Two droplet-shaped wind turbines spin in front of China’s Qinling station in Antarctica. [Photo/China Daily] A clean energy system tailored for polar conditions has been put into operation in China’s Qinling station in Antarctica. The breakthrough means China has become the first country to achieve the large-scale operation of a clean energy system under extreme Antarctic conditions. Lead scientist Sun Hongbin, 56, told China Daily that the project marks an achievement in China’s green scientific exploration in the field of polar energy, and signifies that the nation’s polar exploration has developed from the diesel era into a new era of green energy. The system will generate a wealth of data, as well as present challenges that will prompt continuous research, said Sun, who is also the chief scientist on polar clean energy at the Polar Research Institute of China and president of Taiyuan University of Technology in Shanxi province. Since the launch of the system on March 1, it has replaced traditional diesel power sources, providing uninterrupted zero-carbon power for the research equipment and essential living facilities at Qinling station, which was established in February last year as China’s fifth Antarctic research station. Photovoltaic and wind power account for 60 percent of the energy capacity of the system. In situations without wind or sunlight, stored hydrogen can provide power to the station, ensuring short-term operation for research equipment and basic living facilities. Sun stressed the primary challenges in ensuring the reliability and safety of the equipment. For instance, the development of the droplet-shaped wind turbine capable of operating on ice caps and hydrogen fuel cells demands cold-resistant power-up technology. Construction of the system at the station commenced in 2023. As much of the equipment and facilities required specialized research and modification to adapt to the extreme conditions, Taiyuan University of Technology established a digital twin laboratory simulating the environment of Antarctica. This laboratory possesses the capabilities to simulate nearly 10 extreme conditions, including extreme cold, strong winds, blizzards, polar day and night, intense geomagnetic fields, strong ultraviolet radiation, low pressure and low oxygen levels. The primary purpose of establishing this laboratory was to address the challenges of research, testing and operation, Sun said. “Once the equipment arrives in Antarctica, we have no means to procure a replacement if a single screw malfunctions,” he said. “Before deployment to Antarctica, various new energy devices underwent testing here. Now the laboratory receives and analyzes real-time data transmitted back from Antarctica.” In recent years, various countries have explored approaches to develop clean energy in Antarctica, with solar and wind energy being the primary focus. However, the extreme conditions and shortage of technologies make it tough for solar and wind power generation equipment to maintain stable and efficient operation. China is the first country to implement hydrogen energy in the extreme environment of Antarctica on a large scale, said Dou Yinke, dean of the Taiyuan university’s College of Electrical and Power Engineering, and a leading expert who has participated in multiple Antarctic expeditions since 2004. Against the backdrop of global warming and glacier melting, China proposed the concept of “green exploration” in 2017, Dou said. International organizations have repeatedly urged countries to transition from fuel-based power generation to clean energy in Antarctica. As Antarctica possesses vast wind and solar energy potential, countries worldwide have been exploring clean energy in this area. To date, approximately 30 Antarctic research stations have installed clean energy generation devices, with over half utilizing solar or wind, Dou said. However, due to the lack of systematic application and development of clean energy technologies tailored to the Antarctic environment, these systems cannot yet fully replace traditional energy systems on the aspects of safety and stability, he said. Currently, 80 to 90 percent of the world’s Antarctic research stations still rely on fuel-powered electricity generation, leading to significant environmental pollution in the polar regions, said Dou. Last year, the Taiyuan university led the formulation of the “Twelve-Year Development Outline for Clean Energy Utilization Technologies in the Antarctic”, aiming to establish a comprehensive clean energy supply system for Antarctic research stations by 2035. “I will dedicate my whole life to the cause. I believe we have just taken the first step on a long journey. It is a demonstration and an experiment,” Sun said. Key technology breakthroughs can also drive the energy revolution in the province, a major energy base in China, said Sun. Sun hopes to establish a 20,000-square-meter Antarctic extreme environment simulation laboratory in Shanxi to enhance future research. “With clean energy, people can survive in polar regions. In the future, we may even install and test this technology on the moon and Mars,” Sun said.
Union Minister Shri Jayant Chaudhary launches NSDC-PDEU Centre offering 40 skill courses at Gandhinagar in Gujarat Online and hybrid courses in semiconductors, solar, and smart manufacturing to be offered at NSDC-PDEU Centre
Union Minister emphasizes the need for empowering universities to make them engines of national growth
Posted On: 21 APR 2025 6:45PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship & Minister of State, Ministry of Education Shri Jayant Chaudhary launched a Centre of Excellence (CoE) – jointly set up by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) – at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
“Universities are not merely centres of academic learning—they are transformative bridges connecting young minds to the dynamic realities of the world. By equipping students with both technical expertise and a broad-based liberal education, they cultivate the ability to think critically, innovate fearlessly, and adapt with agility. Gujarat has emerged as a frontrunner in this journey, reshaping its higher education landscape through a strong focus on academic rigor, industry partnerships, and holistic development. And our universities are producing a generation that is not only employable but also imaginative, responsible, and deeply committed to the nation’s progress.”
Shri Jayant Chaudhary further emphasized the need for universities across India to realign with the evolving demands of industry and actively skill students in response. “We must empower our universities to become engines of innovation—not just to serve market needs, but to advance national growth. When universities lead innovation, it is driven by purpose—for the benefit of society and the nation at large.”
The Centre will be equipped with advanced manufacturing capabilities labs to provide specialised training. The centre will offer over 40 online and hybrid courses in sectors such as semiconductors manufacturing, renewable and non-renewables energy, digital edge, smart manufacturing, and more.
A Memorandum of Association (MoA) was signed earlier this month between NSDC and PDEU in this regard. These courses will cater to students from ITI, Diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate programs. The curriculum is designed to equip learners from Tier-1, Tier-2 and Tier-3 institutes with hands-on experience in niche manufacturing skill sets across critical sectors, including energy, health, water and food.
Shri Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO of NSDC and MD of NSDC International, said, “At NSDC, our core mission is to make youth employable, and this collaboration will strengthen the skilling ecosystem. This collaboration will support the development of training infrastructure in smart manufacturing, along with Centres of Excellence focused on automotive, EV charging, renewable energy, and semiconductors. Training in the semiconductor domain is already underway, paving the way for youth to gain practical exposure in high-demand, future-oriented fields. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the NSDC is placing a strong emphasis on global certification programmes that enable Indian students to access world-class skills and compete confidently in the international job market. We are dedicated to making India’s youth employable, entrepreneurial, and future-ready.
“Through hybrid-mode training in renewable, non-renewable, and hydrogen energy technologies, India is equipping its youth to lead in the global energy revolution. This initiative ensures nationwide access, bridging gaps and empowering students across the country. It’s more than skill development—it’s nation building. These efforts boost youth employability while positioning India as a future global leader in the energy sector.”
This CoE will serve as a hub for hands-on learning, R&D, and real-time industry engagement in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, embedded systems, and VLSI design, directly addressing the talent needs of these sectors. It will act as a crucible for developing specialised skills aligned with the national priorities of sustainable development and energy security. Students will be trained to become “Energy Ambassadors for the Nation.”
PDEU Director General S Sundar Manoharan said, “Aligning seamlessly with the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and his mission to empower youth and advance skill development across India, PDEU is committed to empower countless individuals nationwide, with Centres of Excellence playing a vital role in realizing the goals of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.”
Underscoring the Gujarat Government’s strategic investments in these centres, he noted their crucial contribution to national missions—particularly in the realm of semiconductors—cementing India’s position as a global innovation hub.
The NSDC will play a key role in the smooth functioning of the CoE and in the seamless delivery of programmes to students. It will periodically monitor project progress to ensure that students receive quality training and are prepared for future job roles.
The PDEU, which has been at the forefront of energy transition and skill development, will leverage its expertise in different verticals, including solar and wind energy, lithium and vanadium energy storage, carbon capture and smart hybrid grids to prepare students for careers in these fields. It will empower students with industry-standard manufacturing lines, including the “45 MW Solar PV Manufacturing Line” and the ATMP Semiconductor Packaging Line.
The partnership between NSDC and PDEU marks a transformative step towards building a future-ready workforce, which is crucial for India’s economic growth and technological leadership. It will play a vital role in Make-in-India Readiness movement and accelerate the progress of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Reardon, Postdoctoral Researcher, Pulsar Timing and Gravitational Waves, Swinburne University of Technology
Artist’s impression of a pulsar bow shock scattering a radio beam.Carl Knox/Swinburne/OzGrav
With the most powerful radio telescope in the southern hemisphere, we have observed a twinkling star and discovered an abundance of mysterious plasma structures in our cosmic neighbourhood.
The plasma structures we see are variations in density or turbulence, akin to interstellar cyclones stirred up by energetic events in the galaxy.
The study, published today in Nature Astronomy, also describes the first measurements of plasma layers within an interstellar shock wave that surrounds a pulsar.
We now realise our local interstellar medium is filled with these structures and our findings also include a rare phenomenon that will challenge theories of pulsar shock waves.
What’s a pulsar and why does it have a shock wave?
Our observations honed in on the nearby fast-spinning pulsar, J0437-4715, which is 512 light-years away from Earth. A pulsar is a neutron star, a super-dense stellar remnant that produces beams of radio waves and an energetic “wind” of particles.
The pulsar and its wind move with supersonic speed through the interstellar medium – the stuff (gas, dust and plasma) between the stars. This creates a bow shock: a shock wave of heated gas that glows red.
The interstellar plasma is turbulent and scatters pulsar radio waves slightly away from a direct, straight line path. The scattered waves create a pattern of bright and dim patches that drifts over our radio telescopes as Earth, the pulsar and plasma all move through space.
From our vantage point, this causes the pulsar to twinkle, or “scintillate”. The effect is similar to how turbulence in Earth’s atmosphere makes stars twinkle in the night sky.
Pulsar scintillation gives us unique information about plasma structures that are too small and faint to be detected in any other way.
Twinkling little radio star
To the naked eye, the twinkling of a star might appear random. But for pulsars at least, there are hidden patterns.
With the right techniques, we can uncover ordered shapes from the interference pattern, called scintillation arcs. They detail the locations and velocities of compact structures in the interstellar plasma. Studying scintillation arcs is like performing a CT scan of the interstellar medium – each arc reveals a thin layer of plasma.
Usually, scintillation arc studies uncover just one, or at most a handful of these arcs, giving a view of only the most extreme (densest or most turbulent) plasma structures in our galaxy.
Our scintillation arc study broke new ground by unveiling an unprecedented 25 scintillation arcs, the most plasma structures observed for any pulsar to date.
Animation of 25 scintillation arcs changing in curvature with time according to the changing velocity of the pulsar. Each frame of the animation shows the scintillation arcs measured on one day, for six consecutive days. The inset scintillation arcs originate from the pulsar bow shock. Reardon et al., Nature Astronomy
A Local Bubble surprise
Of the 25 scintillation arcs we found, 21 revealed structures in the interstellar medium. This was surprising because the pulsar – like our own Solar System – is located in a relatively quiet region of our galaxy called the Local Bubble.
About 14 million years ago, this part of our galaxy was lit up by stellar explosions that swept up material in the interstellar medium and inflated a hot void. Today, this bubble is still expanding and now extends up to 1,000 light-years from us.
Our new scintillation arc discoveries reveal that the Local Bubble is not as empty as previously thought. It is filled with compact plasma structures that could only be sustained if the bubble has cooled, at least in some areas, from millions of degrees down to a mild 10,000 degrees Celsius.
Artist’s animation of the bow shock scattering the pulsar beam. Carl Knox/Swinburne/OzGrav.
While most pulsars are thought to produce bow shocks, only a handful have ever been observed because they are faint objects. Until now, none had been studied using scintillation.
We traced the remaining four scintillation arcs to plasma structures inside the pulsar bow shock, marking the first time astronomers have peered inside one of these shock waves.
This gave us a CT-like view of the different layers of plasma. Using these arcs together with an optical image we constructed a new three-dimensional model of the shock, which appears to be tilted slightly away from us because of the motion of the pulsar through space.
The scintillation arcs also gave us the velocities of the plasma layers. Far from being as expected, we discovered that one inner plasma structure is moving towards the shock front against the flow of the shocked material in the opposite direction.
While such back flows can appear in simulations, they are rare. This finding will drive new models for this bow shock.
Scintillating science
With new and more sensitive radio telescopes being built around the world, we can expect to see scintillation from more pulsar bow shocks and other events in the interstellar medium.
This will uncover more about the energetic processes in our galaxy that create these otherwise invisible plasma structures.
The scintillation of this pulsar neighbour revealed unexpected plasma structures inside our Local Bubble and allowed us to map and measure the speed of plasma within a bow shock. It’s amazing what a twinkling little star can do.
Daniel Reardon receives funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav).
What do you think of when it comes to extra terrestrial life? Most popular sci-fi books and TV shows suggest humanoid beings could live on other planets. But when astronomers are searching for extra-terrestrial life, it is usually in the form of emissions from bacteria or other tiny organisms.
A new research paper in the Astrophysical Journal suggests that Cambridge scientists have managed to find this type of emission with a certainty of 99.7% from a planet called K2-18b, 124 light years away. They used Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope to analyse the chemical composition of the planet’s atmosphere and say they found promising evidence K2-18b could host life.
It’s an exciting breakthrough but it doesn’t confirm alien life.
Let’s look at why scientists largely do not accept the paper as proof of alien life.
Why it’s so hard to detect to alien life
Exoplanet hunting fell out of public interest quickly due to the staggering number of planets scientists are discovering. The first convincing exoplanet around a sun-like star was discovered in 1995 via radial velocity, where you don’t look at the planet but instead observe its effect on its nearest star. As the star wobbles back and forth it causes a tiny shift in the wavelength of the light it emits, which we can measure. We already know of roughly 7,500 planets.
Only 43 (to date) have been observed directly (about 0.5% of them). Most are discovered through indirect means, such as radial velocity or the transit method. The transit method is where you look at how the brightness of the star decreases as the planet passes in front of it. It will block a tiny amount of the light.
An exoplanet atmosphere
Looking at the atmosphere of an exoplanet is even more difficult. Scientists use spectroscopy to do this. The light coming out of the star can be observed directly and a small amount of it will also pass through the atmosphere of the planet. Researchers can estimate what an exoplanet’s atmosphere is made of by studying which light from the star is emitted or absorbed in the atmosphere.
Let’s try an analogy. You have a desk lamp at one end of a long table and you are standing at the other end, looking at the lamp. There is a glass of liquid in between you and the lamp. In very simple terms, the glass of liquid acting as the exoplanet and atmosphere, looks slightly blue, which allows you to identify it as water. In reality for scientists though, it’s more like the glass of water is a tiny glass bead which is rolling around while someone is messing around with a dimmer switch on the lamp. Then, freak weather results in a gentle mist forming on the table. The liquid is 99% pure water and 1% mineral water and the scientist is trying to see what minerals are in the water.
You can see that the expertise required to be perform this work is incredible. They observed molecules with a 99.7% confidence rate, which is a remarkable achievement.
The data from JWST and K2-18b
The key data in this study is in a graph fitting light absorption rates to which kind of molecules could be there and working out how abundant they are. It features in this short film about the discovery.
Some scientists think of DMS as a biomarker – a molecular indicator of life on Earth. However DMS is not only produced by bacteria, but has also been found on comet 67P and in the gas and dust of the interstellar medium, the space between stars. It can even be generated by shining UV light onto a simulated atmosphere. The authors acknowledge this and claim the amount they determined was present cannot be produced by any of these conditions.
Similar to other claims of life?
Multiple studies have shown indicators for DMS and life in general on K2-18b and there are many other claims for other exoplanets.
The most recent is the idea that phosphine (another biomarker) was discovered in the Venusian atmosphere, so there must be bacteria in the clouds. This claim was quickly refuted by other researchers. Scientists pointed that a tiny error in the matching of data created results that showed a larger abundance of phosphine than was accurate. The Cambridge study is more rigorous and has more certainty in the result. But it is still not strong enough to convince the academic community, which needs 99.999% certainty.
