News Type: Press Release

The inaugural Peace Renewable Energy Credit (P-REC) purchase from 2020 is expanding with a new purchase by Microsoft of credits from solar projects in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This agreement, executed by Microsoft and project developer Nuru, with support from Energy Peace Partners (EPP), makes Microsoft the first repeat P-REC buyer and is also the largest P-REC deal transacted to date. The transaction was once again facilitated by 3Degrees, a leading global climate solutions provider that has worked on all P-REC deals to date. The team jointly announced the deal at the Sustainable Energy for All Forum taking place in Kigali, Rwanda this week.

P-RECs are international renewable energy certificates (I-RECs) that support high impact renewable energy projects in fragile, climate vulnerable countries. P-RECs are a supplementary label developed and issued by EPP, certifying the co-benefits associated with the new renewable energy generation.

Microsoft’s initial P-REC purchase funded the installation of public streetlights connected to Nuru’s 1.3MW solar minigrid in the Ndosho neighborhood of Goma. This second purchase expands the project in Ndosho by supporting first-time electricity connections for households, businesses, and social institutions, and deploying additional streetlights that improve nighttime security in the community and allow local businesses and markets to operate during evening hours. The purchase also contributes directly to the financing of Nuru’s new 3.7 MW solar metro-grid anticipated to serve nearly 20,000 direct beneficiaries in Goma. Together, the projects will constitute one of the largest off-grid mini-grids operating in Sub-Saharan Africa, eventually benefitting 125,000 people and raising the average electricity rate from 3% to around 20%.

“By expanding the impact of this project, Microsoft is helping to enable meaningful access to electricity for a large portion of the area’s residents,” said Elizabeth Willmott, Carbon Program Director, Microsoft.

“This transaction contributes meaningfully to delivering on Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) to end energy poverty and ensure a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind. We are excited to see the P-REC market contribute to increasing renewable energy access in the DRC and unleashing the full potential of Congolese communities,” said Dave Mozersky, President of Energy Peace Partners. “We are grateful for the leadership demonstrated by Microsoft, 3Degrees and Nuru in helping to extend the renewable energy revolution to communities where it has outsize impact.”

“We are thrilled to close this new P-REC deal with Microsoft, 3Degrees, and Energy Peace Partners. Through our collaboration, we will deploy and operate new renewable energy infrastructure and public streetlights, improving thousands of lives in Goma, DRC,” Jonathan E. Shaw, Co-Founder and CEO, Nuru. “Together our work will continue to inspire and amplify the incredible human capacity in Congo by providing thousands of delighted people with the first-time and world-class energy services that they deserve. These projects will also enable us to decarbonize and green existing energy sources, building climate-resilient and sustainable communities in DRC. Working together with companies like Microsoft, 3Degrees, and Energy Peace Partners is critical for achieving collective impact in DRC. We are excited to renew our relationship through this P-REC purchase and to achieve big results in DRC’s communities together.” 

“We are thrilled to continue to support Microsoft as they further their commitment to Peace RECs with this meaningful second investment in the Goma solar project,” said Steve McDougal, CEO, 3Degrees. “It’s incredibly rewarding to work on renewable energy procurements like this that will ultimately make such a positive, direct difference in the lives of people in that community. We appreciate the partnership with EPP and Nuru and the opportunity to collaborate with them, once again, to help make this largest-ever P-REC transaction a reality.”

About Energy Peace Partners

Energy Peace Partners leverages climate finance solutions to support peace in places affected by violent conflict. We believe that a paradigm shift toward climate-sensitive development can deliver enduring benefits to the planet’s most vulnerable populations. The Energy Peace Partners team brings together expertise in international peacebuilding, renewable energy, and climate security. Our efforts create an enabling environment for introducing renewable energy that can serve as the building blocks for peace.

