5 Climate Industries Set to Pop Next Year

Welcome back to Climate Positive!

This week, on the cusp of 2025, we’re taking a bit of a left turn.

Rather than posting other top headlines, we're taking a dive of our own by predicting a few of the coolest sustainability sectors we think will pop next year year. From cutting-edge carbon removal technologies to breakthroughs in energy storage, solves for plastic packaging, circular economy models turning waste into new resources, and technology simplifying ESG reporting, innovators named within are laying the groundwork for a future where climate action isn't just an idea, but a tangible, everyday reality.?

1. Carbon Removal and Storage

Carbon removal technologies are taking center stage as industries and governments ramp up their efforts to meet net-zero targets. Companies like Deep Sky and Charm Industrial are leading the charge with next-level solutions. Charm Industrial's bio-oil injection tech doesn’t just sequester carbon; it transforms agricultural waste into underground storage, helping decarbonize supply chains. With partnerships from titans like Stripe and Shopify, their impact is only getting bigger. Meanwhile, Deep Sky is pushing direct air capture (DAC) into new frontiers with its cutting-edge lab in Quebec, and just this week announced a $40M grant to scale. The carbon removal market could explode to $1 trillion by 2050, powered by demand from industries like energy, manufacturing, and agriculture.

2. Energy Storage

Energy storage is the secret sauce for scaling renewable energy, and startups like Antora Energy , Rondo Energy , and Kelvin Thermal Energy are making it happen. Antora’s carbon block thermal batteries are taking renewable storage to industrial scales, helping sectors like steel and cement reduce fossil fuel dependency. Rondo is shaking up industrial heat processes with a game-changing brick-based heat storage system. These innovations are key to decarbonizing tough-to-electrify industries. Kelvin Thermal Energy offers an innovative high-temperature thermal energy storage solution, enabling efficient energy conversion and long-term storage for sectors like mining, refining, and carbon capture. The energy storage market, valued at $12.9 billion in 2023, is set to surge to $58.4 billion by 2030, driven by industrial and grid-scale demand.

3. Nature-based Plastic Alternatives

The race to replace plastic is heating up, with biodegradable and bio-based alternatives taking center stage. The Hemp Plastic Company and Notpla are at the forefront of this revolution. The Hemp Plastic Company offers hemp-based bioplastics and biocomposites as a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastics and are used in a variety of applications, including packaging, consumer goods, automotive, construction, agriculture, and clean tech. Meanwhile, Notpla creates sustainable packaging materials from seaweed and plants, and has won the prestigious TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize, the Earthshot Prize and recently secured at $25M series A funding. The biodegradable plastics market is set to reach $USD 28.7 Billion by 2032.

4. Simplified ESG Reporting Technology Platforms

As sustainability reporting becomes a growing priority for businesses, the need for smarter, more intuitive tools is skyrocketing. Platforms like Prophix and Novata are leading the charge, helping organizations stay ahead of regulatory demands while turning ESG metrics into actionable insights. Prophix, with its deep expertise in financial performance management, integrates ESG data into broader business strategies, aligning sustainability goals with financial accountability. Novata focuses on empowering private companies with a user-friendly platform designed for easy ESG measurement and reporting. Together, these solutions are simplifying the complexities of compliance and making transparency more accessible for businesses of all sizes. According to PwC's 2024 Global Investor Survey, 71% of investors believe companies should incorporate ESG/sustainability directly into their corporate strategies. The ESG reporting software market, valued at USD 0.8 billion in 2023, is expected to expand to USD 3.3 billion by 2032, reflecting the critical role these tools play in shaping the sustainable businesses of tomorrow.

Circular Economy Innovations

The push for a circular economy is transforming industries and helping us rethink waste. Companies like Elevate Packaging , Vytal US , and Fabricure are spearheading the shift to sustainable, reusable, and recyclable materials. Elevate Packaging is revolutionizing the packaging industry with compostable, recyclable, and biodegradable alternatives, reducing waste and promoting reuse. Vytal is tackling the issue of single-use plastics with its innovative solutions designed to create reusable packaging systems. Fabricure is reducing textile waste with circular fabric solutions that turn discarded materials into valuable, sustainable fabrics. These companies are turning waste into new resources, creating a ripple effect that could lead to a more sustainable, closed-loop economy. The global circular economy market was valued at $554.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $1,898.5 billion by 2033.

And that’s all for THIS YEAR's Climate Positive! Happy Holidays and Happy 2025! We're not going anywhere, so please do continue to share any positive news/stories you see that would be a fit. The more positivity and awareness we can build around progress, the more action we can inspire through hope. Like and follow if you'd like to see more. And if you'd like my strategic comms team to help you think through your positive climate story, ping me at [email protected].

See you next year with more climate positive stories!