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How would you spend $100 billion to fight climate change?

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Our Panelists

Julio FriedmanN, Ph.D.

  • “The thing I'm most optimistic about is we are already pivoting. The pivot has already begun. We're most of the way there. We're pivoting away from raising ambition to fielding solutions.”

  • I've spent most of my career working to keep CO2 out of the air and oceans or removing CO2 from them. I strongly believe that the advances in S&T can develop a better, more sustainable future, and also believe that major advances require partnerships across disciplines (often with policy, finance, and technology working together).

    As an appointee and executive at the DOE, I managed a $600M/y R&D portfolio, managed a staff of >130 people, and represented the US government around the world. My experience includes international engagements, most notably in China, the Middle East, Canada, and Europe.

    As a practicing scientist and technical expert, I've lead teams that invented and fielded technology to reduce GHG emissions and produce new materials build from fuels and CO2. I've helped build and manage interdisciplinary teams in every stage of my career. I've worked with and worked in academia, industry, and government. I focus on how to achieve important outcomes.

David Hochshild – California Energy Commission

  • “Getting to a 100% clean energy future is not just possible, I think it's inevitable. The question for us is whether we can do it in a time that's fast enough to make an impact on climate. I believe we can.”

  • David Hochschild was appointed Chair of the California Energy Commission by Governor Gavin Newsom in February 2019. He fills the environmental position on the five-member Commission where four of the five members by law are required to have professional training in specific areas - engineering or physical science, environmental protection, economics, and law.

    Chair Hochschild's career has spanned public service, environmental advocacy and the private sector. He first got involved in the solar energy field in 2001 in San Francisco as a Special Assistant to Mayor Willie Brown where he launched a citywide $100 million initiative to put solar panels on public buildings. He went on to co-found the Vote Solar Initiative, a 60,000-member advocacy organization promoting solar policies at the local, state and federal level. He served as executive director of a national consortium of leading solar manufacturers and worked for five years at Solaria, a solar company in Silicon Valley. In 2007-2008, he served as a commissioner at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

    For his work to advance clean energy, Chair Hochschild was awarded the Sierra Club's Trailblazer Award, the American Lung Association's Clean Air Hero Award, and the Department of Energy's Million Solar Roof True Champion Award. Chair Hochschild holds a bachelor of arts from Swarthmore College and a masters of public policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs.

  • Focus on Electrifying Everything, with the greenest electrons possible, and focus on upgrading the electrical system to accommodate higher electrical loads.

  • Battery technologies are advancing so quickly that more and more sectors can be electrified, allowing us to move off of fossil fuels more quickly. With half of California’s emissions coming from the transportation sector, where electrification has a great pathway toward success, building out our electricity system and building it green is the best thing we can do to transitions from fossil fuels quickly.

  • The exponential growth of light-duty ZEV purchase in California shows that the market is already beginning to move to electrification. This was spurred by California policies that incentivized electrification of light duty vehicles for year. State support for electrification works to change markets.

Dave Welch, CEO NosTerra

  • "By investing in the simultaneity of low carbon, low cost, and high abundance, we can foster an energy sector that minimizes environmental impact while promoting economic growth and creating globally exportable solutions."

  • Dave is a passionate entrepreneur that loves his family and the world and society he lives in. Dave’s belief in the ingenuity of leaders and entrepreneurs, and that they are the solutions for the 21st Century. He has founded NosTerra Ventures along with his co-founders with an aspiration to solve some of the Grand Challenges through the harnessing and enablement of a team of entrepreneurs.

    Being a serial entrepreneur in both business and in social endeavors, Dave started his career as an early employee and executive leader for SDL, INC (SDLI). More recently he co-founded Infinera (INFN) in 2001, and currently serves as Chief Innovation Officer and member of the Board of Directors. Both SDL and Infinera are examples of clear technology leadership creating a dramatic change in the optical communication networks. Dave is also a social entrepreneur. In 2010 he founded Students Matter which has played a significant role in the protection of children’s rights to a quality public education. He is a board member for NRDC, the leading environmental policy organization, he is a founding member of the 21st Century Alliance which is dedicated to advancing of policies for a better California for all and was also the founder of Secure California’s Energy Future, focused at increased reliability, reduced cost and sustainable energy supply for California.

    Dave is a member of the National Academy of Engineering in recognition for his many contributions and awards from the engineering community. Dave holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Delaware and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, where he currently sits on the respective advisory board as well as the advisory board for Caltech.

    Most importantly, Dave is part of a wonderful family. It is his legacy to his family that drives him to leave behind a better society. In addition to spending time with his wife and children he passionately enjoys the outdoors. Sailing, hiking, biking, skiing, whatever is in season. Dave believes in the joy of continuous learning and is usually embarking on a new topic, be it continuing his music lessons, or picking a new topic for studies.

JANE WOODWARD, Founder & Managing Partner of WovenEarth Ventures, Adjunct ProFessor, Atmosphere AND Energy

  • “People want things that are cleaner, cheaper, and make their lives easier. Usually, the climate benefits are secondary. So a lot of people will buy a Tesla because it's just a higher performing car….Part of the role of policy is to anticipate what society needs and then create carrots and sticks that lead us to the right direction.”

  • Jane Woodward has been an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University since 1991 where she has taught classes on energy and environment. She currently plays supporting roles on the teaching teams for Understanding Energy and Stanford Climate Ventures. Jane also serves on Stanford’s Precourt Institute for Energy Advisory Council and founded and or funds a variety of sustainable energy education initiatives at Stanford.

    Jane is a founder and Managing Partner of WovenEarth Ventures, an early-stage energy climate venture and project fund of funds and she is an investor and advisor or director of several early-stage sustainable energy companies and funds.

    Jane is a Founding Partner at MAP Energy, an energy investment firm currently focused on oil and gas royalty interests. MAP is one of the longest-standing private energy investment fund management firms in the U.S. MAP began investing in natural gas mineral rights in 1987, wind energy in 2004, utility scale solar in 2015 and energy storage in 2017. In December 2020, MAP sold its renewable energy and energy storage assets under management to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).

    In 2016, Jane created The Foster Museum, a 14,000-square-foot art venue in Palo Alto, to share artist-explorer Tony Foster’s powerful exhibitions of watercolor journeys with an intention to inspire connection to the natural world.

    Prior to founding MAP i 1987, Jane worked as an exploration geologist with ARCO Exploration Company and later as a petroleum engineering consultant to Stanford University’s endowment.

    Jane has a BS in Geology from UC Santa Barbara, an MS in Engineering and Petroleum Geology, and an MBA, both from Stanford University.

SARAH GOLDEN - MODERATOR, GreenBiz Group

  • Experienced strategists with expertise in climate change, clean energy, equity and public policy. A demonstrated history in developing campaigns, story telling, and building lasting partnerships with diverse stakeholders.