supply

There is an acute shortage of housing supply in Spain. So the convents of Toledo have seen an opportunity

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Toledo has had an idea to reinforce the meager housing supply in its historic center. In the city there is the curious contradiction that there is demand for flats for rent while around 150 buildings of the monumental area (both public and private) remain closed and without tenants, so… Why not solve both problems at once? With that philosophy as a backdrop, two convents in Toledo are preparing to become landlords and allocate part of their buildings to rent. The historic center sees its housing offer expand (although still timidly) and in the process the religious orders obtain a new source of income. Quite a ‘win-win’. What has happened? That in Toledo they want to kill several birds with one stone. For some time now, its historic center has faced three challenges that, although at first glance they seem to have little to do with each other, are directly related. The first is the shortage of residential rentals. In Idealista, just over a few are announced right now. 50 apartments for lease and many of them do so as seasonal rentals. For long stays the offer is only 33. The second challenge is represented by abandoned buildings. Last year, the Consortium of the City of Toledo did the math and found that in that same area of ​​the Castilian-La Mancha capital, 150 buildings unused, some in ruins. The third challenge is not so much the city itself but the religious orders that live there: How to achieve income in the 21st century? Where to get money to pay bills or unforeseen events such as repairing the roof of the Discalced Carmelites convent, sunk during a DANA in 2023? Connecting the dots. The Toledo Consortium has come to the conclusion that these three challenges can be connected and has had an idea: to renovate wasted spaces in convents in the city to convert them into homes. And not just any type of housing. Their objective is to move them to the long-term rental market, the one that has the most difficulties in the historic center and more pressured It is seen through tourism. For that purpose, in November The organization gave the green light to the tender for the renovation of two properties: one located in the convent of the Discalced Carmelites and the other in the Immaculate Conception (Nasturtiums). Between them there will be four homes. “New opportunities”. The objective, explains the manager of the Consortium, Jesús Corroto, is to advance in the recovery of the disused heritage of the historic center and in the process generate “new residential opportunities”, especially for young people. The idea is to rehabilitate a building attached to the Discalced Carmelites convent with 131,000 euros to provide it with two new homes with a total constructed area of ​​130 m2. Investments will be made in the Capuchinas property. 130,000 euros to open two new residences in what was once the Priestly House, built at the end of the 16th century. In any case, the organization wants to go further and not stay in those four apartments. The SER chain indicates that it aspires to enable at least a dozen of housing and has already transferred more proposals to other convents. Whether they go ahead or not will basically depend on the budget and what the religious decide. After all, the buildings are private, non-segregable and considered BIC. The initiative would allow the creation between 20 and 30 housesto which other services can be added, such as parking. “Rental ethics”. In the case of the new homes set up in convents, a peculiar circumstance will occur: the Consortium is in charge of the works, but unlike what happens with other accommodation promoted by the Municipal Housing Company, its price will not be limited by a maximum limit. Since these are private properties, it is the religious who must decide what rents they charge to their future tenants, although Corroto already advances in The Country that a “rental ethic” will govern. What the organization he directs has done is put an inflexible condition on the friars and monks of Toledo: the new homes must be dedicated to residential rentals, not become tourist apartments, a business that has already attracted other religious of Spain who have seen the need to take advantage of their buildings. In Seville, for example, not long ago some cloistered nuns agreed to offer a part of their convent to tourists through Airbnb. The reason: selling candy is no longer enough to pay bills. Between 37 and 60 m2. In the case of Toledo, the objective is for the new homes to be available in about a year. To make it possible, the religious orders will assume part of the works and furniture. Once the project is completed, the city will have new apartments with a useful area of between 37 and 60 m2. The residences will have to comply with the regulations that govern the Historic Center of Toledo and will have between one and two rooms. Images | Suraya_M (Flickr) and Wikipedia (Antonio Velez) In Xataka | Toledo has had enough of the mass tourism that saturates the city center. His plan to change it: China

We have so much supply on the way that no one knows what will happen to the prices.

