Energy Policy Now

The nation’s largest electric grid operator outlines its plan to manage rapid growth in data center electricity demand. --- PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest grid operator, is preparing to file a wide-ranging proposal with federal regulators aimed at managing the rapid growth of electricity demand, including AI-driven data centers. The plan stands out as one of the first comprehensive efforts by a grid operator to address surging load from new technologies while maintaining system reliability and limiting cost impacts on consumers. The proposal arrives at a moment when the electric grid is under growing stress. Tightening power supply-demand balances, high-profile grid failures, and a series of narrowly avoided outages have raised concerns about whether the power system can continue to meet demand reliably. At the same time, those pressures have increasingly shown up in electricity prices, which have increased sharply in many areas. PJM’s proposal tries to answer a question grid operators across the country are now facing: how to say “yes” to large new loads without turning reliability into a gamble or costs into an afterthought. The plan lays out a structured approach to integrating data centers and other large loads, with an eye toward keeping commitments realistic and aligning responsibility with impact. Abe Silverman is an assistant research scholar with the Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute at Johns Hopkins University and a former general counsel to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Tom Rutigliano is senior advocate for climate and energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, where his work focuses on PJM. Both participated in the policy discussions surrounding PJM’s proposal, and provide their perspective on its potential impacts on grid reliability, consumers, and the potential rate of datacenter growth. Abe Silverman is an assistant research scholar with the Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute at Johns Hopkins University and a former general counsel to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Tom Rutigliano is senior advocate for climate and energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, where his work focuses on PJM. Related Content Communities Are at Risk If We Don’t Slow the Roll on Data Center Development https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/blog/communities-are-at-risk-if-we-dont-slow-the-roll-on-data-center-development/ Energy System Planning: New Models for Accelerating Decarbonization https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/energy-system-planning-new-models-for-accelerating-decarbonization/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI data centers are driving rapid demand growth, exposing the limits of traditional electricity forecasting and planning. --- Electricity demand in the United States is rising fast, fueled in large part by the rapid expansion of AI data centers. Grid operators have repeatedly revised their demand forecasts upward as they try to anticipate how much new power these facilities, along with other emerging loads such as advanced manufacturing and crypto mining, will require. In January, however, something unexpected happened. PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest grid operator, lowered its demand growth outlook, just weeks after a capacity auction driven by expectations of booming demand produced record high prices. Estimating how much electricity new data centers and other large loads will actually add to the grid is difficult, and the uncertainty cuts both ways. Overestimating demand can leave consumers paying for grid infrastructure that never gets fully used. Underestimating it can threaten reliability. All of this is playing out as the rapid buildout of data centers is increasingly framed as a question of economic competitiveness and national security. On the podcast, Shana Ramirez and Arne Olson of Energy and Environmental Economics argue that while improving forecast accuracy remains important, uncertainty itself needs to play a more central role in how the grid is planned and governed. In a recent E3 paper, they lay out why demand forecasts will remain imperfect, and why grid rules and planning processes should be designed to work across a range of possible outcomes rather than relying on a single view of the future. Ramirez and Olson discuss the reliability and cost challenges this uncertainty creates and describe governance approaches that could help the power system remain reliable and affordable as new loads come online. Shana Ramirez is director, asset valuation and markets at E3. Arne Olson is a senior partner at E3. Related Content: Boomtowns in the Battery Belt: Risks and Opportunities of Clean Energy Investments in Small Towns of America https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/boomtowns-in-the-battery-belt-risks-and-opportunities-of-clean-energy-investments-in-small-towns-of-america/ Energy System Planning: New Models for Accelerating Decarbonization https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/energy-system-planning-new-models-for-accelerating-decarbonization/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gas-fired power is back in favor in the United States, but methane emissions threaten its credibility. ---  Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, and global efforts to curb methane emissions are accelerating. Beginning