Experts Only

Latest Episodes:

#134: Ten Years of CleanCapital with Thomas Byrne Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

We are back with a new episode of Experts Only, a podcast exploring innovative climate change solutions through conversations with industry leaders, hosted by Jon Powers, co-founder of CleanCapital and former chief sustainability officer under President Obama. We’re excited to relaunch the podcast with a compelling discussion with Thomas Byrne, co-founder and CEO of CleanCapital. They'll reflect on CleanCapital’s ten-year journey, highlighting our strategy of organic growth and operational efficiency that has led to over 500 megawatts of operating assets, with a projection of 700-800 megawatts by year-end. Key achievements include early financing from John Hancock, partnerships with major investors like BlackRock, and a recapitalization of our corporate debt facility from $300 million in 2021 to $800 million in 2023. Our credibility is built on transparent collaboration with developers and partners. With advancements in battery storage and community solar, CleanCapital is poised to raise billions in corporate capital by 2030, reinforcing our leadership in the clean energy sector. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy the conversation.

# 118 with Barney Schauble, Expert in Understanding Climate Risk Jul 25, 2023

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Welcome Barney Schauble, Chairman of Nephila Climate, to Experts Only! During this episode, Barney and host Jon Powers discuss the exciting future for the clean energy industry. Barney and Jon dive into insurance -- not just insurance on our assets, but also how we're insuring the broader risk of climate. Barney is also Chair of the Board of Ceres (a non-profit devoted to sustainable capitalism). He has been working in this space, both on the risk side and the capital markets side, for his entire career. They explore how he ended up working in climate, and the importance of thinking about risk and how we can better do it across the market. Tune in to hear more about the the work that needs to be done to ensure that we can address these issues overall in the climate crisis.

Experts Only Podcast #92: LIVE from the RISE Consortium with Dawn Lippert Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

Welcome Dawn Lippert, CEO, Elemental Excelerator & Innovation, Emerson Collective, to Experts Only. Dawn, a.k.a. the Bruno Mars of clean energy, spoke with host Jon Powers live during the RISE Consortium. Hear from an expert on funding the improvement of systems that impact the planet and people's lives through energy, water, agriculture, transportation, and beyond.

Episode 76: Heather Reams Sep 23, 2020

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This week on the Experts Only podcast our guest is Heather Reams, Executive Director of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions. CRES is a right-of center non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that engages policymakers and the public about responsible, conservative solutions to address our nation’s energy, economic, and environmental security while increasing America’s competitive edge. Host Jon Powers dives into the conservative case for clean energy and how each of us can become better climate communicators.

Dr. Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer, Microsoft May 03, 2019

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This week on the pod, Jon Powers sits down with Dr. Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer at Microsoft. They discuss Joppa's background studying ecology and biodiversity, how that led him to a career at Microsoft. He currently leads the company’s environmental sustainability efforts as well as the AI for Earth project, a 5 year, $50 million cross-company program dedicated to AI research and technology in agriculture, water, biodiversity, and climate change. Before becoming the Chief Environmental Officer, he worked as a researcher for Microsoft at the intersection of environmental and computer science. He has a bachelor's degree in Wildlife Ecology and Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a PhD in Ecology from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, and volunteered with the PeaceCorps in Malawi.

Anthony Leiserowitz, Director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

This week on the pod, Jon Powers and Anthony Leiserowitz, Director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, dive into how social, economic and behavioural norms affect the way humans view climate change. In their discussion, we learn about the 6 different views Americans hold regarding climate change, the types of questions scientists ask when studying human behaviour and climate, and how the clean energy revolution will be the biggest economic revolution in human history. Upon graduating university, Anthony moved to Aspen, Colorado and joined the Aspen Global Change institute. Since then he has become an expert on public opinion and public engagement with the issues of climate change and the environment. His research investigates the psychological, cultural, and political factors that influence environmental beliefs, attitudes, policy support, and behavior. Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com/experts-only Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_ Learn more about Six Americas: http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/americans-are-increasingly-alarmed-about-global-warming/

