Congress Back to Budget with Energy Secretary Wright

Friends,

What an incredible finish to the 2026 Masters with Rory McIlroy holding off the field including World #1 and two-time Masters Champ Scottie Scheffler to become only the 4th repeat Champion in Masters history. And speaking of repeats, the University of Denver Pioneers Men’s Hockey team used two 3rd period goals to defeat University of Wisconsin winning their second NCAA consecutive title and 11th overall. 

Special congrats to my Bracewell PRG colleague Dee Martin, who on Thursday will be honored with Calvary Women’s Services’ 2026 Hope Award at the organization’s Hope Gala. The Hope Award recognizes individuals whose leadership and advocacy have made a lasting impact. And through her leadership, Dee has demonstrated a deep commitment to community, reflecting Calvary’s mission to empower women to overcome homelessness and achieve stable, independent and dignified lives.

And now to business: Siemens Energy today opened a new facility for using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve our electric grid. Located at the company’s Innovation Center Orlando, the new Grid AI Lab integrates NVIDIA AI infrastructure with Siemens Energy grid expertise to train AI models that will enable utilities to better manage their grids in real time, optimizing operation and grid maintenance.

Congress is back and is in full budget mode. The House will vote on several Clean Air Act reform bills on Thursday, but budget hearings start on the Hill with Energy Secretary Wright testifying before the House Approps Energy subpanel on Wednesday and House Energy & Commerce on Thursday. White House OMB Director Russ Vought will also appear Wednesday and Thursday before the House and the Senate Budget Committees. And Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins is at Ag Approps on Thursday. Other hearings on Wednesday include House Energy examining the semiconductor ecosystem and Senate Environment Committee on restoration efforts in the Great Lakes Region. On Thursday, House Science Committee looks at critical minerals and technological leaps in the mining sector and FERC holds its monthly Open Meeting.

The Society of Environmental Journalist (SEJ) annual conference is in Chicago this week starting Wednesday. If you are going, visit us on Thursday night at the Bracewell-American Cleaning Institute reception.

IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings are in DC all this week and some of the focus will be on economic impacts of the Iran Conflict.  We are also tracking the action around the Strait of Hormuz and global energy markets. Here was my visit with Julie Mason at Sirius XM’s POTUS on the topic last week.

Two other events of note this week include Semafor’s World Economy Forum tomorrow to Thursday. Speakers include Energy Secretary Wright, EPA’s Lee Zeldin, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné, Sen. Steve Daines, Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli and GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik. Axios also holds a discussion tomorrow morning on strengthening the grid, featuring conversations with Reps. Julie Fedorchak and Jennifer McClellan, as well as National Energy Dominance Council senior director of power Peter Lake and Southern CEO Chris Womack.

Coachella got underway over the weekend in SoCal and runs next weekend as well. If you are looking for something to do around here on Saturday, head to Annapolis for The Annapolis Cup croquet match. Since 1983, St. Johns’ College Johnnies (of Annapolis) have faced off against the midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy in a friendly-but-fierce rivalry for the Annapolis Cup and bragging rights as the best croquet team in town. The record as of 2025 is 32 wins for St. John’s and 9 for the USNA.

Call with questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano
(202) 828-5864
C. (202) 997-5932

FRANKLY SPOKEN

"A lot is being made of the disconnect between futures and physical oil markets ... the scarier disconnect is between oil markets and broader equity/capital/fx markets, which remain mostly unfazed. A freight train is coming for the global economy via fuel prices and availability."

S&P Global Energy analyst Karim Fawaz, posting on X via Axios Energy

ON THE PODCAST

Chatterjee Joins Talks FERC – In this We Are the Government podcast, former FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee tells host Dipka Hesse about his journey from House Ways and Means to serving one of the most prominent Senate leaders in U.S. history–Mitch McConnell. Chatterjee shares some riveting stories about how he came to lead FERC twice, including during the global pandemic, with an unmatched style and success. As a political appointee during President Trump’s first term, Chatterjee shares how he governed the independent agency in an era of acute political partisanship. He reflects on taking the helm from his friend, the late FERC Chairman Ken McIntyre. This is a candid, thoughtful conversation about public service, Chatterjee’s legacy, lessons learned, and his lasting impact on energy policy.

