{"63202":{"#nid":"63202","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Report: Policies to Spur Renewable Energy Can Lower Energy Costs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe South could pay less for its electricity in 20 years than is \ncurrently projected if strong public policies are enacted to spur \nrenewable energy production and use, according to a report released \ntoday by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke \nUniversity. The 190-page report, \u201cRenewable Energy in the South,\u201d builds\n on a short policy brief released last summer and provides an in-depth \nassessment of the scope of renewable energy resources in the South and \ntheir economic impacts on electricity rates and utility bills in the \nregion. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESkeptics of renewable energy production often cite the \nSouth as lacking renewable resources. However, the new report confirms \nthat the right mix of public policies could drive the region to produce \nas much as 30 percent\u2014up from less than 4 percent\u2014of its electricity \nfrom renewable sources by 2030. Wind, biomass, hydro power and \ncustomer-owned renewables stand out as cost savers and are detailed for \nboth utility-scale and customer-owned renewable, based on their \ncost-competitiveness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile the South enjoys some of the lowest \nelectricity rates in the country, there is resistance to developing new \ntechnologies that seem much more costly than coal based electricity,\u201d \nsaid Etan Gumerman of Duke University\u2019s Nicholas Institute for \nEnvironmental Policy Solutions and a co-lead researcher on the study. \n\u201cIn reality, that\u2019s not the case.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith a customized version of \nthe economic modeling system used by the U.S. Energy Information \nAdministration (EIA), researchers found that if supportive policies and \ntax incentives are implemented or extended, total regional energy costs \nwould be 7 percent less by 2030 than they are projected to be if \npolicies do not change.  If no new policies are adopted, the EIA \npredicts the average electricity rates in the South will rise from the \ncurrent 7.9 cents to 9.7 cents per kilowatt hour in 2030 \u2013 a 23 percent \nincrease. The study finds that with a mix of policies designed to \npromote renewable energy, rates would rise to only 9 cents per kilowatt \nhour in 2030, saving electricity users in the region $23 billion a year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\n report examines the economic impact of a number of renewable energy \npolicies, including expanded research funding and tax incentives (such \nas those debated in several recent legislative initiatives) and the \nenactment of a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). In \naddition to considering the potential for large-scale energy producers \nto generate renewable energy, the report finds that end-users, such as \nhouseholds equipped with solar panels and industry with the ability to \nrecycle waste heat, could generate a significant amount of the South\u2019s \nrenewable electricity. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study takes a unique approach by \nconsidering both traditional, utility-scale renewable power production \nas well as renewable systems owned by consumers,\u201d said Dr. Marilyn Brown\n of the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-lead author of the study.\n \u201cOur analysis shows that renewable energy could be a real economic boon\n to the Southern states, but only if elected officials, and consumers, \ntake action to unlock the region\u2019s renewable energy potential.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead the full report here: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.seealliance.org\/PDFs\/RENEWABLE%20ENERGY%20IN%20THE%20SOUTH.pdf\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.seealliance.org\/PDFs\/RENEWABLE%20ENERGY%20IN%20THE%20SOUTH.pdf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Dr. Marilyn Brown and Georgia Tech:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EDr.\n Marilyn Brown, an endowed professor of energy policy in the School of \nPublic Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology is an \ninternationally recognized leader in the analysis and interpretation of \nenergy futures in the United States. In 2007, Brown was a co-recipient \nof the Nobel Peace Prize along with the other members of the \nIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Vice President Al Gore. \nShe was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve on the Board of \nDirectors of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation\u2019s largest public\n power producer. Additional information about Brown and her research can\n be found at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/faculty\/faculty\/mbrown.php\u0022 title=\u0022http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/faculty\/faculty\/mbrown.php\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/faculty\/faculty\/mbrown.php\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia\n Tech\u2019s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts offers one of the world\u2019s top\n public policy programs. The research-intensive and globally engaged \ncurriculum aims to solve complex problems in the public interest related\n to issues of research and technology, energy and sustainability, \neconomic development and governance. The School of Public Policy is \ndedicated to scholarship and learning that is reflective, effective and \nsustainable.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Etan Gumerman and Duke University\u2019s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EEtan\n Gumerman helps direct Duke University\u2019s Climate Change Policy \nPartnership and leads energy and climate policy research projects for \nthe Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.  Other recent\n research topics have included:  assessing cost-effective energy \nefficiency potential in the South, employment impacts from energy \npolicy, and advising Utah as to GHG emissions reduction policies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EA\n non-partisan Institute founded in 2005, Duke University\u2019s Nicholas \nInstitute for Environmental Policy Solutions helps decision makers in \ngovernment, the private sector, and the nonprofit community address \ncritical environmental challenges. The Institute responds to the demand \nfor high-quality and timely data and acts as an \u201chonest broker\u201d in \npolicy debates by convening and fostering open, ongoing dialogue between\n stakeholders on all sides of the issues and providing policy-relevant \nanalysis based on academic research. The Institute\u2019s leadership and \nstaff leverage the broad expertise of Duke University as well as public \nand private partners worldwide. Since its inception, the Institute has \nearned a distinguished reputation for its innovative approach to \ndeveloping multilateral, nonpartisan, and economically viable solutions \nto pressing environmental challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe South could pay less for its electricity in 20 years than is \ncurrently projected if strong public policies are enacted to spur \nrenewable energy production and use, according to a report released \ntoday by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke \nUniversity.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The South could pay less for electricity in 20 years with policies to spur renewable energy production and use."}],"uid":"27310","created_gmt":"2010-12-16 10:02:15","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:50","author":"David Terraso","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2010-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"63203":{"id":"63203","type":"image","title":"Marilyn Brown: Renewable Energy in the South","body":null,"created":"1449176668","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:04:28","changed":"1475894554","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:34","alt":"Marilyn Brown: Renewable Energy in the South","file":{"fid":"191776","name":"08C1004-P31-003.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/08C1004-P31-003_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/08C1004-P31-003_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":917734,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/08C1004-P31-003_0.jpg?itok=s3jbz_qn"}}},"media_ids":["63203"],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1362","name":"efficiency"},{"id":"213","name":"energy"},{"id":"479","name":"Green Buzz"},{"id":"955","name":"ivan allen college"},{"id":"330","name":"Marilyn Brown"},{"id":"167078","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["david.terraso@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}