Clean Air Task Force

Federal policy has a direct impact on catalyzing private investments in communities across the U.S. Tracking where clean energy investments are going and for what projects is critical to understanding how federal policies are benefiting communities and strengthening America’s energy system – and what is at stake should they be disrupted. CATF's interactive map tracks local private investments in projects catalyzed by federal incentives – including grants, loans, and tax credits – and the federal policies that impact these investments: https://lnkd.in/eTzijDyS

Today, the NSI announced a $3.5 million philanthropic commitment from Bezos Earth Fund to help accelerate the responsible deployment of nuclear energy in the United States.    The grant will support NSI’s work to facilitate an orderbook for new large reactors of mature design — a proven model that aggregates buyers around a standardized technology to reduce risk, lower costs over time, and provide greater certainty for developers, suppliers, and public partners.    As U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow by at least 50% by 2050, fleet-scale deployment of firm, clean power will be essential. By coordinating federal, state, and commercial partners, NSI is laying the foundation for a more predictable nuclear investment environment while advancing the highest standards of safety, security, and nonproliferation.   Read the announcement: https://lnkd.in/e8AR5G73

A new paper from CATF’s Michael Dioha, PhD and Lily Odarno shows that Nigeria can achieve net-zero electricity at lower long-term cost, but only if it embraces a diverse mix of low-carbon technologies. Solar power will remain a cornerstone of the system, yet relying on it alone requires overbuilding capacity and raises costs. The study finds that including firm, dispatchable low-carbon options such as nuclear and natural gas with carbon capture and storage produces the most affordable and reliable system. Excluding these options increases installed capacity by roughly 50% and drives up long-term investment needs. Even under scenarios of rapid electricity demand growth, net-zero pathways outperform business-as-usual by reducing fossil fuel dependence and exposure to fuel price volatility.  Read the executive summary here: https://lnkd.in/eUDEkyMT Read the full paper in Progress in Energy: https://lnkd.in/eu7kgGRv 

On 29 January, the European Parliament’s ITRE Committee will hold a public debate on #fusion, with the European Commission and Fusion for Energy expected to discuss regulation, deployment, and fusion’s role in #EU energy policy. This discussion follows the recent publication of a joint Fusion Declaration by Members of the European Parliament and industry, supported by Clean Air Task Force, calling for clear political backing and a delivery-focused EU Fusion Strategy. The declaration highlights that fusion has reached a turning point, with European industrial capability and private investment converging toward deployment. As the EU prepares its fusion strategy for release later this spring, the focus must shift from vision to implementation, with concrete milestones and a clear commercial orientation to support first movers. The choices made now will shape whether Europe continues to lead fusion deployment or lets its hard-won advantage slip away.   Learn more about CATF’s work on fusion: https://lnkd.in/ecV9njZb

U.S. states remain essential drivers of climate and energy progress – and 2025 brought both significant milestones and critical lessons. From a nuclear energy resurgence in the Midwest to balancing climate ambition with affordability in California, our latest blog details a region-by-region look of state climate action, including what to expect in 2026. https://lnkd.in/ecxwgiu5

🚨 Applications now open! Following a successful inaugural year, Clean Air Task Force is launching the second cohort of the CEE Fellowship – a program for early-career professionals working on energy and climate policy in Central and Eastern Europe. The CATF CEE Fellowship is an intensive 8-week program designed to strengthen policy expertise, advocacy skills, and regional networks, supporting resilient decarbonisation pathways across the CEE region. 👉 Who should apply? Early-career professionals with 2-5 years of experience in a climate or energy related field and affiliated with a think tank, NGO, academic institution, government agency, or other relevant organization operating in any of the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Learn more and apply by 5 April 2026:  https://lnkd.in/e67MF2gc

Commercial #fusion energy is moving closer to reality – but credible, transparent cost insights are essential to guide research priorities, policy decisions, and investment strategies. To meet this need, Clean Air Task Force developed the Fusion Cost Model, informed by more than a decade of collaboration with fusion developers, industry leaders, and international institutions – including foundational work with Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The model gives users a clear and as complete as possible view of the cost categories present in a fusion power plant and help to identify key cost drivers shaping different fusion power plant designs and enables consistent, apples-to-apples economic analysis across approaches. This week, we hosted a webinar introducing the Fusion Cost Model – demonstrating how it can inform future innovation and investment in fusion technologies: https://lnkd.in/enhunYUa You can explore the Fusion Cost Model here: https://lnkd.in/eQqKy6Jr

Next-generation #geothermal has the potential to meet energy demand with reliable, clean power. To help advance the technology to new areas at higher temperatures, geothermal testbeds are imperative.   Los Alamos National Laboratory hosted a workshop last week that focused on potentially restarting the pioneering Fenton Hill geothermal project. At the workshop, CATF’s Angela Seligman presented on the need for a high enthalpy geothermal testbed to break down the barriers to access next-generation geothermal at a cost competitive price anywhere it is needed, including for higher enthalpy systems like superhot rock geothermal. Testbeds provide the innovation needed to create a smaller barrier to entry, the ability to fail fast and iterate, and build a stronger collaborative network. Developing a high enthalpy testbed that provides a new geologic testing environment would help to push the industry to new regions at higher temperatures – helping to advance the industry at a lower cost. Read more about the potential of next-generation geothermal in CATF's Powering the Future report: https://lnkd.in/evXR7xVE

Forest carbon offsets are at an important crossroads. As Marketplace reports, CATF analysis finds that many forest offset programs overestimate climate benefits and fail to fully account for how carbon storage changes over time –raising real questions about whether these credits deliver the emissions benefits they promise.   At the same time, there is room for improvement. Forest carbon credits can play a constructive role in financing forest protection and restoration, but only if they are governed by strong, quality standards. CATF along with leading forest scientists evaluated and scored 20 forest carbon credit protocols relevant to North American markets and developed clear, actionable recommendations to improve credit quality and climate integrity. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/ewhdaUdm  Read our report here: https://lnkd.in/eZcBpM6u

#Poland is Europe’s third largest #hydrogen producer and consumer but, under EU law, 42% of hydrogen used in industry must be a clean alternative by 2030. As the Polish government prepares to update its national hydrogen strategy, join us for a webinar to explore the challenges and opportunities of scaling clean hydrogen in Poland, and how it can support industrial decarbonisation whilst maintaining competitiveness. This timely discussion features expert pannelists including Dominika Niewierska from ORLEN S.A., Piotr Mikusek from Grupa Azoty S.A., Kamil Laskowski from InStrat, Pawel Sek from GAZ-SYSTEM, alongside CATF’s Alex Carr and Tamara Lagurashvili. Register now: https://lnkd.in/e3EgFq3W