Here is today’s sustainability news, research and analysis for technology partners; renewable energy and green IT service providers; management consultants; CIOs; chief sustainability officers (CSOs) and c-suite members.
A. Sustainable Technology, Talent, Partnerships and Green IT Alliances
1. Generative AI and Sustainability: Microsoft has unveiled Splitwize, a technology that improves how GPUs and the Azure cloud process large language models (LLMs). In theory, Splitwize could play an important role in cloud services energy efficiency and IT sustainability strategies.
2. PCs - Carbon Offset Services: Lenovo CO2 Offset Services allows customers to offset Lenovo device emissions by supporting verified United Nations, CDM, Gold Standard®, Climate Action Reserve climate action projects, the PC maker asserts.
3. Tesla and Samsung Partnership: Samsung Electronics and Tesla agreed to collaborate in electric vehicles (EVs) and home energy management, making it possible to check the charging status of Tesla's EV batteries and the amount of power generated by solar panels on Samsung’s Internet of Things (IoT) platform SmartThings Energy, The Korea Times reported.
4. Partnership - Carbon Capture Solutions: Lummus Technology and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation are partnering on various carbon capture solutions, the Greater Houston Partnership reported.
5. Partnership - Electric Vehicle (EV) Batteries: Clarios and Altris are partnering to develop low-voltage sodium-ion batteries for the automotive industry, the companies said.
6. Transportation - Climate Transition Plan: Railway firm Norfolk Southern released its inaugural Climate Transition Plan (CTP).
7. Carbon Credits: Co2Bit Technologies has developed an AI-based system that will strive to revolutionize voluntary carbon credit offsets, the company asserts.
8. Layoffs: NuScale Power layoffs will impact 40% of staff at the nuclear power startup, the Huffington Post reported.
9. OpenAI Board of Directors: Microsoft executive Dee Templeton has joined OpenAI's board as a nonvoting observer, as part of a broader boardroom overhaul following the brief ouster of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Bloomberg reported.
10. More COP28 Analysis: Was the COP28 conference truly the beginning of the end of fossil fuels? Geo Green Power's Kat Auckland offers this analysis of potential COP28 conference outcomes.
11. COP29: A true fossil fuel treaty remains elusive ahead of COP29, the Nation reported.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. M&A Rumor: U.S. natural gas producer Chesapeake Energy and Southwestern Energy are nearing a merger that would create a nearly $17 billion company, Reuters reported. Rumors about the potential merger first surfaced in October 2023.
2. M&A - Recycling: Liberty Tire Recycling has acquired McGee Tire and Empire Tire, further growing its presence in the Florida tire recycling market, Environment and Energy Leader reported. Financial terms of each deal were not disclosed.
3. M&A - Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science Associates has acquired Janicki Environmental, Florida firm known for its work in aquatic science and the study of estuaries, Business Observer Florida reported.
4. M&A List: Here's our database of all M&A deals involving sustainability, green IT and renewable energy buyers, sellers and investors.
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
1. United States - Solar Power Policy Debate: A pair of US solar manufacturers challenged the Biden administration’s moratorium blocking tariffs on some panels imported from Southeast Asia through early June 2024, opening a new risk for a sector already grappling with supply-chain obstacles, Bloomberg Reported.
2. United States - Minnesota Government Buildings: The city of St. Paul is striving to achieve carbon neutrality for civic buildings by 2030, Energy News Network reported.
3. United States - Virginia: The Port of Virginia (POV) will power all of its terminals with sustainable energy, expediting its aim of being carbon-neutral by 2040, Port Technology reported.
4. United States - Nuclear Competition: The United States is touting cutting-edge nuclear reactors to compete against Russia and China -- but the reactors have yet to show commercial success, The Wall Street Journal reported.
5. Canary Islands: The smallest of the Canary Islands, El Hierro is the only island in the world to have functioned for 28 days in a row using only wind and water power, Euronews.Green reported.
6. United Kingdom: Britain’s former energy minister, Chris Skidmore, is quitting the Conservative Party and stepping down as a lawmaker over the government’s backtracking on its environmental commitments, The Washington Post reported.
7. France - Fossil Fuel Reduction Goal: France will aim to reduce the share of fossil fuels in its energy consumption mix to 40% from more than 60% by 2035, Bloomberg reported based on third-party interviews.
8. Switzerland - Carbon Offsets: A Thai electric bus operator has sold the first carbon offsets under a new system created by the Paris Agreement to a Swiss fossil fuel group, a major landmark for putting into action the eight-year-old United Nations climate accord, Reuters reported.
9. India - Net-Zero Railways: India railways are striving to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, the Economic Times of India reported.
10. Australia - Solar Project Project: Epic Energy is partnering with Recurrent Energy (a subsidiary of Canadian Solar) on a solar energy storage project in South Australia. The project will reach commercial operation in 2025, the companies said. e-Storage (also a subsidiary of Canadian Solar) will provide an energy storage solution for the project.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME) 2024 (January 8-9, Bahrain)
- CES 2024 (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- European Chief Sustainability Awards (January 15, Davos)
- Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America 2024 (January 17-19, San Diego, California)
- CleanTech Forum 2024 North America (January 22-24, San Diego, California)
- Complete Calendar of Sustainability Conferences
E. Previous Updates & Future News
- Did You Miss Yesterday's Daily Update?: Here is our previous sustainability, green IT and renewable energy news for technology partners.
- Future Updates: If you have news to share then please email me the details.
