The Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI) at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs hosted a Career Series discussion on Structuring Capital for Clean Energy Infrastructure, convening alumni practitioners to share expert perspectives on project finance, infrastructure development, and investment strategies supporting the energy transition.
The panel featured Li Shi, Senior Associate in Project Finance at Highland Electric Fleets and SIRI Young Leaders Fellow (2023), and Yuchen Ye, Senior Analyst in Project Finance and M&A at Cordelio Power. Drawing on their experience structuring and financing clean energy assets, the speakers discussed how innovative capital structures are enabling the deployment of climate infrastructure at scale.
Li shared insights from her work financing electric school bus and charging infrastructure projects across the United States, highlighting the role of long-term contracted revenue structures and private capital in accelerating fleet electrification and other emerging climate infrastructure assets. Ye discussed the development and financing of large-scale renewable energy projects, outlining how developers navigate site control, interconnection, permitting, and offtake agreements to advance solar and storage assets from early-stage development to commercial operations.
The conversation also explored key issues shaping the sector, including project bankability, contractual risk allocation, evolving policy frameworks, and investor confidence in emerging technologies. The event provided students with perspectives from practitioners actively working in climate infrastructure finance and insights into career pathways at the intersection of energy markets, capital markets, and public policy.
With thanks to Julia Barcelo Figueras, Climate & Society MA, Class of 2026 | Columbia University.
Find out more about SIRI Events, including the SIRI Career Series here.