Financing Energy Innovation: The Need for New Intermediaries in Clean Energy

Soh Young In, Ashby H. B. Monk and Janelle Knox-Hayes
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Soh Young In: Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Ashby H. B. Monk: Global Projects Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Janelle Knox-Hayes: Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-25

Abstract: This study aims to advance the understanding of and address the valley of death that is significantly widening in the clean energy domain due to its financing challenges. We conduct a case study on three new investment vehicles in the US energy sector (First Look Fund by Activate, Prime Impact Fund by Prime Coalition, and Aligned Climate Capital), which set their missions to contribute to bridging the valley of death in clean energy. While three cases focus on different technological development phases, they raise a consistent point that investment opportunities (and risks) are not assigned to the appropriate investors. We argue that current financial intermediaries have failed to effectively channel funding sources to entrepreneurs, as we evidence network fragmentation and information asymmetries among investor groups and companies. Therefore, we propose three intermediary functions that can facilitate intelligent and effective information flow among investors throughout the entire energy technology development cycle. Our findings highlight the emergence of collaborative platforms as critical pillars to address financing issues among new energy ventures.

Keywords: energy innovation; financial innovation; entrepreneurial finance; valley of death; financial intermediaries; energy investing ecosystem; collaborative platforms; catalytic capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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