The study authors suggest their findings indicate liquid oceans and a hydrogen atmosphere but others have countered it could be a gas giant, or a volcanic planet full of magma.
The Cambridge study is not proof of life, but it is an important step forward to characterising what other planets might be like and determining if we are alone or not. The study presented the best result yet and should inspire other scientists to take up the challenge.
Ian Whittaker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A team of astronomers announced on April 16, 2025, that in the process of studying a planet around another star, they had found evidence for an unexpected atmospheric gas. On Earth, that gas – called dimethyl sulfide – is mostly produced by living organisms.
In April 2024, the James Webb Space Telescope stared at the host star of the planet K2-18b for nearly six hours. During that time, the orbiting planet passed in front of the star. Starlight filtered through its atmosphere, carrying the fingerprints of atmospheric molecules to the telescope.
JWST’s cameras can detect molecules in the atmosphere of a planet by looking at light that passed through that atmosphere. European Space Agency
By comparing those fingerprints to 20 different molecules that they would potentially expect to observe in the atmosphere, the astronomers concluded that the most probable match was a gas that, on Earth, is a good indicator of life.
I am an astronomer and astrobiologist who studies planets around other stars and their atmospheres. In my work, I try to understand which nearby planets may be suitable for life.
K2-18b, a mysterious world
To understand what this discovery means, let’s start with the bizarre world it was found in. The planet’s name is K2-18b, meaning it is the first planet in the 18th planetary system found by the extended NASA Kepler mission, K2. Astronomers assign the “b” label to the first planet in the system, not “a,” to avoid possible confusion with the star.
K2-18b is a little over 120 light-years from Earth – on a galactic scale, this world is practically in our backyard.
Although astronomers know very little about K2-18b, we do know that it is very unlike Earth. To start, it is about eight times more massive than Earth, and it has a volume that’s about 18 times larger. This means that it’s only about half as dense as Earth. In other words, it must have a lot of water, which isn’t very dense, or a very big atmosphere, which is even less dense.
Astronomers think that this world could either be a smaller version of our solar system’s ice giant Neptune, called a mini-Neptune, or perhaps a rocky planet with no water but a massive hydrogen atmosphere, called a gas dwarf.
That term means hydrogen-over-ocean, since astronomers predict that hycean worlds are planets with global oceans many times deeper than Earth’s oceans, and without any continents. These oceans are covered by massive hydrogen atmospheres that are thousands of miles high.
Astronomers do not know yet for certain that hycean worlds exist, but models for what those would look like match the limited data JWST and other telescopes have collected on K2-18b.
This is where the story becomes exciting. Mini-Neptunes and gas dwarfs are unlikely to be hospitable for life, because they probably don’t have liquid water, and their interior surfaces have enormous pressures. But a hycean planet would have a large and likely temperate ocean. So could the oceans of hycean worlds be habitable – or even inhabited?
They found evidence for the presence of two simple carbon-bearing molecules – carbon monoxide and methane – and showed that the planet’s upper atmosphere lacked water vapor. This atmospheric composition supported, but did not prove, the idea that K2-18b could be a hycean world. In a hycean world, water would be trapped in the deeper and warmer atmosphere, closer to the oceans than the upper atmosphere probed by JWST observations.
Intriguingly, the data also showed an additional, very weak signal. The team found that this weak signal matched a gas called dimethyl sulfide, or DMS. On Earth, DMS is produced in large quantities by marine algae. It has very few, if any, nonbiological sources.
This signal made the initial detection exciting: on a planet that may have a massive ocean, there is likely a gas that is, on Earth, emitted by biological organisms.
Scientists had a mixed response to this initial announcement. While the findings were exciting, some astronomers pointed out that the DMS signal seen was weak and that the hycean nature of K2-18b is very uncertain.
To address these concerns, Mashusudhan’s team turned JWST back to K2-18b a year later. This time, they used another camera on JWST that looks for another range of wavelengths of light. The new results – announced on April 16, 2025 – supported their initial findings.
These new data show a stronger – but still relatively weak – signal that the team attributes to DMS or a very similar molecule. The fact that the DMS signal showed up on another camera during another set of observations made the interpretation of DMS in the atmosphere stronger.
Madhusudhan’s team also presented a very detailed analysis of the uncertainties in the data and interpretation. In real-life measurements, there are always some uncertainties. They found that these uncertainties are unlikely to account for the signal in the data, further supporting the DMS interpretation. As an astronomer, I find that analysis exciting.
Is life out there?
Does this mean that scientists have found life on another world? Perhaps – but we still cannot be sure.
First, does K2-18b really have an ocean deep beneath its thick atmosphere? Astronomers should test this.
Second, is the signal seen in two cameras two years apart really from dimethyl sulfide? Scientists will need more sensitive measurements and more observations of the planet’s atmosphere to be sure.
Third, if it is indeed DMS, does this mean that there is life? This may be the most difficult question to answer. Life itself is not detectable with existing technology. Astronomers will need to evaluate and exclude all other potential options to build their confidence in this possibility.
The new measurements may lead researchers toward a historic discovery. However, important uncertainties remain. Astrobiologists will need a much deeper understanding of K2-18b and similar worlds before they can be confident in the presence of DMS and its interpretation as a signature of life.
Scientists around the world are already scrutinizing the published study and will work on new tests of the findings, since independent verification is at the heart of science.
Moving forward, K2-18b is going to be an important target for JWST, the world’s most sensitive telescope. JWST may soon observe other potential hycean worlds to see if the signal appears in the atmospheres of those planets, too.
With more data, these tentative conclusions may not stand the test of time. But for now, just the prospect that astronomers may have detected gasses emitted by an alien ecosystem that bubbled up in a dark, blue-hued alien ocean is an incredibly fascinating possibility.
Regardless of the true nature of K2-18b, the new results show how using the JWST to survey other worlds for clues of alien life will guarantee that the next years will be thrilling for astrobiologists.
Daniel Apai receives funding for astrobiology research from NASA, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
While in Japan, Premier Smith will meet with government officials, importers and energy and agricultural sector leaders to position Alberta as the partner of choice to meet Japan’s growing demand for energy and food security.
In addition to making new inroads for Alberta in Japan, Premier Smith will head to Gangwon State, South Korea, to further entrench Alberta’s longest-standing sister province relationship. Premier Smith’s stop in Gangwon comes on the heels of last year’s visit to Alberta by Governor Kim Jin Tae of Gangwon State, Republic of Korea, to reaffirm this relationship and celebrate its Golden Jubilee.
“I am excited to head to Japan and South Korea to advance work under Alberta’s memorandum of understanding with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security and celebrate the success of our decades-long twinning relationships with Hokkaido, Japan and Gangwon State, South Korea. I will be taking this opportunity to strengthen the mutually beneficial ties rooted in these agreements, identify new opportunities for collaboration across our resource, agri-food and technology sectors and underscore Alberta’s position as a global leader in secure, reliable and responsible energy development.”
Japanese investment in Alberta’s energy sector over the years has helped fuel the province’s economy and support jobs for Albertans. As Japan looks for ways to secure and diversify its energy supply, Alberta is in a prime position to help them meet this need by supplying everything from oil, natural gas and hydrogen, while boosting collaboration in developing our energy and natural resources.
With this year marking a landmark 45 years of Alberta’s successful twinning relationship with Hokkaido, meetings with Japanese officials and private sector leaders will also focus on opportunities to strengthen our robust ties in agriculture and agri-food, while building on our long history of cooperation in sports, culture and educational exchanges.
While in South Korea, Premier Smith will meet with government officials and private sector leaders to build on decades of co-operation and strengthen our links in sustainable energy development, energy and agrifood export growth, technology and innovation, investment attraction and more. Premier Smith will also showcase Alberta’s strengths and offerings in sectors where Alberta and Korea show natural synergy and promise for mutually beneficial growth. Major Korean companies have also made a number of substantial investments in Alberta with several establishing Canadian headquarters in Calgary. This mission will serve as a launch pad for attracting even more investment to our province.
Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page.
Quick facts
Canada and Japan have been members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement since 2018.
Bilateral trade between Alberta and Japan totalled more than $3.0 billion in 2024.
In 2024, Japan was Alberta’s third-largest export market, with Alberta’s exports to Japan totalling almost $2.7 billion, and energy exports making up almost $1 billion of that total.
The Republic of Korea, known informally as South Korea, is an important economic partner for Alberta.
Bilateral trade between Alberta and South Korea totalled about $1.5 billion in 2024.
Alberta’s total exports to the region in 2024 totalled $1.2 billion, and consisted primarily of energy, nickel, meat and wood pulp.
Several major South Korean energy companies have Canadian headquarters in Calgary, including KOGAS, Korea National Oil Corp and SK Eco-Engineering.
Itinerary for Premier Smith*
April 18-19
Travel to Tokyo, Japan.
April 20
Travel to Sapporo, Japan.
Attend event hosted by the Government of Hokkaido.
April 21
Participate in meetings with Hokkaido government officials.
Bilateral meeting with the Governor of Hokkaido.
Lead roundtable with Hokkaido officials and representatives on sports, cultural and educational exchanges.
Travel to Seoul, South Korea.
April 22
Travel to Chuncheon, Gangwon State, South Korea.
Bilateral meeting with the Governor of Gangwon State.
Attend luncheon hosted by the Governor of Gangwon State.
Tour data center.
Travel to Seoul, South Korea.
April 23
Meetings with representatives from a regional energy importer and national energy companies.
Host working luncheon with leaders and representatives from South Korea’s energy and agriculture sectors.
Travel to Tokyo, Japan.
April 24
Meetings with senior Japanese government officials.
Meeting with representatives from the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).
Chair energy roundtable with Japanese private sector leaders.
Attend celebration honouring Alberta’s 55-year presence in Japan.
April 25
Tour Costco Japan head office and store.
Meeting with Japanese oil and gas company.
April 26
Travel to Alberta.
*Subject to change.
Related news
Partnering with Japan to expand our energy horizons (Mar. 11, 2025)
Building on 50 years of friendship with Gangwon (Sept. 23, 2024)
Kelsey Juliana, a lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit over responsibility for climate change, speaks at a 2019 rally in Oregon.AP Photo/Steve Dipaola
The U.S. Supreme Court in March 2025 ended a decade-old lawsuit filed by a group of children who sought to hold the federal government responsible for some of the consequences of climate change. But just two months earlier, the justices allowed a similar suit from the city and county of Honolulu, Hawaii, to continue against oil and gas companies.
So local and state governments and citizens have asked the courts to force companies and public agencies to act. Their results have varied, with limited victories to date. But the cases keep coming.
Attacking the emissions themselves
In general, legal claims in the U.S. can be based on the U.S. and state constitutions, federal and state laws, or what is called “common law” – legal principles created by courts over time.
Lawsuits have used state and federal laws to try to limit greenhouse gas pollution itself and to seek financial compensation for alleged industry cover-ups of the dangers of fossil fuels, among many other types of claims.
In 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court determined that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide emitted from motor vehicles were a “pollutant” under the federal Clean Air Act. As a result, the court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to either determine whether greenhouse gases from new vehicles contribute to climate change, and therefore endanger human health, or justify its refusal to study the issue.
In response to this federal executive seesaw of climate action, some legal claims use a court-based, or common law, approach to address climate concerns. For instance, in Connecticut v. American Electric Power, filed in 2004, nine states asked a federal judge to order power plants to reduce their emissions. The states said those emissions contributed to global warming, which they argued met the federal common law definition of a “public nuisance.”
That case ended when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that the existence of a statute – the federal Clean Air Act – meant common law did not apply. Other plaintiffs have tried to use the “public nuisance” claim or a related common-law claim of “trespass” to force large power plants or oil and gas producers to pay climate-related damages. But in those cases, too, courts found that the Clean Air Act overrode the common-law grounds for those claims.
With those case outcomes, many plaintiffs have shifted their strategies, focusing more on state courts and seeking to hold the fossil fuel industry responsible for allegedly deceiving the public about the causes and effects of climate change.
Rather than directly asking courts to order reduced carbon emissions, these cases tend to seek damages that will help governments cover the costs associated with climate change, such as construction of cooling centers
and repair of roads damaged by increased precipitation.
In legal terms, the lawsuits are saying oil and gas companies violated consumer-protection laws and committed common-law civil violations such as negligence. For instance, the city of Chicago alleges that major petroleum giants – along with the industry trade association the American Petroleum Institute – had “abundant knowledge” of the public harms of fossil fuels yet “actively campaigned” to hide that information and deceive consumers. Many other complaints by states and local governments make similar allegations.
Another lawsuit, from the state of Maine, lists and provides photographs of a litany of internal industry documents showing industry knowledge of the threat of climate change. That lawsuit also cites a 1977 memo from an Exxon employee to Exxon executives, which stated that “current scientific opinion overwhelmingly favors attributing atmospheric carbon dioxide increase to fossil fuel consumption,” and a 1979 internal Exxon memo about the buildup of carbon dioxide emissions, which warned that “(t)he potential problem is great and urgent.”
These complaints also show organizations supported by fossil fuel companies published ads as far back as the 1990s, with titles such as “Apocalypse No” and “Who told you the earth was warming … Chicken Little?” Some of these ads – part of a broader campaign – were funded by a group called the Information Council for the Environment, supported by coal producers and electric utilities.
Lead claimant Rikki Held, then 22, confers with lawyers before the beginning of a 2023 Montana trial about young people’s rights in a time of climate change. William Campbell/Getty Images
Other approaches
Still other litigation approaches argue that governments inadequately reviewed the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, or even supported or subsidized those emissions caused by private industry. Those lawsuits – some of which were filed by children, with help from their parents or legal guardians – claim the governments’ actions violated people’s constitutional rights.
For instance, children in the Juliana v. United States case, first filed in 2015, said 50 years of petroleum-supporting actions by presidents and various federal agencies had violated their fundamental “right to a climate system capable of sustaining human life.” The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that their claim was a “political question” – meant for Congress, not the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to reconsider that ruling in March 2025.
Concerned people and groups continue to file climate-related lawsuits across the country and around the world. They are seeing mixed results, but as the cases continue and more are filed, they are drawing attention to potential corporate and government wrongdoing, as well as the human costs of climate change. And they are inspiring shareholders and citizens to demand more accurate information and action from fossil fuel companies and electric utilities.
Hannah Wiseman receives funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Arnold Ventures, and the National Science Foundation for work researching the energy transition, renewable energy policy, hydrogen, and carbon capture and sequestration. She is a scholar member of the Center for Progressive Reform.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The 2nd All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation “BioTech-2025” was held at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
Guests from Kazan, Ulan-Ude, Tambov, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad and the Republic of Belarus gathered at the Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Production of the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology. An excursion to the SPbPU History Museum was organized for them.
The participants were greeted by the Director of the Institute of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Andrey Vasin, who noted that biotechnology is one of the priority areas of scientific and technological development of the country, therefore the specialty of biotechnologist is very popular among applicants.
The Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Director of the Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Production Yulia Bazarnova emphasized that the exchange of experience and knowledge between young specialists will accelerate the development of innovative solutions and technologies, and that such meetings contribute to the birth of new ideas and projects.
Leading researchers in the field of food security, biomedicine and environmental biotechnology, as well as representatives of the conference partners, the companies Alkor Bio and Partiya Eda, spoke at the plenary session.
Oksana Pavlova, associate professor of Grodno State University, spoke about the long-term cooperation between Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno. She noted that the long-term experience of interaction confirms the high efficiency in the development of the international educational space and indicates significant potential for further expansion of scientific and pedagogical exchange formats.
Irina Cheglakova, Head of the Department for the Development of Biologically Active Supplements at Alkor Bio Group of Companies, presented the development prospects for one of the areas of the modern food industry and medicine — the creation and production of dietary supplements. Irina Potoroko, Professor at the South Ural State University, gave a report on food security.
