Energy Update: Week of September 8

Friends,

While we are still in crazy COVID times, I hope you had a chance to enjoy the historically-low gas prices for Labor Day.  The Kentucky Derby was a treat despite being in September.  Authentic surprised heavy favorite Tiz The Law to win.  While I won the exacta box, the rest of my bets were spoiled by Mr. Big News who charged late for Show with Honor AP 4^th.  Ouch! Ny Traffic’s fade and MBN’s charge cost me some $$$.  And with the NFL starting Thursday and playoffs in hockey, NBA, and PGA rolling, you might have missed the 55-3 pounding Navy got last night in Annapolis by BYU to start the College Football season: Double-Ouch!

I don’t know about you, but I have a ton of meetings today…  And Congress slips back into town late in the week, leading to some action in Committees.  On Wednesday, House Energy and Commerce markups 38 bills (here is the list) on Wednesday morning while Senate Environment will look at legislation on grizzly bear management.  House Science meets Wednesday to look at COVID crisis impacts on university research and DOE Bioresearch issues on Friday.   

In webinar land this week, Renewable Gas 360 hosts a webinar tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. featuring notable renewable hydrogen pioneers from North America and Europe including our friend Dave Edwards of Air Liquide while WCEE hosts the CEOs of three large public power systems to discuss trends in the utility sector and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy holds a webinar to discuss powering up an inclusive clean energy workforce with SEIA’s Shaun Garrison.  Both events start at 2:00 p.m.  On Thursday, BPC hosts two separate forums on CFTC/Climate w Sen. Whitehouse and rural economic development with NWF’s Collin O’Mara and  Christy Plumer of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership; Greenbiz hosts an RNG webinar at 1:00 p.m. while the Baker Institute’s Ken Medlock and Mark Finley talk US Shale at 4:00 p.m.  Finally, the Ex-Im Bank holds its annual virtual conference on Thursday and Friday with Secretary Brouillette Friday morning and our friends Rich Powell of ClearPath and WSJ’s Tim Puko moderating panels. Larry Kudlow and Commerce Sect Ross also speak on Thursday.

Finally, on Sept. 6, 1995, (25 years ago Sunday) in a game against the California Angels, Cal Ripken Jr. set a mark for the ages, playing in his 2,131^st straight game, shattering a 56-year-old record that had seemed set in stone: Lou Gehrig’s string of 2,130 consecutive games played. It was a moment in time that all sports fans and most Americans appreciated because of its blue-collar, workman-like nature.  He received a 22-minute standing ovation and made one historic lap around Camden Yards that will long be remembered.  I was not there, but I watched history from Jackson Hole where Stacey and I were on our honeymoon after being married a couple days earlier. A quarter century later, I still marvel two things from that week: Cal Ripken’s incredible feat and that Stacey has kept me around.

Call with questions, stay safe & healthy.  Stay tuned here for our latest COVID-19 Updates.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

 

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“It’s almost 3 p.m. Time to turn off major appliances, set thermostat to 78 degrees (or use fan instead), turn off excess lights and unplug any appliances you’re not using.  We need every Californian to help conserve energy. Please do your part.”

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Twitter pleading with residents to help reduce power load in LA during the weekend’s heat wave to prevent rolling blackouts.

ON THE PODCAST

Podcast Talks Energy with Duke Power Exec – On this month’s episode of the “Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program – produced by the Harvard Environmental Economics Program, Economist and energy expert Robert Stavins chats about policy and practice with Vicky Bailey about her 30 years of experience in high-level, national and international, corporate executive, and government positions in the energy sector. Bailey served as Commissioner of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, a member of the FERC and as head of PSI Energy, Inc., Indiana’s largest electric utility, now Duke Indiana. 

FUN OPINIONS

Walters: Rolling Blackouts a CA Wake Up Call – In an op-ed in the San Jose Mercury News, Cal Matters columnist and long-time editor of the Sacramento Bee Dan Walters writes rolling blackouts should serve as a California wakeup call about power supply deficits that have been building for years. He adds the last time the state experienced blackouts, the governor at the time, Gray Davis, was recalled.  “Simply put, state political leaders have committed California to phasing out nuclear- and hydrocarbon-powered generation in favor of “renewables — primarily solar panel and windmills — in the name of battling climate change, but have failed to ensure we have enough juice to meet demands during the transition.”

FROG BLOG

Reuters Analysis: Utility Interviews Raise Concerns About Viability of Biden Climate Plan – According to an analysis by Reuters and reporting by energy reporters Val Volcovici and Nichola Groom, the U.S. power industry would likely be unable to meet Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's mandate of carbon-free power by 2035 without some major developments in renewables and other technologies, such as battery storage, carbon capture and advanced nuclear power. In a survey of many of the country's largest power producers, most reported that these technologies are either not yet commercially viable or are too costly to deploy.

