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A Shell employee walks past the company’s new Quest Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) facility in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, October 7, 2021.
Todd Korol | Reuters

As energy sector demand roars back and commodities market pundits talk about the return of $100 oil, there are new factors in the energy sector pushing producers to extract less — from greater fiscal discipline in the U.S. shale after a decade-long bust to ESG pressure and the ways in which energy executives are being paid by shareholders.

In 2018, Royal Dutch Shell became the first oil major to link ESG to executive pay, earmarking 10% of long-term incentive plans (LTIP) to reducing carbon emissions. BP followed suit, using ESG measures in both its annual bonus and its LTIP. While the European majors were first, Chevron and Marathon Oil are among the U.S. -based oil companies that have added greenhouse gas emissions targets to executive compensation plans.

The oil and gas companies are joining dozens of public corporations across all sectors — including Apple, Clorox, PepsiCo and Starbucks — that tie ESG to executive pay. Last week, industrial Caterpillar created the position of chief sustainability & strategy officer last and said it will now tie a portion of executive compensation to ESG.

As of last year, 51% of S&P 500 companies used some form of ESG metrics in their executive compensation plans, according to a report from Willis Towers Watson. Half of companies include ESG in annual bonus or incentive plans, while only 4% use it in long-term incentive plans (LTIP). A similar report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that 45% of FTSE 100 firms had an ESG target in the annual bonus, LTIP or both.

“We will continue to see the percentage of companies [linking ESG to pay] increase,” said Ken Kuk, senior director of talent and rewards at Willis Towers Watson. And although right now more than 95% of instances of ESG metrics are in annual bonuses, “there is a shift more toward long-term incentives,” he said.

A related survey by the firm last year, of board members and senior executives, revealed that nearly four in five respondents (78%) are planning to change how they use ESG with their executive incentive plans over the next three years. This reflects the current purpose-over-profit debate in the corporate world, with the environment ranking as the top priority.

Pressuring the fossil fuel industry

In 2020, petroleum accounted for about a third of U.S. energy consumption, but was the source of 45% of the total energy-related CO2 emissions, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Natural gas also provided about a third of the nation’s energy and produced 36% of CO2 emissions. Oil and gas companies have largely abandoned coal, which accounted for about 10% of energy use and accounted for nearly 19% of emissions.

Investors are increasingly focused on ESG, and more have been pressuring the fossil fuel industry to shrink its global carbon footprint and the associated risks to operations and bottom lines. “The increase in momentum that the investment community has put around ESG is driving the discussion into climate [change],” said Phillippa O’Connor, a London-based partner at PwC and a specialist in executive pay. “We can’t underestimate the impact that investors will continue to have for the next couple of years.”

Investor input played a decisive role in Shell’s seminal decision, as well as those at competitors that followed suit. And while executive compensation wasn’t high on the docket at Exxon Mobil’s shareholder meeting last spring, the industry was gobsmacked when the climate-activist hedge fund Engine No. 1 won three seats on its board of directors. The coup, as it was roundly described, may ultimately deemphasize Exxon’s reliance on carbon-based businesses and move it more toward investments in solar, wind and other renewable energy sources — and in the process lead to ESG-linked pay packages.

“We look forward to working with all of our directors to build on the progress we’ve made to grow long-term shareholder value and succeed in a lower-carbon future,” Exxon chairman and CEO Darren Woods said in a statement shortly after the proxy vote.

Meanwhile, financial regulators also are eyeing climate change as a factor for investors to consider. The Securities and Exchange Commission has indicated that ESG disclosure regulation will be a central focus under new Chair Gary Gensler, from climate to other ESG factors such as labor conditions.

There’s nothing novel about incentivizing corporate leaders to hit predetermined targets, particularly for increasing revenue, profits and shareholder returns by certain increments. Oil and gas companies, because of their hazardous extraction operations — from underground fracking wells to offshore drilling rigs — have for years established incentives for improving workplace safety.

Following the Enron accounting and fraud scandal in 2001, meeting new governance mandates (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) was the basis for rewards. Then came added remuneration for achieving internal goals set for quality, health and wellness, recycling, energy conservation and community service — wrapped into corporate social responsibility. Sustainability then became the catch-all for establishing executive performance metrics around environmental stewardship, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and ethical business practices — all of which now reside under the ESG umbrella.

