Cody Plante

Check out some of out Climate Solutions Portfolio (CSP) registrants - the programs and solutions to decarbonize the making of our clothes... #climatesolutionsportfolio #fashionclimatefund #apparelimpactinstitute

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Announcing SolidSky - GHG-to-Value for Legacy Petrochemicals ?? SolidSky has been accepted into Berkeley Lab's Cradle to Commerce Accelerator program funded by DOE Office of Technology Transitions for emerging climatetech startups. Making it into the cohort secures several benefits, including a CRADA to validate the technology in an industry-relevant form factor that will make industry partnerships easier to achieve. ? I've been quietly working on SolidSky for a year now, and it started with a thesis: the transition to net-zero requires detaching from the carbon markets and finding economical ways to convert carbon to value, without assuming that electricity prices will arbitrarily converge to 0. With that in mind, I sought out novel methods for utilizing CO2 in ways that would be beneficial to legacy industry, and ultimately stumbled upon the tech that would become SolidSky. ?? The last few months have been an absolute whirlwind. A cofounder breakup, 5 grant applications, licensing, 547 LinkedIn applicants for my first team roles and 54 interviews to fill them, and the endless cycle of realizing that I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm feeling better about the not knowing part, largely thanks to the incredible team I have been able to form: it is entirely thanks to them I am able to move forward with opportunities like this. To Joe Brindle and Jiahong Li, thank you! ?? I want to thank Shanshan Li Reshma Singh Ingrid Xhafa and the teams at Decisive Point and OneValley for all their help and support throughout the program leading up to the downselect and the pitch competition, as well as the staff and researchers at LBNL and the team at SolidSky who made this all possible. This all started with Lucian Sweitzer taking my meeting after a cold email outreach and suggesting I pitch writing this technology into the C2C program back in 2023, and here we are on the other side. ?? SolidSky is on a mission to develop catalysts and reactor systems that unlock GHG-to-Value for legacy petrochemical facilities. Our novel catalysts allow for the conversion of CO2 with basic petrochemical feedstocks to create precursor chemicals at costs well below market rates thanks purely to improved energy efficiency, without the needs for carbon credits or tax incentives. Put simply, SolidSky's method of making petrochemicals is less energy intensive than any other method out there, making adoption of carbon capture and utilization systems less daunting. Be sure to give SolidSky a follow to keep up with us! #climatetech #doe #decarbonization #carbontech #berkeleylab #cradletocommerce #cleantech

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Exciting times ahead as Nika Eco pioneers climate data solutions with AI! By leveraging advanced technology. Nika Eco is transforming how we understand and address climate challenges through advanced carbon modeling. Their AI-driven platform provides actionable insights, helping businesses and governments make data-informed decisions to combat climate change effectively. https://lnkd.in/gW_69V3Z

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Seriously addressing GHGs means seriously addressing methane emissions - and you can't tackle methane without focusing on food ________________________________________________ ?? CO2 is the elephant in the room, representing 75% of GHG emissions, but methane is often overlooked ?? This is despite methane (1) representing 16-20% of GHGs and (2) being 86 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year period This week, Sonalie and I dig into the Green Queen Media overview of how methane emissions are linked to the food system, and how it's actually a bit insane that food is ignored in emission reduction conversations When you dig into the contributors to methane tied to the food system, we see: ?? 39% coming from livestock farming ?? 19% coming from waste and landfills (to be fair, not all food) ?? 9% coming from rice cultivation ? One of the most alarming things that we hit on is that despite food representing the majority of methane emissions, many, including climate investors, don't even know this Most climate investors I've spoken with are well aware of this, but some have blinders on that are so strong that they don't think about sustainability beyond energy and transportation. And if that's the case for some focused on climate, then it's definitely a lot worse for the masses So, it was worthwhile to discuss this writeup Sonalie and her team created, because whenever I think certain things are well-understood, I'm often surprised at how little people know about the connection between food and climate ________________________________________________ This week, we also discuss: ?? Danone scrapping the Nutri Score Info label from its dairy and plant-based milks after a change to the algo gave some products a bad rating. A lot to unpack on this one, illustrating the difficulty around voluntary food labels ?? GFI Consultancy, strategic partner of The Good Food Institute highlighted 4 ways to propel China's alt protein market forward. Sonalie makes a great point about the necessity of keeping China engaged, and I highlight some difficulties I see (as an investor) as well as some orgs like Innovate UK and Protein Industries Canada who are showing how countries can work together in the space ???The positive was seeing a global climate change poll conducted by Ipsos UK of 22k people across 22 countries showing 60% of consumers said they'd support gov't policies encouraging meat reduction to lower GHGs. So the masses don't seem to be coming out with pitchforks at the idea of lowering meat consumption. That's a win!

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Open Forest Protocol's recent review by Renoster marks a significant milestone in carbon credit verification. Key highlights: 1. First third-party in-depth review of OFP's reforestation methodology 2. Addresses critical issues: conflicts of interest, quality criteria, inclusivity 3. Innovative use of blockchain for transparency This review validates the company's goal: creating a more inclusive, scalable, and high-quality carbon credit system. Such innovations will reshape the Voluntary Carbon Market. OFP's commitment to transparency and continuous improvement is exciting and brings hope to a market that is still taking baby steps to become foolproof. Feel proud, Jeremy. Good for you.

