Energy Update: Week of March 1

Friends,               

I didn’t watch much of the 78^th Golden Globes last night, but saw enough to know that Borat, The Crown and Schitt’s Creek all scored major wins.

I’m starting this week with something I usually highlight more: CERA WEEK starts TODAY.  Even though it is on-line, it’s got the usual stellar lineup, including the newly-minted Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.  It also features Bill Gates, John Kerry, Gina McCarthy, Sens. Manchin, Murkowski and Cornyn, FERC Chair Rich Glick, Duke’s Lynn Good, heads of several US and other national oil companies, former Energy Sect Moniz and many more.  Of course, Dan Yergin is the host with the most, sharing insights from his most recent book.  In fact, API’s Mike Sommers is speaking as I send this update.

The Budget/COVID legislation heads to the Senate after an early Saturday morning vote in the House where it snuck by with a 7-vote margin.  The Senate action will likely get a little messy over the next two weeks.  Meanwhile, Senate committees will hold confirmation hearings for Brenda Mallory to head the White House CEQ, Janet McCabe to be deputy EPA administrator and David Turk to be deputy Energy secretary. Mallory and McCabe will appear before the Senate Environment on Wednesday while Turk goes to Senate Energy on Thursday.  Finally, with Neera Tanden’s potential confirmation in trouble, folks are closely watching two hearings for OMB Deputy Shalanda Young tomorrow in Senate Budget and Thursday in Homeland Security.

If you are following potential Congressional climate action, tune in tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. for a major event when the BPC hosts Reps. David McKinley and Kurt Schrader who will talk about their bipartisan climate legislation. 

Finally, check out two interesting op-eds this week: 1) The high-profile business website Marketwatch, ran a piece from Sempra CEO Jeff Martin and Total CEO  Patrick Pouyanné that says we can recover globally from COVID and address energy poverty by constructing a path to a cleaner, lower-carbon economy, and 2) In The Hill, Gen. Michael Hagee, the 33^rd Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Ryan Popple of Proterra called for the swift, full funding of efforts to strengthen our domestic semiconductor industry.

Major League Baseball Spring Training kicks into full gear this week with all teams starting to play games and start paying attention to NCAA basketball because it looks like March Madness is setting up soon…Hope you all remember to stay safe & healthy and get those vaccine shots if you can!

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

 

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“Anyone who thinks we're going to get rid of fossil fuels is smoking pot. Which is legal in the state of Alaska."

Rep Don Young while introducing and urging support for Rep. Deb Haaland to be the Secretary of Interior

ON THE PODCAST

Cal-Berkeley Expert Talks Blackouts, Reliability, Impacts on Poor – In this edition of Resources Radio, host Daniel Raimi talks with Severin Borenstein, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a member of the Board of Governors of the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s energy grid. Borenstein elaborates on the causes behind the rolling blackouts that gripped California in 2020 and the more severe electricity crisis currently unfolding in Texas. While each system has its own particularities, Borenstein contends that power suppliers across the nation need to do more to account for the intermittency of renewable resources and that policymakers can prevent future blackouts by enforcing higher standards for resource adequacy.

FUN OPINIONS

Sempra/Total CEOs: New Momentum to Build Clean Energy Economy Around the Globe – In an opinion piece on the high-profile business website Marketwatch, Sempra CEO Jeff Martin and Total CEO Patrick Pouyanné argue that we can recover globally from COVID and address energy poverty by constructing a path to a cleaner, lower-carbon economy. Industry and world leaders acknowledge that a complex, global climate challenge requires a global solution that will include innovation, renewables expansion, wise infrastructure Investment, the reliability of the natural gas network and advance in new opportunities like hydrogen in both developed and developing countries. They suggest through our collective resolve and engagement, we can eradicate energy poverty and deliver a cleaner, sustainable energy ecosystem for all.

FROG BLOG

Semiconductor Shortage Major Problem for Supply Chain – In an op-ed was last week in The Hill, Gen. Michael Hagee, the 33^rd Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Ryan Popple, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Proterra called for the swift, full funding of the CHIPS Act to strengthen our domestic semiconductor industry, it also calls for measures to enhance the security of other supply chains critical to our future transportation technology—particularly those mentioned in the Biden administration’s Executive Order. Both authors have worked with Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) on key supply chain issues and the battle with China to develop them.  

