Energy Update: Week of February 13th

Friends,

Despite the missed first quarter Harrison Butker kick that hit the upright and cost me $250, it was a very good, exciting Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes engineered a late drive, including a 26-yard scramble, to set up a Butker short kick for the win with 11 seconds left. As for the halftime show? Not for me…despite Rihanna’s extreme talent. As for ads? Lots of ads on EVs (most were lame including the Will Ferrell GM ad and Jeep doesn’t really have an all EV vehicle yet) including a winner with the Stellantis/Dodge Ram “Premature Electrification” ad which hilariously spoofed male sex-enhancement drugs. Best ad though was Dunkin’s Ben Affleck ad where he works the Drive-Thru and features a scolding J-Lo appearance.

It is a busy week in Washington despite the House being in recess. Some 40 countries will convene for a special IEA Ministerial on Wednesday to review the state of natural gas markets and discuss actions to strengthen security of supply amid the global energy crisis.  And comments close tonight on the proposed Renewable Fuels Standard for 2023 to 2025 with the final standard expected in June.

On the hearing front this week, the Senate Enviro Committee holds a hearing on clean fuels featuring Air Liquide CEO Mike Graff and RFA’s Geoff Cooper. Also on Wednesday, Senate Budget Chair Sheldon Whitehouse takes on climate-related economic risks. Senate Energy Looks at the Ukraine energy security issues on Thursday and House Resources (Wednesday) and House Energy (Thursday) hold field hearings in Texas on energy issues and the impacts on local communities.

This week is 2023 NARUC Winter Policy Summit through Thursday. The annual event will hear from FERC Chair Willie Phillips, Energy Sect Granholm and Senate Energy Chair Joe Manchin. Tomorrow at Noon, the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) holds a virtual event to publicly launch our deep-dive analysis on the challenges of commercializing and deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) at scale. On Wednesday ACP holds an energy storage forum featuring DOE’s David Turk and Sen. Heinrich. In the afternoon, SAFE holds a battery/critical minerals panel with experts on how advanced battery technologies will bolster our national security and economic competitiveness, and what needs to be done to commercialize these technologies.  Finally, on Friday the Business Council for Sustainable Energy holds a webinar on the tax implications and the market opportunities for energy projects.

Finally, look out for Axios Pro’s Energy Policy newsletter, which launched TODAY. The newsletter will feature exclusive reporting and analysis on the trends and personalities shaping energy and climate policy. Axios has hired our friends Jael Holzman and Nick Sobczyk as energy policy reporters and co-authors of the new newsletter with the hugely-popular Chuck McCutcheon as their editor.

Happy Valentine’s Day tomorrow to all!!! 

                                                                                                                                             

FRANKLY SPOKEN 

“If Russia is going to have to lessen production — even for a period — it would rather try and give the impression that it is choosing to do so or is in control rather than that this is being forced on it by Western governments’ policies,"

Energy Aspects analyst Richard Bronze to the New York Times in a story on Russian effort to limit the impacts of Western Sanction.

 

ON THE PODCAST

Harvard Podcast Tackles Climate Challenges with Former Treasury Official – In this week’s episode of Robert Stavins Environmental Insights podcast, he is joined by former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate & Energy Economics at the Treasury Catherine Wolfram to offer particularly relevant insights to offer on the development and implementation of climate change policy.  Wolfram is the Cora Jane Flood Professor of Business Administration at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, currently on leave at the Harvard Kennedy School.  In the podcast, they discuss her time in government service and her thoughts and hopes for a carbon pricing scheme.

 

FUN OPINIONS

Powell: Permit Reform Opportunity Missed – Addressing the need for permitting reform, Rich Powell of ClearPath writes in an op-ed on MarketWatch saying President Biden’s missed chance to include permitting reform in his State of the Union. A modernized approach to permitting energy projects and transmission infrastructure is the linchpin for all of these policies. Project developers want to move quickly to take advantage of tax credits before they expire. And we must balance speed and safety concerns, ensuring we can get approved projects built faster, while avoiding environmental harm.

