Energy Innovation Capital

As noted in a recent blog post from portfolio company Infinitum, "the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) estimates that data centers could consume up to 9% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030, more than double today’s usage." But is that increase inevitable? Sustainability Program Manager Amanda Weilenmann looks into it, outlining the evolving metrics for assessing data center sustainability. Among them are: 1️⃣ Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) A common metric which looks at the ratio of total energy used by the data center to the energy used by IT equipment. 2️⃣ Embodied Carbon Intensity (ECI) A measurement of the carbon emissions associated with raw material extraction, processing, and product disposal. 3️⃣ Operational Carbon Intensity (OCI) A measurement of carbon emissions over the data center’s operational life. As they're so much lighter, Infinitum’s electric motors have an 18% lower ECI footprint than typical induction motors. Investing in key pieces of equipment like this which are more efficient is just one of the ways we can address the increasing energy demands of data centers. Read the blog post here 👉 https://lnkd.in/g9SBxsRR #DataCenters #EnergyEfficiency #MotorTechnology

Have you seen the Tech Nation Report 2024? There are some interesting and positive findings for anyone keeping an eye on energy and climate tech in the UK. Among the insights in the report, some key points include: 🌿UK tech startups raised $21.3 billion in 2023, with the largest proportion ($5bn) going to energy startups. Fintech ($3.9bn) and transport ($3.7bn) came in second and third. 🌿When it comes to frontier technologies that aim to help the planet, climate tech ($6.1bn), electric mobility ($2.4bn), and EV batteries ($1.3bn) are attracting the most UK investment. 🌿Funds headquartered in the UK had a record-breaking year; Q1 2024 saw their biggest quarterly fundraise to date, at $50.2 billion. You can read an overview and download the full report here → https://lnkd.in/eNHcfrCu #UKtech #EnergyTech #ClimateTech

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, 2023 was the hottest year since records began in 1850—and 2024 looks set to be even hotter. Seeing these data not only brings home the importance of addressing the climate crisis in the medium to long term, but also of mitigating the effects of increased temperatures right now. That's why OSHA has proposed a new Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standard. Portfolio company Phoenix Energy Technologies, which provides Smart Building IoT analytics solutions to multi-site enterprises, has written an insightful piece on the details of the new OSHA rule and what it might mean for employers. It explores how predictive weather and automation can help organizations comply with the proposed regulations. For example, PhoenixET's EnterpriseDX platform enables: 🌡 Predictive weather integration, with forecast-based adjustments and real-time monitoring 🌡 Automated temperature setpoint management 🌡 Automated heat monitoring and compliance reporting, which lead to enhanced compliance with OSHA regulations You can read more about the proposed rule and how multi-site operations might comply here ➡ https://lnkd.in/e7x-DP63 And you can explore the latest NCEI data here ➡ https://lnkd.in/epXgHr9q #OSHA #HeatSafety #DigitalTransformation NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

AI is a complex topic, and one which has increasingly been a major, mainstream concern. As with any rapidly developing area of technology, it's critical that we listen to experts in order to have a nuanced, productive conversation. We've been following portfolio company SafeAI, Inc.'s insightful 'Safety in AI' series, which has just concluded with a piece on actionable steps. It's great to see such in-depth but accessible writing on the topic, from specialists—SafeAI enables heavy equipment owners to convert, not replace, aftermarket vehicles to an autonomous fleet. As SafeAI founder and CEO Bibhrajit Halder and product manager Cynthia Brosque put it: 💬 "For startups developing autonomous mining solutions, prioritizing AI safety is not just a regulatory necessity but a strategic imperative. By assembling interdisciplinary teams, collaborating with reputable vendors, and implementing rigorous testing and validation processes, companies can significantly enhance their AI safety strategies." Read the full article, and find links to the rest of the series, here 👉 https://lnkd.in/ehfDkSd8 #AI #AISafety #AutonomousVehicles

