The Transition Accelerator/ L’Accélérateur de transition’s Post

Our annual #cleantech report is now out! Authored by the brilliant Prerna Sharma, this year’s edition explores fhe intersection between cleantech and #AI, as well as three other novel, promising technologies - Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS); Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES); and Hydrogen and other alternative fuels. The report is chock-full of insights around trends related to investments, Canadian exports and the potential opportunities for Canadian businesses. Highly recommend giving this a read! Export Development Canada | Exportation et développement Canada

I was pleased to join the International Energy Agency (IEA) consultation workshop on the forthcoming Energy Technologies Perspectives report. It promises to be a landmark publication that should help navigating the emerging industrial strategies and trade policies related to the global energy transition. I learned from experts around the table and spoke about: ☀ Recognizing the opportunity of abundant, cheap renewables for industrial competitiveness. We should not lose sight of this essential point, which was also well described in Mario Draghi's landmark report for the EU, and is key for the #CleanIndustrialDeal 💡 Shedding light on the grey zone between industrial policy, trade measures and protectionism. The debate is confused and the risks for protectionist - even autarkist - reflexes is high, putting our global climate goals at risk ⛲ Mainstreaming resilience policies around the world. The EU #NZIA approach of integrating resilience as non-price criteria in public procurement may well be the way forward. Countries should be allowed to reserve a part of the market for domestic - or resilient - clean technologies to ensure local value-creation and jobs, while leaving the bulk of the market open to international competition. That is #OpenStrategicAutonomy. Should we look at integrating this in the rules-based trading system under the World Trade Organization?   🔢 Last but not least: we need better and more transparent data on existing supply chains. In #SolarPV, it is a struggle to understand what production capacities exist, at what the utilization rates what technologies, and what is shipped around the world. Here too the International Energy Agency (IEA) report can come to the rescue. (No pressure! 🙂) Timur Gül Laura Cozzi Cleantech for Europe EUPD Research Noé van Hulst Julia Reinaud Patrick Graichen Bentley Allan European Commission Kerstin Jorna Thomas Pellerin-Carlin Yvan Verougstraete Michael Bloss Niels Fuglsang

ENJOY THE CHALLENGE - "Power Up: Ten thousand years ago, energy was the only industry. The world ran on thew (muscle power), and food was the energy source." - Scott Galloway, Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern "Settled agriculture in the fertile Middle East created surpluses, and economics emerged as the science of trading that surplus — exchanging energy. We then unlocked the energy in organic matter (wood, coal, oil), machines supplanted muscles, and the energy business became the business of powering machines. Oil’s unrivaled source material for machine power has created wealthy nations out of deserts. Big Tech companies may dominate the league tables of market capitalization, but energy remains the revenue king. Six of the 10 largest firms by revenue are energy companies, and the industry generates more revenue than any other. However … tech looks more similar to energy each year. CapEx = Moats = Profits The energy business requires massive capital expenditures, allocated on data and faith, offering unrivaled payoffs for those who wager correctly. If the whaling industry is the origin story of venture capital, energy is the original gangster of CapEx. Investment across all energy sources will total $2.8 trillion in 2024. Fossil fuel companies, responsible for $1 trillion of that CapEx, generate $4 trillion in revenue. ExxonMobil spent $23 billion on CapEx in 2023, and made $36 billion in profit. The investments are chunky: The UK’s newest nuclear plant, under construction in Somerset, is projected to cost $57 billion. Planning the 20th century energy’s mega-projects required the development of a new science of forecasting, Shell’s famous “scenario planning” process. Side note: Scenario planning is not predicting the future, but determining which decisions will register the best outcome(s) across several possible futures." https://lnkd.in/gGXfi9Ng Now Big Tech is flexing its own thew - Steve

