Category: Business

The hydrogen rotary kiln in Oshivela, Namibia. Photo: HyIron.

Berlin, 13.04.2026. In 2025, the international SuSteelAG consortium – led by Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) – launched its mission to decarbonize steel production using hydrogen, including when working with lower‑grade ores. Now, the first industrial‑scale pilot test has been successfully completed in Namibia: In an electrically powered hydrogen rotary kiln, 80 tonnes of Australian iron ore were converted climate‑neutrally into direct‑reduced iron (DRI). With this, SuSteelAG is paving the way for a sustainable value chain linking Australia, Namibia, and Germany -from iron production and refinement to green steel.

The steel industry accounts for around seven percent of global CO₂ emissions; transforming it is therefore a central lever of the energy transition. This is where the SuSteelAG project (Sustainable Steel from Australia and Germany) comes in: Coordinated by BAM, the project is developing a hydrogen‑based direct‑reduction process that, for the first time, can also utilize lower‑grade ores – thereby expanding the resource base available for green steel production.

Until now, climate‑neutral steel production has only been feasible using premium ores with an iron content of roughly 70 percent. These ores, however, are scarce and expensive worldwide. Moreover, existing processes require the use of a shaft furnace, which in turn demands cost‑ and energy‑intensive pelletizing of the ore.

In early April 2026, for the first time, untreated Australian iron ore with a comparatively low iron content (~56 percent) was processed into direct‑reduced iron at industrial scale at the Oshivela site in Namibia, where project partner HyIron Green Technologies operates an innovative hydrogen rotary kiln.

For the campaign, 80 tonnes of iron ore supplied by Australian mining and technology company Fortescue – also a SuSteelAG partner – were available. The German industrial furnace manufacturer TS Elino GmbH was primarily responsible for designing and constructing the rotary kiln. Prior to the industrial trial, BAM had extensively studied hydrogen‑based iron reduction at laboratory scale and derived the optimal operating parameters for the large‑scale process. Based on these findings, the Oshivela plant succeeded in refining the Australian ore into iron under climate‑neutral conditions and with a throughput of approximately five tonnes per hour.

“We have now reached a scale that is highly relevant for industrial production and demonstrated that hydrogen‑based direct reduction of lower‑grade ores can be operated economically – an essential step toward accelerating green steel production in Germany and beyond,” says Christian Adam (BAM), who coordinates the international SuSteelAG consortium. “This also means that green steel production need not be constrained by the limited availability of premium ores.”

The next step will be to ship the refined iron from Namibia to Germany. Salzgitter Mannesmann Forschung GmbH will investigate how the refined iron can best be integrated into existing industrial processes in order to eventually produce climate‑friendly steel for cars and other key products.

RWTH Aachen University (Advanced Mineral Processing Technologies Research and Teaching Unit – AMR) will investigate how Australian ores with lower iron content can be further optimized for direct reduction.

In addition to the companies already mentioned, the SuSteelAG consortium includes HyIron GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS, Heidelberg Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, and HANSAPORT.

SuSteelAG is funded with approximately €4.5 million under the 7th Energy Research Programme of the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. The innovative hydrogen rotary kiln operated by HyIron Green Technologies in Namibia was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

New Delhi, Apr 13 (BNP): The government has proposed revised fuel efficiency standards under CAFE 2027, moving away from a strict target-based system to a phased and more flexible compliance approach, according to a draft prepared by the Ministry of Power in consultation with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).

The updated framework introduces a flatter compliance curve, aimed at creating a more balanced system and reducing the earlier advantage available to heavier vehicles.

CAFE 2027 represents the third stage of India’s Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency roadmap, which is designed to improve vehicle efficiency and support the country’s long-term climate and energy goals. The proposed norms are set to take effect from April 1, 2027, and will be tightened gradually through FY32.

The draft reportedly relaxes earlier proposals made in September 2025 by adjusting the emission curve, allowing slightly higher fuel consumption limits than initially suggested.

To encourage cleaner mobility, the framework includes “super credits” for electric and hybrid vehicles, allowing them to be counted multiple times in fleet emission calculations. Plug-in hybrids and flex-fuel hybrids are also expected to receive higher credit benefits.

In addition, the proposal permits credit trading between manufacturers, giving automakers greater flexibility in meeting compliance requirements.

However, the report cautions that penalties for non-compliance could still run into hundreds of crores for large manufacturers, making adoption of cleaner technologies and effective credit management crucial for the industry.

New Delhi, Apr 13 (BNP): Rising energy costs are expected to weigh on the profitability of cement manufacturers, potentially compressing operating margins by up to 200 basis points, according to a report by Crisil.

The report noted that higher fuel and power expenses remain a key concern for the sector, even as demand conditions stay relatively stable. Cement production is energy-intensive, making manufacturers particularly sensitive to fluctuations in input costs.

It added that companies may face margin pressure if energy prices remain elevated, unless they are able to pass on higher costs through price increases or improve operational efficiency.

Overall, the outlook suggests cautious profitability for the sector in the near term amid persistent cost headwinds.

New Delhi, Apr 13 (BNP): Gold prices declined on Monday, slipping by ₹602 to ₹1,52,050 per 10 grams in futures trading, as weak spot demand weighed on sentiment.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold contracts for June delivery were trading lower by 0.39% at ₹1,52,050 per 10 grams, with a total business turnover of 1,491 lots.

Analysts said the decline in prices was largely driven by subdued global cues and reduced buying interest in the spot market.

New Delhi, Apr 13: Enviro Infra Engineers Limited, a leading EPC player in water and wastewater treatment, has secured two major projects worth approximately ₹972 crore from the Swachh Maharashtra Mission Directorate. These projects will focus on developing sewage treatment infrastructure across urban local bodies (ULBs) in Maharashtra under the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0.

