Political Climate

For years, America’s energy debate was largely about transition — what fuels to move away from and what technologies to build next. Now, a different challenge is taking center stage: can the United States produce enough energy to power AI, advanced manufacturing, and economic growth without sacrificing affordability, reliability, or national security? What comes first when the country needs all of them at once? This week, Political Climate sits down with Associate Deputy Secretary of Energy Alex Fitzsimmons to discuss the Trump administration’s energy affordability agenda. He unpacks the strategy to "stabilize, optimize, and grow" the energy system amid the race to add new power capacity and maintain U.S. competitiveness. It’s a wide ranging conversation on everything from power market reforms, to how the DOE is leveraging loans and grants under President Trump, to a new golden age for nuclear, renewable energy economics, and more. We take a closer look at the administration’s energy priorities and why they believe rising energy demand can actually lower prices over time. Plus, Neil draws on his FERC chair experience to provide an early reaction to the Commission's historic June 18 order on tariff rules governing how data centers, manufacturing facilities, and other large energy users interconnect to the transmission system. Political Climate is presented by ClearPath, one of the most influential organizations working to advance American energy innovation while reducing global emissions. Subscribe to catch all of our latest episodes! Please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others find the show. Political Climate is hosted by Julia Pyper, Neil Chatterjee, and Brandon Hurlbut. This episode was produced by Bruno Falcon.

Permitting reform has stalled in Congress for years — but a newly appointed senator with three decades of energy industry experience and nothing to prove politically may be in a position to finally help get it done. Senator Alan Armstrong (R-OK) came to Washington in March with a single priority — meaningful permitting reform — and under a year to achieve it. Both Democrats and Republicans acknowledge that America’s infrastructure approval process is too slow and costly, and yet major reform efforts have repeatedly failed. Could this be the year that changes? On this episode, Sen. Armstrong addresses the policy substance behind the politics, including past sticking points and what a workable path forward might actually look like. He joins hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut, and Neil Chatterjee to discuss NEPA reform and judicial review, the fight over pipelines versus transmission lines, and why fossil fuel and clean energy developers are increasingly aligned on what needs to change. Also this episode, energy investor and strategist Steve McBee on his latest venture: Amped, a new initiative focused on rebuilding the political power of the clean energy industry. Political Climate is presented by ClearPath, a leading conservative clean energy advocacy organization working to accelerate American innovation and reduce global energy emissions. This episode was produced by Bruno Falcon. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Visit www.politicalclimatepodcast.com for more!

What if the fastest, cheapest fix for America’s power grid is hiding in plain sight? On this episode of Political Climate, we dive into grid utilization — and how to unlock the massive untapped potential of a system that operates at just ~50% capacity (as Secretary Wright noted just last month). With Ian Magruder (founder and executive director of the Utilize Coalition) and guest co-host Hillary O’Brien (managing director of clean power at ClearPath) we explore how solutions such as advanced transmission technologies and virtual power plants can unlock hundreds of gigawatts and deliver $100+ billion in savings — plus the policy changes needed to scale them. At a moment of surging demand, is there really a debate between building more or finally using what we already have better? Episode highlights: 1:38 - Roundup: SF Climate Week, cybersecurity & Chinese EVs on TikTok 9:12 - The case for grid utilization 14:47 - Companies to watch in the utilization space 17:18 - The "build" versus "use" debate 25:25 - Speed to power with DOE's $1.9 billion SPARK program 28:38 - Policy action to accelerate grid innovation & VA case study 39:20 - Better grid use transcends political divides Political Climate is presented by ClearPath, one of the most influential organizations working to advance American energy innovation while reducing global emissions. Subscribe to catch all of our latest episodes! And head on over to ⁠politicalclimatepodcast.com⁠ to sign up for our soon returning newsletter.

Now that Congress has passed and President Trump has signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we talk about the final language and what it means for the U.S. energy sector on this episode of Political Climate. We discuss short term implications for solar and wind developers, particularly in light of a new executive order calling for new Treasury rules to strictly enforce the repeal of renewable energy tax credits. We also tackle what the OBBB means for American energy competitiveness on a global scale. Plus, a new Department of Energy report warns that blackouts could increase by 100 times in 2030 if the U.S. continues to close baseload power plants and fails to add additional firm capacity. Is the U.S facing a grid reliability crisis without coal and natural gas plants? We weigh in on the DOE report and the growing mismatch between US electricity supply and demand (for a primer, listen to our previous episode with Asim Haque, VP with grid operator PJM Interconnection).

