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☆ This technology could transform one of the world’s dirtiest industries. Experts say it’s way off pace
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-23 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

This complex will be world’s first large-scale “green steel” project, according to H2 Green Steel, the Swedish company behind the multi-billion-dollar mill. Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesWhile projects like H2 Green Steel show momentum is growing, experts say the pace is far too slow. Northern Sweden is also home to the HYBRIT green steel pilot plant — which is one step ahead. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a visit to Hybrit Steel Plant in Lulea, Sweden, on May 30, 2023. But there’s also the challenge of producing large amounts of green hydrogen, which will require huge amounts of renewable energy.

Persons: Peter Boer, Dhiraj Singh, ”, Mohamed Atouife, Daniel Acker, ” Atouife, HYBRIT, Biden, Antony Blinken, Jonas Ekstromer, Martin Pei, SSAB, ” Pei, Chathurika, Caitlin Swalec, Jonathan Nackstrand, Pei, there’s, –, Philipp Verpoort, “ It’s, Princeton’s, Swalec, Chris Greig, ” Greig, RMI’s Gamage Organizations: CNN, Green Steel, Tata Steel, Bloomberg, Getty, Rourkela Steel, Princeton University, Volvo, Hybrit Steel, TT, Agency, AFP, “, Mountain Institute, Global Energy Monitor, Potsdam Institute, Climate Impact, Potsdam, Princeton University’s Andlinger Center for Energy, Workers, Jiangsu Shagang, Co, European Union Locations: Sweden, Boden, Swedish, Wijk aan, Netherlands, Odisha, India, Indiana, Portage , Indiana, Northern Sweden, Cleveland, Ohio, Middletown, Mississippi, Lulea, Luleå, AFP, China, Europe, Japan, Jiangsu, Huai'an, Jiangsu Province, European

☆ Sweden formally joins NATO military alliance, ending centuries of neutrality
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft takes off from Lulea-Kallax Airport, Sweden on March 4, 2024 during the NATO Nordic Response 24 military exercise, a Norwegian national exercise carried out in northern Sweden, Norway and Finland with associated airspace and waters. Sweden officially joined NATO as its 32nd member on Thursday, almost two years after first applying to the military alliance. "Sweden's accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and the whole Alliance more secure. The country first applied to join NATO in May 2022, not long after Russia's war on Ukraine began. This marked a significant change in Sweden's previous policy of military nonalignment which stretches back to the Napoleonic wars.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson Organizations: Kallax, NATO, Alliance, Washington , D.C Locations: Lulea, Sweden, Norwegian, Norway, Finland, Swedish, Washington ,, Ukraine

☆ Satellites burning up in our atmosphere may not be as harmless as first thought
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Satellites and spacecraft burning up in our atmosphere are leaving metal particles in the stratosphere — and scientists are worried it could harm our planet. Stratospheric particles can shape the ozone layerRemember the ozone layer? AdvertisementThat, in turn, can spark a chain reaction that creates rainbow-colored polar stratospheric clouds. Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are seen in the sky over Jukkasjarvi, northern Sweden, on December 17, 2023 in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. "There's an increasing number of rocket launches for small satellites and tourism, which burn kerosene or other fuels that emissions in the atmosphere.

Persons: Daniel Murphy, that's, Roy Rochlin, Murphy, Thomas Parent, Chelsea Thompson, Martin Chipperfield, Chipperfield, It's Organizations: Service, Business, National Oceanic, Administration Chemical Science, NASA, WB, NOAA, University of Leeds Locations: Montreal, Tonga, Sweden, Jukkasjarvi, Alaska, UK

☆ Global Battery Race Heats Up With Billions for Europe’s Northvolt
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Amrith Ramkumar | William Boston | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

One of the world’s most valuable battery startups is raising $3.4 billion in debt from the European Union and a group of banks including JPMorgan Chase , accelerating a race to build more batteries outside China and take advantage of a tidal wave of clean-energy subsidies. Europe’s Northvolt plans to use the funding to grow battery production at a factory in northern Sweden for customers such as Volkswagen and BMW . It also plans to expand a recycling facility next door that will convert scrap metal and old batteries into reusable battery materials.

