Energizing the Special Relationship: The U.S.-UK Power Play

Speaking before a joint session of the United States Congress this week, King Charles III delivered a pointed message: “Our alliance cannot rest on past achievements.” Nowhere is that more true than in energy. The next chapter of the U.S.-UK relationship is being written right now, not in ink, but in megawatts, reactor designs and critical mineral supply chains.

A partnership that is producing results

Last September’s Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy was a watershed moment. Not just another diplomatic communiqué, but a commitment to American energy dominance and British industrial revival. By targeting a reduction in reactor licensing timelines from four years to two, the U.S. and UK are finally removing the regulatory anchors that have held back private capital from nuclear for decades.

U.S. companies have already responded:

Amentum recently won a $406 million contract as Owner’s Engineer for the UK’s first SMR fleet at Wylfa in Wales.
X-energy is partnering with Centrica to deploy advanced modular reactors at Hartlepool, targeting up to 6 GW of new nuclear capacity.
Holtec and EDF UK are advancing to bring SMR-300s to the former Cottam power station in Nottinghamshire.

These projects are more than infrastructure; they are early signals of a deeper alignment. They prove that American energy leadership depends on a simple, relentless operating model. Innovate fast, build here and sell into global markets.

The stakes: Competing with state-owned rivals

Innovation is important, and the U.S. and U.K. are some of the best at it. But ultimately, leadership is measured in what gets built. The nuclear race is a zero-sum game. Since 2000, Russia and China have built 64 reactors just in their own countries, with another 31 either built or under construction around the globe. In the same time, U.S. companies have built seven, and the U.K. has built none. Every reactor sale locks in a strategic relationship for up to a century. If the U.S. and UK don’t lead, Beijing and Moscow will.

China and Russia Are Winning the Global Reactor Race

Source: Internal ClearPath Tracking

China’s massive state subsidies and standardized designs have already made it the partner of choice for many developing nations. That does not mean that we need to out-subsidize China; we can out-innovate. The U.S.-UK partnership offers a credible alternative. Better technology, greater transparency and the backing of the world’s two most mature capital markets, dynamic private sectors and trusted nuclear regulators. That’s a compelling case, but only if American firms can compete on financing and speed, not just technology.

From framework to foundation

The Atlantic Partnership and other complementary efforts like the U.S.-UK Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2026 are strong starts, but frameworks without permanent legal architecture can be unwound. The next logical step is a formal energy security agreement with the U.S.-UK trade framework solidifying energy at its core.

This means three concrete things:

Regulatory reciprocity: The NRC and the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation signed a renewed and expanded MOU in September 2025, targeting reactor design reviews within two years and site licensing within one. The technical groundwork is already laid. What’s missing is the legislative capstone, a formal mutual recognition lane, codified in statute, that makes U.S. and UK reactor designs the democratic world’s default.
Competitive export finance: Congress must reauthorize the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) before its charter expires on December 31, 2026. A formal agreement could allow EXIM and UK Export Finance to pool risk, ensuring American firms can compete on the balance sheet, not just the technology.
A unified fuel cycle: An agreement should formalize a shared HALEU and critical minerals market. Coordinated enrichment capacity and allied procurement preferences build a Fortress Atlantic that locks hostile competitors out for good. An urgent imperative as the U.S. moves to end reliance on Russian-origin enriched uranium.

The messenger and the moment

As King Charles III reminded Congress this week, quoting President Lincoln, “the world may little know what we say but will never forget what we do.” 250 years ago, America declared independence from Britain. Now both nations have the chance to declare something new. Share independence from global energy volatility. That declaration won’t be signed with a quill. It will be built by American companies, in allied markets, locked in by the permanent legal architecture that no future administration can quietly unwind.

Carbon Utilization 101

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a resource to be harnessed, from oil production and agriculture to critical minerals and advanced materials. Carbon is a fundamental building block of modern society. For decades, the United States has used carbon dioxide for energy production through enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Today, American innovators are expanding carbon’s role as a valuable domestic resource by using it to produce fuels, strengthen supply chains and create the materials that underpin our economy.

The market for products utilizing CO₂ is rapidly emerging as a key part of America’s industrial and energy sectors, with global revenue projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2040. As carbon capture and removal technologies scale, increasing the supply of CO₂, new utilization opportunities are emerging across the U.S. economy. Countries like China are investing in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies and advancing demonstration-level projects, positioning themselves to dominate markets for products that rely on CO₂ as a key input. To remain competitive, the U.S. must continue to support innovation and scale carbon utilization technologies at home, leveraging our existing capabilities to compete and lead globally.

