Karbone
Karbone is a New York-based financial services firm operating integrated commodity brokerage, market research, and capital advisory services across renewable energy and environmental markets, serving utilities, project developers, corporates, and institutional investors globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Karbone does
Karbone Inc. is a privately held, New York-headquartered financial services firm founded in 2008 that operates an integrated liquidity services platform across renewable energy and environmental commodity markets. The firm runs three core business units: Commodity Transactions (brokerage and execution across RECs, Power, Capacity, Carbon and Emissions, Renewable Fuels, and Global Energy Attribute Credits), Market Research (proprietary pricing data and quantitative analytics distributed via the Karbone Data Hub subscription platform), and Finance (structured commodity financing, project finance advisory, M&A advisory, and capital sourcing for renewable energy projects). It serves a horizontal mix of energy and utility companies, project developers, Fortune 1000 corporates, PE funds and banks, and municipalities, with geographic coverage in New York, Boston, London, and Canadian jurisdictions via an IESO Clean Energy Credit mandate. Karbone monetizes through transaction fees on spot and forward contracts, recurring Data Hub subscriptions with daily, historical, and 3-10+ year forward pricing curves, and advisory fees on capital markets transactions. Sister-company Captona provides principal-side project technology resources that feed into the Finance division. The firm claims $1B+ in annual transactional volume across business units and 35,000+ clients served since inception, with senior staff operating across dedicated desks for Renewable Energy, Power & Capacity, Renewable Fuels, and Carbon.
Karbone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Karbone
- Legal name
- Karbone Inc.
- Website
- https://karbone.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Karbone is a New York-based financial services firm operating integrated commodity brokerage, market research, and capital advisory services across renewable energy and environmental markets, serving utilities, project developers, corporates, and institutional investors globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Karbone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Commodity Brokerage and Energy Transition Financial Services
- NAICS
- Commodity Contracts Intermediation (523160), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231)
- SIC
- Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- REC/GO Market Makers & Liquidity Providers (EUAMAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Carbon Credit Brokerage & Trading (Spot, Forward, Structured Products) (EUABADAB), Liquidity Infrastructure (RFQ, order-book engines, matching, liquidity-as-a-service) (FSAPADAI)
Keywords
Where Karbone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Karbone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Commodity Transaction Fees: Karbone's Commodity Desks execute transactions in renewable energy and environmental markets, providing liquidity for buyers and sellers. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on spot and forward contracts across RECs, Power, Capacity, Carbon, RNG, and Renewable Fuels.
- Research Subscriptions: Karbone Data Hub subscriptions provide access to daily pricing data, historical and forward pricing curves, market research briefs, and customized research deliverables. This represents a recurring subscription revenue stream for market intelligence.
- Capital Advisory Services: Finance division provides M&A advisory, capital sourcing, and project finance advisory services for renewable energy projects. Revenue generated through advisory fees for transactions including equity, debt, tax equity, and mezzanine financing.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Karbone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Karbone operates an integrated liquidity services platform for energy transition and environmental commodity markets. Its Commodity Desks execute spot and forward transactions in Renewable Energy Credits, Power, Capacity, Carbon, Renewable Fuels, and Global Energy Attribute Credits. The Market Research group delivers proprietary pricing data, quantitative analytics, and forward curves via the Karbone Data Hub subscription platform, while the Finance division provides structured commodity financing, M&A advisory, and project finance solutions.
Product overview
Karbone is an award-winning liquidity services platform for energy transition and environmental commodity markets. The company operates three integrated core business units: Commodity Transactions (trading and execution for RECs, Power, Capacity, Carbon, Renewable Fuels, and Energy Attribute Credits), Market Research (proprietary pricing data, quantitative analytics, and consulting), and Finance (capital structuring, M&A advisory, and project finance). These units are supported by the Karbone Data Hub subscription platform, which delivers market data and analytics to clients. The integrated approach allows Karbone to provide execution, liquidity, and ongoing market insight across renewable power, capacity, renewable fuel, and carbon markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Karbone Data Hub: Research platform providing daily, historical, and forward commodity pricing data for energy and environmental commodity markets.
Products and services
- Commodity Transactions Sales and trading desk services providing renewable energy and environmental commodity solutions including Renewable Energy Credits, Power, Capacity, Carbon, Renewable Fuels, and Global Energy Attribute Credits, structured for energy companies, utilities, project developers, municipalities, Fortune 1000 firms, and institutional investors.