 

FROG BLOG

McKenna: Balance Budget or Fix Border Before Telling People What to Buy – In an opinion column in the Washington Times, Mike McKenna writes the Feds can’t manage budgets or secure borders, yet they want to tell us which stoves and cars to buy.  the federal government, which for decades has failed to pass budgets on time, balance those budgets, win wars, secure borders, preserve the value of currency, ensure law and order, or do any of the other important things that governments are supposed to do, has recently been on a spree of incompetence, leavened only by its complete lack of self-awareness.

 

FUN FACTS

Heat Pump Sales Strong: Recently released industry data from Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) shows that heat pumps outsold natural gas furnaces in 2022, driven in part by incentive programs in states like Maine, Massachusetts and California Canary Media reported. It is important not to overread this stat though. These numbers do not account for boilers, which are widely used in the northern states.

 

 

IN THE NEWS

Study Identifies Opportunities for Gas Utilities to Advance Low-Carbon Gas Resources – The American Gas Foundation recently engaged Concentric to assess enabling policies that could be used to establish regulatory frameworks for incentivizing the production and use of low-carbon gas resources at scale to achieve environmental, waste management, economic development, and other objectives. The study also examines the impact of such policies on the gas utility business model and on the gas utilities’ ability to assist in achieving public policy objectives. The focus of the study is to address: 

1. What barriers/obstacles exist in the current regulatory landscape at the state level for natural gas utilities to advance low-carbon resources at scale? 

2. What are the best regulatory practices to enable gas utilities to pursue carbon reduction strategies?

3. What rate design characteristics could allow utilities to recover costs and earn an adequate rate of return while pursuing a long-term sustainable energy future? 

4. What policy changes could allow utilities to introduce higher-priced gases like RNG and hydrogen at scale into the distribution system? 

The study had six key findings. 

1. Decarbonization policies do not have to be limited to just advancing renewable electricity. 

2. Legislative support and clear regulatory authorities are needed to expand the supply and demand of low-carbon gas resources at scale using gas utility systems. 

3. Gas utilities must educate stakeholders, including legislators, regulators and the public, on the environmental, safety and economic benefits of LCR. 

4. The merits of LCR should be based on regulatory mechanisms that look beyond the cost of natural gas, assessing how effective they are in achieving environmental objectives compared to other options that could be deployed. 

5. Policies to advance LCR must consider their resource potential at both a regional and national level, as well as the connectedness of the gas delivery system. 

6. Regulatory requirements, public policy objectives and resource availability require different approaches in different jurisdictions. 

New report Details Energy Benefits of AV Adoption – SAFE’s Center for Automated Transportation Technology released the first in a series of policy research briefs, Maximizing Energy Efficiency through Widespread AV Deployment. The issue brief highlights that widespread adoption of shared, electric AV technology could cut fuel consumption by half and reduce carbon emissions by 75% - all while making roads safer and less congested. In the brief, Dr. Allanté Whitmore, director of SAFE’s AV Initiative, explores the benefits of widespread shared, electric AV adoption and proposes how the right U.S. federal regulatory frameworks and emerging technologies can benefit society as a whole. “Dr. Whitmore’s research makes a compelling, fact-based case to policymakers for accelerating the regulatory progress to support the large-scale adoption of AVs,” said SAFE President and CEO Robbie Diamond.

DOE Proposes EE Rule for Other Household Appliances – After proposing a new rule on stoves last Week, DOE also proposed stricter energy standards for household appliances like washing machines, refrigerators and freezers, updating decade-old rules in an effort to cut emissions and increase energy efficiency. DOE said the changes to regulations would save Americans about $3.5 billion a year on energy and water bills while reducing emissions of harmful greenhouse gases. Homeowners would save an average of $295 over the 14-year life of a new clothes washer and $130 over the life of a new refrigerator. But Appliance companies, however, would need to invest approximately $2 billion over the next three years to update product designs and manufacturing lines to comply with the new standards, the Energy Department conceded. DOE estimated that in one of the more likely of five economic scenarios, the compliance costs could cause a 15% -30% drop in the industry’s value.

 

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Granholm Headlines NARUC Winter Policy Meeting – The 2023 NARUC Winter Policy Summit is set for today through Thursday in Washington, DC.  The annual event convenes regulators, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and advocacy organizations to explore challenges and opportunities facing utilities in 2023. Among the speakers will be FERC Chair Willie Phillips, Energy Sect Granholm and Senate Energy Chair Joe Manchin  See the full agenda for the event. hearing will be held at The University of Texas Permian Basin Midland Campus.

