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Good morning and happy Friday,
More than a month into the Iran war, President Trump used a prime-time address to defend the conflict while announcing two more weeks of escalating U.S. military action. He also signaled that other countries—not the U.S.—should secure the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of prolonged disruption to global energy flows. On Thursday, oil surged above $110 and the stock market faltered in response.
Even before the president’s speech, the European Commission urged EU countries to rapidly expand renewable energy deployment as a central response to a prolonged energy crisis linked to the Gulf conflict, alongside calls for reduced travel and increased remote work.
As the economic consequences of our heavy reliance on fossil fuels play out, new data from the International Renewable Energy Agency show that global renewable power capacity reached 5,149 GW in 2025—up 692 GW year over year—driven by a 511 GW surge in solar to 2,392 GW, pushing renewables to 49.4% of global electricity capacity, versus just 116 GW growth in fossil fuels. A separate report from Ember finds similar numbers.
Closer to home, however, the U.S. solar industry is staring down a looming labor crunch, with a 53,000-worker shortfall threatening its ability to meet July 4, 2026, tax credit deadlines. Despite a workforce of over 280,000, it must rapidly scale to about 355,000 workers—or risk falling short of hitting installation targets of 60-70 GW.
Read on for more.
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Rock Solid Energy
Next-generation geothermal is finally having its moment—but for clean energy developers, the real bottleneck may not be technology, it’s the rulebook. As investment surges and first-of-a-kind projects come online, the industry is running into a fragmented, outdated regulatory system that could slow deployment just as demand for firm, 24/7 clean power is accelerating. Here are some fast facts:
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Developers face a patchwork of state and local permitting rules that were never designed for scaled geothermal, forcing costly, one-off approvals that don’t translate easily from project to project. Without standardized definitions and processes, even basic questions such as how to classify different geothermal technologies, remain unsettled, making it harder to scale.
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Efforts are underway to de-risk the sector for investors and insurers, including new classification frameworks modeled on oil and gas and proposed federal legislation to boost transparency and data-sharing. For developers, this could mean easier financing—but only if the industry aligns on common standards.
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Seismic risk remains a defining challenge. Past projects that triggered earthquakes still loom large, and while federal protocols exist, they may not apply to future unsubsidized projects. That uncertainty creates tension between developers seeking flexibility and advocates pushing for universal safeguards to maintain public trust.
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Industry players are also moving to self-regulate, with voluntary frameworks around safety, water use, and community engagement. The goal: avoid early missteps that could trigger backlash and stall the sector before it fully scales.
⚡️ The Takeaway
Core power. The stakes are high. Next-generation geothermal promises always-on clean power in far more locations than ever before—a potential game-changer for grid reliability and decarbonization. But for developers, success will hinge on something less glamorous than drilling innovation: building a clear, credible, and consistent regulatory foundation that can support rapid, nationwide growth without sacrificing trust.
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Marine Momentum
Hydropower is getting an unexpected second look—and for clean energy developers, it’s happening at a pivotal moment. As policy shifts under President Trump squeeze wind and solar incentives, a new class of “marine” hydro projects is gaining traction across the Great Lakes, promising reliable, always-on power just as electricity demand—and prices—climb. Here are some key points:
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Developers are piloting submersible, river-based turbines in high-flow corridors like the St. Lawrence and Niagara Rivers, opening up a largely untapped resource in major load centers such as Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal.
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While individual projects are relatively small, they offer something increasingly valuable: steady, 24/7 generation that can complement intermittent renewables and support energy-hungry industries like data centers.
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Policy is reshaping the playing field. With tax credits for wind and solar sunsetting, marine energy technologies are suddenly more competitive, still benefiting from 40-50% investment and production tax credits that extend until at least 2033. This is driving a surge in interest—and potentially redirecting capital toward less mature but newly advantaged technologies.
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But familiar barriers remain. Hydropower projects can take up to eight years to secure licenses in the U.S., and concerns about impacts on fish and ecosystems persist. Developers will need to prove that next-generation designs can avoid the environmental pitfalls that have historically slowed hydro expansion.
⚡️ The Takeaway
Rising tides. For the clean energy industry, the takeaway is clear: as policy tailwinds shift and grid reliability becomes paramount, a new wave of developers is emerging to tap overlooked hydro resources—and innovation is rapidly widening the playing field. Technologies that can generate power from slower-moving rivers and operate efficiently in freshwater could unlock far more viable sites, pushing marine and hydrokinetic power beyond niche applications. It won’t replace wind and solar—but it’s increasingly positioned to become a critical piece of a more resilient, round-the-clock clean energy mix.
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The Final Frontier
On Wednesday, NASA’s Artemis II mission blasted off, marking the first time in more than 50 years that humans have ventured beyond low Earth orbit. The nearly 10-day mission will carry astronauts on a 230,000-mile journey around the moon and back, serving as a critical test of the Orion spacecraft.
Beyond testing life-support systems and maneuverability, Artemis is significant for laying the groundwork for sustainable lunar exploration, including preparing for future missions that aim to land humans on the surface and eventually establish a permanent outpost.
The mission also underscores a larger, long-term goal: establishing a permanent human presence on the moon. NASA and the Department of Energy are racing to deploy a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface by 2030, providing reliable power for habitats, logistics, and scientific instruments.
Unlike massive space-based solar arrays, a compact nuclear system could supply continuous energy through the moon’s two-week nights, though transporting and maintaining such a reactor presents enormous technical challenges. And, experts warn of serious safety concerns: any malfunction could release radiation in an environment where containment options are minimal, making lunar nuclear power a high-stakes gamble.
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Meanwhile, in the commercial arena, Elon Musk’s SpaceX continues to push the envelope with Starship, Starcloud, and satellite networks, though progress has been punctuated by catastrophic explosions. In February, Musk announced plans to put as many as a million solar-powered AI data centers into orbit, merging SpaceX with his AI ventures and aiming for a massive IPO to fund the effort.
These private-sector efforts underscore how both private ventures and government programs are looking to the final frontier not just to explore space, but to tackle Earth-based energy and computing challenges from orbit.
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Thanks for diving into the Developer Dispatch with us.
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Building American power requires a powerful team. |
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