CenterNode Launches with $750M to Supercharge US Solar and Storage

LOS ANGELES, CA – April 02, 2026 – Investment firm The Forest Road Company has announced the launch of CenterNode Group, a dedicated alternative energy investment arm armed with up to $750 million in initial capital commitments from institutional investors. The new platform, which includes a significant commitment from Liberty Mutual Investments (LMI), is poised to address a growing financing void for small to mid-sized renewable energy projects across the United States.

CenterNode enters the market with a clear mission: to provide flexible and opportunistic capital for the U.S. solar and storage sectors. The firm will target investments ranging from $5 million to $50 million, a segment often overlooked by larger institutional financiers and increasingly abandoned by traditional lenders. This launch signals a major injection of capital aimed directly at accelerating the nation's transition to energy independence.

The Widening Capital Gap in Renewables

The timing of CenterNode’s debut is critical. While the appetite for renewable energy has never been stronger, the financial landscape for developers has become increasingly challenging. Recent market data reveals a concerning downturn in financing for the sector. According to reports from Mercom Capital Group, corporate funding for U.S. solar companies saw a steep 39% year-over-year drop in the first half of 2025, with the energy storage sector experiencing a similar 41% decline.

This capital retreat is happening at a crucial moment. “The U.S. energy transition is entering its most capital-intensive phase at precisely the moment when traditional lenders have stepped back,” said Seth Zeleznik, the CEO and Founder of CenterNode. This sentiment is echoed across the industry, where smaller developers in particular face significant hurdles in securing the necessary funds to move projects from blueprint to reality.

Traditional banks and large-scale funds often perceive smaller projects as carrying disproportionate risk or prohibitive transaction costs, creating a “missing middle” in the financing market. This is the gap CenterNode was built to fill. “We built CenterNode to be the flexible, institutional-grade capital partner that developers and project owners need right now—one that can move quickly, structure creatively, and execute with certainty,” Zeleznik added.

A New Model for Energy Investment

CenterNode’s strategy is designed to be a direct response to the market’s current shortcomings. Instead of offering rigid, one-size-fits-all financing, the platform will provide flexible capital solutions that can be deployed across a project's entire capital structure, from debt to equity. This adaptability is key for developers navigating the complex and often unpredictable path of renewable energy development.

Liberty Mutual Investments, a global firm managing over $124 billion, is providing significant backing to scale the new platform. Their involvement underscores a deep institutional confidence in both the market opportunity and CenterNode's approach.

“The energy market is at a pivotal moment, with power demand accelerating while available financing has failed to keep pace,” said Charley Poole, Head of Energy & Infrastructure at Liberty Mutual Investments. “Meeting that demand will require significant capital to accelerate development across the energy landscape, creating opportunities where LMI can be a constructive capital partner to infrastructure platforms like CenterNode.”

This partnership aims to combine LMI’s long-term capital and integrated investment platform with CenterNode’s nimble, sector-focused expertise. “We believe CenterNode is well-positioned against this current backdrop to deliver flexible, solutions-oriented capital to solar developers navigating an increasingly complex financing landscape,” noted John Kim, Head of Alternative Credit at Liberty Mutual Investments.

Veteran Leadership at the Helm

Guiding CenterNode’s strategy is a leadership team with a formidable track record in both finance and renewable energy. CEO Seth Zeleznik brings two decades of experience from senior roles at Blackstone, Kayne Anderson, and most recently as an advisor to Apollo Global Management's Sustainable Infrastructure Group after its acquisition of Irradiant Partners. His deep expertise in private credit, private equity, and sustainable infrastructure is tailor-made for navigating the nuanced needs of the energy sector.

Serving as Chairman of CenterNode is Zachary Tarica, who is also the CEO of parent company Forest Road. Tarica previously led strategic renewables investments for Brookfield Asset Management, where he was instrumental in the landmark $7.9 billion acquisition of the TerraForm companies following the SunEdison bankruptcy—one of the largest and most complex transactions in the history of renewable energy.

This combination of experience in large-scale renewable turnarounds and sophisticated, structured finance provides CenterNode with a unique perspective on the market. The leadership understands not only how to execute complex deals but also the fundamental importance of the sector's growth.

“The energy transition is the most consequential infrastructure build-out this country has undertaken in decades,” said Tarica. “Getting the financing right—especially at the small and mid-market level—is not just a business opportunity. It is essential to keeping the U.S. competitive.”

Navigating Policy and Powering the Future

CenterNode is launching into a market shaped profoundly by federal policy, most notably the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. The IRA created a decade-long runway of tax credits and incentives, providing a stable foundation for investment. A key provision for CenterNode’s strategy is the creation of a standalone Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for energy storage, which untethers battery projects from solar installations and vastly expands the market for storage-only developments.

However, the policy landscape is not without its complexities. Recent trade investigations, evolving guidance on domestic content requirements, and rules concerning Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC) have introduced new uncertainties for developers and investors. It is within this dynamic environment that CenterNode’s promise of flexible, certain, and creative capital becomes most valuable.

By focusing on the underserved mid-market and equipping itself with deep expertise and substantial institutional backing, CenterNode is not merely providing capital; it is offering a strategic partnership. The firm's ability to navigate a shifting regulatory environment while providing reliable financing could unlock a wave of stalled or underfunded solar and storage projects, playing a pivotal role in building a more resilient and independent American energy infrastructure.