From Combine to Clean Energy Gala
On Monday, The Pissed Off Farmer abandoned his John Deere combine and drove to Minneapolis for the ten-year anniversary gala of Clean Energy Economy Minnesota (CEEM). This prestigious group of clean energy entrepreneurs is led by Greg Mast, a longtime friend.
The guest speaker was Jigar Shah, a highly respected environmental entrepreneur and former head of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office. He spoke about the need to bury the hatchets that have accumulated over time. What I found most interesting was just how far clean energy has come in the last twenty years. He focused mainly on wind and solar.
I got to know Jigar back in 2009, when he was leading the Carbon War Room, which was founded by Richard Branson. Jigar is also the author of Creating Climate Wealth. Our paths have crossed many times since 2009, and the message has always stayed the same: creating climate wealth.
My goal has been, and still is, for the environmental community and the agricultural community to work together. That has been a challenge, but things are moving in that direction. Farmers are now able to monetize sustainable farming practices through 45Z tax credits, etc.
There will be a follow-up story. For now, The Pissed Off Farmer is glad he abandoned his 9650 JD combine and caught up with a couple of like-minded, longtime friends.
October 2026
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