About Us:
Energy Transition Finance LLC is a strategic advisory firm dedicated to accelerating the deployment of clean energy technologies by guiding clients through the application process for government funding.
The firm was co-founded by Paul Browning, former CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas, and Lawrence Quinn, Managing Partner at Emerald Operating Partners, whose leadership has contributed to developing and closing the first DOE LPO loan guarantee since 2014. The firm aims to promote energy innovation, drive job creation in the U.S., and establish its leadership in the global energy transition.
Is Your Project Ready For Funding?
Take our comprehensive assessment to gauge your project’s readiness for financial backing from federal, state, and local governments.
SERVICES
Energy Transition Finance (ETF) supports clients applying to programs from the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, the US Department of Agriculture, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, state Green Banks, and local financing institutions. We guide companies through structuring energy transition or decarbonization projects, completing the loan guarantee process, arranging debt and equity, and achieving financial close.
Our advisory services convert a high-level conceptual idea into a structured agreement that reaches a financial close. This includes off-take agreements, risk apportionment between contracting parties, commercial architecture, equity syndication, and contracting with EPCs and OEMs. We conduct operational, commercial, and developmental due diligence and have a deep understanding of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and other US government programs and how they impact an application to the DOE LPO through the Title 17 Clean Energy Finance Program, the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program, and other related programs.
Customers
For Industry
- Pre-application consulting
- Financial modeling and deal construction
- Due diligence and term sheet negotiation
- Project monitoring
- Conditional commitment and ongoing support
For Governments
- Decarbonization project advisory
- Project assessment
- Financial modeling and construction
- Energy transition economic development
For Investors
- Portfolio risk and opportunity assessment
- Non-dilutive financial advisory
- Financial modeling and construction
NAVIGATING THE LPO
Pre-application consulting
We guide you through the nuances of the DOE's compliance requirements and are hands-on in putting the application together. We also assist you in structuring the deal in line with the operational objectives of your project. We are experts in making your technology and the innovation it represents shine through in your application.
Part 1 application
We help you establish that your project is innovative, eligible, and viable and that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We assist the applicants for Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program (TELGP) in engaging with a commercial lender who will then apply for a Loan Guarantee on behalf of the Tribe and their project company.
Loan closing and deal structure
It will often require more capital than what is available from the LPO and the DOE to make a loan happen. This can create a chicken or the egg situation, where offtake agreements must be signed before the lending – to move from conditional to final approval. ETF is an expert in navigating this and getting you approved.
ABOUT TITLE 17 CLEAN ENERGY FINANCE PROGRAM
Offers loan guarantees to accelerate the commercial deployment of innovative clean energy technology. Clean fossil, and clean nuclear projects are also eligible.
THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION LOAN PROGRAM
Provides direct loans for reequipping, expanding, or establishing manufacturing facilities in the US that produce fuel-efficient advanced technology vehicles or qualifying components or for engineering integration performed in the US for advanced technology vehicles or qualifying components.
THE TRIBAL ENERGY LOAN GUARANTEE
Provides access to debt capital for federally recognized Indian tribes, Alaska Native Corporation, or Tribal Energy Development Organizations for energy development.
Our Leadership
Our leadership team brings deep global experience in developing energy transition projects and has a proven track record of reaching financial close with the DOE LPO.
We specialize in investments in clean energy production, transmission, storage, carbon capture, VPP’s, and electric vehicles and their charging networks. We have an in-depth understanding of the energy technologies, government policies, commercial contracts, and capital market drivers required to meet our country’s energy transition challenges and how this translates into structuring debt and equity to achieve financial close for energy transition projects.
Our passion is to empower our clients to overcome the complexities of reaching financial close with the DOE LPO and associated debt and equity providers.
DOE Loan Program Office Team
Paul is a seasoned global energy entrepreneur boasting 35 years of extensive experience spearheading innovations and advancing technologies at multinational companies. Currently serving as a founding partner of ETF and the CEO of Continuum Renewables Inc, he has a remarkable history of steering significant projects and leading large organizations to success. Prior to his role at Continuum Renewables, Paul held esteemed positions as the President & CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas from 2016 to 2022 and President & CEO of GE Thermal Products from 2010 to 2013. Under his leadership at Mitsubishi, he championed the successful DOE Loan Program Office application for the Advanced Clean Energy Storage (ACES) Project in Delta, UT with support from Lawrence Quinn and his team at Emerald Operating Partners. With a proven track record of successfully developing new products and steering them to market, he has been instrumental in formulating strategic plans and fostering enduring customer relationships. His knack for thriving in highly competitive environments has been highlighted by his adeptness at generating growth and cementing long-term business alliances. Throughout his illustrious career, Paul has remained at the forefront of the energy sector, constantly driving forward momentum, and setting new industry standards.
Lawrence is a recognized inspirational and results-driven CEO who has a successful track record of turning around and growing global industrial businesses with Fortune 500 companies.
Lawrence established Emerald Strategy Partners, which today is recognized as one of the leading industrial M&A industrial advisory firms with strong relationships with PE firms such as Blackstone, Carlyle, Platinum Equity, and EQT and as well as exclusive strategic advisors to corporate firms such as Mitsubishi Power and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. ESP has over 200 industrial advisors within its network.
Lawrence has comprehensive industry knowledge and has run international businesses with annual revenues ranging from 200 million USD up to 1.2 billion USD in Europe, NAM, and Asia. He was CEO of Severn Trent Water Purification where he led the sale of the business to De Nora Industries continuing as CEO of De Nora Water in Milan. Prior to this position, Lawrence was President of Alstom Power Turbomachines North America.
As CEO of Alstom Power Asia, to merit his support toward the development of the Chinese nuclear industry and the economic growth of China, he was also honored to be a torchbearer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Lawrence was also Great Britain’s special envoy for central China trade and investment.
Michael is an energy transition thought-leader with 18 years of experience as a senior executive, sustainability consultant, and project architect in a wide range of sectors from real estate to manufacturing and from technology to utilities. Michael assembles and manages high-performance teams that help businesses, organizations, and governments drive economic, environmental, and social success for their internal and external stakeholders.
Michael’s clients have included Calvert Social Investment Foundation, Generation IM, US Government Services Agency, Institute for International Finance, CoStar Group, Tennessee Valley Authority, EPB, US Green Building Council, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Michael serves on several nonprofit and academic boards, speaks at national and regional conferences, and has developed a sustainability leadership professional certificate. He has received awards for his sustainability leadership from the Mayor of Washington DC, the Governor of Tennessee, the Footprint Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce and he was selected to attend the Harvard Business School Young American Leaders Program.
Michael is an inspirational leader whose effectiveness is matched only by his passion for an equitable energy transition.
Bryan is a lawyer by Education (University of Exeter), with 16 years of front-line business leadership experience in Sr. Management positions running significant P&Ls. He started his career at HSBC bank, working in a variety of Management positions. Subsequently he served on the leadership teams of several successful Private Equity backed software start-up companies in the Oil & Gas sector. After expatriating to the US, he joined Severn Trent Water, PLC, where he opened their equipment manufacturing business in Shanghai, China and served as the VP of Project Management for their Water Purification division.
Prior to joining Emerald his last role was as a General Manager running the P&L of De Nora’s Global Electro-chlorination Business Unit. Since joining Emerald, he has led multiple Operational Improvement and Strategic Advisory Projects for Fortune 100 companies, and multi-billion dollar privately held businesses.