CSR And Renewable Energy

Amid all the economic & geopolitical uncertainty, global energy investment is set to rise this year to $3.3 trillion. China is by far the world's single largest investor in energy, spending almost as much as the US & EU combined. Read more in the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s new report → https://iea.li/4kVvhkF Around $2.2 trillion is set to be invested collectively in renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency & electrification in 2025. This is twice as much as the $1.1 trillion going to oil, gas & coal. Explore IEA's World Energy Investment → https://iea.li/43FIxCN Global upstream oil investment is set to fall for the 1st time since 2020. The 6% drop is driven mainly by a decline in the US shale sector. By contrast, investment in new LNG facilities is on an upward trajectory, with new projects in the US, Qatar, Canada preparing to start up. Today’s investment trends clearly show a new Age of Electricity is drawing nearer. This year, electricity investments are on course to be some 50% higher than the total amount being spent bringing oil, natural gas and coal to market, accounting for over half all energy investment. In a worrying sign for electricity security, #investment in grids is failing to keep pace with spending on power generation & electrification. Maintaining electricity security requires investment in grids to rise towards parity with power generation spending by the early 2030s. Fierce competition is contributing to falling prices for solar PV & batteries – but electricity equipment costs are going up, with transformers & cables in short supply. Meanwhile, higher US steel & aluminium prices are pushing up costs for drilling & large engineering projects. Rapid growth in electricity demand is underpinning continued investment in coal supply, mainly in China and India. In 2024, China started construction on nearly 100 GW of new coal-fired power plants, pushing global approvals of coal-fired plants to their highest level since 2015. Investment in biofuels, biogases & low-emissions hydrogen is set to rise to a record high in 2025. But projects are facing headwinds given an uncertain policy environment and a number have been cancelled or delayed. Read the IEA's World Energy Investment 2025, freely available in full on our site → https://iea.li/43FIxCN And to learn more, join our Chief Energy Economist Tim Gould, lead report author Cecilia Tam & me for the LIVE launch event from 11:00 CEST → https://iea.li/4jup9yA

💰 $2.4 trillion was invested globally in the energy transition in 2024. This is no longer a sustainability narrative. It is a core business and capital allocation story. Investment is scaling where returns are bankable: 1️⃣ Electric vehicles: $763B (+33%) 2️⃣ Solar PV: $554B (+49%) 3️⃣ Battery storage: +73% — the fastest-growing segment 4️⃣ Power grids: $359B (+14%) — enabling electrification at scale At the same time, capital is becoming more selective. Wind investment declined despite strong fundamentals — not because the technology failed, but because permitting risk, weather variability, and financing costs were not adequately managed. 📌 This is where business performance is now decided. As energy systems become more weather-dependent, climate, weather and water intelligence directly affect: ▪ asset productivity and lifetime value ▪ grid reliability and congestion costs ▪ project bankability and cost of capital ▪ insurance, downtime, and revenue volatility Through the World Meteorological Organization’s global network of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, trusted data standards, WMO provides the authoritative climate and weather intelligence that underpins: ✔ more accurate resource assessment for renewables ✔ better forecasting for grids, storage, and EV charging ✔ reduced operational risk from extreme events ✔ stronger investment confidence in emerging markets In a $2.4 trillion market, better intelligence is a growth multiplier. Data: Climate Policy Institute and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

Get ready because Public Investment Fund (PIF) has increased its green investments to over $19.4 billion for 91 projects to help make Saudi Arabia more sustainable. The best part? A big chunk of this funding, $457 million, is dedicated to green initiatives, including $372 million for 8 green building projects. The majority of the investment, around $18.9 billion, is going into 73 projects that are currently under construction. These projects focus on renewable energy, clean transportation, and sustainable water management. One standout initiative is the Red Sea Global project, receiving $1.7 billion in green financing. This development aims to create a beautiful tourist destination while prioritizing environmental care. The impact is commendable: → These investments are expected to save 711,000 MWh of energy annually and treat 49.4 million cubic meters of wastewater, which will greatly reduce the Kingdom's carbon emissions. It’s inspiring to see such a strong commitment to sustainability, don’t you think? What are your thoughts on these bold steps toward a greener future? #SaudiArabia #Investment #Sustainability #Vision2030

