Energy Update: Week of April 19

Friends,               

Welcome to Earth Day Week.  On Thursday, it is the 51^st Earth Day (50^th if you count being robbed of the day by COVID last year), but of course, every day is really Earth Day here at Bracewell. 

This week will be overrun by the Climate Summit being hosted by President Joe Biden on Thursday and Friday. The Summit will reconvene the U.S.-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80% of global emissions and global GDP.  The President also invited 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 economy. The virtual White House Leaders Summit will be live streamed for public viewing.  Republicans, much to the sneers of the environmental advocate will hold their own “summit” tomorrow and Wednesday.  There are also a bunch of Congressional hearings as well with Greta Thunberg’s testimony at House Oversight taking the top billing (although I suspect that hearing will be among the least substantive).  See the full list below which include a bunch cabinet secretaries making appearances before House/Senate funding panels, a major Senate Energy hearing on CCS and a House Resources hearing on offshore wind.

Tons of events with Earth Day.  The Atlantic Council is also holding events all week as part of its Raising Ambitions series, including events on hydrogen, environmental/energy equity, sustainable minerals, offshore wind, net-zero financing, building climate resilience and a wrap up of the Biden Leaders Summit.  And WaPo Live has climate events with Hank Paulson (tomorrow), John Kerry (Wednesday), Al Gore (Thursday) and Lisa Jackson (Thursday).  The BCSE holds climate events this week on clean energy jobs (tomorrow) and utilities (Thursday).  And the Energy Observer, a cool, hydrogen-fueled sea-going vessel that has be travelling around the world arrives in SoCal (a H2 market hot spot) on Thursday and Friday.  Worth checking out if you are interested, so let me know.

Starting tomorrow, C2ES holds a discussion with leading U.S. companies with ambitious climate targets, tomorrow evening, the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA and the Global CCS Institute hosts a webinar will share important insights on hydrogen and the National Capital Area Chapter of the US Assn for Energy Economics hold their Annual Energy Policy Conference tomorrow/Wednesday.  Also Wednesday, CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program and DOE hold a panel discussion on how to advance the agenda for a just transition with Secretary Granholm speaking.  On Thursday, Chamber’s Energy Institute continues its EnergyInnovates Event Series highlighting the need to fund the innovation programs in the Energy Act of 2020, while ACCF hosts a panel discussion on the future of nuclear power with key insiders on nuclear energy policy.

Finally, don’t miss this afternoon at 2:00 p.m., the Labor Energy Partnership (LEP) (an initiative of the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) and the AFL-CIO) forum on accelerating the energy transition to deep decarbonization through infrastructure, jobs and equity.  Granholm, AGA’s Karen Harbert, EEI’s Tom Kuhn, and a bunch of labor officials are among the speakers.

Speaking of jobs and labor, this morning at 11:00 a.m. at a National Press Club Virtual Headliners event, Senate Energy Chair Joe Manchin joined the president of the United Mine Workers of America, Cecil Roberts to announce the UMWA’s principles for addressing climate change, energy transition, and government policies that affect workers in coal production and other parts of the energy sector.  You can see the full event here.  Manchin will also join Axios for a virtual event on Wednesday unpacking the challenges and promise of climate solutions.

I made another visit to Bloomberg’s Sound On late last week to talk about this week’s climate summit and a bunch of related Items with Jeanne Zaino.  It was little bit sad because our friend Kevin Cirilli left his Bloomberg Radio/TV/White House gig for greener pastures.  Congrats to Kev…   Finally, tune in tomorrow around 8:30 a.m. on XM POTUS’s Julie Mason Mornings where we’ll talk climate summit and actions.  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

"This downward trend in emissions underscores the valuable role that natural gas will continue to play in our nation’s clean energy future,” “Delivering affordable, reliable energy does not have to be at odds with clean energy goals, and this data shows just that. Our industry is committed to the cleaner energy future we all are striving for and will continue to work every day to help ensure Americans have the energy they want and need while achieving our environmental goals.”

American Gas Association President and CEO Karen Harbert. 

