Welcome to your weekly Rundown, for the week ending March 27.
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Please stay safe and healthy, wherever you're reading this week.
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 Expanding International Participation in the
Versatile Test Reactor (VTR)
The Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) program which has been included in the President’s budget request for 2021 would be used to test new nuclear fuels, materials, components, and support advanced modeling and simulation. Currently no such fast neutron testing ability exists in the U.S. so companies are often forced to use a test reactor in Russia. The Global America Business Institute published a report this week making the case for why international partnerships would be beneficial for VTR costs as well as maintaining U.S. leadership in nuclear energy. The piece highlights the benefits of competition against Russia's test reactor, and how we can work with allies like France, Japan and South Korea. Read
more
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 Atomic Wings Webinar:
The Importance Of New Nuclear Generation To Emissions Reduction
The Atomic Wings Lunch and Learn series will be a webinar this month and will feature Dr. Rita Baranwal, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Jason Hebert of Energy Northwest, and Shannon Bragg-Sitton of the Idaho National Lab. Click here to join the webinar
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 Oklo Featured in Architectural Digest
When was the last time you’ve seen a power plant featured in Architectural Digest magazine? This week, Oklo’s nuclear reactor named Aurora was featured. Check out the piece here
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 LISTEN:
Rich Joined National Review Podcast: Cleaner, Safer, Cheaper Energy
Rich joined the National Review podcast, "The Editors," with Rich Lowery recently. In the 45 minute episode "Cleaner, Safer, Cheaper Energy," Rich lays out the ClearPath vision and answers specific questions on why Republicans are embracing clean energy innovation policies. They also discuss what new technology means on the global scale.
National Review Podcast: Cleaner, Safer, Cheaper Energy
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 Scaling Energy Storage Is a Climate Action Enabler
This week ClearPath’s Rich Powell and Rocky Mountain Institute's James Newcomb published an op-ed in Morning Consult encouraging the federal government’s continued investments in grid scale energy storage. For example, The Department of Energy’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge, included in White House’s 2021 budget request, is meant to turbocharge the development of energy storage from basic R&D through commercialization. Read their op-ed.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Los Angeles Times: Why We Need Affordable, Reliable Power During COVID Crisis
The Los Angeles Times published an article this week that touched on how important affordable, reliable electricity is in the midst of an economic and health crisis. ClearPath executive director Rich Powell, said "We have a daunting but also exciting opportunity ahead of us this century, which is figuring out how to get everybody linked up to affordable, reliable electricity, and figure out how to do it clean." Read the article here
Security Regulations Pose Economic Challenge for SMRs
American Action Forum’s Director of Regulatory Policy, Dan Bosch, recently published an insight on how the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) will depend on their economic viability, and one way to do that “is to lower their regulatory compliance costs commensurate to their reduced risk.” Read the piece here
Carbon Capture: Solved by Software?
Scientific American published an article recently on software designed by Los Alamos National Laboratory to help find the easiest route between a power plant and an area to sequester carbon dioxide underground. Much like Google Maps minimizes our commute times, the software identifies the most efficient pipeline routes for carbon capture developers. Read the article
World’s First Net-Zero Emissions LNG Export Project Announced
Louisiana-based G2 Net-Zero LNG has plans to build the world’s first net-zero natural gas liquefaction export complex. The project includes clean energy partners like Siemens Energy, Inc., NET Power LLC, EJM Associates LLC, and 8 Rivers Capital LLC.
By using the NET Power technology the project can generate over 1,000 MW of electricity, capture nearly 4 million tons of CO2 every year and demonstrate how the LNG industry could transform into a net-zero emission energy project, according to the announcement.
The facility will transport, process, and liquefy natural gas and have the capacity to export LNG with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by as early as 2026. Read more.
Fortune Magazine also featured the project in their story from last week, Inside ‘Project Odessa,’ an experiment in greener fossil-fuel power.
 New Poll: “Clean Energy Innovation” Very Popular With Voters
Wondering what constituents in your state think of clean energy innovation? ClearPath launched a new nationwide poll this week, with data for every state and every Congressional District.
A 3,000 person nationwide survey conducted by Kristen Soltis Anderson’s firm Echelon Insights shows respondents across the country, including in some of the most conservative parts, believe clean energy innovation is a better path than government regulation.
Clean Energy Poll Highlights:
- 89% Believe it is possible for the U.S. to develop cleaner energy sources that can also provide more affordable energy.
- 87% Believe clean energy is an issue that Republicans in Congress SHOULD care about, only 50% believe they do.
- 58% Say that instead of regulation, they believe more innovation and better technology that lets us reduce carbon emissions is the best way to fight climate change.
CSIS Report: Geopolitics of Nuclear Energy, Russia and China
The Center for Strategic & International Studies published a report this week, The Changing Geopolitics of Nuclear Energy: A Look at the United States, Russia, and China. The report talks about how “Russia is boosting its dominance in new nuclear sales, and China is doubling down on its effort to become a leader in global nuclear commerce.”
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THE PATH AHEAD
POSTPONED: The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis has delayed releasing their report to an unknown date.
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| CLEAN ENERGY. THE CONSERVATIVE WAY. |
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