COVID UPDATE

As Congress returns this week, Senate Republicans intend to consider a slimmed-down version of a Phase 4 COVID-19 relief package after weeks of false starts. The vote is expected to come as soon as Wednesday, as Congress returns from recess.

While the procedural vote is expected to fail thanks to the 60 vote threshold, this exercise serves several purposes:

• First (and at this juncture, most importantly), it gives vulnerable Republican Senators cover to say they voted to provide further relief to the unemployed, small businesses, schools, and other institutions hit hard by the pandemic.
• Second, it sets a marker for what Republicans would be willing to support, albeit a lowball figure that would have to be balanced against the Democrats' multi-trillion dollar target.
• Third, it stands to put moderate Democrats (and their leaders) on the defensive for the first time, forcing them to affirmatively reject a half loaf rather than simply watching Republicans argue among themselves.  

As we've said from the beginning, any fruitful negotiation is conditioned on Republicans presenting a united front on a proposal from which a compromise can proceed. In this sense, the apparent likelihood of the GOP marshaling 51 or more votes should be a positive step. But it was difficult enough to see the gap closed between the original trillion dollar Republican baseline and the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act passed by the Democratic House. By moving the negotiating goalposts even further out, you're left with a veritable fiscal chasm.

So what's likely to be in this skinny package? The scope tracks with what we outlined in our last update, even as the exact scale remains in flux. Recent media reports suggest something on the order of a $500 billion bill, though specifics are fluid the as the conference seeks consensus on smaller bore issues.

Overall, this revised version of the previous “skinny” bill is likely to include:

• Enhanced Unemployment: $300/week federal pandemic unemployment compensation (FPUC) extended through December 27, 2020
• Liability Shield
• Education Funding: $105B total—$70 billion for K-12 and $29 billion for postsecondary education, maintaining formula based on the number of FTE students. Another $6B for state and tribal accounts.
• Paycheck Protection Program: PPP replenishment and reforms, including new "second draw" loans for qualifying businesses that experience a 35 percent decline in gross receipts. (Up to $160B in new funding on top of remaining $100B+.)
• Funding for Testing and Vaccine Preparation
  • $29B to prepare for and respond to COVID, including development of countermeasures and vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, purchase of vaccines,
  • $16B for testing, contact tracing, mitigation and surveillance to monitor COVID

As a refresher on the liability portion, which according to one recent survey is the issue most important to Main Street Businesses, the Senate proposal is expected to incorporate the previously released shield language from the HEALs Act, including:

• Federal Cause of Action: Creates a federal cause of action for coronavirus exposure claims that is the exclusive remedy for all claims against a defendant for personal injury caused by an actual, alleged, feared or potential exposure to coronavirus.
• Requirements for Liability: A plaintiff must satisfy the safe harbor and gross negligence or willful misconduct requirements of the claim by clear and convincing evidence.
• Healthcare Protections: Creates an exclusive federal cause of action for coronavirus medical liability claims.
• Labor and Employment: Protects employers from liability under federal labor and employment laws (OSHA, FLSA, ADEA, WARN, GINA, and ADA) for actions taken to comply with coronavirus-related public health guidance and regulations
• Protections for Products: Limits liability for additional products, such as types of PPE and hand sanitizer, if they meet certain FDA requirements

You may say to yourself, “This is not the beautiful $1.4 trillion packaged that GOP negotiators Mark Meadows and Steve Mnuchin have reportedly offered. Where is that large package?”  Think of $500B as the initial offer, with the figure floated by the Administration something closer to "best and final." The delta would likely be closed by adding back the conspicuous omissions--another round of stimulus checks, state and local funding, and various other concessions that might allow Democrats to save face and get to yes.  So, same as it ever was.

Will Congress Be Able to Pass Anything?

While the micro-package is a mixed bag for the Phase Four outlook, the recent news of an agreement between Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to keep the upcoming continuing resolution (CR) clean of any COVID-19 relief takes away the most obvious vehicle, and this week's surprisingly good jobs report does little to pressure lawmakers to intercede. While each development has merit in its own right, their sudden confluence makes it much harder to imagine a relief package being signed into law before the election.

Congress is notoriously bad at doing virtually anything unless and until they are faced with a hard deadline or other forcing mechanism. With enhanced unemployment insurance expired, PPP authorization lapsed, and an assortment of executive actions designed to insulate the administration from the political implications of Congress' failure to act, there is no imminent policy "cliff" to speak of.

