Energy Update: Week of April 12

Friends,               

Welcome back from Spring breaks!!!  Hideki Matsuyama won the 85^th Masters by one shot to secure his first major title a decade after earning low-amateur honors at the same tournament. He becomes the first Japanese champion ever and it’s his first victory on the PGA Tour since 2017. The win solidifies his rock star status in golf-mad Japan and comes at the perfect time – with Tokyo hosting the Olympics this summer. UMass took the Men’s NCAA Frozen Four with a 5-0 shutout of St. Cloud St, and I won a BIG Payout for picking a trifecta wheel and straight up winner in the Arkansas Derby, the last prep race before May 1^st Kentucky Derby.  Yes, I picked Super Stock straight up at 12-1 and wheeled him in a Concert Tour and Caddio trifecta for another major payout!  With all the prep races done, the Derby field will be wide open this year for the first time in years without a clear favorite.

The House and Senate will be back in session early this week with a focus on infrastructure.  At 1:45 today, Biden and VP Harris will meet with a group of Republicans and Democrats to gauge how much bipartisan support is available for the $2 trillion infrastructure-jobs package.

Thursday is the heaviest day for action with several hearings including Senate Energy on the role of DOE and energy innovation (10am), an E&C panel markup of climate EJ legislation (10:30am), Senate Budget (11am) on climate chaired by Bernie Sanders featuring our friend Rich Powell of ClearPath, House Select Climate panel (12pm) and a House Resources hearing on replugging/reclaiming orphan wells (2pm).   House Energy GOP members are holding a forum on Keystone tomorrow with Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe, Montana AG Austin Knudsen and AOPL’s John Stoody and Senate EPW looks at Water infrastructure and the Highway Trust Fund legislation on Wednesday.

Today at Noon, Biden also joined a virtual CEO Summit on Semiconductor and Supply Chain Resilience with national security adviser Jake Sullivan, NEC Director Brian Deese and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. On that track, at 1:00 p.m. the Wilson Center hosts a forum on critical minerals, semiconductors and supply chain resilience featuring DeepGreen’s Gerard Barron and Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Mike Gallagher.  Around the interwebs, other events include AFPM‘s (refiners) annual conference , tomorrow’s UT-Austin Energy Conference of the energy transition, a three-day virtual event from The Hill on sustainability starting Wednesday, Cheniere’s Andrew Walker joining IAE and CSIS for a release of its April report on Thursday and finally Friday, our friends at the Carbon Capture Coalition hold a forum looking at the SCALE Act and carbon capture technologies. Much More below.

Finally, congrats to the group of former GTM Media gang that has started a new media outlet called Canary Media to cover clean energy issues and the energy transition, supported by RMI.  Sign Up Here…Hope you stay safe & healthy and get those vaccine shots if you can!

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

 

FRANKLY SPOKEN

"I want to double down on that and say it’s not just a messaging and narrative imperative, that actually, it has to be that Americans see and experience that, that the investments in building out a more resilient power grid actually improve their lives and create job opportunities for them or their neighbors or otherwise, and that an investment agenda along the lines of what the president has put forward actually is among the best opportunities we have to create a next generation of good-paying jobs all across America.”

Brian Deese, in a very interesting, hour-long interview with Ezra Klein for his podcast about Biden and his thinking. 

ON THE PODCAST

ESPA Launches New Podcast – The Electric Power Supply Assn (EPSA) launched its new podcast, “Energy Solutions,” hosted by EPSA head Todd Snitchler.  The first episode recaps how the industry responded in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic - and looks at what's ahead to ensure reliable power during future extreme events and changing demands on our electric system. Todd highlights EPSA member company successes and community contributions, then interviews NYISO President and CEO Rich Dewey. In addition to revisiting NYISO’s pandemic planning and response, Dewey shares what’s ahead for competitive power markets and grid planning – noting that greater demands from increased electrification and decarbonization will need to account for consumer costs and reliability going forward.  Snitchler also speaks with Joseph Petruzzi, a shift supervisor at Eastern Generation’s Astoria plant in Queens, New York. Joe was one of the essential workers sequestered on site at the power plant for weeks. He shares his personal account of what it was like to be away from friends and family – saying he’d do it all again to carry out his important mission.

Bracewell Podcast Talks Infrastructure with Jim Lucier – The Bracewell Lobby Shop podcast this week looks at President Biden’s infrastructure plan and what Congress may do with it. The team is joined this week by Jim Lucier, a Managing Director at Capital Alpha Partners. Jim offers his predictive, insightful analysis of trends in Washington as we cover government spending, Biden's infrastructure plan and more.

FUN OPINIONS

WaPo: Manchin Weighs in on Filibuster, Budget Recon – Sen. Joe Manchin penned an op-ed in The Washington Post reiterating his distaste for tossing or avoiding the filibuster. "We should all be alarmed at how the budget reconciliation process is being used by both parties to stifle debate around the major issues facing our country today," he wrote.  Manchin also added Congress must work together saying   we will not solve our nation’s problems in one Congress if we seek only partisan solutions. “Instead of fixating on eliminating the filibuster or shortcutting the legislative process through budget reconciliation, it is time we do our jobs.”

