Dear Friends and Colleagues,

President Trump’s efforts to unleash American energy come at a critical time, as the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) drives unprecedented growth in electricity demand. 

One of CRES Forum’s latest issue briefs, "The Promise of AI in Energy: Unlocking Energy Independence and Ensuring National Security," explores how AI is reshaping the energy landscape, with data center power consumption projected to more than double by 2030.  

AI has the potential to revolutionize how we generate, distribute and consume power—transforming everything from demand forecasting to grid management and supply chain logistics. Yet, this promise hinges on a crucial bottleneck: the slow and costly deployment of new energy resources. 

Without expanding our nation’s energy production and infrastructure, the surge in demand could outpace supply—threatening our economy and America’s global leadership in the space, especially as geopolitical rivals and other nations race to roll out competing AI tools. Maintaining our competitive edge in AI requires a strong, forward-thinking energy strategy. 

This is why we welcome the recent confirmations of Chris Wright as Secretary of Energy, Governor Doug Burgum (R-N.D.) as Secretary of the Interior and Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency who understand the importance of ensuring abundant energy to win this AI race. 

CRES actively advocated for the swift confirmation of these nominees, each of whom have a proven track record of supporting an all-of-the-above energy strategy that reduces emissions, drives domestic energy deployments and fosters innovation. Read CRES’ letters of support HERE. 

To unlock America’s full energy potential, we need strong leadership in these agencies, and we look forward to their work in advancing policies that strengthen U.S. energy security. 

WHAT CRES IS HEARING

WHAT CRES IS SAYING

About the confirmation of Trump’s nominees for Energy, Interior and EPA...“Throughout their confirmation hearings, Governor Burgum, Congressman Zeldin and Mr. Wright have each proven their expertise and made clear they intend to advance an America-first, all-of-the-above energy strategy. With their leadership, I am confident we can collaborate on pragmatic, conservative policies to lower energy costs for American families and businesses and create good-paying jobs across the country—all while ensuring a cleaner future for generations to come.” – CRES President Heather Reams in a statement.  

WHAT CRES IS DOING

To celebrate the start of the 119th Congress and the return of the Trump Administration to Washington, CRES hosted a reception boasting more than 200 attendees, including eleven members of the House of Representatives, Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and John Curtis (R-Utah), and Danielle Smith, the Premier of Alberta, Canada. The event focused on the importance of embracing an all-of-the-above approach as we advance America First energy policies. Read the full recap blog HERE.  

WHAT CRES IS WRITING

The Issue Brief: Key Federal Policies Fueling Nuclear Innovation and Reinvestment 
Nuclear energy provides reliable, zero-emissions electricity and has the highest capacity factor of any power-generation source. In 2023, nuclear plants in the United States operated at full capacity more than 93 percent of the time. Nuclear assets run 24/7, 365 days a year, providing clean, abundant and safe baseload power. In the U.S., demand for electricity is expected to grow by 4.71 percent over the next five years, increasing the case for commercial nuclear.  

In Their Own Words: Congressional Republicans on Clean Energy 
The 2024 National Clean Energy Week Policymakers Symposium featured remarks from Republican clean energy champions. While each brought a unique perspective from their districts, the common themes were the critical need for permitting reform to accelerate clean energy deployment, growing concerns about competition with China, the imperative to maintain reliable and affordable energy while reducing emissions, and the crucial role of American innovation in driving solutions. 

*This blog is part of a new series on National Clean Energy Week, which offers an opportunity to reflect on how Republicans are approaching clean energy as we continue these important policy conversations. 

WHAT CRES IS READING

Chevron Joins Race to Generate Power for A.I. – The New York Times 

Permitting reform is key to unleashing American energy. Can Trump get it done? – The Hill 

Modern Hydrogen and major Seattle-area utility aim for less controversial clean energy fix – GeekWire 

In Iowa, clean energy results in property tax relief – Des Moines Register 

Duke Energy Florida celebrates solar energy milestone that includes Bay County – Panama City News Herald