Affordability has quickly overtaken climate change as the primary focus of energy policy. One reason may be that the climate policies adopted over the past decade are finally starting to bind, imposing added costs at a time of rising electricity demand and, in some parts of the country, higher power bills.
Last November, President Donald Trump launched the Genesis Mission through an executive order (EO) that outlines 26 National Science and Technology Challenges, ranging from autonomous scientific labs to fusion energy to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven grid operations. Embedded in that order is a directive to use prize competitions to get there. This is a smart policy because prizes are a growing but still underutilized tool at the Department of Energy (DOE). Now the DOE needs to run with it.
The conversation at CERAWeek shifts each year. In 2026, the focus was on surging demand, disruptions to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, infrastructure bottlenecks, and a more pragmatic energy posture. The conference showed an industry and policymakers increasingly focused not on abstract narratives about the future of energy, but on the harder questions of security, buildout, reliability, affordability, and competitiveness.
Onshore wave energy company Eco Wave Power is turning the tide on reliable, clean electricity with its patented, wave-harnessing devices that can be seamlessly integrated into coastal infrastructure. Founded in 2011, the Israeli-based company was featured in a February 2026 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory report on coastal structure-integrated wave energy converters (CSI-WECs), which are smart, automated devices that can be attached to onshore or nearshore structures such as breakwaters, piers, and ports.
Across the country, energy demand is rising. Data centers, advanced manufacturing, population growth, and electrification are all putting new pressure on the grid.
Unfortunately, that has spilled over and is now also putting pressure on your wallet. If Florida wants to lower electricity costs and attract continued investment, the state needs to take the driver’s seat. House Bill 1461 does exactly that. It sets Florida up to lead the nation in energy innovation and, at the same time, help spur continued economic growth.
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