Looking for cheap energy? It’s tough out there.
State and local governments enacted 70 new restrictions on renewable energy development in 2025 for a total of 888 nationwide. The Trump Administration is withholding permits for new power plants and revoking permits for already operating plants. A voluntary war choked off 25% of the world’s seaborn oil and 20% of LNG. The nation’s largest electricity market has too few power plants, and the shortfall keeps growing. This scarcity on multiple fronts is pushing energy prices to a generational high, driving inflation across the economy.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! There are several state and federal policy opportunities that can increase energy supply and lower costs.
A holistic federal permitting bill is on the cusp of passing that would make it easier to build clean energy infrastructure. Governors are passing laws to make it easier to site and permit clean energy. Researchers continue to find innovative sources of new grid capacity. Funders are spending more on climate mitigation while dramatically decreasing their funding to campaigns devoted to decreasing supplies of fossil fuels.
And our team is playing its part. Whether it’s authoring the energy innovation chapter of SEEC Institute’s Thriving Economy Project, advising funders on how to grow clean firm power advocacy at Climate Week NYC, or conducting incisive policy analysis for Clean Tomorrow – we’re at the table more than ever before.
As 2026 comes to a close, we’ll be watching how clean energy advocates navigate this push and pull of energy supply. Will a federal permitting legislative victory take the winds out of the sails of pragmatic pro-build advocacy, or will the states be the new ocean of permitting reform opportunity? Will presidential candidates promise to increase energy supply, or will they grasp for “affordability” band-aids?
In any case, one thing is certain: my team and I will continue to develop the policies, politics, and coalitions that unleash American innovation and clean energy abundance. And we’re glad you’re with us.
Stay up-to-date on our work by following us on LinkedIn. If a colleague forwarded you this newsletter, subscribe and stay connected here. And if you’re interested in partnering with us, reach out at hello@tomorrowenergypartners.com.
Sincerely,
Alex Breckel
CEO & Founder
In This Edition
- The Thriving Economy Project Unveils New Ideas
- TEP at Climate Week NYC
- Latest Insights
- What We’re Reading
- Partner With Us
Updates from the Field
The Thriving Economy Project Unveils New Ideas for Federal Climate Policy
In September, Tomorrow Energy Partners supported the launch of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Institute‘s Thriving Economy Project: a policy blueprint designed to modernize the economy, charting a path toward growth and prosperity for all Americans.
TEP Senior Director Evan Chapman co-authored Chapter 6 on energy innovation with Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02). Their chapter describes how the United States has led the world in next-generation energy technology for more than a century, and we can continue to lead – but not under the status quo.
TEP Connects Clean Energy Changemakers at Climate Week NYC
At Climate Week NYC, Tomorrow Energy Partners supported clients in convening philanthropists, innovators, and experts in the same room. Highlights included supporting CleanEcon in bringing together the philanthropic community to explore funding strategies to accelerate the deployment of clean firm power – as well as supporting Clean Tomorrow in hosting a rooftop reception to kick off the conference.
Latest Insights
Looking for Leverage at Climate Week NYC? State Siting Work Is the Solution.
It’s everyone’s instinct while at Climate Week NYC to search for the spotlight. But the best opportunities to reduce climate emissions in the short term can be found outside of New York City – in the state capitals.
For Policy Success, Now Is the Time for “Visionary” Capital
Between building the best models and getting it all to market, an entrepreneur can become a billionaire, or a business can flounder. Just as in the market, successful policy requires upfront investment. It needs not venture but “visionary” capital.
Signing Ceremonies Are the Easy Part
To deploy clean energy, we’re going to need a lot of new ideas. The Thriving Economy Project is one effort to identify what could – and what should – work better in government.
The State-Level Strategy for Meeting Energy Demand
For state policymakers, one avenue for building more energy generation is the passage of siting and permitting legislation – which determines whether energy projects get built and how quickly they can break ground. Our team got to work tracking them.
What We’re Reading
From Alex: Why do the ultra-rich give away so little money, far short even of what they say they will? And what might it mean for the “third wave” of philanthropy? In Slow Giving, Jeff Bradach of The Bridgespan Group explores how policy change and philanthropy innovation are required to bridge the gap. It’s both a cautionary tale of why we should have low expectations for the ultra-rich fulfilling their public giving commitments, and a bit of hope that maybe this time is different (but probably not).
From Lindsey: Daniel Squadron’s book, The Fourth Branch: How State Governments Can Save Our Union, reminds readers of the incredible return on investment of action in state capitals. Voters and dollars have the power to enact meaningful change locally, we just need to get the resources – our attention and our pocketbooks – focused there. Don’t get disillusioned; get involved.
From Evan: M.R. O’Connor’s piece “How Tree Rings Challenged the Myth of American Wilderness” from The New Yorker looks at evidence in tree rings to tell the story of how Native Americans likely transformed the landscapes and forests of the Americas long before contact with Europeans. We’ve always had an impact on our landscapes and our lands – sometimes for good and often for ill, sometimes responsibly and sometimes much less so. Sometimes doing good takes recognition that we’ll have an impact one way or the other.
Partner With Us
Tomorrow Energy Partners solves the hardest climate and clean energy policy problems by combining technical precision and creative problem-solving to cut through complexity. We help our partners understand the landscape, improve their strategies, and act with confidence.
Our team has decades of experience across legislative, executive branch, non-profit, and philanthropy roles. We focus on pragmatic, nonpartisan, and durable solutions across energy deployment and the innovation economy.
Interested in bringing expertise to your own project? Reach out to partner with us and learn more.