later this decade, the European Union will impose new methane rules on oil and gas imports, and major energy-importing countries across Asia are paying closer attention to the emissions profile of the fuels they buy. The policy outlook in the United States, however, is very different. Under the Trump administration, federal methane regulations have been delayed or rolled back, even as policymakers promote expanded use of natural gas, particularly in the power sector. This divergence raises questions not only about climate impacts, but about competitiveness. As international buyers increasingly factor environmental performance into purchasing decisions, U.S. producers’ ability to measure and reduce methane emissions may shape their access to global markets. More broadly, natural gas’s credibility as a lower-carbon fossil fuel hinges on keeping methane leaks to a minimum. Mark Brownstein, senior vice president for energy transition at the Environmental Defense Fund, has spent more than two decades focused on identifying, measuring, and reducing methane leaks across the natural gas value chain. He discusses why methane has moved to the center of climate and energy debates, how international pressure is reshaping expectations for fossil fuel producers, and how new tools, including a recently released global methane scorecard developed with the International Energy Agency and the United Nations, are helping to track progress. He also explains why cutting methane emissions remains one of the most achievable and cost-effective climate actions available today. Mark Brownstein is senior vice president for energy transition at the Environmental Defense Fund and a member of the Kleinman Center advisory board. Related Content: Energy System Planning: New Models for Accelerated Decarbonization https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/energy-system-planning-new-models-for-accelerating-decarbonization/  Elevating Carbon Management: A Policy Decision-Making Framework and Rubric for the 21st Century https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/elevating-carbon-management-a-policy-decision-making-framework-and-rubric-for-the-21st-century/  Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economic sociologist discusses the growing heat dangers facing last-mile delivery drivers, and why federal protections remain stalled. --- E-commerce has transformed the way goods move through the American economy, driving unprecedented growth in parcel deliveries and intensifying competition among major carriers and the U.S. Postal Service. Yet this push for speed and volume now unfolds amid longer, more intense heat waves, exposing the nation’s roughly 1.5 million delivery drivers to climate-driven temperature extremes that pose growing risks on their routes. In this episode, economic sociologist and Kleinman Center faculty fellow Steve Viscelli discusses how rising heat intersects with the structure of the delivery industry. He describes the job conditions that can leave drivers vulnerable, from demanding routes to the use of monitoring technologies that encourage workers to stay on pace even when temperatures climb. Viscelli looks at the policy landscape that shapes these conditions, explains why federal heat protections for workers have been slow to materialize, and how this reality affects drivers’ day-to-day experience. He also points to steps some states are taking to set their own standards to address hotter and more demanding delivery seasons. Steve Viscelli is an economic and political sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania and a faculty fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. Related Content: Energy System Planning: New Models for Accelerating Decarbonization https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/energy-system-planning-new-models-for-accelerating-decarbonization/ Who Buys Down the Risk When Federal Funding Recedes? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/blog/who-buys-down-the-risk-when-federal-funding-recedes/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Helveston of George Washington University discusses why a U.S. pullback from China on EVs is risky, and why engagement could strengthen America’s auto industry. --- China has rapidly become the center of global EV innovation, producing cars that are cheaper, faster to develop, and increasingly competitive in international markets. The United States, by contrast, is pulling back, eliminating incentives and pursuing policies that distance the country from China just as the global EV transition accelerates. George Washington University’s John Helveston, whose work focuses on global EV markets and China’s manufacturing system, argues that this course risks sidelining the U.S. from the technologies and supply chains shaping the automotive future. On the podcast, he explains why a more pragmatic approach that protects national security and workers while engaging with China’s central role in the EV ecosystem may be essential for America’s long-term position in the global auto industry. John Helveston is an associate professor in the department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering at George Washington University. Related Content Electric Vehicle Penetration and Urban Spatial Restructuring: A Case Study of Beijing with Geospatial Machine Learning https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/electric-vehicle-penetration-and-urban-spatial-restructuring-a-case-study-of-beijing-with-geospatial-machine-learning/ Battling for Batteries: Li-Ion Policy and Supply Chain Dynamics in the U.S. and China https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/battling-for-batteries-li-ion-policy-and-supply-chain-dynamics-in-the-u-s-and-china/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration’s nuclear ambitions raise new questions about safety, speed, and regulatory independence. --- The Trump administration has made nuclear power a centerpiece of its energy agenda, launching the most aggressive federal push for new reactors in decades. Through sweeping executive orders, new federal directives and financing support, and an $80 billion deal with Westinghouse, it aims to quadruple America’s nuclear capacity by mid-century and position the technology as a pillar of national security. But the rapid expansion is testing the independence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the agency charged with ensuring that nuclear power is developed safely and free from political pressure. As the administration prioritizes speed, competitiveness, and national security, the NRC is being pushed to do more with fewer staff and to prioritize faster reactor approvals, raising concern that safety and the public trust it underpins could be compromised in the rush to build. Former NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane discusses what’s at stake for nuclear safety, regulation, and the future of U.S. nuclear power. Related Content Battling for Batteries: Li-ion Policy and Supply Chain Dynamics in the U.S. and China https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/battling-for-batteries-li-ion-policy-and-supply-chain-dynamics-in-the-u-s-and-china/  Bringing Fusion Energy to the Grid: Challenges and Pathways https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/bringing-fusion-energy-to-the-grid-challenges-and-pathways/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What the U.S. offshore wind power crisis says about energy megaprojects, risk, and political resilience. --- After a surge of optimism, the U.S. offshore wind industry faces its most serious challenges yet. Just a year ago, the sector seemed poised for rapid growth, with East Coast states making offshore wind a centerpiece of their clean-energy and reliability strategies. Today, that progress has been sharply interrupted. The reversal has been swift. Since returning to office, the Trump administration has halted new federal leases and permits and ordered work stopped on projects already under construction, moves that put billions of dollars in investment at risk. By September, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum declared that, under current policy, there is no future for offshore wind in the United States.  Yet the industry’s troubles, despite strong progress, began well before this political turn. Inflation, high interest rates, and supply-chain disruptions sharply increased project costs, forcing developers to cancel or renegotiate contracts. Earlier, states had made strategic missteps in their race to capture offshore wind jobs and supply-chain investment, leaving the industry more exposed to shifting economic and policy winds. Elizabeth Wilson of Dartmouth College, founding director of the Irving Institute for Energy and Society, discusses how these experiences have shaped an emerging body of “institutional learning” across the states—lessons in risk sharing, coordination, and governance that may help buttress the industry for the long term. As the future of U.S. offshore wind hangs in the balance, Wilson offers perspective on how those lessons could form the foundation for progress in a political and economic environment that remains volatile and uncertain. Elizabeth Wilson is a professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College and founding director of the Irving Institute for Energy and Society. Related Content Communicating Climate Policy: Raising Public Awareness through Trusted Sources https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/communicating-climate-policy-raising-public-awareness-through-trusted-sources/ Bringing Fusion Energy to the Grid: Challenges and Pathways. https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/bringing-fusion-energy-to-the-grid-challenges-and-pathways/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A live discussion with Sanya Carley and David Konisky, authors of the new book Power Lines, on the inequities that define America’s energy system—and how they could carry into the clean energy future if left unacknowledged. --- In this special live episode of Energy Policy Now, recorded before an audience during Climate Week at the University of Pennsylvania, guests Sanya Carley and David Konisky discuss their new book Power Lines: The Human Costs of American Energy in Transition. The book explores how America’s energy system both reflects and reinforces deep social and economic divides, and why a cleaner grid won’t automatically lead to a fairer one. Drawing on a decade of research and stories from communities on the front lines of the energy transition, Carley and Konisky show that before the nation can make progress toward energy justice, it must first recognize the people and places most affected by the inequities built into the system. Power Lines explores how those inequities shape lives and communities across the United States. Sanya Carley is the Mark Alan Hughes Faculty Director of the Kleinman Center and