Energy is crucial to the operation of a modern industrial and service economy. Recently, there have been growing concerns about the availability and cost of energy, as well as the environmental impacts of fossil energy use, especially global climate change. Those combined concerns have rekindled interest in energy efficiency, energy conservation and the development and commercialization of renewable energy technologies. This book examines federal programs that provide grants, loans, loan guarantees and other direct or indirect regulatory incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy.

Virtually every country in the world faces the challenge of designing the regulatory and financial mechanisms that ensure cost-effective procurement of generation to supply electricity demand. Historically, procurement of generation has been particularly difficult in the emerging economies of Asia, Latin America and Africa. High and usually volatile load growth rates, limited access to financing and immature electricity markets have presented obstacles that have introduced challenges to the procurement process. More recently, environmental concerns regarding land use, impact on biodiversity, indigenous populations, and greenhouse gasses emissions have added layers of complexity. Over the last 7 years, auctions for long-term electricity contracts have been getting increased attention within the electricity sector community as thet have emerged as a successful mechanism to procure new generation capacity. Among the reasons for such widespread interest is the large amount of capacity that has been already contracted from diverse technologies (conventional generation, large hydroelectric plants, renewable), under a variety of innovative auction arrangements and mechanisms, sometimes with multiple buyers and sellers taking part in the process. Auctions have been attracting a broad range of investors, from large established companies to new local and foreign independent power producers, and first-time power system investors. This book presents a comprehensive overview of the international experience in electricity auctions, focusing on the procurement of long-term electricity contracts to foster new generation capacity. To this end, several relevant case studies were selected. While focus is given to emerging countries, insightful experiences from developed markets are reported as well. The book reveals the subtlety and complexity of trading and contracting for firm generation in the current power industry and the multiplicity of formats that the corresponding regulatory instruments may adopt. Lessons learned - both positive and negative - regarding policy formulation and implementation which should be of interest to policy makers, government authorities, regulators and power sector stakeholders.

This report is an output of the technical assistance activity carried out over 2008-2010 to Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), which is the nodal renewable energy agency of Nepal. This study has been designed to establish a monitoring system for AEPC to continually measure the results of the renewable energy programs against the targets and to organize an evaluation system that measures the impact of micro-hydro installations on rural livelihoods. Given AEPC s highly visible role, the need to develop a system that provides information on a wide range of technical, operational, and financial parameters is similarly high. This study developed a robust yet simple M and E framework for all the programs of AEPC that is focused on the needs of the decision-makers, as well as the interests of the relevant stakeholders. The integrated M and E system encompasses all of AEPC s programs in micro-hydro, solar, biomass, improved water mills, and biogas, and builds its capacity to execute it. The focus has been to develop performance indicators across the entire causal chain from project intervention to on-the-ground impacts. The M and E framework incorporates not only the activities undertaken and the outputs but also the impact on the beneficiaries which is critical to gain a better perspective of the impact of the interventions and to support future planning processes and decision-making. The final impacts of electrification on households and businesses are evaluated using a primary household and enterprise survey. A wide range of outcomes including quality of lighting, income generation, health, education, fertility, women s empowerment, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction are considered. AEPC is now equipped with not only the state-of-the-art monitoring system but also with a trained staff to sustainably manage and add to the system, as required."

Over the coming decades, the supply of electric power will need to expand to meet the growing demand for electricity, but how the production and use of electricity develops will have broad ramifications for the diverse economies and societies of Latin America and the Caribbean. This report discusses the critical issues for the power sector considering a baseline scenario to 2030 for countries and sub-regions. Among these critical issues are the demand for electricity, the total new supply of electric generating capacity needed, the technology and fuel mix of the generating capacity, and the CO2 emissions of the sector. Under modest GDP growth assumptions, the demand for electricity in Latin America and the Caribbean would more than double by 2030. The analysis suggests that under any economic scenario, it will be challenging for the Region to meet future electricity demand. The report shows that meeting the demand for electricity in Latin America and the Caribbean can be achieved by not only building new generating capacity by the expansion of hydropower and natural gas, but by relying on an increased supply of non-hydro renewables, expanding electricity trade, and making use of supply and demand-side energy efficiency to lower the overall demand for electricity. Some recommendations derived from the report are the need for strengthening regulations and market design of hydropower and gas power generation projects and the need to design supportive policies to develop renewable energy technologies and promote energy efficiency measures. The primary audience to which this report is addressed are policy makers, power sector planners and stakeholders.

