Podcasts about terraform power

Of all the tools and skills you need under your belt for a career in treasury, networking might be the most important. Networking can help you learn and grow in your field, find new opportunities, solve problems, and also improve open communication across teams. Alan Goldblatt, Vice President, Treasurer Farmer Mac, joined this episode of The Treasury Career Corner podcast to talk more about it. Since August 2020, Alan has led the debt capital markets team covering areas of debt funding, liquidity investments, and asset/liability management. Prior to joining Farmer Mac, Alan served as VP of Finance and Treasurer at Blackboard Inc., a leading global education technology firm. While at Blackboard, Alan held leadership roles in Capital Markets, Investor Relations, Payments Processing, Treasury Operations, and Mergers & Acquisitions. In addition, Alan served as Assistant Treasurer at TerraForm Power and Senior Policy Advisor for Capital Markets at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, with a focus on housing finance reform. He also served as VP of Finance at Fannie Mae, Treasurer at American Management Systems (now CGI Corp), and Financial Risk Manager at Mobil Oil (now ExxonMobil). Alan is a licensed CPA and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia. The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) is a stockholder-owned, government-sponsored enterprise or "GSE" created by Congress to improve the availability of long-term credit for America's farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, businesses, and communities. Farmer Mac accomplishes this public policy mission by providing a secondary market for qualified agricultural mortgage loans, rural housing mortgage loans, rural utilities loans, and the guaranteed portions of agricultural and rural development loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On the podcast we discussed… Alan's background in finance and treasury The differences between working at private firms and government entities How treasurers help a wider business' needs Why treasurers need to be proactive and prepared for the future Why networking is one of the most important parts of a treasury career How open dialogue across teams can help problem-solving You can connect with Alan Goldblatt on https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanpgoldblatt/ (LinkedIn). Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury? Whether you've recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. https://treasuryrecruitment.com/jobs (Find out more here). Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move! If you're enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-treasury-career-corner/id1436647162#see-all/reviews (click here)!

Ben Parry, the CEO of Compost Crew, is a business executive and entrepreneur fighting to protect the health of our planet. Before acquiring Compost Crew in 2018, Ben served as the Vice President of Operations for TerraForm Global, where he led a team that operated a fleet of solar and wind assets across five continents. Prior to his role with TerraForm Global, Ben helped launch and operate Azure Power, a leading solar company in India, and he managed clean power plants for TerraForm Power, SunEdison, and Silver Ridge Power. Ben has an MBA from Georgetown University. Biocycle article about Compost Crew: https://www.biocycle.net/food-scrap-collection-company-diversifies/?utm_source=BioCycle+CONNECT&utm_campaign=d7cbcd8dcb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_20_08_35_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8396f01c15-d7cbcd8dcb-513848395 Orlando people! Are you interested in reducing your trash in half without odors or pests!? Subscribe today for O-Town Compost's convenient residential program and use promo code "WESTORANGE" for your first month free. https://o-towncompost.com/subscribe --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/charlie-pioli/support

Analysts’ top ESG energy and water stocks and funds include the following. Middlesex Water Co., Invesco Water Resources ETF, American States Water Co., California Water Service Group, Xylem, Fidelity Select Environment and Alternative Energy Portfolio, Calvert Global Energy Solutions Fund Class A, American Electric Power, Dominion Energy, Hubbell, Consolidated Edison, Array Technologies, and TPI Composites PODCAST: Analysts’ Top ESG Energy and Water Stocks Transcript & Links, Episode 52, February 26, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 52 published on February 26, titled “ Analysts’ Top ESG Energy and Water Stocks”— and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode’s podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. ------------------------------------------------------------- Analysts’ Top Water Stocks Increasingly, ethical and sustainable investors desire water stocks and funds in their portfolios. Here is a good article for those of you interested in this sector. It’s titled 3 Rising Water Stocks You Can Buy Today. It was on nasdaq.com and written by Robert Ross. Here are some of Mr. Ross’s comments. He says that… “PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that private spending on drinking water infrastructure will total $60 billion by 2027. Over the next 25 years, total spending on wastewater treatment alone will exceed $10 billion per year. Steady and predictable investment like that is a key reason why American water stocks are some of the safest investments on the market. Many offer solid returns, too. Take Middlesex Water Co. (MSEX) for example. The company is one of the oldest water utilities in the US. But even though the business started in 1897, the stock has been pumping out solid returns for years. If you prefer to get some broad exposure to the water market, consider buying the Invesco Water Resources ETF (PHO). It holds everything from utilities to infrastructure companies, and it pays a small 0.5% dividend yield. Personally, I usually prefer buying individual stocks because they offer more upside. And you need look no further than Invesco Water Resources ETF’s holdings to find three stocks that offer waves of profits. 1) American States Water Co. (AWR) Because of constant demand from California’s growing population, American States Water Co. is incredibly stable. And with a safe and reliable 1.7% dividend yield, it is my favorite income-based water play. 2) California Water Service Group (CWT) This is another large California water utility. Considering California Water Service Group has never reduced its dividend payout in the 35 years it’s paid one, you can rest easy with this one in your portfolio. 3) Xylem (XYL) While the company does not pay a dividend, it’s one of the premier water infrastructure companies. It has exposure to global demand for water infrastructure, generating over half of its sales outside the US.” End of quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Analysts’ Top ESG Energy Stocks Now I’m going to mention several articles related to energy but all with some unique perspectives. The first article is titled 3 Clean Energy Funds to Buy as Climate Concerns Intensify. It was on nasdaq.com and written by Zacks Equity Research. Quote. 1) Fidelity Select Environment and Alternative Energy Portfolio (FSLEX) The non-diversified fund invests majority of assets in common stocks of companies principally engaged in business activities related to alternative and renewable energy, energy efficiency, pollution control, water infrastructure, waste and recycling technologies, or other environmental support services. Fidelity Select Environment and Alternative Energy Portfolio has an annual expense ratio of 0.85% versus the category average of 1.04%. Additionally, the fund has significant investment in alternative energy companies like Tesla, Cummins and Linde. Fidelity Select Environment and Alternative Energy Portfolio has three and five-year return of nearly 10% and 15%, respectively. 2) New Alternatives Fund Class A (NALFX) Aims for long-term capital appreciation, with income being the secondary objective. The fund invests in common stocks of YieldCos, American Depository Receipts, real estate investment trusts and publicly-traded master limited partnerships. New Alternatives Fund Class A has three and five-year return of 29.2% and 22.7%, respectively. New Alternatives Fund Class A has an annual expense ratio of 1.08% versus the category average of 1.28%. Additionally, the fund has significant investment in alternative energy companies like Innergex Renewable Energy, Vestas Wind Systems and Nextera Energy. 