Energy Update: Week of November 29th

Friends,               

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family and a good launch of Hanukah last night.  It was a quick but much-needed break as we begin the massive run-up to year-end.  Before we get to that though: It was sure great to be a Michigander over the weekend.  While the Lions didn’t surprise anyone losing on Thanksgiving, Michigan whooped Ohio State for the first time in 3,658 days (that’s 10 years) keep Harbaugh’s job safe and Michigan State took down Penn State.  And the new-look, revamped Red Wings continue to impress as well…  And for those of you paying attention, the Football College Bowl Season kicks off this Saturday in Hobart, Indiana when the Hillsdale College Chargers take on Missouri’s Truman State the second annual America’s Crossroads Bowl. Yours truly is a proud Charger Alum…Now back to the action.

Last week was filled with interesting oil/gas announcements. You might remember before jetting off to Nantucket for the Thanksgiving Weekend, Biden coordinated a SPR release of 50M barrels (18M planned already, 32M exchange) along with other countries to counter OPEC’s reticence to increase production. We will get a signal from OPEC+ this week though.  They had planned to meet for a joint technical committee today and its joint ministerial monitoring committee tomorrow, but have postponed both to Wednesday/Thursday in order to have more time to evaluate the impact of the new omicron coronavirus variant on oil prices and demand.

Then on Black Friday (while you were all fighting for that low-price TV at BestBuy), Interior released its long-awaited review of the federal oil and gas leasing program, which called for more permit limits and raising leasing rates.  That fact that it appeared on Black Friday after the Wednesday “I’m working to reduce your gas prices” speech wasn’t lost on many, including former Senate Energy Chair Lisa Murkowski who roasted it saying “the policies it calls for won’t maximize returns for taxpayers or even reduce emissions—instead, they will hurt production, further raise energy prices and increase our nation’s import dependence. This won’t build back any barrels, but it is – yet again – music to OPEC+’s ears.” API also skewered it: "Days after a public speech in which the White House said the president ‘is using every tool available to him to work to lower prices and address the lack of supply,' his Interior Department proposed to increase costs on American energy development with no clear roadmap for the future of federal leasing.”

Speaking of oil, concerns over the COVID-19 Omicron variant – not any SPR release – sent Brent crude oil down 11.6% on Friday, while West Texas Intermediate dropped 13.1% to $68.15 a barrel. Both declines were the steepest one-day drop since April 2020.  It’s back up a little today just over $70/barrel.

Busy week as we start the year-end parade. Senate Leaders hope to pass the Build Back Better (BBB) out of the Senate by Christmas Day. But it’s not going to be easy because the Senate calendar (about two weeks) is going to be a cluster as they juggle must-pass legislation – NDAA (Dec 31), gov’t funding (Friday), debt ceiling (unsure but maybe Dec 15) with any finishing touches on BBB demanded by recalcitrant members.  Liam, Josh and our PRG experts are all over the ups/downs so let me know what you need. 

The Senate Environment Committee moving key EPA nominees Wednesday before moving on to an NRC oversight hearing, which is currently down two Commissioners.  House Resources meets Thursday to talk about the impact of federal oil and gas leases while Senate Energy looks at outdoor recreation legislation and the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee exams the effects of Chinese trade practices on American workers and the environment.

In other events, EPA will hold virtual public hearings tomorrow and Wednesday looking at the Agency’s proposed rule to sharply reduce methane emissions from existing sources nationwide. SAFE and Axios holds a virtual event on Wednesday that will explore how new technologies and an increased commitment to sustainability are setting a new standard for industrial manufacturing in America featuring Sen. Stabenow, Siemens CEO Barbara Humpton and SAFE minerals expert Jeb Nadaner. Then Thursday, the Chamber’s Global Energy Institute continues its Energy Innovates webinar series to highlight methane issues with EPA’s Joe Goffman and Tomás Carbonell, as well as Devon Energy’s Garrett Jackson, Brian Miller of Project Canary and Environmental Partnership/API’s Matt Todd. 