"Professor Oweiss' book recounts in clear prose the story of an active and productive life lived largely in two different cultures-Egyptian (and Middle Eastern) and American. The reader will meet many interesting personages-well known and not well known-across seven decades of important changes in the world. Ibrahim Oweiss has lived quite a life." -Carol Lancaster, Dean of the School of Foreign Service and Professor of Politics, Georgetown University. Ibrahim M. Oweiss is an educator and an international economic advisor. Born in Egypt, he earned his masters and Ph.D. degrees in the US. As a Professor of Economics, he taught at Georgetown University for forty two years. While on leave from academia, he was appointed First Under-Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Egyptian Cabinet. He also served as the Chief of the Egyptian Economic Mission to the US with rank of Ambassador. He authored over sixty scholarly publications, among them: Petrodollar Surpluses, Arab Civilization, The Political Economy of Contemporary Egypt, and The Arab Gulf Economies. He coined the terms "Petrodollar" and "Hostage Capital" in 1974. The "Oweiss Demand Curve" was first presented at Oxford University in 1982. He holds Egypt's Order of Merit, First Class, among other decorations.

In this timely book, former Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham debunks the myths that warp our current debate over energy, and offers new solutions to the real problems we face in America.

Drawing on the very latest thinking from experts in industry and academia, and his own experiences running America's Energy Department, he proposes a fresh approach to meeting our daunting energy threats. This book effectively answers how America and the world can overcome the challenges of rising global energy demand, geopolitical disruptions of the energy marketplace, and the environmental impact of producing and using energy. What emerges is a pragmatic energy strategy that calls for blending a variety of energy sources including nuclear, clean coal, solar, wind, and natural gas with a more determined effort at improving energy efficiency through the deployment of smart energy grids and buildings, to help meet our challenges while preserving our economy and environment.

Coming in the midst of a national debate about global warming, energy dependence and rising energy prices and rich with anecdotes from the author's service in the Senate and cabinet, this book is a clarion call that will help shape our energy future.

You might know the price of Oil ... but do you understand the COST? America has a big problem: A money problem, wrapped up in an energy problem, which contributes to an environmental problem we can't afford to fix ... because we have a money problem. In this fascinating and informative work, retired energy industry leader Robert Harston talks about America's Energy: where it comes from, where it goes, and how much that costs all of us each day. Seeking to introduce reasonableness into the energy debate, Harston takes on such controversial issues as the economy, the environment, America's ongoing lack of a coherent energy policy, and our National Security. Along the way, Harston dispels some of the more outlandish claims (from all sides) about what Americans can, and should, do about this very real problem that affects us all.

Part of the Government Series, Energy: from TheCapitol.Net

Biofuels have grown significantly in the past few years as a component of U.S. motor fuel supply. Current U.S. biofuels supply relies primarily on ethanol produced from Midwest corn. Today, ethanol is blended in more than half of all U.S. gasoline (at the 10% level or lower in most cases). Federal policy has played a key role in the emergence of the U.S. biofuels industry in general, and the corn ethanol industry in particular. U.S. biofuels production is supported by federal and state policies that include minimum usage requirements, blending and production tax credits, an import tariff to limit importation of foreign-produced ethanol, loans and loan guarantees to facilitate the development of biofuels production and distribution infrastructure, and research grants.

Since the late 1970s, U.S. policy makers at both the federal and state levels have enacted a variety of incentives, regulations, and programs to encourage the production and use of agriculture-based renewable energy. Motivations cited for these legislative initiatives include energy security concerns, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and raising domestic demand for U.S.-produced farm products.

Agricultural households and rural communities have responded to these government incentives and have expanded their production of renewable energy, primarily in the form of biofuels and wind power, every year since 1996.

