The Subtle Energy Themes of the 2024 RNC

Current conditions: Russia declared a state of emergency as forest fires rage near the Black Sea • Tornado sirens sounded in downtown Chicago last night • It will be rainy and hot in Milwaukee today for the start of the Republican National Convention.

THE TOP FIVE

1. RNC to go ahead in Milwaukee despite Trump assassination attempt

The Republican National Convention will go ahead as planned in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week, even after Saturday’s assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. During the four-day event, the party will formally designate Trump as its presidential candidate and learn who will be running alongside him. While not the sole focus, energy themes will be present throughout, E&E News reported last week, though of course plans may have changed in light of the weekend events. Speakers are expected to weave in references to high energy prices, call out Biden’s “anti-drilling” stance, and attack his climate policies. RNC chairman Michael Whatley, a former oil lobbyist, will likely kick things off Monday. Officials from major energy groups including the American Petroleum Institute, the National Mining Association, and the American Clean Power Association will be in attendance (and may also be at the DNC in August). A handful of conservative climate change groups will host a reception “to promote climate change policies aimed at Republicans.” Some of that will involve pushing clean energy policies, E&E News added. The RNC coordinator for the Secret Service said there would be no changes to the security plans for the event following the weekend violence. Guns aren’t allowed inside the convention center but they’ll be permitted in some areas outside the building.

2. Deadly heat wave moves east

The heat wave that scalded the West last week has moved on and is bringing dangerously high temperatures to Central and Eastern states. Roughly 245 million Americans will experience temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the next few days. “Many daily record highs are possible,” according to the National Weather Service. It will be 100 degrees today in St. Louis and 102 degrees tomorrow in Washington, D.C. In July alone, 37 heat-related deaths have been reported in the U.S.

HeatRisk/NWS

While the West Coast is getting some respite from the heat, out-of-control wildfires in Southern California have burned more than 20,000 acres. Officials there say fires have scorched five times the average amount of land for this time of year. Meanwhile in Canada, 9,000 people were evacuated from the paths of wildfires over the weekend. Officials have started warning that heat waves are causing tens of billions of dollars in damage – from crop loss to productivity dips – and much of that isn’t covered by insurance.

3. Survey: Americans’ support for solar and wind drops

A new survey released today from nonprofit research institution Resources for the Future has some interesting insights into Americans’ attitudes about climate change. The overall takeaway from the Climate Insights 2024 report is that the public’s views on the issue “have remained remarkably steady” since the group’s first survey in 1997. Most respondents believe, as they did 27 years ago, that the Earth’s temperature is warming (75%) and that human activity is at least partly to blame (83%). But a few things have changed over the years:

• Americans feel they know more about climate change. Today 73% of respondents say they know “at least a moderate amount” about the issue compared to 42% in 1997.
• More people see climate as their top issue. Twenty-one percent of Americans care deeply about climate change, pay attention to the news about the issue, and are likely to vote based on candidates’ climate policies. That’s up from 9% in 1997.
• Confidence in government action has risen recently. Today, 51% of Americans say the federal government is addressing climate change, up from 44% in 2020.
• Attitudes about renewables have shifted since 2013, and not necessarily in a good way. A majority of people still favor wind and solar power but their enthusiasm is wavering: Support for solar is down from 91% to 83%; support for wind is down from 84% to 70%.
• More Americans support nuclear, aren’t sure about coal, and dislike natural gas . Support for nuclear power has risen from 33% to 44%. On the flip side, support for natural gas has declined 10 percentage points to just 38%. Americans’ attitudes about coal haven’t changed much but remain unfavorable – only 18% said they think coal should be used to make electricity.

4. U.K. approves 3 new solar farms

The U.K.’s new Labour government over the weekend approved three new solar farms that the previous administration had blocked. Together, the projects will generate enough electricity to power 400,000 homes. The move follows a quick decision to remove a ban on onshore wind farms. The government also put forward plans for a “ rooftop revolution ” that will boost the number of rooftop solar panels installed across the country.

5. Hydrogen-powered ferry launches in San Francisco

In case you missed it: The first hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry launched in San Francisco on Friday. The fuel cell-powered vessel, called Sea Change, is undergoing a six-month pilot period during which it will carry passengers between the Ferry Building and Fisherman’s Wharf for free. America has about 620 ferries, and most of them run on diesel, “making them some of the largest emitters among commercial harbor craft,” Canary Media explained . Some operators are shifting to battery-powered ferries, but hydrogen is a better option for long-haul journeys.

Switch Maritime

THE KICKER

Minnesota is looking to hire an “ interconnection ombudsperson ” whose job it will be to communicate and mediate between solar developers and grid utilities to resolve conflicts on new solar projects and avoid “weeks of back and forth to get clarity on a simple misunderstanding.”

Read more: This Is How You Die of Extreme Heat