Spotlight on William Greenbohl: Getting the Word Out About Colorado’s Climate Scene
This month, we're featuring the origin of Colorado Climatetech — how one engineer turned community builder is working to elevate Colorado’s local climate network into a national climate hub
This interview was conducted on August 28th and edited for length and clarity.
Tell us about your path into climate work and what you do now.
WG: I’ve always wanted to work in clean energy, but couldn’t find a job right after school. I decided learning how to build physical things would be useful and started my career as a mechanical engineer in consumer hardware and manufacturing. After 10 years and moving to Colorado, I eventually worked up the courage to pivot. That wasn’t easy — it took 18 months of persistence before I landed at Optiwatt, where I work now.
At Optiwatt, we are building the missing link between utilities, smart devices, and consumers that want to save money. We provide a free app that helps people shift their energy use to times when electricity is cheaper and cleaner — for example, charging your EV overnight instead of right when you get home. Utilities pay us to help customers do this because it saves them money and reduces strain on the grid. My role is Director of Solutions, which sits between product and sales. I translate what our tech can do into clear, useful offerings for utilities and other partners.
Honestly, the way I got here was luck. I went to a climate happy hour, then a few more clean energy events, had coffee chats, and got invited to a climate potluck. I met someone who introduced me to Steve, who eventually became my hiring manager. It was totally unpredictable and very different from submitting résumés online, which felt like shouting into the void.
That experience reinforced to me why building in-person connections matters so much. It’s not just about meeting people, it’s about stumbling into the unexpected opportunity. That’s also what inspired me to create more opportunities for others to connect with companies doing amazing work here in Colorado.
How did the Colorado Climate Tech Newsletter get started?
WG: It grew out of COVID. At the time, there were many Slack communities, and I wanted to see what kinds of events were happening locally. After some googling all I could find was the Boulder Climate happy hour (which I went to and it was awesome), and I was frustrated by how hard it was to figure out what was going on. Colorado’s climate and energy scene is big and vibrant, but it felt fractured and disorienting.
I’d seen other cities do event roundups and thought, “Why not here?”. That’s how the newsletter started — with the simple goal of making it easier for people interested in climate to meet in-person and foster a stronger climate identity in Colorado.
I spend time searching the internet, newsletters, and local groups for events so others don’t have to. If even one person makes it to an event they otherwise wouldn’t have found, then I’ve succeeded.
What have you learned since starting it?
WG: The climate community here is more fun and supportive than I could have imagined. I’m an introvert, but I leave events feeling energized. That’s not always the case in other places I’ve lived, such as New York or the Bay Area, where events can feel more competitive and exploitative.
At the same time, it’s a roller coaster. In 2023, there was an explosion of events, then people burned out a bit, and 2024 was quieter. Hiring cycles and politics shape the tone too. I’ve learned not to push too hard but instead focus on offering something sustainable and listen to what the community needs. I’ve seen some folks try to organize too much and then can’t keep it going — I want this newsletter to last.
Since having a kid, I’ve had to prioritize what I can offer the community. That’s why I’ve slowed down with the company field trips and meetups. Company dynamics have shifted too. A couple of years ago, more companies were eager to host. Now, many are heads-down and don’t have the bandwidth. I believe that will swing back, and I’d love to help open doors again when it does.
The newsletter was the piece I could keep going consistently. If there is anyone interested in working together to bring back the site tours, reach out! It is an incredible way to build local relationships.
How has being located in Colorado impacted you and your climate work?
WG: I think Colorado is underrated as a climate hub. The big three are Boston, New York, and the Bay Area — Boston has the university power, New York has the money and people, and the Bay has the tech scene. Those will always be better places to go for fundraising.
But the community in Colorado is unique compared to anywhere else I’ve explored. My theory is it has to do with the mountains. Many people who live here, are living here at least partly for the mountains. That creates a kind of shared understanding of priorities, and I’ve found people here to be more collaborative and less zero-sum than in places where the climate scene evolved out of the broader, often cutthroat tech world. If your goal is to reduce climate emissions, you want everyone to succeed.
In general, the vibe feels more passion-driven, with a long-term approach that makes sense for climate. It’s less boomy-busty or bubble-oriented. We saw in 2021–2022 how quickly the hype cycle could inflate climatetech and then collapse, and that doesn’t drive actual emissions reductions — Clean Tech 1.0 is a good reminder of that. In contrast, Colorado is positioned to be an anchor, with a steadier, more sustainable community that will still be strong even if climate tech goes in and out of fashion elsewhere.
Are there any climate solutions you’re most excited about right now?
WG: I’m always excited about electrification, and home electrification in particular is fascinating to me. It’s not a question of if, just when. We quietly burn a lot of fossil fuels in our homes, and moving away from that is both healthier and more comfortable. I love the idea of a future where people experience firsthand that not burning stuff is just a better way to live. Once they feel it at home, it could ripple outward — politically, commercially, even culturally.
I’m also excited about geothermal energy, which Colorado is particularly well positioned to lead. It’s a cleaner source that is also more compatible with oil and gas businesses, which makes it less politically divisive. Right now, resistance to renewables can be painful. I believe economics will ultimately win, but it would be great to have one solution everyone could agree on. Geothermal might be that — an energy option we can all get behind and scale up.
Is there something climate or sustainability related outside of work that you’re passionate about?
WG: I’ve also been involved with Go Electric Colorado, which everyone should check out. Their whole thesis is simple: electrification is great, but it’s still complicated. They provide free coaching from neighbors in your area to help people navigate the transition to going electric.
A lot changes when you move from burning fuel to electrifying your life: how you set your thermostat, how electricians wire your house, even how and when you fuel your car. Those shifts can be confusing, and Go Electric Colorado is full of folks who’ve lived it and want to make it easier for others. The impact is deeply personal and tangible, and I’ve loved being part of it.
You can follow William on LinkedIn and learn more about managing electricity usage at optiwatt.com.