Energy Events Du Jour This Week

Friends,

We have a bunch of great energy events this week, but before we get to that: what a great sports weekend! I hope you are watching the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals. All three hockey games have been absolutely bonkers and in the NBA the Knicks have won 14 straight. I scored a nice Trifecta win at The Belmont Stakes this weekend when Derby champion Golden Tempo ran down Commandment and Renegade. I did not have them in that order, but the box bet won it for me. At the French Open, Alexander Zverev and Mirra Andreeva claimed their first Grand Slam titles in Paris at a Roland-Garros marked by extreme heat, pouring rain and shocking upsets. Nelly Korda won the 81st U.S. Women's Open by one shot after her final 2 1/2-foot par putt curled perilously around the cup and dropped in. Finally, we have the FIFA World Cup starting in North America on Thursday and the White House hosts UFC fight card on Saturday.

We are out early today because we are over at the Eaton for the GRIDIRON Forum. You can still come over and catch the action. This event is the first of a super crazy energy week.

Also, Earthshot/OEP are releasing the GridIron Dialogue Research White Paper as well, which summarizes key insights gathered during a year-long, cross-sector GridIron Dialogues series. The paper arrives at a pivotal moment as the U.S. faces a sharp upswing in electricity demand driven by data centers, electrification, and manufacturing while decades of underinvestment in grid capacity, dependence on foreign energy and equipment supply chains, delays in deploying sustainable domestic resources, and growing disconnects in matching grid service with community- and customer-level needs present challenges that must be resolved. More details below.

The Other Major Events This Week:

• Tomorrow and Wednesday: the Atlantic Council Holds its Global Energy Summit.
• Wednesday POLITICO hosts its Energy Summit with EPA’s Lee Zeldin, Jarred Agen and Sens. McCormick and Whitehouse, NEDC’s Jarrod Agen and many more.
• Thursday: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce holds its Critical Minerals Summit with Reps. Jeff Hurd, Rob Wittman and Harriet Hageman, Sen. Todd Young, (R-Ind.) and ExIm Banks Chief Banking Officer Brian Greeley.
• Friday morning: AGA will roll out its Summer Natural Gas Outlook at a presser as affordability draws headlines as a top agenda item for elected officials and candidates ahead of the 2026 midterm election, AGA’s Richard Meyer and Liz Pardue will share details about the energy market outlook for the coming months.

There also are a few more listed in the schedule below including a Cato event today on states energy plans, an R Street event on transmission, the National Press Club's Journalism Institute briefing on covering the gas tax holiday debate and the California Hydrogen Summit in Sacramento.

Lots happening on Capitol Hill as Congress races to the July 4th Holiday recess and 250th Birthday celebration. Appropriations and another Budget Reconciliation package are on the agenda. The House will also vote on legislation that would create a Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy to focus on energy security, critical minerals and infrastructure. There are hearings in Energy & Commerce on nuclear power permitting, DOE’s Secretary Wright heads House Science for a budget discussion and Senate Energy talks Colorado River water.

Finally, Death of a Salesman, Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! were among the big winners at the 79th annual Tony Awards – hosted by pop star Pink – from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Please come over to The Eaton today to catch the action. Call with questions.

Best,

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

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“(T)he United States’ exposure to global oil market disruptions has changed fundamentally since the 1970s, oil shocks today are associated with less of an impact on PCE inflation relative to the impact of comparable shocks four or five decades ago. We also find that the negative effects of oil shocks on national employment may be tempered by job gains in U.S. states that produce oil.”

Boston Federal Reserve Bank researchers Danilo Leiva-León, Giovanni P. Olivei, Ara Patvakanian, Jenny Tang, and Egon Zakrajšek in a paper release this weekend on the Iran Conflict and oil impacts on inflation

ON THE PODCAST

API Expert Highlights Shale Gas, Louisiana – API’s Gifford Briggs joined Baton Rouge’s TALK 107.3 last week to discuss how the U.S. shale industry provides reliable, affordable energy to Americans — and how Louisiana's leading role in the global LNG market supports American energy leadership and economic growth. Briggs: “Our allies in Europe are paying on average five times more for natural gas than we are here in the United States.”

ND Gov. Armstrong Dishes on Trump, Energy – In today’s POLITICO Energy Podcast, North Dakota Gov. Armstrong who leads one of the biggest energy/oil/gas/coal/wind states sits down with Zack Colman the on whether Trump's energy agenda is helping or hurting development, as well as being a proponent of All of the above energy. 

