Welcome to your weekly Rundown, for the week ending February 19.
Please let us know of anything we missed at [email protected].
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Former E&C Chairman Greg Walden Joins ClearPath Advisory Board
This week, former House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) joined our Advisory Board. Currently, Walden and his wife, Mylene, own MSW Communications.
“ClearPath has consistently provided policymakers with responsible and achievable solutions to reduce emissions, advance innovation in energy, and develop better manufacturing practices that will keep America in the lead. Growing jobs and innovation here, with a focus on reducing emissions makes sense to everyone," said Greg Walden, former Energy and Commerce Chairman. Read more
Rich's Take
“Greg Walden has a long history of promoting clean energy innovation to reduce global emissions, and he will make a tremendous asset to our existing slate of exceptional advisors. Throughout his tenure in the House, he was a leading Republican voice on finding pragmatic solutions to climate change, ensuring the U.S. maintains our energy independence while safeguarding American jobs, and accelerating the competitive deployment of clean energy technologies. Our team is looking forward to working with him.”
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Rich Powell Testifies Before E&C Energy Subcommittee
Yesterday, ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powelll testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy in a hearing entitled, “A Smarter Investment: Pathways to a Clean Energy Future.” Rich’s testimony did a level-set on where we are today, including the evolving situation in Texas, policy to achieve a clean power future affordably and reliably, and looked at options to reduce U.S. industrial emissions.
View Rich's opening statement
Read Rich's full testimony
Watch the archived recording of the hearing
Next Thursday: Rich will testify before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies in a hearing entitled, “Strategies for Energy and Climate Innovation.” See more
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McKinley, Veasey Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Spur CCUS Projects
This week, Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) reintroduced the Accelerating Carbon Capture and Extending Secure Storage through 45Q (ACCESS 45Q) Act (H.R.1062). This bipartisan legislation has three key provisions: an extension of the 45Q federal tax credit, a direct payment elective, and allows for Base Erosion Anti-Abuse Tax (BEAT) offsets. This bill comes at an ideal time to support clean energy investments, as it would provide significant economic benefits to communities across the country and environmental benefits in the form of reduced carbon emissions.
Read Rep. McKinley's press release
Read ClearPath Action’s letter of support
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Chevron and BP Fund Geothermal Startup
Earlier this week, BP and Chevron announced they are investing in Eavor, a startup looking to commercialize a form of advanced, closed-loop geothermal energy that can provide large-scale power in many regions globally. Read more
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IBM Pledges Net-Zero by 2030
IBM announced this week its plan to eliminate its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. To achieve this goal, IBM plans to use carbon capture technology. Read more
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NIA and PGS Release Strategy for Development of Advanced Nuclear Energy in the United States
On Tuesday, the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) and Partnership for Global Security (PGS) released a joint report, “U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Strategy: for Domestic Prosperity, Climate Protection, National Security, and Global Leadership,” which lays out a comprehensive strategy for the U.S. to become the global leader in advanced nuclear power.
“The Advanced Reactor Strategy Report is an excellent roadmap for achieving the clean energy benefits of advanced nuclear and how we can drive down costs. This comprehensive report looks at what would take across the entire nuclear industry to make nuclear energy successful from modernizing the regulatory structure, demonstrating and deploying advanced reactors and ensuring American leadership,” said Jeremy Harrell, Managing Director of Policy, ClearPath.
The two think tanks also hosted a webinar about the release of the report which featured Niko McMurray, Program Director, ClearPath. Watch the webinar
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Atlantic Council: As the United States develops advanced reactors, a new fuel supply chain is critical to national security
The Atlantic Council published a blog on the need for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). The piece discusses the importance of the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), our country’s need to have our own supply chain instead of relying on Russia, and the HALEU provisions in the Energy Act of 2020. Overall, it recommends a HALEU reserve to serve as a bridge. The goal of a U.S. HALEU reserve should be to incentivize domestic commercial HALEU production by providing a guaranteed customer and demand certainty for commercial fuel companies to enable them to raise capital. The commercial HALEU production it would catalyze would build confidence among advanced reactor
developers and their customers that fuel would be readily available. Read the full piece
Why ClearPath is Tackling Industrial Sector Emissions
At ClearPath, reducing power-sector emissions has been our primary focus for the past six years; however, this year, we are excited to add the industrial sector to our portfolio. Combined with the power sector, this really expands our scope – going from tackling a quarter of U.S. carbon emissions to half. Why are we doing this? Read more from Executive Director Rich Powell in our latest blog, “Why ClearPath is Tackling the Industrial Sector."
Hydrogen is H₂OT – Everything You Need to Know
Hydrogen is the smallest atom in the universe, yet this tiny molecule has HUGE potential to connect energy generation, energy storage, transportation, and industry. It can move between the electricity, transportation, and industrial sectors to maximize resources in the overall energy system.
It’s been nearly 20 years since hydrogen has gotten as much press and attention as it is today – a resurgence likely due to the revelation that more than the electricity sector must be decarbonized to tackle climate change. Want to learn more?
Read our “Hydrogen 101," by ClearPath Policy Analyst Natalie Houghtalen.
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THE PATH AHEAD
February 24: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing entitled, “Building Back Better: Investing in Transportation while Addressing Climate Change, Improving Equity, and Fostering Economic Growth and Innovation."
February 25: Join CRES Forum for a review of the “Energy Act of 2020” and discussion on what its passage means for clean energy and climate action in a virtual event at 12:00pm EST entitled, “Was the Energy Act of 2020 a down payment on climate policy? ClearPath Policy Managing Director Jeremy Harrell will be a panelist.
February 25: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing at 2:00pm EST entitled, “Strategies for Energy and Climate Innovation."
March 8-11: Save the date! The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) 33rd Annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) will take place virtually on March 8-11, 2021. Additional information forthcoming. Register here
March 11: Join Dynamo Energy Hub and ClearPath at 11:00 am for an event, Opportunities for Private Finance to Accelerate the Clean Energy Transition.
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