Nicole Sullivan, Author at Cleartrace

Nicole Sullivan is the VP of Sustainability for Cleartrace. Her expertise is at the intersection of carbon accounting, decarbonization strategy, and energy management. She is an environmental engineer by trade and has spent her career in environmental and sustainability consulting across industry sectors, including energy, manufacturing, and consumer packaged goods (CPG). When she's not supporting Cleartrace customers and the Cleartrace product team, you can catch her outside - her favorite pastimes include gardening and fly fishing.

Harnessing Earth’s Heat: The Rise of Geothermal Energy in America

The quest for sustainable and reliable energy sources has never been more critical. With the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change, renewable energy solutions are at the forefront of the energy transition. Among these, geothermal energy is emerging as a powerful contender that only accounted for 0.4% of power generation in […]

Greening the Grid: Are new green electrons improving utilities’ residual mix?

As the race to net-zero accelerates, corporate entities with decarbonization targets are putting increasing pressure on utilities and energy suppliers to improve their supplier specific carbon emission factors and residual mix factors. This demand is driven by the need for better management of Scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions from purchased electricity), which is critical for […]

Driving Decarbonization: How Green Tariff Programs Empower Utilities and Businesses

In today’s increasingly complex and rapidly changing energy market, advanced energy consumers with ambitious net zero targets are driving the push for cleaner energy solutions to advance decarbonization. Utilities are under pressure to provide innovative pathways for businesses (and households) to access renewable energy, and one of the most common mechanisms is through green tariff […]

Choosing the Right Path: 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy vs Emissions First

In the evolving landscape of energy sustainability, corporate energy buyers face a pivotal choice when moving beyond 100% Renewable Energy through the use of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), bundled or unbundled with physically delivered power, to a more advanced clean energy and decarbonization strategy: embrace 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) or prioritize an Emissions First approach. […]

CEBA Connect Spring Summit 2024: Cleartrace’s Insights and Highlights

Attending the Clean Energy Buyer’s Association (CEBA) Connect: Spring Summit 2024 was, as always, an insightful and engaging experience. Membership to CEBA and this event in particular is a no brainer for any corporate who is buying renewable energy. It is an opportunity to connect with key players in the renewable energy sector, network with […]

Renewable Energy Procurement: What are electricity customers seeking beyond clean energy?

In the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability, the integration of renewable energy has become a cornerstone of decarbonization strategies, for a company’s Scope 2 carbon footprint (indirect emissions from purchased electricity) and beyond. In the real estate sector, building owners are increasingly considering the energy impacts of their tenants and in some cases offering renewable […]

Data Challenges in Sustainability: The Path to Automation

Wherever you are on your sustainability journey, data is a critical component to guiding your path. To truly understand our environmental impact and craft effective decarbonization strategies, we must embrace a data-driven approach. While the significance of data in measuring carbon footprints, managing energy, and mitigating environmental impact is clear, the path to automation, though […]

Unlocking the Business Case for Sustainability: Driving ROI Through Environmental Action

In the realm of sustainability and decarbonization action, understanding the material impact on your business is paramount. While the moral imperative to invest in a better planet is undeniable, it’s equally important to recognize that sustainable actions can and should significantly benefit your bottom line. In this article, we’ll explore the symbiotic relationship between sustainability […]

Mandatory Climate Disclosures: Unpacking the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

In the realm of emerging sustainability regulations, United States (US) headquartered companies are often focused on North American regulations. Yet, in the ever-evolving landscape of climate accountability, it’s essential to cast our gaze across the Atlantic to the European Union (EU), where groundbreaking strides in environmental governance are transforming the global corporate climate disclosures paradigm. […]

Mandatory Climate Disclosures: Unpacking CA SB 253 and 261

Amidst the flurry of attention surrounding the recently adopted SEC climate disclosure rule, it’s important to step back and consider other recent climate regulations reshaping the corporate climate-related disclosure landscape. Notably, California’s (CA’s) Senate Bill (SB) 253 “Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act” and SB 261 “Greenhouse Gases: climate-related financial risk” have emerged as formidable pillars […]

The SEC’s Climate Vote: Implications for Corporate Carbon Accountability

The Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC) voted today (March 6, 2024) to adopt a scaled-back version of its long-awaited proposed climate disclosure rule, formally titled “The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors.” The vote comes two years after the proposed rule’s draft language was released in March of 2022. The final rule, which […]

ESG Regulatory Readiness for the Utility Sector

Utilities need to be ready for the deluge of customer requests and the data to back up green programs and other emerging ESG compliance reporting requirements. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related regulations took huge leaps forward in 2023, and more regulatory progress is anticipated in 2024. The passing of a range of disclosure and reporting […]