Energy Update: Week of December 5th

Friends,

That was an interesting weekend of both footballs. First the Soccer: The US was bounced out of the World Cup losing to a tough Dutch team 3-1. It was a strong performance for a young team which should benefit them in the next World Cup go-round in 2026, which will be in the US/Canada/Mexico. Play continues this week with Quarterfinals on Friday and Saturday. The Final is set for Sunday Dec 18.

The NCAA Football playoff picture was set with two surprising losses: TCU in the Big 12 to Kansas State and USC in the PAC 12 to Utah. Both losses allowed Ohio State to sneak into the final four along with TCU whose loss was in OT. Top seeds remain Georgia, who pounded LSU 50-30 and Michigan, who again used a major 2^nd half surge to push past a pesky Purdue that just didn’t seem to go away. The Boiler faithful aren’t too disappointed though because the #5 Purdue basketball team clobbered both #6 Gonzaga (84-66) and #8 Duke (75-56) over the Thanksgiving Weekend while winning the Phil Knight Legacy Tourney in Portland, OR. Of course, big wins matter most in late March/April, but Boiler Up!!!

OPEC+ met virtually yesterday to discuss oil output targets and agreed keep its same approach to slash its production by 2m/bpd, about 2% of global demand until the end of next year. To that end, today, European Union’s embargo on Russian crude oil begins and G-7 caps Russian oil prices. Last Friday, EU leaders agreed on a $60-per-barrel cap on Russian oil after a long week of negotiations. Also today, Officials from the US and EU will meet for the third Trade and Technology Council meeting amid high tension over the IRA's goal of boosting American manufacturing.

Tomorrow, the Wall Street Journal holds its CEO Council Summit in DC, focusing on the outcome of the midterm elections and global politics with VA Gov. Glenn Youngkin headlines a strong list of speakers including EM’s Darren Woods and Occidental head Vicki Hollub on the energy side.

And all week, Washington Post Live holds a new, special week-long series, This is Climate, featuring an event each day that includes a Keynote Series event on Thursday featuring Sen. Mitt Romney and US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry.

As for Congress, it is all about NDAA and appropriations (Budget extension is due by Dec 16). Seems like we are getting nothing on funding until the conclusion of the Georgia Senate Runoff which is of course tomorrow. We are hearing a bunch of buzz about permitting reforms being wedged into one of the measures and that leadership is looking for opportunities. Don’t know how that comports with the 70+ progressives that signed the Grijalva letter, but it sounds like it is a credible push. Notice I said a serious/credible push without commenting on its chances of success.

On hearings, while there are a few, the most relevant to energy/climate is tomorrow’s House Select Climate hearing that will feature AFL-CIO Executive director Brad Markell, CFR expert Alice Hill and our friend Greg Wetstone of ACORE. It will likely be the Committee’s capstone hearing as no one expects it to return in this same capacity (if at all) under Republican control.

Finally, we’re watching tomorrow’s BOEM offshore wind lease sale in California/Pacific. While the recent NE leases were off the charts, the North Carolina lease sale was more reserved. We’ll see the response to California starting tomorrow. Don’t hesitate to check in with the new Turn Forward offshore wind advocacy group (which launched last week) should you need to discuss background/implications.

Also let me know if need follow up on the solar tariff issue. Have plenty of options for help, background and implications on that issue.

 

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“The biggest barrier actually has nothing to do with Canada. It is actually regulatory uncertainty in the United States.”

Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson when asked by Conservative natural resources critic Shannon Stubbs at a parliamentary committee to explain why Canada is slower to construct LNG facilities than the U.S. or Germany.

"The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, unfortunately, has become the strategic political reserve. And we have grave concerns about how it has been so politicized. This is for emergency purposes, not to lower gasoline prices during a time during a political season. But I think doing this willy-nilly and doing it in a way that that doesn't make sense for the market we're in, we could be dealing with another major oil crisis here in the next few weeks."

API CEO Mike Sommers in an Interview Friday on Mornings with Maria.

