Lori-Lee Elliott

Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) illustrates the current "readiness" of #ClimateTechs + their potential impact on carbon reduction. As shown, many techs are at an early stage of being able to have a material impact. Concerningly, some tech funds recently returned capital back to investors recently + closed their funds - citing inability to fund capital intensive techs, found in areas like ClimateTech. This in part may be contributing to the $2 trillion shortfall in ClimateTech, that Deloitte estimates. What this may mean for the future? - The migration of LPs to global, super VC funds within ClimateTech, given the large capital pools needed to fund tech development - Greater specialization from smaller funds, energizing more niche elements of the ClimateTech market - but also altering their / LP's risk profile - A greater role to be played by debt financing in funding growth entities at an earlier stage - impacting cashflow dynamics Will be an interesting space to watch moving forward. We at The Proptech Connection are constantly working with all parts of the Proptech ecosystem. From the leading LPs, funds, techs and adopters in market, providing an independent view. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help. #InvestorTrends #Strategy #Global Ivo van Breukelen Stuart Daun Kiki C. Ethan Ward

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From an outsider's perspective, it looks like direct air capture (DAC) companies are battling a two-front war. Last week, VC-backed startup CarbonCapture announced that it was scrapping plans to build its first commercial-scale DAC project in Wyoming, one of the world's largest facilities, expected to remove 5M metric tons of CO2 annually by 2030. To put that in context, there are only ~50 DAC facilities operating in the US, Canada, and Europe today, capturing about 0.1M metric tons of carbon annually. One the one hand, DAC and many other carbon-abating/sequestering technologies rely on clean electricity to power their operations. However, they face increasing competition from emerging, energy-intensive industries like AI and crypto for that resource. These industries, backed by some of the largest enterprises in the world like Microsoft and Alphabet, reflect a buying base that utilities are likely incentivized to service first. CarbonCapture's CEO directly mentioned competition for clean power as a core reason for pausing its Wyoming development. On the other hand, the product that comes out of DAC - carbon credits - has faced criticism as a form of greenwashing because it does not incentivize companies to address carbon emissions in their own operations. It's clear that technologies like DAC are needed as we look to achieve our target emissions, but there will inevitably be challenges in its rollout. I would love to learn more about what's going on at the heart of the industry if you're an operator or investor in the space!

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Heirloom Carbon raises $150M to remove CO2 from the air using rocks | TechCrunch https://buff.ly/49uuPFv Heirloom Carbon has successfully secured $150 million in funding to advance their innovative carbon dioxide removal technology, which captures CO2 from the atmosphere using mineral-based processes. By utilizing naturally occurring rocks, Heirloom aims to address climate change by sequestering carbon more effectively and sustainably. This substantial investment highlights the growing interest and urgency in developing scalable carbon capture solutions to mitigate global warming. #CarbonCapture #ClimateTech

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I did this podcast a few weeks ago & talked with Michael Wood III and Hope Pratt of Energy Terminal on the FOAK problem. We went through: ✅ FOAK definition and example FOAK projects ✅ Areas of risk in FOAK ✅ Types of funding available for FOAK ✅ When in a company's lifecycle to think about FOAK ✅ Potential solutions for FOAK challenges ...and a couple of other fun topics! Give it a listen if you have a moment. Thank you, Michael and Hope, for your thoughtful questions and all of what you do for your community at Energy Terminal! #foak #climatetech #energy

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Fusion promises to harness the nuclear reaction that powers the sun to generate nearly limitless energy here on Earth. If startups are able to complete commercially viable fusion power plants, then they have the potential to upend trillion-dollar markets.

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With the rapid rise of AI and increased focus on electrification and EV adoption, the economics of the energy market have shifted dramatically — energy demand in the U.S. is skyrocketing. However, there's a very clear imbalance between the need for grid-scale energy storage solutions and the lack of available supply. Without a viable storage solution for the grid, the increase in energy demand will be met by gas-powered peaker plants and coal-burning plants — reversing all progress to date on reducing carbon emissions. Less than a year ago, Peak Energy was founded with the mission to revolutionize energy storage with the development of low-cost, large scale sodium-ion battery technology. Today, the company has announced its $55M Series A to commercialize and scale its grid storage technology. Peak Energy's momentum over the last year not only reflects strong market demand, but also is indicative of the team behind the mission: Liam O'Connor, who led operations and supply chain at some of the world's largest technology companies like Tesla and Apple; Landon Mossburg, who built and scaled large battery manufacturing at Northvolt and Tesla; and Cameron Dales, who helped build from scratch leading-edge battery company ENOVIX Corporation. From the deep expertise the company's leadership brings to the table, to the all-star team they've assembled, and the innovative technology they are developing, the Eclipse team believes Peak Energy brings the ample firepower to secure the future of renewable energy. https://bit.ly/3Y8LniO Congratulations!

