An Australian carbon outlook published Monday has warned prices could stay flat in the medium term due to a lack of investor momentum and policy certainty, urging the government bring forward its review of the Safeguard Mechanism.

Captured value – South Korean researchers have developed a new electrode that captures CO2 from exhaust gases and converts it directly into formic acid in gas mixtures similar to industrial flue emissions, Interesting Engineering reports. The design combines a CO2-absorbing layer, a porous carbon sheet, and a tin(IV) oxide catalyst, enabling carbon capture and conversion to occur simultaneously in gases containing nitrogen and oxygen. The researchers said the approach could reduce costs by avoiding energy-intensive CO2 separation and could be adapted for methane.

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) has released its first dedicated global standard for accounting land-based emissions and carbon removals within corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, following five years of development, it announced Friday.

Singapore and Rwanda have opened a new call for carbon credit project applications under their bilateral Article 6 agreement, the two governments said on Friday.

Land-intensive carbon removal (CDR) could hamper biodiversity protection unless site selection criteria are improved, a study released on Friday has said.

The price in China's national emissions market remained stable over the past week amid relatively healthy trading volumes, which some analysts have linked to the early availability of tradeable permits.

India’s push to scale up biofuels could feed directly into its emerging carbon market, even as gaps in accounting remain, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report this week.

A major gas supplier in Japan has decided to expand the coverage of its carbon offset evaluation tool to include credits issued under the J-Credit scheme and Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).

Funding secured - ASX-listed Alpha HPA has raised A$225 mln ($157 mln) to build and commercialise the second stage of the HPA First project in Gladstone, it announced. Backers of the capital raise included National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, which committed A$75 mln, AustralianSuper, and Orica. The project will produce 100,000 tonnes per annum of high purity alumina and  intends to run off 100% renewable energy, using Alpha HPA's proprietary processing technology and is expected to be operational in 2027. High purity alumina is a critical input into semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, the company noted.

Biochar project - Japanese developer Tromso has launched a biochar project utilising unused cocoa shells in Vietnam's Dong Nai province through collaborations with a local partner. It has teamed up with Trong Duc Cocoa, which generates around 6,000 tonnes of cocoa shells annually and 10,000 tonnes over the next five years, Tromso said. The Japanese company is verifying the effects of biochar on stabilising and increasing agricultural yields, while also exploring the potential for carbon storage to be converted into carbon credits.

Reaffirmed - Pacific island nation of Palau reaffirmed its commitment to implementing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement in its latest NDC published this week. It pledged to cut GHG emissions by 44% from BAU levels by 2035 under an enhanced action scenario, targeting reductions of 73,000 tCO2e a year by 2035, including additional removals from forests and mangroves, while remaining net negative overall. Forests and mangroves are expected to remain the largest carbon sink, removing more than six times the country’s annual emissions. Palau said implementation depends heavily on international finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. It is already participating in Article 6.2 activities with Japan.

Battery swap - ASX-listed Janus Electric has entered into a strategic agreement with a consortium of unnamed Canadian transport logistics companies to integrate its heavy-duty EV technology into a series of captive, circular energy projects in Canada, it announced earlier this week. Janus has developed proprietary swappable battery technology that can convert existing tucks, and the agreement will see this combined with developer of waste-to-energy infrastructure to create a first-of-it's kind closed-loop logistics hub, the company said. The alternative energy technology is intended to enable the supply of low-cost, low-emissions energy to the integrated fleet, potentially reducing the reliance on both grid electricity and diesel fuel. Final terms of the partnership remain subject to financing, Janus said.

Australian mining giant Rio Tinto and Aluminium Corporation of China (Chalco) have agreed to acquire a controlling stake in a Brazilian low-carbon aluminium producer to unlock its next stage of growth, it announced Friday.

A Japanese shipping major will participate in Norway's flagship carbon capture and storage project through the signing of long-term charter contracts, it announced Friday.

Small build - Australia's Victorian parliament has launched an inquiry on expanding access to renewable and affordable electricity for people living in apartments, townhouses, and other multi-unit dwellings, it announced. The inquiry will consider current barriers and inequities to accessing renewable and affordable energy, and options to increase access. It will explore options to increase renewable energy and affordable electricity, including shared rooftop solar, balcony and facade solar, community batteries, and virtual powerplants, according to the inquiry's terms of reference. The inquiry is accepting submissions until Feb. 27.