WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon, readers – and Happy Monday! The World Series matchup is set: the Los Angeles Dodgers play the New York Yankees on Friday. And just so our readers know, Maydeen (California native) and Callie (Red Sox diehard) are rooting against the Yankees.
In other news, Maydeen and Callie look at energy and environment issues here in the U.S. and globally, starting with the series of electric grid outages in Cuba over the weekend. Partial power has been restored for some parts of the island, but the blackouts sparked small protests on the streets. Then, the Supreme Court agreed today to hear two disputes challenging EPA regulations.
We then move to Australia, where the government has released draft guidelines aimed at reducing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. Meanwhile in Taiwan, officials have expressed support for nuclear energy, while Pacific Island nations are pushing for a global carbon tax. On clean energy, Cambodia and a separate Middle East-based company are looking to boost renewable capacity.
Today, for the election countdown, we take a look at the American Conservation Coalition Action endorsements of candidates they say are committed to “responsible environmental stewardship.”
Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner energy and environment writers Callie Patteson (@CalliePatteson) and Maydeen Merino (@MaydeenMerino). Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@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.
CUBA GRID OUTAGES: Over the weekend, Cuba dealt with ongoing electric grid failures, leaving millions without power. A primary power plant in Cuba crashed on Friday afternoon, sparking a series of three electric grid collapses throughout the weekend. PBS reports that the blackouts initiated small protests as the power outage entered its fourth day.
Earlier this afternoon, Reuters reported that Cuba’s power grid operator said it restored about 56% of power to the capital of Havana. Power has also been restored to some outlying provinces on the Caribbean’s largest island. The outages over the weekend are considered worse than when Hurricane Ian hit Cuba in 2022, when it took days for the government to fix the power outages.
Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Friday, “[W]e are devoting absolute priority to addressing and solving this highly sensitive energy contingency for the nation. There will be no rest until his recovery.”
SCOTUS SLATED TO ADDRESS EPA REGULATORY DISPUTES: The Supreme Court is set to hear two disputes challenging Environmental Protection Agency regulations. The outcome of the high court’s ruling could affect states and industry groups’ ability to avoid specific regulatory scrutiny.
Companies and Oklahoma are challenging the agency’s “good neighbor” ozone plans that aim to cut emissions drifting across state lines. The plaintiffs are seeking a change in venue since the case is set in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which is tilted toward Democratic-appointed judges and has previously upheld Biden administration policies.
The second dispute is a case brought by Calumet Shreveport Refining, LLC, challenging the agency’s denial of petitions filed by small refineries that requested exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard program’s responsibilities under the Clean Air Act. Similarly, the plaintiff asks the justices if the case must be settled in the D.C. circuit.
Read more from the Examiner’s Kaelan Deese.
AUSTRALIA SEEKS TO LIMIT PFAS IN DRINKING WATER: Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council released draft guidelines aiming to reduce the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. PFAS, also called “forever chemicals,” have been linked to adverse health effects, and the draft guidelines aim to limit five types of PFAS chemicals.
“This public consultation is consistent with the NHMRC’s commitment to ensure that the latest evidence and international advice is applied to our national guidelines, as well as NHMRC’s robust guideline development process and supported by best practice methods,” NHMRC CEO Steve Wesselingh said.
Why it matters: In April, the EPA set new standards to limit the amount of PFAS in drinking water. The EPA has also linked health harms to PFAS exposure, like cancers and developmental damage, to children.
Under the Biden administration, the EPA created a roadmap to reduce the exposure of PFAS in the environment. In doing so, the agency has promulgated rules to address the PFAS crisis, such as designating two widely used types of PFAS as hazardous substances under the Superfund law.
NUCLEAR SUPPORT GOING GLOBAL: Taiwan is the latest country to express support for nuclear power – mirroring what is going on in the U.S., which has seen a spike in interest in nuclear energy generation through new and retired facilities.
The details: Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai told Bloomberg News in a recent interview that the nation is “very open” to using nuclear energy. “As long as there is a consensus with Taiwan on nuclear safety and a good direction and guarantees for handling nuclear waste, with this strong consensus, we can have a public discussion,” Cho said. “We hope that Taiwan can also catch up with global trends and new nuclear technologies.”
While nuclear power could have a revival in Taiwan, it reportedly would not be over lack of resources in the coming years. Cho told the outlet that the government expects “no issues with power supply for industries before 2030.”
Some background: In just the last two months, nuclear energy has seen massive support through investments from the White House and the tech industry. Last week, both Amazon and Google announced separate deals to back the construction of new small modular reactors in the U.S. Microsoft is also looking to restart the retired Three Mile Island nuclear plant. Additionally, the Biden administration opened up applications for up to $900 million in funding to support the development of SMR technology.