About Nuru

Nuru is a company dedicated to enhancing connectivity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nuru deployed DRC’s first solar-based mini-grid in 2017 and  a 1.3 MW commercial solar-plus-storage hybrid site in Goma, North Kivu in 2020. Building on this success, Nuru plans to install an additional 14 MW in renewable energy infrastructure in DRC in 2023. Nuru, meaning “light” in Swahili, encapsulates our vision to inspire and catalyze the incredible human potential in Congo by providing 5 million delighted clients with world-class connectivity by September 24, 2024.

Power purchase agreement with Apex Clean Energy targets 100 percent renewable energy sourcing in the U.S. by 2022

Under a broad set of ESG initiatives unveiled today by company President and CEO Gary Dickerson, Applied Materials announced a commitment to 100 percent renewable energy sourcing by 2030.

In accordance with its goal, Applied has joined other technology leaders in committing to purchase energy from the 500 megawatt (MW) White Mesa Wind project being developed by Apex Clean Energy in Crockett County, Texas. Applied’s power purchase agreement (PPA) covers 10 percent of the project’s clean energy output, an amount equivalent to the power needs of more than 13,000 homes.

“Our PPA is an important step in helping Applied Materials reach our reduced carbon footprint targets as it will enable us to achieve 100 percent renewable energy sourcing in the U.S. and 73 percent worldwide by 2022,” said Scott Hambleton, managing director of Environmental, Health and Safety at Applied Materials. “We are excited to accelerate our environmental sustainability goals with a clean energy project that is supported by other leading technology companies.”

“White Mesa clearly demonstrates the power of corporate energy purchasers working together to bring new renewable energy projects to life,” said Mark Goodwin, president and CEO of Apex Clean Energy. “We welcome Applied Materials as the latest offtaker of the White Mesa Wind project and applaud the company’s dedication to incorporating sustainable practices into its business.”

3Degrees, a specialist in renewable energy, transportation decarbonization and other climate solutions, facilitated the agreement. “We are pleased to have helped facilitate this power purchase agreement with Applied Materials and Apex Clean Energy,” said Steve McDougal, CEO, 3Degrees. “It’s exciting to see a growing number of companies in the technology sector, and beyond, pledge long-term support to increase their commitment to renewable energy and help mitigate climate change.” 

“Applied Materials is solidifying itself as a renewable energy leader through strong commitments to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve 100 percent renewable energy sourcing globally over the next 10 years,” said Miranda Ballentine, CEO, Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA). “As we work toward achieving a zero-carbon future, this type of leadership will continue to move the industry forward and set an example for other large energy buyers to follow.”

About Applied Materials, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) is the leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. Our expertise in modifying materials at atomic levels and on an industrial scale enables customers to transform possibilities into reality. At Applied Materials, our innovations make possible the technology shaping the future. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

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Contact:

Ricky Gradwohl (editorial/media) 408.235.4676

Michael Sullivan (financial community) 408.986.7977

Partnerships Support New Solar Generation to Power Bank of America Charlotte Operations and Support New Solar Projects in Local Communities

CHARLOTTE – Bank of America announced today it is partnering with Duke Energy to further expand its renewable energy commitment by powering its headquarters and other Charlotte, North Carolina operations with solar energy.

Through a renewable energy-sleeved power purchase agreement (PPA), the company is participating in Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) program. The bank is the first company and financial institution to sign a 10-year agreement for electricity and Green-e®-certified renewable energy certificates (RECs) through this program.

The purchase of a 25-megawatt (MWAC) solar project’s electricity output and RECs will cover 45% of Bank of America’s electricity load in the state. By participating in Duke Energy’s GSA program, Bank of America further demonstrates its commitment to reduce its operational impacts on the environment, including being carbon neutral and utilizing 100% renewable electricity across its global operations.

“These unique projects and partnerships build on our achievement of carbon neutrality and expand our renewable energy commitment. By driving more clean energy solutions in our facilities, we are developing a broader sustainable energy ecosystem to help transform our operations and the communities where our employees work and live,” said Andrew Plepler, global head of Environmental, Social and Governance at Bank of America. “These partnerships bring to the forefront creative thinking and innovative solutions to address a changing climate and clean energy access.”

