#257 Betting On $2 Trillion In Climate Infrastructure & Lessons From The DOE Loan Programs Office | Brendan Bell (Aligned Climate Capital) CleanTechies podcast

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#257 Betting on $2 Trillion in Climate Infrastructure & Lessons from the DOE Loan Programs Office | Brendan Bell (Aligned Climate Capital)

1M ago 28:35

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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
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