NDN Blog

The Wall Street Journal convened a group of 100 chief executives to discuss policy choices facing business and government.  This discussion culminated in  5 top priorities for businss and government.  #4 on that list was was a broad based, national efforts to rebuild the infrastructure of the electricity distribution grid

USA Today piece on the analysis of the federal governments stimulus' investment record shows that  smart grid and energy efficiency companies that got federal help have seen their stocks soar, as have next-generation vehicles and health care technology companies. The big exception: Solar-power companies and advanced-battery manufacturers, which have struggled mightily.

A broad, nonpartisan coalition of 369 members, including manufacturing, farm and business interests, today issued a letter endorsing a four year extension to wind energy’s key federal tax incentive, the Production Tax Credit

The Wall Street Journal convened a group of 100 chief executives to discuss policy choices facing business and government.  This discussion culminated in  5 top priorities for businss and government.  #4 on that list was was a broad based, national efforts to rebuild the infrastructure of the electricity distribution grid

USA Today piece on the analysis of the federal governments stimulus' investment record shows that  smart grid and energy efficiency companies that got federal help have seen their stocks soar, as have next-generation vehicles and health care technology companies. The big exception: Solar-power companies and advanced-battery manufacturers, which have struggled mightily.

A broad, nonpartisan coalition of 369 members, including manufacturing, farm and business interests, today issued a letter endorsing a four year extension to wind energy’s key federal tax incentive, the Production Tax Credit

Please join NDN/New Policy Institute on Tuesday, December 6, at 12 Noon for an insider discussion of the new directions in the electric vehicle industry, “The Promise and Progressof the Electric Car".   The event will be held at our NDN event space located at 729 15th Street NW in Washington, DC.  

This lunchtime discussion will highlight the recent emergence of the electric vehicle in today’s economy and showcase how innovations in clean energy have opened doors for the growth and opportunity of the electric car. Leading this discussion will be a group of well known opinion makers in this arena:  

• Mary Beth Stanek - Director, Federal, Environmental, and Energy Regulatory Affairs at General Motors
• Miles Keogh – Director, Grants and Research at National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
• Barbara Baumann Tyran – Director, Washington and State Relations for Electric Power Research Institute
• Kyle Davis – Director, Congressional Relations for MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company
• Genevieve Cullen - Vice President, Electric Drive Transportation Association

This Electric Vehicle Panel is the fifth in our “Clean Energy Solution Series" to showcase the leaders, companies, ideas and policies who are hastening our transition to a cleaner, safer and more distributed energy paradigm of the 21st century

Please RSVP today

For five hours, DOE Secretary Chu testified before the House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation.  The Committee, headed by Congressman Cliff Sterns, focused on Chu's poor judgemnt, mismanagement, political favoritism, and potentially breaking the law  in the $535 million loan guarantees to Solyndra, the now bankrupt solar panel manufacturers.  The Huffington Post gives an overview of the hearing which puts Secretary Chu in a positive light, however POLITICO's overview shines a harsher light on the manner in which Secretary Chu has led the Department of Energy.

Lisa Jackson, the head of Envrionmental Protection Agency has announced that EPA has sent draft greenhouse gs regulations to  the White House for review. The plan is to release them early next year.  For the energy/climate cognecenti, she will appear Sunday morning on energy NOW.  This should set up an interesting climate dialogue during the 2012 political season.

There will be a big story on fracking and natural gas in the New York Ttimes Sunday Magazine.  The story's focus will be on on Pennsylvania's large natural gas supply and benefits and pitfalls of fracking to retrieve this natural gas.  The issues involved cover the the  enormous environmental risks involved in the fracking process, the promise of new jobs in a recession economy, and the benefits of  an abundance of a cheap new energy souce. Your socio-economic status has a lot to do with how you feel about this. 

The GOP leadership keeps up their highly effectively program to daily leak Administration e-mails on Solyndra demonstrating the sausage making of the Solyndra loan proces.  Their goal being death of clean energy by 1000 cuts. 

According to a a Washington Post story today, Congressman Fred Upton, Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, wrote a 2009 letter to the Obama Administration requesting approval of funding for a solar loan Company located in his home state of Michigan.  Am I the only one to find some irony here?

David Roberts wrote a brilliant piece on what is behind the push to discredit clean energy.  The recession coupled with anti government rhetoric combined for a perfect storm to discredit Clean Energy.  In many ways, this set the scenario for today's House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing with Secretary  Chu.  

National Resources Defense Council has devised a map for potential developers of renewable energy that will enable them to make more proactive and economically feasible development investment.  This will show complex maps and layered data showing flight routes, radar line-of-sight limitations and domestic US military installations.

NRP's Melissa Block interviews Secretary Chu on red flags with Solyndra loan transaction. Secretary Chu backs up his Department's handling of this situation. 

