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Words have intrinsic power and gain even more intensity when we share them with honesty, vulnerability and heart. And that's why I'm deviating from our usual SunCast formula today to share my interview by Lee Krevat on his podcast, The Climate Champions from earlier this year.
It's full of raw emotion about my life, views on climate and how we can shape the world for ourselves and our children. It's deep, and I appreciate how Lee enticed me to reveal so much in our conversation, teasing stories and insights that I had not previously shared.
Lee has more than three decades of experience in the energy and technology industries. As the CEO of Krevat Energy Innovations, he helps clean technology start-ups, utilities, regulators, legislatures, and environmentally-focused companies and communities bring clean energy and clean transportation solutions to market.
Before founding his own company, he spent 20 years in various roles with Southern California-based Sempra Energy, including Sempra Renewables, Sempra Utilities and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). While working at SDG&E, he founded and served as director of its Smart Grid Team.
GreenTech Media named Lee twice on its list of 100 movers and shakers in the smart grid market. And Intelligent Utility Magazine twice recognized him as a Top 12 Utility Mover and Shaker and Utility Champion!
It was an honor to sit down with him to reflect on the meaning of the work here at SunCast and why I do the work I do. I love his format. And more than that, I love Lee's candor as he explores leadership in the fight to mitigate climate change.
After 16 years in the solar industry and more than 500 podcasts of my own, I can tell you the greatest weapons we have to fight climate change are our voices. In our conversation, Lee encouraged me to dig deep to share a few more yet-to-be-told stories that I hope will give you greater context to my work as a climate activist.
It all flows from my decision to walk away from a music career and plans to climb the corporate ladder. In our 20s, we aren't always encouraged to experiment enough, and I was fortunate to have a professor in my life who pushed me to consider alternatives.
So I joined the Peace Corps. After more than two years in a remote Guatemalan fishing village, a month before my close of service, a devastating hurricane hit and completely isolated our community of roughly 3000 people. It was that catastrophe that brought home for me the climate reality that small coastal villages in rural parts of the world face every day: their home is under threat because of decisions made by humanity over the course of the last Century. It was a defining moment in my relatively young professional life and career. I remember bringing international aid into town just so people could have clean water, food and medical care.
The experience unsettled me and reminded me of the privilege I was born into. So when I came back to the States, I felt an obligation to find a way to at least create awareness, if not change, and took it upon myself to explore how I could broadly contribute to sustainability.
I realized industrial growth contributes to a discrepancy in life experiences and that many people worldwide deserve a better future and ways to mitigate climate change. It was a catalyst to get into renewables.
For the past seven years, I've been obsessed with sharing the stories of cleantech entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, founders and executives — all contributing to the most incredible story of our time, the energy transition.
I've found that renewable energy, because of its economic benefits, gives me significant leverage to discuss climate action. I don't bring it up to argue climate or anthropogenic change, but to say, "All else being equal, would you generate your own electricity and reduce your reliance on fossil fuels & externalities you can’t control, if you could?' And I find many people say, 'Yes, I want that self-reliance."
There are so many people we have an opportunity to convert and enlighten about ways they can personally take action towards a climate their grandchildren's grandchildren can enjoy — a world that doesn't look like bubble cities with pumped-in oxygen.
Folks are lonelier and more isolated than they've ever been. The work podcasters like Lee and I do connects individuals in ways that we could not have imagined to a community and a cause that many of them didn't know would resonate before the pandemic. It's meaningful work and a profound responsibility I feel very fortunate to carry.
Thank you for listening today. I hope you enjoy Lee's podcast as much as I enjoyed contributing to it, and I encourage you to subscribe as he has had meaningful conversations with many of my friends, mentors and heroes.
Thanks again to this week's sponsor, helping keep the podcast FREE to you!
SUNGROW focuses on integrated energy storage system solutions, including PCS, lithium-ion batteries and energy management system. Pleae visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow
ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.
Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 16-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 20 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.