The Rundown: Diablo Canyon’s future – CCUS at Indiana cement plant – America leads on LNG
Happy Friday!
1. California heat wave making nuclear look cool
Summer heat waves straining the energy grid in CA show just how important grid reliability is. Luckily, the California legislature took steps to keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant online to provide some much-needed baseload energy.
Last week, CA lawmakers voted on a slate of climate bills, including a decision to keep Diablo Canyon, the state’s last nuclear plant, operating for five more years.
Baseload sources like nuclear that operate 24/7 with zero emissions are necessary to maintain a constant source of clean, reliable energy, even during extreme weather.
“Maintaining and extending America’s existing nuclear power plants is not only smart, it’s proving essential,” said ClearPath CEO Rich Powell. “In the midst of heat waves and power shortages, California would be in a lot of pain right now without Diablo Canyon. Nuclear energy is reliable and emissions-free. In fact, analysis shows that maintaining the existing fleet would be the most affordable thing anyone can do to reach goals of net-zero emissions.”
Plug in: Rich explains the importance of nuclear and other baseload sources in RealClear Energy.
2. As Russia halts energy exports, American LNG can put its foot on the gas
Russia cut off gas supplies to Europe indefinitely this week, making American leadership in liquified natural gas (LNG) even more imperative.
In the first half of 2022, America was the world’s largest LNG exporter. Thankfully, the trend is set to continue as three new American LNG export projects are under construction on the Gulf Coast.
Golden Pass LNG, which began construction in 2019, is building standard liquefaction trains with peak production capacity of up to 0.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d).
Plaquemines LNG’s 24 mid-scale trains, each with 0.07 Bcf/d capacity, will use modular technology that will allow them to be constructed more quickly.
Corpus Christi Stage III is utilizing infrastructure from an existing LNG facility. Its 14 mid-scale trains have a peak capacity of 0.11 Bcf/d and will also use modular construction.
What’s clear The U.S. is in a unique position to lead global action on LNG and a number of clean energy sources, while creating jobs in new industries, reasserting technology and resources leadership over Russia and China, and driving down global emissions.
Lehigh Hanson’s upcoming Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study in advance of construction has received $3.7 million in funding from the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management.
The study will evaluate cost, performance, and other impacts of the CCUS technology.
The proposed project would capture approximately 2 million tons of CO2 per year.
Construction on the project is expected to begin in early 2023.
What’s clear: Many American technology developers and cement makers are exploring how to apply CCUS technology to new and existing facilities thanks to legislation like the 45Q tax credit and bipartisan Energy Act of 2020.
4. Geothermal: the baseload renewable power source that’s heating up
Geothermal energy is an always on, reliable, clean, safe, and renewable resource that is widely available—yet underutilized—across the U.S. for electricity production. DOE announced an initiative this week to boost enhanced geothermal systems.
As part of the 2021 infrastructure law, Congress appropriated $84 million for DOE to pilot demonstration projects for enhanced geothermal systems.
The DOE announcement also previewed a Funding Opportunity Announcement coming soon for private sector developers to apply for the demonstration projects.
Estimates suggest that by 2050, technology advances and smart policies could increase geothermal electricity generation to 60 GW (from 2.5 GW today) and provide heating or cooling services for 73 million homes.
What’s clear: There is a virtually limitless supply of energy right beneath us if we tap into geothermal heat. ClearPath has published recommendations for implementing the demonstration programs, including enhanced geothermal.
What’s clear: The Earth’s core holds heat that radiates out to the subsurface. This heat can be harnessed for a variety of uses including electricity generation, heating and cooling of buildings, and other industrial and hybrid applications. Drill deeper on ClearPath’s geothermal policy page.
5. ICYMI
Wyoming has been leading the nation on clean energy innovation recently, this time on direct air capture with Project Bison.
U.S. natural gas company ConocoPhillips and Japanese energy company JERA are developing a hydrogen facility to produce and export clean ammonia.
