David Williams
Energy Economist
Dave Williams is a recognized thought leader at the intersection of frontier-market energy, structured finance, and climate-tech commercialization. He has pioneered bankable models—from behind-the-meter Power Purchase Agreements to blended-finance vehicles to the Peace Renewable Energy Credit (P-REC)—and previously chaired an investment committee deploying $ 500 million into projects, translating complex policy and technical risks into repeatable, scalable deals. Dave is an Edmund Hillary Fellow (New Zealand) for energy finance, and currently a Special Advisor to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory focused on advanced nuclear deployment. He’s known for turning first-of-a-kind technologies into financeable portfolios by pre-wiring incentives, compressing cost of capital with innovative risk tools, and aligning sovereigns, strategics, and institutional capital around measurable outcomes. With a global track record across APAC, EMEA, Caribbean, and the Americas—and a reputation for bridging big-picture vision with deal-table rigor. He helps build the bridge between breakthrough energy tech and bankable deals. Recognized by TIME as an Innovator of the Year and previously a Senior Fellow to the U.S. Department of Energy focused on project finance, He has advised governments, private companies, and public-policy developers on turning first-of-a-kind ideas into scalable, financeable projects. His edge is translating complex incentives and risk into structures that lower capital costs and accelerate deployment—where venture, infrastructure, and climate policy meet.