America’s global economic leadership has long been built on the work of innovators and the ecosystem that has supported them across a range of high-impact industries. In the midst of a transformation of the global economy, recent breakthroughs in energy storage, aviation, hydrogen production, and carbon management offer exciting opportunities to build on this legacy. These innovations have the potential to contribute to the supply of reliable, affordable and clean energy while creating well-paying jobs, supporting the onshoring of manufacturing and associated supply chains, all while reducing pollution and emissions. Innovation can power continued American prosperity if we’re able to foster market and policy environments that help emerging technologies successfully – and rapidly – navigate the innovation process and scale deployment in domestic and global markets alike.
Over the past two years, The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) has convened more than 260 stakeholders, representing startups, financiers, Fortune 500 companies, utilities, and subject matter experts to identify the market and policy solutions needed to commercialize long-duration energy storage (LDES), sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), engineered carbon removal (ECR), and clean hydrogen. In late 2024, we published an inaugural set of policy recommendations for each of these working groups. Built on insights from across the entire value chain for these nascent technologies, these recommendations reflect a practical, on-the-ground perspective about the most important barriers to de-risking technologies and accelerating the innovation process.
Join us to hear directly from four of the leading startups we’ve been partnering with on this work, and the impact that smart policy can have in strengthening the U.S. innovation ecosystem.
This webinar draws on learnings from C2ES’s Technology Working Groups, which has convened key stakeholders around the United States to advance critical path technologies that will enable the acceleration of the clean energy transition.
Speakers
Cathryn Estes
Commercial Vice President, Arcadia e-fuels
Cathryn Estes is a commercial leader with over 20 years of experience in the specialty chemicals industry. She has a strong background in market development, strategic planning, product management, and distribution. She has held key roles at Albemarle, Univar Solutions, and SI Group, where she led initiatives to expand global…
Sarah Griffiths
Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Hydrostor
As Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs at Hydrostor Inc., Sarah works to enhance policy and regulatory arrangements for long-duration energy storage, including Hydrostor’s emission-free Advanced-Compressed Air Energy Storage resource. Sarah has actively been involved in all areas of electricity market operation, regulation, legislation and policy development most recently at…
Vikrum D. Aiyer
Head of Global Public Policy, Heirloom
Vikrum Aiyer is Head of Climate Policy & External Affairs at Heirloom, a new energy technology startup on a mission to remove 1 billion tons of CO2 by 2035 to advance our energy security. Aiyer previously served as a Deputy Director in the ACLU’s National Political Advocacy Department, where his…
Kevin Boudreaux
Head of Power Supply, Monarch Energy
Kevin brings 25 years of experience in the energy industry, demonstrating a profound understanding of operational processes across multiple markets, ranging from market entry to complex settlements. Currently, he is at the helm of Monarch Energy’s power procurement division, where he oversees the structuring of large-scale and intricate power procurement,…
Brad Townsend
Vice President for Policy and Outreach, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Brad Townsend is the Vice President for Policy and Outreach at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). Mr. Townsend works closely with businesses, policymakers and other stakeholders to advance ambitious, just, and durable climate and energy policies. He leads a range of technology and coalition focused initiatives at…
Johanna Wassermann — Moderator
Innovation Manager, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Johanna Wassermann is the Innovation Manager at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). She is the staff lead for the programmatic development and convening of working groups focused on four critical-path technologies: engineered carbon removal, sustainable aviation fuels, long-duration energy storage, and clean hydrogen. These technology working groups…