ESG is tricky, and existing carbon targets have critics

Although the trend is expected to continue, experts warn that the process can be tricky, and targets designed by oil and gas companies to combat climate already have critics.

Including emission-reduction targets in executive pay packages may compel oil and gas companies to walk their public-relations talk about being good corporate citizens. Yet the methodology can be challenging. “It’s not the what, but the how,” said Christyan Malek, an industry analyst at JP Morgan. For example, a company can state how much is has lowered its global carbon emissions in a given year. “But that’s very limited,” he said, “because they’re not disclosing their emissions by region,” which can widely vary from one location to the next. “When it comes to carbon intensity, it’s in the [overall] portfolio.”

Or a company can ply in greenwashing through carbon offsets. “I have massive emissions, so I’ll [plant] a bunch of forests, and that way I neutralize myself,” Malek said — while the company is still producing the same amount of emissions. “You’re disclosing in a way that’s better optically than it is in reality. Disclosure has to work hand in hand with compensation.”

The optics of oil and gas companies paying well for doing good might help the industry’s image among a general public increasingly concerned about the calamitous impacts of human-induced climate change, exacerbated by the latest, and most dire, related U.N. report and a string of deadly floods, hurricanes, heatwaves and wildfires. But experts focused on climate and the energy sector note that sector targets often don’t go far enough, related to reducing intensity of fossil fuel operations, not underlying production of fossil fuels, and dealing only with Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, not the Scope 3 emissions which are the largest share of the climate problem.

O’Connor said that companies should be careful how they align ESG metrics with incentives. “ESG is a broad and complex set of metrics and expectations,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons why we’re seeing a number of companies use multiple metrics rather than a single measure, to get a better balance of considerations and perspectives across the ESG forum. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all policy in this, and there’s a danger in trying to move too quickly and revert to some kind of standard.”

The pandemic placed an unexpected hard top on compensation incentives in 2020, and with the global economy decimated last year, Shell’s remuneration board decided to forego bonuses for CEO Ben van Beurden, CFO Jessica Uhl and other top executives, and there was no direct link in their LTIPs to delivery of energy transition targets.

The energy sector has roared back this year amid strong global economic growth and demand for oil and gas amid lower supply has led to a spike in prices. That could incentivize oil and gas companies to produce more, but at the same time, compensation to to energy transition targets ae going up. At Shell, the 2021 annual bonus is targeted at 120% of base salary for the CEO and CFO, which remain the same as set in 2020, at $1,842,530 and $1,200,900, respectively. Within this, though, progress in energy transition is now up from 10% to 15% of the total amount that can be awarded. In addition, energy transition is part of the LTIP which vests three years in the future, based on Shell’s 2020 annual report.

Oil prices have rebounded sharply amid limited supply and demand growth out of the worst of the pandemic, but more oil and gas companies are tying near- and long-term executive pay to energy transition targets, led by Royal Dutch Shell.

According to a 2019 McKinsey study, there is growing evidence that adopting ESG is not just a feel-good fad, but that when done right creates value. And that may be enough to convince more oil and gas companies to link it to compensation, especially because it’s one of the few industries where ESG is existential, Kuk said. “Sometimes we think about ESG in the context of doing good, and it is doing good. But I still believe there has to be a business reason for everything. And it’s only when you have a business reason that ESG will prevail.”

The deleterious role that carbon emissions play in climate change will continue to put pressure on oil and gas companies to embrace the International Energy Agency’s goal of achieving net-zero by 2050. Beyond complying with regulatory mandates, though, linking reduction targets to executives’ compensation may be a critical driver in affecting change. 

