2020 December Member Webinar | Catherine Luthin, Trish Walker & Sanjay Shrestha

As we continue to advance towards a zero-emission economy, there are many sectors that could be left behind as full electrification remains financially or technologically infeasible. Green hydrogen – hydrogen generated using energy from renewable resources – has the potential to unlock opportunities for these sectors of the economy, including mass and heavy transportation, manufacturing, and grid resiliency and reliability. At today’s webinar, we will hear from two companies leading the charge on green hydrogen and learn about the potential for this technology to fuel our clean energy ambitions. 

BIOGRAPHIES

Catherine Luthin is the Founder and President of Luthin Associates, established in 1994, a leading energy management consulting firm that helps public and private sector clients develop and implement proactive energy strategies, better source energy, operate more efficiently, integrate renewable energies, and achieve significant cost savings. With extensive experience in the education, healthcare, and real estate sectors, Luthin Associates has helped clients drive more than $500 million in cost reduction opportunities.

A nationally recognized leader in the energy industry, Luthin received the Energy Service Professional of the Year Award from the AEE-NY Chapter as well as the International Professional of the Year Award from AEE. In 2019, Luthin became an AEE Fellow, a grade of membership for those who made a significant contribution to the energy management and alternative energy industry.

To maximize the performance of the energy efficiency and building electrification portfolios in New York State, Catherine serves on the Department of Public Service’s Strategic Advisory Group (SAG). This group informs program design, identifies gaps in portfolios and areas for improvement. Catherine was also appointed to the New York City Department of Buildings’ Energy Grid Working Group to assist the Advisory Board for Local Law 97 of 2019 which focuses on the grid of the future, key factors in implementing energy efficiency, and other changes to reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

Catherine also serves as the Founder and Executive Director of Consumer Power Advocates (CPA), which helps large, institutional nonprofits in the education and health sectors decrease energy costs through regulatory affairs and programs that shape energy policies in New York State.

Luthin received her MBA and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

Trish Walker is a Director in Business Development for the East Region at Liberty Utilities. She is focused on the sustainable development of projects and new technologies, which help the de-carbonization of natural gas and electric assets.  Prior to her current role, she was responsible for the overall management, regulatory strategy, program design and implementation of the Company’s Energy Efficiency programs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She has over 29 years of experience in the energy and utility industries with concentrations in Finance, Accounting, Marketing Research, Communications and Merger/Acquisitions. Trish sits on the American Gas Association Strategic Growth Committee. She is also a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership.  She holds undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Business Management from Salve Regina University and an M.B.A. from Bryant University.

Sanjay Shrestha joined Plug Power as Chief Strategy Officer in 2019. Prior to joining Plug Power, Mr. Shrestha served as the CIO of a global solar IPP and President Sky Capital Americas since 2015.  Under his leadership, Sky Capital America built and acquired over 100MW of operating solar assets and secured pipeline over 100MW.  He also sourced various types of financing solutions to support this growth including project debt, construction equity and long-term equity. He brings almost two decades of experience in the broader clean tech sector to our team. Before global solar IPP, he led the renewables investment banking effort at FBR Capital markets. During 2014, and under his leadership, the firm was ranked among the top renewable energy underwriters in the U.S. 

Prior to joining FBR, Mr. Shrestha spent seven years as the global head of renewables research coverage at Lazard Capital Markets. During his tenure at Lazard Capital Markets, he was a member of the Institutional Investor All America Research team and was also ranked as one of the top five stock pickers on a global basis. Prior to Lazard Capital Markets, Mr. Shrestha spent seven years at First Albany Capital, where he built the firm’s renewables and industrial research practice. Starmine/Forbes Magazine ranked him the number 1 stock picker and the number 1 earnings estimator during his tenure at First Albany Capital. Mr. Shrestha serves as an independent director on the board of directors of Fusemachines, an AI company