A company founded by an energy executive with ties to White House clean energy czar John Podesta is positioned to benefit from one of the Biden administration’s latest endeavors to tackle climate change.
On December 14, the White House held an “Electrification Summit” that included the rollout of new federal programs aimed at electrifying buildings as part of its broader goal of transitioning away from fossil fuels. Donnel Baird, the founder and chief executive officer of BlocPower, an energy company offering “smart, all-electric heating, cooling, and hot water systems to building owners,” was on hand at the summit – where Podesta was also in attendance – and participated in a “buildings innovation” panel.
Baird’s company stands to reap the rewards from the White House’s efforts. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced they would dole out cash to establish a regional partnership network “to help industrial facilities increase the adoption of onsite clean energy technologies, many of which support the electrification of industrial processes,” according to a White House press release.
“These onsite clean energy technologies – including industrial heat pumps, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal, wind power, renewable fuels, geothermal, battery storage, thermal storage, combined heat and power (CHP), and district energy – will help decarbonize the industrial sector and support a clean energy economy,” the press release said.
Baird’s ties to the White House could further put his company in a prime position to capitalize from its climate agenda. In March, the energy executive joined Biden’s chief sustainability officer Andrew Mayock for a speaker series through the White House Council on Environmental Quality, according to a YouTube video. Baird also attended an event at the White House on September 13, visitor logs show.
