Energy Update: Week of February 27th

Friends,

Weighing in from California this morning after a spending fun weekend with Stacey watching Cactus League Baseball and Rock n Roll at the Innings Festival. We saw Green Day, The Offspring, the Black Crowes (who were really great) and Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. Now running around LA doing work after a crazy weather week out here.  They actually had a Blizzard Warning and snow on the Hollywood sign. Now it is Just cold and rainy, but the mountains surrounding the LA Basin are getting bunches of snow.

Congress returns to pick up the budget discussions with President Biden rolling out his Budget early next week. He also speaks to Democrats in Baltimore later in the week at their annual strategy retreat. The Senate will likely focus on nominations this week, including the controversial former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to be ambassador to India. The House will vote on the REIN IN Act, which would require the administration to report the inflationary effects of executive orders before the president issues them and a Congressional Review Act resolution to rescind the Labor Department's ESG fiduciary rule. As mentioned last week, Energy Secretary Granholm is in Europe for the 4^th meeting of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC). P-TECC is a DOE-led multilateral initiative that focuses on the rapid decarbonization of Central/Eastern European economies, helping strengthen energy security in the region, create business connections with U.S. companies and foster cooperation. SoCal Gas CEO Scott Drury is one of the business leaders attending.

On the hearing front, there is big action in the House Resources Committee tomorrow where they host two hearing on American Energy and permitting issues.  Chairman Westerman has already said He expects to move legislation forward by the end of March.  On Wednesday, EPA Air Office nominee Joe Goffman heads back to Senate Environment for a second hearing after being renominated, while Senate Ag looks at Farm Bill Conservation programs and Senate Budget looking at climate and coastal communities.  Finally, House Transpo marks up a WOTUS overturn and House Energy Sub panel on Energy moves forward a bunch of energy bills that were reviewed by the panel on February 7^th which includes several mineral supply chain and permitting bills as well as a hearty Keystone perennial. Finally, the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party will hold its first hearing during primetime tomorrow night.

The BIG EVENT this week off the Hill is tomorrow’s rollout of the 2023 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and BloombergNEF. 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. The rollout will be at the Bloomberg offices at 2:00 p.m.  Not only will it be great clean energy facts, background, and Information but you also have access to the Bloomberg Snack Bar!!!! Email me or Ben Finzel if you want an early look at the data.

Other events Include Energy Futures Finance Forum (EF3) tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. looking the policy and regulatory barriers to large, private capital flows to decarbonization opportunities and provide actionable recommendations in response. Sen. Coons is Keynoter. OurEnergyPolicy holds a forum on Wednesday looking at reliability and resilience for the Grid within competitive markets featuring our friends Robert Dillon of the Energy Choice Coalition, EEI’s Emily Fisher and C3 expert Nick Loris.  Also, Tesla holds its 2023 Investor Day and livestream it from the Gigafactory in Austin on Wednesday. CPAC also launches on Wednesday on the politics side at National Harbor.

For fun, remember, Wednesday evening is the Annual Congressional Hockey Challenge, the Charity Game where a team of members/staff play a team of lobbyist always for a great cause. The game – at the Caps Practice Facility in Arlington – is filled with energy folks (API’s Ben Marter, PCA’s Sean O’Neill, Air Liquide’s Joe Fawell, Orsted’s Tory Mazolla & AGA’s George Lowe) as well as #3 Republican Tom Emmer, Indiana Republican Larry Bucshon and Dem Rep. Mike Quigley. As you also may know, I am usually the referee, but this year, it unfortunately conflicts with my GWU public relations class. It is a great event for a great cause so please come out and support it.

Finally, as you know, next week is CERA Week. It will be a crazy parade of activity. I am working with a bunch of folks to get them scheduled out – plus if you have been before, you know a lot of stuff happens on the fly and/or at the Starbucks. So, I will see you there, but if you are coming and we haven’t connected, please let me know. Next Monday, I will be with the API crew and AGA’s Karen Harbert as both are part of an afternoon panel on Washington Policy issues. More details on the rest of CERA in next week’s update.

Call with any questions. Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932                                                                                                                         

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“From our perspective, the interconnection process has become the No. 1 project killer,”

Piper Miller, vice president of market development at Pine Gate Renewables, a major solar power and battery developer to The New York Times for a story on the roadblocks for renewables.

