Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:

SGH2 Energy has signed a green hydrogen contract with two California-based operators of hydrogen refueling stations. The companies – California Energy Commission and Air Resources Board – will use SGH2’s green hydrogen to supply existing and 90 new refueling stations. Total production from the SGH2 plant, 3,850,000 kg annually, is now under contract for ten years, representing one of the largest green hydrogen purchase agreements. SGH2 Energy also signed a pact with the city of Lancaster, announcing a formal public-private partnership that establishes the company and city as co-owners of the SGH2 green hydrogen plant based in Lancaster, CA.

The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), the umbrella organization for solar energy stakeholders in India, has written a letter to the Union Minister of Power Raj Kumar Singh, putting forward the grievances of the stakeholders regarding the alleged mishandling of an auction by Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA). NSEFI said that UPNEDA canceled the Phase-4 e-reverse auction while a letter of intent was expected to be issued within 94 days of the results. NSEFI accused UPNEDA of issuing an incoherent statement, adding that the move will damage India’s reputation among foreign investors. In May this year, NSEFI had raised concerns over the delay in issuing letters to the successful bidders.

France has pledged to contribute €1 million (~$1.22 million) towards the International Solar Alliance (ISA), headquartered in India. As co-president of ISA, France aims to further strengthen the organization that works towards mitigating global climate change and accelerating the energy transition. The move comes in the run-up to the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference, set to take place in Glasgow in November 2021. The contribution will benefit ISA’s flagship program, Solar Technology Application Resource Centre, which provides capacity building and training activities on all aspects of solar energy development. The contribution will particularly serve in skilling drives in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa.

India and the United Kingdom have launched a new workstream to promote industrial energy efficiency under the Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative coordinated by United Nations Industrial Development Organization, at the 12th CEM. The CEM commenced on May 31, 2021, and will conclude on June 6. The initiative has been supported by Germany and Canada, with more countries expected to join soon. The objective of the program is to infuse green technologies and stimulate demand for low-carbon industrial materials. At the program, India highlighted that it is committed to cut emission intensity per unit of GDP by 33% to 35% by 2030 and said it is working on effective deployment of low-carbon technologies in energy-intensive sectors.

The Government of Canada is investing in renewable energy and upgrading the electricity grid to make clean, affordable electricity options more accessible in communities across Canada. The $964 million program was launched to support smart renewable energy and grid modernization projects that will lower emissions by investing in clean energy technologies like wind, solar, storage, hydro, geothermal, and tidal. Investing in these technologies is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating a cleaner, more connected electrical system and help Canada reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Srinwanti is a copy editor at Mercom India, where she writes and edits news stories across the clean energy spectrum. Prior to Mercom, she has worked in book publishing at Macmillan Publishing House and Integra and honed her editorial and writing skills in both online and print media such as Reuters, Times Group Books, The Times of India, and Pune Mirror, covering local to international stories. More articles from Srinwanti Das.