Supporting California’s Forest Health Goals through Technology Investments
Michael Kleist
State of California — Department of Conservation
Michael Kleist is a professional in the renewable energy, energy transition, and waste industries. He was previously Vice President of Business Development at Sierra Energy, a waste gasification technology company. Prior to Sierra, he was the co-founder and COO of a B2B company focused on international trade and supplier verification in the APAC region. Much of his career has been spent helping start-up companies grow and fundraise.
Project
The State of California and FUSE are partnering to launch a new $50 million statewide grant program that puts excess forest biomass to productive use. Working with the California Department of Conservation, FUSE Executive Fellow Michael Kleist will design inclusive grantmaking strategies, technical assistance models, and evaluation tools for non-combustion biomass uses such as mass timber and regenerative agriculture. The program will help reduce wildfire risk while creating new economic opportunities. Rural and tribal communities hit hardest by wildfire stand to benefit most.