I met two inspiring elders last night who talked about how they choose to work with the specific groups that they do because their leadership is effective at organizing and they offer a chance to think globally and act locally. May we all be so lucky as to find, and help build, effective teams doing work that fractals out into the major themes that need to be addressed globally.

I hope you'll find tips to support you in doing just that in the following three updates from organizations that are just for you, interspersed with a visual of the day and a quote of the day. (Yesterday the system recommended to me CGIAR's Women's network for environmental advocacy and climate resilience: a model for social innovation  and the network-mapping that group in Colombia was really cool!)

Email subscribers: you’ll find three updates from organizations that are just for you. You'll find the table of contents for the full set of 67 updates at the end of this post.

Ok, let's go!

-Marshall Kirkpatrick

Founder, Earth Catalyst

Daily super-personalized email and strategic consulting based on two decades of tech startup trailblazing, now focused on green tech and sustainability.

Visual of the Day: Utilities Need to Do Much Better

Rocky Mountain Institute does a quarterly analysis of plans made by utility providers across the US. Anticipated demand is rising, but more from EVs and building electrification than from data centers and AI. RMI writes:

"In our current snapshot of [utility company] IRPs, we continue to see a gap between projected emissions, target emissions, and decarbonization pathways such as the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (IEA NZE).

"Most decarbonization pathways, including the IEA NZE, find that the electricity sector needs to reach net-zero emissions by 2035. Unfortunately, utility company targets often aim for net-zero emissions by 2050, and often do not comprehensively cover emissions from both owned (Scope 1) and purchased (Scope 3) emissions."

Quote of the Day

We proved climate change in 1989 from McKibben and Climate One on YouTube

And now...

Today's Updates

Table of Contents

• Agriculture (11 stories) - Gene silencing pesticides, AI farming, Conservation Stewardship Program expansion, Herenboeren's part-time farmer search, MCE Clean Energy's rural electrification, EU deforestation rules impact on Asian agriculture, MK-V electric tractor, agrivoltaics, and Terviva's pongamia cultivation.

• Carbon (5 stories) - Washington's cap-and-invest program, Delton Chen's carbon currency, Climeworks' expansion, and Earth's weakening carbon sinks highlight evolving strategies and challenges in emissions reduction and removal.

• Ecosystems (5 stories) - EU deforestation rules impact global trade; Live-EO promotes satellite monitoring; Brazil's exports under scrutiny; UNDRR emphasizes water management for climate resilience

• Efficiency (4 stories) - Advanced heat pumps, campus steam upgrades, data center efficiency, and AI for urban climate resilience

• Finance (3 stories) - Satellite analytics firm LiveEO recognized; Third Act partners with FreeWill for climate legacy planning; Banks urged to stop petrochemical financing

• Grid (6 stories) - UK's cap-and-floor scheme for storage, US demand surge, gas dominance in swing states, utility plans fall short, lithium-ion limitations

• Indigenous (4 stories) - Queer African Network founder empowers Pan-African LGBTQ+ community through personal wellbeing and advocacy

• Industry (1 story) - Deep tech innovations: alternative hydrogen, power resilience, sustainable textiles, and plastics management

• Policy (17 stories) - EU deforestation regulation, Third Act's voter outreach, Dominion Energy's fossil fuel plans, and Biden administration's climate initiatives highlight policy developments and challenges in climate action and energy transition.

• Renewables (9 stories) - Geothermal breakthroughs by Koloma and Eavor; CalTestBed's clean tech cohort; California's 61% renewable milestone; European biomethane surge; North American wind repowering and solar PPA trends.

• Transport (3 stories) - Battery Smart hits 50M EV swaps; Liminal raises $10M for ultrasound battery QC; Ljubljana travel guide for Hearth Summit

Agriculture

Gene silencing pesticides, AI farming, Conservation Stewardship Program expansion, Herenboeren's part-time farmer search, MCE Clean Energy's rural electrification, EU deforestation rules impact on Asian agriculture, MK-V electric tractor, agrivoltaics, and Terviva's pongamia cultivation.

• Genetically Engineering the Farm webinar (Spanish captions) (Friends of the Earth) - Emerging agricultural technologies, including gene silencing pesticides and AI-driven farming, face scrutiny over potential risks to climate, biodiversity, and farmers' livelihoods.