FROG BLOG

R St. Experts: Private Sector Is Making Progress for Climate Change – In a blog post in The Hill, R Street’s Devin Hartman and Philip Rossetti write about the private sector’s progress on climate change.  Hartman and Rossetti say during the Trump administration, the free market and private sector were the best vehicles to lower emissions. Companies such as Microsoft, GM, and Amazon have all voluntarily started campaigns to lower their carbon footprint.  They add if John Kerry and the Biden administration want to seriously tackle climate change, they should look to the power of the free market. “The policy implication is profound as rapid decarbonization happens even without government coercion.”

FUN FACTS

Nuclear Overpowers Coal: In March 2021, for the first time ever, nuclear energy (790 MWh) generated more electricity than coal (774 MWh) in the United States according to the US Energy Information Administration. 

IN THE NEWS

Dimon Says Can’t Walk away from Fossil Fuels – JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Jamie Dimon said in his annual letter to shareholders that the solution to climate change "is not as simple as walking away from fossil fuels," and instead encourages working with fossil fuel companies to reduce their environmental impact. Dimon said JPMorgan intends to evaluate its clients' progress on climate change via reductions in their carbon intensity, or emissions per unit of output. 

EFI: Energy Jobs are Better Paying than Green Jobs – A new report from NASEO and Ernest Moniz’s Energy Futures Initiative shows a major pay gap between new green energy jobs and the fossil fuel jobs they hope to replace.  The highest-paying positions generally gravitate toward nuclear, utility and natural gas and coal workers, while wind, solar and construction jobs fall well below them in median wages, according to data from the report, which also explores current and emerging impacts of changes in the energy sector, including the geographic distribution of energy employment, the demographic composition of the workforce, and impacts on wages, employment benefits, and accessibility.

EPA SAB Purge Gets Focus on House Rs – Two House Republicans are pressing EPA head Michael Regan to explain his recent firing of all members of two science advisory panels, arguing that the move amounted to a purge of political opponents. “The midterm firing of science advisory board members within the first months of a new Administration demonstrates a deeply troubling partisan political agenda,” wrote Reps. James Comer (Ky.) and Ralph Norman (S.C.), top Republicans on the Oversight and Reform Committee. “Your apparent decision to use a political litmus test to determine who should serve on EPA scientific advisory boards raises serious concerns about the politization of the EPA.”

Graham Weighs in on SAB – Former SAB Chairman John Graham said he was saddened to learn that the Biden administration decided to terminate all 42 members of the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB).  For the first time in SAB’s 42-year history, a new EPA administrator will receive scientific advice only from scientists that they personally appoint. It is a clear political move that truly is unprecedented.  Graham said it is well documented that the Trump administration was disrespectful of science in many ways.  But, that does not mean that every science move by the Trump EPA was wrong.  Graham added independent scientific review of EPA policies helps to prevent bad policies and make good policies even better because it ensures that advances in scientific knowledge are considered.  Including scientists with different policy perspectives stimulates a comprehensive, rigorous examination of the evidence. 

AGA Supports DOE Focus on Reducing Methane – The AGA praised DOE for allocating up to $35 million for a new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program focused on developing technologies to reduce methane emissions. AGA is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through smart innovation, new and modernized infrastructure and advanced technologies that maintain reliable, resilient, and affordable energy service choices for consumers. A concerted effort by natural gas utilities to upgrade our nation’s pipeline network to enhance safety has also reduced methane emissions by 73 percent according to the 2020 Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA Inventory also shows that as little as 0.1 percent of the natural gas delivered nationwide is emitted from the local distribution systems owned and operated by America’s natural gas utilities.

Three More States Block Local NatGas Bans – Speaking of natural gas, the governors of Georgia, Iowa and Kansas have all signed laws to preserve utility choices for customers and to keep available all options for reducing emissions.  These actions grow the list of states to 11 adding to Arkansas, Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

MOST EVENTS SCHEDULED ARE NOW ONLINE WEBINARS

AFPM Annual Conference Set – The annual conference for the American Fuel and Petrochem Manufacturers will be held virtually today to Wednesday.  Our friends Christine Tezak of ClearView Energy, Monroe Energy’s Adam Gattuso, AFPM’s Derrick Morgan and Valero CEO Joe Gorder all speak.  

Power Market Conference Set – S&P Global Platts holds its 36^th Annual Global Power Markets Virtual Conference on today to Wednesday. The Conference focuses on the latest trends in energy policy, generation development, power market dynamics, power finance, power asset valuation, A&D, and energy transition.

Wilson Forum to Look at Critical Minerals Supply Chain – The Wilson Center President Ambassador Mark Green will host a public panel discussion today at 1:00 p.m. with Reps Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI), leaders of the House Armed Services Committee’s Defense Supply Chains Task Force. Panelists will discuss ongoing initiatives and legislation focused on overcoming strategic supply chain vulnerabilities. One of the speakers will be Gerard Barron of DeepGreen, who is leading efforts to collecting nodules from the deep sea and are filled with key critical minerals.  This conversation will also feature Wilson Center experts providing regional insights on pathways for international collaboration on building resilient, global supply chains.

Forum Looks at Latin American Climate Perspectives – The Woodrow Wilson Center holds a virtual discussion today at 1:00 p.m. on environmental leadership in Latin American.  The event will discuss perspectives on the climate crisis in the region.  Speakers include State’s Trigg Talley, as well as Argentinian Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Juan Cabandie, Colombian Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Carlos Eduardo Correa and Chilean Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt.

Forum to Look at Appalachia, Climate – The Atlantic Council along with the National Wildlife Federation and Reimagine Appalachia, hold a forum today at 4:00 p.m. on reimagining Appalachia and the role of climate infrastructure in modernizing a regional economy. The conversation will highlight the types of infrastructure investments that could improve the economy and quality of life in the region, the federal policy mechanisms necessary to ensure pathways to high-quality, union jobs, and the unique features that should situate Appalachia centrally within federal infrastructure negotiations.

UT Austin Energy Week 2021 to Focus on Energy Transition – The UT Austin Energy Week 2021 Conference will be held tomorrow and Wednesday focusing energy transition issues.  UT Energy Week 2021 will focus on the intertwined dynamics of how leaders and organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors balance the complex suite of pull-and-pushes to position their organizations and communities to not only lead in the energy transition, but also become more equitable and resilient in the process.  Our friends Robert Bryce, former WSJ reporter Jeff Ball and former EERE office head Dan Simmons are among the speakers.

NRC to Discuss Advanced Reactor Prep – Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., the Nuclear Regulatory Commission holds a briefing on advanced reactor preparedness through regulatory engagement and research cooperation.

Forum to Look at Climate, Peacebuilding – The US Institute for Peace and the Wilson Center hold a timely discussion tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. with experts on the linkages between climate and fragility, and how a more integrated approach to climate and fragility policies and responses can simultaneously strengthen resilience outcomes and minimize threats to peace and prosperity.

RMI Event to Look at Building Decarb – RMI will hold a forum tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on decarbonizing America's buildings and its role in a carbon-neutral future. Industry experts from RMI and McKinstry will outline proven strategies to transition your buildings to zero embedded and operating carbon over time. In our first session, we will lay the groundwork for each building sector.

House Energy GOP Hold Keystone Forum – Republicans of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a forum tomorrow on the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Speakers will include Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe, Montana AG Austin Knudsen and Association of Oil Pipe Lines VP John Stoody.

USEA to Focus UND Shale Practice – The US Energy Assn will host a forum tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. featuring new findings from University of North Dakota Petroleum Engineering in the changes in the pore structure distribution after CO2 saturation. Ogochukwu Ozotta, a PHD candidate, will provide an in-depth look at the changes in the Bakken formation, the first step in providing experimental evidence to further test the mechanisms of geological storage of CO2 in organic-rich self-sourced plays.

Senate Homeland Security to Vote on FEMA, OMB – The Senate Homeland Security Committee holds a business meeting at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday to vote on FEMA Administrator Deanne Bennett Criswell and Jason Scott Miller to be deputy director for management in the Office of Management and Budget.

Bloomberg BNEF Forum Looks at Renewable Transition – Bloomberg NEF holds its annual summit on Wednesday to look at Renewables and the energy transition.  The BNEF Summit provides the ideas, insights and connections to formulate successful strategies, capitalize on technological change and shape a cleaner, more competitive future.  Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, White House Climate official Gina McCarthy, Vistra CEO Curt Morgan and many others will speak.  See the list here.

Hill Forum to hold 3-day event on Sustainability – The Hill will hold a three-day virtual event from Wednesday through Friday on sustainability.  There will be panels on energy, climate, sustainability and investing.  Speakers will include Daniel Yergin, Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub, Plug Power CEO Andy Marsh, Sally Jewell, Gina McCarthy, Wash Gov. Jay Inslee, Reps. Bobby Rush and Bruce Westerman and many more.

Senate Enviro Marks up Drinking water Infrastructure Bill, Discusses HTF – The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee holds a markup of S. 914 (117), the "Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday.  The Committee will also conduct a hearing on the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund.  The hearing will focus on lessons learned from the Surface Transportation System funding alternatives program and other user-based revenue solutions, and how funding uncertainty affects the highway programs.

Forum Looks at Cyber, Maritime – The Atlantic Council holds a discussion Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on securing the cybersecurity of energy networks on the maritime edge. This conversation will focus on driving better cybersecurity outcomes throughout the maritime industry and how to encourage broader operational collaboration between the public and private sectors. DOE’s Pat Hoffman and API’s Suzanne Lemieux are among the speakers.

