More 2024 trends: ESG, carbon certifications, curtailment, and AI
Feb 15, 2024
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In this second part of the conversation, Shayle and Nat cover topics like: ESG as the new third rail of finance, curtailed power and the need for design, carbon certification standards, biodiesel's impact on Europe's biofuel supply, First Solar's success, and declining hydropower, slowing coal growth, and rising hype around AI.
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Quick takeaways
ESG reports in the US are becoming longer but less informative, raising questions about their purpose and value.
Sustainable fund flows have been negative in the US but positive in Europe, indicating differing market trends and investor preferences.
Hydropower capacity factors have been declining globally, suggesting increased vulnerability to climate variability and impacting energy reliability.
Deep dives
ESG Reporting by Corporates
US company ESG reports have seen an increase in pages but a decline in data quality and readability. The inclusion of ESG data tables and press releases in reports has also decreased. With only 20% of reports having a summary or highlights version, the purpose and value of these reports are being questioned.
Sustainable Fund Flows
In the US, sustainable fund flows have been negative for the past five quarters, indicating a decline in investor interest and withdrawals from sustainable funds. In Europe, however, sustainable fund flows remained positive in the fourth quarter, highlighting a different market trend and dominance of sustainable assets under management.
Hydropower Capacity Factors
Capacity factors for hydropower in various countries, including Brazil, Canada, and the EU, have shown a downward trend in recent years. This decline indicates increased exposure to climate variability and weather patterns, impacting the availability of hydropower as a reliable and consistent source of energy.
New Coal Additions and Biodiesel Market
While the addition of new coal-fired power generation capacity globally has decreased, there is still a significant amount being added, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. Additionally, the biodiesel market in Europe is growing, with animal fat being a major feedstock. The increasing demand for biodiesel could lead to competition for feedstocks and the need for alternative sources.
AI in Business and Data Centers
The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in business operations has become increasingly important, with tens of thousands of mentions in earnings statements and company presentations. However, the growth of AI also comes with increased energy consumption, especially in data centers where power use efficiency (PUE) improvements have plateaued. The expansion of data centers and AI capabilities will pose challenges in terms of energy demand and sustainability.
There was so much to talk about in Nat Bullard’s 200-page slide deck on 2024’s biggest decarbonization trends that we broke the conversation into two parts. For the first half of our conversation with Nat, listen here.
Nat has worked as an analyst and writer in climate tech for two decades and was BloombergNEF’s chief content officer until 2022.
In this second part of the conversation, Shayle and Nat cover topics like:
How ESG has become the new third rail of finance, falling out of the spotlight of corporate reports and the annual Larry letter
The vexing problem of what to do with curtailed power and why we need to design around the intermittency
Whether you can have too many carbon certification standards
How biodiesel is eating up Europe’s biofuel supply
First Solar’s underappreciated success in surviving the decline of U.S. solar manufacturing
Plus: Declining hydropower, slowing coal growth, and the rising hype around AI
Recommended resources:
Nathaniel Bullard: Decarbonization: Stocks and flows, abundance and scarcity, net zero
Washington Post: ‘Greenhushing’: Why some companies quietly hide their climate pledges
World Economic Forum: Hydropower: How droughts are affecting the world's biggest renewable energy source
Catalyst is supported by Antenna Group. For 25 years, Antenna has partnered with leading clean-economy innovators to build their brands and accelerate business growth. If you’re a startup, investor, enterprise or innovation ecosystem that’s creating positive change, Antenna is ready to power your impact. Visit antennagroup.com to learn more.
Catalyst is brought to you by Atmos Financial. Atmos is revolutionizing finance by leveraging your deposits to exclusively fund decarbonization solutions, like residential solar and electrification. FDIC-insured with market-leading savings rates, cash-back checking, and zero fees. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
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