Several final reports were made by SPbPU scientists. Professor of the Higher School of Social and Economics Marina Karpenko spoke about the various effects of manganese, which is toxic, but at the same time a vital microelement for human health and development. Prospects and methods of using microalgae to solve environmental problems were presented by Professor of the Higher School of Social and Economics Natalia Politaeva. She spoke about a method for obtaining biohydrogen from spent microalgae, which were previously used to purify wastewater from the food industry. According to experts, this approach will simultaneously provide access to renewable environmentally friendly fuel and reduce the impact of industrial wastewater on the environment.
In conclusion, leading technologists of the Food Party company, graduates of the Higher School of Business and Food Safety Vladimir Gnilitsky and Kristina Bogdanova shared their experience in the development of new dishes and the introduction of the latest methods of processing products to preserve their freshness.
In addition, meetings of the sections “Food Systems and Nutrition”, “Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology”, “Biotechnology for Plant Growing”, “Methods of Molecular Diagnostics and Environmental Biotechnology” were held.
The conference moderator, senior lecturer at the Higher School of Business and Public Policy Anna Sevastyanova, emphasized that the event provides a unique opportunity for young scientists to get acquainted with the experience of experienced researchers – professors, associate professors and leading employees of various scientific organizations.
It was interesting to listen to the reports on various problems related to biotesting of different environments: air, water and soil. After the presentations, it became clear that microalgae are a certain “favorite” in this topic. The use of biotechnology to increase crop yields and product quality also aroused keen interest. I would like to thank the organizers for the opportunity to exchange experiences, – shared 4th year student Andrey Voynov.
Based on the results of the conference, a collection of materials will be compiled.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westport Fuel Systems Inc. (TSX: WPRT / Nasdaq: WPRT) (“Westport” or the “Company”) announces that the Company will release Q1 2025 financial results on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, after market close. A conference call and webcast to discuss the financial results and other corporate developments will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Participants may register up to 60 minutes before the event by clicking on the call link and completing the online registration form. Upon registration, the user will receive dial-in info and a unique PIN, along with an email confirming the details.
The webcast will be archived on Westport’s website and a replay will be available at https://investors.wfsinc.com.
Annual General and Special Meeting
Westport will host its 2025 Annual General and Special Meeting (the “Meeting”) virtually on May 15, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. ET).
To streamline the virtual meeting process, Westport encourages shareholders to vote in advance of the Meeting using the voting instruction form or the form of proxy which has been shared with shareholders with the Meeting materials. Further instructions on voting and accessing the meeting are contained in the Management Information Circular under “Section 1: Voting” – upon receipt, please review these materials carefully.
Registered Shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders can attend the meeting online at https://meetnow.global/MD2JR55 to participate, vote, or submit questions during the meeting’s live webcast.
About Westport Fuel Systems
At Westport Fuel Systems, we are driving innovation to power a cleaner tomorrow. We are a leading supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for clean, low-carbon fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, and hydrogen to the global transportation industry. Our technology delivers the performance and fuel efficiency required by transportation applications and the environmental benefits that address climate change and urban air quality challenges. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, we serve our customers in approximately 70 countries with leading global transportation brands. At Westport Fuel Systems, we think ahead. For more information, visit www.wfsinc.com.
What’s not to like about an all-female celebrity crew riding a rocket into space? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
Katy Perry and her companions were initially portrayed in the media as breaking down gender barriers. On their return to Earth, the team enthused about protecting the planet and blazing a trail for others. Perry even sang What a Wonderful World during the flight, and kissed the ground on exiting the spacecraft.
But the backlash was swift. Fellow celebrities piled in to highlight the “hypocrisy” of such an energy-intensive endeavour from a former Unicef climate champion. Evidence was quickly presented to dispute the pollution-free claims of the Blue Origin rocket, which is fuelled by oxygen and hydrogen. (In fact, the water vapour and nitrogen oxide emissions it creates add to global heating, on top of the emissions from the programme as a whole.)
But it’s the negative social effects of this kind of display from celebrities (of any gender) that our research sheds light on. I’m part of a team of social scientists researching the powerful effects of politicians, business leaders and celebrities who lead by example on climate change – or don’t.
Social kickback
Space tourism, and other energy-intensive activities by people in the public eye, such as using helicopters and private jets, have a much wider knock-on effect than the direct damage to the climate caused by the activity itself.
We carried out focus groups with members of the public to understand their reactions to the high-carbon behaviour of leaders in politics, culture and business. We also conducted experiments and surveys to test the effects of leaders “walking the talk” on climate change. We found that observing unnecessary high-carbon behaviour demotivates people and reduces the sense of collective effort that is essential for a successful societal response to climate change.
Solving climate change and other environmental crises requires fundamental changes to economies, societies and lifestyles according to climate science. Using much less energy, not just different kinds of energy, can play a big part in halting the damage. And it is the wealthiest people in the richest countries who use the most energy and set the standards and aspirations for the rest of society. That’s why the Blue Origin dream (of space exploration for the unfathomably wealthy) is a nightmare for the climate because it perpetuates an unsustainable culture.
Our findings reveal that when people see public figures behaving like this, they are less willing to make changes to their own lives. “Why should I do my bit for the climate when these celebrities are doing the opposite?” is the question people repeatedly asked in our research.
Many of the changes to behaviour necessary to tackle climate change will require people to accept trade-offs and embrace alternative ways of living. This includes using heat pumps instead of gas boilers, trading in large, fossil-fuelled vehicles (or even avoiding cars altogether) and forgoing flights – because there is no way to decarbonise long-distance flights in time.
When celebrities (or politicians and business leaders, for that matter) ignore the environmental damage of their choices, it sends a powerful signal that they are not really serious about addressing climate change.
Not only does this undermine people’s motivation to make changes, it reduces the credibility of leaders. That in turn makes coordinated climate action less likely, because shifting to a low-carbon society will require public trust in leadership and a sense of collective effort.
Individual choices matter
The widespread aversion to Perry’s space flight contradicts the popular argument that tackling the climate crisis “is not about individual behaviour”.
On the contrary, the response shows that these actions from celebrities and other leaders have much greater symbolic meaning than is captured by the idea of an “individual choice”. People are highly attuned to the behaviour of others because it signals and reinforces the values, morals and norms of our society. As such, few if any choices are truly “individual”.
This message of collective responsibility is one our current economic and political system works hard to suppress by championing unlimited freedom to consume, while ignoring the loss of freedom that such behaviour causes: freedom to live in a stable climate, freedom from pollution, freedom from extreme weather, freedom for future generations.
In fact, research reveals that most people understand the interconnectedness of society and the need for a coordinated response to the climate crisis. Climate assemblies, which convene ordinary citizens to discuss and deliberate a course of climate action, have revealed a willingness to curtail some activities in a fair way.
When it comes to preserving a liveable planet and a stable climate, most people know that space tourism and ultra-high-carbon living are off the agenda. Celebrities have a positive role to play in leading by example. It’s not rocket science.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
What do you think of when it comes to extra terrestrial life? Most popular sci-fi books and TV shows suggest humanoid beings could live on other planets. But when astronomers are searching for extra-terrestrial life, it is usually in the form of emissions from bacteria or other tiny organisms.
A new research paper in the Astrophysical Journal suggests that Cambridge scientists have managed to find this type of emission with a certainty of 99.7% from a planet called K2-18b, 124 light years away. They used Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope for to analyse the chemical composition of the planet’s atmosphere and say they found promising evidence K2-18b could host life.
It’s an exciting breakthrough but it doesn’t confirm alien life.
Let’s look at why scientists largely do not accept the paper as proof of alien life.
Why it’s so hard to detect to alien life
Exoplanet hunting fell out of public interest quickly due to the staggering number of planets scientists are discovering. The first convincing exoplanet around a sun-like star was discovered in 1995 via radial velocity, where you don’t look at the planet but instead observe its effect on its nearest star. As the star wobbles back and forth it causes a tiny shift in the wavelength of the light it emits, which we can measure. We already know of roughly 7,500 planets.
Only 43 (to date) have been observed directly (about 0.5% of them). Most are discovered through indirect means, such as radial velocity or the transit method. The transit method is where you look at how the brightness of the star decreases as the planet passes in front of it. It will block a tiny amount of the light.
An exoplanet atmosphere
Looking at the atmosphere of an exoplanet is even more difficult. Scientists use spectroscopy to do this. The light coming out of the star can be observed directly and a small amount of it will also pass through the atmosphere of the planet. Researchers can estimate what an exoplanet’s atmosphere is made of by studying which light from the star is emitted or absorbed in the atmosphere.
Let’s try an analogy. You have a desk lamp at one end of a long table and you are standing at the other end, looking at the lamp. There is a glass of liquid in between you and the lamp. In very simple terms, the glass of liquid acting as the exoplanet and atmosphere, looks slightly blue, which allows you to identify it as water. In reality for scientists though, it’s more like the glass of water is a tiny glass bead which is rolling around while someone is messing around with a dimmer switch on the lamp. Then, freak weather results in a gentle mist forming on the table. The liquid is 99% pure water and 1% mineral water and the scientist is trying to see what minerals are in the water.
You can see that the expertise required to be perform this work is incredible. They observed molecules with a 99.7% confidence rate, which is a remarkable achievement.
The data from JWST and K2-18b
The key data in this study is in a graph fitting light absorption rates to which kind of molecules could be there and working out how abundant they are. It features in this short film about the discovery.
Some scientists think of DMS as a biomarker – a molecular indicator of life on Earth. However DMS is not only produced by bacteria, but has also been found on comet 67P and in the gas and dust of the interstellar medium, the space between stars. It can even be generated by shining UV light onto a simulated atmosphere. The authors acknowledge this and claim the amount they determined was present cannot be produced by any of these conditions.
Similar to other claims of life?
Multiple studies have shown indicators for DMS and life in general on K2-18b and there are many other claims for other exoplanets.
The most recent is the idea that phosphine (another biomarker) was discovered in the Venusian atmosphere, so there must be bacteria in the clouds. This claim was quickly refuted by other researchers. Scientists pointed that a tiny error in the matching of data created results that showed a larger abundance of phosphine than was accurate. The Cambridge study is more rigorous and has more certainty in the result. But it is still not strong enough to convince the academic community, which needs 99.999% certainty.
The study authors suggest their findings indicate liquid oceans and a hydrogen atmosphere but others have countered it could be a gas giant, or a volcanic planet full of magma.
The Cambridge study is not proof of life, but it is an important step forward to characterising what other planets might be like and determining if we are alone or not. The study presented the best result yet and should inspire other scientists to take up the challenge.
Ian Whittaker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Environment Agency officers, together with West Yorkshire Police, have been undertaking site checks at the Mineral Processing Ltd site.
Environment Agency and West Yorkshire Police Officers
The Environment Agency joined forces with the police this week to carry out checks outside a waste site that is subject to a suspension notice in West Yorkshire.
The suspension notice served on Mineral Processing Ltd in South Elmsall means the environmental permit does not currently authorise waste being brought on to the site.
The notice also requires the staged removal of waste that had been brought onto the site by the operator in breach of its environmental permit conditions.
The breaches of the environmental permit result in an increased risk of pollution, including the potential for odour, which has been impacting on the local community over recent months.
This week Environment Agency officers, together with West Yorkshire Police, followed up on concerns raised by the community about vehicles still arriving at the site while the suspension notice is in force.
The operation was to monitor vehicle movements to and from the site. While none arrived while partners were present, the Environment Agency will continue to act upon the information it receives.
The notice does not prevent non-waste products being imported.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said:
We understand the impact the odour from this site is having on the community and our increased regulatory response continues.
This includes ongoing odour monitoring and regular site inspections, as well as action to proactively monitor vehicle movements at the site while the suspension notice is in force.
During our inspections of the site breaches of the environmental permit conditions and suspension notice have been identified, and we are assessing all our enforcement options.
Mineral Processing Ltd has appealed the suspension notice via the Planning Inspectorate. The appeal decision has not been issued to date. The suspension notice remains in force while the Environment Agency waits for this decision.
If an operator does not comply with a suspension notice then it is committing an offence. This is the case even if it has submitted an appeal against the notice.
To build a detailed picture of air quality around the site the Environment Agency is using a handheld gas analyser, which monitors for hydrogen sulphide, and installed a Mobile Monitoring facility (MMF) nearby, which will be in situ for four months.
It’s also working with Wakefield Council – which is responsible for making sure planning conditions are complied with – to ensure that joint regulatory powers are used to bring about improvements.
Odour issues should be reported to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour Incident hotline on 0800 807060. To protect the safety and wellbeing of the public and ensure timely capture of information, any other information relating to the site should be reported to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or via or via or via crimestoppers-org.uk using the “Environmental Crime” tag.
NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 4:15 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 21, for the next launch to deliver scientific investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. Filled with about 6,700 pounds of supplies, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 4:15 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 21, for the next launch to deliver scientific investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. Filled with about 6,700 pounds of supplies, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This launch is the 32nd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for the agency, and the 12th SpaceX launch under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS) contract. The first 20 launches were under the original resupply services contract. NASA’s live launch coverage will begin at 3:55 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will arrive at the space station and dock autonomously to the zenith port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, April 22. Live coverage NASA’s coverage of the rendezvous and docking will begin at 6:45 a.m on NASA+. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Expedition 73 commander and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi will monitor the arrival of the spacecraft, which will stay docked to the orbiting laboratory for about one month before splashing down and returning critical science and hardware to teams on Earth.
Smartphone Video Guidance Sensor-2 (SVGS-2) uses the space station’s Astrobee robots to demonstrate using a NASA developed, vision-based sensor to control a formation flight of small satellites. Based on a previous in-space demonstration of the technology, this investigation is designed to refine the maneuvers of multiple robots and integrate the information with spacecraft systems. Potential benefits of this technology include improved accuracy and reliability of systems for guidance, navigation, and control that could be applied to docking crewed spacecraft in orbit and remotely operating multiple robots on the lunar or Martian surface.
During spaceflight, especially long-duration missions, concentrations of airborne particles must be kept within ranges safe for crew health and hardware performance. The Aerosol Monitors investigation tests three different air quality monitors to determine which is best suited to protect crew health and ensure mission success. The investigation also tests a device for distinguishing between smoke and dust. Aboard the orbital outpost, the presence of dust can cause false smoke alarms that require crew member response. Reducing false alarms could save valuable crew time while continuing to protect astronaut safety.
The newest Industrial Crystallization Cassette (ADSEP-ICC) investigation adds capabilities to an existing protein crystallization facility. The cassette can process more sample types, including tiny gold particles used in devices that detect cancer and other diseases or in targeted drug delivery systems. Microgravity makes it possible to produce larger and more uniform gold particles, which improves their use in research and real-life applications of technologies related to human health.
The DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2 produces a special type of molecule formed by DNA-inspired, customizable building blocks known as Janus base nanomaterials. It also evaluates how well the materials reduce joint inflammation and whether they can help regenerate cartilage lost due to arthritis. These materials are less toxic, more stable, and more compatible with living tissues than current drug delivery technologies. Environmental influences such as gravity can affect the quality of these materials and delivery systems. In microgravity, they are larger and have greater uniformity and structural integrity. This investigation could help identify the best formulations and methods for cost-effective in-space production. These nanomaterials also could be used to create novel systems targeting therapy delivery that improves patient outcomes with fewer side effects.
The Rhodium USAFA NIGHT payload examines how tomato plants respond to microgravity and whether a carbon dioxide replacement can reduce how much space-grown plants depend on photosynthesis. Because photosynthesis needs light, which requires spacecraft power to generate, alternatives would reduce energy use. The investigation also examines whether using supplements increases plant growth on the space station, which has been observed in preflight testing on Earth. In future plant production facilities aboard spacecraft or on celestial bodies, supplements could come from available organic materials such as waste. Understanding how plants adapt to microgravity could help grow food during long-duration space missions or harsh environments on Earth.
