The Gist
Get the Gist of
Subscribe to The Gist
Sign up for the premier newsletter on climate tech + policy. We take complex policy issues, break them down, and share what you need to know – The Gist.
Brought to you by The Ad Hoc Group
Thanks for subscribing! Stay tuned to your inbox for the next issue of The Gist. In the meantime, explore past issues below!
Past Issues
The Ad Hoc Gist: The Pentagon’s Energy Transition
While it’s been a minute since I worked in the Pentagon, I still consider myself a national security professional. After all, energy is the national security issue to which I’ve committed the better part of my career.
In this month’s Gist, my colleague Joshua Grelle and I write about how the energy transition — particularly the growing demand for electricity at home and globally — is transforming our military.
In big AHG news, in partnership with our friends at Latitude Media, we announced the launch of the Power Resilience Forum, a new industry event focused on managing threats to our electric grid. Save the date and come join us in Houston on January 22-23, 2026.
The Ad Hoc Gist: An interview with Biden’s Chief Sustainability Officer
What a difference a few months can make. We take a break from the tumult of the moment, and look back on the last four years with Andrew Mayock, President Biden’s Chief Sustainability Officer. Mayock, who left his post on January 20th, reflects on what they achieved, what might have been, and where we go from here.
In AHG news, we’re thrilled that Michael Kormos has joined us as a Senior Advisor, and Hannah McGrath and Max Davidson have joined as Associates.
The Ad Hoc Gist: Defending the Grid From Wildfires
While the Trump team has frozen federal climate spending and is purging federal employees working on climate policy, calling it “wasteful,” we expect that they will likely come to terms with reality on at least some key issues — even if they use different language to describe it.
That’s because the electric grid is undeniably under attack from wildfires and other forms of extreme weather. Yes, some companies and investors are backtracking from their climate commitments. But when it comes to climate risk and resilience, utilities and their rating agencies are not.
In this month’s Gist, AHG partner Julia Hamm shares how a new class of startups is emerging to help utilities prevent wildfires from taking down the grid. Without a reliable and resilient grid, the Trumpian goals of energy dominance and winning the AI race will prove out of reach.