Michael T Eckhart

Mr Michael T Eckhart is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, and also works through Solar International Management, Inc. on the financing of solar energy (SolarBank), and on the development of a new international debt security called Global Development Bonds (GDB) for the financing of sustainable development in the developing countries.  He has over 25 years of experience in renewable energy, power generation, high technology, and finance.

In his current role, Mr Eckhart supports Citi's goal to be the leading financial services firm in renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean water and related areas, serving clients with corporate banking, investment banking, equity and debt capital markets, global transaction services, trade finance and private banking.

Mr Eckhart is actively involved in industry leadership roles. He serves on the steering committee of the REN 21 global policy network in renewable energy, on the Renewable Industry Advisory Board of the IEA, and as an Observer to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He has deep relationships with renewable energy industry, finance and policy leaders around the world, especially in the US, Europe, China, India, and South Africa, and is a globally-recognised industry leader and speaker.

From 2001 to 2011, Mr. Eckhart was the founder and President of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), a Washington DC-based non-profit organisation with over 600 organisational members in wind, solar, hydro, ocean, geothermal, biomass, biofuels and waste sources of electricity, thermal energy, hydrogen and fuels.

Previously, he developed financing for solar energy under the SolarBank Initiative in Europe, South Africa and India; was Chairman & CEO of the power generation development firm United Power Systems, Inc; Vice President of the venture capital firm Areté Ventures, Inc; a strategic planner of General Electric Company's global power systems sector; and a Principal with the energy practice of Booz, Allen & Hamilton where he conducted many of the original national studies on new energy technologies in the 1970s including renewable energy, advanced coal combustion, synfuels, advanced nuclear and others.

Mr Eckhart has received numerous awards including Renewable Energy Man of the Year of India in 1998, the prestigious Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2008, and the Corporate Responsibility Award in 2009. He served in the US Navy Submarine Service, and received a degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.