Katherine Hamilton, Founder and Chair, 38 North Solutions Jan 28, 2019

Show notes

This week on the pod, Jon Powers sits down with Katherine Hamilton, co-founder and chair of 38 North Solutions, to discuss current climate culture and the challenges political leaders face with clean energy innovation. It’s a fascinating discussion on how policy makers influence new technologies, resilience and clean energy, and the role of innovation as a marketforce. Katherine has had a dynamic career advancing federal clean energy policy. She has served in advisory roles for the Energy Storage Association and Good Energies, Inc.; advocated for the development of renewable portfolio standards in New Jersey and Maryland as Co-Director for the American Bioenergy Association; and worked in buildings research and government relations at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In addition to her policy experience, Katherine spent a decade at a utility, designing electrical systems for commercial and residential developments. Katherine is also a co-host of The Energy Gang podcast through Greentech Media. Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com/expert-only Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_ Learn more about 38 North Solutions: https://38northsolutions.com/

Live From CELI emPOWER - The Next Generation of Clean Energy Leaders Nov 19, 2018

Show notes

This week’s episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Clean Energy Leadership Institute’s (CELI) EMPOWER conference in DC. EMPOWER is the first conference dedicated to young professionals driving change in the clean energy sector, which says a lot about CELI’s mission as an organization. For those who don’t know CELI - the organization dedicated to developing and connecting the next generation of diverse clean energy leaders. Jon Powers sits down with Liz Dalton (new Executive Director) and Thomas Biddinger (New Board Member and VP at Bay4Energy) about the organization and its future. This conversation features insights from Liz and Thomas on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the clean energy workforce, and technology trends in energy and climate change. They both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge from multiple dimensions of the industry to share with you. Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com/expert-only Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_ Learn more about CELI: https://www.cleanenergyleaders.org/ With programs operating in Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA, the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) is dedicated to developing the next generation of diverse, pragmatic clean energy leaders. Over the last five years, CELI has trained nearly 400 young professionals across 200+ organizations in clean energy policy, finance and technology. Learn more about CELI: https://www.cleanenergyleaders.org/ Applications for CELI's 2019 Fellowship will open on November 30th. More information can be found here: www.cleanenergyleaders.org/fellowship CELI is hosting a Clean Energy Advocacy + Deep Decarbonization event in SF on December 8th. A great opportunity for folks in the Bay who are thinking about applying to the Fellowship. RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/clean-energy-advocacy-101-workshop-achieving-deep-decarbonization-tickets-51568186835

Storage is Here - Our Conversation with Kelly Speakes-Backman, Energy Storage Association Oct 22, 2018

Show notes

On the pod this week, Jon sits down with Kelly Speakes-Backman, the CEO of the Energy Storage Association, the national trade association dedicated to energy storage, working toward a more resilient, efficient, sustainable and affordable electricity grid. The organization represents a diverse group of companies, including independent power producers, electric utilities, energy service companies, financiers, manufacturers, and more involved in deploying energy storage systems. Kelly joined ESA with more than 20 years working in energy and energy efficiency, sustainability, renewables, and environmental business strategies. Her direct technology experience includes power generation from solar, wind, biogas and biomass, distributed generation, natural gas, smart grid and fuel cells. She joined the public sector in 2010 as the Clean Energy Director at the Maryland Energy Administration, where she led a team to implement programs aimed at meeting the Administration’s goal of increasing Maryland’s renewable energy portfolio to 20 percent by 2022. With her rich experience across sectors, and throughout the energy industry, we are excited to hear Kelly’s insight on the growth of storage and the transformative potential of this emerging technology. We hope you enjoy the conversation today as much as we did. Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_ Learn more about the Energy Storage Association: http://energystorage.org/ 2025 Report for Energy Storage: http://energystorage.org/vision2025 McKinsey on the declining costs of storage: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/electric-power-and-natural-gas/our-insights/the-new-rules-of-competition-in-energy-storage

Graham Smith, CEO and Founder Open Energy Group Mar 19, 2018

Show notes

This week, Thomas Byrne, CEO of CleanCapital, sits down with Graham Smith, CEO and Founder of Open Energy Group. We discuss the challenges of financing small scale solar as well as the opportunities presented by technology to simplify the process. Graham was drawn to clean energy from a very early age and seized the opportunity to combine his background in finance with his early passion as a career in renewable energy finance. He has also had a front row seat to evolution of the global clean energy landscape and offers a unique perspective on where the industry is headed. Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_ Learn more about Open Energy Group: https://www.openenergygroup.com/

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