Obama nominates former Boston VC to Energy Department post

By Erin Ailworth

July 28, 2011

1 minute to read

President Obama yesterday nominated a former Boston venture capitalist as assistant US Energy secretary overseeing alternative energy and energy efficiency programs.

David Danielson, who holds a doctoral degree from MIT , co-founded the clean energy investment practice at Boston venture capital firm General Catalyst Partners, leaving to join the Energy Department in 2009 as program director of Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, known as ARPA-E. He was also a co-founder of the trade group, New England Clean Energy Council.

Peter Rothstein, president of the New England Clean Energy Council, said Danielson has the right combination of skills to help advance new energy technologies.

“He’s got a good cross section of technical depth,’’ Rothstein said, “but also understanding what it means to start up new companie and try to break into new markets.’’

In addition to Danielson, Obama also nominated a former General Electric executive, Dot Harris, to serve as the energy department’s Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact.

“I am honored that these talented individuals have decided to join this Administration and serve our country,’’ Obama said today in a statement. “I look forward to working with them for months and years to come.’’