1. House Republicans roll out Commitment to America

 

Today in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers led by Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) are rolling out the House GOP’s new “Commitment to America” plan.  

• With this plan, House Republicans aim to deliver “An Economy That’s Strong, A Nation That’s Safe, A Future That’s Built On Freedom, and A Government That’s Accountable.”
• also includes a policy framework from the Energy, Climate and Conservation Task Force.

What’s clear: “Conservatives have real solutions to solve the climate challenge and make energy more affordable,” said ClearPath Action CEO Rich Powell. “Here’s a comprehensive plan that works –- it reduces carbon emissions, creates jobs, eliminates dependence on foreign adversaries’ resources, while responding to the calls from Americans across the country."
 

2. ENR looks at non-battery technologies for energy storage

  

ClearPath Managing Director of Research Spencer Nelson testified this week before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee on “Opportunities and Challenges in Deploying Innovative Battery and Non-Battery Technologies for Energy Storage.”

Spencer formerly served as Professional Staff for then-ENR Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), where his work on the Committee included developing the landmark Energy Act of 2020. His testimony focused on:

• The role of energy storage on the grid today;
• The long-term limits of lithium and the importance of alternatives;
• Advancing alternative energy storage technology solutions; and
• Building on federal policy wins in the Energy Act of 2020 and bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Plug in: Watch Spencer’s testimony here.

3. Climate Week brings clean energy experts together

 

Earlier this week, ClearPath and API hosted an event at Climate Week NYC entitled, "Implementing the Largest Low-Carbon Energy Investment Programs in U.S. History."

The event featured experts and thought leaders from the energy industry, investment community, Department of Energy, and non-profit sectors on panels discussing:

• Accelerating Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen Deployment: America’s Path to Global Leadership;
• Direct Air Capture (DAC): The Newest Tool in the Climate Toolkit; and
• Why CCUS, Hydrogen, and DAC are attracting Venture and Institutional Investors.

What’s clear: CCUS, Hydrogen, DAC, and more clean energy technologies advanced through bipartisan legislation like the Energy Act of 2020 and the infrastructure bill are crucial for meeting our emissions reduction goals, and implementation will take key public private partnerships.

Thanks to our speakers: Gretchen Watkins, President, Shell USA; Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary, Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management; Aaron Padilla, Vice President of Corporate Policy, API; Sasha Mackler, Executive Director of the Energy Program, Bipartisan Policy Center; Michelle George, Vice President of New Energy Technologies, Enbridge; Jeff Gustavson, President, Chevron New Energies; Sharelynn Moore, Chief Marketing Officer, Bloom Energy; Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist, Carbon Direct; Andrew Fishbein, Senior Climate Policy Manager, Climeworks; Nigel Jenvey, Managing Partner for New Frontiers, Baker Hughes; Emily Chasan, Contributing Editor, Greenbiz; Robin Millican, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy; Scott Roose, Global Head of ESG Financing, Credit Suisse; and Dr. Gregory Thiel, Director of Technology, Energy Impact Partners.
 

4. Next week: National Clean Energy Week

 

Next week, our friends at CRES Forum are hosting National Clean Energy Week, featuring discussions from clean energy leaders, policy experts, and legislators.

Register for the online Policy Makers Symposium here.

• Tuesday, September 27 at 12:45PM: Our Senior Program Director Alex Fitzsimmons is participating in a panel discussion on “Clean Energy Transition Requirements: Critical Minerals, Supply Chains, and Domestic Manufacturing” as part of the Symposium.

5. ICYMI

• Reps. McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Westerman (R-AR) introduced the Securing America’s Mineral Supply Chains Act to modernize permitting for domestic mining of critical minerals.
• A bipartisan vote to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol passed the Senate this week.
  • “Not only does this create jobs here at home, it protects our markets from China’s outdated products,” said Senator Kennedy (R-LA), a leader on the issue.
• ClearPath CEO Rich Powell testified before the House Committee on Ways and Means on grid reliability for health care infrastructure last week.
• Seven Midwest states have formed the M-H2 Coalition, aiming to deploy more hydrogen energy to support their local economies while reducing emissions.
• Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) permitting bill was released on Wednesday.
• ClearPath presented its recent report, Hawkeye State Headwinds: A Case Study of Local Opposition and Siting Challenges for Large Scale Wind Development in Iowa, to Congressional staff at the Western Caucus’ monthly breakfast.