1. Curtis’ win at GOP primary
Congratulations to Rep. John Cutis (R-UT) on winning the GOP primary for U.S. Senate this week!
What’s clear on Curtis’ clean energy work:
“Does it verify or affirm that you can have a more thoughtful or nuanced position on climate issues and energy issues and still get elected statewide in a conservative state? Yes… John Curtis certainly has proved that.” - Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), ranking member of the Climate Select Committee last Congress.
“His starting of the Conservative Climate Caucus to educate Republicans has just done magic…It really has done leaps and bounds.” - Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), co-chair of the bipartisan House Climate Solutions Caucus.
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), chair of the GOP-dominated Congressional Western Caucus, said that Curtis “provide[d] a platform for Republicans to talk about this in a way that we haven’t before.”
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2. ADVANCE to be signed into law
Check out how far nuclear has ADVANCEd over the past six years!
Last week, the Senate passed major legislation to streamline the licensing and regulation processes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
What’s clear: Predictable and efficient regulation is critical to position the United States as the global leader in advanced nuclear development.
Plug in: ClearPath Action endorsed both bills. Read details of what the final passage includes from the ADVANCE Act and the Atomic Energy Advancement Act.
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3. Tracking CO2 pipelines: problems with permitting
Summit Carbon Solutions’ CO2 pipeline may be getting back on track after the Iowa Utilities Board approved the state’s portion to transport CO2 captured from 57 ethanol facilities across the Midwest to underground storage sites in North Dakota.
To start construction, Summit must secure approvals from North and South Dakota for the route and storage sites.
The background on permits:
- Both states previously denied Summit's permit applications.
- North Dakota is currently reconsidering Summit’s pipeline application and is reviewing the company’s Class VI permits for the underground storage of CO2.
- North Dakota is one of three states with Class VI primacy and has a proven track record of reviewing and approving Class VI permits in a timely fashion.
- Summit plans to submit a new permit application in South Dakota in July.
What’s clear: CO2 pipelines are critical in meeting energy security and global emissions reduction goals. To succeed, a streamlined permitting process for these projects and federal process for approving Class VI wells and state primacy applications are necessary.
Plug in: ClearPath provided recommendations on removing permitting bottlenecks for CO2 storage sites and opportunities for cross-agency collaboration to support the build-out of CO2 transport infrastructure.
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4. Heirloom plans for two DAC hubs in LA
Heirloom announced an investment in two direct air capture (DAC) facilities in Northwest Louisiana. The first facility will become operational in 2026 while the second is under design as part of the DOE DAC Hub Project Cypress, both of which will:
- Be able to remove 320,000 metric tons of CO2 per year;
- Create at least 1,000 jobs in Northwest Louisiana; and
- Utilize limestone, one of the most affordable and abundant minerals in the world.
What’s clear: States like Louisiana are leading the way in the clean energy transformation by adopting an “all of the above” approach to innovation and supporting technologies like DAC to reduce global emissions. These investments secure the U.S. as a global energy leader and emphasize America’s focus on innovative, clean energy.
Plug in: To learn more about the importance of DAC technologies and the Hub in Louisiana, check out this blog.
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5. Fervo firing up geothermal innovation
Fervo Energy announced its largest contract to date with Southern California Edison. Fervo will sell 320 megawatts of capacity from its Cape Station project in southwest Utah to the California utility.
- The power plant’s first 70 megawatts are set to come online by 2026, with the plant fully operational by 2028.
- The 15-year agreement to with Southern California Edison will provide 24/7 clean, reliable, and affordable electricity for up to 350,000 homes.
What’s clear: Fervo’s technology can drill faster at lower costs, allowing the rapid deployment of advanced geothermal energy.
Plug in: To learn more about companies like Fervo, check out this blog.
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6. Geothermal research is eastbound and down
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there…geothermal energy is often perceived as a western U.S. technology, but a new $14.2 million funding opportunity will look at geothermal demonstration projects located in the eastern U.S.
Drilling deeper into the facts:
- Innovative Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) can unlock a wider range of geologic areas.
- Eligible projects include geothermal for either heat or power, meaning projects could demonstrate the potential to decarbonize heavy industrial applications.
- Advances in technology allow geothermal deeper drilling that can go through harder rock formations, which is why the eastern U.S. is becoming viable.
What’s clear: Geothermal has received less than 10 percent of the demonstration funding compared to other clean firm technologies like carbon capture, advanced nuclear and energy storage. This $14 million could help prove the technology is commercially viable with demonstration projects.
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7. GAO’s dig at DOE: protect U.S. tech
Is the Administration doing enough to protect U.S.-funded innovation from foreign acquisition and control? A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by Senate ENR Ranking Member Barrasso and House E&C Chair McMorris Rodgers suggests it’s not.
- GAO found that some national labs and universities do not always monitor whether foreign acquisition of companies took place after licensing.
- DOE lacks guidance or binding requirements related to foreign acquisition risks.
What's clear: The next presidential Administration must do more to protect U.S. taxpayer-funded innovations from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries.
Plug in: ClearPath provided key recommendations to protect American intellectual property in our recent DOE Modernization report.
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8. Niko on needing nuclear
L-R: ClearPath's Managing Director of International and Nuclear Policy, Niko McMurray; David Tyndall, Director of New Nuclear Technologies (OPG); and Greg Boerschig, Vice President of the Clinch River Project (TVA)
ClearPath’s Niko McMurray moderated a panel at the United Coalition for Advanced Nuclear (UCAN) Power's 2nd Annual Nuclear Energy Security Summit. The panel focused on:
- Ontario Power Generation (OPG)'s current project to deploy the first commercial GE Hitachi BWRX-300 at the Darlington site in Canada.
- Collaboration between OPG, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Poland's Synthos Green Energy to build more nuclear.
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9. The clear path to constructing the future of industrial decarb
ClearPath’s Rafae Ghani appeared on a webinar hosted by low-carbon concrete innovator CarbonCure. The panel shared perspectives on:
- The current state of performance-based specification for industrial projects,
- Motivators for public or private sector actors to adopt; and the
- Challenges, pitfalls and opportunities that arise in implementation.
What’s clear: Performance-based specifications can drive long-term cost savings for states, enhance proper flexibility, and drive innovation. To learn more, read the report Paving the Way to Innovation.
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10. Coming down the pipeline
- Happening now – House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee is holding a markup of the FY25 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Here’s the bill text.
- Also happening now – House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee is holding a markup of the FY25 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Here’s the bill text.
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11. ICYMI
- Reps. Steel (R-CA) and Lee (D-NV) published a new op-ed in the Washington Examiner on how to unlock America’s energy potential, starting with cutting the red tap on permitting.
- DOE's Advanced Research Projects Energy office (ARPA-E) announced $29 million in grant funding for industrial decarbonization technologies as part of its SCALEUP program.
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