Energy Update: Week of March 17th

Friends,

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!  Hope you had a green weekend.  Last week’s CERAWeek was enlightening if not anything else.  It clearly showed the new direction the Trump administration is setting and how industry is addressing, supporting, and in some cases, challenging it. There was a lot there, especially with the Monday comments from Secretary Wright and Wednesday comments from Secretary Burgum and the whatever happened to the remarks from Zeldin after he dropped a giant mess into the CERAWeek punchbowl with his EPA Regs announcement.

With the passage of the funding bill to keep the government open on Friday, Congress now has cleared the decks to finally really engage on the next budget. Both chambers of Congress will be on recess this week. When senators return on March 24^th, they’ll consider the nominations and the House hopes to have the reconciliation bill on the floor before Easter, which starts April 10^th. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports the administration is weighing removal of “climate resilient farming practices,” but don’t expect farm-state Republicans to take that sitting down. Also this week, Trump meets with oil execs, FERC has an open meeting that will feature discussion of LNG terminal CP2 and a workshop on supply chain risk management reliability standards and WH Deputy National Security Advisor Alexander Wong is confirmed as a keynote speaker for the SAFE summit, which is just two weeks away on April 1-2.

Well it is March Madness.  The brackets are set and the play-in games start tomorrow (for locals AU plays Mt. St. Mary’s to earn the right to play overall #1-seed Duke). Other top seeds include Houston, Auburn and Florida. As for good picks, I love St. John’s #2 Seed in the West, Michigan State is a #2 Seed the South (and is rumored that Tom Izzo may be trying to go out big by winning it all) and the SEC has 14 teams in the tournament. Recent high seeds have seemed to stumble this year: North Carolina was literally the last team in the tourney, two-time defending champ UConn is an 8-seed as is perennial western power Gonzaga, UCLA and Kansas are #7s, Purdue is a #4. 

Sleepers to watch: Oregon is positioned to make a strong run, as is Clemson who made a strong run to the final four last year. UC-San Diego enters as the hottest team in the nation, winning 15 straight; High Point is also on a hot streak and can run with any team in the nation; Finally, Drake has 30 wins and can make a serious run at Missouri. For a first round upset, watch McNeese St, who takes on Clemson, Drake-Missouri, Liberty-Oregon and UCSD-Michigan. Finally, if you want good first-round games, check out the Maryland-Grand Canyon game (UMd has a high-powered offense and GCU has made the tourney for the 3^rd straight year) and Yale-Texas A&M should also be an epic battle (and don’t be surprised if Yale wins).

On the Women’s side, top seeds are USC, UCLA, Texas and defending champ South Carolina. So, Carolina’s only losses this year were to UCLA in November and to UConn and Texas. And UCLA has only lost twice to USC (who they also beat in the Big 10 tournament). Texas won the SEC by knocking out SoCarolina. Watch out for the #2 seeds as well: powerhouse programs UConn, NC State and Duke, along with newcomer TCU.

Top seeds in the Women’s game tend to win: they are 146-1 in the first two rounds and every National Champ has been a top 3 seed. If you want sleepers in the Women’s bracket, look for historical powerhouse programs (who are still really good), including Maryland, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Baylor and LSU.  

Good luck in all your pools. Call with questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932                                                                                             

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“America cannot afford to turn a blind eye to how existing clean energy tax credits are actively helping our Armed Forces, small businesses, and everyday families. I am proud to stand with my colleagues to advocate for an all-of-the-above approach that protects these critical tax credits and spurs innovation.”

Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) to POLITICO’s Josh Siegel and James Bikales for a story on a recent letter from 21 Republicans urging the GOP to preserve clean energy tax credits.  Kiggens’ district has received funding for offshore wind developments, said the funding was important to increase energy security.

ON THE PODCAST

EPSA Hosts NEMA Expert on Electrification Issues – With EPSA’s Power Summit just around the corner, the EPSA Energy Solutions podcast hosted NEMA’s Debra Phillips to share insights on the evolving landscape of electrification, the role of smart technology, and the pressing challenges of supply chains and grid flexibility.

FUN OPINIONS

Zeldin: Setting a New Course – In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin outlined his Wednesday regulatory announcement, saying President Trump’s EPA is keeping people and the environment safe while overhauling rules that stifled our full potential. Zeldin says EPA’s approach is balanced and sustainable as we enter America’s Golden Age. “We are protecting the environment not by shutting down energy production but by making it cleaner and more efficient. We are creating jobs not by government mandate but through policies that advance opportunity and the entrepreneurial spirit that has always driven American prosperity. These common-sense policies preserve our environment and work for all Americans. As we unleash American energy, revitalize domestic manufacturing, cut costs for families, and restore the rule of law, we do so with the firm belief that America’s greatest days lie ahead.”