Finally, I know I won’t have this out is time for the 11 a.m. presser today hosted by US Energy Assn featuring a panel of great reporters asking utilities experts about COP26 impacts, but you should check out the replay.  Stay Safe and healthy.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“We are destroying life on Earth by extracting fossil fuels. The process needs to end, not be reformed.”

Randi Spivak, public lands program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, outlining the environmental community’s completely rational response to the recent Interior report that urged permit limits, increase royalty rates and increased costs for oil/gas drilling.

"No good deed ever goes unpunished by environmental activists.”

Frank Maisano, almost every day there is a news story with enviro group quotes

“This report is exactly what we thought it would be: a series of preordained conclusions that are designed to end federal oil and gas production. President Biden campaigned on that, and his administration is now advancing what amounts to a death-by-a-thousand-cuts strategy to achieve it. What is especially upsetting is that it took Interior 10 months to produce a document that is just 15 pages long, lacking any meaningful analysis, and that repeatedly misrepresents how development actually works.”

Lisa Murkowski… Ouch President Biden and Sect. Haaland…

ON THE PODCAST

DOE Fossil Office Head Discusses Climate Policy – In this episode of My Climate Journey podcast, host Jason Jacobs visits with Dr. Shuchi Talati, Chief of Staff, Office of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management at the U.S. Department of Energy. Talati explains her position at the Department of Energy and why she dedicated her career to CDR (Carbon Dioxide Removal). We dive into the role of fossil fuels, carbon removal, nuclear energy, and offsets as climate solutions. We also have a lively conversation about the role of policy and government in the energy transition and why understanding energy poverty is critical to a successful clean energy transition.

FUN OPINIONS

Study: Climate Words Don’t Seem to Matter –  A study recently published in the journal Climatic Change is among the first to examine the effects of using climate crisis and climate emergency. It reported that reading these phrases “did not have any effect on public engagement,” measured in terms of whether the words had altered people’s emotions, their support for climate policy, or their belief that action could make a difference. The overall takeaway is that journalists and climate advocates might be getting too hung up on specific words when the bigger picture is much more important. Researchers found one instance where the stronger phrasing backfired: News organizations deploying climate emergency came across as slightly less trustworthy, perhaps because it could sound alarmist.

FROG BLOG

SPR Questions Answered – Our friends Derek Brower, Myles McCormick, Amy Chu and Justin Jacobs of the FT write a great explainer on the impacts (real and political) that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve release will provide or not provide, saying the release of 50M barrels of crude would cover half a day of global consumption. Brower notes it was a striking move for a leader who put climate change at the center of his legislative plan, and as a candidate said the US must “transition from the oil industry”.   See the full Q&A Here. 

FUN FACTS

Royalty Rates:  The royalty rates charged by states and private landowners have risen in recent years. Oil and gas companies are paying the highest royalty payments in the states with productive shale plays.

• Texas has the highest royalty rates of 20–25%.
• Royalties in the Permian Basin spanning Texas-New Mexico and North Dakota Bakken Basin range from 18–20%.
• Many western states charge royalties of 16.67%.
• The standard Federal royalty payment was 12.5%

IN THE NEWS

Interior Releases Report – The Biden administration on Friday recommended an overhaul of the nation’s oil and gas leasing program to focus on areas that are most suitable for energy development and raise costs for energy companies to drill on public lands and water. It was pretty consistent with what we expected: selling less at higher prices to fewer bidders, and establishing higher standards that could make development more costly. Stopping drilling like activists want may not pass legal muster, so this report seems to slow walk and add enough costs to make it more difficult.  Good sources include Christopher Guith at the Chamber's Global Energy Institute.  You can get him by connecting with Matt:  (mletourneau@uschamber.com) And Kevin Book has a brief on it which he often passes on to reporters (book@cvenergy.com, M: 202-250-4242).  API Senior Vice President of Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs Frank Macchiarola called out the Administration following last Wednesday’s gas price presser sideshow which released 50M barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve:

“During one of the busiest travel weeks of the year when rising costs of energy are even more apparent to Americans, the Biden Administration is sending mixed signals. Days after a public speech in which the White House said the president ‘is using every tool available to him to work to lower prices and address the lack of supply’, his Interior Department proposed to increase costs on American energy development with no clear roadmap for the future of federal leasing.”

