US Clean Energy Investors Are Taking Their Act On The Road

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Last Updated on: 24th March 2025, 11:12 am

Don’t be surprised if you happened to drop by the New York Stock Exchange Monday morning in time to see the new CEO of the leading US oil and gas services firm Liberty Energy, Ron Gusek, ring the opening bell. After all, stimulating fossil energy investing is now a priority for the US government and the NYSE is following suit. At least, in terms of appearances. Investors are still following the money, and the money is going into clean energy.

A Clean Energy Investment For A Fossil Energy Firm

The sight of Liberty Energy opening the NYSE is not too surprising, considering that President Trump tapped former Liberty CEO Chris Wright to take up the position of Energy Secretary. That was a win for fossil energy fans, though not completely. Back in 2022, during Wright’s tenure as CEO, Liberty invested $10 million in the up-and-coming advanced geothermal energy startup Fervo Energy.

Fervo also received substantial support from US taxpayers during the Biden administration, including a $4.5 million award from the agency’s ARPA-E office for funding new high risk, high reward energy ventures in 2021. The US Department of Defense has also invested in Fervo’s advanced technology.

Liberty is just one among a growing number of legacy fossil energy firms to take advantage of technology transfer opportunities in the geothermal industry, which helps explain why the President’s otherwise nonsensical “American Energy Dominance” plan embraces geothermal energy (for the record, hydropower and biomass also made the cut).

The Smart Money Bets On Clean Energy

Meanwhile, clean energy investors are already on the prowl for new opportunities elsewhere around the globe, if not in the US.

In the latest example, the Chicago-based, NYSE-listed firm JLL announced it is acquiring Javelin Capital, described as a “leading, North America-based renewable energy investment banking firm.” Javelin launched in 2017 with offices in New York and Chicago, focusing on energy storage and the energy transition at large in addition to renewable energy.

“This acquisition will significantly enhance JLL’s U.S. Energy & Infrastructure Capital Markets capabilities, adding to established expertise in Europe and Asia – where JLL has completed more than 150 deals and transacted on more than $20 billion of enterprise value – and complementing its overall Capital Markets platform,” JLL explained.

The announcement jumped the gun by a bit. As JLL notes, there are still some steps to take before the acquisition is finalized. If all goes smoothly, JLL expects to deploy Javelin as a powerful springboard for servicing leading infrastructure investors.

“Welcoming Javelin Capital to the JLL team expands our ability to guide clients with end-to-end support through the clean energy transition, bolstering our team in the U.S. to match our leading work in the space across Asia and Europe,” Richard Bloxam, CEO, Capital Markets at JLL, explained in a press statement.

“This acquisition allows us to help clients realize the advantages of renewable, clean energy with the support of our Capital Markets and Real Estate Management Services teams,” he added.

The Global Clean Energy Revolution: Follow The Money

When the Obama administration first began deploying serious taxpayer dollars to support the growth of the US clean energy industry in the early 2000s, it was an uphill battle. Wind and solar were emerging technologies with immature supply chains and thin market penetrations, and they cost more than fossil energy, too.

Those days are long gone. Especially in the case of solar, renewable resources now beat fossil energy on a bottom line basis, providing investors with a firm financial foundation over and above the rewards of helping to prevent catastrophic climate change.

“This announcement comes as the clean energy sector experiences unprecedented growth, fueled by increasing demand, tightening regulations, technological advancements and the compelling economics of renewable energy,” JLL notes. The firm cites its research branch, which has determined that clean energy is “becoming the most cost-effective choice of fuel.”

“This surge in activity creates increased opportunity for companies involved in capital raising, sell-side and buy-side advisory and project finance advisory – all of which are areas of expertise for New York-based Javelin Capital,” JLL concludes.

Money Talks, And The Convo Is All About Clean Energy

If you’re wondering what JLL is, that’s a good question. The firm is a newcomer to the pages of CleanTechnica, though it did crop up once in connection with the fleet electrification movement. Along with other global, commercial real estate investment and management firms, JLL has spotted some ripe opportunities in the energy transition field, and EV charging is one of the low hanging fruits.

Last year, for example, CBRE partnered with the promising US EV charging startup 3V Infrastructure to tackle the thorny problem of installing chargers at multifamily residences and other properties in its global portfolio.

As for the influence of JLL (aka Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated), on the energy transition, the firm notes that it has more than 200 years of experience under its belt covering commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. “A Fortune 500® company with annual revenue of $23.4 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 112,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise,” JLL says of itself.

Meanwhile, Over In The USA…

The American Energy Dominance plan was already way out of date when Trump introduced it upon taking office in January, considering that energy is a global marketplace. The JLL-Javelin hookup is just one indication that the US will be left far behind in the dust as other nations enjoy the flow of investor dollars into new clean energy ventures.

Take China, for example. The country has already blown past the US on EV manufacturing as well as wind and solar power on the strength of its updated national energy policy, and now here comes the iconic firm Apple with even more help.

On Monday, Reuters and other media reported that Apple is establishing a new clean energy fund in China worth 720 million yuan, or $99.22 million.

On the plus side, the US solar industry still shows signs of fresh investor activity, particularly in the community solar field. However, Trump has shut wind and solar investors out from the Interior Department’s public lands lease program, and he practically wiped out the whole US offshore wind industry — including its domestic supply chain — with a stroke of the pen when he suspended the Interior Department’s offshore lease program.

Global financial stakeholders like JLL, CBRE, and Apple are seeking clean energy, and they will take their factories, their jobs, and their investor dollars elsewhere if the US government continues to pursue a 20th century energy policy, a good 25 years after the 20th century has drawn to a close.

If you have any thoughts about that, drop a note in the comment thread. Better yet, find your representatives in Congress and tell them what you think.

Photo: The new “American Energy Dominance” plan does not support US wind or solar stakeholders, but US clean energy investors can simply pick up their money and take it overseas (via CleanTechnica archive).