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<[link removed]> <[link removed]>ClearPath Action Rundown
December 6th, 2024
Happy Friday!
Thanks to all who came out to celebrate this year's accomplishments at our Holiday Party last night!
1. ARC Act introduced: breaking the nuclear project-finance gridlock
Sen. Risch (R-ID) introduced <[link removed]> the Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) Act, a bill to jumpstart scaling the U.S. nuclear industry by providing incentives for strong project management and working to reduce investment risk. ClearPath Action supports this legislation <[link removed]>.
This bill would:
- Support the deployment of three or more early-mover nuclear reactors;
- Address the effects of cost uncertainty for critical megaprojects;
- Provide additional financing support in partnership with existing federal programs; and
- Not require any new federal spending.
What’s clear: "The demand for clean, reliable energy is driving renewed interest in nuclear energy," said ClearPath Action CEO Jeremy Harrell. "The faster nuclear projects get off the ground the faster the U.S. can build critical technologies like data centers and new manufacturing facilities. The ARC Act seeks to supercharge the deployment of new nuclear projects to meet this need."
2. What’s on the whiteboard: cement & concrete innovation unleashed
<[link removed]>While cement and concrete emissions account for 8% of global emissions, policy and private sector ingenuity are driving the deployment of technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovations to produce low-carbon, safe, and durable cement and concrete.
New and existing U.S. companies are driving this innovation, including:
- Heidelberg Materials North America, Holcim, CRH, Brimstone and Sublime Systems.
What’s clear: These innovative technologies offer a scalable pathway to produce near-zero emissions cement, strengthen American manufacturing, and bolster U.S. supply chains.
Plug in: To learn more about the U.S. producers hard at work to reduce industrial emissions, check out our newest whiteboard video <[link removed]> with Policy Advisor Rafae Ghani.
3. Meta making moves in nuclear
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced it will release <[link removed]> a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify nuclear energy developers to help achieve its energy goals and power AI innovation. This effort aims to:
- Deploy multiple new units (one to four gigawatts total) to achieve cost reductions.
- Engage early in the development cycle on permitting, licensing and design to start delivering power in the early 2030s.
What’s clear: Meta’s announcement follows on the heels of Google <[link removed]> and Amazon <[link removed]>in what is quickly becoming a race to deploy advanced nuclear.
Plug in: We wrote earlier this year about private industry taking big bets on nuclear energy <[link removed]> in order to meet power and clean energy goals.
ICYMI: This week Meta also announced a major new AI data center project in Richland Parish, Louisiana. And Meta is partnering with Entergy <[link removed]> for their power needs.
4. EPA moves on West Virginia Class VI well authority
Sens. Capito (R-WV) and Manchin (I-WV) announced <[link removed]> the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed granting West Virginia the authority to oversee and administer the Class VI well program in the state.
These wells:
- Store carbon dioxide (CO2) safely deep underground; and
- Are important for deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.
Class VI primacy:
- Will allow the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) the authority to permit the state’s own wells efficiently and safely rather than through EPA.
What’s clear: “This is essential to protecting our ability to provide reliable, baseload power in West Virginia through coal and natural gas while reducing our power and manufacturing sector emissions,” said Sen. Capito (R-WV) <[link removed]>.
5. Plans position Indiana for nuclear leadership
Governor-elect Mike Braun (R-IN) released his Freedom and Opportunity Agenda <[link removed]> which includes support for bringing advanced nuclear power to the State. The agenda calls for:
- Exploring federal programs that reduce costs of converting legacy baseload plants to nuclear.
- Identifying and addressing regulatory constraints and improving coordination with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Engaging developers, utilities, and major electricity consumers to develop public-private partnerships enabling nuclear deployment.
What’s clear: Indiana could quickly become a leading state for nuclear energy development over the next decade. This initiative can support economic development and boost American manufacturing, with potential for advanced nuclear to play a role in providing for 24/7 reliable, clean energy generation.
6. On the record: Preparing for the U.S. DFC’s Reauthorization
ClearPath’s Senior Program Director for International Policy Nick Lombardo providing comments to the DFC Executive Staff and Board of Directors
ClearPath’s Nick Lombardo, joined a board meeting of the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to propose ideas to enhance and streamline their energy financing capabilities.
What's clear: Established during the first Trump Administration with bipartisan support, the DFC has proven the value of a results-oriented approach to advancing U.S. interests. To stay ahead of global competitors in energy markets, the right policies must empower U.S. trade and development financing to be more agile and strategic.
Plug in: Read more <[link removed]> about ClearPath’s recommendations to improve the DFC through its upcoming reauthorization.
7. ClearPath promotes clean energy innovation
(L-R) Carolyn Kissane, New York University; Heather Reams, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions; Jeremy Harrell, ClearPath
CEO Jeremy Harrell discussed natural gas and the next generation of clean energy technologies at Energy Dialogue’s North American Gas Forum panel.
(L-R) Susanna Moriera, Executive Director and Co-Chair, H2Global Foundation; Colleen Moss, Managing Director of Clean Manufacturing Policy and Advocacy, ClearPath; Alex Kizer, SVP and COO, EFI Foundation.
Managing Director of Industrial Policy and Advocacy, Colleen Moss, moderated the “Shoring Up Demand for Clean Hydrogen” panel at Deploy24 and discussed how to pair hydrogen innovation with market development to accelerate the deployment of clean energy projects.
- Check out Harrell’s live LinkedIn <[link removed]> session on why Deploy24.
8. ICYMI
- Appalachian Power explores small modular reactors (SMR) to meet future energy demand <[link removed]> in Virginia.
- Read more about ClearPath’s perspective on shaping nuclear and natural gas energy policy in the 119th Congress in S&P Global <[link removed]>.
- Low-carbon cement start-up Sublime Systems finalized <[link removed]>an $87 million award with the DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to establish its first commercial-scale cement facility in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
That's all from us. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
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