US Drilling Adding Rigs at Record Pace – Another reason to be positive about the potential oil/gas market, US oil and gas drillers have been adding rigs at a record pace for 16 consecutive months. The rig count is at 569, up 249 rigs over this time last year, for a 78% increase.  A Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association analysis shows that from September to October, 2,300 jobs were added to the state's upstream sector, for a total of 183,400 -- increasing for the sixth consecutive month. These are likely a sign that the production output is starting to catch up with the burst of demand, which always takes a little longer especially in tight, uncertain markets with additional regulatory uncertainty.  (Definitely our current situation). 

GE to Produce Zero-Emissions Turbines – GE’s Renewables will manufacture zero waste wind turbine blades by the year 2030, becoming the latest operator in the sector to try to develop more sustainable production processes. In a statement, GE Renewable Energy said its Denmark-headquartered LM Wind Power subsidiary would “reuse, repurpose, recycle or recover all the excess materials from manufacturing of blades, giving up on landfilling and incineration as waste management solutions.” The LM Wind Power announcement only relates to waste from the manufacturing process and does not cover what happens to the blades when their service life ends.

DOE Report Shows Hydropower Essential to Reliability in West – The clean energy transition and the effects of climate change have shifted the way we think about electric power reliability and resilience. These two separate but related concepts have grown in significance as the electric power sector makes a massive shift away from a mostly-dispatchable thermal fleet to one dependent upon the weather (sun, wind, and rain). A new U.S. Department of Energy report, “Hydropower’s Contributions to Grid Resilience,” finds that hydropower in the western interconnect (WI) is critical to ensuring electric power reliability and resilience.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

USEA Hosts Presser with TVS, Tristate Heads – Today at 11:00 a.m., USEA hosts a COP26 presser with TVA CEO Jeff Lyash, Tri-State Generation CEO Duane Highley, EEI’s Eric Holdsworth and EPRI’s Katie Jereza on the high-stakes U.N. global climate change summit in Glasgow, Scotland and its impact is being assessed by utilities. Reporters Rod Kuckro, Energy Daily’s Jeff Beattie, Forbes Columnist Ken Silverstein and Robert Walton of Utility Dive will pose question on the COP, decarbonization, green policies, expansion of renewables and the role of natural gas.

Nuclear Society Holds Winter Meeting – The American Nuclear Society holds its 2021 Winter Meetings on Washington at the Washington Hilton tomorrow to Friday.  Sens. Joe Manchin and John Barrasso present to the group while Reps. Mike Levin, Rep. Rodney Davis, DOE’s Katy Huff and NEI’s John Kotek speak.  

CSIS Forum to Look at Climate Coalition – Tomorrow at 8:30 a.m., the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program is holding a forum that featuring Varun Sivaram, Senior Director for Clean Energy & Innovation to the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.  The event will feature a discussion of the new First Movers Coalition, an initiative to generate momentum for clean energy technologies, at this year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). The coalition—including a group of +25 companies—aims to commercialize emerging clean energy technologies by 2030. The coalition targets sectors key to global decarbonization efforts, including transportation and heavy industry.

Wilson Hosts Forum on Power Grids – The Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum holds an event tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. where speakers will discuss how China is grappling with power sector reforms and how they could enable the nation to meet its goal of net zero carbon by 2060. They will also look at the implications of Chinese visions of a “new energy cloud” and a “supergrid” of ultra-high voltage power lines. Drawing on his decade-plus of power sector work in China with the Regulatory Assistance Project, Max Dupuy will share insights into the evolution and obstacles to power sector reform in China. Yan Qin (Refinitiv) will target her talk on the latest regulations and moves in power market deregulation and cross-provincial power trading that will be critical to integrate more renewables onto the grid. Anders Hove (GIZ) will discuss the need for China’s grid to improve flexibility and the current trend to use energy storage and, eventually, electric vehicle charging to balance renewables.

