Environment+Energy Leader

10/13/2025

BlackRock’s latest acquisition is sparking new fears over rising electricity costs in Minnesota. ⚡📈

Despite warnings from consumer advocates and the state’s Administrative Law Judge, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved BlackRock’s takeover of ALLETE, the parent company of Minnesota Power, on October 3, 2025.

Critics—including the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP)—say the deal could lead to higher rates, reduced accountability, and weaker transparency as private equity enters the utility sector.

With Minnesota’s 2040 carbon-free electricity mandate in play, concerns also center on whether BlackRock’s ownership model will prioritize clean energy expansion—or investor returns.

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Minnesota regulators approved BlackRock’s acquisition of ALLETE, overriding warnings of rate hikes and weakened oversight for state power customers.

10/13/2025

Trump’s 2025 policy agenda is putting America’s solar and storage boom to the test. ☀️⚡

Since 2022, more than $40.6 billion in solar and storage manufacturing investments have been announced under the Inflation Reduction Act—creating 54,700 jobs and rebuilding U.S. supply chains from polysilicon to power electronics.

But new executive orders, funding cuts, and proposed rollbacks from the Trump administration are testing that progress.

Will private investment and state policy sustain the nation’s clean energy resurgence—or stall it?

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10/12/2025

Colorado Expands EV Rebates to Keep Clean Transportation Affordable 🚗⚡

As federal EV incentives end, Colorado is stepping up. The Vehicle Exchange Colorado (VXC) program will raise rebates starting November 3, 2025, from $6,000 to $9,000 for new EVs and $4,000 to $6,000 for used ones — ensuring low- and moderate-income families can continue to make the switch to clean transportation.

Governor Jared Polis said, “Colorado is a national leader in EVs, expanding access and creating pathways for Coloradans to purchase an EV at low-cost.”
Will Toor, Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office, added that the change will help the state stay on track to meet its climate goals.

Since 2023, the program has supported over 2,700 vehicle exchanges — cutting emissions and helping Coloradans trade in older, high-emission vehicles.

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10/11/2025

A new class-action lawsuit alleges that 2019–2022 Nissan Leaf models can overheat or ignite during Level 3 (DC fast) charging, spotlighting major design tensions in early EV platforms that lack active thermal management.

The case, filed in California and Oregon, argues that Nissan falsely marketed the cars as “fast-charge-ready” while later warning owners not to use public fast chargers. With 19,000 vehicles under recall, owners are still waiting for a full fix.

Will software patches be enough to address a possible hardware flaw—or just slow down charging speeds?

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10/11/2025

The University of Pittsburgh is taking reuse to the next level. ☕♻️

Partnering with USEFULL, the university has rolled out a campus-wide reusable cup program across eight dining locations, replacing disposable coffee cups with stainless steel, QR-coded alternatives.

With return rates exceeding 99%, the initiative is not only cutting waste but also helping reduce rising service and disposal costs. Each cup can be checked out and returned via an app, simplifying logistics for both students and dining teams.

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10/10/2025

In rural Ghana, a nonprofit is redefining how students learn and communities grow. 🌱📖

School Farms' 2024–2025 impact report highlights how hands-on agricultural education helped more than 300 students learn sustainable farming, nutrition, and entrepreneurship—strengthening local food security and building climate resilience.

Supported by the Roddenberry Foundation and Interplast Ghana, the program’s CENS+ framework brought drip irrigation, greenhouses, and agribusiness training to schools, producing over 4,000 kilograms of fresh vegetables and improving nutrition literacy by 65%.

“Students gained confidence and competence to drive agricultural innovation,” said Alfred Godwin Adjabeng, Founder and Executive Director of School Farms.

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10/10/2025

Delaware is taking a closer look at how to sustainably fund its transportation future.

Governor Matt Meyer has signed an executive order establishing the Task Force on Sustainable Transportation Funding, chaired by Secretary of Transportation Shanté Hastings. The group will examine how declining fuel-tax revenues and rising costs affect the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) — the backbone of Delaware’s infrastructure since 1987.

“Transportation funding is not just about keeping our roads paved—it’s about ensuring safe travel, supporting economic growth, and meeting the mobility needs of every Delawarean,” said Secretary Hastings.

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10/09/2025

Hydrogen storage just became more affordable — and more sustainable.

Researchers at Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science have created a low-cost green rust catalyst enhanced with copper oxide clusters that performs as efficiently as platinum-based systems in hydrogen release.

The new catalyst enables hydrogen generation from sodium borohydride under light and room temperature conditions, cutting costs and simplifying operation for industrial and mobility use.

“We expect that our catalyst will be used for hydrogen fuel cells in many onboard applications like cars and ships,” said Dr. Yusuke Ide.

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A new iron-based catalyst challenges the need for platinum in hydrogen systems. Its low-cost design could speed up clean fuel adoption across industries.

10/09/2025

Levi Strauss & Co. is seeing investor optimism soar—just as it strengthens its sustainability strategy.

The company’s stock recently reached a 52-week high, following analyst upgrades from Bank of America, Stifel, and Telsey Advisory Group. Analysts cite solid growth and a sustainability-driven business model as key reasons for confidence.

Levi’s latest initiative, the LS&Co. Energy Accelerator Program (LEAP) with Schneider Electric, aims to help suppliers in India transition to renewable electricity—cutting more than 30,000 metric tons of CO₂ each year.

From its Water

10/08/2025

The partnership connects Call2Recycle's retail and municipal battery collection network directly to American Battery Technology Company's domestic recycling facilities—creating a complete system for lithium-ion recovery within the United States.

This collaboration strengthens U.S. supply chains for critical materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese while reducing dependence on overseas processors.

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10/08/2025

The Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) has officially collapsed — and with it, the financial sector’s most high-profile voluntary climate coalition.

The alliance, which once counted over 140 global banks, voted to dissolve after major members like JPMorgan Chase, Citi, and UBS exited under political and legal pressure.

Analysts say the move underscores the limits of voluntary climate finance and may signal a shift toward enforceable global standards for financed-emissions reporting.

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10/07/2025

Now available: The 2025 Benchmark Report: Corporate Sustainability & Energy Innovation.

See where sustainability leaders are prioritizing resources, facing challenges, and delivering results.

📘 Download instantly for $395 or bundle with a prepaid 2026 Award entry and save $200.

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