Climate Finance
Podcasts
Climate Finance | January 13, 2021
Generate’s Jigar Shah: What’s next for sustainable infrastructure? Deployment, deployment deployment
ImpactAlpha, Jan 13 – First came solar and wind energy. Then batteries and storage. Now, a raft of better, cheaper and more sustainable …
Clean Energy | December 18, 2020
Institutional Shift: The Great Burp Forward and other trends to watch in 2021
ImpactAlpha, December 18, 2020 – As it’s fit and proper to take stock of last year’s predictions before venturing new ones, we looked back …
Conservation | December 17, 2020
Wildfires bring to the fore financing for forest resilience
Wildfires are natural. Catastrophic firestorms are not. More than 4 million acres of California burned this year, a record that included the first …
2030 Finance | September 23, 2019
Mispriced climate risks signal investment shocks – and opportunities for action
The bigger the protests, the better for investors. In a counter-intuitive shift, the estimated four million global youth climate strikers who took to …
2030 Finance | December 10, 2018
Climate signals blinking red, a test for global leadership at COP24 (updated)
Updates from COP 24 Leaders and laggards. Maersk, the world’s largest container shipper, pledged to be carbon-neutral by 2050, in the latest sign …
Photo credit: Tim Easley
Climate Finance | April 3, 2018
Institutional investors come for the risk reduction, stay for the impact
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 3, 2018 –– The billionaires with their family offices command on outsized share of attention from impact fund managers. The …
Climate Finance | March 23, 2018
Which financial innovations will grow from billions to trillions?
https://medium.com/media/82d73555419e0a8a96448332079b505c/href By finding inventive ways to make social inclusion and environmental regeneration pay, innovative financing models are “internalizing positive externalities.” Too wonky? Just …
2030 Finance | November 22, 2017
Trillion-dollar question: How are the world’s biggest asset owners playing the risks ahead?
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 21 – No sooner had we recorded the latest episode of ImpactAlpha’s Returns on Investment podcast than Norway’s trillion-dollar sovereign wealth …
2030 Finance | September 22, 2017
Hurricanes add urgency to efforts to make climate resilience investable
https://medium.com/media/8c3aacc51fd93d95948bd6c177f57b9d/href We’re only beginning to tally the devastation from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and now Maria — and the wildfires in the Western U.S. and the …
2030 Finance | February 22, 2017
Why is Cleantech Still a Dirty Word for Investors?
Climate Finance https://medium.com/media/ecd55fa1f9cd2c83d228972a14902dad/href Now the 2016 numbers are in, thanks to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. And the worldwide totals are (drumroll) a drop …
2030 Finance | April 22, 2016
Turning Paris Climate Agreements Into Institutional-Ready Investments (Podcast)
https://medium.com/media/697e46c0cbcb9f523233eb5132cc226c/href But it’s going to take more than speeches or even treaties (which won’t go into effect until at least 2018, if not …
Features
Conservation | July 29, 2021
Green bonds or greenwashing? Growth of aquaculture poses risks for ocean health.
ImpactAlpha, July 29 – Mowi ASA, the Norwegian fish farming giant, raised €200 million from investors last year in what was the seafood industry’s …
Catalytic Capital | July 21, 2021
Breakthrough Energy planning “blended finance” fund to marshal billions for next-gen climate tech
ImpactAlpha, July 21 – The billionaire-backed Breakthrough Energy is preparing a blended finance fund to catalyze billions of dollars of investment to scale …
Climate Finance | July 15, 2021
Sustainability-linked debt is giving more companies incentives to do the right things
ImpactAlpha, July 15 – Greece’s largest power utility put itself on the hook to reduce its carbon emissions with its €500 million ($591 million) …
Asia | July 15, 2021
Carbon markets are set to expand in Europe and China
ImpactAlpha, July 15 – Prices on Europe’s carbon trading system jumped almost 5%, to €55, after the European Commission laid out plans to …
Agrifood Tech | July 14, 2021
Two dozen charts map the trajectory of sustainable finance, food, energy and mobility
ImpactAlpha, July 14 – San Francisco and London-based Generation Investment Management, the $36 billion investment firm founded by Al Gore and David Blood, has for …
photo: G20
Capitalism Reimagined | July 13, 2021
From COVID to climate, G20 countries look to catalyze capital for urgent action
ImpactAlpha, July 13 – The global effort on COVID vaccines does not bode well for the massive mobilization needed to avert climate catastrophe. …
Clean Energy | July 8, 2021
Bridging the funding gap for climate mitigation and adaptation in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, July 8 – Record-shattering heat and extreme weather are upping the urgency for climate action. On the front lines of climate disruption …
Agrifood Tech | July 7, 2021
Amid record heat, Equilibrium Capital raises $1 billion for second greenhouse fund
ImpactAlpha, July 7, 2021 – The heat wave made the case more starkly than could any investment pitch deck. In their offices in Portland, …
Clean Energy | July 6, 2021
Long coming but slow to arrive, fusion energy approaches a milestone on path to commercial deployment
In an old brick garage on an industrial street in Cambridge. Mass., a team of physicists and engineers are getting ready this month …
Jocotenango, Guatemala | Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash
Latin America | July 1, 2021
Impact investors step up to the migration challenge in Central America
ImpactAlpha, July 1 – The confluence in Central America of extreme weather events, gang violence, corruption, and poverty – exacerbated by COVID – is …
2030 Finance | June 24, 2021
What we know about Rockefeller Foundation’s grand ambitions for distributed energy
ImpactAlpha, June 24 – The Rockefeller and IKEA Foundations this week jointly announced a commitment of $1 billion for off-grid energy development in …
Climate Finance | June 23, 2021
Engine No. 1’s VOTE ETF aims to wield shareholder power for E, S and G
ImpactAlpha, June 23 – Divest or engage? In the running debate over public-equities impact strategies, engagement is gaining ground. In the proxy season …
Clean Energy | June 16, 2021
Wanted: safe, simple, scalable investments to drive capital to climate solutions
ImpactAlpha, June 17 – Fifteen years after An Inconvenient Truth alerted audiences to the climate crisis, the world is even closer to the …
Conservation | June 8, 2021
Tallying the financial risks of biodiversity loss
ImpactAlpha, June 8 – Mandatory climate reporting is coming, as companies and governments coalesce around the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure. Just …
Photo credit: Ecobodaa
Africa | June 3, 2021
Shift to electric rickshaws and motorcycles is drawing investors to emerging markets’ e-mobility opportunity
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – The streets of Delhi, Kigali, Nairobi and other cities across the developing world are clogged with traffic, including “boda boda” …
Andy Karsner | Photo credit: The Arctic Circle/YouTube
Climate Finance | June 3, 2021
A third insurgent joins Exxon’s board
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – ExxonMobil chairman and CEO Darren Woods will face even more restive directors. The oil company said preliminary results showed Andy …
Climate Finance | May 27, 2021
Victory for insurgents stuns Exxon as shareholders vote for a low-carbon future
ImpactAlpha, May 27 – In a single day, separate developments at ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell sent an unmistakable signal to oil companies and investors: …
Exxon CEO Darren Woods | Photo credit: McDermid/Reuters/Newscom
Climate Finance | May 26, 2021
Shareholders notch historic climate wins against Big Oil
ImpactAlpha, May 26 – Big Oil is taking a big climate beating from shareholders and in the courts today. A Dutch court ordered Royal …
Climate and Clean Tech | May 26, 2021
Exxon’s shareholder drama is only beginning of the endgame for oil giant
ImpactAlpha, May 26 – It’s showtime. ExxonMobil faces restive investors today in a test for CEO Darren Woods and his strategy for the …
Soil Heroes
Regeneration | May 20, 2021
Five ways family offices can unlock capital for regenerative agriculture
The investment momentum into regenerative agriculture is undeniable. In 2018, there was $49 million of investment capital going to companies in the space. …
Clean Energy | May 19, 2021
The world’s premier energy forecaster gets real
ImpactAlpha, May 19 – Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 will take nothing short of a “transformation of how energy is produced, transported and …
Climate Finance | May 18, 2021
Shareholders flex their muscles as the drama builds toward votes at ExxonMobil