Presidential Distinguished Professor of Energy Policy and City Planning at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design. David Konisky is the Associate Dean for Research and a Lynton K. Caldwell Professor at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. Together, they co-direct the Energy Justice Lab. Recorded live at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy during Penn’s Climate Week. Related Content: Communicating Climate Policy: Raising Public Awareness through Trusted Sources https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/communicating-climate-policy-raising-public-awareness-through-trusted-sources/ Navigating Tensions in Just Energy Transitions https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/navigating-tensions-in-just-energy-transitions/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With federal funding being pulled back, leaders of Pennsylvania’s top labor unions push state policy to deliver clean energy jobs. --- For generations, union members have mined Pennsylvania’s coal, run its power plants, and built its energy infrastructure, helping make the state a top fossil fuel producer and electricity exporter. Now, renewable energy offers the promise of growth, but questions remain about the long-term jobs it will provide. In 2024, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and the Building and Construction Trades Council formed Union Energy, with support from the Climate Jobs National Resource Center. The coalition was launched to leverage the Inflation Reduction Act to ensure new clean energy investment creates good-paying union jobs and broad community benefits. But with federal funding being pulled back, state policy is now central. In Pennsylvania, where clean energy targets haven’t been updated in two decades, Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed a “Lightning Plan” with new standards, a cap-and-invest program, and streamlined permitting. Union Energy wants to help shape what comes next. On the podcast, Union Energy’s leaders — Angela Ferritto, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, and Robert Bair, president of the Pennsylvania Building Trades — discuss the impact of recent policy shifts on their members, policies to expand clean energy with strong labor standards, and their vision for Pennsylvania’s energy future. Related Content: Bringing Fusion Energy to the Grid: Challenges and Pathways https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/bringing-fusion-energy-to-the-grid-challenges-and-pathways/ Navigating Tensions in Just Energy Transitions https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/navigating-tensions-in-just-energy-transitions/ U.S.-China Competition in the Age of Trump’s Energy Law https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/u-s-china-competition-in-the-age-of-trumps-energy-law/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auditors are billed as carbon market watchdogs. But conflicts of interest may undermine their credibility. --- The voluntary carbon market is poised for rapid growth, with airlines soon required to use offsets for international flights and pressure building on other industries to follow suit. But recent studies show many offsets fail to deliver real climate benefits, raising doubts about their credibility. Independent offset auditors are promoted as the guarantors of trust, yet their role is shaped by systemic conflicts of interest that make true accountability difficult. Former EPA enforcement chief Cynthia Giles and Penn Law’s Cary Coglianese explore the flaws at the heart of offset auditing—and what they could mean for the future of the offset industry. Cynthia Giles was the senate-confirmed head of EPA’s enforcement office all eight years of the Obama administration. She wrote a book about making environmental rules more effective, titled Next Generation Compliance: Environmental Regulation for the Modern Era, published by Oxford University Press. During the Biden administration she worked on climate regulations as a senior advisor in the Air office. Cary Coglianese is the Edward B. Shils Professor of Law and Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where he is also the founding director of the Penn Program on Regulation. He has taught and studied environmental and regulatory law and policy for more than thirty years, and is a member of the advisory committee for the university’s Penn Climate initiative as well as the Water Center at Penn. Related Content: The Crisis of Confidence in Voluntary Carbon Offsets https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/the-crisis-of-confidence-in-voluntary-carbon-offsets/ Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Taken Away a Country’s Ability to Reduce Emissions? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/has-europes-emissions-trading-scheme-taken-away-a-countrys-ability-to-reduce-emissions/ Third-Party Auditing Cannot Guarantee Carbon Offset Credibility https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5345783  Auditors Cannot Save Carbon Offsets https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4864  Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act reorients U.S. energy policy, redefining its rivalry with China and the global transition. --- Once, climate and clean energy were common ground between the United States and China, most notably in the lead-up to the 2015 Paris Agreement. In the years since, cooperation has given way to competition. China has emerged as the global leader in clean energy manufacturing, while the U.S.