• Stewarding Success: IRA Funding is Cultivating New Conservation Acres and Farmers (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition) - The Conservation Stewardship Program saw a significant boost in FY2023, enrolling 3.3 million new acres and increasing participation among socially disadvantaged producers, thanks to IRA funding.

• Ondersteunende boer (m/v) gezocht voor Herenboeren bij Breda (Herenboeren) - Dutch cooperative farm Herenboeren seeks part-time farmer for 24-hour weekly role in 2025, focusing on mixed farming and volunteer management near Breda.

• Empowering Electrification: Powering Up Rural Communities and Sustainable Agriculture (MCE Clean Energy) - Rural electrification efforts by MCE Clean Energy cut costs and emissions while boosting resilience through battery storage, electric farm equipment, and agrivoltaics in agricultural communities.

• LiveEO | Navigating the New Norm: Thailand's Path in the Wake of the EU Deforestation Regulation (Live-EO) - Thailand's rubber industry and smallholders must now provide proof of deforestation-free products and adopt sustainable practices to maintain EU market access under new regulations.

• LiveEO | Navigating EUDR: Strategies for Malaysia's Sustainable Trade Compliance (Live-EO) - Malaysia's palm oil industry faces hurdles under new EU deforestation rules, necessitating improved traceability and sustainability measures to retain market access.

• LiveEO | EUDR and Its Impact on Vietnam: Navigating New Regulations (LiveEO) - Vietnam grapples with economic hurdles as EU deforestation rules demand improved traceability and sustainability for its agricultural and forestry exports.

• LiveEO | EUDR and Its Impact on Indonesia: Navigating Compliance (Live EO) - Indonesia's palm oil industry faces economic hurdles and compliance challenges due to EU deforestation regulations, with smallholders particularly affected, though sustainable practices may advance.

• How the MK-V Supports Nighttime Harvest (Monarch Tractor) - The MK-V electric tractor boosts nighttime grape harvests with silent operation, built-in lighting, and mobile power, enhancing worker safety and crop quality.

• The Controversial Practice of Agrivoltaics (Orennia) - Agrivoltaics, combining solar panels with farming, boosts land profitability despite typically reducing crop yields by 40% or more, according to energy analytics firm Orennia.

• Terviva Pushes into Biofuels After Investment from Chevron Renewable Energy Group (AgFunderNews) - Terviva has secured funding from Chevron Renewable Energy Group to expand pongamia tree cultivation, aiming to boost biofuel production using this low-input, high-yield crop.

Carbon

Washington's cap-and-invest program, Delton Chen's carbon currency, Climeworks' expansion, and Earth's weakening carbon sinks highlight evolving strategies and challenges in emissions reduction and removal.

• New modeling shows the power and potential of cap-and-invest in Washington state (EDF) - New modeling reveals Washington state's cap-and-invest program could generate 263,000 jobs and $51 billion in economic output over eight years, while simultaneously reducing emissions.

• Carbon Credits Panel Discussion with GreenBuzz 🍃 (YouTube) - Delton Chen introduces a novel carbon currency and financial system aimed at combating climate change through incentivizing carbon removal and clean energy adoption.

• We proved climate change in 1989 (Climate One on YouTube) (Climate One) - Climate activist Bill McKibben asserts that scientific proof of climate change emerged in 1989, with subsequent CO2 emissions exceeding those of all previous human history combined.

• How to build a Direct Air Capture (DAC) plant (Climeworks) - Carbon removal firm Climeworks outlines the intricate journey of constructing and managing large-scale plants, drawing from their Icelandic operations and upcoming US expansion plans.

• Trees and land absorbed almost no CO2 last year. Is nature's carbon sink failing? (Schwartzreport) (Schwartzreport) - Earth's natural carbon sinks absorbed a mere 2% of CO2 emissions in 2023, sparking concerns about the potential acceleration of global warming.

Ecosystems

EU deforestation rules impact global trade; Live-EO promotes satellite monitoring; Brazil's exports under scrutiny; UNDRR emphasizes water management for climate resilience

• LiveEO | The Long-Term Impact of EUDR on Global Trade and Conservation Efforts (LiveEO) - The EU's new deforestation regulation aims to transform global trade by implementing stringent commodity rules and geolocation requirements to enhance sustainability and conservation efforts.