“It doesn’t matter how cheap the clean energy is. If developers can’t get through the interconnection process quickly enough and get enough steel in the ground, we won’t hit our climate change goals.”

Spencer Nelson, managing director of research at ClearPath Foundation, an energy-focused nonprofit in the same story.

ON THE PODCAST

Cap Crude Talks SAF With Gevo CEO – In this week’s Capitol Crude Podcast, host Jasmin Melvin visits with Patrick Gruber, CEO of leading Sustainable Aviation Fuels producer Gevo on the heels of last week’s major airline announcement regarding an expansion of SAF. Gevo is currently the third largest worldwide supplier of SAF and has committed to delivering 1 billion gallons per year of SAF and other renewable fuels by 2030. Gruber joined the podcast to discuss the policies and market dynamics needed for the significant boost in SAF production envisioned by the administration. He also addressed pain points to deploying SAF projects and sought to debunk some false narratives surrounding the SAF industry.

Roberts Interviews Deese – In a significant interview, Volts’ David Roberts catches Up with Brian Deese, President Biden’s top economic advisor and director the National Economic Council, playing a key role in defining and implementing Biden's policy approach. Roberts talks with Deese about what the shift to industrial policy means, why the US needs to onshore key supply chains, and the work ahead for Democrats in implementing their new laws.

FUN OPINIONS

Fixing Methane Accounting is Essential To Reduce Emissions, Advance Clean Energy – In an op-ed in The Hill, our friends Morgan Bazilian and Simon Lomax as joined By Brad Handler to write that better methane accounting will mean a faster and cheaper energy transition. The Groups outlines work from three major research universities — the University of Texas at Austin, the Colorado School of Mines and Colorado State University — which announced a $50 million initiative to drastically improve the measurement and accounting of greenhouse gases across global oil and natural gas supply chains. For a challenge this big and this complex, no single company, regulatory agency, or research institution has all the answers, so collaboration is absolutely essential. Methane accounting may not have the popular appeal of electric cars or rooftop solar panels. But finding, fixing, and preventing methane leaks is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to reduce heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere.

FROG BLOG

Critical Roles, Opportunities for American Natural Gas – American natural gas is a critical part of global energy markets. In this blog post, API’s Mark Green discusses how U.S. policymakers can support our country and our allies through the energy crisis by harnessing the true potential of American LNG.

FUN FACTS

EU: Without US Oil, Europe would be in trouble. US Crude Oil and gas Exports have kept European Governments afloat to meet their energy needs.

IN THE NEWS

SoCal Gas Provide Support for High Gas Prices, Customers’ Bills – In what could be national model, SoCalGas today announced $10 million in shareholder funding to help customers with bill assistance and to bolster community resources for those who may be struggling financially. The company committed $5 million in shareholder funding to the Gas Assistance Fund, a program administered by the United Way that provides income-qualified customers with one-time grants to help pay their natural gas bills. The contribution is the largest in the fund's 40-year history and will help the United Way expand access to the program to thousands of additional Southern Californians this winter. SoCalGas also announced it will contribute $4 million from its donor advised fund to relaunch its popular Fueling Our Communities program, a collaboration with local food banks and nonprofits that has provided free meals and groceries to thousands of Californians facing food insecurity since 2020. In addition, SoCalGas will contribute $1 million in aid from its donor advised fund to small restaurant owners through the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, a fund that was started in 2021 to help small restaurants with improvements, upgrades, employee retention and to manage debt, losses and rising costs.

New Report Focuses on Aluminum Production – The SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Materials (C-SIM) released The U.S. Aluminum Industry’s Energy Problem and Energy Solution, the first report in a series of policy papers regarding the various issues impacting domestic primary aluminum production. Aluminum is critical to our economic and national security through its defense, aerospace, electricity, and transportation uses. Demand will continue to grow as the economy transitions to a more sustainable energy future with the electrification of automobiles and new green technologies.  This report analyzes the dichotomy between rising demand for aluminum and its energy-saving benefits versus the declining production in the U.S. due to its energy intensity in the production phase. Without action to stabilize and decarbonize domestic primary aluminum, the United States is at risk of increasing its reliance on the UAE, Russia and China for critical infrastructures, military needs, and clean technologies.

