On Wednesday, TerraPower and PacifiCorp announced plans to build a Natrium™ reactor demonstration project at a retiring coal plant in Wyoming. Gov. Mark Gordon, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and U.S. Dept. of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm joined together for the announcement, which is one of the two reactor designs selected for the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). Read more
Rich’s Take
“Developing the next generation of nuclear technology now is so important as many of the largest utility companies in the U.S. are making big bets they will reach net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Without a large helping of nuclear power in the mix to produce needed clean energy, these bets are less likely and will certainly be more expensive.” Read more
World Leaders to Accelerate Clean Energy Innovation
New Report Unveiled at NICE Future Side Event: Many countries have announced ambitious net-zero goals. This event highlighted how technology breakthroughs and innovations can accelerate strategies to cleaner energy and unveiled a new report, Pathways to net zero using nuclear innovation.
The Conservative Case for Clean Energy Solutions
The Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) podcast, She Thinks, interviewed Rich Powell on efforts to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions, and where there may be bipartisan agreement. Rich maps out an energy future that focuses on innovation, markets, and global solutions. He discusses where some get it wrong, what conservatives are doing right, and where both sides can agree. Listen here
Carbon Removal Investments Heating Up
Carbon removal is back in action and trending with the help of clean technologies such as Direct Air Capture (DAC), carbon mineralization, and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which have created more certainty around the viability and reliability of carbon removal technologies. The proof is in the pudding as big companies are investing in carbon removal solutions using a portfolio approach. Recent notable investments include:
Nasdaq is acquiring a majority stake in Puro.earth, an online marketplace offering large-scale carbon removal instruments that are verifiable and tradable. The Puro.earth platform provides carbon removal services to interested businesses including Microsoft and SEB Group. More
Meanwhile, Stripe, the online payment platform, is investing $8 million in carbon removal technologies from six different projects. Announcement
A carbon capture pipeline system is one step closer to moving captured carbon dioxide (CO2) from agriculture and liquid fuel production facilities such as biorefineries or industrial plants in the Midwest. Navigator CO2 Ventures successfully concluded the open season of its carbon capture pipeline system. Once completed, the system can transport CO2 captured through 1,200 miles of pipeline across Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota and Illinois to a permanent sequestration site. More
Committee Leaders Ask for Analysis of Carbon Emission Targets
House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and U.S. Senate Energy Committee Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) asked the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to conduct an analysis of the Biden Administration’s carbon dioxide emissions reduction targets. They want EIA to use the National Energy Modeling System to consider the following carbon dioxide emissions targets:
50-52 percent reduction from the 2005 level in economy-wide emissions in 2030;
80 percent reduction in power sector emissions from the 2005 level by 2030 and 100 percent reduction by 2035; and
100 percent reduction in total emissions from the U.S. economy by 2050.
See analysis from ClearPath highlighting how achieving these goals would require bipartisan legislative action and regulatory reform.
New At ClearPath: Reports
Craving a deeper dive into innovative technologies and policy analysis? Our Reports feature launched this week. Check it out
Industrial processes release emissions, and cement manufacturing alone produces eight percent of the world’s carbon emissions. “Having a solution for very economically capturing those emissions, either directly from the plants, or perhaps the air, is pretty vital if we’re serious about solving the problem,” said ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell. Read more
America’s Energy Storage Workhorse, Pumped Hydro,
at the Races Once Again
Energy storage is widely recognized as a key clean technology for maintaining an affordable, reliable electric grid. But the largest source of energy storage is also the most overlooked: pumped storage hydropower – though with recent policy and project developments, pumped storage may finally start to get the credit it deserves. Congress and DOE can build on the foundation in the Energy Act of 2020 and the Trump Administration-established HydroWIRES Initiative to support the commercialization of next-generation pumped storage projects. Learn more from our Senior Program Director Alex Fitzsimmons in his new piece, America’s Energy Storage Workhorse, Pumped Hydro, at the Races Once Again.
Colorado Can Get to All-clean Energy — Affordably
ClearPath Action Executive Director Rich Powell and Clean Air Task Force (CATF) Executive Director Armond Cohen penned an op-ed in Colorado Politics on how Colorado can lead the way in making the transition to 100% clean energy. Read the op-ed
Midwest Carbon Capture Pipeline Project Gains
Momentum
We’re Hiring!
