Permitting reform and the politics of building the grid

Everyone agrees it takes too long and costs too much to build energy infrastructure in America, but what exactly needs fixing, and can we make progress without rolling back vital environmental protections?

In this special episode of Energy Gang, recorded live at the ACORE Grid Forum in Washington D.C., host Ed Crooks takes a deep dive into one of the most complex and consequential issues in US energy policy: permitting reform. Ed begins the episode in conversation with Matt Christiansen, partner at Wilson Sonsini and former General Counsel at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Drawing on his experience inside the commission, Matt explains where the real choke points lie in the permitting process, how federal and state powers intersect, and what the newly confirmed FERC commissioners could do to accelerate much-needed grid investment.

Later, Ed sits down with three experts who work daily on these challenges in Congress and the private sector: Elizabeth Horner, partner at ArentFox Schiff and former counsel to Senators Shelley Moore Capito and John Barrasso; Daniel Palken, Director of Infrastructure for Energy and Permitting at Arnold Ventures; and Jeremy Horan, Permitting Lead at ACORE. Together, they unpack the politics behind reform, the relationship between permitting and transmission planning, and the growing urgency created by surging power demand from data centers and new manufacturing.

The group also discusses the mood in Washington, and hopes that bipartisan momentum can be built to support pragmatic, economy-wide permitting reform.

This episode is the first of two recorded live at the ACORE Grid Forum, where industry leaders, regulators, and policymakers came together to discuss the future of America’s electricity system.

Let us know what you think. We’re on X, at @theenergygang and Bluesky, at ‪@theenergygang.bsky.social‬. Make sure you’re following the show so you don’t miss an episode – we’ll be back in two weeks, Tuesday morning at 7am eastern time.

This episode is brought to you by the American Council on Renewable Energy.

Based in Washington, DC, ACORE is a nonpartisan nonprofit organisation that promotes investment in American clean energy infrastructure, development, and innovation.

In partnership with a broad membership that spans the energy value chain, ACORE advances the public policies, market research, and industry convenings to position the United States as a global leader in clean energy deployment.

Whether it’s the latest policy and market developments to legislative and regulatory tracking, industry data and analysis, or marquee events like the Finance Forum in New York, or the Grid Forum in DC, ACORE unites clean energy investors, developers, energy buyers, power generators, manufacturers, and energy providers and more. 

Learn more about joining ACORE.