While victories for the climate have been few in 2024, there have been bright spots of hope over the last year.

Sure, it looks like the globe will rocket past the 1.5-degree Celsius marker, long established as the boundary for climate tipping points. Yes, it was the hottest year on record, for a second year in a row, and of course, it's important to acknowledge that pollutive industries like coal, and oil and gas are once again en-vogue and on pace to see record profits, once again, especially in the U.S. where a new government has promised more drilling and mining than ever before. There’s also the fact that the U.S. has plans to withdraw from the Paris Accords once Trump takes power in January, despite the urging of many global superpowers to do the opposite.

Yet, as we close the books on this year and look ahead to 2025, there are a handful of positive things to consider and keep in mind as the globe continues to fight against the impending climate disaster. Here are some bright spots to remember as we move into the new year.

Clean Energy Costs are Falling

The cost of clean energy has been declining significantly and is projected to continue into 2025. Over the past decade, solar photovoltaic (PV) costs have plummeted by 90%, onshore wind by 70%, and battery storage by more than 90%, following a consistent learning curve where technology costs decrease as production scales up.

Looking ahead, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) forecasts further reductions by 2025: onshore wind costs could drop by 26%, offshore wind by 35%, concentrating solar power (CSP) by 37%, and solar PV by 59%. The cost declines are driven by technological advancements across the board, economies of scale, and increased manufacturing efficiency. As an example, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) anticipates that renewable energy sources will account for a growing share of electricity generation, with solar and wind leading capacity additions through 2025. Additionally, the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that renewable energy will produce 35% of global electricity by 2025, up from 22% in 2022, indicating a substantial shift towards cleaner energy sources.

The cost reduction in clean energy is a direct result of a variety of factors, including technological advancement in things like solar and battery technology, as well as policy drivers like President Biden’s massive Inflation Reduction Act investment, which has unquestionably begun to bear fruit.

Experts believe that the declining costs of clean energy technologies are set to continue through 2025, driven by continued technological improvements and increased deployment, which supports a global transition towards more sustainable and economically viable energy systems.

Clean Energy and Carbon Capture Investments Continue to Rise

Clean energy and carbon capture continue to drive large investments in climate tech. Just a few weeks ago, before the Christmas holiday, for example, a coalition of tech and consumer companies agreed to use oil industry tools to increase carbon capture from their operations.

The Frontier coalition, which is made up of companies like Google, H&M, and Stripe, has pledged $80 million to purchase carbon credits from two firms employing innovative carbon capture technologies at industrial sites, according to Reuters. Frontier has agreed to purchase credits through CO280 and CREW. CO280 is a project developer that bolts carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology onto smokestacks at paper mills.   CREW is a company that adds limestone to municipal water waste at plants to remove and reduce carbon emissions. Both these initiatives aim to integrate carbon removal solutions into existing industries, with the goal to reduce carbon capture costs to $100 per ton or less and contribute to large-scale atmospheric carbon reduction.

On the clean energy front, investments are expected to also grow. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Renewable Energy Industry Outlook, the high resource demand from AI and big tech will cause exponential growth. According to the report, “Renewables are in a race with other clean generation options to fill the resource gap. Advantages include technological maturity, low cost, and high modularity. Domestic supply chains, AI acceleration of operational and technological innovation, and carbon attribute monetization could provide additional advantages in 2025.”

Tech companies that are hungry for the resources needed to power AI models are looking to make their operations more environmentally friendly, too. For example, Google has announced that it plans to build future data centers next to wind and solar farms to cut down on transmission and generation impact.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) noted that green energy spending in 2024 was on a tear, and despite the global political headwinds led by the rightward shift in the US (which is the second largest carbon emitter in the world, behind China), it looks like that trend won’t abate much in 2025.

Methane Detection has Greatly Improved

As we’ve written about this year, methane detection has greatly improved over the last year. As we noted in a previous newsletter, methane is the second-most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted from human activities after carbon dioxide (CO2). According to the International Energy Agency, methane is responsible for around 30% of global warming and it can produce as much warming as burning coal, once you account for leaks. Methane is the main component of natural gas, which is used in everything from household and commercial cooking to heating, transportation, and more, and it's a byproduct of oil and gas drilling.

This past year Google and the Environmental Defence Fund teamed up to launch MethaneSAT, a satellite system that will track and monitor methane emissions leaking from oil and gas operations and help get a better handle on the methane problem. Additionally, in June of this year,  the US government rolled out a new $850 million program to track and mitigate methane. While both programs will likely face legal challenges under a Trump regime, experts expect that both will survive, at least in some way.

Green Jobs Will Continue to Boom

Finally, as we marked the second year of the groundbreaking IRA bill here in the US, it's clear that the investment has made waves in the growth of green jobs.  As we wrote in September, a report showed that job growth across the US economy was only 2%, while clean energy jobs grew at 4.2% over the last year. Electric vehicles, renewable energy, transmission, distribution, and storage jobs got a big bump, while solar and wind grew even more, with 5.3% and 4.5% growth respectively. Many expect that growth to continue, even under a Republican-run US government.

