Energy Update: Week of September 19th

Energy Update - September 19, 2022

Friends,

I was up in Vermont this weekend and the unbelievable weather and leaves starting to turn there reminded me that Thursday is the actual start of Fall. And for those of you who may have missed it, congrats to the Las Vegas Aces, who won their first WNBA title defeating the Connecticut Sun in their best-of-5 series, 3-1.

This week is Climate Week NYC around the UN General Assembly meetings in NYC. A lot happening there, including an API-ClearPath event today, cement industry event tomorrow and a Chamber of Commerce Forum on Wednesday. Also remember the Global Clean Energy Forum in Pittsburgh in the back half of the week. BCSE holds events there on Thursday on building codes and decarb and on Friday, the Chamber’s GEI hosts DOE’s Brad Crabtree and execs from Honeywell, CEMEX and Shell on industrial sector decarb issues.

Back here in in DC, while we wait for the important details of the permitting agreement (which continues to be evasive), the Senate is set to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which are chemicals used in cooling and refrigeration that are powerful greenhouse gases. Last Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer filed for cloture to bring it to the floor as soon as tomorrow, with final passage sometime after. The agreement, which tracks implementing legislation passed in December 2020, has strong bipartisan support and will help world-leading HVACR manufacturers in the U.S. compete in other countries that have implemented the accord.

Why do we need Kigali? AHRI’s Steve Yurek and E2's Bob Keefe wrote an op-ed in the NY Times making the case for ratifying the Kigali amendment last year. 

Hearings this week include a House Transportation panel tomorrow on the Clean Water Act on its 50th anniversary as well as House Science on climate change and the Arctic; a delayed Senate Environment vote on EPA Air Office nominee Joe Goffman on Wednesday and Thursday hearings in House Oversight on whether industry caused energy inflation (short answer is no) and a Senate Energy on the benefits and challenges of deploying new battery and non-battery technologies for energy storage.

AGA holds its Winter Fuels Outlook on Thursday where market analysts will provide an outlook on the major factors driving natural gas prices this winter including domestic demand, dry gas production, underground storage and international energy markets. Expert Richard Meyer will be featured. RSVP to Adam Kay (akay@aga.org) for the Teams Link. You do not want to miss this event.

50 days until the mid-term elections. Lots of analysis out there, but I would suggest you continue to listen to it at your own peril. I tend to follow closely my colleague Liam Donovan, who is usually right on the mark. Let me know if you are headed to NYC or Pittsburgh… Call with questions.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“Kigali ratification will finally allow U.S. heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration manufacturers to access international markets, resulting in massive economic benefits and job creation."

Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Tom Carper (D-Del.) in a statement on last week’s move by Senate Majority Leader Schumer to move toward a vote on an international treaty to phase out HFCs.

ON THE PODCAST

CapCrude Looks at CCS Pore Space – In this Capitol Crude podcast, Carbon Neutral Coalition Executive Director John Colyandro joined S&P Global reporter Brandon Mulder to share his insights on the issues surrounding pore space ownership, how it could be holding back the industry, and ways it could be resolved in the upcoming legislative session. Texas law provides no clarity on ownership rights of pore space -- the empty underground cavities where companies can pump and permanently store captured CO2. While surface rights and mineral rights are crystal clear, Texas hasn’t defined who owns those underground pore spaces.

FUN OPINIONS

Roston: Understanding Grid is Win-Win for Climate – In a column in Bloomberg Green New Energy, our friend Eric Roston writes that understanding the real-time mix of power sources in electricity grids could be a win-win for companies and the planet. Building a market to channel demand for clean power ultimately should drive deployment of more and more resources, much as power-purchase agreements have done in recent years.

McCarthy: We Are Running to a Clean Energy Future – In a Guest Opinion today in the New York Times, outgoing White House climate advisor and former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy writes as the world’s leaders gather in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, she has witnessed a paradigm shift: The private sector no longer sees climate action as a source of job losses, but rather as an opportunity for job creation and economic revitalization.

