Where did you head following that?
I consistently had the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy on my radar due to their significantly larger organization with a more varied portfolio. Some of my colleagues there informed me about these operations manager positions that the organization had begun to establish. It was certainly within my expertise since the role involves managing budgets, contracts, and communication. It’s also a support role that assists the technical teams, and it was a leadership position. It was the right opportunity at the right moment.
I gather you’ve been with WPTO since its inception, correct?
Within a fortnight of being hired, Congress approved the 2016 budget, which formed WPTO by separating the previous office that addressed both wind and water power—a nice little unexpected twist since it is the operations manager’s responsibility to assess the implications. While leadership was found, I decided to focus solely on getting things accomplished. It was around 8 to 10 months of concentrated problem-solving before we could say, ‘Yes, the water office is an entity. It exists. It has personnel, it has a budget, and it is operational.’
So, you effectively contributed to establishing the office from the ground up. How did it feel when they approached you to be the acting director after the previous director departed?
Jennifer Garson, our former director, was a significant advocate for me. Before she announced her exit, she mentioned, ‘I think Matt should step in as acting.’ That made a substantial impact, and I am genuinely thankful to her for having faith and confidence in me. A lot of this is her legacy, and you want to leave your creation in the hands of someone you trust.
What are you most eager to achieve now that you’re the official director?
On the project side, it’s quite straightforward. For marine energy, it’s about deploying more devices of all types and sizes into the water. If we have learned anything from other renewable technologies, it’s that you need to build the equipment, test it, identify what works and what doesn’t, learn from that, and then keep iterating until it is perfected. To genuinely propel innovation forward, you need to conduct testing at a sufficiently large scale. And we are right at the brink of that. Some devices are going to fail. Others are going to set records for energy generation, sustainability, and survivability, which will lead us to a commercialized marine energy industry in 10 to 20 years from now.
And what about hydropower?
On the hydropower front, there are two significant opportunity areas. Existing facilities are integral to their communities. And the technology works. It produces electricity. It does so economically. Now, we can execute it more efficiently and in a more eco-friendly manner. Additionally, hydropower provides a stable generation source to complement solar, wind, and other variable resources. We need to maintain it on the grid. It’s absolutely vital. However, these facilities must be upgraded or modernized over time. That’s the work we are engaged in—assisting in modernizing and enhancing hydro to ensure it remains on the grid.
Moreover, there’s pumped storage hydropower, which accounts for 96% of utility-scale energy storage capacity in the United States. We haven’t constructed any new pumped storage in two decades due to lengthy permitting and construction processes, which deter investors. However, there is remarkable potential. Again, it’s a proven technology. It will fulfill the requirements. It offers advantages and value. We just need to navigate the market and permitting hurdles.
That outlines your strategy for marine energy and hydropower—what about the staff of WPTO?
We have assembled a fantastic team. We began with fewer than 20 individuals. Today, we have 100. It’s a diverse, tightly-knit, supportive team and an excellent environment for early-career individuals to flourish. However, it’s also fantastic for mid- and late-career professionals because there are numerous opportunities to make an impact in a setting where you are heard and valued. I wanted this office to reflect the diversity of America, and we have worked really hard to achieve that. I’m excited to continue nurturing this team and help everyone succeed, feel inspired, and stay motivated. That’s why I aspired to be the director.
