Scaling Clean

I recently chatted with Gareth Brown, CEO and co-founder of Clir Renewables, for Scaling Clean. Gareth's company built a risk intelligence platform that helps investors manage massive wind, solar, and storage portfolios — over 200 GW of data!What I loved most was Gareth's point on go-to-market strategy. You could have the world's best technology, but if you don't nail a repeatable sales process, you can’t scale.Here are three big takeaways from our conversation:🔹 In renewables, the “fuel” is free, but it’s also difficult to measure! 🔹 Go-to-market discipline is just as important as product quality.🔹 Great teams run on impact.

On the latest episode of Scaling Clean, I sat down with a leader who built his career in oil and gas with companies like Schlumberger and Halliburton. Akshay Sagar is now the CEO of the world’s largest solar O&M provider, NovaSource Power, managing more than 30 GW of solar and storage projects worldwide. I love Akshay’s advice about focusing on people and not being intimidated when people around you bring great ideas. Here are three big takeaways from our conversation:🔹 Great leadership starts with people, not assets.Akshay says every organization is made up of two things: “people and steel,” and steel can always be replaced. The true differentiator is talent. Surround yourself with people more talented than you are, invest in them, and never be intimidated by their ideas.🔹 Turnarounds demand culture, creativity, and accountability.Having managed three major corporate turnarounds, Akshay insists that workplace culture outweighs strategy. Success comes from setting shared values - ownership, discipline, urgency, accountability, and austerity - and adapting your business structure to fit the moment rather than copying someone else’s model.🔹 Focus is a superpower.Instead of chasing every new opportunity, focus on what your business does best. Expanding too far can pull attention away from your core strengths. Most of us think we can do it all, but lasting success often comes from going deeper, not wider. Identify the distractions, and have the discipline to say no.

On the latest episode of Scaling Clean, I got to interview a man who’s navigated not one, but two successful exits. Jacob Susman is the Senior VP of Development at top-tier project development company Electric Hydrogen, which recently acquired his green hydrogen company, Ambient Fuels. Jacob unpacked what it takes to build, grow, and successfully sell a clean energy company.Here are three big takeaways from our conversation:🔹 Start building relationships long before you need them. Jacob’s path to multiple successful exits was paved by years of relationship-building. He served on several boards, forming lasting relationships across the sector. Those connections later became essential in opening doors to partnerships and acquisitions.🔹 Communication in tough times should be clear, quick, honest, and direct. After 25 years in clean energy startups, Jacob has learned that communication can make or break a team. He’s led through crises, market swings, and tough personnel calls, and says the key is to communicate clearly and quickly. When hard news hits, be honest and direct. “How you comport yourself in these moments is going to be telling about your long-term reputation around the sector.”🔹 Know when to say no.Early in his career, Jacob’s team pushed through a small 10 MW wind project that nearly burned them out. Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be. Sometimes the smartest move is to stop, reallocate people to higher purposes, and focus on projects that advance your real strategy. In fast-growing sectors like green hydrogen, discipline is a superpower.

My latest Scaling Clean guest is Alon Mashkovich, the CEO of enSights, an AI profitability software that helps solar C&I owners capture missing revenue. Alon saw that 70% of solar projects were missing production forecasts. Now, the enSights software helps 6,000+ global clean energy assets stay profitable by getting to the root cause of project failures.  Here are Alon’s big three points: 🔹 Local insight drives global growth: Global expansion requires more than a good product; it demands deep market understanding. Identify pain points and tailor your approach to local regulations, and cultural dynamics. Establish a physical presence and immerse yourself in local culture. 🔹 Build investor trust through revenue: Build investor trust by linking business values to revenue. Sales, even small ones, prove impact and attract investors, turning ideas into scalable businesses. Addressing market pain points is easier with a strong team and culture.🔹 Build trust for tough conversations: Every market has pain points, and a strong team and culture make solving them easier. It's challenging, but when efforts align with business impact, everything shifts.

