Energy Impact

Ep 117: Vanessa Chan - Chief Commercialization Officer and Director, Office of Technology Transitions, U.S. Department of Energy

July 11, 2024 19:28 - 51 minutes - 71.1 MB

1. Vanessa’s move to the United States and her early interests in the STEM field, as well as the passion for creation that eventually led to Vanessa being a seller on QVC 2. How Vanessa was introduced to the Department of Energy and began her career there 3. A deep dive into the work of the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) and the mission behind it all 4. Innovative things the OTT has done to speed up commercialization, investing in clean energy, and the sometimes missing link th...

Ep 116: Amy Harder - Executive Editor, Cipher

June 21, 2024 18:30 - 38 minutes - 53 MB

1. Amy’s upbringing on a cattle ranch in eastern Washington State and how this developed her understanding of energy and climate change, as well as how her interest in journalism first developed 2. What Cipher is, when it was founded, and the problem it’s trying to solve 3. What Amy thinks about the state of AI as a tool or supplement for clean technologies 4. The misconceptions within the energy transition debate that stand out to Amy, specifically the questions that need to be furthe...

Ep 115: Paul Ellis - Sustainable Finance Consultant and Host, The Sustainable Finance Podcast

June 13, 2024 12:45 - 37 minutes - 51.1 MB

1. Sustainable investing in the early 2000’s and what drew Paul to the space early in its growth 2. The challenges investors are looking to solve when it comes to sustainable investing 3. A deep dive into The Sustainable Finance Podcast 4. The guests Paul enjoys speaking to on the podcast, as well as how the younger generation will positively impact the importance of sustainability as a whole

Ep 114: Bryan Walsh - Editor, Future Perfect, Vox Media

June 05, 2024 19:25 - 38 minutes - 52.6 MB

1. How Bryan’s love of reading and writing translated into interests in global health, the future, and international news coverage relating to climate and energy 2. The tension between the need for reducing carbon emissions and increasing electricity demand 3. Bryan’s book and what motivated him to write it, as well as what the piece covers 4. A discussion of civilian nuclear energy and what the future might hold in regards to development

Ep 113: Jacqueline Novogratz - Founder and CEO, Acumen

May 28, 2024 21:08 - 52 minutes - 72.5 MB

1. Jacqueline’s background, an abundance of travel, and how it all lead her to a career in impact investing 2. What drove Jacqueline to begin her work tackling poverty and the first projects she chose to begin in this new space of impact investing 3. Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach initiative and what it focuses on 4. The future of investing in clean energy projects and key investment trends we might see in the coming years

Ep 112: Kate Gordon - CEO and Fmr. Sr. Advisor to the U.S. Sec. of Energy, California Forward

May 22, 2024 17:54 - 50 minutes - 68.7 MB

1. Kate’s background of many moves, tenant law, and an interest in clean energy conversations both domestically and internationally 2. How Kate ended up in the ground floor of the Apollo Alliance, the first green jobs organization in the United States 3. Kate’s transition from Apollo to the United States Department of Energy and how her experience with labor in the green transition flowed between the two 4. Working with Secretary Granholm, as well as some future-facing conversations su...

Ep 111: Leo Banchik - Director, Voyager Ventures

May 07, 2024 20:30 - 56 minutes - 76.9 MB

1. What motivated Leo to make a difference and become interested in clean energy technology 2. A deep dive into the many different types of carbon removal 3. Voyager’s investment thesis and how it resonates with Leo 4. The constantly evolving technologies of the energy transition and what we might see from them in the future

Ep 110: Michael Terrell - Senior Director for Energy and Climate, Google

April 30, 2024 14:16 - 41 minutes - 56.8 MB

1. What drew Michael into Google and the early iterations of renewable energy 2. Google’s leadership in the energy procurement realm 3. What Michael has learned about driving innovation over the years and some valuable lessons for problem-solving 4. Taking a look at advanced technology and what the future holds for energy generation

