Trump’s ‘energy emergency’ – This Week in Cleantech

Trump’s ‘energy emergency’ – This Week in Cleantech

This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in cleantech and climate in 15 minutes or less.

This week’s episode features Alexander Kaufmann from HuffPost, who wrote about President Trump declaring an “energy emergency” in his inaugural speech to boost oil drilling, weaken environmental protections, and cut gasoline and electricity prices in half.

This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week,” is Adrien Lelièvre, CEO of Pi POP, a French company that has designed the first e-bike that uses supercapacitors instead of heavy lithium-ion batteries. It works by storing energy while braking or coasting downhill and releases it for acceleration or climbing. Congratulations Adrien!

1. Trump temporarily halts leasing and permitting for wind energy projects — AP News

Although wind power generates 10% of the electricity in the United States and is the nation’s largest renewable energy source, Trump signed an executive order to pause offshore wind leases in federal waters and pause approvals, permits, and loans for both offshore and onshore wind projects.

The Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum, will review wind leasing and permitting for federal lands and waters, focusing on environmental impacts on wildlife, economic costs of intermittent electricity generation, and the influence of subsidies on the wind industry’s viability. Burgum said offshore wind projects that make sense and are already in law will continue.

2. Trump plots a return to fossil fuel expansionism — Semafor

This story recaps Trump’s latest energy and environmental rollbacks such as reopening Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and more offshore areas for oil and gas drilling, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, and stripping California of its authority to limit gas-powered car sales. Trump also lifted the Biden administration’s freeze on LNG export permits.

Author Tim McDonnell’s view is that Trump is using U.S. oil and gas as a way to make deals with other countries — other countries can avoid tariffs or receive military aid if they purchase U.S. oil and gas. This strategy has already influenced buyers in Asia and Ukraine, which have increased their U.S. LNG purchases since Trump took office. Many European officials are also open to importing more U.S. LNG, since it’s one of the few ways to reduce their reliance on Russian energy and helps lower rising power prices that are pushing heavy industries out of the EU.

3. Trump Orders Agencies to Halt Spending From Biden’s Climate Law — Bloomberg

On his first day in office, Trump asked federal agencies to immediately pause IRA spending, or as Trump would call it, the “Green New Scam.” The pause gives federal agencies 90 days to prove how the frozen spending aligns with the administration’s overall energy goals. Right now, it is unclear what will happen with government entities and private-sector companies that have been awarded funds.

The Energy Department has already allocated more than $170 billion in grants and loans from the IRA and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Environmental Protection Agency has distributed 93% of its IRA grant funding.

4. Smoke from fire at California lithium battery plant raises concerns about air quality — AP News

Vistra Energy’s lithium battery plant in Moss Landing — the world’s largest battery storage plant — caught fire last week. Lithium-ion batteries specifically can experience “thermal runaway,” which means they can catch fire and burn very hot, releasing toxic gases like hydrogen fluoride, into the air. The fire resulted in the evacuation of 1,500 people. Fortunately, nobody was injured, and the fire was contained, but residents were told to close their windows and turn off their air conditioning. The release of hydrogen fluoride from the blaze can irritate the eyes and lungs, and too much exposure can be deadly.

5. Energy Production Is At A Record, But Trump Declares An Emergency — HuffPost

Under President Biden, U.S. oil and natural gas production reached record highs, surpassing previous levels set during Trump’s term, yet President Trump declared an “energy emergency” in his inaugural speech to boost oil drilling, weaken environmental protections, and cut gasoline and electricity prices in half.

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