 

ON THE PODCAST

CEE Podcast Talks IEA Energy Modeling Expert – This week on the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast, host Jason Bordoff talks with Laura Cozzi, the chief energy modeler at the IEA. She also serves as the head of the demand outlook division and is responsible for producing the annual World Energy Outlook. Laura has been with the IEA for more than 20 years and has co-authored multiple editions of the WEO. Bordoff talks with Cozzi about this year’s analysis – and the various scenarios outlined in the report. They discuss the prospect for a peak in fossil fuel consumption, the impact of increased investments in clean energy, and the long-term impacts of today’s supply crisis.

 

FUN OPINIONS

EU Minerals Supply Must Be Improved – In an op-ed in POLITICO EU, Admiral Dennis Blair and SAFE CEO Robbie Diamond write the EU can reap benefits from partnering with North America to diversify its mineral supply chains. Being dependent on unreliable and hostile actors elevates the strategic imperative of avoiding new dependencies for the critical materials needed to power the green transition with solar panels, advanced batteries and wind turbines — an opportunity and challenge that arguably constitutes a historic inflection point currently being shaped by several converging trends and events.

Columbia Expert: Europe Faces Big Energy Challenges – In an opinion piece in the New York Times, head of the Columbia University the Center on Global Energy Policy and former Obama energy expert says Europe is wrong to blame the US for its energy problems.  Bordoff writes criticisms of US LNG policy (which has been essential for Europe), clean energy subsidies (IRA provisions to spur energy transition) and domestic manufacturing provisions are shortsighted. “With deft trade diplomacy, the IRA’s sweeping new climate provisions should create more opportunities for cooperation with the European Union than it creates risks to the trans-Atlantic relationship.”

 

FROG BLOG

Oil, Gan Already Tackling Methane Challenges – In a blog post on Energy Tomorrow, API’s Mark Green says the industry already has a significant record on reducing methane emissions. According to EPA, overall US methane emissions decreased 17% between 1990 and 2020. This includes increased emissions from agriculture, the largest single source of emissions (36%), while emissions decreased 27% from energy. The oil/gas industry is committed to working with policymakers to reduce methane and other GHG emissions. This includes transparent emissions reporting; consistent, standardized methodologies for estimating emissions and continued technological innovation to further track and capture emissions.

 

FUN FACTS

Energy Writer of Year: The American Energy Society, who often provides the stats for this section, named Amy Harder as its Energy Writer of the Year 2022. For more than a dozen years, Amy has pursued journalism that seeks to inform the public on complex energy and climate change topics. Her career has spanned several different focuses and publications, including the fracking boom at National Journal, regulatory battles at The Wall Street Journal and climate change at Axios. The Society began to take special note of her work in 2021. That’s when she helped launch Cipher, a new publication covering climate and energy technologies whose team includes Brussels-based correspondent Anca Gurzu.

 

IN THE NEWS

Offshore Wind Advocacy Group Stands Up – Turn Forward, an independent, non-profit offshore wind advocacy organization, launched today to advance a shared, multi-stakeholder vision for American offshore wind power that meets today’s climate, economic, equity and environmental challenges.  The new organization will work with a broad array of stakeholders to build momentum for policies and projects that significantly expand offshore wind generation, deliver game-changing benefits to workers and communities, and protect marine and coastal resources. Turn Forward’s launch comes as new poll results show strong support for offshore wind development, even among U.S. residents in coastal communities who stand to be most directly impacted by the emerging energy source.  Conducted by Nexus Polling, the poll found that seven in 10 coastal voters support expanding offshore wind energy, with majorities seeing it as beneficial for addressing climate change and improving the economy. When respondents were asked whether they support expansion in places near where they live, support remained strong, with two-thirds in favor. 78% of respondents said visible offshore wind turbines 10 to 15 miles offshore would not change their desire to visit the beach or would make them more likely to visit. Most projects will be 15 miles or further from shore. Turn Forward will be led by 12-year U.S. offshore wind veteran Stephanie McClellan, who founded and led the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind, which helped create the original policy pipeline for offshore wind power in the U.S. McClellan also held offshore wind leadership roles across state government, philanthropy-funded initiatives, and industry entities. Turn Forward’s Board of Advisors draws from a variety of perspectives with a stake in the outcome of offshore wind development. Founding Board members include Eddie Ahn, Executive Director of Brightline Defense; Mike Fishman, President/Executive Director of Climate Jobs National Resource Center; Collin O'Mara, president/CEO of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF); and Manish Bapna, president/CEO of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council).

