Renewable energy technologies provide a highly resilient solution to our climate problems since they are sustainable, won’t run out, and have minimal to no carbon footprint. Yet, we have struggled over the years to implement them in ways that make them a better investment than the status quo (being fossil fuels).
2023 and 2024 have been driving towards an inflection point. Costs have declined enough broadly that everyday consumers are now actively searching for ways they can contribute to lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Electric vehicles and rooftop solar are two examples of areas where we’re starting to “cross the chasm” moving from early adoption to mainstream use.
Three areas leading the transition to renewable energy growth are solar, wind, and battery storage. With the continued industry trajectory and investment, Climate Tech leaders are looking for ways to tell their unique brand story and create marketing, digital, and social media assets that set them apart from their competition.
As a strategic marketing partner dedicated to the renewable energy space, at twentytwo & brand, we are seeing more and more companies come to us for help driving engagement and awareness and building reputations through strategic investments beyond the typical trade show presence or email campaign. They are investing in an integrated approach to drive consistency of message across their website, creative and design assets, social presence, as well as their PR and communications efforts.
Here’s a snapshot of the sectors driving growth, along with some interesting examples of companies that are creating their mark in the world of cleantech.
1.
Strong federal incentives, rapidly declining costs, and increasing demand across the public sector are helping the entire solar industry soar to more than 162 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity installed nationwide. As the most important piece of clean energy legislation to date, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is expected to provide an estimated $1.2 trillion of incentives by 2032. Companies are taking advantage of key incentives, compliance resources, and financing strategies to fund larger-scale projects. Beyond the value solar brings to companies or individual consumers, adoption across communities is seeing an uptick in both widespread acceptance and installations. Community solar, in particular, is seeing strong growth, with total capacity to increase from 6 GW in 2023 to 14 GW by 2028.
There are such great stories to highlight across this space, from Castillo Engineering who is expanding its community solar installations across Illinois providing pollinator-friendly habitats to CEP Renewables in New Jersey who is taking land previously used as a landfill and converting it into an energy producing asset. These efforts aren’t easy given the number of stakeholders involved in each project’s execution, which could include farmers, local government, industry groups, etc.
As each company’s marketing partner, we helped them reach beyond the traditional B2B value chain and into the communities to educate, inform, and gain support. These projects have made solar increasingly accessible to communities across rural and urban settings offering greater access to more affordable energy. Some have even won awards for their work across technology, sustainability, and local government.
2.
While wind doesn’t get nearly as much news coverage as solar, its capacity is actually greater than solar (156 GW of wind capacity expected by the end of 2024 compared to 131 GW of solar). I am seeing wind technologies begin to emerge, bringing advancements across design, land/water use, monitoring, and maintenance practices.
I personally have never thought about the economics of wind turbines in relation to wind speeds. But, the more I learn, the more I get excited about the use of low-speed wind turbines and the opportunity to tap into much more wind potential than we do today.
According to Henrik Willum Dalsgaard, Global Vertical Head of Wind Power & Renewables at Maersk, “Change within this industry is moving incredibly fast. We thought we would see turbines of +10 megawatts (MW) ten years from now. However, today we read announcements of 18MW turbines put into production, that can produce 80GWh of electricity - sufficient to supply 96,000 residents per year – while “reducing CO2 emissions by 66,000 tons”. As the power of this technology changes, so do the needs of businesses producing this sustainable energy.”
And that’s not all. I just saw that the largest offshore wind project has been approved. Once operational, the project, located over 40 miles off the east coast, will supply New Jersey with 2,400 MW of clean energy – enough to power more than 1 million homes. The project is scheduled to begin construction in 2028. This initiative will reduce carbon emissions by 4.1 million tons each year over the full life of the project.
Our team developed the brand positioning, messaging, and social presence for energeRe, the co-developer on this milestone project. I’m excited to see this work paying off as they build leadership and position their brand as an authoritative, highly bankable developer who brings industry innovation to the table.
3.
Taking a page from solar’s playbook, moving from early stage to mainstream, we are starting to see the upward trend taking shape in solar + battery storage solutions. By 2027, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is expecting nearly 30% of all new behind-the-meter solar systems to be paired with storage and over 45 GW of utility-scale commissioned projects as well. The pairing of these two technologies means a reduction in intermittency and the ability to manage on-site energy more economically and sustainably, providing value for operators who need a stable supply of electricity.
One interesting project is bringing BESS systems into play with other novel technologies. Having just gained approval from the California Public Utilities Commission, a new microgrid project will use a hybrid battery energy storage and hydrogen fuel cell system to provide power in an area that is prone to wildfires. The use of green hydrogen fuel cells and batteries for this project, funded by Pacific Gas & Electric, confirms that large utilities are replacing diesel generators for backup power with more resilient and sustainable solutions.
Advanced solar + battery + EV charging is gaining increased investment as the industry looks for ways to avoid expensive and time-consuming interconnection costs and deliver additional value to those who have invested in EV ownership.
I’d encourage you to check out Paired Power and Tom McCalmont’s latest webinar highlighting how he “thinks differently” about harnessing local solar power. Paired Power tapped twentytwo & brand to think creatively about how to reposition their brand from logo, strategic messaging, and web design in support of the company’s launch.
Each of these technologies has undergone significant growth in recent years, and industry insiders anticipate this trend to persist. With growth comes the ongoing necessity to educate the industry, collaborate with communities, and adapt to the evolving market landscape.
Many of our renewable energy partners talk about standing out from the crowd as the market becomes more saturated, building a clear and concise value proposition that resonates with their prospects, and creating brand value that will help them not only survive but thrive.
As a full-service creative, PR, and communications agency, twentytwo & brand is poised to help elevate your business. Our strategic approach to branding thought leadership and lead generation creates powerful results for cleantech clients across the renewable energy ecosystem.
Reach out to me on Linkedin if you’re interested in learning more.
