Weekly Briefing: Jigar Shah announced as 2026 Conference keynote
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May 6, 2026
We’re excited to announce that Jigar Shah will join CCL’s 2026 Summer Conference & Lobby Day lineup as a keynote speaker!
Jigar Shah has spent his career breaking down financial and structural barriers to clean energy deployment. If you’ve followed the news or listened to any podcasts on clean energy over the last few years, you’ve likely seen Shah’s impact.
As a former Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, Shah helped transform the federal government’s clean energy investment strategy. He oversaw a tenfold increase in loan authority and deployed $108 billion to scale energy projects across the country.
He also co-founded SunEdison and Generate Capital, which largely invented low-cost, infrastructure-as-a-service financing. Today, he co-hosts the popular podcast “Open Circuit” from Latitude Media. Shah earned a well-deserved spot on the 2024 TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people as an energy entrepreneur, investor, and strategist.
At this year’s conference, Shah will offer his viewpoint on one of the most important conversations in climate policy right now: permitting reform. As Congress considers how to accelerate energy projects of all kinds, Shah brings a uniquely practical perspective on how we can build faster, smarter, and cleaner.
For CCLers, this is a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who has worked at the highest levels of clean energy finance, policy, and innovation and to better understand how we can advocate for solutions that match the scale of the moment. You won’t want to miss the chance to hear his insights firsthand — plan to join us in D.C. for his talk on July 27.
Register now before the May 21st Early Bird deadline. We’ll see you in D.C. 🇺🇸
Register Now
In other news this week:
- Read highlights from Bill Doherty, PhD: We were honored to have Braver Angels co-founder Bill Doherty as a guest speaker at our February Monthly Meeting. Even if you made it to the call or already watched the recording, his remarks on hope, curiosity, and overcoming polarization remain poignant as we move through the year. Revisit some of his best quotes and a recap of his remarks on the CCL blog.
Take action this week
If you have a little time: Submit your Town Hall question for Ricky Bradley. Join CCL’s quarterly Town Hall-style event on May 13 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. All are welcome, especially CCL supporters just starting their CCL journey, or finding their role! You’ll hear organizational updates from Executive Director Ricky Bradley and have a chance to get your questions answered. If you have any questions for Ricky, submit them in advance this week to conference.inbox@citizensclimate.org.If you have more time: Plan to attend Saturday’s Monthly Meeting. This month, weʼll hear from two Capitol Hill staffers at the heart of bipartisan permitting reform discussions. Shane Londagin, Senior Policy Advisor for Energy and Climate for Sen. John Hickenlooper (CO), and Nate Bentham, Policy Advisor to Sen. Alex Padilla (CA). Sens. Padilla and Hickenlooper have recently introduced an important transmission proposal helping drive the permitting reform discussions on Capitol Hill, and weʼre excited to hear Shane and Nateʼs insights. RSVP for the call and we’ll see you Saturday at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.
Featured: CCL Flathead Valley
By Miné Karatas, CCL Communications InternLast month, the Flathead Valley, Montana CCL chapter hosted an incredible Earth Day Expo that brought energy and connection to the local community. Chapter co-leader Angie Winter and MT State Coordinator Robin Paone organized a totally free, all-day event "exploring Montana’s spirit of ingenuity, independence, and practical problem-solving."
With a wide range of activities designed for all ages, attendees were invited to explore workshops and panel discussions, browse community booths, and engage with user-friendly exhibits showcasing clean energy. There were even hybrid and EV cars in the parking lot with owners standing by ready to chat about electrified transportation options.
The expo also had a strong focus on youth and family engagement. Children learned about ecosystems through live raptor demonstrations and hands-on experiments demonstrating how solar and wind energy works.
“They were learning about wind power at a young age,” Robin explained. “In one demonstration, they saw a pinwheel attached to a lightbulb. When we put the pinwheel in front of a fan, it spun, causing the lightbulb to turn on."
Another workshop helped the children make "solar bugs." The kids colored a cardboard bug and attached it to a tiny electric motor, which they wired to a solar panel themselves. "They ended up with this little solar bug that jiggled when they took it out into the sun," said Robin. "They were just so thrilled.”
And of course, the expo featured CCL’s new “BRIDGE” activity, where participants used jars and beans to represent their reasons for supporting climate action and clean energy, sparking thoughtful, often personal conversations.
“We believe that no matter how you measure it, the event was a success,” Angie shared.
Unsurprisingly, the Earth Expo received rave reviews. Bravo CCL Flathead Valley, thank you for your hard work and for showing how local connection can drive meaningful climate action!
CCL has more than 350 chapters across the country. Find your local chapter today and get plugged in.
Upcoming events & trainings
5/7: Community Engagement and Key Messages (CCL Permitting Reform Series) - It's important for energy project developers to engage local communities in order to address any local concerns and adverse impacts that may arise from new infrastructure projects. Join CCL's VP of Government Affairs Jenn Tyler and Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli to learn about how community engagement may be addressed in the permitting reform process, and key messages for congressional offices. This training is part of CCL’s ongoing permitting reform series. Join us!
5/8: Phone Banking Training with Environmental Voter Project - Join Shannon Seigal, Organizing & Field Director at the Environmental Voter Project (EVP), for an in-depth overview of EVP's phone banking program. You'll have the opportunity to learn why and how they use phone calls and other methods to transform millions of environmental and climate supporters into super voters who vote in every single election. With primaries beginning in May, this is a timely opportunity to plug into meaningful outreach right away. Join us!
5/13 May Letter-to-the-Editor (LTE) Workshop - Writing a letter-to-the-editor is easier than you think! In this workshop, you’ll learn the "LTE formula" and receive talking points for your letter that align with CCL’s latest call to action. You'll also spend focused time writing your letter and leave with a polished first draft. This workshop is suitable for any CCLer looking to take quick and effective climate action from the comfort of their home. Please register for this meeting ahead of time. Join us!
5/14: From Simulation to Story: Leveraging En-ROADS Updates for Impactful Community Climate Presentations - En-ROADS allows users to test solutions—from clean energy to carbon pricing—and see real-time impacts on global temperature, air quality, and economic outcomes, making it a powerful tool for education and engagement. Join Katherine Markova of Climate Interactive for an engaging training on the latest updates to the En-ROADS climate simulator and how to bring its insights to life in your community. Join us!
5/8: Phone Banking Training with Environmental Voter Project - Join Shannon Seigal, Organizing & Field Director at the Environmental Voter Project (EVP), for an in-depth overview of EVP's phone banking program. You'll have the opportunity to learn why and how they use phone calls and other methods to transform millions of environmental and climate supporters into super voters who vote in every single election. With primaries beginning in May, this is a timely opportunity to plug into meaningful outreach right away. Join us!
5/13 May Letter-to-the-Editor (LTE) Workshop - Writing a letter-to-the-editor is easier than you think! In this workshop, you’ll learn the "LTE formula" and receive talking points for your letter that align with CCL’s latest call to action. You'll also spend focused time writing your letter and leave with a polished first draft. This workshop is suitable for any CCLer looking to take quick and effective climate action from the comfort of their home. Please register for this meeting ahead of time. Join us!
5/14: From Simulation to Story: Leveraging En-ROADS Updates for Impactful Community Climate Presentations - En-ROADS allows users to test solutions—from clean energy to carbon pricing—and see real-time impacts on global temperature, air quality, and economic outcomes, making it a powerful tool for education and engagement. Join Katherine Markova of Climate Interactive for an engaging training on the latest updates to the En-ROADS climate simulator and how to bring its insights to life in your community. Join us!
To see other events and CCL trainings, visit the Live Events Calendar on CCL Community.
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