Welcome to your Friday Rundown for the week ending March 16. Feedback is always welcome at info@clearpathaction.org. 
 

HIGGINS INTRODUCES ADVANCED NUCLEAR GOALS BILL   

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) this week introduced H.R. 5260, which would set a goal by 2028 for demonstrating at least four new commercially-competitive advanced reactor designs. The bill mirrors the Advanced Nuclear Energy Technologies Act (S. 1457) from Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) that was approved last week in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. 

“New modular technologies hold great promise and should be a priority for the department,” Higgins said at a House Science and Technology hearing on national labs. A “clear set of goals” at the Department of Energy to develop these technologies helps the U.S. regain global leadership in nuclear energy security, “retake a key strategic advantage from China and Russia,” open new domestic power generation markets and create many jobs, he said.

Idaho National Lab Director Mark Peters said he supports what Higgins is trying to do in the bill, while noting a “place like INL would be a place to build these demonstrations.”

WHY WE NEED “MOONSHOT” CLEAN ENERGY TECH GOALS 

ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell has a well-timed new video explaining why these type of “moonshot” advanced nuclear, grid-scale storage and other goals will effectively prioritize the Department of Energy’s efforts, which presently can be a mile wide and an inch deep.

Rich’s video – in less than four minutes with the help of ClearPath graphics wizard Mitch Kersey – sums up his recent appearance before the House Energy and Commerce Committee with this optimistic takeaway message: While the U.S. may not be able to compete with China in cranes and concrete, setting moonshot energy technology goals can help ensure U.S. leadership in innovation and deployment.

WATCH RICH’S VIDEO

NEWS NUGGETS

Energy Secretary Rick Perry praised his department’s ARPA-E effort, noting it has attracted more than $2.6 billion in private sector follow-up funding and led to the creation of 71 companies. “ARPA-E is one of the reasons DOE has had, and is having, such as profound impact on American lives,” Perry said in a video address to this week’s ARPA-E conference. Perry later told the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee that he would honor and follow instructions from Congress regarding ARPA-E.

The National Hydropower Association joined other renewable energy groups in asking congressional appropriators to preserve spending for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and ARPA-E. READ THEIR LETTER 

SPEED READ

THE PATH AHEAD