Wrights Join Katie Miller Podcast to Talk Energy, Life in DC – Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his wife Liz joined the Katie Miller Podcast last week for a half energy, half-social conversation.  The first 25-minutes focus on important energy issues like Iran, gas prices, nuclear and renewables. The remaining time focuses on social life, relationships, parenting and other personal issues, which are also interesting and fun.  

FUN OPINIONS

Harbert Joins Fox News Sunday to Discuss Iran, Energy – AGA CEO Karen Harbet joined Fox News Sunday to discuss the Iran conflict, the challenges it is creating for energy markets and the role natural gas is playing in moderating costs.  Harbert said energy security Is national security adding that natural gas in insulating consumers from an energy shock.

FROG BLOG

Republican Concerns about Iran, Politics and Trump – In a chat with New York Times opinion editor John Guida, our friend and former colleague Liam Donovan, head of Targeted Victory, offers an inside take on the mood among Republicans heading into November in a Q&A. Donovan: “Republicans have an opportunity this coming week, when an additional estimated $100 billion in tax refunds means the average family is getting a bigger check than it did last year. But at the end of the day the midterm strategy will be oriented to bolstering coalition morale and persuading Republicans to turn out. Heading into November, the G.O.P. has three things going for it — a constrained House map, forgiving Senate terrain, and an unpopular Democratic Party going through an identity crisis of its own. The wild card is time; seven months is a political eternity, especially in the Trump era.”

FUN FACTS

Iran Conflict Looms Larger than Other Conflicts:  Our friends at Axios show created a chart from Baringa data that shows the stunning scale of the oil shock from the Iran war compared to other conflicts.

IN THE NEWS

Siemens Energy Opens Orlando AI Lab to Transform Grid Operations – Siemens Energy today opened a new facility for using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve our electric grid. Located at the company’s Innovation Center Orlando, the new Grid AI Lab integrates NVIDIA AI infrastructure with Siemens Energy grid expertise to train AI models that will enable utilities to better manage their grids in real time, optimizing operation and grid maintenance.

“Using artificial intelligence, we will be able to analyze the electrical grid in new and powerful ways and help to make it safer, more reliable and more efficient,” said Adnan Chaudhry, Senior Vice President of Digital Grid at Siemens Energy. “We built this lab to provide a collaboration environment where customers, partners, universities and industry leaders will come together to co‑create, experiment and accelerate the application of AI to real‑world grid challenges.”

Siemens Energy will work with customers to deploy and integrate advanced sensing technologies across the electrical grid, combining data from grid connected assets with aerial and geospatial data acquisition technologies. This multi-source data will be analyzed at the new Grid AI Lab to develop and validate AI driven insights that support grid planning, operations, and resilience—helping utilities operate the grid more efficiently and strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery for extreme weather events. Siemens Energy is building high-fidelity, continuously evolving digital twins of physical infrastructure with NVIDIA Omniverse and Metropolis libraries. These digital twins allow engineering teams to visualize, simulate and collaborate in a shared digital environment, analyze asset conditions, visualize asset behavior and simulate future operating conditions. These AI applications, alongside work in academic and applied research, will open up entirely new opportunities to use the data from the power grid to address some of the challenges in the changing energy landscape.

“We are at an inflection point in energy, where the world’s growing need for a sustainable grid demands a completely new architecture,” said Marc Spieler, Senior Managing Director, Global Energy Industry at NVIDIA. “The Siemens Energy AI Lab is where this vision becomes reality. Uniting their domain expertise with the full power of NVIDIA AI infrastructure and NVIDIA Omniverse and Metropolis libraries, Siemens Energy is pioneering the creation of industrial digital twins that can be used to design, simulate, and optimize the flexible energy systems of tomorrow.”

The Grid AI Lab will be a gathering place for AI experts from academia and industry and serve as an incubator for new grid technologies capabilities and opportunities for education and training.

Siemens Energy’s new Grid AI Lab will occupy an additional 6,000 square feet at its Innovation Center development, and commercialization of innovative solutions. In addition to the investment for hardware and building infrastructure. Siemens Energy executives, NVIDIA experts, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other leaders in the energy and technology fields participated in the opening of the Grid AI Lab today which included panel discussions about how the lab will enhance the transportation and delivery of energy.

“Orlando is proud to welcome Siemens Energy’s Grid AI Lab, a groundbreaking investment that reinforces our community’s position as a leader in innovation, sustainability, and advanced technology,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “By bringing together cutting-edge AI, energy expertise, and strong partnerships with our local universities, this lab will not only help modernize the electric grid, but also create high-quality jobs and new opportunities for our community. We are excited to see Orlando play a key role in shaping the future of energy.”