Carbon Capture and Utilization

What is Carbon Utilization?

Carbon utilization, also known as carbon use or carbon conversion, refers to the use of captured CO₂ from industrial sources or the atmosphere as a feedstock to produce fuels, materials, chemicals and other valuable commodities. In practice, CO₂ can serve as a building-block ingredient to create new products or as a working fluid in industrial processes that improve efficiency and unlock additional resource recovery. CO₂ can be used across a wide range of applications and sectors, supporting the production of goods that are central to the U.S. economy.

Carbon Utilization in the United States: Projects

Carbon Use Projects in the United States: Announced, In Development, and Operational

Types of Carbon Uses

American Energy Leadership: Enhanced Oil Recovery

Enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide (CO₂-EOR) strengthens domestic oil production, boosting energy security at home and for U.S. allies by reducing reliance on oil from adversarial nations. CO₂-EOR is the most established use of captured CO₂ and a key contributor to domestic oil production, enabling the recovery of 245,000 barrels of oil per day in the U.S. This process injects CO₂ into mature oil fields to boost oil production and extend the life of existing assets, improving resource recovery in a cost-effective manner. During this process, much of the CO₂ remains permanently stored underground, while the rest is recycled in a closed loop to support additional recovery. To make this possible, U.S operators inject approximately 68 million tons of CO₂ annually for CO₂-EOR.

Looking ahead, rising energy demand from reshored manufacturing, AI and data centers, combined with a growing global need for reliable American oil, will require a stable, scalable supply of domestic energy resources. Next-generation CO₂-EOR technologies have the potential to unlock more than 60 billion barrels of additional oil using advanced techniques, including those that could require the injection of larger volumes of CO₂. Ensuring access to a reliable supply of CO₂ will be critical to sustaining and expanding this production, supporting domestic and global energy security.

Critical Mineral Independence

Similar to EOR, where CO₂ can be used to bolster energy security, CO₂ can also be used to extract additional critical minerals from the earth through what is often described as CO₂-based mineral recovery. At ClearPath, we refer to these processes and technologies as Enhanced Mineral Recovery (EMR).

The U.S. remains 100 percent reliant on imports for 13 of the 60 minerals deemed “critical” by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and EMR technologies could support domestic critical mineral production and strengthen U.S. supply chains.

EMR encompasses a range of technologies that use advanced techniques to retrieve more minerals and unlock previously inaccessible resources. These approaches can be deployed both underground (in-situ) and above ground (ex-situ) and are beginning to receive early-stage support from the Department of Energy (DOE) through programs such as ARPA-E’s MINER program.

In in-situ applications, compressed CO₂, typically dissolved in water, is injected into deep rock layers where critical minerals are found. The CO₂ then reacts with the minerals in the rocks to break them down and release the target minerals. While the CO₂ is permanently stored underground, the leached minerals are pumped back to the surface, giving us access to additional critical minerals that were once locked underground.

In ex-situ applications, CO₂ accelerates chemical reactions that extract valuable minerals or convert materials from industrial byproducts like mine tailings or steel slag into stable compounds in processing facilities, improving recovery rates. For example, CO₂ can enhance the recovery of phosphoric acid, a key input for fertilizers, from phosphate, which was recently designated a U.S. critical mineral.

Agriculture Innovation

By 2050, the world will need up to 60% more food to support a growing global population, making agricultural productivity and innovation more important than ever. Agricultural innovators are leveraging captured CO₂ to support controlled growing environments and develop fertilizers and other inputs that increase crop yields, improve efficiency and create new revenue opportunities.

For decades, farmers have used supplemental CO₂ in greenhouses to enhance plant growth, significantly increasing plant yields. For example, by increasing CO₂ levels in highly-controlled environments like greenhouses, traditionally via compressed CO₂ tanks or CO₂ generators, farmers can increase crop yields by 40-100%. In addition, CO₂ can be converted into chemicals for different soil amendments that provide a wide array of agricultural benefits. Specifically, CO₂ is used to produce urea fertilizer, which improves soil health and nutrient retention. By utilizing CO₂, farmers can strengthen the agriculture sector, enhance food security and position the United States as a global leader in agricultural innovation.

Building with Carbon

In the manufacturing sector, CO₂can be used to produce stronger, more durable materials like concrete and other industrial products, without sacrificing quality or affordability. Captured CO₂ can be injected into fresh concrete, mineralized to form stable materials and permanently store the CO₂, or used as a feedstock for other industrial materials. Because many of these technologies can be integrated into existing cement production facilities, they offer a pathway to rapid, scalable deployment across the construction sector.

