EIP Weekly Reads for 2/1

Energy Impact Partners is a strategic investment platform leading the energy transformation. And we read a lot. Here are some of the key stories making the rounds with us this week.

Exxon and Chevron discussed a merger and NextEras CEO gave the unequivocal statement that there’s no U.S. economic coal plants left in their earnings call. Meanwhile, Blackrock CEO Larry Fink unveiled his annual letter with a major focus on climate risk and the Biden Administration released their E.O. on climate. You know it's getting serious, because Iron Man has also launched a rolling VC fund to back sustainability startups.

Former FERC commissioners have banded together to recommend a pathways to facilitate more transmission and achieve decarbonization. For more on this see a great paper from Ari Peskoe here about the IOU and FERC dynamic and history around transmission.

It’s been a big week for EIP partners: Microsoft laid out their zero carbon progress, Opus One signed a deal with the UK DSO, Enchanted Rock is doing an impressive community-focused resilience project in Chicago with ComEd, and Kiran Bahtraju penned a great piece on community solar in Fast Company.

In general cleantech startup world, it was great to see major funding rounds from Span.io and Sila Nanotechnologies, EIP invested in the Sitetracker Series C and Enphase acquired Sofdesk.

Interim EV deployment numbers are in, and the numbers are hot. Global EV sales are up by 40%, thanks mostly to the EU. Meanwhile, Biden has pledged to convert the Federal fleet to fully electric! For more, see this an awesome read from the Bloomberg team on how massive EV deployment would fundamentally alter the makeup and efficiency of the U.S. energy system.

Chart of the week from my colleagues Shayle Kann and Andy Lubershane. Winning not just because for sharp insights, but also the first ever chart I’ve see that uses gradient in a functional way!

Plus, in glorious fashion, Leeds United beat Leicester City 3-1 at the weekend with an incredible strike from Patrick Bamford that puts him in the EPLs top four goalscorers.

Adam James is the Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President at Energy Impact Partners. You can follow him here on Twitter and here on LinkedIn.