Voices on Climate - C3 Solutions

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The Right Voices on Climate

Conservatives have been vocal about our climate for years. Those voices won’t be ignored any longer.

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Jeremy Harrell writes in The Washington Times that the U.S. needs to modernize the Department of Energy.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is the largest funder of energy innovation in the world and plays a pivotal role in unleashing next-generation technologies.
Organizational inefficiencies are holding the Department back from reaching its full potential, which hurts taxpayers and our energy systems.
A report from ClearPath outlines several reforms that DOE should undergo to improve efficiency and streamline innovation.
These include changing the organizational structure and modernizing permitting for projects that have received DOE funding.

“The Department must take steps to better align with industry to advance its technology demonstration mission while protecting U.S. intellectual property from foreign adversaries. One way it can do this is to prioritize the permitting process for DOE-awarded projects. Absent a commitment from DOE to expedite permitting, many of these projects will encounter avoidable delays, jeopardizing potential investment and ultimately succumbing to the ‘Valley of Death.’ While projects will potentially require permits from a dozen agencies, the DOE will be on the receiving end of Congressional scrutiny should they miss key milestones.”

Read the full article here.

To better support U.S. innovation, modernize the Energy Department

Ben Geman writes in Axios that Chevron has launched a $500 million tech fund.

The fund, which is called the Future Energy Fund III, will invest in novel low carbon fuels and advance materials to transform carbon into higher value products.
The company will begin dispersing $1 million to $5 million for Series A through C rounds.
The private sector is well equipped to advance low-carbon technologies.

“The aim is to bolster Chevron’s main oil and gas businesses; help its multi-billion dollar diversification in areas like carbon capture and hydrogen; and create future opportunities in emerging tech.”

Read the full article here.

Chevron launches $500 million tech fund

Does the U.S. need more nuclear energy? The Steamboat Institute recently held a debate examining this question at Colorado Mesa University. Dr. Jessica Lovering, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Good Energy Collective argued for nuclear power, and Dr. Mark Z. Jacobson of Stanford University argued against increased use of nuclear energy.

The debate primarily focused on two issues: cost and safety. Dr. Lovering stressed that nuclear power is statistically one of the safest forms of energy. On a per terawatt basis, nuclear power accounts for fewer deaths than fossil fuels, geothermal, or wind. Jacobsen, who is a well-documented critic of nuclear power, shared his fears that increased nuclear energy usage would expedite the use of nuclear weapons. He even went so far as to say that small modular reactors were “basically weapons in a box.”

While policymakers should be cognisant of proliferation issues, these fears are largely misguided as the evidence does not suggest that nuclear energy use leads to nuclear weapons. India and Pakistan are the only countries with nuclear weapons whose nuclear energy program pre-dated their weapons program. Every other country either had a nuclear weapons program first or acquired nuclear energy and decided against pursuing weapons.

>>>READ: Congress Considers the State of Nuclear Fuel Recycling and Management

Furthermore, the uranium used to power nuclear reactors is enriched up to 5%, which is far less than the 90% enrichment levels that are required for nuclear weapons. While it is technically feasible to increase the enrichment levels of civilian uranium, this activity would be quickly detected by international regulators and watchdog organizations. With several treaties and governmental bodies established, there are sufficient safeguards in place to prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong hands.

The two also discussed the economics of nuclear power. Jacobsen argued that new nuclear power plants take a long time to build, which makes the energy source an unsuitable option for our grid. Vogtle Units 3 and 4, which recently came online, was the country’s first new nuclear power plant in 30 years and was delayed by seven years and came in $17 billion over budget.

Jacobsen said, “New nuclear, in terms of capital costs, is almost 16 times the capital cost of new wind or solar. Considering the higher capacity factor [of nuclear power], it’s still about seven to eight times the levelized cost of energy of new nuclear versus new wind.”

While he is right that nuclear power is more capital-intensive and slow to build than other energy sources, he neglected to mention that many of these problems would be alleviated through a more efficient regulatory system. Better project management and a more mature supply chain—which would come with a concerted build-out of new nuclear power—would also reduce costs and timelines. Additionally, poor public policy artificially inflates the price of nuclear power.

