Conversations in Cleantech

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May 2026

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Conversations in Cleantech offers insight into the opportunities, challenges and rewards of working in the cleantech space from the investors, leaders, entrepreneurs, accelerators & technologists within it. We talk all things cleantech, sustainability, renewables, agritech, solar, wind, e-mobilty, hydrogen & energy storage. The time for cleantech is now – join the revolution and live your purpose. Conversations in Cleantech is bought to you by Brightsmith, the cleantech search specialists.

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May 26, 2026Episode 9733 min

John Belizaire, CEO at Soluna: on Renewable-Powered AI, Curtailment & Building the Future of Sustainable Compute | Season Ten, Episode Nine

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, Chloe England is joined by John Belizaire, Founder and CEO at Soluna - a company rethinking how AI infrastructure and renewable energy can work together. John shares the story behind Soluna’s model: co-locating modular data centres with renewable energy projects to utilise otherwise curtailed power behind the meter. By bringing compute directly to stranded renewable generation, Soluna is helping unlock new economics for clean energy while supporting the rapid growth of AI and digital infrastructure. The conversation explores grid congestion, renewable-powered compute, the growing energy demands of AI, and why data centres could become a catalyst for accelerating clean energy deployment rather than competing with it. John also reflects on his journey from Intel and multiple successful technology ventures to building Soluna, alongside his views on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the importance of diversity within the technology sector. As Season Ten comes to a close, this episode offers a fascinating look at one of the industry’s most ambitious intersections: the future of energy and the future of compute. 01:13 - Introduction to John 01:52 - You’ve had a fascinating journey from early renewables to building Soluna - what’s been the common thread driving your career? 05:11 - From your first startup to building Soluna, what’s the biggest lesson you carried forward into your later ventures? 07:40 - Was there a specific moment that led to the idea behind Soluna and pairing energy with compute? 13:08 - For those less familiar with the space, can you explain how Soluna pairs renewable energy with compute - and what’s happening behind the scenes? 20:30 - You’re not just building data centres, but an integrated energy and compute platform - is that how you think about Soluna internally? 25:43 - Are you primarily focused on the US market right now, or are you also expanding into Europe and other regions? 26:41 - Why has diversity been so important to you as a leader? 30:29 - How do you see Soluna evolving over the next few years, and what key milestones are you focused on? Connect with your host, Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, John Belizaire, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

May 12, 2026Episode 9632 min

David Miller, Chief Commercial Officer at Gridmatic: on AI, Grid Flexibility & Powering the Data Centre Boom | Season Ten, Episode Eight

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, our hosts Joe Riley and Chloe England are joined by David Miller, Chief Commercial Officer at Gridmatic - an AI-powered energy company helping to optimise supply, demand and market participation across an increasingly complex grid. As data centre demand accelerates and electricity systems face mounting pressure, the conversation explores how AI, storage and flexible load could reshape the way power is bought, balanced and delivered. Drawing on experience across energy consulting, grid-scale storage and energy trading, David shares how the grid is evolving from a one-way system into a far more dynamic network of generation, demand and real-time optimisation. From the rise of controllable load resources to the growing role of battery storage and flexible demand, this episode unpacks how digital infrastructure and energy markets are becoming increasingly intertwined - and why smarter coordination may be just as important as new generation capacity. For anyone interested in where energy software, AI and data centre growth collide, this is a conversation well worth your time. 02:05 - Introduction to David 02:38 - Could you walk us through your journey across energy consulting, the grid, large-scale storage, and AI-driven energy markets - and how it led you to Gridmatic? 05:16 - What was the defining moment that pulled you into the energy transition and the opportunity to make an impact at scale? 06:35 - Outside of work, what keeps you busy, and what are you passionate about? 07:01 - At Brightsmith, we talk about “living your purpose” - what does that mean to you personally? 08:06 - What do you do at Gridmatic? 11:56 - How do you define Gridmatic in the value chain - an energy company, a software company, or both? 13:38 - When you were scaling grid-scale energy storage at Wärtsilä, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced? 15:30 - How did moving to Shell and stepping into a global energy company change your perspective? 17:07 - What has been the most rewarding moment of your journey so far? 18:19 - Texas has strong momentum in the energy transition - do you see that continuing? 19:45 - As clean power and digital infrastructure increasingly overlap, what challenges are data centres creating for the grid today? 25:46 - Could you explain what controllable load resources are - and why they’ve become so relevant in today’s data centre boom? 26:34 - Looking ahead, what’s next for you, Gridmatic, and the broader energy system? 29:09 - What markets excite you most right now? 30:22 - What’s one piece of wisdom you’d share with others looking to build in this space? Connect with your hosts, Jow Riley and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, David Miller, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

