Conservatives Champion Clean Energy Innovation at COP29

This year’s UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP29, took place in Baku, Azerbaijan and was positioned as the “Climate Finance COP.” Notably, an official House Energy and Commerce bipartisan delegation, led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), attended the conference. Five House Republicans including Reps. John James (R-MI), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Troy Balderson (R-OH), held a press conference and highlighted the importance of American leadership in clean innovative solutions to reduce global emissions without sacrificing economic development or national security. They discussed the need for increased clean energy innovation technologies like carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), nuclear, fusion and more. Watch their full press conference here.

L to R: Rep. John James (R-MI), Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH), Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA)

Embracing All-of-the-Above Energy Solutions

This year’s conference convened tens of thousands to continue the vital work of advancing innovation to reduce global emissions. ClearPath CEO Jeremy Harrell discussed American financing tools to lead a global scale-up of low-carbon solutions with the U.S. Development Finance Corporation’s (DFC) Chief Climate Officer, Anna Shpitsberg, during a fireside chat hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Highlights included DFC’s leadership in global clean energy deployment through a record year of lending more than $12B across more than 180 transactions in 2024 and the recent ~$1 billion letter of interest (LOI) with Poland to build Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 nuclear reactors. Jeremy continued the conversation with U.S.-based private sector leaders from Southern Company, Emerson and HSBC on recent momentum in private sector clean energy finance, the clean manufacturing supply chain and power sector decarbonization.

L to R: Anna Shpitsberg, U.S. Development Finance Corporation; Jeremy Harrell, ClearPath

Energy security remained a central theme at COP29, with many stakeholders advocating for a balanced, all-of-the-above approach. They emphasized technologies that can provide 24/7 clean, firm power like nuclear, carbon capture and storage. Diverse solutions are essential for meeting both economic and environmental goals, and this year, industry showcased a number of commitments to clean energy projects, emphasizing the need for a resilient energy mix, including emerging technologies like hydrogen and small modular reactors (SMRs).

Accelerating Deployment of Nuclear and Carbon Management Solutions

At COP29, nuclear and carbon management received significant attention, reaffirming the global commitment to scaling up clean, firm power as a critical pathway for reaching net-zero goals. This included six more countries joining the declaration to triple nuclear energy by 2050. Industry leaders are focused on long-term strategies, knowing that these technologies will progress and that America has the opportunity to lead global emissions reduction through optimized private and public financial mechanisms.

Chris Tomassi joined a CRES Forum roundtable to highlight the need for new nuclear.

ClearPath also partnered with the Conservative Climate Foundation (CCF) to discuss the potential of CCUS in reducing global emissions—especially for difficult-to-decarbonize sectors like cement, steel and petrochemicals. Harrell moderated a panel featuring Dr. Mark Berry, Senior Vice President of Research & Development and Environment at Southern Company and Roger Martella, Chief Sustainability Officer at GE Vernova. The panel explored how CCUS technologies must abate one billion tons of CO2 by 2030 and six billion tons by 2050, as outlined in the 2023 IEA Roadmap to Net Zero. Discussions focused on the economic opportunities, regulatory pathways forward, and scenarios for scaling CCUS in the power and industrial sectors while emphasizing the need for innovation, policy support and streamlined permitting to overcome barriers. Panelists emphasized the importance of bipartisan support for advancing CCUS technology, reflecting a growing conservative leadership role in pragmatic climate action.

Savita Bowman, ClearPath, at the COP29 Ministerial on Carbon Management

Building on American Leadership and Bipartisanship

COP29 served as an important reminder of the U.S.’ role as a global leader in clean innovation. The bipartisan American delegation emphasized the need for all-of-the-above, market-driven solutions. This approach resonates with allies and partners alike, who recognize the U.S. as not only a driver of technological innovation but also a steadfast partner in international efforts to reduce global emissions.

Conservatives are leading on solutions to unleash clean, affordable, reliable power, and at COP29, ClearPath helped bolster this message. By actively engaging with domestic and international partners, ClearPath continues to champion solutions to bridge the gap between today’s technologies and tomorrow’s climate ambitions. COP29 illustrated that smart policy, private sector innovation and cross-party collaboration can address the climate challenge while upholding economic growth and energy security for future generations.

Make America’s Largest Clean Energy Investor More Efficient

Since its creation in 1977, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) mission has continued to expand. Born out of a national energy scarcity crisis, DOE now holds the key to cutting-edge innovation with the opportunity to advance first-of-a-kind technology. This exciting new, expanded authority allows DOE to accelerate innovation while streamlining award negotiations.