The only truly must-pass legislative vehicle that can be expected before the election is the short-term government funding package in question. Whatever dwindling hopes we have maintained through the August recess hinged on these negotiations being rebooted and infused with a renewed urgency in the context of avoiding a government shutdown and clearing the legislative decks before the election. Evidently both parties have determined that shutdown fears--and the prospect of a high stakes game of chicken on the precipice of, outweigh the economic risk of failing to act.

The bull case for Phase Four would be that the show of good faith between Mnuchin and Pelosi on a clean CR could provide space for a stand-alone deal. But with Republicans on the verge of laying down a marker that actually moves the two sides farther apart, and just three legislative weeks remaining until both parties begin their all-out sprint to the November election, it seems hard to believe that the incentives line up to get this done.

What's more, this morning's jobs report came in way ahead of expectations, adding 1.4 million jobs in the month of August. Perhaps most importantly, the topline unemployment rate fell to 8.4 perfect, far lower than analysts had anticipated, and well ahead of official government estimates that unemployment would remain above 9 percent at year's end.

Such strong figures, especially coming immediately on the heels of the much-hyped expiration of the federal unemployment supplement, is certain to embolden the stingiest elements of the Senate GOP conference, and make it even less

IN THE NEWS

Sportsmen and Sportswomen for Biden Launches – As millions of Americans begin their annual ritual of fall hunting, Biden for President announced the launch of Sportsmen and Sportswomen for Biden -- a coalition of more than 50 prominent hunters and anglers from across the country, who have come together to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States. Sportsmen and Sportswomen for Biden’s leadership committee includes people who currently or formerly served in leadership positions within some of our nation’s most prominent conservation and outdoor advocacy groups. Several members have held prominent positions overseeing hunting, fishing, and wildlife at the state and national levels. The group’s leadership committee also includes sitting members of the United States Senate and Members of Congress, a spate of prominent former elected officials, and a number of current state and local elected officials, including several statewide officeholders.

Progressives Urge Biden to Reject Energy Experts – Nearly 150 progressive climate change groups are demanding Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden exclude anyone with ties to the fossil fuel sector from his administration if he wins the November election. The progressives say a commitment from Biden against including people with fossil fuel ties from his administration would “assuage” any of their lingering concerns stemming from the removal of language calling for ending fossil fuel tax breaks and subsidies from the official Democratic National Committee platform.  RIGHT!!!  We know there is NO WAY that is true. 

Segal Weighs In on Letter – Anyway, Scott Segal, a lawyer and lobbyist at Bracewell with over 25 years of experience working on energy and environmental policy on behalf of utilities, gas producers and refiners:

“The groups advancing this issue are fringe organizations that do not represent the consensus of the environmental community.  For most public interest groups, both Heather Zichal and Ernie Moniz were well informed, intellectually honest individuals that have helped paved the way for many of the most important elements of the transition to a clean-energy economy.  Their records of distinguished public service are clear and remain undiminished by subsequent associations with public interest groups, academia, or industry.

The flip side of the argument these advocates present is that Zichal and Moniz, by virtue of their above-board associations with innovative companies in the energy sector, have been exposed to the latest in technological developments, scalability, international markets, and the like.  This expanded knowledge base, coupled with their long experience in public and non-profit sectors, allows them to assess policy options tempered with real world experience. 

That’s precisely the kind of advice that Joe Biden or any other policy maker could really use.”

CVR, HollyFrontier File Petition to Reverse SRE Decision – HollyFrontier Corp. and CVR refining filed petitions Friday to ask the Supreme Court whether it would review a 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals decision from January that threatened the entire refinery exemption program under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

AWEA Joins Forces to Form Clean Power Group – A group of US clean energy companies are joining forces with the American Wind Energy Association to create a new lobbying group. The new group, called the American Clean Power Association, will include companies such as NextEra Energy, Avangrid and Berkshire Hathaway Energy.  AWEA plans to merge with the new organization with the goal of propelling “renewables to be the dominant power source in America,” it said in a letter to its members. The new group’s priorities will include environmental policy, market reform and grid modernization.

EIA: US oil production rebounded in June – The Energy Information Administration said that the US produced 10.436 million barrels per day of oil in June, an increase of 420,000 bpd from May, driven by gains in Texas and North Dakota, the reported. Gross natural gas production in the contiguous US also climbed by 1.6 billion cubic feet per day in June to 99.1 Bcf/d.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

MOST EVENTS SCHEDULED ARE NOW ONLINE WEBINARS

AWEA’s September Conferences Go Virtual – The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced that the Wind Resource & Project Energy Assessment Conference and Wind Project Siting and Environmental Conference will be held virtually this September. AWEA is focused on reconstructing these events to create a valuable and successful online experience. Participants will have available live presentations, on-demand sessions, one on one networking, and shared social experiences.

