Talking Climate Tech 013 redux
Last week's newsletter - Water Startups, DAC SAF, Net Zero Growth, Big Coral and Pylon of the Month!
After our dive into methane emissions, monitoring and startups last week, it was disappointing to see another step back from the Orange Don this week. The US Senate repealed the Biden policy just approved on Nov 24, which helped drive performance improvements and control of methane from Oil&Gas production.
EPA said the fee would reduce methane emissions by 1.2 million metric tons through 2035, or cutting 34 million metric tons of CO2e over the same period, or the annual emissions of 8 million gas-powered cars.
Way to go Don. It's not like the O&G sector needs any more of a free reign to pollute the atmosphere. 😡
💸 Startup News
We had a look at Methane last week, which involved Blue Methane as our water-based methane champion, plus, we dived into Pumped Hydro at little and saw what a Godzilla it is!
So let's stick with water and look at some startups making a difference - after all, it is quite important:
🇨🇦 Oneka Technologies - wave-powered desalination systems to produce clean drinking water. Drought-resistant, land-efficient, renewable, operating independently of the grid with no emissions.
🇮🇳 Indra - Electrically powered decentralized wastewater treatment systems with no added chemicals in primary treatment. With over 750m litres of water treated for reuse with 95% water recovery and occupy 75% less physical footprint than conventional systems.
🇨🇭Openversum - Locally assembled biodegradable membrane filter that remove pathogens and heavy metals from water. Microfranchising model empowers entrepreneurs to produce and distribute for local economic development, plus improved water quality.
🔎 Deeper Dive
DAC Hail Mary 🏈
If you have read previous newsletters and posts you know Direct Air Capture doesn't rank highly on the things we need to do right now, or as a valuable use of technology, resources, energy and time.
Still, a United Airlines-backed fund is throwing a hail mary at it, hoping something good by way of SAF might come.
“You have higher prices, people are going to fly less, or we're going to go out of business,” United will not pay a premium for SAF...
Sounds like a big circle all passing the emissions buck until the music stops ...
This fuel must be subsidized by other players, which can include large corporate customers eager to address emissions from their employees’ business travel or fuel companies that produce SAF simply as a byproduct.
So basically nothing much is going to change - emissions are still being emitted. Why DAC will fail, aside from the 400 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere issue - fundamentals! Great breakdown from Michael Barnard as always, with some perspective via the image credit below:
❓Why it matters - it's like bringing a hairdryer to a gun fight.
Carbon Budget 🇬🇧
The Climate Change Committee has released its 7th annual budget, looking 15 years ahead at the period 2038-2042. In short:
deliver an 87% reduction by 2040, against a 2019 baseline, if it is to meet its long-term net-zero by 2050 commitment.
Sounds punchy. But we have delivered 50% of this already - progress is positive. Lots of discussion and analysis on this, and some interesting highlights noted by Simon Evans of Carbon Brief on LinkedIn:
⚖️ Net cost of net-zero 73% less than thought
💷 Total cost to 2050 = £108bn (~£4bn/yr, 0.2% GDP)
🏡 🚗 Household energy/fuel bills to fall £1,400
Lots of upside, the cost to deliver is massively lower than forecast, and just 0.2% of GDP. We just agreed to bump up Defense to 2.5% GDP, I think creating a clean environment and thriving growth economy with major health and standard of living benefits, is a bargain!
Dive on in here:
Economic Growth 📈
And yes, the good news continues, The UK net zero economy grew by 10% in 2024 and generated £83bn in gross value added (GVA). What's not to like?
This is the major growth lever the country has been waiting for, pull it harder! 🚀
DOGE Doo-do 💩
Hows it going? Well Elon can't get his receipts right, and the horse has already bolted in some cases.
🏡 Konfab News
I took a trip up to London last week, here's the low down on all the good stuff I saw happening in innovation and carbonisation across the manufacturing and materials in the UK;
Kane Watkinson
Yesterday afternoon, I attended an interesting network event hosted by VentureFest South. I am keen to push local opportunity in climate + clean tech innovation, manufacturing and all the associated outcomes and messaging around emission reduction, economic growth and alleviating fuel poverty. 🙌
Interestingly, and disappointingly, it's not been high on the agenda. It's one of my big frustrations with this region - and that of Southampton University's business integration team I discussed the topic with. More to follow on this soon, as I stick my oar in and bang the drum. 🥁
😃 Good Stuff
Trump Push Back ⚔️
Unlucky Don - the EPA has unfrozen all grant funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure and Investment and Jobs Act - $100 billion to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse emissions through a large-scale transformation of the U.S. energy system. Can't hold back progress Don. 👏
Greenpeace 💚
Let's hope they can hold on, taking one for the team here and are at risk of being put to the sword by the corporate lawyers. They are looking for $300m from them, x10 their annual budget. The golliath Energy Transfer is worth $70bn. 🙏
Geothermal Transition 🧰
It's a great opportunity and pathway for O&G experienced drillers to move to a growth sector and deliver a major impact via renewable heating & cooling, and in some areas power generation.
Take note UK Gov. and NSTA
Big Coral 🪸
It's a whopper, about 5 tennis courts in size! Despite temperature changes in our Oceans, its not been bleached out - the big old unit that has been growing for 300-500 years!
Pylon of the Month ⚡
Are we finally heading out of winter and the looming shadow of dunkleflaute?
It's March tomorrow, so let's check back in at HQ on a very nice image from March 2020. Not much in the way of technical info, other than it was located at a grid supply point near two, now demolished, coal-fired power stations.
Thanks as always! Let's keep pushing forward urgently with collaboration and real-world solutions that meet our climate challenges.
Remember, despite everything you might see and hear, the momentum is unstoppable! 🌍
Stay warm, cool and safe, wherever you are 🙏
Kane 🌱
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