ImpactAlpha, May 18 – Slowly and then all of a sudden, shareholders have management on the run in a series of proxy votes …
Blockchain/AI/IoT | May 18, 2021
Bitcoin’s energy consumption has crypto investors seeking green alternatives
ImpactAlpha, May 18 – Elon Musk sent the cryptocurrency world reeling last week when he backpedaled on Tesla’s offer to accept Bitcoin as payment …
2030 Finance | May 6, 2021
Conservation of mangrove forests could get a boost from carbon credits
ImpactAlpha, May 6 – Farmers in Iowa and Illinois are getting $20 a ton for sequestering soil carbon. Tropical forests can collect $10 a …
Increase in global CO2 emissions
Climate Finance | April 28, 2021
That feeling when investors realize carbon is going to $100 a ton sooner than they expected
ImpactAlpha, April 28 – Carbon hasn’t attracted as much attention as GameStop or Bitcoin, but the price of a ton of CO2 topped …
Conservation | April 26, 2021
LEAF Coalition will pay for success in protecting tropical forests
ImpactAlpha, April, 26 – A global coalition of governments and corporations will pool funds to keep tropical forests intact. The Lowering Emissions by …
Image credit: Maurens, Dordogne/France
Clean Energy | April 22, 2021
2030 is the new 2050 as countries and companies compete on climate ambitions
ImpactAlpha, April 22 – Call it The Great Acceleration. Goals for cutting carbon emissions that seemed ambitious when the Paris Agreement was forged …
Photo credit: Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge
Conservation | April 22, 2021
Fifteen startups with solutions for land restoration in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, April 22 – Latin America a testing ground for innovative environmental financing and business solutions: Lending incentives supporting smallholder farmers; partnerships with Indigenous …
Clean Energy | April 19, 2021
Overheard at the Island Finance Forum: Caribbean’s inclusive recovery
ImpactAlpha, April 19 — Volcanic eruptions in the Caribbean that have caused residents of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to flee their homes …
Figs on the tree
Clean Energy | April 16, 2021
Banks up their green finance ambitions
ImpactAlpha, April 16 – JPMorgan Chase and Citi – the biggest bankrollers of fossil fuels – unveiled new trillion-plus targets for sustainable financing …
Solar panels against a blue sky with a picture of the flag of Brazil
Clean Energy | April 12, 2021
Changing the climate for climate investments in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, April 12 – Energy-transition investment surged by 24% in developed nations last year. In emerging markets strained by the COVID pandemic, it …
Climate Finance | April 1, 2021
Stewardship challenge: How to press fundamental change at ExxonMobil?
ImpactAlpha, April 1 – Some climate-focused investors say they have dumped shares of ExxonMobil as they purge fossil fuel companies from their portfolios. …
Edisun Microgrids | Photo: Business Wire
Green Infrastructure | March 31, 2021
Transformation of electricity grids shows this isn’t your grandparents’ infrastructure upgrade
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 31 – The giant infrastructure investment plan to be unveiled by U.S. President Joe Biden today is expected to include as …
Clean Energy | March 25, 2021
With climate goals looming, gap grows between fossil fuel leaders and laggards
ImpactAlpha, March 25 – European oil and gas majors are leaving their North American counterparts behind. Total, Galp Energia, Equinor, BP and Royal …
Photo credit: ACRE Africa
Africa | March 22, 2021
Alt-credit and mobile-money apps give African fintechs a closeup view of climate risks – and opportunities
ImpactAlpha, March 22 – Financial technology firms have leveraged billions of data points across mobile phones and social media to transform loan underwriting across …
Clean Energy | March 10, 2021
Six financial innovations for a sustainable recovery in Africa, Asia and Latin America
ImpactAlpha, March 10 – Voluntary and mandatory carbon markets are starting to drive sustainable investments around the world. Energy Peace Partners’ Peace Renewable …
Jigar Shah | Photo credit: Miljøstiftelsen ZERO/Flickr
Catalytic Capital | March 4, 2021
Generate’s Jigar Shah tapped to rev up the Department of Energy’s loan office
ImpactAlpha, March 4 – The lending program, mostly moribund for the past four years, “is back in business,” declared Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. …
Catalytic Capital | March 4, 2021
Greening sovereign debt to tackle converging crises
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 4 – A majority of low-income countries may need to restructure their loans or seek fresh ones in a brewing sovereign …
Conservation | March 3, 2021
Net-zero means water, too, for corporations serious about climate risk
ImpactAlpha, March 3 – Investors and customers are pushing food, apparel, energy, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and mining companies to address water security along with …
Photo credit: Kuli Kuli
Call Recording | March 1, 2021
Call No. 27: Opportunities at the intersection of gender and climate
ImpactAlpha, March 1 – Capital is flowing to climate solutions. Climate bonds have topped $1 trillion. SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies are …
Clean Energy | February 24, 2021
Postal Service misses an opportunity to modernize fleet with electric vehicles
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 24 – A contract to upgrade the U.S. postal agency’s 165,000 delivery trucks runs counter to the Biden administration’s effort to …
Clean Energy | February 18, 2021
Building a smart and resilient grid moves up the to-do list after Texas power failures
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 18 – The claim that frozen wind turbines caused Texas’ harrowing power outages turned out to be all hat, no cattle. …
Blockchain/AI/IoT | February 17, 2021
Farmers harvest ‘soil carbon’ to meet rising corporate demand for emission offsets
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 17 – Candidates in last year’s U.S. Senate race in Iowa were asked in a televised debate to cite the clearing …
WIC Capital portfolio company E-Cover, which recycles used tires
Climate Finance | February 9, 2021
Mapping the climate edge for gender investors – and vice versa
ImpactAlpha, February 9 – A women-led, women-backed investment fund in Dakar, Senegal is getting an environmental bonus from the women entrepreneurs it supports. A …
Conservation | February 4, 2021
Biodiversity is the new climate change
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 4 – Nature is an asset – and we are failing as asset managers. That was the stark message of a …
Climework's 'Orca' carbon cature plant in Iceland is expected to begin operating later this year.
Climate and Clean Tech | February 2, 2021
Microsoft emerges as a major customer for captured carbon
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 2 – The software giant paid an average of $20 per ton for up 1.3 million metric tons of carbon removal …
Clean Energy | January 28, 2021
Say it again: climate action means job creation
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 28 – President Biden marked his first week in office with 30 executive orders aimed at tackling the climate emergency. “Today …
Climate Finance | January 27, 2021
Larry Fink’s corporate net-zero mandate pushes carbon markets mainstream
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 27 – Think all those corporate 2050 net-zero pledges are nothing but hot air? The price of carbon credits in voluntary …
Conservation | January 26, 2021
Accelerating climate emergency spurs innovative financing for adaptation
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 26 – Investments aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions have long overshadowed financing for efforts to help communities adapt to climate …
Agrifood Tech | January 25, 2021
Digitization of smallholder farming draws investors to Indian agtech startups
ImpactAlpha, January 25 – Among the world’s largest producers of food, India stands out for its 130 million independent smallholder farmers who till, on …
Features | January 21, 2021
U.S. buyers test sustainability strategies at Peter Pan Seafood
New buyers aim to turn around an iconic Alaska salmon processor that was a money-loser for its former Japanese owner. Alaska-based McKinley Capital …
Climate Finance | January 21, 2021
And that was just Day One of Biden’s climate agenda
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 21 – It was the executive order heard ‘round the world. “Welcome back to the Paris Agreement!” tweeted French president Emmanuel …
Room full of flying books
Capitalism Reimagined | January 19, 2021
New books on the new rules for a new era of business
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 19 – From the COVID pandemic and climate change to the racial justice uprising and assaults on democracy, the tumultuous events …
Conservation | January 5, 2021
What if they threw an Arctic oil auction and no one came?