Ethanol and biodiesel, the two most widely used biofuels, receive significant government support under federal law in the form of mandated fuel use, tax incentives, loan and grant programs, and certain regulatory requirements.

Ethanol plays a key role in policy discussions about energy, agriculture, taxes, and the environment. In the United States it is mostly made from corn; in other countries it is often made from cane sugar. Fuel ethanol is generally blended in gasoline to reduce emissions, increase octane, and extend gasoline stock.

U.S. policy to expand the production of biofuel for domestic energy use has significant implications for agriculture and resource use. While ongoing research and development investment may radically alter the way biofuel is produced in the future, for now, corn-based ethanol continues to account for most biofuel production. As corn ethanol production increases, so does the production of corn. The effect on agricultural commodity markets has been national, but commodity production adjustments, and resulting environmental consequences, vary across regions. Changes in the crop sector have also affected the cost of feed for livestock producers.

Complete Table of Contents at www.TCNEthanol.com

The catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has brought new attention to the huge costs of our oil dependence. In this stunning and revealing book, Peter Maass examines the social, political, and environmental impact of petroleum on the countries that produce it.
Every unhappy oil-producing nation is unhappy in its own way, but all are touched by the "resource curse"--the power of oil to exacerbate existing problems and create new ones. Peter Maass presents a vivid portrait of the troubled world oil has created. From Saudi Arabia to Equatorial Guinea, from Venezuela to Iraq, the stories of rebels, royalty, middlemen, environmentalists, indigenous activists, and CEOs--all deftly and sensitively presented--come together in this startling and essential account of the consequences of our addiction to oil.

This book, which has twenty chapters, is a collection of essays in honour of Honourable Justice (Mrs) Kate Abiri, Chief Judge of Bayelsa State of Nigeria who has contributed immensely to the rule of law and advancement in the Niger Delta area in particular where the petroleum industry has wrought great devastation in various forms. The law and the regulatory framework governing oil and gas operations in Nigeria are subjected to critical examination, alongside legal challenges in the path of addressing attendant environmental degradation, compensation, human rights, communities and protection of the environment. This is the most comprehensive book on this subject to date.

In 2010, we can expect that oil and gas prices will again increase beyond the US$100 per barrel, as the global economy recovers gradually from the global recession and uses more oil and gas. It is therefore important for the general public to read and understand more about complex energy issues which affect their lives. This useful energy book, based on lectures delivered at the ISEAS Energy Forum, as well as papers written by invited experts, provides a means to access energy information. It is part of the ISEAS Energy books series which serves to educate and raise public awareness on energy issues.

Following a few major discoveries of oil and natural gas, it is now becoming promising even as the energy requirements of a combined population exceeding 1.5 billion are growing exponentially.

Detailed and comprehensive, "Waste Management in the Oil Industry" deals with strategies required to manage wastes emanating from oil exploration, development, refining, storage, and distribution in an ecologically friendly manner. Drawing on his extensive experience in the environmental engineering industry and pollution control, Dr. Aloysius A. Aguwa takes an in-depth look at the dilemmas facing the oil industry today.

Dr. Aguwa discusses key strategies needed to effectively control and manage waste associated with the oil and gas industry. These strategies can be grouped into the following categories:

Input substitution Product reformulation Production process redesign/modernization Improved operation and maintenance of production Recovery/recycle Waste treatment Drawings, figures, and tables also help support Dr. Aguwa's research. Those responsible for implementing environmentally sound disposal activities in the oil industry will find "Waste Management in the Oil Industry" an invaluable resource.

Rural energy's importance to the Bangladesh economy cannot be underestimated. The problems rural people face in obtaining safe, clean, and reliable energy supplies are not minor inconveniences. People are cooking with biomass fuels including large amounts of leaves and grass that expose them harmful indoor air pollution. They light with kerosene or sometimes candles which give off a dim light that hampers studying and reading in the evening. Finally, rural productivity suffers because of lack of access to modern energy. However, the picture also is not all bleak. This study underscores how improved access to rural energy services can created multiple benefits for rural life - from income and labor productivity to education and women's health. Recommended or enhancement of programs for improved stoves, rural electrification, renewable energy and greater access to commercial liquid fuels can significantly improve both the rural productivity and enhance the quality of life in rural Bangladesh.

