China's manufacturing capacity glut and tariffs on Chinese goods contributed to the funding decline, while AI companies saw a surge in equity funding, reaching nearly $100 billion. Despite the downturn in climate tech funding, overall investment in the global energy transition surpassed $2 trillion for the first time, although growth slowed to 11% from 29% in 2023. Emerging technologies like clean steel and green hydrogen remain costly and require more policy support, while mature sectors such as renewable energy and electric vehicles were largely unaffected.
Key takeaways:
- Global climate tech equity financing fell 40% in 2024, with a total of nearly $51 billion in deals compared to $84 billion in 2023.
- Investors shifted focus to artificial intelligence, which saw equity funding reach nearly $100 billion, impacting climate tech funding.
- Nuclear companies, particularly those focused on fusion, raised significant funding, led by Pacific Fusion Corp.'s $900 million Series A round.
- Overall investment in the global energy transition rose to more than $2 trillion, despite a slowdown in growth to 11% from 29% in 2023.