The Next Generation's Perspective on Clean Energy
The future of clean energy will ultimately be shaped by the next generation. As today's students become tomorrow's scientists, engineers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, their ideas and perspectives will help define how our world responds to evolving energy and environmental challenges.
During the summer of 2026, Rockcress Consulting invited five high school students to write a series of blogs expressing their perspectives on challenges associated with the clean energy transition. Rather than asking them to become experts overnight, we encouraged them to think critically about the issues they see around them, what excites them, and what concerns them. Each student approached the topic from a unique perspective, creating a collection of thoughtful reflections on where we are today and where we could be headed tomorrow.
We are proud to share these voices and hope their reflections inspire readers to think differently about the challenges and opportunities ahead. Investing in the clean energy transition is ultimately about investing the people and communities who will advance and have stake in its solutions. By encouraging these students to share their ideas, Rockcress Consulting is proud to encourage the curiosity and problem-solving of the next generation and bring their perspectives forward.
Hunter Long
Why 100% Clean Energy Faces a Human Challenge
Hunter argues that people issues are ultimately the biggest obstacle to reaching 100% clean energy in the United States. He explores how politics, economics, and information make clean energy feel almost impossible in certain communities, while also raising concerns about affordability and rising electricity costs. Despite these challenges, he remains hopeful, and argues that patient conversations are the key to bringing people on board.
-
HUNTER LONG
Why 100% Clean Energy Faces a Human Challenge
For the United States to reach 100% clean energy, we will need to convince states that are strongly against it to participate in the transition. Clean energy sounds great in theory, but when politics, money, and deeply rooted beliefs get involved, it starts to feel almost impossible.
As a high school student, I’ve always been concerned about how fast global warming is happening and whether it can even be stopped at this point. Every year seems hotter than the last, and every natural disaster feels more intense. Sometimes it feels like we’re running out of time while still arguing about whether the problem is real.
I know many states have clean energy policies and goals, but with our current political environment and how divided people’s ideals are, it feels very challenging at best and possibly unrealistic. Some states depend heavily on fossil fuels like oil, coal, and fracking for jobs and economic stability.
How do you persuade people to leave fracking and fossil fuels in the past when they believe those industries are what keep their families fed? I think we start by talking to people. When I look at the news or scroll through social media, it can honestly feel discouraging. Climate change often turns into a political debate instead of a scientific one, and misinformation spreads quickly. That “human problem” will make getting to 100% clean energy quickly harder. We’ll need to work with states to transition at a pace that works for them rather than forcing change overnight. This means that the real solution is showing people that clean energy can actually benefit them, not hurt them.
One of my biggest personal concerns is cost. I’ll be an adult soon, paying my own bills, and energy is what worries me most. Electricity accounts for the largest share of utility bills. Rising demand and grid upgrades are already driving these costs up.
The good news is that clean energy doesn’t have to mean higher energy bills long-term. Solar and wind power are becoming cheaper every year, and once the infrastructure is built, the energy itself is essentially free. Unlike fossil fuels, the sun and wind don’t run out or change in price due to global conflicts. Expanding clean energy could actually stabilize energy costs in the long run.
As for whether global warming can be stopped, I don’t think we can completely undo the damage already done. But I do believe we can slow it down and prevent the worst outcomes. Every fraction of a degree matters. We can reduce emissions, improve air quality, and create a more sustainable future through clean energy.
Reaching 100% clean energy won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight. But giving up because it feels hard guarantees failure. As someone about to enter adulthood, I want to be part of a political conversation that addresses the problem and doesn’t ignore it because it’s hard or inconvenient. I want realistic solutions, honest conversations, and leaders willing to think long-term.
It’s not just about saving the planet—it’s about protecting our future, our finances, and our quality of life.
About the Author
Hunter Long is a sophomore and student-athlete at Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon. He plays basketball and has a strong interest in marine science and the outdoors. In the future, he hopes to pursue a career connected to environmental work while also leading his mom’s energy consulting firm.