Expanding CO₂ utilization in cement and concrete can help strengthen domestic supply chains to meet growing global demand. Similarly, using CO₂ as a feedstock for plastics, which exist all throughout our supply chains, can help domestic plastic production remain stable, particularly when petrochemical feedstocks are less secure. Utilizing CO₂ as a feedstock creates more resilient supply chains for products we rely on, while also enhancing U.S. manufacturing competitiveness by improving product performance and enabling American-made materials to compete globally against higher-emission producers like China.

Carbon Fueling America

Captured CO₂ can be used as a key ingredient to produce synthetic fuels and chemicals, creating new pathways to supply reliable, domestically produced energy. Innovators can convert CO₂ into liquid fuels by combining it with hydrogen or using electricity. These processes can produce sustainable aviation fuel, methanol, synthetic diesel and other fuels compatible with today’s engines and infrastructure.

Beyond commercial markets, CO₂-derived fuels present a strategic opportunity for national defense. Synthetic fuels can be produced on demand in remote or high-risk environments, minimizing the risks associated with transporting fuel into contested areas and enabling greater operational flexibility for the U.S. military. The Department of War (DOW), through the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), has supported research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of these technologies. For example, companies have partnered with the DOW to explore and demonstrate the application of these fuel technologies across military operations.

By leveraging CO₂ as a feedstock for fuel production, the U.S. can diversify its energy supply, keep production at home and strengthen our national security.

Benefits of Carbon Utilization

Carbon utilization transforms captured emissions into valuable products, unlocking new market opportunities while strengthening American energy, manufacturing and technology leadership:

Market Opportunities for American Innovators – Today, roughly 250 million tons of CO₂ are utilized annually, primarily for EOR and to produce fertilizers, but emerging technologies could more than double or triple this demand for reliable CO₂ to 430-840 million tons by 2040 globally. Key markets for growth include construction aggregates and CO₂-cured cement, as well as fuels made from CO₂. American companies are well-positioned to lead in these emerging markets, driving innovation, creating jobs and strengthening U.S. economic competitiveness.
U.S. Energy Security – CO₂-EOR bolsters U.S. energy security by unlocking additional domestic energy resources. American oil reduces allies’ reliance on foreign suppliers, stabilizes global markets and helps meet energy needs at home and abroad. At a time when energy security is increasingly tied to national security, EOR provides a pragmatic pathway to strengthen both.
Clean, Firm Power – Demand for clean, firm power is surging. Natural gas and coal generation paired with carbon capture will play a key role in delivering reliable, affordable, clean energy. Carbon utilization improves the economics of these carbon capture projects by creating additional revenue streams from captured CO₂, particularly where storage is limited. This reduces costs and enhances project viability, supporting the scale-up of dependable, clean power.
Affordable, Reliable and Competitive Products – Products made with captured CO₂ can provide the U.S. with economic and supply chain advantages on a global scale. In some cases, such as building materials, CO₂-based products are already commercially competitive, delivering improved performance and potential cost advantages. The United States is well-positioned to lead in these emerging markets by leveraging captured CO₂ to produce high-value, globally competitive products while strengthening America’s manufacturing base.

Policy Recommendations

Preserve and Maintain Improvements to 45Q: The Section 45Q tax credit provides financial incentives per ton of CO₂ securely utilized or stored. Recent improvements under the Working Families Tax Cuts created parity across utilization, EOR and storage — supporting technologies that turn CO₂ into a valuable commodity. Preserving the improved 45Q tax credit will strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, enhance energy security and reinforce American energy leadership.

Increase the Reliable Supply of CO₂: Access to consistent, high-quality CO₂ is needed to unlock the full potential of carbon utilization technologies. Investing in RD&D of carbon capture and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies will help ensure a scalable, reliable supply of usable CO₂ from a diverse range of sources, including point-source capture, direct air capture and biogenic processes. Legislation supporting innovation, commercialization and deployment of these technologies, such as the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies (CREST) Act of 2023, will accelerate cost reductions, improve efficiency, bring the most competitive technologies to market and enable broader market adoption.

