Energy Transition, Renewables, Emissions, Carbon
June 24, 2026
ET Highlights: EU's largest CCS project advances in Rotterdam, Brazil’s first BESS auction, China’s 3-year emissions plan
Energy Transition Highlights: Our editors and analysts bring together the biggest stories in the industry this week, from renewables to storage to carbon prices.
Top story
Dutch Porthos CCS project marks construction progress despite delays
On the western tip of the Dutch Port of Rotterdam, nestled between a giant container terminal and the Gate LNG facility, engineers are constructing what will be the EU's largest carbon and capture project.
From the top of artificial dunes -- built to protect the reclaimed land of Maasvlakte from the sea -- you can make out platform P18-A in the North Sea. Once a gas production platform, it has now been repurposed as a CO2 injection platform to store captured carbon in the former gas reservoir below the seabed.
Onshore at Maasvlakte, construction of the three compressor stations for the Porthos CCS project is progressing, with the project set to capture and store 2.5 million metric tons of CO2/year from 2027. Housing for three more compressors is also being readied for the Aramis CCS project, which will store about 10 times that amount.
Porthos -- a joint venture between EBN, Gasunie and the Port of Rotterdam Authority -- has experienced setbacks, and the consortium recently pushed back the start date from late 2026. The delays stemmed from late engineering changes and a lack of resources, Porthos construction manager Reinier Lissenberg told Platts during a May tour of the facility, though he noted that such challenges were to be expected for first-of-a-kind projects such as this.
Benchmark of the Week
Eur80.64/mt
Platts EU ETS allowance assessment on June 19, up over 4% on the week to the highest since early February.
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Wind and solar back Brazil’s debut battery storage auction
Brazilian wind and solar power generators welcomed an announcement of the country's first auction for battery energy storage systems, a move expected to mark Brazil's entry into the technology and tackle curtailments. Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy announced on June 3 two capacity reserve auctions for battery energy storage systems scheduled for Dec. 2 and Dec. 4. The contracts will have a 15-year duration, with supply expected to begin in 2028.
INTERVIEW: India's renewables push to accelerate, needs faster grid build-out
India's renewable energy capacity is poised for continued rapid expansion, but sustaining momentum would require prioritizing faster grid development, timely power purchase agreements and the integration of storage solutions, Avaada Group Founder and Chairman Vineet Mittal said. The challenges hindering faster renewable energy deployment in India persist, though they are becoming more manageable as the ecosystem matures, according to Mittal, who said renewable energy curtailment and land availability were also barriers to faster renewable energy expansion.
Clean hydrogen pipeline has shrunk despite global energy supply pressures: IEA
The International Energy Agency has reduced its 2030 forecast for clean hydrogen production by about 40%, despite renewed interest in alternative fuels as an energy security strategy. Global production capacity for low-emission hydrogen is now expected to total 6 million metric tons in 2030, based on the number of projects with committed capital or a "strong likelihood" of becoming operational, according to an IEA report released June 18.
China launches 3-year plan to cut emissions in key industries
China has launched a three-year action plan to boost energy efficiency and carbon reduction upgrades across nine heavy industries, the National Development and Reform Commission said. The NDRC said the campaign will target steel, electrolytic aluminum, cement, flat glass, oil refining, ethylene, synthetic ammonia, methanol and coal power sectors starting in 2026.