>>>READ: Tech Giants Are Looking to Power the Cloud with Nuclear Energy

Dr. Lovering pushed back on Jacobsen’s argument by pointing out that nuclear energy has not historically been given the same subsidies and preferential treatment that solar and wind have. From production and investment tax credits to renewable energy portfolio standards, government intervention has artificially lowered the cost of these energy sources. To be sure, nuclear power has benefited from loan guarantees, tax credits for advanced reactors, a generous insurance regime, and production tax credits for existing plants via the Inflation Reduction Act. However, this money pales in comparison to what renewables have received.

The Steamboat Insitute’s debate brought together two advocates with diametrically opposing viewpoints to discuss important issues with civility and respect, which should be commended in today’s culture. Rather than singling out a single source of energy production, policymakers should pursue an “all of the above approach” that empowers market forces to determine what energy source we should use to reduce costs and emissions.

Does the U.S. Need More Nuclear Energy?

The Conservative Climate Caucus is under new leadership, after its founder and chairman, Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), stepped down to focus on his campaign for Utah’s open Senate seat. The caucus, which includes over 80 members (more than one-third of the Republican conference in the House) is now being led by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA). Rep. Miller-Meeks recently sat down with C3 on Right Voices to discuss her leadership priorities and what role the caucus can play in policymaking.

With the 2024 election season in full swing, Rep. Miller-Meeks said that her caucus will be working to advance three major legislative priorities.

Pointing toward projected energy demand, Miller-Meeks singled out permitting reform as her number one priority, “A more resilient grid is necessary. [W]hether it’s gas pipelines [or] it’s electric transmission lines, both of those things require changes in permitting.”

>>>READ: A Welcome Step to Ease Geothermal Permitting on Federal Land

The second priority she identified is unleashing nuclear power. “One of the primary reasons why nuclear is not affordable and it takes so long to build is one, permitting, and two, the regulatory framework we have placed around nuclear. Nuclear would certainly be cost-effective if we were to reduce some of that regulatory burden.”

Lastly, she pointed to, “Emphas[izing] that we have an entire cadre of renewables other than wind and solar.” While both are important, policymakers can often forget about other sources of renewable energy like hydropower and geothermal. Fortunately, the latter is beginning to be prioritized. Recently the Bureau of Land Management introduced reforms to the permitting process for geothermal and the House Natural Resources Committee passed several bills to unleash the energy source.

>>>READ: Why Conservatives Should Own the Climate Issue

Rep. Miller-Meeks also discussed the support that the Conservative Climate Caucus is receiving from everyday Americans. Rep. Miller-Meeks specifically mentioned that farmers in her district are supportive of efforts to improve the economy and improve the environment.

“[O]ur farmers are trying to improve water quality. They’re using less fertilizer and less pesticide. They’re very concerned about being able to productively farm in a manner that brings their crops to market, but also conserves the soil and conserves the water. So whether they do just commodities, row crops like corn and soybeans or niche crops or livestock as well, they’re very concerned. So when you talk to everyday people and you put it in the context of what you’re doing, there’s a lot of buy-in.”

While following Rep. John Curtis is no easy feat, Congresswoman Miller-Meeks is outlining a strong path to bring the Conservative Climate Caucus and pragmatic, pro-growth climate solutions forward.

Watch the discussion here.

Rep. Miller-Meeks Outlines Her Priorities for the Conservative Climate Caucus

Brad Plumer of The New York Times reports on a solution to the U.S. grid challenge.

Replacing existing power lines with advanced cables could roughly double the grid’s capacity in many parts of the U.S., allowing for much more wind and solar power, but U.S. utilities have been slow to embrace this “advanced reconductoring” technique compared to other countries.
Researchers found that nationwide deployment of advanced conductors could quadruple projected transmission capacity growth by 2035, but significant barriers remain, including fragmented electricity governance, misaligned utility incentives, and a risk-averse industry mindset.
Some states are starting to provide incentives and policy support for advanced reconductoring as utilities face growing urgency to upgrade the grid to meet rising electricity demand from new sources like data centers, factories, and electric vehicles.

“In many places, upgrading power lines with advanced conductors could nearly double the capacity of existing transmission corridors at less than half the cost of building new lines, researchers found. If utilities began deploying advanced conductors on a nationwide scale — replacing thousands of miles of wires — they could add four times as much transmission capacity by 2035 as they are currently on pace to do.”

The U.S. Urgently Needs a Bigger Grid. Here’s a Fast Solution.