Ep 109: Charlie Donovan - Senior Economic Advisor, Impax Asset Management

April 04, 2024 15:34 - 51 minutes - 71.3 MB

1. Why everyone should care about and be invested in energy and the progression of the energy industry 2. How the energy transition may fundamentally change the industry and how this intersects with finance 3. The ways in which interest in the sustainable finance space has increased exponentially in the past decade 4. How communities will interact with new forms of clean energy being deployed and what the future holds for this form of progression

Ep 108: Zainab Gilani - Research Associate, Energy & Power, Cleantech Group

March 18, 2024 18:03 - 43 minutes - 60.3 MB

1. Zainab’s background in Physics and English and how all roads eventually led back to Energy and Power 2. How important lower costs are to various energy industries and the common challenge of supply chain 3. Investment trends in the clean energy space and the kind of research the Cleantech Group completes 4. Hopes for the future of the energy transition and how large-scale vs. small-scale companies might handle the change

Ep 107: Clay Dumas - General Partner, Lowercarbon Capital

February 29, 2024 21:23 - 46 minutes - 63.8 MB

1. An important lesson Clay learned early in his career about destinations and opportunities 2. A deep dive into Lowercase and Lowercarbon Capital 3. The idea of improving existing processes versus fundamental breakthroughs in the issue of climate change 4. A debate on the future of the energy transition and different paths to tackling climate change

Ep 106: Neal Dikeman - Partner, Energy Transition Ventures

January 30, 2024 22:15 - 1 hour - 91.2 MB

1. Neal Dikeman’s early career and his experience running for the U.S. Senate 2. How Neal made his way into the energy space 3. A deep dive into Energy Transition Ventures and the state of the energy landscape 4. Neal’s vision for the future and what Energy Transition Ventures is currently working on, as well as what we might see in the near future

Ep 105: Brandon Hurlbut - Co-Founder, Boundary Stone Partners

January 16, 2024 18:07 - 43 minutes - 59.8 MB

1. How Brandon made his way to Washington, D.C. and what landed him in the White House and the Department of Energy 2. The driving force behind Boundary Stone Partners and its initial goals and vision 3. The international client landscape and how Boundary Stone’s business model differentiates itself from other companies 4. The hurdles we might face in terms of the energy transition, what's new with battery storage, and what’s next for Boundary Stone Partners and Overture VC in 2024

Ep 104: Mark Lewis - Managing Director, Lime Rock New Energy

January 02, 2024 16:12 - 48 minutes - 66.1 MB

1. Mark’s interests in energy, business, and finance and how his time at GE sparked a long-time passion for energy transition work 2. How an idea turned into what is now Lime Rock New Energy 3. The three big areas of Lime Rock’s focus: Grid modernization, energy efficiency for the industry, and decarbonization of transportation 4. Carbon Enterprise Value, Lime Rock’s investments, and a look toward the future

Ep 103: Jeanette Pablo - Director, Climate Equity Initiative, Clean Air Task Force

December 06, 2023 15:06 - 57 minutes - 79.4 MB

1. Jeanette’s interest in history, her time at Mother Jones, getting a degree in law, and how it all led to her early career in energy 2. The start of PNM’s Washington D.C. office and the state of climate law in the early 2000’s 3. Jeanette’s road to the Clean Air Task Force and the development of environmental justice resources 4. Climate change vs. sustainability, as well as the work we will see from Jeanette and the Clean Air Task Force in the future

Ep 102: Matt McGraw - Managing Partner, Anthropocene Ventures

November 21, 2023 18:29 - 1 hour - 87.8 MB

1. A monumental move to San Francisco and how it led Matt to computers and engineering 2. Matt’s story of founding companies, trying new things, and meeting interesting people in different industries 3. A discussion of pre-seed deep tech, the boom of investment, and what the technology industry is looking like in 2023, as well as Anthropocene Ventures 4. The universal truth about what it’s like to start a company and some words of advice for what’s important during the process