3) Calvert Global Energy Solutions Fund Class A (CGAEX) Aims to track the performance of the Calvert Global Energy Research Index. The fund invests majority of assets in companies whose main business is sustainable energy solutions. Calvert Global Energy Solutions Fund Class A has three and five-year return of 19.9% and 15.5%, respectively. [It] has an annual expense ratio of 1.24%, which is below the category average of 1.29%. Additionally, Calvert Global Energy Solutions Fund Class A has significant investment in alternative energy companies like First Solar, Nextera Energy Partners and Terraform Power.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Analysts’ Top ESG Energy Stocks The second article features some names that might be unfamiliar to many ethical and sustainable investors. The article is titled 3 Cheap Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now and published on fool.com. Three authors each give their number one pick. “1) Scott Levine likes American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) Although solar, wind, and geothermal stocks all represent viable options from which investors can choose, American Electric Power provides a less obvious approach. And fortunately for investors, they can currently find shares in the bargain bin. American Electric Power has a presence in 11 states and provides electricity to about 5.5 million customers… Management has articulated a clear commitment to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) values. American Electric Power is currently offering investors an attractive 3.8% dividend yield on its stock. 2) Daniel Foelber recommends Dominion Energy (NYSE: D) Dominion Energy is the latest utility stock to launch an aggressive push into renewable energy. The company is a leading energy provider in Utah, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Although Dominion's portfolio is still mostly fossil fuels, it has done a good job of moving away from coal toward natural gas over the past 15 years… Dominion yields an impressive 3.5% -- much higher than the current market average of 1.5%... Dominion looks to be a worthwhile renewable energy stock to buy now.  3) Lee Samaha suggests Hubbell (NYSE: HUBB) What about buying a highly cash generative value stock with some exposure to renewable energy related spending? That's where electrical and electronic products company Hubbell comes into play. If you are going to have investment in renewable energy farms, you are going to need investment in the transmission and distribution (T&D) network, as well… Management expects its utility T&D components end market to grow 2% to 4% and utility communications and controls to grow 4% to 6%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Analysts’ Top ESG Energy Stocks Now here’s the third energy-related article. It’s titled Got $3000? Here Are 3 Solar Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term. It’s written by Matthew DiLallo -- a regular to this podcast -- and appeared on fool.com. Here are his picks followed by a few of his remarks. 1) Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure (NASDAQ: AY) Owns a diversified portfolio of infrastructure assets geared toward a more sustainable future, like renewable energy, natural gas, electricity transmission, and water desalinization. Renewable energy makes up the bulk of its revenue at 69% of the total. 2) Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED) Is a utility focused on delivering electricity to the New York City market. It's one of the country's cleanest utilities, as 71% of its power-generating capacity is renewable energy and the rest is cleaner-burning natural gas. Most of its capacity -- 57% -- is solar power. Consolidated Edison… currently boasts an attractive 4.3% yield. 3) SolarEdge (NASDAQ: SEDG) Makes an optimized inverter system that reduces the cost of energy produced by a solar system. That makes it a key component in making solar energy cheaper.” End quotes ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Analysts’ Top ESG Energy Stocks Our fourth article in this series is titled 2 Top Stocks in Renewable Energy. Also appeared on fool.com and is by analyst Daniel Foelber -- whom we also mentioned earlier. I’ll mention the companies and follow on with a few key quotes by Mr. Foelber. 1) Array Technologies (NASDAQ: ARRY) Array is an industry leader in single-axis solar tracking systems. These tracking systems rotate solar panels throughout the day to optimize power generation. According to Bloomberg, trackers harness 25% more energy with just a 7% increase in project capital cost… Array is expanding internationally to try to gain a foothold in emerging markets like China, Australia, Europe, and South America… Array stock has a much more attractive valuation than other big-name solar stocks and is growing at a faster rate as well. 2) TPI Composites (NASDAQ: TPIC) TPI Composites is the largest independent manufacturer of wind blades and fills a niche role in the wind energy industry… TPI Composites' business strategy is simple. It believes in the long-term growth of the wind energy market. It has excellent partnerships with original equipment manufacturers. And it opens new facilities wherever the demand for wind energy is growing.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- End Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “ Analysts’ Top ESG Energy and Water Stocks.“ To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let’s promote a better post COVID world through ethical and sustainable investing! Contact me if you have any questions. Stay well and healthy—and conscious about the ethical and sustainable values of your investments! Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on March 12. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

Best ESG funds and renewable energy stocks for 2020 from top analysts. Leading sustainable investing stories and stocks of 2019. Greenpeace ranks Chinese big tech companies for sustainability. Notable global clean energy stocks you never heard about. New IBM battery chemistry could spur a revolution in clean energy production and electric vehicle technology. And more… PODCAST: ESG Funds, Stocks, for 2020. And More… Transcript & Links, Episode 23, January 17, 2020 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 23 for January 17, 2020, titled “ESG Funds, Stocks for 2020. And More…” presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols – and bonus material at this episodes’ podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Now to this episode. ------------------------------------------------------------- Let’s begin with a wrap-up of 2019 from Morningstar’s distinguished sustainability analyst, Jon Hale. His article is titled, 10 Sustainable Investing Stories of 2019. His ten top stories are: The Growing Immediacy of Climate Change; The Shift Toward Stakeholder Capitalism; Proxy Voting and Shareholder Engagement Take Center Stage; Turning Back the Clock at the SEC; Interest in Sustainable Investing Continues to Rise Among Individual Investors; Flows Into U.S. Sustainable Funds More Than Tripled in 2019; A Strong Year for U.S. Sustainable Fund Performance; Many More Funds "Considering" ESG; Enhancement to Morningstar Sustainability Rating; and Impact investing. It's well worth reading so go to the link on this episode’s webpage. ------------------------------------------------------------- ESG Funds, Stocks (1) Another article with a Morningstar connection is by Nancy Zambell titled Social Responsibly: Five Top-Rated ESG Funds. It’s published on the Money Show site. Ms. Zambell “looked at about 25 of the most popular SRI funds [on Morningstar], searching for the highest-rated.” Here are the five ESG funds she recommends: ------------------------------------------------------------- ESG Funds, Stocks (2) On a different note, has the new trade deal between the US and China sparked your interest in Chinese tech companies? Or, do you already invest in them? Either way, you’ll be interested in a new report released by Greenpeace concerning their sustainability performance. You can read all about it in a Fortune article by Naomi Xu Elegant titled ‘They Must Scale Up:’ Greenpeace Ranks China’s Tech Giants on Renewable Energy. Ms. Xu Elegant writes that “Greenpeace collaborated with the North China Electric Power