Energy Update: Week of July 19

Energy Update - July 19, 2021

Friends,               

Great events this weekend with the completion of the Tour de France won by 22-year-old Slovenian Tadej Pogacar while 24-year old Collin Morikawa played flawless golf over the weekend to capture his second major by winning the British Open.  In fact, both now jump on planes and head for Japan where the 2020 Tokyo Olympics finally arrive this week with opening ceremonies on Friday.  The games will span three weeks and cover over 40 sports, 339 Gold Medals, 11,000 athletes including new sports like 3x3 Basketball, surfing and skateboarding. Here in DC, NBC Olympics has installed a set of life-sized Olympic Rings on the National Mall as part of a cross-country tour that are open today and tomorrow.

Congress has its own Olympic effort ahead of it as the Senate tries to move both a bipartisan infrastructure and the $3.5B Democratic budget resolution.  Majority Leader Chuck Schumer intends to hold a vote to begin debate on the bipartisan infrastructure framework on Wednesday, which is also the deadline for Senate Democrats to determine the final terms of their budget package.  The budget will likely have a bunch of climate provisions including a clean energy standard and a polluter import fees, as well as incentives for renewables development and electric vehicles. However, they may be limited by the reconciliation process.

Tomorrow and Wednesday are big hearing days as Committees examines key environmental issues this week. A House Natural Resources subcommittee meets tomorrow to discuss the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps while House Science Committee discusses the impact of increased extreme heat on the country and the Senate Banking Committee meet to discuss climate change and resilience.  House Oversight Committee (Wednesday) and a Senate Environment (Thursday) both look at EJ impacts on communities. Also Wednesday, a House Ways and Means panel looks at forced labor issues in supply chains and in the afternoon, the Senate Foreign Relations East Asian/Pacific subcommittee discuss climate change in the Asia-Pacific region with State’s Jonathan Pershing and ClearPath’s Rich Powell.  Remember last month on this topic, an EIRP-led bipartisan task force chaired by former Obama Energy Official Dan Poneman and Bush43 State Dept climate official Paula Dobriansky released an important report on recommendations for the region.

Other key events include today’s Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy webinar at 1:00 p.m. sharing key findings from a new report CO2 Recycling, a Hill policy forum tomorrow on zero-emissions trucks, a   ConserveAmerica panel on carbon pricing on Wednesday with API’s Frank Macchiarola and a Thursday AEI forum on electricity markets and costs reliability with an opening address by FERC Commissioner Neil Chatterjee.

Just prior to the AEI event on Thursday, at 1:00 p.m., Chatterjee will join ACORE as it will release a new report demonstrating the value of interregional transmission lines in extreme weather events.  The webinar will feature a presentation by the report author, followed by Wall Street Journal reporter Katherine Blunt moderating a discussion of the report, which examines five recent extreme weather events in Texas, the Northeast and Midwest.

Finally, speaking of the Journal, check out the Wall Street Journal article by Elena Shao looking at gas-fired stoves emergence as a burning issue as American cities consider phasing out natural-gas hookups to homes and businesses to reduce carbon emissions.  Many restaurant and home chefs prefer cooking on gas-burning ranges, and persuading some to switch to electric stovetops is proving to be a hard sell.

Enjoy the Olympics and let’s try to get those vaccine shots if you can.  Stay safe and healthy

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

 

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“I have respect for the environment, and I drive an electric car and am happy to pay the extra costs because the technology is good. But to say that an electric stove is as good as a gas one is misunderstanding the art of cooking.”

George Chen, executive chef and founder of San Francisco restaurant China Live in the Wall Street Journal saying he was concerned about cities restricting a cooking technique that contributes to the texture and flavor of good Chinese cuisine that he said can’t be achieved on an electric stove.

ON THE PODCAST

Platts CapCrude Looks at Energy Convergence – The Capitol Crude podcast this week looks energy convergence issues with expert Joe Bretell.  Silos within the energy industry are coming down as companies confront the need to dramatically cut carbon emissions. The so-called energy convergence is the idea that companies, policy makers and regulators need to be more collaborative across the energy spectrum. Brettell is a partner for strategic engagement at Prosody Group, which consults on energy, agriculture and financial services. We asked him about the rising importance of US regulators, climate-related investor pressures, and the changing focus of the US energy capital Houston as it adapts to the energy transition.  After the interview, Meghan hits the Market Minute to look at near-term oil-market drivers.

