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☆ Japanese companies team up for battery storage project to fuel clean energy expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 7 (Reuters) - Japan's Itochu Corp (8001.T) said on Wednesday it has jointly established a power storage company with Osaka Gas Co (9532.T) and Tokyo Century Corp (8439.T), as the country's expansion in renewable energy drives demand for storage capacity. Batteries are central to Japan becoming carbon neutral by 2050, as they are critical for storage of renewable energy to smoothen output fluctuations. The project will have capacity of 23 megawatt hours and output of 11 megawatt, for which Itochu would provide storage batteries and construction, Osaka Gas would trade the power and Tokyo Century would do business management. Japan is targeting over $24 billion in investments both from the public and private sectors to develop domestic battery production capacity of 150 gigawatt hours (GWh) by 2030, including for electric vehicles, and global production by Japanese companies of 600 GWh. Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Itochu, Katya Golubkova, Rashmi Organizations: Itochu Corp, Osaka Gas Co, Tokyo Century Corp, Osaka Gas, Thomson Locations: Osaka prefecture, Japan, Osaka, Tokyo

☆ How new lithium extraction technology could help us meet electric vehicle targets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Today, most lithium brine mining takes place in the Salar de Atacama, an expansive salt flat in northern Chile that contains the highest quality lithium brine in the world. EnergyXDoing things differentlyIn a world before electric vehicles, traditional methods of brine mining and hard rock mining more than sufficed to meet global lithium demand. It's the brine resources that are large enough to electrify the vehicle industry," Snydacker said. Lilac Solutions is developing a direct lithium extraction facility in Argentina in partnership with Australian lithium company Lake Resources. Lilac Solutions

Persons: Dave Snydacker, DLE, Amit Patwardhan, Robert Mintak, there's, Snydacker, EnergyX, It's Organizations: Lilac Solutions, Solutions, Bay, Resources Locations: Salar, Atacama, Chile, Arkansas, Salt, Argentina, Bolivia, California , Utah, China, Australian

☆ India's Tata Group signs $1.6 bln EV battery plant deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Sumit Khanna | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AHMEDABAD, June 2 (Reuters) - India's Tata Group signed an outline deal on Friday on building a lithium-ion cell factory, based on investment of about 130 billion rupees ($1.58 billion), as part of the nation's efforts to create its own electric vehicle supply chain. Compared to the size of its population, India's car market is tiny. Tata Motors dominates its electric vehicle (EV) sales, which made up just 1% of India's total car sales of about 3.8 million last year. "The plant will go a long way in contributing to the development of the EV ecosystem in Gujarat and India," Vijay Nehra, an official in the Gujarat state government told Reuters. ($1 = 82.3373 Indian rupees)Reporting by Sumit Khanna and Tanvi Mehta; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vijay Nehra, Sumit Khanna, Tanvi Mehta, Barbara Lewis Organizations: India's Tata Group, Tata Motors, Solutions, Reuters, Thomson Locations: AHMEDABAD, Gujarat, Sanand, India

[1/7] Dev Shah, 14, reacts after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in National Harbor, Maryland U.S., June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Leah MillisJune 1 (Reuters) - Dev Shah, a 14-year-old boy from Largo, Florida, won the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, nailing the word "psammophile," meaning an organism that thrives in sandy soils, in the 15th round of the contest's finals. Shah, a student at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School, had correctly, and swiftly, spelled "bathypitotmeter" in the 14th round, but under spelling bee rules needed to land one more word to be declared winner. Shah, who was crowned champion in a hail of confetti before being joined on stage by his parents and other relatives, takes home $50,000 cash from E.W. Dev, whose hobbies include reading, tennis, playing the cello and solving math problems, tied for 51st place in the 2019 edition of the spelling bee, and tied for 76th place in 2021.

Persons: Dev Shah, Leah Millis, Charlotte Walsh, Shah, Webster, The Merriam, Dev, Harini Logan, Brendan O'Brien, Steve Gorman, Matthew Lewis, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Scripps, Spelling, National Harbor , Maryland U.S, REUTERS, Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School, Scripps Co, Encyclopedia, The, Webster, ION, ESPN, Thomson Locations: National Harbor , Maryland, Largo , Florida, Arlington , Virginia, Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam, Washington ,, San Antonio , Texas, Chicago, Los Angeles

☆ US National Spelling Bee finalists vie for championship
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Brendan O'Brien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Competitors are adjusted by a person who is off camera as they celebrate moving to the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in National Harbor, Maryland U.S., May 31, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File PhotoJune 1 (Reuters) - Eleven of the sharpest young spellers in the U.S. will compete on Thursday in the finals of the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee, having survived three early rounds by nailing words like "zwitterion" (a type of molecule) and "polissoir" (a polishing tool). The finalists, who range from 11 to 14 years old, beat out a field of 220 other competitors who participated in the three-day contest, held in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. Scripps Co (SSP.O), the bee's sponsor, plus further monetary prizes and reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster. Last year, Harini Logan, 14, from San Antonio, Texas, correctly spelled 22 words during a 90-second spell-off to claim the top prize.

