Julio Friedmann

NEW: Natural gas will continue to be critically important to America’s economic and energy security for decades to come – and long after 2050. That’s one of the big takeaways from two new National Petroleum Council (NPC) studies issued this morning, both at the request of U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. NPC’s analysis of the natural gas supply chain calls for better measurement and continued reductions of methane emissions (U.S. methane emissions are down 37% since 2015), as well as streamlining of natural gas rules. API President and CEO Mike Sommers said NPC’s assessment lays the groundwork for harmonized federal methane regulations and for a clear and consistent permitting process for energy infrastructure. “To fully leverage America’s energy advantage and advance climate progress,” Mike said today, “continued collaboration between energy producers and policymakers will be essential.” The second NPC study said incentives are needed to boost demand for hydrogen fuel and support hydrogen infrastructure - essential to enable a lower carbon future. NPC said the 45V hydrogen tax credit, as proposed, is too risky and needs adjusting so that a broad array of businesses can feed into this lower carbon energy option. Dig into the details for more: https://lnkd.in/d8Yp-ABU

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REsurety's Lee Taylor is a contributor on the policy brief: Assessing the Impact of Voluntary Actions on the Grid, that was published today from RMI with other contributors from National Renewable Energy Laboratory, WattTime.org and Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). Summary: The urgency of the climate crisis is leading many large energy consumers to consider how they can more accurately assess the impacts of various potential actions on grid decarbonization. This paper provides an overview of the ZEROgrid Impact Advisory Initiative’s collective findings on consequential impact and reliability assessments, their implications, and areas where further research is required. This consensus paper is intended for corporate practitioners and policymakers navigating policy, investment, and procurement decisions that affect grid decarbonization and reliability. Download the brief here: https://lnkd.in/ekiTzFNC #renewableenergy #cleanenergy

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Phase two of The Pipeline Blending Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)—A HyBlendTM Project is open and seeking qualified partners from industry, academia, and nonprofits to join and support the goals of this effort. The HyBlend initiative aims to address technical barriers to blending hydrogen in natural gas pipelines to help meet U.S. decarbonization goals.   For reference, key aspects of the phase one CRADA included materials compatibility R&D at Sandia National Laboratories and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, techno-economic analysis (at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and environmental life cycle analysis at Argonne National Laboratory that informed the development of publicly accessible tools for characterizing the opportunities, costs, and risks of blending.   Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) has been contracted by DOE to provide contract and invoicing support for phase two. Please reach out to HyBlend_CRADA@nrel.gov for more information.   #LeadingPipelineResearch

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Spurred by a LI post from Matt Golden, EPDI hosted its first Policy Chat last month. With a lively discussion, participants made some real progress on the conversation around the definition of virtual power plants. https://lnkd.in/gWyyzYZU #vpp #cleanenergy #energytransition

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Energy Solutions’ Aniruddh Roy and Chris Granda are hosting an informal session at European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee) to share information about California’s water heating regulations and how it can help inform a larger decarbonization strategy. #eceee #eceeesummerstudy #decarbonization

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💡If you get as amped up as Jonathan does about the future of #energy #technology, ARPA-E's 3-day event is for you! Hear from our co-founder Jonathan Scott about energy innovation in Dallas, Texas, later this month.   #keynote #solar #PowerTrip #ARPAE24

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ICYMI: Last week the Solar and Storage Industries Institute (SI2) released a white paper with comprehensive interconnection reform recommendations, aimed at addressing the growing backlog of clean energy projects. Authored by David Gahl, Melissa Alfano, and Tiana Elame, this report offers clear guidance on creating more effective regional transmission planning processes and a new funding paradigm for transmission upgrade costs. Lowering interconnection costs and strengthening the transmission system is critical to accelerating clean energy deployment across the country. This report builds on recent analyses from Berkeley Lab and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Department of Energy. As implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act continues, comprehensive interconnection reform is vital to achieving our clean energy goals. Read more in the full report: https://lnkd.in/e3Pye8Mu

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😱💡💸 Discover how the NREL's latest guide empowers state regulators and advocates to push for more solar and storage in utility resource plans. Dive into the strategies and insights needed to shape a sustainable energy future. 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g7F4vcrY) 💬 Follow us for more updates on solar innovations and energy storage! #solarpower #renewableenergy #sustainability

