In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague interviews Sebastian Heitmann, the co-founder of the venture capital firm Extantia. The discussion covered a wide range of topics related to the energy transition and decarbonization efforts.

Sebastian shared his journey from the early days of investing in clean tech 1.0, which primarily focused on solar energy, to the realization that more innovation was needed to tackle the challenges of the energy transition. This led to the founding of Extantia, with the goal of attracting institutional capital to back economically viable and resiliency solutions in the clean energy space.

One of the key technologies discussed is deep geothermal energy, which Sebastian referred to as the "holy grail" of energy sources. Deep geothermal involves drilling miles into the Earth's crust to access the immense heat trapped beneath our feet. The conversation explored the challenges and breakthroughs needed to make deep geothermal drilling economical and scalable, such as the development of new drilling technologies that can efficiently penetrate hard rock formations.

Sebastian also highlighted the importance of considering the entire energy landscape, including industrial heat, transportation fuels, and the need for firm capacity or baseload energy sources that can complement intermittent renewables like wind and solar. The discussion touched on the potential of emerging technologies and the role of innovation in finding solutions that are not only environmentally sustainable but also economically viable and resilient.

Throughout the episode, Sebastian emphasized the urgency of the energy transition and the need for a multi-faceted approach that leverages existing infrastructure while also embracing new technologies and innovative solutions. The conversation provided insightful perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in the clean energy space, underscoring the crucial role of venture capital and private sector innovation in driving the energy transition forward.

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Sebastian Heitmann
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