Persons: Northvolt Organizations: European Union, JPMorgan Chase, Volkswagen, BMW Locations: China, Sweden

☆ It's so cold in Finland right now that Celsius and Fahrenheit are the same
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Jari Tanner | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's really, really, really cold in Finland and Sweden right now. It's so cold that Celsius and Fahrenheit are the same. That's minus 40 degrees. AdvertisementFinland and Sweden recorded their coldest temperatures of the winter Tuesday when thermometers plummeted as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 Fahrenheit) as a cold spell grips the Nordic region. Temperatures in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, were expected to hover between minus 15 and minus 20 C (around zero F).

Persons: It's, —, Nils Holmqvist Organizations: Service, SVT Locations: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Swedish, Nikkaluokta, Ylivieska, Helsinki, Arendal, Denmark

☆ Gripen fighters built to battle Russian jets are on the table for Ukraine, but only if Sweden gets to join NATO, Stockholm says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sweden is asking its military to explore the prospects of sending Ukraine its Gripen fighter jets. But there won't be any transfer until Stockholm joins NATO, its defense minister said. Citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and neighboring Finland first announced their intentions to join NATO over a year ago, breaking away from decades of neutrality. The Gripen was designed to take on Russian fighter jets and features electronic-warfare capabilities built to counter the radars in Moscow's aircraft and ground-based air-defense systems. Even if Sweden decides to send Gripens to Ukraine, it would be many months before they actually reach the battlefield.

Persons: —, Pål Jonson, — Gen, Micael, Jonson, JAS, Saab JAS, PATRICK TRAGARDH, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sukhois, Gripens Organizations: Gripen, NATO, Service, Swedish Armed Forces, Swedish Defense, Sweden, Saab, Getty, Kyiv, Swedish Air Force, Ukrainian Air Force, Royal United Services Institute Locations: Sweden, Ukraine, Russia, Stockholm, Swedish, Finland, Turkey, Hungary, Lulea, AFP, Kyiv, Russian

☆ Sweden is exploring giving Ukraine its Gripens, fighters said to be by far the 'most suitable' of the available Western jets for battling Russia: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sweden is considering sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, according to a new report. Even if Stockholm agrees to send Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, because it would first take time to consider the transfer and then train Ukrainian pilots, the fighter jets likely wouldn't see combat experience until mid-2024 at the earliest, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Watch: VIDEO: Why Russia's military is failing so far in UkraineA Saab JAS-39C Gripen at RAF Fairford during the Royal Military Air Tattoo on July 15, 2023. Saab JAS 39 Gripens taxi during the NATO exercise Loyal Arrow outside Lulea in northern Sweden on June 10, 2009. Although Sweden has poured cold water on the idea of sending Gripens to Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last month that his country's service members were already starting to test out the fighter jets.

Persons: Gripens, Sweden's, Saab JAS, Matthew Horwood, PATRICK TRAGARDH, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, there's Organizations: Gripen, Lawmakers, Service, Saab, RAF Fairford, Royal Military Air, Getty, Swedish Saab Gripen, Royal United Services Institute, Swedish Air Force, Ukrainian Air Force, NATO Locations: Sweden, Ukraine, Stockholm, Kyiv, Wall, Silicon, Europe, Russian, Swedish, Ukrainian, Lulea, AFP, NATO, Czech Republic

☆ A US Green Beret drill with fake guerrilla fighters shows how Sweden has been preparing for an 'unconventional' clash with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In May and June, US Army Green Berets conducted unconventional warfare training in Sweden. In the US military, unconventional warfare is the bread and butter of the Green Berets of US Army Special Forces. Winning wars unconventionallyUS Army Green Berets demonstrate detainment procedures during training in Kalix, Sweden on May 29. Unconventional warfare can still play an important role in that kind of war, but it would be a supporting role. Cadets talk to role-players during West Point Irregular Warfare Group's Unconventional Warfare Exercise in April 2019.