An ESA (European Space Agency) investigation, Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES), examines fundamental physics concepts such as Einstein’s theory of relativity using two next-generation atomic clocks operated in microgravity. Results have applications to scientific measurement studies, the search for dark matter, and fundamental physics research that relies on highly accurate atomic clocks in space. The experiment also tests a technology for synchronizing clocks worldwide using global navigation satellite networks.
Launch:
Catalytic Reactor – The catalytic reactor replacement unit oxidizes volatile organics from the wastewater so they can be removed by the gas separator and ion exchange bed replacement units as part of the station’s water recycling system. This unit failed in orbit and is being returned for analysis and refurbishment. This unit is being launched as an in-orbit spare. Food Reach Tool Assembly – An L-shaped, hand-held tool that allows crew members to reach packages in the back of the food warmer without having to insert their hands. This tool is launching to replace a unit in orbit.
Reducer Cylinder Assembly – A cylinder tank that provides 15 minutes of oxygen to a crew member in case of an emergency. Launching two units as in-orbit spares.
Thermal Expansion Device – A device used to allow for thermal expansion of water within the Hydrogen Dome while it is being removed and replaced. Launching to maintain minimum in-orbit spares.
Return:
Urine Processor Assembly Pressure Control and Pump Assembly – This multi-tube purge pump enables the removal of non-condensable gas and water vapor from the distillation assembly within the greater urine processing assembly subsystem. This unit is returning to the ground for repair and refurbishment in support of the legacy environmental control and life support system fleet.
Assembly Contingency Transmitter Receiver Assembly – A part of the S-Band Radio Frequency Group, this assembly is a pressurized enclosure that contains electronics for this upper-level assembly. The Radio Frequency Group is used for command, control, and transmission communication for the space station. It was retrieved by NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore during US EVA 92 and will return for repair.
High Gain Antenna Feed Assembly – Part of the S-Band Radio Frequency Group, this system features a two-axis, gimballed assembly with a pedestal and a large horn antenna. It was retrieved by NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore during U.S. spacewalk 92 and will return for repair.
Low Gain Antenna Sub-Assembly – Part of the S-Band Radio Frequency Group, this sub-assembly consists of a helix antenna that provides a wide field of signal transmission capability. It was retrieved by NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore during U.S. spacewalk 92 and will return for repair.
Planar Reflector Assembly – With an aluminum base and reflective element, visiting spacecraft reflect a laser to compute relative range, velocity, and attitude to the space station. This broken unit was retrieved and replaced by NASA astronaut Suni Williams during U.S. spacewalk 91 and will return for repair.
Multifiltration Bed – Supporting the water processor assembly, this spare unit will continue the International Space Station program’s effort to replace a degraded fleet of units in-orbit that improve water quality through a single bed. This unit will return for refurbishment and re-flight.
Live coverage of the launch from NASA Kennedy will air at 3:55 a.m. on NASA+.. For additional information on the mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crs-32/
A combination of characteristics makes Chile a potential leader in the production of green hydrogen in Latin America and the Caribbean (alongside Brazil and Colombia).
Green hydrogen is produced using electrolysers, which split water into hydrogen and oxygen through a process that requires substantial electricity. To qualify as green, this electricity must come entirely from renewable energy sources.
“Around 65% of the cost of green hydrogen production is related to electricity,” explains Enrique Rodriguez Flores, an energy transition specialist at the European Investment Bank. “The electricity needs to be green, so we look for places with the best renewable energy conditions for electricity generation. Wind and solar are intermittent by nature, but in some areas of Chile, especially in Patagonia in the south and in Atacama in the north, the conditions are so good that they offer a degree of stability.”
Chile also has political and economic stability. “Promoting billions of euros in private investment requires a secure environment for making investments,” Rodriguez Flores says. “This includes regulation, government support and other such aspects.”
The Green Hydrogen Fund for Chile – a Team Europe initiative by the European Investment Bank, the German development bank KfW and the EU delegation in Chile – will support a wide range of hydrogen projects, from water desalination and renewable power generation to storage and transport. As part of this initiative, the European Investment Bank is providing a €100 million loan to Chile to support private sector projects.
“The plan is to have the private sector develop green hydrogen, initially with the support from the public sector, via subsidies and other support from multilateral development banks, which offer more than just financing,” says Gorriño Larrañaga, the EIB loan officer. “They also offer their expertise and high environmental and social standards.”
India poised to become a trusted bridge of global connectivity through India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): Shri Piyush Goyal IMEC to reduce logistics costs by up to 30% and transportation time by 40%, boosting global trade: Shri Goyal
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal addresses High-Level Roundtable on IMEC
Posted On: 16 APR 2025 10:52PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal addressed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) High-Level Roundtable on Connectivity and Economic Growth in New Delhi today.
Shri Goyal said that the IMEC is a powerful endorsement of the leadership and partnership of India and Middle East and East Europe a very forward and visionary concept that has caught the fancy of the world, he noted.
The Minister stated that IMEC is not merely a trade route, but a modern-day Silk Route — a partnership of equals — that fosters synergy, connectivity, and inclusive prosperity. “It will bring down logistics costs by up to 30%, reduce transportation time by 40%, and create seamless trade linkages across continents,” he said. “We will not only be linking trade; we will be linking civilizations and cultures — from Southeast Asia to the Gulf, from the Middle East to Central Europe.”
Highlighting its potential reach, Shri Goyal added that IMEC could even enhance connectivity to Africa through the Middle East. The corridor would include railways, roadways, energy pipelines, and clean energy infrastructure, including undersea cables. “India is already in discussions with Singapore on clean energy transmission. We are also engaged in dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” he shared.
Shri Goyal underscored the corridor’s emphasis on sustainability and digital connectivity. “This initiative respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is not about dominance or creating economic unions. It is a partnership built on mutual trust, inclusivity and sustainability,” he said.
He further outlined five key suggestions as a way forward for the IMEC initiative. First, Shri Goyal stressed the importance of viewing IMEC through the lens of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). He emphasized that leaving the initiative solely to the government would limit its efficiency and financial viability. Instead, he called for a collaborative model where the private sector leads, bringing to the table its real-world expertise, needs, and innovative capabilities. This approach, he noted, would ensure smarter and more cost-effective planning, as the private sector can propose solutions that reflect practical utility. It would also allow policymakers to think systematically while the private sector introduces flexibility and innovation, ensuring the corridor remains viable, efficient, and sustainable in its execution.
Second, he highlighted the need to focus on Regulatory Connectivity, going beyond just physical infrastructure. Shri Goyal advocated for greater alignment in trade processes, customs procedures, and paperwork among participating nations. He cited India’s ongoing regulatory collaboration with the UAE as an example and pointed out that successful implementation of the corridor would require seamless cross-border movement without excessive checkpoints. Interoperable systems, digitization, electric vehicle charging ecosystems, and synchronized regulations would be key to unlocking economies of scale. He suggested that common digital payment systems, such as India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), could serve as a model for enabling seamless financial transactions. With periodic settlement in globally accepted reserve currencies, such mechanisms could reduce transactional friction and banking costs. He proposed that such innovations, combined with virtual trade corridor frameworks like the India-UAE initiative, could be extended through IMEC. These would support broader agreements such as FTAs with GCC and EU countries and bolster joint work in green hydrogen, renewable energy, and supply chain resilience.
Third, Shri Goyal underlined the need for Innovative Financing Models to support both the development of the corridor and the trade it will generate. He called for active involvement of multilateral financial agencies and suggested exploring instruments like green bonds and the creation of long-term “IMEC Bonds”, to fund this transcontinental infrastructure in a sustainable and future-proof manner.
Fourth, he recommended active engagement with industry bodies and trade associations, asserting that their insights are essential for designing a corridor that aligns with the real needs of businesses. Such collaboration would help identify existing bottlenecks, promote best practices, and better integrate economies by removing trade frictions.
Lastly, Shri Goyal proposed bringing in Think Tanks and Academia to the visioning and design process. These institutions, he noted, bring creativity, research strength, and long-term thinking. Their involvement would support policy advocacy, contribute to out-of-the-box solutions, and assist in capacity-building efforts along the corridor. He called this a well-rounded package of five initiatives that could help IMEC evolve into a robust, viable, and inclusive project. Reiterating India’s clear and committed vision, he said the country is ready to act as a trusted, reliable bridge connecting regions and catalyzing global cooperation, under the guiding spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family.
As a major breakthrough in shipping transport and inland waterway transport, Vice President CSIR and Minister Dr Jitendra Singh hails India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel sea vessel; describes it as a success story emanating from the joint effort of public and private sectors: The Minister calls upon the CSIR authorities to continue strengthening the industry linkages, scale up innovations for societal impact:
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science and Technology Reviews CSIR Activities; Lauds Breakthroughs under NMITLI Programme
Pushing forward the Atmanirbhar Bharat Vision envisaged by PM Sh Narendra Modi, Dr. Jitendra Singh Underscores the Need for Self-Reliance in Science, Technology and innovation
Posted On: 16 APR 2025 6:31PM by PIB Delhi
As a major breakthrough in shipping transport and inland waterway transport, Union Minister of Science & Technology and Vice President CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) Dr Jitendra Singh has hailed India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel sea vessel.
Describing it as a success story emanating from the joint effort of public and private sectors, the Minister disclosed that the country’s first indigenous green hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel, which may later pave the the way for hydrogen fuel driven larger sea vessels or ships, was developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd featuring a hydrogen fuel cell-based drivetrain built by KPIT, drawing upon the foundational work enabled by the CSIR.
Dr. Jitendra Singh was convening a high-level meeting today to review the ongoing initiatives and achievements of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The meeting was attended by all Heads of CSIR Directorates, the Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser, CSIR.
Director General, CSIR, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi presented a detailed overview of CSIR’s current research activities, recent technological advancements, and collaborative engagements with industry. During the discussions, the Minister emphasized the importance of aligning CSIR’s scientific pursuits with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for a Atma Nirbhar, especially in critical technology domains where indigenous development is key.
The Minister lauded the CSIR-New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI), calling it a unique example of collaborative innovation in the public-private space. As India’s largest publicly funded, industry-oriented R&D programme, NMITLI brings together top institutions, industrial partners, and research labs to pursue high-risk technological ventures with the potential for national impact.
Dr. Jitendra Singh particularly appreciated two recent breakthroughs supported under the NMITLI programme. The first is the development and commercialization of CSIR-TECHNOS Raman Spectrometers (CTR-300 and CTR-150), achieved through a partnership between CSIR–Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (CSIR–AMPRI), Bhopal, and M/s TechnoS Instruments, Jaipur.
These high-end Raman spectrometers, approved for marketing in January 2022, represent a significant milestone in India’s scientific instrumentation capabilities. Eleven units of indigenous Raman Spectrometers have been supplied across the country to date, demonstrating growing national adoption of this indigenous technology.
The second highlighted success, Dr Jitendra Singh noted, was the development of fuel cell technology under the Industry-Originated NMITLI programme. In this initiative, KPIT collaborated with CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) Pune and CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI) to develop and demonstrate low-temperature PEM fuel cell systems. The expertise developed through this collaboration has since been translated into applications for the marine, defence, and automotive sectors. A major outcome of this effort was the launch of the country’s first indigenous green hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, under the Harit Nauka initiative. The vessel, developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd., features a hydrogen fuel cell-based drivetrain built by KPIT, drawing upon the foundational work enabled by CSIR.
Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that these achievements exemplify the role of CSIR in driving technology-led growth and contributing to India’s self-reliance in frontier areas.
The Minister called upon the CSIR authorities to continue strengthening the industry linkages, scale up innovations for societal impact and pursue bold R&D initiatives aligned with national priorities.
Susan Stolovy (SSC/Caltech) et al., NASA SPitzer/IRAC
Astronomers have long been puzzled by two strange phenomena at the heart of our galaxy. First, the gas in the central molecular zone (CMZ), a dense and chaotic region near the Milky Way’s core, appears to be ionised (meaning it is electrically charged because it has lost electrons) at a surprisingly high rate.
Second, telescopes have detected a mysterious glow of gamma rays with an energy of 511 kilo-electronvolts (keV) (which corresponds to the energy of an electron at rest).
Interestingly, such gamma rays are produced when an electron and its antimatter counterpart (all fundamental charged particles have antimatter versions of themselves that are near identical, but with opposite charge), the positron, collide and annihilate in a flash of light.
The causes of both effects have remained unclear, despite decades of observation. But in a new study, published in Physical Review Letters, we show that both could be linked to one of the most elusive ingredients in the universe: dark matter. In particular, we propose that a new form of dark matter, less massive than the types astronomers typically look for, could be the culprit.
Hidden process
The CMZ spans almost 700 light years and contains some of the most dense molecular gas in the galaxy. Over the years, scientists have found that this region is unusually ionised, meaning the hydrogen molecules there are being split into charged particles (electrons and nuclei) at a much faster rate than expected.
This could be the result of sources such as cosmic rays and star light that bombard the gas. However, these alone don’t seem to be able to account for the observed levels.
The other mystery, the 511keV emission, was first observed in the 1970s, but still has no clearly identified source. Several candidates have been proposed, including supernovas, massive stars, black holes and neutron stars. However, none fully explain the pattern or intensity of the emission.
We asked a simple question: could both phenomena be caused by the same hidden process?
Dark matter makes up around 85% of the matter in the universe, but it does not emit or absorb light. While its gravitational effects are clear, scientists do not yet know what it is made of.
One possibility, often overlooked, is that dark matter particles could be very light, with masses just a few million electronvolts, far lighter than a proton, and still play a cosmic role. These light dark matter candidates are generally called sub-GeV (giga electronvolts) dark matter particles.
Such dark matter particles may interact with their antiparticles. In our work, we studied what would happen if these light dark matter particles come in contact with their own antiparticles in the galactic centre and annihilate each other, producing electrons and positrons.
In the dense gas of the CMZ, these low-energy particles would quickly lose energy and ionise the surrounding hydrogen molecules very efficiently by knocking off their electrons. Because the region is so dense, the particles would not travel far. Instead, they would deposit most of their energy locally, which matches the observed ionisation profile quite well.
Using detailed simulations, we found that this simple process, dark matter particles annihilating into electrons and positrons, can naturally explain the ionisation rates observed in the CMZ.
Even better, the required properties of the dark matter, such as its mass and interaction strength, do not conflict with any known constraints from the early universe. Dark matter of this kind appears to be a serious option.
The positron puzzle
If dark matter is creating positrons in the CMZ, those particles will eventually slow down and eventually annihilate with electrons in the environment, producing gamma-rays at exactly 511keV energy. This would provide a direct link between the ionisation and the mysterious glow.
We found that while dark matter can explain the ionisation, it may also be able to replicate some amount of 511keV radiation as well. This striking finding suggests that the two signals may potentially originate from the same source, light dark matter.
The exact brightness of the 511keV line depends on several factors, including how efficiently positrons form bound states with electrons and where exactly they annihilate though. These details are still uncertain.
A new way to test the invisible
Regardless of whether the 511keV emission and the CMZ ionisation share a common source, the ionisation rate in the CMZ is emerging as a valuable new observation to study dark matter. In particular, it provides a way to test models involving light dark matter particles, which are difficult to detect using traditional laboratory experiments.
Move observations of the Milky Way could help test theories of dark matter. ESO/Y. Beletsky, CC BY-SA
In our study, we showed that the predicted ionisation profile from dark matter is remarkably flat across the CMZ. This is important, because the observed ionisation is indeed spread relatively evenly.
Point sources such as the black hole at the centre of the galaxy or cosmic ray sources like supernovas (exploding stars) cannot easily explain this. But a smoothly distributed dark matter halo can.
Our findings suggest that the centre of the Milky Way may offer new clues about the fundamental nature of dark matter.
Future telescopes with better resolution will be able to provide more information on the spatial distribution and relationships between the 511 keV line and the CMZ ionisation rate. Meanwhile, continued observations of the CMZ may help rule out, or strengthen, the dark matter explanation.
