A federal Clean Energy Standard has been proposed as a policy approach to help meet climate change goals. The Biden Administration and some members of Congress are seeking to include it in budget reconciliation, and three variations of the policy have been introduced in Congress.
The policy seeks to drive electric power generation to net-zero carbon emissions by requiring utilities to include more clean energy over time. Standards like this already exist in 30 states as
renewable portfolio standards. Because of the similarities, many policy analysts believe a federal clean energy standard would be easy to implement. It would also …
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Experts have stated that we will need to use every tool at our disposal as well as create and deploy new energy technologies in order to meet the targets proposed in climate legislation. There are concerns that new solutions aren’t being advanced fast enough due to policy and financial barriers as well as the technological challenges inherent in innovation. OurEnergyPolicy hosted a webinar on June 2, 2021, to explore these questions and provide energy professionals with a better understanding of innovation and its role in the energy transition.
The panelists provided expertise on innovation with perspectives from government, finance, and …
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Natural gas is a critical but contentious part of our energy supply. Its relatively low prices, 50-60% fewer emissions compared to coal, and its flexible ramping capability have lowered the U.S.’s total overall emissions while still delivering affordable and reliable energy. Carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. energy sector decreased 28% between 2005 and 2018 with natural gas responsible for more than half of the reduction. Looking ahead, experts predict that the shift from coal to natural gas and renewables will continue in the coming years. The industry’s picture also includes expected increases in natural gas exports. On May 19, …
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President Joe Biden comes to office at a time when there is a window of opportunity for the United States to make real progress on the management and disposition of nuclear waste. The two key challenges that must be overcome are the siting of a long-term repository for spent fuel from commercial nuclear reactors, and the management of the 90,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel currently sitting at 70 reactor sites across the country. Because these challenges are mainly political, not technical, prioritizing the issue and designating a senior official to negotiate on the administration’s behalf has the potential …
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Hydrogen’s potential as an emission-free fuel for transportation, power generation, and industrial purposes is nothing new; however, interest in the technology has increased in recent years. Some energy professionals say hydrogen will finally have its moment, driven by the trend towards cleaner hydrogen production, the need for additional tools to address climate challenges, and hydrogen’s potential in hard-to-decarbonize sectors. On March 24, OurEnergyPolicy hosted a panel discussion examining the role of hydrogen in the energy sector.
The webinar covered the production and uses of hydrogen, current economics, and policies needed to support the continued growth of the industry. In discussing …
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