Podcasts about generate capital

You don't meet many people like Jigar Shah.He's one of the rare leaders who has shaped the clean energy transition from every angle — as a founder, as an investor, and most recently, as a government leader. If you know Jigar, you already know the headlines: He founded SunEdison, led Richard Branson's Carbon War Room, co-hosted the Energy Gang podcast, co-founded Generate Capital, and most recently, ran the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office, better known as LPO. If you don't know Jigar, but you're listening to this, chances are you've felt his impact. In 2024, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.And fun fact, he's also the very first guest to return to Watt It Takes for a second episode.For more than two decades, Jigar has been behind the scenes — and sometimes out front — helping scale the technologies and financing models that define today's energy economy. But this episode isn't about Jigar's résumé; it's about what it was like for him to join and lead LPO, what he learned in his four years in government, and what he's carrying forward in this next chapter of his career. SponsorsThis season of Watt It Takes is brought to you by our lead sponsor, HSBC Innovation Banking who is proud to bank some of the most exciting companies pioneering the technologies of tomorrow.With specialist financing support, deep understanding of the challenges, and a global network across more than 50 markets, they help clients scale breakthrough innovations, and take them to the world.So, if you're looking for early-stage funding, or well on your way to FOAK, follow the link below to learn how HSBC Innovation Banking can help on the next stage of your journey.https://www.business.us.hsbc.com/en/innovation-banking-powerhouse-innovationAbout Powerhouse Innovation and Powerhouse Ventures Powerhouse Innovation is a leading consulting firm connecting top-tier corporations and investors, including corporate innovation teams, CVCs, and pensions with cutting-edge technologies and startups that meet their specific criteria for engagement. Powerhouse Ventures backs entrepreneurs building the digital infrastructure for rapid decarbonization. To hear more stories of founders building our energy abundant future, hit the “subscribe” button and leave us a review.

Jacob Sandry is the CEO and co-founder of Euclid Power, a platform for renewable energy project development, financing, and operations—with AI-enabled services layered on top. MCJ is proud to be an investor in Euclid, having joined the company's seed round in mid-2022.Jacob has worked in renewable power his entire career, starting at Generate Capital right out of college, where he worked under Jigar Shah. He then spent several years on the investment team at Goldman Sachs' Renewable Power Group before having the a-ha moment that led to Euclid—and left to start it with a couple of his fellow Goldman teammates.Jacob and Cody discuss how he's seen the renewables industry evolve over the past decade, his theory of change, the insights that led to founding Euclid, and the company's current product and traction. We also touch on his thoughts on AI, power demand curves, and more. As we see it, Jacob is riding two massive waves with Euclid: the inexorable growth of solar and storage, and the curve-bending potential of AI and workflow automation.In this episode, we cover: [1:59] Jacob's early career and background[3:34] Working with Jigar Shah at Generate Capital[8:26] Time on the Goldman Sachs Renewable Power team[9:24] The origin story of Euclid Power[15:23] Challenges in building renewable energy projects[19:15] From internal Goldman tools to the Euclid platform[20:29] Client spotlight: UBS[21:57] Transitioning from project development to a software company[26:07] The role of AI in Euclid's platform[31:49] Business growth and market traction[33:35] Building Euclid as a multiplayer platform[37:10] Balancing software automation with hands-on services[40:41] Current limitations of AI and automation[42:50] Jacob's outlook on the future of renewable energy[46:05] Powering data centers and emerging demand[47:30] Where Euclid is looking for help[48:18] The meaning behind the name “Euclid”Episode recorded on April 25, 2025 (Published on May 5, 2025) Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Jigar Shah served as Director of the Loan Programs Office (LPO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from March 2021 to January 2025, where he oversaw a $400B budget. Prior, Shah was co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Generate has raised over $10 billion, investing in 50+ technology and development partnerships with more than 2,000 assets globally.Prior to Generate Capital, Shah founded SunEdison, a company that pioneered “pay as you save” solar financing (i.e., PPAs).After SunEdison, Shah served as the founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit founded by Sir Richard Branson to help entrepreneurs address climate change.--Here are six topics we covered in the podcast:1. Post-LPO ResetAfter managing $107B in deals at DOE's Loan Programs Office, Jigar Shah hit pause and rebranded as a “podcaster.” He's taking time to reflect before diving into the next chapter.2. Climate VC Is BrokenShah says the 100x-return VC model doesn't fit climate tech's reality. He pushes for an “East Coast” model: aim for 18% IRR, win 7 of 10 bets, and skip the moonshots.3. Evergreen Capital > 2-and-20At Generate Capital, Shah turned down big checks to build an evergreen structure that aligns with long-term climate infrastructure. It's less lucrative for managers, but way better for founders.4. FOAK Risk, ExplainedHe breaks project finance into five risks: tech, feedstock, offtake, construction, and ops. LPO, unlike most investors, can stomach execution risk, like 12 methane pyrolysis reactors, not just one.5. Think Like a DeveloperClean tech needs dev capital like real estate: risky early bets, then stable returns once built. It's not “risk-free”—just “risk-you-can-understand.”6. Deep Tech's Fatal FlawToo many founders chase giant, low-margin markets. Shah says to start with high-margin niches (like InventWood selling to data centers) and then scale.--

Jigar Shah spent the last few years shaping the future of clean energy finance as the Director of the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office. He approved billions in investments that helped scale solar, storage, nuclear, and emerging technologies. With that position coming to a close with the change in administration,what's next for him? And what lessons can he share from funding some of the industry's biggest breakthroughs?Before leading the DOE's loan office, Jigar built and financed some of the most transformative clean energy companies. He co-founded SunEdison, pioneered the solar-as-a-service model, and helped scale renewable infrastructure at Generate Capital. Now, he's focused on helping entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of financing, deployment, and market adoption to accelerate clean energy growth. He's also launched a new podcast, Open Circuit, getting the former “Energy Gang” together again with Katherine Hamilton and Stephen Lacey. It's certain to attract a large audience once again as they break down the deals, policies, and strategies shaping the clean energy transition. Expect to learn:The biggest funding mistakes startup CEOs makeWhich technologies surprised Jigar the most at DOEWhy clean energy already dominates the gridHow local relationships—not venture capital—unlock massive opportunitiesWhy Jigar rarely talks about climate when selling energy solutionsWhat do you hope Jigar does next? If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today's guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Jigar Shah has had a lengthy career as an energy industry entrepreneur and strategic thinker. He founded Sun Edison and helped to create a new model for deploying solar power systems. He was part of the Carbon War Room and then founded Generate Capital to provide loans to proven technologies that had not yet achieved...

Jonah Goldman, Head of External Affairs and Impact for Generate Capital, joins Crossroads the day after President Trump's inauguration to discuss renewable energy development under Trump and what to make of a flurry of Day One executive orders.

How is the Loan Programs Office providing unprecedented amounts of capital for clean energy innovations? Listen to Jason Mitchell discuss with Jigar Shah, US Department of Energy Loan Programs Office Director, his $400 billion mandate in commercialising clean energy innovations, how these technologies align with US energy security goals and climate commitments, and what the multiplier effect of LPO financing could mean for private sector investment. Jigar Shah is the Director for the Loan Programs Office (LPO) at the US Department of Energy where he leads and directs the organisation's considerable loan authority within manufacturing, innovative project finance, and tribal energy. With more than 25 years of experience in clean energy, he is an expert in project finance, clean technology, and entrepreneurship, as well as a visionary leader and innovator in the field of sustainable infrastructure. Prior to joining the DOE, Jigar co-founded and served as the President of Generate Capital, the leading investment and operating platform for distributed energy storage, microgrids, fuel cells, electric vehicles, and organic waste management. He also founded SunEdison, the inventor of the modern solar-as-a-service industry, and served as the founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit founded by Sir Richard Branson to help entrepreneurs address climate change. Jigar is the author of Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy, a book that outlines his mission to scale the transition to a global clean energy economy.