Forum to Highlights Clean Energy Veterans – Tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. and in honor of Veterans Month, the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center holds a public conversation with veteran clean energy leaders. The distinguished panel members will share their insights on career paths from the military to the energy industry, the importance of the national security-advanced energy nexus, and the role of veterans in the energy transition.

EPA Holds Methane Hearings – The EPA will hold virtual public hearings tomorrow and Wednesday looking at the Agency’s proposed rule to sharply reduce methane emissions from existing sources nationwide.

Forum to Host Rep John Curtis – Tomorrow at Noon, the Hudson Institute holds a conversation with Rep. John Curtis, Chairman of the Conservative Climate Caucus, and Hudson Research Fellow Nate Sibley.  Curtis will discuss how the United States should proceed to tackle climate change, both domestically and on the global stage

Forum Looks at SolSmart – The Interstate Renewable Energy Council holds a roundtable webinar tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. on equitable solar deployment in SolSmart Communities.  The event will discuss how the IREC-led SolSmart program is helping communities increase energy equity while making it faster, easier, and more affordable to go solar.  Co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office and IREC, the webinar will feature discussions with SolSmart community representatives on their strategies for infusing equity into their solar deployment work.

NREL Forum Looks at SLOPE Planner – Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy hold a virtual “sneak peek” demonstration of the State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) Platform’s new ‘Scenario Planner’ tool. The SLOPE Platform integrates and delivers data on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation into an easy-to-access online platform to enable data-driven state and local energy planning. The webinar offers a preview of the Platform's forthcoming scenario planning capabilities and provide input to help finalize this new enhancement.

Forum to Tackle Hydrogen – Tomorrow at 5:00 p.m., the Center on Global Energy Policy holds a Zoom Webinar to explore the role of hydrogen in the energy transition. The discussion will focus on the role of low-carbon hydrogen in meeting the world’s climate goals and energy needs, as well as why hydrogen presents a profound business, social, and health opportunity (and how green hydrogen may be cheaper than many fossil fuels within five years). The event will feature opening remarks from Marco Alverà, CEO of Snam, and serve as the U.S. release of his book, The Hydrogen Revolution.

Forum Looks at China Climate, Plastics – The Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum holds a forum on Wednesday where speakers will delve into market changes, policies, lawsuits and technologies critical to reducing virgin plastic resin and plastic waste. Starting with Carroll Muffett (CIEL) who will outline the often-hidden sources of carbon emissions along the plastic lifecycle. Next, Von Hernandez (BFFP) will highlight the climate-plastic nexus in Asia and the efforts of groups on the ground to counter the false solutions being promoted by corporate polluters to justify the continuing production and use of throwaway plastic. Alice Mah (University of Warwick) will share her research into the environmental and social impact of the growing petrochemical pollution in China’s Yangtze River Basin. Rosa Pritchard (Client Earth) will report on her organization’s work pushing for new laws that limit unnecessary single-use plastics and bringing legal cases in Europe that make plastic producers responsible for the environmental costs of dealing with plastic waste.

Senate Enviro Moves EPA Noms, Explores NRC Issues – The Senate Environment Committee moves on EPA nominations on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. and then holds a hearing on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.  Commissioners will testify (there are only three and that is one of the major concerns.)

ACCF Hosts Baucus – On Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., the American Council on Capital Formation (ACCF) will host Max Baucus, former Ambassador to China and U.S. Senator (D-MT) for a conversation about COVID, politics and energy policies of the Biden Administration.

Forum to Look at Manufacturing with Stabenow, Siemens CEO, SAFE Minerals Expert – On Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., SAFE and Axios holds a virtual event that will explore how new technologies and an increased commitment to sustainability are setting a new standard for industrial manufacturing in America.  Axios Markets Reporter Courtenay Brown and Business Reporter Hope King will host one-on-one conversations with Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Siemens CEO Barbara Humpton.  Axios SVP of Product and Technology Melanie Colton will also host a View from the Top segment with SAFE Commanding Heights Executive Director Jeffrey Jeb Nadaner.

