Energy Update: Week of March 10th

Friends,

Welcome to CERA Week!!  We are a little earlier than usual update today because we are super busy at here in Houston. Secretary Wright speaks this morning at 8:40 a.m. (CT). Secretary Burgum on Wednesday and EPA head Lee Zeldin on Thursday.  Lots of evening events and other receptions happening all week. Later today on the Agora Stage, ACP, the Chamber and API release an S&P Global Commodity Insights study that shows electricity demand in the US is projected to surge by an unprecedented amount over the coming decade. More on this later today. See the full schedule HERE. Finally, tomorrow EIA issues its Short-Term Energy Outlook report, providing a forecast of energy supply, demand, and prices During a very busy energy week.

Friday is government funding deadline.  We expect a seven-month continuing resolution for the remainder of the fiscal year. Initially, it would provide a slight boost to defense spending while making a moderate cut to non-defense programs.

Not much other action in the hearing arena, but several mark ups, including a Senate Energy markup filled with critical mineral legislation on Wednesday.  House Energy Looks at Brownfield policy and House Transportation focuses on water issues in hearings tomorrow.

BRT CEOs are in town this week; President Trump speaks to them tomorrow and energy is on their agenda. Other events include NRC’s 37th annual Regulatory Information Conference tomorrow to Thursday looking at charting the next 50 years of nuclear, a Wednesday BCSE forum on AI and Energy and a Thursday BCSE Tax Summit at Bracewell featuring both Congressional and Administration officials. 

And remember to look at the new S&P Study late last week on that showed massive economic and environmental benefits of U.S. LNG exports, as well as the enormous consumer benefits of building natural gas pipelines to serve Northeast states. The report, supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is the second phase of a comprehensive modeling study that provided an independent, objective view of the impact of US LNG exports on the American economy.

As we get through CERA week, this is a great time to remind you we are only a few weeks away from the 3rd annual SAFE Summit on April 1st and 2nd.  Speakers include National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Hyundai CEO José Muñoz, Schneider Electric’s Aamir Paul, ACP’s Jason Grumet and many more so REGISTER HERE. 

March Madness is upon us…start thinking about how you are going to fill in those brackets for the NCAA hoops tournaments. Selections shows next weekend. And don’t forget ice hockey: Women’s Frozen Four starts Thursday and it looks like another collision course for Wisconsin and Ohio State. Men’s Frozen Four Selections show is also Sunday.

Hope to see you in Houston…Call with questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932                                                                                                                            

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“It’s a time of upheaval. We’re in the currents.”

Former Dan Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global, to Ben Lefebvre for a preview story on 2025 CERA Week.

“We’ve got millions of New England residents paying exceedingly high electricity and heating prices. The pipelines to bring the gas from Pennsylvania, a short distance, into those communities can lower their heating costs, lower their electricity costs, get more businesses and job opportunities booming in New England.”

Wright told Fox News after he and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG export facility in Louisiana last Thursday. It also is one of key findings of S&P Globa’s study release that same day.

ON THE PODCAST

CERAWeek Leaders Preview Agenda, Policy Discussions – With CERAWeek starting today, Ken Downey, Executive Director of Innovation Agora, and Naki Mendoza, Director of CERAWeek Programs, join the Energy Evolution podcast to preview what’s ahead this week. They discuss key topics shaping this year’s conference, including Geopolitics: An  evolving global landscape of new governments and policymakers; Supply Chains: Challenges and opportunities in securing energy resources; AI in Energy: How artificial intelligence is transforming the industry; Metals & Mining: The industry's growing role in the energy transition; and Energy Innovation: Showcasing the ecosystem and the interplay between academia and industry.

Podcast Chats Methane With API Experts – API's Aaron Padilla and Ryan Steadley joined a recent episode of "Methane Talks," a podcast hosted by the Industrial Decarbonization Network, to discuss the changing methane regulatory landscape and the need for regulatory balance and certainty for the industry.

FUN OPINIONS

We Need More Clean Energy to Meet Demand – In an article in RealClearEnergy, Nick Loris discusses how the collapse of Olaf Scholz’s coalition and the rise of right-wing parties in Germany signal a rejection of the Energiewende (energy transition) and a shift toward pragmatic energy policies. He critiques Germany’s aggressive push to phase out nuclear power and expand renewables, noting the disastrous outcomes, such as skyrocketing energy costs, the loss of manufacturing jobs, and increased reliance on Russian energy. Loris argues that the U.S. could face similar consequences if it doesn’t reform its outdated regulatory process, pointing out how bureaucratic delays have stalled crucial energy projects.