Either way, these strange signals from the heart of the galaxy remind us that the universe is still full of surprises. Sometimes, looking inward, to the dynamic, glowing centre of our own galaxy, reveals the most unexpected hints of what lies beyond.
Shyam Balaji receives funding from the STFC under grant ST/X000753/1. He is affiliated with King’s College London.
Aghorn Operating and Kodiak Roustabout to Pay $1.4M in Criminal Fines; Aghorn VP to Serve Five Months in Prison
Aghorn Operating Inc., an oilfield company, Trent Day, an executive of Aghorn, and Kodiak Roustabout Inc., entered guilty pleas and were sentenced yesterday in relation to criminal worker safety and federal clean air and safe drinking water violations. According to court documents, Aghorn owns and operates oil wells in and near Odessa, Texas. Odessa is in the Permian basin where oil reserves are “sour,” meaning they have high hydrogen sulfide content. Hydrogen sulfide gas can be deadly at high concentrations.
The case leading to these pleas is the result of an investigation of the Oct. 26, 2019, death of Aghorn employee Jacob Dean and his wife Natalee Dean. Both were overcome by hydrogen sulfide at an Aghorn facility in Odessa.
Day agreed to plead guilty to a Clean Air Act (CAA) negligent endangerment charge and serve five months in prison. Aghorn pleaded guilty to CAA negligent endangerment and an Occupational Safety and Health Act willful violation count for the death of Jacob Dean. Kodiak pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act for falsifying oil well integrity tests. Aghorn will pay a $1 million criminal fine and Kodiak will pay a $400,000 criminal fine. These pleas were made under agreements the defendants entered into with the United States. Under the agreements, other pending charges will be dismissed. Yesterday, the court accepted the defendants’ guilty pleas and sentenced them in accordance with their plea agreements.
“Through these guilty pleas, the defendants accept responsibility for allowing hazards that should have been prevented,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “If they had done what the law requires, Jacob and Natalee might still be with us today. The Justice Department can’t stand by when employers put workers at such risk.”
“Energy production is vital, but it must be done competently and lawfully,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Operators who gravely endanger and kill others and those who lie to the government will be held accountable for their criminal conduct. EPA’s criminal investigation of these tragic deaths led to today’s plea deal.”
According to a factual statement accepted by Day and Aghorn, Jacob Dean responded to a call to check a pump at an Aghorn facility. There, he encountered deadly hydrogen sulfide gas, was overcome, and died. His wife, Natalee Dean, knew where Jacob had gone and started calling him when he did not return in a timely manner. When those calls went unanswered, Natalee drove to the facility. When Natalee arrived at the facility, she was also overcome while looking for Jacob and died.
Trent Day admitted that he should have controlled hydrogen sulfide emissions as part of his duties and that because he did not, he placed others in imminent danger of death. Aghorn admitted the same criminal negligence and to a separate charge that it willfully violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act regulations requiring companies to implement respiratory protection programs to address hazards like those at the facility. In addition to paying a $1 million fine, the company will maintain a set of improvements it made after the tragedy during its period of probation.
The investigation also uncovered false statements by Kodiak about injection well testing related to Aghorn’s oil operations. The mechanical integrity of an injection well must be evaluated by conducting pressure tests. These tests are part of programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act to prevent leaks from those wells. Such leaks could, under some circumstances, contaminate groundwater. In its plea agreement, Kodiak admitted that it sent forms and charts to the Texas Railroad Commission, claiming they were tests for specific wells when Kodiak knew they were not actual records of tests of those wells. Kodiak, in addition to its $400,000 fine, will guarantee that at least 33 tests conducted for Aghorn wells during its year of probation are witnessed or conducted by a third party.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Justice Department and EPA would like to thank the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Railroad Commission, Ector County Environmental, and the Odessa Fire Department for their support of the investigation.
Senior Trial Attorney Christopher Costantini, Trial Attorney Mark Romley, and Assistant Section Chief Thomas T. Ballantine of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
Aghorn Operating and Kodiak Roustabout to Pay $1.4M in Criminal Fines; Aghorn VP to Serve Five Months in Prison
Aghorn Operating Inc., an oilfield company, Trent Day, an executive of Aghorn, and Kodiak Roustabout Inc., entered guilty pleas and were sentenced yesterday in relation to criminal worker safety and federal clean air and safe drinking water violations. According to court documents, Aghorn owns and operates oil wells in and near Odessa, Texas. Odessa is in the Permian basin where oil reserves are “sour,” meaning they have high hydrogen sulfide content. Hydrogen sulfide gas can be deadly at high concentrations.
The case leading to these pleas is the result of an investigation of the Oct. 26, 2019, death of Aghorn employee Jacob Dean and his wife Natalee Dean. Both were overcome by hydrogen sulfide at an Aghorn facility in Odessa.
Day agreed to plead guilty to a Clean Air Act (CAA) negligent endangerment charge and serve five months in prison. Aghorn pleaded guilty to CAA negligent endangerment and an Occupational Safety and Health Act willful violation count for the death of Jacob Dean. Kodiak pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act for falsifying oil well integrity tests. Aghorn will pay a $1 million criminal fine and Kodiak will pay a $400,000 criminal fine. These pleas were made under agreements the defendants entered into with the United States. Under the agreements, other pending charges will be dismissed. Yesterday, the court accepted the defendants’ guilty pleas and sentenced them in accordance with their plea agreements.
“Through these guilty pleas, the defendants accept responsibility for allowing hazards that should have been prevented,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “If they had done what the law requires, Jacob and Natalee might still be with us today. The Justice Department can’t stand by when employers put workers at such risk.”
“Energy production is vital, but it must be done competently and lawfully,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Operators who gravely endanger and kill others and those who lie to the government will be held accountable for their criminal conduct. EPA’s criminal investigation of these tragic deaths led to today’s plea deal.”
According to a factual statement accepted by Day and Aghorn, Jacob Dean responded to a call to check a pump at an Aghorn facility. There, he encountered deadly hydrogen sulfide gas, was overcome, and died. His wife, Natalee Dean, knew where Jacob had gone and started calling him when he did not return in a timely manner. When those calls went unanswered, Natalee drove to the facility. When Natalee arrived at the facility, she was also overcome while looking for Jacob and died.
Trent Day admitted that he should have controlled hydrogen sulfide emissions as part of his duties and that because he did not, he placed others in imminent danger of death. Aghorn admitted the same criminal negligence and to a separate charge that it willfully violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act regulations requiring companies to implement respiratory protection programs to address hazards like those at the facility. In addition to paying a $1 million fine, the company will maintain a set of improvements it made after the tragedy during its period of probation.
The investigation also uncovered false statements by Kodiak about injection well testing related to Aghorn’s oil operations. The mechanical integrity of an injection well must be evaluated by conducting pressure tests. These tests are part of programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act to prevent leaks from those wells. Such leaks could, under some circumstances, contaminate groundwater. In its plea agreement, Kodiak admitted that it sent forms and charts to the Texas Railroad Commission, claiming they were tests for specific wells when Kodiak knew they were not actual records of tests of those wells. Kodiak, in addition to its $400,000 fine, will guarantee that at least 33 tests conducted for Aghorn wells during its year of probation are witnessed or conducted by a third party.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Justice Department and EPA would like to thank the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Railroad Commission, Ector County Environmental, and the Odessa Fire Department for their support of the investigation.
Senior Trial Attorney Christopher Costantini, Trial Attorney Mark Romley, and Assistant Section Chief Thomas T. Ballantine of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
U.S. energy consumption decreases in the next several years before increasing again in the early 2040s through 2050, according to our recently published Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025). U.S. energy consumption in 2050 is lower than in 2024 in most of the scenarios we explore in AEO2025, but the range of outcomes varies significantly based on the underlying assumptions.
For AEO2025, we made significant updates to the model that underpins the results, adding a hydrogen market module; a carbon capture, allocation, transportation, and sequestration module; and an enhanced upstream oil and natural gas resources module. We also enhanced many existing modules to better reflect market dynamics and emerging technologies.
Our policy assumptions are central to understanding our AEO2025 projections. In most of the cases we modeled, we only considered laws and regulations implemented as of December 2024. Legislation, regulations, executive actions, and court rulings after that date are not included.
You can view and chart the full results on the AEO2025 web page.
In addition to our usual Reference case and eight side cases, we have included two alternative policy cases this year to examine the effects of electricity and transportation sector policies implemented since our last AEO.
Principal contributors: Office of Energy Analysis staff
CALGARY, Alberta, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Questor Technology Inc. (“Questor” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: QST) announced today its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.
Questor’s audited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024 are available on the Company’s website at www.questortech.com/quarterly-reports and at www.sedarplus.ca.
Unless otherwise noted, all financial figures are presented in Canadian dollars, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and are unaudited for the three months ended December 31, 2024.
FOURTH QUARTER AND 2024 CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS
Three months ended December 31,
Twelve months ended December 31,
For the
2024
2023
2024
2023
(Stated in CDN $)
Revenue
1,775,892
1,445,128
4,520,580
7,190,871
Gross profit
595,405
738,031
1,233,410
2,730,907
Adjusted EBITA(1)
5,246
152,543
(1,450,452)
488,787
Loss for the period
(1,041,393)
(891,982)
(3,233,997)
(4,806,412)
Loss per share – basic and diluted
(0.04)
(0.03)
(0.12)
(0.17)
As at
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2023
(Stated in CDN $)
Working capital(2)
7,570,934
11,844,178
Total assets
24,090,332
27,125,820
Total equity
21,110,076
24,357,652
(1)Non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section at the end of this MD&A. (2)Working capital is defined as total currentassetsless total current liabilities.
Revenue for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $1.8 million and $4.5 million compared to $1.4 million and $7.2 million for the same periods in 2023. The reduction was mainly attributed to a strategic shift in Questor’s business focus towards the international market. Questor’s USA sales team was hired in the second half of 2024 with a focus on rebuilding rental and sales revenue lost primarily due to merger and acquisition activity combined with regulatory changes in the space over the past few years. The revenue focus is primarily in the Permian basin, Colorado, North Dakota, New Mexico and Wyoming. The company is exploring potential rental opportunities in Mexico, with rental activities set to begin in Q1 2025. While short-term results were impacted by the change in our client base combined with regulatory changes, our refreshed focus on global markets with opportunities to eliminate methane and VOC emissions will position the Company for stronger, more diversified and ultimately more sustainable growth in the long term. As at the date of this press release, the Company has secured $4.5 million of committed equipment sales revenue, expected to be fulfilled in the first half of 2025.
Gross profit as a percentage of revenue for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was 34 percent and 27 percent compared to 51 percent and 38 percent for the same periods in 2023. The reduction for the twelve and three months ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior periods is mainly due to a lower revenue, where the Company continues to incur fixed costs and due to the revenue and sales mix. Additionally, 2024 cost of sales expense benefited from the absence of a $0.2 million valuation allowance for slow-moving inventory, which was recognized in 2023.
Adjusted EBITDA for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was nil and negative $1.5 million, compared to positive $0.2 million and $0.5 million for the same periods in 2023. The reduction in Adjusted EBITDA is mainly due to lower revenue, where the Company continues to incur operational and administrative fixed costs.
The Company continues to have a strong financial position at December 31, 2024 including cash and cash equivalents of $5.3 million, $1.7 million of highly liquid short-term investments, and working capital of $7.6 million.
2024 HIGHLIGHTS AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
In the fourth quarter of 2024, Questor received the final payment of $1,393,246 for the milestone one of the Waste Heat to Power project from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (“SDTC”).
The construction of the 1500kW waste heat to power prototype neared completion in Q4, with final testing underway in Q1 2025. Commissioning is scheduled to begin in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, Questor has advanced negotiations and preparations for the prototype’s field demonstration, with the field deployment expected in the second half of 2025.
On February 9, 2024, Questor commenced Normal Course Issuer Bid (“NCIB”) allowing Questor to purchase a maximum of 1,400,000 common shares over the 12-month period for cancellation. NCIB is effective until the earliest of (i) February 7, 2025, (ii) the Company purchasing the maximum of 1,400,000 Shares, and (iii) the Company terminating the NCIB. In connection with the current NCIB, Questor entered into an automatic share purchase plan (“ASPP”) with its designated broker to enable the purchase of shares during blackout periods during which the Company would not ordinarily be permitted to purchase shares. Purchases under the ASPP during those periods are determined by the designated broker in its sole discretion based on the purchasing parameters set by Questor in accordance with the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange, applicable securities laws and the terms of the ASPP. Outside of the periods noted above, purchases under the current NCIB are completed at Questor’s discretion. As of December 31, 2024 under the current NCIB and the instructions in place with the broker, Questor purchased for cancellation of 671,500 shares for the weighted average of $0.48. Subsequent to the year-end, the Company’s NCIB expired and was formally concluded on February 7, 2025. As a result of the NCIB, which was active from February 9, 2024 to February 7, 2025, the Company repurchased and cancelled a total of 731,500 shares at a weighted average price of $0.47 per share.
In the first quarter of 2025, Questor announced a $0.9 million purchase order to supply clean combustion solutions for managing railcar vapours at Caltrax Inc.’s Calgary facility. During the same period, the company also secured a $2.4 million contract in Iraq, marking the second unit supplied in the MENA region for a leading global exploration and production company focused on reducing flaring and methane emissions.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
The global regulatory landscape for emissions is rapidly evolving, with increasing pressure from regulators, courts, investors, and the public to reduce flaring and venting in industrial operations. As a result, Questor is seeing significant global interest in our technology solutions to help address these critical challenges.
Flaring and venting not only waste valuable resources but also contribute significantly to air pollution. This practice releases methane, hydrocarbons, fine particulates (PM2.5), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde into the atmosphere. These harmful pollutants have been directly linked to higher cancer rates, respiratory diseases, and other chronic health conditions. Methane, in particular, is a climate “super pollutant” with 86 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over 20 years. It is responsible for 30% of observed global warming to date, making it a key target for climate change mitigation.
At Questor, we offer proven solutions to combat these challenges. Our ISO 14034-certified thermal oxidizer achieves a 99.99% combustion efficiency, ensuring that our clients can demonstrate compliance with emissions standards and eliminate the release of harmful pollutants. This clean combustion technology significantly reduces health risks in surrounding communities, including respiratory illnesses and cancers. Additionally, our organic Rankine cycle (ORC) repurposes heat from methane combustion, creating a revenue stream that offsets the costs of achieving net-zero carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
Many major oil and gas producers have pledged to reduce flaring, venting, and methane emissions while working toward net-zero goals. Questor’s innovative combination of clean combustion and waste heat-to-power technology enables our clients to meet these all these commitments at a net-zero cost.
Questor’s multi-year strategy to intentionally diversify revenue streams globally has focussed on those jurisdictions that have created favorable conditions that have considered the environmental and social impacts of energy production and want to grow their future production in a sustainable manner. As an example, the Iraq contract awarded early 2025 in partnership with OilSERV was for TotalEnergies EP Ratawi Hub, as a part of the multi-energy Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP) operated by TotalEnergies. The GGIP is designed to enhance the development of Iraq’s natural resources to improve the country’s electricity supply. This 4-in-1 project comprises the recovery of gas that is currently flared at three oil fields in southern Iraq to supply electric power plants, the redevelopment of the Ratawi oil field, the construction of a 1 GWac (1.25GWp) solar farm and of a seawater treatment plant. The Questor Q5000 Unit will initially treat 2.1 MMSCFD of associated gas during the pilot phase. Subsequently, the unit will treat an additional 1.2 to 2 MMSCFD of low-pressure gas, maximizing the Q5000’s potential and reducing site GHG emissions in the frame of AGUP Phase 1 development. This is the second unit that TotalEnergies has purchased in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. TotalEnergies exemplifies the ideal partner for Questor’s solutions, utilizing our thermal oxidizer to reduce methane and VOC emissions, and the future potential of utilizing waste-heat in the GGIP and converting it to power with our 1.5MW Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC) generator.
