Chris Bowman

Four years ago, in the thick of the COVID pandemic, Rewiring America shared their #electrification handbook. We at Energize Capital had been investing at the intersection of renewables and electrification since our firm's inception back in 2016. Rewiring America's work crystallized the electrification of everything imperative in a way we hadn't seen before; communicating complicated concepts simply. It inspired our team at Energize to start sharing our own views and thesis on, you guessed it, Electrify Everything.   Fast forward to 2024, we are 5 years into researching and writing about how to "Electrify Everything." We can decarbonize, save people and businesses money, and make the industrial economy more efficient. Critically, electrifying faster with proven technologies like solar, energy efficient devices, batteries … has an outsized impact on the Earth's carbon stock now, not 30 years from now. We think enabling technologies that help us electrify faster can unlock many proven electrification technologies. In the process, they might make a lot revenue and profit. That is a good thing.   Every year, Energize shares the latest Electrify Everything trends we can't stop talking about. We also share 30 companies advancing electrification with digital platforms that we really admire. There are 100s if not 1000s of innovators developing hardware, deeptech, software, and tech-enabled services business models to electrify everything. We love it all. Come join the movement and #ElectrifyEverything. Read on below to learn about the Electrify Everything 2024: The Top 30 Software Innovators! https://lnkd.in/euMeUMZt

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👋 I want to share some additional context on the amazing milestone that Absolute Climate and Evident announced today. ICYMI: Today, AC announced the adoption of the Absolute Carbon Standard (ACS) by Evident Global, a leader in sustainability certification. This is a really big deal. The carbon removal industry has struggled with conflicts of interest and a lack of consist project evaluation throughout it’s 30+ year history. Evident’s adoption of the ACS is a major step in the right direction. Why this partnership matters: 1️⃣ Independence and incentive alignment in credit issuance: ACS separates the roles of setting standards and issuing credits, addressing one of the most persistent conflicts of interest in carbon removal. 2️⃣ Universal and consistent standards: ACS is the first standard to apply the same rigorous criteria across all pathways, enabling fair, transparent comparisons between projects. 3️⃣ A sophisticated registry with deep experience: Evident’s track record and diversified business bring unparalleled credibility and stability to carbon removal. While my co-founder Peter Minor has written about the importance of independence in certification, I want to focus on why Evident is the ideal partner to bring this model to market. Why Evident stands out: For project developers, the lack of experienced registries with long-track records is a major challenge. Many existing registries are relatively new, have no experience in compliance markets, and are entirely reliant on carbon removal—a narrow focus that introduces significant business model and longevity risks. If you’re a project developer investing in a facility with a 20+ year lifespan, these are very real concerns. Will your registry still be around in two decades? Can it help you transition from voluntary to compliance markets as regulations evolve? That’s where Evident really shines: - A proven track record: Evident has over two decades of experience in sustainability certification, crediting thousands of projects across voluntary and compliance markets in more than 60 countries. - Business model stability: Unlike registries solely reliant on carbon removal, Evident’s diversified portfolio—anchored by its renewable energy credit business—ensures financial resilience and multi-decade staying power. - Policy expertise: Evident’s experience working directly with governments in compliance and voluntary markets positions it to support carbon removal as our industry integrates with policy frameworks and scales into compliance markets. For Absolute Climate, there isn’t a better partner to bring a new certification model to life. Evident brings the credibility, expertise, and stability that carbon removal urgently needs to build trust and scale responsibly. We’re thrilled to welcome Evident Global to the carbon removal space and are so excited for the impact we’re going to create together. 👉 Curious to learn more? Check out details here: https://shorturl.at/Vz9P1

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For project developers building everything from solar infrastructure to data centers, getting and staying compliant with the ever-changing world of tax credits, incentives, carbon market standards, and EPA regulations is confusing, opaque, and incredibly manual. Offstream utilizes LLMs to help those same project developers get and stay compliant via a simple software platform. By helping project developers start with dynamic life cycle assessments (LCAs) - the universally needed building block for most reporting - they bring clarity, transparency and automation to carbon compliance. I sat down with Shared Future Fund portfolio co-founders Varsha Ramesh Walsh and Zach Janicki to get into the weeds about how carbon compliance is being managed today, and how Offstream seeks to disrupt the status quo. CC: Collaborative Fund https://lnkd.in/dxXbNb57

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Cost-effective geothermal energy has the ability to fully transition and decarbonize our grids and industrial systems - in the near term! We believe the team and technology at XGS Energy will realize this vision and we couldn't be happier to be working with them on a geothermal-powered reality.