April 28, 2026Episode 9532 min

Dr Ryan Hatcher, CEO & Founder at Phoenix Semiconductor: on Legacy Chips, Supply Chain Fragility & the Hidden Foundations of Digital Infrastructure | Season Ten, Episode Seven

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Ric Ashworth-Lord are joined by Dr Ryan Hatcher, CEO & Founder at Phoenix Semiconductor - a leader working at the intersection of advanced electronics, supply chain resilience and critical infrastructure. While much of the spotlight falls on cutting-edge chips, Ryan brings attention to a less visible but equally critical layer: legacy semiconductors. These “older” technologies underpin everything from energy systems and transport to defence and data centres - yet their supply chains are increasingly fragile, overlooked, and difficult to replace. Drawing on experience across Samsung, Lockheed Martin and now Phoenix Semiconductor, Ryan explains why mature-node manufacturing has become strategically important, how decades of optimisation have exposed systemic vulnerabilities, and why resilience across the full semiconductor ecosystem is now essential. From supply chain shocks and obsolescence risk to the realities of scaling manufacturing and securing long-term capacity, this conversation shines a light on the infrastructure beneath the infrastructure. 01:02 - Introduction to Ryan 02:03 - What exactly are legacy semiconductors, and why are they so critical to modern infrastructure? 04:29 - How does legacy semiconductor manufacturing underpin energy and digital infrastructure, and why has supply chain fragility become such a constraint on growth? 08:29 - What led you to found Phoenix, and why is mature node manufacturing now so strategically important and often misunderstood? 13:44 - Why can’t mature node manufacturing capacity scale when demand spikes, and what’s exposed the fragility in the system in recent years? 18:23 - Why do even well-capitalised companies delay addressing predictable supply chain risks? 22:21 - How should leaders think about geographic risk in mature node production, and will securing manufacturing capacity become a competitive advantage? 26:47 - Looking ahead five years, what does a truly resilient semiconductor ecosystem look like, and what role does Phoenix play in building it? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Ric Ashworth-Lord, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Dr Ryan Hatcher, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

April 14, 2026Episode 9435 min

Patrick Lynch, Executive Managing Director at CBRE: on Power, Pace & the Reality of Scaling Digital Infrastructure | Season Ten, Episode Six

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, our host Jenny Gladman is joined by Patrick Lynch, Executive Managing Director at CBRE - a market leader with a front-row seat to some of the industry’s biggest infrastructure decisions. With more than three decades in digital infrastructure, Patrick brings a rare perspective on how the market is evolving under real-world constraint. As demand accelerates and supply struggles to keep pace, he shares how power availability is reshaping site selection, why speed-to-market has changed deal dynamics, and what it now takes to deliver capacity at scale. From hyperscale growth and edge deployment to supply chain pressure and talent gaps, this conversation offers a practical look at how digital infrastructure is really being built. For anyone curious about where the market is heading - and what it will take to keep up - this is a conversation well worth your time. 01:01 - Introduction to Patrick 02:44 - Could you briefly share your career journey and how you came to your current role? 04:20 - What feels fundamentally different about where we are today compared to 10-15 years ago? 05:59 - You’re a father of four, with some of your children now entering the industry - how has that shaped the way you think about the space? 08:00 - How do your children challenge your thinking, and what does that feel like? 09:32 - From your vantage point, what’s driving demand right now and what core forces are shaping decision-making? 12:06 - What are the key differences in how decisions are being made today compared to a few years ago? 14:20 - From your perspective, how is power influencing transactions and site selection today? 16:59 - How does the gap between sustainable ambition and what’s viable at scale or in location shape decision-making? 19:09 - From a global perspective, how do the US, Europe, and APAC differ in terms of opportunity and constraints? 21:26 - What are your top tips for people wanting to get into the sector? 23:02 - Where do you see the greatest need for talent in this sector, and which backgrounds are best positioned to move into it? 26:23 - As projects scale from 100MW to multi-gigawatt campuses, how has that changed how deals are structured and executed? 28:56 - At this scale, what’s the hardest point in a deal - what breaks first? 32:37 - For those building or investing in this space, what’s the one takeaway you’d want them to leave with? Connect with your host, Jenny Gladman, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Patrick Lynch, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production

March 31, 2026Episode 9338 min

Sofie Käll, CIO and Anna Søndergaard, Co-Founder & CEO at The Footprint Firm: on Early-Stage Risk, System Innovation & Investing Beyond the Data Centre | Season Ten, Episode Five

