Talking policy with the US Department of Energy (Ep. 241)

The Department of Energy's Director of Policy, Ashley Nunes, delivers a sharp, contrarian take on energy policy at CERA Week 2026, arguing that the U.S. should abandon the myth of 'clean energy' in favor of a pragmatic focus on affordability, reliability, and dispatchability. She contends that intermittent sources like solar are economically misleading without massive battery storage—and that storage, in turn, often relies on hydrocarbons, undermining the clean energy narrative. Nunes emphasizes that true energy abundance, not ideological purity, should be the goal, and that nuclear power—especially small modular reactors (SMRs)—is a key to achieving it. She also challenges the assumption that electric vehicles (EVs) are displacing internal combustion engines, revealing that most EV buyers already own gas cars, meaning overall vehicle numbers—and emissions—are rising. The conversation reveals a department prioritizing consumer choice, economic mobility, and real-world performance over political symbolism, with a clear message: energy policy must serve people, not ideology.