FROG BLOG

RFF Blog Focuses on Hydrogen Hub Plan – In the first installment of Resources for the Future’s (RFF) new Common Resources series, researchers Yuqi Zhu and Alan Krupnick at Resources for the Future (RFF) examine the responses from leading organizations that are representing the hub groups. Of the 27 publicly announced H2Hub groups that RFF scholars have been tracking, 21 have submitted responses to DOE’s request for information. This blog post highlights some suggestions and concerns that these organizations have raised, with a focus on the key differences between these comments and DOE’s established plans.

Columbia Expert Looks at Biofuels Ramp Up – In a commentary for the Columbia Center on Global Energy, global energy fellow Pierpaolo Cazzola looks at the near- and long-term prospects of the use of biofuels in transport. The transport sector accounts for 60 percent of global oil demand and it is largely dependent (more than 90 percent) on fossil oil for its energy needs. As Europe and the rest of the world reel from price increases for energy and commodities, policy makers are looking to alternative fuel options to reduce global oil demand and address global dependence on Russian oil. Cazzola Looks at how quickly a ramp-up in biofuels production could actually happen.

FUN FACTS

  • BNEF Examines Potential of Global Carbon Markets – Nearly 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions are covered by compliance-based carbon markets, up from 5% only 10 years ago, and the approach could have a powerful role in decarbonization with the right level of support, asserts Bloomberg NEF. In this piece, BNEF shares five charts on the emergence of global carbon markets, which were valued at $850 billion collectively last year.

IN THE NEWS

Chinese Ambassador Warns US on Cutting China Out of Supply Chain – China’s ambassador to the US warned against the potential risks of trying to cut the country off, using a visit to the Detroit auto show to highlight the 'intertwined' interests of the world’s two biggest economies. 'To decouple with China means to disconnect from the world’s largest market as well as the biggest opportunity,' Qin Gang said in an interview at the auto show Wednesday. The interests of both nations are 'intertwined,' he said, pointing out that General Motors Co.’s latest models are 'designed, developed, produced and to be sold' in China, while more China-built cars are being exported to the rest of the world. Trade and political tensions between China and the US will 'for sure' impact industry collaboration in the short term, Qin said. 'But the industry chain has been relatively well established over past years, and there would be no winner if anybody wanted to intervene or even destroy' that, he added.

API, Offshore Operators Committee to Develop Standards for Offshore Wind Energy – The American Petroleum Institute (API) and Offshore Operators Committee (OOC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop standards and guidance for offshore wind energy development. Under the MOU, both parties will leverage their expertise and existing natural gas and oil industry standards to develop a SMS standard for offshore wind operations and assets. The initial recommended practice (RP) would provide guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a SMS for U.S. offshore wind operations. As part of an ongoing relationship, the two groups plan to develop additional guidance and standards on offshore wind energy and other related topics.

Admin Launches Offshore Wind Push – Last week, the White House launched an effort to install 15 GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2035, largely along the rocky West coast, in the Great Lakes, and in deeper ocean waters. The actions will position the U.S. to lead the world on floating offshore wind technology. Globally, only 0.1 GW of floating offshore wind has been deployed to date, compared with over 50 GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind. America will seize this opportunity to be a frontrunner on floating offshore wind technologies, as part of President Biden’s plan for a clean energy economy built by American workers.

AGA to Gas Electric Forum: Reliability is Essential – The North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) has started a Gas Electric Forum at the request of NERC and FERC to address gas electric matters mainly stemming from Winter Storm Uri. The initial meeting occurred on August 30, 2022. In a recent letter, the American Gas Association offered comments for the upcoming 2nd Gas-Electric Harmonization Forum meeting scheduled on September 23, 2022. In short: AGA believes that reliability efforts should be coordinated so that the reliability of one system is not achieved at the expense of the other system’s customers. Also, AGA says reliability of service for customers is an overarching priority for both the gas and electric industries, the overall goal should be to preserve and enhance reliability for all customers, both gas and electric and addressing reliability will require a better understanding of both the day-to-day operations of both systems and the longer-term impacts on operations, planning, and cost to consumers.  I can send you the letter.

