10/30/2026
USAEE Conference — Still Time to Register! | Panel Spotlight: The Death of Net Zero? The Shifting Climate Narrative
Conference hotel group rate of $159/night ends October 30
The 2026 USAEE North American Conference is just weeks away. Register now and then join us November 15—18 in Pittsburgh! For session and event details, view the full conference agenda.
43rd USAEE North American Conference
Sunday, November 15 through Wednesday, November 18
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 is the final day to book your hotel room at the USAEE group rate. your room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown
The theme for this year's conference is DISRUPTION: The State of Energy Markets in 2026 and Beyond. Sessions will feature vital and timely topics including crude oil supply disruptions, large load growth in electricity markets, energy affordability, natural gas and LNG, nuclear, coal and its place in the energy mix, and more. Join us in Pittsburgh and hear what leading subject matter experts have to say about these and other topics, all against the backdrop of the extraordinary energy market disruptions of 2026.
The Death of Net Zero? The Shifting Climate Narrative
Even before the market disruptions in 2026 as a result of the war in Iran, the narrative on climate change appeared to be shifting from the emissions impact of energy production and consumption on the climate to one of abundance, reliability, and affordability. Was the rise of climate as the controlling factor in energy policy discussions a flash in the pan, or has affordability taken center stage for good? More to the point, what is the rationale for either (1) a forced, rapid energy transition in the name of blunting the impacts of climate change, or (2) leaving energy mix choices to markets and consumer preferences? Our panelists will explore these topics in this provocative session.
Panelists
Michael C. Lynch is a Distinguished Fellow with the Energy Policy Research Foundation in Washington, D.C. and president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research. He has worked on energy economics and policy for over forty years, much of it at M.I.T., is published in seven languages, and is the author of 2016’s The Peak Oil Scare and the Coming Oil Flood. He serves on the editorial board of several publications and is a senior contributor for Forbes. His work has primarily focused on the microeconomics of the oil market during normal and disrupted periods and has frequently been called a ‘heretic’ for disputing the consensus of ever-rising oil prices. His publications on forecasting petroleum prices and supply have highlighted errors in the commonly held expectations, including those of the U.S. Department of Energy and the International Energy Agency. His work has appeared in six languages and tends to be quantitative, while blending political science and economics.
Costa Samaras is the Director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, and the Trustee Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He previously served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as Principal Assistant Director for Energy, OSTP Chief Advisor for Energy Policy, and then OSTP Chief Advisor for the Clean Energy Transition. While there, he led the climate and energy efforts of the President’s Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence, led the White House report on the climate and energy implications of digital assets, and co-led the White House report “U.S. Innovation to Meet 2050 Climate Goals”. Earlier, he worked as a Senior Researcher at the RAND Corporation as well as a megaprojects engineer in New York City. He received a joint Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon, and an MPA in public policy from New York University.
Benjamin Zycher is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he works on energy and environmental policy. Before joining AEI, Dr. Zycher conducted a broad research program in his public policy research firm and was an intelligence community associate of the Office of Economic Analysis at the US Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He is a former senior economist at the RAND Corporation; a former adjunct professor of economics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and California State University Channel Islands; and a former senior economist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. He served as a senior staff economist for the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, with responsibility for energy and environmental policy issues. Dr. Zycher has a doctorate in economics from UCLA; an MPP from the University of California, Berkeley; and a B A in political science from UCLA.
Moderator
Laura O. Taylor is Director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (EPIcenter) at Georgia Tech. Prior to being named Director of EPIcenter, she chaired the School of Economics at Georgia Tech from 2018–2024 and was Director of the Center for Environmental and Resource Economic Policy at North Carolina State University from 2007–2018. She is a Fellow of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, Vice President of the Southern Economic Association, a member of the Board of Directors for Resources for the Future, and a member of the Technical Review Panel for NREL’s Strategic Energy Analysis and Decision Sciences Directorate.
In addition to a dynamic lineup of speakers, conference highlights include:
- Special receptions and events: Join us for the opening reception on November 15 and a student poster competition and reception at the Energy Innovation Center on November 16.
- Valuable networking and career-building opportunities—for both students and professionals.
- Concurrent sessions featuring research, case studies, and analysis from industry, academia, and government practitioners.
Don’t miss out on this must-attend event!
Now is also the perfect time to join us as a conference or association sponsor! Provide vital support for USAEE's mission and enjoy a range of benefits that enhance visibility and impact both at the conference and year-round!
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