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Great work by Synapse Energy Economics, Berkeley Lab and E4TheFuture in codifying Distributional Equity Analysis for distributed energy, and elevating it as and equal companion to Benefit-Cost Analysis. I'm hearing growing equity concerns about DERs - e.g., rising rates for renters/households/business who can't quickly weatherize/electrify/buy solar/storage/EVs; those "left behind" on natural gas. What if a project/program/investment passes BCA but worsens equity? Awesome to see these questions go mainstream - and a rigorous approach! I am looking forward to working on DER equity analysis! DOE page links to a long and short guide, and registration for a June 25th webinar: https://lnkd.in/gsC2WhKy #energyequity #distributedenergy #energyjustice

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Why these three surveys point to a developing priority—and solution—for energy companies regarding EVs and DERMS. ⚡ • Nearly 80% of utility professionals surveyed by Landis+Gyr and Zpryme say they anticipate DERs (Distributed Energy Resources) and DERMS (Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems) becoming increasingly important to their operations. 📊 • A Deloitte survey showed that more than 90% of energy companies’ EV goals include finding ways to load balance EV charging. 🚗 • Over half of the energy companies surveyed by Southeastern Power Administration SEPA said they were working with external partners to increase EV charging deployment. 🤝 Energy companies are prioritizing the integration of EVs, DERs, and DERMS to meet the changing energy landscape, where prosumers (that produce as well as consumer electricity), renewables, and increased electrification of areas like transport are defining trends. 🌞🚗 In this scenario, EVs and DERMS open new opportunities, including: • Improved grid stability and reliability 🔧 • Enhanced integration of renewable energy sources 🌿 • Reduced energy costs through optimized resource management 📉 • Increased flexibility in energy consumption and storage 🛠️ Unlocking the potential of EVs and DERMS requires navigating technical and infrastructural hurdles. Many energy companies are partnering with external collaborators, including technology providers, to address these challenges. Such collaborations can help mitigate risks and speed up innovation cycles. 🚀 Advanced smart charging for EVs is a prime example of the opportunities these technologies offer, enabling more efficient energy use and reduced costs. 🔌 What do you think the roles of DERMS and EVs will be in the future of energy flexibility, resilience, and renewable energy adoption? Let us know in the comments below. 💬👇 For more on the different surveys, check out the links: Landis+Gyr: https://lnkd.in/guNravVv Deloitte: https://lnkd.in/g4iDV3Hg SEPA: https://lnkd.in/gEGc56Ed #DERMS #DERs #ManageEnergyBetter 

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The US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) has announced funding of over $1.7 million for research and development in hydropower and marine energy. This funding will support 16 hydropower projects and 12 marine energy projects at national laboratories across the country. Hydropower is a significant part of the US energy mix, accounting for 28.7% of the nation’s renewable electricity and 6.2% of total electricity generation. It plays a crucial role in maintaining grid reliability as more variable renewable sources like wind and solar are integrated. Marine energy technologies, which capture power from waves, tides, and ocean currents, have the potential to meet nearly 60% of the US power generation needs. These resources are highly predictable and could contribute significantly to a stable and reliable clean energy grid. The funded projects are part of WPTO’s Seedlings and Saplings program, designed to foster innovative research at DOE national laboratories. Seedling projects receive up to $100,000, with successful projects eligible for additional funding of up to $150,000 to continue their work. Researchers from Idaho National Laboratory (INL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Sandia National Laboratories will lead these efforts. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ehGVDNDr #hydropower #marinenergy #hydroelectric

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NEW from Count on Coal: EPA DOUBLES DOWN ON THE GRID RELIABILITY CRISIS "While much of the coverage today has reprinted EPA talking points, stunningly little attention has been given to the existing grid reliability crisis and how remarkably out of step EPA’s regulatory blitz is with what the nation’s reliability experts and grid operators have warned we should be doing to responsibly manage the energy transition." Read more: https://lnkd.in/eYAASpMP

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#Carboncredits with high-quality tag emerge on VCM in bid to rebuild trust ▪️ 27 mil carbon credits tagged with the CCP label ▪️ Broader categories under review, more announcements in June, July Read 📰 https://okt.to/o6cgiI #ONGT #EnergyTransition #CarbonMarkets

