White House to Announce $5 Billion More in Tax Credits for Renewable Energy Products

How delicious is $5 billion more for renewable energy tax credits? Just think of all the RE small businesses that will stay afloat because of these tax credits. With over 300 sunny days a year in Colorado, we need to take advantage of the sun's free energy so we can get a slice of our $5 billion! So, weatherize your home first, then invest in some RE generating technologies (like PV or solar thermal or geothermal), and help invest in small business.

Checklist for Going Solar

I know that I'm chompin' at the bit to slap up some solar PV modules on my roof. Why not? Solar electricity is free and abundant here on the Front Range. However, I understand that it's important to be patient by making sure that my existing home doesn't waste any more energy than necessary. I'm taking steps to weatherize and insulate (I just received my Xcel rebate for weatherizing my crawl space. The work was completed by About Saving Heat.) and I will be taking advantage of the Federal government tax credits for home weatherization for 2009 and 2010. All of this preparation not only saves me money, it reduces my carbon footprint and allows me to support the local economy. Plus I want to get the best ROI on a future solar PV or solar thermal purchase.

So after you've investigated how your home uses electricity and natural gas and you've eliminated the waste (either by installing compact fluorescent/LED lights bulbs, Energy Star appliances, and insulation and caulking) you can think about installing solar thermal or PV. Where to start? Here's a good article that reveals some pointers on what you need to do before you purchase solar renewable energy. Enjoy.

Energy Secretary Announces Funding for Colorado

The good doctor is releasing some more renewable energy/energy efficiency funds to the State of Colorado. $34 million will go to weatherization rebates and credits for renewable energy systems (such as PV or solar thermal) and biomass stoves. The money will also be used to help state agencies, including public schools, reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint.

Colorado State of Mind Talks about Energy

There was a well-rounded discussion on Colorado State of Mind this evening regarding energy. The title of the show was, "Federal Stimulus Package and Energy" and the panel was pretty solid. The conversation weaved through a bunch of issues such as tax credits, base load, free market, lowering carbon emissions, natural gas drilling on the Western Slope, smart grids, internal combustion engine inefficiencies, fuel price risks, local power generation, micro grids, plug-in electric cars, the escalating cost of coal, and much more. Head on over to their website. The video should be up soon.

Energy Cornucopia: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Here's a good blog post on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with respect to energy efficiency and renewable energy. Here's some of the meat:

"...$3.2 B for energy efficiency & conservation Block Grants, $5 B for the Weatherization Assistance Program, $3.1 B for state energy programs, $2 B for grants to advanced battery manufacturers in the US, $2.5 B for applied research, development and deployment, along with another billion split among alternative fuel vehicle pilot projects, transportation electrification, and energy efficient appliance rebates and Energy Star."

I look forward to more dissection of this bill in the coming weeks. But for now this is a good start to kick-starting the renewable energy industry.

Energy-efficiency Advocates Examine, React to Stimulus Bill

Lots of renewable energy initiatives in the stimulus bill. Here's a good article that sums up reactions from some major players in the RE industry. I especially like the weatherization parts of the stimulus package.

Dark Days for Green Energy

Sigh. Another reason to advocate capital punishment for bankers. As our economy crashes and credit dries up so do our green jobs and small renewable energy businesses. This is going to be a rough time for everybody, but I didn't really think the renewable energy sector would be impacted as much as it is and will be. This shows the importance of President Obama's stimulus plan for the solar, wind, and weatherization/energy audit industries. Call me crazy but to build a better electrical grid, get the U.S. off the foreign oil addiction, meet the growing energy demand of the information highway, and help the frickin' planet we can't afford to wait for the "free market" to decide.

And by the way, where is the swagger, bravado, and PR blitz of T. Boone Pickens? He was listed in the New York Times article as having, "cut back or delayed (his) wind farm plans." Where are all of the commercials we saw around the election last year? Hmmm. Nary a peep from him these days. I wonder what ever happened to his lofty goal of helping the U.S. get off of Middle Eastern oil. Maybe all of that writing and speeches exhausted him and he is taking a break? Hard to say.

Green Energy Boom In Bailout Bill

More info on the renewable energy (RE) tax credits in the "bailout" bill. But this one has a bit more on the how much the RE industry could benefit. Have a gander.

Crisis Puts Tax Moves Into Play

Well, it looks like I am going to get the renewable energy (RE) tax credits that I keep asking for. The Senate managed to stuff it in the financial "bailout" bill along with other bits of pork. So it's bittersweet and maybe a bit depressing. This is not the way I want to see the RE tax credits go down and it seems a bit dirty to me. I'd rather have the RE tax credits paid for with a reduction or elimination of the oil and gas tax credits. But the oil and gas lobby is too large and powerful I guess. We'll see if this financial bailout bill passes the House.

House OKs Extending Renewable Energy Tax Credits

Here we go again. It's not that I'm disappointed (obviously) that the RE tax credit bill is up for a vote again, it's that the House and the Senate bills differ. The differences between the bills mean that it may not pass (again) when it goes back to the Senate. As far as I can tell from this article, the House bill adds provisions that help pay for the tax breaks (what that is, I'm not sure) and the House bill also:

"...does not provide tax incentives for refineries to process oil from shale and tar sands or for projects that turn coal into liquid fuel."

I'm glad that refineries for oil from shale and tar sands won't have a tax incentive. Have you seen what they do up in Albert, Canada to squeeze oil out of the tar sands up there? The land is completely demolished. It looks like Mars. Imagine doing this to the Western slope of Colorado. No way.

