Month: July 2025

SHANGHAI, July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — HOTELEX Shanghai 2026, one of Asia’s leading hospitality and catering trade shows, will be held from March 30 to April 2, 2026.

China’s hotel and foodservice equipment industry is entering a transformative stage, driven by three converging forces: automation, sustainability, and space optimization. As digital technologies reshape operational models, the market is rapidly shifting toward intelligent, low-emission, and compact solutions — positioning China not only as a manufacturing hub but also as a high-potential consumption market.

AI-powered cooking systems and IoT-connected kitchens are gaining momentum, with smart fryers, real-time monitoring tools, and multifunctional appliances boosting kitchen efficiency and consistency. The global smart foodservice equipment segment is projected to grow at over 10% CAGR through 2032, with China leading in adoption and scale.

Sustainability remains a critical innovation driver. As China accelerates its carbon neutrality roadmap toward its 2030 and 2060 climate targets, procurement is increasingly guided by energy performance and environmental certifications such as the China Energy Label and CQC. Globally, the commercial catering equipment market is expected to exceed USD 27 billion by 2026, fueled by growing demand for water-efficient, solar-integrated, and emissions-reducing solutions aligned with ESG goals.

This momentum sets the stage for HOTELEX Shanghai 2026, held from March 30 to April 2. As one of Asia’s leading hospitality and catering trade shows, HOTELEX connects global brands with hotel chains, F&B groups, and procurement leaders across China’s evolving foodservice landscape.

For international suppliers looking to scale in a data-driven, sustainability-conscious, and innovation-focused market, HOTELEX 2026 is the gateway to growth.

Booth Inquiry: Junyan.jin@imsinoexpo.com

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SOURCE HOTELEX Shanghai

SINGAPORE, July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Univers, the global AI for Energy leader, and Starbucks China have unveiled a technological partnership to accelerate sustainability across Starbucks’ China value chain.

Through the deployment of Univers’ advanced AI and Internet of Things (IoT) decarbonization solutions, the collaboration will enable Starbucks to digitally monitor, measure and actively reduce Scope 3 emissions across its supplier network.

This visibility will allow Starbucks to drive actionable emissions reductions, support its suppliers in their own low-carbon transitions, and strengthen compliance with evolving climate regulations.

Greener Store

Starbucks is not only making their stores greener, but also more intelligent. More than 7,500 Starbucks stores are now connected to a new AI and IoT platform jointly developed by Univers and Starbucks. This will enable real-time and remote monitoring of over 8 types of equipment per store including HVAC, lighting, and water filtration, optimizing energy use with AI-driven insights and enhancing partner and customer experience.

Greener Supply Chain

Leveraging Univers’ EnOS^TM Ark Carbon Management System, Univers and Starbucks will develop a Supply Chain Carbon Management Platform used to track carbon emissions across core suppliers and products—including but not limited to milk, beverages, food, and packaging.

Milk, the single largest carbon emitter in Starbucks value chain, is a major contributor to Scope 3 emissions. As a response, the companies developed a Sustainable Dairy Digital Management Tool to enable comprehensive carbon baseline tracking, decarbonization planning, and implementation of pilot farm solutions.

Future-Proofing Starbucks

With Univers’ global innovative R&D capabilities in AI and IoT, Starbucks can now meet its future business expansion needs with the next-generation edge computing intelligent device One-Box, which integrates computing power and hardware management across five local application scenarios from point-of-sale systems to smart store control terminals.

By embedding Univers’ EnOS^TM Ark Carbon Management platform into its broader sustainability strategy, Starbucks is taking a major step toward future proofing its energy transition journey – combining technology, data and cross-sector collaboration to set new standards for decarbonization in the food and beverage retail industry.

About Univers

Univers is a global leader in AI for Energy. Our EnOS^TM platform enables enterprises to solve complex energy challenges through intelligent, data-driven insights.

With 365 million connected devices and 845 GW of renewable energy managed, Univers is an AI-native company delivering end-to-end energy management solutions that support organizations across every stage of their energy transition journey

For more information, please visit univers.com.

