Dan Esposito is Manager, Fuels & Chemicals at Energy Innovation, where he leads the firm’s policy practice area to advance the production, transport, storage, and strategic use of hydrogen, carbon capture, biofuels, and their derivative products (including ammonia, methanol, ethanol, and sustainable aviation fuel). His work cuts through the hype surrounding fuels and chemicals, clarifying how to build truly clean and financially viable industries necessary for a fully decarbonized society while avoiding policies that would inadvertently worsen emissions or raise consumer costs.
Dan has testified before the U.S. Department of the Treasury, briefed and convened policymakers and regulators at the state, federal, and international level, and served on panels and delivered presentations at various events, including RE+, Renewable Energy Markets, Energy Systems Integration Group, and the Clean Energy Legislative Academy. His work has been featured in the New York Times and Washington Post; he has published in The Hill, the Colorado Sun, Forbes, Utility Dive, and Latitude Media; and he has been quoted major outlets including the Washington Post, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Hill, E&E News, POLITICO, and S&P Global.
Dan has led the development of several foundational pieces of hydrogen policy research, covering the applications in which hydrogen will and will not be competitive in a clean economy, the requirements for ensuring truly clean electrolytic hydrogen production (with follow-up papers on specific regulatory implementation questions and a summary of the evidence), hydrogen’s nuanced role in a clean electricity system, and the futility of blending hydrogen with natural gas as a decarbonization strategy.
Prior to joining Energy Innovation, Dan was a Principal Consultant with PA Consulting’s Energy and Utilities practice, where he supported the financing of new clean power generation assets across North America. Previously, Dan held contracts with Energy Systems Network and the Indiana Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor as well as internships with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Center for Resource Solutions. Dan holds master’s degrees in public affairs and environmental science from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Dayton with bachelor’s degrees in physics and mathematics.
