Welcome to Terra.talk, the official podcast of international climate school ⁠⁠Terra.do.⁠⁠ Shannon and Jae keep the energy conversation going for the second straight week with Richard Hammond, an energy access consultant from Accra, Ghana.

Richard most recently served as the Energy Access Lead for the USAID Empower West Africa Program at Tetra Tech, spearheading energy access initiatives across 18 countries, targeting 2 million connections via solar home systems and mini-grids before the program was terminated due to changes in the U.S. Administration's objectives (hint hint: we talk about this in the episode). Before this, Richard worked as an Off-Grid Energy Specialist for Deloitte, supporting the West Africa Energy Program by facilitating strategic partnerships and business strategies for off-grid solar companies. He also led the USAID Power Africa Off-grid Program in Ghana and Liberia, achieving over 80,000 energy access connections.

Richard's core competencies include business development, renewable energy financing, strategic partnerships, program management, and policy advocacy. He has led cross-functional teams, forged strategic partnerships, and scaled off-grid solar initiatives for health, agriculture, and SMEs. In addition to his full-time roles, Richard has provided consultancy services for organizations like ASI ( FCDO Green Cities and Infrastructure program ), RTI International, and the African Enterprise Challenge Fund. His advisory roles have involved market research, business strategy development, and technical support for renewable energy projects across Africa. Richard is now exploring new opportunities within the renewable energy sector or broader development space, committed to addressing energy poverty and promoting sustainable development in Africa.

USEFUL LINKS 👇🏼👇🏼

• ⁠⁠Check out Terra.do using ⁠this link⁠⁠ and save 25% on Terra's Learning for Action Fellowship!
• Check out exclusive bonus footage and watch our episodes on YouTube ⁠⁠here.⁠⁠
• Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠here.⁠⁠
• Fill out our ⁠⁠feedback form⁠⁠ to help us improve the podcast in future seasons.
• Richard is also a singer/songwriter! Check out his channel at RhammsMusic or at the link in the episode description.

Season 1 of Terra.talk drops every Tuesday from May 27 to July 8, 2025. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect those of Terra.do or its partners.

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Welcome to Terra.talk, the official podcast of international climate school ⁠Terra.do.⁠ Switching up the pace from last week's episode, Shannon and Jae talk with mini-grid consultant Chris Greacen on all things rural electrification (and what these terms even mean).

Chris works on policy and hands-on implementation of renewable energy projects from the village to the national level. He has worked on rural renewable electricity projects or policies in over 20 countries, including Cambodia, China, Haiti, Laos, Liberia, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Rwanda, Tanzania, Vanuatu, and Yemen. He helped Thailand develop its first regulations supporting grid-connected renewable energy, now accounting for over 5 GW of small grid-connected renewables. Since 2007 he has worked as a consultant to the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), developing country programs and regulatory frameworks for mini-grids in Sub Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Pacific Islands.

He holds a Ph.D. in Energy and Resources from UC Berkeley and is an adjunct professor in the Energy Systems Management program at the University of San Francisco. He lives on Lopez Island, Washington, where he serves on the San Juan County Climate and Sustainability citizens advisory committee.

USEFUL LINKS 👇🏼👇🏼

• ⁠Check out Terra.do using ⁠this link⁠ and save 25% on Terra's Learning for Action Fellowship!
• Check out exclusive bonus footage and watch our episodes on YouTube ⁠here.⁠
• Follow us on Instagram ⁠here.⁠
• Fill out our ⁠feedback form⁠ to help us improve the podcast in future seasons.
• The handbook Chris helped write, Mini Grids for Half a Billion People: ⁠https://www.esmap.org/mini_grids_for_half_a_billion_people_the_report

Season 1 of Terra.talk drops every Tuesday from May 27 to July 8, 2025. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect those of Terra.do or its partners.

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Welcome to Terra.talk, the official podcast of international climate school Terra.do. To kick off the inaugural season of the pod, hosts Shannon Ferber and Jae Canetti sit down with Terra alum João Figueiredo.

João is the Regional Lead for the Americas and the Caribbean at the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), the world’s largest network of civil society actors working to build resilience and promote locally led solutions in disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation.

With over a decade of experience, João has led and coordinated major initiatives in emergency response, sustainable urban transformation, and climate adaptation across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. His work focuses on empowering local communities, building capacity, and influencing policies that protect vulnerable populations from the growing impacts of climate change.

João holds a solid academic background in Architecture and Urbanism, with a Master’s in International Cooperation in Urban Development (TU-Darmstadt and UIC), complemented by advanced studies in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation. He brings a distinctive combination of technical expertise and humanitarian vision, bridging urban development, climate resilience, and risk reduction.

USEFUL LINKS 👇🏼👇🏼

• Check out Terra.do using ⁠this link and save 25% on Terra's Learning for Action Fellowship!
• Check out exclusive bonus footage and watch our episodes on YouTube here.
• Follow us on Instagram here.
• Fill out our feedback form to help us improve the podcast in future seasons.
• João's UNDRR data: https://www.undrr.org/our-work/our-impact

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Season 1 of Terra.talk drops every Tuesday from May 27 to July 8, 2025. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect those of Terra.do or its partners.

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