ON THE PODCAST

Video Series Focuses on ESG, Challenges, Impact – Not a podcast, but still a great segment from Monica Trauzzi’s Off the Menu video series may be of particular interest to you.  Monica and our friend Esther Whieldon of S&P Global and the ESG Insider Podcast dive into questions surrounding ESG screens and, in particular, whether they actually have an impact on combatting the climate crisis. Meeting ESG criteria is quickly becoming shorthand for whether a company’s business decisions are having a positive impact. But these criteria are not neatly defined and companies could be missing worthwhile investments because of it.

FUN OPINIONS

Herald Editorial: Workers Lose Out in Biden’s Climate Change Plan – In a blistering editorial, the Boston Herald board says Democrats like to brand themselves as the party of the working class, but today’s party is all about the agenda, especially when it comes to climate change. They write there’s a big wage gap between fossil fuel and green energy jobs, and fossil fuel wins. “Workers employed by solar and wind power companies earn significantly less than those who mine coal or drill for natural gas, according to data compiled by former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz’s clean energy think tank. The median wage for solar workers is $24.48 an hour compared with $30.33 for those employed by the natural gas sector, which amounts to a roughly $12,000 annual wage gap.”  They conclude that before the Biden Administration makes any sweeping changes in the interests of green energy and infrastructure, it should make sure those who would have to leave the fossil fuel sector have jobs available in the clean energy industry that would at least match their previous pay.

FROG BLOG

OPIS Tackles RINs Costs for Refiners– In a blog post on the Oil Price information Service (OPIS), OPIS writers says be on the lookout for some befuddled refining analysts and disappointed investors as public refiners disclose their first quarter earnings in the next 30 days.  Traditional futures screens and even custom formats that measure physical price performance have been drastically altered by Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance costs. Those additional fees were an afterthought as recently as 2019 but now can account for costs that regularly exceed processing expenses for many refiners.  Earnings’ analysts and large investors in refining need to become accustomed to the RVO acronym. It stands for Renewable Volume Obligation. The composite number applies to the basket of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) that refiners must either generate or purchase to comply with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as well as subsequent revisions to that act in 2007.

FUN FACTS

How Much Electricity Do you Use?  The average U.S. home uses about 11,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. (EIA)

Earth Day April 22, 1970: Twenty million Americans participated in activities for the first Earth Day. Between Spring Break and final exams, the date was chosen so that students could take part. Walter Cronkite reported on the event.

IN THE NEWS

DeepGreen Tells Granholm Deep Sea Critical Minerals are Essential to EV Success – With all the talk on the critical mineral/EV Supply chain issues, I thought you might find this response to DOE interesting and timely.  There is increasing discussion about the responsible and sustainable collection of deep sea nodules as a way to address serious critical-mineral concerns raised by the battery supply chain.  Gerard Barron, CEO of leading ocean mineral company DeepGreen, responded to DOE Sec Jennifer Granholm for DOE’s RFI request on the critical mineral supply chain.  It tells the Secretary that the development of polymetallic nodule resources is an essential component of standing up an environmentally and socially responsible supply chain for the clean energy transition at the scale required, while creating security of supply for the United States.  Barron said producing battery metals from polymetallic nodules that sit unattached on the seafloor offers an opportunity to address four risks to the green energy transition: 1) availability of battery metals, 2) price, 3) environmental, social and governance (known as ESG) impacts, and 4) security of supply. Barron adds it is DG’s belief that the development of polymetallic nodule resources is an essential component of standing up an environmentally and socially responsible supply chain for the clean energy transition at the scale required, while creating security of supply for the United States.