Mexico Gas Summit Set – The 6^th Mexico Gas Summit will take place virtually this year today to Thursday.  The event will look at Gulf Coast onshore exploration and production, energy logistics and transportation, natural gas commercialization/infrastructure and the refined fuels market.

Forum to Address Charging Infrastructure – The final web forum hosted by the Electrification Coalition and Smart Columbus will be held today at 3:00 p.m. to discuss fortifying regional EV charging infrastructure. More than 1,000 new EV charging ports have been installed in the Columbus Region. This explosion of charging has contributed to a more than four-fold increase in EV purchases in the last three years. The event will look at how Smart Columbus partnered with local utilities to help residents, workplaces, businesses and developers identify the right ways to install EV charging infrastructure for their current needs and for the future.

ACORE Starts REEF-Wall Street Seminars – The American Council on Renewable Energy and IJ Global holds "REFF-Wall Street 2020" as a webinar tomorrow and Thursday on renewable energy and storage capital flows.  Speakers will include our friend Greg Wetstone, as well as NRDC’s Gina McCarthy, former Rep. Carlos Curbelo and NM Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who keynotes.

House Energy Holds Mark Up – The House Energy and Commerce Committee holds a markup of 38 bills tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., including H.R. 4447 (116) , the "Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019" and H.R. 8159 (116), the "Department of Energy Organization and Management Improvement Act."  See the full list here. 

Senate Enviro to Look at Grizzly Management – The Senate Environment Committee holds a legislative hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on legislation on Grizzly Bear State Management.

WRI Hosts Former UN Official – The World Resources Institute holds a forum tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. that will be a blunt and visionary conversation on what it will take to overcome barriers to exponentially ramp up climate action. The event will hear from prominent youth activists, podcasters, low-carbon futurists, elected and corporate leaders, philanthropists, and researchers on how nations are falling short and what solutions are out there.  Former UN Official and World Bank head Christiana Figueres will headline the panel.

House Science Looks at COVID Impacts on University, DOE Bio Research – The House Science Research and Technology Subcommittee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. on the Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on University Research.  Then on Friday at 1:30 p.m., the Committee’s Energy panel will look at Biological Research DOE leveraging its capabilities to respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Forum to Look at Conservation Corps – Tomorrow at Noon, EESI will hold a forum the Conservation Corps.  Several different conservation corps currently offer opportunities to get Americans involved in shovel-ready projects on federal lands, providing participants with work experience, skills, and a paycheck while contributing to national climate and sustainability goals. Speakers will discuss a variety of conservation corps and the policies that help them thrive.  Chas Robles, Director of Conservation Legacy’s Ancestral Lands program, will describe its wildland restoration work, and the program’s design to expand access to Native youth.  Michael French, Director of Operations at Green Forests Work, will discuss how its programs rely on local contractors and community members to restore native forest cover on lands that were disturbed by mining. Tonya Gayle, Chief Development Officer and Josh Owens, Social Enterprise Project Manager of Green City Force, will discuss how corps programs are providing work opportunities and improving environmental outcomes in urban areas.

Forum to Look at Green Stimulus – The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA, in partnership with the Breakthrough Institute and Data for Progress, holds a webinar tomorrow at Noon on climate progress with a green stimulus.  Among the speakers is Breakthrough’s Ted Nordhaus and UCSB professor/activist Leah Stokes.  Our friend and former NYT climate reporter Kendra Pierre-Louis moderates.

Forum to Focus on Hydrogen – Renewable Gas 360 hosts a webinar tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. featuring notable renewable hydrogen pioneers from North America and Europe.  The forum will look at some of the most promising renewable hydrogen production technologies and how these pathways can be promoted and advanced through sensible public policy.  Our friend Dave Edwards of Air Liquide will be on the expert panel. 

CSIS Holds Book Event – The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a book discussion tomorrow on "The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild," focusing on "the links between environmental conservation and human security and prosperity.  The event will feature Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and leading ocean conservationalist to discuss his acclaimed new book on the links between environmental conservation and human security and prosperity. Sala's research provides a pathway to trillions more in global economic growth with improved living standards for all—as well as the necessary steps to avoid another global pandemic like COVID-19.

