WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and Happy Friday readers – the weekend is finally here! If you are lucky enough to get Monday off for Veterans Day, we wish you a very happy long weekend.
In today’s edition of Daily on Energy, Callie and Maydeen kick things off with notable remarks from the chief executive of the Solar Energy Industry Association in response to the election, as well as news of the Biden administration’s final purchase for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
We also take a look at a couple recently released studies that reveal key insights on CO2 emissions from private jets and grid security. Keep reading to find out what COP29 CEO Elnur Soltanov said that has landed him in hot water just days before the annual climate summit.
Our newsletter doesn’t end there as we also dive into the recent California fires and pollution in Pakistan. Plus, find out which major utility company is weighing keeping coal around a bit longer during the next administration.
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.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: During a press briefing yesterday, Solar Energy Industry Association president Abigail Ross Hopper said solar is a “critical part of the energy economy,” when asked what she would advise the upcoming Trump administration.
“This is a way in which we can continue our competitive edge in terms of AI, in terms of data, in terms of domestic manufacturing. And so we are a part of this solution,” Hopper said. “If you look at where investments are taking place across the country, the majority of them are taking place in conservative districts and rural districts, and so there’s a constituency out there that is very supportive of economic development.”
“I would advise, and will continue to advise the new administration to really lean into those opportunities. We care about permitting, we care about job creation, we care about business certainty, and those are the policies that we need to prioritize,” she added.
BIDEN MAKES FINAL PURCHASE OF OIL FOR STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE: The administration made its final purchase of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as it refills after the record sales of oil to curb high gas prices following the war in Ukraine.
The Department of Energy said it purchased 2.4 million barrels of crude oil for the SPR, which is the U.S. emergency oil stockpile.
With that, in total, it has purchased 59 million barrels of oil for the SPR at an average price of under $76 per barrel, which is $20 lower than the average sale price for 2022’s emergency sales. The administration also worked with Congress to cancel the mandated sale of 140 million barrels.
The department said all of the revenue made from the 2022 sale was used to secure the recent purchase of oil.
Read more from Maydeen here.
PRIVATE JET CO2 EMISSIONS SOAR: A newly released study in the Nature Communications Earth & Environment journal has revealed that carbon emissions from private jets have jumped dramatically in the last five years – and the UN’s annual climate conference didn’t help.
The details: Between 2019 and 2023, CO2 emissions for private jets soared 46%, according to the study released Thursday. Last year alone, the researchers found, private jets emitted around 15.6 million metric tons (roughly 17.2 million tons) of CO2 – with nearly half of the flights only covering about 300 miles. While these emissions make up less than 2% of industry emissions, the study authors told the LA Times that extreme offenders can pollute around 550 times more CO2 than the average person does in one year.
Through a flight pattern analysis, the study determined that much of the travel could be attributed to personal vacations as well as cultural and political global events. The researchers pointed to five main carbon-intensive events that released a total of 32,300 tons of CO2, including: the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the 2023 World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the 2023 Super Bowl, and COP28.
The annual climate conference, which saw roughly 291 private flights, resulted in 3,800 tons of CO2 being emitted. At the time, world leaders including King Charles and then-British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were slammed for taking separate private flights to the conference in what critics called an “awful example,” per the Independent.
About the research: The study was conducted by researchers from Sweden, Germany, and Denmark, who looked at over 18.6 million flights in the four year period from nearly 26,000 private jets. More than two-thirds (68.7%) of the private jets analyzed were based in the U.S.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: The CEO of Azerbaijan’s team for next week’s COP29 has reportedly been caught on camera seemingly agreeing to make fossil fuel deals during the UN’s annual climate change conference.
The recording: Chief executive and Azerbaijan’s deputy energy minister Elnur Soltanov can be seen discussing possible fossil fuel deals in a secret recording obtained by the BBC. Soltanov reportedly had been recorded by human rights organization Global Witness, which had a representative pose as an executive at an energy investment firm with an interest in sponsoring COP29 in exchange for discussions with state-owned oil and gas company SOCAR.
The details: During the meeting between the undercover Global Witness representative and Soltanov, the executive reportedly said the goal of next week’s summit was to solve “the climate crisis” and insisted any organizations, including oil and gas groups “could come with solutions.” Soltanov also said he was open to holding discussions on oil and gas deals.