IN THE NEWS

Cal Report: High Electricity Prices Risk Climate Goal – A new report out Tuesday by UC Berkeley's Energy Institute and Next 10, a nonpartisan organization studying economic and environmental issues, says that California's electricity rates are too high and will rise further, which they argue will make it harder to achieve the state's ambitious emissions reduction goals.  The report's authors argued for more equitably allocating energy costs, which they say would mean changing how electricity bills are structured. Otherwise, they wrote, high rates will discourage people from upgrading to electric vehicles and appliances, and that slower electrification rate will mean slower emissions reductions.  The experts advocated for an overhaul of how utilities bill customers for energy usage, which they acknowledge would be a massive political and regulatory undertaking.

President Biden’s EO Spotlights Secure Supply Chains – President Biden signed an Executive Order last week initiating a process to review risks to U.S. supply chains and make recommendations to strengthen their resilience. This is a welcome focus on an issue that is critical to enabling our connected, electric future. As SAFE noted in a statement, we have already seen how the semiconductor shortage has stifled our auto industry’s recovery and idled production across the country. America cannot afford similar disruptions in other crucial supply chains critical to our industrial base. SAFE was pleased to see Republicans join President Biden in the Oval Office yesterday to discuss these supply chain threats. The Executive Order parallels the arguments SAFE made in The Commanding Heights of Global Transportation and is reiterating in the press. As the full impacts of the current semiconductor shortage on the auto industry were becoming clear to the auto industry in January, SAFE published an op-ed in the Detroit News warning that the semiconductor shortage known as “Chipageddon” must not become the canary in the coalmine for future supply chain disruptions.

Biden Bumps Social Cost of Carbon – The Biden Administration late Friday boosted the calculation on the economic cost of greenhouse gases in order to make it easier for agencies to approve aggressive actions to confront climate change. The interim figure of $51 for every ton of carbon released into the atmosphere is much higher than the $8 cost used under former President Trump and similar to the price based on analyses undertaken between 2010 and 2016 under former President Barack Obama.  API signaled the industry’s commitment to working with the administration to shape a lower-carbon future:

"As the U.S. works to achieve a lower-carbon future, assessing the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to drive emissions down is an important step in policymaking,” API Vice President of Corporate Policy Stephen Comstock said. “We look forward to working with the interagency working group and providing input as they develop their final recommendations, and we encourage the administration to pursue a transparent process for stakeholder engagement. This is an opportunity for government and industry to work together to advance our shared goals of reducing the risks of climate change and building on the progress our country has made in driving down greenhouse gas emissions."

Recently, 11 trade organizations sent a letter to the administration expressing the regulatory community’s interest in participating in this process, including ACC, AF&PA, API, AFPM, Council of Boiler Owners, American Iron/Steel, NAM, the US Chamber, Portland Cement, IPAA and the Fertilizer Institute.

NY Climate Action Council Highlights Electrification Challenges – POLITICO New York reports that Electrifying everything — without careful planning — poses some risks, state staff highlighted to the Climate Action Council at their meeting on Friday. NYSERDA’s Adam Ruder presented early results from Cadmus on the demand impacts of electrifying transportation. Unmanaged, that could require costly grid buildout. On the buildings side, widespread electrification using air-source heat pumps without retrofits could increase the winter demand peak by roughly 65 gigawatts in 2050. That would mean significant need for additional electricity generation. That can be significantly lessened with more geothermal heat pumps and deep efficiency improvements for the building stock.

