Project Vanguard Podcast

Kevin Doffing
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A podcast about leadership, energy, and service — told by the veterans shaping America’s Energy Dominance. Project Vanguard brings raw, mission-first conversations with those who’ve led in the military and continue to serve their country, building our energy future. Real stories. Clear insight. Focused on an All of the Above energy strategy where Energy Security is National Security. media.projectvanguard.com

  1. Veterans, Policy, and the Hidden Energy Battlefield with Michael Dunn

    4D AGO

    Veterans, Policy, and the Hidden Energy Battlefield with Michael Dunn

    Most people think clean energy is about technology. It is not. Or at least not only that. It is about who understands systems, who can navigate policy, and who can bring unlikely groups into the same room. In this episode of Project Vanguard, I talk with Michael Dunn, a veteran who stumbled into clean energy through necessity, curiosity, and a relentless habit of saying yes. Michael did not set out to work in policy or markets. He joined the military to pay for school.He entered consulting to find direction.He moved into clean energy because it was one of the few spaces where mission, economics, and national security intersect. Along the way, he discovered something most energy conversations miss: Power does not shift because of slogans.It shifts because of coordination. The conversation explores why veterans are uniquely positioned to influence the energy transition, how policy quietly shapes every market decision, and why coalition building may be more important than any single technology. At its core, this episode is not about career advice or clean energy optimism. It is about leverage. Who has it.How it is built.And why the next decade of energy will be shaped less by engineers and more by people who understand how systems actually move. If you want to understand how power really flows through the energy industry, this episode is worth your time. Timestamps * 00:05 – Why Veterans Matter in Energy * 02:20 – Michael’s Entry into Energy Policy * 03:20 – CELI and Fellowship Opportunities * 05:20 – Working at Qcells, Policy in Practice * 07:22 – Coalition Building in DC * 12:00 – Dropping Out and Enlisting * 14:26 – Military as Social Mobility * 16:06 – Education While Serving * 18:12 – Georgetown MBA to Energy Career * 22:33 – Atlantic Council and Strategic Focus * 27:50 – Advice for Veterans Breaking In * 30:00 – Using Project Vanguard Effectively * 34:57 – Closing Thoughts and Call to Action Resources Guest & Company * Michael Dunn - LinkedIn * QCells - LinkedIn Topics Discussed * LG Energy Solution signs contract with Hanwha QCells to supply 5GWh ESS battery * Atlantic Council: Veterans Advanced Energy Fellowship * CELI - The Clean Energy Leadership Institute Get full access to Project Vanguard at media.projectvanguard.com/subscribe

    35 min
  2. Markets Don’t Care About Politics with John Szoka

    FEB 19

    Markets Don’t Care About Politics with John Szoka

    Most energy arguments start in the wrong place. They start with identity, not systems. With labels, not failure modes. With confidence about outcomes, without much curiosity about what actually breaks when demand spikes or assumptions fail. In this episode, Kevin Doffing talks with John Szoka about energy from a less fashionable angle: how power systems really behave under pressure, and what that implies for markets, policy, and leadership. It’s a conversation that refuses to pretend there are clean answers. The Throughline John doesn’t argue that markets solve everything. He argues that badly designed markets fail in predictable ways, and we keep acting surprised when they do. The discussion circles a few uncomfortable realities: * Power systems don’t care about intent. * Incentives matter more than slogans. * And tradeoffs don’t disappear just because they’re politically inconvenient. What makes the exchange compelling is how often it runs against familiar talking points. Not by attacking them, but by asking better questions. What happens first when demand grows faster than infrastructure? Where do timelines slip? Who absorbs the risk when policy bets are wrong? These aren’t abstract questions. They’re operational ones. Here’s some of what we explore: • Why reliability isn’t a value statement, it’s an engineering constraint• How policy often assumes coordination that markets aren’t built to deliver• Where conservative instincts about markets hold up, and where they don’t• Why pretending energy transitions are frictionless creates political backlash later• How ignoring system limits today just defers failure into tomorrow At one point, John makes a point that quietly reframes the whole discussion: energy policy succeeds or fails at the edges, not in press releases. Truth. Project Vanguard exists to surface conversations like this. Not to sell certainty, but to sharpen judgment. This episode isn’t about picking sides. It’s about understanding systems well enough to stop lying to ourselves about how they behave. If you’re tired of energy debates that feel disconnected from reality, this one is worth your time. Listen closely. The value is in what doesn’t get oversimplified. Get full access to Project Vanguard at media.projectvanguard.com/subscribe

