Meet the Forum Team: Matt Sorge 

How did you get interested in clean energy?  

My background is actually in agriculture. My mom’s family had a small farm in the South, growing crops like cotton and watermelons, and that early exposure sparked my interest in environmental studies. I’ve also always loved food, which deepened my connection to agriculture. In undergrad, I studied agricultural science and went on to work on a small organic vegetable farm after graduating. While I loved that work, I also noticed how quickly clean energy was developing around me. In Illinois, there was a lot of wind activity, and on the East Coast, solar was taking off. What really drew me in was watching how these projects reshaped rural communities. There was excitement but also tension. Some people saw opportunity, while others felt left out or opposed the changes, which made me curious about how rural areas can benefit from clean energy buildout rather than being excluded. For me, it was those developer–community relationships that ultimately pulled me into energy. 

What are you hoping to accomplish in your second year with the team? 

My work with the Forum has been really complementary to my research and classwork. Since I pivoted careers, having a steady stream of energy content to read and write about has been invaluable, especially in such a fast-changing field. Looking ahead, I’d like my writing to feel more curated, so that pieces build on one another and flow together rather than standing alone. Last year, I focused mostly on shorter articles; this year, I’d love to experiment with longer-form writing. Now that I feel comfortable with the team’s writing style and process, I’m excited to take more initiative, try new approaches, and collaborate more both with stakeholders and with other writers. 

What topics are you hoping to explore more this year? 

I’m especially interested in critical materials, which was my research focus this past summer, specifically within data centers. These issues don’t always get the same attention as more prominent topics like batteries, but they’re becoming increasingly important with tariffs and supply chain challenges. That said, batteries remain a major area of curiosity for me. I’m interested in how current policies like tax credit eligibility shape where and how developers build. Will standalone batteries thrive, or are they still too dependent on co-location? The answers aren’t clear, and the policy landscape is constantly evolving. I’m also drawn to topics like data centers, utility regulation, and how land use and permitting shape clean energy projects. 

Do you have a favorite article you wrote last year? 

Yes, my interview with Andy Bowman, CEO of Jupiter Power in Texas. It gave me foundational insight into how battery markets work. What I found most valuable was how he pushed beyond the usual headlines like “batteries are booming” to provide more nuanced perspectives. For example, he emphasized framing clean energy in Texas not just as a climate solution but as a market-driven way to deliver resilient, low-cost power. He also shared his experience working with landowners, which tied into themes I’d heard from other developers. Since so many projects are built in rural communities, I found it fascinating to explore how clean energy affects farmers and landowners, and how community engagement strategies differ across technologies. 

What news or issues in energy have caught your attention recently? 

Lately, I’ve been focused on land use and siting. For instance, I’m researching battery codes and permitting work in New York State. I’m really curious about how opposition to clean energy plays out in different communities and what that means for developers. The dynamics often mirror broader political debates, but they can vary dramatically between counties depending on demographics and local politics. I’m also keeping an eye on interconnection queues and how delays affect projects. Overall, I think land use and community engagement will be central to whether the U.S. can build the infrastructure needed for decarbonization. 

Why should people be more interested in clean energy? 

Believing in climate change is one thing, but beyond that, clean energy is about imagining a different kind of society. Deploying renewables at scale could mean less vulnerability to oil price swings, greater energy security, and even changes to grid resilience. What excites me most are the ripple effects. With abundant clean power, we could unlock industrial decarbonization, things like zero-carbon cement or new materials production. Clean energy also opens space to imagine a different world, not just a slightly improved version of today’s. And in the U.S., it’s central to a broader industrial transformation that affects jobs, manufacturing, and competitiveness. 

Do you think AI has a role in accelerating the clean energy transition? 

It’s a tricky question. On the one hand, AI could help with grid management, which is incredibly complex, especially as we move toward more decentralized systems. On the other hand, the resource intensity of data centers is enormous, from both an energy and materials standpoint. What worries me is that some data centers don’t consider sustainable energy and material usage in design and often do, little community engagement during development. So, while AI tools could be useful, we need to design them responsibly and with communities in mind. 

What are your future plans? 

I’m especially interested in working at the intersection of development and community engagement. Whether with a developer, nonprofit, or green bank, I want to better understand what it actually takes to build clean energy projects, and how to navigate stakeholder relationships along the way. That said, I also love research and writing, so I’m open to roles that allow me to keep exploring ideas and sharing insights. At the core, though, my goal is to gain a strong foundation in development and contribute to building the infrastructure we’ll need to decarbonize.