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Love this chart from Planet Labs Inc. on relative carbon values across the Amazon. When you look at this at very high resolution, there is a very large range of aboveground carbon -- from 40 tCO2/ha to 130 tCO2/ha. And in the last 10 some primary forests (Suriname Guyana) have increased their total carbon storage by 1-3 tCO2/ha.

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Here's the guest commentary that Lizzie Peyton and I wrote for ExploreBigSky about carbon offset credits. Some feel that #carboncredits are just #greenwashing, but they are actually a mixed bag. If you do some vetting it is possible to find some good ones. https://lnkd.in/gBwKarna

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So what is a fair match of corporate to public funding of sustainability initiatives? Let’s look at the $3 Billion USD USDA Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities grants. "?? Transitioning to resilient agriculture calls for collective impact with government engagement....how leading companies can pull others together to meet climate targets?" -- from a recent post by a food think-tank. Let's take a look at the USDA Climate Smart Commodity Program funded projects? Below is the percent match provided by project awardees. These "matches" can be direct and/or indirect; USDA does not provide these data. Does this demonstrate shared, "collective" impact? Perhaps. It's up to you as a taxpayer to say. What I'm even more interested in is the ROI of my tax dollar. What is the Carbon reduction per tax dollar spent for each of these projects? Will we know? Could we estimate this now?

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Nate Tassinaris agrivoltaic project in Massachusetts exemplifies the courage it takes for a farmer to invest directly in sustainable energy solutions. On his 1-acre farm, Nate didn’t just install a 250-kilowatt solar array—he made a bold decision to elevate the panels 3 meters above the ground to continue hay production while meeting strict regulatory requirements. This investment required significant foresight and a willingness to embrace innovation, showcasing how farmers can take calculated risks to create economic and environmental benefits. In a similar display of entrepreneurial courage, Gulabsing Girase has invested in a 10 MW agrivoltaic project managed by Gro Solar Energy. Utilizing the land between solar panels for cultivating lemongrass and lemon trees. He is not only enhancing agricultural productivity but also creating new revenue streams. Their decision to invest directly in this agrivoltaic venture required a deep belief in the potential of renewable energy and a strong commitment to sustainable farming practices. https://lnkd.in/dZ7Jm3Ay Both cases highlight the bravery and forward-thinking attitude of farmers who are willing to invest in agrivoltaics. #agrivoltaics #GIZIndia #AgriPV

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Trees remove methane! Shock ?? Nature, after 4 billion years of R&D, has cleverly developed ways to address modern challenges. Investing in Nature is key as we discover its solutions to today's issues. Repurposing talent and technology in this space holds immense potential for unlocking value. Exciting times ahead! #NatureInvestments #naturetech #nbs #investing #trees #Sustainability ??

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Key species help store 6.4bn tons of CO2 annually. Even if the numbers were smaller, the case remains for conservation related investments. Moreover, this implies that most REDD projects successfully protecting and growing endemic fauna populations are likely under-issuing credits (TheGuardian, take note!). "The study, published in Nature Climate Change and co-authored by 15 scientists from eight countries, examined nine wildlife species — marine fish, whales, sharks, grey wolves, wildebeest, sea otters, musk oxen, African forest elephants, and American bison. The data shows that protecting or restoring their populations could collectively facilitate the additional capture of 6.41 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually. This is 95% of the amount needed every year to meet the Paris Agreement target" https://lnkd.in/d29HJytn

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Scope 3 emissions don't need the SEC climate rules to become standard. There's been a lot of discussion on how "the horse has left the barn" with regards to Scope 3 emissions, regardless of SEC climate rules. Here is additional data from Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance that helps prove this. "Despite varying approaches toward emissions reporting, Scope 3 disclosure is becoming the standard. Of the 500 largest U.S. companies, 98.6% voluntarily disclosed Scope 3 emissions in 2022 and/or 2023, while 65.7% of the 3000 largest U.S. companies also provided such disclosure." "What if I'm not a big company?" Well, you *are* the scope 3 calculation in these bigger companies value chains and will continue to see requests. Companies that don't have a plan for carbon accounting or their climate strategy will get left behind. Now is the time to start thinking about 2024 carbon accounting. If you want help with this, please reach out! And see more of this great article: https://lnkd.in/esFekNEf

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Significant reading for all you remaining voluntary carbon market enthusiasts. #carboncredits What we need is not voluntary compensation efforts but mandatory prices on all types of ghg emissions, by way of simple, fair, and effective regulation. #climateincentive Many thanks Simon Evans for pointing out the essence of the findings reported by the Science Based Targets initiative.

