804: Steven Lichtin on Renewable Energy: Building Community Partnerships for Clean Power

IN THE EPISODE

In this episode of The Impact Report, Bard MBA in Sustainability candidate Milo Keller speaks with Steven Lichtin, CEO of Advantage Renewables, about the evolving landscape of renewable energy development. Lichtin, a member of Bard's inaugural MBA cohort, shares his journey from Wall Street trading to renewable energy, discussing how the industry has transformed since 2010. The conversation explores critical challenges facing renewable energy projects today, particularly interconnection bottlenecks and community engagement. Lichtin emphasizes the importance of being a "good neighbor" through transparent communication and local presence, while also highlighting how policy, from FERC regulations to state-level initiatives, shapes the industry's growth. The discussion offers valuable insights into both the technical and human elements of scaling renewable energy infrastructure, including the critical balance between project development and community partnership.

Bard’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability cultivate leaders who break through existing systems, innovating solutions to critical social, environmental and economic challenges. 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class from M.S. in Environmental Policy degree at Bard CEP and the 10th graduating class from the Bard MBA in Sustainability program. The 2024 graduating MS EP, MS CSP, MEd and MBA classes brought the Bard GPS alumni community to over 500!

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Steven Lichtin:

Steven Lichtin is a managing director at Advantage Capital and chief executive officer of Advantage Renewables. In this capacity, he is responsible for the strategy and growth of the company's renewable energy development platform. A seasoned energy developer, Steven brings nearly 15 years of experience developing solar and energy storage projects in various markets across the U.S. He has managed or developed over 10GWs, and directly overseen the commercialization of over 1GW of solar and energy storage projects.

Prior to Advantage Capital, Steven was vice president of development at Cypress Creek Renewables, a renewable energy independent power producer (IPP), where he led all development activities in ERCOT, PJM and MISO. Before that, he was director of development at esVolta, an energy storage IPP, where he led development activities for ERCOT, PJM, ISO-NE and NYISO. In these roles, Steven was responsible for managing the entire pipeline from site origination, through permitting and interconnection, to start of construction.

Steven earned his MBA in Sustainability from Bard College and his BA in Economics from Vanderbilt University.

Milo Keller:

Milo Keller began his career in political advocacy, working in electoral campaigns and on climate policy. After transitioning to the private sector and working in business development in food and health tech, he joined the Bard MBA in Sustainability program with the goal of making a sustainability impact in business. Through the Bard program he discovered an interest in renewable energy. He now works as a Project Analyst with GridMarket, helping large commercial clients through the process of installing renewable energy projects across the country.

Renay Loper: 

Renay is a Clinical Faculty in Organizational Leadership for the Bard MBA in Sustainability, where she focuses on JEDI Transformation in the workplace. Previously, she was the Vice President of Program Innovation at PYXERA Global where she served on the Executive Leadership Team, led five country offices, drove the development of new business and programs, co-led the organization's work on inclusive circular cities, and advised corporate clients on their social impact strategies. Renay also led the organization’s ARC (Antiracist Collective) initiatives, which included internal and external efforts toward dismantling unjust systems. To this end, Renay created Rhetoric to Action, a series of conversations to bridge sectors toward collective action around social and racial justice.

Prior to PYXERA Global, Renay led the grassroots exchange and education grant portfolio at the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, and has served in a variety of leadership roles in higher education, nonprofit, and business prior to that. Renay is an avid speaker and facilitator, has authored and edited numerous publications, including a resource journal, Student Affairs Professionals Cultivating Campus Climates Inclusive of International Students (Jossey Bass). Renay serves on the board of directors of nonprofits including Community Change, Harpswell Foundation, and Girl Rising.