Advance Climate Solutions brings senior experience across government, national NGOs, finance, engineering, and coalition-building.
Our Team
Ed Whittingham
Ed Whittingham is a Canadian climate and energy leader with more than 25 years of experience across public policy, clean technology, corporate strategy, and the non-profit sector. He is the former Executive Director of the Pembina Institute and has worked with governments, companies, universities, and civil society organizations in Canada and internationally on complex climate and energy issues. Ed is also a widely published commentator and speaker, and co-hosts Energy vs Climate, a leading Canadian podcast on the energy transition. Today, his work focuses on helping build and scale climate stabilizing solutions. He serves as Founding Director of the Advance Carbon Removal Coalition.
Principal & founder
Dave Hochhalter
Dave Hochhalter is a multidisciplinary climate and sustainability professional with a background in Biosystems Engineering and 13 years of professional experience bridging Finance, Engineering, Product/Technology development, and Strategic Consulting. Dave brings experience in leading both technical and commercial project development on nature-based CDR projects into the team at Advance Climate Solutions. His skill set allows him to navigate the entirety of the CDR value chain and support the establishment of a reliable and sustainable supply/demand interface. Dave is focused on cultivating a strong community of buyers and investors committed to driving the Canadian CDR ecosystem to a position of global leadership. He serves as Coordinator of the Advance Carbon Removal Coalition.
senior associate
Carlos Pena is a climate policy operator with a proven record of advancing frontier climate solutions at the intersection of government decision-making, market development, and advocacy. He previously served as Senior Policy Advisor to the President of the Treasury Board of Canada, where he championed the integration of carbon dioxide removal into the Greening Government Strategy and helped launch Canada’s national carbon removal procurement program. Since joining ACS, he has supported coalition efforts to scale pioneering climate solutions and supports practical alignment across government, NGOs, funders, and industry to move complex files forward.
senior associateCarlos Pena
Sam Beattie is a climate and sustainability advisor with experience across financial services, corporate sustainability, and climate strategy. She is currently leading research efforts to develop a blueprint for a winning climate stabilization coalition in Canada. Sam brings seven years of Canadian-based climate advisory experience from her time as an Associate on TD Securities' ESG Solutions team and as a Senior Consultant on EY's Climate Change and Sustainability Services team. In June 2025, she graduated from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership with a Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business. Sam is driven by an aspiration to create impact at the speed and scale our climate requires.
senior advisorSam Beattie
Our team has helped shape carbon pricing systems, investment tax credits, carbon removal policy, public procurement approaches, and sector-building initiatives in Canada. We know how difficult climate files move because we have worked inside government, public-interest institutions, and emerging sectors themselves.
Advising on the evolution of Canada’s industrial carbon pricing and contracts-for-difference frameworks
Supporting the design and implementation of the Clean Technology and CCUS Investment Tax Credits
Embedding carbon dioxide removal into Canada’s Greening Government Strategy
Delivering Canada’s first federal carbon removal procurement commitment
Designing and launching Canada’s first coordinated demand-side carbon removal coalition
Selected Experience
