London, (Oilandgaspress) ––Plenitude has started the construction works in Villarino de los Aires (Salamanca, Spain) of a solar plant, with a future installed capacity of 220 MW, that will be among the largest in Castilla y León. The cornerstone laying ceremony held today was attended by representatives of the Regional Government of Castilla y León, the City Council and the Company.
The park will cover an area of around 286 hectares and will be connected to the national transmission grid at the Villarino de los Aires junction via a 3.2 km underground medium-voltage line. The facility will have 365,300 bifacial modules and it is estimated that it will produce over 400,000 MWh of electricity per year.
The plant will be completed by 2025 with the support of Sterling & Wilson, one of the largest global photovoltaic construction companies, together with other relevant local firms.
In addition, to protect the territory some measures have been implemented such as, for example, the conservation and relocation of rural huts between the modules, the conservation of natural water channels crossing the area, the provision of permeable hunting fence surrounding the precinct and the active coordination with neighboring farmers to ensure the compatibilization of the project with the land-use. Read More
SABIC spotlighted advanced material technologies and creative solutions for energy storage, particularly electric vehicle (EV) battery components and charging infrastructure at The Battery Show North America. The company displayed concepts and commercial applications that illustrate the value of its polymers and specialty thermoplastics for increasing design flexibility, improving safety and performance, streamlining manufacturing and enhancing sustainability.
Fahad Al-Harthi, global director, Automotive, SABIC, said “Important advancements in EV battery technology are being enabled by high-performance materials and innovative application approaches. SABIC invests in original research and development for energy storage solutions, and we also keep pace with the fast-changing requirements of the industry and individual customers. Our materials could make a significant contribution to solving emerging design, manufacturing and performance challenges.”
At The Battery Show, SABIC exhibited noteworthy applications and use cases that can provide both inspiration and practical design and manufacturing guidance.
Multi-material EV battery pack enclosure: This novel enclosure, an alternative to an all-aluminum design, reduces weight by 20 percent. Its cover panel uses a thermoplastic / organosheet sandwich structure; its tray is made completely from thermoplastic; and its underbody panel is metal. Flame-retardant (FR) STAMAX™ long glass fiber polypropylene (LGF-PP) is used for the thermoplastic components. Learn more.
Thermoformable insulation film in EV battery packs: This film is based on chemically resistant NORYL™ NHP8000VT3 resin, which meets the UL94 V0 standard at 0.25 mm and achieves the highest comparative tracking index level (CTI-PLC0). These properties enable the insulation film to be used in higher-voltage (600V) EV batteries to help prevent ignition and resist breakdown. Sustainable versions of the film are available. Learn more.
DC-DC hybrid converter: Another multi-material example is this demonstrator, which features a plastic-metal hybrid. The lightweight plastic housing is made with ULTEM™ resin, while a stamped sheet metal insert provides thermal management of the printed circuit board. This approach may reduce manufacturing costs by up to 30 percent compared to an all-aluminum version. Most ULTEM resin grades can be requested as ISCC+ certified renewable versions. Learn more.
Polypropylene (PP) replaces polyamide (PA) bringing more safety and value: Replacing FR PA with intumescent FR PP in thermal runaway barriers, module housing, busbars, and other EV battery components could reduce weight and costs while equaling or surpassing PA’s fire safety performance. Samples at the booth show the potential of intumescent FR PP STAMAX resin to reduce cold side temperatures by ~100°C vs. FR PA. Learn more
Cylindrical cell frames for EV battery protection: Made with LNP copolymers, these thin-wall cell frames deliver UL94 V0 compliance at 1.5 mm. Compared to polyamide (PA) frames, they offer improved dimensional stability thanks to lower moisture uptake and lower warpage. Also, they meet low-temperature ductility requirements with impact resistance down to -40°C. For sustainability, grades can be requested as ISCC+ certified renewable versions. Learn more
Busbar insulation covers: Prototype EV busbars on display use SABIC’s FR PP resin and VALOX™ FR PBT resin for their insulation covers. These materials deliver outstanding fire safety (with PBT available to meet higher service temperature requirements) and superior arcing control and can be dyed orange for visibility and safety. The resins are formulated without intentionally adding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or halogen. Processing options include injection molding and extrusion. Compared to a traditional FR PA solution, use of SABIC’s PP resin can potentially offer up to 20 percent in cost savings and 10 percent in weight savings, while SABIC’s PBT resin can deliver reduced moisture absorption and improved dimensional stability. Learn more
Nichicon capacitors for EV AC-DC traction inverters: In the first commercial application of ultra-thin ELCRES™ HTV150A dielectric film, Nichicon has developed high-temperature, high-voltage, commercial-quality capacitors for EV inverter modules. The film is the first in the industry to deliver stable performance at operating temperatures of -40°C to 150°C and frequencies up to 100 kHz. Watch video.
