According to IEA's 2023 update to its net zero roadmap, carbon capture technologies, more efficient space cooling equipment, and clean energy transitions are all cornerstones of achieving net zero by 2050 and limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Emerging technologies utilizing metal-organic framework (MOF) materials for carbon capture, refrigerant reclamation, direct lithium extraction, HVAC equipment, and various other chemical separations and purification processes can see the advent of disruptive next-generation technologies that are essential for industrial decarbonization.

Wednesday 5 June 2024 - Carbon Credit Markets: The Rise of Durable, Engineered Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies; Importance of carbon dioxide removal in reaching global net-zero emissions targets; Overview of all negative emission technologies (NETs): Direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), Biomass with carbon removal and storage (BiCRS), Nature-based CDR methods, Mineralization NETs, and ocean-based CDR approaches; Contextualization of CDR within carbon markets and how voluntary carbon credits are accelerating NETs in the short-term; Identifying the key factors driving the market pivot from nature-based solutions such as afforestation/reforestation to durable, engineered, CDR approaches; Discussion of environmental, technical, and economic drivers/barriers for DACCS and BECCS

In a world where fossil fuels are increasingly being avoided, and the mounting problem of plastic waste management intensifies, a new approach to plastic waste has attracted much attention. Advanced recycling technologies such as chemical recycling and the dissolution of plastic waste aim to increase the circularity of the plastics economy.

Thursday 23 May 2024 - An overview of metal-organic frameworks and their emerging applications; Scaling MOF production for industrial applications; Considerations of production cost and selling price of MOFs; Examples of MOF-based point source carbon capture and direct air capture solutions and comparisons with incumbent technology; Outlook for MOFs in carbon capture including opportunities and challenges

As the volume of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources penetrating electricity grids increases globally, so does the need to manage the increasing uncertainty and variability in electricity supply. Long duration energy storage (LDES) technologies will be key in supporting electricity grids with greater penetrations of VRE over the coming decades. However, while many of the LDES technologies are likely to be cheaper than Li-ion batteries, on a US$/kWh basis at longer durations of storage, they will need to generate revenues from multiple sources in order to be profitable.

Thursday 9 May 2024 - Demand and key drivers for industrial thermal energy storage; Thermal energy storage technology overview including working principles, technology considerations (cost, materials, round-trip efficiency, etc.), ETES, TCES, and commercial readiness of these technologies; Key existing and emerging thermal energy storage applications; Market overview and key projects; IDTechEx's outlook and conclusions

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials with exceptionally high porosity and surface area (up to 7000m2/g). The design flexibility and structural versatility afforded by MOFs have attracted widespread interest in numerous applications, albeit with several unsuccessful attempts to commercialize the materials historically.

The signing of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in 2001 marked a historic moment, as it was the first global treaty aimed at eliminating or restricting chemicals harmful to human and environmental health. The addition of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) to the Convention in 2009 marked yet another milestone, as PFOS and its related substances became the first of the PFAS family to be regulated on an international level

Thursday 2 May 2024 - Forever Chemicals: Insights into Regulations Affecting PFAS and Potential Alternatives; The definition and scope of PFAS; Concerns about the effects of PFAS exposure; Regulatory frameworks impacting PFAS worldwide; Emerging applications utilizing PFAS; Potential alternatives for PFAS in selected emerging applications

Nuclear SMRs offer a powerful tool for decarbonization, with Gen IV reactor design-based SMRs offering uses beyond supplying to the grid directly. This article by IDTechEx outlines some of the ways SMRs can work within the energy ecosystem, including decarbonizing industries, producing "pink hydrogen", and offering a potential solution to the data center energy crisis.

At the end of February 2024, the UK ran its second Hydrogen Week. During this week, Hyundai set two new records for the driving range of its fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). While certainly a significant achievement, will the ultimate range of FCEVs impact consumer opinions and adoption?

Membrane materials are of fundamental importance for fuel cells, even giving their name to the specific type of fuel cell, as is the case for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Typically, these membranes consist of ionomers containing perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which in turn are subject to increasing concern and proposed regulations. In response to this, alternative materials for membranes are beginning to emerge.

As green hydrogen increasingly garners recognition as a pivotal tool for decarbonizing various industries, the electrolyzer market is also observing a steady and consistent rise in the number of companies venturing into the development of electrolyzer stacks and production facilities.

Thursday 25 April 2024 - Hydrogen and Solar Charged Electric Vehicles: Navigating the EV Transition with Constrained Electrical Grids - Introduction to the need for off-grid charging; Overview of the main charging options; Relative advantages for each solution, and likely end-use sectors; Market outlook

The chemical sector alone is responsible for 2% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and the industry depends heavily on finite fossil fuel feedstocks. The new IDTechEx report, "Carbon Dioxide Utilization 2024-2044: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players", explores how captured CO2 could be utilized as a feedstock for hundreds of different chemicals instead.

IDTechEx have released a brand new episode of the 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx' podcast, 'Battery Technology: What's The Next Big Breakthrough?'. Host Dr Tess Skyrme and industry expert Dr Alex Holland will be discussing the up-and-coming trends in the upcoming battery landscape.

With ~90% of industrial heating processes using fossil fuels, this has led to approximately 25% of global energy pollution coming from heat produced for industrial processes. As such, demand for technologies to decarbonize industrial heating is expected to increase. One such technology that is able to store and supply heat to industrial processes is thermal energy storage (TES). TES for industrial applications currently only forms a minor percentage of global TES capacity, given that TES systems have been widely deployed in applications such as pairing with concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, district heating, cold chain, and space heating for buildings.

Wednesday 24 April 2024 - What is quantum computing, and what is the state of the industry? How has the industry changed in the last 12 months? How do scalability challenges vary between quantum computing modalities? Which trends can be expected in the quantum computing market in 2024 and beyond? When are some key inflection points anticipated for commercial value creation?

Electric vehicles are no longer a niche oddity but fully mainstream, with many automotive manufacturers announcing targets to phase out ICE construction in favor of BEVs (battery electric vehicles). Passenger cars are not the only sectors where electrification is taking off. Medium and heavy-duty haulage, construction, agriculture, and mining are all under pressure to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and going electric is an increasingly attractive solution.