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Return and Verified Announce First 100% Wind-Powered Direct Air Capture Hub, Designed To Scale to 500,000 Tons Annually

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‘Project Concho’ Combines Proven DAC Technology, New Local Wind Power And Texas’ Carbon Storage Capacity

SAN ANGELO, Texas, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Carbon capture and removal project developers Return Carbon and Verified Carbon today announced ‘Project Concho,’ a pioneering Direct Air Capture (DAC) hub to be built in Tom Green County, Texas. Project Concho will be the first DAC hub in the world to run entirely on wind power and will leverage advanced DAC technology as well as onsite geological carbon storage to capture and permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. In its first phase, the facility aims to remove 50,000 tons annually before 2030, with expansion plans to reach 500,000 tons per year, in turn creating premium, verified carbon credits that hold significant value in carbon markets.

Project Concho will be powered by a new wind farm to be built and operated by Greenalia, a leading global renewable energy producer with presence in wind and solar in Europe and the United States. The technology underpinning Project Concho will be provided by Skytree, an industry-leading carbon removal company born out of the European Space Agency with DAC units in deployment across Europe, Canada, and the United States.

“Project Concho is a significant step forward in scaling up DAC,” said Martijn Verwoerd, Managing Director of Return Carbon. “This opportunity aligns perfectly with Return Carbon and Verified Carbon’s joint mission to mitigate climate change through the scalable commercialization of new technologies in impactful infrastructure projects. We’re thrilled to make West Texas a home for this groundbreaking DAC hub and create new opportunities for the region.”

Collaboration Sets Stage For Future Renewable Power-DAC Projects

Project Concho is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between a wind energy provider and a DAC developer: the DAC hub guarantees a reliable offtake of wind energy in return for access to low-cost power, one of the challenges associated with large-scale DAC projects. Project Concho’s energy optimization will be enabled through its flexible use of power, leveraging the agreement of Greenalia and Concho partners to develop a unique Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) structure that allows for price stability and full energy deliverability. This symbiotic arrangement sets the stage for future joint renewable power-DAC projects that enable greater scale, lower risk, and reduced costs.

“We are excited about the partnership with Project Concho and there is a vision and a framework for collaboration that our companies share,” said Alexandre Alonso, SVP of Business Development at Greenalia. “The flexibility offered by the DAC hub to optimize around energy price peaks is a game changer for renewable energy projects. It not only strengthens the business case for our wind farm under development in Texas but also contributes to adding innovative business models and alternatives for a greener energy landscape in the U.S.”

State-of-the-art DAC Technology

Project Concho will feature a connected array of Skytree Stratus DAC units. Skytree’s patented DAC technology continuously optimizes energy use and drives down energy consumption while ensuring optimal CO2 capture efficiency. In addition, its modular design and 24/7 uptime guarantee made it a logical choice for a large-scale project like Project Concho in which units will be added over time.

“Project Concho is a first-of-its-kind collaboration that opens the door to even more ambitious and transformative carbon removal projects,” said Elena Nikonova, VP North America at Skytree. “Deploying DAC at scale is necessary to drive down costs across the value chain and achieve greater impact and we are thrilled to provide the technology needed to bring Project Concho to life.”

Revenue and Environmental Benefits to Concho Valley

Through carbon sequestration, local landowners can take advantage of passive revenue streams while promoting sustainable land use. “Project Concho brings significant benefits to the Concho Valley, providing new economic opportunities for landowners beyond traditional activities,” said Coleman White, co-founder of Verified Carbon and Concho Valley landowner. “Projects like these allow us to maintain traditional land uses while benefiting from a new income source and supporting projects that sustain both our environment and local economy”.

About Return Carbon

Return Carbon is a project development and investment company focused on sustainable infrastructure and energy transition projects, with a focus on the development of Direct Air Capture. Return Carbon is part of the Return group, a leading investor in solar and energy storage, with an extensive portfolio in Europe. Return has gained prominence in Europe’s energy transition, having raised EUR 100 million to support its portfolio companies, including leading energy storage companies such as SemperPower, Lion Storage, and J&P Batterie Projekte.

About Verified Carbon

Verified Carbon is a Texas-based carbon capture company, originating from the University of Texas at Austin. The company specializes in deploying DAC technology to sequester carbon and mitigate climate change while delivering financial benefits to local stakeholders. Verified Carbon, whose founding members have contributed to over 35 different Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects, brings vital knowledge of the subsurface and strong landowner partnerships to the project, creating new revenue opportunities for landowners while advancing sustainable carbon sequestration in the region.