Scott Jacobs, CEO and co-founder of sustainable infrastructure platform Generate Capital, joins the podcast today to discuss a variety of topics, including his views on the obstacles that the US faces to reach infrastructure transition goals, the impacts of inflation on the process and how the Inflation Reduction Act has impacted Generate's clean energy investments.As reported, Generate Capital was part of the latest fundraise by Pine Gate Renewables, and over the years has invested in community solar developers Nexamp and Cultivate Power, front-of-the-meter battery storage developer esVolta and RNG developer Amp Americas.New Project Media (NPM) is a leading data, intelligence, and events company providing origination led coverage of the US and European renewable energy markets for the development, finance, M&A, and corporate community.

⭐ My guest today is Mike Jackson, Managing Partner of Earthshot Ventures. Earthshot is an early-stage venture capital firm backing entrepreneurs making a dent in climate change. Their team has collectively invested in 200+ startups over the last fourteen years. Mike is an investor, entrepreneur, board member, and advisor to companies in clean energy, food & agriculture, buildings, and mobility sectors. He is formerly an Investor in Residence at Elemental Excelerator and Developer in Residence at Generate Capital. --

Today we had the pleasure of welcoming back Jigar Shah, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office (LPO). Jigar joined the LPO in 2021 and is the former founder of SunEdison and former co-founder of Generate Capital. As you may know, the LPO is equipped with more than $400 billion in loans and loan guarantees to help deploy innovative clean energy, advanced transportation, and Tribal energy projects in the US that support a cleaner and stronger energy economy. With 205 active applications and an average of 2.1 new applications per week, they are busier than ever. We were thrilled to visit with Jigar for an insightful update on the LPO's progress and preview of the LPO's planned activities at CERAWeek. In our discussion, we touch on growing electricity demand and the utility loan applications the LPO has received focused on demand flexibility, grid enhancement technologies, and virtual power plants. Jigar shares his perspective on increasing interest in geothermal, nuclear and next generation hydro projects, the cost of new energy infrastructure and the impact on electricity affordability, team developments at the LPO, carbon capture and sequestration projects, EPA regulations and their impact on energy plants (particularly coal plants), tech companies' focus on securing sufficient power for their operations to meet their growing power demands (see link to AWS Talen story from this week here), and market dynamics in methane detection and reduction technologies. We discuss the critical importance of permitting reform and the LPO's connectivity with permitting-related government offices, the Presidential election's potential impact on the LPO, financing mechanisms and the LPO's interest rates, and much more. Jigar is such a fun and upbeat guy and we always enjoy a visit with him. We also appreciate that he'll field any question we throw his way, especially our questions about the inner workings of Washington DC. Thank you, Jigar! Mike Bradley started the show by noting that this week was a light economic week with the January JOLTS Job Openings report being most watched. On the broader equity market front, AI euphoria seemingly pushes equities to new highs every week, but this week has witnessed a bit of a pullback. WTI has pulled back marginally, but still trades at the high end of its 3-month trading range. OPEC extended its 2mmbpd of production cuts through Q2'24. Physical crude markets seem tight given WTI time spreads continue to trade in steep backwardation. The 12-month natural gas strip is trading up from $2.55/MMBtu to $2.85/MMBtu on news that EQT Corp has made a strategic decision to curtail ~1bcfpd of gross production through the end of March (link here). Over the last 2 weeks, lower 48 natural gas production has averaged ~2bcfpd lower than in prior weeks. On the utility sector front, he highlighted the staggering 5-year capex plans being laid out on electricity utility Q4 calls. He noted the massive YTD performance of a handful of nuclear levered electricity equities, which look to be getting rerated markedly higher (by generalist investors) due to a more robust long-term earnings growth profile and the increasing likelihood of securing lucrative long-term datacenter electricity deals. He also noted that in time, the utility sector could also be rerated higher as investors begin viewing them more as growth stocks. Jeff Tillery and Brett Rampal also joined and added their perspectives and inquiries to the discussion with Jigar. For our COBT history buffs, today's episode marks Jigar's third guest appearance on COBT. He previously joined on Feb. 27, 2023 (episode linked

「Generate Capital、米年金カルスターズなどから2,200億円調達。サステナブル・インフラ構築加速」　持続可能なインフラストラクチャの構築、所有、運用を行う金融会社Generate Capitalは1月31日、米年金カルスターズ（CalSTRS）など世界有数の機関投資家から15億ドル（約2,200億円）を調達したと発表した。調達した資金を元手に、サステナブルなインフラ構築を加速させる。The post Generate Capital、米年金カルスターズなどから2,200億円調達。サステナブル・インフラ構築加速 first appeared on 金融・投資メディアHEDGE GUIDE.

Josh Green is the founder and CEO of Inspiration Mobility (“Inspiration”), the first Electrification Accelerator™, built from the ground up to accelerate the EV transition by enabling organizations of all sizes to reap the full benefits of electrification as quickly and painlessly as possible. Key topics in this conversation include: Why EV introduction often wrong for fleets Picking the right vehicle for the use case Making an impact when the grass is “green enough” Why shifting a fleet to electric vehicles is not as simple as it might seem The importance of solving system-level challenges when introducing electric vehicles Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/joshgreen Josh's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-green-25349/ Inspiration's website: https://inspirationmobility.com/ Inspiration's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspirationmobility/ MobilityNotes ⁠https://mobilitynotes.com/ About Josh: Josh Green is the founder and CEO of Inspiration Mobility (“Inspiration”), the first Electrification Accelerator™, built from the ground up to accelerate the EV transition by enabling organizations of all sizes to reap the full benefits of electrification as quickly and painlessly as possible. Josh's pioneering work founding Inspiration builds on a long track record of leadership across sustainable energy and infrastructure. As an investor, Josh has launched or worked with multiple funds/platforms investing in the energy transition, including Traverse Venture Partners, CCM Energy, Climate Change Capital, and Generate Capital, where he was a founding investor and Director on the Board. As an operator, Josh was the CEO and Co-Founder of Verdeo Group, a leading clean energy project developer backed by Black River Asset Management and Wolfensohn & Company before its acquisition by Sindicatum Sustainable Resources. Josh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Dartmouth College and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Company Overview Inspiration Mobility is the first and only Electrification AcceleratorTM, built around one mission: accelerating the EV transition to decarbonize transportation at scale. A trusted partner to companies, utilities, and investors, Inspiration delivers fully-financed vehicle and commercial grade charging solutions for organizations seeking to lower costs, reduce risk, and advance progress towards decarbonization by adopting clean, electric transportation. Future of Mobility: The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields. linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/ brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ Edison Manufacturing and Engineering: Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don't neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