This expansion of the Innovation Center Orlando was announced as part of Siemens Energy’s investment of $1 billion in the United States to expand manufacturing and services to serve the United States’ unparalleled surge in electricity demand.

New Polling Shows Strong Republican Support in Key States – A new poll conducted across 13 coastal states for Turn Forward by GOP polling firm Tarrance Group (a Trump Pollster) shows that electricity prices are top of mind for voters and support for offshore wind broadly continues to climb. In addition, Republican support for offshore wind has grown by 30% since January 2025. These positive numbers undermine claims that most Americans (and most Republicans) don’t support renewables and offshore wind. This polling follows on the heels of earlier positive renewable energy polling from the Pew Research Center. Dig into the polling details/specifics HERE. It actually does get into specific state and specific views about negative/positive sentiments about specific issues. Here is also a recording of today’s discussion about the details of the polling.

“This is the third round of polling we’ve undertaken with Republican firm Tarrance Group since January 2025, and voter support for offshore wind has steadily grown across party lines despite the intense politicization of energy policy today,” said Turn Forward Executive Director Hillary Bright. “Policymakers need to listen to Americans’ real worries about electricity prices and grid reliability, and voters are clearly saying that offshore wind is part of the solution.”

New Studies Change Bird Risk Issues – Two recent studies have re-examined the risk of birds entering in collision with rotor blades of wind turbines. Vattenfall and the tech company Spoor have analyzed the extent to which wind turbines endanger birds at the offshore wind farm in Aberdeen. Over a period of 19 months - from June 2023 to December 2024 - video recordings of a wind turbine were made with the help of AI-supported analyses. A total of 2,007 bird flight paths near the monitored turbine were examined. The study found that there was not a single collision.

"By combining AI-powered detection and detailed expert analysis, we can replace assumptions with concrete observations and measure actual behavior in the immediate vicinity of wind turbines," says Ask Helseth, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Spoor.

A second study by the German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) also shows that migratory birds almost completely avoid wind turbines. For one and a half years, researchers analyzed over four million bird movements with the help of radar and AI-based cameras. The result showed that over 99.8% of migratory birds reliably avoided the wind turbines.

"The new study shows that migratory birds avoid wind turbines. This confirms that the environmentally friendly expansion of offshore wind energy works in harmony with these birds and not against them," says BWO Managing Director Stefan Thimm.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

APTA Legislative Conference Set for DC – The American Public Transportation Association holds its Legislative Conference today and tomorrow at the Grand Hyatt Washington. CEQ’s Katherine Scarlett and Sonya Proctor, assistant administrator for surface operations at the Transportation Security Administration, participate in discussions. Several Members speak at the event tomorrow.

JHU Holds Science Diplomacy Summit – The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center holds its Science Diplomacy Summit today and tomorrow, exploring science diplomacy through panels, simulations and workshops. DOE’s Science lead Dario Gill and Geophysicist Marcia McNutt, the 22nd President of the National Academy of Sciences, will keynote.

IEA Head Talks Iran Conflict – Today at 12:30 p.m., the Atlantic Council hosts an ACFrontPage conversation with Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA at a pivotal moment for global energy markets. In this conversation, Birol will discuss the recent energy-supply disruptions and how the IEA is responding to the crisis, including with members’ decisions this month to release oil from strategic stockpiles. He will also talk about how the IEA is guiding governments and markets through an increasingly complex energy landscape, shaped not only by today’s crisis but also by evolving demand patterns, emerging technologies, and other geopolitical risks.

Wright, Total Energies CEO to Headline Semafor World Economy Forum – Semafor holds its annual World Economy Forum tomorrow to Thursday. Across the week, our editorial tracks will explore global finance, geopolitical unpredictability, healthcare, and the rapid changes AI is generating. Our Friend Tim McDonnell hosts s session called Powering the Future where he will sit down with some of the leaders shaping the next era of energy. Speakers include Energy Secretary Chris Wright, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné, Sens. Steve Daines and Sheldon Whitehouse, Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli and GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik, among others.