Demand Outpacing US Natural Gas Production – US natural gas production growth is struggling to keep up with surging foreign and domestic demand, putting further pressure on already strained gas inventories and making them vulnerable to weather shocks, writes Reuters analyst John Kemp. Energy Information Administration data show working gas inventories in underground storage stood at 2,771 billion cubic feet on Sept. 9, the second-lowest seasonal level since 2010, as US gas-fired electricity generation and liquefied natural gas exports set records, Kemp writes.

Clean Edge Offers Clean Energy Stock Index Moves – Clean Edge, Inc. today announced the results of the semi-annual evaluation of the following indexes:

All changes became effective prior to today’s market open. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) based on the indexes are offered by First Trust, under the ticker symbols QCLN, GRID, FIW and FAN, respectively. As of September 12, 2022, First Trust ETFs tracking the indexes collectively equaled more than $4 billion in assets under management.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Forum Looks at Indo Pac Energy – The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation hold their second annual Indo-Pacific Islands Dialogue today focusing on "climate change, maritime security, and resilient infrastructure on the geopolitical landscape in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Coal Conference Set – The 39th annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference (PCC) begins today and runs through Thursday. The conference includes a range of events focusing on all aspects of coal utilization and sustainable development both in the U.S. and internationally, and will bring together key participants from industry, government and academia.

Climate Week NYC – This week is Climate Week NYC, which brings together hundreds of leaders from business, government and civil society to showcase the best climate action and discuss how to do more. But just as importantly, it will explore and confront where the world is still falling short. Climate Group runs a series of events which form the main program of the week. The Climate Week NYC Opening Ceremony and The Hub Live bring together a global audience of senior leaders from business, government and the climate community.

API, ClearPath to Look at Low-Carbon Investments – API and ClearPath are hosting a half day event today starting at 1:30 p.m. on implementing the largest low-carbon energy investment programs in US history.  The event will feature discussions and panels with top energy thought leaders including Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary for DOE’s Office of FECM; Gretchen Watkins, President of Shell USA; Aaron Padilla, VP, Corporate Policy, API; Rich Powell, CEO, ClearPath; Sasha Mackler, Executive Director of the Energy Program, BPC; Sharelynn Moore, Chief Marketing Officer, Bloom Energy; Matthew Hill, Senior Investment Manager, Equinor Ventures; Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist, Carbon Direct; Nigel Jenvey, Managing Partner, New Frontiers, Baker Hughes; Andrew Fishbein, Senior Climate Policy Manager, Climeworks; Robin Milican, Director of Policy & Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy; Robert Santangelo, Global Co-Head of Energy and Transition, and Global Chair ESG Advisory Credit Suisse, and more.

BPC Looks at Hurricane Impacts on Puerto Rico – The Bipartisan Policy Center holds a virtual discussion today at 2:00 p.m., on Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The discussion on the status of recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and USVI, the lessons that have been learned, and the unfinished business of improving federal disaster assistance programs.

Offshore Wind Event Set – Dynamo Hub holds a Climate Week Event today starting at 4:00 p.m. on Unlocking the Potential of Offshore Wind – Opportunities & Challenges Around Renewable Hydrogen Energy Storage. Co-hosted with the Norwegian Consulate General, the event will feature a keynote by the Norwegian Prime Minister with remarks from NYSERDA and BloombergNEF followed by a panel discussion moderated by Amy Harder from Cipher by Breakthrough Energy with leading executives from Equinor, Siemens Energy, National Grid Ventures, Shell, and Ørsted.

BloombergNEF, Quebec Host Forum on Decarb in NE – Bloomberg NEF, in partnership with the Québec Government Office, will host a discussion tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. on the state of decarbonization in the Northeast, the outlook for North America and emerging climate technology trends. Jean Lemire, Québec’s Envoy for Climate change is among the speakers

Chamber, Cement Industry to Holds Climate Week Events – There are two great industry events on tomorrow and Wednesday:

  • Cement Industry Forum – At 11:00 a.m., the cement industry holds a net zero forum focused on their progress one year after rolling our - 2050 Sustainability/Net-Zero Roadmap. The event will be held at 1 Bender Place, near the Climate Week Hub. Speakers include Keynoter Selwin Hart, Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations for Climate Action and Just Transition, as well as Portland Cement CEO Mike Ireland, Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch and PCA Chairman Ron Henley.
  • Chamber Global Energy Institute – On Wednesday morning in NYC, the US Chamber’s Global Energy Institute holds a forum to preview the road to COP27. The event will feature Chamber GEI head Marty Durbin and a number of Foreign Ministers including Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP27 President-Designate, Arab Republic of Egypt, Ambassador David Thorne of John Kerry’s Office of the U.S. Special Envoy for Climate at the Department of State and many more.