    40 min
  3. Energy Reliability Isn’t a Talking Point with Ken Young

    FEB 11

    Energy Reliability Isn’t a Talking Point with Ken Young

    Most energy debates focus on the loudest question.This conversation focused on the one that actually matters. In my latest episode of Project Vanguard, I sat down with Ken Young to talk about how the grid really works when it’s under pressure. Not the headlines. Not the culture war version. The systems underneath it all. We talked about why grid failures don’t come from one bad decision or one bad energy source. They come from stacked stress. Demand growth. Weather. Planning gaps. Timing. Human choices made years earlier. That’s the part most people miss. Reliability isn’t something you declare. It’s something you design for long before the crisis shows up. Ken breaks down how energy systems are actually built to handle risk, why “either/or” thinking breaks down fast in the real world, and how today’s load growth is forcing hard conversations that can’t be postponed anymore. This episode connects dots between: * Why veterans tend to see energy differently * Why all-of-the-above isn’t a slogan, it’s a system requirement * Why the unglamorous work (planning, transmission, margins) decides outcomes * And why energy security underpins everything else we care about The grid doesn’t care about ideology.It responds to physics, preparation, and execution. If you want to understand what’s actually at stake as demand grows and systems get tighter, this is a conversation worth your time. Give it a listen. And if it sharpens how you think about energy, share it with someone who needs a clearer picture. Timestamps * 00:00 – Intro, Ken Young * 02:05 – Apex role, project pipeline * 04:26 – Why vets help vets * 06:28 – San Angelo site visit * 08:32 – Community pushback * 10:41 – Permitting, misinformation * 13:53 – Construction realities * 15:34 – Leadership under uncertainty * 16:48 – West Point, infantry path * 18:25 – Post-Army transition * 20:21 – Breaking into wind * 27:42 – Scaling gigawatts of energy * 29:50 – Tax equity, runway to 2030 * 38:39 – Load growth, building megawatts * 40:45 – Career advice for vets Resources Guest & Company * Ken Young - LinkedIn * Apex Clean Energy - LinkedIn - Jobs Openings * Kevin Doffing - LinkedIn * Project Vanguard - LinkedIn Transcript Kevin Doffing (00:17.587) That kind of honesty is all over this conversation and it’s why it works. Welcome to Project Vanguard podcast, home of the community of veterans in energy. Where we explore the journeys of veterans leading in energy. We’re building American energy dominance through an all-the-above approach where energy security is national security. And our mission is to double the number of veterans working in the energy industry. I’m your host, Kevin Doffin. Kevin Doffing (00:46.008) Today’s guest is Ken Young, a West Point graduate and former infantry officer. Ken is the CEO of Apex Clean Energy, a national independent power producer headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. Apex operates a portfolio of wind, solar, and storage projects that they have a deep development pipeline of, focused on getting these projects into long-term operations. Ken Young (01:08.559) office. Kevin Doffing (01:09.346) Kevin Doffing (01:09.87) In this episode, we dig into what it actually takes to put projects online. Not in theory, but in real life. We also get into Ken’s transition story, how he initially chose the infantry and how he navigated the years after the Army when he fell a little untethered and how renewable energy gave him something familiar again. A team, a mission, and a place where he had purpose. Then we zoom out to this year. What is Apex focused on? Kevin Doffing (01:37.686) and why Ken sees this industry as nonpartisan, practical, and at the heart of American energy dominance. You’ll walk away with a clearer picture of what CEOs are optimizing for in this space, plus real, implementable advice for veterans who want to grow into senior leadership by learning the industry language, picking a functional lane, and earning the credibility they need to move up the career ladder. Let’s get into it. Ken Young (01:53.774) you Kevin Doffing (02:05.25) Ken, thanks for being here today. Really appreciate you making the time. I know you’re a busy man. Ken Young (02:09.794) Great to be with you, Kevin. Really happy to be here and potentially give some messages for veterans, cause near and dear to my heart and look forward to being with you. Thanks for having me. Kevin Doffing (02:19.566) Absolutely. Anytime I can get more infantrymen on here, it just makes the infantry in my heart a little bit happier, which means angry, but that’s happy in infantry. Ken Young (02:30.008) Good. I love it. Kevin Doffing (02:32.194) Well, so for everybody who doesn’t know already and they may not have read the bio, what would you say you do these days? Ken Young (02:39.402) I’m the CEO of Apex Clean Energy. We’re a national