New Project Media Interconnections Podcast Featuring Catalyst Power CEO Gabe Phillips

Catalyst Power CEO Gabe Phillips recently sat down with New Project Media (NPM) reporters, Michelle France and Skyler Frazer. The discussion focuses on the commercial and industrial (C&I) solar landscape, highlighting key aspects such as policy, strategies for generating revenue, and ways to overcome obstacles to growth in the sector. Below, you will find a couple of excerpts from their conversation.    
   
You can listen to the full episode here:  https://newprojectmedia.buzzsprout.com/1720229/episodes/15803136-npm-interconnections-us-episode-120-gabe-phillips-catalyst-power   

The interview below has been edited for brevity.     

Gabe speaking on the unique strategies Catalyst Power has found to generate revenue and reduce costs:  

“In generating revenue from decarbonizing solutions and deploying actual assets on customer sites, the unique approach that we take there is by trying to screen out our customer sites that we work with within our retail book…we focus on the northeastern quadrant of the U.S. because it's got this deregulated electricity footprint and gas, which gives us that ultimate relevance to the customer with respect to what they think of when they think of energy. Our names are on their bill when they get it from the utility for supply. So, when Catalyst Power calls saying, ‘Hey, you happen to be in a location that's got some extra incentives,’ whether it be via the IRA (we can talk more about that), a state-level incentive, or the USDA grant eligibility or some other unique value proposition that we could see from their geographic location or from their disposition and what they do in their industry...then that's where we concentrate our efforts as well as our channel partner efforts because much of the commercial and industrial retail supply sector is dominated by third party advisors and brokers. 

So, we work with them as channel partners to get the customer to the table to have these discussions with us, and they need to have the opportunity to be worth their time as well.”  

Gabe speaking on relevant legislation and incentives for C&I businesses:   

“I mean, the constantly evolving guidance from the Treasury Department on what qualifies for different things under the IRA is critical. You know, that has assisted us tremendously. For instance, adding cogeneration to our distributed generation menu. We now know that cogeneration equipment and other ancillary equipment—critical to cogeneration heat capture—are all ITC eligible in almost the same way as solar and standalone storage is. 

So, getting our arms around that and getting guidance from the Treasury and the federal government on how to apply has enabled us to start up two operating cogeneration facilities in the last nine months, and we hope to do 30 more in the coming year or two. So, that's something to keep an eye on: ‘What are the other types of distributed generation equipment that customers could deploy at their sites that fit their business needs best?’”  

Enjoyed the conversation? Contact our Energy Experts today to learn how you can partner with Catalyst Power on the best solutions for your business.