NYT Climate Week Forum Features Gore, Kerry – One other great event tomorrow is the New York Times Climate week forum featuring Al Gore, John Kerry and many more. Our friend Lisa Friedman interviews Kerry. Here is the LINK.

Axios to Look at Houston’s Environment – Axios Local holds a forum tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. at The Astorian to kick off the launch of the Axios Local Houston newsletter, focusing on sustainability efforts and eco-friendly initiatives in the city, from reducing pollution to developing green infrastructure. Houston Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer Priya Zachariah and enviro justice expert and TX Southern prof Robert Bullard will speak. ACC’s Chris Jahn will also interview Huntsman Corporation CEO Peter Huntsman

Schatz Headline WaPo Climate Discussion – The Washington Post Live hosts Protecting Our Planet forum tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. LIVE at the WaPo , where speakers such as Sen. Brian Schatz, Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert, Black Girl Environmentalist founder Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru, Climate Cardinals executive director Sophia Kianni and Novoloop CEO Miranda Wang join Washington Post Live in person for a series of conversations about the human, environmental and economic consequences of climate change and the efforts to combat them.

House Transpo to Look at Clean Water Act – The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment will hold a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on the Clean Water Act on its 50th anniversary.

House Science to Look at Climate, Arctic Impacts – The House Science Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on scientific solutions to climate change and the rapidly changing Arctic, which has warmed at least four times as fast as the global average.

FERC’s Phillips Headlines Enviro Conference – NYU Law School’s Institute for Policy Integrity is holding a forum tomorrow starting at 10:00 a.m.  The event discusses the climate and energy landscape with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the West Virginia v. EPA ruling and other recent developments. Speakers will discuss the state of energy policy and environmental justice in the wake of these shifts at a day-long conference during NYC Climate Week. Keynote Speaker is FERC’s Willie Phillips.

Forum to Look at Climate Resilience – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) holds a briefing tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. on corporate climate risk, resilience, and disclosures. The climate crisis is increasingly impacting companies of all sizes by threatening valuable assets, operations, and supply chains. Panelists will explain what Congress needs to know about climate-related financial risks, steps that can be taken to build a climate resilient financial system, and the benefits and impacts that the proposed rule would have on federal agencies, companies, and shareholders.

Forum to Look at Post SCOTUS WV Case – The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies holds a virtual discussion tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. on the nondelegation and major questions doctrines after West Virginia v. EPA. Professor Philip Hamburger, Yaakov Roth, and Professor Victoria Nourse will offer their expertise, and Judge Neomi Rao of the D.C. Circuit will moderate.

Atlantic Festival Set – On Wednesday, the Atlantic holds its 2022 Atlantic Festival Wednesday to Friday.  Speakers include Ali Zaidi, Anthony Fauci and many more.

Forum to Look at Global Trends – Foreign Policy’s Tech Forum returns on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in New York against the backdrop of the 77th UN General Assembly and Climate Week.  The event will address the most pressing issues facing the world today, including how trends toward protectionism and techno-nationalism could fragment global markets, inhibit innovations’ potential to reach scale, and undermine international collaboration needed for health, safety, and security in the digital age.

Senate to Vote on Goffman, Look at Infrastructure Law – The Senate Environment Committee will hold a business meeting on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. to consider multiple nominations, including Joseph Goffman to lead the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation and six candidates to be members of the board of directors for the Tennessee Valley Authority. Immediately afterward, the committee will hold a hearing on state and local implementation of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

House Science Panels Looks at Weather Techs – The House Science Committee’s Environment Subcommittee and Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee hold a joint hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at the next generation of weather satellites.

