Renewable Power Perspectives Q&A with Laura Zapata, Co-Founder of Clearloop

By Constance ThompsonSeptember 24, 2021

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is pleased to share the next installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series.
Each installation includes industry leaders and topics associated with accelerating a fair and just transition to a renewable resource economy. In acknowledgment of National Hispanic Heritage Month, our September features highlight how 3 Hispanic-owned Accelerate member business are prospering in the renewable resource sector.
Today, we are featuring Clearloop, an Accelerate member business founded by three Tennesseans who desire to ensure that the innovation and advantages of renewable resource reach all neighborhoods around our country similarly, beginning with the communities that have a history of getting left. Click on this link to discover more about Clearloops effect.
The following is a Q&A with Clearloop Co-Founder Laura Zapata and Constance Thompson, ACOREs Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs
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What inspired you to begin your business?
Clearloop began as an idea that changed into a company. In the early days– even before we had actually decided on the name– we were testing out the theory that more business require to invest in cleaning up the electrical energy grid so those dollars can be spent improving the economies in Middle America where access to clean energy is limited.

How can potential partners do organization with you?
Were showing that you dont need to be a Fortune 500 business with the ability to sign a power purchase contract to assist build brand name new solar projects. Even huge companies that have led the method in renewable resource procurement are now faced with the truth that the most significant chunk of their carbon footprint is in Scope 3, their worth chain, where they might have little control over decrease methods or where decreases may not be instant. That is where Clearloop is available in– were a new tool for businesses little and big to take concrete environment action today and help us decarbonize the grid in the locations that require it one of the most. We need more imaginative methods to assist tackle the climate crisis in a manner that purchases the places where that dollar produces more economic opportunity and social mobility for the communities where were constructing. Were firm believers that the environmental, health, and financial advantages of tidy energy financial investments ought to reach all corners of our country and were searching for partners who are prepared to act
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Inform us about Clearloop?
Clearloop is a cleantech startup that partners with business of all sizes to assist them cut (or recover) their carbon footprint, clean up the grid, and expand access to tidy energy by building new solar jobs in American neighborhoods otherwise getting left behind. As we grow, Clearloop will be focusing on Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta as we take on both unclean grids and financially distressed communities with our solar jobs
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What obstacles do you deal with? Why?
One of the biggest difficulties for us, as a relatively brand-new entrant in the tidy energy and carbon markets, is making trustworthiness with market leaders who may be utilized to doing things a certain way. Clearloop is challenging a few of the standard methods in which brand-new solar developments have been financed, and accentuating brand-new geographies and equity, to reinsert carbon emissions decreases into the business procurement conversation. Im a true follower that our viewpoint from the middle of the country, and our lived experiences as founders from extremely various backgrounds, has actually brought into focus why we need more creative solutions to assist tidy up the grid. Weve been motivated by corporate partners like Intuit and Vista Equity Partners, in addition to brands like Dropps and Hello Bello, whove bought reclaiming their carbon footprint by assisting us construct our really first solar task. Weve also had the excellent fortune of discovering similar organizations like ACORE who acknowledge the worth of bringing diverse perspectives to tidying up the grid and have really built a program like Accelerate to ensure we have a seat at the table
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Clearloop started as a concept that changed into a business. In the early days– even before we had actually chosen on the name– we were evaluating out the theory that more business need to invest in cleaning up the electricity grid so those dollars can be invested enhancing the economies in Middle America where access to tidy energy is limited. Clearloop is a cleantech start-up that partners with companies of all sizes to help them cut (or reclaim) their carbon footprint, tidy up the grid, and broaden access to tidy energy by constructing new solar tasks in American communities otherwise getting left behind. Were showing that you dont need to be a Fortune 500 business with the capability to sign a power purchase contract to help construct brand new solar jobs. Even big companies that have led the method in renewable energy procurement are now faced with the reality that the greatest chunk of their carbon footprint is in Scope 3, their worth chain, where they may have little control over decrease techniques or where reductions may not be immediate.

To read more about Clearloop, visit https://clearloop.us/.
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