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1. Form Energy’s breakthrough battery storage
The company unveiledits much anticipated, multi-day energy storage system in The Wall Street Journal — a technology that’s held promise for decades but never truly commercialized: iron-air batteries.
What’s clear: As the power sector decarbonizes, energy storage is increasingly key to reliable, renewable power — keeping the lights on for cloudy, windless days and meeting the needs of our evolving electric grid.
Where it stands: Pumped hydropower is our largest source of storage, with lithium-ion batteries the fastest-growing contender, but innovators like Form are focused on the next frontier — advanced battery chemistries.
The path ahead: The Massachusetts-based Form Energy is planning a commercial pilot with Great River Energy in Minnesota in 2023.
Plug in: The Washington Examiner dives in on the potential breakthrough with our Senior Policy Director Alex Fitzsimmons.
“For the U.S. to be the world leader in energy storage, private sector innovation is key. We need to innovate faster than adversaries can copy.”
2. Rich to Senate: We can’t ignore Asia’s emissions
Our Executive Director Rich Powelltold the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia that U.S. climate policy must account for the region’s growing carbon footprint if we want any chance at reducing global emissions.
Rich’s red flag: Emissions in developing Asian countries, largely driven by China, are on track to eclipse total American emissions reductions by 2050.
That won’t change “even if the U.S. somehow eliminated all of its carbon emissions tomorrow,” he testified.
“While the U.S. reversed our emissions trajectory, much of the rest of the world is growing their emissions as they grow their populations, industries, and quality of life.”
Rich’s rec: “To remain competitive with China, U.S. energy policy must synchronize with the global challenge,” including…
Incentives for innovation to cut the cost of clean technologies for developing countries.
Opportunities to iterate and build on recent investments and authorizations in clean energy technology.
3. Early look: “A Clear Path to a Clean Energy Future”
We’ll be at next week’s Aspen Institute Energy Week to unveil a first-of-a-kind report that tracks the latest power sector trends and analyzes future tech and policy impacts.
What’s clear: America has slashed power sector emissions over the last 15 years through natural gas and renewables, but the easy part is over. Some of the U.S.’ biggest companies have net zero pledges that can continue driving down emissions — ultimately representing an additional 20% drop if we play our policy cards right.
This inaugural edition digs deep on the reforms and forces that will help — or hurt — our chances of hitting that 20%.
We worked with Rhodium Group, a leading research firm that analyzes energy policy and climate risk, to model ClearPath-designed scenarios using RHG-NEMS, a version of the National Energy Modeling System created by the Energy Information Administration.
The path ahead: Watch for the full report in the next week or two!
4. “SUPER Act” to build the bridge to low-emissions steel
The bill from Reps. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) and Conor Lamb (D-PA), who represent the heart of steel country, would invest in innovation to complement voluntary emissions reduction measures from America’s steel industry.
What’s clear: By 2030, the industrial sector is on pace to pass power plants and vehicles as the top source of U.S. emissions — and steel manufacturing is a major contributor.
Rewind: Industrial emissions caught up with the power sector for the first time last year and show no signs of slowing.
Turning emissions around will take new tech for carbon-heavy sectors — especially steel.
The SUPER Act — Steel Upgrading Production Emissions Reduction — would:
Establish DOE’s first crosscutting RD&D program for advanced, low-emissions steel technologies, alongside a new 5-year strategic plan.
Authorize DOE to tap existing Manufacturing USA Institutes or launch a new one for commercializing breakthrough steel manufacturing technologies.
The path ahead: The House Science, Space & Technology Committee is scheduled to mark up the bill in full committee next week.
Plug in: ClearPath added industrial emissions to our portfolio earlier this year.
5. ICYMI
Hope for speedier permitting: Senators of both parties introduced a proposal to cut the red tape slowing down clean energy permits and infrastructure deployments.
The world’s largest DAC facility, Orca, will launch on September 8, Swiss company Climeworks announced last week. It will capture 4,000 tons of CO2 per year.
6. Coming down the pipeline
July 29 – Our ED Rich Powell will testify before the House Climate Select Committee next Thursday.
That’s a wrap! If you need something to do this weekend, might we interest you in that reader survey we mentioned up top? Your opinions really do help.