IEA Looks at Heat Pumps in Study – The IEA released a special report in the IEA’s World Energy Outlook series today, The Future of Heat Pumps.  The report will provide an outlook for heat pumps, identifying key opportunities to accelerate their deployment. It will also highlight the major barriers and policy solutions and explore the implications of an accelerated uptake of heat pumps for energy security and efforts to tackle climate change. This is especially important given the IRA provisions attempting to encourage more heat pump use. Here’s the heat pump report landing page: https://www.iea.org/events/the-future-of-heat-pumps

HVACR on Heat Pumps – The HVACR industry is extremely focused on heat pumps. There are many on the market currently and they can be very valuable to climate and efficiency goals, especially in certain regions. AHRI says as national and global interest in the use of heat pumps to heat homes and businesses grows, it is important to keep some perspective. Consumers are wise to consult with their utilities and reputable contractors to help them determine which heating and cooling equipment is right for them, given the many factors that influence such decisions. Heat pumps are an innovative technology that continues to be perfected, but they should not be considered a panacea for providing heat for consumers and businesses all across the world. In ideal climates, heat pumps work well as a heating source, with the added bonus that they also cool buildings in the warmer months. In colder climates, today’s heat pumps, can be used as a sole heat source or be paired with a gas or oil furnace or boiler for the coldest days. Manufacturers are working diligently to perfect what are known as “cold-climate” heat pumps, which could in the future replace hybrid heat pump/gas systems. Because of their more intricate technology and the fact that they both heat and cool spaces, heat pumps have a higher up-front equipment and installation cost compared to a combination of a furnace or boiler and a central air conditioner. In areas of the U.S. where electricity and natural gas are comparable in price, highly efficient heat pumps can save consumers money over the life of the equipment. In many parts of the U.S., however, the price of electricity remains higher than natural gas. When evaluating the relative environmental benefits of heat pumps vs. other heating sources, it’s important to know how electricity in a particular area is generated. That which is generated by, say, hydro or nuclear is likely to power heating and cooling equipment in a more environmentally benign way than that which is generated by coal or natural gas. When power is generated by natural gas, in particular, using that power to run a heat pump can make less environmental sense than simply using natural gas directly to run a furnace or boiler (without the loss that occurs from transmission).

Gas Heat Pumps Missing – Interestingly, gas heat pumps are not included in the report. Recently, Stone Mountain Technologies (and AHRI Member) and Energy Impact Partners (EIP), announced $15 million Series-A funding to commercialize a new generation of highly-energy efficient heating products (including NatGas heat Pumps) that work well with outside temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees – all without needing a backup energy source. SMTI’s technology represents the lowest operating cost, and one of the lowest greenhouse-gas emitting methods immediately available to heat buildings in cold climates without threatening grid resiliency, enabling a rapid and economically sound transition pathway to fully decarbonized heating. Enbridge Gas, Beckett Thermal Solutions, and Southern California Gas Company are also partners with SMT. AGA’s Karen Harbert is sending a letter to IEA’s Fatih Birol to address this omission. Jake Rubin at AGA has the letter and will forward. You can reach him at JRubin@aga.org

Tonko Urges Digital Battery IDs for EV Tax Credit – House Energy Subpanel Chair Paul Tonko urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to consider the creation of "digital battery identifiers" when implementing the Clean Vehicle Tax Credit included in the IRA. Tonko suggested the identifiers could be similar to the European Union’s battery passport. In his letter, he wrote the identifiers should include information such as “battery chemistry and performance data, material provenance, manufacturing history, and sustainability reports. As you work to implement the energy tax credit provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, I encourage you to consider the opportunity to foster a transparent, sustainable, and just battery supply chain,” Tonko wrote. I can send copy of letter if you are interested…

Battery Materials Company Hires DOE Vet – Speaking of battery minerals, next-generation battery materials company Sila has hired former DOE official Alex Fitzsimmons to be the company’s first Head of Government Affairs. Fitzsimmons was previously the Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor at DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. In February 2020, Fitzsimmons was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency at DOE. Fitzsimmons transitioned from DOE to become Senior Director for Renewable Energy, Energy Storage, and Advanced Manufacturing at ClearPath.