Report: Marine Energy Industry Sets !GW Goal for Deployments – With marine energy on the cusp of significant growth, the National Hydropower Association today unveiled new industry deployment targets of 50 MW by 2025, 500 MW by 2030, and 1 GW by 2035. In a new report, Commercialization Strategy for Marine Energy, the industry calls on the US Government to accelerate commercialization of marine energy technologies (wave, tidal, ocean current, ocean thermal, and riverine) by increasing financial support for research and development, reducing market barriers and creating financial incentives for technology deployment. The marine energy industry is releasing its commercialization report on the heels of the DOE’s analysis, released in March, that identified the potential of marine energy resources in the U.S. Utilizing national and state level data, the report found that the total marine energy technical resource in the 50 states to be 2,300 TWh/yr or the equivalent to roughly 57% of 2019 U.S. electricity generation – enough to power 220 million U.S. homes.

GHG Inventory Shows Power Sector Emissions Drop – EPA's final annual greenhouse gas inventory shows that GHGs decreased by 1.7% in 2019, partly reversing a 3% increase in 2018.  The pre-pandemic drop was driven primarily by decreased emissions from fossil fuel combustion, which saw a 1 percent decrease in total energy use and the continued shift away from coal and toward natural gas and renewables, according to EPA. The U.S. in 2019 emitted a gross total of 6,558.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from all sources, and a net total of 5,769.1 million metric tons, accounting for carbon sinks.  Overall, fossil fuel combustion emissions were down 2.7% year over year, driven by an 8.4% reduction from the electric generating sector. The transportation sector, the largest source of U.S. emissions, increased only slightly, by 0.03%. Transportation activities accounted for 37.5% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.

Methane Improves As Well – the EPA’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, also shows that annual emissions from the natural gas distribution system declined 69% from 1990 to 2019, as natural gas utility companies added more than 788,000 miles of pipeline to serve 21 million more customers. Distribution systems owned and operated by local natural gas utilities emit only 0.08 percent of produced natural gas. For more than two decades, EPA has developed and published estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. The EPA Inventory represents the most comprehensive assessment of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions available. The analysis characterized new estimates for methane emissions and the implications for the greenhouse gas profile for natural gas. The Inventory affirms a low methane emissions profile for natural gas distribution systems shaped by a declining trend. Industry-wide natural gas emissions as a rate of production is now 1.0% - a level well below even the most stringent thresholds for immediate climate benefits achieved through coal-to-natural gas switching.

BCSE/BNEF Look at MN Energy Details – BCSE and BloombergNEF, in partnership with Clean Energy Economy Minnesota (CEEM) are releasing the 2021 Minnesota Energy Factsheet showing more than half of Minnesota’s power came from zero-carbon sources in 2020, renewable generation rose to 29%, power sector emissions in Minnesota fell nearly 17% in 2020 alone and from 2016 to 2020, annual registrations of battery EVs increased 535% to 3,800 while plug-in hybrid EVs rose 150% to 2,000.  The Factsheet is a companion piece to the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook that was released earlier this year.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

MOST EVENTS SCHEDULED ARE NOW ONLINE WEBINARS

Heavy Hitters Headline EFI-Labor Forum – Today at 2:00 p.m., the Labor Energy Partnership (LEP), an initiative of the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) and the AFL-CIO, holds a forum on accelerating the energy transition to deep decarbonization through infrastructure, jobs and equity. This virtual forum on ideas, options, and pathways for deep decarbonization will kick-off Earth Week. A keynote conversation with U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm will be followed by two panel discussions: "Decarbonization and Increased Electrification: Generation, Transmission and Job Needs," and "Manufacturing Matters — How Industrial Decarbonization Can Rebuild America’s Supply Chains."  Panelist 1 participants include AGA’s Karen Harbert, NEI’s Maria Korsnick, IBEW’s Lonnie Stephenson, EEI’s Tom Kuhn and US Plumbers Mark McManus.  Panel 2 incudes AF&PA Heidi Brock, USW’s Roxanne Brown and former ArcelorMittal Steel CEO Lou Schorsch.  Other key speakers include Sen. Energy Chair Joe Manchin, House Select Climate Chair Rep Kathy Castor, Moniz and Trumka, among others.

McCarthy Headline WRI Event – The World Resources Institute (WRI) holds an event today at 2:30 p.m. on investing in clean energy jobs.  The event will feature a conversation with Gina McCarthy, as well as our friend Bob Keefe of E2, AFL-CIO’s Dennis Dougherty and others.

