Tulane Future of Energy Forum 2026: Data Centers, Carbon Capture, and Grid Policy in New Orleans
1012industryreport.comTulane's three-day Future of Energy Forum, running through Wednesday in New Orleans, brings together more than 40 sessions on data center growth, battery tech, nuclear energy, critical minerals, carbon capture, and shifting energy regulations. The event aims to balance reliability, resiliency, accessibility, and affordability as stakeholders face conflicting demands. Key speakers include federal energy regulator David LaCerte, CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells, and executives from ExxonMobil, Shell, Vistra, Microsoft, and Entergy. Hot topics include data center water use, the impact of U.S. actions in Venezuela on Gulf oil, and how mid-term elections might affect energy investment. The forum is a useful pulse-check on where energy policy and investment are heading.