The clean energy transition requires an unprecedented deployment of wind, solar, storage, and emerging technologies across the globe. However, friction and complexity in financing these projects remain key obstacles to reaching scale. Our guest today sees a major opportunity for software innovation to unlock abundant capital and accelerate the energy transition. Today on the Clean Power Hour Tim Montague interviews Amanda Li, Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Banyan Infrastructure, an innovative software platform aiming to accelerate and simplify project finance for the clean energy transition.Amanda has an impressive background, serving as the 3rd employee and first non-founder at Generate Capital, a leading sustainable infrastructure investment firm started by solar industry legend Jigar Shah. At Generate, Amanda saw firsthand the difficulties and inefficiencies in financing renewable energy projects. She co-founded Banyan in 2018 to streamline and standardize the project finance process, making clean energy investing accessible for more participants.In this episode, Amanda explains how Banyan's software Platform reduces costs, quickens processes, and enables liquidity across the project lifecycle - from origination to risk management. Banyan aims to automate manual workflows plagued by spreadsheets while also providing portfolio analytics and compliance tools.Amanda sees abundant opportunities to accelerate solar, wind, storage, and emerging technologies under the landmark Inflation Reduction Act. However, she notes the IRA's benefits also introduce complexities around tax credit eligibility and reporting. Banyan seeks to simplify IRA compliance to maximize the law's impact.Key TakeawaysHow specifically does Banyan Infrastructure's platform streamline workflows and reduce costs for asset owners, developers, and investors in renewable projects?What is Banyan's long-term vision for transforming clean energy project finance? What does success look like in 5-10 years?What innovative data products could come from aggregating project performance data on Banyan's platform?Why should renewable energy developers and funds think "digital first" and adopt modern software early instead of relying on spreadsheets?Amanda Li Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

Welcome to The Hydrogen Podcast!In episode 258, A great series from Canary Media discusses decarbonizing steel, cement and chemicals. I'll go through one of the articles and give my thoughts on today's hydrogen podcast.Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the podcast. Please feel free to email me at info@thehydrogenpodcast.com with any questions. Also, if you wouldn't mind subscribing to my podcast using your preferred platform... I would greatly appreciate it. Respectfully,Paul RoddenEPISODE SPONSOR:From water electolyzers to flow batteries and fuel cells, Nafion™ Proton Exchange Membranes play a major role in advancing the Hydrogen Economy. Through their high conductivity, superior strength, and chemical durability, Nafion™ membranes provide the performance needed to make green hydrogen safer, more sustainable, and more affordable. Learn how Nafion™ ion exchange materials support the decarbonization of energy across the globe at www.nafion.com. VISIT THE HYDROGEN PODCAST WEBSITEhttps://thehydrogenpodcast.comDEMO THE H2 ADVANTAGEhttps://keyhydrogen.com/hydrogen-location-analytics-software/ CHECK OUT OUR BLOGhttps://thehydrogenpodcast.com/blog/WANT TO SPONSOR THE PODCAST? Send us an email to: info@thehydrogenpodcast.comNEW TO HYDROGEN AND NEED A QUICK INTRODUCTION?Start Here: The 6 Main Colors of HydrogenSupport the show

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by Jason Jacobs. This series explores a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Jonah Goldman was a longtime managing director at Bill Gates' firm, Breakthrough Energy. Breakthrough Energy is dedicated to helping humanity avoid a climate disaster through investment vehicles, philanthropic programs, policy advocacy, and other activities. They're committed to scaling the technologies that we need to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Jonah helped establish the firm in 2015 and served as primary architect for all of the programs and funds. Currently, Jonah serves as the founder and Principal at North Cascades Strategies where he works with clients and partners to creatively commercialize critical climate technologies.  He also serves as a Senior Advisor for Public Affairs at Generate Capital and a Senior Advisor at the Boston Consulting Group. We have a great discussion in this episode about the origin of Breakthrough, how Jonah found himself doing this climate work to begin with, how Breakthrough is set up, the different areas in which they operate, how they've evolved over time, and how that fits into the broader problem of climate change and the broader solution set. We then cover the nature of the problem of climate change, the best ways to address it, and some of the biggest opportunities and challenges with accelerating the transition.In this episode, we cover: [03:28]: Jonah's background[04:50]: The focus on traditional climate solutions at the 2015 Paris COP[06:56]: Breakthrough Energy's inception as a bridge between public research and private capital[08:34]: Bill Gates' commitment to real capital and the challenge to the public sector[09:49]: Factors that contributed to people saying "yes" to Breakthrough Energy[11:56]: Bill Gates' leadership and the global commitment to addressing climate change[13:12]: Differences between Breakthrough Energy One and traditional venture capital[14:12]: Need for purpose-built investment vehicles for climate technologies[16:04]: The firm's goal of creating a commercial environment for hard technologies[17:56]: Distinguishing climate-focused investments from general investments[19:19]: Integrating climate considerations into all sectors[22:10]: Perfecting purpose-built vehicles for climate investments[23:52]: Aligning financial incentives and solving challenges to drive investments[30:08] The need for existing players willing to take new models[36:52] Government's role in the clean energy transition[41:24] Need for a multifaceted approach to solving climate[45:15] BEV's focus on investing in hard tech[47:41] Jonah's thoughts on company climate commitments[52:34] His feelings about carbon markets[55:55] The role of behavior change[1:00:17] Jonah's current projects and who he wants to hear fromGet connected: Jonah Goldman X / LinkedInJason Jacobs X / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on Aug 4, 2023 (aired on Aug 30, 2023) 

Bill Caesar is President at Generate Upcycle, a subsidiary of Generate Capital. Generate Upcycle reduces the environmental footprint of businesses, farms, cities and consumers by diverting organic waste from landfills and producing renewable fuels, electricity, and organic fertilizers. Bill's journey from the CIA to McKinsey to waste management, culminating in his role at Generate, is fascinating.Cody and Bill talk about his journey and break down Generate Upcycle's key businesses, including anaerobic digestion, composting and mechanical vapor recompression, a relatively new method of wastewater management. Lastly, the conversation touches on areas that Bill is eyeing as disruptive technologies on the horizon. As the world population continues to grow, so will our waste footprint, and by finding profitable and lower emissions means of harnessing and reusing our waste, Generate Upcycle is betting that they can turn trash into treasure.In this episode we cover: [02:08]: Generate Upcycle's relationship with Generate Capital[04:30]: Bill's background: Russian studies, CIA, McKinsey, waste management[07:11]: His experience in waste management and recycling[14:01]: Moving from waste to Generate Capital[17:50] Bill's confidence in the anaerobic digestion business[23:08] His "waste to value" work at Generate Upcycle[26:21] An overview of anaerobic digestion[27:22] Generate's composting business[28:55] The company's wastewater treatment business[31:57] Logistics challenges in anaerobic digestion[37:47] Tipping fees[39:52] The percentage of waste going to landfills and the climate impact[43:44] Landfill diversion incentives[46:54] The energy outputs of Generate's digesters[50:44] What's on the horizon for Generate Upcycle and how folks can get in touchGet connected: Bill Caesar Twitter / LinkedInCody Simms Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on Jul 26, 2023 (Published on Aug 21, 2023)

Amanda Li found herself in the thick of the arduous and disorganized project finance lifecycle.It was 2014, and she had been hired as Generate Capital's first employee. Li was responsible for all aspects of the deal: originating and underwriting, closing, portfolio management, you name it. Each stage had its own litany of documents, and required endless hours to maintain.It was obvious to Li that the process needed a major upgrade for trillions of dollars to efficiently flow into clean energy, and our climate goals would depend on it.Episode 52 of the Factor This! podcast features Amanda Li, the co-founder and COO of Banyan Infrastructure, a fintech company streamlining clean energy project finance by digitalizing and housing each step in a single platform. Li shares how technology is activating fresh capital for distributed energy projects and bringing new players to the table. Just in time.That's all next on Factor This! You've heard me talk a lot about the GridTECH Connect Forum - Northeast event being held in Newport, Rhode Island Oct. 23-25. Well, registration is now LIVE. We're excited to partner with the DOE to bring together DER developers, utilities, and regulators around the critical issue of interconnection in the Northeast. Click here to register today.