“There are a lot of joint ventures that could be established,” he can be heard saying. “SOCAR is trading oil and gas all over the world, including in Asia.” The chief executive also reportedly told the faux energy firm that he would be happy to connect the group with SOCAR for further discussions.
Emails also reviewed by BBC, exchanged between Soltanov’s team and the fake sponsor, reportedly show discussions for a $600,000 sponsorship deal in exchange for an introduction to SOCAR and involvement in a COP29 event that would focus on “sustainable oil and gas investing.”
Some reaction: Former UN official Christiana Figueres, who presided over the Paris Agreement, told the BBC that the alleged remarks were “contrary and egregious” to the purpose of the climate summit.
A CALL FOR LARGE-SCALE BUILD-OUT OF POWER LINES TO PREVENT BLACKOUTS: After a yearlong study ordered by Congress, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) has recommended a large-scale build out of electricity lines connecting regional grids across the country to prevent blackouts, E&E News reports.
The nation’s grid monitor, NERC, said in order to combat extreme weather and ensure grid reliability, it recommends building electricity lines linking regional grids across the country, working as in a neighbor-helping-neighbor strategy.
“As a result of the changing resource mix and extreme weather, interregional energy transfers play an increasingly pivotal role. More than ever, a strong, flexible, and resilient transmission system is essential for grid reliability,” the study said.
Improving the nation’s grid reliability continues to be a priority for the Biden administration and lawmakers with the rise of artificial intelligence, data centers and the general need for more energy in households.
CALIFORNIA FIRE RAPIDLY GROWS, BURNING OVER 100 STRUCTURES: A brush fire in Southern California has quickly grown to 20,630 acres with only 7% contained as of this afternoon. The fire started Wednesday in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, prompting over 10,000 people under evacuation orders.
As of the morning, the fire threatens 3,500 structures. The Ventura County Fire Department said yesterday evening that a total of 132 structures have been destroyed and 88 others were damaged. The fire has been fueled by strong winds.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Ventura County.
“This is a dangerous fire that’s spreading quickly and is threatening lives,” Newsom said.
POLLUTION BLOCKS PUBLIC PARK ACCESS IN PAKISTAN: The Punjab province of Pakistan has reportedly ordered a total ban on access to public spaces Friday, including parks, playgrounds, museums, and more, as toxic air pollution engulfed the region.
The details: The government of Punjab issued the ban on Friday, after smoky haze descended on the capital of Lahore this week, according to Reuters. The air pollution has also led to the closure of schools and workplaces. Now, access to parks, zoos, playgrounds, historical sites, monuments, museums, and more has been restricted until Nov. 17.
Punjab has reportedly blamed the pollution on India. But it is not uncommon for areas of South Asia to see an increase of air pollution heading into the winter. Low temperatures and heavy air can more easily trap smoke and toxic emissions released from illegally burning crop waste, Reuters reported.
As of Friday, IQAir listed Lahore as the number-one city with high air pollution worldwide, followed by Delhi, India, and Beijing, China.
ICYMI – MAJOR UTILITY WEIGHS KEEPING COAL LONGER UNDER TRUMP: Duke Energy, a wide-reaching utility company serving parts of the Carolinas, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, is reportedly considering extending the life of its coal plants under a new Trump administration, with power plant pollution rules at risk.
The details: CFO Brian Savoy told Bloomberg Thursday that the utility company may adjust the pace at which it transitions to clean energy if President-elect Donald Trump walks back strict pollution rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency this year. Duke Energy is considering pursuing dual conversions by converting some coal-fired facilities in Indiana to also run on natural gas. But the utility may simply keep those plants “solely coal-burning.”
“The pace of the energy transition could change,” Savoy told the outlet.
Some background: On July 8, the EPA saw its power plant pollution go into effect targeting carbon pollution from power plants for the purpose of limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The rule, which has been contested by dozens of Republican-led states, orders existing coal plants and new natural gas-fired plants to reduce their emissions by 2032 by implementing carbon capture and storage technologies. Trump has previously vowed to end what he described as an “anti-American energy crusade,” promising to repeal the controversial rule.
Read more from Callie here.
RUNDOWN
New York Times Musk Believes in Global Warming. Trump Doesn’t. Will That Change?
Inside Climate News Despite Climate Concerns, Young Voter Turnout Slumped and Its Support Split Between the Parties
Bloomberg These Scientists Shifted How the Local News Talks About Climate Change