Sustainability

Industrial energy procurement has broadened in scope. Tariffs remain an important part of the decision, alongside a wider set of considerations. Buyers now weigh reliability, predictability, sustainability, and long-term exposure alongside price.

Malaysia’s rising power demand, driven by industrial growth and data centers, is exposing grid and capacity constraints, prompting policies like Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS) to enable corporate renewable procurement while maintaining system cost recovery. A key factor is the System Access Charge (SAC), whose uncertain future trajectory affects long-term solar PPAs and investment decisions, making scenario-based modelling crucial for assessing project bankability.

The next phase of green growth will depend on how quickly capital reaches businesses that are ready to modernize, become energy-efficient, and invest in cleaner production systems. The question is no longer whether sustainable lending will grow, it is how fast we can remove the barriers preventing it from scaling.

The TEXMiN Foundation, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, has signed an MoU with GIREDMET State Research and Design Institute of Rare Metal Industry, Russia, to collaborate on rare earth processing, critical minerals, advanced materials, and translational research across the mining value chain. The partnership will also focus on hydrometallurgical recycling technologies for lithium-ion batteries to recover valuable metals.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme says second-life PV modules have the potential to reduce waste and extend the value of solar assets, but their market today remains underdeveloped and requires advances in technical qualifications, scalable reuse infrastructure and supportive policy frameworks.

Green energy development today is being undertaken in a complex environment that is influenced by long-term capital commitments, changing regulation, and greater public and investor scrutiny. In this context, corporate relations is no longer restricted to disclosures, or media relations. It has become a strategic function that affects the way organisations are understood, evaluated and trusted over the course of time.

IEEFA’s assessment finds that while most companies have announced net-zero or emission reduction targets, only a limited number link these goals to capital expenditure plans, revenue assumptions or changes in business strategy, making it difficult for investors and lenders to assess the feasibility of transition pathways.

India’s steel sector stands at a decisive moment. As the country pursues industrial growth, it must also demonstrate that development and decarbonisation can move together. The carbon budget framework offers not a constraint, but a compass, guiding industry toward innovation, resilience and global competitiveness.

The centralized cloud model is now under strain. India alone is estimated to have reached roughly 2,070 MW of data center capacity by the end of 2025, up from about 1,255 MW in 2024, driven by AI adoption, 5G rollout, and video led consumption, even as power, land, and network constraints become more visible. At the same time, global data center markets are grappling with power constraints, rising energy costs, and land limitations, making the continued expansion of a few large hubs increasingly inefficient.

IEEFA’s analysis finds that the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) S2 offers robust climate-specific guidance, while the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework adopts a broader, ESG-oriented approach, with limited alignment to climate transition planning needs.