Blinken Addresses Climate – Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivers remarks today at 4:15 p.m. at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Annapolis, MD on how addressing climate change is central to U.S. foreign policy, and how American leadership on climate can deliver greater security and prosperity for the American people.

Week-long Forum Looks at Climate in Middle East – The Middle East Institute holds its virtual Climate Week forum all week with the theme confronting climate crisis in the MENA Region.  MEI will bring together leading experts and advocates in the climate world in a series of panels, roundtable discussions, and interviews.

IEA to Release Global Energy Review – Tomorrow at Midnight, the International Energy Agency holds the embargoed release of the Global Energy Review 2021, focusing on the evolution of energy demand this year by fuel and region, as well as related CO2 emissions.

Energy Economists Conference Set – The National Capital Area Chapter of the US Assn for Energy Economics holds their Annual Energy Policy Conference tomorrow and Wednesday. 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.

House Energy Panel Looks at Equity, Clean Energy – The House Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on equity and deploying clean energy.

House Approps Subpanel Hosts Haaland – Interior Secretary Deb Haaland returns to Capitol Hill tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. when she testifies on Interiors budget before the House Appropriations panel on Interior. 

FP to Look at Science Diplomacy – Foreign Policy holds an event tomorrow 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 – Tomorrow 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 tomorrow 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 tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. to examine the American Jobs Plan, focusing on infrastructure, climate change, and investing in our nation's future. Witnesses include EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and Commerce Secretary Gina Marie Raimondo

CO2NNECT Set – The Great Plains Institute will hosts the second virtual CO2NNECT event tomorrow 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 tomorrow 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.

House Climate Committee Looks at Jobs, Economic Growth – The House Select Committee on the Climate will hold a remote hearing tomorrow at Noon on making the case for climate action by creating new jobs and catalyzing economic growth.

Forum Looks at Recycling Policies – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) will hold a briefing tomorrow at Noon on local, state, and federal policies and programs as well as new technologies that will make you rethink waste management, who is responsible for waste, and whether waste is worthless. This briefing will feature speakers from cities, states, and the private sector working to reduce and reuse a variety of waste types. Experts will discuss their programs and the policies that are helping them succeed.

Forum to Address Hydrogen – Tomorrow at 1230 p.m., the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center holds a conversation on the challenge to the hydrocarbon industry to lead the clean hydrogen transition and make the United States a leader in the clean fuel. Speakers include Chart Industries CEO Jillian Evanko, Shell’s Wayne Leighty and Uniper Hydrogen CEO Axel Wietfeld, among others. Panelists will discuss their roles in pursuing and supporting a clean hydrogen economy, how the hydrocarbon industry is poised to transition to clean hydrogen production and distribution, and the importance of the fuel to their long-term strategies.

C2ES Forum Looks at Climate, Business – Ahead of the Thursday and Friday summit, the Center for Environmental and Energy Solutions (C2ES) will host a discussion tomorrow 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.

WaPo Live Hoss Events With Whitmer, Paulson – The Washington Post Live will host a 1:20 p.m. forum with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on about COVID-19, voting rights, water infrastructure projects.  Then at 2:30 p.m., David Ignatius speaks with former U.S. treasury secretary and Goldman Sachs CEO Hank Paulson about the role of business in addressing climate change, the implications for the economy, and the U.S.-China relationship ahead of the Biden administration’s Earth Day summit of global leaders.

House Foreign Affairs Panel to Discuss Transatlantic Cooperation on Climate – The House Foreign Affairs Europe, Energy, the Environment and Cyber Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. on restoration of the Transatlantic Dialogue to improve the fight against climate change.

Resources Panel Looks at Offshore Wind – The House Natural Resources Committee, Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. creating jobs through offshore wind.

Forum to Look at Climate Geopolitics – The American Security Project holds an online discussion tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. on the geopolitics of climate change. The event looks at the role climate change is playing in great power competition. Climate change can no longer be separated from geopolitical and geoeconomics interests. Georgetown’s Joanna Lewis and Columbia’s Jonathan Elkind address the topic.

