Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency at the U.S. Department of Energy Alex Fitzsimmons joined ClearPath this week as a Senior Program Director. He will work across ClearPath’s clean energy technology portfolio, with a focus on energy storage, renewable energy technologies, advanced manufacturing, and critical minerals policies.
At DOE, Alex led the energy efficiency portfolio within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). In this role, he helped develop and launch the Energy Storage Grand Challenge, a DOE-wide strategy to position the U.S. for global leadership in advanced energy storage technologies. Read more
Rich’s Take
“We are very excited to have Alex join our policy team, where he brings a wealth of experience in elevating clean energy innovation policies. His experience in efficiency and advanced manufacturing will be an asset as ClearPath expands its work into industrial sector innovation.”
VIDEO: Clean Energy Marshall Plan
For our history buff subscribers, you’re familiar with The Marshall Plan — the U.S. program that provided aid to our allies following World War II. As a result of helping reconstruct cities, industries and infrastructure after the War, the U.S. also reaped tremendous economic benefits from new trade opportunities.
Recalling that incredible success, we propose a “Clean Energy Marshall Plan” – one that can make our energy sector cleaner AND more reliable here in the U.S. and around the globe, while making the American economy even stronger. Watch our latest video proposing a four-step strategy to achieve this, by innovating, permitting, building and exporting. Watch here
New GOP Committee Leaders: CMR Selected as Next House E&C Republican Leader; Westerman to Lead House Natural Resources
This week, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) was selected by the House Republican Steering Committee to serve as the next E&C Republican Leader, beginning in the 117th Congress. She will be the first female of either party to hold this title. Read more from the current E&C Ranking Republican, Greg Walden (R-OR).
The Steering Committee also selected Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) as ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee. Westerman’s Trillion Trees Act was part of the House Republican climate plan they began rolling out in February. Read more
Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) will remain as the Ranking Republican of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Read more
Rich’s Take
“Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers has long been a champion for accelerating clean energy innovation through free-market solutions. She has been one of the strongest leaders in Congress for hydropower as a source of clean energy for her district and is a tremendous advocate for advanced nuclear, storage, carbon capture and other clean energy technologies that will help solve the climate challenge.
Congressman Westerman knows that too often, climate policy is oversimplified to false choices: renewables versus fossils, economy versus environment, immediate reductions at home versus inaction.
Reps. Rodgers, Westerman, Lucas and the Republican conference are focused on solutions that can make clean energy more affordable while preserving economic growth and reflecting the global nature of the challenge.”
EPW Committee Approves Nuclear Infrastructure Legislation at Business Meeting
Earlier this week, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee advanced a substitute amendment to the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act of 2020 (S. 4897), which would enable U.S. international leadership, preserve America’s nuclear fuel supply chain, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen our economic, energy, and national security. Read more
McKinley Introduces ACCESS Act to Extend 45Q Credit
Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) introduced the ‘‘Accelerating Carbon Capture and Extending Secure Storage (ACCESS) through 45Q Act’’ to extend the deadline for carbon capture and sequestration projects to begin construction to 2034. The code currently says construction must begin by the end of 2023 to generate credits, which is problematic because carbon capture projects often require hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and several years to build, so small delays and perceived uncertainties can be big barriers.
Newhouse Elected Western Caucus Chairman
Last month, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus for the 117th Congress. Read more
This week, he named Sean V. O’Brien as the organization’s new Executive Director for the 117th Congress. Read more
Rich’s Take
“Rep. Dan Newhouse is a champion in the House of Representatives for accelerating new nuclear energy and energy storage technology innovation which will both continue to bring high paying jobs and economic value to the American West.”
FERC Commissioners Approved
On Monday, the Senate approved by voice vote the nominations of Republican Mark Christie and Democrat Allison Clements to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which gives the commission a full slate. Read more
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Bill Gates Proposes National Institutes of Energy Innovation
In a Gates Notes article this week, philanthropist Bill Gates proposed creating a National Institutes of Energy Innovation, modeled after the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “The federal government puts around $7 billion a year into clean energy research, versus more than $35 billion a year into medical research. Putting energy on equal footing with health would be a key first step [to helping prevent climate change] that would create more than 370,000 jobs while also advancing a clean-energy agenda,” Gates wrote. Read more
Atlantic Council: The future of 45Q: Carbon capture policy in the Biden-Harris Administration
This week, ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell participated in an event with the Atlantic Council titled, “The future of 45Q: Carbon capture policy in the Biden-Harris Administration” and discussed the role of carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies in the US energy transition, the future of 45Q tax legislation, and how the Biden-Harris Administration could further the development and deployment of those technologies. Watch the recording here
Last week, Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric announced they would launch one of the country’s first demonstrations of blending green hydrogen into natural gas pipelines. The companies plan to introduce green, carbon-free hydrogen into natural gas pipelines made of steel and plastic in a project that is expected to be executed over several years. Read more
World Nuclear Energy Day Recap
December 2, 2020 marked World Nuclear Energy Day – the inaugural annual celebration of nuclear energy globally. This year’s theme celebrated “the heroes and sheroes who help run these places and keep the lights on during COVID-19.” Investments in clean energy like nuclear power can and should be part of the country’s recovery efforts from the pandemic. Investing in nuclear energy will help our economy recover by spurring innovation, strengthening our energy independence, and putting Americans back to work. Learn more about World Nuclear Energy Day
America: the Trusted Partner for Nuclear Energy Exports
In recent months, the U.S. has taken two important steps to retake the mantle of leadership in the nuclear energy industry. First, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) allowed for the financing of nuclear energy. Second, the U.S. has pledged financing to civilian nuclear-interested countries, should they use American technologies in their nuclear development – and a number of these potential deals have been announced recently. Read more in our latest blog, “America: the Trusted Partner for Nuclear Energy Exports,” by ClearPath Policy Analyst Cole Simons.
Video: TerraPower & X-energy to Demonstrate Advanced Reactor Technology
A moonshot goal of bringing advanced nuclear technology to market just became reality with the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, or ARDP. Congratulations to the two companies who were selected for the ARDP: TerraPower and X-energy!
These two companies, along with their teams, will partner with DOE and the National Labs to demonstrate their advanced reactor concepts in the next seven years.
December 7: The National Hydropower Association’s Path to Clean Energy Virtual Event, “The Role of Hydropower in a Rapidly Decarbonizing Grid” is taking place at 2:00pm EDT. More details and registration information here
December 8-10: The U.S. Nuclear Industry Council is hosting an event, “New Nuclear Capital 2020: A Special Summit Focused on Markets and Financing for Advanced Nuclear Energy.” ClearPath Managing Director of Policy Jeremy Harrell is a speaker. More details and registration information here
January 19-21: Save the date for Cleantech Forum San Francisco.
Senior DOE Clean Energy Official Joins ClearPath
EPW Committee Approves Nuclear Infrastructure Legislation at Business Meeting