independent power producer, headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. We’re about 400 people in all phases of the business and all functional areas. We operate a portfolio of about three gigawatts of wind, solar, and storage. And we have a very large development pipeline focused on continuing to put assets into operations. And we’re doing that across all phases of technology and all markets across the U S. So. Ken Young (03:09.044) I am extremely proud of our team and humbled to represent them here and elsewhere as we go about accelerating the shift to clean energy. Kevin Doffing (03:18.178) Yeah, no, mean, Apex has been such a great partner. I mean, I was just talking yesterday with Barrett and Lourdes from your team there in our inaugural community leader fellowship. So Barrett’s in Austin, Lourdes is there, y’all’s main office in Virginia. And those are two big states for us, you know, for the industry and for vis-a-vis our organization. Luckily, unluckily, Texas doesn’t have a legislative session this year, but it kind of feels like it, but Lourdes will be busy with the Virginia legislative session coming up here. So. Kevin Doffing (03:47.928) You know, thanks for letting me, know, second a little bit of their time and getting out and being the faces of veterans and energy. Ken Young (03:56.128) Yeah, our pleasure. Those two folks are great representatives of APEX, of veterans making a successful transition, coming from varied backgrounds, you know, from Navy enlisted on one side and then from a battalion commander in the infantry on the other side and both finding their way to renewable energy in very different scopes of work. And they’ve been extremely valuable members of our team. And we’re happy to support folks like that here at APEX and continue to push forward in concert with them. Kevin Doffing (04:26.838) Yeah, you know, the thing I’ve always found interesting in this work is that it’s not a hard sell for veterans, you know, in any industry, but especially in industry that they’re passionate about to say, Hey, how would you like to take a lot of extra time to help other veterans? know you’re not busy with your full-time job, family life, faith, community, other engagements, but it’s never been a really hard thing. Even you and I, when we first talked, talked about Kevin Doffing (04:52.93) you know, taking cold calls on LinkedIn to just, I’m a vet and I’m interested in the space. Great, let’s find a time. Ken Young (04:59.042) Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think, I mean, that’s part of probably what some of us were looking for leaving the military. We left this community and one where we had a lot of shared purpose with other people. And I think some of us maybe at times have struggled. Obviously some have struggled more than others trying to recreate and find that community. I was lucky enough to find it about 19 years ago when I got into what was then the wind business. know, solar was not really a thing then it was used to heat your pools. Ken Young (05:28.674) So we’ve come a long way, but I knew as soon as I found renewable energy, I found a team. This is very much a team sport and we’re at a really cool intersection of business and purpose. So we’re not the Red Cross. know, we’re certainly not the military by any means, but what we do bring so much good with it. And so the fact that we get to do that with other high quality individuals really gave me something I was looking for is that that teamwork and purpose to do big things. Ken Young (05:58.766) with other good people. And that’s something that is extremely motivating and underscores really everything we do. I mentioned it earlier, you know, our purpose here since 2009, when Apex was founded, is to accelerate the shift to clean energy. And that sounds very simple, but I think it’s quite elegant. And when you get in there into the trenches and you’re, you’re out in the field doing the work and you’re bringing all these various functional areas together to put on a, you know, $500 million project, a billion dollar project. Ken Young (06:28.202) It’s incredibly rewarding to do that with smart, engaged, and driven people. And then to wring out all the good that comes with our business, decarbonizing the grid, helping the local community, creating jobs, creating a future for people, and then investing back into the local community with tax benefits, landowner benefits, et cetera. That’s very rewarding for us and allows us to do some good with our business. Kevin Doffing (06:53.752) Yeah, I mean, y’all were part of the Texas tour that we did in that pilot program in Q4 last year. And we were out your St. Angelo location and, you know, meeting Manny and the team that were out there, just getting to see all the cool tech with the batteries on site with, you know, the substation and the solar arrays. I mean, it was just really cool, you know, but then seeing what that’s doing in the local community and the community partners that a

