Here is today’s sustainable IT services and climate tech news, research and analysis -- written for technology partners, green IT service providers, CIOs, chief sustainability officers (CSOs) and climate accounting professionals.
A. Sustainable IT, Talent, Partnerships and Green Tech Alliances
1. AI Energy Consumption - Software Tool: Salesforce has launched AI Energy Score, a tool that allows customers to compare the energy efficiency of their AI models, according to Boris Gamazaychikov, head of AI sustainability at Salesforce. Related: DeepSeek vs OpenAI and Anthropic - AI energy efficiency.
2. AI Networks and Energy Efficiency: Cisco Systems outlined an AI network optimization strategy for service providers. The Agile Services Networking architecture is a "more energy efficient and less resource-intensive architecture" compared to traditional networks, Cisco asserted.
3. Building Energy Management - Software: Schneider Electric has unveiled SpaceLogic, a touchscreen room controller that allows users to improve building energy management.
4. Microsoft - Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Microsoft is leveraging more renewable energy from EDP Renewables, the energy supplier said.
5. Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) Departures: Australia's Macquarie Group is the latest financial services company to leave the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), Reuters reported.
B. Sustainability M&A, Climate Tech Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. Investment - Circular Economy: Capricorn Investment Group has invested in Closed Loop Capital Management, which has venture capital, private equity and private credit investment services for global corporations, financial institutions and family offices. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. Closed Loop Capital Management is part of Closed Loop Partners, which also offers ITAD (IT asset disposition) services.
2. Fund Formed: Junction Growth Investors of Antwerp, Belgium, has raised a €115 million fund. Target investments will involve the energy transition.
3. Funding - EV Charger Network Technology: Presto, which makes EV charging technology for mobile fleets, has raised $15 million in seed funding from Union Square Ventures, Congruent Ventures, Powerhouse Ventures, and Jetstream.Â
4. ClimateTech Startups and Financial Distress: Online auctions are featuring more assets from financially distressed Climate Tech startups, according to Chad Farrell, a managing director of Tiger Group. Farrell mentioned several anecdotal examples but did not offer detailed research to reinforce his assertion.
5. M&A - Renewable Energy Procurement Services: Solar energy giant Arcadia has acquired renewable energy procurement specialist RPD Energy. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
1. United Nations Deadline (Mostly) Missed: Seven of the 10 world’s largest economies missed a deadline on February 10, 2025 to submit updated emissions-cutting plans to the United Nations — and only one, the UK, outlined a strategy for the next decade that keeps pace with expectations staked out under the Paris Agreement, Bloomberg reported.
2. Canada - Financial Services and Software Partnership: Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Carbonhound are partnering to help "Canadian businesses measure, verify, and manage their carbon emissions," the two companies said.
3. Puerto Rico - Renewable Energy Debate: Puerto Rico legislators held a contentious public hearing on a governor-backed bill that would eliminate renewable energy goals and extend operations of the island’s lone coal-fired plant, long accused of polluting low-income communities, the Associated Press reported.
4. Australia - ESG Partnership: UL Solutions and OpenEngagement are partnering to "help Australian companies navigate and comply with the country’s new mandatory climate reporting requirements," the two organizations said.
5. Saudi Arabia - Cloud Services Partnership: mCloudTech.ai plans to launch new asset performance management capabilities atop Google Cloud sometime in 2025. The AI- and blockchain-based services will help Saudi Arabia-based customers with their carbon tracking and decarbonization efforts.
6. Singapore - Net Zero Challenges: Singapore will require new technologies and clean energy imports in order to meet its 2035 carbon emission reduction goals, Reuters reported.
D. Sustainable IT and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- IoT Evolution Expo 2025Â (February 11-13, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
- India Energy Week 2025Â (February 11-14, New Delhi, India)
- Step Conference 2025 - Earth Track Dates (February 19-20, Dubai,  United Arab Emirates)
- Sustainability Live Malta 2025 (February 20, Valetta, Malta)
- ICISAS 2025 (February 22-23, Dubai, UAE)
- Complete Calendar of Sustainability Conferences
E. Previous Updates & Future News
- Did You Miss Yesterday's Daily Update?: Here is our previous sustainable IT, climate tech and renewable energy news for technology partners.
- Future Updates: If you have news to share then please email me the details.