Persons: Leah Millis, Webster, The Merriam, Aryan Khedkar, Vikrant Chintanaboina, Harini Logan, Brendan O'Brien, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Scripps, Spelling, National Harbor , Maryland U.S, REUTERS, Scripps Co, Encyclopedia, The, Webster, ION, ESPN, Thomson Locations: National Harbor , Maryland, U.S, Washington ,, Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam, Waterford , Michigan, San Ramon , California, San Antonio , Texas, Chicago

☆ How to Watch the 95th Scripps National Spelling Bee
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Remy Tumin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For nearly 100 years, the Scripps National Spelling Bee has showcased the biggest words from the youngest lexicologists. The words have only gotten harder, the pressure greater and the national spotlight larger. The finals cap nearly a week of competition at the National Harbor, a resort and waterfront development in Maryland. Many Americans grew familiar with the bee from its national broadcast on ESPN, where it expanded in popularity, viewership and pop culture over the past few decades. But that changed last year when the bee moved to Ion, a Scripps subsidiary, in the hopes of finding viewers beyond paid TV subscribers.

Persons: Frank Neuhauser, ” Organizations: Scripps, Spelling, Smithsonian Museum, ESPN Locations: Louisville, Maryland

☆ The Venice Architecture Biennale puts Africa center stage
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Marianna Cerini | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Venice, Italy CNN —Until recently, the Venice Architecture Biennale — arguably the world’s largest architecture exhibition — has drawn crowds for its (mainly Western) star appeal. In a May 20 Facebook post titled “Venice Biennale Blues,” Zaha Hadid Architects’ principal, Patrik Schumacher, wrote that “the ‘Architecture’ Biennale is mislabeled and should stop laying claim to the title of architecture. The German pavilion, which is displaying construction waste produced by 2022’s Venice Art Biennale is a case in point. The German Pavilion at the 18th Architecture Biennale is displaying and repurposing constuction waste from the city's Art Biennale last year. The British Pavilion curators Meneesha Kellay, Joseph Henry, Jayden Ali and Sumitra Upham, with commissioner Sevra Davis, photographed in London.

☆ France inaugurates first of four gigafactories in the north
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire visits the gigafactory of Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a joint venture of Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes, during its inauguration in Billy-Berclau-Douvrin, northern France, May 30, 2023. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/PoolBILLY-BERCLAU, France, May 30 (Reuters) - France will inaugurate on Tuesday a battery-making gigafactory, the first of four such plants European and Asian companies plan to build in the north of the country. It highlights the race between European governments to attract global car makers as they seek to bring the supply of components for electric vehicles closer to their main markets. French President Emmanuel Macron, who personally lobbied to secure at least one the gigafactories in the Dunkirk region, has set a production target of 2 million electric vehicles made in France by 2030. ($1 = 0.9084 euros)Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, writing by Silvia Aloisi; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ford CEO Jim Farley says Chinese automakers such as BYD are its greatest EV rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Michael Wayland/CNBCDETROIT — Ford Motor's largest competition in electric vehicles isn't U.S. leader Tesla or crosstown rival General Motors — it's Chinese automakers, CEO Jim Farley said Thursday. Farley said Chinese companies such as Warren Buffett-backed BYD are ahead of the large U.S. automakers and startups on electric vehicles, specifically battery chemistry and other emerging technologies. And they were always committed to electric," Farley said when asked which company is doing EVs right. Farley's comments echo those of industry experts and investors regarding the growth of BYD and other Chinese automakers, which have government backing in China. Farley also noted BYD's battery advantages compared to the current U.S. industry standard of lithium-ion batteries.

☆ Tesla vs. BYD: Here's why one fund manager prefers the Buffett-backed automaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In an era defined by the need to tackle climate change, electric vehicles are seen as an increasingly important part of the solution. For Philip Ripman, portfolio manager at Storebrand Asset Management, one global EV automaker stands out: China's BYD — not Elon Musk's Tesla . Public transport operator Nobina already operates over 300 BYD electric buses across multiple Nordic cities. Affordable and high-end vehicles Another reason Ripman favors BYD over Tesla is the former's broader range of vehicles. On Tesla, Ripman expressed some concern over CEO Musk's distractions and their potential impact on the automaker's stock price.

