Here is today’s sustainable IT services news, research and analysis -- written for technology partners, green IT service providers, CIOs, chief sustainability officers (CSOs) and climate accounting professionals.
A. Sustainable Technology, Talent, Partnerships and Green IT Alliances
1. CEO - Sustainability Data: ESG Book has hired FullCircl veteran Justin Fitzpatrick as CEO, effective immediately. ESG Book blends climate data with technology solutions for financial institutions, consultants and corporate customers. Fitzpatrick succeeds Daniel Klier, who exited ESG Book and joined South Pole as CEO in May 2024.
2. Enterprise Software - Oracle Applications: JD Edwards, an ERP (enterprise resource planning) software platform owned by Oracle, is working on a solution called the Sustainability Framework. The new framework software focuses on the environmental aspect of ESG, according to an Oracle. Additional details surfaced in this JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Sustainability Framework video. This software will "help JD Edwards customers record and manage environmental data accurately and efficiently to achieve your sustainability goals," according to Ward Quarles, senior director of marketing and product strategy at Oracle.
3. Partnership: Boson Energy and Siemens are partnering to "facilitate collaboration on technology that converts non-recyclable waste into clean energy," the two companies said. The collaboration aims to "advance sustainable, local energy security, enabling hydrogen-powered electric vehicle charging infrastructure without compromising grid stability or impacting consumer prices," the firms added.
4. Partnership - Green Data Centers: Philippine broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions and Supermicro are partnering to build three AI data centers in the Philippines, the two companies said.
5. Talent - Electric Grid Modernization: Siemens plans to hire 10,000 employees as part of an electricity grid modernization effort, the Financial Times reported.
6. Leadership - Innovation Center: Brian Sherman has been named CEO of NSF Engines: Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine. The group, led by Arizona State University and spanning three states — Utah, Nevada and Arizona — aims to "elevate the Southwest as a regional hub of economic development catalyzed by sustainability innovation."
7. Refurbished Hardware and Security Software: NewJaisa Technologies of India will preinstall QuickHeal cybersecurity software on refurbished NewJaisa hardware, the two companies said.
8. Carbon Credits - Alleged Fraud? Carbon offsets developer C-Quest Capital LLC said it reported former CEO Kenneth Newcombe to US federal law enforcement for his role in allegedly issuing millions of environmentally worthless carbon credits, Bloomberg reported.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. M&A - Decarbonization Technology: Iberdrola has acquired 100% of Balantia, a developer of energy management and decarbonization technology. Iberdrola already owned 20% of Balantia ahead of the full acquisition announcement. Together, the companies plan to launch Net Zero Emissions Manager (NZE Manager), a software platform that will "design roadmaps for companies on their path to decarbonization." Exact launch timing and pricing for the platform were not disclosed. The M&A deal's valuation and financial terms also were not disclosed.
2. M&A - Renewable Energy: Capital Dynamics has acquired two solar photovoltaic (PV) organizations in Spain. The first acquisition involves three construction-ready solar PV assets in AndalucÃa, Spain. These projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The second acquisition represents three fconstruction-ready solar PV assetse in the Aragon province of Spain. These assets are expected to reach commercial operations in the second half of 2025. Financial terms of the two acquisitions were not disclosed.
3. 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. COP29 - Human Rights: Amnesty International is calling on the United Nations and Azerbaijan to publish a Host Country Agreement that guarantees human rights safeguards for COP29 attendees.
2. COP29 - Host Country Strategy: Azerbaijan will upgrade its national emissions-cutting target ahead of the COP29 conference, Reuters said. Related: See all COP29 conference news here.
3. United States - Offshore Wind: The U.S. Interior Department approved the ninth commercial-scale offshore wind project, bringing the Biden administration closer to its goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030. Still, Donald Trump has vowed to deemphasize offshore wind power if he wins the November 2024 U.S. presidential election.
4. United States - Paris Agreement: If Donald Trump wins the November 2024 U.S. presidential election and withdraws the U.S. from the Paris climate accord for a second time, the Trump administration would be "wise to fixate less on a symbolic exit from the Paris agreement and more on articulating a credible international climate strategy that embraces the energy transition in a manner that empowers U.S. economic growth and national security," an editorial in The Hill asserted.
5. United States - Electric Airplanes: At a campaign rally in Virginia, Trump seemed to erroneously suggest that electric airplanes can't fly in cloudy weather, according to The Atlantic.
6. European Union Energy Costs: The European Union will still have higher power prices than the US and China under its best-case net zero scenario because of growing demand and inherent disadvantages, Bloomberg reported.
7. Europe - Wind Power: Hundreds of gigawatts of wind energy projects are waiting for permits to connect to Europe's power grid, Reuters reported. The backlog that threatens to slow the shift to green energy, industry association WindEurope said.
8. Germany - Real Estate and Solar Energy: Germany's lower house of parliament has passed legal amendments allowing apartment owners and tenants to install solar energy systems on their balconies, as the country seeks to increase uptake of the energy form, Reuters reported.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Stanford Sustainability Summit 2024 (July 8-9, Stanford University)
- Sun Valley Forum 2024 (July 15-18, Ketchum Idaho)
- CSR and Sustainability Summit MOZ 2024 (July 17-18, Mozambique)
- Siemens Transform 2024 (July 17-18, United Kingdom)
- ITAD 2024 (July 23-24, Miami Beach, Florida)
- 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.
