Clean Energy Insider
Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES)
Engaging Republican policymakers on responsible conservative solutions for energy, economic, and environmental security.
April 16, 2024
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Reams Report
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I have returned from spring break in Antigua with my family, and while I enjoyed some much-needed relaxation and breathtaking scenery, I just had to learn about the energy makeup of this small island. It turns out here is one functioning solar farm, but most of Antigua's energy grid is powered by fossil fuel from Venezuela. Meanwhile, the effects of climate change, like sea level rise, have a massive impact on their communities. Ask anyone local on the island and they will tell you that climate change is taking its toll.
Visiting abroad always reminds me how fortunate we are to live in the United States – indeed, a nation that is on the forefront of clean energy innovation. It also reinforces the importance of exporting American clean technologies and resources to our friends around the globe. Not only does it benefit the U.S. economy’s bottom line, but it ensures countries like Antigua can help reduce global emissions and create a cleaner environment for its citizens.
American innovation is the key to developing the technologies necessary to reduce global emissions, but these technologies must ultimately win in the marketplace. This was a major topic of discussion at the latest CRES Forum briefing on federal clean energy tax credits. CRES believes these incentives are important to ensuring clean energy technologies – from hydrogen, nuclear and carbon capture to energy storage and renewables – are affordable, deployable and scalable for communities across the country and around the world.
I’ll be traveling for the next few weeks meeting with and speaking to clean energy businesses and advocates across the country, so stay tuned for more updates.
Sincerely,
Heather Reams
CRES President
WHAT CRES IS HEARING
“Developing energy domestically and deploying renewable energy are important parts of an all-of-the-above energy strategy to bring low-cost energy to Americans in a responsible manner.” — Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) a Conservative Climate Caucus roundtable with the American Clean Power Association.
"Anytime the federal government picks winners and losers, consumers are going to lose, and that's what's happening right now.” — Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) on Washington Watch with Tony Perkins about the Biden Administration’s electric vehicle (EV) mandates. To learn more about emissions-reducing alternatives to EVs, check out our CRES Forum white paper HERE.
WHAT CRES IS SAYING
About the GEO Act...
“Removing unnecessary barriers to the development of renewable geothermal energy provides yet another exciting opportunity to strengthen our all-of-the-above energy portfolio... Thank you to Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.) for leading the bipartisan Geothermal Energy Optimization (GEO) Act and recognizing the potential geothermal energy offers.” – CRES President Heather Reams in a statement endorsing S. 3954, the Geothermal Energy Optimization (GEO) Act.
WHAT CRES IS DOING
CRES Forum hosted a briefing, “Are Clean Energy Tax Credits Working?” to highlight the opportunities and challenges of federal tax credits across the clean energy sector. CRES President Heather Reams moderated the panel, which featured Thomas Reynolds , Legislative Director for Rep. Buddy Carter’s (R-Ga.) office; Phil Musser , Vice President of Government Affairs for NextEra Energy, Inc. ; Kathy Weiss , Vice President of Government Affairs for Nextracker Inc. ; Gil Jenkins , Vice President of Corporate Affairs for HASI ; and Tom Taylor , Senior Policy Analyst for Atlas Public Policy . Panelists explored the state of clean energy investment resulting from the tax credits and what Congress can do to continue to spur American energy innovation. Click HERE to read more about the event.
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There was a full house at the second CRES Academy of 2024. The conversation focused on the Biden Administration’s de facto ban on new U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminals, even though U.S. LNG is among the cleanest natural gas in the world and an important geopolitical asset. The panel, moderated by CRES Forum Senior Policy Fellow George David Banks , featured Clara Cargile of Rep. August Pfluger’s (R-Texas) office, Liz Bowman of Williams , Preston Howey of the API - American Petroleum Institute (API) and P. Wells Griffith III , formally with the National Security Council (NSC). Learn more about this CRES Academy session HERE.
CRES President and Conservative Climate Foundation (CCF) Chair Heather Reams celebrated the elevation of Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) to Chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus at the CCF Spring Networking Reception. With 10 Members of Congress and over 100 staff in attendance, it was a celebration to remember!
WHAT CRES IS WRITING
The bipartisan push to put shovels into the ground on new geothermal energy projects continues with the introduction of S. 3954, the Geothermal Energy Optimization (GEO) Act. Introduced by Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), the GEO Act would further develop geothermal technologies by cutting red tape that stifles innovation and investment.
A 2023 National Clean Energy Week Policymakers Symposium panel discussion focused on the role of both the private sector and government in advancing the innovation of clean energy technologies. Jim Cabot of Breakthrough Energy moderated a discussion with Dr. Evelyn N. Wang of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) ’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) and Mary Yamada of the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT).
WHAT CRES IS READING
Miller-Meeks now heads caucus of climate-minded conservatives, the second-ever to lead the caucus — The Daily Iowan
‘It would just die on the vine’: Biden’s $200 billion energy loan juggernaut faces a Trump-sized threat — POLITICO
Risch, Warner Launch Advanced Nuclear Caucus — James E. Risch
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