Ethanol deal and plastic alternatives: the week in sustainability

The largest deal of the week came from The Andersons, Inc., which agreed to buy Harvestone Low Carbon Partners from Energy Capital Partners for $915 million, with roughly half the price attributed to expected 45Z and 45Q tax credit cash flows, according to the release. Ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, more than 30 members of the Energy Transitions Commission, including commissioners from Octopus Energy, Schneider Electric, Tata Steel and Vattenfall, asked the summit presidency to back a 35% electrification target by 2035 and faster decarbonisation of heavy industry.

Reducing virgin plastic was a recurring theme. Graphic Packaging Holding Company is offering its Boardio paperboard canister to nutraceutical brands through co-packer Combined Technologies, Inc., and SMX argued that its Digital Material Passport Platform helps recycled materials compete on price with virgin plastic. Elsewhere, Hexagon Composites ASA reported a return to positive EBITDA, TCL Technology Group Corporation donated a solar-powered display to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Village, and MarketsandMarkets published a forecast for ESG reporting software.