Expand Carbon Utilization RD&D: Targeted federal RD&D is critical to advancing early-stage carbon utilization technologies and unlocking private investment. The Energy Act of 2020 authorized DOE”s Carbon Utilization Program, now housed within the Office of Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy (HGEO), to evaluate novel uses for CO₂ and demonstrate carbon utilization technologies across a range of industrial sectors. Programs like ARPA-E’s MINER initiative support research on using CO₂ to unlock critical minerals, while initiatives such as the Carbon Dioxide Removal Purchase Prize help catalyze technologies that can provide and sustain a reliable, scalable supply of CO₂. DOE could also coordinate with agencies such as the USGS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to advance cross-cutting carbon utilization opportunities across mineral, land and agricultural systems.Expanding these federal efforts will accelerate technology deployment and commercialization, broaden market opportunities and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.

Build CO₂ Pipeline Infrastructure: Expanding the nation’s CO₂ pipeline network is essential to scaling carbon utilization technologies and connecting supply with demand. Projects require access to reliable, affordable CO₂, which depends on a robust and well-connected pipeline system. Legislation supporting CO₂ pipeline safety, R&D and streamlined interstate permitting will modernize regulations, reduce permitting bottlenecks and unlock private investment for CCUS infrastructure. This includes legislation like the PIPES Act of 2025 and the PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025, which would reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), as well as the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act, which supports the development of advanced pipeline technologies and materials. Strengthening this infrastructure will enable more projects to move forward and reinforce U.S. energy and industrial leadership.

10 NRC Rulemakings to Watch

A sweeping modernization effort is now underway at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The agency is advancing dozens of rulemakings touching nearly every aspect of the licensing process: hearings, environmental reviews, fusion, fee recovery, radiation protection, microreactors and more. This moment is not just a burst of regulatory activity. It is the convergence of sustained efforts across multiple timelines driven by years of bipartisan policy, recent executive action and more than a decade of internal NRC Commission and staff modernization activities.

That convergence matters for three reasons. First, it helps explain why the rulemaking docket feels so crowded. Second, much of the current rulemaking reflects the need to be more efficient, effective and predictable. Third, most of these rules have broad, longstanding consensus and have been in process across multiple Congresses and Administrations.

Seen that way, the current moment is about more than regulatory housekeeping. It is a test of whether the United States can translate nearly 10 years of bipartisan legislative and policy momentum into a licensing system capable of enabling predictable deployment timelines and project costs. Many of the rules initiated by one piece of legislation were also affected by subsequent legislation or executive direction. Here are the 10 rules to watch most closely:

Initiated by Federal Legislation

These rulemakings largely establish regulations for new commercial technologies such as advanced reactors, fusion machines and microreactors. A predictable, durable pathway for these technologies is necessary to enable broad deployment.

Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act of 2019 (NEIMA)

1. Risk-Informed, Technology-Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Advanced Reactors (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: The creation of a modern licensing pathway for advanced reactors, 10 CFR Part 53, that can accommodate different technologies, designs and operating models.
Why it matters: The new Part 53 of the NRC’s regulatory code is the opportunity for the NRC to turn risk-informed regulation into a workable path for advanced reactor deployment.
What’s next: The NRC published the final rule in March 2026.

2. Regulatory Framework for Fusion Machines (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: A proposed rule to establish a dedicated licensing approach for fusion machines rather than regulating fusion like fission.
Why it matters: Fission and fission are inherently different technologies, and accordingly require different regulatory frameworks.
What’s next: The NRC published the proposed rule in February 2026. The final rule is expected by the end of 2027.

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA)

3. Implementation of FRA of 2023 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Amendments (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: A proposed rule, resulting from a legislatively directed review of the NRC’s environmental review process to align NRC’s regulations with current NEPA requirements.
Why it matters: The process improvements under the FRA should reduce the review’s timeline and cost by focusing the NRC’s analysis on what falls within the scope of the agency, authorizing the applicant to prepare their own environmental report and only requiring the appropriate level of environmental review.
What’s next: The NRC is expected to publish the proposed rule in late April 2026.

Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024 (ADVANCE)

4. Licensing Requirements for Microreactors and Other Reactors with Comparable Risk Profiles (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: A proposed rule that would modify many parts of NRC regulations to create a new, more flexible regulatory framework with licensing options for microreactors and other smaller, factory-built, low-risk reactors.
Why it matters: Microreactors and similar reactors, whose manufacturing and operating profiles do not fit within the traditional large-reactor licensing process, should have a regulatory framework that ensures safety and provides flexibility for that business model.
What’s next: The NRC is expected to publish the proposed rule in May 2026.

5. Streamlining Contested Adjudications in Licensing Proceedings (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: An effort to restructure the contested hearings process at NRC so legal challenges reach timely resolutions that benefit the public, applicants and other stakeholders.
Why it matters: Contested hearings ensure that major safety and environmental issues are fully considered; process improvements could significantly increase licensing predictability while maintaining the integrity of that process.
What’s next: The NRC published the proposed rule in March 2026. The final rule is expected late 2026.

