What does it take to scale the clean energy transition—both at the bleeding edge of new technology and in the nuts-and-bolts of infrastructure?
Today’s episode dives into the nuanced world of climate finance and infrastructure with Brendan Bell, Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Aligned Climate Capital. Unlike most investors who play in either venture or infrastructure, Align straddles both worlds, backing early-stage companies while also owning and operating clean energy assets.
Brendan shares his unusual path from the Sierra Club to the U.S. Senate, the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, and now into the private sector. Along the way, he offers candid insights into what makes a strong infrastructure investment, how venture-backed technologies eventually scale into bankable assets, and why understanding both sides of the capital stack is critical to accelerating the clean energy transition.
This is a masterclass on the interplay between policy, venture innovation, and hard infrastructure. If you’ve ever wondered how moonshot technologies meet the realities of capital markets and project finance, this conversation will give you the inside view.
📝 Show Notes:
Topics
- 02:43 – Dual Strategy: Venture vs Infrastructure
- 04:05 – Evaluating Infrastructure Projects
- 06:06 – Career Journey to Aligned Climate Capital
- 07:55 – Inside the Loan Programs Office
- 10:10 – Impact of Early Loans and Technology Bets
- 12:25 – Evolution of the LPO
- 15:42 – Lessons from Oil and Gas
- 22:48 – Current State of Infrastructure Investment
- 24:40 – Community Solar and Storage
- 27:55 – Global Trends and Race for Electrons
- 32:45 – Successful Investment Example
- 34:32 – Team Structure and Investment Philosophy
- 39:48 – Policy and International Markets
- 44:59 – Global Impact on Costs and Adoption
Links
- Brendan Bell | Align Climate Capital
- Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
- Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
- This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.
If you're gonna change the world, you're gonna need a world-class team. Partner with ErthTech Talent to help you do that, for less.
- 70+ Placements
- 5+ Years (exclusively in CleanTech)
- The Lowest Fees in the Market (12-15% of first-year salary)
- 90-day placement guarantee
It's really hard to say no to that.
Wait?! -- The best service is also the cheapest? Seems too good to be true, but it's the entire reason we started this company.
We believe that Climate entrepreneurs are doing important work, and there should be a firm to help them find the best talent, without it breaking the bank.
Reach out today for a free assessment of your hiring process. hello@erthtechtalent.com
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.