Manchin, Stabenow Introduce $8B Transition Legislation – Sens. Joe Manchin and Debbie Stabenow are introducing new legislation that would spend $8 billion to bring clean energy manufacturing and recycling to former fossil fuel sites and help transition workers to jobs in the clean energy sector. The American Jobs in Energy Manufacturing Act would build on the 48C tax credit by offering $8 billion to build or retrofit manufacturing and industrial facilities to make clean energy technologies such as battery storage, carbon capture and removal, low-emissions vehicles, energy efficiency equipment, and more.  Montana Republican

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

MOST EVENTS SCHEDULED ARE NOW ONLINE WEBINARS

Sen Sullivan Heads to Atlantic Council – The Atlantic Council will host a conversation today at 3:00 p.m. featuring Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) on China and the challenge it presents a challenge across the domains of trade, technology, governance, and security.

DOE Water Office Holds Stakeholder Event – Today at 3:30 p.m., the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office is holding its semiannual stakeholder webinar. Staff will discuss some of the most pressing changes affecting water power research and development in 2021. Led by Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power and WPTO Director Alejandro Moreno, the webinar will feature program managers and technical leads from across the office. Program representatives will provide an update on the administration transition and FY21 budget, highlight recent announcements and publications, share project updates, and discuss upcoming priorities.

Forum Looks at Offshore Wind in Denmark – Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., the Atlantic Council holds a webinar on the world's first energy islands or hubs for aggregation and distribution of offshore wind power.  This event will focus on Denmark's establishment of the world's first energy islands and is part of the AC’s EnergySource Innovation Stream series.  Energinet’s Hanne Storm Edlefsen will discuss how the Danish Folketing (Parliament) is preparing for the construction of two energy islands in Denmark—in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

BPC Forum Looks at McKinley-Schrader Legislation – The Bipartisan Policy Center hosts a conversation tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. with Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) to discuss their legislative priorities and upcoming opportunities for spurring energy innovation and reducing power sector carbon emissions. Their Clean Energy Future through Innovation Act of 2020 established the first bipartisan proposal to accelerate the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies and establish clear and durable standards for their use in the electric power sector.  Following the discussion with the representatives, Xcel’s Jeff Lyng and Brad Markell of the AFL-CIO will provide their reactions and discuss their perspectives on how CES policies can advance the energy transition, support job creation and economic recovery, and strengthen America’s infrastructure.

Brookings Forum Looks at Climate Resilience – Tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Brookings will host the final event in the Blueprints series, focused on addressing climate change mitigation and resilience. A panel of scholars will discuss ideas from Blueprints briefs related to preparing students and workers for emerging job fields, incentivizing resilient businesses, reducing federal climate risk, and managing the federal government’s own exposure to climate-related risks. Underpinning all of these related topics is the imperative to reengage and lead the global community.

OMB Deputy Nom Hits Senate Committees – Two Senate committees take up the nomination of Shalanda Young to be deputy director at the White House Office of Management and Budget this week.  The Senate Budget Committee will question Young tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. while the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hosts her on Thursday at 10:15 a.m. Young’s hearings come as the White House struggles to get Neera Tanden confirmed as OMB head.  Last week, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he would oppose Tanden.

Energy Economists Talk Climate Trading Markets – Tomorrow at Noon, The US Energy Economists host a forum on market-based approaches to climate change are currently being used in 12 states that account for more than a quarter of the US population and a third of GDP. Former NCAC-USAEE President and President of Powerhouse, Elaine Levin, will host featured expert Dr. Michael Walsh of Incubex to discuss market base incentives to climate change, and the differences between the separate markets and whether they are working. 

New Report Looks at Nuclear Waste – The Center on Global Energy Policy will host a webinar tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. addressing the U.S. nuclear waste program and the policy options outlined in a new report by Columbia CGEP research scholar Matt Bowen. The report explains how the US reached its current standstill over Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High-Level Nucelar Waste disposal, and discusses how the nation might restructure its approach moving forward.  Following the report presentation, a panel of experts will discuss various aspects of U.S. SNF and HLW management. Speakers include Sandia National Laboratories Senior Manager of Nuclear Engineering Fuel Cycle Evaristo “Tito” Bonano, former House Energy panel chair and RFF President Phil Sharp and Melanie Snyder, Program Manager of Nuclear Waste Transportation and Disposition on the Western Interstate Energy Board.

