Concentric Energy Advisors is proud to announce that Mr. Stephen B. Wemple has joined Concentric as a Vice President.

Mr. Wemple comes to Concentric with over 30 years of experience in the energy industry. As a former senior energy executive, he has a wealth of knowledge in utility regulatory affairs and has successfully implemented both utility-scale and distributed clean energy strategies. Mr. Wemple’s expertise also extends to green hydrogen, battery storage, transmission scheduling, and wholesale and retail energy trading. “The Concentric team is at the forefront of the diverse challenges facing the energy industry, and I look forward to helping our clients successfully navigate the clean energy transition,” said Mr. Wemple.

Authorized returns on equity (ROE) have increased for many Canadian electric and gas utilities, as regulators recognize that the cost of capital has risen for all companies, including regulated utilities. The most prevalent signs of shifting financial fundamentals are found in bond markets. Over the past two years, the Bank of Canada ratcheted short-term interest rates to 5.0% (the highest level in 22 years) to combat inflation well above the targeted 1-3% range.

The vast amount of geothermal energy surging under the surface of the Earth is one of the most ancient resources in existence, but it has yet to be significantly harnessed for public consumption in the United States, including the western part of the country where its potential is the greatest.