Gavin Bullman
Why Energy Policy Is a Personal Issue for the Next Generation of Voters
Gavin writes about how energy policy and grid infrastructure are deeply personal issues for young people entering adulthood. He argues that the nation's aging power grid poses growing risks of outages and rising costs, especially as climate-related disasters become more frequent. Gavin emphasizes that because energy infrastructure lasts for generations, the investment and planning decisions we make today will shape the stability, safety, and affordability that young voters inherit, making long-term planning and participation in energy policy a matter of responsibility to the future.
-
GAVIN BULLMAN
Why Energy Policy Is a Personal Issue for the Next Generation of Voters
The energy system of the United States is changing, and how we handle it will affect the next generation of voters. The change towards renewable power, electric vehicles, data use, and updates to the power system are affecting how electricity is produced and delivered. But these changes do not happen on their own. They follow laws, funding choices, and long-term planning.
In writing this paper, I originally felt strongest about issues regarding affordability, yet peers I’ve discussed this with addressed more concern over extreme weather and energy resilience. These points collectively address the largest concern of our generation, being the worry of how reliable our current legislation is in addressing these future issues that won’t directly affect current lawmakers.
For people my age who are entering the workforce, paying rent, and beginning to vote, these choices will shape our safety, economic stability, and ability to respond to extreme weather in ways we will feel immediately.
Electricity use continues to grow as more cars, houses, and businesses rely on it. At the same time, a lot of the nation’s electrical grid was built decades ago, and was not designed for today’s demand or for the use of wind and solar. When the system can’t move power where it’s needed, communities face higher prices and a greater risk of outages. This shows why investment in modern infrastructure is needed.
For young voters, the nation’s aging grid means more than just higher monthly bills. It also means a system that may struggle to keep up with growing demand and increasingly extreme weather. Without modernization, the infrastructure that supports our daily lives becomes less reliable.
The lack of a consistent national focus on updating our grid is worrisome to my generation, because it places uncertainty on infrastructure that is crucial to our future stability. Climate-related disasters already show the weaknesses of our grid, as disasters like heat waves push demand past what the system can handle. Wildfires and storms can damage equipment and cut off entire regions. The federal government reports that the United States experiences dozens of disasters each year, which shows these events are not isolated.
Increasing extreme weather and natural disasters show how important energy planning is when it comes to public safety.
A stronger grid means fewer blackouts, faster recovery, and lower long-term costs, all of which matter for us because our work, school, and housing are affected when the power fails.. When governments plan ahead and invest in resiliency, they reduce harm and protect residents. If they don’t, the costs fall on households, students, and young people who are trying to manage tuition, rent, and starting their careers.
Energy infrastructure lasts for generations, often for forty years or more. As a result, decisions to build or delay today shape conditions far into the future. By preparing for long-term risks now, communities reduce the chance that citizens will face longer outages during emergencies. At the national level, similar planning is needed. Delayed action locks communities into older systems that are not as reliable and are more vulnerable to extreme weather, leaving us to live with the consequences.
For the future generation of voters, these issues matter more than people think. They affect tuition, rent, job prospects, and safety during heat waves or storms. Therefore, participation in conversations about energy and climate policy shows long-term interest as much as long-term responsibility.
The system built today will define the conditions that we will live in for decades. Planning, fair cost sharing, and investment in resilience determines whether that system will be good or bad for our generation experiencing it now, and all of them tie together in a way that will define the foundation of our future.
Energy policy is about responsibility to those who inherit the results. Resilience planning shows that these decisions reduce risk and protect communities. The same principle applies at the national level. Choices made now will either strengthen the foundation for the generation living today or leave them to deal with avoidable failures.
About the Author
Gavin Bullman is a sophomore at Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon with a strong interest in public policy, persuasive writing, and the future of American infrastructure. Through programs like We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution and scholastic athletic journalism, he explores how national decisions shape the next generation.
