The ZENERGY Podcast: Energy Leadership, Finance, and Technology

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast! Today, host Karan Takhar speaks with Mona E. Dajani, Global Co-Chair of Energy Infrastructure & Hydrogen and Co-Chair of the Energy Sector at Baker Botts. They discuss her career journey, what drew her to the energy sector, and how she creates deal structures for large scale renewable projects. Mona then walks us through one of the most challenging and rewarding deals she’s worked on and gives advice to lawyers and developers navigating their own deals. Karan and Mona discuss the soft skills needed to do the job and how to figure out what the other side wants. They dig into the Inflation Reduction Act and how the tax credits and incentives help and challenge deal structures. And, finally, Mona shares her advice for the next generation of leaders in the clean energy space. 

If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, be sure to do so, and follow us on all the socials. New episodes go out every Thursday.

Listen to The Zenergy Podcast:

   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5HEZXoEfuDa548Ty81gBWN 

   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zenergy-podcast-climate-leadership-finance/id1556215421

Follow The Zenergy Podcast on all the socials:  

X (Twitter): @TakharK2

   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Znrg.org

   Instagram: @zen_rgy

   LinkedIn: ZNRG

   YouTube: ZNRG – The ZENERGY Podcast

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro 

1:05 - Welcome

2:25 - What drew Mona to the energy sector

3:20 - Emerging technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the energy sector 

6:05 - Challenges of creating deals for large-scale environmental projects 

9:30 - Creating a deal between 9 different companies 

11:50 - Advice to lawyers and developers who are navigating complex deals

14:45 - The importance of getting the best legal help you can get

17:15 - Ways to get money for your company 

18:40 - How to deduce what companies value

19:40 - How the Inflation Reduction Act has altered the landscape

21:35 - How current laws can be amended to help developers

25:30 - Exciting future of the energy space

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Thanks for tuning into The Zenergy Podcast! On today’s episode, Karan sits down with Pete Schork, Principal at Broadscale Group. Pete and Karan start off with a fun lightning round of questions leading into his role at Broadscale, how he sources investment opportunities, and an explanation of Broadscale’s mission: “Disruption for good.” They discuss how Broadscale balances the “disruption” part of their mission while ensuring their investments drive positive outcomes, Pete shares examples of companies they have invested in that have driven positive outcomes, including M-KOPA and Arcadia, and they talk about Broadscale’s unique model of working with corporate partners to source deals. Karan and Pete discuss red flags young investors should be aware of, what magic ingredient helps climate startups thrive, how startups can pivot when things aren’t going as planned, and the soft skills Pete looks for in great team members. They conclude with the markets Pete has his eye on right now, his thoughts on policy amidst the upcoming election, and the advice he would give his younger self. 

If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, be sure to do so, and follow us on all the socials. New episodes go out every Thursday.

Listen to The Zenergy Podcast:

   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5HEZXoEfuDa548Ty81gBWN 

   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zenergy-podcast-climate-leadership-finance/id1556215421

Follow The Zenergy Podcast on all the socials:  

X (Twitter): @TakharK2

   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Znrg.org

   Instagram: @zen_rgy

   LinkedIn: ZNRG

   YouTube: ZNRG – The ZENERGY Podcast

Connect with Pete:

     https://www.broadscale.com/ 

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro 

0:53 - Welcome

2:30 - Lightning round - Broadscale’s theme song, which historical figure Pete would have join Broadscale