House Resources Holds Field Hearing – Today at 4:00 p.m., the House Resources Energy Subcommittee holds a field hearing on Federal energy production supports local communities. The hearing will be held at The University of Texas Permian Basin Midland Campus.

EFI Looks at CCS Policy Actions – Tomorrow at Noon, the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) holds a virtual event to publicly launch our deep-dive analysis on the challenges of commercializing and deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) at scale. The report identifies the barriers to private investment in CCS and makes policy recommendations to remove those barriers. Attend the event to learn more about the necessary policy actions for transforming CCS pilot projects into blue-chip investments. White House OSTP energy policy director Sally Benson will be the keynote.

Forum to Look at Clean Energy Financing – The ICF International Climate Center holds a forum on tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. on how USAID and others finance clean energy in developing countries. Expanding access to clean energy saves lives, improves livelihoods, fuels economic growth, and mitigates the impact of climate change. Despite these benefits, financing for clean energy in developing countries is often deemed “too risky” for investment.

WaPo Live Talks Heat, Climate – Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., Washington Post Live holds conversations with Cristina Huidobro, chief heat officer in Santiago, Chile, Eleni Myrivili, global chief heat officer for U.N. Habitat and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego about the impact of a warming planet and the solutions that could make a long-term difference. 

Turk, Heinrich Headline Energy Storage Forum – The American Clean Power Association is hosting the Energy Storage Policy Forum on Wednesday at the Eaton DC Hotel. Speakers David Turk, deputy secretary at the Department of Energy; Allison Clements, a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Alice Reynolds, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

CSIS to Address EU Energy Security – The CSIS Energy Security & Climate Change Program hosts a conversation on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. with Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight at the European Commission and former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, President & CEO of the Energy Futures Initiative. Šefčovič is also responsible for the European Union’s relations with non-EU Western countries and leads the Commission’s work on the European Battery Alliance. This conversation will focus on improving energy security through European joint action and collaboration with the United States, as well as how to develop mutually beneficial clean energy and clean tech supply chains without sacrificing trans-Atlantic cooperation.

Forum to Look at China Critical Mineral Issues – The Peterson Institute for International Economics holds a virtual discussion on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. on challenging China's critical mineral dominance. Speakers will consider how to make critical mineral supply chains more resilient and evaluate the need for a new raw material alliance.

Air Liquide CEO Testifies at Senate Enviro Clean Fuels Hearing – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on clean fuels. Air Liquide CEO Mike Graff, RFA’s Geoff Cooper and American Trucking Association president Chris Spear testify.

Senate Budget Looks at Climate Risks – The Senate Budget Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on climate-related economic risks. Chair Sheldon Whitehouse tell sour friend Josh Seigel of POLITICO that he is holding the hearing “establish a very clear and powerful record” of the costs to the federal budget from climate change. Witnesses will include Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of England, Robert Litterman, who oversaw risk assessment at Goldman Sachs and former OMB director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, now with American Action Forum.

Forum Looks at Climate, Africa – The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs holds a panel discussion on Wednesday at Noon on African nations and the impacts of climate change. 

EPA’s Goffman to Address RFF Event – On Wednesday at Noon, Resources for the Future and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) hold an RFF Live virtual event featuring opening remarks by EPA Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, Joseph Goffman, followed by a panel of energy sector modelers from RFF, EPRI, EPA, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Panelists will present recent findings on how the electricity sector is expected to transform in the coming decades as a result of the IRA, illuminating a new baseline for the sector.

Report on Arctic Research – The Wilson Center's Polar Institute and the U.S. Arctic Research Commission hold the release of the "Report on the Goals and Objectives for Arctic Research 2023-2024 on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. The event will include remarks from Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and senior officials from the White House, the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, State Department, and from commissioners and staff.

Brookings Discusses Mitigating Climate Risk – On Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., Brookings Metro will host an event featuring business leaders and policymakers examining how households and public officials could better use local climate risk data, exploring the current availability of relevant data, and outlining several challenges facing public and private data providers. Speakers include DOT Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate Policy Andrew Wishinia and EPA policy office head Vicki Arroyo.

