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The first Tesla Model S came to be with an initial half-billion-dollar loan from the Department of Energy.  SpaceX was saved by a loan from NASA. The might of the federal government paired with the indomitable will of an entrepreneur equals a bridge to bankability.  

A successful model exists for scaling up decarbonization, and a tenacious entrepreneur’s first step is to the front door of the Loan Program Office.

Jigar Shah is the Director for the Loan Program Office at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).  Previously, he founded SunEdison and served as President and Co-Founder of Generate Capital.  In his current role, Jigar works with technologies that are ready to scale the transition to a global clean energy economy.  He oversees the planning and execution of the organization’s over $40B of authority within manufacturing, innovative project finance and tribal energy. 

On this episode of Clean Power Hour, Jigar joins Tim to discuss historical patterns in green energy financing, the many viable technologies still awaiting commercialization and how to identify your best and highest use professionally.

Listen in for a deep dive into decarbonization technology funding complete with rich detail, directly from a legitimate pioneer in the field.

Key Takeaways

How a DOE loan to an industry  sparks lending confidence from private banks down the line

The influence of state-level policies on lending, e.g.: California’s electric vehicle (EV) mandates 

Jigar’s take on why strong will and heart is required to reach the “bridge to bankability”

Why the Loan Program Office is a safe place for founders unfamiliar with commercialization

The perceived tension between improving existing technologies and deploying them as-is

What equity stage a company should be when applying for a DOE loan

Examples of long-established technologies plagued by inertia: green cement and green hydrogen

The differences at play in decarbonizing steel vs. cement

The learning curve benefit: a doubling of adoption of technologies equals 20% lower price

Why the process of discovery is worth losing m

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