6:30 - The growth of solar power over the last 10 years 

8:50 - Pete and Andrew’s (working for Green Order) first meeting 

11:25 - How Pete and Andrew began sourcing investment opportunities

12:50 - How does Broadscale ensure positive outcomes 

13:50 - M-Kopa 

17:20 - Arcadia

21:00 - The benefits of working with Broadscale Group 

22:45 - Broadscale Group is unique

23:55 - Corporates that Broadscale Group is engaging with 

24:45 - How to be an effective climate investor 

28:17 - Red flags and warning signs young investors should be mindful of

30:30 - The “magic ingredient” that helps climate start-ups thrive

32:50 - Via Transportation and the importance of pivoting 

36:00 - Soft skills that make a good team

39:20 - Exciting upcoming projects

41:00 - How does the current political landscape impact Broadscale Group

44:00 - Career advice to young Pete

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast. Today, host Karan Takhar sits down with Jon Glass, Senior Technology-to-Market Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy or ARPA-E. They discuss his role at ARPA-E and how the opportunity to work there came about as well as what inspired him to do this kind of work. Jon shares an overview of ARPA-E’s process, how companies or academics can get involved, and how much weight ARPA-E puts on which early-stage companies have the most potential to bridge the gap from bold research to commercialization. They go on to discuss how ARPA-E brings in private sector advisors, like Jon, to help companies get to commercialization, and Jon shares several surprising and unconventional innovations he and his co-workers have supported over the years. Karan and Jon talk about the convergence of AI and the climate tech space, the hard lessons Jon’s learned in his career, and Jon gives advice to young investors looking to engage in this sector.

If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, be sure to do so, and follow us on all the socials. New episodes go out every Thursday.

Listen to The Zenergy Podcast:

   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5HEZXoEfuDa548Ty81gBWN 

   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zenergy-podcast-climate-leadership-finance/id1556215421

Follow The Zenergy Podcast on all the socials:  

X (Twitter): @TakharK2

   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Znrg.org

   Instagram: @zen_rgy

   LinkedIn: ZNRG

   YouTube: ZNRG – The ZENERGY Podcast

Connect with Jon:

https://liftoff.energy.gov/ 

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro 

2:00 - Welcome

3:15 - What is ARPA-E?

5:15 - How Jon started working with ARPA-E

8:30 - Jon’s experience in working with early-stage clean-tech companies

12:30 - Details about ARPA-E’s funding opportunities

18:00 - The process of reaching out to ARPA-E for funding 

19:50 - Anyone can make a proposal for funding

26:10 - Qualities of companies that have a lot of potential

32:30 - ARPA-E program directors

34:23 - ARPA-E tech-to-market team 

37:00 - Bowtie model 

42:08 - Pathways to commercial liftoff

43:50 - ARPA-E employees’ private sector experience, and why they switch to public service

46:30 - Unconventional innovations - geologic hydrogen, powerline undergrounding, applying quantum computing to energy

53:15 - Convergence of AI and climate tech

57:20 - Advice to young investors 

1:01:13 - Have a “connector” mindset

01:04:35 - Red flags in early companies that young investors should be mindful of

01:07:15 - Lessons learned

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast! Today, Karan interviews Rob Day, Co-Founder of Spring Lane Capital. Rob and Karan discuss how Rob and his partner founded Spring Lane Capital, what the process was like raising the first fund, and how the company bridges investment gaps in the market. They start of with a lighthearted lightning round of questions then continue with the origin story of Spring Lane Capital and lead into a breakdown of the types of financing rounds entrepreneurs go through. They also discuss how Spring Lane Capital blends project finance with growth capital, talk about the typical ticket size of investments they make, and Rob walks through the steps they took when investing in Atlas Organics. Please enjoy our conversation with Rob Day. 

If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, be sure to do so, and follow us on all the socials. New episodes go out every Thursday. 

Listen to The Zenergy Podcast:

   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5HEZXoEfuDa548Ty81gBWN 

   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zenergy-podcast-climate-leadership-finance/id1556215421

Follow The Zenergy Podcast on all the socials:  

X (Twitter): @TakharK2

   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Znrg.org

   Instagram: @zen_rgy

   LinkedIn: ZNRG

   YouTube: ZNRG – The ZENERGY Podcast

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro 

1:30 - Welcome

2:05 - Lighting round of questions - what Rob would do if he were not in climate, what historical figure Rob would have as a dinner guest, hidden talents, etc. 

9:30 - How can we look at history to inform us about today

11:20 - How to inspire great change in the market

12:30 - The origin story of Spring Lane Capital

17:25 - The process of fund-raising 

19:00 - The investor markets in the US vs. Canada 

21:15 - It’s been difficult to raise funds in 2024 

23:20 - Entrepreneurial funding model 

25:30 - The structure of venture capital 

29:40 - Transition points in business-funding 

32:00 - Hybrid capital project model 

33:40 - Typical SLC investment sizes 

36:20 - The investing story of Atlas Organics 

41:10 - How SLC found Atlas Organics and the importance of networking 

44:00 - The downsides of venture capital 

46:00 - What Rob has learned through mentorship 

48:30 - Climate investing is an execution game, not an invention game

50:20 - Final thoughts 

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast. Today, Karan speaks with Amanda Leland, Executive Director at the Environmental Defense Fund. They talk about her work at the EDF, including what inspires her to stay at the organization for as long as she has, and they discuss the advice she’d give herself at various increments throughout her career journey. They discuss the launching of MethaneSAT, the genesis of the project, and the exciting data it will soon provide. Amanda gives insight on how the EDF is navigating the uncertain political landscape, and she also shares what future breakthroughs she can’t wait to happen. They wrap up with a very fun lightning round, so be sure to stick around until the end of the episode to hear that.

