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. Microsoft Cloud: The Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability has gained new data and AI capabilities. We offered some perspectives here.
2. Business Expansion: Citadel EHS has opened a new office in Seattle, Washington. Citadel EHS is a 100% employee-owned consulting firm that has eight offices on the U.S. west coast. The company's five focus areas are:
- Engineering & Environmental Sciences;
- Building Sciences;
- Environmental Compliance;
- Industrial Hygiene & Safety services; andÂ
- ESG & Sustainability.Â
3. Carbon Credits - New Platform:Â Anew Climate has launched the Epoch Evaluation Platform for carbon credit quantification.Â
4. Carbon Credits - Partnership: Verde AgriTech has partnered with WayCarbon to "bolster the development and monetization of its carbon removal project."
5. Partnership - Facilities Management: Scenera and S&I Corp. are expanding their relationship to help customers manage facilities worldwide. The effort involves cloud-based services that run on Microsoft Azure.
6. Partnership - University Project: Samford University, Johnson Controls, Landmark Development and multiple building and design companies have "mapped out a long-term set of campus improvements and a technology roadmap designed to modernize all campus infrastructure, improve energy efficiency, and indoor air quality and conservation measures," the organizations said.
7. Research - Building Automation Technologies Market Growth: The Intelligent Building Automation Technologies Market will reach $152.4 billion by 2028, up from $90.2 billion in 2023, according to Markets and Markets. That's an 11% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), the firm said.
8. Research - Electronics Recycling Market Growth Forecast: The global electronics recycling market is expected to reach $120 billion by 2033, up from $35 billion in 2023, according to Fact.MR. That's a 13.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), the firm said.
9. Talent and Executive Leadership - Financial Services: Investec Alternative Investment Management (IAIM), the European mid-market private credit manager, has promoted Alicia Forry to head of ESG for alternative investments, InvestmentWeek reported.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. ESG Funds: Despite a barrage of Republican attacks, lackluster returns and diminishing client interest in the US, BlackRock has been quietly expanding its dominance in ESG investing, Bloomberg reported.
2. M&A - Offshore Wind Projects: Eversource Energy has agreed to sell its 50% stake in two US offshore wind projects to Global Infrastructure Partners LP, moving closer to its goal of exiting the industry, Bloomberg reported. Eversource will realize $1.1 billion in cash proceeds for the stakes in the South Fork and Revolution projects, the report said. The sale is expected to close in mid-2024.
3. Complete 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. COP28, COP29 and COP30 Alliance: COP28 has launched the COP Presidencies Troika, which "unites COP28 with the next two COP Presidencies – Azerbaijan and Brazil – to drive ambitious collective climate action," the COP28 leadership announced. The three will work on the 'Roadmap to Mission 1.5°C', according to the trio.
2. United States - ESG Careers: U.S. companies are hiring fewer ESG experts as finance executives assess costs and seek faster returns on investments, The Wall Street Journal reported.
3. United States - Energy Transition Challenges: More than 250 U.S. cities are striving to leverage 100% renewable energy by 2050, but the goal is unrealistic because of economic barriers, leadership and government breakdowns and a misunderstanding of energy limitations, according to a Baylor University study.
4. United States - Virginia Data Centers: Green Energy Partners plans to build a nuclear-powered data center campus in Surry, Virginia, in a major push for sustainable energy solutions, BNN Breaking reported. The project, valued at $6.45 billion, is expected to create up to 3,000 jobs and house 19 data centers powered by small modular nuclear reactors.
5. United States - Virginia Data Centers: Green Energy Partners plans to build a nuclear-powered data center campus in Surry, Virginia, in a major push for sustainable energy solutions, BNN Breaking reported. The project, valued at $6.45 billion, is expected to create up to 3,000 jobs and house 19 data centers powered by small modular nuclear reactors.
6. United States - Oregon Wind Power: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has finalized two wind energy areas (WEAs) in the offshore Oregon region, aligning with government goals to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power along U.S. coastlines this decade to fight climate change, Reuters reported.
7. Africa - Renewable Energy Challenges: Sub-Saharan Africa’s investment in renewable energy needs to increase fivefold to meet a commitment of boosting global capacity to 11,500 gigawatts of clean energy by 2030, a new study shows, Bloomberg reported.
8. India - Solar Energy: India plans to invest about 750 billion rupees (US$9 billion) to power 10 million homes with rooftop solar panels, boosting the weakest segment of the country’s booming renewable industry, Bloomberg reported.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Verdantix Climate Summit North America 2024 (February 20-21, Washington, D.C.)
- World ESG Summit 2024 (February 20-22, Saudi Arabia)
- Step Conference 2024: Earth Track (February 21-22, Dubai, UAE)
- Africa's Green Economy Summit 2024 (February 21-23, Cape Town, South Africa)
- Human Behavior and Sustainability Conference 2024 (February 22-23, Sanford University, 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.