University for the report, which analyzed 15 of China's biggest cloud companies and data center operators and scored them based on their performance in renewable energy, carbon reduction, and energy efficiency.” End quote. Further, she writes that the “E-commerce giant Alibaba—China's largest company by market value—scored 60 out of a possible 100 points on the ranking. Tencent, China's second-largest publicly listed company, scored 52 on the report. Huawei and Baidu each scored 46, while e-commerce company JD.com received just 12 points. Huawei was the only company on the list that has set a greenhouse gas emission reduction target. Software firm Baosight Software, whose parent company is the state-owned Fortune Global 500 company Baowu Steel, made the bottom of the ranking, receiving just two points.” End quote. Incidentally, I have the link to the full report on this episode’s page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. ------------------------------------------------------------- ESG Funds, Stocks (3) Now back to the crucial renewable energy space where there have been several recent articles reviewing and recommending the best ESG funds, stocks, in the sector. These Were the 5 Best Renewable Energy Stocks of 2019 The first article I want to discuss is titled These Were the 5 Best Renewable Energy Stocks of 2019. It’s by Scott Levine writing on the Motley Fool site. He says the five leaders were: Brookfield Renewable Partners (up 81%); Plug Power (149%); SolarEdge Technologies (169%); Ballard Power (190%); and Enphase Energy (466%). As for 2020, Mr. Levine says that I quote, “In general, fuel cell companies [Plug Power and Ballard Power] seem the most likely to hit bumps in the road in 2020, while Brookfield Renewable Partners, SolarEdge, and Enphase appear poised to build on their recent successes.” End quote. 4 Top Solar Energy Stocks to Buy in January The second article is titled 4 Top Solar Energy Stocks to Buy in January. By a regular on this podcast, Travis Hoium. He says to buy, yup again, Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP). Yes, this stock really has a huge following. Even more about it later in this podcast. He says Brookfield “returned 350% over the decade when you include dividends.” End quote. His second pick is another popular recommendation, SunPower (NASDAQ:SPWR). About Sunpower, he writes, “What I like about SunPower's new strategy is that it will be a large, platform company in distributed solar… SunPower is also the No. 1 commercial solar developer in the U.S., a huge market that's been under-exploited thus far.” End quote. Mr. Levine’s third choice is Vivint Solar (NYSE:VSLR). About Vivint, he says “The No. 2 residential solar installer in the U.S. is Vivint Solar (NYSE:VSLR), and unlike SunPower, it's the company installing solar panels on customers' roofs.” End quote. Fourthly, is First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR). Quote, “No company has been as successful in this industry as First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR). It produces thin-film solar panels that are primarily used in utility-scale solar projects.” End quote. 2 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy in January The third article 2 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy in January is by Neha Chamaria, also a Motley Fool contributor. Her picks are also familiar to this podcast’s listeners. The first one is NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE). She writes that “Today, NextEra is the world's largest producer of wind and solar energy, thanks to its decisions to invest in them long before most other traditional utilities took the plunge.” End quote. Of her second choice, Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP), she comments that “Brookfield Renewable Partners is the perfect bet on hydroelectric power... hydropower, not solar or wind, is currently the world's largest renewable source of electricity generation.” End quote. Incidentally, Brookfield Renewable Partners is involved in a major takeover of TerraForm Power. TerraForm Power has solar and wind assets in the US and Europe. Read all about it in an article titled Brookfield powers ahead with takeover bid for TerraForm by Abigail Townsend on the ShareCast site. Better Buy: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners vs. Brookfield Asset Management The fourth and final renewable energy-related article I want to cover is titled Better Buy: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners vs. Brookfield Asset Management. It’s by John Bromels, another analyst I often feature. He states that “Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE:BAM) [is] the parent [of] Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP).” End quote. In summation, he writes that “With its superior yield, excellent management team, and more recession-resistant portfolio, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is going to be the better buy for most investors. However, those who are looking for an investment for a tax-advantaged account may not be able to invest. For these investors, Brookfield Asset Management is certainly an attractive option, as long as it's not a high dividend yield you're after.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- ESG Funds, Stocks (4) More on the subject of clean energy ESG funds, stocks, are Ten Clean Energy Stocks for 2020 by Tom Konrad writing for the AltEnergy site. Many of his picks haven’t been covered in this podcast before. Mr. Konrad has a great record of stock picking! He says, quoting him that, “I’ve been publishing lists of ten clean energy stocks that I think will do well in the year to come since 2008.  With a 46 percent total return, the 2019 list has had its best year since 2009, when it managed a 57 percent return by catching the rebound off the 2008 crash.” End quote. So he’s worth paying attention too! I urge you to go to his article for his reasoning behind each choice. The link is on this podcast episode’s webpage. Forgive me if I don’t pronounce all of their names correctly. So, here are his picks: Covanta Holding Corp. (CVA) and Valeo SA (FR.PA, VLEEF, VLEEY); Green Plains Partners (GPP); NFI Group, Inc. (NFI.TO, NFYEF); MiX Telematics (MIXT); Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais, a.k.a Cemig (CIG); Red Eléctrica Corporación, S.A. (REE.MC, RDEIF, RDEIY); Veolia Environnement S.A. (VIE.PA, VEOEF, VEOEY); Polaris Infrastructure Inc. (PIF.TO, RAMPF); and Pattern Energy Group (PEGI). ------------------------------------------------------------- No more heavy metals? New IBM battery chemistry research could address mineral sourcing concerns Finally, a heads-up on what could be a game-changer in the rechargeable battery field. It has the potential to significantly impact your renewable energy-related investments! Read all about in No more heavy metals? New IBM battery chemistry research could address mineral sourcing concerns by Heather Clancy at the GreenBiz site. Quoting Ms. Clancy, she says that “IBM scientists in the battery laboratory… say they have created multiple prototypes of a battery that uses a cathode free of both cobalt and nickel.” End quote. This could be big! ------------------------------------------------------------- Well, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links, stock symbols and more, or to read the transcript of this podcast and with additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. Also, please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally. So, let’s help create a better world with our investments! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. Talk to you again on January 31. Bye for now. © 2020 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

On Monday, Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners offered to buy the rest of Terraform Power that it didn’t already own. Jason Hall joins the show to share what this deal means for investors and to lay out a couple renewable yieldcos listeners may want to add to their watchlists after Pattern Energy and Terraform Power have been bought out over the past year. Stocks Discussed: BEP, TERP, BIP, AY, CWEN Check out more of our content here: TMF's podcast portal YouTube Twitter Join Our Motley Fool Podcast Facebook Group LinkedIn StockUp, The Motley Fool's weekly email newsletter Thanks to Molekule for supporting our show. Get 10% off your first air purifier at http://www.molekule.com with code fool10.