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The global and European energy market is experiencing an unprecedented metamorphosis. If just three years ago the world held his breath In the face of scarcity, today the scenario is the opposite. According to Bloomberga “record supply wave” is creating a “buyers’ market” that will last until the end of the decade. But the news is not only that there is more gas, but that the rules of the game for buying and selling it in Europe have changed forever: gas has ceased to be a slow raw material and has become a high-speed financial asset. The giants are awakening. The engine of this saturation has its own names. According to Bloomberg dataglobal LNG production grew by 6% in 2025 and the trend has only just begun. This year, two megaprojects—Golden Pass in Texas and the massive Qatar expansion—will begin pumping fuel, alone adding 11% to total global exports once they reach full capacity. This reality has reconfigured the European board. According to a report by S&P Globalthe United States is already the absolute owner of the supply in the old continent, representing 77.53% of imports in 2025. The market no longer reflects shortages, but rather the symptoms of an “excess supply” that is forcing prices down, with the JKM index (Asia) and the TTF (Europe) narrowing their margins. The end of office hours: The gas becomes “hyperactive.” One of the most profound changes is not on the ships, but on the traders’ screens. As revealed by the newsletter Energy Daily from Bloombergthe Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) has extended trading of gas and electricity products to 22 hours a day. This movement breaks with decades of tradition. Before, all traders logged on at 8 am in Amsterdam to check inventories and weather news. Now, the market operates almost tirelessly to synchronize with the United States and Asia. This movement allows you to react “instantly” to nightly headlines about Iran or Ukraine. The result is a cglobal price convergence, but with a risk: this immediacy can amplify sudden movements and volatility in the short term. The landing of the Hedge Funds. This new liquidity and opening hours has attracted a risk-hungry player: the Hedge Funds. By not being tied to physical assets (such as pipelines or ships), these funds can bet on pure volatility. As Bloomberg analysis explainswhile traditional traders suffer from low margins, hedge funds take advantage of the arbitrage opportunities generated by a market that never sleeps. Gas has officially become an asset as dynamic as oil or currencies. The respite of emerging nations. Supply saturation has a human lifeline. The collapse in prices is allowing emerging nations such as Vietnam, India and Myanmar return to the market. After being squeezed out by prohibitive prices in the 2022 crisis, these countries are absorbing excess LNG to displace coal and power their growing electricity grids. It is this Asian appetite that is preventing the market from totally collapsing under the weight of the new American and Qatari supply. The point goes beyond. And as always there is the geopolitical factor. This abundance puts giants like Shell and Exxon Mobil in a bind. According to ReutersShell is already suffering the consequences, with a drop in its trading results that calls into question its $3.5 billion share buybacks. For its part, Donald Trump’s geopolitics adds fuel to the fire. How Reuters has had accessTrump has pressured oil companies to revitalize Venezuela after Maduro’s departure, but Exxon CEO Darren Woods has been skeptical, calling the country “uninvestable.” At the same time, the market is watching Trump’s tariffs on Iran, that according to the Bloomberg graphhave taken Brent crude oil to almost $65, complicating the strategy of some “majors” that must find buyers for their surplus gas in an increasingly volatile world. The European “Wall”. In Europe, the battle is not about gas, but for the infrastructure. Given the slow pace of works on land, the EU has entrusted its fate to FSRUs (floating regasification units). These ships are the mobile “plugs” needed to process gas crossing the Atlantic. On the other hand, Spain is the perfect example of the disconnection between abundance and transportation. Despite being the Europe’s “renewable laboratory”the country has hit a technical wall. Gas consumption for electricity rose by 26% in 2025 to act as a “bodyguard” of the network and avoid blackouts. However, the year closed as the third most expensive in history for the Spanish consumer. Spain has gas on its coasts, but it does not have enough “cables or pipes” (interconnections) to relieve the rest of the continent or lower its own bill. The trap of 2050. Despite the renewable boom, a McKinsey & Company report projects that global gas demand will increase by 26% towards 2050. Gas is not being retired; It is being repositioned as the life support of an electrical network that does not know how to function on its own. As a Morgan Stanley report concludesthe energy success of 2026 is no longer negotiated in political offices in Moscow. It is decided on the speed of the algorithms of the hedge funds that operate 22 hours a day, in the capacity of the floating terminals and in the engineers who must untangle the knot of the European electricity network. There is plenty of gas, but the path for this relief to reach the final consumer is still full of obstacles. Image | Unsplash Xataka | Spain, Europe’s renewable laboratory, runs into the gas wall: 2025 broke the dream of cheap electricity

Tensions at Nexperia threaten the supply chain. One party accuses the other of “destructive actions”