SAFE Hosts Advanced Battery Panel – SAFE's Center for Critical Minerals Strategy holds a moderated discussion on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. with experts on how advanced battery technologies will bolster our national security and economic competitiveness, and what needs to be done to commercialize these technologies. Panelists include Lyten’s Celina Mikolajczak, Sila’s Kurt Kelty, GM’s Mike Maten and Argonne National Laboratory’s Jessica Macholz Durham.

Forum Looks at Climate Policy Trends – Climate Xchange holds a forum om Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. to look at 2023 State Climate policy trends. The forum will look at what climate policies are being introduced in state legislatures this year and what trends the panelists are keeping an eye on. Panelists Include CAP’s Sam Ricketts.

Forum Looks at Local Climate Action – On Thursday at 9:30 a.m., the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) at Brookings Global Economy and Development Program will launch “Keys to Climate Action: How developing countries could drive global success and local prosperity,” a new volume edited by CSD scholars Amar Bhattacharya, Homi Kharas, and John W. McArthur. The book project brings together a cross section of distinguished academics and leading policy voices from a variety of developing country geographies and contexts. CSD Director McArthur will open the event, followed by initial remarks from Zia Khan, senior vice president for innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation, and Homi Kharas. Amar Bhattacharya will then moderate a distinguished panel featuring four chapter authors, Sara Jane Ahmed, Richard Calland, Mahmoud Mohieldin, and Vera Songwe.

Senate Energy Looks at Ukraine, Energy Security – The Senate Energy Committee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on the impact of the Russian Federation's war in Ukraine on European and global energy security.

Reuters Forum Looks at IRA Framework for Hydrogen – Reuters holds a forum on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. to look at hydrogen and the energy transition. The hour-long discussion will explore how the clean energy industry can collaborate and capitalize on existing announcements and prepare for future changes, a look at green hydrogen hubs, and the opportunity to track clean energy deployment and production to maximize the potential of the IRA.

POLITICO Hosts Farm Bill Climate Discussion – POLITICO reporters Zack Colman, Marcia Brown and Jordan Wolman will discuss the intersection between agriculture and climate and the effect it will have on farm bill negotiations this year on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. The current farm bill is set to expire on October 1st, but with signs of opposition and a divided Congress, the negotiation process will not be smooth. Funding will be a major point of contention as last year’s Inflation Reduction Act assigned billions of dollars of climate money to current programs under the farm bill.

House Energy Field Hearing Set for TX – The House Energy and Commerce Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee holds a field hearing on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. focused on improving local economies and communities in Midland Texas at the Bush Convention Center.

Columbia Forum Features Maldives Leader – On Thursday at 1:00 p.m., the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs holds a roundtable discussion with Thilmeeza Hussain, Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations. Hussain will discuss how she has managed to navigate her career utilizing the principles of the just transition. We will also discuss ways to apply the lessons Hussain has learned to students’ career paths.

Forum to Look at Cities, Transportation Electrification – On Thursday at 2:00 p.m., the Electrification Coalition takes a deep dive into how cities can capitalize on new federal funding to champion transportation electrification. Together we’ll explore scalable models from the EC’s greatest partners and explore the EC’s new EV Funding Finder. This webinar is the first in the EC’s 2023 Charging Forward webinar series.

BCSE Forum Set to Look at Tax Issues for Energy – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy holds a webinar on Friday at 3:00 p.m. on the tax implications and the market opportunities for energy projects. Panelists will discuss Inflation Reduction Act-related tax opportunities for energy efficiency and sustainable energy projects, including structures, process and timing, and potential limits and challenges of the new legislation.

 

IN THE FUTURE

Hydrogen, Clean Fuels Subject of Forum – The US Energy Assn holds a forum next Monday at 3:00 p.m. on hydrogen, ammonia and clean fuels. Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Methanol exist today and have existed within our fuels system since the beginning, yet these fuels are receiving new attention due to their low and zero-potential emissions. This panel will discuss these and other issues relating to clean and cleaner fuels, and how their development and use will impact Indian Country.

Forum Looks at Climate Solutions, Kenya – AU’s Institute for Carbon Removal and Policy holds a forum on Tuesday February 21^st at 1:00 p.m. looking at Kenya, Africa's Great Carbon Valley Kenya is rapidly emerging as a global leader in climate resilience, with over 92% of the country’s energy being from renewable sources and is home to one of the largest geothermal industries in the world. It has the potential to be a key player in the carbon removal industry.