FROG BLOG

Analyst: EPA’s Zeldin Clears Way for Energy Dominance Agenda – In an analyst note, CapAlpha’s Jim Lucier writes EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin marked the Trump administration’s 50th day in office by releasing a list of 31 major rules the EPA intends to revise or withdraw. The most fundamental of these is the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which is the basis for all subsequent greenhouse gas regulation. However, there are others pertaining to electric power, oil and gas, industrial air emissions, and particulate matter (PM 2.5). The list is bold, but it essentially just confirms what the Trump administration has planned to do all along, which is to clear the way for Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda, the construction of AI data centers, and the expansion of energy-intensive manufacturing industries.

FUN FACTS

NatGas, Solar Continue Roll: Wind and solar energy together produced a record 17% of US electricity last year, overtaking coal for the first time, an Ember review found.

IN THE NEWS

NY Gov Meets with Trump at White House – On Friday, NY Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) met President Trump at the White House to discuss plans for an energy pipeline that would run through New York, among other things. Hochul’s office said she and Trump had a "productive" meeting at the White House while discussing several topics, such as tariffs and energy. Remember, NY blocked the Constitution natural gas pipeline in 2020 over water permits. With significant increased energy demand, the pipeline would be a significant savings for New England.  And I am speculating here, but it seems like any kind of deal, might include improved green lights for NY and other New England States to complete already underway offshore wind projects that will also be significant in addressing the massive increases in demand.

Hillary Bright (hillary@turnforward.org), of the OSW advocacy group Turn Forward will be an excellent resource to address this topic.

On the pipeline, at CERAWeek, it was clear that natgas is playing a major role in addressing energy needs across the globe and in the US.  In fact, just prior to CERAWeek, this potential pipeline opportunity to the NE was the subject of a major new study released by Mr. CERAWeek himself, Dan Yergin and his world-leading energy analytics team at S&P Global. The study focused the economic and environmental benefits of U.S. liquid natural gas (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.

Here are some stats and details worth considering as the President and the Governor meet tomorrow:

• The phase 2 study highlights the economic harm to consumers caused by the lack of natural gas pipelines serving Northeast states. Due to pipeline constraints, Northeast residents pay the highest natural gas prices in the country. During peak winter periods, wholesale natural gas prices in Boston and New York are 166%and 144% higher than the national benchmark. 
• The S&P Global study found that expanding pipeline capability between the Marcellus region and New York and New England would reduce natural gas prices by 27% in Boston and 17% in New York, with peak winter savings even higher.   

A good, relevant quote from US Chamber Energy expert Marty Durbin:

“The Northeast has walled itself off from some of the most affordable energy in the world, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” said Durbin. “Residents in New York and New England are paying the highest energy prices in the country due to the choices of elected officials to stop the kind of pipeline projects that exist almost everywhere else in the country. If built, businesses and families would see immediate and lasting price relief instead of escalating prices that will only get worse.” 

SUMMARY FINDINGS OF S&P GLOBAL LNG IMPACT STUDY

(Phase 1 available here and Phase 2 available here, and here in printable pdf form)

Expanded Pipeline Infrastructure Could Deliver Enormous Consumer Benefits

• Due to pipeline constraints, Northeast U.S. residents must pay the highest natural gas prices in the country. During peak winter periods, wholesale natural gas in Boston and New York prices are 166% and 144% more expensive, respectively, than the national benchmark price.
• Expanding pipeline capacity out of the low-cost Marcellus region in Pennsylvania would save American consumers an average of $5.5 billion annually, totaling to nationwide energy cost reductions of $76 billion through 2040.
• 80 percent of those cost reductions occur in the form of lower prices for industrial and commercial gas consumers, and lower electricity prices for all. Specifically, gas consumers in the industrial and commercial sectors benefit from $22 billion and $12 billion of savings, respectively, during the period, while electricity consumers save $27 billion.
• An additional $15 billion of cost savings will flow to residential gas users, with customers in the Northeast benefiting the most. Natural gas prices in Boston and New York would fall by an average of 27% and 17%, respectively, with peak heating month declines of 30% and 20%. These pipeline-driven price reductions will save residential gas consumers in New England $1,435 through 2040, while New York and New Jersey customers save $813. 

Bipartisan Diesel Emissions Legislation Reintroduced – A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Friday reintroduced a bill to reauthorize EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction program, which pays to upgrade older polluting diesel engines, through 2029. The Senate passed a bipartisan bill — sponsored by now-EPW Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) — to reauthorize the program last year, but the House never took it up. DERA is one of the programs with bipartisan support that was frozen by EPA until late February. The House bill is backed by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Nick Langworthy (R-NY).

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

APRA-E Forum Set – Today through Wednesday at the Gaylord Hotel, DOE’s ARPA-E holds its Energy Innovation Summit, which brings together energy scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, engineers, and industry visionaries who dare to disrupt the status quo. DOE Secretary Chris Wright launches the event with a keynote address.

ACP Forum Looks at All-of-Above Energy – ACP’s PowerTalks holds a timely discussion tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. on how the U.S. can leverage an all-of-the-above energy strategy to build our economy with fast-growing, low-cost, and reliable domestic power. ACP’s Frank Macchiarola, API’s Dustin Meyer and Marty Durbin from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be featured Speakers for the inaugural PowerTalk livestream, which will focus how we use all American energy resources to meet surging energy needs.

