National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Stanford University Graduate School of Business

Institut Français de la Mode

Stanford Law School

Competent Boards

Columbia Business School

Harvard Business School Executive Education

Advisor to Companies Driving the Energy Transition

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Raising equity and debt capital, advising on M&A, and negotiating strategic partnerships for energy transition companies. Providing strategic advice on applying for large loans under the Title XVII Innovative Energy Technology Program and the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program from the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office. (DOE LPO).

Working with large industrial companies applying to the DOE and Treasury/IRS for 48C Tax Credit Allocations under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Provide strategic advice to VC backed portfolio companies assessing various funding opportunities emerging from the DOE under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Advising energy transition manufacturing companies on scaling of manufacturing operations and accessing federal and state incentives and tax credits.
            

    
    

    
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Hamilton Clark Sustainable Capital, Inc.

Managing Director

Working with the H/L Ventures Team and Portfolio Companies to drive innovation and success in investing in and growing venture backed portfolio companies. Special focus on identifying, evaluating, and advising energy transition portfolio companies.

H/L Ventures

Advisory Board Member

As Head of the Outreach and Business Development Team within the Loan Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy I worked with companies considering applying to the LPO navigate the LPO process. I led a team of 20 seasoned professionals across the climatetech, clean energy, EV and EV supply chain, Offshore Wind and OSW supply chain, virtual power plants, carbon capture, storage and use and hydrogen projects sectors. On a daily basis, I helped applicants and potential applicants curate strong applications to LPO.

Advised applicants with respect to understanding the technical eligibility requirements for the Title XVII Loan Program. Reviewed draft applications and helped applicants prepare and submit Part I and Part II Applications. Advised applicants on responding to technical qualification issues and underwriting questions from the Technical and Origination Divisions during the LPO underwriting process.

Regularly worked with climatetech venture capitalists and their portfolio companies as emerging companies developed growth strategies for accelerating sales and accessing growth equity and eventually corporate level and project finance level debt. Worked with CEOs, CFOs and COOs of climatetech start-ups to evaluate, devise and refine growth strategies.

Worked with leading investment bankers and their clients to evaluate financing options and to develop innovative structures for financing virtual power plants, biofuels including sustainable aviation fuels and to accelerate the deployment of distributed energy resources. Worked with strategic investors and corporates to evaluate emerging climatech investing and partnering opportunities.

Over the past decade, LPO has closed more than $30 billion of deals that has saved 60 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, manufactured 20 million fuel-efficient vehicles in the U.S., and created clean electricity to power 49,000 homes annually.
            

    
    

    
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DOE Loan Programs Office

Director, Outreach and Business Development

Member of the Senior Management Team at Empower Energies Clean Infrastructure LLC.  Empower Energies is a developer, constructor, owner and operator of Commercial & Industrial Solar, Energy Storage and related clean energy systems.

Empower Energies

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary

- Formulated strategy for the development and financing of stand alone energy storage projects and solar+ storage projects and fund raising and project financing.
- Developed partnerships and collaboration arrangements with project developers, hosts and financiers.
- Due diligenced dozens of behind the meter and in front of meter energy storage and solar+storage projects.
- Analyzed various incentive programs and regulations supporting energy storage and solar + energy storage projects in California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York and Ontario, Canada.
- Prepared final bids and supporting investment memoranda for projects in excess of $200 million.
- Supervised Senior Counsel on the preparation and execution of LLC formation documents and operating agreement.
            

    
    

    
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S3.Energy

Managing Director, Policy, Business Development and General Counsel

Mr. Edwards collaborates with senior executives including the heads finance, strategic planning, business development, and client delivery teams to influence decisions regarding the development and implementation of sustainable energy solutions.  Responsible for negotiating and drafting energy service agreements for clients and partnering agreements with technology providers focused on creative solutions for Fortune 500 clients to achieve their sustainability goals.

HIGHLIGHTS:
-  Working with strategy and delivery executives helping to form key partnerships with venture-backed, next-generation technology companies that design IoT, sensor, hardware, and software solutions to improve energy sustainability.
-  Partner in initiatives to launch pilot projects for high-tech sustainability solutions.
-  Consistently bringing together teams from procurement and the C-Suite to bridge the gap between retail and C-level corporate sustainability officies.
-   Led diligence and analysis for expansion into new international markets.

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ENGIE Insight

Senior Director, Associate General Counsel

As a Partner and energy sector leader, Rob brought innovative structuring and financing solutions to leading technology companies operating across the energy spectrum to provide value-added solutions for emerging energy companies. He leveraged significant expertise in project finance and structuring, accessing cost share grants, DOE and USDA loan guarantees, and relied on his knowledge of global commodities markets, to deliver value added solutions to emerging companies in the energy space. He successfully negotiated energy storage agreements, and counseled project participants in the emerging energy storage and distributed generation eco-system.