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Jigar Shah (@JigarShahDC on Twitter) is the director of the Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy. Mr. Shah was formerly the co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Jigar also has the best laugh of any prior guest on the podcast and celebrated his two year anniversary at the DOE on March 3rd – the day we recorded. Topics: The mandate of the Loan Programs Office The calculus of leaving the private sector for the DOE The “alphabet soup” of government programs focused on the Energy Transition The laziness of big companies LPO loans – by invitation only Inspiring action where action wouldn't otherwise happen Why Jigar can't comment on a loan application to LAC for Thacker Pass Downstream battery investment vs upstream The contribution of recyclers Jigar Shah – the “long term lithium bull” “Friend-shoring” challenges Tesla What defines a “friend” of the US Supply chain risk management Rapid fire Closing comments on the BMO conference and lithium price

My guest today is Joseph McMillin, Cofounder and CEO of Atlas Organics. Atlas Organics is a national leader in organic waste recycling. Their key partner is Generate Capital, a multi-billion-dollar sustainable infrastructure investor. Joseph is also a member of the Climate Mastermind peer groups we run at Entrepreneurs for Impact with three dozen growth-stage CEOs and investors tackling climate change. In this episode, we talked about the following: His purchase of an old school bus, which he renovated and drove across the country during Covid, with his wife, young son, and four dogs (woah!) The importance of his earliest investors – such as Closed Loop and Gratitude Railroad – having confidence that he and his partner would land on the right business model to scale organic waste recycling Their evolution from collecting food waste in a truck to doing public-private partnerships to handle cities' waste and buying existing organic waste processing facilities across the country How his projects earn revenue, and which revenue sources are contracted versus the spot market The role of city and state mandates and voluntary targets in driving greater organic waste recycling How their talent and operational processes have been influenced by books, such as Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase the Value of Your Growing Firm, as well as the interview practices described in topgrading His ideal morning routine of exercise, journaling, meditation, and reflection – if he's able to get up at 4:45 am And lots more Hope you enjoy. And give Joseph a shout-out on LinkedIn, Slack, or Twitter by sharing this podcast with your people. --- Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate innovators grow faster with new investment capital, share best practices among peers, expand their networks, and reach their full potential. Our two offerings include: Climate CEO Mastermind Peer Groups — Our invite-only cohorts of 12 executives catalyze personal development and business growth via monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching and strategy calls. Today's highly curated Mastermind members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. Newsletter — A 3-minute weekly summary of climate tech, startups, better habits, and deep work. Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 70,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/entrepreneurs-for-impact/message

Today we had the pleasure of hosting Jigar Shah, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office (LPO). Jigar is a long-time entrepreneur and founder of Generate Capital and SunEdison before leaving the private sector in 2021 to join the LPO. In his current role, Jigar is responsible for leading and directing the organization's focus on connecting low-carbon technologies that are ready to scale with commercial financing. The LPO is the largest private debt fund in the energy space with more than $40 billion in loans and loan guarantees available for innovative clean energy, advanced transportation, and tribal energy projects in the United States. We were thrilled to visit with Jigar. Our discussion covered how Jigar is planning for the long-term while also navigating current industry volatility, the types of risk LPO is willing to take, the LPO team and culture, the office's fundamental mission, color on their robust transaction flow, energy infrastructure permitting issues, the importance and excitement of American energy entrepreneurialism, bridging the gap with traditional oil majors, investor observations, and more. We wrapped with Jigar's vision for the energy world in the next ten years. The Veriten team came in full force for today's session: Mike Bradley kicked us off with an overview of equity and commodity performance from the last week, noting US dollar strength, key upcoming events, and investor topics. Colin Fenton painted the big picture with global markets, price instability, and the Fed. Brett Rampal and Jeff Tillery peppered in their thoughts throughout our visit with Jigar. As always, thank you for your support and friendship! 

In this bonus episode of Factor This!,  we introduce you to the RENWABLE+ Series™ from Renewable Energy World. Don't worry, we'll get back to tackling solar's biggest stories on Monday.In this +Series discussion, panelists from EDP Renewables, Generate Capital, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory break down what's next for green hydrogen— the energy transition's secret weapon. Bryan Pivovar, Senior Research Fellow I-Materials Science, NRELAna Quelhas, Managing Director for Hydrogen, EDP Renewables (EDPR)Brandon Moffatt, VP, Generate CapitalWhile green hydrogen's versatility offers potential answers to some of the energy transition's most challenging questions, factors such as scale, scope, and affordability remain daunting challenges. Show notes:-Read the roundtable recap article here-You can watch this +Series webinar on-demand here and check out the full +Series archive here.Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Around 70% of solar systems in the U.S. are less than five years old, and with a lifespan of 30 years or more, recycling may not seem urgent. But multi-gigawatt demand for solar recycling awaits the industry in the decades to come. The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates global solar PV waste will reach 78 million tonnes by 2050—with those raw materials worth $15 billion.  How can solar recycling scale to meet the need, and who's going to capture that market? On Episode 11 of the Factor This! podcast, Suvi Sharma – the solar veteran who co-founded Solaria and Nextracker – shares how his latest startup, SOLARCYCLE, is taking on solar's recycling imperative.Show notes:-Read the article: Can solar avoid a recycling problem? Suvi Sharma is convinced it can-Register for the free RENEWABLE +Series on green hydrogen, featuring panelists from Generate Capital, EDP Renewables, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.-Subscribe to the free Renewable Energy World newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news in solar, wind, energy storage, green hydrogen, and more.Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Think back to June. President Biden had just paused new tariffs on solar modules imported from Southeast Asia—a lifeline for the solar industry after months of tumult caused by the Auxin Solar tariff petition.  Shipments resumed. Projects restarted. Stability returned.  Then came rising interest rates, record inflation, and recession anxiety, all complicating the buildout of clean energy infrastructure.  In Episode 10 of the Factor This! podcast, Pine Gate Renewables CEO Ben Catt breaks down what's going on in clean energy capital markets, fresh off raising $500 million for his utility-scale solar and storage development company. Show notes:-Register for the free RENEWABLE +Series on green hydrogen, featuring panelists from Generate Capital, EDP Renewables, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.-Subscribe to the free Renewable Energy World newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news in solar, wind, energy storage, green hydrogen, and more.Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Up until a few days ago, Congress had been a frequent disappointment to clean energy advocates. Even the current optimism around budget reconciliation is... cautious.  But a few blocks north of Capitol Hill, seismic change has been underway. In June, FERC laid out a set of proposed rules to address what possibly is the biggest threat facing clean energy deployment goals in the US: interconnection delays. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) identified ways to tackle widespread challenges that have led to years-long interconnection request backlogs across the country. Jeff Dennis, managing director for the advocacy group Advanced Energy Economy, and a former FERC policy staffer, joined Episode 9 of Factor This! to break down what's in the FERC interconnection NOPR and what comes next.Show notes: -Register for the free RENEWABLE +Series on green hydrogen, featuring panelists from Generate Capital, EDP Renewables, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. -Subscribe to the free Renewable Energy World newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news in solar, wind, energy storage, green hydrogen, and more. Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

