CURTIS WINS: Rep. John Curtis won the Republican Senate primary last night over a Trump-endorsed candidate – cementing a win for conservative climate activists, as he’s likely to win the general election in the red state of Utah. 

What happened: Curtis, founder of the Conservative Climate Caucus, won the majority of the vote at 50.7%. Trent Staggs, the mayor of Riverton and who was backed by former president Donald Trump, came in second with 30% of the vote. Former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson gained 13.2%, followed by Moxie Pest Control CEO Jason Walton with 6.1% of the vote. 

The significance: Curtis’ likely ascension to the upper chamber could move the ball forward for the GOP to address the issue of climate change, which the party has struggled to message and grapple with. 

Yet, even with an extensive record on the issue, Curtis has sought to distance himself from running as the ‘climate guy,’ as other members of the race sought to criticize his stances – a move fueled by the understanding that Utah is deeply conservative.

Curtis, along with the senator occupying the seat, Sen. Mitt Romney, is one of the few members in the party who has proposed ideas to lower carbon emissions. However, it’s important to acknowledge that Curtis is in his own lane, as the two have diverged in some notable policy stances, such as support for a carbon tax. 

“John Curtis is a man of honor and integrity who cares deeply about our fellow citizens and the future of our country,” Romney tweeted Tuesday night. “We need more leaders like him. Utahns will be very fortunate to have him represent our state in the Senate next year.” 

Notable support: David Kieve, the president of the advocacy arm of the Environmental Defense Fund, tweeted a photo of himself and Curtis at the polls on Election Day.

“We need bipartisan problem solvers in DC on so many of the challenges we are facing, and especially on climate and clean energy,” he posted. 

GOP climate activists rally behind Curtis: The American Conservation Coalition, which was heavily involved in campaigning for the Utah Republican, released a glowing statement following Curtis’ win. 

“Representative Curtis’s primary victory is not only a win for our shared conservative values, but is also a major step forward in conservative environmental thought leadership,” said Danielle Butcher Franz, ACC Action CEO. “We’re fortunate to have a strong ally like Representative Curtis in Congress, and we’re excited to continue working with him in the Senate to make America the most prosperous and cleanest country in the world.”

ACC conducted a six-figure digital ad spend in favor of Curtis, delivered 5,000 Curtis mailers to those that were likely to vote in the primary, conducted campaign events, and knocked on over 7,000 doors in the state. 

And don’t forget: ClearPath Action Fund, a conservative clean energy advocacy group, has poured $500,000 into the race supporting Curtis. 

“John Curtis has been a great conservative champion on energy policy in the House, and we’re excited about his prospects in the Senate too,” said Luke Bolar, the chief external affairs officer of ClearPath.  

At the end of the day: This Senate race will have a unique focus on climate change. Curtis will go head to head against Caroline Gleich, a professional skier and climate activist. Expect Democrats to go after Curtis’ voting record, which includes a vote against the Inflation Reduction Act – a historic investment in clean energy. 

We sat down with Curtis back in January to talk through his hopes and priorities for the Senate. Read that here. 

Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner Energy and Environment writer Nancy Vu (@NancyVu99), with help from policy editor Joseph Lawler. Email nancy.vu@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list.  

RIVIAN SHARES SURGE ON NEWS OF VOLKSWAGEN DEAL: Shares of electric truck maker Rivian soared roughly a third at opening this morning after the news yesterday of its joint venture with Volkswagen. 

The deal includes a $5 billion investment by Volkswagen into Rivian, which has been pressed for cash. Rivian will also share software with Volkswagen, which also owns the Audi, Bently, Lamborghini, and Porsche brands. 

Why it matters: Rivian had lost half its value this year, in large part because it had to scale back plans for production and sales, alongside other EV makers. But this deal is a major shot in the arm. 

“It’s a big vote of confidence in the EV maker’s prospects,” Susannah Streeter, the head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, told Reuters.

FIRST SOLAR UNDER SCRUTINY FOR TIES TO BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: The Associated Press published a critical look at First Solar’s ties to the Biden administration this morning, noting that the company stands to benefit enormously from laws and regulations drafted and implemented by politicians it has backed.

The details: The report details that First Solar executives and investors donated at least $2 million to Democrats in 2020, and then spent another $2.8 million lobbying the Biden administration. It notes that company representatives and lobbyists met at least four times in late 2022 and 2023 with Biden officials, including John Podesta, who was serving a key role in the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. 

First Solar might be the single largest beneficiary from IRA subsidies, standing to gain as much as $10 billion, the report says. 

Note, though: The administration and Democrats have made no secret of the fact that they are aiming to boost domestic clean energy producers. A Biden spokesman said that the administration is “restoring America’s climate leadership at home and abroad” and meets with a range of businesses. 

First Solar is also a key subject in the battle over tariffs on solar imports. For instance, Sen. Sherrod Brown, who represents the company’s home state of Ohio, has lobbied the administration hard for additional tariffs to protect First Solar and other domestic manufacturers from cheap Chinese imports. 

The long-running solar tariffs tussle is an example of a lobbying battle with major ramifications for a number of interests. The tariff dispute is not mentioned in the AP story, but First Solar CEO Mark Widmar did reference it in a statement to the publication, saying: “Unlike others who routinely spend substantially more lobbying on behalf of Chinese companies that circumvent US laws and deepen strategic vulnerabilities, our interests lie in a diverse, competitive domestic solar manufacturing base supporting American jobs, economic value, and energy security.”

CO2 PIPELINE GETS APPROVAL FROM IOWA REGULATORS: The Iowa Utilities Board voted yesterday to permit Summit Carbon Solutions to build a controversial CO2 pipeline through the state. The pipeline is seen as critical by biofuels producers, who’ve staked their future on carbon capture and sequestration. Corn farmers hope that it could help ethanol qualify for tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel. 

The project, though, has faced opposition from some landowners, who fear that their land could be taken via eminent domain for the project, which is meant to transport CO2 from ethanol plants to be buried deep underground in North Dakota.

A few hurdles still remain to construction taking place, including that Summit must get approval from North Dakota and South Dakota. 

Of note, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who has been in the news recently as a possible Trump running mate, is a supporter of the pipeline. 

CATL TESTS FOUR-TON ELECTRIC PLANE: The Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd, known as CATL, said that it has successfully test-flown a four-ton civil electric aircraft, according to CnEVPost, a Shanghai-based publication that reports on the Chinese EV industry. 

The group’s chairman, Robin Zeng, said at a forum yesterday that the company also aims to release an eight-ton civil aircraft with a range of 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers by 2027 or 2028. The project uses a battery with twice the energy density of those used in current mainstream EVs, CATL says. 

Why it matters: Aviation is often listed as one of the sectors most difficult to decarbonize. Electric propulsion has been thought to be many years off – for instance, the ​​International Air Transport Association has said that batteries capable of powering regional flights will only be available near 2050.

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