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Until a few months ago, Nexperia was known mainly in industrial circles. It manufactured essential but inconspicuous chips, basic components for electronic systems, especially in sectors such as the automotive industry. Today his name appears in public letters, cross accusations and messages warning of production stops. The controversy is no longer limited to internal decisions: it involves governments, regulatory frameworks and a supply chain that has become especially sensitive. The conflict between headquarters did not arise spontaneously. It was built through a combination of regulatory decisions, judicial interventions and business measures that, in a matter of weeks, altered the balance between the Dutch parent company and the Chinese entities. The confirmed facts follow this sequence: September 29, 2025. The United States extended its export controls on companies that are 50% or more owned by entities included in the Entity List. Wingtech has been on that list since December 2024 and, by extension, affected Nexperia. September 30, 2025. The Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands applied for the first time the Goods Availability Act to supervise Nexperia’s activity. October 4, 2025. China prohibited Nexperia China and its subcontractors from exporting certain finished components and subassemblies manufactured in Chinese territory. October 7, 2025. The Amsterdam Company Chamber suspended CEO Zhang Xuezheng and appointed an independent administrator with authority over corporate decisions. October 12, 2025. The Dutch Government officially confirmed the activation of the control framework. October 14, 2025. Nexperia publicly acknowledged the veto imposed by Beijing and stated that it was in talks with the Chinese authorities to resolve it. October 29, 2025. Nexperia BV announced the suspension of the supply of wafers to its subsidiary due to its refusal to make payments. November 10, 2025. The US Department of Commerce suspends for one year the “Affiliates Rule” as part of a broader trade agreement with China. November 28, 2025. The Dutch Government suspended its ministerial supervision after talks with China, although the measures of the Amsterdam Business Chamber remain in force. What the Dutch matrix demands. Nexperia BV, the Netherlands-based entity that exercises global corporate governance of the group, states in his open letter of November 27 that it has made multiple attempts, both formal and informal, to contact its entities in China through calls, emails, proposed meetings and formal communications, without obtaining “any meaningful response.” He warns that clients from different sectors speak of “imminent production stops.” It calls for reestablishing regular flows of production, delivery and operational planning, and offers to start negotiations even with professional mediation. One of Nexperia’s facilities in Guangdong Accusations from China. Nexperia China claims that has always been available for formal communication and denies that there is a lack of response. According to its statement, the Dutch parent company would have carried out “destructive actions”, such as the elimination of corporate email accounts and the restriction of access to internal systems, which would have prevented the normal functioning of the subsidiary. Wingtech, the parent company in China, maintains that there has been an “unlawful deprivation” of its control rights and that this is the origin of the current disorder. He adds that, since October, they have continued to ship components to hundreds of customers as part of a “self-rescue” effort. A basic chip that supports a complex industry. Nexperia produces the so-called foundation chips, essential components that manage electrical functions in automotive and electronic systems. They are manufactured in Europe, assembled and tested in China and re-exported to the rest of the world. Companies like Nissan and the German supplier Bosch have warned that the current tension could affect availability in the coming months if flow is not restored. The German employers’ association VDA has warned of high risks. Nexperia has become a point of friction between corporate governance, regulation and industrial policy. As we have seen, the Dutch parent company and the subsidiary in China maintain opposing stories and accuse each other of having caused the current situation. None rules out dialogue, although the conversations continue in writing. The public communications consulted speak of “imminent” stops, but do not include interruptions that have already materialized. Manufacturers express their concern and anticipate possible effects if supply is not stabilized soon. We have to wait to see how this situation will end. Images | Nexperia In Xataka | The problem is not that Europe has “expropriated” Nexperia from a Chinese company: it is that it approved its sale just a year ago

Asturias has the electrical network so saturated that a simple failure would be enough to put the supply in check this summer