NYT: Project Often Stalled by Interconnects – A recent article from NYT reporter Brad Plumer says the US has billions of dollars for solar and wind projects, but the explosion in proposed clean energy ventures has overwhelmed the system for connecting new power sources to homes and businesses. It now takes roughly four years, on average, for developers to get approval, double the time it took a decade ago. And when companies finally get their projects reviewed, they often face another hurdle: the local grid is at capacity, and they are required to spend much more than they planned for new transmission lines and other upgrades. We have been highlighting this challenge for many years with any energy transition, but it is often overlooked by environmental advocates and policymakers that demand immediate moves to clean energy.

US Power Plant Emissions fell in 2022 on Switch from Coal to Gas – The EPA reported US power plant emissions fell last year as the industry continued a switch from coal to natural gas, despite a 2% rise in electricity demand.  EPA said emissions of smog components nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide last year dropped 4% and 10%, respectively, compared with 2021. Emissions of mercury, a neurotoxin which can accumulate in the environment and make some kinds of fish unsafe to eat frequently, fell 3%. Carbon emissions from power plants fell 1% over 2021.

CCS, Pipeline Debate Cloud CA Carbon Plan – More energy reality from California. In its latest ambitious roadmap to tackle climate issues, the State relies on capturing carbon out of the air and storing it deep underground on a scale that’s not yet been seen in the US. The plan — advanced by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration — comes just as the Biden administration has boosted incentives for carbon capture projects in an effort to spur more development nationwide. Ratcheting up 20 years of climate efforts, Newsom last year signed a law requiring California to remove as much carbon from the air as it emits by 2045 — one of the world’s fastest timelines for achieving so-called carbon neutrality. The Plan to use CCS faces fierce opposition from environmental groups and concerns about how to safely transport the gas may delay progress — practical and political obstacles the Democratic-led Legislature must now navigate.

WSJ: DOE Says COVID Leak from Lab in China – In a surprise mention of DOE, the Energy Department labs have concluded that the COVID pandemic most likely arose from a laboratory leak, according to a classified intelligence report recently provided to the White House and key members of Congress. The shift by the Energy Department, which previously was undecided on how the virus emerged, is noted in an update to a 2021 document by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines’s office. The new report highlights how different parts of the intelligence community have arrived at disparate judgments about the pandemic’s origin. So many projects are trying to squeeze through the approval process that delays can drag on for years, leaving some developers to throw up their hands and walk away.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Distributed Wind Forum, Lobby Day Set – The Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA) holds Distributed Wind 2023 today 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.

Public Power Rally Kicks Off – Today starts American Public Power Association’s Annual Fly-in where City council members and other leaders from community-owned electric utilities will gather in Washington, D.C., to participate in the American Public Power Association’s Legislative Rally. Events continue through Wednesday.

ELI Looks at Grid – The Environmental Law Institute holds a forum today at 1:30 p.m. on building a new grid without new legislation creating a path to revitalizing federal transmission authorities. The forum features a discussion for how DOE and FERC can use existing authorities to advance transmission development—even in the absence of Congressional action.

Forum Tackles Clean Energy, Equity – The Clean Energy States Alliance will hold a forum today at 2:00 p.m. on advancing equity through 100% Clean Energy. A new report analyzes state clean energy plans through an equity and environmental justice lens, outlining how the different states view the equity implications of climate impacts, and what they are proposing for mitigation solutions, planning processes, and implementation processes.

Forum Look at Hydrogen, Ammonia, Clean Fuels of the Future – The US Energy Assn holds a forum today at 3:00 p.m. on clean fuels of the future. Some fuels, like 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. The event will discuss these and other issues relating to clean and cleaner fuels, and how their development/use will impact Indian Country.

Annual Ethanol Forum Set – The Renewable Fuels Association holds its 28^th annual National Ethanol Conference in Orlando from tomorrow to Thursday. 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.

Forum Looks at Climate Energy Priorities – The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions holds a forum tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. on climate and energy policy priorities for action in the 118th Congress. The event will focus steps that must be taken to drive private sector investments, enhance the competitiveness of U.S. industries, empower communities to respond to the impacts of climate change, and further reduce emissions.

