Summer Internship with NewSun Energy
Nicholas Sommer, Daytime MBA 2026
My summer at NewSun Energy allowed me to build models and analysis tools to aide in multiple areas of renewable energy development while also engaging in the company’s Community Benefits programs. As a maturing energy startup spanning development, construction, and operations for solar, battery, and transmission projects in Oregon, I served as the company’s sole Business Development intern working directly with the Head of Legal and Head of Commercial Development.
My impact this summer included:
• Developing an original land lease financial model to inform a $8M land purchase decision
• Designing a cost calculator for future power trading transactions
• Improving existing energy models for enhanced modularity
• Creating the company’s first commercial asset dashboards and sales decks for future M&A/fundraising use
With only 25 employees, the impact of these contributions to NewSun was significant allows for improved systems and decision making for processes that were previously bespoke.
As part of NewSun’s mission, the company is leading decarbonization efforts in the Pacific Northwest while keeping local community central to their mission. The company’s annual Community Benefits programs include college scholarships for local students, 4-H animal purchases at local county fairs auctions, and donations to high-impact programs addressing health, sustainability, and education in local communities. As part of the company’s first investor meeting, I assisted the Head of Community Benefits finalize a visual presentation to demonstrate the impact of these efforts that the company has undertaken over the last decade throughout the state. I also had the opportunity to attend multiple state fairs and community engagements on behalf of NewSun Energy.
I plan to take the skills I learned this summer to continue in a Business Development role at an energy or climate-tech company. I enjoyed working to develop tangible projects to address the climate crises, and I plan to use my breadth of commercial and financial skills to continue those efforts in a high-impact role while spreading NewSun’s values of community-first development.
This internship was supported by the Summer Internship Fund, which enables first-year Duke MBA students to learn about the rewards and challenges of using business to drive positive impact without making a significant financial sacrifice. The program enables organizations that otherwise could not afford to hire MBA student interns to benefit from students’ expertise. Funds are raised through student fundraising and from donors who believe in the mission of the program. If you would like to contribute, you can donate online using your credit card.