Persons: Anthony Bryant, Patrik Orcutt, Anthony Bryant Sweden, refocusing, Erwin Rommel, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: US Army Green Berets, Service, NATO, US Green Berets, Swedish Home Guard, US Army, Staff, Green Berets, US Army Special Forces, US Army Special Operations Command, Green, US Special Forces, 10th Special Forces Group, Sweden's, Guard, Home Guard, Operations Command, Green Beret, US Army Green, EU, Army Green Berets, Pentagon, Al, Delta Force, US Military, British Special Air Service, Commonwealth, Group, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: Sweden, Soviet Union, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kalix, Europe, Soviet, Swedish, Stockholm, Al Qaeda, China, North Africa, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Johns

☆ Factbox: Graphite producers doing deals with automakers and battery groups
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Tomas Bergman/Handout via REUTERSLONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Automakers are rushing to lock in graphite supply from outside dominant producer China as mined graphite demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries outpaces other uses. Below are details of some Western companies producing, or planning to produce graphite, and their deals with auto makers and battery producers. It aims to start annual production at a battery anode plant in Mauritius in 2024 at 3,600 metric tons. SYRAH RESOURCES LTD (SYR.AX)Operates Balama mine in Mozambique, which doubled graphite production to 163,000 metric tons in 2022 from the year before. MAGNIS ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES LTD (MNS.AX)Developing Nachu graphite mine in Tanzania, aiming to produce 236,000 metric tons of graphite concentrate.

Persons: Tomas Bergman, Handout, steelmaker Thyssenkrupp, Talga, Magnis, Tesla, China's, Eric Onstad, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Talga Group, Reuters, REUTERS LONDON, INC, TALGA, Automotive Cells Company, ACC, Stellantis, Mercedes, Benz, Renault, LG Energy, Ford Motor Company, SK, MONDE, Panasonic Energy, Thomson Locations: Norrbotten, Sweden, China, Madagascar, Mauritius, Lulea, Mozambique, U.S ., Louisiana, Tanzania, United States, New York, South Australia, Macquarie, Canada, India, Alabama, Coosa

☆ Analysis: Auto firms race to secure non-Chinese graphite for EVs as shortages loom
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Eric Onstad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Auto firms have been slow to plan for graphite shortages, focusing mainly on better-known battery materials lithium and cobalt, even though graphite is the largest battery component by weight. Graphite shortages are expected to rise in coming years, with a global supply deficit of 777,000 tonnes expected by 2030, Project Blue projections showed. China produces 61% of global natural graphite and 98% of the final processed material to make battery anodes, BMI said. Agreeing graphite supply deals is complex, requiring extensive safety testing for material going into each model of EV that can take up to three years. Natural graphite anodes tend to be cheaper and are beneficial for cell capacity and power output, allowing cars to run further distances before charging.

Persons: Tomas Bergman, Handout, there's, Mark Thompson, Australia's, Northvolt, Thompson, Talga, Mercedes, Brent Nykoliation, Tesla, George Miller, Reitumetse, Eric Onstad, Veronica Brown, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Talga Group, Reuters, Mercedes, Auto, Australia's Talga, BMO Capital Markets, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, BMI, Reuters Graphics, Toyota, Ford, Tesla Inc, Toyota Motor Corp, Ford Motor, Benz, Renault, NextSource, Syrah Resources, Magnis Energy Technologies, U.S, European Union, Thomson Locations: Norrbotten, Sweden, China, Madagascar, Mozambique, United States, Europe, U.S, Mauritius, CHINA, Western

☆ EU, US to weigh China, AI, trade strains at high-level Sweden talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Trade Representative Katherine Tai and European Commission vice president and trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis will also take part. China will be a major focus of the meeting, even if the word "China" only features twice in the draft joint statement - on non-market practices and disinformation. The gathering in northern Sweden comes just as the European Commission presents its "Economic Security Strategy", expected to contain measures to prevent rivals such as China gaining access to its most sensitive technology. Brussels wants to see cooperation to boost green trade, such as mutual recognition of products, even though the U.S. and EU do not have and do not plan to forge a free-trade agreement. The EU is seeking progress with the U.S. towards an accord on critical minerals used for electric vehicles.

