The Sustainability Year in Stories: March 2024

December 23, 2024

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The Future of Electric Cars in a Net Zero World panel

We look at the articles that made the news in 2024. Today, it is March's turn, featuring Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero, Microsoft and Google

Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero Day 2 Highlights

Neil Perry, Group Content Director at BizClik, reflects on Day 2 of the event and some of the amazing speakers.

Connecting the world’s sustainability leaders, innovators and pioneers, esteemed speakers shared their expertise and insights, enriching the sustainability discussion and shaping the future across industries with their passion and knowledge.

A challenging task to pick just one favourite from the day, Perry highlights four sessions from Day 2 among many incredible speakers:

Sustainability & Superiority: A Winning Combination with Virginie Helias, Chief Sustainability Officer at Procter & Gamble
Become Future Fit: Accelerate Sustainability with Hilary Tam Principal of Sustainability Transformation at AWS
Charting the Path to Sustainability with Aris Vrettos, Director, Sustainability Strategy and Transformation at Croda
Net Zero Fashion Panel with Nicola Torreggiani (Guess Europe) and Samantha Taylor (The Good Factory)

A message from our CEO on the future of sustainability

Inspired by the fantastic audience at Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero Glen White, Founder and CEO of BizClik took to the stage to take a few minutes to reflect on the future of sustainability and ESG.

“There was a vision back in 2018 to build a platform around sustainability & ESG, but it was not inspired by sustainability leaders. In fact, it was inspired by procurement and supply chain leaders saying to me – ‘Come on Glen let's stop talking about digital transformation and instead talk about how it will drive the future of our sustainability’,” said Glen.

The future of sustainability and the world

“We need to be better,” said Glen. “There is little time for answers when we need solutions. Is it corny to say we need to save the planet, we need to be a more diverse and inclusive world. All of the above is why we started this platform and why I am pleased to see you here at Sustainability LIVE.”

Maud Texier, Google’s Global Director, Clean Energy and Decarbonisation Development

Clean Electricity: Microsoft, Google and Nucor Join Forces

Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation and Nucor Corporation are combining their industry might in an effort to remove barriers to developing clean electricity tech.

The three companies will work together on new business models to “accelerate the development of first-of-a-kind and early commercial projects, including advanced nuclear, next-generation geothermal, clean hydrogen, long-duration energy storage (LDES) and others”, a statement said.

The companies have issued a request for information (RFI) in several US regions for potential projects in need of impetus, with technology providers, developers, investors and utilities urged to respond.

Maud Texier, Google’s Global Director, Clean Energy and Decarbonisation Development, said: “Scaling advanced clean technologies requires significant investment, but the novelty and risk of early projects often make it difficult for them to secure the financing they need.

“Aggregating the demand of multiple large clean energy buyers helps enable the investments and commercial structures that are needed to bring these projects into the market.”

Clean tech and energy storage are key

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says clean electricity technologies and advanced energy storage systems are key to decarbonising grids and meeting global electricity demand with carbon-free energy sources.

The companies will initially focus on advanced technology pilot projects in the United States.

The three-pronged project delivery framework comprises:

Signing offtake agreements for technologies that are still early on the cost curve
Bringing a clear customer voice to policymakers and other stakeholders on broader long-term ecosystem improvements
Developing new enabling tariff structures in partnership with energy providers and utilities.