State Energy Policy:
Implications for
Consumers and Consumer
Policy
Carole Makela
Financial Incentives
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•
•
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Grants
Green Building Incentives
Loan Programs—Utilities, Government
Personal Tax Incentives—Credits, Deductions
Property Tax Incentives—Exemptions,
Exclusions, Credits
• Rebates
• Sales Tax Incentives—Exemptions, Holidays
• Utility Rate Discounts
Policies and Regulations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Appliance Standards
Building Codes
Generation Disclosure Rules
Mandatory Utility Green Power
Net Metering
Public Benefit Funds
Solar and Wind Access
Summary of all State and Territories
with Policies and Regulations
Renewable Energy
Energy Efficiency
# of states/territories
Appliance Standards (Federal)
─
12
Building Codes (Federal)
─
53 (CO, WY)
23 (CO)
─
9
─
48 (CO, WY)
─
─
20 (CO)
35 (CO)
─
Generation Disclosure
Mandatory Utility Green Power
Net Metering
Public Benefit Funds
Solar and Wind Access
Summary of all States and Territories
with Financial Incentives
Renewable Energy
Energy Efficiency
# of states/territories
Personal Tax
20
10
24 (CO, WY)
10
Property Tax
33 (CO)
5
Rebate*
39 (WY)
43
Grants*
26
21 (CO, WY)
Loans*
36
41 (WY)
Production Incentives
25
─
Sales Tax
Incentives may be state/territory, local, utility, or private.
*Most programs are utility/city based.
Purpose
Exploration of state’s energy
related incentives and policies
and regulations, 2008
legislation
2008 Legislation
Frequent issues addressed
• Theft of metals (copper) and regulation of scrap
metal dealers
• Net metering—flow of electricity (and its cost) to
and from customer generating it
• Facilitating use of solar energy
• Facilitating use of renewable energy
• State agencies, building and purchasing standards
Unique State Policies
CA
HI
IA
HI
ME,
NH
IA
NM
ME,
NY
NH
SC
NM
VT
NY
Lighting
Efficiency
andand
Toxics
Reduction
Act—lightingfor
levels,
hazardous
Solar Water
Heating
Efficiency
Act—incentives
installing
200,000
substances
per
European Union standards
solar units in
2007
Solar Water Heating and Efficiency Act—incentive for installing 200,000 solar
Solar hot water heaters in all new residential construction
units in 2007
Office of Energy Independence and the Power Fund
Solar hot outdoor
water heaters
all new
residential
Regulate
wood in
boilers,
regulate
sale construction
and use of high emission
models
Office of Energy Independence and the Power Fund
Solar energy research part and academy
Regulate outdoor wood boilers, regulate sale and use of high emission models
Limit fame waste electric generation (for new metering) to 500 Kwh
Incentive program for purchase and installation of EE manufactured homes
Solar energy research park and academy
Development of industrial hemp industry (fuel crop for biodiesel and
Limit
farmethanol.
waste electric generation (for net metering) to 500 Kwh
cellulosic
SC
Incentive program for purchase and installation of EE manufactured homes
VT
Development of industrial hemp industry (fuel crop for biodiesel and cellulosic
ethanol, etc.)
Conclusions
• Provide incentives for consumers to use
renewable energy and/or implement energy
efficiencies
• Passed laws exceeded those which died/failed
• CA and HI passed the most laws
• CA and FL had the most that died/failed