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In 2023, the largest segments in the climate tech vertical were low-carbon mobility, industry, grid infrastructure, intermittent renewable energy sources (solar and wind). 50 VC deals for climate tech companies in 2023 exceeded $150 million, and of these, nine exceeded $500 million. Companies that need a lot of capital to execute on a big vision can succeed today. #climatetech #climateVC #climate

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🌏 Recent data suggests that VC dollars in climate is starting to rebound (Q1 Clean Energy report by PitchBook, Sightline Climate (CTVC) shared that Seed to Series B grew from 2H23 to 1H24, and IRA dollars will likely start translating to actual deployments - Rhodium Group and MIT CEEPR. Other factors at play, as Rob Day shares: 🚀 Exits are a significant hurdle. The "clean energy VC exit activity” chart shows exits falling off a cliff in 1Q24 (PitchBook). IPOs have been hard to come by for startups across ALL sectors, and especially in the sustainability sector with lower chances of the IPO "checkmarks" being ✅ (big + growing revenues, predicable profitability..) 🔷 Business models - Many venture backed startups in clean energy are considered hard-tech, and they are not #projectdeployers, but often technology developers. They are generally not putting steel in the ground, and the buyers for certain industrial innovations tends to be limited. Few focus on deployment, or developer-style business models..and successful exits in climate lean disproportionately to downstream business model innovations, not hard-tech (ie. industrial wastewater, or composting). 🔷 Of course, the election. On the plus side, big infra investors are motivated to put their 2025 capital to work. Hopefully translating to increased acquisitions. #Hardtech #VC #ClimateInvesting #Investing #Startups #IPO

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"…if you look over a 10-year horizon, there's no question a shift toward renewables is happening; largely because it makes economic sense, not purely policy reasons." - Matthew Idema, Aurora Solar Despite market and political uncertainty, the Energize Capital NEXT #Climate #Software Summit made one thing clear: the #energytransition is not slowing down, and we have better tools than ever to make it happen. ✍️ Read our latest blog, Today in Climate: Insights from the Energize NEXT Climate Software Summit, here: https://lnkd.in/d_wMwsxw

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It’s so obvious what’s happening. Lines companies and regulators need to get out of the way (and react much faster than they are) to let the flow accelerate. https://lnkd.in/g9k-z-v7

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Yesterday, I spoke with a friend who’s doing everything right when it comes to climate action. He and his wife drive EVs, have rooftop solar, and completed a home energy audit. Yet, he’s frustrated. The next logical move - switching from natural gas to a heat pump - would increase his energy costs by 30%, even with rebates. It’s a tough reality: the system isn’t always set up to make the sustainable choice the rational one - especially if you're already on the leading edge. But here’s what stood out: He’s already a leader, and now he’s turning his frustration into action. He’s talking to his neighbors to make their neighborhood a "green space", and working with his schools and community centers to do audits and make upgrades that make economic sense. This reminded me that while individual actions matter, collective action and systemic change are what truly move the needle. I’ve written more about this conversation and the lessons it offers. If you’re navigating similar challenges, I’d love to hear your story. Check out the full post here: https://lnkd.in/eawyPdNd #ClimateAction #Sustainability #CleanEnergy

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S2G Ventures’ new report, The Climate Finance Relay Race, highlights how asset owners have the opportunity to fill a critical funding gap for climate-focused innovations and how having a solid ecosystem can help them do so. I think this is an important read for anyone interested in #climate #finance. https://lnkd.in/gjtFhHPy Mike Wise Sanjeev Krishnan Jinchen Zou

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What role do heat pumps play in the energy transition? ⚡️ I spoke with heat pump expert Katharina Loden, PhD on the Energy Superheroes Podcast. She is deeply invested in this technology as a way to enhance energy savings and curb greenhouse gas emissions. 🌎 Her most recent venture, UpHeat, helps individuals navigate the technical details of heat pump systems and choose the right set up for their needs. Heat pumps operate by moving heat between spaces, serving the dual purpose of both heating and cooling. 👍 Katharina says that heat pumps have greater energy efficiency than conventional systems. They have lower energy consumption for the same heating or cooling levels, which can cut energy bills and emissions. 💵 For more, check out the full episode at Energy.Media or Spotify. 🎤 What are your thoughts on installing heat pumps? Share in the comments below. 📝 Disclaimer: This post is made for entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this post constitutes investment advice. #energytransition #decarbonization #electrification #heatpumps #innovation #technology