This innovative project will be constructed in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It also adds additional clean energy to the grid, supports jobs and the local economy. The project will include the installation of a pollinator habitat surrounding 70,000 solar panels, covering approximately 180 acres, and is expected to be online in 2022.

“We continue to look for new and innovative ways to deliver more renewable energy to customers in North Carolina,” said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “Customers want more flexibility and options for renewable energy and the Green Source Advantage makes that happen.”

Silver Pine Energy, a joint venture between Silver Creek Energy and North Carolina developer Pine Gate Renewables, will oversee the development of the project and will support the engineering, procurement and construction services.

“Silver Pine Energy is very pleased to be a part of the Green Source Advantage program,” said Silver Pine President Ben Catt. “We are grateful to partner with Duke Energy and Bank of America for this project, and excited to continue to do our part to bring more renewable energy online in North Carolina through innovative and exciting programs such as GSA.”

Duke Energy’s GSA program has 600 MW of capacity for large Duke Energy customers in North Carolina. Cities – like the city of Charlotte – are also eligible to participate.

Duke Energy maintains more than 3,300 MW of solar power on its energy grid in North Carolina, which could power about 700,000 homes and businesses at peak output. The company also operates 40 solar facilities in the state. North Carolina currently ranks No. 2 in the nation for overall solar power.

The Green Source Advantage program is an outgrowth of 2017’s landmark solar legislation in North Carolina. Other programs such as solar rebates for customers and solar leasing were also part of that legislation. Duke Energy piloted the program, called the Green Source, Tariff, in 2015.

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA – Bank of America partnered with 3Degrees to purchase RECs for 10 years to help make possible the development of four additional solar projects in the eastern part of the state. The counties of Harnett, Columbus, Nash, and Johnston will benefit from these projects, with solar energy added to the grid and pollinator habitats that will increase biodiversity in these communities. The total annual MWh output from the 3Degrees projects are expected to produce 33,000 MWh/ year.

“We applaud Bank of America’s continued investment in taking action against climate change,” said Steve McDougal, CEO, 3Degrees. “We have partnered together several times, and the bank’s desire to consistently seek out innovative projects, such as this impactful long-term REC purchase in North Carolina, is impressive. Bank of America exemplifies true corporate climate leadership.”

Additional resources

Learn more about Bank of America’s commitment to the environment and its environmental operations focus.

Learn more about Duke Energy’s GSA program and its renewable energy commitment.

Learn more about 3Degrees.

Learn more about Silver Pine Energy.

Learn more about Pine Gate Renewables.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers’ experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit’s regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Silver Pine Energy
Silver Pine is a joint venture partnership between Silver Creek Energy and Pine Gate Renewables. Silver Pine is actively developing dozens of projects across the southeast and beyond. The collective partnership combines to offer industry leading capabilities as a developer, financier, EPC, and operator of solar projects in the United States. Silver Pine currently oversees the construction and operation of 200 MWs of solar projects in the southeast and is actively developing over 1GW of solar across the country.

Pine Gate Renewables
Pine Gate Renewables is a leading developer, financier, EPC, and operator of solar projects across the United States. Pine Gate currently operates more than 400MWs of renewable energy projects and has an additional 4GWs of projects in different stages of development throughout the country. Pine Gate is headquartered in Asheville, N.C.

Bank of America
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

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Reporters May Contact:
Kelly Sapp, Bank of America, 1.980.214.3070
[email protected]

Randy Wheeless, Duke Energy, 1.800.559.3853
[email protected]

Rachel Fagan, 3Degrees, 1.512.402.8683
[email protected]

Erin Craig tapped to lead new Customer Solutions and Innovation Group, joined by Rick Freeman, formerly of Apple; Rebecca Sternberg hired to head up Energy and Climate Practice 

3Degrees, a specialist in renewable energy, transportation decarbonization, and other climate solutions, is pleased to announce several new leadership roles and the formation of a new group, Customer Solutions and Innovation.