Atlantic Raising Ambitions Forums Address Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Energy Equity – The Atlantic Council holds a webinar tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. on the role of nature-based climate solutions as part of its Raising Ambitions series. Chris Barnard, policy director of the American Conservation Coalition, will provide opening remarks, followed by a moderated panel discussion with Casey Cox, a sixth-generation Georgia farmer, Danielle Atkins, forester and Owner of Land & Ladies, and Eve Boyce, Project Manager at the Open Space Institute. The discussion will be moderated by Kelsey Forren, Assistant Director at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center. The panel will discuss the unique opportunities for and challenges to significant emission abatement in their respective areas of expertise. The panelists will offer valuable insights into the viability of nature-based solutions and what leveraging natural infrastructure looks like at the scale necessary.  A second webinar at 4:00 p.m. in the Series will look at making progress on energy and environmental justice issues. Canadian MP Lenore Zann and Dallas Council Member Omar Narvaez are among the speakers.

Forum to Dig into Nanomaterials for Hydrogen – Rice University's Baker Institute holds a webinar tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. where expert panelists will discuss the types of novel nanomaterials that can be created to produce hydrogen and of carbon-to-value items in the search for Net-zero.  The discussion will look at how this can drive large-scale reductions in carbon emissions and the policies that could impact value chain development.

Forum to Look at Clean Energy Jobs – Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m., the Business Council on Sustainable Energy (BCSE) is co-hosting a forum on translating climate ambition into clean energy jobs.  The event is in partnership with Clean Energy Business Network, Alliance to Save Energy, American Clean Power, American Gas Assn, E2, NAIMA, SEIA and US Green Building Council.  SEIA’s Abby Hopper, ASE’s Paula Glover and NAIMA’s Curt Rich 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 tomorrow 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.  Senate Majority Leader Schumer offers remarks, while Chilean Energy Minister Juan Carlos Jobet.

Granholm to Headline CSIS Just Transition Issues – The CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program and the U.S. Department of Energy will hold a panel discussion on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. how to advance the agenda for a just transition around the world.  The conversation will focus on the opportunities and challenges for workers and communities worldwide as they transition from fossil fuels and emissions-intensive industries. Panelists will discuss how to support impacted communities and how to help develop the workforce needed for the energy transition.  Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Indian Oil/Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O'Regan and Liz Schuler of the AFL-CIO.

WaPo Live Hosts Climate Event with Kerry – The Washington Post Live will host a forum Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. with U.S. special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry.  The former Secretary of State will join Washington Post opinions writer Jonathan Capehart to discuss the importance of setting ambitious goals to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and how the U.S. plans to lead by example.

Regan Heads to House Approps Subpanel on EPA Budget – The House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on FY2022 Budget Request for EPA.  Michael Regan testifies.

House Resources Looks at Infrastructure – A House Natural Resources panel holds a hearing Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on infrastructure in indigenous communities, looking at priorities for the American Jobs Plan.

Columbia Webinar to Look at Latin American State-Owned O&G -- On Wednesday 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 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.

Raising Ambitions Forums Looks at Offshore Wind, Financing Net Zero, Critical Minerals, Resilience – As part of the Raising Ambitions series, the Atlantic Council holds four webinars on Wednesday:

• A webinar at 10:00 a.m., on developing the offshore wind industry that discusses the state of the offshore wind industry and the opportunities it presents for meeting climate ambitions with Amb. Tomas Anker Christensen of Denmark
• Forum with global finance sector leaders at 1:00 p.m. that discusses how to accelerate the energy transition through increased investments in clean energy technologies.
• A 2:30 p.m. event with global minerals leaders to discuss obstacles and opportunities for sustainable mining
• A forum on building resilience through adaptation at 4:00 p.m.

House Transpo Looks at Water Systems – The House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee holds a hearing Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. on sustainable wastewater infrastructure.  The hearing will focus on measures to promote resiliency and climate adaptation and mitigation.