My collaborator and industry veteran, Mike Casey of Tigercomm, and I convene a quarterly conversation with several leading podcasters to discuss what's new, trending and impactful for your business. Mike moderates the lively discussion, and I get to join in and enjoy simply participating (we also produce the finished products that wind up here on this podcast feed and that of several of hte guests (oh, and https://www.youtube.com/suncastmedia (Youtube)). This past week, we convened this phenomenal cast of characters; I'd encourage you to follow them all on Linkedin as well as subscribing to their respective podcasts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecaseytigercomm/ (Mike Casey) of Tigercomm https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAGFIz4BqxwpuCtwQI9UEbGDEiedVAaP_MI (Emily Chasan) of Generate Capital and the Energy Gang podcast https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAB4em4BAxJXSl6WM7IOdx_f-U7b5SPDtoQ (Gil Jenkins) of the Climate Positive Podcast https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAAA9eABFFwwUK7E4nnFjHowfvmEr1SG2wQ (Tim Montague) of the Clean Power Hour https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAAAN-kB2odBuVf2jU4YtsFMbHNvJaOJ9wQ (Bill Nussey) of the Freeing Energy Podcast https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAGVDoMBhDwkrb_J5SkifTwfVUt69gWao2Q (Joshua Porter) of the Solar Coaster Podcast These convenings have become a destination for those involved in cleantech communications. We covered topics such as the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Senator Joe Manchin's big “no” to climate progress legislation, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and escalating attacks by pro-fossil fuel pundits. It's a rich, one-hour discussion of energy trends, developments, challenges and opportunities. Listen as we start the discussion with our views on the possible direction of the Biden Administration's imperiled climate agenda.  If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to their contact info (linked, twitter, etc) in the https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/ (show notes) over on the blog. SunCast is presented by https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow (Sungrow), the world's most bankable inverter brand. You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you, here: https://www.mysuncast.com/sponsors (www.mysuncast.com/sponsors) Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today's guest, recommendations, book links, and more than 495 other founder stories and startup advice athttps://www.mysuncast.com/ ( www.mysuncast.com). You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo (Twitter), https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus/ (LinkedIn) or email.

6 Powerful Cleantech Podcasters On Biden, Ukraine and the Energy TransitionToday we're sharing our fifth quarterly podcaster's roundtable, which offers a rich, one-hour discussion of energy trends, developments, challenges and opportunities. We're joined by some impressive industry voices. These roundtables are organized and produced by my friends Mike Casey and Nico Johnson. Mike is the president and founder of Tigercomm, a cleantech public relations, marketing communications and public affairs firm, and host of ScalingClean, a podcast and blog that aim to advance the clean economy. Nico Johnson is the CEO of Suncast Media and host of Suncast podcast.Emily Chasan, director of communications at Generate Capital, a San Francisco-based diversified, sustainable infrastructure company. She's also a co-host on Wood Mackenzie's Energy Gang podcast, a bi-weekly digest on energy, cleantech and the environment.Gil Jenkins, vice president of corporate communications and public affairs at Hannon Armstrong. He's co-host of its Climate Positive podcast, which features conversations with people driving our climate-positive future. Tim Montague, host of the Clean Power Hour, interviews the latest tools and technology executives in wind, solar and energy storage, plus weekly news roundup of the latest solar, wind, storage and energy transition news.Bill Nussey, CEO and founder of the Freeing Energy Project, which aims to accelerate the shift to cleaner, cheaper energy through books, articles and a top 10 energy podcast, also called Freeing Energy.Josh Porter, an arborist turned renewable energies enthusiast. He's the principal consultant at SolarCoaster Consulting and co-host of The Solar Coaster, a renewable energy-themed talk show broadcast every Friday from Maui, Hawaii.We cover a lot of ground in the episode, from thoughts on the ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating attacks by pro-fossil fuel pundits. But we start with our views on the possible direction of the Biden Administration's imperiled climate agenda. Connect with Mike Casey on LinkedInConnect with Emily Chasan on LinkedInConnect with Gil Jenkins on LinkedInConnect with Nico Johnson on Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ Twice a week we highlight the tools, technologies and innovators that are making the clean energy transition a reality - on Apple,

There is never a dull moment in the world of energy. Despite the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere, this week was full of announcements and big news stories.Regular Energy Gang member Melissa Lott steps in as host this week while Ed Crooks takes a well-earned holiday. Joining Melissa is Emily Chasan from Generate Capital and Robbie Orvis from Energy Innovation.The discussion starts with the US Supreme Court's decision to impose new limits on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The limits send a message about the reluctance to have the EPA make regulatory decisions on carbon emissions. Next up, the gang focuses on the Russia-Ukraine war and inflation and their impact on the price of renewables. The cost of new-build onshore wind has risen seven percent year-on-year, and solar by 14%. Shockwaves in energy prices are still reverberating around the globe. High gas prices have led President Biden to propose a suspension of federal gas taxes, but will this work?Finally, we examine the news from California: state governor Gavin Newsom asked the federal government to ensure the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant qualifies for funds to help it remain in service. Why? And is this indicative of changing attitudes toward nuclear?As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. We're @TheEnergyGangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In climatetech, the ‘valley of death' describes the lack of capital for newer solutions, especially those that mainstream investors view as unproven. The climate tech world is full of technologies that would be fantastic tools for fighting the climate crisis, if only they could cross this valley of death and scale. Scott Jacobs co-founded Generate Capital in 2014 to help address this problem. In this episode Shayle talks to Scott about how to successfully finance first-of-a-kind climatetech. They cover technologies like electric bus leasing, anaerobic digesters, microgrids and EV fleet charging infrastructure. And they dig in on: Winning over investors who don't have the time to understand complex technologies or business models The kinds of support, beyond capital, that first-of-a-kind technologies need from investors  Navigating the rising cost of capital and supply chain problems When exactly technologies have proven themselves in the eyes of investors Catalyst is supported by Antenna Group. For 25 years, Antenna has partnered with leading clean-economy innovators to build their brands and accelerate business growth. If you're a startup, investor, enterprise, or innovation ecosystem that's creating positive change, Antenna is ready to power your impact. Visit antennagroup.com to learn more. Solar Power International and Energy Storage International are returning in-person this year as part of RE+. Come join everyone in Anaheim for the largest, B2B clean energy event in North America. Catalyst listeners can receive 15% off a full conference, non-member pass using promo code CANARY15. Register here.