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A year ago everything indicated that Asturias was going to become the new Spanish energy storage hub. But these plans, which were going to help integrate renewables, alleviate the grid and attract industry, collided with reality. Today, the panorama is very different. Not only has the region paralyzed new storage facilities, but an official report has just confirmed a more worrying diagnosis: Asturias is saturated with energy, but does not know where to put it. In short, the central area’s electrical grid is at its limit. The CNMC uncovers the problem. The trigger It is an apparently technical conflict between EDP (Hidrocantábrico Distribución) and Red Eléctrica de España for access to the Carrió substation. As local media have reportedthe distributor requested to replace two transformers to increase its capacity from 513 MW to 665 MW, but REE rejected it, arguing that the network could not supply so much simultaneous demand. This rejection took the case to the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC), which issued a resolution with a forceful message: the transport network in the central zone is saturated, it cannot grant new permits, there is “relevant overcapacity” and there is a “risk to the security of supply in the event of a simple failure, in the summer season.” Furthermore, the commission itself recognizes that the case dates back to 2007, when the separation between distribution and transportation occurred and assets were transferred to REE without documenting the guaranteed access capacities. As the official report explains, for years REE and EDP operated “as always”, but with opposite interpretations about how much capacity was really assured for the Asturian network. What does it mean to be saturated? Although it may seem like a technical concept, the CNMC has detailed in its report a more precise image of what is happening. To begin with, saturation means that the network cannot grant even one more access. The regulator detects a “total saturation of capacity, without the possibility of granting new access or connection permissions.” This means that no new industries, no renewable parks and no storage projects can connect: the grid is literally full. Added to this blockage is another underlying problem. The central Asturias network does not meet the minimum legal criterion known as N-1, which requires guaranteeing supply even if a key component fails. However, the CNMC itself confirms that this requirement is not met: If a transformer or main line falls, there is no alternative path capable of absorbing the energy, making any incident a potential risk. The situation is even more delicate according to the data. The regulator’s report indicates that two large electro-intensive consumers already absorb 686 MW, to which we must add the 200 MW that EDP needs to feed the distribution network. In total, more than 800 MW connected. The problem is that the safe capacity in summer – when the lines perform worse due to high temperatures – is 754 MW. In other words: there is more connected power than the network can safely support. And the room for maneuver is practically non-existent. According to the CNMC, if Cardoso’s 400/220 kV transformer failed, the entire area would be supplied only by a 220 kV line that does not support current consumption in summer. In practical terms, this means that any simple failure could trigger a real supply problem in the middle of the summer season. The point is that there is energy, but it cannot be moved. The paradox is evident: Asturias wants more renewables, it wants batteries, it wants to electrify its industry and it wants to attract new strategic projects. But all this growth requires a robust electrical grid with margin. And right now, that margin does not exist. Carrió’s transformers could handle more power, yes, but that is unimportant if the lines that connect them are already at their limit. Even the future conversion to gas of the Aboño thermal power plant —designated by the Principality as future relief— does not solve the current problem, because the bottleneck is in transportation, not in generation. How did we get here? In addition to the historical conflict between REE and EDP, a chain of factors have aggravated the situation. One of the most decisive is the increase in power assigned to some large industrial consumers. In 2022, Red Eléctrica granted an electro-intensive customer an increase of 132 MW, reaching 450 MW of power between Carrió and Tabiella. The regulator clarifies that this decision did not violate the regulations, but it does highlight the lack of coordination with EDP, which was not informed and saw how the capacity margin of the area was exhausted practically at once. Added to this problem is another longer-term problem. As El Comercio remembersthe necessary reinforcements for the central network have been planned for more than 20 years, but were never executed. The result is that Asturias faces industrial electrification and the growth expected for the coming years with a network that has not been updated at the pace of demand. The evolution of the local generation. The situation is complicated as cogeneration, a key technology for producing electricity and heat near industrial centers, has collapsed. According to figures published by El ComercioAsturias has lost 82% of cogeneration production in six years. This implies less energy generated at source and, therefore, more need to bring electricity from outside through a network that is already saturated. The economic and environmental impact is also notable: 60 million euros less industrial turnover and 230,000 additional tons of CO₂. And now what? The Asturian Government insists that the problem will be resolved with the 400 kV central ringa gigantic infrastructure included in the energy planning for 2030. This ring will double the electric transportation capacity in the metropolitan area and will allow it to absorb the planned industrial growth. For its part, Red Eléctrica you already have authorization for the new Cardoso substation, key to that ring, with an investment of 26.5 million euros. However, the CNMC warns that the problem is … Read more

