Tracy McKibben

As large swathes of America sizzle through record temperatures this week, the Energy Institute published its annual statistical review of world energy: it makes for grim reading for people hoping to see rapid progress on the energy transition... Amanda Chu has the story Countries burnt record amounts of oil and coal last year, sending global fossil fuel consumption and emissions to all-time highs, the Energy Institute reported. Oil demand grew 2.6 per cent, surpassing 100mn barrels per day for the first time. Meanwhile, the share of fossil fuels in the energy mix declined slightly by half a percentage point, but still made up more than 81 per cent of consumption.  While EI’s estimates are largely in line with the International Energy Agency’s, its authors offer a more sombre view of the pace of the energy transition compared with the Paris-based watchdog. “Today’s new data provides little encouragement in terms of global climate change mitigation,” said Nick Wayth, chief executive of EI. “Arguably, the transition has not even started.”  Financial Times Energy Institute

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This is critical legislation that we must strongly support. For too long, big tech has been able to drag its feet and oppose strong child safety legislation because the status quo of CDA230 worked in their favor. Every time legislation was introduced to modify or reform CDA230 it was going to "break the Internet, hinder free speech thus be unconstitutional, stifle innovation, and harm small businesses." Sunsetting CDA230 will force big tech to develop real solutions to protect our kids and not just lip service on how much they care. #cda230 #bigtech #kosa #coppa #protectkids #childsafety #pallone #mcmorrisrogers

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#Massachusetts is at the forefront of geothermal energy innovation! Exciting developments in geothermal projects are underway, promising to revolutionize heating and cooling systems in alignment with the state's decarbonization goals. We are honored to have our sponsors Subterra Renewables and Celsius Energy and their leaders Kareem Mirza and Johnny Fry educate our members at Decarb Boston on June 18th! Subterra Renewables' GeoExchange system utilizes ground heat exchange to provide an eco-friendly heating and cooling solution for buildings, tapping into the earth's energy for efficient climate control. Subterra is leading the way in the U.S., bringing experience from many projects in Canada and lessons learned in planning, financing, and seeing projects completed. Eversource Energy's and Celsius Energy system has been pivotal with geothermal borefields and a 1-mile geothermal loop connecting over 30 buildings, including a school, fire station, shops, and residential homes in Framingham MA. These initiatives underscore Massachusetts' dedication to transitioning to clean, renewable energy sources. Geothermal technology is paving the way for sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient heating and cooling solutions, marking a significant step towards a greener future. 🌿 #GeothermalEnergy #CleanEnergy #Sustainability

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This renewable energy industry outlook for 2024 produced by Deloitte Insights shares well-researched trends for the sector. While some challenges remain, including those tied to the supply chain and workforce, I'm very encouraged by how historic investment could erode obstacles. Both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act are having big impacts. Funding for solar is increasing and remains a high priority for our team. #SolarInvesting #RenewableEnergy

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If you’re in the NYC area, stop by the Bloomberg offices (120 Park Ave) this Wednesday for an enlightening panel discussion hosted by the New York Energy Forum. I’ll be joined by Ryan Charles, David Doherty, and Kyle Harrison of BloombergNEF, as well as Professor Melissa C. Lott, PhD, from Columbia Climate School, and Edward Morse from Hartree Partners. We'll dive into pressing energy topics including the evolution of Voluntary Carbon Markets, hydrogen's pivotal role in our energy transition, and the strategic outlook for natural gas. As we explore the hydrogen economy—from local hubs to global markets—and debate the efficacy of blue versus green hydrogen, your insights and questions can help drive the conversation. Whether you're intrigued by energy policy or the practical applications of hydrogen in industries like transportation and manufacturing, there will be valuable takeaways for you. The registration link is below in the comments. 🔗⬇️ Let's shape the future of energy together. Hope to see you there! #GreenHydrogen #Decarbonization #ActOnClimate

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ARTICLE: At its core, the electrification theme revolves around the increasing role of electricity in various sectors. Electricity demand, which has been flat for a long time, is poised for sustainable growth over the next few decades. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity demand is expected to rise 27 percent from 2022 to 2050. And, notably, projections over shorter time horizons are trending higher. For instance, grid planners forecast nationwide electricity demand to increase 4.7 percent over the five-year period ending 2028, while estimates from the same report a year earlier called for 2.6 percent growth.

