Welcome to the first issue of Enterprise Climate.

Good morning, wonderful people, and welcome to the first issue of Enterprise Climate, the essential regional publication for senior execs who care about what is fast becoming the world’s most important industry.

Climate is one of those rare industries that cuts across every other sector of the economy, from banking and finance to infrastructure, real estate, transport, construction, FMCG, urban planning, professional services and beyond.

Longtime readers will know we’ve been talking about climate in Egypt and MENA since we first started publishing back in 2014. With Enterprise Climate, we’re taking it to the next level, serving up in-depth news and analysis for a regional audience.

Enterprise Climate covers everything from finance and tech to regulation, products and policy across the Middle East and North Africa. In a nod to the growing geographical ambitions of companies in our corner of the world, we also include an overview of the big trends and data points in nearby countries, including Africa and southern Europe. From energy to banking, water, waste management, sustainable building practices, and more, the scope of Enterprise Climate is massive.

And because we’re taking an insider’s look at everything climate, you can count on us not just for key news and trends, but for the inside scoop on products and services that are hitting the region — and interviews with industry leaders of all types.

We’re very grateful to our friends at HSBC and Infinity Power for their support as our launch partners. In the world of banking and finance, HSBC is a MENA leader in the transition to net zero and the push for a full embrace of wider environmental social and governance (ESG) issues. The good people at Infinity Power, a joint venture between Infinity and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), are world leaders in the renewables space with projects in operation or under development across the Middle East and Africa.

Enterprise Climate is published at 6am UAE / 5am KSA / 4am CLT Monday through Thursday by the same people who bring you Enterprise Egypt, your essential 6am and 3pm CLT read on business, finance, policy and economy in Egypt and emerging markets.

You can subscribe to Enterprise Climate here and reach out to us on climate@enterprisemea.com with comments, suggestions and story tips — or just hit “reply” to any issue of Enterprise Climate.

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IN TODAY’S ISSUE- Remember those green hydrogen MoUs that Egypt signed last week? Well, they’re worth over USD 31.75 bn. We have chapter and verse in this morning’s news well, below.

We also have an exclusive chat with the UAE’s Climate Change and Environment Minister, Mariam Almheiri, who discusses the UAE’s climate investments, its preparations for COP28 and her hopes for COP27. Don’t miss our first Newsmakers interview in this morning’s news well, below.

SIGN OF THE TIMES #1- Is there a better time to launch a daily on all things climate than during world water week? Organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute, interested stakeholders can attend a number of workshops and sessions discussing new ways of managing water and how to tackle food security, agriculture, technology, biodiversity and climate pain points. Check out their full program here.

HAPPENING TODAY- The Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) will start setting up meetings with investors starting today for the issuance of USD-denominated debut green bonds, Zawya reports.

The inside story: ADCB is looking to sell five-year senior unsecured green bonds of “benchmark size,” subject to market conditions. Proceeds will go towards financing or refinancing green loans eligible under ADBC's green bond framework, which the lender released earlier this month. The bank’s most recent earnings release stated that it aims to provide AED 35 bn in green financing by 2030.

Advisors- Barclays and ING were hired as joint sustainability structuring advisors, while Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, BofA Securities, JPMorgan, Mizuho and SMBC Nikko are joint lead managers and bookrunners on the issuance.

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THE BIG CLIMATE STORY OUTSIDE THE REGION- There are a few: The US state of California will ban the sale of petrol-powered cars in 2035, CNBC reports. California is the country’s most populous state and a center of US car culture. The California Air Resources Board issued the rule last week in a bid to push car manufacturers to speed up production of cleaner vehicles.

MEANWHILE- French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced a USD 1.5 bn fund to speed up the country’s transition to clean energy, according to Bloomberg, quoting an interview with French newspaper, Le Parisien over the weekend.

SIGN OF THE TIMES #2- ECB’s Lagarde is ringing the climate alarm bell: European Central Bank (ECB) chief Christine Lagarde warned of the impact of climate change on prices, ins. and the financial sector in an interview with Madam Figaro (Reuters has the nuts and bolts in English). The ECB needs to take that into account when making decisions, she added.

