We sat down with Susannah Pedigo, Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Vesper Energy, to discuss the first few months in her new role and her long-term vision, including the importance of this type of role in renewable energy organizations, key goals and priorities, and the culture at Vesper.
We’re lucky to have Susannah on the Vesper team and are excited to see the impact she makes in her new role.
Q: Why is this an important leadership role for Vesper?
A: Each market has its own specific set of policy and regulatory requirements. With that comes opportunity. In its simplest form, Government and Regulatory Affairs (GRA) is about communicating, educating, and advocating for a balanced and enduring energy policy. We also bring information back to Vesper to inform strategic business decisions. This is critical for advancing both Vesper and the clean energy industry. My vision for this role is centered on these objectives.
Q: What is your vision for the role and what do you hope to accomplish?
A: I value partnerships with people of varied perspectives who then collaborate to come to a common understanding. It is essential to have these challenging conversations just as it is crucial to collaborate. In many ways, the process of meaningful collaboration is more important than the specific outcome. Key areas of policy and regulatory focus include improved land use/zoning and permitting and interconnection processes; demonstrating the values clean energy projects bring to communities and how these projects contribute to energy independence in the U.S.; electric grid transmission expansion; and ensuring market mechanisms properly value clean energy contributes to the electric grid.
Q: Can you explain a bit more about the importance of a government and regulatory affairs role in the clean energy industry?
A: Policy and regulation have important roles to play in the clean energy transition, both to encourage investment and to manage energy systems that are increasingly supplied by electricity from renewable and clean resources. The GRA team works with diverse stakeholders to support the successful growth and operation of our business and industry.
Q: What do you enjoy most about the culture at Vesper?
A: I enjoy the diversity of Vesper Energy. This is the basis of our team culture. I’ve seen firsthand how a diverse workforce leads to a high-performing culture. Diversity is what makes us who we are.
We’re grateful to Sus for sitting down with us to discuss her new role. To learn more about open positions to join our team at Vesper Energy, follow our team on LinkedIn.
