Energy Lab

Clean Energy Outlook Part 2: Tariffs, FEOC, EIA, Recycling, Geothermal, & Data Centers in Space

Solar is still getting built. Wind is slowing down. And data center demand continues to reshape how projects move forward.   In this episode, Mike Keyser and the NRCO team break down the latest Clean Energy Outlook and walk through what recent policy changes, tariffs, and domestic content rules mean for renewable development. The conversation explores why solar growth may begin to level off despite large pipelines, what is driving the slowdown in wind and limited repowering activity, and how developers are adjusting strategies around interconnection and supply chains.   The team also digs into emerging technologies and what they could mean for long term grid strategy, from new geothermal breakthroughs to alternative ways of powering compute. The episode closes with a deeper look at data center demand, including the early concept of space-based infrastructure as a response to grid constraints.

NRCO Clean Energy Outlook: Batteries, Data Centers, and the Future of the Grid Part I

Battery storage is booming. AI data centers are driving massive new electricity demand. And utilities are trying to plan a grid that can handle both.   In this episode, Mike Keyser and the NRCO team break down the latest Clean Energy Outlook and connect the dots across storage markets, generation retirements, and the rapid rise of AI infrastructure. The conversation explores why most battery deployments are concentrated in a handful of markets, what that means for broader grid strategy, and how utilities are thinking about reliability as the resource mix shifts.   The team also digs into the surge in data center load and what it could mean for long term grid planning, credit risk, and ratepayers. The episode closes with a preview of the next discussion: where the next wave of data centers might go, including the surprisingly real possibility of computing infrastructure moving into space.

NRCO 2026 Predictions

In NRCO's first webinar of 2026, Mike Keyser and the team discuss their energy policy, market and technology predictions for the year ahead.  The conversation centers on implications for electric cooperatives, as well as utilities, regulators, developers, and investors across the U.S. energy sector.  Who will be the biggest energy winner?  What will be the most significant technology breakthrough?  Is it more risky to underbuild or overbuild generation?  Listen and find out what the NRCO team thinks.

Live from the 2025 NRCO Conference: Summer Clean Energy Outlook

The guys at NRCO went live at the 2025 Conference to bring you the Summer Clean Energy Outlook. We break down why LMPs are climbing and how the OBBBA is reshaping the game. We dig into the looming capacity gap, the headaches of FEOC rules for U.S. battery manufacturing, and why developers may still choose Chinese cells even with tariffs. We even zoom out to China and the APAC region, where energy planning looks a whole lot different than here at home. Plus, we wrap things up with a lightning round that covers heartbreak sports moments, hidden food gems, and favorite audiobooks. Smart analysis, co-op perspective, and a little personality. Exactly what you expect from NRCO.

Q2 Insights: The Great Trade Debate

Mike Loenen and Scott Bradtmiller go head-to-head on tariffs, trade, and whether broad-based tariffs are the right strategy for the U.S.  Later in the episode, Kolton Popp applies NRCO's AI Field Guide to some real-world practical examples.