Technology for a sustainable future: the cleantech breakthrough

At a time of climate urgency, the cleantech sector is experiencing a period of subdued investment due to issues such as political uncertainty, as Crunchbase points out. Nevertheless, opportunities continue to emerge. This is evidenced by the firm Aligned Climate Capital, which has just closed an $85 million (around 79 million euros) fund. In uncertain times, inspiration, entrepreneurship and innovation remain key drivers. An idea that was reinforced at the Energy Tech Summit 2025.

The event, held on 9 and 10 April at the Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao, with BBVA as the main sponsor, brought together more than 1,500 experts from the cleantech ecosystem from more than 40 countries. Due to its scope and specialisation, it has established itself as one of the main conferences for accelerating the energy transition and tackling climate change.

Despite the difficult investment environment, the need for climate solutions continues to grow. “Spanish startups will continue to be a centre of attraction for venture capital, especially in areas such as energy efficiency, decarbonisation and renewable energy, which have shown great resilience even in times of macroeconomic uncertainty,” says Jan de Dreu, head of debt investment at BBVA Spark.

Investment in Europe was one of the key topics of “ Securing Growth Capital “, one of the presentations at the event, in which de Dreu participated as a panellist. During his intervention, some of the most relevant issues of the cleantech industry were addressed. “In the climate sector, Europe is highly respected. In the United States, in the climate technology industry, investors are closely following what is happening in Europe,” he explained.

Investment in climate technology continues to move significant numbers. According to a report by Sightline Climate, which is a market intelligence platform that provides data and information and frameworks to help investors, companies and governments finance climate technology, $30 billion (about €27.9 billion) was invested globally in this sector in 2024. Energy remained the most attractive area for investors, accounting for USD 9.4 billion (approximately EUR 8.75 billion), ahead of other categories such as sustainable mobility, energy efficiency and carbon capture.

Sightline’s report also notes that the number of deals remained broadly flat year-on-year, with 1,460 deals in 2024 compared to 1,468 in 2023. It also highlights an uptick in later-stage funding rounds, a sign that many segments of the cleantech sector are reaching a higher degree of maturity.

Likewise, collaboration between the private and public sectors will be a determining factor in advancing the energy transition. This was expressed by Santiago Muguruza, head of BBVA Spark, during his speech at the Energy Tech Summit 2025. He stressed that the alliance between banks, investors, entrepreneurs and administrations “will be decisive in scaling up essential technological projects” and emphasised that this cooperation “is key to closing the innovation gap in Europe”, especially in a context in which the continent is seeking to accelerate its energy autonomy and its competitiveness in clean technologies.

Because of this, Muguruza also stressed “the importance of supporting the most innovative cleantechs, especially those that develop the most pioneering technologies, known as ‘First of a Kind’ (FOAK)”. This makes it possible to take a decisive step towards the energy transition, as companies working on these types of solutions are key to addressing global climate challenges.

The sector’s medium- and long-term forecasts are optimistic. According to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global market for clean technologies could reach a value of 575 billion dollars (around 534 billion euros) by 2035, a figure that reflects the growing interest in sustainable solutions in all economic sectors.

The Energy Tech Summit 2025 brought together numerous companies focused on a wide range of technologies linked to the energy transition and climate action. These included energy storage solutions (such as batteries), sustainable transport, renewable energy, green hydrogen, carbon capture and storage technologies, circular economy and smart mobility. In total, the event was attended by more than 100 specialised speakers.

Of all the companies that participated, Jan de Dreu highlights several that are developing key solutions for the future of energy. This is the case of Basquevolt, which is working on the design of solid-state batteries, an advanced technology with applications in both stationary storage and small mobility vehicles. Such batteries promise greater safety, efficiency and energy density than current lithium-ion batteries.

Another key player was H2Site, which has developed a technology based on membrane reactors that allows hydrogen to be extracted efficiently from compounds such as ammonia or methanol, which are much easier to transport. In this way, it helps to solve one of the great challenges of the energy transition: how to move hydrogen over long distances without increasing its cost.

For its part, Delfos is committed to software as a catalyst for the energy transition. Its platform allows real-time monitoring of the performance of solar and wind installations, helping to improve their efficiency and anticipate possible failures. Its proposal goes beyond data: it offers each client personalised support that combines technology and expert knowledge to get the most out of each renewable asset.

The year 2025 marks a turning point for the development of clean technologies. According to the innovation and technology magazine MIT Technology Review, three innovations stand out for their transformative potential: green steel, solutions to reduce methane emissions from livestock and sustainable fuels for aviation. These technologies, each at different stages of maturity, are just a sample of the global effort to transform key sectors in the fight against climate change. The challenge now is to scale their impact.

One example is the initiative announced by BBVA during the Energy Tech Summit 2025, where the bank announced the signing of a loan project finance with the company Basque Hydrogen – a joint venture created by Petronor, Enagás Renovables and the Basque Energy Agency – to finance an electrolytic hydrogen plant for the production of synthetic fuels (e-fuels) in the port of Bilbao. It is the first loan of this type granted for a renewable hydrogen plant on the Iberian Peninsula.

As Jan de Dreu of BBVA Spark stresses, the commitment to innovation in cleantech goes beyond financing. “BBVA Spark plays an active role in catalysing the growth of cleantech entrepreneurship. Our presence in these forums reflects our commitment to accompany innovative companies from their early stages to their consolidation, providing financing, sector knowledge and access to networking networks,” he says. A message that sums up the spirit of the Energy Tech Summit 2025: collaboration, technology and ambition to accelerate the energy transition.