In this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Governor Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history and former U.S. Secretary of Energy. Governor Perry has played a pivotal role in shaping Texas’ energy mix and fostering innovation, and he shared his views both on the current state and on the future of energy.

We explored his energy legacy, including the deregulated electric market, Texas’ leadership in wind and solar power, and the critical need for an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy. Governor Perry shared his strong support for nuclear energy, particularly the potential of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), as well as his vision for leveraging American innovation to export innovative technologies worldwide.

The governor also highlighted Texas’ growing water challenges and presented some ideas for addressing the state’s water needs, including the potential for underground canals powered by innovative technologies like SMRs.

Our conversation explored:

* The meaning of conservatism and the role of government in incentivizing innovation while prioritizing free-market principles;

* Lessons from his time in office, including the need to find middle ground;

* How bipartisan opportunities, like clean energy manufacturing under the Inflation Reduction Act, can strengthen American competitiveness;

* The importance of supporting veterans through plant-based medicine research to address mental health and addiction issues.

Governor Perry’s insights are both pragmatic and visionary, reflecting his unique experience at the state and national levels. Whether you're interested in energy policy, water infrastructure, or the intersection of technology and leadership, this episode has something for you.

As always, please like, share, and leave a five-star review wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you for being a listener!

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Energy Capital Podcast and Governor Perry's Legacy

01:45 - Governor Perry's energy legacy and influences

06:00 - George Mitchell and the complexity of energy and environmental tradeoffs

09:00 - Governor Perry’s support of an all-of-the-above energy strategy, the need to balance growth and sustainability

15:00 - The meaning of conservatism and the role of government

20:00 - The economic mess and the rise of Republicans the 1980s in Texas

24:00 - The potential for nuclear energy in Texas

28:00 - Small modular reactors and AI data centers

33:00 - Government as a partner, future directions for Department of Energy under Chris Wright and the Trump Administration, potential for exporting American innovation

38:00 - The future of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including the 45X manufacturing provisions

40:45 - The need to incentivize critical minerals in the US for energy independence and connection to the IRA

45:00 - The need for North - South trade within the Western Hemisphere

46:30 - The national security need for domestic energy development, including renewable energy

48:45 - The Department of Energy and the 17 national laboratories; the possibility for a national lab in Texas (!)

52:00 - An out-of-the box water supply strategy

54:30 - Epic gubernatorial “butt-chewings” from two billionaires

57:30 - Governor Perry’s advocacy for plant-based psychoactive medicinal treatments for veterans to address the veteran suicide epidemic

Shownotes

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Nuclear Power

* NuScale Power – The first U.S.-approved Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design.

* X-Energy – Developer of advanced modular nuclear technologies.

* Abilene Christian University Nuclear Research – Developing research reactors to advance nuclear technologies.

* RELLIS Campus at Texas A&M – Site for advancing SMR deployment and innovation.

* Regents submit test-bed proposal to Nuclear Regulatory Commission

* DOE Office of Nuclear Energy – Supporting SMR innovation and funding for nuclear development.

Energy Policy and Critical Minerals

* Round Top Rare Earth Minerals Project: USA Rare Earth – Mining critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, and rare earths, in West Texas.

* Texas Mineral Resources Corp.’s Round Top Project

* DOE Loan Programs Office – Federal funding to support clean energy innovation, including SMRs and geothermal.

* Title 17 Clean Energy Financing

* Inflation Reduction Act (IRA):

* 45X Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit – Incentives for U.S.-based clean energy manufacturing.

* Clean Energy Investments Dashboard – Track the 115K clean energy jobs and $131B investments under the IRA.

* Texas Enterprise Fund – State program for attracting businesses and job creation

* George Mitchell and Hydraulic Fracturing:

* Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation – Continuing Mitchell’s philanthropic and energy work.

* Book Recommendation: George P. Mitchell: Fracking, Sustainability, and an Unorthodox Quest to Save the Planet by Loren Steffy

Water Policy and Infrastructure

* Senator Charles Perry’s Water Plan – Texas Senate Committee on Water.

* Resources: Committee’s Interim Report, Rio Grande Guardian, Texan Article

* Elon Musk's The Boring Company – Innovations in underground tunneling and infrastructure development.

Veterans' Mental Health and Plant-Based Medicines

* Ibogaine Clinical Research:

* Stanford’s Ibogaine Trial – Read the research HERE and HERE

* Learn more about Ibogaine treatments: MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies).

* Marcus Luttrell and Veteran Support:

* Lone Survivor Foundation – Supporting veterans and their families.

* Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s Advocacy – Promoting plant-based medicine research for PTSD and addiction.

* Texas Monthly article on Rick Perry’s advocacy for psychoactive drug treatments and his friendship with veteran Marcus Luttrell

* Suicide Among Veterans

Transcript

Doug Lewin

Hey everyone, I'm Doug Lewin. Welcome to the number one Texas energy podcast, Energy Capital. Thanks for joining us today. My guest this week is none other than Governor Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in the history of the state of Texas and the 14th Secretary of Energy. I loved this conversation. I could have talked to the Governor for another several hours. We covered a lot of ground with a particular focus on possible areas of priority for the incoming Trump administration, including nuclear power, geothermal. We talked about the prospects for the Inflation Reduction Act, particularly as it pertains to critical minerals and competitiveness for the United States.

We talked about the need for balance in energy policy and the importance of finding middle ground, building on the podcast I recorded with David Spence a few weeks ago. It really was a great conversation. I'm sure you're going to enjoy it. As always, please like and share the episode so that others can find us. Please leave a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcast. This is a free episode. We cannot do this without your support. Please become a paid subscriber today i