• LiveEO | A Blueprint for the Future: Forest Degradation Solutions (Live-EO) - Satellite imagery, sustainable practices, and community initiatives emerge as crucial tools in combating worldwide forest degradation and loss, according to Live-EO.

• LiveEO | Navigating Brazil's Path to EUDR Compliance and Sustainable Trade (Live-EO) - Brazil's $17.5 billion commodity trade with Europe faces scrutiny as new EU deforestation rules demand rigorous supply chain checks by December 2024.

• LiveEO | These Commodities and Products are Affected by the EUDR (Live-EO) - The EU's new Deforestation Regulation mandates companies to verify compliance and adopt sustainable practices for certain commodities and products, aiming to curb forest loss.

• UNDRR ROAS highlights the importance of strategic water resources management in enhancing community resilience at Cairo Water Week (UNDRR) - UNDRR's Arab States office highlights strategic water management as key to bolstering community resilience against climate disasters during Cairo Water Week session.

Efficiency

Advanced heat pumps, campus steam upgrades, data center efficiency, and AI for urban climate resilience

• Schneller, höher, heißer: neuer Rotor kommt (ecop) - Austrian firm introduces advanced Rotation Heat Pump, employing diffusion bonding to achieve superior performance and efficiency in industrial applications.

• Ameresco's Ongoing Partnership with Northeastern University Now Includes a Campus-wide Steam System Replacement Project (Ameresco) - Northeastern University collaborates with Ameresco to overhaul its campus-wide steam system, targeting reduced carbon emissions and improved energy efficiency.

• Welcome to the Age of Electricity (Heatmap News) (Heatmap News) - Despite concerns about AI's energy consumption, data centers are projected to contribute less than 10% to global electricity demand growth by 2030, according to the IEA's World Energy Outlook.

• Michael Jacobs On Accelerating Climate Tech (Climate Proof) - IBM Sustainability Accelerator's Michael Jacobs explains how AI and technology are being leveraged to scale climate solutions for resilient cities.

Finance

Satellite analytics firm LiveEO recognized; Third Act partners with FreeWill for climate legacy planning; Banks urged to stop petrochemical financing

• LiveEO | LiveEO Recognized as Tech Innovator by Gartner (Live-EO) - Gartner has named LiveEO a 'Tech Innovator' in Earth Intelligence for its use of satellite data and advanced analytics to deliver actionable business insights.

• A new tool will help assure your legacy! (FreeWill) - Third Act collaborates with FreeWill, providing supporters a complimentary online estate planning tool to safeguard their legacy and sustain support for climate action and democracy.

• Exiting Petrochemicals: Groups Call On Financial Institutions to Stop Financing Major Driver of Climate Change (Friends of the Earth) - Environmental groups call on banks to halt petrochemical funding, warning of pollution, emissions, and financial risks in a new report.

Grid

UK's cap-and-floor scheme for storage, US demand surge, gas dominance in swing states, utility plans fall short, lithium-ion limitations

• 🌎 UK's cap-and-floor plans for LDES #218 (CTVC) - The UK government unveils a cap-and-floor scheme for long-duration energy storage projects, aiming to enhance investment and energy security by ensuring minimum annual revenue while limiting maximum returns.

• Power Demand Will Be Booming (YouSolar) - U.S. electricity demand growth projections for the coming five years have surged from 2.6% to 4.7%, fueled by rising home electrification and electric vehicle uptake.

• Over Time: The Electricity Mix of the Seven Swing States (Orennia) - Natural gas now accounts for 49% of electricity generation in seven crucial US swing states, a significant increase from 17% in 2005.

• Utility Planning Update, Q3 2024 (RMI) - U.S. electric utilities' latest plans reveal rising electricity demand and emissions, with inadequate zero-carbon capacity additions to meet climate targets, according to Q3 2024 data.

• The Need for Alternatives to Lithium-Ion Batteries in Stationary Energy Storage (MCJ) - Experts warn that lithium-ion battery constraints for stationary energy storage necessitate alternatives, citing supply issues, security concerns, and cost inefficiency for extended storage periods.

• UK's cap-and-floor plans for LDES (Energy Storage News) (Climate Tech VC) - The UK government unveils a new scheme guaranteeing minimum annual revenue for long duration energy storage projects, while capping maximum earnings, to stimulate sector growth.