84% of institutional investors expect their sustainable allocations to grow in the next 2 years 🌍 Sustainable investing is gaining strength. Investors are responding to more consistent performance data and clearer evidence of financial value. The new Sustainable Signals survey shows that 84% plan to increase the share of sustainable assets in their portfolios. Asset owners show the strongest change, supported by a more established track record. Climate risk is now a major driver of investment decisions. More than 75% expect physical climate impacts to affect asset prices within 5 years. This is directing capital toward data and analytics, water infrastructure, and grid upgrades. Energy efficiency and renewable energy remain the top 2 themes. Climate adaptation has moved into the top 3 for the first time, showing a broader focus on preparing assets for climate related disruptions. Investors also highlight practical challenges. Limited data, regulatory uncertainty, and political volatility continue to shape how they allocate capital. Still, more than 80% see sustainability as an essential tool for managing portfolio risk. Together, these trends point to a more structured approach to sustainable investing. One that links financial performance with exposure to climate and policy risks. How quickly do you see adaptation becoming a standard expectation in mainstream investment strategies? #sustainability #sustainable #esg #investment

South Korea just made solar panels mandatory for all big parking lots. New regulation: Any parking lot with over 80 spaces must install solar canopies. Not just new builds-existing sites too. It is a mandate, backed by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The law covers both public and private land. Key drivers: → Grid resilience: Solar canopies add distributed generation capacity, supporting local grids and reducing peak load risks. → Land use efficiency: Parking lots are idle land. Solar carports turn them into energy assets without taking up new space. → Job creation: The policy will generate demand for solar and construction jobs, supporting local economies. For drivers, the benefits are immediate: • Protection from rain, snow, and extreme heat. • Cooler interiors, extending car lifespans and reducing AC demand-especially for EVs. • Onsite charging, making EV adoption easier and lowering range anxiety. Implementation starts now and projects will launch this month. Other markets are testing similar ideas. Arizona’s 657 kW solar carport system offsets emissions from 185,000 vehicles. New York is opening 400 million square feet of parking space for solar and EV charging. Germany has incentives for commercial rooftops, with clear impact on national energy independence. The common thread: More renewable energy generation means less reliance on fossil fuels, more energy sovereignty, and greater resilience against shocks. Takeaway for business leaders: Solar mandates for “idle” infrastructure are becoming common. They deliver measurable benefits-energy, economics, and public comfort. What should be the strategic response by businesses and boards? Prepare for regulatory shifts, assess asset portfolios, and act early to capture value. #renewableenergy #solar #energytransition #sustainability #policy #futureofenergy #businessstrategy