Forum Looks at Energy Jobs – On Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., the Clinton Foundation holds a virtual forum on the future of work looking at equitable and inclusive jobs for all.  The event will feature Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and former President Bill Clinton.

Webinar to Look at Solar Apps – On Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., SEIA and NREL hold a demonstration and roundtable discussion featuring the newly launched Solar TRACE and SolarAPP+. Solar TRACE will strengthen the ability for jurisdictions and utilities to identify opportunities to improve their permitting, inspection and interconnection (PII) cycle-time, accelerating realization of shorter cycle-times with the adoption of Solar APP+ The roundtable will include key members of the SolarAPP+ development and implementation team who will discuss how these two tools can achieve joint civic and industry goals through insight gained from Solar TRACE and the adoption and implementation of SolarAPP+. The roundtable will also feature local government and utility representatives that have adopted a wide range of other best practices to improve the efficiency of PII in their area. 

ICF Webinar Looks at Utilities, Grid Resilience – ICF holds a forum on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. featuring a utility-regulator discussion on the future of the industry. In this webinar, Jeffrey Ackermann, former chair of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, and industry expert and former utility executive Val Jensen to share ideas and trade perspectives on what the future regulatory model might look like.

USEA Webinar Looks at CCUS Commercialization – The US Energy Assn holds a webinar on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. on decarbonization and the use of CCUS. Chuck McConnell University of Houston with his CCUS Commercialization Consortium will lead a panel including Nigel Jenvey of Baker Hughes and Fred Eames a partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth and Kenneth Nemeth, Secretary and Executive Director of the Southern States Energy Board.

Forum to Discuss Solar Cities – SolSmart and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) hold a forum on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. to discuss how cities and counties across the country are accelerating residential solar adoption through the implementation of Solarize campaigns. RMI will discuss its work under the Renewables Accelerator which includes technical assistance to a cohort of communities. SolSmart, a national designation program which evaluates local government programs and practices that impact solar markets will discuss how communities can take advantage of the no cost technical assistance it provides. SolSmart identifies high-prospect opportunities for improvement and recognizes communities for their efforts. The webinar will highlight successes from two communities, both SolSmart designated and also participating in the Renewables Accelerator cohort. 

Senate Funding Subpanel Looks at FEMA COVID Response – The Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee holds a hearing Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. on FEMA’s response to COVID-19 and other challenges.

Forum to Look at Modernizing Grid – The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center holds a forum on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. with global power sector leaders as they discuss the importance of grid modernization and resilience and how to enhance energy systems and infrastructure worldwide. This event will evaluate key technologies critical to helping reach these goals, emphasize sectoral approaches to decarbonization, and highlight countries increasing their commitments to climate action. The aim is to build momentum in advance of the summit and encourage increased ambition from public and private sector actors.  Speakers include Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade official Nguyen Phuong Mai, National Grid’s Duncan Burt and Siemens Energy’s Leo Simonovich.

CSIS Hosts IEA Report, Cheniere – The CSIS Energy Security & Climate Change Program will host a presentation of the IEA’s April quarterly report on gas markets on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.  Speakers will include IEA’s Jean-Baptiste Dubreuil and Cheniere’s Andrew Walker.  Following a sudden decline in global demand in 2020, natural gas has experienced an increase in prices in the first months of 2021 due to extreme weather and temperatures. Despite expectations that global gas demand will reach its 2019 level, market fundamentals for 2021 and the recovery trajectory of fast-growing markets remain fragile and uncertain. This report provides a detailed review of the dynamics in 2020, an analysis of recent developments in global gas markets, and an updated outlook for 2021.

House Funding Panel Looks a NOAA Climate Services -- The House Appropriations Committee's Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on NOAA’s role in providing climate services.

Senate Energy to Look at Innovation, DOE – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. looking at the role of the DOE and energy innovation. Former Energy undersecretary for science Paul Dabbar, Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Thomas Mason and former CSIS expert Sarah Ladislaw are among those testifying. 

House Energy Panel to Look at Climate Legislation – The Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change of the Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a legislative hearing on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. on the CLEAN Future Act and Environmental Justice.

Forum to Look at Climate Aid Effectiveness – The Center for Global Development holds a virtual discussion on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. featuring a Conversation with former British Secretary of State for International Development focused on issues including the new UK Defense Security and Foreign Policy Review, the moves to reduce the UK's official development assistance commitment, the merger of the UK's Department for International Development and Foreign Office, COVID-19 and the global response, global policymaking around climate and aid effectiveness.

Forum to Look at Nuclear Innovation – The Global America Business Institute (GABI) is hosting a virtual workshop on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. looking at international coordination in nuclear energy innovation.  The event looks at regulatory harmonization and opportunities for early demonstration and deployment.  Speakers include Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) President Rumina Velshi, Jeong-Ik Lee of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Stephen Greene at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center.

