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1. 3 Permitting Solutions to Build Cleaner Faster 

​​Energy independence is critical for national security. One big thing we need to fix immediately is the red tape around permitting, and bring more American energy projects online…much faster.

ClearPath CEO Rich Powell laid out a framework in his latest op-ed to get new energy projects built cleaner and faster.

3 fixes:

1. Fast-track projects with minimal environmental impact
2. Speed up the reviewing process for projects that may have localized environmental impacts
3. Limit legal action on approved projects to under one year

What’s clear: From oil & gas, nuclear energy, hydropower, geothermal, renewables and critical minerals — we have to be able to build everything faster.

Plug in: Read the full article in Scientific American.

2. Permitting progress in Nevada

  

Lithium Americas has acquired the final permits needed to begin its Thacker Pass lithium project, initially approved by the Trump administration in January 2021, in Humboldt County, NV.

• Thacker Pass began the permitting process about a decade ago and will be only the second active lithium mine in the U.S.

What’s clear: The fact remains that it shouldn’t take this long to permit projects. Thacker Pass highlights the need to modernize the permitting process to ensure the domestic supply of critical minerals necessary for clean energy development.

3. A nuclear energy solution to prevent Russian dominance

 

Nuclear energy is a major contributor to emissions reduction in the U.S., and could play an even bigger role as tension grows in the global energy market amid Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

What’s clear: Several new American nuclear technologies are near commercialization. However, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is currently unequipped to review them. The bipartisan American Nuclear Infrastructure Act (ANIA) could speed up the process by:

• Reducing bureaucratic costs for first mover technologies
• Spurring preemptive environmental reviews of potential nuclear host sites
• Strengthening international collaboration and investment
• Modernizing the regulatory process

Plug in: ClearPath CSO Jeremy Harrell discusses the immense contributions American nuclear can make to climate action, economic growth, and more in RealClearEnergy.

4. Wyoming, a carbon capture leader

 

A carbon capture and storage facility in LaBarge, WY is getting a big boost— $400 million from Exxon Mobil Corp’s Low Carbon Solutions — to expand its capacity to capture CO2.

• Expansion could capture another 1.2 million metric tons of annual CO2.
• The LaBarge site is already one of the world’s largest carbon capture facilities, capturing between 6 and 7 million metric tons per year.

More from Exxon’s Low Carbon Solutions: Plans for a major blue hydrogen project at their refining and petrochemical Baytown Complex will consist of 1 billion cubic feet per day of hydrogen production to fuel their olefins plant and sell to others, and

• The project will also capture up to 10 million metric tons of CO2 per year.
  • Perspective: the world currently captures ~40 million metric tons.
• This project will be part of the offshore Houston Hub.

5. American energy independence

 

House Republicans introduced the American Energy Independence from Russia Act this week. The bill, if implemented, would:

• Restart the Keystone XL Pipeline;
• Unleash American LNG production and exports; and
• Accelerate energy and minerals leasing and permitting on federal lands and waters.

The legislation is led by House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA) … Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-AR) … Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) … Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), and 40 other original cosponsors.

6. Clean energy innovation is popular with voters

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Two polls recently released show strong support for clean energy innovation as a climate solution.
Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) released a survey conducted by Public Opinion Strategies.

• 70% of the public want to see an accelerated development and use of clean energy.

The American Conservation Coalition (ACC) released a poll of young voters aged 18-30 from Echelon Insights showing a big appetite for climate action.

• Solutions such as carbon capture and sequestration received strong support — 58%.
• Streamlining regulations so the private sector can innovate clean technologies faster also had 58% support.

7. Alex joins BRITE Energy Innovators’ Board of Directors

 

Alex Fitzsimmons has joined the Board of Directors for BRITE Energy Innovators, an energy technology incubator in Ohio that invests in clean energy start-ups to promote technological innovation and regional economic development.

Alex’s take on energy and being part of BRITE:

• “For too long, economic investments have been concentrated on the coasts. BRITE is dedicated to stimulating economic development in Ohio and the Midwest, which is the backbone of America’s industrial base. By bringing more investment and development to these communities, BRITE is proving that innovation can be found everywhere.”

More about BRITE’s Board

8. Bipartisan energy R&D bill authorizes DOE’s Office of Science

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Senators showed a commitment to invest in world-leading scientific research with the authorizing bill for the DOE’s Office of Science.

• The DOE Science for the Future Act of 2022 was included in a legislative hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week.
• Sponsors include Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) … Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) … Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) ... and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

Plug in: This bill also “enhances key research infrastructure, programs and partnerships at the National Laboratories and higher education institutions.” The hearing also included the Fission for the Future Act, which supports communities with retiring coal plants to build nuclear power plants in order to maintain the jobs and tax base of those communities.

9. ICYMI

• Reps. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Jim Banks (R-IN) advocate for American energy independence in a recent Washington Times op-ed.
• This week, our CSO Jeremy Harrell and H2 Policy Analyst Natalie Houghtalen participated in a Dynamo Energy Hub panel on hydrogen and ammonia.
• NuScale and Dairyland Power announced a partnership exploring the deployment of advanced small modular reactors.
• CO2EFFICIENT just put out their methane report reviewing leading and emerging sensor technologies that are being deployed for methane measurement and monitoring.