THIS WEEK IN CLIMATE & CLEAN ENERGY WINS: WEEK OF 2/16:

Continuing on a very busy week for the Biden Administration and following the Biden administration’s successful clean energy tour post the State of the Union the EPA outlined plans for $27 billion in Inflation Reduction Act climate funds that will go toward projects cutting pollution and energy costs, and to states, tribes, municipalities, and nonprofits to deploy rooftop or community solar energy. The Treasury will open applications for $4 billion in new tax credits for advanced energy manufacturing and decarbonization projects required in communities impacted by coal mine and power plant closures. The Department of Energy announced $7.4 million in funding for zero-emission vehicle corridors and expansion of EV charging in underserved communities, and the DOE, the Treasury, and the IRS are joining forces on programs to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing. 

In addition, NanoGraf announced they have raised $65 million to build a Chicago battery production facility, and Ford announced plans to build a $3.5 billion battery factory plant in Michigan, creating 2,500 jobs in the state. Notably, the plant was originally slated for Virginia, but Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin rejected the offer for political reasons. And a potential game-changer in promoting EV use, Tesla has announced they will make at least 7,500 chargers available to all U.S. EVs by the end of 2024. 

In new reports, the International Council on Clean Transportation revealed major annual public health benefits totaling $177 million from port electrification efforts in Seattle, New York, and New Jersey, with significant emission reductions. According to a new report published by BloombergNEF, annual spending on passenger EVs hit $338 billion in 2022, driving the total value of passenger EVs sold to-date over $1 trillion. 

Companies are continuing their investments in clean energy this week, Ford announcing a $3.5 billion battery factory in Michigan and NanoGraf raising $65 million for a battery production facility in Chicago. Tesla also announced they will make some of their charging stations available to all U.S. EVs by the end of next year: 

• Tesla will make some of its charging stations available to all U.S. EVs by the end 2024. [AP, 2/16/2023]
  • A potential game-changer in promoting EV use, the plan will make at least 7,500 chargers from Tesla’s Supercharger and Destination Charger network available to non-Tesla EVs by the end of next year, the White House said. 
• Ford plans to build a $3.5 billion battery factory plant in Michigan, creating 3.500 jobs. [CleanTechnica, 2/12/2023]
  • The lithium-iron-phosphate battery plant was initially slated for Virginia, but Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin rejected the factory. 
  • Ford has also agreed to allow the UAW to unionize the plant through “card check” rather than a union election.
• NanoGraf raised $65 million to build a Chicago battery production facility.  [Bloomberg, 2/14/2023]
  • After winning a $10 million Department of Defense contract last year to build a silicon anode factory, the company will initially build batteries for army communications but plans to scale up to EV batteries by 2025. 

In new reports, the International Council on Clean Transportation revealed major annual public health benefits totaling $177 million from port electrification efforts, and total annual passenger EV spending has surpassed $1 trillion: 

• A new report from the International Council on Clean Transportation found port electrification would create significant health benefits for local residents. [Canary Media, 2/14/2023]
  • In Seattle, full electrification would reduce PM 2.5 emissions by 75%, creating over $27 million annually in public health benefits. Full electrification at the Port of New York and New Jersey would reduce PM2.5 emissions by 69% and create over $150 million a year in public health benefits.
• Annual spending on passenger EVs hit $338 billion in 2022, driving the total value of passenger EVs sold to date over $1 trillion.  [Bloomberg, 2/14/2023]
  • According to a new report published by BloombergNEF, this is up 53% from 2021, and almost 60% of total EV spending occurred in the last 18 months. 

This week, the Biden Administration outlined plans for $27 billion in Inflation Reduction Act climate funds, the U.S. treasury opened applications for $4 billion of new tax credits for energy manufacturing and decarbonization projects, the DOE announced $7.4 million for zero-emission vehicle corridors and EV charging expansion in underserved communities, and partnered with the Treasury and IRS on programs to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing: 