Report: Corporate Solar Adoption in the US Soars – The Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Solar Means Business 2022 report said American companies are installing record-levels of solar to power their operations and now account for 14 percent of all installed solar capacity in the United States.  The report, which tracks and analyses commercial solar adoption, said tech and retail giants like Meta, Amazon, Apple, Walmart and Microsoft were the top five corporate solar users in America. Through June 2022, US businesses have installed nearly 19 gigawatts (GW) of on-site and off-site solar capacity, which is double the 9.4 GW installed through 2019. This recent growth is due to the rapid expansion of off-site corporate solar procurement which now represents 55 percent of all commercial solar use. Total commercial solar installations are expected to double again over the next 3 years with nearly 27 GW of off-site corporate solar projects scheduled to come online by 2025. This represents nearly a third of the total contracted solar pipeline.

RVOs Release – EPA Released its multi-part proposal for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. The RFS “Set” proposal requests public input on required volumes of biofuel for the next one to three years and on a series of important modifications to strengthen and expand the program. The agency is seeking public input on the proposal to help shape the RFS program in the years ahead by February 2023.

Proposed Volume Targets (billion RINs)

Proposed Volume Targets (billion RINs)

	2023	2024	2025
Cellulosic biofuel	0.72	1.42	2.13
Biomass-based diesel*	2.82	2.89	2.95
Advanced biofuel	5.82	6.62	7.43
Renewable fuel	20.82	21.87	22.68
Supplemental standard	0.25	n/a	n/a

Here are the full details:  

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-takes-next-steps-renewable-fuel-standard-program-2023-25

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-12/rfs-set-rule-nprm-2022-11-30.pdf

 

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Energy Innovation Series Features EV CEO – The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center holds its next episode of EnergySource Innovation Stream today at 2:00 p.m. when it will host Tristan Dodson, chief technology officer at Diode, to discuss the company’s approach to connecting employers in the United Kingdom with resources that encourage EV adoption among their employees.

USEA Holds Tribal Roundtable – The US Energy Association is holding a National Tribal Energy Roundtable today at 3:00 p.m.  Tribes have been at the forefront of energy security for the United States and thus the world, especially in the production of uranium, coal, oil, and gas, and in the production of electricity through hydropower.

BOEM Plans Leasing Round for CA Offshore Wind – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has confirmed it will hold a leasing round for five offshore wind tracts in California's Morro Bay and Humboldt Bay areas tomorrow. The sites could support 4.5 gigawatts of capacity and would support both the Biden administration and California's offshore wind targets.

CEO Summit Set – The Wall Street Journal holds its CEO Council Summit tonight and tomorrow, focusing on the outcome of the midterm elections and global politics. Highlights include comments by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former SCOTUS Justice Stephen Beyer, ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, IMF Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath, VA Gov. Glenn Youngkin, White House CoS Ron Klain, FTC Chair Lina Khan, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub.

IEA Looks at Renewables Report – The International Energy Agency holds a virtual media briefing tomorrow at 5 a.m. (11 Paris time) on a new report, "Renewables 2022," forecasting the deployment of renewable energy technologies in electricity, transport and heat to 2027.

Forum to Look at European Carbon Capture – The Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center hosts a discussion tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. highlighting the opportunities and challenges of European carbon capture and storage in the context of rapidly evolving geopolitical, economic and technological forces. Building on the momentum showed at COP27, this discussion will convene key stakeholders, from policymakers to the NGO community, and discuss potential next steps for European CCS strategy.

AABE Energy Policy Summit Set – Tomorrow at EEI in Washington D.C., the American Association of Blacks in Energy hold its 2022 Energy Policy Summit.  The event will feature members of the Administration, Congress and key industry leaders discussing future policy goals and objectives. Key Capture Energy CEO Jeff Bishop join a panel discussion titled Strengthening the Grid through Energy Storage.

Wilson to Look at Water Issues – Tomorrow morning, the Wilson Center is partnering with the Water, Peace and Security (WPS) partnership to feature transdisciplinary approaches to preventing water-related security risks. As climate change compounds insecurity in new and dynamic ways, the tools used to prevent and respond to insecurity must also evolve. The event will launch the WPS partnership’s early warning tool for conflict, which allows policy makers to anticipate conflict relating to water, food, and energy up to 12 months in advance, creating space for preventive action and a framework developed by the Wilson Center and NOAA to improve predictive capabilities for climate security risks.