Update: The Houston Chronicle does a deeper dive on the House bill here.

Xcel Expects 12 Percent Rise in Winter Bills

It's going to be a tough winter for a lot of people that depend on natural gas for their heating needs. The article says that the typical residential customer would pay $151 in December. Wow. Perhaps the Colorado Governor's Energy Office could figure out a way to help those with fixed and low incomes get access to low cost or free energy audits. If we were able to retrofit our homes with energy efficient materials (insulation, duct repair, etc.) we could save a ton of money on our heating bills in the winter. Just a thought.

Renewable Energy's Biggest Wish

Any politician that doesn't include tax credits for renewables in his or her energy proposal is not serious about steering this country towards a renewable energy path. They also aren't serious about weening us off of fossil fuels. I've talked about tax credits before here so you know where I stand (shorter version: take tax credits away from an established industry like oil and gas and give it to a burgeoning industry like clean tech). Without tax credits renewable energy will take a much longer time to permeate through our society via clean tech energy production, market stability, and job creation. Read yet another article here on why Congress needs to extend (for a longer period of time) the renewable energy tax credits for businesses and individuals.

Business Leaders: Make Renewable Energy Cheaper

I am glad businesses are speaking up on renewable energy because that's the way Congress will listen (they certainly don't listen to us). In this case Google and G.E. say that renewable energy needs to be cheaper. I agree. One of the ways to begin to make it cheaper is to take subsidies away from oil companies and give it to the renewable energy industry and individuals in the form of tax credits. But since the Republicans in Congress have repeatedly blocked the extension of renewable energy tax credits we are at this impasse, with an entire clean tech industry waiting to take off.

Ritter Energized about Removing Oil, Gas Tax Credit

Another reason to admire Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. He's right. Taking on the oil and gas industry in Colorado is no easy feat. But this sums up what I've been saying about providing tax credits to help support the renewable energy industry:

"These are times when you provide a tax incentive to grow an industry. This is not the time for oil and gas."

Word.

U.S. Renewable Energy Leaders: Don't Count on Carbon Price Alone

Good article on the various methods of boosting the renewable energy (RE) market here in the U.S. But whatever the process, policy, or method it is imperative (in my humble opinion) that the United States federal government provide subsidies to individuals and companies. This will allow the RE market to flourish, similar to the burgeoning European RE market. All of those subsidies that European governments provided the RE markets in the last decade created a boon to the European RE companies. Now guess what? Those European RE companies are turning their eye towards the U.S. market (see the work Spain's Abengoa Solar in doing here in the U.S.). Wouldn't it be nice to have American RE companies creating American jobs to build a U.S. RE infrastructure? What ever your reason - carbon reduction, self-reliance, or to make money, it makes sense to provide that necessary boost to the RE market. All we need is a little intelligent leadership and a willingness to make sound investments in our future.

Senators Propose Extending Renewable Energy Tax Credit

This is good news, even though the tax credit for consumers is only extended for another year. The big hurdle will be defining how these tax credits are going to be paid for. Will the Senators gain a spine and take away just a little bit of oil industry tax breaks? Or will they cave and put the U.S. clean energy industry even more behind the eight-ball?

Newsflash: Colorado Rep. Votes Against Renewable Energy Tax Credits

Not surprising at all, Representative Marilyn Musgrave voted against Colorado's best interest. The "partisan efforts" that her spokesperson claims in this article is an excuse that is tired and worn. This bogus "partisan" claim is used to muddy the concept of the original bill that was voted on. What is wrong with taking away some of the oil and gas industry tax credits to pay for renewable energy tax credits? Renewable energy that is generated by the individual farmer, doctor, mechanic, construction worker, whatever, is a positive concept for Coloradoans. It's as simple as that. If you believe that taking away this oil and gas tax credit will cause our energy rates to go up then you might want to check yourself. Generating some of your own energy, if not all of it, will reduce the bill that you receive from the utility company. Why? Because you won't be using as much of the utility generated power. Allowing the individual Colorado citizen to generate some of his or her own energy is an empowering concept that the oil and gas industry and apparently Marilyn Musgrave do not want you to have.

Do what's right for the individuals that you represent Rep. Musgrave and empower them with the ability to create some of their own energy needs, while also helping to spur a renewable energy economy in Colorado. And while you are at it do away with the doublespeak and the hollow arguments.

Senator Salazar: Ensuring Tax Certainty in Clean-energy Economy

Kudos to Senator Ken Salazar for recognizing the importance of extending the renewable energy tax credits (set to expire at the end of 2008) ASAP. Read his clear and insightful op-ed in The Hill here.

Reminder: Solar Energy Tax Credits Expire at the End of 2008

We all know how fast time goes, so if you are planning to install some solar panels on your roof, you best do it before the end of 2008. Or you can get on the horn and convince members of Congress to renew the tax credit. These tax credits make it completely affordable to offset some of your energy consumption. With the economy heading south, it will become more difficult for people to do the right thing and add solar panels to their home. So it is hyper-important that we contact our respective members of Congress and ask them to extend the solar energy tax credit. Read some more about it here.

NY Times: The Senate Shills for Big Oil

Via The New York Times we have an editorial that calls a spade a spade. Republicans in the Senate are whining about the House-approved, gradual elimination of tax credits for big oil to help pay for renewable energy tax credits. With oil profits beyond comprehension and oil over a $100 a barrel we've got to take some of that bounty away from the oil companies. Just a wee bit. Right?