To accelerate global adoption, we have partnered with key industry leaders. In Iraq, we collaborate with OilSERV, a top-tier integrated oilfield services provider in the Middle East. In Nigeria, we are represented by Ar-Rahman Technical Services Nig. Limited. In Latin America, our partnership with Hoerbiger, an established multinational company with over 120 locations in 50 countries, further expands our reach. In Mexico, we work with JHJ and GSM Carso, leading service providers supplying units to Pemex. Over the past three years, we have built strong relationships with these partners, educating them on our technology and supporting them in client engagements. With a 25-year track record of eliminating flaring and venting, we are confident that Questor can set the standard for best practices in these regions.
As global incentives for methane and VOC reduction continue to grow, Questor is uniquely positioned to help clients improve environmental performance while strengthening their community relations. We anticipate that both new and existing clients will view Questor as the ideal partner to accelerate the attainment of their environmental pledges—reducing emissions while simultaneously cutting costs and generating revenue.
Finally, we acknowledge the evolving political and economic landscape and its potential impact on our operations. We have assessed the risks associated with tariffs and remain confident in our ability to adapt. With strategically positioned inventory in Canada and the United States and established supply chains across North America, Questor is well-prepared to navigate uncertainties. Our global partnerships further diversify our revenue streams, ensuring continued resilience and growth.
As we move forward, Questor remains committed to driving innovation, sustainability, and global leadership in emissions reduction.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “seek”, “propose”, “estimate”, “expect”, and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. This news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company’s public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
ABOUT QUESTOR TECHNOLOGY INC.
Questor Technology Inc., incorporated in Canada under the Business Companies Act (Alberta) is an environmental emissions reduction technology company founded in 1994, with global operations. The Company is focused on clean air technologies that safely and cost effectively improve air quality, support energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Company designs, manufactures and services high efficiency clean combustion systems that destroy harmful pollutants, including Methane, Hydrogen Sulfide gas, Volatile Organic Hydrocarbons, Hazardous Air Pollutants and BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) gases within waste gas streams at >99.99 percent efficiency per its ISO 14034 Certification. This enables its clients to meet emission regulations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address community concerns and improve safety at industrial sites.
The Company also has proprietary heat to power generation technology and is currently targeting new markets including landfill biogas, syngas, waste engine exhaust, geothermal and solar, cement plant waste heat in addition to a wide variety of oil and gas projects. The combination of Questor’s clean combustion and power generation technologies can help clients achieve net zero emission targets for minimal cost. The Company is also doing research and development on data solutions to deliver an integrated system that amalgamates all the emission detection data available to demonstrate a clear picture of the site’s emission profile.
The Company’s common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “QST”. The address of the Company’s corporate and registered office is 1920, 707 – 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 1H5.
QUESTOR TRADES ON THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE UNDER THE SYMBOL ‘QST’
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This document is not intended for dissemination or distribution in the United States.
Scientists have hypothesized since the 1960s that the Sun is a source of ingredients that form water on the Moon. When a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind smashes into the lunar surface, the idea goes, it triggers a chemical reaction that could make water molecules. Now, in the most realistic lab simulation of this process yet, NASA-led researchers have confirmed this prediction. The finding, researchers wrote in a March 17 paper in JGR Planets, has implications for NASA’s Artemis astronaut operations at the Moon’s South Pole. A critical resource for exploration, much of the water on the Moon is thought to be frozen in permanently shadowed regions at the poles. “The exciting thing here is that with only lunar soil and a basic ingredient from the Sun, which is always spitting out hydrogen, there’s a possibility of creating water,” Li Hsia Yeo, a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “That’s incredible to think about,” said Yeo, who led the study. Solar wind flows constantly from the Sun. It’s made largely of protons, which are nuclei of hydrogen atoms that have lost their electrons. Traveling at more than one million miles per hour, the solar wind bathes the entire solar system. We see evidence of it on Earth when it lights up our sky in auroral light shows.
Most of the solar particles don’t reach the surface of Earth because our planet has a magnetic shield and an atmosphere to deflect them. But the Moon has no such protection. As computer models and lab experiments have shown, when protons smash into the Moon’s surface, which is made of a dusty and rocky material called regolith, they collide with electrons and recombine to form hydrogen atoms. Then, the hydrogen atoms can migrate through the lunar surface and bond with the abundant oxygen atoms already present in minerals like silica to form hydroxyl (OH) molecules, a component of water, and water (H2O) molecules themselves. Scientists have found evidence of both hydroxyl and water molecules in the Moon’s upper surface, just a few millimeters deep. These molecules leave behind a kind of chemical fingerprint — a noticeable dip in a wavy line on a graph that shows how light interacts with the regolith. With the current tools available, though, it is difficult to tell the difference between hydroxyl and water, so scientists use the term “water” to refer to either one or a mix of both molecules. Many researchers think the solar wind is the main reason the molecules are there, though other sources like micrometeorite impacts could also help by creating heat and triggering chemical reactions.
Spacecraft measurements had already hinted that the solar wind is the primary driver of water, or its components, at the lunar surface. One key clue, confirmed by Yeo’s team’s experiment: the Moon’s water-related spectral signal changes over the course of the day. In some regions, it’s stronger in the cooler morning and fades as the surface heats up, likely because water and hydrogen molecules move around or escape to space. As the surface cools again at night, the signal peaks again. This daily cycle points to an active source — most likely the solar wind—replenishing tiny amounts of water on the Moon each day. To test whether this is true, Yeo and her colleague, Jason McLain, a research scientist at NASA Goddard, built a custom apparatus to examine Apollo lunar samples. In a first, the apparatus held all experiment components inside: a solar particle beam device, an airless chamber that simulated the Moon’s environment, and a molecule detector. Their invention allowed the researchers to avoid ever taking the sample out of the chamber — as other experiments did — and exposing it to contamination from the water in the air. “It took a long time and many iterations to design the apparatus components and get them all to fit inside,” said McLain, “but it was worth it, because once we eliminated all possible sources of contamination, we learned that this decades-old idea about the solar wind turns out to be true.” Using dust from two different samples picked up on the Moon by NASA’s Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972, Yeo and her colleagues first baked the samples to remove any possible water they could have picked up between air-tight storage in NASA’s space-sample curation facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and Goddard’s lab. Then, they used a tiny particle accelerator to bombard the dust with mock solar wind for several days — the equivalent of 80,000 years on the Moon, based on the high dose of the particles used. They used a detector called a spectrometer to measure how much light the dust molecules reflected, which showed how the samples’ chemical makeup changed over time. In the end, the team saw a drop in the light signal that bounced to their detector precisely at the point in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum — near 3 microns — where water typically absorbs energy, leaving a telltale signature. While they can’t conclusively say if their experiment made water molecules, the researchers reported in their study that the shape and width of the dip in the wavy line on their graph suggests that both hydroxyl and water were produced in the lunar samples. By Lonnie Shekhtman NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
The Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025) explores potential long-term energy trends in the United States. AEO2025 is published in accordance with Section 205c of the Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-91), which requires the Administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to prepare an annual report that contains trends and projections of energy consumption and supply. These projections are used by federal, state, and local governments; industry; trade associations; and other planners and decisionmakers in the public and private sectors.
We prepared the AEO by using the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) to project a set of scenarios that, taken together, represent a range of outcomes for the U.S. energy system. AEO2025 represents the culmination of a year-long effort that enabled major upgrades to NEMS.
Our policy assumptions are central to understanding our AEO2025 projections. In most of the cases we model, we only consider laws and regulations implemented as of December 2024. As is the case every time we prepare an AEO, a cutoff date is necessary to enable us to conclude our modeling and integrate the final results for publication. Therefore, legislation, regulations, executive actions, and court rulings after that date are not included. We are releasing the model results without a lengthy market analysis this year.
The U.S. energy system underwent major changes in the first quarter of the 21st century as oil and natural gas production surged, renewables were deployed more widely, and energy consumption patterns changed. AEO2025 can help stakeholders examine the ways in which the system could further change through 2050.
Energy markets are complex. Energy models are simplified representations of energy production and consumption, laws and regulations, and producer and consumer behavior. Projections are highly dependent on the data, methodologies, model structures, and assumptions used in their development. These results are not predictions of what will happen. Instead, AEO2025 results represent modeled projections of what could happen given certain assumptions and methodologies.
Consistent with our historical practices and statutory mission, we do not independently propose or advocate future legislative and regulatory changes, although at times we do analyze scenarios based on existing policy proposals. Our assumptions documents provide additional details on the assumptions we included in AEO2025, and an overview of the laws and regulations included in AEO2025 is available on the AEO website.
AEO2025’s projections reflect business-as-usual trends, given known technological and demographic trends and current laws and regulations, and so provides a policy-neutral Reference case and an accompanying set of core side cases that can be used to analyze policy initiatives. For some readers, this approach may be unsatisfying because policy rarely remains static for long periods. But the purpose of basing projections on laws and regulations as of December 2024 is to provide a comparison point for further analysis; without such a reference point, critical information about incremental changes to energy system outcomes based on new assumptions is lost.
Because policies can have meaningful impacts on the energy sector, we have also included two alternative policy cases this year to help stakeholders to examine the effects of regulations implemented since our last AEO. When compared with the Reference case, one case allows stakeholders to examine the effects of recent regulations on power plants and the other recent regulations targeting vehicle fuel economy and emissions.
Modeled Cases
Outcomes concerning future technology, demographics, and resources cannot be known with any degree of certainty. We address many key uncertainties in our projections through alternative cases. In AEO2025, we ran 11 cases to model a range of assumptions. In addition to the two alternative policy cases we examined this year, we also include eight core side cases, which we have presented in prior releases of the AEO. A detailed explanation of each case is available on the website, and a brief description is in the following sections.
AEO2025 Reference case
Our Reference case assesses how the U.S. energy markets could operate under laws and regulations current as of December 2024 and under historically observed technological growth assumptions.
Alternative Electricity case
Our Alternative Electricity case assumes the Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 111 rule implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2024 to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from new gas-fired combustion turbines and existing coal, oil, and gas-fired steam generating units is not in place, and the affected generators are able to operate under rules existing prior to April 2024. In this case, existing coal-fired plants continue operating without requiring modifications to reduce emissions, and generation from new natural gas-fired combined cycle units isn’t constrained based on whether the plant has installed carbon capture equipment.
Alternative Transportation case
Our Alternative Transportation case assumes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and EPA’s vehicle tailpipe emission standards for model years 2027–2032 are not in place. The case also assumes the California Air Resources Board’s zero-emission vehicle sale mandates for trucks issued since our last published AEO are not in place. Rules affecting fuel economy and tailpipe emissions that were issued for model years 2026 and earlier remain in place. In this case, introduction of new electric vehicle (EV) models and building of EV charging infrastructure are based on growth in EV sales and registrations rather than on announced public and private sector plans. In addition, manufacturer reshoring of EV and battery supply chains, including growth in eligibility for credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, is slower than in the Reference case.
High and Low Oil Price cases
In the High Oil Price case, the price of Brent crude oil increases to $155 per barrel (b) in 2050, compared with $91/b in the Reference case and $47/b in the Low Oil Price case.
High and Low Oil and Gas Supply cases
The High Oil and Gas Supply case assumes ultimate recovery for new tight oil, tight gas, or shale gas wells are 50% higher than in the Reference case. The case also assumes 50% higher undiscovered resources in Alaska and offshore fields. Technological improvement is assumed to be 50% faster. The Low Oil and Gas Supply case assumes the converse.
High and Low Zero-Carbon Technology Cost cases
The Low Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case assumes faster cost declines for electricity-generating technologies that produce zero emissions as construction and manufacturing experience grows, resulting in 40% lower costs than in the Reference case in 2050. The High Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case, conversely, assumes no additional cost reductions from learning with additional deployment of these electricity generating technologies.
High and Low Economic Growth cases
The High Economic Growth case assumes the compound annual growth rate for U.S. GDP is 2.1% through 2050, and the Low Economic Growth case assumes a 1.2% rate. By contrast, the Reference case assumes the U.S. GDP annual growth rate is 1.8% over the projection period.
Major changes for AEO2025
In 2024 we made significant updates to NEMS, and an overview of the changes can be found in our assumptions documents and in the module-specific fact sheets. Briefly, the model that underpins our outlook now includes three new modules:
The Hydrogen Market Module, which represents hydrogen production and pricing, including the impacts of policy, storage, and logistics
The Carbon Capture, Allocation, Transportation, and Sequestration Module, which allocates projected supply of captured CO2 across the energy system either for enhanced oil recovery or storage
The Hydrocarbon Supply Module, which improves the representation of upstream oil and natural gas resources, replacing the legacy NEMS Oil and Gas Supply Module
In addition to the new modules, we have extensively enhanced many existing modules to better reflect market dynamics and emerging technologies. We will provide additional details in the AEO2025 model documentation in the coming months.
We have rewritten and modernized significant portions of the NEMS code base. The source code associated with NEMS is now available via GitHub under an open-source license.
In addition to changes to NEMS, we also updated the way we calculate primary energy consumption of electricity generation from noncombustible renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal. We now calculate consumption of noncombustible renewable energy for electricity generation using the captured energy approach, which applies a constant conversion factor of 3,412 British thermal units per kilowatthour (Btu/kWh), using the heat content of electricity. This approach is a change from our previous methodology, called the fossil fuel equivalency approach, and is consistent with the methodology now used for all EIA products and reports.
The captured energy approach is more consistent with international energy statistics standards than the fossil fuel equivalency approach.
Source: US Energy Information Administration – EIA
Headline: EIA projections show U.S. energy consumption decreasing in the near term, increasing after early 2040s
U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC 20585
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2025
U.S. energy consumption decreases in the next several years and doesn’t increase again until the early 2040s through 2050, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025). U.S. energy consumption in 2050 is lower than in 2024 in most of the scenarios modeled in AEO2025, but the range of outcomes varies significantly based on the underlying assumptions in the scenarios EIA analyzed.
AEO2025 explores long-term energy trends in the United States. It relies on a Reference case that assumes laws and regulations in effect as of December 2024 remain in effect through 2050. AEO2025 also includes scenario-based analyses of separate side cases that make various other assumptions about the energy sector:
The Alternative Electricity case assumes electric generators can operate under regulations that existed prior to April 2024, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented a new rule targeting carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing generating units.
The Alternative Transportation case assumes recent rules targeting vehicle fuel economy and emissions from the EPA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the California Air Resource Board are not in place.
The High Oil Price case assumes the price of Brent crude oil increases to $155 per barrel (b) in 2050, compared with $91/b in the Reference case and $47/b in the Low Oil Price case.
The High Oil and Gas Supply case assumes ultimate recovery for new tight oil, tight gas, or shale gas wells are 50% higher than in the Reference case. The case also assumes 50% higher undiscovered resources in Alaska and offshore fields. Technological improvement is assumed to be 50% faster. The Low Oil and Gas Supply case assumes the converse.
The Low Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case assumes faster cost declines for zero-emissions electricity-generating technologies resulting in 40% lower costs in 2050 than in the Reference case. The High Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case assumes no additional cost reductions with additional deployment.
The High Economic Growth case assumes the compound annual growth rate for U.S. GDP is 2.1% through 2050, compared with 1.2% in the Low Economic Growth case and 1.8% in the Reference case.
For AEO2025, EIA significantly updated the model that underpins the results, adding a hydrogen market module; a carbon capture, allocation, transportation, and sequestration module; and an enhanced upstream oil and natural gas resources module. EIA also enhanced many existing modules to better reflect market dynamics and emerging technologies.
The full Annual Energy Outlook 2025 is available on the EIA website, including full projection tables, a brief narrative, and a detailed description of the assumptions used in each case.
The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA’s data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the U.S. government. The views in the product and this press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the U.S. Department of Energy or other federal agencies.
U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC 20585
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2025
U.S. energy consumption decreases in the next several years and doesn’t increase again until the early 2040s through 2050, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025). U.S. energy consumption in 2050 is lower than in 2024 in most of the scenarios modeled in AEO2025, but the range of outcomes varies significantly based on the underlying assumptions in the scenarios EIA analyzed.
