Kevin O’Rourke
@krorourke.bsky.social
SVP, Development & Public Affairs, ACORE
Working with philanthropy to accelerate 🇺🇸 wind, solar, storage deployment
Co-founder, lead of ACORE’s Macro Grid Initiative
Working with philanthropy to accelerate 🇺🇸 wind, solar, storage deployment
Co-founder, lead of ACORE’s Macro Grid Initiative
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
The Trump administration's strategy seems to be weaponizing law to achieve ideological and/or material interests, but the legal case is often shallow and not well thought out. That's why legal mobilization rather than caving is critical.
heatmap.news/energy/revol...
heatmap.news/energy/revol...
How Trump’s Case Against Revolution Wind Fell Apart
The administration argued in the name of national defense — but Orsted had receipts.
heatmap.news
October 1, 2025 at 1:04 AM
The Trump administration's strategy seems to be weaponizing law to achieve ideological and/or material interests, but the legal case is often shallow and not well thought out. That's why legal mobilization rather than caving is critical.
heatmap.news/energy/revol...
heatmap.news/energy/revol...
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
Note to lefties who think RFK Jr. is terrible on vaccines but makes sense about agriculture: He is terrible on agriculture, too. You should ask yourself why you’re nodding along with the anti-science brain worm guy.
September 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Note to lefties who think RFK Jr. is terrible on vaccines but makes sense about agriculture: He is terrible on agriculture, too. You should ask yourself why you’re nodding along with the anti-science brain worm guy.
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
My story about Revolution Wind dropped. Trump just halted construction of the offshore wind farm due to "national security."
NEW: Navy, Army Corps, and Coast Guard raised "no major military issues" during a 2009-2015 federal task force that sited Rev Wind where it's now being built, says insider.
NEW: Navy, Army Corps, and Coast Guard raised "no major military issues" during a 2009-2015 federal task force that sited Rev Wind where it's now being built, says insider.
Trump admin halts construction of nearly finished offshore wind farm
Ørsted's Revolution Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island is hit with a stop-work order over vague "national security" concerns.
www.canarymedia.com
August 25, 2025 at 2:58 AM
My story about Revolution Wind dropped. Trump just halted construction of the offshore wind farm due to "national security."
NEW: Navy, Army Corps, and Coast Guard raised "no major military issues" during a 2009-2015 federal task force that sited Rev Wind where it's now being built, says insider.
NEW: Navy, Army Corps, and Coast Guard raised "no major military issues" during a 2009-2015 federal task force that sited Rev Wind where it's now being built, says insider.
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
Big Tech wants clean energy tax credits. Repealing them would make electricity costs higher, both for them and for you.
www.utilitydive.com/news/repeali...
www.utilitydive.com/news/repeali...
Repealing energy tax credits would raise electricity costs, study says
The Clean Energy Buyers Association, which represents big tech companies and other large off-takers, said the Republican budget proposal could hurt their members.
www.utilitydive.com
May 26, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Big Tech wants clean energy tax credits. Repealing them would make electricity costs higher, both for them and for you.
www.utilitydive.com/news/repeali...
www.utilitydive.com/news/repeali...
The U.S. needs more grid capacity.
Panel of expert offers bipartisan solutions to ensure reliable, low-cost service.
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/SinkorSwim?u...
Panel of expert offers bipartisan solutions to ensure reliable, low-cost service.
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/SinkorSwim?u...
May 13, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The U.S. needs more grid capacity.
Panel of expert offers bipartisan solutions to ensure reliable, low-cost service.
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/SinkorSwim?u...
Panel of expert offers bipartisan solutions to ensure reliable, low-cost service.
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/SinkorSwim?u...
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
Good morning with good news: Solar, batteries, and wind will be 93% of the utility-scale capacity added to US grid in 2025! That does NOT include ~8 GW of small solar.
Utility-scale solar will double from 91 GW to 182 GW in 3 years (2023-2026). Great!
#energysky pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/04/11/u...
Utility-scale solar will double from 91 GW to 182 GW in 3 years (2023-2026). Great!
#energysky pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/04/11/u...
April 14, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Good morning with good news: Solar, batteries, and wind will be 93% of the utility-scale capacity added to US grid in 2025! That does NOT include ~8 GW of small solar.
Utility-scale solar will double from 91 GW to 182 GW in 3 years (2023-2026). Great!
#energysky pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/04/11/u...
Utility-scale solar will double from 91 GW to 182 GW in 3 years (2023-2026). Great!
#energysky pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/04/11/u...
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
🚨 Join ACORE on April 22 at 1 p.m. ET for a webinar about a new report from The Brattle Group. With demand expected to rise significantly in the coming years, this report showcases how ATTs are an important tool for meeting this load growth.