CEQ, EPA Noms Hearing Set – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. for the nominations of Brenda Mallory to serve as chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Janet McCabe to be deputy EPA administrator.

WRI Looks at Forest, Land, Ag – The World Resources Institute holds a forum tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. on initiatives under development to help companies set targets and track their progress on reducing climate impacts for the land sector (food, agriculture, forestry, etc.). The Greenhouse Gas Protocol team will share updates on their upcoming Land Sector and Removals Guidance on accounting for and reporting greenhouse gas impacts for companies in land sector value chains, including guidance for CO2 removals.  The Science Based Targets initiative’s Forest, Land and Agriculture project (SBTi FLAG) will also present on their upcoming guidance to enable companies to incorporate deforestation and land-related emissions into science-based targets.

Forum Looks at Israel, Climate – The Jewish Council for Public Affairs holds a virtual discussion on Wednesday at Noon looking at successes and challenges Israel has had in dealing with climate change. Ambassador Gideon Behar, Israel's Special Envoy for Climate Change and Sustainability, will be among the speakers.

Buttigeig, Hogan Headline Engineers Group Conference, Report – On Wednesday, March 3^rd, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hosts a conference and releases its 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. The quadrennial assessment will grade the condition and performance of 17 categories of infrastructure including drinking water, roads, the energy grid, levees, dams, and much more. After the grades are unveiled, a program of elected officials, decision makers, and thought leaders will discuss solutions to raising our infrastructure GPA. Among the speakers will be US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA) and John Garamendi (D-CA) EPA Water office head Radhika Fox and many more.

New Atlantic Council Report Looks at US-Korea Energy – On Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center will launch of the new report and hold a conversation about how the United States and South Korea can leverage their shared interests in nuclear energy research and development and advanced technology to strengthen bilateral trade and exports to third-party countries. The new Atlantic Council report, “Advancing US-ROK Cooperation on Nuclear Energy,” examines opportunities for bilateral collaboration to revitalize the nuclear energy industry in each country.

CSIS Forum Looks at Russia, Climate – The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) holds a webinar Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. on Russia in the time of climate change. The CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program holds detailed discussion on Russian climate policy and the effects of climate change on Russia’s strategic future with CSIS’s three Russian Visiting Fellows: Angelina Davydova, Georgy Safonov, and Andrei Semenov.

Senate Energy Hosts Energy Deputy Secretary – The Senate Energy Committee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to consider the nomination of David Turk to be the deputy Energy secretary.

House Resources Looks at Climate Legislation – The House Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on the Insular Area Climate Change Act.  The legislation is a discussion draft of aimed at reducing climate crisis impacts on U.S. territories and freely associated states.

CSIS to Look at India Energy – The CSIS Energy Security & Climate Change Program is holding a discussion on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. to address IEA’s India Energy Outlook 2021. The report examines pathways out of the COVID-19 crisis, as well as longer-term trends, exploring how India’s energy sector might evolve to 2040 under a range of scenarios. The event will begin with a brief overview by Tim Gould on the India Energy Outlook 2021, followed by a presentation of the report's findings by Peter Zeniewski and Siddharth Singh.

Forum to Look at Solar – GreenBiz holds a webcast on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. to discuss solar and its potential to amplify the sustainability and biodiversity benefits of solar. In this webcast, energy advocates and buyers will tell how they are using procurement to accelerate innovation in the solar industry and realize additional environmental lift for their projects and brands. Elysa Hammond of Clif Bar will be among the speakers.

AU Launches Decarb Web Series looking at Climate Diplomacy – On Thursday at 1:00 p.m., AU’s Center for Environmental Policy starts a series of decarbonization forums.  This initial forum will look at issues as the U.S. rejoins other leading nations in the race to mitigate climate change, the debate is no longer about whether it can be, but about whether we can limit its harms. What will it take to get to Net Zero Emissions by 2050? Fears about a perceived trade-off between climate mitigation and economic development continue, but this webinar series seeks to move beyond that conceptualization and understand how climate change can be dramatically slowed, and the economy “decarbonized,” without economic loss. The next forum will be on March 25^th looking at decarb from economic sectors. 

