BLOG: Insurance is often overlooked in the clean energy transition—but it plays a critical role in unlocking investment, managing risk, and scaling new technologies. Read more from Senior Fellow Carolyn Kousky:

Many claim the battle for climate change will be won in cities; yet the slow rate of funding has hindered progress, necessitating a call for solutions to attract more money. The development of a Green Cities Guarantee Fund is one such solution. Read more from Eugenie Birch of @penniur.bsky.social:

BLOG: OBBBA accelerated the phase-out of many renewable energy tax credits. While this shift set off a race to lock in subsidies and ignited concerns about the future, trends show that renewables remain poised to continue growing and may have an edge in a landscape of surging power demand.

POLICY DIGEST: Using new AI-driven data from 25 million news articles, this study maps climate adaptation and disaster impacts across Central America, revealing how drought, storms, and rising food prices shape when, and whether, people migrate toward the U.S.

Emily's story also covers a new report from me via @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social about: 🌏 The absence of environmental NGOs on the GHG Protocol's decision-making Board; 🧑‍🔬 The absence of scientists on its Steering Committee; and ⚫ A lack of accountability due to opaque rules and restrictive NDAs.

Please take a moment to read this important story, featuring the experience of University of Melbourne lecturer Kate Dooley — one of the scientists volunteering to support the development of forest carbon accounting rules under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

PODCAST: Geopolitical conflict has repeatedly disrupted global energy markets, but not all shocks lead to lasting change. On Energy Policy Now, University of Cambridge’s Helen Thompson explores how conflict has shaped oil and gas systems over time, and what those patterns suggest today.

I talked with @eenews.bsky.social about Georgia's moves to boost renewable energy to meet data center demand. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social www.eenews.net/articles/geo...

BLOG POST: Tackling this widespread challenge requires a coordinated approach that combines multiple levers across electricity sector stakeholders. As affordability pressures increase across the U.S., addressing energy insecurity is more important than ever.

Lawsuits are mounting over companies using low-quality carbon credits to make misleading climate claims. Now, some industry allies argue companies shouldn’t be liable if those credits come from third-party programs—even when those programs are known to lack real climate impact.

New in Nature Energy: Shelley Welton and Joshua Macey examine why the U.S. grid remains fragmented and underbuilt. Their conclusion: governance is a key barrier to expanding transmission and achieving reliability, affordability, and clean energy goals. 📖 Read more: https://go.nature.com/3PWBhzi

PODCAST: Insurance doesn’t just respond to climate risk—it can actively shape resilience efforts. On the latest episode of Energy Policy Now, Senior Fellow Carolyn Kousky (@ckousky.bsky.social), founder of Insurance for Good, shares her insights.

As the war in Iran rattles global oil markets, gas prices are rising at a pace that echoes past geopolitical shocks. History shows that when energy prices surge, the effects ripple through inflation, food prices, and jobs at home. Read more from Heather Boushey (@hboushey.bsky.social):

DIGEST: SimbioBrick II advances bio-receptive architecture through portable fungi-plant brick systems for urban farming and soil bioremediation. Applied in Fishtown, it merges design, ecology, and policy to regenerate soils, capture carbon, and promote environmental justice. https://bit.ly/4svsdjt

BLOG: Peaker plants are fossil fuel-powered facilities used during peak demand, often causing concentrated air pollution. Limited grid capacity also wastes renewable energy. Long-duration energy storage can reduce reliance on peaker plants by storing excess renewable power for peak demand.

PROFILE: At Stanford’s GSB Climate Conference, Kleinman-supported students explored how policy, markets, and infrastructure are shaping the energy transition. A takeaway: scaling clean energy will depend as much on economics and grid capacity as on technology. Read more: https://bit.ly/3PdIR8w

PODCAST: From the Arctic to global refining hubs, strategic minerals are increasingly tied to geopolitical rivalry. On the latest episode of Energy Policy Now, Saleem Ali, a mineral diplomacy scholar at the University of Delaware, discusses both the competition and proposals for cooperation.

Spoke with @6abc.bsky.social about data center noise pollution. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social 6abc.com/post/vinelan...

Kleinman Center For Energy Policy Blog: Risks In A Changing US Power Grid Driven By A.I. Data Center Demand kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/b...

We're proud to celebrate Faculty Fellow Arthur van Benthem on winning the 2025 Royal Economic Society Prize! 🏆 His award-winning research on “Overlapping Climate Policies” (with Grischa Perino and Robert Ritz) offers key insights for smarter climate policy design. https://bit.ly/46U9Xrd

BLOG: The U.S. electric grid is entering a period of unprecedented change. In this shifting landscape, managing risk is a central priority for regulators and market participants alike. Explore five key categories of grid risk and the strengths and limits of financial instruments in addressing them.

BLOG: Power generation in cities like El Paso, TX is unsustainably consuming local water resources. Fixing this will require retrofitting cooling towers at power plants. Read the blog from student Jack Leitzell:

Political & Legislative Director, Katie, joined a panel about labor’s vision for PA’s energy future — including how policies can support good union jobs, affordable energy, & strong communities as the state transitions to cleaner power @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social

I spoke with @cbsphiladelphia.bsky.social about the impact of the illegal and unconstitutional war in Iran on gasoline prices. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...

