Event Recap: Georgetown Dialogues Initiative “Powering the Future: Contending Visions for the Clean Energy Economy”

On April 7th, Georgetown Dialogues Initiative, the Earth Commons and the Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA) Program at SFS co-hosted a dynamic discussion on “Powering the Future: Contending Visions for the Clean Energy Economy.” Moderated by Professor Joanna Lewis, the event featured prominent speakers Jigar Shah and Emily Domenech, who offered their insights on the critical challenges of our evolving energy landscape.

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This Georgetown Dialogues session tackled the complexities of the global energy transition, including how to balance sustainability, affordability, and reliability. The conversation explored major systemic shifts required for decarbonization—such as grid modernization, investment in energy storage, and emerging technologies like nuclear energy and carbon capture and sequestration. Shah and Domenech debated questions around U.S. leadership in clean energy manufacturing, the energy transition’s impact on the global economy and fossil fuel industries, and the implications of geopolitics and supply chains on national energy security.

Featured Speakers

Jigar Shah recently served as Director of the Loan Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy, helping drive investment in clean energy innovation. He brings over 25 years of experience in project finance and sustainable infrastructure. Shah co-founded Generate Capital, founded SunEdison, and was the first CEO of the Carbon War Room. He is the author of Creating Climate Wealth and co-hosts the Open Circuit podcast. In 2024, he was named to Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People.

Emily Domenech is Senior Vice President at Boundary Stone Partners and co-host of the Political Climate podcast. She has held senior policy roles in the U.S. House of Representatives, including as advisor to several House Speakers. Domenech led efforts to draft and pass major energy and permitting legislation, including the Lower Energy Costs Act and reforms enacted by the Fiscal Responsibility Act. She previously held roles at the Department of Energy and Department of Defense and currently serves as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves.

Moderator: Joanna Lewis is the Provost’s Distinguished Associate Professor of Energy and Environment and Director of the Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA) Program at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. A leading scholar in clean energy and climate policy with a focus on China, Lewis also directs Georgetown’s Clean Energy and Climate Research Group and serves as a faculty affiliate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She was a Lead Author for the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report and has worked with numerous governmental and international organizations on energy and climate policy.

Watch the event recording now: