We head to BMore aka Baltimore to chat with two rising stars in the Energy Space, Jason Schwartzberg and Phil Croskey of MD Energy Advisors. Along with their third partner, Paul Clary, these three visionaries took a leap of faith 12 years ago with no experience in the energy space because they wanted to help people save money on their electric bills. Now, several pivots, a pandemic and a 350 percentage in employee size later, the MD Energy Advisor Team is widely recognized as one of the premier shops not just in Maryland, but across the United States. Their focus has grown to utility, commercial and financing solutions concentrated in energy efficiency, renewable projects and old school natural gas and electricity brokering. But it’s not just their incredible growth and suite of services that impresses most - it’s the culture they’ve built and fostered that has facilitated this explosive growth and demonstrates why MD Energy Advisors Energy is as abundant internally as it is with its clients.

For more on MD Energy Advisors.

The EV rush, like pretty much everything with the Energy Transition right now, is in demand yet the consistent knock against the cars themselves is the hefty price tag that’s attached to so many of the new electric car models. Enter the Tightwad. In today’s episode, we welcome the Author of ‘How to Buy an Affordable Electric Car : A Tightwad’s Guide to EV Ownership,’ Matt Delorenzo. Now, Delorenzo is a self-described tightwad so frugalists can relax for a bit, but not only he is economically meticulous, he also happens to be one of the most prolific automotive scribes of his generation as he’s written about cars for the last 45 years. Delorenzo noticed a huge gap in the amount of and accessibility to quality EV information, but more importantly, Delorenzo, who lives in EV-friendly California, also surmised there was no one covering where to find inexpensive electric cars - or asking the bigger question - Do they exist? And boy do they. Delorenzo takes prospective EV buyers - for a ride - to not only educate them on what inexpensive EVs exist, but shares the ins and outs of the EVs when it comes to range, options, city v. highway driving, the used car market and we talk Tax Credits of course. It’s an EV Buying 101 course that breaks down the EV segment better than anyone.

For more on the book please go here and for more on Matt, click here.

By far one of the most impressive people to join The Power Connect, entrepreneur and founder Ahmad Atwan shares a host of impressive insights, career moves and how he has drawn on a successful oil and gas career to fuel his current endeavors that are already making waves in the renewable industry. A veteran of BlackRock and Morgan Stanley, Atwan details getting to know James Baker, how to approach CEOs and his strategy to closing deals, why labor and the grid may be the two most overlooked aspects that could slow The Energy Transition, how he and his team are building the ‘Schlumberger’ of Renewable Services and the investments and approach he’s taking to Clean Tech and renewable investing through his Venture Capital Firm - VC Fuel. No matter what kind of podcasts or show you watch or listen to just stick out more than others cause of how good they are thanks to the guest — this is one of those episodes.

Learn more about Ahmad Atwan, Clean Energy Services and VC Fuel.

Will the Hydrogen Revolution be televised? Who knows but you can bet that Magnus Thomassen and his team at Hystar will have a starring role in some capacity as they’re bringing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption as part of their play with their additions to the Market. Joining us from his office in Norway, Thomassen, a long-time R&D guy, tells us about making the entrepreneurial plunge, what makes their Hydrogen Electrolysers different than what we’ve seen in the market thus far and why did the U.S. wait so long to get their renewable act together?

Learn more about Hystar and Magnus.

A special live, on-location episode of The Power Connect this past weekend as we went to the Forward Party Kickoff Convention at the Bayou City Event Center on the southside of Houston. The event was headlined by Froward Party Founder Andrew Yang, former Presidential candidate who tells folks what the party is about and shares their thoughts on energy independence and what’s needed for the US to stay energy independent. Former NJ Governor and EPA Chairman Christine Todd Whitman is also part of the movement and talks climate change and whether the Inflation Reduction Act does enough and we round it out with local Houston politician Bill King who says the Forward Party isn’t planning on an immediate impact - but has something else in mind.

Fore more on the Forward Party.

It’s easy to see why folks love working in the solar and renewables field when you meet people like Devin Paris. The Sales Director of Solar Foundations USA, Paris found his way into solar sales through a LinkedIn because he needed a gig and 13 years later he works for the premier solar racking company in the United States. A doting father to boot, Paris talks his journey in solar, how Made In America kept Solar Foundations USA one step ahead of its competition during the pandemic and with the ongoing supply chain issues and he dishes on what’s made him a better sales person over his career and more. It’s a fun conversation with a great person.

Learn more about Devin Paris and Solar Foundations USA.

I had to kick things up a notch for Episode 40 and did so in a big way with longtime writer, professor and celebrated author Robert Jensen. With 16 books to his credit, Jensen discusses what might be his most controversial piece, ‘An Inconvenient Apocalypse,’ which he co-wrote with another legendary scribe, Wes Jackson. In the book, Jensen and Jackson’s take an unpopular stance in terms of how the current global climate crisis will fare - that it’s not going to end well for civilization regardless of what measures are taken. In this episode, Jensen also shares the feedback he’s received on the book and how there is a growing contingent of folks who believe a societal collapse is inevitable and that it’s preparation on the other side of the collapse that’s most important. He details how crises of consumption and meaning are at the root of the impending calamity and that a societal fix isn’t likely. But this isn’t some doomsday prophecy and Jensen shares how love has fueled this project that’s been more than 40 years in the making.

Learn more about Robert Jensen and purchase his book here.

A talented and determined entrepreneurial type makes their way to the United States from Austria and immediately makes an impact in the space and educates - and entertains - the masses along the way… Sound familiar? Of course it does and that’s the path Dr. Veronika Wright aka ‘Electrified Veronika’ has charted since her arrival in the United States less than two years ago and the Social Entrepreneur and Battery Expert is on her way to becoming a household name in the battery and electrification space. Author of the book, ‘The Drive to Electric,’ Wright has an inspiring story of love, dedication and the ‘Gilmore Girls’ that have led to her Electrified Veronika brand and the latest project she and her husband, Don, have taken up as they convert a ‘99 Jeep Wrangler to an EV.

Learn more about husband Don Wright and Veronika and their Jeep Conversion Journey.

In a nearly 30 year career in the automotive industry, there’s not much when it comes to technology and performance that Don Wright hasn’t seen. That’s why when he talks about makes electric vehicles so appealing, he’s coming from a place of honesty and experience, and he breaks all that down in today’s episode. Wright discusses the challenges EV’s are facing when it comes to infrastructure and improving battery life and sourcing, but he also explains how the circular economy plays a vital role in the evolution of the EV moving forward. Plus, in this first part of back-to-back husband and wife episodes, Don shares how his wife’s love of the TV Show ‘Gilmore Girls’ inspired their current ‘99 Jeep Wrangler EV conversion experiment.

Learn more about Don Wright and his wife Veronica and their Jeep EV conversion.

The Great Resignation was one of the effects of Covid and after 25 years working for a billion-dollar behemoth like Enterprise Rental Cars, Brett Frazee decided it was time to chart his own path as well, and took a plunge into the Venture Capital world. Now, the 50-something entrepreneur is using those skills that made him successful at Enterprise and transitioning into the mobility and micromobility space as a Partner with EFO Ventures. In today’s discussion, Brett tells us how a cross-country trip with his family spurred the bug to make a move; how crowded the sustainability and mobility space is right now for investing; how much going with your gut is the decision maker plus why incubation may be more important that the initial investment.

Learn more about EFO Ventures and Brett Frazee.