FUN OPINIONS

WSJ Q&A Focuses on Experts Views on 80x30 – Late last week, Wall Street Journal had a great Q&A-format interview regarding CES pathways with Princeton’s Jesse Jenkins, ClearView’s Kevin Book and UCSB-activist professor Leah Stokes. The three experts discussed whether 80% of U.S. power coming from clean sources by 2030 is doable—and if so, how. I can send the full text if you do not have access to the Wall Street Journal.

NYT Editorial Board on Biden’s First Six Months on Environment – In an editorial, the NY Times Editorial Boards looks at the midpoint of Biden's first year on the environment and climate. They write in simplest terms, given the deep ideological divide in Congress, he has accomplished a good deal more than his chattering critics on the left wing of his party give him credit for, but still well short of his own hopes.  The editorial also takes enviro activists to task for sending protesters to the White House and Capitol Hill saying “no climate, no deal,” accusing the White House of “climate denialism.”  The board’s response: “hardly.”

FROG BLOG

WSJ: France – In a Forbes blog post, our friend and energy expert Dipka Bhambhani writes a growing chorus of nuclear energy stakeholders are asking the Biden administration and Congress to reverse course and open up the Chinese market to U.S. nuclear energy companies in the name of safety and climate change.  Dee cites American Nuclear Society CEO Craig Piercy who recently told Congress that restricting bilateral cooperation with China on civil nuclear projects would harm “U.S. national security and economic interests, and American workers.”  Piercy said locking U.S. companies out of the Chinese market threatens operational safety of nuclear power plants in China and those built by China around the world. And it reduces U.S. influence.

FUN FACTS

Olympic Numbers:  In an effort be the most advanced and eco-friendly games:

  • Driverless Transportation – Athletes and Staff will be transported around the Olympic Villages in automated driverless shuttles  
  • Recycled Medals – Organizers used 78,985 tons of donations of small electronics, including 6.21 million old mobile phones to extract 71 lbs of gold, 7,718 lbs of silver and 4,850 lbs to make 5,000 medals.
  • Podiums – All podiums have been constructed with recycled plastic detergent bottles.

IN THE NEWS

Biden Reverses Showerhead Rule – On Friday, the Biden administration said it will reverse a Trump-era rule that lifted a 2013 rule imposing limits on water flow from showerheads, reestablishing those earlier standards. Most companies leading the shower marketplace is already largely observing the 2013 rule, and showerheads with the extra water are not easily found.

McCarthy Points to Clean Energy Standard – White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy said the Biden administration will use its “regulatory authority” to act on climate change if it can’t get Congress to enact a clean energy standard in remarks at a Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit. 

Bipartisan Legislation Aims to Boost Nuclear – Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment Committee, along with Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act (ANIA), which would improve the nation’s nuclear infrastructure, secure America’s uranium supply chain, grow the economy, create jobs, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen our energy and national security.  Specifically, ANIA will reestablish American international competitiveness and global leadership by empowering NRC to lead a consensus-building process in international forums to establish regulations for advanced nuclear reactor designs and deny imports of Russian nuclear fuel on national security grounds.  It also expands nuclear energy through advanced nuclear technologies by creating a prize to incentivize the successful licensing process of next generation nuclear technologies and fuels and require NRC to identify and resolve regulatory barriers to enable advanced nuclear technologies to reduce industrial emissions.  It also preserves existing nuclear energy and revitalize America’s nuclear supply chain infrastructure by identifying modern manufacturing techniques to build nuclear reactors better, faster, cheaper, and smarter.

Report Says CES has Co-benefits – A new Clean Energy Futures report on an 80x30 Clean Energy Standard says the “co-benefits” of a CES would be significant.  Now I don’t treat the report as gospel because co-benefit arguments are always somewhat suspect, but it is an interesting data point and is the first to map the air quality and related health benefits for an 80x30 CES.

EPSA Poll: Americans Trust Competitive Markets to Spur Reliable, Affordable Clean Energy Transition – Americans believe competitive energy markets are more effective than utility monopolies at providing cleaner, affordable and most importantly – reliable – electricity to customers, according to a new poll conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA), the national trade association representing competitive power suppliers.  See an infographic summarizing key findings here. Americans say competitive power markets are more effective at lowering consumer costs and promoting innovation and new technologies than monopoly markets. Nearly twice as many voters (50%) say competitive power markets are more effective than energy monopolies when it comes to ensuring reliable service during extreme weather events than those who believe monopolies are more effective (26%). 

