Everyone agrees it takes too long and costs too much to build energy infrastructure in America, but what exactly needs fixing, and can we make progress without rolling back vital environmental protections?

In this special episode of Energy Gang, recorded live at the ACORE Grid Forum in Washington D.C., host Ed Crooks takes a deep dive into one of the most complex and consequential issues in US energy policy: permitting reform. Ed begins the episode in conversation with Matt Christiansen, partner at Wilson Sonsini and former General Counsel at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Drawing on his experience inside the commission, Matt explains where the real choke points lie in the permitting process, how federal and state powers intersect, and what the newly confirmed FERC commissioners could do to accelerate much-needed grid investment.

Later, Ed sits down with three experts who work daily on these challenges in Congress and the private sector: Elizabeth Horner, partner at ArentFox Schiff and former counsel to Senators Shelley Moore Capito and John Barrasso; Daniel Palken, Director of Infrastructure for Energy and Permitting at Arnold Ventures; and Jeremy Horan, Permitting Lead at ACORE. Together, they unpack the politics behind reform, the relationship between permitting and transmission planning, and the growing urgency created by surging power demand from data centers and new manufacturing.

The group also discusses the mood in Washington, and hopes that bipartisan momentum can be built to support pragmatic, economy-wide permitting reform.

This episode is the first of two recorded live at the ACORE Grid Forum, where industry leaders, regulators, and policymakers came together to discuss the future of America’s electricity system.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nuclear power is back at the centre of the global energy conversation again. Is a real renaissance in the industry under way? Or are we just in another moment of excitement before familiar challenges emerge and the hype cycle turns down again?

In the second of three special episodes ahead of ADIPEC 2025, host Ed Crooks speaks with Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, about how the role of nuclear power in a world of turbocharged electricity demand growth and continuing pressure to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Sama explains how nuclear power has shifted from an afterthought at climate summits to a cornerstone of countries’ decarbonisation strategies. COP28 in Dubai in 2023 marked a turning point, she says. 199 countries formally recognised nuclear power as essential to meeting their climate goals, and 31 of them committed to triple nuclear generation capacity by 2050. Investment is accelerating, with new projects breaking ground across Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. And where new developments are slow, countries are embracing lower-cost options, including extending plant lifetimes and restarting previously retired reactors.

The discussion explores the growing influence of AI and data centres, which give new relevance to nuclear because of their round-the-clock need for electricity. AI is part of a new alignment of conditions that mean that this time the momentum behind nuclear power is real, Sama argues. Financing is available, governments are pragmatic, and the tech giants are now among the most vocal advocates for 24/7 clean baseload power.

Sama and Ed also unpack the rise of small modular reactors (SMRs). Factory-built to a larger degree, repeatable, and scalable, SMRs could open new opportunities for industrial clusters, remote regions, and energy-hungry digital infrastructure. They may not be the answer to all the challenges the nuclear industry faces, but they should definitely have a role to play. However, Sama warns that probably only a handful of designs will survive the early shake-out that will be needed to streamline the SMR industry.

Finally, the conversation turns to policy and politics. In a more polarised world, nuclear is emerging as rare common ground, backed by governments seeking climate progress, energy security, and economic competitiveness. Sama calls for a balanced system that values integration over ideology: renewables, nuclear, and smarter grids working in tandem.

This is the second of three special episodes sponsored by ADIPEC 2025, where the theme is Energy Intelligence Impact. The event brings together 205,000+ attendees and 1,800+ speakers in Abu Dhabi from 3–6 November 2025. The Energy Gang will be recording live at the event. Join us there to be part of the conversation.

Learn more and register at adipec.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host Ed Crooks talks to Jason Liu, Chief Executive of Wood Mackenzie and co-author (with Chief Analyst Simon Flowers) of a new book, Connected, about the fast-changing world of energy. They are also joined by Sunaina Ocalan, formerly Senior Director for Corporate Strategy & Climate at the oil and gas company Hess, now Senior Analyst and Co-Head for Americas Energy & Transition at Bernstein Research. Together, they explore how energy leaders can plan, invest and operate operate in a world where different sectors, technologies and geographies are interconnected in more powerful and complex ways than ever before.