Indigenous

Queer African Network founder empowers Pan-African LGBTQ+ community through personal wellbeing and advocacy

• ¡En Conversación! Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight: Engaging Community and Leveraging International Perspectives (HR&A Advisors) - Hispanic HR&A employees share insights on how their cultural heritage shapes their urban planning strategies and community outreach efforts in American cities.

• The owner of Bonding Beans (tocos_community on YouTube) (YouTube) - Copenhagen cafe owner Bonding Beans recounts how divine inspiration and a chance opportunity led to the launch of their unique coffee business.

• Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) (UNDRR) - The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a 200-year-old charity, relies on volunteers and donations to conduct life-saving search and rescue operations at sea.

• Wellbeing Is Inclusion: Okong'o Kinyanjui, Queer African Network (The Wellbeing Project) - Okong'o Kinyanjui, founder of Queer African Network, shares how personal wellbeing fuels his efforts to support the Pan-African LGBTQ+ community.

Industry

Deep tech innovations: alternative hydrogen, power resilience, sustainable textiles, and plastics management

• 2024 Cleantech 50 to Watch (Cleantech Group) (Cleantech Group) - The 2024 Cleantech 50 to Watch list showcases deep tech innovations in alternative hydrogen, power resilience, sustainable textiles, and plastics management, reflecting a significant shift in cleantech priorities.

Policy

EU deforestation regulation, Third Act's voter outreach, Dominion Energy's fossil fuel plans, and Biden administration's climate initiatives highlight policy developments and challenges in climate action and energy transition.

• National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (Oct 20-26, 2024): Protecting Our Children’s Future (KETOS) - National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2024 commemorates its 25th year, highlighting efforts to safeguard children and mobilize communities against lead exposure.

• After Weeks of Historic Climate Disasters, Dominion Plans More Fossil Fuels (Chesapeake Climate Action Network) - Despite climate disasters and clean energy mandates, Dominion Energy's 2024 plan proposes retaining all 19 fossil fuel generators and constructing new ones.

• I don’t want to be writing this again (Protect Our Winters) - Recent hurricanes Helene and Milton exemplify the growing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events linked to climate change, with Milton breaking records for rapid intensification and low pressure.

• Silver Wave Tour, Oct 19–26 (Third Act) - National group Third Act rallies seniors for voter outreach in swing states, focusing on climate and democracy issues ahead of the upcoming election.

• UNITE 2024 Energy Disruptors Panel: Canada Should Focus on Consistency and Innovation During a Global Energy Transition (Eavor) - Energy experts at UNITE 2024 summit stress the importance of consistent regulations, innovation, and robust infrastructure for Canada's energy transition and global competitiveness.

• Advocates rally for clean energy and call on D.C. PSC to reject Washington Gas’s wasteful spending plan (CCAN Action Fund) - Climate advocates gathered in Washington, D.C., demanding the Public Service Commission reject Washington Gas's proposed spending plan and instead support a shift towards cleaner energy alternatives.

• Director of the Santiago network secretariat selected (UNDRR) - Carolina Fuentes Castellanos has been named the first Director of the Santiago Network Secretariat, bolstering support for developing nations grappling with climate change impacts.

• Government Degree College, Uri (UNDRR) - Government Degree College in Uri pledges to enhance disaster risk reduction education and sustainable development via the Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments platform.

• Urban Resilience Hub (UNDRR) - UN-Habitat's Urban Resilience Hub is leveraging global expertise and the Sendai Framework platform to bolster city resilience and disaster risk reduction efforts worldwide.

• Department of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs - KwaZulu Natal Province (UNDRR) - South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province streamlines governance to enhance community service delivery through coordinated efforts by the Department of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

• LiveEO | EU's Commitment to a Greener Future: The Deforestation-Free Product Movement (LiveEO) - The EU has enacted a regulation mandating complete traceability and compliance verification across supply chains for various commodities to combat global deforestation.

• LiveEO | Balancing Act: The EUDR's Impact on Global Trade and WTO Relations (LiveEO) - The EU's new deforestation regulation may clash with WTO rules, potentially discriminating against trade and affecting developing nations.

• LiveEO | This is How Global Trade Impacts Deforestation (Live-EO) - New EU trade regulations target global deforestation by monitoring commodity imports, including palm oil, soy, and cocoa, as part of broader sustainability efforts.

• Court Order Stops Construction of TVA's Cumberland Pipeline (Southern Environmental Law Center) - Federal court suspends construction of TVA's Cumberland Gas Pipeline, pausing two crucial water permits until final rulings in 2024.