FUN OPINIONS

NYT: Permit Reform Necessary for Success – In an editorial in the New York Times, the board highlights an example in the Potomac River that shows how well-meaning permitting laws have stymied vital projects in the US. Government agencies can take years to grant permits. The highest toll comes from the accumulated harm of the millions of projects that are never built: homes that would make housing more affordable; roads, bridges and transit that would speed movement; factories and office buildings that would provide good jobs; power plants that would be cleaner than those they replaced. Congress now has an opportunity to lift some of the regulatory burden. In December, the House passed a bill to reform federal permitting rules, the Speed Act, with 11 Democrats joining most Republicans. The bill is a good start but could stand to be improved. Senators from both parties recently restarted talks on their own version of a bill.

Fitzsimmons Q&A on Markets, Renewables, More – In a Q&A, Utility Dive caught up with Associate Deputy Secretary of Energy Alex Fitzsimmons at the Edison Electric Institute conference in Las Vegas, where the dominant theme was balancing demand growth with affordability. Fitzsimmons message for electric utilities from the Trump administration was “We all have the same goals” for affordable, reliable and secure energy systems. See the full Q&A here.

FROG BLOG

Harbert: NatGas Is the Key to Reliability, Affordability – In an op-ed in RealClearEnergy, AGA CEO Karen Harbert writes for seniors on fixed incomes and working families balancing tight budgets, affordability and predictability matter as much as sustainability. Across the country, households are increasingly concerned about how energy choices will affect their monthly bills. Harbert writes natural gas remains a cornerstone of America’s energy system. With thoughtful policy and a balanced approach, it can continue to support an affordable, reliable and resilient energy future.

Tariffs, Reshaping Industrial Supply/Value Chains – New US tariff investigations are raising important questions about trade, industrial competitiveness, and the future of the energy transition. In blog post, CGEP experts Trevor Sutton, Evelyne Williams, and Dan Helmeci explore how potential tariffs on countries accused of maintaining excess manufacturing capacity could reshape global energy and industrial value chains.

FUN FACTS

EarthShot Report: Capture Power Demand Creates New Opportunties for Better Grid: A sharp upswing in realized and projected U.S. electricity demand, after decades of near-flat growth, sets an unavoidable backdrop and a sobering preview of the consequences of the industry’s reliance on the old playbook to shape the future grid. It also points to opportunities The GRIDIRON Report identifies four desired industry improvements that lead toward electricity abundance from better grid design, faster deployment, and real cost discipline:

• Speed to service

• Quality of service

• Affordability of service

• Security of service

The industry’s greatest dilemma today is that achieving meaningful improvement in all four at once is impossible within a traditional siloed industry approach. However, we CAN meet these objectives with a whole-grid approach and industry action guided by four imperatives:

•  Better understand the customer experience

•  Increase productivity of existing infrastructure

•  Incorporate and scale up distributed energy resources

•  Clear the path for new large-scale infrastructure

IN THE NEWS

New Report Synthesizes Insights from Year-Long, Whole-of-Grid Dialogue; Charts Path to Stronger, Smarter National Grid – The Earthshot Foundation today released The GridIron: From Rivals in Gridlock to Champions of a Stronger, Smarter Grid, a white paper summarizing key insights gathered during a year-long, cross-sector GridIron Dialogues series that brought more than 200 people together over the course of a dozen events to address how to build a more flexible, resilient grid. The paper arrives at a pivotal moment as the U.S. faces a sharp upswing in electricity demand driven by data centers, electrification, and manufacturing while decades of underinvestment in grid capacity, dependence on foreign energy and equipment supply chains, delays in deploying sustainable domestic resources, and growing disconnects in matching grid service with community- and customer-level needs present challenges that must be resolved. The report includes an Electricity Abundance Playbook, which proposes focusing on four key areas to ensure energy is more widely available, reliable, delivered faster, and at a lower cost through smarter system design: speed, quality, affordability, and security of service. The GRIDIRON Report identifies four desired industry improvements that lead toward electricity abundance from better grid design, faster deployment, and real cost discipline:

Speed to service

Quality of service

Affordability of service

Security of service

The industry’s greatest dilemma today is that achieving meaningful improvement in all four at once is impossible within a traditional siloed industry approach. However, we CAN meet these objectives with a whole-grid approach and industry action guided by four imperatives:

Better understand the customer experience

Increase productivity of existing infrastructure

Incorporate and scale up distributed energy resources

Clear the path for new large-scale infrastructure

Interior ANWR Leases Net $3.7B – Interior’s Bureau of Land Management said Friday a sale on oil and gas drilling rights in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) garnered more than $3.7 million in winning bids. API’s Holly Hopkins applauded Interior’s efforts to “restore certainty to federal leasing policy,” while the Alaska Oil & Gas Association said that while individual sales vary in size and participation, “preserving access to resource development opportunities is essential to supporting future production, strengthening national security, and providing long-term economic benefits the nation.”

