REI Alumni Spotlight – Paulina Rakowska, ClimateCare and Natural Capital Partners

GMC Certificate Achievers & REI Alumni Spotlight

Director of Portfolio Management, ClimateCare, Paulina Rakowska

The Renewable Energy Institute is pleased to focus on the achievements of those who have attended the REI’s accredited Renewable Energy courses and accomplished the internationally recognised Galileo Master Certificate to further their careers in the Green Energy sector.

This month, the REI is delighted to speak with Paulina Rakowska, Director of Portfolio Management at ClimateCare and Natural Capital Partners, to hear about her experience studying the Renewable Energy Expert Certificate. Paulina is part of the Renewable Energy Institute’s global network of course participants from over 150 countries worldwide, including delegates from PwC, Hilton International Hotels, EDF Energy, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and many more.

ClimateCare and Natural Capital Partners (today a merged company) have over 20 years’ experience as specialists in climate finance and carbon neutrality solutions.

The REI’s Accredited Renewable Energy Expert Certificate is available to study flexibly online from home over a 6-month period with access to tutorial videos led by renowned academic professors and industry experts. The courses can also be studied as part of the Accredited Master in Renewable Energy Award for those wishing to enhance their career even further.

1. Hi Paulina, what is your professional background and how does this relate to the Renewable Energy field?

I consider myself as a generalist in the voluntary carbon market, with a level of specialisms in carbon emissions trading and RECs (renewable energy certificates), developed worldwide. I hold two Masters – in Ecological Economics and Business & Technology, which both gave me a good grounding on various technologies, and markets. During my studies, I already learned how renewable energy is produced – the course I took with the REI was to refresh this knowledge and stay on top of new technologies and financing mechanisms. 

Find out more about the REI’s Renewable Energy courses here.

“The course syllabus covered a range of technologies, all manageable in my own time – this factor was very important to me as free time was scarce.”

– ClimateCare and Natural Capital Solutions, Paulina Rakowska

2. Why did you choose to train with the Renewable Energy Institute?

Both carbon and renewable energy markets are currently experiencing their “high wave.” Both are also interlinked – there are still many registered carbon reduction projects based on renewable energy production. I chose the REI due to its reputation, the course syllabus that covered a range of technologies in a relatively short time (all manageable in my own time – this factor was very important for me, as I just started a new job at ClimateCare and also was just about to move my family over to another continent – so free time was scarce). 

3. What are the skills and knowledge that you have gained from the Accredited Renewable Energy Management and Finance course?

The Renewable Energy Management & Finance course covered, inter alias, the models of financing and risks and implications of each, as well as barriers to investment. I also took 2 other courses parallel to this one – in project management and renewable energy solutions. It was a great knowledge pack altogether.

“I took this course with the Renewable Energy Institute to refresh my knowledge and stay on top of new technologies and financing mechanisms.”

– ClimateCare and Natural Capital Solutions, Paulina Rakowska

4. How will you apply these skills to your career, either directly or indirectly?

The knowledge acquired via this course helps me in conversations with technical/finance people, project managers as well as anybody to whom I’d need to explain how Renewable Energy works. The finance component is applicable also in other types of projects’ financing, so I treat it as a parallel to carbon project financing these days. I applied the skills from the course both directly and indirectly.

5.  All around the world, companies, and organisations are preparing for a transition to a net-zero carbon future. What are ClimateCare and Natural Capital Partners‘ goals for sustainability?

ClimateCare and Natural Capital Solutions, in fact, is at the forefront of supporting companies and organisations in their transition to a Net Zero carbon future. We help organisations take responsibility for their climate impact by financing, developing, and managing carbon reduction projects across the world. We deliver some of the largest carbon offsetting programmes in the world, which help companies on their journey to Net Zero and beyond. Our ambition is to deliver almost 1 billion tonnes of carbon reductions by 2030.

Do you want to upskill with the Renewable Energy Institute? There are only limited places available on the Accredited Master in Renewable Energy Award, book your place now and study from home. If you would like more details on this programme, or would like to register, please email training@renewableinstitute.org for more information. Alternatively, you can call us on +44 (0)131 446 9479.