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New power infrastructure firm forms, appoints Houston-based execs

Four Houston energy execs have been appointed to a newly formed firm. Photo via Getty Images

A leading middle market infrastructure firm has formed a new entity to oversee its power infrastructure portfolio.

ArcLight Capital Partners announced that it has formed Alpha Generation to provide strategic management and oversight of its power infrastructure portfolio. ArcLight and AlphaGen will focus on secure, safe, and sustainable access to power to help meet the growing infrastructure needs created by electrification.

The power infrastructure portfolio will be managed by AlphaGen and includes low-cost, low-carbon strategically located assets that provide critical supply to key demand centers, including throughout the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The portfolio will represent a competitive fleet and one of the nation's largest natural gas-fired power portfolio.

AlphaGen also announces its executive leadership team that features four Houstonians in prominent roles. Mary Anne Brelinsky has been named as president and chief commercial officer, Stacey Peterson as CFO, Nick Rahn as COO, and Jason Buchman will serve as general counsel.

Brelinsky is in charge of leading the commercial-facing aspects of AlphaGen. She served as president of EDF Energy North America, which she helped grow to become the third largest energy retail business in North America. Previously, Peterson was CEO of utility-scale battery storage developer and operator, Broad Reach Power. She has 20 years of experience in power and utilities. Rahn was formerly the Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Competitive Power Ventures (CPV), was CEO of Optim Energy, and Vice President of Resource Development, Environmental and Construction at PacifiCorp,which is a division of Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Buchman has over 25 years of experience, as he has held senior and executive roles at public and private companies specializing in wholesale power generation, oilfield and analytical services, and infrastructure development.

Additional non-local appointments include: Curt Morgan as CEO and Chairman, effective May 1, 2024; Mark Sudbey will serve as interim CEO until May; and Michael Bruneau as executive vice president of corporate development and strategy.

"AlphaGen has brought together a highly accomplished and experienced executive team responsible for creating a common culture and vision, capturing efficiencies, leveraging economies of scale, and driving a standard of operational excellence across ArcLight's funds' power generating portfolio," Curt Morgan, CEO and chairman of AlphaGen, says in a news release.

"We believe we are well positioned to serve the current and future needs of the portfolios' customers as the demand for safe, reliable, and dispatchable power continues to grow. We believe our power assets will continue to play a critical role in grid reliability and energy security for decades to come," he continues.

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Google and American Airlines have struck a deal to purchase 35 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel. Photo via Getty Images

Fort Worth-based American Airlines has sealed a record-breaking deal with tech giant Google to bolster the use of cleaner jet fuel.

The deal involves Google’s purchase of sustainable aviation fuel certificates tied to fuel that American will use at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, one of the airline’s hubs. These certificates enable companies like Google to pay for the environmental benefits of sustainable jet fuel without actually using the fuel.

American and Google say this is the largest publicly announced certificate deal between an airline and a corporate customer.

Google says environmental gains from the certificates will help it cut emissions from employees’ business travel.

The agreement covers 35 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel over three years, resulting in a nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. American has agreed to buy the fuel from San Antonio-based Valero.

“Our industry-leading agreement with Google is a critical step forward in reducing emissions from our operations,” Jill Blickstein, American’s chief sustainability officer, said in a news release. “By working with leaders like Google who share our commitment to innovation, we’re helping to grow demand for [cleaner jet fuel] and support the development of a stronger, more resilient market.”

Sustainable aviation fuel can reduce emissions by up to 80 percent compared with traditional jet fuel. It is made from feedstocks, like waste oil and fats, or it can be produced synthetically using captured carbon dioxide and renewable electricity.

The aviation industry accounts for about 2.5 percent of carbon dioxide emissions around the world, according to the International Energy Agency.

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