Charge Amps Dawn EV charger: The housing of the Charge Amps Dawn EV charger contains in the range of 50 percent certified renewable LEXAN™ polycarbonate from SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio, supporting the EV charger provider’s commitment to develop the circular bio-economy and help mitigate climate change issues. Read More
The Nigerian naira has been listed as one of the worst-performing currencies in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024.
This is according to the World Bank’s latest Africa’s Pulse report. As of August 2024, the naira had depreciated by approximately 43% year-to-date, ranking it among the weakest currencies alongside the Ethiopian birr and the South Sudanese pound.
The decline is attributed to surging demand for U.S. dollars in Nigeria’s parallel market, limited dollar inflows, and slow foreign exchange disbursements by the central bank. Despite Nigeria’s foreign exchange market reforms, including the liberalization of the official exchange rate in June 2023, these efforts have been insufficient to stabilize the currency. Read More
Kia has unveiled the final teaser video and images of the Kia Tasman ahead of the brand’s debut entry into the pickup truck market. The Kia Tasman will make its world premiere at the Jeddah International Motor Show later this month.
The latest video captures Kia’s dedication to pushing boundaries and taking on challenges, introducing the Kia Tasman as a testament to the brand’s thorough development and exhaustive testing of its first-ever pickup model.
The images reveal the pickup truck’s robust and solid silhouette, emphasizing the Kia Tasman’s utility and dependability, offering practicality and versatility across a wide variety of operating environments.
The Kia Tasman has been designed so owners can engage in a broad range of professional and lifestyle activities while addressing the drawbacks typical of existing pickup truck designs. It’s a progressive pickup that offers genuine utility, enhancing experiences and broadening possibilities.
Buyers are invited to ‘Dive into a New Dimension’ thanks to the Kia Tasman’s impressive off-road capability and top-tier features that include its revolutionary design, adaptability and safety. Read full article
Third generation on the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911
The third generation of the 911 GT3 celebrated its world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2013. Engine and gearbox, body and chassis – Porsche presented a complete redevelopment of the GT3 to mark the 50th anniversary of the 911. The 3.8-litre boxer engine delivered an output of 350 kW (475 PS) and reached a top speed of 315 km/h. The introduction of the Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK) in the GT3 was a revolution that enabled faster shift times and better performance. The new chassis with active rear-axle steering and other aerodynamic improvements made the 911 GT3 one of the most agile and precise 911s of all time. A lap on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife was possible in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds. It took four years for the sports car manufacturer to once again outperform itself with the next GT3. The six-cylinder boxer engine in this product upgrade grew to 4.0 litres displacement and provides 368 kW (500 PS). Customers could choose between the PDK and a six-speed manual sports transmission. The latter particularly appealed to purist drivers, as well as the optional touring package, which replaced the fixed rear wing with an automatically extending spoiler. The aerodynamic fine-tuning and the further developed chassis make the sports car an even more precise and powerful machine. The current 911 GT3 is based on the 992 generation of the 911. With this sports car, presented in 2021, Porsche is continuing its tradition of setting standards in the high-performance sports car segment. The 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine produces 375 kW (510 PS, 911 GT3: Fuel consumption* combined (WLTP) 13.0 – 12.9 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions* combined (WLTP) 294 – 293 g/km, CO₂ class G , CO₂ class weighted combined G ). Innovative racing technologies such as the double wishbone front suspension and optimised aerodynamics with a distinctive swan-neck rear wing make the GT3 one of the most advanced 911s of all time. This generation combines motorsport technology with approval for road use in a way that is more powerful than ever before. Read More
World premiere on 18 October: The first GT model of the new 911 generation is already in the starting blocks. In a digital world premiere, Andreas Preuninger, Director GT model line, will present the enhanced new car together with brand ambassadors Walter Röhrl and Jörg Bergmeister. The new 911 from the GT department in Flacht will be presented in two variants at the same time. Both have become even more emotional, offer customers even more individuality and feature innovative details. Read Press Release
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM) – subsidiaries of Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive manufacturer, have partnered with HSBC India, to extend supply chain financing solutions to their passenger and electric vehicle dealers. Under this agreement, the participating companies will come together to leverage HSBC India’s expertise to help dealers of TMPV and TPEM access funding at competitive terms. This collaboration will strengthen working capital accessibility for dealers, enabling them to seize opportunities in the growing passenger vehicles market. Read more
Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced its charging plan for the all-new, all-electric 2025 ID. Buzz, in collaboration with Electrify America. This initiative provides ID. Buzz owners with a seamless and cost-effective charging experience for three years, ensuring that drivers can fully embrace electric mobility with ease and convenience across the largest open DC fast-charging electric vehicle network in the U.S.