Increased interest in nuclear energy comes as many have grown concerned about stability and reliability of the grid, amid rising electricity demand. As international calls grow for an accelerated phase out of fossil fuels and coal, some are pointing to nuclear energy to help fulfill demand as renewables have yet to dominate across the grid.
BIG GREEN PLANS: Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar is reportedly looking to become one of the largest renewable energy companies in the world by boosting its wind and solar capacity.
The details: CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi told the Financial Times that Masdar is increasing its footprint globally through recent deals in Spain, Greece, the U.S. and UK. Through these agreements, Masdar is seeking to increase its capacity to 100 gigawatts. To reach this goal, Al Ramahi told the outlet that the U.S. and Europe are key for growth.
“By 2030, the Middle East will probably be 30 to 35% of our power,” Al Ramahi said. “Europe I would say 20%. Also 20 to 25% in the US, and then of course Asia. That is the distribution in terms of geography.”
ISLAND NATIONS PUSH FOR UNIVERSAL CARBON TAX: Government officials of several islands in the Caribbean and South Pacific are calling for a global carbon levy on international shipping emissions.
The details: The 6PAC+ Alliance – which is made up of islands including but not limited to Belize, Fiji, Kiribati, and Nauru – is asking the International Maritime Organization to mandate a tax of $150 per ton of emissions from large commercial ships. The goal of the levy is to encourage big players in the shipping industry to reduce carbon emissions, while generating money for a fund that can then be used for smaller countries facing high costs when transitioning to greener sources of fuel, according to Inside Climate News.
Key quote: “The cost of freight, which is already well above the global average, will only go up, and that, of course, translates into costs on the shelves,” Major Lloyd Jones, chairman of the Belize Port Authority, told the outlet. “The levy provides revenue that can help to dampen those impacts.”
Some background: The UN Trade and Development estimates that the global shipping industry makes up around 80% of trade worldwide, and nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. UNCTAD has also said that it could cost upwards of $90 billion every year to develop the infrastructure needed for clean shipping fuels. This would likely increase the cost of fuel, trickling down and raising the cost of imported goods for consumers across the globe.
CAMBODIA LOOKS TO BOOST CLEAN ENERGY: Cambodia is seeking to increase its clean energy by importing over 600 megawatts from Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand, Reuters reports.
Cambodia’s energy minister Keo Rottanak said the country plans to import 300 MW of solar and hydro capacity from Laos starting in 2026. Then, it would import another 300 MW from Vietnam and could import another 100 MW from Thailand.
“We just signed last week more than 300 megawatt combined hydro and solar with Laos. So this is going to come to Cambodia in 2026,” Rottanak told Reuters.
ELECTION COUNTDOWN: The American Conservation Coalition Action has released a slate of endorsements for candidates the group says are committed to “responsible environmental stewardship.”
“Our endorsed candidates are committed to leaving a positive environmental legacy for future generations of Americans,” ACC Action CEO Danielle Butcher Franz said. “We look forward to supporting them as they advance practical, conservative solutions in Congress and across the nation.”
The non-profit organization said Monday that it is endorsing 42 Republican candidates running in House, Senate, and gubernatorial races. Among the notable candidates are former U.S. senator Kelly Ayotte running for governor in New Hampshire, Sens. John Barrasso and Kevin Cramer seeking reelection in Wyoming and North Dakota respectively, and Reps. Dan Crenshaw, Michelle Steel, Bruce Westerman, and Brian Fitzpatrick, all seeking reelection in the House for Texas, California, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania respectively.
There are 14 days until Election Day.
A LOOK AHEAD:
- Oct. 21 – Nov. 1 is the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (also known as CBD COP16).
- Oct. 22 The Bureau of Land Management Montana-Dakotas State Office is holding an oil and gas lease sale offering up 20 oil and gas parcels across North Dakota.
- Oct. 22 Brookings is holding an event “Landing the Paris climate agreement: How it happened, why it matters, and what comes next,” featuring former U.S. lead negotiator on climate change Todd Stern.
- Oct. 23 SAFE is holding a forum on the demand for critical minerals, discussing complex supply chains and policy actions to reduce vulnerabilities in the market.
- Oct. 24 CSIS hosting Investing in “Global Climate Change Adaptation: The Emerging Resilience Economy” with John Podesta, senior advisor to President Joe Biden for International Climate Policy.
- Oct. 25 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is holding a public meeting with Constellation Energy over its plans to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant.
- Oct. 25 Semafor will be holding a Sustainability Session during its two-day World Economy Summit, featuring discussions with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, and Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security Amos Hochstein.
RUNDOWN
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