🌆 Infra Futures #17

Happy Monday 👋

Leaders highlighted the need for balanced energy transitions at COP29 and also equitable access to sustainable mobility technologies and resilient infrastructure to address climate impacts, stressing financial support for developing countries to adapt and thrive in the transition. Green Investments Partnership. Mexico announced a $23B investment in its state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to bolster its domestic electricity infrastructure. Additionally, President Claudia Sheinbaum introduced a plan to build 1 million homes, offering zero-interest mortgages to support affordable housing. Hyundai Motor partnered with Ulsan City to promote hydrogen energy, aiming to establish the city as a hydrogen-friendly hub. Meanwhile, a futuristic megacity designed to house 300,000 people in a high-tech, air-conditioned environment is being developed by global firms like Gensler and Mott MacDonald, set to be completed by 2030. Oldcastle Infrastructure, a CRH Company, announced that it acquired Cook Concrete Products, a concrete products company operating in Redding.

What's new?
HolonIQ’s new Green Skills Map and Workforce section reveal industry-wide sustainability skills and jobs, as well as workforce development initiatives, supporting upskilling for a sustainable economy.

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🏗️ Energy Infrastructure

🏗️ Green Investments Partnership at the COP29. Pentagreen Capital, a joint venture between HSBC and Temasek, plans to invest up to $1B in sustainable infrastructure projects. This is deployed as a part of the broader Financing Asia's Transition Partnership (FAST-P), which seeks to mobilize $5B for Southeast Asia's green infrastructure. 

⚡ Mexico Announces $23bn Investment in Electricity Infrastructure. The Mexican government presented a plan to invest $23B in the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to strengthen the domestic electricity sector.

💰 Adani Group to Invest $10B in US Energy and Infrastructure. India's Adani Group plans to invest $10B in energy and infrastructure projects in the US. This move deepens strategic business ties between India and the US.

🚘 Transport Infrastructure

🚗 Hyundai Motor partners with Ulsan City to promote hydrogen energy. Hyundai Motor, an automotive company, signed a MOU with Ulsan City to cooperate in making Ulsan City a hydrogen-friendly city.

🚧 Dubai Ruler Announces $1bn Road Infrastructure Plan for 2025-2029. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, announced a $1B road infrastructure plan for 2025-2029 that will construct 634 km of new roads across 12 districts in Dubai.

🚁 Dubai to Build First Flying Taxi Vertiport by 2026. Joby Aviation, with Sheikh Hamdan, announced the construction of Dubai's first flying taxi vertiport, set to launch in 2026. The facility will be located near the Dubai International Airport.

🏛️ Buildings

🏙️ Saudi Arabia's Line Megacity Project Progresses with Architects Revealed. Saudi Arabia's Line megacity, a 170-km mirrored structure, is under construction to house 300,000 people in an air-conditioned, high-tech environment by 2030. The project enlists global firms like Gensler and Mott MacDonald to design infrastructure and urban spaces to redefine sustainable city living.

🏠 Oregon researchers build prototype mass timber home. A research team from the TallWood Design Institute, a collaboration between the University of Oregon and Oregon State University, unveiled a mass timber prototype home that is designed to be a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative to traditional home construction.

🏫 Social Infrastructure

🏠 Mexico to Build 1 Million Homes with Zero-Interest Mortgages. The newly elected president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, launched a plan to build a million homes people can buy with zero-interest mortgages.

🏘️ Strabag unit to build a $267M residential complex in Abu Dhabi. Zublin Construction, a unit of Austria's Strabag, was selected to build a $267M luxury residential development on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

🛠️ Skills and Workforce

HolonIQ is now tracking reskilling and upskilling initiatives critical in bridging workforce gaps. Impact industries are rapidly evolving, fueled by technological advancements, decarbonization, geopolitical dynamics, and socio-economic factors. To that extent, these sectors require considerable workforce/professional development initiatives to enhance workers' capabilities, boost economic growth, and promote social well-being. Read on for this week’s insights, and discover more in HolonIQ's latest Skills newsletter.

👷 IEA Report: 16 Million New Clean Energy Jobs Boost Transition in 2024. The IEA's 2024 report reveals clean energy jobs surged by 16 million since 2019, reaching 75 million globally. Solar and wind sectors lead growth, notably in Asia and the US, underscoring clean energy’s resilience amid complex geopolitical and supply chain challenges. The report identifies over half of the new roles in emerging economies, reinforcing their critical role in achieving the global energy transition.  

🏢 Jobs for the Future Awards $5M for US Workforce Equity Projects. Jobs for the Future (JFF) has awarded nearly $5 million to US-based organizations focused on improving workforce equity. This funding supports initiatives creating inclusive career pathways in fields like information technology, especially for marginalized communities. With grants dispersed across multiple states, JFF aims to reduce educational and employment disparities, fostering economic mobility.

🪫 Adani Group Pledges $10 Billion for US Energy Infrastructure Projects. India’s Adani Group has committed $10 billion to advance US energy security and infrastructure, with plans to create up to 15,000 jobs. This investment encompasses a range of projects aimed at bolstering energy resilience and enhancing infrastructure, showcasing Adani’s strategic confidence in the American market. The initiative aligns with broader US priorities to drive economic growth through strengthened energy systems and essential infrastructure development across key regions.

HolonIQ has launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated for the purpose of cataloging, evaluating, and contextualizing the different components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.

💰 Infra Deals

🏗️ Oldcastle Infrastructure Acquires Cook Concrete Products. Oldcastle Infrastructure, a CRH Company, announced that it acquired Cook Concrete Products, a concrete products company operating in Redding.

🚚 DP World Acquires Australian Logistics Firm Silk Logistics. DP World, a Dubai-based ports and partly a logistics company, agreed to acquire Silk Logistics, an Australian logistics services provider, for around $112M.

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