1. ClearPath adds new nuclear policy team expert…
 

Jake Kincer will work on ClearPath’s nuclear energy portfolio as a Program Manager. In this role, Jake will focus on policies that support the commercialization of the next generation of nuclear energy technologies.

Previously, he was a Senior Policy Analyst at the Energy for Growth Hub, where he led the Hub’s project on global markets for advanced nuclear technology.

Welcome, Jake!

2. …and clean energy policy expert Robin Millican to its Advisory Board
 

Robin Millican, Breakthrough Energy’s Senior Director of U.S. Policy and Advocacy, has joined the ClearPath Advisory Board. Millican currently oversees the U.S. policy team at Breakthrough Energy.

Prior to assuming this role with Breakthrough Energy, Millican led the clean energy innovation policy portfolio at Gates Ventures, the private office of Bill Gates. Millican has over a decade of experience in energy, science, and technology policy, including as a senior strategy consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton and as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator John Cornyn.

Welcome, Robin!
 

3. Misguided permitting implementation rule

America is at a crossroads for building new clean energy projects. Some estimates say the U.S. will need to double the capacity of the country’s grid by 2050 to meet demand. This means the country needs to build 21,300 to 27,700 new clean energy projects by 2030.

This buildout will require an average of 10 to 13 projects per day. But, the Biden Administration’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released a draft rule on permitting that would hinder the Administration’s own climate goals. The proposed rule will make it more difficult to site and permit projects, increase interagency bureaucracy, and ultimately increase emissions through permitting delays.

Plug in: Read our Policy Advisor, Matthew Mallioux’s newest blog for more.
 

4. Making history in CDR

Microsoft agreed to buy credits from startup Heirloom Carbon for the removal of up to 315,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide over 10 years across two commercial projects.

The deal will help Microsoft neutralize its carbon emissions and is one of the largest-ever purchases of carbon-removal credits and one of the first bankable CRD contracts in history.

What’s clear: This agreement unlocks a significantly lower cost of capital to project finance future Heirloom DAC facilities, helping the private sector move forward on affordable clean energy technologies.

Plug in: Check out our take on CDR here.
 

5. View your congressional district’s POV on clean energy

As Congress returns to session, so do conversations around permitting and energy. ClearPath Action’s polling and district-by-district analysis gives insights into how the public views clean energy. For example…  

• 76% of independent voters feel more favorably toward their Member of Congress if they supported policies that promoted clean energy.
• 86% of all voters believe it is possible for the U.S. to develop cleaner energy sources that can also provide more affordable energy.
• 62% of all voters believe that more innovation and better technology is the best way to fight climate change, rather than more regulation.

Plug in: See where your congressional district measures on clean energy support here.
 

6. We’re looking for interns!

Know an undergraduate or graduate student interested in cutting-edge policy solutions on clean energy and industrial innovation? We are now welcoming internship applications for year-round opportunities across all our teams.

Plug in: Visit our website for more information on the open internship positions.