Senate Budget to Look at Climate – The Senate Budget Committee Chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders will hold a hearing on climate chair on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. Sanders has already invited the heads of oil companies, but it looks like witnesses include only David Wallace-Wells, deputy editor at New York Magazine; founding partner of Kepos Capital Bob Litterman; and Joseph Stiglitz, the famed Columbia economics professor.

House Transpo Takes Up Maritime Emissions, Climate – The House Transportation and Infrastructure Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee holds a hearing on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. to look at practical steps toward a carbon-free maritime industry.  The hearing will feature updates on fuels, ports, and technology.

House Climate Committee Looks at Risk, Costs of Inaction – The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis is holding a hearing Thursday at Noon on climate and the risks and costs of inaction. Witnesses will include Heather McTeer Toney and UChicago EPIC’s Michael Greenstone.

CAP Talking Trade With Kathleen Tai – On Thursday at Noon, the Center for American Progress holds a discussion of U.S. trade policy and the environment featuring keynote remarks by U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai. The event will also feature a panel of leading experts from environmental organizations moderated by CAP founder John Podesta.

RFF to Tackle Decarb Goals, Opportunities – Resources for the Future (RFF) holds a virtual meeting on Thursday at Noon to Look at what is needed to achieve economy-wide, deep decarbonization in the United States. RFF will host six leading analysts who have modeled possible net-zero pathways. Each study author will share reflections on relevant findings on what emissions reductions can be achieved by 2030 at what cost, the key sectors and technology pathways to achieving this result, the critical technology and cost assumptions underlying these results and choices to impact future goals.  The conversation will also explore similarities and differences across the studies, aiming to shed light on points of divergence and the overall feasibility of “50 by 30.”

MIT Expert to Discuss Decarbonization of Chemical, Fuels – Princeton’s Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment holds a forum on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. focusing on decarbonizing chemicals and fuels with Yang Shao-Horn of MIT.  The event will discuss challenges and opportunities in making sustainable fuels and chemicals with energy from the sun and wind. This talk will focus on recent work towards establishing design rules of the reaction kinetics for water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction, by tuning surface electronic structures and solvation environments at the electrified interface.

House Resources Look at Jobs, Plugging Orphaned Wells – The House Natural Resources Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee holds a hearing on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. to discuss creating jobs and reducing pollution by plugging and reclaiming orphaned wells.  Witnesses include Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission head Lori Wrotenbery, Rio Arriba County, NM rancher Don Schreiber, Ted Boettner of the Ohio River Valley Institute and Magill University professor Mary Kang. 

House Funding Subpanel Looks at Forest Service Budget – The House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on the U.S. Forest Service FY2022 Budget Request.  Forest Service officials testify. 

Carper Headlines Brookings Look at Infrastructure – Coupled with the release of a new Brookings-authored infrastructure strategy, the Metropolitan Policy Program will host an event on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. highlighting a forward-looking set of national policy priorities to revitalize the infrastructure systems that move the American economy. Event speakers will discuss their vision and priorities for comprehensive infrastructure reform and offer their reactions to the proposals shaping the national debate.  Senate EPW Chair Tom Carper will keynote the event. 

Forum Looks at Biden 30x30 Plan – ConservAmerica on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. for an online discussion of President Biden's 30x30 plan and the role of private lands in achieving national conservation objectives.  Speakers will include moderator Brent Fewell and Property & Environmental Research Center (PERC) CEO Brian Yablonski, former interior official and current Nature Conservancy expert Lynn Scarlet and NWF head Collin O’Mara.

NARUC Forum Look sat Solar, Cybersecurity – NARUC holds a forum at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday to discuss initiatives on cybersecurity in solar projects.  This event will the drivers accelerating solar adoption, the new cybersecurity risk landscape for solar and efforts underway to address the challenges, and the roles that state commissions and energy offices play in shaping the future of grid reliability, security, and resilience.

Forum to Look at Carbon Capture – The Carbon Capture Coalition holds a forum on Friday at 10:00 a.m. looking at a Carbon Transport and Storage IS Infrastructure briefing on the SCALE Act. The recent reintroduction of the Storing CO2 and Lowering Emissions Act (S.799/H.R.1992) by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Representatives Marc Veasey (D-TX) and David McKinley (R-WV) establishes a comprehensive federal policy for the development of infrastructure to transport carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from industrial facilities, power plants and ambient air through direct air capture and to safely store that CO2 deep underground in saline geologic formations. This briefing will provide important perspectives from labor, NGO and project development representatives who will share the impact carbon transport and storage infrastructure has on elevating jobs that pay family-sustaining wages and putting America on a path net-zero carbon emissions. Speakers include AFL-CIO’s Brad Markell, Thurs Way’s Lindsey Walter, CRES’s Charles Hernick, CATF’s Lee Beck and NWF’s Shannon Heyck-Williams.

