Please stay safe and healthy, wherever you’re reading this week.
House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee Advances Important Legislation for Clean Energy Innovation
This week, the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development marked up the Fiscal Year 2021 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies funding bill for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior programs, the Department of Energy (DOE), and other related agencies. The Subcommittee remained committed to clean energy innovation and continued its strong support for research and development at DOE. Read the bill.
RICH’S TAKE
“This Committee has an amazing track record in supporting clean energy innovation over the past three fiscal years. The significant resources this Committee has injected into the world’s most advanced peacetime research and development engine – the Department of Energy and its 17 world class national laboratories, alongside American institutions of higher education and private sector entrepreneurs – is catalyzing a new generation of zero emission technologies. This markup is an important first step in the annual appropriations process, and I appreciate the efforts on both sides of the aisle to invest scarce federal dollars in a sensible manner and look forward to the process moving forward.”
Energy 101: Introduction to Hydropower
Reliable hydropower is a strong part of the suite of Republican efforts to help deploy clean energy. Last week, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) introduced the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act (H.R.7410), which would expand clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable hydropower production in America and promote the innovation of the next generation of hydroelectric technology.
ClearPath, along with Connie Lausten, an engineer and founder of cLausten LLC, published an Energy 101: Introduction to Hydropower this week to go deeper on the history and benefits of hydropower. In the 101, they discuss how modern hydropower, or hydroelectric power, has been utilized for more than 100 years and remains a clean, reliable electricity asset. In 2019, hydropower generated roughly 6.6% of electricity for the United States, and dominates some states’ electricity mixes. While hydropower is generally thought of for electricity generation, only 2% of the 90,000 dams in the U.S. generate electricity. Read the full report here.
Rich Powell on Palisade Radio: The Future of Nuclear Energy and Tech
Rich recently joined Palisade Radio, the largest online discussion platform for junior mining globally. Palisade Radio interviews top experts in the energy and mining space each week to discuss macro trends and identify strong investment ideas. In the interview, Rich discussed a number of issues including U.S. supply chain issues, grid storage tech, changing public opinion, making nuclear more appealing, and nuclear fuel, types and test reactors. Listen here.
Nuclear Energy Success Runs Through Virginia
On Tuesday, Rich joined The Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium (VNEC) on a webinar entitled, “Virginia is Nuclear: Expanding the Nuclear Energy Industry in the Commonwealth.” The webinar also featured Dr. Rita Baranwal, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy.
Rich focused on Virginia’s role in a clean energy future, as well as federal policy including the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act — led by U.S. Representatives Elaine Luria and Denver Riggleman of Virginia — and the Nuclear Energy Research and Development Act.
Nuclear Energy Innovation: A Must-Have for National Security
Rich and Jeff Carter, Co-founder and Managing Director of the bipartisan Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance Action, published a column on why adding the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA) to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) makes perfect sense. Read their column here.
DFC Expected to Lift Ban on Advanced Nuclear
Energy Project Investments
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is expected to finalize proposed plans to lift a ban on investment into advanced nuclear energy projects for export in July – likely after the end of a 30-day public notice and comment period, which began on June 10 and ends today. ClearPath, along with 40 other organizations and individuals submitted a comment letter supporting the lifting of the ban. Read their letter here. Read an analysis from Reuters Events Nuclear.
RICH’S TAKE
“China has a much different commitment to nuclear proliferation than the United States and Russia uses its nuclear program as an element of its energy diplomacy, which is a pretty aggressive diplomacy as we’ve seen in the way Russia’s used its pipeline network to influence politics in Eastern Europe. Financing the development of nuclear power in a country is the start of a long-term bilateral relationship, including ten years to site, permit and build a reactor which could run up to 80 years before a 10-year decommissioning process. So that’s a century-long commercial relationship that you’re starting up with a country, and that’s a lot of trade, services and bilateral economic leverage.”
IN THE HEARING ROOM
This week: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water held the FY 2021 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Markup on Tuesday, July 7. Read more
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
E&E: Gas to nuclear? Dominion looks beyond pipeline’s demise
This week, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would have transported natural gas, has been cancelled by Dominion Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Corporation. Dominion instead has positioned itself to move into renewable power – particularly offshore wind. In April, Virginia enacted the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which requires Dominion to convert to renewable energy by 2045. Read more
Reuters: U.S. Energy Dept. approves LNG exports from Oregon
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approved the export of up to 1 billion cubic feet per day of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a proposed terminal in Oregon – a move expected to further position the United States as a top global supplier of LNG. Read more
VIDEO: A New Tool in the CO2 Reduction Toolkit: Direct Air Capture (DAC)
In his latest whiteboard video, ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell outlines a technology ClearPath is following called direct air capture (“DAC”). DAC technology uses machines to literally pull carbon dioxide molecules back out of the air. To learn more about the potential of this technology, watch our video here.
July 14: The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Energy Security and Climate Change Program is hosting an online event from 1:00 – 2:15pm ET on, “Innovation in Advanced Nuclear Energy.”More details and register here
July 14: The Duke University Energy Initiative is hosting a webinar from 5:30 – 6:30pm ET on, “Advanced Nuclear Tech in a Decarbonized Energy Future: Feasible or Fantastical?”More details and register here
July 22: The International Association for Energy Economics is hosting a webinar at 10:00am ET on, “Nuclear Power, Recycling and Advanced Reactors.” More details and register here
House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee Advances Important Legislation for Clean Energy Innovation
Energy 101: Introduction to Hydropower
Nuclear Energy Success Runs Through Virginia
Nuclear Energy Innovation: A Must-Have for National Security 
DFC Expected to Lift Ban on Advanced Nuclear
