Experts Only

CleanCapital

Exploring the intersection of energy, finance, and innovation

  1. Episode # 135: Understand The Battle over Energy Affordability with the former Secretary of Energy

    3D AGO

    Episode # 135: Understand The Battle over Energy Affordability with the former Secretary of Energy

    On the podcast Experts Only, host Jon Powers interviews Jennifer Granholm, former Michigan Governor and U.S. Secretary of Energy, about her journey from civil rights law to political leadership focused on job creation and clean energy innovation. She discusses her efforts to transition Michigan’s automotive sector toward clean energy and her later work in the federal government to strengthen U.S. clean energy manufacturing. Granholm emphasizes the importance of federal policy in competing globally—especially with China—and highlights the Inflation Reduction Act’s role in spurring a wave of new clean energy factories across the U.S. She also addresses challenges around electricity pricing, rising demand from data centers, and the need for regulatory reforms that incentivize utilities to prioritize efficiency. Closing the conversation, Granholm reflects on leadership and the importance of fighting for policies that advance affordability, innovation, and long-term clean energy progress.

    43 min
  2. #134: Ten Years of CleanCapital with Thomas Byrne

    FEB 6

    #134: Ten Years of CleanCapital with Thomas Byrne

    We are back with a new episode of Experts Only, a podcast exploring innovative climate change solutions through conversations with industry leaders, hosted by Jon Powers, co-founder of CleanCapital and former chief sustainability officer under President Obama. We’re excited to relaunch the podcast with a compelling discussion with Thomas Byrne, co-founder and CEO of CleanCapital. They'll reflect on CleanCapital’s ten-year journey, highlighting our strategy of organic growth and operational efficiency that has led to over 500 megawatts of operating assets, with a projection of 700-800 megawatts by year-end. Key achievements include early financing from John Hancock, partnerships with major investors like BlackRock, and a recapitalization of our corporate debt facility from $300 million in 2021 to $800 million in 2023. Our credibility is built on transparent collaboration with developers and partners. With advancements in battery storage and community solar, CleanCapital is poised to raise billions in corporate capital by 2030, reinforcing our leadership in the clean energy sector. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy the conversation.

    36 min
  3. #133: How Corporate Procurement Could Be Blindsided by Scope 2 Changes

    05/28/2025

    #133: How Corporate Procurement Could Be Blindsided by Scope 2 Changes

    Welcome back to the show, Roger Ballentine, President, Green Strategies, Inc. Our show has been on a  bit of a hiatus but we are coming back with a vengeance, driven by the conversation you're about to listen to. We are following what's happening in Washington constantly, as the tax bill and the Trump Administration are trying to drive change to our industry. But there's a secondary fight that we're tracking now - major changes are coming to green house gas emission accounting. This is critical in terms of how companies buy and measure their renewable energy. If these changes go forward, they can be as detrimental to our market as losing the investment tax credit or some of the anti-IRA efforts that are being pushed in Washington today.  Please also read our blog on how to take action as soon as you can. The timing is really important, and it has to happen now. Thank you for tuning in! We hope you enjoy the conversation.

    34 min
  4. #132: with Lynn Abramson, Expert in Bipartisan Engagement on Clean Energy Policy

    01/21/2025

    #132: with Lynn Abramson, Expert in Bipartisan Engagement on Clean Energy Policy

    In our first episode of 2025, Experts Only host Jon Powers speaks with Lynn Abramson, President of the Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN), about effective advocacy strategies for engaging the 119th Congress and Trump Administration. CEBN is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that serves as a bridge to federal energy policies and programs for more than 8,200 small business and community leaders across the nation. In this conversation, Lynn particularly focuses on combatting divisive narratives around clean energy tax incentives. She highlights the decades of bipartisan support that have led to these credits, and the fact that the majority of these investments have gone to Republican districts. She also discusses the transformational impact they have had on small businesses—and the need for business and community leaders to express their priorities to their elected officials. Learn more about these topics in this accompanying post from CEBN. Tune into the conversation and learn more about CEBN’s strategy and impact in their 2024 Annual Report. (Note: This episode was recorded a week prior to the inauguration so does not touch upon any developments in the early days of the Trump Administration.)

    32 min
  5. #131: Live from RE+: Thinking Outside of the Box: Envisioning Our Clean Energy Future

    09/17/2024

    #131: Live from RE+: Thinking Outside of the Box: Envisioning Our Clean Energy Future

    The maturation of clean energy policy, technology, and finance has paved the way for a sustainable future. Now, in the face of escalating weather events that are placing our energy infrastructure at risk, we all have an important role to play in advancing decarbonization efforts. By leveraging investments and policy frameworks, there's an opportunity to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster the growth of clean energy sources. This interactive session will highlight case studies demonstrating both feasibility and economic viability in transitioning to renewables, even in the most unconventional of cases. Moderator: - Jon Powers, President, CleanCapital Panelists: - Jaime Carlson, Head of Commercialization and Market Risk, SB Energy - Sean Gallagher, Senior Vice President, Policy, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) - Peter Muhoro, PhD, SEPA Board Member & Chief Strategy, Technology and Innovation Officer, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative - Marta Stoepker, Senior Director of Corporate Communications, Qcells

    1h 3m
  6. #130: Solar in Alaska? Understanding Growing Opportunity

    08/15/2024

    #130: Solar in Alaska? Understanding Growing Opportunity

    Host Jon Powers sits down with Jenn Miller, CEO of Renewable IPP, an Alaska-based renewable energy developer that we partner with at CleanCapital. Under Jenn's leadership, RIPP is creating the next frontier of opportunities in Alaska. They discuss the challenges Jenn and her team are facing in Alaska, the opportunities that solar presents, and how to grow and scale a company like RIPP in the current market. Both Jon and Jenn will be at RE+ in September. To set up a meeting, please visit cleancapital.com/re-plus-2024.

    45 min
  7. #129: The State of the Inflation Reduction Act, 2 Years In, with Abby Hopper

    07/30/2024

    #129: The State of the Inflation Reduction Act, 2 Years In, with Abby Hopper

    Welcome back Abby Hopper, President & CEO at Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), to the show! Abby and our host Jon Powers reflect now that we're two years into the Inflation Reduction Act. They discuss what it was like to see it pass, the opportunities and challenges of the past two years, and how it's going. We're looking forward to joining SEIA at RE+ in Anaheim, CA this September! Make sure you register for this conference. It's the go-to event to engage with the solar and storage industry. See you there!

    40 min
  8. #128: Unpacking Colorado's 2024 Legislative Session

    07/16/2024

    #128: Unpacking Colorado's 2024 Legislative Session

    Our guest host, ScottySolar, is back by popular demand! This week, he welcomes COSSA's Mike Kruger, President & CEO, and Ellen Kutzer, General Counsel, to the show. This year, Colorado passed several bills and a suite of policy changes that will expedite the deployment of distributed energy resources and help the state meet its ambitious decarbonization targets. You'll hear from the dynamic duo at the front lines of Colorado's march toward a carbon-free energy future. Mike and Ellen unpack what happened during the 2024 legislative session and explore the emerging opportunities in Colorado's clean energy economy. Thanks for tuning in!

    41 min
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4.7
out of 5
56 Ratings

About

Exploring the intersection of energy, finance, and innovation

Information

  • Creator
    CleanCapital
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    137
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Experts Only

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