Ep 101: Collin McLelland - Co-Founder and CEO, Digital Wildcatters

November 07, 2023 18:38 - 45 minutes - 62.7 MB

1. How drilling oil rigs in West Texas jumpstarted Collin’s interest and career in energy 2. The mission of connecting people from different industries, starting podcasts, and Collin’s determination to start a company 3. Everything Digital Wildcatters and how they’re working towards a goal of creating a vertically integrated professional network for energy professionals 4. Breaking the barriers of professionalism to create relationships, as well as a discussion of various forms of energy

Ep 100: Michael Crabb - Senior Vice President, Commercial, Last Energy

October 18, 2023 18:29 - 50 minutes - 69.4 MB

1. Michael’s upbringing in Nebraska, his early architectural engineering career interests, and how his career trajectory completely changed before his senior year of college 2. A leap into the private equity world and the first work product Michael recalls being proud of 3. Understanding risk and reward as it relates to investing on behalf of others and seeking opportunities 4. Michael’s move to Washington, D.C., learnings in his current role, and what’s on the horizon for his current ...

Ep 99: Aparna Shrivastava - Deputy Chief Climate Officer, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation

September 12, 2023 19:10 - 45 minutes - 62.5 MB

1. Aparna’s childhood in the wilderness of Oregon, her interest in working on cars, and some of the philosophies that guide her work 2. A dive into Aparna’s time abroad - Why recognizing privilege, power and bias is important 3. Aparna’s journey to working as Deputy Chief Climate Officer for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation 4. An exploration of the DFC as a whole and its unique values

Ep 98: Josh Posamentier - Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Congruent Ventures

August 14, 2023 19:20 - 47 minutes - 65.8 MB

1. Josh’s foray into West Coast living, physics, semiconductors, and more 2. How Josh got into energy and where the industry has led him in his career so far 3. A dive into Congruent Ventures and how they stand out in a growing universe of funds 4. Who Congruent Ventures partners with, how they help, and who makes up the Congruent team

Ep 97: Jason Cheng - Founder and CEO, CelerateX

August 07, 2023 14:23 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MB

1. Jason’s path from economics to investment banking and hostile takeovers, as well as how these career jumps shaped his trajectory at a young age 2. The formation of CelerateX and the process and evolution behind it all 3. Diving deeper into CelerateX, Jason discusses investing, industry, and identification of platforms 4. An area of investment Jason is excited about and what makes CelerateX stand out as a capital provider

Ep 96: Mike Lin - General Partner, Dangerous Ventures

July 19, 2023 20:12 - 55 minutes - 76.3 MB

1. Mike’s early fascination with science and how it lead him to Stanford, working in technology, the startup world, investing, and more 2. Working at Apple and how moving on transformed the rest of Mike’s career 3. How Mike landed in energy and what energy and energy needs look like around the world 4. The transition from operator to investor, as well as an exploration of all things Dangerous Ventures

Ep 95: Michelle Patron - Senior Director, Sustainability Policy, Microsoft

July 11, 2023 14:39 - 45 minutes - 63 MB

1. Michelle’s impressive background, two important catalysts, and the start of her journey in policy and sustainability 2. Microsoft’s history and the beginning of a path to decarbonization 3. How public and private sector solutions to decarbonization interact - Microsoft’s process and how it compares to the U.S. Government 4. Microsoft’s net zero initiatives, carbon reporting, and sustainability accounting, as well as what the future might look like

Ep 94: Josh Haacker - Chief Investment Officer, Climate Investment

June 23, 2023 17:42 - 48 minutes - 66.4 MB

1. Josh’s background in chemical engineering and how it led him to his current role at Climate Investment 2. How Josh made his way into one of the only dedicated funds thinking about clean energy, as well as how this space has evolved since the mid-2000’s 3. The start of Climate Investment, its mission and vision, and the next stage of the platform’s growth 4. How the Climate Investment team is structured, source investments, LPs, and a quick message about the future

Ep 93: Tim Dunn - Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Terra Alpha Investments

