Energy Update: Week of June 16th

Energy Update - June 17, 2025

Friends,

There was so much that happened last week, I will start where it ended. EPA rule pullbacks for power plants, the California Waiver CRA pulling back the state’s onerous car rules was signed by the President, Japan signed new agreement for the LNG and appliance/HVACR manufacturers and real estate groups urged leaders to keep the ENERGY STAR program. And we still had all the discussions on the Senate budget action including a flood of clean energy economic impact studies, 45V and Sect 899 letters and much more all that back and forth.  I’m sure I missed something…oh wait, an amazing, crazy finish to the US Open at Oakmont yesterday on Father’s Day with J.J. Spaun burying a 65-footer on the final hole to win his first major championship (especially after he bogeyed 5 of the first 6 holes in the final round and looked like all was lost).

President Trump is in Alberta, Canada early this week for the G7. There could be fireworks (as usual with DJT), but on the Iran-Israel conflict will be a priority for the group. Speaking of that, it will likely have some short-term energy impacts, especially as the summer driving season picks up, but it is unclear how much, given all the geopolitical risk of the last three years.  And even so, current prices are lower than they were last year. Our friend Patrick DeHaan of Gas Buddy has a helpful video post that outlines many of the key issues.

It is a short week with the Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, but the Senate will be busy with its budget issues. Senate Finance is expected to release text as soon a noon today.  We will have experts digging into its impacts as soon as we see it. Of course, we are mostly looking for tax and rule changes for the Clean Energy IRA provisions.  Then on Wednesday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright heads to Senate Energy for a budget discussion.

Speaking of the IRA and Clean Energy in the states, the Business Council for Sustainable Development is joining with local clean energy manufacturers in North Carolina tomorrow, Pennsylvania on Wednesday and South Carolina on Friday, highlighting the impacts and challenges of undermining the credits. Let me know if you are interested in checking those events out. 

The Chamber holds its Business Innovation Summit on Wednesday morning, while the Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum is tomorrow and Wednesday, an event that features Secretary Wright, former Secretary Dan Brouillette, Sens Cassidy, Coons and Hickenlooper, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and a bunch of Energy industry CEOs.

Finally this week, more state polling by the Tarrance Group on local and state views on offshore wind done for the offshore wind advocacy group, Turn Forward. At first blush, the findings seem run counter to what many might expect amid the anti-green messaging that's been getting a lot of airtime over the past six months. Headline number: nearly 80% of voters want to see MORE renewable energy in their states’ portfolio mix, an increase of 6% over the last six months. Look for it on Wednesday, including some favorable numbers on offshore wind from all sides of the aisle. Get in touch for details.

With so much going on last week, I will jump of Julie Mason’s Sirius XM show on P.O.T.U.S. 124 today at 4pm.  We will discuss the latest on the Senate’s look at clean energy/IRA issues in the budget, the California car rule over turn by the CRA and nuclear power’s ever-growing interest, among other fun topics. Call with questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932                                                                                                                   

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“The Senate will be done by July 4 … The Senate bill is going to be markedly different from the House … My guess is the Senate bill will track the House bill, maybe 60 to 70%. There are a lot of good provisions. A lot of the broad outlines are going to be similar, but it’s the Senate. So the Senate is going to do what it damn well wants to do and that’s a good process. And so I think the Senate will vote it out right before the July 4 recess, and then, I think it is likely that we will spend the month of July in conference and trying to reconcile the two.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the bearer of glad tidings at an event hosted by Punchbowl News.

"It's a bullsh-t f—-ing name.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger, speaking to The Sunday Times about climate change. The longtime advocate and former California Governor also told the British paper that "net-zero" is a communications loser:

Well, this is a bullsh-t thing too! Go to a town like Leeds or Manchester and ask people, what's net zero? They don't know what the f—- that means."

(Special thanks to Axios’ Ben Geman for finding this gem from the Governator.) 

