Energy Insights 2026

Resources for the Future (RFF) and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation will host the third quadrennial Energy Insights conference on December 3 and 4, 2026, at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. The event will bring together an interdisciplinary community of researchers and stakeholders for a series of engaging conversations about some of today’s most important questions in energy economics, policy, and technology, with a focus on the intersection of research and decision-making.

In-person attendance is by invitation only. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Thursday, December 3, 2026

8:30–9:30 AM | Registration and Breakfast

9:30–9:45 AM | Welcome and Introduction

Welcome to Energy Insights 2026! Our hosts will open the conference with an overview of the conference goals, introduce key themes, and highlight key programming details, including information about the Sloan Foundation’s Ideas to Action Open Call for Proposals for conference participants.

9:45–10:45 AM | Opening Session: A New Era in Research for Decisionmaking

The past four years have seen significant shifts in both the energy research and policy landscapes in the US. This timely conversation will bring together a range of stakeholder perspectives to explore how researchers can most effectively collaborate with decisionmakers and other stakeholders to answer real-world questions in 2027 and beyond.

10:45–11:00 AM | Coffee Break

11:00 AM–12:15 PM | Topical Breakout Sessions

Join one of four topical breakout sessions to discuss cutting-edge energy systems research. Each session will include a series of initial lightning talks, reflections from practitioners in industry or government, and a moderated discussion with all participants, focused on illuminating new developments, best practices, and lessons learned in decision-relevant research.

Please note that the same set of topical discussions will be held on Friday, with new speakers. You may attend a different track than you chose on Thursday or delve deeper within the same topic.

• Energy Supply Chains
• Energy Workforce Transitions
• Industrial Decarbonization
• Energy System Resilience

12:15–1:15 PM | Lunch

1:15–2:30 PM | Meet Your Fellow Energy Researchers: Facilitated Networking

Connecting researchers and practitioners is at the heart of the Energy Insights 2026 intended experience. Join fellow attendees in a range of facilitated networking sessions, focused on four cross-cutting themes:

• Accessing Data: Finding, Building, and Sharing Datasets
• Blending Quantitative and Qualitative Research Strategies
• Engaging New Audiences in Energy Research
• Building Communities of Practice

2:30–3:30 PM | Consumer Preferences in a Shifting Energy Landscape: What Do We Know?

As energy costs and policies have shifted in recent years, how have consumer preferences responded? This panel brings together social and behavior science researchers who are examining stakeholder views and perspectives on electricity rate design, energy efficiency, vehicle purchase decisions, and energy policy choices.

3:30–4:00 PM | Coffee Break

4:00–5:00 PM | Clean Tech Pulse Check

Momentum behind the development and broader adoption of a variety of clean energy technologies is growing. This panel brings together a range of experts as they explore the latest updates in research and deployment of nuclear energy, geothermal technologies, carbon capture and carbon dioxide removal interventions, how the United States is faring globally on clean energy innovation, and more.

5:00–6:30 PM | Reception in the National Academies Great Hall

Friday, December 4, 2026

8:00–9:00 AM | Breakfast Salons

Choose your own adventure! New for Energy Insights 2026, we welcome you to join a small, informal breakfast salon to discuss various energy system research and practice topics nominated directly by you, the participants. Topics to be announced by the end of October.

9:00–10:00 AM | Fireside Chat

Day 2 of the Energy Insights 2026 conference begins with an informative fireside chat with a leading energy systems thinker (TBC).

10:00–11:15 AM | Topical Breakout Sessions

Join one of four topical breakout sessions to discuss cutting-edge energy systems research. Each session will include a series of initial lightning talks, reflections from practitioners in industry or government, and a moderated discussion with all participants, focused on illuminating new developments, best practices, and lessons learned in decision-relevant research. You may attend a different track than you chose on Thursday or delve deeper within the same topic.

• Energy Supply Chains
• Energy Workforce Transitions
• Industrial Decarbonization
• Energy System Resilience

11:15–11:30 AM | Coffee Break

11:30 AM–12:30 PM | Closing Session: Funders’ Panel

How are research-oriented funders looking at the landscape ahead for energy system issues? In this panel, representatives from a range of philanthropies and other funders will share their thoughts on emerging research needs and opportunities for impact moving forward.

12:30–1:30 PM | Networking Lunch (optional)