A discerning reviewer discusses their seven best socially responsible and ESG fund picks. Two experts give conflicting recommendations on robo advisors for ethical and sustainable investors. Know the top ten stocks in ESG fund portfolios. Replacing old wind turbines with new ones leads to increasing profits and potential dividends for three renewable energy operators. More PODCAST: Top ESG Funds, Stocks, Robo Advisors and More… Transcript & Links November 8, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for November 8, 2019—presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Also, you can find a full transcript, live links to content, and often bonus material to these podcasts at their episodes’ podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now to this podcast! ------------------------------------------------------------- This episode! 1. 7 Best US Socially Responsible Mutual Funds 2. Best Robo Advisors for Socially Responsible & ESG Investors 3. Fund Managers’ Favorite ESG Stocks 4. 1 Renewable-Energy Growth Story That Dividend Investors Won't Want to Overlook 5. 3 Clean Energy ETFs for a Brighter Future ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. 7 Best US Socially Responsible Mutual Funds For US investors Barbara (Freedberg) Friedberg writes about her 7 Best Socially Responsible Mutual Funds. Now her seven picks are: 1) Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund Admiral Shares (ticker: VFTAX) She says about this fund that “With nearly 500 companies, financials, health care, technology, industrials and consumer services are the most highly represented sectors… [It has] a 0.14% expense ratio... [and] this green mutual fund offers a 1.6% yield. The 21.1% year-to-date return is higher than the category performance.” End quote. 2) Parnassus Endeavor Fund (PARWX) Quoting her, she writes, “[The] Parnassus Endeavor Fund seeks out companies with excellent workplace environments and avoids fossil fuel investments… Year-to-date returns of 21.2%.” End quote 3) Pax Elevate Global Women's Leadership Fund (PXWIX) About this fund, Ms. Friedberg says, “Research indicates that companies with greater numbers of women in leadership roles have better performance across multiple factors, says Daniel Kern, chief investment officer of TFC Financial Management in Boston... The fund sports a reasonable expense ratio of 0.56% and a 1.9% dividend yield.” End quote. 4) Calvert Bond Fund (CSIBX) About which she writes, “Top holdings include U.S. Treasury notes and bonds as well as issues from Freddie Mac, Avis Budget Rental Car (CAR), Citigroup (C) and International Finance Corporation. Launched in 1987, the fund has an 8.2% percent year-to-date return.” End quote. 5) Calvert International Opportunities Fund (CIOAX) Ms. Friedberg comments on this fund that, “[It] holds fewer companies exposed to fossil fuels, carbon emissions, and tobacco than do the companies included in the MSCI EAFE Small- and Mid-Cap Index. The fund enjoys an 11.4% year-to-date return. The expense ratio is a hefty 1.35% but with a 1.32% yield.” End quote. 6) Fidelity U.S. Sustainability Index Fund (FITLX) Concerning this fund, Ms. Friedberg says, “[It] targets large- to mid-capitalization U.S. companies with high ESG scores… The fund has a 1.1% yield and a rock-bottom expense ratio of 0.11%. The 21% year-to-date return slams the 18.9% category average.” End quote. And finally, 7) Ave Maria Bond Fund (AVEFX) Quoting Ms. Friedberg on this fund she writes, “Winner of the 2019 Lipper Fund Award for the best of 42 A-rated corporate bond funds, the Ave Maria family is the largest [US] Catholic mutual fund family... The year-to-date return is 6.5% with a moderate expense ratio of 0.5%. The current yield is 1.8%, lower than many corporate bond funds, likely due to the inclusion of stocks within the portfolio.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Best Robo Advisors for Socially Responsible & ESG Investors Now, I'm going to cover a piece about robo advisors,  Though reference will be to US robo advisors, a few of these advisors might be operational in other countries too. Well it seems that not everyone can agree on the best robo advisors though some recommendations do overlap! On my September 27, 2019, podcast, Investopedia recommended: M1 Finance Read review Motif Investing Read review Interactive Advisors Read review Personal Capital Read Review Now, in this article by Barbara Friedberg, titled, 5 Best Robo Advisors for Managing ESG Funds, recommends: M1 Finance. Betterment. EarthFolio. Wealthsimple. Motif Impact Portfolios. For robo advisor descriptions, go to the article’s link on this edition’s podcast page. This is the second article by Ms. Friedberg I’ve covered in this podcast. She’s obviously performing excellent work for the ethical and sustainable investing community! ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Fund Managers’ Favorite ESG Stocks So, in this podcast, we’ve so far covered the best ethical and sustainable investing funds and robo advisors. Now, let’s talk a little about the best ethical and sustainable investing stocks! Brendon Coffey in a Forbes post titled, Here Are Fund Managers’ Favorite ESG Stocks, can help us in this regard. He also explains in his post how he went about this research. Here are the top ten stocks he found in the funds: Microsoft (MSFT), The Walt Disney Co (DIS), Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL & GOOG), Danaher Corp, (DRH), Mastercard (MA), Verisk Analytics Inc, (VRSK), Linde PLC (LIN.L), American Express Co. (AXP), and Costco Wholesale Corp, (COST). His post is replete with a discussion about the pros and cons of many companies held by these funds. So, his post is well worth a read. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. 1 Renewable-Energy Growth Story That Dividend Investors Won't Want to Overlook If you’re looking for dividends and yield possibilities in renewable energy companies you should read Matthew DiLallo’s Motley Fool article titled, 1 Renewable-Energy Growth Story That Dividend Investors Won't Want to Overlook. The growth story he says is that “With today's larger wind turbines able to generate more power, wind farm operators are increasingly looking to repower legacy locations. It also certainly helps that they can earn high returns on investment with these projects, which will allow them… to increase their dividends. That's why income-focused investors won't want to overlook this key trend.” End quote. Here’s what he says about three leading companies engaged in this sector. He first writes about TerraForm Power (NASDAQ:TERP), Mr. DiLallo says that “TerraForm Power currently has three repowering projects under development… The company would replace turbines built about a decade ago with newer ones that have larger rotors, enabling them to produce 25% to 30% more power than the existing ones… [He adds] the company could increase its payout toward the higher end of its 5% to 8% annual target range through 2022 thanks to these wind repowering projects.” End quote. His second pick is NextEra Energy Partners (NYSE:NEP). About this company he writes, “NextEra Energy Partners also has some wind repowering projects under way… These investments will generate more than a 10% return on investment, helping grow the cash flow… and increases NextEra Energy Partners' ability to grow its dividend toward the high end of its 12% to 15% annual range through 2024.” End quote. His final choice is Pattern Energy (NASDAQ:PEGI), which he says is “is working on a project to repower its Gulf Wind facility… The project is an essential piece of the company's strategy to reduce its dividend payout ratio from 99% last year to a more comfortable 80% by the end of 2020. Once it achieves that targeted level, it could start growing its dividend once again.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- 5. 3 Clean Energy ETFs for a Brighter Future Now Todd Shriber has written a post titled, 3 Clean Energy ETFs for a Brighter Future on the InvestorPlace site. He says that I quote, “These clean energy ETFs have been winners this year and will keep that bullishness going in 2020.” End quote. First, of the three ETFs, Mr. Shriber writes about is iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (NASDAQ:ICLN). About this ETF he says, “[It] is one of the oldest and largest green energy ETFs. In fact, iShares Global Clean Energy ETF, which debuted in mid-2008, has $376.2 million in assets under management, making it the second-largest green energy ETF overall.” End quote. The second ETF is the ALPS Clean Energy ETF (CBOE:ACES). About it he says, “[It’s] about 16 months old, making it one of the newer members of the green energy ETF competition, but the fund has been a stud since coming to market. This year’s gain of more than 22% proves as much.” End quote. The third pick is the Global X YieldCo & Renewable Energy Income ETF (NASDAQ:YLCO) which he says, “has a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 3.46%.” adding that, “These days, that’s sturdy regardless of asset class.” And then remarks that “The dividend buffer keeps Global X YieldCo & Renewable Energy Income ETF’s volatility low relative to standard green energy ETFs… However, that hasn’t weighed on performance as the fund is higher by more than 11% year-to-date.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally and help create a better world for us all. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else related. Now, a big thank you for listening. Come again! And my next podcast is scheduled for November 22. See you then. Bye for now.   © 2019 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

