Renewable Energy Credit (RECs) Market Dynamics

James F. Duffy is a partner in the Boston office of the national law firm, Nixon Peabody LLP.  He serves as the Co-Chair of the firm’s Renewable Energy Tax Credit Team and concentrates his practice on structuring and closing transactions involving federal income tax credits and other significant federal and state income tax incentives, including Production Tax Credits and Investment Tax Credits for renewable energy.  His practice also covers New Markets Tax Credits.  Mr. Duffy has represented numerous developers, investors, syndicators and lenders in structuring and closing renewable energy and other transactions.  He serves on the Board of Directors and is the Secretary of the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA), as well as the Board of Directors of Windustry.  He is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, B.A. and The Harvard Law School. 

Gabby Easthouse is Senior Analyst for Certification Programs at the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS). She joined CRS in 2022. Her prior work experience includes stints at the Energy Futures Initiative, the Army Corps of Engineers regulatory branch and the Joint Institute for the Study of Atmosphere and Ocean. Ms. Easthouse earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Washington.

Erin Eckenrod is Vice President of Environmental Products at AES Clean Energy.  She has nearly two decades experience trading, hedging and originating North American renewables, carbon and emissions products. She has set up and built environmental trading desks and businesses around proprietary trading, self-originated product flow and asset optimization at several organizations. Before joining AES Clean Energy in 2021, Ms Eckenrod was Principal at E2 Environmental Services LLC,a renewable consulting and management business. Additionally, she was affiliated with SRECTrade Inc  the countrys largest solar aggregator and provider of renewable technology and brokerage solutions  as a portfolio and trade execution manager. Her previous work experience in renewables ranges from origination of PPAs and structured products for EDP Renewables to Head of Environmental Products at EDF Trading. She also worked as a Trader in Renewables/Emissions at NRG Energy, where she was responsible for both trading and the management of the renewable obligations and assets of the company. Ms Eckenrod has an MBA from the University of Chicago (Booth School of Business) and is a CFA Charterholder.

Bryan Gower is Chief Customer Officer at the Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS), a non-profit organization committed to the development and oversight of Renewable Energy and Renewable Thermal tracking systems across North America. M-RETS validates the environmental attributes of energy and thermal fuel generation to serve as a trusted centralized gateway to environmental markets.  He has more than 18 years’ experience working in environmental program management and compliance in the areas of renewable energy certificate (REC) markets, green business certification, recycling programs as well as oil spill prevention and response. Over the years, he has been pivotal in offering technical assistance or system management for nearly all systems in North America, including but not limited to WREGIS, NC-RETS, MIRECS, NAR, M-RETS, NEPOOL GIS, and NYGATS. Before joining M-RETS in 2022, he was program administrator at InClime for more than three years and at APX for nearly 12 years.  He earned two degrees from California State University at East Bay, a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a Master of Public Administration degree.

Tony Grappone is a partner in the Boston, Mass., office of Novogradac & Company LLP, where he specializes in providing accounting, tax, and consulting services to developers, syndicators, and investors of projects that qualify for the low-income housing tax credit, historic tax credit, new markets tax credit, and renewable energy tax credit.  He serves as a technical editor of the firm’s Renewable Energy Tax Credit Handbook. Prior to joining Novogradac & Company LLP, Mr. Grappone worked at Ernst & Young LLP, specializing in partnership taxation within the affordable housing industry, servicing many of the nation’s largest tax credit syndicators and investors.  In addition, he served several leading venture capital firms as well as commercial real estate developers and investors. Mr. Grappone serves as a member on the Northeastern University Undergraduate Accounting Group Advisory Board.

Alec Mamo is an Environmental Commodities Broker at Marex.  He is responsible for facilitating Renewable Energy Credit (REC) transactions, consulting on long-term REC structures and PPAs, and managing the generation and sale of RECs for several renewable projects.  He earned a bachelor’s in finance degree from Fordham University Gabelli School of Business interned with a minor in Alternative Investments. During his studies at Fordham, he interned at Morgan Stanley in its Wealth Management Department in both Baltimore and New York City.

Brett Taylor is an Environmental Commodities Broker at Marex.  He is responsible for facilitating Renewable Energy Credit (REC) transactions, consulting on long-term REC structures and PPAs, and managing the generation and sale of RECs for several renewable projects.  He earned a Bachelor in Finance degree from Fordham University Gabelli School of Business.  During his studies at Fordham, he interned at Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System in Arizona, helping with its alternative investment team.

Mark Teklinski is a System Administrator at the Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS) and has been with M-RETS for two years.  Before joining M-RETS, he worked at the Center for Resource Solutions as a Green-e Associate.  Mr. Teklinski earned his Master’s of Science in Environmental Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota in May of 2022.

Leigh Yeatts is Senior Associate for Market Policy & Innovation at the Clean Energy Buyers Association.  She supports the Next Generation Carbon-Free Electricity Procurement (NextGen) Initiative by focusing on data harmonization. Before joining CEBA, Ms. Yeatts served as Manager of Educational Programs for the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) where she worked closely with utilities, government and industry to design and deliver educational content for in-person and virtual events and supported the Community Solar Working Group. Previously, she worked at the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association (CHESSA), where she managed operations, planning of the annual conference, and led the Washington D.C. policy committee.  Ms. Yeatts received a B.A. in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and a master’s degree in public policy from George Mason University and is a Fellow with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI).