Anthony Brunello

Partner

Tony Brunello is a recognized expert on environmental policy and regulation, energy policy and regulation, technology, water, governmental affairs and coalition-building strategies with over 25 years of experience working in California and beyond.

Tony’s partial list of current clients include managing multiple coalitions of equity investors, timber companies, tribes, and non-profit entities on wildfire, renewable, bankruptcy and cap and trade projects; developing new carbon capture and storage projects; helping fund and permit large onshore and offshore wind energy and pumped storage projects; building the most advanced autonomous vehicle fleet in California; creating new wildfire resistant building materials; and building California’s largest electric battery fleet. Tony also started, led, and still serves on the board of the non-profit Gridworks that is a leader in building a low carbon electricity grid where he helped start the state’s Distribution Grid Planning efforts.

Tony’s experience working for Governor Schwarzenegger included managing water, energy, and forest climate activities for the state’s Natural Resources Agency where he also provided expert witness testimony to Congress, sat on expert commissions and Boards and had significant media exposure.

Tony also has extensive work experience with federal and international governments, nonprofits and companies on many topics. Tony has a Master’s of Science in Environmental and Resource Economics from University College London and a Bachelor of Arts in both Environmental Studies and Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He lives in Oakland with his wife and two daughters.

Specialties
1.
Smart Grid & “Internet of Things”
2.
Alternative Fuels and Renewable Energy
3.
California's Cap and Trade Program
4.
Climate Change Adaptation
5.
Clean Technology Financing
6.
Alternative fuels and Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
7.
Building electrification
8.
Natural and working lands
9.
CEQA permitting
10.
Clean technology financing
11.
Non profit management

Expertise

Energy
Environment
Federal State & Local Government
Food & Agriculture
Natural Resources
Non-Profits
Public Private Partnerships
Strategic Communications
Technology & Innovation
Telecommunications
Transportation & Infrastructure
Water
Career Highlights
1.
Deputy Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, California Natural Resource Agency
2.
Started the nonprofit Gridworks (leading multiple state energy proceedings)
3.
Managed and led California’s first Climate Resilience Strategy (2009)
4.
Started the Governors' Climate and Forest Task Force
5.
First Director of California’s Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

Contact Anthony Brunello