Forum Looks at Clean Energy Investment – The Bipartisan Policy Center hosts the Energy Futures Finance Forum (EF3) – a new program within the EFI Foundation tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. looking at increasing clean energy investment quality. Taking an investor’s perspective, the Forum will analyze the policy and regulatory barriers to large, private capital flows to decarbonization opportunities and provide actionable recommendations in response. Sen. Coons is Keynoter.

House Resources Holds Permitting Hearings – The House Natural Resources Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:15 a.m. on the "Transparency and Production of American Energy Act of 2023"; and H.R. 209 (118), the "Permitting for Mining Needs Act of 2023." Then at 2:00 p.m., the full Committee will focus on hearing on Garrett Graves’ Building United States Infrastructure through Limited Delays and Efficient Reviews Act of 2023. (BUILDER Act).

CEI Releases Reg Reform Agenda – The Competitive Enterprise Institute holds a briefing tomorrow at Noon to unveil in Regulatory Reform agenda for the 118^th Congress.  In Free to Prosper: A Pro-Growth Agenda for the 118th Congress, CEI outlines policy solutions to prevent executive overreach, streamline federal regulations, and unleash entrepreneurialism and economic recovery. The lunch briefing features discussion on tangible solutions to select key issues: inflation, trade, energy, environment, and broadband. Rep. Bob Good (VA-05) will deliver keynote remarks followed by a panel discussion with CEI experts Ryan Young, Ben Lieberman, and Ryan Nabil.

WRI Holds Conversation with White House EJ Official – Tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., the World Resources Institute holds a conversation with Matthew Tejada, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Environmental Justice at the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, and Carla Walker, Director, Environmental Justice and Equity at WRI United States. The Justice40 Initiative, the first-ever federal environmental justice commitment attached to the goal of directing at least 40% of benefits to communities that have been disadvantaged, marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The conversation will be followed by a panel of experts working to ensure environmental justice at state and local levels and the non-profit sector.

Report Looks at Improving N. American Supply Chains – Tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings hosts the launch of the second annual flagship report of its USMCA initiative on building more integrated, resilient, and secure supply chains. The event will feature leaders from government, industry, civil society, and academia, who will provide various perspectives on maximizing and securing supply chains in the North America region.

Forum Looks at Canadian Nature-Based Solutions, GHGs – The Wilson Center's Canada Institute holds a virtual discussion tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. on nature-based solutions and indigenous voices.  The event will look at lessons from Canada and focus on decarbonization of the economy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

2023 Sustainable FACTBOOK Set for Release – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy and BloombergNEF will release the 2023 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook tomorrow at 2:00 p.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.

DOE Hosts Energy Meeting in Croatia – On Wednesday and Thursday in Croatia, DOE, the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center hold the 4^th meeting of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC) in Zagreb. P-TECC is a US Department of Energy-led multilateral initiative that focuses on the rapid decarbonization of Central and Eastern European economies, helping strengthen energy security in the region, create business connections with U.S. companies, and foster cooperation. P-TECC comprises 24 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and is complementary to the Three Seas Initiative with its focus on energy infrastructure, interconnection, and security. This year’s meeting kicks off with a Business Forum on Wednesday at which CEOs and other high-level public and private industry leaders will discuss energy security, the energy transition, and infrastructure projects. The Ministerial will take place Thursday and will focus on fostering and enhancing solidarity among European countries amidst the current energy crisis, ensuring energy transition efforts move forward alongside energy security actions, and furthering coordination and cooperation on energy-related projects in Central and Eastern Europe. Secretary Granholm will attend. SoCal Gas CEO Scott Drury is among the business leaders attending.

House Resources Panel Looks at Indian Country, Economic Competitiveness – The House Natural Resources Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee holds a hearing on unlocking Indian Country's economic potential.

Senate Enviro Hosts Goffman – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. to examine the nomination of Joe Goffman to be EPA Assistant Administrator for the Air office.

Senate Ag Looks at Farmer Bill, Forestry – The Senate Agriculture Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the 2023 Farm Bill’s Conservation and Forestry programs.

Senate Budget Back on Climate Impacts on Coastal Cities – The Senate Budget Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at climate change and the economic risks to coastal communities. Warren, RI Town Manager Kate Michaud, UNC-Wilmington Expert Jessica Weinkle, economist Sean Becketti, CEI’s Marlo Lewis and First Street Foundation CEO Matt Eby testify.