If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, be sure to do so, and follow us on all the socials. New episodes go out every Thursday. 

Listen to The Zenergy Podcast:

   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5HEZXoEfuDa548Ty81gBWN 

   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zenergy-podcast-climate-leadership-finance/id1556215421

Follow The Zenergy Podcast on all the socials:  

X (Twitter): @TakharK2

   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Znrg.org

   Instagram: @zen_rgy

   LinkedIn: ZNRG

   YouTube: ZNRG – The ZENERGY Podcast

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

0:38 - Welcome

1:25 - Why Amanda has stayed at EDF for 20 years

3:58 - Amanda’s EDF origin story 

5:54 - Advice for those working in environmentalism 

8:42 - Turning points/”Aha!” moments

11:10 - MethaneSAT

16:20 - How to engage with stakeholders

19:15 - Leadership 

22:15 - Tactics for managing a global organization

24:20 - How Amanda avoids jetlag, and how employees of EDF avoid burnout

27:00 - Book recommendations  

30:10 - How EDF navigates political shifts

35:10 - EDF’s role in enforcing EPA rules 

37:30 - Amanda’s hopes for the future

39:08 - The ocean could be more a part of the solution to climate change 

43:15 - Lightning round of questions, including Amanda’s superpower, favorite historical figure, Amanda’s mantra, etc. 

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy podcast! On today’s episode, Karan Takhar speaks with Dimitry Gershenson, CEO & Co-Founder of Enduring Planet. They discuss Dimitry's time living in Kenya and India and how that shaped his perspective on how to approach climate solutions. Dimitry then walks us through the founding of Enduring Planet and the gap in the market they are filling using their unique funding model. Karan and Dimitry discuss Enduring Planet's idea of lending against grants, the average ticket size they lend, and Dimitry breaks down how federal and state grants and procurements are allotted out. He shares his thoughts on the election and if he believes it will impact the climate landscape and gives insight into the raising of Enduring Planet’s second fund. 

If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, be sure to do so, and follow us on all the socials. New episodes go out every Thursday.

Listen to The Zenergy Podcast:

   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5HEZXoEfuDa548Ty81gBWN

   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zenergy-podcast-climate-leadership-finance/id1556215421

Follow The Zenergy Podcast on all the socials:

https://enduringplanet.com/

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:20 Welcome

2:16 Dimitry’s very first job

4:27 How Dimitry’s time living in Honduras influences his work today

6:00 The resilience of the ecology of the planet vs. the human race

8:00 Capitalism and climate

10:45 Dimitry’s work at Meta

12:05 Origins of the Zenergy Podcast

13:00 SEMA fund

13:40 Dimitry’s favorite foods from abroad

17:00 Funding model for Enduring Planet/what does Enduring Planet do?

20:30 How Enduring Planet is different from government grants

22:30 Working with government loans alone is really hard on companies

24:15 How grant agencies work with companies

25:00 The path that Enduring Planet helps companies to be on

25:30 The amount of money Enduring Planet gives for different kinds of investments

27:00 How smaller start-ups have trouble accessing public money

29:30 What Enduring Planet is doing to level the playing field

31:15 The process of partnering with Enduring Planet

35:20 Enduring Planet allows companies to accelerate the trajectory on grants

37:20 Any climate projects are welcome to request funding

39:30 Now is not the time to wait to invest in the fight against climate change,

44:30 How the upcoming election will impact the climate landscape

48:20 The exciting parts about the future of climate industry

52:00 A message to those early in their careers

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

On today's episode, Karan Takhar sits down with Yasmeen Shaheen-McConnell, Senior Advisor for the American Climate Corps, AmeriCorps. Yasmeen shares the origin story of the American Climate Corps and how she got involved. They speak about how the Corps recruits its members, how its structured, who can apply, and how an organization wishing to partner with the ACC can do so. Yasmeen then shares how she has been inspired during her time there and how she sees the ACC evolving in the next 5 to 10 years. They end with a lightning round of questions sure to encourage anyone wishing to get involved in the American Climate Corps. Many thanks to Yasmeen and her team for their help in making this episode happen.

