Jim VandePutte

Role: Moderator, Co-Facilitator

Jim joined Eagle Creek Renewable Energy in March 2023 and serves as the company's Policy Manager. His main focus is to set policy strategy and goals for the organization, pursue federal grant support of hydropower projects, and provide assessments of policy trends at both the federal and state level. Previously, Jim helped establish the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program; a program is designed to support the best and brightest innovators working to develop, scale, and commercialize technologies that have the potential to reduce carbon emissions by at least 500 million tons per year by 2050. Prior to joining Breakthrough Energy, Jim worked on the Science and Solutions team at the Climate Reality Project, specializing in research, validation, and renewable energy campaigns. Before that, he served as a contractor for the Water Power Technologies Office within the Department of Energy, specializing in program management, budgeting, and data analytics pertaining to burgeoning technologies. Jim holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University’s School of Public Affairs and a B.S. degree in Environmental Science and Political Science from the University of Michigan. Jim lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife Katie and dog Charlie. He enjoys golfing (poorly), a good book, local festivals, and Detroit sports teams.