Bioenergy Policy
Education Resources
National Public Policy Education
Conference
September 23, 2003
Thomas G. Johnson
A Generic Framework for
Bioenergy Policy Education
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What is bioenergy?
Why bioenergy?
Current situation
Policy alternatives
Consequences and impacts
What is Bioenergy?
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Glossaries of Bioenergy Terms
• Center for Resource Solutions
• http://www.greene.org/what_is/dictionary/dictionary.html
• Includes links to a number of more
detailed sources of information
• Department of Energy
• http://eia.doe.gov/kids/glossary/index.h
tml
What is Bioenergy?
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Biomass at a Glance
• US Department of Energy
• http://www.eere.energy.gov/biopower/b
asics/index.htm
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Energy for Kids (US DOE)
• http://eia.doe.gov/kids/
• What is energy, history of energy use,
fun facts, quizzes, and more
What is Bioenergy?
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Energy 101 (Union of Concerned
Scientists)
• http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/re
newable_energy/page.cfm?pageID=73
• At a high school or lower level
• Includes a section on history of energy
use, detailed discussions of most
sources of energy
• A number of photos and diagrams
Example of Graphics from
Economics 101
Source: Union of Concerned Scientists, Energy 101
What is Bioenergy? FAQs
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Bioenergy and Carbon Sinks FAQs
• http://www.ieabioenergy.com/media/1
3_task38faq.pdf
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Renewable Energy FAQs
• http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/r
enewable_energy/page.cfm?pageID=4
6
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Green Electricity FAQs
• http://www.green-e.org/pdf/faq.pdf
What is Bioenergy? FAQs
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Examples
• “What is the difference between CO2
emissions from bioenergy and fossil
fuels?”
• “Can land be managed simultaneously
as a carbon sink and for bioenergy and
fiber production?”
• “Aren’t renewable energy sources
more expensive?”
Why Bioenergy?
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Bioenergy reduces:
• Global warming
• Air pollution
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NOx
SOx
Smog
• Water pollution from mining and
transportation of non-renewables
• Trade deficits
• Energy dependence
Why Bioenergy? Sources of
Information
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Union of Concerned Scientists, “The
Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels” and
“Environmental Benefits of
Renewable Energy”
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy
/health_and_environment/page.cfm?
pageID=88
Why not Bioenergy?
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Increased cropping for biomass could
degrade land, reduce biodiversity, increase
erosion, and increase pollution
• http://www.eere.energy.gov/biopower/bplib/lib
rary/li_enviro_bioenergy.htm
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Some bioenergy processes are not
economic without subsidization. Subsidies
may exceed external benefits.
Bioenergy requires energy to produce and
it is possible to increase overall energy
use, including non-renewable energy
• http://www.ems.org/biomass/intro.html
Current Federal Policies
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The current Federal energy policy as
outlined for the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate
Change
http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/
pam/usapamn3.pdf
Current Federal Policies
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Federal Tax Credits
• Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit
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$.015 per kWh credit for biomass projects
placed in service before January 1, 2002
• Renewable Energy Production Incentive
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$.015 per kWh credit for biopower
• Alcohol Fuel Credit
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$.60 per gal for ethanol and methanol
• Tax exempt financing for certain
facilities
Current State Policies
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System Benefit Charges
• Fees added to electricity charges to
generate revenues for bioenergy
projects
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Disclosure rules
• Utilities required to indicate fuel sources
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Renewable Portfolio Standards
• States require a given percent of
electricity from bioenergy
States with RPS
Voluntary RPS
No RPS
Current State Policies
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Cap and Trade
• Similar to air pollution control programs
Internet Sources on Current
Bioenergy Policy
Biopower
http://www.eere.energy.gov/biopower/policy/index.
htm
Clean Air Act and renewable energy:
http://solstice.crest.org/repp_pubs/pdf/caaRen.pdf
Policy obstacles to renewable energy:
http://solstice.crest.org/articles/static/1/binaries/re
pp_testimony_boston.pdf
Renewable energy policy outside the US:
http://solstice.crest.org/repp_pubs/pdf/REPOutUS.
pdf
Policy Alternatives
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Clean Energy Blueprint (Union of
Concerned Scientists, 2001)
• Renewable Portfolio Standard (20% by
2020)
• Public Benefit Fund (.2 cent per kWh
surcharge on electricity)
• Production Tax Credit (1.7 cent per kWh
of non-hydro renewable energy)
• Net Metering (payments to consumers
that generate their own electricity)
Policy Alternatives
• Increases in research spending
• Incentives, and relaxed regulations to
encourage combined heat and electricity
production
• Improved efficiency standards, building
codes and incentives to reduce energy
use
• Tradable Renewable Certificates (Green
Tags)
Policy Alternatives
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Tradable Renewable Certificates
(Green Tags)
• http://www.resourcesolutions.org/RegulatorHandbook.htm
• http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpowe
r/pdf/0603_ases_a042.pdf
• http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/gpmar
ket.htm
Consequences and Impacts
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Deriving 20% of energy needs from
renewable sources would:
• $60 Billion investment in renewable
energy generation
• $20 Billion in sales of biomass
• $1.6 Billion in lease payments to site
wind generators
• $7 Billion in property taxes
• Reduce demand and price for nonrenewable energy
Consequences and Impacts
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Deriving 20% of energy needs from
renewable sources would:
• Reduce carbon emissions 18% by 2020
• Save consumers due to lower natural
gas bills
Source:
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/re
newable_energy/page.cfm?pageID=45
Consequences and Impacts
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10 % reliance on Renewable Energy
Sources would:
• Leave electricity prices about the same
• Reduce demand and price of natural gas
• Reduce energy costs by $13.6 Billion
between 2002 and 2020
Source: DOE Energy Information Agency,
2002
http://www.ucsusa.org/publication.cfm?p
ublicationID=640
Energy Policy Education Tools
Clean Power Profiler:
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/pow
erprofiler.htm
Green Power Locator:
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/locat
or.html
Energy Quest:
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/index.
html
General Resources
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory:
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Best Practice Policies and Measure:
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http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/pam/us
apamn3.pdf
International Energy Agency Bioenergy
site:
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http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/
http://www.ieabioenergy.com/
Renewable Energy Policy Project:
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http://solstice.crest.org/