FROG BLOG

Yale Experts: Congress Can Review California Waiver – In a blog post in Yale Journal on Regulation, regulatory experts Michael Buschbacher and Jimmy Conde write Congress has the authority to review EPA “waivers” of Clean Air Act preemption.

FUN FACTS

US Brands Dropping In Consumer Sentiment: New Morning Consult data is showing a significant decline in consumer sentiment toward U.S. brands in key international markets—including Canada, China, and Mexico—as a result of escalating tariff policies and geopolitical tensions. Change in net purchasing consideration for top 20 brands by reputational exposure to U.S.-Canada Trade Tensions

IN THE NEWS

Burgum: Offshore Wind Review Will Take Project Status Into Consideration – US interior Secretary Doug Burgum said projects actively under development will receive different treatment versus those that have merely been proposed. While President Donald Trump indefinitely halted the sale of new offshore wind leases, he had raised the specter of outright cancellations for existing ones. Turn Forward’s Hillary Bright said:

“Right now, the one thing the US offshore wind industry needs above all is greater certainty. We hope that Secretary Burgum’s comments indicate that greater detail about this review process is soon forthcoming. Offshore wind stands to play a pivotal role in supporting the Administration’s energy dominance agenda by creating new US jobs, addressing soaring electricity demand, and powering millions of homes. We should advance as many of these multibillion-dollar projects as possible.”

Report Shows Clean Energy Surge in 2024 – ACP released its Snapshot of Clean Power in 2024, a preview of the upcoming full Clean Power Annual Market Report that shows a dominant year for clean energy in 2024. The data from ACP demonstrates an industry entering a new chapter with incredible momentum. The clean energy industry shattered records in 2024, deploying an unprecedented 49 GW of capacity—a remarkable 33% increase over the previous record of 37 GW set in 2023. This dramatic acceleration reflects the industry’s extraordinary momentum: after taking more than 40 years to build the first 200 GW of utility-scale clean power capacity, it took just three years to build an additional 100 GW (2022-2024). With total clean energy capacity now reaching 313 GW connected to the U.S. grid, these installations are delivering reliable power to millions of American homes and businesses nationwide. Key Highlights:  

  • New Capacity: 93% of new energy capacity that came online in 2024 was clean energy — exceeding the previous five-year average of 75%. 
  • Utility-Scale Solar: More than 33 GW of solar capacity was deployed in 2024.  
  • Utility-Scale Energy Storage: More than 11 GW of energy storage was deployed in 2024. 
  • Strong Wind Pipeline: Including both offshore and onshore wind, the overall wind pipeline is 40 GW, with 20 GW under construction.  
  • Manufacturing Growth: 46 U.S. primary component manufacturing projects across the utility-scale wind, solar, and storage supply chains came online in 2024. 
  • Red States Lead the Way: Red states saw some of the fastest growth in clean power capacity 2024, with Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky increasing operational capacity by more than 200% year-over-year. 

Major New S&P Global/Chamber Study Highlights Significant Benefits of LNG  – A major new study released by Dan Yergin’s the world-leading energy analytics team at S&P Global showed massive economic and environmental benefits of U.S. LNG exports, as well as the enormous consumer benefits of building natural gas pipelines to serve Northeast states. 

The report, supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is the second phase of a comprehensive modeling study that provided an independent, objective view of the impact of U.S. liquid natural gas exports on the American economy. 

“This report should end any debate: U.S. LNG exports are indisputably in America’s public interest,” said Marty Durbin, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber’s Global Energy Institute. “As the Trump Administration resumes review of export license applications, S&P Global’s modeling provides a more comprehensive and accurate picture than the flawed assumptions used by the previous Administration to justify its halt on export approvals.” 

The full detailed study is available on S&P Global’s website here, the Chamber’s press release and fact sheet are here and here, and an interactive dashboard displaying state level economic data is available here.

