The Different Priorities of Connecticut's Green Banks

Sara Harari is the Associate Director of Innovation and Strategic Advisor to the president at Connecticut Green Bank. Connecticut Green Bank was established in 2011 and was the first Green Bank in the USA, of which there are now dozens that are live or in formulation. They look to accelerate the green economy by using public dollars to catalyze private investment into clean energy and other environmentally positive solutions. CT Green Bank started with a focus on residential solar deployment, and at 2021 expanded their model to include new areas of environmental infrastructure including climate adaptation and resiliency, land conservation, parks and recreation, agriculture, water, waste and recycling, and environmental markets, including carbon offsets and ecosystem services. 

In this episode, we cover: 

• [01:56]: The concept of a green bank
• [06:45]: The origins of CT Green Bank
• [10:07]: How CT Green Bank determines its priorities
• [12:32]: Sara's background and early interest in clean energy
• [15:31]: Her work at National Grid
• [17:13]: The Green Bank's EV charging carbon credit program
• [20:45]: How their scope expanded to include broader environmental infrastructure
• [23:05]: Innovative financial incentives and structures to support parks and land conservation
• [25:32]: What Green Bank looks for when hiring
• [27:30]: Green Bank's open rolling RFP for project ideas and investments made to-date
• [32:28]: Areas of innovation Sara is excited about, including the Innovative Energy Solutions program
• [34:58]: Federal funding opportunities, including the EPA's Clean School Bus Program and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
• [39:54]: How Green Bank hopes to support the contractor community with workforce development training and pre-apprenticeship programs
• [42:52]: Environmental justice at the core of the Green Bank's mission, and examples of working with low and moderate-income homes
• [45:56]: How the Green Liberty Notes program works
• [47:08]: What Sara is most excited about right now

Get connected: 
Sara Harari Linkedin
Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedIn
MCJ Podcast / Collective

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Episode recorded on June 20, 2023 (aired on July 3, 2023)

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant