Energy Empire Who is Jigar Shah?
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Feb 19, 2026 
Phil Radford, longtime environmental and consumer advocate who led Greenpeace U.S. and worked at Consumer Reports, sits down with Jigar Shah’s story at the center. They revisit Jigar’s risk-filled early years: SunEdison’s founding, financing solar with personal credit, startup management struggles, and how those choices shaped global clean energy efforts. Short, candid, and full of memorable anecdotes.
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Hometown Plant Closure Shaped His View
- Jigar grew up in Sterling, Illinois, anchored by a large steel mill that later closed and devastated the town.
- Watching those job losses made the impact of lost manufacturing deeply personal to him.
Bootstrapped SunEdison With Personal Risk
- Jigar and his wife backed SunEdison with a $20k savings and a home equity line while keeping her modest government perks.
- He quit BP Solar, used cash-only budgets, and accepted personal financial strain to launch the company.
Closed First Deals On Credit Cards
- SunEdison's first Whole Foods deal closed with tax equity from a friend and the rest charged to Jigar's credit card.
- Customers arrived fast, but arranging reliable financing proved the hardest part.