Alkaline fuel cell developer AFC Energy (LON:AFC) has agreed in principle to work with Dubai-based Dutco on the large-scale deployment of fuel cells across the Middle East.
The two companies will work on a business plan to define a commercial strategy ahead of what is expected to be the formation of a joint venture between the two companies across the Arab states.
It wasn’t the only deal, however, as Falkland Islands oil & gas explorer Rockhopper Exploration (LON:RKH) is launching a £57.1mln takeover of rival Falkland Oil & Gas (LON:FOGL).
The deals were the big news out of the energy sector today, which also saw 88 Energy (LON:88E, ASX:88E) say operations at the Icewine-1 well in Alaska remain on budget despite being waylaid due to repairs needed to the rig.
Meanwhile, Tethys Petroleum (TSE:TPL,LON:TPL) has agreed to extend the previously agreed exclusivity period with Kazakh investor Olisol Investments by 14 days.
Elsewhere, Andes Energia (LON:AEN) welcomed the appointment of Mauricio Macri as the new President of Argentina.
Macri, who is seen as centre-right and more pro-business than his predecessor, is expected, by some, to scrap certain capital controls to promote foreign investment and has also pledged to negotiate with the country’s bondholders .
Sound Energy (LON:SOU) has reduced the estimated cost of the Badile exploration well in the Piedmont Lombard basin in northern Italy by at least €5mln.
ITM Power (LON:ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, has been granted full planning permission to construct a Hydrogen Refuelling Station at Rainham, Essex.
To the world of mining – where Stellar Diamonds (LON:STEL) has posted its first revenues from mining, as trial production got underway at Baoule in Guinea.
Income in the year to June was US$614,000, while losses reduced to £3.05mln (£4.1mln) as admin costs halved.
Anglo Asian Mining (LON:AAZ) said the first batch of copper concentrate produced from its flotation plant at the Gedabek mine has been shipped.
Premier African Minerals (LON:PREM) expects to see a move to profit at its RHA tungsten mine in the first quarter of 2016 having opened the mine in "trying times".
Resource company investor Metal Tiger (LON:MTR) has exercised its option to take 90% control of an exploration joint venture in Thailand focused on gold, antimony and copper.
In funding news, Kefi Minerals’ (LON:KEFI) directors and a major shareholder heavily backed a US$4mln fund raise by the Ethiopia and Saudi focused gold group.
Golden Saint Resources (LON:GSR) brought in £170,000 via a share placing, it revealed, as it gave an operational update and reported on board changes.
In the boardroom, mining junior Ferrex (LON:FRX) said it wants to change its name to Keras to better reflect the future of the company, as it confirmed mining engineer Peter Hepburn-Brown had joined the board today as a non-exec director.
Richard Poulden, deputy chairman at China-focused PCG Entertainment (LON:PCGE) has been appointed chair after Kung Min Lin resigned.
Life sciences group OptiBiotix Health (LON:OPTI) has appointed food marketing expert Peter Wennström as a director with effect from the beginning of 2016.
Staying in the pharma space, Abzena (LON:ABZA) announced it bought The Chemistry Research Solution (TCRS) and had conditionally raised £20mln to fund the deal.
Clinigen Group (LON:CLIN) said it has renewed its clinical trial distribution agreement with Accord Healthcare to include four new products – two for cancer, one for diabetes and one to prevent transplant rejection.
Motif Bio (LON:MTFB) has received written concurrence from the US regulator to use an optimised fixed dose of new antibiotic iclaprim in its final clinical trial.
In other news, PureCircle (LON:PURE) said the Indian market is now open to the high purity stevia sweetener after the product received the regulatory green light.
Finally, Eckoh (LON:ECK), the secure payments specialist, revealed its recently acquired US arm, Product Support Solutions (PSS), had landed a deal worth a minimum US$2mln.