ON THE PODCAST

VOLTS PODCAST SPECIAL: Volts Talks IRA With Heinrich – Recently at a Canary Media event in Washington, DC, Volts podcast host Dave Roberts sat down with Senator Martin Heinrich to dissect the GOP’s budget bill – in which the House version takes a sledgehammer to the Inflation Reduction Act, public-lands protections and tax issues. Roberts and Heinrich talk about the handful of Republican votes that could still save key tax credits, why bipartisan permitting reform isn’t dead yet, and how the bill’s self-inflicted grid squeeze would jack up energy prices right when AI is poised to spike demand.

Book Talks Energy on Columbia Podcast – On this week's Columbia Energy Exchange podcast episode, host Bill Loveless talks with our friend Kevin Book, managing director at ClearView Energy Partners, about the sweeping budget reconciliation bill and its potential impact on the future of US energy.

FUN OPINIONS

PetroStates, ElectroStates in World Divided by Fossil Fuels and Clean Energy – In a column on the Center for the National Interest’s blog site, The National Interest, Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy experts Tatiana Mitrova and Anne-Sophie Corbeau write fossil fuels and clean energy are reshaping global power as PetroStates and ElectroStates compete to define the future of energy and influence. The global energy order is entering a period of profound realignment. Three fossil-fuel giants (or PetroStates)—the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Russia—are consolidating influence, even as China, the emerging ElectroState, pursues a divergent technological trajectory more aligned with Europe’s green ambitions. The result may be a volatile, asymmetric contest for energy dominance, pitting hydrocarbons against electrons and defining the energy and geopolitical landscape of the next decade.

FROG BLOG

Loris: Permitting Reform Needed to Secure Energy Future – In a piece on the Center for the National Interest’s blog site, The National Interest, C3’s Nick Loris argues that America’s global energy leadership is being stifled not by a lack of funding, but by outdated permitting processes and regulatory red tape that delay or derail energy projects across all sectors. America’s energy future hinges on our ability to act decisively. Permitting reform isn’t about lowering the bar for environmental safeguards—it’s about empowering innovators and developers to reach the bar faster to meet America’s rapidly growing energy needs.

Yglesias: Energy Provision Hurt Energy Future – In his Slow Boring Substack column, Matthew Yglesias writes Trump's "beautiful" bill wrecks our energy future. Yglesias writes the House-passed provision would leave us with no policy support whatsoever for wind, solar, or emerging technologies, including advanced nuclear and geothermal and carbon capture. It doesn’t even leave us with policy support to keep existing conventional nuclear plants open. The upshot is going to be a loss of innovation and momentum for the long term. And in the short term, it’s going to mean higher electricity prices, as Trump’s multi-pronged effort to kneecap renewables runs up against the supply chain constraints limiting the pace at which new natural gas facilities can be brought online.

FUN FACTS

Powering Global Electricity: Even with  global expansion of renewables and the promise of returning to new nuclear, fossil fuels still generate just under 60% of global electricity generation.

IN THE NEWS

California Waiver CRA Signed – President Donald Trump signed into law three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions disapproving California’s vehicle emission waivers late last week. The House passed the reversal of the EPA’s approval of a waiver for California and 11 states to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Shortly after, the Senate approved the reversal. AFPM’s Chet Thompson and API’s Mike Sommers issued the said:  

“The President and Congress just delivered a major win for the American people by overturning California’s gas car ban and the state’s attempt to tell consumers what they can and can’t drive. Today’s historic signing is critical for protecting U.S. families, manufacturing workers and our national energy security. We thank President Trump for keeping his promise to American voters to end these extreme and restrictive policies.”

Additional information: 

Trade Associations Push for ENERGY STAR – Business groups including the Real Estate Roundtable, NAM, American Chemistry Council, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute and others urged Congress to resist efforts to privatize Energy Star, the efficiency program for home appliances and building materials. More than 30 trade groups in a letter to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) and ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky) and ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.)

“Clear legislative authorization backs ENERGY STAR as a voluntary public-private partnership run by the federal government. We respectfully request that ENERGY STAR not be supplanted by non-governmental efforts that could significantly alter and overly complicate the program.”

The groups said Energy Star saves Americans roughly $40 billion annually, calling it an “excellent example of a non-regulatory partnership between the government and private sector.” They also argued the program helps to reduce energy waste amid a projected surge in electricity demand for data centers.

