Tag: Africa

Strategic acquisition adds advanced power electronics and energy management software capabilities to meet accelerated, global demand for battery energy storage solutions

Zurich, Switzerland, Oct. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, announced today that it has acquired a controlling stake of eks Energy, a leading supplier of power electronics and energy management solutions for storage and renewables integration, based in Seville, Spain, from Powin LLC (Powin), a top global energy storage system provider. The investment also marks the establishment of a strategic partnership with Powin, who maintains a significant ownership stake in eks Energy.

As the world transitions to more renewable energy sources, the global demand for battery energy storage systems (BESS) continues to surge and is expected to grow more than 20 percent per year through 2030¹. By combining eks Energy’s power electronics and advanced control capabilities with its own highly complementary automation, software, and system integration offerings, Hitachi Energy fortifies its position as a leading-edge technology provider to the renewables and BESS market. With the strategic partnership, Hitachi Energy and Powin aim to apply the strength of the two firms to develop power conversion products specifically designed for the next generation of energy storage systems.

“Hitachi Energy has been an innovative force in the BESS and microgrid space for more than 30 years, and this strategic acquisition demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver the most advanced and proven solutions for our customers,” said Massimo Danieli, Managing Director for the Hitachi Energy Grid Automation Business Unit. “The market, including leading BESS system integrators, has made it clear that it needs and wants energy solutions powered by best-in-class power electronics integrated with control and digital capabilities. New applications and use cases are emerging every day, driven by the ever-increasing need for integration of  renewable resources in the grid and electrification at the grid edge. eks Energy has an impressive product deployment footprint in North America and Europe, and under Powin has further extended their global reach. With this significant addition to our portfolio, Hitachi Energy is ready to address the demands of the fast-growing global BESS market with speed and scale.”

“This strategic investment marks a significant milestone in the energy storage industry, as it paves the way for Hitachi, Powin and eks Energy to align their strengths in exploring new opportunities on a global scale as well as an ability to better serve new and existing customers,” said Jeff Waters, CEO of Powin. “We are proud of what we have already developed with eks Energy, including one of the world’s largest battery projects in history, the Waratah Super Battery (WSB) where eks Energy’s unrivaled power conversion systems are able to meet the Australian grid operators’ high standards of performance. We look forward to continuing to work with eks Energy and Hitachi Energy to bring more projects like WSB to the world.”

The addition of eks Energy to the Hitachi Energy portfolio demonstrates accelerated traction on the company’s 2030 strategic growth plan. Hitachi Energy is continuously strengthening its power grids core business while advancing the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, flexible and secure. This acquisition increases our core capabilities at the edge of the grid including digital, power electronics and services, toward the larger goal of advancing a sustainable energy future for all.

Nomura Greentech acted as exclusive financial advisor and Shearman & Sterling acted as legal advisor to Hitachi Energy.

Footnotes
¹ From BNEF 1H 2023 Energy Storage Market Outlook

About Hitachi Energy Ltd.
Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world’s energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 40,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of over $10 billion USD.
https://www.hitachienergy.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachienergy
https://twitter.com/HitachiEnergy

About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers’ and society’s challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the business structure of “Digital Systems & Services” – supporting our customers’ digital transformation; “Green Energy & Mobility” – contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and “Connective Industries” – connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2022 (ended March 31, 2023) totaled 10,881.1 billion yen, with 696 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachi.com.

About Powin
At Powin, we are advancing the next frontier of energy and changing the way we power our daily lives by ensuring access to clean, resilient, and affordable power. As a global energy platform provider, we offer fully integrated battery storage solutions, software, and services to optimize grid performance and enable the transition to cleaner energy sources. To date, Powin has deployed over 3,200 MWh of battery systems worldwide with 11,900 MWh under construction. To learn more, please visit www.powin.com

Attachment

• Hitachi Energy acquires eks Energy

Jocelyn Chang
Hitachi Energy
media.relations@hitachienergy.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8964622

UK, Oct. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — October 23^rd, London, UK

Dom Marchant, Chief Creative Officer, joins the executive leadership team at OPEN Health with a new vision to drive the creative communications practice

Dom will be responsible for leading the company’s overall creative strategy, with a specific focus on the creative communications practice, which specializes in data-driven creativity. By joining the OPEN Health executive leadership team, he will share this world-class, innovative approach throughout all of OPEN Health’s global practices, including scientific communications, patient engagement, and HEOR and market access.