Initiated by Executive Order 14300

These rulemakings, initiated by EO 14300 signed in May 2025, reflect the administration’s interest in the widespread deployment of new nuclear reactors.

6. Modernizing Reactor Licensing, Safety Oversight, and Siting Practices (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: An umbrella modernization effort to revisit how a multitude of NRC rules and guidance documents interact across the full reactor lifecycle.
Why it matters: A holistic rewrite could matter more than any single rule if it successfully reduces friction or differences between licensing, oversight and siting requirements.
What’s next: The NRC is expected to publish the proposed rule in June 2026.

7. NRC Reviews of Reactor Designs Previously Authorized by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) or Department of War (DOW) (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: An effort to allow the NRC to better leverage safety reviews and operational data from existing DOE or DOW reactor authorization records when licensing through an NRC process.
Why it matters: Leveraging prior technical reviews and operational experience could reduce duplicative review activities and enable commercial applicants to move through the licensing process more efficiently.
What’s next: The NRC published the proposed rule in April 2026. The final rule is expected late 2026.

8. Reforming and Modernizing the NRC’s Radiation Protection Framework (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: A broad reevaluation of the NRC’s radiation protection framework, including the assumptions and standards that shape design and operation requirements for all radiation-related activities required by the NRC.
Why it matters: Because radiation protection underpins many NRC regulatory requirements, this rule could affect the cost, operations and public perception of all activities regulated by the NRC.
What’s next: The NRC is expected to publish the proposed rule in June 2026.

9. A Focused Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: The ACRS is another layer of safety within, but separate from, the NRC staff that reviews reactor license applications and other regulatory activities. A focused ACRS process would reduce the number of routine reviews and concentrate committee attention on novel or safety-significant issues.
Why it matters: Without focusing the ACRS on the most consequential issues related to new reactor licensing, the committee’s expertise and resources would be spread too thin and the committee’s review process could become a procedural bottleneck to new reactor deployment.
What’s next: The NRC is expected to publish the final rule in August 2026.

Initiated Internally by the NRC

The NRC is not just reacting to outside mandates. It is also trying to reshape the broader regulatory framework on its own terms.

10. Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for Licensing of New Nuclear Reactors (NRC Rule Page)

What it is: For any new reactor, a GEIS addresses the recurring environmental issues for all plants and enables the site-specific analysis to focus only on unique issues.
Why it matters: Initiated in 2020, the NRC staff estimate that this would significantly reduce analysis, increase predictability and reduce the costs of environmental reviews by between 20% and 45%, depending on the project.
What’s next: The NRC published the final rule in April 2026.

An Innovation Strategy to Win the Global Energy Race (The Washington Times)

This op-ed was originally published by The Washington Times on April 21, 2026. Click here to read the entire piece.

America’s energy landscape is undergoing a major transformation. Demand is rising from data centers, advanced manufacturing and new domestic industrial activity. At the same time, global competition and geopolitical pressures are intensifying. Countries like China are investing across the full energy and technology landscape, from early-stage research through large-scale deployment, and doing so with a coordinated national strategy. In fact, recent analyses show that China has surpassed the U.S. in total R&D spend.

To compete, the United States will need a more integrated approach to innovation policy. The 119th Congress has an opportunity to strengthen energy and technology leadership by structuring federal policy to treat basic research and applied energy programs as parts of the same innovation system.

De-risking scientific discovery helps keep American inventors ahead, while de-risking commercialization ensures U.S. companies can lead in global markets. Without a strategy that connects these stages, the U.S. risks losing its innovation advantage.

Congress can begin addressing this gap by providing updated guidance and support for key federal research agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Fundamental research programs, particularly within DOE’s Office of Science the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences are essential to maintaining leadership in areas like quantum, artificial intelligence and advanced computing. These investments enable long-term work that is unlikely to be funded by the private sector and provide access to national laboratory infrastructure that no single company could replicate.

Click here to read the full article

Drilling for Dominance: Leveraging American Innovation for Enhanced Geothermal (The Ripon Society)

This op-ed was originally published by The Ripon Society on April 20, 2026. Click here to read the entire piece.

A year into the second Trump administration, energy dominance – global leadership and security through abundant, innovative American energy – has gone from a mantra to a guiding principle. Few technologies are better positioned than geothermal power to deliver on this promise in an era of rising energy demand driven by AI and resurgent American manufacturing.

