Full Title: Supporting Renewables while Saving Taxpayers Money
Author(s): Uday Varadarajan, Brendan Pierpont, Andrew Hobbs, Kath Rowley
Publisher(s): Climate Policy Initiative
Publication Date: September 1, 2012
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Renewable energy deployment in the United States is booming. Renewable electricity generation has more than doubled since 2005, bringing reductions in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The doubling was financed largely through private investment mobilized by state and federal incentives and other policies, leading to substantial expansion of the renewable energy industry.
While solar and wind costs have fallen, rising deployment has increased the cost to government of providing the incentives. Key federal policy incentives are now beginning to expire, just as federal lawmakers are looking for opportunities to reduce the deficit. It is therefore important and timely to review the performance of federal renewable energy incentives.