Southeast Shoutouts | TVA joins with four other utilities on hydrogen project
In addition to TVA, other members of the coalition include Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Louisville Gas & Electric Company, Kentucky Utilities Company, Southern Company, and Battelle.
From Multiple Southeastern States:
A consortium of five utilities spanning six states has submitted its full application to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for funding to build a green hydrogen network. In a news release from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the nation’s largest public utility said the Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition submitted the proposal in response to DOE’s program that will provide $8 billion under the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.”
In addition to TVA, members of the coalition include Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company (LG&E and KU), Southern Company, and Battelle, the coalition lead entity. A hydrogen energy ecosystem is one possible option for decarbonization in the Southeast across all sectors of the economy, bringing economic development, while also providing abundant energy for customers and communities.
From Atlanta:
Monarch Private Capital, an Atlanta-based, nationally recognized impact investment firm that develops, finances, and manages a diversified portfolio of projects that generate both federal and state tax credits, has announced the appointment of Ryan Edwards as its Manager of Renewable Energy.
Formerly a Project Finance Director for Silicon Ranch Corporation which is headquartered in Nashville, Edwards is also a mentor for advanced energy start-ups for the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council. In the new role, Edwards’ primary responsibilities will be identifying renewable energy projects and investor prospects and leading project finance transactions that produce sustainable energy for local communities and yield favorable returns for Monarch’s investors. He will work to optimize the transition of closed project acquisitions to asset management while modernizing the operational procedures of the firm’s renewable energy division.
Monarch Private Capital was founded in 2005 as a partnership between Robin Delmer, an Atlanta-based low-income housing developer, and George Strobel, a high-net-worth family office tax advisor. Monarch serves as the manager of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) focused funds, providing investors with ESG-related investment opportunities in renewable energy, affordable housing, and historic rehabilitation funds.
From South Carolina:
There’s a new 22,000-square-foot place opening in the Charleston area where entrepreneurs can start their businesses. The Mount Pleasant Harbor Entrepreneur Center will feature 18 offices available for rent along with co-working space in an open floor plan for start-ups and support organizations. Tentatively scheduled to open May 1, it is a collaboration involving the Harbor Entrepreneur Center, South Carolina Research Authority, and the Town of Mount Pleasant.
From Arkansas:
Conway-based The Conductor opened applications last week for the seventh cohort of its “10X Growth Accelerator” program, a statewide 14-week intensive program designed specifically for Arkansas-based, tech or tech-enabled companies between $100,000 and $10 million in revenue.
Since 2018, more than 80 companies have participated in the program, which partners with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The curriculum focuses on Leadership & Culture, Operational Effectiveness, Innovation Readiness, Financial Health, Digital Readiness, and Revenue Velocity to prepare companies for 10X growth.
From Minnesota but with Southeast Implications:
Two universities in the region – Auburn and Florida Gulf Coast – have start-ups among the 25 finalists selected to compete in the e-Fest® that begins a three-day run on April 27 in Minneapolis. In fact, Florida Gulf Coast placed two teams in the top 25.
Sponsored by the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, and EIX.org, a non-profit online platform for entrepreneurship education, the first round has the 25 teams pitching for 90 seconds each before the audience votes on the top three ideas to move forward. On the final day (April 29), the 25 teams from around the country will compete in a “Shark Tank” style pitch contest with the winning team taking home $50,000. There’s a total of $215,000 up for grabs.
The school and the foundation were named for Schulze, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of retail giant Best Buy.