Clean, reliable, baseload geothermal power has quickly become a favored energy technology on both sides of the aisle. Once limited to rare, naturally occurring reservoirs of hot water or steam, next-generation technologies are dramatically expanding where this resource can be developed by innovative companies. Geothermal has made allies across the spectrum, gaining bipartisan political support in Congress and investment interest from venture capital, big tech and oil majors.

The technology’s rapid maturation reflects cutting-edge American innovation, leveraging technology pioneered during the shale revolution and applying it to previously inaccessible geothermal resources. By adapting techniques like horizontal drilling and hydraulic stimulation, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) engineer a reservoir from scratch. Companies like Fervo Energy have demonstrated how quickly the technology is advancing, having reduced drilling costs by 70 percent since its first wells in 2023.

But in an era of intense partisanship in Washington, the political progress may be even more notable as geothermal’s attributes meet energy priorities across the aisle. Conservatives see a resource that leverages American drilling expertise and provides reliable power. Meanwhile, progressives and climate hawks value its zero-carbon benefits. This convergence of interests has yielded concrete policy outcomes. In 2022, geothermal was included in the clean electricity tax credits enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed by President Biden; in 2025, Republicans preserved geothermal’s eligibility for those same credits in President Trump’s signature Working Families Tax Cuts. The tax policy certainty demonstrated by major bills from both political parties reflects enduring bipartisan support for geothermal. That momentum continues today, as multiple bipartisan geothermal permitting bills have passed through House committees, with additional legislative action expected later this year.

Click here to read the full article

An American Strategy for Global Clean Energy Leadership (The Ripon Society)

This op-ed was originally published by The Ripon Society on April 20, 2026. Click here to read the entire piece.

Energy security is no longer just about how much energy a nation produces at home. While America has rightly focused on deploying energy systems domestically, competitors like China and Russia are working to manipulate and corner global energy markets to their advantage. The world needs more energy to power the industries of the future, and the nation that builds the next generation of energy technologies, finances the infrastructure and secures the supply chains will win in those global markets and wield long-term strategic leverage.

The race for energy dominance has never been more vital than it is today, and America’s strategy to compete globally must meet this moment.

The scale of the opportunity is enormous. In 2025, worldwide energy investment reached roughly $3.3 trillion, including about $2.2 trillion for clean energy technologies and infrastructure. Over the rest of this decade, the world will need to add thousands of gigawatts of new power capacity driven by the expansion of AI, increasing electrification of economies and new industrial production at home and abroad. However, recent ClearPath analysis found that since 2015, China has outpaced the United States nearly ten-to-one in financing global energy projects, establishing itself as the primary partner to key nations.

Strategic clean energy systems will be among the world’s biggest growth markets. The question is whether the U.S. will be the leading solutions provider for that market or continue to watch China dominate.

China’s rise in this market is the result of a multi-decade strategy including massive state subsidies, unfair trading practices, intellectual property theft, poor environmental standards and a relentless focus on scale. China’s share of global manufacturing in six clean energy technologies – solar PV, wind, electric vehicles, batteries, electrolyzers and heat pumps – is around 70 percent. Additionally, China is the top producer of 20 critical minerals and commands a 70 percent market share of global refining capacity for strategic minerals that underpin modern energy technologies.

This competition is also expanding into technologies where the U.S. has an opportunity to seize the lead, if we move with urgency. Nuclear energy is a clear example. Today, China has 35 of the world’s 72 nuclear reactors under construction. Over the past decade, most new reactor construction starts globally have relied on Chinese or Russian designs. For its part, Russia has spent years building influence through reactor exports and long-term nuclear partnerships. That should be a wake-up call. Countries are not just choosing technologies. They are choosing suppliers, financing partners and strategic relationships that can last for generations.

The answer for the U.S. is not to copy or out-subsidize China and Russia. Instead, we should play to our uniquely American strengths and do it with much greater focus. The U.S. still has the best innovation ecosystem in the world. We have deep capital markets, world-class research institutions, top engineering talent and a private sector that can move faster and adapt better than any centrally planned economy. We also have something China does not: a network of allies and partners that want American energy.

That’s why the right strategy for American energy dominance is simple: innovate fast, build here and sell globally.

