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Policy Recommendations from the Discussion

Accelerate the development of the nuclear energy supply chain in Kentucky

To demonstrate the opportunity for Kentucky to manufacture parts for the existing U.S. nuclear fleet, the Kentucky General Assembly should fund a study to identify what certifications (if any) are required for workers, which parts could be manufactured, and the standards that must be put in place to produce nuclear power plant equipment in Kentucky. Moreover, this would include determining if a new manufacturing line within an existing facility is required (or if they can be produced on existing production lines or if an entirely new facility would be required) to fabricate the equipment.

Promote the global competitiveness of Kentucky-made products

To support Kentucky’s global competitiveness in sustainable product/material manufacturing, the Kentucky General Assembly should dedicate resources to establish an interstate regional coalition across the southeast Ohio River Valley and Appalachia focused on transportation, manufacturing, and energy supply.

Build, expand, and retool infrastructure to support access to the new energy economy

To address the need for greater coordination between state, local, and federal government entities on energy infrastructure buildout, Congress should pass legislation to direct the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to establish a federal Office of Community Prosperity for Underserved Communities, with coordinating offices in all 50 states, as conduits for state, local, federal, and industry to access federal funds.

The Kentucky General Assembly should pass enabling legislation to support the development of a corresponding office at the state level.

Promote workforce development for advanced energy manufacturing in Kentucky

To increase access to and utilization of workforce development opportunities, the Kentucky General Assembly should fund the creation of a comprehensive online database of workforce development resources and opportunities for area development districts, local governments, and local communities across the state.

Develop the innovation ecosystem for advanced energy in Kentucky

To equitably and transparently strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Kentucky, and across the country, Congress should establish a public/private partnership supporting a national Innovation & Entrepreneurship program that drives a graduated K-12 experiential learning program.

Conclusion

As recent momentum has demonstrated significant opportunities for Kentucky to leverage its infrastructure and human capital in the emerging advanced energy economy, further state and federal investment is necessary to continue to attract investment and preserve or even expand the global competitiveness of Kentucky-made products. Roundtable participants were optimistic about the opportunity for the state, but noted that significant investment in workforce and community development are necessary to ensure communities are able to support these emerging industries and enjoy the benefits they bring to the Commonwealth.

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Policy Recommendations

Driving Private Sector Investment and Domestic Manufacturing

Recommendation: To ensure business confidence in announced investments and the long term stability necessary to grow American manufacturing in the battery and EV industries, Congress should maintain clean energy and clean vehicle tax credits, specifically 45X, 30D, and 45W.

Increasing Investment Certainty in the Critical Mineral and Material Market

Recommendation: To derisk new critical mineral projects, Congress should appropriate funds for the Department of Energy to investigate which mechanisms best support private offtake agreements for new projects. The mechanisms should be determined in consultation with industry stakeholders and include options such as contracts-for-difference, and offtake backstops.

Creating Circularity in the Battery Industry

Recommendation: To increase the ability of dismantlers and recyclers to safely remove, handle, and recycle batteries, Congress should direct and appropriate funds for EPA to convene a coalition of industry stakeholders to develop a roadmap for best practices on battery design for efficient removal from a vehicle by dismantlers and recovery of battery materials by recyclers.

Improving Community Engagement in Project Development

Recommendation: To help companies and communities engage earlier and more comprehensively in the leadup to large project development, the South Carolina Department of Commerce’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development should provide a statewide fund to establish a community benefits agreement council that can be included in the negotiation process with companies looking to site projects in South Carolina.

Developing the Workforce for South Carolina’s Advanced Energy Future

Recommendation: To increase the enrollment of students into technical college programs in fields of need as identified by supply gap analysis conducted by the state’s Department of Employment and Workforce, the South Carolina Legislature should appropriate funds to expand the SC WINS scholarship program to cover the full cost of tuition for positions of high need.

Recommendation: To ensure that recent graduates have immediately applicable and transferable skills in high demand employment contexts, the SC technical college system should foster partnerships between individual local colleges and nearby companies to develop curriculums that will train workers for available jobs and incorporate statewide skill needs analysis into their curriculum.

Conclusion

The growing market share of electrified options within the automobile industry offers both a challenge to incumbent manufacturers to diversify their production and an opportunity for South Carolina to position itself to enhance growth and resilience in its economy. C2ES’s roundtable in Columbia, South Carolina, provided an opportunity to bring together a wide-ranging group of battery and EV industry stakeholders to discuss how the state can strengthen those aspects of the supply chain that might pose a risk to the long-term resilience of the industry. In-depth discussions among stakeholders on the topics of critical mineral supply chains, battery circularity and recycling, community engagement, and workforce development provided the foundation for a set of policy recommendations aimed at bolstering these aspects of South Carolina’s battery and EV industries. In the near term, ensuring announced projects begin production is key to realizing the economic potential of the industry. State and federal policymakers should work to preserve the incentives that are powering the growth of these industries in the state, ensuring that businesses have the policy certainty they need to bring projects, jobs, and economic development to both South Carolina and the nation.

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Washington state has demonstrated leadership in bringing together stakeholders across the aviation industry to study, plan, and address the barriers to scaling the production of sustainable aviation fuels within the state. Building on insights from over more than a decade of state-level progress, this brief offers recommendations to federal policymakers to scale sustainable aviation fuel developed in a C2ES roundtable convening hosted in Seattle in April 2024.

Policy Recommendations

• Congress should extend tax credits to cover at least 10 years from when a SAF production facility is placed in service.
• Congress should provide not less than $244,500,000 annually for FAST-SAF.
• Congress should direct the Federal Aviation Administration to allow SAF purchasing and investments in SAF infrastructure as an appropriate use of airport revenue.
• Congress should direct federal agencies administering SAF-related funding to require applicants to consider how the project will support equitable workforce development.

Read the factsheet for this brief for a summary of the recommendations.

About Regional Roundtables

Efforts to accelerate the transition to the low-carbon economy of the future are accelerating across all sectors of the economy. To chart a pathway to sustainable, long-term prosperity, communities must be able to leverage their particular strengths and capitalize on emerging economic opportunities, while addressing barriers that are often unique to their communities. To that end, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is hosting a series of regional roundtables to bring together local, state, and federal government, businesses of all sizes, community organizations and nonprofits, academics and issue experts, trade associations, investors, philanthropy, economic development organizations, and individuals working across sectors. These conversations are meant to elevate the perspectives of a diverse set of stakeholders who are deeply embedded in their communities and uniquely positioned to speak to the needs of their states and regions. They are also meant to create opportunities to integrate local perspectives into state and federal policy decisions and identify concrete steps to better align the long-term prosperity of these communities with the urgent task of reaching net-zero emissions economywide.

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