—under the Biden administration—moved to catch up through the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act has set a very different course. The law rolls back many clean energy incentives, puts new emphasis on fossil fuels and emerging technologies like advanced nuclear and certain hydrogen sources, and sharpens trade and supply chain tensions with China through expanded tariffs and Foreign Entity of Concern restrictions. What does this shift mean for U.S.–China relations, American competitiveness, and the global energy transition? Scott Moore, director of China programs and strategic initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania and a faculty fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, joins Energy Policy Now to explore the stakes. A leading expert on U.S.–China relations, Moore offers perspective on how Trump’s policies could reshape the balance of power between the world’s two largest economies. Scott Moore is practice professor of political science and director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a faculty fellow with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. Related Content Climate Action in the Age of Great Power Rivalry: What Geopolitics Means for the Climate https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/climate-action-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry-what-geopolitics-means-for-the-climate/ Mitigating Climate Change Through Green Investments https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/mitigating-climate-change-through-green-investments/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the month of August, we’re highlighting episodes from the 2024-2025 season of Energy Policy Now. We’ll be back with new content, and a new season, on September the 9th. Virtual power plants can help electric grid operators address supply shortages and reliability concerns, but policy support is needed. --- (This episode was recorded on October 15, 2024.) The U.S. electrical grid is under growing stress, raising concern that recent widescale power outages may signal more grid challenges to come. In recent years, electricity demand has grown at an accelerating pace while, at the same time, power supply has tightened as existing power plants have retired and grid operators have struggled to bring new sources of power online. Yet one promising solution to the grid’s challenges may already be in place, if grid operators and regulators can figure out how to use it to full advantage. ‘Virtual power plants’ can combine small, distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar and demand response into a single, virtual whole that grid operators can deploy like a traditional powerplant. VPPs hold the promise of delivering large amounts of readily available and reliable energy services, if a number of regulatory and technological challenges can be overcome. On the podcast Ryan Hledik, a principal with electricity market consultancy The Brattle Group, explores the potential of virtual power plants. He explains how VPPs work, discusses hurdles to their development, and considers policy solutions to speed their growth. Ryan Hledik is a principal with electricity market consultancy The Brattle Group. Related Content: Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/ The Untapped Potential of “Repurposed Energy” https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the month of August, we’re highlighting episodes from the 2024-2025 season of Energy Policy Now. We’ll be back with new content, and a new season, on September the 9th. Former Republican U.S. congressman Bob Inglis offers a conservative perspective on climate solutions in discussion with Penn climatologist Michael Mann. --- (This episode was recorded on February 13, 2025, during Penn Energy Week) Politically conservative and concerned about climate change? In this special episode of the Energy Policy Now podcast, Penn climatologist Michael Mann talks with Bob Inglis, former Republican Congressman from South Carolina and current executive director of RepublicEN.org, about bridging the partisan climate divide. In a wide-ranging conversation recorded live during Energy Week at Penn 2025 at the University of Pennsylvania, Mann and Inglis discuss a conservative view on climate change, how conservative messaging on climate has evolved over time, and how common solutions might be found in an era of partisan climate divide. Inglis also offers his view on carbon pricing and strategies to reign in carbon emissions in the U.S. The conversation is moderated by Sanya Carley, faculty director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. Bob Inglis is a former U.S. representative for South Carolina’s 4th congressional district. He is the executive director of RepublicanEn.org at George Mason University. Michael Mann is director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania. Sanya Carley is the Mark Alan Hughes faculty director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. Important note on the conversation: Due to a technical problem, the first two minutes of Bob Inglis’ conversation are difficult to hear (from 5:40 to 7:40). We’ve transcribed those two minutes in the show notes, below, to make it easier to follow along. A full transcript of this and all Energy Policy Now podcasts is available on the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy website. Bob Inglis (5:40): Yeah, so for my first six years in Congress I said that climate change is nonsense. All I knew was that Al Gore was for it. And as much as I represented Greenville-Spartanburg South Carolina, that was the end of the inquiry. Okay, pretty ignorant. But that’s the way it was my first six years. Out of Congress six years, as you just heard, doing commercial real estate law again and then, had the opportunity to run for the same seat again before, our son had just turned 18, so he was voting for the first time, and he came to me and he said, dad, I’ll vote for you. But you’re going to clean up your act on the environment. His four sisters agreed, his mother agreed. New constituency, you know. So you got to respond to those people who can change the locks on the doors to your house, you know. So, very important to respond to these people. And so that was step one of a three step metamorphosis. Step two was going to Antarctica with the [House of Representatives] Science Committee and seeing the evidence in the iceberg drillings. Step three was another Science Committee trip and, um, really a spiritual awakening which seems improbable, right, on a godless Science Committee trip, because we all know that all scientists are godless. Right? Well, apparently not. Because this Aussie climate scientist was showing me the glories of the Great Barrier Reef. I could see he was worshipping God in what he was showing me. You know, St. Francis of Assisi supposedly said “preach the gospel at all times. If necessary use words.” So Scott Heron, this Aussie climate scientist who’s now become a very dear friend was doing that. I could see it in his eyes, it was written all over his face. It was in his excitement about what he was showing me. He was clearly worshipping God. So I knew we shared a world view. Forty words were spoken.  Related Content How Identity Politics Shape U.S. Energy Policy https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/how-identity-politics-shape-u-s-energy-policy/ Climate Action in the Age of Great Power Rivalry: What Geopolitics Means for Climate https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/climate-action-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry-what-geopolitics-means-for-the-climate/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Though today’s energy transition is often framed as new, it follows patterns we’ve seen before. Cutler Cleveland of Boston University’s Institute for Global Sustainability explores the historical context of today’s shift.  --- Today’s shift to carbon-free power is commonly called “the energy transition,” yet the label can suggest that this is the first, or only, transformation of its kind. Throughout history, societies have moved from one dominant energy source to another, with each transformation bringing profound economic, social, and environmental change.  On the podcast, we explore how today’s energy transition compares to those of the past, while noting that—despite decades of investment and policy support—we’re still in the early stages of moving toward a net-zero carbon system. Why is this transition taking so long? Why does it feel more politically and socially charged than previous ones? And are our current anxieties about energy jobs, community impacts, and planetary livability really new? Cutler Cleveland, associate director of Boston University’s Institute for Global Sustainability, brings a historical lens to energy systems and explores what makes this moment in energy history both familiar and unprecedented. Cutler Cleveland is a professor in the Department of Earth & Environment at Boston University, and associate director of the university’s Institute for Global Sustainability. Related Content Subsea Sabotage: Protecting Energy Infrastructure from Hostile Aggression https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/subsea-sabotage-protecting-energy-infrastructure-from-hostile-aggression/ Impact of Solar Lighting Kits on the Lives of the Poor https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/impact-of-solar-lighting-kits-on-the-lives-of-the-poor/    Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands of clean energy projects are waiting to connect to the grid. How many will make it through, and will it be soon enough to keep the grid reliable? --- Electricity demand in the U.S. is rising fast, fueled by the rapid growth of AI data centers and other power-hungry technologies. At the same time, many fossil fuel power plants are retiring, putting added pressure on the grid to maintain reliability. To meet this challenge, clean energy and battery storage projects are lining up to connect to the grid. The queue now holds more than twice the capacity of all power plants currently in operation. But getting these projects online is proving difficult. The interconnection process, which evaluates and connects new power projects to the grid, has become a major bottleneck. It is overwhelmed by the sheer number of proposed projects and further slowed by permitting challenges, supply chain delays, and uncertainty around federal incentives. Reforms to the interconnection process are underway, but it is yet to be seen whether they will move quickly enough to make a difference. RMI’s Sarah Toth Kotwis explores the technical and regulatory barriers to bringing new energy online, and what it will take connect new energy projects quickly and reliably. Sarah Toth Kotwis is a senior associate on the Clean Competitive Grids team at