Forum Looks at Climate Protection – On Friday at 2:00 p.m., the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) holds a briefing hosted in coordination with the National Housing Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council (national partners with the Energy Efficiency for All project) about the challenges and opportunities involved in protecting physically and socially vulnerable communities from the worst impacts of climate change. Speakers will discuss a new data resource developed by Climate Central that identifies federally-subsidized affordable housing at risk of chronic flooding due to sea-level rise; property-level climate risk assessment tools that are being piloted in Miami; a recently published scorecard of state flood-risk disclosure policies; and resilience measures in Los Angeles.

IN THE FUTURE

Science March, Earth Day Festival Set – Next Sunday and Monday, the Earth Day Initiative and March for Science will be a 2021 Virtual Festival in NYC. 

Wilson Center Forum Looks at Oceans, Climate – The Woodrow Wilson Center holds a transatlantic conversation next Monday at 10:00 a.m. during the Smithsonian's Earth Optimism Week with American and European experts on how ocean solutions can combat climate change.

US-China Climate Engagement Discussion Set – Next Monday at 10:00 a.m., the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) holds a robust debate on US-China cooperation. Professor Michael Klare has written that “Biden’s Tough Stance on China Will Lead to Global Climate Doom.” He will argue that cooperating is essential and can be done in parallel without weakening the U.S. negotiating position on other matters. ITIF President Rob Atkinson will take the opposing position.

WRI Looks at Forest-Water Nexus – In the run up to the Leaders’ Climate Summit Earth Day - 2021, the World Resources Institute holds a webinar next Monday at 11:00 a.m. to discuss the importance of the forest-water nexus in cost-effectively accelerating progress on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Featuring speakers from Peru, The NDC Partnership, the government of Colombia and the Inter-American Development Bank, we will showcase examples of how forest and water-based Nature-Based Solutions are being used to enhance climate commitments and consider a way forward.

Energy Economists Conference Set – The National Capital Area Chapter of the US Assn for Energy Economics holds their Annual Energy Policy Conference on April 20^th and 21^st. The conference will help make sense of the major shifts taking place across this new energy landscape. Economists, policy analysts, industry experts, and investors will gather to decipher critical emerging trends and policies facing the energy industry. Our friend Richard Meyer of AGA is among the panelists.

FP to Look at Science Diplomacy – Foreign Policy holds an event on Tuesday April 20^th at 10:00 a.m. on science diplomacy and elevating the role of science in addressing global challenges. The event features a conversation about the role of science diplomacy in fostering partnerships across borders and addressing some of humanity's most intractable challenges. Our program will explore how governments, the diplomatic community, scientists and academia might use the momentum of global recovery to energize international cooperation on science and innovation and galvanize solutions to urgent global priorities.

Forum Looks at Hydrogen – On Tuesday April 20^th at 10:00 a.m., the Wilson Center holds a conversation during the Smithsonian's Earth Optimism Week with European and American experts about the prospects of a hydrogen-powered economy, areas of transatlantic collaboration, and the latest innovations in the hydrogen sector. Among the speakers will be former DOE official and current Columbia SIPA energy expert

USEA, USAID Discuss Grid Modernization – The US Energy Assn hosts the first in the series of Grid Modernization webinars with USAID's Bureau for Development, Democracy and Innovation (DDI) on Tuesday April 20^th at 10:00 a.m. Electric power systems around the world are undergoing an unprecedented transformation. From integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) to smart grids, these 21st century developments require cutting-edge solutions to increase resiliency and flexibility. In this webinar, our speakers will present trends and best practices on grid modernization and dive into case studies of their experiences on the subject.

Senate Approps Panel Looks at Infrastructure Plan – The Senate Committee on Appropriations will convene a hearing on Tuesday April 20^th at 10:30 a.m. to examine the American Jobs Plan, focusing on infrastructure, climate change, and investing in our nation's future.

CO2NNECT Set – The Great Plains Institute will hosts the second virtual CO2NNECT event on Tuesday April 20^th at 11:00 a.m.  This event is focused on "Scaling Net-Zero Infrastructure." It will focus on "The Climate, Jobs, and Investment Benefits of Deploying CO2 Transport and Storage" and will feature remarks from a who's who of international political, business, and academic influencers including Dominik von Achten, of HeidelbergCement AG, USW’s Roxanne Brown, Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tina Bru, Sen. Chris Coons, Noah Deich of Carbon180, Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub, Princeton’s Jesse Jenkins, IEA’s Mechthild Wörsdörfer and CATF’s Lee Beck. 

GU Forum Looks at Road to COP 26 – Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and the Science, Technology and International Affairs program hold an event on Tuesday April 20^th at 11:00 a.m. looking at the road to COP26. As the U.S. prepares to host a “Leaders Climate Summit” to mark Earth Day on April 22, this panel will explore what impact the U.S.’s re-entry into the Paris Agreement will have for COP26 outcomes and what the world might expect from the US as the Biden administration prepares to unveil its NDC. More broadly, the panel will also explore the ambitions for this year’s summit, the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on climate efforts and the opportunity it presents to “build back better” in crafting a greener future for the planet.

