[SMM Steel] A US$125 million joint venture between US and Indian investors will build a metal pipe manufacturing facility in Jordan’s Quweira Industrial Zone, with annual production capacity of 500,000 tons. The plant will mainly supply pipes for Jordan’s National Water Carrier Project and the Risha gas project, including a 450-km desalinated water pipeline from Aqaba to Amman. The project is expected to create around 450 local jobs and also target export markets. Jordan’s water infrastructure plan will use reverse osmosis technology and aims to integrate 30% renewable energy by 2030.

German renewable energy developer PNE AG has successfully completed the sale of its 25.2 MW Bokel wind farm, located in Lower Saxony, to an investment fund managed by Union Investment. The facility, which consists of seven wind turbines and was commissioned in April 2025, produces enough green electricity to power approximately 17,800 three-person households annually. While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, PNE’s subsidiary, energy consult, will retain technical and commercial management of the site until at least late 2029, ensuring operational continuity under the new ownership.

Recently, CATL announced that Zinfra, an Australian energy infrastructure service provider, has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CATL, establishing a strategic cooperation framework. The two parties will jointly deliver and operate large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects in Australia, accelerating CATL's localized presence in the Australian market Zinfra is a leading energy and utility infrastructure service provider in Australia, specializing in engineering, project management, and operations & maintenance (O&M) in the power and gas sectors. With an annual project and service portfolio exceeding AUD 1.2 billion, Zinfra has extensive experience in the construction and maintenance of power and gas networks, as well as the delivery of renewable energy assets. This partnership marks an important step for CATL in demonstrating its integrated "product + service" capabilities in overseas markets. By leveraging Zinfra's local project channels and engineering delivery capabilities, CATL aims to strengthen the local O&M and service capabilities required for overseas energy storage projects, adopting a light-asset, low-risk model. To date, CATL has ranked first globally in energy storage battery shipments for five consecutive years. According to relevant data, CATL's global market share in energy storage battery shipments reached 30.4% in 2025, with approximately 2,300 cumulative projects worldwide. Looking ahead, CATL will continue to collaborate with local partners such as Zinfra, applying its advanced energy storage battery technology to empower Australia's energy transition and help build a more resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure.

[SMM Hydrogen Energy News: National Energy Administration: China's Renewable Energy Hydrogen Production Accelerating Toward Large-Scale Development] On April 27, the National Energy Administration released Q1 energy data, indicating that China's renewable energy hydrogen production entered a new stage of large-scale development. As of March month-end, nationwide completed and under-construction green hydrogen capacity exceeded 1 million mt/year, of which operational capacity exceeded 250,000 mt/year, doubling YoY, with under-construction capacity exceeding 900,000 mt/year. Northeast and North China were core production regions, with Jilin and Inner Mongolia leading the way. Wind and solar power-hydrogen coupling and integrated green hydrogen-ammonia-methanol models accelerated implementation. Going forward, plans will be developed for the "15th Five-Year Plan" hydrogen energy development, with policy frameworks to be improved to drive high-quality industrial development.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) recently approved a 2 billion euro financing package aimed at promoting clean energy development and upgrading power grid infrastructure within the EU. The investment covers multiple areas including PV in Italy, offshore wind power in Germany, and commercial and industrial renewable energy utilization in Austria. This financing is part of the European Commission's clean energy investment strategy. The EIB plans to provide over 75 billion euros in funding support over the next three years to help Europe break free from its dependence on fossil fuels and enhance energy resilience.

The core logic of the South American steel market is that end-user demand drives everything. Consumption demand is the starting point, filled jointly by local production and imports; imports act as a regulating valve rather than a driving force.