“Electricity saved by ENERGY STAR helps free-up space on the grid needed so the U.S. can lead the world to power and grow artificial intelligence, support the burgeoning crypto asset industry, and bring more manufacturing plants back to our shores,” the groups said.

Japanese Officials Sign LNG Agreements – Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Japan's largest power generator -- JERA – has agreed to purchase up to 5.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas a year from the United States over a period of 20 years. The deals include sales and purchase agreements (SPAs) with NextDecade Corporation and Commonwealth LNG, as well as heads of agreement (HoA) with Sempra Infrastructure and Cheniere Marketing. JERA said the agreements are in line with its long-term strategy to build a diversified and resilient LNG procurement portfolio in support of stable, secure energy for Japan and Asia.

RFS Volumes Released – EPA on Friday the 13th released a proposed rule to set strong 2026 and 2027 Renewable Fuel Standard renewable volume obligations (RVOs). The rulemaking also alters the RFS to limit the participation of imported fuels and feedstocks, eliminates electricity from the program, and reduces the 2025 cellulosic RVO. The EPA is proposing to set the total 2026 RVO at 24.02 billion renewable identification numbers (RINs), a nearly 8% increase when compared to the 2025 RVO. The proposed 2027 RVO is 24.46 billion RINs, up nearly 2% when compared to the previous year. The proposed 2026 RVO of 24.02 billion RINs includes targets of 1.3 billion cellulosic biofuel RINs, 7.12 billion biobased diesel RINs, and 9.02 billion advanced biofuel RINs. The agency has proposed to now specify the biobased diesel target in RINs, projecting that 5.61 billion gallons of biobased diesel would be needed to comply with the 2026 RVOs. RFA’s Geoff Cooper:

“The volumes proposed today provide crucial growth opportunities for U.S. ethanol producers and farmers, while boosting the supply of lower-cost, American-made energy.”

No word on action related to small refinery exemptions which has been a bone of contention on the proposal. Earlier in the week, a coalition of small refiners urged EPA ensure the continued longevity of small and independent refineries – vital engines for rural jobs and economies – by setting reasonable Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and beyond.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Occidental CEO Addresses DC Economic Club – The Economic Club of Washington DC holds a discussion with Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental today at noon. 

C3, IER Unpack Climate Change "Superfund" Legislation – The Institute for Energy Research and C3 Solutions hold a webinar tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. for a discussion on the Climate Superfund Acts and what has been deemed an illegal, unconstitutional cash grab. Our friend Tom Pyle moderates the discussion of NY’s Climate Change Superfund law, requiring major fossil fuel producers to pay $3 billion annually into a climate response fund over the next 25 years.

Forum to Look at Low-Carbon Ammonia Future – Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., the International Fertilizer Association and RMI will hold a forum to discuss the role of investment in unlocking the global opportunities of low-carbon ammonia. Experts will share insights on market trends, capital flows and how project finance is shaping the future of low-carbon ammonia as a cornerstone of the net-zero transition.

Brookings Focuses on Disaster Prevention – Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., Brookings Metro and Economic Architecture will host a virtual event with leaders working at the intersection of housing, climate resilience, and equitable development. Attendees will learn about new research on disaster-related risks and how market-based innovations can help communities move from merely surviving to thriving. This event is the first in a series on safe, healthy, and resilient homes, which will feature innovators working across the U.S. to address problems of historic proportions caused by extreme weather events and other disasters.

ACP Talks AI – In its PowerTalks Series, ACP will hold a forum tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. to explore the high-stakes relationship between national security and the growing energy demands of AI, data centers, and the urgent need for energy solutions. AI and cybersecurity experts, Helen Toner and Harry Krejsa, will join ACP CEO Jason Grumet to analyze why clean energy must play a key role in powering AI as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy while ensuring a safer America.

