This book introduces readers to hydrogen as an essential energy carrier for use with renewable sources of primary energy. It provides an overview of the state of the art, while also highlighting the developmental and market potential of hydrogen in the context of energy technologies; mobile, stationary and portable applications; uninterruptible power supplies and in the chemical industry. Written by experienced practitioners, the book addresses the needs of engineers, chemists and business managers, as well as graduate students and researchers.
The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely diversified energy portfolios, job creation, energy security, and pollution reduction, making renewable energy development an important strategy with wide-ranging implications. Given the size of their energy markets, any substantial progress the two countries make in advancing use of renewable energy will provide global benefits, in terms of enhanced technological understanding, reduced costs through expanded deployment, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to conventional generation from fossil fuels. Within this context, the U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), reviewed renewable energy development and deployment in the two countries, to highlight prospects for collaboration across the research to deployment chain and to suggest strategies which would promote more rapid and economical attainment of renewable energy goals. Main findings and concerning renewable resource assessments, technology development, environmental impacts, market infrastructure, among others, are presented. Specific recommendations have been limited to those judged to be most likely to accelerate the pace of deployment, increase cost-competitiveness, or shape the future market for renewable energy. The recommendations presented here are also pragmatic and achievable.
Increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy are the most important actions that can be taken to combat climate changes. As a result, the growth of clean energy will likely be one of the major economic engines of the coming decade.
A component in the America's Energy Future study, Electricity from Renewable Resources examines the technical potential for electric power generation with alternative sources such as wind, solar-photovoltaic, geothermal, solar-thermal, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources. The book focuses on those renewable sources that show the most promise for initial commercial deployment within 10 years and will lead to a substantial impact on the U.S. energy system. A quantitative characterization of technologies, this book lays out expectations of costs, performance, and impacts, as well as barriers and research and development needs. In addition to a principal focus on renewable energy technologies for power generation, the book addresses the challenges of incorporating such technologies into the power grid, as well as potential improvements in the national electricity grid that could enable better and more extensive utilization of wind, solar-thermal, solar photovoltaics, and other renewable technologies.
The majority of energy produced in the United States is derived from fossil fuels. In recent years, however, revenue losses associated with tax incentives that benefit renewables have exceeded revenue losses associated with tax incentives benefitting fossil fuels. As Congress evaluates the tax code and various energy tax incentives, there has been interest in understanding how energy tax benefits under the current tax system are distributed across different domestic energy resources. In 2010, fossil fuels accounted for 78.0% of U.S. primary energy production. The remaining primary energy production is attributable to nuclear electric and renewable energy resources, with shares of 11.2% and 10.7%, respectively. Primary energy production using renewable energy resources includes both electricity generated using renewable resources, including hydropower, as well as renewable fuels (e.g., biofuels). The value of federal tax support for the energy sector was estimated to be $19.1 billion in 2010. Of this, roughly one-third ($6.3 billion) was for tax incentives that support renewable fuels. Another $6.7 billion can be attributed to tax-related incentives supporting various renewable energy technologies (e.g., wind and solar). Targeted tax incentives supporting fossil energy resources totaled $2.4 billion. This report provides an analysis of the value of energy tax incentives relative to primary energy production levels. Relative to their share in overall energy production, renewables receive more federal financial support through the tax code than energy produced using fossil energy resources. Within the renewable energy sector, relative to the level of energy produced, biofuels receive the most tax-related financial support. The report also summarizes the results of recently published studies by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) evaluating energy subsidies across various technologies. According to data presented in the EIA reports, the share of direct federal financial support for electricity produced using coal, natural gas and petroleum, and nuclear energy resources was similar in 2007 and 2010. Between 2007 and 2010, however, the share of federal financial support for electricity produced by renewables increased substantially, and federal financial support for refined coal disappeared. Projections of the annual cost of energy-related tax provisions through 2015 show that, under current law, tax-related support for renewable fuels will effectively disappear after 2012. The amount of tax-related support for renewable electricity is also scheduled to decline over time given the recent expiration of the Section 1603 grants in lieu of tax credits program and the scheduled expiration of other tax incentives for renewable electricity, such as the production tax credit (PTC). The value of energy-related tax provisions that benefit fossil fuels is projected to remain relatively constant over time, under current law, as most provisions that benefit fossil fuels are permanent Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provisions.
A comprehensive, revised, and expanded guide covering tax-exempt organizations engaging in joint ventures Joint Ventures Involving Tax-Exempt Organizations, Fourth Edition examines the liability of, and consequences to, exempt organizations participating in joint ventures with for-profit and other tax-exempt entities. This authoritative guide provides unbridled access to relevant IRC provisions, Treasury regulations, IRS rulings, and pertinent judicial decisions and legislative developments that impact exempt organizations involved in joint ventures. Features in depth analysis of the IRS's requirements for structuring joint ventures to protect a nonprofit's exemption as well as to minimize UBIT Includes sample models, checklists, and numerous citations to Internal Revenue Code sections, Treasury Regulations, case law, and IRS rulings Presents models, guidelines, and suggestions for structuring joint ventures and minimizing the risk of audit Contains detailed coverage of: new Internal Revenue Code requirements impacting charitable hospitals including Section 501(r) and related provisions; university ventures, revised Form 990, with a focus on nonprofits engaged in joint ventures; the IRS's emphasis on good governance practices; international activities by nonprofits; and a comprehensive examination of the New Market Tax Credits and Low Income Housing Tax Credits arena Written by a noted expert in the field, Joint Ventures Involving Tax-Exempt Organizations, Fourth Edition is the most in-depth discussion of this critical topic.
This book provides a detailed roadmap of technical, economic, and institutional actions by the wind industry, the wind research community, and others to optimize wind's potential contribution to a cleaner, more reliable, low-carbon, domestic energy generation portfolio, utilizing U.S. manu-facturing and a U.S. workforce. The roadmap is intended to be the beginning of an evolving, collaborative, and necessarily dynamic process. It thus suggests an approach of continual updates at least every two years, informed by its analysis activities. Roadmap actions are identified in nine topical areas, introduced below.
