www.windaction.org | Tax Breaks & Subsidies

National Grid pay Scottish power firms £12m to shut down giant turbines in high winds
December 2, 2012 by Mark Aitken in The Daily Record

As Scottish households struggle to pay for rising heating bills, it is revealed that more than £18million has been paid out to the owners of Scotland's 19 windfarms to stop them producing electricity when demand is low.

Also filed under [ UK]

Baucus working feverishly to extend wind energy PTC this year
November 30, 2012 by Mark Del Franco in North American Windpower

Spearheading a charge to secure an important tax incentive for wind energy is familiar territory for Baucus. Two years ago, he successfully extended the popular Section 1603 cash-grant program. However, given Congress' fractured nature, it is unclear if even Baucus can garner enough support needed to extend the PTC.

Also filed under [ USA]

Climate skeptic group works to reverse renewable energy mandates
November 25, 2012 by Juliet Eilperin in The Washington Post

The Electricity Freedom Act, adopted by the council's board of directors in October, would repeal state standards requiring utilities to get a portion of their electricity from renewable power, calling it "essentially a tax on consumers of electricity." In the absence of federal climate legislation, these initiatives have become the subject of intense political battles.

Also filed under [ USA]

Wind farm brings relief for taxpayers in Groton, but not Lempster. and Grafton?
November 14, 2012 by Emily Corwin in New Hampshire State Impact

The town of Lempster’s education taxes increased by $317,722 the year after the wind farm went online – although other economic variables may also have played a part in the increase. That cost, in addition to the $186,137 the town paid in additional county taxes after the wind farm arrived, means that Lempster residents have not experienced the windfall they may have hoped for. Richards says that while the town’s tax rates decreased for one year after the wind farm opened at the end of 2008, they rose above pre-wind mill rates the following year

Also filed under [ Property Values| New Hampshire]

Why Obama's win won't help renewable energy
November 13, 2012 by Steve Hargreaves in CNN Money

Analysts believe retaining tax credits for any type of energy will be a hard fight during upcoming negotiations over the federal budget and fiscal cliff. "Even if that battle is won, it is very unlikely that you will see an increase in support," said Sarah Ladislaw, an energy analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It's like an all-out battle for the status quo."

Also filed under [ USA]

Grassley: Senate will wait on tax extender package due to fiscal cliff talks
November 13, 2012 by Zack Colman in The Hill

With Grassley signaling the Senate might idle on that $205 billion package, conservatives will have more time to mount efforts aimed at excising the wind credit. Fiscal conservatives, such as Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), believe voting on the wind incentive separately would improve chances of killing it. They say it subsidizes an energy source that otherwise would be uncompetitive in energy markets.

Also filed under [ USA]

Fans, foes at war over wind tax credit extension
November 13, 2012 by Andrew Restuccia in Politico

Also filed under [ USA]

Republicans press administration to defend economics of offshore wind
November 9, 2012 in Fuel Fix

Senator David Vitter, R-L, said that the decision to permit an offshore wind farm - while still ruling out oil and gas development in the area - is evidence that the Obama administration is "picking energy industry winners and losers." "Sec. Salazar should at least be able to defend the economics of the lease sale for wind energy," Vitter said in a statement.

Also filed under [ Impact on Economy| USA]

Obama win may bring tax credit renewal, but wind turbine maker plans more layoffs
November 9, 2012 in E&E News

Also filed under [ USA]

Does the wind energy PTC stand a chance in lame-duck congress?
November 8, 2012 by Laura DiMugno in North American Windpower

With President Barack Obama gaining a second term, the wind energy industry maintains key support from the Executive Branch. But as anyone familiar with energy politics knows, backing from the president alone will not guarantee full support for wind power at the federal level.

Also filed under [ USA]

Low power price threatens Norway's green targets
November 7, 2012 by Nerijus Adomaitis in Reuters

"Without subsidies, (wholesale) power prices need to be around 600 crowns ($100) per megawatt-hour to make things fly," Andreas Aasheim, an advisor to Norway's wind energy association Norwea said. But lasting wet weather periods can push power prices down, as was the case this year, reducing the appetite for investment into capital-intensive wind power.

Also filed under [ Impact on Economy| Europe]

Stakes high for green energy as US election goes to the wire
November 6, 2012 by Richard A. Kessler in Recharge News

Deeply-divided Americans vote on Tuesday with President Barack Obama holding a razor-thin lead over his Republican opponent Mitt Romney, an election that few political analysts thought would be this close even one month ago.

Also filed under [ USA]

As green power debate continues, jobs dwindle
November 5, 2012 in The Associated Press

"The green bubble is starting to fall apart," said Tom Borelli, a fellow at the tea party group FreedomWorks. "How much longer can we fund things that are not cost-competitive?" Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and Obama prominently collided during the campaign over the fate of the tax credit. ...the last chance to extend it comes in December's lame-duck session.

Also filed under [ USA]

Political standoff in D.C. hangs over wind jobs
November 4, 2012 by Sean Cockerham in Idaho Statesman

"Governor Romney believes the right path forward for the industry is to implement competitive tax and regulatory policies that create a level playing field and allow the best technologies to compete and thrive," she said.

Also filed under [ USA]

Study argues PTC unneeded, acknowledges short-term contraction likely
November 2, 2012 by Nick Juliano in E&E News

A new study funded by opponents of a key wind industry tax credit argues that the incentive should disappear this year because wind developers have a bright long-term future driven by state-level renewable energy policies.

Also filed under [ USA]

Talk of a Wind Subsidy ‘Phaseout'
October 29, 2012 by Diane Cardwell in New York Times

The wind industry, fighting to hold onto a generous tax credit set to expire in December, has been arguing that it does not need the support forever - just a little while longer, until it can compete with fossil fuels on its own.

Also filed under [ USA]

The high price of clean energy - Tax breaks and subsidies for industry divide Germans
October 26, 2012 by Jörg Schindler and Gerald Traufetter in Der Spiegel

The main reason for the increase in energy costs is the simple fact that generating electricity with wind parks and solar arrays is more expensive. But allowing so many exemptions is taking its toll as well, and a better solution is overdue -- especially because this envious discussion over who's paying and who's not has the potential to chip away at support among the general public for the transition to renewable energy.

Also filed under [ Germany]

GOP: 'War on wind' strategy fizzling
October 25, 2012 by Darren Goode in The Politico

President Barack Obama has been under fire from Republicans for supposedly waging a "war on coal." But Iowa and Colorado appeared to offer him a chance to turn the tables - letting him accuse Mitt Romney of declaring war on wind. ...So far, polls don't show the issue giving Obama a major advantage in either state.

Also filed under [ USA]

NextEra plans for post-PTC world; Even though it expects a short extension
October 25, 2012 by Bill Opalka in RenewablesBiz

NextEra Energy Inc. remains on track to set a record for new wind installations in 2012, putting its total about 10,000 MW. But the company said its NextEra Energy Resources until will see a significant drop-off in activity in 2013, even Congress extends the federal production tax credit (PTC) for wind sometime after the election.

Also filed under [ USA]

Industry group credits PTC for strong 3Q installations
October 19, 2012 by Nick Juliano in E&E News

Independent analysts project fewer installations next year, even if the credit is extended, because low natural gas prices are making it difficult for wind to compete in electricity markets and demand is slackening as state-level renewable portfolio standards are being met

Also filed under [ USA]