Forum Looks at Geothermal in Latin America – Next Tuesday, the CSIS Americas Program holds a virtual discussion on geothermal energy development in Latin America. With its vast network of volcanoes and prevalent geologic fault lines, Latin America is naturally positioned to benefit from harnessing the geothermal energy stored under the surface of the Earth. This event will identify the challenges and opportunities harnessing geothermal energy in the region, particularly in El Salvador and Peru. In addition, the discussion will seek to lay out pathways for these countries to achieve their energy, economic and social goals through the development of geothermal energy. This event will also explore policies for growing investment in the region and strengthen the Latin American geothermal energy industry.

Agencies Host Floating Offshore Wind Seminar – On February 22^nd and 23^rd, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and the departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Transportation hold the first-ever virtual conference to discuss the Floating Offshore Wind Shot. The purpose of the summit is to share information regarding the Floating Offshore Wind Shot goals, the framework and plans for future work, currently available resources, and opportunities for future engagement. Day 1 will focus on remarks from national leaders on floating offshore wind energy, an overview of the Shot, and national floating offshore wind energy deployment efforts and considerations. Day 2 will focus on state leader, industry, and stakeholder perspectives on floating offshore wind energy and describe the plans and priorities for future Shot efforts. Speakers will include Interiors Sect Haaland, NOAA’s Richard Spinrad, Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, Reps. Bonamici and Salud Carbajal, Govs. Jon Bell Edwards (LA) and Janet Mills (ME), Equinor’s Leif Delp, NREL’s Pat Duffy, Business Network for Offshore Wind’s Liz Burdock, AFL-CIO’s Dave Effross and many more.

WEN to Focus on NatGas in Today’s Market – On Wednesday February 22, the Women’s Energy Network holds a forum on selling natgas in today’s market. Donald "Blue" Jenkins, President of Washington Gas Light and Executive Vice President of AltaGas, will introduce participants to the complex dynamics of the natural gas market, helping them better understand the economics behind natural gas prices.

CSIS Hosts bp Energy Outlook – The CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program will hosts a discussion with Spencer Dale, the Chief Economist for bp on Thursday February 24^th at 10:00 a.m. The conversation will highlight key implications from bp’s recently released Energy Outlook 2023, taking in to account the Russian war in Ukraine and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act. Governments are increasingly focused on balancing the three elements of the energy trilemma – security, affordability, and sustainability. Growing energy security concerns can have significant and persistent impacts on energy markets. This conversation is an opportunity to explore how much these developments will accelerate the energy transition and to what extent this will affect the United States.

EESI Hosts Forum on Non-CO2 GHGs – EESI Holds its third Congressional Climate Camp series on Thursday February 23^rd at 2:00 p.m. that will discuss how methane, nitrous oxides and fluorinated gases can be addressed. Presenters will highlight federal and international policy actions, including the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which address the warming potential of non-CO2 greenhouse gases.

EPA to Discuss Green Power Partnership – On Thursday February 23^rd, EPA’s Green Power Partnership (GPP) will host its annual webinar, focusing on trends in the voluntary green power market, with updated information from 2021. Market experts from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and EPA will discuss the status of the voluntary green power market and updated GPP data visualization tools. This webinar will feature 2021 trends and a discussion of green power sales and participation, utility green pricing trends, utility renewable contracts, competitive products, unbundled renewable energy certificates, community choice aggregations, and power purchase agreements.

Forum Looks at Solar for Housing – The Clean Energy States Alliance holds a forum on Thursday, February 23^rd at 2:00 p.m. focused on deploying solar for manufactured homes in Colorado. Panelists will share information about a community solar project being developed by Holy Cross Energy, a rural electric cooperative in Colorado, which will benefit manufactured homes residents, including information on how the project has come to be.

Distributed Wind Forum, Lobby Day Set – The Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA) holds Distributed Wind 2023 on February 27^th at the Residence Inn in Arlington, VA. The event is the tenth annual where the leaders of the distributed and community wind industry convene to showcase this sector of the wind industry to an audience of policy makers, agency staff, and renewable energy industry leaders.