'Petroleum Exploration and Production Rights: Allocation Strategies and Design Issues' is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion. Many governments rely on oil companies to efficiently exploit natural resources. Governments have the challenging task of deciding which companies should be awarded exclusive rights to explore, develop, and produce their petroleum resources, and on what conditions such rights should be awarded. This paper analyses the available evidence on the advantages and disadvantages of various systems used by petroleum-producing countries to allocate petroleum exploration, development, and production rights, and considers the policy implications of each system. The experience of six petroleum-producing countries is presented in detail, and numerous other examples are provided to derive lessons of wider applicability. The paper presents various conclusions for policy makers about the optimal design of allocation systems.

Technological advances and changes in government policy and regulation have altered the electric power industry in recent years and will continue to impact it for quite some time. Fully updated with the latest changes to regulation, structure, and technology, this new edition of "Understanding Electric Power Systems" offers a real-world view of the industry, explaining how it operates, how it is structured, and how electricity is regulated and priced. It includes extensive references for the reader and will be especially useful to lawyers, government officials, regulators, engineers, and students, as well as the general public. The book explains the physical functioning of electric power systems, the electric power business in today's environment, and the related institutions, including recent changes in the roles of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Reliability Company. Significant changes that are affecting the industry are covered in this new edition, including: The expanded role of the federal government in the planning and operation of the nation's electric utilitiesNew energy laws and a large number of FERC regulations implementing these lawsConcerns over global warming and potential impacts on the electric industryPressures for expansion of the electric grid and the implementation of "smart-grid" technologiesThe growing importance of various energy-storage technologies and renewable energy sourcesNew nuclear generation technologiesThe 2009 economic stimulus package

The commencement of the World Crisis is attributed to the crash of the housing market in 2006. This, in turn, uncovered the sub-prime mortgage debacle which generated the banking crisis in 2007. The American auto industry demise and the full world recession followed in 2008. This book analyzes that the trouble started before 1979 and the deposing of the Shah of Iran which was related to the issue of oil. The influence of oil caused the desert wars and the 9/11 event in 2001 and the start of the Iraq war in 2002. These actions were the main reasons for the price of oil escalating astronomically from $21 per barrel in 2001 to a spot price of $148 per barrel in 2008. The average 2008 price was $91 per barrel. A price of $80 per barrel represents a yearly cost of $700 billion to the American economy. The book re-emphasizes the importance of transportation to the world's activities and economy. It also stresses the vital need to respond meaningfully to the conversation of oil and to decide on a replacement for it generated from a renewable material. The book is based on truth and fact regardless of social and political correctness.

The current universal concerns about global energy security, competitiveness, and environmental protection make energy efficiency more important than ever. However, realizing large-scale savings has proven a significant challenge due to many barriers. 'Public Procurement of Energy Efficiency Services' looks at a largely untapped energy efficiency market the public sector. While the efficiency potential in this sector is substantial, the implementation of energy savings programs has been complicated by a number of factors, such as insufficient incentives to lower energy costs, rigid budgeting and procurement procedures, and limited access to financing. The book looks at energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) as a means of overcoming some of these barriers. Because public facilities can outsource the full project cycle to a commercial service provider, ESPCs can enable public agencies to solicit technical solutions, mobilize commercial financing, and assign performance risk to third parties, allowing the agency to pay from a project s actual energy savings. The recommendations in this book stem from case studies that identified approaches, models, and specific solutions to ESPC procurement, including budgeting, energy audits, and bid evaluation. Such an approach also offers enormous potential to bundle, finance, and implement energy efficiency projects on a larger scale in the public sector, which can yield further economies of scale. ESPCs can also serve as an attractive element for fiscal stimulus packages and efforts by governments to 'green' their infrastructure, which can create local jobs, reduce future operating costs, and mitigate their carbon footprint. Lower energy bills, in turn, help to create fiscal space in future years to meet other critical investment priorities. Bundled public sector energy efficiency projects can help stimulate local markets for energy efficiency goods and services and 'lead by example', demonstrating good practices and providing models to the private sector."