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, hosts Jenny Gladman and Isabella Rova are joined by Sofie Käll, CIO, and Anna Søndergaard, Co-Founder, Partner & CEO at The Footprint Firm - two investors approaching digital infrastructure not from the centre of the asset, but from the edges of the system. As data centres place growing pressure on grids, water, cooling and materials, Sofie and Anna offer a different lens on what it means to invest in the future of digital infrastructure. Rather than backing the assets themselves, they focus on the technologies, services and efficiencies that can reshape the ecosystem around them - from grid balancing and energy storage to cooling innovation and software optimisation. This conversation explores what early-stage capital can realistically do in a market defined by speed, scale and physical constraint. It also digs into the balance between commercial viability and impact, the challenge of proving deep tech in real-world systems, and why some of the most meaningful opportunities may lie not in the “moonshots”, but in the less glamorous solutions that quietly improve performance at scale. For anyone curious about how venture thinking, systems change and sustainability intersect in the digital infrastructure buildout, this episode offers a sharp and refreshing perspective. 01:02 - Introduction to Sofie and Anna 02:45 - From an early-stage investor perspective, what makes the data centre ecosystem so compelling? 03:44 - Could you briefly introduce yourselves and share the story behind The Footprint Firm and the work you’re doing today? 07:31 - How do you approach digital infrastructure opportunities differently from traditional asset investors? 09:58 - How do you distinguish between incremental improvements and solutions that can truly scale commercially? 13:34 - How do you assess technical risk from a deep tech perspective? 18:14 - How do you see early-stage innovation helping address the growing energy demands of data centres? 21:47 - Do you see data centres acting as a stress test for broader energy transition technologies? 23:42 - Beyond power, where are the most under-discussed circular economy opportunities in the physical build of data centres? 27:00 - How do you connect the dots across sectors like energy, circular economy, and the built environment when investing in digital infrastructure - and who do you see as the winners? 32:25 - What drew you to this sector - was there a defining moment that shaped your decision to pursue it? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Isabella Rova, on LinkedIn. Find your guests, Sofie Käll and Anna Søndergaard, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

March 17, 2026Episode 9236 min

Gene Alessandrini, Senior Vice President of Energy at CyrusOne: on Grid Constraints, Power Strategy & Delivering Energy for Hyperscale Data Centres | Season Ten, Episode Four

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England are joined by Gene Alessandrini, Senior Vice President of Energy at CyrusOne - a company operating at the front line of one of the industry’s biggest challenges: power. As AI demand accelerates and grid capacity tightens, megawatts have become more than an input; they’ve become the defining constraint on digital infrastructure growth. Drawing on decades in wholesale energy markets, renewables and structured transactions, Gene shares a clear-eyed view of what it really takes to secure, structure and deliver power at hyperscale. From grid realities and renewable procurement to the complex balancing act between reliability, speed and sustainability, this conversation explores how the energy and data centre worlds are rapidly converging - and why solving the power challenge will require far deeper collaboration across industry, utilities and policymakers. For anyone curious about what it actually takes to power the next generation of compute, this is a conversation well worth your time. 01:04 - Introduction to Gene 03:38 - What connects the different chapters of your career - and what first drew you into the energy sector? 05:24 - How has your background shaped the way you think about powering data centres? 08:06 - What has surprised you most about the shift from generating power to securing and delivering power for mission-critical loads? 11:13 - How do you frame energy internally today: a constraint, a competitive differentiator, a risk function, or all three? 14:25 - How do you balance where customers want to be with where the grid can realistically support growth? 16:23 - What does CyrusOne’s renewable electricity procurement hierarchy mean in practice, and why did you choose that framework? 18:13 - Where do companies often get it wrong when they claim to be powered by renewables? 20:04 - If long-term PPAs can take one to three years to deliver new electrons, how do you bridge that gap while maintaining credibility? 21:54 - Texas has over 1,100 megawatts under contract to support CyrusOne facilities — what does that represent in terms of planning, risk, and infrastructure delivery? 26:02 - What energy mix is realistically needed to meet reliability, sustainability, and scale without creating backlash? 30:46 - Looking ahead a few years, what needs to change first for the US power system to keep up with digital infrastructure demand? 32:19 - If there’s one thing you’d like listeners to take away from today’s conversation, what would it be? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Gene Alessandrini, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

March 3, 2026Episode 9133 min

Sue Ennis, Head of Investor Relations & Government Affairs at Hut 8: on Power Arbitrage, AI Demand & Turning Stranded Energy into Strategic Infrastructure | Season Ten, Episode Three