guaranteed supply and discount included

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In May, conversations between Moscow and Beijing about the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline They hired again. Russia pressed the accelerator to close the deal, but China stopped: it rejected a route through Mongolia and discussed each price and deadline figure. The project, again, was caught in mutual distrust. Meanwhile, in Europe the agenda was another. Brussels He accelerated his strategy to cut the dependence of Russian gas and expand renewables. That movement left Moscow with less margin: without Europe, I needed a buyer in a hurry. And all the roads took to Beijing. A turn in Beijing. The board has moved in September. During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Beijing, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping announced that they had signed a memorandum to build the Power of Siberia 2. According to Reutersthe document is legally binding, it is not just a declaration of intentions. The gas pipeline, once completed, will allow transporting 50 BCM of annual gas from the Yamal Arctic deposits to northern China through Mongolia for 30 years. However, As Wall Street Journal saidthe essential points have not been closed: price, financing and construction calendar. Beijing, who has never been in a hurry, thus keeps the pan for the handle. But something begins to move. Although the big project has no date, something began to change. Reuters reported that Gazprom and the CNPC closed an immediate increase in current shipments: the Power of Siberia 1 will pass from 38 to 44 BCM per year, and the Sakhalin gas pipeline will rise from 10 to 12 BCM. Returning to the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. So far what is known is that it will depart from the Russian Arctic deposits – the same ones that were supplied to Europe – and will travel Siberia to Mongolia, before reaching northern China. Its capacity: 50 BCM per year, equivalent to almost a third of everything Russia sold to Europe before the invasion of Ukraine. According to Financial Timesthe infrastructure could come into operation in the early 2030s, although the agreement does not specify dates. There is much at stake. The Power of Siberia 2 is not just a bilateral agreement: it can reorder the dynamics of the world gas market. As Financial Times explainedits entry into operation of the gas pipeline would withdraw 50,000 million cubic meters of demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) of the international market. That absence will weigh on investment plans in new export plants, especially in the United States, but also in Qatar and Australia. “For those who are about to make final investment decisions, this announcement is disturbing,” Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a researcher at the Center on Global Energy Piss in Columbia, said for the British environment. China reinforces its energy security. In this context, the biggest beneficiary is China. This new gas pipeline ensures a supply in a context marked by supply volatility from the Middle East. According to Wall Street JournalBeijing would import around 100 BCM of Russian gas per pipe each year, which would represent approximately 20% of its total consumption. A significant figure, but far from an absolute dependence. A less encouraging panorama for Moscow. As Reuters recalledRussia went from exporting 177 BCM of gas to Europe in 2018-19 to just 31 BCM to China last year. Therefore, with the Power of Siberia 2 you can compensate for part of that volume, but not the income: Gazprom has admitted that the prices for Beijing will be lower than the Europeans, According to Bloomberg. In short, Russia wins a strategic client but loses pricing power; China ensures a stable supply without compromising its maneuvering margin; And the global gas market will have to adjust to a map in which Asia becomes the center of gravity. United States in the mirror. The agreement comes After the Alaska Summit With Donald Trump, in which confrontation with China and Russia was exacerbated. As Bloomberg highlightedthe Power of Siberia 2 memorandum is interpreted as a direct challenge to the global order led by Washington. For Washington, the agreement is a double blow: China could reduce the purchase of American liquefied natural gas, and the Moscow-Pekín alliance is reinforced at a time of maximum tension with the Trump administration. The Summit in Beijing, with Russia, China, India and North Korea on the same board, is interpreted as an cornerstone of an alternative block to the Euro -Ratlantic axis. Chronicle of an announced break. Just a few days ago, Europe announced that it entered September With an unexpected energy mattress: gas deposits are already 76% of their capacity. In addition, within two years, the total cutting of Russian gas dependence by the European Union has been established. In that context, Brussels has set 2027 as the deadline to definitively cut the energy relationship with Moscow. The Power of Siberia 2 symbolizes that rupture: the gas that previously lit heating in Berlin or Paris will now have a destination in Shanghai or Beijing. An unequal relationship. Despite the rhetoric of friendship, the relationship is clearly asymmetric. As explained by Alexander Gabuev, from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, cited by WSJChina “has all the letters”: controls the rhythm, price and conditions. Russia, isolated and sanctioned, needs Beijing much more than the other way around. Besides, As Reuters recalledChina advances towards a more electric and renewable model, which in the medium term can reduce its gas dependence. Russia runs the risk of investing billions in a project that the true beneficiary will be the Asian giant. Image | Unspash and Kremlin Xataka | Putin’s not so secret plan to survive without Europe: a giant gas pipeline to China

