As the Trump governance doubles down on its energy and AI dominance agenda, U.S. energy companies have found themselves navigating tricky communication strategies. Touting the clean, carbon-free nature of renewable energy no longer carries the clout it did under the Biden administration, and policy has shifted against certain forms of renewables.At the same time, energy companies are being called upon to meet rising power demands of data-center developers, many of which are prioritizing carbon-free options.
This has forced energy companies to shift the way they communicate: They must garner political favor while also positioning themselves as an answer to the coming onslaught of electricity demand.
The wind and solar industries are focusing on electricity affordability and the fact that wind farms and photovoltaics are the cheapest and fastest way to add new energy generation. Battery storage developers are aligning themselves with Trump’s domestic manufacturing push, scaling up efforts to shift supply chains to the United States as they battle uncertainty over tariffs.
Nuclear power companies are touting their ability to go small and modular-theoretically a faster way to get reactors running. Next-generation geothermal developers are staying the course but playing up the industry’s crossovers with oil and gas. Hydrogen,too,is being highlighted as similar to fossil fuels. And the offshore wind industry is mostly preoccupied with using the courts to fight the Trump administration’s repeated attempts to ban development.It’s not that the renewable technologies themselves have changed, says Samuel Furfari, former European Commission senior energy official and current energy geopolitics professor at ESCP Business School in London. “Mr. Trump has made a communication revolution, not an energy revolution,” he says about the state of the industry in the United States and abroad.
Trump Declares His Energy Darlings
Geothermal and Nuclear Power Adapt Messaging to Focus on Grid Capacity
The communications strategies for next-generation geothermal and nuclear power are evolving, driven by increasing energy demands and shifting political landscapes.While both sectors have historically emphasized their clean energy benefits, a growing focus is now placed on their ability to rapidly increase electricity supply, notably to accommodate data center growth.
Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geosystems, explains the shift: “When we first started Sage…we were talking about it being clean and renewable, but…there’s now a little bit more allergic connotation with clean and renewable.” The industry is increasingly highlighting how geothermal utilizes drilling technology and expertise borrowed from the oil and gas sector to accelerate development.
Geoffrey garrison, VP of Operations at Quaise Energy, notes the importance of tailoring messaging to the audience. “You have to be cognizant of who’s listening and who has got their hands on the lever…You tailor your message.” Sarah Jewett, Senior VP of Strategy at Fervo Energy, adds that localization of the supply chain is a key consideration, influenced by the current administration’s priorities.
Fervo Energy’s overall messaging has remained relatively consistent across administrations, but their investor pitches now prominently feature the application of oil and gas drilling technology to geothermal energy. While clean energy aspects aren’t entirely absent, the company recognizes the need to appeal to a broader range of perspectives.
This trend extends to nuclear power, which enjoys bipartisan support.The industry is now emphasizing the restarting of decommissioned reactors, the construction of new plants, and the development of small modular and microreactors to meet rising electricity demand.
Internationally, a similar shift is occurring. at the ADIPEC energy conference in abu Dhabi, the term “energy transition” is being replaced with “energy addition,” reflecting the urgent need to increase energy supply rather than solely focusing on shifting from fossil fuels. Taff explains this is a natural evolution given the “hockey stick” increase in demand.
The impact of political shifts is also being felt globally. As one observer notes, the willingness to openly discuss fossil fuels, previously discouraged, is changing the conversation worldwide.