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WORTH READING- Does ESG affect M&A and corporate strategy? Apparently. Some 56% of surveyed professionals think it affects corporate strategy and 42% believe it plays an important role in M&A, according to a study by Coleman Research. The study on the impact of ESG on corporate strategies and M&A activity is based on a survey of 500 experts across the US, EMEA, and APAC. You can get the full report here.

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THE COUNTDOWN TO COP27-

Egypt wants to see real investment, not just pledges: The summit will aim to attract concrete investments — and not just pledges — in fields including renewable energy, green hydrogen projects, agriculture, and food and water security, Egypt climate envoy Mahmoud Mohieldin said in an interview on Egyptian talk show Masaa DMC (watch, runtime: 37:26 in Arabic).

Go big or go home: The EU will push hard against the world’s biggest economies, according to an EU draft document obtained by Reuters. The report, prepared by the European Environmental Agency (EEA), calls on all 200 countries participating in COP27 to improve their climate change targets. “Global climate action remains insufficient,” the note says. The draft, which faces weeks of negotiations and amendments before approval in October, is expected to push countries to set more ambitious pollution targets to stop global warming spiraling beyond 1.5°C.

Coming to COP27? You may meet Prince Charles. The Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Markets Initiative announced it will host a two-day “Terra Carta Action Forum” in Sharm El Sheikh to take place during COP27, according to a statement. The jaw-fest will focus on how to deliver on “the promises made in Glasgow” at COP26 with the aim of unlocking USD tns of private sector investment for climate action, the Prince of Wales said.

Nigeria is “engaging with partners to secure an initial USD 10 bn support package ahead of COP27,” the country’s vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, said during a virtual event last week. The package would be similar to South Africa’s “just energy transition” partnership announced at COP26. Tackling climate change must go hand-in-hand with improving access to energy, he added. Nigeria needs to spend some USD 10 bn annually “above business as usual spending” to roll out a planned energy transition that would see it hit net-zero by 2060, said Osinbajo.

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THE DANGER ZONE-

Some 33 mn (yes, mn) people have been displaced by flooding in Pakistan. The death toll from monsoon floods in Pakistan has crossed 1k, as several countries, including France, the UAE and Iran continue to pledge emergency aid to mitigate the worsening crisis. At least 33 mn people have also been displaced from their homes since June when monsoon season started. Pakistan Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman called this year’s deadly monsoon season a “serious climate catastrophe,” declaring a national emergency for what has been the heaviest rainfall Pakistan has experienced since the 1960s. (Reuters | AP | NPR | BBC)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY-

Germany and Morocco to discuss ties, renewables: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock discussed climate, renewable energy and green hydrogen projects with Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita during a two-day visit late last week, according to the German ministry’s website. The two said they would intensify their long-standing cooperation in sustainable development, sustainable agriculture and forestry, biodiversity, climate, renewable energy, water and food security.

Renewables and food security were on the agenda for a sit-down between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to Zawya. The president also invited Mitsotakis to attend COP28, set to take place in the UAE next year.

Egypt and Denmark are in talks to promote sustainability: The president of the Suez Canal Authority met with Denmark’s minister of climate, energy and utilities and the country’s ambassador to Egypt to discuss partnerships in the green economy, accelerate the utilization of clean energy sources in maritime transportation, and enhance the environmental sustainability of the Suez Canal, according to a statement.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR- Edge Innovation Forum is holding its Sustainability In Depth seminar on 30 August at Galleria40 in Cairo, Egypt. The seminar will focus on the role of government decisions in encouraging sustainable development and green financing.

The World Conference on Climate Change & Sustainability is taking place on 1-3 September in Frankfurt, Germany. The aim of the conference is to bring together “a range of key actors from institutions, governments, cities and communities, the private sector, and civil society, to make the world more climate-resilient,” the event’s organizers note. You can also attend the event online by registering here.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

Egypt’s green hydrogen drive has drawn another USD 32 bn in investment pledges: Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) signed seven memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth at least USD 31.75 bn to set up green hydrogen and ammonia production facilities, it said in a statement. The plants will have a combined annual production capacity of around 5.5 mn tons, with fuel set to be exported abroad and sold to the shipping industry, the statement said. The push towards investing in green hydrogen comes as the government looks to capitalize on investment momentum in green energy in the lead-up to COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh this November.