AEO2025 explores long-term energy trends in the United States. It relies on a Reference case that assumes laws and regulations in effect as of December 2024 remain in effect through 2050. AEO2025 also includes scenario-based analyses of separate side cases that make various other assumptions about the energy sector:
The Alternative Electricity case assumes electric generators can operate under regulations that existed prior to April 2024, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented a new rule targeting carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing generating units.
The Alternative Transportation case assumes recent rules targeting vehicle fuel economy and emissions from the EPA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the California Air Resource Board are not in place.
The High Oil Price case assumes the price of Brent crude oil increases to $155 per barrel (b) in 2050, compared with $91/b in the Reference case and $47/b in the Low Oil Price case.
The High Oil and Gas Supply case assumes ultimate recovery for new tight oil, tight gas, or shale gas wells are 50% higher than in the Reference case. The case also assumes 50% higher undiscovered resources in Alaska and offshore fields. Technological improvement is assumed to be 50% faster. The Low Oil and Gas Supply case assumes the converse.
The Low Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case assumes faster cost declines for zero-emissions electricity-generating technologies resulting in 40% lower costs in 2050 than in the Reference case. The High Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case assumes no additional cost reductions with additional deployment.
The High Economic Growth case assumes the compound annual growth rate for U.S. GDP is 2.1% through 2050, compared with 1.2% in the Low Economic Growth case and 1.8% in the Reference case.
For AEO2025, EIA significantly updated the model that underpins the results, adding a hydrogen market module; a carbon capture, allocation, transportation, and sequestration module; and an enhanced upstream oil and natural gas resources module. EIA also enhanced many existing modules to better reflect market dynamics and emerging technologies.
The full Annual Energy Outlook 2025 is available on the EIA website, including full projection tables, a brief narrative, and a detailed description of the assumptions used in each case.
The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA’s data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the U.S. government. The views in the product and this press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the U.S. Department of Energy or other federal agencies.
EIA Press Contact: Chris Higginbotham, EIAMedia@eia.gov
TORONTO, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abraxas Power Corp. (“Abraxas Power”), a leading energy transition developer, and its subsidiary Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corporation (“EVREC”), today announced that Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Environment and Climate Change has released the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) guidelines for the highly anticipated Green Energy Hub project in the Botwood, NL area (the “Project”). The Project, set to revolutionize energy production in the province, aims to harness renewable energy sources to produce hydrogen in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner.
The purpose of the EIS is to identify for all phases of the Project (construction, operation and maintenance, decommissioning and rehabilitation) the important beneficial and adverse environmental effects associated with the Project, measures to mitigate adverse effects, the significance of residual environmental effects, public concerns and the response to those concerns. The comprehensive guidelines are intended to ensure that the Project is developed with the highest environmental standards in mind, supporting Newfoundland and Labrador’s commitment to a clean energy future while minimizing environmental effects.
The release of the EIS guidelines marks the beginning of the formal environmental assessment process. Public consultations will be held throughout the process, allowing community members, stakeholders, and interested parties to find out more about the Project as it develops.
EVREC remains committed to the responsible development of the Project and is eager to continue collaboration with stakeholders, regulators, and the public throughout the next phase of environmental review. Through the EIS, EVREC will provide further detailed information about the Project in various areas, including Project scope, water resource management, air quality and emissions, flora and fauna, and Project component locations, to name a few. The Project is expected to not only contribute to the province’s green energy transition but also create significant economic benefits, including job creation, new investment opportunities, and the establishment of Newfoundland and Labrador as a key player in the growing global hydrogen market.
“The EIS is an essential part of our approach, and we are eager to maintain open, ongoing engagement with stakeholders and regulators while continuing to work on refining and advancing all aspects of the Project”, said Dean Comand, COO of Abraxas Power. “Newfoundland and Labrador is on the cutting edge of clean energy innovation, and this Project represents an exciting opportunity for the province to contribute to global sustainability efforts. The EIS is an important step in the process and underscores our commitment to responsible development and to working alongside communities and stakeholders to ensure that the environmental impact is carefully considered at every stage of this transformative project.”
EVREC is a Power-to-X (P2X) project that was awarded access to over 300 square kilometres of crown lands by the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2023 for EVREC’s use in the development of its project in Central Newfoundland. EVREC will include up to 3+ gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind capacity with associated energy and molecular storage to power behind-the-meter green hydrogen (H2) and green ammonia (NH3) production. The Project anticipates generating ~180,000 tons of green H2 and ~1,000,000 tons of green NH3 annually. EVREC aims to have its own dedicated port infrastructure to export its products to global markets.
EVREC has significantly advanced the Project through pre-construction activities which include engineering, wind resource measurement, and environmental assessment processes, including environmental data collection, and public and stakeholder engagement. The final Project design is subject to these ongoing assessments and activities.
EVREC’S Environmental Assessment Registration can be found at:
Abraxas Power is a pioneering energy transition developer focused on decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors and creating value by solving the current and future challenges of the energy transition. Abraxas Power’s broad mandate allows it to see opportunities across technologies and geographies to transform the global energy industry. Our team has extensive experience in leading, financing, and solving the challenges associated with energy transition, and a proven track record of delivering complex, large-scale development projects across various disciplines, including renewable power and storage, hydrogen and ammonia production, industrial and precious metals, large-scale project construction, and operations at scale. The team possesses strong project finance and capital markets experience and has a history of creating value for shareholders, stakeholders, and the communities they live in. Abraxas Power has signed strategic partnerships with various global strategics and technology providers.
Abraxas Power has secured over US$9 billion in capital projects through competitive government awards over the past year in furtherance of the energy transition, including our marquis EVREC Project.
India contributes 7.1% to global GDP through its automotive sector and ranks 4th in global vehicle production.
Despite a strong manufacturing base, India holds only 3% share in global traded auto components,highlighting a vast scope for expansion.
The Vision 2030 roadmap aims to scale production to $145bn, exports to $60bn, and generate 2–2.5 million jobs.
Government schemes like FAME, PM E-Drive, and PLI have mobilized ₹66,000+ crore to support EVs and localization.
With targeted reforms and GVC integration, India can raise its global component trade share from 3% to 8% by 2030.
On 11th April 2024, NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Automotive Industry: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains’, launched by Vice Chairman Shri Suman Bery, senior members, and the CEO of NITI Aayog. The report outlines India’s Global Value Chain (GVC) potential in the automotive sector and highlights strategic pathways for global leadership.
India’s automotive industry is a cornerstone of the nation’s manufacturing and economic growth, contributing 7.1% to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 49% to manufacturing GDP. As the fourth-largestautomobileproducer globally, India possesses the scale and strategic depth to emerge as a global leader in the automotive value chain. The sector spans a vast ecosystem, from vehicle assembly and auto component manufacturing to deep interlinkages with critical industries such as steel, electronics, rubber, IT, and logistics. In recent years, India has seen exponential growth in vehicle production, with over 28 million units manufactured in 2023–24 alone. The industry’s contribution goes beyond industrial output, and it supports millions of direct and indirect jobs, spurs innovation, and is central to India’s green mobility transition, industrial ambitions, and trade strategy.
The global automotive component market was valued at $2 trillion in 2022, with $700 billion traded across borders. Despite India’s strong manufacturing base, its share in the globally traded auto component market remains at just 3% (~$20 billion), highlighting a vast scope for expansion. India’s trade ratio in auto components is near-neutral (~0.99), with exports and imports nearly balancing each other. This also underlines the domestic sector’s limited penetration in high-value, high-precision segments such as engine and engine components, along with drive transmission and steering systems, where India holds just 2–4% of the global trade share. Bridging this gap requires structural reforms, strategic investments, and a coordinated industrial policy approach. With the right enabling conditions, India can triple exports to $60 billion, generate a $25 billion trade surplus, and create over 2-2.5 million direct jobs by 2030, propelling it toward becoming a globally competitive, innovation-driven manufacturing hub.
Strategic Importance of the Automotive Sector
Contributes 7.1% to India’s GDP and 49% to manufacturing GDP.
Employs millions and supports critical linkages across steel, electronics, and IT sectors.
India’s current share in globally traded auto components is approximately 3% or 20 billion.
India’s Vision for Automotive Industry
This vision aligns with India’s aspirations to become a global manufacturing hub under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
Global Trends Shaping the Sector
1. Rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs):
EVs are reshaping manufacturing priorities, with China producing over 8 million EVs in 2023.
The EU and the US are accelerating EV adoption through regulatory mandates and subsidies.
EVs are increasing the demand for batteries, semiconductors, and advanced materials.
2. Digital and Advanced Manufacturing:
Integration of AI, robotics, digital twins, Internet of Things (IoT), and 3D printing is driving efficiency.
Many global automakers are investing heavily in creating smart factories, where AI, IoT, and robotics are integrated into every aspect of the production process. Countries like Germany and South Korea are leading in smart factory adoption.
3. Sustainability and Circular Economy:
Automakers are moving toward carbon neutrality, material recycling, and energy efficiency.
Examples: BMW’s EV battery recycling and Volkswagen’s renewable energy sourcing.
4. Sectoral Interdependence:
Auto industry is a major consumer of steel, electronics, rubber, glass, textiles, and IT services.
Increasing reliance on semiconductors and AI-driven software for innovative mobility solutions.
Major Government Interventions
1.Make in India:Launched in 2014, the Make in India initiative has provided a significant boost to the country’s manufacturing sector, particularly in automobiles. This policy promotes domestic manufacturing, reduces reliance on imports, and encourages foreign direct investment.
2.Atmanirbhar Bharat:The Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative aims to foster self-sufficiency in manufacturing and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign components. In the automotive sector, this has resulted in increased domestic production of critical components such as engines, transmissions, and EV batteries. The government has also extended support to start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the automotive space, helping them integrate into global supply chains.
3.FAME India Scheme (Phases I & II):The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme has been pivotal in promoting clean mobility in India. Phase II, with an outlay of ₹11,500 crore, focuses on demand incentives for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses, and the development of public charging infrastructure. It also aims to promote technology platforms for EVs and create a robust domestic EV ecosystem.
4. PM E-Drive Scheme (2024–26):Launched to accelerate EV adoption and reduce urban pollution, this scheme has a budget of ₹10,900 crore and targets large-scale procurement of electric vehicles:
24.79 lakh electric two-wheelers
3.2 lakh electric three-wheelers
Procurement of 14,028 electric buses by State Transport Undertakings (STUs)/public transport agencies
₹2,000 crore earmarked for national-level charging infrastructure expansion.
5. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Auto and ACC Batteries:With a total allocation of ₹44,038 crore (PLI scheme- INR 25,938 crore, PLI scheme for ACC Battery Storage- INR 18,100 crores), this flagship initiative aims to boost the domestic manufacturing of advanced automotive technologies, including EVs, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and advanced battery storage solutions. It provides financial incentives to OEMs and component manufacturers for investing in cutting-edge technologies, achieving economies of scale, and integrating into global supply chains. The scheme also prioritises domestic value addition, export readiness, and job creation through technology-driven innovation.
Key Challenges Hindering the Global Value Chain’s Integration
10%cost disadvantage for India versus China due to:
Higher raw material and machinery costs
100% depreciation rate vs 50% in China (~3.4% cost burden)
High logistics, financing, and energy costs
Underperformance in high-precision segments:
India’s global share: Only 2–4% in engine and engine components, along with drive transmission and steering systems
Inadequate R&D ecosystem and limited IP ownership
Proposed Interventions for GVC Integration
Fiscal Measures:
Operational Expenditure (Opex) Support: To scale up manufacturing capabilities, with a focus on capital expenditure (Capex) for tooling, dies, and infrastructure.
Skill Development: Initiatives to build a talent pipeline critical for sustaining growth.
R&D, Government facilitated IP transfer and Branding: Providing incentives for research, development, international branding to improve product differentiation and empowering MSMEs through IP transfers.
Cluster Development: Fostering collaboration between firms through common facilities such as R&D and testing centers to strengthen the supply chain.
Non-Fiscal Reforms:
Industry 4.0 Adoption: Encouraging the integration of digital technologies and enhanced manufacturing standards to improve efficiency.
International Collaboration: Promoting joint ventures (JVs), foreign collaborations, and free trade agreements (FTAs) to expand global market access.
Ease of Doing Business: Simplifying regulatory processes, worker hour flexibility, supplier discovery & development and improving business conditions for automotive firms.
Conclusion
India’s automotive sector stands at a decisive inflection point, where focused reforms, policy clarity, and industry alignment can elevate it into the league of global leaders in automotive manufacturing. With the world shifting rapidly towards clean, smart, and connected mobility, India must accelerate its integration into global value chains by building competitiveness in high-precision components, fostering innovation, and deepening its export footprint. Over the next five years, the effective execution of planned interventions—ranging from skilling and infrastructure to R&D and global partnerships- will determine whether India becomes a hub for high-value auto components or remains a low-cost player in traditional segments. With the right mix of ambition and action, India can become a globally recognised supplier of next-generation mobility solutions.
Clean energy projects prioritised for grid connections
Ofgem is expected to confirm the National Energy System Operator’s ambitious new plan to reform grid connections and unlock billions of investment.
Grid connections for businesses that will deliver clean energy prioritised, driving growth to put more money in working people’s pockets
Pro-growth reforms to help unlock £40 billion of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure, with industries of the future such as data centres accelerated for quicker grid connections
Comes as £43.7 billion of private investment announced into the UK’s clean energy industries since July
So-called ‘zombie’ projects will no longer hold up the queue for connection to the electricity grid to prioritise businesses that will drive growth and deliver energy security.
Companies are currently waiting up to 15 years to be connected to the grid leaving promising businesses ‘grid-locked’, and over the last 5 years, the grid connection queue has grown tenfold.
The changes will help to kick-start the economy to put more money in working people’s pockets, the first priority of the government’s Plan for Change.
Ofgem is expected to confirm the ambitious new plan later today (Tuesday 15 April), drafted by the National Energy System Operator in partnership with the energy industry.
The reforms will help unlock £40 billion a year of mainly private investment, growing the economy, creating jobs and raising living standards as a key part of the government’s Plan for Change.
This builds on the latest figures showing that since July, the clean energy industry is now booming in Britain, with £43.7 billion of private investment being announced into the UK’s clean energy industries.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
Too many companies are facing gridlock because they cannot get the clean energy they need to drive growth and create jobs.
These changes will axe ‘zombie’ projects and cut the time it takes to get high growth firms online while also fast-tracking connections for companies delivering homegrown power and energy security through our Plan for Change.
In an uncertain world, our message to the global clean energy industry is clear; come and build it in Britain because we are a safe haven. If you want certainty, stability and security when it comes to your investments, choose Britain.
The plan comes after the Prime Minister has said that a new era of global insecurity means that the government must go further and faster reshaping the economy through the Plan for Change, and that this requires a new muscular industrial policy that supports British industry to forge ahead.
Lack of access to grid connections has been a significant factor holding back new investment in UK industries.
Under the new changes, industries of the future from data centres and AI, to wind and solar projects, will be accelerated for grid connections.
That means deprioritising those projects that are not ready or not aligned with strategic plans.
New commitments to investing in the UK have topped £38 billion since July 2024 for data centres alone, but grid access is the single biggest challenge facing these projects.
Today’s reforms will help fast track projects to generate homegrown, renewable electricity into homes and businesses, protecting British billpayers from the rollercoaster of global fossil fuel markets and building an energy system that can bring down bills for good.
Delivering these reforms will help unleash £40 billion a year of mainly private investment in homegrown clean power projects and infrastructure across the country, creating good jobs across the country including engineers, welders and construction workers.
By taking a strategic, planned approach the changes will remove the need for tens of billions of pounds of unnecessary grid reinforcement, saving billpayers £5 billion that would have been funded through charges on bills.
