ESG in 5 Sustainability News - 26-08-2025
- Eloise Bell
- Aug 26
- 4 min read
Welcome to this week’s edition of ESG in 5. Each week we bring you five key updates from global companies taking action on sustainability — from renewable energy projects to circular economy investments and climate technology milestones. Here are the stories making an impact in the week of 18–24 August 2025.
Meta Teams with Silicon Ranch for 100 MW Solar in South Carolina.
Meta, in collaboration with Silicon Ranch and Central Electric, has begun developing a new 100 MW solar facility in South Carolina. The project is expected to start generating power in 2027 and will provide renewable electricity credits to support Meta’s data centres in the state.
Silicon Ranch is investing more than $100 million in the site, which will be built on former industrial land. The partnership underscores Meta’s broader sustainability strategy to meet its goal of running its operations on 100% renewable energy.
The project will add significant clean energy capacity to the region’s grid, while also supporting local economic development through construction jobs and long-term maintenance contracts.
GreenCo Launches Free AI-Powered ESG Reporting App.
Sustainability solutions provider GreenCo has unveiled a new AI-driven mobile app designed to simplify ESG reporting and climate disclosures for businesses. The “ESG Action Toolkit+ AI App” is available free of charge on both iOS and Android, providing organisations with accessible tools to manage sustainability commitments.
The app enables companies to track real-time performance across key environmental, social, and governance indicators, conduct automated climate disclosure checks, and receive guidance on aligning with international frameworks. GreenCo said the tool was developed in response to growing demand from small- and medium-sized enterprises seeking to navigate increasingly complex reporting requirements.
By lowering the barriers to entry, GreenCo aims to support wider adoption of ESG measurement and transparency, enabling firms to improve sustainability outcomes without the high costs typically associated with specialised reporting platforms.
INEC and ClimateAI Develop Climate Adaptation Model for African Agriculture.
NEC Corporation, in collaboration with climate-tech startup ClimateAI, has unveiled a conceptual model designed to measure the effectiveness of climate adaptation strategies in African farming. The model was launched on 19 August 2025 and focuses on two key crops, cocoa and rice, which are vital for both local economies and global supply chains.
The model combines climate science and artificial intelligence to evaluate how adaptation techniques such as improved irrigation, resilient seed varieties, and crop rotation might perform under different climate scenarios. NEC said the tool will help development agencies, governments, and agribusinesses make more informed investment decisions in climate resilience.
By offering a scalable approach to adaptation planning, the model aims to strengthen food security in regions most exposed to climate change. NEC emphasised that this collaboration with ClimateAI represents an important step in using technology to enable long-term sustainable agriculture.
Google Agrees Clean Energy Deal via Advanced Nuclear for Data Centres.
Google has signed an agreement with Kairos Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to source clean electricity from Kairos’ planned Hermes 2 advanced nuclear reactor in Tennessee. Under the deal, TVA will purchase power from the plant and transfer clean energy attributes to Google, helping decarbonise its data centres in Tennessee and Alabama.
Hermes 2, expected to generate up to 50 MW of always-on power from a single reactor, is scheduled to begin operations in 2030. The agreement represents the first step in a broader plan between Google and Kairos to bring online up to 500 MW of advanced nuclear generation by 2035, targeting the rising energy needs of AI-driven digital infrastructure.
The deal highlights growing corporate interest in nuclear as a zero-carbon energy source capable of providing reliable baseload electricity alongside intermittent renewables.
Deep Sky & Skyrenu Achieve North America's First CO₂ Storage via Direct Air Capture.
Climate-tech firms Deep Sky and Skyrenu have announced the successful completion of North America’s first permanent CO₂ storage project using direct air capture (DAC) technology. The milestone saw captured carbon dioxide injected into underground basalt formations, where it mineralises into solid rock.
The achievement demonstrates the technical feasibility of pairing DAC with geological storage at commercial scale, a development seen as critical to advancing durable carbon removal. The companies said the project would inform future large-scale deployments aimed at helping businesses and governments meet net-zero commitments.
While still at an early stage, the milestone positions DAC with permanent storage as a viable solution to address emissions that cannot be eliminated through direct reductions. Both firms intend to expand capacity in North America over the coming years, supporting a growing market for verifiable carbon removal credits.
Sources.
Meta solar project — ESG Dive, 21 Aug 2025
GreenCo ESG app launch — PR Newswire, 22 Aug 2025
NEC and ClimateAI launch climate adaptation model for African agriculture — NEC Corporation Press Release, 19 August 2025
Google advanced nuclear energy deal — ESG Dive, 21 Aug 2025
Deep Sky & Skyrenu CO₂ storage — ESG News, Aug 2025
