Leslie Kaufman
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- Milken Institute43 min
Powering Economic Opportunities: Energy at the Core | Future of Finance 2026
Leslie Kaufman, Benton Arnett, Rachel Halfaker, Stephen Propper, Nidhi Thakar
Driven by surging AI data center demand and corporate carbon-free procurement commitments, the U.S. energy sector is pivoting toward flexible nuclear power models and advanced grid modernization to address critical reliability and affordability gaps. Independent developers and community lenders are leveraging innovative financing structures alongside artificial intelligence to accelerate permitting and scale distributed energy resources despite persistent regulatory bottlenecks. Concurrently, geopolitical shifts and targeted federal incentives are fueling investment in onshored supply chains and transmission infrastructure, positioning clean firm technologies as essential components of national energy security.
- Milken Institute59 min
Eco Edge: Investing in a Clean Economy | Global Conference 2025
Leslie Kaufman, Areije Al Shakar, Mark Berryman, Nili Gilbert, Scott Jacobs
Representatives from Generate Capital, Carbon Direct, Capricorn, and BE Ventures convened to analyze the $9 trillion real asset opportunity required to decarbonize heavy industry sectors that currently command 40% of global fossil fuel consumption. While market metrics show a strategic shift from mission-driven to profit-driven models with private equity returns reaching the high teens, political uncertainty and the Inflation Reduction Act's implementation remain primary variables for the next 18 months. The panel identified specific growth vectors including AI-driven microgrids, industrial hydrogen, and small modular reactors as critical mechanisms to bridge the gap between economic viability and net-zero targets.