The Green Light

What does it take to lead a top investment bank in the energy transition? Catherine McLean sat down with Britta von Oesen, Partner & Managing Director at CRC-IB, at Solarplaza's Asset Management North America (AMNA) Conference to talk about the trends shaping clean energy finance — from tax equity & M&A to carbon capture & distributed generation. Britta & her team recently advised Dimension Energy on a 122 MW ITC transfer deal purchased by a Fortune 500 company — a great example of how the tax credit market continues to evolve.They also covered:Why renewables are at a "point of no return" — even with post-election policy uncertaintyExpectations for the rapidly growing tax credit transfer market amidst the changing regulatory landscapeHow investors are using creative M&A structures like preferred equity to bridge today’s valuation gapsWhy carbon capture is becoming an increasingly important part of CRC-IB’s businessTrends & lessons from recent ITC transfer dealsAdvice for professionals looking to break into clean energy bankingIf you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with senior leaders, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

20 years ago, Trudy Forsyth and a group of women in wind asked a simple but powerful question: where are the other women in this industry — and how do we bring more in?That question led to the founding of Women of Wind Energy (now WRISE). The first event in 2005 was so packed they ran out of programs — and proved there was a community ready to grow.Today, WRISE has over 3,000 members, 47 chapters, a robust slate of annual programming, and continues to expand its impact across the renewable energy industry.To mark WRISE’s 20th anniversary, Catherine sat down with Trudy to talk about:Her path from aerospace to wind in the early days of the industryLaunching her own distributed wind consulting firmNavigating misogyny and building leadership opportunitiesLessons from international collaboration and standards workWhat it really looks like to be an ally in this spaceHow the next 20 years of leadership in renewables can look different — and betterOne quote that stayed with us: “We need all of our intellectual capital engaged in advancing the renewable energy transition. Isolating any group is a mistake.”Thank you, Trudy — and thank you to everyone who’s helped build WRISE over the past 20 years. It was an honor to record this conversation.If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with senior leaders, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest senior job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

How are Fluence, Excelsior Energy Capital, & Cordelio Power scaling grid battery storage — while navigating policy uncertainty, domestic content requirements, and O&M challenges? In this Green Light episode, Catherine spoke with Kaumil Shah, Senior Director at Fluence, at Solarplaza’s Asset Management North America (AMNA) conference in San Diego to discuss:New storage partnerships with Excelsior Energy Capital on 2.2 GWh of U.S. projects and with Cordelio Power on 1 GWh across three sitesPG&E's use of Fluence Mosaic to optimize market participation for the 183 MW / 730 MWh Elkhorn BESSWhat the team learned optimizing availability at Hazelwood BESS with ENGIE and Eku EnergyThe impact of policy uncertainty and domestic content pressures on storage business modelsBest practices for global BESS O&MAdvice for professionals looking to break into & excel within energy storageIf you work in energy storage, grid tech, or clean energy development, you’ll be sure to take away valuable insights from this conversation.If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

This episode is a little different — fellow podcaster Nico Johnson sits down with Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, at Intersolar North America to uncover insights on one of the biggest challenges in clean energy: finding and retaining top talent. Catherine, who specializes in recruiting senior-level professionals across the clean energy sector, shares her perspective on hiring trends, the most in-demand skills, and how companies are approaching diversity and inclusion in today’s workforce. Whether you're building your career or building a team, you’ll take away actionable lessons from Catherine’s deep expertise in clean energy recruitment.If your company is looking to hire senior leaders in cleantech or renewable energy, you can contact Catherine directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. And if you’re an experienced professional exploring your next opportunity in clean energy, check out Dylan Green’s latest job openings here: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

Our CEO had the privilege of placing all three of these incredible senior women at ClimeCo, and it’s been inspiring to watch them lead with purpose, impact, & real momentum in the sustainability space. In this episode, Catherine sat down with Emily Damon, Erica Schiller, and Emma Cox to talk about: 🌱 How each of them found their way into sustainability — from Big Oil to green tech startups to global nonprofits 🤝 What ClimeCo’s partnerships with Hilton & Lenovo mean for transparency and innovation 📉 What Scope 3 emissions actually are, & how companies are actively addressing them 🛑 What “green hushing” is and how to avoid it in today’s evolving narrative 🌍 The work they’re most proud of — from carbon credits to climate storytelling to helping their kids understand the impact they’re making 💡 Advice for anyone looking to break into sustainability or transition into a climate-focused careerThis one’s full of practical insight, generous storytelling, & hard-earned leadership wisdom. If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. Looking for your next role in clean energy? Take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

