• CERAWeek
  • March 18 - 22, 2024

Andy Karsner

GoogleX

Andy Karsner is Senior Strategist and Space Cowboy at X, the moonshot factory of Alphabet (Google’s parent company). He is also Founder and Executive Chairman of Elemental Labs, and a Precourt Energy Scholar at Stanford University. Mr. Karsner was most recently Managing Partner at Emerson Collective and leader of Elemental, its environmental practice. His entrepreneurial leadership has been associated with both venture capital and private equity portfolios responsible for guidance and/or holdings in some of the most successful technology startups over the last 10 years, including Nest (Internet of Things), Tesla (mobility), Recurrent (solar), and Codexis (biotech). From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Karsner served as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the United States, managing the approximately $2 billion annual federal applied science, research, and development portfolio. In this role, he helped assemble significant bipartisan coalitions to implement or enact the Energy Policy Act, the Energy Independence and Security Act, and the America Competes Act, all of which remain the foundation of comprehensive energy policy today. In diplomacy, Mr. Karsner was a principal climate negotiator of the "Bali Roadmap" and an original architect of the Major Economies Process. Prior to public service, Mr. Karsner held several global leadership positions, including Founder and CEO of Enercorp, a wind power development firm and international agent of Vestas, involved in project development, management, and financing of energy infrastructure; Director and Senior Development Manager for Wartsila Power Development and other multinational energy and development firms. Mr. Karsner sits on several prominent boards, including Applied Materials, Conservation International, and the advisory board of MIT Media Lab. Andy Karsner is Senior Strategist and Space Cowboy at X, the moonshot factory of Alphabet (Google’s parent company). He is also Founder and Executive Chairman of Elemental Labs, and a Precourt Energy Scholar at Stanford University. Mr. Karsner was most recently Managing Partner at Emerson Collective and leader of Elemental, its environmental practice. His entrepreneurial leadership has been associated with both venture capital and private equity portfolios responsible for guidance and/or holdings in some of the most successful technology startups over the last 10 years, including Nest (Internet of Things), Tesla (mobility), Recurrent (solar), and Codexis (biotech). From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Karsner served as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the United States, managing the approximately $2 billion annual federal applied science, research, and development portfolio. In this role, he helped assemble significant bipartisan coalitions to implement or enact the Energy Policy Act, the Energy Independence and Security Act, and the America Competes Act, all of which remain the foundation of comprehensive energy policy today. In diplomacy, Mr. Karsner was a principal climate negotiator of the "Bali Roadmap" and an original architect of the Major Economies Process. Prior to public service, Mr. Karsner held several global leadership positions, including Founder and CEO of Enercorp, a wind power development firm and international agent of Vestas, involved in project development, management, and financing of energy infrastructure; Director and Senior Development Manager for Wartsila Power Development and other multinational energy and development firms. Mr. Karsner sits on several prominent boards, including Applied Materials, Conservation International, and the advisory board of MIT Media Lab.

Sessions With Andy Karsner

Monday, 11 March

  • 07:30pm - 09:00pm (CST) / -

    Investment Strategies in a Low-Carbon World

    Panel Climate/Environment/Sustainability Finance/Trading/Risk Management

    The idea of an energy transition to a low-carbon world has now gone mainstream. The combination of concern about the risks of climate change and focus about new clean technologies has captured the public attention, the interest of the general press, and some of the political dialogue in almost every country. For companies in the energy business, this has brought pressure in the form of shareholder resolutions, and calls for divestment from fossil fuels. This pressure is coming from major investors. Is money moving into low-carbon investments? Will the shift in sentiment constrict ability to invest in oil and gas and lead to higher prices? How should companies respond?

Tuesday, 12 March