NRG Matters: China’s EVs exports more than double; Toyota partners with Tesla to recycle batteries

Car manufacturers in the Asian country have shipped electric passenger vehicles, valued at $1.2 billion, which is up 122 percent compared to the previous year. 
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Updated 21 June 2022
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NRG Matters: China’s EVs exports more than double; Toyota partners with Tesla to recycle batteries

RIYADH: On a macro level, China’s electric car exports have more than doubled during May, as pandemic lockdowns are gradually easing. 

Zooming in, ACWA Power has signed an agreement to restructure the Shuaibah 3 Independent Water and Power Project that will produce 600,000 cubic meters of water per day.

Looking at the bigger picture:

• China is expected to stay at top in global liquefied natural gas regasification capacity additions, with 26 percent of the additions between 2022 and 2026, according to forecasts by GlobalData. 

The latest report by the data and analytics company expects that China will add a new build LNG liquefaction capacity of 3,805 billion cubic feet by 2026. 

• China’s electric car exports have more than doubled during May, as pandemic lockdowns are gradually ending, Bloomberg reported.  

Car manufacturers in the Asian country have shipped electric passenger vehicles, valued at $1.2 billion, which is up 122 percent compared to the previous year. 

Through a micro lens:

• Saudi ACWA Power has signed an agreement with Saudi Water Partnership Co. and Shuaibah Water Electricity Co. to restructure the Shuaibah 3 Independent Water and Power Project.

The project will be converted from an energy-intensive power generation and thermal desalination facility to a greenfield seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant, Trade Arabia reported citing a statement. 

Upon completion, Shuaibah 3 IWP will produce 600,000 cubic meters of water per day, catering to the water demand of Jeddah and Makkah. 

• Japanese automotive manufacturer Toyota has partnered with Tesla co-founder’s Redwood Materials to recycle car batteries, according to Bloomberg. 

The partnership happens to address increasing battery prices and shortage of materials that are expected to go along with the global shift to electric vehicles. 


Saudi Arabia approves over 1k chemical permits, awards 172 mining licenses

Updated 56 min 22 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia approves over 1k chemical permits, awards 172 mining licenses

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia processed more than 1,000 chemical permit requests in November and awarded exploration rights for 172 mining sites in what the government described as its largest licensing round on record. 

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said it handled 1,095 chemical clearance requests during the month, including 1,041 approvals for non-restricted chemicals and 54 for restricted substances, covering 2,081 product classifications, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

It forms part of ongoing efforts to accelerate the discovery and development of mineral resources valued at over SR9.4 trillion ($2.51 trillion), aligning with Vision 2030’s objective to position mining as the third pillar of the national industrial sector.   

Ministry spokesperson Jarrah Al-Jarrah explained that the chemical clearance service enables industrial investors to obtain import or export permits for chemicals used in manufacturing through the “Sanaei” digital platform.  

“He clarified that the service aims to ensure that chemical clearances for industrial facilities are granted through streamlined procedures and in a timely manner, thus serving investors and facilitating the entry of their materials through ports of entry,” the SPA report stated. 

Al-Jarrah explained that the service plays a critical role in enhancing industrial output by developing and automating permit procedures for production-related chemicals as part of the ministry’s digital services.  

In a separate development, the ministry announced that 24 domestic and international companies and consortiums won exploration licenses across 172 mining sites in Saudi Arabia, with 76 of those sites awarded through a multi-round public auction.   

These sites span three mineral belts in the Riyadh, Madinah, and Qassim regions, with committed exploration spending exceeding SR671 million during the first two years of project implementation.  

The ministry described this licensing round as the largest mining tender in the Kingdom’s history.   

The competition covered more than 24,000 sq. km across regions known for strategic minerals including gold, copper, silver, zinc, and nickel.   

Additionally, the ministry noted that 26 qualified companies participated through the electronic bidding platform, progressing through a transparent process that began with prequalification and culminated in competitive multi-round auctions.  

The ministry confirmed that these investments aim to develop untapped exploration zones and enhance the utilization of Saudi Arabia’s mineral wealth, strengthening global supply chains.   

It also announced plans to launch further exploration license tenders covering 13,000 sq. km across Madinah, Makkah, Riyadh, Qassim, and Hail, with additional opportunities to be revealed at the 5th Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh from Jan. 13 to 15.  

These efforts, the ministry stated, reflect a broader mining strategy focused on maximizing resource potential, attracting foreign investment, creating employment opportunities, and integrating value chains to establish Saudi Arabia as a global mining hub.