Good Energy Collective

Overview

The Giving Green Fund plans to award a grant to Good Energy Collective to support its work on nuclear policy advocacy.

We are supporting an ecosystem of nonprofits working on policies to support advanced nuclear innovation in the US, given that the US is important for designing and demonstrating these technologies before they are exported elsewhere.

Good Energy falls within our philanthropic strategy of supporting nuclear power as a way to diversify energy portfolios. Please see Giving Green's deep dive report on nuclear power for more information, including risks and potential co-benefits, recommended sub-strategies, theory of change, funding need, and key uncertainties.

Last updated: October 2024

What is Good Energy Collective?

Good Energy Collective is a progressive policy research organization reimagining nuclear energy’s role in the climate crisis. Specifically, it supports the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors – which are designed to be lower cost to build and more versatile than traditional reactors and have advanced safety features – as part of an equitable clean energy transition. It does this in part by engaging with local leaders and communities to discuss the potential of advanced nuclear. It was founded in 2020.

What are we funding at Good Energy, and how could it help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Nuclear power can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing or avoiding carbon-emitting energy sources. It can work alongside renewable energy by providing a steady electricity supply, regardless of the season or environmental conditions. The future of advanced nuclear reactors depends on technological progress and political conditions.

Good Energy’s primary activities are community engagement and policy research. It aims to build support in potential nuclear host communities by collaborating with environmental justice organizations, community-based organizations, and other nonprofits. At the federal level, its work includes championing consent-based siting research for nuclear waste facilities. Their team’s efforts are aimed at understanding how to responsibly engage communities on siting nuclear waste facilities, such that they are fully informed, engaged, and supportive before siting happens. Its state-level work is mainly focused on coal repowering and working with local leaders to help them understand nuclear’s potential for their communities. We think Good Energy can build bottom-up support for nuclear energy and address barriers to deployment inside and outside the US.

Good Energy would use additional funding to support its work on state-level engagement. Continued support also enables Good Energy to hire staff, sustain community engagement, and participate in relevant workshops.

Why do we think Good Energy will use this funding well?

We believe Good Energy’s work on maintaining nuclear power’s social license to operate fills a neglected niche in increasing advanced nuclear reactor deployment. We believe Good Energy has substantial growth potential and that, with increased funds, it could become more effective by scaling its community engagement and policy efforts.

For more on the difference between the grantees of the Giving Green Fund and our Top Nonprofits, please see this blog post on the Giving Green Fund. This is a non-partisan analysis (study or research) and is provided for educational purposes.