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Save $390 on Anker’s SOLIX C1000 power station at $609 low, WORX tools 38% off, Jackery units up to $2,000 off, more

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Kicking off this week’s Green Deals are three chances to save during current Memorial Day sales events – on Amazon and beyond. Headlining the lineup is the Anker SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station that just fell to a new $609 low for a limited-time. It is joined by a collection of discounted WORX garden and lawncare equipment that is seeing up to 38% off discounts, starting from $65, as well as all the discounts happening during Jackery’s Memorial Day offers – up to $2,000 off! Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals that are still alive and well.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Anker SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station falls to new $609 low during Memorial Day Lightning Deal

As part of its early Memorial Day sales, Amazon is offering a Lightning Deal on the Anker SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station for $609 shipped. Down from its $999 price tag, this unit has seen a handful of discounts since its release in September of last year, with Black Friday and Christmas sales dropping costs the furthest to $649. Since the new year began, we’ve seen a return to $649, followed by a few repeat drops to $629, but today’s deal comes in to take things further once more as a bigger $390 markdown that beats our previous mention by $20 and carves out a new all-time low. You’ll also find three discounted bundle opportunities available: the power station with a 200W solar panel for $899, or you can bump the solar panel up to a 400W model for $1,299, or bundle the power station with a BP1000 expansion battery for $1,098.

Featuring a compact design that is “15% smaller than the industry average,” the Anker SOLIX C1000 power station gives you a 1,056Wh capacity (2,112Wh with the extra battery option), a max power output of 2,400W, and 11 different output ports: one carport, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and six AC outlets. It can be fully charged via a wall outlet in up to 58 minutes and can recharge in up to 1.8 hours with a 600W solar input. Through the Anker app, you’ll be able to get real-time status updates, view your battery level, and set AC charging speeds.

More Anker power bank/station discounts:

Anker power station bundle discounts:

Anker accessory discounts:

WORX garden and lawncare equipment is now up to 38% off

As part of its early Memorial Day sales, Amazon is taking up to 38% off a selection of WORX garden and lawncare equipment. The biggest discount among the bunch is on the WORX 20V 5-inch Mini Cordless Chainsaw for $98.89 shipped. Normally fetching $160, it spent most of 2023 sitting at its MSRP, dropping to its $89 low only once. Since the new year began, it’s mainly kept around $133, with some one-day sales from Best Buy over the months and a drop to $99 on Amazon last month. Today’s deal, though, comes in to etch things a little lower as a $60 markdown that lands it at the third-lowest price we have tracked – just $10 above the all-time low. Keep in mind that a lot of these deals are limited-time lightning deals, so don’t dawdle too long on a decision if something catches your eye.

This 5-inch handheld chainsaw sports a more compact design in order to give you better performance within tighter spaces – far better for pruning jobs in the garden and other small cutting jobs than a standard-size chainsaw. Equipped with a “high-efficiency motor and a 2.0Ah battery, it can handle up to 100 cuts of 2-inch wood on a single charge and delivers those cuts at a speed of 22 feet-per-second. It features a 5-inch bar and chain that starts up with a simple squeeze of its trigger, with a wide array of built-in safety accessories to ensure a stress less and controlled experience. You’ll also find a few bundle options on its page as well, if you’re in need of some chain oil or cordless sheers.

More WORX Memorial Day discounts:

Jackery has launched its Memorial Day sales event through May 28 that is taking up to 42% off a selection of the company’s power stations, bundles, and accessories. A standout amongst the crowd is the Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station with two 200W Solar Panels for $2,799 shipped, after using the on-page promo code MD1200 for $1,200 off. Down from its usual $3,999 price tag, it pretty regularly kept above $3,299 during a big portion of 2023, with Black Friday sales bringing costs down to the $2,499 low. While it’s bounced between $2,899 and $3,699 since the new year began, today’s deal is a repeat 30% markdown that comes in as a sign that prices are starting to more regularly fall lower, ultimately landing it at the third-lowest price we have tracked – $300 above the all-time low from Black Friday.

With both camping and hurricane seasons fast approaching, it’s never a bad idea to prepare for your out-of-home or emergency backup power needs. The Explorer 3000 Pro is certainly here for the challenge, sporting a 3,024Wh capacity with a massive 3,000W power output, its most ideal place would be within RVs and travel trailers – but could be used for at-home power outages with the addition of a backup transfer switch. It fully recharges in 2.5 hours by wall outlet or in just 3 to 4 hours when receiving its maximum 1,200W of solar input (six 200W solar panels). You can monitor the real-time status of its remaining battery level, estimated running time, and input/output wattages through the Jackery app via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, giving you the ability to also customize settings according to your needs.

