Unlocking America's Energy Potential: a Bipartisan Approach
WHO:
Fast Company - Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced legislation for a moratorium on data center development.
Fast Company - Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced a similar moratorium bill earlier this year.
Fast Company - Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada are leading a new effort in the U.S. Senate for permitting reform.
WHAT:
Fast Company - The House of Representatives supported Ocasio-Cortez’s Geothermal Energy Advancement Act to scale up geothermal energy projects.
Fast Company - The Trump administration has directly spent $2.7 billion of taxpayer money on efforts against wind power and $1.125 billion to boost coal.
The Guardian - The Department of Energy announced it would spend $625 million to "expand and extend the life of" coal-fired power plants.
The Guardian - The Department of Energy set aside up to $500 million from the Defense Production Act to "expand and reinvigorate" the capacity of 13 coal plants.
The Guardian - A 2025 analysis suggests that keeping all 35,000 megawatts of large fossil power plants scheduled to retire by 2028 would cost ratepayers at least $3.12 billion by the end of 2028.
Fast Company - A new report from E2 and BW Research indicates that more than 200 major clean energy projects were cancelled, closed, or downsized between the beginning of 2025 and May 2026.
Fast Company - The report calculates that nearly half a million jobs have been lost as a result of these cancellations, including 343,000 permanent roles and 125,000 construction jobs.
Fast Company - The economic impact includes a loss of $68 billion in private capital investments during construction phases and $91 billion in GDP growth from cancelled construction work.
Fast Company - The report also notes that more than 9 gigawatts of battery storage has been lost over the last year due to these project cancellations.
Fast Company - A new poll indicates that Republicans may be more movable on energy issues than previously thought.
Fast Company - Data center electricity demand in the U.S. is expected to grow 2.5% annually over the next decade.
Fast Company - The U.S. currently leads the world in installed geothermal capacity with just over 4 gigawatts of power.
Fast Company - An additional 1.16 gigawatts of new geothermal projects are slated to come online by 2028.
Fast Company - The FREEDOM Act aims to limit the president's ability to cancel energy projects.
WHERE:
Fast Company - Data centers are being developed in communities across the U.S., both rural and urban, and in states that are majority Republican and majority Democrat.
Fast Company - Cities like Monterey Park, California, and Baltimore have introduced bans or moratoriums on data centers.
WHEN:
Fast Company - The Clean Cloud Act is being discussed in Congress.
Fast Company - The geothermal energy projects are expected to come online by 2028.
WHY:
Fast Company - The bipartisan consensus on energy is driven by the need for reliable, affordable, and clean energy to support future technologies and communities.
Fast Company - The rise of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and advanced manufacturing is increasing electricity demand, prompting new political alliances.
HOW:
The Guardian - The Trump administration has curtailed many clean-energy tax credits created under the Inflation Reduction Act and streamlined permitting for fossil-fuel projects while making it more difficult for renewable projects to move forward.
Fast Company - The bipartisan pushback against data centers is leading to new legislation and community awareness regarding local electricity and water demands.
Fast Company - The FREEDOM Act aims to streamline the permitting process for energy projects to reduce delays and promote economic growth.
(UPDATED July 10, 2026 16:44 UTC)
The House of Representatives has backed Ocasio-Cortez’s Geothermal Energy Advancement Act, aiming to enhance geothermal energy projects. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has spent $2.7 billion of taxpayer money opposing wind power and $1.125 billion to support coal, while the Department of Energy plans to allocate $625 million to extend the life of coal-fired power plants. An analysis from 2025 indicates that maintaining all 35,000 megawatts of large fossil power plants set to retire by 2028 could cost ratepayers at least $3.12 billion by the end of that year.
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(UPDATED July 10, 2026 13:39 UTC)
A new report from E2 and BW Research reveals that over 200 major clean energy projects have been cancelled, closed, or downsized since the start of 2025, leading to nearly half a million job losses, including 343,000 permanent positions and 125,000 construction jobs. The economic fallout from these cancellations amounts to a staggering $68 billion in lost private capital investments during construction phases and $91 billion in GDP growth that will not materialize due to the halted projects. Additionally, the report highlights that more than 9 gigawatts of battery storage capacity has been lost over the past year as a direct result of these developments.
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(UPDATED July 10, 2026 12:48 UTC)
Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation for a moratorium on data center development, joining Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who proposed a similar bill earlier this year. In the U.S. Senate, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada are spearheading a new effort for permitting reform, as a recent poll suggests that Republicans may be more flexible on energy issues than previously believed. With data center electricity demand expected to grow 2.5% annually over the next decade, bipartisan support is emerging to address the challenges posed by these developments and to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy for future technologies and communities.