Axios Forum Looks at Grid – Axios holds a discussion tomorrow morning on strengthening the grid for what's next, focusing on how emerging technologies like AI and other factors are reshaping the nation's power system - and the policy, planning and investment decisions needed to improve and maintain a resilient grid for the decades ahead. The event features conversations with Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.) and National Energy Dominance Council senior director of power Peter Lake on what's next for the nation's power grid. Southern CEO Chris Womack will also speak.

CA Clean Energy Summit Set for San Diego – Infocast’s California Clean Energy Summit 2026 starts tomorrow and runs to Thursday in the Hyatt La Jolla in San Diego bringing together the full energy market value chain; policymakers, regulators, utilities, CCAs, developers, financiers, and technology providers, for two and a half days of deep, solution-focused discussion. To kick off the Summit, the event features an Executive Briefing: Powering the Western Grid. The high-level session brings together grid operators, regulators, utilities, and transmission stakeholders to confront the regional infrastructure issues reshaping the West.

DC Energy Bar Hosts Conference – The Energy Bar Association holds a forum with federal officials, congressional staff, state regulators and more tomorrow and Wednesday at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, DC. This year’s event includes sessions on grid reliability, permitting policy, market evolution, and congressional investigations. DOE General Counsel Jonathan Brightbill and FERC Chairman Laura Swett will provide keynote remarks.

NOTUS Looks at Economy – NOTUS holds the kickoff of its Made in America event series in Washington at the Wharf tomorrow starting at 8:00 a.m. This bipartisan morning forum will focus on these issues and explore the evolving economic landscape. Speakers include Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Bill Anderson (CEO, Bayer), Dedrick Asante-Muhammad (President, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies) Arielle Elliott (CEO, NOTUS), Ambassador Kip Tom (Vice Chair of Rural Policy, America First Policy Institute), and more.

Forum Looks at Climate Finance – The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace holds a discussion tomorrow at noon on financing innovations in climate mobility. Carnegie’s Sustainability, Climate, and Geopolitics program features a panel discussion with climate, mobility, and finance experts, as well as national and city government leaders, to discuss the role that innovative financing can play in promoting climate mobility solutions that can improve the resilience and adaptation capabilities of societies.

WCEE Looks at Endangerment with Climate Activists – The Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment holds a conversation tomorrow at Noon about what the repeal of the endangerment finding and vehicles greenhouse gas regulations means for climate policy. The event features former EPA climate activists including Vicki Arroyo, Janet McCabe and Joe Goffman. All three worked at EPA and were instrumental in the development of federal climate regulations under the Clean Air Act.

AMS Looks at Flood Resources – The American Meteorological Society holds a virtual discussion tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. looking at NOAA's Flood and Water Resources. Hydrologists Jason Elliott and Jeff Dobur from NOAA's Office of Water Prediction will outline groundbreaking products and services from OWP, including Flood Inundation Mapping (FIM), which will be publicly available to nearly 100% of the U.S. population later this year. They will also review how OWP's products and services were utilized during the recent Atmospheric River event in December 2025.

SEJ Goes to Chicago – On Wednesday to Saturday, SEJ’s 35th annual conference will be held at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), is a leading public research university and national authority in environmental health, sustainability, urban planning and climate science. SEJ2026 will bring together journalists, scientists, academics, students, policymakers and nonprofit leaders to explore urgent environmental, climate and health issues. Of course, on Thursday, Bracewell and the American Cleaning Institute will co-host our annual popular reception.

News Conference to Discuss Water Policy – BPR International holds a news conference at the National Press Club on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. on water policy, technology and the future of US water infrastructure. Speakers will discuss key policy developments, emerging technology solutions to address water scarcity, and available funding mechanisms to support infrastructure modernization and water resilience. Speakers include Rep. Jim Costa (CA) and Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ).

Forum Looks at Arctic – The Center for the National Interest holds an online debate on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. looking at whether the Arctic should be a top US priority. The Arctic has become a region of intensifying geopolitical competition, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Moscow’s efforts to expand its Northern Sea Route as an alternative corridor for Russia’s energy and raw materials exports, and for shipping between Europe and Asia. Many also see the Arctic—including Greenland, as well as continental shelf and deep-sea sites—as potentially important sites for energy and mineral projects.

Senate Environment Looks at Great Lakes Issues – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. examining restoration efforts in the Great Lakes Region. Ohio DNR director Mary Mertz leads the panel.

House Approps Hosts Wright – The House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. featuring the Energy Secretary Chris Wright to discuss the DOE’s budget.

House Energy Panel Looks at Semiconductors – The House Energy and Commerce’s Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. examining the semiconductor ecosystem.