POLICY DIGEST: Border carbon adjustments (BCAs) are an increasingly popular climate policy tool, with the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism set to take full effect in 2026. Our latest digest explores the complex policy design issues entailed in BCAs, and how to make them work.

BLOG: A growing “dark fleet” of tankers is quietly rerouting sanctioned oil across global markets—softening price shocks and reshaping supply chains. Explore how this hidden trade is keeping prices surprisingly stable in this blog from Jesús Fernández-Villaverde.

I spoke with BBC about today's PR stunt. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social bbc.com/news/article...

PODCAST: The EPA has rescinded the endangerment finding, the legal foundation of federal climate regulation. @penncareylaw.bsky.social professors @cary-coglianese.bsky.social & @shelley-w.bsky.social examine the legal strategy behind EPA's rescission and the court challenges ahead.

Spoke to @inquirer.com about energy price impacts of the (illegal, unconstitutional) war in Iran. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social www.inquirer.com/news/nation-...

In the latest podcast from @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social, my esteemed colleague, Shelley Welton, and I dig into the legal issues underlying EPA’s recent recission of its endangerment finding—and what it means for the future of US climate regulation. kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/p...

BLOG: As electricity demand rises, interconnected grids are emerging as a model for future sustainable, cost-efficient energy sharing between regions. Read more from Undergraduate Seminar Fellow Daylia Lian:

I'm quoted in this @politico.com piece. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social Underdog Democrats lean into data center concerns politi.co/4tTnJEb

BLOG: As anti-ESG backlash intensifies, can sustainable investing still deliver? Penn’s endowment offers a compelling answer. Read more from Undergraduate Seminar Fellow Cady Wang:

Join @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social & @vagelosenergy.bsky.social for Energy Week at Penn, now through Friday, 2/27, for a variety of energy-focused events including an e-waste drive, poster session, seminars & more!⚡ energyweek.upenn.edu

It's Energy Week! ⚡🎉 Due to yesterday’s snow day, events are kicking off today. We’re excited to launch a week of events exploring energy research, bold policy conversations, and innovative sustainable solutions. Check out the schedule and join us! https://energyweek.upenn.edu

Spoke to @eenews.bsky.social/@politico.com about the political implications of data centers. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social www.eenews.net/articles/mid...

❄️ SNOW UPDATE: Due to snow, events on Monday, February 23rd, have been canceled. Please refer to the Energy Week website for the latest information about rescheduled dates. We hope to see you at an event later this week!

What happens when a petrostate can no longer rely on oil to sustain itself? Venezuela’s crisis exposes the limits of oil-funded governance in a decarbonizing world. Fiscal discipline may stabilize the state, but without stronger non-oil revenues, fragility will persist.

After Maduro’s removal, Venezuelan oil is flowing—but under U.S. control. As proceeds from sales are deposited in Treasury-controlled accounts Washington must strike a balance: stabilizing a fragile state and preventing humanitarian collapse without entrenching corruption or undermining sovereignty.

PODCAST: Oil sanctions were meant to restrict exports. Instead, they helped give rise to dark shipping. In this episode of Energy Policy Now, economist Jesús Fernández-Villaverde explains how that adaptation reshaped global energy markets. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts:

DIGEST: As heat intensifies in cities, this digest argues that solar-powered open-air cooling shelters can play a critical role in a layered urban cooling strategy—providing resilient, low-energy relief that complements cooling centers and remains operational during power outages. Read more here:

I spoke with The Daily Pennsylvanian about @upenn.edu's supercomputer and data centers. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social www.thedp.com/article/2026...

I spoke with The Daily Pennsylvanian about data center development. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social www.thedp.com/article/2026...

ENERGY WEEK EVENT: What does a worker-centered clean energy transition look like in PA? Join us Feb 27 for an in-person panel on Investing in Clean Energy and Pennsylvania’s Working Families — covering good jobs, labor standards, energy communities, and what a just transition really means.

I spoke with @keatonpeters.bsky.social of @san.com about the impact of the current regime's cancelling Federal funding for clean energy. @kleinmanenergy.bsky.social san.com/cc/facing-32...

BLOG: Utilities are retiring gas peaker plants in favor of battery storage as policy reshapes peak power markets. This blog examines how the IRA’s standalone storage tax credit and state capacity reforms are driving utility investment, and what policy gaps still limit batteries’ role on the grid.

BLOG: Mexico’s energy reforms under Pres. Sheinbaum are redefining who controls the grid—just as electricity shortages and nearshoring send demand surging. Can a state-led model deliver reliability and sovereignty without derailing decarbonization? Read more from Undergrad Fellow Aarit Bhatnagar:

BLOG: In water-scarce regions, solar-powered groundwater pumping boosts farm productivity but, by eliminating pumping costs, also accelerates groundwater depletion.

PODCAST: How do you accommodate massive new sources of electricity demand without putting reliability or consumer costs at risk? That question sits at the center of PJM’s new proposal to address AI data center load. We explore on the latest episode of Energy Policy Now.

PA's new Load Forecast Accountability Act tackles a $9B problem: utilities making speculative bets on data-center demand that raise electricity costs. The law lets regulators validate projections before they inflate prices, shielding ratepayers from paying for infrastructure that never materializes.