Energy Update: Week of January 10th

Friends,               

Welcome again to 2022.  This week is the real start for the policy year with a host of major events setting the 2022 agenda.  It starts tomorrow with the Chamber holding its annual State of American Business. On Wednesday, API holds its annual State of American Energy (Press: press@api.org to register, non-press here) and Thursday EPRI will assess the state of play for 2022 on climate and utilities. 

Two other really great events on Wednesday: an Our Energy Policy forum on critical minerals at Noon featuring Colorado School of Mines expert Morgan Bazilian, among others, while at 1:00 p.m., ConservAmerica holds a forum with my Bracewell colleague Scott Segal and climate policy reporters Lesley Clark and Justin Worland looking at the 2022 Biden climate/energy agenda.  Finally, on Thursday, the R St Institute holds a forum to discuss gains are being made among conservative voters and organizations in shifting attitudes towards clean energy solutions, featuring my former GWU student and DOE official Alex Fitzsimmons, now with ClearPath.

On the Hill, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who lost his battle with Cancer on December 28^th, will lie in State at the US Capitol on Wednesday.

On the Hill, the Senate is expected to vote this week on legislation from Ted Cruz to put sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline following a deal late last year with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that freed up a number of nominations. Other Hill items on Wednesday include a business meeting in Senate Environment to approve noms of EPS’s David Uhlmann and Christopher Frey, as well as Martha Williams to lead the US Fish & Wildlife Service before a hearing on the Water Resources Infrastructure.  After the votes, they will look at water infrastructure. Earlier in the day, House Transpo also looks water infrastructure hearing, both with testimony from US Army Corps of Engineers Michael Connor and Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon   The House Agriculture Committee has a hearing on the impact of electric vehicles on agriculture and rural America with RFA head Geoff Cooper testifying. 

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will testify tomorrow before the Senate Banking Committee for his nomination hearing to remain in the position for another term. And on Thursday, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard will also testify before the committee for her own hearing to become vice chairman of the Fed. Expect climate questions as a minor part of the discussion.

Today we tee up our annual 10 top energy issues for 2022.  Here are the first 5 issues: 1) Critical minerals, 2) Supreme Court Climate Action, 3) Infrastructure/Transmission Upgrades, 4) LNG Boom and 5) Politics, Politics, Politics.  See the details below.

That was a pretty amazing last game of the NFL season last night as the Raiders beat the Chargers. I’m glad I stayed up to watch the 4^th quarter and the OT.  I know the Steelers fans were worried it might end in a tie!!!  Get ready for the Bama-Georgia game tonight.  Tennis’ Australian Open starts next week (with the news buzz about the Djokovic COVID saga).  And just three weeks to the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics in China on Feb 3. 

Stay safe and healthy.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“The growth of U.S. LNG exports helps people worldwide get greater access to an abundant and reasonably-priced product that helps ease the world’s current supply crunch."

Charlie Riedl, executive director for the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas (CLNG)

ON THE PODCAST

CapCrude: Refiners Talk Ethanol, RINs, Small Refinery Issues – On this week’s Capitol Crude podcast, Janet McGurty speaks with Derrick Morgan of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers about EPA small refinery biofuel waivers, RIN market volatility and how refiners view the latest federal blending targets.

FUN OPINIONS

EV Will be Challenge Until Consumers Move – In an opinion piece in the Detroit News, yours truly writes that consumers are a hard group to move — especially those that have little room in their family budgets for a costly transition. I know firsthand because of the car-guy, Metro Detroit family ties that run deep in my persona. EVs can cross that divide, but they can only truly do so when they firmly overcome most of the cost and consumer challenges standing in the way.  

FROG BLOG

USEA Head Says Clean Energy Progress Happening, But will Continue to Be Bumpy – In an opinion blog in BloombergLaw, US Energy Assn head Sheila Hollis writes energy and environmental issues finally made it to the top of the global agenda in 2021, but sweeping energy transformation will not happen quickly because of opposing interests and voices in a democracy. She cites as examples battles over a transnational hydropower electrical transmission line in Maine, and a transnational oil and gas pipeline in Michigan. “While it is slow, frustrating, and cumbersome, progress in the march toward a clean energy future is being made. It takes time for public opinion to shift and for prevailing mindsets to change. As that transformation occurs, we must respect, appreciate, and not take for granted our magnificent country where all voices can be heard.”

