Edelen Renewables

Bringing the promise of renewable energy to the forgotten places of America.

Edelen Renewables is a boutique developer of solar projects to drive social impact

With a founding mission of bringing the promise of renewable energy to the forgotten places, Edelen Renewables is the only solar development firm in America with a sole focus on socially impactful projects that provide the triple-bottom line return of meeting the climate challenge, driving economic transition in forgotten communities, and producing savings for our off-takers.

“Our passion is leveraging new energy
to build a New American Dream.”

Adam Edelen, Founder & CEO of Edelen Renewables

What We Do

A People-Focused Vision.

Creativity. Grit.

These are the hallmarks of the approach we bring to the historic work we do.

From bringing coal companies together with green energy advocates to developing reclaimed mine sites and creating employment for displaced coal miners, we create win/wins for every stakeholder.

We’ve partnered with several of the largest national developers of utility-scale projects and currently have a pipeline of ten projects in four states, representing more than 1.5 GW of renewable energy and more than $1.5 billion in capital investment.

Land acquisition, facilitating public engagement, shepherding projects through regulatory processes, securing corporate off-take agreements (VPPAs). These represent the “boots-on ground” services that Edelen Renewables offers to produces results.

Our first “coal-to-solar” project, deep in the heart of central Appalachia has been described as the “most iconic renewable energy project in America.”

The project represents a capital investment of more than $100m and will employ hundreds of out-of-work miners.

The innovative nature of this one-of-a-kind partnership between a coal company and a renewable energy firm to drive economic transition was featured in the award winning documentary “The Human Element” and has captured the attention of the national and global media, from CNET, SkyTV, Fast Company to the Wall Street Journal and CNN.

In short, we’re making
a big difference in
places that need it.

Beyond our projects in the coal communities of Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia, we’re working hard to drive true social impact in rural communities, facing hardship in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

Triple Bottom Line
Return Strategy

How We’re Providing More Than
Clean Energy to Rural America

Solar Development
Projects Combating
Climate Change

Driving Economic
Transition in Forgotten
Communities

Producing Energy
Savings for our
Off-Take Partners

Who We Are

Adam Edelen

Founder & CEO

Adam Edelen is a dynamic leader with a demonstrated record of accomplishment in both the public and private sectors.

Adam Edelen is a dynamic leader with a demonstrated record of accomplishment in both the private and public sectors.

Adam is the founder of Edelen Renewables, which has garnered significant attention for structuring innovative partnerships between coal interests in Appalachia and global renewable energy giants.

As a chief of staff to former Kentucky governor, Steve Beshear, and later as the State Auditor of Kentucky, Adam earned a reputation as a modernizer and reformer in government. His efforts resulted in prison terms for corrupt politicians and school administrators, uncovered fraud and abuse in Kentucky’s nearly $3 billion system of “Ghost Government” (special taxing districts), and the testing of more than 3,000 previously unaccounted for rape kits..

Adam has been described in the media as “a man on a mission” and “a refreshing example of leadership”, and his record of accomplishments have garnered state and national recognition. He has been named the Outstanding Young Kentuckian and one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the United States Junior Chamber Commerce, an honor previously bestowed upon presidents Kennedy, Ford, Nixon, and Clinton. More recently he has been honored by the Aspen Institute, the German Marshall Fund, and the Kentucky Rural Health Association.

Adam is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and currently sits on its Board of Public Health. He is an avid sportsman, a proud father of twin sons, a student of history, and a University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball and football fan.

Nathan Cryder

Chief Operating Officer

Nathan Cryder has a broad range of executive and leadership experience in the business, government, non-profit, and education sectors.

In business, he is a founder or co-founder of several companies including Breakout, the world’s largest escape room company, headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky with over 1,000 employees and 45 locations throughout the U.S. and one in South Africa. Nathan is also the co-founder and former CEO of Sig Luscher Brewery, a Frankfort, Kentucky-based brewery with the tenth oldest legacy of any operational brewery in the U.S. (founded in 1866 and reopened in 2018).

In the non-profit sector, he was the acting Director of the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation-U.S., founded by 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi, who has dedicated his life to ensuring children’s rights in India and globally since 1981. Nathan continues to serve on a pro-bono basis as an advisor to Mr. Satyarthi and his son, Bhuwan Ribhu, the founder and director of India Child Protection Fund.

In government, Nathan was Senior Advisor and Policy Director to Edelen Ventures founder, Adam Edelen, when he was the Kentucky State Auditor, and in education, he has taught high school and college courses in economics, history, sociology, psychology, history, web design, graphic design, and video editing.

Nathan holds dual masters in diplomacy and sociology from the University of Kentucky and a B.A. in sociology from Miami (OH) University. He has a daughter and a son, and enjoys his free time traveling, reading, and writing.