Click here to read the full article

Geothermal and the Next Era of American Energy

Next-generation geothermal power production just achieved a major milestone: bankable project financing. Years of increasing momentum behind the industry have now translated into the gold standard for private capital: financing for projects based on expected project performance. The upward trend of record federal lease sale revenues, more than $1.5B in private capital raised in the past five years, and an ever-increasing appetite for firm, always-on power are driving tremendous interest across the sector. These developments place the technology on the path to meeting the most ambitious expectations, like those issued by the U.S. Department of Energy, forecasting more than 90 gigawatts of potential generation by 2050. This story of American innovation is alive and well – and only accelerating.

ClearPath joined J.P. Morgan and the Enhanced Geothermal Systems Deployment Coalition (EGS DC) in March to convene policymakers, developers, hyperscalers and legacy oil and gas companies at a pivotal moment for the industry. The takeaway was clear: geothermal is technologically mature–and now policy and capital must keep pace.

Across the discussion, there was broad alignment that geothermal is at an inflection point. The technology is working, and demand is accelerating – particularly from data centers, advanced manufacturing and efforts to bolster American energy security. Oil and gas companies highlight that American drilling expertise is well-equipped to respond to the geothermal revolution, while technology pioneered during the shale revolution and our skilled workforce ensure a strong position as geothermal energy continues to gain steam.

Three challenges came up repeatedly.

First, permitting remains the primary bottleneck. Developers pointed to slow, inconsistent timelines across federal and state processes, particularly on federal lands. While there is strong bipartisan interest in reform, policy has not kept pace with the maturity of the technology. Without faster, more predictable permitting and dedicated revenue sources to process permits, projects will continue to stall before they begin.

Second, grid interconnection is emerging as a parallel constraint. In some cases, geothermal projects can be drilled and developed faster than they can be connected to the grid. Long queue waits and transmission limitations are slowing deployment at exactly the moment when new firm power is most needed. With more than 1,600 MW of new capacity already under contract, this problem will only continue to get worse. This problem is not unique to geothermal, with interconnection queue bottlenecks increasingly becoming a limiting factor in project development, even for existing assets like the nuclear restart at Three Mile Island.

Third, and perhaps most crucial, early-stage risk remains a key factor. While capital is increasingly interested in geothermal, traditional first-of-a-kind skepticism remains. This creates an opportunity for Congress and the Department of Energy to support catalytic, non-dilutive project financing for commercial demonstration projects, finding ways to leverage innovative financing mechanisms to accelerate project deployment. In conjunction, tax credits from the Working Families Tax Cuts Act will offer durable support for geothermal projects that begin construction by 2033. To break through the current valley of death, industry needs stronger risk-sharing mechanisms to support early exploration and first well drilling, whether through public financing tools, insurance structures, or milestone-based support.

At the same time, demand signals are strengthening. Large power buyers are actively looking for clean, firm resources that can meet 24/7 load requirements. Hyperscalers have taken note as both Meta and Google have signed PPAs in recent years. Leading technology companies acknowledge this reality: geothermal is uniquely positioned to meet that need, offering reliability and scalability in a way that complements intermittent generation. What is perhaps most notable is how the narrative around geothermal has shifted, even in just the past few years, as technologies like enhanced geothermal moved from theoretical to advancing steel in the ground. While geothermal offers a zero-emissions source of energy, it is also being framed as a core energy security and competitiveness issue – and a bipartisan one at that.

As power demand rises and global competition intensifies, the ability to deploy reliable, domestic energy at scale is becoming a strategic advantage. American entrepreneurs are ready to answer the call. Now, there is a window of opportunity for Congress to do its part. With targeted action on permitting, interconnection, and early-stage financing, the United States can fully maximize this window to usher in a global geothermal era.

DOE Lights the SPARK for Getting More Out of Our Grid

America’s electric grid is often described as the “world’s largest machine”, yet it is not operating at its full potential. However, new technologies can optimize the performance of the existing grid, creating the opportunity to deliver more power, more efficiently, using assets already in the ground. Letting American energy move with new and optimized existing transmission lines will support our growing economy, enhance grid reliability and bring affordable energy to consumers.

A new class of solutions known as Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs) can unlock that untapped potential. ATTs can optimize the performance of the existing grid by increasing capacity, improving efficiency and enhancing reliability. Broadly, ATTs represent four technologies: High Performance Conductors; Dynamic Line ratings; Topology Optimization Tools and Advanced Power Flow Controllers. While they are not a substitute for building new transmission, ATTs offer a critical near-term solution to help meet rising electricity demand.

The Department of Energy (DOE) took a significant step to unlock this potential by announcing the Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) program. This initiative will provide up to $1.9 billion for ATT deployments that “expand transfer capability, strengthen reliability and resource adequacy.”