Who was involved? The MoUs were signed between SCZONE, the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE), Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) and New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), and seven companies from the UK, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and India.

The breakdown of the agreements and investments are as follows:

• India’s ACME Group will build a USD 13 bn hydrogen production plant with a total capacity of 2.2 mn tons annually;
• UK-headquartered Globeleq is set to establish a USD 11 bn green fuel production plant with an annual production capacity of 2 mn tons;
• Saudi company Al Fanar wants to build a USD 4 bn green fuel production facility with a capacity of 500k tons per annum;
• UAE’s Alcazar is looking at constructing an industrial complex for green fuel production with a total production capacity of 230k tons annually, at an investment value of USD 2 bn;
• Our friends at the UK’s Actis will establish green fuel production plants worth USD 1.5 bn with a production capacity of 200k tons annually;
• Egypt-based Mediterranean Energy Partners will invest USD 250 mn to establish a green ammonia plant with a production capacity of 120k tons per year;
• The UAE’s K&K Group is set to build a green hydrogen production plant of a yearly capacity of 230k tons, but details about the investment value were not disclosed.

What’s next: The companies will now begin conducting feasibility studies on the plants, the statement says.

What is the region as a whole doing in the field of green hydrogen? The MENA region is projected to be the world’s largest supplier of green hydrogen in the coming years with the region accounting for the highest number of export-oriented low carbon hydrogen projects, according to in-house research by the Abu Dhabi-based Clean Energy Business Council. The region has seen a significant ramp up in green and blue hydrogen projects from 11% in 2020 to 89% in 2021, the report says.

What the UAE hopes to see at COP27 — and expects from COP28, according to its Climate Change and Environment Minister, Mariam Almheiri: As the countdown to COP27 in November continues, all eyes are on host country Egypt to make good on plans to put implementation front and center during the two-week summit while simultaneously prioritizing climate financing for developing economies. Egypt, in turn, will be counting on the support of key regional allies — including the UAE, which is hosting COP28 in 2023, at Dubai Expo City.

The UAE has long been a leader in MENA in the push for action and multilateral cooperation on climate change. It is the permanent host country for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and led the region in signing and ratifying the 2015 Paris Agreement, committing to an economy-wide reduction in emissions. And with plans to invest another USD 50 bn in clean energy in the next decade, the county looks set to cement that regional leadership for some time to come.

Crucial to these plans is the UAE’s Climate Change and Environment Minister Mariam Almheiri (bio). Prior to becoming minister in 2021, Almheiri was minister of state for food and water security and minister of state for food security, with responsibilities that included monitoring the UAE’s food and water supply, directing investment and building partnerships in food and water tech, and overseeing food security infrastructure development. Earlier, she was assistant undersecretary for water resources and nature conservation affairs at the Climate Change ministry, where she oversaw the biodiversity, fisheries, coastal and marine sustainability, and marine research departments.

We spoke with Almheiri to discuss the UAE’s climate investment, its preparations for COP28 and hopes for COP27. In her own words:

ENTERPRISE CLIMATE: What outcome are you hoping for from COP27?

MARIAM ALMHEIRI: We are keen to support the Egyptian presidency in delivering a successful COP. With a focus on implementation, we hope to see progress on funding, particularly the USD 100 bn climate finance commitment made by developed countries. This is crucial to enabling developing countries to meet their climate change mitigation and adaptation goals.

In addition, we look forward to seeing new developments on adaptation, loss and damage. We would particularly like to see both political prioritization and investment to address critical subjects that impact climate change such as food systems, nutrition, water, early warning systems, and nature-based solutions. These are foundations for adaptation, not to mention prevention of loss and damage — a pillar of the Paris Agreement that will require special attention in Sharm El Sheikh.