Etsy, the growing online craft marketplace seen as great ESG stock. Southwest Airlines flies high on its sustainable practices. First ever ESG ‘junk bond’ ETF debuts. Seven renewable energy stock picks. Rising wind power trends of repowering and replacement of turbines offer exciting investing opportunities. New international faith-based ESG ETF launches with global appeal. More PODCAST: Etsy, Southwest Air, ESG Junk Bonds, and more… Transcript & Links October 11, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for October 11, 2019—presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Also, you can find a full transcript, live links to content, and often bonus material to these podcasts at their episodes’ podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now to this podcast! ------------------------------------------------------------- Many of you have heard of Etsy, the online craft marketplace and perhaps wondered if it’s a good ESG stock. Well, Maria Gallagher says a resounding yes to that in an article on The Motley Fool site titled, ESG Investing: Is Etsy a Responsible Investment? She says, that, quote, “Etsy boasts more than 60 million unique items, 43 million buyers, and 2.3 million sellers on its platform… Etsy scores a 9 out of 10 on The Motley Fool's Framework for ESG Compounders… It is a strong company that appears to strive intentionally to make its marketplace the best it can be for purveyors of handmade goods. There are areas for improvement, but Etsy seems to be balancing profitability, scale, and strong ESG principles.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Another Motley contributor, Dan Caplinger reviews Southwest Airlines and finds it best in the airline sector for ESG practices. His piece is titled, ESG Investing: Is Southwest Airlines a Responsible Investment? Mr. Caplinger says, “Many environmental advocates view global air travel's enormous carbon footprint as needlessly wasteful.” But he goes on saying – and I quote, that, “Currently, Southwest helps travelers visit more than 100 destinations in the U.S. along with 10 countries internationally… and it’s No. 11 on Fortune’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies in 2019… Southwest has embraced ESG principles throughout its history, even before most investors paid much attention to those concepts… it's hard to find an industry player that makes a better ESG case than Southwest Airlines… Southwest has put itself in position to thrive for years to come.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Turning to ESG bonds, we know that generally ethical and sustainable investing bonds are of high quality – and sometimes with even lower than average yields because of their great quality. Now we have a departure from that. Nuveen – which already has 9 ESG ETFs – is launching a below investment grade ESG bond fund. Andrea Riquier, in an article titled, The first-ever ESG junk bond ETF debuts, says this about the ETF, quote, “Investors are increasingly drawn to holdings that pay attention to ESG issues and financial-services firms are always on the hunt for new flavors of investments to offer. So, a new fund that seems to offer high yield as well as comply with ESG principles might seem attractive, even though it raises some questions about how appropriate it might be for investors.” End quote. Among the concerns for this type of bond are that the research into their credit-worthiness is often limited as well as the number of bonds that might fit the criterion for inclusion in this ETF. Nonetheless, it might appeal to those investors willing to assume somewhat greater risk for possible greater return on their fixed income portfolio, while still wanting it to be ESG-based. ------------------------------------------------------------- Will Ashworth, in an article titled, 7 Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy for Sunny Long-Term Returns, appearing on the Investorplace website, recommends some of the same stocks that have been covered here in previous episodes of this podcast. Here are the seven stocks he recommends, much abbreviated from his post, but using his words. Quote, “1) NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) Not only is NextEra Energy the world’s largest utility, it’s also the largest producer of wind and solar energy anywhere on the planet… [its] the company’s views on energy diversity that makes it an excellent long-term investment. 2) Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP). Brookfield announced that it had increased its ownership (with partners) of TerraForm Power (NASDAQ: TERP) from 51% to 65%… TerraForm Power generates 3,634 megawatts of solar and wind power around the globe… Brookfield Renewable worldwide has 843 renewable power facilities… capable of producing 16,300 megawatts of power annually… If you want to own more than renewable energy assets, you might consider Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) which owns 61% of BEP and is one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers. If I could only own one company’s stock, Brookfield Asset Management would be at the top of my list. 3) TransAlta Corporation (NYSE: TAC). It could be better for U.S. investors to choose TransAlta Corporation as one of the best renewable energy stocks to buy rather than its 64%-owned renewable energy subsidiary TransAlta Renewables (TSE: RNW), which trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange… [Then he says] if you’re an aggressive investor, I’d go with TransAlta Renewables. 4) Enviva (NYSE: EVA) Eviva is the world’s largest producer of wood pellets… The pellets themselves are sold to utilities in the U.K. and Europe that use them in place of coal to produce a cleaner electricity source… If you’re an income investor, Enviva is a very safe way to meet your annual income requirements. 5) Renewable Energy Group (NASDAQGS: REGI) Whenever you see one of those trucks sucking out the grease traps at a restaurant, it’s going to one of Renewable Energy’s 13 biomass refineries to be turned into diesel fuel… The demand for biodiesel is tremendous… I believe REGI has got room to move into the $30s on rising demand. 6) TPI Composites (NASDAQ: TPIC) TPI Composites is the largest independent manufacturer of composite wind blades for turbine manufacturers… Last year, it announced a joint development agreement with Navistar International (NYSE: NAV) to develop a composite tractor and frame rails for a Class 8 truck… With margins moving higher, the profits will follow. 7) Siemens (OTCMKTS: SIEGY) This last one gives you exposure to a global industrial player in Siemens which, amongst its many ventures, owns 59% of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (OTCMKTS: GCTAF), the world’s largest producer of wind turbines and one of the interesting renewable stocks to buy without going all-in on renewables.” End quote. Incidentally, Travis Hoium has published an article in the Motley Fool titled, Why Solar Energy Stocks Are Dropping Like a Rock but he soothes his reader's worries by saying, and I quote, that “Investors are afraid of solar energy right now, but the long-term prospects of the industry are improving.