House Science Looks at Antarctic Research – The House Science Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on building a safer Antarctic research environment.

Senate Ag Looks at Farm Bill Research – The Senate Agriculture Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on research programs in the 2023 Farm Bill.

EFI to Look at Clean Fuels, Decarb – Tomorrow starting at 10:30 a.m., the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) holds a workshop at MIT’s Samberg Conference Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts on clean fuels in the U.S. Northeast. This workshop will focus on increasing support for heating decarbonization, discussing the policy that fosters low-carbon fuels supply and demand, and informing community leaders of the benefits and challenges of heating decarbonization. National Economic Council head Brian Deese keynotes the event which will feature several panels.

Heritage to Look at Europe Green Energy Problems – The Heritage Foundation holds a forum on tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. to look at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and how it has shaken up 30 years of European climate and energy policy and blown up the green consensus. Benny Peiser, director of the London-based Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), joins Heritage’s Dr. Nile Gardiner and Diana Furchgott-Roth to break down the economic and political lessons.

RMI Hosts Clean Energy Forum – The Rocky Mountain Institute holds a forum tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. on accelerating the clean energy future. Governments and companies are acknowledging and acting on climate change like never before, offering hope that major economies have set their sights on a clean energy future. The conceptual phase of the clean energy transition is over, and we can make this the decade we turn the tide on climate change.

WRI Looks at Carbon Free Energy – Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., the World Resources Institute holds its fourth in a series of WRI-hosted webinars on 24/7 CFE, will spotlight key data challenges surrounding 24/7 CFE, as well as approaches and solutions to these challenges. It will feature panelists from Iron Mountain, a global storage and information management services company committed to 24/7 CFE; FlexiDAO, a software and solutions provider that helps energy buyers reach their 24/7 CFE goals; and Electricity Maps, a platform for understanding the carbon impact of electricity consumption in real-time.

ELI to Look at Water Issues – The Environmental Law Institute holds a webinar tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. featuring the perspectives from three distinguished experts who will provide an in-depth exploration how courts are handling issues of water quality, water quantity and water equity. Speakers include Chief Judge Manuel I. Arrieta of the 3^rd Judicial District Court in New Mexico, Judge Mary Kate Appleby (ret.) of the Utah Court of Appeals and John Thorson, Federal Water Master for the Lummi Decree.

WaPo Climate Series Features Mayor Discussing Local Solutions – The Washington Post Live holds a forum tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. back-to-back conversations with Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall about the impact of climate change on their cities.

House Climate Committee Looks at Climate Actions, Next Steps – The House Select Climate Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. on solving the climate issues. The hearing will focus on key accomplishments, additional opportunities and the need for continued action. Among the witnesses are AFL-CIO Executive director Brad Markell, CFR expert Alice Hill and our friend Greg Wetstone of ACORE.

Webinar To Discuss Sate Perspectives on IRA – Advanced Energy Economy is holding a webinar tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to hear the perspectives from state decisionmakers on the potential – and the potential pitfalls – of the IRA. How Governors and their energy offices, public utility commissions, and legislatures will utilize the resources in the IRA, How the law will change their economies and what obstacles to implementation do leaders foresee are topics.

Forum Looks Guatemala Mining Issue – The Institute for Policy Studies holds a virtual discussion tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. on Guatemala’s supranational arbitration as a pressure tactic. The event will focus on a mining claim by Kappes, Cassiday & Associates against Guatemala and the La Puya resistance.

Forum to Release New Trade Policy Report – The Atlantic Council holds the virtual launch tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. for the Council’s new report, The impact of merging climate and trade policy on global demand for nuclear energy. As countries around the world embrace an increasingly ambitious climate agenda, the importance of trade policy tools that prevent leakage to economies whose climate regulations are less stringent is becoming evident. Mechanisms that charge a fee at the border for more emissions-intensive imports from other countries and thus increase their price in the domestic market have gained traction. These tools, if used by the G7, would likely have enough heft to set a de facto international price on carbon. David Banks moderates a panel of experts.

