Podcast: The Green Light

Building America’s Early Wind Industry — and the First WRISE Network

The Green Light What does it take to lead one of the earliest U.S. wind companies through four decades of change — and help spark a nationwide movement for women in clean energy? Catherine sat down with Jan Blomstrann, Co-Founder and later CEO of NRG Systems, a company that helped build the modern wind industry…
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How Three Generations Lead Through Change — Arevon, EVgo & Onyx at WRISE Leadership Forum

The Green Light What happens when three generations of clean energy leaders sit down for one honest conversation? A masterclass in resilience, leadership, and the future of our industry. In this Green Light podcast episode recorded at the WRISE Leadership Forum, Catherine spoke with: Together they share: If you’re a clean energy employer & need…
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Founding WRISE, Advancing State Energy Policy, and Inclusive Leadership in Clean Energy

The Green Light What happens when women stop waiting to be invited to the table — and start building their own network? That question led Suzanne Tegen and her peers to found Women of Wind Energy, now Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), twenty years ago. Today, WRISE has over 3,000 members, 47…
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How Arevon Built a World-Class Development Team from Scratch as a 4.5 GW Solar and Storage Operator

The Green Light What does it take to build a world-class development team from scratch inside a company that already operates over 4.5 GW of solar and storage projects? Catherine sat down with Shanelle Montana, Chief Development Officer at Arevon, on SunCast’s PowerUp Live stage presented by Wärtsilä at RE+ in Vegas, to talk about:…
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What Actually Drives Revenue in Energy Storage Projects

The Green Light What actually drives revenue for solar-plus-storage projects? In this episode, Catherine spoke with Sam Kuhlwein from Stem at the Asset Management North America (AMNA) conference in San Diego, where they dug into how energy management systems shape asset performance. They also talked about what gets in the way of performance: commissioning delays,…
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What It Really Takes to Manage a 200+ MW Solar Project

The Green Light What does it take to lead operations for Greenbacker’s largest utility-scale solar project and maximize performance across a diverse national portfolio? In this episode, Catherine spoke with Emily Modglin, Manager of Solar Operations at Greenbacker Capital, at Solarplaza’s AMNA conference about: 🔹 Her transition from engineering and O&M into large-scale asset ownership🔹…
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20 Years of WRISE: Founder Karen Conover on Lessons from the Frontlines

The Green Light Karen Conover helped found WRISE — and in doing so, shaped a generation of women leaders and the clean energy industry itself. Today, WRISE has 3,000+ members and 47 chapters advancing diversity across renewables. But Karen’s influence goes further: at 29, she launched Global Energy Concepts, a wind power pioneer later acquired…
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Scaling 1.3 GW of C&I Solar: Policy Resilience, AI & Leadership Advice

The Green Light How do you scale a 1.3 GW C&I solar platform while navigating policy shifts, AI integration, and long-term asset performance? Catherine spoke with Elizabeth Brennan, COO of Luminace, a Brookfield Renewable company, at the Solarplaza AMNA conference in San Diego about: 🔹 Her path from engineering to executive leadership🔹 How she defines…
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From Founding WRISE to Electrifying School Buses: Michelle Montague on Advancing Equity Through Action

The Green Light For the past two decades, Michelle Montague has helped build WRISE— shaping programs, creating opportunities, and driving conversations about what true leadership and equity in energy should look like. When she first joined the organization, she stepped out of her comfort zone, volunteered for a committee, and quickly found a mission that…
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How Grassroots Engagement and Agrivoltaics Advanced 300+ MW of Solar Projects

The Green Light What does it take to bring hundreds of megawatts of utility-scale solar to rural communities—and truly earn their support? Valerie Newcomb, VP of Economic & Community Development at Urban Grid, brings deep communications expertise and a decade of leadership in the renewable energy industry to the table. In this episode, she shares…
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