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 5 – The Trump administration tomorrow will unseal bids for drilling rights on more than a million acres of pristine land …
Clean Energy | January 4, 2021
The surprising climate carveouts in the U.S. spending package
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 4 – President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to ramp up the U.S. response to climate change. The massive spending and stimulus …
Climate and Clean Tech | December 17, 2020
Looking Ahead: With alarm bells ringing, investors step up for dramatic climate action in 2021 – or else
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 17 – The COVID pandemic was just a warm-up for the coming catastrophe: climate change. As wrenching as was this year’s …
2030 Finance | December 17, 2020
ZeroAvia clinches $37.7 million to speed zero-carbon air travel
ImpactAlpha, December 17 – The aviation industry has become more fuel efficient in recent years, but global demand for air travel (pre-pandemic) put …
Climate Finance | December 14, 2020
Bumper crop of green policy proposals await Biden administration
Tis the season … for climate policy frameworks. President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the Paris climate agreement on Day One and …
africa | December 14, 2020
Zola Electric scores $8 million partnership for solar mini-grids in Africa
Investment and spending on energy access in sub-Saharan Africa and other emerging markets screeched to a halt at the outset of the COVID-19 …
Clean Energy | December 3, 2020
Financing for climate action is not catching up to the climate emergency
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 3 – The pace of climate change is accelerating: new records were set in 2020 for land and sea temperatures, Arctic …
2030 Finance | November 12, 2020
Expected U.S. reset on climate action is a green light for allies and investors
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 12 – The 30th storm in a record-breaking hurricane season formed in the Caribbean. The U.S. Federal Reserve recognized climate change …
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris | Photo credit: Christos S
Climate Finance | November 11, 2020
Agents of Impact on transition tailwinds for climate action, racial justice and local economic revival
ImpactAlpha invited Agents of Impact to share their “hot takes” and post-election insights into the new operating environment.
Climate Finance | November 10, 2020
How far will the pendulum of ESG guidance swing back in a Biden administration?
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 10 – Investors poured nearly $50 billion into ESG-focused exchange-traded funds in just two days last week as the U.S. election …
2030 Finance | November 5, 2020
U.S. voters, local leaders and investors to Paris climate agreement: We’ll be back
ImpactAlpha. Nov. 5 – Voters want climate action. So do investors. Joe Biden has a $2 trillion plan to put it in motion. …
Climate Finance | November 2, 2020
Investor protests fail to stop Trump administration rule squelching ESG investing
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 2 – It’s final – at least until it’s reversed. The U.S. Department of Labor finalized an unpopular rule aimed at …
2030 Finance | November 2, 2020
Iroquois Valley Farmland Trust raises $2 million to accelerate shift to organic
ImpactAlpha, November 2 – Iroquois Valley Farmland Trust encourages farmers to shift to organic practices with access to capital, mortgages and long-term land …
Clean Energy | October 27, 2020
Economics trump politics as the smart money bets big on clean electrification
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 27 – Joe Biden need not be defensive about his accidentally honest statement at last week’s debate, “I would transition from …
Financial Inclusion | October 22, 2020
Investments in financial inclusion and agriculture deliver impact
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 22 – ImpactAlpha has covered hundreds of investments aiming to drive access to finance and more sustainable agriculture. Two reports from …
Inclusive Economy | October 22, 2020
SOCAP takes stock of impact investing in a changed world
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 22 – The different mood at this week’s impact investing gathering reflected not just the contrast between an online event and …
Africa | October 19, 2020
Call No. 24: Agents of Impact converge on financing solutions to ‘light every clinic’
The people and principles needed to solve the challenges of financing solar power for frontline health clinics were represented on ImpactAlpha’s Agents of …
2030 Finance | October 16, 2020
Let’s plot an energy scenario ambitious enough for the climate emergency
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 16 – The International Energy Agency’s annual ‘gold standard’ World Energy Outlook, used by policymakers, investors and business leaders, was published …
Clean Energy | October 15, 2020
Investors see a ‘blue wave’ of growth opportunities in sustainability and inclusion
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 15 – “Pro-business” really does have a new meaning. Just a few weeks ago, U.S. investors were said to be fretting about …
Clean Energy | October 13, 2020
Four scenarios for the energy transition in the age of COVID
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 14 – The COVID pandemic “has caused more disruption to the energy sector than any other event in recent history,” opens …
Climate Finance | October 12, 2020
Aristata Capital looks for social benefits and lawsuit payouts with impact litigation fund
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 12 – It was only a matter of time before someone put an impact spin on litigation funds, which in recent …
Climate Finance | October 7, 2020
Helping companies make good on their commitments to stakeholders
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 7 – When 181 members of the Business Roundtable signed on to a new statement of corporate purpose a year ago, …
2030 Finance | October 7, 2020
JPMorgan Chase will align financing strategy with Paris Agreement
ImpactAlpha. Oct. 7 – The world’s largest fossil fuel funder said it would reduce financed emissions in line with Paris goals, promising more …
2030 Finance | October 6, 2020
Will the public bear the cost of the oil industry’s unfunded liabilities?
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 6 – ExxonMobil was eclipsed last week by solar and wind producer NextEra Energy, which briefly became the largest US energy …
Climate Finance | October 1, 2020
Biodiversity summit aims to increase urgency and financing to avert ecosystem collapse
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 1 – If you think things already are bad, consider that we’re also hurtling towards what scientists are calling Earth’s sixth …
Clean Energy | September 29, 2020
Eight climate finance innovations that can help accelerate a green recovery
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 29 – Innovation in climate finance is critical; with a global COVID pandemic raging, it’s doubly so. Eight new financial solutions …
Clean Energy | September 28, 2020
New fund aims to bridge the ‘city climate finance gap’
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 28 – Cities account for 70% of global CO2 emissions, a figure that is expected to rise steeply as another 2.5 billion …
Clean Energy | September 23, 2020
The new North Star for corporate sustainability: Net zero
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 23 – The race is on to get to zero emissions. Joining the list of corporations pledging to reach net-zero emissions …
2030 Finance | September 22, 2020
Leaders and laggards among asset managers on climate stewardship
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 22 – Among the world’s dozen largest asset managers, Legal & General and PIMCO were the toughest on corporate management when …
2030 Finance | September 15, 2020
BP’s new business-as-usual: falling fossil fuel demand
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 15 – How will the energy transition play out? Faster than previously thought. That’s the message from BP, which released its …
Clean Energy | September 14, 2020
Climate Week preview: Fusing climate action and the SDGs to the COVID recovery
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 14 – Wildfires raging across the U.S. west coast. Intentional burning ravaging tropical rainforests. Flooding in Bangladesh, India and West Africa. …
Clean Energy | September 10, 2020
U.S. regulator urges a price on carbon to stem climate risks
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 10 – As wildfires tinged California skies an eerie orange, a key government regulator warned that climate change poses serious risks …
Capitalism Reimagined | September 9, 2020
Another rule from the Department of Labor, another attack on ESG investing
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 8 – The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking to sharply curtail the ability of private sector retirement funds to engage …
Africa | September 8, 2020
Smart subsidies for Africa’s high risk, low return smallholder finance market
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 8 – In well-functioning capital markets, expected returns on investment match the risk. In the fragmented agricultural markets of sub-Saharan Africa, risk …
2030 Finance | September 4, 2020
Big Oil is betting its future on plastics. Oops.