Energy Transition Investment Trends 2025 is out! Global energy transition investment surpassed $2 trillion for the first time in 2024, up 11% year-on-year with new records for each of the 'mature' clean energy sectors: renewable energy, energy storage, power grids and electric vehicles. The Asia Pacific region invested $1 trillion and accounted for half of global investment. China alone invested $818 billion, overtaking the combined investment of the US, EU and UK. While the top line figures are positive, there are complexities under the surface. 'Emerging' clean-energy areas, including hydrogen, carbon capture, industry decarbonization, electrified heat, nuclear and clean shipping, together accounted for only 7% of investment in 2024, and actually experienced a decline in investment. Much more needs to be done to de-risk and scale up these newer low-carbon technologies. What is more, investment in the US was flat, and Europe was down - although both were coming off record years and rapid growth in 2023, driven by policymaking in 2022. Clean energy supply chain investment totaled $140 billion in 2024 and is running ahead of what is needed to supply the world with clean technologies in line with net zero. Climate-tech equity finance fell for a third year running, to $51 billion, but debt issuance for energy transition purposes more than offset this drop, ticking up above $1 trillion. Yesterday, BloombergNEF also released the third edition of our Energy Supply Investment and Banking Ratios, showing that banks hit a ratio of 0.89:1 in clean energy to fossil fuel financing in 2023. This was up from 0.74 the prior year. Both of these reports underscore the resilience and ongoing acceleration of the transition in the face of headwinds, but also the massive gap still in front of us to get on track for climate targets. Energy transition investment needs to average $5.5 trillion in the coming years, and investment ratios need to hit 4:1, if the goals of the Paris Agreement are to be hit. The key findings are available here: https://lnkd.in/dhazmdnW BNEF clients can find the full reports on the Terminal and BNEF website. Huge congratulations to the entire team for these two important publications, in particular Yushan Z., Meredith Annex, Antoine Vagneur-Jones, Stephanie Muro Padilla, Mark Daly, Musfika Mishi, Jonathan Luan Dong, Katrina White, Ryan Loughead, Jonas Rooze... and so many, many more. It's a privilege to work with colleagues as committed and capable as you all.

📉 Do High Interest Rates Impact Sustainable Investments? The Federal Reserve has maintained its hawkish stance on interest rates. This decision comes amid a delicate balance between inflation concerns and labor market weakness in an uncertain economic environment. 👉 How Do High Interest Rates Affect Sustainable Investments? ➜ Higher Financing Costs – Loans become more expensive, which may delay or disrupt sustainability projects that require significant upfront investments. According to a World Bank report, rising U.S. interest rates lead to higher bond yields in emerging markets, increasing borrowing costs for these countries. ➜ Shift Towards Higher-Yield Assets – In a high-interest-rate environment, investors may prefer traditional fixed-income instruments with guaranteed returns over long-term sustainable investments. This shift could reduce capital flows toward green projects. ➜ Pressure on Green Startups – Companies focused on renewable energy and hydrogen solutions may struggle to secure funding, slowing innovation in the sector. For example, Nikola Corporation, which develops hydrogen and electric trucks, faced severe financial challenges and had to raise additional capital in response to rising interest rates, leading to significant losses and declare bankruptcy. 👉 Is There a Silver Lining? ➜ Boosting Green Bond Investments – Higher interest rates could increase investor interest in green bonds as a viable investment vehicle, providing additional financing for sustainable projects. In July 2023, Toyota issued $1.5 billion in sustainability bonds in the U.S. to fund electric vehicle development, demonstrating that green financing remains attractive despite rising interest rates. ➜ Government Support for Green Financing – Governments may introduce more incentives to support green transition projects and counteract the impact of high interest rates, such as loan guarantees and tax breaks. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 allocated $391 billion for clean energy investments, including tax incentives for renewable energy projects. 🔎 So, Do High Interest Rates Hinder the Green Transition? The answer isn’t straightforward. While rising interest rates may slow down some sustainability projects, they could also encourage governments and investors to develop innovative financing solutions that drive sustainability forward. 💡 What’s your take on the relationship between monetary policy and green investments? Do you see any solutions to mitigate this impact? #Sustainability #SustainableFinance #Investing #Economy #Finance I am Dr. Saleh ASHRM 💡 Certified LinkedIn creator Top #9 creators LinkedIn Syria Top #1 Corporate Finance Syria Favikon The Sustainability Ambassador by The SPSC - UK Ph.D. in Accounting & Advocate for Sustainable Finance Source of picture Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images (Source in the comments)

