Columbia Energy Exchange

President Trump has aggressively used tariffs as an economic tool, but a US Supreme Court decision on Friday struck down his sweeping tariffs, bringing new uncertainty. The court, in a 6-to-3 decision, ruled that the president had exceeded his authority when he imposed tariffs on nearly every US trading partner last year.
President Trump moved swiftly to work around the court by imposing levies using other trade powers. On Saturday, Trump said that he would raise the new global tariff rate to 15%, using a provision in a law that allows him to impose an across-the-board tariff. This measure can only be enacted for 150 days unless Congress agrees to extend it. Trump also said he would use the act to investigate other countries' unfair trade practices, which could result in additional tariffs. 
What does the Supreme Court ruling mean for the president's ability to wield tariffs for geopolitical pressure? How will this impact US trading partners and existing trade deals? And what about the impact on the energy sector, from oil and gas to clean energy products? 
Today on the show, Jason Bordoff speaks with two researchers from the Center on Global Energy Policy, Richard Nephew and Trevor Sutton, to unpack the ruling.
Richard formerly served as the US deputy special envoy for Iran under the Biden administration, where he played a key role in negotiations over the Iran nuclear deal. From 2013-2015, Richard also served as the Principal Deputy Sanctions Coordinator at the US Department of State.
Trevor focuses on the intersection of trade, climate, and industrial policy. He leads the center's program on trade and the clean energy transition. Trevor previously served as research director of the Remaking Trade for a Sustainable Future project.
Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

Under the second Trump administration, the US Department of Energy significantly shifted its priorities to align with its "energy dominance" agenda. But one significant point of continuity with the Biden years is a continued emphasis on energy security.
Energy security means different things today than it did even a decade ago. It's about competing in the global race for artificial intelligence, reshoring manufacturing supply chains, and keeping the lights on as extreme weather events become more frequent and more destructive. But the administration's efforts to bolster energy availability at a time of surging load growth has included emergency orders to keep coal-fired power plants operating. And it has pulled back funding for new energy transmission projects that it says will not quickly lower energy costs for US consumers. 
So when it comes to the administration's energy dominance agenda, what are the trade-offs between security and speed? What does the administration's waning support for renewables and low-carbon industries mean for American clean energy innovation in the coming decades? And how will the US build out new power capacity, including advanced nuclear, quickly and safely?
Today on the show, Jason Bordoff speaks to the acting under secretary of energy at the US Department of Energy, Alex Fitzsimmons, about the second Trump administration's energy policy priorities.
Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

The Trump administration has prioritized nuclear energy expansion, aiming to increase US nuclear capacity fourfold by 2050. This nuclear energy resurgence in the US is a rare issue with bipartisan support, and tech companies have poured billions of dollars into sustaining nuclear power plants and building new reactors to supply AI data centers.
But accelerating nuclear power could mean changing environmental and safety reviews. And small modular reactors and other innovations in nuclear energy are likely years from commercial readiness. 
So is there a way to reinvigorate nuclear energy in the US that's safe and fast? What would that mean for the power sector and the communities that support plants today, and future sites? Are there any signs that new technologies could address the perennial questions around nuclear safety? And what does all of this mean for national security and energy policy?
Today on the show, Bill Loveless speaks with Laura S. H. Holgate, Ambassador (ret.) about the state of nuclear energy innovation, safety, and governance.
Laura is the president of LSHH International Advisors and a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy. She twice served as ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency. She has held multiple positions in and out of government, including vice president at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, special assistant to the president at the White House National Security Council, and a senior official at the departments of Energy and Defense. 
Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

As political support for clean energy has waxed and waned over the past twenty years, so has the government's financial backing. In the 2010s, critics pointed to the failed solar startup Solyndra, which the Department of Energy had backed to the tune of half a billion dollars, as a poster child of wasteful spending. 
But under President Biden, in addition to major clean energy incentives passed in the Inflation Reduction Act, the DOE's Loan Programs Office borrowing authority grew ten-fold. Now, under a second Trump administration, the tide turned again. The loan office, and clean energy spending, have scaled back significantly.
So how has federal support of nascent clean energy technologies evolved? What could be done today to lower energy costs while boosting the reliability of the electric grid? Where is domestic manufacturing headed and how does that impact both energy and national security? And what could be done today to lower energy costs while boosting the reliability of the electric grid? 
Today on the show, Jason Bordoff speaks with Jigar Shah to discuss the current state of clean energy investing and innovation.
Jigar is the co-managing partner at the clean tech advisory firm Multiplier and co-hosts the Open Circuit podcast. He directed the DOE's Loan Programs Office during the Biden administration. Before that, he co-founded and was the president of the investment firm Generate Capital. Early in his career he co-founded the solar service company SunEdison.
Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

With electricity prices on the rise, the future of our power grid is attracting a lot more attention. Surging demand is at the center of the story, but the power sector is also grappling with supply chain bottlenecks and aging infrastructure – all while trying to balance capacity growth with reducing emissions.
This isn't just a technical challenge. Energy affordability and equity are reshaping debates about energy policy, permitting reform, and climate goals. 
So, what's really behind rising prices? What are the best ways to balance the need to build capacity with the interests of communities? What role can research play when it comes to steering energy policy? And what lessons can Texas teach us about all of these concerns?
Today on the show, Jason Bordoff speaks with Michael Webber about the costs of energy; the challenges of permitting reform; and the need to build more energy faster.
Michael Webber is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He's the author of multiple books on energy, including Power Trip and Thirst for Power, both of which were adapted into award-winning PBS documentary series. In addition to his academic post, Michael previously served as CTO of the venture fund Energy Impact Partners, and as chief science and technology officer at ENGIE.
Note: This conversation was recorded in early December.
Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.