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/ReducingEner...
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/ReducingEner...
April 14, 2025 at 5:09 PM
🚨 Join ACORE on April 22 at 1 p.m. ET for a webinar about a new report from The Brattle Group. With demand expected to rise significantly in the coming years, this report showcases how ATTs are an important tool for meeting this load growth.
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/ReducingEner...
Register here: acore.swoogo.com/ReducingEner...
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
Wind energy providing >60% of the electricity this morning in the Southwest Power Pool region. Parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas have negative power prices thanks to wind. #energysky #arleg #arpx
April 9, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Wind energy providing >60% of the electricity this morning in the Southwest Power Pool region. Parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas have negative power prices thanks to wind. #energysky #arleg #arpx
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
“Solar and energy storage accounted for 84% of new electricity generation capacity added to the U.S. power grid last year”
www.reuters.com/business/ene...
www.reuters.com/business/ene...
Solar accounted for 84% of new US power added in 2024, report says
Solar energy accounted for 84% of new electricity generation capacity added to the U.S. power grid last year, but the industry faces a challenging future with the new U.S. administration's energy policies, a report published on Tuesday said.
www.reuters.com
March 23, 2025 at 12:49 PM
“Solar and energy storage accounted for 84% of new electricity generation capacity added to the U.S. power grid last year”
www.reuters.com/business/ene...
www.reuters.com/business/ene...
Glad to see PJM and FERC adopt our recommendations.
Devil will be in details of implementation, but an important step forward.
Kudos to colleagues @gabetabak.bsky.social and Melissa Alfano at SEIA, as well as the team at Gabel Associates.
Our report: acore.org/resources/re...
Devil will be in details of implementation, but an important step forward.
Kudos to colleagues @gabetabak.bsky.social and Melissa Alfano at SEIA, as well as the team at Gabel Associates.
Our report: acore.org/resources/re...
February 13, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Glad to see PJM and FERC adopt our recommendations.
Devil will be in details of implementation, but an important step forward.
Kudos to colleagues @gabetabak.bsky.social and Melissa Alfano at SEIA, as well as the team at Gabel Associates.
Our report: acore.org/resources/re...
Devil will be in details of implementation, but an important step forward.
Kudos to colleagues @gabetabak.bsky.social and Melissa Alfano at SEIA, as well as the team at Gabel Associates.
Our report: acore.org/resources/re...
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
The US’s largest solar cell factory is now online in South Carolina electrek.co/2025/02/03/u...
🔌💡
🔌💡
The US's largest solar cell factory is now online in South Carolina
ES Foundry will become the largest producer of crystalline silicon solar cells in the US with the launch of its new factory in South Carolina.
electrek.co
February 4, 2025 at 4:51 AM
The US’s largest solar cell factory is now online in South Carolina electrek.co/2025/02/03/u...
🔌💡
🔌💡
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
In today's earnings report, NextEra Energy makes the case for renewables and storage as least-cost resource to meet growing US electricity demand. www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/~/media/File...
January 24, 2025 at 5:10 PM
In today's earnings report, NextEra Energy makes the case for renewables and storage as least-cost resource to meet growing US electricity demand. www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/~/media/File...
Energy dominance requires non-discriminatory efforts to promote all forms of low-cost domestic energy.
Senator Capito (R-WV) is right to question the efficacy of this EO.
Senator Capito (R-WV) is right to question the efficacy of this EO.
“When the president came forward with his executive orders, he did put a hold on some government spending — but he didn’t put a hold on the money that has already been obligated, which I would put that money in the hydrogen hub category for West Virginia through the Department of Energy,” -Capito
After presidential orders, Capito is confident that federal support for W.Va. projects will be stable - WV MetroNews
Trump ordered an immediate pause to the disbursement of federal funds tied to certain components of the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law.
wvmetronews.com
January 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Energy dominance requires non-discriminatory efforts to promote all forms of low-cost domestic energy.
Senator Capito (R-WV) is right to question the efficacy of this EO.
Senator Capito (R-WV) is right to question the efficacy of this EO.
“the idea that you would have a pro-business administration trying to stop private companies from taking economically appropriate action on private land is just so out of step with the role of government that we’re expecting they’re going to clarify their intent.”
NEW: Trump’s anti-wind order does *not* just apply to offshore wind.
That’s because all wind projects need federal permits, even if they’re not on federal property.
Lobbyists believe that Trump’s order could hit “more than half” of wind farms now under development. heatmap.news/plus/the-fig...
That’s because all wind projects need federal permits, even if they’re not on federal property.
Lobbyists believe that Trump’s order could hit “more than half” of wind farms now under development. heatmap.news/plus/the-fig...