Thomas Jam Pedersen is my latest Scaling Clean podcast guest. Thomas Jam Pedersen, the CEO of Danish startup Copenhagen Atomics, is developing compact molten salt reactors fueled by recycled nuclear waste and thorium for greater efficiency and scalability. What’s interesting about this tech is its potential to address long-term radioactive waste, reducing storage time requirements from 100,000 years to ~300 years. Here are the big three points: 🔹 Energy drives prosperity: Every product we buy uses energy. 200 years ago, humans consumed significantly less energy. Today, it's about a hundred times more per person in the Western world. We are hungry for more energy because it's fundamental to prosperity. In the next decade, Thomas believes people globally will use 10x as much energy as today, which will strain global energy production. The only solution is generating a huge amount of energy. Countries like China and India are already realizing they need to produce everything: coal, oil, gas, wind, solar, and fusion. They want to build as much as they can, as fast as possible.🔹 The challenge of starting in Europe: A decade of economic stagnation and resistance to new tech made Europe a tough launchpad.  In Europe, the focus is still on cutting energy consumption. However, I Thomas believes this position will change in the next five years.🔹 Fundraising for the long haul: Unlike software startups, nuclear ventures have timelines more like pharmaceuticals, spanning decades. To address the gap, Copenhagen Atomics built a revenue model from day one by selling test systems, reactor salts and lithium-6 and -7. They have a demo reactor planned for 2027 with projected revenues of $50M by 2028.

This episode of Scaling Clean is a first on two fronts. We’ve interviewed not one, but two guests, and captured it all on video. I sat down with Nextracker founder and CEO Dan Shugar and Doral Renewables CEO Nick Cohen to hear the story behind Mammoth Solar, America’s largest solar project, and how it’s fueling prosperity in the heart of Indiana.The project’s name comes from a woolly mammoth whose bones were discovered in the field next to the site, and are now on display at the Smithsonian. Dan and Nick share how they made it a priority to work directly with landowners and the community while introducing agrivoltaics. Nick emphasized the importance of protecting landowner rights, and Dan highlights how local steel manufacturing is essential to Mammoth’s long-term impact.

My latest Scaling Clean guest is Blake Nixon, CEO of Geronimo Power, formerly known as National Grid Renewables. Blake discusses Geronimo’s rebrand and what it signals for the company’s future. He also shares the inspiring story of his mentor, Geronimo Power founder, Noel Rahn.A few more standout moments from our conversation:1️⃣  Be a risk taker. It doesn't get easier to take risks as you grow older. So take them young.2️⃣ At any point in your career, you can choose how much you want to grow in your role. You can stick to a job description, or you can add your own ideas. You get to decide. 3️⃣ Mistakes come with leading a company. It’s your job to experiment, push limits, and learn what works or doesn’t. Get comfortable with not knowing and needing to ask questions.

My guest on the latest episode of Scaling Clean, Robert Laubach, knows what it’s like to weather industry headwinds. In his words:“We’ve gotten a lot of solar whiplash over the years. But you just keep going. You keep building.”Robert is the CEO of MBL Energy, a California-based solar EPC contractor that has designed and installed over 800 megawatts of commercial and industrial solar energy projects. He brings more than 25 years of experience in commercial roofing and solar construction, and today, three generations of his family work together in the business.This episode isn’t just about how to build a successful solar EPC company. It’s about resilient leadership, family legacy, and navigating the clean energy transition in a rapidly changing environment.MBL Energy has delivered high-impact projects like solar canopies over hospital parking structures, EV charging infrastructure for commercial vehicle fleets, and even solar arrays installed over aqueducts—a growing trend in dual-use infrastructure. As Robert puts it:“We’ll do as much or as little as needed to make our customers successful—from blank dirt to final delivery.”

Cleantechers –My latest Scaling Clean episode is with a familiar guest: data center developer John Belizaire, the CEO of Soluna Computing.Because we’ve already talked to John about hiring and firing, I had more time to explore a topic near and dear to my heart: generating attention.  A committed pro himself, John’s advice on how to build profile was excellent. Belizaire made three points I wholeheartedly agree with, I’m paraphrasing them below. Just do it. If you are just getting started, you've got to put in the time. In John’s words, “The more you do it, the more fruitful it becomes. So I think the first piece of advice is if you're not doing it, start doing it.” Say yes to opportunities—panels, podcasts, anything— so you can hone your interview and stage presentation skills. I’ll add to that: even experienced public speakers know that each new audience is another opportunity to test material and tweak your stump speech. You need a voice. You have to have a unique point of view. One way (not the only way) is to play contrarian: flip the script. The media love controversy, and outlier narratives. Can you offer something different than what everyone else is saying?  Tell a story. Practice not just talking about it, but telling a story around it. In Belizaire’s words, “What will be true if what you're saying is true? What will change and how will that affect different communities? What role will you play to make that happen?” Thanks again to John for being a repeat guest, and for sharing your wisdom with the cleantech community. And congrats to Soluna on their first solar-powered data center — Project Annie,  a 75 MW site co-located with a 114 MW solar farm in Texas! 