House Science to Push for Climate Service – The House Science, Space and Technology Environment Subcommittee holds a hearing Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. on making a case for a Federal climate service.

Forum Addresses Energy Finance – OurEnergyPolicy holds a webinar Wednesday at Noon on the state of energy finance. The event is co-hosted by Citi and will feature an expert panel discussing how the project finance market is evolving and the relevant policy issues.  Speakers include Citigroup’s Catherine Mann, Carbon Direct CEO Jonathan Goldberg and Sullivan & Cromwell’s Inosi Nyatta.  Bracewell and API are among OEP’s Sponsors.

Manchin Visits with Axios on Climate – Axios holds a virtual event on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. with Senate Energy Chair and key moderate swing vote Joe Manchin that unpacks the opportunities and challenges of potential climate solutions. Axios Managing Editor for Politics Margaret Talev will host one-on-one conversation that will discuss how the politics and policy surrounding sustainability impact the groundwork for advancements in energy efficiency and new technologies.

House Resources Moves Legislation – The House Natural Resource Committee holds legislative hearing on several environmental bills on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.

Forum to Look at Renewables in COVID – The Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies from Rice University holds a panel on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. looking at renewables price volatility amid the COVID pandemic.

WWF Hosts CEOs – The World Wildlife Fund holds a panel on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. focused on scaling business action for climate and nature. The event will feature a CEO dialogue with WWF CEO Carter Roberts for a virtual dialogue with the CEOs of some of the world’s largest companies about scaling corporate climate leadership.

Biden Climate Forum Shaping Up – The Biden Administration is holding a climate forum for international leaders on Thursday and Friday 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.

WaPo Live Hosts Climate Event with Gore, Jackson – The Washington Post Live will host a forum Thursday at 9:00 a.m. with former vice president and Climate advocate Al Gore.  Gore discusses several topics, including how to fight disinformation with science, the importance of cutting global emissions and investing in clean energy.  Later in the day at 3:00 p.m., they will host a forum with former EPA head Lisa Jackson.

Forum to Look at Energy Transition – The US-Asia Institute and AirQualityAsia will be holding a Parliamentary webinar on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. with American legislators and Parliamentarians from around the world on the climate crisis and the role that the legislators can play in crafting solutions. The joint webinar by USAI/AQA is meant to take place alongside the President’s Leaders’ Summit on Climate, and will feature Parliamentarians from across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, who will discuss how the American Green New Deal and similar Green Economy bills in other countries present key opportunities for addressing climate change, mitigating its effects, and preserving the environment while building our economies.

Chamber Innovation Forum looks at CCS – The US Chamber’s Global Energy Institute continues its EnergyInnovates Event Series on Thursday 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.

Thunberg Headlines House Oversight Show on Climate – The House Oversight Committee's Environment Subcommittee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on fossil fuel subsidies and climate.  Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg will testify, alongside Harvard’s Joe Aldy and several others.

Senate Energy Looks at CCUS – The Senate Energy Committee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to examine the opportunities and challenges that exist for advancing and deploying carbon and carbon-dioxide (CO2) utilization technologies in the United States. Witnesses include NTEL’s Bryan Anderson, UCLA’s Gaurav Sant, WY Integrated Test Center Head Jason Begger and Ramaco ECO Randall Atkins.

Sen Banking Looks at Clean Energy Financing – The Senate Banking Committee convenes a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. looking at financing opportunities in clean energy.  Witnesses include former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, NRDC’s Khalil Shahyd and BlueGreen Alliance’s Zoe Lipman.

Brookings Hosts Forum on Education, Climate – On Thursday 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?

Earth Day Network Events Set – The Earth Day Network’s virtual second Earth Day will be held Thursday at noon focused on natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world's ecosystem.

ACCF to Look at Nuclear – In conjunction with its special project on the Future of Nuclear Power, the American Council on Capital Formation (ACCF) hosts a panel discussion on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. with key insiders on nuclear energy policy.  A new ACCF Center for Policy Research report, "Transition from Traditional Nuclear Energy to Functional Nuclear Energy in the Global Energy Market," by ACCF Senior Fellow Dr. Efe Kurt will also be released and discussed at the event.  Speakers also include former DOE nuclear official Rita Baranwal and Battelle’s Mark Peters.  