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 4 – After years of overbuilding under a ‘business as usual’ growth scenario, a sudden collapse in demand and prices for …
Beats | September 3, 2020
Fires worldwide renew attention on the brands and banks driving deforestation
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 3 – Lightning strikes sparked the wildfires scorching climate-parched California. But intentional deforestation is the cause of the even larger blazes …
2030 Finance | September 1, 2020
Angel network of Halcyon incubator backs edtech and solar startups
ImpactAlpha, September 1 – D.C.-based nonprofit Halcyon recently launched an angel network for residents of the D.C. metro area to invest in impact …
Impact Tech | August 27, 2020
Eight predictions for the future of Indian agriculture
ImpactAlpha, August 27 – By 2030, India will be home to more than 1.4 billion people who will collectively spend $1.6 trillion annually …
Climate Finance | August 26, 2020
Water deals flow amid droughts and storms
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 26 – Wildfires across California and twin storms headed for the Gulf Coast provide a harrowing backdrop for this year’s World …
Mariamu Mfuse is a 33 year old woman and a smallholder farmer from Mlevela village in Njombe. She is a mother of four children and depends on farming for her income. In the past Mariamu was planting both hybrid seed and local seed by mixing. But in 2016 she bought 10 kilograms of seed from One Acre Fund and planted on a one acre of land. In the past Mariamu harvested maize that could be enough for food but she never sold maize. She used to harvest 6 to 8 bags in her one acre. But now she can harvest up to 12 bags in the same field.
Catalytic Capital | August 20, 2020
One Acre Fund secures $20 million to catalyze institutional capital for African farmers
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 20 – Conventional investors see uncompensated risk. Investors of ‘catalytic capital’ see an opportunity for outsized impact. One Acre Fund has …
Catalytic Capital | August 12, 2020
More than two dozen funds investing in tropical forests and communities
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 12 – More than two-dozen investment funds are making investments in tropical forests and communities. The funds have at least $2.6 …
Climate Finance | July 29, 2020
Active fund managers fret as investors pour money into “passive” ESG funds
ImpactAlpha, July 29 – Net inflows to low-cost, passively managed environmental, social, and governance funds totaled $12.7 billion in 2019, compared to $8.7 billion …
Clean Energy | July 21, 2020
Grassroots platforms are not waiting for Washington to invest in a green new deal
ImpactAlpha, July 21 – Stimulus measures pushed by Joe Biden and other Democrats could channel billions or even trillions into clean energy, green …
Climate Finance | July 15, 2020
With all eyes on BlackRock, asset manager’s ‘stewardship’ falls short on climate action
ImpactAlpha, July 15 – Our house is on fire. Let’s keep an eye on it. That was the takeaway from BlackRock’s disclosure of …
Clean Energy | July 8, 2020
Generation Investment Management: COVID-19 creates a generational opportunity for sustainability
ImpactAlpha, July 8 – How and where we live. How we work. What we want – and need – to consume. The global pandemic has …
Wikimedia
2030 Finance | July 7, 2020
New poster child for stranded assets: Dakota Access Pipeline
ImpactAlpha, July 7 – A federal judge ordered a shutdown within 30 days of the Dakota Access Pipeline on Monday, citing an Army …
Clean Energy | July 2, 2020
Key to 10x’ing the capture of carbon? Put a price on it.
ImpactAlpha, July 3 – Technology to capture, store and use carbon dioxide could take 500 million tons of the greenhouse gas per year …
Impact Voices
Capitalism Reimagined | July 26, 2021
The case for a ‘Volcker Shock’ for climate
Contemporary efforts to grapple with the climate crisis almost all come with mid-twentieth century branding: a ‘Green New Deal,’ a ‘climate moonshot,’ a …
10kw wind turbine at Argonne National Laboratory | Photo credit: Science in HD on Unsplash
Catalytic Capital | June 7, 2021
Yes, impact-first catalytic capital is still needed for early-stage climate solutions
Climate technologies have become better and more affordable. Renewable energy can compete on cost with power from coal and natural-gas plants. The improving …
Image credit: FloodMapp
Climate and Clean Tech | June 3, 2021
For climate adaptation solutions, think smaller, local and experimental
This summer, drivers in Virginia’s coastal communities will have a new way to avoid hazardous flood zones generated by climate change. It’s not …
Santiago, Chile
2030 Finance | June 3, 2021
E-buses are accelerating e-mobility in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – Fleets of zero-emission electric buses operating in Latin America were once a distant dream, especially for city dwellers commuting to …
Conservation | April 28, 2021
Who’s going to pay? Due diligence in conservation finance starts with the offtake agreement
Venture capitalists in many sectors have developed robust due-diligence practices. The conservation finance community and its catalytic investors are still learning what works. …
Climate Finance | March 24, 2021
Despite climate pledges, Goldman Sachs continues fracking finance
Photo by Sobrevolando Patagonia
Photo credit: Farmcrowdy
Africa | March 24, 2021
African agtech is boosting yields, protecting resources and raising incomes
ImpactAlpha, March 24 – Field drones. Harvesting robots. Big Data-driven farm insights. Innovative technological applications in agriculture can have a profound impact on farmers’ …
Climate and Clean Tech | January 26, 2021
Obvious’ Andrew Beebe: We have entered the climate decade
As we finally put 2020 into hindsight, the road ahead is uncertain. On the one hand, stock markets continue to thrive, and the …
Impact Voices | January 26, 2021
Retool finance to rebuild soil health
Regenerative agriculture may be in vogue, but in many ways, it’s as old as agriculture itself, as practiced by our ancestors and to …
Climate Finance | January 13, 2021
What the U.S. return to the Paris Agreement means for investors
After years of signaling its intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement to fight climate change, the United States made the decision official …
Africa | December 21, 2020
Financing for climate adaptation can drive Africa’s economic development and climate goals
Power is critical to Africa’s development. At least 600 million people across the continent that don’t have access to affordable and reliable power. …
Africa | November 23, 2020
An ‘impact-first’ approach to investing for climate justice in rural communities
If you are an investor interested in learning more about how to invest in climate justice solutions, join us on December 3rd for …
2030 Finance | July 28, 2020
The world is arriving at where climate investors have long been
ImpactAlpha, July 28 – Much has been written about the link between Covid and the environment, and how Covid will prompt a new …
Catalytic Capital | June 25, 2020
Building a better post-COVID food system with investments in small businesses in developing economies
COVID-19 is – and will continue to have – a huge impact on global food and nutrition security. On the supply side, restrictions …
Asia | May 6, 2020
Helping circular economy startups in emerging markets scale their impact
The COVID-19 crisis has put into stark contrast the need for increased investment in solutions like better resilience, local job creation, affordable healthcare, …
2030 Finance | April 16, 2020
Make new mistakes: Learning from the history of climate change to tackle the COVID challenge
The global experience – and response – to COVID19 is the latest example of history repeating itself. Very rarely have we experienced events …
2030 Finance | March 2, 2020
Catalyzing capital to develop carbontech for gigaton-scale CO2 removal
The pace of international carbon dioxide emissions reduction is insufficient to limit global average temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. Even with rapid …
2030 Finance | February 18, 2020
Listen to customers, not hypesters, about the impact of energy access
Few would dispute that for many of the 840 million people without access to electricity globally, off-grid solutions will be essential to improving …
Africa | January 23, 2020
Blending philanthropic, public and private capital to finance climate infrastructure in emerging economies
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 23 – The Climate Finance Partnership, announced this week at the World Economic Forum, showcases the catalytic power of philanthropic and public …
Beats | November 19, 2019
“Sandboxes for nature” could speed up environmental innovation
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 19 – Regulatory sandboxes are relatively new tools that provide a special exemption from standard regulation—usually in the fintech and energy …
Catalytic Capital | October 30, 2019
Getting smart about subsidies to bridge the agricultural financing gap
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 30 – The latest data suggests that financial service providers are supplying about $70 billion to rural agricultural households around the …
2030 Finance | October 15, 2019
Climate-smart private equity investors take leadership in Africa
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 15 – Climate change poses an existential threat to our societies. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Africa – the …
Agrifood Tech | October 10, 2019
Investing with a ‘nutrition lens’ to drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 10 – Poor nutrition is an untrenched global challenge that impacts many of the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Solving it …
2030 Finance | September 16, 2019
Investments in sustainable aquaculture point to a greener ‘blue economy’
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 16 – Aquaculture has emerged as a vital alternative to wild-caught fish, a major source of the world’s protein, as ocean …
Catalytic Capital | April 10, 2019
Key ingredient in the blended-finance blend: revenues
ImpactAlpha, April 10 – As the term “blended finance” increasingly becomes part of the global development vernacular, the phrase is popping up in …
Catalytic Capital | January 14, 2019
How Ceniarth is seeking higher impact on rural livelihoods – while preserving its own capital
ImpactAlpha, January 14 – Last summer, Diane Isenberg, founder of our family office Ceniarth, went public in ImpactAlpha with our firm’s pledge to …
Catalytic Capital | December 6, 2018
Changing climate means growing demand for ‘adaptation finance’
A mismatch between the growing climate crises and underinvestment in mitigation solutions such as renewable energy means more investment will be needed to …
2030 Finance | August 29, 2018
Foundations collaborate on catalytic financing to accelerate climate action
Climate change entrepreneurs and fund managers are developing innovative solutions to worldwide challenges. But too often, promising efforts languish on the drawing board …
Impact Tech | June 19, 2018
Technology ventures aim to tackle challenges of the world’s small farmers, too
Farmers have not been passively watching the technology revolution for the last 20 years. Yet most technical advances have targeted commercial farmers in …
Photo credit: Johnny Brown
2030 Finance | April 4, 2018
How investors can get the most climate-change impact for their bucks
By Scott P. Burger, Alicia Seiger, and Sarah Kearney ImpactAlpha, Apr. 4, 2018 –– By 2050, experts say, the world economy needs to …
2030 Finance | March 23, 2018
As shareholders get active on climate, the SEC lets companies duck votes
Many impact investors posit that holding positions in public companies leads to positive impact because of the ability to pressure management through shareholder …
Dealflow
Photo credit: NAACP.
