Science & Tech
Over the holidays this winter, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) solicited information on how “to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking discoveries, and ensure that scientific progress and technological innovation benefit all Americans.” Building on work to accelerate and reform the American scientific enterprise, I offered suggestions for how to effectively direct this effort to improve the function, productivity, vitality, and health of American science. It is a welcome attempt to wrest American science from the grip of malaise that characterizes the status quo. Science is viewed as slowing down, productivity decreasing, and requiring more resources, more grants, and more personnel to achieve tremendous breakthroughs.
By Ian R. Banks6 min readMarch 12, 2026
→
Policy
The Department of Defense (DOD) needs a fast lane to the deployment of small modular reactors for powering stations, and the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) offers a road forward.
By Ian R. Banks5 min readJuly 10, 2025
→
Energy
This recent Request for Information on the siting of AI infrastructure on DOE lands is an example of the Department of Energy setting out to do just that. In our response, C3 Solutions argued that speed-to-power should be the chief consideration when assessing the projects and that a variety of tools should be used to achieve speed-to-power.
By Ian R. Banks4 min readMay 22, 2025
→
Policy
With marathon markup sessions in full swing, these draft bills telegraph the direction of the reconciliation process and the negotiating points for the House Republicans.
By Ian R. Banks5 min readMay 15, 2025
→
Policy
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced an executive order on March 27, 2025, to improve the efficiency of the National Laboratories and to reduce bureaucratic kludge at these key federal research and development centers.
By Ian R. Banks2 min readMarch 31, 2025
→
Tech
On February 12th, Shell released a report detailing three visions for how the future of energy security could proceed. The report included the new scenario, “Surge,” and re-published two modified scenarios, “Archipelagos” and “Horizon,” describing the future of the energy economy. Each scenario describes a vision for the energy economy based upon a narrative foundation of the world.
By Ian R. Banks5 min readFebruary 19, 2025
→
Policy
After the failure of the Manchin-Barrasso Energy Permitting Reform Act in the last Congress and with the zone flooded by executive action, legislative approaches to permitting reform in a new Congress are also kicking into gear.
By Ian R. Banks4 min readFebruary 6, 2025
→
Culture
Among the raft of executive actions in the first days of his second term, President Trump issued several related to energy and the climate. This included the declaration of a “National Energy Emergency.”
By Ian R. Banks4 min readJanuary 28, 2025
→