    47 min
  4. Reality Always Collects the Bill with John Broschak

    FEB 4

    Reality Always Collects the Bill with John Broschak

    Most people talk about veteran transition like it is a single leap. One decision, one résumé, one magic network connection, then the new life locks in. In the newest Project Vanguard episode, Kevin Doffing and John Broschak say the quiet part out loud: transition is a rough road, and the people who do best are the ones who stop waiting for perfect conditions and start building real momentum. John’s path runs through the Navy nuclear pipeline, into the utility world, into leadership, and into coaching veterans who are trying to do the same kind of reinvention without losing their identity in the process. The nuclear mindset is not just technical, it is trust John’s early career has one of those lines that makes civilian life feel strangely soft around the edges. You’re operating a nuclear reactor with 16 year olds, I think they’re all 18 year olds, but 18 year olds with their hands on. That responsibility does something to you. It calibrates your standards. It also shows you what real systems look like when failure is not allowed. And it comes with a lesson people forget when they argue about energy like it is a team sport: the job is to make the system work. Not to win a comment section. That is the Project Vanguard lane. Less ideology. More execution. Transition is not a vibe, it is a campaign Kevin frames it in a way that every veteran immediately understands. You can’t run a mission on wishful thinking. your happiness is equal to reality minus your perception of reality. That is not motivational content. That is a warning label. If your perception is “one phone call and someone places me,” reality is going to collect that debt fast. John says it even more plainly: Yeah, this is going to be a rough road. So the question becomes: what do you do with that truth? You plan like an operator, not like a tourist. Your story is a tool, learn to carry it John’s advice is not “network harder.” It starts with something more fundamental: own your value and be able to communicate it. Number one is confidence that you have value to offer. And get comfortable with how you’re going to tell your story, how you’re going to project that value proposition. This matters because hiring managers rarely get the “ideal candidate” on paper. They are making a bet on impact, speed to contribution, and whether you will actually stick around long enough to be worth the onboarding burn. Your story is how you help them justify picking you. And no, it does not have to be dramatic. It just has to be clear: * what you did * what that proves about how you operate * how that transfers to their world Growth often means letting go of status One of the more underrated themes in the conversation is how easy it is to get trapped by the prestige of being “the person” on a niche program, even if it stops being the right fit. John describes stepping into a new utility responsibility and learning fast, including the less glamorous parts of the nuclear world, like waste storage and the practical limits utilities face. Underneath that is a bigger point: sometimes the next move looks like a lateral step or a “less shiny” title, but it is actually the route to broader capability. That is how careers get built in the real world. Not in a straight line. More like switchbacks. Coaching is not therapy, and it is not consulting John also talks about coaching in a way that will resonate with vets who hate fuzzy language but still want to level up. It’s different than consulting. It’s different than advising. It’s different than therapy. It’s its own unique skill set. That distinction matters because a lot of veterans do not need inspiration. They need clarity, translation, and a plan they can execute without pretending everything feels great. Final Thoughts When that support exists, transition stops being an identity crisis and becomes a skill-building season. If you take one thing from this episode, take this: The energy industry does not need louder takes. It needs more adults in the room. Veterans are built for that, not because we are perfect, but because we know how to show up when the conditions are messy and the mission still matters. So keep your expectations honest, keep your story sharp, and keep moving even when it feels slower than you wanted. That is not a consolation prize. That is how real careers, and real national capability, get built. Get full access to Project Vanguard at media.projectvanguard.com/subscribe

    45 min
  5. Before You Build More Power, Fix the Leaks

    JAN 14

    Before You Build More Power, Fix the Leaks

    Most energy conversations start with one assumption: we need to build more. More generation, more megawatts, more infrastructure. That matters, but it skips over a quieter truth hiding in plain sight. The fastest way to strengthen the grid isn’t always adding supply. It’s reducing waste. On the Project Vanguard Podcast, Air Force veteran and energy entrepreneur Alex Mouton explains why energy efficiency is one of the most overlooked tools in American Energy Dominance, and one of the most practical paths for veterans looking to build something real in this industry. From the Flight Line to the Grid Alex didn’t leave the military thinking about HVAC systems or utility programs. He was an F-15 crew chief, trained to follow procedures, work checklists, and fix problems under pressure. Like a lot of veterans, when he got out he wasn’t searching for a grand theory. He needed a job that paid the bills and rewarded execution. That opportunity showed up through utility energy efficiency programs most people never notice. Utilities are required to fund this work, and ratepayers already contribute to it every month. The money is there. What’s often missing are contractors willing to do the work consistently and at scale. As Alex put it, once he understood the structure, the business case was simple. “They said if you do the work, we’ll pay you this amount. I asked what happens if I do it ten times. They said we’ll pay you ten times.” That insight turned into a company, then into dozens of jobs, and now into work across multiple states. Efficiency Comes First One of the biggest misconceptions Alex pushed back on is the idea that sustainability starts with shiny new infrastructure. In practice, efficiency comes first. You can add solar, batteries, or new generation, but if buildings are leaking energy and systems are neglected, those investments never reach their full value. Running a system with waste baked in is like running a business with negative cash flow. You might look fine on the surface, but eventually the math catches up. Efficiency tightens the system. It lowers demand. It buys time. Only then do supply-side investments start to work the way they’re supposed to. Where the Real Impact Happens This work isn’t about swapping lightbulbs in homes. The real gains are in schools, hospitals, VA facilities, stadiums, and large commercial buildings where energy use is constant and massive. Alex’s team has worked on everything from local school districts to the Superdome, where systems are literally the size of a house. At that scale, efficiency actually moves the needle. It also creates real careers. These are team-based roles, trades with upward mobility, and jobs that reward discipline and accountability. As Alex put it plainly, the work is everywhere, and demand consistently outpaces supply. A Wide-Open Lane for Veterans That shortage is one of the clearest signals in the entire conversation. At industry conferences, utilities and program administrators all say the same thing. They need more contractors. The funding exists. The programs exist. What’s missing are operators willing to step in and execute. That’s where veterans fit naturally. If you can follow a process, manage a crew, and deliver results, energy efficiency is a direct on-ramp into the energy sector. It also ties straight into resilience. Every kilowatt taken off the grid makes it easier to withstand stress, brownouts, and disruptions. The Quiet Work That Matters Energy security doesn’t always start with building something new. Sometimes it starts by fixing what’s already there. Energy efficiency isn’t flashy, but it deploys fast, creates jobs, and strengthens the grid immediately. For veterans looking for ownership, purpose, and impact in energy, it remains one of the clearest paths hiding in plain sight. Timestamps: * 00:05 – Welcome, PV mission, guest preview * 01:50 – Why this mission matters * 03:31 – Bunker Labs, community building * 07:25 – Utility programs, how it pays * 10:22 – Scaling work, hiring, second chances * 12:46 – Energy service pros explained * 16:39 – Resilience, brownouts, efficiency first * 20:45 – Alex’s path, Air Force to business * 22:57 – Best and hardest parts * 27:23 – Advice for veterans entering * 29:26 – Trades, staying busy, skill stacking * 31:05 – Entrepreneurship mindset shift * 35:08 – Conferences, AESP, final takeaways Resources: Guest & CompanyAlex Mouton - LinkedIn M3 Services - Website & LinkedIn Company & Industry NewsAlex Mouton at AESP, The Blue CouchAESP - 2026 Annual Conference & Expo Bunker Labs, Syracuse IVMF overview Project Vanguard & Kevin’s PlatformsProject Vanguard - Website, Events, and LinkedInKevin Doffing - LinkedIn Get full access to Project Vanguard at media.projectvanguard.com/subscribe