Forum Looks at Beating the Heat – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Federation of American Scientists hold a briefing tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. about how federal policies can bolster resilience to extreme heat at the state and community level. Communities are experiencing hotter, more frequent, and more prolonged periods of record-breaking heat. This briefing will highlight the Federation of American Scientists’ 2025 Heat Policy Agenda, which outlines policy considerations for Congress and the Administration to prevent infrastructure damage, economic impacts, and loss of life from heat. Speakers will describe opportunities to safeguard critical infrastructure such as our energy systems, improve productivity, and improve federal and subnational coordination on heat preparedness, management, and resilience. Speakers include Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Reps. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), among others.

Wright to Headline Energy Forum – The 9th Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum will be held tomorrow and Wednesday in Washington, DC with a Keynote address by Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Other speakers include Sens Cassidy, Coons and Hickenlooper, Gov Dunleavy, United Arab Emirates Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Sen. John Hickenlooper and Dep Sect of the Treasury Michael Faulkner.  Several of our friends take the stage as well, including ClearPath’s Jeremy Harrell, DOE’s Alex Fitzsimmons, former Trump energy officials Dave Banks, Frank Fannon and Mike Catanzaro, Robert Fee of Chenier, ExxonMobil’s Sasha Mackler, USEA’s Mark Menezes, GE Vernova’s Roger Martella, FT energy editor Jamie Smyth and many more. The event’s focus on collaboration, competition and security in this new era of leadership shaping the future of the global energy system.

Forum Looks at Energy Efficiency – The Alliance to Save Energy holds its first Virtual Summer Policy Series 2025 event on the role of energy efficiency in an all-the-above energy future.  The event will focus on Energy efficiency as the foundation for reducing demand and emissions across all fuels—gas, electricity, and renewables—helping the energy system transition cost-effectively. AGA’s Morgan Hoy and EEI’s Adam Cooper are among the speakers.

Chamber Hosts Innovation Summit – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host its 2025 Business Delivers Innovation Summit on Wednesday at its headquarters in Washington, DC. This event convenes corporate sustainability leaders, government officials, nonprofits, academics, and innovators to highlight the leadership of businesses in deploying innovative, resource-efficient technologies and practices that bolster economic growth, share best-in-class strategies, and identify effective policies.

Senate Energy Hosts Wright on Budget – The Senate Energy Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at the president's proposed budget request for FY2026 for the Energy Department. Secretary Wright testifies.

Forum Looks at Electric Transit Fleets – The Electrification Coalition holds a webinar on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. discussing how to take advantage of the recently announced $1.5 billion in funding made available through the Federal Transit Administration's Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program! To learn more about this grant program, read the EC's Top 10 Takeaways. During this webinar, experts from the EC and guest speakers will provide attendees with an overview of the program, including changes that have been made since the last funding round, practical guidance on the application process, and insights into the experiences of prior awardees.

Forum Looks at Flood Risk Prep – The American Association for the Advancement of Science's Evidence in Public Issues Center holds a virtual briefing on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. on planning for safety with land use decisions shape flood risk. A panel of experts will discuss strategic land use planning and preparedness approaches to mitigating risks. These experts will share information, tools and practical experience working with communities to mitigate risks from flooding.

EFI Forum Looks at Geologic Hydrogen – EFI Foundation holds a webinar on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. exploring the future of geologic hydrogen, defining the path ahead. EFIF hosted technical experts, geologic hydrogen companies, and policymakers to explore the future of geologic hydrogen during a workshop this spring. To continue these discussions, we're hosting a public webinar to share key findings as outlined in a forthcoming report on the future of geologic hydrogen.

Juneteenth National Holiday – Thursday is Juneteenth. The holiday's name, first used in the 1890s, refers to June 19, 1865, the day when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War. Granger arrived on the island of Galveston to take command of the more than 2,000 federal troops recently landed in Texas to enforce the emancipation of its enslaved population and oversee Reconstruction, nullifying all laws passed within Texas during the war by Confederate lawmakers. The order informed all Texans that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all enslaved people were free.

IN THE FUTURE

G7 Summit Set for Canada – The G7 meets today and tomorrow in the resort town of Kananaskis, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies. The Group of Seven comprises Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. The European Union also attends as well as other heads of state who are not part of the G7.  Tariffs and energy will be items on the agenda.