Conference Looks at Energy Geopolitics – On Thursday 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.

Wilson Forum Looks at Arctic Progress – The Woodrow Wilson Center's Polar Institute and the Arctic Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center as they host a webinar on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. that addresses a sustainable Arctic policy. Iceland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson looks back at Iceland’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council and what is next as it comes to a close, Other speakers include former Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer (D-Alaska), now a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Arctic Initiative and former State Department Ambassador for Oceans and Fisheries David Balton.

NYT Forum Looks at Technology, Climate Solutions, Public Health – The NY Times Forum holds an event on Thursday 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.

BCSE, EEI Look at Utilities Tech Transitions – On Thursday at 3:00 p.m., the BCSE, Edison Electric Institute and  World Business Council for Sustainable Development hold a forum to learn from regulators, national and international utility sector executives, sector experts, and thought leaders on how utilities are spurring transformational technologies that can help reduce emissions and adapt to climate change, while also creating enormous new economic opportunities and building the industries of the future.

Enviro Trivia Night Set – Women’s Energy Network DC and WCEE hold a fun night of environmental trivia and discussion to celebrate Earth Day on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Trivia topics will include geography, biodiversity, natural disasters, energy trends, etc. This event will also provide an excellent networking opportunity with members of both organizations and we will leave extra time for networking and discussion at the end.

Wilson Forum to Look Climate, Arctic – The Woodrow Wilson Center's Polar Institute and Canada Institute hold a virtual conference on Friday at 8:00 a.m. on climate change and the Arctic looking at disruptions and uncertain impacts.  Among the many speakers will be former MI Governor and Canadian Ambassador Jim Blanchard.  

CSIS Report to Look at Supply Chain – On Friday at 9:00 a.m., the CSIS Energy Security & Climate Change program will host a presentation and discussion of The Geopolitics of Critical Minerals Supply Chains, a new report on the geopolitics of rare earth & critical minerals supply chains. Following a presentation on the CSIS report highlights by Jane Nakano (Senior Fellow, CSIS’s Energy Security & Climate Change Program), the event will feature a panel discussion with Andrew Miller, Benchmark Minerals Intelligence; Andrew DeWit, Rikkyo University’s School of Economic Policy Studies; and Marco Giuli, Free University of Brussels.

Forum Hosts Development Finance Corp Exec – On Friday at 11:00 a.m., the Center for Global Development holds a conversation with U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Chief Operating Officer David Marchick to discuss the agency’s climate investment commitments and recent announcements including new targets, strategies, and initiatives following the 2021 Leaders’ Summit on Climate.

Atlantic Raising Ambitions Looks at Summit Takeaways – On Friday at Noon, the Atlantic Council closes its Raising Ambitions series with a forum featuring climate and energy leaders from around the world provide key takeaways from the Leaders Summit on Climate in a fast-paced discussion. Speakers include Rachel Kyte, IEA’s Francesco La Camera, China expert Tao Wang, Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi, and former Obama State Dept Official David Goldwyn, among others. 

IN THE FUTURE

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.

Cato Forum Looks at Amtrak, Infrastructure – The Cato Institute holds a forum Next Monday at Noon on President Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure spending plan would fund highways, transit, and Amtrak.  Three infrastructure experts to examine these issues. Robert Poole is director of transportation policy at Reason Foundation and author of Rethinking America’s Highways: A 21st‐Century Vision for Better Infrastructure. Randal O’Toole is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and author of Romance of the Rails: Why the Passenger Trains We Love Are Not the Transportation We Need. Chris Edwards is director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute and editor of DownsizingGovernment.org.

