The European Commission will update Emissions Trading System (ETS) free allocation benchmarks and utilize the Market Stability Reserve to curb carbon price volatility "within days". President von der Leyen announced a medium-term ETS review to establish a "realistic trajectory" for free allowances beyond 2034. The EU is also proposing a $35 billion "ETS Investment Booster" fund to finance decarbonization projects, prioritizing lower-income states. To address soaring energy costs, the Commission plans to allow member states to reduce grid charges for energy-intensive industries and mandate lower taxes on electricity compared to fossil fuels. This follows intense pressure from steelmakers and EU nations demanding an urgent ETS overhaul by July.

The project is located in Oudomxay Province in northern Laos and was invested in and constructed by China General Nuclear Power Group. It was Laos’s first large-scale PV project. The project was officially commissioned at the end of 2025 and is expected to generate about 1.7 billion kWh of electricity annually on average. As an important supporting power supply for the China-Laos 500-kV transmission line for power interconnection, the clean electricity generated by the project will be transmitted to Yunnan through the China-Laos 500-kV interconnection project, supporting Yunnan’s energy transition and power supply security.

According to recent investor reports, Alcoa's San Ciprián smelter is operating at 90% capacity and is expected to reach full capacity by mid-year. Production at the San Ciprián smelter declined in 2021 due to high electricity prices; a nationwide power outage in Spain in April 2025 further disrupted the overall operations of the smelter and refinery. Prior to the production cuts, the smelter's total annual capacity was 228,000 tons.

Combined US utility-scale wind and solar generation reached a record 17% of the electricity mix in 2025, producing 760,000 GWh. Utility-scale solar drove this surge, jumping 34% year-over-year. Including small-scale solar pushes the combined 'wind and solar' share to 19%. As electricity demand rises—fueled by data centers and electrification—the grid is preparing for a historic 86 GW of new capacity in 2026, with solar and battery storage making up 79% of these planned additions.

Smart meter deployment in the UK has hit a slump, prompting the government to introduce stricter regulations for energy retailers to ensure full domestic coverage by the end of 2030. While 21.8 million smart electricity meters were operating by the end of 2025, 7.8 million traditional meters still need replacing. To meet the 'Clean Power 2030' target, suppliers must submit binding annual deployment plans to Ofgem, replace outdated 2G and 3G meters before the 2033 network switch-off, and adhere to a strict 90-day window to repair faulty units or face penalties. This regulatory push aligns with the UK's broader efforts to integrate residential batteries and EVs into grid flexibility markets.

【SMM Steel】GMH Gruppe commissioned its second inductive single-rod tempering system (EVA 2) at its Georgsmarienhütte plant, completing a €21.5m investment. The new line doubles electric heat treatment capacity to 35,000 t/y, processing 35-100 mm bars for wind turbines and auto parts. Using renewable electricity instead of gas will cut CO₂ by over 50,000 t in a decade. The project supports its 2039 climate-neutral goal and received €2.2m in German federal funding.

On March 20, the Information Office of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Government held a press conference in the series “Implementing the ‘1571’ Work Deployment and Promoting High-Quality Development in Inner Mongolia,” providing a special briefing on the region’s achievements in green hydrogen industry development, key tasks for 2026, and the 15th Five-Year Plan. It made clear that, by leveraging its advantages in wind and solar power resources, Inner Mongolia will advance the full-chain layout of green hydrogen and continue to lead the nation’s green hydrogen industry. Key Focuses of the Hydrogen Energy Industry in 2026: Building a Pioneer Zone for Green Hydrogen Development In 2026, with the construction of a national pioneer zone for the green hydrogen industry as its core goal, Inner Mongolia will comprehensively advance the large-scale deployment of green hydrogen. It will launch pilot projects for large-scale off-grid hydrogen production, expand application scenarios such as blending green hydrogen into natural gas and coupling with the chemical and metallurgical industries, while simultaneously building green hydrogen industrial parks and broadening channels for the non-power use of green electricity. Within the year, construction will begin on three green hydrogen pipelines, including the Ulanqab–Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei route, to improve the transmission network. At the same time, the region will focus on breakthroughs in hydrogen energy technology, deepen collaboration among industry, academia, research, and application, and advance the implementation of demonstration projects for the first unit (set) of hydrogen energy equipment and collaborative innovation projects integrating wind and solar power, hydrogen, and energy storage, so as to consolidate the industry’s technological foundation. Green Hydrogen Industry Achievements Lead the Nation, with Advantages in Both Scale and Cost Becoming Prominent Inner Mongolia is richly endowed with wind and solar power resources, with technically developable wind and solar power resources exceeding 10 billion kW, accounting for one-quarter of the national total, laying a solid foundation for the green hydrogen industry. At present, multiple industry indicators ranked among the top nationwide. A total of 19 policies covering the entire industry chain of green hydrogen had been introduced; 7 projects were included in national demonstration programs; 8 projects were completed and put into operation, forming annual capacity of 80,000 mt. Green hydrogen production reached 12,694 mt in 2025, surging 3.6 times YoY; production in January and February 2026 was 2,653.6 mt, with production costs at 17-20 yuan/kg, only 60% of the national average. In addition, the country’s first provincial-level green hydrogen pipeline plan had been implemented, and the pipeline network featuring “one trunk line, two loops, and four outlets” was being accelerated. The hydrogen pipeline from Darhan Muminggan Banner to urban Baotou had already been completed, while green hydrogen applications now covered transportation, chemicals, power, and other fields, with the consumer market maturing rapidly. Precise Planning Under the 15th Five-Year Plan to Build a Strong Hydrogen Energy Industry Cluster During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, based on its existing foundation, Inner Mongolia will build a distinctive hydrogen energy industry cluster and focus on advancing four major tasks: scientifically formulate industry plans and reasonably lay out clusters by producing based on sales; tackle core technologies such as off-grid hydrogen production and flexible electrolyzers to raise the industry’s technological level; expand diversified application scenarios, improve business models, and open up the entire chain of production, storage, transportation, refueling, and utilization; accelerate the construction of green hydrogen pipelines within the region and across provinces, reduce transportation costs, comprehensively enhance the competitiveness of the green hydrogen industry, and support the industry in continuing to lead the nation.

According to data from China Customs: Combined for January–February 2026, China imported 265,100 metric tons of high-carbon ferrochrome in total, a year-on-year decline of 51.6%. Breakdown by origin: imports from South Africa were 40,700 metric tons, down 83.3% year-on-year; imports from Kazakhstan were 158,400 metric tons, down 19.7% year-on-year.

It was learned from State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. that as of March 18, 2026, Xinjiang's cumulative outbound transmission of new energy electricity reached 304.36 billion kWh, surpassing the 300 billion kWh mark and accounting for about 30% of its total outbound electricity transmission. Xinjiang was an important power-sending region for the country's west-to-east power transmission and green electricity exports. By the end of 2025, Xinjiang had completed the construction of six 10-million-kW-level new energy bases, with installed new energy capacity reaching 169 million kW, accounting for 64% of Xinjiang's total installed capacity.

[SMM Magnesium Express] Fraunhofer's "Powerpaste" magnesium hydride hydrogen storage technology faces critical analysis. Producing 1kg H₂ requires ~10kg paste and 9kg pure water, with upstream magnesium production consuming 80-110 kWh electricity. Full system energy density comparable to batteries but efficiency only ~10%, with extremely low power output and complex thermal management. The technology remains chemically interesting but thermodynamically challenged, unable to scale beyond tiny demonstration systems.