While there has been plenty of bad news about climate change this year, these bright spots offer hope for change in the continued fight against the impending climate disaster.

Check out some of the latest featured jobs below. If you don't see anything that speaks to you, you can always go to Climatebase to explore thousands of other opportunities.

Upcoming Opportunities

Check out some of the latest featured jobs below. If you don't see anything that speaks to you, you can always go to Climatebase to explore thousands of other opportunities.

neuroGrid

“At neuroGrid, we're revolutionizing how renewable energy developers access and utilize data. Our AI-powered platform transforms fragmented information into actionable insights, empowering developers to make smarter, faster decisions. Join us in accelerating the renewable energy transition and be part of something that makes a real impact. ...”

• Head of Product Design (Remote)

Hgen

“Hgen makes clean hydrogen to decarbonize heavy industry. Hgen has developed a higher-efficiency alkaline electrolyzer that converts water & clean electricity into clean hydrogen, which is used in industrial processes like chemicals & steel production. Funded by Founders Fund & Breakthrough Energy, Hgen is on a mission to reduce emissions in heavy industry. ...”

• Sr/Staff Controls Engineer (In-person · Los Angele...)

Recheck

“Recheck is a first-of-its-kind identity verification platform and system of record dedicated to accelerating the energy transition by building transparency and trust in the home efficiency industry. Backed by leading industry investors and partners and led by a team of proven founders and operators (Mixpanel, HipChat, Notarize, and Ohm Analytics), Recheck has quickly gained market traction and is poised for ...”

• Customer Operations & Support Lead (Hybrid · Boston, MA, US)

HData

“HData is the energy industry’s leading provider of regulatory data solutions. Our AI-powered software platform provides compliance, analytics, and intelligence capabilities that help utilities, regulators, advocates, and service providers modernize time-intensive and outdated methods of working with regulatory data. By using technology to reduce manual, burdensome tasks for regulatory professionals, HData supports the energy industry in moving toward greater efficiency, ...”

• Marketing Manager (Remote)

Private Energy Partners

“PEP has been established to provide the Quinbrook group with enhanced capability in project origination, development, asset management and revenue optimisation. Projects developed or supported by PEP are intended to be dedicated for future investment by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners via its managed funds. Our three primary areas of focus are: Utility scale renewables, with a focus on solar and battery ...”

• Data Engineer (Hybrid · Pasadena, CA, US)
• Energy Analyst - Global Storage Team (Hybrid)

Tellus Markets

“Tellus Markets simplifies and enables concrete climate action. We provide powerful technology solutions purpose built for sustainability managers, with advanced functionality that covers their entire decarbonization journey. For the first time, decarbonization within clicks is possible, thanks to our integrated digital marketplaces for clean power, carbon credits and RECs. ...”

• Business Development Representative (Hybrid · New York, NY,...)
• Director, Business Development (Hybrid · New York, NY,...)

cKinetics

“cKinetics (www.cKinetics.com) is a mission driven Sustainability Insight, Innovation & Capital Advisory Firm. We are amongst the largest boutique Sustainability advisory firms globally. We work with businesses, investors, industry groups as well as thought leaders to continually generate market insight and catalyze change. With offices in New Delhi, India and Cupertino, California; the company works with clients and partners globally. ...”

• Client Support Operations Specialist (Remote · United States...)

Healthy Air and Water Colorado

“Healthy Air and Water Colorado (HAWC) is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that activates Colorado-based health professionals to address climate change for the sake of people’s health. We elevate the voices of nurses, doctors, public health professionals and other health experts to add a critical perspective within the public policy process. While HAWC operates at the local, state and federal ...”

• Executive Director of HAWC (Hybrid · Denver, CO, US)

Project Drawdown

“Project Drawdown is the world’s leading resource for climate solutions. Our mission is to help the world stop climate change – as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible. To do this, we pursue three key strategies: Advance Effective, Science-based Climate Solutions and Strategies: We do the science no one else does to cut through the noise and find effective “whole system” solutions ...”

• Director of Private-Sector Partnerships (Remote)

Propagate

“Propagate is a software, development and financing ecosystem that makes it easy for farms to transition acreage to agroforestry. Our platform provides access to agronomic insights, technical assistance, and financing so that farms can reduce risk while integrating fruit, nut and timber trees with animal or crop farming systems. We are a Techstars-backed company, a portfolio company of Elemental Excelerator, ...”

• Opportunistic Hire (Hybrid,Remote)

Verterra Energy

“At Verterra Energy, we're on a mission to harness the power in the worlds rivers, canals and oceans. To accomplish this, we are commercializing our first device called VOLTURNUS, a pioneering water-power technology that deploys in harmony with the current to capture baseline, zero emission electricity. ...”

• Senior Mechanical Engineer (In-person · New Bright...)
• Senior Marine Engineer (In-person · New Bright...)
• Senior Program Manager (In-person · New Bright...)

Epic Cleantec

“Epic Cleantec ("Epic") is a full-service water technology company based in San Francisco, CA. We provide turnkey water treatment and reuse systems for customers, creating a one-stop-shop for design, engineering, permitting, construction support, and ongoing operations. Our team has decades of experience across the wastewater and built environment value chain, with expertise in wastewater treatment and solids handling technology, project ...”

