EP7 – Jeffrey Beyer – Financing & Implementing Decarbonization

BeyondX Podcast

Welcome to the BeyondX Podcast! In this week’s episode of BeyondSustainability our guest was Jeffrey Beyer, Founder and Managing Director of Zest Associates

In the first part of our discussion, we unpacked the importance of Decarbonization, and went over one of the key enablers for the transition to low-carbon resources; finance. We expanded on Green Financing Mechanisms, the Public Sector’s role in Financing Sustainable Projects, retail banking and Financial Sector’s role in Green Financing, and touched on reducing energy consumption for buildings, and the industrial sector.

In the second part of our discussion, we delved deeper into the specific technologies and implementation modalities for decarbonization, including Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage, Hydrogen and the role it can play in decarbonizing the industrial and transportation sectors, how the electrical grid will adapt to renewable energy supplies, AI and IoT’s role in the decarbonization journey, and Atmospheric Carbon Removal.

Jeffrey’s bio:

Jeffrey Beyer is the Founder and Managing Director of Zest Associates, a UAE-based sustainability consultancy focused on business and government strategy, cleantech innovation, and green finance.

Jeffrey has launched innovation programs for utilities like the UK’s National Grid, and multilaterals like the World Bank and International Climate Fund. He has helped establish national Centres of Excellence for renewables and energy efficiency, including the UK Offshore Wind Innovation Hub, National Renewable Energy Catapult and the South African Private Sector Energy Efficiency Program. He has authored landmark studies on financing a green transition in the Middle East and accelerating the clean hydrogen industry in the UAE, and was instrumental in founding the UK's first cleantech Venture Capital fund as public-private partnership, now capitalized with £100 million.

You can find his full profile on:

https://www.beyondxpod.com/jeffreybeyer

Link to Zesto Associates’ website: https://www.zest-associates.com/

(00:00) Show Intro

(00:24) Episode Summary

(01:23) Jeffrey's Bio and Introduction

(06:25) Why is Sustainability and Decarbonization important?

(11:03) Defining the various Green Financing Mechanisms

(19:36) The Public Sector's role in Financing Sustainable Projects

(27:47) Banks and Financial Sector's role in Green Financing

(35:50) Reducing Energy Consumption in Buildings

(46:21) Industrial Energy Efficiency

(52:38) SECTION TWO

(52:38) Future-Proofing Investments and the role of Carbon Tax

(01:02:59) Decarbonization of the Industrial Sector

(01:07:04) Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage

(01:11:27) Hydrogen's role in Decarbonization

(01:25:05) Hydrogen Valleys and their role in Industrial Decarbonization

(01:29:08) Decarbonization of the Transportation sector

(01:36:04) Adapting the Electrical Grid to new Energy Supplies

(01:38:32) Decarbonization of the Aviation Industry

(01:41:48) Atmospheric Carbon Removal

(01:48:42) AI's role in Decarbonization

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