The ClearPath Proposal to Modernize the U.S. Department of Energy notes that DOE can develop and implement “early-success, early advancement” or “rapid prototyping” initiatives to accelerate promising, high-impact technologies to keep America a global leader. To achieve well-defined milestones on a rapid timeframe, DOE can first seek to identify department-funded research and development (R&D) with proven early success and then quickly provide additional funding. This will promote end-to-end innovation within and across programs, complementing other innovation funding tools across DOE. Such tools include prizes, vouchers to work with the National Laboratories and those from the Advanced Research Project Agency for Energy (ARPA-E). To succeed, an “early-success, early-advancement” program cannot be an ad hoc set of one-off custom contracts; it needs to be an initiative that is replicable. 

Under Secretaries can administer rapid prototyping within each of their portfolios and across offices. Such an approach has major advantages without the need for new legislation. Within the confines of the law and compliance, Under Secretaries can expedite decision-making and contracting at their discretion. Doing so enables innovation to advance on merit rather than individual offices doing it themselves. Traditional DOE R&D funding tends to work on two to four-year performance cycles for each award. To ensure less than one year of contracting and research advancement turnarounds, proper leadership at the Under Secretary level and implementation of focused goals will be vital for advancing breakthrough technology. Speed is the name of the game for rapid prototyping to be a success and for the effective application of an accelerated innovation agenda. Increased speed will accelerate market adoption of clean energy technologies to advance key R&D concepts to commercial deployment. Expediting commercially viable technology will help build toward our clean energy future.

Award Negotiation Map

Fewer Strings Attached for FOAs

Streamlining the competitive funding process at the outset is an additional key to accelerated innovation. Funding opportunity requirements must be reduced and simplified within Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) and target what is statutorily required. FOAs have significantly increased in size in the last few years and become overly complex. In many cases, requirements that are well-intentioned, but extraneous to the ultimate success of the project are added on.

Limiting the page count of FOA’s would be a first step to address this problem while improving transparency by publishing all administrative and financial requirements to receive an award. To allow DOE to focus on targeting performance and outcomes for the awards, the program policy factors published within every FOA should be limited to five factors to reduce interference. Additionally, rather than prioritizing unrelated social policies such as Community Benefit Plans, Justice40 requirements and Diversity Equity and Inclusion plans, DOE should return its focus to the elements that will determine whether new tech will be successful R&D efforts to advance promising technology. To help reach this goal, it is vital that DOE initiates negotiations immediately upon selection.

Right now, given the increasing inconsistencies throughout DOE offices when managing negotiations, potential awardees don’t know where to start. Widespread standardization is necessary throughout the DOE offices in terms of knowledge-sharing, training, documentation and certification to limit delays and reduce confusion. At times, information requests from DOE for information regarding company practices are intended well but can be difficult for potential awards to navigate. Companies look to protect their intellectual property (IP) and such requests may discourage applicants from moving forward. Cutting-edge research is a high-profile target for foreign adversaries that look to steal U.S. IP, requiring extensive measures to be taken to safeguard it. ClearPath recommends streamlining the requirements for applying for grants, cooperative agreements and loans as well as developing procedures to protect American IP. Streamlined requirements can help prepare companies with what to expect when navigating award negotiations to ensure there will not be requests for information that may compromise an applicant’s IP. By doing so, applicants will be encouraged to continue to move through the process as seamlessly as possible without unexpected roadblocks. This initiative can be further accelerated with metrics to evaluate DOE’s performance during negotiations to ensure the most constructive approach. 

A Substance Based Approach

There is a middle ground that not only advances innovation, protects the taxpayer and ensures IP protection but also pushes the boundaries of technology and results in a stronger American economy.

Rather than setting desired performance outcomes and enabling applicants to propose how to meet them, DOE tends to dictate project plans. As a result of a long competitive process for the award and a surplus of non-technical requirements, the negotiation process can become quite lengthy. Complex teaming agreements between contractors and subcontractors detailing the scope of work for the companies acting as subcontractors can further slow down the process. Shifting priorities to a principle of technical substance and efficiency instead would achieve a better, more coherent result. 

