Taking the Training Wheels Off Clean Energy: Experts Advocate for a Level Playing Field

Renewable power sources have attracted unprecedented investment, but face an uncertain future due to potential subsidy changes. Speakers at the 2025 MIT Energy Conference emphasized that these technologies must now compete directly with fossil fuels.

Brian Deese, an MIT Institute Innovation Fellow, stated during the opening keynote, “What these technologies need less is training wheels, and more of a level playing field.” He highlighted the necessity for clean energy to stand on its own merits in the market.

The conference, themed “Breakthrough to deployment: Driving climate innovation to market,” fostered optimism about green technology advancements, while acknowledging regulatory and political challenges.

Deese outlined the energy landscape’s “good, bad, and ugly”: record-high clean energy investment in the U.S. ($272 billion in 2024), a slowdown in future investment announcements, and macro conditions hindering clean energy infrastructure development.

“We need to build massive amounts of energy capacity in the United States,” Deese emphasized, pointing to uncertainty, high interest rates, and high tariff rates as major obstacles.

AI and the Shifting Energy Landscape

A panel on AI and electricity demand explored AI’s dual role as a catalyst for green energy breakthroughs and a strain on infrastructure. Lucia Tian from Google noted their commitment to “catalyzing the development of clean energy infrastructure that is not only meeting the AI need, but also benefiting the grid as a whole.”

Speakers underscored the importance of cost-per-unit and scalability for clean energy technologies, while acknowledging the role of public policy and government investment in grid modernization.

Vanessa Chan, former DoE official, cautioned against slashing NIH funding for indirect research costs, warning of the negative impact on academic research institutions.

Maria Robinson, former director of the DoE’s Grid Deployment Office, suggested that ratepayers alone cannot fund necessary grid upgrades, emphasizing the federal government’s essential role.

David Cohen-Tanugi, a clean energy venture builder at MIT, observed a shift in the climate change conversation due to extreme weather events, with increased focus on resilience and adaptation.

Exploring Emerging Technologies

The conference showcased various clean energy technologies, including hydrogen power, geothermal energy, nuclear fusion, and carbon capture.

Alex Creely of Commonwealth Fusion Systems highlighted fusion’s safety and potential economic advantages over traditional nuclear power, noting the development of less-expensive magnet technology.

Quinn Woodard Jr. from Fervo Energy discussed making geothermal energy more economical through standardization and innovation, focusing on reducing power plant costs.

Peter Ellis of The Nature Conservancy stressed the need for diverse approaches, stating, “We’re talking about the greatest challenge civilization has ever faced. We need everything on the table.”

Collaboration and the Road Ahead

Speakers emphasized collaboration between academia, industry, and government. Amy Luers of Microsoft likened the challenge to the Apollo program, advocating for increased academic focus on scaling and spurring green energy investments.

Hannan Happi, CEO of Exowatt, emphasized electricity as a commodity, focusing on availability and low cost.

Melissa Zhang of Azimuth Capital Management cautioned about dependence on subsidies, noting the potential for reduced federal support for green energy technologies in the near future.

World Energy CEO Gene Gebolys highlighted the journey of MIT-founded companies from idea to scale, emphasizing that “It’s not like any of this stuff ever ends. It’s an ongoing process.”