US-Iceland Energy Summit Set – The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, the Embassy of Iceland, and Green by Iceland host the US-Iceland Clean Energy Summit at the House of Sweden on Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. The Summit will convene transatlantic government leaders, businesses, and civil society groups to discuss opportunities to strengthen international cooperation to achieve climate goals. The Summit will build upon recent advancements in clean energy, including geothermal and carbon capture utilization and storage, and highlight technological solutions to accelerate the energy transition. Speakers will highlight opportunities and challenges to accelerate public and private partnerships to advance the energy transition and achieve today’s ambitious climate goals.

Forum to Tackle Climate Resilience – The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) holds a forum on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. on supporting climate resilience.  The event will feature a discussion among corporate leaders that explores how major corporations can improve the climate resilience of the communities where they operate and employ and where they have significant supply chain interests. Edison International’s Pedro Pizarro will speak.

Forum to Focus on Paris – The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) holds a forum on Wednesday at 10:45 a.m. The forum provides perspectives from key thought leaders on developments since COP26, what needs to be delivered at COP27, and how the Global Stocktake (GST) can help the world deliver in this critical decade. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Canada, and Aminath Shauna, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Maldives are among the speakers.

Patagonia CEO Talks at AU – American University's Sine Institute of Policy and Politics holds a lecture on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. with Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, on the company's mission to save our home planet and combat climate change.

Granholm Headlines USEA Forum – The US Energy Assn hold its 4th annual Advanced Energy Technology Forum on Thursday starting at 9:00 a.m.  DOE Secretary Granholm will offer opening remarks for the conference which will include three panels on national lab issues, infrastructure and academic innovations. Panel one includes expert from NETL, Idaho NL, NREL and Brookhaven, while panel two includes our friend grid infrastructure expert Rob Gramlich. The academic Panel Includes our former Bracewell partner, now that the University of Houston Tracy Hester and MIT’s Robert Armstrong.

RFF Looks decarb in Manufacturing – On Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Resources for the Future holds a launch event for the Global Climate Policy Partnership, a global network of research institutions helping major economies and businesses achieve ambitious climate goals. During this webinar we’ll delve into a crucial component of the climate challenge: the manufacturing sector. While one-fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions come from this sector, structuring policies to reduce these emissions is complicated by the fact that manufactured products are often traded on competitive international markets. National policies designed to reduce emissions inevitably raise the cost of production and can lead to lost domestic and international competitiveness, and the leakage of emissions to nations with less stringent emission reduction policies.

Global Clean Energy Business Forum Set for Pittsburgh – The Global Clean Energy Action Forum (GCEAF) will be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Pittsburgh. Directly following the UN General Assembly and hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy, the GCEAF will convene energy ministers from governments representing 90% of public investment in clean energy, industry leaders, tech innovators, investors, and international organizations. The BCSE will be active there and The Electrification Coalition (EC) will lead the Electric Vehicles, Batteries, and Charging Infrastructure Business Forum Room, which includes Keynote speaker Kathleen Hogan of DOE and panels on EV supply chains challenges, financing and policy opportunities, charging infrastructure and meeting the ambition of Transportation electrification at scale. Check out the All-Star Lineup here which includes DOE Sect Granholm and Climate Envoy John Kerry.

BSCE to Hold Two Pittsburgh Forums – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy will hold two specific events at the upcoming Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh, PA.

