Infrastructure

Building and upgrading energy infrastructure is critical to bolster physical and digital security, power artificial intelligence, and enable secure, reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy systems. Geopolitical, financial, regulatory, technological, operational, and institutional infrastructure solutions across industry and policy can bolster national security, unlock economic prosperity, and increase geopolitical influence.

Recent analysis

Decarbonizing the aluminum market: Challenges and opportunities

Issue Brief Mar 3, 2026

Expanding transmission infrastructure to achieve low-cost, reliable, and abundant energy

By Ken Berlin, Frank Willey

With demand for electricity rising, the United States needs a long-term strategy to expand the power grid and improve energy reliability and affordability.
Energy & Environment Infrastructure
Decarbonizing the aluminum market: Challenges and opportunities

Issue Brief Oct 3, 2025

Dissolving the fence: Improving utility privatization for defense installations’ resiliency

By Benjamin Byboth, Ariel Coreth, Travis Nels

US bases depend on increasingly vulnerable electricity systems. Utility privatization offers a key tool to ensure military installations’ energy resilience.
Energy & Environment Infrastructure
Decarbonizing the aluminum market: Challenges and opportunities

Issue Brief Sep 17, 2025

Preparing US industry for a more competitive world

By David L. Goldwyn, Andrea Clabough

US companies must stay the course on decarbonization to ensure long-term global competitiveness—or risk being left behind as the world’s other major economies continue to prioritize sustainability.
Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

Programs

The Global Energy Center develops and promotes pragmatic and nonpartisan policy solutions designed to advance global energy security, enhance economic opportunity, and accelerate pathways to net-zero emissions.

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Upcoming Events

Flagship Event Tue, June 9, 2026 • 9:00 am ET

2026 Global Energy Forum

The tenth Global Energy Forum will chart the course for continued innovation, collaboration, and leadership in the global energy transition. 
Africa Americas Climate Change & Climate Action Critical Minerals
Public Event Tue, March 17, 2026 • 9:30 am ET

Transmission 2026: Durable infrastructure and regulations for a new digital age

Grid operators, regulators, and experts gather for a conversation on innovative strategies for the buildout and operation of power grids to accommodate new generators and historic demand growth, including from AI workloads.
Energy & Environment Energy Transitions United States and Canada

Past Events

Online Event Thu, March 20, 2025 • 3:00 am ET

Report launch: The role of nuclear energy in economic development

The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center hosts a virtual event to launch the report “Atoms for Appalachia: The role of nuclear energy in economic development.”

Energy & Environment Nuclear Energy
Online Event Fri, April 18, 2025 • 5:30 am ET

Banking on Belém: Mobilizing finance for energy and nature in the Global South

Ahead of COP30, experts discuss the role of loan guarantees in boosting private investment in clean energy, nature, and the climate in emerging economies.
Americas Climate Change & Climate Action Economy & Business Energy & Environment
Flagship Event Tue, June 17, 2025 • 5:00 am ET

2025 Global Energy Forum

The ninth Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum was held on June 17 and 18 in Washington, DC.
Africa Americas Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment
Public Event Tue, October 28, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

ABB’s Chairman Peter R. Voser on innovating for the electrified economy

Exploring how technology bridges energy supply-demand gaps while firms advance energy security, economic growth, and geopolitical objectives.
Artificial Intelligence Energy & Environment Energy Transitions United States and Canada
Public Event Thu, May 1, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

Underwater mayhem: Countering NATO energy & critical infrastructure threats

The Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and Eurasia Center are co-hosting a hybrid discussion on the challenges of protecting NATO’s energy and critical infrastructure from physical sabotage perpetrated by Russia, centered around the launch of an insightful new report, “Underwater Mayhem: Countering Threats to Energy and Critical Infrastructure Across the NATO Alliance and Beyond”.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance Europe & Eurasia European Union
Public Event Tue, December 3, 2024 • 9:00 am ET

Transmission 2025: Prospects for reform in US grid permitting and planning

Experts discuss the policies, innovations, and investments that could drive the transmission buildout in 2025.
Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance Energy Transitions
Online Event Mon, June 12, 2023 • 4:30 am ET

Planning the energy transition: Global perspectives

Experts compare and analyze transmission planning strategies in the US, EU, Australia, and Canada and discuss how to improve the process around the world.
Australia Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
Online Event Wed, May 24, 2023 • 9:30 am ET

Building for the transition: Transatlantic lessons in permitting reform

Experts critically examine EU and US permitting and discuss key actions and pathways for effective regulatory and legislative reform.
Americas Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia European Union

Content

Report

Jan 31, 2024

Decarbonizing the aluminum market: Challenges and opportunities

By Nitya Aggarwal, Matthew Piotrowski, and George Frampton

This report explores the pathways to decarbonize aluminum production through the increased use of recycled scrap metal, supplying more low-carbon energy to production facilities, and increasing efficiency through new technologies.

