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The Sultanate of Oman is poised to take a significant leap forward in its electricity generation capabilities.

In a major development announced on June 30, 2026, Siemens Energy secured a pivotal role in supplying vital power generation technology for two new facilities. The company will provide comprehensive long-term service agreements for both the Misfah and Duqm Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects.

With a planned capacity reaching nearly 2.6 gigawatts, these combined-cycle power plants are projected to increase Oman’s total electricity capacity by almost 20 percent. Once operational, this infrastructural expansion will deliver a reliable power supply to more than two million people. The core of Siemens Energy’s technological scope incorporates the delivery of six advanced F-class gas turbines alongside six accompanying generators. To ensure ongoing reliability, the agreement also includes corresponding long-term service contracts spanning twenty years.

The manufacturing of these critical components will take place within Siemens Energy’s dedicated production sites in Germany. The SGT5-4000F gas turbines will be manufactured at the facility in Berlin, whereas the SGen5-2000P generators will be produced in Muelheim.

These plants have been strategically sited to support rapidly escalating capacity needs in two important locations. The Misfah plant is situated within the Muscat Governorate, which represents one of the Sultanate’s largest centres for electricity demand. The Duqm facility is positioned inside the Special Economic Zone at Duqm in the Al Wusta Governorate. This zone serves as a key industrial and logistics hub situated directly on the Arabian Sea coast.

The development of these projects is spearheaded by a multinational consortium. The group comprises the Etihad Water and Electricity Company PJSC, Nebras Power Investment Management B.V., Bahwan Infrastructure Services LLC, and Korea Western Power Co.,Ltd. Doosan Enerbility, acting in a consortium with SEPCO-3, has been tasked with the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) responsibilities. Nama Power and Water Procurement Company will serve as the official offtaker for the electricity generated.

The strategic importance of this initiative was underscored during a visit to Siemens Energy’s Berlin factory by H.E. Salim Al Aufi, Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals. He stated: "The Misfah and Duqm projects reflect Oman's commitment to building a resilient and future-ready energy system. By working with leading technology providers such as Siemens Energy, and deploying advanced gas turbines with hydrogen co-firing capabilities, we are strengthening the reliability of electricity supply while supporting our long-term strategy to diversify the Sultanate's energy mix. This will help create the flexibility to increase the use of hydrogen over time as our energy transition progresses. This collaboration will further set the foundation for a lower-carbon power system, enhance energy security, and support the goals of Oman Vision 2040."

Karim Amin, Member of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy, stated: “As the Sultanate continues to expand its industrial base and electricity infrastructure, flexible and reliable power will be critical in this next chapter, supporting grid stability and enabling greater integration of renewables in the system. We are proud to support this journey, and build on a strong legacy in Oman, by providing our cutting-edge gas turbines, expertise, and service capabilities to the flagship Misfah and Duqm power plants to deliver highly efficient energy and add a significant 2.6 GW to Oman’s power system, helping meet evolving demand and ambitious energy targets.”

Siemens Energy, employing roughly 105,000 individuals across more than 90 countries, reported revenue of €39.1 billion during the 2025 fiscal year. An estimated one-sixth of all globally generated electricity relies upon technologies provided by Siemens Energy, whose extensive international expertise will now play a foundational role in driving Oman’s future energy transition.

On 29th June 2026, Atlas Copco officially launched a brand-new range of Emergency Trash Pumps to complement its existing dewatering portfolio.

The newly introduced petrol-powered pumps offer a highly robust and portable solution aimed at ensuring fast, reliable water removal across challenging operational environments. Engineered specifically for demanding sectors such as construction, mining, quarrying, and various other industrial dewatering applications, the comprehensive ETP range features dedicated models built for handling both clean water and dirty water.

These Emergency Trash Pumps are meticulously engineered to deliver dependable performance during critical situations where the water being removed contains significantly higher levels of solid debris. This debris can include challenging materials such as sediments, organic matter, sand, and stones. Such abrasive conditions are well known to cause conventional pumping systems to either clog or fail completely. By remaining compact, lightweight, and exceptionally easy to deploy, the ETP units provide contractors and site operators with an essential rapid-response dewatering solution, which is absolutely vital when operational uptime is critical to project success. Typical industrial applications for these versatile pumps include stormwater control, stream diversion, system cleaning, and settlement removal.

