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. Partnership - Data Center Energy Supplies: Oklo, a nuclear energy startup backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has signed an agreement to provide power to data center operator Switch, Reuters reported. Key Switch financial backers include Climate Adaptive Infrastructure (CAI).
2. Partnership - Data Centers and Renewable Energy: Google has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Apex Clean Energy. The result: Virginia’s first onshore wind farm will supply power to Google's data centers in Virginia.
3. Partnership - Energy-Efficient Buildings: CLEAResult has won a five-year contract to deliver energy efficiency services to customers of Energy Trust of Oregon’s New Buildings program, the two organizations said.
4. Partnership - Software and Battery Energy Storage Systems: Icetec Energy Services and Kinsley Energy Systems are partnering to deliver battery energy storage systems (BESS) throughout the United Sttes East Coast and Mid-Atlantic region. The relationship involves Icetec's SaaS energy management platform with Kinsley's energy service and solutions expertise.
5. Partnership - Tesla Ride Share Service: Stardust Solar Energy has launched its first Tesla Ride Share location in Sudbury, Ontario. This joint marketing venture seeks to "generate new customers for both companies while highlighting the ease of transitioning to electric vehicles." Tesla will park two Tesla vehicles at select Stardust Solar franchise locations in authorized provinces. The Sudbury franchisee, Brennen Chaput, has become the first to offer the Tesla Ride Share service, with plans to expand across all Stardust Solar locations nationwide as Tesla continues to gain provincial approvals, the companies said.
6. Partnership - EV Charger Network: General Motors and ChargePoint plan to install hundreds of ultrafast electric vehicle charging ports across the United States in 2025. The charging stations, branded as GM Energy, will support all types of EVs with no need for drivers to carry an adapter.
B. Sustainability M&A, Climate Tech Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. Earnings - Global IT Consulting Services: Accenture revenue was $17.7 billion in Q1 of fiscal 2025, up 9% from the corresponding quarter last year. The company, backed by roughly 799,000 employees, saw strong performance in consulting, managed services and generative AI bookings, CEO Julie Sweet said. The earnings surfaced one day after Accenture announced plans to acquire IQT Group, a consultancy that offers sustainability and net-zero expertise to electricity, water and telecommunications infrastructure customers.
2. Funding - Carbon Removal Startup: Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has provided a $40 million grant commitment to carbon removal project specialist Deep Sky of Quebec, Canada.
3. Funding - Energy Efficient Commercial Air Conditioning: Mojave Energy Systems has raised $9.5 million in Series A funding. Fifth Wall and At One Ventures led the round; with participation from returning investors Myriad Venture Partners, Starshot Capital, Alumni Ventures Group; and new investor Earth Venture Capital. Roughly 19 companies have joined the Mojave Sales Partner Network so far in 2024.
4. Funding - Carbon Removal Startup: Terradot has raised $58.2 million to "scale Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) as a cornerstone of global carbon removal efforts, Pulse 2.0 reported. Key investors include John Doerr; individuals: Sheryl Sandberg & Tom Bernthal, George Roberts; Strategics: Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, Google, Cisco; and Venture Funds, Floodgate, Kleiner Perkins, Acre Venture Partners, Gigascale Capital, Valor Capital, Ponderosa Ventures and others, the report said.
5. M&A - Business Exit: Siemens Gamesa is selling its power electronics business to ABB. Gamesa Electric designs and manufactures converters, inverters and control cabinets for wind, solar and storage industries. The generators business of Gamesa Electric is not included in the agreement and remains with Siemens Gamesa. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
6. 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 - California Gas Car Policy: The Biden administration has authorized California regulations that compel the sale of zero-emission vehicles over the next decade and ultimately ban the sale of conventional, gasoline-powered cars in 2035, Bloomberg reported.
2. European Union - Automobile Policies: The leaders of auto manufacturing hubs Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic pressured Brussels to waive financial penalties on carmakers that miss EU emissions targets effective from next year, Reuters reported.
3. Europe - Small Business Sustainability Reporting: EFRAG, a private European association tht seeks to serve the public interest, has released a voluntary sustainability reporting standard for non-listed small and midsize businesses.
4. Spain Electricity Consumption: The amount of electricity used in Spain has inched up in 2024 after falling for two consecutive years, with a record 56% coming from renewable sources such as wind and solar, grid operator Red Electrica estimated, according to Reuters.
D. Sustainable IT and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- CES 2025Â (January 7-10, Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Sustainable and Impact Investments International Conference 2025Â (January 14-15, Dublin, Ireland)
- Davos 2025Â --Â World Economic Forum 2025Â annual meeting (January 20-24, Switzerland)
- Sustainable Foods Summit 2025Â (January 22-23, San Francisco, California)
- Cleantech Forum North America 2025Â (January 27-29 in San Diego, California)
- Complete Calendar of Sustainability Conferences
E. Previous Updates & Future News
