This panel will explore Pennsylvania’s shifting energy policy landscape under Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration. In addition to withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), state leaders have advanced proposals to boost energy production, streamline permitting, and support a range of energy sources, including solar and nuclear power. Panelists will discuss the governor’s “Lightning Plan,” which includes updates to tax credits, expanded renewable energy requirements, a new permitting board, and a proposed Pennsylvania-specific carbon cap-and-trade program, along with the potential impacts on consumers, industry, and communities across the Commonwealth.

This panel will explore how Pennsylvania’s energy systems intersect with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, and what that means for the state’s economy and workforce. Panelists will examine the energy demands of AI, the role of the Commonwealth’s existing and emerging energy resources, and the economic opportunities tied to new infrastructure and innovation. The discussion will also focus on workforce impacts, including job creation, skills development, and how Pennsylvania can prepare its workforce to compete in an AI-driven economy.