We fully support the two-year Glasgow-Sharm El Sheikh work program as an important stepping stone in accelerating the Global Goal on Adaptation, to be concluded at COP28. We also welcome the outcomes of the Glasgow Climate Pact, which acknowledged loss and damage as a priority. COP27’s focus on these areas is crucial, at a time when communities all over the globe — and especially in developing countries — face devastation from climate impacts and need clear signals from the international community that the response will be commensurate.

In this context, the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement (GST) offers [a chance] to reflect on achievements made thus far and ratchet ambition for the next 5-10 years of global climate action — we welcome the start of the process in Glasgow and encourage progress through to its conclusion at COP28. For this to be successful, it is crucial for all countries to close the emission reduction gap by raising their ambitions ahead of COP27.

Another outcome we hope to see is the elaboration of synergies between climate action and differentiated development paths. The investment case for climate action, such as in renewables, carbon capture and storage, climate-smart agriculture and biodiversity conservation, is encouraging and cuts across different economic sectors.

COP27 is a critical moment to showcase the economic and job benefits of a growing suite of climate action tools, allowing countries in different circumstances to find their own unique paths to achieving the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We are aiming for COP27 to be a catalyst for these practical solutions — and to evidence that ambition can come from all corners of the world.

EC: What can we expect from COP28?

MA: We seek to leverage our solid track record as a global climate action convener to deliver a productive event with high youth engagement that builds a strong economic case for climate action — and mobilizes countries to increase the scale and pace of their efforts to address climate change. We are committed to driving multilateral diplomacy aimed at preserving our planet for the next generations and building a better future for all humankind.

Inclusivity will be the guiding principle of COP28. We understand that each region and country has a different starting point and might move at its own pace. We will ensure that the voice of every nation — whether developed or developing — and every stakeholder is heard, and that the specific geographic, climatic and socio-economic conditions of every country are considered when charting a global roadmap to a climate-resilient future. We are keen to promote a just and inclusive transition to a sustainable way of life that truly leaves no one behind.

COP28 is particularly important because it will provide a platform to present the results of the first global stocktake of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that aims to assess the world’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We plan to focus on advancing climate change adaptation, raising our collective climate ambition and stepping up global climate finance commitments.

EC: How is the UAE supporting other MENA countries to achieve their climate action goals?

MA: The UAE is keen on building regional synergies to devise a regional response model that caters to the challenges and requirements of its peers from this region to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The country is a premier convenor of regional climate action events, such as the UAE Regional Climate Dialogue with the participation of US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry in 2021 and the first-ever MENA Climate Week, held in collaboration with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2022 to boost the momentum of climate action and support a new low-carbon development path in the MENA region.

Aiming to help countries in the region advance their energy transition, we have invested heavily in their renewables ventures, such as the four solar PV plants in Egypt’s Red Sea Governorate with a combined capacity of 14 MW and the 117 MW Tafila Wind Farm in Jordan.

We will go to COP27 eager to build on existing ties with other countries and forge new ones, because when we move together, we move faster.

EC: How much has the UAE spent so far on climate action projects and goals?

MA: To date, we have invested over USD 40 bn in clean energy projects locally. As a result, our country is home to three of the largest-in-capacity and lowest-in-cost solar plants in the world, and our clean energy capacity is set to reach 14 GW by 2030.

On the international front, the UAE supports green infrastructure and clean energy projects worldwide, and has invested around USD 16.8 bn in renewables ventures in 70 countries, with a focus on developing nations. Furthermore, we have contributed USD 1 bn in aid and soft loans to renewable energy projects in 50 countries.

And this year, we have pledged to invest an additional USD 50 bn in clean energy ventures at home and abroad over the next decade. This shows our unwavering focus on fighting climate change worldwide.

Iraq’s Mass Group Holding to acquire a Romanian thermal plant green: Iraqi infrastructure and electricity developer Mass Group Holding acquired a 1.2 GW thermal power plant in Romania and will invest to ensure it begins sourcing power from renewable energy sources, according to a statement picked up by business intelligence publication SeeNews. Mass Group bought the Mintia power plant from state-owned power producer Complexul Energetic Hunedoara (CEH) for USD 91 mn at a public sale.

