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In this episode of Plugged In, Chuck Hanna welcomes Rich Powell, CEO of the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), to discuss the future of grid infrastructure and associated emerging technologies. Rich highlights the importance of enhancing the current grid through innovative technologies like dynamic line rating, advanced conductors, and virtual power plants. He emphasizes the need for better utilization of existing assets and explores how grid-enhancing technologies can improve efficiency and support clean energy generation. Powell also touches on the role of policy shifts in enabling these advancements, sharing insights into the ongoing legislative efforts around tax incentives for clean energy. He stresses the potential impact on electricity prices and the importance of maintaining support for new clean energy generation.
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- Overview of CEBA’s sustainability vision for 2030 and beyond (02:36)
- Addressing regulatory changes and industry shifts (07:29)
- How CEBA balances near-term needs with long-term vision (11:34)
- CEBA initiatives and their impact on corporates (14:35)
- Key emerging grid-enhancing technologies (18:12)
- Tech-neutral tax credits and their possible effects (23:03)
CEBA’s Vision for a Carbon-Free Grid by 2030
Powell outlines CEBA’s sustainability vision through 2030 and beyond, emphasizing clean power for its members as well as systemic transformation toward a universally accessible, low-cost, carbon-free electricity grid. Their strategy includes optimizing voluntary clean energy commitments, pushing for regulatory and permitting reform, advocating for efficient market designs, and supporting emerging clean technologies such as small modular reactors and enhanced geothermal systems. CEBA is also expanding its efforts globally, especially in regions where state-owned monopolies limit clean energy access.
Regulatory Challenges in Meeting Clean Energy Demand
Powell discusses the major regulatory and industry challenges in achieving clean energy and sustainability goals amid a resurgence in electricity demand, driven largely by data center growth and AI. He highlights how the U.S. electric system has become “rusty” after two decades of flat demand and now struggles to meet rapidly increasing load growth. This strain affects grid reliability and affordability. He emphasizes the urgent need for permitting reform, new generation, and major grid upgrades, arguing that federal legislation is necessary to enable sustainable progress. CEBA is actively advocating for legislative solutions like the Manchin-Barrasso bill to support this transition.
On Balancing Near-Term Needs with Long-Term Growth
Powell talks about how their organization balances short-term priorities, such as adapting to shifting federal legislation and immediate grid reliability needs, with long-term innovation and vision for the energy sector. He highlights the complexity and urgency of the current energy transition, referencing recent proposals from MISO and PJM to expedite grid interconnections in response to reliability concerns. He notes the importance of maintaining transparency and fairness in these processes while also being flexible in crises. Powell underscores the need for long-term planning, as the U.S. grid must massively scale to meet future electrification and industrial growth. A strategic and resilient approach is required to prepare for exponential demand in the coming decades.
The Corporate Shift Toward Clean Energy
Powell discusses long-term clean energy initiatives and their significant impact, and how just 13 years ago, only a few companies — including Google, Walmart and General Motors — were purchasing clean electricity, whereas today over 235 companies have joined that movement and are purchasing over 100 gigawatts of clean power. Much of this progress was fueled by early training efforts through CEBA, which still runs bootcamps to educate companies on clean power purchasing.
Powell also shares that there’s substantial room for growth — up to 275 gigawatts of demand from Fortune 1000 companies by 2035, equivalent to about a quarter of the U.S. grid. CEBA is now scaling globally, offering training in regions like Vietnam and India where demand and emissions are rapidly rising. He notes evolving deal structures that are expanding access to clean energy in both deregulated and vertically integrated markets, further driving innovation and adoption.
Emerging Technologies for Energy Infrastructure
Powell shares key emerging grid-enhancing technologies and the policy work needed to enable their deployment. He explains how advancements such as dynamic line rating, advanced conductors, and high-temperature superconductors can significantly increase grid efficiency by improving the use of existing infrastructure. Powell also emphasizes the role of virtual power plants and demand-side flexibility in modernizing the grid. When it comes to policy, he describes his organization’s efforts to support competitive energy markets while also collaborating with utilities and regulators, like the Georgia PUC, to implement innovative programs. These efforts aim to create scalable, replicable models to accelerate cleaner, more flexible energy solutions nationwide.
Congress, Clean Energy, and the Cost of Power
Powell provides insight on a major legislative development in early April 2025: the ongoing negotiation of a reconciliation bill to reauthorize the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A central concern is the future of tech-neutral tax credits supporting clean energy technologies. These credits create a level playing field across various low-emission energy sources, such as nuclear, solar, wind and geothermal. Powell warns that eliminating these incentives during a period of rising electricity demand could trigger significant spikes in electricity prices of up to 8% nationally, with some states potentially facing increases of 20–30%. His organization is working to educate lawmakers on these impacts, advocating for the continuation of these credits as a temporary but essential support while the energy market stabilizes and becomes more self-sustaining.
Resources:
Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)
Connect with Rich Powell
Rich Powell is the CEO of Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA). Prior to CEBA, he was the CEO of ClearPath and ClearPath Action, the DC-based organizations advancing policies that accelerate breakthrough innovations to reduce emissions in the energy and industrial sectors. Powell advises policymakers on investing wisely in energy innovation, removing roadblocks to building and exporting American clean energy and industrial technology, and maintaining and promoting our flexible clean energy resources. He frequently testifies before Congress on climate change and energy innovation.
His work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, FoxNews.com, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Morning Consult, RealClear Energy, and several regional publications. His views are regularly featured in national publications including the National Review, NPR, Politico, USA Today, Axios, E&E, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, LA Times, Houston Chronicle, MIT Tech Review, Bloomberg, Green Tech Media, Utility Dive, the Guardian, and many others. Powell serves on the boards of the 2040 Foundation and the Conservative Climate Foundation, is a Strategic Advisor to the Silverado Policy Accelerator, and is part of the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center’s Advisory Group. Rich served on the Advisory Committee to the Export Import Bank of the United States from 2019 to 2021.
Previously, Powell was with McKinsey & Company in the Energy and Sustainability practices. He focused on corporate clean energy strategy, government low carbon growth strategy, and clean tech market entry.
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