The 2025 ID. Buzz charging plan includes three years of Electrify America’s Pass+ membership, which offers members preferential per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) rates of about 25 percent savings compared to standard pay-as-you-go options, plus 500 kWh of complimentary charging. The ID. Buzz also features Plug&Charge functionality, streamlining the charging process at Electrify America stations. By activating Plug&Charge in the Electrify America mobile app, ID. Buzz drivers simply plug in their vehicle and the charging session will automatically initiate, eliminating the need for them to reach for their wallet, smartphone, or bank card. Read More
During the period from 7 to 11 October 2024, Eni acquired on the Euronext Milan no. 3,853,350 shares (equal to 0.12% of the share capital), at a weighted average price per share equal to 14.2734 euro, for a total consideration of 55,000,350.31 euro within the second tranche of the treasury shares program approved by the Shareholders’ Meeting on 15 May 2024, previously subject to disclosure pursuant to art. 144-bis of Consob Regulation 11971/1999, for the purpose of paying to the Shareholders an additional remuneration compared to the distribution of dividends. Read Press Release
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has reviewed around 800 wells and revised the top and bottom for the Utsira Group and the Skade Formation, to ensure consistency.
This revision is beneficial for planning of CO2 storage in the Utsira Group and Skade Formation in the North Sea.
There are high volumes of sand in the young part of the stratigraphic sequence in the North Sea, in the area between Sleipner in the south and the Møre Basin at 62 degrees north. Most of this sand was deposited in Miocene time. Small volumes of gas are captured in these sands, but the industry has not conducted thorough studies of the occurrence due to poor commercial interest. The interest of these sands is now changing due to the new CCS industry, and the potential for storage of CO2. Read More
Falling electric vehicle (EV) prices are leaving a growing number of drivers in negative equity, a top dealership chain has warned.
Vertu Motors said on Wednesday that car retailers were coming under pressure as EVs coming off financing agreements were found to be worth less than the loan they are attached to. The steep drop in electric cars’ value is being partly fuelled by the discounts offered on new vehicles, as manufacturers attempt to boost sales to hit legally-binding government targets. Read More
West Texas Intermediate for November delivery fell 4.4% to settle at $70.58 a barrel. Brent for December settlement dropped 4.1% to settle at $74.25 a barrel. Oil prices fell more than 4% on Tuesday due to weak demand outlook and media reports that Israel would not strike Iranian nuclear and oil sites, easing fears of a supply disruption.
| Oil and Gas Blends | Units | Oil Price | Change |
| Crude Oil (WTI) | USD/bbl | $70.97 | Down |
| Crude Oil (Brent) | USD/bbl | $74.71 | Up |
| Bonny Light 17/10/24 , CBN | USD/bbl | $75.43 | Down |
| Dubai | USD/bbl | $75.15 | Down |
| Natural Gas | USD/MMBtu | $2.34 | Down |
| Murban Crude | USD/bbl | $74.35 | Down |
| OPEC basket 17/10/24 | USD/bbl | $73.59 | Up |
A study of the health and climate impacts of carbon capture, in the journal Energy and Environmental Science, found that only 10.8% of one such plant’s CO2-equivalent emissions and 10.5% of the CO2 removed from the air is captured over 20 years, and only 20 to 31% is captured over 100 years. In addition, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis finds that “CCS is an expensive and unproven technology that distracts from global decarbonisation efforts while allowing oil and gas industries to conduct business as usual.”
