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Climate tech sector predictions for 2024


Jan 4, 2024

Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
We've recycled the wrapping paper and raised a glass of whey to the new year. Now let's see what some venture investors think about certain climate-tech sectors in 2024.
- Advanced nuclear energy: "The bloom will come off the radioactive rose as science-fiction won't translate to science-fact on fusion, and regulatory headwinds nuke SMR deployment." -Vaughn Blake, Blue Bear Capital
- Methane: "We'll see a substantial uptick in investors looking for methane-focused start-ups." -Amy Duffuor, Azolla Ventures
- Methanol: "It's a multi-purpose chemical that can store long-term energy inexpensively, serve as a chemical feedstock, be made from captured CO2, and directly replace fossil fuels in hard-to-decarbonize applications like shipping." -Joshua Posamentier, Congruent Ventures
- Next-gen mining: "China will use its critical metals monopoly to choke off U.S. defense and electrification; it will prompt a scramble in bio-mining and other on-shoring." -Shomik Dutta, Overture VC
- Grid tech, metals, and industrials: "Transmission and monitoring to bring more renewables onto the grid; circularity for critical metals and minerals; decarbonization of cement, steel and chemicals." -Dan Goldman, Clean Energy Ventures