THE 2022 TOP 10 ENERGY ISSUES

The First Five:

1) Critical Minerals for EVs, Renewables – If everything is about climate, then everything is also about critical minerals that we need to power EVs, solar panels, semiconductors, etc.  There are so many important stories that are bubbling up on critical minerals right now, from China’s efforts to dominate the supply and production to the investigating opportunities to collect pure critical mineral from the deep sea. There are domestic terrestrial mining battles over lithium, copper and nickel, and there are serious questions about mining operations in the Congo, Indonesia and Chile.

2) Supreme Court Climate Action – This is year is a big one for the Supreme Court and climate.  For once and for all, it seems the Court may finally make a serious call on EPA’s ability to regulate climate emissions.  This decision may be as big as the initial 2005 Mass v. EPA decision.  Stay tuned in February... 

3) Infrastructure, Transmission Grid Upgrades – It is go time for infrastructure following the passage of bipartisan legislation in November 2021.  With EV infrastructure, grid upgrades, broadband, water Infrastructure and climate-focused road/bridge improvements, this law was a major climate effort that includes clean energy and hydrogen projects, research hubs, advanced recycling RD&D, grants to plug orphan wells and reclaim abandon mines, provides weatherization assistance increase energy efficiency, renewables investments in schools and replacement of diesel school buses.  It was bipartisan when the Senate passed it but Republicans lost interest in the House after the success of the VA Governor’s race, even attacking the 13 supporters.

4) LNG Boom – 2021 was record year for liquefied natural gas (LNG) with global demand hitting record highs each year since 2015, due mostly to surging demand in China and the rest of Asia. The US will become the world's biggest LNG exporter in 2022, surpassing Qatar and Australia, and may hold that title for years to come. And the issues continue to be more sustainable. EIA projects LNG exports will reach 11.5 bcfd in 2022. That would account for roughly 22% of expected world LNG demand of 53.3 bcfd next year Third-party gas certification that took off in 2021, particularly in the Haynesville Shale in Louisiana and East Texas, could lead to the first certified gas US LNG export cargo in 2022, market watchers say.

5) Politics, Politics, Politics – The tight margins in the House and the tie Senate have made the politics of 2022 happen faster than ever before.  Longtime Democratic Rep John Dingell used to say that the political “silly season” always started around April in an election year. Unfortunately, it seems we are already there.  With some Republicans attacking their own members over supporting the bipartisan infrastructure package and Democrats reeling from losing the VA governor’s race (and almost the incumbent in NJ to someone no one ever heard of), the race is already well underway, so don’t expect much bipartisan effort.  Traditionally, energy/environment plays a lower profile, but if gas prices head to levels that some analysts expect, it could get rough for politicos.  Climate also remains a major talking point. Watch for Republicans to starting seeding the ground on the issues led by John Curtis, David McKinley, Garrett Graves and Dan Crenshaw.

The Next 5 Next Week

FUN FACTS

States With Orphan Wells: There are 26 states expressing interest in applying for grants from the $4.7 billion pot designated for cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells, as created by the new infrastructure law, according to a Department of Interior memo and subsequent webinar on the subject.

IN THE NEWS

US Emissions Return to Higher Pre-COVID Levels – The Rhodium Group released a report today that says US GHG emissions rose 6.2% last year as the economy resumed closer to normal operations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Rhodium’s analysis points out that the rise back to normalcy puts the US even further behind President Joe Biden's climate targets.  Rhodium says the US has reduced GHGs 17.4% compared with 2005 levels, backsliding from the 22.2% below 2005 levels last year. The 2021 emissions increase still left US GHGs 5% lower than pre-pandemic 2019 levels, noting that passenger travel still hasn’t fully recovered to 2019 levels which has slowed transportation emissions.

States Argue to Not Revive Oil, Gas Ban – Thirteen Republican state AGs have asked the 5^th Circuit not to reinstate the Biden administration's ban on new oil and gas leasing, arguing a lower court got it right when it issued a nationwide injunction against the policy. The states told the appellate court on Thursday that a Louisiana federal court acted within its discretion to block the ban, and argued that President Joe Biden overstepped his authority when he issued an executive order last January putting a freeze on the leases.