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 on Climate Leadership Set – The American Climate Leadership Summit (ACLS 2021), celebrating its 10^th  year, will be held Tuesday April 27^th to Thursday April 28^th to bring game-changing future-shaping ideas and a diversity of leaders together to ensure climate change is a local, regional and national priority.  Building upon ecoAmerica’s MomentUs initiative that makes climate change a primary election and post-election priority, ACLS 2021 will inspire public support for bold climate policy, grounded in a multi-sector organizational and individual sign-on commitment to climate action.

Senate Energy Looks at Interior Oil/Gas Policy – The full Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will convene a hearing next Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. to examine energy development on federal lands, focusing on the current status of the Department of the Interior’s onshore oil and gas leasing program.

Forum Looks at Hydrogen Aircraft Techs – On Tuesday April 27^th at 11:30 a.m., the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center hosts the next episode of EnergySource Innovation Stream. The series highlights new energy technologies with the potential to reshape the global energy system through discussions with companies and individuals working diligently to bring those innovations to market at scale. The Global Energy Center will host Amanda Simpson, the vice president for research and technology at Airbus Americas, who will discuss how Airbus is exploring a hydrogen-powered, zero-emission concept aircraft, called ZEROe.

WCEE Hosts FERC’s Glick – The Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE) holds a conversation on Tuesday April 27^th at 1:00 p.m. featuring WCEE President Barbara Tyran and FERC Chairman Richard Glick about major 2021 FERC developments and plans for the future. From the Texas power outage to natural gas pipeline assessments to new Biden-Harris Administration priorities, they will touch on some of the most pressing topics for the agency today.

USEA Hosts A forum on Geopolitics of Critical Mineral Supply – The US Energy Assn holds a forum on Tuesday April 27^th at 1:00 p.m. on the geopolitics of the critical mineral supply chain. As clean energy technology becomes the latest frontier for geoeconomic rivalry, the security of supply chains for rare earths and critical minerals—essential materials for clean energy—has become a global strategic issue. The fragility of global supply chains revealed by COVID-19 and rising competition from China have only heightened the importance of supply chain security for critical minerals. This report compares strategies and actions taken by the United States, European Union, and Japan, illuminating key economic, security, and geopolitical factors behind these evolving approaches to enhance the security of critical minerals supply chains.

RFF, EDF Energy Transition Report Released – Resources for the Future (RFF) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) hold a virtual RFF live event on Wednesday April 28^th at Noon in were they will discuss a recent report that explores more than 100 policy options available for facilitating an equitable transition in the United States.  The forum will provide an overview of the report and a panel of experts will discuss what future policy is needed to support fossil fuel workers and communities in the shift to a low-carbon economy. The report also highlights research gaps that can be filled to better inform policymaking in the energy transition.

DOE Solar Decathlon Launches – As DOE kicks off its Solar Decathlon Competition Event, on Wednesday April 28^th at 1:00 p.m., DOE takes you on a virtual tour of innovative homes designed and built by student teams competing for the Solar Decathlon grand winner title.

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.

Biden State of Union Speech to Congress – April 28^th at 9:00 p.m.

Forum Looks at Role of Private Sector in Latin American Energy Transition – On Thursday April 29^th at 10:00 a.m., the Dialogue holds a forum on the private sector role in energy transition in Latin America.  This event will explore how private companies investing in Latin America are adapting to meet the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition.

C2ES Webinar Looks at Power Sector Changes – The Center for Energy and Environmental Solutions (C2ES) holds a webinar on Thursday April 29^th at 1:00 p.m. to discuss its new “Closer Look” report that examines how the power sector must transform to fill this role, including the necessary, rapid deployment of infrastructure to support a range of electric vehicle use cases, and enable both centralized and distributed low- and zero-carbon resources as well as energy storage in its many forms.  This webinar will provide an overview of the report and an opportunity to hear from companies that are developing the strategies and technologies to address these issues to create a zero-carbon, resilient, and affordable power system.

Regan to Testify on House Energy – The House Energy & Commerce holds a hearing on Thursday April 29^th on 2:30 p.m. on the EPA budget request for FY22.  EPA Chief Michael Regan testifies. 

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.

SEIA Addresses Supply Chain Protocols – On Friday April 30^th at 1:00 p.m. SEIA

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