The scope of work includes design, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of sewage treatment plants (STPs), along with extensive sewer networks and interception & diversion (I&D) systems across 306 ULBs with populations under one lakh.

Project Highlights

• Pune Region
  • STP Capacity: 120.50 MLD
  • I&D Network: 209 km
  • Sewer Network: 887.20 km
  • Project Value: ₹587.21 crore
• Nashik Region
  • STP Capacity: 121.10 MLD
  • I&D Network: 105.50 km
  • Sewer Network: 433.68 km
  • Project Value: ₹384.98 crore

Both projects are scheduled for completion within 24 months.

These initiatives are part of Maharashtra’s broader efforts to strengthen urban sanitation infrastructure, improve wastewater management, and enhance environmental sustainability and public health outcomes under SBM 2.0.

With these project wins, Enviro Infra Engineers Limited continues to expand its footprint in Maharashtra, particularly across Pune and Nashik, while reinforcing its position in India’s water and wastewater infrastructure ecosystem.

New Delhi, Apr 13 (BNP): Vikram Solar on Monday announced that it has surpassed 10 GW in cumulative global solar module deployments, marking a key milestone in its growth journey in the renewable energy sector.

The achievement is equivalent to more than 25 million solar modules installed worldwide and is capable of powering over 5 million households in India, according to a company statement.

The company also highlighted that it doubled its total installed capacity from 5 GW to 10 GW in just two years, driven by strong demand for solar energy solutions and sustained expansion in domestic and international markets.

Over the past two decades, Vikram Solar has steadily built its presence in the renewable energy space, reflecting the broader growth of India’s solar manufacturing and deployment ecosystem.

New Delhi, Apr 13 (BNP): India’s energy storage sector is expected to see strong growth over the next decade, with the Behind-the-Meter (BTM) stationary storage market projected to rise significantly, according to a report by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA).

The report estimates that annual demand for BTM storage systems will increase from about 32 GWh in 2025 to over 39 GWh by 2033, driven by rising adoption of distributed energy solutions.

Behind-the-Meter systems refer to energy storage and generation units installed on the consumer’s side of the electricity meter. These include rooftop solar installations, battery storage systems, and backup power solutions used in applications such as UPS systems, inverters, and telecom infrastructure.

The report highlights that growing demand for reliable and clean energy, along with increasing decentralised power generation, is expected to support the sector’s expansion in the coming years.

Tokyo, Japan, Apr 13: On March 30, 2026, transcosmos and transcosmos online communications began offering an automated message translation feature of KANAMETO—a LINE-powered Government DX tool—to Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, as part of the city’s existing KANAMETO services to support the implementation of multilingual functionality on the city’s LINE official account.

Kumamoto City began using a LINE official account in 2018 and has since distributed a wide range of information, including event updates, childcare, health, and community safety information.

On March 30, 2026, Kumamoto City upgraded its LINE official account to a multilingual version with the introduction of KANAMETO’s automated message translation feature. The renewed account supports messaging in English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Indonesian, Nepali, and Vietnamese, in addition to Japanese.

When users add the Kumamoto City LINE official account, a message prompting them to configure message settings appears in multiple languages. After selecting their preferred language in the settings, users can receive messages translated into their chosen language. Users may also choose to receive the original Japanese text together with the translated messages.

In addition, by using KANAMETO’s Rich Menu switching feature in combination with the automated translation function, Kumamoto City can display Rich Menus in translated languages for users who choose to receive information in languages other than Japanese.

India has a scintillating new luxury destination that has marked its arrival with much élan. Over the weekend of April 10, Raymond unveiled its Chairman’s Collection Store in the heart of Bandra, Mumbai—a stunning two-level flagship space that delivers a bold and elevated luxury experience.

 Spanning over 11,000 square feet, the store represents a significant evolution for the brand, seamlessly bringing together fine menswear fashion, refined design, and exceptional craftsmanship for discerning luxury consumers. Chairman’s Collection reflects Raymond’s transition from a heritage textile pioneer to a modern luxury menswear destination, now stepping into a more couture-led space.

Designed as one of the most ambitious expressions of luxury menswear retail in India, the store offers a truly immersive sartorial experience for globally aware customers. Drawing inspiration from Renaissance and Baroque influences, layered with a contemporary European sensibility, the space celebrates Indian craftsmanship while embodying a distinctly global identity of new-age India.

By Raman Bhatia, Managing Director of Servotech Renewable Power System

Servotech gladly welcomes the Delhi EV Policy 2.0, which has been a long-overdue emergency response to the toxic air our national capital breathes. For years, we’ve treated air pollution as a seasonal headline, but as someone deeply embedded in the green energy sector, I see it as a systemic failure of our mobility habits. The true hero of this policy isn’t the subsidies but the mandatory transition for two-wheelers and commercial fleets. We are finally moving past the choice of going green to the necessity of being clean.

We’ve realized that range anxiety is just a symptom of infrastructure apathy. As an EV charger manufacturer, I believe that by mandating chargers at every dealership and pushing for 18,000 points and introducing attractive EV schemes like no road tax and registration fee, the government is finally aligning the hardware with its long-term vision for the capital. Furthermore, this policy will significantly benefit the cab and 3 wheeler fleet industry, an integral part of the state’s mobility ecosystem by significantly reducing their daily operating costs after transitioning to electric. Moreover, the scrapping incentives will be another great catalyst in purging the capital’s oldest polluters. We can no longer afford to let internal combustion engines turn our capital into a gas chamber. This policy shifts the burden from the individual to the ecosystem. The era of fossil fuels is over, we are now building a Delhi that breathes clean and green.