From a 7.5 GWh partnership with LG, to a solar+storage sub-portfolio sale to BlackRock, a 2 GW agreement with Heliene, & the launch of Lydian Energy, Catherine McLean spoke with Anne Marie Denman, Co-Founder & Partner at Excelsior Energy Capital, about what’s driving one of clean energy’s most active infrastructure funds. They also covered:⚡ Why she believes renewables will thrive under Trump⚡ Her journey from Big Law to founding Excelsior⚡ How Excelsior is de-risking supply chains through domestic manufacturing⚡ Her candid take on DEI in a politicized climate⚡ Balancing parenthood, leadership, and building authentic teamsIf you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

“There was such an emphasis in our house about—you can be anything you want to be. Education was really, really important... My parents actually sold their house to send me to college.” Raised by parents whose resilience defied circumstance—a father with a third-grade education who ensured Kelly’s mother could earn her degrees and become a teacher—Kelly Veney Darnell’s clean energy C-suite path is one of grit, purpose, & leadership. Catherine McLean sat down with the COO of the American Clean Power Association (ACP) & President of the Clean Power Institute to talk about how her early experiences inform the way she leads — and how she’s helping drive the future of clean energy.They covered:⚡ Her path from politics & Big Law to clean energy⚡ Launching EmpowHER to elevate mid-career women⚡ Lessons from mentors, sponsors — & going it alone⚡ How she’s building teams rooted in flexibility, accountability, & trust⚡ Her take on DEI in today’s climate — & how to keep momentum aliveKelly has designed ACP’s #EmpowHER25 event to pass along a few more lessons in leadership. Join ACP & Catherine McLean in Charlotte August 6-8: https://bit.ly/4jbMMw1.If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

What was it like to transition from Capitol Hill to leading one of the world’s top solar tracking companies? Catherine McLean sat down with Jessica Lawrence-Vaca, CCO at Array Technologies, to discuss her career journey, including the 188 MW Honeysuckle solar project with Lightsource bp & Lock Joint Tube in Indiana, & Array’s new Albuquerque manufacturing facility’s impact on the U.S. clean energy supply chain.Jessica also shared why she’s bullish on renewables despite political uncertainty, how she balances work & motherhood, & the importance of setting boundaries & having the right support. They talked about the mentors who’ve shaped her career, including male allies & women like Abby Hopper at SEIA, Amanda Smith at AES, Erica Dahl at Scale Microgrids, & Stephanie Dohn at McCarthy. Plus, Jessica offered advice for women in cleantech looking to advance their careers.If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

Dylan Green is thrilled to be partnering with WRISE to amplify the voices of underrepresented leaders in cleantech! Catherine spoke with WRISE’s Executive Director, Doseke Akporiaye, at the Leadership Forum in D.C. about our new partnership & WRISE’s latest initiatives to advance women, BIPOC & those with marginalized identities in our industry, including:• Expanding their conference capacity by 50% • A new program for executive women • A mentorship program that will connect 300 individuals with mentors• Partnerships with cleantech companies to support with recruitment & retentionThank you to those who joined us on the Green Light podcast at the Forum, including Sandhya Ganapthy, Abby Hopper, Shalanda Baker, Kerry Duggan, Jean-Nelson Houpert, Esther Kamau, & Liane Randolph. Shoutout also to WRISE’s corporate sponsors: Google, RWE, MCE, Invenergy, Qcells, Orsted, Atlantic Shores, SOLV, EDF, Oneneergy, Onward Energy, DNV, EDP, Copia, Primergy, Lightsource, SB Energy, Clearway Energy, Levelten Energy, & so many more!If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs. 

Liane Randolph, Chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), discusses her leadership in achieving a 30% carbon intensity reduction through the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. She highlights California's environmental justice initiatives, ensuring equitable access to clean energy technologies. Randolph also covers partnerships with Airlines for America to boost sustainable aviation fuel and the crucial role of electric vehicles in achieving the state's zero-emission goals. Through collaborations with EV infrastructure leaders, California is paving the way for a cleaner future.