Energy Update: Week of July 26
Energy Update - July 26, 2021
Friends,
So, I’m working from the beach this week (and yes I am working) but with less than two weeks until my 100-mile Pelotonia ride in Columbus for cancer research at Ohio State Med Center, I have twice tapped out 50-milers on the renewed Cervelo S5 to continue my prep. So far, I have been amazed by all the support I have received to raise $$ for this cause. Thanks so much to those of you that have already helped and if you want to, you can still help because any amount matters. Please go to my page and support my ride here: https://pelotonia.org/profile/FM735496
I just love watching the Olympics…just saying…so much better than watching CNN, Fox or MSNBC all day. It will be a fun next two or so weeks. On to the action…
This week, Congress starts the grind to the August Recess with both infrastructure and budget. Despite absurd enviro/progressive complaints (which continue to become louder), some Democrats and strategists are starting to fret that going too far on climate will lead to a midterm shellacking like in 1994 or 2010. We’ll see… First mini-bus budget bill hits Rules today and expect to see actual bipartisan infrastructure language sometime this week, even though it remains on shaky ground.
Tomorrow is the biggest day for hearings with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland before the Senate Energy Committee and FERC Commissioners at House Energy/Commerce. Also tomorrow, House Oversight will have a hearing on cybersecurity threats to the grid and the Senate Commerce Committee will conduct a hearing on protecting pipelines from cyberattacks. Senate Environment is meeting Wednesday on Army Corps water infrastructure projects. On Thursday, House Select Climate Crisis holds a hearing climate solutions and job creation with our friend Rich Powell of ClearPath, while a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee tackles international collaboration on renewables with ACP’s Heather Zichal.
This week is also the annual Aspen Energy Week, which gathers a diverse group of entrepreneurs, policy makers, industry executives and thought leaders to discuss critical factors on energy. At the event, there will be a new report from the Rhodium Group that tracks the latest power sector trends and analyzes future tech and policy impacts. Also, this afternoon the 2021 Congressional Clean Energy EXPO and Policy Forum will be held on Capitol Hill will a bunch of members speaking.
Following the rollout of new Chamber principles on Congressional discussions related to a Clean Energy Standard, there are two major events this week looking at a Clean Energy Standard for those of you covering the policy in more detail. On Thursday, ACCF hosts a Forum with Reps. McKinley and Schrader, who have bipartisan legislation to address the issues with innovation and regulation while OurEnergyPolicy hosts a CES event with Senate CES bill author Tina Smith on Wednesday.
Finally, congrats to our friend Jennifer Hiller who has moved over to the Wall Street Journal’s Houston (word: ENERGY) bureau and has her first major story on utilities and startups are joining forces to bridge gaps between U.S. cities with new EV Charging networks, including a rush to build them without the promise of profit. Check it out here.
Did you catch the Zeppelin reference in the subject line. 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
Maryam Brown, SoCalGas President, submitting three hydrogen initiatives to DOE’s Earthshot Hydrogen RFI.
“It’s going to be in a well-lit, secure place with amenities where you can get a cup of coffee, catch up on your emails, charge your vehicle and move on.”
Jeffrey Lyash, chief executive of the Tennessee Valley Authority, in the Wall Street Journal on the future Of the EV charging network.
ON THE PODCAST
NERC CEO Talks Reliability, Storms with EPSA – With February’s Winter Storm Uri power outages in Texas, calls for energy conservation in California, and even threats to system reliability in New England, a changing electric grid, cyber threats and extreme weather events bring new challenges for keeping the lights on. Jim Robb, president and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation joins EPSA’s Energy Solutions podcast to share why the power system is under stress — and why it’s time to recommit to reliability as the energy landscape evolves.