Web Event Looks at Power Gen Future – S&P Global Platts and Assef Zobian, Founder and President at Cambridge Energy Solutions, hold an insightful discussion on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. examining the opportunities and challenges ahead for U.S. power markets.  Economic recovery from a global pandemic, the path towards clean energy, and navigating implications of climate change are only a few examples of the challenges the nation is facing as we enter a new administration.

Columbia SIPA Women’s Forum Set – On Thursday at 5:45 p.m., the Center on Global Energy Policy's Women in Energy (WIE) program hold a forum featuring a panel of experts to discuss the policies, finance, and leadership skills that will be needed to drive the energy transition in the United States, and how the leadership of women will shape the transition.  With this event, we’re honored to welcome Tufts University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to the WIE network. By joining the WIE network, the Climate Policy Lab, an initiative at Tufts University's Fletcher School, and the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) will bring WIE programming such as roundtables, site visits, and professional development workshops, to their students, alumni, and the broader Boston area, and support WIE’s mission to bring more opportunities to women who want to work in the energy sector. It will be the first joint Tufts University, MITEI, and Columbia University Women in Energy event.

Duke Policy Discussion Groups Continues – On Friday at 10:00 a.m., the Aspen Institute and Duke in DC Beyond Talking Points series continues its events to discuss the results of the 2020 election and what can we expect next in Washington, D.C. As our new and returning elected officials get to work, experts are outlining their top considerations for Congress and the next administration on the chief policy issues facing the United States. The Series gathers researchers to discuss the current policy environment, provide recommendations for Congress and President Joe Biden and forecast what to expect from the executive and legislative branches in 2021.

CSIS Looks at Climate, Trade – On Friday at 11:00 a.m., the Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a webinar on a climate-driven trade agenda. The event will include keynote remarks from Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and a subsequent panel with for Council on Foreign Relations expert David Victor, now at UC San Diego, and Warren Maruyama at Hogan Lovells.

Forum to Look at Emissions, Deforestation – On Friday at Noon, the Atlantic Council holds a webinar on driving forest conservation at scale by pursuing architecture for REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) transactions.  The event features a panel with UN-REDD Program Secretariat head Mario Boccucci and bp’s Enric Arderiu Serra, among others.

EESI Holds Energy Efficiency Briefing – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) holds a virtual briefing on Friday at Noon looking at energy efficiency. A panel of experts will discuss how federal energy efficiency programs create jobs and deliver direct meaningful savings to constituent homeowners, consumers, and businesses—all while reducing the stresses and strains on our energy system. Reps. Jeff Fortenberry and Marcy Kaptur will speak along with Connecticut Deputy Commissioner of Energy Vicki Hackett and several other industry and enviro speakers.

IN THE FUTURE

USEA Forum Focused on Women in Energy – The US Energy Assn holds a forum next Monday March 8^th at 9:00 a.m. on to promote Women in Energy on International Women’s Day. The webinar speakers will discuss groups supporting women in energy around the world, how the groups formed, their activities, and challenges for women in energy in their respective countries. Among the speakers is WCEE President Barbara Tyran.

DOE Bioenergy Holds Peer Review Week – All Next week, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting the 2021 Project Peer Review. Approximately 300 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolio will be presented to the public and systematically reviewed by more than 40 external subject-matter experts from industry, academia, and federal agencies. The 2021 Project Peer Review will include multiple simultaneous review sessions of projects within 12 technology areas. 

Forum to Look at Low-Carbon Iron, Steel Production – Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy will host an event on Tuesday March 9^th at 11:00 a.m. to explore the findings of new peer-reviewed research published in Joule, “Low-Carbon Production of Iron & Steel: Technology Options, Economic Assessment, and Policy Options,” focused on the dynamic landscape of net-zero energy systems in heavy industry. The research examines four potential approaches to decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like iron and steel production: zero-carbon hydrogen, biomass, electrification, and CCS; and assesses the current, likely and projected costs. This webinar will feature a short presentation by Dr. Julio Friedmann, CGEP Senior Research Scholar, and Zhiyuan Fan, CGEP Research Associate, followed by a moderated discussion with  leaders in industry, technology, policymaking and government.  Speakers include Rep. Sean Casten, United Steelworkers Roxanne Brown, LanzaTech’s Tom Bower, Gas Tech Institute’s Paula Gant and Rhodium’s John Larson.

