{
  "id": "RL34162",
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      "id": 344807,
      "date": "2008-12-10",
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      "title": "Renewable Energy: Background and Issues for the 110th Congress",
      "summary": "Renewable energy can be used to produce liquid fuels and electricity. A variety of funding, tax incentives, and regulatory policies have been enacted to support renewables as a means for addressing concerns about energy security, air pollution, international competitiveness, and climate change. This report reviews the background for renewables and describes the current congressional debate.\nBudget and funding issues are key concerns. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized several new renewable energy demonstration and deployment programs, but most of them have not been funded. Further, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140) authorized several new renewable energy programs that have not yet received appropriations. The Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2008 (P.L. 110-161) increased Department of Energy (DOE) renewable energy funding by $31.4 million (7%). The Continuing Appropriations Resolution for FY2009 (P.L. 110-329, H.R. 2638) continues DOE funding at the FY2008 level through March 6, 2009.\nTax policies are also at issue. The interaction of the federal renewable energy electricity production tax credit (PTC) with state renewable portfolio standard (RPS) policies has forged a strong incentive for wind energy development. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-343 [Division B], H.R. 1424) extends the PTC for wind farms for one year (three years for most other renewables) through the end of 2009, provides $800 million for a new category of clean renewable energy (tax credit) bonds, and extends for eight years the 30% level for the business solar tax credit and the 30% residential solar tax credit. Further, the law repeals nearly $17.7 billion in tax subsidies for oil and natural gas and reduces certain other financial incentives that will be used to offset the cost of the tax incentives for renewable energy ($9.1 billion) and energy efficiency ($3.6 billion).\nThe ethanol fuel issue intensified for much of the 110th Congress. Corn ethanol production climbed rapidly, but appeared to be causing food price increases. Concerns about rising food prices and apparent limits to the long-term potential for corn ethanol have brought a focus on cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic sources avoid many limits on corn and appear to have much lower net CO2 emissions, but they require an extensive and costly conversion process. P.L. 110-140 set a new renewable fuels standard (RFS), which starts at 9.0 billion gallons in 2008 and rises to 36 billion gallons in 2022. P.L. 110-343 (H.R. 1424) and the farm bill (P.L. 110-246, H.R. 6124) contain several tax incentives and other provisions for biofuels.",
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      "id": "RL34162_2008Mar25",
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      "id": "RL34162_2007Oct05",
      "date": "2007-10-05",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
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      "id": "RL34162_2007Sep06",
      "date": "2007-09-06",
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  "topics": [
    "Appropriations",
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