Red States Show Renewable Strength – Once a year, our friends at Clean Edge provide a monthly research snapshot (Data Dive) that spotlights EIA’s annual ranking of states by % of in-state generation produced by renewable sources - wind, solar, and geothermal. The results surprise many people — Iowa remains the perennial leader with more than 60% (virtually all wind), while 4 other states not usually in the “clean energy leaders” conversation are also in the Top 10 - South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota. Eight states now produce more than 40% of their in-state generation from renewables. Also, noteworthy that Texas (the runaway leader in total wind production, as you know) could soon join the Top 10 percentage-wise — TX has increased its solar generation from less than 1% in 2015 to 10.74% last year, while wind contributes about 22%.

Unlocking the Potential of Geologic Hydrogen – Geologic hydrogen is emerging as one of the world’s most promising clean energy opportunities. Found naturally underground, it could provide low-carbon, low-cost energy if successfully developed at scale. EFI’s report Exploring the Future of Geologic Hydrogen examines both the potential and uncertainty surrounding the resource. Findings show that early public investment, clear regulations, and strong coordination between federal and state governments will be critical to developing geologic hydrogen.

OPAL, GFL Environmental Advance New RNG Projects in Alabama, Georgia – OPAL Fuels (Nasdaq: OPAL), a leading vertically integrated producer and distributor of renewable natural gas and compressed natural gas (RNG/CNG) and GFL Environmental Inc. (NYSE: GFL) (TSX: GFL) (“GFL”) advanced construction of two new RNG facilities at the Stones Throw Landfill in Tallapoosa County, Alabama and the Grady Road Landfill in Polk County, Georgia.  The projects together represent nearly 2 million MMBTU of plant design capacity. OPAL Fuels has agreed to market and distribute the full output from the new RNG facilities through its expanding CNG/RNG dispensing network further advancing OPAL Fuels’ strategy to drive profitable growth across both upstream production and downstream distribution. The new RNG facilities are designed to supply fuel for approximately 800 Class 8 heavy-duty tractors, with such fuel providing better economics than diesel and the added benefits of zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The projects are well positioned to supply accelerating fleet conversion activity in the heavy-duty trucking sector which is being driven by higher and volatile diesel pricing, increased regulatory clarity regarding combustion engines, and the availability of next-generation natural gas engine platforms. Using proven technology, the projects will capture methane generated from the natural decomposition of organic material at the Grady Road Landfill and the Stones Throw Landfill and convert it into RNG, a low-carbon, cost-effective transportation fuel.

AHRI’s Yurek to Retire – AHRI announced today that President and CEO Stephen Yurek will retire sometime in 2027. Yurek joined the then-Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) in 2002 as the association’s General Counsel and Vice President of Policy and Public Affairs, before being promoted to President in 2006. Yurek’s impact on AHRI and the global industry has been noteworthy and sustained. He oversaw the 2008 merger of ARI and the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association, which united all the aspects of the HVACR and water heating industry under one global organization whose members manufacture more than 75 percent of all residential and commercial central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, water heaters, and commercial refrigeration equipment produced and installed worldwide. During Yurek’s tenure, AHRI became a truly global association, establishing offices in Canada, India, China, and across the LATAM, ASEAN, and MENA regions, advocating for the industry and promoting and strengthening AHRI’s global standards and equipment certification programs around the world.