June 14, 2023 19:59 - 49 minutes - 67.6 MB

1. Tim’s upbringing Washington, D.C. and his path to business school and eventually finance 2. A dive into public equities and what it’s like to work as a Portfolio Manager for large funds 3. Tim’s turn to nonprofit environmental organizations and the creation of Terra Alpha 4. A discussion of Terra Alpha’s mission and original thesis, portfolio allocation, consumer behavior, and Terra Alpha’s commitment to net zero

Ep 92: Tony Rooke - Executive Director and Head of Transition Finance, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero

June 06, 2023 18:18 - 54 minutes - 74.5 MB

1. Tony’s upbringing in London and his journey into the world of physics, particle accelerators, and his first job in programming satellite control systems 2. How energy efficiency and carbon reduction work led Tony into incredibly interesting projects, such as working on the first and largest smart grid program in the UK 3. Tony’s work with GFANZ and how discussions of climate change have evolved throughout the years 4. Turning conversations surrounding retiring coal plants into reali...

Ep 91: Evelyn Wang - Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy

May 22, 2023 19:50 - 46 minutes - 63.4 MB

1. What sparked Director Wang’s interests in science and technology and how she got into the energy field 2. How innovation, discoveries, and ideas turn into real world applications 3. Examples of programs that have made the full journey from research and development to the commercial space 4. How ARPA-E encourages innovators and program directors to ponder potential policy and regulatory challenges, as well as some of ARPA-E’s goals

Ep 90: Joel Makower - Chairman and Co-Founder, GreenBiz Group

May 15, 2023 18:36 - 49 minutes - 67.5 MB

1. How Joel found his way to his current vocation and the background that led him there 2. The story of how GreenBiz came to be and the keys to creating successful professional events, as well as the learning environment they help to foster 3. The expansive topic of trust and its relation to corporations, their leaders, and the sustainability narrative 4. The positive tipping points of climate change and how we get there - What’s in need of the biggest nudge forward

Ep 89: Lissie Garvin - Foundation and Fellowship Program Director, 776 Foundation

May 09, 2023 13:27 - 31 minutes - 43.8 MB

1. How the 776 Fellowship Program came to be and Lissie’s journey to her current position as Foundation and Fellowship Director 2. A highlight of the first cohort of fellows and the impressive companies they’ve started 3. The process of choosing fellows and a glimpse into where they might take their companies and visions in the future 4. How Gen Z is impacting the road to net zero already, and how they might continue this trend in coming years

Ep 88: Sheri Givens - President and CEO, Smart Electric Power Alliance

May 05, 2023 13:32 - 31 minutes - 43.9 MB

1. Sheri’s unique background and her fascinating journey from legislation to energy 2. How SEPA works to facilitate dialog and provide their members with honest information in the spirit of collaboration 3. The ways in which SEPA collaborates with the government and complements their efforts 4. SEPA’s mission to achieve equity in the carbon free transition and the projects which support this goal

Ep 87: Brynne Kennedy - Managing Partner and Co-Founder, BCP Ventures

April 27, 2023 17:20 - 46 minutes - 64.2 MB

1. How gymnastics, liberal arts and financial analysis coalesced in the early days of Brynne’s path to BCP Ventures 2. Brynne’s founding of Topia and what it taught her, as well as her time as a 2020 Nominee for US Congress 3. A look at a few of the innovative companies BCP Ventures is currently working with 4. A summary of BCP’s thesis and how their vision is leading them into the future

Ep 86: Robert Höglund - Climate Advisor, Marginal Carbon

April 21, 2023 15:37 - 39 minutes - 53.7 MB

1. Robert’s background in communications and his motivations of problem solving and bringing about impact in the world 2. Why carbon removal is important for the broader goal of net zero 3. How voluntary first movers can make an impact in the catalyzing of new climate technologies 4. Robert’s belief in the “abundance agenda” of building great amounts of fossil-free power as fast as possible, and what this could mean for the transition to net zero