CSIS Look at COP 26 – The CSIS Energy Security & Climate Change Program and the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) will hold a discussion on next Tuesday March 9^th at 11:30 a.m. to Look at the Road to COP26: Just Transitions and the Climate Agenda. The event will examine the role of just transitions in the current international climate agenda, in the run-up to COP26 this November. Speakers will discuss how just transitions can help accelerate climate action and to what extent national climate plans are integrating aspects of inclusive decision-making and the fair distribution of emerging opportunities in the new climate economy. They will also share how they think COP26 can help raise ambitions for achieving just transitions.

Forum to Look at CCS Techs – The Chemical Sciences Roundtable hosts a forum on next Tuesday March 9^th at Noon to review advances in carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technologies.  The event will look at available technologies, explore the chemical and engineering challenges in finding improved capture agents, and describe new technologies under development. UC-Berkeley’s Jeff Long and UToledo’s Ana Alba-Rubio will speak.

Heritage to Discuss Biden Climate Policy – The Heritage Foundation holds a web forum on Tuesday March 9^th at Noon to discuss what the Biden Administration’s climate Policy will mean for everyday Americans.  Speakers include our friends Nick Loris of Heritage, Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON) CEO Travis Fisher and ConservAmerica’s Todd Johnston and Shawn Regan of the Property and Environment Research Center.

RFF Looks at Hydrogen – Resources for the Future holds an RFF Live webinar on Tuesday March 9^th at 1:00 p.m. to convene a panel of experts to discuss strategies to reduce barriers to deployment for decarbonized hydrogen. We will begin the event with a presentation of Bartlett and Krupnick’s recent report that will outline the technologies and their relative costs, as well as review policy options to incentivize the production and use of decarbonized hydrogen. Additional speakers include CF Industries Linda Dempsey, Stephen Szymanski of Nel Hydrogen and Kristine Wiley of the Hydrogen Technology Center.

WRI Looks at Wholesale Market Pathways for Cities – The WRI holds a forum on Tuesday March 9^th at 2:00 p.m. on pathways for cities to engage in wholesale market issues. This webinar will highlight findings from WRI’s forthcoming working paper “Local Government Voices in Wholesale Market Issues: Engagement Approaches for Decarbonization,” which explores the ways that cities and counties can engage in their own electricity markets. Guest speakers from the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition and Great Plains Institute will discuss what city engagement is already underway in the PJM and MISO territories. 

USAID Forum Addresses Power System Auctions – The USAID’s Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE) program holds a forum on Wednesday March 10^th at 9:00 a.m. to explore how renewable energy auctions can support VRE integration to the power system and wholesale electricity markets. Power system stability and reliability become more complex as more shares of variable renewable energy (VRE) are integrated into the electric grid. Auctions enable countries to seek out the most cost-effective renewable energy projects on the market while enhancing dispatchability, promoting the use of utility-scale batteries, lowering emissions, and creating local jobs.  

WRI Experts Look into COP26 Issues – The World Resources Institute hold a forum virtually on March 10^th at 10:00 a.m. to discuss the state of national climate action ahead of COP26. Climate Watch will demonstrate tools for policymakers and stakeholders to explore climate commitments and compare them with other countries’ efforts.

Manchin, FERC’s Clements Head Line ACORE Policy Forum – On March 10-11, the ACORE Policy Forum will convene leaders from across the U.S. government and the renewable energy industry for a deep dive on climate policy, grid advocacy, and their expectations for progress at the federal and state levels.  Keynote speakers Joe Manchin and FERC Commissioner Alison Clements will provide an outlook for executive, regulatory and legislative action over the coming year.

