale capacity to 25,000 tons.
Energy Storage Key Deal News
How Start-Up theion could Change Batteries in Germany | Sustainability Magazine
Berlin-based start-up Theion has secured $16 million in funding to accelerate the development of its crystal sulfur battery technology. These batteries offer higher energy density, lower costs, and greater sustainability compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Theion plans to use the funds to expand its team and scale up production capabilities, aiming to revolutionise energy storage solutions across various industries.
Denmark’s BioCirc raises internal funding of €40.2M
Copenhagen-based BioCirc, a circular bioeconomic company, has completed an internal fundraising round of DKK 300M (approximately €40.2M). The funds will support projects totaling DKK 1B (nearly €134M) by 2025, including expanding a biogas facility in Skive, establishing a 55-hectare solar park, and constructing five carbon capture plants across Denmark
Birmingham-based Grid Edge, specialises in AI-powered software to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs in commercial buildings, has raised over £2.8M (approximately €3.3M) in funding. The round was led by Mercia Ventures, with participation from Centrica, BP Ventures, and private investors. The funding will enable Grid Edge to expand its customer base, enhance its platform, and grow its team by creating 15 new positions.
Berlin-based Montamo, specialises in the installation of heat pumps for manufacturers and vendors, has secured €6M in seed funding. The round was led by Alter Equity, with participation from Rethink Education, Project A Ventures, and Firstminute Capital. The funding will support Montamo’s expansion across Germany, including the establishment of training academies aimed at hiring and training over 1,000 individuals in the next five years.
EVident Battery: $3.2 Million (Seed) Raised For EV Battery Pack Inspection Technology
EVident Battery, a leader in EV battery pack inspection technology, has raised $3.2 million in seed funding. The funding round was led by Energy Transition Ventures, with participation from Future Climate Venture Studio and other investors. EVident Battery’s technology focuses on enhancing the safety and reliability of EV battery packs through advanced inspection methods. The funds will be used to further develop the technology and expand the company’s market presence
Built Environment Key Industry News
UK environmental regulation reforms to boost growth and nature
The UK government has announced reforms to environmental regulations to simplify and expedite processes for developers and nature groups. Based on a review led by Dan Corry, the reforms include establishing a single lead regulator for major infrastructure projects, reviewing environmental compliance guidance to remove duplication and inconsistency, and creating a planning permit portal for all agencies. The aim is to reduce the complexity of over 3,500 existing regulations, thereby facilitating infrastructure development while supporting nature recovery.
‘Liberation Day’: UK construction industry responds to Trump tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a range of tariffs, including a 10% import tax on British goods entering the U.S., referred to as ‘Liberation Day’. The UK received some of the lowest tariffs compared to other regions, but the impact is expected to be significant across multiple industries. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged the potential economic impact and emphasised the importance of maintaining a fair trade relationship with the U.S.
Built Environment Key Deal New
Emulate Energy Secures €5 Million to Cut Energy Costs – Øresund Startups
Lund-founded Emulate Energy has successfully closed a €5 million Series A funding round. Led by Helen Ventures, with participation from Germany’s Enpulse and existing investors, including Skellefteå Kraft and CC.VC, this funding will accelerate Emulate’s mission to empower utilities and consumers with cost-efficient and smart energy solutions. Emulate Energy focuses on optimising the use of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as heat pumps, batteries, EV chargers, and solar panels. The platform minimises carbon impact, reduces consumer costs, and increases utilities’ margins by trading demand-side flexibility on electricity markets.
EV & EV Charging Key Industry News
Accelerating shift to EV manufacturing ‘would help UK weather storm of Trump’s auto tariffs’ – edie
With one in eight UK-manufactured cars exported to the USA, President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs pose a significant threat. Accelerating the shift to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing is suggested as a strategy to help the UK automotive industry weather these tariffs.
ACEA – Can Europe’s EV battery sector make a competitive comeback?
The article discusses Europe’s ongoing struggles in scaling up EV battery production and innovation, highlighting structural weaknesses that threaten the EU’s green mobility ambitions. It underscores the need for strategic investments and policy support to enhance competitiveness in the global EV battery market.
EV & EV Charging Key Deal News
SOS Synergy: Charging Electric Cars and Flying Vehicles | Sustainability Magazine
SOS Synergy has unveiled a groundbreaking EV charging solution capable of simultaneously charging electric cars and flying vehicles. This technology aims to revolutionise the future of transportation by providing versatile and efficient charging infrastructure.
