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The document details job estimates for various energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors in the U.S., citing data from government agencies and industry associations. It distinguishes between direct, indirect, and induced jobs, noting that energy efficiency employment is often embedded in larger industries. Specific figures are provided for wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass sectors, with total renewable energy job estimates ranging from 853,370 to 953,370.

The document analyzes indirect fossil fuel subsidies in the U.S., which include tax breaks, abnormal accounting, royalty relief, and unpriced societal costs. It argues that many of these subsidies, often established decades ago, persist despite the maturity of the fossil fuel industry and the emergence of cleaner energy alternatives. The report highlights significant financial losses to the federal government, such as billions in foregone royalties and tax expenditures, and notes that the external costs of fossil fuel usage—including health and environmental damages—far exceed the revenue collected to mitigate them.

The Executive Director of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) highlights a series of energy-related disasters and political challenges, including the nuclear crisis in Japan and attempts to limit the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases. The document emphasizes the need for science-based, non-partisan analysis to transition to a clean energy economy and mentions the organization's role in organizing the 14th Annual Technology Expo & Policy Forum.

A coalition of environmental and community organizations argues against granting special liability relief or regulatory exemptions to carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) operators, asserting that such measures create moral hazards and undermine public health and environmental safeguards. The authors specifically oppose exempting geologic sequestration from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C, arguing that CO2 streams containing impurities could constitute hazardous waste and that existing industrial activities, such as hazardous waste injection, operate without such broad liability shields.

The Obama administration's FY 2012 budget proposal emphasizes investments in clean technology, energy efficiency, and renewable energy to drive economic growth. Key funding increases are proposed for the DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office, bioenergy RDD&D, and transportation infrastructure, while funding for fossil energy and the EPA's overall budget is reduced. The proposal also introduces new initiatives such as the Better Buildings Initiative and a National Infrastructure Bank.

The EPA has introduced new GHG permitting standards under the Clean Air Act, requiring large power plants and refineries to undergo a Best Available Control Technology (BACT) analysis. While states typically issue these permits, the EPA has taken over this role in Arizona and Texas due to non-compliance. The program targets facilities adding more than 75,000 tons of CO2 (or equivalent) and will expand in July 2011 to include all new facilities emitting over 100,000 tons per year. The BACT process involves a five-step evaluation of technology availability, feasibility, effectiveness, and impact to determine the best emission control options.

The document provides a comparative analysis of U.S. renewable energy resources—including hydropower, wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar—alongside conventional coal, natural gas, and nuclear power. It details installed capacities, capital costs per kilowatt, and carbon displacement estimates as of 2009-2010, noting that renewables are generally lower in carbon emissions, more flexible in scale, and faster to construct than conventional plants.

The document examines the technology and global status of offshore wind energy, noting that while Europe leads in operational capacity, the United States has significant untapped potential. It details the technical requirements for different water depths, the regulatory frameworks in countries like Denmark, and the specific siting and permitting complexities in the U.S. The text also addresses public concerns regarding tourism, wildlife, and military radar, while highlighting the economic benefits in terms of job creation and greenhouse gas reduction.

The author advocates for a shift away from oil in the United States by implementing carbon or petroleum taxes to reduce demand and replacing petroleum-based fuels and materials with sustainable alternatives. The text highlights the potential for biofuels in transportation and heating, as well as the use of biomass for industrial chemicals and building products, emphasizing that such a transition must be grounded in sustainability to protect ecosystems.

The document outlines how transitioning away from fossil fuels reduces health costs via three primary channels: mitigating air and water pollution, reducing obesity through active transportation, and lowering climate change risks. It provides specific 2005 cost estimates for health damages from coal-fired plants ($62 billion), natural gas plants ($740 million), and vehicles ($56 billion). The text emphasizes that obesity currently represents a larger health cost burden in the United States than air quality impacts and suggests that energy policies should be evaluated based on total costs and benefits per unit of energy or distance.

