Navigating communications in the energy industry one month into the Trump era
Confusion is the watchword, but not the last word
In the current U.S. energy industry, uncertainty is the only certainty.
Pauses in federal spending, a flurry of executive orders, tariffs, and a commitment to "energy dominance" are creating confusion among energy executives and the broader movement towards decarbonization.
Amid all the chaos, companies can still create messaging that meets the moment. And this week’s USEA February Virtual Press Briefing—a session gathering present and former energy leaders within the private and public sectors, and senior energy reporters – discussing the most pressing challenges facing the U.S. energy sector underscored the rhetorical pathways companies and investors can take.
Chiefly, messaging should become increasingly localized and tailored to the energy demands of specific geographies. Companies can also highlight their ability to meet the nation’s persistent infrastructure challenges while emphasizing American jobs and made-in-America technologies. Finally, affordability, reliability, and baseload power generation are the order of the day for the nation’s national regulators.
Energy Policy Realignment: Feds vs. States
States like California and Texas, which are charting their own path within broader American energy markets and accelerating clean energy deployment through either strict emissions standards or an all of the above approach, show that companies can access markets by productively engaging with local regulators and legislators (if the markets are big enough).
Federal policy may have shifted against renewables, but many states continue moving ahead with programs supporting renewable energy, energy storage, and other technologies that startups are bringing to market.
Indeed, at the USEA event, panelists emphasized the role of state-level decisions, specifically those of public utility commissions (PUCs) in shaping energy policy and electricity rates.
While PBS’s Adam Clayton Powell questioned the extent of federal intervention in state-regulated sectors, expressing concerns that potential policy changes could impact state agency independence and the regulatory landscape, former Trump Administration Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette suggested that regulatory rollbacks and actions by the DOJ could help reduce prices – especially around transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Tailoring messaging to meet state regulatory agencies and build support in communities will likely yield more results than relying on federal regulators or legislators to defend an incentive program.
An Infrastructure Investment Wake-Up Call
For any companies developing infrastructure, or reducing reliance on its development, now is the moment to press your messaging advantage. With a projected 25-30 GW shortfall in available energy coming by 2030 due to aging infrastructure and increasing demand, there’s an audience for any story that pitches a solution. Indeed, LaunchSquad client ICF’s research found demand will skyrocket 9% by 2028, and in the USEA discussion, one potential geography was mentioned that would be open to solutions – the PJM interconnection, which supplies power to millions in the U.S. East and Midwest. That region would be especially hard hit by these shortages, according to the USEA discussion.
The message companies can send is clear: a significant infrastructure overhaul should've started yesterday for the U.S. to maintain its energy stability and avoid catastrophic shortages. The best day to start rebuilding that infrastructure is today.
Energy leaders have the opportunity to push for infrastructure development that can decrease electricity costs. Panelists stressed that reliable, 24/7 energy access is a matter of national security, making innovation and investment in energy technology crucial.
Any company that can layer these messages into its narrative should be doing it now.
It’s all about the baseload – bridging the gap with natural gas and nuclear power
With the electricity gap in sight, the conversation turned to how to fill the void until new technologies become commercially viable. Natural gas and nuclear power emerged as a bridge between the current energy industry and the potential future of clean energy.
Panelists made a case for natural gas as a dependable source of baseload power and a critical component of the energy mix, alongside nuclear’s ability to provide low-carbon power in the short to medium term. Advanced nuclear technologies coming online could offer a promising solution to the nation’s energy challenges and they should press this advantage in messaging to the world.
A balanced energy approach that considers both climate goals and the necessity for reliable energy sources is critical. Overreliance on fossil fuels must be avoided to ensure an actual transition. Here, too, companies with solutions can make their presence felt. Businesses with baseload power offerings in the nuclear, geothermal, biofuels, methanol, or hydrogen can start to push the advantage as a firm and reliable option without polluting gases.
Tariffs, Supply Chains, and the Future of Renewables
In energy, a company’s supply chain also is a storytelling opportunity. As tariffs on steel and aluminum drive up the costs of solar and wind technologies, anything that reinforces a narrative that’s made-in-America or boosting American jobs will resonate. The supply chain issue is a real threat, since much of the critical components for solar and wind equipment are made overseas.
The potential for reshoring supply chains to help mitigate the impact of tariffs, while ensuring that the nation remains competitive in the global clean energy landscape is a story that will resonate.
For companies that have any re-shoring component to their story, it’s a rhetorical angle that appeals both to regulators and to media looking for a fresh story. Reindustrialization will be a focus for the new federal government, but the economic benefits accrue at the local and state level and may help to insulate companies building decarbonization solutions from some scrutiny. All politics is local and local officials love projects that create new jobs.
While political whims may be redrawing the priorities of the energy industry creating new categories of winners and losers, the messaging moment for companies is a bit less uncertain. Go local, highlight real solutions to the power crunch and distribution issues happening right now that are affecting communities, and emphasize how these solutions are durable, reliable, and American-made.
It’s what companies in the sector are already doing and it’s what the public and regulators will want to hear.
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Finally… here are some of the stories we’ve been telling:
☁️Carbon removal in a new administration
Many climate professionals are rethinking their strategy under the Trump administration. Carbon180’s Executive Director, Erin Burns, talked to Heatmap News about three tactics the carbon removal industry is taking to make the best use of the next four years to still progress under the Trump administration. They include: playing more offense in highlighting the benefits of carbon removal, making new friends with adjacent industries with similar goals, and maintaining high standards for measuring, reporting, and verifying carbon removal projects.
💦Water positivity in carbon removal
This week Avnos CEO, Will Kain, sat down with the Carbon Herald to discuss their hybrid direct air capture (HDAC) approach, upcoming projects, and why 2025 is the year for commercialization for Avnos. The piece is a direct explanation of an exciting new climate technology and does a good job of breaking down why it’s novel and could push the industry forward.
💰Betting on the grid’s future
Grid demand is the phrase of the year thus far. Prelude Ventures’ Edward Yang suggested in a Latitude Media op-ed that grid transformation startups will play a big role in meeting increased demand. Solutions like grid-enhancing technologies, automation solutions to manage load, and tools to make building new grid infrastructure cheaper can all be provided by startups that can work hand-in-hand with utilities to manage the load.
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