Jackery Memorial Day power station discounts:

Jackery Memorial Day bundle discounts:

Jackery Memorial Day accessory discounts:

Spring e-bike deals!

Velotric T1 ST e-bike in grass field against blue sky in background, within post for Anker SOLIX C1000 portable power station

Other new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Toyota to launch a Prius-like bZ3C electric crossover, but you can’t have it

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May 20, 2024

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Toyota to launch a Prius-like bZ3C electric crossover, but you can't have it

Toyota-bZ3C-EV

To keep up with surging BYD, Tesla, and other EV makers, Toyota is launching a new all-electric crossover. The Toyota bZ3C looks like the new Prius, but the electric SUV crossover won’t be available in the US.

Toyota to launch bZ3C in China as new BYD rival

“What kind of BEV would bring smiles to the faces of our Chinese Customers?” Executive Vice President and CTO Hiroki Nakakima asked during a press conference last month.

Toyota debuted its new bZ3C at the 2024 Beijing Auto Show in April as part of its “multi-pathway approach” to reduce emissions.

The bZ3C is designed as a fun, spacious EV around the concept of “reboot.” Toyota says the distinctive styled EV focuses on features to create a fun personal space for younger Gen Z buyers.

Toyota jointly developed the bZ3C with BYD Toyota EV Tech, FAW Toyota Motor, and Intelligent Electromobility R&D Center by Toyota.

BYD Toyota EV Tech, a joint venture between BYD and Toyota, has already launched the co-developed bZ3 electric sedan in China. However, the bZ3C appears to be a slightly bigger crossover SUV.

Toyota-bZ3C-EV
Toyota bZ3C electric crossover SUV (Source: Toyota)

The bZ3C was unveiled alongside the bZ3X, an all-electric “family-oriented” SUV. According to Toyota, the concept’s interior is based on a mobile “Cozy Home.”

Toyota-bZ3C-EV
Toyota bZ3C interior (Source: Toyota)

Both models will feature Toyota’s latest driver-assist systems and smart cockpits. Toyota is expected to begin selling both new EVs in China within the next year.

Toyota-bZ3x
Toyota-bZ3x

Prices and final specs will be revealed closer to launch. Check back soon for more info.

Electrek’s Take

After losing market share to BYD and other Chinese EV makers, Toyota is targeting younger buyers to compete in the region.

Toyota’s sales fell 3.1% in China in March due as “market competition continues intensifying.” Sales are down 1.6% through the first quarter as Toyota looks to rebound in the second half of 2024.

Although Toyota’s new bZ3C is designed for China, US customers also have something to look forward to.

Toyota is preparing another large electric SUV (in addition to the already announced three-row EV) as part of its recent $1.4 billion investment in its Princeton, Kentucky plant. It could be the electric Highlander we’ve been waiting for.

David Christ, GM of Toyota’s US division, told CarBuzz last month, “You’re going to see more BEVs from us in the future.” According to Christ, this will include an electric three-row Toyota Highlander.

Toyota is also considering electric Tacoma and Tundra models, but don’t get too excited. The company is monitoring the demand for rivals like the F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T.

The company could use new electric models in the US, with its sole bZ4X accounting for less than 0.5% of sales through March. With the Lexus RZ included, total Toyota EV sales are still under 0.62%.

What do you think? Should Toyota launch its smaller electric crossover in the US? Let us know your thoughts below.

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XPeng rolls out AI-powered OS with 2K pure vision ADAS, CEO promises L4 autonomous driving by 2025

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XPeng rolls out AI-powered OS with 2K pure vision ADAS, CEO promises L4 autonomous driving by 2025

XPeng AI

XPeng Motors is rolling out cutting-edge AI technology that it hopes will transform the automotive industry from “electrification to smartification.” The Chinese EV automaker held an AI Day event earlier today, detailing the impressive capabilities of XOS 5.1.0, “AI Tianji,” which it hailed as “the industry’s first AI-powered in-car OS.”

