Energy Secretary Chris Wright: We need to add 100 gigawatts of new firm capacity in the next 5 years

Energy Sector Growth & Drivers - AI is a significant driver of growth in the electricity sector, which has seen limited growth in recent years [1][2] - Reshoring of manufacturing also contributes to electricity demand growth [2] - A substantial portion of American energy growth is attributed to exports to allies in Europe and Asia, independent of AI [2] - The industry anticipates the need for an additional 100 gigawatts of new firm capacity in the next 5 years [3] Climate Change Perspective - The perception of climate change among the public and actual climate science have diverged significantly [5] - Data aggregated over the continental US show no significant long-term trend in the most extreme weather events [7] - The IPCC has acknowledged the inability to directly link carbon dioxide to increased adverse weather events [8] - The world is becoming greener and slightly wetter, potentially making it a better place [15] Energy Transition & Future - Eventual decarbonization of the world is achievable through technology, but it is generations away [13] - Nuclear energy currently accounts for approximately 5% of global energy, down from 6.5% at the turn of the century [17] - Wind, solar, and batteries account for 2.6% of global energy and are unlikely to reach double digits [18] - Increased fossil fuel prices, driven by policies aimed at reducing domestic production, benefit the industry's top 1% but negatively impact the broader population [19]