Trump’s Wind Order Could Hit ‘More Than Half’ of New Projects
The American wind industry faces a potentially existential threat.
heatmap.news
January 24, 2025 at 6:32 AM
“the idea that you would have a pro-business administration trying to stop private companies from taking economically appropriate action on private land is just so out of step with the role of government that we’re expecting they’re going to clarify their intent.”
Thank you for your service.
Important point embedded here: American energy dominance depends on low-cost, reliable power.
Continuing to utilize public-private partnerships is necessary to rapidly scale the infrastructure necessary to bring that power online.
Important point embedded here: American energy dominance depends on low-cost, reliable power.
Continuing to utilize public-private partnerships is necessary to rapidly scale the infrastructure necessary to bring that power online.
As I leave office, I want you to know that this has been the best job of my career. We have shown that America has the best entrepreneurs in the World and they are now committing themselves to commercialize their technology here in America. DOE has never been more relevant to the private sector.
LPO Year in Review 2024 (and 3 weeks)
These past four years have been the most productive in LPO’s history. The Office has made 55 conditional commitments totaling ~$109B and closed 25 deals totaling ~$61B billion in loans and loan guaran...
www.linkedin.com
January 20, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Thank you for your service.
Important point embedded here: American energy dominance depends on low-cost, reliable power.
Continuing to utilize public-private partnerships is necessary to rapidly scale the infrastructure necessary to bring that power online.
Important point embedded here: American energy dominance depends on low-cost, reliable power.
Continuing to utilize public-private partnerships is necessary to rapidly scale the infrastructure necessary to bring that power online.
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
The DOE has finalized $1.5 BILLION in capacity contracts for four major transmission projects 💰
Made possible in part by Grid Deployment Office funding, these projects will bolster the grid’s capacity and reliability across the U.S. ⚡️
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...
Made possible in part by Grid Deployment Office funding, these projects will bolster the grid’s capacity and reliability across the U.S. ⚡️
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...
E&E News: DOE finalizes major power line contracts
The deals commit $1.5 billion to transmission projects as the Biden administration races to finalize clean energy funding before Donald Trump's inauguration.
subscriber.politicopro.com
January 16, 2025 at 8:56 PM
The DOE has finalized $1.5 BILLION in capacity contracts for four major transmission projects 💰
Made possible in part by Grid Deployment Office funding, these projects will bolster the grid’s capacity and reliability across the U.S. ⚡️
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...
Made possible in part by Grid Deployment Office funding, these projects will bolster the grid’s capacity and reliability across the U.S. ⚡️
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
LPO has announced 3 additional transmission-related commitments for nearly $6B:
• $3.52B to PacifiCorp, 700 miles of new lines in ID, OR, & UT
• $1.6B to AEP to finance reconductoring 5,000 miles of transmission in IN, MI, OH, OK, & WV
• $716M to JCP&L to help fund the NJ Clean Energy Corridor 🔌💡
• $3.52B to PacifiCorp, 700 miles of new lines in ID, OR, & UT
• $1.6B to AEP to finance reconductoring 5,000 miles of transmission in IN, MI, OH, OK, & WV
• $716M to JCP&L to help fund the NJ Clean Energy Corridor 🔌💡
Deal Digest: LPO’s Latest Conditional Commitments Help Keep Power Affordable Through New Generation and Expanded Transmission for Utility Customers in Twelve States
On January 16, 2024, LPO announced eight conditional commitments through its Title 17 Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program, comprising $22.92 billion to utilities serving more than 14.78 m...
www.energy.gov
January 16, 2025 at 9:12 PM
LPO has announced 3 additional transmission-related commitments for nearly $6B:
• $3.52B to PacifiCorp, 700 miles of new lines in ID, OR, & UT
• $1.6B to AEP to finance reconductoring 5,000 miles of transmission in IN, MI, OH, OK, & WV
• $716M to JCP&L to help fund the NJ Clean Energy Corridor 🔌💡
• $3.52B to PacifiCorp, 700 miles of new lines in ID, OR, & UT
• $1.6B to AEP to finance reconductoring 5,000 miles of transmission in IN, MI, OH, OK, & WV
• $716M to JCP&L to help fund the NJ Clean Energy Corridor 🔌💡
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
Sec. of Energy nominee Chris Wright to Sen. Martin Heinrich:
"I'm aligned with you and will seek to find the best ways to improve our transmission grid, including expansion and new lines."
The U.S. must build regional and interregional lines while deploying GETs and HPCs to meet growing demand.
"I'm aligned with you and will seek to find the best ways to improve our transmission grid, including expansion and new lines."
The U.S. must build regional and interregional lines while deploying GETs and HPCs to meet growing demand.