Morning Consult Tracker Looks at Climate, Energy Views – The energy transition are increasingly on the public’s mind, both in terms of how they regard their own choices and whether they approve of their governments’ approaches.  Taking the Temperature represents Morning Consult’s ongoing effort to track how the U.S. public feels about energy and climate. It includes regularly updated climate concern and disaster concern trackers, broken down by party, race/ethnicity and generation, as well as a collection of stories based on other trended data on energy sources, fuel and electricity prices and more. Sign up for alerts

Mountain Valley Pipeline Permit Approved – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection last week issued a water quality permit for the 300-mile, $6.2 billion Mountain Valley Pipeline project. The natural gas pipeline is expected to come online by summer.

Enviro Law Group Brings on EPA Expert – Earth & Water Law, LLC has added Charlie Carter to its partnership. Charlie has over 40 years of experience in the practice of environmental law with major national law firms and serving in senior leadership government roles on environmental regulatory matters spanning four decades. Prior to returning to North Carolina private practice, Charlie served for nearly 10 years at the U.S. EPA in Washington, D.C., where he was Associate Director of the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, Assistant General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel, and Chief of OGC’s National Standards Branch. Prior to his service at the U.S. EPA, Carter served as staff environmental attorney for Duke Power Company and Environmental Law Advisor for the Edison Electric Institute.

Hybrid/EVs Hit Record Sales – The sales of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles hit record levels, accounting for 5% of U.S. light vehicle sales at 801,550 vehicles last year, according to the analytics firm Wards Intelligence. Electric vehicle sales also increased 83 percent year over year, but made up a smaller share of vehicles on the road. Sales of EVs also jumped 83% to 434,879, but represented a meager 3% of the market.  While sales have increased, experts say many customers still shun EVs due to higher prices, limited driving range or lack of charging stations.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Wilson Forum Looks at Latin American Lithium Issues – The Wilson Center will host a forum today at 3:30 p.m. on Latin America’s lithium and its role in the future of renewable energy in the US. With more than half of the planet’s lithium resources, South America’s Lithium Triangle – Argentina, Bolivia and Chile – will play a critical role in the renewable energy transition in the United States.  The event will discuss how to maximize Latin America’s role in the U.S. energy transition.

Senate Energy Tackles Hydro Issues – The Senate Energy Committee will convene a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. to examine the opportunities and challenges for maintaining existing hydropower capacity, expanding hydropower at non-powered dams, and increasing pumped storage hydropower.  DOE’s Jennifer Garson, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton will join our friend NHA CEO Malcolm Woolf and NW Public Power Assn Executive director Scott Corwin on the panel.

RFF to Look at Infrastructure – Tomorrow at 10:30 a.m., Resources for the Future (RFF) holds a virtual RFF Live event forecasting some of the biggest decisions to come in 2022—from the next steps in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to the role of the courts in establishing the US regulatory agenda.  Together with leading experts across policy, research, and journalism, RFF President and CEO Richard G. Newell will explore the big decisions we are tracking in the year to come.  Speakers include Juliet Eilperin of the Washington Post, former CARB head Mary Nichols and NYU School of Law Richard Revesz.

State of American Business Set – The US Chamber hosts its annual 2022 State of American Business tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.  CEO Suzanne Clark will provide keynote remarks. UPS CEO Carol Tomé will also hold a fireside conversation with Georgia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chris Clark. Tomé and Clark will discuss UPS’s leadership on global vaccine distribution, the challenges of modernizing and upgrading logistics, and the importance of competition to driving transformation, innovation, and growth in the business community.

Forum to Look at Clean Energy Initiatives – Tomorrow at Noon, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Clean Energy Initiative (CEI) and the National Association of State Energy Officials are partnering to host the first in a series of discussions to examine and advance opportunities for HBCUs and State Energy Offices to forge new partnerships, relationships, and innovations.  The events will look at upcoming federal and state investments across key sectors – the electric grid, renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation, and agriculture. Presentations and facilitated conversations will unpack the workforce, economic development, and equity implications of state planning, policy design, and implementation of clean energy and climate solutions.

Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to lie in State at US Capitol – Wednesday, January 12^th.

House Transpo Talks Water Infrastructure – On Wednesday, the House Transportation Committee at 10:00 a.m. holds a hearing to look ahead toward crafting a new water resources development bill with both prodding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on their civilian water programs. The panel will hear from Michael Connor, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, and Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, chief of engineers and commanding general of the USACE.

House Ag Looks at Rural American Electrification – The House Agriculture Committee has a hearing Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the impact of electric vehicles on agriculture and rural America. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper will testify, making the case for biofuels as a critical part in an “all-of-the-above strategy” to reach net-zero transportation emissions.