If you have an organization and want to partner with the

Show Notes: 

[1:45] - Yasmeen tells us what superpower the American Climate Corps (ACC) would have if it were a superteam. 

[3:10] - Yasmeen shares the origin story of the ACC, and how it came out of a challenge that President Biden responded to while he was running for president. 

[6:30] - Yasmeen talks about her background, and why she believes anyone can work in climate. 

[7:00] - What the goals of the ACC are, and the progress they are making on those goals. 

[9:30] - What it means to serve in the ACC. 

[13:30] - What kind of people are members of the ACC, and how organizations can partner with the ACC. 

[17:15] - The process of becoming a member of the ACC. 

[20:30] - Yasmeen discusses some of the challenges of implementing some of the projects of the ACC. 

[23:20] - Yasmeen discusses her work in the government to release funds to organizations outside of the government that are working in climate, like non-profits. 

[24:50] - Yasmeen tells us about the surprising amount of people who want to be a part of helping the climate crisis since working with the ACC. 

[26:00] - What are the things that the ACC does that people who work in climate across the world can learn from? 

[27:40] - Yasmeen talks about how FDR’s original CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) has influenced the ACC. 

[28:40] - What does the future look like for the ACC? 

[31:30] - Lightning round of questions about the ACC - including the number of climate jobs the ACC hopes to create before 2030, unexpected skills members learn in the climate corps, most rewarding aspects, etc. 

[34:40] - Yasmeen gives her 25 year-old self one piece of professional advice. 

Links and Resources:  

Email: [email protected] 

climatecorps.gov

acc.gov

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

As a pioneer in impact investing, Nancy has demonstrated the potential of venture capital to drive social change and environmental improvements. She is an active voice in the field, frequently writing and speaking on impact investing topics. Nancy serves on the boards of several companies, including Zola Electric, Bellwether Coffee, and Farmers Business Network, and has previously worked with Tesla Motors, SolarCity, and Pandora before their public offerings. Before founding DBL, she was a Managing Director in Venture Capital at JPMorgan and began her investment career at Hambrecht & Quist in 1984. Her diverse experience also includes roles at Intel Corporation, the State of California, Stanford University, and the Sierra Club.

In 2024, Nancy received the Impact Leadership Award from Impact Capital Managers and was recognized in 2023 by Forbes and the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Bay Area’s most influential business leaders. Her accolades include the 2022 Financial Woman of the Year and appearances on Fast Company’s 2016 Most Creative People in Business list. A frequent lecturer at prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Stanford, she has held numerous leadership roles in organizations focused on clean energy and social impact.

DBL Partners was formed with a “Double Bottom Line” investment strategy to invest in companies that can deliver top-tier venture capital returns (First Bottom Line), while working with our companies to enable social, environmental and economic improvement in the regions in which they operate (Second Bottom Line). DBL Partners uses venture capital to accelerate innovation in a way that positively affects an organization’s social impact, as well as its financial success. We strongly believe these two drivers –positive social change and a healthy financial performance– are inherently connected. DBL invests in and helps nurture outstanding entrepreneurs and companies in Cleantech, Information Technology, Sustainable Products and Services, and Healthcare.

[2:47] - Nancy shares a bit about her incredible career, and what she would title a book about her journey.

[7:02] - Before founding DBL, Nancy was a Managing Director at JPMorgan. She shares the experience of breaking off with DBL during a time of uncertainty.

[11:10] - Nancy describes her experience with Tesla and how the investment in strong talent benefits an entire organization.

[13:12] - Start-ups are all about resilience and perseverance, especially during times of economic challenges.

[14:32] - In this environment, it is difficult to stay positive and survive in the short term.

[16:35] - A first-time fund investor is slightly different because of the risk involved.

[18:01] - Nancy describes and explains venture capital and impact investing.

[22:52] - Sustainability is a key interest of Nancy’s and her colleagues.

[26:29] - Nancy describes some of the challenges faced at Tesla in the beginning of her work there.

[30:08] - Whatever the block is, you can make a difference.

[31:57] - Initially, the car industry was not designed to support the development of electric vehicles.

[34:42] - What is the difference between Founder mode and CEO mode?

