The Post-IRA Reality Check: Financing Clean Energy Without Federal Backing

A WCS Sustainability Industry Roundtable
Facilitated by Kimberlee Centera and Jo Ann Hair

With federal incentives in flux, how can companies sustain clean energy growth? This second session of our Sustainability Industry Roundtable series focuses on financing innovation, partnership strategies, and collective advocacy to maintain momentum in a post-IRA environment.

This session focuses on financing innovation, cross-sector partnerships, and coordinated advocacy to protect climate investments. Participants will exchange approaches for de-risking portfolios, leveraging new capital sources, and aligning industry voices to maintain momentum in a changing policy environment.

• Format: 60-minute virtual session with themed breakout discussions
• Who should attend: WCS Corporate Member decision-makers in finance, policy, and sustainability strategy
• Objective: Identify actionable pathways for financial resilience and industry coordination beyond federal incentives.

Participants will have the option to join one of the breakout rooms offered during the event. Each room will focus on a specific topic.

Facilitators:

Kimberlee Centera

President & CEO, TerraPro Solutions

Kimberlee Centera is a leading risk management expert for the development and financing of utility-scale wind, solar, storage and transmission line projects. A pioneer in renewable energy project development, she possesses the real-world knowledge to identify, manage and mitigate risk. Her expertise in engaging and leading stakeholders in the analysis and resolution of legal issues consistently delivers positive results on complex high-value projects. Under Kimberlee’s leadership, TerraPro Solutions has generated over 24 GWs in solar, wind, and energy storage. With a total financed value of over $25 billion, TerraPro Solutions is a leading development consultancy in the renewables market.

A recognized energy industry expert, Kimberlee is a contributor to North American Clean Energy and Power Magazine, a guest on leading renewable energy podcasts, a guest on NPR, and a frequent presenter at RE+, the leading global event for renewable energy professionals. She serves on the board of Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) and is a frequent speaker at Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) events. She is a mentor for the Women in Wind Global Leadership Program. A sought-after thought leader, she advises men and women across various disciplines, offering them actionable skills that help them to achieve their goals.

Jo Ann Hair

Founder & Principal, 1000 Gretas, Co ED and design+thinkBolder

Jo Ann is a transformational strategist, network builder, partnership architect, and systems-change leader with 20+ years of experience building high-impact solutions, teams, and coalitions across corporate, public, and social sectors. As a Sustainable Development Economist and Strategy & Transformation partner with deep expertise in sustainability, climate innovation, organizational effectiveness, and cross-sector collaboration, she is committed to unleashing the potential of systems, capital, and next-generation leaders for a more resilient and sustainable future.

Currently, Jo Ann is Co-Executive Director, 1000 Gretas, and Founder + Principal, design+thinkBolder. She was a Partner with ERM and Korn Ferry, and has consulted with Accenture, The Monitor Company and Hitachi with Fortune 500, foundation and government clients on large scale strategic and transformational change. In Industry, Jo Ann’s experience spans the value chain across CPG Food & Beverage, Natural & Organic, supply chain transformation, strategy, digital, pre & post-merger integration and change management to agri-business and producer capability-development. She’s lived and worked in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and calls Boulder, Colorado her home.

Prior to Consulting, Jo Ann was an Assistant Resident Representative (ARR) with UNDP, leading sector and regional-level sustainable development, and Director of Strategic Planning and Evaluation, Office of the Mayor, NYC.

Jo Ann holds degrees in Sustainable Development and Environment (MIA, SIPA, Columbia University), where she later taught the capstone, and in Behavioral Psychology and Public Health (BA, Barnard College, Columbia University).