Here is today’s sustainability news, research and analysis for technology partners, renewable energy consultants and green IT service providers. Today's sustainability news also involves management consultants, CIOs, chief sustainability officers (CSOs), c-suite members and climate accounting professionals.
A. Sustainable Technology, Talent, Partnerships and Green IT Alliances
1. Conference Recap - Carbon Accounting Software: At the recent Tango Integrate User Conference, attendees explored how to integrate sustainability with their energy management strategies, according to a conference recap from Tango. The company develops WatchWire, a software platform that assists customers with sustainability, energy and carbon accounting management. Tango, backed by Berkshire Partners, acquired WatchWire in 2023.
2. Partnership - IT Consulting and Technology Services: Dell and DXC Technology are partnering to help customers tackle various ESG priorities, the two companies said in an expansive blog.
3. Partnership - Carbon Accounting Software: Gevo, Verity and ClearFlame Engines are partnering on a supply chain project that involves "field-to-fleet" decarbonization goals. The project involves Verity's carbon accounting software and ClearFlame-equipped trucks -- which run on ethanol rather than diesel fuel.
4. Partnership - Consulting and Energy Transition: Arup and TotalEnergies have signed a Master Services Agreement. The firms will collaborate on "engineering studies and technical advisory services." The effort is designed to support a TotalEnergies effort to develop 100GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
5. Partnership - Energy Storage: Eaton is helping Endurant Energy deploy 10 battery storage projects in New York City. With a combined capacity exceeding 150-megawatt hours (MWh), the energy storage systems will support clean, reliable power and strengthen the electric grid in the Bronx and Staten Island, the two companies said.
6. Partnership - Financial Services: Cogo and Personetics are partnering to help banks extend carbon emissions tracking to their customers.
7. Distribution - Refurbished Technology: ESI Enterprises, a global distributor of consumer goods that works closely with Walmart, has expanded into the Refurbished and As-Is Markets. The effort involves home appliances and consumer electronics.
8. Apple - iPad Pro Launch: The new Apple iPad Pro leverages 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled gold plating and tin soldering in multiple printed circuit boards. Also, the packaging is 100% fiber-based. The company is striving to remove plastic from all packaging by 2025.
9. Executive Leadership - Smart Building Technology: Johnson Controls has hired IBM veteran Chris Bontempo as vice president and chief marketing officer. The company continues to bet heavily on technologies for "smart, healthy and sustainable buildings."
10. Executive Leadership & Layoffs - Wind Power: Siemens Energy has named Vinod Philip to succeed Jochen Eickholt as CEO of the company's wind power division. The wind power division has faced multiple business challenges in recent months, CNBC noted. The turnaround effort will include layoffs, Bloomberg reported.
11. People on the Move: Former Baltimore County Chief Sustainability Officer Jennifer Aiosa is now chief of staff for the Maryland Energy Administration.
12. Financial Results - Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Energy Grid Technology: Multiple updates...
- EVs: Rivian's revenue was $1.2 billion in Q1 of 2024, up from $661 million in Q1 of 2023. Net loss was $1.45 billion -- larger than a $1.35 billion net loss in Q1 of 2023. The EV maker is seeking to generate a "modest gross profit" by Q4 of 2024. Revenues exceeded Wall Street's expectations but the net loss was larger than analysts had predicted. Rivian's stock fell about 5% on the news. Meanwhile, there are rumors that Apple and Rivian are exploring a potential partnership, but details about the potential relationship have not surfaced.
- EVs: Lion Electric's revenue was $55.5 million in Q1 of 2024, up $800,000 from $1 of 2023. Net loss was $21.7 million, compared to a $15.6 million net loss in Q1 of 2023. The Lion Electric financial results arrived three weeks after Lion announced layoffs and other cost cuts.
- Energy Grids Modernization: Tantalus revenue was $9.4 million in Q1 of 2024, down 10% from the corresponding quarter last year. Key partners are outlined here.
13. Electric Vehicles (EVs) - Cargo Trucks: Amazon.com unveiled the first of a dozen Volvo electric big rigs it plans to deploy this year to pick up cargo from the nation's busiest container seaport in Southern California, Reuters reported.
14. Supply Chain Management: Chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) must "deliver multi-value contributions where their investments create maximum impact across key priorities that include growth, resilience, sustainability, risk reduction, and other priorities, while also addressing cost," Gartner VP Tom Enright told attendees at Gartner Supply Chain Symposium and Xpo 2024.
15. Energy Transition - Airports: WSP offers this sustainable energy guidance to airports.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. M&A - Energy Storage: TPG Rise Climate is acquiring Olympus Terminals, a storage provider for renewable fuels and refined products. The seller is Davidson Kempner Capital Management and Intrepid Investment Management. Financial terms were not disclosed.
2. Complete M&A List: Here's our database of all M&A deals involving green IT and renewable energy buyers, sellers and investors.
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
1. Global Energy Production: Growth in solar and wind power pushed renewable generation to a record 30% of global electricity production in 2023, Reuters reported, putting a global target to triple renewable capacity by 2030 within sight, a report by think tank Ember said.
2. Global Wind Energy Production: Wind power currently represents less than 10% of the global electricity mix, and the industry will continue to face difficulties as it fights to scale, Bloomberg reported. Still, the wind energy industry has yet to reach maturity, according to Henrik Andersen, CEO of wind turbine maker Vestas, the report said.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Sustainability Conference on Climate Change 2024 (May 9-10, Stanford University)
- Intel Vision EMEA 2024 (May 14-15, London, United Kingdom)
- Open EV Charging Summit (May 15-16, Dallas, Texas)
- Sustainable Skies World Summit (May 15-16, Farnborough, United Kingdom)
- Microsoft Build 2024 (May 21-23, Seattle, Washington)
- 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.
