ClearPath joins Chamber of Commerce, Leading Environmental and Business Groups Calling on Senate Leaders to Move Widely Supported Energy Innovation Agenda

This week more than 25 organizations signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urging them to place legislation addressing energy and climate technology and innovation on the Senate’s fall legislative calendar. The group is encouraging consideration of bills including the following. Read the letter here

S. 383, the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act, which would advance CO2 utilization and direct air capture research, permitting and development.

S. 903, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA), which would bolster America’s leadership in nuclear energy by facilitating the development of next generation nuclear energy resources.

S. 1201, the Enhancing Fossil Fuel Energy Carbon Technology (EFFECT) Act of 2019, which would authorize DOE to support the development of technologies that improve the efficiency, effectiveness, costs, and environmental performance of coal and natural gas use.

S. 1602, the Better Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Act, which would increase R&D in battery storage technologies to strengthen the electric grid amid the integration of renewables.

S. 1685, the Launching Energy Advancement and Development through Innovations for Natural Gas (LEADING) Act of 2019, which would accelerate DOE’s research and development of commercially-viable carbon capture technologies for natural gas-fired electric generation facilities.
 

RICH’S TAKE

“We need an aggressive innovation policy for clean energy that will also facilitate breakthroughs relevant for the developing world. These strong bipartisan policies will help commercialize the cutting-edge clean energy technologies needed to reduce global emissions as quickly and cheaply as possible.”
 

National Energy Awareness Month

This week President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation naming October National Energy Awareness Month. This is nothing new, but encouraging that in his proclamation he paid significant attention to clean energy innovation. Below is an excerpt. Read the full proclamation here

Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) Reports on Need for Regulatory Improvements for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Designs

The Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) has released a couple of reports that will help bring the regulatory approach to advance nuclear energy into the modern era. Existing process was set more than 50 years ago, well before the advanced reactor technology of today. ClearPath has recently presented to Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the need for regulatory improvements for advanced nuclear reactor designs. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman, John Barrasso (R-WY) along with Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) have also sent a letter urging the NRC to develop a GEIS for the construction and operation of advanced nuclear reactor technologies. Read more here

Read the NIA reports here:

Nuclear Innovation and NEPA: Streamlining NRC NEPA Reviews for Advanced Reactor Demonstration Projects While Safeguarding Environmental Protection

Establishing Interface Requirements for “Major Portions” Standard Design Approvals
 

RICH’S TAKE

“Unless we update the process, small modular reactors and microreactors would be subject to the same environmental impact study as a traditional reactor. The first American advanced reactor design could clear NRC licensing within two years, and our regulatory process needs to be up to speed.”
 

Small Modular Reactor technology gets boost in Canada,
ARC Nuclear Canada completes first phase of review process

This week ARC Nuclear Canada Inc. (ARC Canada) completed the first phase of the Vendor Design Review (VDR) program administered by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Canada’s nuclear regulator, marking a major milestone. Read the announcement here
 

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