Around the world, renewable energy and storage projects are waiting years in queues before they can come onto the grid. Even as the energy transition accelerated, many of these queues continued to run on the conventional first-come, first-served basis. So speculative proposals could get ahead of projects that were practical to build, providing a headwind on how fast the transition could move.
Britain is one example, where in December 2025, its National Energy System Operator (NESO) told a committee of Parliament that 70% of the projects in its queue would never be built. Nine months later, Britain's Minister for Energy told another committee that the connection dates many projects had been holding were "a work of fiction in most cases."
What would it take to get real projects onto the grid faster, so that they can cut carbon emissions and make our energy supply more sustainable? A version of that question is under debate in the US as this episode is released. Congress is considering a wide-ranging bill on permitting and the power grid, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), which, among other changes, would reform interconnection queues to discourage speculative projects.
In this episode of our documentary series, we look at the reforms and proposals in Britain, the US, Europe and Australia for getting projects through these queues faster and building the power lines they need, drawing on public recordings and episodes featuring conversations with our host Chris Nelder. We'll hear why, nearly a decade ago, a state utility commission could tell a company that wanted to build a multi-state power line that it couldn't even apply for a permit, because it had no customers in that state. And we'll hear about tenants in the German city of Neumünster who have spent two years looking at the solar panels on the roofs of their buildings, still waiting for the local grid operator to connect them.
Featured in this episode, with titles as they were at the time of each recording:
Public recordings: excerpts from official proceedings, in the order we hear them:
- Claire Dykta, Director of Strategy and Policy at NESO, giving evidence to the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee, December 3, 2025
- Michael Shanks MP, UK Minister of State for Energy, giving evidence to the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, September 2, 2026
- Tristan Kessler, Office of Energy Policy and Innovation (since disbanded), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, presenting the draft final rule that became Order No. 2023 at FERC’s open meeting, July 27, 2023
- Rob Gramlich, founder and president of Grid Strategies, and Michael Skelly, co-founder and CEO of Grid United, testifying at the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy hearing “Wires, Rates, and States,” chaired by Bob Latta, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, May 13, 2026
The two committee recordings are by the UK Parliamentary Recording Unit, used under license, with our thanks. The FERC meeting and the House hearing are public domain.
Energy Transition Show episodes: excerpts, in the order we hear them:
- Liza Reed, research manager for low carbon technology policy at the Niskanen Center (currently its Vice President of Policy), on Episode #161 (2021)
- Alexandra Klass, Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School (currently at the University of Michigan Law School), on Episode #50 (2017)
- Ari Peskoe, Director of the Electricity Law Initiative at Harvard Law School, on Episode #227 (2024)
- Tara Connolly, Programme Lead for Energy Markets and Grids at Beyond Fossil Fuels, on Episode #279 (2026)
- Chris Bowen, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, and Tristan Edis, Director of Analysis and Advisory at Green Energy Markets (currently its CEO), on Episode #246 (2024)
Sources and licenses for this episode, including the full recordings, with our excerpt times.
Liza Reed is Vice President of Policy at the Niskanen Center. She is an expert in High Voltage Direct Current, electricity transmission, and technology innovation. When she first appeared on the show in December 2021, she was the Niskanen Center’s research manager for low carbon technology policy. She holds a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University in Engineering and Public Policy and a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University.
On Twitter: @LizaBevin
On the Web: Liza’s page at Niskanen Center
Alexandra Klass is the James G. Degnan Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School. She is an expert in regulatory challenges to integrating more renewable energy into the nation’s electric transmission grid, and eminent domain issues surrounding interstate electric transmission lines and oil and gas pipelines. When she first appeared on the show in August 2017, she was a Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School. She is a co-author of Energy Law (Foundation Press 2017), Energy Law and Policy (West Academic Publishing 2015), and The Practice and Policy of Environmental Law (Foundation Press, 4th ed. 2017).
On the Web:
Alexandra Klass’ profile page at the University of Minnesota Law School
Ari Peskoe is Director of the Electricity Law Initiative at Harvard Law School. He has written extensively about electricity regulation, on issues ranging from rooftop solar to Constitutional challenges to states’ energy laws.
On Twitter: @AriPeskoe
On the Web: Electricity Law Initiative at Harvard Law School
Tara Connolly is Programme Lead for Energy Markets and Grids with the NGO Beyond Fossil Fuels, where she leads work on delivering the grids and market rules necessary to phase out fossil fuels and ramp up renewables and clean flexibility. She has almost 15 years of experience in EU energy policy and campaigns, and has worked in the past for Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Global Witness.
On Bluesky: @taraconnolly.bsky.social
On LinkedIn: @tara-connolly-EU
On the Web: https://beyondfossilfuels.org/
Tristan Edis has worked on commercial and policy initiatives for the energy transition for 24 years.
He is CEO of Green Energy Markets, where he undertakes research to support clients making investment, trading and policy decisions related to energy and carbon abatement markets. When he first appeared on the show in March 2025, he was its Director of Analysis and Advisory.
Tristan has written extensively on how to improve the energy system and markets to deliver reliable and affordable energy while also addressing climate change.
Previously, he has worked in the Clean Energy Council for the Australian Government, Ernst & Young, and the Grattan Institute think tank. He was also the editor of a clean energy news website called Climate Spectator.
On Twitter: @TristanEdis
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristan-edis-7b107998/
On the Web: https://www.greenmarkets.com.au/
Tristan’s research papers in IEEFA
Tristan’s articles in The Guardian
Tristan’s articles in Watt Clarity
Tristan’s articles in Renew Economy
Chris Bowen is Minister for Climate Change and Energy for the Australian Labor Party, representing Prospect, New South Wales in the House of Representatives. He has held a wide range of portfolios including serving as Treasurer, Minister for Human Services, Minister for Immigration, Minister for Financial Services, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Competition Policy, Minister for Small Business and Minister for Tertiary Education. Chris has been responsible for a range of significant policy reform programs in these portfolios.
He served as Interim Leader of the Labor Party and Acting Leader of the Opposition following the 2013 Federal election and served as Shadow Treasurer.
On Twitter: @bowenchris
On the Australian Government website: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=DZS
On the Web: https://www.chrisbowen.net/
Recording date: November 9, 2026
Air date: November 11, 2026
Geek rating: 7