  • 62% of U.S. voters said competitive markets are the most effective model for lowering energy costs, while just 18% said the same for monopoly markets.  
  • 74% of U.S. voters agree that competition among electricity providers would help facilitate increased use of renewable energy in their state.  
  • 58% said competitive markets are the best model for promoting new technologies and innovation in the energy market.  

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

MOST EVENTS SCHEDULED ARE NOW ONLINE WEBINARS

Forum to Look at CO2 Recycling – The Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy will host a webinar today at 1:00 p.m. sharing key findings from a new report, “Opportunities and Limits of CO2 Recycling in a Circular Carbon Economy: Techno-economics, Critical Infrastructure Needs, and Policy Priorities.” This report aims to help investors and policymakers understand key issues and technology limits and navigate the dynamic landscape of CO2 recycling for hard-to-abate sectors. This webinar will feature a short presentation by Dr. Julio Friedmann, CGEP Senior Research Scholar, and Amar Bhardwaj, Marshall Scholar and incoming Stanford University PhD Student, followed by a moderated panel discussion with leaders in industry, technology, policymaking and government.  DOE Fossil Asst Sect Jennifer Wilcox will keynote. 

WRISE to Hold Town Hall – The Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) Executive Director, Kristen Graf, and Senior Manager, Operations and Programs, E'Lon Cohen Hall hold an online Town Hall today at 1:00 p.m., the beginning of WRISE Week.  The meeting will highlight the latest in new WRISE events and programs, discuss our visions for the future, and of course there will be plenty of time for questions and ideas from participants. 

Senate Banking to Look at Climate Resilience – The Senate Banking Committee will meet in hybrid format tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. to look at climate change, resilience and reinsurance. The witnesses will be Ohio State’s Abdollah Shafieezadeh, Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Reinsurance Association of America President Frank Nutter, Colorado-Boulder’s Roger Pielke, Jr. and Jerry Theodorou of the R Street Institute.

House Science Looks at Spectrum – The House Science Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. looking at spectrum needs for observations in earth and space sciences. 

Witnesses include GAO’s Andrew Von Ah, NCAR’s Bill Mahoney, Aerospace’s David Luber, Jordan Gerth of UWisconsin-Madison and Hughes Networks’ Jennifer Manner.

CSIS Looks at Sustainable Development Goals – Tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., the CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development holds an expert panel discussion on how climate change can be effectively combatted through the effective implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 13 in the developing world.  SDG 13 is a particularly useful foundation for the Biden-Harris administration’s ambitious international climate change objectives, including development actions for climate financing and support for developing countries' strategic and policy priorities.  

House Energy Panel Looks at Ransomware Issues – The House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hold a hybrid hearing tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. that focuses on stopping digital thieves and the growing threat of ransomware.  Witnesses include Microsoft’s Kemba Walden, Robert Lee of Dragos, UC-San Diego’s Christoan Dameff and Institute for Security and Technology CEO Philip Reiner.

Hill Forum Looks at TrucksThe Hill hosts a policy forum tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. on zero-emissions trucks.  The event is the second of The Hill's three-part series will bring together lawmakers, truck manufacturers and business leaders to discuss policies supporting zero-emission trucks, domestic manufacturing of these vehicles and job growth in this sector. Speakers will include Rep. Debbie Dingell and Proterra CEO Jack Allen.

SEC Commissioner to Address ESG Issues – Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., Brookings hosts SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce to share her perspective on Environmental Social Governance (ESG) issues. The conversation will continue with a panel representing investors and the public interest who will react to Commissioner Peirce and share their own views.

BPC Hosts Members on ESG – The Bipartisan Policy Center will hold a forum tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. featuring Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI), two of the leading voices on ESG and disclosure issues.  The event will pose whether companies are disclosing enough material information to what would be considered a reasonable investor?

House Resources Looks at Civilian Climate Corps – The House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will hold an oversight hearing tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. examining the potential for a Civilian Climate Corps.

Senate Enviro Looks at Cybersecurity – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities facing our nation’s physical infrastructure.

House Science Looks at Extreme Heat – The House Science Committee’s Environment Subcommittee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at extreme heat in the U.S.  Witnesses include Portland State University’s Vivek Shandas, Arizona State University’s Melissa Guardaro,

Tomorrow.io CEO Shimon Elkabetz and Aaron Bernstein of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

House Small Biz Looks at Climate Solutions – The House Small Business Committee’s panel on Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations holds a hearing Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the SBA’s role in climate solutions. Lynn Abramson of the Clean Energy Business Network is among the witnesses

House Oversight Looks at Enviro Justice – The House Oversight and Reform Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. focused on environmental justice and its role in the American Jobs Plan. Witnesses include White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council Co-Chair Richard Moore and member Harold Mitchell, Center for American Progress expert Nicole Lee Ndumele, New York State Climate Action Council member Raya Salter, Michael Leon Guerrero of the Labor Network for Sustainability and Opportunity Funds Association CEO Shay Hawkins.

House Trade Panel Looks at Supply Chains – The House Ways and Means Trade subpanel holds a hearing Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on how to address forced labor in supply chains.  The issues is a major concern amid the shift to renewable and electric alternatives amid allegations of forced labor used to produce critical minerals and vital solar components abroad.

Heinrich Headline WRI Forum on Climate Smart Investments – The World Resources Institute holds a discussion on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. about the economic and jobs benefits of climate-smart infrastructure investments. The event will feature a fireside chat with Sen. Martin Heinrich and will be followed by a panel of clean energy, labor and rural experts including our friend Karen Wayland of the GridWise Alliance to discuss how investments in clean energy and natural climate solutions can help rural economies recover and prosper in the long-term.

RFF Continues EJ Forums – Resources for the Future (RFF) and the Urban Institute hold a forum on Wednesday at Noon for the fourth event in Exposure, a multi-part webinar series on environmental justice. During this event, experts from a range of scholarly, policy, and advocacy backgrounds will discuss “the good, the bad, and the ugly” in the use of these tools as applied to investments in hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, and water infrastructure. They will also offer suggestions for how social equity and justice can factor into good financial decisionmaking at all levels of government.  Among the speakers is Rebuild by Design’s Amy Chester and Chrishelle Palay of the Houston Organizing Movement for Equity Coalition.

Forum to Look at Carbon Pricing – ConservAmerica holds a discussion forum on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. on carbon pricing. Panelists will discuss the rationale for carbon pricing as well as the various issues associated with it. The webinar will explore different ways carbon pricing can be implemented, its potential impact on various industries and groups, potential alternatives, its effectiveness in reducing emissions, international implications, and the political dynamics in Congress. Speakers include API’s Frank Macchiarola, Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago expert Michael Greenstone and Laura Brannen, of The Nature Conservancy.

Senate Foreign Affairs Looks at Climate Issues in Asia-Pacific – The Senate Foreign Relations East Asian/Pacific subcommittee is meeting Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. to discuss climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. Panel one includes government officials from State, DoD and AID led by State’s Jonathan Pershing.  Panel II includes ClearPath’s Rich Powell and former DoD official Sherri Goodman.

Forum Looks at Civilian Conservation Corps – On Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., the Atlantic Council, National Wildlife Federation, and Reimagine Appalachia will hold an event focused on plans to create a Civilian Conservation Corps.  Keynote remarks will be offered by Sen. Bob Casey with panelists Harry Johnson of Dream Corps and Jason Walsh of the Blue-Green Alliance.

Forum Looks at Women in Renewable Energy – On Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., ELI’s Women in Environmental Law and Leadership (WELL) initiative and expert panelists hold a discussion on the role of women in the development of the environmental movement—and looking at the current opportunities for women in the emerging “green economy”; specifically, critical environmental and climate change policies under the Biden Administration and the Administration’s “green jobs revolution.”

Senate Enviro Looks at Enviro Justice – On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., the Senate Committee on Environment’s Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice and Regulatory Oversight will hold a hearing to examine current issues that adversely affect environmental justice communities.

Forum to Look at ESG Investing – The Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy program (WIE) will host a discussion on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. looking at what this focus on “Social” goals means for investment trends in the energy sector. Panelists will consider how ESG is influencing decision-making across the full financial spectrum from venture capital to IPOs to publicly trading equity market trends. They will also address best practices, policy recommendations, and what energy companies are doing to address investor pressure on social issues. Speakers include Ruth Dressen of Triten Energy Partners, Carlyle’s Kara Helander and Veery Maxwell of Energy Innovation.

