Materializing Renewable Capital

ended

The International Energy Agency’s recent Net Zero by 2050 report concludes that by 2030 four trillion USD of annual global investment into clean energy is needed to avert catastrophic climate change. Yet in the last four years such investments have averaged just one trillion. Critical economic geography has emphasized the role of non-price factors in this renewable investment gap. Materializing Renewable Capital (MaRC) advances this inquiry through a survey of how the 'materiality' of the production process for 14 key components of the transition interlink with and inform renewable capital mobilization from energy financing firms. MaRC's objective is to (1) survey the materiality of key renewable production processes (2) assess how investors view the relative quality of these processes (3) create an integrated analysis of how their materiality relates to capital accumulation (4) create a future research program. Empirically, MaRC achieves these objectives through parallel surveys involving interviews and desk work. First, of the materiality of these production processes. Second, of the financial logic driving capital accumulation in these processes. Three papers will result. Results will also be communicated through a website, an online video, and 3 articles in the popular press. MaRC combines the extensive experience of the researcher in energy with the world-class expertise of the supervisor, Prof Brett Christophers, in finance. Additional support from Uppsala’s Earth Science department will ensure the success of this innovative, interdisciplinary project. This project will substantially improve the researcher’s career prospects, especially given the outstanding track-record of the supervisor with post-docs, multiple points of advising, and rich support from Uppsala University. The host, in turn, will benefit from the researcher’s outstanding teaching, seminars, and an interdisciplinary workshop on the renewable investment gap.