  • Forum to Look at Codes – BCSE, International Code Council, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and U.S. Green Building Council on Thursday explore what is needed in a holistic policy approach including the adoption and enforcement of energy codes, as well as incentives, which will enable transformation to more climate-friendly buildings and meet climate commitments. Panelists will discuss the intersection of buildings and the energy grid including energy storage, distributed storage, renewables, smart appliances, and electric vehicles, and other technologies and practices available to help building owners and operators to make the transition to cleaner energy alternatives. Speakers include BCSE’s Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Ryan Colker of the International Code Council, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Meredydd Evans, among others.
  • Utilities Focus on Decarb Plans – The BCSE, Edison Electric Institute (EEI), Capital Power, Duquesne Light Company and National Grid host an event on Thursday at 1:45 p.m. to explore how a range of decarbonization approaches and strategies can be implemented at the community level to support achieving net-zero goals. These community-driven opportunities include energy efficiency, transitioning to decarbonized power and fuels, and beneficial electrification, among others. The panelists will focus on how engagement with stakeholders and community leaders shapes their planning and investment strategies, and will discuss their experiences, what is already being done, lessons learned, and strategies for the future. Speakers include Jacobson, DOE’s Betony Jones, EEI’s Brain Woolf, Kate Chisholm of Capital Power, Duquesne Light’s Christine Waller and Reihaneh Irani-Famili of National Grid.
  • US Chamber Hosts Decarb Panel – On Friday at 9:00 a.m. at the Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host a panel on industrial sector decarbonization opportunities, looking at investment, infrastructure and innovation in featuring top government and business leaders. The discussion will focus on the technology and policy frameworks needed to accelerate emissions reductions in energy intensive sectors. Senior executives from CEMEX, Honeywell and Shell will discuss climate policy priorities and share advances being made through investments in areas such as hydrogen, CCUS, energy efficiency and more. DOE’s Brad Crabtree joins the execs.

AGA to Discuss Winter NatGas Outlook – At a virtual media event on Thursday at 10:00 a.m., American Gas Association market analysts will provide an outlook on the major factors driving natural gas prices this winter including domestic demand, dry gas production, underground storage and international energy markets. Expert Richard Meyer will be featured. RSVP to Adam Kay (akay@aga.org) for the Teams Link.

House Oversight Looks at Energy Inflation Causes – The House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy will meet on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to examine whether certain industries — including the fossil fuel sector — have raised prices for consumers and driven inflation.

House Resources Looks at Puerto Rico Grid – The House Natural Resources Committee will hold an oversight hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. looking at Luma Energy’s contract to manage, operate and rebuild Puerto Rico’s power transmission and distribution system. The hearing was scheduled before Hurricane Fiona slammed the island.

Senate Energy Looks at Energy Storage – The Senate Energy Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to examine the benefits and challenges of deploying new battery and non-battery technologies for energy storage. And on Wednesday they will address 16 designations for new national monuments and historical sites.

Forum Features Australian Leader – On Friday at 2:00 p.m., the Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a virtual discussion on Friday at 2:00 p.m. focused on moving toward a clean and secure energy future in the Indo-Pacific. Australia Minister Chris Bowen MP lays out Canberra's climate policy and discusses opportunities for the U.S.- Australian Partnership to deliver a clean and secure energy future for the Indo-Pacific region.

IN THE FUTURE

Forum to Look at Green Banks – Next Monday at 4:00 p.m., the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center holds a discussion on the importance and role of a national green bank in accelerating an equitable transition to a clean energy economy. During this panel discussion, experts will discuss opportunities for the Biden Administration to successfully build a national green bank and unlock investment to support an equitable and just clean energy future.

National Clean Energy Week Set – Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions holds the 6th annual National Clean Energy Week 2022 (NCEW22) on September 26th to 30th. NCEW22 is a bipartisan opportunity to celebrate American clean energy innovation. As chair of NCEW, one of my favorite aspects of this week-long celebration has always been hearing from the experts during the NCEW Policy Makers Symposium, which will be held this year from September 27-29th.

Republicans Outline Priorities for Energy, Enviro Policies – The Center on Global Energy Policy will host a panel Thursday September 29th at Noon featuring former senior Republican Congressional and Administration officials who will discuss their views on what Republican energy and environmental policy should be. Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Jeffrey A. Rosen, former Chief Counsel for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Kellie Donnelly and former CEQ chair Jim Connaughton will discuss.

Chamber Sustainability Summit Set – On Tuesday October 11th, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will host the 2022 Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit in Washington, D.C. This event will convene corporate responsibility professionals, government leaders, academics, and sustainability changemakers to learn and educate one another on replicable, successful sustainability and circular economy initiatives. This year's conference will feature top leaders to discuss how companies are navigating these uncertain times, cutting-edge strategies for achieving sustainability goals, and how to leverage collaboration and innovation to channel emerging trends into lasting systemic change. Duke Energy’s Katherine Neebe​ speaks.