Climate Flash Report

Daily climate technology and sustainability news - Updated: 2026-02-17

Sustainability intelligence that saves the world

🌱 Clean Energy Stock Tracker

Tesla (TSLA)

$417.44

+0.37 (0.1%)

Electric Vehicles

Enphase (ENPH)

$43.49

-0.65 (-1.5%)

Solar Energy

First Solar (FSLR)

$225.65

+5.20 (2.4%)

Solar Panels

NextEra (NEE)

$93.80

+1.87 (2.0%)

Clean Utility

iShares Clean (ICLN)

$18.42

+0.04 (0.2%)

Clean Energy ETF

Plug Power (PLUG)

$1.89

+0.07 (3.9%)

Hydrogen Fuel

📈 Real-time prices • Updated daily with fresh content • Last updated: 2026-02-17 08:21

Climate Tech Startups

•UC Berkeley's Cleantech to Market (C2M) Program: Applications are open for early-stage climate startups until February 22, 2026, offering free go-to-market support from interdisciplinary UC Berkeley graduate teams and up to $40K in prize funding per startup (total prizes $70K sponsored by MetLife). Focuses on commercialization in areas like renewable energy, clean water, and green chemistry.[1]

•SET Award 2026: Global competition for energy and climate tech startups, highlighting innovations in new energy, smart grids, storage, and decarbonization; investors like Green European Tech Fund (GET Fund, €150-250M target) seek high-impact European cleantech.[2]

•Top Lists and Funding Platforms: Enlit World's SET100 List names 100 top energy/climate tech startups for 2026; Y Combinator funds 49 climate startups (e.g., Releaf Earth for carbon removal); OpenVC lists climate tech investors (updated Feb 14, 2026) for pitching, with examples like Mobly ($2.5M seed).[3][4][8]

•Unicorns: 80 global climate tech unicorns valued at $180B+ (as of Jan 2023 data).[9]

Clean Energy

•Scaling Technologies: Investors predict 2026 deployments of sodium-ion batteries (grid-scale storage), solid-state transformers, geothermal (e.g., Fervo Energy), and grid-scale batteries; AI data centers drive 31% clean energy investment growth to $14.4B in 2025, boosting nuclear (fission/fusion), grid hardware, and batteries.[5][6]

•Investment Trends: 2026 sees bigger checks and fewer bets, with AI tailwinds for power-intensive tech; domestic manufacturing and defense apps (e.g., advanced batteries) attract premiums.[6]

ESG Investing & Funding

•2026 Outlook: Worldwide climate tech VC/growth capital hit $40.5B in 2025 (+8% YoY), maturing with AI-driven demand; innovative financing like risk insurance, surety bonds, and pooled off-take agreements to lower costs and scale first-of-a-kind projects. Corporate VCs fill gaps left by cautious traditional VCs.[5][6][7]

•Key Investors: DTCF targets climate (energy/smart grid/storage/decarbonization); GET Fund (€150-250M) for European cleantech.[2]

Climate Policy

•US Shifts: Trump administration's “Big Beautiful Act” provides policy certainty, boosting limited partner returns and AI-aligned climate tech; aligns with national industrial strategies and corporate ventures.[6][7]

Environmental Innovations

•Focus Areas: Emphasis on execution over hype—projects with demand anchors, policy alignment, and value chains; AI paradox fuels grid/energy management while addressing power needs; no specific new carbon metrics reported today.[6][7]