Senate Energy Expected to Move Bipartisan Legislation – The Senate Energy Committee will hold a legislative hearing on Thursday afternoon, focusing on a bipartisan slate of bills aimed at strengthening the electric grid, alongside two more partisan measures that have already passed the House.

FERC Monthly Open Meeting Set – FERC holds it regular Monthly meeting on Thursday at 10:00 a.m.

Wright Heads to House Energy Panel – The House Energy and Commerce Committee holds a budget hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. with Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Rollins Heads to House Ag Approps – The House Appropriations hearing on the Agriculture budget is at 10:30 a.m. in 2359 Rayburn. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testifies.

House Approps Panel Looks at Army Corps Budget – The House Appropriations Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on the 2027 budget for the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation.

House Appropriations Homeland Security Panel Budget – The House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. looking at the budget for CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Secret Service and FEMA.\

House Science Tackles Critical Minerals – The House Science Committee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:15 a.m. on critical minerals to discuss technological leaps in the mining sector. Witnesses include Ames National Laboratory Critical Materials Innovation Hub director Thomas Lograsso, Elizabeth Holley of the Colorado School of Mines, Quaise Energy CEO Carlos Araque and Joel Edwards, co-founder and chief technology officer at Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals.

Law Group Looks at Court Agenda – The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies holds a virtual discussion on Thursday at Noon focusing on the Court's upcoming docket sitting by sitting. One of the cases reviewed will be Monsanto Company v. Durnell. The case considers whether the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act preempts a label-based failure-to-warn claim where EPA has not required the warning.

RFF Looks at NW, WY Economies – Resources for the Future holds a forum on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. looking at resilient energy economies and how Wyoming and New Mexico are diversifying. In this webinar, presenters will discuss the fiscal risks Wyoming and New Mexico face due to economic reliance on fossil fuels, characterize potential growth industries for both states, and offer considerations for effective state policymaking.

Forest Service Budget – The House Appropriations Interior/Environment panel holds a hearing on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. on the US Forest Service budget.

IN THE FUTURE

Columbia Global Energy Summit Looks at Geopolitics – On Tuesday April 21st in New York City, the annual Columbia Global Energy Summit, hosted by the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA, will focus on energy, security and geopolitics in the New World Order. Over the course of the day, speakers will provide thought-provoking commentary and analysis on key issues, such as the collapse of the rules-based international order, the impact of geopolitical shifts on the global economy, and how both of these dynamics shape the global energy industry. Program topics include demand flexibility and the rapid expansion of the AI industry, great power competition and the energy transition, increasing competition throughout critical mineral supply chains, energy affordability and permitting reform.

Forum Looks at Climate Finance, Global Stability – The Stimson Center and the Green Climate Fund will host a multi-speaker panel on Tuesday April 21st at 10:00 a.m. looking at how early climate investment in adaptation, food systems, and water security can reduce the risk of conflict and displacement, and the unique position of international financial institutions and creative partnerships to make that case.

Electricity Canada Holds Washington Policy Forum – Electricity Canada holds its annual Washington Policy Forum on Tuesday April 21st to Thursday April 23rd where top executives from their member companies come to DC for meetings with government and industry stakeholders.

DLA Hosts Energy Forum – The 2026 DLA Energy Worldwide Energy event will be held at the Hyatt in Crystal City. The event highlights the importance of partnerships across the entire spectrum of the energy supply chain and provides a forum for energy industry leaders to engage in dialogue about issues critical to both industry and consumers. Our focus is on developing energy solutions and building relationships with industry, suppliers, other government partners, and our allies. In 2026, workshops topics will focus across DLA Energy’s worldwide business including petroleum supply and distribution, supply chain services, aerospace energy, and installation energy.

DC Climate Week Set – DC Climate Week is a community-organized week of events, exhibitions, tours, screenings, and gatherings across Washington, DC on Tuesday April 21st to Sunday April 26th. For the Second year, the event will explore the challenges of the climate crisis and discover the solutions that give us hope. Bracewell will host several events so stay tuned for details.

Conservative Energy Groups Hosts Christie – The Conservative Energy Network holds a fireside chat of its Empowering Tomorrow Webinar series on Wednesday, April 22nd at 3:00 p.m. The conversation will examine how the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC) collaborates with state policymakers and regulators amid rapid changes in the energy landscape and also identify practical strategies for improving coordination on reliability, affordability, and infrastructure development across state and federal jurisdictions.

