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. Consumer Electronics Show Preview: Sustainability will be a key theme at CES 2025 (January 7-10, Las Vegas). Example moves expected at the conference include:
- WePower Technologies plans to launch energy harvesting batteries for IoT devices. WePower unveiled prototypes of the batteries at the 2024 conference.
- Electra Vehicles will showcase battery monitoring and optimization solutions at CES 2025.
Stay tuned for more CES 2025 previews.
2. AI and Energy Market Growth Forecast: AI spending in the energy market will reach $58.676 billion by 2030, up from $8.91 billion in 2024, according to Research and Markets. That's a 36.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Schneider Electric, GE Vernova and Siemens will dominate the AI in energy innovation landscape, the forecast said.
3. AI and Energy Regulations: Government policymakers must "clear away outdated regulatory hurdles" in order for AI systems to secure sufficient access to electricity, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt wrote in a Project Syndicate editorial. Schmidt's editorial did not mention DOGE -- the Department of Government Efficiency, which President-Elect Trump plans to form in a bid to shrink the U.S. federal government and cut regulations. Schmidt is now chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.
4. Green Data Center Expansion Plan: atNorth, a green data center provider in the Nordics, has secured land in Långsele, Sweden, for future expansion. The expansion plan comes a few days after atNorth hired EY and Novo Nordisk veteran Cora Olsen as director of sustainability.
5. Quantum Computing: IBM and the state of Illinois are collaborating to establish the new National Quantum Algorithm Center in the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) in Chicago. Key participants include the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. IBM's next-generation quantum computer, IBM Quantum System Two, will deploy in Chicago in 2025. Quantum Computers, which are still emerging, may help scientists to solve complex medical, industry, energy and climate problems.
6. Tesla Valuation and Trump Presidency: Tesla's stock hit a new record on December 13, 2024 amid a media report that the Trump transition team wants to scrap an order that requires automakers to report crashes involving self-driving systems, SeekingAlpha reported.
7. Lawsuit - OpenAI Responds to Elon Musk: OpenAI has publicly responded to Elon Musk's lawsuit against the company, alleging that Musk wanted OpenAI to be a for-profit company -- which runs counter to Musk's lawsuit against the ChatGPI software maker.
8. AI Lawsuit: Two Texas mothers are suing Character.AI in federal court, alleging that the company’s artificial intelligence chatbot encourages self-harm and violence as well as sending sexually explicit messages the mother's children, the Austin American-Statements reported.
B. Sustainability M&A, Climate Tech Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. Investor Trends: While 88% of investors surveyed have increased their use of ESG information, 92% worry that ESG-related initiatives harm short-term corporate performance, an EY survey revealed.
2. Funding - AI Cloud Infrastructure: Crusoe, an AI infrastructure provider, has raised $600 million in Series D funding at a $2.8 billion valuation. Founders Fund led the round. The company has been building partnerships with VAST Data, Rescale, SES AI, NVIDIA, and Deloitte, among others.
3. Potential Funding and Market Expansion: UrbanChain, which develops clean energy markets that connect buyers and sellers, is raising Series B funding and expanding to the United States. UrbanChain’s marketplace matches generators of renewable energy and consumers on a half hourly basis. Marketplace members can typically include private companies, office buildings, industrial sites, local government organizations, hospitals and more, the company said.
4. Breakup Continues? Honeywell is exploring a potential breakup or asset sale that involves its aerospace business. Elliott Investment Management, an activist investor, has been pressuring Honeywell to evolve its business, though the core Honeywell company remains focused on "three powerful megatrends – automation, the future of aviation and energy transition," Honeywell has repeatedly said.
5. 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. United States - Electric Vehicle Policies: Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s transition team is recommending sweeping changes to cut off support for electric vehicles and charging stations and to strengthen measures blocking cars, components and battery materials from China, Reuters reported.
2. United Kingdom - Green Energy Funding Requirements: The UK aims to reform rules on planning and connecting to its power grid in hopes of spurring some £40 billion of investment a year through 2030 to try and eliminate fossil fuels from electricity generation, Bloomberg reported.
3. Canada - AI Data Centers and Pension Funds: Canada's federal government has considered making up to $15 billion available as an incentive to encourage major domestic pension funds to invest in AI data centers powered by green energy, Reuters reported.
D. Sustainable IT and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Green Technology - SEGT 2024 (December 15-18, Thailand)
- CES 2025 (January 7-10, Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Sustainable and Impact Investments International Conference 2025 (January 14-15, Dublin, Ireland)
- Davos 2025 -- World Economic Forum 2025 annual meeting (January 20-24, Switzerland)
- Sustainable Foods Summit 2025 (January 22-23, San Francisco, California)
- Complete Calendar of Sustainability Conferences
E. Previous Updates & Future News
