Industrial Policy in Action: Lessons from Over a Decade at the Department of Energy
February 26 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
The energy sector stands at an inflection point. After 15 years of remarkable change, the convergence of surging electricity demand, climate pressures, and emerging industries promises even more rapid transformation. This presentation and discussion draws on Garrett’s experience at the Department of Energy and Waypoint Strategy Group to explore the path from research to commercialization, the impacts of policy on technology development and deployment, and the broader ecosystem that makes modern energy systems work. We’ll close with a look at what the coming years may hold.
Speaker: Garrett Nilsen, Co-Founder and Partner Waypoint Strategy Group
Whether attending in person or virtually, please register in advance. Room attendance is permitted for the Harvard community. Lunch will be served. The Zoom session is open to the public.
Speaker Bio: Garrett spent over 13 years working in the US Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), rising the roles of Deputy (and Acting) Director, aiding the industry’s rise from a minor contributor to the US electricity sector to the nation’s fastest growing energy source. He managed a $300+ million-per-year portfolio spanning photovoltaics, solar-thermal, grid integration, supply-chain resilience, and non-hardware solar costs (e.g. workforce development, siting, community acceptance, equitable access to solar). Under his leadership the office launched first of their kind programs to address technology commercialization, solar energy and load forecasting, renewable energy siting, renewable energy grid interconnection, new uses of solar, and more. Prior to leadership roles at SETO, he led teams working on accelerating technologies to market and got to see first hand how industrial policy can shape a technologies future. Garrett is now at Waypoint Strategy Group, which he founded with 3 other senior DOE leaders in 2025 to bring lessons on technology research, development, and commercialization and effective funding program design to the world.
The Growth Lab’s “Development Talks” is a series of conversations with policymakers and academics working on economic growth and development in countries, regions, states, and cities in the US and around the world. The seminar provides a platform for practitioners and researchers to discuss both economic growth and development and analytical work centered on policy.
Getting Things Done: Issue Spotting in the Infrastructure Development Projects Ecosystem
In this Development Talk, Bill Dobbs will share a front‑row view of how public policy, governance, and engineering intersect in real‑world settings. He will offer Insights into how large public works succeed—or fail—depending on governance, institutions, and the quality of decision‑making and practical advice to future policy makers on infrastructure project management.
Speaker: Bill Dobbs, Former Civil and Structural Engineer and Project Manager
Moderator: Ricardo Hausmann, Director, Growth Lab
Whether attending in person or virtually, please register in advance. Room attendance is permitted for the Harvard community. Lunch will be served. The Zoom session is open to the public.
Speaker Bio: Over nearly fifty years as a civil and structural engineer and project manager, Bill Dobbs has worked on major infrastructure projects in over 20 countries. Trained (B.Sc., and M.Eng.) at Cornell University, Bill Dobbs has overseen the design and construction of, inter alia, hydroelectric dams, tunnels, water and wastewater systems, transportation projects, and U.S. government facilities across South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Many of his projects were funded by international institutions such as USAID, the Islamic Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter‑American Development Bank, and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency.
Mr. Dobbs brings a technically sophisticated, but practical and culturally sensitive focus to world-class engineering projects. His assignments required navigating through complex stakeholder environments involving national government agencies, local communities, international lenders, and private contractors.
Whether dealing with funding agencies, aligning infrastructure plans with social and environmental safeguards, or helping governments build technical capacity, he has worked at the point where policy objectives meet on-the-ground realities. He retired from full-time practice in 2024, but continues to support international projects and maintains contact with his professional associates, offering them guidance in their professional careers.
The Growth Lab’s “Development Talks” is a series of conversations with policymakers and academics working on economic growth and development in countries, regions, states, and cities in the US and around the world. The seminar provides a platform for practitioners and researchers to discuss both economic growth and development and analytical work centered on policy.