Center for Clean Energy Innovation
Innovation to make energy both clean and competitive must be a central goal of climate and energy policy. ITIF’s Center for Clean Energy Innovation exists to elevate this imperative in the policy debate in the United States and around the world. We conduct research, provide nonpartisan analysis, generate policy proposals, and convene members of the analytical and policymaking communities with this mission firmly in focus. (Read more about the Center.)
- Spotlight: Building the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI)—The Center was instrumental in developing the congressionally chartered nonprofit foundation that was included in the 2022 CHIPS Plus Science bill to assist DOE and advance its mission, and we are continuing to support FESI’s ramp-up.
- Spotlight: Expanding DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations—Congress authorized and funded a new DOE office in 2021 to pursue large-scale energy demonstration projects. The Center has an ongoing stream of analytical and outreach work seeking to expand that portfolio of projects and improve their management. See our “OCED Observatory Newsletter,” and contact Hannah Boyles if you’d like to be added to its email list.
- Spotlight: Leading Climate-Tech Policy “Boot Camps” for Early Career Researchers—The Center brings cohorts of policy-relevant and -engaged researchers to Washington for an immersive introduction to policymaking, featuring face-to-face discussions with decision-makers.
- Stay up to date with the Center’s work by signing up for ITIF’s weekly emails and checking the box for more on “Clean Energy Innovation.”
- Make a tax-exempt donation to support the program—as recommended by The New York Times and Vox.
Featured Publications
Decarbonizing the Chemical Industry: Policy Insights From a Case Study of PVC
A recent first-of-its-kind study of the value chain for polyvinyl chloride production in the United States provides valuable insights into the types and sequencing of policies that will be required to decarbonize chemical production.
Climate Innovation Policy From Glasgow to Pittsburgh
In September, ministers will gather in Pittsburgh to consider how their governments should respond to the energy and climate innovation imperative. Building on Glasgow, the meeting should strive to fill critical gaps in areas such as capital-intensive demonstration projects and innovation-friendly trade in carbon-intensive goods.
The Hydrogen Hubs Conundrum: How to Fund an Ecosystem
Recent federal legislation provides $8 billion to develop at least four hydrogen hubs, but little guidance. DOE should focus its funding on the capital costs of hydrogen production and infrastructure, while generally eschewing operating expenses and support for end users.
Closing the Gap: Priorities for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building RD&D Portfolio
The building sector is not on track to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Federal RD&D investments have been disproportionately low, while national strategies that address the key hurdles of decarbonizing the building sector have been lacking.
Mission, Money, and Process Makeover: How Federal Procurement Can Catalyze Clean Energy Investment and Innovation
Using federal procurement to advance sustainable energy goals has had only limited success in the past. To break the pattern, the White House needs a plan that aligns with agency missions, is adequately funded, and fixes perverse budget and procurement rules.
Events
October 27, 2022
Mission Critical: Accelerating Innovation at COP 27
Watch thought leaders from ITIF, IIT-Delhi School of Public Policy, and the Climate Policy Lab at The Fletcher School, Tufts University share their visions for a successful COP for innovation, building off the September 12th forum published in Nature Energy.
October 13, 2022
Decarbonizing Chemical Production: Innovation Strategies
Watch the webinar where we shared new work from ITIF, George Mason’s Center for Energy Science and Policy, and the Center for Houston’s Future that investigates these pathways and explores policy options to decarbonize chemical production.
September 7, 2022
Buying Power: How Federal Procurement Can Drive Clean Energy Innovation
Join ITIF for an expert panel discussion about a new report by ITIF board member and former DOD and GSA sustainability leader Dorothy Robyn.
July 26, 2022
Accelerating More Equitable EV Adoption Through Technological, Business Model, and Policy Innovation
ITIF’s Center for Clean Energy Innovation hosted an expert discussion on the findings and policy implications of a new report examining the connection between equity and innovation in the context of EVs.
June 28, 2022
How 5G Can Spur Climate Tech Innovation
Watch the discussion surrounding the potential climate tech applications of 5G and what is needed going forward to help ensure that this critical infrastructure can facilitate the low-carbon transition.
Staff
More From the Center
November 14, 2022|Blogs
Low-Carbon Process Technologies: Key Pieces of the Net-Zero Future
As the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations seeks to accelerate the deployment of low-carbon technologies, it’s vital that process technology innovation be a significant portion of the portfolio.
October 27, 2022|Reports & Briefings
OCED Observatory Newsletter, Issue 3: Hydrogen Hubs Scramble to Meet Deadline
The emerging hydrogen hubs are scrambling to meet the tight deadlines imposed by DOE for H2Hubsapplications with the white paper due Nov 7. Meanwhile, some strong new hub contenders have emerged, and the potential impact of IRA hydrogen production subsidies also came into focus.
October 17, 2022|Reports & Briefings
Climate-Tech to Watch: Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will play the most significant role in meeting President Biden’s goal of a zero-carbon aviation sector by 2050, but significant progress must be made to scale up production and bring down costs.
October 11, 2022|Blogs
DOE’s Hydrogen Hubs FOA: Well-Launched, but Beware Choppy Waters
Hydrogen hubs are among the biggest commercially oriented programs that DOE has ever run. They are a test of the notion of a demonstration program at this scale and of the new Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
October 6, 2022|Blogs
Midterm Outlook for Energy Innovation Policy
The next Congress will have to wrestle with competing energy and climate innovation policy priorities. But despite their differences, the two parties will have potential opportunities for bipartisan collaboration.
September 26, 2022|Reports & Briefings
Hydrogen Hubs Selection: Developing an Effective, Transparent, Fair, and Timely Process
The federal hydrogen hubs program will be perceived as a bellwether for U.S. clean energy innovation policy writ large. As such, its process for selecting winning proposals must not only be effective, but also fair, transparent, and timely.
September 23, 2022|Blogs
To Innovate, We Need To Build: Permitting Reform Is Innovation Policy
A major challenge to getting clean energy projects built is not technology, financing, or cost uncertainty, but regulatory and permitting hurdles. To fully leverage the once-in-a-generation federal climate spending that this Congress has succeeded in passing, federal permitting must be reformed to make it less onerous, time intensive and costly.