Forum to Look at Clean Energy Workforce – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy holds a webinar tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to discuss powering up an inclusive clean energy workforce.  The event, in partnership with Third Way, will explore opportunities and challenges associated with building and enhancing the clean energy workforce, with a focus on public private partnerships, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and recent survey results on clean energy employer responses to COVID-19. The webinar will also explore workforce development initiatives currently pending in Congress.  Speakers include our friend Shaun Garrison of SEIA, former CPUC Commissioner Tim Simon, and BCSE Fellow Camille Moore.

Forum to Feature Utility CEOs – The Women's Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE) and the Large Public Power Council (LPPC) hold a special webinar tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. The CEOs of three large public power systems will discuss trends in the utility sector, the opportunities and challenges they present to our industry and the role of innovation in addressing these trends. Given the changing dynamics resulting from decarbonization, the emergence of new technologies and an increase in customer expectations, utility companies must embrace change in order to become nimbler and more innovative. Speakers include Tacoma Public Utilities Director Jackie Flowers, Austin Energy GM Jackie Sargent and AMP CEO Jolene Thompson.

Stanford Web Forums to Cover Climate Topics – The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is convening a series of webinars focusing on important emissions reduction elements to be considered as part of a U.S. playbook of climate solution options. The webinars will explore deployment potential, scalability, and mitigation and/or adaptation benefits as compared to costs.  The initial event will be Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and focus on the role of natural solutions, addressing topics like the national and global scope of opportunities, the role of different kinds of incentives, and opportunities and risks for co-benefits to soil fertility, food security, and forest health. 

Ex-Im Bank Hosts Export Forum – The Export-Import Bank holds its 2020 annual conference virtually and will focus a major piece of the agenda on energy.  Rich Powell of ClearPath leads a discussion on global clean energy technologies on Wednesday while Larry Kudlow and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross keynote Wednesday.  Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette starts Thursday with an energy outlook followed by a panel moderated by our friend Tim Puko of the WSJ.

BPC to Look at CFTC, Climate – On Thursday at 9:30 a.m., the Bipartisan Policy Center Energy Project is bringing together leaders from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Congress in a discussion on climate-related risks in the financial markets. Over the past year, the CFTC has led an effort reviewing the important implications of climate change risk to the U.S. financial system. Please join us for a moderated conversation with leaders from the CFTC and Congress on the nature of these risks and how to manage them. Panel discussion feature Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, CFTC Commissioner Rostin Behnam and Bob Litterman, Chair of the CFTC Climate-Related Market Risk Advisory Subcommittee.

Forum to look at Utility Cybersecurity – The US Energy Assn, E3 and USAID are hosting webinar on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. looking at digitalization and cybersecurity in the energy sector. This webinar will introduce an "ICS Security Crucible" where you will combine people, processes, and technology to create custom-fitted armor and defenses for your industrial operations based on unique risks, associated impacts, budgets, and known threats. Leveraging real use-cases, participants will learn practical steps in creating their utility security program. When we combine technology with the right people and robust processes, organizations create a strong culture of security and forge lasting legacies for critical infrastructure protection.

Forum to Look at Energy R&D – On Thursday, the Information Technology and Innovation Forum (ITIF) hosts a discussion of the future of federal energy RD&D investment with experts from ITIF, Columbia University’s Center for Global Energy Policy (CGEP), and elsewhere, with opening remarks by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR).  Our friend Jeremy Harrell of ClearPath also speaks.

IEA to Present 2020 Energy Tech Outlook – Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy holds a webinar on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. hosting IEA’s Dr. Fatih Birol and Head of the Energy Technology Policy Timur Gül for a presentation of key findings from Energy Technology Perspectives 2020. Following the presentation, Gül will join Dr. Cheryl Martin, Founder, Harwich Partners, and Dr. Varun Sivaram, CGEP Senior Research Scholar, for a discussion moderated by CGEP Founding Director Jason Bordoff.

DOE Solar Office Holds Stakeholders Web Event – The DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) holds its quarterly stakeholder webinar on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. The focus of the discussion will be photovoltaics (PV). SETO leadership will talk about our near-term PV research portfolio, including our perovskite work and manufacturing goals.

Forum to Look at Solar in Low Income Communities – On Thursday at 1:00 p.m., the Clean Energy Group hosts a webinar that will showcase Norfolk Solar and the Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) Fund formed to advance renewable energy generation, storage, and racial equity in low-income communities in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.  

