Talking Climate Tech 014 redux

Issued to subscribers 7th March 2025.

Well, that was the week that was. 🤯

The tail-spin of world geopolitics that DJT has thrown us all into continues to make our heads explode and blow up all norms.

Let's get back to some climate tech and startup news.

Last week, we looked at some startups in Water, and a few weeks back, some of those helping to combat and predict Wildfires. I was discussing climate risk, planning, response and mitigation with an investor this week - and that got me thinking about Weather.

Things have moved on since the days of Michael Fish in 1987. For those outside the UK;

"Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way. Well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't!".

The storm was the worst to hit South East England for three centuries, causing record damage and killing 19 people.

Recent events globally, from large-scale Canadian [2023 record and then 2024] and LA wildfires to Valencia floods and many many more events across the Southern Hemisphere in particular. The Top 10 in 2024 all had a greater than $4bn insured loss, with some estimated in the $50-60bn region.

The true cost, impact on people, loss of life, food security, health, wider economics and supply chains etc, are all far greater of course.

As we lurch towards greater climate breakdown and more extreme climate-related events, innovations in weather modelling and forecasting are essential to save lives.

You had better believe the risk and insurance sectors are all in.

💸 Startup News

🇨🇭 Meteomatics - Just closed €21m Series C funding for its autonomous data, modelling and visualisation technologies.

🇬🇷 WeatherXM - Closed $7.7m Series A mid 2024 to add to its $5m seed round - this one is different - decentralised global network utilising web3 and crypto.

🇬🇧 Salient - Approx. $5m in seed and $3m in grants from the Gates Foundation and others.

🔎 Deeper Dive

Trump Watch 💥

Since our last newsletter, in just 7 days, DJT has dismissed 80 years of political trust and capital and continues to throw Ukraine under the proverbial bus, while waving gleefully and blushing at new best bud Vlad the Impaler.

He's been too busy to really get stuck into denying climate change this week, but still, he has managed to withdraw the US 🇺🇸 from the International Partners Group, IPG. Not quite as famous as the Paris Agreement he stepped out of in January, but still important.

More on that here. Essentially, wealthy countries [EU, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, Norway and Denmark] are all putting in billions to help accelerate the transition of large emitting emission countries off coal asap, and into renewables. 😩

❓ Why it matters - coal is 40% GHG emissions of fossil fuels ⚫

I said there wasn't much, but there is always something in the background. Like Carbon Capture and Enhanced Oil Recovery - more deals in the making to enable his O&G chums to drill baby drill. More here.

❓ Why it matters - distraction, delay, emissions and subsidy cost ⌛

Weather + Wildfires 🔥

Oh yeah, they keep on coming. This time Japan is suffering its worst for 30 years. After 8 days and 30,000 hectares, looks like rain is bringing some relief. More here.

Yes, wildfires are seasonal and natural, but they are getting more frequent and create a feedback loop of heat and emissions. Global snapshot on Greenpeace's Global Fire Dashboard.

The US is still suffering, this time in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. More here. LA? The fallout for 150,000 evacuated residents is only just beginning - services, clean-up, toxic fumes and sludge, insurance challenges - whether your home is still standing or not. It's a nightmare. More here.

How do we know these extreme weather events and not just, well, extreme weather events, like we've always had? 🤔

Clean Power 2030 🇬🇧

Data Analysts and Policy specialists Ember have dug into the UK Gov. Clean Power 2030 plan. Dive into the whole thing here, it's very interesting reading. Top 3 takeaways;

1. Energy Security - CP2030 will reduced gas imports by 57%
2. Heat - the big 🐘 in the room we aren't doing enough about
3. Biomass - phasing out [Drax greenwash], risky 95% imported

Decarbonising commercial, industrial process and residential heat is why renewnable geothermal heat has become such a hot topic, and something the UK sector is gearing up for. ♨️

One chart that confirms we have a big job to tackle to move away from Gas for Domestic and Industrial use:

🏡 Konfab News

Busy this week at konfab HQ getting involved in all sorts as usual...

Supporting strategy and planning in UK Geothermal as the sector looks to respond to the national need to address heat decarbonisation.💡

Helping on a panel session for Chatham House at their 'Climate & Energy Summit' in a couple of weeks - more on that next week! 😎

Scouting some startups for an investor group 👀

Exploring options place a containerised 125kW / 1.5MWh iron flow battery pilot project here in the UK. ⚙️

Must send my email 5 bullet point email into Elon... 🤣

😃 Good Stuff

Data Warriors 🥷

As it's good Trump news, its down here instead of up there ⬆️.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and these from Canada are determined not to let DJT spoil everyone's hard work. As the Trump/Elon/Tech-Kids axis of idiocy blasts through US critical data infrastructure and presses control-alt-delete, there are people fighting valiantly to save that data in all areas - especially environmental and climate.

Green Roofs 🌳

Tokyo created a law in 2001 to green its roof tops - to help reduce urban heat. They are cutting roof temps by 25deg. and indoor by 1-3deg. ❄️

What great vision and foresight, more in that story here. They now have 5,700 buildings covering 1.8mil sq. meters! Additional benefits less energy for AC and cleaner air. 😄

Pylon of the Month ⚡

A retrospective this month - following on from recent newsletter 010 about the challenges of expanding a national grid infrastructure.

Apparently there is a whole book on the CEGB old adverts, more on that here.

Thanks as always, let's keep pushing forward with all things climate tech and the 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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