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, hosts Jenny Gladman and Isabella Rova are joined by Sue Ennis, Head of Investor Relations & Government Affairs at Hut 8 - a capital markets strategist turned infrastructure insider who has spent the last decade at the edge of disruption. What begins as a conversation about Bitcoin mining quickly becomes something much bigger: a story about stranded power turning into strategic leverage, about how yesterday’s overlooked assets became today’s AI lifeline, and about why the real currency of this decade may not be data, but electrons. Sue brings a rare perspective from inside the evolution of crypto, energy arbitrage and now AI infrastructure, cutting through media noise to unpack what’s actually happening across grids, capital flows and supply chains. From copper and cooling to tradespeople and transmission, this episode zooms out from hype and into fundamentals. If you’re curious about how capital markets thinking meets energy reality and how unexpected players are reshaping the AI race, this conversation offers a fresh and thought-provoking lens. 01:01 - Introduction to Sue 02:47 - Can you share a bit about yourself, your journey and how you ended up at Hut 8? 05:28 - Many still see Hut 8 as purely a Bitcoin mining company - how has the business evolved into AI data centre and power infrastructure? 09:58 - With reports of a 45-gigawatt US shortfall, how real is the AI-driven energy risk - and how concerned should we be? 12:16 - Why are Bitcoin miners uniquely positioned in an AI-driven energy landscape? 13:14 - What cooling innovations are enabling AI data centres to operate in hotter climates like Texas and Louisiana? 20:59 - What do you see entering the space over the next few years? 23:31 - How are supply chain constraints affecting public and private markets, and where are you seeing investment opportunities emerge? 26:04 - From an infrastructure fundamentals perspective, are we moving beyond the hype-driven phase of AI? 28:25 - Over the next two to three years, what’s exciting you most in this space? 29:11 - What did that jungle course experience ultimately teach you? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Isabella Rova, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Sue Ennis, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

February 17, 2026Episode 9030 min

Neha Palmer, CEO at TeraWatt Infrastructure: on Fleet Electrification, Utility-Grade Thinking & Building the Backbone of AV Charging | Season Ten, Episode Two

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, our hosts Jenny Gladman and Joe Riley are joined by Neha Palmer, the visionary CEO behind TeraWatt Infrastructure - and one of the rare leaders shaping the future of electrification by blending deep energy expertise with Silicon Valley scale. From utility engineer to data centre strategist at Google, Neha’s story isn’t your typical founder’s arc - and neither is her company. With TeraWatt, she’s reimagining EV charging infrastructure not as hardware, but as high-uptime, capital-intensive platforms built to power fleets and autonomous vehicles at pace. This conversation unpacks how to build something bankable before the market is ready for it, why uptime is non-negotiable, and how lessons from data centres can fast-track the future of electric mobility. Neha also shares a grounded and empowering take on leadership - as a woman, a founder, and a force in an industry that’s still finding its footing. For anyone curious about the intersection of infrastructure, capital, innovation, and conviction - this one’s not to be missed. 01:01 - Introduction to Neha 02:55 - Can you share a bit about your background and the journey that led you to founding TeraWatt? 05:28 - How did your time at Google, particularly working on data centres, shape how you think about infrastructure? 07:55 - How would you explain the TeraWatt business model to someone outside the energy sector? 11:29 - What’s driving the pace of your charging hub expansion? 12:43 - What’s changing in AV deployment that’s driving greater demand for charging and fleet infrastructure like this? 15:13 - Why was it important for TeraWatt to be hardware-agnostic yet selective while building your own software stack? 16:23 - How do you future-proof both existing and new sites as the technology continues to evolve? 17:52 - Raising a billion dollars was a major milestone - how did you think about capital structure from day one in a still-maturing sector? 19:25 - How did you balance vision with building something investors could back from day one? 20:55 - What are the biggest challenges ahead for the sector and for TeraWatt? 23:25 - How do innovation speed and talent bottlenecks in the data centre sector show up for you - and do they affect TeraWatt in the same way? 24:50 - As a woman founder in a male-dominated industry, how do you think about your leadership role and the responsibility it carries for others coming through? 26:15 - What advice would you give to women considering leadership roles or founding businesses in the energy sector? 27:56 - Looking back on your career, is there anything you would have done differently? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Joe Riley, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Neha Palmer, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

February 3, 2026Episode 8929 min

Phillip Sandino, SVP of Utility Development at Tract: on Master Planning, Hyperscale Demand & Delivering Power Infrastructure for the Long Game | Season Ten, Episode One