OEP Forum Looks at Reliability, Resilience – OurEnergyPolicy holds a forum on Wednesday at 12:00 noon looking at Reliability and resilience for the Grid within competitive markets. The event features a discussion on competition in energy markets and issues of cost, reliability, and resiliency. Speakers include Robert Dillon of the Energy Choice Coalition, EEI’s Emily Fisher and C3 expert Nick Loris.

FP Looks at Cyber Impacts on Critical Infrastructure – On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., Foreign Policy, in partnership with Schmidt Futures and the International Strategy Forum, hold a webinar to look the vulnerability of critical infrastructure that underpins the economy, society, and governments.  The event will focus on the evolving nature of conflict in cyberspace, and how to prepare for an increasingly volatile digital landscape.

WRI Forum Looks at Systems Change for Climate – The WRI Systems Change Lab holds a webinar on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to learn what you need to know about systems change. Systems Change Lab has identified more than 70 transformational shifts needed to protect both people and the planet, highlighting current action against climate, biodiversity, and equity targets. During this event, experts will introduce systems change and discuss how understanding the different components within systems, and how they interact, can help pinpoint critical leverage points for decision makers. Experts from Systems Change Lab will provide snapshots of findings from five initial systems – power, transport, industry, finance, and carbon removal – and demonstrate how the new platform can be used to identify actions that can accelerate change.

Forum to Look at Middle Eastern Countries, Energy Transition – The Baker Institute at Rice University will Hold a forum on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. to look at how Kuwait and other oil giants in the Middle East are navigating the energy transition. 

NREL to Look at Offshore Wind Workforce – The DOE and NREL host a webinar on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. focused on building the offshore wind supply chain and workforce needed to deploy 30 gigawatts and beyond. During this hour-long webinar, leading researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Matt Shields and Jeremy Stefek, will highlight new, first-of-its-kind research on the challenges and solutions needed to produce thousands of components while creating tens of thousands of U.S. jobs.

IN THE FUTURE

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.

Brookings Looks at Economics of Tackling Climate Now – Next Monday at 11:00 a.m., the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy and the Center on Regulation and Markets at Brookings will convene a virtual conference to discuss two recent papers. The first, by the IMF’s Tobias Adrian and coauthors, focuses on the benefits of phasing out coal as an energy source. Following the presentation, the World Bank’s Carolyn Fischer will react. The second, by Hutchins Nonresident Senior Fellow Glenn Rudebusch and coauthors, quantifies the inverse relationship between carbon prices and future temperatures, illustrating how climate policy choices determine climate outcomes. Following this presentation, Irene Monasterolo of EDHEC Business School will respond. Presenters and discussants. All four will then participate in a panel discussion on the broader implications of these issues.

USEA Hosts Women’s Leaders Breakfast – In Tuesday March 7^th on the eve of International Women’s Day 2023, the US Energy Assn   in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will host a virtual High-Level Policy Dialogue: Women Leaders Breaking Barriers for Gender Equity. The program will embrace equity and spotlight the tremendous contribution of women working with national governments, the private sector, and civil society, prioritizing affirmative action on keeping gender central to green growth and climate action. The dialogue will open with an inspiring keynote address to set the stage spotlighting the significance of policies in promoting gender equity and social inclusion. This will be followed by a presentation by USAID on gender as a cross-cutting priority in the agency’s work, creating the perfect segway for a moderated panel discussion. Distinguished global panelists will advance the conversation during our session on Women Leaders Taking Affirmative Action on Gender Equity with a specific focus on the energy sector. The program will close with a presentation on the value of professional networks to promote and support women.

Forum Looks at Transport System – The WRI Systems Change Lab and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities on Tuesday March 7^th at 10:00 a.m. for a  discussion of the current state of play in the global transport system and the five critical shifts needed to achieve global climate mobility and net-zero emissions goals. Panelists will explore the shared importance of vehicle electrification and shifts to active mobility, the role of various actors in catalyzing new solutions for aviation and maritime shipping, the status of tipping points in driving exponential progress, and how a systems approach can help us reimagine transport as we know it. This session will set the stage ahead of Transforming Transportation 2023, organized by the World Bank and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Forum to Look at Sustainable Aviation Fuels – The George Washington University Environmental & Energy Law Program holds a conference on investable sustainable aviation fuels on Tuesday March 7^th at 12:00 p.m. This program will explore the current development status and future of sustainable aviation fuels; and the challenges to accelerating their use for both military and civilian purposes, including the need for attracting investment capital.