The report describes Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) as a policy tool to accelerate renewable energy deployment by providing guaranteed, long-term payment rates and grid access to producers. It highlights successful implementations in Denmark and Germany, while noting that Spain's high rates led to overinvestment and a subsequent global drop in solar panel prices. In the US, the report notes a lack of federal policy but identifies local efforts in Gainesville, Florida, and California, concluding with design recommendations such as using trial phases and binding caps to avoid windfall profits.

The document analyzes the challenges facing the U.S. advanced biofuels industry, including the 'valley of death' between pilot projects and commercialization, volatile petroleum prices, and regulatory uncertainties. It argues that while the federal government provides essential broad-scale support, state governments are uniquely positioned to guide the industry by leveraging local geography and resources. The report proposes ten specific policy options for states, ranging from resource inventorying and sustainable feedstock guidelines to the implementation of low carbon fuel standards and interagency cooperation, highlighting examples from states like California, Oregon, and Tennessee.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how U.S. state climate action plans incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009.

The Montreal Protocol has successfully phased out ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) to restore the ozone layer, but it failed to address the high global warming potential of ODSs and their substitutes, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The document highlights the risk of unaddressed ODS banks and the rapid rise of HFC emissions, which could account for 9-19% of global CO2-equivalent emissions by 2050 under business-as-usual scenarios.

The Montreal Protocol successfully phased out the production of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), but failed to address the global warming potential of existing ODS banks and the rapid growth of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) substitutes. ODS banks, if not controlled, risk releasing significant greenhouse gases, while HFC emissions are projected to increase substantially by 2050, particularly in developing countries. The document examines policy options such as the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, producer responsibility programs in other developed nations, and proposals to expand the Montreal Protocol's mandate to include HFCs.

The report examines state-level climate strategies in the U.S., finding that while 42 of 50 states have taken formal action, land use reform—specifically 'smart growth'—is the least common component compared to transportation and green building policies. It provides detailed profiles of individual state efforts, including greenhouse gas reduction targets and participation in regional initiatives like the Western Climate Initiative and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

The document outlines the job creation potential of the clean energy economy, citing that renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) industries created over nine million jobs in the U.S. in 2007. It provides specific employment projections for various technologies, including wind, solar, bioenergy, and geothermal, across U.S. states and international markets such as Germany, Brazil, and India. The text also compares these figures to employment trends in the fossil fuel and nuclear sectors and details U.S. legislative efforts, such as the Green Jobs Act of 2007 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, to support workforce training and clean energy deployment.

Concentrated solar power (CSP) uses mirrors to focus sunlight to generate electricity, primarily for utility-scale use. While the U.S. led in installed capacity as of 2009 with 429 MW, Spain followed with 182 MW. The technology varies from parabolic troughs and linear Fresnel reflectors to dish/engines and power towers. CSP is noted for its ability to provide power during peak late-afternoon demand and its potential for baseload generation via thermal storage or natural gas hybridization. Economic challenges include high initial construction costs, though operational costs are lower than fossil fuel plants. Policy mechanisms like feed-in tariffs in Spain and Israel, and investment tax credits in the U.S., are identified as key drivers for deployment.

The document highlights that Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have leveraged over $100 billion for coal plants since 1994, far exceeding the $6.4 billion provided for renewables by the Global Environment Facility. It advocates for shifting public finance toward energy efficiency and renewables, calculating the true social and economic costs of carbon, and establishing international agreements for Export Credit Agencies.

The briefing argues that municipal solid waste (MSW) is an underutilized renewable energy resource that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and landfill reliance. It details five primary conversion technologies—landfill gas capture, combustion, pyrolysis, gasification, and plasma arc gasification—noting that while landfill gas is widely accepted, others face technical or regulatory hurdles. The text highlights that modern waste-to-energy facilities have significantly reduced toxic emissions and can complement recycling by recovering metals. However, it notes that MSW-to-energy receives substantially lower federal subsidies than other energy sources, which hinders commercial expansion.