How Microgrid Finance Suffers from Stranded Abundance
Wed Feb 04 2026
Eliot Assimakopoulos, CEO of Realizse and former GE microgrid pioneer, discusses a critical barrier to clean energy deployment: "stranded abundance." Despite available capital and valuable incentives, friction in finance prevents these resources from connecting, limiting microgrid and DER project development.
Eliot Assimakopoulos
CEO, Realizse
Former Marine Corps Captain
20 years at General Electric leading microgrid solution development
Early pioneer in the microgrid space
The Stranded Abundance Problem
Valuable incentive programs (ITC, 179D, state incentives) exist but remain underutilized
Capital exists but doesn't trust complex value streams
Example: Heat pump programs can access 50% ITC but developers avoid it due to complexity and risk
Historical Parallels
Printing press and the democratization of knowledge
Gold rush: connecting stranded gold with stranded capital through infrastructure (Wells Fargo)
The Solution: Web3 and Decentralized Finance
Using blockchain, smart contracts, and automation to create trusted data frameworks
Integrating compliance data with insurance (similar to telematics in fleet vehicles)
Removing ITC recapture risk through data-driven insurance products
Creating investible assets from energy data
Two Sides of Abundance
Removing friction to build (permits, interconnection, supply chain)
Removing friction to finance (trust, complexity, risk management)
Energy abundance requires both reducing building barriers AND financing barriers
Trusted data infrastructure can unlock stranded capital pools
Tokenization and alternative investments are creating new opportunities
The shift toward private markets and granular asset transparency enables liquidity
Democratization of both energy AND finance is the ultimate goal
Ezra Klein's work on abundance agenda
Larry Fink's 2025 investor letter on tokenization
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives
179D building energy efficiency tax incentive
For more information, visit energychangemakers.com
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Eliot Assimakopoulos, CEO of Realizse and former GE microgrid pioneer, discusses a critical barrier to clean energy deployment: "stranded abundance." Despite available capital and valuable incentives, friction in finance prevents these resources from connecting, limiting microgrid and DER project development. Eliot Assimakopoulos CEO, Realizse Former Marine Corps Captain 20 years at General Electric leading microgrid solution development Early pioneer in the microgrid space The Stranded Abundance Problem Valuable incentive programs (ITC, 179D, state incentives) exist but remain underutilized Capital exists but doesn't trust complex value streams Example: Heat pump programs can access 50% ITC but developers avoid it due to complexity and risk Historical Parallels Printing press and the democratization of knowledge Gold rush: connecting stranded gold with stranded capital through infrastructure (Wells Fargo) The Solution: Web3 and Decentralized Finance Using blockchain, smart contracts, and automation to create trusted data frameworks Integrating compliance data with insurance (similar to telematics in fleet vehicles) Removing ITC recapture risk through data-driven insurance products Creating investible assets from energy data Two Sides of Abundance Removing friction to build (permits, interconnection, supply chain) Removing friction to finance (trust, complexity, risk management) Energy abundance requires both reducing building barriers AND financing barriers Trusted data infrastructure can unlock stranded capital pools Tokenization and alternative investments are creating new opportunities The shift toward private markets and granular asset transparency enables liquidity Democratization of both energy AND finance is the ultimate goal Ezra Klein's work on abundance agenda Larry Fink's 2025 investor letter on tokenization Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives 179D building energy efficiency tax incentive For more information, visit energychangemakers.com