☆ ION unlocks financing to finalise Italy's Prelios buy-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ION has been in talks for months with U.S. investment fund Davidson Kempner to acquire Prelios, a bad loan specialist which DK took private in 2018. While not all of the banks have completed all the necessary internal steps to approve the financing the sources said the finalisation of the deal was imminent. A stalemate over the duration of the financing has been overcome through a 'bridge to bond' structure with a longer maturity than usual, one of the sources said. 'Bridge to bond' financing normally requires the borrower to tap markets within 12-18 months to repay the loan. ION has a single-B credit rating - below the 'BBB' investment grade threshold - by Moody's and S&P Global, according to Refinitiv data.

May 17 (Reuters) - The swift growth of artificial intelligence technology could put the future of humanity at risk, according to most Americans surveyed in a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Wednesday. More than two-thirds of Americans are concerned about the negative effects of AI and 61% believe it could threaten civilization. ChatGPT has kicked off an AI arms race, with tech heavyweights like Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) vying to outdo each other's AI accomplishments. The Reuters/Ipsos poll found that the number of Americans who foresee adverse outcomes from AI is triple the number of those who don't. Those who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 expressed higher levels of concern; 70% of Trump voters compared to 60% of Joe Biden voters agreed that AI could threaten humankind.

☆ Can the World Make an Electric Car Battery Without China?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Agnes Chang | Keith Bradsher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

China controls 6% of the world’s nickel 78% of graphite 5% of manganese China controls 6% of the world’s nickel 78% of graphite 5% of manganese Source: CRU Group, U.S.G.S. China makes 73% of NMC cathodes 99% of LFP cathodes China makes 73% of NMC cathodes 99% of LFP cathodes Source: CRU Group Note: Data for “NMC cathodes” category includes NMC, NCA, NMCA; “LFP cathodes” includes LFP, LMFP. China makes 66% of the world’s battery cells 2.8” Cathode Each car has thousands of cells. China makes 54% of the world’s electric cars China makes 54% of the world’s electric cars Source: IEA Note: Data for 2021American investors remain wary about putting money into electric vehicles. Electric car buyers in China get tax rebates, cheaper vehicle registration, preferential parking and access to an extensive charging network.

☆ Google zeroed in on these 3 categories of climate companies to boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

This year, the 12 companies mostly fell into three broad categories: Artificial intelligence, electric vehicle infrastructure, and providing companies with better data to decarbonize their operations. When I read the headlines about the dangers of the climate crisis, I feel a personal obligation to be a part of supporting innovative climate solutions to scale," Ridenour told CNBC. Google has hosted three climate change startup accelerators for North American companies in the last three years, and all 33 of the participants are all still operating, a spokesperson for Google told CNBC. "Teams are leaning deeper into developing AI and ML models to address climate change," Ridenour told CNBC. Cleartrace is particularly focused on measurement techniques for Scope 3 emissions -- emissions associated with a company's entire supply chain or value chain, which can be fiendishly difficult to track.

There's a big buying opportunity in lithium company Albemarle , according to Baird. Baird upgraded the company to outperform and raised its price target to $288 from $222, which implies a gain of 47% from Friday's close. The reduced guidance for 2023 is "an attractive entry point for the stock," Kallo said. We see upside to estimates from any increase in lithium pricing, potential tailwinds from the IRA, and the growing demand for lithium." Baird also said the oligopolistic structure in the bromine market, in which Albemarle is a top-three producer, gives the company relative pricing power.

☆ Recycling 'end-of-life' solar panels, wind turbines, is about to be climate tech's big waste business
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

watch nowIndeed, the market for recycled solar panel materials is expected to grow exponentially over the next several years. One recipient of this federal funding is First Solar, the largest solar panel manufacturer in the U.S. Massive wind turbines, blades are almost all recyclableRetired wind turbines present another recycling challenge, as well as business opportunities. How the circular renewable energy economy worksPlayers in the circular economy are determined not to let all that waste go to waste. Vestas Wind Systems has committed to producing zero-waste wind turbines by 2040, though it has not yet introduced such a version.

☆ Panasonic sees record profit on robust battery demand, U.S. tax credit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The net profit outlook would be up 23% from the prior record for net profit of 284.1 billion yen, set in the year ending in March 2019. The company sees operating profit of 430 billion yen for the year through March 2024, versus 288.6 billion yen a year earlier. That beats the 383.96 billion yen average of 20 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv. For the fourth quarter of the year ended March 31, Panasonic posted operating profit of 54.4 billion yen. That compared with 83.4 billion yen a year prior and the 59.49 billion yen average of 12 analyst estimates.

