- China is ranked #1 in the global lithium-ion battery supply chain for both 2022 and for 2027 projections. (China currently hosts 75% of all battery cell manufacturing capacity and 90% of anode and electrolyte production.) While China's top ranking hasn't changed for the last three years, Canada is now #2, which reflects public and private investments in mining activity as well as its good positioning in environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) and infrastructure. Insert: top-10 global lithium-ion supply chains, by country.

- Every year on or around November 1, most hydro-electric dams in North America shift to "Chum Operations" — when reservoirs switch over from refilling dams to extra releases in order to increase the flows and elevation further downriver; of course, there is the hope that weather will help refill dams by adding river flows. AES Members have access to all AES reports, including its white paper on hydropower, Water Works.

- France passed a law that will require solar-panel covers on all parking lots with 80 spaces or more.

- Global investments in low-carbon energy technologies are at the highest in history (eg $785B in 2021, an increase of 24% y/y); however, investments in the same low-carbon technologies in developing economies is at its lowest level in 10 years, and far below the peak in 2012. In other words, virtually all global spending on renewables and storage since 2020 has taken place in advanced economies and China. Insert: finance for energy transition low-carbon technologies, in billions of USD. (Note: emerging markets and developing economies includes most countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia, excluding China, Japan and South Korea.)

• The absence of the anticipated "red wave" has sparked some recriminations among congressional Republicans. 
• In the US House, presumptive Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will try to marshal consensus among two competing wings within the Republican Party.
• Republicans' narrow control of the US House of Representatives provides a nominal check on President Biden's energy agenda, but some Republicans have already softened their criticism of his climate agenda. 
• Democrats' control of the Senate offers a guardrail against any proposals that try to block implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Since control of the Senate has been decided, the biggest loser if the Democrats win the Georgia run-off on December 6 might be Senator Manchin because he will no longer have the power as the sole swing vote.

- Congressional Considerations -

• This will be a busy lame duck session for Congress. 
• There are two marquee “must-pass” energy-related items—the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and a government funding bill—as well as a host of loose ends, legacy items, and parochial priorities. 
• Congress will try to pass a bipartisan omnibus bill that may include supply chain relief for automobile dealers under Section 473. 
• Permitting reform legislation sought by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) (the sidecar deal to the Inflation Reduction Act) remains in play, though substantive concerns about the legislation among hard-line Democrats and Republicans have not been resolved.

- Climate and Sustainability -

- The acts of sabotage on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines that run from Russia to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea released about 220,000 metric tons of methane. As a point of comparison, in 2015/16, leaks in the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility released about 97,100 metric tons of methane, which US climate scientists described as "massive." In contrast, researchers with the Chinese Academy of Sciences determined that the leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were "tiny" and that "there is no need to worry about the climatic impact of this leaked methane." AES Members have access to the research reviewed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

- The global economy may be slowing and social media companies may be unraveling, but climate-tech software is surging. Indeed, VC investment in climate tech was up 80% from 2020 to 2021, and 64 new climate funds were formed last year, worth a combined $37B. 

- Insert (right): A comparison of national contributions to the $100bn climate finance target established at the COP15 summit in 2009. Note: national financial commitments were tied to each country's respective share of historical emissions. Summary: The US, Canada and a handful of other nations have fallen short of contributing their ​“fair share,” while other countries are exceeding their fair share of financing, such as Japn, Denmark, Ireland, and Sweden.

- Electricity & Power -

- On average, US electricity customers experienced just over seven hours of electric power interruptions in 2021, almost an hour less than in 2020. When major events—including snowstorms, hurricanes, and wildfires—are excluded, the average duration of interruptions annually remained consistently at around two hours per year from 2013 to 2021. State comparisons include:

• Electricity customers in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, North Dakota, and Nevada had the shortest total time of electricity interruptions in 2021, ranging from 52 minutes in the District of Columbia to 102 minutes in Nevada. 
• Customers in Louisiana, Oregon, Texas, Mississippi, and West Virginia experienced the most time with interrupted power in 2021, ranging from almost 19 hours in West Virginia to over 80 hours in Louisiana. 
• Louisiana also had the highest number of power interruptions, followed by Texas.

- In the history of Texas' ERCOT (founded in 1970), all of its top-10 peak demand events took place this year (pdf).

- California has the most utility-scale battery storage capacity in the US, with about 3.2 GW of batteries on the grid this summer—as a point of comparison, this is more than Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant’s capacity. (Note: battery storage saved the CAISO grid a few times this summer.)

- This past summer was the warmest on record in most Western States (temperatures were well above average in the MISO region, Texas, and across the West). The region most at risk this year was in MISO, which under normal summer conditions would not have been able to meet demand, except that it was windier than normal, allowing wind energy to provide 13% of total power for MISO.

- There is early evidence that new system-wide emergency text messaging yields about .5% of almost instantaneous demand reduction at any given moment. (For instance, in CAISO this summer, one warning text immediately saved about 2.5 GW out of a total 50 GW.)
 

- Universities in the Spotlight -

• James Madison University: Engineering students work to offset the litter crisis.
• Emory and Henry: AES celebrates the Climate Collaborative which houses the country's only solar-powered college radio station. 
• University of Idaho has a landslide inventory database to support hazard mitigation. 
• UNC Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School primer on energy security canons.
• University of San Diego: AES applauds the USD Energy Policy Initiatives Center's regional decarbonization framework and carbon offset efforts. 
• Santa Clara University develops comprehensive sustainability programs focusing on community college students. 
• University of Stavanger, Norway, has installed as a pilot the first gas turbine powered by pure hydrogen.
• Spotlight: University of Calgary opened its Energy Transition Centre.
• Drexel University research groups cover a range of energy topics including: photovoltaics, renewable polymers and fuels, materials for energy storage....   
   

The US EPA is considering a proposal to curb methane. The new plan would require monitoring of 1 million well sites, emissions reduction from flaring equipment, and a system that detects leaks from "super-emitter" sites. Not surprisingly, the industry has opinions about federal regulation of methane emissions.

“The Chamber supports smart, balanced regulations and voluntary actions to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector."
- Marty Durbin, President of the US Chamber’s Global Energy Institute

"Federal regulation of methane crafted to build on industry’s progress can help accelerate emissions reductions."
- American Petroleum Institute (API) Senior Vice President of Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs Frank Macchiarola

".... High fuel costs punish middle class families & stoke the supply chain crisis. Texas oil & gas is needed right now."
- Tweet by Governor @GregAbbott_TX, opposing the EPA proposal to limit methane emissions
 

• Securing New York’s Energy Future - summary and recording featuring NYSERDA President Doreen M. Harris. 
• Hydrogen and the Energy Transition - summary and recording featuring speakers from the U.S. Department of Energy, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association and National Grid.