“Steve Yurek’s contributions to our association and our industry have been transformational and have established AHRI as the definitive voice for its members and the industry in all corners of the globe,” said AHRI’s 2026 Board Chairman Mike Branson of Rheem Manufacturing Company. “In addition to advancing AHRI’s mission of advocacy, analytics, standards, and certification, Steve’s foresight in establishing regional offices and promoting AHRI’s standards and certification programs around the world, while advocating for and protecting our industry’s interests in Washington and in the states, has greatly enhanced the stature and reach of our industry. He leaves a legacy of strength, commitment, and environmental stewardship that well positions our industry for the future,” he added.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

GridIron Dialogue Report, Series Set for Finale – The Earthshot Foundation, in partnership with OurEnergyPolicy, will host the GridIron Dialogues Finale today in Washington, D.C. The event marks the culmination of a year-long, whole-of-grid dialogue series that engaged more than 200 engineers, economists, regulators, and operators across a dozen sessions spanning every element of grid planning, investment, and operations. From fuel supply to transmission, distribution, and customer energy management, the GridIron Dialogues examined the grid as a system of systems – the single largest machine ever built, and the infrastructure on which every sector of our economy depends. The Finale will share key findings from the series and premiere a white paper—The GridIron: From Rivals in Gridlock to Champions of a Stronger, Smarter Grid—that summarizes whole-of-grid insights and includes an Electricity Abundance Playbook.

California Hydrogen Summit Set – The California Hydrogen Business Council holds a its 2026 California Hydrogen Summit today and tomorrow at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento. The Summit will showcase the strategies accelerating affordable production, infrastructure build out, market adoption, and policy alignment. This is where California’s next steps for hydrogen are being decided.

Cato Looks at States, Energy – The Cato Institute holds a virtual briefing today at 1:00 p.m., on state solutions to energy affordability. Cato’s Travis Fisher for a webinar presentation followed by an unrecorded policy Q&A to explore the levers state leaders have in combating this crisis.

Axios Hosts Forum on Tech, Business – Axios hosts the launch of "AM LIVE" a program that will convene the decision makers shaping what comes next across policy, business, technology and culture.

Atlantic Council Energy Forum Set – The Atlantic Council holds its 2026 Global Energy Forum on featuring the world's top energy experts tomorrow and Wednesday. The 2026 Forum will serve as both a reflection on the evolution of the global energy landscape and a forward-looking platform to chart its future based on building systems, strengthening partnerships, and empowering the public. Speakers include Jarrod Agen, Bob McNally, EQT’s Toby Rice, Baker Hughes’ Lorenzo Simonelli, NEI’s Maria Korsnick, Dominion’s Robert Blue, Jigar Shah, ClearPath’s Jeremy Harrell and many more.

Forum Looks at US-EU Energy, Regulation Issues – Tomorrow morning starting at 9:00 a.m., the GW Regulatory Studies Center and the Frankfurt Competence Center for German and Global Regulation hold a virtual conference that will explore Trump's deregulatory agenda in the U.S., views on administrative reform in Germany, and more. The event will look at if the US and EU can stay aligned amid administrative upheaval.

CSIS Looks at Ocean Policy – The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds its Ocean Security and Human Rights Forum tomorrow. This year’s forum will discuss the escalating pressure facing global maritime governance from a variety of crisis points and how this pressure is affecting shared governance of the maritime commonwealth and our ability to grapple with common challenges including marine resource management, illegal fishing, supply chain transparency, and human rights at sea.

House Energy Looks at Nuclear Permitting – The House Energy and Commerce Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on nuclear permitting reform and legislation to advance efficient licensing.

NPC Program Looks at Gas Tax Holiday – The National Press Club's Journalism Institute holds a virtual briefing tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. for national and regional journalists on covering the gas tax holiday debate. The briefing will draw on BPC’s recent analysis, including its “Hidden Cost of a Gas Tax Holiday” explainer and interactive Gas Tax Holiday Calculator, which examines how different policy scenarios could affect prices at the pump.

R St Looks at Forum – The R Street Institute holds a discussion and happy hour tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. on transmission and permitting reform. The discussion will focus on some of today’s most pressing energy challenges, including the permitting reforms and transmission investments needed to keep lights on and costs down.

POLITICO Holds Energy Summit – POLITICO holds its 2026 Energy Summit on Wednesday at the JW Marriott in DC. The event will convene administration officials, lawmakers, industry executives and more for urgent conversations on what’s next for the nation's energy agenda. Speakers include FERC Chair Laura Swett, NRC Chair Ho Nieh, NEDC’s Jarrod Agen, Sens. Dave McCormick and Sheldon Whitehouse, House Energy Committee Chair Brett Guthrie and many more.

Wright Heads to House Science – The House Science, Space and Technology Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. featuring an overview of the DOE FY2027 Budget Request for Science.