Speaking on the launch of this critical equipment, a key representative highlighted the operational challenges these specific units address. “Industrial operations like construction and mining often face unexpected flooding or water accumulation containing abrasive solids and debris,” said Niccolo Tivelli, Product Application Manager, Atlas Copco. “Our new Emergency Trash Pumps give customers a reliable, easy-to-transport solution for handling clean and dirty water applications while maintaining high performance and serviceability”.

The new Emergency Trash Pumps range currently comprises seven different and distinct models, which enables end-users to select the most appropriate pump specific to their exact application requirements. The ETP clean water units serve as the ideal choice for water transfer, tank filling, and system cleaning applications. These clean water models are capable of offering impressive flow rates up to 1,600 l/min (432 USgpm) and can achieve up to a 60 m (197 ft) maximum head. Furthermore, they deliver maximum suction rates reaching up to 7 m (22.9 ft). These clean water units are specified to handle solids up to 8 mm (0.32 in) in diameter. To ensure ease of deployment across large operational sites, they feature durable but highly lightweight aluminium components.

Conversely, for much more demanding dewatering applications that involve contaminated or heavily debris-laden water, Atlas Copco has engineered specific ETP wastewater models. These heavy-duty models are engineered to capably handle larger solids measuring up to 29 mm (1.1 in) in diameter. Constructed meticulously with durable cast iron frames and impellers, these wastewater pumps are explicitly designed to withstand harsh operating conditions and fundamentally maintain their stability, even when operating directly in severe floodwater. In terms of performance, they confidently deliver flow rates up to 1,300 l/min (343 USgpm) operating at up to a 30 m (98 ft) maximum head, whilst achieving the precise same maximum suction rates as their clean water counterparts.

Throughout the meticulous development of the EPT range, Atlas Copco maintained a strict focus on overall portability, exceptional ease of use, and entirely simplified maintenance procedures. The pumps intrinsically feature practical lifting handles alongside quick deployment capabilities, specifically to ensure that projects keep moving forward with minimal downtime. Additionally, an open-frame design guarantees easy access to essential pump components, enabling highly efficient on-site servicing. Integrated safety features, which include exhaust protection and a highly stable frame construction, actively help to ensure reliable daily operation in the most demanding site conditions. Furthermore, the dedicated use of robust materials across all wear components and seals successfully maximises the equipment's overall durability and long-term reliability.

This new Emergency Trash Pump range is a valuable part of Atlas Copco’s broader product portfolio. This extensive range successfully includes advanced dewatering pumps, generators, energy storage systems, and light towers that are expressly designed to support demanding industrial and construction applications worldwide. The Atlas Copco Group, generating impressive revenues of BSEK 168 in 2025 and employing roughly 56,000 personnel at year-end, consistently continues to enable technology that transforms the future across multiple global industries. Furthermore, the Portable Power and Flow division, part of the wider Power Technique business area headquartered in Rock Hill in the United States, actively manages these cutting-edge dewatering innovations.

ACCIONA has successfully piloted an innovative cement-free concrete pavement.

Unveiled in Dubai on the 1st of July, 2026, this pioneering initiative represents a major leap forward for low-carbon transport infrastructure. The newly developed prototype pavement utilises fourteen precast slabs, all of which have been manufactured using a completely novel, cement-free concrete formulation. By replacing traditional clinkers with repurposed industrial by-products that act as a high-performance binder, ACCIONA has marked a decisive step towards the development of infrastructure with a substantially lower environmental footprint. This advancement is particularly timely, as it aligns perfectly with the rapidly growing demand for highly sustainable construction solutions across the Middle East.

The pilot pavement has been strategically installed directly on the access road leading to ACCIONA’s Equipment Park. Spanning a total surface area of 108 square metres, this site was deliberately chosen to serve as a comprehensive, full-scale demonstrator. The primary objective of this demonstrator is to rigorously evaluate the pavement's structural and material performance under exceptionally demanding environmental conditions. Furthermore, it will be tested against the intense wear and tear caused by heavy-vehicle traffic.

