Accelerating Climate Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
Unlock Climate Solutions with Leading Innovators
Climate Scale-Up’s Corporate Pilot Program is designed to help corporations partner with cutting-edge climate tech companies to pilot, validate, and scale breakthrough innovations. By collaborating with our curated pipeline of growth-stage climate scale-ups, corporates can de-risk technology adoption, fast-track sustainability goals, and gain a competitive advantage in the transition to a net-zero economy.
Case Study
From Kenya Nut Company to Landus USA
How Innovative Financing Enabled Talus to Scale First-of-a-Kind Projects into Commercial Deals
Background
Access to affordable, scalable financing remains one of the biggest barriers to deploying clean energy and sustainable solutions at scale. Many first-of-a-kind projects face challenges in securing the right capital structures, limiting their ability to scale beyond pilot programs.
Phase 1
Talus launched a pilot project with the Kenya Nut Company, a leading agribusiness, to showcase modular, scalable clean energy financing. The goal was to reduce operational costs, improve energy resilience, and lower emissionswhile testing an innovative financial model.
Phase 2
Building on the success of the Kenya Nut pilot, Talus structured a larger-scale financing deal with Landus, one of the USA’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives. This project applied the same financing principles but at a significantly larger scale, proving that decentralized, clean energy solutions could be commercially viable in mature markets.
Key Takeaways
Benefits for Talus
Scaling the Financing Model
Proven Market Validation – The Kenya Nut pilot provided real-world performance data, making it easier to secure financing for larger projects like Landus.
De-risked Investment – By successfully executing the pilot, Talus demonstrated financial and operational feasibility, making the case for institutional investors.
Accelerated Growth & Scale – The model transitioned from small-scale deployment to commercial projects, unlocking larger investment opportunities.
Stronger Industry Credibility – Working with a major U.S. agricultural cooperative like Landus established Talus as a trusted partner in climate finance.
Benefits for Corporates
Why Do a Pilot Program?
Lower Costs & Increased Energy Resilience – The pilot provided Kenya Nut with clean, reliable energy, reducing operating expenses and reliance on fossil fuels.
Risk-Free Innovation Testing – Pilots allow companies to test new technologies with minimal upfront risk, ensuring they work before full-scale deployment.
Access to Innovative Financing Models – Rather than taking on high capital expenditures, corporates can leverage alternative financing like PPAs and blended finance models.
Stronger ESG & Sustainability Positioning – Early adoption of clean energy solutions enhances corporate sustainability credentials, aligning with investor and consumer expectations.
Potential for Full-Scale Implementation – Successful pilots open the door for company-wide adoption, leading to long-term cost savings and strategic growth.
-Graeme Rust, Kenya Nut Company CEO