Climate and Clean Tech | July 29, 2021
Elevate Future Fund raises more than $60 million for diverse founders of climate startups
ImpactAlpha, July 29 — New York-based Energy Impact Partners is supplementing its strategy of enlisting corporate partners to invest in energy-transition technologies. The …
Dealflow | July 28, 2021
India’s Samunnati to list green bond to back climate-resilient farming
ImpactAlpha, July 28 – Chennai-based Samunnati is a rare source of financing for India’s 130 million smallholder farmers, coupling capital with agricultural support …
Hank Paulson (TPG Rise Fund) and Mark Carney (Brookfield) | Photo credits: Getty / EPA
Climate and Clean Tech | July 27, 2021
TPG Rise ($5.4 billion) and Brookfield ($7 billion) raise the stakes for climate funds
ImpactAlpha, July 27 – The funds from TPG Rise and Brookfield represent a step-change for climate funds in both size and scale of institutional …
Photo credit: Rivian.
2030 Finance | July 27, 2021
Rivian rakes in $2.5 billion to commercialize electric pickups and SUVs
ImpactAlpha, July 27 — The Irvine, Calif.-based company plans to deliver its electric pickup trucks and SUVs to customers this fall and is …
Photo credit: National Geographic Society.
2030 Finance | July 27, 2021
Hartree Partners and Wildlife Works tap voluntary carbon markets to finance forest protection
ImpactAlpha, July 27 — The partnership is an example of how rising prices for carbon credits are making more conservation initiatives investable (see, …
Photo credit: PowerGen
Africa | July 26, 2021
CrossBoundary backs PowerGen to develop mini-grids in Nigeria
ImpactAlpha, July 26 – Nairobi-based PowerGen has developed three megawatts of small-scale distributed energy projects serving 20,000 people in Africa. The investment from …
Photo credit: Sol Systems.
Clean Energy | July 26, 2021
KKR acquires minority stake in Sol Systems’ community renewable energy platform
ImpactAlpha, July 26 — Washington, D.C.-based Sol Systems has financed or developed more than one gigawatt of community solar projects valued at more …
Photo credit: NEEF.
Climate Finance | July 26, 2021
World Bank catastrophe bond for Jamaica to cover up to $185 million in disaster relief
ImpactAlpha, July 26 — The bond will allow the government of Jamaica to quickly secure capital for recovery and to respond more rapidly …
Photo credit: LookUpStrata.
Clean Energy | July 22, 2021
Aflac and Denham Capital form $2.1 billion sustainable infrastructure partnership
ImpactAlpha, July 22 —Boston-based Denham has built a 15-year track record investing in global renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure. The partnership with Aflac …
Photo credit: Camus Energy.
Clean Energy | July 21, 2021
Camus Energy secures $16 million to help utilities manage low-carbon electric grids
ImpactAlpha, July 21 — The San Francisco startup, launched by ex-Google engineers, uses AI- and machine learning to help local utilities and energy …
Conservation | July 20, 2021
New Forests expands sustainable forestry portfolio in California and Oregon
ImpactAlpha, July 20 – Australia-based New Forests acquires and manages forestlands for both sustainable timber production and conservation (see, “Taking an ‘impact tranche,’ …
Clean Energy | July 19, 2021
Generate raises $2 billion amid sustainable infrastructure push
ImpactAlpha, July 19 – Project finance is in hot demand as corporations, governments and other organizations scramble to green their operations. That’s fueling …
Photo credit: Pivot Bio.
Agrifood Tech | July 19, 2021
Pivot Bio rakes in $430 million to replace synthetic nitrogen in agriculture
ImpactAlpha, July 19 — Berkeley, Calif.-based biotech company Pivot Bio wants to make corn, wheat and rice – the world’s three biggest cereal …
Photo credit: Heart Aerospace
Clean Energy | July 15, 2021
Heart Aerospace gets backing for zero-carbon planes from United and Mesa airlines
ImpactAlpha, July 15 – Mainstream air carriers are getting on board latest hot topic in the decarbonization race: electric airplanes (see, “Zero-carbon air …
Photo credit: Mazars.
Climate Finance | July 14, 2021
Ecosystem Integrity Fund closes $250 million sustainability tech fund
ImpactAlpha, July 14 — The San Francisco-based firm raised $100 million for its third fund in 2019 to invest in early- and growth-stage …
Image credit: Verkor
Clean Energy | July 13, 2021
Race for better lithium batteries accelerates with two big raises
ImpactAlpha, July 13 – Batteries are big as startups and investors bet on the low-carbon energy transition. SES, based near Boston, scored $100 …
Photo credit: Millionacres.
Climate Finance | July 13, 2021
Wood building fund aims to cut construction carbon in Europe
ImpactAlpha, July 13 — Construction of buildings was responsible for 38% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. Real estate developers in Europe …
Active Impact's team | Photo credit: Yahoo Finance.
Climate and Clean Tech | July 8, 2021
Active Impact Investments closes $54 million fund for early-stage climate tech investments
ImpactAlpha, July 8 — The spike in climate financing has yet to reach early-stage startups. “Early-stage companies can’t mature without funding,” Active Impact’s Mike …
Photo credit: Industria Italiana.
