Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:

Airtouch Solar has signed a contract with ReNew Power to supply water-free robotic cleaning systems for three of the latter’s solar photovoltaic units in Rajasthan to be commissioned by early 2022. The contracts include the supply, setting up, testing, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of Airtouch robotic cleaning systems for 25 years and are valued at $7.6 million. The robotic cleaning systems for ReNew’s solar projects will be supplied from Airtouch’s production plant in Israel and the company’s manufacturing plant in India that is currently being established.

Pharmaceutical company MSD, a Merck subsidiary, has announced that it will achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2025 and a 30% reduction in its value chain emissions by 2030. These goals are aligned with science and build on MSD’s long-standing focus on preventing the worst impacts of climate change and supporting the global effort to achieve the Paris Agreement goals by reducing demand for energy and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. MSD is also accelerating by 15 years its previous 2040 goal to source 100% renewable energy for its purchased electricity.

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has become Sri Lanka’s first carbon-neutral bank. It has achieved carbon neutrality for the entirety of its operations, encompassing all 268 branches and its head office. A total of 13 emission sources covering both direct and indirect emission sources of the bank were considered for this analysis by Climate Smart Initiatives. Additionally, the Sri Lanka Climate Fund operating under the Ministry of Environment performed an independent third-party verification in accordance with the ISO 14064-3-2018 guidelines and awarded ISO 14064 certificate to the bank.

Deakin University, Australia, opens its doors to AUD $23 million (~$17.91 million) Deakin renewable energy microgrid at the varsity’s Geelong Waurn Ponds campus. Designed and built in partnership with AusNet Services and Mondo Power, the microgrid comprises a 7 MW solar energy farm and 2 MWh central battery storage system on 14.5 hectares, a 0.25 MW distributed rooftop solar generation and storage system and research, teaching, and visualization center. The installation is part of the university’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2025.