- Market Research
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $1 billion in annual volume across all business units
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Karbone
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Karbone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Karbone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- IESO (Independent Electricity System Operator)flagshipKarbone was selected by the IESO to design and market renewable attributes in Ontario's new Clean Energy Credit (CEC) Program. This represents a significant public-sector mandate to structure and market renewable energy certificates from Ontario-based clean energy projects.
- CaptonacoreCaptona is described as Karbone's sister company that provides unique principal resources across project technologies. Karbone leverages Captona's resources to ensure pragmatic and actionable insights for successful project execution in the energy finance division.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Karbone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Marex (including Evolution Markets environmental desk): Marex acquired Evolution Markets, one of the most direct comparables to Karbone in environmental and renewable commodity brokerage. Both firms intermediate RECs, carbon, and power capacity for institutional clients, with overlapping customer segments.
- Hartree Partners: Hartree is an energy and commodities merchant that trades physical and financial energy products, including renewables and environmental markets. Its energy commodities business model and intermediation role in environmental markets directly overlap with Karbone's desks.
- Element Markets: Element Markets is a focused environmental commodities firm specializing in renewable energy credits, carbon offsets, and emissions trading. Its direct specialization in RECs and carbon brokerage makes it one of the closest niche competitors to Karbone's Commodity Transactions desks.
Broad incumbents
- Macquarie Group (Commodities and Global Markets): Macquarie's Commodities and Global Markets division is a large incumbent offering energy trading, environmental products, and project finance advisory. While not specializing purely in renewables, it competes with Karbone on large-ticket renewable PPA structuring and REC/carbon advisory mandates.
- Mercuria Energy Trading: Mercuria is a global energy and commodities trading house with growing activity in renewable fuels and environmental markets. Its scale and principal trading capabilities represent a competitive threat to Karbone's intermediation franchise in renewable fuels.
- Vitol: Vitol is one of the world's largest independent energy traders, with renewable and environmental commodity activities. Its scale and global distribution overlap with Karbone's institutional client base, especially in international renewable fuels and energy attribute certificates.
- Gunvor Group: Gunvor is a major commodities trading house with expanding renewable and environmental markets activity. It competes with Karbone in the renewable fuels and power capacity spaces, especially for institutional clients and large structured transactions.
- Trafigura: Trafigura is a global commodities trader with metals, energy, and increasingly environmental commodity desks. It competes with Karbone for institutional flow in renewable fuels, carbon-linked products, and energy attribute certificates across global markets.
- BNP Paribas (Commodities & Energy): BNP Paribas operates a global commodities and energy business including environmental products, project finance, and structured commodity financing. It competes with Karbone on capital advisory, project finance, and institutional environmental commodity intermediation.
Emerging players
- Clearway Energy: Clearway Energy is a renewable energy developer and yieldco that issues and trades environmental commodities tied to its wind/solar portfolio. While primarily an operator rather than broker, its active role in REC markets and project finance advisory overlaps with Karbone's Capital Advisory division.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Karbone social profiles
Digital presenceKarbone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Karbone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Karbone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Karbone M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Karbone
What does Karbone do?
Karbone operates an integrated liquidity services platform for energy transition and environmental commodity markets. Its Commodity Desks execute spot and forward transactions in Renewable Energy Credits, Power, Capacity, Carbon, Renewable Fuels, and Global Energy Attribute Credits. The Market Research group delivers proprietary pricing data, quantitative analytics, and forward curves via the Karbone Data Hub subscription platform, while the Finance division provides structured commodity financing, M&A advisory, and project finance solutions.
Is Karbone a public or private company?
Karbone is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Karbone founded?
Karbone was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Karbone based?
Karbone is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Karbone make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Commodity Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are research Subscriptions and capital Advisory Services.
Who are Karbone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Marex (including Evolution Markets environmental desk), Hartree Partners and Element Markets. Broad incumbents are Macquarie Group (Commodities and Global Markets), Mercuria Energy Trading, Vitol, Gunvor Group, Trafigura and BNP Paribas (Commodities & Energy). Clearway Energy is listed as an emerging player.
Does Karbone have an API?
No public API is recorded for Karbone.
What industry is Karbone in?
Karbone's product category is Environmental Commodity Brokerage and Energy Transition Financial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAKAE, REC/GO Market Makers & Liquidity Providers, with a secondary code of EUABADAB, Carbon Credit Brokerage & Trading (Spot, Forward, Structured Products). Its NAICS code is 523160 and its SIC code is 6221.