Forum Look at Ag Tech, Climate – On Tuesday March 7^th at 12:30 p.m., the American Security Project holds a forum on innovating out of the climate crisis with agriculture technologies. Emissions from the agricultural sector account for more than 10 percent of the U.S. total. However, innovation - including advances in biotech, animal husbandry, soil, and nutrient management, and more - can help agriculture adapt to climate change.

Forum Look at China US Food System Cooperation – The Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum and the California-China Climate Institute hold a forum on Tuesday March 7^th at 8:00 p.m. looking at opportunities for enhanced near-term U.S.-China climate action on food systems. At this webinar, speakers will explore the pathways for the U.S. and China to achieve emission reductions, soil health improvement, and sustainable development goals while meeting global food demand.

Senate Environment to Hold Hearing on Ohio Train Incident – With House Committee investigators already at work, the Senate Environment Committee plans to hold a hearing on the Ohio train incident on Wednesday March 8^th (Although it is not officially scheduled yet). Expect calls For Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw to testify.

Forum Looks at Climate Solutions in Countries – The Middle East Institute holds a forum on Wednesday March 8^th at 10:00 a.m. looking at how poorer nations are shouldering the burden of climate change. Research shows that the international adaptation finance flows going to developing countries are 5-10 times lower than the estimated needs, and the gap isn’t being closed. The event will discuss what is needed to set nations on the path to climate justice, what role businesses, civil society and multilaterals play in the process.

Forum Looks at Distributed Energy, FERC – The US Energy Assn holds a forum on Wednesday March 8^th at 10:00 a.m. featuring distributed energy resources and FERC guidance. Former FERC senior economist Dr. David Katha will discuss Distributed Energy Resources Impacts to the Grid and FERC Order 2222 and the future of DER regulation.

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.

WRI Looks at Oil, Gas, Middle East, Energy Transition – On Thursday March 9th at 9:00 a.m., WRI holds a forum on navigating a just transition in the oil and gas sector in middle-income countries. This discussion with distinguished experts, practitioners and government officials from Africa and Latin America to learn about the policies that can enable a just transition away from oil and gas and how countries can work together to support and successfully manage the transition.

Wilson Looks at Critical Minerals – On Thursday March 9^th at 9:00 a.m., the Wilson Center holds a forum to examine the challenges, policy options, and strategic diplomatic alliances needed to minimize confrontation in order to realize individual national commitments and climate emission reduction targets. The discussion will also focus on ways shifting geopolitical alliances are likely to impact prospects for cooperation and specific national initiatives to embrace clean energy.

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.

Hydrogen Conference Features bp Hydrogen Speaker – The S&P Global Hydrogen Markets Americas Conference will be Held on April 3^rd to 5^th in Sand Diego.  The event gathers hundreds of energy professionals from across North America to discuss the growth of hydrogen as part of the move toward de-carbonization. Keynotes include bp’s head of Hydrogen North America Tomeka McLeod and Air Products VP for Hydrogen Mobility Eric Guter.

Air Pollution Control Conference Set for OKC – The Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies’ (AAPCA) holds its 2023 Spring Meeting on April 4^th to 6^th at the Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel.  AAPCA’s 2023 Spring Meeting will feature presentations from state and local air quality agencies, U.S. EPA, and other air quality professionals on timely Clean Air Act topics.

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.

Power Conference Set – The 38^th Platts Global Power Markets Conference is set for The Wynn in Las Vegas on April 17-19^th.  The event brings together leaders from utilities, regulators, finance and more to discuss the trends moving the power markets forward. Keynote speaker is Xcel Energy CEO Robert Frenzel to discuss his views on sustainability and how companies are generating clean, affordable, and accessible energy, as well as what lies ahead. Other topics include trends and opportunities around infrastructure, the IRA and its implications, wholesale power markets, global and emerging power market investment, supply chain challenges, impact of global energy market upheaval and much more.

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.