Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure

This issue of Energy & Sustainability Connections includes features on essential annual actions for start-up boards and AtmosZero, a company focused on decarbonizing steam through heat-pump boiler technology, plus energy policy news from Washington, litigation updates, a roundup of recent M&A activity, and information on upcoming industry events.

In energy-related litigation news, the SEC voluntarily stayed its climate disclosure rule amid the Eighth Circuit’s pending review of challenges to the rule, a Texas federal court denied a dismissal motion in an ERISA lawsuit involving investments based on ERISA objectives, and the European Court of Human Rights held that Switzerland violated the human rights of its citizens by failing to adequately protect them from climate change. 

Our May 2024 Energy & Sustainability Washington Update covers several DOE developments, including a final rule setting new clean energy targets for federal buildings, a report addressing commercialization of offshore wind, and a simplified NEPA process for some projects, plus final EPA rules aimed at cutting pollution from fossil fuel–fired power plants and $54 million in federal funding for electric mobility.

This issue of Energy & Sustainability Connections includes features on the SEC’s sweeping new climate disclosure rule and PFAS removal company Aclarity, Inc., plus energy policy news from Washington, litigation updates, a roundup of recent M&A activity, and a list of upcoming industry events.

In energy-related litigation news, the SEC issued its long-awaited climate disclosure rule on March 6, adopting a regulation without the requirement to disclose Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions that was contained in the proposed rule. In the wake of court challenges from conservative and liberal perspectives, the Fifth Circuit issued a temporary administrative stay of the rule in mid-March.

Read about Aclarity, Inc., which provides wastewater treatment and environmental remediation services aimed at destroying PFAS “forever chemicals” and its recent $15.9 million Series A funding round.

Learn about upcoming energy industry events, including Dynamo’s April Founders Forum and the Greentown Labs Cleantech Open Houston Kick-Off Event.

Read about recent M&A activity in the energy and sustainability space, including Repsol’s $768 million acquisition of ConnectGen, a provider of renewable energy and related services connected with utility-scale clean energy projects.

Our April 2024 Energy & Sustainability Washington Update covers new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law & Inflation Reduction Act opportunities, new DOE funding for industrial decarbonization, electric heat pumps, and Interconnection of renewable energy into the grid, plus new vehicle pollution standards focused on EVs and a new national zero-emission freight corridor strategy.

Read about the SEC’s long-awaited final rule concerning climate disclosures, entitled “The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors,” which mandates disclosures of climate-related information by US capital markets participants.

Read about Cultivo, a public benefit corporation, and its recent $14 million in Series A funding to be used to advance the development of Cultivo’s AI-driven platform for large-scale nature regeneration projects.

As part of the Healey–Driscoll administration’s continued efforts to ensure Massachusetts remains a state where people want to live, work, and raise families — and businesses want to start and operate companies — the administration announced the proposed Mass Leads Act earlier today. The proposed law calls for investments of $1 billion each in the life sciences and climate tech industries over a 10-year period, with the latter category of funding providing critically important support to the administration’s goal of making Massachusetts the global leader in climate tech and clean energy development. 

Learn about upcoming energy industry events, including the ACCEL: Advancing Climatetech & Clean Energy Leaders, Year 2 Kickoff Event co-hosted by Greentown Labs and Browning the Green Space.

Read about Ørsted’s acquisition of renewable wind energy company Sunrise Wind, Swell’s acquisition of solar panel and systems company Renu Energy Solution, and other recent M&A deals in the energy and sustainability space.

This issue of Energy & Sustainability Connections includes features on Mintz’s commitment to the energy transition with 80+ deal closings totaling $4 billion in the past 12 months and public benefit company Cultivo, a roundup of recent M&A activity in the energy space, energy policy news from Washington, litigation updates, and a list of upcoming industry events.

In energy-related litigation news, the US Chamber of Commerce, in combination with other organized business interests, filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to invalidate two of the climate disclosure laws enacted by California last fall.

Our March 2023 Energy & Sustainability Washington Update covers contenders for the House Energy & Commerce Committee Republican leadership post in the next Congress, new DOE opportunities for advanced battery manufacturing, the second round of Defense Production Act funding for electric heat pumps, a new program to support transit & school bus fleet electrification, an update on the NEVI Program for EV charging infrastructure, and new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law & Inflation Reduction Act opportunities.