Webinar Looks at Fleet Electrification – On Thursday April 23 at 2:00 p.m., SAFE’s Electrification Coalition holds its first installment of the fleet electrification webinar series. This webinar equips fleet managers, procurement officers, and sustainability leads with a practical total cost of ownership framework to evaluate light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electrification decisions.

Forum Looks at Climate Data – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and Climate Central hold a briefing on Thursday April 23 at 4:00 p.m. in 2168 Rayburn to discuss a key underpinning of the U.S. economy: publicly-available weather and climate data. In this new information environment, universities, nonprofits, and national associations are stepping up to fill the gaps in maintaining weather and climate data left by the federal government. Panelists will share where to look for these datasets and explore how these organizations are maintaining public access to critical information without the resources afforded by the federal government. They will also describe the implications of these changes for end users, from individuals using weather apps to multinational corporations making significant business decisions.

Energy Forum Set for San Antonio – The 13th Energy Thought Summit (ETS)will be held in San Antonio, TX on April 27th to 30th. The event will reflect on the industry's past achievements, while discussing the limitless opportunities that lie ahead. Immerse yourself in the collective wisdom of industry pioneers, thought leaders, and visionaries, inspiring us all to push the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to shaping our new energy future.

SAFE Summit to Tackle Critical Mineral, Energy Security Challenges – SAFE Summit 2026 is set for April 27th and 28th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center – 3rd Floor Ballroom in DC.  The event will convene innovators and leaders at a premier conference event for high-stakes and high-impact conversations shaping the nation’s energy, transportation, and minerals future. Session topics focus on AI, batteries, mineral security policies, transmission, energy, Detroit’s China EV problem and more. Spotlighting SAFE’s The Pillars of Power: A Strategy for Energy Security and Industrial Resiliency, the Summit will focus on rebuilding America’s industrial base, securing critical supply chains, and embracing energy abundance.

Stimson Focuses on Iran, Climate Security – The Stimson Center’s Environmental Security Program and the AMENA Foundation holds an online discussion on Tuesday April 28th at 1:00 p.m. looking at how the conflict in the Middle East is reshaping environmental and human security across the Middle East and North Africa region. The event will bring together leading voices to examine how the intersection of war and climate change is driving new forms of insecurity, particularly in already fragile environments.

Rep. Lawler, Reams Headline Heatmap Permitting Forum – Heatmap holds an evening forum on Tuesday April 28th at 6:00 p.m. at Arlo in DC. In this conversation, the event will explore various paths available to speed up the permitting process and make it easier to build. The event starts with a conversation with Rep Mike Lawler (R-NY) (moderated by Robinson Meyer) and another policy conversation with CRES CEO Heather Reams (moderated by Jillian Goodman).

Conference Focuses on Nuclear Dominance – The Energy Policy Research Foundation (EPRINC) and the Institute for Energy Research (IER) will hold a conference on “Dominating Nuclear: Better, Faster, Stronger," on Thursday April 30, which brings together policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders for a discussion of America’s nuclear energy future. The Keynote Speaker will be Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN 3). Fleischmann oversees funding for the nuclear security complex and national laboratories, making him one of the most influential voices in Congress on nuclear energy. This conference is part of EPRINC’s Power Vision Series to explore challenges and potential remedies to accelerating nuclear energy deployment in the US. This is particularly important in light of rising electricity prices, surging power demand from AI, and the manufacturing renaissance.

Forum Look at State Gird Solutions – Heatmap and Advanced Energy United holds a conversation on Thursday April 30th at 1:00 p.m. looking at how advanced energy technologies, both grid-scale and distributed, are providing the affordability solutions that state policymakers and regulators are searching for.

Chamber Holds Energy Summit – On May 1st, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and RealClearEnergy hosts its   2026 Energy Future Forum. Affordability has become the watchword of the year, driving conversations across AI aspirations, reshoring efforts, mineral mining and refining, LNG exports, and more. Join leaders from industry, policy, and technology for a full day of discussions on how cost pressures are shaping the future of energy and innovation. Featured speakers include Energy Secretary Wright, Southern CEO Chris Womack, EQT CEO Toby Rice, FERC Commissioner David Rosner and Siemens Energy President Matt Neal.

