A Clean Energy Convening Changes a Life

How can a convening change a life?

Just ask Cassie Rowlands, who attended a workshop this June hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation in Washington, DC, and was so moved that she quit her job the following week.

The gathering was focused on creating a roadmap to help communities leverage the direct pay provision in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which allows tax-exempt entities like non-profits, state, local, and Tribal governments to receive cash payments equivalent to tax credits for eligible clean energy projects over ten years, bypassing the need for tax liability.

What emerged was a commitment to work together to demystify the direct pay provision for local communities, support project development and market building, and overcome the access-to-capital barriers, with the overall goal of greater resilience and equity.

These Are My People

What also emerged was an inspired Rowlands, who attended as a consultant to the State of Michigan’s Office of Climate and Energy, and left driven to work more closely with communities and make bigger changes, demonstrating just how powerful a single event can be.

The convening brought together participants from the financial sector like Rowlands, funders, project developers, and technical assistance providers working directly with communities, with the conviction that breaking through these silos was the most effective way to supercharge public and community ownership of clean energy.

“The IRA is pivotal to realizing a sustainable, just, and inclusive clean energy transition,” said Rachel Isacoff, Director, U.S. Economic Opportunity, The Rockefeller Foundation, who has written about The Rockefeller Foundation grantees working in this field.

“But we must intentionally work across project development and project finance sectors to ensure that we center community benefits in implementation — especially for those typically under-resourced — to make sure they are included in this opportunity.”

And for us to be most effective, we need to create space for these conversations and knowledge sharing to enable new market participants over the long-term.
Rachel Isacoff
Director, U.S. Economic Opportunity
The Rockefeller Foundation

At the convening, Rowlands found herself moved by the experiences of organizers working directly with communities. “I thought wow, these are my people. We think alike; we’re speaking the same language, and what they are doing is really important, and it’s working,” she said.

Cassie Rowlands, who specializes in climate financing, decided to leave her job after a convening held by The Rockefeller Foundation. (Photo Courtesy of Cassie Rowlands)

The following week, she embarked on a road trip for the State of Michigan and alongside the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Energy, talking to community organizations in six Michigan cities over three days to discuss the same topics that were the focus of the convening: how communities can access direct pay and benefit from clean energy.

“I didn’t sleep much or drink much coffee that week, yet I had never felt so energized. It was really fun to talk to communities about how direct pay can help them realize some of their clean energy goals, and it was so fulfilling to hear how excited they were to get solar on their rooftops or buy an electric vehicle,” she said.

“I realized that the way I was feeling meant something. And everything we’d discussed at the convening was buzzing around in my head. So, on the third and last day of the road trip, I told my boss I needed to leave my consulting job so I could pursue this work full-time. And I’m really excited about this choice.”

Direct Pay Unlocks Clean Energy Ownership

The potential impact of the direct pay provision is substantial. It opens up new opportunities for a broader range of organizations to invest in clean energy, thereby increasing the overall adoption of renewable technologies across the U.S. This could lead to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, job creation in green industries, and enhanced energy security.

At the same time, given the relative novelty of this mechanism, many non-profits, local governments, and tribal organizations may not be fully aware of how to leverage these new tax credits. These groups will need legal guidance, but also energy and financial modeling and project pipeline support.

Sources: RMI; C40; Brookings; Just Solutions Collective; U.S. Gov Summary of Energy Security and Climate Change Investments in IRA; Harvard Environmental Justice Provisions of IRA.

“There is a huge need to work with communities on the ground and translate what’s happening in Washington,” Rowlands said.

Rowlands is not someone given to impetuous acts. “I’ve been thoughtful and measured and practical all my life,” she said. She has meticulously and successfully planned a policy-centric career.

“Once I made my decision,” she said, “I began talking to some of the people I met at the convening. Everyone has been so encouraging. I know this is right for me.”

Rowlands noted that she started her career working on federal policymaking, moved to state-level policies and programs, then did some work with cities, and finally communities within those cities.

“It’s been an organic process of funneling down to focus on the things I really care about,” she said, “things that are helping real people live better lives, and finding ways to tell their stories.”

More in this Matter of Impact Edition

Born at Bellagio: A Fair Share Tax Coalition

Fair Share America aims to inform a national tax and revenue strategy to transform the U.S. economy, support working families, and increase resources so budgets can meet climate change challenges.

A Meeting of the Minds at Bellagio Spurs a Convening and a Movement

A chance meeting at the Bellagio Center develops into a partnership and the launch of an organization dedicated to creating a just and inclusive economy that enables health and dignity for all people.

Unlocking Clean Energy Incentives for Underserved Communities