The Relevance of Investments in Energy and Resource Efficiency

In the world of financial investments, investors are often faced with the question of whether it is better to invest in individual shares or funds. Andres Gujan explains the role that factors such as diversification, risk/return ratio and personal preferences play in this decision.

Diversification and Risk: Individual shares are targeted investments in individual companies, which enables potentially higher returns. However, this is also associated with a higher risk, as the success of an individual share depends heavily on company-specific and market-related factors. Funds, on the other hand, spread the risk across a large number of shares or asset classes, which reduces the risk of loss. At Carnot Capital, we always keep an eye on these risk factors and periodically compare the portfolio with the ESG and impact values.

Risk-Return Profile: Individual shares can fluctuate strongly in the short term, but offer the opportunity for considerable gains in the long term. Funds offer a more stable performance over longer periods and are particularly suitable for investors who want to avoid large fluctuations in value.

Time and Costs: The selection and management of individual shares often required more time, knowledge and research. Professional fund managers, like us at Carnot Capital, deal with the portfolio on a daily basis, which reduces the effort for the investor.

Personal Preferences: The decision between individual shares and funds also depends on personal goals, risk tolerance and ethical considerations. Investors should design their investment strategy according to their individual situation and financial goals and draw on the expertise of specialised fund managers, especially for thematic investments.

“Overall, a balanced mix of individual shares and, for example, impact funds can be a sensible strategy to benefit from the advantages of both forms of investment, i.e. to achieve a good risk/return profile and make a sustainable contribution in the area of energy and resource efficiency. Andres Gujan, Founder Carnot Capital & Portfolio Manager

Lithium is currently the most commonly used metal for batteries because it enables a relatively high energy density. However, sodium batteries are increasingly becoming an attractive alternative: Sodium is available in unlimited quantities as a salt of the oceans (sodium chloride NaCl) and can be extracted without causing environmental damage. Sodium batteries are also characterised by a high level of safety, as they are less flammable. However, sodium batteries also have disadvantages due to their lower energy density. They are more suitable for stationary applications.

Resourceful Researchers in a Race

Market forecasts from Bloomberg and McKinsey predict that the battery market will grow several hundred billion times over. The brightest minds are working with huge R&D budgets to eliminate the disadvantages of sodium batteries – low voltage and corrosion of the cathode (service life). In fact, great successes have now been reported. The first cars with sodium batteries are already on the road in China. The industry leader BYD is investing more than USD 1 billion in a large production plant. The other industry leader, CATL, wants to reduce the cost per kilowatt hour to $57 with a new generation of sodium batteries. A car battery would then cost less than $5,000. Research is going in various directions, and experiments are also being carried out with other inexpensive metals (magnesium, aluminium, zinc). There are great expectations for solid-state batteries, for example, which boast greater energy density and improved safety. The first factories are already under construction and should be supplying safe, high-performance batteries as early as next year.

Significance for Carnot

Battery prices have been falling slightly for years. However, with the emergence of new materials and technologies, a significant price reduction is now imminent. Due to the high capital intensity and major technology risks, battery production remains unattractive for us as investors. Nevertheless, the significant reduction in battery prices is relevant for us, as it makes the combination of renewable energy and storage cheaper. This triggers further investments in the conversion of the energy supply, where our portfolio companies are involved – from engineering, technology and installation through to system control and optimisation (AFRY, Concentric, ABB, etc.).

Did You Know?

700,000 tonnes of cheese are stored in American caverns. That is more than three times Switzerland’s annual production.