Morning Consultant Team Looks at Economic Outlook – Morning Consult hosts a forum on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. where its chief economist John Leer and economic analysts Kayla Bruun and Jesse Wheeler will continue their recurring monthly discussion of the most recent U.S. Consumer Spending Report, including trends in consumer demand and shopping patterns across demographics. The webinar also includes a preview of Morning Consult’s upcoming U.S. Economic Outlook Report, which provides additional high-frequency insight into the state of Americans’ job search activities and their personal finances.

Forum to Look at Offshore Wind R&D – On Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., the Global America Business Institute is hosting a discussion on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. looking at the DOE’s offshore wind R&D priorities and market updates.  Speakers include DOE Director of the Wind Energy Technologies Office Robert Marlay and NREL Principal Offshore Wind Engineer Walt Musial.

Forum to Look at COP26 – On Wednesday at 11:00 a.m., the Institute for Policy Studies holds a presentation and interactive discussion on the politics, process, and outcome of COP26, and particularly, the relationship between U.S. negotiating positions at COP26 and our domestic and international climate policies.

Forum to Highlight CCS, Circular Economy – The Global CCS Institute will hold a webinar on Thursday at 7:00 a.m. ET (Noon in London) with an expert panel that will present a report on the development of CCS networks, part of the Circular Carbon Economy: Keystone to Global Sustainability series with Columbia University's SIPA Center on Global Energy Policy. Speakers include former DOE official Julio Friedmann (now with the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia SIPA), Global CCS Institute’s David Kearns and Alex Zapantis and Richard Gwilliam of the Drax Group.

Conference to Focus on Climate – On Thursday morning, the World Bank Poverty and Equity Global Practice, the Office of the Director for Regional Integration for Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Northern Africa of the World Bank, and the Institute for International Economic Policy at George Washington University host a conference to discuss recent policy research related to the economics of climate change. One set of studies analyzes the global economic and spatial effects of climate change and different policy options to mitigate its negative economic consequences, especially those related to migration, trade, taxation and innovation policy. Another set of studies focuses on the localized economic impacts of climate change and natural disasters in Africa, and corresponding policy options to promote mitigation and resilience, including technologies, infrastructure and fiscal policy.  

Upton Joins WaPo Live – On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., The Washington Post Live holds a forum with Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), vice-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, was one of 13 House Republicans to vote for the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. Upton will discuss the historic investments in the new law, the latest on the Jan. 6 probe and the nation's fight against COVID-19.

Chamber Forum Looks at Methane – On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., the Global Energy Institute and U.S. Chamber of Commerce continues its Energy Innovates webinar series to highlight methane issues.  Speakers will Include EPA’s Joe Goffman and Tomás Carbonell, Devon Energy’s Garrett Jackson, Brian Miller of Project Canary and the Environmental Partnership/API Matt Todd. 

House Trade Panel Looks at China Manufacturing – The House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. supporting US workers, businesses and the environment with unfair Chinese trade practices.

Senate Energy Looks at Outdoor Recreation Issues – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on outdoor recreation and public lands legislation.

RFF Hosts Offshore Wind Forums – Resources for the Future (RFF) holds a virtual workshop on Thursday and Friday where they will address and identify key policy, market, and finance issues that will impact the direction of the offshore wind industry in the United States.  Our Friend Rob Gramlich is among the speakers.

Forum Looks at Hydrogen – On Thursday at 11:00 a.m., the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center holds a discussion on growing momentum behind clean hydrogen as a decarbonization solution in the United States and beyond. This event will also launch the new book from Snam CEO Marco Alverà, The Hydrogen Revolution. In this event, industry leaders and policymakers will discuss the opportunities for hydrogen development, examine the challenges facing broad deployment, and chart a path for helping hydrogen overcome those challenges to become a key tool in the race to decarbonize the global energy system. 

Forum to Look at Wind – On Thursday at Noon, the Center on Global Energy Policy holds the Columbia Energy Technology Revolution Forum, a new webinar series hosted by for DOE Science advisor Paul Dabbar. The series will focus on frank, practical, scientific and technological discussions on the prospects of new technologies in the energy world. Each session will bring together experts to focus on a different energy technology. Thursday’s discussion will examine how wind technology evolved from the technology failures and bankruptcy era of 2000 to the industry we see today. Speakers will explore the evolution of U.S. wind policy and technology over the last twenty years, the future of wind technology, and policies that would support further deployment.