On #WorldEnvironmentDay, we’re reminded that environmental and humanitarian challenges are interconnected.     Climate change can intensify pressures that contribute to forced displacement, disrupting livelihoods, straining infrastructure, and making access to essential services more difficult.     As communities respond to these challenges, it is increasingly important to consider solutions that help meet urgent needs while limiting additional pressure on the environment where possible.    That is why environmentally friendly technologies have an important role to play. Clean and resilient energy solutions can help support communities while reducing dependence on more resource-intensive alternatives.    One example is solar energy. Beyond lowering emissions, solar can provide reliable power in areas where infrastructure is limited or disrupted and help reduce reliance on diesel generation.    Recently, our IT team at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, deployed solar kits across Sudan, Ethiopia, Chad, Burundi, and Mali.     In Chad, it helps power operations supporting protection and assistance in a country hosting over 1.5 million forcibly displaced people.    In Sudan, reliable access to power can be especially valuable amid ongoing conflict and outages.     In Burundi, the deployments contributed to reducing dependence on diesel while supporting more resilient and sustainable energy access.    As environmental and infrastructure challenges continue to evolve, practical technologies like these can help strengthen resilience while supporting a more sustainable future.    Photo credit: Aristophane Ngargoune

In the first half of 2025, investment in new #renewable energy projects reached $386 billion - up 10% year-on-year and the highest ever recorded. Yet, the details reveal a more complex story: (1) Utility-scale #solar and onshore wind financing fell 13%, reaching its lowest share since 2006. (2) Utility-scale solar #PV was hit hardest, down 19% vs 1H 2024. (3) Offshore #wind bucked the trend, securing $39 billion in 1H 2025 - already surpassing last year’s total. Regional trends: (1) US - Investments dropped 36% amid policy uncertainty post-elections and tariff risks. (2) EU-27 - Investment surged 63%, up nearly $30 billion compared to late 2024. (3) China - Still dominates, accounting for 44% of global commitments. The record high reflects continued global momentum but also underscores the fragility of investment confidence when policy uncertainty rises. Sustained progress toward #netzero will depend not only on capital but on stable, enabling frameworks for clean energy deployment. #RenewableEnergy #CleanEnergy #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #NetZero https://lnkd.in/d_spReYj

India’s Solar Canals: A Game-Changer in Clean Energy & Water Management Innovation meets sustainability in Gujarat’s groundbreaking initiative — installing solar panels over the 532 km long Narmada canal. This visionary project addresses multiple challenges with a single, intelligent solution. Here’s a deeper dive into the technical and ecological impact: Technical Insights: Dual Use of Infrastructure: Utilizing existing canal infrastructure eliminates the need for additional land acquisition — a major cost and resource advantage in renewable energy deployment. Panel Design & Structure: The solar panels are mounted on custom-designed steel truss bridges, engineered to handle dynamic loads (wind, thermal expansion, and maintenance activities) while ensuring canal traffic and flow aren’t disrupted. Cooling Efficiency: Water under the panels provides a natural cooling effect, boosting solar panel efficiency by up to 2-5% compared to traditional ground-mounted systems. Energy Generation Capacity: With just 1 km of canal covered, approx. 1 MW of solar power can be generated, saving over 9,000 square meters of land and preventing 9 million liters of water from evaporating annually. Smart Grid Integration: Projects like these are being integrated into the state grid with real-time energy monitoring and performance analytics to optimize output and maintenance. Sustainability Benefits: Water Conservation: Reduced evaporation from canals directly contributes to preserving precious freshwater resources, vital for agriculture and human consumption. Reduced Transmission Loss: Since these canals often run near rural settlements, localized power generation minimizes energy loss during distribution. Job Creation: The initiative also opens opportunities in design, engineering, maintenance, and monitoring — fostering green jobs in both rural and urban areas. This is a textbook example of how multi-purpose infrastructure can deliver exponential value across sectors like energy, water, and agriculture — setting a blueprint for other states and countries to follow. Kudos to Gujarat and India's leadership in clean energy innovation. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible! #SolarEnergy #GreenInnovation #SustainableDevelopment #WaterConservation #EnergyEfficiency #CleanTech #IndiaInnovation #ClimateAction #InfrastructureDevelopment