It’s been about a month since XPeng Motors ($XPEV) began touting its latest operating system’s (OS) capabilities during the Beijing Auto Show. XOS 5.1.0 focuses on artificial intelligence (AI) driven technologies to power smart vehicles and accelerate their evolution.

During the auto show, XPeng showcased a number of AI-centric technologies in the works that will offer its drivers an EV that can deliver more human-like decision-making and safer driving experiences via neural network learning and end-to-end data iteration from both vehicle and cloud processing.

XPeng also introduced plans to integrate and deploy what it calls the “industry’s first mass-produced 2K pure visual neural network large model in vehicles.” That news confirmed previous rumors that XPeng was abandoning LiDAR sensors in favor of pure vision, similar to Tesla FSD.

That being said, XPeng says its new system enables autonomous driving with capabilities comparable to LiDAR but uses pure vision to create a granular 3D naked-eye experience. We learned more about this technology and then some following XPeng’s AI Day event. Here’s a rundown.

  • Source: XPeng Motors
  • XPeng AI
  • XPeng AI

XPeng rolls out exciting advanced tech during AI Day

There is much to unpack from XPeng’s AI Day in Beijing, China, earlier today when company founder, chairman, and CEO He Xiaopeng spoke to a live audience.

To begin, Xiaopeng outlined three core characteristics of this new breed of smart EV, led by AI large models in its OS: Active learning, rapid growth, and personalized experiences. The core of this technology involves the “feeding and training” of AI large models with unlimited rules to develop and grow their understanding, perception, and decision-making abilities in complex driving scenarios.

XPeng says it has already developed the necessary core algorithms for perception, positioning, planning, and decision-making while establishing vehicle-end and cloud-end data processing capabilities. As such, XPeng’s new AI-powered OS will enable rapid algorithm iteration based on actual data and offer future EV drivers enhanced autonomous driving capabilities that are continuously improving via over-the-air OTA updates.

A considerable part of XPeng’s OS and ADAS technology rolling out is enabled by “XNet,” the automaker’s new neural network. XNet is supported by XPeng’s planning and control large model, “XPlanner,” and a large language model called “XBrain.” Combined, XPeng says the integrated system enhances intelligent driving capabilities by 2x.

The XNet deep visual neural network used the industry’s first mass-produced pure vision 2K occupancy network to safely operate a given XPeng EV’s autonomous driving system with capabilities comparable to LiDAR. This new 2K pure vision network reconstructs the world with over 2 million grids to create 3D representations of drivable spaces and recognize every detail of static obstacles along a vehicle’s path.

XPeng shared that the perception range of pure vision 2K twice as long, covering an area equivalent to 1.8 football fields. Furthermore, the ADAS system can identify over 50 types of objects. With the autonomous driving system in place using AI and neural networks, XPeng has empowered the OS to learn and improve on its own using “XPlanner” and “XBrain.” Per the automaker:

XPlanner, like a human cerebellum, continually trains with vast amounts of data, making driving strategies increasingly human-like. This reduces driving jerks by 50%, improper stops by 40%, and passive human takeovers by 60%, providing an ‘experienced driver’-like smart driving experience that significantly enhances user comfort and safety.

With the introduction of the AI large language model architecture, XBrain, XPENG’s autonomous driving system gains human-like learning and comprehension capabilities, significantly improving its handling of complex and even unknown scenarios as well as its reasoning and understanding of real-world logics.

For example, with the support of XBrain, the autonomous driving system can recognize turn zones, tidal lanes, special lanes, and road sign text, as well as various behavioral commands such as stop and go, fast and slow. This enables it to make human-like driving decisions that balance safety and performance.

With the help of these new AI technologies, XPeng’s CEO told the crowd in China that the automaker will achieve Level 4 autonomous driving in the country by 2025. The automaker is also testing the end-to-end capabilities of its XNGP driver assistance technology globally.

Once we get the full English translation of XPeng’s AI Day event, we will be sure to add the video below. There’s much more to unpack, including the automaker’s AI assistant, Xiao P, Smart Cockpit capabilities, and safety features like AI Valet Driver, AI Parking, and AI Bodyguard. XOS 5.1.0, AI Tianji, is available to all eligible XPeng EV drivers beginning today.

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