RMI. Related Content The Untapped Potential of ‘Repurposed Energy’ https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/ The Future of Electricity Demand in the AI Era https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/the-future-of-electricity-demand-in-the-ai-era/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BloombergNEF’s Derrick Flakoll discusses the outlook for U.S. clean energy development under the House version of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” --- On May 22, the House of Representatives passed its version of what President Trump has dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping budget package addressing taxation, federal spending, and the debt ceiling. Now headed to the Senate, a revised version is expected to emerge by early July. The House bill proposes deep funding cuts to programs like Medicaid and extends the Trump-era tax cuts from 2017. For the clean energy sector, however, the most consequential provisions are those targeting the Inflation Reduction Act. As written, the legislation would significantly curtail tax credits for renewable energy projects and the domestic manufacturing base that supports them. Incentives for electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure, as well as battery storage, hydrogen, and nuclear power would also be sharply reduced or eliminated altogether. Derrick Flakoll, U.S. Policy Expert at BloombergNEF, examines what this could mean for the future of clean energy in the United States. BloombergNEF recently released an analysis projecting the impacts of the House bill on clean energy growth and investment. Flakoll outlines the report’s findings, including the resilience of clean energy markets without IRA tax credits, which sectors face the greatest risks, and how the proposed “Foreign Entity of Concern” provisions could further complicate project development. He also considers how the Senate might alter the legislation and whether any of the IRA’s clean energy incentives are likely to remain intact. Derrick Flakoll is Policy Expert for the United States and Canada at BloombergNEF Related Content: Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Taken Away a Country’s Ability to Reduce Emissions? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/has-europes-emissions-trading-scheme-taken-away-a-countrys-ability-to-reduce-emissions/ Can California’s Emissions Market Survive Past 2030 (Podcast) https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/can-californias-emissions-market-survive-past-2030/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As renewable power grows, land use decisions will influence its environmental impact. ---  Decarbonizing the electric grid will require a dramatic expansion of renewable energy by mid-century, and significantly more land dedicated to clean power. But where and how that buildout occurs will shape whether the environmental benefits of renewables are fully realized or come at a high cost to ecosystems, farmland, and communities. Grace Wu of the Spatial Climate Solutions Lab at UC Santa Barbara and Jonathan Thompson, research director at Harvard Forest, examine the tension between rapid renewable energy expansion and conscientious land use. Wu, who has co-authored recent reports on the environmental impacts of clean energy siting policies, explores strategies for minimizing impacts while ensuring energy remains reliable and affordable. Thompson, whose research quantifies the effects of land use on forest ecosystems, discusses the push-and-pull dynamic unfolding in Massachusetts, where solar development has resulted in real losses of forests and farmland, and where new siting models are emerging. The two also explore how incentives and regulations influence land use decisions, and how policy can reduce land impacts while supporting clean power development. Grace Wu is an assistant professor in the Environmental Studies program at the University of California Santa Barbara and leads the university’s Spatial Climate Solutions Lab. Jonathan Thompson is senior ecologist and research director at Harvard Forest. Related Content Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Take Away a Country’s Ability to Reduce Emissions? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/has-europes-emissions-trading-scheme-taken-away-a-countrys-ability-to-reduce-emissions/ The Untapped Potential of ‘Repurposed Energy’ https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-untapped-potential-of-repurposed-energy/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As electrical grid operators move to fast-track gas projects, consumer and environmental advocates raise red flags. --- The U.S. electricity grid is undergoing a dramatic transformation. As coal plants retire, wind, solar, and battery storage now dominate the pipeline of new power projects. Yet in recent months, some policymakers and grid operators have called for a new wave of natural gas plants to meet rising electricity demand from AI data centers and industrial growth. Supporters argue that gas offers a fast, reliable solution. Critics see a costly, backward-looking move that undermines long-term climate and affordability goals. Too often missing from this debate is the voice of the consumer—the people ultimately footing the bill. This episode explores the consumer perspective on our rapidly evolving grid with two guests with deep experience at the intersection of grid policy and public interest. Patrick Cicero is the former consumer advocate for Pennsylvania. John Quigley is a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center and former secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. Together, they discuss what the energy transition means for ratepayers—and the policies needed to ensure a clean, reliable, and equitable grid. Patrick Cicero is chief counsel at the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project and former consumer advocate for the state of Pennsylvania. John Quigley is a senior fellow at the Kleinman Center and a former secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. Related Content Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Taken Away a Country’s Ability to Reduce Emissions?  