Catalyst Power is an independent energy solutions provider that integrates tailored retail electricity supply with on-site, sustainable, and distributed energy resources—such as solar, battery storage, and EV charging—to help commercial and industrial businesses reduce costs and emissions. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Catalyst Power CEO Gabriel Phillips to learn more.
Gabriel Phillips’ Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Phillips said:
“Throughout my career, I’ve traded every electricity market in North America from Canada to Mexico, and I believed that those markets were the most ripe with opportunities because they were the most complicated. I was right about the markets’ amount of complication and barrier to entry, but was surprised to find how little all consumers understood about them, given the ubiquity of all consumers’ exposure to their vagaries. I’ve made it one of my missions to demystify these markets for people, and specifically commercial and industrial consumers.”
“I surmised that the more people understood about how their behavior impacts their costs, the more interest they would have in adopting measures onsite to reduce those costs, hedge their exposure to those costs, and decarbonize their consumption along the way. The natural evolution of those efforts has led me to focus on building smarter ways to deliver energy to commercial and industrial businesses—whether through financial structuring, power markets, or emerging technology. Before founding Catalyst Power, I worked in energy management, trading, project finance, and M&A, and I saw firsthand how hard it was for small and mid-sized businesses to get access to the tools that help large corporations manage energy costs and risk. Catalyst Power was built to change that.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Phillips shared:
“We saw a gap in the market: businesses that were too small to get attention from big energy providers but too large for one-size-fits-all solutions. Our idea was simple—bring together retail energy, distributed generation, and technology under one roof to give these businesses real choices and savings. Our model is built around flexibility, transparency, and risk allocation, shaped by what customers actually need, not just what utilities want to sell them. The easiest way to reduce exposure to the energy markets is to shift that risk to someone else in a way that fits a consumer’s business needs best. Catalyst steps into that role both as a retail energy supplier and as a distributed generation provider/owner/operator.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Phillips explained:
“Catalyst Power helps commercial and industrial businesses take control of their energy—transforming it from a highly variable cost into a strategic advantage. That starts with our retail energy services, where we offer customized contracts that align with each customer’s goals—whether that’s price certainty, sustainability, or flexibility. In deregulated states, we help manage market risk and secure competitive pricing.”
“From there, we provide a full suite of on-site solutions, including cogeneration systems, solar, and battery storage. We fund, own, and operate this equipment, so customers gain resiliency, decarbonization benefits, and long-term savings—without upfront capital or operational risk.. Every offering is structured to simplify vendor relationships, deliver measurable value, and create a trusted, long-term partnership between Catalyst Power and our customers.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Phillips acknowledged:
“Policy volatility has been the biggest challenge. The rollback of key clean energy incentives in the recent “One Big Beautiful Bill,” the messy rollout of executive orders and regulatory guidance, and constantly changing tariffs have made it harder for small and mid-sized businesses to access affordable solutions. We’re countering that by doubling down on what still works—like retail choice, cogeneration, and battery storage—and by staying creative and flexible in how we serve customers.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Phillips cited:
“Expanding our cogeneration service across the Northeast has been a major milestone in addition to our recently announced acquisition of 4.5 MWs of cogeneration assets. In addition, in June, we announced that DRW Energy Trading LLC, which operates as part of global trading firm DRW Holdings LLC, has made a strategic equity investment in the company, providing us with growth equity and additional financial support for our retail supply arm, representing a truly multifaceted partnership.”
Customer Success Stories
Can you share any specific customer success stories? Phillips highlighted:
“One standout example is a skilled nursing facility and rehab center in Queens, NY that needed to replace aging heating and cooling equipment. We deployed a cogeneration system and absorption chiller that simultaneously produces electricity and heat from a single fuel source simultaneously utilizing the heat for domestic hot water production, winter heating needs, and summer cooling needs—making the system highly thermally efficient. It significantly reduced their energy bills and improved the reliability of their HVAC services year-round with the introduction of “cooling-as-a-service” alongside our energy-as-a-service model. It’s a great example of how cogeneration isn’t just a cost savings play—it’s about resilience and quality of service too.”
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Phillips assessed:
“We’re focused on the underserved commercial and industrial market—roughly 5 million businesses in the U.S. that use significant energy but don’t have in-house energy staff and can really benefit from customized solutions. That’s a multi-billion-dollar opportunity, especially as energy prices rise and grid pressures grow.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Phillips affirmed:
“Catalyst Power is a rare combination of retail energy supplier and distributed generation provider. We don’t just sell contracts—we deliver infrastructure and insight. Because we own and operate the distributed generation assets, we’re fully aligned with our customers on performance. And we’re nimble. While other providers are pulling back, we’re expanding—because we’re technology agnostic, we can always continue to deploy capital into contracted distributed generation projects that save our customers money while decarbonizing them and achieve attractive returns on equity.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Phillips concluded:
“Just this: the energy transition is not a distant goal—it’s already here. Demand is rising fast, especially with AI, data centers, and electrification. The policy tools that helped manage that transition are being rolled back. That makes it more important than ever for businesses to take control of their energy strategy—waiting will only cost more.”
