Closing the Loop on Clean Energy

The rapid growth of reshored manufacturing, AI data centers, industrial decarbonization technologies, and electric vehicles are driving unprecedented demand for electricity. Many of the companies with the greatest energy demands have also committed to net zero emissions targets, which will require them to use renewable power sources. While the renewable energy sector has grown tremendously, developing the capacity to meet increased energy demand will face numerous challenges. In this episode, we’re featuring a panel from our S2G Summit in which Frank O’Sullivan, Managing Director of Energy at S2G, spoke with Ernest Moniz, Former US Secretary of Energy and current CEO and President of the EFI Foundation, Grant van Rooyen, CEO of Tract, and Ben Pratt, President at Nova Clean Energy. They discuss the broader systemwide needs to fully “close the loop” on clean energy spanning from generation, transmission, and interconnection, to PPA structuring, asset positioning, and beyond.

Key Topics:

1. Private Capital Dynamics and Clean Energy Transition: A significant gap exists between available capital and investable opportunities in the clean energy sector. Financing the "missing middle" remains a crucial challenge for translating new technologies into scaled clean energy solutions.

2. Overcoming Grid Interconnection Hurdles: The process of grid interconnection for new energy projects poses challenges, with prolonged approval wait times hindering progress. Panelists discuss the need for robust expansion and optimization of physical grid infrastructure to efficiently meet the escalating demand for renewable energy sources.

3. Strategic Data Center Development: Panelists make the case that we can’t just put data centers anywhere. Strategic location choices near skilled labor pools and existing infrastructure are essential for successful data center establishment due to their scale and complex demands.

4. Navigating the Regulatory Landscape in Energy Markets: Ongoing discourse revolves around the efficacy of regulated versus competitive energy markets in supporting the energy transition journey. Panelists discuss the merits of each system as this debate plays out in the US.

5. Fostering Long-Term Collaboration for Clean Energy: The panelists discuss that long-term planning spanning a decade or more is essential for utilities and developers to effectively manage the surging demand for clean energy sources. Collaborative efforts involving project stakeholders and utilities are key to building trust and aligning proposals with regulatory frameworks for sustainable energy advancements.