With so much happening in the world of corporate sustainability, SustainabilityOnline has introduced The Sustainability Brief – a regular round-up of some of the top stories making headlines around the world.
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US survey finds 71% support community agreements ahead of new data centre construction
A Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy survey has found 71% of US registered voters support requiring community benefits agreements before data centre construction, while 38% identified making operators pay their own electricity costs as a policy priority. Among respondents viewing data centres unfavourably, 28% cited electricity costs and 18% water use. The online survey covered 1,004 registered voters between 10 and 14 September.
LEGO owners planning $1.6 billion climate investment
KIRKBI, the holding company owned by the Kirk Kristiansen family that owns the LEGO Group, plans to invest an additional $1.6 billion in climate-related investments over five years, doubling its climate investment portfolio, according to reports. The investment strategy covers renewable energy, energy storage, circular plastics and other technologies supporting the transition away from fossil fuels. KIRKBI’s climate portfolio already includes solar and energy-storage developer Adapture Renewables.
NACFE research finds economics driving electric terminal truck adoption
Research from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) has found that 76% of surveyed fleet operators report operating-cost savings from electric terminal trucks compared with diesel. Direct economic benefits were the most cited reason for adoption, while 54% of respondents had moved beyond pilot projects to partial deployment or standardisation.
Tesco and Olio partnership reaches 100 million meals redistributed
Tesco’s partnership with food-sharing platform Olio has reached 100 million meals redistributed, following a trial across 250 stores in 2019 and a national rollout in 2020, according to reports. The programme uses Olio’s Food Waste Heroes to collect unsold food from Tesco stores and redistribute it locally. The milestone represents a substantial increase from the 30 million meals Tesco reported as rescued through the partnership in February 2023.
UK commits £90m to clean heat networks serving more than 750,000 homes
The UK Government is investing £90 million in new and upgraded heat networks expected to benefit more than 750,000 homes. The funding will support new networks, repairs and measures to reduce waste, including schemes using excess heat from data centres and factories. A major heat-network project under and alongside the River Thames is also expected to unlock £5 billion of investment and create up to 2,000 jobs.
ClearPower plans $35m hydropower project in Peru
ClearPower Global has received authorisation from Peru’s Olmos Tinajones Special Project to develop approximately 20MW of hydropower within the Tinajones water system. The company plans to invest $35 million and expects the project to generate up to 184GWh of renewable electricity annually. Modular turbines will be installed at suitable elevation drops in the existing water-delivery infrastructure while maintaining its role supplying farms and communities.
Relae and Microsoft update carbon-removal quality criteria
Relae, formerly Carbon Direct, has released the sixth edition of its Criteria for High-Quality Carbon Dioxide Removal in collaboration with Microsoft, according to reports. The latest version adds a delivery-risk framework alongside updated quality benchmarks for carbon-removal projects. The criteria, first published in 2021, are intended to support developers, investors and buyers in assessing project quality and the likelihood that projects deliver credits in the quantity and timeframe committed.
Pacifico Energy receives approval to survey 1.3GW Vietnam offshore wind site
Pacifico Energy Vietnam has received approval from Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to conduct sea surveys for the proposed 1.3GW Nam Trung Bo 3 offshore wind project in Lam Dong Province, according to reports. The project is highlighted in Vietnam’s adjusted Power Development Plan VIII and is expected to enter commercial operation between 2031 and 2035. The licence allows technical and environmental studies to begin ahead of investment and permitting decisions.