2025 New Futures Fellowship

Common Grounds

For the third year, the Common Grounds initiative worked with New Futures Fellows to accelerate clean energy deployment through co-locating renewables on land already leased for oil and gas production. The 2025 fellows worked in two areas: 1) developing a workforce development strategy to advance renewables in the US and 2) exploring international possibilities of co-location, with specific research in Brazil and Qatar.

Workforce Development: Clean Energy Jobs in the Intermountain West

Fellow Cameron Salo examined workforce development strategies in Utah and New Mexico, tied to decarbonization, energy equity, and environmental justice. He identified opportunities for job training and professional advancement in the clean energy sector, while developing public-facing content to build support for renewable energy workforce initiatives.

Global Common Grounds: Clean Energy on Fossil Fuel Lands

Fellows Manling Hu and Daniela Laforce investigated the potential to repurpose previously disturbed or contaminated fossil fuel sites in Qatar and Brazil for clean energy production. Research focused on policy, land use, and stakeholder engagement, with the goal of accelerating renewable energy adoption in these historically extractive regions.

Meet the Fellows

  • Daniela Laforce


    Dani is a Brazilian Islands and Sustainability Master's Student at the Universities of Groningen and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where she is learning advanced spatial analysis tools and sustainable land use planning on islands. Her purpose as a researcher is to protect tropical forests. She believes effective land use planning, especially regarding energy transition, is one of the best ways to get there.

    She is fierce in her understanding that the energy transition in the Global South is a pathway to these countries' energy sovereignty.

  • Manling Hu


    Manling studies Environmental Studies and is pursuing a graduate certificate in Energy Management and Policy, focusing on advancing energy justice for communities disproportionately burdened by climate change and energy insecurity.

    Her work looks at how losing electricity affects low-income families in the US, and how fossil fuel sites can transition to renewable energy sources globally.

    Inspired by Planet Reimagined’s mission to bridge research and advocacy, she's excited to join collaborative projects that help build a fairer energy future for everyone!

Fellowship Advisors

Katie Kavanaugh

Solomon McBride

Based in Colorado, Katie most recently served as Community Solar Acquisition Manager at DSD Renewables, providing in-house expertise on all aspects of the field, keeping the team informed of new advancements in community solar policy, and ensuring that all community solar projects sustained strong partners for finding and servicing DSD subscribers. Katie also worked at GRID Alternatives, helping economic and environmental justice communities nationwide get clean, affordable renewable energy, and Solstice Power Technologies, a community solar acquisition and management services provider dedicated to expanding access to renewable energy to all. At both organizations, Katie helped to manage strategic relationships with developer partners, customer management partners, and community-based organizations, and tracked policy to identify development opportunities in the fast-changing world of community solar. Katie has had a career-long passion for renewable energy and the environment and its impact on people, starting with her study of Molecular Biology and Public Health Policy at Princeton University.

Solomon McBride is committed to integrating environmental justice principles into clean energy initiatives, ensuring that underserved communities benefit from sustainable and equitable energy solutions. As the Clean Energy Environmental Justice Advisor, Solomon continues his work in strategic planning, community engagement, and advocacy to address systemic disparities in energy access and overall decision making processes in ensuring a just transition. Prior to this role, Solomon managed programmatic efforts at Partnership for Southern Equity within its Just Energy portfolio. Here, he led various initiatives aimed at promoting fair energy policies, fostering community-led solutions, and building coalitions to amplify the voices of marginalized populations in climate action. Notably, he served as the organizational lead for the Breaking Barriers project, which focused on increasing climate resilience in Southwest Atlanta, one of the most energy-burdened areas in the United States.

Solomon has consulted with dozens of frontline environmental organizations throughout the country - facilitating their grant making processes, project management goals, and overall capacity building. He has also served as member of the Clean Energy Advisory Board for the City of Atlanta, providing recommendations to center equity and the advancement of environmental justice in the adoption of the City of Atlanta’s Clean Energy Atlanta plan.

A graduate of Brandeis University and native of Atlanta, Solomon enjoys spending time with friends and family, and channeling his creativity through writing. He is also passionate about mentoring young professionals and advocating for diversity and inclusion within the environmental sector.

Interested in our Fellowships?

We're not currently recruiting for any fellowships, but we'd love to keep you informed!