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SOURCE Univers

Music Legends Wynonna Judd and Steve Earle Also Added to Historic Food and Music Event Roster, Scheduled for Sept. 20 in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — 2025 Country Music Hall of Fame electee Kenny Chesney is set to make his fourth Farm Aid appearance at this year’s annual music and food festival at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20. Wynonna Judd and Steve Earle have also joined the all-star lineup, the organization revealed today.

“We’re excited to have Kenny Chesney back on the Farm Aid stage this year,” said Jennifer Fahy, co-executive director of Farm Aid. “He’s one of many artists who have returned to Farm Aid, generously donating their travel and performances to raise awareness about the family farmers who grow good food for all of us. Kenny’s appearance, along with the addition of music legends Wynonna Judd and Steve Earle, will make this an unforgettable anniversary event.”

Chesney, an eight-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year award winner, is one of America’s biggest concert draws. Farm Aid will mark his only 2025 concert performance outside his recently wrapped Sphere residency. Judd is one of the most decorated female artists in country music history, with 19 No. 1 singles and an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Earle, who became a member of the Grand Ole Opry this year, is no stranger to the Farm Aid stage; this year will be his ninth appearance since joining the inaugural event in 1985.

Together, they join the star-studded Farm Aid 40 lineup, which features Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young (and the Chrome Hearts), John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), and Margo Price, as well as Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, Waxahatchee, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Jesse Welles, Madeline Edwards, and Wisdom Indian Dancers.

Tickets for Farm Aid’s 40th anniversary music and food festival are available for purchase at farmaid40.org. Ticket prices range from $101 to $390 (fees included, not sales tax). For venue information, visit farmaid.org/festival/venue-information. More details are also available at farmaid.org/festival.

For festival and 40th anniversary updates, follow Farm Aid on Facebook (facebook.com/farmaid), Instagram (instagram.com/farmaid), X (@FarmAid), Bluesky (@farmaid.org) and Threads (threads.com/@farmaid). Festivalgoers are encouraged to use the hashtags #FarmAid40 and #Road2FarmAid40 to join the conversation on social media.

Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $85 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

**Editors, Producers and Photographers Note: Advance credentials are required for all media to attend Farm Aid 40. Please visit farmaid.org/media by Monday, Sept. 8, to learn about these requirements and apply. Media can download official Farm Aid photos and videos at farmaid.org/media. 

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SOURCE Farm Aid

LONDON, July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) has today published a landmark report, Power Systems Transformation: Delivering Competitive, Resilient Electricity in High-Renewable Systems. The report sets out that global power systems dominated by wind and solar generation can reliably deliver electricity at costs comparable to or lower than today’s fossil fuel-based power systems in most parts of the world.

Electricity is projected to provide up to 70% of global final energy consumption in a decarbonised energy system, growing from around 20% today. Total global electricity demand could potentially triple, reaching 90,000 TWh by 2050 compared to 30,000 TWh today, and be met with new generation predominantly from wind and solar.

A Global Opportunity

The report shows that many countries can operate power systems with 70% or more electricity from wind and solar, using proven technologies available today, like battery storage, other energy storage, long-distance transmission, and flexible energy use. It highlights significant regional opportunities:

• “Sun belt” countries – including India, Mexico, and much of Africa – are best-positioned to cut power system costs by transitioning to low-cost, solar-led systems, which mainly require day-night balancing.
• In contrast, “wind belt” countries – such as the UK, Germany, and Canada – that rely on higher shares of wind face higher balancing costs, but can still achieve affordable, stable systems through smart policy and innovation.
• In many regions, long-distance transmission lines can be one of the most cost-effective solutions to balancing supply and demand, and should be maximised where feasible.

Rapid electrification of buildings, transport and industries and decarbonisation of power systems must advance together to keep costs per kilowatt-hour affordable for consumers and businesses.