About Greenalia

Greenalia is an Independent Power Producer exclusively for renewable energy. The company harnesses wind, sun, and forestry biomass from certified plantations’ remains to generate and store energy sustainably. Greenalia promotes employment and innovation in the regions where it operates, driving growth across Europe and the U.S.

About Skytree

Born out of the European Space Agency in 2014 and headquartered in Amsterdam, Skytree harnesses CO2 from ambient air through the power of direct air capture technology (DAC). Its patented technology can be set up quickly at any location and scaled to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. With Skytree’s unique Uptime Assurance Guarantee, all DAC systems are monitored to ensure uninterrupted operations and measured to provide valuable insights. Skytree’s Stratus DAC units are field-upgradable to newer generations as capture materials evolve, reducing energy consumption costs while improving unit capacity over time. For more information, visit skytree.eu.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/return-and-verified-announce-first-100-wind-powered-direct-air-capture-hub-designed-to-scale-to-500-000-tons-annually-302312841.html

SOURCE Return Carbon

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Revenue Organizations Using AI in 2024 Reported 29 Percent Higher Sales Growth than Their Peers, According to New Report from Gong

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Overall, sales appears to be returning to growth, with a 19 percent growth rate across all organizations surveyed

Revenue teams using AI plan to hire more aggressively than those who don’t, dispelling fears that AI will replace salespeople

SAN FRANCISCO and DANA POINT, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Gong, the revenue AI company, shared the results of its inaugural annual report, The State of Revenue Growth 2025, which shows that revenue organizations are returning to growth after years of decline. In particular, organizations that already use AI are experiencing more of a rebound, with 29 percent higher revenue growth compared to their peers who have not yet begun implementing AI.

Of the more than 600 revenue leaders surveyed at global organizations of all sizes, nearly half (48 percent) say their teams are currently using AI, one quarter (24 percent) plan to deploy AI in the next 12 months, and the remaining 27 percent are not using AI and don’t plan to.

In addition to contributing to higher growth rates, the report found that AI is helping companies do so more efficiently. Companies currently using AI have 11 percent more go-to-market efficiency, measured when total sales and marketing spend are divided by revenue growth. The results suggest that AI supports companies in growing revenue while keeping spend low, contributing to a more sustainable growth than their counterparts not using AI.

Fears Debunked: AI is not replacing salespeople
Concerns have persisted that AI – in particular, agents – will replace sellers, a fear that Gong’s report found is decidedly unfounded. Companies currently using AI reported slightly more aggressive hiring plans in 2025 than their peers, with seven percent reporting plans for a significant increase (greater than 20 percent headcount) vs. four percent of those planning to implement AI. Only 15 percent of all organizations reported that they plan to decrease sales headcount by any amount.

“The results of our Annual Report make it clear that AI is not replacing sellers,” said Shane Evans, CRO, Gong. “What it is doing is helping organizations grow more efficiently. It’s helping them better understand their customers and the market, get more out of their technology investments, and streamline some of what used to be the common drudgery of a salesperson’s day-to-day. AI is a key driver of the increased growth we are seeing across many revenue organizations.”

Additional insights from the report include:

Traditional selling competencies are still critical. Regardless of their organization’s use of AI, the top skills leaders looked for were emotional intelligence and relationship-building.Email and customer engagement automation (for example, generating emails to prospects) was the top AI use case, with 63 percent of sales leaders reporting that their teams use it. This was followed by call summary and analysis (52 percent) and automated note-taking and automated data-entry, each with 42 percent.A recent Gong Labs report shows that 85 percent of sellers have used AI in their jobs over the past six months, with 68 percent using solutions that they seek on their own. As enterprise AI adoption continues to mature, revenue leaders are under pressure to deploy AI not just for basic tasks but at the organizational level to ensure their teams execute strategies that impact the bottom line.AI also leads to a greater understanding of the business: Leaders of organizations currently using AI are 47 percent more likely to be very confident that their sales team fully understands buyers’ and customers’ needs, preferences, and buying behaviors. They also get more out of their CRM, with 62 percent more likely to agree that CRM provides the insights needed to gain this understanding.In general, organizations using AI are more likely to be satisfied with the ROI they receive from their technology investments (57 vs. 34 percent).