ClearPath wants to see high-impact technologies reach commercialization and deployment at an expedited rate. Streamlining award negotiations while developing and implementing rapid prototyping initiatives will allow this. Guaranteeing access to complementary funding tools across the DOE ecosystem and additional funding can help overcome developmental obstacles projects may face while focusing on technical innovation. To ensure such tools are implemented effectively, efforts should be advanced at the Under Secretary level, with the goal of facilitating contracting and decision-making in the most efficient manner. With the help of DOE’s tools and guidance, American innovators are up for the challenge to create the next generation of energy technology. We believe by refining the partnership between awardees and DOE, the U.S. will remain a global leader for clean energy innovation.

The Heat Beneath Our Feet: The U.S. Needs More Geothermal Energy

Hello I’m Matt Mailloux from ClearPath. 

What if I told you one of our best clean energy resources is right under our feet? We take for granted the heat buried in the Earth’s core. But have you ever thought about turning that heat into electricity — or harnessing it to power a heavy manufacturing site?

That’s ok if you haven’t, because at ClearPath, we think about this a lot!

Geothermal is one of the most reliable, zero-emissions energy sources. Even though it provides 24/7 clean reliable power, it is often the most overlooked. The good news is that private companies are now using geothermal to meet our energy needs – powering datacenters, U.S. manufacturing, and affordably keeping the lights on.

Enhanced geothermal projects are ready to go. Using technology from the oil and gas industry to unlock heat in a much wider set of geologic areas.

Some often think of geothermal as a technology prime for the Western U.S., but as these new innovations progress — we could see states all across the country deploying enhanced geothermal. Today geothermal is less than one percent of the U.S. electric grid. But, by 2050 the NREL predicts it could increase to provide up to 60 gigawatts of power added to the grid. That’s the type of energy supply we’ll need to meet ever-growing demand. 

First, let’s take a look at two exciting companies putting innovation into action… and then….we’ll look at the policy barriers standing in the way.

Fervo Energy is an enhanced geothermal company based in Houston, that leverages oil and gas technology to get heat. Fervo’s first projects rapidly reduced costs, reaching parity with drilling costs for oil & gas. 

Eavor [“Ever”] — Is another company pioneering the future of geothermal energy, using a series of closed loop wells that collect heat through conduction.

These two companies, paired with federal R&D support from the DOE FORGE site… have advanced drilling techniques to make drilling new geothermal wells more predictable, reduce upfront costs, and encourage more private sector investment.

With promising developments like these, let’s talk a little bit about the policy barriers that are holding them back. For starters, out of the $62 billion for demonstration projects at DOE from the IIJA, geothermal received a fraction of that amount. 

Think about it this way, Geothermal received just 10 percent of the funding allocated to technologies like energy storage or carbon management. We will need all of these resources to meet energy demand and provide clean, affordable, and reliable energy. 

But perhaps the biggest roadblock to geothermal is the permitting process. Geothermal projects can trigger environmental review up to 6 different times during development. Congress can expedite reviews for resource confirmation wells – like regulations for oil & gas development have allowed for two decades. Congress has been working to address these policy challenges in a bipartisan manner. 

Expediting environmental reviews and funding demonstration projects could lead to the huge increases in geothermal capacity like I mentioned before. It’s time for Congress to unlock the heat beneath our feet.

Turning the U.S. Hydrogen Field of Dreams Into Reality (Utility Dive)

This op-ed was originally published by Utility Dive on October 14, 2024. Click here to read the entire piece.

Perhaps a line from the classic American film “Field of Dreams” best summarizes the approach to hydrogen production and infrastructure: “If you build it, they will come.”

Increasing manufacturing and energy production in the U.S. is obviously good economic policy, but also strong climate policy, because our environmental standards are some of the strongest in the world. Unlike fuels in use today, hydrogen produces no carbon when it’s burned or used as a feedstock and has applications for the industrial sector including steel, cement and chemicals. The U.S. is sitting on the potential to produce more, we just need policies that work.

Clean energy project developers and those invested in lowering global emissions have rallied around hydrogen as a piece of the puzzle. The $8 billion Department of Energy Hydrogen Hubs have the potential to get these projects off the ground, but the clock is ticking on deployment.

Click here to read the full article

ClearPath in Brazil: Advancing U.S. Clean Energy Leadership

Stepping outside of the Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation (CEM/MI) meetings in advance of the G20 energy ministers’ summit in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, the faint smell of smoke and visible haze from Amazonian wildfires was a stark reminder of the fragile balance between economic growth and the natural environment. Locals explained the fires were both from natural causes – given recent droughts – but some set intentionally by farmers or developers to clear the land. ClearPath often emphasizes that the U.S. produces energy, goods, and agricultural products in a more environmentally responsible manner than many other nations, and my experience in Brazil was an impactful reminder about the need for America’s global clean energy leadership.