Highlight of the night. 💡 Hon. Tom Alweendo, Minister of Mines and Energy, delivered an insightful keynote address. The following were some of his key points: ↪ Just Energy Transition: Hon. Tom Alweendo emphasized the need for a just transition that does not leave any society behind socio-economically and an energy transition that considers the different economic statuses and needs of various countries, particularly developing nations. ↪ Global Collaboration and Market Risks: Collaboration between resource-rich countries in the global south and resource-poor countries in the global north is imperative. The market for critical minerals is not as well established as for other commodities, presenting risks in terms of price discovery and market stability. ↪ Challenges and Infrastructure Needs: There are challenges in attracting the right investments and building necessary infrastructure to support manufacturing and processing. Namibia needs to develop it's exploration efforts to fully understand it's mineral reserves. ↪ Green Industrialization and Economic Reimagination: The strategy includes leveraging green hydrogen and other renewable resources to industrialize and add value to natural resources. The goal is to move from a simple economy producing raw materials to a complex economy producing consumable goods. ↪ Call for True Partnerships: Lastly Hon. Tom Alweendo highlighted that partnership should be equitable, with mutual benefits rather than a helping relationship and international collaborations are essential, but Namibia must also be prepared to participate actively. Ministry of Mines and Energy - NAMIBIA, Hanns Seidel Foundation Namibia, FNB Namibia, Bank Windhoek, The Brief Live Nam B

As the CEO of 4th State Energies (new, better name), I get asked how we will deal with the pending Silane Gas shortage. Like all the time 🤔 , like last night (from a huge climate investor). Hey, no shade is being thrown here 🙅♂️; they can't stay current on every development in every sector. Particularly this one 😎 . - NEWS FLASH- There is NO PENDING SHORTAGE of silane. Thank you market forces, government action (DOE), and the players in this space. Thank you, REC (seriously, thank you). Your production move to Moses Lake, WA, creates a potential incremental 8,000 metric tonnes at lower costs (and your Butte facility of 8,000 metric tonnes becomes available to produce silane, albeit at a higher price). This alone is a net 15,000 MT increase over the 1,000 MT available from them in 2023. AND... Thank you, OneD and Koch Modular, for stepping up with 4,200 metric tonnes of self-generated commitment... removing that pressure from the ecosystem. Thank you, Group14 and the DOE, for granting "up to $200 million" and 7,200 MT of capacity, which is explicitly available to other silicon anode producers in Moses Lake, WA. BOOM! In 2024, we went from a domestic supply of 1,000 metric tonnes (not counting nominal imports) to a potential capacity of 27,400 metric tonnes. By the way, when we create high-value carbon-silicon composites, we produce tons of blue hydrogen as a by-product, both in the silicon and carbon steps (in our wildly simple three-step manufacturing process). Cleantech Open, VetsinTech, Jonathan Glass, Tony Berkley, Tom Kalil, Paul Eremenko, Kathleen Jurman, Aubert Demaray

The UK Government has just announced the new Industrial Strategy. "Invest 2035" outlines key strategies to drive innovation and investment for long-term economic growth. I asked AI to give me 10 main takeaways: 1. **Focus on Science and Innovation**: The government aims to make the UK a global leader in science and technology by 2035, leveraging advancements in AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology to secure global leadership    2. **Net Zero Transition**: Central to the strategy is achieving net zero emissions by 2050. This includes decarbonising the energy sector by 2035 through investments in renewable energy, nuclear, and carbon capture technologies    3. **Green Finance**: The strategy emphasizes "greening" the financial system by shifting investments toward sustainable industries. It includes creating financial models that attract private investment to support the transition to a net-zero economy  4. **Infrastructure and Blended Finance**: The UK aims to mobilize private capital through innovative blended finance models. This will help fund infrastructure projects related to the green transition, especially in renewable energy and emerging technologies. 5. **Global Innovation Race**: The UK seeks to stay competitive with countries like the US, South Korea, and Israel by increasing its innovation capacity through investment in R&D, especially in high-growth sectors like AI and quantum technology. 6. **Support for Startups**: The strategy outlines plans to create a supportive ecosystem for startups and scale-ups, aiming to boost entrepreneurship, innovation, and global competitiveness. 7. **Sector-Specific Roadmaps**: Roadmaps for sectors like hydrogen, aviation, and automotive are critical parts of the strategy, ensuring that each industry aligns with the broader net zero and investment goals 8. **Public-Private Collaboration**: The strategy emphasizes collaboration between the government, private sector, and international partners to foster innovation and address investment barriers 9. **Job Creation**: The plan highlights the creation of thousands of new, high-skill jobs in emerging industries, especially in renewable energy and technology-driven sectors 10. **Measurement and Accountability**: To track progress, the government plans to develop new metrics and systems to measure investment flows and innovation outcomes, ensuring that the UK remains on track to meet its ambitious 2035 goals.

