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Disclaimer

BY CLICKING ON “I AGREE”, I DECLARE I AM A WHOLESALE CLIENT AS DEFINED IN THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001.

What is a Wholesale Client?
A person or entity is a “wholesale client” if they satisfy the requirements of section 761G of the Corporations Act.
This commonly includes a person or entity:

  • who holds an Australian Financial Services License

  • who has or controls at least $10 million (and may include funds held by an associate or under a trust that the person manages)

  • that is a body regulated by APRA other than a trustee of:
    (i) a superannuation fund;
    (ii) an approved deposit fund;
    (iii) a pooled superannuation trust; or
    (iv) a public sector superannuation scheme.
    within the meaning of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993

  • that is a body registered under the Financial Corporations Act 1974.

  • that is a trustee of:
    (i) a superannuation fund; or
    (ii) an approved deposit fund; or
    (iii) a pooled superannuation trust; or
    (iv) a public sector superannuation scheme
    within the meaning of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 and the fund, trust or scheme has net assets of at least $10 million.

  • that is a listed entity or a related body corporate of a listed entity

  • that is an exempt public authority

  • that is a body corporate, or an unincorporated body, that:
    (i) carries on a business of investment in financial products, interests in land or other investments; and
    (ii) for those purposes, invests funds received (directly or indirectly) following an offer or invitation to the public, within the meaning of section 82 of the Corporations Act 2001, the terms of which provided for the funds subscribed to be invested for those purposes.

  • that is a foreign entity which, if established or incorporated in Australia, would be covered by one of the preceding paragraphs.


I Disagree

Sustainable Investing

Fossil fuel alternatives

Finding alternatives to fossil fuels is essential if the world is to combat global warming. The current reliance on fossil fuels led by coal, oil and gas cannot be understated, as it used to supply 80% of the world’s energy.1 The energy sector subsequently generates about three-quarters of all greenhouse gases and is by far the largest contributor to global warming.2


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Coal, oil and gas dominate emissions by fuel type. Renewables except for biomass have virtually zero emissions.
Source: Our World in Data, 2020

But there are alternatives which are growing in use, particularly as the wind and solar energy sector acquires the scale it needs to be able to reliably supply electricity on the current scale of coal. The five primary alternatives to fossil fuels are renewable energy, nuclear power, hydrogen, biomass, and geothermal energy.

  • Renewable energy is defined as power derived from natural sources that can replenish themselves, such as wind, solar, tidal or hydroelectric. All are theoretically infinite, unlike fossil fuels which will run out at some point. Its main drawback is that if the wind doesn’t blow, the sun doesn’t shine or water levels are low, then the energy created can fall to zero.

  • Nuclear power is derived from splitting the uranium atom in a controlled way in a power station, creating nuclear fission. As no conventional fuel is burnt, nuclear power has zero greenhouse gas emissions. Its main drawbacks are the highly limited supplies of uranium, the dangers of accidents, and the fact that radioactive waste is difficult to dispose of.

  • Hydrogen is produced through the electrolysis of water into its constituent parts of hydrogen and oxygen. The electrolysis requires energy to work, and if this power comes from renewables (green hydrogen), then its only emissions are water vapor. If the energy comes from fossil fuels (gray or blue hydrogen) then it is less useful for cutting emissions.

  • Biomass is biological material that are either living or decaying, led by wood, plant, forest residues and compost material. Some crops such as rapeseed are specifically grown as biofuels. Many coal-fired plants are being converted to biomass in order to reduce emissions. Its main drawback is that burning biomass still produces greenhouse gases.

  • Geothermal power is harnessed from the Earth’s natural sources of heat, led by volcanic activity. It is the source of 30% of all electricity power in Iceland, which taps into thermal springs heated by molten rock lying thousands of meters below the surface. Its main drawback is that it is restricted to areas with volcanic sources.


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Investor interest in alternatives to fossil fuels is led by wind and solar power.
Source: Robeco Global Climate Survey 2021.

Creating returns that benefit the world we live in

Collectively, non-fossil fuel power is often known as ‘clean energy’, though some forms of it are cleaner than others. Nuclear, for example is clean but occasionally dangerous, as the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plant disasters showed, and there remains the issue of how to safely dispose of the radioactive waste.

Use of fossil fuel alternatives has grown exponentially in recent years, accounting for 23.2% of all energy sources for power generation in 2020.3 Hydrogen is particularly seen as an alternative fuel for heavy transport such as ships, trucks and even aircraft, though it relies on existing supplies of energy to be created. Tidal projects have largely been shelved as being too expensive.

Robeco

Robeco aims to enable its clients to achieve their financial and sustainability goals by providing superior investment returns and solutions.

Important information: This website is prepared and issued in Australia by Robeco Hong Kong Limited (ARBN 156 512 659) (‘Robeco’) which is exempt from the requirement to hold an Australian financial services licence under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) pursuant to ASIC Class Order 03/1103. Robeco is regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission under the laws of Hong Kong and those laws may differ from Australian laws. The information on this web page is provided to you because Robeco reasonably believes that you are a "wholesale client" within the meaning of that term under section 761G(4) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) ("Corporations Act") and not any other class of persons. This information is not an advertisement and is not intended to induce retail clients to acquire Robeco products. Retail clients who are interested in Robeco products should contact their financial adviser.