They talk about the language of “the energy transition”, and whether it can lead to misconceptions. Global demand for hydrocarbons is still growing, and they will continue to play a critical role in our energy system for decades to come, even as new supply from renewables and other low-carbon sources surges higher. A wider appreciation of that reality is driving a shift from siloed thinking about individual sectors to integrated solutions. For example, companies are increasingly looking at pairing solar and storage with gas generation to meet demand from data centers for reliable low-carbon power.

Sunaina takes us inside the the thinking of energy leaders as they assess strategies and investment decisions. She sets out a practical approach to scenario analysis, with “exit ramps” so companies can pivot as facts change. The aim isn’t to predict one future, but to be ready for a range of possible outcomes. That means balancing the advantages and disadvantages of a wide range of technologies, and taking a strategic view through short-term fluctuations as far as possible.

Effective decision-making is impossible without reliable data. Jason warns about three traps: using too little real data, leaning on synthetic/modelled data without ground truth, and poor integration across different sectors. Data collection technology is advancing rapidly, and with sensors, satellites and market intelligence, decision-makers can increasingly see what’s really happening with precision and granular detail, often in real time.

Then there’s AI. Like other industries, the world of energy is being transformed by the tools that have become available over the past few years. Scenario runs have been cut from months to minutes, with hundreds of models combined to give a comprehensive coherent picture. AI tools can even assess the best models to use on particular data sets: a capability Jason calls hyper-modelling. And still there is a vital role for human intelligence and judgement, to find and interpret the information that the AI tools miss.

The challenges in the energy sector today are vast. It is a cliche to say that uncertainty is higher than ever, but today it genuinely seems true. The pace of innovation in AI is changing the world in ways that have never been seen before. But the opportunity is vast, too. The energy industry will need $75 trillion or more in investment over the next 25 years, to meet ever-growing demand while reducing the impact on the environment. The businesses that succeed in making the most of this opportunity will be the ones that get three things right: the right data, the right AI capabilities, and the right people, all brought together to deliver actionable insights.

Download the book (free): Connected: Bringing predictability to the increasingly uncertain world of energy.

Let us know what you think. We’re on X, at @theenergygang and Bluesky, at ‪@theenergygang.bsky.social. Make sure you’re following the show so you don’t miss an episode.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Low-carbon hydrogen has taken a few knocks in the headlines lately. There have been cancelled projects and fewer splashy announcements. Policy support has been jittery. Is momentum fading, or are we simply moving out of the hype phase and into the serious work of delivery? Host Ed Crooks puts that question to two industry leaders who are aiming to build hydrogen businesses at scale: Pierre-Étienne Franc, CEO of HY24, and Alex Tancock, CEO of Intercontinental Energy.

Pierre-Étienne argues the market is normalising rather than stalling. The projects that are reaching final investment decision have risen sharply in size, and production of electrolyser modules has scaled from tens of megawatts to hundreds of megawatts. One crucial change is that the centre of gravity of the industry is shifting toward Asia and the Middle East.

The first wins can come where hydrogen already has a job to do: swapping grey molecules for green in fertilisers and refining. In the steel industry, the green premium for low-emissions metal looks manageable. And over time, hydrogen can start meeting power and industrial demand via ammonia and methanol. For heavy trucks, hydrogen may have a role as a complement to battery electric vehicles, deployed where long charge times and grid bottlenecks make them impractical.

Alex explains his production model. His 26-gigawatt Australian Renewable Energy Hub in the Pilbara would decarbonise roughly 4% of the region’s iron-ore output. It’s designed as repeatable “LEGO blocks”: the project can be build out with dozens of near-identical phases that drive down cost with each addition.

Some in the low-carbon hydrogen industry used to talk about how $1/kg was the production cost that would be needed for large-scale deployment. Alex says that benchmark is no longer relevant. What matters now is capex, the supply chain, and the cost of capital, he says, and China’s ultra-automated factories are slashing equipment costs.

However, Europe still needs clearer rules to unlock demand. For sectors like sustainable aviation fuel, durable policy will be essential while costs remain high.