• Duke Energy Funded John Locke Foundation (Energy and Policy Institute) - Duke Energy donated $25,000 to climate science denial group John Locke Foundation in 2021, amid crucial energy policy changes in North Carolina.

• Haul Water, Rescue Pigs, Help Neighbors: How My Students Confronted Climate Chaos in a Horrific Hurricane Season (The Revelator) (The Revelator) - North Carolina college students mobilize to aid neighbors after Hurricane Helene, showcasing local resilience amid intensifying climate impacts.

• Talking Permitting Reform, Trade, and More With Biden's Top Climate Advisor (Heatmap News) (Heatmap News) - Biden's national climate advisor, Ali Zaidi, outlines key U.S. climate initiatives during a live interview at Yale's Clean Energy Conference, addressing permitting reform and trade policy.

Renewables

Geothermal breakthroughs by Koloma and Eavor; CalTestBed's clean tech cohort; California's 61% renewable milestone; European biomethane surge; North American wind repowering and solar PPA trends.

• Koloma Partners with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Osaka Gas to Advance Geologic Hydrogen Exploration (Evok Innovations) - Koloma secures investments from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Americas and Osaka Gas to advance geologic hydrogen exploration and commercialization efforts, as announced by Evok Innovations.

• Geothermal Potential Could Surpass Nuclear (The Economist) - Innovative drilling methods could unlock geothermal energy's potential to exceed nuclear power output by tapping heat from deep rock formations globally.

• Geretsried Project Amplifying “Geothermal Anywhere” Solutions (Anthropocene Magazine) - Innovative geothermal technology, capable of tapping Earth's heat at depths up to 5,500 meters, could make this energy source economically viable and widely accessible, as demonstrated by Eavor's Geretsried project.

• NEX Level - Introducing the New CalTestBed Cohort of Clean Energy Innovators (New Energy Nexus on YouTube) (New Energy Nexus) - CalTestBed program unveils its latest cohort of clean energy innovators, showcasing advancements in EV charging, energy storage, heat exchangers, and carbon transformation technologies.

• NEX Level - Breakout: Shared Power – Community Partnerships for Sustainable Growth (New Energy Nexus on YouTube) (New Energy Nexus) - Panel explores collaborative approaches between clean energy firms and communities, aiming to boost economic and social gains through sustainable innovations.

• NEX Level - Final Keynote: CEC Chair David Hochschild Remarks (New Energy Nexus on YouTube) (New Energy Nexus) - California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild reports the state has achieved 61% renewable electricity, with rapid advancements in electrifying transport and industry sectors.

• Implementing Biomethane in Your Sustainability Strategy: Part 2 – EU Green Gas Markets Video (3Degrees) - European biomethane production soared 20% to 44 TWh in 2022, yet remains largely untapped by corporate buyers seeking to achieve net zero goals.

• The Big Trend in Wind: Repowering (Orennia) - North American wind farms are upgrading turbines to boost efficiency and energy output, with aging sites embracing repowering to enhance performance and secure tax benefits.

• LevelTen Energy Sees Solar Prices Rise, Wind Prices Flat in Q3 2024 (LevelTen Energy) - North American solar PPA prices surged 5.4% in Q3 2024, while wind prices remained stable, as renewable developers faced ongoing challenges from policy shifts and market pressures.

Transport

Battery Smart hits 50M EV swaps; Liminal raises $10M for ultrasound battery QC; Ljubljana travel guide for Hearth Summit

• From 0 to 50 Million Swaps: A Journey of Dreams, Grit, and Innovation (Battery Smart on YouTube) (Battery Smart) - Indian startup Battery Smart has achieved 50 million EV battery swaps, expanding from 5 employees in 2020 to over 500 today, with 15,000 batteries and advanced data capabilities.

• Hearth Summit: How to Prepare (The Wellbeing Project) - Ljubljana travel guide offers essential details on transport, lodging, and sights for Hearth Summit participants visiting Slovenia's capital.

• Former LG and GM Executive Denise Gray Joins Liminal as Strategic Advisor (Liminal Insights) - Battery intelligence firm Liminal has secured $10M in strategic investment, led by LG Technology Ventures, to expand its ultrasound-based quality control solutions for EV battery manufacturing.