API Hosts State of Energy – The American Petroleum Institute and Energy Citizens hosts its 13^th annual 2022 State of Energy forum on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.  The event will shine a light on the role of American energy in building a better future. In a virtual setting, they will discuss the actions and initiatives the U.S. natural gas and oil industry is taking to protect American jobs, maintain our energy security and keep us globally competitive.

Forum Looks at Extreme Weather – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) holds a briefing on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. looking at federal policies and programs supporting innovation in weather forecasting, an essential capability to help communities prepare for and adapt to extreme weather. During this briefing, experts will discuss the policies and programs that guide public-private  partnerships, emerging weather forecasting technologies, and new business models enabling the government to more effectively tap into private-sector innovation across the weather forecasting value chain. Former NOAA Administrators Kathy Sullivan and Timothy Gallaudet are among the speakers.

Forum to Look at Climate Change Strategies – The ICF Climate Center will host a webinar on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. featuring senior officials from USAID and the Millennium Challenge Corporation to discuss their new climate change strategies, including a focus on climate resilience and adaptation.

Forum to Look at Critical Minerals – OurEnergyPolicy holds a forum on Wednesday at Noon on the importance of metals and minerals for energy technologies and systems, what their mining and processing means for the energy transition, and solutions for securing their supply chains. Speakers will include Colorado School of Mines Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian, Energy Futures Initiative’s Melanie Kenderdine and Aaron Thiele, Senator Murkowski’s Legislative Assistant for Energy and Natural Resources.

ConservAmerica Looks at Climate, Policy, Regs – ConservAmerica holds a forum on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. presenting its 2022 outlook for energy and environment policy and regulation.   My colleague Scott Segal, government affairs expert Adam Ingols and climate policy reporters Lesley Clark and Justin Worland, will hold a discussion focused on the posture the Biden Administration will take in its second year in office, expected Congressional action as we approach the mid-term elections, and recent and pending court actions that will impact the policy framework.

Forum to Look at Renewable Biodiesel – On Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., EcoEngineers is bringing back its popular “Crystal Ball” webinar series to close out this interesting year of renewable energy news and developments. The series will dive into biomass-based and renewable diesel in the second webinar in the series.  Experts will talk about the emergence of renewable diesel on the marketplace as well as changes to sustainable aviation fuel mandates and regulations. 

Senate Looks at Water Rules – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. WRDA Oversight and implementation of water infrastructure projects, programs and priorities. Testifying will be Michael Connor, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, and Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, chief of engineers and commanding general of the USACE. The Committee will also hold a business meeting at 2:45 p.m. to advance three environmental nominations: David Uhlmann and Christopher Frey to be assistant administrators at EPA and Martha Williams to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Forum Tackles Illegal Mining – The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a discussion on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. assessing the impact of artisanal and small-scale and illegal mining in the Amazon.  The event will focus on issues including pollution, deforestation, human trafficking and exploitation of minors.

Forum to Look at Renewables Future – Reuters holds an event on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. discussing the future of renewables.  The event will feature insights from industry leaders including GE Renewables Chief Technology Officer Danielle Merfeld. 

EPRI to Discuss State of Utilities – On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) holds its annual State of the Energy Industry discussion with it leadership team to discuss top highlights of 2021 and its focus for this year.

Forum to Look at Clean Energy Innovation – On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation’s (ITIF) Center for Clean Energy Innovation holds a discussion of the health of the global clean energy innovation system, why continuous investments in the system matter, and what a healthy system should look like.  IEA Chief Statistician Nick Johnstone is among the panelists.

Webinar Looks at Biofuel Dynamics – IHS Markit holds a webinar on Thursday at Noon to address biofuels market dynamics for 2022 and beyond. In this session, IHS Markit experts Christoph Berg, Stephan Li and Kevin Lindemer will cover policy (what will decarbonization initiatives bring for the industry); technology (latest developments in non-food feedstock technologies); Supply Chain Integration (biofuels, refining and agricultural markets complex); outlook for demand (regional demand outlooks for ethanol, FAME/RD and SAF to 2030) and outlook for biofuel feedstocks (why crop-based feedstocks are not enough, and potential solutions via efuels/RFNBOs - a/k/a renewable fuels of non-biologic origin).