FUN OPINIONS
Victor, Hanna: CA Leading Charge on Climate – In an op-ed in the LA Times, former Council on Foreign Relation expert David Victor (now professor of industrial organization and climate science at UC San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Ryan Hanna, assistant research scientist at UC San Diego, write that unmistakable signs of progress are appearing in the battle against climate change. They aren’t yet at the global level — where the world’s dependence on conventional fossil fuels has barely budged — but rather in pioneering countries and states that are making big investments in the new technologies needed to protect the planet. They focus on the role of natural gas, integration of renewables and human behavior as three key areas where we must have practical answers. They conclude, “Addressing global warming will require practical answers in transitioning away from existing energy infrastructure. California’s experiments, linking policy and industry, could once again lead the way.”
FROG BLOG
Conca: Emissions Still Rising – In a Forbes blog post, our friend Jim Conca writes that after the world has spent a few trillion dollars since 2010 trying to decarbonize, $503 billion in 2020 alone, carbon emissions are still increasing. Even as the pandemic slowed that growth for a bit during 2020-2021, emissions in 2022-2023 will break all records and exceed 55 billion tons/year by more than a little. According to the International Energy Agency, global electricity demand will increase by 5% in 2021 and 4% in 2022, and half of this increase will be met by fossil fuels, particularly new coal in the developing world. CO2 emissions from the power sector will rise to record levels in 2022, exceeding 34 billion tons.
FUN FACTS
Hydrogen Capacity By Country: The top 7 counties with the greatest green hydrogen capacity in electrolyzer capacity from announced projects (GW):
1) Australia 28.9
2) Netherlands 13.3
3) Belgium 7.0
4) China 5.2
5) United Kingdom 4.2
6) Saudi Arabia 4.0
7) Denmark 3.7
Sources: International Energy Agency Hydrogen Projects Database; Bain & Company analysis
IN THE NEWS
SoCal Gas Submits Hydrogen Agenda to DOE – Southern California Gas has submitted rolled out several of its R&D initiatives designed to enable low-cost, clean hydrogen, submitting them to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) “Earthshot” Hydrogen Program’s Request for Information (RFI). The submissions are intended to help DOE’s Hydrogen Program prioritize projects that would accelerate clean hydrogen innovations that could reduce emissions, create jobs, and facilitate a net-zero carbon emissions economy by 2050. SoCalGas is working with multiple collaborators on these initiatives, including the University of California Irvine, University of California Los Angeles, and the Green Hydrogen Coalition, among others. SoCalGas recently announced its commitment to the goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045. In doing so, SoCalGas became the largest gas distribution utility in the nation to include scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions in its target, aligning with the Paris Agreement’s recommendations to limit global warming to 1.5°C by achieving net zero by mid-century.
Programs for DOE – The programs submitted to the DOE request include:
- HyDeal LA: An initiative to architect the green hydrogen ecosystem to achieve at-scale procurement of green hydrogen at $1.50/kg in the Los Angeles basin by 2030. HyDeal LA is a collaboration of green hydrogen offtakers, developers, integrators, equipment manufacturers, investors, environmental groups, and other advisors coalescing to overcome the biggest barrier to the green hydrogen economy–its high cost–by aiming to launch North America’s first green hydrogen hub at scale. HyDeal LA is targeting the inclusion of power plants, industrial applications, hydrogen transportation, and ultimately, global export of green hydrogen from the ports.
- Renewable Hydrogen Ecosystem: A project at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) that will be designed to use hydrogen made from solar and wind energy to create a zero-emissions energy system on the UCI campus. If successful, this project would demonstrate a scalable solution that could be replicated by urban communities around the world to achieve zero emissions.
- Direct Solar Methane Conversion: A new technology developed by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) that uses solar energy to separate the carbon and hydrogen atoms in natural gas with zero or negative emissions, creating hydrogen and capturing carbon in solid form, which can be used in high value energy technology applications when commercialized.
Chamber Details Support for Clean Energy Standard – The US Chamber’s Global Energy Institute said last week issued principles for a Clean Energy Standard. In the letter, the Chamber’s Marty Durbin says Congressional legislation must encourage innovation and investment to ensure significant emissions reductions, while avoiding economic harm to businesses, consumers and disadvantaged communities. Durbin also says it must have realistic timelines, consider flexibility and grid reliability, be compatible with other sectors and address conflicting regulatory schemes. The principles connect on several of the proposals out there but seem most in-line with the bipartisan approach out forward by Reps. David McKinley and Kurt Schrader.