Sin rare Chinese, the US military supply chain wobbles

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The United States is one of the main military powers of the planet. And that war muscle It does not feed exclusively with money. Requires something else: Rare earth. That’s where his geopolitical antagonist, China comes into play. The Asian giant controls rare earth production And the United States is realizing something: those who do their arms do not have it easy to find suppliers that are not Chinese. And it’s what is causing A new war, the magnets. And it is affecting the entire US military chain: from bullets to the most expensive hunt in history. Rare earth. Yes, again. We have already counted on other occasions that “rare earths” are a peculiar term because they are neither lands, nor are they rare. It is a set of 17 elements that are all over the world, but whose difficulty lies in the process to “take off the grain of the straw.” It is a polluting process that was delegated to China, which is why The country dominates its production. How far? It depends on the material, but it is estimated that China produces around 90% of refined rare lands, as well as 94% of gallium production and 83% Germanioalso crucial for industries such as the military. They also control the production of aluminum or steel. Stab where it hurts: weapons. Within the rare earths, a crucial component is the magnets. They are used in many industries such as audio (headphones do not work without magnets, for example), that of renewable (for wind turbines) or for electric cars batteriesto quote just a few. And yes, they are also crucial for the military industry. Combat fighters, guided ballistic missiles, drones and even night vision glas iron control over what they export and their possible military use by other countries, who manufacture weapons and systems for the United States are forced to look for alternatives. The problem is not cheap. This graph shows China’s enormous power in the rare earth metals segment Shot prices. The Wall Street Journal Ha Posted an article in which they expose the case of a manufacturer of pieces for military drones that is crashing against the wall of the rare Chinese earth. It is being forced to delay orders for up to two months because it does not give viable sources of magnets other than China itself. In the article, he points out that these materials necessary for the war industry are being sold for five times their usual value, or more. The countries and companies that need these materials usually have an emergency stock, but as the Leonardo DRS company (a US -based defense contractor and Italian company comments on the company. Leonardo Spa.), They are already using that security stock. If you want to maintain the punctual pace of deliveries, the flow of materials “must improve in the second half of this year,” they point out. Case: The most expensive hunt in history. One of the most leading and controversial products of the United States military machinery in recent years has a name and surname: Lockheed Martin F-35. This hunting is the most expensive in history (What do we know), One of the most advanced And even Donald Trump critical Before his first term, claiming that his cost was “out of control.” Only the pilot’s helmet costs $ 400,000 and the initial estimate of the cost of each plane was more than $ 100 million and the project was described as “El that devoured the pentagon“ Well, among the hunting components, we have some 400 kilos of rare earth magnets, an element that placed the plane In the eye of the hurricane a few months ago. And previously, there were already revealing How much the US needs China’s rare trade. Those upward prices due to Chinese commercial restrictions They have caused other sources of samarium, a necessary element to manufacture the magnets of the engines of the fighters, offer the material for a price 60 times higher than the standard. Beyond F-35. To problems with magnets and rare earths are added Export restrictions of Germanio, Gallium and Antimony. In the first bars of the commercial war, China closed the tap of these materials that are key to another good military solutions, such as the creation of hardened projectiles or infrared vision systems. Situation? Panic. Given this situation, USA, Europe, Japan and more countries are desperately looking for rare earth deposits or alternative ways to obtain them. But, as we said, the complicated thing is not so much to find these deposits as processing them. Meanwhile, it’s time to continue buying China what China wants to export, since, as other sources in the sector point in the WSJ report, some of the elements are “so specific that they cannot occur profitably in the West.” Everything indicates that China has the pan of the rare earths through the mango. The pentagon demanded Defense contractors stop buying rare earth magnets of Chinese origin before 2027, but although some companies have accumulated reservations, other smaller ones have not had that opportunity to go with the accounts more “up to date”. The papers. And it is no longer just that the US does not want to buy from China, but that China has also begun to look at all the Westerners who want their rare earths. One of the companies is Eproppelled, American and manufacturer of drones, which a curious situation was found in May of this year. When buying magnets from your Chinese supplier, the supplier sent you a series of official forms that demanded plans, product images and a list of companies that would buy the finished product. Among Eproppelled customers are civil companies, but also military, and given the refusal to sign the papers, the Chinese supplier canceled the shipment of magnets. They point out that companies that use these materials to create civil use products are evaluated and approved, but if the use will be military or aerospace, the approval is more complicated. Committed merchandise. … Read more

In his attempt to fly through the airs the global supply chain, the US has a new obsession: copper