Americas Critical Minerals

Issue Brief

Sep 18, 2023

Guarantees 2.0: Meeting climate finance needs in the Global South

By Ian Callaghan, George Frampton, Ken Berlin, and Frank Willey

Transforming global energy, manufacturing, and transportation systems for a net-zero future requires a huge investment, but current financial flows toward these goals are vastly insufficient.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
Rooftop solar garden

EnergySource

Aug 10, 2023

Launching the IRA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund could lessen the energy burden for low-income communities

By Ken Berlin, Frank Willey

To maximize the benefits of the GGRF, stakeholders should prioritize projects that most reduce the energy burden in low-income communities and address the barriers to investing in low-income communities.

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

In-Depth Research & Reports

Aug 7, 2023

The on-ramp for hydrogen: The natural gas network

By Cynthia Quarterman

This Global Energy Center report examines how blending hydrogen into US gas pipelines can quickly support demand growth for this key technology for US decarbonization objectives. The report provides recommendations for how policymakers can create a favorable regulatory environment to overcome technical obstacles to scaling up hydrogen deployment.

Energy & Environment Infrastructure
Electric system in Lincoln, Nebraska

EnergySource

Aug 2, 2023

New FERC order to accelerate grid transition—but planning reform still needed

By Ken Berlin, Frank Willey

With Congress unable to adequately address permitting reform, FERC has taken the lead. FERC's new interconnection rule is a good first step to ramp up US decarbonization efforts but should be supplemented with transmission planning reform to optimize future infrastructure deployment.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

Issue Brief

Aug 2, 2023

Transforming Ukraine into a European energy hub

By Richard L. Morningstar, András Simonyi, Olga Khakova, Paddy Ryan

In this issue brief, Global Energy Center experts explore the potential for Ukraine’s energy sector to strengthen European energy security and decarbonization objectives. The brief explores how Ukraine can reform its energy sector to attract investment and create new revenue streams, and how transatlantic partners in government and the private sector can support Ukraine’s clean energy transformation.

Critical Minerals Eastern Europe
Cover for Technological and policy pathways to accelerate US industrial decarbonization

Report

Jul 6, 2023

Technological and policy pathways to accelerate US industrial decarbonization

By Joseph Webster

Industrial decarbonization in the United States will be an important element in lowering global emissions. To limit the consequences of climate change, the United States must urgently advance a suite of efforts to guarantee the domestic and international industrial emissions reductions the world needs.

Americas Energy & Environment

Issue Brief

Jun 28, 2023

Building a biofuels industry in Africa

By Maia Sparkman, William Tobin, Maxwell Zandi

In numerous African nations, the expansion of the biofuels industry could serve as a solution, albeit a partial one, to support the interlocking imperatives of achieving universal access to modern energy services and attaining a high-growth, low-carbon economy.

Africa Energy & Environment
Transmission and clean energy

EnergySource

Jun 8, 2023

The debt-ceiling permitting deal misses the real problems holding back the energy transition

By Ken Berlin, Frank Willey

The debt ceiling bill introduces changes to reform the permitting process in the United States. But the legislation will do little to clear blockages in the permitting queue. To meet climate targets, legislators must adopt additional measures that are specific to transmission and renewable interconnection.

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

Issue Brief

Apr 6, 2023

Accelerating the energy transition to strengthen European energy security: Key barriers to overcome

By Richard L. Morningstar, András Simonyi, Olga Khakova, Paddy Ryan

The role of decarbonization in European energy security, the obstacles impeding clean energy development, and the opportunities for transatlantic collaboration towards low-carbon energy security.

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions
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Experts

Fellow

Omran Al-Kuwari

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Infrastructure

Fellow

Lee Beck

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment

Staff

Reed Blakemore

Director, Research and Programs

Global Energy Center

Geopolitics & Energy Security Energy Transitions

Fellow

Neil Robert Brown

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy Markets & Governance Energy & Environment

Fellow

Benjamin Byboth

Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Infrastructure

Fellow

Andrea Clabough

Nonresident Fellow

Global Energy Center

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment
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