Conservation | July 7, 2021
Apollo takes controlling stake of Italian eco-packaging producer Reno De Medici
ImpactAlpha, July 7 – Apollo Global Management last year brought on impact investing veteran Lisa Hall to help drive impact investing deeper into the …
Climate and Clean Tech | July 1, 2021
Turntide secures $225 million to make electrical motors more efficient
ImpactAlpha, July 1 – Turntide Technologies makes energy-efficient “smart” motors for transportation, agriculture, commercial buildings and shipping. The goal: accelerating the low-carbon transition by …
Photo credit: Aquagenuity
Dealflow | June 30, 2021
Aquagenuity closes $1.7 million seed round to prevent water-related crises
ImpactAlpha, June 30 – The Flint water crisis was a wakeup call that safe drinking water is not a given, especially in underserved …
Cusco, Peru
Conservation | June 29, 2021
Land Accelerator gets a worm’s eye view of Peru’s conservation entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, June 29 — Blockchain forestry. Water “planting.” New superfoods. Twenty-five entrepreneurs participated in World Resources Institute’s second country-specific Land Accelerator program, called …
The waterfront in downtown Buffalo New York. Photo credit: Xylem.
Community Finance | June 24, 2021
Buffalo Sewer Authority issues a $54 million environmental impact bond for stormwater management
ImpactAlpha, June 24 — Environmental impact bonds, or EIBs, reward investors for backing projects that achieve positive environmental outcomes. Baltimore, Atlanta and Hampton, …
Photo credit: AMEA Power.
Africa | June 24, 2021
Abu Dhabi investor develops 50-megawatt solar power plant in Togo
ImpactAlpha, June 24 — Dubai-based AMEA Power, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi conglomerate AlNowais Investments, specializes in the acquisition, development and management of …
Climate and Clean Tech | June 24, 2021
Circulate Capital closes first $14 million for new waste reduction fund
ImpactAlpha, June 24 – Singapore-based Circulate Capital has been investing in recycling and waste reduction efforts to keep plastic out of oceans and …
Photo credit: Douglas fir forest.
Conservation | June 23, 2021
J.P. Morgan Asset Management acquires Campbell Global to secure forest-carbon credits
ImpactAlpha, June 23 — J.P. Morgan Asset Management has acquired Portland, Oregon-based Campbell Global. The acquisition gives the bank exposure to the growing …
Photo credit: BOB.
aquaculture | June 22, 2021
S2G Ventures backs five blue economy startups
ImpactAlpha, June 22 — SG2 Ventures last year raised $100 million for its Ocean and Seafood fund to invest in early- and growth-stage …
Africa | June 21, 2021
Berkeley Energy raises €130 million for second Africa Renewable Energy Fund
ImpactAlpha, June 21 – Berkeley Energy is looking to build hydro, wind and solar projects, as well as battery storage facilities, to meet Africa’s …
Photo credit: Transcendent.ai.
Clean Energy | June 17, 2021
Rise Fund’s Matrix Renewables acquires solar portfolios in Spain and Portugal
ImpactAlpha, June 17 — Madrid-based global renewable energy investor Matrix Renewables is acquiring a 300-megawatt solar energy portfolio from Spain’s Alten Renewable Energy. …
Photo credit: EcoATM.
Asia | June 17, 2021
EcoATM Gazelle secures $75 million for e-waste recycling
ImpactAlpha, June 17 — A record 53.6 million metric tons of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2019. San Diego-based EcoATM is building …
Photo credit: Proterra.
Clean Energy | June 16, 2021
G2 Venture Partners raises $500 million for second sustainability fund
ImpactAlpha, June 16 — G2 Venture Partners spun out of Kleiner Perkins in 2017 to invest in the modernization and greening of transportation, …
Photo credit: SupPlant.
Africa | June 15, 2021
SupPlant raises $10 million for affordable irrigation for smallholder farmers
ImpactAlpha, June 15 — SupPlant‘s sensorless hardware collects real-time data on plants, soil and the climate conditions to help farmers make precise irrigation …
Photo credit: Volkswagen.
Clean Energy | June 10, 2021
Battery manufacturer Northvolt raises $2.8 billion to expand gigafactory in Sweden
ImpactAlpha, June 10 — Stockholm-based Northvolt has raised $2.7 billion to expand a gigafactory from 40 to 60 gigawatt-hours of annual capacity to …
Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash.
Climate and Clean Tech | June 3, 2021
The Rise Fund puts $100 million into Climavision to improve weather forecasting
ImpactAlpha, June 3 — Louisville, Kentucky-based radar and satellite startup Climavision helps agriculture, government, insurance, renewable energy and transportation customers make more accurate …
Africa | June 2, 2021
ADAP Capital backs FarmMoja to train Kenyan farmers
ImpactAlpha, June 2 – Kericho-based FarmMoja operates in Kenya’s tea region, offering hundreds of smallholder farmers access to farming inputs and technical training, particularly …
Photo credit: Financial Access.
Africa | June 2, 2021
IDH Farmfit Fund acquires stake in LendXS to expand lending to smallholder farmers
ImpactAlpha, June 2 — Approximately 270 million smallholder farmers worldwide live in poverty; few banks are willing to extend them credit due to …
Clean Energy | May 27, 2021
Blackstone’s ClearGen commits $500 million to build minigrids for commercial users
ImpactAlpha, May 27 – Many building owners and operators want to take control of their energy supply, but on-site microgrids require significant capital outlays. …
Photo credit: Gridware
Climate and Clean Tech | May 26, 2021
Gridware aims to monitor the power grid to prevent power failures and wildfires
ImpactAlpha, May 26 — More than 4 million acres burned during California’s wildfire season last year, which included the first ‘gigafire’ of more …
Photo credit: 60Hertz Energy.
Clean Energy | May 25, 2021
60Hertz Energy secures $1.3 million for microgrid management
ImpactAlpha, May 25 — Anchorage, Alaska-based 60Hertz Energy helps energy providers manage more than $140 million in remote microgrid assets in seven countries. …
Photo credit: EMILY SIDES/INSIDENOVA
Climate Finance | May 24, 2021
Micron’s lenders reward environmental performance with $3.7 billion in sustainability-linked loans
ImpactAlpha, May 24 — Boise, Idaho-based Micron Technology has closed $3.7 billion in sustainability-linked loans. The computer memory and storage maker will get …
Photo credit: Moxion Power.
Clean Energy | May 20, 2021
Energy Impact Partners backs Moxion Power and Zap Energy
ImpactAlpha, May 20 — New York-based Energy Impact Partners counts Microsoft and electric utilities as strategic partners. Richmond, Virginia-based Moxion has raised $10 …
Photo credit: Ebrahim Noroozi / AP
Climate Finance | May 20, 2021
Altum Capital expands climate finance in Mexico with $50 million from IFC
ImpactAlpha, May 20 – The International Finance Corp. estimates that $791 billion in climate and clean energy investments are needed in Mexico by …
Photo credit: BETA.
Clean Energy | May 19, 2021
Zero-carbon air travel takes flight with a wave of new investments
ImpactAlpha, May 19 — As air travel rebounds, so too does the airline industry’s massive carbon footprint. Aviation was responsible for 915 million …
Photo credit: TWAICE.
Clean Energy | May 19, 2021
Germany’s TWAICE raises $26 million to optimize lithium-ion batteries
ImpactAlpha, May 19 — Munich-based TWAICE helps automobile and energy companies fine-tune battery performance. The software company has raised $26 million in a …
Climate and Clean Tech | May 18, 2021
Cortex Intel raises $6 million to decarbonize commercial buildings
ImpactAlpha, May 18 – New York-based Cortex Intel’s machine learning technology helps commercial building engineers run equipment more efficiently. Currently, buildings with more …
Climate and Clean Tech | May 13, 2021
Orion Energy Partners’ $1.1 billion fund taps investor appetite for energy transition
ImpactAlpha, May 13 – Orion’s Energy Credit Opportunities Fund III is the latest entrant into an increasingly crowded market for funds looking to …
Photo credit: Techcouver.
