October 15, 2025 – The United States and much of the developed world is entering a period of rapidly rising energy demand driven by major technological and economic shifts.
Artificial intelligence, data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicle infrastructure, industrial expansion, and the growth of domestic supply chains are all placing new and significant pressures on our electric grid and energy production systems. This growth presents an enormous opportunity for national renewal, job creation, and global leadership, but only if we have the capacity to power it.
At Fueling Freedom, we believe meeting this challenge requires urgent, coordinated action across multiple fronts. The following seven policy proposals outline a clear path to prepare our energy systems for what lies ahead and to ensure that American innovation and economic strength remain unmatched.
1. Modernize and Expand the Electric Grid
The American power grid was designed for a different era. It is aging, fragmented, and under increasing strain from rising electricity demand. Upgrading this system is no longer optional. Congress and the Department of Energy should prioritize a national grid modernization strategy that includes investments in high-voltage transmission lines, regional interconnection projects, substation upgrades, and smart grid technologies that improve reliability and responsiveness.
Transmission planning must account for population growth, industrial siting, and large-scale energy loads from data centers and manufacturing facilities. Federal and state regulators should coordinate to allow multi-state infrastructure to move forward without years of delay, and grid operators must be empowered to address congestion and capacity issues before they become crises. Without a more capable and connected grid, America’s economic growth will hit a ceiling.
2. Reform Permitting for Energy Infrastructure
Across the energy sector, major projects are being delayed or derailed by a permitting system that is slow, inconsistent, and overly complex. Whether it is a natural gas pipeline, an LNG export terminal, a nuclear plant, or a high-voltage transmission line, companies face unpredictable timelines and overlapping reviews that discourage investment.The federal government must set clear permitting deadlines for agencies, designate high-priority energy corridors, and enforce coordination between federal, state, and local authorities. Permitting should be predictable, transparent, and based on a clear set of standards that allow qualified projects to proceed without unnecessary litigation or bureaucratic obstacles.
This reform is especially critical in the next five years, as the country attempts to scale up capacity to support domestic manufacturing, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and advanced transportation technologies.
3. Restore and Expand Domestic Oil and Gas Production
Despite increasing interest in emerging energy technologies, oil and natural gas remain essential to the American economy and global energy markets. These resources support baseload power generation, industrial heating, fuel production, and transportation systems. They also provide the flexible power needed to support intermittent sources like wind and solar.
The federal government should reinstate and expand leasing programs on federal lands and offshore regions, provide regulatory stability for producers, and support midstream infrastructure such as gathering lines and processing facilities. Natural gas in particular is vital to grid reliability and can help meet near-term electricity demand while cleaner energy sources continue to scale. Energy security begins with resource availability, and America has abundant reserves that must be responsibly developed.
4. Accelerate the Deployment of Dispatchable Generation
To keep pace with demand, the United States needs to invest in new dispatchable energy sources—generation that can be turned on at any time and does not depend on weather or time of day. This includes natural gas plants, advanced nuclear reactors, clean coal facilities with carbon capture, and other technologies capable of delivering large-scale, on-demand power.
Policymakers should fast-track licensing for small modular reactors, offer loan guarantees and tax incentives for firm generation projects, and update market rules to ensure these technologies are compensated fairly for their role in grid stability. America cannot afford to build a digital economy on a power system that only works when the sun shines or the wind blows.
5. Build Domestic Critical Mineral Supply Chains
New energy technologies rely heavily on critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements. These materials are essential for batteries, electric motors, transmission infrastructure, and clean energy systems. At present, the United States relies heavily on foreign suppliers, many of which are in unstable or adversarial regions.
To reduce this vulnerability, the federal government must support domestic exploration, mining, and processing of critical minerals. This includes permitting reform for mining operations, investment in refining and manufacturing capacity, and partnerships with allied nations to diversify sourcing. A secure supply chain is vital for both energy resilience and national security.
6. Expand Federal Investment in Energy Innovation
The energy sector is transforming, but many next-generation technologies are still years away from commercial maturity. Carbon capture and storage, clean hydrogen production, grid-scale battery storage, geothermal development, and advanced fission and fusion systems all offer long-term solutions, but they require consistent support to scale.
Congress should expand funding for research and development, offer targeted tax incentives, and establish competitive grant programs that encourage public-private collaboration. Innovation must be measured by scalability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The goal is to move breakthrough ideas from the lab to deployment as efficiently as possible.
7. Integrate Energy Policy with Economic Development Strategy
Energy is not a side issue in economic planning. It is foundational. Site selection for data centers, semiconductor fabs, manufacturing facilities, and advanced industries increasingly depends on access to affordable and reliable electricity. Communities without robust energy infrastructure will struggle to compete for investment.
The Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, and state economic development agencies must coordinate to ensure energy availability is factored into industrial strategy. Incentives for job creation, workforce development, and facility construction should include parallel investments in local and regional energy infrastructure. American competitiveness will depend on matching economic opportunity with power availability.
The United States is well positioned to lead the world into a new era of energy-driven growth and innovation. But leadership is not automatic. It must be earned through smart policy, coordinated action, and sustained investment. These seven proposals offer a practical, forward-looking framework for building the energy system America needs.
Fueling Freedom remains committed to advancing policies that ensure the United States can meet rising energy demand, protect its national security, and provide affordable, reliable power to every American. If we want to lead, we must be willing to build. And 2026 is the time to get it done.