We are alternative energy leaders – as investors, developers, operators, and strategists.
OUR MISSION
is to apply our financial and organizational capital to landmark projects and businesses that advance the new energy economy. We seek to participate in the development and advancement of alternative energy projects, technology and infrastructure globally. We also seek investments that support sustainable water use and agricultural development.
OUR HISTORY
AltEnergy, LLC (AE) was founded by Russell Stidolph in 2006 when he left the private equity firm, J.H. Whitney & Co. At Whitney, Russ led some of the U.S. market’s first large scale, successful, alternative energy transactions. While at Whitney he led transactions and co-founded companies such as Hawkeye Renewables which grew into the third largest ethanol producer in the US, and Iowa Winds, which had developed one of the largest wind power portfolios in Iowa at the time. Since its inception AE has been a founding or lead investor – and active corporate development or management partner — in several significant alternative energy projects and businesses including Tres Amigas, Viridity Energy, Eos Energy Storage, Broadview Energy, Iowa Winds, and Anbaric Energy.
OUR APPROACH
- We seek out and complete big important projects that others can’t or won’t do.
- We look for proven ideas and technologies that will be relevant in the next three to five years.
- We aim to build profitable companies distinguished by best in class operations and unique value propositions.
- We are active investors and support portfolio assets with management, governance, industry relationships, and/or advice, as needed. We also serve outside organizations on a consulting basis.
- AE seeks to anticipate major industry trends several years in advance and get involved at inflection points – the open window when a new technology or market is finally ready for commercial development but has not yet gained wide acceptance. AE’s ability to foresee trends and time these entry points is a significant competitive advantage, but we are also methodical investors employing a specific set of criteria.
- Our answer to “build or buy” is — “both.” We have built successful companies from day one and we have led institutional investment rounds in developed businesses and ongoing projects. In the latter case we require a demonstrated product, market acceptance, and a clear path to cash flow within 2-3 years.
Renewables Generation
elecAE has been developing and financing the development of renewable power projects successfully for 15 years. Whether you are an institutional investors looking for exposure to attractive uncorrelated long-term yield, or an early stage developer with an attractive but challenging project needing capital and expertise for completion, we can help.
INDUSTRY ACCESS
- We and our portfolio companies enjoy business relationships with many leading utilities and electric power producers with generation assets exceeding 150GW in the U.S. These organizations include some of the largest electric power distributors in the world, developers and owners of all kinds of renewables and transmission assets, and key partners in developing the Smart Grid of the future.
- We have participated as investors or developers in projects supported by some of the world’s largest and most sophisticated companies providing electric power equipment, engineering services, construction management, and systems integration. These partners range of well-known giant global industrial firms to leading U.S. specialists in various aspects of electric power infrastructure development.
- AE has longstanding relationships with legal advisors from top law firms who are world recognized subject matter experts in areas of energy and regulatory practice critical to our mission. We keep the counsel of attorneys who are not only experts in the relevant law but energy industry leaders. As a business, we are also supported by national accounting firms at the project and corporate level.
- Successful project execution depends on the right design, securing all required stakeholder and regulatory approvals, and managing vendor selection and work processes. Having a world class team of the right engineering and consulting firms is a great help, and AE benefits from relationships with some of the best firms in the industry. Our use of consultants sometimes begins before we have committed to a project, or even a technology, as in the case of our Eos investment, which we made only after engaging top university scientists and consultants to help us analyze the complex field of advanced battery chemistry.
- We have benefitted greatly from the capital, transactional advice, and deep energy industry knowledge of our financial partners which include global leaders in investment banking, private equity, energy infrastructure investing, and technology venture capital. We have also been fortunate to receive capital and co-investment support from leading investors from the family office and insurance sectors.
- Innovation backed by great execution is a recipe for commercial success. With portfolio companies that rely on innovation in technology and market strategy, AE and our management teams have made a strategic priority of building partnerships with some of the world’s premier materials and manufacturing companies. These partners give us assurance we will remain at the forefront of relevant technologies enable us to deliver product on a global scale at low cost and the highest quality.
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