Ofgem CEO, Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem said:
The proposed connection reforms will supercharge Great Britain’s clean power ambitions with a more targeted approach anticipated to unlock £40 billion a year of investment and energise economic growth.
The reforms would cut through red tape, consign ‘zombie projects’ to the past and accelerate homegrown renewable power and energy storage connections as we head to 2030.
Houses and hospitals, electric vehicle charging stations, data centres and the emerging AI sector, would also all benefit from the proposed streamlined fast-track approach, which would help boost energy security and drive down bills.
Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, National Energy System Operator, said:
Reforming the connections process is a key enabler for delivering Clean Power by 2030 and will drive economic growth for Great Britain. Today’s milestone reflects the close collaboration across the energy industry with support from the government and Ofgem.
Together with the wider energy industry, NESO will focus on prioritising agreements for projects that are critical and shovel ready, bringing these to the front of the queue and giving developers the certainty they need to support investment decisions.
Notes to editors
Through the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the government is also bringing forward legislation to support Ofgem and NESO to deliver the reforms.
Every family and business in the country has paid the price of Britain’s dependence on foreign fossil fuel markets, which was starkly exposed when Putin invaded Ukraine and British energy customers were among the hardest hit in Western Europe, with bills reaching record heights.
The government’s clean power mission is the solution to this crisis; by sprinting to clean, homegrown energy, including renewables and nuclear, the UK can take back control of its energy and protect both family and national finances from fossil fuel price spikes with cleaner, affordable power.
The Clean Power Action Plan estimated that Clean Power 2030 could require around £40 billion of investment on average per year between 2025 to 2030. This includes around £30 billion of investment in generation assets per year, estimated by DESNZ, and around £10 billion of investment in electricity transmission network assets per year, estimated by NESO.
In addition to the £34.8 billion in clean energy private investment announcements secured around the October 2024 International Investment Summit the following private investments have been announced. This means that since July 2024 the government has seen £43.7 billion of private investment announced into the UK’s clean energy industries.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
An aerial drone photo taken on April 14, 2025 shows hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks awaiting departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China. China’s first cross-region hydrogen heavy-duty truck route was launched on Monday, marking a milestone in terms of advancing hydrogen energy development in China’s western regions. The route, now operational for regular freight services via hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks, spans 1,150 kilometers from southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality to Qinzhou Port in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, passing through southwestern Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING, April 14 — China Petrochemical Corporation, also known as Sinopec Group, which is China’s largest oil refiner, on Monday announced the official launch of the country’s first cross-region hydrogen heavy-duty truck route, marking a milestone in terms of advancing hydrogen energy development in China’s western regions.
The route, now operational for regular freight services via hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks, spans 1,150 kilometers from southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality to Qinzhou Port in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, passing through southwestern Guizhou Province.
The route features four hydrogen refueling stations, all built by Sinopec, to ensure a reliable hydrogen supply network along the way.
These regions are rich in hydrogen resources, with large-scale deployment of hydrogen production technologies such as water electrolysis and ammonia decomposition.
With an annual industrial by-product hydrogen output exceeding 400,000 tonnes — these regions can collectively meet the fuel demands of 360,000 hydrogen-powered logistics vehicles.
Apart from transportation, the corridor serves as an industrial nexus. It is projected to handle 220,000 units of cargo annually in two-way traffic.
An aerial drone photo taken on April 14, 2025 shows hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks awaiting departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on April 14, 2025 shows hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks awaiting departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]Hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks depart from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks await departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks await departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on April 14, 2025 shows hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks awaiting departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on April 14, 2025 shows hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks awaiting departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on April 14, 2025 shows hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks awaiting departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo taken on April 14, 2025 shows hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks awaiting departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]Hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks await departure from the dry port of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Chongqing, southwest China, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on the British Steel factory situation.
Dr Julian Steer, a Research Fellow from Cardiff University’s School of Engineering, said:
How hot do the blast furnaces get? How do the blast furnaces work? And why do we need these certain ores/materials to keep them running?
“The hottest part of the furnace can get to temperatures of up to 2200°C; the blast furnace converts Iron Oxide, supplied as Iron ore, to Iron by a counter current chemical reduction reaction where raw materials descend through the furnace as hot gases rise up through the furnace. The blast furnace is a very well optimized process that requires the reactions to occur at an even rate throughout the process. To do this, raw materials are selected based on the properties needed to produce iron continuously and efficiently.”
Why are the blast furnaces so difficult to switch back on if they turn off?
“The size, dimensions, and complex reactions in the blast furnace mean that heat distribution and heat transfer through the furnace are absolutely critical to stable iron production. Raw materials are continuously added to the top of the furnace as hot molten iron is continuously tapped from the bottom, the shear scale of this process means that the distribution of the heat through the furnace is critical at all times.”
Why is it crucial that they need to mobilise these supplies of fuel etc.?
“The production efficiency and stability of the whole process of iron production requires careful raw material selection to maintain consistent, and uniform reactions through the furnace and process.”
What can the government do if these blast furnace turn cold?
“If the furnace goes cold, the molten materials inside become solid, blocking the furnace and making any form of restart very difficult, costly and potentially terminally damaging to the furnace.”
Dr Abigail K Ackerman, Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow, Department of Materials, Imperial College London, said:
Blast Furnace Operation:
“A blast furnace is used to convert iron ore (hematite, Fe2O3) to pig iron (Fe) by mixing it with coke (carbon), limestone and hot air.
“Limestone is used to remove impurities, forming slag which is a waste material. The slag collects impurities, primarily silica, and is removed and used in construction materials like cement.
“The coke, which is a derivative of coal, reacts with the hot air, which is blown in at the bottom of the furnace at around 1000degC, and forms carbon monoxide (CO). The carbon monoxide reacts with the iron ore to produce molten iron and CO2, which is released as gas.
“The resultant molten liquid iron ore is tapped out at the bottom of the furnace, and is referred to as pig iron.”
Blast Furnace Temperatures:
“Blast furnaces have ‘heat zones’ in order to drive the different chemical reactions which occur within the furnaces. They are set up in a large chimney like structure and have 3 main zones:
“Top (throat) – 200degC to 600degC – Raw materials are poured in
“Middle (Stack) – 600degC to 1200degC – Iron ore starts to reduce forming gases (mainly CO) and the initial reduction of iron ore occurs. The initial reaction has the iron ore (Fe2O3) eventually reducing to FeO.
“Middle (Bosh) – 1200degC to 1600degC – The main chemical reaction occurs, where FeO reduced to Fe. The slag forms here, where limestone reacts with impurities.
“Bottom (Hearth) – up to 2000degC – Hot air (1000degC to 1200degC) is blown in at the bottom of the furnace, which causes the coke to combust and release heat and CO2.
“The molten iron and slag are collected. The slag is lighter that the molten iron so is floats on top of it and can be collected by tapping, or drilling a hole, above the molten iron and allowing the slag to flow out..
“The molten pig iron is removed by tapping, or drilling, a hole in the bottom of the furnace, and flows through guide channels to be collected and transferred to a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) to mix with carbon and make steel.
“Tap holes are made roughly every couple of hours, and then plugged back up with a clay mixture to contain the heat and molten materials in the furnace.
Essential Materials:
“Coking coal, iron ore and limestone are essential to keep the blast furnaces in Scunthorpe running, and these are the critical raw materials that are being sourced. Without these materials in the correct amounts, the chemical reaction will be disrupted and the furnace will cool as the chemical reaction absorbs heat, which is provided by the burning of coke.”
Why can’t you let it go cold?
“The high temperature of the blast furnace means the iron and slag are molten at the bottom, they are in liquid form at around 1500degC. If the furnace is allowed to cool, these materials solidify and can stick to the interior of the furnace. When the metal cools it contracts, which can cause the lining of the furnace to become damaged resulting in expensive repairs to the furnace interior before it can be heated up again.
“Additionally, blast furnaces have various inlets and outlets for pumping in hot air and extracting the molten material. When this solidifies, these can become blocked and are extremely difficult and costly to fix.
“The chemical reaction is disrupted when the furnace goes cold, and restarting this reaction can be complicated due to the heat required to melt the solicited materials, and the balance of gas and materials needed to obtain the correct chemical reaction.
“Finally, a large amount of fuel is required to restart a furnace, which is costly, and it can take anything from days to weeks to get the furnace back up to temperature and getting the correct chemical reaction to occur. It takes much more energy to melt the materials back down than to keep them at temperature. And, of course, there’s a loss of production which costs money.”
Why is it crucial to keep the Scunthorpe furnaces running?
“The Scunthorpe blast furnaces are the last remaining blast furnaces operating in the UK, and therefore the only method for the UK to produce ‘virgin’ steel, which is steel that has not been used in any other process. Other steel producers in the UK, such as TATA, have moved to using recycled steel and electric arc furnaces (EAF). Without the Scunthorpe plant, there will be an impact of the supply chain of steel to essential services such as construction, rail and defence. There will also be an impact on the Scunthorpe community, with a loss of work for the many steelworkers.”
What can the Government do if they turn cold?
“If the furnaces go cold, the options are to restart the furnaces, which will be more costly that obtaining the raw materials required to continue steel production due to the damage that will occur within the furnace from the solidification of the iron and slag, and the large amount of energy required to restart the furnaces.
“The government can choose to change the type of steel production to, for example, recycled steel using EAFs, like Port Talbot, however this will most likely result in job losses, economic impact on the people of Scunthorpe and the UK economy, and significant disruption to the UK supply chain. There is also not enough scrap steel to supply EAFs, so primary virgin steel will need to be sourced from elsewhere. The National Grid is also not set up to supply the energy required to fuel EAFs at this scale so it would be a timely and costly option.
“There is also the option to start producing green steel, which uses hydrogen as a reduction agent rather than coal based coke. However, this requires a large amount of hydrogen and the UK hydrogen economy is not set up for this scale of production currently. Nevertheless, this is the best option for long term CO2 goals.
“Finally, there is the option to close British Steel. This would again have a significant impact on the UK economy, supply chain and the local area. The loss of steel sovereignty could impact the supply chain in the long run as there would be an increased dependence on external steel suppliers, which is impacted by geopolitics.”
Prof Barbara Rossi, Associate Professor of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, said:
“Steel is the most commonly used metal in the world. Blast furnaces and electric arc furnaces are present everywhere, all over the world. There is worldwide 1.9 billion tonnes of crude steel produced per annum. UK in 2020 (then still a EU member state) was the 8th largest steel producer in the European union, which produced in total >150 million tonnes of steel in 2019, only 8% of the world total. Japan alone produced roughly 100 million tonnes, while the biggest steel producing country is currently China, which accounted for above 50% of world steel production in 2020. Globally, the steel industry emits 25% of all industrial greenhouse gases, which is more than any other industrial sector.
“The construction sector is the largest steel using sector and that is not likely to change. It accounts for more than 50% of the world steel demand, with the other major uses being the manufacture of vehicles, industrial equipment and final goods. The global population is forecast to increase to more than 9 billion people over the next 40 years. The population growth rate in Europe (and the UK) is only expected to start decreasing slightly by 2050. And, by then, about 75% will live in cities (~50% today). We still have to build the buildings and infrastructures for these cities and replace those that are damaged. When our country needs more and more new homes, new buildings, new infrastructure, we will have to go higher, more slender and leaner in dense populated areas and the need for ultra-strong and highly ductile materials like steel will become increasingly pressing.
“Steel is indefinitely recyclable, and, while it is recycled, it does not lose its performance which is an extraordinary ability inexplicably often ignored. It isn’t the case of most construction materials: other than steel, aluminium or stainless steel, you can only recycle glass indefinitely provided that you sort the type of glass appropriately. Steel is not just downcycled into a less noble material, just like an old jewel can be turned into a new one, steel can be melted over and over again.
“Recycled steel is one of the industry’s most important raw materials. We have accumulated almost 1 billion tonnes of steel only in the UK, all of which must be recycled, and, today, we generate about 10 million tonnes of scrap a year. Studies show that in the next 10-15 years, that availability of steel scrap will rise from 10 million to 20 million tonnes (global flow of steel scrap are likely to treble in the next 30 years) because all the steel made in the past will be recycled. In 2018, in Europe, this exceeded 110 million tonnes, showing that there is no scrap shortage. Despite its weak position in the scene of steel production, this is one of the advantages by which the UK could profit in the current global change of steel production.
“We have already produced the steel that we will need tomorrow. With increased availability of scrap and under our nation’s commitment to cut its domestic emissions by 2050, we can anticipate a global shift from blast furnace to electric arc furnace production. Roughly 2/3 of today’s liquid steel is made from iron ore, with the rest made from scrap, but at present >50% of the scrap originates from the manufacturing process, rather than from end-of-life recuperation. This is even though (1) on average, steel products have an approximate life horizon of 35-40 years, before being scrapped, and (2), apart from ~10% of steel that is buried (e.g., oil pipes or in building foundations), most end-of-life steel can be easily collected for recycling. Even if the total demand for steel production will increase, one can demonstrate that if most old steel is recycled, future requirements could be met entirely through increased production from scrap via electric arc furnaces. In America today, >50% of all domestic steel demand is already made by recycling domestic scrap. And since steel recycling causes significantly less greenhouse gas emissions than blast furnaces (topped by the fact that the UK already produces low emissions electricity grid, with high potential for further improvement, so recycling steel in the UK today leads to a reduction in emissions of > 2/3 compared to global average primary steel), UK need for steel recycling can be expected to grow significantly and rapidly. This will increase with more renewable generation capacity and will grow strategically important as global pressure to alleviate climate change increases.
“UK’s commitment to decarbonization need to address the emissions which are released from within UK borders. Although closing steel plants in the UK would lead to a reduction in the emissions, our future demand for steel may lead to higher global emissions if the emissions intensity in other countries is greater than that in the UK. Rather than providing extensive efforts in technologies allowing reduced emissions in primary production which require major capital investment, a more effective contribution to global mitigation would be to produce our domestic steel through electric arc furnaces combined with a massive decrease of their emissions which are directly linked to the emissions intensity of local electricity generation.
“There is nonetheless a technical limitation on the extent to which scrap can be substituted for iron ore: contaminants. Scrap composed of large pieces such as that from construction, have well controlled composition while scrap collecting from mixed waste streams have higher levels of contamination. The latter is usually sourced when scrap prices are high. As a consequence of contamination, the degree to which recycled steel can replace primary steel is capped by the inability of (a) imperfect control of metal composition in scrap steel collection and (b) today’s technologies to adjust the chemical composition of liquid steel produced with electric arc furnaces. Therefore, steel scrap supplies have to date been mostly absorbed by the lowest grade products (such as reinforcement bars).
“It is possible to vaporise unwanted metal contaminants from liquid steel by vacuum arc re-melting. This is already a commercial strength in the UK and used for making some of the highest quality steels for e.g., aerospace components. The innovation opportunity is to replicate this success at higher speed and lower cost. Other processes than vacuum arc re-melting have been tested in research laboratories but were abandoned due to lack of economic incentive. The UK, with its high volumes of scrap and its commitment to act on climate mitigation is well placed to lead the development of these technologies.
“We cannot replace steel, it’s ridiculously cheap, ultra-strong and highly ductile, and completely recyclable, fitting into any story about a circular economy. Not a single construction material taken alone can compete with steel today. But we can produce low carbon steel and build better structures, lasting longer, not harming our environment. If UK would recycle its own scrap to deliver high-quality steel satisfying its domestic demand in a closed loop it would lead to massive decrease of UK Iron and Steel emissions. This necessitates to (a) establish low-carbon steelmaking plants based on electric arc furnace, (b) develop technologies to make high quality steel from recycled scrap, i.e., examine and mitigate the causes of scrap contamination and develop the opportunities to control the chemical composition of liquid steel made via electric arc furnace, and (c) develop innovative business models to allow UK downstream steel supply-chains to prosper.”
Declared interests
Dr Julian Steer: in receipt of funding from British Steel to measure, and optimise, the performance and selection of their injection coals.
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