https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/has-europes-emissions-trading-scheme-taken-away-a-countrys-ability-to-reduce-emissions/ Fossil Foolishness https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/blog/fossil-foolishness/  Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, chair of global food security research network CGIAR, on adapting agriculture for climate and food security. --- Global agriculture changed dramatically during the 20th century as small, traditional farms were replaced by large-scale, monoculture farming in many parts of the world. This shift led to a dramatic increase in food production, helping to feed a global population that today exceeds 8 billion. Yet the revolution in agriculture has created a new set of challenges. Modern farming is more resource-intensive than ever, requiring substantial investments in machinery and a heavy reliance on chemical inputs like synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. These shifts have introduced new economic risks for farmers, who can struggle to keep up with rising input costs and volatile markets. Meanwhile, the widespread cultivation of bulk cash crops has often come at the expense of soil health, crop diversity, and the nutritional quality of the food we grow and consume. On the podcast, Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda—professor of agriculture at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, cattle farmer in Zimbabwe, and board chair of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)—discusses current efforts to make agriculture more resilient and sustainable. These include the revival of traditional crops, regenerative soil management techniques, and innovations aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Sibanda also examines how such practices can support environmental and climate goals while improving farmer livelihoods and strengthening long-term food security. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda is board chair of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Related Content Cooling People, Not Spaces: Surmounting the Risks of Air-Conditioning Over-Reliance https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/cooling-people-not-spaces-surmounting-the-risks-of-air-conditioning-over-reliance/ Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ambitious climate policies may overlook practical constraints. Kleinman Center Visiting Scholar Niall Mac Dowell explores what deliverable paths to net zero might require. --- The Earth’s average temperature surpassed the 1.5°C threshold for the first time in 2024—a milestone driven in part by El Niño, but also a stark warning about our broader climate trajectory. While temperatures may moderate slightly in 2025, the world remains far from taking the decisive action needed to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. The obstacles to meaningful progress are complex, spanning economics, politics at local and global levels, and questions of technological scalability. The good news is that these are solvable challenges. Yet, despite our collective capacity, we’ve struggled to overcome the headwinds that continue to slow decisive climate action. On the podcast, Niall Mac Dowell, visiting scholar at the Kleinman Center and professor of Future Energy Systems at Imperial College London, takes stock of where we are now. His work focuses on the transition to a low-carbon economy, with recent research exploring the feasibility of clean energy development projections and the role negative emissions could play in achieving net-zero goals. He shares his perspective on what it will take to move more decisively toward a sustainable energy future. Niall Mac Dowell is Professor of Future Energy Systems at Imperial College London. The official transcript for this episode is available on the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy website: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/  Related Content Has Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme Taken Away a Country’s Ability to Reduce Emissions? https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/has-europes-emissions-trading-scheme-taken-away-a-countrys-ability-to-reduce-emissions/  Closing the Climate Finance Gap: A Proposal for a New Green Investment Protocol https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/closing-the-climate-finance-gap-a-proposal-for-a-new-green-investment-protocol/ Climate Action in the Age of Great Power Rivalry: What Geopolitics Means for Climate https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/climate-action-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry-what-geopolitics-means-for-the-climate/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.