Senate Environment Hosts Fish/Wildlife Budget – The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee holds a hearing on the president's proposed budget request for FY2027 for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Senate Energy Looks at CO River – The Senate Energy Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. focused on oversight of the Colorado River Basin, including post-2026 operations negotiations.

CSIS Tackles Iron-Air Batteries – The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a virtual discussion on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. focusing on iron-air batteries. Co-founder and CEO of Form Energy, Mateo Jaramillo, joins CSIS to discuss the challenge of building long-duration energy storage from the ground up. He explores iron-air batteries as a scalable and bankable innovation, the precision manufacturing process required to bring this technology to market, and why West Virginia was the right place to build.

House Financial Services Looks at Disaster Recovery – The House Financial Services Housing and Insurance Subcommittee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. examining local needs in disaster recovery.

Forum Looks at Electricity Costs – On Wednesday at 11:00 a.m., the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies holds a virtual discussion on State and Federal Regulators action to control cost and maintain the reliability of the electric system. Former FERC Commissioners Mark Christie and Bernie McNamee discuss.

Trans-Caspian Forum Set for Press Club – The Caspian Policy Center holds its Trans-Caspian Forum 2026 will be held on Wednesday at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. This year’s forum will convene senior U.S. and regional government officials, leading experts, and private sector executives to explore the evolving strategic relationship between the United States and the Greater Caspian region. USEA’s Mark Menezes and former State Department official Geoff Pyatt speak.

Members Headline Chamber Critical Minerals Forum – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce holds its Critical Minerals Summit Thursday.   Speakers include Rep. Jeff Hurd, (R-Colo.), Sen. Todd Young, (R-Ind.), Rep. Harriet Hageman, (R-Wyo.), Ex-Im Bank’s Brian Greeley, and Rep. Rob Wittman, (R-Va.).

AGA to Discuss Summer Gas Outlook – The American Gas Association will roll out its Summer Natural Gas Outlook at a presser on Friday at 9:00 a.m. As affordability draws headlines as a top agenda item for elected officials and candidates ahead of the 2026 midterm election, AGA’s Richard Meyer and Liz Pardue will share details about the energy market outlook for the coming months. RSVP with Emily Ellis at AGA or me.

IN THE FUTURE

Chamber Environment Summit Set – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host its 2026 Environmental Innovation Summit on Wednesday, June 17 at its headquarters in Washington, DC. Speakers and participants will focus on where the private sector is driving environmental innovation both domestically and globally, including in energy, the circular economy, agriculture, biodiversity, resilience, and more. NOAA’s Neil Jacobs will be among the speakers.

London Climate Action Week – London Climate week will be held on June 20th to June 28th in London, England.

SEIA Holds Finance, Tax Seminar in NYC – On June 23rd and 24th, the Solar Energy Industries Association holds its annual Finance, Tax, and Buyers Seminar in New York, NY.

Reuters Global Energy Event Set for NYC – Reuters Global Energy Forum 2026 is Set for June 23rd and -24th in New York City. The event focuses on uniting for a resilient energy future. Speakers include Exelon CEO Calvin Butler.

Congressional Renewable Expo Set – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucuses are holding the 29th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum (EXPO 2026) on Wednesday June 24th. Leading experts will showcase technologies and solutions that create jobs, lower utility bills for households and businesses, build resilience, protect our national security, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Speakers include Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) and more.

Heatmap to Review Data Center Challenges – On Wednesday June 24th at 2:00 p.m., Heatmap and Orennia hold a conversation on the evolving data center landscape, including where projects are moving forward, where opposition is emerging, and how sentiment, permitting risk, and power market dynamics are influencing siting and investment decisions. The discussion will explore the latest trends in data center demand, behind-the-meter opportunities, and the signals energy stakeholders should be watching as the sector continues to evolve.

JULY 4th – Saturday, 250th US Birthday Celebration

FERC Technical Conference Set – FERC issued its formal notice Friday saying its for its technical conference focused on actionable reforms to PJM’s stakeholder process and governance will be held on July 23rd.  The conference will look to identify and evaluate reforms to improve PJM’s ability to address operational and market needs in a timely and efficient manner.

CEN Sets Energy Summit for Boston – Conservative Energy Network at the third annual National Conservative Energy Summit on August 3rd to 5th in Boston, MA. This event gathers local, state, and federal policymakers, industry leaders, and grassroots advocates from across the country to explore the future of energy policy in America.