The Jevons paradox states that improvements in the efficiency with which a resource is used tend to increase, rather than decrease, the total consumption of that resource. In summary: - The Jevons paradox was first described by the English economist William Stanley Jevons in 1865. He observed that improvements in the efficiency of coal-fired steam engines led to increased, not decreased, coal consumption.[2] - The paradox occurs because increased efficiency lowers the effective cost of using the resource, which then increases demand for it. This "rebound effect" can be large enough to offset the original efficiency gains.[2] - The Jevons paradox has been observed across many resources, including water, energy, and materials. It implies that technological progress alone cannot solve sustainability problems, as increased efficiency often leads to greater resource consumption.[1] - Understanding the Jevons paradox is important for designing effective sustainability policies, as it shows the limitations of relying solely on efficiency improvements.[1][4] In summary, the Jevons paradox demonstrates that increased efficiency in resource use can paradoxically lead to greater overall consumption of that resource, rather than reduced consumption as might be expected.[2] Sources [1] Unraveling the Complexity of the Jevons Paradox - Frontiers https://lnkd.in/gFNfkjgV [2] Jevons paradox - Wikipedia https://lnkd.in/g5UnQGie [3] Artificial Intelligence and the Jevons Paradox - LinkedIn https://lnkd.in/gVFYYUrG [4] Resources for a better future: Jevons Paradox - Resilience.org https://lnkd.in/gcxSa-Jn [5] Jevons Paradox: Improved Energy Efficiency Increases Demand https://lnkd.in/gyvTU2b9

Hydrogen technology has received a lot of attention over the past few years due to ambitious decarbonization targets and transformative funding programs. With the majority of tracked U.S. clean hydrogen capacity skewed to early development stages, the hype has yet to translate to commercial liftoff. Enverus Intelligence Research anticipates a wide range of project outcomes as this nascent industry attempts to scale and believes that defensible business models must demonstrate access to superior asset quality, robust innovation ecosystems and supportive partners. Read our blog to learn more. https://lnkd.in/eCngHrEM

Why might now be the time to invest in infrastructure?   In the short-term, moderating inflation and lower bond yields paired with discounted sector valuations represents an attractive entry point for investors, in our view.   But the long-term story is where it gets really exciting.   Here’s why, summed up with the “four Ds:” Digitalisation. AI’s requirement for data storage and growth in 5G technology are boosting demand for data centres and cell towers. Decarbonisation. The transition to renewable energy (see chart) is forecast to drive growth in utilities and power grids, with grid investment possibly doubling by 2050 (1). Deglobalisation. The pandemic exposed the fragility of global supply chains, creating demand for new infrastructure needs closer to home. Demographics. The world population is set to hit 9.7 billion by 2050 (2). This calls for urban expansion, transportation networks, and essential services like water and electricity.   As these forces reshape the global landscape, we believe a selective and active approach will be key to achieving outsized returns. Sources: (1) Bloomberg’s New Energy Outlook, May 2024 (2) United Nations, July 2024 Capital at risk

★ The Tech Takeover: How Innovation is Reshaping Natural Resources The way we find, extract, and manage natural resources is undergoing a radical transformation. Technology is no longer on the sidelines; it's leading the charge! Here's a glimpse into how innovation is impacting the natural resources sector: ★Unlocking New Resources: Advanced technologies like seismic imaging and robotics are making previously inaccessible resources reachable. ★ Boosting Efficiency: From precision drilling to AI-powered resource management, technology is optimizing extraction processes, minimizing waste. ★ Shifting the Energy Mix: Renewables are on the rise, driven by advancements in solar, wind, and geothermal energy. This disrupts traditional resource dependence. The Future is Here ‡ This tech revolution presents a significant opportunity. McKinsey estimates potential savings of $900 billion to $1.6 trillion by 2035, largely from reduced energy demand and increased productivity. † What are your thoughts? How do you see technology shaping the future of natural resources? Let's discuss in the comments! #naturalresources #technology #sustainability #innovation #futureofwork