Climate and Clean Tech | May 10, 2021
Mitsubishi and South Pole partner to finance carbon-removal tech
ImpactAlpha, May 10 — Carbon removal technology that captures CO2 from the air, coupled with permanent storage, will be key to decarbonization efforts, …
Photo credit: Einride.
Clean Energy | May 10, 2021
Einride secures $110 million to expand electric freight transit in the U.S. and Europe
ImpactAlpha, May 10 — Einride integrates electric and autonomous vehicles to move commercial products. The Swedish company’s Einride Pod is a fully-electric driverless …
Climate and Clean Tech | May 5, 2021
EnCap Investments raises $1.2 billion energy transition fund
ImpactAlpha, May 5 – Houston-based oil and gas private equity firm EnCap Investments has raised 22 institutional investment funds totaling roughly $38 billion …
Photo credit: Solidia Technologies.
Clean Energy | May 4, 2021
Breakthrough Energy Ventures backs three climate-tech startups
ImpactAlpha, May 4 — Breakthrough Energy Ventures collected another $1 billion at the start of this year to invest in up to 50 …
Photo credit: Solid Power
Clean Energy | May 4, 2021
Solid Power secures $130 million to scale EV battery production
ImpactAlpha, May 4 — Louisville, Colorado-based Solid Power develops solid-state batteries for electric vehicles that it says are cheaper, more efficient and safer …
2030 Finance | April 29, 2021
Paris-based Tikehau Capital launches private equity decarbonization fund for North America
ImpactAlpha, April 29 – Tikehau Capital has raised $300 million for its first North America-focused fund to invest in businesses supporting the transition to …
Photo credit: PosiGen
Clean Energy | April 29, 2021
PosiGen scores $27 million to bring low-cost solar energy to American households
ImpactAlpha, April 29 — New Orleans-based PosiGen is aiming to make solar energy accessible through low-cost rooftop solar panel leasing and energy efficiency …
Africa | April 28, 2021
Off-Grid Market Development Fund offers results-based financing for solar access in Madagascar
Off-Grid Market Development Fund is providing subsidies to a dozen companies to deliver solar power in Madagascar. Only 14% of Madagascar’s 25.7 million …
Clean Energy | April 27, 2021
Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs to seed clean energy investments in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, April 27 – An “innovation fund,” backed by both Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, will help emerging-market project developers identify financing “from …
Clean Energy | April 27, 2021
Shared solar generates savings and jobs for New York City Housing Authority residents
ImpactAlpha, April 27 — Sunwealth Power, a Cambridge, Mass.-based impact investor that finances small-scale solar projects, is helping develop a 1.8-megawatt solar array …
Agrifood Tech | April 26, 2021
Congruent Ventures raises $175 million for early-stage climate tech
ImpactAlpha, April 26 – Trillion-dollar green infrastructure plans and corporate net-zero pledges? “Fuel on the fire or, these days, electrons in the battery,” …
Photo credit: Universal Hydrogen
2030 Finance | April 26, 2021
Universal Hydrogen scores $20.5 million to green commercial aircraft
ImpactAlpha, April 26 – Universal Hydrogen is developing hydrogen-based powertrains to retrofit commercial aircraft. “Hydrogen is today the only viable fuel for getting …
Photo credit: Carbo Culture
Climate and Clean Tech | April 19, 2021
Carbo Culture raises $6.2 million to lock up carbon in biochar
ImpactAlpha, April 19 – Helsinki-based Carbo Culture converts wood chips and other biomass into stable biocarbon that the company says can lock carbon away …
Photo credit: Tom Whitfield
Clean Energy | April 14, 2021
Cascade of climate-tech funds take aim at $10 trillion energy transition opportunity
ImpactAlpha. April 14 – Sign of the times: A clean energy venture firm launching in the heart of Texas’ oil patch. Houston-based Energy …
Clean Energy | April 13, 2021
Singapore’s Temasek and BlackRock team up as Decarbonization Partners
ImpactAlpha, April 13 – The two powerhouse asset managers are teaming up to invest in late-stage venture capital and early growth-stage private equity …
Clean Energy | April 9, 2021
BlackRock Real Assets closes $4.8 billion green energy fund
ImpactAlpha, April 9 – With backing from 100 global institutional investors, Global Renewable Power Fund III will take advantage of what BlackRock sees …
PC: SciTechDaily.
Clean Energy | April 8, 2021
Two battery tech startups secure seed funding from Clean Energy Ventures
ImpactAlpha, April 8 — Boston-based Clean Energy Ventures invests in clean energy technologies that can eventually displace 100 million tons of CO2 emissions …
Pierre Etienne Franc. PC: FCH.
Clean Energy | April 6, 2021
FiveT’s Hydrogen Fund rakes in €260 million to finance green hydrogen infrastructure projects
ImpactAlpha, April 6 — Green hydrogen, produced with renewable energy through a chemical process called electrolysis, could provide a source of clean fuel …
Clean Energy | April 5, 2021
ZeroAvia aims to decarbonize air travel with hydrogen-powered engines
ImpactAlpha, April 5 — Before the COVID-related declines in air travel, aviation was on pace to be one of the biggest remaining carbon …
Africa | April 1, 2021
Root Capital secures $35 million from DFC to expand lending to rural agribusinesses
ImpactAlpha, April 1 — The U.S. International Development Corporation, formerly known as OPIC, is investing $35 million in the Cambridge, Mass.-based social lender …
ChargerHelp's Evette Ellis and Kameale Terry | Photo: ChargerHelp
Clean Energy | March 31, 2021
ChargerHelp raises $2.8 million to repair EV chargers with good green jobs
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 31 – The U.S. will need to add roughly 20 million electric-vehicle charging stations by 2030, per McKinsey. The South Central L.A.-based …
Clean Energy | March 31, 2021
FTC Solar files for an initial public offering
ImpactAlpha, March 31 — The global solar energy market is expected to reach $223.3 billion by 2026, up from $52.5 billion in 2018. …
Agrifood Tech | March 24, 2021
The Nature Conservancy is building a portfolio of agtech ventures to improve soil health
ImpactAlpha, March 24 — The Nature Conservancy has formed a partnership with iSelect Fund, an impact venture firm that invests mainly in agriculture …
Agrifood Tech | March 23, 2021
OurCrowd secures $50 million to invest in water and agtech ventures
ImpactAlpha, March 23 — Waterfund, a global water investment firm, is backing Israel-based venture investing platform OurCrowd. The company launched its first impact …
Clean Energy | March 22, 2021
Adani Green Energy secures $1.4 billion loan for renewable portfolio in India
ImpactAlpha, March 22 — Adani Green Energy Limited, the renewable asset management arm of India’s Adani Group, has scored a $1.4 billion loan …
Climate Finance | March 22, 2021
J.P. Morgan Private Bank closes $150 million Global Impact Fund
ImpactAlpha, March 22 — J.P. Morgan’s Global Impact Fund aims to build a diversified portfolio of impact investment funds focused on financial inclusion, …
Photo credit: Pixxel
Agrifood Tech | March 18, 2021
Pixxel raises $7.3 million to launch satellites for agri-analytics
ImpactAlpha, March 18 – Bangalore-based Pixxel is launching its own hyperspectral satellites to improve analysis of ground-level crop and water information for the agriculture …
Clean Energy | March 17, 2021
3X5 Partners closes $100 million to invest in global health and climate action
ImpactAlpha, March 17 — 3×5 Partners says its mission is to “invest in what the world needs.” It raised $100 million for 3×5 …
Clean Energy | March 16, 2021
Dutch solar electric car startup Lightyear raises $48 million
ImpactAlpha, March 16 — Lightyear is going to market with Lightyear One, a self-charging electric vehicle with built-in solar cells that was featured …
Canada | March 9, 2021
Canada’s Raven Indigenous Capital raises $25 million to bridge gaps for Indigenous founders
ImpactAlpha, March 9 — The more than 56,000 Indigenous-owned businesses in Canada contribute over $30 billion annually to the country’s GDP. More than …
