Positive public support for clean energy doesn’t materialize by magic — it takes careful education, trusted messengers, and storytelling that demonstrates why the clean energy transition benefits everyone.

Clean energy permitting reform remains stalled in Congress. Developers face delays in grid interconnection, restrictive local siting laws, organized opposition, and project-stalling litigation.

If you think renewable energy has already passed its peak, think again. Today’s clean energy industry is at a crossroads: policy uncertainty on one side, explosive demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers on the other. Together, they create enormous opportunities.

It was clear from the start that this regional clean energy conference is very different from the “big show” (RE+ national in Las Vegas in September). The Mid-Atlantic gathering is more intimate, community-driven, and focused on local challenges, such as grid interconnection, resource adequacy, and energy equity.

At it’s core, the story of the clean energy transition is simple. It is the shift of the global economy from fossil fuels to instead run on carbon-free energy. It is a narrative with immense stakes. In this three-part series we will take a look Texas and the role it’s playing in the transition and possibly raising the stakes for those to follow.

Green hydrogen has emerged as a promising contender in the race to decarbonize our energy systems – including energy storage, heavy industry and hard to abate sectors, maritime shipping, and aviation. Now, it can be produced with zero greenhouse gas emissions.

From campaign trail promises to final enacted legislation, those of us in the energy community have been thrilled for the boost that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has provided American business. As we look back on and celebrate the one-year anniversary of this landmark legislation, there are many milestones to acknowledge and many opportunities on the horizon. 

EPA Scopes have created a framework for a path forward on reducing emissions, and investors are following the lead. Investment areas are concentrated, for now, on Scopes 1 and 2. These scopes cover greenhouse gases (ghgs) from sources owned or controlled by a federal agency to ghgs resulting from generation of electricity, heat or steam purchased by a federal agency. Scope 3 is tackling ghgs from sources not owned or directly controlled by a federal agency but related to activities. This means transportation, business air travel, commuting, contracted solid waste and wastewater are covered.

Amazon bestselling author Tom Weirich and Silverline Founder Laura Taylor share both a deep friendship and commitment to clean energy, so we at Silverline are thrilled to support Tom as he celebrates the launch of his book We Took the Risk with gatherings in Washington, DC, at the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) headquarters and in Houston at Pillsbury. Beyond our enthusiastic support, we were curious, so we chatted with Tom to find out his motivation and goals for writing about the early risk-takers in renewable energy.