Forum Looks at Global Economy, Climate – The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center holds its 6^th annual conference Wednesday and Thursday. The focus is “Reverberations of Multiple Crises: What to Expect in 2023," addressing global economy; the interrelated nature of climate change, conflict, and food security; populist trends around the world and the rise of authoritarianism; the effects of increased competition among global superpowers in space; the shifting power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region; and the dynamics among Middle East regional players, including their alliances, proxy wars, and regional tensions. 

DC Energy Conference Set – The 3^rd annual, IN-PERSON Energy Transition Forum will be held on Wednesday and Thursday at the Cosmos Club of Washington, D.C. The main focus of this year’s Forum is the US response to the global energy crisis. The Forum is an opportunity to gain market intelligence on the latest energy infrastructure such as LNG infrastructure, gas storage, O&G pipelines, power grids and power plants, renewable energy projects, upstream production, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen production, storage and transportation. Nearly 25 members Congress and other business leaders will speak.

Forum to Look at Children, NDCs – On Wednesday at 8:00 a.m., the World Resources Institute holds a forum featuring an overview of UNICEF’s latest research brief “Child-Sensitive Climate Policies for Every Child” to explore how Nationally Determined Contributions can be more inclusive and rights-based for children and young people and ensure child-critical social services are climate and disaster resilient. A youth representative will open the session, and experts from UNICEF will share the key findings from the research brief. Next, WRI staff will give a live demonstration of Climate Watch to explain how the tool can be used to visualize data from the brief.

Forum Looks at Vietnam Renewables – The Stimson Center holds a discussion on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. looking at a recent report, Delivering on Vietnam’s COP26 Commitments. The report explores how Vietnam can implement its climate energy commitments through supporting the renewable energy transition at home, sharing lessons learned with neighbors, and coordinating on electricity trade to minimize environmental impacts.

FP Forum Looks at Conservation – Foreign Policy in partnership with the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) holds a virtual event on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the future of conservation. The event will bring together experts, advocates, policymakers, and funders for a solutions-based conversation exploring the balancing act needed between industrialization and preservation to ensure a sustainable future for the continent and the globe. Bezos Earth Fund CEO Andrew Steer and State’s Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Monica Medina are among the speakers.

USEA Forum Looks at Grid Planning, DERs – The US Energy Association holds a forum on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at the integration of Distributed Energy Resources onto the Grid. Experts from NREL, CAISO and XM will discuss how to incorporate DERs in ISO planning, modeling, scheduling and operations.

WaPo Climate Series Features Climate Science Discussion – On Wednesday at 11:00 a.m., Washington Post Live holds a conversation with scientists Bill Nye and Alaina Wood about their work to make science more accessible and actionable.

Forum Looks at Post COP27 Solutions – On Wednesday at 12:00 p.m., Future Tense, Knowable Magazine and Annual Reviews hold a conversation about how governments, banks and investors can fund a greener future—and why that’s a smart investment. Speakers include IMF’s Tobias Adrian and WRI’s China Finance Director Shuang Liu.

Forum to Look at Climate Change, Food Issues – The CSIS Global Food Security Program will hold a forum on climate change and food security Wednesday at 12:00 p.m.  The event will feature UNICEF's Rania Dagash-Kamara, USAID's Gillian Caldwell, GAIN's Jessica Colston, and CEO of the Eleanor Crook Foundation William Moore for this timely discussion on these challenges.

Forum Looks at Defense, Security Report – The Center for a New American Security holds a virtual conversation on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Readiness Kimberly Jackson, and Lockheed Martin Vice President for Global Program Support, the Honorable Katie Wheelbarger. The event will be hosted by Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn and Hannah Dennis, authors of the recent CNAS report Precision and Posture: Defense Spending Trends and the FY23 Budget Request. Discussion will focus on critical munitions stockpiles and posture for deterrence in the Pacific, two areas that this report concludes are both critical to the future warfight and repeatedly underinvested in by the Department of Defense. Panelists will discuss the broader implications for strategic readiness and the health of the defense industrial base before taking audience questions.

Forum Address SEC Disclosure – The American Enterprise Institute holds a forum on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. the SEC climate disclosure rules.  AEI’s Benjamin Zycher, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, and a panel of experts, including two former SEC commissioners, for a conversation about this complex and controversial rule.