January 16, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Sec. of Energy nominee Chris Wright to Sen. Martin Heinrich:
"I'm aligned with you and will seek to find the best ways to improve our transmission grid, including expansion and new lines."
The U.S. must build regional and interregional lines while deploying GETs and HPCs to meet growing demand.
"I'm aligned with you and will seek to find the best ways to improve our transmission grid, including expansion and new lines."
The U.S. must build regional and interregional lines while deploying GETs and HPCs to meet growing demand.
“The nation’s infrastructure is once again at a critical juncture. Strategic competition with China on artificial intelligence is straining the U.S. power grid, as new data centers are struggling to come online due to challenges in connecting to new power generation.”
Presidents Monroe, Lincoln, and Eisenhower all delivered 🇺🇸 economic prosperity through enabling infrastructure investment.
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Infrastructure Investment: The Key to Energy Dominance & Economic Prosperity
A common thread among these seemingly disparate challenges is a lack of adequate transmission lines connecting America’s balkanized power grids.
nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
January 13, 2025 at 8:45 PM
“The nation’s infrastructure is once again at a critical juncture. Strategic competition with China on artificial intelligence is straining the U.S. power grid, as new data centers are struggling to come online due to challenges in connecting to new power generation.”
Reposted by Kevin O’Rourke
MISO is leading the path forward in building new transmission to drive economic growth and grid reliability: www.utilitydive.com/news/midwest... @ferc.gov
Midwest to lead in ‘build, baby, build’
MISO has proven itself as a national leader in regional transmission planning — and other regions should take note.
www.utilitydive.com
January 8, 2025 at 12:47 PM
MISO is leading the path forward in building new transmission to drive economic growth and grid reliability: www.utilitydive.com/news/midwest... @ferc.gov
“Whether it was James Monroe's advocacy for new roads, canals, and bridges; Abraham Lincoln’s leadership enabling transcontinental railways; or the federal highway system championed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, public-private infrastructure partnerships have reliably served as an economic catalyst.”
Presidents Monroe, Lincoln, and Eisenhower all delivered 🇺🇸 economic prosperity through enabling infrastructure investment.
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Infrastructure Investment: The Key to Energy Dominance & Economic Prosperity
A common thread among these seemingly disparate challenges is a lack of adequate transmission lines connecting America’s balkanized power grids.
nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
January 8, 2025 at 11:54 AM
“Whether it was James Monroe's advocacy for new roads, canals, and bridges; Abraham Lincoln’s leadership enabling transcontinental railways; or the federal highway system championed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, public-private infrastructure partnerships have reliably served as an economic catalyst.”
Presidents Monroe, Lincoln, and Eisenhower all delivered 🇺🇸 economic prosperity through enabling infrastructure investment.
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Infrastructure Investment: The Key to Energy Dominance & Economic Prosperity
A common thread among these seemingly disparate challenges is a lack of adequate transmission lines connecting America’s balkanized power grids.
nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
January 7, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Presidents Monroe, Lincoln, and Eisenhower all delivered 🇺🇸 economic prosperity through enabling infrastructure investment.
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Winning in strategic competition with China will once again require a leap forward in infrastructure.
My column: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
As 2024 comes to a close, here’s to pursuing hard challenges with integrity and persistence.
May 2025 yield even greater personal and professional heights for those that pursue that path.
May 2025 yield even greater personal and professional heights for those that pursue that path.
December 31, 2024 at 3:04 AM
As 2024 comes to a close, here’s to pursuing hard challenges with integrity and persistence.
May 2025 yield even greater personal and professional heights for those that pursue that path.
May 2025 yield even greater personal and professional heights for those that pursue that path.
Important work by regional clean energy orgs on moving transmission policy forward often goes unnoticed.
Shout out to Francis Pullaro of RENEW Northeast (who isn’t on this platform) for leading this work.
And thanks to @aripeskoe.bsky.social for flagging.
Shout out to Francis Pullaro of RENEW Northeast (who isn’t on this platform) for leading this work.
And thanks to @aripeskoe.bsky.social for flagging.
Here's FERC's order finding that ISO-NE's method of assigning Network Upgrade O&M costs to Interconnection
Customers does not meet the but-for standard -- ferc.gov/media/e-15-e...
But wait, there's more --
Customers does not meet the but-for standard -- ferc.gov/media/e-15-e...
But wait, there's more --
December 20, 2024 at 10:42 PM
Important work by regional clean energy orgs on moving transmission policy forward often goes unnoticed.
Shout out to Francis Pullaro of RENEW Northeast (who isn’t on this platform) for leading this work.
And thanks to @aripeskoe.bsky.social for flagging.
Shout out to Francis Pullaro of RENEW Northeast (who isn’t on this platform) for leading this work.
And thanks to @aripeskoe.bsky.social for flagging.