Sol Systems-KKR Deal Targets Solar for Low-Income Communities – Solar provider Sol Systems and leading global investment firm KKR are joining together to scale the Sol’s Impact + Infrastructure approach. Sol Systems and KKR also announced a new strategic partnership in which KKR is committing up to $1 billion to acquire shovel-ready projects, helping fund Sol Systems’ development of contracted renewable energy and storage assets to meet the growing sustainability needs in North America. Sol Systems combines renewable energy development, delivery, asset management and environmental commodity management into one unique infrastructure and impact offering. Sol Systems’ approach is specifically designed to enable customers to procure renewable energy and invest in sustainable infrastructure while creating dedicated income streams for under-resourced communities and communities disproportionately impacted by climate change. For example, Sol’s first of its kind Impact Power Purchase Agreement pairs the development of solar projects with community investment, habitat restoration and job creation opportunities in communities across the US. Through this approach, Sol Systems is enabling many of the world’s largest institutional, corporate and municipal partners to invest in and procure renewable energy while making a positive community impact.
New Battery Venture Moves Forward – Form Energy, a technology company developing a new class of cost-effective, multi-day energy storage systems, rolled out the battery chemistry of its first commercial product and a $200 million Series D financing round led by ArcelorMittal's XCarb™ innovation fund. Form Energy's first commercial product is a rechargeable iron-air battery capable of delivering electricity for 100 hours at system costs competitive with conventional power plants and at less than 1/10th the cost of lithium-ion. Made from iron, one of the safest, cheapest, and most abundant minerals on Earth, this front-of-the-meter battery can be used continuously over a multi-day period and will enable a reliable, secure, and fully renewable electric grid year-round. Form Energy and ArcelorMittal are working jointly on the development of iron materials which ArcelorMittal would non-exclusively supply for Form's battery systems. Form Energy intends to source the iron domestically and manufacture the battery systems near where they will be sited. Form Energy's first project is with Minnesota-based utility Great River Energy, located near the heart of the American Iron Range.
ClearPath Says This Solves Key Problem – Alex Fitzsimmons, senior director of renewable energy and energy storage at ClearPath, told the Washington Examiner that Form Energy is one of many companies working on advanced battery chemistries that can cost effectively store energy for multiple days at scale. Lithium-ion batteries, the primary source of new energy storage technology deployed on the grid in the U.S., can only provide shorter duration storage. These are also used to power electric cars, which Form’s battery is too heavy to do. But unlike today's batteries, Form’s iron-air battery can help keep the lights on during multiday power outages. It also uses one of the most abundant minerals on Earth, iron, so it can reduce U.S. dependence on critical mineral supply chains controlled mostly by China. He added: “Long-duration grid-scale storage is vital for strengthening grid reliability, improving energy security, and reducing emissions,” said Fitzsimmons, who was deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency at the Energy Department in the Trump administration, where he helped launch the agency’s “Energy Storage Grand Challenge. For the U.S. to be the world leader in energy storage, private sector innovation is key. The U.S. needs to innovate faster than adversaries can copy.”
Energy Storage Merges Into ACP – Speaking of storage, the American Clean Power Association and U.S. Energy Storage Association announced an intent to merge after their boards of directors voted to combine their staff, programs, and members. The merger will “further position the renewable energy and storage industries for success as they move into a decade of transformative growth,” the trade associations said. The merger will take effect on January 1, 2022, subject to final approval from Storage Association members.
ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
MOST EVENTS SCHEDULED ARE NOW ONLINE WEBINARS
Clean Energy Expo Set – The 2021 Congressional Clean Energy EXPO and Policy Forum will be held on Capitol Hill today. 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.
