John Woolard

John Woolard is currently the VP Energy at Google, where he is focused on Google's global energy strategy through investment in new technology and creation of new business opportunities. Previously, John served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of BrightSource Energy, Inc. from 2006 to 2013, where he led the development, construction, and commissioning of the $2.2 billion, 392 MW Ivanpah solar thermal power plant.

John began his career in energy at Lawrence Berkeley Labs in 1996, in the Energy and Environment Division, and then joined PG&E Energy Services to lead their efforts in Facility Information and Control Systems. Mr. Woolard Co-Founded Silicon Energy in 1997, and served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman as he led its growth in enterprise energy management software through its acquisition by Itron in 2003. He then served as Vice President and General Manager of End User Solutions Business Unit and Energy Management Solutions Group at Itron through 2005.

He served on the Board of the California Clean Energy Fund, the Tuolumne River Preservation Trust, and the Strategic Advisory Board for Xcel Energy. He is a Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and holds an M.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, an M.A. in Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia. John is an avid whitewater kayaker, kiteboarder, and loves to spend time with his family, ideally playing outside.