Forum Looks at Arctic Energy, Transpo – The Wilson Center's Polar Institute and Canada Institute hold a virtual discussion Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., on Arctic innovation in transportation, energy and connectivity. The event will feature a discussion about the nature of remoteness, the opportunities and barriers to various solutions in the Arctic and assess various public and private financing mechanisms to bring them to life.

WaPo Climate Series Features Kerry, Romney – The Washington Post Live Keynote Climate Series event will be held at 9:00 a.m. featuring Sen. Mitt Romney and US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry.

Energy Future to Release Report – On Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in the Capitol Visitors Center, the Energy Futures Initiative’s (EFI) releases its latest report, CO2-Secure: A National Program to Deploy Carbon Removal at Gigaton Scale, outlines a federal program for scaling CDR in the United States. CO2-Secure builds from two proposed pieces of legislation, the Federal Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act and the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies Act, either of which could function as a precursor pilot program for CO2-Secure. To launch a discussion on CO2-Secure, EFI is hosting experts and influencers in the CDR space, including EFI CEO Ernest J. Moniz and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY 20th District), who will initiate the session. EFI staff will follow with key report takeaways, a panel discussion with other CDR experts and a Q&A period.

Forum to Focus on Verifying GHG Emissions – The GWU Security and Sustainability Forum holds a webinar on Thursday at 11:15 a.m. to look at science-based measurement and reporting using big data to verify GHG emissions.

Event to Look at Net Zero Strategy – The Global Carbon Budget hosts an event on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. to look at last year’s carbon emissions trends and how leaders can use this date to drive net zero strategies.

DOE Hosting Heat Pump Webinar – DOE is holding a webinar on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. on how programs, contractors and the grid are responding. The International Energy Agency projects the installed heat pump stock to jump from 180 to 600 million by 2030. Learn what is happening on the ground to make this a reality.

Wilson Hosts Brazil Climate Discussion – The Wilson Center's Brazil Institute holds a discussion on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. looking at Brazil-U.S. climate dialogues for research and scientific cooperation. In partnership with the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) this event aims to promote and highlight the expanded cooperation on science and innovation between the United States and Brazil. The event will feature collaborative research projects led by scientists in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and in the United States, targeting the discovery of new science about the Amazon, low carbon economy, and preservation and recovery of biodiversity.

RFF Hosts Energy Insights 2022 – On Thursday and Friday, RFF’s holds its Energy Insights 2022 event, an day-and-a-half-long conference focused on cutting-edge research to inform decisionmaking on energy and the environment. The event will engage a diverse community of academic, government, corporate, and nongovernmental organization experts in conversations about the future of energy policy in the United States, building upon research evidence and lessons learned across a range of research disciplines.

CSIS Looks at Hydrogen in Latin America – The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a virtual discussion on Friday at 8:00 a.m. looking at hydrogen development in Latin America. The event will discuss varying scenarios in Chile and Paraguay, two countries that are positioned to benefit greatly from unlocking economies of scale within their markets and enable South America to become a hub of hydrogen production and expertise.

WaPo Climate Series Features Climate Science Discussion – On Friday at 9:00 a.m. as part of its This is Climate series, Washington Post Live holds a First Look forum with Jonathan Capehart focused on climate issues.

Forum Addresses Solar Storage – On Friday at 2:00 p.m., the Clean Energy States Alliance hosts a forum on state leadership in Solar+Storage. The event features examples from Maryland and Oregon. In this webinar, representatives from the Maryland Energy Administration and the Oregon Department of Energy will present their programs and answer questions.

 

IN THE FUTURE

USEA Looks at Climate Risk Issues for Utilities – The US Energy Assn will hold a forum next Monday at 9:00 a.m. on climate risk management issues and key lessons from US utilities. US Electric utilities are taking necessary steps to identify and manage these risks. Utilities in developing countries must likewise take action to protect critical infrastructure and maintain reliable service amidst an uncertain climate future. The webinar will highlight the experiences of two U.S. utilities that are leaders in climate risk management and resilience planning: Con Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric Company, who will deliver presentations focusing on key lessons learned and recommendations for utilities in developing countries to consider in their own climate risk management processes.

Forum Hosts Experts on Africa Energy Transition – Next Monday at 2:00 p.m., the Carnegie Endowment will host presidents from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and senior US government officials for a program on the margins of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. His Excellency President Hage Geingob of the Republic of Namibia and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory Meeks will share in a lively discussion on US global leadership in clean energy technology and African priorities for a just energy transition.