Annual Ethanol Forum Set – The Renewable Fuels Association holds its 28^th annual National Ethanol Conference in Orlando from February 28^th to March 2^nd. The 2023 event theme “Ready. Set. Go!“ reflects the US ethanol industry’s momentum moving forward into new markets and opportunities. The NEC is the nation’s most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. There is much to learn and experience at the NEC, where sessions featuring globally renowned speakers are interspersed with numerous networking opportunities to help the industry connect and collaborate.

2023 Sustainable FACTBOOK Set for Release – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy and BloombergNEF will release the 2023 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook on Wednesday, March 1^st at 10:00 a.m. The Factbook details U.S. energy market trends and the 2023 edition will cover which emerging technologies made headway in the past year and whether high costs impacted clean energy investment and deployment.

CERA Week Locked In – The energy industry’s biggest event, CERA Week will be held on March 6^th to March 10^th in Houston. CERAWeek brings together global leaders to advance new ideas, insight and solutions to the biggest challenges facing the future of energy, the environment, and climate. CERAWeek is widely considered to be the most prestigious annual gathering of CEOs and Ministers from global energy and utilities, as well as automotive, manufacturing, policy and financial communities, along with a growing presence of tech. Speakers include White House Advisor John Podesta, former Energy Secretaries Ernest Moniz (now at EFI) and Dan Brouillette (now at Sempra Infrastructure), State’s Amos Hochstein, IEA’s Fatih Birol and dozens of energy CEOs.

ACORE Policy Forum Set – The annual ACORE Policy Forum on March 9^th in Washington, D.C. with the annual ACORE Awards Gala the evening before. The event will feature important discussions around ensuring the success of the Inflation Reduction Act, building the clean energy workforce of tomorrow, and what is needed to catalyze a domestic clean energy supply chain and upgraded electric grid to meet our decarbonization goals and achieve the clean energy transition.

Granholm to Headline Energy Track at SXSW Conference – The South by Southwest Festival and Conference will be held on Friday March 10^th to Sunday March 19^th. The Energy track runs From Friday to Sunday and will feature Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Our friend Morgan Bazilian of the Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines will discuss the EV battery supply chain, Jane Stricker of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative will look at energy Transition issues and another friend Julian Spector of Canary Media will also talk energy. There will also be a Climate and Transportation track.  The SXSW Conference provides an opportunity for the global community of digital creatives to encounter cutting-edge ideas, discover new interests, and network with other professionals who share a similar appetite for forward-focused experiences.

SAFE Summit To Address EV Supply Chains, Infrastructure – Senior business leaders from the world’s leading automobile, mining, and transportation corporations as well as White House and senior government officials are scheduled to headline the SAFE Summit: A Pathway to Electrification from Minerals to Market, on March 28-29^th in Washington, D.C. The summit aims to seize the historical moment provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The two-day event, co-hosted by SAFE and the Electrification Coalition, will offer practical next solutions that will, in collaboration with U.S. allies and partners, build out robust and reliable supply chains and supporting infrastructure for the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the broader energy transition. John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation will address the summit on the Biden Administration’s agenda and priorities; as will Jigar Shah, Director of the Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy. Top-tiered sponsors and speakers include FedEx Chairman Fred Smith, Nissan Motor Company, and Teck Resources Limited CEO Jonathan Price. Additional SAFE Summit sponsors include Lithium Americas, Lyten, The Metals Company (TMC), and DLT Labs.

MIT Energy Conference Set – MIT holds its annual energy conference on April 11^th and 12^th in Boston. The event brings experts across the three key fields of technology, finance, and global policy to discuss critical solutions that will shape the future of the energy landscape, particularly during this time of uncertainty, urgency, and hardship. Our friend Laura Parkan of Air Liquide will speak.

FP Hosts Climate Summit – On Wednesday April 26^th, Foreign Policy holds its third annual Climate Summit, where they will convene climate-minded leaders and experts for high-profile discussions on maintaining momentum from COP27 and following through on commitments. With a focus on achieving net-zero, addressing climate justice, and the logistics of implementation, this event will look at the first steps of making the world’s answer to climate change a reality. The event will also explore how governments and organizations are making progress, identifying and implementing best practices and navigating the road ahead to COP28.

BioGas American Set for Chicago – The American Biogas Council holds 2023 BioGas Americas in Chicago at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk on May 15^th to 18^th. The event is the biggest event in the US for biogas/RNG.