Estimated Transmission Capacity Unlocked by Selected Grid-Enhanceing Technologies

Source: ESIG (2025)

What are ATTs?

ATTs include software and hardware technologies that can be deployed in a fraction of the time and cost of conventional transmission solutions. While conventional transmission solutions, like new lines, remain essential for reliability, affordability and meeting energy demand, ATTs offer novel opportunities to meet near-term capacity needs, enhance grid reliability and resilience and keep consumer bills affordable. Below, we explore the technologies that SPARK supports, how they work and where they’ve been successfully deployed to enhance reliability and reduce costs nationwide.

High-Performance Conductors:

How it works

Conductors are the wires strung across transmission towers that contain a core that provides strength and stability, surrounded by materials that conduct electricity. High-performance conductors replace steel cores with lighter materials, such as carbon composite cores, which allow more conductive materials, such as aluminum, to be added. This results in conductors that can carry more power, operate more efficiently and withstand higher temperatures, thereby reducing line sagging that increases wildfire risk.

Deployment case-study

AEP Texas demonstrated the value of this approach in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Rather than rebuilding two critical transmission lines, the utility reconductored existing infrastructure using energized lines. The project was completed in half the time of a traditional rebuild, saved $43 million upfront, nearly doubled line capacity and reduced energy losses by 30%, saving consumers tens of millions of dollars per year.

Dynamic Line Ratings (DLRs):

How it works

DLR provides real-time information on a power line’s conditions to enable greater utilization of its capacity and promote safe operation. Using sensors, software, or both, companies are providing better forecasts and real-time information on power line capacity and conditions. For example, on hot summer days, grid operators can avoid thermally driven reliability issues by adjusting the amount of power pushed over lines, while on windy or cold days, grid operators can safely push more power over the lines.

Deployment case-study

In 2002, PPL Electric Utilities was the first utility in the country to deploy DLRs on three lines. These deployments unlocked an average 16% more capacity on these lines. While PPL’s initial projections estimated $23 million in savings by 2025, in the first year, one line alone delivered $65 million in savings, highlighting the rapid and tangible benefits of this technology.

Topology Optimization Tools:

How it works

Topology optimization software acts as the navigational system for the grid, automating and accelerating the assessment of new routes for power to flow. Grid operators can use topology optimization as a decision-support tool to find cheaper or safer routes for power to flow to consumers.

Deployment case-study

Alliant Energy and ATC use topology optimization to identify and implement 21 power-flow reconfigurations across their systems in Iowa and Wisconsin. Within 12 months, consumers saved $24 million.

Advanced Power Flow Controllers (APFC):

How it works

APFC technologies are hardware deployed on transmission infrastructure to direct power flows away from congested areas or outages, or just along more efficient routes. These devices are quick to install and modular, allowing them to be redeployed as a utility’s needs change.

Deployment case-study

Central Hudson Gas & Electric and PG&E have both deployed APFCs onto their system to support the integration of new generation and load, respectively. Central Hudson Gas & Electric unlocked 185 MW on its system to bring more power online, while PG&E was able to make more than 100 MW of capacity available for a new data center.

A Critical Tool for a Modern Grid

As electricity demand accelerates, the United States will need to build new infrastructure and better utilize the grid we already have. Advanced transmission technologies offer a cost-effective, near-term way to do just that.

The DOE’s SPARK program positions the U.S. not only as a leader in developing these technologies but also in deploying them at scale. By supporting projects, de-risking new technologies and providing technical assistance, SPARK is helping modernize the grid in ways that enhance reliability, lower costs and strengthen American energy leadership.

Unlocking more from the existing grid is not just an efficiency gain. It is a strategic advantage.

ClearPath Partners With the Political Climate Podcast

This episode was recorded live in Utah on March 12, 2026. Click here to listen.

ClearPath is partnering with the Political Climate, “Washington’s most influential energy policy podcast.” Hosted by Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut and former FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee, the show brings together energy policy leaders for candid, in-depth discussions.

What to expect:

The latest episode was recorded live in Utah, with former Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) and Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA), covering AI data centers, electricity affordability and the Middle East;
ClearPath CEO Jeremy Harrell makes the case that private sector-driven solutions are the key to tackling energy security and emissions;
Future episodes will highlight advanced nuclear, permitting reform and grid reliability; and
The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

Winning the energy debate means showing up where the conversation is happening. This partnership will help cultivate meaningful dialogue with policymakers, advocates and industry leaders shaping U.S. energy policy.

Conservation Innovation Grants: Putting American Farmers First through Fertilizer Innovation