Greenbiz Looks at Cement, Carbon Neutral Issues – Greenbiz hosts a forum next Thursday at 1:00 p.m. looking at opportunities across the construction value chain to achieve carbon neutrality for the future built environment. The cement and concrete industry recently charted a path to carbon neutrality and there will be a focus on how others within the value chain can collaborate to help reach this goal.

Holy Cross CEO Hannigan, BGE CEO Headline Forum on Low-Income Energy Programs – On Thursday at 1:00 p.m., ICF hosts a webinar on energy affordability. Utilities have a leading role to help low-income households that face energy burdens that are three times higher than that of other households.  They involve utilities programs aimed at addressing affordability head-on.  In this webinar, our friend and Holy Cross Energy CEO Bryan Hannigan and BGE CEO Carim Khouzami share perspectives creating new energy systems and responding to community needs.

Forum Features Discussion of Conservative Clean Energy – The R St Institute holds a forum on Thursday at 1:15 p.m. to discuss surprising gains are being made among conservative voters and organizations in shifting attitudes towards clean energy solutions.  Among the panelists will be my former GWU student and DOE official Alex Fitzsimmons now with ClearPath.

Forum to Look at US-China Climate Declaration – The Wilson Center holds a forum on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. on the new US-China climate declaration. To talk about how the two countries could move forward on this new declaration, China Environment Forum director Jennifer Turner will sit down over virtual tea with Dr. Fan Dai, Director of the California-China Climate Institute. Since 2019, she has led the California-China Climate Institute, a leader in promoting climate action through joint research, training and dialogue between the two carbon superpowers. This “Green Tea Chat” will explore not only the new agreement, but also the need for expanding sub-national partnerships on combating climate change.  

Forum Looks at Maritime Security Issues – On Friday at 10:00 a.m., CSIS and the U.S. Naval Institute hold a Maritime Security Dialogue event featuring Vice Admiral US Naval Forces Commander Brad Cooper and US Naval Institute CEO Vice Admiral Peter Daly, USN (Ret.). Cooper and Daly will discuss the priorities and operational imperatives of the FIFTH Fleet area of responsibility. The series highlights the particular challenges facing the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, from national level maritime policy to naval concept development and program design. Given budgetary challenges, technological opportunities, and ongoing strategic adjustments, the nature and employment of U.S. maritime forces are likely to undergo significant change over the next 10-15 years.

AC Annual Global Energy Forum Set – From Friday to Sunday, the Atlantic Council holds its Global Energy Forum, the premiere international gathering of government, industry, and thought leaders to set the energy agenda for the year. The Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum annually convenes the world’s top energy and foreign policy decision-makers to set the global energy agenda for the year ahead and examine the longer-term geopolitical and geoeconomic implications of the changing energy system. The Forum is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, ADNOC, and Mubadala. 

IN THE FUTURE

SUNDAY January 16^th – FRANK MAISANO’s BIRTHDAY!!!!  HURRAY!!!!  Send Presents and CASH…

MONDAY January 17^th – MLK Day of Service.  Please do something generous for others less fortunate.

WRI Looks at Stories for 2022 – The World Resources Institute holds its annual Stories to Watch event on Wednesday January 19^th at 9:00 a.m. The event will feature WRI’s new President/CEO Ani Dasgupta, who stepped into the role in 2021. Ani will share insights into the big stories in 2022, including what it will take for governments and businesses to translate their commitments into real action. Dasgupta will discuss some of the world’s most pressing questions on how to accelerate the energy transition, net-zero climate commitments credibility, the bold pledges to end deforestation, the surge in electric vehicles, and much more.

US Chamber Energy Group Looks at Grid – On Wednesday January 19^th at 10:00 a.m. The US Chambers Global Energy Institute holds an in-depth EnergyInnovates discussion on grid resilience. This virtual discussion will highlight the people, companies, and technologies that will support the modernization of the electricity grid, while hardening the grid from emerging threats—both natural and manmade— and enhancing the high levels of reliability often taken for granted today. Featured speakers include Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05), FERC Commissioner Mark Christie, Siemens Energy’s Tim Holt, EEI’s Scott Aaronson, GridWise’s Richie O'Neill and ACORE’s Macro Grid Initiative Director Barbara Tyran.

Forum to Look at Equitable Environmental Solutions – On Wednesday, January 19^th at Noon, Resources for the Future (RFF) and the Urban Institute will host the fifth event in Exposure, a six-part webinar series on environmental justice. At this event, a panel of experts will discuss how to make these partnerships work to advance environmental justice knowledge and work toward equitable solutions to environmental problems. Speakers include Eddie Bautista of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, Bonnie Keeler of the University of Minnesota and Michael Méndez of UC-Irvine.