• The Department of the Treasury will open applications for $4 billion of new tax credits for advanced energy manufacturing and decarbonization projects. [Reuters, 2/13/2023] [Department of the Treasury press release, 2/13/2023]
  • $1.6 billion of the tax credits are required to be in communities impacted by closures of coal mines or coal-fired power plants. 
• The EPA outlined plans for $27 billion in Inflation Reduction Act climate funds. [The Hill, 2/14/2023]
  • The EPA will provide $20 billion in grants to nonprofits working with local financial institutions to fund projects cutting pollution and energy costs. An additional $7 billion will go to states, tribes, municipalities, and nonprofits to deploy rooftop or community solar energy.
• The Biden Administration announced funding for zero-emission vehicle corridors and expansion of EV charging in underserved communities. [Department of Energy Press Release, 2/14/2023]
  • DOE has awarded $7.4 million to seven projects across 23 states to expand the nation’s EV charging infrastructure. 
• Energy, Treasury, and the IRS announced several major programs to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing and ensure traditionally underserved communities benefit from clean energy technologies. [Department of Energy Press Release, 2/13/2023]
  • As part of this whole of government approach, two program implementations will be funded by the Inflation Reduction Act:  the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program and the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit. Continuing efforts to uplift underserved communities, the DOE also opened applications for $750 million to support industrial projects by small- and medium-sized manufacturers in energy communities. 

In case you missed it, following his State of the Union Address, the President and his Cabinet traveled the country to champion clean energy jobs, investments, and projects: 

• In his State of the Union Address, President Biden highlighted several notable clean energy wins. [Department of Energy Press Release, 2/10/2023]
  • The President highlighted the Inflation Reduction Act’s investments, rebuilding of infrastructure and power grid, EV expansion, tax credits, and the bipartisan nature of the climate fight ahead. 
• President Biden traveled to battleground Wisconsin, where he highlighted more than $2.1 billion in federal dollars that went to the state for transportation projects, including the rollout of new electric buses. [TMJ4 Milwaukee, 2/09/2023] [White House Fact Sheet, 2/08/2023]
  • The City of Racine received Federal Transit Authority funding to replace diesel buses with battery electric buses, improving air quality and growing the clean energy economy. The buses will save about $60,000 in diesel fuel costs each year.  
• Vice President Kamala Harris visited an electric bus manufacturing facility in St. Cloud, Minnesota, championing the city for its clean energy initiatives. [Minnesota Post, 2/10/2023]
  • At the facility, which employs around 600 workers, VP Harris said, “Here in St. Cloud, you are not just building better buses; you are building a better America.”
• Vice President Harris visited Atlanta to encourage careers in climate change work among students at the Georgia Institute of Technology. [CNBC, 2/09/2023]
  • “Students who are here and those who are thinking about their role in this: You are going to come out and just leapfrog over all of us,” Harris said on Wednesday.
• Secretary Jennifer Granholm traveled to Arizona to highlight the Biden Administration’s commitment to building a clean energy economy. [Department of Energy Press Release, 2/14/2023]
  • During her trip, the Secretary was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in commemorating the groundbreaking of the Ten West Link transmission project, which will deliver low-cost electricity to millions in Arizona and Southern California. 
• Secretary Granholm also traveled to Utah to promote the administration’s investments in geothermal energy. [The Salt Lake Tribune, 2/09/2023]
  • Utah FORGE in Milford is the DOE’s largest and most advanced lab for enhanced geothermal energy and will play a large part in paving the way to U.S. energy independence. 
• Secretary Granholm announced The Department of Energy’s $2 billion loan to Redwood Materials in Carson City, Nevada. [Politico, 2/10/2023]
  • The loan will support the company in its mission to recycle throwaway batteries into high-value battery parts on a giant scale. “This will solidify Nevada as a hub for battery manufacturing,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in remarks at the Redwood Materials announcement.
• EPA Administrator Michael Regan participated in a roundtable discussion with agriculture leaders and farmers in Kansas [Brownfield News, 2/09/2023].
  • Regan told participants that farmer-driven climate-smart practices are helping shape policy in Washington D.C and that farm organizations and his agency are working with Congress to provide more resources to provide market entrants. 
• During a visit to Raleigh, North Carolina, AgricultureSecretary Tom Vilsack touted infrastructure improvements for rural communities. [CBS 17, 2/09/2023]
  • The Secretary led a discussion with North Carolina farmers and spoke of ways the Biden administration is improving infrastructure, including broadband and clean water access, in rural areas.
• Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visited Pittsburgh to announce the plugging of 10 abandoned oil and gas wells in the area. [Bloomberg Law, 2/09/2023]
  • “These wells emit methane, they litter the landscape with rusted dangerous equipment posing safety hazards and threats to wildlife,” Haaland said. A well in Ohio Township, Pennsylvania will be one of the state’s first to be plugged with federal infrastructure money.