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Quaise Energy Raises $134 Million to Build First-Ever Superhot Geothermal Power Plant

Quaise Energy Raises $134 Million to Build First-Ever Superhot Geothermal Power Plant

Geothermal energy technology company Quaise Energy announced that it has raised $134 million at the first close of a Series B funding round, with proceeds aimed at supporting the development of the world’s first commercial superhot geothermal power plant. Founded in 2018 as a spinout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge-based Quaise develops solutions aimed at harnessing superhot geothermal…

TenneT Germany Raises €3.5 Billion in Largest-Ever Corporate EuGB-Aligned Green Bond Offering

TenneT Germany Raises €3.5 Billion in Largest-Ever Corporate EuGB-Aligned Green Bond Offering

TenneT Germany, the largest electricity transmission system operator in Germany, announced that it has raised €3.5 billion in its inaugural green bond offering, marking the largest corporate issuance to date under the EU’s European Green Bond (EuGB) standard. TenneT noted strong demand for the offering, with the issuance more than 6x oversubscribed. The issuance included four tranches, with maturities of…

Quinbrook Raises $780 Million for Clean Energy Infrastructure Fund

Quinbrook Raises $780 Million for Clean Energy Infrastructure Fund

Energy transition-focused investor Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners announced today the final close of its Quinbrook Renewables Impact Fund II (QRIF II), raising £587 million (USD$784 million) in commitments for the UK-focused renewables infrastructure strategy, well ahead of the fund’s £500 million target. According to Quinbrook, QRIF II targets investments in renewable energy and storage that advance decarbonization, improve security of energy…

Google, McKinsey, Tencent Sign Large-Scale Nature-Based Carbon Removal Deals

Google, McKinsey, Tencent Sign Large-Scale Nature-Based Carbon Removal Deals

Singapore-based nature-based solutions project developer Thryve.Earth announced that it has signed a series of long-term offtake deals with Google, McKinsey and Tencent to remove more than 635,000 tonnes of carbon through a new agroforestry project restoring 6,000 hectares of degraded land in Indonesia. The agreements mark the largest carbon removal commitment to date for Google, and Tencent’s first nature-based offtake…

Catalyst Fund Raises $30 Million to Back Climate Tech Startups in Africa

Catalyst Fund Raises $30 Million to Back Climate Tech Startups in Africa

Africa-focused climate technology venture capital firm Catalyst Fund announced the launch of Catalyst Climate Resilience Fund I, raising $30 million at the fund’s second close to invest in early-stage climate technology startups. Launched in 2016, Nairobi-based Catalyst Fund is an early-stage venture capital fund and venture builder that invests in climate resilience and adaptation startups across Africa. The firm invests…

ECB Begins Applying Climate Risk Factors in Collateral Framework

ECB Begins Applying Climate Risk Factors in Collateral Framework

The European Central Bank (ECB) revealed that it has started the application of a new “climate factor” in its collateral framework, enabling the central bank to adjust the assigned value of assets pledged by banks as collateral for loans based on their exposure to climate transition risks. The rollout follows announced plans for the climate factor by the ECB last…

Allspring and Pictet join CityHive’s ACT list

Allspring Global Investments and Pictet Asset Management have become ACT signatories.   The additions bring the total number of firms in the ACT list to 42. Assets under management run by ACT signatories have reached £13.9trn, with Allspring accounting for £467bn and Pictet £269bn. Andy Sowerby, CEO at Allspring Global Investments (UK), said: “When we established Allspring in 2021, we had…

Financial inclusion: Accessibility, affordability and resilience key to improving outcomes

Every day, millions of UK households navigate sharp trade-offs between paying bills, managing debt, saving and building resilience. The UK has one of the most mature financial systems in the world, but that maturity conceals deep structural inequalities. Too many individuals and communities are still unable to access or benefit from the financial services they need to participate fully in…

Rethinking the role of cement in ESG investing

Few sectors attract as much skepticism for ESG investors as cement. It is a carbon-heavy and resource-intensive industry. For investors committed to sustainability, the instinct to exclude it is understandable. We believe that instinct, however well-intentioned, is mistaken, and – in the context of emerging markets – potentially harmful. We do not view sustainability as a screening exercise. It is…