Today’s ESG Updates
- Israel-Iran Conflict Drives Biofuel Prices and Demand Up: Conflict in the Middle East and U.S. EPA biofuel blending mandates have led to renewed investor focus on plant-based fuels.
- Heidelberg Materials Opens Historic Carbon Capture Facility: Brevik CCS marks a global milestone in decarbonizing heavy industry and producing net-zero concrete.
- Energy Equity Investors Adjust Positions Across the U.S. Power Sector: Investors pivot away from solar as federal support shrinks, turning to nuclear and gas instead.
- Microsoft Turns to Carbon Removal Deals as AI Challenges Climate Goals: The tech giant is doubling down on carbon removal to stay on track for net-negative targets, as emissions are up 23% since 2020.
Soybean and palm oil surge due to Israel-Iran conflict and U.S. biofuel mandate
Biofuel prices are surging amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict and shifting U.S. energy policy under Trump, which is boosting demand for oil alternatives. Since Thursday, soybean oil has risen 11% and palm oil 6%, largely due to spiking crude prices. Meanwhile, the EPA under Trump has raised biofuel blending mandates by 8% to a record 24.02 billion gallons in 2026 and cut compliance credits for foreign feedstocks, favoring domestic producers. Traders anticipate further volatility in biofuel markets as the Middle East crisis deepens and Trump attempts to balance support for both fossil fuel groups and biofuel producers.
***
Further reading: Biofuel prices jump as Israel-Iran conflict drives hunt for oil alternatives
Norway Launches World’s First CCS Cement Plant at Industrial Scale
Heidelberg Materials has launched the world’s first industrial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility in the cement industry at its Brevik plant in Norway. The Brevik CCS facility will capture 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, which amounts to half of the plant’s emissions. The facility is part of Norway’s Longship project, which aims to develop Europe’s first full-scale value chain for carbon capture, transport, and storage from hard-to-abate industries. Captured carbon will be transported and permanently stored beneath the North Sea through the Northern Lights project. This milestone paves the way for net-zero concrete and offers a blueprint for deploying CCS in sectors like cement and steel, where cutting emissions remains particularly challenging.
***
Further reading: World premiere at Heidelberg Materials: Opening of CCS facility in Norway marks new era of sustainable construction
Trump’s Tax Bill Begins to Take Shape as Investors Pivot Towards Nuclear and Gas
A tough day for clean energy as Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” begins to take shape, prompting U.S. energy investors to rapidly rebalance portfolios. The bill slashes federal support for solar wind, and EVs, sparking mass selloffs in solar stocks in particular. In contrast, nuclear, geothermal, LNG, and grid infrastructure stocks are gaining ground as the bill preserves or expands support for these sectors. Despite these shifts, utilities are still likely to increase their use of battery systems even if they slow their uptake of solar, as the solar-battery combination remains the fastest route to deliver new power to U.S. grids.
***
Further reading: US energy investors juggle exposure as tax bill debate rolls on
Microsoft turns to carbon removal as AI challenges 2030 carbon negative pledge
Microsoft’s total emissions have risen 23% since 2020, largely due to its rapid expansion of AI-driven data centers, according to its 2025 sustainability report. Despite this, the company has reaffirmed its pledge to be carbon negative by 2030 and remove all historic emissions by 2050. To combat its rising footprint, Microsoft has signed record-breaking carbon removal deals, including a 6.8 MtCO₂ agreement with AtmosClear and a 3.7 MtCO₂ contract with CO280. These long-term investments signal Microsoft’s intent to lead in scaling carbon removal solutions, though questions still remain about how it will meet near-term goals. Carbon removal is costly, limited in scale, and no substitute for deep emissions cuts. With just five years left until Microsoft’s carbon-negative deadline, meeting its goals may prove increasingly unrealistic without major structural changes.
***
Further reading: Microsoft Inks Record Carbon Removal Deals as Emissions Rise
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Loren King
