11/10/10 4:43pm

Article By: Tyson Slocum

I enjoyed the chat with Andy and David discussing what the election means for energy & climate policy. I think the election results reflect more of a discontent over the Democrat's handling of the economy than a rejection of initiatives on energy and climate change policy.

Regardless, the big election winners are the nuclear, coal and oil industries, who will see a far more advantageous financial and regulatory climate for their shareholders and investors in the next Congress. Losers are support for renewables, and those Americans who understand that the science of climate change requires us to aggressively combat global warming.

There will be more discrete opportunities to advance a more sustainable energy future, as I believe Speaker Boehner and his crew will embrace many of the energy efficiency efforts that will be quickly moving through the 112th Congress. And with respected GOP leaders like Lisa Murkowski coming back against tough odds, I do think that there will be opportunities in the Senate to build support for pricing carbon as a means to replace EPA authority and raise some badly needed revenue. Despite the presence of many new "tea party" Republicans, I don't see firm opposition to expanding subsidies for new coal and nuclear generation.

The change in control in the House will make efforts to pass legislation tightening up offshore drilling regs and lifting liability caps on drillers more difficult, and I predict similar challenges on getting stronger federal oversight and increased disclosure over hydraulic fracturing.