Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#21

Post by pathseeker » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:00 PM UTC

pen2l wrote: post #11

1-6 wrote: post #10

How about them delivery trucks and waste cardboard boxes? Those data centers can also generate a lot of emissions. Amazon is throwing spare change at a massing problem they're involved in.

But you’ve gotta admit they’re like 10 times better than the alternative. I mean, their whole operation is optimized up the wazoo. Imagine the time saved, the carbon emissions saved when folks don’t have to drive to and back to get their stuff. I’m kind of hooked on this grocery delivery stuff too now, so much time and headache and gas saved.

Unless you're getting all of your Amazon stuff in a single box in the weekly option, it's not really better. Driving 3 miles once a week to get everything from a store is better than 7 boxes a week + delivery increased truck load.

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#22

Post by dpweb » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:02 PM UTC

dckeyjqmon wrote: post #2

This won't work. We need real regulation that penalizes polluters so much that it's no longer profitable to destroy the planet. We need social and cultural changes so that it's no longer hip and cool to fly around on jet planes and cars. This is mostly a political issue, not an issue of private industries in search of profits.

The biggest incentive for fossil fuel generated electricity is 0.06-0.10 cents per Kwh fossil fuel generated electricity. Electricity is cheap.

There's two ways to make a renewables economy, it's not complicated. The quick way, 200% tax on all fossil fuel generated electricity. The slow way, wait for technology to evolve that renewables become cheaper than fossil fuel. Government could help companies and utilities transition.

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#23

Post by dandigangi » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:02 PM UTC

1-6 wrote: post #10

How about them delivery trucks and waste cardboard boxes? Those data centers can also generate a lot of emissions. Amazon is throwing spare change at a massing problem they're involved in.

I agree with you. It's worth noting 0 emissions is impossible so things carbon offsets exist to counter that when you cant get to 0.

Another way to look at it might be that investing in those companies by yield solutions to them that address what you mentioned above.

That's my hope at least.

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#24

Post by kevan » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:02 PM UTC

1-6 wrote: post #10

How about them delivery trucks and waste cardboard boxes? Those data centers can also generate a lot of emissions. Amazon is throwing spare change at a massing problem they're involved in.

Disclaimer: I work at Amazon, views are my own.

Delivery trucks: 100,000 trucks at $70k each = $7 billion investment over 5 years. [1]

Datacenters: 80% renewable energy by 2024, 100% by 2030 [2]

For boxes, I'd agree that there's a lot of room for improvement in reduction in cardboard use and packaging reuse.

Everyone should come to their own conclusions about whether companies are doing enough in each area. For delivery trucks in particular I'd call the investments happening there much more than "spare change".

[1] https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/19/20873947/amazon-electric-... [2] https://blog.aboutamazon.com/sustainability/reducing-carbon-...

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#25

Post by fsflover » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:03 PM UTC

makerofspoons wrote: post #14

pphysch wrote: post #4

> Amazon announced it’s on a path to run on 100% renewable energy by 2025, five years ahead of schedule. A possible silver lining of market domination is the ability to tackle issues like climate change without falling behind competitors who aren't making those harder choices. Unless this is all PR and Amazon is actively burning down their namesake or something?

Switch to renewables, then lobby for a carbon tax to crush competitors that haven't switched or can't afford the transition.

If this is the only way to fight climate crisis, so be it.

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#26

Post by chiefalchemist » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:03 PM UTC

1-6 wrote: post #10

How about them delivery trucks and waste cardboard boxes? Those data centers can also generate a lot of emissions. Amazon is throwing spare change at a massing problem they're involved in.

Agreed. This isn't an investment is climate tech. It's an investment in Amazon's future, which is dependant on the current - consumption focused - status quo.

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#27

Post by paxys » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:04 PM UTC

1-6 wrote: post #10

How about them delivery trucks and waste cardboard boxes? Those data centers can also generate a lot of emissions. Amazon is throwing spare change at a massing problem they're involved in.

Amazon has actually done a great job in making manufacturers reduce plastic/clamshell packaging for their products, so the cardboard boxes are definitely a net improvement.

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#28

Post by toomanymike » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:05 PM UTC

Anyone have pointers to interesting companies in the climate tech space? Or tips for finding them?

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#29

Post by PragmaticPulp » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:07 PM UTC

1-6 wrote: post #10

How about them delivery trucks and waste cardboard boxes? Those data centers can also generate a lot of emissions. Amazon is throwing spare change at a massing problem they're involved in.

> Amazon is throwing spare change at a massing problem they're involved in.

Yes, the point is that they're investing in efforts to help deal with some of their own externalities. We shouldn't be shaming a company for having the self-awareness to do this to the tune of billions of dollars.

It's not fair to criticize the amount, either, because $2 billion goes a long way to getting technology companies off the ground. Throwing more money at the problem doesn't produce better outcomes at this stage of the R&D pipeline. $2 billion is a lot of money.

Re: Amazon Announces $2B Fund to Invest in Climate Tech Companies

#30

Post by PragmaticPulp » Tue, Jun 23, 2020, 5:09 PM UTC

an_opabinia wrote: post #13

Suppose the investments turn out to be wildly successful. They turn $2b into $200b. They could still fail at the goal of slowing global warming. The accounting value of an equity, especially a growth stage company, is never the same as its economic value. When in history has accounting (like a price) measured something real / believable about the environment? One way to look at this is what is the environmental impac…

> My point is, equities are ill suited incentives for even economic profits, let alone environmental "profits."

What is your alternative proposal?

It's not like Amazon's $2B investment in climate tech is mutually exclusive with government initiatives or other climate research. It's another angle to approach the problem, using the tools they have at their disposal. I don't understand the desire to assume the most cynical takes on this initiative.