Eric Roston of Bloomberg reports on a green concrete startup launched by Rick Fox.

Rick Fox was a part of the fabled LA Lakers team that one three consecutive NBA championships from 2000-2002.
Now Fox is embarking on a different journey as the co-founder and CEO of a green concrete startup.
Partanna Global makes concrete “by swapping out cement for a proprietary mix containing blast-furnace slag from steel-making, or materials with similar properties, such as volcanic ash.”
Fox, who is from the Bahamas, was inspired to launch Partanna and reduce the concrete industry’s carbon footprint after seeing natural disasters hit his home island.

“Fox wants to do something about those emissions with his startup, Partanna Global Inc. He’s the co-founder and chief executive officer of the company, which has offices in the Bahamas. They make concrete by swapping out cement for a proprietary mix containing blast-furnace slag from steel-making, or materials with similar properties, such as volcanic ash. Then they add brine, which is fluid waste from desalination plants, and aggregate, or crushed rocks. The process requires no fossil-fuel burning or analogous emissions from cooking limestone, the company says. Once set, the material absorbs some CO2, flipping the cement equation on its head.”

Read the full article here.

NBA Legend Rick Fox’s Next Act: Green Concrete Entrepreneur

In a long overdue but welcome move, the Biden administration has made it easier to develop dependable, clean power on federal lands. The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently announced it will speed up the approval process for geothermal projects on public lands. Geothermal offers tremendous potential as a reliable, emissions-free power source, and technological advancements have already reduced the time and cost of pilot projects in the U.S. BLM’s decision is a productive step forward that could help with rapid, widespread deployment of geothermal energy.

>>>READ: Geothermal Development and Policy HEATs Up

BLM’s recent action improves the process for geothermal projects without compromising the environment by expanding the use of categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

What does that mean exactly? NEPA requires federal agencies to conduct comprehensive environmental assessments for a wide range of projects, including many major energy projects. There are multiple steps in the NEPA process beginning with an environmental assessment, which determines if the proposed action significantly affects the environment. Categorical exclusions may be granted, which effectively act as a NEPA waiver if the action is determined to have no significant impacts on the environment or human health.

Categorical exclusions do not require an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement. As noted in BLM’s press release, the agency is adopting two existing categorical exclusions from the United States Forest Service and the Department of the Navy. BLM can use either one to justify its case for adopting such an exclusion.

Geothermal has numerous applications. It supplies firm, dispatchable electricity, provides home heat and hot water, and can play a critical role in agricultural production. Conventional geothermal systems are geographically constrained because they use heat and water close to the surface, like hot springs, which are only available in certain locations around the world. Advanced, or superhot rock, geothermal has significant scalability potential because it addresses the geographic constraints typically associated with the energy source by deploying smart extraction technologies, much like those used in the fracking revolution.

According to a recent report from the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), “Just 1% of superhot rock energy potential in the U.S. could produce 4.3 terawatts of clean firm power – equivalent to 21 billion barrels of oil, or enough energy to power New York City 687 times over.” CATF’s report also shows the tremendous technical prospects for geothermal on federal lands.

Of course, cost will play a determining factor in how widely deployable geothermal will be.

Several geothermal startups are making notable progress. For instance, Sage Geothermal recently raised $17 million in Series A funding to build a commercial project that acts as an “earthen battery” to store energy from wind and solar power. Last September, the company launched its pilot project from an abandoned gas well and found its technology to be “cost-competitive with lithium-ion batteries, pumped storage hydropower, and natural gas peaker plants.” Another geothermal startup, Fervo Energy, has reportedly reduced drilling time by 70 percent and reduced costs from $9.4 million to $4.8 million per well.

>>>READ: Fervo Energy Announces Combined Geothermal and Direct Air Capture Plant

Lengthy permitting processes and protracted litigation can increase costs for innovative technologies. As was recently discussed in a webinar centered around accelerating energy innovation, time is money. Resources spent navigating complex bureaucracies, waiting on government approvals, or litigating in court is costly and devotes resources away from more productive investments. C3 has advocated using categorical exclusions for geothermal, and several bills marked up in the House Natural Resources Committee would improve permitting procedures for geothermal on all lands while protecting against excessive lawsuits.

