TLDR:
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures has made big misses in their investments, with only 50% of their portfolio being sensible according to a recent analysis.
- Investments in areas like fusion, alternative wind energy, carbon capture, and hydrogen have been labelled as distractions, with questionable viability and competitiveness.
Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a climate venture capital investment firm, has come under scrutiny for their investment choices. A recent analysis revealed that only about 50% of their portfolio is considered sensible. The firm’s investments in areas such as fusion, alternative wind energy, carbon capture, and hydrogen have been criticized for being distractions rather than viable solutions to climate change. The analysis also highlighted biases among the fund’s founders, including Bill Gates, that may have influenced their investment decisions. While some sectors, like biology, showed promise with investments in nitrogen fixing for farmland, others like energy and carbon management were deemed full of bad ideas. The article also pointed out the lack of emphasis on proven technologies like wind and solar energy, which have already shown effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions. Despite some positive investments in sectors like heat storage and geothermal energy, Breakthrough Energy Ventures has been urged to reevaluate their investment strategies to have a greater impact on combating climate change.