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I've been seeing a wave of new energy startups emerging lately. What's even more exciting is how AI is becoming a core part of this transformation—helping companies manage energy more efficiently, optimize grids, and save money. The energy sector is one of the slower sectors to adopt novel tech broadly - but the rapid changes being made to this space is inspiring. We're excited to be building here with Leafpress. Kudos to founders building at this intersection! And if you're in the energy space and hiring, ping me - I have leads to send your way! #EnergyInnovation #AI #CleanTech

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📢 Some big news this week that marks another pivotal step in the evolution of carbon markets… The Biden administration, led by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, will be unveiling the first broad US government guidelines on the use of carbon credits as part of decarbonization strategies. It’s a much needed step that will promote high-integrity carbon markets, and boost corporate confidence in using carbon credits. The Bloomberg article's sources suggest the upcoming framework will align with the government’s stance that: “voluntary carbon markets have a role in reaching net zero, as long as they promote high-integrity emissions reductions and channel meaningful amounts of capital into nature-based projects today as well as carbon-removal technologies in the future.” And that is the key. There is no silver bullet for the climate crisis. Whatever the critics may say about carbon credits, more transparency, clarity and official endorsement on their use will serve to unlock billions of much needed corporate dollars for carbon projects. Couple this news with recent initiatives by major tech companies like the Symbiosis Coalition of Google, Meta, Microsoft and Salesforce and we’re starting to stride in the right direction. Read more and sign up for the live stream: https://lnkd.in/ddDRA8yd #carbonmarkets #carboncredits #naturalcapital #climateaction #breakingnews

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'Drill, baby, drill' isn't just for oil and gas - it could unlock geothermal energy and geologic hydrogen too. That's the fascinating paradox of climate tech I discussed in a recent TechCrunch feature examining how VCs are viewing the sector's future. The reality is that policy impacts are rarely straightforward - deregulation of drilling and permitting, such as for overhauls in transmission and distribution, could actually accelerate clean energy solutions. Furthermore, the sector has shown remarkable resilience through multiple administrations and market cycles. The core message I shared with Tim De Chant and Rebecca Szkutak rings true: technological advancement and declining cost curves will keep driving solutions forward, regardless of the political situation. The energy landscape continually presents new opportunities at every turn. Worth a read for anyone interested in the exciting future of climatetech investing. https://lnkd.in/gjNdm4DW #ClimateInnovation #VentureCapital #Geothermal #GeologicHydrogen

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One of the reasons we invested in Carbon Ridge is the team’s pragmatic approach to decarbonizing up to 90% of shipping vessels’ total CO2 emissions. Chase Dwyer and I had the pleasure of diving into Carbon Ridge’s potential for massive global impact with Jamie Hailstone at Forbes this week. To learn more about Carbon Ridge’s onboard #carboncapture and storage solutions for the #maritime sector, check out the full article: https://bit.ly/48jrMPK

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A good case of glass half full or half empty. The $2tn investment is way short of what is needed to be net zero in coming decades. But, some of the categories like battery storage capacity or solar generation have been growing 100% or more annually for the last 10 year or so. Interesting short read. #Cleanteach #Climatecrisis #Energytransition https://lnkd.in/dAy9P3Jn

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We are thrilled to announce a major milestone for 280 Earth– the launch of their first Direct Air Capture facility in The Dalles, Oregon, alongside the Alphabet Inc. datacenter, and the closing of a $50 million Series-B funding round. 🌍 Facility Launch The first DAC facility is now operational, capturing up to 500 tonnes of CO2 per year directly from the atmosphere. This groundbreaking plant, developed by X, the moonshot factory, uses low-carbon electricity and waste heat from nearby industrial processes, including a Google data center. 💼 Series B Funding We were excited to lead the $50 million Series B round with the support of Gideon Yu, Alphabet Inc., and Catalyst4—founded by Sergey Brin. 💡 Massive Potential at Data Centers The global datacenter market, expected to grow from $59B > $144B by 2027, consumes about 200 terawatt-hours of electricity annually and contributes 0.3% of global CO2 emissions. Major players like Microsoft, Google and Meta have seen water use and carbon emissions surge due to AI expansion. 280Earth addresses these issues by pioneering water-positive carbon capture technology and utilizing waste heat from datacenters. Their pilot facility, next to a Google datacenter, captures both CO2 and water vapor, storing CO2 in underground formations or mineralizing it in basalts, significantly reducing environmental impact and setting a precedent for sustainable practices. 🔬 Innovative Two-Step DAC Process The 280 Earth DAC process involves two major steps: adsorption, where CO2 binds to our proprietary sorbent material, and desorption, where the CO2 is separated from the sorbent. Their unique system continuously moves the sorbent between adsorption and desorption chambers, maintaining consistent temperature and vacuum conditions, resulting in significant energy savings. This approach allows us to use off-the-shelf equipment, enhancing scalability and reducing costs. https://lnkd.in/gFe8AhnP

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