Outdated policies and bureaucratic regulations should not stand in the way of innovative technologies competing in the market. This is especially true when the policies increase time and cost for negligible environmental return. While more policy reform is necessary, the Biden administration should be commended for its efforts to improve geothermal permitting on federal land.

A Welcome Step to Ease Geothermal Permitting on Federal Land

Across the political spectrum, policymakers are advocating for innovation to meet growing energy demand and reduce the risks of climate change. But energy innovation means different things to different people, which can both inhibit progress as firms vie for limited resources and accelerate breakthroughs as competition pushes the best products and ideas to succeed. Energy innovation unfolds across several stages with many players, each marked by distinct advantages and challenges.

>>>READ: Shattering Barriers to Address Environmental Challenges

Recently we hosted a webinar with experts across various sectors to explain the role that the private sector, federal investment, and public policy play in unleashing innovation. The panel included Michael Bruce, a partner at Emerson Collective, where he manages the energy and environment venture investment portfolio; Rick Stockburger, the President & CEO at BRITE Energy Innovators, an energy incubator that accelerates energy technologies in Northeast Ohio; and David Solan an expert in residence at BRITE Energy Innovators. Solan served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power at the Department of Energy where he directed renewable energy applied research, development, and demonstration activities in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

In the continuum of a research project in a laboratory to a commercially viable product, there are usually many steps along the way. Disruptive technologies that improve and raise levels of prosperity and human well-being can seemingly be in our lives overnight, but often what is unseen is the years of brainstorming, trial and error, incubation, and seed funding.

The United States is an energy powerhouse, and the development of promising new technologies provides even greater opportunities for human flourishing and a cleaner environment. There are abundant opportunities to create jobs and restore America’s competitive advantage for energy innovation. Critically, innovation is stunted by numerous regulatory, political, and market obstacles. Policy and regulatory uncertainty loom large in the minds of entrepreneurs.

>>>READ: New Report Details How Reorganizing the Department of Energy Will Accelerate Innovation

Public spending on energy innovation faces similar challenges. The Department of Energy has significantly increased spending on applied research, demonstration, and commercialization activities, but bureaucratic inefficiencies stall progress and waste precious taxpayer resources.

If you missed the conversation, you can watch it here.

Leading Experts Talk Energy Innovation

Catherine Wang of Forbes reports that Toyota is investing $300 million into green tech and AI startups.

Toyota’s venture capital arm, Toyota Ventures, unveiled two new $150 million funds targeting early-stage startups in fields like AI, robotics, and renewable energy, bringing its total assets under management to over $800 million.
Toyota Ventures is “scaling up” its investment efforts, aiming to capitalize on emerging breakthroughs in areas like generative AI, e-fuels, carbon capture, and synthetic biology, even as some other investors have pulled back.
Toyota Ventures is currently investing in 75 of companies globally including Vow, an Australian lab-grown meat startup, Scentian Bio, a New Zealand-based biosensor maker.

“Founded in 2017, Toyota Ventures began as Toyota AI Ventures, a subsidiary of the Toyota Research Institute. It rebranded to its current name in 2021, when Toyota committed an additional $300 million to the arm. In addition to Toyota Ventures, Toyota operates Woven Capital, a startup investment arm targeting ‘growth-stage’ ventures in automation and clean energy. Woven’s six portfolio companies include AI and machine learning startup Nuro, which has raised over $2 billion from investors including SoftBank, Baillie Gifford, Fidelity, Greylock and Tiger Global.”

Read the full article here.

Toyota’s VC Arm Pours $300 Million In Funds Targeting AI And Green Tech Startups

Morgan Brummund writes in RealClearEnergy about the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act.

The House of Representatives has passed the bipartisan EXPLORE Act.
The EXPLORE Act would streamline permitting processes on federal lands, update and improve infrastructure on these lands, and identify new recreational opportunities.
Improving outdoor recreation has significant economic benefits and increases a sense of stewardship across the nation.

“Increasing access to nature for more Americans in a responsible manner is a tried and true method for instilling a passion for environmental stewardship. In fact, it’s the sportsmen and women, hikers, mountain bikers, and rock climbers who are some of our nation’s greatest conservationists. These nature enthusiasts want to protect their backyards, and the more people we get outside, the more stewards we will have.”

Read the full article here.

Bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Package Presents Bright Spot in Congress

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