Forum to Looks at AI Impacts – The Newsweek AI Impact Summit takes place June 23rd to 25th in Sonoma, California. The Summit features — from tech innovators to C-suite executives, policymakers to ethicists — to share insights on how organizations can most effectively harness the power of AI to achieve their goals. Through curated panel discussions, we explore best practices in AI implementation, addressing challenges like ethical deployment, workforce adaptation, and regulatory compliance.

Daily Caller Holds Energy Forum – Daily Caller Live holds a forum on Tuesday, June 24th at 8:30 a.m. on the future of American energy on the Riggs Rooftop.  The event will feature bold ideas and fresh perspectives from a range of speakers, featuring voices from across the spectrum.  The event will also be streamed live for a national audience. ClearPath’s Jeremy Harrell is among the speakers.

IEA Head Talks Critical Minerals, Energy – The CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program holds a conversation on Tuesday June 24th at 9:30 a.m. with Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Birol will address the IEA’s recent work on energy and AI, trade and geopolitics, critical minerals, and energy security. Following the Birol conversation, Leslie Abrahams, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow with the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program, and Meredith Schwartz, Research Associate in the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program, will moderate a panel discussion.

USEA Focused on CCS Pathways – The US Energy Assn holds a forum at SIEW Connect on Tuesday June 24th at 11:00 a.m. to examine how emerging technologies can strengthen and transform our energy systems while ensuring reliability and resilience in tomorrow's integrated energy landscape. This panel brings together industry and technology pioneers to explore the latest developments in artificial intelligence, natural gas optimization and hydrogen technologies. Our speakers will share insights on scaling these technologies, overcoming deployment challenges in hydrogen infrastructure and fostering international collaboration to accelerate adoption.

RFF Looks at 2025 Policy Progress – Following the launch in April of If/Then, a new endeavor by Resources for the Future (RFF) to analyze emerging Trump administration, congressional, and major state policy actions, the nonpartisan group is hosting a webinar on Tuesday June 24th at 2:00 p.m. During this webinar, Anna Kramer, NOTUS Energy and Environmental Policy reporter, will moderate a roundtable discussion between RFF scholars Kevin Rennert, Alan Krupnick, and Carlos Martín covering the analysis published to date and forecast upcoming issues related to emissions, natural disasters, markets, and more.

Hydrogen Technology Expo Set for Houston – The Hydrogen Technology Expo North America is set for the NRG Center in Houston, Texas on Wednesday June 25 and Thursday June 26th. The event focuses on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and brings together the entire hydrogen value chain to discuss advancements in production, storage and distribution.  FCHEA’s Frank Wolak will speak on a panel.

NERO Hosts 50th Anniversary Dinner, Honors Capito – NERO hosts Its annual dinner and 50th Anniversary Celebration on Wednesday June 25th starting at 5:30 p.m. at the National Building Museum for our Annual Dinner. WV Sen. Shelley Moore Capito will receive NERO’s Distinguished Service Award.

July 4th HOLIDAY – District Work Period July 2 - July 10

Book Forum TALKS Energy Insecurity – The Columbia Center for Global Energy Policy and Resources for the Future (RFF) hold a forum in Washington on Monday July 7th at 6:00 p.m. for a conversation with Powerless author and Co-Director of the CGEP Energy Opportunity Lab Diana Hernández and Founding Director Jason Bordoff on the hidden crisis of energy insecurity in America. The event will explore the book's key findings and bold policy solutions to ensure affordable, safe energy for all. Opening remarks by RFF's Carlos Martín.

RNG, SAF Summit Set for Houston – Infocast’s RNG and SAF Capital Markets Summit will be held on July 16th and 17th in Houston.  The event will feature equity investors, debt providers, developers, and key market players across RNG and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). These industry leaders will provide strategies to successfully navigate the challenges facing these projects, and fund industry growth.

USEA Hosts Advanced Technology Showcase – The US Energy Assn holds its Advanced Energy Technology Showcase and Policy Forum on July 17th at the Ronald Reagan Trade Center. The event will explore the exciting evolution of cutting-edge energy technologies. This engaging event will illuminate their journey from discovery to deployment, showcasing how smart public and private investments are accelerating innovation.