WaPo Live Hosts Transpo Tech Execs – Today at 3:30 p.m., the Washington Post LIVE hosts a forum with Joby Aviation CEO/Founder JoeBen Bevirt and Reinvent Technology Partners/LinkedIn Co-Director Reid Hoffman. They will share their plans for an electric vertical take-off and landing aerial taxi service and discuss how they hope to shape the future of transportation.
Forum Looks at Gulf Economies, Climate – The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, in partnership with the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute, will host a discussion tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. to tackle economic diversification strategies to wean Gulf economies away from a dependence on hydrocarbon revenue.
Senate Energy Hosts Interior’s Haaland on Budget – The Senate Energy Committee holds a hearing tomorrow 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.
House Small Biz Looks at Clean Energy – The House Small Business Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Workforce Development Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow on the clean energy economy. Witnesses include James Hasselbeck of ReVision Energy in Maine and Energy Efficiencies Solutions CEO Leticia Colon De Mejias.
House Resources Looks at 1872 Mining Law – The House Natural Resources Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on the legacy of the Mining Law of 1872.
Senate Commerce Looks at Pipeline Cyber – The Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on pipeline cybersecurity and protecting critical infrastructure. The hearing will examine the current state of pipeline cybersecurity and the role that federal regulators play in protecting our nation’s critical infrastructure from malicious actors. This hearing will also examine recent actions taken in response to pipeline cyber incidents and gaps in our current oversight and regulatory structure. Witnesses include Transportation Security Administration Administrator David Pekoske, Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg and GAO’s Leslie Gordon.
Forum Looks at Space, Nuclear Techs – The Global America Business Institute holds a forum tomorrow 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).
House Energy Hosts FERC Commissioners – The House Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. to conduct oversight of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Commissioners include Neil Chatterjee will testify.
Webinar Looks at Policy on Financing Buildings – Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., BuildingAction and the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust will host Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) as she discusses the latest developments on infrastructure and climate legislation before Congress and her Committee. Sanchez and a panel of experts will discuss how policymakers can make inroads in reducing energy consumption in the building sector while revitalizing the economy through legislation like her Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act and other proposals.
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 tomorrow and Wednesday at noon 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 to Look at Genomes to Sequester Carbon in Ag – Tomorrow 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.
Forum Looks at Farmers, Climate – Foreign Policy and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates hold a virtual discussion tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. on farmers on the frontier of climate change. The discussion features policymakers, agricultural and environmental experts to explore innovative farming practices at the local level, as well as policy and industry efforts to reduce the climate impact of food production and help ensure a sustainable future for food and farmers. Speakers include US AID’s Jim Barnhart, Senior adviser for international affairs at the Agriculture Department Jaime Adams, Climate Czar John Kerry Advisor David Livingston and several others.
WoodMac Forum Looks at Renewables – Wood Mackenzie holds its virtual Power and Renewables Conference: North America tomorrow and Wednesday from 1:00 -5:00 p.m. each day. WoodMac’s senior energy transition experts will present their latest insights on these central questions and engage in conversations with renewable industry leaders to break down the steps the power sector needs to deliver these targets. DOE EERE Acting Assistant Secretary Kelly Speakes-Backman headlines a large group of speakers.
House Oversight Looks at Cyber Threats to Grid – The House Oversight and Reform National Security Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to focus on defending the US electric grid against cyber threats. Witnesses include acting principal deputy assistant Energy secretary in the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response Puesh M. Kumar, FERC Director Energy Infrastructure Security Joseph McClelland and Eric Goldstein, Executive assistant director for cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Murkowski Headlines BPC Minerals Forum – The Bipartisan Policy Center holds a virtual discussion tomorrow at 2:45 p.m., on critical minerals in the energy transition. The event features keynote conversations with Senator Lisa Murkowski and DOE’s David Turk, as well as key stakeholders to explore challenges and solutions for strengthening U.S. supply chains to secure reliable and sustainable critical minerals. Panel speakers include GM’s Michael Maten, Rio Tinto’s Paramita Das and Marcelle Shoop of the National Audubon Society.