The evaluation process will monitor how the novel concrete withstands various extreme stressors that are typical of infrastructure environments situated within arid and semi-arid regions. These operational stressors prominently include prolonged exposure to high ambient temperatures and severe surface abrasion.

To successfully produce this advanced geopolymer concrete, ACCIONA utilised a specific blend of industrial by-products. The composition includes fly ash, which was supplied directly from a thermal power plant, alongside steel slag derived from blast-furnace steel production operations. The steel slag was provisioned by CEMCO Cement Trading, highlighting the collaborative nature of this sustainable supply chain. These carefully sourced sustainable materials undergo a sophisticated chemical activation process to form the final concrete product. This critical chemical activation was made entirely possible through a strategic partnership with MC Bauchemie Spain. As a vital project collaborator, MC Bauchemie Spain supplied the essential chemical activator whilst also providing the specialised technical support required to develop and meticulously fine-tune the new concrete formulation.

The environmental benefits of this new concrete are profoundly significant, primarily driven by the total elimination of clinker from the manufacturing process. As a direct result, the cement-free concrete delivers a remarkable 76 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions when compared with conventional reference cement, specifically CEM I.

However, the advantages of this pavement extend far beyond its lowered environmental impact. The solution features a modular precast design, which fundamentally streamlines the entire lifecycle of the infrastructure. This modularity simplifies the initial manufacturing phase, accelerates on-site installation procedures, and drastically reduces ongoing maintenance requirements. Furthermore, the precast slabs actively support circular economy principles by facilitating straightforward reuse and efficient recycling at the end of their operational life.

These modular and sustainable characteristics are considered particularly relevant for the Middle East market. Throughout the region, large-scale infrastructure projects, extensive logistics corridors, expanding industrial zones, and new urban developments are increasingly prevalent. Such vast developments fundamentally require construction solutions that are not only highly durable but also resource-efficient and low-carbon, ensuring they remain aligned with rigorous national sustainability and circular economy agendas.

This specific initiative is intrinsically linked to the broader European LIAISON project. ACCIONA’s participation in this European innovation project aims to expertly design and validate sustainable solutions for developing low-carbon transportation infrastructure. Ultimately, these solutions possess significant potential for widespread applicability across international markets, very much including the Middle East.

The successful deployment of this pavement pilot further cements ACCIONA’s position as a global company and a recognised leader in the provision of regenerative solutions for a decarbonised economy. The organisation's extensive business offering encompasses a wide array of sustainable sectors, including renewable energy generation, water treatment and management, eco-efficient transportation and mobility systems, and resilient infrastructures. Demonstrating a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, the company has successfully maintained a carbon-neutral operational status since 2016. Illustrating the vast scale of its global operations, ACCIONA recorded impressive sales figures of €8.1 billion in the year 2021. Today, the enterprise maintains a robust and active business presence spanning across more than sixty countries worldwide.

The future of European resource extraction has taken a significant leap forward.

Aramine and sensmore have announced a partnership to introduce an automated, battery-powered Aramac L140B loader into the underground production environment at Cemex in Germany. This collaboration transforms a proven underground machine into a fully autonomous production system designed for real operating conditions.

As Europe actively seeks secure access to critical raw materials, underground extraction must become safer, more efficient, and less dependent on scarce skilled labour. Autonomous machines represent a practical path to achieving these vital goals by greatly reducing operator exposure to demanding underground environments.

Marc Melkonian, co-president at Aramine in charge of the equipment division, highlighted the strategic importance of this development. "The next step is to take raw materials under our feet, under our ground, in Europe, and not on the other side of the world. For that, we are not going to send people underground, but we are going to send machines that are capable to do it by themselves," said Melkonian.

The hardware driving this initiative is the Aramac L140B loader, provided by Aramine. Launched in 2016 to introduce new technology into underground mining, this battery-powered machine was explicitly designed with the openness required for autonomous control. Featuring a 1.3-tonne payload, it is engineered specifically for the distinct challenges of narrow-vein mining. The L140B successfully combines productivity, manoeuvrability, and operational flexibility in confined underground spaces. Operating with zero local CO2 emissions, the loader supports safer mining environments whilst enabling the transition toward fully autonomous production.