Today, we're following the money. Where does investment go in order to build a zero-carbon future? Where does the money get used, and where does it not?This week Ed is joined by Emily Chasan, Director of Communications at Generate Capital, and Shanu Matthew, Vice-President of Sustainable Investing and Net Zero Research at Lazard Asset Management. There are now trillions of dollars of capital in the market, aligned with the goal of getting to net zero. In the past few months we've seen a backlash from politicians, regulators and even in the investment industry itself. The idea of climate-focused investing has been under attack in a broader pushback against the concept of ESG investing. The gang examine why this is, how the landscape is changing and how we can solve the issue of short-term pressures competing with long-term climate goals.Next up, we switch our focus to the billionaire Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, and his bid to takeover legacy gas provider AGL in Australia. Is this the future of ESG investing?Finally the gang examine President Biden's Defense Production Act – how does it compare to similar plans in Europe and what are the implications for a government stepping in to regulate the market?Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @theenergygang and let us know what you thought of today's episode.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get a 15% discount to attend Midwest Solar Expo with discount code: CPH15. www.MidwestSolarExpo.com/, the premier B2B solar and clean energy event in the region. The first Tesla Model S came to be with an initial half-billion-dollar loan from the Department of Energy.  SpaceX was saved by a loan from NASA. The might of the federal government paired with the indomitable will of an entrepreneur equals a bridge to bankability.  A successful model exists for scaling up decarbonization, and a tenacious entrepreneur's first step is to the front door of the Loan Program Office.Jigar Shah is the Director for the Loan Program Office at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).  Previously, he founded SunEdison and served as President and Co-Founder of Generate Capital.  In his current role, Jigar works with technologies that are ready to scale the transition to a global clean energy economy.  He oversees the planning and execution of the organization's over $40B of authority within manufacturing, innovative project finance and tribal energy. On this episode of Clean Power Hour, Jigar joins Tim to discuss historical patterns in green energy financing, the many viable technologies still awaiting commercialization and how to identify your best and highest use professionally.Listen in for a deep dive into decarbonization technology funding complete with rich detail, directly from a legitimate pioneer in the field.Key TakeawaysHow a DOE loan to an industry  sparks lending confidence from private banks down the lineThe influence of state-level policies on lending, e.g.: California's electric vehicle (EV) mandates Jigar's take on why strong will and heart is required to reach the “bridge to bankability”Why the Loan Program Office is a safe place for founders unfamiliar with commercializationThe perceived tension between improving existing technologies and deploying them as-isWhat equity stage a company should be when applying for a DOE loanExamples of long-established technologies plagued by inertia: green cement and green hydrogenThe differences at play in decarbonizing steel vs. cementThe learning curve benefit: a doubling of adoption of technologies equals 20% lower priceWhy the process of discovery is worth losing moneyThe plans for a national carbon dioxide sequestration pipelineThe major investment in direct air capture technologies to come from Stripe, Meta and GoogleThe future decarbonization goals we have to meet as a nation by 2035 and 2050How each individual can find their “best and highest use,” be it local activism or a fearless pursuit of bringing new technologies to a commercial marketConnect with Jigar Department of EnergyJigar on TwitterJigar on LinkedInConnect with Tim   Clean Power Hour  Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tgmontague@gmail.com Review Clean Power HoCorporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ Twice a week we highlight the tools, technologies and innovators that are making the clean energy transition a reality - on Apple,

On April 22nd, 2022 the world will be celebrating the 52nd annual “Earth Day”. Does Earth Day serve any useful purpose? How can we utilize the celebration of Earth Day for good? How is Earth day viewed by the world today, and how does this celebration push us closer to a low carbon life? In today's special episode of the Energy Gang, the conversation focuses on solutions and recent positive findings from the IPCC report. Making up the “Gang” this week is returning guest Emily Chasan, who is the Director of Communications at Generate Capital, the green investment firm. Also, another returning guest, Dr. Destenie Nock, an Assistant Professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. As always, our host Ed Crooks, Vice-Chair of the Americas at Wood Mackenzie leads the conversation. Keeping the positive theme in observance of Earth Day, the gang discusses the recent IPCC report and some positive findings that were reported. Earlier this month, the 6th cycle working report gives a clear view to the current state of our knowledge of climate science. The good news, though, is that even the more demanding goal of the Paris agreement – limiting global warming to just 1.5 degrees – is not out of sight.The last talking point in the episode is the topic of Energy Poverty, and what it currently looks like in today's climate. The gang discusses how energy poverty is a massive problem today and explores the dangers of how addressing climate change, could make things worse. Destenie leads the conversation on this topic and shares some of her key findings from her research and describes to the gang what an Energy Equity Gap is. This week's episode is focused on solutions and has an optimistic tone. We hope you enjoy and don't forget to reach out to us on Twitter with any inquiries.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Allan Marks, a partner in Milbank's Global Projects, Energy & Infrastructure Finance group joins NPM managing editor Jon Berke to discuss a variety of topics including the project finance outlook in 2022, forecasting the M&A market in 2022 following a robust 2021 for trades of renewable developers and how federal infrastructure act passed in November 2021 will impact the electric vehicle market.Separately, on April 5th 2022, Marks will also be moderating the energy transition panel at NPM's US Developer & Financing Forum in Houston. The panel includes Marjorie Hong, Shell Renewable Generation's Head of Onshore Renewable Power Development, Apex Clean Energy's VP of Finance Omar Karar, Blackstone Infrastructure's Senior MD Matthew Runkle, EnCap Investments Energy Transition's Managing Partner Jim Hughes, and Bill Caesar's President of Generate Capital's waste-to-value platform.For more information on the event CLICK HERENew Project Media (NPM) is an actionable data & proprietary intelligence platform dedicated to coverage of the North American renewable energy market. NPM helps leading developers, capital providers, investors, advisors, utilities and corporate subscribers enhance their deal flow, peer tracking, market research, and origination efforts by leveraging its content to inform business decisions.www.newprojectmedia.com

The Energy Gang – Live (Rebroadcast)The gang are taking a break this week. Instead of a new episode we're rebroadcasting our special edition live episode where the team discusses the top 5 energy-related stories of 2021.This episode was originally live-streamed for Wood Mackenzie's Grid Edge Innovation series at the end of December of 2021. This week on the show we have Ed Crooks, Emily Chasan from Generate Capital, and Amy Myers-Jaffe from Tufts University. The group discusses how “smart” devices are changing energy retailing, and the role of SPACs in financing clean energy deployment.The gang looks back on 2021 and ranks the top 5 stories in energy for the year, looking back on the success of investment company Engine No.1, developments in energy storage, green stimulus in Europe, and more.The Energy Gang is brought to you by EPC Power.EPC Power manufactures self-developed energy storage smart inverters made in their American factories with gigawatt level capacity. Visit www.epcpower.com/energygang to learn more about their utility scale and C&I product lines and schedule a call to learn how they can help you power your energy storage projects! EPC Power – Excellence in Power Conversion.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this Green Light episode, Catherine spoke with Marisa Sweeney & Jessie Robbins, two of the brains driving some of Generate Capital's exciting investment & tax equity initiatives forward, including investments in Amp Americas & Atlas Organics. Marisa & Jessie also speak about the work they're most proud of & looking forward to in 2022, how they broke into cleantech, & career advice they have for those interested in sustainable finance. From raising $2B from investors, to being named one of the Best Small & Medium Workplaces by Fortune, to converting to a Public Benefit Corporation, it's been an incredible year for the Generate team & we can't wait to see what they are able to accomplish in 2022. Are you looking for your next role in climate tech? Join the largest growing network of cleantech professionals and be the first to know about when industry-leading cleantech companies post new job openings. From development to finance to marketing, check out our website: dylan-green.com/latest-jobs.Dylan Green | Clean Energy Recruitment AgencyUS Phone: +1 (917) 287-6826UK Phone: +44(0)7538921422Email: catherine@dylan-green.com

Today's guests are Rob Hanson, CEO & Co-Founder of Monolith, and Jigar Shah, Director of the Loan Programs Office, at U.S. Department of Energy.Rob is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Monolith, where he leads the development of next-generation technology for producing low cost, low emission hydrogen and carbon black, an important raw material used in the manufacture of rubber and plastic. Prior to Monolith, Hanson served as the global director of product management for AREVA Solar, the solar division of the world's largest nuclear company. He has a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford, and has been a guest lecturer at Stanford, UNL, Foothill College and the University of Saskatchewan on topics ranging from thermodynamics to entrepreneurship.Jigar was most recently co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Prior to Generate Capital, Shah founded SunEdison, a company that pioneered "pay as you save" solar financing. After SunEdison, Shah served as the founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit founded by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite to help entrepreneurs address climate change. Originally from Illinois, Shah holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois-UC and an MBA from the University of Maryland College Park.I was eager for Rob and Jigar to come back on the show to discuss Monolith's recent $1B loan from the DOE's Loan Programs Office. Rob provides us with an overview of Monolith, key phases of the company thus far, and the motivations for seeking public funding. Jigar explains his role at the LPO, why traditional VCs aren't built for early-stage climatetech, and how the private and public sectors can address climate change. We also discuss the government's role in the carbon-free future, how to re-align incentives for traditional funders, and advice Rob and Jigar have for entrepreneurs in the climate space. This is a great episode and a must-listen for anyone at the intersection of climate and finance. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@mcjcollective.com, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 7th, 2022To learn more about Monolith, visit: https://monolith-corp.com/To learn more about the US DOE's Loan Programs Office, visit: https://www.energy.gov/lpo/loan-programs-officeTo learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/hanson-shah

Jigar Shah, Director, Loan Programs Office at U.S. Department of Energy, founder of Sun Edison and Generate Capital, founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, author of Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy. 