Energy Economists Talk Carbon Price, Grassroots – The US Energy Economists holds its monthly meeting on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. featuring a discussion of carbon prices and grass roots with Danny Ritcher. The focus of the discussion will be on the intersection between a carbon price to address greenhouse gas emissions and today's politics at the federal level. Dr. Danny Ritcher of the Citizens' Climate Lobby will highlight the major features of policies before Congress, and talk about significant shifts in support for this idea both from the business community and from other countries. He will also highlight economic research framing the policy debate and where to find it for those who would like to read more.

Forum to Look at Green Amendments – On Thursday at Noon, the Environmental Law Institute, Green Amendments for the Generations, and leading panelists from across the country hold a forum to explore the potential for Green Amendments to secure the constitutional recognition and protection of the right to a healthy environment and to provide a new path o help secure true Environmental Justice for all.

Forum Features Utility Electrification – The Association of Energy Service Professionals (AESP) holds a forum on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. featuring three industry leaders implementing beneficial electrification programs.  JEA’s Tony Reynolds, Central Hudson Gas and Electric’s TJ Rizzo and Salt River Project’s Joe deGraft-Johnson will share insights about how their programs came to be, what they are doing now, and where they see the evolution of their beneficial electrification programs. 

ACORE To Release Transmission Report – On Thursday at 1:00 p.m., the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) will release a new report, produced by Grid Strategies, demonstrating the value of interregional transmission lines in extreme weather events.  The webinar will feature a presentation by the report author, followed by Wall Street Journal reporter Katherine Blunt moderating a discussion of the report, which examines five recent extreme weather events in Texas, the Northeast and Midwest. The report finds that consumers would have seen significant cost savings and enhanced reliability with additional interregional transmission lines, particularly in Texas during Winter Storm Uri.

AEI Hosts Chatterjee, Discussion on Electricity Markets – On Thursday at 2:00 p.m., the American Enterprise Institute will hold a forum on electricity markets, costs reliability and cross Subsidies. With an opening address by Commissioner Neil Chatterjee of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and presentations from four well-known experts, this event will explore the respective benefits and adverse effects of the traditional system and a more competitive model.

IN THE FUTURE

CCS Role on COP 26 – The Global CCS Institute will host a forum next Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. on CCS’s role in international negotiations. With COP26 set to take place in Glasgow this November, governments and corporations around the world have made commitments to launch CCS projects to support 2050 international climate targets. This event will provide insights into the history of CCS in the climate negotiations, and explore how CCS will feature in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. The upcoming COP 26 is the next milestone in the process.  Among the speakers will be our longtime friend Eric Holdsworth of EEI.

Clean Energy Expo Set – The 2021 Congressional Clean Energy EXPO and Policy Forum will be held on Capitol Hill on the afternoon of Monday July 26th.  The event will feature three sessions, including a mid-day panel featuring the Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus Co-Chairs, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI).  Senate REEE Caucus Deputy Co-Chairs Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and House REEE Co-Chair Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) will also provide remarks.

Senate Energy Hosts Interior’s Haaland on Budget – The Senate Energy Committee holds a hearing next Tuesday July 27th at 10:00 a.m. to examine the President’s budget request for the Department of the Interior for Fiscal Year 2022.  Secretary Haaland will testify.

Forum Looks at Space, Nuclear Techs – The Global America Business Institute holds a forum on Tuesday July 27th at 10:00 a.m. on space and nuclear technologies.  The event will feature an overview, as well as a discussion on research and development and direction.  Speakers will include Ron Faibish of General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) and Chan Soo Kim, head of Nuclear Hydrogen Research at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). 

Forum to Look at Genomes to Sequester Carbon in Ag – On Tuesday July 27th at 1:00 p.m., the Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy holds a discussion with experts from the Innovative Genomics Institute at the University of California, Berkeley on the use of modern molecular and genomic technologies to develop climate-friendly, inexpensive, crop and soil amendments that dramatically increase the potential to store atmospheric carbon in biomass and minimize the release of GHGs back into the environment. This discussion will also focus on the ethical, governance, and public perception questions that arise when scaling new technologies of this nature.

Murkowski Headlines BPC Minerals Forum – On Tuesday July 27th at 2:45 p.m., the Bipartisan Policy Center holds a conversation with Senator Lisa Murkowski and key stakeholders to explore challenges and solutions for strengthening U.S. supply chains to secure reliable and sustainable critical minerals.

Chamber Forum to Look at Resilience – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND, will convene virtually on July 27-28 to host the 10th Annual Building Resilience Through Private-Public Partnerships Conference.  Discussions will address collaboration required among private, public, and nonprofit sectors to help mitigate the effects of all disasters, while ensuring a resilient future that drives opportunity, prosperity, security, and advancement for all.

