commentary

Energy-generation permitting in the Mid-Atlantic continues to evolve in 2026 not through wholesale deregulation or uniform acceleration, but through procedural and permitting reform and the potential allocation of generation development authority to public utilities. States are enacting these changes to meet the reality of reliability concerns, transmission constraints, large load-growth, and to address frequent obstruction of energy projects by local government.

For much of the 20th century, the U.S. set the global standard for civilian nuclear energy. American innovation shaped reactor design, safety culture, and regulatory practice worldwide. Yet today, as nuclear power regains prominence amid concerns over climate, energy security, and industrial competitiveness, America faces a quieter but more consequential challenge: the erosion of its nuclear fuel supply chain.

For more than 60 years, polyethylene (PE) and ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) underground cables have powered communities, industries, and progress. The hope was these cables could last decades before needing to be replaced, but due to water treeing—microscopic moisture-induced formations that degrade insulation and threaten reliability, they’re aging more rapidly than expected. With traditional replacement being costly and labor-intensive, it was time for a new solution.

Global demand for power is increasing. In order to meet that demand, we need fast, dependable options. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are the fastest path to new capacity, thanks to their agile deployment and ability to support flexible interconnections.

The grid faces unprecedented pressures as data center-driven demand skyrockets, with expected growth hitting 50% over the next 15 years. Meanwhile, utilities contend with record-high turnover rates and an aging workforce, half of which is expected to retire over the next decade. Without workforce stability, there can be no grid reliability. The sector is racing to modernize its infrastructure, but no amount of intelligent technology can replace human input.

The fusion industry just achieved a major milestone—and this time, it’s not about science.

Land strategy often determines whether a project moves forward or falls apart. While interconnection delays and equipment shortages get more attention, land presents a distinct and consistently underestimated source of friction in the development lifecycle.

In the race to decarbonize and secure America’s energy future, nuclear power is once again in the spotlight. From advanced reactors to fusion breakthroughs, the promise of nuclear energy is clear.

The energy industry continues to transition at a rapid pace. Across nearly every market, renewables are reliably and economically transitioning the grid from fossil fuels.

Lenders and investors are scrutinizing data center projects closely. Identifying and mitigating risks early helps attract investors and reduce financing costs. Clear documentation and realistic timelines are essential to securing financing. Land Control—The Foundation of Success: Land remains the cornerstone of any data center development. Verifying land control ensures the project’s legal and physical foundation […]

The U.S. residential solar industry has entered a new era. With the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) phasing out at the end of 2025, the market faces a moment of recalibration. This will likely mean a short-term decline, but it’s far from a death knell for the industry. After all, while incentives may fade, energy […]

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced sweeping changes to the Internal Revenue Code, but some of the most impactful changes for the renewable energy and fuels industries are the foreign entity of concern rules (FEOC) rules. These rules present real challenges for project owners, but they are not relevant for facilities that begin construction […]

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has redrawn the U.S. energy sector map. By scaling back clean energy tax credits and easing regulations on fossil fuels, the act has simultaneously cooled renewable investment and reignited traditional energy expansion. For dealmakers in the energy industry, this has created both headwinds and new openings, especially in […]

The true engine of America’s economy might surprise you. It’s not tech. It’s not artificial intelligence, finance, or manufacturing. It’s energy. Energy accounts for just 7% of America’s gross domestic product (GDP), but, as former FERC Chair Mark Christie put it, “it’s the foundational 7% … everything else in our economy and lifestyle flows from it.”

Here’s a fundamental truth: there is no AI without energy. And as the technology grows, its demand for energy, and carbon footprint, may never again be as small as it is today. Against this backdrop, debates over which energy source should power AI miss the point. AI’s appetite for energy—relative to what the grid has […]

Historically, the relationship between energy producers and consumers has been straightforward—energy companies produce energy, grid operators deliver that energy, and end users consume the energy they receive. Energy flowed in one direction, from generators to homes and businesses. Producers and consumers were easy to identify in this market because there was no overlap, and they […]

As nations compete for energy dominance, America’s policy framework demands strategic clarity and bold ambition, and nuclear must be at the center of it. As an advocate for an “all-of-the-above” approach where the U.S. invests in energy sources that make sense and are proven economically viable at scale, I champion natural gas for its flexibility, […]

For decades, fuel cell innovation has been guided by two main benchmarks: cost per kilowatt and stack durability. These remain important, especially in applications driven almost entirely by project economics. However, in many of the sectors where fuel cells are poised to make the biggest impact—including aviation, long-haul mobility, and distributed energy—traditional metrics no longer […]

In the past decade, we have seen “once in a century storms” almost every year, flash floods wiping out entire towns, and extreme heat that melts shoes on pavement. Our climate is becoming more extreme, and we need to be proactive in preparing our infrastructure for more to come. The annual average for U.S. billion-dollar […]

With billions of dollars pouring into the sector from power players like Google and Amazon, the data center industry is having a moment. But this surge in investment and interest has also brought up serious questions—particularly around how we are going to power these massive computing engines. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data […]

Everybody is now jumping on the pro-nuclear bandwagon. With U.S. electricity demand ramping up due to the rapid build-out of energy-intensive data centers across the country, there is finally broad political and business support for dispatchable 24/7 nuclear power to help meet projected load growth and ensure overall grid reliability. The Trump White House, the […]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving, and so is the demand for the infrastructure behind it. However, for those looking to build a sustainably conscious system, this growth raises a crucial question: What does an energy-efficient data center system look like? While rightfully, much of the attention has focused on controlling energy usage of bigger systems […]

It’s no secret the solar industry has been stockpiling components such as panels and racking since before the Inflation Reduction Act. Under threat of a shortened runway to qualify for credits recently made reality with the passage of the reconciliation bill, the trend has very definitely accelerated.

The U.S. is bracing for a reality where artificial intelligence and data centers overwhelm the power grid, and rightfully so, as America seeks to lead the global AI race. But this push is coming at the same time that the federal government is reshuffling fiscal priorities and prioritizing energy independence. While that dynamic may seem like a challenging juxtaposition, one thing is clear: regardless of political affiliation or preferred priority, if the U.S. wants to lead the world in AI, it must power it first.

Net power through nuclear fusion may finally be within reach. Fusion technology is moving out of the lab, and many companies, driven by the shared dream of carbon-free energy to combat climate change, are striving to commercialize technologies to make fusion a reality.

IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper on June 29 issued the following statement on Senate Republicans’ draft reconciliation bill, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that threatens several sectors, including renewable energy: “This budget reconciliation bill is a direct attack on working families, shoveling tax breaks to the rich while turning its back on the people […]

As Donald Trump took office in January, the administration immediately declared a national energy emergency, explaining that “we need a reliable, diversified and affordable supply of energy to drive our Nation’s manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and defense industries.”   Both ends of the political spectrum agree that the U.S. desperately needs more power on the grid—among other […]

In the ongoing effort to improve the profitability of energy production and delivery while mitigating the risks, companies are incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to drive more powerful, effective analytics. This technological leap is critical as the industry navigates evolving demands, embraces new sources, and strives for greater efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. However, some energy companies […]

The speed of decision-making at the grid edge has become critical for maintaining stability, preventing cascading failures, optimizing efficiency and integrating intermittent renewable resources. With the proliferation of distributed energy resources (DERs), electric vehicles and smart loads, grid edge intelligence has moved from a luxury to a necessity.

The federal government in 2021 passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (BIIJA), which allocated $8 billion in funding to establish hydrogen hubs at multiple locations across the U.S. Seven hubs were approved for funding by the Biden administration, and some work has already begun to build centers of low-carbon hydrogen production within these […]