Event Looks at LA100 – On Tuesday evening at 9:00 p.m., the Colorado Renewable Energy Society will host Dr. Jaquelin Cochran who will discuss one of the NREL's most advanced studies that looking at 100% zero carbon electricity by 2035. NREL’s recent Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study (LA100) is a first-of-its-kind objective, highly detailed, rigorous, and science-based study to analyze potential pathways the community can take to achieve a 100% clean energy future. The study paves the way for other jurisdictions to reach their own clean energy goals, equitably and economically.
Forum Looks at Battery Metals – S&P Global Market Intelligence holds a webinar on Wednesday 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?
Senate Energy Addresses National Parks Overcrowding – The Senate Energy Committee’s National Parks Subcommittee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. to address impacts of overcrowding in the national parks on park resources and visitor experiences. Witnesses include Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider, Kristen Brengel of the National Parks Conservation Association, National Park Service Deputy director of operations Shawn Benge and Whitefish Chamber of Commerce executive director Kevin Gartland.
Senate Enviro Looks at Army Corps Water Projects – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. examining the benefits of investing in Army Corps of Engineers water infrastructure projects.
Forum Looks at Climate, Global Markets – The Principles for Responsible Investment holds a virtual discussion on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. on climate and global financial markets. SEC Chair Gary Gensler will speak.
Forum to Look at Clean Energy Standards – OurEnergyPolicy and the R Street Institute hold a forum on Wednesday at Noon on clean energy standards like those being discussed in Congress currently. This webinar will address the status of a clean energy standard on both fronts, with discussion from panelists on various perspectives of the policy’s benefits and drawbacks, as well as how and whether it should be implemented. Sen. Tina Smith is speaks and EPSA’s Todd Snitchler moderates a panel with R St’s Devin Hartman and Third Way’s Lindsey Walter.
CSIS To Host Duckworth – On Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., the Center for Strategic and International Studies hold a Smart Women, Smart Power conversation with Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). She will discuss U.S. national security in the Indo-Pacific and her recent visit to the region with Nina Easton.
C2ES Hosts Whitehouse – On Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., the Center for Climate and Environmental Solutions (C2ES) will host Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) for a fireside chat at the Pricing Carbon Initiative’s Pricing Carbon. He will discuss the “Save our Future Act,” which he introduced last month along with Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI).
R St Looks at Transmission Investment – The R Street Institute is hosting a forum on Wednesday 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 Wednesday and Thursday. 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.
WRI Discusses Ag Paper, Future Agenda – The World Resources Institute holds a forum on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. to discuss findings and recommendations from a new Global Commission on Adaptation paper “A Blueprint for Digital Climate-informed Advisory Services: Building the Resilience of 300 million Small-scale Producers by 2030.” The event will highlight how donors and stakeholders can increase global investment in DCAS to reach 300 million small-scale agricultural producers by 2030. Authors will put forward core principles for good practice in DCAS investments and provide recommendations on how to target investment in a sustainable and equitable way. The event will conclude with testimonies from farmers, service providers, and donors, who will speak to their own experiences with DCAS, offering real-world examples of how these tools and platforms are integrated into agricultural decision-making.
House Select Climate Looks at – On Thursday at 9:00 a.m., the House Climate Select Committee holds a hearing on climate solutions and job creation. Our friend Rich Powell of ClearPath is among those that will testify along with BlueGreen’s Zoe Lipman and Rhodium’s John Larson.
Wilson Looks at China, Plastic Waste – The Woodrow Wilson Center's China Environment Forum holds a virtual discussion on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. looking at innovative technologies and citizen science to combat plastic waste in the Mekong and beyond. Panelists working in the UNEP’s CounterMEASURE project will talk about how their work in the Mekong River Basin deploying citizen science and frontier technologies like GIS, machine learning and drones, can help identify sources and pathways of plastic pollution in river systems in Asia. Their work, done in partnership with universities, NGOs, businesses, and other international organizations, is generating data to make the most comprehensive map of plastic waste to inform policy decisions and actions to reduce plastic waste in rivers.