Erin Craig, leader of 3Degrees’ Energy and Climate Practice, is shifting into a new role as vice president of the Customer Solutions and Innovation group. In this new role, Erin will leverage her deep expertise, as well as the customer insights gained through her advisory work, to create new solutions to climate challenges and bring them to corporate, utility, and institutional clients in partnership with 3Degrees’ business units. Erin will also serve as a senior advisor on select client engagements. 

To accelerate these efforts, 3Degrees is welcoming Frederick Freeman to the company as director of Customer Solutions and Innovation. Rick most recently spent eight years leading various strategic initiatives and renewable energy origination projects on the Global Energy Team at Apple. Prior to his time at Apple, Rick worked as an environmental engineering consultant for private and public sector clients, as a computer programmer of web platforms and educational systems, and served as an environmental policy technical expert for the U.S. Department of State. 

The Customer Solutions and Innovation team will focus on addressing barriers to renewable energy finance, accelerating the deployment of climate mitigations which bring multiple benefit streams to society, and enabling electrification initiatives through corporate climate action. 

To amplify the success of the Energy and Climate Practice, 3Degrees is pleased to welcome renewable energy veteran Rebecca Sternberg as its new leader and vice president. Rebecca has spent more than 15 years in the sustainability and renewable energy field, most recently as vice president of power marketing, at BayWa r.e. where she led origination of several prominent renewable energy projects, including a 100MW aggregation with Bloomberg, Cox Communications, Gap, Salesforce, and Workday. Prior to BayWa r.e., Rebecca led the global Fortune 1000 Commercial team for SolarCity, working with many leading retailers and global technology companies. She has also held prominent roles in EY’s Climate and Sustainability Services group and founded Accenture’s Sustainability Practice. 

3Degrees’  Energy and Climate Practice has grown tremendously over the past three years, partnering with major global corporations, including Visa, Mastercard, Mondelēz International, Etsy, and Comcast, to help them craft and execute customized plans to achieve their renewable energy and climate goals. In 2018, the team led the largest renewable energy aggregation to date, with Apple, Akamai, Swiss Re, and Etsy. Rebecca will lead the team’s evolution and growing body of work supporting strategic initiatives for some of the world’s leading corporations and educational institutions, transportation decarbonization initiatives, and renewable energy implementations worldwide.

“3Degrees continues to evolve to meet our clients’ growing renewable energy, transportation, and other climate solutions needs,” said Steve McDougal, CEO of 3Degrees. “A key component of our plan is building the strongest leadership in the industry. I’m thrilled that Erin and Rick are spearheading the new Customer Solutions and Innovation group, and that Rebecca will be at the helm of our thriving Energy and Climate Practice. Their collective leadership experience in the renewable energy industry is second to none, and our clients will certainly benefit from their expertise.” 

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The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and 3Degrees Group, Inc. (3Degrees) today announced that they’re entering a partnership to offset electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with SEIA’s events and operations.

As part of a two-year agreement, 3Degrees will provide SEIA with 235 Green-e® Certified solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) and 835 registered and verified carbon offsets annually. This will cover SEIA’s approximate office and event electricity usage as well as all emissions associated with SEIA staff travel and event attendee travel each year.

“We have a responsibility to practice what we preach,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA president and CEO. “As the solar industry cuts CO2 emissions by 81 million metric tons a year, its main advocacy group should maintain a commitment to corporate sustainability, and our partnership with 3Degrees will help us do that.”

The solar energy generation SEIA supports avoids 166 metric tons of CO2 annually. This is equivalent to taking 35 cars off the road for a year. The carbon offset projects SEIA supports have a greenhouse gas reduction benefit equivalent to an additional 177 cars driven for a year or over 93,000 gallons of gasoline consumed.