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?? Are you a startup that specializes in carbon sequestration, hazard mitigation, or ecosystem services? gener8tor is looking for startups that are interested in joining their Great Lakes Resilience Accelerator. This twelve week program includes individualized coaching and mentorship from the gener8tor team during bi-weekly, one-on-one meetings. Additionally, selected participants will have one-on-one meetings with 100+ connections-- including serial entrepreneurs, industry experts and investor. Up to $125,000 USD non-dilutive funding is also available. This is a hybrid program (startups must participate in Chicago for week 1 and week 12) that will take place for 3 months in early 2025. The deadline to apply is July 30th. The program welcomes startups from all corners of the globe to apply. However, they will prioritize startups whose technology can demonstrate a clear potential to positively impact the Great Lakes region. gener8tor is specifically interested in startups based in regions around the Great Lakes: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Read more and submit your application here ?? https://lnkd.in/e-NJd4n5 #startups #pitchevent #funding #vcs #venturecapital #sustainability #agtech #networking #accelerator #investors

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There are notable exceptions (eg recent devastation in parts of TN, NC and GA), but the map makes me wonder a bit. If the forecasts for 10% CAGR on climate related losses through 2030 prove prescient, which parts of the U.S. could be net beneficiaries of relocation (business, infrastructure, people)? In the area circled, business/tax friendly municipalities should be firing up their economic development sales pitch. https://lnkd.in/gJGAybdh [This FEMA site says it will be down for scheduled upgrades at the end of the month (perhaps to update the map?).] #climate #CRE #Insurance #realestateinvesting

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I was very pleased to see the Biden Administration release new principles for high-integrity participation in the voluntary carbon market — a clear vote of confidence in the market’s potential to accelerate progress toward net-zero.? ? There’s been plenty of debate about the future of the VCM, and nuance is rarely rewarded. F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote that “the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." It’s certainly true that carbon markets alone will not solve climate change — but we also cannot solve climate change without them.? ? The only way to limit planetary warming to 1.5°C is to cut fossil fuel emissions in half every decade, while neutralizing emissions from nature by 2030. Right now, the private sector is not moving fast enough. But we also need to acknowledge that decarbonization cannot happen overnight. It takes time to reimagine processes and implement technology, build clean energy infrastructure and transmission lines, and transition suppliers over to nature-friendly practices. While that work is underway, the VCM — particularly high-quality, nature-based credits — can help companies make a meaningful difference for climate and nature, while transferring money to communities largely in the Global South. It’s encouraging to see the Biden Administration acknowledge what conservationists have long known to be true: This experiment will only succeed if Indigenous Peoples and local communities, both at home and abroad, can fully participate in markets and equitably share in the benefits.

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TURNING FARMLAND BACK INTO FOREST ATTRACTS INVESTMENT - WSJ article. Projects that aim to protect trees aren’t good business, according to critics. But efforts to plant new ones could be high-growth opportunities—in more ways than one. New investment is flowing into carbon offset projects that regrow native vegetation, transforming swaths of Brazilian farmland back into tropical forests. Brazil’s BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group announced a deal Tuesday to provide Microsoft with 8 million tons of carbon offsets through 2043, in what would be the biggest contract of this kind. 333,592 Acres of farmland - an area nearly 23 times the size of Manhattan - set to be bought, leased or otherwise invested in and reforested by BTG TIG in partnership with nonprofit Conservation International The investment comes after a backlash against pledges to protect existing forests, including accusations of doctored results and thin science. Some companies have been accused of greenwashing for buying carbon offsets without making other changes. The Biden administration issued guidelines for the voluntary carbon market in a bid to bolster its integrity. But some companies, such as H&M, have rejected proposals that would allow them to use carbon offsets to help meet their environmental goals. Efforts to regrow vegetation are often easier to model than carbon projects focused on existing greenery, according to many investors and environmentalists. Brazil, with its vast territory and many degraded areas, is at the center of such efforts. “Brazil is going to be the Saudi Arabia of carbon removal.” — Peter Fernandez, CEO of Mombak, a S?o Paulo-based carbon-removal company Microsoft’s latest Brazil project aims to buy up farm and pasture and re-cover it with trees, with half the terrain going to native species, and the rest to timber trees. Timber cutting—which will involve only trees 14 years and older—is key to financial viability, says BTG TIG chief sustainability officer Mark Wishnie. Guy Turner, head of MSCI Carbon Markets, says global prices for forestry credits typically range from $20 to $40 apiece, far more than those of forest-conservation projects, which traded recently at a volume-weighted quarterly price of $4.10. Still, reforestation pledges face their own hazards—wildfires, illegal logging and others—that could end up destroying the forests, notes Sara Kuebbing, a research scientist at the Yale School of the Environment.

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As we scale climate tech solutions, we need to carefully consider the impact to local communities. Thanks Evan Halper for a great front page article in today's The Washington Post that highlights this issue with a proposed CO2 storage plan in Montana. Injecting and storing CO2 in porous geological formations sounds scary, particularly given the negative side effects of fracking. I think the concerned ranchers in Montana are completely justified. But, we need to solve the climate crisis, and CO2 removal is an important part of the solution. This issue will continue as more and more first-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects break ground and expand. Early, frequent, and transparent community engagement is critical. #climatechange #climatesolutions #climateaction

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