Our most recent guest brings two decades of electrical industry experience. Brandon Moss is the CEO of Shoals Technologies Group, one of the major players in our industry. Brandon's leadership journey includes roles at Southwire Company, Lutron Electronics, and Stanley Black & Decker. Shoals Technologies Group is the leading provider of electrical balance of systems, or eBOS — electrical solutions that enable the rapid deployment of large-scale solar energy projects. Shoals is well respected in our field and among the more mature clean economy companies, having gone public in 2021. Here are Brandon’s B3P’s:6:36 - Despite recent headlines and political noise, solar energy remains in a strong position and is expected to stay that way for years. It’s the fastest energy source to deploy and continues to offer one of the lowest levelized costs of energy. With rising electricity demands, the growth trajectory for solar looks very promising.8:41 - One neat thing about solar plants is their immense size. Even small adjustments, like modifying a product or its delivery, can lead to major efficiency gains for solar power projects and EPC customers.14:50 - Early in your career, the most valuable thing isn’t chasing titles or higher pay. It’s finding a role where you can learn, grow, and have the support of mentors who are genuinely invested in your development. Leadership opportunities will come with time, but long-term success is about playing the marathon, not the sprint.

#Cleantechers - After more than 40 interviews with some of the clean economy’s most thoughtful leaders, I’ve recorded my last episode as host of the Scaling Clean podcast.Since launching the show in 2021, I’ve had the privilege of learning from – and sharing the wisdom of – executives driving the clean energy transition. Their insights have made me a better leader and hopefully offered our audience tools to lead with more clarity, purpose, and resilience.I’m thrilled to pass the microphone to my colleague and friend, Melissa Baldwin. As Tigercomm’s Senior Vice President, Melissa brings a fresh perspective to the mic. She’ll be asking smart questions about everything from AI’s role in marketing to what clean economy CEOs are doing to sustain high performance in turbulent times.Melissa started her series by interviewing me about what I’d learned. I’m probably the least impressive guest she’ll have, so we should probably get this episode out of the way. The good news is that we kept it short! We reflect on the journey so far and talk about the themes and takeaways that emerged from these 40+ episodes. In the coming weeks, we will condense these insights into a resource that will live on the Tigercomm website. Thank you to every guest who shared their story, and thank you to our listeners.

#Cleantechers -The latest episode of Scaling Clean will be my last hosting the show, because someone else at Tigercomm will be taking over the microphone. I get to end my tenure in the host chair with a guest who’s spent a lot of time growing companies. Mark Lewis is a veteran of some small, obscure companies you've never heard of, such as @Credit Suisse and @General Electric.From those, he became the CEO of Toronto-based ONEnergy, then got into fusion and investment. Mark's now managing director of Lime Rock New Energy, an innovative private equity manager that specializes in partnering with and growing clean energy companies. In his time, Mark has looked under the hood of many businesses, and I've wanted him on the show for at least two years. You’ll learn a lot from what he's seen by evaluating what works and doesn't in cleantech corporate leadership teams. Here are Mark’s B3P’s: 9:07 - When a team member isn’t the right fit, waiting to make a decision only makes things harder. Trust your instincts, recognize misalignment early, and make the necessary change decisively and respectfully – knowing it can be better for both the individual and the organization.16:17 -  Surround yourself with the best talent. You won’t always be the smartest person in the room, and you can’t be an expert at everything. So, create an environment where individuals feel valued, supported, and able to thrive alongside others.23:28 - Stay focused on your vision and resist the temptation to chase every new opportunity. Discipline in saying “no” to a new shiny thing is essential to building a strong, sustainable business.Thanks for coming on the show, Mark.

#Cleantechers –My most recent Scaling Clean guest is a rare, career-long cleantecher. Zoe Gamble is a lawyer-turned-CEO who now serves as President of CleanChoice Energy, founded by my long-time buddy, Tom Matzzie. But this isn’t her first time leading a company. Zoe already served as CEO of Pine Gate Renewables, where she grew the company from 8 to 86 employees in just two years. I think you’ll find her a wealth of management experience. Here are her B3P’s:5:07 - Don’t overlook the small details early in a career. These "little things" tend to grow in significance over time. Being meticulous and attentive to the small stuff builds a strong foundation, because unresolved minor issues can become major problems later in your career.13:17 - When life gets hard, especially at work, our instinct is to jump in and fix things right away. But that’s often not the best approach. Instead, we need to slow down, be still, and pay attention in a new way, because the same thinking that got us into a tough situation won’t help us find a better way out.15:13 - Your current experience of life is shaped by the future you're imagining. For example, if you know you're about to leave for a fun vacation, you'll feel differently in the moment than if you're about to head into a stressful meeting, even though neither event is happening yet. Feeling successful comes from having a clear, self-created vision for the future.18:58 - When you are inheriting a leadership team as a new CEO, take the time to truly understand what someone is capable of and what they are genuinely committed to. The people who helped build the company to its current stage may not be the right ones to lead it into the future. Their past contributions should be honored, but reaching new goals may require a different team or approach.Thanks for coming on the show, Zoe.