    39 min
  6. Energy Needs a New Pitch, Veterans Are It

    12/18/2025

    Energy Needs a New Pitch, Veterans Are It

    Renewable energy did not start as a partisan issue.And it does not need to be one now. That was one of the clearest messages from Jim Adams, a Coast Guard veteran and President of North American Operations at Natural Power, during his conversation on the Project Vanguard Podcast. Energy is infrastructure. It is reliability. It is national security. And when the conversation drifts into ideology instead of outcomes, everyone loses. From Search and Rescue to Energy Infrastructure Jim Adams did not plan a career in renewable energy. He started in the Coast Guard, serving in search and rescue and maritime law enforcement on the St. Lawrence Seaway. Years later, he spotted a wind farm in Vermont and realized something important: this industry was building real infrastructure that mattered. He went on to help build Natural Power’s U.S. operations from the ground up, working across utility-scale wind, solar, and energy storage. Today, he sits at the intersection of engineering, finance, policy uncertainty, and grid reliability. What carried him through that transition was not technical expertise alone. It was the discipline, communication, and calm decision-making forged in uniform. “I think people under-leverage the less tangible skills you get from military service. You don’t realize how valuable they are because you’re immersed in them.” The Skills Veterans Forget They Have One of the most honest moments in the conversation came when Jim described the quiet shock of leaving the military. In uniform, accountability is shared. The mission is clear. The stakes are obvious. In the private sector, incentives change. Camaraderie thins. People drift. Veterans often adapt quickly on paper, then look up years later and realize what they miss is not rank or structure. It is trust and shared purpose. That gap is exactly where Project Vanguard operates. Not as a jobs board. Not as charity. But as a network that helps veterans translate experience into impact, and reconnect with people who speak the same language. Networking Is Not About Asking for a Job Jim was blunt about one of the biggest mistakes veterans make when transitioning into energy. Applying cold to job postings without understanding the company, its role in the industry, or its culture. He shared real examples of veterans who reached out through Project Vanguard, not asking for a job, but asking questions. Those conversations redirected careers toward better fits, saved time, and opened doors that applications never would have. “If you ask for advice, you’re more likely to get an opportunity. If you ask for a job, you’re more likely to just get advice.” That mindset shift matters. Energy is a relationship business. Trust travels faster than resumes. Depolarizing Energy Starts With Credible Messengers Jim made something clear that often gets lost in public debate. Renewables used to be practical. They still are. Wind, solar, storage, and gas coexist in real project work every day. The polarization came later, driven by messaging failures and the wrong messengers. Veterans cut through that noise. Ten percent of the clean energy workforce are veterans. They understand reliability, redundancy, logistics, and risk. They do not need to argue ideology to explain why energy diversity matters. “If your pitch isn’t working, get a new pitch. Or get a new messenger.” Veterans are that messenger. They speak from experience. They understand national security. And they can talk about energy without turning it into a culture war. Why This Community Matters Now Jim did not join Project Vanguard because he needed another commitment. He joined because the mission made sense. Support veterans.Build reliable infrastructure.Keep energy focused on outcomes, not teams. That combination creates jobs that last, strengthens the grid, and rebuilds trust in an industry that affects every American household. This is not about choosing sides. It is about choosing competence. Final Thoughts Energy security is national security.And credibility matters. Veterans bring both. As Jim Adams made clear, the future of American energy will not be won through louder arguments, but through better leadership, better messengers, and stronger communities. Project Vanguard exists to make that happen. If this conversation resonated, share it with another veteran, join the community, and keep building the future together. The mission is still on. Timestamps * 00:00 - Show intro, mission, guest setup * 01:35 - Introduction * 02:31 - Veteran fly fishing orgs, funding and impact * 04:28 - Jim’s work, what Natural Power does * 06:02 - Coast Guard background, early path * 09:46 - Networking and business development reality * 17:28 - Transitioning out, identity and momentum * 19:36 - Veterans underuse soft skills and networks * 25:08 - Why Jim joined Vanguard, depolarizing energy * 33:46 - Policy uncertainty, long-cycle project planning * 39:18 - Hiring vets, brand awareness, name recognition * 41:49 - Advice for vets entering energy * 44:26 - Vanguard example, helping vets find fit * 46:40 - Final thoughts and Kevin’s outro CTA Resources: * Join the Project Vanguard Slack * Kevin Doffing on LinkedIn * Jim Adams on LinkedIn * Natural Power (US) website * Natural Power on LinkedIn Company & Industry News * Natural Power appoints new MD (July 1, 2025): https://www.naturalpower.com/us/news/news-post/natural-power-appoints-new-md Natural Power * Natural Power validates Exus Renewables North America TAG project (Feb 6, 2025): https://www.naturalpower.com/us/news/natural-power-appoints-new-md Natural Power Organizations Mentioned * Rivers of Recovery * Patrol Base Abbate * Return To Base sign-up: https://info.pbabbate.org/sign-up info.pbabbate.org External Podcasts Mentioned * Open Circuit (Latitude Media): * Energy Gang (Apple Podcasts): Get full access to Project Vanguard at media.projectvanguard.com/subscribe