Forum to Talk Carbon Neutral Polymers – On Thursday at 2:30 p.m., the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center’s Global Energy Center will host Jeff Uhrig, president and chief executive officer of Novomer. He will discuss how Novomer aims to produce low-cost, carbon-neutral polymers from sustainable feedstock. Synthetic polymers are widely used to produce a variety of materials for everyday life from personal care products to food packaging. Most synthetic polymers are derived from crude oil and natural gas. Economies across the globe can lower their carbon footprint by scaling up production of polymers made from renewable feedstock. Uhrig will explain how Novomer produces sustainable polymers from plant-based, renewable feedstock and describe how Novomer’s technology reduces polymer waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, incinerators, or might leak into the environment.

Forum to Look at Natural Climate Solutions – The Bipartisan Policy Center holds a discussion on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. looking at how to advance both near- and long-term goals for helping Americans get back to work, supporting rural economic development, and enhancing the environmental and climate change-related contributions of U.S. farms, ranches, and forests. Featured speakers include former Farm Service Agency Administrator Jonathan Coppess of the University of Illinois, NWF CEO Collin O’Mara and Christy Plumer, Chief Conservation Officer at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Forum to Look at Shale, Future – The Baker Energy Institute at Rice University will host a forum on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. to look at the future of US shale.  In this webinar, a panel of experts including Baker’s Kenneth Medlock and Mark Finley will explore the future of the U.S. shale patch and what it means for the global oil market.

Forum to Discuss Green Alliance in Germany – On Friday at 1:15 p.m., George Washington University and the Security and Sustainability Forum holds its the third webinar in the Leadership in Our Time series. Reinhard Bütikofer will be interviewed by diplomat András Simonyi. The diplomats will discuss energy and climate, the future of US-EU relations, the EU’s response to the crisis in Belarus, EU-China relations, and issues of democracy in the transatlantic community.

IN THE FUTURE

Bloomberg Green Festival Set – The Bloomberg Green Virtual Festival will be held on September 14^th to 18^th.  The event will feature leading voices working at the edge of change to foster solutions-oriented conversations.  The five-day festival will feature a cross section of visionaries from business, design, culture, food, technology, science and entertainment in a smart mix of panels, presentations, fireside chats, and interactive demonstrations.  The Green Festival will be a true thought leadership experience operating at the crossroads of sustainability, design, culture, food, technology, science, politics and entertainment.  Speakers include former EPA head Gina McCarthy.

CHP Leaders Meet – The Combined Heat and Power Alliance, the leading national voice for the deployment of combined heat and power (CHP) and waste heat to power (WHP), is hosting the National Summit on CHP  next Tuesday to Thursday. The Summit will convene a diverse group of stakeholders, including industry experts, end users and potential hosts, government leaders, policymakers, utilities, climate advocates, and other members of the clean energy community. It will be an opportunity to showcase the many benefits of CHP including reduced emissions, resilience and reliability, and economic competitiveness. The conference will be particularly focused on CHP’s role in decarbonization for a low-carbon future.  

Leaders to Address Energy Conference – The Energy Thought Summit 2020 will be held virtually on September 15 -17.  Speakers will include CEOs from CPS Energy, Exelon Utilities, PSEG and Austin Energy.

LNG Forum to Look at Indo-Pacific Region – The US Energy Assn holds a forum on Tuesday September 15^th at 7:00 a.m. on creating favorable investment climates and economic conditions for natural gas in the Indo-Pacific. As regional energy demand continues to grow over the next 10 years, the share of LNG demand is expected to nearly double.  Meeting this demand growth will require $80 billion in LNG infrastructure investment in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India combined.  The webinar will discuss the steps that the South and Southeast Asian energy sectors and policymakers should take to create a promising investment climate and the necessary economic conditions for natural gas development. Our friend Charles Riedl of the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas is among the speakers.

WCEE Event to Talk Election – The Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment holds a forum next Tuesday, September 15^th at 8:30 A.M. where WCEE Board Member Loretta Prencipe will hold a conversation with E&E News Reporter Adam Aton about energy and environmental issues in an election year.  Few industries see more rapid evolution today than energy, where constant strides are being taken to improve our ability to power society while mitigating climate change. Presented in partnership with the E&E News, this discussion will focus on how energy and environment continue to define and polarize politics in this critical election year. 

MIT to Host IEA – The MIT Energy Initiative hosts an event on Tuesday September 15^th at 10:00 a.m. with IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.  The event will provide IEA’s Outlook for global energy and climate trends post-COVID-19.  Speaking of IEA, leaders will also release their monthly Oil Market Report in September 15^th The OMR is the exclusive source for official government statistics from all OECD https://www.iea.org/events/oil-market-report-september-2020countries, as well as selected non-OECD countries, together with both historical datasets and supply-and-demand forecasts for the year ahead.  Featuring tables, graphs and statistics, the OMR provides all the data necessary to perform ad-hoc analysis and track oil market developments and to identify trends in production, consumption, refining, inventories in OECD countries and prices for both crude and products.

