a legacy of quality
and care
That's where our mission begins. We restore old waterpower plants to their former glory – and beyond. With a passion for quality engineering and materials, under our care, these essential structures will last hundreds more years — securing our way of life on the river for generations to come.
Yes, we produce clean power, and while we’re proud of its impact – we do much more. We preserve local quality of life, managing our rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to support the safety, economy, ecology, and enjoyment of our communities.
- We create meaningful jobs.
- We regulate lake levels for boaters and cottages.
- We manage fish ladders and monitor water quality for the health of local fisheries.
- We create and manage recreation sites: boat launches, picnic spots, fishing areas, and portage trails.
- We preserve our historic sites, connecting memories and experiences through generations.
- During floods, we work day and night to keep communities safe.
- In droughts, we manage flows to balance everyone's needs—people, industry, and wildlife.
What inspires us
[Rele-vate] v.: To lift the spirit of. To enhance, improve, or restore the character of. To elevate.
Whether it’s restoring a rundown power plant, mentoring an apprentice, or building a community boat launch, at Relevate Power, our people share a passion for elevating the world around us.
We value our past and see potential in each other, bringing balance to both the river and the communities we serve.
Why 24/7 renewable energy
Local energy for local life
Rural cities and towns tend to be the last in line to receive the benefits of innovation. Too often, this means jobs end up leaving our communities for the cities.
Our employers, services and transport—manufacturers, mills, mines, schools, hospitals, data centers, cars, trucks, and boats—all need affordable, clean energy 24/7. A lack of cheap, clean power will make it increasingly hard to attract and retain jobs and people, threatening our way of life.
We’re on a mission change that—to put rural community energy development first. We harness local renewable energy resources—our rivers and the sun—to create affordable 24/7 clean power, enabling businesses to save money and meet their requirements to go green. In this way, we help keep local jobs local, protecting our communities’ quality of life, now and into the future.
Sound investments
A proven model for growth
Much like our dams, our company is built on firm foundations. Majority owned by our employees, we manage capital as though it is our own. We carefully invest in facilities and communities where the base case is solid and the upside exciting. Our improvements typically result in 20%+ increases to generation and revenues, while driving down operating expenses by 30% or more.
Adapting proven business models for redevelopment, we handle everything in-house, from facility operation, upgrades, and maintenance to compliance and power marketing. We use, manage, and return other people’s capital like a treasured tool we’ve borrowed from a favorite neighbor.
Every day, we see firsthand the impact our dams have on people's lives. Taking care of these cornerstones of rural life is both an honor and a duty we take seriously. And nothing brings us more joy than seeing the communities we serve thrive because of our work.
The principles
we live by
We believe in straightforward values that guide our daily actions and decisions, understanding that great results and businesses stem from great behaviors.
We Are Real
We honor our commitments, using data to inform grounded decisions.
We Are Responsible
We make responsible decisions that keep our communities, environment, and people safe.
We Are Resolute
We are dedicated to what we do, the assets we care for and communities we serve. We'll do what it takes to finish the job right.
We Are Relevate
Our greatest rewards come from lifting up the people, places, structures, and machines around us.
It’s about
people
We elevate each other
Renewables may be the future — but it's tricky work that takes great people to build that future right. That’s why we put personal growth at the core of everything we do, creating opportunities to expand skills and experiences through structured training and mentorship. By lifting our people, we lift our company and the communities we serve.
Meet the
leadership team
Our leadership team brings together decades of experience, diverse skills and deep expertise from across the energy, technology, and financial sectors.
Our founders — some of the key people behind Greenbacker Capital, Brookfield Renewables, Dichotomy Power, Artisan Energy, Carbon Reduction Capital, and Water Foundry Ventures — have a proven track record in bringing groundbreaking ideas to life. They are passionate about infusing Relevate Power with the people, knowledge, technology, relationships, and capital it needs to thrive.
Over the past 25 years, they’ve built multiple billion-dollar organizations. Most importantly, they share a passion for creating something from nothing and a belief that the hardest things are frequently the most important – and the most fulfilling.
Matthew Wenger
Chief Executive Officer (Co-Founder)
Matt leads our strategy, development, and growth. One of the many co-founders of the Columbia Basin Trust and Columbia Power Corp, Matt was the first Director of IT and Operations for the billion-dollar non-profit that built 1GW of hydropower on the Columbia River. He has since launched and managed large infrastructure projects, tech companies, seed investment vehicles, and startup incubators, all focused on social good. Matt is also an active investor and advisor to governments, Fortune 1000 companies, and startups on innovation, strategy, sustainability, and growth.
Tony Zarrella
VP of Engineering & Operations
Bringing 25 years of expertise as the Senior Director of Operations at Brookfield Renewable, Tony is a seasoned leader in operations, projects, and asset management. With a demonstrated history in the renewable energy industry, Tony brings a strong track record in building successful teams, leadership development, asset optimization, large-scale construction projects, mergers and acquisitions, budgeting, and operations management. Tony has a wealth of experience across diverse power plant technologies, encompassing hydropower, wind, solar, battery storage, and geothermal assets.
Ian Clark
Chief Commercial Officer (Co-Founder)
Ian was the founder and CEO of Dichotomy Power LLC before it merged with Relevate Power. He has over a decade of power-market experience in project finance, operations, project engineering, power sales, investment research, and M&A. Ian and his team are responsible for all business and project development, including siting, acquisition, contracting, and managing EPC delivery of upgrades.
Gokse Ozturkeri
Chief Investment Officer
Gokse leads our investment and capital-raising strategy. Prior to joining us, he spent seven years in investment banking at two of the top renewable energy investment banks in the US. In these roles, he closed tax equity and debt capital raise and M&A transactions worth over $6bn. Gokse also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University, teaching two Master's level courses on renewable energy project finance and modeling.
Ben Baker
Board Member – Greenbacker Capital (GDEV)
Ben is the fund manager of GDEV, leading the origination and execution of Greenbacker's growth capital investments. He brings deep experience across the renewable energy industry, having held positions in both development (Delaware River Solar, Safari Energy) and private equity (Hudson Clean Energy, GE EFS). Ben began his career in power & utilities investment banking and holds both a BA and MBA from Columbia University.
Michael Prendergast
Chairman (Co-Founder) – Water Foundry Ventures
A co-founder of Clear Power and Clear Energy, Mike is a well-respected serial entrepreneur having built multiple successful companies in the data analytics, SaaS, real estate, energy, and renewable energy industries. In addition to running his own PE and VC funds, coaching entrepreneurs, and helping community non-profits achieve breakthrough growth, Mike is a co-founder and GP behind Water Foundry Ventures, focused on mediating the issues of water scarcity, quality, and equality of access.
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