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A New Report  Highlights Potential Strategies to Dramatically Reduce Carbon Emissions for the United States and Canada Aluminum Industry The Aluminum Association has released a groundbreaking roadmap detailing pathways to achieve significant carbon emission reductions in alignment with the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Net Zero by 2050 goals. Key findings and strategies include: Significant Head Start: North America's aluminum products have a carbon footprint approximately 50% lower than the global average, thanks to the use of low carbon primary aluminum, increased recycling, and voluntary emission reduction efforts. Aggressive Targets: Achieving net zero by 2050 will require aluminum production emissions to decline by: 24% by 2030 63% by 2040 92% by 2050 (compared to 2021 levels) Projected Growth: Aluminum output is expected to increase by 80% to meet the growing demand for sustainable metal across various sectors. Key Pathways: Technology and Efficiency: Innovations like inert anode smelting and energy efficiency improvements. Alternative Fuels and Carbon Capture: Transition to green hydrogen and electrification of furnaces. Grid Decarbonization: Use of clean energy technologies supported by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Enhanced Recycling: Optimizing scrap utilization to cut emissions significantly. Investment Needed: Achieving these goals will require substantial investment—estimated at $60 billion for North America alone—to meet global net-zero climate targets in the primary aluminum production segment. Charles Johnson, president & CEO of the Aluminum Association, emphasizes the industry's vital role in the clean energy transition, noting, “Achieving these ambitious targets by mid-century will require an all-of-society approach to decarbonization. The aluminum industry won’t be able to do this alone.” This research underscores the necessity of decarbonizing the energy sector to ensure broader industrial decarbonization. The North American aluminum industry is positioned to lead globally, but collaborative efforts and significant investments are critical to meeting the net-zero targets by 2050. https://lnkd.in/e_h_5q_5 #aluminium‍ #CLEANENERGY

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Kudos to Duane Highley and the team at Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. for seizing the benefits of the #InflationReductionAct to accelerate its transition to cleaner and lower cost #renewables. Power supply to its distribution coop members will hit 50% clean next year en route to a 89% reduction in #GHG emissions by 2030 ... with new resources additions focused on #windpower, #solarpower and #batterystorage with a small amount of #gas for peaker/reliability purposes. This is very much in line with the trajectory envisaged by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) #CleanPowerRules and shows that those rules do not force a "major" change in the industry, rather they run totally with the grain of what makes economic sense, and what is happening on the ground, while of course reducing harmful pollution at the same time. A win all around for coop members and the planet. #climatecrisis #stopburningstuff c Dave Munk Alex DeGolia Keith Klesner, PE Kristen Bertuglia NRECA Jim Matheson Kent Singer Colorado Rural Electric Assn. Mark Jacobson Leah Stokes Michael E. Webber Holly Metzler Sonja Macys Will Toor Chris Hansen Lisa Tiffin Amy Robertson Alana Miller Jeffrey McManus Kendra Foley

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https://lnkd.in/eG5tvaiv Thanks to the The Washington Times for publishing this Op Ed today. There is so much happening so quickly in energy, it’s difficult to keep up. For example, ERCOT just released load growth projections with a startling amount of projected growth - and that’s just one state - and it’s not alone. The slack in the system has been taken up and the rubber has officially met the road. Now it’s up to us to make sure we act to ensure reliability and enable load growth to power America’s economic engine. Permitting and siting reform, common sense regulation, and a reasonable amount of market certainty is needed to deliver those outcomes reliably. Competitive markets are the most efficient way to meet that goal by shifting risk off customers and rewarding the lowest cost, most reliable resources. #reliability #power #growth