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After a few weeks of relative tranquility, the US administration is again climbing the C tensions in its commercial war with China. Trump has announced a new 50% tariff for copper imports. A key step to torpedo China’s strategy, who currently leads its refining and casting processes. Tightening the nuts. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced on Tuesday The imposition of a new 50% tariff to all copper imported to the United States. It is unknown for the moment when the measure will enter into force, but this points to a key material not only for the semiconductor industry: copper is crucial for sectors such as transport, energy or construction. The US position. Unlike his war declared to China with the Rare earthThe United States is one of the largest copper producers in the world. He currently occupies fifth place, although his main problem is a very concrete: consumes much more than it produces. Much of the copper it uses arrives as refined cathodes from Asia, especially from China. The goal. The United States not only seeks to protect its national industry. It aims to change the roles in this value chain: Encourage that copper refines within the US Reduce dependence on Chinese Foundions Press Latin America to export copper without going through China. Although Latin America Head the list of copper producers (Chile currently dominates primary mine production with more than 20% global position), dominating refining capacity is a central role in the supply chain. The reactions. The price of copper in the United States has reached its historical maximum in the national market After Trump’s statements, even with doubts about how it will apply and what will be the possible exceptions. The impact. The 50% tariff on copper imports would have a remarkable impact on key industries. Semiconductors: copper is, along with other critical metals such as scandio, disposium or bismuth, a fundamental material for the chips industry. A few milligrams per chip are key to its manufacture. Automotion: The electric vehicle needs much more copper for its manufacture (motor, battery, wiring). Electrical networks: transformers, substations, cables. Consumer electronics Construction Although Trump wants to obtain control over the supply chain, the measure can be shot in the foot. The United States does not have enough capacity to produce and refine all the copper it needs. The doubts. Although Trump has announced that the copper tariff will reach 50%, it has not detailed whether the measures will affect the entire refined copper, or certain products dependent on this material. They are not known to the measure, or date of entry into force. Be that as it may, The war for the domain of metals It will be crucial to control commercial tensions. China’s dominant position on rare earths It puts the United States in a delicate situation, which is trying to face attacking materials as concrete as copper. In Xataka | In 1978 Chinese engineers visited two key US companies. On his return an empire began: the rare earths

The BAC II will be the new supply ship in Spanish combat. And will have a digital twin

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After being announced almost a year and a half, the Council of Ministers has approved The execution order for the design and construction of a new supply ship in combat of the Spanish Navy. It is a notable project for its budget, but also for its impact on Spanish defense and naval industry. BAC II. This new supply ship will be the third of this type with which Spain will have for logistics missions, after the A-14 Patiño and the A-15 Cantabria. The BAC II will in fact replace the Patiño, which was built in 1993 in the Ferrol shipyards and that faces the last third of its life cycle. Galicia and Ferrol protagonists. The contract has been awarded to The public company Navantiawhich will be carried out in its Ferrol shipyards (La Coruña). That will have a clear positive impact on the employment sector, and according to Pedro Sánchez its construction will imply three million hours of work, it will generate some 1,800 jobs and some 300 companies will participate, 175 of them Galicians. The project has a budget of 650 million euros. Based on Cantabria. The new ship will be based on Cantabria, thrown in 2008 and delivered to the Navy in July 2010. The BAC II will have a 174 -meter length, a 23 -meter sleeve and an 8 -meter draft. It will have an endowment of 164 people and can displace up to 19,500 tons: only the LHD ‘Juan Carlos I’ carrier exceeds it throughout the Navy. It will also be propelled by two diesel engines of 10,890 kW each, which will allow it to reach a maximum speed of 21.3 knots (almost 40 km/h) and an autonomy of 6,000 nautical miles. A very prepared ship. This logistics capacity is complemented by five supply stations (two for each band and one for the stern). It has a crane for movement of containers of up to 20 tons in addition to two others of general load movement and three load elevators. It has a flight cover and a hangar beanger for medium and heavy -type helicopters. It has wastewater treatments, garbage treatment and also a hospital area with intensive care room with four beds, fully equipped consultation and operating room. What does a supply ship. As its predecessors, the BAC II will be destined for fuel supply, food, spare parts and ammunition to the rest of the Navy units, allowing all of them to remain at high seas for long periods. Digital twin. The BAC II will have a “digital twin“, An advanced and dynamic virtual representation of the ship itself. This digital twin receives real -time information from the ship’s systems and sensors, allowing to visualize its status, analyze data and simulate various situations. The latter is especially useful for the formation of the crew but also to test new solutions without risks or costs associated with physical tests. Deadlines. The design of the BAC II will begin immediately and the objective is that its construction can begin in 2026 and be fully operational in 2030, thus coinciding with the withdrawal of the A-14 Patiño. A reinforcement for the Spanish defense industry. This project is approved while interest in Increase defense spending in Europe and Spain. NATO has set the target of defense spending in 2% of GDP, but Trump warned that I had to rise to 5%. In Spain it moves In 1.32%but the goal is to reach 2% in the late decade. In Xataka | Ukraine and Trump’s uncertainty are pushing Europe to recover something until recently anathema: the mili

China is drowning rare earth supply and in six weeks there will be a victim: European electric cars

