What to Watch in the 117th Congress for Bipartisan Clean Energy Policy
As the 117th Congress is gearing up, here are five big clean energy policies that have bipartisan support.
Implementation of the Energy Act of 2020 and providing resources for the technological innovations that will provide options for both American and global energy systems to go clean and address the global emissions reduction challenges while leading to smarter, more targeted investments by the Department of Energy focused on real-world outcomes.
Energy Sector Innovation Credit creates tax incentives for breakthrough power generation and storage technologies across the clean energy spectrum. The bill would establish a single incentive system for promising new power technologies.
Streamline project permitting so new clean energy projects are not needlessly slowed down. Right now, we can build new power plants, nuclear reactors, wind and solar farms, hydroelectric dams, and transmission lines only as fast as we can get permits for the projects. With endless bureaucracy and red tape, that often takes a very long time—five to 10 years in some cases. Making the permitting process more efficient is essential for two reasons: for the prudent stewardship of taxpayer resources, and for scaling clean energy rapidly.
A Clean Energy Marshall Plan could accelerate policy that would make our energy sector cleaner AND more reliable here in the U.S. and around the globe, while making the American economy even stronger.
The American Nuclear Innovation Act would establish multiple programs that support both currently operating nuclear reactors as well as the next generation of reactor technologies. These include a targeted credit program to prevent the premature shutdown of the existing fleet, prizes to the first approved licenses for multiple advanced reactor designs, continued regulatory modernization, and broader international development and investments.
ClearPath Joins Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum
The Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum, the premiere international gathering of government, industry, held a week-long forum that included CEO’s from some of the world’s largest energy companies and world energy leaders. Rich Powell, ClearPath Executive Director joined the panel, “The Circular Carbon Economy: Implementing The G20 Communique” along with Bill Brown, Chief Executive Officer, NET Power; Joe Anis, President & CEO, Europe, Middle East & Africa, GE Gas Power; Regina Mayor, Global Head of Energy, KPMG; and, Paddy Padmanathan, President and CEO, ACWA Power. Adam Sieminski, President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, moderated the panel. Watch
here
Streamlined Environmental Reviews for Advanced Reactors Proposed by NRC Staff
This week, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff proposed a major rulemaking to update the environmental review process. If enacted with a vote by the Commission, the rulemaking would create a streamlined path for advanced reactor environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Read the full NRC staff recommendation here
NET Power May Be Expanding Into Canada
The Associated Press recently reported that 8 Rivers Capital and the Canadian city of Estevan are looking at the feasibility for a commercial-scale NET Power carbon capture plant. Estevan is considered a pioneer in the power sector carbon capture and storage, and would be an ideal location for one of the first NET Power plant deployments in Canada. Read more
$47 Million for Commercial Scaling of Transformational Energy Technology from ARPA-E
ARPA-E will be awarding $47 million for 7 new projects as part of the Seeding Critical Advances for Leading Energy technologies with Untapped Potential (SCALEUP) program. This builds on the $24 million previously announced in 2020 for fast-track projects. The new SCALEUP projects will be working towards commercialization of technologies including grid modernization, emissions mitigation, and storage technologies. Watch a video on the program and announcement
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
House Energy & Commerce Republican Subcommittee Leaders and Roster
Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) announced the Republican subcommittee leaders and subcommittee rosters for the 117th Congress. See the lineups here
E&E: ‘On the same page’: Manchin-Barrasso team’s next moves
E&E reports on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s incoming Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) and new ranking member John Barrasso (R-WY) plans to work on bipartisan energy partnerships, an all-of-the-above energy strategy and focusing on innovation as a solution to climate change. Read more
Axios: Biden’s environmental agenda
In the flurry of day-1 executive orders, Biden said there will be a government-wide review of over 100 Trump-era policies and an order directing agencies to prepare a suite of emissions and energy efficiency rules. Axios has more
E&E: Does carbon pricing work? Researchers are skeptical
E&E reported on a paper in the journal, Environmental Research Letters, suggesting carbon pricing has little impact on reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Read more
Bloomberg: World’s Biggest Offshore Wind Producer Moves Into Hydrogen
Bloomberg reported that Danish utility Orsted A/S, the world’s biggest producer of electricity from offshore wind turbines, will use the technology at its Danish demonstration project H2RES to produce green hydrogen. Read more
Parting Gifts for Carbon Capture, from the 116th Congress
Carbon capture enjoyed a winter flurry of federal policy victories in the waning days of 2020 and at the start of 2021. In just a little more than a week, carbon capture hit a policy trifecta: new, aggressive R&D authorizations, a carbon capture tax credit (“45Q”) extension, and final Administrative rules on how project developers can properly claim the 45Q credit. Check out our latest blog from ClearPath Program Director Justin Ong and Policy Analyst Jena Lococo.