Mass Group plans to invest an extra EUR 1 bn by 2026 to have 62% of it run on renewable energy, the statement reads. The Romanian government stipulated that Mass Group needs to expand Mintia’s energy capacity to at least 1.29k MWh by the end of 2026, of which 800 MWh must be sourced from renewable energy sources, according to SeeNews, which references a statement by CEH’s judicial administrator Expert Insolventa.

FYI- Thermal power plants operate with energy produced by a steam boiler, which is fueled by heat from coal, natural gas, heating oil, biomass or renewable energy sources.

MENA startups are starting to catch on to climate as a business: As the long-term effects of the climate crisis are being felt more acutely, there’s a growing need to respond with creative solutions, as a recent World Economic Forum opinion piece notes. Here are five MENA climate-focused startups doing just that, by using innovation to address specific climate challenges.

1- Shift EV: Egyptian mobility startup working to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicle (EV) batteries for commercial vehicles. Transport accounts for around one-fifth of global CO2 emissions and an estimated 29.4% of this comes from trucks carrying freight. Egypt alone has over 1.5 mn commercial vehicles on its roads. Though EVs are widely hailed as a way to reduce this impact, they’re also a lot more expensive than conventional vehicles. Electric mobility startup Shift EV is addressing this problem by retrofitting fleets with EV batteries and drive trains — at a fraction of the cost of buying a new vehicle.

How does it work? Shift EV converts conventional delivery fleets into EVs using proprietary, locally-manufactured batteries. The battery packages are made of Lego-like modules that can be combined in different sizes, form factors and voltages to make optimum use of the engine compartments in different vehicle models. This use of customizable batteries allows Shift EV to work at an industrial automotive rate, converting individual vehicles to EVs in less than a few hours and full delivery fleets in just days. The company currently retrofits minivans and tricycles with EV battery packages, and is set to add pickup trucks “soon.”

How does it generate income? The company uses a subscription model, with no upfront charges. It offers logistics fleets the chance to save some 30% of operating costs, and then takes a piece of those savings.

Shift EV had closed a total of USD 9 mn in funding as of April 2022. At least part of this came from an undisclosed Series A round that was backed by existing investors Union Square Ventures, along with Algebra Ventures, Wamda, and first-time investor Oman Technology Fund (OTF).

2- Manhat: Solar-powered desalination in the UAE. Desalination is often hailed as an integral solution to our global water woes — but traditionally it’s an expensive and energy-intensive process that produces lots of CO2 emissions and sees polluting brine released back into our air and oceans. The UAE’s Manhat wants to change things: The startup, founded in 2019, has been making waves this year with its use of solar-powered water distillation technology to produce desalinated water for irrigation.

How does it work? Manhat uses greenhouse-like floating structures that trap evaporated vapor from areas of open water (like the sea). As the vapor rises, it touches the cooler sides of the structures and forms water droplets. Once the water is collected, the idea is for it to be immediately used to irrigate crops on floating farms — though these have yet to be piloted.

Manhat has been attracting national and international recognition: Manhat recently received the European Commission-established water tech platform Water Europe Innovation 2022 SMEs award. It also was previously awarded the Thought for Food 2022 Mena Agri-Food-Tech Challenge, which took place at the Food for Future summit — beating over 170 applicants from the region.

3- Uvera: Saudi smart food storage system prolonging the shelf life of fresh food. Globally — and in all income brackets — food waste is a huge problem, with clear ecological and economic consequences, according to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021. Founded in 2019, and headquartered at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), biotech startup Uvera uses non-chemical techniques to store and prolong the shelf life of food.

How does it work? Uvera smart devices have a base unit that vacuum seals containers to extend the shelf life of food stored in the devices. But they also use UV-C light sterilization to kill viruses and bacteria, including covid, salmonella, E.coli and H1N1, helping to reduce food spoilage, explains founder Asrar Damdam (watch, runtime: 01:36). This can increase the shelf life of fresh food by up to 97%, when the device is used for only 30 seconds, adds Damdam. Uvera also has several mobile app features, including an online fridge inventory and food spoilage notifications.

