Rich Powell
—
Executive Director
Biography
Rich Powell is the Executive Director at ClearPath and ClearPath Action, the DC-based organizations developing and advancing conservative policies that accelerate clean energy innovation.
He educates policymakers on investing wisely in energy innovation, removing roadblocks to building and exporting American clean energy technology, and maintaining and promoting our flexible clean energy resources. Rich also leads ClearPath’s external advocacy and research partnerships with nonprofits, academia, and the private sector.
Rich frequently testifies before congress on climate change and energy innovation. His work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, FoxNews.com, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Morning Consult, RealClear Energy, and a number of regional publications. His views are regularly featured in national publications including the National Review, NPR, Politico, USA Today, Axios, E&E, New York Times, the Washington Post, Forbes, LA Times, Houston Chronicle, MIT Tech Review, Bloomberg, Green Tech Media, Utility Dive, the Guardian, and many others.
Rich serves as a member of the 2019 Advisory Committee to the Export Import Bank of the United States. He is also on the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center’s Advisory Group.
Previously, Rich was with McKinsey & Company in the Energy and Sustainability practices. He focused on corporate clean energy strategy, government low carbon growth strategy, and clean tech market entry.
Education
B.A. from Harvard College in Environmental Science and Public Policy, and a J.D. from New York University.
Area of Expertise
Policy and Strategy
Featured Content from Rich
On February 25, 2021, ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell testified before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies in a hearing entitled, “Strategies for Energy and Climate Innovation.”
On February 18, 2021, ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy in a hearing entitled, “A Smarter Investment: Pathways to a Clean Energy Future.”
At ClearPath, reducing power-sector emissions has been our primary focus for the past six years; however, this year, we are excited to add the industrial sector (see: manufacturing) to our portfolio. Combined with the power sector, this really expands our scope – going from tackling a quarter of U.S. carbon emissions to half.
The reality of Democrat majorities in the U.S. Senate and the House is sending a shiver through the Texas oil and gas industry. As the 117th Congress kicks off, energy eyes are on whether President Joe Biden will use these majorities to fulfill the campaign promise that he’ll “phase out fossil fuels.” In his first big signals, he’s revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and placing a moratorium on all oil and gas-related leasing and permitting actions on federal lands.
We propose a “Clean Energy Marshall Plan” to make our energy sector cleaner AND more reliable here in the U.S. and around the globe, while making the American economy even stronger. At ClearPath, we have been working on a four-step strategy to achieve this: innovate, permit, build and export.
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 Advanced Reactor Development Program (ARDP): TerraPower and X-Energy!
