The ZENERGY Podcast: Energy Leadership, Finance, and Technology

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast! Today, Karan has the absolute pleasure of speaking with John Podesta. Mr. Podesta has had an immensely impactful career in government. He has been the Chair of Hillary for America; Counselor to President Obama; Chief of Staff to President Clinton; Senior Adviser to President Biden for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, and much more. He is also the Founder of the Center for American Progress. Today, they discuss his journey into energy and politics, inflection moments working with President Clinton, President Obama, and President Biden, how future administrations could structure energy and climate policy to make it more resilient, and so much more. This is such an insightful episode, and we would love it if you would share it with anyone who you think might enjoy listening. Thank you, as always, for tuning in! Credits:Editing/Graphics: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast! Today, Karan speaks with Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. They dive deep into what first drew Jeff into the world of public service and energy as well as how he ended up working in the Department of Transportation and, ultimately, the DOE. They discuss learnings he’s had over his career, specifically on the public communication front, and Jeff speaks about his proudest moment in government: Constructing the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge on time and on budget. Karan and Jeff also look into how different levels of government can work more efficiently together to get projects done faster. If you enjoy today’s episode, please consider subscribing to the podcast and letting us know in the comments. As always, thank you for being here. Credits:Editing/Graphics: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast! Today, Former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Neil Chatterjee, returns to the podcast. This episode, Karan and Neil discuss bridging the political left and the political right in terms of climate and energy and how it has gotten so contentious in the past few years. Neil shares how he believes AI could bring bipartisanship to climate issues and if he thinks we will get permitting reform this congressional cycle. He gives his predictions for where clean energy and natural gas will be in the next 10 years and provides insight into his time at FERC. They wrap up with some advice for those fresh out of college and those in their 30s who are on the energy track. As always, thank you for listening!  Credits:Editing/Graphics: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast! Today, host Karan Takhar sits down for a chat with Rodolfo Bitar, VP of Business Development at PVH USA. They chat about what it takes to build a solar factory in the U.S. in 2025 including what inspired him to work in solar, how solar has evolved, how they made the decision to launch a factory in the U.S., the investments and strategic positions PVH has made to give it an advantage in the U.S. market, and more. They discuss the first steps to getting the factory up and running, what cost constraints need to be considered when manufacturing in the U.S., and how automation is playing a role in moving the industry forward. They also talk about the ways the company is adjusting after the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill, their partnership with JP Morgan and PNC, and what role Rodolfo hopes the company will play in U.S. solar within the next 5 to 10 years. Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already so you don’t miss out on new episodes!Credits:Editing/Graphics: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios

Welcome to The Zenergy Podcast! Today, Karan has the honor of speaking with Pajani Singah, Co-Founder of Amazonia Impact Ventures. The company’s website shares their mission best with a homepage statement of: “Amazonia Impact Ventures is an impact investor taking action to mitigate climate change and enhance biodiversity by protecting the Amazon rainforest and improving the lives of its people.” On this episode, we learn what inspired Pajani to launch Amazonia and what the early days of Amazonia looked like, including where they allocated their first 1 million dollars. We discuss Pajani’s leadership style, the challenges his company faced, and where he sees Amazonia going in the next 5 years. If you like today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any future episodes. Credits:Editing/Graphics: Desta Wondirad, Wondir Studios