Uvera is in the process of raising USD 3 mn in funding, Forbes Middle East noted when naming Damdam in its 30 Under 30 2021. The company made it to the top ten of the Thought for Food 2022 Mena Agri-Food-Tech Challenge, it noted several months ago.

4- Algebra Intelligence: Jordanian AI startup to monitor energy usage. An estimated 20% of all businesses’ annual energy costs are wasted through the usage of inefficient equipment, according to Carbon Trust. Jordanian startup Algebra Intelligence uses machine learning to help end-users — whether homeowners or businesses — use their energy more efficiently and save on costs.

How does it work? Algebra Intelligence has created a mobile app and web-based platform, TaQTaK, that allows clients to monitor their electricity consumption and energy usage from their solar PV systems, by providing data analytics on a real-time dashboard. Features include energy forecasting and predictive maintenance notifications. Using machine learning models and algorithms to analyze patterns in data sets, the system is able to forecast energy generation capacity and make predictions about energy demand. It can also identify defects in energy infrastructure, scheduling check-ups and improving long-term performance.

Founded in 2020, the company closed a USD 310k pre-seed round in 2021, led by Oasis500. It was also named one of Forbes’ 10 Sustainable Startups in MENA last year.

5- Cupmena: Egyptian agritech firm growing mushrooms from used coffee grounds. Where do used coffee grounds go? Turns out, they’re usually dumped in landfills along with general waste, where they emit methane — a greenhouse gas with over 20 times the global warming capacity of CO2. Cupmena was founded in 2019 to make better use of coffee’s fertilizer properties, and reduce harmful methane emissions.

How does it work? Cupmena has developed a biotech system to cultivate organic mushrooms using spent coffee grounds as the main soil. The mushrooms themselves are then sold, and the used mushroom soil is converted into organic fertilizer. The process maximizes nutritional value from the used coffee grounds and helps to reduce CO2 emissions that would otherwise come from them being sent to landfill, while the methane it produces can be captured and used to generate electricity.

Cupmena has seen investment to the value of at least USD 100k, which was announced in late-2020.

Eufy Security’s S40 solar-powered wireless home security camera is scoring well for power, performance and ease of use: The market for smart security and access systems for homes in MENA is seeing substantial growth, and is set to hit USD 332.5 mn this year, up from USD 255 mn in 2021, according to Statista. While security systems are generally not “energy hungry,” they usually rely on electricity or batteries to operate. But solar-powered security cameras, which require next to no maintenance from electricians after installation, are expected to grow in popularity. And Eufy Security’s new solar-powered wireless SoloCam S40 is getting major props from reviewers for its built-in solar panels, sharp resolution and easy installation.

As the first home security camera with inbuilt solar panels, the S40 could help change a still-nascent market. “Eufy’s solar-powered camera is a game changer for wireless, eco-friendly home security,” according to USA Today’s Reviewed website. There are currently few name-brand solar security cameras available in the market, Reviewed notes. And while other wireless security cameras like Ring and Arlo can be fitted with standalone solar panels, Eufy incorporates the panels into the device.

It makes its MENA debut in the UAE: Because it’s powered by sunlight, and weather-hardy, the ideal camera — launched in the UAE early this year — for the sun-heavy MENA region. “In the UAE we enjoy a great amount of sunlight all year round, so we are glad to launch a solution that leverages this natural resource to produce clean energy,” said Faraz Mehdi, general manager of regional sales at Anker Innovations Limited — the Chinese electronics manufacturing company that owns Eufy — when the device was launched in the UAE. The S40 also comes with an IP67 rating to ensure the camera is protected from humidity, dust, sandstorms and rainstorms, Security Review magazine notes. Eufy says the camera can also withstand extreme heat.

The camera can be easily fitted in the home: The S40 comes with a tripod mount that can be attached to a wall or fence, and the camera then fitted in, a review in the Ambient tells us. It connects directly to home wifi networks, so it can be placed anywhere as long as it receives a strong signal from the router, a review from Tech Advisor says.

And following a full charge, its internal battery can be kept topped up with as little as two hours of sunlight every day, notes the Ambient. The camera needs an initial charge of up to eight hours from its USB port — and then it should be placed in a sunny spot for optimal performance and battery life, adds Reviewed.

