We have blogged recently on the concept of "stranded assets" - the prospect that as the move to a net zero carbon built environment accelerates, assets are left behind. However there are also opportunities aplenty. The emergence of a new "battery storage" asset class is one example, and plans by Catalyst Capital to invest £300m in the sector, as reported by Bisnow, are perhaps the start of something bigger. As the article explains, the potential is two pronged. On one hand, as demand for renewable energy ramps up, the need for battery storage will intensify. On the other, a battery storage asset will itself attract ESG-driven investment. 

That said, as the article explains, this isn't your run-of-the-mill real estate investment: "while it has many of the characteristics of real estate, it is not exactly the same. Like so many of the new sectors springing up, it comes with a higher operational component than has previously been the case in property". There is also the complexity of requiring a nearby energy generation facility. Catalyst has made the move, but you suspect this will sit outside the comfort zone of many an investor. At least, for now...