Dropping in with a quick update that Political Climate is pushing the release of our next full episode to next week. As our listeners know, the Senate is in the process of revising and releasing their version of the reconciliation bill that the House passed a few weeks ago. Senate Finance Committee text dropped Monday evening and there is a lot to unpack. While there are many things we want to talk about that aren’t directly related to the bill, so much of the energy sector is set to be impacted by the big bill that we wanted to take the time to read it — and to bring in a guest or two who can help us unpack what it all means. So, while we don’t have an episode for you this week, we’ll have another one coming soon. Stay tuned!

If you’re tracking the world of budget reconciliation then you know it’s crunch time as House Speaker Mike Johnson works to pass a party-line megabill by Memorial Day. House Republicans have a lot on their plates as they try to make significant spending reductions while extending tax cuts and raising the debt ceiling. The fate of U.S. energy tax credits also hangs in the balance, as debate continues to rage around the GOP’s so-called big, beautiful bill. In this episode of Political Climate, we’re back from a break to discuss the latest developments on the reconciliation package now that the House has released legislative text. Which clean energy policies and programs remain at risk of repeal? Which ones could the Senate step in to save? Plus, we look at how the energy sector is responding to tariffs and how all of this is shaping up to fulfill President Trump’s Energy Dominance agenda. Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and beyond! Follow us on X at @Poli_Climate or find the show on LinkedIn.

As “Political Climate” marks the one-year anniversary of its re-launch, the deluge of energy sector news continues. In today’s episode, the hosts dig into a series of recent and contentious moves from the Environmental Protection Agency—from massive power plant deregulations and an intention to undo the 2009 endangerment finding, to the termination of $20 billion in climate grants. Which of these policies could have the most impact, and where can the hosts find some unexpected common ground? Also in this episode—21 House Republicans have issued a letter calling on leaders to preserve some clean energy tax credits in the upcoming Congressional reconciliation bill; they’ve suggested they might vote against the bill if the credits are repealed. But will they really die on that hill? And later, the hosts assess some of the issues that Trump’s tariffs could inflict on the energy sector. The show wraps up with some reflections on the past year. --- Credits: Hosted by Julia Pyper, Emily Domenech, and Brandon Hurlbut. Produced by Max Savage Levenson. Edited by Anne Bailey. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. The energy industry is transforming - are you staying ahead of the curve? As the premier bipartisan strategic advisory firm, Boundary Stone Partners bridges the gap between technology, policy, and finance to drive real-world impact, empowering clients to shape a more sustainable future. Visit BoundaryStone.com to learn more.

Since President Trump took office on January 20, he has quickly enacted an expansive list of policies with immediate and dramatic impacts on climate and energy. If you feel like you’re struggling to process these rapid-fire actions, you’re not alone. Among other pursuits, the President has vowed to “terminate the Green New Deal” and paused funding for tons of clean energy projects—from offshore wind development to Solar for All and IRA grants. He has signed executive orders designed to maximize fossil fuel extraction and domestic mining, and overseen the launch of an enormous, power-hungry data center called Stargate, which could potentially employ solar as part of its fuel mix. Additionally, Trump instituted a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports, and has threatened to implement additional tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods. (Okay, let’s take a breath.) In today’s episode, the hosts dig into some of these pressing issues, debate their impact on the clean energy sector, and find some common ground on the potential upside of trimming the federal government. This episode wraps up with the rapid-fire segment, the Mark-Up. --- Credits: Hosted by Julia Pyper, Emily Domenech, and Brandon Hurlbut. Produced by Max Savage Levenson. Edited by Anne Bailey. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive editor. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. The energy industry is transforming - are you staying ahead of the curve? As the premier bipartisan strategic advisory firm, Boundary Stone Partners bridges the gap between technology, policy, and finance to drive real-world impact, empowering clients to shape a more sustainable future. Visit BoundaryStone.com to learn more.