The CEM/MI gathering also highlighted the need for U.S. engagement abroad, in many ways. Perhaps the biggest was the context of Brazil’s current G20 presidency and upcoming COP30 host in 2025. Strengthening U.S. ties with Brazil and like-minded partners is essential – not only to advance clean energy but also to prevent China and Russia from dominating key markets and supply chains.

Brazil: A Key U.S. Partner in Clean Energy and Beyond

Brazil’s role as a growing energy powerhouse positions it as a crucial U.S. partner in regional and global discussions about energy, economics, and environmental responsibility. The gatherings in Brazil – bringing together leading thinkers and stakeholders from government, industry, and NGOs – were a prime opportunity to engage with all who share our commitment to a cleaner, more secure energy future. Brazil’s energy infrastructure – such as the Itaipu Binacional Dam, designed with American and Italian engineering that powers approximately 10% of Brazil’s energy needs and an astonishing 80% of Paraguay’s—demonstrates that large-scale projects are achievable with the right investment and leadership.

Nick Lombardo, Senior Program Director – International Policy

ClearPath’s participation at CEM/MI was focused on advocating for an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes advanced nuclear, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), and hydrogen – technologies that ensure economic growth and energy security while also reducing emissions.

Enhancing Trade and Development Financing for Clean Energy

Some of the key issues that came up at the conversations in Brazil were the urgent need to modernize U.S. trade and development finance mechanisms, particularly through the reauthorizations of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Export-Import Bank (EXIM). These institutions are critical tools for financing clean energy projects worldwide, and their respective upcoming reauthorizations present crucial opportunities to fine-tune these agencies to effectively finance energy expansion projects, especially in countries where clean energy infrastructure is essential for economic growth and energy independence.

In Brazil, the DFC and EXIM can play a transformative role by:

Leveraging Multinational Partnerships: With Brazil hosting COP30, U.S. agencies can foster partnerships with Brazilian companies and government entities to enhance local expertise and build capacity in energy technologies. These partnerships align with Brazil’s goals and help create a more stable environment for U.S. investments, creating significant value for the American economy.

Addressing Competition with China and Russia

As the U.S. engages with Brazil and other key partners, it is essential to recognize the growing competition from China and Russia in the global energy market. These countries are actively seeking to expand their influence through aggressive financing of energy projects, often without the same environmental and ethical considerations that guide U.S. investments.

By strengthening DFC and EXIM, the U.S. can position itself as a reliable partner in Brazil’s energy expansion, countering the narrative that often favors adversarial nations. ClearPath advocates for a focused approach that not only promotes clean energy solutions but also reinforces the economic and strategic ties that underpin U.S. interests in the region.

Looking Ahead: A Conservative Approach to Global Energy Leadership

The U.S. has made world-class advancements in energy, manufacturing and agriculture production under some of the strongest environmental standards globally. As we aim to boost domestic production, more of our practices and products could be adopted and exported to the rest of the world.

Looking ahead to COP29 and Brazil’s hosting of COP30, the U.S. has a unique opportunity to build on the momentum from CEM/MI. By working with Brazil and other key partners, and ensuring our financial institutions are prepared to support the next wave of energy expansion projects, we can secure a cleaner, more prosperous future where American leadership is central.

Clean Energy Innovation Academy Brings Congressional Staff to Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Supporting research and development accelerates American innovation to reduce global energy emissions. America’s innovation engine is critical in the development and deployment of new technologies and empowers U.S. private sector innovators to partner with National Labs to make breakthroughs in clean energy technologies. In the heart of Tennessee, ClearPath hosted its fourth Clean Energy Innovation Academy (CEIA) site visit for Congressional staff at Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL). CEIA, launched in 2020, is an ongoing educational series for Congressional staff focused on conservative clean energy technology and policy. 