While Aramine provides the physical platform, sensmore acts as the automation system provider. The software company turns the L140B into an intelligent, autonomous production machine. The integration encompasses the entire automation stack, safety architecture, machine control, and operational interfaces required for active production use. At Cemex in Rüdersdorf, sensmore connected the automated L140B to the entire production process, including the conveyor belt, functional safety networks, and site infrastructure. Consequently, the machine operates not as an isolated robot, but as an integral part of the continuous underground workflow.

"Autonomy in heavy industry only creates real value when it is vertically integrated into the production environment," said Maximilian Rolf, CEO and Co-founder of sensmore. "At Cemex, we are integrating the Aramine L140B into the entire underground process. That is how autonomous machines become part of industrial reality today".

The operational impact of this deployment is already highly visible. Christian Zinnecker, coordinator underground operations, extraction & blasting at Cemex, noted the project's significance. "Implementing this system is a major milestone for us. It helps improve productivity, reduces operator exposure to underground risks, and supports our journey toward safer and lower-emission mining operations" said Zinnecker.

The automated Aramac L140B boasts remarkable endurance, operating autonomously for up to eight hours, compared with around five hours in manual, manned mode. This substantial increase translates into greater machine availability, a reduction in repetitive tasks, and a significantly safer working environment underground.

Together, Aramine, sensmore, and Cemex are demonstrating that autonomous underground extraction is no longer a future concept. It is becoming an industrial reality: safer for people, easier to operate, and fully ready to support the next generation of underground resource production.

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has announced significant progress in restoring production at its Al Taweelah facility, achieving crucial early milestones ahead of schedule.

The industrial site suffered substantial damage on the 28th of March when Iranian attacks on the Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi forced an emergency shutdown.

Safety and Infrastructure Recovery

Following the incident, EGA emphasised that the safety of employees and contractors remains its highest priority. Two employees sustained injuries requiring hospitalisation; both have since been discharged to continue their recoveries. The company quickly established a dedicated team tasked with delivering a safe restoration of the Al Taweelah facilities.

Repairs to damaged infrastructure have progressed rapidly. Basic utilities are now restored across the complex, and the availability of natural gas and electricity is projected to ramp up to meet the demands of the restart programme.

Smelter and Reduction Cell Progress

EGA must progressively restore 1,262 reduction cells to resume hot metal production at the smelter. The company has completed anode removal across all reduction cells. Bath cleaning is approximately 90 per cent complete, and frozen metal has been removed from over 20 per cent of the cells. The first restored reduction cell was restarted on the 26th of May, and 89 reduction cells have been restarted so far. While hot metal production could take up to a year to return to pre-incident levels, EGA is working to accelerate this timeline.

Casthouse, Recycling, and Refining The Al Taweelah Casthouse produced its first cast metal on the 4th of May. The facility is currently remelting the frozen metal extracted from the reduction cells to manufacture finished aluminium products, alongside casting new hot metal from the restored reduction cells.

Before the March incident, the recycling plant had recently commenced final commissioning and cast metal production. Commissioning work resumed in April, followed by recycled cast metal production in early May. The ramp-up to full production is anticipated to take up to six months, maintaining the original timeline based on scrap availability.

At the alumina refinery, first alumina production is expected early in the third quarter. A rapid ramp-up to full production will depend on the optimisation of bauxite supply chains, though the broader ramp-up of hot metal production is not reliant on the refinery reaching full capacity.

Leadership Perspective

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: "We are rapidly and safely actioning a clear, disciplined plan to restore production at Al Taweelah, which is one of the most important aluminium production complexes in the world. All opportunities to accelerate the timeline further are being explored, and we will achieve our goal of emerging stronger than ever before. Our people have risen to this challenge, and I commend their continued heroism and dedication to EGA's bright future."

