As a fellow with Energy Peace Partners, I explored new market opportunities for the Peace Renewable Energy Credit, a financial instrument that mobilizes capital for renewable projects in fragile states while helping buyers offset their own energy use. Energy Peace Partners aims to address energy poverty, conflict risk, and climate vulnerability simultaneously. My project extended this mission by examining how professional sports franchises, stadiums, and entertainment venues might leverage P‑RECs. Sports are among the most energy‑intensive industries, and athletes and clubs from the Global South often migrate north, leaving underdeveloped infrastructure behind. By linking sports organizations’ offset needs with P‑REC projects, teams could decarbonize operations and build community‑level renewable capacity in underserved markets. I created a Sports for Energy Justice framework and tested it through conversations with major leagues, entertainment firms, and nonprofits. The concept channels new capital into fragile energy markets while highlighting co‑benefits of peacebuilding, climate resilience, and inclusive development.

I applied finance, climate, and systems‑thinking skills from Columbia Business School. Courses in social venture investing provided frameworks for evaluating impact‑driven enterprises and assessing the scalability of P‑RECs in global sports. My background in structured finance and macro markets helped me pitch P‑RECs as transitional instruments connecting renewable supply in fragile states with demand from commercial buyers. I used market sizing and stakeholder mapping techniques to assess where sports leagues could be early movers. Experience in venture capital and financial product design informed how I framed P‑RECs not just as compliance tools but as vehicles for brand alignment, environmental, social, and governance strategy, and community impact. This interdisciplinary approach enabled me to position a niche instrument within the broader ecosystem of sports, entertainment, and climate finance.

One challenge was translating the technical complexity of P‑RECs into a value proposition that resonated with sports executives. Unlike corporations with sustainability reporting mandates, many franchises lack established procurement channels for environmental attributes. I reframed P‑RECs as storytelling vehicles, helping teams see how offsetting energy with renewable projects in conflict‑affected regions aligns with their values, fan engagement strategies, and global brand. The idea was also early stage, with limited precedent in entertainment markets. Benchmarking against voluntary carbon and renewable energy credits was helpful, but regulatory and reputational dynamics differ. Navigating these gaps required iteration with potential partners and stress‑testing use cases. Ensuring scalability demanded balancing ambition with feasibility; linking major leagues to microgrid projects is compelling but must be financially viable, operationally sound, and culturally respectful.

This fellowship reinforced my belief that innovative financial instruments can bridge sectors that seldom interact. Sports often seem separate from climate and development, yet they can provide a powerful platform for climate justice when linked with tools like P‑RECs. The key lies in aligning incentives: for sports teams the value proposition includes storytelling, fan loyalty, and global legacy; for communities the benefit is clean energy infrastructure that supports peace and resilience. I sharpened skills in stakeholder engagement, market framing, and translating impact products into opportunities. The experience deepened my commitment to a career at the intersection of climate finance, systems design, and justice‑oriented investing, designing vehicles that mobilize capital while expanding who benefits.