The Pentagon's electric future

Presented by Equinor: Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Dec 08, 2022 View in browser   By Nick Sobczyk Presented by Equinor A view of the Pentagon from Air Force One. | Patrick Semansky/Associated Press Sen. Joe Manchin's environmental permitting overhaul may not have made it into the National Defense Authorization Act, but the must-pass defense bill contains another provision with huge implications for energy. The Defense Department would have to shift all non-combat vehicles to alternative fuels by 2035 under the current version of the NDAA. That encompasses as many as 180,000 vehicles — no small potatoes, despite the requirement's exclusion of tanks and other vehicles used for war. The provision builds on years of work by Congress and the executive branch to limit the climate impact of the U.S. military, arguably the world's single worst polluter as the largest institutional consumer of petroleum. In 2017, the DoD emitted more greenhouse gases than many small industrialized countries , including Sweden and Finland. "It's time for the military to get on with the future," said Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), one of the authors of the provision . The policy rider is one of many in the defense bill, which like all must-pass legislation has become a catch-all for lawmakers' priorities. That's why Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, wanted to use the bill to pass his proposal to fast-track the permitting of energy and infrastructure projects. Opposition from both progressives and Republicans has doomed that effort . Manchin is still trying to get a vote on his permitting bill before the end of this year, but his chances look slim . In addition to the alternative fuel provision, the current version of the NDAA carries the Water Resources Development Act, which would broaden the mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to let it work on new kinds of climate change adaptation projects. That could help coastal and Great Lakes states deal with the impacts of sea-level rise and shoreline erosion. The NDAA passed the House on Thursday, and the Senate is expected to clear it before the end of the year. Here's how the DoD provision will likely play out: The department can switch its non-combat vehicles to run on electricity, hydrogen or biofuels. But it is likely to favor electric vehicles, because that's the direction the commercial market is going, said a Senate aide who worked on the bill and was granted anonymity to discuss the provision candidly. Electric vehicles used on base also have tactical benefits, the aide said, because they operate quietly and can plug into the grid to be used as a backup power source. That helped garner bipartisan support as the House and Senate Armed Services committees negotiated the bill, according to the aide. "Greenhouse gas emissions reduction is a benefit, but the primary function was geared towards the mission," the aide said. Garamendi predicts the military will jump on the opportunity to go electric — and be interested in hybrid and electric combat vehicles, as well. The provision essentially codifies the direction the Pentagon is already headed, as it works to meet Biden administration directives to reduce the federal government's emissions.   It's Thursday! — Thank you for tuning into POLITICO's Power Switch.  I'm your host,  Nick Sobczyk , with reporting help from Nico Portuondo . Arianna Skibell will be back soon! Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments and questions to nsobczyk@eenews.net . Listen to today's POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast:  Josh Siegel breaks down what's next for permitting after Manchin's failed effort.   A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining opportunity of our time. We all have a role to play. At Equinor, we're doing our part by growing our renewable energy portfolio and lowering emissions from production. By the time the global population reaches 9 billion in 2050, our goal is to have net-zero emissions. Discover more about Equinor at www.equinor.com/USA.   Featured story President Joe Biden speaks on Nov. 17, 2021, at the General Motors Factory ZERO electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit. | Nic Antaya/Getty Images A greener government The military isn't the only part of the federal government that might get greener in the coming years. The White House on Wednesday announced a new suite of policies aimed at reducing emissions from federal buildings. It builds on the Biden administration's "Buy Clean" initiative , which directs agencies to prioritize U.S.-made low-carbon materials for federal construction projects. Such policies are part of President Joe Biden's plan to use the government's vast purchasing power to create a lower-carbon economy and expand the U.S. clean energy industry. But experts say Biden will need help from state governments and the private sector to hit net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. "This guy's been in politics for a long time and understands how these things work, and so for sure they're trying to design these policies so that they do have a lasting impact," said Victor Olgyay, who leads the carbon-free buildings program at the environmental think tank RMI. "Part of that is ensuring that the private sector recognizes the benefits and incorporates them into their business models." Read more here from POLITICO E&E's Corbin Hiar and Kelsey Brugger.   A message from Equinor:   Power Centers Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) at the Capitol. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo Power flex Democrats' expanded Senate majority means they will be able to more easily move legislation and confirm nominees to agencies like EPA and the Department of Energy, write Timothy Cama and Marc Heller . Manchin's power to sway a vote may be diminished with the reelection of Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. But Manchin nonetheless said the new 51-49 margin will be "very helpful to get things done." Trading barbs European Parliament President Roberta Metsola cautioned Wednesday that her region could slip into a trade war with the United States, write Eddy Wax and Jamil Anderlini. The cross-Atlantic tension stems from the massive suite of clean energy and electric vehicle incentives enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act, which European leaders see as protectionist.   A NEW POLITICO PODCAST: POLITICO Tech is an authoritative insider briefing on the politics and policy of technology. From crypto and the metaverse to cybersecurity and AI, we explore the who, what and how of policy shaping future industries. We're kicking off with a series exploring darknet marketplaces, the virtual platforms that enable actors from all corners of the online world to traffic illicit goods. As malware and cybercrime attacks become increasingly frequent, regulators and law enforcement agencies work different angles to shut these platforms down, but new, often more unassailable marketplaces pop up. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY .     In Other News A smokestack at a coal plant. | AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File Guess who's back: The United Kingdom has approved its first coal-fired power plant in three decades, prompting fury from environmentalists . Germany's impossible task: The German government is attempting to build a new liquefied natural gas import terminal , a process that typically takes five years, in a matter of months after getting cut off from Russian LNG.   A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining opportunity of our time. Our world needs energy to keep moving forward — but it must be affordable, reliable, and accessible. We all have a role to play. At Equinor, we're doing our part by helping accelerate the energy transition. We're growing our renewable energy portfolio and lowering emissions from production. We're already on the way to powering 2,000,000 New York homes with energy from the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind offshore wind projects. We're creating jobs, building tomorrow's infrastructure, and sparking new economic activity. But for us, that's only the beginning. By the time the global population reaches 9 billion in 2050, our goal is to have net-zero emissions. Discover more about Equinor at http://www.equinor.com/USA.   Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. An electric vehicle charging in Detroit. | Paul Sancya/Associated Press The suite of subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act is threatening to suck electric vehicle investments away from Europe. Texas lawmakers have subpoenaed BlackRock Inc. for information about the company's sustainable investment strategies. The average price of lithium-ion battery packs has risen for the first time due to the rising cost of materials amid inflation and surging demand. That's all for today, folks. Thanks for reading!   POLITICO AT CES 2023 : We are bringing a special edition of our Digital Future Daily newsletter to Las Vegas to cover CES 2023. The newsletter will take you inside the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 5-7 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the event. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of CES 2023.       Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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