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

As America marks its 250th anniversary, one question looms large: What made the United States an energy superpower — and what will determine whether it stays one? This week, Political Climate welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning author and S&P Global Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin for a sweeping conversation across two and a half centuries of American energy history. From the birth of the oil industry and the rise of the automobile to the shale revolution, AI-driven electricity demand, and the race for

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 eff

Electricity prices are rising across America — and governors are scrambling to respond. From California to Pennsylvania to Virginia, states are experimenting with dramatically different approaches to lowering power bills: taking on utility monopolies, freezing rate hikes, reforming electricity markets, accelerating new generation, and pushing data centers to pay their own way. On this episode of Political Climate , we unpack why energy affordability has become one of the hottest political issues

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 tr

Gas prices are spiking as the Iran war disrupts global oil markets — so will this be the moment that finally supercharges EV adoption in the U.S.? This week on Political Climate , we explore how past energy shocks have driven policy shifts aimed at greater energy diversification — and whether history is repeating itself, only with new stakes. Avery Ash, CEO of Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE), joins the show to discuss how geopolitics, consumer behavior, and technological advancements are