Ep 85: Ben Baker - Managing Director, Greenbacker Capital

April 21, 2023 15:27 - 40 minutes - 55.2 MB

1. Ben’s transition from liberal arts and how learning to communicate with all kinds of people helped him evolve into his current role at Greenbacker Capital 2. A choice to go back into work with renewables and how development turns into investable assets 3. A deep dive into Greenbacker’s mission and what this vision has to do with developing sustainable infrastructure 4. Ben’s two predictions for where things are headed in the renewable space

Ep 84: Tom Thackray - Programme Director for Decarbonisation, Confederation of British Industry

April 11, 2023 15:02 - 46 minutes - 63.9 MB

1. Tom’s longtime interest in politics and how it led him to the Confederation of British Industry, as well as what CBI is all about 2. What success and progress looks like through the lens of CBI 3. How the European energy crisis is currently playing a role in the energy sector, supply, and consumer opinions 4. Tom’s outlook on where the energy sector has positively progressed in the last five years

Ep 83: Guy Newey - CEO, Energy Systems Catapult

April 11, 2023 13:46 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MB

1. Guy’s journey to the clean energy space - The pathway from crime-focused journalism to Energy Systems Catapult 2. The success of renewable energy systems and the next wave of challenges that may come along with them 3. A deep dive into the recent success of Energy Systems Catapult and what they’ve been up to for the past five years 4. How to encourage consumers to join the movement to net zero

Ep 82: Rachel Kropa - Managing Director, FootPrint Coalition

April 04, 2023 16:38 - 49 minutes - 67.5 MB

Rachel’s varied background in biochemistry, entertainment and working with environmental nonprofits, as well as how it all came together in her current role The need to address climate change on a global scale, as well as the communication and realizations that come along with this need An exploration of Rachel’s work with early-career researchers The next steps for the FootPrint Coalition - How science and business coalesce

Ep 81: Lily Frencham - CEO, The Association for Decentralised Energy

March 27, 2023 13:36 - 59 minutes - 81.9 MB

1. What peaked Lily’s interest in energy and climate change and how her background in communications and law eventually led her to Rarotonga and beyond 2. Lily’s arrival in London, living under the stairs, and her start at Ofgem 3. A deep dive into the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) and whether or not consumers have a choice in where their energy comes from 4. How communications, social media and technology can play a massive role in the energy sector

Ep 80: DJ Nordquist - Executive Vice President, Economic Innovation Group

March 13, 2023 15:34 - 44 minutes - 61 MB

DJ's impressive and varied background in the political, energy, and economic spaces, among others A deep dive into DJ's time as the US Executive Director of The World Bank group, as well as some of her many Board Member and Advisor positions A discussion of the progression of green energy and how energy is being developed and handled in varying countries A quick discussion of nuclear energy and DJ's recent piece, "The World Needs More Nuclear Power," for Foreign Affairs

Ep 79: Stephen Lacey - Co-Founder and Executive Editor, Post Script Media

March 07, 2023 13:58 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MB

1. The trip to a nuclear power plant that spurred Stephen’s interest in the energy transition, as well as his outlook on curiosity, evaluating solutions and storytelling 2. Stephen’s early career reporting on renewable energy sources and how he started a podcast in the early year of 2006, which made it one among thousands instead of millions 3. A deep dive into renewables and current climate technology, as well as some tips for public speaking and communication 4. Some tough (and inter...

Ep 78: Sameer Reddy - Managing Partner, Venture, Energy Impact Partners

March 03, 2023 13:47 - 43 minutes - 59.1 MB

1. Sameer’s background, growing up in Gainesville, Florida, and how childhood trips to India shaped his outlook on energy and environment 2. The varying paths of breaking into venture and how sitting in on utility board conversations developed Sameer’s energy understanding 3. The importance of harnessing the corporate ecosystem to help companies scale 4. Energy Impact Partners’ exciting launch of the “Elevate Fund”