☆ Here's why sodium-ion batteries are shaping up to be a big technology breakthrough
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Magdalena Petrova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sodium-ion batteries have been around for decades, but large-scale development of the technology was abandoned in favor of lithium-ion batteries. Sodium-ion batteries can't provide the type of range for electric vehicles offered by lithium-ion batteries, but they do present some unique advantages. For instance, the materials used in sodium-ion batteries tend to be cheaper than those in lithium-ion batteries. "There's no cobalt, there's no copper, there's no lithium, there's no graphite, which is really primarily controlled by China today." Natron Energy, based in Silicon Valley, is also working to commercialize sodium-ion battery technology.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow sodium-ion technology will compete with lithium-ion batteriesSodium-ion batteries have a similar design to their lithium-ion counterparts and can be manufactured using related methods. Sodium-ion batteries can't provide the type of range for electric vehicles offered by lithium-ion batteries, but they do present some unique advantages. For instance, the materials used in sodium-ion batteries tend to be cheaper than those in lithium batteries. CNBC spoke to two such companies, Natron Energy and Faradion, that are looking to commercialize the technology.

[1/2] The logo of battery recycler Li-Cycle Holdings Corp is displayed on their offices in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. June 30, 2022. REUTERS/Ernest ScheyderMay 9 (Reuters) - Battery recycler Li-Cycle Holdings Corp (LICY.N) said on Tuesday it planned to develop a recycling hub in Italy along with Swiss miner and commodity trader Glencore Plc (GLEN.L) to produce battery materials including lithium. Canada-based Li-Cycle had earlier announced in March that it would be building a French battery processing facility amid rising demand for lithium due to its key role in transition towards net zero. The two companies are expected to complete a joint feasibility study for the project by mid-2024, Li-Cycle said. Once the companies make a final investment decision on the project, commissioning of the hub in Portovesme, Italy, is expected to commence in late 2026 to early 2027.

☆ Sila: 2023 CNBC Disruptor 50
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Cnbc.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

As the electric vehicle fast becomes the future for major automakers, critical elements including lithium are poised to be the equivalent of new oils. Elon Musk has been saying for years that if there's any business a smart entrepreneur should get into, it's lithium refining. He didn't wait too long: The Tesla CEO just broke ground on his own lithium refining plant in Texas this week. But there are a variety of workarounds, from new battery recycling programs to reengineering the size of the EV battery, and its chemistry, to do more with less. Silicon Valley-based Sila, founded by former Tesla engineers, is moving into autos with its new lithium-ion technology to help solve this growing problem.

☆ What Chile's state-led lithium policy means for the future of the electric vehicle industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The only two lithium companies currently operating in Chile are North Carolina-based Albemarle , the largest lithium producer in the world, and SQM , the No. Chile's lithium is of particular strategic importance to the U.S., which has a free trade agreement with the country but not with neighboring Argentina. The plan calls for the creation of a national lithium company to partner with all private businesses looking to enter the sector. Bags of battery-grade lithium carbonate at La Negra, Albemarle's lithium processing plant near Antofagasta, Chile. Lenny-Pessagno told CNBC in January that Albemarle supports the creation of a state-owned lithium company.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow Chile is shaping the global lithium industryChile contains some of the largest and highest quality lithium-brine resources in the world. And with demand booming for electric vehicles and the lithium-ion batteries that power them, Chile's vast salt flats have become a vital national resource. Now, the government has released its long-awaited national lithium policy, which requires private companies to partner with the state to further develop the country's lithium resources, ushering in a new era for the industry. 21:22 38 minutes ago

☆ How on-demand delivery services hobbled America's biggest city
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But even the largest city in the country isn’t designed to handle the rise of online ordering and the influx of delivery workers. The way New York City handles these issues will shape the response in other major cities. “People view delivery workers as dirty, smelly and taking up too much space,” said Wood, a member of Workers Justice Project, an advocacy group for delivery workers in New York City. The growing dependency on e-bikes has been driven by demands on delivery workers, including faster delivery and bigger areas to cover. “But delivery workers are on the front lines of this and it’s even more necessary for them.”

☆ Ford posts stellar first quarter, boosted by fleet and legacy truck divisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

DETROIT — Ford Motor on Tuesday reported first-quarter results that significantly topped Wall Street's estimates, as the automaker's fleet and legacy operations outweighed growing losses in electric vehicles. Ford finance chief John Lawler said the quarter was a "peek at what's possible to generate value and growth." The company reiterated it expects full-year adjusted earnings between $9 billion and $11 billion and roughly $6 billion in adjusted free cash flow. Ford said it plans to have capital expenditures of between $8 billion and $9 billion in 2023. Ford also reconfirmed it expects to lose about $3 billion from its electric vehicle operations, known as Model e, in 2023.

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