ClearPath Action Rundown
August 2nd, 2024
Happy Friday!
Huge thanks to Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for joining nuclear energy advocates this week to celebrate the enactment of the ADVANCE Act!
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1. Permitting presses on, passing Senate ENR Committee
This week the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 introduced by Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Joe Manchin (I-WV) passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on a bipartisan 15-4 vote.
ClearPath Action supports this legislation that will cement America’s lead in clean energy production by:
- Shortening litigation timelines;
- Allowing categorical exclusions for clean energy projects;
- Accelerating permitting for geothermal on federal lands; and
- Eliminating delays after permits are approved.
What’s clear: “This strong bipartisan effort shows that permitting reform remains at the top of Congress’ to-do list. These reforms will let America build the new energy infrastructure we need to meet rising demand,” said ClearPath Action CEO Jeremy Harrell.
Plug in: Read more from the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board on what this bill means for future presidential administrations.
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2. NEW podcast: Behind the scenes at the RNC clean energy event
On the sidelines of our clean energy event at the RNC, ClearPath Action was featured on part of the Political Climate podcast. The episodes featured clean energy advocates including Reps. Curtis (R-UT), Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Bice (R-OK) and Armstrong (R-ND), and ClearPath CEO Jeremy Harrell and CEAO Luke Bolar.
Here’s what they had to say:
“Too often when it comes to climate, people think too static… We can innovate, we can improvise, we can adapt, we can pivot; as Republicans, that’s what we do best. And that’s what America does best,” said Rep. Miller-Meeks.
“We’re now saying here’s our ideas, and here is why we can reduce more emissions without destroying the economy, without losing energy independence, keeping prices affordable and reliable, and still reduce emissions,” said Rep. Curtis.
Plug in: Listen to the full podcast - episodes one and two are now live.
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3. ClearPath engages on energy modernization at EESI
L - R: Daniel Bresette, President, EESI; Alejandro Moreno, Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Office of Energy Efficiency, DOE; Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE); JC Sandberg, Chief Advocacy Officer, American Clean Power (ACP); Bryn Baker, Senior Director of Market and Policy Innovation, Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA); and Cheryl Lombard, Senior Program Director of Power, Infrastructure and Minerals, ClearPath.
ClearPath’s Senior Program Director of Power, Minerals and Infrastructure, Cheryl Lombard joined the “Energy Modernization” panel at the Environmental and Energy Study Insititute’s (EESI) Congressional Forum. They covered:
- The opportunities Congress has to prioritize energy policy on a bipartisan basis;
- What successful policy looks like five years from now; and
- How to meet increased power demand with clean energy permitting.
Plug in: Watch this quick video to learn more about the current permitting process in the United States.
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4. Kairos Power(ing) up advanced reactors for the future
Kairos Power announced it has started construction on the Hermes low-power demonstration test reactor near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which is:
- The first Gen IV test reactor to be approved for construction by the U.S. NRC;
- The first non-light-water reactor to be permitted in the U.S. in over 50 years; and
- Targeting a 2027 start date.
What’s clear: Hermes represents a critical milestone on Kairos Power’s iterative path to commercializing advanced reactor technology. The company is funded in part by DOE through the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.
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5. ClearPath welcomes additions to policy and research teams
ClearPath is excited to welcome two new team members: Hannah Devereaux as a Policy Fellow and Will Bryant as a Research Associate.
Hannah graduated from the University of Michigan and was an intern at Resource Recycling Systems Inc., where she worked on a public-private partnership with the Michigan Department for Energy, Environment and Great Lakes.
Will studied Quantitative Social Science at Dartmouth College, where he conducted research on agriculture in the developing world. He has also worked on agricultural economics at the American Enterprise Institute.
Welcome, Hannah and Will!
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6. NEW Blog: Empowering the next generation of energy leaders through CCLP
Last week, ClearPath’s Conservative Climate Leadership Program (CCLP) hosted its inaugural professional development event for early-career individuals interested in clean energy policy. We believe people are policy and were excited to get so many bright young minds in one room to learn about:
- What offices on the Hill look for when hiring candidates;
- The complicated process of navigating energy output with an interactive grid activity;
- Tips and tricks to navigate generational differences in the workplace; and
- The many pathways to a career in working in energy policy.
What’s clear: CCLP is equipping passionate young professionals with the tools they need to advance clean, affordable, reliable energy on Capitol Hill. “It’s important to bring young people together for conversations like this.” - Rep. Bice (R-OK).
Plug in: Read more about how CCLP is helping young professionals find their career in energy by ClearPath’s External Affairs Intern, Ella Dunnigan.
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7. INL helping Louisiana lead on nuclear
Louisiana leaders are working with Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Frontiers Initiative to help the state become a national leader in advanced nuclear energy.
Dive into the details:
- The state’s manufacturing sector requires 6.5 gigawatts for onsite industrial heat and power generation, and industrial energy demand is growing.
- INL experts will help the state plan to use nuclear energy to power the manufacturing sector and support growing demand.
- Louisiana is known for its hydrocarbon and chemical industries and is already home to nuclear energy, which provides 90% of the state’s clean power. That makes it well-positioned to deploy new nuclear technologies.
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8. ICYMI
- ABOVE: ClearPath CEO Jeremy Harrell and ClearPath Advisory Board member Paul Dabbar at the Dynamo Summer Summit 2024 discussing economic trends in the energy sector.
- Reps. Foushee and Miller introduced a bipartisan bill to bolster low-emissions concrete and asphalt production.
- Texas nuclear power plant receives license renewal extending the operating life of the two-unit, 2,400-megawatt plant through 2053.
- OCED and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs, which includes Chemours, Plug Power, Novo Hydrogen, Air Liquide, Battelle, and Marathon Petroleum, completed award negotiations for $925M in federal cost share.
- Graphyte, a carbon removal technology, announced $30 million in private sector investments to launch four facilities by 2026, in addition to their Arkansas facility.
- The USDA and NOAA will use satellites to detect, track and provide data on wildfires and air quality modeling.
- 18 companies from 10 European countries established a working group under the European Industrial Alliance for SMRs to support deployment of GE Hitachi's BWRX-300 SMR technology.
- Both Korea and Japan are aiming to demonstrate fusion in the 2030s.
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That's all from us. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
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