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Continuing on the subject of renewable power, Maxx Chatsko says that wind power trends in the US and around the world have gained a certain level of maturity, and now some new perspectives come into focus. In an article titled, 2 Trends in Wind Power That Investors Need to Know About in The Motley Fool, Mr. Chatsko says, that “The American wind power industry is barreling toward an important inflection point. The production tax credit (PTC), which provides a subsidy for each kilowatt-hour of electricity g enerated from wind farms… is about to be phased out… The phaseout makes sense… [and that] investors interested in renewable energy stocks can't overlook the significance of these two trends reshaping the wind power industry…” End quote. Mr. Chatsko’s says the two big new themes at play are the repowering – or replacement – of wind farms and the recycling of old turbines. Two companies he recommends concerning these trends are General Electric (NYSE: GE) for new turbines and Trex Company (NYSE: TREX) for recycling. ------------------------------------------------------------- For faith-based investors, America’s Inspire Investing has launched a new international ESG ETF with the name Inspire International ESG ETF (NYSEARCA: WWJD). Quoting Tom Lydon, of ETF Trends in an article he wrote titled, Inspire Investing Launches Faith-Based International ESG ETF, he says, that, “With an expense ratio of 0.80%, the Inspire International ESG ETF is a faith-based ESG ETF comprised of 150 biblically aligned large-cap companies outside of the United States, as measured by Inspire’s revolutionary Inspire Impact Score methodology, which measures a company’s positive impact on the world… The new WWJD is comprised of 80% developed markets companies and 20% emerging markets stocks.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally and help create a better world for us all. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else related. Now, a big thank you for listening. Come again! And my next podcast is scheduled for October 25. See you then. Bye for now. © 2019 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

New US Vegan Climate ETF. It’s pros and cons. Has good debut on the NYSE. Current top renewable energy stocks. Best six stocks for millennials according to Zacks' analyst. Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management purported key holdings. The DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial offers simple way to create a stock portfolio reflecting your values! More PODCAST: First Vegan Fund, Renewable Energy Stocks, and more… Transcript & Links September 13, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for September 13, 2019—presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Investment ideas in these podcasts are generally gleaned from market participants in the US, Canadian, UK, European, Asian and Australasian financial markets. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Also, you can find a full transcript, live links to content, and often bonus material to these podcasts at their episodes’ podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now to this podcast! ------------------------------------------------------------- Well, the US Vegan Climate ETF (VEGN: N) finally debuted on the NYSE on September 10. First days trading saw ok action hovering around its initial price of $25 a share. On September 13 it was still hovering about that price. What disappoints many vegan-vegetarian investors is that the ETF doesn’t appear much different from regular mainstream big-cap ETFs. However, as the promoters of this ETF point out that there are few pure vegan-vegetarian stock plays and the ones that are out there are small. Also, to get a well-rounded stock ETF, it had to include big cap S&P 500 stocks. Also, because of its structure, I suspect its returns could be similar, or hopefully even a little better, than S&P 500 ETFs generally. For a good overview of this ETF see Brenton Garen’s post, Vegan ETF ‘VEGN’ Debuts on NYSE, on ETF Trends. Quoting Mr. Garen’s post, “Appearing on Fox Business Network’s Varney & Co. on Tuesday, Beyond Investing CEO Claire Smith discussed the fund with host Stuart Varney, [saying that] ‘We are taking out about 43% of the S&P 500,’ Smith said. ‘We are adding in some of the mid-caps that are more forward-thinking like Beyond Meat (BYND) and Tesla (TSLA), in order to make up some of the differentials in order to compensate for the things we are taking out. [And, generally,] the Beyond Investing US Vegan Climate Index is a passive, rules-based index of U.S. large-cap stocks, screened according to vegan and climate-conscious principles.” End quote. By the way, if, as an investor with closely held personal values, you feel uncomfortable with this and other fund options out there, there is another simple way to invest while more closely aligning your investments with your values. Check-out my one-hour DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial. Go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and look down the right-hand sidebar for the link. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, I often reference The Motley Fool as that site has some great contributors writing about ESG stocks, and again I want to draw to your attention some of their research. Appearing under the title, 3 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now, three Motley Fool contributors review their picks. However, I’ll only quote two here as the third pick was already covered on my August 16 podcast – where Travis Hoium picked SunPower. His two colleagues made new choices in addition to the ones they chose that appeared in my August 16 post. Rich Smith picked TPI Composites (TPIC: NASDAQ) and John Bromels chose TerraForm Power (TERP: NASDAQ). Rich Smith commenting on TPI Composites said, “Shares of windmill blade-maker TPI Composites crashed hard in August after the company reported an earnings beat -- but also made a big reduction in its guidance. With roughly 40% of its production lines for windmill blades either still spinning up, or in the process of being retooled to produce new models, TPI's currently operating 30% under full capacity. [However], from a loss this year, analysts forecast TPI will grow to earn more than $4 a share in just three short years… [and that] TPI Composites stock won't stay this cheap for long,” He says, end quote. John Bromels has this to say about his choice, TerraForm Power. Quote, “[TerraForm Power] is a green energy stock that pays a dividend! Most renewable stocks… are too young and focused on growth (or just too cash-poor) to swing a dividend. But a handful of them -- mostly renewable yieldcos -- do offer dividends, and TerraForm Power's is one of the best, currently yielding about 4.6%... TerraForm looks like a buy for dividend investors and green energy fans alike.” Incidentally, Wikipedia’s definition of a yieldco ‘is a company that is formed to own operating assets that produce a predictable cash flow, primarily through long term contracts.’ ------------------------------------------------------------- Another Motley Fool contributor, Maxx Chatsko, wrote a related post, titled, 2 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy in Wind Power. He likes, NextEra Energy (NEE: N) and Xcel Energy (XEL: NASDAQ), saying that they have a combined 25% of the installed wind power capacity in the United States. Elaborating on these companies, he says, that, “NextEra Energy generated more electricity from the wind and sun than any other company in the world in 2018.” And, that, “Xcel Energy doesn't directly own nearly as much wind power infrastructure as NEE, but it leans on a mix of power purchase agreements (PPA) and direct ownership to support 9,300 megawatts of installed wind power capacity. It plans to increase that to 11,100 megawatts by the end of 2021.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, it’s becoming well known that millennials are eager for ethical and sustainable stocks. Addressing that issue, Awantika Poddar of Zacks wrote a piece titled, Top-Ranked Stocks Suitable for Millennials: 6 Picks – article also appearing on Yahoo! Finance. Though its recommendations are for millennials – I don’t see why many of them wouldn’t be applicable to most investors. So, here are the six recommendations of Ms. Poddar. She writes: “1) Keysight Technologies (KEYS: N) sports a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has returned 54.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 10%. 2) Anixter International (AXE: N) flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 10.7% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 8%. 3) Cirrus Logic (CRUS: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 60.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 15%. 4) Symantec Corporation (SYMC: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has surged 23.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 6.9%. 5) Microsoft (MSFT: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has appreciated 35.3% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 11%.” And finally, “6) Alphabet (GOOGL: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #2 and Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 13.1% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 17.5%.