“Multiple technologies, including nuclear and geothermal, may play a role in zero-carbon power systems. But wind and solar will be the dominant source of power in most countries, providing 70% or more of electricity at costs at or below today’s fossil-based systems. In particular, in the global sun belt, the collapsing cost of solar PV and batteries makes possible far cheaper and more rapid growth in green electricity supply than seemed feasible 10 years ago. But wind belt countries can also achieve cost-effective decarbonisation by leading in offshore wind, long-duration storage, and grid innovation.” said Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission.

Key Findings:

• It is technically possible for wind- and solar-dominant systems to be stable and resilient with the right mix of balancing and grid technologies. These systems are no more likely to experience blackouts than thermal generation-dominated systems.
• High wind and solar systems can be competitive with today’s wholesale prices and grid costs. Sun belt countries could see costs more than halve to $30–$40/MWh by 2050. Wind-dependent country costs (e.g., UK) are higher, but in the future could be comparable to current levels.
• The “last mile” of decarbonisation will be the most expensive, particularly in countries which need ultra-long duration balancing to meet seasonal variations in supply and demand. Once countries have reached very low levels of carbon intensity (e.g., less than 50g per kWh), electrification is more important than rapid last-mile decarbonisation.
• Up to 30% of all global power demand could be time-shifted through demand-side flexibility. This requires the development of dynamic pricing and the use of smart management technologies.
• Grid costs per kWh can be kept stable. Total global grid length will need to more than double by 2050, reaching around 150–200 million km. Annual grid investment could rise from $370 billion in 2024, peaking at $870 billion in the 2030s. However, ~35% of grid expansion costs (equivalent to $1.3 trillion in Europe¹) could be avoided between now and 2050 through the usage of innovative grid technologies.
• Delivering low-cost, high variable renewable energy power systems will require strategic vision and planning, including market reform to put all technologies on a level playing field, grid modernisation enabled by innovative technologies, supply chain development strategies and customer engagement.

“Clean electricity is essential for climate action and is the most affordable way to power economic development. Countries can build resilient economies fit for the future by investing in renewables, grids, and flexibility now. Indeed it is their obligation to do so, according to the recent ICJ advisory opinion. Low-cost, clean power is what people, industry and businesses want. Countries must deliver it now, and this report shows that they can.” said Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner, Global Optimism.

Policymakers, the power industry, and financial institutions should collaborate to ensure:

• Appropriate planning of high wind/solar systems to expedite planning approvals and minimise deployment bottlenecks.
• Electrification of demand that keeps pace with generation and grid build-out to avoid the cost per kWh increasing for consumers.
• Accelerate power market reforms to unlock investment in critical technologies.
• Address workforce and supply chain bottlenecks to enable delivery at scale.

“Renewables are the core of the global energy transition, delivering clean, reliable, and affordable power. Wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, storage and modern grids are transforming electricity systems and opening new opportunities for growth, investment, and energy security.

To keep this momentum, deployment must advance alongside grid expansion, market reform, and investment. Together, these build competitive, resilient systems that support jobs and economic progress. With governments leading and the private sector supporting, renewables will deliver a clean, secure, and just energy future.” said Bruce Douglas, CEO at Global Renewables Alliance.

The ETC also published a supplementary briefing, Connecting the World: Long-Distance Transmission as a Key Enabler of a Zero-Carbon Economy, focused on the role of cross-border interconnectors and long-distance transmission in accelerating the energy transition.

Additional Quotes

Additional quotes from Ausgrid, Iberdrola, Mission Possible Partnership, Octopus Energy, Schneider Electric, SSE, Ember, and Transition Zero are available here.

About the ETC:
Power Systems Transformation: Delivering Competitive, Resilient Electricity in High-Renewable Systems was developed in collaboration with ETC members from across industry, financial institutions, and civil society. The Energy Transitions Commission is a global coalition of leaders from across the energy landscape committed to achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century. This report constitutes a collective view of the ETC; however, it should not be taken as members agreeing with every finding or recommendation.

Download the report: https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/HXpOC14zlTp3o0nsXs4iV1vhC?domain=energy-transitions.org/

 

For further information on the ETC, please visit: https://www.energy-transitions.org

¹ BNEF (2024), New Energy Outlook.

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SOURCE Energy Transitions Commission