☆ Thyssenkrupp Nucera to supply electrolysis plant in Sweden
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM, May 22 (Reuters) - IPO candidate Thyssenkrupp Nucera (TKAG.DE) will supply more than 30 of its flagship electrolysers, which provide the technology needed to produce carbon-neutral steel via green hydrogen, to Swedish fossil-free steel startup H2 Green Steel. The deal highlights growing demand for hydrogen technology as a way to decarbonise CO2-heavy industrial production techniques, a field where Europe wants to compete globally with subsidy-rich regions, notably the United States. Sources told Reuters last month that Thyssenkrupp Nucera, a 66-34 joint venture between Germany's Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE) and Italy's De Nora (DNR.MI), was targeting a stock market listing in June at a valuation of up to 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion). A H2 Green Steel spokesperson said the agreement was worth several billion Swedish crowns, declining to comment further. Green hydrogen is created through renewables-powered electrolysis, whereby water is split into hydrogen and oxygen.

☆ This company wants to be the ‘Booking.com for rocket launches’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Cargo-carrying space missions can often take years to get off the ground, and cost millions of dollars. Precious Payload wants to be the “Booking.com for rocket launches,” says Andrey Maksimov, the company’s Russian-born CEO and founder. “Similar to looking at the search results of a booking engine, you can view all the commercially available rocket launches around the planet,” says Maksimov. Precious Payload streamlines the process by gathering data from space agencies and rocket launches across the globe. He plans to make the company a one-stop-shop for space missions by expanding to include ground services and even satellite development.

☆ Sweden launches research rocket, accidentally hits Norway
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM, April 25 (Reuters) - A research rocket launched by Sweden Space Corp (SSC) early on Monday from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden malfunctioned and landed 15 km (9.32 miles) inside neighbouring Norway. There are routines in place when things go wrong and we inform both Swedish and Norwegian governments, and other actors, he said. In the event of any border violation, those responsible should immediately inform the relevant Norwegian authorities, which included the foreign ministry, through the right channels, the spokesperson said. The ministry had not received a formal notification of the incident from the Swedish authorities, she added. The Norwegian foreign ministry said it was not aware of whether there was any damage to the surroundings, while a SSC spokesperson said the rocket came down far from any settlement.

Europe and the U.S. are scrambling to wean themselves off rare earths from China, which account for 90% of global refined output. Australia's RMIT University estimates there are 16.2 million tonnes of unexploited rare earths in 325 mineral sands deposits worldwide, while the U.S. Idaho National Laboratory said 100,000 tonnes of rare earths each year end up in waste from producing phosphoric acid alone. That, Adamas says, is equivalent to some 8% of expected demand for the two rare earths, vital for making permanent magnets to power EV and wind turbine motors. Reuters GraphicsReuters GraphicsQUICKER THAN NEW MINESRecovering rare earths from waste is much quicker than setting up new projects from scratch. The company will extract phosphorus for fertiliser, fluorine and gypsum in addition to rare earths.

☆ Goldman-backed battery firm Northvolt earmarks next quarter for U.S. factory announcement
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Northvolt building in Sweden, photographed in February 2022. Mikael Sjoberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSKELLEFTEA, Sweden ꟷ Battery firm Northvolt will outline details of a new manufacturing plant in the U.S. before the start of the summer, CEO Peter Carlsson told CNBC Tuesday. The Swedish company has been reevaluating some of its investment decisions in light of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act — often referred to as IRA. "I would be surprised if we have not done an announcement by latest in Q2 [second quarter]," he said. A worker walking past the coating ovens section at the Northvolt Ett factory in Skelleftea, north Sweden.

☆ Sweden locates rare earth deposits as Europe races against China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

The beginning of the end of Europe’s dependency on China for precious rare earth materials may lie buried deep under the rugged reaches of northern Sweden, well above the Arctic Circle. Sweden’s iron-ore miner LKAB said Thursday it has identified “significant deposits” in Lapland of rare earth elements that are essential for the manufacture of smartphones, electric vehicles and wind turbines. The government-owned company that mines iron ore at Kiruna, almost 600 miles north of Stockholm, said there are more than 1 million tons of rare earth oxides. They are especially vital to the fast-growing field of green energy, feeding wind turbines and electric car engines. is lagging well behind competitors on the market, getting around 98% of its rare earth minerals from China, with none of them mined in Europe.

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