CSIS Looks at Climate, Ag Impacts in Pakistan – On Thursday at 9:00 a.m., the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Institute of Regional Studies Islamabad hold a conversation on climate risks and agricultural impacts in Pakistan.
FERC’s Christies Headlines Meeting on Transmission – WIRES, the Voice of the Transmission Industry, holds its virtual summer meeting on topics in the transmission world on Thursday. The event will feature a keynote from FERC Commissioner Mark Christie, as well as two panels of transmission experts. The first explores how transmission helps drive economic growth, with a look at findings from recent reports, including WIRES GDP/jobs growth study from London Economics Int’l, while the second panel looks further FERC’s recent actions on the Joint Federal/State Task Force and state voluntary agreements with insights from industry experts on where it could lead.
Forum Looks at Trade, Circular Economy – The Washington International Trade Association holds a virtual discussion on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on trade, sustainability and a circular economy. Key stakeholders in the circular economy will discuss how trade policy can be a tool to help improve sustainability.
Senate Enviro Hold CSB Noms Hearing – The Senate Environment Committee’s Chemical Safety Oversight panel holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on President Biden’s nominations for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigations Board. Nominees include Stephen Owens, Jennifer Sass and Sylvia Johnson.
USEA Looks at Microgrids – On Thursday 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.
McKinley, Schrader Talk CES at ACCF Forum – On Thursday at 12:00 p.m., the American Council on Capital Formation (ACCF) will host a conversation with Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and David McKinley (R-WV) to focus on the Clean Energy Standard. Schrader and McKinley have made headlines for their introduction of the bipartisan Clean Energy Future through Innovation Act of 2021. The legislation promises to boost innovation of clean energy technologies and reduce emissions from the power sector while preserving affordability and reliability.
RFF to Look at Clean Buildings – Resources for the Future holds a virtual discussion at Noon on clean buildings. The forum will feature a panel of experts to discuss insights and challenges that could help inform the development of BPS policy at the federal level. Speakers include EPA’s Cindy Jacobs, DC Department of Energy & Environment’s Katie Bergfeld, JHU’s Veronique Bugnion, RFF’s Kathryne Cleary, Resources for the Future and Danielle Spiegel-Feld of the New York University School of Law.
BPC Looks at Offshore Wind – The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Energy Program holds a forum on Thursday 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 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. Witnesses include ACP’s Heather Zichal, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson and Vineyard Co-CEO Lars Thaaning Pedersen.
Forum Addresses Energy Efficiency, Climate Justice – The Hill hosts a forum on Thursday 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.
Forum Looks at Enviro Justice, Tech – ELI hosts a forum on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. on Technology and environmental justice. The webinar, moderated by ELI’s President Scott Fulton, will focus on the potential role of technology in helping ensure the just distribution of environmental benefits, burdens, and opportunities across society. The panel will bring together experts from the tech sector, government, and the environmental justice community to explore the potential of technology to sharpen understanding of which communities are environmentally overburdened and to highlight the sources of those burdens. The panel will also consider current barriers to access to technology and technology-enabled information and how those barriers might be overcome so that technology’s full potential in this space can be realized.
Forum Looks at Carbon Solutions – Carbon180 hosts a discussion on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. focused on carbon removal that welcomes champions and skeptics alike to explore the entire portfolio of approaches, from direct air capture to soil carbon sequestration. The event will be moderated by Akshat Rathi, climate reporter at Bloomberg, and will feature speakers including Elizabeth Willmott, carbon program manager at Microsoft and DOE’s Jennifer Wilcox,
USEA Presser Features Utility on Resilience – On Friday 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.
CSIS Forum Focused on Infrastructure – On Friday at 1:00 p.m., the CSIS Economics Program will host a discussion among former U.S. Trade Representative Amb. Charlene Barshefsky, Bechtel Corporation CEO Brendan Bechtel, CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost and former National Security Advisor Stephen J. Hadley to discuss the G7 initiative and the essential elements of a successful U.S. global infrastructure strategy.
IN THE FUTURE
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.