Farm State of Union Set – The Farm Foundation holds a forum tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. on the State of the Agriculture Union.

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 tomorrow 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.

Forum Looks at Climate, Energy Careers – The Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs Center on Global Energy Policy holds a discussion on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in NYC.  The event will focus on insights and careers in climate and energy. The event will feature a fireside chat between David Turk, CGEP distinguished visiting fellow and former deputy secretary of the US Department of Energy, and Dr. Carolyn Kissane, associate dean of the NYU Center for Global Affairs and founding director of the NYU SPS Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab, followed by a panel of professionals who have successful energy careers.

FERC Holds Open Meeting, Supply Chain Conference – FERC holds it monthly open meeting on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Venture Global CP2 LNG terminal is on the docket. The Commissions also hosts a workshop on supply chain risk management reliability standards starting at 1:00 p.m. The workshop panels will discuss proposed rulemaking focused on validating the completeness and accuracy of information received from vendors during the procurement process to better inform the identification and assessment of supply chain risks associated with vendors’ software, hardware or services.

Forum Looks at EU Battery Regs – Kumi and Circulor, alongside Charline Daelman, Senior Human Rights Expert at Panasonic, hold a webinar on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to develop a more strategic approach to global supply chain due diligence. This webinar will cover future-proofing compliance strategy, collaboration across the supply chain is critical, how to approach uncertainty and ambiguity and thinking beyond regulatory compliance.  My friend Ellen Carey of Circulor leads the panel.   

Forum Looks at Report on Nuclear in Appalachia -- The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center holds a virtual forum on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. to launch of the report, Atoms for Appalachia: The role of nuclear energy in economic development. In 2024, the Atlantic Council’s Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative hosted Atoms for Appalachia, a series of private workshops in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia, to identify opportunities and address challenges for the deployment of advanced nuclear energy. The workshops, hosted in partnership with the Breakthrough Energy Foundation, galvanized conversations at the federal, state, and local levels to discuss the potential for advanced nuclear energy to play a crucial role in the energy transition and in economic development. This report by Lauren Hughes discusses common throughlines between the state-based discussions and examines the role of advanced nuclear technologies in facilitating clean manufacturing and stimulating local and regional economic opportunities.

CleanTech PR Advocates Talks Comms – On Thursday 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.

IN THE FUTURE

Plastic Recyclers Head to DC for Conference – The Plastics Recycling Conference will take place March 24^th to 26^th 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 25^th 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 March 26^th 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.

ACP Powercast Focused on US Energy Storage – On Thursday March 27^th at 1:00 p.m., analysts from ACP and partner Wood Mackenzie will discuss the latest insights about the U.S. grid-scale energy storage market performance. This presentation will include a deep-dive into the data from the upcoming U.S. Energy Storage Monitor report, which will be released on March 19^th. This report will highlight the energy storage installations in a year review of 2024.

Murkowski Headlines Hydropower Week – The National  Hydropower Assn holds Water Power Week on March 31^st to April 2^nd 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.

EESI Hosts BCSE Factbook Briefing – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) holds a briefing on Tuesday April 1^st at 3:00 p.m. in 2168 Rayburn about the 13^th edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook. The Factbook provides valuable year-over-year data and insights on the U.S. energy transformation, featuring an in-depth look at the energy efficiency, renewable energy, and natural gas sectors, as well as transmission, digitalization, microgrids, offshore wind, hydrogen, and renewable natural gas. This year, the Factbook dives into the growing energy demand driven by data centers and artificial intelligence. It examines trends in clean energy supply chains, growth in domestic manufacturing, and the ways in which permitting and siting impact the deployment of renewable energy. Panelists will speak to key takeaways from the 2025 Factbook and what they mean for industries working in all facets of the energy transition.

SAFE Summit Set Focused on Critical Minerals, Energy Security – SAFE holds its 3^rd annual SAFE Summit on Tuesday April 1^st and 2^nd.  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 2^nd 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.

Trump 100 Days in Focus – On Thursday April 3 at 3:30 p.m., American Clean Power Association hosts an engaging and thought-provoking virtual fireside chat featuring ACP CEO Jason Grumet and Marc Lotter, Communications Director for Trump’s 2020 campaign and former senior advisor to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, during Trump’s first term. In this insightful conversation, Grumet and Lotter, a current morning anchor on NEWSMAX, will explore the start of Trump’s second term and discuss how the Administration’s actions have impacted the national and international political landscape.

Columbia Energy Summit Set – On April 9^th, 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.

MIT CSHub Hosts Executive Roundtable on Resilience – On April 22^nd at 11:00 a.m., the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub will convene an Executive Roundtable to address intensifying natural disasters and a crisis of insurability.  The event brings together a diverse set of stakeholders: industry leaders, policymakers, insurers, researchers, and community advocates. The roundtable will explore how stronger construction—incorporating more resilient building materials, designs, and retrofits—protects homes, lives, and communities while aiding an insurance industry in crisis.

RNG Summit Set for Houston – On Tuesday April 22^nd to Thursday April 24^th 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.