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Absolutely thrilled to welcome Eliot Brooks, Freddie Scott, William Knapp, and the entire Cocoon team to the Wireframe portfolio, and lead their pre-seed round! Steel and concrete are widely considered some of the toughest industries to decarbonize; responsible for 14%+ of GHG emissions today. The scale of these sectors -- with concrete being the second most used substance in the world after water -- makes it extremely difficult for any new technology to make a dent on operations or emissions. But with demand for building materials growing rapidly as we invest in modern cities and infrastructure, solutions that can deliver cost-effective carbon impacts in the short-term is exactly what we need. Enter Cocoon. The company's novel approach leverages existing feedstocks, flow sheets, and supply chains to produce low-carbon cement from slag, all while increasing the profitability of sustainable steel operations. More on why we're convinced that their scalable, shipping container sized system can be the winning solution for these historically hard-to-abate sectors + the progress they've made in just 15 months here: https://lnkd.in/ezzTWtaw

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Last week, I published my thoughts on the need for clean energy in the MAGA movement in The National Interest. While many clean energy activists tend to focus on climate change as the main reason to prioritize clean energy, I contend that there are a number of important reasons that Trump 2.0 should prioritize clean energy as a core part of its energy agenda. In the opinion editorial, I outline four important reasons why preserving most of the clean energy tax incentives in the IRA are important to that energy agenda, including the fact that the United States needs substantially more electric generation capacity to meet the swelling demands of a growing economy. Adopting an “all of the above” energy policy will help the United States meet this demand. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eQ8TF7CS

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We’re excited to announce our lead investment in ElectronX’s $15M fundraise. It’s rare to intersect a team so uniquely well-suited to address such a huge opportunity — Sam, Evan, and Philip, it’s truly an honor to partner with you. Power markets today look like securities did in the 1990s, or ads did in 2005. Since then, the evolution of real-time, granular exchanges in these sectors has unlocked immense value and efficiency, and democratized participation in massive end-markets. ElectronX is building this same core financial infrastructure for power. Currently, rapidly climbing renewables penetration on the grid is increasing volatility, unpredictability and price-movement. In order to continue to accelerate the deployment of renewables, more sophisticated pricing, hedging and risk-management is required. This is exactly why ElectronX is building their real-time electricity derivatives exchange, and we’re thrilled to be supporting this world-class team on their journey. Sam Smith-Eppsteiner #powermarkets #renewables #energytrading

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🗽 This just in! Ethan Levine is speaking at SuperReturn Energy on November 11th in New York City. How is the outcome of the US Presidential election likely to affect the energy sector? Ethan's panel: Framing today's energy investment landscape, will cover all of this and more. Don't miss this important discussion! For more information, click here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gFAun2K6 ​

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A simpler way to monetize clean energy tax credits .... Clean energy tax credit market poised to grow under new transferability rules. The transferability mechanism makes it easier for clean energy project developers and owners to sell IRA tax credits for cash. A last-minute change to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 expanded opportunities for for-profit businesses, partnerships and some nonprofits to sell clean energy tax credits to eligible buyers.  The U.S. Department of the Treasury on March 5 released final rules governing these sales, also known as tax credit transfers. These final rules set the stage for the market to continue accelerating rapidly, according to Crux CEO Alfred Johnson. A simpler way to monetize clean energy tax credits Johnson, whose company connects tax credit buyers and sellers, elaborated on the opportunities created by the IRA’s tax credit transferability mechanism in an interview with Facilities Dive. The energy transition is here – is your business ready to adapt? With rising electricity rates, uncertain grid reliability and an urgency to meet sustainability goals, your business is most likely assessing how to reduce costs, increase grid resiliency and maintain operational effectiveness – all while achieving a ZERO carbon footprint. Are you seeking an eco-friendly, sustainable | renewable BESS using any type of Lead-Acid battery? At TNI Energy-BESS, we've innovated a groundbreaking method that repurposes recycled lead-acid batteries, extending their life span to 15-20 years for energy storage purposes. Previously, the industry lacked a safe and environmentally conscious alternative to lithium-ion batteries. However, our proprietary technique reveals that lead-acid batteries are not only safer but also 30-40% more cost-effective than their hazardous counterparts. #SENTINEL™ TNiEnergy, #nebulositycloud, #BESS, #Energy, #ZEROemmissions, #ZEROcarbonfootprint, #energytransistion, #LeadAcid Battery, #windpower, #solarpower, #VPP, #MicroGrid

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