BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the leading international event on cities and smart urban solutions organized by Fira de Barcelona, will hold its 2026 edition from November 3 to 5 at Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, bringing together 1,000 cities, more than 25,000 attendees, over 1,000 exhibitors and 600 speakers. Under the theme “Urban Solutions, Real Impact,” this year’s edition will place special focus on housing, one of the most pressing challenges facing cities worldwide, while showcasing technologies designed to deliver tangible, scalable impact.

The congress program is structured around seven tracks — Enabling Technologies, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Governance & Economy, Living & Inclusion, Infrastructure & Building, and Blue Economy — spanning digital transformation, artificial intelligence, green energy, governance and social equity.

Over 600 experts will take part in the sessions, including Nikolas Badminton, Chief Futurist and Think Tank leader at Futurist.com, who will share his vision on the future of cities. An artificial intelligence expert, Badminton helps companies and institutions build strategic foresight capabilities, identify the trends shaping the world, anticipate unforeseen risks, and prepare for complex, evolving environments through long-term thinking and scenario planning.

Ayumi Moore Aoki, founder of Women in Tech Global, will also participate in the congress. Her work focuses on the importance of diversity and inclusion as key drivers of innovation in the urban context. Moore Aoki underscores how inclusive leadership can support sustainable urban development at scale. The conference also features Bibiana Aido of UN Women, Bilel Jamoussi of the ITU, and Chiara Corazza of the Women’s Economic Forum, among others.

SCEWC will host the first edition of HOWS Barcelona, a new housing world summit that will focus on topics such as urban planning and land policy, housing regulation, social and affordable housing, and building renovation and reuse, opening a debate on the foundations of a new residential paradigm.

The exhibition floor will host global companies including Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Dell Technologies and Deutsche Telekom IoT, alongside a wide range of country and city pavilions and the new “Terra50” showcase, unveiling the world’s top 50 sustainability solutions in the urban field.

SCEWC 2026 will run jointly with Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress, Tomorrow.Blue Economy, HOWS Barcelona, Barcelona Deep Tech Summit, and Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress, consolidating Barcelona as a global meeting point for urban innovation this November.

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SLUISKIL, Netherlands, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Europe’s largest industrial carbon capture facility was officially inaugurated today at Yara’s plant in Sluiskil, the Netherlands. The project establishes the first complete cross-border value chain for capturing, transporting and permanently storing CO₂ (CCS).

The inauguration was marked by the presence of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra, and President and CEO of Yara International, Svein Tore Holsether.

“This is an important day for Yara and for European industry. The carbon capture facility in Sluiskil proves that large-scale industrial decarbonization is possible today. As global competition intensifies, Europe must find ways to cut emissions while keeping industry, jobs and critical value chains in Europe. That is exactly what this project is about,” says Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara International.

Yara Sluiskil, Europe’s largest ammonia and fertilizer plant can capture and liquefy up to 800,000 tons of CO₂ annually from ammonia production thereby avoiding carbon taxation on these volumes. The CO₂ will be transported by ship to Norway, where it will be permanently stored beneath the seabed by Northern Lights.

With the right framework conditions in place, the project is expected to capture and store around 12 million tons of CO₂ over the next 15 years, making a significant contribution to European climate goals and industrial transformation.

A strategic investment in Europe’s industrial future

CCS is a critical part of the climate solution for energy-intensive industries, but also an important enabler of Europe’s industrial competitiveness. The technology makes it possible to reduce emissions from energy intensive industries like fertilizers, ammonia, cement and waste management while maintaining production, jobs and value creation in Europe.

“Europe needs practical climate solutions that deliver real emissions reductions while strengthening industrial competitiveness. The carbon capture and storage project at Sluiskil shows what is possible when innovation and cross-border cooperation come together. This is exactly the kind of project Europe needs to combine climate ambition with a strong and resilient industrial base,” says Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth.

The project demonstrates how cooperation across value chains and national borders can unlock substantial emissions reductions in European industry. It also shows how shared infrastructure can help accelerate industrial decarbonization by enabling companies across Europe to access permanent CO₂ storage solutions.