USEA to Look at DOE Rare Earth Program – The US Energy Assn will hold a forum on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. looking at DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management winners of a $19 million Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) in the "Carbon Ore, Rare Earth and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative for U.S. Basins." This FOA sought projects in traditionally fossil fuel-producing communities across the country to support production of rare earth elements and critical minerals vital to the manufacturing of batteries, magnets, and other components important to the clean energy economy. 

Clean Energy Awards Set – On Friday, Leaders in Energy's will conduct its 8^th Annual Four Generation of Leaders in Clean Energy and Sustainability Solutions – The Four Gen Awards. The event’s theme is “Weaving the Web of Sustainability and Restoration: A Call for Visionaries, Wayshowers and Doers.” This year’s awardees represent many different disciplines ranging from creating documentaries on environmental issues, to bringing clean energy to the world, the circular economy, sustainable cities, and more. 

WCEE Hosts Happy Hour at Solar Brewery – On Saturday at 4:00 p.m., WCEE holds a happy hour Atlas Brew Works - Ivy City where they will also tour DC's first solar-powered craft brewery.

IN THE FUTURE

World Petroleum Council Forum Set – The 23^rd World Petroleum Congress will be held in Houston December 5^th through 9^th.  Speakers include Exxon CEO Darren Woods, Chevron’s Mike Wirth, bp’s Bernard Looney, Equinor’s Anders Opedal, API’s Mike Summers, ConocoPhillips’ Ryan Lance and Pioneer’s Scott Sheffield.  Our friends, Frank Macchiarola and Meg Bloomgren of API also speak.

Forum Looks at Net-Zero Emissions – Schneider Electric holds a forum on next Monday at Noon looking at the company’s efforts to reach net zero.  John Westerman, Director of Microgrid Project Development and Engineering at Schneider Electric will speak.

CLEANPOWER Set for SLC – The American Clean Power Association released several of its headline speakers for its CLEANPOWER 2021 event in Salt Lake City on December 7^th & 8^th. CLEANPOWER 2021 will bring together the most knowledgeable minds in the clean energy industry and create a collaborative platform for discussing issues that are important to industry professionals and their companies. CLEANPOWER’s mission is to not only bring together the different technologies that make up the renewables mix – onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, storage, and transmission – but also the different segments within the industries: manufacturers, construction firms, owner operators, utilities, financial firms, corporate buyers, and more.

Forum Looks at Climate, Resource Conflicts – The CSIS Project on Fragility and Mobility holds a virtual discussion on Tuesday, December 7^th on the role of technology in addressing climate change and resource-based conflict. From open-source data to earth observation, new technologies provide development practitioners with a means to study and elucidate intertwined environmental and peacebuilding objectives. The panel will provide insights on how field practitioners can use technology to achieve climate and conservation goals, while also reducing conflict and contributing to building peace. Through identifying tools and perspectives, the event will explore the uses and limits of myriad digital technologies with examples from African drylands and Asian, Latin American, and African forests.

Forum Looks at Innovation – The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation’s (ITIF) Center for Clean Energy Innovation holds a panel discussion next Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. on why continued innovation matters, what an innovation agenda for advanced renewables should look like, and which technologies are likely to be the next big things.  DOE’s Alejandro Moreno and Jocelyn Brown-Saracino join First Solar’s Dirk Weiss on the panel. 

Forum to Look at Nuclear Test Reactors – The Global America Business Institute is hosting a discussion on Tuesday December 7^th at 10:00 a.m. looking at the future of the Versatile Test Reactor.  The event will look at the key role VTR in the nuclear energy innovation ecosystem. Speakers include Nuclear Innovation Alliance’s Judi Greenwald, Jackie Toth of the Good Energy Collective and the Atlantic Council’s Jennifer Gordon. 

CSIS Forum to Look at Technology, Climate – Next Tuesday December 7^th at 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Project on Fragility and Mobility hold a virtual discussion on the role of technology in addressing climate change and resource-based conflict. The panel will provide insights on how field practitioners can use technology to achieve climate and conservation goals, while also reducing conflict and contributing to building peace. Through identifying tools and perspectives, the event will explore the uses and limits of myriad digital technologies with examples from African drylands and Asian, Latin American and African forests.

