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Paul Alan Nelson
Saoradh Energy

Mr. Paul Nelson is the founding principal at Saoradh Energy where he currently leads projects in distributed power generation and advanced vehicle fueling & charging infrastructure. Hisother affiliations include Senior Advisor for CRSP, board member at the CU Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, founding board member for CCIA, and advisory board member for Green Garage

Research Experience & Education. Mr. Nelsoninitiated the legislative effort in 2006 to create and fund the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory (CREC) with $6 million from the State of Colorado, was the founding Managing Director for CRSP (Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion, a research center of CREC, fall 2007early 2010) and raised over $1 million in research co-funding from industry members, held the title of Special Projects for RASEI (the CU-NREL joint Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute creating its leadership council and research fund that brought in over $2 million from industry and developing its private sector engagement program, fall of 2005-2008), was an Advocate for RASEI (2009), and assisted with the formation & launch of CCIA (Colorado Cleantech Industry Association).

Mr. Nelson holds a B.S. in Business-Finance, a B.A. in Chemistry with a minor in biochemistry, and in May 2010 received a research M.S. in Chemistry (thesis: evaluation of transition metal complexes as water oxidation catalysts) all from the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU). He is a member of the American Chemical Society.

Industry Experience: Mr. Nelson’s career in the energy industry began in 1989 at Julander Energy Company, where he led the business plan project for the Natural Fuels Company (NFC) joint venture between Xcel Energy and Colorado Interstate Gas Company, was lead author for the Colorado Oil & Gas Association’s first Natural Gas Industry Report, among other projects. During the 1990s, he held various positions at NFC, including sales management, vehicle/engine OEM interface, government affairs, operations management, and general management. In 2000, he founded Blue Energy & Technologies LLC, raised $10.5 million in strategic and venture capital and purchased NFC from Xcel Energy and a similar business from TXU Energy in Dallas, Texas. As the Blue Energy CEO he expanded compressed and liquefied natural gas fueling and vehicle support operations in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming. Mr. Nelson sold Blue Energy with positive EBITDA to ENRG Fuels in 2003 (a company founded by Boone Pickens), which subsequently became Clean Energy Fuels the leading natural gas vehicle fueling company in North America, and is listed on the NASDAQ (symbol CLNE) with operations across the United States and internationally. Investors in Blue Energy earned greater than a 30% IRR on their investment with the IPO exit.

Prior Affiliations & Awards. Mr. Nelson served on the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (NGVC, now called NGVAmerica) board of directors from 19992002, served on the board of directors for the American Lung Association in Colorado from 2002-2003, received the lifetime achievement award in 1998 from the NGVC, in 2008 received the Physical Science/Engineering/IT Business Advisor of the Year award from the CU Technology Transfer Office for his efforts in building university/industry partnerships in the renewable energy space, in 2010 received the designation Distinguished Colleague from CRSP, and at graduation ceremonies in May 2010 received a special award from the president of CU and director of RASEI for his efforts to launch & develop multiple energy-related organizations for CU.