WRI Forum to Look at Climate Challenges – Next Tuesday, the World Resources Institute holds a webinar to learn more about the Science Based Targets initiative’s work to enable companies to set net-zero targets in line with a 1.5°C future, including a new paper laying out the foundations for credible, science-based net-zero targets for the private sector. The event will take a deep dive into the scientific context and main findings of the paper, learn about our ongoing work to develop a framework for corporate net-zero targets, and have an opportunity to ask questions directly to experts.

RFF Forum to Look at Geothermal – Resources for the Future holds a discussion next Tuesday September 15^th at Noon on the uses of geothermal energy/enhanced geothermal systems in both direct heating and electricity generation. Geothermal energy expert and Cornell University professor Todd Cowen will delve into the state of geothermal technology, the challenges that currently exist, and recent policy drivers impacting geothermal energy. RFF Senior Fellow and Future of Power Initiative Director Karen Palmer will then moderate a Q&A session.

Forum to Look at Climate, Elections – Third Way holds a forum on September 15^th at Noon to look at climate and path to zero emissions. The event brings together leading climate advocates, philanthropists, labor leaders, elected officials, academics, and media from across the Midwest and the nation. Our goal: foster a dynamic conversation focused on how to move forward with ambitious climate action at a time when the nation is also grappling with the pandemic, economic crisis, and resurgent demands for racial justice. Stacey Abrams will keynote. 

Forum to Look at Energy R&D – On Thursday at Noon, the Information Technology and Innovation Forum (ITIF) hosts a discussion and a presentation of a new report on gene-edited solutions for climate change and the implications of these technologies.

DOE to Commemorate Biomass Law – The U.S. Department of Energy’s Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board is hosting the virtual Bioeconomy Initiative Forum on Tuesday September 15^th and Wednesday September 16^th that commemorates the 20^th anniversary of the Biomass Research and Development Act. This interactive and public forum is designed to solicit stakeholder input and share the Bioeconomy Initiative’s progress, including accomplishments and plans for the BR&D Board’s Interagency Working Groups since the release of The Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework.

USEA to Look at Geothermal in Africa – The U.S. Energy Association (USEA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) holds its second installment of the Geothermal Industrial Park webinar series presented by the US-East Africa Geothermal Partnership (EAGP) at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday September 16^th.  Baldvin Björn Haraldsson – Founding Partner at BBA//Fjeldco and Antoine Lochet, Counsel at BBA//Fjeldco will discuss the Legal aspects and Challenges of geothermal industrial parks. The presenters will discuss legal issues and challenges encountered in geothermal activities, especially in projects involving direct and/or cascade use of geothermal resources.

Forum to Look at India Coal – The Johns Hopkins SAIS Program will hold a forum on Wednesday September 16^th at 9:30 a.m. economic uncertainties and a just transition for India’s coal mining sector. Although coal mining will play an important role in India for many years to come, the sector’s growth prospects are limited and planning for a just transition should start as early as possible according to speaker Srestha Banerjee, currently leading natural resource management and climate justice initiatives at the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST), a New Delhi based environmental research and advocacy organization.

Web Event to Look at US Coal Transition – EESI holds a forum on Wednesday September 16^th at Noon to look at energy transition in coal country.  Coal-producing communities around the country have already been experiencing economic turmoil from mine layoffs or closures due to precipitous declines in the demand for coal. These communities are among the most vulnerable to further transitions away from carbon-intensive energy sources and face particular challenges retraining their coal workforce.  Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who introduced the Marshall Plan for Coal Country Act this July, will provide introductory remarks.

SEJ Launches - The Society of Enviro Journalists starts its multi-session annual conference on Sept 16th with a panel of western Governors to discuss about the future of salmon, rivers, dams… and the country.  Then Thursday, September 17th SEJ holds several “virtual tours” of nuclear issues at the Idaho National Lab and ecosystems and conservation in Idaho’s high divide.  SEJ will conduct several other panels on elections and other issues on September 23rd and 30th.  I will be on the September 30th panel with former Interior official Jim Lyons and Dem politico Jen Palmieri (both fellow Annapolis-area residents) to dig deep into election politics and the environment. 

