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The Cheapest Way to Meet Rising Electricity Demand (7.29.26)

2026-07-30 · 16:29 UTC ·Clean Energy Group / Clean Energy States Alliance ·1 min read

Brief

Brendan Pierpont of Energy Innovation presented a CESA webinar (July 29, 2026) showing an open-source modeling analysis that clean resources are the cheapest way to meet U.S. electricity demand growth over the next five years, driven in part by data center expansion. He outlined specific policy tools to build an affordable, low-risk clean grid and fielded audience questions; slides and the full report are linked.

Why it matters

Energy Innovation’s open-source, detailed modeling finds the U.S. can meet projected electricity load growth over the next five years with clean energy more cheaply than by adding fossil-generating capacity, even accounting for rapid data-center-driven demand increases.

Key details

  • Brendan Pierpont presented the analysis and policy recommendations in a CESA webinar on July 29, 2026 (video published July 30, 2026), moderated by CESA Executive Director Warren Leon; slides are at https://www.cesa.org/wp-content/uploads/CESA-Electricity-Demand-Webinar-7-29-26-Slides.pdf and the full report is at https://energyinnovation.org/report/let-the-sun-in-clean-energy-is-the-cheapest-way-to-meet-rising-demand/
Source evidence

Slides: https://www.cesa.org/wp-content/uploads/CESA-Electricity-Demand-Webinar-7-29-26-Slides.pdf

Given rapid growth in electricity use from data centers, nonpartisan think tank Energy Innovation examined how the grid could most cost-effectively meet rising demand over the next five years. Using a detailed, open-source modeling analysis, they found that the US can meet load growth with clean energy much more cheaply than by meeting it with fossil fuels. Energy Innovation accompanied its published analysis with a policy report that highlights key tools policymakers can use to build an affordable, clean and low-risk grid to meet growing demand. Read the report here: https://energyinnovation.org/report/let-the-sun-in-clean-energy-is-the-cheapest-way-to-meet-rising-demand/

In this CESA webinar, Energy Innovation’s Brendan Pierpont discussed the report’s analysis and policy recommendations, followed by an opportunity for audience questions. CESA Executive Director Warren Leon moderated.

Channel: Clean Energy Group / Clean Energy States Alliance
Published: 2026-07-30
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1HBwK-yH1Q