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- One of the great heroes of sustainable investing is Al Gore, the former US Democratic Party presidential candidate. He helped create Generation Investment Management, an investment firm to invest in sustainable companies. Well, Ryan Vanzo posted an articled on GuruFocus titled, Al Gore Loves These 3 Stocks. The three stocks that Al Gore purportedly likes are, quoting Mr. Vanzo’s post: “Jones Lang LaSalle Inc (JLL: N) [which] comprises 4.1% of Generation’s portfolio, but [is] more than 14% of the shares outstanding. Generation’s stake is worth nearly $600 million. Jones Lang LaSalle is a U.S.-based commercial real estate services firm… The stock trades at just 11.3 times forward earnings… [and] looks like a reasonably priced stock with a large moat.” End quote. The second pick is, Acuity Brands Inc. (AYI: N), Quote, “Acuity Brands comprises 3.2% of Generation’s portfolio, but the firm owns roughly 8% of the entire company. Generation’s stake is worth around $460 million. Acuity is a lighting and building management firm. It’s based in the U.S. but has operations throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The stock trades at just 12.9 times forward earnings yet consensus estimates call for a 10.67% long-term annual earnings per share growth rate. This could be a bargain if growth estimates become reality.” End quote. The third pick is, Nutanix Inc (NTNX: NASDAQ). Quote, “Nutanix is a new holding for Generation, currently comprising 2.6% of the portfolio. The stock is down 42% on the year, so don’t be surprised if the firm adds to its position if the valuation continues to fall. Generation now owns 7.7% of the company. That’s a $375 million position, nearly 10 times the daily trading volume. Nutanix is a cloud computing software company that sells ‘hyper-converged infrastructure appliances and software-defined storage.’ Over the last five years, revenues have grown by an astounding 57% per year. Year-over-year, however, sales growth has slowed to just 7%. That’s caused a steep sell-off in shares. Part of the issue seems to be a misunderstood pivot to subscription and SaaS [software as a service] revenue streams… Revenue growth slows as customers are transitioned to the cloud, but long-term retention and profitability may rise. Generation seems to be capitalizing on the temporary confusion.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally and help create a better world for us all. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else related. Now, a big thank you for listening. Come again! And my next podcast is scheduled for September 27. See you then. Bye for now. © 2019 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

 A Remarkable Corporate Turnaround: The “Take-Private” of Talen Energy with CEO Ralph Alexander and CFO Alex Hernandez A CEO’s Virtual Mentor® Episode 22  Welcome to Episode 22 and May 2019, which marks Lyceum’s three-year anniversary of publishing A CEO's Virtual Mentor®. Today I'm joined by Talen Energy’s CEO, Ralph Alexander, and CFO, Alex Hernandez. We'll be discussing the remarkable turnaround of Talen Energy that Ralph and Alex have been leading. Talen Energy in its privately-held form today is unique and its evolution to its current state illustrates the range of leadership approaches available for a company in a “take-private” setting. There's a definite before, middle, and beyond to the take private transformation. Talen is still in the early stage of the “beyond” era. The red-letter date of the take-private was December 6th, 2016.  And to set context, we have to back up a little bit.  About a year and a half before the take-private, Talen Energy was formed when Pennsylvania Power & Light, or PPL, spun off their power generation assets and combined them with those belonging to private equity group Riverstone. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1st, 2015, with initial ownership being 65% PPL and 35% Riverstone. That company, which Ralph and Alex refer to as “Talen 1.0,” had about 15,000 megawatts of capacity split across fuel sources, with about 43% from natural gas, 40% from coal, and 15% from nuclear (from the company’s one nuclear facility, Susquehanna). Those assets sold into two major wholesale markets in ERCOT and PJM, plus a small amount in New England. Talen generated a proforma of $4.3 billion in 2014 revenues. On December 6th, 2016, Riverstone purchased the remaining 65% of Talen, making Talen a privately-held company, and appointed Ralph and Alex to lead the company. They faced the massive task of sorting out what the company had and planning what they would do with it.  Our interview covers a lot of ground and addresses an array of business leadership questions, including: What are the expectations and requirements that a private equity owner has for a company and a management team? What historical decisions prior to new ownership of a company led to lackluster performance? What were the strategic views embedded in the private equity investor’s thesis about a company? Why invest more deeply in a company that is suffering from lackluster performance? Can new management and their decisions have a marked impact? How does a new leader ferry the costs out of and efficiencies into a business after acquisition? Does private ownership provide benefits for a company? What does a productive, strategic partnership between a CEO and a CFO look like? What is the role of a “strategic” CFO? Is good leadership universal? Is a management team and its profitable approach transportable to other sectors?  We would like to express our special thanks to the clients of Lyceum Leadership Consulting that enable us to bring you this podcast.  Thanks for listening.  We can’t improve without your feedback – write us through our website www.LeadershipLyceum.com and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.    Informative and Helpful Links Talen Energy's Website - https://www.talenenergy.com/ Riverstone's Website - https://www.riverstonellc.com/ Economic dispatch of power generation resources explained by the EIA - https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=7590   Program Guide Episode 22 A Remarkable Corporate Turnaround: The “Take-Private” of Talen Energy with CEO Ralph Alexander and CFO Alex Hernandez  0:00     Introduction to Talen Energy and CEO Ralph Alexander and CFO Alex Hernandez 4:00     Expectations and requirements that Riverstone had for the company and the management team. 7:11     Historical decisions prior to new ownership of the company that led to lackluster performance. 9:17     Break 1 9:35     Why invest more deeply in a company that is suffering from lackluster performance?  Can new management and their decisions have a marked impact? 12:32   How does a leader lead the costs out and the efficiencies into the business through others? 20:11   Break 2 20:30   Does private ownership provide benefits for a company? 26:04   Break 3 26:32   What does a productive, strategic partnership between a CEO and a CFO look like? 30:24   What is the role of a “strategic” CFO? 34:29   Break 4 34:49   What is the next chapter for Talen Energy? 39:00   Break 5 39:24   Is good leadership universal? Is a management team and its approach profitability transportable to other sectors? 44:52   Closing comments and coming attractions   Biographies of Guests Mr. Ralph Alexander Ralph Alexander was appointed President and CEO of Talen Energy on December 6, 2016. He was previously a Partner with Riverstone Holdings, LLC. For nearly 25 years, Mr. Alexander served in various positions with subsidiaries and affiliates of BP plc, one of the world's largest oil and gas companies. From June 2004 until December 2006, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Innovene, BP's $20 billion olefins and derivatives subsidiary. From 2001 until June 2004, he served as Chief Executive Officer of BP's Gas, Power and Renewables, and Solar segment and was a member of the BP Group Executive Committee. Prior to that, Mr. Alexander served as a Group Vice President in BP's Exploration and Production segment and BP's Refinery and Marketing segment. He held responsibilities for various regions of the world, including North America, Russia, the Caspian, Africa, and Latin America. Prior to these positions, Mr. Alexander held various positions in the upstream, downstream, and finance groups of BP. Mr. Alexander currently serves on the boards of Enviva Partners, LP, Talen Energy Corporation, and CHI St. Luke’s Health. He has previously served on the boards of Foster Wheeler, Stein Mart, Inc., Amyris, and Anglo-American plc. In addition, Mr. Alexander is currently Chairman Emeritus of the Board of NYU School of Engineering and a Trustee for New York University. He received an M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Brooklyn Polytech (now NYU School of Engineering - Polytechnic) and holds an M.S. in Management Science from Stanford University.   