Episode 155: Jigar Shah

The Global Lithium Podcast

Jigar Shah (@JigarShahDC on Twitter) is the director of the Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy. Mr. Shah was formerly the co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Jigar also has the best laugh of any prior guest on the podcast and celebrated his two year anniversary at the DOE on March 3rd – the day we recorded.

Topics:

The mandate of the Loan Programs Office

The calculus of leaving the private sector for the DOE

The “alphabet soup” of government programs focused on the Energy Transition

The laziness of big companies

LPO loans – by invitation only

Inspiring action where action wouldn’t otherwise happen

Why Jigar can’t comment on a loan application to LAC for Thacker Pass

Downstream battery investment vs upstream

The contribution of recyclers

Jigar Shah – the “long term lithium bull”

“Friend-shoring” challenges

Tesla

What defines a “friend” of the US

Supply chain risk management

Rapid fire

Closing comments on the BMO conference and lithium price