Fisher Madrone
A Young Voter’s Perspective on Clean Energy and the Cost Question
Fisher writes about how cost is the deciding factor for young voters when it comes to clean energy. He argues that while his generation broadly supports the shift to clean energy, solutions like rooftop solar are often built around homeownership, making them inaccessible to young people who expect to be long-term renters with limited savings. Fisher’s essay makes the case that energy policy must reflect these realities.
-
FISHER MADRONE
A Young Voter’s Perspective on Clean Energy and the Cost Question
As someone who will be participating in the next national elections myself, the idea of a clean energy future seems important to me and my generation. With my generation likely to experience some of the most significant impacts of climate change, converting our society to one that’s focused on clean energy as the forefront seems like the obvious solution. But in my opinion, the complications around cost that go with that are very real.
Young people are generally in favor of clean energy and for many in the next generation of voters, clean energy is a primary concern. However, many young voters also express hesitance and uncertainty about this topic. On the surface, it’s a meaningful solution to the pressing issue of climate change, with little to no drawbacks. But when we dive deeper into the potential costs, it raises significant concerns.
While clean energy often pays off over time, most young people don’t have solid savings to support the initial costs. For example, solar panels, a very efficient way of producing clean power, have a great return on investment. However, that benefit only exists for homeowners, which the majority of young people are not, and are unlikely to be able to afford a home in the near future.
Since many people in my generation expect to be long-term renters, clean energy solutions that depend on homeownership—like rooftop solar—may be unrealistic for us or remain inaccessible for us. Beyond just having access to clean energy, young voters are sensitive to even small increases in their monthly payments, and confusing bills where “clean energy charges” are visible but cost savings are not can be an immediate turn-off to them. Even though economics matters heavily in this situation, perception matters equally. Reductions in energy costs created by clean energy don’t always show up on bills real-time, and providing education will be critical to gain the support of the next generation of voters for clean energy policies and initiatives.
This disconnect is evident when young people begin to consider the future economic realities they will face. It leaves them asking if clean energy really save them any money. Things such as immediate bill reductions, no-money-down options, and clear monthly cost comparisons resonate more with my generation.
To overcome these challenges, education on the longevity of clean energy is crucial. Even if savings don’t appear right now, knowing that they will come, and that the benefits will be there in future is the most important part.
About the Author
Fisher Madrone is a sophomore at Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon. He is passionate about English and history and enjoys writing about issues that impact his generation. After high school, he plans to pursue a career in the skilled trades.
Orion Slaven-Davis
A Clean Future Must Be a Fair One
Orion makes the case that the clean energy transition must center on equity as much as sustainability. He shares the pressure of approaching adulthood amid rising living costs and scarce financial assistance, while highlighting how lower-income communities already face inequities that risk widening. Orion argues that his generation has both the responsibility and the opportunity to push for energy policies that guarantee affordable, clean, and equitable access for all Americans, regardless of income or background.
-
ORION SLAVEN-DAVIS
A Clean Future Must Be a Fair One
Knowing that soon I will have to find my own means of paying bills, while also hopefully attending college, paying for food, housing, and other necessities, I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel pressure, especially living in a time when the cost of living will become increasingly more difficult. Right now, energy bills are higher than ever, and financial assistance is more scarce than ever. It’s easy to come to the conclusion that the future of energy should be clean and renewable, but that’s easier said than done. It is becoming increasingly difficult to make a change globally, especially in major world issues like climate change.
I do truly believe, however, that as a society, it should be a priority to work together to fix these issues. We must aim for energy sources that are not only good for the environment but also good for the people as well. I believe energy policies and decisions are equitable. Energy equity would ensure that the benefits of energy policies, programs, and technologies are available to all, regardless of social class, neighborhood, background, or age.
As a young person growing up in a world where widespread, affordable access to clean energy is needed, I worry that isn’t the priority of the people in power. I am becoming an adulthood in a time when energy bills are more expensive than ever. While at the same time, financial support from the government isn’t doing enough to fully support all the people who need help with both their cost of living and providing access to clean energy.
