Renewable Energy 2000: Issues and Trends Summary

Renewable Energy 2000: Issues and Trends, the second in a series of biannual reports, presents four articles that cover various aspects of renewable energy. The first article covers financial incentives, regulatory mandates, and Federal research and development (R&D) programs for renewable energy in general, including renewable transportation fuels. The remaining articles analyze issues specific to a particular resource or technology.

In a time of electricity deregulation, States and the Federal Government are debating the pros and cons of government programs to support renewable energy. Incentives, Mandates, and Government Programs for Promoting Renewable Energy examines the role that these programs have played in the past in these markets, and analyzes their characteristics in terms of meeting their objectives.

Due to domestic programs like the Federal Million Solar Roofs Initiative and increasing electrification worldwide, niche markets are expanding for solar photovoltaic (PV) applications. “Technology, Manufacturing, and Market Trends in the U.S. and International Photovoltaics Industry” presents a comprehensive analysis of the current status and the near-term prospects for global PV market growth in terms of both supply and demand. Growth in the municipal waste combustion (MWC) industry leveled-off in the 1990’s after rapid growth in the 1980’s. This trend is partly attributed to unfavorable economics at MWC facilities relative to less expensive waste disposal alternatives such as landfilling. "The Impact of Environmental Regulation on Capital Costs of Municipal Waste Combustion Facilities: 1960-1998" examines the impact of increasingly stringent environmental regulations on the capital cost of constructing and retrofitting MWC facilities.

There is much interest in the economics of wind energy, because it is the non-hydroelectric renewable resource whose cost of producing electricity is the closest to that of conventional baseload power. A new vintage of wind turbine technology is becoming operational, and the question is how much more efficient are these turbines. Today’s turbines are larger and more efficient than their predecessors, promising increased production and lower costs. “Forces Behind Wind Power” examines the factors that affect turbine performance, including siting factors and their physical and operational characteristics. In addition, the article discusses the effects of the restructuring of the electric power industry, and Federal and State incentives on the wind industry. The status of State-level wind energy activities is provided in an appendix.

Renewable Energy Historical R&D Budget Table

The table presented here, "Department of Energy Historical R&D Budget, Fiscal Years 1978-1999", provides the data that were used to construct Figure 1, "R&D Funding for Selected Renewable Energy Technologies," in the article "Incentives, Mandates, and Government Programs for Promoting Renewable Energy." This article is contained in the report, Renewable Energy 2000: Issues and Trends.

Please note that the following items from the table are not included in Figure 1: Renewable Energy Production Incentive Program, Ocean Energy Systems, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Program Support and Resource Assessment, Alcohol Fuels, Hydrogen Research, Electric Energy Systems, Energy Storage Systems, Policy and Management, and Renewable Indian Energy Resources.

Department of Energy Historical R&D Budget, Fiscal Years 1978-1999

Contact:
Mark Gielecki
mark.gielecki@eia.doe.gov
Phone: (202)287-1729