“We are thrilled to partner with SEIA, which is on the forefront of accelerating the development and adoption of solar energy across the country,” said 3Degrees CEO Steve McDougal. “3Degrees seeks to support all organizations taking urgent action on climate change, and SEIA’s commitment to advancing solar energy is perfectly aligned with our mission.”

In 2018 and 2019, SEIA partnered with WGL Energy on a similar partnership for SRECs and carbon offsets.

This partnership is part of SEIA’s Sustainability Initiative, which promotes sustainable practices throughout the organization and focuses on reducing the carbon and environmental footprint of our daily office operations.

For more information, visit www.seia.org/sustainability.

3Degrees has been named the 2019 Best Trading Company in Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) – North America for the sixth year in a row by Environmental Finance. This is the 20th anniversary of the Environmental Finance Annual Marketing Rankings, the largest and most closely watched survey of the world’s environmental markets. 

“Receiving this award once again is incredibly meaningful to our team, who works hard every day to meet the needs of our partners and customers, and deliver an exceptional quality of service,” said Scott Eidson, vice president of environmental markets. “It’s extremely rewarding to be a part of an industry that’s doing such important work in the fight against climate change.”

For over 15 years, 3Degrees has provided tailored renewable energy, transportation, and emission reduction solutions to our clients, and helped them source high-quality, country-specific renewable energy products around the globe.  An award-winning B Corp, 3Degrees has delivered more than 170 million RECs and GOs to clients, and supported more than 2,000 facilities.

This is the ninth time the company has earned a top designation by Environmental Finance readers in this category. Learn more at 3Degrees.com.

Clean Energy Aggregation to Support Apex Clean Energy’s White Mesa Wind Project in Crockett County, TX

Apple, eBay, Samsung and Sprint today announced a joint agreement to purchase power from a new wind farm owned and developed by Apex Clean Energy. The transaction—spearheaded by Apple, the largest purchaser in the innovative small load energy aggregation—totals approximately 75 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power the equivalent of 20,000 homes.

Shared energy purchases like this allow companies to pool their energy demands and collectively support the addition of large-scale renewable energy projects to the grid. Apple brought together other technology leaders dedicated to responsible business practices – eBay, Samsung and Sprint – in the aggregation agreement, which will enable all participants to access cost-effective low-carbon renewable energy from the new project. 3Degrees facilitated the agreement.

The full 500-MW White Mesa Wind project is expected to come online in 2021 in Crockett County, TX.

“We’re proud to be powering all of Apple’s operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy and driving the private sector to support the clean energy transition,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Businesses of all sizes and of varying energy needs can help bring new, renewable energy online. This collaborative agreement in Texas is a model we hope others will replicate.”

“At eBay, we prioritize operating in the most environmentally and socially sustainable way,” said Wendy Jones, SVP Global Operations, eBay. “This collaboration is not only an important step in advancing our commitment to reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2025, but it also offers an inclusive approach to collaborate with other companies and lead the way toward a clean energy future.”

“Samsung Austin Semiconductor understands the responsibility of businesses to work together to support environmental sustainability and increase the share of renewable energy in our local markets,” said Gil Heyun Choi, president of Samsung Austin Semiconductor. “We see this agreement as a landmark effort for cutting-edge semiconductor technologies and a demonstration of green manufacturing brought to scale.”

“This project marks another step toward reaching our corporate goal of reducing Sprint’s carbon footprint,” said Chas Peterson, Vice President of Procurement for Sprint. “We are also greening our supply chain by partnering with some of our key suppliers on this innovative shared energy purchase.”