“Data-driven creativity is central to all our services, and Dom demonstrates an innate vision for driving it within OPEN Health. He embodies a unique perspective and a freshness, seamlessly blending digital-first thinking with creative vision, but always with a commercial focus,” said Rob Barker, OPEN Health Group CEO.

Dom joined OPEN Health in 2021 through the acquisition of London-based creative agency ARK. He has a strong reputation in the industry, with a history of building successful healthcare agencies. In addition to 15 years’ experience in healthcare, he has worked with a diverse range of clients, including The Coca-Cola Company, Panasonic, Björk, and Ted Baker. His healthcare clients have included AZ, GSK, Alexion, BI, Takeda, Pfizer, and LEO.

With over 100 awards as Executive Creative Director, including two Cannes Lions, two Creative Floors, and most awarded agency at the PM Society Digital Awards in 2022 and 2023, he currently sits on the Interactive Media Council Inc. and the PM Society committee.

“We have built a solid reputation as a creative force over the past two years,” said Dom, “and we need to continue on that path, with more awards and more recognition for the highly creative and measurable work that typifies the data-driven approach.”

Dom begins in his role immediately.

About OPEN Health

OPEN Health unites deep scientific knowledge with wide-ranging specialist expertise to unlock possibilities that improve health outcomes and patient well-being. Working in partnership with our clients, we embrace our different perspectives and strengths to deliver fresh thinking and solutions that make a difference. OPEN Health is a flexible global organization that solves complex healthcare challenges across HEOR and market access, medical communications and creative omnichannel campaigns. For more information on OPEN Health, visit www.openhealthgroup.com.

Press contacts:
OPEN Health
Candice Subero, VP Global Marketing
candicesubero@openhealthgroup.com

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• Dom Marchant, Chief Creative Officer, joins the executive leadership team at OPEN Health

Candice Subero
OPEN Health
candicesubero@openhealthgroup.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8953179

Wood Mackenzie report says new metallic hubs will emerge as steel industry accelerates carbon abatement efforts

LONDON and HOUSTON and SINGAPORE, Oct. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to the latest Horizons report from Wood Mackenzie, the steel industry is set to undergo a significant transformation as decarbonisation efforts accelerate. Titled Metalmorphosis: how decarbonisation is transforming the iron and steel industry the report highlights the emergence of new metallic hubs and the reshaping of steel production and global trade patterns.

Wood Mackenzie’s latest report says electric-arc furnace (EAF) technology, increased use of green feedstock, and evolving carbon policies will play a crucial role in this transformation. Low-carbon intensive EAF production accounts for 28% of global steel output, projected to rise to 50% by 2050. An investment of US$130 billion will be required to achieve this goal.

The shift towards less carbon-intensive steel will drive the demand for greener feedstocks such as DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) and high-grade scrap. Wood Mackenzie predicts that the share of these feedstocks in total metals demand will increase from 36% to 54% by 2050, leading to new production, processing, and trading hubs for low-carbon iron and scrap.

DRI production and trade rise will create investment and revenue generation opportunities across the value chain. Wood Mackenzie forecasts a doubling DRI capacity within 30 years, requiring an estimated US$80 billion investment. This projection does not include potential investments in green hydrogen, smelters for low-grade DRI, pellet hubs, and shipping.

Wood Mackenzie indicates that the location of new green Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) centres will be determined based on their proximity to low-carbon hydrogen production. This is particularly important given the uncertainties surrounding the transportation and storage of traded hydrogen. The Middle East and Australia are well-positioned to take advantage of this opportunity, and the number of projects in these regions is increasing.

Quality will take precedence over quantity as the cost of lower-carbon steel rises. In markets with high carbon prices, importing green DRI to manufacture low-carbon steel using EAFs will become more favourable than importing finished steel from emissions-intensive producers like China and India.

Decarbonising the iron and steel industry, which currently accounts for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions, is a challenging but achievable goal. With the right levels of investment and policy support, this transformation has the potential to redefine trade patterns and the value chain.

Editor’s notes:
Read more information here. To request the report and arrange an interview with the authors, please contact Wood Mackenzie’s media relations team.

About Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie is the global insight business for renewables, energy and natural resources. Driven by data. Powered by people. In the middle of an energy revolution, businesses and governments need reliable and actionable insight to lead the transition to a sustainable future. That’s why we cover the entire supply chain with unparalleled breadth and depth, backed by over 50 years’ experience in natural resources.

Contacts:
Hla Myat Mon
PR Manager – APAC
hla.myatmon@woodmac.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000864826