During my fellowship with the Columbia Climate Knowledge Initiative (CKI) I advanced research and strategic insights around geothermal technology. CKI aims to generate practical knowledge that accelerates climate solutions and equips leaders to drive systemic change, and my project supported this mission by evaluating geothermal’s role in the global renewable energy mix. While solar and wind dominate the conversation, geothermal remains underexplored, despite next‑generation technologies expanding its applicability. I synthesised technical, policy, and economic dimensions to highlight geothermal’s potential as a reliable baseload source and to elevate it within CKI’s broader mission of bridging science, policy, and business.

My Columbia MBA equipped me to translate complex climate technologies into business narratives. Courses in Business & Climate Change, Climate Finance, and Sustainability Reporting taught me to evaluate cost curves, risk allocation mechanisms, and policy incentives and to frame them in terms accessible to investors and policymakers. I acted as a translator between technical complexities and economic rationales, contextualising geothermal’s investment profile relative to solar or wind and tailoring messages to non‑specialist audiences.

Challenges included addressing the diverse development landscape of geothermal. In developed markets the barriers are policy incentives and capital risk allocation; in developing countries they include infrastructure gaps and financing constraints. Crafting insights meaningful to both contexts required careful balance. CKI’s global, multidisciplinary audience—from policymakers to practitioners—meant iterating repeatedly to avoid jargon while retaining nuance. Another hurdle was the lack of public awareness; I needed not only technical analysis but also compelling storytelling to position geothermal as mainstream.

The fellowship deepened my conviction that geothermal deserves greater visibility. Unlike intermittent sources, it can provide 24/7 baseload power, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Advances in enhanced geothermal systems and modular binary technologies suggest it could be unlocked in far more regions. The experience reinforced the importance of framing: even the strongest technical solutions need clear, audience‑appropriate narratives to mobilise capital and policy support. I leave with greater confidence in synthesising complex data into strategic insights and a deeper appreciation for the role of business education in scaling climate solutions.