“Enabling corporate aggregation for renewable power purchasing is a key focus of Apex’s and an essential way of engaging more corporate customers in clean energy procurement,” said Mark Goodwin, president and CEO of Apex Clean Energy. “The Apex platform is designed to develop utility-scale wind and solar projects that deliver optimized performance paired with the flexibility that aggregated offtakers need to make these deals feasible. White Mesa Wind is a prime example of the future of corporate clean energy transactions: aggregated power purchasing tailored to each offtaker’s needs.”

“REBA members continue to drive innovation in clean energy procurement,” said Miranda Ballentine, CEO, Renewable Energy Buyer’s Alliance. “By bringing together the buying power of four leading brands, Apple, eBay, Sprint and Samsung, with the professional support of 3Degrees, energy buyers are proving that through the right partnerships these innovative renewable energy projects can come to fruition.”

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About Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC

Samsung Austin Semiconductor is one of the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the world with more than 3,000 employees and 2.45 million square feet of floor space. Samsung Austin Semiconductor has broad semiconductor process technology offerings serving customers in various application areas including mobile, consumer, networking/high performance computing, Internet of Things, RF and automotive. Since 1996, Samsung Austin Semiconductor has invested approximately $17 billion in its Austin, TX campus, making it one of the largest direct foreign investments in United States history. Samsung Austin Semiconductor is a US-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The Austin facility is one of the few semiconductor plants the company has outside South Korea. Visit www.samsung.com/us/sas.

About Sprint

Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served 54.3 million connections as of June 30, 2019 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Today, Sprint’s legacy of innovation and service continues with an increased investment to dramatically improve coverage, reliability, and speed across its nationwide network and commitment to launching a 5G mobile network in the U.S. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About eBay

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a global commerce leader including the Marketplace, StubHub and Classifieds platforms. Collectively, we connect millions of buyers and sellers around the world, empowering people and creating opportunity for all. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2018, eBay enabled $95 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

About Apex Clean Energy

Apex Clean Energy develops, constructs, and operates utility-scale wind and solar power facilities across North America. Our mission-driven team of more than 200 renewable energy experts uses a data-focused approach and an unrivaled portfolio of projects to create solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking customers. For more information on how Apex is leading the transition to a clean energy future, visit apexcleanenergy.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Wind farm photos courtesy of Apex Clean Energy

Fast Company today announced its 10th annual list of the Most Creative People in Business, honoring an influential and diverse group of 100 leaders from a vast range of global industries including tech, design, entertainment, health care, media, government, nonprofit, finance, food, and more.

The Most Creative People in Business list recognizes individuals whose work might not necessarily be quantifiable by numbers, but who are nonetheless having a measurable impact on the world. These scientists, executives, programmers, comedians, founders, designers, musicians, writers, and activists have accomplished something new this year within their field that’s driving their industries forward and solving global and societal problems in novel ways.

This year’s group represents Fast Company’s hallmark of diversity: 52 are women, 48 are men, with more than 25 hailing from outside the United States, and nearly one-third are people of color.

“For more than 30 years, I have been working with organizations across the globe to improve their environmental performance,” said Erin Craig, VP, Energy and Climate Practice at 3Degrees. “As climate change presents an increasingly urgent challenge, we need lots of creative thinking, charting a way forward even when an easy path doesn’t present itself. In the face of this imperative, I am deeply motivated to find solutions that work. I am honored to be recognized by Fast Company for doing work that I am passionate about and which is making – I believe and I hope – a significant positive impact in the world.”

Erin works with some of the world’s leading corporations to develop and implement climate and renewable energy strategies. She has personally led dozens of renewable energy supply engagements and assisted clients with contracting for over 1 GW of renewable energy. In 2018, Erin supported Apple, Akamai Technologies (Akamai), Etsy, and Swiss Re as they leveraged their collective buying power in the largest aggregated corporate renewable energy transaction to date. 

Fast Company editors and writers spend a year researching candidates for the list, scouting every sector of business: technology, fashion, cybersecurity, biotech, entertainment, beauty, social good, food, data, consumer goods, and more. The people selected have all accomplished something truly innovative within the past 12 months or so that is having a meaningful effect within their industries. They’re also discoveries — none has ever been profiled in Fast Company before. Taken together, they represent where business is heading right now.

