Month: May 2025

National Wealth Fund backs ScottishPower to boost UK grid upgrades

Stuart Mitchell

The National Wealth Fund (NWF) has announced a £600m commitment to help Iberdrola and ScottishPower upgrade the British electricity grid – supporting hundreds of jobs and helping to pave the way for a new era of clean electricity. The investment forms part of a £1.35bn financing package, led by Bank of America as Sole Debt Arranger and including Bank of America, BankInter, BNP Paribas, Caixabank, Lloyds Bank, NatWest and Banco Sabadell as lenders. NWF’s financing will support the delivery of seven of ScottishPower’s priority transmission grid upgrade projects. These will…

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Royal Mail welcomes its first electric trucks in collaboration with Magtec

Stuart Mitchell

Magtec and Royal Mail have announced that they are trialling cutting-edge electric truck technology, supporting the continued expansion of the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet. Supported by an £800,000 grant from Innovate UK, the trial will put the two new 19-tonne vehicles through their paces in real-world conditions, comparing their performance with Royal Mail’s existing fleet. Built in the UK and featuring the iconic Royal Mail red livery, the company’s first ever electric truck will be based at the Greenford Mail Centre in North West London. It will deliver and…

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Wavering Government support for nature investment schemes could see green spaces slip away from communities

Stuart Mitchell

The cross-party Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) warns that without substantial private investment and clear commitments from ministers, the UK may not meet its pledge to protect 30% of land by 2030 and offer communities greater access to nature.   Since the Government’s current growth agenda prioritises substantial housebuilding and large-scale infrastructure development, private investment in schemes such as Biodiversity Net Gain will be critical to reverse the UK’s position as one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.   In its report on the role of natural capital in the…

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Soorty Advances Sustainable Cotton Initiatives With Organic Cotton Accelerator Partnership And Traceability Enhancements

Stuart Mitchell

Soorty is proud to announce a significant milestone in its responsible cotton journey. The Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative (SOCI) has become the first private-sector textile manufacturer initiative in Pakistan to be recognized by the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) as a partner in the OCA Seed Commercialization Initiative — tackling the long-standing challenge of access to safe, non-GMO cotton seeds. As a partner in the project, SOCI provides farmers with a reliable source of high-quality, non-GMO seed — a critical breakthrough for organic cotton production. “As we embrace project digitalization, we…

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‘Tinder for renewables’ sees re-energised grid connection open gates for landowners across the UK

Stuart Mitchell

Ofgem’s recently announced reform to accelerate grid connections for new green energy projects is opening up substantial income opportunities for landowners across the UK, says Keir Doe, Managing Director of Renewables Connect, an innovative all-agency platform which ‘matchmakes’ landowners with renewables developers.    The platform, which has been dubbed the ‘Tinder for Renewables’, was launched last May and is free and no obligation for landowners – whether farmers, country estate owners or local councils – to list on.   “We’ve seen lots of activity on the platform in recent weeks as this…

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