[38:07] - There are habits, including drinking coffee, that are “carbon habits”.

[39:39] - The good news is that the list of talented and visionary entrepreneurs is getting longer, increasing impact.

[42:18] - What are the soft skills that are valued at DBL and the VC world?

[44:09] - At the founder level, there has to be an insatiable drive to change the world.

[46:19] - Create several scenarios in your analysis and do some stress testing.

[51:53] - There is a lot of uncertainty right now, especially when it comes to policies.

[54:24] - Even with uncertainty, there are many things to like and be positive about with policy transitions.

DBL Partners

Credits:

Editing: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Adam James is a Partner at Energy Impact Partners, where he leads the firm’s Customer Experience team and the Impact and Sustainability team. Adam joined EIP from Tesla where he worked on global business operations. Prior to Tesla, he was the Deputy Director at SolarCity, supporting global market expansion including business development, M&A, and utility partnerships. Adam previously held roles with GTM Research and at the Center for American Progress. Adam is also a Board Member at the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI), a nonprofit dedicated to developing the next generation of energy leadership, which he co-founded in 2013.

Energy Impact Partners, or EIP, is a purpose-built investment platform. It is a collaborative strategic investment firm that invests in energy companies. They bring together brilliant entrepreneurs and some of the world’s most influential corporations to help transform the global economy towards a sustainable future. EIP is committed to setting standards on ESG reporting, transparency, and measurement, as a member of the Initiative Climate International, a subgroup of UNPRI specifically formed to work on reducing carbon emissions of private equity-backed companies and securing sustainable investment performance by recognizing and incorporating the materiality of climate risk.

[2:29] - Adam shares what initially sparked his motivation in this field and how it has evolved over time.

[7:56] - Adam describes some of his experiences in the early days of his career.

[10:16] - Climate change is a really unique problem because it requires a multi-disciplinary approach.

[12:53] - In building an organization, there are several first steps to take. Adam explains some of the critical steps that he took at the start.

[16:17] - It is apparent in the climate field how generous and collaborative people are.

[19:15] - Scaling things up in an organization has been an exciting part of the work for Adam.

[21:50] - What can be learned after years of experience and data? How can there be improvement?

[23:24] - It is a complex political environment. In general, no matter what is going on, corporations have a business objective.

[26:14] - Compared to years past, there is more progress and good news regarding climate change coming everyday.

[28:03] - Adam describes some of the things he is most excited about when it comes to emerging technologies.

[31:32] - Adam shares advice to those who are entering the field.

Adam James is a Partner at Energy Impact Partners, where he leads the firm’s Customer Experience team and the Impact and Sustainability team. Adam joined EIP from Tesla where he worked on global business operations. Prior to Tesla, he was the Deputy Director at SolarCity, supporting global market expansion including business development, M&A, and utility partnerships. Adam previously held roles with GTM Research and at the Center for American Progress. Adam is also a Board Member at the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI), a nonprofit dedicated to developing the next generation of energy leadership, which he co-founded in 2013.

Energy Impact Partners, or EIP, is a purpose-built investment platform. It is a collaborative strategic investment firm that invests in energy companies. They bring together brilliant entrepreneurs and some of the world’s most influential corporations to help transform the global economy towards a sustainable future. EIP is committed to setting standards on ESG reporting, transparency, and measurement, as a member of the Initiative Climate International, a subgroup of UNPRI specifically formed to work on reducing carbon emissions of private equity-backed companies and securing sustainable investment performance by recognizing and incorporating the materiality of climate risk.

[2:29] - Adam shares what initially sparked his motivation in this field and how it has evolved over time.

[7:56] - Adam describes some of his experiences in the early days of his career.

[10:16] - Climate change is a really unique problem because it requires a multi-disciplinary approach.

[12:53] - In building an organization, there are several first steps to take. Adam explains some of the critical steps that he took at the start.

[16:17] - It is apparent in the climate field how generous and collaborative people are.

[19:15] - Scaling things up in an organization has been an exciting part of the work for Adam.

[21:50] - What can be learned after years of experience and data? How can there be improvement?

[23:24] - It is a complex political environment. In general, no matter what is going on, corporations have a business objective.

[26:14] - Compared to years past, there is more progress and good news regarding climate change coming everyday.

[28:03] - Adam describes some of the things he is most excited about when it comes to emerging technologies.

[31:32] - Adam shares advice to those who are entering the field.