From Left to Right: Elizabeth Joseph, Shawn Rusterholz, Taylor Tougaw, Maddie Mitchell, Josh Weber, Anna Claire Stietenroth, Justin Williams, Katherine Robbins, Dillyn Carpenter, Frances Wetherbee, Bridget Dunn, Athina Lawson, Luke Nickless, Amanda Sollazzo, Ari Boosalis, Emily Johnson, Jake Kincer, David Maestas, Aaron Trujillo

The educational visit brought 12 U.S. House of Representatives staff, consisting of professional staff who worked for Members on the House Science, Space, and Technology and Budget Committees as well as legislative and communications staff who work for Members of House Ways and Means, Natural Resources, the Congressional Western Caucus and Committee on Appropriations to see first hand the exciting work happening at one of the U.S. National Labs.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The delegation toured ORNL, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) largest multidisciplinary laboratory. This laboratory delivers scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs, including scaling up clean energy in the U.S. and accelerating innovation that strengthens economic competitiveness. On campus, ClearPath and Congressional staff toured:

From Left to Right: Aaron Trujillo, Josh Weber, Shawn Rusterholz, Emily Johnson, Taylor Tougaw, Athina Lawson, Dillyn Carpenter, Katherine Robbins, Niko McMurray, Anna Claire Stietenroth, Frances Wetherbee, Amanda Sollazzo, Elizabeth Joseph, Bridget Dunn, Luke Nickless, Ari Boosalis, Justin Williams, David Maestas, Jake Kincer, Maddie Mitchell

Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF)

The MDF is at the forefront of advanced manufacturing techniques and enables researchers and industry partners to collaborate on manufacturing processes, making them faster, more affordable, and more efficient. Staff saw the cutting-edge work of the facility in processes like additive manufacturing and 3D printing which will drive the development of next-generation materials for the clean energy sector and beyond.

TRISO Fuel Lab

TRIstructural ISOtropic fuel is an advanced nuclear fuel that has certain safety and performance characteristics that make it more robust than traditional nuclear fuel. This fuel is used in several advanced reactor designs, such as those supported by the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program and the Department of Defense’s Project Pele. The lab’s research has been instrumental to the safety case and the manufacturing process of TRISOU fuel, supporting ambitious goals set by Congress to power new nuclear reactors with a secure American fuel supply chain.

High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR)

Originally constructed in the 1960s, the HFIR remains one of the most powerful research reactors in the world. It is a critical source of isotopes for medical, industrial and scientific purposes. Due to its extremely high neutron flux, the reactor also plays an important role in materials and medical research. Staff learned how neutron research at HFIR was key to characterizing COVID-19. The facility’s abilities in both isotope production and neutron research make it indispensable for materials development, nuclear energy and medicine. 

Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility

The group was able to take a look at the world’s fastest supercomputer, Frontier, which is a resource to companies and programs working on the next generation of innovation, giving them a competitive advantage. The computer solved calculations more than five times faster than today’s top supercomputers—exceeding a quintillion, or a billion billion, calculations per second—exascale systems will enable scientists to develop clean energy technologies, among others. 

Staff also joined a dinner discussion with guest speakers detailing how their partnerships with the U.S. National Labs’ R&D user facilities are moving their technologies toward commercialization. Guest speakers included:

ClearPath looks forward to expanding its Clean Energy Innovation Academy in 2025 to learn about more clean energy innovation technologies and the policies that will help them succeed. 

America’s Oil and Gas Industry: Seizing the Low-Carbon Opportunity

For the third consecutive year, ClearPath partnered with the American Petroleum Institute (API) at New York Climate Week showcasing the cutting-edge clean technologies needed to reduce energy emissions across the U.S. economy. With the expertise and engineering know-how needed for clean energy innovation and deployment, the oil and gas industry is seizing the opportunity to lead emissions reductions at a global scale. 

The Carbon Innovation Forum convened senior government officials, energy executives, project developers, technology startups, investors and thought leaders. The forum focused on creating market demand for low-carbon solutions, such as carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), carbon dioxide removal (CDR), low-carbon materials like hydrogen and concrete, and the need for streamlined permitting to unlock energy infrastructure build-out.

From Left to Right: ClearPath CEO Jeremy Harrell; DOE Deputy Under Secretary Leslie Biddle

Leveraging America’s Energy Advantage

The world is using more energy than ever before, and with new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced computing, demand for clean, reliable power is set to soar. In 2020, the information and communication technology sector, including data centers, networks and user devices, consumed about 915 terawatt hours of electricity, which is four to six percent of global electricity that year. Electricity consumption from data centers, AI, and the cryptocurrency sector is projected to double by 2026. 