Forum to Feature Interview with SEPA Head – Next Tuesday August 3rd at 2:00 p.m., WRISE will be holding an online forum featuring an interview with Julia Hamm, President and CEO the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). Julia is a visionary leader at the center of the transformation underway in the electric power sector to a clean and modern energy future. For the past 20 years she has been advising and collaborating with utilities, solution providers and government agencies on business models, grid modernization, and clean energy policies, strategies and programs. This interview will be conducted by ConEd’s Kamaj Bailey and will focus on the evolution of renewables and the role SEPA has played in that transition.
Forum Looks at EVs in 2021 – The Smart Energy Summit hosts a webinar on Wednesday August 4th at 1:30 p.m. addressing the adoption and drivers for EV in 2021, as well as the role of storage in helping to manage the grid. Revel’s Paul Suhey and Chargepoint’s Anthony Harrison speak as well as a Panel Of experts.
Breakthrough Hosts Forum – The Breakthrough Institute hosts a 2021 Dialogue on Ecomodern Justice on August 4th-6th. On Friday, the forum will feature an energy infrastructure panel featuring ClearPath’s Jena Lococo and CATF’s Armand Cohen.
TX Enviro Superconference Set – The 33rd annual Texas Environmental Superconference will be held LIVE on Thursday, August 5 through Friday, August 6 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas. This year’s program promises to be as content-filled and as much or more fun as past Superconferences. My Bracewell colleague Ann Navaro speaks on an infrastructure panel while API’s John Wagner is on a climate change panel.
WRI to Look at December COP Meeting Successes – On Thursday August 5th at 9:00 a.m., the World Resources Institute will hold an overview of national climate action three months ahead of the COP26 negotiations. WRI experts will analyze the very latest submitted national climate plans, share insights on how new plans compare to those put forward five years ago, and present research on the scale and pace of climate action required keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal within reach.
NARUC, DOE Forums Continue on Nuclear Reliability, Resilience – On Friday August 6th at 2:00 p.m., NARUC and DOE continue their nuclear energy partnership webinar series with a forum on how nuclear contributes to grid reliability and resilience in Puerto Rico and the Pacific Northwest. Jesus Nunez of the Nuclear Alternative Project and E3’s Arne Olson speak.
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.
Bracewell, Energy Voice Look at Offshore Wind, Hydrogen, Carbon Capture in Energy Transition – On August 12th at 3:00 p.m., Energy Voice and Bracewell will host a forum on new energy opportunities in the US. The energy transition will need to harness an array of technologies with offshore wind, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen all playing a central role. Scheduled for the week prior to OTC and the NAPE Summit, this event will set the agenda for the Houston conference season, where there will be huge attention on the disruptive capacity of these three transition industries. Speakers include my Bracewell Colleagues Christine Wyman, Liz McGinley and Steve Hug, along with Ari Liquide’s Dave Edwards, Equinor’s Anders Hangeland and Matt Vining of Navigator CO2 Ventures, among others.
OTC Set for Houston – The Offshore Technology Conference 2021 will be held at NRG Park in Houston from August 16th to 18th.
Forum to Look at Jos, Clean Energy Efforts in States – On Tuesday August 17th the Security and Sustainability Forum and Arizona State hold their third webinar in this ASU series that looks at supportive state policies that respond to stakeholder demands for clean energy solutions can win business. The panel convenes energy policy officials from several states to discuss how they use state clean energy goals and requirements to support a pro-clean air, pro-growth economy to attract new businesses and investments in their states. Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter joins a panel of experts.
NAPE Also Set for Houston – Set for in person on August 18-20th and virtual on Aug 9th to Sept 3rd, the 2021 NAPE Summit is a hybrid expo and conference with a heavy focus on networking that brings together domestic and international decision-makers to forge, facilitate and close deals. With the addition of renewable energy sources to our oil and gas offerings, NAPE will be the ultimate venue for energy deals.
Clean Energy Week Set for Sept – The 5th annual National Clean Energy Week begins September 20-24th.