    47 min
  7. Make Energy Boring Again

    12/11/2025

    Make Energy Boring Again

    When I went on Ben Wilson’s Energy Right Podcast, he asked where my view of energy security comes from. For me, it started in Iraq, standing next to small generators and handing out diesel so families could keep food and medicine cold for a few hours. That experience changed how I see every conversation we have now about power plants, renewables, and the grid. Energy stopped being abstract. It became basic stability. Iraq and my view of energy On the show, I told Ben that my idea of energy abundance comes from seeing what energy insecurity looks like up close. If you have not lived through rolling blackouts or constant generator use, it is easy for energy debates to drift into pure politics. Once you have seen it, you start with a simple question: does this keep people powered, or not? That is why I talk about an all-of-the-above approach. I am less interested in labels and more interested in what actually keeps homes, businesses, and bases running. Why veterans fit the energy world Ben and I spent a lot of time on veterans in the workforce. The energy sector feels familiar to a lot of us who served: * Clear responsibility. * Systems that cannot fail. * Safety first. * Team environments where showing up matters. With Project Vanguard, we try to connect those veterans to real opportunities, without pretending we can “place” people. As I told Ben, the goal is simple: help veterans get real conversations and screening calls, make sure they are prepared, then let their performance do the rest. No shortcuts, no charity. Just a good match between the work and the people. Local trust and making energy “boring” again Ben also asked about siting projects in rural communities. As I see it, this is where veterans are especially useful. Developers often respond to concerns with fact sheets. Locals respond based on who they trust. Veterans who already live in those places, who show up at county meetings, can translate between “project language” and community concerns. Sometimes it is as simple as someone finally asking, “Does water running off solar panels cause health issues?” and getting a straight answer from a neighbor they already know. My hope is that over time, this kind of steady, local work takes some of the heat out of energy debates. If we do it right, energy becomes boring again: reliable, affordable, and not the main thing people fight about. Final Thoughts My conversation with Ben on Energy Right was really about one idea: veterans have a lot to offer in energy, from the control room to the county fair booth. If you are a veteran looking for a next chapter, this sector needs your experience. If you work in energy and want more people who take reliability and responsibility seriously, veterans are worth investing in. That is the lane Project Vanguard is trying to serve. Help veterans find good work. Help communities understand projects. Help energy stay something solid people can count on. If that sounds like the kind of future you want to see, feel free to share this, follow along, or loop in a veteran who might be ready for their next mission. Timestamps: * 00:05 – Kevin intro and episode setup * 01:07 – Ben frames veterans in energy * 03:31 – Kevin’s path into the energy sector * 05:14 – Iraq lessons and all-of-the-above * 07:09 – Project Vanguard’s platform model * 10:52 – Where veterans fit in energy roles * 12:53 – Culture fit, service, and community work * 16:51 – Grid reliability, batteries, and costs * 19:49 – Local trust, sheep grazing, and project siting * 26:28 – Handling misinformation and next steps for veterans * 30:58 – Doubling veterans in energy, PV resources, and closing reflections Resources: Guest & Company * Ben Wilson - LinkedIn * Energy Right - LinkedIn * America First Energy Podcast Kevin & Project Vanguard * Project Vanguard * Kevin Doffing on LinkedIn Get full access to Project Vanguard at media.projectvanguard.com/subscribe

    35 min
  8. How A Navy Crypto Built A Career Through Enron, VPPs, And The AI Load Surge

