Today’s ESG Updates:
- The IEA Forecasts That Coal Demand Might Decline by 2030: Other power generation methods like natural gas, nuclear, and renewables become more viable. The demand for coal is expected to decline.
- INEOS Announces a £150 Million Investment at Its Grangemouth Site: The investment underscores INEOS’ commitment to British manufacturing and the safeguarding of 500 jobs.
- KKR & Co. Closes in on Viridor Stake Sale to Equitix: Equitix would first take a minority stake with an option to raise its holding to 50% of the company.
- Radiant Raises Over $300 Million to Mass-Produce Portable Nuclear Reactors: $300 million was raised in a Series D round to mass-produce portable nuclear reactors and prepare to break ground early next year.
The IEA forecasts that coal demand might decline by 2030
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its 2025 coal report. One notable point mentioned is that global coal demand “has reached a plateau and may well decline slightly by 2030.” Coal consumption is expected to rise by just 0.5% in 2025 to a record 8.85 billion tonnes, then drop by ~3% by 2030. The IEA says coal will enter a “very slow and gradual decline through the end of the decade” as renewables, nuclear, and natural gas become cheaper, thus eroding coal’s role in power generation.
For context, China consumes 30% more coal than the rest of the world combined and is expected to see largely flat coal demand this year, followed by a slight decline by 2030 as renewable capacity expands. The agency stresses that faster electricity demand growth or slower renewables deployment in China could still push coal use above this plateau.
To read and download the full IEA 2025 coal report, click here.
***
Further reading: Global coal demand has reached a plateau and may well decline slightly by 2030
INEOS announces a £150 million investment in its Grangemouth refinery
British multinational conglomerate INEOS is investing £150m at its Grangemouth site, backed by a UK government package including a “£75m government loan guarantee” and a “£50m grant” to secure the future of Britain’s last ethylene plant and more than 500 high-value jobs. INEOS Founder and CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe frames the move as proof that “the answer is NOT decarbonisation by deindustrialisation.” Warning that high energy costs and punitive carbon charges are driving industry out of the UK at an alarming rate.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calls it proof that “when we said we’d protect jobs and invest in Britain’s future, we meant it.” Meanwhile, UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle says the decision “will protect Grangemouth as a site of strategic national importance and secure 500 vital jobs in the area.” The package is part of a modern industrial strategy to maintain “critical and strategic” domestic manufacturing capacity and to support modern, efficient, and lower-emission production in the UK.
***
Further reading: INEOS announces £150 million investment at its Grangemouth site, supported by the UK Government, to secure the future of British industry.
Klimado – Navigating climate complexity just got easier. Klimado offers a user-friendly platform for tracking local and global environmental shifts, making it an essential tool for climate-aware individuals and organisations.
KKR & Co. nears Viridor stake sale to Equitix
Private equity firm KKR & Co. (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.) is nearing a multibillion‑pound agreement to sell up to half of its UK waste management company Viridor to infrastructure investor Equitix, which already owns a 35% stake in Viridor’s energy subsidiary. Under the proposed deal, Equitix would first take a minority stake with an option to raise its holding to 50% of the company.
KKR & Co. has been seeking a £7 billion valuation for Viridor, including its debt, after weighing both full and partial sale options. The company, which earns revenues from waste recycling contracts with local authorities, reportedly attracted interest from CK Hutchison’s infrastructure arm and Brookfield. Still, Equitix’s proposal is said to offer the highest valuation. A deal could be announced as early as Wednesday, though sources caution it is not yet final and could still change or collapse.
***
Further reading: KKR nears deal to sell Viridor stake to Equitix
Radiant raises over $300 million to mass-produce portable nuclear reactors
US-based portable nuclear microreactor company Radiant has raised over $300 million in new funding in a Series D round within six months after its previous raise to mass‑produce portable nuclear reactors and prepare to break ground early next year on its R‑50 factory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer says, “micro‑scaled nuclear, mass-produced for the first time ever can transform how the public thinks about nuclear energy,” adding that the capital “enables us to build our factory and keep to our DOME (Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments) schedule,” where Radiant plans to achieve a self‑sustained chain reaction on its Kaleidos microreactor at Idaho National Laboratory.
The company targets initial commercial deployments later this decade, positioning its 1-MW factory‑built reactors as a clean, portable alternative to diesel generators for defense, disaster response, remote industrial operations, and critical infrastructure.
To read more information on Radiant and the Kaleidos generator, click here.
***
Further reading: Radiant raises over $300 million in new funding to mass-produce portable nuclear reactors
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Title: The IEA forecasts a decline in coal demand as other power generation methods become more viable. Cover Photo Credit: Dominik Vanyi via Unsplash