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this inaugural episode, our hosts Jenny Gladman and Chloe England are joined by Phillip Sandino, Senior Vice President of Utility Development at Tract - a company building powered land platforms that bring large-scale data centre sites online faster and more responsibly. With a career spanning field engineering, power systems, utilities, and data centre operations, Phillip brings a rare end-to-end perspective to today’s conversation. He’s been on both sides of the grid - delivering power and demanding it - and now plays a critical role in aligning stakeholders, infrastructure and capital to deliver gigawatt-scale developments. Together, Jenny, Chloe and Phillip unpack how grid planning must evolve to meet hyperscale demand, why credibility is critical for project viability, and what power procurement really looks like behind the scenes. They explore what it means to build with foresight, how Tract works to de-risk and accelerate utility timelines, and why gigawatt-scale development requires new models of partnership. It’s a conversation grounded in practical experience - and a timely look at what it truly takes to scale digital infrastructure responsibly, in a market that’s evolving faster than ever. 01:20 - Introduction to Phillip 02:49 - What first drew you to the power and digital infrastructure space? 06:45 - What did your time in utilities teach you that developers and operators still underestimate today? 09:27 - When did you realise data centres weren’t a short-term trend, but a permanent shift? 12:00 - What does Tract do, and what does “powered land” mean in practice? 15:15 - What are the advantages of a lean, tightly aligned team in such a fast-moving market? 17:20 - Why is it so hard right now for utilities and regulators to assess whether a project is real, and why does that matter so much? 20:09 - What does a gigawatt really mean from a utility perspective in terms of capital risk and system impact? 22:34 - In such a noisy market, what signals that a developer or project sponsor is truly credible? 25:00 - As AI-driven demand accelerates, what do you wish more people understood about what it really takes to scale responsibly? 26:45 - Looking ahead a few years, what needs to change first for the US power system to keep up with demand? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Phillip Sandino, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.

December 9, 2025Episode 8839 min

Abby Hopper, President & CEO of Solar Energy Industries Association, on Policy, People & the Leadership Required for a Resilient Solar Future | Season Nine, Episode Ten

Welcome to Season Nine of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re going behind the scenes of transition infrastructure - speaking with the investors shaping how, where and why climate capital flows. From decarbonisation and energy security to technology maturity and policy gaps, we’re unpacking what it really takes to fund the systems that underpin a net-zero future. And we’re closing out the season - and the year - with a guest who has truly shaped the story of clean energy in the US. In this episode, our host Jenny Gladman is joined by co-host Chloe England to speak with Abby Hopper, President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) - a trailblazer at the forefront of American solar policy, advocacy and industry transformation. Since stepping into the role in 2017, Abby has led SEIA through a period of unprecedented growth and volatility - from navigating shifting political winds and trade policy challenges to cementing solar as a mainstream, multi-gigawatt player in the US energy mix. This conversation is more than a look at policy or project pipelines. It’s a deeply human exploration of what it takes to lead through change - from building trust across opposing interests to showing up with empathy, urgency and resilience in the face of climate and societal challenges. Abby also reflects on the unique role of solar in the American energy transition, why long-term impact requires more than short-term wins, and how equity and inclusion must sit at the heart of the clean energy future. Expect a powerful, honest and inspiring end to the season, and a reminder that leadership in cleantech is as much about people as it is about power. 01:06 - Introduction to Abby 02:54 - How did your early experiences in law and government shape your path to leading one of the country’s largest clean energy associations? 06:00 - What turning points and lessons have most shaped you as a leader? 07:43 - When you stepped into the CEO role, what surprised you most - about the organisation or the solar sector at the time? 10:10 - How did you find yourself interviewing for this role - was it through an introduction or a direct application? 12:58 - When you look back, which achievements stand out as the most meaningful and impactful to you? 14:55 - You’ve shaped SEIA’s internal culture and external voice — how has inclusion influenced that, and what kind of culture were you aiming to build? Do you feel you’ve reached it? 20:17 - What were the biggest headwinds you had to navigate, and how did SEIA adapt? 27:44 - How has the industry matured over your eight-year tenure? 29:35 - You’re stepping down from SEIA in January 2026 - what went into that decision, and why does now feel like the right moment? 34:15 - What do you hope for SEIA’s future - and what would you like your successor to continue prioritising? 35:26 - What mindsets and skills will be most essential for the next generation of clean energy leaders? 36:53 - If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self starting out in your career, what would it be? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Abby Hopper, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.