Photo credit: SunFunder
Africa | March 8, 2021
SunFunder reaches $70 million close for Solar Energy Transformation Fund
ImpactAlpha, March 8 – SunFunder’s Solar Energy Transformation Fund backs solar companies improving energy access across Africa and Asia. The off-grid solar finance company’s …
Chevron Thailand Offshore oil and gas production platform. Photo credit: Kullit Kuekkong
Climate and Clean Tech | March 2, 2021
Chevron’s venture arm stands up $300 million low-carbon tech fund
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 2 – Chevron’s venture arm has launched a $300 million low-carbon tech fund. Future Energy Fund II is the oil and gas …
Agrifood Tech | March 1, 2021
Mosa Meat closes $85 million Series B funding to scale lab-grown beef production
ImpactAlpha, March 1 — Netherlands-based alternative protein company Mosa Meat uses cow cells — without having to slaughter them — to naturally grow …
Catalytic Capital | March 1, 2021
Joint SDG Fund allocates $41 million to catalyze strategic financing for the SDGs
ImpactAlpha, March 1 — The United Nations’ Joint SDG Fund is aiming to bring together Wall Street and the growing focus on ESG, …
2030 Finance | February 24, 2021
Ikea-backed foundation invests in fossil fuel-free equities and green steel
ImpactAlpha, February 24 – The IMAS Foundation, launched by Ikea’s founder, is committing €250 million to a fossil fuel-free public equities fund developed by …
Clean Energy | February 23, 2021
Brooklyn’s BlocPower raises $63 million to green U.S. buildings
ImpactAlpha, February 23 — BlocPower works with utility companies, government agencies and property owners to retrofit city buildings in underserved communities and finance …
Dairy waste digester | Photo: Equilibrium Capital
Climate and Clean Tech | February 22, 2021
Resilient Infrastructure Group acquires renewable natural gas facility from Equilibrium Capital
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 22 – The Boardman, Ore., dairy manure-to-renewable natural gas facility was developed as a partnership between Portland-based Equilibrium and Threemile Canyon Farms. The …
Clean Energy | February 22, 2021
Vestas Ventures backs Modvion to create wooden wind turbines
ImpactAlpha, February 22 — Vestas, a Danish manufacturer, seller and installer of wind turbines, recently launched a corporate venture capital arm to invest …
Photo credit: Rheaply
Climate and Clean Tech | February 17, 2021
Rheaply scores $8 million to help companies recycle and reduce waste
ImpactAlpha, February 17 — Chicago-based Rheaply helps organizations track and recycle unused items to reduce their carbon footprints. The company has raised $8 …
Mark Carney and Jeffrey Ubben
Clean Energy | February 16, 2021
Mark Carney and Jeffrey Ubben take aim at net-zero opportunities with multi-billion dollar fund raises
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 16 – Two blockbuster funds are targeting the “greatest commercial opportunity of our age,” as Mark Carney, former Bank of England …
Photo credit: Hyzon Motors
Clean Energy | February 10, 2021
Clean transport venture Hyzon Motors to IPO via SPAC
ImpactAlpha, February 10 – Hyzon, which makes commercial vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells, is planning to merge with Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corp., a special …
Africa | February 10, 2021
Africa’s Great Green Wall to combat desertification secures $16.8 billion in international finance
ImpactAlpha, February 10 — The Great Green Wall initiative, launched in 2007 by the African Union, aims to restore degraded land, boost food …
Photo credit: TenderCuts
Dealflow | February 9, 2021
TenderCuts raises $15 million to source and distribute quality meat and fish in India
ImpactAlpha, February 9 — Chennai-based TenderCuts aims to provide high quality meat and fish to customers in India. The company has raised $15 …
Clean Energy | February 8, 2021
SJF Ventures closes $175 million fifth fund to ride COVID acceleration
ImpactAlpha, February 8 — SJF Ventures has closed its fifth fund at $175 million. The Durham, N.C.-based impact investing firm is looking to …
Photo: BusinessWire
Climate Finance | February 4, 2021
Canada’s Svante raises $75 million to capture carbon at scale
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 4 – The Vancouver-based developer of point-source carbon capture technologies will work to address emissions from cement manufacturing, blue hydrogen production …
Indonesian peatlands | Photo credit: UNOPS
Conservation | February 4, 2021
AXA invests $11 million in Forest Carbon to restore wetlands in Indonesia
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 4 – French investment manager AXA invested debt and equity from The AXA IM Impact Fund: Climate and Biodiversity. Bonds will …
Asia | February 4, 2021
Indonesia’s Green Butcher raises $2 million for plant-based meat
ImpactAlpha, February 4 — Green Butcher has a partnership with Starbucks Indonesia to roll out vegan-friendly beef across the country. Singapore-based Teja Ventures …
Clean Energy | February 3, 2021
Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund backs Infinium to produce net-zero ‘electrofuels’
ImpactAlpha, February 3 — Sacramento-based Infinium makes ‘green hydrogen’ from renewable electricity, combines it with waste carbon dioxide and produces fuel with net-zero …
Conservation | February 2, 2021
Robert Downey Jr.’s FootPrint Coalition launches sustainability ‘rolling funds.’
ImpactAlpha, February 2 — Sustainable investing is hot. Possibly hotter: Rolling funds. Rather than requiring a fund manager to raise a full fund …
2030 Finance | February 1, 2021
Intersect power raises $600 million to expand utility-scale solar in the U.S.
ImpactAlpha, February 1 – Solar power is the fastest-growing energy sector in the U.S. San Francisco-based Intersect Power has developed 1.7 gigawatts of solar …
Clean Energy | January 28, 2021
Rise Fund’s renewables group acquires Chilean solar energy portfolio
ImpactAlpha, January 28 — The Rise Fund’s solar investment arm, Matrix Renewables, is buying up a 154-megawatt solar portfolio from Santiago-based Verano Capital. The …
Photo credit: Sunlight Financial
Clean Energy | January 27, 2021
Solar fintech Sunlight Financial to go public via Apollo-affilated SPAC
ImpactAlpha, January 27 – Sunlight Financial has enabled more than $3.5 billion in lending for residential solar installations. The New York- and Charlotte-based company …
Photo credit: Pula
Africa | January 26, 2021
Pula raises $6 million to expand farmers’ insurance from Africa to Asia
ImpactAlpha, January 26 – Kenyan insurance tech venture Pula has facilitated crop insurance for more than four million smallholder farmers in 13 African …
Clean Energy | January 20, 2021
Off Grid Electricity Fund invests Energy Systems Group to bring solar electricity to Haiti
ImpactAlpha, January 20 — More than half of Haiti’s population lack access to reliable electricity. The Haitian government established the Off Grid Electricity …
Calls
Photo credit: Kuli Kuli
Call Recording | March 1, 2021
Call No. 27: Opportunities at the intersection of gender and climate
ImpactAlpha, March 1 – Capital is flowing to climate solutions. Climate bonds have topped $1 trillion. SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies are …
Africa | October 19, 2020
Call No. 24: Agents of Impact converge on financing solutions to ‘light every clinic’
The people and principles needed to solve the challenges of financing solar power for frontline health clinics were represented on ImpactAlpha’s Agents of …
Call Recording | July 1, 2020
Call No. 20: Investors share experiences in getting their assets off the sidelines
“It’s a great time for new entrants, but for those of us who’ve been doing this for a while it is equally urgent to raise our game right and to not get complacent,” said Margot Brandenburg of the Ford Foundation.
2030 Finance | June 24, 2020
Call No. 19: Green infrastructure is back on the agenda
ImpactAlpha, Jun 24 – The action in climate action is shifting to infrastructure. Driven by falling price curves for renewables, mispriced risk, and …
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