Ma’aden will ship blue ammonia to India: Saudi mining company Ma’aden has signed an agreement with Indian agricultural chemicals maker Coromandel International Ltd for the supply of low-carbon blue ammonia, Ma’aden said on Saturday. No financial details, amounts of blue ammonia, or the timeline for shipment were disclosed.

All over Asia: Ma’aden exported its first shipments of low-carbon blue ammonia to Chinese petrochemical producer Shenghong Petrochemicals earlier this month as part of an agreement to supply 25k tons of ammonia, which is in line with the company’s goal of becoming a green leader globally. The Saudi company has since last year shipped 138k tons of blue ammonia products to countries including Korea, China, Japan, India, Thailand, and the EU.

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Power link between Iraq, Jordan to begin soon: An electric grid connection project between Iraq and Jordan will start on 1 July, Iraq’s Electricity Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Moussa told INA on Saturday. Production will start with 50 MW as a first phase, Moussa said. Construction on the project, which is part of efforts by Iraq to tackle its chronic electricity crisis, began last year. The project is part of a wider plan to connect the power grids of GCC countries with Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq.

Another bid for zero-emission mobility: UK-Moroccan tech startup Atlas E-Mobility Group has announced plans to launch the first African-designed and engineered Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), according to a statement on Thursday. The tech company said it plans to combine British automotive industrialization expertise with Morocco’s manufacturing capability and technology to create a “superior-engineered, affordable, and all-electric vehicle” for customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) markets as a first phase. Production at Morocco’s facilities is slated to begin in 2026, with the EVs making it to market in 2027.

REMEMBER- Morocco has transformed itself into a regional automotive powerhouse through smart incentives and consistent government policy, and it is now a key exporter to Europe as well as to other MENA countries, including Egypt. It currently has a thriving EV assembly industry, with plans for expansion. Recently, Morocco’s NamX unveiled a hydrogen-powered vehicle prototype designed in collaboration with Italian design office Pininfarina, Maghreb Arab Press reports. The prototype will be powered with hydrogen through a central tank complemented by six removable capsules, facilitating a quicker hydrogen recharge.

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French power group Engie began construction last week on its 10 MW waste heat recovery (WHR) project at Holcim UAE’s cement plant in Fujairah, according to a statement released last week. The 10-year contract to design, finance, construct, and manage the system was signed last year with Holcim subsidiary LEC, which operates and owns the cement factory. The project is expected to begin generating electricity by year end, and intends to slash power-related emissions from the grid by 28%, the statement notes. The financials for the project were not disclosed.

SOUND SMART- WHR systems generate power by capturing waste heat — a byproduct of carbon-intensive heavy-duty machines, chemical reactions, and hot streams — using a variety of methods including the integration of ductless ventilation systems and integrated heat pumps to stop low-utility heat from escaping factory furnaces. The heat recovered capitalizes on energy that would otherwise be unused to generate additional heat, electrical, and mechanical power. Engie’s WHR system is based on the organic rankine cycle (ORC) system, which involves a number of thermodynamic processes carried out in specific sequences while applying pressure at scalding temperatures to restore waste-heat to the potency of its original power source.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• US-based VTOL company Odys Aviation has joined the UAE’s NextGen FDI initiative, which helps digitally-led companies set up and scale their businesses in the UAE. (Wam)
• Morocco’s Marrakech Transport and the Korea International Cooperation Agency have signed an MoU to provide Morocco with 20 eco-responsible electric buses at a total cost USD 7.5 mn. (MAP)
• Sweden-based automaker Volvo Cars is interested in increasing its investments to Egypt after a successful venture in manufacturing electric buses in the country. (SCZone Statement)
• UAE’s Tadweer has launched a 100% electric-powered waste truck in Abu Dhabi. The first-of-its-kind truck to be released in the region was manufactured by Renault Trucks under the dealership of Al Masaood. (Wam)
• Audi Oman and Oman’s Electric Vehicles One (EVO) have rolled out 48 electric chargers in various locations across the country as part of the company’s plans to install over 250 charging points in Oman by the end of 2023. (Zawya)
• Oman has issued a new bylaw regulating EV charging, setting out technical requirements to connect charging stations and devices to the network. (ONA)
• UAE’s Space Agency is collaborating with leading US-based satellite imagery company Planet Labs to develop a satellite data-driven Loss and Damage Atlas. The atlas will quantify damages caused by extreme weather events and provide data on climate risk to help countries make informed policy decisions. (Wam)
• The Oman Environmental Service Holding Company (Be’ah) signed an MoU with Omani digital management company Rihal to develop an AI-based system that automates waste monitoring and inspection. (Times of Oman)
• Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer met with UAE Singapore Business Council President Brian Shegar to discuss partnership opportunities in renewables, energy storage, and grid efficiency. (Wam)