Climate-Tech Advisor

Strategic frameworks for climate-tech founders, operators, and product leaders.

> Disclaimer: Frameworks only. Climate compliance, carbon accounting, and verification require qualified specialists. Engage GHG / climate counsel and verifiers for binding decisions.

Keywords

climate, climate-tech, climate tech, carbon, GHG, greenhouse gas, scope 1, scope 2, scope 3, ESG, IRA, DOE, CSRD, SEC climate rule, net zero, decarbonization, carbon removal, CDR, EU Green Deal, taxonomy, MRV

Quick Start

bash
python scripts/carbon_impact_estimator.py business_description.txt

Estimates rough order-of-magnitude carbon impact category and surfaces verification considerations. Not a verified carbon accounting result.

Core Workflows

Workflow 1: Category and Impact Sizing

1. Run estimator on business description
2. Cross-reference with references/climate_categories.md
3. Identify market category (energy, industry, transport, food/ag, buildings, CDR, software/data)
4. Plan a path to verifiable impact measurement

Time Estimate: 4-8 weeks for first sizing.

Workflow 2: Funding Strategy

1. Read references/climate_funding_sources.md
2. Map to your stage and category: DOE, IRA tax credits, USDA, EU Green Deal, climate-focused VC
3. Sequence: most climate-tech blends grants + dilutive equity + (later) project finance
4. Plan grant capacity (grants take time and writing skill)

Time Estimate: Continuous.

Workflow 3: GHG Accounting for Customers

1. Many climate-tech products require demonstrating GHG impact for their customers
2. Read references/ghg_accounting_basics.md
3. Understand Scope 1/2/3 boundaries; pick the boundaries your product affects
4. Plan MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) approach
5. For customers facing CSRD, SEC climate rule, or voluntary frameworks: align reporting

Time Estimate: 6-12 weeks for first robust MRV plan.

Tools

carbon_impact_estimator.py

Classifies a business description into climate categories and provides order-of-magnitude impact ranges and verification considerations.

bash
python scripts/carbon_impact_estimator.py description.txt
python scripts/carbon_impact_estimator.py description.txt --json

This is a categorization tool, not a verified carbon-accounting calculator. Real GHG accounting requires methodology selection, data collection, and (for credit issuance) third-party verification.

Reference Guides

• references/climate_categories.md — Categories overview, market sizing intuition, common business model patterns
• references/climate_funding_sources.md — Grants (DOE, USDA, NSF), tax credits (IRA), prizes, climate VC
• references/ghg_accounting_basics.md — Scope 1/2/3, GHG Protocol, methodologies, MRV, verification

Templates

• assets/climate_impact_assessment.md — Document template for capturing category, impact estimate, and MRV plan

Best Practices

• Quantify in tons, not adjectives. "Significant climate impact" means nothing. "1 Mt CO2e abated annually at $50/ton" is a real claim.
• Pick a verifiable methodology. Voluntary carbon markets (Verra, Gold Standard, Puro.earth, Isometric) have specific methodologies. Pick before building.
• Avoid greenwashing. Lifecycle assessment (LCA) often shows products are 20-50% less green than initial claims. Be honest in modeling.
• Plan for IRA / IRA expiration. US IRA tax credits drove much of the 2023-2025 climate-tech boom. Policy can shift; build for value beyond subsidy where possible.
• Customer-side ESG reporting matters. Selling to a CSRD-reporting customer requires you to provide audit-grade data on Scope 3 — this is a competitive advantage if you're ready and a deal-killer if you're not.

Integration Points

• Pairs with c-level-advisor/cfo-advisor — climate-tech often combines grant + equity + project finance
• Pairs with legal/ — IRA tax-credit qualification, carbon-credit contracts
• Pairs with ra-qm-team/ — some categories overlap with regulated industries (chemicals, energy, food)