The Green Light

Explore how carbon capture and clean hydrogen technologies are crucial for achieving net-zero goals. Discover a game-changing partnership with Siemens to develop zero-emissions turbine power. Dive into the challenges of balancing technological and financial risks in clean energy. Learn about proactive community engagement efforts in Texas, ensuring that underserved voices are heard and included in the energy transition. Tune in for innovative insights into the future of sustainable energy and its environmental impact.

Jean Nelson-Houpert, CFO of Volt Energy Utility and a champion of clean energy, dives into her collaboration with Microsoft and EDP Renewables on pioneering Environmental Justice Power Purchase Agreements. She discusses the challenges new developers face in securing funding and the importance of innovative financing. Additionally, Jean highlights the Sharing the Power Foundation, which supports HBCU students through impactful fellowships and scholarships, empowering the next generation in clean energy and promoting community involvement in environmental justice efforts.

From the White House & the Department of Energy to founding SustainabiliD, Catherine McLean spoke with Kerry Duggan about how to foster public-private sector collaboration to advance sustainability goals. They spoke from the WRISE Leadership Forum in D.C. about this & the intersection of environmental justice & sustainability consulting. Kerry is a corporate Board Director at BlueGreen Water Technologies, Envergia & Perma-Fix Environmental Services, & in this episode she “shared the password” (as she says) on strategies to earn board positions, & tactfully ensure your expertise & qualifications become known. SustainabiliD has partnered with leading organizations, including think tanks, major universities, national laboratories, philanthropy, global manufacturers, global investment banks and funds, climate tech companies and business accelerators, including Elemental Impact, Emerson Collective, Our Next Energy, LuxWall, Aeroseal, ClearFlame Engine Technologies, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Mill, Wallbox, Aclima, Walker-Miller Energy Services, Newlab, BlueConduit, Yardstick Management, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Asian Development Bank, Ceres, University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), Syzygy Plasmonics, Adaptive Energy, Aspen Institute, Milken Institute, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Argonne National Laboratory, Energy Foundation, ONsemi, Whirlpool Corporation, RockCreek Global Investment, University of Michigan Erb Institute, Vesta.Thank you, Kerry, for sharing sustainability success stories from some of these companies in this episode!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 receive a call out of the blue from President Joe Biden's transition team about leading the Department of Energy’s Justice40 initiative? Catherine spoke with Shalanda Baker about this as well as implementing the DOE’s first ever Equity Action Plans (EAP), which addressed foundational issues with how data is collected concerning underserved & underrepresented populations. Shalanda also shared how the Regional Energy Democracy Initiative (REDI) was formed & about its kickoff to support the delivery of community benefits in over 50 DOE-funded projects in the Gulf South totaling over $8B. She said that the last three & a half years have been the hardest of her life, but that they have also allowed her to integrate the most sacred parts of her life with the academic & policy work she has been committed to for over a decade. This episode was recorded at the WRISE Leadership Forum.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 does it take to transition from aerospace to leading the nation’s #1 fastest-growing community solar developer? In this episode, Catherine McLean spoke with Erica Brinker, Chief Commercial & Sustainability Officer at Chaberton Energy, about the company’s 7,300% growth & its origination of 350 MW annually. Some of the company’s recent work includes floating solar projects with Noria Energy & community solar projects throughout the U.S. with Pivot Energy & Prosperity Works. Erica also shared about how Chaberton is donating $5,000 per MW deployed to local communities, prioritizing pollinator habitats, & about some of toughest decisions she’s had to make in her role at Chaberton. 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. 

In this Green Light episode, Catherine spoke with EDP Renewables North America’s CEO, Sandhya Ganapathy, from the WRISE Leadership Forum in D.C.! They discussed EDPR NA’s partnerships with Microsoft & Volt Energy Utility, including their innovative Environmental Justice PPA. They also spoke about EDPR NA’s agreement with Google to develop & install 80 distributed solar projects - the largest distributed generation sponsorship signed between two companies in the U.S. at the time. Sandhya also shared her insights on the role that AI will play in the energy transition, EDPR NA’s ambitious "Close the Loop" recycling initiative that aims for a 90% waste recovery rate by 2030, & DEIJ-focused initiatives at the company.If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier candidates, 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. 

From increasing women staff from 38% to 46% in 2 years to implementing innovative solutions like breast milk shipping for traveling mothers, Staci Schwartz & Primergy have been making waves in creating a supportive, inclusive work culture. In this Green Light episode, Catherine McLean spoke with Staci about this, as well as about childcare costs & the impact of caretaking on both genders, & the importance of seeking sponsorship, not just mentorship. Staci also shared about some of Primergy’s exciting new projects, including the 690 MW solar + 380 MW 4-hour battery storage Gemini project in Nevada. If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier candidates, 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. 

Looking for some inspiration? In this episode, Catherine McLean spoke with leaders of 3 women-founded climate tech companies that are driving energy equity through partnerships with local communities, & organizations like Microsoft, T Mobile & Okta. Hear how: Dana Clare Redden at Solar Stewards is integrating renewable energy credits into underserved communities; Laura Zapata at Clearloop is transforming renewable energy landscapes in areas like rural Tennessee, making solar projects an engine for economic growth; & Sean Kenney at Emrgy is bringing distributed hydropower to water systems. All 3 companies are part of ACORE's Accelerate Program, which provides a robust community & resources to enable clean energy innovators to thrive.  Learn more about ACORE's Accelerate Program: https://t.ly/fyA8P.If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier candidates, 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. 

How can gaps in the U.S. solar supply chain be overcome to increase clean energy production & job growth? In this episode, Catherine spoke with John Smirnow at Smirnow Law & Arielle Brown at Wacker about this & the Polysilicon Coalition that they’re making advances through, alongside REC & Hemlock. While the U.S. is making strides in domestic module manufacturing, there’s currently an oversupply of foreign polysilicon & other necessary solar components due to trade policies abroad. John & Arielle share the latest updates on U.S. solar manufacturing, recent guidance on the IRA, & where we’ll be seeing the greatest job growth in the domestic solar industry in the coming years. If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier candidates, 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. 

Biodigesters, sustainable vineyards, & board positions for women are just a few of the fun topics Catherine discussed with Suzanne Hunt, VP of Policy at Generate Upcycle, in this Green Light podcast episode. With operations in Europe, Canada & the U.S., Generate Upcycle is dedicated to scaling up mature infrastructure in areas like organic waste recycling & wastewater, & has invested in companies like Atlas Organics. Suzanne shared about some of the challenges of advancing policy goals in a politically volatile environment, as well as advice on how climate activists & cleantech companies can work more cohesively together. Suzanne has had a diverse & impressive career. She began her career at the Environmental Defense Fund & eventually went on to do work for organizations like XPRIZE, Carbon War Room & Generate. Some of her recent accomplishments include working with coalitions to help get food waste diversion/recycling and climate legislation passed in her home state of New York. Suzanne is also on the board of organizations like Cornell AgriTech, & shared her advice on how women & those with other underrepresented identities can best prepare for a board position. If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier candidates, 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.