Milken Global Policy Conference Set – On May 3rd to 6th, the 29th annual Milken Institute Global Conference will be held in Los Angeles. The Milken Conference is the Institute’s flagship annual event, bringing together leaders across health, finance, business, technology, philanthropy, and public policy. The 2026 conference focuses on translating recent disruption and innovation into practical solutions for a more sustainable, equitable and resilient future. Hundreds of great speakers including Sens. Tim Scott and Mark Warner, Ex-Im Bank Head John Jovanovic, Former VA Governor Glenn Youngkin and FL Gov Ron DeSantis, the Chamber’s Suzanne Clark, NEI’s Maria Krosnick and our friends Ayesha Roscoe (NPR) and Brian Sullivan (CNBC).

OPAL CEO Headlines ACT Expo – OPAL Fuels Co-CEO Adam Comora will headline the Clean Fuels for Commercial Fleets Workshop at ACT Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday May 4th. ACT Expo is North America’s largest fleet technology expo and conference and run through Thursday May 7th. In its 16th year, ACT Expo is widely recognized as the most important annual event for the commercial transportation industry. Comora’s presentation will set the stage for a landmark year in clean transportation innovation. Titled “From Fuel to Fleet: A Vertically Integrated Approach to Renewable Fuels that Drives Fleet Economics, Cost Savings, and Sustainability,” Comora’s remarks will draw on OPAL Fuels’ vertically integrated platform spanning renewable fuel production, infrastructure development, and fleet fueling solutions. Comora will share real-world examples of how fleets are simultaneously meeting cost, reliability, and sustainability goals.

Wright to Headline USEA Energy Forum – On May 5th, the US Energy Association will convene the US Energy Policy Forum in Washington, DC, to shift the national dialogue from high-level discussion to "Prioritizing Action." This landmark event will gather a select group of visionaries and decision-makers to bridge the gap between policy and practice, defining the next era of our energy landscape. Energy Secretary Chris Wright will Keynote.

USEA Hosts Diplomats at AI Conference – The US Energy Assn holds a special meeting on Thursday May 7th at 12:30 p.m. at the Special Competitive Studies Project AI+ Expo.  The event will feature a diplomatic conversation on the role of AI in European energy security.

CCS Forum Set For DC – The Global CCS Institute holds its 2026 Americas Forum on Carbon Capture and Storage on Tuesday May 12th in Washington, D.C. hosted at the Embassy of Australia. The Forum program will feature keynote remarks, expert panels and in-depth discussions on policy, technology, investment, and project developments. The event will also discuss Carbon Removal by Howard J. Herzog (MIT) and Professor Niall Mac Dowell (Imperial College London), both of whom will be speaking at the Forum.

CRES Energy Leadership Summit Focuses on Energy Dominance – On Thursday May 14th, CRES holds its second annual Energy Leadership Summit, a one-day event bringing together Trump Administration officials, Members of Congress and conservative industry leaders, advocates, researchers, investors and policymakers for high-impact conversations on the future of American energy. This year’s summit will focus on winning the race for energy dominance and leadership. From powering the AI revolution to unleashing American manufacturing capabilities and energy production, speakers will explore how the U.S. can stay ahead of the pack and how lawmakers can ensure federal policy keeps pace with rapidly growing demand.

Webinar Tackles Public Charging – On Thursday May 14th at 1:00 p.m., SAFE’s Electrification Coalition holds a webinar highlighting the current state of public and semi-public charging for medium- and heavy-duty EVs. During this session, the EC will present the most significant barriers to deploying charging and practical solutions identified through extensive stakeholder engagement.

American Biogas Council to Host 2026 BIOGAS AMERICAS Conference in Detroit – As the U.S. biogas industry continues to expand, BIOGAS AMERICAS heads to Detroit on May his May 18th to 21st at the Huntington Place Convention Center (or Cobo Hall for you DTW old-timers)). The event is the North America’s largest biogas and RNG tradeshow and conference. The event will convene project developers, operators, utilities, investors, technology providers, policymakers, and waste and wastewater professionals from across the continent to supply training and education, biogas industry data, and policy insight.

Washington Energy Summit Set – The 11th annual Washington Energy Summit 2026 will be held at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC. on June 3rd and 4th. The Washington Energy Summit is organized by U.S. Energy Stream and convenes U.S. Senators and Members of Congress, global energy leaders, and technology executives for candid, off-the-record dialogue. The main theme of the Summit is running the World on energy with volatility, technology and American energy dominance.