Jebel Ali Operations and Logistics

While Al Taweelah recovers, EGA’s Jebel Ali site continues to produce aluminium at full capacity. Inbound deliveries of major raw materials currently exceed requirements, leading to increasing raw material stockpiles in the UAE. EGA possessed significant volumes of metal in transit and overseas warehouses at the onset of the conflict, allowing continued supply to some customers. Although outbound logistics constraints in March caused a temporary suspension of new shipments, EGA has successfully established alternative logistics routes using ports outside the Strait of Hormuz. The company is selling more metal than it produces at Jebel Ali, gradually reducing UAE stockpiles, though a full return to pre-crisis shipment levels requires the re-opening of the Strait.

Global utilities and leading power equipment manufacturers have united to address escalating bottlenecks within grid supply chains.

In a joint statement released during London Climate Action Week, industry leaders outlined steps to harmonise fragmented equipment standards and provide enhanced demand visibility, aiming to de-risk international procurement.

By 2030, Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA) members will require nearly 90,000 kilometres of transmission cable; enough to wrap around the Earth over twice, alongside 273 high-voltage transformers, 12,000 medium- and low-voltage transformers, and 77 substations.

These requirements severely eclipse current manufacturing capacities, with transformer wait times now exceeding three years. Addressing these material constraints is critical to maintaining the pace of global grid expansion.

Co-led by UK utility SSE and Abu Dhabi-based TAQA, UNEZA operates under the guidance of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, working alongside the UK Government-led Global Clean Power Alliance (GCPA).

UK Climate Minister Katie White stated: “This call from the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance shows that, by working with industry, governments can stop tying themselves in knots and start delivering the infrastructure needed to meet global demand – enough cable to wrap around the Earth more than twice. Through partnerships like the Global Clean Power Alliance, Britain is tackling long-standing barriers to clean energy. That will help us deliver the clean power mission, lower bills for good, and support other countries to reduce emissions and accelerate their own transition.”

Khalifa Al Mheiri, Chief Strategy & Investment Officer at TAQA Transmission, said: "As a utility investing in the next generation of electricity networks, TAQA recognises that delivering the energy transition at the pace the world requires depends not only on investment, but on our ability to strengthen and modernise global supply chains. Through UNEZA, utilities are taking practical action to improve coordination, harmonise technical approaches and explore pooled procurement models that provide greater certainty for suppliers while helping utilities deliver critical infrastructure faster, more efficiently and at lower cost. Collaboration across the value chain will be fundamental to building resilient electricity systems that support long-term energy security and net-zero ambitions.”

Glenn Barber, Director of Corporate Affairs at SSE, said: “We know from our experience in the UK that long-term visibility of demand is vital. It gives supply chain partners the certainty they need to invest in the manufacturing capacity and technical innovation needed to meet the demands of a monumental global energy transition. By bringing global utilities and supply chain partners together, UNEZA is not only helping to provide that visibility but tackling the practical barriers to supply chain development. The focus at London Climate Week on electrification of demand is welcome and necessary; at the same time, electrification will only be possible if grids can keep pace and the steps outlined today can plan an important role in that.”

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, said: “We have spent the past decade proving that renewables can be deployed at scale. That case is made. The challenge now is ensuring grids and supply chains keep pace to deliver clean power reliably to homes, industries and communities. As electrification takes center stage in the next phase of the transition, with IRENA calling for a global electrification target of 35% by 2035, resilient supply chains will be essential. Initiatives such as the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance and the Global Clean Power Alliance show the value of governments, utilities and industry working together to accelerate progress while enhancing energy security and system resilience.”

Following a roundtable co-hosted with the GCPA, the alliance underscored massive financial commitments. At COP30, UNEZA members raised their collective annual investment target for renewables, grids, and storage from USD 117 billion to USD 148 billion. Overall clean energy investments between COP28 and 2030 are on course to exceed USD 1 trillion.

To secure supply chain resilience, UNEZA launched a Delivery Mechanism focused on pooled procurement. Members committed to three priority actions: providing annual demand signals to spur capacity growth, advancing harmonised equipment standards to improve interoperability, and scaling coordinated procurement. Now comprising 85 member organisations, UNEZA will continue developing this supply chain roadmap ahead of COP31, driving practical action to build robust electricity systems globally.