Cleantechers - We have had guests on Scaling Clean with a lot of different backgrounds, but I think my most recent guest is the first who combines journalism, corporate communications, legal, renewable energy development, and an operations background on her rise to be the CEO of Indianapolis-based Geneex Solar. If we've ever had a Renaissance CEO on the show, Emily Williams is it. Here are her B3P's:14:37: An effective CEO's success depends on the team they build and trust. Their role is to set clear leadership principles, define a vision, align people, and outline success while empowering the team to execute.16:25 - To avoid underleading someone, have regular one-on-ones with them and ask what their top priorities are. It’s a simple but powerful way to ensure you are aligned without micromanaging. Catching misdirection early will keep everyone focused on what matters most.19:57 - Hiring for grit and resilience beats hiring for resumes. Look for people who can build trust, bounce back from hard conversations, and thrive in people-driven work. Thanks for coming on the show, Emily.

Cleantechers - My most recent Scaling Clean guest started in software and then migrated to digital marketing. But for the last 15 years, she's helped lead GroundWork Renewables, a California-based company offering on-site solar meteorological stations for utility-scale power developers, operators and owners. I had the pleasure of meeting Ann last year at RE+, and within five minutes of talking with her, I knew we had to have her on the show.Here are Ann’s B3P’s:4:34 - Working in the solar industry is like being in the midst of new technology era — rapid innovation and constant evolution. But what sets the sector apart from others is its deep culture of collaboration. Solar companies often work together toward a shared mission, making it one of the most collaborative industries.8:50 - In moments of doubt, remember that when one door closes, a window often opens. Even in an empty conference hall, the right connection could shape your company's future for years to come. Opportunities have a way of appearing when you least expect them.19:10 - Firing someone can be seen as a positive act, not just for the company, but for the individual who is being fired. If someone isn’t thriving in their role, they likely aren’t happy either. The goal should be to help them find a position in which they can excel.Thanks for coming on the show, Ann.

#Cleantechers -  On the show, we've had leaders with a variety of backgrounds. Some, like my guest in this episode, have come from investment and finance. But few have achieved so much so quickly in their careers as Jo-Jo Hubbard. This McKinsey veteran got her start in a fintech startup, then moved into renewable energy finance. From there, she helped found the UK-based Electron, a SaaS company, out to transform energy trading to make the grid cleaner.  Jo-Jo now runs Electron as CEO. Her company helps grid operators and municipal suppliers with what it calls “local flexibility markets” to help them adapt to our renewables-heavy grid.  Here are Jo-Jo’s B3P’s: 16:05 - When you manage other people, you make them more productive by creating space for them to grow. And the more you create space for yourself, the better you become at doing that for others. It’s important to prioritize the time to exercise, meditate, or take a walk without a cell phone. 20:28 - The difference between running a cleantech company and a more mature company is the pace of growth. Cleantech is still evolving alongside the energy transition, creating a collaborative spirit. Companies with overlapping skills often work together. It’s a dynamic, problem-solving mindset of “let’s figure this out together.” More mature industries have well-defined market parameters and sizes, which makes collaboration less about exploration and more about execution. 27:41 - Hire people who are passionate about your company’s mission and inspire excitement among the entire team. Startups demand hard work, and having colleagues who energize others and share your commitment to a meaningful cause can make all the difference.  Thanks for coming on the show, Jo-Jo.

