Federal energy incentives such as tax breaks and loan programs are the subject of vigorous public debate. This attention is at least in part due to the politics surrounding the failure of the solar manufacturer Solyndra (which received a $500 million government loan), the cost to government of tax incentives for oil and gas production when industry profits are at all-time-highs, and the level of government debt. However, the debate is also a part of a broader national conversation about the appropriate role of government – and in particular about the role of the federal government in the supply and use of energy.
This role is of particular interest to us here at CPI: energy generation and use in the U.S. is responsible for the lion’s share (87%) of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to global climate change. We’re interested in how federal policy is influencing these emissions, and how well it’s working.