C2ES Forum Looks at Climate, Business – Ahead of the April 22–23 summit, the Center for Environmental and Energy Solutions (C2ES) will host a discussion on Tuesday April 20^th at 1:00 p.m. with leading U.S. companies with ambitious climate targets and an emissions modeling expert on how government and private sector collaboration can drive investments in climate solutions across the global economy to facilitate the net-zero transition, accelerate economic growth, create jobs, and address equity issues. Duke’s Venu Ghanta and former Clinton climate official Roger Martella are among the speakers.

Forum Looks at Report on Hydrogen – The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA and the Global CCS Institute will host a webinar on Tuesday April 20^th at 6:00 p.m. to share important insights and learnings as part of the Circular Carbon Economy: Keystone to Global Sustainability Project, which explores options to reduce, reuse, recycle, and remove carbon dioxide emissions from the global energy economy to accelerate decarbonization, reduce climate risk, and create economic growth. This webinar will explore key findings from new reports, “Blue Hydrogen: Production and Use” and “Green Hydrogen in a Circular Carbon Economy: Opportunities and Limits.” The reports touch on production, transportation, and use of zero-carbon hydrogen, how and where there are opportunities to catalytic early action and investment, and what’s needed to put the world on a useful path to maximizing the value of a critical carbon-free fuel. This event will bring together experts in technology, policy, and finance to discuss how hydrogen can rapidly provide commercial energy services across key sectors including power, transportation, industry, and buildings.

Columbia Webinar to Look at Latin American State-Owned O&G -- On Wednesday April 21^st at 10:00 a.m., the Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy together with the Columbia Global Centers will host a panel of exceptional policy experts to analyze the different economic, political, and social dynamics at play in the main oil and gas producing countries in Latin America.

Forum Looks at Offshore Wind – The Wilson Center holds another conversation on Wednesday April 22^nd at 10:00 a.m. with European and American representatives of offshore wind projects about the potential for the use of offshore winds on both sides of the Atlantic, the role it has in the fight against climate change, and new innovations that are driving implementation.  The forum will include speakers from Avangid and Ørsted.

Biden Climate Forum Shaping Up – The Biden Administration is expected to hold a climate forum for international leaders on Thursday April 22^nd and Friday April 23^rd in Washington.  The event is part of Biden’s effort to engage the international climate committee which start with his rejoining the Paris Agreement.  The president has asked leaders of the world’s 17 biggest economies, which account for roughly 80% of GDP and emissions, to take part in the event, as well as the heads of other countries that are demonstrating strong climate leadership, are especially vulnerable to climate impacts, or are charting innovative pathways to a net-zero [emissions] economy. Invitees include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a many others.

Chamber Innovation Forum looks at CCS – The US Chamber’s Global Energy Institute continues its EnergyInnovates Event Series on Thursday April 22^nd at 10:00 a.m.  The event will feature discussions that highlight the need to fund the innovation programs authorized in the Energy Act of 2020, including the important role of carbon removal, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) in achieving global and national climate goals. In this webinar, experts will explore the status of and outlook for carbon removal and CCUS technologies in light of recent legislative changes, as well as the next set of policies necessary to accelerate their scaling and adoption.  Speakers will include Sens. John Barrasso and Sheldon Whitehouse among a number of other experts.

Brookings Hosts Forum on Education, Climate – On April 22^nd at 10:00 a.m. the Brookings’ Center for Universal Education and Education International will host a webinar to discuss the path forward for education and climate action, and the recent Brookings policy brief “Unleashing the creativity of teachers and students to combat climate change: An opportunity for global leadership.” As millions of students have engaged in civic action over the last several years by leaving school to protest the lack of progress in addressing the climate crisis, how can we flip the script? How can students, teachers, and schools be on the forefront of addressing climate action by helping support the development of young people’s green civic skills? What do teachers and student leaders need to do here in the U.S. and around the globe?

Conference Looks at Energy Geopolitics – On Thursday April 22^nd at 12:30 p.m., the Johns Hopkins SAIS will hold a Global Risk Conference.  The event will feature a conversation on the geopolitics of energy with Sarah Emerson of Energy Security Analysis, Inc. and Martin Fraenkel of S&P Global Platts

AU Decarb Forums Continue – American University’s Center for Environmental Policy continues its webinar series on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. assessing the costs of climate change mitigation and the cost of falling short.  RFF’s Kevin Rennert and our friend Paul Bledsoe will among the panelists.

NYT Forum Looks at Technology, Climate Solutions, Public Health – The NY Times Forum holds an event on Thursday April 22^nd at 1:30 p.m. on technology, climate solutions and public health. Technology has allowed us to examine the challenge of climate change from fresh angles and accelerate new solutions, many of which have the added benefit of improving public health. Measures to reduce carbon emissions from transport can improve air quality and reduce pollution. Carbon-friendly farming and agriculture can improve nutrition.