Forum Looks at Battery Metals – S&P Global Market Intelligence holds a webinar on Wednesday July 28th at 10:00 a.m. to look at U.S. battery storage & global battery metals trends.  The event will look at questions like with the booming electric vehicles (EV) markets and uptick in battery storage solutions, is the global supply chain ready to keep pace with multiple sectors? What are the projections for battery storage being used on the power grid and the potential of battery power in data centers and 5G power requirements? From the supply perspective, which battery metals are critical for energy storage and how can their prices impact battery cost in the future?

Forum to Look at Clean Energy Standards – OurEnergyPolicy holds a forum on Wednesday July 28th at Noon on clean energy standards like those being discussed in Congress currently.  Sen. Tina Smith is expected to be among the speakers.

R St Looks at Transmission Investment – The R Street Institute is hosting a forum on Wednesday July 28th at 4:15 p.m. to discuss how to build a decarbonized, resilient and modern grid. Speakers include Con Ed Transmission President Stuart Nachmias, Sharon Segner of LS Power and R Street’s Beth Garza.

Transmission Conference Set – Global Transmission is organizing a two-day virtual conference on Transmission Infrastructure Investment on July 28-29th.  The mission of the conference is to explore the issues that impact transmission investment and discuss how to finance the needed infrastructure. The conference will bring together policymakers, regulators, utilities, investors and technology providers to discuss what’s needed to build a decarbonized, resilient and modern electricity grid in the US.

USEA Looks at Microgrids – On Thursday July 29th at 11:00 a.m., the US Energy Assn holds a forum on microgrid planning. This webinar will discuss the benefits of microgrids and how to plan and implement these systems, with a focus on isolated systems and distributed energy resources (DERs). The audience will learn best practices of planning microgrids for resilience and lessons learned from a case study in North Carolina. 

BPC Looks at Offshore Wind – The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Energy Program holds a forum on Thursday July 29th at Noon to look at the potential of offshore wind.  BPC recently released an issue brief outlining recommendations for improving collaboration as well as the increased support needed to realize the economic and climate benefits of offshore wind. The event will be a virtual discussion highlighting the importance of coordination in deploying offshore wind fast enough to meet the country’s 30 GW by 2030 goal.  White House Advisor David, former LA Gov. Bobby Jindal and Avangrid’s Bill White will speak.

House Foreign Affairs Tackles Jobs, Offshore Wind – The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment and Cyber will hold a hearing on Thursday July 29th at 1:00 p.m. on renewable energy transition and Offshore wind.  The hearing will look at a case study of how international collaboration on offshore wind technology benefits American workers.

Forum Addresses Energy Efficiency, Climate JusticeThe Hill hosts a forum on Thursday July 29th at 1:00 p.m. convening advocates and sustainable energy experts for a comprehensive discussion on environmental justice and climate priorities focused on energy efficiency programs.

USEA Presser Features Utility on Resilience – On Friday July 30th at 11:00 a.m., the US Energy Association will address the importance of utility resilience in a virtual press briefing featuring a panel of industry experts. The event will be opened by USEA Acting Executive Director Sheila Hollis. It has been organized and will be moderated by Llewellyn King, veteran print and broadcast journalist. Guest Speakers include Joseph Fiksel of the Ohio State University. CPS Energy CEO Paula Gold-Williams and EPRI’s Mark McGranaghan.

Vets Energy Week Set – The Atlantic Council Holds Veterans Advanced Energy Week August 2nd to August 6th.   Veterans Advanced Energy Week is an interactive virtual learning and networking experience dedicated to Veterans, reservists, and military spouses working to strengthen US national security through careers in the advanced energy industry.

Oil/Gas Forum Set for Houston – US Energy Stream is holding the in-person 2nd Texas Oil & Gas Forum 2021 on August 11th and 12th at the Petroleum Club of Houston, TX. The Forum is a bi-partisan annual market intelligence platform. It brings powerful U.S. Senators and Congressmen from both sides of the aisle together with top energy executives and energy investors. The main topic of this year’s Forum is how Texas and the United States can succeed in the energy transition and in net zero emissions economy.

OTC Set for Houston – The Offshore Technology Conference 2021 will be held at NRG Park in Houston from August 16th to 18th.  

Clean Energy Week Set for Sept – The 5th annual National Clean Energy Week begins September 20-24th.