Energy & Environment

Rimini, Italy – October 01, 2026 -- Ecomondo 2026 will gather roughly 1,800 exhibiting brands at Rimini Expo Centre from November 3 to 6, with international exhibitor participation rising 10% year-on-year, organizer Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) announced.

Show footprint expands to 169,000 square metres across 30 halls

The 29th edition of the circular and regenerative economy event will occupy 169,000 square metres and span 30 exhibition halls. More than 1,000 hosted buyers from around the world are expected, backed by support from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), according to Event Director Alessandra Astolfi.

Freiburg, Germany – October 01, 2026 -- Hoymiles supplied 300 microinverters to convert 600 used solar panels into plug-in photovoltaic systems during an upcycling event in Freiburg, Germany, marking the company's third consecutive year supporting the initiative.

600 panels from a toothbrush factory get a second life

The panels had operated for 13 years on the roof of a toothbrush factory in the Black Forest before being dismantled. According to organizer BalkonSolar e.V., roughly 5% of the panels showed defects, while the remainder were suitable for immediate reuse. More than 500 citizens, alongside local organizations and public representatives, assembled 300 plug-in PV systems, each pairing two used modules with a Hoymiles microinverter and cabling.

Dallas – September 30, 2026 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Republic of Korea have selected Related Companies and NextEra Energy Resources, working with Lewis Energy Group, to build Project Star, a $22-billion-plus energy campus in Encinal, Texas, delivering 6.47 gigawatts (GW) of natural gas-fired generation.

Gas plant will directly power a 5 GW data center campus next door

At full scale, the generation facility will supply a privately funded 5 GW data center campus under development by Related Digital on an adjacent site, with surplus capacity fed back into the grid. The structure aligns with Texas Governor Greg Abbott's mandate that data center developers bring their own generation onto the ERCOT system rather than draw solely on existing utility supply.

Brisbane – September 30, 2026 -- Datamine has launched Expenditure Watch 2.0, a redesigned web-based platform that gives mining and exploration companies centralized visibility into expenditure compliance across tenement portfolios.

Platform moves beyond single-jurisdiction desktop tool to support multiple regulatory environments

Originally built to address expenditure reporting requirements in Western Australia, Expenditure Watch 2.0 has been rearchitected as a web-based system capable of supporting different jurisdictions and operating environments. The new release adds multi-user access, centralized data management and portfolio-wide visibility of expenditure commitments for companies managing mineral title obligations across multiple sites.

Pune, India – – September 30, 2026 -- The global battery electrolyte market is projected to grow from $12.22 billion in 2025 to $50.98 billion by 2034, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 17.2%, according to a new analysis by Maximize Market Research.

EV battery deployment jumped nearly 30% in 2025

Global EV battery deployment reached 1.2 TWh in 2025, up almost 30% from 2024, with electric vehicles accounting for more than 70% of total battery deployment worldwide. The surge is driving higher consumption of liquid electrolytes, lithium salts, solvents and additives across passenger vehicles, electric two-wheelers and commercial EVs.

Bismarck, N.D. – September 30, 2026 -- MDU Resources Group (NYSE: MDU) has reached a positive Final Investment Decision for its subsidiary WBI Energy to build the Bakken East Pipeline, a project estimated to cost between $2.7 billion and $3.2 billion.

Pipeline will carry 1.4 Bcf per day across 350 miles of North Dakota

The pipeline will run from the Bakken region in western North Dakota to a location near Fargo in the eastern part of the state, with an initial design capacity of 1.4 Bcf per day. The system is being engineered with flexibility to accommodate future capacity growth beyond that initial figure.

Hamilton, Bermuda – – September 30, 2026 -- Borr Drilling Limited (NYSE: BORR, OSE: BORR) has locked in new commitments for three premium jack-up rigs, extending contract coverage across West Africa and the North Sea into mid-2027.

Norve wins 245-day firm scope off West Africa

An undisclosed operator issued a binding letter of award for the Norve, covering a firm scope of three wells over an estimated 245 days. The contract is set to start mid-December 2026, keeping the rig committed into August 2027, with priced options adding a further 175 days of potential work.

Shell exercises option on Natt in Nigeria

Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company has exercised a one-well option on the Natt. Based on the current well program, the rig is expected to remain under contract with Shell into early August 2027.

New York – September 30, 2026 -- Con Edison generated $24.8 billion in total economic output and supported 39,700 jobs across New York State in 2025, according to a new economic impact report developed with HR&A Advisors. The utility serves 9.5 million people and more than 340,000 businesses across New York City and Westchester County.

Con Edison's operations supported nearly 40,000 jobs statewide in 2025

The company directly employed more than 14,000 workers, with each Con Edison job supporting an additional 1.8 jobs across New York State. More than half of Con Edison's employees are union members, a rate approximately three times the industry average. The company's 2025 economic activity represented approximately 1 percent of New York State's gross domestic product.

Washington, D.C. – September 30, 2026 -- E2, a nonpartisan business organization for climate and clean energy policy, has merged operations with Cleantech Leaders Roundtable (CTLR), folding CTLR's executive network into E2's base of more than 13,000 business leaders nationwide.

CTLR becomes an E2 program while keeping its brand and leadership team

Under the agreement, CTLR retains its name and identity but operates as a program of E2, gaining access to E2's national and state policy, advocacy, and communications resources. CTLR CEO Ann Davlin and other CTLR staff are joining the E2 team. The deal lands as CTLR approaches its 10th anniversary in 2027.

Vancouver – September 30, 2026 -- Lode Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: LOD; OTCQB: LODFF; X27: FR) has named Patrick W. Garretson as Senior Technical Advisor to its Fremont Gold Mine project in Mariposa, California, bringing 35 years of operational experience from South32, Newmont, Goldcorp, Barrick and BHP Billiton to the brownfield asset.

Garretson led feasibility work on South32's Hermosa Project in Arizona

Most recently, Garretson served as Project Lead for Technical Services and Feasibility Study at South32's Hermosa Project, overseeing the Taylor-Hermosa Feasibility Study through mine design, permitting and planning. He holds a B.Sc. in Geology from Fort Lewis College and is a member of the Geological Society of Nevada, Arizona Geological Society and AusIMM.