Oil Dips But Nat Gas Remains Strong – While the slowdown in U.S. oil production continues, rallying natural gas prices are setting the stage for a rebound in America’s gas output this year. Slowing natural gas production last year, fast-depleting inventories during the coldest winter in years, and record-high flows to LNG facilities and LNG exports have pushed the benchmark U.S. natural gas prices above the $4 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) level, up by 160% in one year. U.S. gas producers, which curbed some output last year when prices were below $2 per MMBtu, are now adding gas rigs and boosting output as the price has more than doubled to $4.26 per MMBtu this week. Unlike in oil, where the prospects of strong growth are being dampened by WTI Crude prices falling below $70 per barrel and major uncertainties in international prices and politics, natural gas output appears to be prime for growth this year. At the start of the winter heating season in November, U.S. natural gas inventories were higher than average for the time of the year as America entered the season with stocks at their highest level since 2016.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

CERA Week – The Energy Week of all weeks, CERA Week, will be held this week in Houston.  Both Secretary Wright, kicked off the event this morning, and Secretary Burgum lead the array of speakers.  Lots of good side events as well, including joint industry trades event tonight, Semafor Net Zero event, EPRI forum on Energy Demand, API’s Women in Energy event and a great reception hosted by our friend Steve Power.  We will see you at the Starbucks in the Frank Maisano CERA “Office.”

National League of Cities Heads to DC – The National League of Cities’ 2025 Congressional City Conference starts today and runs through Wednesday. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin addresses the group this morning and VP JD Vance speak this afternoon.

NRC Holds Reg Conference – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission holds its 37th annual Regulatory Information Conference tomorrow to Thursday, looking at charting the next 50 years of nuclear.  Speakers tomorrow include NRC Chairman David Wright, Senate Environment Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito and NRC Commissioners Annie Caputo and Christopher Hanson.

House Transpo Looks at Water Infrastructure – The House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on water infrastructure financing.  The focus will be on the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

CSIS Looks at Water in Middle East – The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a virtual discussion tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on overcoming the politics of water in the Middle East. At this event, our speakers will explore the politics that have exacerbated water insecurity and put forward practical, politically feasible pathways forward. We will also hear updates on the effects of recent political events and aid cuts to some of the region's most vulnerable cases.

House Energy Looks at Brownfields – The House Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:15 a.m. on maximizing opportunities for redeveloping Brownfields sites and assessing the potential for new American innovation.

BCSE to Discuss AI in Forum – On Wednesday, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) will hold a roundtable discussion on what is needed next to boost energy supply and strengthen the grid. The event will look at the state of AI technology with AI experts and industry leaders – including key topics such as grid optimization and congestion solutions, data centers and industrial energy generators, utility partnerships and accelerating innovation.

Forum Looks at PJM Issues – Advanced Energy United holds an expert panel on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. on efforts to modernize PJM’s processes and accelerate the interconnection of advanced energy resources, for a deep dive into the path forward for PJM. Our friend Rob Gramlich is among the expert panelists.

CSIS Looks at US Japan Energy – The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a discussion on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. looking at the U.S.-Japan clean energy cooperation.

Conservative Legal Group Looks at Climate Superfund Laws, Environmental Justice – On Wednesday at Noon, the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies holds a discussion on State 'Climate Superfund' Laws like the ones approved by New York and Vermont looking at legal issues. Then Thursday, they will hold a virtual discussion at 1:30 p.m. on environmental justice issues.

Tax Summit Set at Bracewell – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) will hold a tax summit in partnership with Bracewell on Thursday.  The discussion will be a deep dive into the major energy and non-energy tax issues that could be part of a broader tax package negotiation in the 119th Congress.

EESI Holds Congressional Camp won Surface Transportation – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute holds a "Congressional Climate Camp" briefing on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. on the process and path forward for a Bipartisan Surface Transportation bill. Panelists will describe the transportation bill’s history, including bipartisan cooperation, climate-related provisions, and external stakeholder engagement. Looking ahead, the briefing will explain the general timeline for the reauthorization, the bill’s jurisdiction, and key issues across bill titles. The briefing will also share on-the-ground climate success stories from the most recent reauthorization—the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

IN THE FUTURE

Forum Looks at Decentralizing Climate Action – The Security and Sustainability Forum, and the Environmental and Energy Management Institute at George Washington University hold a webinar on Tuesday March 18th at 1:15 p.m. with Alastair Marke, Director-General of the Blockchain & Climate Institute (BCI). Marke is a global authority on climate finance and emerging technologies. He will share insights on how blockchain is effective in reshaping climate governance and financing, from local resilience initiatives to international policy frameworks.