Methodology
Data featured in Gong’s State of Revenue Growth 2025 was collected through a double-anonymous survey of full-time revenue leaders holding a director or higher role at their organization. Global respondents from North America, EMEA, and APAC participated from October 7, 2024, to October 18, 2024.

About Gong
Gong empowers everyone in revenue teams to improve productivity, increase predictability, and drive revenue growth by deeply understanding customers and business trends; driving impactful decisions and actions. The Gong Revenue AI Platform captures and contextualizes customer interactions, surfaces insights and predictions, and powers actions and workflows that are essential for business success. More than 4,000 companies around the world rely on Gong to unlock their revenue potential. For more information, visit www.gong.io.

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SOURCE Gong

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Goover: The AI Research Agent Redefining Knowledge Acquisition

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SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Goover, the AI-powered research agent, has officially launched, revolutionizing how individuals and organizations gather, analyze, and apply information. Designed for simplicity and efficiency, Goover allows users to ask questions and receive curated, actionable insights and briefings within minutes, eliminating the need for manual research and empowering informed decision-making. Compared to Perplexity, Goover demonstrates superior performance in context retention, report generation across various types and styles, and report regeneration tailored to specific user goals. Power users have already recognized that Goover’s Deep Answers consistently deliver more relevant and detailed insights compared to Perplexity.

Key Features of Goover:

Ask Anything: Goover handles any question. Users can upload documents to refine and personalize responses for tailored insights.Smart Feed and Smart Briefing: Stay up-to-date with curated updates on topics of interest and gain a competitive edge in navigating the fast-changing information landscape.Briefing Pages: Automatically track and analyze recurring topics with reports that deliver fresh insights over time.Personalized Reports: Customize reports, refine references, and regenerate content in multiple styles to suit both personal and professional needs.

Additional Tools for Enhanced Productivity:

Goover Mobile App: Stay informed on the go with features like Ask Goover, Smart Briefings, and mobile-ready reports that make knowledge accessible anywhere.Goover Chrome Extension: Easily clip web content and transform it into organized, actionable insights directly from your browser.

Who Can Benefit from Goover?

Goover is designed for anyone who needs quick, reliable information. From business professionals and researchers to students and lifelong learners, Goover adapts to meet the unique needs of its diverse user base. By simplifying research and offering comprehensive insights, Goover helps users seize opportunities with confidence.

“We created Goover to be a game-changer for anyone seeking clarity in a sea of information,” said Tony Lee, founder and CEO of Goover. “Whether tackling business decisions or academic research, Goover delivers the insights you need—quickly and efficiently.”

Why Goover Stands Out

Goover’s advanced neuro-symbolic AI merges cognitive reasoning with the adaptability of machine learning, mimicking human understanding of complex topics. This unique blend of technologies bridges the gap between raw data and meaningful insights, setting Goover apart from other platforms.

Availability:
Goover is accessible online at https://goover.ai/ and on iOS and Android.

New users can explore its intuitive features and discover a smarter way to research and learn.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goover-the-ai-research-agent-redefining-knowledge-acquisition-302313235.html

SOURCE Goover

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Global Times: Xi’s trip marks new chapter in China’s relations with Latin America, showcases commitment to cooperating with Global South

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BEIJING, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Latin America not only marks a new chapter in China’s relations with the continent but also underscores China’s commitment to advancing cooperation with and amplifying the voice of Global South nations, experts said. 

Xi left Brasilia on Thursday after attending the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit and paying a state visit to Brazil. Brazilian senior officials bid farewell to Xi at the airport.

On the way to the airport, representatives of overseas Chinese, Chinese institutions and students waved the national flags of China and Brazil on both sides of the road, congratulating Xi on the complete success of the visit.

During his state visit to Brazil, President Xi and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva jointly announced to elevate China-Brazil ties to a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, and to promote synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Brazil’s development strategies.

When asked to comment on the details, outcomes and highlights of President Xi’s visit to Brazil, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Thursday said that the two presidents took stock of the past 50 years of China-Brazil relations, and agreed that the relationship is at its best period in history, is growing stronger in global, strategic and long-term significance, and has become an exemplar of common progress, solidarity and cooperation between major developing countries. 

Elevating the bilateral ties and synergizing the two countries’ development strategies will certainly enable the two countries to carry forward the past achievements in the relations and usher in the next “golden 50 years,” as well as to set an example for Global South nations to seek strength through unity and make new contributions to increasing the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance, according to Lin. 