Mr. Alejandro (Alex) Hernandez Alex Hernandez was appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Talen Energy on December 6, 2016. Before that appointment, Mr. Hernandez was a Senior Advisor at Riverstone Holdings, LLC, where he focused on the power sector and on the acquisition of Talen Energy. ​Prior to joining Riverstone, Mr. Hernandez was CFO of Terraform Power until November 2015. Mr. Hernandez was formerly Managing Director in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs, with a primary focus on coverage of North American companies in the merchant power, utilities, and renewable energy sectors, providing strategic and capital markets advice to management teams and boards of directors. ​Mr. Hernandez currently serves as a Roundtable member of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. Mr. Hernandez received a B.A. in Economics from Rice University, a B.S.C. from the London School of Economics, and an MBA from Columbia University. Your host Thomas B. Linquist is the Founder and Managing Partner of Lyceum Leadership Consulting and Lyceum Leadership Productions. Over his 14 years in management and leadership consulting he has served a wide array of industrial clients.  This includes leadership assessment and search for chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief operating officers and boards of directors.  He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and over his 28-year career has served in a variety of roles: as an engineer with Shell Oil Company, a banker with ABN AMRO Bank, and as treasurer was the youngest corporate officer in the 150+ year history at Peoples Energy Company in Chicago.  He is an expert on hiring and promotion decisions and leadership development.  Over the course of his search career, he has interviewed thousands of leaders.  Thanks for listening.  We can’t improve without your feedback – write us through our website www.LeadershipLyceum.com and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.  Please rate us and spread the word among your fellow executives and board colleagues.   Program Disclaimer The only purpose of the podcast is to educate, inform and entertain. The information shared is based on the collection of experiences of each of the guests interviewed and should not be considered or substituted for professional advice. Guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, experience and conclusions, and neither The Leadership Lyceum LLC nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular content, recommendation or methodology discussed in this podcast. Follow Leadership Lyceum on: Our website: www.LeadershipLyceum.com LinkedIn: The Leadership Lyceum LLC Twitter: @LeaderLyceum https://twitter.com/LeaderLyceum Email us: info@LeadershipLyceum.com Thanks for listening.  We can’t improve without your feedback – write us through our website www.LeadershipLyceum.com and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.  Please rate us and spread the word among your fellow executives and board colleagues.  This podcast Leadership Lyceum: A CEO’s Virtual Mentor has been a production of The Leadership Lyceum LLC. Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.

After a lenghty consolidation, this 2014 IPO is looking to enter Stage 2. $terp $study

Today we're speaking with Greg Wetstone, the President and CEO of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE). ACORE is a national nonprofit focused on how finance, policy, and technology accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy. Throughout his career, Greg's demonstrated leadership in this sector both in the private and public sector. Prior to joining ACORE, he served as the Vice President of Terraform Power, a renewable energy company as well as working at the American Wind Energy Association and with the National Resources Defense Council. In our conversation, we discuss what's happening in the federal policy space to help drive generation We also examine what's happening with commercial customers that's helping to drive demand for renewable energy in a way that we've never seen before. You should definitely check out ACORE's Renewable Energy Finance Forum Wall Street, which is June 19th-20th in New York City. You can find more information at ACORE.org. Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_

ControlTalk Now: The Smart Building Podcast October 12, 2014 is sponsored by Contemporary Controls, nominated for 6 ControlTrends Awards. Contemporary Controls is your ideal automation partner for applying ARCNET®, BACnet®, Controller Area Network, Ethernet, Modbus®, Niagara Framework®, and Sedona Framework technologies to your automation project. Farewell and Happy Retirement to Pat Marley: Pat Marley recently ended his 24 year career with Stromquist Company and started on a new journey called retirement. Pat worked in our Orlando branch and was indeed a tremendous asset to our team. We will greatly miss having him as part of our Stromquist family, and we wish him much happiness and fulfillment in the future years. Cheers Pat! Enjoy the next phase! Where is Google Nest Going? Google Invests $145 Million in 82-MW SunEdison Project! Funds Over $1.5 Billion in Renewable Energy in Three Continents! SunEdison and TerraForm Power announced that Google will provide $145 million in equity financing for the Regulus photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in Kern County, California. Mike Welch and The Niagara Dali Lighting Solution: Mike Welch of Control Network Solutions is excited about DALI’s future, literally, and not just about DALI’s integration of low-hanging light-fruit, but the future-proof solutions DALI offers building owners. Mike’s article “How to Avoid Stranded Investments in Intelligent Buildings” explains in great detail, that DALI is a converged solution and as changes are made within the building space, control over the DALI lighting remains absolute. BELIMO Americas — Communication Update! BELIMO Americas’ headquarters has moved to its new facility located at 33 Turner Road, Danbury, Connecticut. The move has gone as planned and we are fully operational again. Contact Marialisa Aversano, Customer Service Manager, to expedite your orders and shipment(s). Belimo truly appreciates your continued business and support! October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Excerpt from Automated Buildings, October, 2014 Edition. Article written by Marc Petock, Vice President, Marketing, Lynxspring & Connexx Energy. Go to LynxSpring CyberPro Newsroom for the latest cyber security information. ControlTrends People: Dan Flaherty from Johnson Controls, stopped by last week. Hear what Dan has to say about recent Johnson Controls acquisitions, the 2014 ControlTrends Awards, and the 2015 Johnson Controls ABCS Conference, to be held in Orlando, FL, where the country’s top JCI distributors and contractors will attend. Stay tuned for more information! Alpert Üzmezler: What is New at BASSG Graphics? ControlTrends had a chance to catch up with Alpert Üzmezler, the Managing Partner at BAS Services and Graphics. The very talented Alpert gave us a demo of his new look and feel visualization software and showed us some very cool looking thermostats. Founded in 2004, BASSG has been an innovator in Building Automation Technology and BAS Analytics delivery that reduce implementation and facility management energy costs. Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy: Building America Program. Dear Building America colleague: The October 2014 issue of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Update newsletter is now available! Read the full October issue for the latest news and information from Building America. Learn more about the Building America program and receive measure guidelines, case studies for new and existing homes and technologies, and more!. Please forward this notice to interested colleagues. Realcomm’s Jim Young asks Cisco’s Rick Huijbregts, “Are You Back?” Cisco’s venture into the building space with the Mediator came and went — leaving a lot of unanswered questions behind. In response to Jim Young’s first question, “Is Cisco Back?” Rick Huijbregts, VP, Industry Transformation and General Manager, IoE Smart + Connected Communities at Cisco Canada, answers, “Yes,” and that “Cisco is here to stay,” as he reviewed Cisco’s past, present, and future positions — and reminded everybody that Cisco enters billion dollar opportunities quickly, as they did in the telephony, video, and data center markets. The post ControlTalk Now: The Smart Building Podcast October 12, 2014 appeared first on ControlTrends.