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#DOE #500_million #captured_carbon The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of a new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), with up to $500 million available for projects expanding CO2 transport infrastructure capacity, aimed at supporting the future growth of the U.S. carbon capture and storage industry. Funding under the new program is being made available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocates approximately $6.5 billion over five years in funding to carbon management projects and initiatives, including carbon sequestration and transport infrastructure, Direct Air Capture, and carbon utilization programs. https://lnkd.in/dJZqUq7t

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🚀 Calling all adopters of #proptech and #construction tech: real estate developers, builders, and owner-operators, and more! 🌟 Big News! I’m thrilled to announce our partnership with Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to accelerate cleantech adoption. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative bringing public and private industry together to drive the digitization and decarbonization of the built environment with a focus on the adoption of startup technologies by end customers. I couldn’t be more excited to collaborate closely with IN² and NREL’s incredible teams to build the industry’s first Adoption Playbook, and the impact this program will have to catalyze more sustainable innovation implementation to our built world. Led by Program Manager Sarah Derdowski, NREL's team is backed by world-class research and a history of running successful incubators. 💡 If you're a forward-thinking organization that is seeking to innovate your real estate footprint, apply today. Adopters can receive up to $250,000 in grant funding to pilot cutting-edge technologies, while startups have the chance to scale and engage with major corporations. This groundbreaking program offers incredible opportunities for both adopters and startups to drive sustainability and innovation—and we're kicking it off this month! 🌍 With our team at Overlay Build, we will design the curriculum in partnership with IN² for corporate adopters through their Adoption Playbook. The playbook will prioritize pain points, identify innovation areas, and form peer groups for implementation strategies. Overlay will also develop due diligence criteria, help to determine the top startups for potential pilots, and form internal innovation working committees that will drive change. Additionally, Overlay will build a change management strategy to ensure practical evaluation and implementation of pilot projects, helping companies with significant real estate ownership reduce construction inefficiencies, costs, and carbon footprints. 🔍This initiative addresses the "missing middle" in technology adoption of built environment solutions—let's bridge that gap together. For more information or to discuss how you can get involved, feel free to reach out to me directly. 👉 Join us in shaping the future of the built environment! Adopters, apply here today: https://lnkd.in/eCRHCXfm #Sustainability #Cleantech #Innovation #BuiltEnvironment #IN2 #OverlayCapital #DigitalTransformation #Decarbonization #ESG #NetZero

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Is it just me or is it hard to keep track of what’s going on in #cleanenergy and #cleantech markets these days? Lately, you don't have to scroll far down your feed before finding a range of analysis on the outlook for #EVs, #hydrogen, #wind, #solar, #nuclear, #carboncapture and more. It's dynamic. Demand's up. Demand's down. Stocks are up. Stocks are down. Oh they're up again. No wait, they're down. Tech is evolving. The US is making big policy moves. So is the EU. China's all over it. The result - people are rightfully thinking about what it all means. To their wallets. Their families. Their #communities. Our #energy security. Our #prosperity. They have important questions. Should I go with an #EV? Is it reliable? If my company invests in #CCUS will I make a good return on my #investment? Don't we still need #oilandgas? What about new technologies, are these feasible? Can we even play in the big leagues? The challenge - there's no easy answers. But here's what we DO know. One. Globally, trillions of #investment dollars and millions of #jobs in the clean economy are up for grabs. Governments are mobilizing - building economies to attract #investors who want to put dollars behind industries powered by clean energy and tech. And, while oil and gas will remain part of the energy mix for decades, we must act now to make sure #Canada can compete and win in the #cleaneconomy Two. Like any fast-moving shift, the road's been bumpy with swings in #supply and #demand in some market segments. But it's the big picture we must zero in on. The pace of investment remains huge. BloombergNEF showed 2023 global investment in clean energy was $2 trillion - up 17%. So it remains strong, albeit at a slightly-less-but-still-super-massive-rate than recent years. Three. The path forward is not one-size-fits-all. Look at Canada. Each province has it's own existing energy mix, #economicbase, #infrastructure and more. Four. What Canadians care about matters. People want to #reliably and #affordably heat their homes, run their #businesses and get to work. And they want to know they'll have a good job. All to say, nothing about this is easy. But that shouldn't stop us from rising to the #challenge boldly. To listen to #Canadians. To acknowledge oil and gas workers' contributions. They have built communities and our #economy. These industries still matter and workers will also be welcomed with open arms as the talent that will power the clean economy. To #cometogether. To not look at any one solution as a silver bullet, but be practical. To double down on business fundamentals that'll attract investment. To build. To get #energy #criticalmineral and #infrastructure projects done. To design integrated energy plans. To help industries #decarbonize. To grow #Indigenousownership. To unleash #innovation and the #entrepreneurial spirit of citizens from coast to coast. To be #TeamCanada and tell the world we're #openforbusiness. And, help Canadians prosper.

