The Evolution of EVs in the Southeast 

February 25, 2021 | via Zoom

In our inaugural webinar installment, our presenters provided an analysis of the growing pace of electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the Southeast and examined the industry and policy response.

Among the topics discussed were REV West and Tennessee’s transportation electrification initiatives including Drive Electric, the Southeast Regional EV Information Exchange, and the state’s joint effort with TVA to install a network of fast charging stations for EVs.

Presenters for the session:

Stan Cross
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Joe Hoagland
TVA
Alexa Voytek
Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation
Jennifer Weiss
Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy at Duke University

Batteries: Powering EVs and Beyond

March 11, 2021 | via Zoom

In this hour, we had three experts from the federal, state, and industry side of things discuss the value of battery innovation as it relates to transportation electrification and the broader goals of strengthening the nation’s grid resiliency and reaching decarbonization goals.

Presenters for the session:

Steven Boyd
Office of Vehicle Technologies, U.S. DOE
Commissioner Tim Echols
Georgia Public Service Commission
Matthew Renna
Volkswagen Group of America

Carbon Capture – Regional Initiatives Focus

July 15, 2021 | via Zoom

In this webinar, we explored the past, present, and future work of three regional initiatives (RIs) related to carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).

We apologize for technical issues with SSEB’s camera! Thankfully, our guests and all of their wonderful contributions are preserved for the webinar.

The RIs and respective project leads highlighted in the webinar were:

  • The Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership (CUSP) – New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

    Dr. Robert Balch
    Director
    Petroleum Recovery Research Center

  • The Midwest Regional Carbon Initiative (MRCI) – Battelle Memorial Institute

    Dr. Neeraj Gupta
    Technical Director – Carbon Management
    Energy Division, Battelle

  • The Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership (PCOR) – University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)

    Ed Steadman
    VP for Research
    EERC

The session also featured Jason Lanclos, the Director of the Louisiana State Energy Office, discussing the value and effects of regional carbon capture initiatives.


Carbon Capture in the Southeast | SECARB-USA

August 25, 2021 | via Zoom

On August 25th, we sat down and discussed the ongoing work of our carbon capture regional initiative, SECARB-USA. SSEB has been actively involved in the study and promotion of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) for nearly two decades.

We were joined by project partners Dr. Richard Esposito of Southern Company, Dr. Susan Hovorka from the Bureau of Economic Geology at UT Austin, and Katherine Zimmerman of Wood to discuss our past and future work together on CCUS issues and priorities, including the current push for the inclusion of carbon capture technology in federal decarbonization efforts.

Archived video of the webinar is available below.


The Future of Critical Minerals & Rare Earth Elements in the Southeast

March 8, 2022 | via Zoom

Now more than ever, securing and processing critical minerals (CMs) and rare earth elements (REEs) is essential to the technological progress and decarbonization of the nation’s energy grid. China controls more than 80 percent of the world’s REEsan imbalance that threatens U.S. energy independence and technological innovation.

How can the Southeast respond to the growing need for CMs and REEs? To answer that question and more, we were joined by:

  • Dr. Grant Bromhal, Acting Director of the Mineral Sustainability Division at the U.S. Department of Energy;
  • Danny Gray, Executive VP of Strategy and Business Operations at Green Cement Inc. and SSEB’s Associate Member Chair;
  • Dr. Michael Karmis, Director of the Virginia Center for Coal & Energy Research (Ret.); and
  • Dr. Charles Sims, Energy & Environment Program Director at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.