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China has completely stopped The export of rare criticisms. In fact, during the last year and a half this Asian country has used its dominance over rare earths as A pressure tool on your rivals. On December 21, 2023, the administration led by Xi Jinping decided to restrict the export of some of its rare earth processing technologies, and this was only the tip of the iceberg. The last kick linked to these important metals was given by China to the US on April 4. Just 24 hours after Donald Trump announced the taxes that he was going to apply to the importation of most products from abroad, the administration led by Xi Jinping replied. And he did it with forcefulness. In early December 2024 He chose to prohibit The export of some critical minerals to the US, among which were three essential metals: gallium, Germanio and antimony. The European electric car can suffer if China continues with the hand brake This story does not end here. At the beginning of last April the Chinese government added two more critical metals to its list of export restrictions: Scandio and Disposio. These chemical elements are probably less known than metals prohibited by China previously, such as Gallium or Germanio, but are at least as important as the latter because they have a fundamental role in the industries of integrated circuits, telecommunications and the manufacture of storage devices. And just two weeks later, in mid -April, the administration led by Xi Jinping did not hesitate to take another step forward with the purpose of putting in check, in addition to the industries that I just mentioned, those of electric cars, aeronautics and advanced armament. And is that, according to The New York Times, has effectively suspendedin addition to the export of the most valuable rare earths, that of the elements involved in the manufacture of high -power magnets that have a critical role in the industries that I have cited in this same paragraph. Chinese authorities are taking the high -power magnets acquired by electric cars manufacturers throughout the country Chinese authorities are retaining in ports throughout the country not only rare earths, but also high -power magnets acquired by electric cars manufacturers throughout the planet, aerospace companies, chip factories and armament companies. Many of these organizations have high -power magnet reserves made with rare earths, but possibly only allow them to subsist a few months. For many years China has produced More than 90% of rare earths. Australia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Canada, Brazil, Tanzania or the US, among other countries, also produce these metals, but the largest deposits located so far of these elements reside in China. And, curiously, the country led by Xi Jinping too The processing industry dominates to which it is necessary to submit rare earth so that they can be used. So much so that its quota if we stick to the global processing industry amounts to 90%. China’s export controls are directed mainly to the US, but Europe is not unscathed. At least for the moment. In fact, in Germany, which as we all know is the heart of the European car industry, There are already experts who assure that if China continues to retain rare earths and electric motors some essential parts of the electric cars production chain They will stop in no more than six weeks. For the European car industry this blow would be very difficult to fit. However, while still having some reservations Europe has the opportunity to negotiate with China to avoid this very difficult situation. Everything is not lost yet. Image | Xataka More information | Automobilwoche In Xataka | China is about to have the ability to make 5 Nm chips, although it faces a difficult solution problem

Pedro Sánchez is confident in recovering the “soon” supply without giving deadlines and asks for caution and “a responsible use of the mobile”

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The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has appeared after six in the afternoon after the National Security Council meeting to address The mass blackout that affects Spain and Portugal From 12:32 a.m. on Monday, asking for caution and avoiding moving hypotheses about its causes. “The causes are still being studied. It is better not to speculate,” said Sanchez during his brief intervention of seven minutes, without admitting questions from journalists. The EU, in any case, has ruled out the theory of a cyber attack. The Portuguese operator has mentioned “A strange atmospheric phenomenon“ The current situation. The president has placed the origin of the incidence in “a strong oscillation in the European electrical system” that has triggered the interruption of the supply throughout the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France. Sánchez has confirmed that the Executive has declared the electricity crisis and will assume the management of the blackout in Andalusia, Extremadura and Madrid after the request of these communities to activate level three of Civil Protection emergency. “We will spend a few critical hours until we recover electricity,” he warned. What is happening. Sanchez stressed that the operation of hydroelectric plants is already restored, expressing his confidence that the supply will recover “soon”, although without giving concrete deadlines. The recovery of the supply in areas of the north and south of the country has been achieved, according to the president, thanks to the collaboration of the authorities of France and Morocco, to whom he thanked his “solidarity.” Official recommendations. The president has transferred three recommendations to the citizens: Minimize displacements. Follow only official information and not disseminate information from “doubtful origin.” Make responsible use of the mobile, making short calls and contacting emergencies only if it is strictly necessary. Next steps. Sanchez has announced that the National Security Council will meet again at seven in the afternoon, an hour after its appearance, to continue evaluating the situation. He also reported that the government is in permanent contact with the King’s house, parliamentary groups, European partners and NATO. “The priority is to work so that the sooner we recover normality,” he stressed at the end of his appearance. In Xataka | What is the “energy zero” and why the supply can go suddenly but it takes hours to recover Outstanding image | Moncloa

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