The first in a Critical Mineral Collaboration Series, this webinar convened policymakers, industry leaders and scientists to explore how countries across the Global South can collaborate to strengthen critical mineral value chains. Panelists—including Sandeep Pai—discussed strategies for building and scaling regional processing and refining capacity, enabling countries to move beyond raw material exports toward higher-value manufacturing and deeper downstream integration.

Chipmaker NVIDIA and software company Emerald AI are pushing an initiative to "power and advance a new class of AI factories" that could connect to the grid faster and "support the grid" through flexible operation, potentially freeing up 100 GW of capacity, reports RTO Insider. A 2025 study from Duke University scholars generally supports that figure, calculating that 98 GW of new load could be added to the grid with an average annual load curtailment rate of 0.5%.

Renewables generated more than a third of U.S. electricity in March, overtaking gas for the first time. Nicholas Institute Director Brian Murray explained to Newsweek that "spring is typically the high-water mark for renewables." As the demand for electricity continues to grow, Murray said the United States "will see a more diverse portfolio of generation assets to meet those demands."

The awards recognize students, staff and faculty who demonstrate leadership in climate and sustainability efforts in support of Duke’s Climate Commitment and who embody its vision. This year’s group—recognized in a celebration event on April 9—came from across Duke, demonstrating how the Climate Commitment is being advanced through education, research, community partnerships and engagement with the world.

Startup Soma Energy announced in April that it raised $7 million in pre-seed and seed funding for its work leveraging AI to help data centers access existing grid capacity and optimize available energy resources, reports Latitude Media. Despite widespread concerns about congestion, the grid is believed to have about 100 GW of capacity that could be unlocked through improved utilization, according to a 2025 analysis conducted by Duke University scholars.

Discussions at the third annual “From Billions to Trillions” summit ranged from filling clean energy investment gaps to addressing AI energy demand to navigating political risks … and much more.

The growth of data centers, alongside electric vehicles and manufacturing, is driving the largest surge in electricity demand in the U.S. in decades, Nicholas Institute expert Tim Profeta explained to WHYY News in Philadelphia. This could present an opportunity to improve the grid—or it could raise costs for households and undermine grid reliability, Profeta said.

Duke University kicked off industry discussions on large load flexibility with a February 2025 report, writes columnist K Kaufmann for RTO Insider. Kaufmann reports that a new policy brief takes the next step, calling on state regulators to develop official definitions of flexible large loads "based on a set of enforceable curtailment commitments meeting specific technical requirements."

The data center boom is changing grid conditions quickly—and companies want to go even faster. That provides an opportunity to include demand response—which could be implemented without changing market rules—in negotiations in a way that benefits everyone, Nicholas Institute expert Martin Ross explained to Energywire.

Could rising fuel costs from the 2026 Iran war mean an increased global reliance on coal? Nicholas Institute expert Sandeep Pai told the BBC World Business Report that likelihood is low. “There is no momentum towards coal at a global level,” he said. “In some countries, they might build a few more coal plants because of this crisis. Once this crisis subdues, I do believe this is a short-term phenomenon.”

While the benefits of nature-based solutions (NBS) are well-documented, adoption remains relatively slow—partly because we lack consistent data on how interventions perform under different contexts. 

Duke student Nick Nease is no newcomer to climate challenges, but his work in and out of the classroom at Duke empowered him to find a career in fixing environmental issues. Duke Today profiled Nease and his impact for a series on student leaders working on climate and sustainability. Nease is set to graduate this May and will begin full-time work with renewable energy developer DESRI.

Data centers that power AI consume large amounts of water to keep servers cool and electricity to keep them running. Nicholas Institute expert Jackson Ewing talked with WXII 12 News about the potential implications for individuals' electric and water utility bills.

The power industry and its regulators are increasingly urging tech companies to scale back energy consumption at data centers when called upon by utilities and grid operators, Reuters reports. Taking action when local grids are maxed out could save $40 billion to $150 billion in capital investments over the next decade, according to a recent Nicholas Institute analysis.

In this interview on The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton, Newsha Ajami of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory discusses the February 2026 Aspen National Water Strategy. As co-lead of the Aspen National Water Affordability Strategy Initiative with Martin Doyle, Ajami explains how years of reacting to water crises with short-term solutions and a fragmented and outdated U.S. governance system led to this rethinking of how the U.S. manages water.