USEA Holds Advanced Energy Forum – On Thursday morning September 17^th, USEA holds in second annual Advanced Energy Technology Forum.  The event will explore technological innovation in the energy sector and focuses on research and development in the corporate and government sectors, including national labs and universities.  Speakers include Gas Technology Initiative CEO David Carroll and EPRI President Arshad Mansoor, among many others

ELI Forum Looks at Biofuels – On Friday September 18^th at Noon, the Environmental Law Institute holds a forum on advanced biofuels. While once heralded by environmentalists as an innovative carbon neutral energy source, biofuels have since come under scrutiny in the past decade. Concerns stemming from food security, deforestation and land use, the carbon footprint over the life cycle, vehicle modification, and more rendered this once-prized fuel as less desirable in the eyes of some environmentalists.  Leading experts to explore these question like practical/policy Challenges, past experiences and COVID impacts on industry as they dive into the next generation of biofuels.  Speakers include NRDC’s Luke Tonachel and POET’s Shailesh Sahay, among others.

National Clean Energy Week Set – From September 21^st to 25^th, National Clean Energy Week will be held.  NCEW is the annual week-long celebration of clean energy innovation and help solve the world’s most pressing challenges in nuclear, solar, wind, wave, hydropower, geothermal, natural gas, biomass, carbon capture, storage, and waste-to-energy technologies. By going virtual, the NCEW flagship Public Policy Symposium is expanding beyond Washington DC into every home and business in America. Through programming all week long, hear directly from Republican and Democratic policymakers and top speakers in clean energy investment and innovation. 

UN Meeting, Climate Week NYC – As the UN Meets “virtually” (usually in New York) to hold its International Conference on Sustainable Development and discuss climate, there will be numerous events in NYC on climate during September 21^st to 27^th 

Virtual Atlantic Festival Set – The Atlantic Festival will be held virtually on September 21^st to 24^th to examine the magnitude of the events of 2020, who we are as a nation, and what we might become. The Atlantic’s marquee festival will bring brave thinking and bold ideas to life with four days of can’t-miss conversations, evening headliners, and more. Hillary Clinton and Dr. Anthony Fauci lead a parade of key speakers. 

Coal Transpo Group Meeting Set for Denver – The National Coal Transportation Assn will hold its fall conference both on site in Denver and virtually for those you are unable to attend on September 22^nd and 23^rd.  Speakers include DOE’s Lou Hrkman and several others.  I will also make an energy/election year presentation. 

NYT Hosts Cities, Carbon Forum – The New York Times hosts a forum on Tuesday September 22^nd at 1:30 p.m. looking at carbon zero cities. 

BCSE, EE Global Hold Next Forum on Clean Energy Challenges – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy and EE Global will hold the next forum in their clean energy series on September 23^rd at 10:00 a.m. to focus on meeting the trio of challenges posed by COVID-19, economic recovery and climate change. This event explores the power of existing clean energy and energy efficiency technologies and expertise. During the first session, experts will look at how energy efficiency plays a key role in economic recovery across the globe – from lessons learned from the Great Recession in 2009, to how energy efficiency helps build resilient societies, stimulates investment, enables a pathway to net-zero and can immediately put people back to work. During the second half of the event, clean energy executives will discuss how to tackle these challenges vis-vis the deployment of clean energy solutions, smart public policy and project design, and strategic deployment of procurement, finance, and technologies.

Forum to Look at Trillions Trees, Timber Solutions – EESI holds a forum on Wednesday September 23^rd at Noon to look at mass timber and opportunities to diversify the American economy and lower emissions while providing steady, family-sustaining employment for a skilled workforce. Panelists will discuss the environmental and workforce benefits of mass timber, from manufacturing to construction. Rep. Bruce Westerman, forester and sponsor of the Trillion Trees Act, will provide opening remarks. Tyler Freres, Vice President of Freres Lumber Co., Inc. will discuss the burgeoning mass timber manufacturing sector, its implications for U.S. environmental goals and the American workforce, and the policies currently helping mass timber innovation and manufacturing.

EIA to Release Outlook Report – EIA will release its International Energy Outlook on September 24^th.

Forum to Look at Low Carbon, Small Biz – EESI holds a forum on Wednesday September 30^th at Noon to look at the challenges faced by small businesses in low-carbon sectors, where federal policies such as the CARES Act worked—or did not work—to alleviate those challenges, and suggestions for the road ahead. Leticia Colon de Mejias, the owner of Energy Efficiencies Solutions and the Policy Co-Chair for the Building Performance Association, will discuss how she is working to address one of the foremost challenges in the energy efficiency industry—a trained workforce. Stuart Davies, Chief Executive Officer of the Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC), will share his experience as a small business leader in the marine renewable energy sector, which is poised to grow with investments in the research, development, and deployment of these innovative technologies. All speakers will describe how their work has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.