“This is a milestone we have been looking forward to. We are proud to start operations together with Yara and to see the agreement signed in 2023 become reality. Together, we are demonstrating that capture and cross-border CO₂ transport and storage is a viable solution for European industry. This is an important step in the development of Europe’s carbon management market and shows what is possible when industry and governments work together to build the infrastructure needed for Europe’s transition,” says Tim Heijn, Managing Director of Northern Lights.

Key facts about Yara and Northern Lights’ CCS project

Yara Sluiskil will capture up to 800,000 tons of CO₂ annually from ammonia productionThe CO₂ will be liquefied and temporarily stored at Yara SluiskilNorthern Lights vessels will transport the CO₂ to Øygarden, NorwayThe CO₂ will be permanently stored 2,600 meters below the seabed by Northern LightsThe project is expected to capture and store approximately 12 million tons of CO₂ over 15 years

Driving low-carbon products and value chains

CCS enables Yara to further reduce the carbon footprint of its production and support low-carbon value chains across agriculture, industry, energy and shipping, including:

Low-carbon fertilizers to support more sustainable food productionLow-carbon ammonia for industrial applications and clean energy solutionLow-carbon fuels for the maritime sector

For more information about Yara’s carbon capture facility in Sluiskil, please visit yara.com to access the press kit: Carbon Capture and Storage | Yara International.

About Yara

Yara is a global leader in crop nutrition and ammonia with a mission to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet.

Yara operates a global, flexible production system that delivers a diversified portfolio of nitrogen-based products. With our extensive global market reach and more than a century of agronomic knowledge and continuous innovation, we partner across the value chain to improve crop yields, optimize resource use, and reduce environmental impact.

Through diversified energy exposure and profitable decarbonization efforts, Yara is uniquely positioned to strengthen industrial competitiveness and create long-term value for customers, shareholders, employees, and society at large.

Founded in Norway in 1905, Yara operates in over 60 countries and serves more than 140 markets, employing about 15,700 people. In 2025, Yara reported revenues of USD 15.7 billion.

For more information, visit yara.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook or Instagram.

Media contact
Kaia Jarlsby
M: +47 977 94 088
E: kaia.jarlsby@yara.com 

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BERLIN, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ECOVACS, a global company specializing in service robotics, has been honored with two Gold Awards at the 2026 IDG Global Product Technology Innovation Awards, announced during IFA Berlin, a leading consumer electronics and home appliance trade show. The dual accolades recognize ECOVACS’ innovation in extending intelligent cleaning solutions from indoor to outdoor applications and reinforce its technological leadership in the global smart service robot sector.

The ECOVACS WINBOT W2S PRO OMNI window-cleaning robot received the Window Cleaning Robot Innovation Gold Award for its breakthrough automated window care technologies, including intelligent frame detection, systematic deep cleaning and enhanced safety mechanisms that deliver reliable, hands-free window maintenance for modern households. Meanwhile, the ECOVACS T1000 4WD Pro smart robotic lawn mower claimed the Smart Edge Trimming Technology Innovation Gold Award, in recognition of its high-precision edge-trimming performance, four-wheel-drive mobility, all-terrain performance and intelligent path planning that adapt seamlessly to complex lawn layouts.

Established by IDG in 2014, the annual Global Product Technology Innovation Awards rank among the prominent honors in the global consumer electronics industry. Evaluated against rigorous criteria including technological innovation, user value and market impact, the awards are presented each year at IFA Berlin, spotlighting pioneering brands and showcasing their innovations to audiences in Europe and worldwide.

With nearly three decades of deep expertise in service robotics, ECOVACS continues to unlock new paradigms for multi-scenario intelligent living, extending its portfolio beyond indoor floor cleaning to professional-grade window care and autonomous lawn maintenance. These awards underscore ECOVACS’ sustained commitment to R&D and product innovation, and further strengthen its position in the global service-robotics market.

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