BPC Forum Looks at Expanding Clean Energy Infrastructure – Next Tuesday December 7^th at 12:30 p.m., the Bipartisan Policy Center holds a fireside chat with Jigar Shah, director of the DOE Loan Programs Office, to discuss the department’s role in the future of U.S. clean energy demonstration and deployment.

Forum to Look at Lithium from Geothermal Brines – The Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center will host Rod Colwell, chief executive officer of Controlled Thermal Resources, on Tuesday December 7^th at 3:00 p.m. to discuss lithium recovery from Salton Sea geothermal brines and how this fully integrated process will support a sustainable lithium battery supply chain in the United States.

Forum to Look at Wyoming CCS – The Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy program holds the fourth event in the Women in Energy CCUS Roadshow series on Tuesday December 7^th at 1:00 p.m. This initiative aims to highlight the extraordinary accomplishments of women in the CCUS field and empower a workforce that is equitable, diverse, and strong by advancing equality and opportunity. Please join us for a discussion of the changes in federal and state laws concerning CCUS and how those changes might affect investment, development, climate, and communities in Wyoming. The conversation will feature energy experts from Wyoming who will also discuss ways to grow women’s share of the energy workforce and what organizations in the public and private sectors are looking for in new recruits.

Forum to Look at Sustainable Finance Frameworks – Environmental Finance holds a webinar on December 8^th at 10:00 a.m. on the exponential growth in sustainability-linked products shaping finance frameworks.  This webinar will consider how sustainable finance frameworks are evolving and supporting the steering of sustainability and business growth. Join us to hear from issuers, underwriters and ESG experts.

Forum to Look at Built Environment Materials – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute holds a briefing on Thursday December 8^th at 1:00 p.m. about the climate impacts of producing building materials. Panelists will explain the upstream greenhouse gas emissions generated from the production of these materials and discuss solutions designed to reduce those emissions at scale. Panelists will discuss ways to reduce emissions and material waste in the built environment from construction and deconstruction.

Energy Transition Forum Set for DC – Energy Stream hosts IN-PERSON the 2^nd Energy Transition & Innovation Forum 2021 on December 8^th and 9^th at the Cosmos Club of Washington, D.C. The Forum is a bi-partisan annual market intelligence platform for government and energy leaders to convene for off-the-record discussions on future technologies, initiatives, and policies in U.S. energy innovation to solve national and international energy challenges. At the December 2021 Forum, we will focus on how American innovation can ensure that the energy industry continues to thrive amid the energy transition towards a net zero emissions economy.

NAS to Review Low-Dose Radiation – On Thursday December 9^th at 11:00 a.m., the National Academies is hosting another virtual public meeting to examine how to move forward on low-dose radiation research. The agenda is subject to change. This meeting will focus on presentations from experts who deal with other complex scientific issues such as air pollution.

Forum to Look at Climate, Plastics – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute holds a briefing on Thursday December 9^th at 1:00 p.m. about the climate impacts of producing plastics. Panelists will explain the upstream greenhouse gas emissions generated from the production of these materials and discuss solutions designed to reduce those emissions at scale. Speakers include former EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck, Jim Vallette of Material Research L3C and Upstream’s Miriam Gordon.

Forum Focuses on Food Waste Reductions – On Friday December 10^th at 1:00 p.m., EESI holds a briefing about the climate impacts of food. Panelists will explain the upstream greenhouse gas emissions generated from the production of these materials and discuss solutions designed to reduce those emissions at scale. Panelists will discuss some strategies available to policymakers that could bolster food waste reduction and diversion efforts.

SAFE Forum to Look at Infrastructure Law – On Tuesday December 14^th at Noon, the Electrification Coalition and SAFE will host representatives from EPA, DOT and DOE to provide a breakdown of EV funding provisions contained in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Build Back Better Act, including programs for charging infrastructure, transit buses, school buses, light-duty vehicles, fleets, consumer tax credits and more.