    12/05/2025

    How A Navy Crypto Built A Career Through Enron, VPPs, And The AI Load Surge

    Hydrogen was supposed to be the breakout tool of the clean energy boom. Then the rules landed. Hard. The “three pillars” froze major projects almost overnight. Capital paused. Developers hit the brakes. Monarch Energy felt the headwind like everyone else, but instead of waiting on Treasury, they pivoted to something more fundamental. Load. This week’s guest, Kevin Boudreaux, has spent his career reading these shifts before they hit the headlines. A Navy crypto, an Enron survivor, an early VPP architect in ERCOT, and now a senior leader at Monarch Energy, he is building multi-hundred-megawatt powered land for hydrogen, data centers, and industrial load. His career is a map of how markets actually change and what veterans can do to stay ahead of the next wave. Because markets shift fast. Missions shift fast.Your network and mindset decide whether you stay in the fight. When the Hydrogen Halo Faded Along the Gulf Coast, hydrogen has been around for decades. The IRA looked like the moment green hydrogen would finally go mainstream: cut carbon intensity, earn tax credits, scale fast. Then Treasury’s guidance hit. Strict time-matching, additionality, and geography rules stalled the very projects meant to kickstart the sector. Green hydrogen didn’t die, but the simple path disappeared. Blue hydrogen still has openings along the Gulf Coast. Everywhere else, developers needed a new angle. Monarch widened the mission: Build powered land that works no matter which technology wins the next round of policy battles. The Real Scarcity Now: Interconnection Most people think big projects are a land problem. Inside the industry, everyone knows the real constraint is interconnection. Utilities are clearing queues, removing speculators, and tightening requirements for large loads. Texas added special rules for projects over 75 megawatts. That means any serious developer needs clear answers: * What are you interconnecting to, and when does it arrive. * Who pays for upgrades. * How you perform as a flexible load on a stressed grid. Monarch starts there. They target sites with real access to high-voltage lines and pipelines, then speak the utility’s language to secure agreements. Without a viable interconnection path, land is just land. Why Monarch Is Betting On Load And On-Site Generation Hydrogen is still viable in certain pockets. But the big opportunity now is large load. Monarch is designing sites around 600 MW-scale customers like data centers. At that size, hoping the utility catches up is not a strategy. It is a delay. So they pair interconnection with on-site generation. Natural gas is the workhorse today because it can be financed and built fast. Geothermal and small modular nuclear may matter later, but gas is the reliable bridge right now. In some cases, it may be the only viable path to megawatts at all. The high-level debates keep circling ideology. On the ground, the question is simple: Can you get power, when and where you need it, at a price that works. From Enron To VPPs: How Markets Actually Change Kevin Boudreaux didn’t land here by accident. After the Navy, a family connection got him into a startup gas storage company. That led to Enron, where he helped structure and then unwind major bundled deals in bankruptcy. It was a crash course in risk, contracts, and how power markets really work. “Try to unwind a deal through bankruptcy. You’re going to learn every facet of that deal.” From there he moved across generation, retail power, and then MP2 Energy, where he helped design early ERCOT offerings for rooftop solar, batteries, and EVs. The SolarCity work he touched became one of the seeds of Tesla’s virtual power plant program. Today, his own Powerwall runs inside a Tesla plan that optimizes his battery for the grid. What used to be an experiment is now routine. That’s how markets change: * A small group tests a new structure. * Someone proves it works. * A decade later, it becomes standard practice. Veterans who recognize that arc can place themselves where the next shift is happening. The Veteran Playbook: Network Hard, Build Structure, Do The Inner Work Nothing in Kevin’s career happened in isolation. Every move came from relationships, not job boards. “Every place I’ve gone in my career has been through somebody I know.” That is why Project Vanguard exists. Veterans should not be sending résumés into a void. They should be pulled into opportunities by people who know their work. Networking here is not salesmanship. It’s mission planning: * Conversations are reconnaissance. * Follow-through is reputation. * Introductions are force multipliers. But the internal side matters too. Kevin talks about routines, discipline, reading widely, and doing the emotional work required to navigate stress, markets, and family life. The uniform gave purpose and structure. Civilian energy work requires building both for yourself. Your edge isn’t knowing the next acronym. It’s knowing how to learn fast, adapt under pressure, and show up for the team. Final Thoughts Policy will shift. Tech will swing. Loads will grow faster than grids can catch up. What does not change is the need for people who can carry the mission and the details at the same time. That is Kevin Boudreaux. A Navy linguist who went from Enron bankruptcy to early VPP design to building powered land for the next wave of industrial load. Energy security is national security. Veterans have carried that weight before. The next chapter is carrying it into the grid, the field, the development office, and the boardroom. If this hit home, send it to a veteran figuring out their next move. And if you want more real stories from the people building America’s next energy chapter, subscribe and stay with us. Timestamps: * 00:06 – Intro and episode setup * 01:59 – Guest welcome and Monarch overview * 03:18 – Green hydrogen hype and IRA moment * 05:10 – Treasury guidance, three pillars, and project freeze * 07:08 – Monarch’s powered land and value stacking model * 09:22 – SB6, interconnection rules, and rising costs * 13:19 – Spain, language, and discovering Navy crypto * 16:49 – Leaving the Navy and first Houston energy job * 18:45 – Networking, mentors, and veteran career strategy * 22:35 – Enron bankruptcy and learning how deals really work * 25:56 – SolarCity partnership and early ERCOT VPP programs * 29:11 – On-site generation and Monarch’s bridge power strategy * 31:19 – Advice to younger self and veteran mindset * 34:04 – What Kevin is reading, inner work, and closing Get full access to Project Vanguard at media.projectvanguard.com/subscribe

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About

A podcast about leadership, energy, and service — told by the veterans shaping America’s Energy Dominance. Project Vanguard brings raw, mission-first conversations with those who’ve led in the military and continue to serve their country, building our energy future. Real stories. Clear insight. Focused on an All of the Above energy strategy where Energy Security is National Security. media.projectvanguard.com

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Doffing
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kevin Doffing
  • Show Website
    Project Vanguard Podcast