Forum to Look at Financing Innovation – ClearPath and Dynamo Energy Hub hosts a forum on Thursday March 11^th at 11:00 a.m. that will bring together policy experts, investors, and project developers to discuss key policies and financial innovation pathways that will help accelerate investment in clean energy projects as part of economic recovery. Emily Chasan of Generate Capital will moderate a panel of speakers including ClearPath’s Jeremy Harrell, Launchpad’s Miriam Eaves and John Kaercher of Baker Botts.

RFF hosts bp’s Looney – On Thursday, March 11^th at 2:15 p.m., Resources for the Future (RFF) holds a Policy Leadership Series event with bp CEO Bernard Looney. Since stepping into the role of CEO a year ago, Bernard has set a new ambition for bp to get to net-zero by 2050 or sooner and launched a new strategy which will see the company pivot from an international oil company to an integrated energy company. RFF President and CEO Richard G. Newell will discuss a range of energy and climate issues with Bernard, including bp’s recent ambition to help the world achieve decarbonization goals and the role of “greening” companies in the energy transition.

NARUC Webinar Looks at Data – The National Assn of Utility Regulatory Commissioners holds a forum on Thursday March 11^th at 3:00 p.m. on utility and regulatory possibilities for empowering energy equity with data.  This webinar will explore approaches to the collection, reporting, and analysis of energy sector data to empower energy equity.

Clean Energy Forum Set – On Friday March 12^th at 11:00 a.m. the 7^th Annual Clean Energy and Sustainability Extravaganza 'Lite' which will be held by Leaders in Energy (LE) and the Association of Energy Engineers National Capital Chapter (AEE NCC). Topics will include highlighting the energy transition under the new Administration, in a panel led by the Chapter's Council on Women in Energy and Environmental Leadership (CWEEL) program, as well as examining how the circular economy is being operationalized in Leaders in Energy’s "Building Back Circular" panel.

Forum to Hit Climate Security Risks – On Friday at 12:30 p.m., the Wilson Center and the Center for Climate and Security (CCS) hold a high-level discussion on the intersection of climate change and security in the Arctic, followed by a dialogue on opportunities to manage future security risks in the region. Panelists will build on the findings and recommendations of two new reports from CCS and its partners: Climate Change and Security in the Arctic and a Climate Security Plan for Canada.

EESI hosts FACTBOOK Discussion – EESI will host a forum on Friday March 12^th at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the 9^th edition of the “Sustainable Energy in America Factbook,” published by BloombergNEF (BNEF) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE).  The Factbook was released on February 18^th, is available to download and provides updates on industry information and trends for the U.S. energy economy, with an in-depth look at the energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy sectors, as well as emerging areas such as digitalization, micro-grids, offshore wind, hydrogen, and renewable natural gas. The speakers, including BCSE President Lisa Jacobsen, BNEF’s Ethan Zindler, CRES policy expert Charles Hernick and National Grid’s Emily Duncan, will assess several core benchmarks—deployment, technology innovation, policy, emissions, and jobs. Despite a very volatile period, the clean energy sectors demonstrated the resilience of the energy system overall.

CCS Forum to Look at Funding, Biz Partners – On Tuesday March 23^rd at 9:00 a.m., the Global CCS Institute holds a forum on finding government funding and business partners in CCS Projects.  In this webinar, they will look at how financial support from federal governments is driving both CCS technology advancements and the financing of demonstration projects. In the US, the recently passed Energy Act of 2020 brings the potential of substantially more US Department of Energy funding opportunities for carbon capture. This webinar will provide insights into navigating transatlantic government funding opportunities and identify the priorities for funding across various sectors.

Forum to Look at Decarb on Economic Sectors – AU’s Center for Environmental Policy continues its series of decarbonization forums looking at decarb from economic sectors. 

NYT Event Looks at Oceans – The NYT Climate Series Netting Zero holds an event on March 25^th at 1:30 p.m. to look at Oceans.  Oceans are a crucial part of the biosphere, soaking up carbon dioxide, absorbing more than 90% of the excess heat trapped on Earth from carbon emissions and producing half of global oxygen. Action is imperative and the panel will look at how to unlock and accelerate ocean-oriented solutions without repeating the mistakes of the past.