Rob has regularly worked with the International Finance Corporation, World Bank, MIGA, InterAmerican Development Bank, European Investment Bank, EBRD and various ECAs around the globe. He has a keen understanding of the emerging energy storage and related distributed generation technologies garnered through transactions he has worked on and the technology expertise gained as an NREL Energy Executive in 2015.

HIGHLIGHTS:
-  Conducted investment-driven due diligence on 75+ energy storage projects
-  Panel member at USTDA workshops presenting strategies to increase private-sector investments in South Africa.
-  Participated with commercial executives from SunEdison in the interview and evaluation of energy storage proposals from leading companies including Tesla, AES, and Stem.
-  Structured and advised on commercial leases, equity fund raises, Investment Tax Credits, and sales to drive international expansion in Latin America.
-  Advised Convergent Energy + Power on behind-the meter energy storage projects and first-of-kind battery storage agreements.
-  Advised Middle East governments and global solar companies on procurement negotiations and compliance with federal and state intellectual property cost share grants.


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Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Partner and Co-Head Energy, Project Finance and Clean Technologies Practice

As a key member of the Project Finance and Structured Finance Desk, reporting to Chris Calger (MD) and Roy Salame (Vice Chair), Rob worked with executives in client organizations on utility, oil, natural gas, LNG, and natural gas to liquids strategies to provide physical and/or financial hedges and structured solutions to help clients overcome challenges with commodity price volatility.

HIGHLIGHTS:
-  In collaboration with the structuring team and traders, developed solutions for key GCG clients and served as a lead team member on the conversion of a coal fired power plant to biomass.
-  Hosted senior Department of Energy team to discuss renewable energy financing with global commodities and investment banking executives; supported JPMC clean tech, green tech, and sustainable financing initiatives.
-  Regularly advised CEO and Sr. Management team on U.S. federal government policies impacting global commodity markets including LNG.
-  Collaborated with Blythe Masters (CEO JPM Global Commodities Group) on Fireside Discussion with John Podesta at the annual DOE AERPAe conference in Washington, DC

Rob also advised the Global Commodities Group Senior Management Team on Federal legal and policy developments and on their anticipated impact on natural gas, oil, and coal markets and worked directly with the CEO of the Global Commodities Group (Blythe Masters) on various special projects. He led Investment and Community Development Bankers in structuring innovative Clean Heat Public Private Partnership with The Hess Corporation, New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, and Mayor Bloomberg’s office. He also provided JPMC’s Chief Investment Officer with in-depth analysis on Tesla and was quoted in the CIO’s global monthly report.
            

    
    

    
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JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Executive Director

As a Senior Presidential Appointee (Non-career SES), Rob was instrumental in advancing the Department of Energy’s overarching mission of promoting the national, economic, and energy security of the United States and scientific and technological innovations in support of that mission.

He supervised a staff of 47 lawyers covering EERE and the Offices of Electricity and Fossil Energy who provided legal & policy advice to DOE Senior leadership. Rob and his Team served as senior legal advisors to the offices responsible for deploying the majority of $36.7 billion in appropriations allocated to the DOE under the Recovery Act. Rob worked daily with the Recovery Act Team led by the Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy (Matt Rogers) on the complex deployment of Recovery Act Funds.

Rob’s additional DOE experience includes matters on cyber security, carbon capture, energy storage, smart grid investments, electric vehicle programs, natural gas & oil resources, labor laws, energy policy, and renewable energy technology.

HIGHLIGHTS:
-  Served as counsel and architect of the financing structure implemented in the $465 million loan to Tesla Motors.
-  He reviewed, analyzed, and advised the DOE General Counsel and the Loan Guarantee Investment Committee on a $8.3 billion loan guarantee to Georgia Power for the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant.
-  Working with the financing team from the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program, he was lead counsel on the $5.9 billion loan to the Ford Motor Company.

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U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy

Rob was a Partner on the Energy Project Development and Finance Team working on project finance and energy sector restructuring in the United States, Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. In this role, he focused on the following core practice areas: (1) Project Finance, Acquisition, and Divestiture, (2) International Energy and Electric Sector Projects, (3) Electric Sector Restructuring and Regulatory Reform; and (4) Renewable Energy.

HIGHLIGHTS:
-  With the IFC and World Bank, advised Albania on the restructuring of its electric system and preparation for privatization of its distribution sector; advised Romania on restructuring options for its electric sector.
-  Represented ABB Energy Ventures, Nissho Iwai (now Sojitz), and the Inter-American Development Bank in the development and financing power plants valued between $136 million - $335 million and producing 240 MW - 541 MW.
-  Represented clients in the development and preparation of bids in excess of $1 billion for coal fired and natural gas fired generating assets.
-  Represented a purchaser/issuer in a $293 million facilities acquisition.
-  Represented U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation in $25 million senior secured loan to Sierra Rutile Limited for the refurbishment and restart of the rutile mine in Sierra Leone.
-  Represented CDC/Globeleq/Actis in the sale of its equity interests in a mining project in Latin America.

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Robert Edwards