Clean fuel startups were supposed to be the next big thing. Now they are collapsing

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Wall Street Journal or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Startups focused on creating clean fuels for planes, ships, and trucks are facing significant setbacks, highlighting the challenges of reducing reliance on oil and gas. Key companies, such as United Airlines-backed Fulcrum BioEnergy, are shutting down, while others, like those backed by Airbus and JetBlue, are going bankrupt. Major oil companies like Chevron and BP are scaling back biofuel projects, leading to growing concerns about achieving climate targets

🔭 The context: The initial optimism following the U.S. climate law has been dampened by rising costs, delays in tax credits, and challenges in raising funds. The clean fuels sector is struggling, with shares of startups like Plug Power and Gevo plummeting. These difficulties threaten to stall progress in industries like aviation and shipping, which rely heavily on these alternative fuels

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Without viable clean fuel alternatives, emissions in these sectors are expected to continue rising, putting U.S. and global climate goals at risk. The reliance on traditional fuels persists, as seen in Maersk's order for ships running on liquefied natural gas and Air New Zealand's withdrawal of its 2030 emissions target

⏭️ What's next: The path forward will likely require lowering the cost of green electricity and finding sustainable business models that can weather current economic challenges. Companies like Cemvita Factory, which is backed by Occidental Petroleum, are prioritizing cash flow over climate outcomes to survive in this difficult environment

💬 One quote: “We have to not die to be able to create that climate impact,” said Moji Karimi, CEO of Cemvita Factory, highlighting the survival-first mentality in the sector

📈 One stat: Shares of Plug Power have dropped by more than 90% since the passage of the U.S. climate law, signaling the extent of the financial struggles in the clean fuels industry

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