Green.org sat down with John M. Carroll, CEO of Ionic Blue, to learn about his journey from being a US Navy Reserve Caption turned renewable energy entrepreneur. IonicBlue is a joint venture between Johnson Controls, the global leader in delivering energy and infrastructure solutions, and Apollo Global Management a leading, global alternative asset manager. With John as the leader, they are revolutionizing how organizations create a more sustainable future through decarbonization, increased energy efficiency, and greater energy savings.
John, thank you for being here. Tell us a little bit about you and your background:
As both a retired US Navy Reserve Captain and an executive with extensive global business experience in green energy and decarbonization, John has devoted his career to the advancement of carbon emissions reduction, generation resiliency and increased energy efficiency.
What would you do with $1 Billion dollars?
Help develop technologies that package renewable energy and clean drinking water to all continents of the world.
Why do you think climate change and sustainability is such an important topic today?
Living sustainability is the only path forward if we are to provide for future generations and leave the world a better place than when we found it. Sustainable living is not just addressing climate change. It includes renewable energy sources that provide for power resiliency in not just generation but in grid forming. It also includes energy efficiency solutions, advances in super-conductor technologies, advanced water conservation technologies, and the political will power to categorically plan to address the largest carbon emitters worldwide.
What do you envision your industry looking like 10 years from now?
Recognizing that there is no easy answer to the challenges we face (e.g. conversion to renewable energy or building desalination plants), electing politicians from industry who understand and can provide answers, educating the masses and providing financially-packaged solutions to all countries that further sustainability.
What can the average person do to make a difference?
Respect the people and places around you. Choose to make a difference by serving the greater good. Join a career field that truly impacts the challenges we face in developing technologies and providing the outreach needed to address sustainable living.