The Conservative Climate Foundation hosted a group of Conservation Climate Caucus Members, staff, and CCF supporters for a Summer Field Tour in Denver, CO.
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
The first stop on the tour was the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) South Table Mountain Campus in Golden, CO. We heard from U.S. Department of Energy Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Innovation Derek Passarelli and NREL Laboratory Director Martin Keller about the lab’s ongoing priorities and functions. As an energy systems lab, NREL focuses on grid resilience, integration, planning, and energy storage with the goal of getting more clean, reliable, and American-made energy to market.
We toured the Energy Systems Integration Facility to learn how the lab’s high-performance computing and analytical capabilities, 3D/2D visualization, Advanced Research Integrated Energy Systems, and hydrogen research increase grid security and unlock new pathways for integrating America’s energy resources. Then, we visited the Science and Technology Facility Tour to see how scientists and researchers are working with partners and industry to advance photovoltaics that meet rising U.S. electricity demand.
Finally, we ended with a lunch briefing on advanced geothermal technologies that promise to provide an abundant source of renewable energy from the heat beneath our feet.
Learn more about NREL HERE.
CHARM INDUSTRIAL
The second stop on our tour was to Charm Industrial in Fort Lupton, CO, a company that uses plants to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Charm converts biomass into two byproducts: biochar, which can be used to enhance soil health on nearby farms, and a stable liquid that can be pumped deep underground for permanent storage.
Innovative companies like Charm are increasingly important as the United States works to maintain global energy dominance. We heard from the Carbon Removal Alliance and a panel of experts about the benefits of carbon dioxide removal, different approaches being taken by the industry, and how embracing these technologies can help the U.S. reduce carbon emissions while staying ahead of countries like China.
Learn more about Charm Industrial HERE.
OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM
Our final stop on the Summer Field Tour was to Occidental Petroleum’s (Oxy) hydraulic fracking site, production site, and operations center in Platteville, CO. Oxy, one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in Colorado, is integrating technologies and systems that reduce emissions while providing reliable, affordable energy to the region and the United States.
In addition to seeing the local impacts and jobs the company has created in rural Colorado, we learned how Oxy is working with the state and federal government to innovate the industry, creating new ways for companies to reduce their carbon footprint.
Learn more about Oxy HERE.