BP's renewable energy plans come into focus

BP is providing more info this week about its decades-long plan to diversify away from its dominant fossil fuel business — including expectations for the first few years.

Why it matters: European-based global oil giants are all vowing some kind of decades-long pivot toward more climate-friendly products and deep emissions cuts.

• So the specifics of BP's effort and their ability to make good on their splashy climate pledges will be closely watched.

Driving the news, via Bloomberg: BP's plan will "start with a five-year sprint to dramatically boost wind and solar power."

• "By 2025, the company intends to have approved more than 20 gigawatts of renewable energy projects, an eightfold increase from 2019, Dev Sanyal, BP’s executive vice president of gas and low-carbon energy, said in an online presentation on Tuesday."

How it works: Their piece and this Greentech Media story note BP sees returns of 8%–10% on renewables projects, far above the typical amount.

• Per Greentech, BP CEO Bernard Looney sees four reasons why they can push up returns.
• "Those factors are BP's projects and operations experience, its power trading capabilities, its ability to eke out better operational efficiency, and its financing capabilities," they report.