This spells out exactly why the oil and gas extraction firms are so strongly in favour of CCS: it allows them to continue making their obscene profits at our expense – and of that of the future of the planet. Read full article
XPeng Inc., a leading Chinese smart electric vehicle (“Smart EV”) company, announced its vehicle delivery results for September and the third quarter of 2024.
In September 2024,XPENGdelivered 21,352 Smart EVs, a new record for monthly deliveries, representing increases of 39% year-over-year and 52% over the prior month. At the same time, the first month of deliveries of XPENG MONA M03 exceeded 10,000 units. For the first nine months of 2024,XPENGDelivered 98,561 Smart EVs, a 21% increase from the same period last year.
With a broad array of superior configurations and competitive pricing, XPENG MONA M03 has experienced a significant increase in orders since its market launch.XPENGand supply chain partners are sparing no effort to prepare for XPENG MONA M03’s further production ramp-up.
In September, XNGP’s monthly active user penetration rate in urban driving reached 83%.XPENGrolled out its AI Tianji XOS 5.3 to all eligible owners inChinaonSeptember 25, enhancing their experience with 32 feature updates and 38 functional upgrades. Empowered by end-to-end large AI models, XPENG’s ADAS features can deliver seamless smart driving on all public roads, including passing electronic toll collection (ETC), navigating U-turns and roundabouts, and much more. Read full article
Xiaopeng Motors’ world’s first AI car, Xiaopeng P7+, made its global debut in Shenzhen. Born out of AI, it deeply integrates the beauty of technology and art, and combines an end-to-end big model to bring users a comprehensive leapfrog smart travel experience.
He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of Xpeng Motors , said that Xpeng P7+ has been shouldering two major missions since its inception: to allow more ordinary people to feel the luxury executive-level space and comfort, and to allow more fuel vehicle users to experience the fun of high-end intelligent pure electric vehicles.
Facing the next decade, as Xiaopeng Motors’ pioneering work, Xiaopeng P7+ is a milestone in the end-to-end four-step concept. It shoulders two major missions and will usher in a new era of AI cars.Xiaopeng P7+ is known as the SUV version of a coupe, and its space standard has an absolute advantage within 300,000 yuan. In terms of body size, the Xiaopeng P7+ is 5056mm long and has a wheelbase of 3000mm. Its unique design allows the Xiaopeng P7+ to achieve the highest space utilization rate of 88% in its class.
In order to obtain a more spacious interior height, Xiaopeng P7+ has the industry’s thinnest 800V battery pack, which is only 109mm thick; combined with CTB body battery integration technology, the chassis height is further optimized, so that the vertical height of the car can reach up to 973mm, which is the best in its class.
The front and rear rows of the Xiaopeng P7+ both have a large seating space of nearly 1 meter, and its actual experience is comparable to that of a luxury executive sedan. The rear knee space reaches the best in its class at 157mm, so even a 1.9-meter-tall person can sit comfortably and cross their legs freely. You can even set up a crawling mat in the back row of the Xiaopeng P7+ to turn it into a play space for children. Read full article
At the global debut on October 10, He Xiaopeng announced that the Xiaopeng P7+ will be equipped with AI intelligent driving capabilities and a large number of comfort configurations as standard across the board. Combined with the pre-sale price starting from 209,800 yuan, the Xiaopeng P7+ is a product full of sincerity even in the highly competitive market for pure electric sedans under 300,000 yuan.
Regarding product strength, He Xiaopeng proposed the concept of three + at the press conference, which well explained the origin of the name P7+, namely Technology+, Space+ and Comfort+.
In terms of technology +, the entire Xiaopeng P7+ series is the first to be equipped with Xiaopeng’s new generation of AI Hawkeye vision solution. This is the industry’s first single-pixel Lofic architecture pure vision solution, which has more accurate, clearer and farther information collection capabilities than traditional cameras. At present, XNGP can bring users an AI smart driving experience regardless of road conditions or routes, and it can truly be used and easy to use across the country. At the same time, the new car will be the first to be equipped with the AI Dimensity system version 5.4.0, realizing the 0-speed activation of XNGP and starting on the spot. Read full article
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OilandGasPress Energy Newsbites and Analysis Roundup | Compiled by: OGP Staff, Segun Cole @oilandgaspress.
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