SCOTUS Packs Enviro Cases in Late April – Late April will be busy for the Supreme Court on environmental issues.  The Court will hear oral arguments in Guam v. United States on April 26, a case that has attracted the interest of my colleague Scott Segal and looks at a battle over a waste dump that first served as a disposal site for Navy waste during World War II.  The next day, April 27^th, HollyFrontier Cheyenne Refining, LLC v. Renewable Fuels Association is just scheduled which is case over the RFS’s Small Refinery program and a 10^th Circuit ruling that has caused significant controversy.  Then on April 28^th, the Court addresses PennEast Pipeline Co. LLC V New Jersey where PennEast wants to use the Natural Gas Act to use eminent domain to build its 116-mile natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to state-owned land in New Jersey.

Bloomberg Green Summit Set – The Bloomberg Green Summit will be Held virtually on April 26^th and 27^th to focus on a net-zero economy, plans to rebuild while calling for real climate action, and what can inspire and enact lasting positive change. Speakers will include former VP Al Gore, American climatologist Michael Mann and the CEOs of Dow and Ariel Investments.

FP Climate Summit Set – Foreign Policy holds its inaugural Climate Summit on April 27^th and 28^th. Coming on the heels of President Biden's Earth Day Summit, the event will convene top leaders and experts from government, industry and civil society to explore transformative ideas for a sustainable future.  The event will spotlight policy and business strategies to help galvanize economically viable, cross-sector solutions for meeting local, national and global climate targets. Speakers include John Kerry, Iceland Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, House Climate Committee Reps. Kathy Castor and Garret Graves, NEI CEO Maria Korsnick, IEA’s Fatih Birol and many more.

USEA Hosts Discussion of Asia Natgas – The US Energy Assn will host a press roundtable on April 27^th at to discuss natural gas development issues in Asia.  The U.S.-Asia Gas Partnership (AGP) is a public-private partnership that aims to optimize gas network infrastructure planning and develop domestic gas markets across the Indo-Pacific region. AGP shares best practices in the development of secure, reliable, and economic sources of natural gas. AGP convenes a diverse set of stakeholders to optimize gas network infrastructure planning to develop domestic gas markets in Asia. AGP also supports strategic planning to promote the development of resilient and least-cost power systems that will continue to meet demand over time.

Forum Looks at Budget Recon, Climate – The Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy and the Niskanen Center will host a discussion on Wednesday April 28^th at 12:30 p.m. to explore how budget reconciliation could include climate policies such as a clean electricity standard or a carbon tax. We will look at what measures have historically been permissible through budget reconciliation and how climate measures would fit within the confines of the rules.  BPC’s Bill Hoagland, Niskanen’s Joe Majkut and Leah Stokes of UCSB will discuss.

Columbia Forum Features Mary Nichols – On Thursday April 29^th at 4:00 p.m., the Center on Global Energy Policy holds its third episode of Columbia Energy Straight Talk, a discussion series hosted by David Hill, CGEP Adjunct Senior Research Scholar, and Cheryl LaFleur, CGEP Distinguished Visiting Fellow. In this episode, Cheryl and David will host former CARB head Mary Nichols, who has been at the forefront of American environmental regulation for more than 40 years. During this session, Mary, Cheryl, and David will discuss climate initiatives at the federal and state level, the future of carbon pricing, vehicle electrification, and what it all means for the public, the environmental community, energy markets, energy companies, and investors.

Book Launch: Energy's Digital Future by Amy Myers Jaffe – On Tuesday May 11^th at Noon, the Center on Global Energy Policy will host Amy Myers Jaffe, Research Professor and Managing Director at the Climate Policy Lab at Tuft University's The Fletcher School and Co-Chair of the CGEP Women in Energy Steering Committee, for a discussion of her new book, Energy’s Digital Future: Harnessing Innovation for American Resilience and National Security. Following her presentation, Amy will be joined by Jason Bordoff, CGEP Founding Director and Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs, Columbia University and David Sandalow, CGEP Inaugural Fellow, for a conversation moderated by Dr. Melissa Lott, CGEP Director of Research and Senior Research Scholar.

Chamber Innovation Forum looks at Permitting, Transmission – The US Chamber’s Global Energy Institute continues its EnergyInnovates Event Series on Thursday May 13^th at 10:00 a.m.  The event will feature discussions on growing demand for cleaner energy sources and the need to build new energy infrastructure.  However, the byzantine federal permitting process is neither predictable, nor transparent, and inhibits capital investment to bring new energy platforms to market, including non-emitting electricity generation and transmission.  This webinar will highlight the inefficiencies of the permitting process as well as common sense, bipartisan solutions to unlock investment in the next generations of energy infrastructure.