This is the first of three special episodes recorded in the run-up to the ADIPEC 2025 conference. Its theme: Energy. Intelligence. Impact. ADIPEC has sponsored this series to invite more of you to join the conversation in Abu Dhabi on 3–6 November 2025, alongside 205,000+ attendees and 1,800+ speakers. The Energy Gang will be on the ground recording during the event, come and find us to share your perspective.

Find out more and register at adipec.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recorded in front of a packed room at NYU’s Kimmel Center during Climate Week NYC, Ed Crooks and Amy Myers Jaffe moderate a debate on the high-stakes topic of AI and energy. They dig deep into the questions raised by the surge of investment in data centers: what it means for grid stability and electricity bills, and how new technologies and market structures can help the power industry adapt.

Climate Week this year often felt more like AI Week, given how many discussions were centred around it. To explore the issues, the team Ed and Amy are joined by representatives of two of the key companies at the heart of the revolution. Josh Parker is Head of Sustainability at NVIDIA, and Craig Sundstrom is Head of Energy & Sustainability Policy at AWS. Xizhou Zhou, Wood Mackenzie’s Head of Power and Renewables, also joins the discussion, to add his perspectives on how the industry is changing

The load shock is real. Xizhou says that more than 116 GW of US data centers are under construction or fully committed to interconnect in the next few years: equivalent to about 15% of US peak load today. After two decades of flat demand, the electricity industry must rebuild its muscle memory for rapid infrastructure build-out. US power prices went up 6% in the past year, with rates in some states going up far more. What is driving that surge? And what can be done to provide some relief for hard-pressed consumers?

One answer comes from rapid progress in the technologies that make AI possible, including the chips. NVIDIA’s Josh Parker notes NVIDIA has cut energy use for inference tasks by 100,000× over the past decade ,and by about 30× in just the past two years.

Craig from Amazon explains how new grid-enhancing technologies could quickly make a difference, pointing to an AWS/RMI study showing that 6.5 GW of extra capacity could be freed up on the PJM grid without building any new transmission lines. He adds that AI is already helping in California, where smart battery dispatch is cutting costs in real time.

Data centers don’t only use electricity for computation: they create a lot of heat, too. Josh says there are ways to use that heat, and describes Scandinavian projects that use it for their local district heating networks. With geothermal and new small modular reactors unlikely to reach widespread deployment until well into the 2030s, the panel agrees that the real solutions in the next few years lie in upgrading transmission, expanding storage, redesigning rates, and building in flexibility.

It's a busy and lively discussion, with a couple of questions from the audience answered by the panel. If you have any further questions or comments on the show, we’d love to hear them. You can comment on Spotify, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or find us on YouTube and leave a comment there. Thanks!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For COP30, the international climate talks in Brazil in November, the countries of the world are supposed to roll out their new Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs: their commitments to cut emissions. China’s NDC is particularly eagerly awaited: it is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Its NDC has been described as the most important document that will be published this year.

In this edition of the Energy Gang, recorded at New York University, host Ed Crooks and regular guest Amy Myers Jaffe (Director of NYU’s Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab) explore the security, technology and climate implications of China’s energy policy. They are joined by someone who knows a lot about China’s role in the energy transition: David Sandalow, who is the Inaugural Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. He talks through China’s rapid clean energy rollout, from solar to EVs, and its implications for the race for dominance in AI. We also welcome back Joseph Webster of the Atlantic Council, who studies China’s energy system and the implications for geopolitics.

China’s energy surge in recent years has been staggering. The country added 217 gigawatts of solar capacity in 2023, and kept growing into 2024 and 2025. It is also leading the world in batteries and electric vehicles. Joseph explains how China’s energy investments intersect with military tech, particularly in AI and batteries, positioning China as a global leader in energy and technology innovation. Is the US struggling to keep up?

Then, late drama! While we were recording, China finally released its new NDC, pledging a relatively modest 7-10% emissions reduction from peak levels. Some other countries and climate campaigners had hoped for more ambition. But the numbers involved are still staggering. The NDC sets a target of expanding wind and solar capacity to 3,600 GW by 2035, six times 2020 levels, and three times the entire generation capacity of the US, in all technologies. Ed, Amy, David and Joseph react to the news in real time and debate what it means for energy in the US and beyond.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At Climate Week NYC continues, the hottest topic is the question of how to meet growing demand for electricity while cutting emissions. In New York State, electricity use is expected to increase by 25% over the next 15 years. To meet that demand, the state plans to add tens of gigawatts or renewables. But that is not enough. It also wants more “dispatchable, emissions-free” power to keep the grid stable, and that includes new nuclear reactors.