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NEEA Plays a Key Role in U.S. DOE's Landmark Energy Efficiency Standard for Water Heaters - New federal standard signals move toward efficient, affordable water heating for all consumers. “The energy savings from this final rule over 30 years of shipments is 17.6 quadrillion British thermal units—the largest savings ever from a single DOE efficiency standard, representing more than the energy use of the entire U.S. residential building sector in a single year." The passage of the federal water heating standard represents a major milestone in alliance Market Transformation efforts and is a win for all Northwest gas and electric customers. It is a direct result of nearly 20 years of leadership by the alliance, its market partners, and many stakeholders across the country. For example, the U.S. DOE cites NEEA’s Advanced Water Heating Specification (AWHS) as reference material for its final rule. Originally developed by NEEA in 2009 to ensure cold-climate performance, NEEA has continued to iterate and improve the AWHS to advance higher-performing electric and gas heat pump water heaters. “The new federal consumer water heating standard is a stellar example of how long-term collaboration between utilities, manufacturers, trade allies, efficiency organizations and consumer advocates can deliver lasting market change leading to tremendous energy savings for all Northwest customers. The alliance will continue to collaborate with the market to bring this standard to its fullest potential to ensure affordable and reliable hot water energy-efficient solutions for residential, multifamily, commercial and industrial customers." - Becca Yates, Executive Director, NEEA https://lnkd.in/gnEdRT9R

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released the Geothermal Technologies Office’s (GTO) Geothermal Resources’ Value in Implementing Decarbonization (GRID) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), which seeks regional grid modeling studies that quantify the potential contribution of clean, firm geothermal power in supporting an equitable transition to a future decarbonized grid and economy.  #funding #government #subsidy #geothermal #gridenhancement #efficiency #sustainability #energy #modernization Release ---> https://lnkd.in/gYRCUhTk

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#CCUSday ANNOUNCEMENTS – Apr 30, 2024 1.      (S&P News and Insights - public) US Environmental Protection Agency defends CCUS technology's readiness despite industry groups' arguments to the contrary - https://lnkd.in/grt9nqQS 2.      Sumitomo acquires 10% stake of two Carbon Storage Licenses in UK North Sea - https://lnkd.in/gqRE2JCA 3.      Eni’s CCUS assets excluded from acquisition deal with Ithaca - https://lnkd.in/gxS9jDaZ 4.      Denmark awards funds for three carbon capture and storage projects - https://lnkd.in/gYApumJ6 5.      (S&P News and Insights - public) Japan set for world's first transport of liquefied CO2 - https://lnkd.in/gV8SQFAt 6.      RepAir and Cella Launch Carbon Capture and Storage Partnership in Kenya - https://lnkd.in/g3mWTr9X 7.      IETA Handbook on geostorage and carbon crediting - https://lnkd.in/gAFGYypg hashtag #CCUS

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Let's talk #sustainability in schools! In last week's blog, Sustainability Manager Kevin Bright dove into #geothermal systems and provided recommendations for projects considering using the IRA Funding that incentivizes the use! #greenbuilding #K12 #KABuilds #casestudy https://lnkd.in/e7dcMag3

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We were thrilled to demonstrate our Decarbonization-as-a-Service platform at the 29th annual LDC Gas Forums & US-Mexico Natural Gas Forum & Gulf Coast Energy Forum - Northeast, which took place here in Boston last week. Context Labs BV participates in the forum to demonstrate the ways that the DaaS platform is enabling our energy customers to quantify and reduce emissions, then prove climate performance at scale. Our panel on gas emissions reduction, “Differentiated Gas: An innovation offering a lower-carbon alternative to the energy mix,” was one of the highlights of the event. During the panel, Context Labs CEO Dan Harple; Jim Kerr, CEO of Southern Company Gas; Chad Zamarin, Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategic Development for Williams, and Toby Z. Rice, CEO of EQT Corporation, shared the tools and strategies they’ve used to scale emissions reductions across the energy value chain. Kerr discussed how his company is scaling its decarbonization program and delivering premium-priced differentiated gas to the market. Rice of EQT, and Zamarin of Williams, both Context Labs’ customers, explained how they are using Context Labs’ Decarbonization-as-a-Service (DaaS™) platform to deliver natural gas with a verified carbon intensity to customers like Kerr, by providing end-to-end emissions proof of performance, while also using DaaS to meet their respective Net Zero goals. DaaS, a secure, scalable, end-to-end solution for managing carbon performance, is helping EQT and Williams discover and implement effective actions to reduce methane and carbon intensity by leveraging granular emissions data at the source level. By enabling more carbon efficient carbon operations the companies are able to commercialize decarbonization through the development of NextGen Gas. Harple concluded the panel with a demo of DaaS, showing how the AI-enabled solution transforms operational and third-party data into trusted, contextual Asset Grade Data climate analytics that accelerate and prove performance beyond compliance. We’re proud to be part of the conversation shaping the future of decarbonization. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to making this event a success. Let's continue driving innovation and collaboration to accelerate the energy transition. https://lnkd.in/g3NtrA83 #netzero #decarbonization #energy #climatechange #artificialintelligence #machinelearning #carboncredits #energytransition #ldcgasforums #microsoft

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