President Xi also pointed out that next year marks the 10th anniversary of the official launch of the China-CELAC Forum. China stands ready to join hands with Brazil and other Latin American countries to take China-Latin American cooperation to new heights, Lin said. 

Emerging Global South

Chinese analysts said that President Xi’s Latin America trip highlighted China’s commitment to promoting development and cooperation among Global South countries as the country is positioning itself as a key player in promoting global peace, security, and development. 

In a written speech addressing the APEC CEO Summit 2024, Xi said that the principles of “plan together, build together and benefit together” should be followed, the representation and voice of the Global South should be enhanced continuously, and all countries should be ensured of equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules in conducting international economic cooperation.

While addressing Session I of the 19th G20 Summit on Fight Against Hunger and Poverty, Xi said “there should be more bridges of cooperation, and less ‘small yard, high fences,’ so that more and more developing countries will be better off and achieve modernization.”

To build such a world, Xi calls for an “open, inclusive and non-discriminatory environment for international economic cooperation,” a “universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization,” and support for developing countries in better integrating into digital, smart, and green development to bridge the North-South gap.

Xi also said that China will always be a member of the Global South, a reliable long-term partner of fellow developing countries, and a doer and go-getter working for the cause of global development.

Xi’s trip to Latin America not only serves as a new chapter for China’s relationship with the continent, but also highlighted China’s commitment to promoting development and cooperation among Global South countries, Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.

He noted that Global South countries are not only focusing on economic cooperation but are also playing an increasingly important role in international political and security matters. 

China has emphasized cooperation among the Global South in various multilateral platforms such as APEC and G20, effectively working to strengthen and elevate the collaboration in the international community. This aligns with the current trend of the Global South’s emergence, actively promoting deeper cooperation and enhancing influence within this group.

Within the Global South, the China-Latin America partnership represents a model of autonomous and reciprocal development. This partnership encourages other Global South countries to pursue mutually beneficial horizontal relationships, supporting a new multipolar order, Ronnie Lins, Brazilian economist and director of the China-Brazil Center for Research and Business, told the Global Times. 

By strengthening economic, cultural, and technological ties, China and Latin America have the potential to form a more cohesive bloc, promoting cooperation on global challenges such as inequality, sustainability, and innovation. This integration among emerging countries paves new pathways for development, amplifying the Global South’s voice and potentially redefining the global economic and political balance, said Lins. 

Head-of-state diplomacy 

President Xi kicked off his first state visits this year to France, Serbia and Hungary in May. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press briefing that Xi’s Europe trip is a journey of carrying forward friendship, enhancing mutual trust, boosting confidence and charting the course for the future.

In July, Xi attended the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Astana, and made state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

In October, Xi arrived in Kazan to attend the 16th BRICS Summit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Xi told Putin that China-Russia relations have forged ahead despite wind and rain in the last 75 years and found the right way for two big, neighboring countries to get along with each other, characterized by non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party.

When meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru on November 16, Xi said that over the past four years, China-US relations have gone through ups and downs, but the two sides have also been engaged in dialogue and cooperation, adding that the relationship has remained stable on the whole.

Apart from promoting Global South cooperation, China’s diplomacy is also making efforts to stabilize relations with major powers such as the US, Russia, and Europe, said Yang. 

Yang said that the interactions among these major powers, especially with the US, Europe and Russia, not only affect bilateral relations but are also related to the overall stability of the international situation. The endeavor to stabilize relations among major powers reflects China’s ongoing commitment to promoting world peace and development.

Another characteristic is marked by China’s neighboring diplomacy, said Yang. 

China places great importance on its neighboring diplomacy, consistently prioritizing its neighbors within the overall framework of its foreign policy. President Xi previously put forward the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness to guide China’s neighborhood diplomacy, and also proposed an open and interconnected paradigm for Asia-Pacific cooperation. 

These principles have become the fundamental guidelines and direction for the development of China’s relations with neighboring countries, aiming to create a peaceful and stable diplomatic environment in the region, which benefits both China and those countries, said Xu Bu, president of Institute of International Development and Security Studies, Jiangsu University. 

Under the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, China is maintaining stable relations with major countries, working hand in hand with neighboring countries, and collaborating with Global South countries for revitalization, said Xu, noting that in doing so, China is charting a course for world peace, security, and development, writing a new chapter in its diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

 

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SOURCE Global Times

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