Penn Receives $10 Million to Open Center for Energy Policy

What does every self-respecting “global energy hub” need? Why, an energy policy think tank, of course.

Scott Kleinman, a 41-year-old Penn alum and lead partner for private equity at Apollo Global Management, has donated $10 million to the university to get the Kleinmann Center for Energy Policy up and running this fall.

In a statement released by Penn, Kleinman said:

“As a nation, we do not have a clearly articulated energy policy that promotes economic growth, energy optimization, and technological development, all in the context of a sensible environmental backdrop. Energy policy is a critical topic at both the local and national level, and will only continue to grow in importance over time.

“Not only do the University’s extensive resources offer great potential for high-leverage collaboration; Penn also has the wherewithal to create the ideal institutional structure to realize that potential. In addition, setting the Center at Penn will provide a forum for students — our future political, business and technology leaders — to get educated on relevant energy topics and become involved in shaping the direction of research and debate.”

The center will be run by Mark Alan Hughes, professor of practice at PennDesign, who was Philadelphia’s first director of sustainability and who, perhaps not coincidentally, organized a conference at Penn last fall to promote the idea of the city’s resurgence as an energy hub.