It's great to see the latest figures from portfolio company tado°, which show that an increase in solar and wind energy has a positive knock-on effect for households with dynamic electricity tariffs in Europe 👉 https://lnkd.in/euGdF6WJ Simon Schmitz—who is both the co-founder and CEO of aWATTar GmbH and responsible for tado°'s Energy division—says that "the share of renewable energy in the electricity grid will continue to rise, and with it the fluctuations in electricity prices. That's good news for households [that can flexibly respond to dynamic electricity tariffs]." tado°'s CEO, Christian Deilmann, also noted some relevant insights in two recent articles from @The Economist. As we shift more towards renewable energy sources, The Economist recommends: 1️⃣ A faster rollout of Smart Meters in some countries 2️⃣ A move from fixed-rate to dynamic network charges (grid fees and taxes), to incentivize energy consumption at times of high energy availability We look forward to seeing tado° continue working towards these goals, and helping consumers reduce their energy costs. You can access the two Economist articles (membership required) here https://lnkd.in/dysQNht6 👉 and here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dNUjnMUq You can read Christian Deilmann's thoughts on the Economist articles here → https://lnkd.in/eBCYuRS5 #EnergyTransition #SmartMeters #Renewables

It's always great to see the wealth of expertise in our portfolio companies recognized and shared. Recently Rick Tiene, Mission Secure's VP of Government and Critical Infrastructure, was featured in an Industrial Cyber article on OT (operational technology) cybersecurity programs. Quoted in the article, Tiene explained that "a layered approach, or defense in depth, is considered best practice for both IT and OT cybersecurity." He noted that the fear that security solutions will somehow disrupt production is one of the major obstacles to implementing OT security programs. "It’s a concern that needs to be taken seriously," he said, "because if you use security tools that were built for IT environments, there is a real risk of getting something wrong. This is why it’s essential to use security technology that was developed specifically for OT networks and OT assets." Click here for the full article 👉 https://lnkd.in/gwUxYNwF #OT #OTSecurity #OperationalTechnology

Some excellent Olympic-themed math from Nicholas Dyner, CEO of portfolio company Moleaer Inc. 🏊♀️ Realizing that the world-leading nanobubble technology company treats two Olympic swimming pools' worth of water every minute certainly puts its achievements into perspective!🥇 #Nanobubbles #NanobubbleTechnology #Paris2024

Congratulations to portfolio company Infinitum for being recognized as a winner in the Business Intelligence Group's Sustainability Awards—for the third year in a row 🎉 Infinitum’s Aircore EC won a 2024 Sustainability Product of the Year Award. Speaking about the company, Russ Fordyce 🏆, CEO of the Business Intelligence Group, said: "Forget greenwashing—at Infinitum, they have put sustainability at the heart of everything they do. We're inspired by their dedication and excited to showcase the incredible work they're accomplishing." Infinitum founder and CEO Ben Schuler added: "Advanced, high-efficiency motors, like Infinitum’s Aircore EC motors, have the potential to significantly impact energy consumption and help address climate challenges. Being recognized for our innovative practices once again by Business Intelligence Group is a testament to the talent and dedication of the entire Infinitum team." You can read the full press release here → https://lnkd.in/eJakeQFV #ElectricMotors #SustainabilityAwards #MotorTechnology

At EIC we invest in companies that, through innovations in business and technology, are transforming energy- and resource-intensive industries. In Tulsa, EIC Rose Rock focuses on principally seed-stage companies working toward that goal, while Rose Rock Bridge provides incubator support to early-stage energy and climate tech startups. At every stage, we're excited to help nurture the great ideas and hard-working people who are moving us closer to a sustainable future. We're sure plenty of that much-needed drive and passion will be on display from the 2024 Ascend cohort, at this week's showcase which concludes Rose Rock Bridge's 5-week accelerator program. Well done to the 15 startups that took part—we can't wait to see what you do next. To learn more about the cohort, click here → https://lnkd.in/e7q5BMH5 #EnergyTransition #ClimateTech #StartupAccelerator

Have you been following the XPRIZE competition recently? Portfolio company Orbital Sidekick qualified for the Space-Based Detection & Intelligence cohort in the Wildfire competition, which takes place over four years. Qualifying teams have to accurately and rapidly detect dangerous wildfires and communicate their locations to ground stations. Captura, which our early-stage VC fund EIC Rose Rock invested in last year, has made it to the finals of the Carbon Removal competition. The twenty finalists were selected from an initial pool of over 1300 entrants, and must now aim to remove 1000 net tonnes of CO2 during this final year of the competition. Captura was also the first of the twenty to receive a site visit from the XPRIZE team, a chance to demonstrate the company's innovative Direct Ocean Capture technology in person. You can learn more about the Wildfire competition here → https://lnkd.in/gAbNwijN And about the Carbon Removal competition here → https://lnkd.in/gSm4Q5iK #XPRIZEWildfire #XPRIZECarbonRemoval #CarbonCapture