Forum Looks at Climate Resiliency, Technology – Greentech Conferences holds a webinar on Wednesday January 19^th at 1:00 p.m. to discuss technology and climate resiliency. This webinar, moderated by Rob Kirsch, retired WilmerHale partner and former chair of that firm’s energy and environmental practice, will address how technology is being deployed in those efforts and explore whether there are actions that might enhance the effectiveness of resilience strategies identified through the use of technology.  

Forum Addresses Empower Communities on Energy – On Wednesday January 19^th at 1:15 p.m., Arizona State University Center for Energy & Society holds a web event looking at the need to reorganize the energy system to empower communities.  Panelists include Indigenized Energy Initiative Founder/CEO Chéri Smith, Philadelphia Energy Authority CEO Emily Schapira and Cecilio Ortiz-Garcia of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

USEA Hosts State of Energy Industry – The US Energy Assn holds its 2022 State of the Energy Industry Forum on Thursday January 20^th.  The annual event features CEOs from nearly every major trade association as they share their policy objectives and priorities for 2022.  All the cool kids are coming including SEIA’s Abby Hopper, API’s Mike Sommers, AGA’s Karen Harbert, ACP’s Heather Zichal, EEI’s Kuhn, NRECA’s Matheson, ACORE’s Wetstone, NEI’s Korsnick, EPRI’s Mansoor and MANY MORE.

EV Charging Summit Set – The National EV Charging Summit will be held on January 20^th and is part of a year-long effort to stand up an unprecedented coalition to support federal action on a national charging network for light-, medium- and heavy- duty vehicles. The National EV Charging Initiative brings together automakers, power providers, electric vehicle and charging industry leaders, labor, and public interest groups to signal they are ready, willing, and able to act now. Members are collaborating to accelerate shovel-ready charging infrastructure projects that will put people to work, infuse the economy with billions of dollars of investment, and increase access to clean transportation.

Forum to Look at Negative Emissions Techs – On Thursday January 20^th at Noon, the GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany, in close collaboration with Prof. Carlos Duarte from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) holds a forum to discuss a new decision-support tool in the form of the interactive digital Global NBS and NETs Atlas. The overall objective of this Webatlas is to synthesize and geospatially visualize reliable scientific findings on climate mitigation and adaptation potentials and cost estimates of various natural- and technically-based carbon dioxide removal and storage options. This synthesized information is a necessary basis for decision-making in the strategic development of viable paths that are compatible with the Paris climate targets.

Auto Show, Policy Day Set – The Washington, D.C. Auto Show will return to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from Friday, January 21 through Sunday, January 30. As the region's largest indoor event and one of the top auto shows in the United States, the 2022 Washington Auto Show will continue in its timely tradition of featuring hundreds of new vehicles from the world's top manufacturers.  Adapting to the times, the Auto Show will introduce a brand new element to its programming - the EV Pavilion. Catering to the growing electric mobility market and its record-hitting 2020 year, this Pavilion aims to educate show attendees on what the future of mobility looks like.  As usual, the show holds its Washington Auto Policy forum and Mobility Talks on Thursday January 20^th.  Gina McCarthy opens the event at Noon with Sen. Chris Van Hollen closes the forum at 4:30 p.m.

Chamber to Host Initial Egypt Forum – The Chamber will hold a forum on January 24^th as the first part of the run up to COP 27 in Egypt.  The event will feature a series of panels on climate issues.  Among the speakers with be John Kerry and DOE Undersecretary David Turk.

Forum to Look at Nuclear Energy Supply – The Nuclear Energy Institute holds its Nuclear Fuel Supply Forum on January 26^th at Noon to explore policy issues related to nuclear fuel at the half-day Nuclear Fuel Supply Forum. Speakers from key government agencies and organizations that shape policy and evaluate the direction of the markets will present their latest insights on the future of the industry.

Ethanol Conference Set – The Renewable Fuels Association holds the National Ethanol Conference (NEC) in New Orleans on February 21^st to 23^rd.  Since 1996, the NEC has been recognized as the ethanol conference for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. With numerous networking opportunities, more business meetings are conducted and contacts made at this conference than at any other ethanol conference.

Biden to Deliver State of the Union – In the latest SOTU Speech ever, the President will address a joint Session of Congress on March 1^st.