Energy Lab

NRCO Clean Energy Outlook: Batteries, Data Centers, and the Future of the Grid Part I

Battery storage is booming. AI data centers are driving massive new electricity demand. And utilities are trying to plan a grid that can handle both.
 
In this episode, Mike Keyser and the NRCO team break down the latest Clean Energy Outlook and connect the dots across storage markets, generation retirements, and the rapid rise of AI infrastructure. The conversation explores why most battery deployments are concentrated in a handful of markets, what that means for broader grid strategy, and how utilities are thinking about reliability as the resource mix shifts.
 
The team also digs into the surge in data center load and what it could mean for long term grid planning, credit risk, and ratepayers. The episode closes with a preview of the next discussion: where the next wave of data centers might go, including the surprisingly real possibility of computing infrastructure moving into space.

NRCO 2026 Predictions

In NRCO's first webinar of 2026, Mike Keyser and the team discuss their energy policy, market and technology predictions for the year ahead.  The conversation centers on implications for electric cooperatives, as well as utilities, regulators, developers, and investors across the U.S. energy sector.  Who will be the biggest energy winner?  What will be the most significant technology breakthrough?  Is it more risky to underbuild or overbuild generation?  Listen and find out what the NRCO team thinks. 

Live from the 2025 NRCO Conference: Summer Clean Energy Outlook

The guys at NRCO went live at the 2025 Conference to bring you the Summer Clean Energy Outlook. We break down why LMPs are climbing and how the OBBBA is reshaping the game. We dig into the looming capacity gap, the headaches of FEOC rules for U.S. battery manufacturing, and why developers may still choose Chinese cells even with tariffs. We even zoom out to China and the APAC region, where energy planning looks a whole lot different than here at home. Plus, we wrap things up with a lightning round that covers heartbreak sports moments, hidden food gems, and favorite audiobooks. Smart analysis, co-op perspective, and a little personality. Exactly what you expect from NRCO.

Q2 Insights: The Great Trade Debate

Mike Loenen and Scott Bradtmiller go head-to-head on tariffs, trade, and whether broad-based tariffs are the right strategy for the U.S.  Later in the episode, Kolton Popp applies NRCO's AI Field Guide to some real-world practical examples.

Q1 Insights: A Deeper Dive Into Key Energy Issues

In this episode, three of the NRCO staff discuss the detail behind their articles featured in NRCO's first quarter newsletter, NRCO Insights.
Mike Keyser kicks off the discussion with data center loads and asks the question, "Can we build enough generation?"  To answer the question, he analyzed two decades of historical capacity additions to the electric grid, and what he found is that we've actually been going backwards - i.e. losing spare capacity - since the coal era ended in the early 2010s.  
Next, Todd Bartling journeys into the world of autonomous vehicles, discussing their potential impact on energy demand and grid infrastructure. From experiences with Waymo's self-driving taxis in bustling cities to exploring the technological differences and future projections of autonomous fleets, the conversation unfolds exciting possibilities for the electric grid.
Lastly, Justin Mahoney provides a primer on advanced battery energy storage bidding strategies, including capitalizing on real-time market opportunities through DART spreads and high-frequency intra-hour trading. These innovative dimensions to energy market participation help further monetize and increase the value proposition for battery storage assets.

Clean Energy Outlook: Winter 2025

Join NRCO staff as they discuss NRCO's winter 2025 clean energy outlook. Alongside discussions on phantom metronome noises, the session explored trends in the power sector, particularly focusing on renewables, batteries, and wind energy amidst a backdrop of political and market uncertainties.
The webinar also offered insights into upcoming events, such as NRCO's first technical conference in Alabama, highlighting expected agenda topics and guest speakers. Additionally, attendees were invited to delve into a recently released white paper on energy storage, aimed at cutting through market misconceptions and providing a clear understanding of battery storage projects, from economic modeling to understanding market accreditation.
Amidst rich conversation around policy impacts, tariffs, and the battery storage landscape, the webinar emphasized the unpredictable nature of current market conditions, prompting industry professionals to prepare for turbulence in the evolving energy journey.