Consulting at the intersection of energy and climate
By combining technical expertise and strategic leadership with a deep understanding of what creates and drives social and technological change
Building Broad
Consensus
To most expediently address climate change, we need to build a broad consensus around an expanded view of solutions. We work to remove gaps in understanding, policy barriers, real and perceived investment risk, and technological barriers in order to create the possibility for technology inclusive evidence-based decision making.
News Highlights
Shell's Chief Scientist on the Energy Transition
In this informative video by Shell’s Chief Scientist, Dirk Smit, on “how we can transform to a net-zero emissions energy system," he cites LucidCatalyst's work on off-shore production platforms for producing zero-carbon energy and fuels.
Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States
This National Academies’ report discusses how the US could support the successful commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors with near-term actions to establish policies and practices. Kirsty Gogan of LucidCatalyst was part of the committee that oversaw and wrote this report.
Our Iowa wind study was cited in this Wall Street Journal article about local opposition to wind and solar projects (by Jennifer Hiller, published May 8, 2023).
Beautiful Nuclear: Driving Deep Decarbonisation
Our report shows how nuclear energy helps meet all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. No other electricity generation technology can match this diversity of beneficial impacts. The report argues that the priority for preventing irreversible climate change is decarbonisation, not the creation of energy systems which are 100% dependent on renewables. It is critical to take a whole system approach to the energy transition and for evidence-based decision making. In the context of the increasing urgency to replace fossil fuels, the range of low carbon options must include nuclear.
LucidCatalyst partnered with ClearPath to develop this study, led and implemented by John Herter and Ian Woodhouse of LucidCatalyst. Eric Ingersoll provided the inspiration that energy models must realistically reflect the true costs and risks associated with each energy source. Reaching Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require a massive infrastructure build-out of enough clean electricity generation while building the infrastructure necessary to electrify industry and transport along the way. Detailed computer models can optimize for the cheapest paths to achieve Net Zero but cannot easily account for the political feasibility and constraints ranging from local opposition to regulatory delays, supply chain issues, and workforce capacity.
Designing the terawatt transition
Read this Lloyd's Register article—Kirsty Gogan and Eric Ingersoll, Managing Directors at LucidCatalyst, examine the role the global shipbuilding industry could play in producing low-cost hydrogen as the world looks towards zero-carbon fuels.
A ground-breaking study released by EPRI, written by LucidCatalyst, identifies potential deployment paths for using advanced heat sources for producing zero-carbon liquid fuels.
Nuclear Law: The Global Debate (IAEA)
This book by leading experts in the nuclear industry, focuses on current issues in the field and identifies potential areas for further development. LucidCatalyst's Missing Link report is highlighted in Chapter 6 "The Challenge of Climate Change—Complete Energy Transformation: No Nuclear, No Net Zero," by Tim Stone, and also in Chapter 13 "The Humanitarian Atom: The Role of Nuclear Power in Addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," by Sama Bilbao y Leon and John Lindberg.
A report by researchers at Stanford, MIT, and LucidCatalyst demonstrates how delaying closure of the plant would reduce California’s carbon emissions, reduce dependency on natural gas, and save billions in power system costs, in addition to providing desalinated water, and low-cost clean hydrogen. LucidCatalyst's Eric Ingersoll and Justin Aborn were major contributors to this report. Read this Op-Ed by former energy secretaries Steven Chu and Ernest Moniz in the LA Times, as well as articles in The Economist, MIT News, Forbes, Bloomberg, and WNN. Furthermore, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm supports keeping Diablo open, according to Reuters. Governor Gavin Newsom may attempt to delay the closure, as reported by AP and the LA Times.
Superhot Rock Geothermal – A Vision for Zero-Carbon Energy "Everywhere"
The UK's National Nuclear Lab Unveils Transformative Nuclear for Net Zero Modelling
LucidCatalyst contributed to this ground-breaking modelling report published by NNL demonstrating the role nuclear can play in delivering the UK’s net zero goals. This is the first time that such diverse, scalable and low-cost applications for nuclear technologies have been fully represented across the whole energy system.
Advanced Reactors Economics and Markets
In this paper, authors Charles Forsberg (MIT) and Eric Ingersoll (LucidCatalyst) argue that the viability of nuclear power ultimately depends on economics. They examine the key factors and markets that make projects viable.
Our landmark report: Missing Link to a Livable Climate: Hydrogen Enabled Synthetic Fuels was featured in the Sunday Times, Business Green, and World Nuclear News. This report describes how the world can still meet the Paris goals of 1.5–2°C if sufficient, low-cost, clean hydrogen and synfuels are produced to replace oil and gas in shipping, aviation, and industry. We've just issued a short "Lucid Insights" version of this report.
Large markets for advanced reactors that cost less than $3,000/kW
A study by LucidCatalyst for the ARPA-E MEITNER program is the first to derive the highest allowable capital cost for advanced reactors across four of the major power markets in the US in 2034. The study shows how advanced reactors can complement wind and solar. Together, these technologies drive down costs, reduce emissions, and improve performance in future US electricity grids.
Reuters SMR & Advanced Reactor Conference
Eric Ingersoll and Kirsty Gogan are looking forward to attending the Reuters SMR & Advanced Reactor Conference on 1-2 May 2024, in Atlanta – Kirsty as Moderator, representing non-profit Terra Praxis, and Eric speaking about repowering coal plants, representing LucidCatalyst, at the May 1st session on "Decarbonizing the Tough-to-Decarbonize: Supercharging the Industrial Energy Transition."
United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP28 Representing Terra Praxis, Eric Ingersoll and Kirsty Gogan joined global leaders in addressing the climate emergency at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023. Our purpose there was to share how, backed by collaborative partnerships, we plan to achieve our vision of universal access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy that empowers people and protects nature.
Eric Ingersoll and Kirsty Gogan attended and presented at the Nov 28-30, 2023 Enlit Europe Summit in Paris. Representing Terra Praxis As members of the Enlit Impact Circle, they also helped set the agenda for this 3-day conference that gathered 15,000 energy professionals, 700 exhibitors, and 500 speakers who presented on the latest industry developments helping to accelerate the energy transition.
International Symposium on the Development of Floating Nuclear Power Plants
Eric Ingersoll and Chirayu Batra attended and Kirsty Gogan opened and moderated the session "The Emerging Potential of Floating Nuclear Power Plants" at the IAEA's first International Symposium on the Deployment of Floating Nuclear Power Plants – Benefits and Challenges in Vienna on November 14-15, 2023.
Launching Repowering Coal initiative at COP27
Representing Terra Praxis at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, Eric Ingersoll and Kirsty Gogan launched a global Repowering Coal initiative to enable every coal plant owner in the world to assess their coal plant for conversion to clean energy. The team hosted events alongside global climate leaders and partner Microsoft.
De-risking the TeraWatt Transition at COP26
Eric Ingersoll and Kirsty Gogan, representing Terra Praxis, hosted a full-day event on De-risking the TeraWatt Transition with leaders who made a series of important announcements. Watch videos of each session.
Kirsty Gogan & Dr. Rita Baranwal – Deep Decarbonization Advocates / Nuclear Energy Powerhouses
Listen to this Energy Disruptors podcast or watch video of Kirsty Gogan with Dr. Rita Baranwal, former Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy, and now VP of nuclear at the Electric Power Research Institute talk energy access, decarbonization challenges and being trailblazers in the industry.