In that same light and in anticipation of Chu's trip to the Hill Thursday, NPR tracks the long history of federal energy subsidies

An expert committee convened by the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop recommendations on the regulation of shale gas production has released a draft of its final report.  Among other things, this report recommends that EPA expand proposed emission standards for oil and gas sector to include regulation of methane emissions from existing shale gas production facilities, and take action to address water quality concerns relating to shale gas production before completing its planned three-year study of shale gas wastewater discharges.  The report also urged EPA, DOE, and the Department of Interior to coordinate support for research and development efforts on shale gas. 

What is the CEO of Proctor & Gamble doing at the Gridwise Alliance Forum?  The answer is an easy one, P&G knows a bit about how to sell to the consumer.  Example:  five years ago, Who knew we needed a Swiffer? Today, millions of consumers think they do,own a swiffer and  buy Swiffer refills on a regular basis.  Investor owned utilities haven't had much experience navigating the marketing world.  Their clumsy handling of initial smart grid outreach has produced failed results.  But the economic and environmental potential of smart grid is making it necessary to educate themselves on some marketing 101 from companies that do it the best. 

The Electric Car is going Mainstream.  If you don't believe me, go see the movie- which will open in Washington DC in a week.  By the Director of "Who Killed the Electric Car", Chris Paine has second thoughts.  This new movie, "The Revenge of the Electric Car" is about the renaissance of this industry.  Read a review here.

Utilities Hot for Smart Grid Technology But Utility customers and consumers in general - not so much.  IOU's swooned for the Smart Grid but failed to encourage and educate consumers who are summairly dismissing this new technology. 

Anyone Remember Synfuels?  Solyndra May be Getting the Spotlight, but there is a long long history of Government Funded Failures in Energy Industry, including the Hydrogen Car and Clinch River Breeder Reactor.  Only thing is nuclear, synfuels, and hydrogen had strong support from Republicans. 

 New York Times Gets Cheeky with clean tech Investment in Sunday's Online Edition.  But utility giant NRG fires back .  So does my former DOE colleague, Joe Romm, in Think Progress.

Clean Energy Update:

Potential Trade War over Solar Power Industry Brews at the Department of Commerce

The Obama Administration finds itself caught between abundant cheap solar manufactured in China and strong resistance from U.S Solar manufacturers.  Environmentalists are playing a key Middle Role.  In the past few years,  imports from Chinese solar manufacturers has morphed to one half of the US solar market leading seven American Solar Manufacturers to file a petition with the Department of Commerce asking for an Administrative investigation into the Chinese trade practices.  

Rerouting of XL Keystone Pipeline past Environmentally Sensitive Areas Could Take Hotbutton Issue off the 2012 Political Landscape

The Obama Administration finds itself caught in the middle between two important constituences on the XL Pipeline Issue.  Business and labor joined together in favor of the pipeline stressing the importance more jobs.  Meanwhile, the environmental communicy has mounted a full scale campaign against the pipeline stating the severe effects of the pipeline  on our ecosystem.   Thousands of protesters gathered around the White House this weekend to protest the building of this pipeline.  If the State Department does reroute the pipeline, this would require new environmental reviews, effectively delaying this issue past the 2012 election season, and taking this hotly charged issue off the political table.

International Energy Agency Urges Clean Technology 

A new study by International Energy Agency (IEA) states the Key to Climate Change is High Efficiency Technology.  The International Energy Agency issued a new study that says unless countries quickly shift toward high-efficiency technology and low-carbon energy sources, the infrastructure being built worldwide in the next five years will make it impossible to check climate change to safe levels.  

You could have heard a pin drop as Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-21) made his presentation, “Federal government and the clean energy economy – Carpe diem” to a special luncheon presentation of our New York Clean Energy Forum this past Monday.  In spite of the fact that, as we all know, Congress will act proactively for any energy legislation, the Congressman made a compelling case for Congress to act swiftly and decisively to craft an energy plan. 

An engineer, Congressman Tonko is well suited in his role as a member of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the House Science and Technology Committee.  The Science and Technology Committee play a pivotal role in energy issues due to their appropriating role with regard to energy research and development.  Many an energy innovation got its start with R&D funding that came through the House Science and Technology Committee. 

Tonko made a proactive case for more distributed generation throughout our country.  He pointed out the attributes of off-grid energy both in terms of saving the consumer money but also in terms of long term energy efficiency.  Smart Grid/Smart Energy projects should continue to be funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, Tonko stated, as they will ultimately engage the consumer with their energy use and resulting energy efficiency. He made a case for the Infrastructure Bank Bill, legislation that would use $10 billion to leverage $100 billion for communication upgrade and smart energy.