Ep 77: Maud Texier - Head of Clean Energy and Carbon Development, Google

February 15, 2023 22:42 - 43 minutes - 59.8 MB

1. How clean energy influenced Maud’s big move from France to the Bay Area and the skills she learned throughout her early career journey 2. An optimistic and realistic look at the inner workings of the energy industry 3. Maud’s current role at Google and an exploration of their climate-focused goals for 2030 4. A discussion of carbon-free energy, data centers, PPAs, and more

Ep 76: Miranda Ballentine - CEO, Clean Energy Buyers Association

February 09, 2023 18:37 - 41 minutes - 56.4 MB

Miranda’s start in clean energy and the history of the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) How decarbonization is approached in both the public and the private sectors The impressive services CEBA offers and how the organization assists its many customers A deep dive into Scop 1, 2 and 3 emissions and how they tie into a company’s energy impact

Ep 75: Alex O'Cinneide - CEO and Founder, Gore Street Capital

January 12, 2023 20:42 - 32 minutes - 44.4 MB

Alex’s self-described eclectic academic background and his eventual discovery of finance The founding of Gore Street Capital and how Alex views the industry of energy transition A reflection on COVID, government funding, and what it could all mean for the climate crisis A discussion of infrastructure investing and the technology of the future

Ep 74: Alicia Seiger - Stanford University

January 03, 2023 22:10 - 54 minutes - 75 MB

Alicia Seiger’s background and her experience growing up near the esteemed Stanford University A deep dive into Alicia’s climate interests and how her entrepreneurial spirit led her back to Stanford, this time as a Graduate student A lesson on overcoming challenges and skepticism in the climate workspace Alicia’s explanation of carbon accounting, emissions liability management, and more

Ep 73: Ryan Hobert - The United Nations Foundation

December 20, 2022 20:18 - 45 minutes - 61.9 MB

Ryan Hobert talks about his time at The United Nations Foundation and the organization’s mission A look at The United Nation Foundation’s Sustainable Development Goals and who should be paying attention to them The world’s climate goals, COP, and how it all comes together in the name of climate policy A discussion of energy independence and energy security

Ep 72: Lisa Jacobson - Business Council for Sustainable Energy

September 09, 2022 17:39 - 40 minutes - 55.1 MB

1. An overview of Lisa's career and her work with BCSE 2. A look at BCSE's fact book that they produce with Bloomberg each year 3. A deep dive into BCSE's work and the companies they represent 4. Lisa's vision for our clean energy future

Ep 71: Thomas Biddinger - Calibrant Energy

July 29, 2022 14:59 - 45 minutes - 62.3 MB

1. Thomas’ early career working in the solar business 2. A deep dive into Calibrant Energy’s work and how they emerged as a joint venture between Macquarie and Siemens 3. A look at the types of projects Calibrant is working on 4. Thomas’ vision for the future of the clean energy transition

Ep 70: Andrew Beebe - Obvious Ventures

July 15, 2022 14:12 - 53 minutes - 73.4 MB

1. Andrew Beebe talks about his early career and his introduction to energy 2. How Andrew transitioned from entrepreneurship to working in the venture space 3. A deep dive into Obvious Ventures’ work and their newest fund 4. Andrew’s vision for the future of the clean energy transition

Ep 69: Gareth Burns - Equinor Ventures

June 22, 2022 20:02 - 48 minutes - 67.3 MB

1. Gareth Burns explains his career with Equinor, working across various aspects of the business 2. Equinor Ventures’ role within Equnior’s business and the evolution of the broader company 3. A deep dive into Equinor Ventures’ work and what makes them unique as a corporate VC 4. Gareth’s vision for the future of the clean energy transition

Ep 68: Charles Hernick - Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions

June 17, 2022 13:39 - 39 minutes - 54.1 MB

1. Charles Hernick walks through his early introduction to the relationship between the environment and the economy, growing up spending his summers in Ecuador 2. A deep dive into Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions and their all of the above approach to clean energy 3. CRES’ upcoming Clean Energy Week and the role it plays in pushing the conversation about clean energy solutions forward 4. Charles’ vision for the future of the clean energy transition

Episodes