CleanTech PR Advocates Talks Comms – On Thursday March 20th at 1:00 p.m., Heatmap Labs and FischTank PR will hold an expert discussion on navigating corporate communications in today’s complex energy landscape. The panel of industry leaders will explore how companies can effectively manage messaging around policy shifts and media relations during periods of market uncertainty. We’ll examine best practices for investor and stakeholder communications and industry-specific considerations for growth-stage climate tech companies.

Plastic Recyclers Head to DC for Conference – The Plastics Recycling Conference will take place March 24th to 26th at National Harbor, Maryland. The event brings together over 2,600 industry leaders to discuss the latest advancements in plastics recycling. This year’s agenda features sessions on market trends, innovations in sorting and processing technology, and policy developments shaping the industry. Speakers include executives from major brands, policymakers, and sustainability experts tackling challenges like integrating recycled content, scaling advanced recycling, and regulatory and legislative shifts. For the first time, the event will also host a concurrent Textile Recovery Summit, focusing on the intersection of plastics and textile recycling, with discussions on circularity, material innovation, and infrastructure development. This expanded programming highlights the evolving landscape of materials recovery and offers attendees a broader perspective on sustainable solutions.

Industries Talk Energy Demand Challenges – ACP is hosting a new PowerTalks program to bring together influential business leaders, policymakers, investors, and experts for dynamic discussions on critical energy issues—what’s happening now and what’s next. On Tuesday March 25th at 8:30 a.m., leaders from the American Clean Power Association, the American Petroleum Institute, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will hold the inaugural PowerTalk livestream, which will focus on the energy industry's all-of-the-above strategy.

RMI Looks at Transmission – RMI holds a webinar on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., looking at high voltage, high reward transmission. As renewed interest in large-scale transmission investment grows, so do concerns about rising energy costs and whether these investments truly pay off for ratepayers. Hear from Tyler Farrell and Celia Tandon as they discuss our recent report, High Voltage, High Reward Transmission, on their findings and why they matter for future grid reliability and affordability.

Murkowski Headlines Hydropower Week – The National  Hydropower Assn holds Water Power Week on March 31st to April 2nd at the Capital Hilton in DC.  Sen. Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Reps Adrian Smith and Suzanne Bonamici and FERC Commissioners David Rosner and Lindsay See all speak.

SAFE Summit Set Focused on Critical Minerals, Energy Security – SAFE holds its 3rd annual SAFE Summit on Tuesday April 1st and 2nd.  Speakers include National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Hyundai CEO José Muñoz, Schneider Electric’s Aamir Paul, ACP’s Jason Grumet and many more. 

EPSA Competitive Power Summit Set – The Electric Power Supply Association holds its Competitive Power Summit on Wednesday April 2nd at the Grand Hyatt Washington.  Speakers include PJM CEO  Manu Asthana, Vistra CEO Jim Burke, Pennsylvania PUC Chair Steve DeFrank, NY ISO Rich Dewey and many more.

Columbia Energy Summit Set – On April 9th, the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA holds the annual Columbia Global Energy Summit on the Columbia University campus. This year’s day-long Summit will address myriad issues at the heart of today’s complex geopolitical, environmental, and economic landscape. Speakers from around the world, including current and former government officials, financial industry executives, CEOs of major companies, leaders of civil society, and experts from academia will offer valuable perspectives on critical challenges facing the global energy and climate community. Speakers include Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte, Microsoft Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa, former European Commissioner for Energy, European Commission Kadri Simson and Rio Tinto head Jakob Stausholm.

RNG Summit Set for Houston – On Tuesday April 22nd to Thursday April 24th at The Woodlands Resort outside of Houston, TX, the RNG COALITION will hold its annual RNG SUMMIT, a series of mid-year policy forums focused on renewable gas leadership, education, advocacy, development and sustainability. Speakers from across North America - including industry stakeholders, federal, state and provincial lawmakers and regulators - will provide real-time updates on legislation and regulation impacting regulated and voluntary RNG markets in the United States, Canada and Europe.