Venture Capitalists Put $16.2 Billion Behind Clean Energy In 2022

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Earlier this month, analyst firm Pitchbook published its analysis of venture investments into clean energy in 2022. The firm found that 2022 was a record year for the sector, with investments hitting $16.2 billion for the year, just barely topping 2021’s $16 billion. A driving factor behind part of the surge in investment was the war in Ukraine, which highlighted the need for energy resilience. That said, as the year went on and the energy sector looked more stable, the fourth quarter saw a year over year drop of 46.5% in terms of venture capital raised in the sector.

The report highlights two areas that saw major deals in the fourth quarter and seemed poised for further growth: green hydrogen and grid-scale batteries for renewables. Another area of interest for VCs are companies involved in management and analytics of the power grid.

You can read the full report here.

The Big Read

‘On Thin Ice’: World About To Pass Critical Temperature Threshold, UN Warns

United Nations scientists warned Monday the world is on track to pass a critical temperature threshold believed to be essential to combat climate change by the early 2030s—as scientists resound the alarm for drastic cuts to greenhouse gas emissions they say are necessary to prevent catastrophic droughts, heat waves and sea-level rise.

Read more here.

Discoveries And Innovations

Climate change could be driving a potentially deadly ocean-dwelling bacteria capable of causing “flesh-eating” infections up along the East Coast of the United States.

Tomato farmers can reduce the amount of insecticides they’re using by instead introducing tropical tent web spiders, which can effectively control pests that feast on tomatoes.