John,

Late August is typically quiet in the Nation’s Capital. Not this year. So, excuse our interrupting what we hope is your pre-Labor Day relaxation with a brief but important set of updates.

1. STATUS UPDATE: THE HOUSE IS BACK

On August 24, all 220 Democratic members of the House voted for the $3.5 trillion budget resolution that now opens the pathway for passage of the reconciliation bill. They also set a deadline of 9/27 to *begin consideration* of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package from the Senate. This came after nine House Democrats demanded that the Speaker call a vote immediately on infrastructure, and then have the House work on the reconciliation plan. 

2. WHAT'S NEXT

The House Committees are putting together what they want in their version of the reconciliation now and will be holding hearings on it the week of August 30. Simultaneously, the Senate Committees are preparing their lists of what they want in the bill. The House will move first and send their version of reconciliation to the Senate. The hope is that everything is pre-negotiated so that when the Senate passes their version of reconciliation, it can quickly get final approval and move to the president’s desk.

3. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING IN RECONCILIATION

We’re focused on two big items: whether reconciliation includes a Clean Electricity Payment Program (CEPP), and, separately, if it follows the Senate or House version of clean energy tax credits. 

You can check out our colleague Lindsey Walter’s tweet thread on the CEPP. 

On the tax side, Senate Democrats have taken a much more technology-inclusive approach, similar to what we embrace, which is no surprise as we’ve been working with them on this for months. The House version is very prescriptive and focuses only on existing technologies — leaving out innovative solutions like carbon capture, energy storage, advanced manufacturing, sustainable aviation fuel, and nuclear. We’re working in real time in our c4 capacity to make sure whichever version of the tax incentives Congressional Democrats settle on provides sufficient support for innovative clean energy technologies that are critical to getting to net-zero.

4. EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE

Last week, our Senior Resident Fellow, Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, debunked five myths surrounding electric vehicles for NowThis News.

But to successfully and equitably transition the US to EVs, we need adequate charging infrastructure to ensure drivers can safely and securely recharge their EV, regardless of location or income. 

We predict we’ll need about 1.1 million public EV charging stations by 2030. We’re currently at 96,000.

The bipartisan infrastructure deal makes a strong down payment by investing $7.5 billion in charging infrastructure, including $5 billion specifically for EV charging. To get us all the way to 1.1 million stations, we must go further. That’s why we’re working to extend and expand the 30C Alternative Fuel Refueling Property Tax Credit in reconciliation.

5. AFL-CIO ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT

The AFL-CIO recently elected Liz Shuler as its new president to succeed the late Richard Trumka. We have worked closely with both President Shuler and the AFL-CIO advocating for using every clean energy solution to address climate change, and highlighting the positive impact this would have on the American economy and workers. We’re proud to have featured President Shuler at a Third Way event on nuclear power, and worked with the union on a critical report on how to make American industry cleaner and more competitive. Look for the AFL-CIO to remain a critical voice in the shaping of clean energy policies as reconciliation and the infrastructure bills proceed, and in how the funding these proposals provide get invested.

6. WHAT WE'RE READING (AND LISTENING TO)

• Our colleague Dr. Rudra Kapila took to Twitter to express her dismay regarding the current debate surrounding “clean” hydrogen. She explains how and why we can deploy low-carbon H2 to support our decarbonization goals and help us reach net-zero emissions by mid-century.

• MIT Technology Review’s James Temple interviewed Shuchi Talati, chief of staff at the DOE’s newly re-named Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, on the Biden-Harris Administration’s carbon management priorities and the future of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. Talati emphasizes that CCS and direct air capture (DAC) are necessary to help us curb emissions from sectors that are extremely difficult to electrify, like cement production. 

• Our Innovation Policy Advisor, Nick Montoni, Ph.D, joined Miro Korenha of Our Daily Planet and Robbi Jones of Kipling Jones & Co. to help explain how to find and cultivate diversity in clean energy entrepreneurship. By increasing funding for clean tech startups led by underrepresented founders, like women and people of color, we can unlock our full potential for clean energy innovation and ingenuity.