It's the first Energy Gang of the year. Ed Crooks is joined by Emily Chasan of Generate Capital and Amy Harder, formerly of the Wall Street Journal and Axios, now at Breakthrough Energy, which is the net-zero initiative founded by Bill Gates, who joins the gang for the first time to kick off 2022 with a bang.With air travel over the holiday season bouncing back – despite the Omicron variant – what are the best prospects for taking the emissions out of aviation? In the US, in mid-December, more than two million people per day were passing through the TSA's checkpoints. That is still significantly below pre-pandemic levels, but it is roughly double the numbers in the same period of 2020. Even with the pandemic still raging, people want to fly. That is a real problem for getting to net zero. Aviation emissions are small, accounting for a little under 2% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, but their share is rising. Sustainable aviation fuel and electric planes, are they are viable solution yet?Also, VC and private equity investment into clean tech is booming. About 60 billion dollars was invested in by venture capital and private equity into climate tech in the first half of 2021, according to a recent survey from professional services firm PwC. That's almost triple the 28 billion that was invested in the first half of 2020.About 14% of all VC financing is now going to climate tech. Is investment going to the right technologies?And finally, one of the ideas that is being developed to make sure capital flows into the right activities is EU's Green Taxonomy. It's a list of environmentally sustainable economic activities, to give companies, investors and policymakers definitions for which economic activities can be treated as environmentally sustainable, and which can't. The gang examine the plans; is it a sensible strategy? Is the EU setting a path others might follow?There has been a huge amount of discussion in the past couple of weeks about the Netflix film Don't Look Up: a rare example of Hollywood giving a big-budget big-star treatment to a movie about climate change. It deserves some scrutiny, so to wrap up the show Ed, Emily and Amy give their opinions on the film and argue its effectiveness at raising awareness for climate change.The Energy Gang is brought to you by EPC Power.EPC Power manufactures self-developed energy storage smart inverters made in their American factories with gigawatt level capacity. Visit www.epcpower.com/energygang to learn more about their utility scale and C&I product lines and schedule a call to learn how they can help you power your energy storage projects! EPC Power – Excellence in Power Conversion. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a special edition of the Energy Gang this week, with the last episode of 2021 recorded for Wood Mackenzie's Grid Edge Innovation series. Ed is joined by Emily Chasan from Generate Capital and Amy Myers-Jaffe from Tufts University, to look at how smart devices are changing energy retailing, and the role of SPACs in financing clean energy deployment. The gang wraps up 2021 with their top 5 stories in energy for the year, looking back on the success of investment company Engine No.1, developments in energy storage, green stimulus in Europe and more.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom's onsite energy platform provides unparalleled control for those looking to secure clean, reliable 24/7 power that scales to meet critical business needs. It eliminates outage and price risk while accelerating us towards a zero carbon future. Visit Bloom Energy to learn how to take charge today.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy. What does your energy future look like? Look to Hitachi Energy for the advanced energy technologies needed to deliver real outcomes — unlocking new revenue streams, maximizing renewable integration, and lowering carbon emissions. Learn more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zero-emission, low-cost electricity, delivered to the grid from natural-gas fuelled technology. A wright-brothers first flight kind of breakthrough in energy? The gang discuss the possibilities and scalability of NET Powers Technology, a Texas-based energy company who've made this exact claim. Ed is joined as usual by Melissa Lott from Columbia University, and Emily Chasan from Generate Capital.The other big story of the week was the collapse of British energy provider Bulb, the 6th largest provider in the country and an issue that has impacted some 2 million customers. Could the same thing happen in the US? Within those talks, the pros and cons of carbon capture technology are explored, and if the Biden administration made the right decision to release 50 million barrels of petroleum from the SPR to help ease the heightened holiday energy demand. The gang leaves you with some holiday-season free electrons, including a cracking joke from Ed, and find out why climate change is affecting Canada's maple syrup production.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom's onsite energy platform provides unparalleled control for those looking to secure clean, reliable 24/7 power that scales to meet critical business needs. It eliminates outage and price risk while accelerating us towards a zero carbon future. Visit Bloom Energy to learn how to take charge today.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy. What does your energy future look like? Look to Hitachi Energy for the advanced energy technologies needed to deliver real outcomes — unlocking new revenue streams, maximizing renewable integration, and lowering carbon emissions. Learn more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's guest is Scott Jacobs, Co-Founder & CEO of Generate Capital.Generate is a leading sustainable infrastructure platform delivering affordable, reliable resource solutions to companies, communities, and cities.In 2007, Scott joined McKinsey & Company to co-found its global Clean Technologies Practice, advising companies, institutional investors, NGOs, and governments worldwide on the economic imperatives of resource productivity and climate solutions. Before that, Scott spent over a decade in technology and venture capital, helping start and grow several companies. In 2014, Scott co-founded Generate Capital and has served as CEO since. In addition, he is a regular writer, keynote speaker, and conference panelist on thematic investing and risk management, climate- and resource-related innovation, and building values-based and people-centric businesses. Scott earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and BA from Dartmouth College.I was looking forward to sitting down with Scott and learning more about Generate Capital. Scott walks me through what led him to co-found Generate, the problem Generate is setting out to fix, and what sets the firm apart from its competitors. We also dive into how impact factors into Generate's mission, the types of entities that invest in Generate, and how the firm deploys capital. In addition, we cover carbon offsets, the future of fossil fuels, and a lack of political leadership around climate change. Scott is a fantastic guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded November 1st, 2021For more information about Generate Capital, visit: https://generatecapital.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/scott-jacobs

In this episode, NPM's Andrew Burnes speaks with Zaid Ashai, Chairman and CEO of Nexamp.The two discuss recent developments for the company including the closes of a USD 240m equity capital commitment from Generate Capital and a USD 440m senior secured debt financing package led by MUFG backing a 380 MW portfolio of solar and energy storage assets.Ashai also discusses the developer's recent deal with Walmart as the anchor commitment for 23 community solar projects located in New York, and runs through highlights of its longer term strategic growth plan to expand beyond community solar.New Project Media (NPM) is a growing actionable data & proprietary intelligence platform dedicated to coverage of the North American renewable energy market. NPM helps leading developers, capital providers, investors, advisors, utilities and corporate subscribers enhance their deal flow, peer tracking, market research, and origination efforts by leveraging its content to inform business decisions.www.newprojectmedia.com