Back in June, Governor Kathy Hochul asked the New York Power Authority to move ahead with at least 1 gigawatt of new nuclear generation. And the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is exploring what it needs to do to make that happen. Doreen Harris is President and CEO, and she explains to host Ed Crooks that nuclear is a central pillar of an emissions-free power mix.

She says New York’s plan isn’t about bringing back old reactors like the ones at the Indian Point nuclear plant, controversially closed in 2021. The state wants new designs that are safer, modular, and more efficient. NYSERDA is leading a “Master Plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development”, expected to be published by end of 2026, to explore technologies ranging from large reactors to small modular and micro reactors. Ed and Doreen discuss the plan, and the barriers and opportunities for nuclear in the US.

Support from federal, state and local governments is going to be essential to make new nuclear construction a reality. But backing from the private sector will also be essential. Nick Campanella is a Senior Equity Research Analyst at Barclays investment bank. He says new nuclear investment will move forward only if three pieces line up: clear policy support, customers willing to buy the power, and an EPC ready to build the plant.

Nick and Ed discuss the cost overruns and delays that have plagued nuclear projects in the West. Hyperscalers might be able to get costs down by committing to multiple reactor builds at once. The ‘first-of-a-kind’ project is always risky. The ‘nth-of-a-kind’ developments that benefit from the lessons learned on previous projects should be more predictable, and less costly. Nick believes it is quite possible that a final investment decision to build at least one new nuclear plant in the US is very possible before the end of 2026. If that happens, the first project to go ahead could be for large plants, not small or micro reactors. The US grid doesn’t need tens of megawatts; it needs thousands.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s New York Climate Week this week, and we’re bringing you highlights from all the key debates and discussions. Climate Week NYC is one of the most important gatherings in the energy calendar, bringing together business leaders, investors, scientists, campaigners and policymakers to discuss the global effort to prevent catastrophic global warming.

Last year, confidence in renewable energy was riding high, but now the conversation is shifting toward the challenge of meeting rising electricity demand. The race to achieve the most advanced AI capabilities is widely seen in the energy industry as the most urgent issue it is facing today. And that is creating challenges for the drive towards decarbonization.

At the Climate Week opening ceremony, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, said that climate advocates have “not explained to people in the right way what needs to be done”. He urged them to connect their messaging to immediate, everyday issues rather than distant disasters.

To discuss all this, host Ed Crooks is joined by Helen Clarkson, CEO of the Climate Group, which puts on the event. She describes Climate Week NYC as the “green room for COP,” a place to sharpen focus before the big UN negotiations that are this year being held in Belem, Brazil, in November. While climate ambition is clearly faltering in the US, she says, there are rapid shifts under way elsewhere, such as the explosion of cheap rooftop solar in Pakistan. As this divide opens up between the US building on its strengths in fossil fuels, and other countries embracing low-carbon technologies, America risks losing competitiveness, she warns.

Plus, the financial analyst’s view on the big themes of the week. Will Thompson is a Director in the Thematic Investment Research Team at Barclays Investment Bank, and he spends a lot of his time at the moment thinking about the intersection of AI and energy. He talks to Ed about how AI is driving a surge in electricity demand, with US data centers potentially doubling their share of the nation’s power use by 2030. And he describes the “power wall” facing AI: a looming bottleneck when companies want more power than the grid can provide. To overcome this, tech giants are moving toward distributed or “bring your own power” solutions, such as on-site natural gas plants and battery storage, he says. This shift prioritizes “speed to power” over cost and could push up emissions in the near term. Will and Ed discuss permitting delays, grid constraints, and fragile supply chains as the major barriers to accelerated investment in electricity supply capacity. There is bipartisan urgency in the US to secure AI dominance over China. Will it be enough?

Follow the show wherever you get podcasts, so you don’t miss any of our Climate Week coverage.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.