As global demand for clean, affordable and reliable energy continues to grow, so does the opportunity and need for American energy leadership. We know America’s lawmakers and energy producers are up to the task. With continued innovation, American-produced products, including natural gas will facilitate lower emissions and bolster global energy security. A great example of this is liquefied natural gas (LNG). Thanks to its abundant supply of natural gas and novel technology innovation, the U.S. is the largest producer of this valuable resource and exporter of LNG in the world.

The U.S. is also a leader in the research and development (R&D) of key low-carbon technologies like CCUS, direct air capture (DAC), and hydrogen. The R&D was catalyzed by the Energy Act of 2020 and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, which infused nearly $12 billion into carbon management programs and $8 billion for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs. These policy wins will support the U.S. energy sector as a global leader in clean energy and technology deployment.

Let America Build

Natural gas, CCUS, DAC, hydrogen, methane monitoring and nuclear are all needed to achieve deep decarbonization in various sectors, such as manufacturing and electricity generation. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for any low-carbon scenario, we need every tool in our toolbox to meaningfully reduce emissions across the economy. 

Status of Class VI Primacy in the U.S.

States with Class VI primacy have a track record of permitting carbon dioxide sequestration sites years faster than the EPA.

CCUS has the potential to provide 14 percent of the global emissions reductions required by 2050, but the current capture capacity of operational projects is a fraction of what is needed. Similarly, CDR solutions are managing just shy of 100 thousand tons of carbon – accounting for only 0.001 percent of carbon removal required. With around 200 CCUS projects in various stages of development, around 150 clean hydrogen projects under development and two major DAC facilities in operation, innovators have begun demonstrating these technologies, and the rapid scale-up of these clean energy projects is the next step. To ensure the successful commercialization of these technologies and reach net zero by 2050, modernized permitting, demand-pull mechanisms, predictable, growth-oriented markets, and public-private collaboration are crucial. 

CCUS can provide 14% of the Global emissions reductions needed by 2050 and is critical
for reducing emissions in difficult-to-decarbonize sectors. What’s needed to achieve this?

Participants at the forum voted permitting to be the top policy opportunity to generate demand and scale up CCUS projects more rapidly.

As CCUS and DAC move along the deployment curve, supporting infrastructure will be needed to further deploy and commercialize these technologies. This includes developing carbon storage sites for the permanent storage of carbon dioxide in geologic formations and the build-out of pipeline infrastructure – a vital link in the carbon management value chain. Highlighted during the Carbon Innovation Forum, eliminating red tape and streamlining permitting are critical and will help give project developers the predictability they need to get steel in the ground. 

Economy-wide decarbonization will also require increased demand for low-carbon products like cement, steel, and chemicals, and CDR solutions. This event emphasized how new and existing demand-side mechanisms can play an important role in promoting the scale-up of these markets. 

America’s largest energy producers, utilities, agriculture companies, financial institutions and other leaders are integrating a suite of clean technologies into their long-term business strategies. To seize this low-carbon opportunity and leverage America’s energy advantage, the Carbon Innovation Forum underscored the importance of building our energy infrastructure and deploying policy tools that incentivize the scale-up of low-carbon solutions on a global scale. 

From Left to Right: Arjun Murti; Molly Laegeler; James Schaefer; Andrew Stinson; and Mark Gebbia

Thanks to our speakers: Rostin Behnam, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Leslie Biddle, Deputy Under Secretary for Commercialization and Finance, U.S. Department of Energy; Marisa Buchanan, Senior Vice President – Low Carbon Solutions, bp trading & shipping; Kelly Coppola, Upstream Unconventional Issues and Advocacy Manager, ExxonMobil; Kerry Duggan, Founder and CEO, SustainabiliD; Fredrik Ekström, Chairman, Nasdaq Stockholm and Puro.earth; Allister Furey, CEO and Co-Founder, Sylvera; Mark Gebbia, Vice President for Environmental and Permitting, Williams; Leia Guccione, Managing Director, RMI/Hydrogen Demand Initiative (H2DI); Amy Harder, Executive Editor, Cipher News; Jeremy Harrell, CEO, ClearPath; Michael Johnson, Vice Chairman of Investment Banking, J.P. Morgan; Molly Laegeler, Vice President of Strategy & Sustainability, Chevron; Michael Leitch, Senior Technical Lead, XPRIZE Carbon Removal; Sonrisa Lucero, Special Advisor for Stakeholder Engagement, U.S. Department of Energy; Joseph Majkut, Director of Energy Security and Climate Change Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Arjun Murti, Partner, Veriten; Aaron Padilla, Vice President of Corporate Policy, API; James Schaefer, Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Securities Investment Banking; and Andrew Stinson, Managing Director – Head of Americas ESG Funding Solutions, Bank of America.

