Alkemy Capital Investments plc has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Tees Valley Lithium Ltd (TVL), has agreed the terms of a 30-year lease with Sembcorp Energy UK for its lithium hydroxide processing facility at Wilton International in Teesside. Agreeing terms for a long-term lease follows the granting of full planning permission in November and represents another significant milestone for TVL. Under the terms of an Agreement for Lease, which was signed today, TVL has an option for up to a year to enter into the agreed long-term lease, during which time it will conclude formalities with respect to financing and utilities and services. However, it is anticipated that these should be completed well in advance of the expiry of the option period.

Nova Pangaea Technologies will build their first commercial plant in Teesside, unlocking a critical pathway for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Nova Pangaea Technologies, the cleantech business sustainably delivering low-carbon fuels and products, is pleased to announce the signing of an Exclusivity Agreement and Heads of Terms with Sembcorp Energy UK, for exclusivity over a plot at Wilton International on Teesside. The plot will be home to Nova Pangaea’s first commercial plant, NOVAONE, and new headquarters. NOVAONE will be the UK’s first second generation bioethanol facility, with construction expected to begin in early 2023.

North East England's low carbon transport manufacturing sector is growing rapidly, from electric vehicle production in Sunderland to chemicals manufacturing for batteries at sites including Wilton International, in Teesside. We talked to Paul Butler, CEO at the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), to find out how the sector is changing, and how the North East cluster is leading the way. How is the automotive sector changing as it transitions to low carbon technologies? ‘The biggest change for the automotive sector is obviously the move away from internal combustion engines (ICEs) to electric vehicles. This has been driven by legislation, meaning that by 2030 no new diesel or petrol cars can be sold in the UK. Then, by 2035, there’ll be an end to hybrid cars, which have been a useful bridging technology, whilst all new heavy goods vehicles in the UK will be zero-emission by 2040.

Dr David Hughes is an Associate Professor at Teesside University's Centre for Sustainable Engineering. As the Teesside cluster, including Wilton International, pursues its goal of becoming the UK’s first decarbonised industrial cluster, we asked David about key Net Zero technologies, Teesside's sustainable future, and Teesside University's role in supporting industry's Net Zero transition. On Delivering Net Zero The UK has committed to decarbonising its electricity system by 2035 and delivering Net Zero emissions by 2050. To achieve these goals, what are the main challenges facing UK industry, including the Teesside cluster? ‘The main challenge is around the systems that enable businesses to work together. Decarbonisation is a complex project and needs to be considered at scale – at the level of cities or industrial clusters.