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Chancellor commits £4.5bn to UK manufacturing industry
The UK manufacturing industry is set to benefit from £4.5bn in government funding, according to a Treasury statement released late on Friday.
Per the emailed statement, key British manufacturers will be able to take advantage of the package of loans and grants from 2025, after the next general election (which is widely expected to occur next year).
The Treasury said the package, which includes £2bn for the automotive industry, £975m for aerospace and £960m for clean energy, would provide manufacturers with “longer term certainty about their investments” and ensure the UK “remains at the forefront of the global transition to net zero”. More via The Manufacturer
DS Smith turbocharges sustainability efforts with €90m investment at Rouen paper mill
DS Smith has unveiled a major investment to transform the paper mill’s energy supply at its site in Normandy, near Rouen. The project includes replacing the coal-fired boiler with a new biomass boiler that will reduce the site’s emissions by 99,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
The 56 MW Valmet high-tech boiler will supply at least 80% of the site’s heat demand and will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2025. It will be fuelled by 94,000 tonnes of biofuel, 30% of which will come from plant by-products (pulper waste) and 70% from waste wood sources such as furniture and demolition waste. More via DS Smith
Offshore wind giant secures £370m UKEF-backed facility to expand UK business
The UK’s export credit agency has issued a loan guarantee allowing Seaway7 to secure a £370m loan coordinated by HSBC and scale up its UK operations
In a move which supports the growth of the North Sea offshore wind industry, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has issued a loan guarantee so that Seaway7 can access a £370m funding package.
The export credit agency has issued the guarantee under its Export Development Guarantee (EDG) so that the offshore wind specialist can invest in its UK operations. The UKEF guarantee covers 80% of the total loan, which has been coordinated by HSBC and with Citibank, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, DNB, HSBC and ING as Mandated Lead Arrangers. More via The Manufacturer
Leonardo technology brings beauty and danger of natural world to life in Planet Earth III
A group of seals gathers to drive out a great white shark threatening their territory.
This was the remarkable opening scene that launched
The BBC’s new nature series, Planet Earth III, is using unique thermal imaging technology forged in Leonardo’s Basildon and Southampton sites to capture wildlife in some of the world’s most dynamic and dangerous habitats.
The company’s engineers have built technology that allows BBC camera crews to observe wildlife in pitch-dark conditions, not visible to normal film cameras.
In the first episode of Planet Earth III, the Leonardo camera caught night-time images of thousands of roosting cormorants along the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, closely observed by a group of hungry young desert lions who hesitate in their pursuit, due to their dislike of getting their paws wet. More via Leonardo
Emirates orders 15 more Airbus A350-900s
Emirates has signed an order for an additional 15 A350-900s at the Dubai Airshow, taking its total order to 65 aircraft.
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said, “The A350-900s will add to our fleet mix and we are pleased to announce additional orders for this aircraft type. We plan to deploy our A350s to serve a range of new markets including long-haul missions of up to 15 hours flying time from Dubai. We will work closely with Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure our aircraft deliver the best possible operating efficiency and flying experience for our customers.” More via The Manufacturer
Electric grid constraints undermining UK industry Net Zero efforts
Progress towards industrial decarbonisation in the UK is being undermined by access to adequate electricity grid infrastructure, the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) has learned as part of an ongoing survey.
Initial evidence collected from 26 companies located across the largest UK industrial clusters, as well as from dispersed industrial sites, has highlighted delays in obtaining new or upgraded electricity grid connections as one of the major barriers to decarbonisation.
To put this into context, while not all companies face delays, many companies reported they had to wait several years for new grid connections, with some connection date offers extending well into the 2030s. Such delays are set to increase costs, as well as risk critical investment and lost opportunities to tackle industrial emissions. More via The Manufacturer
Boeing and US Government launch initiative to advance sustainable aviation fuel among APEC economies
Boeing and the United States are launching an initiative to catalyze the development and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) among Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member countries. SAF, which significantly reduces the lifecycle carbon emission of jet fuel, is key to achieving goals set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the civil aviation industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
SAF certified for use today can reduce lifecycle CO2 up to 85% and holds the greatest potential to reduce aviation’s emissions over the next 30 years, but the key challenges to greater use are a limited supply and high cost. Airlines’ current use of SAF represents 0.1% of global jet fuel demand. More via Boeing