Please note this event adhered to Chatham House Rule.

An Innovation Agenda for the Department of Energy (American Affairs)

This op-ed was originally published by American Affairs on August 19, 2024. Click here to read the entire piece.

The world is about to need more energy. A lot more. The combination of providing basic energy services to emerging markets and powering a new generation of data centers and manufacturing activity means the era of flat energy demand is over. Grid operators all across the United States are grappling with a rapid uptick in load growth projections and scrambling to build the energy infrastructure necessary to meet those forecasts.

As the world enters this new phase of energy growth, one thing is certain: the United States must lead the world and pioneer the technologies to make it possible. America is blessed with a world-class energy innovation engine led by the Department of Energy and the seventeen National Labs that have launched countless new technologies into the market. The Department of Energy (DOE, the Department) is the world’s largest funder of research for physical sciences and applied energy research, development, and demonstrations (RD&D). It is the sole federal entity with the capacity to advance innovative clean energy technologies in coordination with the private sector. These public-private partnerships are critical to commercializing breakthrough tech­nologies domestically and ultimately exporting them to key partners around the globe.

Congress has recently enacted legislation to reinvigorate these efforts, providing billions of dollars in new funding to support innovative energy demonstration projects and the commercialization of new tech­nologies. The conditions are right for America to meet this challenge, but the next presidential administration must agree to prioritize energy deployment first and foremost.

Click here to read the full article

Clean Energy Innovation Academy Brings Congressional Staff to Washington State

To maintain American energy independence, reduce emissions and meet growing electricity demand, it is critical the U.S. leads in the development and deployment of innovative technologies. Exciting companies deploying nuclear fission and fusion, carbon capture and storage, carbon dioxide removal (CDR), hydropower and long-duration energy storage are all on display in the Northwestern U.S., making the region a perfect location for ClearPath’s third Clean Energy Innovation Academy (CEIA) trip for Congressional staff. CEIA, launched in 2020, is an ongoing educational series for Congressional staff focused on conservative clean energy technology and policy.

From Left to Right: Dr. Steven Ashby, Chrissy Harbin, Luke Bolar, Luisa Smith, Jake Kincer, Amanda Sollazzo, Eric Gustafson, Molly Ross, Jeremy Harrell, Emily Johnson, Dillyn Carpenter, Stacey Daniels, Ryan Mowrey, Ashley Higgins, Brian Hughes, Savvy Bowman, Dr. Jud Virden

ClearPath, along with eight Senate staff, consisting of legislative and communications staff who work for Members of the Appropriations, Energy and Natural Resources, Environment and Public Works, and Finance Committees were able to visit companies and research facilities working on nuclear fission and fusion energy, long duration energy storage, carbon capture and utilization, energy analytics and marine carbon dioxide removal.

“Being able to see firsthand how the policies we work on, on Capitol Hill, translate to people on the ground was really impactful. The trip highlighted how important it is to maintain relationships with stakeholders who are charged with providing affordable and reliable energy while ensuring the U.S. remains a leader in energy production, research, and environmental stewardship,” said Ashley Higgins, Senior Energy Policy Advisor. “Whether it’s actual power being generated like we saw at Energy Northwest or the research being done at our National Labs to produce the technologies of the future, it’s clear that we need more of all types of energy to meet current and future demand.”

The Delegation visited the Control Room Simulator at Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station

The delegation toured Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station in Richland, WA —  a world-class nuclear power plant that has been providing reliable baseload power to the region since 1984 and the third largest electricity generator in the state. Staff were able to visit the control room simulator, the turbine building, and reactor building which houses the boiling water reactor and spent fuel pool. Energy Northwest’s CEO, Bob Schuetz, shared their future plans for the facility, including the re-licensing process and the exciting partnership with X-energy to bring an advanced small modular reactor to the Richland site.

The Grid Storage Launchpad at PNNL is a state of the art facility conducting research on energy storage and battery technologies.

The delegation also toured the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, one of seventeen Department of Energy national labs. PNNL is an excellent model for public-private partnerships to help bring new technologies to commercialization. Some highlights include the Carbon Capture & Utilization labs, the Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center, the Applied Engineering/Advanced Manufacturing lab and the Grid Storage Launchpad. The latter was completed in 2024 and is advancing the next generation of energy storage and battery technologies. PNNL Lab Director Dr. Steven Ashby, Associate Director Dr. Jud Virden, Executive Director of Communications and Engagement Jaime Shimek, and other key lab leadership were part of the visit.

