Your data center project clears IRR. Investors nod. But it still doesn’t get built.

In this episode, we break down decisions shaping climate CEOs right now:

• IRR vs. MCC — Affordability, not returns, is now a gating metric in project finance for data centers
• Cost to ratepayer — Higher bills signal credit risk, regulatory friction, and slower time to cash flow
• Culture types — "Commitment cultures" outperform via speed, trust, and fewer fatal errors
• Leadership calibration — Inject realism in good times, optimism in bad (a la Bill Gurley)

This is about what actually gets financed, how teams execute faster, and how CEOs avoid unforced errors.

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Work with me (EFI)

• Private CEO group (capped at 50) for climate tech founders navigating capital, strategy, and scale. entrepreneursforimpact.com

Newsletter (Climate CEOs)

• Read by 40,000 climate operators and investors annually. entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

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