1. New CCUS technology may be breakthrough for industrial emissions
New CycloneCC technology from tech developer Carbon Clean could greatly lower carbon emissions worldwide. This unique technology leverages modular construction and rotating packing beds to capture CO2 from gas mixtures released during industrial activity.
Carbon Clean announced two new U.S. R&D partnerships in California with:
- CEMEX’s Victorville Cement Plant for a carbon capture pilot project, and
- Chevron for a gas turbine carbon capture project.
Plug in: Read more about this game-changing technology in a new piece by our CCUS Policy Analyst Grant Cummings.
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2. ClearPath advocates for American energy before SS&T
Jeremy Harrell testified before the House Science, Space, & Technology Committee’s hearing, “Now or Never: The Urgent Need for Ambitious Climate Action.”
Jeremy's testimony covered:
- Why innovation is essential to emissions reduction;
- How recent demonstration programs authorized by the Energy Act of 2020 and funded by the bipartisan infrastructure bill are once-in-a-generation opportunities;
- Decarbonizing the industrial sector; and
- Building cleaner faster.
“Fortunately, the U.S. is in a position to accelerate global emissions reductions while creating new jobs, increasing manufacturing competitiveness, and reasserting global leadership over Russia and China,” Jeremy said.
This rings true for the industrial sector too. The bipartisan Steel Upgrading Partnerships and Emissions Reduction (SUPER) Act would strengthen the competitiveness of American manufacturing by developing technologies to reduce emissions of conventional steelmaking. Similar legislation could be adopted for cement and concrete.
Plug in: Watch Jeremy’s full testimony at the hearing here.
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3. Conservatives’ plan to unlock America’s global energy leadership
It’s clear that it’s time to talk about climate solutions, and conservative policymakers are making great progress.
In light of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, our CEO Rich Powell dives into the Republican clean energy agenda in his latest op-ed in The Washington Times, noting several areas where America can lead.
- American liquid natural gas (LNG) is 30% cleaner than Russian LNG.
- On hydrogen, the U.S. has a cost and energy security advantage relative to Russia, Australia, and the Middle East.
- Though most nuclear reactor exports currently come from Russia, America can take the lead with its advanced reactor designs.
What's clear: The U.S. can lead the world in climate solutions using a wide portfolio of clean energy technologies, all while protecting our workforce and strengthening our economy..
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4. Rolling back NEPA reforms compromises clean energy goals
President Biden’s decision to roll back key Trump-era permitting reforms could undermine the Administration’s own clean energy goals.
In 2020, the Trump Administration modernized federal permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
- Enacted in 1970, NEPA requires federal agencies to assess environmental impacts.
- However, NEPA now creates tedious and expensive permitting processes, preventing the clean energy projects we need from being built.
Plug in: Alex Fitzsimmons explains in The Washington Examiner how reversing the 2020 NEPA reforms will negatively impact America’s ability to build cleaner faster. But ICYMI…
- The Bloomberg Editorial Board wrote, "Want Green Energy? Cut Red Tape."
- “Burdensome regulations are impeding clean-energy projects nationwide. The U.S. won’t reach its climate goals unless that changes.”
- Ezra Klein wrote in a column in the New York Times, "Government Is Flailing, in Part Because Liberals Hobbled It."
- “But even if President Biden could pass his climate agenda through Congress, the green infrastructure he imagines could still be blocked by obstacles liberals have constructed.”
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5. Utah clean hydrogen project receives multi-million dollar loan
DOE’s Loan Program Office announced a $504 million loan guarantee to support the development of the Advanced Clean Energy Storage (ACES) project in Delta, Utah.
- ACES will use renewable electricity to separate hydrogen from water molecules — a zero-emissions process.
- The site will eventually be able to produce and store about 100 metric tons of clean hydrogen, making it one of America’s largest planned hydrogen production sites.
- ACES will sell a portion of the hydrogen to the Intermountain Power Agency for their power plant in Utah, which plans to burn a mix of natural gas and hydrogen by 2025.
Plug in: Hydrogen will play a major role in grid scale energy storage and is a versatile clean energy carrier.
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6. ICYMI
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