• Applications Engineer (In-person · San Franci...)
• Water Reuse Operator (In-person · San Franci...)
• Wastewater Project Manager (In-person · Berkeley, ...)

Furbnow

“Furbnow is a retrofit service for homeowners looking to start their journey to reducing their energy bills and carbon emissions, and having a warmer home. Customers want impartial advice and clear information on what will work for their home and lifestyle, how they can stage the work to fit their budget and minimise disruption. They want help finding installers and ...”

• Open Applications (Remote · Birmingham, E...)

AgriCapture

“AgriCapture is a mission-driven company that certifies Climate-Friendly practices on farms, ranchlands and grasslands and quantifies associated emissions reductions, enabling growers, ranchers and landowners to generate revenue for their sustainable management practices. By certifying agricultural products as Climate-Friendly and developing carbon credits, we serve corporations who are reducing and offsetting their GHG emissions while empowering consumers to consciously select Climate-Friendly ...”

• Apply for Future Openings (Remote · United States)

Pyka

“Pyka’s goal is to provide society with a new form of fast, environmentally friendly, and accessible transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation. To get there, we’re taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building useful, game-changing ...”

• Deployed Flight Operations Specialist (In-person · Emeryville...)
• Staff Electrical Engineer (In-person · Oakland, C...)
• Senior People Business Partner (Hybrid · Emeryville, C...)
• Flight Operations Support Engineer (In-person · Emeryville...)
• Flight Operations Associate (Temporary) (In-person · Emeryville...)
• Senior Software Engineer (Hybrid · Remote · Emer...)
• Director of Mechanical Systems (In-person · Emeryville...)

Worldly

“Worldly is the world’s most comprehensive impact intelligence platform — delivering real data to businesses on impacts within their supply chain. Worldly is trusted by 40,000 global brands, retailers, and manufacturers to provide the single source of ESG intelligence they need to accelerate business and industry transformation. Through strategic and meaningful customer relationships, Worldly provides key insights into supplier performance, product ...”

• Account Executive (Hybrid · Remote · Unit...)
• Director, Regional Supplier Engagement (Hybrid · Remote · Hong...)
• Senior Product Marketing Manager (Hybrid · Remote · Unit...)
• Senior Director, Learning & Training (Hybrid · Remote · Unit...)
• Senior Developer/Squad Technical Lead (Hybrid · Remote · Braz...)
• Senior Full-Stack Developer (Angular/ExpressJS) (Remote · Brazil · Arge...)

Sparkfund

“The US is at a pivotal moment, experiencing an unprecendented surge in the demand for power. Retirements of existing fossil generators, coupled with an unprecedented rise in the need for electricity and associated peak demand, is causing planners to double forecasted investments to increase grid capacity. To support this challenge, we partner with utilities and building owners to transform the built environment ...”

• Sales Engineer, Solar (Hybrid · United States)
• Sales Engineer, Building Systems (Hybrid · United States)

Pulsora, Inc.

“Founded in 2021, Pulsora the “Enterprise Sustainability Platform”, is a well-funded Silicon Valley software startup. It is dedicated to empowering purpose-driven enterprises to manage and improve their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and overall sustainability footprint with an integrated, comprehensive, flexible, and innovative technology platform built for compliance, tracking, and insight. We are well funded, have amazing customers across industries ...”

• Pre-Sales Solutions Consultant (remote in Ireland) (Hybrid,Remote)
• Solutions Consultant (remote in Ireland) (Hybrid · Remote · Muni...)
• Implementation Consultant (remote in Ireland) (Hybrid,Remote)

ComplexChaos

“Welcome to ComplexChaos Looking for meaning and impact? At ComplexChaos, we're on a mission to help humanity cooperate at scale. We're a dynamic team of innovators, backed by some of the most influential names in technology and venture capital. Join us in shaping a world where technology enhances human cooperation for complex multi-stakeholder negotiations and decisions. Learn more about our journey in this ...”

• Product Designer (B2B SaaS + startup experience required) (Hybrid · California, US)
• Applied AI Engineer (founding team) (Hybrid · San Francisco...)

Bonsai Leadership Group

“About Bonsai Leadership Group We support nonprofit organizations by securing the talent they need to reach their goals. When you attract and retain passionate, talented, and aligned employees, your organization thrives along with them. Whether it’s staff members or executive leadership, recruiting is not just about finding qualified candidates – it’s about attracting the right candidates. At Bonsai, we’ll help you discover ...”

• Chief Development Officer (Hybrid)

Orenda

“Orenda is on a mission to make the grid more efficient with batteries and software. We build and operate energy storage projects in dense urban environments to bridge the gap between renewables and electricity consumption. Orenda Asset Management is developing the software and hardware platform to operate these projects. We use ML to forecast electricity markets and decision algorithms to allocate ...”

• Permitting Director (In-person · New York, ...)
• ML Engineer - Asset Technology (Hybrid · New York, NY, US)
• ML Engineer - Asset Technology (In-person · New York, ...)