This week, the House Energy, Climate, and Conservation Task Force released two parts of its six-part policy strategy. More below:
 

1. Climate Task Force plans to Let America Build…

  

The Energy, Climate, and Conservation Task Force launched another pillar of its policy strategy: Let America Build. The Task Force wants to modernize permitting processes so American energy companies can get projects built cleaner and faster.

The plan’s six pillars include:

• Unlock American Resources
• Beat China and Russia
• Let America Build
• Conservation with a Purpose
• American Innovation
• Build Resilient Communities

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) held a roundtable discussion with House GOP Members to discuss modernizing the permitting process for new clean energy projects.

Plug in: Last year, Task Force Chair Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) began devising a policy agenda to address the energy crisis and climate change, should Republicans retake the majority in the House this fall.

What’s clear: Conservative policymakers are putting forward solutions to address the climate challenge that are economically sustainable, technologically feasible and politically realistic.  
 

2. … and practice Conservation with a Purpose

  

The task force also launched a fourth pillar, Conservation with a Purpose, focusing on conservation, innovation, and efficiency in American agriculture.

• Members of the Task Force participated in a roundtable discussion on innovative farming technologies with agriculture stakeholders in PA as part of the launch.

Plug in: In conjunction with the Task Force’s policy plan rollout, ClearPath Action launched its online resource, clearpathaction.org, going deeper on policy solutions, existing legislation, public opinion polling, and more.
 

3. First CCS project under Class VI primacy

 

America’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project developed under state Class VI primacy, the Red Trail Energy ethanol plant in North Dakota, began operation last month.

• In 2018, ND became the first state to secure Class VI primacy, and now
• Red Trail Energy is capturing 100% of emissions from its ethanol fermentation process and injecting approximately 500 metric tons of CO2 into storage wells per day.

What’s clear: CCS is a necessary technology for reducing carbon emissions. Modernizing the permitting process for deployment of carbon capture tech and Class VI storage wells is crucial for the success of the technology on a large scale.

Plug in: Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) recently introduced the Well Primacy Certainty Act, a bill that would accelerate the permitting process for Class VI wells.
 

4. ICYMI: ClearPath’s Hawkeye State Headwinds report

 

Last week, ClearPath released a report with LucidCatalyst consultants analyzing challenges to wind energy development, using Iowa, a wind-friendly state, as a case study.

The report, Hawkeye State Headwinds: A Case Study of Local Opposition and Siting Challenges for Large Scale Wind Development in Iowa, was featured in a number of news stories including:

• Fox Business: Wind energy expansion faces strong headwinds across US, industry report shows
• E&E News: Wind expansion hindered by ’messy’ local dynamics

5. New CDR trade group launches

 

The Carbon Business Council (CO2BC), a new carbon dioxide removal (CDR) trade group, launched this week. The group, comprised of more than 40 CDR startups, plans to:

• Represent more than $100 million in capital;
• Win prestigious awards like XPRIZE; and
• Lead the way for gigaton scale carbon management.

Plug in: Learn more about CDR technology and policy here.
 

6. ICYMI

• Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) highlighted the importance of hydrogen and the need for more pipelines, storage, import, and export facilities at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee hearing.
• Holtec submitted a $7.4 Billion application to DOE’s Loan Programs Office to build a four-unit nuclear plant.
• Countries around the world are considering nuclear power amid shifts away from fossil fuels and tension in the global energy market, writes Christopher Barnard in the Wall Street Journal.
• Russia is financing and constructing four nuclear reactors in Egypt – the country’s first – highlighting the need to accelerate international deployment of American nuclear energy to compete around the globe. The graph below displays reactors currently underway before 2030 operation, arranged by reactor vendor, demonstrating Russia and China’s current dominance of the market:

New Nuclear Buildout Through 2030 by Reactor Vendor

 
Data sourced from World Nuclear Association.
 

This week, the House Energy, Climate, and Conservation Task Force released two parts of its six-part policy strategy. More below:
 

1. Climate Task Force plans to Let America Build…

  

The Energy, Climate, and Conservation Task Force launched another pillar of its policy strategy: Let America Build. The Task Force wants to modernize permitting processes so American energy companies can get projects built cleaner and faster.

The plan’s six pillars include:

• Unlock American Resources
• Beat China and Russia
• Let America Build
• Conservation with a Purpose
• American Innovation
• Build Resilient Communities

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) held a roundtable discussion with House GOP Members to discuss modernizing the permitting process for new clean energy projects.

Plug in: Last year, Task Force Chair Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) began devising a policy agenda to address the energy crisis and climate change, should Republicans retake the majority in the House this fall.

What’s clear: Conservative policymakers are putting forward solutions to address the climate challenge that are economically sustainable, technologically feasible and politically realistic.  
 

2. … and practice Conservation with a Purpose

  

The task force also launched a fourth pillar, Conservation with a Purpose, focusing on conservation, innovation, and efficiency in American agriculture.

• Members of the Task Force participated in a roundtable discussion on innovative farming technologies with agriculture stakeholders in PA as part of the launch.

Plug in: In conjunction with the Task Force’s policy plan rollout, ClearPath Action launched its online resource, clearpathaction.org, going deeper on policy solutions, existing legislation, public opinion polling, and more.
 

3. First CCS project under Class VI primacy

 

America’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project developed under state Class VI primacy, the Red Trail Energy ethanol plant in North Dakota, began operation last month.

• In 2018, ND became the first state to secure Class VI primacy, and now
• Red Trail Energy is capturing 100% of emissions from its ethanol fermentation process and injecting approximately 500 metric tons of CO2 into storage wells per day.

What’s clear: CCS is a necessary technology for reducing carbon emissions. Modernizing the permitting process for deployment of carbon capture tech and Class VI storage wells is crucial for the success of the technology on a large scale.

Plug in: Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) recently introduced the Well Primacy Certainty Act, a bill that would accelerate the permitting process for Class VI wells.
 

4. ICYMI: ClearPath’s Hawkeye State Headwinds report

 

Last week, ClearPath released a report with LucidCatalyst consultants analyzing challenges to wind energy development, using Iowa, a wind-friendly state, as a case study.

The report, Hawkeye State Headwinds: A Case Study of Local Opposition and Siting Challenges for Large Scale Wind Development in Iowa, was featured in a number of news stories including:

• Fox Business: Wind energy expansion faces strong headwinds across US, industry report shows
• E&E News: Wind expansion hindered by ’messy’ local dynamics

5. New CDR trade group launches

 

The Carbon Business Council (CO2BC), a new carbon dioxide removal (CDR) trade group, launched this week. The group, comprised of more than 40 CDR startups, plans to:

• Represent more than $100 million in capital;
• Win prestigious awards like XPRIZE; and
• Lead the way for gigaton scale carbon management.

Plug in: Learn more about CDR technology and policy here.
 

6. ICYMI

• Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) highlighted the importance of hydrogen and the need for more pipelines, storage, import, and export facilities at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee hearing.
• Holtec submitted a $7.4 Billion application to DOE’s Loan Programs Office to build a four-unit nuclear plant.
• Countries around the world are considering nuclear power amid shifts away from fossil fuels and tension in the global energy market, writes Christopher Barnard in the Wall Street Journal.
• Russia is financing and constructing four nuclear reactors in Egypt – the country’s first – highlighting the need to accelerate international deployment of American nuclear energy to compete around the globe. The graph below displays reactors currently underway before 2030 operation, arranged by reactor vendor, demonstrating Russia and China’s current dominance of the market:

New Nuclear Buildout Through 2030 by Reactor Vendor

 
Data sourced from World Nuclear Association.