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. IT Services: Kyndryl will supply managed IT services to Bord Gais Energy of Ireland. The engagement spans on-premises infrastructure and Microsoft Azure systems. The MSP services align with Bord Gais Energy's sustainability strategy -- which includes a 2045 net zero goal, Kyndryl said. The MSP's technology platform -- known as Kyndryl Bridge -- blends IT monitoring and carbon monitoring capabilities.
2. Cloud Services and Renewable Energy: Duke Energy is partnering with Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Nucor to explore carbon-free energy generation opportunities in North Carolina and South Carolina.
3. PCs and Printers: HP in June 2024 plans to release its Annual Sustainable Impact Report, CEO Enrique Lores said during the PC maker's May 2024 earnings call. Related: HP sustainability strategy & channel partner opportunities.
4. Refurbished Laptops - Part One: More than 50% of Venom BlackBook notebook sales now involve a trade-in, which is then refurbished. The refurbished BlackBooks "avoid recycling, downcycling, landfill, or incineration by re-entering the supply chain as fully functional notebook computers, thereby significantly reducing e-waste," the company said. Venom offers up to $500 in cash for trade-ins of Venom BlackBooks up to seven years old, providing customers with 30 days to send in their old BlackBooks, which are then refurbished and given a second life, the company said.
5. Refurbished Computers - Part Two: Digitunity distributed nearly 55,000 refurbished computing devices to 227 nationwide nonprofit organizations between 2023 and March 2024, the organization said. Digitunity's mission is to "eliminate the technology gap so that everyone can thrive in a digitally connected society." The organization's goal is to make computing ownership possible for everyone. Digitunity, founded in 1984, is based in New Hampshire.
6. Partner Program - Cloud Services: Powerledger, a provider of blockchain and AI-driven technology tools for energy markets, has earned the Google Cloud Ready - Sustainability designation.
7. Partner of the Year: Microsoft has named Lucinity as its Partner of the Year - Iceland and Sustainability and Social Impact, highlighting Lucinity's "innovations and contribution to positive societal change," the company said.
8. Partnership - ESG Solutions: CIMA and Datamaran have partnered to introduce an ESG solution for financial professionals. The referral service will "equip accountants with a Smart ESG solution, leveraging innovative AI software, best practices and tech-enabled double materiality identification," the firms said.
9. Software - Customer Deployment: Cleanaway, a waste management and resource recovery provider in Australia, has chosen AMCS sustainability software for its enterprise fulfillment and transportation solution
10. Software - Accreditation: Cority, an enterprise EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) and sustainability software provider, is now a CDP Gold Accredited Solutions Provider. As a result, Cority customers will benefit from a more streamlined disclosure experience this year, the company said.
11. Quantum Computing as a Service: Dynex, which develops a neuromorphic quantum computing cloud (n.quantum computing) for "solving real-world problems at scale," has unveiled a subscription model that starts at $99 per month. Rival IBM recently launched a quantum computing working group focused on sustainability.
12. Power Management Technology and AI Software: Eaton will leverage Palantir's software to further improve its operations. Eaton, a major provider of power management solutions, has an existing Palantir relationship focused on supply chain automation and availability.
13. AI and Content Partnership: The Atlantic has inked a strategic content and product partnership with OpenAI. The relationship positions The Atlantic as a "premium news source within OpenAI," the companies said. The Atlantic, a national magazine in the United States, has 1 million subscribers. Related: List of content and copyright lawsuits against generative AI companies.
14. EV Layoffs: Struggling electric vehicle (EV) automaker Fisker had more layoffs this week, according to an Electric Vehicles report. Separately, Great Wall Motor (GWM) is closing its European headquarters and laying off 100 or so GWM employees, multiple reports said. GWM, based in China, is struggling on the international front amid heavy tariffs in Europe and the Unted States.
15. Financial Services: Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has updated its near-term criteria for financial institutions.
16. Research - Net Zero Scenarios: Urgent deployment of existing technology can move the world close to achieving net zero, BloombergNEF research asserts. Still, a separate report from Fraser Institute finds that the global goal to achieve “net-zero” carbon emissions by 2050 is impractical and unrealistic.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. Accelerator: Danone has joined AB InBev, The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive Company, and Unilever as the fifth partner in the 100+ Accelerator, a program dedicated to pioneering sustainable innovation across global supply chains. Related List: 50 accelerators that mentor sustainability startups.
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 Transition: The global shift to renewables in major energy-consuming sectors slowed in 2023, hindered by regulatory gaps, political pressures and a failure to set clear targets, Reuters reported based a REN21 policy group data.
2. United States - California Grid: California expects to avoid rolling blackouts this summer as new solar plants and large batteries plug into the state’s grid at a rapid clip, Bloomberg reported.
3. United Kingdom - Survey: Roughly 56% of CEOs in the UK say sustainability is a higher priority now than compared to 12 months ago, an EY survey found. Moreover, 47% say their management teams struggle to present a strong business case for sustainability investments that clearly outlines their financial benefits, the survey found.
4. Germany - Budget Challenges: Germany will need to find more cash to fund its energy transition ambitions this year after the subsidies it must pay renewables producers doubled on the back of tumbling wholesale power prices, Bloomberg reported.
5. European Union - Fossil Fuel Policies: European Union countries unanimously agreed to quit the 1998 Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) over concerns that it protects fossil fuel investments and undermines efforts to fight climate change, Reuters reported.
6. European Union vs. United Kingdom Regulations: Here's a comparison of the UK's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) vs. the UK's Sustainable Disclosure Regime (SDR), according to Thomson Reuters.
7. Australia - Investors and Climate Risks: Major investors in Australia aren’t responding fast enough to rising threats to infrastructure and other assets from cyclones, floods and natural disasters, Bloomberg reported, based on data from a group focused on climate risks.
8. Singapore - Green Data Centers: Singapore launched a green data center roadmap to support its ambitions for the digital economy as demand for AI and computing grows, CNBC reported. Singapore, the report added, is the second-largest data center market in Southeast Asia and the sixth-largest in Asia-Pacific, according to Cushman & Wakefield. The roadmap aims to provide at least 300 megawatts of additional capacity in the near term, with more through “green energy deployments," CNBC said.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Cisco Live 2024 (June 2-6, Las Vegas, Nevada)
- ClimaTech 2024 (June 3-6, Boston, Massachusetts)
- Computex 2024 (June 3-7, Taipei, Taiwan)
- SAP Sapphire 2024 (June 3-5, Orlando, Florida)
- Siemens Realize Live Europe 2024 (June 3-5, Munich, Germany)
- 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.
