Dep. Secretary Dan Brouillette Testifies at Senate ENR

Senate Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to hear from U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette who is President Trump’s pick to succeed Secretary Rick Perry when he departs next month. Brouillette received praise from Democrats and Republicans on the committee.

RICH’S TAKE

“Dan Brouillette is already a strong and steady leader and will be a fantastic Secretary. The Department of Energy has been laser-focused on solutions to affordably meet growing global demand for reliable and lower-carbon power, and helping ensure the next generation of miracle technologies will be created in an American national laboratory in collaboration with the U.S. private sector. Brouillete understands that low-cost, high-performing technologies are the backbone of efforts targeting rising carbon emissions in the developing world.”

Senator Barrasso Leads EPW Hearing On Importance of Nuclear Power

The Environment & Public Works Committee held a hearing this week titled “Preserving and Expanding Clean, Reliable Nuclear Power: U.S. Commercial Nuclear Reactor Performance Trends and Safety Initiatives.”

At the hearing Chairman John Barasso said, “If we are serious about addressing climate change, we must be serious about increasing nuclear power. That means – advancing performance-based safety rules, deploying advanced nuclear technologies, ensuring we maintain U.S. uranium production, and permanently disposing of nuclear waste.” Read Chairman Barrasso’s full remarks here.

Rich to Testify at House Appropriations on DOE’s Role in Addressing Climate Change

Next week ClearPath Executive Director Rich Powell is scheduled to testify as the Republican witness at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. The hearing on Wednesday, November 20 entitled, "The Department of Energy’s Role in Addressing Climate Change” will include the following witnesses.

The Honorable Vi Lyles - Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina,

The Honorable Dr. Ernest Moniz - Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Energy Futures Initiative

Bob Keefe - Executive Director, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)

Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) Previews Energy Sector Innovation Credit With Climate Select

The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a Member Day Hearing on “Solving the Climate Crisis.” At the hearing, Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) discussed the Energy Sector Innovation Credit legislation.

RICH’S TAKE

“Federal tax incentives have effectively accelerated numerous clean technologies - such as the unconventional gas credit that scaled up shale gas. The technology-inclusive approach of the Energy Sector Innovation Credit (ESIC) would leverage market signals, incentivize promising technologies, and automatically phase down as technologies mature.”

NEW REPORT: U.S.-ROK Cooperation on Nuclear Energy to Address Climate Change

In a report released this week, the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) highlight how the U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) are working together on nuclear energy to address climate change. More than half of zero-carbon electricity comes from nuclear in the United States. In ROK it is over 80%. According to the report, some of the areas for collaboration include:

Extending reactor license terms and achieving greater energy output each year from existing reactor
Opportunities to reduce costs from reactors, including advanced concrete and construction, advanced power conversion, and instrumentation and control.
Advanced reactor development; and
Waste management

REPORT: U.S.-ROK Cooperation on Nuclear Energy to Address Climate Change

In the Hearing Room This Week

On November 13, the Senate Environment & Public Works held a hearing Preserving and Expanding Clean, Reliable Nuclear Power: U.S. Commercial Nuclear Reactor Performance Trends and Safety Initiatives.

On November 14, The House Science, Space, and Technology Energy Subcommittee held a hearing on Water and Geothermal Power: Unearthing the Next Wave of Energy Innovation. Read more here including Ranking Member Frank Lucas’s statement.

On November 14, The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee held a hearing is to consider the nomination of Dan R. Brouillette, of Texas, to be Secretary of Energy.

On November 14, The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a Member Day to hear testimony from House members regarding their climate policy ideas.

VIDEO: Revolutionary Grid-Scale Energy Storage Technology

Energy storage is a key piece to solving the clean energy puzzle. Storage technologies benefit each portion of the grid from generation to transmission over long distances to distribution to homes and businesses. Quidnet is one of the most exciting and promising companies in the grid scale energy storage space. Quidnet uses a technology called geomechanical pumped storage, which applies traditional pumped storage techniques by repurposing drilling, well construction, and old fossil fuel assets. They’re able to take advantage of an existing supply chain and well-developed workforce.

Watch ClearPath’s latest video here

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THE PATH AHEAD

November 19: U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources will hold a business meeting to mark up a number of bills including several clean energy innovation bills. Details here

November 20: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development will hold a hearing on Wednesday, November 20 at 10 a.m. ET is entitled, “The Department of Energy’s Role in Addressing Climate Change.”

2019 - 2020 School Year: The Energy Impact Center in partnership with the University of Michigan has created the first ever Nuclear Energy Grand Challenge: Reimagining Nuclear Waste which will engage collegiate innovators and entrepreneurs to tackle one of the most unique challenges facing the nuclear energy industry – the perception of nuclear waste. The winning team will be awarded a cash prize. Learn more about the Nuclear Energy Grand Challenge here.