#Cleantechers -  My most recent Scaling Clean guest has a compelling background. You might say he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty.  Russ Bates grew up in the southern Indiana coal fields, starting his career as a union electrician, then moving up the ladder to foreman, and eventually VP. At the 26-year mark, he moved into company ownership, and he's now the founder of the Cleveland-area NXTGEN Clean Energy Solutions. NXTGEN is a one-stop shop for solar, wind, battery storage, and EV charging station projects.  Here are Russ’s B3P’s: 5:08 - Clean energy is drawing people to it because it seems every day brings a new breakthrough.  14:34 - As a CEO, ask yourself: “Is this decision going to be sustainable? Is this decision going to lead us to do enough business” to take care of your family and employees. There’s so much going on in this sector, especially with an election approaching, that could derail a business plan. It’s important to be mindful of those questions so you are best prepared for future changes.  25:35 - When you need to make the tough decision to fire someone, make sure you are confident in your reasoning as to why. Then, do it quickly. The employee might not have done something wrong but just weren’t the right fit. In those situations, sometimes the best thing for them is for you to part ways with them. Thanks for coming on the show, Russ.

My most recent Scaling Clean guest has been at the helm of her company for 16 years. Geraldine Gray runs Endiem, a Salesforce practice based in Houston. Her company works to help companies drive commercial growth by aligning their strategic goals with their Salesforce options. She has served clients in a wide number of sectors, not just in cleantech. Geraldine has also been very public about her successful battle with cancer, and I want to acknowledge her courage in sharing that story on LinkedIn. From several friends of mine, I've learned that overcoming such a challenge often brings an exceptional level of perspective and wisdom. Here are Geraldine’s B3P’s: 2:16 - There’s no “easy” button for making your business successful. You need to be resilient and just grind it out, looking for continuous improvement. The search for continuous improvement comes with challenges, so be okay with accountability and negative feedback. 19:10 - Working in cleantech is different than mature industries. People in the renewable industry tend to have several roles over several companies, while those in the oil, gas and chemical companies tend to stay at one company for a very long time. The benefit is that they bring a broad range of experience and knowledge to a project, but it’s hard for them to see what’s possible in the future vs. what needs to be done today. People in the renewables industry tend to have a broader mindset. 28:00 - Success in a business depends on how a leadership team executes its strategies. Tactics is doing things right. Strategy is doing the right things. You must have strategic marketing, strong sales and business development executed by people who care, not just have an engine that's generating leads. Don’t pursue opportunities that are a bad fit, with no strategy behind them.  Thanks for coming on the show, Geraldine.

My newest Scaling Clean guest is Katie Mehnert. She got her start in oil and gas, and she’s become a leading thinker and evangelist for growing the clean energy talent pool as CEO of Ally Energy, a global consultancy based in Texas. Katie’s journey through the incumbent parts of the energy sector has given her an enhanced perspective on being a clean economy CEO.  Here are Katie’s B3P’s 12:38 - As a leader, you have to surrender the notion that you can control everything, because you can’t. CEO doesn’t stand for “Chief Everything Officer.” Rather, it’s about making sure you pull in the best team you can, and help them make things happen. 16:28 - Visible leadership is when someone leads a company, rather than runs it. To be a visible leader, determine what your “why” is, and march forward. My “why” is to help give my child a cleaner future. But, the world will not be a better place if you are on the sidelines, playing it safe.  23:26 - When you look to hire someone, it is important to consider what the workforce values right now. The job search is no longer about the gold watch – the best benefits and pay can only get you so far. People instead look for a purpose. Create a purpose within your company that attracts people and gives them a reason to enjoy their work. Thank you for coming on the show, Katie.

Cleantechers -  My recent Scaling Clean guest, Scott Case, is deeply experienced in starting successful ventures. He came to cleantech by way of Priceline, as that company’s founding Chief Technology Officer. Among nearly 20 other different experiences, Scott now runs ZettaWatts, which has pioneered what it calls the “Additionality Rec Market” (AREC). It's offering fixed-price forward contracts to buy AREC from new projects under development. ZettaWatts is based in the National Capital Area, where I live and work, so it was good to have a neighbor on the show.  Here are Scott’s time-stamped highlights:   6:21 – When you think you don’t need help, it’s probably the first sign that you need it.    10:15 – Leadership is a practice. You’re never done.    12:48 – Observe the traits and attributes of leaders you admire. Then, borrow what resonates the most with you.   13:53 – There are three things to come back to as a CEO: Transparency, ownership (ensuring employees have both responsibility and the authority to reach goals) and resiliency. 24:23 – Hiring is the most difficult thing you do as a founder or a leader. You’re bringing new DNA into your culture, and new employees will have a profound impact. If you get hiring right 50% of the time, you’re doing great.  Scott had also shared three big lessons for founders of startups (19:26): Fall in love with the problem, not your solution. Validate that the customer problem is accurately captured. Accept the fact that the early customers aren’t necessarily the full customer base. Spend the time on messaging your value proposition.. Thank you for coming on the show, Scott.