Author: omc_admin

American Battery Technology Company (ABTC), an integrated critical battery materials provider, received a letter of interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) for $900 million for its Nevada Lithium Project, which it expects will produce nearly 33,000 tons of lithium hydroxide annually.The LOI follows President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production,” which directed federal agencies to expedite funding and support for domestic critical mineral manufacturing facilities. While the LOI does not constitute a commitment of financing, if secured, the financing will support the construction of its commercial-scale lithium mine and claystone-to-lithium hydroxide…

Global logistics provider Gebrüder Weiss has integrated two fully electric Fuso eCanter trucks into its Croatian fleet to decarbonise last-mile deliveries around Zagreb. It now has more than 50 vehicles with alternative drivetrains in its fleet.  Each of the 8.55-tonne vehicles features a 129 kW electric motor paired with an L-battery pack, offering a range of up to 200 kilometres between charges. The trucks come with a standard cab, digital instrument cluster, and a 7-inch multimedia touchscreen display. Driver comfort is ensured year-round thanks to automatic air conditioning, a heated steering wheel, and a heated windscreen. For safety, both vehicles are…

Group14, a battery material manufacturer supported by Porsche, is offering insights into its silicon-dominated anode material SCC55. The US company is drawing on data collected from over 20 customers. The material is expected to open up new horizons, particularly in terms of charging cycles. Group14 Technologies has announced a major milestone for silicon battery technology, with its SCC55 material enabling battery manufacturers to achieve more than 1,500 charge cycles – and in some applications exceeding 3,000 cycles. The data was collected from over 20 customers worldwide using SCC55 across electric mobility and energy storage systems. “The data is clear: silicon…

Rock Tech Lithium and Ronbay Technology have signed a strategic MoU to establish an integrated battery materials supply chain in Europe. The deal includes lithium hydroxide supply from Rock Tech’s Guben Converter to Ronbay’s CAM plant in Poland. Under the agreement, Rock Tech will supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide from its Guben Converter in Germany to Ronbay’s European cathode production facilities, including its newly acquired plant in Konin, Poland. Ronbay is a CAM manufacturer headquartered in Ningbo, China. Among the well-known purchasers of CAM material in China is the battery manufacturer WeLion. It will provide technical resources and potential investment to…

Mark Zuckerberg is showing off wrist candy from his pricey watch collection in his everyday looks.After years of dressing in humble hoodies, the billionaire has beefed up his wardrobe with a custom gold chain and a collection of luxury watch brands. Zuckerberg, who Forbes estimates is worth nearly $250 billion, recently paired a basic T-shirt with a limited-edition watch. An iteration of the same model sold at auction for $254,000 in April, Sotheby’s said.Zuckerberg’s F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu Byblos is one of 99 of that model made in 2014 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the watchmaker’s boutique in Beirut.…

Lexus has broken ground on its first wholly-owned EV factory in China. The Shanghai plant will produce up to 100,000 electric vehicles annually from 2027, marking Toyota’s push to accelerate electrification in the world’s largest EV market. The factory is located in the Jinshan district of southwest Shanghai and is expected to be completed in August 2026 before ramping up operations in 2027. According to local government announcements, the plant will have an annual production capacity of up to 100,000 vehicles and create an estimated 1,000 jobs during initial production. “Toyota aims to leverage the project to accelerate its transition…

Jeff Bezos’ superyacht, Koru, has attracted the interest of yachting industry insiders and celebrity watchers alike since it first set sail in 2023.The boat has hosted several events for the Amazon founder and his wife, Lauren Sánchez, including a foam party for Sánchez’s son Evan Whitesell’s birthday ahead of their June 2025 wedding in Venice, Italy.Named after the Māori word for “loop” or “coil,” the 417-foot-long vessel is one of the world’s largest sailing yachts and cost Bezos an estimated $500 million. (Still, at that price tag, it likely would not have made a sizable dent in Bezos’ net worth.)Bezos…

In December, Rep. Thomas Massie used an analogy for foreign aid that was an instant hit among his libertarian and America-First Republican fans.”US foreign aid spending is like watering the neighbor’s yard while your house is on fire,” the Kentucky Republican posted on X, adding a fire emoji. Fox News wrote an article about it, and two months later, the libertarian student group “Young Americans for Liberty” turned it into an Instagram post.As it turns out, Massie didn’t come up with the line himself. Grok did.Massie told BI this month that he ripped the phrase from a speech he asked…

Serbia’s largest energy producer was spared sanctions by the United States for another month on Friday, extending an early reprieve for the majority Russian-owned firm.NIS, which operates the country’s only oil refinery, said in a statement to AFP that the US government had agreed to delay sanctions – first announced in January as part of Washington’s crackdown on the Russian energy sector.”The US Department of the Treasury has issued a new special license postponing the full implementation of sanctions,” NIS said.Majority owned by energy giant Gazprom, the company has now managed to negotiate four extensions to avoid a broad package…

California should pause Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to penalize oil companies if their profits climb too high, a top energy regulator said Friday while unveiling proposals aimed at addressing high gas prices.The Democratic governor signed a law in 2023 giving the California Energy Commission the authority to penalize oil companies for excess profits, declaring the state had “finally beat big oil.” More than two years later, the commission hasn’t imposed a single penalty or determined what counts as an excessive profit. Now, Siva Gunda, the energy commission’s vice-chair, says the state should pause the effort in favor of pursuing other…