Growing up in a world so filled with uncertainties, it can be hard to find things to look forward to in the future, but renewable energy is one of those things. Solar and wind power are cheaper than fossil fuels, they’re much better for the environment, and they’re renewable. Electric cars don’t need oil drilling or fracking. And as they increase in usage, the use of oil will slow down, saving more soil and land from being destroyed and exploited. The cost of electric cars has also decreased significantly since this technology first became available to the market, and it is safe to say that these patterns will continue.
People in poorer areas of the US face more pollution exposure and nature deprivation due to living in areas with higher concentrations of air and industrial pollution. They also face higher energy bills, while wealthier individuals can afford to live in areas with less pollution and can likely afforded to installed clean energy. This creates a gap that won’t fill itself. And the thought that the cycle of inequity could only be deepened is a scary one. Higher-paying jobs are becoming more difficult to get, energy prices are going up, and healthy, pollution-free living environments are becoming less affordable.
Even as it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make a change, we must do what we can to save our planet for everyone that inhabits it. I know that the world we are the future of this planet and that we deserve a clean, safe, and just one. And one that ensures the right to clean, safe, and accessible energy to all. The fate of our planet’s future is in our hands, and if we push for change now, I believe that we can make the difference for the sake of our home.
About the Author
Orion Slaven-Davis is a sophomore at Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon. He enjoys spending time outdoors. After high school, he plans to pursue higher education and travel.
Jon Guinea
From the Ocean to Offshore Wind: Why Clean Energy Is Personal
Jon writes about his personal love of the ocean to his advocacy for offshore wind energy. He explains how fossil fuel emissions threaten ocean ecosystems, and argues that offshore wind offers the opportunity to both lower carbon emissions while also creating no-trawl zones that help marine life recover.
-
JON GUINEA
From the Ocean to Offshore Wind: Why Clean Energy Is Personal
When I was eight years old, I went to Key West and had a life-changing experience. On my first snorkeling trip, I saw a large Goliath grouper swimming under me. I froze in the water, completely shocked. I had never felt that kind of shock of excitement before. In that moment, the ocean stopped being just a place to visit on vacation and became something personal to me.
Since then, I spent as much time in the water as I could. Surfing became my main sport, and I also started kayaking and skimboarding.
As I progressed through my childhood, I started learning about what is happening to the ocean. Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas create carbon dioxide which goes into our atmosphere. The ocean also absorbs a lot of this carbon dioxide, which makes the water more acidic. As the ocean water becomes more acidic, coral struggle to build their skeleton, and reefs begin to die. Coral bleaching is becoming more and more common, and as reefs die so does the ecosystem around it. Although coral reefs only cover 0.1% of our earth, they are the most biodiverse marine ecosystem in the world, providing homes to 4,000 species of reef fish, and over 800 species of coral.
If we want to protect the ocean and the industries connected to it, we need cleaner energy solutions. One solid solution is offshore wind energy. Offshore winds produces clean electricity without emitting carbon dioxide, which will reduce ocean warming and lower acidic levels. Also, the area around turbines is a no-trawl zone which protects fish stock and helps the seabed grow and flourish. Unlike fossil fuels, offshore winds do not risk oil spills. Actually, the monopile can create a thriving ecosystem underwater. Offshore wind is a renewable and efficient solution for coastal cities, while protecting our oceans. If large coastal cities around the world invest in wind, the over 2 billion people that live on the coast will benefit from cleaner air and a healthier ecosystem.
Coastal fossil fuel companies could be required to participate in habitat restoration or develop sustainability plans that actively support marine ecosystem recovery. Offshore wind companies can also participate in this, and when working on projects they too should have goals of marine habitat restoration, or coral rebuilding. Also, if a coastal city has a goal of 100% clean energy, they could also include a habitat restoration policy in the same project. There are so many upsides to offshore winds, and overall they offer a great replacement for fossil fuels.
About the Author
Jon Guinea is a sophomore at Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon. He is passionate about the ocean and spends his free time surfing, snowboarding, and cooking. His experiences in the water have shaped his interest in clean energy and marine protection.