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New York Energy Week 2024: "Comparative Climate Disclosure Regulation Across Global Markets" New York Energy Week (NYEW) 2024, celebrating its eleventh year, continues to be a pivotal event for the global energy sector, bringing together experts and stakeholders from a multitude of fields. Scheduled from June 24 to June 28, this year's NYEW will feature a variety of panel discussions, workshops, keynote addresses, and networking events aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation. Among the key sessions is "Comparative Climate Disclosure Regulation Across Global Markets," taking place on June 24 from 3:00 pm to 3:30 pm. Adam Wasserman, Executive Director of Finpublica, will lead this discussion, offering his insights into the evolving landscape of climate disclosure regulations worldwide. Wasserman's session promises to shed light on the complexities and variances in climate disclosure regulations across different markets. As regulatory frameworks become increasingly stringent and integral to corporate strategy, understanding these differences is crucial for businesses operating on a global scale. This session is particularly timely as companies and investors alike face mounting pressure to enhance transparency and accountability in their environmental impact reporting. Wasserman is expected to discuss best practices, highlight challenges, and explore how harmonized regulations could potentially shape the future of global climate disclosures. NYEW 2024, by featuring such topical and forward-looking sessions, continues to uphold its legacy of empowering thought leadership and driving progress in the energy sector. The event offers a unique platform for industry professionals to share insights, challenge existing paradigms, and collaborate on innovative solutions that address the pressing energy and environmental issues of our time. As the global energy landscape undergoes significant transformations, NYEW remains a critical venue for fostering the dialogue and partnerships necessary for a sustainable future. Join this important event and be part of the conversation shaping the future of energy. https://lnkd.in/dbGEjNKT

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Unintended Consequences of Well-Intended Regulations: In this recent article for Energy Marketing Conferences (EMC) Insider, I explain in very simple terms how carbon #capandtrade systems can undermine the #voluntarymarket for #cleanenergy if regulators do not set-aside allowances to account for #voluntaryprocurement. If you want your clean energy purchases to have greater impact , this is just another example of why you should look to Center for Resource Solutions and its Green-e© certified renewable energy.

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McKinsey & Company senior partner Mark Patel and colleagues explain that meeting #netzero2050 goals will require massive investment in #carboncapture and #CO2 removal. Thanks, in part, to massive Federal investment from the #bipartisaninfrastructurelaw #bil and the #inflationreductionact #ira, we’ve seen $5 to $13 billion so far, but to meet the 2030 targets we’ll need another $400 billion to $1.6 trillion. Staggering figures. To achieve #netzero2050, as much as $16 trillion in cumulative investment in CO2 removal will be needed. Carbon Capture Machine (CCM) is getting ready for the challenge. https://lnkd.in/e_sqRVSS

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Boulder, CO's partnership with its electric utility directs funding to bury powerlines, which is a smart strategy for climate resilience. Today, the The New York Times mentions it as a preventative strategy to power outages. The scenario analysis in the article show that power outages and a loss of of air conditioning in hot climates risks thousands of lives. I wonder about the specific risks in cold climates, particularly as we electrify our heating. Growing up in Indiana, I remember ice storms that took down powerlines, sometimes for days. As Minnesota warms, ice storms are more likely. Many strategies are needed for grid reliability. Undergrounding powerlines, particularly at opportune times such as during road reconstructions, is a practical, preventative strategy for grid reliability. https://lnkd.in/geTDkXBU

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