Comments on: The energy tax credits in the bailout bill, Part 1: Solar power and plug in hybrids win big http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:18:00 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: msn nickleri http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-26429 msn nickleri Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:10:43 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-26429 Woww Phaseout of the credit is to begin after the total number of qualified PHEVs in the US sold after 31 December 2008 is at least 250,000. Woww

Phaseout of the credit is to begin after the total number of qualified PHEVs in the US sold after 31 December 2008 is at least 250,000.

]]> By: Richard Mercer http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-24886 Richard Mercer Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:01:27 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-24886 Jonas I just looked at the Google plan. they project 23 gWt from biomass and municipal waste by 2030. We need all the tools we can use, for sure, and I like the idea that converting manure and such to methane kills two birds with one stone; capturing methane that will end up in the atmosphere, and generating power from it. But how would you get hundreds of gigawatts from it? I'm not saying it's not possible. Does it entail using land to grow crops? I feel that uses of land for crops that make sense are: 1. growing non food crops for bioplastics. We use 5% or more of our oil to make plastics which we mostly throw away. It's become a huge proplem in the ocean. Bioplastics that are completely compostable are being made by Metabolix, from corn presently, but they are looking at using switchgrass. They can also make biofuel feedstock as a byproduct. The whole process is carbon neutral from start to finish. The bioplastic part at least. 2. growing industrial hemp to make paper and save millions of trees. We are destroying Canada's Boreal Forest to provide Americans with products like pampers, paper towels, toilet paper, and catalogues. This is the second or third largest carbon sink on earth. Much of our watershed depends on it. It is either feeding or breeding grounds for a huge percent of birds in North America. Hemp has lots of other uses, including food. The seeds are high in Omega 3 and protein. Clothing, building materials etc. Around the time of the founding of the U.S., it was considered patriotic to grow hemp. It may be patriotic again. Jonas
I just looked at the Google plan. they project 23 gWt from biomass and municipal waste by 2030.

We need all the tools we can use, for sure, and I like the idea that converting manure and such to methane kills two birds with one stone; capturing methane that will end up in the atmosphere, and generating power from it.
But how would you get hundreds of gigawatts from it?
I’m not saying it’s not possible.
Does it entail using land to grow crops?

I feel that uses of land for crops that make sense are:

1. growing non food crops for bioplastics. We use 5% or more of our oil to make plastics which we mostly throw away. It’s become a huge proplem in the ocean. Bioplastics that are completely compostable are being made by Metabolix, from corn presently, but they are looking at using switchgrass.
They can also make biofuel feedstock as a byproduct.
The whole process is carbon neutral from start to finish. The bioplastic part at least.

2. growing industrial hemp to make paper and save millions of trees. We are destroying Canada’s Boreal Forest to provide Americans with products like pampers, paper towels, toilet paper, and catalogues. This is the second or third largest carbon sink on earth. Much of our watershed depends on it. It is either feeding or breeding grounds for a huge percent of birds in North America. Hemp has lots of other uses, including food. The seeds are high in Omega 3 and protein. Clothing, building materials etc. Around the time of the founding of the U.S., it was considered patriotic to grow hemp. It may be patriotic again.

]]> By: Fred http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20807 Fred Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:32:25 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20807 So where's part 2 of this article on the "dirty" energy? So where’s part 2 of this article on the “dirty” energy?

]]> By: Jonas http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20252 Jonas Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:20:38 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20252 Even though Romm never mentions the most important renewable energy source - that is: carbon-negative biomass - it's good to see that it receives its credits too. Biomass is already by far the most important of the renewables, and by far the most cost-effective, which is perhaps why it doesn't receive incentives as high as those for unproven, risky technologies. Still, it would be nice to see some tech-neutrality. All renewables should receive the same incentives. Even though Romm never mentions the most important renewable energy source – that is: carbon-negative biomass – it’s good to see that it receives its credits too.

Biomass is already by far the most important of the renewables, and by far the most cost-effective, which is perhaps why it doesn’t receive incentives as high as those for unproven, risky technologies.

Still, it would be nice to see some tech-neutrality. All renewables should receive the same incentives.

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20211 David B. Benson Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:42:13 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20211 Nothing for wind? Nothing for wind?

]]> By: Matt http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20200 Matt Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:30:42 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20200 To be fair, Bush was supporting the extension of the PTC's which came through the Senate because that same bill also adjusted the AMT. So Bush was happy enough fixing the AMT to pass the PTC...that doesn't make him a green hero, but it also doesn't mean that he needed a $700B bribe to make them reality either. To be fair, Bush was supporting the extension of the PTC’s which came through the Senate because that same bill also adjusted the AMT. So Bush was happy enough fixing the AMT to pass the PTC…that doesn’t make him a green hero, but it also doesn’t mean that he needed a $700B bribe to make them reality either.

]]> By: Doug http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20192 Doug Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:35:44 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20192 <i>so Bush is a green hero now?</i> Considering that he essentially required a $700B bribe in order to sign a bill including these measures, I think that would be a "no." so Bush is a green hero now?

Considering that he essentially required a $700B bribe in order to sign a bill including these measures, I think that would be a “no.”

]]> By: rjm http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20188 rjm Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:02:20 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20188 so Bush is a green hero now? so Bush is a green hero now?

]]> By: charlie http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20187 charlie Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:45:20 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20187 um, exactly how is NOT taxing rich people going to save the world? um, exactly how is NOT taxing rich people going to save the world?

]]> By: hapa http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20175 hapa Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:25:13 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/10/05/the-bailout-bills-part-1-solar-power-and-plug-in-hybrids-win-big/#comment-20175 good, now we need only hope that the absence of useful emergency finance measures doesn't seize up all credit, and wreck us. let's hear it for the placebo effect! good, now we need only hope that the absence of useful emergency finance measures doesn’t seize up all credit, and wreck us. let’s hear it for the placebo effect!

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