PNNL’s Marine Science Lab showcases next generation technology to the delegation.

The delegation then visited PNNL’s Marine Science Laboratory in Sequim, WA, the only marine sciences research facility in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Lab system. Notably, PNNL is partnering with Marine CDR company Ebb Carbon who captures CO2 in the ocean while also reducing ocean acidity. The PNNL and Ebb Carbon public-private partnership demonstrates the ways that our National Labs work with private industry to research, develop and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies.

The delegation at Helion Energy headquarters in Everett, WA.

The tour concluded with a tour of Helion Energy in the manufacturing hub of Everett, WA. Helion is designing the world’s first fusion power plant and working to demonstrate electricity while scaling up in-house domestic manufacturing to eliminate reliance on international suppliers like China. The Senate delegation saw both the sixth-generation prototype, Trenta, and the construction progress of the seventh-generation prototype, Polaris. Helion believes their fusion technology can lead to the eventual construction of so many power plants that they are referred to by numbers instead of individual names.

In addition to the site visits, the delegation met with representatives from private sector companies Framatome, Stripe, Omya, TerraPower, Twelve and Avalanche Energy, who have operations in Washington State. The topics ranged from the growing trend of bringing clean energy supply chains to the United States, how America has become a CDR innovation hub and the latest advancements in clean energy technologies moving towards commercialization. 

ClearPath looks forward to expanding its Clean Energy Innovation Academy later this year and in 2025 to learn about more clean energy innovation technologies and the policies that will help them succeed. 

CO2 Pipelines Are Safe…and We Need a Lot More

You’ve probably heard about a clean energy technology called Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage – or “CCUS” for short.

This is a method of capturing carbon dioxide or “CO2” from emissions sources like power plants and industrial facilities. Another method for reducing emissions is called Direct Air Capture, which removes CO2 that is already in our atmosphere — think a giant vacuum. If we’re serious about global emissions reduction — we need both.

In addition to driving down emissions, captured CO2 is also a valuable commodity.  CO2 is not only used to make your beer fizz, carbon oxides can be used for everyday products like building materials, fertilizer, and fuels. CO2 that is not in use can be permanently and safely stored – usually underground – where it resides for thousands of years. 

Often, when CO2 is captured, it’s not located near an available storage or use site and has to be transported to another location. Today, the best and safest way to move CO2 is through pipelines. 

Pipelines are everywhere – often without us even realizing it. They are beneath our highways, run through our cities, and connect our homes. Other essential resources, like natural gas, water, and waste, are all moved by pipelines. That’s because pipelines are the most land-efficient way to transport materials while minimizing environmental impact.

The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, also known as “PHMSA”, has long regulated the security of this infrastructure. PHMSA provides national standards for pipeline design, construction, maintenance and operation. These ensure that all necessary measures are taken to mitigate risks and safeguard the well-being of your family and the environment.

Now let’s talk about CO2 pipelines. The U.S. currently has more than 5,000 miles of these pipelines, which have been safely operating across our country for over 50 years. CO2 is a stable, non flammable gas – we know it’s safe. We breathe it in and out every day – it’s even used in fire extinguishers. Over the last twenty years, there have been zero recorded fatalities associated with the very few CO2 pipeline incidents that have occurred. A pipeline accident, like we saw in 2020 in Satartia, Mississippi, while concerning, is extremely uncommon and is not representative of the safety performance of this critical infrastructure over the last several decades.

As demand for clean, reliable, and affordable energy grows, so will the demand for effective carbon management technologies. That means, to meet our energy security and global emission reduction goals, the build-out of CO2 pipeline infrastructure is vital.  An estimated 30,000 – 96,000 miles of CO2 pipelines will be needed by 2050 – that’s roughly 5 to 18 times the length of our existing network. 

We get it, some people are uneasy about new infrastructure. But let’s face it, whether you care about climate change or U.S. competitiveness- we need these technologies. By building CO2 pipeline infrastructure, we are not only building our capacity to reduce emissions and protect our environment, we’re also creating jobs, bolstering local economies, and continuing to use the energy sources that make our country strong. In America, we’re not afraid to build — it’s what we do. 

And, through R&D and innovation, we’ll leverage the efficiency and maintain the strong safety record of this vital American infrastructure.