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name: climate-tech-advisor description: > Strategic advisory for climate-tech founders on carbon markets, GHG accounting, climate regulation, and funding. Use when scoping a climate-tech idea or picking a category, or mentioning climate, carbon, GHG, ESG, IRA, DOE, or net-zero. license: MIT + Commons Clause metadata: version: 1.0.0 author: borghei category: vertical-advisors domain: climate-tech updated: 2026-05-04 python-tools: carbon_impact_estimator.py tech-stack: climate, sustainability

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.

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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

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Quick Start

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.

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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.

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Tools

carbon_impact_estimator.py

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

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.

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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

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Templates

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

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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.

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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)