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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.

EMSTEEL Group and the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) have announced a pioneering collaboration.

Signed in Abu Dhabi on the 29th of June 2026, the agreement aims to advance high-strength reinforcement solutions tailored for the protection and resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure. This strategic partnership unites the region’s largest publicly traded steel and building materials manufacturer with Abu Dhabi’s leading applied research centre.

Validating the ES600 High-Strength Rebar

At the core of this partnership is a comprehensive framework established to assess and validate the performance of EMSTEEL’s ES600 high-strength rebar. The testing programme will evaluate these reinforcement solutions under highly demanding impact and protection scenarios to verify their capabilities. By establishing this robust testing environment, both organisations aim to create a definitive pathway for the future development of specialised reinforcement grades. These newly engineered materials will be designed specifically for resilience-critical applications across the UAE's strategic national assets and essential public infrastructure.

Leadership Perspectives

The leadership of both organisations views this collaboration as a pivotal step in achieving national industrial objectives.

Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL, outlined the overarching vision behind the agreement: “This collaboration reflects EMSTEEL’s commitment to advancing innovation that supports the UAE’s long-term infrastructure and industrial priorities. By combining our expertise in advanced steel manufacturing with TII’s world-class research and engineering capabilities, we are creating the foundation for next-generation reinforcement solutions designed for the nation’s most critical and strategically important assets. The partnership strengthens local capability, accelerates knowledge development, and reinforces the role of UAE-made steel in supporting national resilience and sustainable economic growth”.

Similarly, Dr Najwa Aaraj, CEO of Technology Innovation Institute, emphasised the immense scientific synergy the partnership offers: "This collaboration brings together TII's strengths in material characterization, advanced simulation, and impact-response assessment with EMSTEEL's world-class steelmaking expertise. Together, we are validating high-strength reinforcement for the most demanding protection applications and building the scientific foundation for next-generation solutions-developed in the UAE to safeguard the resilience of the nation's most critical infrastructure".

EMSTEEL’s Industrial and Environmental Impact

The initiative leverages EMSTEEL’s expansive production capabilities and commitment to sustainable practices. As a public joint stock company (ADX: EMSTEEL), the Group is majority-owned by ADQ, an active sovereign investor focusing on critical infrastructure and supply chains. EMSTEEL operates sixteen state-of-the-art plants with an annual production capacity of 3.5 million tonnes of steel and 4.6 million tonnes of cement, fuelling the nation’s most iconic projects. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, the Group acts as a one-stop shop, supplying the domestic market and over seventy international markets with high-quality finished products.

Furthermore, this collaboration underscores EMSTEEL’s dedication to the UAE's ‘Operation 300 billion’ industrial strategy. The organisation aims to deliver market-leading products that support local industries while creating valuable job opportunities for UAE Nationals and enhancing sustainable practices. As a global leader in low-carbon steel production, EMSTEEL is strictly aligned with the UAE's Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.

TII’s Role in Advancing Global Innovation

The Technology Innovation Institute brings unparalleled scientific capabilities to the collaboration. Serving as the dedicated applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), TII operates as a pioneering global research and development centre. The Institute features nine dedicated research centres, covering domains such as advanced materials, autonomous robotics, cryptography, AI and digital science, directed energy, quantum, secure systems, propulsion and space, and renewable and sustainable energy. By engaging with exceptional talent, universities, research institutions, and industry partners worldwide, TII connects an intellectual community. This network actively contributes to building a robust research ecosystem that reinforces Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a premier global hub for innovation.

Building a Competent Future

Through continued investment in advanced manufacturing, targeted product development, and strategic long-term partnerships, EMSTEEL is systematically expanding the role of its high-performance steel solutions. Ultimately, by applying these materials across increasingly sophisticated applications, both EMSTEEL and TII are actively supporting the broader UAE vision to build a globally competitive and innovation-driven industrial economy.

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.

The management of building assets across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has reached a turning point. Facility management (FM) professionals have long grappled with unreliable data and time-consuming manual audits.

Addressing this challenge, Dubai-headquartered HITEK AI, an AI-driven enterprise solutions pioneer and part of the Farnek Group, has launched CONDTEK. This offering is the GCC’s first AI-powered asset capture and condition intelligence solution. It converts lengthy manual building asset surveys into an automatically connected, cost-efficient, and verified digital asset register.

The State of Facility Management and Data Accuracy

This breakthrough addresses stark industry statistics. A survey published in the State of FM Report 2025 by SFG20, the UK industry standard for building maintenance specifications. It highlighted that only 9% of FM professionals believed their asset registers were completely accurate and up to date. A further 37% stated their register is at most 50% accurate, with many still relying on spreadsheets or disconnected systems to manage critical asset data.

Manual surveys typically require specialist assessors and traditionally take weeks to complete. Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director of HITEK AI, noted: “Without reliable data regarding asset condition, maintenance remains reactive and consequently, more costly. CONDTEK presents owners and operators with a single, accurate and up to date source of data for their entire asset base. From day one, that can form the foundation to their asset maintenance strategy,”

How CONDTEK Streamlines Asset Capture

CONDTEK acts as an asset capturing, verification, and condition assessment tool. Any qualified field technician can simply take a photograph of an asset and add a voice note in any language. In just a few minutes, the AI generates a structured, condition-graded asset record.

The AI identifies and classifies each asset, grades its condition, assigns a critical rating, and recommends any necessary maintenance to be carried out. Every record can be reviewed and approved by a supervisor before it enters a live asset register, keeping FM professionals in control at every step, benefiting from ethical AI as part of the process. Although manual capture and snagging work remains offline, the assessment report is generated automatically, sorted by zone, condition and asset type, ready for review on the same day.

A Fully Connected Asset Lifecycle

CONDTEK forms the foundation of a connected asset lifecycle, not a standalone survey tool. It runs on HITEK’s Maestro platform, a single, integrated stack that carries an asset from establishing its current actual condition, through to retirement and replacement, with the same asset record flowing consistently through every stage.

Aijaz further stated: “CONDTEK can capture, verify and assess the condition of every asset and builds a single, accurate, live asset register — the trusted foundation everything downstream depends on,”

The verified register then flows into HITEK’s CAFMTEK platform, where its condition and rating drive a planned maintenance strategy to produce PPM and CM work orders. Connected to BMS and other smart meters, it delivers Fault Detection & Diagnostics (FDD) as well as AI predictive maintenance — moving FM teams from reactive repair to actively preventing failures.

Furthermore, HITEK’s POWERTEK solution records consumption and performance against each asset's condition to pinpoint where a degraded asset may be driving energy waste, turning a maintenance question into a potential capital decision.

Empowering GCC Asset Owners

This technology meets the specific demands of regional real estate. "Asset owners across our region are managing more complex portfolios than ever before, often with incomplete data. CONDTEK gives an accurate and verified overview in a fraction of the time and cost of a manual survey, in any language, on any site, whether it’s for a handover, mobilisation, re-tendering, audit, valuation or CAFM-readiness."

“Being ISO 42001 certified, HITEK uses ethical AI with its full technology stack, ensuring verified data doesn't merely sit in a report, it flows straight into how the asset is maintained, how its energy is optimised, and how its replacement is planned. We're giving owners, developers and managing agents the intelligence to plan, not just react, across the entire asset lifecycle,” added Aijaz.

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.