“This year’s edition acknowledges society’s increasingly fraught relationship with technology. It is light on people inventing new apps to sell us more stuff—and mine our personal information—and heavier on leaders trying to protect consumers and companies from unscrupulous actors online,” says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company.

To see the complete list go to: fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2019

Introduced in 2009, the Most Creative People list was quickly established as one of Fast Company’s most esteemed franchises. Each year, the magazine’s editors present an all-new list of 100 people chosen according to a proprietary methodology.

Fast Company‘s Most Creative People in Business issue (Summer 2019) is available online now at fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2019 and on newsstands beginning June 4. Join the Most Creative People conversation using #FCMostCreative.

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About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies and thinkers on the future of business. Since 2011, Fast Company has received some of the most prestigious editorial and design accolades, including the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) National Magazine Award for “Magazine of the Year,” Adweek’s Hot List for “Hottest Business Publication,” and six gold medals and 10 silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta and the publisher is Amanda Smith. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

New offering will streamline selection and adoption of climate software solutions to help organizations accelerate data-driven progress toward decarbonization goals

3Degrees, a firm that helps organizations around the world achieve renewable energy and decarbonization goals, today announced the launch of new climate tech advisory services, which complement the company’s existing suite of climate advisory and implementation services. The company made the announcement at COP27 during a panel discussion about data-driven technology and climate goals hosted by Sweep.

The climate tech space is booming, with new platforms emerging regularly, causing many organizations to struggle to navigate the landscape and clearly understand which solutions will best meet their needs. With the addition of climate tech advisory services, 3Degrees helps streamline companies’ adoption of technology platforms that address the inefficiencies of carbon data collection, the granularity of greenhouse gas accounting, and the risks of climate-related disclosures, allowing clients to focus on accelerating meaningful emissions reductions and meeting their climate goals.

3Degrees’ climate tech advisory services include:

• Ecosystem of leading climate software solutions. 3Degrees is building an ecosystem of technology partners to provide clients with direct access to a broad range of leading climate management software solutions. This ecosystem is being crafted to meet the diverse needs of companies at every stage of their decarbonization journey, and 3Degrees aims to increase adoption of these climate software solutions by offering pass-through discounts.
• Best-fit platform assessment. The climate tech marketplace is extremely crowded, and it can be complex and time consuming for companies to identify, engage, and evaluate the appropriate cohort of software solutions. 3Degrees starts by working with organizations to understand their goals, operating characteristics, and requirements, then agnostically assesses climate management software solutions, delivering a clear analysis of the climate tech platforms that would be ideal for the organization.
• Professional services for onboarding. Once an organization selects a climate tech platform, the process of onboarding the solution can be arduous. 3Degrees will manage the set up, in alignment with an organization’s bespoke GHG accounting methodology, for select technology partners. This ensures smooth, accurate onboarding, and equips users to deploy the system to its full potential.

With the launch of 3Degrees’ climate tech advisory services, the company is uniquely positioned to support its global client base in an end-to-end decarbonization journey that merges tech-enabled climate management and data-driven insights with 3Degrees’ full suite of products and services that address all scopes of emissions.

“We strongly believe that climate tech – and, specifically, SaaS – is critical in accelerating corporate decarbonization efforts,” said Scott Martin, Vice President and Head of Global Commercial Business at 3Degrees. “With the launch of our climate tech advisory services, 3Degrees is able to support our clients from the early days of measuring and understanding their emissions data, to building a comprehensive emissions reduction plan, to implementing solutions to reduce their GHG footprint across scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. This is going to be game changing for many organizations as they progress through their decarbonization journey.”

3Degrees’ climate tech advisory services are available to organizations around the globe. Reach out to the advisory team to learn more.