COP26 is under way in Glasgow. It has been billed as the “last best hope for the world to get its act together” on climate change, but what is the real significance of the talks? Host Ed Crooks is joined by new regular co-host of the Energy Gang Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Centre on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, to discuss the key issues and outcomes of the conference. Also joining for this episode is Emily Chasan, Director of Communications at Generate Capital, and former Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg journalist. What needs to happen at COP26 for it to be counted as a success? The UN Environment Program noted in its new Emissions Gap 2021 report last week: “As a group, G20 members are not on track to achieve either their original or new 2030 pledges. Ten G20 members are on track to achieve their previous NDCs, while seven are off track.” In this episode, the gang will explore the pledges made at previous conferences, as well as the new ones, and discuss whether they can lead to meaningful change in the global energy system. In the second half of the show: soaring prices for gas, coal and electricity since the summer have raised questions about energy access, poverty and international equity: how can the world address these issues at COP26 and beyond?The Energy Gang is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom's onsite energy platform provides unparalleled control for those looking to secure clean, reliable 24/7 power that scales to meet critical business needs. It eliminates outage and price risk while accelerating us towards a zero carbon future. Visit Bloom Energy to learn how to take charge today.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy. What does your energy future look like? Look to Hitachi Energy for the advanced energy technologies needed to deliver real outcomes — unlocking new revenue streams, maximizing renewable integration, and lowering carbon emissions. Learn more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What are the opportunities and challenges for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)? How important is legislation for adoption and will consumer demand accelerate? To discuss this key topic, RBC Capital Markets is joined by Brian Hlavinka, Director, Emerging Opportunities at Williams, Mark Nelson, EVP Downstream & Chemicals at Chevron and John Dannan, Principal at Generate Capital.

The U.S. Department of Energy is crucial for funding, researching, and testing emerging energy tech.Now, in the Biden era, the agency is orienting itself toward deployment. How difficult is that transition?Our former co-host Jigar Shah joins Stephen, Katherine, and Ed to discuss his experience running the Energy Department's loan programs office.In March, Jigar left his position at Generate Capital (and this podcast) to head into government service and run the loan programs office. Jigar has $40 billion in authority to back a wide range of climate technologies -- and he's been working on the first round of investments with those dollars.In the second half of the show: a surprising twist in the global clean-energy transition. How much trouble will energy price inflation cause around the world?The Energy Gang is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom's onsite energy platform provides unparalleled control for those looking to secure clean, reliable 24/7 power that scales to meet critical business needs. It eliminates outage and price risk while accelerating us towards a zero carbon future. Visit Bloom Energy to learn how to take charge today.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi ABB Power Grids. What does your energy future look like? Look to Hitachi ABB Power Grids for the advanced energy technologies needed to deliver real outcomes — unlocking new revenue streams, maximizing renewable integration, and lowering carbon emissions. Learn more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Heavy industries are responsible for about a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and re-imagining of the physical infrastructure of energy is the challenge that Kanin Energy aims to solve through its 'hardware-as-a-service' business model. Janice Tran, CEO of Kanin Energy, joins us to discuss the challenges and opportunities her company faces working with corporate partners to turn their waste heat into something valuable.Recommended Reading This Female Entrepreneur Is Aiming To Decarbonise North America's Largest Industrial EmittersInvesting in the New IndustrialistsGuest Bio: Janice provides the leadership and financing strategy for Kanin Energy. Prior to Kanin, Janice was an early employee and Director at Generate Capital, a project finance investment firm that focused on investing in renewable energy projects. There she built North America's largest portfolio of anaerobic digestions assets. Her role spanned across deal execution, origination, market development, and asset management. Prior to Generate Capital, Janice worked at NRG, one of America's largest power producers, to start their renewable microgrids business line. Janice also co-founded Student Energy, a nonprofit which is today's largest global charity dedicated to educating and uniting post-secondary students on energy issues.Janice is a licensed Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) in Canada. She also has a Masters of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University in New York, where she received an Earth Institute Fellowship. Janice also has a Masters in Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan, and double majored with a BA in Philosophy and BComm in Accounting from the University of Calgary.Learn more about Kanin EnergyConnect with Janice on LinkedIn_This episode is sponsored by Student Energy - Student Energy empowers the next generation of leaders who are accelerating the transition to a sustainable, equitable energy future. Learn more about Student Energy here  

Join us in The BreakLine Arena for an inspiring, and uplifting conversation with Kristin Groos Richmond, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman of Revolution Foods. In this episode, Kristin shares the incredible mission-driven success created by her company, as well as the challenges of innovating through a global pandemic to serve communities across the country.Kristin founded Revolution Foods in 2005 with Kirsten Tobey to transform the way we feed our students. Kristin continues to lead the growth of the company which now serves over two million freshly prepared meals every week, across the country and recently, into grocery stores. Prior to founding Revolution Foods, Kristin's career spanned from corporate finance to education reform including co-founding the Kenya Community Center for Learning and serving as Vice President at RISE. She began her career at Citi in Investment Banking. Kristin was a member of the White House Council for Community Solutions and is on the Dean's Advisory Council at UC Berkeley. She is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow, an Ashoka Fellow and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. Kristin is on the Board of Directors for Generate Capital, a leading clean energy investment company and sustainable infrastructure operator. Most recently, Kristin was recognized as one of Inc.'s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs of 2020.Kristin holds a B.S. in Finance and Accounting from Boston College and a M.B.A. from U.C. Berkeley. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two sons.If you liked what you've heard, please subscribe, follow, and rate our show! To learn more about BreakLine Education, check us out at breakline.org.

Ted Flanigan interviews Jigar Shah, one of the solar industry's luminaries and the founder of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). He also founded and managed Sun Edison, at one time the world's largest solar company. He then teamed up with Sir. Richard Branson to manage the Carbon War Room.Until his recent announcement at the US Department of Energy, heading up the Loans Program Office, Jigar Shah ran Generate Capital, a specialty finance company that builds, owns, operates, and finances infrastructure assets involving the world's critical resources: energy, water, agriculture and basic materials. Generate's team has decades of collective experience financing billions of dollars of sustainable infrastructure. https://generatecapital.com/In 2018, EcoMotion teamed up with Generate Capital to create the nation's first Powered Emergency Response Centers (PERCs) at Santa Rita Union School District in Salinas, CA. Between solar and storage, and sophisticated controls, SRUSD's six campuses are able to operate indefinitely during power outages.

Today, we speak with a thought leader who is ahead of the curve when it comes to diversity, equity & inclusion in the cleantech industry. U.S. Department of Energy, Director of Loan Programs Office, Jigar Shah on why not having mentors is a huge sign of weakness and how he has applied lessons learned from SunEdison at Generate Capital to his own ventures.Are you looking for your next role in climate tech? Join the largest growing network of cleantech professionals and be the first to know about when industry-leading cleantech companies post new job openings. From development to finance to marketing, check out our website: dylan-green.com/latest-jobs.Dylan Green | Clean Energy Recruitment AgencyUS Phone: +1 (917) 287-6826UK Phone: +44(0)7538921422Email: catherine@dylan-green.com

Jigar Shah joins us this week to discuss renewable energy being "the largest wealth creation opportunity of our lifetime",  and it's role in delivering sustainable energy generation to billions of people.Jigar guides us through a conversation about challenges in the industry and models for financing renewable energy projects around the world. Jigar uses his own career as an example of the potential for the renewable energy industry to drive clean job creation and careers, especially for young people in developing communities due to its accessibility.Guest Bio: Jigar Shah is the Co-founder and President of Generate Capital, an investment and operating company that finds the leading edge of sustainable investing around fuel cells, electric vehicles, anaerobic digesters, renewable natural gas, and community solar.Generate Capital focuses on established technologies that the capital markets and the financing community have not yet gotten comfortable with. Jigar is also the Co-host of The Energy Gang podcast and founded SunEdison - an innovative renewable energy company - in 2003, which was sold in 2009.Connect with Jigar on LinkedInLearn more about Generate CapitalSupport the podcast on PatreonSubscribe to our newsletter