But what really has reviewers excited is the S40’s features: These include 2k resolution, 8GB of internal storage, a built-in spotlight, siren and talk-back speaker. The 8GB of storage is particularly useful, as it means you don’t need to pay for cloud storage to view the camera’s recordings, which are motion triggered, Tech Advisor adds. It praises the clarity and color balance of the video resolution, particularly with the camera’s 600-lumen spotlight, and notes its audio performance is excellent, even during inclement weather.

And a mobile app, with customizable features, allows for remote management: The app allows you to select your level of motion detection sensitivity — namely, whether you want the camera to detect all motion or human activity only. It also lets you choose what kind of notifications you receive from the camera, and monitor its battery life and storage. The app can integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistance, but not with Apple HomeKit.

The SoloCam S40 is priced at AED 685 and can be bought online and in-stores from Jumbo Electronics, notes PCMag.

Qatar will host the World Cup with climate in mind — well, at least in one stadium: Qatar’s Lusail Stadium, one of eight venues set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November, was built with sustainability in mind, according to Doha News. The stadium utilizes recycled water to irrigate the field and its surrounding plants use far less water than do traditional stadiums. The roof of the stadium was similarly built to limit reliance on cooling systems by providing enough shade, the news outlet notes. Lusail was awarded a five-star rating for its design, build and construction under the Global Sustainability Assessment System, according to FIFA.

OTHER STORIES WORTH NOTING IN BRIEF:

• KSA’s mega city Neom is set to tender three concrete water reservoir projects by the end of 2022 to up its water storage capacity by 6 mn liters, according to MEED.
• Abu Dhabi’s diversified utility and energy provider Taqa Group awarded a digital transformation project to Emirati technology company Injazat, according to a statement picked up by Zawya.
• The Sovereign Fund of Egypt has drawn some USD 3.3 bn in investment from other Arab sovereign funds this year — with green hydrogen being one key area of interest, state-owned outlet Al Ahram quotes the SFE’s chief investment officer as saying.
• The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company is eyeing the Sultanate of Oman’s windy towns Sadah in the Dhofar Governorate, and Ras Madrakah in Al Wusta Governorate as potential locations for new wind farm projects, according to Omani media.

India’s top oil and gas producer Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) plans to invest over USD 25 bn to reach net-zero by 2046, Reuters notes IOC’s chairman as saying during an annual shareholders meeting on Thursday. IOC is looking at using renewables to power its planned refining capacity expansion and is also setting up green hydrogen plants at some of its refineries. India is one of the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gas, and is targeting net-zero emissions by 2070.

Also in India: Norway’s Climate Investment Fund and its biggest pension company, KLP, are collectively investing some USD 35 mn for a 49% stake in a 420 MW solar power project in India, CNBC reports. India is a “priority market” for Norway, the news outlet noted a statement from the Norwegian embassy in India as saying.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING from around the world-

• Nigeria signed an MoU with Israeli and Japanese companies to manufacture the West African nation’s first electric car, according to Nigeria’s news agency. The first electric vehicle is expected to come out by 2023.
• Ghana’s president Akufo-Addo has commissioned an integrated recycling and compost plant in the northern Savannah region, according to Zawya. The plan is expected to receive, sort, process and recycle municipal solid waste that can produce organic compost for agronomic purposes.
• South African renewables provider WiSolar is launching a hybrid prepaid solar electricity app for Nigeria and South Africa, according to a statement picked up by Renewable Energy Magazine. The app, WiGo, can be downloaded on both the Android and iOS stores for users in Nigeria and South Africa.

Bad news, French fry lovers: Your next pommes frites fix may cost you a lot more. Europe’s ongoing drought — the worst one the continent has faced in 500 years according to the EU — will likely result in the smallest potato crop on record, Reuters cites analysts from the World Potato Markets (WPM) as saying. Experts don’t see a sequel to the nineteenth-century Irish Potato Famine just yet, but they do expect the drop in production to lead to a surge in potato prices. The continent’s top potato producers — Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium — have all been heavily impacted by the drought, threatening potato crops.