EXIM Bank Conference Set – The EXIM’s 2022 Annual Conference will be held on December 13^th. The conference will bring together leaders in business, finance, government, policy and media to highlight the importance of U.S. manufacturing, supply chains, economic security through exports, critical minerals and transformational exports, clean energy technology, small businesses, doing business in Africa, and much more. The speakers include DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Houston Mayor Syl Turner, US Trade Rep Katherine Tai, our friend Yahoo Finance reporter Kevin Cirilli, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Presidential Energy Advisor Amos Hochstein and many more.

Methanol Conference Set – On December 13^th at 10:00 a.m., Transport Energy holds a forum on the future of methanol. The event will discuss the foregoing questions as well as policy implications globally will be Greg Dolan, CEO of the Methanol Institute, Ayça Yalcin, Director Market Development at Methanex and Berit Hinnemann, Head of Green Fuels Sourcing for A.P. Moller - Maersk.

Forum Looks at Hydrogen Innovation – On Tuesday December 13^th at 12:30 p.m., the American Security Project holds its second installment of Innovating Out of the Climate Crisis series, focused on hydrogen. According to the IEA, demand for hydrogen has grown threefold since 1975 and has recently gained popularity as a potential source of clean energy. But with an extremely high cost and high energy consumption for production, the forum will look at what role green hydrogen can play in the clean energy transition.

WCEE Forum Feature Clean Energy Expert – The Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment holds its Brown Bag lunch series next Tuesday December 13^th at 1:00 p.m. with Tom Weirich, head of Marketing & Stakeholder Relations at EDP Renewables North America.  Weirich shares insights on early risk takers, the process of becoming an author, juggling a 'day job' with writing/book tours, and the clean energy transformation.

Granholm Headlines EV Charging Summit – The National EV Charging Western Summit is being held on Wednesday December 14^th. The Summit focuses on the National EV Charging Initiative, seeking to spur bold actions in public and private sectors to fully realize the opportunities presented by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The summit’s speakers include DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm and other government and industry leaders.

WH to Hold Electrification Summit – On Wednesday, December 14^th at 1:00 p.m., the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will host a White House Electrification Summit to explore how electrification can help the United States meet its climate and equity goals. This event will convene energy and environmental leaders from government, industry, academia, and stakeholder groups to showcase the unprecedented opportunities for inclusive electrification created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act and have robust conversations about an updated electrification innovation strategy.

Forum to Look at IRA Advantages – On Thursday December 15^th at Noon, experts from RMI and the World Resources Institute host part five of their learning series highlighting how cities can position themselves to take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act grant programs, new IRS provisions, and direct pay models to advance community wide clean energy adoption. This session will focus on the key roles’ cities can play in support their own energy procurements, as well as key roles of local government can play to catalyze clean energy adoption community-wide. Attendees will explore examples of how different clean energy projects can “stack” IRS tax provisions and utilize direct pay models to fully take advantage of a new and improved economic landscape enabled by the IRA. Join us and explore how forthcoming IRA programs and provisions can support your community’s renewable energy, equity, and economic development goals.

Forum to Look at Hydrogen Issues – The Clean Energy States Alliance holds a forum on Thursday December 15^th at 1:00 p.m. on environmental justice strategies for hydrogen opponents. This Clean Energy Group webinar will provide an overview of some environmental justice concerns that should be considered when evaluating any hydrogen proposal, including its high NOx emissions when combusted, potential role as an indirect greenhouse gas, and dangers associated with transport and storage.

Forum Looks at IRA Energy Storage Funding – The Clean Energy States Alliance holds a forum on Friday December 16^th at 1:00 p.m. on new Federal Money for energy storage in the IRA. This presentation will dig into what the new Inflation Reduction Act means for energy storage in the US, what types of activity will be eligible for funding, and how the new IRA funding mechanisms fit together with the previously announced IIJA funding.

State of American Energy Set – The annual State of American Energy address from the American Petroleum Institute will be held on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. at Capital Turnaround.

Chamber’s State of American Business Address Set – The Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual State of American Business forum on Thursday January 11^th. The forum will cover a number of business issues including energy.